Chapter 116: Jealous Xie Qingcen

"It's probably more than just curiosity."

Xie Qingcen raised his eyes, his dark eyes reflecting Ruan Liuzheng's expression at the moment, their color gradually deepening.

He said calmly, "Given your temper, if it wasn't something extremely important, you wouldn't ask at this time."

Xie Qingcen glanced at the food on the table, a faint smile playing at the corners of his thin lips.

His expression was incredibly resolute.

Ruan Liuzheng was someone who paid close attention to table manners.

She rarely initiated conversations at the table, as interrupting someone's meal was considered rude.

Besides, if he was right, Ruan Liuzheng must have worked all afternoon. Based on an adult's energy and stored calories, she should be feeling very hungry right now.

Especially since she also suffered from a severe stomach ailment.

Xie Qingcen's eyes fell on the dishes in front of Ruan Liuzheng, a flicker of light in his eyes.

The food she had just eaten was completely insufficient to make up for the energy she had lost that afternoon.

He pursed his lips, his handsome features unconsciously tinged with seriousness. "Is it the project that's having trouble, or are the people at Hanfei Group giving you

a hard time?" Xie Qingcen's eyes chilled slightly, and at the end, his clear voice revealed a hint of chill.

Ruan Liuzheng sighed softly, "The bidding was indeed a bit difficult, but it's negligible. I can still handle that little thing."

"As for being difficult, Xie Qingcen, your idea is a bit far-fetched."

Ruan Liuzheng curled her lips. Even though she knew Xie Qingcen was concerned for her, she still found it a little amusing.

Her brows were helpless. "Hanfei is the only company in Yuncheng to be among the top ten in the world. They have the vision and ability to disdain to give us a hard time."

Xie Qingcen's eyes faltered slightly, and a smile rose uncontrollably at the corners of his thin lips.

It was hard not to feel pleasure when his woman acknowledged his abilities.

He suppressed the upward curve of his lips, trying not to show it too obviously.

He took a deep breath, his face serious. "Why is that? It can't be just curiosity, right?"

"You seem very persistent about this question."

Ruan Liuzheng raised her eyebrows slightly, her cold voice containing a hint of helplessness. "And I'm really just curious."

"I have a friend who has very high standards, my boss. He praised the new chairman of Hanfei Group in my ear more than once today. He also wanted to..."

She stopped talking mid-sentence, a hint of guilt flickering across her distinct black and white eyes. Her

fingers on the table curled slightly.

Although her little movement was subtle, Xie Qingcen was still keenly aware of the wrong tone in her voice.

Moreover, the ugly thoughts that were tacitly accepted in the upper class were all too clear to him, but he had never expected such a thing to happen to Ruan Liuzheng.

Even though he was the chairman of Hanfei Group, even though that person was Ruan Liuzheng's friend, he couldn't help but feel a little angry.

Xie Qingcen narrowed his eyes, his clear voice tinged with danger, "He also wants to introduce you to the chairman of Hanfei Group?"

Ruan Liuzheng frowned, "Don't say such harsh words, Rosent and I are very good friends, and he knows my temper well. This is largely a joke."

Xie Qingcen pursed his lips, and stared at Ruan Liuzheng with his dark eyes, his eyes deep.

Obviously, he did not believe Ruan Liuzheng's words at all, and his impression of Rosent had not changed at all.

And no matter whether it was a joke or not, he could not tolerate such a thing happening to Ruan Liuzheng.

Ruan Liuzheng was his woman, and she could only belong to him in this life.

Xie Qingcen couldn't help but tighten the palm of his hand hanging by his side, and a hint of paranoia flashed in his dark eyes.

His face tensed slightly. "But he was joking with you."

"So I told him you existed and rejected him."

Before Xie Qingcen could continue, Ruan Liuzheng interrupted with a smile, her pale pink lips curling slightly, her expression gentle.

"Xie Qingcen, Rossent is a friend I've known for many years. He holds a place in my heart like a professor—a friend and a family member."

"I'll introduce you to each other someday. Don't let this mislead you into misunderstanding him."

Her gaze was calm, and her clear, cold voice carried a magnetic gravity, a forceful and unyielding tone.

In Ruan Liuzheng's heart, love and friendship were equally important; there was no order of precedence.

She didn't want to ever have to balance love and friendship.

Ruan Liuzheng's lips gradually pursed, her cold eyes flickering slightly, her expression growing increasingly serious.

Seeing this, Xie Qingcen's surging anger paused for a moment. He stared at Ruan Liuzheng, but his attention was completely focused on a single point.

He frowned. "Is that Rossent a man?"

Ruan Liuzheng: ...

She pinched her brows with a slight headache, feeling that asking Xie Qingcen this question was incredibly foolish.

She just wanted to know if the chairman of Hanfei Group was really as talented as Rossent claimed.

But now...

Ruan Liuzheng sighed softly, the last lingering curiosity in her heart slowly fading. She said, "Xie Qingcen, your jealousy is a bit too inexplicable."

"And if Rossent and I really have a chance, do you think there's also a possibility for Fu Yanci and you?"

Even if it hurt to say it, it was the truth, wasn't it?

In terms of how long they knew each other, Rossent had known her longer than Fu Yanci; in terms of how much time they had spent together,

Rossent had definitely been with her the longest. And they weren't just friends, they were work partners, soul mates.

But their relationship was more than just love, more than friendship.

Because they both knew that if they became partners, they might not be able to accompany each other for their entire lives; but if they were just friends, then their relationship would definitely last a lifetime.

So she and Rosent were very rational, and neither of them chose the red line of transnational friendship, and they chose the second option at the same time.

They would become the best partners at work, and would be the closest people to each other besides lovers.

Of course, except for the time spent with Fu Yanci.

Ruan Liuzheng gently raised her eyes, her eyes were cold and indifferent, but the meaning was self-evident.

Xie Qingcen was slightly startled.

She didn't expect that in Ruan Liuzheng's heart, the man named Rosent had such a high status.

However... this couldn't completely change Xie Qingcen's opinion of Rosent's behavior.

He pursed his lips, frowning. "I understand what you mean."

"But you can rest assured about one thing: Hanfei Group's new chairman is indeed as outstanding as your friend said, and he will definitely attend the banquet in a few days."

Xie Qingcen had already roughly guessed Ruan Liuzheng's thoughts. While making his position clear, he also tried to clear her mind.

He smiled softly, "Maybe there will be a surprise then, just for you."

Xie Qingcen had no intention of revealing his identity to Ruan Liuzheng yet. Besides, even if he did, she would probably not believe it. It would be more convincing to

let her see it with her own eyes at the banquet in a few days.

Besides, he should make his position clear to give those in the circle who coveted Ruan Liuzheng pause.

Xie Qingcen's eyes darkened slightly, and a hint of coldness curled up at the corner of his thin lips.

His expression was cold and dangerous.

Ruan Liuzheng stared at Xie Qingcen silently, a hint of suspicion flickering in his cold eyes.

She was completely confused by Xie Qingcen's thoughts.

Even from his tone, she couldn't glimpse a hint.

This feeling was out of control, making her feel a little passive.

However, Ruan Liuzheng didn't say anything. She tapped the table with her fingertips and nodded, saying, "Yeah, I hope so."

...

Late at night, Ruan Liuzheng, as usual, heated a cup of milk and entered Fu Jingcheng's room.

She was wearing light-colored pajamas, her long black hair casually draped behind her head, and she looked lazy and intellectual.

She looked at Fu Jingcheng, who sat quietly on the bed, flipping through a storybook, and her eyes softened.

A faint smile slowly rose at the corners of her pale pink lips.

Ruan Liuzheng walked to the bed with milk and gently reminded her, "Chengcheng, it's time to go to bed."

Fu Jingcheng's attention shifted from the storybook at the sound of her voice. He looked up at Ruan Liuzheng, who had appeared out of nowhere, and his large, black grape-like eyes lit up slightly.

Seeing the cup in Ruan Liuzheng's hand, he sat up straight, habitually reached out to take the milk from Ruan Liuzheng's hand, and drank it all in one gulp.

Because he drank too quickly, a circle of snow-white milk stains inevitably stained his rosy little mouth.

It looked a little funny.

But Fu Jingcheng didn't notice it at all, and Ruan Liuzheng didn't seem to want to remind him.

She raised her eyes and looked at Fu Jingcheng on the bed quietly, the corners of her light pink lips raised uncontrollably. Her

eyebrows were slightly raised.

She raised her hand to help Fu Jingcheng close the storybook and reminded him, "The time for reading stories today is over. Don't read anymore, otherwise you will have to stay in bed tomorrow."

Fu Jingcheng didn't refute. He let Ruan Liuzheng take the storybook in front of him, his big eyes like black grapes flickering slightly, "Mom, are you really going to attend the Hanfei Group's banquet?"

During dinner, although Fu Jingcheng didn't say anything, he heard the conversation between Xie Qingcen and Ruan Liuzheng clearly.

Thinking of Xie Qingcen's expression and tone at the time, he bit his lower lip unconsciously, and a rare trace of worry appeared on his fair and tender face.

He likes his current life very much. He has a mother and a father, so he doesn't want anything else to happen.