“Passing by again?”

Could it be a little too coincidental?

Last time, when she kicked Luna’s boyfriend in the French restaurant, it was a coincidence, and now, here it is again.

Though it’s often said that enemies meet on narrow roads, could it be this narrow?

However, Jin Yao-tiao instinctively did not doubt. With Shen Qiming’s rigid personality, he didn’t seem like someone who would lie.

Shen Qiming hummed in response and suddenly asked her, “Are you cold?”

Jin Yaotiao was slightly taken aback by this abrupt shift in conversation. “?”

Today, she was wearing a dark green dress, not revealing much, but as formal attire, it surely wasn’t thick. The temperature in Linjiang was already nearing winter, and at night, it could drop to eight or nine degrees Celsius.

Fortunately, the indoor heating made it less biting than the outdoors.

Before she could respond, Shen Qi-ming took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

The jacket’s shoulders were a bit too wide, carrying his warmth and a faint woody fragrance.

Jin Yaotiao recognized the scent—it was the super cedar she had given Shen Qiming when they were still in school.

She thought the crisp, almost cold scent, like breathing in a snow-covered pine forest, matched his temperament well.

Shen Qiming must have been too lazy to change or something because ever since then, he had never used any other fragrance, and the scent had lingered for over a decade.

Jin Yaotiao froze for a moment before wrapping the jacket around her and murmuring a thank you.

It was indeed warmer.

Shen Qiming reached out again, as though to help her adjust her hair that was being pressed down by the jacket.

Jin Yaotiao hesitated, feeling it might be inappropriate, and avoided him, saying, “I can do it myself.”

Shen Qiming, seeing her dodge his hand, blinked, and his lashes drooped.

Though he was tall, handsome, and well-dressed, for some reason, he looked a little pitiful.

Unfortunately, Jin Yaotiao was too busy adjusting her long hair to notice.

Nearby, Hu Wanyue, who had been watching their interaction, was already in a daze.

Over the years, many young women in the circle had openly or subtly expressed their admiration for Shen Qiming.

Even she herself had, on impulse, mustered up the courage to strike up a conversation a few times.

But Shen Qiming, much like his demeanor, was indifferent to everyone, showing no special warmth.

If you understood stocks, he might chat with you, but for anything else, forget it.

So, after he politely declined her invitation to dance last time, she wasn’t upset.

After all, it wasn’t surprising—everyone got the same treatment, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

She had only heard that Jin Yaotiao had pursued Shen Qiming for over ten years, but it was rare to see them in public together.

This was the first time she witnessed the legendary couple interact.

It was completely different from what she had imagined.

Jin Yaotiao was actually the one in the dominant position, while Shen Qiming, since he appeared earlier to shield her from the alcohol, had not taken his eyes off her.

Hu Wanyue couldn’t tell if she was jealous or shocked.

She didn’t even dare to guess if Shen Qi-ming had said “hello” to her because he couldn’t remember her name, while Jin Yao-tiao was standing right there, wearing the jacket Shen Qi-ming had voluntarily given her.

She stared at the jacket, remembering Jin Yao-tiao’s half-smiling expression when she had toasted her earlier.

Feeling embarrassed, she couldn’t bear to stay another minute and dragged her boyfriend away, who seemed eager to get closer to Shen Qiming.

---

Jin Yaotiao looked up. “Where did he go?”

Shen Qiming, looking at her messy black hair scattered over his silver suit jacket, took two seconds to realize someone was missing. “They went out.”

Jin Yao-tiao wasn’t concerned about the two people.

She remembered Shen Qiming’s earlier introduction and hesitated, wondering if she should remind him that she was no longer his fiancée.

But Shen Qiming might not have meant it that way.

Maybe he just misspoke, and if she pointed it out, it might seem overly sentimental.

While she was pondering, Jiang Sen came over, teasing her with a smirk: “Oh, Mr. Shen~ so you came over here, huh?”

Usually, he seemed completely uninterested in women, never even giving a second glance to pretty girls.

But today, he was being so proactive. Wow, even took off his jacket.

Looks like you’re on a roll!

Jiang Sen exchanged a knowing glance with Shen Qiming and then turned to Jin Yaotiao with a bright smile: “May I ask, you are…?”

He was a little puzzled. Why did she look so familiar?

Jin Yaotiao raised an eyebrow, extending her right hand. “Mr. Jiang, could it be that you don’t recognize me?”

Jiang Sen froze for a moment, suddenly realizing something, his shocked gaze sweeping over her: “Jin Jin Jin…”

Shen Qiming glanced at Jiang Sen, suddenly recalling that the latter seemed to have been about to strike up a conversation with Jin Yaotiao earlier.

His brow furrowed slightly.

“Yaotiao,” he said, stepping in between the two of them and gesturing toward the distance. “The Chamber of Commerce people are over there.”

Jin Yaotiao looked in that direction and, sure enough, noticed the group.

She immediately took off the jacket and returned it to Shen Qiming. “I’ll go over now. Mr. Shen, what about you?”

Shen Qiming calmly replied, “I’m heading over there too.”

Jin Yaotiao didn’t think much of it and politely turned to Jiang Sen, who seemed to be with Shen Qiming: “Mr. Jiang, he…”

“He has other matters to attend to,” Shen Qi-ming said. “Let’s go.”

Jiang Sen: “???”

---

Jin Yaotiao was a new face in the business circle.

Her father had never brought her to such events, but this time, she appeared as a representative of Mingde.

This made many people who had dealt with her father surprised.

What surprised them even more was her own ability.

As a newcomer, attending such a grand event alone with people of similar social status as her father, any young person would typically be nervous, prone to saying the wrong thing or making mistakes.

But she appeared completely composed, speaking and acting with confidence, without a hint of hesitation.

She was even more poised than some of the carefully trained successors of other families.

By the time the event was about to end, Jin Yaotiao had handed out her business cards and become familiar with several people.

As she was leaving, she ran into a few executives she hadn’t known before, who now greeted her warmly as if they had known her for years: “Mr. Jin, you’re leaving so early?”

Jin Yaotiao smiled and accepted the title. “The Fragrance Banquet is coming up soon, and there are still many things at the company to handle, so I must take my leave. I hope you understand.”

“It’s no problem at all,” the other person praised. “To be responsible for such an important event as the Fragrance Banquet, Mr. Jin is truly remarkable.”

Jin Yaotiao smiled. “I hope you’ll come and support us then.”

“Of course, of course.”

As her words fell, Jin Yaotiao felt as if someone was sizing her up. The gaze was different from a normal glance, sharper than usual.

Following the gaze, Jin Yaotiao discovered a man wearing gold-rimmed glasses who was observing her from the side. When he realized he had been spotted, he didn’t mind. Instead, he smiled and walked over.

“Mingde is here… Jin Yaotiao.” The man played with a business card, which seemed to have been acquired from someone, and read her name aloud.

His tone was somewhat flirtatious, or perhaps provocative. “Chairman Jin’s daughter? I don’t think I’ve heard of you before. But after seeing you today, you’re quite beautiful.”

Jin Yaotiao stood upright, not angered by his remark. “Thank you. I’ve heard a lot about President Cheng as well.”

“You know me?” Cheng Chen seemed a little surprised.

Jin Yaotiao smiled and replied, “President Cheng’s Muhe Mansion and Yunding Restaurant have spent so much on advertisements over the years, even in public restrooms. Who wouldn’t recognize you? If not, that would certainly be a lack of knowledge on my part.”

Cheng Chen’s excessive marketing of his restaurant had always been criticized in the culinary circle.

When he heard this, his playful expression suddenly darkened.

He had heard that Jin’s family had sent their daughter to attend the business association, and since he had nothing else to do, he decided to join in the fun. He had also heard that this was Jin Yaotiao’s first time at a big event.

The two families—Jin and Cheng—had been competitors for a long time and were about to become estranged. Teasing his opponent in advance seemed like an interesting game.

But he didn’t expect this delicate young lady, who was rumored to be uninterested in business, to be so sharp-tongued.

Cheng Chen looked at Jin Yaotiao, and she smiled at him, her gaze unwavering, not the least bit intimidated.

He stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly grinned. “Miss Jin, why are you alone today? Was the Xunxiang Banquet not going well, and your father got sick from the exhaustion?”

Jin Yaotiao’s eyes narrowed for a moment.

Whether it was intentional or not, Cheng Chen’s words truly irritated her.

But she had long learned the wisdom of not revealing her weaknesses to her opponents, so she kept her smile perfectly intact. “Thank you for your concern about my father, President Cheng. But with your big heart, maybe you should worry more about Muhe Mansion’s anniversary celebration. With all the effort you’ve put into it, President Cheng, you must be so stressed lately that you can’t even sleep properly?”

Cheng Chen realized she had hit the mark, as if she had read his mind.

He had just joined the company’s management, and there were many who opposed him.

For Muhe Mansion’s anniversary celebration, he had mobilized vast resources, aiming to make a big splash.

The more indifferent he acted on the surface, the more meticulous he was behind the scenes.

Just the fact that he had repeatedly confirmed Mr. Meng’s schedule with his assistant showed the immense pressure he was under.

Recently, if he managed to get four hours of sleep, it felt like a blessing from the heavens.

Jin Yaotiao saw the grin falter on his face, and she was satisfied, knowing she had won this round.

Cheng Chen stood there, coldly watching her slender figure, and after a moment, he thought of his own victorious plans.

He sneered and turned away.

Jin Yaotiao knew he was watching her but didn’t look back as she walked away.

Stupid guy.

While he still manages to sleep a few hours, he should rest as much as he can.

In a few days, he probably won’t even be able to sleep that much.

---

In the phone call, Uncle Huang mentioned that the parking lot was open and he would arrive soon. He told her to wait.

Jin Yaotiao didn’t want to return to the venue, so she decided to wait outside, thinking about the Xunxiang Banquet.

She felt warmth on her shoulder. Without turning around, she could already smell the scent of Shen Qiming’s coat. She turned to ask, “President Shen, is it you again?”

“Just passing by,” Shen Qiming, wearing a thin black shirt, stood in the cold wind. After speaking, he added, “I was about to leave.”

Jin Yaotiao nodded. “I see.”

Before getting in the car, she glanced at the rear of the car, not seeing any other vehicles, and asked, “Has President Shen’s car arrived?”

Shen Qiming replied, “It’ll be here in a moment.”

After she got into the car, Shen Qiming stood for a moment, holding his coat, then turned back to the venue.

He happened to bump into Jiang Sen’s speechless gaze.

Jiang Sen looked at him as if he were a mystery. “What are you trying to do?”

Shen Qiming paused, then looked in the direction where the car had left.

What was he trying to do? It seemed like he just wanted to watch her a little longer.

---

Inside the car.

Uncle Huang, holding the steering wheel, asked, “Yaotiao, do you want to go home and rest?”

Jin Yaotiao took a small mirror from her bag, checked her perfectly maintained makeup, snapped it shut, then turned to look out the window. “No, let’s go to the company.”

She was going to add some trouble to someone.

---

Mingde’s anniversary celebration was the company’s biggest event of the year.

In the past, each branch paid close attention to it and often started preparations long in advance, but this year, every employee sensed that it would be even more grand than usual.

Countless stew pots and raw materials were delivered to the kitchen, so much so that the cold storage couldn’t hold it all.

At the Mingde Courtyard’s sixth branch, located near the riverside scenic area, they even set up an outdoor cooking area.

The cooking area was quite a spectacle. Since the riverside area was a popular tourist spot, many people strolling in the morning glanced at it.

A local person who noticed the cooking area’s sign suddenly realized, “Oh, so Mingde’s Xunxiang Banquet is hosting the anniversary celebration.”

But the amazement didn’t last long.

After all, who would care too much about a company’s anniversary celebration just because they were passing by?

A little apprentice from Xunxiang Banquet, Wang Sheng, wearing a chef’s hat, along with the workers and chefs from the sixth branch, was huffing and puffing as they carried several stew pots to the outdoor cooking area.

The cold weather made them sweat profusely.

The branch manager, along with a group of security guards, was busy adding protective barriers around the cooking area.

He was confused about why they were doing all this.

He looked around at the few people who had casually glanced at the area, then at the ten or so security guards assigned by the company to this branch.

“There’s no need for all this…” the manager said. “Business is slightly better today, but there’s no need for this many security guards.”

Moreover…

He glanced at the trucks heading in the same direction.

Today, Muhe Mansion was also hosting its anniversary celebration, inviting numerous socialites. They had prepared hundreds of flower baskets.

That was the real spectacle. With such a contrast, who would pay attention to their own celebration?

Many early risers were also heading to Muhe Mansion to see the impressive flower baskets.

They heard that the road would be closed after noon.

That was real grandeur.

Wang Sheng ignored him, wiped his sweat, checked the time, and after confirming all materials were in place, finally lit the fire in the cooking area.

The flames roared on the stove, engulfing the entire bottom of the pots.

The branch manager was scrolling on Weibo on his phone. Sure enough, he found that many people had posted photos of Muhe Mansion’s flower baskets, but there were hardly any mentions of Mingde’s anniversary celebration.

His spirits were low, and he sighed deeply until—

He wrinkled his nose, put down his phone. “What’s that smell?”

“Smells so good!”

“Where’s that smell coming from?”

Tourists passing by also noticed something unusual. Like the manager, they started looking around for the source of the smell.

In the cooking area, the pots that Wang Sheng had been tending to were already boiling. Thick steam rose from the lids, swirling like mist, and the aroma spread everywhere.