Everyone craned their necks to look, frantically pressing the shutter button, afraid of missing the first moment Lu Zheng's female companion appeared. As long as Lu Zheng's female companion was not Miss Shen, they would immediately release the news to attract traffic.

Countless gazes turned into invisible knives, and Qiao Zhen became the target.

Even before the Qiao family fell from grace, Qiao Zhen had never faced such a scene.

She struggled to retreat to safety.

"Don't be afraid." Lu Zheng closed the car door neatly, then leaned in and whispered in her ear, "In front of so many cameras, you are the proud and flamboyant Qiao Zhen."

Qiao Zhen perked up and turned her gaze to the man beside her.

She came here today to repay a favor and sever ties with Lu Zheng. What is there to be afraid of?

Rather than being photographed looking timid and embarrassed, and having "suspected third party in Lu Chen's marriage being publicly scolded, running away with her head in her hands, making a fool of herself" posted online, it's better to take beautiful photos.

"Mr. Lu doesn't want to be called a scumbag, does he?" At the same time, she didn't want Lu Zheng to be a liability. "How do you plan to explain our relationship?"

Lu Zheng squinted as he watched Qiao Zhen slightly raise her face, revealing a graceful and generous smile. She calmly looked at the crowd on both sides, her body relaxed, her long curly hair sweeping over her shoulders, and the pearl necklace on her swan-like neck gleaming softly. This accentuated her gentle and beautiful appearance, making her even more stunning and radiant, no less than any female celebrity.

A gasp of amazement rippled through the crowd; this young lady was undoubtedly the most dazzling jewel of tonight's charity auction!

"I have to say, they're such a perfect match!"

"Suddenly I realize that Miss Shen isn't entirely incapable of being outshone..."

"Can someone tell me in three seconds what their relationship is?!"

The flashbulbs continued to illuminate the two standing side by side on the red carpet.

"You don't need to worry about it." Lu Zheng smiled willfully, bent his arm, and gestured to Qiao Zhen with his eyes.

Qiao Zhen took his arm, but kept a certain distance between them, deliberately leaving him a small half-step behind, so as not to appear unfamiliar, nor to make people feel intimate.

"What kind of woman is she? Facing such a big shot as President Lu, she doesn't even have the urge to throw herself into his arms?"

"Hehe, I think she's just being coy and playing hard to get!"

"You should know that apart from Miss Shen, President Lu has never had any scandals, and he doesn't even have a female secretary. The woman who can manipulate President Lu and make him make an exception to bring him to a public banquet must be a woman with first-rate skills."

Reporters, more curious about their relationship, couldn't resist crowding around them.

"Mr. Lu, who is this young lady?!" the leader asked bluntly.

Lu Zheng stopped and coldly swept his gaze across the crowd.

Everyone felt a chill run down their necks, as if a knife was hanging over their heads.

Reporters are still determined to find out if there will be any explosive news tonight, and the entire internet will be buzzing about it!

Lu Zheng's gaze finally returned to Qiao Zhen's face.

It's impossible for Qiao Zhen not to be nervous; who knows what crazy things that scoundrel might do?

Countless possibilities flashed through her mind. With so many eyes watching, she couldn't make any small movements, so she could only tighten the hand she was holding in Lu Zheng's arm without changing her expression, her fingertips almost digging into his flesh.

Lu Zheng felt the pain in his arm, but laughed even more unrestrainedly, and slowly said, "This Miss Qiao is an employee of my company. She is quite knowledgeable in art appraisal, so I asked her to assist me."

Before he could finish speaking, he felt the hand on his arm loosen slightly, and his eyes darkened.

Qiao Zhen noticed that his aura had become colder, but she didn't care about anything else; she just needed to deal with the gossip reporters.

A sigh of disappointment rose from the crowd. Someone asked incredulously, "There are many art appraisers in Jiangcheng. Why did President Lu specifically invite an unknown female employee?"

“The appearance fee for an art appraiser is over 600,000 yuan, but I would prefer to use that money for a charity auction to help those in dire need.” Lu Zheng paused. “Of course, as a token of my gratitude, I will pay Ms. Qiao five times her overtime pay and three days off.”

The merchant's shrewd calculations drew good-natured laughter from the crowd.

Ultimately, it's all about doing good. And which of the wealthy businessmen attending today's charity auction isn't putting in a lot of effort, spending a small amount of money that's insignificant to them, to enhance their company's positive image?

Then, someone asked an even bolder question, "Aren't you worried that Ms. Shen will feel uncomfortable seeing the news?"

Lu Zheng calmly replied, "Miss Shen knows."

His answer was too simple, but the reporters wanted to ask more questions but dared not speak up.

If we dig deeper, wouldn't it make Miss Shen seem like a petty, jealous woman in their eyes?

They didn't have the guts, so after taking a few more photos of Qiao Zhen and Lu Zheng, they let them go for the time being, waiting to see if they could uncover any traces of their "affair" later.

Qiao Zhen straightened her back and walked with elegant steps until she entered the hotel elevator. Only when Lu Zheng was left alone by her side did she let out a long sigh of relief, relax her shoulders and back, and pat her chest, only to find that her back was covered in a layer of cold sweat.

Having overcome one obstacle, she felt a small sense of joy, but then she became concerned about another matter.

"Is what Mr. Lu said about five times the overtime pay and three days off true?"

Lu Zheng pursed his lips, looked at her eyes that sparkled when she mentioned money, and suddenly pushed her against the wall of the room.

The cold walls of the compartment made Qiao Zhen's shoulders tremble, and she glared angrily at the unpredictable man in front of her.

Before she could even utter a few words of curse, Lu Zheng spoke first, "Miss Qiao, don't worry, I will pay you, and..." He moved closer to Qiao Zhen, his voice becoming low and seductive, "I will give you an unforgettable three-day vacation."

His voice was like a soft feather, gently caressing Qiao Zhen's heart. The cool, tobacco-scented perfume emanating from Lu Zheng filled her nostrils, making her uncontrollably recall their passionate encounters in bed.

hateful.

Qiao Zhen felt that if she didn't get rid of Lu Zheng, she would fall even deeper into trouble.

"Ding-dong," the elevator has reached the top floor.

Just before the elevator doors opened, Lu Zheng stared at Qiao Zhen's flushed cheeks, gave her a light peck on her soft red lips, and then pulled away.

As the dazzling lights outside shone into the elevator, the two were back at the hotel entrance. Upon seeing a group of people welcoming them, Qiao Zhen gradually released Lu Zheng's arm.

As the head of a top-tier wealthy family, Lu Zheng, with his outstanding appearance, is always the center of attention wherever he goes.

Whether male or female, they possess a powerful attraction.

After a group of wealthy businessmen greeted him, a group of rich ladies and heiresses followed closely behind. Even though he had a fiancée, they couldn't contain their excitement.

Especially after hearing that Lu Zheng's female companion was just a female employee who came to work, they were even more eager to squeeze her out of the crowd.

Qiao Zhen cooperated perfectly, sliding out like an eel as the crowd moved.

Lu Zheng reacted quickly, but when he looked over, Qiao Zhen was already standing outside the crowd, her eyes sparkling, waving at him happily and with a touch of smugness, and mouthing silently—

Keep it up, Mr. Lu!