So What If the Beautiful Campus Belle Loves Money? (21)
The private room seemed to freeze for a moment.
Everyone was stunned.
"What bastard with a death wish dared mess with your grandpa?!"
Zhang Hao clutched his bleeding forehead, which was throbbing with pain. Before he could make out who had arrived, he felt an icy gaze lock onto him, making him shiver involuntarily.
The faces of the companions beside him, who had been so aggressive just moments ago, turned deathly pale the instant they saw who it was.
"Young Master H-Hua?!"
How could it be Hua Jinchen?
Hua Jinchen strode across the room in a few long steps and reached Shi Zheng, his tall figure shielding her completely behind him.
As if she now had someone to back her up, Shi Zheng bared her claws from behind him and began to complain. "Baby, they didn't just want me to toast them. They wanted to put their hands on me too! I was so scared that I hit him with a wine bottle... Baby, I won't get you into trouble, will I?"
Although he knew full well that Shi Zheng might be putting on an act, his reason still crumbled completely when he heard her accusation in that tearful voice.
When Zhang Hao heard that, half his soul nearly flew out of his body in fright.
He paid no attention to his bleeding forehead and waved his hands frantically in denial. "No! Young Master Hua, I didn't! She's talking nonsense! We just asked her to pour some wine. It was a joke, we definitely didn't lay a hand on her! She hit me first!"
"If I'd known she was your woman, I wouldn't have dared mess with her even if I'd had a hundred times the nerve."
"A joke?" Hua Jinchen repeated Zhang Hao's words. "You think messing with someone who belongs to me, Hua Jinchen, is something you can just joke about?"
He declared his claim and completely shut down any chance Zhang Hao had to defend himself.
Zhang Hao's legs went weak, and he nearly dropped to his knees.
His companions fell even more silent than cicadas in winter, wishing they could crawl into a crack in the ground.
How could they have imagined that the notorious Shi Zheng could summon a great Buddha like Hua Jinchen to her aid?
And judging by Hua Jinchen's attitude, they were clearly more than casual acquaintances.
If he'd known, he never would have run his mouth.
With Shi Zheng under his protection, Hua Jinchen had just left the private room when he came face-to-face with a group of people hurrying down the corridor.
They were looking around in bewilderment when they suddenly saw Hua Jinchen come out with his arm around a girl. All of them froze.
Their footsteps stopped in unison, shock and curiosity written all over their faces.
Shi Zheng lifted her head slightly from the crook of Hua Jinchen's arm and gave them a small nod. "Hello."
Her greeting quickly brought the stunned group back to their senses.
Whatever they thought, they had to keep up appearances.
Who dared treat someone Hua Jinchen was so clearly protecting with anything less than respect?
"Campus Belle Shi, you're much prettier in person than in your photos. I've heard so much about you!"
"Young Master Hua, what happened? Are you two all right?"
They all put on polite smiles, but their eyes kept darting between Shi Zheng and Hua Jinchen, their curiosity practically spilling over.
Hua Jinchen offered no further explanation. He simply said, "We're fine. Let's go back to the private room first."
And so the group returned to their private room in a grand procession.
Hua Jinchen took Shi Zheng with him and settled naturally onto the sofa in the place of honor.
Shi Zheng sat close beside him, making them look especially intimate.
A waiter immediately came over and respectfully asked what they needed.
Hua Jinchen said, "Bring her a glass of juice."
Unable to contain his curiosity, Zhao Yong looked back and forth between them before venturing, "Young Master Hua, Campus Belle Shi, what... what's your relationship?"
The question was on everyone's mind.
The private room fell silent in an instant, several pairs of eyes turning toward them at once.
Almost without thinking, Shi Zheng blurted out, "Friends."
Almost at the same time, Hua Jinchen said, "A couple."
Their voices overlapped, but their answers were completely different.
The air seemed to freeze for a second.
Shi Zheng raised an eyebrow and turned to glance at Hua Jinchen, her look seeming to say, Have you forgotten what you warned me about already?
Such a damn poser.
After Hua Jinchen had clearly laid claim to her, her answer of "friends" was no different from making him lose face in public.
But Shi Zheng had no intention of correcting herself.
Hua Jinchen lowered his eyes to look at her and clicked his tongue in displeasure.
Seeing that Hua Jinchen wasn't angry, Huang Siyuan broke the brief awkward silence. "Young Master Hua, that's where you're wrong. You have to coax a girl. If you don't, Sister-in-law won't even acknowledge you as her boyfriend anymore."
"Sister-in-law is quite the celebrity at our school, a campus-belle beauty. I never thought Young Master Hua would win her over so quietly! I was going to pursue her myself. I nearly made a huge fool of myself. Young Master Hua, you kept this way too well hidden. That's not very nice of you!"
"Exactly!"
"When Young Master Hua makes a move, it really is extraordinary. Sister-in-law has been... the center of attention lately. I didn't expect Young Master Hua to be so considerate, helping Sister-in-law solve such a huge problem. I'm really envious."
The words openly complimented Hua Jinchen, but subtly pointed to Shi Zheng's scheming.
They confirmed everyone's suspicion that Shi Zheng had relied on Hua Jinchen to resolve the threat of expulsion.
The others exchanged knowing smiles and raised their glasses, offering congratulations and polite remarks about what a perfect match they made. The private room was soon filled with cheer.