Sweet Temptation! The Beauty in President Pei's Palm is Too Alluring

old friend?

Shu maintained a polite smile on her face, but in her heart, she had already made a mental note of the man beside her. She subtly pinched Pei Yanzhou's palm, but a brighter smile bloomed on her face as she looked at Wen Jiani:

"Really? But I've never heard my husband mention you, Miss Wen."

Wen Jiani didn't seem surprised by her reaction, and her smile deepened: "You're too kind, Huahua. Just call me Sister Jiani. I'm a few years older than you. Miss Wen, aren't you being too polite? We all know each other, there's no need to be so formal."

Before Wen Hua could say anything more, Pei Yanzhou suddenly spoke up.

He turned to Shu Hua and explained, "Wen Jiani, the young lady of the Wen family in southern Beijing, is... a friend I knew before."

The Wen family in southern Beijing?

Shu Hua quickly went through her mind—the Wen family in Jingnan? But she remembered that the Wen family only had one frail son who had died a few years ago. When did they gain another young lady? And she even entered the entertainment industry?

Wen Jiani took the initiative to explain, "It's about the painting, don't misunderstand. Yan Zhou was my brother's friend when he was alive, we just played together a lot when we were kids."

But the words "brother's good friend" and "we used to play together when we were little" were automatically translated into Shu Hua's ears as "childhood sweethearts".

Very good. Excellent.

Shu Hua's displeasure rose again, and she squeezed Pei Yanzhou's palm hard once more.

Pei Yanzhou remained expressionless, simply wrapping his hand completely around hers.

At this moment, Shen An, who had been silent all along, spoke up, breaking the somewhat awkward atmosphere: "What a coincidence, we all know each other. Since we've run into each other, why don't we go together?"

He looked at Shu Hua, his eyes gentle: "What do you think about painting?"

Could Shu Hua say no? She glanced at Pei Yanzhou beside her, whose expression was inscrutable, and then at Wen Jiani, who was smiling sweetly across from her. Her competitive spirit surged up.

Okay, let's eat together then. She wanted to see just how "old" this "old friend" really was!

"Okay, Brother Shen An." Shu Hua nodded. "It's more fun with more people."

Thus, what was originally a welcome banquet turned into a four-person gathering where everyone had their own agenda.

The atmosphere inside the private room was subtle.

The waiter brought out the dishes, and one exquisite dish after another filled the round table. But the four people at the table were clearly not focused on eating.

Shu Hua sat next to Pei Yanzhou, Shen An sat opposite her, and Wen Jiani sat next to Shen An—directly opposite Pei Yanzhou.

Shen An briefly mentioned that he and Wen Jiani met abroad, and that he had been Wen Jiani's attending physician, but the specifics of her condition were private and could not be disclosed. Shu Hua expressed her understanding and did not ask any further questions.

During the meal, Pei Yanzhou, as usual, took care of Shu Hua first. He picked up a piece of steamed fish, carefully removed the bones, and put it in her bowl: "Try this, it's very fresh." Seeing that there was some sauce on the corner of her mouth, he took a tissue and naturally wiped it off for her.

Shu Hua hummed in agreement and lowered her head to eat the fish.

Pei Yanzhou didn't say much throughout, and his gaze was mostly on Shu Hua. He only occasionally looked up to respond to a question or two about Shen An or Wen Jiani.

Shen An's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the chopsticks. He looked at the faint red hickey on Shu Hua's neck, half-hidden by her collar...

He knew all too well what that meant.

A mix of loss and resentment spread through his heart. The girl he had cherished for years, carefully protecting her from being disturbed, was now another man's wife, being so intimately cared for and possessed by another man.

Wen Jiani's fingertips, gripping the wine glass, were turning slightly white. She looked at Pei Yanzhou, the proud, aloof, and distant man she remembered.

But now it seems that all his patience and tenderness are reserved for the woman beside him.

When he served her food, wiped her mouth, and spoke to her softly, the coldness between his brows would unconsciously melt away. Yet, he wouldn't even spare her a glance.

Pei Yanzhou was not unaware of the gaze directed at him. He especially noticed the change in Shen An's expression the instant his gaze fell upon Shu Hua's neck.

They were both men, so he naturally knew what she was thinking. A hint of displeasure and a stronger possessiveness quietly rose within him, and his eyes turned cold.

His hand, which was under the table, gently rested on Shu Hua's waist, massaging it lightly. The gesture carried a hint of asserting dominance.

Then, he looked up at Shen An: "My wife told me that Mr. Shen recently returned to China. How is it? Is he adjusting well to life back home?"

He emphasized the words "my wife".

Shen An's expression remained unchanged. He put down his chopsticks, his face regaining its usual gentle composure: "It's alright. After all..." His gaze swept almost imperceptibly over Shu Hua, who was sipping her soup, "Hua Hua has also returned to Huacheng. With familiar faces around, she'll adapt faster."

That's a subtle way of putting it.

Pei Yanzhou and Wen Jiani both understood the implied meaning, but Shu Hua, the person directly involved, remained completely oblivious.

She nodded, echoing Shen An's words, "Indeed, Uncle Shen and Aunt Shen are both in Huacheng, as are Yu Chu, Ding Lun, and me. When you come back, Brother Shen An, at least you'll have a few friends to chat with, so you won't be too lonely."

She paused, then continued, "Besides, now that you're back, Yu Chu and I can help you find a sister-in-law, right? With such high standards, you probably couldn't find a suitable one abroad."

Upon hearing this, the coldness in Pei Yanzhou's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a hint of a smile: "Indeed. Hua'er knows many girls; perhaps she can really help Mr. Shen find a match. Mr. Shen is a handsome and talented man; he should consider settling down."

Shen An's expression froze for a moment.

Looking at Shu Hua's genuine concern for him, and then at Pei Yanzhou's obviously smug and smug expression, a bitter feeling welled up in his heart.

He forced a smile: "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Pei. However, I've always valued fate. Matters of the heart can't be rushed, and... you can't force them."

"That's natural," Pei Yanzhou picked up his glass and raised it towards Shen An. "Fate is predetermined. However... what I fear most is being destined to meet but not to be together. What do you think, Mr. Shen?"

There's a hidden meaning in his words.

Shen An understood. He was warning himself that no matter what happened in the past, Shu Hua was now Pei Yanzhou's wife, and they were the ones destined to be together. He, on the other hand, was just an old acquaintance with no official status.

He also raised his glass and clinked it against Pei Yanzhou's, his smile somewhat forced: "Mr. Pei is right."