Chapter 15: Pretending to be deeply in love

Shen Linyan and An Ling were in an arranged marriage. Add to that the fact that An Ling was in love with Lu Jingshen, and it was no secret to anyone in their social circle that the couple's relationship was incredibly cold.

Let alone to Wang Yihong and the rest of the guys who knew Shen Linyan personally.

They were well aware that there was definitely an ulterior motive behind his sudden agreement to this marriage.

They also knew just how difficult Shen Linyan's new wife could be. Not only was she hung up on Lu Jingshen, but her behavior was also, frankly, a mess. The only reason it wasn't widely known was that the Shen family had managed to suppress all the scandals.

Yet, in a single night, that woman had managed to cause a massive media uproar.

Logically speaking, this should have frozen the couple's relationship even further.

But looking at Shen Linyan's reaction right now... were they actually getting along quite well?

Could this be part of his grand scheme too?

Staring at the man's perpetually calm and unhurried expression, Wang Yihong suddenly realized something. A look of dawn breaking washed over his face.

"A PR tactic to clear the air? Pretending to be deeply in love?"

Shen Linyan paused, his wine glass hovering in the air.

He nonchalantly lifted his gaze for a brief glance, took a sip of his wine, and offered a soft murmur of agreement.

Well, that explained it. Since the public statement had already been released, wearing his wedding ring would stop any further gossip.

Wait, no, it was still incredibly weird!

"From what you're saying, this An Ling came up with the idea? Did the sun rise in the west today? She actually volunteered to do PR damage control? Isn't she obsessed with Lu Jingshen? What if Lu Jingshen sees the news? Isn't she worried he might get the wrong idea?"

Wang Yihong rubbed his chin in amazement, completely oblivious to the frantic looks the other two men were shooting him.

"But she tells you to wear the ring and you actually do it? Damn! Shen Linyan, do you think that woman is just using you to test Lu Jingshen's reaction..."

Clink—

The wine glass was suddenly set down on the table. The glass against the surface made a crisp sound, not loud, almost weightless, in fact.

Yet Wang Yihong snapped his mouth shut instantly.

The man pulled out a handkerchief, his expression completely unreadable. Without a single ripple of emotion on his face, he lowered his eyes and methodically wiped away a drop of red wine that had stained his fingers. The crimson liquid looked stark and vivid against his long, pale skin.

His voice was calm, his tone even and unhurried.

"There is no downside to this approach, and it has nothing to do with Lu Jingshen, which is why I agreed to it. Don't speak like this again, or the PR statement will have been for nothing."

Wang Yihong let out a few dry laughs. "Is that so? Got it..."

He quickly shot a questioning glance at the other two men beside him.

—What is going on? Is Shen Linyan mad? What did I say wrong?

We have talked about this before and it was never a problem.

Gu Xiaochi and Liang Chen simply gave him looks of helpless sympathy.

Seeing Shen Linyan suddenly stand up, Gu Xiaochi quickly followed suit. "Leaving already? Oh right, Shen Fuyuan mentioned she wants to go on a variety show. Her manager reached out to me, should I greenlight it or not?"

Shihe Media was currently the largest entertainment company in the country. Gu Xiaochi had built it from the ground up, but what nobody knew was that Shen Linyan was also one of its major investors.

Shen Fuyuan had accidentally landed a role in a TV drama that ended up becoming a massive hit. Afterward, she was exposed as the daughter of the wealthy Shen family. Her rich heiress persona made her an overnight sensation, and upon her official debut, she signed with Gu Xiaochi's company.

With her two older brothers backing her, especially her eldest brother, who was at the helm of the Shen Group, absolutely no one dared to cross this young lady, and she naturally got the best resources in the industry.

However, variety shows were a different beast. The moment she slipped up or showed any flaws, she could easily become the target of internet-wide mockery and hate. Gu Xiaochi was just worried the pampered heiress wouldn't be able to handle the backlash.

Shen Linyan didn't even turn his head. "You don't need to ask for my opinion on her matters," he said indifferently. "If she causes trouble, just blacklist her."

Gu Xiaochi clicked his tongue. "Classic you."

So ruthless, even to his own biological sister.

As the three of them walked out of the private room, Shen Linyan casually checked the time on his phone, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.

Suddenly, Liang Chen's excited voice rang out beside him.

"Hey, hold on a sec. Looks like there is a fight breaking out downstairs. Oof, it is a middle-aged guy too."

Gu Xiaochi leaned against the railing, looking entirely too thrilled to watch the drama unfold. "They are really going at it."

After listening to a nearby waiter explain the situation, Wang Yihong furrowed his brow and scoffed.

"The guy came here to drink and hook up, but his wife caught him red-handed. She is currently dragging him by the ear and chewing him out. How annoying, it is always the same old garbage every day."

Shen Linyan had zero interest in the spectacle. He gave a cursory glance and was just about to look away.

But when he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye, his nonchalant gaze suddenly froze.

Amidst the rowdy, crowding onlookers, a beautiful woman was sitting casually on a high stool by the bar not far away. She wore a simple white dress that fell to her ankles, her silver high heels resting on the floor. Her dark, slightly wavy hair cascaded loosely down her back like fine silk.

Holding a glass in her fair fingers, she rested her chin in her hand and lazily watched the commotion in the crowd, her posture the picture of languid grace.

The man slowly lowered his phone. His dark eyes locked silently onto her direction. His features were marked by a cold, detached indifference, and the previously relaxed curve of his lips was now pulled into a taut, straight line.

Downstairs, An Ling was watching the wife catches cheating husband at the club drama with fading interest. Yet, the longer she watched, the more familiar the scenario felt.

Wasn't this exactly what she had gone through just a few days ago? Only, the roles were reversed.

She silently looked away, stifling a yawn. Glancing down at the drink in her hand, she rubbed her temples.

Wasn't this supposed to be a fruit cider? The colors looked pretty enough, but why did it feel like the alcohol content was actually quite high?

Speaking of which, where did that girl Jiang Mai run off to?

I really just want to go home and sleep.

An Ling muttered to herself. She set her glass down and was just about to go look for her friend when she suddenly felt the faint prickle of someone watching her from the second floor.

The gaze wasn't exactly burning, but it carried a weight that made it impossible to ignore.

She slowly lifted her head. The overhead lights of the bar were blinding, prompting her to instinctively raise a hand to shield her eyes. Instead, her gaze collided unexpectedly with a pair of cold, fathomless dark eyes.

An Ling froze as a fleeting thought flashed through her mind.

Hmm?

Her alcohol-soaked brain was a bit sluggish. She shook her head, furrowing her brow and squinting as she struggled to make out the elegant, aloof figure standing on the second floor.

...Who is that?