Chapter 67

The news reached her through her cousin. Ruan Ning had just gotten out of class at noon and was standing in the crowded campus coffee shop, waiting to order a sandwich and coffee to take away for lunch.

She'd finally made it to the front of the line when her cousin's message came through. Reading it felt like a bolt from the blue, striking her from head to toe. The cashier noticed her ashen face and asked cautiously, "Are you alright, miss?"

Forgetting the lunch she'd queued over ten minutes for, Ruan Ning turned and pushed her way out of the crowd around the counter, ducking around the corner to a quiet spot on the street to call back.

"Cousin, are you sure the fireworks and drones were from the heirs of the Duke of Tapei and the Duke of Banting?"

Her cousin was air-drying sweet potatoes on the other end, her voice strained with effort. "I'm not lying to you—it's all over the internet. Why would I make that up?"

Before she could say another word, her cousin's brother chimed in from beside her: "Stop chatting, we still have a few hundred pounds to dry!"

"Gotta go, I have work to do." Her cousin hung up in a hurry.

Ruan Ning leaned against the wall with a bitter laugh, a wave of pain and pressure surging from her head down to her tailbone.

She couldn't believe the whole world was buzzing about her birthday. Always unremarkable and invisible, she was suddenly thrust into the public eye, completely at a loss for what to do.

As she panicked over how to respond, a group of girls who'd been behind her in line walked out with their salads and juices, chatting loudly enough that she couldn't tune them out.

"Did you hear? The fireworks and drones last time were from the Jiang and Bu heirs—apparently for the same person's birthday."

"No way, being pursued by two duke heirs at once? That person must be a celestial beauty."

"Who is it?"

"No idea. All we know is that it was their birthday. Nothing else."

"Don't even think about it—it's definitely some heiress with absurd wealth, noble blood, top academics, and flawless looks."

"Pfft, the internet's just speculating with no real proof. Anyway, with their status, they could have any woman they want. Why would they fight over the same one? Does she have three heads and six arms or something?"

"Ha, sounds like you're just jealous."

"What's there to be jealous of? Use your brain—if she were really that perfect, would future dukes be chasing her like that?"

"Right, she's definitely some scheming girl who tricked both young masters into falling for her."

Ruan Ning clutched the hem of her shirt, her nose reddening. She could already picture thousands of netizens hurling insults beneath the trending searches. She hadn't tricked Jiang Yihao or Bu Chen—she hadn't even known those two events were for her.

Her eyes grew hot, and she slid helplessly down the wall to crouch on the ground.

How did this happen?

On the night of the fireworks, Manager Wang had happily booked a high-end restaurant he'd never dared splurge on before to celebrate. He was genuinely grateful to the mysterious Miss Ruan—if it weren't for her, he wouldn't have earned enough to coast for a full year.

When he arrived, he ran into Manager Li from a rival company, who was also throwing a celebration. A whole group of them were noisily toasting someone named Miss Ruan.

Wang's ears perked up at that, and he went over to chat. To his surprise, Li turned out to be the head of the drone project, also celebrating the same mysterious Miss Ruan.

Hearing the name, the two planners instantly connected the dots and exchanged knowing smiles.

As old rivals in the industry, they knew that clients often split a big event into smaller projects, assigning each to whichever company offered the lowest bid to cut costs. Only a handful of nationally sensational cases came up each year, and those were usually divided among the top-tier firms—plus, the executives knew each other privately, so a little casual conversation was enough to piece things together.

Wang had always regretted not landing the drone contract, and Li had been eyeing the fireworks. Turns out it was all by design from above. The two weary workers immediately ordered drinks and started venting together.

But then—one thing led to another—they discovered the clients were two entirely different young masters. The explosive secret nearly knocked everyone's socks off.

"Young Master Jiang, please listen—the leak definitely didn't come from me!"

Manager Wang was practically sobbing over the phone, desperate to kowtow to Jiang Yihao from across the distance. A few days after the project wrapped, news about who was behind the Woyi Bridge fireworks spread like wildfire, and Wang's world collapsed. He called Jiang Yihao immediately to beg for forgiveness.

"I've investigated thoroughly—it wasn't us who leaked it! The first rule in this business is keeping your mouth shut, knowing what to say and what not to. The rumors online really have nothing to do with us."

"Besides, would I dare leak your identity? I'd never survive in this industry afterwards. Young Master Jiang, please clear my name."

"You're fine taking the money, but not the responsibility?"

"Then get it under control, you idiot!"

Jiang Yihao's irritation only grew listening to Wang's wailing on the phone. He shouted at the trembling old man, then slammed the phone down with a crack.

He rubbed his face, pacing furiously around the room. He'd wanted to give Ruan Ning a little surprise just between the two of them. After the fireworks, he'd deliberately avoided contacting her, waiting for her to excitedly come to him first.

He'd kept checking for days, but Ruan Ning showed no reaction at all. Instead, his name ended up on the trending searches, causing a stir all over the world.

"How embarrassing!"

"And the drones—that brat Bu Chen stole that from me. Damn it!"

Jiang Yihao was speechless with rage. He'd coveted that drone project for ages, wondering how he'd failed to land it. So it was Bu Chen's doing all along—it all made sense now.

He kicked a soccer ball hard against the wall. It rebounded and slammed into the door just as it swung open, startling the butler standing behind it.

"Ah—my apologies, young master. The lady requests your presence in the study."

"Fine."

The ball bounced back and rolled to a stop against the far wall of the spacious room. Jiang Yihao frowned, annoyed.

Ever since the last banquet, Du Yue had ordered him to move back to the Jiang family's old mansion in the city center. Every move he made was under his mother's watchful eye, and it was driving him crazy. But if he wanted her to keep allowing him to play football, he'd have to endure it for now.

Each day, Jiang Yihao snuck out of the house more carefully to head to the club for training, hoping not to be spotted.

Now that he was all over the trending searches, what he feared most was his mother questioning him endlessly. Sure enough, within a day, Director Du summoned him.

Jiang Yihao stormed into the study, his footsteps thumping heavily across the luxurious wooden floor, and demanded as he pushed the door open, "What do you want now?"

Du Yue sat behind the desk in a crisp gray suit, her gold-rimmed glasses flashing a cold gleam. "What is this?"

Her gaze landed on a stack of documents on the desk—all printouts of the fireworks trending searches.

Jiang Yihao's eyes darted guiltily toward the portrait of a former duke by the desk. He snorted. "I've already sent people to deal with it. The trending stuff is all nonsense—I lost a bet and was made to set off fireworks."

But the look behind the gold-rimmed glasses didn't soften just because her son admitted fault.

"Xiaohao, it seems you've been having too much fun outside. Have you forgotten the family rules—"

"Stay low-key!" Jiang Yihao cut her off roughly before she could finish. "Don't show off, don't reveal your identity, don't let outsiders know our whereabouts, don't expose personal preferences—be a mysterious, noble elite. That the line?"

Du Yue's tone was flat as still water, yet perfectly clear: "I wonder if I've given you too much freedom, to the point you've forgotten who you are."

Du Yue was furious when she saw the trending searches. She didn't believe the gossip columns' romantic rumors, and she wasn't angry that her son had used his status to toy with social rules. What angered her was his carelessness in dragging the Jiang family into the spotlight.

Keeping a low profile was an unspoken rule in their circle. They firmly believed that modesty wasn't just a noble aristocratic tradition—it was the foundation of the family's long-term prosperity.

Jiang Yihao, however, thought they were dull and pretentious. In the end, he figured, it was just about guarding their ancestors' patch of land and keeping outsiders from knowing too much.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time." Jiang Yihao turned his head away in defiance, while a portrait of an ancestor stared silently at the tense mother and son.

"From today on, if you still want to go to training, you'll leave your phone here."

"What?" Jiang Yihao lunged at the desk, teeth clenched. "You're cutting me off from the outside world?"

Du Yue pressed the doorbell, and several burly butlers entered, bowing slightly to Jiang Yihao and gesturing for him to leave.

He ignored them, gripping the desk and shouting, "Why are you taking my phone? Bu Chen's on the trending searches too—will his family take his?"

The entire ducal household feared madame's anger. The butlers hurriedly whispered, "Young master, please leave before madame gets truly upset."

Jiang Yihao's eyes were bloodshot and terrifying, his shouting echoing through the cavernous study while the butlers watched in trepidation. Du Yue ignored him and pressed the doorbell again. This time, more servants filed in, carrying Jiang Yihao's three phones—the ones he'd left in his room—and presented them respectfully to Du Yue.

Jiang Yihao's eyes sharpened, his pupils constricting. "You stole my things?"

Without even glancing at the phones, Du Yue waved a hand and ordered them taken away.

"You can open new accounts. But if I catch you doing it, Manager Fang will know by the end of the day exactly who he recruited to his team."

Du Yue's crimson lips slowly formed the words, and Jiang Yihao felt an icy chill pierce straight through his lungs.

"Give me back my phone! You have no right to take my things!" Jiang Yihao charged forward to snatch them back, but the surrounding servants moved swiftly to block him. They flung themselves at him, wrapping their arms around his body, but he was too burly for them to hold. They could only sob and plead, "Young master, don't act rashly. Going against madame will only hurt you in the end."

"Besides, madame only just let you play football again. Surely you won't waste this once-in-a-lifetime chance?"

Jiang Yihao's thrashing body suddenly stilled. Right... football.

"Who leaked it? I swear I'll kill whoever it was!" Jiang Yihao shoved the annoying servants aside with a roar.

"Brrr—brrr—brrr—"

Ruan Ning listened to the endless rings, her heart dangling over a cliff. She'd called Jiang Yihao's number again and again, but no one picked up. In the past, her calls would be answered within three seconds by that cheerful, lively voice. But today, something was wrong—she couldn't get through at all.

She desperately wanted to find Jiang Yihao and ask what was going on. Now the fireworks were being discussed everywhere—online, at school, at home. The chatter of passersby was making it hard for her to breathe.

She was terrified that one day they'd dig up her identity. The thought alone was suffocating for someone who was used to hiding in the crowd, living a plain, low-key life. She was just ordinary—she didn't want to be plastered across the internet, picked apart by thousands of mouths.

Ruan Ning sighed, hesitated for a moment, then dialed the exclusive number Bu Chen had given her—the one that was supposed to work anywhere in the world.

To be honest, when she found out the fireworks had been Jiang Yihao's doing, she was surprised but not entirely shocked. But Bu Chen arranging the drones for her birthday had genuinely stunned her.

The image of that magnificent lemon tree blooming beneath the vast sky flashed before her eyes. That night, everyone had looked up at it.

She'd thought Bu Chen had given up on her after the cosplay convention—at least on the surface. It had been a long time since she'd received a call or text from him. Figuring he was just a playboy rich kid with a wandering eye, Ruan Ning assumed he'd moved on to a new target.

She never expected that, with all the world watching, he'd silently wish her a happy birthday through a grand, dazzling drone show.

Suddenly, everything in front of her felt unreal. She tried to steady herself with deep breaths, but her heart still hammered wildly against her ribs, and she couldn't tell if it was from joy or dread.

"Brrr—brrr—brrr—"

Bu Chen's exclusive number was also going unanswered. Ruan Ning was about to collapse.

Why was no one picking up? What was she supposed to do? The fuse had already been lit, and the bomb was about to blow right on top of her head.

In desperation, she suddenly thought of someone who could definitely find Jiang Yihao and Bu Chen. Without hesitation, she dialed.

"Please, Bai Xingmiao, pick up."