Chapter 23 Pei Shuwen: "I said..."

"I'm starving, I'm starving."

Lin Chaoyue had been eagerly anticipating this moment, but Pei Shuwen had already left. She walked through the crowd and headed straight for the food area.

The banquet has begun.

Everyone was out socializing, and the self-service food area was almost empty.

She brought out a few pastries, found a comfortable sofa, crossed her legs, and sat there eating.

The food at the banquet was quite good.

Lin Chaoyue took one serving but wasn't quite full, so she took another.

The last time she ate in such an unseemly manner was when she held a birthday party for Yao Yao some years ago.

To create a surprise, she did everything herself, working all day long and even forgetting to eat.

Rounding it off, Pei Shuwen could be considered to have received the same treatment as Yao Yao.

Lin Chaoyue leaned back, feeling completely satisfied with her meal. With nothing else to do, she remembered to pull over a waiter and ask what the gimmick of tonight's dinner was.

"Hello, madam. Tonight's charity auction will be held in the back hall of the banquet hall. If you need assistance, I can show you the way."

"No need to thank me."

It turned out to be a charity gala.

This is most likely a transaction disguised as charity.

She wasn't interested before, and she was even less enthusiastic today.

At previous banquets, she could always find two people to play cards with, but today she was all alone.

She scrolled through her WeChat Moments, idly resting her chin on her hand.

My WeChat Moments feed is full of the same old posts about eating, drinking, and having fun, except for two posts related to work.

This made her take a second look.

One of them was posted by Wen Ya, celebrating her one-year internship.

She gave it a thumbs up.

Another post was from Nie Shanshan, tagged Anjiang Group, expressing that her path to professional growth is long and arduous. She also included her effective working hours for the day.

Really? She doesn't believe it?

This woman slacked off at work today, drinking milk tea. During her break, she argued with her unfortunate sister, and left work even more eagerly than she did.

Effective working hours: 12 hours?

Lin Chaoyue debunks online: 【Isn't your WeChat Moments a bit fake?】

The reply came instantly: "Work record keeping, don't you understand? Why doesn't my commute count as valid work time?"

That makes a lot of sense.

Lin Chaoyue was immediately inspired.

Ten minutes later.

A deliberately staged, heavily edited photo appeared in Lin Chaoyue's WeChat Moments.

The caption read: 【Today is another day of hard work (*^▽^*)】

After posting, Nie Shanshan immediately liked the post and commented: "Such strong initiative? Still working overtime at this hour? Doesn't that seem a bit fake?"

Lin Chaoyue deleted the comment without expression.

He opened Nie Shanshan's chat window again and typed: "[Either shut up or die.]"

Soon, the comment changed to: Working so late! Let's learn from Lawyer Lin's hard work!

The comment section received dozens of likes.

Amidst the likes, she was surprised to see Ms. Zhong's profile picture.

Two seconds later, something even more surprising happened.

Her usually aloof and strict mother sent her two messages.

Dear Mother: [Keep working hard and don't be arrogant. Mom hopes to see you achieve success soon.]

Dear Mother: Your father is currently in Europe. Assistant Xu will be returning next month. If there's anything you'd like, have him bring it back for you.

Lin Chaoyue's message was: 【I will definitely live up to my mother's expectations.】

Meanwhile, a chat window with Xu Zhu had already opened at lightning speed: [Xu Zhu! Hurry up and go to xxx to get me a new set of ski equipment, the old one too, sob sob. If only I could get another yearly pass at the ski club in Ningcheng!]

After a while.

Xu Zhu replied: 【Received.】

Xu Zhu's receipt means he agrees.

Lin Chaoyue's lips couldn't help but curl upwards.

Nie Shanshan just said, "A job that isn't seen by the boss is a job that isn't done."

She now feels that this is simply the truth of life.

Lin Chaoyue immediately decided that from now on, whenever she works in the middle of the night, she would take a picture and post it on her WeChat Moments. What kind of work she was doing was not important; what mattered was showing that she was very enthusiastic about her work!

She leaned back on the sofa, scrolling through her phone. The number of likes on this post on WeChat Moments was significantly higher than usual.

Li Cong even made a phone call directly.

"Yuebao, how did you get into uniform play?! And you even posted it on your WeChat Moments! You weren't this open-minded even when you were in America!"

"Bullshit! I'm working! Can't you tell I'm working?"

"Oh, where are you working in China at this time of year?"

"A charity gala." Lin Chaoyue was in a good mood, and he answered whatever Li Cong asked.

Li Cong's tone suddenly became somewhat agitated.

"Yuebao! Did you go to Grandpa Qiao's? I mentioned it to you last time, and you said you weren't very familiar with him. Did Aunt Zhong take you?"

Lin Chaoyue took her phone off her ear and looked at the posed photo of herself from left to right.

Has Li Cong switched careers to become a fortune teller? There's nothing in the photo except his own beautiful face. How could you tell?

Lin Chaoyue picked up her phone again: "How did you know?"

"Just guessing. It's almost midnight in China now, and the only person who would get you to condescend to attend at this hour is Mr. Qiao."

Great, this was a lucky guess that led to the correct answer.

He really is a lucky one.

Lin Chaoyue: "What are the winning numbers for the next Double Color Ball lottery draw? I'm going to buy 500 tickets."

Li Cong exclaimed, "Hey! Yuebao, stop fooling around! Tell me what you went to do!"

Mentioning this, Lin Chaoyue became listless: "What else can I do? I'm Pei Shuwen's temporary driver, a lowly henchman, the kind of person who's never even given a second glance."

"Ah! I knew it! That's normal, that's normal. I doubt many people in China recognize you. They don't know what a real gem is. Only your good brother like me has your face etched in my heart and thinks about you all the time."

Lin Chaoyue: "..."

Lin Chaoyue: "I just finished eating, don't disgust me like that, I need to find the restroom to throw up later."

Li Cong: "Okay, okay, I won't disgust you. I heard there are a lot of big names in the entertainment industry at tonight's charity gala. My girlfriend is a big fan of Pei Bai's drama, and he's here tonight too. Yuebao, please, can you take some handsome photos of him for me? I want to give my girlfriend a little surprise."

"Girlfriend? That aloof, mature woman? You got together so quickly? Wasn't she supposed to be a career woman? Does she like a playboy like you?"

Li Cong clicked his tongue and said, "You don't understand. We complement each other. After working in the workplace for a long time, she has seen too many rigid and inflexible people. She likes a younger brother like me who is energetic and charming."

"Okay, I don't understand, then I'll hang up."

"Don't----"

Lin Chaoyue didn't care about anything else, hung up the phone and threw it into her bag.

Li Cong changes girlfriends more often than she buys alcohol.

She didn't want to risk being mistaken for a stalker and having her photos taken secretly for this temporary girlfriend.

She still needs to pick up Pei Shuwen later.

Earning pocket money is important.

Lin Chaoyue glanced in the direction of the second floor, where there was no one. It seemed that the business tonight would take a long time to discuss.

She yawned and forced herself to stand up to cheer herself up.

What should I do to pass the time?

The auction in the back hall had already begun, but Lin Chaoyue always felt that watching these kinds of auctions made her sleepier even faster.

She got up and wandered around, but was really bored. Finally, she decided to do something kind and help Li Cong find Pei Bai. She wouldn't take a picture of him secretly, but she could ask for an autographed photo as a gift for Li Cong's new girlfriend.

She happened to be watching Pei Bai's new drama recently and recognized his face.

After searching for a long time, she actually saw a figure that looked somewhat like him from behind.

She followed him all the way, and when she turned the next corner, she didn't see Pei Bai, but instead ran into Chu Chengjie, who had some grudge against Pei Shuwen.

She didn't know this person well, so she ignored him and walked to the flower room lounge in front.

The door, which hadn't been closed yet, was slightly ajar. The person who had just walked in must have noticed someone behind them and turned around.

“Pei Bai…”

"Excuse me, ma'am, this is the exclusive rest area for artists under Lu's Entertainment. You are not allowed to enter."

Lin Chaoyue was stopped before she could finish her sentence.

The door in front of me slammed shut with a 'bang'.

"All right."

Lin Chaoyue shrugged and took a few steps back. She was just bored and wanted to try it out casually; if it didn't work, so be it.

Just as she was about to leave, Chu Chengjie, in a very familiar manner, stopped her.

He even asked, knowing the answer already, "Miss Lin? Are you Pei Shuwen's current assistant?"

"Is there something you need?"

Lin Chaoyue's voice was extremely cold.

She doesn't like interacting with others unless absolutely necessary, especially knowing that the person in front of her has a grudge against Pei Shuwen, she doesn't want to get involved in such a complicated relationship.

Most importantly, this person's perfume smelled terrible, mixed with a significant amount of alcohol.

It stinks horribly.

"Hello, I am Chu Chengjie. You should have heard of me before. This is my business card."

Lin Chaoyue didn't take it, and Chu Chengjie didn't put his hand down either.

The two of them stood there, frozen in place.

Chu Chengjie wasn't angry; he even maintained a fake smile.

Chu Chengjie: "Don't misunderstand, we're in the same industry. I was also a partner at Juntian Liangmu before. The legal circle in Ningcheng is very small, and who knows, we might have the opportunity to work together in the future."

Lin Chaoyue posed for photos, but once she was out of Pei Shuwen's sight, she had no intention of bringing up work again.

Moreover, the person in front of him clearly didn't get along with Pei Shuwen.

"That's unlikely to be the case."

"Do you have anything else to do? If not, please move aside."

Chu Chengjie narrowed his eyes, pressed the tip of his tongue against his cheek, and not only did he not make way, he took another step forward to block people.

"What are you doing—" Lin Chaoyue frowned, her face clearly asking, "Are you alright?"

"Assistant Lin, don't be in such a hurry to leave. I don't mean anything by it, but I just feel that you have no future following Pei Shuwen. I am now a partner at Ansong and can offer you a higher salary. Why don't you consider me?"

"If the cooperation goes well, promotions and raises will be just a matter of a word from me."

The wall lamps in the corridor outside the flower hall were dim, and to outsiders they appeared to be having a normal conversation.

But only Lin Chaoyue knew that the man's sinister gaze, like that of a venomous snake, was lingering on her, and that disgusting, sticky feeling made her feel physically nauseous.

But this time she didn't rush to leave; instead, she took the business card from Chu Chengjie's hand.

"You said you could offer a higher salary, how much?"

Chu Chengjie gave a number.

He was extremely confident that the price he quoted was absolutely irresistible. He even believed that no law firm in Ningcheng could offer an assistant lawyer of that age that much.

"Are you sure the salary is this much?" Lin Chaoyue asked hesitantly.

Seeing her expression, Chu Chengjie sneered inwardly, but was very confident: "I'm sure."

He didn't know Lin Chaoyue, nor did he think much of her; he simply wanted to annoy Pei Shuwen and steal what was his.

Those who oppose him will not have an easy time; he will get his revenge little by little...

Lin Chaoyue had no idea what the old man in front of her was thinking.

Just looking at his expression, she felt a little speechless.

Lin Chaoyue honestly expressed her true feelings: "I don't think it will work."

"Why?"

"Do you know that no law firm in the entire Ningcheng can offer such a high price?"

Such a clear rejection was obviously unexpected by Chu Chengjie, and he was somewhat agitated.

After several failed attempts to poach his employees, Chu Chengjie gradually began to break down his defenses.

Lin Chaoyue was rather puzzled: "Is this price considered high? If your law firm only has this much money, I advise you not to poach talent?"

The salary Chu Chengjie offered was slightly higher than what she was currently receiving.

But the extra salary wasn't even enough to fill her stomach.

Moreover, her allowance is in Pei Shuwen's hands. She can earn 5,000 yuan just by going out with him once, and she can also randomly unlock hidden benefits offered by Ms. Zhong. Even a fool would know which option to choose.

Lin Chaoyue glanced at the business card in her hand again: Ansong Law Firm, Partner Chu Chengjie.

She shrugged.

He casually stuffed the business card back into his hand.

The movements seemed somewhat distasteful.

The expression on her face clearly indicated that she didn't want to say another word to the man in front of her.

Chu Chengjie's face turned completely dark.

Oh shit.

Qin Wen is like this, and so is this arrogant little bitch in front of me.

They really thought Chu Chengjie was easy to bully.

He was determined to taste this woman's flavor tonight.

Pei Shuwen ate well. Although he didn't like Lin Chaoyue's taste, it was good to have something different every now and then.

"So eager to leave? It seems Pei Shuwen is quite generous to women. How much does he pay you for a night in private? Thirty thousand? Fifty thousand? Stop pretending, give me a number."

While they were talking, Chu Chengjie had already cornered Lin Chaoyue at the corner.

Two walls, plus a human wall that was completely blocked in front.

Lin Chaoyue's view was mostly blocked, and the nauseating smell became even stronger.

"Idiot, isn't he an idiot?"

Lin Chaoyue rarely swore so directly; when she got screwed over in a game, she would at most make sarcastic remarks.

But she couldn't think of any adjectives to describe this idiot. Her manners and etiquette had completely vanished; all she wanted to do was curse.

"If you're fucking sick, go get treatment. Stop acting crazy here. If you move around again, I'll call for help."

"Heh, what are you pretending for? I heard Pei Shuwen has a much wilder lifestyle than me behind the scenes. What? Can you only date one person at a time?"

"No...did a donkey kick your brain? Can you shake your brain before you talk to me?"

Chu Chengjie had just drunk two vats of baijiu, and the effects of the alcohol had completely worn off.

He didn't refute, but just stared intently at Lin Chaoyue, first at her fair face, then his gaze continued downwards, finally settling on the exposed half of her collarbone...

Very well, it's just that it's not evenly mixed.

Feeling so blatantly offended, Lin Chaoyue's anger flared up instantly.

Without thinking twice, she immediately grabbed her bag and swung it at Chu Chengjie's head. Not satisfied with just a couple of blows, she kicked him hard in one spot before he could react.

He was drunk and unsteady on his feet; when he was kicked, he collapsed to the ground.

"Ouch...you little bitch, you stop right there!"

"You fucking stop right there!"

This place is a bit far from the banquet hall, but it's only two corridors away from the back hall.

Lin Chaoyue wasn't stupid, so why would she stop? She kicked Chu Chengjie so hard he would never have children, then turned and strode quickly toward the back hall where the charity auction was taking place.

By the time Chu Chengjie limped after him, Lin Chaoyue had already arrived.

Just a meter away, a charity auction with a red carpet was bustling with people, and spotlights were flashing incessantly.

The highlight of tonight's charity gala is Lu Jiangqiao's private collection.

A complete set of medieval European court enamelware is currently being fiercely auctioned, and several media outlets from Ningcheng have been present to generate buzz.

Lin Chaoyue leisurely buttoned the top button of her shirt, shrugged defiantly, glanced into the distance, and then slowly walked inside.

Having learned from past mistakes, Lin Chaoyue naturally wouldn't go to deserted places again.

But once she entered the back hall, Lin Chaoyue belatedly realized that this wasn't her first time here.

The front hall was completely transformed by luxurious decorations, but the back hall remained largely unchanged.

Especially noteworthy are the exquisite pieces perfectly integrated into the white marble walls, the deep blue curtains suspended by the windows, and the brass-made wooden chandelier extending downwards.

A few years ago, her older sister from a prominent family held her coming-of-age ceremony here. However, she wasn't familiar with that sister and mainly accompanied her parents to the ceremony. So, apart from working during necessary times, she spent the rest of her time slacking off with Li Cong.

She comes from a good family, so everyone spoils her, and some people even deliberately try to please her.

This led her to arbitrarily assume that such banquets were merely a way to pass the time.

However, it overlooked the undercurrents of conflicting interests and the sordid deals hidden in the shadows.

"Sigh, things have really changed. I should have been smarter and avoided getting scammed."

"Oh well... with a teammate like Li Cong, there's no point in knowing this sooner."

The phone remained completely silent from beginning to end, without even a single message popping up.

Pei Shuwen hadn't contacted her yet, and she was getting a little impatient. If she remembered correctly, the second floor here should be connected to the front hall.

Lin Chaoyue went up to the second floor.

The corridor was quite crowded, with men and women chatting and laughing, their conversations subtly swirling, and clinking glasses. Almost everyone harbored their own secrets, making Lin Chaoyue stand out as an anomaly among the crowd.

Fortunately, she used Jun Tianliangmu's name and was no longer turned away.

When she reached the end of the road, the banquet manager heard that she was looking for Pei Shuwen and said that the dinner party tonight was not over yet, so he led her into the lounge on the second floor.

There were quite a few people in the lounge, including several familiar faces she had just seen downstairs; they were also assistants to some lawyer.

It looks like everyone is waiting here.

She's definitely found the right place.

Lin Chaoyue casually sat down and started a game.

"Hey, haven't seen you in a few days, you've become my brother's little follower? What are you playing? Let me see."

Lin Chaoyue had just taken out her earphones and hadn't even put them on when the person opposite her snatched her phone.

It is Pei An.

He sat casually in the chair opposite him, glanced at the phone twice, and then tossed it back.

"What's so fun about this game? Let my brother take you to play real guns sometime, that's much more exciting."

This guy doesn't look like a big star at all; you'd believe he was just a petty hoodlum named Lin Chaoyue.

She was in a bad mood today and didn't want to pay attention to Pei An. She snatched her phone back, deftly tapped a skydiving coordinate on the screen, and pressed the button to open the parachute.

Seeing that she wasn't in a good mood, Pei An asked again, "What's wrong? Are you not happy accompanying my brother to this social event?"

What are you doing here?

"Most of the entertainment industry is here tonight, of course they're here to work."

"Are you happy to be working so late?" Lin Chaoyue ignored him.

"Tsk, not bad." Pei An's gaze kept glancing to one side, intentionally or unintentionally, where a very scholarly-looking waitress stood.

Lin Chaoyue: "Then you can be your brother's assistant."

“That won’t do. My brother is only a gentleman to girls. I’m afraid he might commit domestic violence against me if we disagree.”

Lin Chaoyue felt that Pei An was just making small talk and didn't really want to talk to him.

Pei An continued, "However, my brother is a man of principle, and he never lets women stand in his way. Since you're already here, just relax and have fun. He'll take you home once he's done. But the business we're discussing today is quite big, so let's keep drinking."

"Will I get drunk?" Lin Chaoyue finally took a moment to look up.

Pei An said slyly, "Drunk, probably dead drunk. It's a pity, I have other things to do tonight and can't help you carry him. Good luck to you later."

Pei An stood up as Yu Guangzhong's men were about to leave.

"Good luck, but it looks like you're going to die."

She was distracted for a moment when she suddenly heard the sound of a '98K' gunshot in her earphones, and she was shot in the head.

Shit!

This is just the beginning.

My points have dropped significantly.

Lin Chaoyue originally just wanted to play a game, but after losing so badly, she seemed to be getting more and more courageous.

She played three rounds in a row, and only after winning the last one did she finally exit the game with satisfaction.

Lin Chaoyue stretched and looked up, noticing that there were far fewer people in the lounge.

I took off my headphones. The outside was noisy, not as quiet as before, and there were many more footsteps coming and going.

Why hasn't Pei Shuwen called yet?

Lin Chaoyue moved slowly, but subconsciously she casually opened the call interface.

Completely unprepared.

There are two red missed calls at the top.

Note: Pei the Skinflint.

The call came in fifteen minutes ago.

If I remember correctly, at this time she was engaged in a fierce battle in the nuclear power plant on the island map, not only getting two airdrops but also pulling off an amazing 1v5 victory.

It feels very smooth to the touch.

Looking back now, I still feel a little unsatisfied.

But this seemingly smooth process led to a major problem.

Lin Chaoyue belatedly realized that, in order to have fun, she had enabled the game's "Do Not Disturb" mode by default, clearing not only phone calls but also all background pop-ups.

Including Pei Shuwen's missed calls.

Lin Chaoyue hurriedly dialed back and got up to leave.

But no one answered the phone after three attempts to call back, and no one replied to the messages she sent. Lin Chaoyue also didn't see Pei Shuwen in the hallway outside.

Imagining Pei An's earlier words about being "completely drunk," Lin Chaoyue grew increasingly anxious, fearing that her mistake would delay Pei Shuwen's plans again.

She already felt guilty enough about what happened to Meng Yuzhi today; she doesn't want it to happen again.

Lin Chaoyue found the private room where Pei Shuwen was discussing business.

There was no one inside; only staff were cleaning.

"Auntie, where did the people in this room go?"

"Miss, are you looking for someone? The person in this room left half an hour ago."

"Did they drink a lot tonight? Was anyone drunk?"

"Oh dear, you're completely drunk. You've vomited all over the place. It's been so long since I cleaned it up. Look."

There was indeed a large water stain on the ground, and the surrounding area was also messy. The mixed smells of smoke and alcohol were mixed together, and there were still vomit stains in the corner.

Lin Chaoyue's heart sank.

Lin Chaoyue asked again, "Auntie, was the drunk person very tall, with very straight legs, wearing a black suit, and looking... somewhat like a movie star?"

"Yes, that young man is very handsome. I heard he's some kind of celebrity. Go check the restroom. I think he was led over there by someone. Drinking so much at such a young age, he'll ruin his health. You're his friend, right? When you find him, you should give him a good talking-to."

This time, Lin Chaoyue's heart was completely broken.

She didn't hear what the aunt said after that; she went straight to the second-floor restroom as soon as she left the house.

But even though she ran fast, she was in a dilemma when she actually stood outside the men's restroom.

The door was closed, and she couldn't see anything inside. There wasn't a single living creature around her except for her, so she couldn't very well go in and look for someone herself.

If she sees something she shouldn't, wouldn't that be considered indecent?

Should I act like a hooligan or not?

Ugh, are we going to go in and look for someone or not?

Lin Chaoyue was extremely anxious. She dialed Pei Shuwen's number more than a dozen times, but no one answered, and she heard no sound from the bathroom.

Lin Chaoyue hesitated for a long time, but in the end, she couldn't bring herself to go all out.

He turned around, intending to find someone to help him.

At that moment, a series of unpleasant sounds came from inside through the door: dry heaving and light panting, followed by a loud 'bang' as something crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces.

never mind.

I can't worry about that anymore.

Lin Chaoyue steeled her resolve and pushed open the door, stepping inside.

"Pei Shu...you...you guys?"

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see anything. I'm really sorry."

Lin Chaoyue's foot hadn't even touched the ground before she pulled it back at lightning speed. As she turned around, her hand slammed against the wall, scraping off a piece of skin, but she didn't even notice.

They ran incredibly fast.

By the time the people inside were dressed and ready to chase after her, Lin Chaoyue had already gone down the stairs on one side to the first floor.

She sat by the indoor flower bed, clutching her chest, both incredulous and panting.

"Who was that just now? Pei Bai? This is unbelievable."

"And the other one? He looks a bit like the director of 'The Thousand Days of Flower Farewell'."

"No, it's not just that they look alike, that person should be the director."

This director had a cameo role in "The Thousand Days of Flower Farewell," which even trended on social media when it first aired.

Lin Chaoyue wanted to pretend she was seeing things, but she had been watching Pei Bai's dramas recently and was extremely familiar with the two of them, so the possibility of her being wrong was almost zero.

What she just witnessed had a tremendous visual impact on her.

She decided to take back her statement that she had seen the world; she had been having fun abroad for several years and had never seen anything like this.

Male-on-male sex act.

People are more comfortable having fun in China.

Lin Chaoyue was still shaken, but after regaining her composure, she still wanted to find Pei Shuwen.

Pei Bai was the one who got completely drunk, so where was Pei Shuwen, who is quite a big guy?

Lin Chaoyue stood up, leaning against the stone edge of the flower bed.

My hands were still shaking, but I kept dialing the number that was pinned to the top of my chat list.

Unexpectedly, she got through this time.

"Come to the parking lot."

It was Pei Shuwen's voice, but there was really no emotion in it. Lin Chaoyue couldn't even tell if he was drunk.

"Coming right away."

The parking lot is located in the open space to the side of the banquet hall.

When Lin Chaoyue arrived, she saw Pei Shuwen talking to someone from afar.

Pei Shuwen: "No need to trouble Secretary Peng, my assistant will take me back later."

Peng Ze is Lu Jiangqiao's personal secretary. His presence here is to show Lu's attitude that Pei Shuwen will not actually let him see her off.

Peng Ze: "Then I'll wait here with you. You've had quite a bit to drink tonight, and I'm worried about you, since you'll be in charge of the follow-up cooperation."

Whether it was out of concern or a desire to probe further into his background, both of them knew perfectly well.

Pei Shuwen didn't make things clear, and Peng Ze continued to play dumb. The two of them just stood there waiting for someone.

Lin Chaoyue was unaware that the two people were waiting for her. She walked over slowly, trying to minimize her presence even when she was within their line of sight.

She is very aware of her mistakes.

They were even prepared to be scolded later.

But it wasn't Pei Shuwen who called out to her first; it was the person standing next to him.

"Miss Lin, it's been a long time."

"You are... Secretary Peng?"

The parking lot lights were on, and Lin Chaoyue could hardly fail to recognize Peng Ze. She had never formally met Lu Jiangqiao, but she would receive a gift personally delivered by Secretary Peng every year on her birthday.

This is also a tacit understanding among people in their circle.

Peng Ze smiled politely: "It's me. Mr. Pei had some drinks tonight, and Mr. Qiao was worried, so he asked me to come and see him off."

"No need, no need, I'll drive him." She saw that Pei Shuwen was standing there perfectly fine and didn't seem drunk.

If Secretary Peng is driving, then her outing expenses tonight will be hard to calculate...

But we still need to consult Pei Shuwen's opinion.

Lin Chaoyue: "Pei Shuwen, what do you think?"

Pei Shuwen hadn't spoken to her until now, and only then did he nod: "Yes, thank you for your hard work tonight."

Before leaving, Secretary Peng gave Pei Shuwen a file folder.

Lin Chaoyue tried to open the passenger door for Pei Shuwen, but he went straight to the back seat.

Lin Chaoyue got into the car reluctantly.

Turning back to say something, Pei Shuwen resumed her 'silence' from the way she came, even more so than before.

Lin Chaoyue really couldn't handle this tense atmosphere. She put her hands on the steering wheel and straightened her back with nervousness.

While driving, she couldn't help but look in the rearview mirror, but Pei Shuwen never looked at her.

Is he really angry?

She really didn't mean to ignore his calls.

Moreover, Pei Shuwen wasn't completely sober, and I appeared in time to bring him back.

Is this really that serious?

Lin Chaoyue wasn't quite sure either.

We drove all the way back to Tianhe City.

After parking the car, seeing that Pei Shuwen hadn't moved, Lin Chaoyue tentatively called out, "Pei Shuwen?"

"Um."

If he still cares about people, then he probably wasn't too angry.

Lin Chaoyue is very good at comforting herself and is happy to find a way to save face.

Lin Chaoyue said obediently, "I'm home safely. I guess I don't have anything else to do today? I'll head back now. You should also go home and rest early. You must be tired after a long day at work."

As she spoke, she unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door.

Anyway, it's Pei Shuwen's car, so it's perfectly reasonable for her to leave first.

But the attempt to 'escape' was only halfway completed before it was ruthlessly stopped.

"etc."

"What?"

"I told you to wait a moment, I have something to ask you."

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Author's Note: I'm taking a break tomorrow. There should be another update this Sunday. [Good luck!][Good luck!][Good luck!]