After they placed their order, Su Xiyang got them a private booth.
Shen Fanyun picked up his coconut-flavored drink, crossed his legs, and stared unblinkingly at the center of the dance floor, where vivacious young women danced with abandon.
What a sight. Black shorts, tight T-shirts, and a pair of black high-heeled combat boots. Their long hair swayed with the rhythm, as if the very sight could make one’s blood boil.
The frenetic scene was genuinely exhilarating. It was no wonder places like this were so popular with young people these days.
"You old pervert." Su Xiyang glanced at Shen Fanyun. He wasn’t talking to her, just shamelessly appreciating the beautiful women with a fixed gaze, so she chided him lightly.
Shen Fanyun feigned innocence. "Can’t I even take a look?"
"Hmph. Your eyes are on the pot while you’re still eating from the bowl," Su Xiyang scoffed.
How interesting.
Shen Fanyun simply moved to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with her, his right hand coming to rest naturally on her thigh, which was sheathed in black stockings.
The women on the dance floor were wild and passionate, but they truly paled in comparison to Su Xiyang.
"Alright, alright, you’re the most beautiful one here," he said. "I’ll stop looking."
Shen Fanyun leaned his head toward her, but Su Xiyang forcefully pushed it away. Unfazed, Shen Fanyun gave in to his shameless nature and tried again, and this time, she relented.
"Alright, spit it out. What’s bothering you this time?" Shen Fanyun asked.
Su Xiyang stared absently at the glass in her hand, with no real desire to talk. She just wanted to drink. "It’s nothing."
This girl... whenever she’s unhappy, it’s written all over her face. She has no idea how to hide her emotions. And she still says it’s nothing?
"Let’s just drink," Su Xiyang said, taking a large gulp from her glass.
Shen Fanyun didn’t press the issue and simply reminded her softly to drink less.
Su Xiyang rolled her eyes. His sudden tenderness and concern were a bit unsettling. "Shouldn’t you be encouraging me to drink more?"
"So that when I get drunk, you can have your way with me? Is that it, Shen Fanyun? Just like yesterday in the bathroom? With your lecherous hands groping me nonstop?"
She was fine until she brought it up. Now she was furious.
After a moment of silence, Shen Fanyun teased, "You seemed to enjoy it."
"Enjoy it my ass!" Su Xiyang retorted, her beautiful eyes flashing with anger and shame. "You’re the one who wouldn’t let me leave!"
Shen Fanyun’s smile faded. He put his arm around her shoulder and whispered, "Are you upset about what’s happening with Su Ziye?"
Su Xiyang remained silent.
After a long while, she murmured with a desolate look, as if speaking only to herself, "Grandpa already notified me. He said that if I don’t drop the case and insist on sending Ziye to prison...
"then he’ll kick me out of the company and cut all ties with the Su Family.
"He, Su Ke, will act as if he never even had me for a granddaughter."
In truth, she was indifferent about cutting ties completely. For her, leaving the Su Family would be a liberation—a good thing. But she couldn’t accept losing the company. It was the product of her own blood, sweat, and tears, like a child she had raised herself.
However, the Su Family had backed the company from the very beginning, supporting it step by step, and ownership had always been in the hands of her grandfather, Su Ke.
If he was truly determined to remove her from her position, she had absolutely no chance of fighting back.
What should I do? The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved and powerless she felt, her eyes welling up with tears. How had her once peaceful life suddenly been thrown into such chaos? Her family was against her. Her own grandfather was determined to ruin her. Looking around, she realized she had no reliable friends to turn to for help.
Maybe the only lucky part of all this was meeting Shen Fanyun?
"It’s just a small company," Shen Fanyun shrugged nonchalantly.
At worst, he would foot the bill for her to start a new one.
Shen Fanyun had disliked the Su Family for a long time. This was a chance to help Su Xiyang escape her misery once and for all. It was like killing two birds with one stone!
"Start over?" Su Xiyang fell into deep thought, then shook her head. That’s not realistic. She had run the company for years, accumulating a network of contacts, resources, and partners—assets that money couldn’t buy. If she walked away, she would lose everything. Even if she did manage to start a new company, she knew all too well how incredibly difficult it would be to begin from scratch.
"I’m here for you. Don’t worry," Shen Fanyun promised.
Su Xiyang fell silent, resting her head on his shoulder and blinking her large eyes.
"Xi Yan, you’re here too?" An untimely voice, tinged with surprise, sounded from nearby.
Shen Fanyun and Su Xiyang turned their heads almost simultaneously.
It was Zhong Kang, Su Xiyang’s classmate.
Back when Shen Fanyun had his confrontation with Wang Laohu, a worried Su Xiyang had sought Zhong Kang’s help. Zhong Kang had rushed to her company immediately, but it was clear his intentions were not entirely pure. According to Su Xiyang, Zhong Kang had admired her for years and had always wanted to take their relationship to the next level.
"Hah, you’re here too!" Zhong Kang didn’t have a good impression of Shen Fanyun, so his tone was naturally unfriendly.
Besides, Shen Fanyun was openly holding Su Xiyang in his arms. As the saying goes, when rivals in love meet, their eyes burn with jealousy. The moment Zhong Kang laid eyes on Shen Fanyun, anger flared within him.
I thought she was alone. This would have been the perfect chance to get closer to her. But alas... an eyesore had to be here!
Shen Fanyun swirled his drink. "What, am I not allowed to be here?"
"Darling, his tone is so aggressive," Shen Fanyun said, his voice suddenly changing. SMACK. He brazenly planted a loud kiss on Su Xiyang’s cheek.
Su Xiyang shot him an indignant glare. What kind of trouble is this guy trying to stir up now?
Shameless! No decency at all! Being so affectionate in public... utterly disgraceful! an inexplicable rage ignited in Zhong Kang.
"Zhong Kang, didn’t you just say you were getting closer to our Beauty Su and were about to win her over? What’s this all about?"
"Zhong Kang, who is this guy? What gives him the right to hold your dream goddess? Want me to take him down for you?"
"Heh, this kid’s pretty arrogant, isn’t he? Looks like he’s never been taught a lesson. Maybe we should teach him one today?"
The three or four friends who came with Zhong Kang noticed the fury in his eyes and fixed their menacing glares on Shen Fanyun.
Zhong Kang shook his head. "We’re civilized people. We don’t fight. Come on, let’s go get a drink."
But before they left, he turned to Su Xiyang with a polite tone. "Xi Yan, I’ll be in the booth right next door. If you have time, you could join us for a drink.
"Drinking at a bar is more fun with more people. I’ll be waiting."
Su Xiyang nodded but said nothing.
"Kid, you’re lucky Brother Kang is in a good mood today. Otherwise, you’d be picking your teeth up off the floor," one of Zhong Kang’s friends boasted, flexing his muscles at Shen Fanyun.
Shen Fanyun shook his head. What a bunch of idiots.