Shen Qingqing turned around slowly, "Is looking for someone related to you?"
"If you're looking for someone, tell me, and I can help you," Lin Minglan said, her eyes full of allure as she looked at Fu Jingshu. "Jingshu will also agree to let me help you."
Fu Jingshu glanced at her, remaining silent.
He wanted to see what tricks this woman was playing.
Since he didn't speak, Lin Minglan felt her threat had succeeded and became even more brazen. "Miss Shen, tell me, who are you looking for?"
Shen Qingqing crossed her arms, her back straight, making her slender waist appear even more alluring. "Do you have the capability?"
Lin Minglan acted as if she had heard a joke, shouting repeatedly, "Miss Shen, you underestimate me too much. How can you be so sure I don't have this capability?"
"Even if you did, I wouldn't need it."
Shen Qingqing found her so repulsive that she felt nauseous. Why would she need her help? After speaking, she turned to leave.
Lin Minglan stepped forward to block her. "Miss Shen, even if you don't believe me, you should believe Jingshu."
In front of Shen Qingqing, she deliberately moved closer to Fu Jingshu, resting her head on his broad shoulder with a demure posture.
"Jingshu will definitely help me, won't he, Jingshu?"
Fu Jingshu narrowed his eyes, and the cold air around him suddenly condensed, startling Lin Minglan. She knew she had gone too far and annoyed him.
But she wanted to see Shen Qingqing look miserable.
She grabbed Fu Jingshu's arm, intending to remind him that the special medicine was still in their hands.
Fu Jingshu abruptly pulled his arm away, gave her a cold look with a warning in his eyes, but still remained silent.
Lin Minglan's heart, which had leaped into her throat, finally settled.
Thank goodness he didn't expose her!
Shen Qingqing watched their interaction and found it strange. Fu Jingshu didn't seem willing, but who could possibly threaten him?
With his abilities, wouldn't he have already dismembered anyone who threatened him?
She shook her head, deeming it unlikely.
Lin Minglan turned her head and saw Shen Qingqing looking on as if watching a show, which instantly displeased her. "How can you be so ungrateful? I'm trying to help you. Regardless, you used to be Jingshu's fiancée. Now that your engagement is broken, I want to compensate you as much as I can."
The typical love triangle was already the focus of everyone's attention. With this statement, the crowd immediately began to murmur.
"The engagement is broken?"
"I knew it. Why else would Mr. Fu be attending the banquet with another woman today?"
"Poor Miss Shen, she's alone again. I don't know what Mr. Fu is thinking; I think Miss Shen is more beautiful."
"What's the use of being beautiful? Don't you see Miss Lin's family is well-connected with Mr. Fu? And rumor has it they grew up together, childhood sweethearts."
Hearing the whispers, Lin Minglan felt immensely proud. She hinted subtly, "Miss Shen, I can truly help you. Jingshu is very good to me. If I plead with him, he will help you, right, Jingshu?"
The crowd, hearing these words, felt even more pity for Shen Qingqing.
"Alas, poor Miss Shen."
"Without an engagement, how will she find someone in the future?"
"I wouldn't dare be with a woman who was once with Mr. Fu. I assume anyone who knows Mr. Fu wouldn't dare either. Besides, a woman Mr. Fu doesn't want clearly has issues."
The crowd's gaze towards Shen Qingqing began to turn strange.
It was as if she truly had a problem.
Fu Jingshu could not tolerate it any longer. "Enough!"
His sharp command silenced the banquet. Everyone instinctively looked at him, including the smug Lin Minglan.
She looked at Fu Jingshu's exceptionally cold eyes and had a bad premonition.
"Jingshu, are you angry?" she decided to preempt him. "Alright, everyone, please stop talking. Things are not as you think. Miss Shen and Jingshu ended their relationship peacefully. Please don't speak about Miss Shen that way. These words are too harsh for a young lady."
Her righteous tone made everyone feel a bit guilty. Coupled with the cold aura radiating from Fu Jingshu, everyone inexplicably fell silent, not daring to utter a word.
Lin Minglan felt triumphant. A bunch of fools, easily manipulated with a few words.
"Everyone, please don't speak about Miss Shen like this anymore," she advised as if putting on an act. "It's not easy for Miss Shen to raise her child alone. Please be more tolerant of her..."
Before she could finish, Fu Jingshu's voice came from behind, icy cold. "Haven't you acted enough?"
Lin Minglan froze and turned to look at Fu Jingshu, her lips moving. "Jingshu..."
Don't say it, don't say it!
Fu Jingshu could see her fear but showed no wavering or pity. "Do you feel no guilt saying these words and doing these things?"
"What do you mean?" Lin Minglan could already feel the strange glances from the crowd. She had a premonition that if Fu Jingshu said what he intended, she would be finished!
She grabbed Fu Jingshu's arm. "Jingshu, don't say anything foolish. I know you don't want people to speak ill of Miss Shen..."
In her panic, her words became incoherent.
Her mind was solely focused on preventing Fu Jingshu from saying those words! Otherwise, under everyone's gaze, she would become a laughingstock!
"Let go!"
Fu Jingshu said each word distinctly.
Lin Minglan dared not anger him and reluctantly released her hand.
"My engagement with Shen Qingqing has not been broken, and I have no relation to you," Fu Jingshu stated unreservedly and bluntly. "If you continue to spout nonsense, I won't hesitate to sue you for defamation."
The crowd gasped.
Lin Minglan's expression shifted drastically.
Fu Jingshu walked towards Shen Qingqing. Though a distance separated them, his protective stance towards her was evident.
His attitude was crystal clear.
The crowd looked at Lin Minglan with disdain.
"I've heard of women throwing themselves at men, but I've never seen someone so desperate to attach herself. How embarrassing!"
The crowd's comments left Lin Minglan utterly humiliated. If there were a hole in the ground, she would have wanted to crawl into it. Her hands clutched Fu Jingshu's arm, her fingertips turning white.
"You..."
Before she could finish speaking, Fu Jingshu roughly shook her off.
Seeing this, the crowd understood even more. "She's just an annoying nuisance, like a sticky plaster. What a shame for such a beautiful woman to be so shameless!"
Everyone shook their heads.
Lin Minglan's face contorted, her eyes scarlet as she glared fiercely at Shen Qingqing.
Shen Qingqing narrowed her eyes. This reaction seemed off...
Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the entrance. A man, ignoring the obstruction of the crowd, rushed in. He was furious, his gaze sweeping across the crowd before quickly locking onto Shen Qingqing.
"Hah, you bitch, you're really here! You abandoned your husband and child just to be with this man? Isn't it just because he's richer than me?! You shallow, promiscuous slut!"