As night fell, Xu Yanshu was preparing to go home after a busy day when he unexpectedly ran into Xie Huanyu in the elevator.

Their eyes met briefly in mid-air, and the next second Xie Huanyu quickly looked away. After the elevator dinged, she took the lead and strode out.

Xu Yanshu ignored this, smoothed out the wrinkles on his clothes, and then slowly walked out of the elevator.

"Ah Huai, what brings you here!" Xie Huanyu's tone was full of surprise.

“I’ve come to pick you up! I’ve already reserved a table at Lan Yue Pavilion,” Lu Huai said casually, putting his arm around Xie Huanyu’s shoulder. But when he noticed Xu Yanshu following behind, the smile on his lips darkened noticeably. “Mr. Xu,”

"Long time no see, how about we grab a bite to eat together!"

"He just..."

Xu Yanshu readily nodded in agreement, "Okay!"

He knew perfectly well that Lu Huai was using the invitation as a pretext to provoke him. He had previously ignored such petty tricks, but today he wanted to see what kind of tricks this young master Lu could pull.

Are you really going together?

Seeing that the man didn't seem to be joking, Xie Huanyu's eye twitched involuntarily.

"You guys go first, I'll follow behind!" As if ignoring Xie Huanyu's unpleasant expression, Xu Yanshu said to himself, then turned and walked towards his car.

Lu Huai never expected Xu Yanshu to agree.

But since things had come to this, he couldn't say anything more, so he took Xie Huanyu's hand and got into the car.

Xie Huanyu appeared calm, but unconsciously kept turning her head to look in Xu Yanshu's direction, harboring some doubts in her heart.

Upon arriving at Lanyue Pavilion, Lu Huai and Xie Huanyu sat together, placing Xu Yanshu in the seat below them, which was a temporary arrangement.

We had booked a private room for two, but because Xu Yanshu joined us at the last minute, we had to add an extra chair next to him.

After the three of them sat down, one spicy Sichuan dish after another was served.

Out of the corner of his eye, Xu Yanshu caught Xie Huanyu's face stiffen for a couple of seconds, and a subtle, intriguing glint flashed in his cool eyes.

Xie Huanyu has a bad stomach and cannot eat spicy food; in severe cases, she may have to go to the hospital for stomach pumping.

The dishes were ordered by Lu Huai in advance, so was he unaware of this or simply didn't care?

Just then, Xu Yanshu saw Xie Huanyu eat several bites of spicy and sour fish slices in a row, and his gaze paused slightly.

Xie Huanyu nodded approvingly, rubbing her stomach with her hand, "Delicious! Sichuan food is the best!"

"Right! Since you like it, then eat more."

So what was the point of racking my brains to make her stomach-nourishing medicinal meals before?

Xu Yanshu subtly observed the woman's actions, then raised an eyebrow noncommittally. He thought to himself, "Serves him right for being such a simp!"

Coming to his senses, he picked up his chopsticks and began to enjoy the food in front of him with a clear conscience.

In recent years, he has been accommodating Xie Huanyu's tastes, almost forgetting that he used to be someone who couldn't live without spicy food.

Xie Huanyu was having a pleasant conversation with Lu Huai when he noticed Xu Yanshu eating heartily on the side, and he was taken aback.

Xu Yanshu never eats spicy food, does he?

Noticing Xie Huanyu's gaze, Lu Huai frowned unhappily, then glanced down at his leather shoes.

"Tsk tsk, when did my shoes get so dirty?"

After saying that, Lu Huai glanced at Xu Yanshu, then calmly crossed his legs, almost bringing his shoe to Xu Yanshu's face.

"Mr. Xu, would you mind wiping this for me?"

Xu Yanshu unconsciously clenched his chopsticks, replying expressionlessly, "I mind!"

"Xu Yanshu!" Xie Huanyu said coldly, her tone full of command, "It's just a small favor, you're used to doing these things, aren't you?"

Are you used to doing it?

Xu Yanshu almost laughed out of anger. He pressed his tongue against his cheek, as if he was born to serve others.

Lu Huai clearly intended to humiliate him, and he didn't expect Xie Huanyu to stand up for him, but he didn't expect her to speak up for Lu Huai.

Is he some kind of despicable person?

I need to use the restroom!

Xu Yanshu suddenly stood up from his seat, and after speaking, he turned around and left the private room without hesitation.

"This person..."

"It's alright. Since Mr. Xu is unwilling, let's not make things difficult for him!"

"Okay, I'll help you with that!"

After finding the restroom, Xu Yanshu looked at himself in the mirror, and his hands, which were originally supporting him on the sink, gradually turned into fists.

Things always turn into their opposites. He once thought that as long as he was good enough to Xie Huanyu, she would eventually see him.

Little did he expect that Miss Xie's heart was made of stone; the more he did for her, the more she would take him for granted and belittle him.

"You really should take a good look in the mirror!"

"I thought you had some self-awareness, but I didn't expect you to actually dare to come along. So now you understand, right?" Lu Huai slowly walked to Xu Yanshu's side, raised his eyebrows with interest, and said.

Xu Yanshu frowned impatiently, not expecting Lu Huai to follow.

He then turned on the tap in front of him and began to slowly wash his hands.

This indifferent response gave Lu Huai the feeling of punching cotton, and the smug smile on his face gradually faded.

"Forced relationships are never sweet. Even if you were a lapdog for ten years, Xie Huanyu wouldn't give you a second glance. But to me, she's nothing more than a lapdog I can summon and dismiss at will."

"If all else fails, you can lick me. If I'm in a good mood, I can get Xie Huanyu to do it to you..."

Before Lu Huai could finish speaking, Xu Yanshu suddenly came to his senses and punched Lu Huai in the face, sending Lu Huai crashing to the ground with his face slamming into the earth.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!