Zheng Zemin could only smile awkwardly at Yan Xi.
Yan Xi also felt awkward, after all, Zheng Zemin was her lawyer now that she was embroiled in such a scandal.
They were also classmates, and being misunderstood by the boss like this made Yan Xi feel quite embarrassed.
Of course, Yan Xi was unaware that Zheng Zemin harbored feelings for her.
After the boss left, Yan Xi apologized to Zheng Zemin with a look of guilt, softly saying, "I'm so sorry, it's all because of me that you were misunderstood by the boss."
Zheng Zemin had been worried about Yan Xi, but he hadn't expected Yan Xi to apologize first.
Was Yan Xi so eager to distance herself from him out of fear of being misunderstood?
Zheng Zemin felt a complex mix of emotions.
Before long, the boss brought over a bowl of Mala Ban.
Yan Xi, not wanting the awkwardness to continue, picked up her chopsticks and began to eat, saying as she did, "When I was studying, I loved their Mala Ban the most. It's truly super delicious."
Zheng Zemin smiled and remained silent.
He knew, of course, that Yan Xi's favorite during her student days was this very Mala Ban.
Because Yan Xi came to their place to eat Mala Ban almost every day after school, and Zheng Zemin, not being from this town, couldn't handle spicy food. To get closer to his goddess, he followed Yan Xi there every day to eat Mala Ban.
He still remembered that the first time he came here, the boss asked him, "Young man, what would you like?"
He pointed to Yan Xi and said, "The same dish as her, with the same level of spiciness."
He ended up having diarrhea for three days after returning to his dorm that meal.
His stomach couldn't handle the spice.
Yet, he continued to eat Mala Ban as usual, with the same extremely spicy preference as Yan Xi.
Gradually, he became able to eat spicy food.
Now, the level of spiciness was almost child's play for Zheng Zemin.
Yan Xi took a couple of bites and exclaimed how delicious it was. Then she remembered that Zheng Zemin wasn't from Yan City and couldn't handle spicy food well. Yan Xi looked at Zheng Zemin apologetically and said softly, "I forgot you can't eat spicy food. How about I ask the boss to make you a different dish?"
Zheng Zemin saw that Yan Xi was already struggling with the spice, yet she continued to eat. A smile in his eyes, he placed a cup of milk tea in front of Yan Xi and explained, "It's okay, I can handle spicy food quite well now."
Yan Xi was surprised by Zheng Zemin's thoughtfulness in buying her milk tea. Just as she reached for it, the milk tea was snatched away before she could.
Yan Xi looked at Fu Yan Ting and frowned slightly. However, Fu Yan Ting seemed unfazed. He sized up Yan Xi and Zheng Zemin, and after a while, he asked sarcastically, "Are you two close?"
Zheng Zemin didn't know Fu Yan Ting and thus didn't understand him well, but Yan Xi did.
Although Fu Yan Ting appeared calm, Yan Xi knew him well enough to understand that he was angry, extremely angry, at this moment.
Yan Xi didn't want to implicate Zheng Zemin and was about to explain, but Zheng Zemin spoke up before her. Looking at Fu Yan Ting, Zheng Zemin explained, "Uncle, hello. I'm Xi Xi's classmate, my name is Zheng Zemin."
It wasn't Zheng Zemin's fault for misunderstanding. Yan Xi was truly aging in reverse; compared to her student days, she looked even younger now.
Combined with Zheng Zemin's impression of Fu Yan Ting as a distinguished gentleman, he assumed Fu Yan Ting was a relative of Yan Xi's from the He family.
Thus, he greeted Fu Yan Ting warmly.
Fu Yan Ting's already grim expression worsened upon hearing Zheng Zemin's words.
Uncle?
Xi Xi?
Was he that old?
What angered Fu Yan Ting the most was that Yan Xi hadn't refuted the intimate address.
Wait, what did this kid just say?
He called himself Zheng Zemin, the formidable lawyer Zheng Zemin?
Fu Yan Ting's sarcasm instantly vanished. He pulled out a chair, his disdain evident, but he couldn't afford to care about it now. He sat beside Yan Xi, putting an arm around her shoulders. Yan Xi initially felt a little embarrassed.
She tried to struggle, but the more she resisted, the tighter Fu Yan Ting's arm around her became.
Finally, Yan Xi gave up struggling.
Fu Yan Ting gave Yan Xi a look of relief.
If not for Yan Xi, Fu Yan Ting would never have come to such a humble place to eat.
Zheng Zemin was stunned by Fu Yan Ting's actions.
When he regained his senses, he looked at Yan Xi and asked, "Xi Xi, who is this..."
Before Zheng Zemin could finish his question, Yan Xi explained, "His name is Fu Yan Ting, my ex-husband."
Zheng Zemin wondered if he was seeing things or hearing them wrong. Was the ex-husband so enthusiastic?
Hugging and embracing each other upon meeting.
Yan Xi also noticed Zheng Zemin's awkwardness and wanted to explain. However, before she could speak, Fu Yan Ting interjected, "If nothing unexpected happens, we'll be remarrying at the end of this month. You can consider the 'ex' part as negligible."
Yan Xi?
Who agreed to remarry him?
Zheng Zemin finally understood. He had no chance with Yan Xi.
Fu Yan Ting addressed Zheng Zemin with a tone of familiarity, "Lawyer Zheng, I'm very grateful you're helping my wife with this lawsuit. I, Fu, owe you a favor. Feel free to ask for anything in the future, and I'll grant it."
"Mr. Fu's tone is quite bold. I haven't even stated my case yet, and you're so confident you can achieve anything."
Zheng Zemin knew Fu Yan Ting and Yan Xi had divorced. Regardless of the reason for the divorce, it was Fu Yan Ting's fault.
Furthermore, Yan Xi was now facing a scandal, and it was Yan Xi's brother, He Yun, who sought his help, not Fu Yan Ting.
If Fu Yan Ting truly cared about Yan Xi, why wouldn't he immediately find a lawyer? Moreover, with Fu Yan Ting's capabilities, Yan Xi would have already been cleared by now.
The more Zheng Zemin thought about it, the angrier he became, and his attitude towards Fu Yan Ting became less than pleasant.
Fu Yan Ting was an experienced man and had long seen through Zheng Zemin's petty schemes. However, Fu Yan Ting wasn't annoyed. He stared at Zheng Zemin smugly and said calmly, "Lawyer Zheng, in my eyes, Fu Yan Ting, there is nothing I cannot do."
Of course, Fu Yan Ting had things he couldn't do; he wasn't a god.
But, in front of Zheng Zemin, especially when this man harbored improper thoughts about Yan Xi, Fu Yan Ting's imposing presence could not falter.
Hearing Fu Yan Ting's words, Yan Xi couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth.