She suddenly leaned in, her soft lips pressing against his in an unexpected kiss. His entire body stiffened, his mind going blank for three full seconds with a "ding."
The moment she pulled away, the sudden distance left him feeling hollow. His senses snapped back, and in the next instant, he cupped her face with both hands and kissed her fiercely again.
"Mmm..."
He surged forward like a predator in pursuit, leaving her no room to escape. Her back was already against the wall, and he pinned her in the corner, his increasingly rough kiss as if he wanted to devour her whole.
Footsteps echoed from outside. Sang Ning’s fingers, clutching his suit jacket, trembled slightly, and she burrowed deeper into his embrace.
One arm wrapped around her waist, the other cradling her face, he lingered greedily on the warmth of her lips.
The footsteps grew closer, now right behind them. Only then did he finally release her lips, pressing her head against his chest with one hand, his tall frame completely shielding her.
Two guests walked in, chatting and laughing as they headed for the restroom. The moment they turned the corner, they caught sight of what seemed to be an embracing couple.
Since the pair had their backs turned, their identities remained unclear, but such a scene wasn’t particularly shocking. The two guests didn’t linger, sparing only a brief glance before disappearing into the restroom.
Once the footsteps faded, He Siyu loosened his hold slightly. Sang Ning lifted her head from his chest. "Is my makeup ruined?"
He glanced down at her slightly swollen lips, his throat bobbing. "Not too bad."
Sang Ning pushed him away and turned toward the restroom. "I’ll go touch it up. You head back to the banquet first."
The sudden absence of her warmth left him momentarily adrift. But as his fingers brushed his own still-warm lips, his heart swelled again.
He pressed his lips together, a faint smirk playing at the corners of his mouth as he sauntered out.
The evening banquet had officially begun.
"Where’d you go? I was looking for you earlier," Gu Xingchen asked.
He Siyu casually pulled out a chair and sat. "Needed some air. It was stuffy."
"Smoking again?"
"Nope. Quit."
Gu Xingchen looked stunned. "You quit again? You treat quitting like it’s a game."
He Siyu lazily smirked. "Girlfriend doesn’t like it."
Gu Xingchen: "..."
He had just been blindsided by an unexpected display of affection.
Gu Xingchen replied with exaggerated sarcasm, "How obedient of you."
The word "obedient" had never existed in He Siyu’s personal dictionary.
Yet, instead of taking offense, He Siyu merely shrugged, his tone indifferent. "She kept nagging me to quit. Annoying as hell."
Gu Xingchen: "..."
This guy hadn’t been normal since he started dating.
Pei Songhan approached and took his seat. "What are we talking about?"
Gu Xingchen chuckled dryly. "I thought Siyu went out for a smoke, but he says he quit."
Pei Songhan smiled faintly. "Just like that? Last time you quit, the withdrawal lasted a whole month."
He Siyu’s lips curled. "Wasn’t hard. Found something more addictive."
Cough! Gu Xingchen nearly choked on his drink, bending over as he hacked into his hand.
Pei Songhan’s smile froze slightly, but he didn’t ask what that "something" was.
Sang Ning quickly freshened her makeup and returned to the banquet five minutes late.
"Sang Ning! Over here!" Ji Yan waved at her.
Sang Ning hurried over and sat beside her. "Has the banquet started?"
"Yeah, but don’t worry. This table’s all friends—no need for formalities." Ji Yan grinned.
Sang Ning glanced around. Indeed, it was their usual circle of childhood friends.
Tonight was the Pei family’s banquet, attended by nearly every prominent figure in the business world. But it wasn’t a particularly rigid event, so the younger generation had been given their own table, separate from their elders.
When Sang Ning looked up, her gaze met He Siyu’s. He was seated at the head of the table, chatting casually with Gu Xingchen, his dark eyes unreadable as they locked onto hers.
Sang Ning lowered her lashes and took a sip of water.
Ji Yan suddenly leaned in. "Why’s your face so red all of a sudden?"
Sang Ning blinked. "Is it? Maybe the heating’s too strong."
"You really do blush easily. Even a sip of beer turns you pink. If some shameless guy sees you like this, he’ll think you’re into him."
Sang Ning: "..."
Ji Yan hadn’t bothered to lower her voice, and since the whole table was filled with close friends, she had no reason to hold back. The moment she spoke, everyone instinctively turned to look at Sang Ning.
Sang Ning suddenly felt scrutinized, her heartbeat quickening. Though her expression remained calm, the tips of her ears began to burn.
Pei Songhan watched her, his lips pressed into a thin line.
He Siyu’s brow furrowed slightly as he set his wine glass down with deliberate firmness. Only then did the others snap out of it.
He Siyu turned to Pei Songhan. "If the Lin Family applies pressure, don’t intervene. I’ll handle it. The Pei family’s losses will be compensated double."
Pei Songhan nodded. "Understood."
He Siyu lifted his glass to his lips, his tone casual. "From what I heard, your parents plan to arrange another engagement for you soon—to put those rumors to rest."
Pei Songhan paused, his gaze darkening. "That’s just their plan."
He Siyu met his eyes, his voice cool. "Yours isn’t feasible."
Pei Songhan’s fingers tightened around his glass.
A hint of frost entered He Siyu’s dark eyes as he lowered his voice, the warning unmistakable. "Stay away from her."
