Chapter 23 Ambiguous
"You can do this too?" Cheng Hexi was surprised for a moment upon hearing this.
She smiled, got up and asked Jerry, still referring to You Yue as "husband".
When he used to play along by calling the old lady "husband," he wasn't particularly moved and could even play along. But now, he felt a sense of pleasure.
Jerry and Cheng Hexi have been friends for so many years, so he agreed immediately.
"What would you like to drink?" He went to wash his hands, turned behind the bar, rolled up his sleeves, revealing his well-defined forearms. The lighting was dim, and the wedding ring on his ring finger was conspicuous.
Cheng Hexi really liked his forearm and hand.
His forearms are particularly beautiful, with long, strong fingers, and every movement he makes is very sexy.
"Hmm... whatever you like, anything is fine." Cheng Hexi raised an eyebrow: "You know a lot?"
She rested her fair arm on the bar, propped her chin up, and looked up at him.
The watch on my left wrist slid down my arm a little.
Lively and beautiful eyes.
You Yue thought for a moment, then looked away. "Of course not." He raised an eyebrow. "I only know the most classic cocktails."
Cheng Hexi smiled upon hearing this.
You Yue took the ice glass and the wine, looked down at her and asked, "Should we halve the alcohol content?"
Seeing him dip the Margaret cup in salt frost, Cheng Hexi roughly knew what this person was going to do.
The classic Margarita has a high alcohol content, and she had already had several, so she was indeed prone to getting drunk.
“It’s nothing,” she said, still in that languid posture, her eyelashes fluttering slightly as she shook her head dismissively, “No need.”
You Yue lowered her eyes and smiled very softly.
He took the measuring cup and added two kinds of liquor and lime juice to the shaker in turn, then poured in ice, put the lid on and shook it.
Stirring and shaking both require the use of the wrists and arms.
Cheng Hexi watched his movements the whole time.
After shaking, he poured the drink into a glass and added a lime slice. Then he leaned slightly forward, pushed the glass towards Cheng Hexi, and rested one hand on the bar counter, indicating "please".
Margaret, the tears of a lover.
Cheng Hexi tasted the refreshing salty and sour flavor.
“Mr. You has had a very rich past,” she smiled. “You even learned how to bartend.”
His movements were fluid, and he even had the leisure to twirl the spoon; he clearly hadn't learned it simply by watching.
“I got to know the bar owner near my apartment when I was studying at Stanford. He taught me.”
Cheng Hexi nodded.
The salt frost on the rim of the cocktail glass reflects a soft light.
She simply couldn't believe that someone like You Yue hadn't been pursued by a fervent admirer.
A moment later, a sexy blonde girl came to the bar and asked Youyue if he could have a drink.
You Yue immediately said he was "amateur," then looked at Cheng Hexi and said to the girl in English, "My wife's exclusive."
-
Cheng Hexi and You Yue went out through the floor-to-ceiling glass doors and found a table to sit down.
The table was square, but the chairs were placed together. The two sat down side by side, so close that they could smell each other's faint perfume.
The summer nights in Manhattan are still very hot, and the lights are like shimmering gold.
You Yue, who was not particularly interested in night views from the sky, now finds himself enjoying them quite a bit.
Cheng Hexi put her wine glass on the table, then suddenly spoke, pointing to a spot not far away: "I worked in that building before I returned to China."
You Yue leaned back in his chair and followed her gaze.
The building, which soars into the clouds, is very well-designed. You can see the huge logo on the top of the building at a glance. Even at this time, the building is still brightly lit.
You Yue hummed in agreement: "I know."
Cheng Hexi turned her head to look at him.
The man calmly returned the gaze.
In that instant when their eyes met, You Yue suddenly felt an urge to learn more about her.
Everyone is a collection of desires: appetite, love, pleasure... So what about Cheng Hexi?
What has she been through? What does she like? And what does she want?
Thinking this, the person next to me suddenly said, "On the night of Jingyao's birthday banquet..."
She brought up the day they first shared a bed.
You Yue took a sip of the wine in her glass, her fingertips lingering on the rim, and listened quietly to her.
“You told me you’d seen me debate. At that moment, I remembered that you’d attended an IT forum in the Bay Area during my second year of work.”
She's quick-witted and speaks fast when she's working, always decisive and efficient, but now she speaks with a gentle, conversational tone: "I was going to go, but I was held up by a client at the last minute. Later, I saw your speech video online."
Cheng Hexi herself didn't know why she suddenly brought this up.
How did I perform at the time?
You Yue was somewhat surprised, but he didn't show it. In the end, he only asked this one question.
She took a sip of her drink, offered a few compliments, and chatted with him about her views at the time.
Because I've seen it more than once, I remember it very clearly.
You Yue chatted with her about this in a very pleasant manner, and after a few sentences, he found that they had started talking about work again.
Cheng Hexi leaned back in her chair, her hair casually loose, looking up at the night sky, exuding a natural and relaxed demeanor.
She showed none of the sharpness and defensiveness she had when they first met.
The light pollution is so bad that you can't even see the stars.
But whether there are stars or not, the night sky remains deep and boundless.
Drinking mixed drinks makes you drunk easily, and even though she has a good alcohol tolerance, her reaction time wasn't as fast as usual.
You Yue put down his empty wine glass, turned his head, and looked at the profile of the person next to him under the bright lights.
Her features were so beautiful, with a high nose bridge and eyelashes that fluttered like butterflies when she lowered her eyes.
Sensing the gaze from beside her, Cheng Hexi turned her head away. Just then, You Yue spoke up, asking, "What perfume are you wearing?"
He moved even closer to her when he asked her this question, but it didn't make her feel uncomfortable.
Cheng Hexi was a little slow to react, and after thinking for a while, she said, "It's the bottle from last time, the one you bought."
The perfume bottle had fallen to the floor of the dressing room, and some of it had even splashed up and gotten on his suit trousers.
You Yue has a vivid memory of this light yet alluring woody tone.
"Is this the taste?" he asked slowly.
The man leaned forward slightly, gazing at her with those captivating, alluring eyes. Having asked the question, he didn't need her answer; he simply stepped back, crossed his legs, and leaned back in his chair, thinking with a hint of indifference:
I wonder whose perfume she smelled of.
Surrounded by foreign faces and hearing foreign languages in the air, she and You Yue chatted in a language they could only understand.
Cheng Hexi, who plays the number one position in Xilin, can see things ten steps ahead from one step, but two months ago she never imagined what her married life with You Yue would be like.
She only wanted to protect her own interests and hoped that this person wouldn't be as arrogant as the media portrayed him; she didn't have time to think about anything else.
But even the best-case scenario can't compare to this moment.
You Yue could tell that she was feeling down, but he didn't know why.
Cheng Hexi wouldn't reveal her wounds to him, and they weren't that close.
He wouldn't ask, but he didn't want her to be sad alone either.
He recalled how she had given him a hard time when they first met.
No one had ever acted like this in front of You Yue.
The person next to me should always be the same proud and self-satisfied person I was during my daytime speech.
Others here can offer little comfort.
During the silence, the two quietly drank their wine, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
Midway through, a girl brought over a tray with all sorts of colorful wines on it. She thanked her and turned to look into the French windows.
You Yue turned around as well and saw Jerry, who was chatting enthusiastically with someone at the bar, wink at her. Cheng Hexi smiled and accepted his gesture.
She took a glass of Baileys and saw You Yue pick out a glass of whiskey.
He took a sip and casually asked, "How old is your friend this year?"
Cheng Hexi leaned back in her chair, swirling her wine glass. After a moment's thought, she said, "I can't quite remember... she was probably four or five years younger than me."
You Yue said "Oh," and after a while asked them how they met.
Cheng Hexi's thoughts were consumed by alcohol, and her usual sense of boundaries was greatly weakened.
She briefly explained how the two of them became acquainted.
You Yue then stopped asking questions.
Manhattan summers are hot all day long, with temperatures only dropping slightly in the evenings.
The two of them had hardly spent any time outdoors all day, and this short while had been quite comfortable.
The rain started falling suddenly without any warning.
The pattering raindrops on the open ground of the Rooftop Bar sounded like an impromptu piano piece.
Their seats were next to the bar's floor-to-ceiling windows, so they weren't getting wet.
Rain washed over the buildings as Cheng Hexi and You Yue went into the bar to say goodbye to Jerry.
She wasn't as sober as usual, but she wasn't exactly drunk either. Her steps were still steady in her high heels, but her eyes weren't very clear.
Just then, her phone received a call.
Normally, no one would call her directly. This situation usually indicates an emergency, and she had no choice but to answer. So Cheng Hexi smiled apologetically and took a few steps away.
She answered the phone on the other end, and You Yue thanked Jerry for letting him mix the drinks.
Jerry rested his arms on the bar, smiled nonchalantly, and then suddenly said, "Ivy drank a lot."
Upon hearing this, You Yue was somewhat puzzled and lifted his eyelids to look at him.
“She’s never drunk this much before,” the blond boy shrugged. “She’s always been very measured.”
When the topic of drinking came up, You Yue recalled the time they had dinner at the Lingjiang Club. Cheng Hexi opened a bottle of Romanée-Conti, and when he asked her about her alcohol tolerance, she said at the time that she "had never been drunk."
At the time, he always thought it meant she had a high alcohol tolerance, but now that he thinks about it, "never been drunk" actually meant she never let herself drink too much.
Turning his head to look in her direction, Cheng Hexi only showed him her profile. They were probably talking about work, and her whole demeanor was completely different from when she was drinking.
It's that calm and sharp CEO Cheng again.
Looking away, You Yue smiled and said, "Really?"
“Yes, it’s because you’re here today, right?” Jerry smiled. “She’s so happy for her now, I’m really happy for her.”
In the past, when he heard such words, although he felt he couldn't bear the weight of them, he wouldn't have any other thoughts.
Upon hearing it again, You Yue couldn't help but wonder to herself, does she really feel happy now?
-
The rain outside the giant floor-to-ceiling windows was getting heavier, the sound of raindrops pattering. Cheng Hexi hung up the phone and came back, hugging Jerry tightly for a while, both reluctant to part.
You Yue stood beside Cheng Hexi, sincerely and politely thanking him for his hospitality and for taking care of Cheng Hexi before.
It has a strong sense of family.
By the time Cheng Hexi realized this, they had already arrived downstairs at the bar.
Rainwater dripped heavily onto the road.
It was very late, but the street was still brightly lit. The whole city was upside down in the rain, making the buildings appear even more magnificent.
The black Phantom came to a stop in front of us.
As she stepped into the rain, her black high heels touched the ground first, exposing her long, slender, fair ankles to the damp air, which were soon splashed with coolness by the raindrops.
You Yue held up a black umbrella beside her, shielding her from the slanting raindrops.
Before the driver could get out of the car, he naturally stepped forward and opened the car door for him.
You Yue held the umbrella in one hand, braced his arm against the car door, and placed his other hand on the roof to prevent Cheng Hexi from hitting her head.
Given You Yue's past status and personality, it's unlikely that anyone could make him do this action himself.
But he was a gentleman enough to think of doing so, and he did it in a proper and natural way.
Cheng Hexi stepped into the car and looked up at him.
The man also leaned down and lowered his eyes, his striking features even more impactful against the backdrop of the black umbrella.
He didn't say anything, closed the car door, and got into the car on the other side.
On the way there, he took off his suit jacket in the car and then put it on the back seat.
Cheng Hexi was dressed lightly, exposing a large area of skin, and had just gotten a little wet in the rain. The driver, being perceptive, turned up the temperature a bit.
On the way back, she kept the suit draped over her shoulders.
-
The car was parked directly in the hotel's underground garage, and an elevator that was not open to the public led directly to the top-floor suite.
Cheng Hexi was still a little drunk when she entered the room. In her drunken state, she smelled the cologne of You Yue on the shoulder of his suit and suddenly remembered the last time she had worn his clothes like this.
On the day of the cruise ship dinner, he said it was the first time he had ever draped a coat over someone.
So, this is the second time?
Turning around, she casually took off her suit jacket, which You Yue took.
Their fingers touched, feeling each other's body temperature.
She withdrew her hand and curled her fingers.
You Yue called for the housekeeper and stood behind Cheng Hexi to observe her.
She had just drunk quite a bit of alcohol; although she wasn't drunk, she exuded an almost soft, alluring charm.
I lost my balance for a moment when I was about to kick off my high heels.
You Yue got closer to her and steadily supported her body with his arm.
He had been wearing his suit the whole way, and now Cheng Hexi was covered in the scent of cologne from the suit, which made her look even fresher in the rain.
Cheng Hexi was helped to sit down on the shoe-changing stool in the entryway. She was a little drunk, but not so drunk that she could clearly see You Yue kneeling on one knee in front of her, and her heartstrings trembled.
She was very uncomfortable and moved slightly, but the man's large hand grasped her ankle.
Before this, Cheng Hexi had never felt this way. His fingers were long and slender with prominent knuckles, which made her skin feel hot.
The man looked up at her.
Even when looking up, the gaze still carries that sense of oppression.
Afraid of hurting her, You Yue loosened her grip and lowered her eyes again.
He held her ankle with his left hand and used his long, slender fingers of his right hand to wrap around her ankle and help her take off her high heels.
Having been used to being in a superior position, You Yue's sudden change of attitude almost made him appear submissive.
She felt a little dizzy, but when You Yue lowered his eyes, she saw a scar on his forehead.
The scar isn't long, and it's already quite shallow. He's tall, and most people wouldn't have time to get that close to him; it's absolutely invisible from a normal social distance, and it's usually covered by his hair.
Cheng Hexi was startled, as if she had discovered some secret, and reached out to touch it.
"How did this happen?" she murmured.
You Yue sensed the warmth of her fingertips, paused for a moment, but did not pull away.
He was certain that Cheng Hexi was not quite sober.
She wouldn't do that when she's sober, nor would she ask that question.
They were clearly far from being able to reveal their weaknesses to each other, but by some twist of fate, today he saw her depressed mood as she drowned her sorrows in alcohol, and she saw his scars.
Cheng Hexi lowered her eyes, moved closer, and breathed on his scar.
You Yue has deep-set eyes and brows, his emotions are well hidden, his jawline is sharp, and his upper eyelids give him a cold and aloof look when he looks at people.
They were too close, too intimate; their scents seemed to blend together.
A moment later, she withdrew her hand, and he did not answer the question he had just asked.
You Yue knew he was completely conscious.
I was acutely aware of the collapse of what I belonged to.
He gripped the chin of the person in front of him, and with his other hand he held her hand that she had just withdrawn. Still kneeling on one knee, he brought his lips close to hers.
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Author's Note: These young couples are all head over heels for each other.
The next chapter... has some... new developments...
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