Shi Xinxin’s face clearly screamed disbelief.
Sheng Chenjin sighed helplessly, then thought, never mind. He had nothing to hide. He would just tell the truth.
As for whether Shi Xinxin believed him, Sheng Chenjin decided he would prove it to her with his actions.
They entered the hotel arm in arm, and almost instantly, drew the attention of many people in the lobby.
The female companion had a face of rare beauty and a graceful figure. The man possessed an innate superiority of someone born to privilege; simply standing there made those around him fade into a mere backdrop.
Receiving the attention from the lobby, Shi Xinxin sighed inwardly. Being treated like an exhibit, like something to be stared at, felt truly uncomfortable.
Of course, she could also sense that among these gazes, many were laced with hostility towards her.
Shi Xinxin swept her gaze, spotting a beautifully dressed socialite rolling her eyes at her.
This puzzled her. If this was a formal occasion, it was her first time attending a grand banquet and her first time meeting these wealthy young ladies.
Even a few years ago, when she was still the eldest daughter of the Su family, she had only been close to a few friends from humble backgrounds. She had no connection whatsoever with these socialites.
Why did these people harbor such inexplicable animosity towards her? Shi Xinxin paused, then calmly shifted her gaze, not giving them much thought.
Soon, a well-dressed executive in a suit approached, holding a wine glass, a smile plastered on his face. "Mr. Sheng, I didn't expect you to attend this banquet. What a coincidence!"
Sheng Chenjin's gaze finally moved from Shi Xinxin's face, his eyes instantly becoming cold as he addressed outsiders. He replied indifferently, "Yes, if it weren't for someone having matters to attend to, I probably wouldn't have come to this banquet."
"Haha, really? Then have you considered the matter I mentioned to you last time..."
Shi Xinxin, who had been lost in thought, suddenly felt that Sheng Chenjin's words were a pointed reference to her. She couldn't help but squeeze his arm forcefully.
The man in front of him only saw Mr. Sheng frown slightly and immediately stopped his incessant chatter, looking a bit flustered. Had he said something wrong that annoyed Mr. Sheng?
But soon, he saw a smile bloom on Mr. Sheng's face, and it seemed he even glanced at his female companion beside him...
This change of expression was faster than flipping a book. The man silently shut his mouth.
To Sheng Chenjin, the surroundings were like air. He suppressed a chuckle, looking at Shi Xinxin, then said in a low voice, "Gently, or you'll have a disabled husband in the future."
Seeing that he dared to speak like that, Shi Xinxin gritted her teeth. Using a blind spot where others couldn't see, she secretly pinched Sheng Chenjin again.
She then provocatively huffed, "Even if I remain single until I'm in the coffin, I will never marry someone like you."
Though she said that, a faint blush still tinged her fair cheeks.
Sheng Chenjin laughed even more wildly.
Shi Xinxin couldn't do anything about his unrepentant demeanor. She glanced around and reminded him in a low voice, "There are hundreds of eyes on you right now. If you want us to be on the headlines tomorrow, feel free to continue causing a scene."
Sheng Chenjin thought for a moment, then nodded with interest. "Being on the headlines is great! It would only further enhance the relationship between you and me."
"Save it. Who wants to enhance a relationship with you?" Shi Xinxin said irritably.
Her expression became a bit more serious. "I don't want to stir up any more trouble right now. If you dare to make me a trending topic, I won't speak to you for the rest of my life!"
Sheng Chenjin was indeed taken aback by her threat.
Even though he knew it was highly unlikely Shi Xinxin would truly refuse to speak to him for the rest of her life, the mere thought of his beloved ignoring him for days made Sheng Chenjin feel a pang of discomfort.
He quickly reverted to his condescending, overbearing demeanor.
"Hey, who is this woman? I don't think I've seen her before..."
A group of wealthy young ladies gathered, their gazes, filled with jealousy and envy, lingering on Shi Xinxin's graceful figure.
Especially when they saw Shi Xinxin's beautiful face, their jealousy festered and grew wildly.
"Mr. Sheng has never had a female companion by his side before. How could he suddenly bring a strange woman here?" some of the young ladies voiced their discontent.
Sheng Chenjin, at such a young age, had already carved out a formidable reputation in the circle, his enterprises spanning eight countries, and holding dominant positions in each. A man with such power and looks was almost the ideal mate for most of the young ladies in the capital. Whenever Sheng Chenjin appeared within their sight, their eyes would sparkle with pink bubbles.
With no other women by Sheng Chenjin's side, the young ladies had all fantasized about becoming his wife one day. Even after Sheng Chenjin became cold and aloof, showing no interest in women, they hadn't given up.
But now, seeing the only woman by his side, the hopes of these young ladies were completely extinguished.
Following their envious whispers, some of them subtly glanced backward.
"Sister Xixi, that woman is too audacious. Should we investigate her background?" one woman said indignantly to the person beside her, who was dressed in lavish attire.
Her tone was filled with extreme dissatisfaction. "That woman's face is definitely surgically enhanced. She's not even a third as beautiful as you, Sister Xixi. Mr. Sheng must have been momentarily infatuated by her!"
Ding Xi's fingers tightened around the stem of her wine glass, the pressure almost enough to bore a hole in the glass.
Her venomous, resentful gaze was fixed on the woman in the center of attention.
"Why her... What right does she have to stand next to Chenjin!"
With a low growl, Ding Xi slammed the glass to the floor, completely disregarding the surprised glances from those around her. Her eyes were solely focused on the woman who made her tremble with envy.
Shi Xinxin, standing not far away, heard the commotion from that direction and frowned slightly, then turned to look.
She saw a face contorted with malevolence. If not for the ferocious expression, she would likely have been a beauty. Shi Xinxin raised an eyebrow slightly.
The direction this frantic beauty was staring at seemed to be towards her.
Sheng Chenjin followed her gaze and looked over, puzzled. "Ding Xi? What is she doing?"
Hearing the name Ding Xi, Shi Xinxin instantly understood the woman's identity.
No wonder she looked so familiar. She was the only daughter of the Ding family, a prominent pharmaceutical family in the capital. The Ding couple had this daughter late in life and doted on her excessively, which resulted in the daughter's arrogant and overbearing personality. As a consequence, Miss Ding had a rather poor reputation outside.
Just like now, Shi Xinxin glanced down and saw a large pool of red wine spreading across the marble floor, with shattered glass fragments around it.