Lin Xi pushed the coffee toward Shen Qi. "My treat."
Shen Qi looked at the Starbucks cup but didn't take it.
"What? Look down on me?" Lin Xi raised an eyebrow, eyeing Shen Qi with a hint of arrogance.
"No," Shen Qi replied flatly. "I don't drink coffee."
"Is that so?" Lin Xi's eyes narrowed as she sneered at Shen Qi. "Or is it because you can't afford it?"
Shen Qi felt that every extra minute spent with this girl was torture.
Why did people like this exist in the world?
The kind that made you want to snap instantly, that made you not want to talk to them at all?
Shen Qi's silence didn't mean Lin Xi would let her off.
Lin Xi leaned in, getting close to Shen Qi's face. "Auntie, it seems you didn't take what I said last time to heart?"
"What?" Shen Qi was taken aback.
"I said, you're asking for it!" A cold smile curled at the corner of Lin Xi's lips. She suddenly grabbed the coffee cup in front of Shen Qi and hurled it at her!
Splash!
Shen Qi jolted upright from the burn.
Her chest was a mess.
Everyone in the store turned to look at them.
Lin Xi suddenly pointed at Shen Qi and shouted to the others, "Look closely! This woman! She stole my man, my husband! She's the other woman!"
Shen Qi stood frozen.
She never expected Lin Xi to say something like that!
Lin Xi put on a tearful performance. "I begged her to leave my man, but she refused... Is there no justice in this world?"
Shen Qi turned her head and saw countless people staring at her, their eyes full of disdain.
Shen Qi shook her head. "I'm not, I didn't..."
But her explanation was completely drowned out by Lin Xi's hysterics.
No one heard her.
Just then, someone suddenly stood up and strode over.
Before Shen Qi could react, a jacket was draped over her, and an arm guided her out.
Shen Qi looked up instinctively.
Feng Manlun?
What was he doing here?
"Let's leave first. The more you explain, the worse it gets," Feng Manlun said simply, picking up her bag and quickly leading her out of Starbucks.
Watching Feng Manlun and Shen Qi leave, a triumphant smile flickered across Lin Xi's lips.
She pulled out her phone and snapped several photos of the two leaving together, quickly sending them to He Yining.
She had been clever with the coffee spill.
Not only had she drenched Shen Qi, but she'd also soaked her phone.
If all went well, Shen Qi's phone would be out of commission today.
Who would He Yining believe when he saw those photos?
Shen Qi was led out of Starbucks by Feng Manlun. She looked at the mess on her clothes and said, "Thanks for earlier."
"No problem. I happened to be waiting for someone here. Want to find a place to change?" Feng Manlun glanced around. "There's a Chanel store nearby."
"Okay, thanks." Shen Qi nodded at Feng Manlun and headed toward Chanel.
"Wait, I'll go with you." Feng Manlun quickly followed. "That crazy woman might still be around. I'll keep you safe."
Shen Qi thought it over and silently nodded.
The two walking side by side toward Chanel was captured in another photo, sent straight to He Yining's phone.
Having completed her task, Lin Xi slipped away.
Shen Qi picked out a set of clothes. As she changed and went to pay, the saleswoman smiled and said, "That gentleman already paid for you. Your boyfriend is so good to you."
Shen Qi froze. Already paid?
She turned to look at Feng Manlun waiting by the door and had to explain to the saleswoman, "He's not my boyfriend, just a friend."
The saleswoman looked envious. "Wow, just a friend, and he drops over a hundred thousand on clothes without blinking?"
"Over a hundred thousand?" Shen Qi was startled. "Is this the latest season?"
"Yes, the newest collection," the saleswoman replied.
"Please tell me the price so I can pay him back," Shen Qi said seriously.
The saleswoman gave her a once-over, as if she were crazy.
Someone buys her clothes, and she wants to pay it back?
Was this woman out of her mind?
Feng Manlun saw Shen Qi come out and looked her over. "Looks great."
"Thanks for paying. I'll return the money..." Shen Qi started, but Feng Manlun cut her off.
"As your senior, buying a little gift for my junior is perfectly normal. We're all family, no need to be so polite. I heard you're making a big dinner for the teacher tonight. If you want to thank me, why not invite me to join?" Feng Manlun smiled warmly at Shen Qi. "I'd love to taste your cooking."
Shen Qi was surprised. "How did you know?"
"You mentioned it at the hospital," Feng Manlun said lightly. "You forgot, but I didn't. Today's the teacher's discharge day, and I couldn't make it to pick him up. Sorry about that. But I can help with the dishes."
Hearing this, Shen Qi couldn't refuse.
"Oh, sure." Shen Qi nodded. "I've already bought the groceries. Let's head over."
"Great." Feng Manlun's eyes narrowed with satisfaction. He glanced across the street corner, where someone was snapping photos.
They drove back to Charles's place.
As soon as she entered, Shen Qi got busy.
Charles and Feng Manlun sat together, continuing their discussion on design and concepts.
Charles glanced at Shen Qi bustling in the kitchen and turned to his student. "You like Xiao Qi?"
"Why would the teacher ask that?" Feng Manlun replied calmly, his gaze soft as he looked at Charles.
"Xiao Qi is a good girl. But unfortunately, she's married." Charles hinted meaningfully.
"Indeed, she is." Feng Manlun didn't take the bait, smoothly deflecting. "Is the teacher treating Xiao Qi like a daughter?"
Charles chuckled.
The other was sharp enough to know when to stop.
Shen Qi was quick.
Years of being pushed around by Shen Yinyin had honed her domestic skills.
Even though there were servants and a cook at home, Shen Yinyin loved tormenting Shen Qi.
So Shen Qi had developed excellent cooking skills out of necessity.
In less than an hour, she had a table full of home-style dishes.
"Teacher, senior, time to eat." Shen Qi filled the rice bowls and set them on the table.
Feng Manlun came over and was full of praise. "Xiao Qi, you're amazing! I have to take a picture of all this food to remember it."
Before Shen Qi could react, Feng Manlun leaned in close to her, posing as if for a hug, snapped a selfie, and immediately posted it on Weibo with the caption: "Beautiful woman and good food—both not to be missed."
Shen Qi felt a bit embarrassed. "I'm not much of a cook, just some simple dishes. Teacher, please try it and see if it suits your taste."
Charles dried his hands with a smile, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the food. "I love it, I love it! Xiao Qi, you've worked hard!"
"As long as the teacher likes it." Shen Qi sat down with them.
Meanwhile, He Yining received a steady stream of candid photos.
Feng Manlun shielding Shen Qi as they left, entering Chanel together, Feng Manlun paying, the two driving off.
And finally, Feng Manlun's Weibo post.
Feng Manlun rarely updated his Weibo.
It usually only had a few landscapes.
Suddenly posting a selfie with a woman caused an uproar.
Everyone was guessing who she was.
Feng Manlun had only captured Shen Qi's profile, so most couldn't recognize her.
But He Yining's sharp eyes caught the birthmark between her collarbones.
That flame-shaped mark—he couldn't mistake it.
"Starbucks, Chanel, now eating together?" He Yining's fingers traced the mouse, a cold smile curling on his lips.
Feng Manlun, can't you wait?
Xiao Chun knocked and entered. "President, Lin Xi is outside and insists on seeing you."
"Got it. Have her wait in the meeting room." He Yining nodded, his phoenix eyes scanning Feng Manlun's selfie with a glint of murderous intent.
Lin Xi sat primly in the meeting room.
Her heart was pounding.
She had been trying to find He Yining for days, but the butler always said he wasn't home.
So she had to try the office.
And this time, she found him.
Maybe things were turning around?
He Yining walked in, his long legs carrying him to the sofa.
Xiao Chun brought over a cup of tea and placed it beside him.
"What do you want?" He Yining asked lazily.
Lin Xi pouted. "Yining-ge, you haven't come to see me in so long!"
"Oh, I've been busy." He Yining's reply lacked sincerity.
"Yining-ge, haven't you always wanted to know about my father back then? It's not that I didn't want to tell you, but it's not exactly a proud story." Lin Xi looked at him with a pitiful expression. "Are you mad at me because of that? I've thought it over—we're family, I shouldn't keep secrets from you. So I've decided to tell you the truth."
He Yining showed some interest. "Oh? Go on."
"My father wasn't wealthy. Me saving you back then was just a coincidence, which is why you couldn't find out about me. And I couldn't find you because I had no way to." Lin Xi bit her lip, carefully recalling the words someone had taught her.
That person said, based on calculations, the girl He Yining had been looking for back then probably came from a modest background.
If she were well-off, she wouldn't have just slapped band-aids on him—she'd have taken him straight to the hospital.