Chapter 4 His Concern

Numerous philanthropists attended the charity gala, including but not limited to established Beijing tycoons, business luminaries, and entertainment figures.

The organizers booked a large, impressive private museum halfway up the mountain.

People entered the banquet hall to socialize and whisper among themselves, and some powerful men did not forget to bring female companions with them.

Cheng Hexi only asked the driver to take her to the door, and then walked into the lobby alone.

Having been away from home for many years, and still working alone after returning to China, she has developed the ability to thrive in any situation.

Cheng Hexi came directly from Xilin, still wearing the same outfit she wore to work: a black haute couture suit and black stilettos with red soles.

The suit was meticulously tailored, and the red soles of the shoes peeked out as she walked. She also wore a pair of long tassel earrings, which added a touch of elegance to the somewhat dark outfit, making her appear even more capable and radiant.

She rarely smiled in public and quietly and indifferently stepped into the banquet hall.

Unexpectedly, when I reached the door, I looked up and saw someone I never expected.

It's not entirely true that I didn't expect it.

In Beijing, both established wealthy families and newly rich individuals are keen on doing charity work.

You Yue was naturally among those invited to this occasion. However, she had just received her marriage certificate and had lost contact with her new husband, so she hadn't considered it.

You Yue's suit today was gray, which didn't look as imposing as a black one. His hair was styled, his eyebrows and eyes were deep-set, and he had a tall and straight figure.

Both her temperament and appearance made her the center of attention.

A man in a suit and tie was speaking to him, adopting a very humble posture. You Yue's reaction was indifferent.

The man said something else, then lowered his own glass and clinked it against the man's.

This time, he actually took a sip of the wine in his glass, and as he raised his hand, his cufflinks flashed, revealing a style different from the previous ones.

At this moment, someone came over to greet Cheng Hexi, drawing her attention away. After exchanging a few casual pleasantries, she turned back to look and saw that the person opposite her had changed to a petite girl in a white dress.

You Yue was tall and broad-shouldered, so Cheng Hexi couldn't see the girl's face from her angle, which she didn't like.

Cheng Hexi remained standing still, while the girl seemed to take a half-step to the right in an attempt to attract You Yue's attention.

Then she realized that this was her husband's rumored affair partner, the daughter of the Tan family.

When she looked over, the man was still holding the wine glass in his right hand, and he stretched out his left hand, even shaking it to show the woman his wedding ring.

His expression remained indifferent.

The distance was too great for Cheng Hexi to know what he said.

By this time, she had lost interest and was about to look away when You Yue suddenly withdrew his left hand, gently placed the wine glass on the tray carried by the passing bartender, and turned to walk towards her.

Cheng Hexi frowned slightly.

She was standing not far from him, but out of You Yue's sight.

I don't know how this person found her.

The distance between the black leather shoes and the high heels gradually shortened.

Even though he wanted her to help him fend off unwanted suitors, You Yue didn't do anything overly intimate in this situation. He simply leaned closer and spoke to her.

Cheng Hexi was so close that she could clearly smell the perfume on him; it was a slightly spicy, woody scent.

It suits him quite well.

She watched from afar as Tan Moru walked over, then turned to look at You Yue and asked bluntly, "Is this your rumored girlfriend? Or is she someone you can't forget?"

You Yue stood beside her, looking at her, his expression no longer as indifferent as before, and said, "Neither."

"I have always been innocent."

Cheng Hexi hadn't taken it seriously at first, and even laughed when she heard this.

Tan Moru followed him to the two of them. She was a little shorter than Cheng Hexi, so Cheng Hexi bent down slightly. His attitude towards her was even more intimate than when he had asked You Yue that question earlier.

"Miss Tan, nice to meet you." She extended her right hand and smiled. "I am Cheng Hexi."

She strikes the perfect balance, making it easy for people to like her.

Tan Moru paused noticeably, as if she hadn't expected her to be so polite and proactive.

"Hello, Mr. Cheng." She extended her hand and shook Cheng Hexi's right hand. "Nice to meet you."

After the basic formalities were completed, Cheng Hexi complimented her on her dress, asking if it was a new spring collection from a Parisian haute couture brand.

Using this as a starting point, the two actually started chatting.

Ying Zeqing entered the venue, saw You Yue, and went to him first.

When Tan Moru said goodbye to Cheng Hexi to go find her father, You Yue returned to Cheng Hexi's side and introduced her to Ying Zeqing.

Ying Zeqing and You Yue occupy the most important positions in each other's social circles, which is how he brought her into his circle of friends.

But she remained the same, neither cold nor enthusiastic, simply shaking hands with Ying Zeqing in a graceful manner, without the slightest impeccable etiquette.

She can't break her habit of observing others.

This Mr. Ying doesn't seem like someone easy to get along with, but he's not quite the same as You Yue.

You Yue has an air of arrogance about him, while Ying Zeqing is like a block of ice.

In the end, only the two of them remained.

You Yue put the item in his pocket and thanked her.

“No need,” Cheng Hexi said, “It’s also for my own sake.”

He turned his head to look at her.

Cheng Hexi thought that Tan Moru was a well-protected and innocent rich only child. She wondered what kind of happy family she must have been born into to have such a personality. She was actually a little envious.

Composing herself, Cheng Hexi turned her head and suddenly met the man's gaze.

Before sitting down, You Yue looked at her and suddenly asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"

She paused for a moment, then said nonchalantly, "It's my period, it's nothing."

-

Today is the first day of Cheng Hexi's period, and she hasn't drunk a drop of alcohol.

You Yue was very perceptive. When he asked her, she did seem a little uncomfortable, but not to the point of being unable to bear it. She sat upright in her seat as usual, so no one could tell.

After sitting for half an hour, I suddenly experienced severe cramping pain in my lower abdomen.

The banquet was packed with activities and complicated procedures. She waited another ten minutes, then casually bid on an item worth eight million as if it were her task, and then left the banquet.

She was seated next to You Yue. Before leaving, she briefly greeted You Yue and said she needed to go to the restroom.

You Yue looked up at her and nodded slightly.

When the staff asked her if she needed anything, she casually asked if they had ibuprofen.

The young girl wearing the blue rope name tag paused for a moment.

Although it is an over-the-counter drug, the organizer does not provide it.

Cheng Hexi hadn't held out much hope, but she smiled and thanked them anyway.

A magnificent dome hangs with a crystal chandelier, and the interior design is reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance. The marble floor gleams like a mirror, and high heels make a crisp sound as they step on it.

She's used to driving herself, but she wasn't feeling well at the moment, so for safety reasons, she just contacted her driver.

This private museum occupies a large area and is located halfway up a mountain; the driver estimated it would take another ten minutes or so to get there.

You Yue is, after all, her husband in name only, so it's only polite for her to say goodbye before leaving the table.

Just as I was about to get my phone, a man in a suit and tie, carrying a briefcase, pushed open the door and entered the lobby.

He originally intended to go directly into the venue, but after seeing Cheng Hexi, he paused for a moment and took the initiative to come over and greet her.

The man introduced himself, saying, "Hello, Mr. Cheng, I am Qi Xuan, Mr. You's assistant."

Cheng Hexi had met You Yue in business dealings and also remembered Qi Xuan. So she perked up and nodded: "Hello, Assistant Qi."

Qi Xuan got straight to the point: "President You said you weren't feeling well and asked me to get you some medicine."

As he spoke, he took out a box of ibuprofen, a bottle of warm mineral water, and hand warmers in the bag.

Cheng Hexi glanced at it and reached out to take it.

"Thank you," she said, her face slightly pale, but she was used to not showing weakness in front of outsiders. She looked up and smiled. "Please also thank your CEO, Mr. You, for me."

"Do I need someone to relay my thanks?"

A man's voice came from behind her.

She turned around and realized that You Yue had appeared there at some point.

Qi Xuan greeted You Yue and then took the initiative to leave, tactfully leaving the two of them alone.

When Cheng Hexi saw the man standing next to her, she said politely, "I remember when we first had dinner together, I thought you were very thoughtful."

Upon hearing this, You Yue curled her lips slightly: "Really? I thought you had other intentions back then?"

He was referring to Cheng Hexi's indirect remarks about his scandal.

Cheng Hexi looked at him and smiled, then feigned surprise: "So President You also brings up old grievances?"

"No, I accept your compliment."

He took the bottle of warm mineral water from Cheng Hexi, lowered his eyes, unscrewed it, and handed it back to her, asking, "Is this okay to eat?"

"This one works best." Cheng Hexi took the bottle and swallowed a tablet with warm water. "Thank you."

You Yue didn't say anything.

It wouldn't be difficult for Cheng Hexi to get an ibuprofen tablet; she could ask her driver or assistant to deliver it, or she could simply leave if she felt unwell. But she seemed to have gotten used to enduring the pain.

You have to endure until you're about to be discovered before you back down.

As he was thinking this, he heard someone next to him ask, "It's so late, why are you making Assistant Qi work overtime?"

You Yue glanced at her sideways, her tone flat and indifferent: "Qi Xuan's annual salary is nearly eight figures, how about working overtime a little longer?"

Cheng Hexi smiled.

Qi Xuan is the general assistant, mainly responsible for work rather than his personal life.

You Yue had just returned from his business trip, and there was a pile of documents waiting for him to sign, so Assistant Qi naturally hadn't left work yet.

You Yue asked him to bring the medicine and the documents along so he could review them on his way back.

It's not a waste of talent.

You Yue glanced at her sideways; she was wearing a suit and still standing ramrod straight.

Only his complexion wasn't very good.

Perhaps thinking about the superficiality of their marriage, or perhaps knowing that she had been seen through, she didn't pretend in front of him like before, and her whole demeanor showed an unusual weariness.

Since You Yue had done a good deed, he decided to see it through to the end, and now he asked considerately, "Won't you sit for a while?"

"It's alright," she said, calculating the time in her mind. "The driver will be here soon."

Cheng Hexi considered herself to be hard-hearted, but she was not incapable of being moved.

People instinctively feel comforted when they receive kindness.

I don't know if it's because the ibuprofen worked or if the medication had a placebo effect, but she really doesn't feel as much pain now.

She asked proactively, "How's the house?"

“We’re renovating, and although you haven’t given any feedback, I know we need two separate studies.”

Despite being stared at by those around him, You Yue remained unfazed: "The rest is almost done."

Hearing him say that, Cheng Hexi finally felt a real sense of having entered into a marital relationship with the man beside her.

"Thank you," she said, having put no thought into the marriage. After a moment's reflection, she added, "I'll treat you to dinner next time."

I've received quite a few favors from him lately.

You Yue wasn't sure if "next time" was just a polite way of saying it, but he didn't really care. He glanced at her, then looked away and nodded.

Although the two have not yet held a wedding ceremony, their engagement is known to everyone in high society.

Xilin and Hongsheng's various business groups distributed wedding candies, and one media outlet even used an eye-catching headline like "A Marriage of Convenience: Love or Profit?" as a gimmick. Cheng Hexi saw it at the time but didn't care, and it had disappeared by the time the public relations department checked on it the next day.

Her and You Yue's educational paths overlapped so much that it wouldn't be surprising if they fabricated a love story between two wealthy families.

Behind them, in the banquet hall, an auction worth hundreds of millions was still taking place, while the newlyweds, who were complete strangers to each other, chatted about decorating their new home at the entrance.

Cheng Hexi's driver arrived. She turned to say goodbye to You Yue, picked up the bottle of water, and thanked him again.

"If you need me to move, just let me know and I'll make preparations in advance."

The man hummed in response and said nothing more.

Watching her get into the car from afar at the entrance, You Yue straightened his tie and turned back to the venue.

Recalling her words, I thought to myself:

How can I say anything if I don't even have their contact information?

Should I contact your assistant, or send an invitation to Xilin's secretary's office?

A note from the author:

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Thank you everyone for your comments and support! Tomorrow is the "separate" day for updates, see you the day after tomorrow! [rose]