But Tang Mi's voice sounded very strange, so she asked a few more questions, and before long, Tang Mi's voice choked up.
"They've all turned yellow?" Ni Jingxi was a little surprised; she genuinely didn't know.
Tang Mi's resignation was a well-thought-out decision. Although she had long planned to open a studio, she had not yet implemented it until she felt the conditions were right.
How could they all have turned yellow in less than a week?
Ni Jingxi nodded: "I'll call her later."
Around 5 PM, she called Tang Mi, but no one answered. She then sent Tang Mi a voice message on WeChat, but still no one replied.
Around 8 p.m., she shut down her computer and prepared to go home. While waiting for the elevator, she took the opportunity to call Tang Mi.
This time, finally someone answered.
But as soon as the call connected, a strange male voice came from the other end, greasy and ridiculous, saying, "Let me see why Xiao Tang's phone keeps ringing, whether it's her boyfriend calling."
"If it's a boyfriend, then our CEO Tang is lying. She just said she didn't have a boyfriend."
Another man's voice came from the other end of the phone, sounding like a group of people having a meal. At this moment, Tang Mi tried to take back her phone, but someone next to her actually said, "Mr. Tang, we're here to discuss investment. If you can't even have a drink with me, that's not very sincere."
Suppressing the anger that surged within her, Ni Jingxi asked directly, "Where are you eating?"
Hearing her ask that, the person on the other end chuckled and said, "Oh, little girl, you haven't eaten yet, have you? Okay, come join us."
The other party actually told her where to eat and which private room to use.
Ni Jingxi drove straight there. Although it wasn't far from her company, it was during Shanghai's traffic congestion time, and she happened to encounter a red light. She kept tapping her hands on the steering wheel.
I'm a little anxious.
When she arrived at the high-end club, there were people at the entrance to help with parking. Ni Jingxi simply tossed the keys over and went inside.
She asked the waiter where the private room was and went straight there.
They arrived at the door without knocking and slammed it open.
The room was bustling with activity. Someone had just stood up, holding a wine glass and about to speak, when the door was suddenly pushed open, and everyone turned to look at the doorway.
Once the people in the private room could clearly see the girl at the door, even though everyone was bundled up in winter, she was wearing a well-fitting coat that was slightly open, revealing a white sweater, black trousers, and flat boots underneath.
This outfit not only didn't make her look bulky at all, but actually made her waist look even slimmer and her legs look longer.
Especially her legs, whether they were naturally like that or because of the elongating effect of the boots, they looked exceptionally long and straight.
"Hey beautiful, who are you looking for?"
Immediately, a man with a flushed face and a strong smell of alcohol asked a question.
Ni Jingxi looked around and her gaze fell on Tang Mi. Tang Mi had taken off her coat and was only wearing her inner clothes. Apart from her dazed eyes and flushed face, she seemed fine.
But looking at Tang Mi's appearance, she knew that she must have drunk a lot of alcohol.
“Pick her up.” Ni Jingxi walked in coldly and pulled Tang Mi up from the chair. “Let’s go, I’ll take you home.”
Before they could even turn around, a man standing nearby stood up, looking somewhat disgruntled. He exclaimed "Hey!" several times before saying, "I was wondering what was going on. They dragged people away as soon as they came in. Is this gathering some kind of cannibalistic gathering?"
Ni Jingxi's attitude displeased everyone present.
"What do you think about getting someone drunk like this?" Ni Jingxi rarely attends these kinds of banquets, but she knows that it's not uncommon for people to be forced to drink at banquets, and there have even been news reports of people being drunk to death.
The man scoffed, "We force her to drink? Don't you even ask if she wanted to? She's practically begging us to. After all, she's waiting for my investment."
Ni Jingxi felt nauseous looking at his face. Even among the wealthy, there are different levels of civility. Some people just flaunt their wealth and act arrogantly.
"Get out of here." Ni Jingxi didn't want to say another word to this person and coldly rebuked him.
Men are not known for their good temper, and even though Ni Jingxi is very beautiful, she was still angry and about to explode after being humiliated by him: "You really don't know what's good for you, do you?"
He pointed to the small, transparent jug of wine on the table next to him and sneered, "If you don't finish this today, I'll make sure you don't leave this room alive."
The man exuded an arrogant air of "I'm in charge here."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ni Jingxi across from him picked up a small pot from the table and splashed it at him.
Tang Mi was already quite drunk and confused. But when she vaguely heard Ni Jingxi beside her, she struggled to open her eyes and saw that the person opposite her was about to raise their hand to hit Ni Jingxi, which made her furious.
She suddenly seemed to regain her strength and lunged forward, shouting, "How dare you hit my sister? You're asking for it!"
Even Ni Jingxi didn't expect that the person who had been silent would suddenly become agitated. Before she could stop him, Tang Mi had already pounced on him.
Just as the man was about to retaliate, two more men in black suits suddenly rushed out from outside.
They pulled Tang Mi up from both sides, and then held down the man who was about to get up and hit her.
Tang Mi's legs felt a little weak, and Ni Jingxi supported her from behind. She looked at the two men who rushed in and asked in confusion, "Lord Ni, who are they?"
Ni Jingxi thought for a moment and had some guesses in her heart.
Perhaps these two were the people Huo Shenyan had arranged to protect her. Sometimes she would have the feeling that someone was following her, but then she would think she was just overthinking it.
In retrospect, she didn't think much of it.
As for the man who wanted to hit someone, he was short and drunk at the time, so he was stopped immediately.
"Madam, why don't you go first and leave this to us?"
One of the men in the black suit turned his head and said.
At this moment, everyone in the private room looked at Ni Jingxi. She even brought bodyguards with her when she went out?
Then Tang Mi spoke in a voice she thought was low but which everyone could hear, "Jingxi, is this the bodyguard your husband hired for you?"
Ni Jingxi didn't say anything, but that's probably it.
Tang Mi asked enviously, "A bodyguard specifically to fight for you?"
Even the usually composed Ni Jingxi was stunned. No, of course not. What do you mean, someone specifically to fight for her? She doesn't have that many fights to fight. She's a reporter, not a thug.
She never goes looking for trouble!
But Tang Mi still said in an extremely admiring and envious tone, "I'm so envious."
Ni Jingxi: "..."
Author's Note: Lord Ni: I have a very good temper, I never cause trouble!!! Never...
*
Chapter 49
The chaos in the private room quickly attracted the attention of the club's staff, and a manager soon arrived to handle the situation. However, the two bodyguards diligently held the man down.
"Why don't you two untie this gentleman first?" The manager noticed the man's pained expression.
"Yes, yes, you should release President Qiao first."
The people who were initially too afraid to speak in the private room, seeing the club's staff and security guards arrive, felt emboldened and finally spoke up for the man.
Unexpectedly, the bodyguard who had just spoken to Ni Jingxi said coldly, "This gentleman just now acted violently. Unless he can guarantee that he can calm down."
That's an understatement; they won't release the person unless the other party guarantees otherwise.
But the bodyguard didn't actually do anything to Mr. Qiao. At most, he just held the man's wrists tightly with his hands like iron clamps, making him unable to move.
Mr. Qiao, a middle-aged man who indulges in wine and women, is not tall but is quite heavy, with a lot of fat accumulated on his body.
He was no match for the two burly bodyguards, so he couldn't break free from their restraints.
The manager frowned and said helplessly, "Sir, if you don't let go, I'll have to call the police."
“Fine, call the police. He just said I wouldn’t be leaving this room today,” Ni Jingxi said coldly, glancing around at everyone in the private room. When this Mr. Qiao made that statement, they all looked like they were watching a show. “I’m actually wondering who’s going to be the one not leaving this room today.”
If President Qiao's harsh words were just a casual remark, Ni Jingxi would be furious now.
She looked at them one by one and asked Tang Mi in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, "Did they force you to drink?"
"It's been given." Tang Mi nodded firmly.
Ni Jingxi was annoyed by this kind of person. Yes, Tang Mi did need a favor, but when it comes to investment, you can either invest if you want or not. What's wrong with him for forcing people to drink themselves into a stupor?
Does one have to drink alcohol to demonstrate their worth?
Even though he was being restrained, Mr. Qiao still kept cursing and saying, "So what if I got drunk? So what if you have bodyguards? If you're so capable, let them beat me up! Beat me up!"
Everyone in the private room was shocked by his shamelessness. They had seen shameless people before, but never anyone this shameless.
Ni Jingxi definitely wouldn't let her bodyguards actually beat him up.
She smiled and then slightly raised her chin at the bodyguards, saying calmly, "Let him go first."
President Qiao thought Ni Jingxi was intimidated by his words and was trying to save face. He then clenched his wrist and said arrogantly, "Little brat, do you really think you can do anything to me just because you bring two bodyguards with you?"
Tang Mi did indeed need their help, but she couldn't just stand by and watch Ni Jingxi suffer like this.
Oh shit.
Who is her master, Lord Ni? If it weren't for her, would he have gone up against this bastard?
Tang Mi gritted her teeth in anger, staring at the small wine jug on the table, wondering what would happen if she smashed it on her head.
Ni Jingxi said calmly, "I didn't mean to do anything to you, but the matter of you getting my friend drunk can't be left like this."
The group of men found it laughable; they'd already given it to them, what else could happen?
At this moment, someone spoke up: "Young lady, your friend agreed to come for dinner, so drinking is unavoidable. Otherwise, what do you want us to do?"
“I see. You’re having a hard time, aren’t you?” Ni Jingxi pondered for a moment, then looked around before finally fixing her gaze on President Qiao. “I don’t think it’s that difficult. How about this: all of you here can punish yourselves with three drinks and then say, ‘Miss Tang, I was wrong.’”
"Let's just let this matter drop."
Ni Jingxi spoke calmly, but to these people, even drunk people wouldn't talk so wildly, actually making them drink three cups as punishment and apologize.
These men are inherently chauvinistic and don't respect women at all. Otherwise, they wouldn't have said things like, "It's only right that Tang Mi agreed to come for dinner and drinks."
They don't think they're wrong at all to force others to drink, and they even get angry and embarrassed when the other person refuses.
Ni Jingxi is going to slap them in the face today. Since they dared to force you to drink, then you fucking have to bear the consequences.
Of course, there were always those who didn't believe in evil and were the first to jump out and court death. President Qiao still looked at her with disdain and said, "I'm telling you, you really think we're afraid of you just because you have two bodyguards? If you've got the guts, don't you dare leave, or I'll call someone to kill you right now."
Ni Jingxi ignored his barking, treating it like a dog barking, and looked at the other men still sitting around the round table.
Suddenly she chuckled and said, "Oh, right, I was in such a hurry when I came in that I forgot to introduce myself. I'm a reporter from the Shanghai Daily."