chapter 62

The banquet hall echoed with melodious and beautiful piano music. As more and more guests arrived, the joyful atmosphere also gradually grew stronger.

After Ling Mohan appeared, he was immediately invited by the host to speak on stage.

As the head of Country A’s First Military Industry Group, Ling Mohan rarely showed up in public.

The outside world only knew that there was such a military commander in power of the military industry group who pursued policies of iron and blood, but they rarely knew about his personal information, and even some of the old employees did not know what he looked like.

Therefore, when the host invited Ling Mohan up, a burst of thunderous applause erupted from below the stage.

Those unmarried women from wealthy and influential families couldn’t hide their admiration towards him. Their eyes followed closely behind his figure. If they could put aside their identities of being the cultured misses without scruple, they wished they could offer everything to be with him.

Well, they simply couldn’t help it. Ling Mohan was like a walking hormone with human shape. His entire body emitted an extremely strong male aura. His handsome and cold face looked abstinent and evil, but it could make anyone who took a glance at him have a crush.

Again, if he wasn’t too cold and the young misses from aristocratic families weren’t reserved, they would throw themselves upon him immediately.

Ling Mohan said a few simple and appropriate words on the stage, and another round of applause erupted from below. When he stepped off the stage, a group of dignitaries immediately gathered around and spoke to him.

Seeing this, Qin Shu did not squeeze herself up into the crowd. Moreover, her body had just recovered, so it was not suitable for her to socialize on such occasions.

She came to attend this banquet only as a female companion for Ling Mohan. And she came to act in front of Grandpa Ling so that he could feel relieved.

Qin Shu stood at the side. Many people around her were secretly observing her and guessing her relationship with Ling Mohan. Among them, there were quite some who were jealous and envious of Qin Shu in their hearts.

They seemed to be intentionally neglecting Qin Shu, and no one went forward to chat with her. Qin Shu was standing there alone and looked very pitiful.

Actually, Qin Shu did not think that much. She was just too lazy to entertain anyone.

Right at this moment, a delicate and pleasant voice came to Qin Shu’s ears, “Qin Shu?”

Apart from Tang Anru, who else could speak in such a familiar voice?

Qin Shu pretended not to hear it and walked to the other side with the juice.

“Qin Shu, it’s really you!” Tang Anru quickly walked to Qin Shu’s front with a pleasantly surprised expression on her face. She tightly grabbed Qin Shu with her soft hands. “I thought I was wrong when I saw your back. I didn’t expect you to come to the banquet.”

Her tone was very joyful. People who didn’t know them would think that she and Qin Shu were very close.

Qin Shu smiled and said indifferently, “What a coincidence. I didn’t expect to meet you either.”

Their attitudes towards each other formed a sharp contrast, causing those who were observing Qin Shu in secret to be very curious.

Those people pretended to be chatting, but in fact, they all pricked up their ears and listened to the conversation over here. They wished they could know Qin Shu’s background information clearly at once. It was best to figure out what kind of relationship she had with Ling Mohan. Why could she become his female companion!

Facing Qin Shu’s indifferent attitude, Tang Anru revealed a trace of forbearance and grievance in her eyes, but she still happily said, “We haven’t talked for a long time. I’m so happy to see you here tonight. How have you been? Are you well? Are you, are you still blaming me?”

The last question was carefully asked, coupled with Tang Anru’s gentle and pure face, and her soft tone, it was very easy for people to stand on her side.

Qin Shu curled her lips and smiled faintly. “Did you do anything wrong? Why should I blame you?”

Tang Anru was stunned, as if she hadn’t expected Qin Shu to say that.

But in the next second, she revealed an even happier smile. “I thought you’re blaming me for not pulling you back in time when the car accident happened. I didn’t expect that I was the narrow-minded one. Qin Shu, are we still good friends?”

Qin Shu looked at her with a faint smile. She did not answer Tang Anru’s question, instead she said, “I just met Mr. Qi. He seems to be looking for you. Aren’t you going over?”

With that, she glanced at her wrist that had been tightly gripped by Tang Anru.

Tang Anru did not seem to understand Qin Shu’s hint. She still held Qin Shu’s hand and refused to let her free. And, she forced a smile on her face and continued, “Do you still have contacts with Mingran? I thought you would forget about him after you had a boyfriend … Ah, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t say such nonsense.”

She seemed to realize that she had said something wrong and hurriedly picked up two glasses of champagne. She handed one of the glasses to Qin Shu and said in a way that she seemed to be hiding something, “Let’s have a drink, to celebrate that our friendship has not changed for so many years and that we are still best friends.”

Qin Shu frowned slightly and did not receive the wine glass Tang Anru handed over.

The surrounding people began to whisper to each other. They began to discuss what was hidden behind Tang Anru’s unfinished words in low voices, with disdainful expressions.

“So she had a boyfriend, but she still seduced Mr. Qi. Doesn’t that mean she is a mistress?”

“Miss Tang is so pitiful. She treats the woman as her good friend, but I’m afraid she doesn’t know that she’s been cheated on, does she?”

These young misses from famous and aristocratic families held their own noble status. The strict tutoring since childhood required them to be ladies. They were not allowed to casually offer anything to be with a man, let alone getting too close to a man who had a girlfriend.

When Qin Shu held Ling Mohan’s arm and stood together with him proudly, these misses were already secretly jealous of her. They just didn’t show it for fear of hurting their images.

Now, after hearing Tang Anru’s ambiguous words about that Qin Shu hadn’t forgotten Qi Mingran, and judging from Tang Anru’s forced smile, these misses immediately firmly believed that Qin Shu was a shameless mistress. She seduced someone else’s boyfriend even though she had a boyfriend herself!

“In my opinion, that woman’s boyfriend is not as good as Mr. Qi, so she wants to seduce Mr. Qi and marry into the Qi family. She just doesn’t know who she is. She thinks that being Commander Ling’s female companion has made her special.” One of the young ladies had a straightforward temperament and was disdainful of Qin Shu, so she deliberately raised her voice.

Other young misses covered their mouths and laughed softly. They were all mocking Qin Shu.

Hearing this, Tang Anru hurriedly said to Qin Shu with guiltiness, “It’s all my fault. I said the wrong things and caused you to be discussed like this …”

“Enough,” Qin Shu spat out the word coldly, then she turned around and was about to leave.

If it hadn’t been for the fact that the Qin family owed the Tang family, Qin Shu wouldn’t have tolerated Tang Anru and let her plot against her again and again!

“Qin Shu!” Tang Anru was a little flustered, and she hurriedly chased after Qin Shu and grabbed her arm.

“Leave me alone.” Qin Shu could not bear it any longer and shook her hand fiercely without looking back.

“Ah!” Tang Anru cried out in alarm. The glass of wine she was holding in her hand was all spilled on her neck. The golden liquid quickly soaked the gauze dress on her chest.

This was a disgraceful thing at the banquet.

However, at this moment, no one felt that Tang Anru was embarrassed. Instead, they believed that Qin Shu was too ungrateful and vicious!

Tang Anru still held onto Qin Shu’s arm tightly with one hand, and she tried her best to cover her wet chest with her other hand. Her eyes were covered with a hazy layer of mist water, and her delicate and gentle appearance instantly aroused everyone’s pity.

Soon, a man took off his coat and draped it over Tang Anru. He righteously stopped Qin Shu. “You should apologize to this young miss!”

“Are you joking?” Qin Shu curled her red lips and looked at him coldly with her beautiful, glittering eyes.

Even though she was angry, her smile was beautiful.

The man was stunned in a trance for a moment. When he came back to his senses and wanted to criticize Qin Shu again, Tang Anru suddenly choked up and said, “Qin Shu, I know … I know you haven’t forgiven me, and I know you haven’t forgotten Mingran.”

Tang Anru tried her best to hold back her tears and said in a fragile voice, “It was all my fault. I knew that you liked Mingran, but I still chose to be with him. During this period of time, you refused to forgive me, and I felt especially guilty in my heart. But what should I do? I also like him very much!”

Tang Anru shed tears as she spoke. The sparkling tears streaked across her beautiful face. It was truly pitiful!

The smile on Qin Shu’s face disappeared and she looked at Tang Anru expressionlessly. “I already said that I have no interest in Qi Mingran! Now I’m going to say it again, I wish you and him be in love for eternity and never break up, so that you won’t have the chance to harm others!”

The surrounding people were in an uproar. Some people revealed doubtful expressions. Obviously, they did not believe that Qin Shu would give up the chance to hook up with the eldest son of a wealthy family.

Tang Anru bit her pink lips and sobbed softly. “You’re just stubborn. You clearly still like him in your heart, but you refuse to admit it. Otherwise, why do you still chat so happily with him on WeChat?”

As soon as Tang Anru said this, many people began to quietly discuss.

“So she seduced other’s boyfriend on WeChat.”

“She has a boyfriend but still wants to seduce Mr. Qi. She is too shameless.”

“I heard from the employees of the military industry group that she was slapped twice by someone else’s wife in public and almost stripped naked.”

“Ah, looks like she’s not only seducing Mr. Qi, she’s also seducing other people’s husbands. How could there be such a shameless woman?”

It was human nature to sympathize with the weak. Tang Anru’s face was pale and tears flowed down from her eyes when she just stood there. Her thin and weak figure looked pitiful, as if she would faint in the next second. How could she not make others feel sympathetic for her?

But Qin Shu looked like an iron wall, no matter what others said, she could not be knocked down.

Suddenly someone said, “Why would someone like her be allowed to come to the banquet? Where’s the security? Get her out of here so we won’t get upset.”

“That’s right. People who don’t know the truth might think this banquet is casual and free. Why could such a shameless woman be invited in?”

These people had long forgotten that Qin Shu was Ling Mohan’s female companion, and they only wanted to drive her out.

Tang Anru stood in front of Qin Shu and acted like she was protecting her. “Don’t do that, this is between me and Qin Shu …”

“Where did this street walker pop up and act by herself!” A furious curse suddenly interrupted Tang Anru’s words.

Tang Anru’s expression changed slightly.

Su Xiaoya walked over angrily and pulled Tang Anru away from Qin Shu. She glared at Qin Shu and said, “Darling, I’m really pissed off by you! She doesn’t treat you as a bosom friend at all, why do you still endure her?”

Qin Shu sneered and glanced at the pitiful Tang Anru. She shrugged and said, “Or what, could I beat her up?”

Su Xiaoya glared at Qin Shu, panting for breath.

Suddenly, Su Xiaoya rolled her eyes and looked at Tang Anru. “Didn’t you say that my darling Qin Shu was seducing your boyfriend on WeChat? Good! Let’s show the evidence in front of everyone and confront each other properly, so that a street walker like you won’t frame my darling again in the future!”

Immediately after hearing this, Tang Anru’s expression changed drastically and she clenched the suit jacket on her tightly with her fingers.