Nangong Yehen raised an eyebrow, a smirk curling on his lips. "What about you?" "I don't have any presence." "Do you feel afraid when you see me?" "I was afraid at first, but not anymore." "As long as you're not scared of me, why bother about others?" Hearing this, Chu Lingzhi's heart stirred. "Young Master Nangong, saying things like that makes it easy for me to suspect you're interested in me." "For now, I am." Nangong Yehen didn't deny it. Chu Lingzhi pouted. He was just full of himself, not knowing how to charm a woman. Her gaze swept across the venue again, and she asked curiously, "Young Master Nangong, don't you ever take the initiative to go chat with them?" "What's there to talk about?" He wasn't a woman, jabbering nonstop the moment they met. "And they don't dare come up to chat with you either?" "Generally, if there's nothing important, they won't approach." When they'd first entered, greetings had been exchanged and pleasantries offered. Watching them huddle together whispering, Chu Lingzhi found Nangong Yehen's behavior rather dull. "If you won't talk to them and they won't talk to you, why even attend a banquet like this?" Nangong Yehen smirked. "I specifically brought you out to broaden your horizons, so you don't stay a frog at the bottom of a well." "Even without attending banquets like this, I'm no frog at the bottom of a well," Chu Lingzhi retorted. If he ever brought her out again, she'd refuse! Nangong Yehen's dark eyes glimmered with amusement as he looked at her. Foolish woman. "Thank you all for coming to Ye's celebration banquet..." At the sound of that voice, Chu Lingzhi shuddered, jerking her head up to trace it. On a makeshift stage stood a young man in a suit, holding a microphone. His handsome face bore a warm, joyful smile aimed at everyone present. It was Ye Xi—the Ye Xi who had once hurt her. Chu Lingzhi's face turned pale, her fingertips trembling. Nangong Yehen cast a playful glance at the stage, then turned back, looking at Chu Lingzhi with a half-smile. Seeing her unusual expression, a hint of coldness flickered in his deep eyes. "Feeling unwell?" he asked. Chu Lingzhi's gaze remained fixed on the man on stage, her voice slightly shaky. "No..." "You look terrible." She pulled her gaze away, looking at Nangong Yehen. "I want to go back!" Nangong Yehen's face darkened. "It's not time to leave yet." "If you have things to do, you can stay. I'm going back." "Chu Lingzhi, are you still going to say you don't know him?" Nangong Yehen's eyes turned cold as he looked toward Ye Xi. "Young Master Nangong, I really don't want to stay here." She looked at him with a pleading gaze, hoping he'd let her leave. She didn't want to spend another minute here. On stage, Ye Xi was detailing his company's scale. If she'd known this was his celebration banquet, she'd never have come. Just then, Ye Xi finished speaking and stepped off the stage, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. Soon, he noticed Nangong Yehen on this side. As his gaze shifted over, Chu Lingzhi's heart jolted, and she turned to leave. Nangong Yehen's long arm shot out, pulling her close. "Nangong—" "Having Young Master Nangong grace us with his presence is truly a great honor." By then, Ye Xi's tall figure had already stopped before them. "I admire President Ye's capabilities," Nangong Yehen said politely. "Thank you, Young Master Nangong. And this is..." Ye Xi shifted his gaze to Chu Lingzhi's face. The woman before him was so stunning it stole one's breath. When he recognized her features, his expression shifted dramatically.