The dishes arrived soon after.
Sweet-and-sour mandarin fish, red king prawn sashimi, crab roe tofu… Every dish was one of Zhou Suisui’s favorites.
“I saw what’s been trending these past few days… Are you all right?” Jiang Zongyan glanced at her and asked casually.
“I’m perfectly fine.”
At the mention of it, Zhou Suisui bit down on her chopsticks, smiling like a sly little fox. “Su Wan is being condemned by everyone now. I suppose it’s karma…”
She paused.
Meeting Jiang Zongyan’s gaze, she asked somewhat nervously, “Brother Yan, do you think I went too far?”
“Went too far? What do you mean?”
“I mean… Don’t you think it was excessive for me to go after her so relentlessly when she’s only a minor celebrity? A lot of people online are saying I’m too ruthless.”
Zhou Suisui unconsciously tightened her grip on her chopsticks.
Would Jiang Zongyan think so too?
At that, Jiang Zongyan chuckled and placed a peeled shrimp in her bowl. “You did very well. Next time, you can just tell me and let me deal with her.”
“Hm? You don’t think my methods were too aggressive?”
Jiang Zongyan appeared to consider it seriously for a moment. “If it were up to me, she would probably have already disappeared from Tang City by now. Miss Zhou, you’re still too kindhearted.”
The tension in Zhou Suisui’s chest eased, and she suddenly smiled.
She picked up the shrimp he had peeled for her and popped it into her mouth with a slurp.
“Brother Yan, the shrimp you peeled tastes so good.”
As though remembering something, Zhou Suisui said gratefully, “Actually, I have Old Ghost to thank for this. The dirt he dug up helped me so much… The next time I see him, I’ll have to thank him properly.”
Jiang Zongyan’s hand paused as he peeled another shrimp. He looked up at her. “Thank him? You might as well thank me.”
“Hm?”
Zhou Suisui blinked, her face full of confusion.
Just as she was about to ask further, Jiang Zongyan placed another shrimp in her bowl and changed the subject. “Eat up. Once you’re full, we’ll go back to the company. Your brother is still waiting for you.”
Zhou Suisui nodded, instantly forgetting the question.
Watching Jiang Zongyan seriously peel shrimp, she couldn’t help sighing inwardly.
The media said the Jiang family’s heir was cold and heartless, aloof and indifferent. Who would have thought that, in private, he was such a warm person?
It just went to show how ridiculous the things reported online could be.
Which girl wouldn’t be incredibly happy to marry him?
After the meal, Zhou Suisui insisted on paying, only to be told by the waiter with a smile, “Miss, Mr. Jiang has already paid.”
Zhou Suisui looked at Jiang Zongyan awkwardly. “We agreed that I would treat you.”
“You can treat me next time.”
Jiang Zongyan ruffled her hair and placed the dining card he had just topped up with a million yuan into her hand. “Keep this. Come eat here at noon from now on. It’s close to your company.”
The card seemed to burn Zhou Suisui’s palm. “That’s really too much…”
She had originally said she would pay, but not only had he paid the bill—he was even sending her home with something.
Jiang Zongyan stood before her, amusement glimmering in his eyes.
“If you feel bad about it, ask me out next time.”
He muttered softly, “The food at the Jiang family’s cafeteria may be good, but I’m already tired of it.”
“All right.”
She rarely saw him act so aggrieved. In a daze, Zhou Suisui nodded and slipped the card into her bag.
The two of them walked out of the restaurant side by side.
The afternoon sun was just right. It filtered through the gaps between the parasol leaves and fell across their shoulders.
The breeze carried the warmth of early summer, lifting the loose strands of hair beside Zhou Suisui’s ears and gently swaying the gardenia blossoms in the courtyard. Their rich fragrance filled the air.
As they walked along the covered corridor and reached the steps, Jiang Zongyan naturally moved to the back and side of her.
They had just finished descending the steps and stepped out of the restaurant when a dark figure suddenly rushed out from the side and lunged at Zhou Suisui.
“Look out!”
Quick as a flash, Jiang Zongyan pulled Zhou Suisui into his arms, turned around, and blocked the attacker with his back.
The middle-aged woman missed her target and staggered backward several steps.
“Suisui, are you all right?”
Jiang Zongyan looked her up and down, concern evident in his eyes.
Zhou Suisui’s heart pounded as she shook her head. “I’m fine.”
The woman stared at the two of them locked in each other’s arms. Her eyes were bloodshot. She picked up the ice water in her hand and splashed it at Zhou Suisui’s face.
“You shameless little vixen! How dare you seduce my daughter’s man!”
Jiang Zongyan’s eyes turned cold. He spun around again, shielding Zhou Suisui completely with his body.
The icy water poured over his back, instantly soaking through the thin shirt he was wearing.
The cold fabric clung tightly to his skin, outlining the strong, straight lines of his back.
“Are you hurt?”
Zhou Suisui reached out and touched his back, her hand meeting a patch of icy wetness.
“Brother Yan, you’re soaked!”
“It’s nothing.”
This scene completely drove the woman over the edge.
She grabbed a broom that a cleaner had left on the ground nearby and swung it at Zhou Suisui.
“I’ll beat you to death!”
Jiang Zongyan’s face turned icy. He caught the broom handle in one hand.
With a burst of strength, he gave it a light shove, sending the woman sprawling to the ground.
“If you dare touch her again, I’ll make sure you never speak another word.”
His voice was cold as ice, and the atmosphere around him instantly plunged to freezing point.
The warmth had vanished from his sharply sculpted face, leaving behind nothing but bone-chilling menace.
The woman was startled by the viciousness in his eyes. Then she sat on the ground and began rolling around, making a scene.
“Everyone, come and look!”
“This man killed my daughter!”
“My poor daughter!”
“And now he’s acting as if nothing happened, hugging and flirting with another woman!”
It was lunchtime, and most of the people working in the area were white-collar professionals.
A crowd quickly gathered around them, pointing and whispering.
Seeing more and more people stop to watch, the woman pointed at Jiang Zongyan and cursed even more loudly.
“You killed my daughter! You’ll owe her for the rest of your life!”
“What gives you the right to be here flirting with another woman?”
“What gives you the right to live such a good life?”
“Ma’am, have you mistaken him for someone else?”
Zhou Suisui peeked out from behind Jiang Zongyan. Frightened by the woman’s frantic appearance, she still summoned the courage to say, “We don’t know your daughter at all.”
“You don’t know her?”
The woman gritted her teeth, her resentful gaze seeming laced with poison. “Jiang Zongyan! I’d recognize him even if he turned to ashes!”
Zhou Suisui’s heart tightened.
This woman, who looked completely deranged, actually knew Jiang Zongyan.
But then again, as the Jiang family’s heir, Jiang Zongyan often appeared in financial news on television. It wasn’t strange for her to recognize him.
Some people in the crowd recognized their identities.
They began taking out their phones to take pictures.
Jiang Zongyan picked up the coat draped over his arm and wrapped it around Zhou Suisui’s head, covering her completely.
“Lin Zhou!!”
Jiang Zongyan’s face was deathly pale, the veins on the back of his hand standing out.
Lin Zhou hurried over with two security guards.
“Mr. Jiang.”
“Take her away.”
Jiang Zongyan ground out the words through clenched teeth.
His voice was hoarse, carrying a faint tremor that was almost impossible to detect. “Find out who sent her here.”
“Yes.”
Lin Zhou immediately stepped forward and signaled for the security guards to haul away the woman, who was still making a scene.
“Jiang Zongyan! You’ll die a horrible death!”
The woman was dragged away, still cursing angrily. “I won’t let you get away with this! My daughter is watching you from heaven!”
Jiang Zongyan didn’t look back. He simply took Zhou Suisui by the hand and hurried toward the parking lot.
