Xu Ke took a glass of champagne from the waiter's hand and hadn't even found a relatively quiet place to stay before being stopped by someone.

"You look unfamiliar to me; I've never seen you before. Is this your first time here?" A woman wearing a set of jade jewelry stopped Xu Ke, smiling as she chatted him up.

When she wasn't smiling, it was fine. But when she did, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes emerged uncontrollably, making her look several years older. Standing next to Xu Ke, she looked like she could be his mother.

"It is indeed my first time in Shangzhou," Xu Ke nodded, confirming her guess.

When the woman heard Xu Ke say this, her eyes suddenly brightened. She looked at Xu Ke with an unrestrained gaze, as if appraising a satisfactory product, evaluating its worth.

"Since it's your first time in Shangzhou, you must not be very familiar with this place. Here's my card; if you're interested, I can make time to show you around." As she spoke, the woman extended a hand with red-painted nails, slipping a card into Xu Ke's jacket pocket, her fingers drawing a circle on his chest suggestively.

Xu Ke was so freaked out by her gesture that his hair stood on end. Looking at her rather plain face, his stomach churned, and he lost any desire to have a drink.

Just as Xu Ke was about to refuse, the cold voice of Xing Yujun interrupted, "I was just looking for you. How did you end up here alone?" Xing Yujun walked over from behind the woman and, standing beside Xu Ke, finally acted as if she just noticed the woman, speaking in surprise, "Isn't that President Guo? Why are you standing here instead of socializing over there?"

The woman withdrew the suggestive smile she had for Xu Ke, her eyes, though aged, full of penetrating power, swept over Xu Ke and Xing Yujun. Then she smiled again and said, "I just came from over there and wanted to grab a drink."

"But President Xing, you're quite lucky to have such a beauty in your pocket. It makes one envious." Her gaze lingered on Xu Ke's face again, and unable to resist, she asked, "But this newcomer by your side, President Xing, I find quite delightful too. Would you consider letting him go?"

The woman seemed genuinely interested in Xu Ke, even willing to part with some benefits for him.

It's undeniable that Xing Yujun's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, but remembering she hadn't yet captured him and didn't even know his name, the opportunity slipped by, leaving a bit of regret, though she remained impassive on the surface. "I'm afraid that's not possible."

"Well, in that case, I won't insist." The woman, though a little regretful, was mindful of her identity and face. She gave Xu Ke a lingering look before elegantly turning to retrieve her drink.

For a moment, the space was left with only Xu Ke and Xing Yujun.

"Would you say we have a lot of fate, managing to meet even here? The fact you got a ticket to this place shows your patron must really care for you." Xing Yujun turned to face Xu Ke, a mocking smile on her lips, her sharp gaze unchanged.

"I'm really curious about what kind of patron you have that could make you refuse me. Appearance, age, figure, worth—I dare say there's no man in Shangzhou who can measure up to me. So what draws you to him?" Xing Yujun pressed him with questions.

"I thought after following me for so long, you might have some guesses," Xu Ke, seeing she wasn't ready to give up, ran a hand through his hair and replied nonchalantly.

"So, the one supporting you is a man? You like men? Then you lied to me about being married?" The thought that she might have been deceived made Xing Yujun's expression sour.

"Heh, I like women, and I am indeed married. As for why I refuse your patronage, do you really want to know the reason?" Xu Ke found her angry face amusing and, with rare patience, explained further.

Xing Yujun frowned slightly, instinctively feeling whatever Xu Ke was about to say wouldn't be good, but her curiosity nagged at her, desperately wanting to know the answer. She couldn't believe any man could resist her charm.

"I want to know."

"Since you're so sincere, I'll graciously enlighten you." Xu Ke chuckled, quoting a line from an anime he once watched: "You're not qualified to sponsor me."

Xu Ke's words froze the expression on Xing Yujun's face, her eyes like icy shards as she spat out, "Don't be ungrateful."

"But isn't this what you like? I've rejected you so many times, and you act deaf, chasing me like a bee after honey, even sending people to follow and monitor me. Do you think I don't know all this? I've kept your little tricks in mind but chose not to hold them against you. I hoped you'd see the difficulty and retreat, but now I realize my expectations for you were too high."

Xu Ke's words were like a slap across Xing Yujun's face, her cheeks trembling with anger, her eye twitching as if in a fit.

"If your eyes aren't working, maybe you should see a doctor. It won't be good if it turns into a condition." Xu Ke watched her twitching eye and kindly suggested.

This time, Xing Yujun's patience finally ran out. She was a privileged princess, adored by others, and here a mere plaything dared to flaunt before her.

Without hesitation, she raised her hand, ready to slap the insolent face that dared displease her. But Xu Ke was prepared; how could he possibly let her hit him?

Xu Ke accurately grasped her wrist, leaving Xing Yujun's hand suspended in mid-air, unable to lower it or break free.

"Let go of me."

"I won't," Xu Ke replied, a mocking smile on his face.

"You're just a kept pet. With a flick of my finger, I could make you disappear from Shangzhou entirely. If you push me too far, I'll ensure you have no face left anywhere in China." Xing Yujun threatened mercilessly, her eyes wide.

"You should know I started with an entertainment company; manipulating public opinion is what I'm best at. If you don't let go, I won't hesitate to turn you into a public enemy. If I can't have it, destroying it is also a form of satisfaction for me."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.