Xu Xiaoya interrupted Hu Qian: "Don't try to corrupt me with your ideas. I'm leaving now."
Hu Qian stopped Xu Xiaoya and said, "Wait, what exactly does Zhao Qiang plan to do about his relationship with Yang Shiqi? This stalemate can't go on forever." If Hu Qian didn't ask, she was afraid Yang Shiqi would come out and yell at her.
As Xu Xiaoya left the office, she said, "Yang Shiqi is not proactive at all. Don't you know Zhao Qiang? If you just whisper it in his ear three times, he'll definitely compromise on everything. People who can't swallow their pride will never get what they want."
Hu Qian seemed to be deep in thought. Was she not proactive or shameless enough?
Xu Xiaoya had already closed the door and left. Yang Shiqi, who was in Hu Qian's office suite, also came out to leave. Hu Qian called out to her, "Where are you going?"
Yang Shiqi said, "Go to his hometown and act like a scoundrel."
Hu Qian reminded Yang Shiqi from behind, "You're a man now. If you try to be unreasonable with him, it might not be very effective, and it might even make him dislike you."
Yang Shiqi said, "I understand, so I'll go find some help first."
Yang Shiqi's helper was, of course, Gu Xuemei. She didn't care about the other girls. Gu Xuemei was too gentle. Even if she was busy, she had to put aside her studies and follow Yang Shiqi to Dongyang City. Gu Xuemei saw Yang Shiqi's distress. As her only and best friend, Gu Xuemei was very anxious. She was willing to do her part to improve the relationship between Yang Shiqi and Zhao Qiang. In her opinion, Zhao Qiang, as her junior brother, should give her some face. Otherwise, she would complain to her father.
The chapter is finished. Everyone has witnessed Qiang's hard work, so I won't waste any more words. I'm practically on my last legs, but there's still a day and a half left. I'm determined to persevere, and I hope everyone can support me through these crucial 40 hours. I haven't broken a single promise to add extra chapters this past month. To complete my writing task, I went back to my hometown on New Year's Eve and rushed back the next morning. I didn't visit any relatives or friends during the entire Lunar New Year. I only have one wish: to win the last new book monthly ticket prize. Please help me achieve this wish! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Volume 2 [306] For You, Getting Drunk Is Worth It
Zhao Qiang was both amused and exasperated. How did Su Su and Xu Xiaoya get to know each other in Beijing? He guessed that the two had some similarities in personality. Regardless of other aspects, drinking was a major characteristic. Xu Xiaoya could drink a lot and dared to drink. For girls, drinking and smoking were not good things, but Zhao Qiang was not the kind of stubborn man. Moreover, Xu Xiaoya only showed some indulgence in drinking in front of him. She generally did not drink when Zhao Qiang was not around. As for smoking, she did not touch it at all. In fact, she had recently restricted Zhao Qiang from smoking, saying that it was bad for his health, especially in the bedroom, where it was absolutely forbidden.
Zhao Qiang didn't know if Su Su smoked in private, but judging from her past behavior, she shouldn't be the type of girl who drinks excessively. But now her alcohol tolerance was frighteningly high, she was practically another Xu Xiaoya, drinking happily with those guys. This made Zhao Qiang, as the co-host, useless, and saved him from having to decline. However, Zhao Qiang was concerned about Su Su's health, thinking that she shouldn't be drinking at this time of month.
Zhao Qiang quietly reminded Su Su, but she was too engrossed in drinking to pay attention. This made Zhao Qiang a little angry. He would scold her when no one was around, telling her to take care of her body, otherwise it wouldn't just be a stomachache. She might even develop health problems after having children. Girls should know how to cherish themselves.
"Su, what do you think is the probability of you becoming a big star?" Fang Xuehui asked.
Su Su clenched her fist and said, "One hundred percent, I must succeed, otherwise I will be letting down the people who care about me." After saying that, Su Su glanced at Zhao Qiang. Now she was working hard for Zhao Qiang. Her life was already living for Zhao Qiang. There was no way to stop Zhao Qiang from entering her mind. All the things that had happened in her past life made it impossible for Su Su to erase this thought.
Wan Bo pulled out his notebook and pen and said, "Then sign your name for us first, so we won't have a chance to get your signature later. Your early signatures might make you a fortune; they might even cover my college tuition." Wan Bo joked, fueled by alcohol.
Su Su chuckled, "There won't be no chance. As long as you all come to me, I'll definitely treat you well. Come to think of it, you guys are the closest to me in the class. I, Su Su, am not an ungrateful person." After saying that, Su Su gave Zhao Qiang a meaningful look, as if to say, "Brother Qiang, I will repay you."
Jie Bing raised his glass and said, "Since Su said so, we must all have a drink together. Zhao Qiang must drink too, otherwise it's disrespectful to Su and to us." Su Su was exchanging glances with Zhao Qiang, and Jie Bing couldn't stand it anymore. He decided to pull Zhao Qiang into the table as well.
Zhao Qiang hadn't participated in their drinking contest, but upon hearing this, he quickly declined, saying, "You classmates can drink among yourselves, I won't participate."
Jie Bing said, "That won't do. You have to drink it, or you'll be looking down on us." Jie Bing threatened Zhao Qiang with a stern face.
Su Su hurriedly stepped in to stop Zhao Qiang, saying, "I'll drink for Brother Qiang, don't make things difficult for him." This was why Su Su didn't like Jie Bing and Fang Xuehui coming to the party; they both had bad tempers and always harbored fantasies about her.
Jie Bing refused, saying, "This isn't to make things difficult for him, but rather to let him express his feelings for you. We all wish you a speedy rise to stardom, don't you think so? If he wants to, he has to drink this glass."
That makes some sense. Zhao Qiang steeled himself, took the wine glass and said, "Fine, Su, I'll drink. Not for anything else, but just to wish you success soon and for you to realize your dreams. Even if I get drunk, it'll be worth it."
Fang Xuehui said, "That's more like it, everyone, cheers."
Su Su couldn't stop him anymore. She was very moved. Zhao Qiang's words were more meaningful than Jie Bing's ten. She, Su Su, was determined to work hard. This was also the reason why she didn't plan to go home during the summer vacation but wanted to participate. Only by mastering her professional knowledge as soon as possible could she start her artistic life. This was the only way to repay Zhao Qiang.
Once Zhao Qiang started drinking, he couldn't stop. Su Su's excessive concern for Zhao Qiang made Jie Bing and Fang Xuehui very jealous, so the two of them frequently poured alcohol into Zhao Qiang's drink and constantly boasted about their special classmate relationship with Su Su.
Zhao Qiang could easily see the feelings these two had for Su Su. Although they weren't as overtly affectionate as Wang Xiaoliang, their words and actions revealed their fondness for Su Su. Unfortunately, Su Su's affections were unrequited; she was completely focused on Zhao Qiang. This was what made Zhao Qiang so proud. "Go ahead and get me drunk. Once I'm drunk, Su Su will be mine too. I can even take advantage of her drunkenness to kiss her properly."
However, drinking too much really makes one feel unwell. Zhao Qiang made an excuse to leave the private room and went to the toilet to vomit twice. It was better than letting it slowly digest in his stomach. His head was already spinning, and he was worried about turning off his biochip. So he decided that he wouldn't drink a drop when he got back. No matter how they tried to persuade him, he could just turn on them. There was no need to put up with their attitude.
The phone rang, and Zhao Qiang, thinking it was Xu Xiaoya, didn't bother to check the number and answered directly: "Hey, missing me?"
"Of course I missed you, otherwise why would I have come all this way? We're almost at Hedian District, where are you?"
It wasn't Xu Xiaoya's voice. After glancing at the number, he said, "Yang Shiqi, what are you doing in Hedian District?" Zhao Qiang got a little tipsy after a few drinks, so he wasn't as stern with Yang Shiqi as before, and his voice was extremely gentle.
Yang Shiqi said, "I'm looking for you. Let's have a good talk. This can't go on any longer."
Zhao Qiang chuckled, "That's right. Come on over. We're having dinner at Golden Pavilion in Hedian District. You can ask anyone for the address. It's on the second floor. I'll wait for you at the bottom of the stairs." He didn't want to go back to the private room to continue drinking anyway, so this was a good excuse.
After ten minutes of waiting, Su Su came out to find Zhao Qiang. The two stood at the bottom of the stairs and talked quietly. Su Su was a little worried: "Brother Qiang, you don't blame me, do you?"
Zhao Qiang said, "It's not surprising. It's nothing for classmates to have a few drinks and make a fuss. We used to get together sometimes when we were in college. The friendships between classmates are relatively pure. It's hard to find such friendships later on, especially after you enter the entertainment industry, where there are unspoken rules everywhere. Female artists have a very tough time."
Su Su hugged Zhao Qiang's arm and said, "Then do you still dare to let me in? Why don't you just sexually harass me first? I'd be willing, and I'd love for you to sexually harass me every day. That would make me very happy."
Zhao Qiang chuckled foolishly: "That's great. Don't worry, I'm talking about ordinary female artists. I guarantee you, no one will dare to touch you. Just sing your songs well, and come find me to have some 'sexual favors' with you when you have time."
Su Su said very obediently, "Well, if you take photos of people inappropriately, I can't stop you, but you must keep them safe. There are too many scandals these days. I don't care, but I'm afraid you'll have a problem with it."
Zhao Qiang felt a surge of heat from the alcohol, and his body suddenly felt hot. Suddenly, images of Liu Yiyi's sexy photos flashed through his mind. He imagined giving the famous actress a few more pictures, and the thought of this future superstar being his possession filled him with excitement and happiness. Was this what it meant to raise a superstar? He'd wait a few months until she'd learned enough to begin. He wasn't short of money now; it was time to package and promote her. Xu Xiaoya had mentioned wanting Su Su to endorse Haifeng Group, so he'd let her launch from there. But what if the two of them found out he was two-timing her? A headache.
"Brother Qiang, what are you thinking about? You don't like taking pictures of me, do you?" Su Su thought Zhao Qiang was angry.
Zhao Qiang patted her head and said, "Silly girl, how could your brother not like you? I think you should become famous; you can't stay unknown forever."
Su Su said, "But there are so many things I don't understand right now."
Zhao Qiang said, "It's alright. You can learn while you work. No one can teach you everything. If you encounter any difficulties, just come to me. Although I'm not in Beijing, I can still help you with some things." Yang Shiqi and Hu Qian are old acquaintances in Beijing. With their influence, Su Su shouldn't have a hard time. When the time comes, she'll throw money at it, and it'll be hard not to become famous. If 100 million isn't enough, throw in 1 billion. She can invest in making movies and releasing records herself. She can do whatever is expensive! Zhao Qiang thought generously.
Su Su hugged Zhao Qiang's arm, her breasts still very tender, but rubbing against Zhao Qiang's arm still felt very comfortable. "Okay, I'll do whatever you want. Who told me to be your slave? I eat your food and spend your money. I can't disobey you even if I want to. You can plan my future, and I'll do whatever you say. I will definitely be your most obedient and well-behaved star."
Zhao Qiang said, "Let's start after summer vacation. But you have to be good now and drink less alcohol, or you'll get a stomachache again."
Su Su chuckled: "It's nothing, it's an old problem of mine, it has nothing to do with drinking. But since Brother Qiang said so, I won't drink anymore, otherwise you'll be unhappy."
Zhao Qiang was pleased that Su Neng was so well-behaved, and he tentatively asked, "I heard that a company wants to hire you as their spokesperson?"
Su Su said, "Hmm, I almost forgot. I wanted to introduce you to a friend I met in Beijing. She's an amazing drinker. We once tried to have a drinking contest in her dorm, and guess what happened?"
Zhao Qiang felt a chill run down his spine. These two wine connoisseurs had clashed? "What happened? You won?"
Su Su giggled: "No, we were both drunk and threw up everywhere. She was so nice to me and even gave me the best slimming tea, saying that I could drink as much as I wanted and that she would guarantee I wouldn't gain weight. But she said that once you have a boyfriend, you can't be so unrestrained and you have to pay attention to your image. But if your boyfriend can indulge you, then we're lucky, because girls are people too. It's not just men who can indulge themselves occasionally; girls also need to vent their emotions, and sometimes drinking is the best way to do that."
Zhao Qiang sighed. Yes, everyone talks about gender equality, but no one says anything when men drink, but women are considered abnormal when they drink and smoke. Men and women are the same and need to find a way to indulge themselves. Oh well, I was planning to keep an eye on them anyway. As long as nothing bad happens, I'll let them be. Just don't let them indulge themselves in relationships. If Su Su drinks again when we get back, I'll leave it to her and let her indulge herself this once.
(Sixteen hours left, the final moment of the battle has arrived. Qiang doesn't know what to say. Everything can be expressed with 'ten thousand words omitted here'. Tonight at midnight will be the end of this battle. Qiang is filled with trepidation...)
(447-38067 votes divided by 513 chapters leaves 2 + guaranteed 3 chapters, 16 chapters total. I'll update the first chapter, and the remaining 6 chapters tonight. I only managed to write 10 chapters yesterday; any more and I'd be exhausted. However, my chapters are calculated based on 3000 words. The remaining 2 votes will be added to tomorrow's bonus chapter. All monthly votes cast this month will be included in the bonus chapter. Since I've kept my promise for so many days, I certainly won't break it on this last day. I just hope everyone will continue to support me in the last 16 hours. The gap between the rankings isn't large, and the 11th place is closing in fast. I'm begging you all, if you can hold on until midnight, I'll repay you with my body! Unfortunately, you don't really want my ugly appearance, haha.)
(Thank you so much to the anonymous contributor for the 5-coin reward!!! That's amazing, I don't even know how to express my gratitude. I really can't dedicate a separate chapter to thank you this month, but I'll definitely make up for it next month!)
(Thanks to Mo Shuo Hongyan Huoshui for the 1888 coin reward! Thank you to Yuanxiangren for the 588 coin reward! Thank you to Daren for the 300 coin reward! Thank you to readers o8o51417312o474, 2433925, 1ijii, 32125873, 2241o2o57175, Mango Daxia, and Yishen Yishi Zou Jianghu for the rewards!)
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(The above word count is free; this is verifiable, so please rest assured.) V
Volume 2 [Chapter 307] Senior Sister, I'll Toast You a Glass of Wine
Su Xiaosu said excitedly, "Brother Xiaoqiang, do you know where my good friend is from? She's very close to us, in Donghai City, just like you. Maybe you'll even meet her. She's very pretty and decisive in her words and actions. Let's go visit her sometime. It's a pity that I only had time to come back this time, otherwise I really would have gone to Donghai City."
Zhao Qiang stammered, "Oh, let's talk about it later. You guys are good friends, but we might not get along."
Su Xiaosu said, "Don't worry, I guarantee you'll become even better friends when you meet. She's very easygoing."
Zhao Qiang thought to himself, "We're already better friends. There's no way we can get any closer. We were even hugging and kissing last night. Why did you two have to meet in Beijing and become friends? Aren't you just making trouble for me?"
Su Xiaosu pulled Zhao Qiang and said, "Let's go back. It's impolite to stay outside for too long. Although I dislike Jie Bing and Fang Xuehui, I get along quite well with Wan Xiaobo and Zhang Xuan."
Zhao Qiang said, "I'm waiting for some friends. They've come to see me about something. You should go back and take care of them first."
Su Xiaosu said, "I'll stay with you. Let them drink it themselves. I don't want to drink it either."
So the two continued their sweet talk. During this time, Jie Bing and Fang Xuehui came out to invite them back for drinks, but Su Xiaosu refused. At this point, Jie Bing and Fang Xuehui would be fools if they couldn't see the ambiguous relationship between Su Xiaosu and Zhao Qiang. Thinking of the car and the expensive meal, the two felt a chill in their hearts. Seeing Su Xiaosu, who had been drinking and had red, moist lips, leaning on Zhao Qiang like a little bird, the two of them immediately changed their expressions, but fortunately, they managed to hold back and not make a scene.
Yang Shiqi finally arrived, followed by several people. Zhao Qiang joked, "Young Master Yang's trip is almost like an emperor's procession. He has to bring his imperial concubine and guards. He really has a lot of grandeur." The imperial concubine refers to Gu Xuemei, and the guards refer to Major Wang and two other soldiers.
Yang Shiqi smiled wryly: "Come on, let's find a room and talk."
As luck would have it, Jie Bing and Fang Xuehui came out again to invite Zhao Qiang for drinks. Yang Shiqi, always a very easygoing person, waved her hand and said, "Come into your room." So Major Wang followed them in, while the other two plainclothes officers stayed at the door.
Zhao Qiang introduced Su Xiaosu: "This is Yang Shiqi, and this is his girlfriend, Gu Xuemei, who is also my senior sister."
Su Xiaosu greeted them warmly, and Yang Shiqi whispered in Zhao Qiang's ear, "Does your wife know?" She was referring to Su Xiaosu. Given Yang Shiqi's understanding of Zhao Qiang, it would be strange if she didn't understand the relationship between Su Xiaosu and Zhao Qiang.
Zhao Qiang gestured for silence: "Keep it a secret."
Yang Shiqi felt that she had gotten closer to Zhao Qiang right away and was very happy. She said, "Okay, but you are not allowed to get angry or lose your temper today."
Zhao Qiang said, "It depends on my mood." Yang Shiqi had given him a heads-up too early, and Zhao Qiang didn't dare to agree to it casually.
Yang Shiqi said, "Look, I even brought your senior sister along. If you're still in a bad mood..."
Zhao Qiang's face began to simmer with anger, and Yang Shiqi hurriedly said, "Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. She's my girlfriend, okay? I'm not that perverted. I brought this on myself. Why did I do this to myself..." Yang Shiqi complained bitterly, feeling that her good intentions had been wasted. It was all because Zhao Qiang didn't know her true identity.
Jie Bing and Fang Xuehui whispered to each other and changed the beer to baijiu this time. Wan Xiaobo and Zhang Xuan were already getting tipsy and just sat there grinning like idiots, not caring what they drank. Although Su Xiaosu was feeling the effects of the alcohol and wanted to drink more, she didn't drink because she was thinking about Zhao Qiang.
Jie Bing poured Zhao Qiang a glass as well, but Zhao Qiang couldn't accept it. "I won't drink it." Zhao Qiang's attitude was a bit stiff; it was unreasonable to force someone to drink it.
Jie Bing said, "Are you looking down on us? You're not giving us any face." Jie Bing wanted to use this as an excuse to make a scene.
Zhao Qiang snorted coldly, thinking to himself, "You two little brats have no face at all. If it weren't for the fact that you're Xiao Su's classmates, I would have kicked you aside long ago. Don't push your luck."
Yang Shiqi smiled, but her eyes seemed to be telling Zhao Qiang that it was time for him to get angry.
Zhao Qiang gritted his teeth, pushed his wine glass aside, and didn't lash out. Fang Xuehui, oblivious to the situation, leaned in and said, "Buddy, this is a toast. It's not good if we have to drink a penalty shot. Let me tell you, we two are well-known figures in Hedian District. You know Brother Gou, right? He's like Song Shiguo in the past, with that kind of status and identity. He's our buddy. We've drunk and fought together. We both drink with him when we toast him. Why don't you drink?"
Zhao Qiang's voice turned unfriendly, "I don't know any 'Dog Brother' or 'Pig Brother,' you'd better stay away from me."
Su Xiaosu knew Zhao Qiang was angry, so she stepped forward and pulled Jie Bing and Fang Xuehui away, saying, "What are you doing? Get out of my way."
Fueled by alcohol, Jie Bing and Fang Xuehui shouted, "Who are you telling to get out of here? Who are you telling to get out of here! In our No. 1 High School, we two brothers are the bosses. Su Xiaosu, if it weren't for us protecting you, would you have been able to study safely at school for two years?"
Su Xiaosu stomped her feet angrily: "Oh, what do you know? I'm saving you. Hurry up and leave, or I won't be able to take care of you anymore." Su Xiaosu knew how domineering Zhao Qiang was. Once he got really angry, these two would definitely be crippled. The scene of the billiard hall full of injured people back then still often echoed in Su Xiaosu's mind.
Zhao Qiang chuckled at Yang Shiqi: "I'm not angry. Have someone take them out, and we'll talk."
With a wave of Yang Shiqi's hand, Major Wang stepped forward and grabbed one of them in each hand, pulling them out. In fact, Jie Bing and Fang Xuehui were already about 80% drunk, otherwise Zhao Qiang wouldn't have let them go. As soon as the two of them left the room, it immediately became quiet. Su Xiaosu's other four classmates had already started to slump over the table. Once the alcohol got to their heads, their ears would ring, and they probably wouldn't even be able to hear a firecracker. It seemed that they had drunk quite a bit while Zhao Qiang was waiting for Yang Shiqi outside.
At this moment, Gu Xuemei suddenly did something that Zhao Qiang didn't expect. She picked up the glass of wine in front of Zhao Qiang, raised it, and said, "Zhao, Zhao Qiang, I'd like to toast you. Well, I know you can't drink alcohol, so please use tea instead."
Zhao Qiang blushed slightly: "Um, senior sister, why are you toasting me?"
Gu Xuemei wasn't good at communicating with others, and blushed after saying a few words: "Yang Shiqi and I are good friends, but seeing that you two haven't made up lately, I'm worried for you. Why can't you talk things out? Consider this drink my apology on her behalf, okay?"
Zhao Qiang picked up his teacup and said, "Senior sister, I'm really flattered by you. Actually, there's nothing between us. What happened last time had nothing to do with him."
Gu Xuemei said, "But you've been angry with her all this time."
Zhao Qiang said, "No."
Yang Shiqi said, "You're talking nonsense. You've been ignoring me the whole time."