Chapter 20.3
Xiang Qingwei offered him a courteous smile and nodded slightly.
Zhou Yuehe gave no response, only turning away coldly.
"Eh? Zhou Yuehe's here too? Doesn't he never participate in these kinds of gatherings?" Luo Wenxuan, having also noticed Zhou Yuehe, was quite surprised.
Xiang Qingwei felt slightly uncomfortable with Zhou Yuehe's attitude. Even if she was a witness to his dark past, she had still helped him in the end. To pretend they didn't know each other and maintain a semblance of courtesy would have sufficed—why was he being so standoffish?
And so, Xiang Qingwei sought out all her instructors throughout the night, just not Zhou Yuehe. She wasn't going to offer her warm face to his cold ass, especially when Zhou Yuehe was being so overtly hostile. Besides, it might even backfire on her if she continued to approach him.
Zhou Yuehe seemed to be in a bad mood, his entire person emanating icy vibes.
"Miss Xiang, you're truly accomplished for your young age, and so pretty too. You could even become a celebrity. Here, Miss Xiang, cheers to you." A representative of one of the sponsors, clearly intoxicated, approached Xiang Qingwei with a wineglass in hand.
Xiang Qingwei had also consumed quite a bit of alcohol tonight, though she wasn't yet drunk, but rather, her fair skin was flushed pink and her clear eyes shimmered under the light, making her look heart-stoppingly beautiful.
The sponsor swallowed his saliva, unable to hide his greed.
Xiang Qingwei noticed the way this sponsor, who had just been clinging to Luo Wenxuan's side with an oily face, looked at her, and her heart filled with disgust. But her expression remained neutral, and she graciously drained the wine in her cup before smiling. "I'm just making a living, nothing impressive."
"Let's add each other on WeChat, Miss Xiang." The sponsor lowered his voice, his words blunt. "If I have an advertisement to shoot, I'll need a way to contact you." As he spoke, his right hand reached toward Xiang Qingwei's arm.
Frowning, Xiang Qingwei was about to pull away when the hand was caught by another.
"Mr. Chen." The man's voice was cool and icy. "You've been caught."
Caught off guard, the sponsor jolted, looking up, his expression a mix of embarrassment, annoyance, and surprise. "Oh, uh, Zhou Yuehe."
Xiang Qingwei also looked surprised by the sudden appearance of Zhou Yuehe.
Zhou Yuehe let go of the sponsor's wrist, his dark eyes cold. "Mr. Chen is drunk."
The sponsor felt a chill run down his spine, and he laughed awkwardly as he held up his wineglass. "Yes, it's been a good night, I've had a bit too much." He then turned to Xiang Qingwei. "I'll treat you to dinner another day, Miss Xiang." After making small talk, he finally left in a huff.
"Thank you," Xiang Qingwei thanked Zhou Yuehe as soon as the sponsor left.
Zhou Yuehe gave her a deep stare, then walked away expressionlessly without acknowledging her gratitude.
Xiang Qingwei was a bit irritated by Zhou Yuehe's inexplicable attitude. She'd had enough to drink, and her socializing duties for the night were complete. Seeing that the party was still in full swing, she bid farewell to Miss K, the director, and Luo Wenxuan, then quietly left with her purse.
The night breeze certainly sobered her up as she stepped out of the restaurant.
She'd never let herself get drunk. The one time she did, she received an unforgettable and "horrifying" lesson. So now, she was much more restrained when drinking, stopping just short of getting drunk. In dire circumstances, she would call Xiao Wu before she lost consciousness.
Fortunately, she had a relatively high tolerance, so most social drinking situations were no issue for her.
The Chinese loved to discuss business at the dinner table, whether it was a big or small matter. They also preferred to negotiate after a few rounds of drinks. Naturally, this practice was even more prevalent in the entertainment industry; unless you refused to attend, it was impossible to escape getting a few drinks in you at these gatherings.
Unless you were someone of considerable power or status, of course.
Take Zhou Yuehe today, for example. He had refused to drink, and no one had dared force him.
That was why everyone in this industry would do anything to climb up the social ladder, because it was a realm where reality reigned. Those without authority or standing would be trampled underfoot, and anyone who refused a toast would be disrespecting the host.
Xiang Qingwei wasn't as unfortunate as others; the years she had spent by Fu Yanbai's side had allowed her to amass her own connections and resources. Even now, she still worked for Fu Yanbai, so no one dared trouble her too much for his sake.
However, she had a specific goal today, so she couldn't refuse the toast.
Throughout the entire evening, she barely touched the food, instead indulging in endless rounds of drinks and small talk. By the end of the night, her smile had frozen on her face, and the alcohol had reached her head, leaving her slightly tipsy. Her stomach began to turn over.
Xiang Qingwei stood on the street, ready to call a cab, but she discovered that she would have to wait in line when she opened the app. Just as she was about to call Xiao Wu for a ride, a black sedan glided noiselessly toward her and stopped by her side.
She looked over instinctively.
The back window rolled down, revealing the profile of the man inside. Zhou Yuehe lifted his eyes, his raven-black lashes hiding a turbulent sea beneath those deep eyes.
"Get in."
Xiao Zhao couldn't help but sneak glances at the pair sitting in the back seat, feeling quite unsettled.
Xiang Qingwei had barely spoken after getting in the car, only giving Xiao Zhao's boss Zhou Yuehe her thanks and the address she wanted to be taken to. First, Zhou Yuehe seemed uninterested in speaking to her, and second, her stomach still felt uneasy, making it difficult for her to even consider trying to figure out Zhou Yuehe's intentions. After dealing with so many people that night, her stiff lips couldn't lift into a smile, and she simply wanted to return home and take some medicine.
Zhou Yuehe hadn't spoken a single word since asking Xiang Qingwei to get in the car.
The two sat silently, almost eerily so, in the back seat.
Xiao Zhao felt as if he were driving a taxi, ferrying a pair of strangers who happened to share the same ride.
Zhou Yuehe wasn't the kind of person who would allow just anyone into his vehicle...
Xiao Zhao glanced at Xiang Qingwei again, noticing her frowning, her expression cloudy.
"Stop the car," Zhou Yuehe finally broke the silence.
Xiao Zhao pulled over to the side of the road. "What's up, Yuehe?"
Xiang Qingwei also briefly pulled herself out from the stomachache's torment and looked toward Zhou Yuehe.
Zhou Yuehe didn't answer Xiao Zhao's question and simply stepped out of the car.
Seeing that he walked into a pharmacy, Xiang Qingwei felt a strange feeling. Within a matter of minutes, Zhou Yuehe walked out of the pharmacy with a small bag in hand, and a cup of water in the other.
He handed the bag to her.
Xiang Qingwei instinctively took it, then peered inside, feeling even more puzzled. It was her usual brand of stomach medicine.
The pain was unbearable, so she didn't have time to ask questions. She ripped open the package, popped two pills into her mouth, then took the cup of water from Zhou Yuehe.
Her heart stirred slightly.
The water was warm.
She gave Zhou Yuehe a glance before tilting her head back to drink, then frowned as she swallowed the medicine along with the water.
Xiao Zhao observed this from the rearview mirror, wild scenarios already beginning to populate his mind.
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