Tang Si, emerging from the pantry with a cigarette, had just calmed his temper. As he stepped out, he saw Shi Ran holding Yuan Wei's arm, looking up at him with a smile. The two of them projected an image of affectionate intimacy.
His expression instantly darkened again.
Shi Ran, discerning the overflowing affection in Yuan Wei's eyes, her own gaze flickered. She instinctively wanted to escape. "Um... I'm going to the restroom."
She used a casual excuse to get away.
Seeing her walking towards him, Tang Si immediately turned and retreated back into the pantry.
As Shi Ran walked through the hallway towards the restroom, she had to pass the pantry. Suddenly, someone grabbed her arm and pulled her into the pantry, closing the door behind them.
She felt dizzy, and it wasn't until she was pressed against the door that she realized the person in front of her was Tang Si.
"Young Master Tang, what are you doing?"
Seeing it was Tang Si, Shi Ran pouted, her beautiful eyebrows twisting into a knot.
Her angry demeanor was like a provoked kitten, completely harmless, and instead made one want to reach out and caress her.
"What's wrong? Are you dating Yuan Wei now, and I'm not even allowed to touch you?"
The thought of her smiling at Yuan Wei earlier, while she frowned at him like he was an enemy, made Tang Si furious.
"What are you talking about?"
Shi Ran looked utterly bewildered, not understanding what Tang Si was saying at all.
Her annoyed expression fell into Tang Si's eyes, making him mistakenly believe Shi Ran disliked him, which made Tang Si even more displeased.
"You don't know about Yuan Wei's family situation, do you?"
He raised an eyebrow and let out a soft scoff. "Yuan Wei's family is very poor. His mother recently fell ill and needs a lot of money. I noticed she's been getting close to the boss's wife of Hong Fei Group."
Tang Si paused, then implied, "You understand what I mean, don't you?"
"I don't understand!"
Shi Ran found Tang Si's behavior inexplicable. "Who he gets close to is his freedom of association. Does Young Master Tang mean that men shouldn't be friends with women?"
Tang Si: "..."
He must be talking about a blockhead like Shi Ran when they say "talking to a cow playing a zither."
"Do you want me to make it clearer? Yuan Wei asked Gan Yulu, the boss's wife of Hong Fei Group, for a million yuan to treat his mother."
The boss's wife of Hong Fei Group was in her early thirties, well-maintained, and a stunningly beautiful, alluring, and cold woman in the business world.
Many young talents had offered her their advances, but she remained indifferent.
Incidentally, Tang Si had learned about this matter from his unreliable friends.
"How do you know it was a loan? Were you there when the boss's wife of Hong Fei Company gave Yuan Wei money?"
Shi Ran pushed Tang Si away, glancing at him angrily. "If you have that kind of time, you should manage your own fiancée."
She snorted haughtily, turned, pulled open the door, and walked out.
*Bang!*
The pantry door slammed shut, creating a gust of wind that lifted the bangs from Tang Si's forehead, clearly revealing the anger etched between his brows.
This damned woman.
He kicked a nearby chair in anger.
After leaving the pantry, Shi Ran didn't go to the restroom but walked towards the main hall.
Tang Si's words from earlier echoed in her mind. After some thought, she decided to proactively find Yuan Wei.
She didn't see Yuan Wei in the hall. Upon reaching the entrance, she spotted him leaning against a pillar, smoking alone.
"Are... are you okay?"
She asked with concern.
Upon seeing Shi Ran approach, Yuan Wei immediately stubbed out his cigarette, threw it into the trash can, and stood up straight. "I'm fine."
"Um... I... I heard you might have encountered some difficulties?"
"Ah?" Yuan Wei was taken aback, then seemed to realize something. He looked sideways into the distance and sighed. "It's nothing, it's just that my mother is sick. But she's already had surgery at the hospital and is undergoing rehabilitation."