Chapter 98 He didn't want her to know the precarious state of the Yan family at that moment.
Inside the private room of the Summer Palace Banquet Hall.
The dishes were exquisite, and the wine had a subtle, pleasant aroma.
At the head of the table, Mr. Chen from Xinyuan was in high spirits, frequently toasting Shangqiu Zhu.
The bamboo from Shangqiu gracefully engages in social interactions, stopping only when its lip touches the rim of the cup.
Yan Shuang sat beside Shang Qiuzhu, mostly listening with her eyes down and eating quietly.
Mr. Chen's gaze swept over Yan Shuang several times, with a hint of inquiry and puzzlement.
He knew Shang Qiuzhu; she always used capable male assistants, like Lin Sheng, who was competent and infallible. Why would she bring such a beautiful and young female secretary to a dinner party like this?
He casually asked Shang Qiuzhu, "President Shang, this is... the new special assistant? He looks a bit unfamiliar."
Shangqiu Zhu's gaze naturally turned to Yan Shuang beside him.
She was taking small bites of the food on the plate in front of her. Perhaps because she thought it tasted really good, she ate with extra focus and concentration, her cheeks slightly puffed out.
Looks like coming tonight was the right decision.
Shangqiu Zhu turned her gaze back to Secretary Yan.
Secretary Yan?
Mr. Chen went through the surname in his mind, and combined with the girl's outstanding appearance and temperament, a thought flashed through his mind like lightning: the heiress of the Yan Group.
Shangqiu Zhu's legendary ex-fiancée, whose engagement has reportedly been dissolved?
He immediately glanced at Yan Shuang again and saw that she was just sitting quietly and not participating in any conversation. Shang Qiuzhu seemed to treat her no differently than an ordinary secretary, without any special care.
Mr. Chen immediately began to weigh the pros and cons in his mind.
The Shang and Yan families have recently severed ties, several collaborative projects have been halted, and news of the annulment of their engagement has spread in small circles, reportedly ending rather unpleasantly.
Under these circumstances, why did Shangqiu Zhu still keep his former fiancée by his side as his secretary?
Did the Yan family try to salvage the situation by sending their daughter over? Or did Shangqiu Zhu give her a sinecure out of consideration for their past relationship?
Judging from the current situation, this Miss Yan probably doesn't hold much weight with Zhu in Shangqiu.
If she were truly important, why would she be assigned to be a recorder at such a social event? Shangqiu Zhu's businesslike attitude towards her speaks volumes.
Thinking of this, Mr. Chen's curiosity and caution immediately dissipated, replaced by a subtle hint of disdain.
He even felt that Shangqiu Zhu brought her here perhaps to help her face reality and find her place.
After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became increasingly lively.
Mr. Chen, holding his wine glass, looked at Yan Shuang with a smile, "Secretary Yan looks really young and promising. To be able to work for President Shang, her abilities must be extraordinary. Unlike the rest of us in the family, who only know how to eat, drink, and have fun."
Yan Shuang raised her eyes and gave a polite smile: "President Chen, you flatter me. I was just doing my job."
Mr. Chen seemed not to hear her modesty, and continued to smile, changing the subject: "Secretary Yan is truly composed. Things have been going well at home lately..."
His intention was to subtly allude to the recent turmoil within the Yan family, both flattering Shangqiu Zhuma and taking a jab at the Yan family.
However, the word "home" had barely left his lips when he said it.
Shangqiu Zhu, who had been sitting in the main seat with a relaxed posture, suddenly turned cold.
Before Mr. Chen could finish speaking, he slammed his wine glass down on the table with a light touch.
Like an invisible pause, it instantly cut off Mr. Chen's unfinished words and brought the lively conversation at the table to an abrupt end.
All eyes instantly focused on Shangqiu bamboo.
His expression remained calm, with even a faint smile playing on his lips, but his deep eyes held an undisguised warning.
Mr. Chen felt a sudden shiver run down his spine from that look, and the words he was about to say got stuck in his throat, his smile becoming incredibly stiff.
He instantly realized that he might have overstepped his bounds and touched on some taboo subject.
Shang Qiuzhu did not immediately react; he simply stared at President Chen with his icy gaze and remained silent for two seconds.
Then, he slowly spoke, "Mr. Chen, let's drink. Talking about anything else is disgusting."
Everyone present was shrewd; who couldn't hear the warning and protection in those words?
Mr. Chen, unsure whether to put down his wine glass or not, felt a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead. "Mr. Shang, what you're saying... I was just casually expressing my concern..."
"Concerned?" Shang Qiuzhu chuckled lightly, her tone slow and deliberate. "As for my secretary's work ability, I have my own judgment."
He paused, then said, "Since when did it become anyone's place to comment?"
The entire private room was completely silent; you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone held their breath, not daring to utter a sound.
No one expected that Shangqiu Zhu would react so directly and ruthlessly to a mere secretary.
Mr. Chen's face turned pale and then red, so embarrassed he wanted to disappear. He quickly smiled apologetically, "Yes, yes, Mr. Shang is right. I was too talkative. I misspoke. I'll punish myself with a drink!" With that, he quickly tilted his head back and downed the wine in his glass.
Shangqiu Zhu didn't even glance at the cup of punishment wine he was given, turning his gaze away as if the intimidating aura he had just displayed was merely an illusion.
He turned his head to look at Yan Shuang, who was stunned beside him. She was holding chopsticks and had stopped moving.
Shangqiu Zhu's tone returned to normal: "Eat yours."
After saying that, he reached out and steadily moved the plate of crab roe tofu that she had picked up twice earlier to the most convenient spot in front of her.
This action shocked everyone present even more than those cold and harsh words!
This is hardly the attitude one would show to an ordinary secretary.
Seeing this, Mr. Chen almost dropped his wine glass. His heart skipped a beat, and he instantly realized that his earlier assessment was completely wrong!
The young lady from the Yan family probably holds a much heavier place in Shangqiu Zhuxin's heart than he imagined.
He immediately regretted it.
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