They surrounded me right after the breakup.

The gasps of the audience rose like a tide, spreading from the first row to the back.

The aunt of the Xiao family covered her mouth, the chopsticks in the hand of the Chamber of Commerce president stopped in mid-air, and Xiao Yuanshan's brows furrowed into a deep frown.

Flashes went off like crazy, and the shutters in the media area clicked incessantly. Some reporters even pushed their cameras to the edge of the stage.

Someone has already come up with the headline for tomorrow's headline.

"The daughter of the Xiao family gives a kiss on stage; the chairman of Xingyue Media is suspected of being in a new romance."

Liu Meng slumped into her seat.

She knew it; she knew something bad would happen.

Xiao Xiao has never been quiet since she was a child. Today, she was already doing an exceptional job by wearing a white dress and singing obediently on stage. But she still had to pull off a big stunt at the end.

Liu Meng instinctively went to find Lin Yaoyao and Qiu Siyao, already prepared to rush over and stop them.

But what she saw was completely different from what she had imagined.

Lin Yaoyao and Qiu Siyao stood at the side door, both of them pale-faced.

The burgundy dress made Lin Yaoyao's face look even whiter; she pursed her lips, her chest heaving violently.

Qiu Siyao stood beside her, holding her hand, but neither of them moved.

She didn't rush forward, didn't throw anything, and didn't cry or make a fuss.

I just stood there, looking at the stage.

Liu Meng then turned to look at Shen Qingning.

Shen Qingning's expression was calm, and there was even a faint smile on her lips.

On the contrary, Xia Yutong next to her was as tense as a string, her shoulders hunched and her hands clenched into fists on her knees.

But Shen Qingning placed her hand on the back of Xia Yutong's hand and pressed it gently.

It's less that Xia Yutong was holding Shen Qingning down and more that Shen Qingning was pulling Xia Yutong.

Liu Meng was stunned.

What's going on?

The two people who should have been blown up didn't, while the person who should have remained calm looked like he was about to rush in at any moment.

Lin Yaoyao and Qiu Siyao held back, which she could understand. After all, there were reporters and members of the Xiao family present, and it would be unsightly if things got out of hand.

But what's wrong with Shen Qingning? When did she become so tolerant?

Liu's dream was incomprehensible.

Lin Yaoyao took a deep breath at the side door.

She watched as Xiao Xiao kissed Jiang Han on stage, watched Xiao Xiao bow with Jiang Han's hand in hand, and watched Xiao Xiao smile sweetly as if nothing had happened.

"Let's go," Lin Yaoyao said softly to Qiu Siyao.

"Sister Yaoyao, Xiao Xiao just kissed Jiang Han right in front of us, and we're just going to leave like this?"

"Yes! Let's go!"

Lin Yaoyao was startled by the decision she had made subconsciously.

Her first thought was that if a dispute broke out, it would have a negative impact, be detrimental to Jianghan, and even bring negative public opinion to Xingyue Media.

Lin Yaoyao's traditional values ​​were deeply ingrained and reflected in every aspect of her life, without her even realizing it.

Qiu Siyao stared at the back of the woman in the white dress on the stage for several seconds before she disappeared at the end of the corridor, as if she had never been there.

On stage, Xiao Xiao finished singing the last line.

She turned to face the audience and bowed.

Her skirt shimmered under the spotlight, but her face was hidden in shadow, making her expression impossible to discern.

"This song is for everyone."

After saying that, Xiao Xiao turned around, took Jiang Han's hand, and walked off the stage.

Her high heels clicked firmly on the steps, each step steady, her palms sweaty and clinging damply to Jiang Han's hands.

The two people went through the curtain on the side stage and entered the backstage dressing room.

The moment the door closed, the noise outside was cut off, leaving only the hum of the air conditioner.

Xiao Xiao released Jiang Han's hand, lowered her head and leaned against the wall, her chest heaving.

"You're crazy!" Jiang Han said.

Xiao Xiao didn't look up: "I know."

"You know that, yet you still kiss her?"

"I'm so angry!"

Xiao Xiao's ear tips turned bright red, and her eyelashes trembled with the rise and fall of her body.

"Lin Yaoyao and Qiu Siyao dressed like that at my event, who doesn't know what they're up to?"

Xiao Xiao raised her head, her eyes red and misty.

"They're here to assert their dominance! This is my hotel, this is my territory, why should they get to do whatever they want?"

Xiao Xiao continued, her voice growing louder: "Why should I have to put up with their attitude in my own home?"

After saying that, she paused for a moment, then turned her head away and remained silent.

The lounge was quiet for a few seconds.

Jiang Han took a tissue from the table and handed it to him.

"Have they left?" Xiao Xiao asked.

"They're gone, I saw them."

Xiao Xiao hummed in agreement and threw the crumpled tissue into the trash can.

A knock sounded on the door, and Xiao Yuanshan's voice came from outside.

"Xiaoxiao, come out!"

Xiao Xiao sighed, straightened her wrinkled skirt, and opened the door.

Xiao Yuanshan stood at the door, his expression not good.

He glanced at Xiao Xiao, then at Jiang Han.

"Come out and eat."

Xiao Xiao obediently followed them out, with Jiang Han walking behind.

Inside the banquet hall, the rhythm had returned to normal.

Waiters carried dishes and moved between tables, while guests ate and drank as if nothing had happened on stage.

Everyone remembers it, but no one mentions it to Xiao Yuanshan's face.

Xiao Yuanshan led Xiao Xiao and Jiang Han to the main table and sat them down.

The main table was occupied by key figures of the Xiao family and several distinguished guests, including Xiao Yuanshan's elder brother Xiao Yuanlin, several veterans of the Xiao Group, and the president of the Jingzhou Chamber of Commerce.

There was also an elderly woman with gray hair, Xiao Xiao's grandmother.

The old lady is over eighty years old and her eyesight isn't very good, but her hearing is sharp.

She turned to her daughter-in-law beside her and asked, "What happened on stage just now? I heard a noise."

The daughter-in-law leaned over and whispered a few words.

Xiao Yuanshan sat down, picked up his wine glass, and said to the people at the table, "Eat, the food is getting cold."

Xiao Yuanshan's older brother, Xiao Yuanlin, picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and slowly asked, "Yuanshan, how old is Xiaoxiao this year?"

"24".

"24...that's not young anymore." Xiao Yuanlin chewed his food. "It's time to think about it."

Everyone present understood that the Xiao family had been doing business in Jingzhou for decades, with hotels, restaurants, and commercial real estate—a very large operation.

In their early years, Xiao Yuanshan and his brothers started from a street stall and gradually built their business to its current state.

The daughters of the Xiao family are not marrying a man, but a member of the family's prestige.

The scene where Xiao Xiao kissed Jiang Han on stage today will definitely be on the news tomorrow.

Xiao Xiao sat next to Xiao Yuanshan, head down, eating her rice, pretending not to hear her uncle's words.

Jiang Han sat next to Xiao Xiao, also engrossed in his meal, as if the topic of discussion at the table had nothing to do with him.

The president of the chamber of commerce raised his glass and toasted Jiang Han from a distance.

"President Jiang, Xingyue Media is really on a roll lately! My daughter plays Mao Buyi's songs every day at home."

"Thank you!" Jiang Han raised his glass in thanks.

"I heard you also invested in an animated film?" the chairman asked again.

"Yes, it's a new drama. Please support it when it airs."

The conversation ended, and the table fell silent again, with only the clinking of bowls and chopsticks remaining.

Xiao Xiao ate a few bites, put down her chopsticks, said goodbye to her grandmother, and turned to leave.

The white skirt swayed a few times in the crowd before disappearing around the corner of the corridor.

Xiao Yuanshan turned to look at Jiang Han: "Mr. Jiang, I'm sorry you had to see what happened today."

"It's nothing."