Chapter 104 – The Hand Beneath the Table

In the private room of Bihai Pavilion, a graceful figure sat in quiet repose. A faint trace of sandalwood lingered in the air, calming the mind like a silent chant. Su Wanwan took two sips of tea, soothing her scattered thoughts.

Xia Kelan pushed the door open and had barely sat down on the sofa when Su Wanwan spoke,

"Last night, Fu Liangmu confessed to me."

Xia Kelan almost choked on her breath.

"I was just about to ask if the cufflink incident had been resolved… Did you say yes?"

Su Wanwan shook her head.

Xia Kelan let out a long breath.

"Thank goodness. If you had agreed, your brother would've stormed over and challenged Fu Liangmu to a duel."

Su Wanwan: "…"

"So you called me over because you were worried it might be awkward dining with just the two of you?"

Su Wanwan replied coolly,

"His younger brother had some trouble with his company a while ago. I gave him a hand."

"Now that everything's settled, he wants to thank me with a meal."

"But Fu Liangmu got jealous and insisted on coming along."

Realization dawned on Xia Kelan.

"I see! Don't worry, I'm a master at livening up a room. No matter how awkward the scene, I can handle it!"

Su Wanwan's eyelid twitched.

"Clearly. You're quite the performer."

"I was actually thinking of introducing you to some of my contacts so you could get a role or two. Earn a little money on the side," Xia Kelan said, linking her arm through Su Wanwan's.

"What for? Aren't you the one supporting me now?"

"If you like, I'll perform just for you."

"Saves me the trouble of showing my face to the public. Wouldn't you feel distressed?"

Su Wanwan expressionlessly withdrew her arm.

"You're overthinking it. I really wouldn't."

"Impossible. Women always say the opposite of what they mean! If you say you don't care, you must care deeply!" Xia Kelan clung back on.

With a creak, the private room door opened.

Xie Cheng looked at them with a complicated expression.

"Am I the extra one here?"

Su Wanwan blinked.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, clearly I'm not welcome. Farewell."

He turned to leave, but Xia Kelan rushed over and caught his sleeve.

"Don't be like that—come, sit! The more the merrier, right?"

Soon after, Fu Liangmu and Fu Ziyang arrived.

"Oooh, fresh meat alert!" Xia Kelan leapt up in excitement and ran to greet Fu Ziyang.

Xie Cheng furrowed his brow and muttered,

"Why doesn't she react like that when she sees me…"

Su Wanwan replied serenely,

"Probably because you're too old."

"Aren't women supposed to prefer older, more mature men?"

Su Wanwan's gaze swept over him from head to toe, her almond eyes carrying a hint of bemused daze.

"You barely scrape the surface of 'old'."

Xie Cheng's ego took a hit. He turned to Fu Liangmu with a bitter complaint.

"Your wife is bullying me."

Fu Liangmu was busy pouring boiling water into a teacup, meticulously sterilizing the set.

"Mhm. She's doing a fine job of it."

Xie Cheng: "?"

Some brother you are!

Watching Fu Liangmu's elaborate disinfection ritual, Xie Cheng couldn't help but scoff.

"You might as well starve to death at this rate."

"All the dishes here are disposable. Just toss them after. Relax…"

Before he could finish, Fu Liangmu had already placed the fully sterilized set in front of Su Wanwan.

Xie Cheng fell silent. As if he had never spoken.

Su Wanwan hadn't expected this. Amidst her surprise, she felt a twinge of awkwardness.

"Thank you…"

The dishes soon began to arrive, one after another.

Fu Liangmu, using serving chopsticks, began placing food on Su Wanwan's plate one dish at a time.

Su Wanwan cleared her throat and whispered,

"No one else has started eating yet. Isn't this a bit much?"

Fu Liangmu's voice was calm and clear,

"I'm paying. What's wrong with it?"

"Alright, alright, that's enough. Really," Su Wanwan couldn't help but say.

But Fu Liangmu had no intention of stopping.

Seeing her plate gradually fill to the brim, Su Wanwan's left hand dipped beneath the table to pinch his thigh.

Before she could reach him, long fingers intercepted hers, holding her in place.

Her pupils contracted as she tugged twice—futilely.

"Let go…"

Fu Liangmu remained impassive, his left hand restraining hers while his right continued serving.

"You'll get a cramp like that."

Su Wanwan spoke slowly and clearly,

"If you keep this up, you'll pull a muscle too."

Fu Liangmu considered this, then set down his chopsticks and lowered his right hand.

But the moment Su Wanwan's hand was freed, he caught it again with the other.

With an unchanged expression, Fu Liangmu picked up his chopsticks with his left hand and resumed serving as if nothing had happened.

Su Wanwan was stunned.

And she wasn't the only one. Everyone at the table was dumbfounded.

Fu Ziyang scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Bro, this isn't fair. The rest of us are still single, you know."

Xia Kelan leaned over.

"If you want, I can get you a girlfriend right now!"

Seeing the predatory gleam in her eyes, Fu Ziyang quietly shifted away.

Too terrifying. He needed to run.

Xie Cheng silently ate, but his gaze remained fixed on Xia Kelan and Fu Ziyang.

Could this girl really be into that little rich boy?

A plate of mantis shrimp was brought out. Fu Liangmu casually picked a few with tongs, then put on gloves and began peeling them for Su Wanwan.

Xia Kelan's face was full of envy.

"How sweet."

"I want a man who'll peel shrimp for me no matter where we are!"

A peeled shrimp landed in her bowl.

She turned her head.

Xie Cheng was silently, clumsily peeling another one.

"Uncle…?"

When he didn't reply, Xia Kelan popped the shrimp into her mouth and forgot all her envy.

Fu Ziyang looked around at the four of them, suddenly bewildered.

Wasn't this gathering supposed to be his idea?

Why did he feel like a complete outsider…

"Wan…"

He had just opened his mouth when Fu Liangmu's warning gaze swept over.

"...Sister-in-law."

Fu Ziyang stood up, picked up a bottle of wine, and poured a glass for Su Wanwan.

"A toast to you."

Before she could take the glass, Fu Liangmu's slender fingers pressed against the bottom.

"What's the occasion for a toast?"

Fu Ziyang laughed sheepishly.

Su Wanwan had helped him with design plans and pulled his company through a crisis, but she'd asked him not to tell anyone.

So he never had.

"To the everlasting bond between you and my brother…" he muttered insincerely.

Fu Liangmu nodded slightly and downed the drink.

Su Wanwan's delicate brows furrowed with faint displeasure.

She poured herself a glass.

Before she could raise it, Fu Liangmu drank it for her again.

"If you like drinking on my behalf so much, then finish the whole bottle."

She pushed the bottle toward him, her tone challenging.

Xia Kelan's heart skipped a beat.

Whether it was Su Wanwan who got drunk, or Fu Liangmu—

Either way, they were ending up in bed tonight.