Wen Yibo objected?
Ha, objection overruled.
He Yining continued discussing what to wear for dinner with Fan Sheng and Fan Li.
Shen Qi was also very troubled!
Shen Qi was also agonizing over what to wear!
Because she realized that among the clothes she brought, there were hardly any she could actually wear out!
When packing her luggage, she was distracted waiting for He Yining's call, so she only threw in a few ordinary casual outfits, without preparing any formal wear or anything!
What was she going to do now?
Liu Yi came out of the bathroom, drying her hair, and saw Shen Qi sitting on the bed in a daze. She couldn't help asking, "What's wrong?"
Shen Qi sighed softly and said, "I didn't bring a single evening gown."
"Is that all?" Liu Yi laughed heartily, turned around, opened her own suitcase, and pushed it in front of Shen Qi. "We're here for a designer competition. How could a little thing like this stump us? You've done styling work before. Look, I brought a lot of fabric here. If we didn't bring clothes, no worries—we'll just make our own!"
Shen Qi's eyes lit up: "Oh my god, you actually brought fabric? That's incredible!"
Liu Yi scratched the top of her head sheepishly and explained, "I thought the competition meant designing an outfit on the spot, so I brought a ton of fabric. But after arriving, I realized that's not how it works at all."
Shen Qi burst out laughing: "Well, this time it's a happy accident. Liu Yi, you're awesome!"
Liu Yi smiled back: "Yeah, as long as it's useful!"
The dinner was scheduled for the next evening.
It wasn't set for the evening because the ambiance was better at night.
It was because the hotel was fully booked during the day!
He Yining wasn't in a rush; whatever time Shen Qi said was fine.
As the dinner time drew closer, Shen Qi and Liu Yi left their room together and headed toward the reserved dining room.
Liu Yi was still dressed in her usual sharp style, but at least she wasn't wearing that five-year-old T-shirt she'd bought for 29 yuan with free shipping on Taobao.
Shen Qi had handmade her a very casual yet elegant shirt, which paired with Liu Yi's existing white trousers, made her look incredibly dashing.
Shen Qi herself kept it simple.
A knee-length red strapless dress made her look even more petite, delicate, and adorable.
From a distance, Shen Qi saw He Yining and the other three walking toward them. She was momentarily stunned: "Huh? Didn't we invite Wen Yibo? Why are He Yining and Fan Sheng and Fan Li here too?"
Liu Yi blinked and said, "Yeah... I'm wondering the same thing!"
They exchanged a glance and thought hard.
Right, no mistake!
They had only invited Wen Yibo!
Well, the other three must have come uninvited!
Since they were already here, it would be awkward to send them away.
When the two groups met, Wen Yibo and Liu Yi immediately clashed.
They glared at each other, sparks flying.
The others were left out in the cold.
Shen Qi didn't know how to face He Yining, so she greeted Fan Sheng and Fan Li instead: "Did you tag along because you heard I'm treating tonight and couldn't pass up a free meal?"
"Haha, you got it!" Fan Sheng and Fan Li replied in unison, grinning. "A meal from Xiao Qi isn't easy to come by."
He Yining looked several times more handsome tonight.
Even in just a light gray casual shirt and white trousers, he stood out from the crowd with striking good looks.
From the start, his gaze never left Shen Qi.
But Shen Qi greeted Fan Sheng and Fan Li first, which annoyed He Yining a bit.
Still, seeing Xiao Qi dressed up so carefully, he graciously forgave her!
After greeting Fan Sheng and Fan Li, Shen Qi turned back to find Liu Yi and Wen Yibo still locked in a staring contest. She had no choice but to steel herself and greet He Yining: "President He..."
"You call her Grandma, but you call me President He?" He Yining raised an eyebrow, the corner of his eye carrying a hint of displeasure.
Remembering her mission for the night, Shen Qi forced herself to change her address: "Yining... you're here too."
He Yining curved his lips.
He felt that his name sounded especially beautiful coming from Shen Qi's mouth.
"Yeah," He Yining replied with a hint of pride. "After all, you rarely treat anyone."
Shen Qi felt a bit embarrassed.
Thinking about it, she really didn't treat people often.
Shen Qi reached out and tugged at Liu Yi, who was still locked in her staring contest. Liu Yi snapped back to reality and greeted He Yining, Fan Sheng, and Fan Li: "Nice to meet you."
"Liu Yi, let me formally introduce you. This is He Yining, my... my husband." Shen Qi's ears inexplicably reddened when she said "husband."
He Yining grew even more pleased.
"And these two are Fan Sheng and Fan Li, the young masters of Fan's Entertainment. The four of them grew up together as friends." Shen Qi added. "So we invited Wen Yibo to dinner, and the other three came along to freeload."
Liu Yi formally greeted them: "Hello, I'm Liu Yi. I think I don't need to introduce myself further—you've probably already investigated me thoroughly."
Before He Yining and the others could respond, Wen Yibo snorted, "Hmph, flattering yourself. Who investigated you?"
Liu Yi's eyes widened. She wanted to roll up her sleeves and start a fight, but remembering her mission for the night, she held back and said, "Fine, no investigation. I'm just Liu Yi."
Shen Qi quickly stepped in to mediate: "Alright, alright, let's not stand around. Let's head inside."
Shen Qi led the way, but before she could take two steps, her right hand was suddenly caught in He Yining's grip.
Shen Qi instinctively tried to pull away, but his hold only tightened.
Unable to break free, she let He Yining lead her into the room by the hand.
As soon as they entered, a waiter came over to serve them.
Shen Qi lowered her voice: "Let go! We're about to eat."
"Sit next to me." He Yining commanded without room for argument.
"No..." Before Shen Qi could finish her refusal, He Yining added, "Be good tonight, and I'll tell you the real content of the exam."
Shen Qi immediately fell silent.
Her heart wept a river.
Why did he always guess what she was thinking?
Sob, sob, sob...
She was being threatened again!
Seeing Shen Qi stop resisting, He Yining smirked with satisfaction.
Shen Qi obediently sat down beside He Yining.
As soon as she sat, Fan Sheng and Fan Li settled in next to her.
Now, even if Liu Yi wanted to sit far from Wen Yibo, she couldn't.
The two, who despised each other yet were bound by invitation and acceptance, sat together awkwardly.
Liu Yi glared at Wen Yibo, and he glared back.
They had been at each other's throats since the doorway.
Neither could stand the other, but tonight they had no choice but to sit together.
Liu Yi was carrying the mission of the entire Fifth Team.
As for Wen Yibo—dare he not show up? He Yining would make his life miserable if he didn't!
While the two were locked in their staring contest, He Yining kept holding Shen Qi's hand, refusing to let go.
Shen Qi tried several times to slip her fingers free, but every attempt only made him grip tighter.
He Yining's fingers were long and beautiful, yet strong, and the thin calluses on his palm sent a faint electric current from her fingertips straight to her heart.
Two hands—one strong, one weak; one firm, one soft; one large, one small—fit together perfectly.
The only spectators, Fan Sheng and Fan Li, who were just there for the meal, finally spoke up: "Hey, hey, can you four stop glaring at each other? We didn't even eat much lunch just to save room for this dinner!"
Their words snapped the four out of their respective worlds.
Shen Qi's face flushed.
How embarrassing.
He Yining's phoenix eyes held a glint of amusement.
Liu Yi and Wen Yibo both snorted through their noses and fell silent.
Shen Qi broke the awkwardness again: "I'm not sure what you all want to eat..."
"Oh, anything's fine! As long as it's food." Fan Sheng and Fan Li answered in unison. "We're not picky."
"I'm not picky either." He Yining said slowly.
As soon as he spoke, Wen Yibo and the Fan brothers shot him looks of disdain.
If He Yining wasn't picky, no one in the world was!
Wen Yibo said, "I don't care either. I've eaten everything except humans."
Liu Yi sneered: "Eating humans might be tough, since a sissy like you is better suited to being eaten."
Wen Yibo's eyes widened: "Are you saying I'm the bottom? Want to try?"
Liu Yi shot back without flinching: "Do you think you can beat me?"
"I've always been on top!"
"That's because you've never met an opponent as strong as me!"
Why did Shen Qi feel like their conversation had suddenly turned so dirty?
Was she overthinking it?
Fan Sheng and Fan Li covered their faces simultaneously.
So stupidity was contagious.
Wen Yibo had been normal a few days ago. Had He Yining infected him?
Why did he turn so foolishly dense whenever he met this Liu Yi?
He Yining noticed it too and immediately cleared his throat: "Alright, alright, are we eating or not?"
With President He's word, no one dared to object.
Wen Yibo and Liu Yi both shut up.
Shen Qi took charge and ordered the dishes. Truth be told, no one's mind was really on the food tonight; everyone had their own thoughts.
So what they ate didn't really matter.
Shen Qi and Liu Yi were on a mission—they had to find out the real theme of the second round.
But even after the food arrived, they couldn't bring themselves to ask.
During a trip to the restroom, Shen Qi couldn't help but ask curiously, "Liu Yi, why are you so hard on Wen Yibo tonight? I remember a few nights ago, he even praised us."
Liu Yi's face suddenly flushed bright red. She blinked a few times before answering, "It's nothing."