Chapter 9

Since their last encounter in the elevator, Wen Tang had deliberately avoided being out around eight o’clock. With her unpredictable work schedule, she managed not to run into him for an entire week.

Just as she was about to relax and forget about it, she was shocked to find him appearing here!

Wen Tang instinctively stepped back to avoid him but didn’t notice the round table behind her, which had a glass of red wine on it. As she bumped into the table, the wine glass tipped over.

Wen Tang was drenched in red wine!

She had never been so embarrassed.

She was wearing a white evening gown, and now the lower half was stained with wine, dripping down the skirt and turning her once-white dress completely red.

Fortunately, she had chosen a secluded corner to take a phone call, so no one was around to witness her predicament.

But soon, it would be impossible to avoid—she imagined seeing tomorrow’s trending topic: #Wen Tang Soaked in Red Wine at the Banquet# and felt suffocated.

Being on the trending list for a romance is one thing, but for something like this, absolutely not!

It would be utterly humiliating!

Surveying the area, she saw only one person besides herself.

There was no time to worry about anything else.

No matter how strange he was, it could not be worse than her tarnished reputation and shattered self-esteem!

“Hey!” Wen Tang took a few steps forward and pointed at Zhou Jingyu. “You, come here!”

Zhou Jingyu, who was about to leave through a corner of the banquet hall with no one around, was suddenly called and turned to see his neighbor in a distressing state. Her white gown was completely soaked with red wine, and her eyes were wide as she stared at him.

He recalled his old cat that once rolled in mud, turning from white to gray, looking pitiful yet maintaining its proud stance.

Zhou Jingyu didn’t have to help her, but his ingrained sense of chivalry prevented him from ignoring her plea for help.

Despite their previous encounter, he approached Wen Tang.

Wen Tang, unsure of how to respond, found herself backing away until her back hit the round table.

What was most alarming was that Zhou Jingyu was not only approaching but also removing his clothes.

“What, what are you doing?” Wen Tang couldn’t believe his boldness! She frantically waved her hands. “Don’t come closer!”

But he didn’t listen.

In just a few steps, Zhou Jingyu reached her.

As Wen Tang was in a panic, Zhou Jingyu bent down and used his shirt to wrap around her waist.

So, he wasn’t coming over to be inappropriate but to help cover her…?

He was so tall that when he bent down, his head almost touched her face.

She could smell a pleasant, crisp scent from him and feel his breath against her sensitive skin, making her hair stand on end in the unseen corner.

Wen Tang’s heart raced uncontrollably.

She had never felt her heart beat so fast, not even while acting.

She could even hear her heartbeat clearly.

“Thud!” “Thud!” “Thud!!”

In stunned silence, her large, cat-like eyes widened.

For a moment, she was speechless.

She had acted in many dramas, and everyone praised her acting skills, which she had always believed. But at this moment, she realized her acting skills needed improvement and had much room for growth.

In just a few moments, his jacket had been placed around her.

Under her watch, he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.

“Let’s go,” he said to Wen Tang, “home.”

Since he was attending the evening event and expected to drink, Zhou Jingyu hadn’t driven himself.

Once in the car, Wen Tang and Zhou Jingyu shared the back seat.

Wen Tang sat at the edge, as far from him as possible.

She had already experienced his influence, and her heartbeat had yet to calm.

Wen Tang didn’t speak, and neither did Zhou Jingyu, but for some reason, the atmosphere didn’t feel awkward.

Perhaps it was Zhou Jingyu’s indifferent attitude towards everything; since getting in the car, he hadn’t given her a single glance.

This made Wen Tang gradually relax.

Thinking back, Zhou Jingyu didn’t seem like a stalker; there might have been some misunderstanding.

“What were you doing at the banquet?” Wen Tang broke the silence and asked.

Zhou Jingyu responded, “I was invited by elders and couldn’t refuse.”

Wen Tang nodded.

Oh, so he was invited…

“Last time… in the elevator, I asked if you knew who I was. Was your answer true?” Wen Tang asked after some thought.

Zhou Jingyu, quick to forget trivial matters, took a moment to recall what Wen Tang was referring to and how he had answered.

He nodded calmly and replied, “Yes.”

Wen Tang couldn’t believe it. Zhou Jingyu genuinely didn’t know her! He wasn’t lying or trying to get her attention with that statement.

She couldn’t believe that someone in this country could be so uninformed!

“You don’t know me? Are you sure?”

“Take another look. Really, you don’t recognize this face??”

Wen Tang kept asking in disbelief.

But all she received from the man sitting next to her was an indifferent look and a confirming nod.

He looked at her with a puzzled expression and asked earnestly, “Why should I know you?”

Wen Tang: “……”

She was truly speechless.

This was beyond embarrassing!

It turned out everything was just her overactive imagination—no stalker, no obsessive person. It was all a figment of her imagination! He didn’t know her at all!!

……

[Candy: Ugh, I went to a banquet today and had an embarrassing incident! So mortified!]

After returning home and taking a shower, Wen Tang received a message from her blind date.

Seeing the message, Zhou Jingyu was momentarily stunned.

So, she also attended a banquet today?

Was it the same one?

Did she encounter him at the banquet?

[Y: Where did you attend the banquet?]

[Candy: At the Purple Crystal Hotel.]

[Y: ……]

So it was indeed the same banquet.

[Candy: What’s wrong?]

[Y: Nothing.]

Then he sent another message:

[Y: Is it convenient to tell me what happened?]

Wen Tang felt the incident was too embarrassing, damaging her image. So she replied—

[Candy: It’s okay, it’s been resolved, sob sob sob sob sob!]

[Candy: But my spirit has been greatly hurt and devastated!]

[Candy: Senior Brother, please hug me~!!]

……

After sending the last message, Wen Tang stared at her phone screen, waiting for a reply.

She was both nervous and excited.

After a long wait, finally, two words suddenly appeared in the chat box.

[Y: Hug.]

Wen Tang, having just finished her shower and dressed in home clothes, jumped up from the sofa in excitement, almost stepping on the tail of Prince, who was curled up at her feet!

Ah, it was really not easy!

It felt like seeing the light of hope!

[Candy: Ah ah ah ah ah, Senior Brother hug hug hug hug hug!]

[Candy: Kiss, hug, lift up.jpg]

Wen Tang felt that since she started acting cute, her behavior around Gong Yue seemed to regress a few years! Maybe because she spoke so little, giving off a mature and reliable impression, she couldn’t help but chatter and act coquettishly around him.

Sometimes, she felt she was really immature.

But what could she do? She was just so happy!

……

After seeing the two messages from her, Zhou Jingyu couldn’t help but smile.

Was it really necessary to be this excited?

How old was she, acting like a child?

When she was sad, she needed hugs, kisses, and being lifted up.

Not only did she talk a lot every day, but she was also very good at acting spoiled.

She would chat late into the night if he didn’t stop her.

[Y: It’s quite late now.]

He reminded her appropriately.

[Candy: Oh, got it, got it! Time to sleep!]

[Candy: Goodnight, Senior Brother~]

[Y: Goodnight.]

Just as he was about to put down his phone and lie down, another message came through.

He picked up his phone and saw a hesitant message from her:

[Candy: Senior Brother, can I ask for a goodnight kiss?]

A goodnight kiss?

……

Zhou Jingyu was considering how to politely refuse when another message quickly followed:

[Candy: Just kidding, Senior Brother! You didn’t take it seriously, did you? Hahaha~]

[Y: ……]