Si Hongqi may have felt the same but the expression he had on his face remained the same. He thanked her and excused himself once again.
Did he hear her? Tian Ruyi couldn't help but wonder. It was not like she could just go and ask him.
"You don't have to worry, Xiao Ruyi, I will help you." Bai Zichen interrupted her thoughts.
"O… oh. Thanks."
"It seems like your date is not coming. I should drop you at your place."
Tian Ruyi could have used the situation as an advantage and said yes to him but something inside her stopped her. It would be too obvious if she suddenly made a move so, in the end, she decided to refuse his offer. "You don't have to, Zichen-ge. I have brought my car with me and I have to pass by somewhere." She lowered her head and continued, "Thank you for listening to me… I feel better now that I have let it out of my chest."
He stretched out his arm and gently placed his hand on top of hers. "You can always call me if you want to have someone to talk with."
Bai Zichen's words may sound sincere but Tian Ruyi knew that it was his way of wooing women. A womanizer like him would obviously know what to do so she decided to play along with him.
As she entered her car after she had lunch with Bai Zichen, she was ready to leave as she entered the ignition key but before she could even step on the gas pedal, she was stopped when she suddenly heard a knock from the car's window.
She arched her neck to look up at the man standing outside. Si Hongqi.
Huh? Why was he still here? She saw him leave earlier. Could he perhaps wait in his car?
She rolled the window down then asked, "What?"
"I want to have a word with you." The man had an icy look in his eyes. Was it about what he heard from her earlier?
Tian Ruyi ended up sighing inside. She looked around the parking lot. It would not be a good thing if someone caught them so she decided to invite him inside her car. "If you want to talk with me, then get in."
Si Hongqi walked round the car to get to the other side. She clicked a button to unlock the door so that he could enter.
"So what do you want to talk about?"
"Mengjie sees you as her friend," he started.
So she was correct. He had definitely heard her badmouthing Lu Mengjie earlier. She didn't have a choice though. She had to act and play her part well to deceive Bai Zichen. She didn't want to make him fall for her but she had to gain his trust. By doing that, she would be able to make him rebel against the old snake in the Bai family.
"She cares for you but if you're going to betray her, I'm going to kill you."
Si Hongqi's cold words sent chills down her spine. His threat was not a joke. This man cared for Lu Mengjie so much or else, he wouldn't have come and warned her.
"Now that I think about it, we were not given a chance to properly introduce each other. My name is Tian Ruyi." She offered her hand to him for a handshake.
The man was caught off-guard by her sudden introduction. He just gave her a threat and yet she looked unfazed by it.
Seeing that he won't accept her hand, she lowered it. "You are correct, I am Mengmeng's friend but I am not betraying her."
He scowled at her words. "I heard what you said to Bai Zichen."
"I only told him what he wanted to hear." Her lips curled up into a smile. "I can see that you care so much for her and I know that she does the same for you."
Si Hongqi was puzzled by what he was hearing from her which only caused Tian Ruyi to sigh. "Mengmeng and I are scheming against Bai Zichen. I am not betraying her."
"What do you mean?" He narrowed his eyes on her. He was still doubting the words she was currently saying.
Tian Ruyi wasn't reluctant to tell him the plan especially when she knew that Lu Mengjie trusted him. Besides, she could see how he was willing to eliminate an enemy of their friend so told him the situation in the Bai family. She even included the information about Bai Keran's hatred towards the Lu family.
"So it's Bai Keran as well huh?"
She blinked a few times. "Do you have something against him?"
"I know that he once tried to use Lu Mengjie."
"You… know?" Tian Ruyi didn't expect that Si Hongqi would have knowledge about it so she couldn't help but ask, "How?"
"You don't need to go after Bai Zichen. He was the one who told me about it and he's with me."
She looked at him in disbelief and at the same time in surprise. "Bai Zichen is with you?"
How could he possibly be working with that man? Wasn't Bai Zichen supposed to be one of Bai Keran's loyal pawns? If Bai Zichen was working with Si Hongqi then could they both be working for that old man? If so, she had to let Lu Mengjie know that Si Hongqi was not to be trusted! She couldn't believe that she fell for his tricks! At least that was what she thought but all her doubts faded when she heard what he said next.
"I think we should have this discussion with Mengjie." He looked ahead and clenched his fists on the side. It was all thanks to Bai Zichen that he was able to see Lu Mengjie in Japan back then. He had already warned her not to fall for Yong Liwei but she never listened. "I tried not to involve her but that man just had to drag her and put her in danger."