⌈There are so many people at the party, it can’t be such a coincidence that we meet, right?⌋
Shen Xingran was speechless for a moment.
As he noticed the crowd closing in around them, he finally found something that aligned with his thoughts.
Gu Ningqi was holding a huge gift box.
He had been gripping the gift box tightly, keeping it in front of him and not letting it down even while asking questions.
It must be a carefully prepared gift for him.
Shen Xingran wasn’t sure how to respond to Gu Ningqi’s request for pants.
To shift the topic, he reached out to tug at the gift box in Gu Ningqi’s hands and asked, “Ningqi, what’s in this?”
Unexpectedly, Gu Ningqi dodged a bit, still guarding the gift box closely in front of him, and casually replied, “It’s not important!”
Shen Xingran was completely bewildered.
Seeing that there was no way to evade it any longer, someone in the crowd could no longer restrain themselves and asked Gu Ningqi, “Brother Gu, what’s going on?”
Gu Ningqi stiffened all over.
After a while, he strained to squeeze out a sentence: “There was a bit of an issue when I got off the plane, but I was really worried about you, so I didn’t have time to change clothes and rushed over.”
As soon as this was said, everyone around them seemed to understand, their faces displaying expressions of admiration.
Someone like Gu Ningqi, from such a background, had sacrificed his image just to see Shen Xingran sooner.
What else could this be if not true love?
Shen Xingran was taken aback, and a look of appreciation also crossed his face.
He had thought Gu Ningqi was unprepared, but it turned out this was the precious part.
Now everyone in the upper circles of the capital knew that the heir of the Gu family, Gu Ningqi, loved Shen Xingran so much that he didn’t even care about his image.
However… seeing Gu Ningqi’s current appearance, Shen Xingran paused.
He thought to himself that they should discuss this in the future—no matter how urgent the situation, he needed to prepare himself first.
This was just a bit…
Seeing the expressions of those around him, Gu Ningqi realized he had inadvertently stumbled upon a great excuse.
He cleared his throat, and the awkwardness that had enveloped him finally dissipated, allowing him to regain his usual confidence and certainty.
He wasn’t even in a hurry to change his clothes.
After all, he had already been seen like this once; this was his symbol of being “deeply affectionate”.
Later, he would have to explain the “reason” for his current appearance in front of everyone, to clear up the awkwardness of his entrance.
Just as he was thinking this, Gu Ningqi looked down at the large gift box he was holding, still hesitating for a moment.
Should he…
Maybe he should change his pants first?
But there was no time to change them now.
At this moment, having heard that the heir of the Gu family, Gu Ningqi, had arrived, some guests who had connections with the Gu family or wanted to get closer had already gathered around.
Gu Ningqi had no choice but to extend his empty hand and firmly grasp Shen Xingran’s wrist, furrowing his brow with concern as he said, “How can I feel at ease leaving you alone in a situation like today?”
As he spoke, he raised his hand, intending to smooth Shen Xingran’s hair.
But then he remembered he was still holding the oversized gift box.
Pausing for a moment, he switched hands and said, “Don’t be afraid, I’m right here with you now.”
Watching the two of them, their friends raised their hands to their faces, nearly swooning from the sweetness.
Shen Xingran couldn’t help but show a hint of sweetness on his face as well.
However, the moment Gu Ningqi’s hand brushed against his hair, Shen Xingran couldn’t help but slightly furrow his brow and sniff.
Where was that strange smell coming from?
But Shen Xingran still remembered the important matter at hand.
As he saw things gradually returning to the script he had set, he immediately put on a pained expression, took a step back, and said in a low voice, “Ningqi, please don’t do this.”
“Ranran, don’t step back in front of me.” Gu Ningqi frowned as well.
Shen Xingran simply turned away.
He closed his eyes and said, “We no longer have an engagement.”
Gu Ningqi stepped in front of him, his voice filled with deep emotion: “What nonsense are you talking about? Don’t you understand my feelings?”
Shen Xingran was well aware of Gu Ningqi’s somewhat arrogant nature.
With someone like him, the more you rejected him, the more determined he became.
He bit his lip and shook his head.
Seeing this, Gu Ningqi’s expression indeed darkened. “Who has been talking nonsense in your ear? Was it your father or your mother?”
He sneered, “Even if my grandfather were here, the one fulfilling the engagement would still be you.”
The Gu family was a prominent family on par with the Ji family.
With these words, Gu Ningqi had once again unintentionally elevated Shen Xingran’s worth.
The onlookers felt a surge of envy.
Shen Xingran felt even more satisfied inside.
The two of them were going back and forth like characters in an idol drama.
At this moment, someone with keen eyes pointed to a figure not far away and said, “Is that Lu Ran?”
Gu Ningqi had already found out that the young master of the Shen family who had been retrieved was now called Lu Ran.
So upon hearing this, he immediately turned to look in the direction the person was indicating.
However, with so many people at the banquet, Gu Ningqi didn’t recognize who they were pointing at.
When the person realized he hadn’t seen, they stomped their foot in frustration: “He went over there; hey! Can’t see him anymore!”
Gu Ningqi let out a cold laugh.
He took Shen Xingran’s hand and said, “I want to see what kind of person this Lu Ran is, daring to bully you like this.”
After leading Shen Xingran through the crowd for a while, Gu Ningqi suddenly paused again.
He suddenly remembered the young man he had encountered in the restroom.
In the Shen family villa’s restroom, he had been holding a dog.
It seemed that he should also be a guest attending the banquet.
Just the thought of that boy, who had a smiling face yet had kicked him into the stall, made Gu Ningqi’s calves tremble a bit.
He wasn’t keen on recalling that moment.
It made him reluctant to face that boy as well.
But…
With so many people at the banquet, it couldn’t be that unlucky to run into him, could it?
He was only going to find Lu Ran to cause some trouble; after dealing with him, he would immediately head upstairs to change clothes.
After pondering for a moment, Gu Ningqi still resolutely continued forward.
It was truly necessary to find a punching bag.
For some time now, he had been getting his calls ignored by Shen Xingran. There was a pent-up frustration inside him.
He had just been inexplicably messed with by someone. If he didn’t find someone to vent on, he felt like he would suffocate.
Besides that emotional reasoning, Gu Ningqi also had a clear understanding.
He had entered looking disheveled and most of the guests had seen him.
He couldn’t go around to each person, repeating the “deeply emotional” explanation over and over again.
But finding trouble with Lu Ran was different.
Lu Ran was the main character of the whole banquet; his confrontation with Lu Ran would undoubtedly become the center of attention for the guests.
At that moment, if he berated Lu Ran, and then took Shen Xingran’s hand to express his feelings, he would not only vent his anger but also clarify the reason for his current state in front of everyone.
It was simply killing two birds with one stone!
Gu Ningqi had planned it well.
With a cold expression, he firmly held Shen Xingran’s hand as they searched for someone at the banquet.
As they walked along, they were quite the sight to behold.
Before he knew it, many guests had followed behind them.
Even those who didn’t follow couldn’t help but look at Gu Ningqi.
They were curious about what the disheveled heir of the Gu family was up to.
Gu Ningqi was quite satisfied with this effect.
As everything seemed ready, his proud expression suddenly froze, and he stood rigidly in place.
“What’s wrong, Ningqi?” Shen Xingran asked, puzzled.
Gu Ningqi stood there without moving or answering.
His posture was like a small animal encountering a predator in the wild, suddenly petrified.
Shen Xingran glanced at him and continued, “Maybe I should just leave; I shouldn’t have come to this banquet…”
If it were any other time, hearing him say that would have broken Gu Ningqi’s heart.
But at this moment, Gu Ningqi still didn’t respond.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of something.
Just a few steps away from them, amidst the array of expensive and extravagant shoes, a pale yellow furry tail lay unexpectedly on the floor.
As if sensing his gaze, the tail’s owner backed up, presenting a little yellow dog with a fluffy rear.
The puppy shook its head, sniffed the air, and then accurately looked over at Gu Ningqi.
It seemed to recognize him as a familiar face. The little dog eagerly wagged its tail at him.
The little yellow dog looked incredibly cute as it gazed up with its face tilted.
It was wearing a pink harness, with two small rabbit toys dangling from the harness and leash.
No matter how you looked at it, the image was utterly adorable.
But the moment the dog looked at Gu Ningqi, he recoiled as if he had encountered some great calamity.
Behind him were many people.
This sudden backward step caused him to accidentally step on someone’s foot.
The person let out a yelp, which drew another wave of attention.
Just seconds ago, Gu Ningqi had been reveling in the spotlight.
Now, he wished he could burrow back into the crowd.
He even mentally chanted, Don’t look, don’t look, don’t look!
But it was to no avail.
As if hearing the commotion, the little rabbit toy’s leash quivered and lightly snapped for a moment.
Looking up along the leash, he saw that it ended in a pair of fair, delicate fingers.
Those hands were slender yet not weak, the knuckles bearing a hint of youthful strength.
While holding the leash, the fingers fidgeted, idly pinching the ears of the rabbit toy.
Under Gu Ningqi’s horrified gaze, the owner of those fingers took a step back and looked over.
There stood the very boy Gu Ningqi had been dreading to see, arching his eyebrows.
He scanned Gu Ningqi and Shen Xingran beside him, then glanced at the crowd behind them, “Oh, were you looking for me?”
After saying that, he looked at Gu Ningqi with surprise, “You still dare to come?”
Gu Ningqi was still frozen in shock.
He heard someone behind him point at the boy and say, “That’s Lu Ran!”
Gu Ningqi’s mind went blank. He turned to verify, “He is Lu Ran?”
“Yeah!” the person replied.
Gu Ningqi looked back at Shen Xingran.
His gaze seemed to accuse. Why didn’t you say something earlier?
If he had known, he wouldn’t have come no matter what.
This look set off alarm bells in Shen Xingran’s mind.
What did that mean?
Could it be that Lu Ran and Gu Ningqi had met before?
Gu Ningqi felt a sudden wave of retreating panic. He said, “I just remembered, I have something to do.”
He turned to leave but Shen Xingran reached out and stopped him.
Looking up, he gave Gu Ningqi a pitiful glance.
Lu Ran, feeling disgusted by their emotional exchange, interrupted them, “Hey, that surname Gu, do we have an engagement or what?”
The people around were caught off guard, not expecting the recently acknowledged young master of the Shen family to be the first to bring up the engagement.
They glanced at Gu Ningqi, trying to gauge his reaction.
For a moment, everyone was confused about the direction things were taking.
Being pulled by Shen Xingran, the sudden surge of fear in Gu Ningqi began to subside.
This wasn’t the restroom; this was the banquet hall.
There were so many people around!
What else could Lu Ran do?
As the fear faded, a wave of pent-up anger surged within him.
Gu Ningqi scoffed coldly.
He was about to open his mouth to question, but suddenly he was at a loss for words.
Wait a minute?
What should he even ask?
Should he question why Lu Ran had inexplicably pushed him into a corner?
How could he possibly ask that!
If he did, wouldn’t everyone know he’d been shoved into a bathroom?
Gu Ningqi’s lips trembled, feeling like a mute eating bitter herbs—he had no words to express his frustration.
However, Lu Ran, impatient with his hesitation, bluntly said, “Let’s hurry up and annul this ridiculous engagement.”
Silence fell around them.
The engagement had stirred up quite a buzz, and many attending the banquet were eager to see the young master’s humiliation today.
Who would have thought Lu Ran would actively refuse the engagement?
Even Shen Xingran was momentarily stunned.
It was far more interesting to snatch what others wanted.
But Lu Ran’s attitude…
Strangely made him feel as if he had just grabbed a pile of trash.
Over there, Chen Sheng and a few others had come over, greeting Lu Ran.
Lu Ran dropped a casual remark and was about to leave.
After taking a few steps, he suddenly heard Gu Ningqi shout from behind, “Stop!”
This shout startled everyone present.
Then they saw Gu Ningqi’s face turn red as he rushed forward a couple of steps, questioning, “No, you have to explain to me, why… why do you want to annul the engagement!”
With that question from Gu Ningqi, the onlookers were nearly stunned.
What did Gu Ningqi mean by that?
This drama was just too thrilling.
Lu Ran, who was supposed to be rejected in front of everyone, had taken the initiative to annul the engagement.
It was said that Gu Ningqi, deeply in love with Shen Xingran, had been stiff since meeting Lu Ran.
And now, upon learning he had been rejected, he was charging forward in anger to demand answers!
Shen Xingran’s expression turned somewhat stiff.
This turn of events was too far from his script; for a moment, he didn’t know how to react.
In that moment of daze, Gu Ningqi took another couple of steps forward.
His eyes were bloodshot, practically bursting with rage, as he relentlessly pressed on, “You know what I’m talking about, tell me! Why!”
Good heavens!
That tone of unrequited love!
Some people had already begun to look at Shen Xingran with strange expressions.
Shen Xingran’s face was turning a shade of green.
Lu Ran found the scene quite amusing.
He turned to Gu Ningqi, shaking his head in a mock-serious manner, “Let’s just say the reason… is better left unsaid.”
“No! You have to clarify this for me!” Gu Ningqi insisted.
He wasn’t merely asking about the annulment of the engagement.
This was clearly a question about why he had been shoved into the bathroom!
He had no grievances with Lu Ran; they didn’t even know each other.
Why did this person have to be so ruthless?
Even though he had indeed been harboring anger, he had been planning how to deal with this person today.
He had a whole slew of derogatory remarks he wanted to unleash.
But he hadn’t had the chance to carry them out yet!
Why had Lu Ran done something so cruel to him?
Lu Ran sighed again and replied, “Forget it, it’s not something easy to talk about.”
As he spoke, he turned to leave.
His attitude made those around them curious as well.
The Gu family was a prominent family among the first-tier clans.
Gu Ningqi was a well-established heir among the younger generation and the Gu family held shares and voting rights on the Shen family’s board.
Marrying Gu Ningqi would mean directly obtaining a voice in the Shen family’s board meetings.
It seemed like a surefire good deal from every angle.
So why would this newly recognized young master of the Shen family choose to give up such advantages and refuse?
Gu Ningqi directly reached out to block him, saying, “You’re not leaving until you clarify this!”
Lu Ran looked at him helplessly.
His expression seemed to say, “You’re making me say this.”
Then, with his thirty-seven-degree tone, he coldly spat out the merciless words: “Of course, it’s because you’re small and short; I’d even disdain to be with you.”
The surroundings fell silent for several seconds.
Only the band continued to diligently play.
Once everyone realized what Lu Ran had just said…
In an instant, all eyes turned to Gu Ningqi’s lower half.
![Dissatisfied [e-sports]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4997572.jpg "Dissatisfied [e-sports]")
