Unexpectedly, a head appeared behind, peering in the doorway for a while. It was Han Zhao who first noticed and expressed his surprise: "Qi Qi."
His exclamation prompted everyone to look up and towards the entrance. Shen Qiqi was a girl in their circle, considered a younger sister who grew up under their watchful eyes. However, she had mentioned that she couldn't make it today due to other commitments, so they hadn't expected her.
To everyone's surprise, she showed up and pulled out another person, exclaiming: "Look who's here."
The newcomer was wearing a black fisherman's hat, an oversized hoodie, and skinny jeans, which accentuated their slender figure.
When she raised her head, the occupants of the private room were astonished.
A girl nearby gasped in recognition: "Su Yiheng."
Emma looked over and saw Su Yiheng remove her hat, revealing a face that was exquisitely beautiful even when magnified on the big screen. Her elegance and poise were well-known in the entertainment industry, and she indeed looked stunning standing there.
Su Yiheng's appearance caused others at the table to subtly, or not so subtly, glance at Jason.
Everyone was aware of the past between them; Su Yiheng's affection for him had been quite evident. Given their childhood bond and similar family backgrounds, many assumed they were destined to be together, with only a thin veil of formality between them.
However, Emma appeared on the scene, and when Jason returned from abroad, he had not only won the heart of a beautiful woman but also added a new name to his household registration.
What was the situation now?
A battleground of love?
Just as the atmosphere in the room became eerily quiet, a deep voice calmly asked, "Honey, do you still want this shrimp?"
Jason turned to Emma with the question.
Emma: "..."
Is this really the time to talk about shrimp?
This simple inquiry plunged the already silent room into an even more unbearable quietness, where even the drop of a pin could be heard.
The lazy Susan on the table was spinning freely, and the plate of shrimp was gradually, gradually moving away from her.
Jason glanced at her again and asked in a low voice, "Do you still want it?"
His demeanor was open and calm, devoid of the dramatic tension others anticipated.相反, his gaze was always on Emma, and although his expression was indifferent, the tenderness in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Yes, I do," Emma nodded.
She wasn't the type to be pretentious, and since Jason asked, she affirmed her desire because she genuinely enjoyed shrimp.
At this point, Xiao Yichen, the birthday celebrant, couldn't let the awkwardness continue. He immediately got up and approached Su Yiheng and Shen Qiqi, "You two are so naughty, deliberately surprising me. I knew you wouldn't miss my birthday, such an important occasion."
Xiao Yichen put on an expression of being deeply touched by their presence, playfully pretending to hug them both.
Shen Qiqi couldn't stand his overly sentimental act and quickly jumped aside to avoid him, "Brother Yichen, you're so cheesy."
"Little brat," Xiao Yichen rolled his eyes at her.
To be honest, he was a bit worried because everyone was aware of Su Yiheng's feelings for Jason. Before Jason got married, Xiao Yichen hadn't hesitated to tease them about it.
Of course, Jason didn't like it. If Su Yiheng was present, he wouldn't refute the jokes to spare the girl's feelings.
However, every time Xiao Yichen made such jokes in private, Jason would silence him.
Back then, Xiao Yichen thought Jason was just too cold and focused on work, thus being slow in matters of the heart.
Not only their peers but also the elders from both families highly approved of the potential union. Su Yiheng had repeatedly promoted Zhong Lan's charity association, with public welfare being one part of her motive, but the main intention was to get closer to Zhong Lan and win her favor.
Zhong Lan indeed showed fondness for Su Yiheng, who was not only well-educated, having graduated from Imperial College London, but also had an unrivaled appearance and gentle temperament, standing out even in the glamorous entertainment industry.
Originally an English host for the news station, Su Yiheng coincidentally made a cameo in a movie, which unexpectedly received an excellent response.
In recent years, the entertainment industry has seen many gorgeous and aggressive-looking female stars, but there's a scarcity of actresses with a more refined and elegant demeanor.
With luck on her side and a strong background, her tailored movies were well-received.
Thus, Su Yiheng's rise to fame was meteoric.
After becoming famous, her work became exponentially busier than when she was an English host. After Jason's marriage, she reflected on whether her dedication to her career had caused her to miss the man she had loved for so many years.
At that moment, Su Yiheng stood in place with a gentle smile, her eyes as soft and elegant as a lotus emerging from the water.
Xiao Yichen took the opportunity to hug her and said with a smile, "Yiheng, I'm very happy that you, a busy person like you, could come."
"We've grown up together, and even if it's raining knives outside, I would rush over," Su Yiheng said softly, her voice light and gentle, a particularly pleasant tone.
Xiao Yichen seemed to be moved by her words and nodded, "Yes, we've grown up together."
Su Yiheng took the opportunity to hold his arm intimately, "Such a bond is incomparable to others."
Emma sat quietly in her chair, listening to her talk about the bond they had grown up with, a bond that others couldn't compare to.
Who was this "other"?
Was it her?
Or was this bond of growing up together referring only to Xiao Yichen? After all, among those present, Jason could also be considered someone who grew up with her.
Emma sat in her chair, sitting quietly and upright.
It wasn't that she was being overly sensitive or overthinking, but because she had interacted with Su Yiheng before. This girl seemed to master the art of speaking, always managing to imply things indirectly.
After a few times, Emma found it quite annoying.
Fortunately, she was indeed a very busy person. In the year since she and Jason got married, she had only met her twice. However, those two times were enough to leave a deep impression on her.
This time was the third time, and it was still somewhat astonishing.
If there was anyone in the room who was most at ease, it was probably the man who was now putting on gloves and quietly peeling shrimp.
Jason's fingers were truly beautiful, long and well-defined, and under the light of the huge crystal chandelier above, his clean hands remained pleasing to the eye even when wrapped in plastic gloves.
The shrimp was really large, as long as a palm.
Jason's technique was clean and efficient, and soon he had peeled a shrimp clean, the plump and translucent shrimp meat looking appetizing.
"Here, eat," Jason said lightly, placing the shrimp on the porcelain plate in front of her.
After removing the plastic gloves from his hands and picking up a clean towel to carefully wipe his fingers.
"Alright, alright. Don't stand there, sit down first," Xiao Yichen said, seeing Su Yiheng's gaze fall in Jason's direction, and immediately pulled her towards the table.
However, the seat to his left was originally next to Jason, and to his right was Han Zhao.
When they came over, Han Zhao stood up to give up his seat.
Xiao Yichen was again feeling a headache, but then he comforted himself, there was still him in between.
Who the hell let him have a birthday today, he deserved it.
Shen Qiqi also came over and greeted Jason, "Brother Shen Yan."
But as soon as she finished speaking, Jason put down his chopsticks, looked up at her and said in a light voice, "Your sister-in-law is here, don't you know how to address her?"
At this moment, Emma, who was eating with her head down and being innocently called out, looked up, and she and Shen Qiqi exchanged a glance.
Shen Qiqi was much younger than Jason, just in her early twenties, to be blunt, Jason was half an elder to her.
She immediately respectfully called out, "Sister-in-law, hello."
Emma nodded, "Qiqi, long time no see."
At this moment, Su Yiheng, who had just sat down, leaned forward slightly, across Xiao Yichen, and smiled at them, "Brother Shen Yan..."
Her beautiful eyes then quietly fell on Emma, and she said softly, "Emma, hello."
The difference in intimacy and status was immediately apparent.
Emma also maintained a polite smile, "Hello, Miss Su."
Xiao Yichen felt his heart was about to stop, caught between the two women, wishing he could disappear immediately.
However, Jason seemed oblivious, turning his head and looking at Emma again, asking in a gentle voice, "Xingxing, is there anything else you want to eat?"
For a moment, Su Yiheng tightly clenched her hands, pretending to be polite as if it were a joke.
But she was, after all, a big star, having seen all kinds of big scenes, and such a small matter wouldn't easily make her lose her composure and be laughed at.
In the subsequent dinner conversation, Su Yiheng, with a gentle smile, used Xiao Yichen's birthday as a topic to talk about their past.
From time to time, she mentioned Jason, but it had nothing to do with Emma.
After all, she was the one who came out of nowhere and had no part in their past.
Emma had no idea about the state of the others during the meal, but she was quite satisfied, and Jason even watched her finish a bowl of abalone fried rice.
After the meal, the table was cleared, but the gathering didn't disperse. During the dinner, everyone was on their best behavior, but as champagne was brought in, Xiao Yichen playfully shook the bottle, popped the cork, and the bottle mouth instantly sprayed golden liquid. The entire private room was filled with screams.
Jason's phone rang, and he glanced down and whispered into Emma's ear, "I'm stepping out to take a call." Emma nodded, and he got up from the sofa and left.
It had been quite a while since Jason had left, and the private room was too noisy, so Emma decided to go to the restroom outside the room. She had been there a few times before and knew where the restroom was, so she went there by herself without needing a server to lead her.
Unexpectedly, as she returned through the corridor, she saw two people standing in the small garden. The silver moonlight illuminated the night, and a gentle evening breeze passed by, bringing the soft and gentle voice to Emma's ears.
She really didn't mean to eavesdrop, but if she continued forward, she would definitely be seen, and that would be awkward.
"Shen Yan brother, are you angry with me?" Su Yiheng's voice was extremely pleasant, especially under the hazy moonlight, adding a touch of poignant and pitiable feeling.
Jason had received a phone call and was intercepted by Su Yiheng just as he was about to return to the private room after hanging up.
He didn't leave immediately but stood still, looking at her in the moonlight, his expression very indifferent, with the aloofness he only showed to outsiders.
Su Yiheng had known him for so many years that even though he didn't show any emotions, she could still tell.
Jason glanced at her, his voice still indifferent, "Why would I be angry?"
Su Yiheng bit her lip and whispered, "I didn't know she would be here today."
The "she" naturally referred to Emma.
Su Yiheng knew she had indeed lost control tonight. She had been in the entertainment industry for so long that she had learned to wear the right mask for every occasion. Today, she should have greeted Emma politely, and it wouldn't have mattered even if she called her Jing Xi.
But she just couldn't help it, watching him ask her if she wanted to eat shrimp, watching him put on gloves to peel it for her.
Even though she had known him for so many years, he had never done this for her.
Su Yiheng once thought she was special, at least for so many years, there were no other women around him, only her, always close to him, the person closest to him in this circle.
But Jason's sudden marriage was like a slap in the face, telling her and everyone else that they were wrong, she was not special at all. She might be in the same position in his heart as Shen Qiqi, just a sister from a family with a long-standing friendship, with nothing more than the affection accumulated since childhood.
She couldn't help but ask, "Shen Yan brother, I've never asked you, but I've always wanted to ask you, why did you marry her?"
This was something Su Yiheng had never understood. She had the advantage of time and place, and she had won over Emma in terms of time, many times over. She had known Jason for so long that even she felt vague about it.
So she just wanted to know the reason.
But Jason just looked at her quietly, under the cold moonlight, the emotions in his black eyes even colder.
"Can we..." Su Yiheng knew she had overstepped and immediately tried to make up for it.
But Jason suddenly interrupted her and said directly, "Yiheng, there is no 'we' between you and me."
Su Yiheng was completely stunned.
"Jing Xi is my wife, and your attitude towards her is the same as your attitude towards me. We, as a couple, are one."
Su Yiheng left almost in despair. Jason's words were too direct, leaving no room for face or hope.
Emma had planned to come out after Jason left.
Although she didn't mean to eavesdrop, it was still not good.
Unexpectedly, the man in the small garden still stood in place, showing no intention of leaving, until he spoke, "The person has left, and you still won't come out."
Emma blinked, really not expecting to be discovered.
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Emma went over and immediately clarified.
Jason glanced at her, snorted, and didn't speak.
Emma sighed and admitted, "Okay, I had the chance to leave. I just wanted to hear if she was saying anything bad about me."
"If she did, are you planning to beat her up?" Jason chuckled.
Emma: "…"
Seeing that she seemed genuinely upset, Jason immediately reached out to pull her into his embrace and whispered, "Alright, I was just teasing you."
However, it was from the incident today where Emma got into a fight and ended up at the police station that Jason realized his wife was becoming increasingly assertive, with a tendency to skip talking and go straight to action when necessary.
He wasn't sure whether he should advise her or indulge her. On one hand, he wanted to advise her for fear that she might get the short end of the stick when he wasn't around. On the other hand, he wanted to indulge her, hoping she would act according to her heart and do what felt right when faced with injustice.
He wanted her to live freely and without restraint.
In Jason's position, he understood all too well how difficult it was to achieve true freedom and spontaneity.
When Emma lifted her head from his chest, she noticed Jason's eyes fixed on her face, as if assessing something. She blinked, her long lashes quivering slightly before she asked, "What's wrong?"
"Why aren't you angry?" Jason inquired.
This question genuinely puzzled Emma. She found it amusing; she had no reason to be angry.
It wasn't until Jason spoke again, "I spoke with her, why aren't you upset?"
The evening breeze was cool, but no matter how chilly it was, it couldn't extinguish the impulse in Emma's mind. She looked at Jason standing in front of her.
He stood in the clear, pale moonlight, tall and graceful, his usually indifferent eyes now fixed on her, burning with intensity.
In an instant, Emma's mind buzzed, and she rose on her tiptoes to capture his lips.
This man was hers.
Jason's hands gently cradled her cheeks, taking control of the kiss, biting her lips and sucking gently, his tongue effortlessly prying open her lips, not giving her a moment to catch her breath. His palms were warm, but his kiss was dominant.
Emma tilted her neck back, enduring all his assertiveness.
It wasn't until she felt her strength waning and her legs turning weak that Jason finally released her.
How could he not care? Just as he didn't like the people around her, she equally disliked them.
Although Emma wasn't a jealous person, and given Jason's status, she couldn't keep an eye on him every moment. She understood that Su Yiheng had her own little schemes.
But she never told Jason to stop meeting with Su Yiheng.
After all, their families were old acquaintances, bound by ties that couldn't be easily severed, whether it was for interests or friendships.
If Emma really made such a request, she believed Jason would cut off all contact with Su Yiheng for her.
But what would Jason's family elders think of her? As his wife, she should have some magnanimity. Currently, it was Jason who stood in front of her, shielding her from the elders' reproach. She didn't want to put him in a difficult position.
And the words he just spoke, Emma was not just touched but deeply moved.
He said they were one as husband and wife.
A lifetime as husband and wife, how precious.
So Emma followed his words and said softly, "I am angry."
Jason gently rubbed his forehead against hers, apparently satisfied with her response, and bit her lip, not too hard but enough for Emma to remember.
Emma looked straight at him, her eyes bright: "I don't like the way she looks at you."
Finally, the momentum in her voice returned.
Endurance and forbearance were never Emma's style; she never allowed herself to be wronged, so at this moment, she could confidently tell him that she didn't like the way Su Yiheng looked at him.
Jason's lips curled up slightly, his eyes filled with laughter as he stood quietly, watching her.
Emma lifted her chin slightly, showing a bit of cold pride: "I don't like it when others covet what's mine."
"Yours?" Jason was finally amused by her words and asked in return.
Emma wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her chin on his chest and looking up at him, her voice soft and sweet: "Are you mine, huh?"
She drew out the last word, sounding both coquettish and soft.
Jason's heart was captivated by her voice. He looked down at her, his eyes filled with doting affection.
"Yes, I am," he said.
I am yours, belonging only to you.
Emma and Jason returned to the private room together, but as soon as they opened the door, someone rushed out with cream all over their head and face. Emma couldn't dodge in time, and her sleeve got smeared with a lot of cream.
The people who were playing around suddenly froze, looking at Emma and then cautiously at Jason.
Jason frowned slightly, but Emma laughed and said, "It's okay, I'll go to the restroom to wipe it off."
"I'm so sorry, sister-in-law," the person who bumped into her apologized, touching their head, which was also covered in cream. As they touched their hair, more cream got onto their hair.
Emma laughed, "Continue having fun, guys."
The person felt very embarrassed and quickly said, "Sister-in-law, I'm really sorry. I'll buy you ten clothes later."
Emma had already turned around and waved her hand to indicate it wasn't necessary.
However, after she left, Jason glanced at the person, and the young man couldn't withstand his gaze and quickly pleaded, "Brother..."
Jason's expression was cold, "My wife doesn't need your ten clothes."
The other person thought he was really angry and quickly begged for mercy, even promising to compensate Emma with ten new Chanel styles.
When Xiao Yichen came over and heard this, he jokingly threatened to kick the person away and laughed, "You'd better get lost, or our President Jason will really twist your head off."
The person hurriedly left.
Xiao Yichen then handed him the champagne glass in his hand, took a sip, and couldn't help but laugh, "Shen Yan, we've known each other for so many years, and to be honest, I never realized you had this potential."
Jason also took a sip of champagne from the glass, his neck slightly raised, his suit buttons not tightly fastened as usual, but unbuttoned two, revealing a slender neck line. Under the dim and blurred lighting of the private room, he actually exuded a sense of unrestrainedness.
He didn't speak, his eyes sweeping over Xiao Yichen, clearly waiting for the next words.
Xiao Yichen didn't beat around the bush, finished his wine, and said, "I never realized you had the potential to be such a wife worshipper."
He didn't feel he was exaggerating.
In the past, Jason lived a life of purity and few desires. Xiao Yichen had never seen anyone more disciplined than him. This man only thought about work and had no girls around him, so everyone thought Su Yiheng, who often appeared, had the best chance to win Jason's heart.
But then Emma appeared, not only entering his life but also his heart.
From Xiao Yichen's friendship with Jason for over twenty years, Emma's position in his heart was indeed extraordinary.
Jason glanced at him and didn't speak.
Xiao Yichen looked back at him, surprised that he didn't hear the expected scolding, and couldn't help but say, "Why don't you scold me?"
Finally, Jason stared at him for a while and said indifferently, "Do you deserve a scolding?"
Xiao Yichen: "..." He did seem a bit deserving of one. Who asks to be scolded?
At this moment, Emma had just arrived at the restroom door.
Unexpectedly, at the door, she saw a waiter standing there, and a yellow sign indicating maintenance was placed at the door.
The restroom had been usable just now.
Emma was surprised, "Is the restroom not available?"
The waiter smiled apologetically and said softly, "I'm sorry, the restroom is temporarily under maintenance. If you need, you can go to the one on the second floor. I can have my colleague take you there."
Emma responded with an "Oh," and turned to leave.
As she turned her head to go to the second floor, a voice came from behind, "Emma."
Emma looked back to see Su Yiheng standing at the door of the restroom. Her gaze fell on Emma, and after a while, she said, "You can use this restroom."
Emma laughed at this. Was Su Yiheng trying to monopolize a restroom?
However, she didn't have many thoughts and didn't feel like going to the second floor, so she went straight into the restroom. She was there to clean the cream off her shirt. As soon as she entered the restroom, she pulled out the paper towels and wiped the cream off her sleeves.
Su Yiheng was originally touching up her makeup. Having been in the entertainment industry for so long, she was used to appearing in front of people with complete makeup and shining brightly.
However, she didn't want to be disturbed, so she asked the waiter to watch the door for her.
At this moment, Emma didn't look at her at all, focusing on dealing with her clothes.
Su Yiheng looked at Emma from the huge mirror embedded in the wall. She had always been confident in her appearance, but her pride wasn't as strong in front of Emma.
Even her picky eyes had to admit that Emma was really outstanding in appearance.
Not only in looks but also in height, Emma was taller than her.
"Were you just eavesdropping on my conversation with Shen Yan brother?" Su Yiheng spoke lightly, but her tone was unfriendly.
Emma's movements paused. She felt like a failure because she was just passing by.
But she knew eavesdropping was not good, so she looked up at Su Yiheng and said, "I'm sorry, it was me. I'm really sorry. I was going back from the restroom and accidentally bumped into it."
She admitted it openly and apologized sincerely, which stunned Su Yiheng for a moment.
The restroom fell silent again, with only the sound of water flowing from the tap.
Su Yiheng was already in embarrassment and resentment because of Jason's words. She didn't expect this conversation to be heard by Emma. Her anger and resentment reached the peak, and she blurted out, "You must be very proud, right?"
Hearing Jason say those heartless words to her, she must be very proud.
"But how long can you be proud? You haven't announced your marriage news to the public yet, and Jason's family elders don't recognize you. Do you think you can keep being proud? Cinderella's story is indeed touching, but at midnight, the pumpkin carriage will return to its original form. Do you think your dream can continue forever?"
After Su Yiheng finished speaking, almost every word stabbed at what she thought were Emma's weak points.
Did she lose? Not necessarily.
Emma finally wiped the last bit of cream off her sleeve and slowly raised her head. She thought Su Yiheng was a smart person, but it seemed that smart people also had moments when they couldn't think clearly.
She reached out and turned off the faucet, and the sound of water suddenly stopped.