In the morning, Sheng Xia visited the film set with Su Yanqi and Su Qiao. When noon arrived, Su Yanqi offered to treat her and Su Qiao to a lavish meal. As both Sheng Xia and Su Qiao were food enthusiasts, they naturally didn’t refuse.
The three of them went to the renowned Jingnan Revolving Restaurant, never expecting to run into Gu Cheng’an at the entrance.
Gu Cheng’an wasn’t alone; he had brought Lu Xiaoxiao and Gu Tingting with him.
Having overheard Gu Tingting’s deliberately loud voice earlier that morning, Sheng Xia knew it was a done deal that Gu Cheng’an would be treating Lu Xiaoxiao to a meal. She just hadn’t anticipated encountering them here.
She deliberately slowed her pace, pretending to look down at her phone. However, Gu Cheng’an, who was ahead of her, suddenly stopped and turned to stare at Sheng Xia.
Gu Cheng’an’s eyes were cold and unfriendly. Su Yanqi stepped in front of Sheng Xia and greeted him, “What a coincidence, Mr. Gu!”
“Indeed, it is quite a coincidence!” Gu Cheng’an’s gaze fell on Sheng Xia, who was hiding behind Su Yanqi and pretending to look at her phone. He didn’t call out to her, but Sheng Xia seemed determined to play dead. Raising his voice, Gu Cheng’an called, “Sheng Xia!”
Now that he had called her name, Sheng Xia couldn’t pretend she hadn’t seen him. Reluctantly, she looked up and forced a smile that couldn’t have been more fake.
“So, you and Miss Lu are also here for a meal? What a coincidence!”
After saying this, Sheng Xia avoided looking at Gu Cheng’an and instead turned her gaze to Lu Xiaoxiao beside him, smiling warmly. “When did you return, Miss Lu? It’s been two years, but you’re still as beautiful and radiant as ever!”
Lu Xiaoxiao and Gu Tingting were both taken aback by Sheng Xia’s words. It was well-known that Sheng Xia had always regarded Lu Xiaoxiao as her number one romantic rival. Every time she saw Lu Xiaoxiao, she would mock her with sarcastic remarks and never showed her a friendly face.
Today, however, Sheng Xia was smiling gently and praising Lu Xiaoxiao. After the initial shock, Lu Xiaoxiao quickly realized that Sheng Xia was merely using a different method to mock her.
Lu Xiaoxiao was furious inside. If Gu Cheng’an hadn’t been present, she would have retorted immediately. But now, in front of Gu Cheng’an, she had to maintain her gentle and refined demeanor, which only added to her frustration.
Gu Tingting, sharing the same thought as Lu Xiaoxiao, believed Sheng Xia was mocking her and immediately spoke up in Lu Xiaoxiao’s defense. “If you don’t know how to speak properly, then don’t speak at all. No one thinks you’re mute.”
Just as Su Qiao was about to retort, Gu Cheng’an spoke first. “That’s impolite. Who told you to speak to your sister-in-law like that?”
“Brother, didn’t you see her sarcastic tone? She’s implying that Xiaoxiao isn’t as beautiful as she is. You don’t know this, but she’s always mocked Xiaoxiao with that sarcastic tone before.”
As Gu Tingting complained indignantly, Sheng Xia’s face stiffened slightly. It was true—she had indeed behaved that way in the past.
After all, she had regarded Lu Xiaoxiao as a rival, and everything about Lu Xiaoxiao had irritated her. Harsh words were just the beginning; she had also schemed to make things difficult for Lu Xiaoxiao on multiple occasions.
Recognizing mistakes and making amends is a great virtue. Sheng Xia took the initiative to apologize:
“I’m sorry! I’m not very good with words. If what I said just now made Miss Lu uncomfortable, I apologize!”
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Sheng Xia, making her feel extremely self-conscious. It seemed she had changed a bit too much.
With an awkward laugh, she said, “It’s a bit hot out here. Qiaoqiao, Brother Yanqi, let’s go inside. Goodbye, Miss Lu! Goodbye, Mr.… Mr. Gu!”
As soon as she finished speaking, she tried to slip away. But Gu Cheng’an reached out and grabbed her hand. “Since we’ve run into each other, let’s eat together!”Sheng Xia absolutely refused to have dinner with Gu Cheng’an, Lu Xiaoxiao, and the others, immediately declining, “It’s not convenient! Maybe next time!”
“They’re all people we know, what’s inconvenient about it?” Seeing Sheng Xia refuse, Gu Cheng’an’s entire demeanor chilled by three degrees.
He forcefully pulled Sheng Xia to his side, lowering his voice to whisper intimately in her ear, “Remember, Party A unconditionally demands Party B to do anything. Today, whether you want to or not, you’re having this meal.”
Sheng Xia’s expression completely stiffened. She pulled her hand out of Gu Cheng’an’s grasp, still wearing a smile, but it was strained to the extreme. “Brother Yanqi, Qiaoqiao, how about we all go together today?”
The group of six went to a private room in the revolving restaurant. Su Yanqi pulled out a chair, about to ask Sheng Xia to sit, while Gu Cheng’an also pulled out a chair nearby. “Sheng Xia, come here!”
Sheng Xia sat down reluctantly on Gu Cheng’an’s left, while Lu Xiaoxiao took the seat on his right.
The dishes Gu Cheng’an ordered were all spicy, fragrant, and flavorful.
Both Su Qiao and Sheng Xia at the table enjoyed spicy food, so was Gu Cheng’an ordering these dishes for Sheng Xia?
Gu Tingting and Lu Xiaoxiao were both surprised. After exchanging a glance, Gu Tingting complained unhappily, “Brother, what are you doing? Since when do you eat spicy food? Even if you can handle it, don’t you know Sister Xiaoxiao and I don’t eat spicy? Order a few non-spicy dishes.”
Gu Cheng’an expressionlessly handed the menu to Gu Tingting. “Order whatever you want yourself.”
Lu Xiaoxiao’s expression stiffened, and she instinctively glanced at Sheng Xia, expecting to see a gloating, provocative smile. Instead, Sheng Xia was looking down at her phone.
Soon, the dishes were served. Sheng Xia kept her head down as she ate, not speaking to Gu Cheng’an beside her.
Suddenly, a piece of crispy fried chicken appeared in her bowl. Startled, she looked up at Gu Cheng’an, who had just served it.
It wasn’t just Sheng Xia looking at Gu Cheng’an; everyone else at the table was also watching him.
Gu Cheng’an remained unfazed as he served Sheng Xia another helping of food, all while continuing his conversation with Su Yanqi.
Sheng Xia saw the anger in Lu Xiaoxiao’s eyes and the shock in Gu Tingting’s expression. She couldn’t figure out Gu Cheng’an’s intentions either.
Gu Cheng’an serving her food was something that had never happened before. Had he taken the wrong medicine today?
Seeing Lu Xiaoxiao’s aggrieved expression across the table, Sheng Xia suddenly realized Gu Cheng’an’s motive.
In the book, Gu Cheng’an didn’t seem to have any feelings for Lu Xiaoxiao; the person he liked was Shen Xinhe.
So, Gu Cheng’an had also noticed Lu Xiaoxiao’s undisguised affection and was putting on an act in front of her to avoid trouble.
Understanding Gu Cheng’an’s intentions made Sheng Xia furious. She really wanted to push away the food he had served her.
But remembering the terms of the marriage agreement, she suppressed her displeasure and left the food Gu Cheng’an had given her untouched.
Lu Xiaoxiao continued to glare resentfully at Sheng Xia from time to time. Sheng Xia felt that if she kept eating like this, she would genuinely suffer from indigestion.
She found an excuse to get up and leave the private room. Sheng Xia went to the restroom and had just finished washing her hands when Lu Xiaoxiao walked in, her high heels clicking.
“Not bad with your tricks, huh? Li Shengxia, you really surprise me.”
With no outsiders around, Lu Xiaoxiao shed all pretense of gentleness and grace, glaring at Sheng Xia aggressively.
Sheng Xia looked at Lu Xiaoxiao with pity. The person Gu Cheng’an liked was the female lead, Shen Xinhe. Lu Xiaoxiao was just another cannon fodder character.Feeling a sense of shared misfortune, she thought it necessary to persuade Lu Xiaoxiao: “Miss Lu, Gu Cheng’an doesn’t like you. You should set your sights on other men instead. There are plenty of fish in the sea!”
Sheng Xia was speaking the honest truth, but to Lu Xiaoxiao’s ears, it sounded like pure provocation.
Having endured frustration until now, and thinking that it was Sheng Xia who had interfered and torn her and Gu Cheng’an apart, the anger in Lu Xiaoxiao’s heart flared up. She lunged at Sheng Xia.