Impossible.
That man was blind and crippled, with a twisted, antisocial personality—he wouldn't come to a place like this.
Zhou Mingyue clung to Gu Chao's arm, acting coy: "A Chao, I did you a huge favor, and you're only treating me to one meal? That's so stingy."
"So many people around, keep your hands to yourself." Gu Chao looked disgusted, trying to pull his arm away, but Zhou Mingyue wasn't about to let him go, hugging him tighter.
"We agreed—just one meal. What else do you want now?"
"We're boyfriend and girlfriend. What do you think?"
Gu Chao was stunned: "Since when am I your boyfriend?"
"Last week. You carefully prepared a candlelit dinner for me, and I really liked it."
"What dream are you having in broad daylight? Let go of me now."
Shen Xiaoxing furrowed his brow, reached out, and pinched Huo Jinyan's waist, making him yelp in pain, drawing everyone's attention.
He gave an awkward smile: "Uh... best wishes to you two for a hundred years of harmony. If it's really necessary, there's a private room on the third floor. Let's not block the way here, okay?"
Zhou Mingyue blushed shyly: "Oh, stop it! What are you saying? A Chao and I haven't gotten to that stage yet..."
Gu Chao: "..."
An Ruo stood quietly to the side, her gaze fixed on the man behind Huo Jinyan, as if deliberately avoiding someone.
The man gave Huo Jinyan another cold jab, making him wince in pain. He grinned foolishly, hiding the man behind him inside his coat: "My darling's hungry, we'll take off first."
The three of them stared in shock.
Huo Jinyan wrapped his arm around the man's waist: "What are you looking at? Never seen a woman this sturdy?" Under their strange gazes, he strode away.
"That..." Zhou Mingyue's expression was shocked: "That was a man, right?"
An Ruo was also startled by the scene, but she was used to not being curious about others' affairs, quickly regaining her composure.
"Master Huo is into that?!" Zhou Mingyue suddenly turned to Gu Chao: "You three aren't..."
Gu Chao clicked his tongue: "What are you imagining? Let go of me now!"
"No way!" Zhou Mingyue, as if remembering something, turned to An Ruo: "An Ruo, you're not needed here. Go have fun."
An Ruo nodded, then gave Gu Chao a slight bow: "President."
He had some impression of her—always following Zhou Mingyue around. She should have been an employee of Lanzhen, yet she was constantly serving this clingy pest.
-
Huo Jinyan gave a teasing smile: "Darling, is my embrace warm?"
Along the way, many eyes were on them, looks of disdain and strangeness.
The man straightened up from his coat, pushing him away with disgust: "Don't gross me out!"
Those two "darlings" almost made him throw up!
Huo Jinyan rubbed his nose: "Just now you were clinging to me like a little bird, and now you're turning your back on me so fast?"
"..."
"Who did you run into that scared you this much?" Huo Jinyan glanced around: "Besides you, there's no one else from the Shen family here."
Shen Xiaoxing didn't answer his question, inwardly wondering why that girl was here.
Huo Jinyan savored the brief glimpse from earlier: "Hey, that woman next to Zhou Mingyue is pretty good-looking. If you're done with your business, your buddy here might go hunting for some fun."
The man said nothing. As he took a few steps, a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed the back of his neck, nearly choking him.
"What the hell, you're trying to kill me!?" Huo Jinyan coughed violently.
Shen Xiaoxing's voice was cold, laced with deadly threat: "If you dare make a move on her, I'll really kill you."
"..." Huo Jinyan was baffled: "You have a wife and you're eyeing other women?!"
"She is my wife."
Huo Jinyan's alarm bells rang: "That one just now?"
No wonder the man nearly choked him to death—it was the little sister-in-law!
Not to be pursued, not to be pursued.
-
The Red Wine Club was an entertainment venue for the wealthy elite.
Each floor had different entertainment options. The restaurant was on the fourth floor, and it happened to coincide with some rich young master hosting a food banquet.
An Ruo stepped into the restaurant, gazing at the opulent hall filled with music and dancing, feeling a bit out of place.
A waiter came over with a tray: "Miss."
She stared blankly at the drinks on it, picking for a while before finally choosing a low-alcohol champagne: "Thank you."
Her eyes swept around, eventually landing on the oversized dining table in the center of the hall, laden with exquisite dishes that made her mouth water.
An Ruo slowly edged over, and when no one was looking, carefully picked up a piece of strawberry cake, taking a very ladylike bite.
It was sweet, but not cloying.
She selected some food—grilled meat and steak, along with egg tarts and drinks. There was no main course, but at least everything here was free.
An Ruo found a quiet spot, enjoying the graceful dancers in the ballroom while stuffing food into her mouth.
Amid the shifting figures, she noticed a man across the dance floor staring at her. When their eyes met, he curled his lips into a sly smile and raised his glass in her direction.
She froze, feeling like she recognized him somehow.
Her guard went up. The way he looked at her like prey made her uncomfortable. After finishing her last egg tart, she quickly moved to another spot.
But just as she was eating happily, someone tapped her shoulder. She turned around and found no one. When she turned back, the man was standing right in front of her.
An Ruo was startled, and the pastry in her mouth flew out from a reflexive cough, landing on the man's suit jacket.
Her heart dropped, and she quickly apologized: "S-sorry..."