"Mr. Lu." As Lu Yanbei emerged from the restroom, about to head back, a sweet greeting sounded from behind him.
Lu Yanbei frowned slightly and looked back at the person.
"It really is you!" Seeing him stop, the woman's face lit up with joy. She was fashionably dressed in a champagne-gold slip dress that accentuated her slender figure, her curves undeniably prominent.
Beside her stood a man in a black suit, around forty, short and stout, his eyes fixed on Lu Yanbei with suspicion.
"Mr. Lu, I'm Rong Qiao." Seeing Lu Yanbei's indifferent expression, the woman fiddled with her earring and smiled even more sweetly. "We've collaborated with Lu's before."
As she spoke, she moved closer to Lu Yanbei.
Perhaps due to the presence of an outsider, the man beside her didn't dare to make any overt moves, only managing a strained call, "Miss Rong, we've been out too long, it's time to go back."
Lu Yanbei glanced indifferently at the two of them, immediately sensing something was amiss.
However, he had no intention of meddling. He gave Rong Qiao a slight nod and turned to leave.
Rong Qiao hadn't expected Lu Yanbei to be so cold, and a chill ran through her.
He clearly saw the situation but refused to intervene.
Truly cold-hearted and unfeeling!
It seemed the rumors outside were true!
Yet, finding herself in danger now, Lu Yanbei was her only lifeline. If she missed this opportunity, she feared she would never escape.
With this thought, Rong Qiao mustered her courage and grabbed Lu Yanbei's arm. "Mr. Lu, save me!"
Lu Yanbei frowned and roughly pushed her hand away. "Miss Rong, please have some self-respect!"
"Mr. Lu, I've been set up... Please help me!" Rong Qiao, ignoring the fierce glare from the man behind her, pleaded desperately. "As long as I don't fall into someone else's hands, I'll do whatever you ask!"
Unfortunately, Lu Yanbei was unmoved.
Hero saving the damsel? He only did that for Su He.
"Miss Rong can call the police," Lu Yanbei said coldly. "I apologize, I have other matters to attend to. I can't accompany you."
Her falling into someone's trap was solely due to her own vanity. If she hadn't come here, she wouldn't have been ensnared.
Seeing that Lu Yanbei was being sensible, the man behind her broke into a smile. "Miss Rong, what's the point? Since you're here, you might as well come back with me obediently."
With that, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her towards the private room.
Rong Qiao was unwilling and desperately tried to break free from his grip. "Mr. Lu, I was tricked into coming here... I never intended to sell myself for resources, truly!"
"You ungrateful woman, refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!" Seeing her resist again and again, the man's last shred of patience evaporated. He ferociously slapped her. "Don't think you can disrespect everyone just because you're famous! You're nothing but an actress, pretending to be virtuous!"
Rong Qiao clutched her reddened cheek, tears instantly welling up.
She was already beautiful, and now with her eyes red and brimming with tears, she looked truly captivating. Any ordinary man would have felt pity and wanted to pull her into his arms. But Lu Yanbei was not a man of indiscriminate affection; no matter how pitifully Rong Qiao cried, he couldn't be bothered to spare her another glance.
"Sir, this is a public place." Lu Yanbei had intended to stay out of it, but the man's behavior was truly obnoxious. Especially since he hit a woman, showing no gentlemanly demeanor, Lu Yanbei felt compelled to say something.
Seeing Lu Yanbei's impeccable attire and imposing presence, the man, appearing not to be someone to be trifled with, immediately restrained himself. "My apologies, my subordinate is unruly, and I lost my temper in a moment of anger."
It turned out this man was one of the directors of Rong Qiao's company. She had been tricked by her agent into attending this dinner to entertain guests.
Rong Qiao was heavily promoted by her company and had become a popular young star, but maintaining her position in the fiercely competitive entertainment industry was no easy feat. Therefore, the company would occasionally organize such dinners to secure better resources for her.
However, obtaining certain things inevitably came with a price.
A beauty like Rong Qiao was naturally a target.
The man said, and pulling Rong Qiao, whose face was flushed red, towards the depths of the corridor.
Lu Yanbei watched their retreating figures for a while, then took out his phone and dialed the police.
It was all he could do.
Not long after they left, a man wearing a baseball cap and carrying a camera emerged from the men's restroom. He looked at the captured images on his camera with triumphant glee.
"What great luck today, to capture such big news!"
"Lu Group's Young Master Yan and a female star's secret affair! A headline like this will surely go viral!"
"Once it hits the trending searches tomorrow, this month's bonus will surely double!"
Looking at the picture of Rong Qiao grabbing Lu Yanbei's arm, the man could already imagine himself counting money in bed.
One a wealthy scion, the other a popular young star—what a sensational story!
"They all say Young Master Yan is indifferent to women, yet there have been rumors about him and Rong Qiao several times. Perhaps there's something between them." Muttering to himself, the reporter quietly followed, hoping for more scoops.
*
"Why did you take so long?" By the time Lu Yanbei returned to his seat, the dishes had all been served.
Lu Yanbei sat down, calmly changing the subject. "What do you want to eat? I'll serve it for you."
"I want crab," Su He licked her lips, having craved it for a long time.
Lu Yanbei then put on gloves and began to help her peel the crab.
Jiang Xiaoxiao watched with envy.
"Ah Miao, I'm so jealous of you!"
Su He raised her eyebrows smugly. "You can ask my brother to help you too!"
"You're teasing me again!" Jiang Xiaoxiao snorted and reached for the charcoal-grilled lamb chops beside her.
The dinner was a pleasant affair for all involved.
After the meal, Su He invited Jiang Xiaoxiao to her place, but she politely declined. "No, I have an interview later."
"Oh? Are you planning to return to B City to work?"
"Yes. I've been here for so many years, I've gotten used to it. Plus, with you, my best friend, looking out for me, my future is bound to be bright," Jiang Xiaoxiao joked, half-seriously.
"What do you plan to do? The same as before?"
"Not necessarily, I'll see what I find."
The two women walked ahead arm-in-arm, with Lu Yanbei following behind, hands in his pockets.
He, who was always the center of attention, now experienced being overlooked. Fortunately, after leaving the restaurant, Jiang Xiaoxiao took a taxi. Su He was once again back in Lu Yanbei's embrace.
"Don't look back, get in the car quickly," Su He was about to discuss going for a stroll nearby when Lu Yanbei suddenly grabbed her hand and whispered.
"What's wrong?" Su He asked, confused.
"We're being followed." Lu Yanbei, acutely aware of someone behind them, immediately pulled Su He away.
Su He was startled.
Could it be those hateful paparazzi again?