Xu Entang clicked on the message pushed by the app.
The page redirected, and a photo appeared. It was posted just over ten minutes ago and had already made it to the hot search.
The caption read: ["#Zhao Manshi's Mysterious Boyfriend# After the special performance, Zhao Manshi had a tryst with a mysterious man at the hotel."]
In the photo were two figures, with the background being outside a hotel.
Zhao Manshi's side profile was crystal clear, while the figure next to her was rather blurry.
The photo was taken at night. The man was wearing white clothes and black pants, with one hand slightly raised, holding a cigarette.
Under the soft light, his figure was neat and eye - catching, exuding an air of mystery. Vaguely, he bore a seven - or eight - point resemblance to Lu Jin.
At this moment, Xu Entang still held onto a glimmer of hope.
It was not until she enlarged the photo that she saw the wrist of the man's hand holding the cigarette.
It was a cufflink she had given him a month ago to commemorate their first wedding anniversary.
There was only one pair, unique.
So Lu Jin, who should have been in New York last night, had already returned to the country.
Xu Entang's face turned slightly pale as she exited the photo. When she tried to click on it again, she found that the photo had been deleted, along with the hot search.
Searching for Zhao Manshi's name, she could still see a few discussions.
"Was Zhao Manshi's hot search removed?"
"Only over ten minutes have passed. The action was too fast."
"It was probably the man's doing. I heard the man has quite an influential background."
...
Xu Entang was swiping the phone screen when a message popped up.
Lu Jin: ["Are you on the way?"]
Xu Entang: ["Yes."]
Lu Jin: ["I'm almost there."]
The street scenes outside the car window were constantly changing. After replying to the message, Xu Entang turned off the screen of her phone.
Lu Jin had gone to New York last week.
The day before yesterday, they had a voice call. He mentioned that he would take her to an event tonight.
She knew he was on a flight today and wouldn't land until after seven. At that time, she was worried whether he was pushing himself too hard and if he would be too tired.
During the voice call, he chuckled and said that he still had to show support for his friend's event. He would meet her directly there.
She had always thought he would land tonight.
If it hadn't been for seeing the hot search just now, she wouldn't have known that he was already in the country last night and had gone to Haicheng.
Yesterday was Zhao Manshi's first solo performance in the country.
She scrolled through her WeChat Moments and saw that several of Lu Jin's childhood friends had gone to support Zhao Manshi.
So he had also gone, but she didn't know.
Twenty minutes later, the car drove into Qinghe Road.
Many natives of Beicheng knew that there was a Qinghe Road in Beicheng, but few people knew that there was a No. 88 on Qinghe Road.
Even the map didn't show it.
No. 88 Qinghe Road was a private bar.
Lu Jin should have already arrived.
Xu Entang had been here several times and was quite familiar with the place. After getting out of the car and entering, she went straight to the second floor.
Tonight, the place was booked out, and it was very lively.
Xu Entang met several people she knew and greeted them. They were all people who had dealings with Lu Jin.
She looked around the second floor but didn't see Lu Jin. She walked to the railing where it was a bit quieter. Just as she was about to make a call, she heard his voice.
She looked down through the railing, and sure enough, it was Lu Jin.
He was still wearing white clothes and black pants, just like in the photo. Standing there casually, he attracted the gazes of many people. He was the most eye - catching presence in the venue.
And he seemed unaware of those gazes, looking casual.
Next to him stood a man she didn't recognize, and the two were chatting.
"I never thought someone like you would get married so early."
Lu Jin got married to Xu Entang at the age of 26. In their circle, getting married at this age was considered early.
Guys like them usually played until they were around the right age, then followed their family's arrangements and married a suitable person.
"It was my family's arrangement." Lu Jin replied casually.
Xu Entang's fingertips holding the railing turned white.
So the reason he suddenly asked her to marry him was because of his family's arrangement?
The conversation downstairs continued. The man smiled and teased, "You, Young Master Lu, actually listen to your family? Do you think I believe it?"
This sentence made Xu Entang's heart rise, and she regained her hope.
She knew that someone as unrestrained as him wouldn't obediently get married just because of his family's words.
Downstairs, Lu Jin paused slightly, and his voice, lazy and cold, came over: "My mom didn't want me to marry her."
Xu Entang's hope was dashed, and the blood in her body seemed to congeal.
So he married her to oppose his mother.
"Miss, are you okay?"
Xu Entang didn't notice the steps and almost tripped. The waiter gave her a hand.
She shook her head and said, "Thank you."
The phone rang. Xu Entang clicked on it.
Lu Jin: ["Have you arrived? Where are you?"]
Before she could reply, Lu Jin's call came in.
Xu Entang stared at the incoming call display for a few seconds, then lowered her arm and didn't answer.
She took her phone and went downstairs to leave. She hadn't walked a few steps when she met Lu Jin coming upstairs.
Lu Jin was holding his phone in his right hand, casually pressing it to his ear. The cuffs of his shirt revealed distinct wrist bones.
He slightly raised his brows and looked at her inadvertently. Their eyes met. His eyes were both amorous and cold - hearted, the kind that attracted women the most. Xu Entang was one of them.
She first saw him when she was twelve years old and was instantly smitten.
She had liked him for so many years.
Lu Jin put away his phone, glanced at the lit phone in Xu Entang's hand, and asked, "Why didn't you answer the phone?"