Chapter 281 This man is no good.
As Zhou Mubin pushed open the door and stepped inside, his Italian handmade leather shoes barely touching the floor, a waiter approached him and asked, "Sir, how many are in your party?"
Zhou Mubin's gaze fell on Cui Xiao, who was sitting by the window in the distance. "Looking for someone."
The waiter smiled and said, "Yes, sir. Please feel free to ask me for anything else you need."
Zhou Mubin had already walked away, and gave a perfunctory "hmm".
Until Zhou Mubin arrived uninvited and sat down in the empty seat next to Cui Xiao.
Cui Xiao glanced sideways, and the hand holding the juice trembled suddenly, splashing brown liquid onto the off-white tablecloth like an unsightly spot that had suddenly bloomed.
Zhou Mubin stood with an elegant posture, his legs crossed, a few leaves still clinging to the hem of his trench coat, his hands in his pockets, and his smile arrogant and sarcastic.
His gaze swept across the sparsely furnished dining table, first landing on the man in a suit across from him, and finally settling precisely on her face.
That unconcealed look of astonishment, like a popped soap bubble, shattered in his eyes.
Zhou Mubin's lips curled up. "Ah Xiao, who is this?"
Ah Xiao?
Was this completely unfamiliar title being used to address Cui Xiao?
She frowned, somewhat puzzled by him.
The man opposite him stood up first, his light gray suit sleeves sliding down to reveal a leather wristwatch that was ticking.
The man was gentle and refined, and his tone, like his personality, carried just the right amount of gentlemanly manners. "Hello, I am currently Cui Xiao's friend, but perhaps soon I will be her legal husband."
The man introduced himself openly, but to Zhou Mubin, this was undoubtedly a direct provocation.
Zhou Mubin snorted, "Is that so? I don't think so."
Cui Xiao clenched her hands under the table, but her throat felt blocked, and she couldn't make a sound.
She couldn't understand what Zhou Mubin was up to.
The man remained calm and composed, saying, "I am not her, how could I know what she is thinking?"
In an instant, that tense atmosphere emanated from the molecules in the air.
The two stared at each other, neither seemingly willing to back down.
Even if someone at the next table spills their coffee, the brown liquid spreads across the floor like a winding river.
The two remained focused, completely undisturbed.
Cui Xiao's voice broke the silence between the two, "Attorney Zhou, if you're meeting a client, then we'll leave you alone." The implication was clear: you can get lost.
Zhou Mubin laughed out loud when he heard her words, "I'm not meeting any clients today."
His voice was soft, but the provocation was obvious: "I promised to help you vet it, how can I go back on my word?"
Is he planning to stay?
Cui Xiao suddenly turned her head and met the unfathomable depths of his eyes.
The lingering shadow of the setting sun outside the window still clung to his eyelashes, and now, bathed in the warm light of the restaurant, they appeared somewhat fragile.
She suddenly remembered that when she saw him at the entrance of the Asia Pacific Group that morning, he did suggest that he would help her make a selection, but at the time she thought it was just a casual remark.
After all, he was so busy, busy with cases, busy with social engagements, and busy spending time with his girlfriend.
So Cui Xiao didn't take his words seriously, but now that he's here, Cui Xiao is confused.
Cui Xiao remained expressionless, showing little emotion. "Lawyer Zhou, instead of wasting your time, you should go home and spend more time with Miss Jin."
Zhou Mubin looked over, and their eyes met. "Ah Xiao, I'm only spending my time with you today."
Suddenly, Cui Xiao's pupils dilated.
Filled with confusion and panic.
Despite being together for so long, he has never contacted her outside of work, let alone spent time with her.
And Ah Xiao?
He had never called her that.
Her mind was in turmoil.
Then, a man's cough broke the eerie silence.
He turned to look at Zhou Mubin, his smile fading slightly. "Sir, even good friends should have some boundaries."
Zhou Mubin then turned his gaze to the man, his expression devoid of hostility but carrying an undeniable certainty, "Are you sure we're just friends?"
The words "just friends" were like a pebble thrown into a lake, stirring up a thousand waves in her heart.
Cui Xiao gripped his hand even tighter, his knuckles turning white, and his palms tinged with blood.
The man looked at Cui Xiao, hoping to get a definite answer from her.
Cui Xiao paused, finally calming the turmoil in her heart, and said calmly, "Besides being a friend, he was also my former boss."
Cui Xiao stopped looking at him, her mind focused entirely on the man.
It was impossible for her and Zhou Mubin to ever go beyond the realm of "friends," a fact that Cui Xiao knew all too well.
She smiled at the man, polite but distant, but Cui Xiao genuinely intended to go and find out more about him.
Naturally, Zhou Mubin's meddling wouldn't disturb his peace of mind.
This meal was destined to be unpleasant, so Cui Xiao tried to make up for it by saying, "Mr. Ning, after we finish eating, let's go see a movie. I haven't had a chance to watch any of the Lunar New Year films yet."
It's not just Lunar New Year films; Cui Xiao can't even remember the last time she watched a movie.
It seems like I haven't had any since I started working.
While others relax during the Spring Festival holiday and recharge for the new year, she has endless contracts to read and work to handle.
Calling it a holiday is an understatement; it's more like changing jobs.
Just then, her hand, which was under the table, was suddenly grabbed, and Cui Xiao froze.
The next second, Zhou Mubin pulled her up without saying a word, "Xiao, I suddenly remembered that when you left the company, there was a contract that hadn't been properly handed over."
He was still smiling, but the smile had turned cold.
Then, Zhou Mubin added to the man, "Excuse me, Cui Xiao, come with me."
Cui Xiao didn't struggle, because it was simply impossible for her to break free with her strength.
She didn't want to make a scene or become a laughingstock.
With a pale face, Cui Xiao said, "Mr. Ning, let's make an appointment another time."
Before she could finish speaking, Zhou Mubin had already eagerly led her forward.
"I'm leaving," he said.
He led her by the hand, the chair legs scraping against the ground with a screeching sound.
As I passed the restaurant's entrance, the wind chimes started ringing again, making my eardrums ache.
It wasn't until they were outside the restaurant that Cui Xiao finally let go of his hand.
Zhou Mubin seemed dissatisfied when his palm was empty.
Her fingertips were icy cold just now, but when he wrapped them in his palm, the warmth seeped in little by little, yet it couldn't dispel the trembling that crept up her spine.
For her, there are some things she shouldn't be thinking about.
Some people are not to be looked up to.
Cui Xiao's face was pale. In her usual businesslike manner, she said, "Attorney Zhou, which contract do you think I haven't handed over properly? I'll go to the law firm tomorrow morning and re-hand it over with Assistant Jin."
She knew that Jin Moli had taken her place.
Zhou Mubin said softly, "That works too."
Cui Xiao said, "In that case, I'll be leaving now."
Cui Xiao didn't want to stay with him any longer, so she walked away quickly in her high heels.
Before they even reached the car, Zhou Mubin grabbed her wrist again. "Lawyer Zhou, what exactly do you want?"
Zhou Mubin stared at her with cold eyes. "This man is no good. If you want to get married, I can help you find someone."
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