Li Xiaoxiao's sharp eyes spotted it immediately. She craned her neck, waiting for whoever might appear, but finally said disappointedly, "Professor Yan is back. It seems I was just overthinking it."

Not only was she overthinking things, but Qiao Xi was too. She thought Jun Jiuge was really with him, but it seems that's not the case.

Qiao Xi said with some concern, "I'll go look for her."

Seeing that she was about to leave, Qi Jincheng immediately stopped her. Qiao Xi told him, "Yan Luoheng is here, but Ninth Master is nowhere to be found."

"Just ask him and you'll know," Qi Jincheng said bluntly.

Qiao Xi asked, somewhat confused, "Should we just ask him?"

Qi Jincheng said as if he had seen it, "They should have left together just now. He came back, but Jun Jiuge didn't."

"You saw it?" Qiao Xi asked, her eyes wide.

Qi Jincheng said two words without much certainty, "Just guessing."

Qiao Xi's spirits immediately sank, but she still clung to a sliver of hope and asked, "What are the chances?"

"You'll know once you ask." With that, Qi Jincheng walked over to Yan Luoheng on his own.

Qiao Xi instinctively stopped him, "How are you going to ask?"

Qi Jincheng gently released Qiao Xi's hand and said, "Wait for me."

"You should ask him if you know him well?" Qiao Xi asked with concern.

Before Qi Jincheng could respond, she volunteered, "I'll go instead."

Before she finished speaking, Qiao Xi mustered her courage and walked towards Yan Luoheng, with Qi Jincheng following behind.

"Professor Yan." Qiao Xi greeted him with a smile. He had just taken the initiative to greet her.

Yan Luoheng, still maintaining his elegant demeanor, asked with a smile, "Qiao, is there something you need?"

Qiao Xi didn't know how to ask him in a roundabout way, so after thinking about it, she decided it would be better to be more direct.

He had intended for her to know about his relationship with Jun Jiuge, and now that the clothes were on, there was no need to pretend to be stupid.

Qiao Xi smiled and asked, "Have you seen Jun?"

"Are you asking me?" Yan Luoheng seemed somewhat surprised by her question.

Qiao Xi was quite honest, but he started putting on an act in front of her.

Just as he was about to ask another question and wave his hand, Yan Luoheng suddenly said, "President Qi, when did you start liking this kind of outfit?"

Upon hearing this, Qiao Xi's heart skipped a beat, and she was momentarily speechless, unable to react.

Qi Jincheng suddenly gripped Qiao Xi's hand and calmly gestured to Yan Luoheng, "Let's talk outside."

“Okay.” Yan Luoheng readily agreed.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, they immediately left the auditorium, but Qiao Xi felt like a puppet being led out of the auditorium by Qi Jincheng.

When they reached a secluded spot, they stopped at the same time, and Qiao Xi looked at Yan Luoheng with an almost terrified expression.

Yan Luoheng smiled and asked her in return, "Mrs. Qi, what kind of look is that?"

Hearing him address her like that, Qiao Xi became even more terrified. "When did you find out about me...?"

Before Qiao Xi could finish speaking, Yan Luoheng said confidently, "For President Qi to take such a big risk to attend this kind of party, and to happen to be with you, it's not hard to guess Mrs. Qi's identity."

So... when did he find out about Qi Jincheng's identity?

This was a question that probably no one could answer for her right now, and Qiao Xi wisely refrained from asking it at this time.

Now that they both knew each other's identities, there was no need to hide anything. She readily said, "In that case, let's be honest with each other."

"Is Jiuge the girlfriend you mentioned?" Qiao Xi asked directly.

Yan Luoheng's lips curled up slightly, forming a meaningful arc. "Even if I say she is, she might not be willing to admit it."

This statement is almost as good as saying nothing at all, but it's clear that Yan Luoheng is only wishful thinking.

Qiao Xi didn't dare to give a definite answer, so she could only continue to ask, "Were you just with her?"

Yan Luoheng sighed and said, "We parted on bad terms."

The implication is that they were just together.

Qiao Xi then asked, "Where did she go?"

"I don't know," Yan Luoheng replied helplessly.

Qiao Xi was momentarily at a loss for words. After thinking for a moment, she suddenly asked, "What exactly is your relationship?"

Yan Luoheng chuckled self-deprecatingly and asked, "Mrs. Qi, haven't I made myself clear enough?"

What was there to be clear about? He wanted to tell her that his feelings for Jun Jiuge were one-sided.

Even if it's just wishful thinking, would Jun Jiuge wear the clothes he prepared for her?

Given Ninth Master's personality, she definitely wouldn't have complied unless she was willing.

After gathering her thoughts, Qiao Xi asked gently, "How did you two meet?"

Why is she involved with you?

Both questions were what Qiao Xi wanted to know. Yan Luoheng smiled slightly and said, "It seems that our Mrs. Qi is quite the busybody."

“She’s my friend, I…” Qiao Xi was interrupted halfway through her sentence, “Just because we’re friends, does that give me the right to pry into her privacy?”

privacy?

Just like her relationship with Qi Jincheng, their relationship also had to be kept secret, and it had always been a 'privacy'?

Qiao Xi unconsciously took that view, "You mean, your relationship is also a private matter that can't be known by others?"

Yan Luoheng shrugged and said, "I don't care, but I don't know what she's thinking."

It's the same thing as before.

Unable to contain her curiosity, Qiao Xi asked again, "Is your affection for her one-sided?"

"She doesn't like you, but you simply like her?"

This question might be a little hurtful, but isn't that exactly what he meant?

Yan Luoheng's face darkened instantly, and Qi Jincheng instinctively pulled Qiao Xi into his arms, not giving Yan Luoheng a chance to hurt her.

Seeing Qi Jincheng's actions, Yan Luoheng's expression softened a bit, but his tone became more ruthless, "Whether she likes me or not is not important, what's important is that she's mine."

"What do you mean?" Qiao Xi asked hastily.

Qi Jincheng knew that Qiao Xi understood what he meant, so he deliberately emphasized it to her again, "What I mean is, Xiao Jiu can only be mine."

Qiao Xi understood his meaning, which made her disregard her other threats and say, "This is the capital city. I will not allow you to do anything to hurt her."

Upon hearing this, Yan Luoheng not only wasn't angry but also chuckled, "No wonder you're husband and wife, you're both...dictatorial and autocratic."

I couldn't think of a better adjective for a moment, so these four words were the only ones that fit the description quite well.

Qiao Xi wanted him to know that she wasn't joking. "I don't care what your purpose is in coming here, but Jiu Ge is my friend. As long as she's in the capital, I will protect her."