Chapter 32 Dealing with "Special Guests"

32

As those deep and clear words were spoken, Fang Huaixu's face undeniably flushed with heat.

She took in Fang Huaixu's reaction, gathered her soft shawl around her shoulders, and smiled and thanked him without avoiding eye contact.

She is now very clear about what she is doing. After that encounter that night, she spent a lot of time investigating the third round of testing of Tianmu Group's special drug and also sorted out what she could still do.

During the process, her mind kept flashing back to when she first received the bad news in her teens, the scene of her squatting helplessly and confused in front of the hospital corridor, thinking about Lin Tianhai's face and her grandmother's face. By the time she made a decision, her mind was already clear.

The more bargaining chips she has, the better, and Fang Huaixu is her most promising breakthrough point, whether it's finding Professor Anderson or participating in the experiment.

Now he has clearly expressed his desire to take things further with her, at least to be "more than friends." And after experiencing so much, she has to admit that she does not reject being with him, and even has a kind of craving for his clumsy sincerity and gentleness that she herself has never realized.

Then she could no longer passively respond to his reactions without any purpose, just like before.

Whether his help stems from an excessive sense of responsibility or other feelings, she needs to make what she gets from him seem reasonable and not cause resentment.

Gaining trust comes with risks. It's too naive to place all your hopes on the kindness of others. But rashly changing your personality might make Fang Huaixu feel bored or even disgusted. She has no idea whether Fang Huaixu's attitude will change as a result.

So after much deliberation, she decided that she couldn't let him discover her true purpose, and she absolutely couldn't let any uncertainty ruin this hard-won, fragile balance.

In short, she needs to take the initiative and carefully guide the relationship subtly while maintaining the existing dynamic.

If this is a meticulously planned hunt, her current role must be that of a shrewd hunter, keeping his attention and emotions firmly "hooked".

Her previous jokes and displays of affection were mostly playful, but now she has a clear goal in mind.

She just hadn't expected that the prey would react like this so soon after the hunt had even begun...

Straightforward.

They were in the car on their way to the banquet, with soothing music playing inside. Fang Huaixu's gaze was fixed on her without any attempt to hide it.

From the moment he uttered that "beautiful" to getting into the car, and right now, his gaze has remained fixed.

His gaze was not aggressively scrutinizing, but rather purely appreciative, focused and inquisitive as he looked at her. This was why she couldn't get angry, but his gaze made her, who was now trapped in the carriage, feel completely exposed.

She could feel her back stiffening, but Fang Huaixu's gaze remained fixed on her, meaning he would notice even the slightest relaxation in her posture.

She gradually felt a sense of impatience and embarrassment. The courage she had previously feigned composure was slowly worn away in the long silence. In the end, she still couldn't cultivate herself to the point of being shameless.

This can't go on any longer.

She took a light breath, met his gaze, and casually tried to regain some control: "Mr. Fang... your gaze is too direct, I can't take it."

Upon hearing this, Fang Huaixu readily looked away, his face showing no embarrassment at being exposed: "Sorry, I just thought it was very beautiful, so I couldn't help myself."

Meng Yao was speechless for a moment. His unintentional and straightforward words made her cheeks burn again. She mentally complained that this person was really domineering at times. How could he always say such flirtatious things in such a serious tone?

Don't let yourself be led astray.

She composed herself, guiding the ambiguous atmosphere within a controllable range. She leaned against the chair with one hand to cover the warmth near her ear, a sly smile curving her lips. Her gentle voice carried a hint of relentless skepticism: "Is it only today that you look beautiful? I've never seen Mr. Fang so infatuated before."

This is a question with a small trap, and no matter how Fang Huaixu answers, she can still find a way to deflect the question.

Fang Huaixu replied with a serious look in his eyes, "No, I just didn't expect you to suit this kind of makeup and dress so well."

After he finished speaking, he exclaimed from the bottom of his heart, "Indeed. I shouldn't have looked at the industry with prejudice against people. Makeup... it's truly an amazing skill."

His answer remained neutral and rational, but this was a trap set by Meng Yao. No matter what he answered, she was confident in her counterattack.

Seeing that Fang Huaixu had taken the bait, she pressed her advantage by leaning slightly forward in his direction. With a flicker of her eyelashes, she deliberately lowered her voice and chuckled, "Then how about I wear this makeup every day at home from now on?"

She had anticipated this answer before posing the question, clearly stating that her changes were to cater to his feelings, something that could easily arouse his emotions and make his heart flutter.

"No need," but Fang Huaixu came up with a third answer: "I can't take my eyes off you right now because I find it novel, because I've never seen you dressed like this before. But once I see you more often, this feeling will gradually fade away."

An incredibly disappointing reply.

Originally, I thought that Fang Huaixu was usually a gentleman with high emotional intelligence, so he wouldn't give such an unpleasant answer. But I didn't expect him to just say something so unoriginal, like "on a whim".

She was extremely disappointed and didn't hide her dissatisfaction. She turned her face away and said, "I was watching it non-stop just now, but I got tired of it so quickly."

Fang Huaixu paused when he saw Meng Yao's reaction, realizing he had said the wrong thing again. He leaned over to explain, "No, I misspoke... What I meant was, you've always been beautiful, you don't need these troublesome embellishments."

Meng Yao felt a little better after hearing this, and pouted, "You're full of nice words, but I just heard the real reason. President Fang really knows how to coax people."

Fang Huaixu heard her mutterings and remained silent for a long time, so long that Meng Yao thought the topic was about to end. But he suddenly spoke, his voice even lower and more serious than before: "It's not just pretty words."

Meng Yao turned her gaze slightly away. His expression was unusually shy as he recalled, "I don't know if you remember the first time we met... not the time we were formally introduced that night."

Meng Yao was taken aback. The only memorable meeting she could recall was that distant glimpse in the office...

Her gaze quickly turned to surprise, and Fang Huaixu's answer confirmed her guess: "There were a lot of people in your company back then, but I noticed you at first glance... but you left quickly and probably don't remember."

Meng Yao's breath hitched slightly: How could she not remember? Did this person not know how conspicuous he was in a crowd?

He hadn't finished speaking when he said calmly, "Including later, when we first officially met, right after you finished your live stream, I was just as surprised. I never expected that my marriage partner would actually be you."

After he finished speaking, he finally looked up and locked his gaze on her: "So I wasn't lying, you really are... very attractive."

boom!

Meng Yao's mind went blank again, and her originally clear thoughts were instantly shattered: He noticed her the first time they met... Did Fang Huaixu really know what he was saying?

A wave of overwhelming shyness and unbelievable excitement washed over her. She opened her mouth, only to find her throat dry and unable to utter a sound.

Looking at Fang Huaixu again, he was clearly stunned by her reaction. A clear difference flashed in his deep eyes, and she quickly concluded: He didn't know, he absolutely didn't know.

This idiot has no idea what he's talking about.

But even though he didn't know, he always tried to find out. He even moved closer to observe her unnatural shyness and asked, "What's wrong... are you still angry?"

Meng Yao was so hot she couldn't speak, so she took a deep breath.

However, her strong conviction overwhelmed the girl's feelings. She forced herself to meet his gaze and tried to break through this barrier: "Of course I remember... because I was secretly watching you that day too."

She quickly quieted down and returned the same words to Fang Huaixu. This time, even someone as dull as him finally realized the ambiguity in his words. The indescribable embarrassment and ambiguity almost scorched through his calm exterior.

He quickly looked away to calm himself, but his Adam's apple bobbed uncontrollably.

The atmosphere inside the carriage was instantly pushed to a delicate climax, waiting to be triggered by something.

However, at that moment, the car came to a smooth stop.

"President Fang, President Meng, we've arrived."

The driver's voice came from the front seat, like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the sparks that were about to get out of control between the two.

Fang Huaixu was the first to come to his senses, suppressing his pounding heart, and replied in a low voice, "Okay, let's get off the bus."

Meng Yao nodded and got out of the car. Outside the car door, Chen Jie had been waiting for a long time: "President Fang, President Meng, according to the procedure, you need to go directly to the VIP room through the organizer's passage to prepare for the opening. President Meng is a special guest this time, so you need to go through the media passage to enter the venue."

After listening to the report, Fang Huaixu's gaze had completely returned to the calmness of his work state, and he looked at Meng Yao in a gentle tone: "Don't be nervous, an assistant has been arranged in the venue, and I will come to pick you up after the auction."

Meng Yao didn't think anything of it; she was more concerned about the turbulent emotions in the car. But she still put on a generous and appropriate smile: "Go ahead, what big scenes haven't I seen? I can handle it."

Fang Huaixu was always amused by her unique little arrogance, and without saying anything more, he followed the staff to the side.

Meng Yao, guided by Chen Jie, headed to the front gate, and the two parted ways.

A large number of media gathered at the entrance, and flashbulbs went off instantly. Meng Yao maintained a perfect smile, posing for photos with the media with composure and grace. Her bodyguards blocked most of the microphones offered to her, as she hadn't originally intended to answer any questions.

However, during the short journey to the venue, a reporter wearing a baseball cap and mask, who was slightly short, kept following her, practically throwing the microphone over the crowd at her face, and asking one tricky question after another at a rapid pace.

"Ms. Meng, regarding your previous imitation of Ms. Lin Yue, is this considered unfair competition?"

"Is your relationship with Ms. Lin Yue as hostile as the rumors suggest?"

"Is publicly disclosing one's family information when one is in the eye of the storm a deliberate attempt to whitewash one's image by exploiting family ties?"

"According to sources, your appearance tonight signifies that Tianmu Group is about to enter the entertainment industry. Is this true?"

His questions were increasingly pointed and clearly provocative.

Chen Jie's expression changed slightly, and he was about to step forward to stop him.

Meng Yao merely raised an eyebrow slightly, her smile remaining unchanged, but instead becoming even brighter.

She gently raised her hand to stop Chen Jie, then looked at him calmly, her voice clear with a hint of barely perceptible disdain: "This friend has a vivid imagination. However, tonight's theme is charity. I think focusing on those in need is more meaningful than discussing these unverified rumors. Excuse me."

After she finished speaking, she gave the other party no further chance to pester her, gracefully turned around and entered the room, leaving the noisy flashing lights and endless questions behind her.

Meng Yao has always had a strong grasp of things, and a few words can't sway her in the slightest. There's no need to let these things affect your mood or waste your breath.

She certainly understood the importance of prioritizing the overall situation.

Chen Jie was quite surprised by her reaction. After following her, he thought even more highly of this young "Mrs. Fang" and led her to the arranged spot without saying anything more.

Even before the banquet officially began, the hall was already filled with clinking glasses and elegantly dressed people. The air was thick with the scent of fine wine mixed with expensive perfumes. Celebrities dressed in fine clothes gathered in twos and threes, chatting and laughing in hushed tones, exuding the ultimate in extravagance and prosperity.

It would be a lie to say she wasn't surprised. After sitting down, Meng Yao's eyes followed every corner of the room closely. This was her first time stepping into such a top-level social arena, and every corner seemed to be silently telling the story of the class differences.

After patiently introducing her to the several important figures in the room, Chen Jie called over a young female assistant to accompany her before getting up to attend to other matters.

She sat alone in the midst of the noise, unable to hide her nervousness. This nervousness was different from her performance when facing the camera during a live broadcast; it was the unease she felt about being in this environment and the sense of alienation she felt.

She couldn't help but recall the same panic she felt during her first live stream. Unsure if she had the ability to control the situation, she was filled with a sense of helplessness and panic, yet she had to pretend to be relaxed and use exaggerated words and actions to cover up her awkwardness.

While I was lost in thought, a considerable commotion arose at the entrance of the banquet hall.

She subconsciously looked up and saw Fang Huaixu walking in slowly, surrounded by a group of senior executives and staff. He was tall and had a powerful presence.

The moment he appeared, almost everyone in the hall was drawn to him, including many faces that Meng Yao had only seen on screen or in magazines.

They naturally stepped forward, exchanged pleasantries and shook hands with Fang Huaixu, their faces bearing just the right amount of smiles and respect.

Surrounded by these celebrities and nobles, Fang Huaixu remained as gentle and aloof as ever, calmly dealing with them as if he were already used to such scenes.

Meng Yao watched him from afar, watching him move with ease among the dazzling crowd, as if he was born to stand in that spotlight.

A complex mix of emotions surged within her: envy, attraction, and a faint sense of loss that she herself was unwilling to acknowledge.

People are always envious of what they don't have.

She had always envied his relaxed and inclusive nature, that innate composure and confidence, and the powerful aura that allowed him to be the center of attention wherever he was and to control the overall situation at any time.

How much longer will it take for her to stand here as calmly as he does?

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but laugh, realizing that Fang Huaixu's concerns about relationships stemmed from her inability to provide the emotional support he needed, but how much pressure must the person who could truly stand by his side bear?

If I could only ever be a "special guest" by his side, needing guidance and protection, awkwardly clinging to his arm.

If that person were her, every second she spent with him would be a true, agonizing hell on earth.

Author's Note: I'll be updating extra tomorrow. I'm so sorry I've been traveling for work lately [crying emoji]