Compared to the incessant lewd talk in the first half, the latter part of the banquet was more like an ordinary business gathering, with an atmosphere of peace and harmony.

Jiang Siyan remained as nonchalant as ever, seemingly detached from the world despite being there.

Although he didn't speak to Su Er again, no one at the table dared to urge her to drink anymore.

As for Mr. Tang, needless to say, he wished he could change his position and stay three feet away from her.

What is this supposed to mean? Is she just using someone else's power to intimidate others?

Su Er, at the right moment, pretended to be an innocent and ignorant child, and silently drank her special chicken porridge.

The chicken broth enhanced the flavor of the congee, and the hot congee soothed my stomach discomfort considerably.

The others at the table were talking about the latest policies. Jiang Siyan listened for a few minutes, but it was all just old news and nothing interesting. His gaze then fell on Su Er's flushed cheeks, which were tinged with the smell of alcohol.

Her already beautiful face was made even more charming by the blush. She ate with great focus and gentle manners, even the sounds of chewing and swallowing were very soft.

It's easy to see that the girl has good family upbringing.

Jiang Siyan rarely felt that watching people eat was also a kind of enjoyable moment.

This otherwise dull dinner party suddenly seemed to take on a bit of interest at that moment.

Su Er had her hair braided during the daytime filming, but it came loose before she arrived, curling into small curls and hanging down to her chest. Although she combed it with a comb, inevitably, a few unruly strands of hair fell down her cheeks.

Especially when she's drinking porridge, the strands of hair tucked behind her ears scramble to come out as if they want to share a bowl with her.

Su Er felt a slight itch on her cheek and was about to reach out to scratch it when the sharp smell of tobacco got there first.

Their knuckles inevitably touched for a moment, but Su Er quickly withdrew her hand, her head stiffening as she didn't dare to move.

His cold fingertips slid along the curve of her earlobe, stirring ripples in her heart.

Just a second before she tried to avoid it, her hair was neatly tucked behind her ears.

It was as if ice and fire were merging, and the skin that had been touched was faintly burning.

Su Er's hand holding the spoon trembled, but she didn't even glance at him. "Thank you, I can do it myself."

Jiang Siyan didn't care about her aloofness; he just felt that this girl was quite wary.

He was more patient than usual, and his voice, tinged with the smell of alcohol, made a simple sentence sound rather ambiguous: "It's nothing, just a small favor."

Having been in the entertainment industry for a long time, one's skin tends to become thicker. Su Er had heard even more embarrassing flirting attempts, and she thought she was already a master at pretending not to hear.

She lowered her eyes without changing her expression, but her hands pressed down tightly on the long hair that was scattered on her chest, determined not to give it any more chance.

She drank a few more mouthfuls, and there was still half left in the bowl, but she couldn't drink any more.

At dinner parties like these, everyone appears incredibly close on the surface, but everyone knows that it's just a facade of harmony built on mutual benefit; there's no real sincerity involved.

After a few rounds of repetitive conversation, the chatter in the private room had long since subsided.

But Jiang Siyan remained seated, and no one dared to mention leaving.

Naturally, there will always be subtle glances from those who are inquisitive, disdainful, or fearful...

In the end, it all truly came down to her.

If this were truly a play, then everyone's acting skills would likely withstand scrutiny on the big screen.

The spoon handle struck the rim of the bowl, making a crisp sound. Jiang Siyan, seemingly oblivious to her presence, asked, "Are you full?"

He asked, and Su Er answered.

She nodded and responded with an "Mm".

Perhaps because her answer was so uninteresting, my initial teasing mood cooled down a bit.

Jiang Siyan had no intention of staying any longer, so he turned and asked, "It's getting late, Uncle Tang?"

"It's getting late, so... shall we call it a day?" Tang Yonghao asked cautiously.

As Jiang Siyan got up, the door opened, and the early spring breeze dispelled the oppressive atmosphere in the room. Su Er also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

It was only 11 o'clock, and the dinner party ended much earlier than she had expected.

The group walked along the covered walkway towards the courtyard. Su Er tried to slow down so that she could fall behind the crowd.

But after what just happened, her plans were destined to fail, so she had no choice but to follow closely behind Jiang Siyan, surrounded by the crowd.

As the banquet ended and cars drove away, the alley returned to its former tranquility.

Tang Yonghao's car was waiting not far away. He patted Jiang Siyan on the back and said in a friendly tone, "Siyan, I'll be going now."

Su Er stood to the side, exchanging glances with Lin Shuqin, thinking that she could take the opportunity to leave after Tang Yonghao finished exchanging pleasantries with him.

Unexpectedly, the next second, Mr. Tang, who had recently been groping her, nodded respectfully to her and said, "Goodbye, Miss Su."

Su Er knew that he wasn't saying those words to her. Tonight's good fortune wouldn't protect her forever, so there was no reason for her to rashly make enemies.

She smiled faintly, her clear eyes showing no resentment. "Goodbye, Mr. Tang."

The red taillights disappeared around the corner, and even the sound of the wind gradually subsided.

Perhaps because the wind had stopped, the branches that had been trembling in the wind were now standing proudly in the night.

Upon receiving Lin Shuqin's warning signal, Su Er quickly abandoned her thoughts of admiring the flowers and the moon, and stood obediently at attention.

Having missed their chance to say goodbye, and with neither of their cars yet to arrive, they could only stand side by side, waiting.

Lin Shuqin, having survived in the world of shrewd people, sighed inwardly and whispered in Su Er's ear, "I'll go and ask Old Chen to bring the car over."

Su Er nodded, glanced at the person beside her, her indifferent face revealing no emotion.

Perhaps because he had helped her, Su Er felt much less fearful of facing him.

Lin Shuqin greeted Jiang Siyan, "Mr. Jiang, please excuse me." Before leaving, she gave Su Er a meaningful look.

Su Er understood that it meant she shouldn't offend anyone.

The night was deep, and after a while, the cold wind dissipated most of her alcohol fumes, and her nerves, which had been tense all night, relaxed.

Su Er hugged her arms to warm herself up a bit, and her thoughts gradually returned.

She didn't let the atmosphere remain awkward for long, raising her voice slightly, "Thank you for tonight, Mr. Jiang."

It seems that ever since they met, the word they've said most often is "thank you," which even she finds endless and annoying.

Jiang Siyan seemed completely oblivious, his narrow eyes turning to look at her. After staring at her intently for a few seconds, he asked with a half-smile, "Thank me for what?"

Su Er was taken aback. Her thanks were sincere, but when it came to explaining why, she couldn't very well say, "Thank you for supporting me."

Others have the luxury of acting on a whim, but she doesn't have the luxury of being delusional.

Su Er quickly searched her mind for the most suitable reply and said, "Thank you, Mr. Jiang, for ordering that bowl of porridge for me."

Jiang Siyan chuckled, took out a cigarette case from his pocket, put a cigarette in his mouth, and glanced at her: "Oh? Then tell me, how do you want to thank me?"