Chapter 42 Zhuang Bieyan, do you dare to come with me?

Several company employees huddled together, heads down, staring at their phones and whispering amongst themselves.

They would occasionally look up and stare at Qu He with strange, disdainful eyes.

Just now, a set of photos was received in the email inbox for all employees.

In the photo, Qu He is being half-embraced by a man as they enter a hotel. The man's face is cropped out, leaving only a blurry silhouette, while her face is clearly visible.

The photo, after being processed from a tricky angle, was interpreted as an unbearable entanglement.

"I didn't expect Secretary Qu to discuss cooperation in such a 'special way'?"

"So this is what Mr. Qian meant by 'silent support'?"

"If Qian Zhaoye really marries a woman like this, he'll probably become a laughing stock in the industry, right?"

Qu He's knuckles turned white as she gripped her phone.

These are all fabricated charges, each one more vile than the last.

She clenched her fist, but as soon as she looked up, she met Qiao Mian's eyes in the corner.

She gently stroked her lower abdomen, looking on with amusement.

When he saw Qu He looking over, he even made a fake "sorry" mouth shape.

Everything is clear!

These two are truly a perfect match!

In the center of the crowd, Qian Zhaoye continued to play the role of a deeply affectionate man, completely unaware that he was in the eye of the storm.

When pressed again by reporters about his partner's identity, he feigned shyness and then said in a deliberately gentle tone, "She is..."

"Mr. Qian!"

Anda hurriedly squeezed in, gestured for the reporters to wait a moment, whispered something in Qian Zhaoye's ear, and took out his phone.

Qian Zhaoye's smile froze instantly, and his expression gradually darkened.

He looked up at Qu He, his expression complex.

Qu He met his gaze without flinching.

"Mr. Qian, you still haven't told us who your fiancée is!" the reporter pressed on.

Qian Zhaoye's lips moved silently; the two words were about to come out, but now they were stuck in his throat.

Everyone around held their breath, their eyes darting back and forth between the two.

Those spectators were all waiting for his answer, wondering whether he would continue the charade or tear it apart completely!

Qian Zhaoye opened his mouth, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to say the name.

Qu He could see it clearly from not far away.

He was afraid that if he revealed her name, he would become the object of ridicule along with her.

The air seemed to freeze, and a silent stalemate began between the two.

Qu He looked at his shifty eyes and his subconscious avoidance of the reporters' cameras, and suddenly found it ridiculous.

Finally, under her mocking gaze, Qian Zhaoye awkwardly looked away.

Several reporters were about to say something when they heard a commotion at the entrance of the banquet hall.

Everyone turned around.

The banquet hall door was pushed open, and a beam of light fell on the entrance.

Zhuang Bieyan stood in that beam of light.

He was wearing a dark, patterned, three-piece British-style suit with his tie neatly tied. Tall and elegant, he exuded a nonchalant air of nobility.

All the noise came to an abrupt halt at that moment.

He only needs to stand there, without saying a word, and he becomes the center of attention.

Those who were just whispering were stunned by his aura and gasped.

"Zhuang Bieyan...he actually came?"

"My God, he's a hundred times more handsome in person than in the photos in financial magazines!"

"I've seen people wear suits, but I've never seen anyone wear a suit like a work of art..."

"Red beans grow in the south, and Zhuang Bieyan is a male model!"

The gasps of amazement continued, and the crowd erupted in cheers for him once again.

The reporters who had just been surrounding Qian Zhaoye sprinted towards the door, their recorders and cameras swarming around him, but not one of them dared to make a sound.

Zhuang Bieyan didn't speak, nor did he even look at the people surging in.

His gaze pierced through the crowd and landed directly on Qu He.

The moment their eyes met, the world seemed to be paused.

Everything around seemed to become a blurred backdrop.

Qu He's gaze met his eyes, which were unfathomable yet seemed to possess a magic that reached straight to the heart, like an invisible net that isolated everything.

The noise, the lights, the shoving—all gone.

The grievances I had just suppressed suddenly burst forth with a single glance.

She suddenly felt a lump in her throat.

But she didn't cry; her eyes were just slightly red, like a stubborn little monster, her head tilted back.

Zhuang Bieyan's eyes darkened when he saw Qu He's reddened eyes.

He walked step by step through the crowd toward her.

Wherever he went, people would spontaneously make way for him.

Everyone's eyes followed him.

Just then, someone shouted, "Look at the screen!"

The large screen in the banquet hall switched its display, replacing the original celebratory text with a video.

In the video, Qian Zhaoye and Qiao Mian are entangled in the back seat of a car, embracing and kissing passionately, the scene so explicit it's embarrassing.

"This...this...oh my god, I can't bear to look."

"Is Qian Zhaoye two-timing? Didn't he just say he wanted to get married?"

The entire audience erupted in cheers.

The reporters went crazy again and rushed back to Qian Zhaoye's side.

Blinding flashes of light, sharp questions, one after another.

Even Qiao Mian, who was in the corner, was pulled out without her noticing.

Surrounded by reporters, she was pale-faced, a far cry from her earlier feigned pitiful demeanor.

Qu He stood on the outermost edge, silently watching everything that was happening.

The USB drive in my hand was sore from gripping it so tightly.

They have to pay back double for all the dirty tricks they've played on her.

She exhaled and was about to turn and leave when she bumped into Zhuang Bieyan's eyes.

He had somehow gotten rid of the crowd and was standing a few steps behind her.

Zhuang Bieyan's gaze moved from the corners of her reddened eyes to her tightly pursed lips, and finally settled on the hand that was holding the USB drive.

Qu He instinctively hid her hand behind her back.

But he didn't ask anything; he simply took a step forward, closing the distance between them.

"Are you alright?" His voice was low and hoarse, very soft, but she heard it.

Qu He straightened her back and almost blurted out "It's nothing," but when she looked into Zhuang Bieyan's eyes, she remembered the promise they had made to each other.

The two words that were about to come out turned into, "...Not good."

She sniffed as she spoke.

Zhuang Bieyan's heart was struck by something, and it softened completely.

"Hmm." He reached out, gently grasped her wrist, and naturally took the USB drive from her hand.

His warm palm covered hers, and the instant their skin touched, it felt like an electric current ran through her.

All of Qu He's feigned strength crumbled at this moment.

"Zhuang Bieyan, do you dare to come with me now?"

Her voice was soft, even carrying a hint of defiance and a touch of probing, yet she still stubbornly held her head high.

There were emotions in Zhuang Bieyan's eyes that she couldn't understand.

"I'll play along."

He said it in a low voice.

Those two simple words sent a shiver down Qu He's spine.

She took a deep breath and took his hand. "Let's go."

Zhuang Bieyan looked down at their tightly clasped hands, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He gripped her hand tightly, completely enveloping her icy hand.

The warmth of my palm came through, carrying a strangely reassuring power.

Behind them, Qian Zhaoye's roar and Qiao Mian's screams mingled together.

But it doesn't matter anymore.

The world is collapsing, but what does that have to do with her?

The door opened, and the light spilled out, casting long shadows of the two people that eventually merged into one.