Shen Xiying’s voice carried a hint of tears.
It made one’s heart tremble.
Shang Ruzhou’s gaze paused for two seconds before he walked over and crouched in front of her.
He tucked the stray strands of hair beside her face behind her ear.
His movement was sudden—so sudden that Shen Xiying was caught completely off guard.
His presence enveloped her in an instant.
Her heartbeat seemed to skip a beat.
It wasn’t until his fingertips brushed lightly across her cheek, sending a tingling, burning sensation through her, that Shen Xiying snapped back to reality.
She blinked and looked up.
She could see Shang Ruzhou’s gaze resting on her.
His expression remained as indifferent as ever, yet his sharp features had become remarkably gentle.
“Weren’t you throwing a tantrum, saying you didn’t want to come with me?”
Shang Ruzhou’s voice was calm and low, yet loud enough for everyone in the banquet hall to hear.
“How did you end up like this?”
As he spoke, his voice carried a faint hint of amusement.
Then, he lightly tapped her on the head.
His manner seemed somewhat helpless, yet extraordinarily doting.
But only Shen Xiying saw the look in his eyes—devoid of any trace of emotion.
Shen Xiying moved her stiff fingers, pursed her lips, and followed along with his words: “I didn’t know Miss Lin would dislike me this much.”
“If I’d known Miss Lin disliked me this much, I wouldn’t have come…”
Shen Xiying’s voice gradually faded as she spoke, her tone laced with grievance.
Lin Muyi beside her was trembling with rage.
She wanted to retort, but her slapped cheek still throbbed with a burning pain.
She didn’t dare speak, forcing herself to suppress the fury within.
The onlookers, seeing the situation, mostly understood what was going on.
They had all assumed Shen Xiying and Shang Ruzhou’s marriage was loveless.
After all, Shen Xiying had come to the birthday banquet alone today—Shang Ruzhou hadn’t accompanied her.
But now, it turned out that Shang Ruzhou hadn’t brought her because Shen Xiying had been throwing a tantrum.
Judging by the look of things, the two were especially affectionate with each other.
Only after grasping the current situation did the crowd dare to speak up.
“Hey, Lin Quan. You spoil your child too much on a regular basis. Splashing red wine on President Shang’s wife—what kind of behavior is that?”
“That’s right, President Lin. You really should teach your little princess a lesson. She came to the birthday banquet with good intentions, and this is how it ends up…”
“Good thing Mrs. Shang is beautiful and kind-hearted, and doesn’t hold a grudge. Sigh.”
“…”
The murmurs were far from quiet.
Lin Quan’s face turned ashen, and Lin Muyi’s lips were trembling beside him.
She looked like she was about to cry any second.
Shen Xiying listened to these words and lowered her head slightly.
The next second, a sensation of weightlessness.
She was scooped up by Shang Ruzhou.
A soft gasp escaped her lips as she instinctively wrapped her arms around Shang Ruzhou’s neck.
“Hold on tight.”
Through the haze, she heard Shang Ruzhou’s voice.
Shen Xiying’s mind went blank, and she obediently tightened her grip.
Shang Ruzhou carried her over to Lin Quan.
His voice was faint: “President Lin, I’m taking my wife home now.”
“Apologies for the abrupt departure.”
Cold sweat broke out on Lin Quan’s back as he forced a strained smile.
He quickly said, “I’m the one who should apologize. Miss Shen, I’m so sorry. It’s because I’ve been too lenient with Yiyi on a daily basis that something like this happened today.”
Lin Quan spoke cautiously.
Shen Xiying, nestled in Shang Ruzhou’s arms, finally had her head clear as she listened to Lin Quan’s words.
She let out a soft laugh and said, “President Lin, you really have been too lenient with Miss Lin. Today, Miss Lin even said she wanted to cancel the partnership between Lin Group and Fuying.”
After saying this, Shen Xiying turned her head slightly.
She didn’t continue speaking with Lin Quan.
Shang Ruzhou understood her meaning and carried her out.
Leaving behind Lin Quan, whose forehead was covered in sweat.
Once they left the banquet hall, the two completely disappeared from everyone’s sight.
Shang Ruzhou only stopped when they reached the car.
Even after stopping, he didn’t loosen his hold to set her down.
Shen Xiying’s nose was filled with his scent. The fragrance on him had a sweet, refreshing quality.
It wasn’t crisp, nor did it carry the smell of tobacco. It was fragrant. Exceptionally pleasant.
Her entire body was tense in his arms, her heartbeat like rapid drumbeats, one after another.
Why wasn’t he putting her down yet?
Was he addicted to holding her? Did he want to keep holding her forever?
With that thought, Shen Xiying’s face and neck flushed bright red.
After a long while, she finally whispered, “Shang Ruzhou, why won’t you put me down?”
“Hm?”
Shang Ruzhou responded, casting a downward glance at her before adding flatly, “You’re holding on so tight—how am I supposed to let go?”
Shen Xiying: “??”
Shen Xiying immediately released her grip from around his neck.
Even the tips of her ears turned crimson.
Only after she let go did Shang Ruzhou set her down.
“I’m sorry, I thought…”
Shen Xiying explained nervously, her voice trembling faintly.
But out of the corner of her eye, she caught his expression—it looked somewhat careless, as if he didn’t care about her explanation at all.
Nor did he seem to care why her hands had been wrapped around his neck the whole time.
Shen Xiying’s words got stuck in her throat.
She lowered her head and said no more.
Once in the car, Shen Xiying pressed her lips together, unsure of what to say.
Being with him always made her a bit nervous.
The alcohol on her clothes felt sticky, and there was a strange itchiness.
Especially where he had touched her—it felt particularly numb.
The car was heading toward Zhongyu Palace.
Sitting in the car, Shen Xiying pinched her knuckles, swallowed, and finally said, “Shang Ruzhou, thank you for today.”
Her voice was soft, a little hoarse.
It inexplicably softened the listener’s heart.
Shang Ruzhou sat beside her, head lowered, looking at his laptop, fingers gliding over the trackpad.
At Shen Xiying’s words, his hand paused very lightly.
“No need to thank me,” he replied in a calm tone. “It’s what I should do.”
After saying this, he seemed to feel it wasn’t quite complete.
Then he added, “If you need to attend any banquets in the future, you can let me know in advance. I’ll go with you.”
Hearing his words, Shen Xiying gently pressed her lips together. “I thought you were busy with work, so I didn’t tell you.”
“Since we’re married, these things are secondary.”
Shang Ruzhou said, “People in business are very profit-driven and treat others according to their status. Naturally, I should accompany you to such occasions.”
Shen Xiying listened to his words.
Her fingers curled involuntarily.
“Marrying into the Shang family, I can’t guarantee you much else, but I won’t let you suffer this kind of grievance.”
Shang Ruzhou’s tone was calm.
Perhaps due to his long-standing position of authority, he always carried a sense of reassurance.
Every word he spoke carried a weight that settled heavily in one’s heart.
Shen Xiying nodded. “Okay.”
After responding, she turned her head to look out the window.
Everything on both sides of the street rushed past her eyes.
She blinked.
Shang Ruzhou’s words kept replaying in her ears.
She might have understood his underlying meaning.
What he meant by “else” was probably feelings.
Just like that day sitting in the café.
The first words he said to her: “Miss Shen, this marriage has no feelings—it’s merely a mutual exchange of needs.”
He thought she needed the Shang family’s protection, a stable foundation.
Needed the Shen family to rise smoothly in the business world.
But what he didn’t know was—
She only liked him.
So she wanted to be a little closer to him.