friend?
The crisis of "Leji Delivery" has finally come to an end, and the anxiety that had been hanging over us can finally be put to rest.
Since Zhang Xiande said he would deal with the people behind the scenes, You Jiale was happy to relax and enjoy her newfound freedom.
After working non-stop for days, You Jiale felt like his whole body was about to fall apart, and all he wanted to do was relax. In his past life, besides extreme sports, his biggest hobby was eating and drinking with his friends and, incidentally, picking up girls. If a person doesn't engage in normal social activities for a long time, they'll really go bad.
So, as soon as it was time to leave work today, You Jiale slipped away like a greased animal, rushed home, and quickly changed into a newly bought dark shirt, deliberately leaving a few buttons undone at the chest. The original owner's clothes looked too formal on him; this outfit brought out his true style much better.
Looking in the mirror, he was indeed perfectly handsome. Fair skin, tall, and standing there, he was a dashing young man. You Jiale couldn't help but smile at himself in the mirror: "It's time for me to get some fresh air today."
The allure of the night lies in its lively atmosphere and dazzling lights. The neon lights are so bright they almost blind you, cars stream by, and the air is thick with the scents of perfume, tobacco, and a hint of alcohol. You Jiale, familiar with the place, found herself at a rather well-known dance hall.
I heard this is the heart of the city at night, and wealthy bosses and influential figures used to love coming here to have fun.
Without much hesitation, he stepped inside.
Upon entering the dance hall, deafening jazz music crashed over you like a wave. Everywhere you looked, there were elegantly dressed men and women, all holding glasses and chatting and laughing. On the dance floor, couples embraced, swaying to the rhythm of the music. A slightly dizzying atmosphere filled the air.
As soon as You Jiale entered, he seemed to be in his element, like a fish in water or a bird returning to its nest, instantly blending into the captivating atmosphere. Many eyes secretly glanced in his direction.
He strolled leisurely to the bar, leaned back against the counter, and said lazily, "A glass of whiskey." Before he finished speaking, a woman in a dark green embroidered cheongsam had already gracefully sat down next to him.
"Sir, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time here?" The woman reached out her slender fingers and gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her voice both sweet and charming.
You Jiale turned her head to look at her, raising her eyebrows slightly: "It is indeed my first time here. However, it seems that I may come here often in the future."
The woman covered her mouth with her handkerchief and chuckled, a hint of coquettishness in her eyes: "Why?"
"Of course it's because I met such a beautiful and charming girl like you." You Jiale's voice was deep and magnetic, with a hint of cynicism in it.
"Sir, you have such a sweet tongue. I'll take it seriously." The woman smiled shyly, but her hand was already gently placed on You Jiale's back.
“That’s perfect,” You Jiale leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them, her voice carrying a hint of seduction: “I was just afraid you wouldn’t believe me.”
The woman covered her mouth and chuckled, moving slightly closer to him, her tone slightly ambiguous: "I haven't told you my name yet, just call me Qingqing."
“Qingqing…” You Jiale softly repeated her name, her voice gentle and magnetic, “Your name is beautiful, and you are even more beautiful.”
"I think Mr. You is going to be very busy tonight." Qingqing said with a hint of jealousy, glancing furtively at the women around her who were looking at You Jiale.
You Jiale smiled gently, reached out and picked up her wine glass, lightly clinking it against Qingqing's glass. Her voice was gentle yet tinged with a hint of allure: "But I prefer to be busy with just one person."
You Jiale saw that Qingqing was indeed quite pretty and also quite proactive. It seemed that she wouldn't have to put in too much effort to have a pleasant night.
A slight blush rose to Qingqing's cheeks, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of shyness and delight: "Looks like I'm in luck tonight."
Just as You Jiale took a sip of whiskey and was about to tease her a bit more, a man in a black suit appeared beside him and whispered, "Mr. You, the boss requests your presence."
You Jiale was a little unhappy. She frowned slightly and turned to look at the somewhat familiar uninvited guest.
He finally got a break to go on a womanizing spree, why would Zhang Xiande cause him trouble?
You Jiale could only apologize to the beautiful woman in the cheongsam with whom he had been chatting happily, and then reluctantly left the bar.
He followed Zhang Xiande's bodyguard through the noisy dance floor to the door of a luxuriously decorated private room on the second floor. The bodyguard opened the door for him, and inside, the room was filled with smoke. Pei Zhiyuan, Chi Ye, and Chi Ye's lover, Shen Ruyi, were sitting around a sofa, while Zhang Xiande sat in the main seat, talking quietly with Pei Zhiyuan and casually toying with the wine glass in his hand.
Everyone in the private room clearly noticed You Jiale's arrival, their expressions varying. Chi Ye's eyes held a hint of anticipation, his lips even slightly upturned, as if waiting to see You Jiale make a fool of herself. Pei Zhiyuan's gaze, however, was more complex, filled with scrutiny and displeasure.
Shen Ruyi merely glanced at You Jiale indifferently, seemingly unconcerned. After all, the rumors about You Jiale and Zhang Xiande were no secret in this circle. Seeing You Jiale out having fun as soon as she got off work, so "restless," they naturally assumed that Zhang Xiande must be unhappy, that this was simply "acting up" under the boss's nose.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the private room became subtly quiet, with everyone tacitly agreeing not to make a sound.
You Jiale looked at Zhang Xiande sitting on the sofa with a puzzled expression, his tone filled with doubt and dissatisfaction: "Boss? Isn't it after get off work hours? Why did you call me over in such a hurry? Is there some important business to tell you?" He lowered his voice and said to Zhang Xiande with great displeasure: "I finally found a girl I liked today, and things were just starting to progress, and you ruined it like this. You better really have something urgent to tell me!"
Just then, Chi Ye, who was usually oblivious to the subtle atmosphere, smiled and spoke with a hint of schadenfreude: "Oh, isn't this our busy Assistant You? What, you're not satisfied with being busy by Boss Zhang's side all day, so you can't stand the loneliness at night and come out to have some fun?" His gaze was slightly flirtatious as he looked You Jiale up and down, his eyes clearly showing his contempt.
You Jiale raised an eyebrow, already seething with anger, and Chi Ye's words hit the nail on the head. "Young Master Chi, what are you saying? You can come but I can't? We're all here to spend money, are you some kind of superior being?"
Chi Ye's face darkened, and he curled his lip, letting out a cold snort: "I say, You Jiale, it's not enough that you're clinging to Xiande, you also have to go around flirting with other women. You really have no sense of propriety!" His tone was sharp and sarcastic, making no attempt to hide his disgust for You Jiale, as if You Jiale had done something heinous.
You Jiale chuckled lightly, with a hint of cynicism: "You have quite the imagination. What I do is none of your business. But you, you keep talking about 'climbing the social ladder,' do you really think that's all there is to human interaction?"
"Isn't that right?" Chi Ye's tone became even more disdainful. "You just fooled Xiande with a few sweet words. Don't you even know who you are? You dare to dream of becoming a phoenix on a branch? Do you really think Xiande genuinely likes someone like you?" He became more and more offensive, his tone filled with contempt for You Jiale's background and behavior.
Shen Ru felt the situation had gone too far and stepped forward to dissuade Chi Ye, pulling him back to his seat. Pei Zhiyuan's expression also darkened, his gaze towards You Jiale filled with hostility.
You Jiale glanced at Pei Zhiyuan sitting not far away, feeling even more irritated: her sweetheart was right beside her, why wasn't he keeping her company, instead of messing around with Chi Ye? He was busy making money for Zhang Xiande, and what had Zhang Xiande done in return? Did he really treat him like a servant who could be summoned and dismissed at will?
A flash of anger crossed You Jiale's eyes, but he still tried to remain calm: "Chi Ye, I respect you as a friend of Boss Zhang, so I've always been quite polite. I know you're straightforward, but don't just spout nonsense."
The atmosphere in the private room plummeted to freezing point, tense and ready to explode. You Jiale knew that this feud was now firmly established, but he didn't regret it. He never chose to swallow his anger in the face of Chi Ye's unfounded accusations and insults.
However, Zhang Xiande, sitting in the main seat, seemed not to hear the surrounding argument, showing no emotional fluctuation. He ignored Chi Ye and Shen Ruyi's words and looked at You Jiale standing not far away. Looking at that face with a hint of confusion and resentment, the inexplicable emotion in his heart intensified.
Seeing Zhang Xiande remain silent for so long, You Jiale took a sip of the wine on the table, lazily half-slumped on the sofa, turned to look at Zhang Xiande, and broke the silence with a smile: "Mr. Zhang, what's going on tonight? You called me up here in such a hurry, but you haven't said a word. Are you going to leave me here all night? The dance floor downstairs is quite lively." He glanced down through the second-floor window and saw the cheongsam-clad beauty he had just admired walking out of the dance hall arm in arm with another man. A sharp pang shot through his heart; he felt extremely annoyed.
Zhang Xiande finally raised his eyes, glanced at him indifferently, and asked in a low, cold voice, "What were you doing downstairs just now?"
"Me?" You Jiale raised an eyebrow, looking completely innocent. "I just got off work, relaxed a bit, had a drink, and saw if I could find... well, suitable friends. Isn't that a normal social activity?"
"Friends?" Zhang Xiande's lips curled into a faint, cold smile, as if he found the word inexplicably jarring. "It seems anyone can become Assistant You's friend."
You Jiale sensed something was off about his tone, her eyes flickered, and she decided to stop beating around the bush and ask directly, "Why do you have to meddle in everything? Are you my guardian? I thought Mr. Zhang was too busy to be interested in my private affairs."
Zhang Xiande's eyes darkened, but he did not deny it. He simply put down his wine glass with a soft "tap," his tone carrying a barely perceptible warning: "I'm just reminding you, You Jiale, that your identity is that of a special assistant to Zhang's Enterprises. Zhang's reputation cannot be squandered by anyone."
Upon hearing this, You Jiale stopped laughing. He looked directly at Zhang Xiande, his voice no longer frivolous: "If I had been with a client instead of a girl today, would you not be angry?"
Zhang Xiande paused slightly in his hand holding the wine glass, a complex light flashing in his deep eyes. He looked at You Jiale but did not speak.
“I know who I am,” You Jiale’s voice was not loud, but it carried a sense of neither servility nor arrogance. “But I’m not an object either. I have my own things to do. It’s not unreasonable for me to go wherever I want after work, is it?” The probing or mocking gazes in the private room fell on You Jiale at this moment, but he didn’t care at all. He was holding back a fire in his heart. He was busy running around every day managing “Leji Delivery” for Zhang Xiande, and this old fox had the nerve to give him the cold shoulder at the slightest dissatisfaction.
Thinking of this, You Jiale straightened her back, a slightly mocking smile appeared on her lips, and she casually shrugged at the people in the private room: "If President Zhang has no other instructions tonight, then I'll be leaving now. There are still some drinks left downstairs."
After saying that, he didn't wait for Zhang Xiande's response, turned around and walked towards the door of the private room, his back view exuding an indescribable sense of freedom.
Zhang Xiande sat there, drank the wine in his glass in one gulp, and remained motionless for a long time.
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