{“I heard you also have a girlfriend in the states…” 1}

Shen Qi was feeling disinterested. Although he drank several toasts without holding any grudges, giving Gu Wei and the others enough respect, they all knew they hadn’t found the right way in—a real breakthrough that would make Shen Qi let down his guard and consider them one of his own.

Their short-sightedness wouldn’t allow them to look elsewhere. Despite the serious matters at hand, they remained fixated on trivial affairs of love and relationships.

Some men always claim women are gossipy, but in truth, they love meddling in other people’s affairs even more. They pride themselves on using improper relationships as leverage, thinking that once they uncover such secrets, they know the other person’s weaknesses. They assume that this gives them an unbeatable edge in business.

Most of it is just self-deception.

They never stop to think about their own worth or the current value of their businesses.

After a few rounds of drinks, the words that had been circling their minds finally found their way out, albeit hesitantly. As soon as an opportunity arose, someone slyly brought it up, “I heard that Miss Cheng was supposed to come tonight, but something came up at the last minute, which caused a delay. She couldn’t make it to welcome you, Mr. Shen. She’s probably feeling down about it at home.”

At the far end of the private room, the expression of the man sitting there—Shen Qi—finally showed some subtle changes.

He responded with a simple “Oh.”

Everyone already understood the situation without needing to spell it out. The reason Cheng Shuangyi didn’t show up was to elevate her value by playing hard to get. She had displayed her aloofness, and her friends had given Shen Qi the reminder. If he was interested, he could visit her tonight.

However, the group noticed that while there was a change in Shen Qi’s expression, it wasn’t enough to push him to seek out Cheng Shuangyi.

And certainly not enough to bind him to them through his connection with her.

Instead of blaming the powerful Shen Qi, the men grumbled about Cheng Shuangyi’s lack of tact.

“You dumped him back then. Now, shouldn’t you be here downing three shots as an apology, trying to rekindle things with Shen Qi?”

Cheng Shuangyi wasn’t naive. She knew exactly how long something gained through such blatant pursuit could last. Her strategy was clear—by staying silent and keeping the man hooked, she ensured he would always think of her. That was the key to longevity in her mind.

However, what she hadn’t considered was that Shen Qi was no longer the naive young man he once was.

As Shen Qi slowly recalled Cheng Shuangyi’s face and registered the blatant hints from the people around him, it became obvious—this was all her doing.

When the group started subtly bringing up the time he and Cheng Shuangyi spent together in the U.S., Shen Qi felt a twinge in his brow.

The moment he showed the slightest impatience, the group fell silent, yet no one in the room doubted Cheng Shuangyi’s claims. After all, the only exception in Shen Qi’s life had always been Cheng Shuangyi.

The two had grown up together, and they’d been romantically involved since high school. Rumors even swirled about a set of twins they had together.

Many believed that their connection through the children meant they would always be tied to each other for life.

There were even stories of Shen Qi having another woman overseas, but no one paid much attention. They assumed, like most men, Shen Qi had simply found someone to fill the void temporarily. As for true love, they all believed it could only be Cheng Shuangyi.

Unless some woman more beautiful and cunning than Cheng Shuangyi came along—which none of them had ever seen in their lifetime.

At this point, most of the people in the room dared not speak, fearing they might anger Shen Qi.

Only Gu Wei raised another glass, treating the matter as a casual romantic anecdote. “I heard you had a girlfriend in North America. Why didn’t she come back with you?”

Shen Qi, who had remained silent until then, dismissed it entirely. “We broke up.”

He spoke of it as if it were a trivial matter, the person not even worth mentioning.

Shen Qi continued to drink, his face devoid of any excess emotion.

This only strengthened everyone’s conviction that Shen Qi and Cheng Shuangyi would inevitably end up together. They believed that for a man to stumble over a woman, once was never enough.

There was an unspoken joy among them.

The reason was simple: Cheng Shuangyi had grown up with them, and the interests of several companies were deeply intertwined with hers. Despite her temperamental nature, she was always clear-cut when it came to matters of mutual benefit.

Each of them had their own hidden agendas, already plotting how to create the perfect opportunity for Shen Qi and Cheng Shuangyi to “coincidentally” meet again.