Chapter 136

Chapter 136: This Photo Looks Like a Wedding Picture Jiangcheng was really too small. Chu Tang never expected to run into Jiang Shixu here. While she was still in a daze, Lu Shuci behind her suddenly spoke up: "President Jiang, what a coincidence. You're here for a meal too?" Jiang Shixu's voice was cold, and on the surface he looked very calm. "Mm." Chu Tang didn't know what to say, so she simply didn't speak and walked past Jiang Shixu straight into the restaurant. A server came over to receive them. "Hello, how many people? Do you have a reservation?" Chu Tang replied composedly, "Two people. I have a reservation, phone number ending in 0725." "Please follow me." Seeing that Ruan Chutang had already followed the server, Lu Shuci smiled and met Jiang Shixu's gaze. "President Jiang, I'll excuse myself first." Jiang Shixu stood in place, lowering his eyes. Today was Valentine's Day. On such a special day, why was Tangtang out eating alone with Lu Shuci? Was it... a date? The sourness in his heart surged stronger and stronger. Jiang Shixu's throat tightened. He stood there motionless, as if frozen into a statue, his legs losing all sensation. Seeing that Jiang Shixu didn't respond. Lu Shuci's gaze slowly swept over Jiang Shixu. The restaurant's lighting was dim, creating a romantic atmosphere, but the faint light couldn't illuminate the man's lonely and bitter expression. A faint smile curled at the corner of Lu Shuci's lips. He knew Jiang Shixu had misunderstood. On this special holiday, a man and a woman dining alone together did look very much like a romantic date. Lu Shuci had no intention of explaining. He walked past Jiang Shixu with measured steps, going after Ruan Chutang ahead. In the private room. Ruan Chutang sat in her chair, staring blankly with unfocused eyes. She didn't react at all when Lu Shuci pushed the door open and came in. "Lawyer Ruan." Lu Shuci pulled out a chair and sat down, calling out to her. Ruan Chutang snapped back to reality, slightly distracted. "The menu is over there. Go ahead and order." A smile touched Lu Shuci's lips, his eyes warm. "Alright." He didn't ask questions he shouldn't ask, nor did he mention people he shouldn't mention. Chu Tang quickly composed herself and put the chance encounter behind her. While waiting for the food after ordering, Chu Tang resumed their conversation about the partnership. Lu Shuci said, "I have a friend who specializes in criminal defense. He has three years of practice experience, just like me. If you're willing, I can bring him in as a partner." Ruan Chutang's eyes lit up. "Sure. Let's arrange to meet him another day and discuss the details." Lu Shuci gave a slight nod. "Alright." "He was my college classmate. You don't need to worry about his professional competence." Ruan Chutang smiled. "Of course. Anyone recommended by Lawyer Lu is sure to be reliable." Pleasantries still had to be said, but Chu Tang remained cautious inwardly. Once they became partners, they'd be in the same boat—sharing risks and sharing profits. She had to thoroughly understand her partners' backgrounds and professional abilities. Lu Shuci's eyes were gentle. "I'm currently planning to invest thirty million and also practice under the firm's license. The contract can be signed at any time." Chu Tang smiled and extended her hand to Lu Shuci. "I like people who are as straightforward as Lawyer Lu. Looking forward to working together." Lu Shuci reached out and shook Chu Tang's hand. "Looking forward to working together." After the meal, Lu Shuci asked politely, "Today is a memorable day. Would it be alright if I took a photo with you, my partner?" Taking photos together as a memento was normal for business partners. Chu Tang didn't overthink it and replied with a smile, "Sure." Lu Shuci asked a server to take a photo of them together. In the photo, the two stood side by side. Chu Tang looked at the camera with a soft, gentle smile at the corner of her lips. Lu Shuci's eyes held a hint of warmth. Originally, it was a full-body shot, with the two maintaining a normal social distance—nothing that would invite romantic interpretations. But Lu Shuci cropped out the lower half, leaving only the upper-body shot of the two of them. The feel of the photo changed entirely. If you ignored the background, it looked just like the photo on a marriage certificate. Lu Shuci posted it on his Moments that very afternoon. The caption read: 【A very special day.】 Lu Shuci had put a little thought into that caption. Today was Valentine's Day. He hadn't written something like "Happy holiday" or "Happy Valentine's Day" that would deliberately invite misunderstanding—that would definitely provoke Chu Tang's displeasure. But he also hadn't honestly written something unambiguous like "Looking forward to working together" that wouldn't cause any misunderstanding. The ambiguous "A very special day" was just right. It wouldn't offend Chu Tang, yet it would still make Jiang Shixu misunderstand. He had Zhou Zheng'an on WeChat—Zhou Zheng'an's company had several cases handled by him. Zhou Zheng'an was sure to see this post. Given the relationship between Zhou Zheng'an and Jiang Shixu, Jiang Shixu was bound to see it too. After posting, Lu Shuci put away his phone, leaned back on the sofa, and savored a glass of red wine, his mood buoyant. ... When Chu Tang saw Lu Shuci's Moments post, she casually gave it a like and swiped past. When Zhou Zheng'an scrolled to the post, he screenshotted it along with Chu Tang's like and sent it to Jiang Shixu. 【Someone's home got robbed?】 【This photo looks like a wedding photo, and honestly, they make a pretty good match.】 Jiang Shixu saw the message, and a dark ink spread across his eyes. The girl's radiant smile in the photo stung him. He silently stared at the photo for a long time. Then he made a phone call. "How's Fu Yuanzhou doing?" ...... That evening, Chu Tang returned home. Just as she finished showering and opened her tablet to catch up on a drama, she received a phone call. "Hello, this is the courier. Are you home right now?" "I'm home, but I didn't order anything. May I ask what the package is?" "It should be something someone bought for you. It's from a jewelry store, sent via same-city express." "Huh?" Chu Tang was puzzled. "I'm home. Just bring it up and leave it at the door." "Alright." Ten minutes later, the courier placed the package at Chu Tang's door and knocked. "Hello, your package is at the door." Chu Tang got up from the sofa, slipped on her slippers, and went to open the door. A cardboard box lay quietly at the doorstep. Chu Tang picked it up and looked at it curiously. The return address was the name of a high-end jewelry store in Jiangcheng. Chu Tang brought the package inside and called the sender's number on the shipping label. It was a little past eight in the evening, and the jewelry store was still open. The staff member answered quickly and rattled off a standard opening spiel. Chu Tang spoke politely: "Hello, I just received a package with your store as the return address. I'd like to ask what's inside and who bought it?" The staff member asked: "May I have your phone number, please? I'll look it up for you." Chu Tang gave her phone number. The staff member said: "Alright, please hold on while I check." Soon, the staff member had an answer. "Is this Miss Ruan?" "Yes." "Hello, Miss Ruan. I see here that this package is a necklace that a gentleman picked out for you at our store this afternoon. He left your address and phone number and specifically asked us to make sure it was delivered today."