Chapter 87 Hasty and Uneasy

She never told anyone, yet he knew.

She raised her head and looked at the dreamlike garden. The heavy and oppressive feeling that had been building up in her eyes had been quietly melted away by the fragrance of the garden.

In the center of the garden, there is a small square table.

The tabletop was covered with an elegant off-white linen tablecloth, with delicate vine patterns embroidered along the edges.

Two sets of tableware were laid out on the table, the silver knives and forks gleaming faintly in the candlelight.

Two white candles burned quietly.

The firelight flickered gently, casting a warm glow.

Are you hungry?

Sheng Tingzhou lowered his head, his profile appearing exceptionally soft in the candlelight.

Song Zhiwei wanted to shake her head and say she wasn't hungry, but her throat moved.

Just as I was about to deny it, my stomach rumbled twice, much to my dismay.

Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she quickly lowered her head, letting her wisps of hair fall down to try and cover her reddened cheeks.

Sheng Tingzhou walked to the table and gently pulled out a chair for her with his left hand, his posture elegant and natural.

She hesitated for a moment, but then sat down.

As soon as she sat down, her gaze was drawn to the scene before her.

The table was laden with a dazzling array of exquisite delicacies.

Without thinking further, she reached for the knife and fork in front of her and, without being polite to anyone, began to eat.

After taking a few bites, she suddenly noticed something was amiss.

The person opposite was unusually quiet.

She couldn't help but raise her eyes and stealthily glance across the street.

As it turned out, he was looking right into Sheng Tingzhou's eyes.

His eyes were fixed on her, without the slightest hesitation.

That gaze wasn't like a normal appraiser; it was more like admiring a rare treasure.

Song Zhiwei's heart tightened, her back stiffened slightly, and a hint of unease appeared on her face.

Aren't you going to eat?

Sheng Tingzhou slowly raised his right hand, which was wrapped in white bandages, with faint traces of blood seeping from the fingertips.

He glanced down at his hands, his tone calm.

"Unfortunately, I'm right-handed."

Song Zhiwei was stunned and didn't know what to say for a moment.

She looked at her injured hand and her heart skipped a beat.

With such severe injuries, it's indeed impossible for him to eat on his own.

"Then...what should we do?"

Sheng Tingzhou did not answer immediately, but slowly shifted his gaze to her right hand holding the knife and fork.

Her fingers were slender and white, and she was gripping the silver knife and fork tightly.

He stared at it for a few seconds before slowly speaking.

"You feed me."

She froze instantly, her pupils contracted, and her heart almost stopped for a second.

Sheng Tingzhou looked at her quietly.

After waiting a few seconds and seeing that she didn't move, he finally looked away.

He withdrew his gaze, lowered his eyes, and suddenly lowered his voice.

"If it's inconvenient, then forget it. I can endure the hunger."

She recalled what had happened outside the banquet hall earlier; if he hadn't appeared in time, she might have been the one in trouble tonight.

What's even more terrifying is that the man was clearly targeting her.

If Sheng Tingzhou hadn't acted decisively, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

She bit her lip, her heart churning, and ultimately she couldn't bring herself to ignore it.

Ultimately, reason and conscience triumphed over shyness and embarrassment.

She took a deep breath, slowly stood up, walked lightly around the dining table to his side, and then carefully sat down beside him.

What would you like to eat?

Upon hearing this, Sheng Tingzhou's lips subtly curled upwards, revealing a faint smile.

He thought for a moment, then answered gently, "Foie gras."

Song Zhiwei nodded and looked down at the foie gras on the plate.

She reached out with her fork, but her hand trembled slightly uncontrollably. It took her several tries to finally manage to pick up a whole piece of foie gras.

Sheng Tingzhou didn't dodge. He opened his mouth and gently bit the food on the tip of the fork, his lips and teeth inadvertently brushing against her cold fingertips.

He chewed slowly and deliberately, but his eyes never left her face.

They were so close that she could see the trembling of his eyelashes.

Such a gaze almost suffocated her, and her eyelashes trembled involuntarily.

She didn't dare to look him in the eye, and could only lower her eyes, staring at a certain spot on the table, her cheeks burning as if they were about to burst.

As he finished eating, Sheng Tingzhou took out a clean white tissue and slowly wiped the corner of his mouth.

Song Zhiwei breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this embarrassing dinner was finally over.

Just as she was about to stand up and leave this place that was making her heart race, she suddenly felt a strong pressure on her waist.

A strong, powerful hand suddenly wrapped around her waist.

She hadn't had time to react; her brain hadn't yet processed this sudden turn of events.

A burning kiss landed on her lips.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Her mind went blank; it felt as if all the oxygen had been taken away from her, leaving her feeling dizzy and lightheaded due to oxygen deprivation.

After a long while, he slowly withdrew, his lips reluctantly leaving hers.

After being released, Song Zhiwei went limp and slumped against the back of the chair, unable to recover for a long time.

She was breathing heavily, her chest heaving, and her eyes were unfocused for a few seconds.

She glared at him fiercely, her voice trembling slightly, her tone clearly forceful.

Why are you doing this?

Sheng Tingzhou leaned back in his chair, his expression still calm, and he raised an eyebrow slightly.

"What?"

"At once……"

Song Zhiwei opened her mouth, but the words caught in her throat.

They have absolutely no relationship whatsoever, not even friendship.

How could he kiss her so casually?

But the moment he kissed her, her body didn't instinctively pull away; in fact...

There seems to be a lingering attachment.

This thought made her even more annoyed, and a mix of emotions welled up inside her.

Just then, the cell phone rang.

The caller ID lit up, displaying the three characters "Zhou Yuce".

Realizing that the large hand was still pressed against her waist, the warmth of the palm burned into her skin through the thin fabric.

Song Zhiwei was startled, and her cheeks flushed instantly.

She quickly took a few steps back to create some distance, her movements somewhat hurried.

The call connected, and Zhou Yuze's gentle voice came from the other end.

"Zhiwei, are you still at get off work?"

He was standing at her door, carrying hot soup and a bento box he had just bought.

He knocked on the door, tapping it three times with his knuckles, but no one answered.

The motion-sensor lights in the hallway flickered, illuminating his slightly confused profile.

Song Zhiwei secretly glanced at Sheng Tingzhou and saw him staring at her with a gloomy expression.

Her heart skipped a beat, so she lowered her voice and spoke softly.

"No...not yet."

His lips barely opened, and the words were squeezed out from between his teeth, trembling slightly with nervousness.

She's actually learned to lie.

In the past, she never hid anything from Zhou Yuze.

Even if it's just a delay in replying to a message, they will take the initiative to explain.

But now, she can actually make up reasons without batting an eye.

"Then I'll pick you up from the company and bring you dinner on the way?"

Zhou Yuze's voice was filled with laughter, and it was much warmer than before.

He had asked her that question more than once, but that was many years ago.

Song Zhiwei touched her forehead, her fingertips brushing against a patch of cool sweat.

She felt something was off; there was an invisible sense of oppression in the air.