Hearing the familiar voice, Shen Nanzhi turned around in confusion.
Not far away, Lu Xiangyang sat in a wheelchair. His gaze was cold and dark, his entire aura so powerful that no one dared to look directly at him.
When their eyes met, Shen Nanzhi could clearly feel his anger.
A furious anger.
The kind of anger as if she had cheated on him.
But he shouldn’t be like this!
This marriage was forced by her. Lu Xiangyang didn’t even like her—why would he be angry?
It must be his physical condition affecting his mentality, making him emotionally twisted.
Forget it. She wouldn’t argue with him. Besides, they were eating here with his money anyway—she should just endure it.
Shen Nanzhi suppressed her discomfort and forced a smile.
“Xiangyang, what a coincidence. You’re here to eat too?”
This scene, in Lu Xiangyang’s eyes, was especially painful.
His gaze bypassed Shen Nanzhi and landed directly on Zhou Wenxuan behind her, a flash of killing intent in his eyes.
Zhou Wenxuan shivered.
He felt like prey being stared at by a beast.
He quickly moved closer to Shen Nanzhi and said nervously, “Your friend is so scary…”
Shen Nanzhi could feel Lu Xiangyang’s anger, which was about to explode.
Without hesitation, she used her arm to push Zhou Wenxuan slightly away from her.
“Stay away. He’s my husband. If you don’t want to die, don’t provoke him.”
Then she stepped forward and came in front of Lu Xiangyang.
She crouched down, placed her hand on his long legs, and gently massaged them.
Her voice was soft, almost dripping with warmth:
“Xiangyang, don’t misunderstand. He’s just my friend.”
But her explanation didn’t ease his expression at all. His voice was icy and sharp.
“How did I not know… besides Jiang Feng, you had another… male friend?”
He bit hard on the last two words, as if forcing them out through his teeth.
Shen Nanzhi knew he was truly angry.
Very, very angry.
But right now, she still needed Zhou Wenxuan’s help. She couldn’t let things fall apart at this critical moment.
“Xiangyang, his name is Zhou Wenxuan. He’s a Chinese-Australian returnee. He once collapsed from heatstroke after returning to the country, and I took him to the hospital. When he came back to do business, the first person he thought of was me.
Now I’m working under him and preparing to sell electrical appliances at the supply and marketing cooperative. I’m very grateful to him. We just finished negotiating with Director Huang, so I invited him here for a meal.”
She spoke in one breath without pausing, as if that would make it more believable.
Lu Xiangyang stared at her for a long time, his gaze falling on her hands massaging his legs.
The movement was gentle, as if she was afraid of hurting him.
His legs had long lost sensation, yet her seriousness strangely calmed his anger.
Shen Nanzhi felt uncomfortable under his gaze and looked up.
“Don’t you believe me?”
“I believe you.”
Lu Xiangyang answered without hesitation.
He reached out, gently grasped her wrist, and said softly, “Alright, stand up.”
Shen Nanzhi slowly stood.
Because she had squatted too long and was wearing thin heels, her legs were numb.
She lost balance instantly.
“Ah!”
She cried out, flailing her arms instinctively.
Both Wang Dashan and Zhou Wenxuan rushed forward to help.
But Lu Xiangyang was faster.
His strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his lap.
She ended up sitting directly on his thighs, the posture intimate and ambiguous.
Through the thin fabric, she could feel the warmth of his body.
They were so close that they could clearly hear each other’s heartbeat and breathing.
His hot breath brushed against her ear and neck.
Her ears turned red as she struggled to get up, but his arm held her firmly in place.
Frowning slightly, she looked up at his handsome face.
Just as she was about to speak, she saw the corner of his lips curl into a provocative smile as he glanced at Zhou Wenxuan.
Understanding his jealousy, she couldn’t help but smile helplessly.
She leaned close to his ear and whispered, only the two of them could hear:
“Jealous?”
Lu Xiangyang’s body trembled.
His eyes dropped to her lips, so close he could almost touch them.
Almost instinctively, he nodded… then quickly shook his head, trying to hide his embarrassment.
Shen Nanzhi laughed softly.
Her man was actually kind of cute.
Lu Xiangyang felt even more embarrassed and lowered his head, not daring to meet her eyes.
She was amused by his reaction and leaned closer again.
His body stiffened completely.
He thought she was going to kiss him—his heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
But at the last moment, she straightened up, removed his hand from her waist, and quickly stood up.
Zhou Wenxuan’s voice came from behind.
“Nanzhi, the dishes are ready. Let’s eat.”
“Okay.”
She smiled brightly as she answered.
That smile stabbed into Lu Xiangyang’s eyes like a needle, piercing straight into his heart.
She seemed to notice his reaction and turned back.
Their eyes met.
His gaze was dark, full of grievance and unwillingness, as if asking:
Why are you treating me like this?
Her heart softened for a moment—almost wanting to comfort him.
But thinking of business, she hardened her resolve.
“After lunch, come with me,” Lu Xiangyang suddenly said.
His voice carried expectation.
“No.”
Shen Nanzhi refused immediately.
“I still have to arrange goods. Boss Zhou wants to open the shop tomorrow morning.”
Before she finished, she saw his brows furrow tightly, almost killing a fly.
Sighing, she stepped closer to explain.
“Xiangyang, don’t misunderstand. I really have things to do.”
But he said nothing, only gave her a deep, unreadable look.
Panicking slightly, Shen Nanzhi made a sudden decision.
She leaned toward his face.
As if she was going to kiss him…
But instead, her lips landed briefly on his cheek.
Then she pulled away immediately.
“You…”
Lu Xiangyang stared at her back in shock, unable to speak for a long time.
He touched the place she kissed.
Warm.
Soft.
A faint trace of her scent still lingered.
A tingling sensation spread through his heart.
Something seemed to have been ignited.
Unclear, indescribable—but unsettling, almost unbearable.
His expression turned complex and deep, then quickly returned to calm and cold.
He said to the person behind him:
“Dashan, add two more dishes for Nanzhi. Put it on my account.”
“Yes!”
Wang Dashan stood at attention like a soldier, but inwardly complained:
Boss really changes faces too fast—just now he looked like a wronged little wife, now he’s back to being the hell king again.
At the same time, inside the private room, the atmosphere turned subtle.
Zhou Wenxuan looked at the woman across from him with deep eyes.
“Shen Nanzhi, you’re so beautiful—why did you marry a man in a wheelchair? What can he even give you?”
His tone carried dissatisfaction and doubt.