With his thin lips pressed into a cold line and his expression stern, Fu Hannan strolled into the banquet hall, exuding a detached air. One hand was casually tucked into his pocket as he walked in without a care in the world. To everyone's surprise, walking alongside him was none other than the famous actress Ye Fanxing.
Ye Fanxing was dressed in a stunning light blue mermaid gown, every inch of her exuding elegance, wrapped in the highest level of designer couture. She accompanied Fu Hannan with poise, attracting admiring glances from the crowd.
"Wow! Fu Hannan and the superstar Ye Fanxing are here together. They look like the perfect couple—so handsome and beautiful, a match made in heaven!" someone whispered excitedly.
"I ship this CP! They look so good together."
"Only a woman like Ye Fanxing is worthy of Fu Hannan. I'm not even jealous, not at all!"
The murmured gossip reached Gu Yining's ears. Her heart had lifted when she first saw Fu Hannan enter the hall. She had assumed he had flown back from overseas just to accompany her to the banquet. But the sight of him entering with Ye Fanxing, capturing the attention of the entire room, made her pause. Disappointment tugged at her heart.
As Fu Hannan and Ye Fanxing became the focus of the crowd, surrounded by people eager to speak with them, Gu Yining felt as if she were fading into the background. He was effortlessly handling the attention, but he hadn't even noticed her standing quietly in the corner.
Gu Yining's grip tightened around her wine glass, her nails digging into the surface, making an audible creak. Her eyes darted to Ye Fanxing, who stood beside Fu Hannan with a beaming smile.
"Fanxing, have you finally captured Fu Hannan's heart?" someone teased.
"No, no, we've just been friends for so many years. Don't say such things!" Ye Fanxing laughed, shaking her head. "Even the tabloids have given up on spreading rumors about us."
As she responded, Fu Hannan's sharp gaze suddenly shifted. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of someone sitting in the corner, quietly drinking alone. It was Gu Yining.
What? Why is she here? Who brought her?
He was about to excuse himself to go to her when Ye Fanxing grabbed his arm. "Hannan, some of my friends from the industry wanted to discuss business opportunities with you. Would you mind giving me the honor of introducing them? They're interested in collaborating with Fu Corporation."
Fu Hannan's face darkened as he prepared to decline her request. But before he could utter a word, his gaze flickered back to the corner of the room.
To his shock, he saw a man dressed in an immaculate white suit—Mu Zuozhen, who looked like a prince from a fairy tale—walking directly toward Gu Yining, a glass of red wine in hand. The sight of the two together sent a wave of jealousy crashing through Fu Hannan.
Good. Gu Yining, you really are involved with this punk, aren't you?
For the past few days, he had ordered an investigation into Gu Yining and Mu Zuozhen's relationship. The report suggested she had been getting entangled with him at the university and was actively trying to win his favor. Everything he read portrayed her in a negative light.
Fu Hannan had convinced himself that Gu Yining was merely a doctor he had married for convenience. There should be no emotional attachment between them. Their relationship was strictly business. But now...
Clenching his fists, Fu Hannan let out a cold scoff and followed Ye Fanxing into the crowd, suppressing the growing anger within him.
Meanwhile, Gu Yining sat on the couch, her eyes following Fu Hannan, her anger boiling. He hadn't even noticed her, hadn't acknowledged her presence, and now he was off socializing with Ye Fanxing. After ignoring her for an entire week without so much as a phone call, this was the final straw.
She cursed Fu Hannan silently in her head, calling him every name she could think of.
So he'd been incommunicado for a week, and now he shows up at a banquet with Ye Fanxing of all people? Gu Yining's mind raced with frustration. Perhaps Ye Fanxing had invited her here to the banquet for some ulterior motive all along.
Just as she was about to get up and leave this awful place, Mu Zuozhen approached her. His white suit was immaculate, and his intense gaze locked onto her face, clearly captivated by her beauty.
Gu Yining instinctively tightened her grip on her wine glass, meeting Mu Zuozhen's eyes with a mix of confusion and curiosity.
Had he recognized her through her transformation?