Chapter 16
This person was a stranger to most people present. But to Tang Ruxin, he was no stranger at all. He was her father, Tang Jiulin. She had always thought that Tang Jiulin had passed away, but she hadn't expected him to still be in China.
This was also Song Mu's first time meeting the chairman in person. Fortunately, he had seen Tang Jiulin's photo on the company's internal organizational chart. He immediately asked the waiter to add a set of tableware and chairs, and while Tang Jiulin and Sun Chengze were chatting, he served him tea and wine.
As soon as Tang Jiulin appeared, the center of attention naturally fell on him, and even Sun Chengze became a supporting role.
Tang Ruxin was furious. First, she was mad that Yu Zhe had brought Tang Jiulin here without asking, and second, she was mad that Tang Jiulin had actually gone along with him. This dinner was originally organized to flatter Sun Chengze, to smooth over the previous unpleasantness so that they could continue to have a good relationship in the future.
However, in terms of seniority and status, Sun Chengze is only a deputy director. How can he show off in front of the "outstanding private entrepreneur" stamped by the provincial and ministerial authorities?
Yu Zhe was a piece of shit—Tang Ruxin smiled and greeted him, while secretly cursing Yu Zhe for not having any offspring. She wished Sun Chengze would make things difficult for her, but it was impossible not to invite Yu Zhe to this dinner. Thinking of this, Tang Ruxin resigned herself to her fate.
Whatever, the company wasn't hers, and Tang Jiulin didn't care about her, so why would she bother? Tang Ruxin swallowed her prepared flattery and focused on eating.
With all this going on in her head, Tang Ruxin didn't notice that Yu Lei, who was sitting across from her, had a strange expression the moment he saw Tang Jiulin. This strange expression lasted for quite a while, until he left the room to go to the bathroom.
When Yu Lei came back, three rounds of drinks had already passed and the atmosphere was much more lively than before. Even Lin Shuangjiang, who had been sitting next to him with a stern face, began to chat in a low voice with Ding Xinqiao on the other side.
Sun Chengze's face turned red when he drank. After a few drinks, he was not drunk but his face was red.
"I've long wanted to meet with our city's only outstanding provincial and ministerial-level entrepreneur, but unfortunately you've been abroad in recent years. Today, thanks to Xiao Tang, I can actually fulfill my long-cherished wish. It's such an honor." Sun Chengze dragged his chair towards Tang Jiulin, his intention to be close to him evident in his words.
When Sun Chengze was still a junior engineer, he'd heard of Tang Jiulin's legendary story—his rise from a small security guard to a renowned entrepreneur, from a penniless firefighter to a major taxpayer. To say Sun Chengze admired him might be an exaggeration, but curiosity was certainly there, and a genuine desire to get to know him.
So these words were spoken with full sincerity, and Tang Jiulin couldn't stop smiling after hearing them.
"I'm overseas, but I've been paying a lot of attention to Donghe Refining, and I often hear them mention you, Director Sun." Tang Jiulin pointed at Yu Zhe and Tang Ruxin, who were sitting next to him, and continued, "We've never met, but we've been close friends for a long time. I've often told them privately to learn from you."
Hearing this, Tang Ruxin and Yu Zhe understood and stood up at the same time, raising their glasses to toast Sun Chengze.
Sun Chengze beamed, raised his glass, and said, "As expected of Chairman Tang's troops. Their cleverness makes my own people look silly."
Ding Xinqiao and Lin Shuangjiang, acting like fools, could no longer play dumb and stood up to drink with him. They had to help block the flow of alcohol when Sun Chengze didn't want to, but Sun Chengze was in high spirits and clearly didn't need their involvement. As supervisors, they didn't need to toast the company, so naturally, they acted like fools.
After another round of drinking, Tang Ruxin's eyes showed signs of fatigue, her cheeks flushed slightly, perhaps drunk or feverish. She coughed softly into a tissue, then pulled her shawl higher around her arm. Yu Zhe, who sat beside her, watched her for a moment, then winked at Song Mu, signaling him to see her off first.
From the moment Tang Jiulin appeared in this situation, Tang Ruxin had no part in it anymore.
Song Mu was chatting with Yu Lei while keeping an eye on all directions. Yu Zhe glanced at him and he immediately understood his intention.
Coming up behind Tang Ruxin, Song Mu leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Tang Ruxin nodded, then stood up with the half-full glass of wine in her hand.
"I'm deeply honored to have the Chairman and Director Sun here today, and I'm very grateful to everyone here for their support. I was planning to risk my life for you, but I'm sorry. The hospital just called and told me I have to go back. I'll toast to this, and everyone, enjoy."
As she spoke, Tang Ruxin raised her head and was about to drink, but unexpectedly Sun Chengze spoke up to stop her.
"Xiao Tang, this is really boring. How can you leave after drinking half a glass? Seeing that you are still sick, if you don't want to talk about it...if you don't want to drink three glasses of wine as punishment, at least give it a full glass."
Sun Chengze was half drunk and his tongue was barely speaking.
At the dinner table, persuading women to drink has always been an essential part of entertainment. Whether a woman is reluctant or reluctant, it's always a pleasurable sight for a man intoxicated by alcohol. Sun Chengze naturally wouldn't try to persuade Lin Shuangjiang, who was his friend, to drink, so Tang Ruxin, the only woman in his relationship, would inevitably become his object of entertainment.
Tang Ruxin, who held a high position, had no shortage of experience with such entertainment. She certainly couldn't get used to it, but she could only endure it. She readily accepted the advice and, after a meek apology, she picked up the wine dispenser on the table and filled her glass.
Sun Chengze, within the system, still had to maintain his dignity even when drunk, so he only asked Tang Ruxin to drink a full cup and didn't make any more demands. He even felt that his suggestion had given Tang Ruxin enough face and no intention of making things difficult. If someone else were to take the initiative, they would definitely start with three cups.
However, if Sun Chengze knew the true relationship between Tang Ruxin and Tang Jiulin, as well as the true relationship between Tang Ruxin and Yu Zhe, he would not have said anything even if he was half drunk, let alone blacked out.
Tang Jiulin's smile faded a little, but he didn't say anything.
Yu Zhe looked at Tang Jiulin hesitantly, raised his hand slightly, and then put it down.
Song Mu's struggle was obvious. He wanted to have three drinks for Tang Ruxin, but he was the one who was responsible for paying the bill and driving the bosses home today. He couldn't drink.
"Director Sun, Mr. Tang is still sick." Ding Xinqiao touched Sun Chengze's arm and whispered, "How about we come back another day..."
"What do you know!" Sun Chengze waved his hand away, his face flushed as he shouted, "Boss Tang, didn't Boss Tang organize this just to have a drink with me? You're leaving before you finish. We have to drink at least this one... Come on, let me drink with Boss Tang."
Sun Chengze slammed the table and stood up, generously filling his own glass. Holding the glass, he walked to Tang Ruxin and bowed to clink glasses with her.
Tang Ruxin was at a loss for words. He was truly drunk. How could a man of his age clink his glass with hers? Tang Ruxin quickly lowered her own glass and agreed:
"No, no, it's my turn to toast you."
Suddenly, two arms stretched out from the side and snatched away Tang Ruxin and Sun Chengze's wine glasses.
Yu Lei raised his head and poured half of the two glasses of wine into his mouth, then said with a "hiss" and frowned:
"Everyone, continue. I have something else I'd like to ask Mr. Tang about."
Before everyone could react, Yu Lei pushed Tang Ruxin's back and led her out of the private room.
"Hey, my coat!" Tang Ruxin only had time to say this before the door of the private room closed behind her.
"Someone will deliver it to you, why rush?"
As soon as Yu Lei finished speaking, Song Mu came out of the door, holding Tang Ruxin's down jacket. Yu Lei took it and draped it over Tang Ruxin's shoulders, and helped her get her hair out of the way.
Tang Ruxin was stunned for a moment, but before she could react, Yu Lei had already let go and stepped back.
Song Mu was also startled by Yu Lei's behavior. He subconsciously separated Yu Lei and Tang Ruxin, as if he understood why Yu Lei suddenly changed his mind about attending the drinking party. With a professional smile on his face, he politely asked Yu Lei:
"Captain Yu, do you need a designated driver? You've been drinking."
Earlier at the table, Song Mu and Yu Lei, the only two not drinking, had been chatting happily and growing close. But then, at Yu Lei's gesture, Song Mu immediately began addressing him as "you." Unbeknownst to Yu Lei, in Song Mu's eyes, he was no longer a righteous policeman, but a piece of trash who took advantage of women.
"I wasn't driving." Yu Lei spread his hands innocently.
Song Mu was stunned. Is there any truth left in this rubbish? He had clearly said he drove here when he refused to pour him a drink.
"Go back quickly, that table cannot do without you. Don't worry, I will send your Director Tang back to the hospital safely." Yu Lei tilted his head to signal Song Mu to go back to the private room.
"Don't bother Captain Yu, I'll take her there." Song Mu smiled fakely and stood in front of Tang Ruxin without giving in.
Tang Ruxin's face was filled with speechlessness. How could she not have noticed Song Mu's strong loyalty before? She was indeed playing delicate today, because she wanted Sun Chengze to know that she had invited him to the banquet while she was ill, and this sincerity must be remembered by him. She hadn't expected Song Mu to lose his composure. It seemed that his workload was not sufficient, and his mind was a little unbridled.
"Why are you making such a fuss? Do you really think I'm drunk and who should deliver these drinks to me? Go and do your own thing, I know what's going on." Tang Ruxin said as she pushed Song Mu, then waved and turned to leave - her steps were steady without a trace of drunkenness, completely different from the tipsy and tired look she had just had at the table.
Song Mu scratched his head, realizing he'd been meddling. Tang Ruxin's outfit today was so alluring it easily piqued a man's protective instincts that he'd unconsciously overlooked her alcohol tolerance. This heroic woman had once single-handedly drunken an entire table of security training organization executives without blinking an eye. Whatever Yu Lei's intentions, Tang Ruxin wasn't someone he'd let manipulate.
"Did you misunderstand something?" Yu Lei leaned over slightly and whispered in Song Mu's ear, who was a head shorter than him, "I'm not interested in green tea."
Song Mu looked blankly at Yu Lei who was following Tang Ruxin, not understanding what he meant.
—Was that green tea you just drank? If you're not interested, you could switch to black tea. Why didn't you tell me earlier?
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