Li Jingchen?
These three words came to mind as the voice landed. His voice was actually very distinctive, deep and magnetic, and most pleasant to hear when he was coaxing people, and exceptionally sexy.
Song Nuan turned around in disbelief and, sure enough, saw him—
That face was as handsome as a god, yet exceptionally cold and aloof, without a single flaw.
What are you doing here?
"The cruise ship is the Li family's property. What, can't I come?"
Song Nuan frowned, finding his words rather harsh. Perhaps it was because of the nightmare, but she didn't want to argue with him now, afraid of truly losing him.
She lowered her eyes, silently wiping away her tears, without saying a word.
He looks so pitiful.
Li Jingchen felt a pang of sympathy and regretted his harsh words. He glanced at Ouyang Zhoujing but suppressed the urge to reach out and touch her.
"Have some water."
Ouyang Zhoujing poured her another cup of hot water.
Song Nuan took it without hesitation, and Li Jingchen's face turned terribly dark as he looked at it.
Some harsh words were already on the tip of his tongue, about to spill out, but he held back because he was mindful of Song Nuan's current emotional vulnerability and didn't want to upset her. This didn't mean he would give Ouyang Zhoujing a pleasant look.
"Zhou Jing, come out for a moment."
Ouyang Zhoujing didn't move, looking at Song Nuan, "Let's go out to eat together?"
Li Jingchen: "..."
He could barely contain himself. How could they have become so intimate in such a short time? What was he then? The third party in their relationship?
However, Song Nuan didn't notice anything amiss and nodded, "Okay."
Li Jingchen endured the pain all the way to the restaurant.
Just as they reached the door, by sheer coincidence, the elevator door next door opened, and Zhong Qingya stepped out, looking at them with the same surprised expression.
Her surprise lasted only a few seconds before being replaced by a smile. "What a coincidence, you're here for dinner too?"
She spoke eloquently, but her eyes were fixed on Li Jingchen, completely glued to him.
Song Nuan found it hard to describe the feeling. Zhong Qingya's gaze towards Li Jingchen became even more aggressive, as if... she was looking at the man she was about to get.
Or rather, that's the way she looks at her man.
Song Nuan felt very uncomfortable and annoyed, but reason reminded her that she had no right to criticize.
What is her relationship with Li Jingchen?
Zhong Qingya thought they were boyfriend and girlfriend, but Song Nuan knew that she had never officially agreed to be with Li Jingchen. Their relationship was so complicated that she couldn't even figure it out herself.
And what about Zhong Qingya?
Song Nuan hates her, but what can be done? Zhong Qingya is the real one; she is Li Jingchen's fiancée.
These thoughts flashed through her mind in just a dozen seconds, and in that short time, Zhong Qingya had already stood next to Li Jingchen.
She even tried to link arms with Li Jingchen.
Li Jingchen dodged, and Zhong Qingya wasn't annoyed. She gracefully withdrew her hand and placed it on her bag, showing no embarrassment whatsoever.
She lowered her voice and moved closer to Li Jingchen, saying in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Don't you want to know how far things have progressed between Song Nuan and Ouyang Zhoujing?"
"..."
Li Jingchen looked at her.
There is no refusal; sometimes silence is the answer.
Zhong Qingya curled her lips smugly and pulled Li Jingchen's arm to sit down together—Song Nuan watched the whole thing.
They sat together, and Zhong Qingya waved to Song Nuan, smiling as she said, "What are you still standing for? Come and sit down, this spot has a great view."
She was warm and generous, while Song Nuan stood still and expressionless, making her seem somewhat ungrateful.
Even if Zhong Qingya is good at putting on a good show, incompatible personalities are incompatible.
Song Nuan didn't even bother to pretend. Everyone present knew perfectly well what their relationship was like, and they didn't know who Zhong Qingya was putting on an act for.
Ouyang Zhoujing noticed her resistance.
"If you don't like this place, shall we go somewhere else?"
Li Jingchen's face darkened further, and he spoke coldly, "If you're hungry, you can eat whether you like it or not. If you can't eat, you're not hungry, and there's no need to eat. Now come back to Liangcheng with me."
The last sentence was said to Song Nuan.
If she's hungry, then she can eat, and he'll take her back to Liangcheng afterward; if she's not hungry, even better, they can leave now.
In short, he made a special trip here to take Song Nuan away.
Song Nuan knew, and Ouyang Zhoujing knew too.
Eating is just a way to procrastinate, but procrastination is meaningless because it cannot change the inevitable outcome of facing an argument.
"I'll eat then." Song Nuan sat down.
She wanted to see just how close Zhong Qingya and Li Jingchen would become.
Ouyang Zhoujing looked at her, then at Li Jingchen, and asked, "Jing, would you like to switch seats with me?"
Li Jingchen opened his thin lips, but before the words could come out of his throat, Zhong Qingya interrupted, "Ouyang Zhoujing, what do you mean by making my fiancé sit with another woman?"
She said this with a smile, her tone not very serious, as if she was just joking.
Song Nuan looked at Li Jingchen, and he was looking at her too. His eyes were dark and cold, as if they contained a pool of stagnant water. He stared at her silently without saying anything, and she could hardly read anything from his eyes.
He probably doesn't care at all.
Song Nuan lowered her eyes and tugged at Ouyang Zhoujing's sleeve. "She's right. We should sit together."
Zhong Qingya made no attempt to hide the provocation on her face.
As soon as Ouyang Zhoujing sat down, she said, "Song Nuan, actually, looking at it this way, you and Ouyang Zhoujing are quite a good match."
Li Jingchen: "..."
He already had a sour look on his face.
Zhong Qingya seemed oblivious, looking at Ouyang Zhoujing, tilting her head and smiling at him, "Zhoujing... I think it's okay if I call you Zhoujing?"
Before Ouyang Zhoujing could answer, she added, "Miss Song shouldn't be angry, right?"
Song Nuan was truly amused by her.
"What do I have to be angry about? Miss Zhong has the right to say whatever she wants. But it's not a good idea for you to keep staring at other women's men like this, is it?"
Zhong Qingya's expression changed slightly.
Fearing the two of them might fight, Ouyang Zhoujing said, "Miss Song can call me whatever she wants."
"You're quite generous."
Li Jingchen gave a cold, mocking laugh, then slammed the menu down, his emotions written all over his face. Song Nuan noticed, but she simply didn't want to pay him any attention.
He's already sitting with Zhong Qingya, so what else could he be unhappy about?
Shouldn't she be the one giving him the cold shoulder?
The atmosphere remained subdued until the waiter served the food, at which point it began to improve.
But it was Zhong Qingya who really livened up the atmosphere. The other three didn't really want to talk to her. Ouyang Zhoujing was quite polite and would talk to her to keep her from saying anything irrelevant.
Li Jingchen and Song Nuan were not so good-tempered.
“This is delicious, Miss Song, you can try it,” Zhong Qingya said, pointing to the crab.
The crabs were eaten whole, and it was difficult to eat them gracefully. Song Nuan didn't know if Zhong Qingya was doing it on purpose, but she said expressionlessly, "Thank you, I don't eat crabs."
"Are you not going to eat it, or is it too much trouble?"
"What, if you find it too much trouble, Miss Zhong, are you planning to peel it for me to eat?"
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