Chapter 552: Chapter 552: Are You Her Boyfriend? Chapter 552: Chapter 552: Are You Her Boyfriend? Today, to celebrate the successful conclusion of the acupuncture trial competition, Qiao Xi won the championship. Even Huo Sijiao and Shen Xuanzhi are sitting at the table, with Old Chen cracking sunflower seeds beside them.

Xiaoyun served the last dish and also sat down.

A total of seven people, much livelier than usual.

Huo Xingzhou and Qiao Xi sat on one side, opposite to Huo Sijiao and Shen Xuanzhi.

Sun Weimeng curiously stared at the brooding Shen Xuanzhi and said: “Are you Huo Sijiao’s boyfriend?”

Pfft!

Huo Sijiao, who was holding a glass of medicinal liquor, spit it out in response.

“Sun Weimeng, what nonsense are you spouting?” Huo Sijiao glared at him like a cat with its tail stepped on and glanced at Shen Xuanzhi with the corner of her eye out of fear.

She was afraid Shen Xuanzhi would leave upset, right away.

It wasn’t easy for her to muster up the courage to invite Shen Xuanzhi to celebrate, and she didn’t expect him to agree so readily.

What if she scares him off!

Damn Sun Weimeng, doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut!

Qiao Xi and Huo Xingzhou looked at each other and smiled, like detached bystanders soberly watching their squabble and enjoying the drama unfolding.

Sun Weimeng said loudly: “What’s there to be embarrassed about! When I was your age, I already had girlfriends enough to circle around Qing Lake!”

With pink cheeks, Huo Sijiao said indignantly: “Keep talking nonsense, and I’ll tear your mouth apart.”

Sun Weimeng, having drunk quite a lot, raised his voice: “Me talking nonsense? It’s you who ran all the way to the Imperial Capital to chase after someone to watch a competition. You could have stayed in this villa, yet you chose a hotel. Sister, I’ve seen too much of this. Aren’t you just trying to get closer to him?”

“You…”

Huo Sijiao, usually quick-witted, couldn’t get a word out in response to Sun Weimeng’s retort.

She did have intentions towards Shen Xuanzhi!

But being exposed in front of so many people was still too much for her pride. Especially seeing the knowing smiles of her sister-in-law and brother, she felt even more unable to stand down!

Tonight, she’ll assassinate Sun Weimeng!

“Huo Sijiao, I wasn’t asking you.” Sun Weimeng filled a glass of liquor for Shen Xuanzhi, “Mr. Shen, if you’re a man, don’t hide behind a woman! Do you like Huo Sijiao? I think she’s so finicky; it even makes me feel uncomfortable.”

Shen Xuanzhi, with a cold gaze, holding his glass said: “I am not her boyfriend. My reason for coming here is to thank Qiao Xi for winning the acupuncture trial competition and preventing the Lu Family from growing stronger.”

He tilted his head back, downing that full glass of white liquor.

What passed through his throat was not the burning white liquor, but over twenty years of hatred.

Huo Sijiao looked desolate, already anticipating this answer. Why did she still hold out hope?

She pretended nothing was wrong and said: “Sun Weimeng, I’ve already told you. He’s not my boyfriend; why don’t you believe it?”

Sun Weimeng muttered: “You two don’t look like just friends to me. I didn’t expect that even someone as daring and bold as you would play the unrequited love game. There’s a whole forest out there, why pine for one tree.”

“It’s none of your business.”

Huo Sijiao poured herself a cup of liquor and drank it as if out of spite.

The atmosphere suddenly turned chilly.

After some hesitation, Qiao Xi looked at Shen Xuanzhi and asked: “Excuse my boldness, but is the downfall of the Shen Family related to the Lu Family?”

The look in Shen Xuanzhi’s eyes was icy: “Yes. The Shen Family’s Sparrow Pecking Technique was renowned, and my father also dealt in some medicinal materials business. Lu Bannong used unscrupulous means, forcing the Shen Family’s business into financial distress until the chain broke, leading to my father’s suicide by jumping from a building. A year later, the Sparrow Pecking Technique of the Shen Family somehow spread. Such tactics were not only against the Shen Family…”

“The Lu Family’s Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles also incorporated the essence of the Sparrow Pecking Technique.”

Acupuncture is about the exchange, integration, and innovation of knowledge.

In this respect, the Lu Family was not in the wrong, but they obtained the heritage of others through disgraceful means.

They destroyed a family!

Shen Xuanzhi knew the coldness of human relations from a young age.

His voice was slightly hoarse: “Today you took the championship of the acupuncture trial competition, and Lu Bannong must hate you to the bone. If he gets the chance, he will certainly eliminate you. You must be careful not to fall into any traps.”

“Thank you for the reminder, but we can only deal with problems as they come. At this stage, the hatred we bear is the same.”

At midnight, Qiao Xi also thought about whether everything would be different if she hadn’t known Grandpa Cheng’s identity and stayed at Hai City Hospital as a junior doctor?

But there was no choice.

Fate pushed her onto this path. If she retreated, the other party would only press forward.

Sun Weimeng downed a shot of liquor: “Just do it and be done with it! The Lu Family acts like saints on the surface but are crazy behind closed doors. Let’s consider it executing heavenly justice!”

“Drink up!”

“Huo Xingzhou, drink up!”

He fired up the atmosphere, urging everyone to drink together. But he remained somewhat restrained, not allowing Qiao Xi to drink.

Huo Sijiao sipped her drink while sneaking glances at Shen Xuanzhi.

She had long known about Shen Xuanzhi’s tragic family background, but hearing him say it choked her up.

She gently patted her cheeks as a warning to herself.

Huo Sijiao, you can’t afford to feel pity for a man! Pitying a man is the start of misfortune!

She took sips of her drink, yet her eyes kept uncontrollably wandering over to Shen Xuanzhi. She noticed that Sun Weimeng was coaxing Shen Xuanzhi to drink one shot after another, with that blockhead not even knowing how to refuse and just kept drinking.

The clock hands moved to eleven.

The noise in the restaurant subsided, with Sun Weimeng sprawled over the table, dead drunk.

Qiao Xi hadn’t touched a drop, whereas Huo Xingzhou had the lingering scent of alcohol on him.

Huo Sijiao’s cheeks were flushed red but she seemed to still retain her wits, while Shen Xuanzhi, despite having drunk a lot, didn’t show any signs of drunkenness.

Huo Xingzhou stood up and instructed: “Old Chen, send Shen Xuanzhi and Jiaojiao to the hotel. If she insists on going back, let her.”

“Yes.”

To facilitate driving, Old Chen hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol.

He patted Young Master Sun’s shoulder and said: “Young Master Sun, wait for me to come back and we’ll continue drinking. Xiaoyun, make sure to take care of Young Master Sun, don’t let him fall.”

“Mmh, come back soon.”

Sun Weimeng muttered with his eyes closed.

“Miss, Young Master Shen. Let’s go now.” Old Chen picked up the car keys and called out.

Huo Sijiao was slightly unsteady on her feet but soon steadied herself.

She and Shen Xuanzhi then left the villa.

Qiao Xi and Huo Xingzhou returned to the main bedroom of the villa.

She turned on the light, grabbed his hand, and said at the doorway: “Is it really okay for her to be like this? I saw that she was really upset and drank quite a bit, she probably took to heart what Shen Xuanzhi said.”

That sentence “I’m not her boyfriend”.

“Let her be, I can’t make decisions for her feelings.”

Huo Xingzhou was more open-minded; he had his preferences but wouldn’t force Huo Sijiao to live in a way he wanted.

If she liked someone, then go ahead and love fiercely, chase after them.

When she finally realizes her mistake and looks back for that warm haven, she can return home to heal.

Qiao Xi gazed at him and said: “You really are a great brother.”

He leaned down, wrapped his arms around her waist, and asked in a low voice: “Then in your heart, can I take the first place?”

Cheng Han.

Granny Qiao.

And that Ayi.

Could he be ranked first?