Black Bellied President Dotes on Wife Chapter 3: Blind Date

Zhao Anan, also a faculty member at University of X, held the position of associate professor. She was part of the same Department of Foreign Languages as Shangguan Ning, specializing in oral English education while Shangguan Ning lectured on British and American Literature.

Having joined University of X on the same day with adjacent birthdays, their bond grew strong. They often covered each other's classes for urgent matters and spent weekends together shopping or at the gym, which accelerated their friendship.

Yet, they maintained a silent understanding: private affairs were off-limits. They pledged mutual support in difficulties while respecting each other’s personal space.

For the past four years, Zhao Anan had been Shangguan Ning’s closest confidante.

The sentiment was mutual for Zhao Anan.

Possessing a boyish demeanor, Zhao Anan was generally carefree and easily bored, her interests lasting no more than three days. Shangguan Ning found it quite surprising that Anan had ventured into opening her own restaurant.

Despite her surprise, Shangguan Ning felt genuinely happy for her friend's new endeavor.

A light smile graced Ning’s lips as she addressed Anan, “It’s wonderful that you’ve opened this Victorian restaurant. It seems I’ll be saving a considerable amount on food expenses from now on.”

The overhead lights illuminated her unadorned face, her long, dark hair cascading casually down her back, accentuating her fair skin. Her features were flawless, and her radiant smile captivated Anan.

“Is something wrong?” Shangguan Ning inquired upon noticing Anan’s fixed gaze.

Suspecting a smudge of food on her face, she retrieved napkins from the table, attempting to wipe it away.

Anan chuckled. “Oh, Shangguan Beauty, your smile is utterly dazzling! You should reserve such a smile for special occasions, or you might accidentally cause people to faint from your overwhelming beauty!”

Shangguan Ning knew she wasn’t unattractive but had never truly considered herself beautiful.

Since childhood, she had been incessantly compared to Shangguan Rouxue, always playing the role of the ugly duckling to her sister’s graceful swan.

“Oh, look, it’s Xue! You’re becoming quite lovely. You’ll certainly be a great beauty in the future! And Ning, you are rather tall, yes, very tall... haha...”

“Xue, you’ve secured first place again! You must have accumulated quite a few scholarships by now. And Ning, well, you’ve improved by two places. That’s good, but perhaps you could learn from Xue and aim for the top ten. It would be rather unfortunate if the elder sister lagged behind the younger one, wouldn’t it?”

“Did you hear? Shangguan Rouxue is dating Song Zixuan, the most handsome boy in school. She’s truly fortunate. Song is not only good-looking but also excels academically and comes from wealth. I truly envy Xue...”

“Breaking news! Shangguan Rouxue’s elder sister, Shangguan Ning, is engaged to a man in a vegetative state. She must be after his fortune, content to be a living widow. It's quite a pity for Shangguan Rouxue to have a sister like that. My sympathies lie with her...”

“Shangguan Ning! The one I, Xie Zhuojun, love most is Shangguan Rouxue, not you. She is the woman destined to be protected by me in this world. You should cease bothering me and act like a proper elder sister!”

For reasons unknown, the bitter memories from the past resurfaced quite suddenly, their cruel words as vivid as ever.

Noticing the shift in Shangguan Ning’s expression, Anan quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Did I say something amiss?”

Shangguan Ning pulled herself back to the present. She subtly shook her head, attempting to banish the unpleasant recollections.

Her gaze fell upon Anan’s cheerful countenance and her distinctively curved lips.

She responded softly, “Not at all, Boss Zhao. Your taste is impeccable. Just remember to compliment me daily; I could never get enough of it.”

Anan erupted in laughter at Ning’s earnest expression. “Haha, you truly have a thick skin, don’t you?”

Anan’s mirth seemed to lift Shangguan Ning’s spirits, and she joined in her friend’s laughter.

After a lighthearted exchange, Anan leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, “Seriously, Ning, you’re my best friend. Why not become my sister-in-law? It’s always best to keep the benefits within the family, you know.”

Shangguan Ning recoiled slightly. It dawned on her that Anan must have witnessed the encounter between her and Guo Shuai.

Consequently, Shangguan Ning quickly brushed it aside. “You’re always playing around. I won’t engage with you further if you continue this jesting.”

“No, I'm only telling you this because our bond is so deep. I wouldn't want anyone else to know about him.”

“Anan, I appreciate your concern, but...”

Anan was a woman of strong will.

Refusing to listen to Shangguan Ning’s reservations, Anan cut her off, declaring, “No ‘buts’! You haven't met my brother, and as his little sister, I can't help but boast. He’s not suited for ordinary girls. He possesses an irresistible charisma and is exceptionally handsome. His EQ and IQ are so off the charts, they could break the current Guinness World Record. His physique is so perfect that women of all ages would be captivated. Most importantly, he’s never been one to play games!”

In Shangguan Ning’s view, Anan was praising her brother with ridiculously over-the-top language. It was natural for a younger sister to idolize her older brother, so she simply listened quietly without comment.

“...You know, he's attracted countless girls since childhood, even boys! But he always maintained self-control, never speaking idly with others. He focused solely on his studies, consistently being the top student in school.”

*Maintained self-control? He sounds like he has some sort of social issue.*

“He's very picky about his food. He avoids anything with green leaves, a tough texture, or an unappealing appearance...”

*Oh, please! He’s not picky, he’s downright critical!*

“If his dog were to bite someone, he would never blame the dog. Instead, he’d feed it even better food, just to ensure it could run faster and wouldn't be caught next time it bit someone. My brother is just so incredibly kind-hearted...”

*‘Kind-hearted’... doesn’t seem to be the most fitting description here.*

For the first time in the six months they had known each other, Shangguan Ning heard Anan, who was more boyish than feminine, speak so glowingly and with such fascination about a man.

Shangguan Ning couldn't help but shake her head slightly.

Anan suddenly grabbed her arm, “Alright, it’s settled then. My brother returned to China last month and has been staying at home ever since. Tomorrow is Saturday, and we are both free, so you absolutely must come meet him.”

“Um, I don’t… think that’s necessary. Your brother sounds so incredible… I’m sure many people would be vying for his attention. I’d rather not get caught in that kind of competition.”

“Don’t hesitate. You truly have a poor sense of judgment regarding people. Please, trust me. I would never lead you astray.”

Yes, Anan was absolutely spot-on. Shangguan Ning’s judgment of people *was* indeed questionable. She had once believed Xie Zhuojun was her destined love, only to find the opposite to be true. She had thought Guo Shuai was a decent man, but the reality proved he was far from it…

However, Anan’s own judgment was also… rather suspect.

Just as Shangguan Ning was about to voice another objection, Anan shot her a somewhat mischievous look. “What is it, my dear? You don’t trust me? Or my brother? If you refuse this arrangement, you’re not permitted to leave this rather unsavory restaurant tonight.”

Her voice grew progressively louder, capturing the attention of a nearby couple at an adjacent table.

She seemed unconcerned about alienating her customers with her sharp words.

Shangguan Ning, fearing that even more potentially embarrassing remarks would spill from Anan’s lips, quickly nodded in agreement. “Okay, okay, fine! I’ll meet your brother. Just try not to scare away your customers. You literally just opened this place.”

Zhao Anan’s spirits lifted instantly, her face beaming with excitement. “Great! It’s a deal then. Tomorrow night, seven o’clock. Come to my Victorian restaurant for a sale, oh, apologies, for a meeting!”

As Shangguan Ning witnessed Anan’s sheer eagerness, a dreadful premonition began to stir within her.

It felt disconcertingly as if she had just been sold off.