For several long seconds, Gu Anqi stood frozen in the middle of the banquet hall as if her soul had forgotten how to return to her body. Her fall, her panic, Shen Zhi's unexpected gentleness, the whispers rising like smoke in the air, all of it swirled together in her mind until she felt dizzy.
She tried to steady herself by taking a slow breath, but her lungs refused to cooperate. Her fingers curled around her clutch with a grip so tight her knuckles went pale. The entire room felt brighter and louder than before, and every pair of eyes seemed pointed at her.
She knew she had caused a scene, even though she never wanted attention in the first place. She only wanted to survive the evening, sit quietly, and leave the moment it was socially acceptable. Now she was the center of a rumor storm, all because her shoes betrayed her.
Gu Mother reached her with a stiff smile and a cold grip on her arm. The warmth of the room vanished. Anqi followed her mother without protest, because that was what she had learned to do; endure first, breathe later.
The hallway they entered was dimmer, quieter, and the moment they were alone, Gu Mother's polite mask dropped with the sound of a soft, controlled exhale. Her voice carried disappointment so sharp it felt like a blade.
"What on earth was that, Anqi? Can you not manage to stand still for even one night? Of everyone you could possibly bump into, you chose President Shen. People are talking. They are laughing behind their fans. They are questioning our household. Do you ever think before you act?"
She did not raise her voice, but her tone had the force of humiliation behind it. It pressed down on Anqi until her shoulders felt heavy.
"I did not mean to fall. Someone pushed from behind. I only lost balance." Her voice came out quieter than she meant it to.
"This is not about meaning to. It is about results. And the result is that you created chaos in front of the most important guest here. You should have stayed quiet and invisible. That is the least you can do."
Anqi's lips pressed together. She nodded, even though her chest felt tight. She had heard these words for years. They no longer stung sharply; instead, they left a dull ache she carried everywhere.
Before Gu Mother could continue, Xu Chen approached, posture respectful but his cheeks slightly tense.
"Madam Gu, President Shen asked me to inform you that Miss Gu should not be restricted from the event. He prefers that she remain in the hall."
The sentence dropped into the hallway like a stone.
Gu Mother blinked once. Her fingers twitched. The interruption had shifted the ground beneath her. "He… requested that?" she said.
"Yes. Those were his exact instructions."
Anqi looked at the floor, shocked. She felt like she had entered an alternate reality. The cold CEO who should have recoiled from her touch had instead insisted she not be removed.
Gu Mother straightened her posture. Her expression rearranged itself with practiced elegance.
"Very well. Anqi, return to the hall."
Anqi nodded again and walked away, feeling as if she were navigating through fog.
The moment she reentered the hall, countless eyes followed her. Curiosity. Amusement. Jealousy. Speculation. Some people tried to be subtle. Others did not bother.
"That is her. The one who fell on President Shen."
"She is prettier than I expected. Soft pretty. Not intimidating."
"I still cannot believe he defended her."
"Do you think something is going on?"
"Look at her blush. She is in trouble and blessed at the same time."
Anqi kept her eyes down and moved toward a dessert table. Food was safe. Food did not gossip. Food did not judge her for existing. She reached for a cream puff and took a small bite, hoping sugar would fix everything wrong inside her chest.
She looked up by accident and met Shen Zhi's eyes.
He was across the hall, surrounded by board members and high-ranking guests. His silver hair gleamed under the chandelier. His posture was elegant and controlled, the picture of an untouchable man. Yet he was not paying attention to the chairman beside him. His dark gaze was fixed entirely on her.
She froze mid-bite. Her hand halted awkwardly near her mouth, making her look like a startled squirrel caught stealing food. A young waiter passing by coughed to cover a laugh.
Shen Zhi did not look away. His expression did not soften dramatically, but something in his eyes changed. There was a quiet intensity there. A checking. A confirming. A faint shadow of concern. Almost as if he was making sure she was not shaken anymore.
Before she could process this, a young businessman approached her. Confident smile, polished suit, the kind of face that would appear often in business magazines years from now. He seemed friendly enough.
"Miss Gu, correct? I saw what happened earlier. You handled it well. Not many people could remain composed after such a scene."
"O-oh. I just survived by instinct," she replied, giving a nervous smile.
He laughed softly, charmed by her honesty. "Would you like a drink? Or perhaps a small tour around the hall? You look like you need a breather."
Anqi hesitated but nodded slightly. He had a gentle presence. He was easy to talk to. Being near him felt like sitting by a warm lamp instead of a roaring fire.
He stepped closer to hand her a napkin for the cream puff filling on her lip.
At that exact moment, Shen Zhi's jaw tightened.
Xu Chen noticed immediately. "President Shen, is there an issue?"
"No."
But his voice had become colder.
Xu Chen whispered under his breath.
"Oh no. He is jealous. This is above my pay grade."
Shen Zhi had no interest in interacting with the chairman anymore. His attention was pinned to the sight of Anqi smiling politely at another man. He did not understand the unpleasant tightening in his chest or the faint discomfort edging his calm. He only knew that he did not like seeing her smile at someone else like that.
Li Feng, the young businessman, continued talking to her.
"You have a very gentle expression. It is refreshing. Most guests here look like they are here to hunt. You look like you walked into the wrong movie."
Anqi laughed for real this time. It was soft and genuine. Her brown eyes brightened, and she covered her face in embarrassment because she was terrible at receiving compliments.
People nearby watched them.
"He is flirting with her."
"He is handsome too. Interesting."
"Look at President Shen's expression. He looks like he wants to remove the guy from the room."
Shen Zhi took a slow breath. It did nothing to settle him.
He did not understand why this bothered him.
He did not know her.
He had only touched her once.
He should not feel anything.
But he did.
And every instinct in him reacted when the young man leaned slightly toward her.
Not threateningly.
Not aggressively.
Just close enough.
An older woman whispered behind her fan, amused. "President Shen looks jealous. How fascinating."
Even Gu Yuwei noticed. Her eyes widened in disbelief, then darkened with a flash of something ugly.
Anqi felt Shen Zhi's gaze before she saw him. It was heavy. Focused. Sharp. She turned her head slightly and found him watching her again. Not impatiently. Not coldly. But with an unreadable, simmering intensity.
As if she had become something he could not ignore.
She swallowed nervously. Suddenly, Li Feng's presence felt a little too close, even though he had done nothing wrong.
Across the hall, Shen Zhi's gloved fingers curled faintly at his side, subtle yet telling. He looked away only when the chairman addressed him a second time. Even then, the movement was reluctant.
The night continued, but nothing felt the same anymore. Anqi felt herself blush every time she accidentally met Shen Zhi's eyes again. Shen Zhi found himself distracted by the smallest sounds she made. The hall buzzed with gossip, more intense than before. Jealous glances followed her. Curious ones studied him.
Something real had shifted between them, even if unnamed.
Something impossible had begun.
And neither of them were ready for the consequences.