Inside the restaurant's private room, under the dazzling crystal chandelier, the atmosphere was strangely stagnant.

Lu You's voice was gentle, with just the right amount of shyness.

She gently stroked the valuable diamond ring, her gaze softly fixed on Lu Rang beside her.

"The wedding date hasn't been completely set yet, but it will probably be next spring."

Clang—

A soft clinking sound of porcelain rang out.

The silver spoon slipped from Shang Wu's hand and landed on the edge of the plate.

She snapped back to reality almost instantly, her fingertips trembling slightly as she gripped the spoon again, forcing herself to lift her head.

"A-Wu?" Lu You seemed to notice her lapse in composure and called out to her with concern, his eyes filled with doubt and worry as if she were a friend.

That "A-Wu" made her feel even more embarrassed than Lu Rang's cold "Miss Shang".

It was as if they were truly best friends who could talk about anything, and her shock and loss of composure at that moment were completely out of the question.

Shang Wu took a deep breath and tried to force a flawless smile, one that even carried a hint of distant blessing.

"Really? Congratulations to you both. You and Mr. Lu are a perfect match."

She deliberately used the title "Mr. Lu" as a reminder to herself.

Shang Wu's voice was surprisingly calm; years of experience in the business world had taught her to bury her true emotions deep inside.

Lu Rang's gaze fell on her face, sharp, as if trying to find even the slightest crack in her overly perfect smile.

But he found nothing.

Her surprise seemed to stem from unexpectedness rather than disappointment.

She even offered her "sincere" blessings so quickly, and the way she addressed him as "Mr. Lu" drew a clear line between them.

His fingers tightened slightly around the wine glass, his knuckles turning white, and a surge of uncertain anxiety welled up inside him, almost breaking through his carefully maintained indifference.

She clearly didn't care anymore.

Lu Rang lowered his eyes, concealing the complex emotions churning within them, and faced her with an even colder expression.

The dinner party drew to a close in this seemingly harmonious yet subtly turbulent atmosphere.

The group got up and left the private room, heading towards the restaurant exit.

Shang Wu deliberately lagged behind a few steps, keeping a distance from Lu Rang and Lu You in front of him.

Ah Ying waited at the door, and seeing this, she followed beside her with a wary look in her eyes.

Just as they turned a corner, an unexpected incident occurred.

The waiter, head down, carrying a pot of scalding hot soup, hurriedly turned out from the other side and crashed straight into Shang Wu, who was somewhat absent-minded!

"careful!"

Amidst the exclamations, Shang Wu suddenly felt a darkness before her eyes.

A strong force suddenly pulled her aside, and the familiar scent of her embrace enveloped her tightly.

"hiss--"

A muffled groan sounded above her head.

The scalding soup splashed out, most of it landing on the broad back that suddenly blocked her way.

The porcelain basin fell to the ground with a piercing cracking sound.

The surrounding area instantly descended into chaos.

Shang Wu looked up in astonishment, her eyes meeting Lu Rang's furrowed brows, which were close at hand, contorted with sudden, intense pain.

A fine layer of cold sweat instantly appeared on his forehead, and his face turned pale.

he……

Why?

Doesn't he hate her to the core?

He hated her for what she called "betrayal," and even went so far as to hurt her by announcing his engagement...

But why was his body's instinctive reaction to protect her when danger was imminent?

Lu You rushed over immediately, her tone anxious yet calm: "A-Rang! How are you? Quick! Get some ice water and burn ointment! Notify the manager!"

She directed the flustered waiters, her gaze quickly sweeping over the mess behind Lu Rang, her brows furrowed.

Shang Wu stood frozen in place, looking at Lu Rang's face, which had turned pale instantly, and at his suit jacket, which was quickly soaked with sweat.

It felt like my heart had been hit hard by something.

A bittersweet feeling, confusion, and an overwhelming sense of worry.

A mix of emotions nearly overwhelmed her.

She instinctively took a step forward, her fingers twitching slightly as she tried to check his injuries, but Lu You blocked her way.

"Awu, are you alright? Were you scared?"

Lu You's tone remained concerned as she took over the responsibility of caring for Lu Rang.

She took Lu Rang's arm and gestured for him to walk to the rest area next to her. "I'll handle it, Rang. Just bear with it."

A waiter quickly brought a first-aid kit.

Lu You skillfully opened the box and carefully helped Lu Rang take off his suit jacket, which was soaked with soup.

The shirt underneath was soaked through and clung to the skin of his back, indicating a serious situation.

Lu You gently performed emergency treatment on Lu Rang, rinsing him with cold water and then applying burn ointment.

Throughout the entire process, Lu Rang clenched his teeth, remained silent, and kept a tense expression.

Shang Wu and A Ying stood aside, watching like outsiders.

Watching Lu You busy herself for him, all the concern and questions that welled up in her mouth had no chance to be asked; they could only be stuck in her throat.

By what right did she ask Lu Rang about this behavior? Was she an ex-girlfriend whom he "hated"?

Or is it an "outsider" who just congratulated him on his engagement?

In the end, Shang Wu could only watch as Lu You carefully bandaged him up, her lips moved, and she managed to squeeze out a weak and feeble sentence: "Lu Rang, are you alright?"

Lu Rang looked up at her, his eyes deep and filled with emotions she couldn't understand, but they quickly returned to silence.

His face was now only filled with cold indifference and annoyance that seemed to stem from her.

He didn't even respond to her question, but simply whispered to Lu You, "I'm fine now."

Lu You tidied his clothes for him before turning to Shang Wu, her tone gentle yet distant.

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