Fu Zhan Yu rushed into the restaurant, grabbing the arm of the girl in the white dress just before she entered the private room. He turned her toward him and finally saw her face clearly.
Rong Yan?
Fu Zhan Yu froze in shock. Was Rong Yan the person he had forgotten?
Was Rong Yan the one he loved?
It was actually Rong Yan…
Rong Yan and the Yuerong team in the private room stared at the suddenly appearing Fu Zhan Yu. Zhan Yunduan joked, “President Fu, are you here to join our Yuerong celebration banquet too?”
Fu Zhan Yu seemed not to hear, his gaze fixed intently on Rong Yan. He let out a low chuckle. No wonder there had been countless chance encounters over these six years. No wonder Rong Yan had kissed him that night when he was drunk.
He had finally found the girl he had forgotten.
Fu Zhan Yu raised his hand and placed it on Rong Yan’s shoulder, his voice trembling slightly with tension. “Rong Yan, you knew me six years ago, didn’t you?”
Yan Qing and Zhan Yunduan held their breath, watching Rong Yan intently.
Rong Yan’s expression remained calm, but her mind was in turmoil. What had Fu Zhan Yu remembered?
As soon as the thought arose, she dismissed it internally. Impossible.
Back then, after Fu Zhan Yu fled the Rong family, she had ordered the doctors to forcibly erase all his memories of the Rong family. He couldn’t possibly remember her.
Rong Yan steadied herself and shook her head gently. “I didn’t know you six years ago.”
Yan Qing sighed helplessly, and Zhan Yunduan let out a breath. Sister Yan Yan, when will you ever be brave for once?
“You’re lying.” Fu Zhan Yu’s gaze was piercing, yet he couldn’t see through Rong Yan. His grip on her shoulder tightened. “I don’t believe all our encounters were mere coincidence. Rong Yan, you must have known me.”
Rong Yan winced in pain but didn’t pull away, replying calmly, “I first saw you six years ago at the military hospital.”
“I…”
“Zhan Yu.” Xu Ting hurried over. Seeing Fu Zhan Yu gripping Rong Yan’s shoulder, she clenched her fists tightly but smiled brightly. “President Xin is waiting for us.”
“Qing Qing, is there anything else you’d like to eat?” Upon hearing Zhan Yan Chen’s voice, Fu Zhan Yu abruptly released Rong Yan. He gave her a deep, lingering look for a few seconds before leaving with Xu Ting for another private room.
Rong Yan closed the door and joined the Yuerong employees for the celebration banquet.
After the toasts, everyone chatted while eating.
The Design Director asked, “Mr. Zhan, could you share with us how you and our Vice President Yan got together?”
Zhan Yunduan quickly ate a peeled shrimp and joined the employees in their eager curiosity.
Yan Qing had prepared her answer beforehand, but Zhan Yan Chen didn’t give her a chance to speak. “I had a crush on Yan Qing for ten years and finally won her over a month ago.”
“A ten-year crush?” Everyone exclaimed in surprise.
Yan Qing looked at Zhan Yan Chen’s affectionate profile and almost believed him.
Seeing Yan Qing remain unmoved, Zhan Yunduan grew anxious and wanted to ask but didn’t dare speak up rashly.
A Deputy Director helped her out by asking, “Mr. Zhan, why didn’t you confess to Vice President Yan back then?”
Zhan Yan Chen took Yan Qing’s hand, intertwining their fingers. “Yan Qing was still young. A relationship would have affected her studies.”
“Then why didn’t you confess after graduation?”
Zhan Yan Chen’s magnetic voice grew slightly somber. “I went abroad for further studies. I didn’t want her to wait for me.”
The private room fell silent. All the employees quietly watched Zhan Yan Chen, whose eyes were filled only with Vice President Yan.
“A ten-year crush, mentioned so lightly. Only the person who experienced it knows the bitterness within.” The Marketing Director, a sentimental person, raised his glass. “Mr. Zhan, you are the most devoted person I’ve ever met. I toast to you!”
Yan Qing drank wine, while Zhan Yan Chen picked up his teacup, his voice low and gentle. “Thanks to her appearance, it’s enough for me to love her for a lifetime.”
Yan Qing slowly looked at him. The earlier part was made up, but this sentence felt genuine to her.
Seizing the opportunity, Zhan Yunduan inquired about the news she had heard at home. “I just realized that Mr. Zhan’s name contains my Qing Jie’s surname.”
Zhan Yan Chen smiled deeply, about to say something when Yan Qing, worried he might slip up, raised her glass. “Everyone has worked hard lately. With the new store opening smoothly, I’d like to propose a toast to all of you.”
Zhan Yunduan pouted, once again failing to get any information.
The operations director teased Zhan Yunduan, “Mr. Zhan, Little Yan Zong is already married. When are you going to start dating?”
Zhan Yunduan curled her lip. She wanted to date too, but before she was even born, her grandfather had arranged a childhood marriage for her.
She had no idea when that damned Cheng Ye would come to break off the engagement.
Zhan Yunduan downed a glass of wine and glanced at her uncle and aunt, smiling. “It’s more fun watching other people fall in love.”
By the time the celebration banquet ended, it was nearly eleven o’clock.
Yan Qing was drunk, and so was Zhan Yunduan.
Employees were gradually picked up by their families. As soon as Zhan Yan Chen’s car drove away, Zhan Jiu’s car pulled up at the entrance. “Little Miss, Lawyer Rong, the young master asked me to take you home.”
Rong Yan helped Zhan Yunduan into the car. Just as she was about to get in herself, she saw Xu Ting helping the completely unconscious Fu Zhan Yu into a car. Her expression instantly turned cold.
“Zhan Jiu, I have something to take care of. Please take Duanduan home.”
Zhan Jiu had also seen the scene. “Lawyer Rong, be careful.”
Rong Yan nodded, closed the car door, and headed toward her own vehicle.
Eastern Hotel.
Xu Ting laid Fu Zhan Yu on the bed, sat beside him, took his hand, and pressed it against her cheek, gazing at him with deep affection.
“Zhan Yu, I was placed by Fu Chen to monitor you, but I’ve never done anything to harm you.”
“I’ve loved you for five years. Why can’t you see me?”
“You’ve never looked at me the way you look at Rong Yan. You like Rong Yan, don’t you?”
“You’re the man I’ve chosen. I won’t let you be with another woman.”
Xu Ting slowly stood up and began unbuttoning her blouse.
However, halfway through, she was knocked unconscious by Rong Yan, who had entered silently. Xu Ting fell to the floor with a thud.
Without a trace of emotion, Rong Yan stepped over her and walked to the bedside. Looking down at the unconscious Fu Zhan Yu, she couldn’t help but wonder: if she hadn’t followed, would he have been taken advantage of by this woman?
As Rong Yan turned to fetch a towel from the bathroom, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
Rong Yan’s mind went blank. She turned around to see Fu Zhan Yu, who had been asleep, getting out of bed, showing no signs of drunkenness.
“You were pretending to be drunk?”
Fu Zhan Yu smiled gently. “If I didn’t pretend, how could I be sure you’d follow?”
Where did he learn such tricks?
After silently cursing him, Rong Yan pointed at Xu Ting on the floor. “If you’re not drunk, handle this yourself. I’m going back.”
Fu Zhan Yu tightened his grip on her wrist, pulling her toward him, his tone firm. “Rong Yan, we’ve met before.”
Rong Yan avoided his intense gaze and shook her head. “No, we haven’t.”
“Haven’t?” Fu Zhan Yu raised his hand to her face, forcing her to look at him. His burning eyes stared at her, trying to find any hint of a flaw.
“If we haven’t met, why are you here?”
Rong Yan felt extremely flustered under his gaze. It took all her self-control not to show any signs of abnormality.
“The teacher found out you were drunk and asked me to come protect you.”
Fu Zhan Yu chuckled softly, speaking slowly, “Old He asked you to protect me, not to kiss me.”
Rong Yan gradually grew stunned, “You… were you pretending to be drunk that night too?”
Does he have a habit of feigning drunkenness?
Fu Zhan Yu took a step closer, lowering his voice, “Rong Yan, why did you kiss me?”
Rong Yan: “…”
To put it in Zhan Yunduan’s words: At this moment, even in the entire realm of socially awkward situations, this was quite the explosive scene.
After teasing Rong Yan, Fu Zhan Yu pressed her shoulders and asked again, “Rong Yan, we knew each other before. Why don’t you dare admit it?”
“We don’t know each other!”
Fu Zhan Yu anxiously explained, “I didn’t mean to forget you, I…”
“Fu Zhan Yu, you’re hurting me.”
Fu Zhan Yu immediately loosened his grip a little. A moment later, the corner of his lips curved into a smile. Her words sounded like an accusation, but even more like a coquettish complaint.
It made him even more certain of his own thoughts.
“Rong Yan, we… were in love before, weren’t we?”