"Mr. Lu." Lu Yanbei was walking back after coming out of the restroom when a sweet greeting came from behind him.
Lu Yanbei frowned slightly and looked back at the person.
"It really is you!" Seeing him stop, the woman couldn't help but show a delighted smile. She was dressed fashionably in a champagne-gold slip dress that accentuated her tall, slender figure and her well-endowed curves.
Beside her stood a man in a black suit, around forty years old, short and stocky, watching Lu Yanbei with a wary expression.
"Mr. Lu, I'm Rong Qiao." Seeing Lu Yanbei's indifferent expression, the woman fiddled with her earring and smiled even more softly. "We've collaborated with Lu Shi before."
As she spoke, she moved closer to Lu Yanbei.
Perhaps because there was an outsider present, the man beside her didn't dare to make any significant moves, only calling out to her with suppressed annoyance, "Miss Rong, we've been out too long, it's time to go back."
Lu Yanbei glanced lightly at the two of them and immediately understood the situation.
However, he didn't want to meddle. He nodded slightly at Rong Qiao and turned to leave.
Rong Qiao was surprised by Lu Yanbei's coldness and felt a pang of despair.
He clearly saw something was wrong, yet he refused to help.
He was truly cold-hearted and ruthless!
It seemed the rumors outside were true!
But she was in danger now, and Lu Yanbei was her only lifeline. If she missed this chance, she feared she would never escape.
Thinking of this, Rong Qiao mustered her courage, stepped forward, and grabbed Lu Yanbei's arm. "Mr. Lu, save me!"
Lu Yanbei frowned and flicked her hand away. "Miss Rong, please have some self-respect!"
"Mr. Lu, I've been set up... Please help me!" Rong Qiao ignored the fierce glare from the man behind her and pleaded urgently. "As long as you don't let me fall into someone else's hands, I'll do whatever you say!"
Unfortunately, Lu Yanbei wasn't swayed.
Hero saves the damsel was something he only did for Su He.
"Miss Rong can call the police," Lu Yanbei said coldly. "I apologize, I have other matters to attend to, so I cannot accompany you further."
Her falling into a trap was her own fault for being too vain. If she hadn't come here, she wouldn't have been manipulated.
Seeing that Lu Yanbei was wise enough to stay out of it, the man behind her suddenly smiled. "Miss Rong, what's the point? Since you're here, just come back with me obediently."
With that, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her towards the private room.
Rong Qiao was unwilling and struggled desperately to break free. "Mr. Lu, I was tricked into coming here... I didn't intend to sell myself for resources, truly!"
"You ungrateful woman, you refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!" Seeing her repeatedly resist, the man lost his last bit of patience and slapped her fiercely. "Don't think you can disrespect others just because you're famous! You're just an actress, what are you pretending to be so high and mighty for!"
Rong Qiao covered her reddened face, tears instantly welling up in her eyes.
She was already beautiful, and at this moment, with her eyes red and tears gathering, she looked truly captivating. Any ordinary man would have felt pity and wanted to embrace her. But Lu Yanbei was not a man of universal affection; no matter how pitifully Rong Qiao cried, he couldn't be bothered to look again.
"Sir, this is a public place." Lu Yanbei had intended to stay out of it, but the man's behavior was truly an eyesore. Especially since he hit a woman, showing no gentlemanly demeanor at all, Lu Yanbei felt compelled to say something.
Seeing Lu Yanbei's well-dressed appearance and imposing presence, the man seemed to restrain himself a bit. "My apologies, my subordinate was unruly, and I lost my temper out of frustration."
It turned out that this man was one of the directors of Rong Qiao's company. She had been tricked by her agent into attending this dinner for entertainment purposes.
Rong Qiao was heavily promoted by the company and had become a popular star, but maintaining her position in the fiercely competitive entertainment industry was not easy. Therefore, the company would organize such dinner parties from time to time to secure better resources for her.
However, obtaining certain things inevitably came with a price.
A beauty like Rong Qiao naturally attracted attention.
The man said, pulling the flushed Rong Qiao, and walked towards the depths of the corridor.
Lu Yanbei watched their retreating figures for a while, then took out his phone and made a call to the police.
That was all he could do.
Not long after they left, a man wearing a baseball cap and holding a camera emerged from the men's restroom. He looked at the images captured on his camera with great satisfaction, smiling broadly.
"What great luck today, to capture such big news!"
"Lu Corporation's Young Master Yan and a female star's secret affair! This headline will surely go viral!"
"Once it hits the trending list tomorrow, my bonus this month will definitely double!"
Looking at the image of Rong Qiao holding Lu Yanbei's arm in the camera, the man could already picture himself counting money in bed.
One was a wealthy young master, the other a popular star, how captivating!
"They say Young Master Yan is not interested in women, yet he's been rumored to be involved with Rong Qiao several times. Perhaps there is something between them." After muttering to himself for a while, the reporter, eager for more news, quietly followed them.
*
"Why did you take so long?" By the time Lu Yanbei returned to his seat, the dishes had all been served.
Lu Yanbei sat down and subtly changed the subject. "What do you want to eat? I'll get it for you."
"I want crab," Su He licked her lips, having craved it for a long time.
Lu Yanbei then put on gloves and began to help her shell the crab.
Jiang Xiaoxiao watched enviously from the side.
"A-Miao, I'm so jealous of you!"
Su He raised her eyebrows smugly. "You can ask my brother to help you too!"
"You're making fun of me again!" Jiang Xiaoxiao huffed and reached for the grilled lamb chops beside her.
The dinner ended with everyone in high spirits.
After the meal, Su He invited Jiang Xiaoxiao to her home, but she politely declined. "No, I have an interview soon."
"Oh? You're planning to return to B City to work?"
"Yes. I've been here for so many years, I've gotten used to it. Plus, with you as my best friend looking out for me, my future will surely be bright." Jiang Xiaoxiao said with a half-joking tone.
"What are you planning to do? The same as before?"
"Not necessarily, I'll just see what I can find."
The two women walked ahead hand in hand, with Lu Yanbei following behind with his hands in his pockets.
He, who had always been the center of attention, was experiencing a day of being ignored. Fortunately, after they left the restaurant, Jiang Xiaoxiao took a taxi and left. Su He was back in Lu Yanbei's embrace.
"Don't look back, get in the car quickly." Just as Su He was about to discuss with him whether they should go shopping nearby, Lu Yanbei suddenly grabbed her hand and said in a low voice.
"What's wrong?" Su He asked, confused.
"We're being followed." Lu Yanbei, keenly aware of someone behind them, immediately took Su He away.
Su He was startled.
Could it be those detestable paparazzi again?