The car stopped in front of the restaurant. Lu Mingxi turned to Qin He and asked, "As a friend, I should be able to treat you to a meal, right?"
The two got out of the car and entered the restaurant.
It was five in the afternoon, and the restaurant was just starting to get busy. Lu Mingxi had booked a window seat in advance.
They ordered their food, and Qin He sat there, turning her head as if sensing something.
From a nearby table, a man's gaze, deep and unfathomable, fell upon her.
Gu Qishen?
Qin He pursed her lips and nodded at him in acknowledgment.
Lu Mingxi followed Qin He's gaze and saw him. He chuckled, "What's your ex-husband doing here? Is he on a date with some beauty?"
Qin He lowered her voice, "Lu Mingxi, try to be less smug."
The dishes arrived one by one. Lu Mingxi thoughtfully cut Qin He's steak and pushed it towards her.
He created an intimate atmosphere.
Seeing Gu Qishen, Qin He's heart felt unsettled, and she paid no attention to these details.
Not far away, Gu Qishen sat at his table, his expression icy.
The chair opposite him was pulled out, and Yan Chen sat down, "What are you looking at?"
Following his gaze, Yan Chen's eyes widened in surprise for a moment, "Isn't that your ex-wife?"
Gu Qishen found the word "ex-wife" extremely grating and shot him a cold glance.
"Your ex-wife is on a date with Lu Mingxi?" Yan Chen, a longtime friend of Gu Qishen, had a rather fearless spirit. He chuckled, "I've heard of Lu Mingxi's reputation in Hai City. Your ex-wife's taste isn't great, is it?"
"Can't you shut your mouth with all this food?"
Yan Chen watched for a while and then clicked his tongue in admiration, "But in terms of romance and wooing women, Lu Mingxi is a thousand times better than you."
A vein throbbed on Gu Qishen's forehead. "I'll make a call to Old Master Yan."
Yan Chen had messed up his blind date with Xu Wanwan and was confined to his family's old residence in Hai City by Old Master Yan. He had sneaked out this time.
He widened his eyes in horror, "I surrender!"
This man is truly a beast!
Yan Chen stopped talking and discussed business projects between their families with Gu Qishen.
He ate lazily, "When I went back this time, I overheard my grandfather and father talking about how your Gu Corporation's branch in Hai City is being targeted by the Ming family."
Gu Qishen's expression remained unchanged, "I know."
"You've always been one to seek revenge. No one has dared to provoke the Gu Corporation all these years. Why are you letting the Ming family bully you this time?"
From the moment the Ming family from Hai City snatched the first project from the branch, Gu Qishen knew their intentions.
He had already formulated a plan to make the Ming family stop.
However, recently, as he understood his past marriage better, he hesitated.
In those two years, he had indeed wronged Qin He.
Qin He was the cherished daughter of both the Qin and Ming families. The Ming family's retaliatory actions, as long as they didn't cause fatal damage, he chose to ignore.
Seeing Gu Qishen remain silent, Yan Chen was surprised, "You really aren't planning to deal with the Ming family?"
"Eat your food!"
Qin He and Lu Mingxi ate their meal, her mind somewhat troubled.
She soon finished eating. Lu Mingxi thoughtfully pulled out a chair for her, acting as if he was protecting her from all angles.
As the two stood up, another voice called out from not far away.
Song Nuan.
Unlike in the broadcasting building that afternoon, Song Nuan was wearing a chic tweed outfit and carrying an exquisite handbag, clearly dressed for a date.
She rushed joyfully to Gu Qishen's table, "Qishen."
Her voice was sweet and delicate.
Qin He's eyes twitched slightly.
At Gu Qishen's table, Yan Chen was surprised to see Song Nuan but still greeted her with a smile, "Miss Song, long time no see."
Song Nuan greeted Yan Chen and then looked at Gu Qishen. She had painstakingly found out that Gu Qishen had booked a seat here and deliberately came to "accidentally" run into him.
Ever since Gu Qishen broke up with her, she hadn't had a chance to see him.
Xing Yue still provided her with resources, but she still felt insecure.
"Qishen," Song Nuan was worried that Gu Qishen wouldn't want to see her.
Gu Qishen looked up and then at the figure in the distance. Lu Mingxi was draping his jacket over Qin He.
His gaze shifted to Song Nuan, "Sit down."
Song Nuan was overjoyed and asked a waiter to add a chair.
Gu Qishen glanced indifferently at Qin He. Seeing that she hadn't stopped walking and was talking to Lu Mingxi with her head turned, he brought his fork down with force, making a jarring sound on the plate.
After Song Nuan sat down, she smiled at Gu Qishen, "Qishen, let me cut it for you. Your hands are for signing documents, not for doing this."
Yan Chen watched Song Nuan's demure demeanor and a smile played on his lips.
His friend's taste was really not great. Had he encountered too few women? He actually liked this kind of person.
Compared to Qin He, Song Nuan was simply not on the same level.
Gu Qishen raised his hand to block her, and seeing that Qin He had already left the room, he looked at Song Nuan, "How did you know I was here?"
Song Nuan lowered her eyes, looking a little sad, "I just finished recording a show and came to eat, and I saw you. Qishen, don't you want to see me?"
Gu Qishen's expression turned cold, "We've already broken up."
Across the table, Yan Chen watched the scene unfold like an onlooker.
Song Nuan twisted her small hands a little in distress, her face pale, "Qishen, I made many mistakes in the past, but please, for the sake of our childhood affection, give me a chance to change, okay? Don't discard our years of feelings like this—"
Gu Qishen fell silent. He truly no longer had any feelings for Song Nuan.
After creating some distance, he looked at Song Nuan again and suddenly saw many things clearly.
The deceptions of the past were unbearable, especially when Song Nuan told his grandmother about his divorce from Qin He.
The harsh words in the surveillance footage represented a person's true nature.
However, with Yan Chen present, Gu Qishen didn't want to make Song Nuan too uncomfortable.
He remained silent and drank his wine.
Song Nuan secretly glanced at Gu Qishen and said softly, "It's okay, I can pursue you this time too—"
Yan Chen, who was enjoying the show, started to get goosebumps.
He shuddered, stood up, "I'll come to Gu Corporation tomorrow to discuss the project. I won't be a third wheel now. Miss Song, good luck."
Song Nuan smiled back at him.
Yan Chen quickened his pace and walked out.
Only Gu Qishen and Song Nuan remained at the dining table.
Song Nuan's eyes flickered, and she said softly, "Qishen, I met Qin He today while recording the show."
Gu Qishen initially intended to ignore her and make her give up, but upon hearing this, he couldn't help but look at Song Nuan.
"Qin He and I recorded the show together, but the director and host seemed to have offended her. When the recording was finished, Lu Mingxi flew into a rage at the director and host, dragging them to apologize to Qin He."
Song Nuan looked at Gu Qishen's cold expression and said with feigned innocence, "Actually, it's good that Qin He can find happiness again. That way, I can feel more at ease."
Gu Qishen couldn't stand listening anymore. So, Qin He and Lu Mingxi were really dating?
He got up with a cold face.
The food Song Nuan had ordered had just arrived, and before she could touch it, she hurriedly stood up.
"Qishen, where are you going?"
Gu Qishen walked towards the exit. Song Nuan followed him closely, "Qishen—"