Chapter 39

Cheng Li never imagined herself carrying a quilt and voluntarily heading to a man’s room in the middle of the night. At this moment, the man in question was in the bathroom taking a shower.

Although the bathroom door was tightly shut, and she clearly heard the sound of the lock clicking when Rong Qi went inside, the sound of running water still seeped through.

It was clear and somewhat intriguing.

Cheng Li sat on the bed, glancing around the room.

Rong Qi’s room was simple in design. Opposite the bed stood a massive dark glass cabinet, housing various decorations and books. From afar, it seemed there were also a few trophies inside.

Between the bed and the bathroom stood a dark glass wardrobe, its contents—his usual attire—on full display.

The room followed a no-main-light design, with a mix of light and shadow creating a distinct atmosphere, starkly different from her cozy and sweetly decorated bedroom.

Curled up in the bed with her quilt, Cheng Li curiously observed her surroundings.

After taking in the room, she glanced down and noticed her pink quilt lying on the overall gray-toned bed, creating a jarring visual contrast.

Beside her lay Rong Qi’s usual bedding: a silvery-gray silk quilt.

Reaching out to touch it, she found it smooth and cold.

At that moment, Cheng Li truly realized she had stepped into the world of an adult man.

A soft click from the glass wardrobe on the other side suddenly broke the silence.

Cheng Li immediately straightened her back.

Rong Qi emerged, wearing dark gray silk pajamas. Every button on his top, from the first to the last, was fastened neatly without a gap.

A dark towel hung around his neck, clearly used for drying his hair.

“You’re not asleep yet?” Rong Qi asked, visibly surprised to see Cheng Li still sitting up in bed.

Cheng Li reminded him, “I’m here to take care of you.”

Rong Qi chuckled lightly. “So you’re waiting for me?”

What else?

“Just a moment.” Rong Qi dried his hair with the towel. His short, jet-black hair, still dripping wet, looked even darker and shinier.

Cheng Li asked, “Why don’t you use a hairdryer to dry your hair?”

“It’s late, too noisy,” Rong Qi replied softly.

Cheng Li paused. There were only two people in the house—him and her.

Was he worried about disturbing her?

“Where’s your hairdryer?” Cheng Li said decisively, “You’ve been drinking, and if you go to bed with wet hair, it could easily give you a headache.”

She got up, ready to find it.

But as she lifted the quilt and stood up, it tangled around her feet.

As she attempted to step off the bed, she lost her balance entirely.

Seeing that Cheng Li was about to fall off the bed, Rong Qi rushed over and caught her. Cheng Li collapsed into his arms, the sudden loss of balance leaving her clinging tightly to his pajama top in fright.

The lingering fear kept her frozen for a moment.

“Are you okay?” Rong Qi asked, his voice slightly hoarse.

Cheng Li snapped out of it and hastily tried to push herself away from him.

Standing on the bed when she fell, her feet were still on the mattress, while her body leaned into Rong Qi’s chest. Her movements inadvertently pressed her closer to him.

As Rong Qi lowered his gaze, he noticed the top button of her pajama shirt had come undone at some point.

From his angle, he could see her delicate collarbone and the soft, snowy curve beneath it, rising and falling gently like mountain peaks.

Rong Qi quickly averted his gaze.

Simultaneously, he placed a hand on her waist and gently lifted her.

With that, he carried Cheng Li from the bed to the floor, setting her feet into her slippers before releasing her.

Cheng Li’s face flushed bright red, embarrassed by her clumsiness.

Was she a child?

She had actually fallen off a bed.

“I’ll get the hairdryer,” Cheng Li said as she slipped on her slippers and darted into the bathroom.

“Be careful, the floor’s slippery,” Rong Qi reminded from behind.

Not long after, the sound of her rummaging through a cabinet reached him.

He raised his voice slightly, “Under the sink, in the left drawer.”

“Found it!” Cheng Li called back.

Returning with the hairdryer, she plugged it into the bedside outlet.

Noticing Rong Qi still standing nearby, she reached out and tugged him gently. “Sit here. The sooner we dry your hair, the sooner you can sleep.”

As soon as Rong Qi sat down at the edge of the bed, a warm breeze drifted over his head.

The wind was moderate in temperature, not too hot.

Before long, he felt fingers brushing through his damp hair, gliding between the strands, and occasionally grazing his scalp. The sensation sent a faint shiver down his spine.

As he subtly leaned back, Cheng Li asked softly, “Is the heat too much?”

“No,” Rong Qi replied in a low voice.

A moment later, Cheng Li began applying light pressure with her fingertips, massaging his scalp. The subtle force was unexpectedly soothing.

“Does your head still hurt?” she asked quietly.

“A little,” Rong Qi murmured.

Cheng Li was puzzled. “You seemed fine earlier. Why were you throwing up so badly just now?”

“I rarely show signs of drinking,” Rong Qi explained casually.

Cheng Li nodded thoughtfully. “But I’ve heard that people who don’t show it after drinking may actually have weaker livers.”

Different people have varied reactions to alcohol. Most turn red as they drink, while others grow pale.

“I’ll try to drink less next time,” Rong Qi replied.

Suddenly, Rong Qi lowered his gaze slightly and spoke in a soft voice.

Cheng Li ruffled his fluffy short hair and replied, “Drinking isn’t a big deal, but overindulgence can harm your health. I hope that in the future, we can drink for joy rather than harm.”

Rong Qi chuckled lightly at her words and asked, “What’s ‘joyful drinking’?”

“Drinking with friends is joyful drinking,” Cheng Li said as she recalled something. “Didn’t you also go to bars with friends to unwind before?”

As she spoke, she got up, intending to return the hairdryer to the bathroom.

But just as she took two steps, her wrist was caught.

She turned back to see Rong Qi looking up at her, his dark eyes locking onto hers intently. “I rarely go to bars,” he said.

Cheng Li smiled faintly. “Coincidentally, neither do I.”

When she returned from the bathroom, Rong Qi was already sitting on the other side of the large bed.

It was then that Cheng Li realized the two of them were about to sleep on the same bed.

“Uh…” Cheng Li murmured as she sat down tentatively on the edge of the bed.

Rong Qi turned to her and asked, “Shall I turn off the lights?”

Before she could respond, there was a soft click.

The room was instantly plunged into pitch-black darkness.

The curtains were so effective at blocking light that not a single ray from outside could seep through.

In the absolute darkness, Cheng Li silently pulled her blanket over herself and slipped inside, lying down.

The two of them lay on opposite ends of the enormous bed.

Cheng Li couldn’t help but marvel at how big the bed was.

It was so spacious that she could barely hear Rong Qi’s breathing.

After a long time, unable to bear the silence, Cheng Li whispered, “Rong Qi.”

“Mm.”

Hearing his voice, Cheng Li felt a little reassured.

After a while, she whispered again, “Are you asleep?”

“In the middle of dreaming,” Rong Qi replied softly.

In the darkness, Cheng Li’s laughter echoed from the other side of the bed. “What are you dreaming about?”

This time, Rong Qi didn’t respond.

The silence stretched so long that Cheng Li thought he had really fallen asleep. Overcome with drowsiness, she stifled a yawn and murmured groggily.

“I dreamt that you were sleeping right next to me,” Rong Qi suddenly said.

Cheng Li covered her mouth with her hand to muffle her yawn, then replied sleepily, “That’s not a dream.”

“I really am sleeping right next to you.”

With that, she could no longer resist the pull of sleep and drifted off.

As her steady, rhythmic breathing filled the room, Rong Qi shifted slightly, turning from lying on his back to facing her.

By now, his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and he could make out the faint shadow of her form beneath the blanket.

So this is how gently she breathes when she sleeps.

So this is how serene she looks in slumber.

All of this—things he could only dream about—was now real and within reach.

She was so close, he could touch her if he wanted to.

You could never know how much this moment, to him, felt like a fragile, perfect dream.

Infatuation is turbulent.

Love, however, is restraint.

Even now, he restrained himself, fearing that one wrong move could shatter this dream-like reality.

After a while, Cheng Li shifted, rolling closer toward him.

Her hand slipped out from under the blanket and reached across, landing directly on Rong Qi’s chest.

He looked down at her hand.

Unable to resist any longer, he gently raised his own hand and clasped hers tightly in his palm.

She was right.

She really was sleeping by his side.

*

The next morning.

When Cheng Li woke up and opened her eyes, the opposite side of the bed was already empty.

She was about to sit up when she heard sounds coming from the bathroom. Turning her head, she saw Rong Qi, already dressed neatly, walking out.

“You’re awake?” Rong Qi asked, noticing her groggy state.

Cheng Li yawned and nodded.

“Go freshen up. I’ll prepare breakfast,” Rong Qi said with his usual composure.

It felt like an ordinary morning, as if they were the most typical, unremarkable couple in the city.

During breakfast, Cheng Li glanced at Rong Qi and couldn’t help but ask, “I didn’t kick you in my sleep last night, did I?”

“Do you usually kick people in your sleep?” Rong Qi asked back.

Cheng Li sighed. “Yuange said I sleep quite restlessly.”

“She was lying,” Rong Qi replied matter-of-factly.

Relieved, Cheng Li smiled. So that’s how it was.

Rong Qi lowered his gaze, picking up his glass of milk, and couldn’t help but recall the scene from this morning.

When he woke up, something had felt off.

Looking down, he had seen her—who had started the night on the other side of the bed—now clinging tightly to him like a koala, her arm wrapped firmly around his waist.

For someone who always woke up at precisely six-thirty, Rong Qi, for the first time, hadn’t gotten out of bed immediately upon waking.

After breakfast, Cheng Li began clearing the dishes from the table.

As she stood up, her phone on the table buzzed.

Rong Qi glanced at it unintentionally.

Displayed clearly on the screen were three characters: He Yunze.

Cheng Li froze momentarily. Rong Qi took the plate from her hand and said calmly, “Go answer your phone.”

Cheng Li walked toward the living room, slowly answering the call. “Hello?”

“Cheng Li, can you get in touch with Gao Zhihe’s wife?” He Yunze asked directly.

Cheng Li replied, “I tried calling her several times yesterday, but she didn’t pick up. At the moment, both she and Gao Zhihe are out of contact.”

“I need to reach her to confirm something,” He Yunze said.

“What’s going on?” Cheng Li asked.

“Last night, President Gu contacted me privately to inform me that someone has accused me of incompetence, claiming I ruined the Fanhai project as soon as I took over,” He Yunze said with a mocking tone. “So I suspect this isn’t just targeting Fanhai—it’s aimed at me as well.”

Cheng Li was momentarily stunned.

She quickly responded, “You mean someone is using Fanhai’s failed financing attempt to deliberately target you?”

“You have to understand,” He Yunze continued, “my appointment as VP stirred things up for certain people. Our company isn’t run solely by President Gu. When Gu recruited me, he was determined to keep others from climbing the ladder.”

“Others?” Cheng Li immediately connected the dots. “Xu Jiheng?”

She instinctively felt it was unlikely.

How could Xu Jiheng possibly know about Gao Zhihe’s situation? And how would Mrs. Gao even be connected to him? The idea of the two colluding to bring down Gao Zhihe sounded absurd.

But then, Cheng Li realized something crucial.

After the paparazzi released the video yesterday, Mrs. Gao quickly spoke up on Weibo. She had even prepared chat logs in advance.

This sequence—paparazzi breaking the story, Mrs. Gao responding promptly—clearly wasn’t coincidental. The two events were linked.

It was too perfectly timed otherwise.

He Yunze sneered, “Last night, I contacted the paparazzi responsible for the leak. They admitted the tip was handed to them by someone else, who even instructed them to follow Zhao Yihan. Think about it—this Zhao Yihan is hardly relevant anymore. Why would the paparazzi randomly tail her?”

“Even if it wasn’t Xu Jiheng, someone with an agenda is clearly behind this. If they can trip us up once, they can do it again. Until we determine who their true target is, Cheng Li, we’re in the same boat.”

“So you want to talk to Mrs. Gao to find out if someone worked with her on this?” Cheng Li quickly pieced together the situation.

He Yunze chuckled. “That’s why I said we think alike.”

“If you keep saying things like that, I’ll hang up,” Cheng Li retorted coldly, not giving him any leeway.

“Fine, fine,” He Yunze conceded. “Just help me contact Mrs. Gao. I’m not going to take this lying down.”

He was a proud man who had climbed quickly to his position. This was the first real setback he had encountered since returning to the country, and he wasn’t about to swallow it quietly.

Cheng Li responded, “I’ll contact Mrs. Gao today. Our company has suffered losses because of this incident, and we won’t let it slide easily.”

Cheng Li was decisive as always.

She immediately called Gao Zhihe’s assistant, Xiao An.

As soon as Xiao An picked up, her voice was on the verge of tears. “Ms. Cheng, I truly can’t reach Mr. Gao.”

“I know. I just need to know where he lives,” Cheng Li said directly.

Xiao An hesitated. “But Mr. Gao isn’t at home.”

“I’m looking for Mrs. Gao.”

After a moment of reluctance, Xiao An replied, “I can’t get in touch with Mrs. Gao either.”

“You just need to give me their address.”

Once she received the address from Xiao An, Cheng Li packed her things and prepared to leave.

Rong Qi emerged from the kitchen just then and said, “I’ll have the driver take you.”

“No need. I’m not heading to the office today,” Cheng Li declined.

Rong Qi replied calmly, “Then let him take you wherever you need to go.”

Cheng Li thought for a moment. Since she had several stops to make today, it wouldn’t be convenient to hail rides repeatedly. She didn’t refuse again.

The Gao residence was in a villa complex in Shanghai. After registering at the gate, the driver drove in.

But when Cheng Li stood at the door, she pressed the doorbell repeatedly with no response.

She thought for a moment, then sent a text to Mrs. Gao’s phone.

Afterward, she called Ge Ru. “Sister-in-law, could I ask you for a favor?”

“Of course,” Ge Ru replied without hesitation.

“Can you reach Mrs. Gao? I’d like to speak with her,” Cheng Li explained.

In a gentle voice, Ge Ru replied, “Is it about the chat logs? Honestly, I think she only posted those to expose her husband and his mistress—not to target our company.”

Perhaps it was because they were both married women in similar positions, but Ge Ru seemed sympathetic to Mrs. Gao’s plight.

“I understand. I just want to clarify a few things with her, not place blame. At this point, even if I were to scold her, it wouldn’t bring back the lost financing.”

“Alright, I’ll leave her a message and try to persuade her,” Ge Ru assured her.

Cheng Li then asked, “How is Mr. Ren doing now?”

“He’s awake. The doctor said they’ll monitor him for another day, and if everything looks good, he’ll be moved to a regular ward tomorrow,” Ge Ru replied, her tone lighter as she mentioned her husband’s recovery.

After hanging up, Cheng Li returned to the office.

Back at work, she immersed herself in processing documents. Those she could sign off on, she handled immediately; those requiring Ren Kuang’s input were set aside for his recovery.

Time passed quickly, and by evening, Liu Mingyi approached her with a reminder. “Seven o’clock tonight.”

Only then did Cheng Li remember. There was one hour left.

She began gathering her belongings but paused to freshen up in the restroom.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she pulled out a bold red lipstick from her bag. With a precise stroke along her lips, her refined and gentle appearance gained a sharp and striking edge.

Like a warrior donning armor.

The evening event was being held at a private club.

Because the host of the gathering was a VVIP of this private club, even non-members like them were granted entry.

The decor of the club was extravagantly luxurious, adorned with crystal embellishments everywhere. The massive crystal chandelier in the grand lobby exuded a dazzling brilliance, a masterpiece of beauty.

Cheng Li and Liu Mingyi entered the private room, drawing the attention of those already present.

“I’m Cheng Li, Chief Architect of Fanhai,” Cheng Li introduced herself proactively.

Hearing that she was from Fanhai, the attendees showed surprise.

A slightly chubby middle-aged man suddenly spoke, “I honestly thought you wouldn’t show up tonight. How’s your Director Ren doing now?”

“Thank you for your concern. Director Ren is currently in good health,” Cheng Li replied.

Before long, the group began drinking and chatting.

After a few drinks, the conversation shifted to the topic of Gao Zhihe.

“To put it plainly, Director Gao fell for a beauty’s charm. Well, it’s understandable—she’s a starlet,” said a balding man with a fleshy face, his expression sleazy. “Who hasn’t had some fun with them?”

Conversations at these drinking tables were often dominated by men, and discussions about women were inevitable companions to alcohol.

Although there were other women present, including a female executive with short hair and a capable demeanor, even she joined in the laughter instead of showing disdain, seemingly used to such remarks.

Cheng Li, however, kept her head slightly lowered, neither laughing nor speaking.

While she could not outright rebuke them, she refused to join the laughter.

At that moment, her phone on the table buzzed.

Liu Mingyi: [Director Cheng, the second person to your left is Mr. Peng from Dehui Capital. You might want to exchange a few words with him later.]

Cheng Li glanced at the man, the balding one who had just made the crude comment.

Immediately, her desire to remain at this dinner vanished.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, the door opened again.

“Guess who I brought in?” The executive who had excused himself to the restroom returned, introducing someone.

A tall, young man followed him into the room.

Cheng Li looked up, her brows slightly furrowed as she found the man vaguely familiar but couldn’t recall where they had met.

Seated beside her, Liu Mingyi leaned over and whispered, “That’s Jiang Zhe, the CEO of Junyue Capital.”

“Mr. Jiang, what an honor.”

“Indeed, it’s rare to see Mr. Jiang in person,” the group enthusiastically greeted him.

Jiang Zhe casually smiled, one hand in his pocket, and said with ease, “I was in a private room next door and heard all you distinguished guests were here, so I decided to stop by.”

“Who could be important enough to make you drop by, Mr. Jiang?”

Everyone recognized it as mere pleasantries.

Someone immediately summoned a waiter to bring in another chair.

Jiang Zhe waved it off. “No need for that.”

At this moment, Peng, the balding man, turned to Cheng Li with a smirk. “Director Cheng, we were just discussing how heroes can’t resist beauty’s charm. We old men might not have the right words, but with a beauty like you here, perhaps Mr. Jiang would reconsider leaving. Why don’t you invite him to sit beside you?”

Cheng Li’s fingers gripped her glass tightly, almost ready to splash it in his face.

His words weren’t personal; rather, they reflected a dismissive attitude that saw attractive women as mere resources to be exploited at will.

Jiang Zhe glanced in her direction, his expression showing a hint of surprise.

“Mr. Peng, that’s not fair. No matter whose request, I’d have to respect yours,” Jiang Zhe said, deflecting the situation and seemingly giving Cheng Li an out.

“Fine, fine, come sit. Let’s have a proper talk,” Peng said jovially.

The waiter promptly brought in a chair, and Jiang Zhe sat next to Peng. The person previously sitting beside Peng moved elsewhere, leaving Cheng Li and Jiang Zhe side by side.

During a brief lull, Jiang Zhe turned to Cheng Li and smiled. “Hello, I’m Jiang Zhe from Junyue Capital.”

“I’m Cheng Li from Fanhai Zhixing,” she replied with a faint smile.

Jiang Zhe asked with interest, “Which ‘Li’?”

“The ‘Li’ as in ‘limi^[1]limi means centimeter,’” Cheng Li replied calmly.

She didn’t have any particular feelings toward this man, neither positive nor negative.

Their brief exchange caught Peng’s attention, and he chuckled. “See? Didn’t I say Mr. Jiang wouldn’t miss a chance to chat with a beautiful woman like Director Cheng?”

“No such thing. Let’s drink,” Jiang Zhe said, raising his glass.

After drinking with Jiang Zhe, Peng turned back to Cheng Li. “Director Cheng, our lovely Miss Cheng, you’ve barely touched your drink since you sat down. Why don’t you have one with me now?”

Cheng Li replied, “I’m not much of a drinker.”

“Drinking is easy to learn. Let’s start with something simple,” Peng said with a sly grin. “How about a cross-cupped drink?”

“Oh, now that’s a good idea!” someone chimed in.

The anger brewing within Cheng Li began to simmer.

Yet, she couldn’t afford to explode in this setting.

Beside her, Liu Mingyi grew anxious and quickly interjected, “Mr. Peng, how about this? I’ll drink with you—one drink for you, three for me.”

“What fun is drinking with a man?” Peng scoffed. Then, with a knowing smile, he added, “I know Fanhai’s in a tough spot now. Honestly, Director Ren’s a friend of mine. Seeing a friend in trouble, how could I not help?”

“Let’s make a deal. Director Cheng, share a drink with me, and tomorrow, come to my office. We’ll discuss the financing in detail.”

Everyone at the table understood Fanhai’s dire need for financing.

It was precisely because of this that they all smiled and watched the scene unfold, expecting Cheng Li to comply.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang—the sound of a glass hitting the floor.

Cheng Li felt her sweater dampen and turned to see Jiang Zhe by her side. He quickly exclaimed, “Oh no, I’m so sorry! I didn’t hold the glass properly, and it spilled on you.”

Seeing Cheng Li still looking at him, Jiang Zhe added apologetically, “Why don’t you head to the restroom to clean up? I’ll compensate you with a new one later.”

In the restroom.

Only then did Cheng Li realize—he was giving her an out.

She promptly stood and said calmly, “Apologies, everyone. I’ll excuse myself to freshen up.”

With her departure, Peng seemed to lose interest, and the conversation at the table soon shifted to another topic.

Meanwhile, in his office, Rong Qi, having just finished a meeting, received a message on WeChat.

Jiang Zhe: [Whenever I see a pighead harassing a beauty, my sense of justice simply can’t stay idle.]

Rong Qi glanced at the message and initially decided to ignore it.

Jiang Zhe: [Remember that time we went to the bar, and a beautiful woman kicked her shoe into your hand? Well, wouldn’t you know, I ran into her again at dinner today. This time, she’s being bullied by the pighead and forced to drink. Truly a Cinderella being mistreated.]

Jiang Zhe: [Tonight, I had to play the knight in shining armor.]

Rong Qi looked at the message, and without hesitation, dialed Jiang Zhe.

When Jiang Zhe answered, he sounded puzzled. “Hello?”

But before he could say more, Rong Qi’s cold voice cut in, “Where are you right now?”

“At the Chaolan Club,” Jiang Zhe replied casually.

Rong Qi took a deep breath and ordered, “Listen carefully. If you let anyone pour another drop of alcohol into her glass before I arrive, you’re dead.”

Jiang Zhe paused mid-sentence, caught off guard.

“Her?”

Who could he possibly mean?

Ten minutes later.

Cheng Li had cleaned the wine stains from her sweater and returned to the private room.

Jiang Zhe turned his gaze to her, scrutinizing her so intently that Cheng Li furrowed her brows and whispered, “Is the smell of alcohol still strong on me?”

That shouldn’t be the case; she had washed the sweater with water and blow-dried it thoroughly.

“No,” Jiang Zhe shook his head. After a long pause, he finally said, “Are you…?”

Cheng Li, puzzled, gave him a sympathetic glance and replied softly, “Cheng Li. I’m Cheng Li.”

Unexpectedly, some people appeared young but had such terrible memories.

A while later, Jiang Zhe stood and left the room.

The others assumed he was leaving and tried to persuade him to stay.

Jiang Zhe chuckled. “No, I’m just going to pick up a friend. Really, just a friend.”

With that, the crowd let him go without further persuasion.

But five minutes later, Jiang Zhe returned with a grin and said, “See? I said I was picking up a friend. Didn’t believe me, did you?”

Everyone looked toward the door.

Standing there was a tall, slender man wearing a sleek black wool coat. His features were strikingly handsome yet cold, his demeanor distant and aloof. Without a word, his mere presence radiated an aura of dignity that made him seem untouchable.

Rong Qi.

“President Rong? Now this is a rare guest indeed!”

Almost everyone in the room stood up to greet him.

Jiang Zhe chuckled lightly. “I told you I was bringing a friend. You didn’t believe me.”

Rong Qi scanned the room, his gaze briefly pausing on Cheng Li before moving on. He gave a faint smile and said, “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“Not at all, not at all.”

“It’s an honor to have you here.”

“Exactly. We usually can’t even dream of inviting you.”

Although both Rong Qi and Jiang Zhe were young, they held unparalleled influence in the business world. Rong Qi, in particular, commanded respect; everyone knew Qiyu Technology was on the fast track to monumental growth.

For anyone in the investment sector, securing a partnership with Qiyu was akin to boarding a future flagship.

Soon, the staff brought in another chair.

Jiang Zhe quipped, “Put it next to me.”

The staff placed the chair between Jiang Zhe and Cheng Li, and Rong Qi took the seat next to Cheng Li without hesitation.

Cheng Li quietly glanced at him.

Even sitting right beside her, he showed no particular reaction.

Though the two had been secretly married, this was the first time she’d seen such a distant side of him since they had moved in together.

Without a word, Cheng Li shifted slightly away from him.

At this moment, Peng Zong spoke up first. “President Rong, it’s truly an honor to have you here. We’ve all been hoping for a chance to collaborate with you.”

“You want to work with me?” Rong Qi casually held the wine glass in front of him.

Cheng Li noticed—it was her glass.

“Sure,” Rong Qi said decisively.

The room went silent, everyone turning to Peng Zong in surprise. Peng Zong himself was overjoyed. “Are you serious?”

“As long as you finish that bottle of liquor, come to my office tomorrow, and we’ll talk about financing.”

Rong Qi pointed to a small table on the side, where an unopened bottle of strong white liquor sat.

The room fell utterly silent, as if someone had pressed pause.

Not a sound was heard.

Even Cheng Li stared at the bottle, blinking in disbelief.

Then, a wave of realization hit her, loud as a drumbeat—the sound of her own racing heartbeat.

One thought unfolded clearly in her mind.

The man beside her was standing up for her.

Author’s Note:

Rong Qi: Bullying my wife?

*

It seems that many people didn’t quite understand the previous chapter, or perhaps my writing was ambiguous.

Yes, Rong Qi really did throw up. When I said he was acting, I meant that he deliberately made those comments about choking and vomiting after drinking in order to gain Cheng Li’s sympathy.

As for the vomiting part, the reason he stayed in the bathroom for so long was because he didn’t want Cheng Li to see him in such a disheveled state. He only wanted his wife to remember him as dashing and handsome.