A glass of cherry brandy, on the rocks
Meng Yihe was not idle either.
He directly commissioned Gao Yuan to create a second version of the "Truth Illustrated," this time no longer a simple statement, but a direct comparison. It pitted the rumors released by the media controlled by "Dingsheng" against the solid evidence presented by "Xinghuan." The flaws in the opposing logic and facts were highlighted in red, making it highly offensive and ironic.
“No need to be polite anymore,” Meng Yihe said coldly. “They’ve chosen war, so let them have war. Spread this map out through every channel.” He proactively contacted several influential and authoritative media outlets, providing exclusive material.
Instead of passively responding, they are guiding public opinion.
This game, unseen by the public, has turned into a brutal contest of resources and tactics.
Over the course of a few days, Cui Yu's eyes developed faint bluish-black tinges, and Meng Yihe's voice became more hoarse than usual. However, the resistance exerted by "Dingsheng Capital" clearly began to weaken, and the investigation team started calling proactively to inquire about the details.
The online buzz surrounding those malicious rumors was overshadowed by the overwhelming truth.
Ji Nan discovered that the tactics of stalling and muddying the waters seemed to have lost their effectiveness.
The other party was more tenacious than she had imagined, and the evidence was more solid than she had anticipated. She stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in her office, her face grim.
She realized that she had to make a choice.
If we keep trying to tough it out, the fire might actually spread to us.
She pressed the internal communication button, her voice cold and ruthless: "Have Chu Shen come to my office."
The expendable pawn has made its appearance.
...
The truth can no longer be concealed in the power struggle.
Several days later, the official investigation team released a report. The report confirmed that "the equipment transportation accident was caused by deliberate planning," stating that "a shell company was instructed to hire people to create trouble in order to delay the progress of a competitor's project."
They also made it clear that "such acts that disrupt market order and disregard public safety will not be tolerated and will be dealt with seriously in accordance with the law."
Although the announcement did not directly name "Dingsheng Capital," those in the industry understood the implications behind the word "instructed." The announcement concluded by emphasizing its commitment to continuously optimizing the business environment and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises.
This is undoubtedly a positive response to the "Starry Sky" appeal.
Almost simultaneously with the announcement, Dingsheng Capital released a brief personnel announcement.
The company claims that "employee Chu Shen's personal conduct was inappropriate and seriously violated the company's rules and values. His employment contract is hereby terminated, and he shall bear all legal responsibilities arising from his personal conduct."
Sacrifice the pawn to save the king, cut off the tail to survive.
They put on a very professional act while completely shirking responsibility.
Ultimately, since the accident did not result in any actual casualties, and Dingsheng completely shifted the blame to Chu Shen, Chu Shen was sentenced to six months of detention and fined heavily for crimes including "disrupting production and business operations."
The law has so far failed to reach the real manipulators behind the scenes.
To force the opponent to pay this price, to break through their defenses in such a short time, and to compel them to sacrifice a piece, is already a remarkable victory.
No one cares what the person pushed out to take the blame, the lowly employee who is about to lose six months of freedom and bear a heavy financial burden, is thinking at this moment.
Inside the joint command post.
Upon seeing the announcement and the verdict, everyone breathed a long sigh of relief. The pressure and exhaustion of the past few days seemed to have finally found an outlet, and the atmosphere became noticeably more relaxed.
"Finally, there's a result," Lin Xueyue said, rubbing his sore eyes.
"Damn it, those bastards got off easy." Wu Hao muttered, still a little resentful.
Xu Rui and Gao Yuan gave each other a high five, and smiles appeared on their faces that they hadn't seen in a long time.
Cui Yu and Meng Yihe stood in the center of the office, looking at the expressions of their team members. Cui Yu clapped his hands to attract everyone's attention. "The matter is temporarily settled. Thank you all for your hard work." His voice regained its usual calmness.
"I'll treat everyone to dinner tonight. You can choose any place you like, just so you can relax."
A small cheer immediately erupted from the team.
However, as everyone gradually dispersed to take a short rest, Cui Yu and Meng Yihe did not leave. The two tacitly walked to the huge project progress chart.
On the image, the label "Device Delay" is still glaringly obvious.
The construction delay caused by this incident is like a striking scar, recording the fierce battle that just passed.
"We won the battle, but lost time."
Meng Yihe looked at the delayed critical milestone, her voice calm yet heavy. A six-month prison sentence for a junior employee was far from enough to compensate for the substantial damage the project had suffered.
"Moreover, we only cut off one of its claws," Cui Yu interjected. "Ji Nan and 'Ding Sheng' behind her are still there. They were hurt, but not killed."
They all knew that this victory was not the end, but only a temporary pause.
A brief silence fell between the two.
“Construction schedule.” Meng Yihe suddenly broke the silence, his gaze shifting from the progress chart to Cui Yu, his eyes regaining that almost obsessive sharpness.
"We must take it back."
“Of course.” Cui Yu raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips. “Otherwise, how could we possibly repay them for this ‘generous gift’?”
The evening gathering was held at a stylish bar. Unlike the smoky atmosphere of the barbecue stall last time, this place had dim lighting, languid music, and the air was filled with the aroma of alcohol and whispers, perfect for relaxing after a long day.
The team booked a relatively independent, semi-open booth.
After the relief brought by the official announcement during the day, everyone's spirits were noticeably high. Although the project pressure remained, a hard-won victory was worth celebrating.
Wu Hao and Xu Rui had already started studying the wine list, arguing about which wine tasted better; Lin Xueyue and Shen Xinyi chatted with laughter about the TV series they had recently watched; Zhao Lei and Gao Yuan were discussing a new car they had seen on their way here.
The atmosphere was relaxed and harmonious.
Cui Yu and Meng Yihe arrived a little later.
Meng Yihe seemed to have received a work call and lagged behind, standing in a quiet corner of the corridor, speaking softly with a slight frown. She was clearly not yet fully detached from work. Cui Yu entered the booth first, greeted everyone, and naturally sat down in a seat near the aisle.
The waiter quickly came over, smiling, and asked what drinks you would like.
"A classic cup, please," Wu Hao said quickly.
"I want Manhattan!" Xu Rui shouted.
Lin Xueyue and Shen Xinyi opted for the lower alcohol content of the Mojito, while Gao Yuan and Zhao Lei both chose the Margarita.
When it was Cui Yu's turn, he took the wine list.
His gaze swept quickly across the room, his finger pausing briefly at a certain spot. As if he had thought of something, a barely perceptible smile curved his lips, and he said gently to the waiter:
"Give me a cherry brandy, on the rocks."
He paused, then added very naturally, "Also, add a bottle of soda water."
"Yes, sir." The waiter noted it down and turned to leave.
The moment the waiter left, Meng Yihe ended his call, lifted the curtain of the booth, and walked in. He took off his suit jacket, wearing only a neatly pressed shirt with the cuffs casually rolled up, revealing his well-defined forearms. He sat down in the empty seat next to Cui Yu.
"All done?" Cui Yu asked him, turning her head to the side.
"Hmm," Meng Yihe responded, her gaze sweeping over the atmosphere that had already begun on the table.
At this point, the drinks and soda water were served.
Cui Yu naturally picked up the bottle of chilled soda water, opened the cap, and placed it in front of Meng Yihe.
"Drinking this will upset your stomach."
Meng Yihe looked at the soda water with fine bubbles in front of him, then glanced at the tempting glass of wine next to Cui Yu. His lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he squeezed out two words.
"……eventful."
However, he still took the bottle of soda water and poured himself a glass.
Everyone raised their glasses.
"Let's celebrate getting through another challenge!"
"You've worked hard!"
"Respectfully, Director Cui! Respectfully, Director Meng!"
Cui Yu smiled, raised his glass of cherry brandy, and clinked glasses with everyone.
Meng Yihe also raised her glass of clear soda water, the glass condensing with cool steam.
The amber-colored liquor swirled in the glass, reflecting the dim light, releasing a sweet and mellow fruity aroma, interspersed with a subtle hint of potency. Cui Yu took a sip, letting the complex yet familiar flavors spread across her tongue.
His gaze seemingly casually swept over Meng Yihe, who was sipping soda water beside him.
No one knew the special meaning behind that glass of wine except himself. That concern for someone's appetite had quietly turned into an overt habit.
The atmosphere at the gathering gradually became more lively.
Everyone was relaxing and enjoying their rare leisure time.
Occasionally, Cui Yu would pick up that glass of cherry brandy and swirl it gently, as if savoring the wine, or perhaps something else that only he himself understood.
After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became increasingly lively.
Alcohol relaxed my tense nerves, and the conversation gradually spread.
Xu Rui was a little tipsy. He hooked his arm around Wu Hao's neck and slurred, "Haozi! You tell me! If those bastards from 'Dingsheng' dare to come again, shouldn't we beat them back?!"
Although Wu Hao was also blushing, he was clearly more sober. He struggled to pry Xu Rui's arm off: "Hit! You have to hit! But can you let go first? I can't breathe..."
Everyone laughed.
Lin Xueyue and Shen Xinyi watched the commotion with smiles, while Zhao Lei and Gao Yuan discussed the car model they hadn't been able to reach a conclusion on, occasionally cracking a joke.
Meng Yihe sat quietly to the side, sipping his soda water and watching his team members make a ruckus. He was still not used to such noisy occasions, but seeing everyone relaxed, his tense lips unconsciously softened a bit.
My stomach did feel much better thanks to the baking soda.
Cui Yu sat next to him, leaning casually against the sofa back. One hand swirled the remaining cherry brandy in his glass, while the other rested casually on the armrest. He occasionally added a joke, eliciting laughter from everyone.
His gaze would occasionally drift back to Meng Yihe beside him.
He saw Meng Yihe's relaxed profile, his glass of soda water which had barely diminished, and his silent yet welcoming demeanor as he blended into the atmosphere.
"How about it?"
Cui Yu suddenly turned his head and asked Meng Yihe in a low voice, his voice carrying a hint of drunken languor, almost drowning out the surrounding noise.
Are you getting used to it?
Meng Yihe turned around at the sound and met Cui Yu's gaze. The dim light of the bar fell on Cui Yu's smiling eyes, making them appear somewhat deep and unfathomable.
"It's alright," Meng Yihe replied briefly, her tone much softer than when she was working.
"Just alright?" Cui Yu raised an eyebrow, deliberately moving closer, and the faint aroma of cedar mixed with the sweet and mellow scent of cherry brandy wafted over.
"Director Meng's standards are really high. It seems we'll have to find a place that will make you say 'good' next time."
His approach and the familiar teasing tone in his words made Meng Yihe instinctively want to frown and retort, but perhaps due to the atmosphere, or perhaps because he did feel a little relaxed, he ultimately just glanced at Cui Yu and replied weakly, "Boring."
Cui Yu chuckled softly, seemingly pleased with the reaction. He sat up straight again and finished the last bit of wine in his glass.
The party lasted until late at night before it ended.
Everyone was slightly tipsy as they said their goodbyes. Cui Yu and Meng Yihe stood side by side at the bar entrance, the cool night breeze dispelling the smell of alcohol and the warmth from their bodies.
"I called a designated driver, I'll drop you off on my way," Cui Yu said casually, taking out his phone to check the driver's location.
Meng Yihe initially wanted to refuse, but considering that it was indeed difficult to get a taxi at this time, and that the soda water he had just drunk was still having a soothing effect on his stomach, he paused for a moment, then nodded: "Thanks."
The designated driver arrived quickly.
The two got into the back seat, and the vehicle smoothly drove into the night.
The fatigue brought on by several days of high-intensity work and mental tension crept in quietly in this peaceful and relaxing environment. Meng Yihe's heavy eyelids quickly closed against her will, and her breathing became even and long.
He actually fell asleep.
The weariness etched between his brows was particularly evident on his unguarded sleeping face.
Cui Yu turned her head to look at him.
The occasional streaks of light outside the car window outlined Meng Yihe's relaxed profile, stripping away all her usual sharp edges.
Cui Yu's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, then he subtly signaled to the designated driver to turn up the air conditioning temperature a little.
The car slowly stopped in front of Meng Yihe's apartment building.
Cui Yu hesitated for a moment, then softly called out, "Meng Yihe?"
No response.
He had no choice but to raise his voice slightly and gently touch his arm.
"arrive."
Meng Yihe's body trembled slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes. His usually sharp and cold eyes were now veiled with a layer of bewildered mist as he instinctively looked towards the source of the voice—Cui Yu. He seemed not to have fully emerged from sleep, still dazed from just waking, and unconsciously mumbled a response: "...Hmm?"
The voice was heavy with sleepiness, somewhat hoarse, and even sounded a little soft.
This was in stark contrast to his usual cold and aloof image.
Cui Yu found his appearance somewhat novel, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved slightly, but she quickly composed herself and simply repeated what he had said.
"We've arrived, downstairs at your building."
Meng Yihe was now fully awake. He sat up straight instantly, the slight bewilderment on his face quickly fading, replaced by his usual coldness, though his ears seemed to be burning slightly. He almost immediately pushed open the car door, his tone returning to its usual conciseness, even a little harsher, to cover up his earlier lapse in composure: "Let's go."
"See you tomorrow." Cui Yu looked at his somewhat hurried back, her voice tinged with amusement.
Meng Yihe didn't turn around, but walked quickly towards the apartment building.
Cui Yu watched his figure disappear behind the glass door before giving the designated driver her home address.
The vehicle restarted, and Cui Yu leaned back in his seat, the warmth of the cherry brandy still lingering on his fingertips, and the scent of another person still lingering around his nose.
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