However, the next moment, Yu Tingchuan gestured to her, indicating that he had something to say to her.
Even though it was dark, Song Qingcheng did not miss it.
However, she did not wait by the steps. Instead, she walked to a stone bench not far away.
Song Qingcheng sat on the stone bench and looked at the stars in the distant night sky. She only turned her head slightly when she heard a slight movement behind her. A man's leather shoes and well-ironed trousers appeared in her field of vision.
"The food at our home doesn't suit you?" Yu Tingchuan sat down on the stone bench beside her.
Song Qingcheng lifted her head and looked at his face. She smiled lightly. "No, I just wanted to take a walk."
Yu Tingchuan looked at her for a moment before asking, "How did you meet Yu Jing?"
"We ran into each other at a shopping mall once," Song Qingcheng replied.
Yu Tingchuan did not respond.
After a few seconds of silence, he lit a cigarette and asked in a low voice, "Do you know the bar in the basement of the Imperial Court?"
"…" Song Qingcheng felt as though her heart had been hit by a certain great force.
Her lashes flickered as she studied the man's profile. "I've seen promotional posters in Imperial Court elevators before. What about the bar there?"
Hearing this, Yu Tingchuan turned to look at her again.
The man's eyes were calm, but his penetrating gaze seemed to be able to see right through to her heart.
Song Qingcheng resisted the urge to avoid his gaze and looked at him boldly in the eyes. She could hear the cicadas chirping in the midsummer night. After an unknown duration, she heard his magnetic voice speak again. "Nothing. There are many insects out here. Let's go back into the house."
With that, Yu Tingchuan got onto his feet, stubbed out his cigarette, and walked towards the bungalow.
…
Song Qingcheng sat quietly for a while before getting up to return indoors.
The family banquet was still going on in the dining room.
Yu Jing saw her coming back and quickly pulled out a chair for her. After she sat down, the girl asked, "Why did you take so long?"
"I was a little bored so I went out for a walk." Song Qingcheng smiled slightly.
As she spoke, she looked up at the other end of the dining table.
Yu Jing whispered in her ear, "They were just talking about my second uncle. They want to matchmake him with Gu Jiazhi."
"That's pretty good." Song Qingcheng smiled in agreement.
With that, she poured herself a small glass of wine.
The liquid slid down her throat, carrying with it the fragrant dryness of grapes. She looked at the other end of the dining table again but met Yu Tingchuan's dark eyes unexpectedly.
Gu Jiazhi was engrossed in her conversation with Yu Mingrong. Her smile was as beautiful as a flower. Yu Tingchuan, who was sitting beside her, had his hand holding the cigarette casually placed on the table. He was looking at the other end of the long dining table through a thin veil of smoke. Or rather, he was looking meaningfully at the girl who was holding the wine glass.
Song Qingcheng did not lose her composure. She returned a smile and looked down.
…
After dinner, the Yu family members went upstairs to visit Elder Yu.
Song Qingcheng returned to Yu Jing's bedroom. She took out her phone from her bag and saw a few missed calls from Ge Wenjuan. There were also missed calls from Shen Che's.
She dialed the call back number of the latter.
Shen Che picked up very quickly. "Where did you go? Do you know how many times I call you?"
Song Qingcheng could hear the urgency in his voice. "What's up?"
"The leader asked to see me this evening. Later on, I found out that the manager of Imperial Court was looking for me. He asked me if my friend was the one who was bitten by the dog that night, as well as some details about what happened that night." Shen Che paused and continued, "From the things he said, it's likely they checked the surveillance video."
The Imperial Court was a high-end place so, naturally, there were cameras all along the corridors.
"There is a camera in the corner not far away from the private room. It is facing the resting area. Did you notice when you fed the dog lamb chop? If I've understood it correctly, you might not have been captured," Shen Che made a wild guess.
Song Qingcheng listened quietly and recalled Yu Tingchuan asking her if she knew the bars in Imperial Court.
She knew very well that even if the camera did not capture her feeding the dog, the surveillance footage from the moment she stepped into the club that night must have fallen into the hands of Yu Tingchuan.
As for the scene of her feeding the dog, was it really not captured?
Song Qingcheng knew… that was impossible.
At that time, she was so focused on luring that Border collie that she had completely forgotten about the surveillance cameras.
Shen Che continued, "If they really wish to pursue the matter, you must insist that it was the dog that pounced on you to snatch your food. If they don't believe you, tell them to ask the dog."
Song Qingcheng chuckled at his teasing. After laughing, she said sincerely, "Thank you, Ah Che."
"Don't even mention it." Shen Che changed the topic and said in a lowered voice, "I'm afraid my cousin will be back soon."
Song Qingcheng nodded. "I know."
There was a short silence on both ends of the phone.
Shen Che seemed to be organizing his words. After a while, he said, "Yu Tingchuan is really not someone you should mess with. In their circle, they change their women like it's a game. I've seen with my own eyes how a girl was forced to jump off a building by one of the wealthy clients. She jumped off the seventh floor of the Imperial Court. After that, she was swept up like dirt and sent to the mortuary. Then, it was like nothing ever happened."