Chapter Fifteen
After sending the message, the screen lit up and then went dark again. Duoduo casually turned off the phone, put it back in her bag, and continued drinking.
Someone sat down next to me; he looked like a foreigner, but spoke fluent Mandarin. "Miss, are you alone? Want to have a drink together?"
"Trying to chat?" Qian Duoduo propped her head up and glanced at him without saying a word.
She was dressed appropriately, and this wasn't some third-rate bar. Although she was a single woman drinking alone, no one had come over to say a word to her.
It's still noticeable that she's different. When she drinks, she never looks around; she's just lost in thought, unlike the other customers who come in with a specific goal in mind.
The male customer, having been so clearly rejected, lost all his courage and turned back to his seat, only to be met with the teasing smiles of his friends.
"How was it? You lost, didn't you?"
He shook his head and shrugged. "Or maybe that girl went to the wrong place."
Laughter erupted behind her. Qian Duoduo knew she shouldn't stay there any longer. It wasn't that she couldn't drink, but she was in a bad mood today, and the alcohol made her particularly prone to taking effect. She tried to stand up, but her vision was blurry, and she couldn't manage it after one attempt.
As I reached out to pay the bill, the bartender was very helpful, asking, "Would you like me to call a taxi for you?"
"Thank you." She spoke clearly, took her bag, and walked out.
Xu Fei drove himself away from the hotel that day. He had just arrived in Shanghai, and since his former director was still there, he didn't bother the company to find another driver and just took any official vehicle.
Although it was a celebratory cocktail party, it was his first time meeting his colleagues from the domestic company. They weren't very familiar with each other, and no one came up to ply him with drinks.
He was happy to relax and only drank two glasses of champagne throughout the evening, just enough to get by.
Even so, it was past 11 o'clock when the event ended, and the streets were still bustling. With a GPS system in his car, he followed the directions and slowly drove through familiar yet unfamiliar streets, feeling a little wistful.
He wasn't a native Shanghainese; he had spent four years of university in the city, and after leaving for five years, he returned and felt completely unfamiliar with it.
At the red light, he slowly brought his car to a stop, following the car in front, and stared blankly at the bright taillights of the car in front of him.
The indicator lights started flashing, but the car in front didn't move. It flashed its lights, but there was still no reaction. However, someone on the right side of that car reached out and pointed at a corner of the roadside.
Following the direction, I glanced over and saw a woman leaning against a roadside tree, vomiting.
Is this even worth seeing? Bored, he turned around to honk the horn, but as soon as he turned his head back to his original position, his eyes were sharp. He rolled down the car window and stared straight at that point without moving.
Stepping out of the bar, a gust of cold wind hit her. Qian Duoduo, who was already a little unsteady on her feet, started to feel nauseous as the wind blew. Before she could even call for a taxi, she grabbed a roadside tree and began to vomit.
People around me were pointing and whispering, and I knew I had lost my composure, but I couldn't care less at that moment. As soon as I straightened up after vomiting, someone handed me a tissue.
Her vision was still blurry. She looked up and saw another foreigner. Qian Duoduo shook her head and refused. She reached into her bag to get her own bag. She was much slower than usual because she had been drinking. She couldn't even open her own bag on her first try.
The foreign languages were babbling in my ears, and I started to get annoyed. Was this still a Chinese place? Why were there foreigners everywhere? Just as I was about to take another step forward, my arm was suddenly pulled back.
Qian Duoduo was furious and reached out to pull it out, but he couldn't pull it out even after one try.
Someone ran over to help her out of the predicament. It was the kind bartender from before. He was still a little out of breath, probably because he had run so fast. "Miss, do you need my help?" Qian Duoduo nodded while still trying to pull her arm back. The foreigner saw someone coming and immediately withdrew his hand. Caught off guard, she fell backward, feeling dizzy. Qian Duoduo closed her eyes and waited for her to fall to the ground miserably.
She felt a strong pull on her lower back, a strangely familiar feeling. The world started spinning again. She couldn't open her eyes; she felt nauseous again.
The bartender stood there dumbfounded. He had watched the young lady leave, her steps unsteady, and had chased after her to call her a taxi, but in the blink of an eye, she had run into trouble.
It would have been one thing to run into trouble, but she was just too charming. One man after another kept coming up to harass her. The foreigner from before had vanished the moment he saw things were getting out of hand, and now the man supporting her was dressed formally, his suit impeccably tailored and dazzlingly handsome—he didn't look like some kind of street thug trying to pick her up at all.
Moreover, he was very clear about his goal, and strode over to help without any hesitation in his actions or expression.
This looks a bit like someone coming out to catch a runaway wife. Not sure what to do, the bartender turned to ask the other woman, "Miss, do you know this gentleman?" The alcohol made her reaction slow, and Qian Duoduo was much slower than usual in recognizing him, along with a dizzy spell.
When Qian Duoduo finally saw the face of the man standing in front of her, she realized she was drunk. God was really cruel to her. What kind of time was this to put that nightmarish feline in front of her? It made her feel choked up again.
Chapter Sixteen
Blinking and blinking again, the illusion still wouldn't go away. Anger surged to her head. This man had ruined years of hard work. Fueled by alcohol, Qian Duoduo stood up and pointed a finger at him, "Go away, don't bother me!"
Qian Duoduo frowned and struggled as his fingers were grabbed. The bartender, seeing this, came over and said, "Sir, you—"
What Qian Duoduo saw was certainly not an illusion; the person standing behind her was none other than Xu Fei, who had stole the show at the party earlier that day. However, his expression was much worse than it had been on stage. With a stern face, he gripped her tightly before speaking, ignoring her struggles in his arms, "She knows me."
Qian Duoduo was still struggling, but the more she moved, the dizzier she became, and her limbs grew weak. Her struggles resembled a small animal whining, and since she was nestled in the man's arms, her legs gave way, and he held her even tighter, creating an ambiguous atmosphere. "I don't know him, let me go." Even in this state of drunkenness, she was still stubborn. Xu Fei, a man of action, reached into her bag to find a business card, then took out his own and slapped it into the bartender's hand. "I'm her boss, is there any other problem?"
"—" Both business cards were pristine white, with the company logos neatly stacked together. The bartender glanced at them and was speechless. Qian Duoduo had initially tried to snatch her bag back, but failed. Then, she watched helplessly as he threw the business cards at her. It was like rubbing salt into a wound that hadn't yet healed. It felt like a volcano was about to erupt inside her. She screamed, "You, surnamed Xu, what exactly do you want?"
The bartender, who had been a little unsure, was finally certain that the two people definitely knew each other. He stepped back and let Xu Fei stride away with Qian Duoduo, who was almost completely unable to move.
Qian Duoduo struggled all the way, but the difference in their strength was like heaven and earth, and she was drunk, so it was all in vain. Although it was already late at night, there were already quite a few onlookers, who watched with great interest. After walking a few steps, Qian Duoduo grabbed the roadside railing again and wouldn't let go. Finally, angered by her non-cooperation, Xu Fei scooped her up with both hands. Qian Duoduo screamed, but he ignored her.
When they reached the car, Xu Fei let go of her and put her down, but Qian Duoduo couldn't stand steadily and slid down his arm.
She couldn't stand steadily and still started yelling, "Who asked you to tell me what to do? Go away, I don't want to see you." At this moment, Qian Duoduo's self-righteous questioning was seen by others as just a tantrum and coquettish act. Xu Fei held her with both hands to prevent her from slipping to the ground, feeling both annoyed and amused.
He felt relieved; if he hadn't happened to witness that situation, who knows what might have happened later.
I had noticed her earlier when she was speaking on stage, but she was gone when I got to the marketing department desk. I asked everyone, "Where's Manager Qian?" Just then, Elizabeth, who had just returned from the restroom, sat down with a livid face. When she saw me ask, she forced a smile and replied, "Manager Qian left. She just went out."
After exchanging a few words with the people at the table, he chased after her. When he reached the door, he saw her get into a taxi. Before he could stop her, the car had already started and driven away. His assistant came out to call him, so he had no choice but to turn back.
He never expected Qian Duoduo to end up here, completely drunk, and almost got dragged away on the street. He was still shaken by what he just witnessed.
Seeing her struggling with someone in the street from inside the car, his mind went blank. He didn't know why he was so angry. He grabbed her hands and slowly calmed down. As long as she was safe, that was all that mattered. He helped her put on her coat and comforted her, saying, "If it weren't for me, you would have been in big trouble. You went to a bar alone and got drunk like this. How old are you? Don't you have any common sense?"
How old? Mentioning her age was the ultimate blow to her. Qian Duoduo's emotions, which she had been holding back all night, finally collapsed. She wanted to scream in the street, but years of living a life of conformity made it impossible for her to shout. In the end, all her grief and anger turned into unfamiliar liquid, which flowed freely from her eyes. She didn't even have time to cover it with her hands, and it instantly covered her entire face.
"Who told you to come find me? What's it to you? Get out of here, get out of here!"
She tried to pat the man beside her, but his warm, strong hands held her tightly, and she couldn't break free. Exhaustion and the effects of alcohol washed over her along with her tears, her consciousness gradually blurred and weakened, and Qian Duoduo began to wail.
Caught off guard by her crying, and with little experience dealing with a drunken, weeping woman, Xu Fei stood on the street, unsure whether to comfort or console her.
He wanted to get her into the car first, but as soon as he took a step, the force that had been pushing against him suddenly turned in the opposite direction. The front of his suit jacket was held tightly in place, and before he knew it, he couldn't take his first step.
Chapter Seventeen
Tears washed away the last vestiges of her sobriety. Qian Duoduo was drunk, so drunk that the sounds of cars and people around her became distant, so drunk that she forgot where she was, so drunk that she felt as if she had returned to that night long, long ago.
That night, there were no arguments, no pleas, only his burning hands gripping her tightly, repeatedly calling her name in her ear, Duoduo, Duoduo.
And she just left, getting up at dawn, taking only a few belongings, and boarding a plane without looking back. If he hadn't let go then, if she had known the desolation and loneliness that awaited her, would she still have left so resolutely?
Regretful, Qian Duoduo cried in vain, but in a daze she was back in those hands, those hot and strong hands, holding her waist so firmly, as if they could stay like this forever.
With only one thought left in her mind, she knew she couldn't let go this time, she absolutely couldn't loosen her grip. With all her might, she reached back and grabbed, sobbing and pleading, "Don't go, stay with me, don't go."
Knowing she was talking nonsense while drunk, Xu Fei picked her up and carried her to the car.
After settling her in the car, he noticed a bright yellow parking ticket stuck to the windshield. Completely ignoring it, Xu Fei reached out and tore it off.
He had just lifted his body when she grabbed him again. In fact, his front was still in her hand and had not been let go. The once crisp fabric was now all crumpled.
"Don't go." Qian Duoduo's eyes were closed, but her hands were still incredibly persistent, clinging to him tightly.
She begged him not to leave—she knew in her heart that she wasn't talking about her, but the carriage was dimly lit, and her tears covered her entire face, seemingly impossible to wipe away. He had seen many drunk people, but he felt a deep reluctance and a lingering, vulnerable feeling only towards her.
Sigh, he's a man, why would he do this? I was confused when I met her five years ago, and I still am now, it's unbelievable.
Not knowing where he was taking her, he drove aimlessly along the road until he unknowingly ended up in a dead end. All around was silent. He stepped on the brakes and slowly brought the car to a stop, temporarily ending the memories of the past.
The summer night was unbearably hot and humid. Although the car's air conditioning was cool, he still felt short of breath.
Wait until you're truly better than me before you talk about pursuing me.
His words still echoed in his ears. He thought it was just a joke from his youth, a trivial little moment that had long since faded into insignificance. But he never expected her to be so ruthless. He felt he hadn't taken it seriously, while she had completely and utterly forgotten him.
That night, they met by chance on the subway. He sat opposite her for a long time. Qian Duoduo was still so dazzling. He naturally recognized her at a glance. However, when she talked to him at such close range, she acted as if she was completely ignorant, as if she was looking at a complete stranger when she first saw him.
Who is he? He's Xu Fei! How could anyone have completely forgotten him?
So at the party today, he should have walked up to her, raised his glass, and laughed three times, saying, "Qian Duoduo, you've finally met your match!"
But he was wrong. Qian Duoduo suffered a crushing defeat. He could see it clearly from the stage. She was sitting in her seat, between his left and right hands, which he had brought from Japan. She maintained her last bit of a smile, took a small sip of the wine in her glass, and then got up and left quietly.
This was completely different from the reaction he had expected. The Qian Duoduo of the past was not like this. The Qian Duoduo of the past had a firm gaze, without a trace of confusion. Even if she was shocked, she could immediately respond with a smile. At that time, he thought she was naive and cute. But today, the same person's smile made him feel pitiful.
She glanced again at Qian Duoduo, who was now silent beside her. She was truly drunk, but her ladylike demeanor remained; she didn't make a scene, but simply clung to his arm, refusing to let go even if it meant death. One side of her face was exposed, with tear tracks clearly visible.
Suddenly, his heart softened and melted. He bent down to wipe her mouth, his cheek close to hers, his nose brushing against her lips. There was still a hint of alcohol there, a light vodka mixed with a touch of orange juice sweetness. Oh no, in an instant, the world shook. A burning sensation rushed from his lower abdomen to the top of his head. He felt as if he had returned to that hormone-fueled auditorium years ago, no, even more exaggerated than that time. The sound of him gritting his teeth and trying to control himself could be clearly heard in the carriage.
"Qian Duoduo, wake up and tell me where you live?" Xu Fei struggled to say this, tilting his head as far away from her as possible.
Qian Duoduo was dreaming. In her dream, she felt safe and comfortable, and she finally grasped what she had lost. But as her hand moved, the constant warmth of her support began to slip away. Filled with hatred, she pulled back her hand, "Don't go! You stay here! Stay here!"
He inhaled sharply. "Qian Duoduo, do you know what you're saying?"
She opened her eyes slightly to look at him, tilting her head as if looking very carefully.
What she saw was a blurry shadow, images from distant memories layered upon each other: a young boy's face and body covered in sweat in the darkness, a man in a sports car, large bouquets of brightly blooming flowers in the back seat, and a light jump by the pond, and the smiling face she saw when she looked up.
These men were all men she once wanted to keep, men she could have kept. If God could give her another chance, at least this time she wouldn't let go.
On the quiet street, the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the car was too great, and the windshield was instantly covered with a layer of fog. Her eyes were also fogged up, with a layer of damp and hazy light. After looking for a long time, she smiled. She still couldn't break the habit of showing her white teeth when she smiled. "I know, I told you not to leave."
Chapter Eighteen
In the dim light, her teeth were fine and even, each small white tooth strung together, glistening with a moist sheen. Giving up asking questions and withdrawing her hand, she felt as if her throat was being gently rubbed by those two rows of small, lovely teeth, her breath gradually becoming hot and scalding, as if her whole body was sinking into lava.
It was too painful. He was a man, a normal man. When the arrow was on the bowstring, it would be a disservice to his title of man not to act like a beast. But she was Qian Duoduo. She was drunk. She mistook him for another man. She was just seeking pleasure while drunk—
The last shred of reason remained. Although his body was throbbing with pain, he gritted his teeth and endured it. His hand was already on the doorknob, and he was just a little too close to turning it and jumping down.
Unexpectedly, Qian Duoduo leaned in and grabbed his collar. The force of her kiss was so strong that he groaned in surprise. His lips stung, and he involuntarily opened them. Her nimble tongue instantly intertwined with his. The immense pleasure made the last shred of reason in his brain fly to the winds. Her saliva also smelled of wine, and he was instantly intoxicated. The whole world suddenly became dazzling.
His hands couldn't help but embrace her; her body was hot and soft, and his fingers wouldn't obey his commands, unable to move away from her.
He gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and asked her one last question, "Qian Duoduo, do you know who I am?"
Annoyed by the persistent questioning, she finally slowly opened her previously hazy eyes. Before her was a magnified male face, his breath hot, his young skin like fine porcelain in the dim light, with fine beads of sweat floating on a thin blush.
Who was it? The pleasure from the kiss was so intense that her first thought upon opening her eyes was to cup his face so that they could press closer together and kiss more deeply.
But her lips were already swollen and red, and the pain became acute as soon as she stopped sucking. This pain brought her back to her senses, and she saw clearly. She gasped for breath and forced out two words through clenched teeth, "It's you—"
How could it be him? No, it can't be!
Terrified, she strained to tilt her head back, and as their breaths separated, creating a small distance, she finally saw the situation clearly.
With a scream, Qian Duoduo jerked her hand back and stepped back. Her movement was so big that Xu Fei couldn't hold her back. With a bang, the back of her head slammed solidly against the passenger door. The intense pain immediately turned Qian Duoduo's eyes bloodshot, and she covered her head in a disheveled state.
How are you?