At that moment, the waiter began serving the dishes.
Nanhu City's "Three Whites" are famous nationwide, and this restaurant is known for its authentic Taihu Three Whites cuisine.
Looking at the table full of delicacies, I actually had no appetite.
What I really wanted to know was why Shen Minhong appeared here today and why she wanted to help me.
Could it really be that she just wanted me to be her lover?
Keep in mind, the contract we signed with Yuxing Group was worth hundreds of millions. Could such a large deal be sealed just because of a personal relationship between Shen Minhong and me?
Also, who exactly was Shen Minhong, and how was she able to take control of such a matter?
I looked at Shen Minhong but didn't say a word or pick up my chopsticks.
Shen Minhong didn't understand my silence and smiled, saying, "What, do I look like a monster?"
I knew in my heart that to win over a woman like her, sweet words were key.
So I shook my head and said, "No, I think you're very beautiful."
Shen Minhong gave me a peculiar look and said, "You're getting better at talking."
No matter what kind of expression she wore, it had a certain charm.
I had to admit, this beautiful woman in front of me was dangerously captivating.
Logically speaking, since our company had signed such a major contract with Yuxing Group, we would have many business interactions in the future. Being close to such a charming woman would be very helpful for my career.
So I tentatively asked, "After we finish dinner, where will we go?"
Shen Minhong's beautiful eyes remained fixed on me. I had to admit, those eyes were very seductive.
Back in school, she was known as the campus belle, the object of many admirers.
Looking at the alluring Shen Minhong now, I suddenly felt that she was living a truly successful life.
Shen Minhong said, "Wherever you go, I'll go."
From her tone, it seemed she was head over heels in love with me.
I was quite puzzled, thinking, "Could I really be so lucky in love?"
Honestly, I wanted to say to myself, "Let's go to a hotel."
But to a beauty, such words are crude, and I wasn't some reckless man.
So I didn't know how to respond.
Seeing me lost in thought, Shen Minhong continued, "How about we go rent a room to rest for a while? We got up early today, I've been looking for you all morning, and I'm tired—I want to take a nap."
At twenty, I might not have understood subtleties, but now, as a married man, I clearly recognized the bluntness of her words.
In essence, it was an invitation to have an affair.
Hearing her say that, I almost blurted out, "Okay!"
Faced with great food, I had even less appetite compared to such beauty.
It seemed Shen Minhong noticed my thoughts, so she didn't say anything further.
When it came time to pay, the bill startled me.
Two people's dishes, without ordering any alcohol, cost over three thousand yuan.
Seeing my awkward expression, Shen Minhong thought I had financial problems and said, "How about I pay for this?"
I certainly couldn't let her pay, so I waved her off and said, "Minhong, I appreciate your kindness, but I'll pay this one."
Luckily, Zhang Zhiyuan had transferred five thousand yuan to me via WeChat not long ago; otherwise, this bill would have been hard to manage.
I kept the receipt, thinking I'd definitely ask Zhang Zhiyuan for reimbursement.
After all, I had done such a big favor for the company—my sales manager position was surely secure now.
Then, I got into Shen Minhong's car, and she drove me to a secluded hotel.
I suddenly felt that she was very familiar with this place, as if she came here often for affairs.
Soon, she reserved a room, but right before we entered, her phone suddenly rang.
The moment she answered, her expression changed dramatically, as if something serious had happened.
After hanging up, she said, "Zhao Jian, I'm really sorry today. I have an urgent matter. When I get to Nanzhou, I'll definitely meet up with you again."
Saying that, she threw the room key into my hand and drove away without saying goodbye.
Sigh—that's real exhaustion of the heart.
A good thing that could have happened but didn't, for no apparent reason—how could my heart feel okay?
I hated that mysterious phone call.
I opened the room door and lay down alone, feeling completely powerless.
At that moment my phone rang. To my surprise, it was my wife, Lu Wan.
I had called twice last night but got no answer, yet today she called. I wondered why.
I thought if Shen Minhong hadn't left, and I was having a good time with her, wouldn't my wife's call be perfectly timed?
It was as if she had eyes everywhere, constantly watching me—it made me unconsciously fearful.
After some thought, I answered.
As soon as I spoke, Lu Wan asked, "Zhao Jian, you called me yesterday. What did you want?"
Though I already knew our relationship was troubled, I still put on a gentle tone and said, "Honey, I miss you."
Lu Wan snorted coldly, "You're thinking about that beautiful mistress of yours, aren't you?"
Thinking about the scene just now with Shen Minhong, I felt guilty and was at a loss how to respond.
Her suspicion was bad for our relationship, so I asked, "Why don't you trust me?"
My wife snorted, "Can you do anything that'd make me trust you?"
I recalled the scene and found myself speechless.
Though I hadn't physically cheated, I was mentally unfaithful, which was also disloyal to her.
So, I couldn't argue—I truly had let her down.
After some thought, I decided to be honest with her.
"Honey, whose child is it that you're carrying?"
After I asked, Lu Wan suddenly fell silent, as if contemplating.
Seconds ticked by as I waited for her reply.
"It's not yours. Who else could it be?" she said suddenly.
"But two months ago, I remember we hardly had marital relations. How could you be pregnant?" I questioned still.
Indeed, in the past two months, Lu Wan often refused intimacy citing bad moods and health, which made me suspicious.
In my view, if we were to have a child, it would have been right after we married, since we were intimate often then.
Moreover, her repeated requests for divorce further made me doubt the child's paternity.
Hearing this, my wife suddenly got angry and said, "Zhao Jian, what do you mean? Are you accusing me of carrying another man's child?"
Honestly, her tone shocked me—it was unlike her usual character.
A cold feeling settled in my heart. It seemed our marriage was nearing its end.
But I knew the most important thing now was to find out the truth.
I asked her, "Honey, can you honestly say you never did anything to betray me?"
Suddenly, my wife fell silent again, and her silence deepened my doubts.
"If the child isn't mine, and if you still love me and care about this family, then I ask you to abort it," I almost pleaded.
My wife still did not speak. I could sense she was making a great decision.
As long as she could tell the truth, I wouldn't be afraid. Divorce would be better than spending life with someone who doesn't love me.
Though I loved her very much, I refused to force anything.
After a while, my wife said, "Zhao Jian, don't overthink this. The child is indeed yours. But I feel that our relationship is troubled. For the future, I've decided to have an abortion."
I was stunned. If the child really was mine, aborting it for no reason was unacceptable.
I said, "Don't do it yet. Wait for me to come back. We'll talk it over properly. Everything can be discussed."
She thought about it and said, "Okay. I'll wait for you."
After hanging up, I lay on the bed, my mood at rock bottom, unwilling to go anywhere.
With my mental state like this, I definitely couldn't work effectively, so I decided not to return to the exhibition hall.
During this time, I really needed to think carefully about my future path.
By evening, Ren Tingting called me.
"Manager Zhao, it's about time. Should we wrap up?"
From her tone, she was much more respectful now and truly regarded me as the manager.
Only now did I realize that in this society, one's starting point matters far more than effort.
In fact, I still couldn't understand why Shen Minhong had suddenly given me such a huge contract.
Anyway, I had a bad feeling about it.
But at least, as far as I could tell, this contract would only benefit Xingchang.
Forget it, I wouldn't overthink it. At the very least, when I returned to the company, I could give a satisfactory report. Zhang Zhiyuan would surely look at me differently.
I said to Ren Tingting, "You guys pack up and get some rest early!"
Ren Tingting said, "Manager Zhao, got it. Any other instructions?"
I could hear her extremely respectful tone.
At this moment, I finally experienced the benefits power brings.
Looks like she really wanted to ally with me.
Since that was the case, I'd surely open convenient doors for them.
I said to Ren Tingting, "Before leaving today, tidy up the venue. We won't have to come tomorrow—you can sleep in."
I did this purely to provide favorable conditions for Fu Xin and Ren Tingting.
Ren Tingting was very happy hearing this and said, "Yes, Manager Zhao, I know what to do. You have fun as well."
Perhaps in her mind, I was still with Shen Minhong.
I knew this woman was a big mouth, hard to keep secrets, but I could only feel helpless.
I hung up and lay in bed, lost in thought—and soon fell asleep.