Chapter 182: Chapter 182: I Don’t Hate You
It’s better for a woman to handle women’s matters, so Lu Yiyun took action.
However, Gu Qin was not pleased with the woman who suddenly appeared. She said harshly, "Who are you? Stay out of my business and get out of my way."
Lu Yiyun raised an eyebrow. Talking to her so rudely?
The other three people felt a chill in their hearts, seemingly foreseeing an unpleasant outcome for Gu Qin.
"Today is Brother Tang’s banquet. On Brother Tang’s behalf, I can let your disrespect slide till next time, but stop bothering us now. We are going to have dinner; don’t ruin our mood."
When Gu Qin heard the term Brother Tang, she was stunned. This woman must be referring to Tang Yuxiu.
Someone who can address Tang Yuxiu like that clearly has a significant background.
She had offended someone who seemed rather important without knowing anything!
Damn it.
"Alright, stop wasting your breath on her, let’s go."
"Little girl, your stomach must be starving. Don’t waste time on unnecessary people."
"I got it." Lu Yiyun responded, giving Gu Qin a seemingly indifferent look, then left with them. Gu Qin didn’t dare to follow. She was unsure why Xue Jiarui had turned against her and had unknowingly offended someone connected to Tang Yuxiu, leaving her both anxious and angry.
She clenched her hand at her side, suddenly thinking of Gu Yan!
It must be because of Gu Yan. Before, when she was with Tang Yuxiu, she claimed to be cousins with Gu Yan, which made Xue Jiarui treat her better. But today Gu Yan appeared with another man, and Xue Jiarui must have realized this, thus his dislike for Gu Yan and subsequent aversion towards her.
Gu Yan! Truly despicable!
She’s ruined her plans and image!
She’d already suffered losses at the hands of Gu Yan today, and now, stubbornly convinced Gu Yan had ruined her carefully nurtured relationships and future aspirations, she was angrier than ever.
Gu Yan, just you wait!
Gu Qin furiously cursed Gu Yan in her heart, then reverted to what she believed was a charming and gentle demeanor, and returned to the banquet hall to seek out targets to network with.
Meanwhile, Tang Yuxiu, alone in a secluded corner, was feeling very agitated, drinking glass after glass of alcohol, as if he couldn’t drink enough, finishing one bottle and opening another, without bothering to socialize with the guests.
Even someone with a good alcohol tolerance couldn’t withstand drinking so much.
Even Tang Yuxiu, his face turned rosy from drunkenness, and his gaze became increasingly unfocused.
Until the banquet ended, You Shuyang and employees of the Tang Family had seen off all the guests.
You Shuyang found him, seeing him still drinking, she frowned slightly, "President Tang, the banquet is over. Shall I take you home?"
Go home?
He didn’t want to go home.
He feared returning to find Gu Yan was not there, making him overthink whether Gu Yan was with Qin Junnan and what they might be doing.
Tang Yuxiu shook his head slightly, "You go first, I’ll stay a while longer."
"President Tang, you’ve drunk so much. How will you get home?"
"I’m not drunk, I can go back, and if not, I can get a room here. You go ahead, don’t worry about me."
Tang Yuxiu’s tone held a hint of impatience. You Shuyang guessed it must be because Gu Yan and Qin Junnan appeared together, upsetting him, leading him to drink like this.
It was rare for the young master to be so troubled over a woman, and You Shuyang thought it was a good thing, smartly never defying his superior’s decisions, thus nodding in agreement.
"Alright, President Tang, I’m leaving first. Call me if you need anything."
"Hmm." He responded lightly, continuing to drink.
You Shuyang glanced at him a few times, then turned to leave.
Once You Shuyang left, it signaled almost everyone from the banquet had gone, leaving only Shengshi’s staff to clean up.
Someone cleaning nearby where Tang Yuxiu drank alone was startled. How was President Tang still drinking here when the banquet had ended so long ago?
He was about to remind Tang Yuxiu when someone stopped him.
"Go clean up elsewhere."
The newcomer was Nie Rong, half the star of today’s banquet. They nodded and went to another area.
Nie Rong hadn’t left, watching as everyone departed one by one. She stood at a distance, observing Tang Yuxiu’s reactions.
You Shuyang came to call him, and he didn’t leave. She stayed on the other side.
Now, seeing he had drunk too much and was slumped over the table, still holding a wine glass, eyes closed, brow slightly furrowed, seemingly uncomfortable from drinking too much.
She walked over and called softly, "Yu Xiu, stop drinking, you’ve had too much."
Tang Yuxiu didn’t react.
Nie Rong paused, had he really drunk himself to sleep?
She walked around to the other side, looking at Tang Yuxiu, calling a few more times. He still didn’t respond.
Nie Rong confirmed her suspicion.
She hesitated as she reached out to touch him, worried that he might suddenly wake and slap her hand away.
However, when she touched his shoulder, he didn’t move for a long while.
She breathed a sigh of relief and stretched out her other hand to shake Tang Yuxiu a few times.
Perhaps being shaken was uncomfortable, Tang Yuxiu frowned more deeply and opened his eyes slightly.
Unable to see the person in front of him clearly, he spoke impatiently, "What is it!"
"Yuxiu, you are drunk; you almost fell asleep here. I’ll get you a room downstairs; let’s go to a room and sleep."
Tang Yuxiu opened his eyes a bit more. It took him a while to remember he had been drinking—a lot. Now his body didn’t feel well, and his head hurt a bit. So, without caring who the person in front of him was, he nodded, "Mm."
Nie Rong felt a joy in her heart; he agreed, and now, as she was touching his body with both hands, he did not push her away in disgust.
Doesn’t this mean that, in his heart, he still allows her touch?
"I’ll help you up."
Tang Yuxiu did not object and propped himself up.
Nie Rong instructed an employee who was cleaning to help open a presidential suite room.
She helped Tang Yuxiu into the room, closed the door, and Tang Yuxiu’s weight pressed more and more against her. She was used to a life of comfort and had never done hard work; this was her first time supporting a grown man, and it was a bit difficult. Her steps were somewhat unsteady.
Finally reaching the bed, she wanted to carefully place Tang Yuxiu onto it, but her leg slipped, causing both Tang Yuxiu and herself to fall onto the bed, right on top of him.
Tang Yuxiu was lying there with his eyes closed, apparently asleep again, oblivious to the person pressing on him and showing no reaction.
Nie Rong propped herself up on his chest, lifting her head, instantly captivated by his handsome face.
Whether in looks, family, talent, or ability, Tang Yuxiu was top-tier; among his peers, it was hard to find another man as outstanding as him.
From the first glance at this man, she had fallen deeply for him.
All this time knowing him, she never had a real chance to get close to him, nor did he allow anyone to approach him.
But now she was lying on top of him, and he hadn’t pushed her away.
Even knowing it’s because he was drunk and unaware of the situation, she found a sliver of solace in her fortune.
As long as he didn’t push her away, even if he couldn’t feel her presence, she was content, happy.
She stared at him intently, a sudden impulse rising in her heart—or perhaps not an impulse, but something she had longed to do.
Soon, she would become his fiancée and surely his future wife, so why couldn’t she have him sooner!
Once the thought emerged, it grew wildly like a vine.
Tang Yuxiu was hers; no one could take him away, not even he himself could refuse her.
Inside her was a near-psychotic madness and obsession!
She recalled hearing once that those who appear the purest and kindest on the surface often hide the greatest perversions in their hearts.
A "debutante" raised in a family that had washed its hands of the underworld was particularly typical.
Nie Rong climbed over Tang Yuxiu’s chest, staring at his flawless face with a gaze full of fascination.
Her hand stroked his cheek, whispering to herself, "Yuxiu, you can only be mine."
With that, she bent down, placing her lips on his.
Although Tang Yuxiu was not entirely clear-minded due to alcohol, such close proximity triggered his innate cleanliness compulsion. Reflexively unable to bear it, he groggily opened his eyes to see a blurred face before him.
He had drunk too much—more than he had throughout his entire life—or so it seemed, leaving him heavily intoxicated. His vision was hazy, compounded by the close distance, making it impossible to clearly see the person in front of him.
Even so, he could never allow anyone to be so close to him.
Suddenly, he pushed away Nie Rong, the strength of a drunken man not as great as usual, only pushing her away from his lips but not off completely.
Nie Rong was stunned, staring at him in heartbreak, "Yuxiu, can you truly not endure me? I beg you, don’t be so heartless towards me. I like you so much; can’t you show a little compassion?"
Her pitiful tone suddenly reminded Tang Yuxiu of a moment from the past.
Once, when he was so furious that he hurt Gu Yan, she looked at him with such sadness. At that time, he couldn’t care for anything, nearly causing an irreparable situation.
And now, the situation seemed to overlap with that time—the sorrowful eyes and voice of a woman stirred a softness deep in his heart.
"I didn’t mean to." His eyes suddenly softened, and he spoke gently.
Nie Rong’s heart jolted, seemingly in disbelief that Tang Yuxiu would suddenly be so gentle.
"Yuxiu, you don’t dislike me, do you? You like me too, don’t you?" Nie Rong looked at him expectantly.
People speak truthfully when drunk—if he was treating her so gently while intoxicated, did it mean he had feelings for her but was only angry before?
The more Nie Rong thought about it, the more she felt it might be true.
Tang Yuxiu, with his dreamy eyes, looked at her, the blurred face before him seemingly merging with that ever-evasive face in his mind. He nodded slightly, "I don’t dislike you."