Chapter 34 Is there anything you're not satisfied with...?
Lu Ming appeared downstairs at Ke Ming's place right on time that evening. This time, he didn't wait blindly; he knew to call someone.
The moment the call connected, he had barely said "Hello" when he heard the girl shout energetically, "Coming!"
Then the call ended.
Lu Ming smirked and placed his phone on the hood of the car.
Does this woman have inexhaustible energy? It seems like nothing can make her unhappy.
Wen Chu darted into the passenger seat like a gust of wind, quickly fastened her seatbelt, and commanded, "Go go go!"
"Is it necessary to be this happy?"
Wen Chu turned her head to the side, cupped her chin in her hands, and smiled like a flower: "I'm so happy to see you after a long day."
"..." Lu Mingzheng turned his head away from her: "Smooth talker."
He drove all the way to the most bustling commercial center in City A, and stopped downstairs at a famous business club. As night fell and the city lights came on, people were coming and going.
The astute staff at the entrance recognized his license plate number immediately and knew he was someone not to be trifled with, so they quickly greeted him with a smile and asked for his private room number.
Lu Ming whispered a number, and the other person became even more respectful, verbally and physically leading the way.
Wen Chu walked side by side with the person, glanced at him sideways, and said in a muffled voice, "You're quite experienced, aren't you? You've been to places like this quite a few times."
Lu Ming glanced back at her: "Business inevitably involves socializing, but it's not like what you think."
Wen Chu simply clicked her tongue, neither saying she believed nor disbelieved.
Lu Ming glanced at her and said irritably, "Believe it or not."
The waiter pushed open the door to the private room, and they went in together. The room was very spacious. It was the first time Wen Chu had ever dined at such a luxurious restaurant, and she had managed to infiltrate this high-society circle.
There were about ten people sitting comfortably inside, chatting leisurely. But as soon as they arrived, all eyes turned to them.
When Wen Chu looked at them, she saw several hot beauties with fiery red lips, and she couldn't take her eyes off them. In comparison, Wen Chu was dressed very simply and neatly, in a simple high-necked sleeveless dress and low-heeled white shoes, looking like she had just come from the workplace.
She leaned close to the man's ear and whispered accusatoryly, "Why didn't you tell me this was the case? I could at least have dressed up a bit, right?"
Lu Ming frowned and said with dissatisfaction, "It's not like we're participating in a beauty pageant, why are we dressing up?"
Wen Chu really wanted to roll her eyes at him.
"Brother Lu is here!" A tall, thin man who looked very shrewd stood up and greeted us. He was Chen Shih-hao, our boss for tonight.
Lu Ming nodded to him, and Chen Shihao then smiled and looked at Wen Chu, "Is this your sister-in-law? She's so beautiful!"
Wen Chu thought to herself, "That's quite a compliment." She had no choice but to adopt the airs of a pampered young lady, smiled faintly, and said softly, "Thank you, hello."
"Come on, come on, sit in the middle!"
"Lu Ming, you're so lucky to have won the heart of such a beauty!" The speaker was Zhou Jiayang, a man wearing a floral shirt. He was frivolous but reliable. He called Lu Ming by his name because they had known each other for many years and had a good relationship; they were considered friends.
Lu Ming straightened his shirt sleeves, led Wen Chu to the other man's side, glanced indifferently at the woman sitting next to him, and jokingly said, "Weren't you holding one too?" Zhou Jiayang smiled and made room for him, "How can that be the same?"
Although everyone had never met Wen Chu before, they all knew her identity and no one dared to be negligent. They all came over to greet her and say a few nice words. Wen Chu responded to each one, appearing calm and generous, and accepted all the praise without hesitation.
Lu Ming listened to Zhou Jiayang speak and her maneuvering, and only after she had finished her pleasantries did he mutter a complaint under his breath: "She's really good at pretending."
Wen Chu silently pinched his lower back hard, and squeezed out the words through gritted teeth: "I have my pride when I'm out in public, so don't you dare embarrass me."
Lu Ming winced in pain and frowned, then fell silent.
"Is everyone here?" Sitting in the corner, a well-dressed man with glasses adjusted his glasses and asked.
"Brother Qi hasn't arrived yet, has he?"
"Didn't he say he wasn't coming?"
Chen Shih-hao said, "Later they said I could come when I had time."
Wen Chu raised an eyebrow and leaned close to Lu Ming's ear to ask, "The 'Brother Qi' they're talking about, could it be Qi Siyan?"
"There are so many people with the surname Qi in the world, why do you immediately think of him?" Lu Ming replied expressionlessly.
"What? This surname isn't very common, is it? And it's from your circle. Don't you think so?"
"So what if it is?"
Wen Chu was surprised: "How are we supposed to play now? Aren't you two rivals? How can you appear at the same party? Shouldn't you be sworn enemies, each going your own way?"
Lu Ming didn't really want to explain, but seeing the curiosity in people's eyes, he frowned and patiently said, "Uncle Qi and my dad were college classmates. They started a business together a few years ago and were partners for a while. Later, they separated peacefully because of differences in their ideas. Uncle Qi founded Xie Rui on his own. Because there was still friendship between them, they said a long time ago that business matters should not affect their private relationship."
"I see. This kind of relationship is quite rare." Wen Chu then asked, "So, what's your relationship with Qi Siyan like?"
Lu Ming said without hesitation, "Not very good."
"That's true, you don't have much interaction with him. The older generation wants to maintain a certain image, which makes things a bit difficult for you younger generations."
Lu Ming didn't speak.
Wen Chu secretly wondered why Qi Siyan kept appearing and didn't seem like an ordinary NPC. Could he be Lu Ming's future tribulation?
It seems I shouldn't get too close to this handsome guy, or things will get complicated later. But he does seem like a really nice person, with excellent character and gentlemanly manners. In real life, he'd definitely be pursued by a lot of girls, and I guess he would be here too.
As she was thinking, she heard a voice as gentle as a spring breeze: "I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting."
Qi Siyan walked in with a smile, wearing a casual yet high-quality black and white color-blocked shirt. The style was quite different from the elegant white suit he wore at the banquet, and it had a more casual and dapper look.
Those blue eyes always made people want to take a second look, and Wen Chu was no exception. She turned her head away, but the other person's gaze met hers directly, making Wen Chu's heart skip a beat, as if she had been caught spying.
So he could only smile and greet the person.
"Wen Chu? You're here too?" Qi Siyan's eyes lit up, and she walked straight towards her, sitting down naturally next to her as if they were very familiar, seemingly unaware of the iceberg sitting to her left.
"Ah, do Brother Qi and Miss Wen know each other too?" Chen Shihao looked a little confused. They were in the industry and knew a lot about each other's private affairs. Lu Ming's announcement of his relationship without warning was already surprising enough, but now that Qi Siyan also knew Miss Wen was even more surprising.
The big shots are also secretly working hard to build connections behind the scenes. Chen Shih-hao thought to himself, they're still not working hard enough.
"Of course, Wen Chu and I have known each other since we were little. If I hadn't gone abroad, we might have been childhood sweethearts," Qi Siyan said casually.
Chen Shih-hao: "Oh, I see."
Lu Ming subtly twitched the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with disdain and indifference.
Qi Siyan then looked at Wen Chu: "I thought you wouldn't like attending these kinds of gatherings."
Wen Chu smiled and said, "No, I quite like lively atmospheres."
Actually, she really loves it. Her way of relaxing is to go crazy at a karaoke bar with her friends and family, okay? She's a karaoke queen! However, all the young men and women in the room, whether big or small, have a strong presence. They are obviously born with a silver spoon in their mouths. As a fake heiress, she feels a lot of pressure in the middle, like a trembling little white flower, unable to relax.
Qi Siyan became interested: "Is that so? Then I'll invite you to the party later?"
Wen Chu politely replied, "Sure."
"By the way, about what we discussed earlier, I still have a question I'd like to ask for your opinion. I wonder if it would be convenient for you to enlighten me now?" Qi Siyan said in a joking tone, but glanced at Lu Ming.
Wen Chu was currently brainstorming because she didn't know how to solve some of the details in the process of reproducing the technology. Qi Siyan's teacher was so capable, so he himself must be quite good too. He might actually be able to provide her with some ideas.
What the other party said was exactly what she wanted to hear. Wen Chu didn't think much about the meaning behind Qi Siyan's words and readily said, "It's convenient. Tell me about it. Actually, I'm still studying it myself and I'm not that proficient yet."
They chatted back and forth, with background music playing. The others couldn't quite hear what they were saying and were puzzled.
The bespectacled man asked Chen Shih-hao in a low voice, "Miss Wen and Brother Qi are chatting like this, and Brother Lu isn't angry at all?"
Chen Shih-hao glanced at Lu Ming, who was sitting there drinking as if nothing had happened, and was also puzzled. "How would I know if you ask me! I feel there's something going on, but I don't dare to ask!"
Wen Chu was having a lively conversation when she suddenly heard a wine glass clink against the marble tabletop, making a slightly louder sound than usual. The conversation paused, and Wen Chu looked to her left to see that Lu Ming had placed the empty wine glass on the table.
She picked up the wine bottle and poured some for Lu Ming, turning her head to continue talking to Qi Siyan as she poured.
Qi Siyan's gaze lingered for a moment on Wen Chu's hand as she poured wine for Lu Ming, then returned to her own, focusing intently on Wen Chu's eyes as she listened to her clear and logical analysis, her face still bearing a faint smile.
Wen Chu thought she was incredibly considerate, keeping an eye on Lu Ming's movements while discussing work. Little did she know that her actions, when seen by the person in question, only fueled the already small fire that was burning much larger.
This perfunctory behavior is tantamount to saying: You can drink by yourself for a while longer, don't interrupt, wait until I finish talking to the other man.
Lu Ming didn't reach for the wine glass the woman had filled for him, and responded to the others' casual conversation with a blank expression.
“If we do it that way, it seems like the computing power required would also double. If I try to achieve it in a different way…” Wen Chu was speaking when suddenly the system’s voice came from her ear: “Detected that the male lead’s affection for the host has decreased.”
? ? ?
!!!
Wen Chu suddenly stopped talking, forgetting what she was going to say.
Seeing her strange expression, Qi Siyan tilted her head and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Uh, I had a brain fart and suddenly forgot what I was going to say..." Wen Chu chuckled, but her heart was actually in turmoil.
She didn't do anything! Why should she be demoted?!
Qi Siyan smiled and said, "I have times like that too."
Wen Chu told the person to wait a moment, then turned to look at Lu Ming, her face immediately turning indignant as she asked, "Excuse me, is the wine not good? Is there anything you're dissatisfied with?"
Lu Ming assumed the other person had finished talking and was now complaining about his behavior, so his expression turned even colder: "There's nothing I'm dissatisfied with, please continue."
Wen Chu gritted her teeth, thinking, "How can I dare to continue like this?"
Is this person afraid she'll leak information to his rivals? Why is it so hard to build trust between people? She's said so many times that she won't help others.
But she couldn't let things get too tense on the surface; she didn't want to offend anyone, and besides, Qi Siyan hadn't done anything wrong. Why should their feud involve her?
Wen Chu was indignant, but still whispered to the person, "I didn't say anything I couldn't say to him, and I'm not very familiar with the internal affairs of your company right now, so what are you worried about?"
Lu Ming was confused, but his anger intensified: "Did I say I was worried about these things? Instead, you came up here and gave me a long explanation, which was completely inexplicable."
"Then why..." Then why did your affection for me decrease?! Wen Chu wanted to kick him.
If he's worried she'll leak company secrets, does that mean he simply doesn't want to see her playing with Qi Siyan?
Could it be that he's jealous?
Is that even possible? Would this guy even care about her?
Wen Chu was skeptical, so she quickly deleted her chat with Qi Siyan. Just then, the person in front of her finished singing, and Wen Chu, with a quick wit and a strong survival instinct, waved to a beautiful woman who was selecting songs and said, "Sister, please select 'Sun Never Sets' for me."
This song was considered a love confession anthem when she was in high school, and Lu Ming must have heard it too.
The beautiful woman smiled sweetly at her and said, "Okay."
Chen Shih-hao's eyes lit up, and he joked, "I'm so lucky to hear my sister-in-law sing? Could it be a request for Brother Lu?"
Lu Ming lowered his eyes and remained silent upon hearing this. Qi Siyan casually rested one hand on the back of the sofa, glanced at Wen Chu with an unreadable expression, and looked down at her.
Wen Chu smiled noncommittally: "When you're out having fun, you should always participate."
The beautiful woman immediately put her song at the top of the list, and a lively and sweet accompaniment began. The microphone was enthusiastically handed to Wen Chu.
Wen Chu's clear and energetic voice quickly came through the microphone. It was different from her usual way of speaking, with a sweetness unique to girls and a strong sense of rhythm, which surprised everyone.
The fog in the sky arrives casually, the river is as still as an oil painting, I pray that you are like a valiant royal guard…
Her voice was surprisingly stable, and her skill level was comparable to that of some professional singers.
The conversation on stage paused as everyone's attention was drawn to the woman's singing.
The lights on the large screen flickered on and off, casting a mysterious and alluring glow on Wen Chu.
"I want to send you my everlasting thoughts and a postcard of love..."
"You are the celebration, you are the sunshine, my love never sleeps..." When Wen Chu sang this line of lyrics, she looked away from the big screen, turned slightly to look at Lu Ming sitting in the shadows, and curled the corners of her lips at him.
A chorus of jeers erupted from the surrounding crowd.
The girl's eyes were bright and clear, alluring without her realizing it. Lu Ming was still annoyed by what had just happened. He stared at her coldly for a few seconds before slowly looking away.
The gloomy look between Wen Chu's brows was replaced by a hint of embarrassment, a triumphant smile flashed in her eyes, and she turned her head back to look at the lyrics on the screen and continued singing.
Qi Siyan looked at her, a faint smile always on his lips, though it seemed a little stiff, and the emotions in his eyes were also hidden in the shadows and could not be seen clearly.
The people present were all businessmen, and this was probably the only time out of ten gatherings that they were purely singing and having fun. Wen Chu livened up the atmosphere, and they quickly regained their youthful spirit under the girl's influence, starting to talk about lighthearted topics and joke around.
When the song ended, everyone gave a very polite round of applause.
"My sister-in-law sings so beautifully!"
Wen Chu stood up and handed the microphone back to the other person, giving an awkward smile: "Thank you, thank you..."
Chen Shih-hao made a face that looked like he was about to burst out laughing: "Brother Lu, your wife has already sung, so shouldn't you sing one too? Let's just have our fill of PDA tonight!"
"How about a love song duet?" Zhou Jiayang watched the spectacle with great interest.
Lu Ming's expression wasn't as cold as before. He glanced at Wen Chu, seemingly wavering, but in the end, he still didn't agree, making up an excuse to decline: "No, I don't want to continue torturing you."
“Ouch~~”
"So we should thank you?"
Wen Chu's performance ignited the atmosphere, and then another real couple, not to be outdone, requested the song "A Little Sweet," which once again drew cheers from the crowd.
Amidst the noise, Qi Siyan propped her head up and looked at her leisurely: "I didn't expect you to sing so well. How many more surprises does this beautiful lady have that I don't know about?"
Wen Chu smiled and sighed inwardly. Life is tough, so she had to make a living by performing.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Lu Ming, who was repeatedly angered by Qi Siyan later on: What is he going to say? How long is he going to talk? What is there to say to him? If you say another word to him, believe me, I'll kill myself! (Threatening with a knife to his neck) Hahahahahaha.
P.S.: Wen Chu sang Jolin Tsai's "Sun Never Sets".
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
