Nan’an Studio only had around twenty people, but Shen Nanyue still booked a large private banquet room at the best hotel in Fengcheng.
The three round tables were set close together, and the cool white lighting illuminated everyone’s smiling faces.
Lu Sheng glanced at Shen Nanyue and Zhou Yushen whispering to each other nearby.
After waiting for a moment, she seized an opening and leaned toward Shen Nanyue.
“Senior, thank goodness you were here today, or we never would’ve survived this crisis. Let me toast you.”
Shen Nanyue smiled and clinked glasses with her.
Actually, she had started sensing something was wrong when she noticed the receptionist no longer stayed at her desk properly and kept running upstairs frequently.
Using “learning” as an excuse, the girl had secretly been passing their design drafts to Lin Siwan.
The first two times, Shen Nanyue had thought the receptionist genuinely wanted to learn.
Later, after accidentally seeing Lin Siwan lingering around the front desk, she realized something was off.
She guessed Lin Siwan’s target was this fashion show.
So she simply played along.
What the receptionist had seen were merely casual designs they had thrown together on purpose.
The actual competition outfit had been privately created by Shen Nanyue and a few designers in secret.
Because they did not know who else Lin Siwan might try to bribe besides the receptionist, they carried out the work quietly the entire time.
Even Lu Sheng only learned the truth when Shen Nanyue suddenly produced a brand-new outfit for the model.
“I can’t believe Xiaolu really did something like this. If Senior hadn’t discovered it in time, we would’ve been completely screwed at this fashion show!”
“Thinking about it now, letting her leave so easily was too merciful. We should’ve called the police!”
“Exactly…”
Voices full of anger and condemnation rang out around the room.
But Shen Nanyue acted as though she heard none of it.
It was normal for everyone to feel resentment after being betrayed by someone close to them.
And the reason she let the receptionist go wasn’t because she was especially kind-hearted.
The receptionist’s mother was seriously ill.
The girl worked several part-time jobs every day while also caring for her mother.
Faced with Lin Siwan’s tempting financial offer, it was only natural that she wavered.
Shen Nanyue had only learned about all this later.
She blamed the receptionist—but only to that extent.
Zhou Yushen had already heard Shen Nanyue explain everything, and he chose not to comment on how she handled it.
Instead, he turned to look at her.
The lighting cast a cool elegance over her flawless profile, yet her bright, confident smile gave her a unique charm.
Shen Nanyue seemed to be wavering a little.
Maybe he should press his advantage while he still could?
After the gathering ended, everyone was slightly tipsy.
Shen Nanyue personally called cars for each of her junior teammates.
Only after they had all left did she take out her phone to book a designated driver for herself.
Just as she was about to place the order, her phone was suddenly snatched away by a long, slender hand.
Following that well-defined hand upward, her slightly blurry eyes met Zhou Yushen’s teasing gaze.
She watched his thin lips part as he joked gently with her.
“Why call a driver? Did you forget? I didn’t drink.”
His voice was soft, and his face looked so perfect it rivaled a god’s—perhaps even more attractive than one.
Mm. Very nice.
This face truly suited her tastes.
Suddenly, she leaned forward and hugged Zhou Yushen tightly, burying her face in his chest.
“You smell so good.”
The cool, clean scent on Zhou Yushen made her feel safe.
Her swollen, fuzzy head was already overwhelmed with sleepiness.
Zhou Yushen froze for two seconds before finally raising a hand to support her waist.
His heartbeat unconsciously sped up.
He had already done far more intimate things with Shen Nanyue before, yet very rarely had he felt such happiness from something as simple as her proactive embracing him.
Had he really fallen for her already?
Lowering his eyes, the tenderness hidden within his sharp, handsome features—something that only ever appeared when facing Shen Nanyue—had long since become genuine.
A smile curled on his lips as he gently patted her back.
“Where are your car keys? I’ll drive you home.”
“In my bag.”
She leaned comfortably against him, her eyes already closed.
Even her reply sounded sleepy and muffled, as though she might fall asleep at any moment.
Helpless, Zhou Yushen bent down and scooped her into his arms before carrying her toward her car.
The engine started.
But after getting into the car, Shen Nanyue suddenly became alert again.
Sitting in the passenger seat, she kept her eyes fixed on Zhou Yushen as he drove.
Only after the car stopped outside the Shen family residence did she finally speak.
“Zhou Yushen, I want to tell you something.”
“What is it?”
Zhou Yushen pulled up the handbrake and turned to look at her.
Just as Shen Nanyue was about to speak, his phone suddenly rang.
“Hold on, I need to take this.”
Right in front of her, Zhou Yushen answered the call.
Shen Nanyue could only swallow back the words that had reached her lips.
Less than a minute later, whatever news came from the other side of the call was clearly unpleasant, because Zhou Yushen’s expression gradually darkened.
The narrow space inside the car was suddenly filled with a chilling coldness that even made Shen Nanyue glance sideways at him.
“Got it.”
Zhou Yushen’s voice returned to its usual icy tone.
After hanging up, he turned toward Shen Nanyue, apology lingering in his expression.
“I have something urgent I need to take care of. I’ll come see you tomorrow. Can whatever you wanted to say wait until then?”
Although he was asking for her opinion, the unquestionable tone in his voice made her feel a little strange.
He seemed unhappy?
She nodded. “Then go handle your business first.”
“Can I borrow your car?”
At this hour, it would be difficult to get a taxi out of the villa district.
Shen Nanyue nodded.
As she got out of the car, she seemed to think of something and bent down, looking at Zhou Yushen sincerely.
“Then remember to come see me tomorrow.”
Perhaps amused by how serious she sounded, Zhou Yushen’s lips curved into a faint smile, and he nodded.
“Don’t worry.”
Only then did Shen Nanyue feel reassured.
She turned and walked back into the villa, while Zhou Yushen drove away into the distance.
…
Yunding Apartment.
The moment Zhou Yushen opened the door, he saw the matriarch of the Zhou family, Han Ping, sitting on the sofa in the living room.
He walked over calmly and called out emotionlessly, “Mom.”
“You’re back. Sit down.”
Han Ping wore a qipao made of Xiangyunsha silk, sitting with impeccable posture.
Though she was over forty, her face showed none of life’s hardships, making her look at least ten years younger.
Zhou Yushen sat down on the single sofa beside her and asked, “What brings you to Fengcheng?”
“My younger sister’s birthday. I came to celebrate with her.”
“Oh.”
Zhou Yushen’s expression remained indifferent.
Han Ping looked at him with a kind smile on her face.
“I heard you’ve started dating a girl in Fengcheng. The Shen family’s daughter, right? When are you bringing her home for us to meet?”
“In a while.”
“Your grandfather keeps talking about wanting a granddaughter-in-law. I was actually quite satisfied with Gu Linlang before, but since you didn’t like her, I let it go. This time, though, you can’t be so casual about it.”
“Mm.”
At the mention of Gu Linlang, an indescribable emotion flickered through Zhou Yushen’s eyes.
Han Ping caught it, and the smile in her eyes deepened.
“Alright, it’s late, so I won’t disturb you any longer. I should get going.”
“Where are you staying?”
“At my younger sister’s place. Oh, right— the day after tomorrow is her birthday. The Meng family is holding a birthday banquet for her. As a junior, you should attend too and offer your regards.”
— The end of the Chapter–
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