Half an hour later, the Maybach stopped in front of Yunting, the largest hotel in Jiangcheng.
Lu Zheng got out of the car first, walked to the other side, opened the car door for Qiao Zhen, and gentlemanly extended his hand to Qiao Zhen.
The car attracted the attention of many media outlets as soon as it appeared.
"Your Highness, please come out."
A faint smile played on Lu Zheng's lips, his dark eyes seeming to hold a thousand stars. Qiao Zhen could see clearly that her reflection was clearly visible in Lu Zheng's dark eyes.
Qiao Zhen placed her slender, white hand steadily in Lu Zheng's palm. Lu Zheng's large hand could almost completely envelop Qiao Zhen's hand.
The moment the two appeared, they attracted everyone's attention.
When they saw Qiao Zhen's face clearly, they all gasped in shock.
The reason is simple: Qiao Zhen is naturally beautiful, and with the skillful touch of the stylist, she looks like a princess from a fairy tale or a fairy from the Dunhuang murals tonight.
"Mr. Lu, may I ask who this person next to you is?"
"Mr. Lu, you and Ms. Shen Yan only recently broke off your engagement, and now you're with this woman. Is there any connection between these two events?"
"Mr. Lu..."
A barrage of questions came at her, and many people even looked at Qiao Zhen with puzzled expressions.
The flash of the camera stung Qiao Zhen's eyes, and she instinctively frowned and hid behind Lu Zheng.
Lu Zheng domineeringly used his tall body to completely block Qiao Zhen from view.
"Who gave you permission to block my way? Get out of my way!"
Lu Zheng's dark eyes were filled with anger as he coldly swept his gaze over the media. The media members all flinched in fear.
Lu Zheng is notoriously ruthless. Anyone who crosses him will definitely suffer the consequences.
Winning headlines is great, but risking your entire career for it is not worth it.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Lu, it's just part of our job. We didn't mean to offend you."
The media made way, but their flashes were still pointed in the direction of Lu Zheng and Qiao Zhen.
"Qiao Zhen, lift your head! You haven't done anything wrong, what are you afraid of them for?"
Encouraged by Lu Zheng, Qiao Zhen finally stepped out from behind him, standing tall and proud alongside him.
Her stunning beauty, coupled with Qiao Zhen's serene and gentle temperament, creates a contradictory kind of beauty.
"Let's go in."
Lu Zheng reached out his arm to Qiao Zhen, and Qiao Zhen took it.
The two walked side by side into the hotel.
Just like at the entrance, the two became the center of attention as soon as they entered the hall.
As a rising business tycoon in Jiangcheng, Gu Xijue was naturally invited to attend the banquet.
He arrived early, and upon hearing the chatter around him, he looked up toward the entrance.
When his gaze fell upon Qiao Zhen's face, a look of amazement flashed in his eyes.
"Excuse me, I'll be there for a moment."
Gu Xijue nodded slightly to the person next to him, picked up his wine glass, and walked towards Qiao Zhen.
"Zhenzhen, why don't you wander around and grab something to eat? I'm going to meet with the organizers and say a few words."
Lu Zheng turned his head and gave Qiao Zhen a few words of advice.
Qiao Zhen was already uncomfortable, and being with Lu Zheng made it even worse; she couldn't get a moment's peace.
"Go ahead, I'm fine."
Qiao Zhen breathed a sigh of relief after watching Lu Zheng's figure completely disappear into the crowd.
She lifted her skirt and walked towards the area where the food was displayed.
Large commercial banquets like these usually offer buffet food and drinks. The dishes served are usually exquisite, high-end pastries that are rarely seen on ordinary days.
As soon as Qiao Zhen turned around, she bumped into a strong embrace.
A familiar fragrance of plum blossoms wafted into my nose, just like the scent I had in high school.
Qiao Zhen immediately took two steps back, creating distance between herself and the other person.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
Gu Xijue's eyes darkened as he watched Qiao Zhen's exposed skin as she bowed.
"Zhenzhen, you're still as reckless as you were in high school."
Gu Xijue's voice was gentle, with a hint of barely perceptible doting.
"Gu, Gu Xijue?"
Qiao Zhen never expected that she would run into Gu Xijue so soon after arriving at the banquet.
"What, are you surprised to see me here?"
Gu Xijue always wore a faint smile.
"I was specially invited by the organizers, who said it was to thank me for giving up a promising future abroad and choosing to return to China to develop my career. But let's not talk about that. Qiao Zhen, let's talk about you. I feel like President Lu is treating you very specially. Are you two dating?"
Gu Xijue asked so bluntly right off the bat that Qiao Zhen didn't know how to answer for a moment.
"No."
Thinking about her relationship with Lu Zheng, a bitter look appeared on Qiao Zhen's face.
"What's wrong? Did he treat you badly? Did he bully you?"
Gu Xijue asked with concern, his hand unconsciously resting on Qiao Zhen's shoulder.
Qiao Zhen was so engrossed in the pain of her relationship with Lu Zheng that she didn't notice the inappropriateness of Gu Xijue's behavior.
"No, it's just that the relationship between him and me isn't what you think."
If it were just a normal relationship, Qiao Zhen wouldn't be so conflicted and in so much pain.
Gu Xijue helped Qiao Zhen to the food area.
"Let's have some dessert. I've heard that desserts can make people feel happy."
As Gu Xijue spoke, he thoughtfully placed a few small cakes on Qiao Zhen's plate.
Qiao Zhen took the cake and thanked Gu Xijue.
"Thank you, Gu Xijue."
To be honest, Qiao Zhen was no longer a naive young girl just experiencing first love. The concern Gu Xijue had shown her during their recent meetings went far beyond what ordinary friends should show.
But Qiao Zhen was self-aware. She knew very well that, regardless of whether the Qiao family had declined or not, her ambiguous relationship with Lu Zheng alone made it impossible for her to stand by Gu Xijue's side.
Gu Xijue still wore that warm smile.
"There's no need to thank me. Qiao Zhen, I still remember when we were in school, you were always kind to me quietly. And I, back then, didn't understand feelings, I only bullied you and hurt you..."
A look of guilt flashed in Gu Xijue's eyes when those things were mentioned.
"Qiao Zhen, if possible, I hope you can give me a chance to make amends. At least let me be nicer to you, so that I can feel less guilty."
Gu Xijue stared intently at Qiao Zhen, awaiting her answer.
"Mr. Gu really does have a bad memory!"
Suddenly, Lu Zheng's voice reached their ears from not far away.
Qiao Zhen was startled and almost dropped the dessert in her hand.
Lu Zheng strode over and forcefully pulled Qiao Zhen into his arms.
The cake in Qiao Zhen's hands ultimately couldn't escape its fate of falling.
"Mr. Gu, I'll say it one last time, Qiao Zhen is my woman. If I see you seducing her again, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Qiao Zhen knew Lu Zheng's temper very well. If he really went crazy, he wouldn't care about the occasion and it wasn't impossible for him to fight Gu Xijue.
"Lu Zheng, you've misunderstood. I just bumped into President Gu by chance, and we have nothing to do with each other."
Qiao Zhen tugged at Lu Zheng's arm.
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