Chapter 14: Shen Xun Denies Being Married

Shen Xun immediately reached out, smiling, and said, "President Ke."

Someone nearby chuckled, "I didn't expect President Ke and President Shen to have known each other already."

"First time meeting, I've heard a bit about you," Ke Zhongyu said, deliberately glancing at Jiang Lai as he spoke.

Jiang Lai didn't understand.

As someone pulled out a chair for Ke Zhongyu, she realized she had fallen short, but now it wasn't needed of her.

Ke Zhongyu sat down, and then the others dared to sit.

He looked at Jiang Lai, patted the chair beside him, and said lightly, "Sit here."

This action drew everyone's gaze; the bosses who had intended to sit beside Ke Zhongyu quickly made way.

It was clear that the secretary who came to the drinking party in casual clothes and a canvas bag was no ordinary person.

"Ke Zhongyu's newly hired secretary?" someone asked curiously.

Shen Xun's gaze was fixed on the two of them, especially Jiang Lai, as if he could pierce a hole.

We had agreed on her resignation, so how did she become Ke Zhongyu's secretary?

Jiang Lai deceived him!

"Just promoted from administration," Ke Zhongyu said, amusedly sizing up Shen Xun and Jiang Lai.

Shen Xun was fuming, while Jiang Lai remained calm as if she were a stranger.

It appeared their marital relationship was not harmonious.

Someone else asked, "I don't know what to call President Ke's new secretary."

"Her surname is Jiang," Shen Xun answered before Jiang Lai could.

That person exclaimed, "President Shen knows her?"

Jiang Lai lifted her gaze, also wanting to know how Shen Xun would answer.

"We know each other," Shen Xun replied with a smile.

That was all he said—just those two words.

There was nothing more.

Jiang Lai lowered her eyes, the corner of her mouth twitching in a cold sneer; even in her presence, Shen Xun would never admit their marital relationship in public.

Fortunately, they were divorced.

"Really?" Ke Zhongyu countered Jiang Lai.

Jiang Lai nodded: "We know each other."

Ke Zhongyu's gaze deepened as he casually uttered two words: "Quite a coincidence."

At the table, everyone affectionately called Jiang Lai "Little Jiang," and they all thought, without saying, that anyone Ke Zhongyu promoted to secretary must have exceptional ability.

No other exceptional traits were visible yet, but her face and demeanor were certainly out of the ordinary.

Neither the pure innocence of a girl nor the allure of a mature woman, it was a cool, intellectual aura radiating from within, like a magnolia blossom on a tree, quietly holding its fragrance on the branch.

"So President Ke likes this type," someone muttered quietly to Shen Xun.

The round table was large; those opposite couldn't hear.

Shen Xun frowned, "Don't talk nonsense; Jiang Lai has a family, a husband."

"How do you know?"

Faced with the doubt of the person beside him, Shen Xun had no answer.

"You can't make it up, right? So you wouldn't also like this type, would you?"

"No," Shen Xun replied softly, lifting his wine cup and taking a sip.

"I clearly remember you have someone you like, and you've been waiting for them to come back."

Shen Xun replied again, "No."

"How can you be so contradictory?"

Shen Xun didn't know either; he took another sip, and to him, who drank regularly, two sips were no different from water.

But Jiang Lai didn't like him drinking alcohol.

At home, whenever he lifted his drink, Jiang Lai would look over and say, "No."

He had already taken two sips, yet Jiang Lai sat calmly, picking up a bite whenever a dish reached her; though others came to socialize, she was truly there to eat, eating slowly but never stopping.

A vague irritation rose, causing the movement of setting down his cup to become a bit louder.

Everyone looked over.

Ke Zhongyu lifted his eyes lightly: "President Shen, do you have any objections to Ke Clan handling this tech expo?"

"No, President Ke," Shen Xun said, imposing on himself three drinks.

Jiang Lai watched his drink go down cup after cup, thinking, "If he keeps drinking like this, he'll surely have a stomachache tonight."

But a little pain would be fine.

She continued lowering her head to eat.

Ke Zhongyu, as if not letting her go, asked after Shen Xun finished his third cup: "I've heard President Shen is already married?"

Shen Xun's motion of setting down his cup paused, and he instinctively glanced at Jiang Lai.

Was it Jiang Lai who said that?

Hadn't she promised not to reveal her marriage partner to outsiders?

"Where did President Ke hear that rumor? Our President Shen isn't married; if he were, everyone would know."

"Yeah, President Shen is still waiting for his... hiss!"

The person beside him hadn't finished speaking when Shen Xun stepped on his foot under the table; the other looked over, puzzled.

Shen Xun smiled, signaling him to stop speaking.

Ke Zhongyu watched these people who often dealt with Shen Xun, but the news was not as well-informed as his.

Of course he also learned from this that Shen Xun had never publicly disclosed his marriage, and the people around him had never seen Jiang Lai.

Interesting.

What's the point of this marriage?

"Thank you for your concern, President Ke. President Ke is busy with myriad affairs; my personal matters need not trouble you." Shen Xun smiled and raised his cup again: "I wish the technology expo hosted by the Ke Clan complete success."

Ke Zhongyu symbolically raised his cup and said: "After the technology expo, there will be an industry exchange dinner; I look forward to everyone coming with their female companions."

President Ke had spoken, and everyone said in reply: "Certainly, certainly."

Everyone raised their cups; Jiang Lai could no longer act independently, and she also lifted her cup.

Shen Xun's expression turned tense.

He could no longer hold back, and said: "Secretary Jiang cannot drink alcohol."

Jiang Lai's drinking motion paused, and she looked up.

Shen Xun continued to explain: "It's better for ladies not to drink; have a glass of milk instead."

Who comes to a drinking party and doesn't drink?

Although everyone was doubtful, they still gave Shen Xun face, asking the waiter to take away Jiang Lai's alcohol and replace it with a glass of milk.

Jiang Lai stared blankly at the milk before her.

As it turned out, Shen Xun did not completely forget about her.

But... what good is that?

She didn't take a single sip of the milk before her.

Among the rotating dishes on the table, there was one she craved, which repeatedly came to her for less than a second before being spun away.

This time it came around again.

She knew there was no chance, and didn't even pick up her chopsticks.

Suddenly, the dish she liked slowly came to a stop in front of her.

Jiang Lai looked over; Ke Zhongyu placed one hand on the table, slightly lifting his chin to signal her to eat.

She picked up a bite with her chopsticks, and Ke Zhongyu relaxed his hand.

The whole process lasted less than five seconds.

At the sprawling banquet table, this was merely an inconspicuous gesture; others chatted about projects worth hundreds of millions, having no time to pay attention to her.

Yet this subtle, fleeting motion was fully caught by Shen Xun's eyes; he pressed his lips tightly, his back teeth almost grinding to pieces.

"I'm going to the restroom," Shen Xun said, finding an excuse to leave; as soon as he stepped out, he messaged Jiang Lai, asking her to come out and meet him.

The old phone lit up.

Jiang Lai had wanted to pretend she hadn't seen it, but another message popped up.

【Jiang Lai, you're disobedient; I won't wait for you to resign in a month—I'll immediately propose your resignation to President Ke.】

If there were no job as cover, Shen Xun would have her work as a babysitter by day and pester her to bear children at night.

Simply terrifying.

She stood up.

"President Ke, I'm going to the restroom."

Ke Zhongyu's eyes flickered slightly, and he uttered a soft "hmm," seeming displeased.

Jiang Lai also didn't have time to worry about that; having just stepped out of the private room and taken two steps, she was pulled away by Shen Xun grabbing her wrist.

"Shen Xun, let go of me!"

Having reached the corner outside the shop, Shen Xun released her and demanded.

"Is this the resignation you proposed? Or is it a promotion? I've never seen anyone transferred from an administrative post to the CEO's office to become a secretary. Jiang Lai, just how many things are you hiding from me!"