That evening, Song Ni's fever finally broke. However, she was still weak, and Tan Zheng was uneasy about letting her attend the party alone, so he accompanied her. The venue was a bar near the CS college. By the time they arrived, the atmosphere was already lively. Vivian was having a blast amidst a crowd, and what was supposed to be a welcoming party for her felt more like a general get-together. Song Ni held Tan Zheng's hand tightly. Dressed in matching couple sweaters, they seemed out of sync with the skimpy dresses and thin shirts worn by others, as if they were in a different season altogether. Vivian spotted Song Ni and weaved through the crowd, holding a drink. "Krist, you're here?" Vivian's gaze then fell on Tan Zheng, openly appraising him from head to toe. Finally, she exclaimed with exaggerated awe at his face, "Krist, who is this?" "My husband." Tan Zheng squeezed Song Ni's hand, then released it, whispering in her ear, "I'll go sit nearby. You two chat." He nodded at Vivian and left. Once he was gone, Vivian's gaze became even more unrestrained, drifting down to Tan Zheng's legs and hips. "Wow, your husband looks amazing." Song Ni: ... It wasn't that she was overthinking, but Vivian's words were hardly proper. "This is what you called a welcome party?" This was clearly just a playground for their group. "Come, I'll introduce you to them. They're all my friends, and they used to be students here too." Song Ni followed along. Vivian, always theatrical, praised her profusely, saying how she had always wanted a student like Song Ni from Bartery, how she was exceptionally talented, showering her with all sorts of compliments. She concluded with a rather direct summary: "She's awesome!" Song Ni: ... How could she still remember that word after all this time? The others raised their glasses to Song Ni. Vivian's friends were also quite unconventional; after introducing themselves, they would all add, "You're awesome." "..." Song Ni could only offer an awkward smile, intending to endure it. Since she had a cold and couldn't drink, she explained that and then downed the drink in her hand, signifying her pleasure in meeting them. After discussing design-related topics, everyone inevitably grew curious about the man Song Ni had brought with her. After all, Tan Zheng's face and demeanor were truly captivating. Upon learning that Tan Zheng was Song Ni's husband, their eyes widened with envy. "Krist, your husband is willing to accompany you for your studies? You're too lucky!" "Your husband is so handsome!" "Did you buy a house in London specifically for this?" Song Ni answered their questions one by one. When they discovered Tan Zheng had a company there, the exclamations grew even louder, and some wanted to approach him. Vivian intervened, "Today, Krist is the protagonist. What are you guys doing?" Only then did the others back down. However, while everyone was secretly taking sips of their drinks, Vivian couldn't help but whisper to Song Ni, "What does your husband do?" Song Ni felt a mix of amusement and helplessness. There was nothing to hide, so she told Vivian. "What?!" Vivian exclaimed, splashing the wine in her glass with her clumsy movements. Song Ni: ... "What's with that reaction?" Vivian grabbed Song Ni's shoulders and shook her vigorously. "Don't you know the influence of GN Group in the UK? Anyone even slightly interested in racing knows about GN." And, as it happened, Britain was famous for its racing valleys and was its birthplace, so the nation's interest in racing was quite high. GN Group was considered a divine entity in everyone's minds, having grown so rapidly in just a few years to break into the UK market. "Your husband is Zheng?" Song Ni's eyebrows twitched. It seemed everyone here called Tan Zheng that. She nodded. Vivian couldn't resist turning to look at Tan Zheng, who was sitting by the window, legs crossed, taking occasional sips of his drink. Someone seemed to be looking for him, and even his actions of checking his phone and replying to messages were somewhat stylish. Vivian couldn't help but whistle. Song Ni felt a little helpless. "Are you paying too much attention to my husband?" Vivian turned back, swallowing. "Does your husband have any good brothers? I'm not busy lately and have some free time. I'm looking for a man to have some fun with." Song Ni: ... "If you fancy that brother who taught you 'awesome'," "Joe?" Vivian shook her head. "No, he already likes someone." Song Ni raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?" Vivian ordered another drink and took a sip. "I fell for him at first sight and wanted a one-night stand, but he refused me. Ah, that woman is quite famous." Vivian only remembered him being a professional racer but couldn't recall her name. Song Ni couldn't help but twitch her lips upon hearing about a one-night stand. Vivian had the typical look of a British sweetheart. Song Ni had thought that given Tang Qinyun's playful nature, he wouldn't refuse Vivian, but it turned out not to be the case. It seemed Tang Qinyun truly adored Li Shang. "You seem to really like flamboyant and flashy men." Vivian waved her finger. "No, no! I absolutely hate Ian. He's practically a devil of a boss." Song Ni: ... It seemed very few people liked their bosses. "Vivian, that hurts my feelings." A gentle male voice interjected, and then someone sat down next to Song Ni. It was the Ian whom Vivian hated. Vivian raised her hand and scratched her hair. "You're like a ghost, always where I am. It's after work hours now. I'm drinking, and you can't control me, right?" Ian shrugged. "I didn't come for you." He then looked at Song Ni and smiled. "Krist, long time no see." Vivian made a face, probably having overheard their conversation in the lounge when discussing tonight's gathering. "Krist really doesn't want to see you. You're so annoying. Don't appear in front of us." Ian ignored Vivian and stared intently at Song Ni, his interest too obvious. "Krist is studying in London. We can be friends." Song Ni's eyes flickered. She remembered Tang Qinyun getting Tan Zheng to lose a car to him last year when he came to London. Tsk, not a good impression. Like Tang Qinyun, he was too flashy. "What kind of friends? Ian, your intentions are too obvious. Krist isn't here alone today; she brought her husband." Ian raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" Song Ni had left Tan Zheng for a while. Now that an annoying person had appeared, it was a perfect excuse. "Vivian, you go have a good drink with your... boss. I'm going to my husband." With that, Song Ni walked towards Tan Zheng. Ian's gaze followed Song Ni, finally landing on the man sitting by the window.
Si Mei
Chapter 276 The Gathering