Everyone was cheering when they heard Jiang Nanfang say that, and they all looked at her in surprise.
“General Manager Zhan is personally treating us to dinner, Director Jiang, are you sure you’re not going?”
As if dining with Zhan Beijue was some great honor, Jiang Nanfang was very sure.
“No, I won’t be able to eat even if I go. My stomach still feels uncomfortable. I want to go back to sleep.”
Deputy General Manager Gao disagreed, “You are the hero of our project team. You designed the product, and you secured the contract. This dinner is specifically for you. If you don’t go, what does that make us?”
“I won’t let you drink. Just make an appearance, say a few words, and I promise, I’ll let you go back very soon.”
Seeing everyone looking at her expectantly, and with Deputy General Manager Gao saying so, Jiang Nanfang had no choice but to go reluctantly.
From Shangcheng to Nancheng, after the flight, they took a business car. By the time they arrived at the restaurant, it was already past seven in the evening.
Whether it was due to exhaustion or some other reason, Jiang Nanfang felt extremely sleepy and couldn’t keep her eyes open. She didn’t want to say another word.
Zhan Beijue was very generous.
He rented out an entire floor for a banquet hall and arranged two tables of delicious food for everyone.
At the beginning of the dinner, he gave a few polite opening remarks and then sat down next to Deputy General Manager Gao.
Deputy General Manager Gao, holding his wine glass, stood up again to give a speech. He said a lot of flattering words and finally gathered everyone.
“It’s all thanks to General Manager Zhan’s leadership and the company’s good policies. Everyone following a good leader and a good company works with more energy. I hope the company will be even better in the future!”
“Come, let’s toast General Manager Zhan together.”
Zhan Beijue was wearing a black silk shirt.
Such a fabric, if not worn carefully, could easily appear effeminate or gaudy.
However, on him, it exuded an unspeakable sense of noble elegance.
The black color made his skin appear even fairer, making him look more restrained and incredibly charming.
The male colleagues from the technology department, dressed in checkered shirts, sat next to him, looking like less than mere background foliage in comparison.
Everyone raised their glasses and clinked them with him one by one. Only Jiang Nanfang remained seated, not moving.
Everyone’s attention was on him. Only Jiang Nanfang, who looked listless from the moment she entered until now, didn’t even glance at him.
Deputy General Manager Gao, seeing that Jiang Nanfang wasn’t standing up to toast him, feared that Zhan Beijue might be displeased and explained.
“Director Jiang led the efforts in Shangcheng for more than ten days. She worked very hard.”
“She signed a big deal last night, and she’s tired and had a bit too much to drink, so she’s feeling unwell. I told her not to drink much today. Come, raise your glasses. Director Jiang, you can toast General Manager Zhan with tea instead of wine.”
Seeing her pale complexion and exhausted demeanor, Zhan Beijue felt a pang of softness.
He raised his wine glass and looked at Jiang Nanfang.
Jiang Nanfang had no choice but to pick up the plain water in front of her and raise it towards him from a distance.
“I’m sorry, General Manager Zhan, I can’t drink today. I’ll toast you with tea.”
Zhan Beijue didn’t say anything, nodded slightly, and downed the wine in one gulp.
Deputy General Manager Gao then began to talk at length about the new product. Everyone chimed in while eating, making the atmosphere lively.
Only Jiang Nanfang felt that none of the dishes suited her appetite.
Not only did she not want to eat, but seeing others eat and smelling the aromas only made her stomach churn faintly.
She could only drink water, cup after cup.
She went to the restroom twice mid-meal. When she returned, a seafood soup had just been served.
Deputy General Manager Gao enthusiastically served her a bowl.
“Director Jiang, I see you haven’t touched your chopsticks much all evening. You can’t go without eating.”
“You’re too thin, come, have some soup to nourish yourself. This soup is the restaurant’s specialty, very nourishing. Hurry.”
Deputy General Manager Gao was old enough to be Jiang Nanfang’s father and a veteran of the company with a high position. Yet, he had no airs.
Everyone liked him very much. Jiang Nanfang respected and liked him even more.
With the soup already in front of her, there was no reason not to drink it. She picked it up and took a sip.
She intended to offer a compliment to show her cooperation.
Unexpectedly, as it entered her mouth, a fishy smell permeated.
“What kind of soup is this?” She almost spat it out directly.
Director Li used a spoon to turn over the egg-custard-like substance on top and pulled out a thin, long black thing, showing it to her.
“Look at this, do you recognize it?”
“This used to be garbage that grew in the soil when we were kids. Now it’s been mythologized and used as Chinese medicine to boil in soup. You should recognize it.”
It was only because Jiang Nanfang had excellent eyesight.
She looked up, and heavens, what kind of Chinese medicine was this! What treasure! It was just earthworms!
Could this thing really be used to make soup?
“Ugh!” Unable to suppress her nausea any longer, she covered her mouth and quickly ran towards the restroom.
She vomited until the world turned upside down. By the time she came out, it was already more than ten minutes later.
Everyone asked her with concern, “Are you alright? We were just joking with you. This is real medicinal material. We didn’t expect such a strong reaction. Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
Seeing that everyone’s attention was on Jiang Nanfang, and their table was being ignored, several female colleagues from the sales department felt a bit jealous.
Looking at her delicate appearance, half envious and half jokingly, they said.
“Could Director Jiang be pregnant? She’s so beautiful. Is she married? If not, she must have a boyfriend. Have you tested it?”
They thought that after this comment, everyone would look at Jiang Nanfang with strange eyes.
However, the entire technology department was remarkably indifferent.
“We men throw up when we drink too much, so why can’t she?”
“Director Jiang can’t possibly be pregnant unless she drank water from the Land of Women.”
“Why?” the female colleagues from the sales department asked curiously, looking their way.
Deputy General Manager Gao said, “Director Jiang is neither married nor has a boyfriend, why would you say that? Girls just love to talk nonsense.”
Little did they know, while they were indifferent, Jiang Nanfang and Zhan Beijue both took their words to heart.
Pregnant?
The two, who had done something they shouldn’t have, suddenly felt a jolt in their hearts.
At this point, Jiang Nanfang could no longer sit still.
She checked the time and said to everyone, “I’m sorry, I really need to leave first. I’m not feeling well. I’m very tired, you all have fun, let me go back to sleep.”
Everyone was extremely excited, even wanting to go for another round. It seemed she really couldn’t accompany them, so they could only let her leave first.
Jiang Nanfang went downstairs alone and took a taxi.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she left the table, Zhan Beijue also made an excuse about having something to do and followed her out.
A Zhong was driving. Zhan Beijue watched Jiang Nanfang’s taxi and said, “Follow it.”
The taxi drove on the street for less than five minutes and stopped in front of a pharmacy.
Jiang Nanfang went in and stayed for a moment before coming out.
Zhan Beijue told A Zhong to go down and ask her what she had bought.
The president is tracking and inquiring about what his ex-wife bought…
Despite his confusion, he dared not say much.
He went down to ask, and after a moment, he returned with a complicated expression.
“What did she buy?”
“A test?”
“A test? What kind of test?”
Poor Zhan Beijue, who had no experience with Jiang Nanfang’s pregnancy and childbirth, and usually didn’t interact with women.
He truly didn’t know what a pregnancy test was.
“A pregnancy test. It’s used to test for pregnancy,” A Zhong explained to him.
“…”
Why would she buy something like that? Could it be that she was really pregnant?
Thinking about the consequences of that night many years ago, and then thinking about recently…
“Let’s go. To her place.”