Chapter 19: The Charity Gala

Ignoring Fang Lehong’s words behind her, Lu Qiqi didn't even turn back. Her attitude infuriated Fang, who thought to herself that Lu Qiqi, usually so docile and obedient, was surprisingly thick-skinned.

"I’ll make sure Qinyu teaches you a lesson later, so you’ll learn what it means to be a proper wife!" Fang Lehong sneered, her face twisted with malice, no longer the gentle, kind woman she had appeared to be.

Lu Qiqi drove to Lingwei. Her assistant was waiting at the entrance; almost the moment she stepped out of the car, Julie followed, reporting the work progress with rapid-fire speed. By the time they reached the elevator, the report on the workload for the past period was finished. Hearing the sheer volume of tasks, Lu Qiqi couldn't help but frown.

Julie noticed her expression instantly. "Boss, you really fell behind on too much work while preparing for the wedding. These are the tasks that absolutely cannot be postponed. I’ll go get you an iced Americano immediately."

Lu Qiqi gave her an appreciative look. Once in her office, she began processing documents. During a brief lull, she took a large gulp of the iced Americano. The mellow bitterness of the coffee beans hit her stomach, and the icy chill seemed to explode in her mind, leaving her feeling much more alert.

It was already noon by the time she finished. Lu Qiqi rubbed her empty stomach, stretched, and let out a long sigh. "Julie, order me some food. I’m starving—I feel like I could eat an entire cow!" she said over the phone.

Twenty minutes later, Julie entered with a light salad and a glass of freshly squeezed juice. Seeing Lu Qiqi’s dissatisfied expression, she shrugged and said, "Boss, you can’t eat too much at lunch today. You have to attend a charity gala tonight, and it won't look good in your evening gown if you're too full."

"What?"

"Of course, you don’t have to go. Mr. Si already called me earlier and asked me to cancel your attendance."

"I'm going!" Lu Qiqi gritted her teeth. "Arrange a stylist for me!"

After a busy morning, facing a bowl of green leaves, Lu Qiqi found the meal flavorless. She had Julie pick out a pure white long dress from her wardrobe and headed to the styling studio. She sat there for three grueling hours until her back felt like it might snap, but finally, the look was complete.

In the mirror, Lu Qiqi wore a tastefully tailored long dress. A few pearls adorned the neckline, and the cutout design at the waist subtly highlighted her silhouette. The hemline sat above her knees, and paired with silver strappy heels, it made her legs look long and graceful. Her long hair was swept up into an elegant bun, with two soft curls framing her ears, and tiny pearl hairpins were scattered in her hair like a starry sky. She wore a high-quality pearl necklace around her neck, which made her look pure and fresh—perfectly fitting the theme of the night, as if she were a flawless, luminous pearl.

"Wow, Miss Lu, you look stunning today," the stylist praised. Lu Qiqi nodded in satisfaction. Outside, Julie was already waiting; since it wasn't a good day for her to drive, she relied on Julie.

When the car arrived at the destination, Lu Qiqi stepped out gracefully. It was dark, and many media reporters were swarming the area, their camera flashes popping incessantly. Several minor celebrities were already mingling with wine glasses in hand, hoping to find a patron to invest in them.

A long red carpet stretched out before her. Lu Qiqi walked forward in her heels, occasionally shielding her eyes from the blinding flashes.

*Click.*

Suddenly, a reporter shoved a camera in her face and snapped a photo. The flash was so piercing that she squinted. Having skipped a proper meal, her blood sugar dipped, and as her foot faltered, she stumbled and began to fall.

Expecting to make a scene, she found herself caught in a firm, broad embrace. Before she could offer her thanks, a cold voice sounded from behind her.

"Isn't that a bit too much effort for a business cooperation, Miss Lu?"

Lu Qiqi recognized the mocking, venomous tone immediately. She didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. *Bad luck,* she thought to herself. *Of all people, I had to trip into his arms.*

With so many reporters around, she couldn't let Chu Linchen misunderstand her. She decided to play dumb and offered her thanks. "Thank you so much, Mr. Chu. My blood sugar was a bit low, and I nearly fell. If you hadn't caught me, I would have made quite a fool of myself."

"Heh. And are you going to invite me to dinner next to thank me? There’s no need for that." Chu Linchen didn't buy it for a second. He shot a cold, steady glance at the reporters who were still snapping photos. The group turned pale with fright and scrambled to delete their images.

Even though anyone of his status and looks would be a guaranteed hit on the trending charts—especially today, as he had just bumped into such a beautiful woman—they dared not publish any gossip about him. Losing their jobs would be the least of their worries; tangling with the Chu family’s ruthless legal team was a nightmare no one wanted.

Just then, Lu Qiqi spotted two familiar figures in the distance. The man was in a silver-gray suit with a charcoal tie, and the woman next to him wore a tight, black spaghetti-strap gown, her lips painted red to match her wavy hair. They were undoubtedly a handsome couple.

It was Si Qinyu and Shen Manli. Shen was draped over Si’s arm, laughing and whispering to him with an air of complete intimacy. To any onlooker, they looked like a blissfully happy pair.

Lu Qiqi walked straight past Chu Linchen toward them. A flash of complex emotion crossed Chu’s eyes, but he quickly masked it and continued walking forward.

Seeing Lu Qiqi approach, Shen Manli looked startled. She quickly pulled her arm away from Si, then reached out to grab Lu Qiqi’s arm. "Sister Qiqi, please don't misunderstand! I've never been to an event like this before, so I asked Young Master Si to bring me to see the world. Besides, I heard you weren't planning on coming, so I volunteered to be his date."

Shen had only asked to come after hearing from Si Qinyu that Lu Qiqi wouldn't be attending. Being able to appear at such an event with him in the open was exactly what she had hoped for.