Dinner Party Shura Field
Lu Zhian practically fled, being the first to follow the waiter into the private room. He pulled out the chair next to Shen Yanzhi almost without hesitation and sat down, as if being near this gentle senior would give him a chance to catch his breath.
He had just sat down when he felt a shadowy figure sway beside him. Gu Yingshen sat down on his other side with perfect ease, the movement so fluid it seemed perfectly natural.
This clever choice of location instantly separated Lu Zhian from Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin, who followed closely behind.
Xiao Yuan watched Gu Yingshen's actions of separating him from Lu Zhian, his eyes turning slightly cold. He then sat down beside Xiao Jin, whose face had darkened.
The waiter handed over the menu. Xiao Yuan was about to speak when Shen Yanzhi smiled and took it, exchanging a few words with Gu Yingshen in hushed tones before ordering several signature dishes.
Xiao Yuan paused slightly with his outstretched hand, then silently withdrew it. Xiao Jin, on the other hand, crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, clearly displeased. They hadn't even managed to seize the initiative in ordering food.
The ordering process was quickly completed under the guidance of Shen Yanzhi and Gu Yingshen. While waiting for the food, Shen Yanzhi turned her head and said to Lu Zhian in a serious tone, "By the way, Zhian, since you haven't been to school this week, the director has some data that needs to be organized, as well as a few new papers. I've sent them to your email. Take a look when you have time."
When the topic of studies and work came up, Lu Zhian's chaotic thoughts finally found a foothold. He tried to concentrate and answered seriously, "Okay, I'll look into it when I get back. I'll handle the data processing tomorrow." Familiarity with the subject gradually calmed him down.
As the dishes were served one after another, their exquisite presentation and enticing aromas instantly caught Lu Zhian's attention.
Seeing this, Shen Yanzhi smiled and scooped a spoonful of tender crab meat tofu onto his plate: "Try this. Yin Qin specifically recommended that you order it."
After thanking him, Lu Zhian took a bite. The delicious flavor melted in his mouth, and he couldn't help but nod, his eyes crinkling into crescents: "Delicious!"
Gu Yingshen ate quietly, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the dishes before pointing to a creative dish a little further away, his tone calm and natural: "I want to eat that." He paused, then looked at Lu Yanzhi and Lu Zhian, "Who wants to try it first?"
Lu Zhian picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks: "The taste is too bland."
Lu Zhian found that sitting next to Gu Yingshen, he did not feel the pressure he had expected. Instead, he felt a strange, comforting sense of familiarity, as if they were meant to be friends who could sit together and eat quietly.
For Lu Zhian, this meal gradually transformed into a truly enjoyable and relaxing experience. The three of them quickly became like close friends, naturally exchanging their opinions about the dishes in a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere.
Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin could only eat in silence, watching Lu Zhian with a relaxed and even happy smile next to the other two, and watching him chat and laugh with that dangerous "painter".
The meal drew to a close as Lu Zhian, unusually relaxed, sipped his post-meal tea, feeling a warm glow in his stomach, and even temporarily forgot about his two very noticeable boyfriends beside him.
However, this peace was soon shattered.
Gu Yingshen put down his teacup, his gaze calmly shifting to the Xiao brothers across from him, whose expressions were now increasingly somber, having been ignored from the start. After a few seconds, he turned to Lu Zhian beside him and, in his characteristically emotionless, flat tone, dropped a bombshell:
“The two of them…” He paused, seemingly choosing the right words, and finally selected the most direct and terrifying one, “Did they imprison you?”
It's not a question, it's a statement that's almost certain.
"Pfft—cough cough!" Lu Zhian almost choked on a mouthful of tea, coughing violently. His face turned red instantly, and his eyes welled up with tears.
He looked at Gu Yingshen in disbelief.
Even the usually gentle and composed Shen Yanzhi showed a surprised expression.
Gu Yingshen seemed oblivious to Lu Zhian's reaction, continuing in his usual tone as if discussing the weather. He then pulled a plain business card from his pocket and placed it on the table in front of Lu Zhian: "Why didn't you call the police?" He looked up at Lu Zhian, his gaze cool and focused, as if he were truly handling a case. "Special Investigation Team, Gu Yingshen. I can arrest them."
His tone was so serious that no one doubted it; if Lu Zhian nodded, he could take out handcuffs and take Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin away the next second.
"No! No imprisonment!" Lu Zhian finally regained his composure from the shock, frantically waving his hands, his voice trembling with anxiety. He simply couldn't imagine what would happen if Gu Yingshen really made a move; it would be an absolute disaster!
Xiao Yuan's face was so dark it could drip water, and the pressure around him was terrifyingly low. Xiao Jin, on the other hand, laughed in anger, staring intently at Gu Yingshen like a cheetah ready to pounce at any moment.
Gu Yingshen ignored the two murderous gazes; he looked at the panicked Lu Zhian.
He tapped the business card lightly with his fingertip, his tone softening slightly, but the content remained astonishing: "Okay. So, is there anything else you'd like to know?" He paused meaningfully, as if hinting at the unresolved topic about "first love," or more "dirt" on the Xiao brothers, "You can contact me."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin's eyes grew even colder.
Seeing the atmosphere once again spiraling out of control, Shen Yanzhi timely intervened. He glanced helplessly at Gu Yingshen, who seemed to thrive on chaos, then turned to the still-shaken Lu Zhian and gently changed the subject: "Don't be nervous, Captain Gu... it's just his job." He smiled and asked, "Where are you going later? Back to school? Or..."
Lu Zhian clutched the slightly cool business card as if it were a hot potato. He avoided the gaze that seemed to set him ablaze, took a deep breath, and whispered to Shen Yanzhi, "Then...then I'll go back to school with you first to process some data and literature." This decision was almost subconscious; he needed space, he needed to escape the suffocating atmosphere, even if only temporarily.
Shen Yanzhi nodded knowingly, stood up, and smiled politely at the others present: "Then, Captain Gu, President Xiao, Mr. Xiao, we'll take our leave first."
Lu Zhian stood up almost immediately, head down, not daring to look at Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin's expressions, and quickly followed Shen Yanzhi out of the private room. The door closed gently behind them, isolating them from the world inside, and also seemingly temporarily shutting out the two ever-present oppressive figures.
Inside the private room, the air seemed to freeze instantly, as if a tangible weight was pressing down on it.
Xiao Yuan slowly leaned back in his chair, his posture seemingly relaxed, but his gray-blue eyes were sharp as ice picks, piercing directly at Gu Yingshen, who remained seated calmly opposite him. Xiao Jin, however, did not have such patience. He suddenly stood up, placed his hands on the table, leaned forward, and made no attempt to conceal his violence and hostility.
"What do you want to do?" Xiao Yuan's voice was deep.
Gu Yingshen raised his eyes, calmly meeting their gazes, his expression as indifferent as if he were looking at two unimportant objects. "His memories," he began, his tone utterly flat, "are with me."
One sentence made Xiao Yuan's eyes narrow suddenly, and the veins on the back of Xiao Jin's hand, which was braced on the table, bulged.
Gu Yingshen seemed oblivious to their reactions and continued, "He should have the right to choose whether or not to remember." He tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping between Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin, finally settling on Xiao Yuan's gloomy face. A barely perceptible smile played at the corners of his lips, carrying a hint of mockery.
"What?" he asked softly, like a needle piercing the most sensitive spot, "Afraid?"
He paused, then clearly uttered each word, revealing the core fear: "I'm afraid that after he regains his memories, he won't want you anymore?"
"Gu Yingshen!" Xiao Jin almost couldn't control himself and lunged at him.
Xiao Yuan raised his hand and held down his younger brother, who was on the verge of exploding, but his face was also extremely pale.
Gu Yingshen took in their reactions and slowly stood up. He was slightly shorter than Xiao Yuan, but his cold and powerful aura was in no way inferior.
"I simply gave him a choice," he said calmly, as if stating a given fact. After speaking, he stopped looking at the two brothers who were on high alert, walked straight to the door, and left the private room filled with the invisible smoke of battle.
The door closed again.
Only Xiao Yuan and Xiao Jin remained in the private room. Silence spread, and the air was filled with the oppressive atmosphere of an impending storm.
Gu Yingshen's words, like a seed, took root and sprouted in their hearts, bringing an unprecedented sense of crisis.
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