Chapter 16: The Direction of Public Opinion
After a brief silence, Su Yanyi's voice sounded somewhat uncertain, "You, are you mocking me?"
Su Yanyi didn't want to speculate about the meaning behind Qin Jiran's smile, because if that was really the case, she couldn't be sure that she would still persist in completing the tasks required by the System!
Otherwise, did she have to embarrass herself ten times and let Qin Jiran laugh at her for each one? That was simply a joke!
Qin Jiran put away his smile with some embarrassment, but his eyes still twinkled with humor as he explained, "Of course not, it was just a joke. You've been acting strange these past few days."
"Hmph!" Su Yanyi snorted coldly, and, giving him the benefit of the doubt for that extra point, decided not to take his comment to heart.
After this incident, the atmosphere between the two of them changed, becoming more harmonious. Both Qin Jiran and Su Yanyi appeared softer in their demeanor, and there was a sense of camaraderie similar to that between ordinary friends.
Neither of them were particularly chatty, but together, they found common topics to discuss—about work, about scripts, about the trends in the entertainment industry. Both had unique insights and their own opinions. Over the course of the meal, they gained a deeper understanding of one another.
Qin Jiran had always admired Su Yanyi, but he realized he still didn't know her well enough. Even though they had been married for three years and shared a house, he had never seen this side of Su Yanyi's life before, where they could just eat and chat together, and time would slip away unnoticed.
After lunch, they returned to the company together. The sight of the handsome man and beautiful woman entering and exiting together was impossible to ignore, and it sparked a flurry of gossip. Thanks to the publicity over lunch, nearly everyone in the company knew about President Su Yanyi and newly crowned Best Actor Qin Jiran having lunch together. A number of versions of rumors about their romance circulated, each more exasperating and amusing than the last.