The door opened and closed, letting in a whiff of the outside world's clamor, only to be shut out again by the heavy doors.
The huge rooftop office was now empty except for Pei Mozhi and the bowl of soup in front of him that had long since gone cold.
The manager, sensing the situation, had already slipped away with the documents.
All that remained in the air was the cold awkwardness of being completely ignored.
Instead of calming down, the frustration surged even higher, as if fueled by oil.
Pei Mozhi leaned back abruptly in his chair, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, his jawline clenching tightly.
He stared at the door where Zixi had disappeared, his eyes so dark they seemed to drip water.
When has Pei Mozhi ever been so completely ignored?!
Could it be that this woman discovered his secret through the family doctor, and is now taking advantage of his favor to challenge his authority?
Zi Xi went out simply because she didn't want to be constantly watched.
The air outside is indeed much fresher.
The phone screen lit up with a message from Pei Mozhi, concise and to the point: "[7 PM, banquet at Pei Garden.]"
Zi Xi replied with an "oh" and then fell silent, making Pei Mozhi on the other side almost grind his teeth to dust.
Around seven o'clock, when Zi Xi stepped into the overly bright hall, the Pei family's banquet was about to begin.
She wore a very simple dark dress, which contrasted sharply with the women around her who were adorned with jewels and seemed to want to wear all their possessions on their bodies.
She went straight to the almost forgotten corner seat at the very end of the long table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
The movements remained quiet, carrying a sense of detachment as if it were none of their business.
Zixi was a little tired after shopping all day.
Pei Mozhi sat to the left of the main seat, his gaze catching her the moment she entered.
"Look at how spineless she is."
He saw her walk straight to the last seat, sit down, and lower her eyes. That familiar feeling of irritation rose up again.
However, this time, what overwhelmed him even before his agitation was countless overlapping thoughts.
Beneath those carefully crafted smiles, countless harsh voices echoed in his ears.
[Ha, she really thinks she's the young mistress of the Pei family? Look at her shabby appearance!]
[This wild girl who just appeared out of nowhere, I wonder what kind of seductive tricks she used! Has Pei Mozhi lost his mind?]
[Pei Mozhi can play around all he wants, why get married? What does my niece have that this poor, pathetic woman can't compare to?]
We need to find a way to humiliate her, preferably to make Pei Mozhi despise her.
Why should an outsider get a share of the Pei family's immense wealth? We need to show her what we're made of!
Although Pei Mozhi has taken control of the Pei family, I've heard that the old man still has a trust account; I need to find a way to sound him out...
These sounds bombarded Pei Mozhi's eardrums, piercing his cerebral cortex like needles.
The overwhelming malice made his temples throb, and a sharp headache caused by excessive exposure to negative information began to linger.
Pei Mozhi surveyed his surroundings with a sinister look, his hand under the table clenching slightly, his knuckles turning white, and the veins on the back of his hand faintly visible.
He picked up the crystal glass in front of him, the icy liquid sliding down his throat, but his gaze involuntarily drifted back to the corner.
Zi Xi remained seated, quietly eating her food.
She scooped up a spoonful of tender, smooth steamed crab meat with a small silver spoon, her movements very ladylike.
Everything around her seemed to isolate her.
Her quietness was like a unique sanctuary, utterly pure.
It also carried a strange attraction, causing Pei Mozhi, despite his splitting headache, to feel a slight desire to get closer to her.
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