Chapter 83: Drunk

Watching those senior executives walk into the office and respectfully report to Fan Xia, as Fan Xia reviewed the reports with a serious expression, Rong Xiu felt an inexplicable sense of pride in his heart.

At this moment, Rong Xiu could finally understand why some athletes’ husbands would sometimes be more excited than the athletes themselves when they won awards. It was because that strong sense of belonging to one’s wife-master would make the partner feel a sense of shared glory, as if they were one.

Rong Xiu quietly left the office and took out his phone to make a call.

“Mr. Rong.” A woman’s voice sounded on the phone, with background noise that seemed to be another woman struggling with her mouth covered.

Rong Xiu’s cold eyes narrowed slightly, and he said coldly, “Throw her out of the country. I don’t want to see her in the country again.”

“Yes,” the woman on the phone responded.

The woman in the background struggled even more fiercely, but no matter how hard she tried, she was no match for several people, and her struggles were in vain.

This time was just killing the chicken to scare the monkey, with the purpose of making an example for Rong Yan to see, warning her that if she dared to instigate Fu Nan to cause trouble for Fan Xia again, the next one to be thrown out would be herself.

By the time Fan Xia finished the meeting, it was almost time to get off work. She put on a thick coat and came to Zhuang Nian, “Is the private room booked?”

Zhuang Nian nodded.

Now that Fan Xia held a high position, socializing was inevitable. Before Fan Xia came, it was always Rong Xiu who entertained alone. Worried about his safety as a man outside, Zhuang Nian would always drink on Rong Xiu’s behalf, and then personally send Rong Xiu back to the villa. Only then would the day’s work be considered complete.

But business socializing was not just about drinking. In this society, women still held the dominant position. Every social gathering would call in some men from who knows where, all heavily made up and dressed in an unsightly manner. Zhuang Nian found it hard to look at, but there was nothing he could do about it. After all, they were clients.

Sometimes, when Rong Xiu wasn’t around, those women would even verbally harass Zhuang Nian. Only when they learned he was married would they reluctantly withdraw their lecherous hands, looking disappointed.

Now that Fan Xia had taken over the company, being a woman herself, she was much more at ease than Rong Xiu. Business deals were concluded faster, and she didn’t need Zhuang Nian to accompany her.

Sometimes, Zhuang Nian would sigh, thinking that Rong Xiu had really married the right person.

Although men could now work outside the home, business-related work that required too much public exposure still had to be done by women. Men would only be timid and worried about getting drunk and taken advantage of by women. It was better for them to stay at home, nurture the fetus, and take care of the children. In the quiet of the night, they should wait for their wife-master to return home from socializing and hand her a bowl of sobering soup. This was what men should do.

“Alright then, you can go home now,” Fan Xia adjusted her coat collar and left the company building.

Today’s client was extremely important, and she had to personally entertain them. If this deal was successful, it would take Mountain Sea Group to the next level. Therefore, Fan Xia had personally gone to welcome the client early.

The client was in their 50s, and the entertainment venue was a highly private and scenically beautiful estate. The estate owner, having gotten wind of the situation early on, had arranged young and handsome male companions who were good conversationalists for the high-ranking official and their entourage. Since the other party all had male companions, Fan Xia couldn’t be without one.

If she didn’t have one, she would surely be mocked for putting on airs. Moreover, the high-ranking official was naturally suspicious. If they saw that everyone else had beauties accompanying them, indulging in sensual pleasures, while Fan Xia was clean and pure by herself, they naturally wouldn’t trust her.

The estate owner pushed a rather exotic-looking boy into her arms, smiled ambiguously, and then left the room.

“Hello, Ms. Fan. My name is A Su.” The boy was about 19 years old, with fair skin and deep-set features, seemingly mixed-race. His thin clothes couldn’t hide his voluptuous figure, and his firm chest brushed against her.

Although it was Fan Xia’s first time meeting this boy, she wasn’t surprised that he knew her name. The boys here would do research on their clients, and they were all smooth talkers, able to please the shrewd people present.

They were all cunning old foxes who had been through the trials of the drinking table. Even though Fan Xia had a good alcohol tolerance, she couldn’t withstand the continuous toasts. By the time the contract was signed, she was dizzy and drunk, the people around her gradually becoming blurry shadows. Behind her, a hot body pressed against her – it was A Su.

Fan Xia gently pushed him away, but the force wasn’t strong as she had little strength left due to the alcohol.

“Ms. Fan, let me serve you once,” A Su’s breath was like orchids as he pulled her hand to his beautiful and delicate face.

A Su actually knew Fan Xia because of that sensational mistress incident. He had seen Fan Xia’s photo and was stunned at the time, never imagining there could be someone even more beautiful than female celebrities in the entertainment industry. He never expected that soon after, she would appear before him.

A Su’s hands were trembling slightly. This was the first time he had encountered such a good client – beautiful appearance, good personality. If it weren’t for the unsightly scenes around them, they would have looked like an ordinary couple. He couldn’t help but want to seek more of her favor. If he could serve Fan Xia once and satisfy her, perhaps she would take him away from this den of vice? A Su couldn’t help but fantasize.

But Fan Xia didn’t touch him. The contract had been signed, her goal had been achieved, and there was no need to play along anymore.

The surrounding noise was chaotic. Fan Xia’s consciousness was blurred, and the voice on the phone was vague and unclear, but it was an extremely familiar voice. Before losing consciousness completely, Fan Xia gave out the address, and then she passed out completely.

In her hazy memory, she vaguely felt a familiar faint fragrance enveloping her, removing her clothes, wiping her feverish face. When she opened her eyes again, it was already light outside.

With a splitting headache from the hangover, Fan Xia rubbed her temples as she sat up on the soft bed. When she opened her eyes, she was stunned by the scene before her.

This wasn’t her home.

This was an unfamiliar room, with a simple white decor. There was a potted plant beside the bed, and the white gauze curtains on the balcony fluttered gently in the wind. Shell wind chimes hung on the window, making soothing, non-jarring sounds as they moved with the breeze.

Her coat, shoes, and socks had all been removed, leaving her wearing only a thin shirt.

Where was this?

“Sister Fan, you’re awake!” The door opened, and Gu Jin Yi’s eyes curved into small crescents, bright like black pearls.

“Jin Yi?” Fan Xia said in surprise.

She looked around at the layout: “Am I at your home?”

“Yes.” Gu Jin Yi walked forward, sat on the edge of the bed, holding a bowl of hangover soup, and said, “You drank so much alcohol, your head must be hurting a lot now. Have some hangover soup.”

The soup, with a light ginger-yellow color, seemed to have just been freshly made and was still steaming.

“Thank you.” Fan Xia took the hangover soup, gently stirring it with the spoon, but didn’t drink. Instead, she looked at him and asked, “How did I end up at your home?”

Gu Jin Yi said, “Last night I called you, and I heard it was very noisy on your end. You were slurring your words, like you were drunk. I was worried about you, afraid something might happen to you, so I asked where you were, saying I’d come pick you up. Then you told me the address, so I came to get you.”

Gu Jin Yi’s eyes trembled slightly, and seeing that Fan Xia’s expression was normal, he continued, “I originally wanted to take you back to brother-in-law’s place, but I don’t know where he lives, and you were unconscious from drinking, so I had no choice but to bring you back here.”

“Then… did you change my clothes too?” Fan Xia asked, lowering her head.

“Mm.” Gu Jin Yi’s cheeks flushed a light pink, like cherry blossoms, and he said with a hint of shyness, “Because you were drunk, I was afraid you wouldn’t be comfortable sleeping in your clothes, so I helped you take them off.”

Fan Xia gripped the spoon handle tightly and said in a low voice, “Thank you.”

Gu Jin Yi’s eyes were moist, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly, and he said sweetly, “You’re welcome. It’s what I should do.”

Fan Xia gripped the quilt, hesitated for a moment, and asked, “Is this… your room?”

“It’s my room.” Gu Jin Yi nodded, then a blush passed over his cheeks as he said, “But don’t worry, Sister Fan. Last night, I slept with my dad.”

Fan Xia let out a sigh of relief, looked at the empty bedside table, and asked, “Where’s my phone? Did anyone call me yesterday?”

Fan Xia was a bit worried. In the past, no matter how late she was busy, she would always go home. Now that she had been out all night, Rong Xiu must be frantic with worry. But given the private nature of that estate, they absolutely wouldn’t let Rong Xiu check the surveillance cameras to find her.

Gu Jin Yi’s eyelashes visibly trembled, and he said, “Yesterday, yesterday when I brought you back, your phone had automatically shut off because the battery was dead. It’s still charging in the living room now.”

“I’ll go get the phone.” Fan Xia lifted the quilt, about to get out of bed.

Gu Jin Yi pressed her down with one hand: “Sister Fan, you should rest well. I’ll go get it for you.”

“Okay.” Fan Xia nodded.

Soon, Gu Jin Yi brought her the phone. Fan Xia turned it on, unlocked it, and almost instantly, countless WeChat messages and phone calls popped up.

There was even a message from Zhuang Nian: “My dear little ancestor Fan, where on earth have you gone? Say something, will you? Your man is about to die of worry, dragging me around to look for you everywhere with his pregnant belly. We’ve even gone to report to the police.”

When Fan Xia saw this message, her heart tightened. She couldn’t imagine how anxiously and worriedly Rong Xiu, who was at home nurturing his pregnancy, had spent the night.

She immediately called Rong Xiu.

The phone had barely rung when it was answered. Rong Xiu’s voice was anxious and delighted: “Fan Xia!”

Fan Xia nodded, hearing Rong Xiu’s anxious voice, she immediately said softly, “It’s me.”

Rong Xiu’s voice choked on the phone, and after a while, his voice carried both anxiety and tears of joy: “Where did you go? Why didn’t you come back all night? I’ve been looking for you for so long. I even reported to the police, but they said you’ve only been missing for a few hours and wouldn’t file a case. Wait, I’m coming to find you now.”

“I got drunk at a social gathering last night and was brought home by Jin Yi. I didn’t have a chance to tell you. I’m coming back now,” Fan Xia said.

“Sister Fan, your head is hurting so badly, you’d better not leave yet. Rest a bit more,” Gu Jin Yi said worriedly, holding her hand. Rong Xiu naturally heard this too.

“Gu Jin Yi?” Rong Xiu’s voice went silent for a moment, then following Gu Jin Yi’s words, he said, “He’s right, Fan Xia, you rest first. Tell me the address. I’ll be there right away.”