{“Didn’t Qian Xu agree with this?” 2}

But the restaurant owner, knowing that Zhao Buhui was not exactly a bad person, reluctantly answered the phone once again. However, his attitude was certainly not as warm as it had been before. Even the most patient of restaurant owners couldn’t withstand the repeated inconveniences caused by certain customers.

The owner calmly said, “Mr. Zhao, do you mean to make another reservation?”

“I’m not saying this on purpose, but you do have a record of two previous reservations at our restaurant where you didn’t show up,” the owner couldn’t help but point out. “So, can I confirm that you’ll actually be coming tonight for your third reservation?”

Zhao Buhui felt a bit uncomfortable. After all, he had originally planned to take Qian Xu to this restaurant. He responded gruffly, “They’re already outside. I’ll give you my phone number later. Please arrange a better table for them.”

It was unclear whether the young owner had said this intentionally.

“Actually, we just had a prime table open up with a beautiful view. It’s not somewhere else, but the very table you had previously reserved but never showed up for.”

For the first time, Zhao Buhui found himself in an incredibly awkward situation. He had just turned someone down, only to find himself in the very restaurant again. He could only try to smooth things over, “Fine, I’ll pay a little extra tip today. Just remember to put the bill on my card.”

Meanwhile, Qian Xu, unaware of this little interlude that had originally involved her, entered the restaurant with her college friend.

Inside the same restaurant, someone was throwing a fit over not being able to choose their seat. She almost broke her high heels in the process. The person was none other than Xu Jun, who had come specifically to invite Cheng Shuangyi to dinner.

—

Three days earlier.

The two best friends had been in frequent contact again.

“What? You’re saying Qian Xu is back in the country?”

Cheng Shuangyi widened her eyes in disbelief.

Her friend Xu Jun had immediately filled her in after the banquet, embellishing the details as she went.

“I told you before, if you’re not careful, you won’t be able to deal with a woman like Qian Xu.”

“No wonder…” Cheng Shuangyi had already sensed that Shen Qi was distracted, especially during their intimate, passionate night.

In just one evening, there was no way that Shen Qi had suddenly lost interest in her for no reason.

It was probably this woman using her past hardships to destroy the fragile relationship Cheng Shuangyi had just managed to repair with Shen Qi.

Though anxious inside, Cheng Shuangyi maintained a relaxed demeanor when talking to her friend. There was no sign of frustration in her words, “I understand.”

Of course, Xu Jun’s true intention was never just to vent about her quarrel with Qian Xu or to get the upper hand; it was more about planning her own future.

“You know that our Ah Ji really needs an opportunity to collaborate with Mr. Shen,” Xu Jun said, carefully phrasing her words, though she often let slip her well-calculated plans. She had no career of her own and had always relied on her boyfriend from school. Unfortunately, he lacked the drive and ambition of someone like Shen Qi, so she had no choice but to cozy up to Cheng Shuangyi. “And by the way, I just happen to be the best friend of the woman Mr. Shen loves most.”

But Cheng Shuangyi wasn’t buying it.

“I think your friend still hasn’t completely repaired things with the person she’s supposed to reconcile with. As her close friend, you should know better than to bring up such things at the wrong time.”

Cheng Shuangyi’s arrogance only increased among those around her. Even if she were an outsider in the family, it didn’t change her confidence in her position.

“I’m sorry, Shuangyi. Please don’t take it to heart,” Xu Jun quickly apologized. “I was just mentioning it casually.”

Cheng Shuangyi dismissed her with a cold, “Goodbye.”

But her friend still had one last thing to say. At the very moment the call was about to end, Xu Jun finally spoke up, something she had been holding back for a while. She hadn’t spoken sooner, not because she was trying to withhold information, but because she didn’t want to put Cheng Shuangyi in an awkward position. Now that it seemed like the right time, there was no reason to continue hiding it.

Xu Jun hesitated, “Shuangyi, I actually saw your children at the event…”

“Let them see whatever they want,” Cheng Shuangyi replied indifferently.

“But they went to find Qian Xu.” Xu Jun spoke with some hesitation, as though carefully choosing her words. Only she knew how much satisfaction she felt in saying this after having been suppressed by Cheng Shuangyi all these years.

It wasn’t like she was fighting for her friend, but she had every right to be frustrated that her friend seemed indifferent to the important matters concerning her marriage.

Perhaps it was the same with men—there wasn’t much difference between her and Ji Shifeng. She had felt on several occasions that he was getting closer to his personal secretary, but she hadn’t blown up about it yet. The reason? Even though Ji Shifeng wasn’t ideal, he was still her best option at the moment.

Ji Shifeng might not have the connections or family wealth that someone like Shen Qi had, but at least he could offer her financial support.