The CEO’s Dancing Wife – Part Two

On the other side, Ji Shan said to Fu Xiaotang, “Liu Yi’s press conference this time is quite ingenious. She kept it under wraps until the last minute, and as soon as there was a hint of news, the whole city was flooded with invitations. Now everyone must be guessing what she’s up to!” Fu Xiaotang nodded noncommittally. Ji Shan glanced at Fang Junjie not far away, then with a teasing smile, asked Fu Xiaotang, “How about that young master over there?” Fu Xiaotang felt a stir in her heart and looked over, coincidentally meeting Fang Junjie’s gaze. They exchanged smiles for a moment. Fu Xiaotang turned her head slightly, lowering it with a gentle “good” escaping her lips, her eyes sparkling. Ji Shan, seeing the faint blush on her cheeks, thought she looked even more radiant and breathtaking. He felt a twinge of sourness in his heart but was genuinely happy for her. He deliberately put on a stern face and accused dramatically, “Fang Junjie really has come from behind, but why? Why did he get ahead of my turn? He cut in line, and you’re biased!” Fu Xiaotang scoffed dismissively, “Brother, you didn’t want me to be happy, and I’m a girl!” This was supposed to be a playful jab at Ji Shan due to their familiarity, hoping to tease him. Unexpectedly, Ji Shan didn’t take it as an offense but nodded seriously, “That’s right, if I had my heart set on you, there would be no room for them—Song Li, Cheng Yu, or Fang Junjie, they’d all have to step aside.” Fu Xiaotang was left with her mouth half-open in surprise at his bold claim. Ji Shan wanted to laugh but quickly suppressed it, whispering, “Image! Image, that look is the most unbearable, it’s so silly!” Then he couldn’t hold back and chuckled softly. “Oh, you want me!” Fu Xiaotang realized and started hitting his shoulder playfully, fully showing her girlish charm. “Hey, Ji Shan!” He caught her hand, leaned closer, and whispered, “Stop it, look over there, those two are glaring at us as if they wish they could swallow me whole.” “What? Where?” Fu Xiaotang, still a bit dazed, followed his gaze and indeed saw two menacing figures whose eyes seemed like knives. She felt a chill, then became both angry and annoyed, muttering coldly, “What does it have to do with them? So annoying.” Ji Shan couldn’t help but look her over, commenting, “Nice, the little rabbit that used to get bullied has now turned into a fierce little leopard.” Fu Xiaotang gave him a sidelong glance, made a claw with her hand, and bared her teeth at him. Ji Shan couldn’t help but chuckle. After thinking for a moment, he added, “But Tang Tang, sometimes the unruly little wildcat can stir up the desire to conquer in some boorish men more than the pitiful little rabbit, not to mention how radiant you are now. You really need to be careful.” Fu Xiaotang, amused by his description of men as “boors,” didn’t pay much attention to his actual warning. Suddenly, there was a murmur among the crowd as the star of today’s event, Liu Yi, the cherished daughter of Hengqing Real Estate, finally made her grand entrance. She was wearing a light pink long dress, similar in style to Fu Xiaotang’s, with a white headband tying back her sleek, flowing hair. She looked both fresh and charming. She appeared to have lost weight but was in high spirits, looking radiant. Amidst the crisscrossing flashes of cameras, she gracefully smiled at the crowd, “Thank you all for coming to support. I must first apologize; I do plan to hold a fashion show, but it’s scheduled for two months from now, and we are currently in the intensive preparation phase.” This statement caused a wave of booing from the audience; businessmen value sincerity the most, and Liu Yi’s move seemed like a game. But she smiled calmly, sweet and composed, saying, “However, there is something even more important than the fashion show that I need to announce today.” Here she paused intentionally, waiting for everyone’s attention before clearly announcing, “From today, Hengqing Real Estate will form a corporate alliance with Fangrong Group, and my fashion show will be fully funded by Fangrong Group.” The mention of “Fangrong” made others react mildly, but Fang Junjie’s heart skipped a beat, suddenly understanding many things. Fangrong Group was a titan in T City, known for its involvement in heavy industries, pharmaceuticals, daily goods, electronics, media, and more. If Fangrong wanted a business to fail, half a day would be enough. And the chairman of Fangrong was none other than the renowned “Tenth Brother,” Zhang Rong. Fang Junjie suddenly realized everything. If not for the protection of “Tenth Brother,” who else could make him, the young master, unable to find someone despite a carpet search? Who else could issue a protection order across both the underworld and the legitimate business world without revealing their identity? But why? Why would someone as astute as Tenth Brother get involved with Liu Yi? As Fang Junjie pondered, Liu Yi continued, “Moreover, I’ve hit it off with Uncle Zhang, and out of deep respect, I will formally recognize him as my godfather tonight.” This statement caused an uproar. Liu Yi exuded pride and satisfaction from every pore, queen-like, scanning the audience with a bright smile, “Today, many of my dear friends are here. There will be a small banquet later where my godfather, Uncle Zhang, will also be present.” Unfortunately, “Third Sister” Zhang Yin was not in the country, otherwise, she would have surely given some prior notice, and they wouldn’t have been caught so off guard! Song Li and Cheng Yu exchanged glances. They had known Liu Yi for over a decade and had never heard her mention Zhang Rong, nor were they aware of any dealings between Hengqing and Fangrong. The banquet began, and everyone moved to the most luxurious golden revolving hall. A giant round table was set with an array of dishes. Efficient waiters ushered everyone to their seats. Song Li, Cheng Yu, Ji Shan, and others were seated at the main table, where Liu Yi appeared in a light green dress, like a bride. After making the rounds and saying a few words at each table, she walked with grace to Song Li and Cheng Yu. Song Li’s seat was arranged to Liu Yi’s left, with the right side left empty, presumably for Zhang Rong. Liu Yi didn’t acknowledge Cheng Yu, instead, she warmly took Song Li’s arm and smiled, “Li, it’s been a while. Are you happy for me today?” Song Li’s expression was faint, almost smiling, but he didn’t reply. Liu Yi, excited, looked around and exclaimed, “Where are Young Master Fang and Xiao Fu? I want to introduce them to my godfather. They haven’t left, have they?” Ji Shan quietly responded, “Miss Yi, don’t worry, they haven’t left. They should be here soon.” Liu Yi shifted her gaze to Ji Shan, watching him with a half-smile for a while before she chuckled softly, “My works are usually hard for Shan to appreciate! At this press conference, I’ll need your guidance and support.” Ji Shan adjusted his glasses with a finger and smiled modestly, “I dare not offer guidance. Miss Yi’s style is always beyond my grasp, let alone support. You have Fang Rong as your backing, so even if we don’t hold this press conference, it wouldn’t matter much!” His words were somewhat blunt, almost rude. Liu Yi’s pretty face turned stern, ready to retort, when Zhang Rong had already approached their table.