Chapter 15: Entering the House

“I’ll take the contract.” After signing, Rong Yan directly left the private room.

After she left, Fan Xia slumped in her chair, covering her mouth as she coughed. The spicy burning sensation in her throat rushed to her head, causing involuntary tears to flow.

Rong Xiu quickly poured her a cup of tea and helped her drink it: “Baijiu is so strong, why did you gulp it down so hastily?”

Unlike wine glasses, baijiu cups are small and delicate, not holding much liquor. Fan Xia held a cup in each hand, and before he could react, she had already downed two cups, then continued one after another.

Fan Xia leaned back in her chair, her fair face flushed with intoxication, her eyes watery: “As a qualified employee, it’s my duty to drink on behalf of the boss.”

Perhaps because she had drunk ten cups of baijiu in one go, her tone also carried a soft, drunken lilt, unlike her usual self. Though gentle, it was distant, especially with that faint smile on her lips, barely there, enticing him like soft silk.

Rong Xiu swallowed, his cold eyes behind the frameless glasses burning like a fierce fire. In your heart, am I just your boss?

Before Rong Xiu could ask this question, Fan Xia’s expression changed slightly, her smiling lips suddenly pressed into a straight line, her delicate brows furrowing slightly.

Rong Xiu took in her every subtle movement, leaning in to ask: “What’s wrong?”

Fan Xia’s hand, hanging by the armrest, clutched her stomach, her intoxicated eyes filled with pain: “I think my stomach condition is acting up.”

Rong Xiu’s expression suddenly tightened, his fingertips gripping her wrist: “I’ll take you to the hospital.”

“No need.” Fan Xia grasped his hand in return, shaking her head slightly: “It’s not a serious stomach condition. I have medicine at home. I’ll be fine after taking some and resting for a while.”

Rong Xiu frowned: “No, I’m not comfortable with you in this state.”

Fan Xia gripped his hand a little tighter, their skin touching. Her body temperature, elevated from the alcohol, burned his fingertips like fire. His usually cool, fair fingertips were now unnaturally flushed.

“I know my own condition. It’s not very painful, so don’t worry.”

Indeed, it wasn’t very painful, just a dull ache. Fan Xia wasn’t someone who neglected her health. If it really hurt badly, she would go to the hospital without Rong Xiu having to say anything.

“It’s just that I’ve been drinking, so I probably can’t drive. Could you take me home?” Fan Xia’s head leaned weakly against the chair back, her smooth, dark hair falling loose. Her breath carried the intoxicating scent of alcohol, melting away all his resolve.

“Alright, but I need to see you take the medicine and make sure your stomach doesn’t hurt anymore before I leave,” Rong Xiu said, clearly misunderstanding, thinking Fan Xia was putting on a brave face about the pain.

“Okay.” Fan Xia laughed softly, her eyes curving slightly, stars dancing in her gaze.

She knew explanations were useless, so she simply agreed. Once they got home and she took the medicine, everything would be fine.

Entering Rong Xiu’s car, Fan Xia fastened her own seatbelt. Even after ten cups of baijiu, her consciousness was still relatively clear.

As expected of a top-tier luxury car, once the door closed, the noisy sounds of the city were blocked out. There was an unknown fragrance inside the car. She leaned against the window, quietly watching the neon lights flashing by outside.

At 7 PM, traffic in the city center was at its most congested.

Looking at the seemingly endless line of cars, Rong Xiu’s frameless glasses couldn’t hide his anxiety. He glanced at the quiet Fan Xia beside him: “Is your stomach hurting badly? Maybe I should take you directly to the hospital.”

“It’s really fine,” Fan Xia shook her head, her voice as soft as gossamer: “My stomach condition is from being hungry at the orphanage when I was young. Later, with gradual care, it’s not a big issue anymore. It’s just because I drank too much strong alcohol at once that it flared up. It’s not really that painful, don’t worry.”

As she spoke, her smooth hair fell to her slender neck, black hair and snow-white skin intertwining. The dazzling neon lights from outside shone in, yet couldn’t light up the gleam in her eyes.

Rong Xiu took a deep breath, not knowing how to comfort her.

The fact that Fan Xia was an orphan was known to many people in university. Sometimes Rong Xiu would think, if it weren’t for that car accident with her parents, Fan Xia surely wouldn’t have endured so much hardship. That pain should never have existed.

And after all these years, the hit-and-run driver still hadn’t been found and was roaming free.

He didn’t dare tell Fan Xia that actually, during their university years, after learning about her family’s misfortune, he had secretly asked someone to inquire at the police station, wanting to help her find the hit-and-run driver.

The accident happened over a decade ago when surveillance cameras weren’t widespread, so there was no footage of the vehicle. The time of the accident was also late at night, so there were no eyewitnesses.

Because that road was in a suburban factory area, with several construction sites nearby, the constant coming and going of gravel trucks had destroyed the tire tracks and debris left by the offending vehicle. After more than a decade, finding the hit-and-run driver was almost impossible.

Rong Xiu’s well-proportioned, strong fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly: “I’m sorry.”

“Hm?” Fan Xia turned her head to look at him.

“Because you drank on my behalf, it caused your stomach condition to flare up.”

Fan Xia chuckled softly, a faint, sweet alcoholic aroma spreading in the car: “You don’t need to apologize to me. This is what I should do as an employee. Even in other companies, as an executive assistant, one would do the same to drink on behalf of the superior.”

An assistant’s work is varied and complex. Being able to drink and take drinks for the boss has become an unspoken rule in the industry.

But he didn’t want to just be her superior.

Rong Xiu lowered his gaze slightly, no longer speaking. The cold, thin light cast on him made his already three-dimensional, deep features even more sculptural and chilly.

Without realizing it, the car had arrived at Fan Xia’s building.

The effects of the baijiu were kicking in, and Fan Xia was already a bit unsteady on her feet. Swaying and leaning against the wall, she looked at the spinning Rong Xiu before her and said, “I’m home now, you can go back. Lan Sheng will take care of me.”

“Forgot what I said earlier? I’ll leave only after I see you take your medicine and your stomach doesn’t hurt anymore.” Rong Xiu supported her with one hand on her arm and the other around her shoulder from behind.

Fan Xia’s mind was already fuzzy from the alcohol, and she didn’t quite hear what Rong Xiu said. She only felt the cool, clean scent of snow cedar coming from him, as if she had rolled in a snow-covered pine forest in deep winter. Fan Xia, feeling uncomfortably hot all over, instinctively wanted to get closer, so she just let him do as he pleased.

The elevator quickly arrived at the first floor. Two people walked out of the elevator and were startled to see the drunk Fan Xia and Rong Xiu supporting her. Their eyes then revealed undisguised admiration.

Even in her drunken state, Fan Xia couldn’t conceal her gentle, watery, and calm aura. And Rong Xiu, who was supporting her, wore an expensive custom-made suit that was obviously high-end at a glance. His features were exquisite, his nose bridge high, and his frameless glasses and long, cold eyes gave off a forbidden, unapproachable air. The extremely stark contrast between the two didn’t feel out of place at all, but rather created a strong, surreal sense of complementarity.

Rong Xiu glanced coldly at the passersby, supporting Fan Xia into the elevator, looking at the floor buttons with a troubled expression.

“Fan Xia, wake up-”

At this point, Fan Xia was already drunk and unconscious, her head resting on Rong Xiu’s shoulder, her scattered long hair brushing against Rong Xiu’s long-sleeved neck. The faint fragrance and hot alcoholic breath all fell on Rong Xiu, silently stirring fatal desire, yet the person in question was completely unaware.

Rong Xiu clenched his hand tightly, restraining himself as he swallowed, his fingertips hooking Fan Xia’s chin, his calm eyes concealing ulterior motives: “Fan Xia, I can’t find your home. Is it okay if we go to my place?”

Fan Xia’s eyes were bewildered for a moment, showing childlike confusion: “No, I want to go home.”

Disappointment flashed through his narrow, gloomy eyes and vanished in an instant. Rong Xiu released the hand that was lifting her chin and asked, “Then which floor is your home on?”

“Eleventh floor.” Fan Xia held up both hands, making a gesture of two 1’s.

Rong Xiu’s eyes softened. This person, usually perfect and meticulous in everything she did, when drunk, didn’t make a fuss or cause trouble, but instead acted like a child… cute.

Rong Xiu pressed the button for the eleventh floor. No neighbors entered during the ride, so they arrived quickly.

Following Fan Xia’s drunken directions, Rong Xiu knocked on the door.

“Coming, did Xia Xia forget her key today?” Wen Lan Sheng came running to open the door, his face full of smiles that disappeared the moment he saw Rong Xiu.

“Senior, why are you here?” Wen Lan Sheng’s face wore a smile that wasn’t quite a smile.

When he saw Fan Xia leaning on Rong Xiu, reeking of alcohol, Wen Lan Sheng’s expression became even more unpleasant. He went to pull Fan Xia into his own arms: “Xia Xia, how did you get so drunk? Let me help you home.”

Fan Xia was drunk and completely unaware, being pulled confusedly by Wen Lan Sheng, but her gaze still fell on Rong Xiu. She liked his clean, cool scent, not the strong iris fragrance on Wen Lan Sheng.

Seeing that even when drunk, Fan Xia’s eyes were still glued to Rong Xiu, a wave of jealousy rose in Wen Lan Sheng.

Seeing Wen Lan Sheng’s hateful expression, a secret sense of satisfaction and pleasure rose in Rong Xiu’s heart. However, now was not the time for jealousy and vying for favor; Fan Xia’s stomach pain was the most urgent matter.

“Fan Xia and I had a drinking engagement tonight. She drank and her stomach condition flared up. Quickly get her stomach medicine and give it to her.” Rong Xiu helped Wen Lan Sheng support Fan Xia to the sofa.

“Stomach medicine?” Wen Lan Sheng was originally overcome with jealousy, but thinking of Fan Xia, who hadn’t had a stomach problem for many years, suddenly having a relapse must be very painful. He stopped arguing with Rong Xiu and hurried to get the medicine.

In the living room, Wen Ming Yue and Xie Cen were originally watching TV when they saw a stranger supporting their drunk daughter-in-law, walking in so boldly.

Especially Xie Cen, as a man, he keenly sensed something was off. Her husband was still at home, yet he was supporting someone else’s wife and entering their home so brazenly. This was a blatant provocation, truly outrageous!

“Who are you? How are you with my daughter-in-law? Why is she drunk? What’s your relationship with her!”

Rong Xiu half-squatted in front of the sofa, stroking Fan Xia’s hair, glancing coldly at the other party, and said, “I’m her boss.”

“Boss? What kind of boss? Can a boss be this close to a woman? Don’t you know men and women should keep their distance—”

Before the agitated Xie Cen could finish, Wen Ming Yue grabbed his hand and pressed it down. She looked at Rong Xiu in his expensive suit and tentatively asked, “Are you Mr. Rong Xiu?”

Rong Xiu glanced at Wen Ming Yue and gave a faint “Mm.”

Xie Cen gripped Wen Ming Yue’s hand tightly, sucking in a sharp breath.

Wen Ming Yue gave him a reproachful look, then said to Rong Xiu, “Mr. Rong, please don’t mind him. My husband just has a quick temper, he doesn’t mean any harm.”

“Mm.” Rong Xiu’s voice was cold, his gaze entirely on the drunk Fan Xia.

Wen Ming Yue gave Xie Cen a look, and he immediately changed his attitude, bringing out a stool and saying politely, “Mr. Rong, your legs must be tired from squatting. Please, have a seat.”

“No need.” Rong Xiu’s voice was cold as he looked towards the bedroom with furrowed brows: “Why is he taking so long? Where’s the stomach medicine?”

Wen Lan Sheng ran out of the bedroom anxiously: “The stomach medicine is all gone.”

Rong Xiu was irritated, his gaze cold and gloomy: “As Fan Xia’s fiancé, you know she has a stomach condition. How could you not even prepare such a basic thing as stomach medicine?”

Wen Lan Sheng felt both ashamed and annoyed at Rong Xiu’s accusation. He had brought his unconscious, drunk wife home, only to be scolded in front of his parents, and he couldn’t even refute it reasonably. Indeed, he had done poorly; because Fan Xia’s stomach condition hadn’t flared up in years, he had forgotten to keep medicine on hand.

“Go buy some, quickly!” Rong Xiu commanded coldly.

Wen Lan Sheng was extremely humiliated, his face flushing red as he ran towards the door.

“No, I’ll go buy it, I’ll go buy it. Lan Sheng, you stay here and take care of Fan Xia,” Xie Cen immediately stood up, giving Wen Lan Sheng a meaningful look.

Wen Lan Sheng suddenly came to his senses. If he left now, wouldn’t he be giving Rong Xiu an opportunity? This was his home, what right did Rong Xiu have to give orders here?!