The baby slapped me, and I said, "Sit on my lap and slap me."

"Mr. Song is overthinking it."

Wen Yu's voice was not loud, but it carried a resolute and cold tone.

"My father only cares about whether I can support the Wen family's future and achieve things befitting my status. As for my partner..."

Wen Yu turned his head and looked down at Su Qingyao’s slightly lowered hair. The frost in his eyes melted into firmness and tenderness when he turned to her.

He reached out and grasped her slightly cold fingers under the table, wrapping them tightly in his warm palm.

"The Wen family has never needed, nor has it ever deigned to, rely on so-called marriage alliances to maintain its status."

He looked at Song Yunyan again, his tone calm, yet carrying a heavy weight.

"My baby is the best, and no one else needs to worry about that."

Feeling the firm strength and warmth from the back of her hand, Su Qingyao's chill and inferiority complex were quickly dispelled.

She looked up at Wen Yu, a bittersweet yet warm feeling welling up inside her.

Song Yunyan's smile finally lost its perfect curve and became slightly stiff.

However, he quickly returned to normal, a hint of indifference flashing in his eyes.

Men, when they're deeply in love, always say things that sound better than they actually say.

Seeing that he seemed to want to say something more, Wen Yu narrowed his eyes, as if he had suddenly remembered something, and casually threw out a sentence.

"I heard that Mr. Song's company is currently vying for that project in the east of the city? My father mentioned it the other day, saying that there was a young man among the bidders who was very ambitious."

Song Yunyan's eyes narrowed.

The Wen family certainly had a significant influence on that project.

Wen Yu's words sounded like casual conversation, but they were clearly a cold, scathing rebuke.

He quickly adjusted his expression, maintaining a polite smile.

"It's just a small matter, please forgive me, Young Master Wen. Compared to the Wen family, it's nothing. In the future, I may have to rely on Young Master Wen's help in Beijing."

"It's not a matter of mentoring or guiding."

Wen Yu put down his water glass, the bottom of which made a slight but clear tapping sound as it touched the table.

He looked at Song Yunyan with indifferent eyes, his tone devoid of any emotion.

"Mr. Song is an old acquaintance of my baby, and naturally also my friend. It is only right for friends to look after each other."

The two men looked at each other, one with a gentle smile, the other indifferent and casual.

There seemed to be an invisible string slowly tightening in the air, yet it was enveloped by perfect social etiquette.

Su Qingyao vaguely sensed that the atmosphere was a bit strange, but since both of them were smiling and talking politely, she thought she was just overthinking it.

However, she could feel the tension in Wen Yu's body and felt a little worried.

She took his hand in her own and gently stroked the back of his hand with her fingertips.

Just as I was about to suggest going home, I caught a glimpse of a figure, radiating anger and speed, rushing towards me menacingly.

He stopped at their table, standing straight in front of Wen Yu.

The newcomer had a healthy bronze complexion, short, neat hair, a robust build, and an air of arrogance and unbridled confidence.

His eyes widened, and he pointed at Wen Yu's nose, beginning his accusation:

"You little rascal, Wen Yu! I've finally caught you!"

"I must have had the worst luck imaginable. First, you cornered me in an alley and beat me up, then you tricked and persuaded my old man to pack me up and send me to some high-altitude training camp! I spent a whole year eating sand and got sunburned to the point of peeling off several layers of skin! And you, on the other hand, are sitting here enjoying the air conditioning and beautiful women, living a life of leisure, huh?"

"I've been looking for you in Beijing for half a month, and I've finally caught you!"

He finished his rapid-fire tirade, his chest still heaving slightly with excitement.

Wen Yu lazily raised his eyes and met the face in front of him, which was several shades darker and full of resentment. Impatience and annoyance flashed in his eyes.

He didn't move, only uttering a few cold words from his thin lips, "Take your hand away, and try pointing at another one?"

Provoked by his attitude, Zhou Yibei became even more furious and wanted to continue his outburst.

His anger suddenly faltered when he saw the curious face that had been raised beside Wen Yu.

All the aggressive momentum froze instantly, shattering completely.

"...Su...Su Qingyao?"

Zhou Yibei's voice suddenly rose a pitch, then quickly dropped, filled with disbelief and astonishment; he even forgot to retract his fingers.

"You... what are you doing here?"

Su Qingyao was also stunned by this sudden change.

Staring at the boy in front of her, whose skin tone had drastically changed but whose facial features were still vaguely discernible, she studied him for several seconds before speaking hesitantly, "...Zhou Yibei?"

"Ah...ah! Yes, it's me!"

Zhou Yibei's face flushed red instantly, and his righteous indignation vanished without a trace.

He hurriedly withdrew his hand from Wen Yu, subconsciously scratched his extremely short hair, his eyes darted around, not daring to look directly at Su Qingyao, and his voice began to stammer.

"H-long time no see, Su... Su classmate."

This dramatic transformation caused the previously tense and stagnant air to fall into an eerie silence for a moment.

Wen Yu saw this and the anger that Song Yunyan had stirred up in his heart had not yet subsided; now it was added to the fire.

Compared to Song Yunyan's subtle probing, he was more wary of Zhou Yibei.

This impulsive and straightforward guy was someone who had truly crossed his line.

The love letter that Su Qingyao carefully handed him is still a thorn stuck in his heart.

Upon seeing Zhou Yibei appear, Wen Yu felt an uncontrollable surge of panic.

He released his grip on Su Qingyao's hand, stretched out his long arm, and pulled Su Qingyao directly into his embrace.

To assert sovereignty.

Su Qingyao's attention was drawn to Wen Yu's actions. She tilted her head slightly, a shy blush rising on her cheeks.

She patted his hand reassuringly before looking at Zhou Yibei again, "Yeah, long time no see."

Looking at the intimate atmosphere between the two, which was so close that no one could interfere, Zhou Yibei understood everything.

Recalling the humiliating beating Wen Yu gave him in the alley a year ago, and the image of his beloved girl nestled in his "enemy's" arms at this moment, his heart felt like a spice shop had been overturned, a mixture of bitterness, resentment, anger, and a vague sense of loss.

It is certainly a pity that I cannot be with Su Qingyao.

But seeing the goddess of his memories "go astray," he felt it was necessary to stand up and "set things right"!

"Su, classmate!"

Zhou Yibei straightened his back, trying to ignore Wen Yu's gaze that seemed to pierce through him, his tone carrying a sense of righteous indignation as if he were saying "it's for your own good."

"As an old classmate, I must remind you: you must keep your eyes open before you get involved with anyone!"

"Some people may look respectable, but they are actually eccentric, vindictive, capricious, and have serious violent tendencies! You wouldn't believe it, a year ago he—"