By the time she fully comprehended the situation, she had just turned around when she heard a voice gently echoing, "Were you planning to leave without taking anything?"
Damn it, how did he discover her?
Since she had already been exposed, it would be foolish on Xia Liyou's part to ignore him and leave.
She turned back around, her face adorned with a mild smile, she elegantly crossed over to sit opposite him, "What are you doing here?"
Humph, he even dared to feign ignorance to her.
"Didn't you just see me here before?" Ou Chengtian's tone was icy, "Who were you having dinner with earlier? A director? Screenwriter?"
The so-called matters she was concerned with were only the trivial things related to her work.
Ou Chengtian was the major CEO of ST after all, how could he not be aware of someone as famous as Ruan Xiangchen.
Xia Liyou, of course, would not blurt out something preposterous like 'How can you not recognize Ruan Xiangchen?'. This was because it was no doubt a way to ignite the fuse on a bomb.
Ou Chengtian was proud, and he didn't tolerate anyone challenging that.
It wasn't that he didn't know Ruan Xiangchen; it was just that he couldn't be bothered to remember.
It was because not just anyone could catch his eye.
Xia Liyou moistened her lips, then lightly said, "He's just a colleague, have you eaten yet?"
The topic change was a bit too abrupt, its mark quite obvious. But Ou Chengtian, on listening to it, actually felt rather relaxed.
The earlier displeasure also left him at once. It seemed that being replaced by Wei Xuefeng wasn't a bad thing after all.
Even though Xia Liyou's reaction moments ago had made him wish to settle her then and there, the sentence where she was concerned for him was quite pleasing to the ear.
"I just entered this restaurant, do you think I've eaten?" He directed the question to her.
Mingming should have just directly answered with a no, but he had to reply with such a long sentence. Was he indicating that she had eaten while he hadn't and was dissatisfied?
Xia Liyou paused for a moment, then said, "Let's order soon, the dishes here taste pretty good."
Ou Chengtian looked at her, there was a hint of fear in her gaze, which slowly restored his earlier edgy discontentment.
Had Ou Chengtian just not noticed her phone on the table earlier and heard that man call her Miss Xia, he wouldn't have turned back.
Would she disgrace herself by bumping into him outside and not even say hello, hiding from him, making others aware that she knew him, would that shame her so?
The more he thought about it, the more congested he felt, as if something was pressing on his chest, making it difficult to breathe.
"I don't want to eat." His deep voice uttered these three words, seemingly with resentment.
Xia Liyou's heart trembled a bit on hearing these three words, but it was getting late, and having been busy at the company all day, he should be hungry now, and she had no idea what was making him upset.
Some people say, once a person is satiated, they'll have a sense of satisfaction, and their mood will improve subsequently; so, conversely, if someone is hungry, they're likely to get more upset.
Xia Liyou thought that theory was quite reasonable. Since Ou Chengtian didn't want to eat out, they should just follow his morning plan.
"How about we eat at home, is that okay?" Xia Liyou tentatively suggested.
There was a twinkle of imperceptible light in Ou Chengtian's eyes as he gazed deeply at Xia Liyou.
Her delicate little face, somewhat pale, with no colour, her thin cheeks, only enhancing the size of her eyes.
While she should have been full of spirit, she had turned dull and dim due to a layer of gloom, making her lose much of her original colour.
The old Xia Liyou would definitely never allow herself to appear in this manner.
But, wasn't he the devil who had transformed her into this?
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Ou Chengtian's lips, without another word, he held Xia Liyou's hand and walked out of the Lu Lake restaurant.
Since he was the one who changed her, then he would have to change her back, no matter what it took.
He had tired himself out by deceiving himself. His life needed this woman. Apart from her, he could lose anything else, but not her.
When he had reduced her to a damaged state, he had also inflicted injuries all over himself.
The journey by car from Lu Lake restaurant to their mansion only took five minutes, hence they reached home quite quickly.
Seeing Ou Chengtian and Xia Liyou returning home together, every servant was astonished, but they kept their faces neutral, respectfully greeting, "Sir, ma'am, welcome home."
The Butler's wife came out, took Ou Chengtian's coat and asked, "Have Sir and Madam had their dinner?"
Just as Xia Liyou was about to speak, she heard Ou Chengtian coolly say, "You don't need to bother, you can all retire to your rooms."
The Butler's wife bowed and then appropriately took leave with the rest of the servants.
Now, the entire hall was left with only Ou Chengtian and Xia Liyou.
Although the space was vast, the atmosphere with just the two of them was slightly odd.
Xia Liyou's heart tightened a bit, her nerves also tensing up, unable to figure out why he wanted the servants to leave.
After a while, seeing Xia Liyou's lack of response, Ou Chengtian turned to look at her.
Xia Liyou, startled by his abrupt gaze, looked slightly off-colour.
It was just a glance from him. She acted as if he was going to pounce on her here and now.
Ou Chengtian's gaze slightly narrowed, restraining the embers of a dying flame igniting once again within him. "Didn't you tell me to come back home for dinner? Since everyone knew we won't be eating dinner at home tonight, there definitely wouldn't be anything prepared for us. So, what do you propose we do now?"
His eyebrows slightly raised, displaying a hint of unruly defiance. But the subtle smirking at the bottom of his eyes softened his facial expression, giving it a somewhat alluring appeal. Of course, it also added a suggestive tone.
Xia Liyou felt her heart tightening, her face growing progressively unnatural under his gaze, she hurriedly avoided it and turned her head to the side, "I'll make something for you."