Chapter 39

Shi Xiyu remained calm and serious throughout.

Jiang Lan also sensed something was wrong, but fortunately she wasn't alone, and Shi Xiyu seemed very reliable, so she wasn't too panicked.

On their way to the restaurant, they received a message.

The other company had planned a dinner party recently, but the business department hadn't been able to set a time. Since they were here today, we decided to have the dinner party today.

"So, don't be so nervous. You two women are coming out to eat with a group of us. Do you think we'd let you women pay? Asking you to treat us is just to scare you, hahaha."

The business manager's current tone is completely different from when the conflict occurred.

Shi Xiyu has new doubts.

However, she was behind the other person and did not see what they were doing.

It wasn't until they got off the bus that Jiang Lan found a chance to whisper the news to Shi Xiyu.

"Oh no, this guy is friends with A-Dong. I just saw him texting A-Dong in the car, asking him to come over. Do you and A-Dong have a grudge? I always end up arguing with him whenever we work together, we've never gotten along!"

Shi Xiyu didn't show any emotion on the surface, but she secretly thought to herself that things were going badly.

No wonder they suddenly changed their attitude; they must have been trying to keep them occupied and prevent them from leaving.

They have already entered the restaurant.

The entire business department of the other company came; it certainly looked like a departmental dinner.

However, they did not book the entire large private room, but rather two small private rooms.

The business manager who clashed with them, along with another sycophant who chimed in to cause trouble, "invited" Shi Xiyu and Jiang Lan into the first private room.

The others went into the second private room, which was a few meters away.

During the event, they took a photo together and posted it in their company's group chat in front of Shi Xiyu and Jiang Lan, saying that they had a department dinner today and happened to run into two colleagues from a partner company. They chatted about work until lunchtime and then invited them to have dinner together.

With seemingly plausible reasons, they transformed their argument into a friendly exchange in just a few words.

After we ordered the food, several bottles of red and white wine were served first.

The business manager opened a bottle of baijiu (Chinese liquor), poured himself a glass, and then had his henchmen pour a glass for Shi Xiyu and the others.

He then raised his glass to them.

"We've become friends after this little misunderstanding. Any communication issues we had before were swept under the rug after a few drinks. I won't hold those insults in the group chat against you, and you shouldn't hold my words and actions this afternoon against me, okay?"

The business manager grinned, his face puffed out with fat.

"People, when they're angry, they always say things without thinking or restraint. Don't you think so, Xiao Jiang?"

When the other party mentioned the information in the group chat today, Jiang Lan knew she was in the wrong, so she lowered her head and remained silent, waiting to see Shi Xiyu's reaction.

Shi Xiyu knew perfectly well that the other party had ill intentions, but at this point she could only react to their moves.

Let's start drinking now; we won't stop until we've drunk them all out.

Shi Xiyu stared at the wine glass in front of her for a while, then said apologetically, "I'm really sorry, I'm not in a good mood to drink today."

"Oh, what's inconvenient about it? It's just that you don't trust us men. Oh, you saw it yourself, our whole department is out having dinner today. If you have any concerns, just ask one of our female colleagues, okay?"

"Yeah, even if you've had too much to drink today, it's okay. I'll have one of my female colleagues take you two home, alright?"

Shi Xiyu looked directly into the other person's eyes, neither humble nor arrogant nor timid, her gentle and calm eyes meeting the other person's gaze.

This time, Jiang Lan learned her lesson and stopped causing trouble by impulsively and hastily answering questions. Instead, she followed Shi Xiyu's example and looked at the other person along with Shi Xiyu.

The business manager first showed weakness.

With a "Hey!" he waved his hand and downed the glass of wine in one gulp.

"Alright, alright, if you're worried, let's eat something first. Once we've had a good chat, you can drink if you want, okay?"

-

The business manager turned hostile the moment A-Dong walked into the private room.

One second he was trying to curry favor with Shi Xiyu, his words expressing envy and admiration for her getting into her current company.

When Ah Dong walked in, his expression immediately changed, and he looked at Shi Xiyu with ill intent.

Shi Xiyu and Jiang Lan had already expected Ah Dong to appear in the private room, so they were not surprised.

However, he also brought in several tall and fierce-looking men, so Shi Xiyu and Jiang Lan couldn't help but take a second look at them.

Shi Xiyu asked, "So you're not letting me leave today unless I drink?"

Ah Dong sneered: "Just drinking with men, Mr. Shi should be quite good at that."

As soon as Ah Dong finished speaking, the men in the private room burst into laughter.

"We also enjoyed the drinking service of a senior manager today, hahaha."

"I've never been to a party like this before, Dong-ge. How many women usually accompany you at these kinds of drinking parties? What else do they do besides drinking? Business?"

Jiang Lan dared not speak her anger, and could only glare fiercely at A Dong.

When Ah Dong looked over, Jiang Lan hurriedly looked away.

This action only provoked the other party to burst into triumphant laughter.

Shi Xiyu reminded them: "If I remember correctly, we had dinner with your department today. Not only do the people at the restaurant know about this, but your company's senior leaders also saw the group message. If anything happens to us here, I think you won't be able to escape responsibility either."

"Haha, what do you think I did by taking group photos and posting them in the group chat? To shirk responsibility, little girl."

The business manager, holding an opened bottle of liquor, stood up and walked towards Shi Xiyu.

"We eat together, but if you insist on drinking, why are you even paying extra? If we refuse, and you end up drunk and picked up by strangers on the street, what does that have to do with us?"

Before Shi Xiyu could react, A Dong, who had been standing to the side, suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Shi Xiyu's hand.

"I'll teach you to be so cocky! I'll teach you to steal my orders!"

"You're not getting any more wine than you'd like to drink today..."

"Bang--"

Before Ah Dong could finish speaking, the door to the private room was kicked open forcefully with a loud bang.

In the blink of an eye, a lot of people came in from outside.

The bodyguards in black suits pulled Ah Dong and the others apart, and then divided them into groups of two, with each group of two bodyguards holding one person.

Behind the bodyguards, a slender figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

"You like drinking, huh? Well, I'll let you drink your fill today. This company dinner is on me."

Nan Cheng's soft voice, at this moment, was extremely cold, like a gentle yet biting breeze blowing in the misty, rainy season.

"Chu..."

Shi Xiyu immediately stood up, her eyes filled with surprise and delight: "You really came?"

Chu Muchao nodded at her: "Yeah, you'll definitely come since you sent that message. You two come over first."

As he spoke, Chu Muchao stepped aside, past the bodyguards behind him, and called out loudly to the people outside the door.

"Brother, bring their boss in."

The business manager gasped.

No wonder there was no response to my message in the group! I thought they just hadn't seen it!

Oh no, is his job going to be ruined?!

Chu Wen was the first to walk in.

A man in his forties followed behind, who looked around the private room before meekly explaining to Chu Wen.

"President Chu, I'm so sorry, I really apologize. It's my fault for not managing my employees properly. Look, nothing really happened... not even all the dishes have been served..."

The business manager quickly chimed in, "Yeah, yeah, it was just a joke. Who told you guys to insult me ​​in the group chat today..."

Chu Wen was renowned for his ruthlessness and decisiveness, and everyone knew he was not to be trifled with. Men dared not even breathe loudly in front of him.

Fearing that he might anger Chu Wen, he quickly interrupted the business manager.

"Shut up, you idiot! Apologize to President Chu!"

The business manager chickened out: "I'm sorry, Mr. Chu."

The lackey quickly backed down: "Sorry, Mr. Chu, we just wanted to take advantage of the department's dinner party to invite your company's contact person to a meal."

Relying on the support of Chu Muchao and Chu Wen, Jiang Lan put her hands on her hips and retorted.

"What do you mean by inviting people to dinner? The moment Ah Dong arrived, you were planning to force him to drink! And is this the kind of dinner invitation you're giving us? You just said that we're not allowed to leave until we finish all this alcohol, and you even cursed us to get drunk and end up lying on the street being picked up by someone else!"

Only then did the man notice Ah Dong in the crowd, along with several unfamiliar men.

"This is?"

Ah Dong hurriedly explained, "I...I'm Ah Dong who passed the interview, boss. I just heard from Ah Liang that there was a department dinner today, and I happened to be eating here with friends, so I came over to say hello. It was really just a coincidence..."

The man finally realized something was wrong.

Ah Dong was the new business development manager who recently interviewed with their company. When the resume was handed to him, he specifically asked Ah Dong why he left his previous company, which was quite good.

Ah Dong said that his previous company was too slow for him to progress, and he valued their company's philosophy and future more.

That's clearly not the case now!

It's obvious that Ah Dong has a grudge against those two girls from the other company!

"this……"

The man looked at Chu Wen, at a loss.

After Chu Wen appeared, Chu Muchao, who had been passively invisible and had no presence, clicked his tongue impatiently.

"I told them to finish all the drinks on the table, didn't you hear me?"

"I'm informing you of my decision, not asking why, do you understand?"

Upon hearing that soft voice again, the men in the private room who had never seen Chu Muchao before turned their attention to him.

Chu Wendu simply stood behind Chu Muchao, his position not even extending beyond Chu Muchao's back.

Everyone finally realized that the one who held the power of discourse today was not the infamous, ruthless, and decisive Chu Wen, but the real heiress who had been rumored to have been brought back to the country but had never appeared in the public eye.

The bodyguards had clearly been instructed by Chu Wen beforehand to obey Chu Muchao's orders.

Upon receiving Chu Muchao's order, someone brought over all the wine bottles on the table.

A bottle was handed to each of the business manager, his lackey, and A-Dong.

"drink!"

"There's no need to be so polite to him."

Chu Muchao crossed his arms, his posture like that of a proud yet elegant cat.

He issued commands in a soft, gentle voice, yet with a cold indifference.

“Pinch his mouth open and pour it in. He should like it.”