Chapter 254 Unwilling to Take Responsibility
When Xie Nanzhi arrived, Zhou Mubin and Xibei were already there.
The two sat in a red booth, the neon lights crackling and turning the chaotic dance of demons into an ambiguous, dazzling spectacle.
Xie Nanzhi slammed her phone down on the crystal table studded with copper rivets, then casually sat down, sinking into the leather booth.
"You two are quick."
Xibei would add fuel to the fire, saying, "Such a wonderful and lively scene is a rare sight. I wish I could grow wings and fly over."
Zhou Mubin took out a can of beer, and foam splashed onto his wrist. He wiped it with the back of his hand and glanced at the gloating faces of the two people beside him.
"You two think you're even human?"
He chuckled and tapped the table with his fingertips. "Cui Xiao isn't unreasonable. She'll definitely be back tomorrow. At worst, we'll give her double the bonus at the end of the year. Working with strangers means rebuilding relationships and starting all over again. Smart people know which option to choose."
Xie Nanzhi picked up the fruit wine that Xibei had poured for her. The glass reflected all sorts of people. She pushed the cocktail shaker in front of the two of them, and a slice of lime swirled around the rim of the glass.
Her gaze remained fixed on Zhou Mubin, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the ice crystals on the rim of her glass. Her voice carried a hint of sarcasm, "Old Zhou, you've known Cui Xiao for so many years. If she were someone who liked money, she wouldn't have stayed at the law firm for so long."
Cui Xiao's abilities are widely recognized in the industry. When the law firm was first established, any case that Zhou Mubin couldn't close, Cui Xiao could definitely close.
Cui Xiao accompanied him to countless drinking parties, and the two of them expanded their business together. It can be said that she played an indispensable role in Zhou Mubin's achievements today.
Xi Bei said sarcastically, "Old Zhou, quite a few companies have tried to poach Cui Xiao over the years, haven't they? Every single one of them is a big, reputable company, offering better positions and compensation. Why has Cui Xiao remained unmoved? Do you really not know?"
Zhou Mubin didn't say anything, but just grabbed his beer and took another big gulp.
Xibei, in a very casual manner, clinked her fruit wine against his, making a loud "clang" that startled the man in the next seat, who turned around to look.
Xi Bei smiled at the person sitting next to her, then glared at Zhou Mubin as she looked away. "Old Zhou, Cui Xiao likes you, that's why she's been willing to stay with you until now."
After saying that, Xibei toasted.
Zhou Mubin was also a little frustrated. "So, you're quitting now because you don't like it anymore?"
After he finished speaking, the group fell silent.
Only the guitarist's chords, sounding as he tested the strings, drifted intermittently across the table covered with empty cups, coming from the direction of the stage.
Xie Nanzhi took out her phone and found the number Cui Xiao had called her from that day using an unknown number. "Does this sound familiar?"
Zhou Mubin looked over, picked up his cup, took a sip, and water droplets from the outside of the cup slid down his fingers into his sleeve. "I've never seen this number before."
"I showed you the time, do you remember it?"
Zhou Mubin looked closely; he had been completely bewildered by the phone call he received the night before last.
Xie Nanzhi was speechless. "This is a call from Cui Xiao using someone else's phone, asking me to take her home. Old Zhou, although I didn't ask in detail, I know that this matter is probably related to you."
Suddenly, Zhou Mubin remembered.
That day in the car, Cui Xiao said some unpleasant things, so he made her get out of the car halfway through the journey, and then he called a designated driver again halfway through the journey.
The glass windows were dyed in colors by the neon lights, and the rainwater stuck to the glass looked like melted sugar.
Zhou Mubin took a while to calm down. "So that's why she suddenly resigned. It turns out she was angry with me about this. Ha, is it really that serious? She and Xiao Mo had a bit of a verbal argument, and I asked her to get off the bus midway to resolve it peacefully. Who knew she would leave her bag on the bus?"
Xi Bei grinned, "Oh, oh, oh, this is really funny. That's someone else's car. They're driving for you guys outside of work, and you kick them out? Old Zhou, you're not doing anything right either. By the way, why didn't you kick Sister Bai Zhou out too? Isn't that because you're biased?"
Xibei popped a peanut into her mouth and mumbled, "Old Zhou, I know Cui Xiao's character. If there's any argument, it's your Bai Zhou Jie who started it first."
The chandelier above suddenly flickered twice, casting the shadows of the group onto the glass wall, making them look like three menacing shadow puppets.
Zhou Mubin forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Why do you keep calling her 'Sister White Porridge'? She's famous."
“I know, but she doesn’t deserve for me to call her by name.” Xibei moved closer to Xie Nanzhi and took her arm. “Nanzhi, why don’t we break up with her? Anyway, Sister Baizhou will ruin our relationship sooner or later. Better to end it now than suffer for a long time. Let’s do it now.”
Xie Nanzhi nodded in agreement, "I think it's a good idea."
As she spoke, her gaze swept over the swaying crowd on the dance floor. Their silhouettes appeared and disappeared in the white mist created by the smoke machine. Xie Nanzhi looked again and again, but did not see the figures she wanted to see.
He took another sip of wine and casually said, "Old Zhou, you know perfectly well what Cui Xiao is thinking. If you don't respond, it's because you're afraid you won't even be able to be friends anymore. To put it bluntly, you just want to take advantage of her kindness without taking any responsibility."
Xibei gave a thumbs up, her eyes full of approval.
On the contrary, Zhou Mubin was speechless after being rebuked. He frowned, stammered for a long time, but still couldn't say a word.
Xie Nanzhi sighed, "Never mind, it's ultimately your decision. We're just giving you some advice."
There's no use in them being anxious, because they really can't interfere in other people's relationships.
The clinking of glasses, amidst the clamor, soaked the pent-up frustrations of the day in the iced wine, slowly brewing a flavor that was both bitter and warm.
The resident singer on stage finally picked up the microphone, his hoarse voice filling the noise. At that moment, it was impossible to distinguish between what was real and what was fake.
Outside the bar, Wei Chizheng didn't come in. Mu Lin ran over in the rain and stared at him in the car.
Mu Lin sat there for half an hour, but he couldn't sit still any longer. "Second Master, if there's nothing else, I'll head back now."
Wei Chizheng looked through the window toward the door and said coldly, "What do you want?"
It's okay.
But you can't just sit there like that when there's nothing to do.
Mu Lin chuckled, "Second Master, aren't you alright too?"
Wei Chizheng slowly looked at him.
Mu Lin immediately became obedient. "Second Master, if you're worried about your sister-in-law, then go with her. Why wait in the car?"
"You think I don't want to?"
Mu Lin, "..."
Wei Chizheng certainly wanted to go with them, but he was afraid that Xie Nanzhi would think he was too clingy and didn't give him any freedom. What if she started to dislike him?
No, Wei Chizheng is afraid his wife will hate him.
Mu Lin couldn't understand Wei Chizheng's thoughts. Sigh, it seems we can only wait for his sister-in-law to come out.
Suddenly, a woman walking furtively past the car caught Wei Chizheng's eye.
He felt like he'd seen this woman somewhere before.
Suddenly, he remembered.
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