Xiao Yanzhi squinted his eyes. The coldness on his face made Xue An shiver, and he silently moved the drink back in front of himself.
He still went over to ask Xiaohuabao. Xiaohuabao was stunned for two seconds first, then smiled sweetly. "Maybe it's because they added lemon juice. But isn't love just like this, sour and sweet?"
Xue An: …
He didn't want to argue with her too much, so he had no choice but to slink back to his chair.
He didn't dare to repeat what Xiaohuabao had said to Xiao Yanzhi. He just stiffly explained, "Maybe they added too much lemon juice. It's a bit sour."
Xiao Yanzhi lifted his chin slightly, not caring.
He didn't come here to do market research for "Horizon". He wasn't interested in what was added to their drinks.
What he was interested in was the woman sitting diagonally across from him.
It was Jiang Li.
"First of all, I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to you," Chen Siqi said with a faint smile. Looking into the eyes of the person sitting across from her, she spoke in a gentle tone. "I didn't handle the public - welfare activity properly last time. I hurt your feelings."
"It's all in the past," Jiang Li replied casually, with the smile on her face still intact. "What I want to talk to you about now, Mr. Chen, is this current scandal."
Her tone was actually quite cold.
But Jiang Li also knew very well that there were many eyes watching them around. If her expression fell or she showed any signs of unhappiness, tomorrow's scandal would take a complete 180 - degree turn.
So even though her words were very aloof, she still had to keep smiling.
Chen Siqi understood what she meant and nodded with a soft laugh. "Sure enough, the future movie queen. Your emotional and facial management is really on point."
Jiang Li's fingers rubbed against the wall of the teacup and she pushed it forward. "Mr. Chen, I think we should come up with a way to end this baseless 'old relationship'."
To put it simply, they needed to have a decent and peaceful "break - up" and give the public a reasonable explanation.
It was quite sad to think about.
As a celebrity, she didn't even have the freedom in her own love life.
…
For as long as the two of them "chatted merrily", Xiao Yanzhi had been secretly listening.
Some of the content in the middle was deliberately whispered, so he actually didn't know what they were talking about.
He didn't know what agreement they had reached, but finally, Jiang Li showed a relieved smile on her face.
Her smile was very bright, shining straight into people's hearts.
The two of them got up at the same time very tacitly and walked out of "Horizon" side by side under everyone's noses.
The moment they opened the door, the pair of magpie wind chimes at the door collided again, jingling non - stop.
"Mr. Xiao, what shall we do next?" Xue An took a big gulp of his drink, looking very furtive. "Shall we follow them?"
If someone didn't know better, they'd think he was filming a spy movie.
Xiao Yanzhi got up and rushed out of the restaurant. His steps were very fast, as if he was afraid of losing them.
Standing on the street steps outside the restaurant, Jiang Li politely said goodbye to Chen Siqi.
The two of them were like a couple who had just finished a date. In order not to cross any more boundaries, they just politely kept it at that.
"See you next time."
"See you next time."
Jiang Li watched as Chen Siqi's car drove away. She gradually withdrew her gaze, walked into a less - crowded alley, and lowered her head, ready to call her assistant to pick her up.
"Jiang Li, turn around," a calm voice of a man sounded from behind. It made her pupils shrink suddenly, and then she slowly turned around.
Jiang Li glanced at the man. He was standing upright, one hand in his overcoat pocket and the other holding a cigarette. His gaze was calmly falling on her.
His expression was hard to read.
He had a gentle and reserved appearance, and his expression at the moment was even more unfathomably deep.
Seemingly not expecting to meet Xiao Yanzhi here, Jiang Li seemed to be frozen in place. Her fingers grabbed at the cuffs of her sleeves, but she quickly regained her calm.
"What a coincidence, Mr. Xiao. Are you here on a date too?" Her voice was natural, in a friendly tone.
"Not a coincidence. I've been waiting for your date to end," Xiao Yanzhi held back his irritation. His voice was steady. There was no obvious emotion in his tone, but it was very oppressive. "How's it going?"
The conversation between the two of them was very concise, but there was an indescribable meaning in it.
It was as if he had caught evidence of her cheating.
Jiang Li quickly replied, "It'll be soon. We'll probably announce the break - up next month. Please rest assured, Mr. Xiao."
She subtly hinted to Xiao Yanzhi that her meeting with Chen Siqi was just to resolve this scandal.
Xiao Yanzhi's eyes were dark. He walked up to her step by step.
Jiang Li was dressed very pure and innocent today. She was wearing a beige belted overcoat, paired with a khaki pencil skirt. Her calves were exposed, and she was wearing a pair of very cute sheepskin ankle boots.
At first glance, she looked like a student who had just graduated not long ago, out on a date.
Her eyes were pure and delicate, like a deer that didn't understand the ways of the world, staring intently at him.
"Do we have to wait that long?"
There was impatience in his words.
Jiang Li was stunned for a moment and lowered her head, whispering, "I don't want it to take this long either, but the public needs time to digest it, and I also need to maintain my image."
If it weren't for Xiao Yanzhi going back on his word, she wouldn't have to expend so much energy to protect her reputation.
She blamed him in her heart, but she didn't say it out loud.
"So, you plan to keep this so - called relationship with Chen Siqi for the next two months?"
His words were low. His breathing gradually became short. The darkness in his eyes deepened. He stepped forward and picked her up horizontally. "Jiang Li, I won't allow it."
I won't allow you to be in a relationship with another man.
Even if it's fake, it's not allowed.
Suddenly being lifted off the ground, her heart tightened. She subconsciously opened her mouth to refute, "Wasn't it you who deliberately…"
Before she could finish her sentence, the man's face got closer, about to kiss her lips.
Jiang Li couldn't escape. She felt something was wrong. She pushed against Xiao Yanzhi's chest with her palm while trying to get away. "Mr. Xiao, it's not safe here. There might be paparazzi…"
"It doesn't matter," Xiao Yanzhi tugged at his tie. The momentary jealousy and irritation had washed away all his rationality.
To hell with the paparazzi, to hell with the scandal, to hell with being seen!
"Didn't you say before that even if there was a scandal, it should be with me," Xiao Yanzhi's eyebrows were deeply furrowed. His voice was hoarse. He leaned in and kissed the corner of her lips.
"Let them take pictures."
Jiang Li raised her hand to block his face, but the man didn't care at all. Instead, he kissed her palm.
The heat from her palm made Jiang Li feel itchy. She couldn't help but laugh out loud. Her clear laughter made the man very happy.
"Let's talk about it when we get back, okay?" Jiang Li closed her eyes tightly, speaking in an almost pleading tone.
She didn't want the news that "one second she was on a romantic date with Mr. Chen, and the next second she was passionately kissing Mr. Xiao in an alley" to break out.
Then she really wouldn't be able to clear her name.
"Okay, let's talk about it when we get back."