Chapter 268: Taking the Initiative to Make Peace

"My uncle forgot because he was busy just now, I'm sorry." Sheng Hanyu took the blame upon himself and apologized.

Then he said to the little girl: "I'll have someone send it to your daddy's car now, and you can take it back when you leave, is that alright?"

Then the two of them looked at Zhu Yiwen together; could he say no?

He agreed readily: "Of course, it's just that I've put Mr. Sheng to expense."

"This is what I should do," he replied very naturally.

Zhu Yiwen really wanted to give him a hard beating right now; why was this man's expression so punchable?

Although he was very angry inside, he didn't show it on his face, and even smiled: "Mr. Sheng is too polite. Xiaozhu is my daughter; you giving my daughter a gift is a courtesy, not something you should do."

Sheng Hanyu didn't quibble with him over this issue either, smiling magnanimously, then said: "Shall we serve the food? I'm hungry." Just as if he had really come to eat.

Zhu Yiwen waved his hand to have the waiter serve the food.

Salted egg yolk baked lobster, steamed hairy crab, Mediterranean Caviar, salmon sashimi, mustard sea urchin, salt-baked shrimp, drunken tiger prawns, and spicy stir-fried clams.

The staples were crab roe buns and seafood fried rice.

Don't look at the fact that Shi Youxuan didn't come; the menu was provided by her.

Shi Youxuan told Zhu Yiwen: "You have reporters wait outside, and after the food is served, they should rush in to take photos and then interview him."

"If he eats the food, it means your relationship is friendly, no problem."

"If he doesn't eat, we'll hype him up as hypocritical and two-faced."

Shi Youxuan remembered that Sheng Hanyu was allergic to seafood; she wanted to make him suffer a little to settle old and new scores!

As it turned out...

After the dishes were served, Sheng Hanyu first picked up the largest salt-baked shrimp and placed it on his own plate.

Zhu Yiwen thought this wasn't right; wasn't it said he wouldn't eat it?

Why did he seem so impatient, starting before he, the host, had even picked up his chopsticks?

Sheng Hanyu skillfully removed the shrimp head and peeled off the shell, then smilingly put the shrimp meat into Shi Ran's dish: "Come, eat the big one."

"Thank you, Uncle."

Just as Shi Ran finished eating one, another piece of crab roe was brought to her lips: "Be good, open your mouth."

One feeding, one eating, the father and daughter were getting along very happily; Zhu Yiwen, watching from the side, felt extremely displeased!

He was now starting to regret letting Xiaozhu come along; he had originally wanted the child to come so Sheng Hanyu wouldn't turn around and leave, and now it seemed that goal had been achieved.

But while the two of them were getting along happily, he was very unhappy!

"Xiaozhu, come here to Daddy. Daddy will peel shrimp for you to eat. We shouldn't trouble the guest; the guest hasn't eaten anything yet."

"Mm."

Shi Ran was obedient, so she went over.

Daddy was right; although Uncle was kind, he was a guest, and it was impolite to trouble a guest to peel shrimp for oneself.

Zhu Yiwen had finally won a round, and his mood was extremely comfortable.

In a good mood, he remembered something he had almost forgotten.

So he cleared his throat: "Ahem."

Outside, they received the signal and immediately let the reporter in.

"Mr. Sheng, let me interview you. It is rumored outside that you and Mr. Zhu are at odds; is that true or false?" The only reporter who entered was the chief reporter for the L Country Financial Daily.

No more people were arranged because they didn't want it to seem too deliberate.

Just one person could pretend to be passing by.

As soon as Sheng Hanyu saw the reporter enter, he knew it was arranged by Zhu Yiwen.

With his own people outside, as well as Zhu Yiwen's people, guarding layer upon layer, it would have been impossible for him to get in without someone letting him through.

"Heh... Shi Ran and I are best friends. Ranran, right?"

"Right."

The little girl answered very readily.

Sheng Hanyu didn't answer directly, but the reporter clearly didn't intend to let him off just like that.

Tricky, strange questions came one after another.

"Mr. Sheng, may I ask if you came to L Country to compete with Mr. Zhu? Mr. Zhu treated you to a meal, yet you haven't eaten anything; is it because you are too guarded?"

As he spoke, he even took out his camera, preparing to take photos...

Sheng Hanyu moved very quickly; the reporter didn't even notice how he had moved before the camera was in Sheng Hanyu's hand, and in an instant, it was smashed to the ground and stomped on twice, rendering it unusable.

"How can you be like this? By what right do you smash my camera?" He was furious.

In L Country, there was no one who wouldn't give face to a big reporter like him; as long as he wrote a report in the newspaper, Sheng Hanyu would be disgraced and unable to survive in L Country at all.

Sheng Hanyu turned and sat down, picking up a shrimp and peeling it slowly: "Just by the fact that you prepared to take photos without my permission, I have the right to smash your camera. And that's just the light version; if you dare to spout nonsense in the newspaper, I can also smash your rice bowl. If you don't believe me, try it. Get out!"

He popped the peeled shrimp into his mouth, chewed twice, swallowed, and said to Zhu Yiwen: "The shrimp is very fresh, you should try some too, don't just focus on peeling for Ranran."

Zhu Yiwen had just said the same thing, but when he said it, he felt it was normal; yet when these words were spoken by Sheng Hanyu, they were very grating.

He really didn't stand on ceremony, calling her Ranran so affectionately.

"You, you... you are arrogant!" The big reporter pointed at him in anger, but received no response. Zhu Yiwen gave him an imperceptible wink, telling him to leave.

Not only did the reporter see it, but Sheng Hanyu saw it too, yet he pretended not to know and continued to chat and laugh with Zhu Yiwen as usual.

Sheng Hanyu gave Zhu Yiwen face; very quickly, those people outside the mansion and the company were withdrawn, and even most of the lawsuits were dropped.

He told Zhu Yiwen that he had not come to L Country to be his enemy, but he didn't want to be his friend either; he had only come for a woman.

Although Sheng Hanyu didn't mention the woman's name, Zhu Yiwen knew who he was talking about!

The trouble was all caused by Sheng Hanyu; now he was putting on a show of helping him solve it, and he still wanted him to be grateful?

Zhu Yiwen told him that business is business, and he wouldn't hand everything over just for the sake of business.

……

Zhu Yiwen brought the child home and called Shi Youxuan to the Study, looking displeased.

"What's wrong?" Shi Youxuan had a premonition that things hadn't gone very smoothly.

But she didn't expect Zhu Yiwen to say: "Mr. Sheng is very grateful for our warm hospitality; he said the seafood was delicious and suited his taste perfectly, so he ate quite a lot."

Zhu Yiwen's words were clearly blaming Shi Youxuan, as she had told him Sheng Hanyu was allergic to seafood, yet it turned out he wasn't allergic at all!

He even acted as if he particularly enjoyed it, and he certainly did eat a lot; half of the table of seafood had ended up in his stomach.

Encouraged by Sheng Hanyu, Shi Ran also ate a lot.

But the little girl usually liked eating seafood anyway, so that could be disregarded.

On the contrary, Zhu Yiwen had basically not touched anything, having no appetite.

"Hmph! He was just forcing himself; just wait, it will flare up by tonight, and he won't be able to be seen by anyone for a whole week."

Shi Youxuan still remembered what Sheng Hanyu looked like when he had an allergic reaction back then.

She had felt very sorry for him back then, and now... actually, she still felt a little sorry for him.

But this heartache could only be kept at the bottom of her heart, suppressed tightly; this was her secret, and she could not let anyone see it.

Zhu Yiwen waited, but by the next day, he received an Invitation from Sheng Hanyu to have a meal.

It is impolite not to reciprocate.

Yesterday Sheng Hanyu was the guest, today he was the host, and it was another seafood feast.

He even invited their family of three, asking him to bring his wife and child!

Zhu Yiwen stared intently into Shi Youxuan's eyes, as if checking to see if she was lying, his tone not without blame: "Didn't you say he was allergic to seafood and wouldn't be able to be seen by anyone for a week? He's inviting us to lunch today; could he be playing the victim?"

"Whether he's playing the victim or not, I don't know, but he must be very uncomfortable right now," Shi Youxuan said firmly.

Zhu Yiwen had a different opinion: "No, I feel like he's fine."

"What do you mean? If he's fine, that means I lied to you? Why would I lie to you? It does me no good at all," Shi Youxuan said angrily.

Even if they weren't a real married couple, partners were still afraid of a lack of trust between them.

If Zhu Yiwen didn't trust her, why were they still pretending to be a loving couple?

They might as well part ways sooner rather than later, and he could go find someone else.

"I didn't say that; are you feeling guilty?" Zhu Yiwen denied it, and with a hidden meaning, he turned the tables on her.

Shi Youxuan's temper flared up: "I'm feeling guilty? I didn't lie, so why would I feel guilty? Fine, I'll go with you at noon today; if Sheng Hanyu isn't having an allergic reaction, you can say whatever you want!"