Pei Xuedong wouldn’t lie to get Lu Nan into trouble over something like this. 

And since there are colleagues around, pushing back and forth would only make things awkward. 

Moreover, objectively speaking, Lu Nan didn’t really have a reason to refuse the payment that Dong Hui deserved. 

I didn’t really feel uncomfortable accepting this money. So, Lu Nan took the red envelope. “Please thank Mr. Yang and Sister Pei for me.” As for now, she wasn’t going to join the excitement. Mr. Yang was still busy seeing off the guests. 

With this red envelope, most of the people who came today to help Yuan Chuan were genuinely convinced, even someone like Yi Wei, who had a big mouth, told Zhou Lei, “I didn’t expect Lu Nan to be so impressive. Not only can she manage such a big event, but she can also get along with the distributors like this. She’s really something.” 

Too bad he picked the wrong person to talk to. Right now, Zhou Lei was clearly on the same side as Dong Hui, and Zhou Lei wasn’t interested in discussing how capable Lu Nan was. 

Zhou Lei’s lack of response made it hard for Yi Wei to continue the conversation, but the best thing about Yi Wei’s big mouth was that he had no idea why others didn’t want to chat with him, and he wasn’t afraid of an awkward silence. He quickly switched the topic and started talking again. 

Around nine o’clock, the people preparing to leave began wrapping things up. Chen Xiao handed the drunken Director Xiang to his driver, and since Zhou Tian lived in the same direction, they decided to share a ride. 

Chen Xiao then asked Manager Wang if he needed someone to send him back. 

Li Li had also had some drinks, but she was still sober. Seeing this, she said, “I’ve called a ride; I’ll drop Manager Wang off on the way.” 

Manager Wang was quite stubborn. He believed he could drink more than Xiang Yunfeng, and since he won today, he was completely unconcerned, saying, “I’m fine. I’ll take a taxi. Brother Xiao, you take care of the final touches here.” He waved his hand carelessly, signaling that Chen Xiao should handle the rest. 

“Alright, Brother Wang, go back quickly.” Chen Xiao gave Yan Kai a look, and Yan Kai supported Manager Wang, following Li Li as they took the elevator down to wait for the ride. 

Once the major figures had left, the remaining people finally relaxed. Yi Wei chuckled and took the initiative to ask Chen Xiao, “Brother Xiao, what are we doing tonight?” 

Chen Xiao smiled knowingly, “Still hungry, right? What do you want to eat? It’s on me.” 

The group pretended to hesitate. “How can we let you do that?” 

“Didn’t we agree earlier? Once the big event is over, I’ll treat you all to something good to eat. Stop hesitating, just think about it.” 

“How about barbecue?” Yi Wei suggested. 

Dong Hui shook her head. “Barbecue? Tomorrow’s Saturday. Manager Wang just said we can all rest tomorrow morning. How about we go karaoke instead?” Going for barbecue wasn’t as fun as having some fun at a KTV. 

Zhou Lei naturally agreed with her suggestion. 

No one else objected, so it was decided. 

Chen Xiao wasn’t bothered by these small details; after all, he was only in charge of the bill. He glanced at everyone’s outfits and the mooncake gift boxes in their hands, “Alright, you guys head back to the dorms to drop off your stuff and change clothes. I’ll find a place and send the details to the group.” 

“Thanks, Brother Xiao!” “Long live Brother Xiao!” 

After sending Manager Wang and Manager Li back, Yan Kai had no choice but to go with the majority. 

Everyone scattered to their dorms to quickly tidy up. 

Before long, when they saw Chen Xiao’s message with the address, they split into groups and headed out. 

Lu Nan had only casually removed her stage makeup at the hotel, and there was still quite a bit of hairspray in her hair. So, she hurriedly washed her hair and took a shower at full speed. 

Her hair was thick and long, so it wasn’t going to dry in time, but luckily it was still warm for mid-September, and it was fine to leave it half-dry when going out. 

The three girls hailed a taxi together, with Lu Nan sitting in the front passenger seat. Of course, she paid the fare. 

Xiang Feifei asked, “How much was it?” She wanted to split the cost. 

“Forget it today. I’ve just made a bit of money,” Lu Nan said with a smile. 

So, Xiang Feifei didn’t insist any further and happily accepted the “small advantage.” 

Dong Hui curiously asked, “Lu Nan, how much did Mr. Yang give you?” 

Lu Nan casually replied, “Oh, I haven’t opened it yet.” Whether Dong Hui believed her or not was not Lu Nan’s concern. 

Xiang Feifei exchanged a knowing glance with Lu Nan in the rearview mirror: She really meddles too much. 

Sure enough, even though they quickened their pace, the three girls still arrived last. 

They followed the room number and were about to open the door when they heard loud, terrible singing from inside. 

Dong Hui pushed the door open and said, “Yi Wei, please, spare our ears.” 

… 

Chen Xiao was on his phone. When he heard this, he looked up and happened to see Lu Nan walking in behind Xiang Feifei. 

The air conditioning in the room was a bit too cold, so Lu Nan rubbed her arms. 

Yan Kai smiled and stood up to give her his seat. Then he adjusted the temperature on the control panel near the door. “Why didn’t you dress warmer?” he asked. 

Lu Nan smiled back, “I was in a hurry. Thanks.” 

On the table were fruit, pickled snacks, popcorn, and other treats. 

Lu Nan was really hungry after the day, so she decided to give herself a little break and picked up some seaweed and chicken gizzards with a small fork. 

Yan Kai opened a bottle of mineral water for her. “Will this fill you up? Brother Xiao just ordered dumplings and fried rice; they’ll be delivered soon.” 

Lu Nan whispered, “Ah, why didn’t you say so earlier?” These snacks wouldn’t be enough, but at least they were salty to keep her going for now. She would just drink more water to feel full. 

“I didn’t get a chance to say it… Then share some with me,” Yan Kai said, laughing. “Save some room for the main meal.” 

“I haven’t touched this side yet.” Lu Nan divided half and gave it to Yan Kai, then asked, “What’s in the dumplings?” 

Yan Kai replied, “I didn’t pay attention to that. Should I ask the waiter?” 

“No need, no need. Isn’t there still fried rice…” 

Before Lu Nan could finish, Chen Xiao casually said, “It’s three-flavor. Move your feet a bit, I’m going to the restroom.” 

Lu Nan and Yan Kai exchanged a look, then she moved back on the couch, pulling her legs up to give Chen Xiao space. 

A while later, the waiter brought the main dishes. The dumplings were indeed three-flavor. Lu Nan made up her mind and took eight. 

The karaoke and drinking had gotten lively. It looked like Zhou Lei started it and was going to toast to Chen Xiao. 

At times like this, Lu Nan had no intention of standing out—whoever wanted to go could go. She was hungry. 

Once everyone had their turn, Dong Hui playfully asked, “Who hasn’t toasted Brother Xiao yet? Come on, come on, don’t be shy!” 

At this point, Yi Wei seemed like the smartest person in the room: “Lu Nan! Lu Nan hasn’t gone yet. She’s the main star tonight!” 

Is it just you who can see? Is it just you who has a mouth? 

If I didn’t know I was the main star, I wouldn’t have even come to this KTV. A bunch of overly energetic people! 

Now that it had come to this, if Lu Nan didn’t go, it would seem like she had a problem with Chen Xiao or was trying to act special. 

Chen Xiao spoke up, “We’re all friends here, no need for formalities. Let her finish her dumplings.” 

Xiang Feifei backed him up, “Lu Nan really hasn’t eaten much tonight, Yi Wei, stop teasing her.” 

There were only two dumplings left in the bowl. After chewing slowly, Lu Nan finished them in less than a minute. 

She grabbed a tissue from the coffee table, wiped her mouth and hands, poured herself a glass of beer, stood up, and walked over. “Brother Xiao, a toast to you.” 

A toast for what? 

Probably, she still needed to thank him for giving her the opportunity to take on a big responsibility. 

Leaving everything else aside, Chen Xiao was a good boss. 

No doubt about that. 

So, Lu Nan’s gratitude was genuine. 

Sitting on the couch, Chen Xiao smiled. “No need to be so serious. Sit down.” 

Once Lu Nan sat down, he picked up his glass on the table and gently clinked it with hers. 

“You worked hard today. You did great.” 

“Thanks, Brother Xiao.” 

“Just take a sip, we’re all friends.” 

“Got it.” 

“By the way, I’ve never heard you sing, not even once.” 

“What do you want to sing, Brother Xiao? I’ll pick a song for you.” 

They both took a small sip of beer and spoke at the same time. Because of the noise in the room, neither of them clearly caught what the other said. 

Chen Xiao put his glass down and motioned for Lu Nan to speak first. 

Lu Nan repeated, “Brother Xiao, what do you want to sing? I’ll pick a song for you.” 

“No need, you all enjoy yourselves. I was saying, I’ve never seen you pick up the mic. Not planning to sing tonight either?” 

Lu Nan wasn’t that stubborn. In today’s lighthearted and cheerful atmosphere, singing was just for fun, so she had no reason to refuse. 

“I think Senior picked a song for me. It should be my turn later.” 

Yan Kai picked a song for her. 

He really knew what she liked to sing. 

Chen Xiao raised an eyebrow, “Oh?” 

Lu Nan couldn’t tell what that ‘oh’ meant. 

After sitting there for a few more minutes, she decided to head back to her corner. 

“There’s no social events tonight, and no one’s making you drink,” Chen Xiao said without even looking up. “Just sit and relax.” 

Lu Nan thought for a moment and agreed. 

Instead of getting up, she just reached for a piece of watermelon with her fork. 

The watermelon was full of juice, and to avoid dripping on herself, Lu Nan held her left hand under it. 

After finishing, a tissue was handed over from the side. 

“Thank you, Brother Xiao.” 

“Guess…” Chen Xiao’s voice was soft, and Lu Nan didn’t quite catch the rest. 

So she leaned in a bit and asked, “What did you just say?” 

Lu Nan had delicate and petite ears and she’s currently wearing a tiny crystal strawberry earring. The strawberry was a deep red, standing out vividly against her fair skin, creating a striking contrast. 

Chen Xiao thought that maybe it was because he’d been drinking mixed drinks at the banquet and now here, but he felt like the strawberry earring on Lu Nan’s ear smelled like strawberries. 

His Adam’s apple moved slightly, and he unconsciously leaned in, wanting to confirm something: “Take a guess—how many times do you think you’ll say thank you to me tonight?” 

Only after getting closer did he realize that the faint strawberry sweetness coming from Lu Nan wasn’t perfume; it smelled more like body wash or shampoo, stubbornly lingering on her skin. 

Lu Nan once again noticed the scent of ink, much stronger and more dominant than the last time in the elevator. It was probably because Chen Xiao had just finished showering and sprayed on some perfume. 

“So meticulous,” she thought. 

It was just an observation, not meant in a bad way. 

They were so close that Lu Nan could feel his breath on her ear as he spoke. So, she immediately straightened up and put some distance between them and casually let down down the hair that had been tucked behind her ear to cover the goosebumps on the back of her ear and neck. 

“It’s my fault for always being so polite. I’ll punish myself with a drink.” Before Chen Xiao could say anything, Lu Nan finished the drink and quickly found an opportunity to slip away. “Feifei, what are you singing? Hand me a microphone.” 

The intro started, and Lu Nan laughed as she squeezed in next to Xiang Feifei, singing along one line at a time. 

“…You drag me away from a storm of love, I carry you out of a broken dream…” 

After finishing their song, Lu Nan and Xiang Feifei high-fived and smiled. 

Of course, they couldn’t escape the ‘awards ceremony’ afterward, but just like Chen Xiao had said, tonight wasn’t a formal gathering, so drinking was up to them. 

Yi Wei, who had already drunk quite a bit, nudged Yan Kai’s arm. “Your junior is pretty impressive, huh? She can sing, dance—total package.” 

Yan Kai nodded proudly. “Yeah.” 

“Then why are you still sitting here?” Yi Wei slung an arm around his shoulder and gave him a knowing look. “A girl who’s good-looking and talented? In this industry, that’s risky, man. You better move fast before you end up with nothing.” 

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Yan Kai’s expression changed. 

Yi Wei clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Come on, I’m not an idiot. Just a big mouth. The way you look at her—is that how a senior looks at a junior? And don’t even get me started on how you almost beat me up last time when I was gossiping about her in the dorm.” 

He patted Yan Kai’s shoulder. “Just take care of yourself, man.” 

A moment later, Yi Wei was already yelling for another game. 

Lu Nan felt like she might develop PTSD from hearing the words “playing games.” 

Fortunately, the game they were about to play was “Russian Roulette,” a pure drinking game based on luck. 

This was no challenge for Lu Nan. While others were groaning about it, she casually helped herself to a piece of watermelon.