Chapter 4

Su Qi wanted to ask what was said again, but Jiang Shengzhuo pointed his finger, which was holding a cigarette, behind her and said, "The car has arrived, goodbye"

A single sentence stirred up a thousand waves; Su Qi wished she could slam the plate onto his face. She really wanted to do it, but she managed to hold back, forcing a smile through gritted teeth, "I stopped eating a long time ago"

Is that so? How coincidental! That means you have known each other for many years

Su Qi turned to look at him. At that moment, Jiang Shengzhuo was already intoxicated, his eyes narrow and bright. He did not look at her, as if speaking to himself, uttering words he would not normally say, and these words were laden with meaning, rich in implication.

Do you have that organ

Su Qi suddenly paused with the cup in hand, a look of realization crossing his face as he exclaimed, "Oh! Playing along? Are you defending him or do you have deep insights? Do you often play along in such situations as well?"

Upon first meeting Jiang Shengzhuo, Su Qi immediately concluded that he was a wealthy playboy. That day, Ye Zinan was driving Su Qi out of the city to enjoy some game meat. Not long after they set out, a sports car roared past them provocatively, and suddenly cut in front of Ye Zinan. It seemed that Ye Zinan had anticipated this move; he effortlessly swerved to avoid it, stepped on the gas, and gave chase with a clean and swift motion, a lazy smile on his face.

Two cars came to a steady stop at the red light simultaneously. The car on the left suddenly rolled down its window, revealing a young man inside. Although he was wearing sunglasses, his facial features were strikingly handsome. He turned his head, took off his sunglasses, and with a grin said to Ye Zinan, "Exactly, Ye Zinan, I’m not criticizing you, but driving this car at the speed you just did is simply an insult to it"

Among Ye Zinan's childhood friends, Jiang Shengzhuo stands out as the most dashing young master, indulging in pleasures without a care, excelling in every pursuit except for books. Yet, he possesses a handsome face and a successful career, ensuring that there is never a dull moment in his company. His understanding of women's psychology is particularly profound, which explains why, despite his notorious reputation, many women continue to pursue him relentlessly. At this moment, he is lazily leaning against the back of a chair, one hand resting on the waist of a stunning woman beside him. Although he appears frivolous and debauched, he cannot hide his elegance. The term 'playboy' is perfectly embodied by him, and his female companions change as frequently as flowers in a garden.

Ye Zinan's smile has always been the best tool to captivate both men and women; with just a single sentence, he made Shi Ruaqing burst into laughter. His gaze shifted slightly to the left, and he nodded in greeting, "Young Master Shen, hello"

Before Su Qi could react, he had already returned to his seat, seamlessly picking up the previous person's topic, "That piece of land is indeed good, but the government's stance is quite clear; I'm afraid..."

Su Qi, however, swayed in her seat due to inertia. Once the vehicle stabilized, she squinted at the license plate of that car and disdainfully remarked, "No wonder they are so arrogant; they are the offspring of officials. Let them drive recklessly on the road."

Shen Yanlei smiled slightly and said, "Hello, General Manager Ye."

It turns out that the Shen family needs a daughter-in-law like this, Su Qi thought to herself

Shen Yanlei gazed at the woman across from him without a flicker of emotion. It had only been three years, yet she had truly changed. However, some small habits remained unchanged; whenever she tasted something delicious, her face always lit up with satisfaction. Despite sitting there for so long, she had not glanced at him even once. There were no affectionate gestures with the man beside her, yet their every movement exuded a sense of understanding. When they stood together, it surprisingly gave him a feeling of compatibility, even though he was reluctant to admit it.

... ... ''

Ye Zinan smiled as she raised the car window halfway, not following along, but patiently waiting for the red light. That smile seemed to convey a sense of not stooping to the level of unreasonable troublemakers

When Su Qi saw Jiang Shengzhuo again, he was once again in that carefree demeanor, so this acquaintance did not hinder Su Qi and him from continuing their banter.

She is Shi Ruoqing, and this is Su Qi's first time meeting her. More than three years ago, during that incident, Shi Ruoqing was never present, and Su Qi had only seen her photograph. Three years have passed, and she is even more beautiful than before, with a more outstanding temperament. Dressed in a light purple long dress that complements her fair and translucent skin, with willow-like brows and apricot-shaped eyes, her every smile and frown exudes the grace of a refined young lady.

She was not clear why Jiang Shengzhuo suddenly told her these things. Prey? Her?

Upon seeing them enter, the entire room erupted in cheers, led by Jiang Shengzhuo, "Ye Zinan, you're late! You must first drink three cups as a self-penalty, and you may drink on behalf of Su Qi."

Ye Zinan listened and laughed from the side, timely handing over a glass of water. When Su Qi said she was tired, she made a concluding statement: "What you said is all correct, but he is not as unbearable as you described. It's all just a performance. He treats you well too; at least he complimented you the first time he met you. He rarely uses that word to praise a girl he meets for the first time."

Ye Zinan turned her head to glance at her with a smile; although she did not speak, the speed of the car noticeably increased

Jiang Shengzhuo's smile deepened upon hearing this. He cast a penetrating glance at Su Qi, showing none of the usual demeanor of a second-generation rich kid; instead, he exuded an air of sharp intelligence. Even his voice conveyed a sense of decisiveness, "A few days ago, Ye Zinan said something to me that I didn't quite understand at the time, but now, I seem to grasp it a little."

Ye Zinan smiled and nodded, first addressing Shi Ruaqing, "I remember the last time I saw you, you were still in high school. In the blink of an eye, you've grown so much."

Ye Zinan looked at her with some surprise, a faint smile at the corner of his lips, but did not ask further questions

The seemingly calm conversation made Su Qi feel the turbulent undercurrents beneath its surface. In the room, everyone was chatting and laughing, creating a harmonious atmosphere, yet Su Qi felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles. She sensed a pair of eyes from across the room that seemed to be watching her intermittently. Ye Zinan and the others were discussing recent economic trends while smoking, and a few women were talking about the latest fashion trends. She occasionally smiled and nodded to indicate she was listening, but her mind was in a state of chaos.

Su Qi was focused on the ribs in her bowl, when suddenly a bowl of soup appeared in front of her. Just as she looked up, Ye Zinan had already leaned over, whispering in her ear in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, "This seafood soup is their signature dish, and it tastes quite good. Give it a try"

Once on the vehicle, Su Qi said earnestly to Ye Zinan, "I take back what I said before; Jiang Shengzhuo should be a decent person, although I do not know him very well."

After a while, the sports car suddenly reversed. Jiang Shengzhuo squinted at Su Qi and said to Ye Zinan, "Moreover, this girl is quite good."

What truly changed Su Qi's perspective was the Christmas that followed shortly after. That evening, a group of them had dinner and, after coming out, the gentlemen went to fetch their cars while the ladies stood together chatting. Su Qi stood quietly not far from them, waiting, when she noticed Jiang Shengzhuo walking over. He stopped beside her, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and then began to speak

Oh, when did I offend you, Su Qi? How could you say that? It really hurts my feelings

Ye Zinan embraced Su Qi as they sat down, calmly raised his right hand to check the time, and then turned it at an angle for Jiang Shengzhuo to see, "There are still two minutes left until the scheduled time"

Over there, Jiang Shengzhuo looked over in surprise and asked, "Hey, do you know each other?"

After speaking, he put on his sunglasses, raised the car window, ignored the red light, and sped past like a flash.

At that time, the weather was very cold, and the breath of the two people emitted a white mist. Su Qi tucked her chin into her scarf and smiled as she asked, "What about you? You look like a carefree playboy, but what is your inner self like?"

Do not be deceived by Ye Zinan's elegant and composed demeanor, for he is a formidable character. He patiently awaits the appearance of his prey, biding his time for the optimal moment to strike, skillfully toying with his target. Throughout this process, he exhibits no signs of fatigue or irritation, remaining as calm and composed as an observer. Yet, he does not overlook any detail, waiting for the safest and most assured opportunity to launch his attack—swift, precise, and ruthless, delivering a single blow to defeat his enemy

Su Qi finished the soup, took a sip of water to moisten his throat, and finally looked up at the man across from him, a polite smile on his face, "Have you had enough of watching?"

Ye Zinan raised both hands in surrender, fearing to bring disaster upon himself, "You are right, Jiang Shengzhuo is indeed a dandy, a playboy, and he is deeply sinful."

Su Qi and Jiang Shengzhuo exchanged witty banter, while Ye Zinan wore a faint smile, choosing not to participate, assist, or express any opinions

Later, after Su Qi became familiar with them, especially after witnessing Jiang Shengzhuo making a dazzling entrance each time with a different female companion from various illustrated books, he vehemently condemned him for being a philanderer, a lecher, a heartbreaker, irresponsible, and treating emotions as a game, among other accusations

It is unclear whether Jiang Shengzhuo is intentional or unintentional, or if Su Qi has something to hide in her heart. She really wants him to be quiet and indirectly said, "President Jiang, some people have known each other for many years, yet you are not familiar with him, or perhaps you simply do not wish to see him again, just like you."

Su Qi immediately replied, "Just university alumni."

Even with his limited insight, Su Qi could tell that the relationship between the two was unusual. It was from that moment that Su Qi began to suspect that Ye Zinan was not the "ordinary businessman" he had described.

Jiang Shengzhuo spoke with a tone of cynical nonchalance, "Alright, you win"

Ye Zinan's childhood friends were quite familiar with Su Qi. During the initial period of her acquaintance with Ye Zinan, she often spent time with them, and after mingling for a while, they developed a certain bond. Among that group, some were calm and gentle, some were wild and unruly, some were eccentric and reckless, while others were warm and refined, showcasing a stark contrast in personalities. Su Qi had always been puzzled about how they managed to come together.

After speaking, he left

Seeing that he was unwilling to say more, Su Qi did not press further and waved goodbye to him

A room full of men and women laughed heartily. Shi Chenyang raised his chin to gesture at Ye Zinan, saying, "Zinan, that is my cousin Shi Ruaqing, whom you have met before. Next to her is her fiancé, Shen Yanlei, the young master of the Shen family in City Y. You met him a few years ago; I wonder if you still remember him"

Shen Yanlei did not respond; instead, he turned a plate of pumpkin cakes towards her, wearing his usual gentle smile, "I remember this was your favorite dish."

Su Qi picked up the spoon and took a sip. The soup entered his mouth, rich in flavor, and his eyes slightly squinted with a smile; the taste was indeed quite good