Chapter 12: Framed

“Come on, come on. There’s no time like the present. I’ll be waiting for you at Fist Western Restaurant—don’t stand me up!” Zhou Qian hung up the phone before Ye Feng had a chance to decline.

Ye Feng slipped his phone into his pocket, surprised; he knew Fist Western Restaurant was one of the most upscale places in Licheng—a favorite haunt for the wealthy chasing after romance. Why would Zhou Qian invite him to such an expensive place for a meal?

He shook his head, murmuring to himself, “Forget it, no need to overthink.”

After all, it had been ages since they’d seen each other. Without giving it much thought, Ye Feng hailed a taxi and headed toward Fist Western Restaurant.

…

Arriving at the restaurant, Ye Feng pushed open the door and immediately spotted Zhou Qian waving to him. She wore a white dress, her makeup meticulously applied, cascading black hair draped casually over her shoulder—like a figure from a painting, pleasing to the eye.

“Over here, Ye Feng!” Zhou Qian called, shaking her hand.

Ye Feng took a seat across from her, gazing at the beautiful woman before him. “Zhou Qian, you’ve grown even more beautiful since we last met.”

She laughed, “Not at all. You’ve grown even more handsome since we were kids; I almost can’t help but want to pursue you myself.”

Her joke caught him off guard, and he hurried to change the subject. “Looks like you’ve been doing well these years. What line of work are you in? This place must’ve cost you a fortune.”

She waved off his question with a casual excuse. “Oh, I just dabble in business. We haven’t seen each other for so long—of course, I had to treat you to something nice.”

“How have you been? Married yet?” she asked.

“Me? I’ve been married for three years now. What about you?” Thinking of Su Manman, a smile played at his lips.

“I’m still on my own. Unlike you—already married. Remember when we were kids? When you first arrived, you got bullied, and Si Xu and I stood up for you. Those were good times.” Nostalgia softened Zhou Qian’s tone.

“They really were. By the way, do you have Si Xu’s contact info?”

“Of course. We’re still in touch.”

“That’s great! Give me his number—maybe the three of us can get together more often.” Ye Feng pulled out his phone eagerly.

“Here, I’ll tell you.” Zhou Qian left her seat and sat down right next to him. “Better yet, let me add it for you.”

Without warning, she snatched his phone, sitting so close their arms touched. The intimacy flustered Ye Feng, leaving him at a loss, and he couldn’t believe she managed to take his phone so easily.

…

Meanwhile, in the VIP section of Fist Western Restaurant, Su Manman and Meng Qing were reluctantly enduring a so-called matchmaking date with Lu Yu.

The restaurant was divided into a VIP area and a standard area, with the VIP section reserved for select clients.

Lu Yu wore a black, fitted suit and sported a fashionable haircut—altogether quite polished. Su Manman, however, felt nothing but aversion toward him. She was a married woman, after all, but under her mother’s relentless pressure, she had no choice but to come. Guilt for Ye Feng gnawed at her heart.

She wore a red strapless dress that accentuated her figure and set off her pale skin. Lu Yu, sitting across from her, stared brazenly at her chest, not bothering to conceal his lascivious gaze.

With Meng Qing at her side, Lu Yu didn’t dare act out, but his leering eyes still made Su Manman deeply uncomfortable. Her mind drifted to Ye Feng—compared to this repulsive man, Ye Feng was a thousand times better. He might be out of work for now, but things were changing, and she believed their future would be brighter.

Unable to bear Lu Yu’s gaze any longer, Su Manman was about to leave with Meng Qing when she spotted a familiar figure approaching.

To her astonishment, it was her mother, Wang Meili. Catching sight of her daughter trying to sneak away, Wang Meili chided her, “Honestly, you’re not a child anymore. How can you walk out in the middle of a matchmaking date? And why drag Meng Qing along? Do you think Lu Yu is going to eat you?”

Dragged into the conversation, Meng Qing felt unfairly targeted but masked her displeasure, maintaining a polite smile out of respect for her elder. “Auntie, I only came to look out for Manman. It’s her blind date, and I’m just making sure all’s well.”

Wang Meili turned to Lu Yu with an ingratiating smile. “Lu, don’t mind her—Meng Qing is Manman’s closest friend.”

“No problem at all. I always say, the more beauties, the better,” Lu Yu replied, his greedy eyes roaming over Meng Qing.

She squirmed in discomfort and fell silent.

“Meng Qing, let me tell you,” Wang Meili continued, “when you look for a boyfriend, find one like Lu—overseas-educated, polite, good family background, looks to match. Men like him are rare indeed.”

Lu Yu’s ego swelled with every compliment; he looked as though he might tilt his head back and float away.

Meng Qing gave a cold laugh. “Auntie, you’re absolutely right. Men like him are hard to come by.” Then she turned to look out the window.

Suddenly, Wang Meili exclaimed, “Oh, I almost forgot—when I walked in, guess who I saw? Ye Feng, in the regular section, acting very close with a woman. Manman, could he be… cheating on you?”

“That’s impossible. He said he was at work today. Why would he be here?” Su Manman protested.

She knew Ye Feng well—he was too straightforward to lie, even if he could be dull at times.

“If you don’t believe me, come see for yourself.” Wang Meili seized Su Manman’s arm and led her toward the regular section, pausing only to tell Lu Yu, “Wait here, we’ll be right back.”

“Of course,” Lu Yu replied, flashing what he thought was a charming smile.

Su Manman walked briskly to the regular section and immediately spotted Ye Feng, sitting intimately close to a stunning woman with a shapely figure.

The sight stunned her. She hadn’t expected Ye Feng to lie to her—pretending to go to work just to meet another woman. She’d been foolishly holding onto hope for him, even wanting to bring him to her class reunion. The more she thought about it, the angrier and more heartbroken she became.

She strode up to Ye Feng.

With a resounding slap, she struck him across the face. Her hand stung from the force—she hadn’t held back.

The blow left Ye Feng’s head buzzing and his cheek burning. His expression darkened instantly. He was used to being the one dishing out punishment, never receiving it—except, perhaps, for Su Manman.

He rose to his feet, face grim, and was shocked to see it was Su Manman. “Manman, what are you doing here?”

“How dare you ask why I’m here? You should be explaining why you’re here!” she demanded, furious.

Zhou Qian, startled by the slap, shrank behind Ye Feng, remaining silent.

“Ye Feng, are you all right? Does it hurt?” Zhou Qian stepped out timidly, reaching to touch his cheek with concern.

Wang Meili, seeing their interaction, was enraged. She raised her voice, heedless of the setting. “So, Ye Feng, this is how you repay our Su family? We’ve supported you, paid your expenses, and now you use our money to keep a mistress? Shame on you! You’re a disgrace to the Su family. You don’t deserve Manman. Divorce her immediately and leave with nothing!”

Ye Feng quickly pushed Zhou Qian aside and tried to explain. “Manman, it’s not what you think. You’ve misunderstood.”

Meng Qing and Lu Yu caught up, just in time to see Zhou Qian touching Ye Feng’s face.

Meng Qing shook her head in disappointment. “Ye Feng, I never thought you’d turn out to be this kind of man. I was wrong about you.”

“Manman, please, let me explain,” Ye Feng pleaded, reaching for her hand.

Su Manman recoiled in disgust and slapped him again, giving him no chance to speak.