Chapter 84: Trying to lure her?

When he spotted them, his gaze turned colder as if he had spotted two enemies.

Flora shivered and hid half her body behind Sienna.

With a hesitant voice, she said, "Boss, as the renovations are going on, only two rooms in this floor were empty. But this sir refuses to stay in the other room."

Sienna blinked. Then, she approached the man, "Sir, is there any problem with the other room?"

"Too far," Wen Nian didn’t say more than two words.

Sienna was about to speak when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

A cheerful voice reached them before a beautiful woman appeared at the door,"Oh, did I hear the voice of an angel or my ears deluding me?"

Flora: "_"

Wen Nian: "_"

Sienna: "_"

When the woman spotted Sienna, her eyes briefly lit up. Then, she glanced at Wen Nian and cleared her throat, "Wen Nian is stubborn as a mule. Don’t worry about him."

Sienna looked at the both of them, "Ma’am..."

"Don’t call me ma’am. My last name is Shen. Shen Hua."

"Miss Shen, it is then."

"Do I look that young but I like the sound of it," Shen Hua touched her freshly blow-dried hair.

Sienna smiled, her eyes catching a fleeting twinkle as she spoke, "Mr. Wen seems to be concerned about your safety. How about this? Currently, this resort is completely empty except for the core staff members."

As she spoke, she turned to Wen Nian, "And we aren’t accepting guests so this floor is empty as well. I can assure you that Miss Shen is safe here. You have been standing here the entire night. How about you take some rest?"

Wen Nian frowned, looking like he was ready to refuse.

But before he could speak, Shen Hua chimed in, "Wen Nian, quickly go, take some rest. You look tired."

Wen Nian paused, bowed and then left.

Sienna nodded at the woman before she left.

But even after she had walked to a distance, she could feel an intense gaze focused on her back.

"Boss, it’s strange," Flora murmured, "Just one word from her and her bodyguard went to rest. Earlier, I came so many times but she just insisted that we should let him be as he doesn’t listen to anyone. She didn’t even try convincing him."

Flora looked at Sienna and it suddenly clicked, "But the moment you showed up, she dealt with the situation so easily. It’s like... she was trying to lure you there."

But as soon as Flora said it out loud, she felt like she must have read too much detective fiction in her free time.

Sienna waved a hand, "Just let her be."

...

Later that evening, the private room at Lotus Pavilion was filled with laughter and conversations.

A long table had been arranged with an assortment of dishes, wine glasses, and half-finished drinks. Familiar faces mingled freely, exchanging stories about their university days, teasing one another about old crushes, and catching up on the years they had spent apart.

Although most of the people present belonged to the same graduating batch, a few familiar faces from other years had joined them as well.

It was a reunion that had taken considerable effort to organize, but the lively atmosphere made it worthwhile.

"Fan Xing, all of us take turns to plan our reunions but this time, you really outdid yourself and us."

"That’s right. I’ve heard it’s so difficult to make reservations in Lotus Pavilion. Who knew you’d choose this place?"

Fan Xing laughed and shrugged them off. The conversations stirred in another direction.

"Do you remember Professor Han? The man who nearly failed me because I fell asleep during his lecture?"

"Nearly? You mean the professor who actually made you repeat his entire assignment in front of the class?"

The room erupted in laughter.

"I saw him on the streets earlier. I thought he was also joining the reunion and I was planning to flee. But it turns out, he is just out with his family."

"I feel second hand embarrassment...."

The conversations stirred and someone suddenly asked Fan Xing.

"Aye, Xing, didn’t you say there would be more people? Who else is going to join us?"

Before Fan Xing could speak, the door opened.

A man stepped inside, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit. His expression was impassive, his features sharp, and his presence carried the kind of authority that made people instinctively straighten their backs.

For a moment, the room fell silent.

Then someone exclaimed, "Alex Davis?"

The name seemed to awaken everyone at once.

"Good Lord, it really is Alex!"

"I thought you weren’t coming!"

"Come on, man! It’s been years!"

Several men immediately rose from their seats and crowded around him, their surprise giving way to unmistakable excitement.

A few women also subconsciously looked at him, a little dazed. Some of them tried to initiate a conversation.

Alex offered them little more than a brief nod.

But nobody complained.

They knew that he had never been particularly sociable, even during his university days.

Back then, his striking appearance and family background had made him one of the most talked-about men on campus. His sudden departure midway through university had only fueled the rumors surrounding him.

Now, after taking over his late father’s company, his popularity had only increased.

His name carried weight in business circles, and his appearances at social gatherings had become increasingly rare. The fact that he had agreed to attend a university reunion was surprising enough.

"Alex, you should have told us you were coming! We would’ve arranged a proper welcome."

"That’s right. Are you back in the country for good?"

"We heard your company has been expanding like crazy and you are planning to establish the headquarters of Davis Group in Amethyst City. Is that true?"

Alex listened without appearing particularly interested in the conversation.

Across the room, Fan Xing’s eyes had brightened the instant she saw him.

She instinctively reached up to smooth her hair before putting down her glass and approaching the group, "All right, all right. Give him some breathing room."

Her playful voice interrupted the men’s enthusiastic greetings, "Alex has barely stepped through the door, and you’re already interrogating him. If you frighten him away, don’t expect him to show up again next year!"

The men exchanged glances before laughing.

"Fine, fine. We’ll leave him to you."

"Make sure you don’t let him escape before dinner!"

With a few final pats on Alex’s shoulder, they dispersed, returning to their seats.

Fan Xing smiled triumphantly and turned to Alex.

"Come with me. I’ve saved you a seat."

Without waiting for an answer, she led him toward a quieter corner of the room.

Alex followed her wordlessly, taking the seat she indicated while she settled beside him.

For a brief moment, Fan Xing studied his profile.

He had changed since university. Back then, he would have offered her at least a smile but now his features were sharper and colder.

Fan Xing sighed, ’It’s only natural for him to be so aloof. His father passed away suddenly and he had to drop out to take over the company. It would be strange if that didn’t change his temperament.’

Thinking of that, Fan Xing reassured herself.

They were meeting again after such a long time. With time and effort, she would heal him.

She had a sincere heart, she didn’t believe he wouldn’t be moved at all.

Thinking of that, she smiled softly, "You left university halfway through, and the rest of us barely had the chance to say goodbye. Even so, you were always popular. I don’t think a single year has passed without someone bringing you up."

Alex said nothing.

Fan Xing was accustomed to his quiet nature before and more so now. So, she didn’t let his silence discourage her.

Instead, she reached for a serving plate and began arranging some food for him.

"I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I picked a little of everything. I remember you weren’t particularly fond of spicy food, but that was years ago. Your tastes might have changed by now."

She placed the plate in front of him, then added a pair of chopsticks.

"Try these. The restaurant’s signature dishes are supposed to be excellent."

Alex glanced at the plate but made no move to eat.

Instead, he turned his gaze toward her.

"Where’s Sienna?"

Fan Xing’s hand stopped.

For a fraction of a second, her fingers trembled, and the serving spoon slipped against the edge of the dish. A small amount of sauce spilled onto the sleeve of Alex’s black suit.