He said he was willing to be dragged into this by me.

Willing to have a scandal with me?

My mind went blank for a moment, and I vaguely felt that what he said had a somewhat ambiguous meaning.

But how is that possible?

“Brother Sinan…you…” I didn’t know what to say for a moment. If I spoke frankly, I was afraid that it would be misunderstood and make things even more awkward.

"Alright, don't feel bad about it. I'm also one of Shengshi's minority shareholders. If I can bring Shengshi's stock price back up, it will make up for my losses."

His gentle tone on the other end of the phone was tinged with amusement.

"If you really feel bad about it, could you treat me to a meal another day?" he said.

"Okay!" I quickly agreed.

After hanging up the phone, I breathed a long sigh of relief.

Luckily I didn't ask any more questions, or it would have been really awkward.

How could my crush possibly have those kinds of feelings for me?

Since neither the Song nor the Sheng families issued a statement to refute the rumor, marketing accounts took advantage of it to hype it up, and some financial bloggers even analyzed the huge commercial value that the marriage between the two families would bring.

After the market opened the next day, Shengshi's stock price began to rebound and continued to rise for the next few days.

Seeing my parents breathe a sigh of relief, I was truly grateful to Song Sinan and didn't forget to treat him to a meal.

The Michelin one-star Italian restaurant features dim lighting and an elegant ambiance.

The handsome man opposite me was dressed in a suit and tie, with an incomparably handsome face and a gentle, spring-like smile.

He used a knife and fork in his left hand and a fork in his right, elegantly slicing the crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside veal.

He then placed the cut steak in front of me, and I was flattered and grateful.

"Your hand is inconvenient, yet you still treat me to Western food?" he said with a faint smile.

Although my left hand is no longer in a sling, it is still in a splint.

“You’re often abroad, and you’ve eaten here before and thought it was good. I think it might suit your taste,” I said with a smile.

"This place is really good, very authentic Italian food. Thank you for your hospitality, Ms. Sheng."

After Song Sinan finished speaking, he picked up his wine glass, and I raised mine and gently clinked it against his. "It is clearly me who should be thanking you for your timely help."

"It would be an honor for me, Song, to have a scandal with Miss Sheng."

The handsome man put down his wine glass, and in the candlelight, his dark eyes sparkled with starlight, making him incredibly charming.

"You're teasing me again," I said reproachfully.

"Why would you think that?" he asked me, raising an eyebrow and looking slightly serious.

Just as I was about to speak, a face I hadn't seen for many days came into my view, and my hand trembled violently, causing the red wine in my glass to slosh around.

It is Fu Yanshen.

He wore a black and white suit, simple and aloof, with a long coat draped over his shoulders.

His hair was slightly shorter, revealing a pale, thin, handsome face with an expression of indifference that seemed to disregard everything.

A woman was nestled beside him; it was Shi Jin.

Looking at her familiar features, the thorn stuck in my heart felt like it had been violently twisted, causing both pain and discomfort.

Even though I'm divorced from Fu Yanshen, the thought that he always treated me as a substitute for Jin still makes me angry, resentful, and even hateful.

They walked towards me, but soon stopped at a seat two tables away from us.

They came here to eat too.

I quickly snapped out of it, tilted my head back and took a sip of red wine, forcing myself to calm down.

"Where were we?" My brain went blank for a moment, and I couldn't remember what we were talking about.

"Speaking of which... you look much better," Song Sinan said with a gentle smile, his tender gaze sweeping over me.

"Staying home all day eating and sleeping, how could it not be good?" I smiled.

At this moment, I saw Shi Jin leaning intimately on Fu Yanshen's shoulder. The man was sitting facing me, and the two of them were looking at the menu together.

"Why aren't you eating? Don't you have an appetite?"

My idol's voice brought me back to my senses. I picked up my silver fork, and just as I put the beef into my mouth, I saw Shi Jin give Fu Yanshen a big kiss on the cheek.

I suddenly felt a fishy taste in my mouth, couldn't swallow it, and felt like vomiting.

But I forced myself to swallow it down, kept drinking lemon water, and kept staring at the fountain outside the French windows. I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles and wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"Check, please."

Song Sinan's voice drew my attention back. I reached for my wallet, but he stopped me with a look.

I didn't stand on ceremony with him.

After the waiter paid the bill, he came to my side and helped me up.

"It's cold outside, let me put your coat on for you."

To match Western dining etiquette, I wore a burgundy velvet strapless dress, black knee-high boots, and a black coat today.

"Thanks."

The man gently took my arm, which was bandaged with a splint, and carefully tucked my hand into his sleeve. He exuded a faint scent of ebony and sandalwood, a cool and aloof aura that enveloped me.

He must have seen Fu Yanshen and Shi Jin, and noticed my unease, which is why he wanted to leave early.

I was both touched and extremely grateful to him.

Song Sinan gently brushed my wavy hair away from my collar with his long fingers, then helped me button up my collar, and said softly, "Let's go."

I instinctively took his arm, turned my head to look up at him, a smile playing on my lips, and walked with him towards the restaurant entrance.

As I passed Fu Yanshen and Shi Jin's dining table, I held onto Song Sinan even tighter.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw them clinking their wine glasses.

...

"Still not over it? You seemed very nervous just now."

Once in the car, Song Sinan asked softly, feigning concern.

"Yeah, I'm still not reconciled. I know I shouldn't... I couldn't control myself when I saw them being affectionate..." I squeezed my hand, swallowed the lump in my throat, and forced a stiff smile.

"It's okay, take your time, slowly... put it down." He patted the back of my head and encouraged me gently.

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