You got your marriage certificate and then abandoned me? I'll feed the richest woman in the wor

The thick, yellowish-brown phlegm evaporated rapidly on the scalding asphalt.

It left behind a foul-smelling white spot.

Lin Qinghan buried her head in her knees, her fingernails digging into the rotting flesh on her legs.

The surrounding laughter sounded like rusty saws.

It was cutting away at her last remaining, crumbling dignity.

The lens blurred in the blinding sunlight.

a few days later.

In the high seas of Jianghai City, a luxury cruise ship costing hundreds of millions of yuan sails through the night.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy smell, dispersed the cigar smoke on the deck.

Inside the Starry Night Banquet Hall on the top deck of the cruise ship.

The melodious sound of a violin flowed through the air.

Tonight is the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce's once-every-five-years-old top-tier tycoon networking dinner.

The people standing here must hold assets worth at least tens of billions.

Shen Wanzhou was wearing a fitted black velvet dress.

She was not wearing a veil.

On her fair neck, a miniature silver chef's knife pendant gleamed softly under the light.

She clasped her hands together in front of her.

The knuckles turned a faint bluish-white from the exertion.

In this crowded place, surrounded by unfamiliar gazes.

For her, it was like being thrown into the deep sea where there was no oxygen.

Every gaze directed at her made her feel breathless.

If it had been two weeks ago, she would have fainted the moment she stepped into the venue.

But today.

She forcefully resisted the urge to run away.

Because Chen Yuan was standing half a step behind her.

The man was wearing a well-tailored, dark-patterned bespoke suit.

His broad shoulders were like an invisible city wall.

It kept all those sticky gazes that tried to get closer at a safe distance.

The clean, cool scent of soap mingled with the smell of the sea breeze.

It became Shen Wanzhou's only lifeline in this unfamiliar environment.

"Don't be nervous, I'm here."

Chen Yuan's deep voice came from behind my ear.

His large hand gently protected her waist.

Through the velvet fabric, a warm sensation spread along my spine.

Shen Wanzhou's shoulders relaxed slightly, and she nodded almost imperceptibly.

The banquet then entered its core phase.

A snow-white lace tablecloth covered the long Western-style dining table.

The various financial tycoons took their seats according to their assigned seating order.

As the head of Jianghai City's top conglomerate, Shen Wanzhou was naturally seated in the guest of honor position.

The one sitting opposite her.

He was a fat old man in his fifties with thinning hair.

This man's name is Liu Furong.

The Shen family's arch-rival when they first expanded their catering business overseas.

In recent years, Liu Furong has been doing very well in Europe, earning a Michelin three-star rating.

This trip back to China is clearly to seize the Shen family's territory.

Waiters pushed food carts, bringing one exquisite dish after another to the table.

A complex aroma of spices filled the air.

When the last main course was served to Shen Wanzhou.

The surrounding chatter immediately subsided.

The silver insulated lid was gently lifted by the waiter.

A chill, carrying a strong fishy smell and a pungent sour odor, rushed towards me.

In the center of the white porcelain plate, there was a piece of raw, blue fish.

The meat was surrounded by a strange greenish-brown sauce.

The surface is also covered with a semi-transparent white film.

It looks like some kind of uncleaned specimen.

It makes people lose their appetite and even causes acid reflux.

"Chairman Shen, this dish was specially prepared for you by my head chef."

Liu Furong leaned back in his chair.

He was toying with a pure silver goblet in his hand.

A calculating glint flashed in his eyes.

"I heard that Chairman Shen has been ill for half a year and has been staying at the manor, eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures, and not seeing any outsiders."

"This 'Bluefin Cold Grill' is an ancient recipe passed down from the French royal family in the 17th century."

"The preparation of ingredients is extremely meticulous, and the way they are eaten is even more particular."

"If you don't know how to cut it, you'll be wasting this top-quality stuff."

These words were, on the surface, merely polite formalities.

Secretly, they were mocking Shen Wanzhou for being an uncultured country bumpkin.

They deliberately used this obscure and bizarre dish to humiliate the Shen family.

The surrounding executives were all watching the show.

Everyone knew that Liu Furong was trying to intimidate the Shen family.

As long as Shen Wanzhou shows any weakness when it comes to this dish.

Tomorrow, the stock price of the Shen family conglomerate will fluctuate due to the incompetence of its leader.

Shen Wanzhou looked at the plate of cold meat in front of her, which smelled fishy.

His brows furrowed slightly.

She had studied Western dining etiquette.

But this deliberately difficult, obscure, and traditional dish was indeed beyond her comprehension.

That thin white film didn't look like something edible.

If you cut in the wrong place, or can't cut it open.

In this gathering of celebrities, it wasn't just her who lost face.

It also reflects on the dignity of the entire Shen family.

Cold sweat trickled down her fair forehead.

Their hands were tightly clasped together under the table.

His breathing gradually became short and rapid.

That suffocating feeling of being watched by everyone, waiting to see you make a fool of yourself.

It flooded into my nasal cavity again, like a tidal wave.

Liu Furong watched as Shen Wanzhou hesitated to use her knife.

The mockery at the corner of his mouth became increasingly obvious.

He picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth.

"What's wrong, Chairman Shen? Is it because the food isn't to your liking?"

"Or is it that the Shen family's current standards aren't even high enough to warrant a dish made using traditional methods?"

The harsh sarcasm echoed through the quiet banquet hall.

Shen Wanzhou bit her lower lip, leaving a white mark.

She reached out to take the sterling silver knife and fork from the table.

My fingertips just touched the cold metal handle.

A large, well-defined hand reached out from behind.

He firmly pressed down on the back of her hand.

Chen Yuan's palm was warm and firm.

It instantly dispelled the chill from her fingertips.

He didn't speak.

He simply swept his cold, icy black eyes over Liu Furong opposite him.

The temperature in the air seemed to drop several degrees in that instant.

Chen Yuan withdrew his hand.

The fingers, with their distinct knuckles, drew an elegant arc in mid-air.

He coldly put down the glass of champagne he was holding.

The bottom of the glass hit the marble table with a dull, crisp sound.

The crisp sound was like a heavy hammer striking in the quiet banquet hall.

Liu Furong's eyelids twitched, but he relied on his status in the catering industry.

They didn't take Chen Yuan, who was dressed like a special assistant, seriously at all.

The restaurant tycoon proudly raised his knife and fork: "Mr. Shen, this is bluefin char salsa, a dish even the French royal family might not be able to enjoy. You don't even know how to eat it, do you?"