Since they separated earlier today due to the vandalized car, he had already sensed Ning Zhi's alienation from him.
He understood her concerns and had no intention of pressuring her into accepting him right away. Hence, he only felt a shallow sense of disappointment and quickly brushed off that emotion with a casual response.
Half an hour later, in a private booth on the ground floor of the hotel's restaurant, Wu Ming was enthusiastically sharing the food and chatting happily with Ning Zhi, who sat opposite him.
However, this scene was observed by Lu Ping and the scheming Zhang Li.
Although Ning Zhi and Wu Ming sitting together presented a match made in heaven, it appeared quite differently in the eyes of Lu Ping. It only proved his suspicion that she was cheating on his best friend.
It seemed that Ning Zhi's business trip was not as simple as it seemed. Could it be that she deliberately avoided Li Yan in the City and came to He Ling specifically to meet with Wu Ming? Lu Ping thought darkly.
But as he watched their open and relaxed interaction, he felt he may have been overthinking. If Ning Zhi truly intended to pursue Wu Ming, she wouldn't need to be so upfront about it.
After a series of thoughts, Lu Ping approached the booth and greeted them loudly, "Hey! Isn't this young Master Wu? What brings you to He Ling? I didn't dare call out to you from afar earlier, fearing that I might be mistaken. Hahaha!"
As he spoke, Lu Ping glanced at Ning Zhi as if he had just noticed her, feigning surprise. "Special Assistant Ning, you're here too? It's quite late, what are you and Young Master Wu doing here? You didn't even invite us to join you for supper. That's inconsiderate of you."
As Lu Ping settled comfortably next to him, Wu Ming felt a hint of obscurity but maintained his composure. "Oh, Young Master Lu is also here! I didn't call you because I didn't know you were here. But since we happened to run into each other, why don't you join us and have something to eat? Ningning can't finish all of this by herself."
Wu Ming's face exuded a sunny and handsome charm, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. On the surface, he appeared polite and considerate, but his words carried subtle undertones.
"'Ningning? Why didn't Li Yan mention that you have such a close friendship with Young Master Wu? We've known each other for several years, and even calling you 'Lil' Ningning' was met with your disapproval. But now, you seem to be getting along quite well with Wu Ming. I'm feeling a bit jealous!".
Lu Ping jokingly remarked, his eyes shifting between Ning Zhi and Wu Ming as if trying to uncover a hidden affair.
She had no desire to entertain Lu Ping but she couldn't afford to give him a cold shoulder in front of Wu Ming and Zhang Li. After all, she and Lu Ping were still nominal work partners, and creating too much tension wouldn't be conducive to the progress of their work.
She understood the reasons behind Lu Ping's dislike of Wu Ming, and while she felt bored, she also felt helpless and annoyed.
Considering that her signals of leaving Li Yan might not have been obvious enough, it seemed that many people still perceived her as belonging to Li Yan.
Ning Zhi furrowed her brows slightly, pondering for a moment before speaking in a calm voice, "CEO Lu, you must be joking! Wu Ming is my friend. Why would you assume that CEO Li would mention him? This shouldn't have anything to do with CEO Li, right?"
Her expression returned to a placid state as if the words she had just spoken a second ago were not a retort. "Speaking of which, we're not close. We're just work partners. You don't have to be so polite to me! Besides, I'll be leaving Li Corporation soon, and we might not have any chance to meet again. It's better not to be close."
Ning Zhi left no respect for Lu Ping with her words as if the seamless work cooperation they had at the construction site was just a fleeting moment and wouldn't have any additional implications.
Lu Ping felt a pang in his chest from her retort. After a few seconds, he forced a smile and said awkwardly, "Special Assistant Ning, you're being quite impolite. You're completely different from before! I can hardly figure out who the real you is anymore."
Lu Ping's gaze became profound as he looked at her, ignoring the vibrating phone in his pocket. He continued, "In fact, Li Yan is just going to get engaged to Lin Sha. It doesn't necessarily mean he wants to break up with you. Why do you have to be so adamant about it?"
"Besides, I didn't offend you. Why are you so hostile to me? After what happened today, I thought we were already friends. It's disheartening to see how you treat me!"