Noticing Mingyao's gaze, Ding Qing scoffed and said dismissively, "Why are you looking at me instead of going out to eat with your friends?"

She emphasized the word "friend," making it sound like she was gritting her teeth.

"Do you want to come with us?" Mingyao blinked, sensing that Ding Qingle wanted to go with them.

Ding Qingle was stunned for a moment, then glared at Mingyao reproachfully: "What do you mean? Are you pitying me?"

"Su Xueya, who do you think you are!"

Mingyao couldn't understand why she suddenly got angry, so she sighed and said, "If you don't want to go, then go back first."

"Me and..."

"Who said I'm not going?"

Ding Qingle stood arrogantly next to Mingyao with her arms crossed.

She glanced at Mingyao and Jiang Rongrong with feigned nonchalance, and said dismissively, "I'd like to see just how good your friends are!"

Ding Qingle had a stern face, making it seem like someone owed him a huge debt.

Jiang Rongrong smiled gently and said to Mingyao, "Don't worry about her."

In the Japanese restaurant, Mingyao sat in the middle, with Ding Qingle and Jiang Rongrong sitting on either side like bodyguards.

Mingyao looked left and right, and inexplicably felt that the atmosphere was off.

Do those two have some kind of grudge? Why does the atmosphere feel so strange?

Mingyao felt like she was sandwiched in between, feeling uncomfortable all over.

Jiang Rongrong poured tea for Mingyao, but her eyes were fixed on Ding Qingle.

"I had heard a little about Miss Ding before, but after meeting her this time, I found that she is quite different from the rumors."

“Miss Jiang is quite different too.” A meaningful smile appeared on her lips. “I’ve always heard that Miss Jiang and Su Xueya don’t get along well, but now it seems I was misled.”

Her gaze shifted back and forth between Mingyao and Jiang Rongrong.

Jiang Rongrong's smile remained unchanged, and her tone softened: "The rumors are false. Su Xueya and I have always been very good friends."

Mingyao frowned, looking at Jiang Rongrong with a question mark on her face.

Their relationship has improved a lot compared to before, but they can't really be called particularly close friends.

She picked up the water glass and took a sip with trepidation.

Jiang Rongrong and Ding Qingle are so strange.

Ding Qingle smiled slightly, pretending to be nonchalant, and said, "Su Xueya and I were college classmates. How come I didn't know you were her very good friend?"

Mingyao almost choked on the water she had just drunk.

What the heck?

Jiang Rongrong's smile became noticeably stiff, and she gave a dry laugh: "So you're a college classmate." She turned her gaze to Ming Yao's face, "Xiao Xue, why haven't I heard you mention her before?"

I thought you only had me as a good friend.

Faced with Jiang Rongrong's questioning, Mingyao felt inexplicably guilty and even wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

She twisted her fingers and smiled apologetically at Jiang Rongrong, "Well, I don't actually have many good friends."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a loud bang was heard.

Startled, Mingyao's heart pounded wildly. She stared wide-eyed at Ding Qingle, whose eyes held a hint of anger.

"Su Xueya, what do you mean by that?"

Mingyao: "???"

She was just telling the truth, so why did that upset Ding Qingle?

Jiang Rongrong chuckled with amusement and kindly served Ding Qingle some sashimi: "People, never act on their own initiative."

“Miss Jiang, didn’t you hear what Su Xueya said?” Jiang Rongrong slowly took a bite of sashimi, looking at Su Xueya with a forced smile: “She said that she doesn’t have any friends.”

"When it comes to life, it's best not to be too presumptuous."

Her tone was smug, and Jiang Rongrong's smile froze instantly.

At the same time, two sharp, piercing gazes swept across Mingyao's face.

Mingyao swallowed hard, a bad feeling creeping into her heart.

It seems she has unknowingly offended Ding Qingle and Jiang Rongrong.

She was on the verge of tears, but quickly tried to salvage the situation: "We've known each other for a while, we're all friends, come on, let's eat first."

Mingyao took the initiative to smooth things over, and the atmosphere eased somewhat.

Jiang Rongrong and Ding Qingle were still secretly competing, with Ding Qingle serving Mingyao sushi one moment and Jiang Rongrong bringing her water the next.

The two were secretly competing, and Mingyao was practically begging to be fed by them.

When did she become so popular?

"Su Xueya, how is your relationship with Pei Siyu?" Jiang Rongrong asked abruptly.

Mingyao nodded: "It's not bad so far."

She chuckled: "Why are you suddenly interested in my relationship status?"

Jiang Rongrong stared at Ming Yao with a serious expression: "You still don't know about the Pei family?"

Mingyao was completely confused and had no idea what Jiang Rongrong was talking about.

"Haichang Company has always cooperated with the Xu Group, which is developing in the United States."

"In recent days, the media has frequently reported that the Xu Group is going to expand into the Haidu market, and there are even rumors that the Xu family has already flown back to Haidu."

Mingyao was completely confused. What did the collaboration between the Xu Group and Haichang Technology Company have to do with her?

Pei Siyu is now focusing on the Haichang branch and basically doesn't care about the main company.

Ding Qingle chimed in, "Su Xueya, you should start to feel a bit threatened."

She chuckled softly, "The Xu family's daughter has a special affection for Pei Siyu."

"Before you married Pei Siyu, she repeatedly expressed her feelings for Pei Siyu on the internet."

"The Xu Group's return to China this time is not only for market expansion, but also possibly for a deeper partnership with the Haichang branch."

"There were rumors that Madam Pei and the Xu family intended for Xu's daughter to marry Pei Siyu, but unfortunately you snatched it away."

Mingyao said nonchalantly, "Yes, I'm already married to Pei Siyu."

Jiang Rongrong then added, "I'm reminding you to be careful precisely because you're getting married."

"It's no secret that Madam Pei is willing to use any means necessary to develop Haichang Technology Company."

"The deep partnership with the Xu family is an important step for Haichang Technology Company to expand its overseas business."

"It's possible that in order to seize a larger overseas market, she'll try to get Miss Xu into Pei Siyu's arms."

“Moreover,” Jiang Rongrong stared at Ming Yao and sneered, “there are rumors that Miss Xu returned to the country first for Pei Siyu, and may have already met with Madam Pei.”

She kindly reminded him, "Men can't withstand challenges, you'd better be careful."

Mingyao could understand Jiang Rongrong's good intentions.

She wasn't too worried for two reasons.

Firstly, the mastermind behind her marriage to Pei Siyu, a marriage that transcended social classes, was Madam Pei, all for the purpose of humiliating Pei Siyu.

Secondly, from the time she married Pei Siyu to the time she became pregnant and gave birth, she had never heard of any Miss Xu.

Most importantly, she believed in Pei Siyu's character.

He was completely focused on his work, and apart from his wife, whom he married by chance, Pei Siyu would not have any contact with any women outside of work.

However, Jiang Rongrong and Ding Qingle's reminder was well-intentioned.

“I believe in Pei Siyu,” Mingyao replied with absolute certainty.