Song Qi Nian watched Shen Chi Yan nervously, her heart racing as she waited for his reaction.
But Shen Chi Yan merely curved his lips into a smile. "Impressive, CEO Zhou. Managing Hongsheng Group must keep you incredibly busy, yet you still find time to chase after baseless rumors. You truly are a master of time management."
Zhou Mingsheng opened his mouth to respond, but Shen Chi Yan's piercing stare made the words die in his throat.
The truth was undeniable - Zhou Mingsheng couldn't compete with Shen Chi Yan in any arena, whether it was company strength, future prospects, or personal capability. Every business clash between them had ended in Zhou Mingsheng's defeat, breeding a deep-seated bitterness within him.
In the past, Zhou Mingsheng had always addressed him deferentially as "President Shen." But now, believing he was about to successfully poach employees, his tone had grown bold. Still, that old fear lingered beneath his bravado.
He consoled himself with visions of the future: Once he secured Mr. Smith's partnership, Hongsheng Group would be unstoppable. Then he'd finally make Shen Chi Yan grovel before him, humiliated and defeated.
Zhou Mingsheng caught Lu Yuzhu's eye, and she immediately understood. "Daphne, Miss Song," she said with a practiced smile, "let's leave the men to their business talk. How about we do some shopping instead?"
Daphne nodded readily, and everyone turned to Song Qi Nian, waiting for her response.
She looked uncertainly at Shen Chi Yan. He stood and drew her into his arms - every bit the devoted lover who couldn't bear even a moment's separation - then pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Go ahead," he murmured. "Text me if you need anything."
His tenderness and that soft kiss worked like a balm on her nerves, easing her anxiety.
They had barely left the hotel when Song Qi Nian's phone chimed with a message from Li Nanxun: "Miss Song, there's a card in your bag with a three-million limit, no PIN required. If you need more, please don't hesitate to contact me or President Shen. His number is 133..."
Song Qi Nian froze, then quickly opened her bag. Sure enough, there was a bank card inside.
When had he slipped that in?
Three million. Song Qi Nian stared at the number, almost dizzy with disbelief. She'd never seen that much money in her life. Didn't Shen Chi Yan worry she might spend it all under the pretense of entertaining Daphne? Still, her first move was to save his phone number.
Rich women, Lu Yuzhu knew, typically passed their time in two ways: shopping at high-end boutiques or playing mahjong over afternoon tea. As someone who prided herself on her social skills, she'd planned to let Daphne win some money at mahjong - a calculated move to smooth the path for their business deal.
As for Song Qi Nian? Lu Yuzhu dismissed her entirely. Being mute, she wasn't even worth considering as competition. In fact, Lu Yuzhu couldn't fathom why Shen Chi Yan would marry a mute woman, let alone bring her to meet the Smiths. Wasn't he mortified?
But Lu Yuzhu's careful plans crumbled when Daphne suggested a coffee shop instead. Still, Lu Yuzhu remained confident - even the worst conversationalist would outshine someone who couldn't speak at all.
"Miss Lu, Miss Song," Daphne began, "you both seem deeply in love with your husbands. I adore mine as well. Would you share how you met and fell in love?"
Song Qi Nian gestured to a waiter for paper, and before she could begin writing, Lu Yuzhu jumped in. "My husband and I are childhood sweethearts. Our marriage was inevitable, really - blessed by both families. We deeply respect and cherish each other. We're very happy." The truth was far different: theirs was an arranged marriage, and they lived separate lives, only playing the devoted couple when it served their interests.
Daphne nodded politely before turning to Song Qi Nian. As Song Qi Nian wrote in English, Lu Yuzhu peered at the paper. Though she recognized individual words, their meaning together eluded her.
Song Qi Nian passed her note to them both, and Daphne read: "I met him during my freshman year in college. He was our school's most handsome student. The first time I saw him, I was captivated by his beauty, and it was unstoppable from there."
According to Shen Chi Yan's briefing, the Smiths' own love story had begun with Mr. Smith pursuing Daphne, their romance facing opposition from both families. She was an aristocratic young lady; he was a poor young man. He'd spent years pursuing her, working tirelessly to win her family's approval. Finally, against all odds, the lovers had married.
"So how did you get together?"
Whether Daphne was genuinely curious about Song Qi Nian and Shen Chi Yan's marriage or testing them, Song Qi Nian knew she needed to answer carefully.
"It was all thanks to Shen Chi Yan's grandmother," she wrote. "During university, I volunteered at a school for the deaf and mute that she'd established. When she learned I had feelings for Shen Chi Yan, she introduced us. We fell in love and got married."
The story was a blend of truth and fiction - she could hardly tell Daphne the real story. She'd mentioned the charity work deliberately, knowing Daphne's recent involvement in similar causes.
Her instinct proved right. For the rest of their time together, Daphne focused entirely on Song Qi Nian, leaving Lu Yuzhu on the sidelines. Lu Yuzhu's face darkened with fury - to be overshadowed by a mute woman was beyond humiliating.
This woman must be Shen Chi Yan's hired actress, Lu Yuzhu decided. She'd assumed a mute would be useless, but clearly, this one was cleverer than expected. Just wait - she'd expose the truth about this little mute soon enough.
As Song Qi Nian and Daphne grew more comfortable with each other, Lu Yuzhu, seeing her influence slip away, complained of hunger. They moved to an upscale Italian restaurant.
Trying to demonstrate her hospitality, Lu Yuzhu ordered dish after dish. Song Qi Nian wanted to suggest ordering less, worried about waste, but Lu Yuzhu's domineering manner made it impossible to intervene.
When their overcrowded table drew Daphne's frown instead of her approval, Lu Yuzhu felt bewildered. Everything had been fine until Song Qi Nian showed up. How had Daphne changed so completely?
With the contract signing looming, they couldn't risk any complications. Lu Yuzhu kept serving Daphne portions of each dish, but her efforts fell flat. Seeing Song Qi Nian occupied with eating, Lu Yuzhu tried filling the silence with small talk.
Daphne's expression soured until she cut Lu Yuzhu off mid-sentence. "Miss Lu, please remain quiet while eating."
Lu Yuzhu froze, her face flushing red. Unable to glare at Daphne, she fixed Song Qi Nian with a venomous look instead.
0 Comments