Birthday Banquet

Lu Mingyu took another step back, his eyes full of wariness.

Seeing Lu Mingyu like this, Tang Ruan's eyes filled with sorrow, and those watery eyes were full of accusation.

As if Lu Mingyu were some utterly despicable scumbag.

Lu Mingyu only felt a chill run through his whole body.

"Since you're here for a part-time job, what are you standing around for? Don't you need to work? Don't tell me you plan to stand there doing nothing and still take the money!"

Song Shi'an, standing nearby, felt his scalp go numb.

As expected of an evil capitalist.

How did a 37-degree mouth say something so ice-cold?

Tang Ruan still wanted to say something, but Lu Mingyu had already walked inside without sparing her so much as a glance.

The moment Lu Mingyu entered, Lu Tingting spotted him and immediately stood to greet him.

"Brother, you're here! Over here!"

Today, Lu Tingting wore a pink princess dress and exquisite makeup. At first glance, she really did look like a little princess.

A woman sat beside her, dressed very simply with a high ponytail and an honest, plain-looking face.

Song Shi'an discreetly looked Chen Xiaowen over and could not help sighing inwardly, No wonder Lu Tingting trusts her so much. She has such an honest-looking face!

What a pity. You can know someone's face but not their heart. This woman is no harmless creature.

Because of Song Shi'an's inner thoughts, Lu Mingyu could not help scrutinizing Chen Xiaowen as well.

Seeing Lu Mingyu's gaze fall on Chen Xiaowen, Lu Tingting took the opportunity to link arms with Chen Xiaowen and introduced her. "Brother, this is the best friend I told you about, Xiaowen. We met abroad."

Upon seeing Lu Mingyu's handsome, aristocratic face, Chen Xiaowen was still somewhat shy. She stammered out a greeting, "P-President Lu, hello."

Lu Mingyu gave a cold nod but did not respond.

Seeing this, Lu Tingting was about to say something when Lu Mingyu cut her off. "Today is your coming-of-age birthday banquet. A lot of guests have come. You should at least go out front and show your face."

Lu Tingting looked at Chen Xiaowen hesitantly, as if she wanted to say something but held back.

Chen Xiaowen bit her lip, looking uncomfortable from head to toe.

"But it's Xiaowen's first time at an occasion like this. What if someone bullies her while I'm not by her side?" Lu Tingting asked with a frown.

Lu Mingyu glanced at Song Shi'an.

Song Shi'an immediately stepped forward and said, "Miss Lu, don't worry. I'll keep an eye on things. Nothing will happen."

With someone to help, Lu Tingting did not insist. She said to Chen Xiaowen, "Xiaowen, I'll go over first and come back soon. If anything comes up, just talk to Assistant Song."

Chen Xiaowen nodded, looking understanding. "All right, go take care of things."

After Lu Mingyu led Lu Tingting out of Chen Xiaowen's sight, he said, "That friend of yours is no harmless creature."

The moment Lu Tingting heard that, she immediately retorted, "Brother, you can't dismiss someone just because of her family background. That's far too one-sided!"

Lu Mingyu stopped walking and looked at his indignant younger sister.

"Your brother has seen countless people. I won't misjudge her," Lu Mingyu explained.

Lu Tingting was dissatisfied, a flash of anger appearing on her pretty face. "Brother, Xiaowen is my good friend. I won't allow you to talk about her like that!"

Lu Mingyu: "..."

It seemed he could not persuade her...

If Lu Tingting did not see Chen Xiaowen's true nature clearly—

Chen Xiaowen would remain like a tumor, and the hidden danger would be far too great!

Lu Mingyu's gaze darkened, and he said nothing more.

After Lu Mingyu took Lu Tingting away, Chen Xiaowen's gaze began drifting over Song Shi'an as she subtly sized him up.

Though Song Shi'an was not as tall and handsome as Lu Mingyu, he was the delicate, cute type. Moreover, after serving as Lu Mingyu's assistant for so many years and attending plenty of grand occasions, he carried a hint of aristocratic refinement.

A long silence followed.

Chen Xiaowen finally could not hold back any longer and spoke. "Assistant Song, is Tingting's family very wealthy?"

As she asked this, a flicker of greed flashed through Chen Xiaowen's eyes.

Back when they were abroad, seeing Lu Tingting's spending habits, Chen Xiaowen had guessed that Lu Tingting's identity was far from ordinary.

And now that she had come to Lu Tingting's birthday banquet and seen how grand it was, Lu Tingting's identity was surely extraordinary.

Song Shi'an answered politely, "As the eldest daughter of Sea City's Lu Group, she is naturally wealthy."

Upon hearing "Sea City's Lu Group," Chen Xiaowen unconsciously clenched her fists, her face full of envy and jealousy!

Seeing this, Song Shi'an continued, "Miss Chen, since you and Miss Lu are so close, which prominent family are you from?"

The expression on Chen Xiaowen's face stiffened. Somewhat embarrassed, she lowered her eyes and said softly, "My family circumstances aren't very good..."

"Is that so?" Song Shi'an pretended to be shocked. "I thought that since Miss Chen could study abroad, your family circumstances must have been exceptional. I didn't expect... Then life abroad must have been quite difficult for you, Miss Chen. After all, expenses overseas are high."

Chen Xiaowen fell even more silent.

After all, once she got to know Lu Tingting, she lived off Lu Tingting, ate off Lu Tingting, and had nearly all her expenses covered by Lu Tingting. She had barely suffered at all.

Seeing that Chen Xiaowen had stopped talking, Song Shi'an did not say anything further.

That ungrateful wretch. Lu Tingting had treated her with complete sincerity, yet she had done something like this for her own selfish desires. What an animal!

The two of them fell silent for a moment.

Then a bizarrely dressed man with dyed yellow hair strode over. He walked up to Chen Xiaowen, utterly rude.

"Chen Xiaowen, what the hell are you doing? How come you're hitting on a man yourself? Didn't you say we came here today to find me a rich wife?!" Chen Yaoqiang shouted in dissatisfaction.

He had followed Chen Xiaowen here today and seen the extravagant, indulgent lifestyle of the rich. He was filled with envy.

He had wanted to hit on one of the wealthy young ladies here, but before he could even say more than a couple of words, someone had called security.

If he had not been quick-witted, he would have already been thrown out by the guards.

Hearing Chen Yaoqiang's words, Chen Xiaowen was horrified. She hurriedly stood up and scolded, "Shut up! What nonsense are you talking about?!"

Chen Yaoqiang was used to lording it over everyone at home. Seeing Chen Xiaowen talk back, his temper instantly flared.

He cursed angrily, "Chen Xiaowen, you worthless bitch! You dare talk back to me? Are you tired of living?!"

After being shouted at like that, Chen Xiaowen's face darkened. But seeing Song Shi'an there, she could only endure it. She strode up to Chen Yaoqiang, lowered her voice, and said, "Don't talk nonsense. There are guests here!"

Only then did Chen Yaoqiang turn to look at Song Shi'an.

He sized him up from head to toe, his eyes full of disdain.

He muttered under his breath, "Dressed all fancy. One look tells me he's some pretty boy."

Song Shi'an still wore a smile as he stood and looked at Chen Xiaowen. "Miss Chen, today is Miss Lu's birthday banquet. Security is strict; not just anyone can enter."

Chen Yaoqiang immediately flew into a rage. "What do you mean by that?!"

Seeing that they were about to start fighting, Chen Xiaowen hurriedly stopped Chen Yaoqiang. She whispered something in his ear, and only then did Chen Yaoqiang calm down.

Song Shi'an blindly guessed that it definitely was not anything nice.