Yan Xia came from the lounge to the hall. Lu Qianzhou was waiting for her outside. As soon as she came out, he noticed her red - rimmed eyes at first sight.
"Have you been crying?" Lu Qianzhou frowned.
Yan Xia was startled for a moment. Seeing him, she immediately composed herself and shook her head.
Just then, Fang Jiangyi also came out. His eyes fell on Yan Xia. After exchanging glances with Lu Qianzhou for a moment, Lu Qianzhou provocatively put his arm around Yan Xia and pulled her close, with their temples almost touching. His eyes, however, were fixed on Fang Jiangyi.
"Have you cleared everything up and cut all ties?" Lu Qianzhou asked.
Yan Xia was taken aback. This was the first time Lu Qianzhou had made such an intimate gesture towards her in front of outsiders since he had fallen out with the Lu family and the Third Master Lu. She felt a bit uneasy, afraid that others might make unfounded speculations. She struggled a bit but couldn't break free.
It wasn't until Fang Jiangyi shifted his gaze and strode towards Wang Keding, presumably to discuss their plan, that Lu Qianzhou loosened his grip.
"I've cleared things up..." Yan Xia finally broke free. "Third Brother, the matter between you and Fang Jiangyi must be more complicated than I thought. What's your plan today exactly?"
After what had just happened, she was more aware that Lu Qianzhou wasn't doing all this for her, nor was it simply for some business empire. If what Fang Jiangyi said was true, the situation today might be more serious than she had imagined.
"What do you think I called you here for today?" Lu Qianzhou still had a smile on his face. His eyes were looking in the direction of Wang Keding and Fang Jiangyi. "I called you here to witness this moment. There's nothing more satisfying than avenging oneself on one's enemy."
Yan Xia wanted to say something else, but Lu Qianzhou's attitude clearly told her that she shouldn't ask any more questions.
Fang Jiangyi and Wang Keding were whispering to each other. Suddenly, a girl in a light - yellow long dress walked over and eagerly called out, "Brother Jiangyi."
Fang Jiangyi turned around and saw Peng Shiyi standing behind him with a dejected look on her face. "Brother Jiangyi, have you looked into what I told you? I still haven't been able to contact Assistant Yang. There must be something wrong with Lu Sheng. You have to believe me..."
Seeing that Fang Jiangyi didn't respond immediately, she added, "And just now, Lu Qianzhou and her were so bold, whispering to each other in public. They didn't even put you in their eyes! They're in the same boat. They're not good people."
Fang Jiangyi said indifferently, "I know everything. You don't have to worry about me."
Peng Shiyi's eyes gradually widened. "You know? Have you already confirmed that Lu Sheng is actually Cheng Yanxia? When did you find out?"
Hearing Fang Jiangyi's words, she was overjoyed. Had Fang Jiangyi finally seen Lu Sheng's true colors? If so, all her efforts and perseverance were worth it.
Fang Jiangyi had no time to explain to her. He just said, "Shiyi, listen to me. The situation is very dangerous now. I have something very important to do. We'll talk about everything later."
Peng Shiyi was intimidated by his serious tone and nodded repeatedly, not daring to bother him anymore.
She looked back at Yan Xia and couldn't help sneering. She had finally waited for this day. Once Fang Jiangyi saw Lu Sheng's true face, her chance would come back.
She knew that a two - faced person like Lu Sheng wouldn't last long.
However, Fang Jiangyi had just said that the situation was very dangerous. He must have been set up by Lu Sheng and Lu Qianzhou. She couldn't just sit back and do nothing. She had to do something for him.
Maybe Fang Jiangyi still had some feelings for Lu Sheng and was reluctant to take direct action against her, but she dared.
There was no need to show mercy to such a shameless woman.
She walked straight to a corner and made a phone call.
"Reporter Li, I have a big scoop. It'll definitely make your report the headline. Do you want it?"
Not knowing what the other person said, Peng Shiyi looked around, covered the phone receiver with her hand, and said again.
"Now listen carefully to every word I say..."
The hall was still bustling with activity. Finally, Lu Qianzhou led Yan Xia to Wang Keding. The area around them was crowded with people. The people attending the birthday banquet tonight were from diverse backgrounds. People from both the political and business circles had come out of respect.
Although the occasion was grand, the overall atmosphere was simple. The venue wasn't very large, and only a small banquet was held.
Someone joked, "It's really rare to see President Lu and Miss Lu together. I've heard before that you two have a close relationship. President Lu is truly a sister - loving man. Now I know that the rumors are not unfounded."
Yan Xia looked at the group of people in front of her indifferently. These middle - aged men of similar age were mostly big shots in the political arena. Although she couldn't tell who was who or what positions they held, she knew that these people couldn't be easily offended.
Lu Qianzhou smiled faintly. "After all, she's my own sister. I should protect her."
The middle - aged man laughed heartily and didn't pursue the topic further.
It seemed that ever since Yan Xia came over, Fang Jiangyi's cold gaze had been fixed on her without leaving. Yan Xia kept her head down and pretended not to notice. Lu Qianzhou quietly stood in front of Yan Xia, blocking Fang Jiangyi's sight.
He even said to Fang Jiangyi, "President Fang, remember there's an overseas cooperation project recently. Send me a copy of Shengshi's overseas project bidding form after you get back. There's a project in Brunei that Shengshi can participate in. I believe it'll be more pleasant for old friends to cooperate."
Fang Jiangyi frowned and looked at him but didn't respond.
The scene still seemed peaceful. Soon, someone announced that everyone should take their seats.
Just as Yan Xia was about to find a seat, Lu Qianzhou grabbed her wrist. She turned back and looked at him with a questioning look in her eyes.
Lu Qianzhou glanced in the direction of the door and curled his lips into an evil smile. "The show is about to start."
Before she could figure out what he meant, there was a sudden commotion at the door.
At the door, a group of public servants in uniforms strode in. They passed by Yan Xia and went straight to Wang Keding. The leader even saluted him respectfully and then showed his work ID to Wang Keding.
"Director Wang, sorry to bother you. We're acting on orders. Someone has come forward with evidence accusing you of corruption and using your position for personal gain. Please come with us for an investigation."
Such an incident at the birthday banquet immediately caused an uproar. People were whispering to each other.
Fang Jiangyi's face looked very ugly. He glanced at Lu Qianzhou. He hadn't expected that Lu Qianzhou would actually do this!
Someone nearby spoke up for Wang Keding.
"Are you guys making a mistake? Director Wang has been honest and upright for many years. I've never heard of any corruption on his part. If you arrest him in public like this today, it'll do great harm to his reputation..."
"We wouldn't arrest someone without evidence." The other person didn't even bother to waste any more words and politely stepped aside, gesturing with his hand. "Director Wang, please."