Qin Huan complained, "Ning Bao, you're really neglecting your husband. By the way, he wasn't upset about what happened at the class reunion, was he?"
At the class reunion, after Meng Ning left, Qin Huan promptly followed suit.
"No," Meng Ning replied. "I feel there are very few things that can actually stir his emotions."
As time passed, Meng Ning gradually came to understand some things.
Qin Huan remarked, "Gu Changming can be quite aggressive, but let's just move on from that."
She used to try to match them up, but now that Meng Ning was married, it wouldn't be appropriate to meddle further.
"Huan Huan, why don't you go find your friends? I'll just find a place to sit," Meng Ning said, not particularly enjoying such gatherings.
"Alright. You find a place to sit first, and I'll go say hi to my friends. If you're not comfortable here, we can leave together," Qin Huan suggested.
"Okay." Meng Ning found a quiet corner to sit. The service here was impeccable—she had barely settled down when a server brought over a selection of beverages for her to choose from.
Meng Ning opted for a glass of plain water. She wasn't sure if these drinks were complimentary or not; at such a high-end place, she might end up paying a lot.
Sitting by the window, Meng Ning could see the lush green golf course outside, where a group of wealthy young people were playing.
Their lives seemed so distant from hers.
Meng Ning looked away and sent a message to Fu Tingxiu: "Have you eaten?"
She worried that Fu Tingxiu might be so caught up in work at home that he'd forgotten to eat.
Meanwhile, Fu Tingxiu, only a few hundred meters away from her, was at the club's second floor, unexpectedly summoned by friends for a game. Downstairs, many socialites and wealthy ladies had arrived, causing him a headache.
Fu Tingxiu heard the notification on his phone, checked the message, and though his face was expressionless moments ago, it softened considerably upon reading her message.
His friend Shangguan Huan approached teasingly, "Which beauty's message has put a smile on your face?"
Shangguan Huan was the heir of the Shangguan family in Beijing, and he had known Fu Tingxiu for many years.
Fu Tingxiu quickly replied with two words: "I have," then pocketed his phone, saying to Shangguan Huan, "Let's play another round. I have something to do this afternoon."
Meng Ning closes her stall at five in the afternoon, so he'll have to head back soon.
"I rarely come back from overseas, and now I have to leave after just a short while—it's disappointing. Let's have drinks together tonight; nothing important should get in the way," Shangguan Huan said. "I've already booked a spot for us to drink tonight."
"Can't decline." Fu Tingxiu patted Shangguan Huan's shoulder. "We'll make it up another day."
Shangguan Huan was a bit stunned. As long as Fu Tingxiu didn't want to attend a gathering, there was no event he couldn't skip.
Curious, he thought of Fu Tingxiu's expression when he looked at his phone just now and asked, "Is it a beautiful woman you're meeting?"
Fu Tingxiu nodded.
Shangguan Huan paused, then exclaimed, "The iron tree has indeed blossomed! Which family's young lady is she? Do I know her?"
In a deep voice, Fu Tingxiu replied, "You don't know her. Maybe I'll introduce you another time."
Shangguan Huan looked at him for a long moment, sighed, and said, "Prioritizing love over friendship, huh."
Fu Tingxiu played just one more game of billiards and then left.
At every exit downstairs, girls were waiting, hoping for a chance encounter with Fu Tingxiu.
Helpless, Fu Tingxiu had his bodyguards clear the way ahead to escape quickly.
Qin Huan found her friends to say goodbye, but suddenly heard a commotion ahead.
"President Shengyu is coming down!"
Girls screamed.
Many girls rushed forward, and Qin Huan's friends hurried over as well.
Out of curiosity, Qin Huan also walked towards the commotion. From about fifteen meters away, under the escort of bodyguards, Fu Tingxiu emerged from the elevator.
Standing on tiptoe, Qin Huan was surprised to see Fu Tingxiu ahead of her.
Considering Fu Tingxiu was an employee of Shengyu Group, if President Shengyu was here, it was likely Fu Tingxiu was too.
She hadn't immediately realized Fu Tingxiu was President Shengyu himself and asked her friend, "Where's President Shengyu?"
Her friend said, "The one in the white T-shirt is President Shengyu, Fu Tingxiu."
"What? Fu Tingxiu?" Qin Huan exclaimed in astonishment.
Suddenly, she recalled why the name Fu Tingxiu sounded familiar before—it was from what her friends had mentioned.
Qin Huan came from an average family background, but because of her social nature and owning a beauty salon, she had a few friends from the upper class.
Fu Tingxiu was the President of Shengyu Group?
Qin Huan found it hard to believe. She confirmed again with her friend, but by the time she looked again, Fu Tingxiu had already left under the escort of his bodyguards.
With so many people around, Fu Tingxiu hurried away without noticing Qin Huan in the crowd.
After everyone dispersed, Qin Huan snapped out of her daze, quickly said goodbye to her friends, and hurried off to find Meng Ning.