Chapter 20

He preferred Shi Zhi like this.
She was stubborn. Even if she liked it, she wouldn't say so. She'd only put it on with a cold face. When she looked up to show him, there wasn't the slightest intent to seduce—her gaze was sharp, like a challenge.
The dress had a high slit. With each step she took, her pale long leg flashed into view. Shi Zhi walked to the sofa, took out the black satin heels, and, steadying herself with one hand on the sofa, lifted her leg back to put them on.
Very cool, and very captivating.
Fu Xiling silently raised an eyebrow.
When Shi Zhi looked upstairs again, he gave her a thumbs-up.
The banquet time was eight o'clock, but entry started at six-thirty.
Shi Zhi saw Shen Jia after she entered.
She didn't know whether Fu Xiling had meddled with the seating, or maybe she and Shen Jia were just cursed like that: Shen Jia sat at the neighboring table.
Before this, Shi Zhi and Fu Xiling had agreed that whether facing Shen Jia or Yaoyao, they would present themselves as a couple—only with different explanations.
No one knew how Yaoyao's car incident had been handled. Shen Jia kept looking toward Shi Zhi's side, his expression complicated. His gaze gradually shifted from shock to pain.
Shi Zhi knew Shen Jia well. She knew exactly how to make him hurt more.
But before she could do anything, Fu Xiling had already draped his arm along the back of her chair, leaned in in an intimate, whispering posture, and asked, "What should we talk about?"
Shi Zhi looked at him, amused. "Has your Miss Yaoyao not arrived yet?"
"Didn't see her. Probably not."
Fu Xiling's eyes played the part well, looking affectionate, but his mouth was still unserious. "How about I recite some classical Chinese for you? My memory's decent. I still remember some from high school."
Shi Zhi poked him in the ribs. "If you have nothing to say, sit properly!"
On stage, a host gave the opening speech. The invited reporters and camera crew clustered in the front rows.
The revised ad copy was long and tedious. Shi Zhi grew sleepy listening. She told Fu Xiling and went to the restroom.
When she came out, Shen Jia was waiting outside.
Shen Jia wore an all-white suit today. He lowered his head, lost in thought. Seeing Shi Zhi, he hurriedly blocked her path and grabbed at her wrist. "Shi Zhi—Shi Zhi, let's talk!"
Shi Zhi was very calm. "Talk about what?"
"I don't know what Fu Xiling told you. He has bad intentions, don't you know? Tao Jia and I aren't what you think. I clearly didn't—"
Shen Jia rarely got this worked up. But the more worked up he was, the calmer Shi Zhi became. "So... those comments on Tao Jia's Weibo were posted by Fu Xiling? It was Fu Xiling who hid Tao Jia's existence? It was Fu Xiling who hesitated, who didn't know who he really liked? Is that what you're talking to me about right now?"
Shen Jia opened his mouth, and in the end he only managed one question: "When did you meet him?"
"On your birthday."
Shi Zhi went straight for the heart, counting slowly: "Fu Xiling is more handsome than you, smarter than you, and richer than you..."
A light laugh sounded beside them. Fu Xiling had appeared at some point and was leaning there watching the show.
Shi Zhi shot him a subtle glare, warning him not to talk nonsense.
Fu Xiling strolled over. "You could say we fell in love at first sight. At first Xiao Zhi hesitated a bit, but you happened to be dishonest and hurt her. Really, you can count as our matchmaker—when we get married, should we save you a seat at the main table?"
Fu Xiling was half a head taller than Shen Jia. He wasn't the gentle-scholar type either. Standing by Shi Zhi, looking down with a smile that wasn't a smile, he felt oppressive.
He said, "So, honored guest at the main table—when are you going to let go of my girlfriend?"
Shi Zhi pulled her hand free and smiled apologetically at Shen Jia. Fu Xiling loosely wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her away.
Shen Jia seemed to have steadied his emotions. "Fu Xiling—Shi Zhi doesn't like your type."
Fu Xiling stopped, but only said, "That isn't your concern. Please tell Tao Jia: don't message or call me again. Thanks."
After days of cooperation, Shi Zhi gave her first evaluation of her partner. "I've realized you're far more vicious than I am."
Fu Xiling took it as praise and laughed twice. "You're too kind."
"What did you just call me?"
"Xiao Zhi."
"If I hear you call me that again, I will hit you."
Back in the banquet hall, someone in the industry was giving a speech about how the resort project aimed to build a new kind of hotel, bringing people closer to nature...
Shi Zhi had no appetite. Even with delicacies, she only took a few bites. Fu Xiling asked, "Tired of sitting?"
Shi Zhi frowned and asked back, "Has your Miss Yaoyao still not come?"
"Don't wait for her. Let's go. I'll take you back to the room."
As she left her seat, she glanced at Shen Jia's table.
One seat was empty. After their encounter outside the restroom, Shen Jia didn't seem to have returned to the hall.
Back at the villa, Shi Zhi leaned on the outdoor terrace railing and looked toward the villa where Shen Jia was staying.
Fu Xiling walked to her side and looked with her for a moment before suddenly saying, "Don't think about going back to him. For this cooperation with you, I've basically given up any possibility of doing business with Shen Jia."
"Aren't you in the same industry?"
"Even in the same industry, it's not purely competition. There's no permanent enemies in business."
The lights in Shen Jia's villa came on.
Shen Jia stopped. From not far away, he was looking this way.
Shi Zhi asked Fu Xiling, "Do you really mind offending a possible future business partner?"
"No. There are plenty of business partners. Why?"
Shi Zhi didn't answer. She gripped Fu Xiling's sleeve, moved closer, and, with ambiguous gestures, raised a hand to undo one button at his collar.
Fu Xiling had his back to Shen Jia, but he saw the shadow reflected in the glass and understood what Shi Zhi was planning.
"Sure you won't get back together with Shen Jia?"
Shi Zhi murmured, "Mm."
"Then don't move. I'll do it."
Fu Xiling suddenly wrapped an arm around Shi Zhi's waist and pulled her into his arms. He looked deeply into her eyes, then lowered his head and leaned in.