现在,荣兆南已经不买沈明的戏了.
看来,模仿顾风那天真无邪又可怜的样子,需要一定的天赋.
沈明赶紧从他的怀抱中抽身,站直了身子.
"你要我解释什么?我所做的只是去了洗手间,突然间,我身后的门被锁上了.还是我应该解释一下为什么卓航恰好在那个时候给我打电话?
荣兆南看起来还是没有服气.
沈明随手把头发往后甩.
她的耳环在灯光下闪闪发光,它们的光芒划破空气,与她容光焕发的脸庞相得益彰.
容兆南一时分心,忍不住盯着她.
沈明没有注意到他目光中的微妙变化.
"荣,与陆凡的会面马上就要开始了.我现在真的没时间跟你争论.如果你有话要说,让我们在活动结束后聊聊.但我非常感谢你来救我.
"说完,她转身离开了.
但在她身后,荣兆南却抓住了她的腰,将她拉回了自己的怀抱.空气中萦绕着一丝松香,拂过她的鼻子.
"既然你要见陆凡,我就带你去."
沈明半转身,盯着他的脸.
这是怎么回事?
这是某种美容攻击吗?他是想勾引她吗?
突然间,他变得很友善.
"荣,我们到底是什么关系?您确定要带我去那里吗?你不担心人们会说话吗?
没想到,荣兆南的声音柔和了下来.
"人们总是想要一件稀有的东西.为什么我应该与众不同呢?我们走吧,社交名媛沈小姐.
她几乎无法抑制自己的厌恶.
她现在的名声值得怀疑,她不知道是谁开始了这些谣言.
社交名媛?真是个笑话.她连容兆南这样难对付的人都没能应付,又怎么可能获得『社交名媛』的称号呢?
She shook herself, pulling away from his hand on her waist.
With an annoyed sigh, she walked a few steps ahead.
"Well, I guess I'll be relying on you tonight, Mister Rong."
Rong Zhaonan followed behind, his expression unchanging, but he couldn't help a slight smile.
"It's my honor."
Back in the main hall, the time Shen Ming had agreed with Lu Fan was rapidly approaching.
Lu Fan's assistant came to report.
"Mr. Lu, Miss Shen's assistant seems to have gone missing."
The assistant was nowhere to be found, and Miss Shen was also missing.
Then, the assistant who had gone to check the bathroom returned.
Just as he was about to report, a commotion broke out in the hall.
"Mr. Lu, look."
From around the corner, there they were: Shen Ming, arm-in-arm with Rong Zhaonan, laughing and talking animatedly.
The pair seemed to be perfectly in sync, effortlessly attracting all eyes in the room.
Shen Ming smiled coldly, her posture elegant.
She leaned in slightly, whispering to him.
"Mr. Rong, look at you, attracting all the attention. The women in this room are practically glaring at me with their eyes. They'd love to stab me with a look."
The women in the room stared at them with increasing intensity, and the closer she pressed herself to Rong Zhaonan, the more they seemed to burn with jealousy.
She tightened her grip on his arm, bringing herself even closer.
Rong Zhaonan looked down at her, noticing the subtle liveliness in her expression—there was no trace of acting, just the faintest hint of a forced smile.
"Who locked you in the bathroom? Who have you made enemies with recently?"
Shen Ming never started conflicts on her own, so how could she have made an enemy of anyone?
"If I tell you that the only person who's had an issue with me lately is your little sister, Gu Feng, would you believe me?"
Rong Zhaonan didn't answer.
Shen Ming laughed dismissively.
"You see, I told you the truth, and you still don't believe me."
As for whether Gu Feng had orchestrated her being locked in the bathroom, Shen Ming wasn't sure. But the fact that she had been trapped in there was undeniable.
When Rong Zhaonan led her to Lu Fan's side, he threw in a comment.
"You're usually sharp, but when it counts, you drop the ball. Be careful, next time, no one will come to your rescue."
Shen Ming took these words as a form of concern and played along.
"Mr. Rong, as long as you're around, I don't have to worry about making mistakes. After all, you're my biggest umbrella, right?"
Half-joking, half-serious, her words hit a soft spot with Rong Zhaonan.
He glanced at her, wanting to see what expression she would give him.
But by the time he looked back at her, she had already swiftly removed her arm from his, replacing her previous expression with one that was composed and dignified.
Just then, Lu Fan arrived with his assistant.
"Mr. Lu," Shen Ming greeted him.
The warmth of Rong Zhaonan's arm was still fresh in her mind, but she forced herself to focus on Lu Fan.
She turned her attention back to Rong Zhaonan briefly, but this time, she couldn't help a small smirk as her eyes flicked to his earrings.
Gu Feng's voice broke through the tension from the side.
"Brother Zhaonan."
Shen Ming turned and saw Gu Feng approaching, her face an unreadable mix of emotions.
Gu Feng had clearly not expected to see her here tonight.
Shen Ming wondered what Gu Feng must have been thinking—seeing her standing with Rong Zhaonan in front of the entire crowd, casually making their rounds.
She turned her head slightly to watch his reaction.
Rong Zhaonan didn't show a single hint of emotion on his face.
He remained as calm as ever, though Shen Ming couldn't help but think there was a small part of him that felt a sense of triumph inside.
Gu Feng, of course, didn't miss the challenge in Shen Ming's eyes.
As soon as Gu Feng got closer, Shen Ming spoke up, turning her attention back to Lu Fan.
"Mr. Lu, I'm so sorry. I lost track of time while talking to Mr. Rong. I hope you don't mind."
Lu Fan, his gaze lingering on Rong Zhaonan, smiled faintly.
"Of course, I don't mind."
"Then, let's find a quieter place to talk. This place is too crowded." Shen Ming suggested.
But Lu Fan's eyes kept drifting back to Rong Zhaonan, and then, to the approaching Gu Feng.
He didn't respond to Shen Ming immediately.
Gu Feng stepped closer, looking agitated.
Rong Zhaonan remained unfazed.
Lu Fan's gaze circled Rong Zhaonan once more, before he finally spoke.
"You two go ahead and talk. Later, when the bidding comes up, I'll speak with you separately."
With those words, Lu Fan made it clear.
Shen Ming, seeing this, smiled.
"Alright, Mr. Lu. There's a bar ahead, nice and quiet. Let's go."
And so, she left with Lu Fan.
But just before she walked away, she made sure to glance back at Gu Feng, catching her eye as her lips curled into a sly smile.
She had noticed Gu Feng's earrings.
And that smile was all the more triumphant, knowing that Gu Feng had no idea Shen Ming knew her earrings were fake.
"Brother Zhaonan, I just found out that those earrings were a gift for Sister Shen Ming," Gu Feng's voice was tinged with a whiny, hurt tone.
Rong Zhaonan didn't answer, instead asking, "Gu Feng, how did you end up here?"
Gu Feng was flustered. She had been investigating Shen Ming lately.
"Brother Zhaonan, why are you asking me that? I heard Lu Fan was coming to this event, so I thought I'd try my luck. You know how hard it is to get an appointment with him."
As if she didn't already know that Shen Ming had successfully secured the meeting first.
But of course, it was because of Shen Ming's connection with Rong Zhaonan.
"Brother Zhaonan, you're so unfair! You helped Sister Shen Ming but not me! You know I wanted to meet Lu Fan too!"
Rong Zhaonan's response was cold.
"My appointment with Lu Fan is for tomorrow afternoon. This evening's event was arranged by Shen Ming herself."