Forget it.
The name Chen Siye was one Lin Luan was absolutely familiar with.
Isn’t that the number one host at that host club?!
Upon hearing the name, Lin Luan’s first reaction was to glance at Su Jin.
Now that her “White Moonlight” had arrived, would she just kick him, the stand-in, aside?
But Su Jin acted as if she hadn’t heard anything, simply swirling her glass of red wine and standing by the dining table, scrolling through something on her phone.
Did she not hear…?
As Lin Luan secretly observed Su Jin’s reaction, the woman in the fiery red dress had already taken Chen Siye’s arm and was walking straight toward them.
“Well, if it isn’t Miss Su,” Xia Wanyu said, a mocking smile on her face. “Long time no see.”
Only then did Su Jin lazily lift her gaze from the phone screen, her eyes calmly sweeping over Xia Wanyu and then pausing on Chen Siye for half a second.
She clicked her tongue inwardly.
Xia Wanyu—this woman was pretty much Su Jin’s archrival.
Both of them had grown up together at the same high school, and their rivalry had never stopped, continuing from those days to the present.
Back then, they competed for the top spot in school; now, Xia Wanyu’s company, Youwan Entertainment, was competing against Jinse Technology. But Su Jin had never really paid her much mind.
She was the one who always held first place as a student, and as an adult, her Jinse Technology was the top tech company in Chang City, while Xia Wanyu was perpetually stuck at number two.
Su Jin knew Xia Wanyu would be here tonight—it was she herself who’d sent the invitation. But… she truly hadn’t expected Chen Siye to show up.
Still, she didn’t care.
“Miss Xia, just find yourself a seat if you’ve arrived,” Su Jin waved her hand. “The networking event will be starting soon.”
When Su Jin’s gaze swept over Chen Siye, his body stiffened, his eyes complicated, but he quickly adjusted his expression.
A proper, polite smile appeared on his face, and he nodded slightly.
Xia Wanyu noticed Su Jin’s indifferent attitude and felt a pang of irritation inside.
What did this mean—how could Su Jin show no reaction at all?
The insider information she’d received said that Su Jin and Chen Siye had fallen out, that things were bad between them, and as long as she brought Chen Siye with her, it would be the perfect chance to step on Su Jin!
The person she once liked the most was now by her side! Even someone as cold as Su Jin should be furious, right?
She brought Chen Siye here for no other reason than to see Su Jin’s expression!
Yet the other party’s serene composure made Xia Wanyu feel as if her well-prepared punch had landed in cotton.
Was her intel wrong?
Deliberately, Xia Wanyu tightened her hold on Chen Siye’s arm, her body leaning in closer to him.
“Su Jin, I haven’t introduced you yet, have I? This is Siyen—my boy. friend.” She stressed each syllable of “boyfriend.”
The sarcasm in her words was more than obvious.
Standing by Su Jin’s side, Lin Luan could clearly feel the subtle glances being cast their way; by now, the focus of the entire room was slowly converging on them.
Yet Su Jin’s reaction once again exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Upon hearing this, she simply gave her wine glass a gentle swirl, not even bothering to lift her eyelids. “Oh? Is that so? Congratulations, then.”
Xia Wanyu’s expression chilled instantly.
Congratulations? What did that mean?
“Congratulations on no longer needing to look for hosts,” Su Jin took an elegant sip of red wine, clearly seeing right through Xia Wanyu’s intent.
“Looking for a host is something only immature women do. I’m glad to see you’re not a child anymore.”
“But it’s a shame—your current boyfriend still seems to be in that industry, doesn’t he?” Su Jin licked the wine lingering on her lips, as if savoring someone’s blood.
“Falling for a man who’s made a living pleasing countless women for money suits your character perfectly, Miss Xia.”
“You!” Xia Wanyu clenched her fists in anger, struggling to keep her composure.
Su Jin paused for a moment, finally giving Xia Wanyu a direct look. Those beautiful eyes flashed with a trace of sudden realization and pity as she said:
“Miss Xia, you don’t actually think I would fall for a host, do you?”
“That would be a big mistake.” Su Jin’s red lips curved in a faint smile.
“I’ve never had the habit of picking up things I’ve thrown away. Since you like Chen Siye, then keep him for yourself—no need to come report it to me.”
The smile on Xia Wanyu’s face froze at once. She felt as if Su Jin had just slapped her in the face—without even moving a finger.
Chen Siye’s expression also turned extremely ugly.
“And besides, I already have a boyfriend—clean and pure, a man who belongs only to me.” Su Jin gently tugged Lin Luan’s arm. “Allow me to introduce, Lin Luan.”
Lin Luan gave a polite bow.
Xia Wanyu looked him up and down, just about to say something, when suddenly a broadcast rang out.
“The networking event is about to begin. Next, let’s welcome Miss Su Jin to the stage for the opening speech~”
Su Jin seemed not to notice the unpleasant expressions on the other two’s faces, setting her wine glass on the table and giving them a smile.
“I have something to do, so I’ll excuse myself.”
Without sparing another glance at Xia Wanyu and Chen Siye, she naturally took Lin Luan’s arm and turned away, leaving behind an elegant silhouette.
Xia Wanyu stood frozen, watching Su Jin and Lin Luan walk away, so angry she could barely breathe.
That woman!
Su Jin walked gracefully onto the stage, the spotlight shining on her, making her black evening gown, sprinkled with stardust, gleam dazzlingly bright.
Standing before the microphone, she exuded calm, eloquently discussing Chang City’s business prospects and the future of Jinse Technology.
People nodded again and again, drawn in by her charismatic presence as a business leader.
Yet in the buffet area tucked away in a corner below the stage, there was one person who remained entirely outside this atmosphere.
That person was Lin Luan.
Holding a dinner plate, Lin Luan wandered among the buffet tables, staring in a daze at the lobster, foie gras, caviar…and many other dishes whose names he didn’t even know, but all of which looked absurdly expensive.
His first instinct was to pack some up to take home for his sister, but in this situation, that seemed out of the question.
He was Su Jin’s rented boyfriend—he had to maintain a sense of class.
So Lin Luan simply grabbed a few things that looked tasty enough and sat at the long table, listening to Su Jin’s speech.
Xia Wanyu and Chen Siye sat at a table a bit farther from the main stage. Xia Wanyu crossed her arms and angled her body away from Chen Siye, deliberately keeping her distance.
The sweetness she had just performed was gone from her face, replaced by anger.
Her carefully planned flaunting had turned into a farce.
When she first found Chen Siye, she had valued his connection to Su Jin. Now, she realized she might have miscalculated her own value to this man.
Damn it, she was always a step behind.
Ever since high school, she’d always been just a bit behind Su Jin—but no matter how small that gap was, she could never close it.
Xia Wanyu grew increasingly frustrated.
Chen Siye could clearly sense the heavy atmosphere radiating from the woman beside him. He tried to ease the mood with a soft word: “Miss Xia…”
“Shut up.” Xia Wanyu didn’t even look at him.
Chen Siye’s face paled, the rest of his words stuck in his throat.
Again…
Su Jin’s few words just now had already made his value plummet. After this banquet, he was certain he’d be kicked aside again.
Xia Wanyu no longer bothered to look at the now-useless Chen Siye. Instead, her gaze turned toward Su Jin’s new boyfriend, Lin Luan.
The more she looked, the more something felt off.
Su Jin’s attitude toward her new companion was too strange.
From their brief interaction just now, Su Jin did seem to defend Lin Luan, but not in a way that felt like lovers.
And Lin Luan…she could tell, he treated Su Jin with respect, but not with intimacy.
Could it be that this man wasn’t actually Su Jin’s real boyfriend?
That thought instantly revived Xia Wanyu’s spirits.
Of course! So that’s it, Su Jin! And you were mocking me just now? Aren’t you keeping a man yourself?! What right do you have to look down on her?
She narrowed her eyes, re-examining Lin Luan.
Su Jin, you made me lose face in front of so many people—if I can catch hold of evidence that your boyfriend is fake…let’s see how you keep up that cold, pure facade!
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