Chapter 42

Dai Muxue instantly came back to her senses, forcing a polite smile on her face as she hurriedly explained something to the attendant, using words like 'joking' to smooth things over. The attendant, who was undoubtedly of exceptional quality, even if not professionally trained, immediately responded with a pleasant smile and bowed slightly before leaving.

Describing Dai Muxue as breaking out in a cold sweat would be the most fitting way to portray her current state. This was a serious occasion, and if she were to be laughed at, it would be a disgrace to her family! Taking advantage of Chen Shuyuan's conversation with a CEO, Dai Muxue tightly grabbed Xiao Sheng's sleeve, her expression a mix of anger, and whispered to him:

"Can you stop for a moment? This banquet is very important for President Chen tonight..." Afraid of being overheard, Dai Muxue stood very close to Xiao Sheng, tiptoeing to look up at him. Xiao Sheng, towering over her, blew a warm breath on her face after she finished speaking, and then replied in a lecherous tone:

"Let's see how you perform tonight..." As he spoke, his eyebrows raised suggestively, giving him the appearance of a complete opportunist.

"You..." As Chen Shuyuan's personal assistant, she understood the concept of 'shared glory and shared disgrace.' Finding another job with her educational background wouldn't be difficult, but finding one with such a high salary and status would be nearly impossible. Whether it was her mother's monthly chemotherapy or her brother's high tuition fees, she had to bear the burden alone. Therefore, she absolutely did not want to see Chen Shuyuan fall, not just for the sake of her own interests, but also because of the deep bond they had formed over time. To be honest, Chen Shuyuan had been very good to her.

Xiao Sheng, however, was shameless, his lips curling into a smile as he waited for her response. Taking advantage of their position away from the crowd, Xiao Sheng's hand had already reached Dai Muxue's waist, moving up and down teasingly. Dai Muxue, biting her lip, glared at him.

Feeling the moment was right, Xiao Sheng promptly withdrew his right hand, a wicked smile on his face, and whispered to Dai Muxue:

"Such a wicked rule, it's really exciting. I'm starting to like this feeling..." After saying this, Xiao Sheng turned away, walking a few steps ahead to maintain a half-meter distance from Chen Shuyuan.

Dai Muxue, standing beside Xiao Sheng again, regained her usual cold and beautiful demeanor. She avoided Xiao Sheng's occasional intense gaze, feeling a growing fear of the man beside her.

Just as the two were privately 'clashing' with their own thoughts, a middle-aged man in his thirties, holding a glass of wine and smiling, approached Chen Shuyuan. Along the way, the courteous man greeted everyone politely until he reached Chen Shuyuan, at which point the CEO who had been chatting with her bowed slightly and stepped back.

"President Chen, it's been a while. I've heard some rumors about internal disharmony at Huaxin. I wonder if they are true..."

"President Ma, since you call them 'rumors,' do I need to explain anything?" Her response was a calm rebuttal to his slightly provocative words.

"Oh? Haha, that's true, but words can be powerful..."

"Thank you for the reminder, President Ma. However, your Chengran International has been causing quite a stir lately, which seems to be against industry norms..." The man chatting with Chen Shuyuan was none other than Ma Hankong, the current chairman of Chengran International.

Xiao Sheng, standing behind Chen Shuyuan at the fruit table, listened to their 'clashing' conversation. Compared to Ma Hankong's slightly provocative tone, Xiao Sheng was more interested in the large man standing behind Ma Hankong, whose gaze often locked onto him. It was clear that this man, though not particularly imposing in stature, had a very stern face and was likely a bodyguard like Xiao Sheng.

Between strong individuals, there is a subtle resonance in their auras. Even in the slightly noisy venue, when their principals began to converse, the two bodyguards immediately noticed each other.

Raising his glass slowly, Xiao Sheng smiled and greeted the man, who showed little change in expression but raised his glass slightly in response.

After this gesture, Xiao Sheng turned his gaze elsewhere, still smiling, but his mind was already working. The man held his glass in his left hand and played with a small cloth in his right, often pausing to wipe his thumb. This detail was not unfamiliar to Xiao Sheng. An excellent sniper often uses such a small cloth to improve finger dexterity, ensuring they can pull the trigger at the right moment after calculating wind direction and speed.

A local company CEO, even if it were a listed company, wouldn't hire a sniper as a bodyguard. Outstanding snipers are among the best in the military, often operating alone behind enemy lines and undertaking the most dangerous missions.

"Second-generation military, third-generation red?" Xiao Sheng chuckled and shook his head, dismissing the thought.

For Xiao Sheng, this banquet was quite fruitful. The originally perplexing situation in Gangcheng seemed to have become clearer due to this detail. Seeing Chen Shuyuan and Ma Hankong part with smiles, Xiao Sheng picked up his glass and followed her closely. When the slightly tired Chen Shuyuan stepped aside to rest, Xiao Sheng finally had the chance to eat something. At such a high-profile banquet, few people actually ate much; it was more about the atmosphere. Fortunately, Xiao Sheng was not a big shot, so his back-to-the-crowd, ravenous eating only caught the attention of Chen Shuyuan and Dai Muxue.

Chen Shuyuan, frowning at Xiao Sheng, looked coldly at him. Dai Muxue, sitting beside her, felt an urge to bang her head against a wall. "Just eat, why not use the knife and fork? Why must you use your hands?" Dai Muxue quickly got up, looked around, and rushed over to Xiao Sheng. However, just as she stood up, a commotion at the entrance of the venue caught everyone's attention. Chen Shuyuan, looking up, quickly stood and hurried to the entrance in her high heels.

Worried about being seen, Dai Muxue, despite the man's lecherous nature, pulled his wrist and dragged him to the side, pulling out several tissues and handing them to Xiao Sheng with a stern look, saying harshly:

"Can you not be so embarrassing?" Xiao Sheng, his mouth nearly full of Brazilian barbecue, mumbled:

"This is really fine..." Just as he said this, he turned his head toward the entrance. When he saw a very familiar figure surrounded by people, he was struck as if by lightning, the barbecue falling from his mouth.

"Why is she in Gangcheng?"