Reborn to outshine My Ex and His White Moonlight
Chapter 169 You Match My Criteria Even Better Than Your Picture

Chapter 169: Chapter 169 You Match My Criteria Even Better Than Your Picture

The gathering had moved to an even fancier restaurant, which offered better privacy.

Upon entering, there was an overwhelming sense of lavishness, as if one were steeped in opulence.

Inside the private room, the long table was decorated with considerable taste.

Xue Man had just walked in and greeted a few foreigners with cheek kisses before taking her seat politely.

Lin Zhiyi followed silently, and just as she took a few steps, a tall figure suddenly blocked her path.

"Hi, miss."

At the sound, Lin Zhiyi looked up and found, to her surprise, one of her favorite Italian designers.

Mark.

A traditional and common Italian name derived from the Bible.

Yet his designs were innovative and striking.

It was said that all his designs were inspired by his own muse.

He seemed to be a man devoted to his passion.

As Lin Zhiyi looked at the person greeting her, she felt unexpectedly flattered and was about to shake his hand when he unexpectedly hugged her.

As his hand slid from her shoulder down her back, she felt a sudden discomfort.

However, considering the different customs of foreigners, she did not refuse.

But when she saw him approaching to give her a cheek kiss, she instinctively raised her hand to stop him.

Luckily, Xue Man stepped forward and blocked him, embracing him lightly.

"Mark, long time no see. I’ve seen your recent collection, it’s absolutely perfect."

"Thank you, and this young lady is..." Mark pointed at Lin Zhiyi.

Xue Man slightly obstructed Mark and casually introduced, "My intern, come, let’s sit down and have a few drinks."

Mark hummed in response and sat down with Xue Man.

Lin Zhiyi breathed a sigh of relief, but she always felt someone watching her. She looked up and saw nothing unusual.

The gathering started, and the designers engaged in enthusiastic conversation.

Xue Man had been in low spirits recently because of a divorce, but now she also wore a smile.

Seeing her happy, Lin Zhiyi did not want to disturb her and sat quietly at the end of the table.

Suddenly, a glass of wine was offered to her.

Across from her, Mark raised his glass with a smile, "I’ve seen your work, very talented. I’m looking forward to your future projects."

"Thank you."

Hearing such high praise from her idol, Lin Zhiyi drank the wine in one go.

After she finished, Mark went off to chat with other designers.

Lin Zhiyi didn’t mind, but a few minutes later, she began to feel a strange excitement in her body.

But it was not a sexual excitement, more like riding a roller coaster, her body gently lifting.

This unfamiliar sensation immediately alerted Lin Zhiyi that something was off. She looked at the empty glass in front of her.

A faint orange liquid from the wine still lingered in the glass.

She steadied herself and looked at Mark. From across the decorated table, he lightly raised his glass toward her, his mouth curling into a meaningful smile.

Lin Zhiyi instantly understood.

Excitement made her heart beat faster and faster, her body somewhat uncontrollable.

She was really afraid she might do something embarrassing publicly, so she took the chance while others were chatting to quietly get up.

As she leaned on the table and made her way out, a hand gripped her arm tightly.

"Lin, what’s wrong? Drank too much? Let me help you get some air."

Lin Zhiyi looked up to see Mark’s smiling face.

She opened her mouth to call for Xue Man, but realized that if she spoke a sound, it could reveal her strange state.

Moreover, Xue Man was surrounded by several designers and might not hear her voice.

She could only clench her teeth and try hard to control her body, to move away from Mark.

But the more she moved, the tighter Mark gripped her, although his tone remained gentlemanly.

"Let’s go."

Lin Zhiyi could only watch, fully aware, as he led her out of the room.

Mark did not take her out of the restaurant, but to a private room at the end of the corridor.

Lin Zhiyi was placed on a chair, unable to resist due to her uncontrollable body, only managing to gaze faintly at the light above.

The feeling inside her was like a roller coaster, throwing her into the sky like cotton candy.

She knew this metaphor was all over the place, but that’s how her mind pictured it.

Comfortable yet eerie.

Mark looked at her steadily for a few moments, then said, "Are you excited? Comfortable? You fit my criteria better than in the photos."

Photos?

Criteria?

What did he mean?

Lin Zhiyi didn’t have time to think deeply before she saw Mark contentedly open a bag he had placed in the box earlier.

Once Lin Zhiyi saw what was inside, she began to struggle in fright.

Mark, with the item in his hand, approached Lin Zhiyi with a smile.

Box.

Welcoming Gong Chen and washing away the dust were the elder brother of the old master from the same clan, who was also currently the person responsible for the mines.

According to the family hierarchy, Gong Chen had to call them Fifth Uncle and Sixth Uncle.

Therefore, after entering, neither of these elders nor their families stood up.

After all, the youngest of their sons was old enough to be Gong Chen’s father.

The mountains are high and the emperor is far away. This is not Jing City, and it is not Gong Chen’s turn to make decisions.

"Come, have a seat."

Fifth Uncle glanced at Gong Chen and Song Wanqiu standing behind him and pointed to the last seats.

Song Wanqiu looked at the seats and slightly frowned.

The seating at a banquet was very particular.

Regardless, today Gong Chen and she were the guests of honor, how could they sit at the end?

"Third Young Master..." she began discontentedly.

"Let’s sit."

Gong Chen nonchalantly pulled Song Wanqiu to their seats.

The dishes on the table were obviously disturbed, and even the liquor was only half a bottle left.

Sixth Uncle threw a napkin used for wiping hands on a plate full of bones and casually said, "Your Fifth Uncle and I were hungry, so we ate a bit. You’re the younger one; you won’t mind."

Leftover food, leftover dishes, leftover wine—this was hardly a welcome, it was clearly a show of power to Gong Chen.

Gong Chen was unusually calm, "No problem, I will ask the waiter to bring a bowl of bird’s nest porridge. Wanqiu caught a cold; it’s better for her to eat something warm."

At his words, Song Wanqiu’s cheeks flushed with shyness, and she murmured, "Third Young Master, I’m fine."

Fifth Uncle and Sixth Uncle immediately turned their attention to Song Wanqiu.

"People said you two were affectionate, and we didn’t believe it—but seeing this, it seems we might be drinking wedding wine soon."

"The two of you jest," responded Song Wanqiu, thoroughly enjoying the attention.

The bird’s nest porridge was served, and Gong Chen carefully checked its temperature before handing it to Song Wanqiu.

Song Wanqiu ate happily, a look of bliss on her face.

Fifth Uncle and Sixth Uncle exchanged glances, signaling the waiter to pour some wine for Gong Chen.

"Gong Chen, though we can no longer rely on the Liu Family, you really don’t need to worry too much about the mine matter. We can’t let you, the junior, overexert yourself with your fiancée, right?" Fifth Uncle said.

"Oh? What do the uncles plan to do?"

Gong Chen shifted his wine glass and didn’t drink, but thoughtfully served some food to Song Wanqiu.

Sixth Uncle indifferently said, "Find a few people to secretly pressure those workers’ families to sign documents admitting they violated the regulations. After clearing the relationship, we just give them some money."

"How much money?"

"With that document, just enough to cover humanitarian costs. Even if they want to sue, it will be useless. They’re just country folks who only know hard labor; what do they know about the law?" Sixth Uncle laughed heartily, unconcerned.

Fifth Uncle was more stable, not joining in the conversation but nodding in agreement with Sixth Uncle’s method.

Comparatively, Fifth Uncle was more difficult to deal with.

Gong Chen remained quiet, his expression untroubled, inscrutable to others.

At that moment, the door to the box was pushed open.

Chen Jin approached Gong Chen and whispered in his ear, "Third Young Master, the people over there say ..."

Suddenly, his dark pupils were like dense ink that wouldn’t dissolve, a faint red flickering beneath them, foreboding and cold, exuding a bloodthirsty danger that sent chills without the cold.

He stood up, "Excuse me for a moment."