Are you sure you want me to say congratulations?

Tan Yuchen looked at him through the smoke, his eyes dark and gloomy. "My mouth is blessed; it's unlucky for good things to happen, but incredibly accurate for bad things. What I say usually goes against my wishes."

"Is Chairman Xu really going to come here to make a wish?"

Xu Yanzhi: "..."

Descending the stairs of the wine cellar, you see uneven walls and cabinets displaying renowned red wines at an angle, the meticulously crafted design exuding French romance.

Zhao Youxi said, "Back then, I troubled Chairman Xu quite a bit to open this small winery. I originally just wanted to provide a place for three or five friends to chat, but after listening to him talk about the room temperature, humidity, and maintenance, I got a headache. He was the one who introduced the designer. He advised me to tell him in advance if I couldn't continue operating so that he could take over."

Meng Jiuyi smiled faintly, pursing her lips.

Zhao Youxi glanced outside, puzzled, "Why haven't those people arrived yet?"

Meng Jiuyi asked, "Did you invite anyone else?"

"Don't worry, there are only a few girls."

Meng Jiuyi took down a bottle of red wine to check the vintage. The room was filled with the aroma of wine and the light was dim. At the end of the gap, he was lounging lazily on the sofa, and the light was too dim to see his expression clearly.

Meng Jiuyi was stunned for a moment, then silently put the wine back and replaced it with another bottle.

"How did you meet Chairman Xu?" Zhao Youxi asked.

"During my university years."

She's very gossipy, asking, "Who pursued whom?"

There's nothing to hide, Meng Jiuyi said frankly.

"It's me."

"So brave." Zhao Youxi leaned back on the stone steps. "If only I had your courage back then, I might not have had any regrets."

Meng Jiuyi had overheard others occasionally mentioning her and Cen Dong.

“I heard from them that you took the initiative back then and your wish was fulfilled, so from that perspective, there seems to be nothing to regret.”

Zhao Youxi smiled, a slender cigarette dangling from her hand.

"I was naive back then and did a lot of childish things. I thought that being with his brother would make him jealous or something, but it turns out I was stupid and ended up with a really embarrassing identity."

Meng Jiuyi was taken aback; it was as if a pebble had been thrown into the lake of her heart, leaving only faint ripples.

With her brows lowered, Zhao Youxi's profile was shrouded in shadow, making it impossible to discern her emotions.

Could she be...?

"Let's not talk about that old mess."

Zhao Youxi took down the bottle of wine and walked towards them, just in time to hear them talking about making wishes.

"What do you wish for?"

The others had already promised Xu Yanzhi to keep it a secret, so they naturally wouldn't take up the topic again, and were just about to take over.

Tan Yuchen flicked his cigarette ash and said lightly, "Chairman Xu is a widower and wishes to have another son."

He has a knack for bringing up the very things that are hard to say.

Entertainment reporters, eager for attention, have boldly speculated whether Xu Yungan is planning to have another child. Meanwhile, Xu Yanzhi is still upset about having his secretary pregnant at the hospital.

Xu Yanzhi replied without much of a smile, "This kind of good fortune should be given to the Third Young Master."

"I'd be happy to."

Tan Yuchen replied casually, "However, Old Zhou is not up to the task, and whether he can have children is a problem."

Several people nearby nearly spat out their drinks. They had only met Zhou Congjin briefly a few times before, and these brothers were just like Jiang Zhou—they wished they could be sneaky and disappear on the spot.

This guy is so ruthless he'd even gossip about his own father.

Meng Jiuyi sat down next to Xu Yanzhi and silently curved her lips into a smile, though she felt that her smile was not obvious.

However, a piercing gaze fell upon her from diagonally opposite.

She looked up, and Tan Yuchen, his fingers propping up his forehead, stared at her with a narrowed gaze and no expression.

He had that murderous look on his face all day long.

Zhou Bo asked curiously, "Miss Meng, is Chairman Xu always this calm and collected in private? Don't you find him rather boring?"

They had known each other since childhood, and the man had never made a single wrong move, except for that fleeting romance.

During his years living a fast-paced life abroad, he always maintained strict self-discipline and would never treat relationships between men and women as a game.

Xu Yanzhi gave him a slightly warning look.

Meng Jiuyi thought for a moment, "It wasn't like this when I first met him."

"That means his current appearance might not be attractive to you."

Meng Jiuyi couldn't help but chuckle, his joking mood kicking in.

"It might actually be possible."

The moment she finished speaking, her shoulder was tightened, and Xu Yanzhi whispered in her ear, "Tell me, how am I different now compared to before, when you're making fun of me with him?"

The people around him couldn't hear what he was saying, but seeing their intimate actions, they deliberately started to cough and make a fuss.

Unnoticed, a lit cigarette fell into the icy water, extinguishing the crimson flame and causing bubbles to rise instantly.

Meng Jiuyi didn't plan to stay any longer; she wanted to go see Tan Ni later.

He whispered, "Shall I take you there?"

"I'll go by myself."

Meng Jiuyi naturally shook her head; Xu Yanzhi guessed what she wanted to say to Tan Ni.

"Then let Uncle Zhuang escort you down the mountain?"

Before Meng Jiuyi could reply, she heard the clattering of bottles behind her. She turned around and saw Tan Ni standing at the door with her bag, looking at her coldly, tears welling up in her eyes.

Tan Ni didn't know how much she had seen what was happening inside the house.

Meng Jiuyi's expression changed slightly, and he immediately stood up, "...Ni Ni."

Tan Ni said nothing and turned to run away. Meng Jiuyi immediately chased after her, leaving the crowd looking at each other in bewilderment.

Tan Ni's skirt fluttered in the wind in the corridor, almost tripping her. Not far away, her favorite red Mercedes-Benz was not yet parked in a parking space, so Meng Jiuyi quickly pulled her back.

"You're not feeling well, don't run so fast—"

Before she could finish speaking, Tan Ni shoved her hard. Behind her was a marble pillar, and Meng Jiuyi's elbow struck it. The intense pain made her dizzy and lightheaded.

As her vision gradually cleared, she saw Tan Ni's eyes filled with hatred and sarcasm.

"Meng Jiuyi, I must be crazy to think you genuinely consider me a friend. What are you trying to do by chasing after me now? Are you trying to show off? Even Miss Tan Si couldn't get him, but you, with your lowly status, got him so easily. I've confessed my feelings for Xu Yanzhi to you so many times before, didn't you think I was incredibly stupid and ridiculous, and probably laughed at me in your heart? Now you think you can be on top of me, huh?"

Towards the end, her voice suddenly became shrill, and she expressed her deep hatred for her.

"I just messaged you to talk about this."

Meng Jiuyi stared into her eyes, his words sincere, "It was the same when we called last time."

However, an accident occurred and caused a delay.

"I've known Xu Yanzhi since college. I didn't tell you before because I'm not as outgoing as you, and I can't bring myself to talk about these things."

How can I possibly outdo you in this situation? If I were more outgoing, likable, and sincere than you, and more talented and skilled at everything, I might be quite arrogant. But what gives me the right to mock you now, just because you're with someone today and someone else tomorrow?

She and Xu Yanzhi discussed what had happened recently. She approached him and said, "I'm sorry, Ni Ni, I didn't tell you in time—"

Tan Ni was in tears, covering her ears and refusing to listen.

"Which of your words are true and which are false? I truly consider you a friend, but what about you, Meng Jiuyi? You choose not to tell me anything. Do you think I'm going to die sooner or later anyway, so there's no point in doing anything? You're really terrifying!"

After she finished speaking, she turned and ran. Just as she was about to open the car door, she clutched her chest and slipped to the ground.

"Ni Ni!"

Meng Jiuyi was terrified and immediately helped her up—Tan Ni's face was deathly pale, and her breathing became increasingly rapid, just like the symptoms she had in the private room last time.

"Don't be afraid! I'll take you to the hospital."

Just then, someone took Tan Ni from her arms. Men and women are different in strength, and Tan Yuchen picked up Tan Ni with ease.

Tan Ni opened her eyes with difficulty, "...Brother."

He said succinctly, "Don't speak yet."

After helping her into the car, Tan Yuchen contacted the doctor and arranged for someone to wait for her at the Orange Garden.

As the car drove away, Meng Jiuyi stood dejectedly to the side.

From beginning to end, he didn't look at her even once; his eyelids slid down as thin as sharp blades.

A similar situation reminded Meng Jiuyi of the time she accidentally made Tan Ni sick, and the subsequent questioning and threats he made.

A cool breeze swept in, and she felt chills all over her body, one chill after another.

A suit jacket was draped over her shoulders, and its warmth enveloped her. Meng Jiuyi looked up, and after a moment of dazed gaze, she saw Xu Yanzhi's deep brows furrowed.

"It has nothing to do with you, don't take everything on yourself."

He wiped her eyes, and Meng Jiuyi then realized that his face was wet with tears.

--

The doctor arrived in time this time, and Tan Ni had been resting quietly in the orange grove during this period, so she gradually recovered after the doctor prescribed medication.

Fearing that the old lady would worry, the matter was not brought to her attention, and even the friends who wanted to come and visit were stopped by Tan Yuchen.

Meng Jiuyi sat on the sofa on the second-floor balcony waiting. When the doctor came out, she couldn't help but look at him and stood up as well. The maid escorted the doctor downstairs and listened to them give him some instructions.

The second floor gradually quieted down, and Tan Yuchen came out of the room. Neither of them spoke first in the dimly lit corridor.

He strode toward her, the light and shadow sweeping across his eyebrows and nose, making his already fierce features even more striking. His eyes were like rocks after the tide had receded, dark and indifferent.

So much so that when the man approached and reached out to her, Meng Jiuyi's first reaction was to jump to the side in fright.

His hand remained suspended in mid-air.

There was only a faint awkwardness between them, and the man's face darkened in response.

She tried to ease the tension, forcing a slight smile, "...How is Tan Ni?"

Tan Yuchen remained silent.

Meng Jiuyi thought he was planning to settle scores later and just wanted to leave.

"I'll go check on her."

She was pulled back by him before she could leave. He didn't use much force, but it aggravated her injured arm, causing her to flinch.

Tan Yuchen naturally noticed this and lifted her onto the sofa.

He lifted her sleeve. Meng Jiuyi didn't want him to see, but she couldn't resist him and had to let him have his way.

A bruise remained on her elbow, he said in a flat tone.

"You don't even care about your own injury?"

"It was just a collision."

Meng Jiuyi's voice was very soft.

Tan Yuchen glanced down at her. She lowered her eyes, looking listless and, realizing she had made a mistake, became much more obedient.

But with her hands folded on her knees, a defensive and wary posture, she seemed worried that he might do something.

In that instant, a sense of powerlessness and self-mockery gripped Tan Yuchen.

All the previous tenderness was an act; she had absolutely no trust in him.

--

good evening.