The Obsessive Tycoon Claims the Deserted Heiress-Chapter 64 - 063: Calculation

But the zipper seemed to be against her, no matter how she pulled, it wouldn't budge.

"Xinman!" Yuan Li scolded her, her face darkening: "It's just a dress, look at yourself now, where's the grace of a lady?!"

If she could calm down and not lose her composure, today's embarrassment wouldn't have escalated to such a farce.

Yu Xinman seemed to ignore her words entirely, using all her strength to tear at the neckline and hem of the dress, pulling it off before throwing it into the trash can.

Ignoring the pain in her palms, she ran to the wardrobe and took out seven or eight dresses, preparing to try them all on until she was satisfied.

By the time she had put on a white dress, Yuan Li couldn't hold back anymore, tightly grasping her hand and forcefully pushing her down onto the sofa.

Yuan Li took a deep breath, held her, stroked her head, and softened her tone slightly: "Xinman, calm down."

A single teardrop slid from the corner of her eye, landing softly on Yu Xinman's hand, barely making a sound.

She lowered her gaze, staring at the crystalline teardrop on the back of her hand, her thoughts emptying as she gradually calmed down.

After a while, she sat up straight, tilting her head to look at Yuan Li: "Mom, can it still be salvaged?"

She was unwilling, unwilling to become the laughingstock of the entire social circle on her birthday party.

Yuan Li's eyes flickered as she picked up a tissue beside her, gently wiping her daughter's lashes: "Of course, no matter which dress you wear, you'll still amaze them."

Perhaps persuaded by her words, Yu Xinman's expression softened considerably.

She glanced at the tissue, noticing the colorful makeup residue staining it, and hurriedly stood up: "This wiping won't help, I'll remove it and redo my makeup."

Under the edge of the vanity table was an array of shattered cosmetics, leaving nearly everything unusable.

Yu Xinman stared at the mess, hesitated for a few seconds, and then picked up the makeup remover.

She carefully redid her makeup and hair, adorned herself with new earrings and necklaces, regaining her usual radiant appearance.

"Mom, does this look alright?" After the incident earlier, Yu Xinman felt a strange nervousness, her tone noticeably lacking confidence.

Yuan Li scrutinized her closely, her eyes revealing a hint of admiration: "Hmm, as expected of my daughter, you look gorgeous in anything."

Fearing her daughter might overthink, Yuan Li draped her arm over her shoulders and guided her forward: "Let's go, don't keep everyone waiting too long."

Yu Xinman smiled faintly, and as they passed by the trash can, her gaze lingered deeply on the shredded dress inside.

**

Downstairs, the atmosphere was lively with groups of people gathered, drinking wine and chatting as if the earlier fiasco had never happened.

Yu Zhi remained in her original spot, her head slightly lowered, eyes fixed on her phone screen. The cold white glow illuminated her face, casting a shadow under her lower lashes, an intricate mix of light and ink.

The latest message on WeChat was from Shi Wei: [I'm at the neighborhood entrance waiting for you.]

She instinctively glanced at the time, her pale fingers quickly typing a reply on the keyboard.

Lu Li shifted closer to her and gently asked, "Feeling a bit bored?"

His gaze was gentle like a breeze, stirring countless ripples wherever it touched.

Yu Zhi put away her phone and scanned the surroundings: "Hmm, still very dull."

"Are you... unhappy?" Lu Li's tone carried a trace of caution.

Since entering the room, he had not seen Mr. Yu approach her at all, nor had he introduced her to anyone.

Even the Yu Family servants treated her indifferently, making it clear how unfavorable her usual circumstances in this household were.

Yu Zhi seemed to understand the subtext of his words and replied decisively: "No."

Her demeanor was calm and indifferent, leaving it unclear whether she was hiding her feelings too well or truly didn't care. Lu Li couldn't discern any sense of discontent from her.

He pondered briefly and changed the topic: "Are you staying here tonight or heading to your brother's place?"

"My brother?" When had she gained a brother, she wondered.

"The one at the restaurant the other day—you introduced him as your brother, didn't you?"

Lu Li's question momentarily stumped Yu Zhi. Recalling the age displayed in her prior investigation, she hesitated briefly before nodding: "I suppose."

He was older than her, so calling him her brother didn't seem entirely unreasonable.

Lu Li didn't dwell on it and asked his earlier question again, but this time added: "If you're heading to your brother's, I'll drive you later."

"No need, he's waiting for me outside."

"Then I'll walk you to the neighborhood entrance." Lu Li was eager for a moment alone with her, even if it meant just walking part of the way.

Not far off, Yu Xinman—accompanied by Mr. Yu and Mother Yuan—was meeting a few well-bred young men.

She smiled warmly as she clinked glasses with them, yet her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the corner of the room.

The sight of Lu Li leaning slightly to speak with Yu Zhi ignited an overwhelming surge of jealousy, coiling tightly around her like a constricting rope.

After making some perfunctory remarks to the group, Yu Xinman quickly made her way toward the kitchen, signaling a servant with a look along the way.

Once inside the kitchen, she locked the door and sternly questioned the servant: "How much juice did she drink outside?"

"Two sips." The servant kept his head lowered, obediently relaying what he had observed.

"Is it enough?" Yu Xinman crossed her arms tightly, her brows furrowed: "You're certain there won't be any issues with that stuff?"

"Technically, two sips should be sufficient."

"When will it take effect?"

"Approximately half an hour later." The servant had kept track of the time meticulously and dared not be careless.

Yu Xinman said nothing, pacing around the kitchen in deep thought, her hand supporting her chin.

To ensure everything went smoothly, she leaned close to the servant's ear and whispered something, repeating herself multiple times for emphasis, before unlocking the door.

The servant kept his head down and walked to the courtyard, swiftly adding a packet of white powder to a brand-new glass cup while the coast was clear.

He shook the cup slightly to ensure no visible difference before placing it on a tray with juice, wine, and champagne and carrying it back inside.

Circulating the tray around the hall once, the servant paused intentionally in a dimly lit corner for a brief moment.

Yu Zhi noticed him and, coincidentally feeling thirsty, absentmindedly grabbed the golden-yellow glass of juice from the tray.

The moment she took the glass, the servant promptly departed.