Only then did Shi Xing understand what he meant by proof.
He didn’t believe she loved him; he still thought she was using him—for He Sheng’s sake.
He must have assumed she wouldn’t dare kiss him in front of He Sheng, which was why he’d said something so frivolous.
But he was wrong.
There was nothing Shi Xing didn’t dare do.
Qi Chenyan lowered his gaze to look at her and saw the girl’s beautiful eyes blink, shimmering with starlight in that instant. A sudden sense of foreboding washed over him.
Sure enough, the next second, the girl lifted her chin and kissed his lips without hesitation.
Gasps erupted around them, and the already quiet banquet hall fell into an even deeper silence.
In that moment, Qi Chenyan’s mind went blank, unable to process a single thought.
How many times was this today?
She really had the nerve!
Even if she genuinely wanted to provoke He Sheng, wasn’t she afraid her approach was too harsh, the dose too strong, that it might completely enrage He Sheng?
As Qi Chenyan’s thoughts spiraled, the girl wrapped her slender, pale arms around his neck, her soft lips pressing against his and slowly moving, then parting to gently bite his thin lips.
Her voice softened as she whispered, “A Yan, open your mouth.”
Qi Chenyan snapped back to reality.
His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and the corners of his lips twitched. For a fleeting moment, he truly felt the urge to part his lips.
However, a man’s low, mocking chuckle reached his ears. “What does Young Master He plan to do?”
Qi Chenyan glanced sideways and saw that He Sheng had already stood up, likely intending to approach him, but was blocked by another man.
The one standing in He Sheng’s way was Song Zhibo, Qi Chenyan’s friend.
When Qi Chenyan entered, he and a few other brothers had been about to stand up, but they paused upon seeing Shi Xing beside Qi Chenyan, deciding to observe the situation first.
Everyone had seen the trending news, regretting not being on the red carpet to witness the spectacle firsthand.
But who would have thought they’d get to see Shi Xing kiss Qi Chenyan in public right here, right now?
Everyone’s minds instantly screamed, “Holy shit!”
While Song Zhibo was astonished, he also kept an eye on He Sheng.
Sure enough, when He Sheng saw Shi Xing kissing Qi Chenyan, his pupils contracted sharply. He abruptly stood up and started heading toward Qi Chenyan.
Song Zhibo rose as well, taking a few steps to block He Sheng’s path. With his hands tucked casually in his pockets and a leisurely expression, he glanced at He Sheng disdainfully. “What does Young Master He plan to do?”
No way.
Was he going to let this bastard He Sheng ruin his third brother’s moment?
Absolutely not!
He Sheng’s expression darkened, his hands clenched tightly into fists. “Move aside!”
Song Zhibo sneered coldly. “You say move aside, and I just move aside? What about my pride?”
He Sheng gritted his teeth, his eyes sinister. “I’ll say it one more time—move aside!”
Song Zhibo shrugged, grinning cheekily. “What are you going to do if I don’t?”
He Sheng’s gaze hardened. He raised a clenched fist, looking as if he was about to punch Song Zhibo in the face.
Song Zhibo sneered, tilting his head and sidestepping, directly grabbing He Sheng’s fist and twisting it downward forcefully. He Sheng let out a pained gasp.
The scene instantly descended into chaos.
He Sheng’s friends surged forward, while seven or eight people gathered around Song Zhibo’s side.
These dozen or so individuals were all well-known second-generation heirs in the wealthy circles of the capital. The others held their breath, too afraid to make a sound, terrified of getting caught in the crossfire.
The group of over a dozen people began shouting and shoving each other:
“You looking for a fight?”
“Holy shit, that bastard Song dislocated Sheng-ge’s hand! Let’s get him!”
“You little brats? Come at me, all of you!”
“…”
Just as chaos was about to erupt, Qi Chenyan spoke coolly, “Enough.”With just two simple words, the chaotic scene instantly fell silent. Over a dozen people, sleeves rolled up, turned to look at Qi Chenyan.
At that moment, Qi Chenyan was leaning lazily against the sofa, his long legs casually crossed. Beside him, Shi Xing hung her head low, lost in thought.
Seeing them look over, Qi Chenyan curved his lips slightly, his voice cool and penetrating: “If you want to fight, don’t do it on my turf. Take it outside.”
The others: “?”
Why the hell are we even fighting?!
But with his words, the boiling impulse in everyone indeed subsided. After all, this really wasn’t the place for a fight.
On the Qi Family’s territory, starting a real fight would bring endless trouble.
Someone frowned and looked at He Sheng, wanting to know what he planned to do.
He Sheng, pale with pain, beads of cold sweat rolling down, clutched his wrist, his gaze fixed intently on Shi Xing.
Beside him, Su Rui’s eyes darted around, and he hurriedly called out to Shi Xing: “Shi Xing, can’t you see Brother Sheng’s hand is broken by them? What are you still standing there for? Hurry over and take Brother Sheng to the hospital!”
Everyone looked at Shi Xing again.
Including Qi Chenyan.
Earlier, when Shi Xing had told him to open his mouth, he had nearly lost control. Luckily, Song Zhibo and the others had caused a commotion, bringing him back to his senses.
He had told her to let go, “Alright, do you really want to put on a show in front of so many people?”
She had been slightly stunned, then lowered her head.
Now, as Qi Chenyan looked at her, she still had her head bowed, as if she hadn’t heard Su Rui’s words.
Qi Chenyan frowned.
Had his earlier words been too harsh?
He Sheng was already at his limit. From the moment Shi Xing entered the banquet hall, she hadn’t given him a single glance.
It wasn’t like this before.
Wherever he was, her gaze would always follow him.
A sudden panic gripped him, a feeling that something was slipping out of his control. Bearing the pain, he gritted his teeth and spoke: “Shi Xing, if you’ve had enough of this tantrum, come over here. I can overlook what happened today.”
His tone was as if bestowing a great favor.
Shi Xing finally lifted her head and looked toward He Sheng.
This was the first time she had looked at him all evening.
After a couple of seconds, she actually stood up and walked toward He Sheng.
The gloom in He Sheng’s eyes dissipated, replaced by a hint of smugness.
He knew it.
Shi Xing was definitely doing this to provoke and upset him.
The others exchanged glances, no one speaking, only instinctively stepping aside as Shi Xing approached.
Song Zhibo hesitated for a moment, but while he could block He Sheng, he had no reason to stop Shi Xing.
Helpless, he too stepped aside, giving He Sheng a disdainful look and shaking his head at Shi Xing.
This girl really has poor taste.
How is my third brother not better than this little brat from the He Family in every way!
Qi Chenyan’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as he lowered his gaze, his hands seemingly casually clasped together on his lap. Only in places no one could see, his knuckles were white with tension, restraining the impulse to pull her back.
She sulked just because he said something slightly harsh.
Yet with just a few words from someone else, she eagerly rushed over.
Hah.
Stupid thing.
After all these years, he should have gotten used to it.
It was just that today, she had used him too thoroughly, acted too well and too boldly, making him momentarily lost, giving rise to a secret joy, truly believing she was finally willing to see him.
Forget it. Consider this the last time he helps her.
He scoffed lightly. As Shi Xing reached He Sheng, he also stood up, not bothering to look back as he walked out.
He had only taken a couple of steps when he heard a chorus of “Holy shit,” “Damn,” and “Fuck” from behind, accompanied by a low roar that sounded like someone in extreme pain.Qi Chenyan frowned and turned around to see He Sheng bent over, clutching a certain area, convulsing in pain.
The men around him silently took two steps back, sharing an empathic connection to his agony.
The girl in front of He Sheng was just retracting her leg, then turned her head to look at Qi Chenyan.
Her clear eyes gazed at him as she asked, “He’s He Sheng, right?”
She pursed her lips, looking utterly innocent. “A Yan cares about him a lot, so is this proof enough for you, A Yan?”
Qi Chenyan’s brow twitched violently.
Could she really have lost her memory?
Seeing him remain silent, Shi Xing blinked lightly, her delicate brows suddenly tightening.
She reached out toward him, her voice sticky and sweet. “My leg seems to have cramped up, A Yan, carry me~”
The banquet hall was deathly quiet, with only He Sheng’s painful gasps breaking the silence.
Qi Chenyan silently watched Shi Xing for a few seconds, his eyes deep as an abyss. Then, under everyone’s gaze, he walked toward her.
He stopped right in front of her.
Without a word, he bent down, his strong arms hooking under her shoulders and the bend of her knees, effortlessly lifting her up.
Shi Xing wrapped her arms around his neck, her starlit eyes gazing at him, her brows and eyes gently curving as she smiled sweetly.
At that moment, perhaps He Sheng had recovered slightly from the pain. Gritting his teeth, he lifted his head, his expression twisted as he glared at them. “Qi Chenyan, put her down. She’s mine…”
He had a bad feeling—if he let Qi Chenyan carry her away, he would truly lose her.
Qi Chenyan merely tilted his head to look at him, the bone-chilling coldness in his eyes dissipating, replaced by a pleasant curve at the corner of his lips. “From now on, she’s mine.”
If the star herself chose to crash into his arms, then whether she had lost her memory or was using him, she had no room for regret.
Qi Chenyan chuckled, holding the star who had crashed into his embrace, and strode away.