Shen Ning opened her mouth to respond, but before she could find the words, Mu Chen continued, his tone low but tinged with frustration.
"You already said... you don't love me anymore," he said, his voice steady, though there was an edge of hurt in his words. "But you always avoid me... like I'm some kind of plague."
She didn't know how to respond. "I... It's not like that." She looked out of the window. "I just don't want to make things awkward. Moreover, I am already married and have a husband who loves me. I don't want to make him feel uncomfortable..."
"You two don't have enough trust in each other?" Mu Chen's expression hardened for a moment before he spoke again.
Not far away, Qin Yuheng almost stood up from his chair, his sharp eyes fixed on the table, glaring at Mu Chen.
Catching Qin Yuheng's eye, Fu Sinan lifted his hand in a subtle gesture, silently signaling him to wait.
"Mr. Qin, is everything alright?" Qin Yuheng's client asked, his voice cautious.
Qin Yuheng straightened his posture and gave a polite smile. "Apologies, Mr. Zou," he said, his voice smooth but clipped. "How about we continue this discussion another day?"
The client nodded understandingly. "Of course. Take care, Mr. Qin." They shook hands briefly before the client left.
Back at Mu Chen's table, the conversation continued.
Shen Ning finally spoke again, her voice quieter. "It's not about trust," she said, her gaze briefly meeting Mu Chen's. "It's about feeling uncomfortable."
Just then, a cheerful voice interrupted the moment. "Sister-in-law!" Fu Sinan strolled over to their table, a friendly smile spreading across his face. "What a coincidence."
"Brother Fu," she greeted with a polite smile, gesturing to the empty seat beside them. "Please, have a seat."
Without hesitation, Fu Sinan slid into the chair. "Yuheng isn't here?"
Shen Ning shook her head. "He has a business meeting to attend to."
Fu Sinan leaned back slightly in his chair, his eyes flicking to Mu Chen. "And you are?" he asked, his tone was polite.
Mu Chen gave a simple nod. "Friend."
Fu Sinan's smile remained, but there was a certain coolness in his gaze.
Mu Chen stood up and looked at Shen Ning. "Shen Ning, I will take my leave then."
Shen Ning nodded politely. "Ok... Take care."
Mu Chen smiled. Although the interaction today wasn't intimate but least Shen Ning isn't as distant to him as before.
As he exited the restaurant, he nearly collided with Qin Yuheng. The tension between them was immediate, and Mu Chen sneered. "What a surprise."
Qin Yuheng looked at him coolly, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. His voice was low, almost too calm. "Mr. Mu must be so lonely that he needs to find another man's wife for company."
"You know the truth in your heart," he said, his tone dripping with subtle disdain. "Just because she confessed to you yesterday, don't think that means you're in her heart. I was there too yesterday," he added, his words laced with a quiet venom. The meaning — Shen Ning's confession to Qin Yuheng had been a display meant to be witnessed by him, Mu Chen.
Qin Yuheng's eyebrow arched in mild amusement. "So confident?" he asked, his voice tinged with mockery.
"How can I not?" His smile twisted into something darker as he leaned in slightly. "She gave me her kidney back then," he said, his voice holding a mocking undertone. "Sometimes, I wonder—if I'd needed her heart instead, would she have given that to me too?"
He knew, Qin Yuheng, no matter how calm and collected he appeared, this was a topic that always hit him hard.
Straightening up, Mu Chen's smile sharpened into something more dangerous. "Like I said," he added coldly, "I'll win her back. Don't worry about that."
Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and left.
Qin Yuheng's eyes followed him, colder than ever.
At that moment, his phone rang. The sudden buzz broke his focus. He glanced at the screen—it was Nine.
"Hello?" Qin Yuheng answered, his voice flat but sharp.
"Boss..." Nine's voice trembled on the other end, laced with panic. "I lost Mrs. Qin... I couldn't find her." His heartbeat was frantic on the other end.
Qin Yuheng's brow furrowed. He turned around, his eyes searching the crowd, and caught sight of Shen Ning, talking to Fu Sinan at a nearby table. His face darkened. "What do you mean, lost her?"
"It's... it's like this," Nine stammered. "About half an hour ago, the place got crowded and I lost contact with Mrs. Qin. Then, like fifteen minutes ago, I saw her again... but now? I can't find her anywhere. Her phone's also switched off."
Qin Yuheng's eyes narrowed, scanning the area. "She's right in front of me," he said, his tone laced with disbelief. "She's been here for the last twenty minutes. Nine, who exactly have you been following?"
"Huh?" Nine's voice cracked in confusion. "But... the back... her dress... everything... was a match, boss. It looked just like her."
Qin Yuheng's heart skipped a beat. He didn't wait for Nine's next words. He turned sharply and stormed back into the restaurant.
"Ah Ning," he called, his voice urgent as he reached her, "let's go."
He gently took her hand, turning to Fu Sinan. "We have something urgent to do. We'll be leaving now."
Fu Sinan gave a brief nod. "Go ahead."
Inside his car, Qin Yuheng sat in the driver's seat. "Tell me what happened today."
w(°ｏ°)w