Tian Ruyi was hesitant to do what Lu Mengjie wanted since she didn't want to delay their plans any longer. Maybe she could hit two birds with one stone? While Bai Zichen was not yet arriving, she could check on Si Hongqi's condition.

Lu Mengjie was right. With the man's looks, he gained the attention of some girls who later approached him. He didn't look drunk at all despite all the drinks he had. Well, most men have high alcohol tolerance so he probably knew what he was doing.

She continued to observe from her position. He was a hottie indeed but with soft features. What caught her attention the most was the emptiness in his smiles. It never reached his eyes. He was probably a two-faced man. Lu Mengjie told her that he was the kindest and most caring friend she had but that was probably only for her. That was always the case when it came to all men. They would only treat the woman they love with special care.

Tian Ruyi ended up breathing out a sigh. She darted her eyes towards the entrance. Just where was Bai Zichen when she needed him? Why was he not coming yet? Did she come too early? Or was he held back by his work? She could just send him a message but her intentions would become too obvious especially once he saw how dressed up she was. Besides, she was not close with that guy. It would be weird if she suddenly invited him out for a date. She returned her gaze to Si Hongqi and noticed that he was rejecting another woman who approached him.

Sigh. Poor man. Guess she should help him just this once.

She stood up from her seat and went downstairs and began strutting towards him.

"Oh babe, you're here," Tian Ruyi said out loud with a smile as she approached the troubled-looking man.

A knit formed between Si Hongqi's brows when he saw another woman trying to hit on him. Why are women shameless these days?

Tian Ruyi didn't hold back from clinging her arm on his. "Huh? Who is she?" She turned to the other woman, raising a brow.

"I think-"

"Babe, you're not seeing another girl behind my back are you?" She cut him off. She turned her gaze to look at him with a meaningful stare.

It was then that Si Hongqi realized what she was trying to do. The empty smile returned on his lips. "No, of course not." He darted his eyes back at the woman who was trying to hit on him earlier. "Sorry, I have a girlfriend."

The other woman eyed Tian Ruyi with envy. She could not do anything but turn away and left the couple.

"Sorry about that." She finally released his hand. "I thought that you probably needed some help seeing you looked like a Mr. Nice Guy."

Si Hongqi chuckled a bit. "I could handle it but thanks anyway."

Tian Ruyi shrugged. "Well, it helped me ward off the men that were eyeing me so we're quits." She sat on the vacant stool beside him. She looked at the bartender and ordered a drink. "If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?"

Si Hongqi eyed her before he looked ahead and ordered another drink. "Waiting for someone."

"Huh. While getting yourself drunk? That doesn't seem to be the case," she retorted as she easily saw through his lies.

The man turned quiet. He took the glass of Sidewinder's fang that he ordered then sipped from it.

"Or are you perhaps going to try out all the drinks here?" She had already noticed that he would not order the same drink twice but.. all of it were strong drinks.

"You've been watching me since earlier. Why?"

"You were being pestered by those women over there, how could I not?"

"And yet, you're the one bothering me now."

The side of her lips twitched. She pressed her lips together and ignored him instead.

"I'll pay for her drink," Si Hongqi told the bartender.

She cast her gaze back at him, raising a brow as she did. "You don't have to."

"I don't like to be in debt," he calmly said but with it, she could feel a tinge of coldness in his voice.

"Fair enough." Just because he was Lu Mengjie's friend didn't mean that she had to befriend him as well. She didn't like him at all. She never liked dealing with a two-faced person. Befriending one was more dangerous. One would never know when that person would stab them in the back.

She noticed that Si Hongqi was checking his phone every now and then so she couldn't help but wonder what he was so bothered about that every time he checked whatever it was, he would end up gulping his drinks in one go.

Tian Ruyi was able to catch a glimpse of what he was looking at. It was an article about Yong Liwei's marriage with one of the Lu family princesses, Lu Mengjie. Now she understood why he was so down. He was heartbroken. Poor guy. Now she understood why he decided to come to such a noisy place. It was to keep his mind distracted by the loud music.

"You know what," she looked at him and smiled. "Do you want to dance?"

Si Hongqi turned to her but before he could reject her offer, she continued, "Don't tell me that you don't know how to dance?"

"That's-"

"Come on now, let's have fun. Dancing will help you forget whatever problems you have." She grabbed his arm and began dragging him to the dance floor.

The man didn't try to resist upon hearing her words. That was right. All he needed at that moment was a distraction and for some reason, just looking at the bold woman in front of him was enough. Seeing her dance in front of him, raising her hands in the air and swinging her hips, made him stare at her for a while.historical

"Oh come on! Don't just stand there! Dance!" She shouted for him to hear.