Living Only For Myself: Make Those Who Hate Me Regret It-Chapter 179: "We’re Not Dating, We’re Really Not.
The wedding banquet on the third floor was still bustling with excitement. Xu Su was a true beauty who drew attention wherever she went, so many people had noticed when she left.
Now that she had returned with a man in tow, guests from several nearby tables turned to look.
Shen Chen was tall, over six feet, and even his casual attire couldn’t hide his distinguished air. That, combined with his handsome face—sharp brows and piercing eyes—made him seem somewhat out of place here.
He was the kind of person you could spot instantly in a crowd, just as Xu Su had been able to spot Xi Zirong from the stage moments ago.
The aura they both had just didn’t match this setting.
Xu Su kept her gaze fixed forward, leading Shen Chen toward the table with her classmates.
This table was occupied by her classmates, along with Chen Ni and Chen Dong. Xu Su’s own seat was here as well. She pointed to the empty spot saved for her, told Shen Chen to sit, and then found him a new set of a bowl and chopsticks. She hesitated, "Do you want to rinse the tableware with hot water?"
Shen Chen paused, then smiled. "And here I was, just saying you had no sense of hospitality. Aren’t you doing a great job?"
"..." Xu Su shot him a pointed glance. "You don’t seem like the picky type. Just eat."
This time, it was Shen Chen’s smile that slowly faded.
Elsewhere at the table, Huang Fengqian Jia watched her friend bring back a man and treat him with such courtesy and care. For a moment, she was quite surprised.
They all stared, stunned. For a long moment, no one said a word.
It was Chen Ni who couldn’t hold back. She glanced at Huang Feng and the others, then looked at Shen Chen and asked, "Susu, do you have a new classmate?" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞
’He doesn’t look like one...’
Shen Chen was twenty-two this year, a far cry from a seventeen or eighteen-year-old high school student.
Xu Su froze. She looked up and met Xi Zirong’s gaze from beside her. The young man’s eyes were dark and unreadable, his lips pressed into a thin, pale line as he stared at her without blinking.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Xu Su had dared to bring Shen Chen up here because she had a clear conscience. She and Shen Chen were just ordinary friends, so she felt she had nothing to hide. But under Xi Zirong’s gaze, she now felt an inexplicable pang of guilt.
"..." She only just now realized that Xi Zirong and Shen Chen were seated next to each other, with her standing right in the middle.
Xu Su forced a smile and recited her prepared line. "This is Shen Chen. He’s a friend of mine."
She looked at everyone and added, "Just a regular friend."
A soft chuckle came from beside her. Shen Chen spoke up, "That’s right. I’m Xu’s friend. The very regular kind."
"..." Xu Su couldn’t help but glare fiercely at him.
Her glare made Shen Chen pause, but then he slowly broke into another smile. While smiling, he even raised an eyebrow at her and handed her a glass of warm water. "That baijiu burns the throat. Don’t drink it next time. You’re the one who’ll feel sick."
"If you really like to drink, learn to drink red wine."
He had clearly noticed the discomfort in her throat.
"..." Xu Su took the glass and took a few sips.
"You were drinking?" Xi Zirong reached out, took the empty glass from her, and looked over with a frown. "Baijiu?"
"Mhm, my sister is pregnant and can’t drink, so I had one for her." Xu Su held up one finger and leaned toward him to explain. "Just one cup."
Her neckline was a bit low, and as she leaned over, the lovely curve of her figure was partially revealed. Xi Zirong, who was directly in front of her, shot to his feet, pulled her upright, and said in a serious voice, "Stand up straight."
The baijiu was strong, and Xu Su was already feeling a little unwell. When her arm was suddenly grabbed, the young man’s scent was so familiar... ’It’s Xi Zirong.’ She didn’t feel anything was wrong with it; on the contrary, she tilted her body and leaned against him.
When she spoke again, her voice was a little whiny. She clutched her empty stomach and said pitifully, "Can you get me a stool? I’m so hungry, and that drink made me feel awful."
She had only had half a bowl of porridge that morning and hadn’t eaten anything since. After drinking a cup of baijiu on an empty stomach, her stomach had long been feeling upset.
"You still drank it even though you’d feel sick?" Xi Zirong’s expression was grim. He called a waiter to bring over a stool and helped the girl sit down. "Eat something to line your stomach. Xu Su, don’t drink on an empty stomach again, understand?"
Xu Su nodded obediently, then tried to argue her case. "I didn’t want to drink it, but it’s my sister’s wedding. If I didn’t drink, it would have put her and her husband in a tough spot."
Their table was far away, so they hadn’t heard the conversation from the groom’s bosses’ table. Unaware that his girlfriend had been pestered by a group of greasy, middle-aged men, Xi Zirong simply pressed his lips together and said nothing.
After sitting down, Xu Su picked up a piece of rice cake and took a few bites. The burning pain in her stomach faded, and she finally began to recover. Noticing that the atmosphere at the table had become strangely quiet, she stopped and turned her head to see Shen Chen watching her with a leisurely, observant gaze.
"..." Her gaze swept around the table. Aside from Huang Fengqian Jia and Xu Ran—the two classmates who knew about her relationship with Xi Zirong—Chen Ni and Chen Dong were all watching her silently. They were clearly stunned by the series of intimate gestures between her and Xi Zirong.
After her gaze made a full circle, Xu Su looked back at Shen Chen. He was a bit intimidating when he wasn’t smiling, but his smile was deceptive, making him seem very easy to talk to.
Right now, the smile on Shen Chen’s face had vanished completely. He was staring at her intently.
"...Eat. Why are you all looking at me?" Xu Su laughed awkwardly and quickly averted her eyes, looking around. "Everyone, eat. Stop staring at me."
"Susu, are you dating someone?" Chen Ni’s eyes darted back and forth between Xu Su and Xi Zirong before she said with certainty, "I’ve felt like something was off these past two days. You’ve finally slipped up, haven’t you?"
Xi Zirong was just too perfect. The young man was handsome, tall with long legs, had a good temper, and was even ranked first in his year at City No.1 High School. In Chen Ni’s mind, any classmate her Susu would bring home must have a very close relationship with her.
Chen Ni had been speculating for a while that there was something romantic between the two, and now she had caught them in the act. Her eyes were practically glowing.
Noticing Shen Chen’s gaze from her right, Xu Su gave an unnatural cough and explained stiffly, "I’m not. We’re really not dating."
’So weak and unconvincing...’
Someone at the table couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Xu Su looked over. It was Xu Ran again.
He covered his mouth, a look of apology on his face. "Sorry, I didn’t mean to. It’s just... too funny."
"..." Xu Su suddenly felt a flush of shame and anger, but she forced it down, determined to maintain her image as a dedicated top student in front of her younger cousins.
She looked at Chen Ni and explained earnestly, "I’m just dizzy from the drink, it’s not what you think. Nini, don’t go saying anything to Grandma, okay?"
Chen Ni had an "I get it" expression on her face and nodded vigorously. "Don’t worry, sis. I definitely won’t tell Grandma. I’ll just pretend I don’t know anything."
"..." Xu Su was silent for a moment. She then looked at Chen Dong and Chen Jun, and only relaxed when she saw her two younger cousins nod as well.
’As long as Grandma doesn’t find out, it’s fine.’
As for Shen Chen... Xu Su turned to look at him again. He was holding a phone, his fingers tapping away at the screen.
