Chapter 54

In order to attend the Xinhé charity event, Lin Shu left work early and changed into a black satin dress. It was simple but elegant, the kind that wouldn’t go wrong—both dignified and fitting for the event’s atmosphere. She had asked Xu Mingmei to go home early as well and change into a dress before meeting up with her. However, unfortunately, Xu Mingmei had gotten food poisoning and called Lin Shu to inform her that she was likely suffering from acute gastroenteritis and wouldn’t be able to attend.

Lin Shu already knew Wang Yannian from Xinhé, so she wasn’t intimidated by attending Xinhé events. Initially, she had planned to bring Xu Mingmei along to let her see the world, familiarize herself with socializing, and get to know how to develop potential business sources. But now that Xu Mingmei was sick, Lin Shu decided to go alone.

Fortunately, Wang Yannian valued Lin Shu more than she had expected.

“Lawyer Lin, thank you for taking the time to attend. My son has caused some trouble before, and I appreciate your efforts,” Wang Yannian said.

As the host of the charity event and the founder of Xinhé Group, there were naturally many people hoping to make connections with Wang Yannian at the event. However, Wang Yannian was very humble. Although time was limited, as soon as Lin Shu entered, he personally came to greet her, giving her plenty of face.

“I have some matters to attend to, so I won’t be able to stay long. I’ll have someone from Xinhé take care of you, Lawyer Lin,” he said with a smile, and then waved to one side. “Pan Yu, come over and make sure to take good care of Lawyer Lin.”

Following Wang Yannian’s gesture, Lin Shu turned to look in the direction he indicated and saw the employee named Pan Yu.

He seemed to be around the same age as Lin Shu, dressed in a sharp suit and black-rimmed glasses, tall and handsome with a refined, urban elite vibe.

“Pan Yu is the vice president of one of our subsidiaries,” Wang Yannian continued. “You two are around the same age and both quite excellent, so I’m sure you’ll have a lot to talk about. Please do have some more exchanges.”

After the introduction, Pan Yu smiled warmly at Lin Shu. “Lawyer Lin, let me take you to meet the CEOs of a few of Xinhé’s subsidiaries. It’ll be helpful for any potential future business interactions. Here’s my business card; please keep it.”

Lin Shu thought for a moment and decided it was a good idea. She was already annoyed by Xu Shijia, and maybe it would be better to get to know some other male peers. She smiled and took the business card from Pan Yu, then handed over her own in return.

However, just as she was about to pass her card to him, a hand suddenly reached out from beside her, snatching her card away quickly.

The familiar deep voice of Xu Shijia followed.

“In Xinhé, you only need me.”

The tall figure of Xu Shijia blocked Lin Shu’s view entirely, preventing her from seeing Pan Yu’s face.

In just a short time, Xu Shijia had changed out of his work suit into an expensive, custom-tailored outfit that suited his wealthy heir persona. His hair was freshly styled, and he seemed to have rushed over, his breath slightly quickened as he approached.

“Mr. Pan, please excuse me. I’ll take care of Lawyer Lin from here,” he said to Pan Yu.

Pan Yu, who probably knew Xu Shijia’s identity as the son of a major shareholder, exchanged a few brief words with Lin Shu before taking his leave.

Lin Shu had already been irritated by Xu Shijia’s appearance, and now she was even angrier at him for sending Pan Yu away without consulting her.

“What are you doing here? I didn’t arrange for you to come with me tonight,” Lin Shu said, her voice tense.

Xu Shijia shrugged nonchalantly. “Xu Mingmei couldn’t make it, so I came to see if you needed help.”

“You haven’t finished the translation yet?” Lin Shu asked, frowning.

Xu Shijia shrugged again. “No.”

“The three contracts you were supposed to translate are urgent, and the clients are waiting. You’re not doing your job but showing up at a party you didn’t need to attend. There’s no work for you here,” she scolded.

“Then just think of me as here to enjoy the nightlife,” Xu Shijia said casually.

“Nightlife?” Lin Shu looked at him coldly. “Your idea of nightlife is to interfere with my work, send away the VP from Xinhé who was supposed to host me, and avoid doing your urgent work for the next few days? Do you even respect me as your boss?”

“I’m not here to interfere with your work, nor am I showing off,” Xu Shijia replied, a faint smile on his lips. He glanced at Lin Shu, then looked down. “I’m heading home, just stopping by to play the gracious host.”

Yes, Xinhé was their family’s company.

Xu Shijia looked impeccably stylish as always, exuding an effortless, laid-back air that suggested he found everything easy to manage. He seemed to be in complete control, and his composure was maddening.

“I’ll finish the translation at home,” Xu Shijia said softly. “You’re my boss, but that doesn’t mean you can dictate what I do after hours. Even if I’m working overtime, I still have the freedom to choose when I work.”

He stared into Lin Shu’s eyes. “If you want to control what I do after work, you’d need to be my girlfriend.”

Fine, Lin Shu thought, she wasn’t his girlfriend, so she had no right to tell him what to do after hours.

Xu Shijia’s face was still handsome and confident, but Lin Shu couldn’t help feeling annoyed just looking at him. She didn’t want to look at him any longer.

He had the freedom to do whatever he liked after hours, and she had the freedom not to want to see him.

“I don’t need you to host me,” Lin Shu said coldly. “I’m a partner at Tianhao. I don’t need anyone to accompany me to network or build business relationships. If there’s an issue, I’ll contact Pan Yu.”

She threw those words at him and turned to leave.

But Xu Shijia stopped her.

“Can I see that business card from Pan Yu?” he asked casually. “I need to ask him something, but I don’t have his contact information.”

Lin Shu didn’t think twice, handing over the business card she had just received. She planned to let Xu Shijia look at it, then get it back and have him leave her alone.

But when Xu Shijia took the card, he didn’t even glance at the phone number. Instead, he tore it into pieces and casually threw it into a nearby potted plant.

Lin Shu was shaking with anger. “Xu Shijia, what’s wrong with you?”

“You said you didn’t need anyone to host you or help you network, right?” Xu Shijia said, looking utterly unbothered. “If you don’t want me to accompany you, then you can’t have him accompany you either.”

Lin Shu was absolutely furious.

What kind of behavior was this?

Did he want to have someone accompany him? Was she a child?!

Her face darkened as she clicked her high heels sharply on the floor and walked away, not sparing him a single glance.

She didn’t understand what was going on with Xu Shijia. Since he was already with his white moonlight and had become a father, couldn’t he focus on his own private life? Why did he keep showing up in front of Lin Shu, trying to assert his presence?

However, Lin Shu actively tried to avoid suspicion, but Xu Shijia clearly had no self-awareness.

Wherever Lin Shu went, Xu Shijia followed closely behind.

This was Xinhé’s territory, and Lin Shu had no reason to let the “prince” of Xinhé leave.

So, she simply ignored him and took the initiative to socialize, trying to build connections and identify potential clients.

But without Wang Yannian present and without Pan Yu as an introduction, Lin Shu’s young appearance made it difficult for her to break into conversations with the entrepreneurs at Xinhé, let alone have the chance to introduce her law firm and team and leave a lasting impression.

Having previously told Xu Shijia she didn’t need him to accompany her, she couldn’t bring herself to call him over for help now. Meanwhile, Xu Shijia was leisurely following her around, as if certain that she would eventually ask for his assistance, just waiting for her to soften.

Why should she?

Lin Shu would never bow to Xu Shijia.

She had come this far because she wasn’t afraid of hardship or awkward situations. She had made it without relying on any team, and even without help, she had been successful in pushing herself forward, sometimes even promoting herself by putting herself in uncomfortable situations. Now, without Xu Shijia, she didn’t think she couldn’t still succeed in gaining clients.

So, Lin Shu decided to ignore Xu Shijia and walked towards a group of middle-aged entrepreneurs who were chatting. These men were famous pharmaceutical industry giants in Rong City, and they were exactly the type of clients she wanted to target in the future.

A young bull isn’t afraid of tigers.

Although Lin Shu’s approach was a little abrupt, her witty language and insightful commentary on the pharmaceutical industry quickly caught the attention of the CEOs. Two of them even readily exchanged contact information with her, and one of them expressed great interest in the legal training services her team provided, saying he was considering offering basic legal training to his employees.

However, some of the CEOs were polite and measured, but there are always exceptions.

As Lin Shu was about to leave the conversation, the CEO who had shown interest in the legal training called out to her: “Lawyer Lin, we’re almost at the stage of discussing cooperation. How about sharing a drink with me?”

He called over a waiter, took a glass of champagne from the tray, and handed it to Lin Shu. “I have a habit — I believe we need to have a drink together before we talk business.”

The CEO’s voice was loud and confident: “Once we drink this, the cooperation is sealed!”

“Give me some face! Drink this, and I’ll sign the contract.”

Lin Shu had been in the workplace for years and wasn’t unfamiliar with this kind of upper-level behavior. Some people liked to drink and therefore pushed others to drink with them, while others were just amused by her appearance and youth, thinking it would be fun to have a beautiful young woman drink with them. After all, for many middle-aged and older men, having a young and attractive woman drink with them was considered a status symbol.

The champagne wasn’t very strong, and the CEO’s pharmaceutical company employed over a thousand people. If she could secure the contract for employee legal training, the potential income would be enormous. Moreover, those employees could become potential clients in the future.

He was the client, and she was the service provider.

Since that chaotic night, Lin Shu hadn’t been drinking, but today was a special case. The champagne was mild, and she felt confident she could handle it. Besides, Tang Xiao was at the event too, and if anything went wrong, she could always find him for help.

So, Lin Shu made a quick decision and decided to drink the champagne, hoping to open the door to a larger future collaboration.

“Actually, I don’t usually drink,” Lin Shu said with a soft smile. She knew her looks were an asset, and she wasn’t shy about using them. She looked at the CEO with an admiring gaze, “But I really do want to cooperate with Mr. Zhang. You’re so straightforward, and your efficiency in securing this deal shows that you know what you’re doing. No wonder you’ve been so successful in the pharmaceutical investment field and have such sharp foresight. You’re willing to trust my team and me, which makes me feel that we’re destined to work together. So, I’ll make an exception and drink this glass.”

This flattery obviously pleased him, and he was taken aback by her praise. “With your words, Lawyer Lin, this collaboration is definitely happening! Don’t worry, our company is under my control. If I say we’ll use your firm’s services, then it’s a done deal!”

Lin Shu smiled. “Of course. How about this, we won’t wait for another day. After we finish this drink, we’ll sign the contract on the spot.” She looked at him. “After all, your company is your decision, and since you’ve already made it clear, there’s no reason not to sign the contract now.”

What men say at a drinking table isn’t always trustworthy. It’s far better to finalize a contract for even a smaller amount of business than to engage in grandiose promises of deals worth millions.

But one doesn’t become a CEO without being sharp. Even though he said that, the CEO still left an opening for himself in his words: “Of course, I have the final say in the company, but for the specific training content and prices, we’ll need you to send us a quote first. Then we can narrow down the training content and courses we want. Even though I want to sign the contract today, we haven’t yet decided on all the courses, right?”

Lin Shu had been prepared for this.

“Yes, the contract we’re signing today isn’t for the finalized training content. We’ll first set a framework agreement to establish how much training services your company will purchase from our firm each year. Just let me know your budget, and that will solidify the cooperation.”

“After that, we can refine the specific training content and courses,” Lin Shu continued with a smile, “This way, it’s neither rushed nor vague. We can finalize the cooperation and move forward more efficiently.”

“I have the template for the framework agreement here, but if your company has its own version, we can use that.”

The specific details of the cooperation agreement would naturally require some negotiation and may not be finalized quickly.

However, the framework agreement was always simple and straightforward. Often, it could be done on a single sheet of paper, with terms that were largely similar, focusing on confirming the intention to cooperate and setting a minimum business amount. As long as the budget was met, the partnership for the following year was essentially secured.

The CEO clearly didn’t expect Lin Shu to press him so hard, but he couldn’t backtrack on his earlier boast. There were other competitors from the industry around him, and even if he wanted to save face, he couldn’t afford to lose.

His expression darkened: “Our company has a budget system. Purchases over 500,000 need to go through a process, even if I agree, it still has to go through a meeting and approval.”

This wasn’t a big deal!

Lin Shu decided to retreat and advance: “Since your company’s budget system requires approval for anything over 500,000, how about we set the budget at 500,000 for now? No need for a meeting, and with your company’s large number of employees, this amount will be used up quickly. If the cooperation goes well, we can renew the contract later.”

For a company like his, which offered training services on an annual basis, the price was easily over a million.

The CEO had assumed Lin Shu would be greedy and ask for more than a million, thinking she would try to take advantage of the situation with so many people around. But Lin Shu wasn’t like that.

She wasn’t looking to take everything at once.

The hardest part is always the first step. Once the first cooperation was secured, as long as her services were solid, future collaborations would come naturally.

When the CEO heard this proposal, he visibly relaxed. 500,000 was a reasonable amount for him, and he immediately smiled again.

“That works!”

At this point, the cooperation was settled.

Lin Shu wasn’t hesitant and immediately raised her champagne, ready to drink it all in one go.

One glass of champagne, 500,000—worth it.

However, just as her glass was about to touch her lips, someone quickly approached and snatched the champagne away.

Lin Shu looked up and realized it was Xu Shijia again.

Without giving her a chance to respond, he took the champagne and drank it down in one go.

“Uncle Zhang, let me do this.”

It was clear that Xu Shijia knew CEO Zhang, and his sudden interruption puzzled and surprised Zhang. “Shijia? What are you doing…”

Xu Shijia stood tall next to Lin Shu and spoke calmly, “I’m Lin Shu’s person.”

Ignoring the confused look from CEO Zhang, Xu Shijia remained composed and said, “So, this drink should be from me.”

After drinking, he smiled and added, “I hope you’ll continue to look out for Lin Shu in our future cooperation.”

CEO Zhang’s eyes kept flicking between Lin Shu and Xu Shijia, and after a moment, he broke into an understanding smile. “I didn’t realize you two had such a connection. Lawyer Lin, you’re young and outstanding. I’ll have my secretary arrange the framework agreement, and we’ll definitely need your help with the employee legal training going forward.”

Xu Shijia’s status as the youngest son of Xinhé Group’s CEO was more effective than a hundred words from Lin Shu. As soon as Xu Shijia spoke, CEO Zhang immediately called his secretary.

With that, the deal was practically locked in.

But Lin Shu was furious.

The instigator, however, didn’t think he’d done anything wrong and was already pulling Lin Shu away without listening to her.

“What do you mean by that, Xu Shijia? What do you mean ‘I’m your person’?”

Such ambiguous words clearly made CEO Zhang misunderstand, leading to his sudden change of attitude and making things easier for Lin Shu.

In response to Lin Shu’s questioning, Xu Shijia leaned back casually and, without any shame, said, “Aren’t I part of your team? Am I not your person?”

“What’s wrong with what I said? Or do you not consider me one of your people?”

He leaned closer to Lin Shu, staring into her eyes with a mischievous look and said, “I am your person.”

At such a close distance, Lin Shu could even smell the faint scent of champagne on him.

The champagne wasn’t very strong, and Lin Shu could handle it, but for Xu Shijia, who was more sensitive to alcohol, it might be a different story.

Lin Shu rubbed her temples. She knew it would probably be hard to reason with Xu Shijia, but she couldn’t help herself—

“If you hadn’t shown up, I could have handled this client on my own. If you hadn’t interfered, I would have sealed the deal. And now, you say something so ambiguous, and people will think I got this business because of some special relationship with you. How am I supposed to face people later? Will they think I’m using your identity to get business?”

Xu Shijia seemed unconcerned. “Then let them think that. I don’t care.”

“And besides, it’s not like you didn’t use my identity. People will gossip no matter what you do, right? Haven’t you said that yourself? You don’t need to care about other people’s opinions. You haven’t done anything improper, and I’m your subordinate, so what’s wrong with using me? I don’t mind.”

“Of course, you wouldn’t care since it’s not you being gossiped about! I’m doing business the right way, and even if I got this deal because of your identity, I wouldn’t grovel to you just because it’s useful.”

Xu Shijia glanced at Lin Shu, then looked away. “If anyone says something, I’ll clear it up for you.”

“Clear it up? What are you clearing up?”

Xu Shijia looked at her and slowly said, “I’ll clear up that I was the one who wanted to ride on your coattails.”

“You don’t need to grovel to me. I’ll grovel to you, that’s fine, right?”

“Grovel to you? Forget it!”

Lin Shu was furious. “Let’s put this aside for now. Why did you steal my champagne? You know what happens to you when you drink, don’t you?”

She glanced around at the prominent entrepreneurs in the room. “What if something goes wrong here? How am I supposed to explain this to your father?”

“That’s why you should trust me,” Xu Shijia said lazily. “Just watch me, and take care of me. Isn’t that enough?”

“Who’s going to take care of you!”

She had been fine until he spoke, but now Lin Shu was even angrier.

“Just because you came over and caused trouble, I wasted time arguing with you. Now, when I turn around, all the cream puffs I like are already gone!”

As a result, Xu Shijia showed no remorse. “Oh, you like those? They’ll be replenished later.”

“Right now, we have important matters to take care of.”

After Xu Shijia spoke, he disregarded Lin Shu’s objections, grabbed her hand, and casually took a glass of champagne from the waiter’s tray. Then he led Lin Shu toward a group of other entrepreneurs.

This time, Xu Shijia didn’t say things like “I’m her person.” Instead, he said nothing at all—

“This is Lin Shu, one of the partners at Tianhao Law Firm. If any of you uncles or brothers need legal services, feel free to approach her.”

He introduced Lin Shu’s identity and then went on to introduce her to all the old friends in Wang Yannan’s circle. After each introduction, he would take a sip of champagne, with a serious and respectful attitude.

“Last time, when I turned 60, I invited you to have a drink with me, but you refused, insisting that you don’t drink alcohol. Now look at you, drinking one glass after another.”

Listening to the teasing from the people opposite, Lin Shu felt a complex and subtle emotion.

Because of Xu Shijia’s ambiguous attitude, even though Lin Shu made every effort to clarify that she was just Xu Shijia’s superior, people clearly misunderstood their relationship.

Under the probing gazes of others, it seemed like she was the most special person in Xu Shijia’s life.

But Lin Shu knew better.

Xu Shijia had his “white moonlight” — someone he had loved for many years and couldn’t forget.

His actions at this moment might just be a spontaneous act of kindness born out of his cheerful mood.

With his status, this was likely just an impulsive gesture, a small favor.

After Xu Shijia had finished introducing Lin Shu around, she finally had a chance to break free from him. She didn’t want to linger, so she headed toward the small garden outside the event.

Unfortunately, Xu Shijia wouldn’t leave her alone. Using his height and long legs, he caught up with her in just a few steps and grabbed her hand again.

“I have a friend of my dad’s who works in the chip industry. He’s setting up a new factory and really needs legal services. Let me introduce you.”

Lin Shu shook off Xu Shijia’s hand. “I don’t need it.”

Xu Shijia was about to get married, and Lin Shu didn’t want rumors spreading about a special relationship between them.

She looked coldly at him. “I’ll handle my own business development. It’s not work hours now, and you don’t need to stay late just for me. Don’t follow me, Xu Shijia. Are you just looking for trouble because you’ve had a full meal?”

“Looking for trouble? Wasn’t it you who targeted me first? You didn’t let me take the case, didn’t set up a meeting. Don’t say it’s a work arrangement — you’re clearly avoiding me. You know it, so don’t deny it.”

Xu Shijia stood still, his expression dark. “What have I done to offend you, Lin Shu? From the moment you joined Tianhao, haven’t I been working my ass off for you? Now you’re turning on me? Am I useless to you now?”

He ground his teeth. “I’m the only one who can introduce those entrepreneurs and get them to bring business to the firm. I’m very useful, and my potential hasn’t been fully tapped. Why aren’t you using me?”

He stared into Lin Shu’s eyes, questioning her. “Where am I useless? You’re sidelining me and seeking new people?”

As if a thought had occurred to him, Xu Shijia froze, then glared at Lin Shu with a displeased expression. “Are you talking about wanting to date? Did you come to this wine party looking for someone suitable? Have you set your sights on that Pan Yu?”

Xu Shijia’s wild and unfounded assumptions were ridiculous!

Lin Shu didn’t have an ego, but that didn’t mean she could tolerate Xu Shijia’s questioning.

She was about to retort when Xu Shijia glanced around the event and then turned away without saying a word.

?

Lin Shu watched Xu Shijia’s back, utterly frustrated.

Who does that? Throw a bunch of unprovoked accusations at someone, then turn around and leave without saying anything?

Did he forget that she was his boss?

Lin Shu was furious.

But since Xu Shijia had been drinking, who knew if he was even sober? The venue was packed with people, and she couldn’t find Wang Yannan or Wang Yizhou. So, she pursed her lips, resigned, and decided to go after Xu Shijia.

But it didn’t take long before Lin Shu realized Xu Shijia had definitely lost control of himself again.

He had already turned back from the main hall and was walking toward Lin Shu, but this time, he was holding something—he had grabbed a steel food pot from the buffet area!

Lin Shu was stunned.

Yet, Xu Shijia still walked toward her with a calm, composed expression, unaffected by the looks of those around him.

In front of Lin Shu, Xu Shijia placed the food pot on the table with a nonchalant air.

“Is this okay?”

“?”

He opened the lid of the steel pot. “You wanted cream puffs, right? I saw them restocked just now, so I grabbed them, even chased away three people who were eyeing them. They didn’t get a single one. Now I’m bringing them all to you.”

He stood in front of Lin Shu, looking completely justified. “What else do you want? I’ll go get it for you.”

“…”

“So don’t say I ruined your chance to have cream puffs because we were arguing.”

Xu Shijia looked Lin Shu in the eye. “You can have whatever you want, but dating? No way.”

He even needed to control whether she dated?

Lin Shu was livid. “Who the hell are you to control my love life?”

Unfortunately, Xu Shijia had clearly had too much to drink and was completely rambling. “I swore I’d never drink again, but it’s all because of you, making me mess up again and again.”

Xu Shijia seemed to have sentenced Lin Shu to some crime in his mind, glaring at her with anger. “You’re responsible for this. If I hadn’t seen you drinking to expand your business, I wouldn’t have come over and snatched your drink.”

Such an illogical argument. Lin Shu was half furious. “You made me drink! What’s it got to do with you?”

But Xu Shijia was still very sure of himself. “You come to Xinhé’s turf, I can’t even protect you, and now you want me to let you drink for business? Am I still a man? What will others think of me?”

“Fine, fine, fine, it’s your male chauvinism acting up, so you want to grab the drink, and in the end, it’s still Lin Shu’s fault?”

Clearly, it was Xu Shijia’s unreasonable behavior, yet this man had the audacity to act thick-skinned—

“And when you go drinking with those entrepreneurs, isn’t your real intention not just business expansion, but to get close to their sons? Why can’t you just work with me? Why do you have to go find someone to date?”

As a subordinate, Lin Shu could understand if her superior was worried about being distracted by a romance affecting work, but for Xu Shijia to openly say this, it was crossing boundaries and far too selfish.

Alcohol was making Xu Shijia lose his rationality, and he kept talking nonsense. “The reason I’ve been drinking all these glasses today is to stop you from getting into a relationship. After today, I want to see who dares to introduce a partner to you or who dares to introduce their son to you.”

What a wolf in sheep’s clothing. She had thought Xu Shijia was kindly introducing her to business opportunities, but it turned out he was trying to deliberately create misunderstandings. Lin Shu couldn’t believe her eyes.

Was he really trying this hard to prevent her from dating, just so she could focus on work?

At this point, Xu Shijia didn’t stop. He kept rambling on, “Every drink I’ve had in my life, I’ve had it for you.”

Utter nonsense.

So far, Xu Shijia had only drunk with Lin Shu twice, and even if he insisted those two times were for his own reasons, what about before that? He first realized he was sensitive to alcohol on a night with his first love, was he going to blame that on himself too?

This man really had no shame.

He completely disregarded the facts and kept spewing nonsense.

Not only was Xu Shijia unrepentant, but he also became thoroughly shameless. He grabbed Lin Shu’s arm, as if trying to get an answer, or to make her promise something, and didn’t let go. “So, you have to use me! I’m very useful! Lin Shu, promise me, keep using me!”

Lin Shu was left speechless. She had never seen anyone so eager to be enslaved by their superior.

There was no point in arguing with a drunk person. Lin Shu conceded, “Fine, fine, fine, you’re useful, I’ll keep using you for work.”

“I’m useful in other ways too. You have to use me in other ways! Only me!”

Even knowing Xu Shijia was drunk, Lin Shu still couldn’t stop feeling dissatisfied. “Xu Shijia, besides work, what other ways can I use you? What other ways are you useful?”

Xu Shijia waved his hand toward Lin Shu, “Come here, I’ll tell you secretly. This is a secret, I won’t tell anyone else, but I’m very, very useful in other ways. I’m very capable.”

Lin Shu didn’t even know if she was under some spell. She knew she shouldn’t trust a drunk, but Xu Shijia’s demeanor was so calm and composed, it was almost deceptive. Before she realized it, she had unconsciously leaned in toward him.

Xu Shijia moved closer, his lips and breath near her ear.

Then Lin Shu heard his voice softly explode in her ear, like fireworks blooming—

“In bed.”

“I’m also very useful in bed.”