Zhao Qiang had oil on his hands from chewing, so Luo Wei handed him a few tissues. Zhao Qiang took them without hesitation and wiped his hands. Luo Wei then poured him some tea and carefully tested the temperature. Zhao Qiang said, "You don't need to bother, I don't like tea."
Luo Wei asked, "Then should we drink Nutritional Express or peanut milk?" Zhao Qiang also didn't want to drink carbonated beverages.
Zhao Qiang said, "Peanut milk, just pour a little bit."
Luo Wei poured him half a glass and carefully placed it in front of Zhao Qiang. Sun Changqing glanced at Xu Liming, then at Luo Wei, as if to say, "Vice Mayor Xu, is it your daughter who's dating him, or is it Chairman Luo?"
Xu Liming glanced at his daughter. Xu Xiaoya bit her lip, but she couldn't say anything at this moment. First, she didn't dare to get angry in front of Zhao Qiang, and second, it would also let Sun Changqing and the others see her father. So Xu Xiaoya raised her glass and said, "Uncles, let's have another drink. Although the economic development of Donghai City has been affected by the virus and has stagnated in the second half of the year, it is still very possible to maintain a 40% growth rate this year. You will be the heroes then."
Sun Changqing said, "No, no, you should be the one who made the contribution."
Xu Xiaoya said, "Let's all work together, let's have a toast."
Everyone drank another cup together, including Zhao Qiang and Luo Wei. After drinking this cup, Zhao Qiang and Luo Wei were too drunk, and Zhao Qiang could not drink any more wine under any circumstances.
Xu Xiaoya put down her wine glass and said, "I'm going to change my clothes, I'm a little hot." As she spoke, Xu Xiaoya went into the room. A little while later, Luo Wei's phone rang with a text message. She opened her phone, turned to the side to glance at it, then her expression changed. She apologized and went into Xu Xiaoya's room as well.
Volume 2 [413] Allies
【413】Allies
Ge Zhongyi could tell that Zhao Qiang wasn't a good drinker. He had originally looked down on Zhao Qiang, so he decided to get him drunk so he could embarrass himself. So he raised his glass and said, "Zhao, come on, let me toast you."
Zhao Qiang blocked the glass and said, "Secretary Ge, I really can't hold my liquor. I think we should wait a while before drinking. Let Xiaoya drink it for me."
Ge Zhongyi said, "How can that be? How can you, a grown man, save face by having General Manager Xu drink for you?"
Lei Tianming kicked Ge Zhongyi hard under the table. Ge Zhongyi was much the same as he was that day. If it weren't for the fact that they were colleagues, Lei Tianming would never have bothered with him.
However, Lei Tianming's well-intentioned reminder didn't earn Ge Zhongyi's gratitude; instead, it annoyed him. He glared at Lei Tianming, thinking, "Even if you're the mayor, you can't stop me from drinking." Lei Tianming turned his face away, ignoring him, thinking, "Go ahead and drink, you'll see later."
In Xu Xiaoya's room, Xu Xiaoya sat on the edge of the bed. Luo Wei pushed the door open and entered. Xu Xiaoya pointed to the bedside, and Luo Wei sat down beside her. The two women remained silent. They were originally good friends, but now, because they both fell in love with the same man, their relationship had reached a point where it had to be made clear. Xu Xiaoya could no longer bear it, and Luo Wei could no longer bear the pain of unrequited love.
Finally, Xu Xiaoya sighed, "How long has it been since we two sat down and had a serious talk?"
Luo Wei lowered her head and said, "It's been so long, Xiaoya, I really like Zhao Qiang..."
Xu Xiaoya waved her hand to stop Luo Wei from continuing, "I know, I'm not blind."
Luo Wei suddenly burst into tears. "I'm sorry, Xiaoya, I can't control myself. I know everything I have is thanks to you and Zhao Qiang, but I'm willing to give up everything for Zhao Qiang. I really can't live without him; I'd rather die than live without him. Although I know Zhao Qiang can't give you up for me, I just can't forget him. Please, please don't send me away. I'm willing to pay any price to stay with Zhao Qiang."
Xu Xiaoya was already in tears. "Wei, I know you love him very much, but love can't tolerate any imperfections. Even though we're best friends, I can't bear to see you two being intimate. Think about how I feel. You and Zhao Qiang are getting so close, what will others think of me? After all, I'm Zhao Qiang's girlfriend. Please, think about me."
Luo Wei looked up and surveyed Xu Xiaoya's room. There were two pairs of slippers, one for a man and one for a woman, and the pillows were also in pairs. Even the pajamas were placed in a very conspicuous position. There was a photo of the two of them on the table. Everything about it exuded Zhao Qiang's presence. Luo Wei's heart shattered. She stood up crying. Xu Xiaoya couldn't tolerate her, so there was no need for her to exist here. Luo Wei was completely lost. Without Zhao Qiang, she didn't know what to do.
A beep sounded from Zhao Qiang's laptop bag on the table. Luo Wei, who was about to leave, stopped and glanced at Zhao Qiang's laptop bag. Xu Xiaoya hesitated for a moment, then took the bag, took out the laptop, and opened it to check.
"Whose number is this?" Xu Xiaoya asked, frowning. Luo Wei leaned over to look, wiped the tears from her face, and said, "It's Sister Hu Qian's."
Xu Xiaoya said in surprise, "Why didn't I add her account? Instead, Zhao Qiang added her."
Luo Wei said, "I don't know, but I've seen Zhao Qiang chatting with her before, so I know."
Xu Xiaoya's brows were still furrowed. The other party only sent a smiley face. She thought for a moment and replied, "What is it?"
Hu Qian said, "Are you coming tonight or not? If not, I won't wait anymore. I'm so tired from work today, I'm going to sleep."
Xu Xiaoya looked up and asked Luo Wei, "What was Zhao Qiang doing at Hu Qian's place?"
Luo Wei shook her head: "I don't know, maybe they were talking about work."
Xu Xiaoya said, "We have to wait until tonight to talk about work?"
Luo Wei didn't respond, so Xu Xiaoya quipped, "What surprises are in store tonight?"
Hu Qian said, "Do whatever you want, I'm not going to resist anyway."
Xu Xiaoya sensed something was wrong and asked again, "What are we playing?"
Hu Qian said, "Play what you like, do I need to tell you that?"
"I want you to say it."
"How could you be so mean to play with my body?"
Xu Xiaoya's hand trembled, and the notebook slipped down her lap. Luckily, Luo Wei caught it. Xu Xiaoya's face flushed red, and she jumped up. Luo Wei calmly pressed her down, saying, "Xiaoya, you can't be impulsive."
Xu Xiaoya's tears flowed again: "They've already gone through that, how can I not act impulsively?"
Luo Wei said, "If you can't calm down, I'm sure you'll lose Zhao Qiang tonight just like I did."
Xu Xiaoya felt as if she had been doused with cold water. Yes, Zhao Qiang was too strong-willed. If she argued with him, he would definitely turn around and leave, which would only benefit Hu Qian. A man with his current abilities, which were more than normal, would not be under her control. Therefore, if she wanted to win back his heart, she absolutely could not argue with him. Instead, she had to pretend that nothing had happened.
Xu Xiaoya picked up her laptop again and wrote in the chat box: "Sister Qian, to be honest, I've thought it through these past few days. I feel that our relationship is not suitable to continue. It's not fair to Xiaoya, so I think it should end. Please don't bother me anymore."
A huge question mark appeared on the other end: "Qiang, are you crazy? Okay, even if you can let go of me, can you let go of Shiqi? Can you let go of Xinyu? The three of us advance together and retreat together. Are you willing to give up a whole forest for one tree? If you really decide to do this, then come and tell us yourself."
After sending this message, Hu Qian's profile picture went dark, presumably waiting for Zhao Qiang to explain to her in person. Xu Xiaoya stood there stunned again, and after a long while, she asked Luo Wei, "What happened? What's going on with Yang Shiqi? Isn't he a man? Chen Xinyu was also involved with Zhao Qiang. I should have known that things between her and Zhao Qiang weren't that simple. I trusted Zhao Qiang too much."
Luo Wei said, "Xiaoya, Zhao Qiang is so outstanding, you should have known long ago that many girls would like him. As for Yang Shiqi, let's analyze her family background. The Yang family only has one son, Yang Chengxi, but Yang Chengxi only has three daughters. We used to suspect that Yang Shiqi was Yang Chengxi's illegitimate child, but now, according to Hu Qian, she should be Yang Chengxi's third daughter. Think carefully about Yang Shiqi's characteristics; she is clearly a woman disguised as a man."
Xu Xiaoya said, "Yes, she's become much more feminine lately. Even her Adam's apple isn't as noticeable anymore. I thought she'd gained weight. It's obvious she hasn't been hiding her chest lately. Why is she doing this? She's definitely trying to get a good look from Qiang."
Luo Wei nodded, and with a wry smile, she said to Xu Xiaoya, "Sister Xiaoya, you have a lot of enemies."
Xu Xiaoya jumped up and paced around the room several times. At this moment, she had to make a decision. She dared not assume that Zhao Qiang really couldn't live without her. If she confronted Zhao Qiang now and made him choose, he would have three women: Yang Shiqi was in charge of the military, Hu Qian was in charge of the internet, and Chen Xinyu was in charge of the media. Any one of them was no weaker than her, and with all three women combined, her situation would be even more precarious. Zhao Qiang's choice would be obvious; any normal man would understand that three is greater than one.
Xu Xiaoya glanced at Luo Wei, gritted her teeth, and said to Luo Wei, "Wei, are we still best friends?"
Luo Wei said, "Even if I leave Zhao Qiang, you will still be my good sister. I will never forget the days we spent together. Thank you, Sister Xiaoya. I was wrong to do this. I will leave and promise never to appear in front of Zhao Qiang again."
"No, no, no," Xu Xiaoya hurriedly grabbed Luo Wei and said, "I know you really like Zhao Qiang, but five minutes ago I couldn't accept that the two of you had this kind of relationship, but now I've changed my mind."
Luo Wei was taken aback: "Huh?"
Xu Xiaoya pointed to the notebook and said, "You've seen it all. Now that vixen has teamed up with Yang Shiqi and Chen Xinyu to try and get me. You're my good sister, and I've also noticed that Zhao Qiang treats you very well. Don't you want to help me?"
Luo Wei said, "How...how can I help you?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "There are three of them. I'm afraid I can't keep Zhao Qiang's heart by myself. So we need to join forces. As long as Zhao Qiang isn't deceived by that vixen, I won't interfere in your relationship with him anymore. However, I still have to be Zhao Qiang's wife. That's a must. You can't take that position from me."
Luo Wei was overjoyed: "Xiaoya, is this...is this true? You really don't mind that I love Zhao Qiang? As for the title of wife you mentioned, I don't care. I never even dared to hope for it in the first place."
Xu Xiaoya smiled wryly: "Of course I mind, but there's nothing I can do about it. I think I'll get used to it over time. But you two shouldn't be affectionate in front of me for a while, or I'm afraid I'll go crazy."
Luo Wei said, "As long as you don't make me leave Zhao Qiang, I'll agree to anything you say."
Xu Xiaoya said, "We also need to form a defensive alliance to ensure that Zhao Qiang is not seduced by that vixen."
Luo Wei said with some concern, "Xiaoya, do you think the two of us can defeat the three of them? After all, we are mainly focused on developing the economy, and our strengths are not comparable to those of the three of them."
Xu Xiaoya also said with a headache, "Do you want me to bring in another sister? I'm really going to vomit blood if you do that."
Luo Wei comforted Xu Xiaoya, saying, "Xiaoya, now that you've already done it once, why are you afraid of doing it again? If she's the girl Zhao Qiang likes, why don't you fight for her? At the very least, you should wait until you've defeated Sister Qian and the others before talking about things between us, don't you think?"
Xu Xiaoya asked, "Do you know that Zhao Qiang has another girl he likes?"
Luo Wei shook her head: "I don't know."
Xu Xiaoya breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, otherwise I would have jumped off a building tonight. Wei, I really don't want to blame you, but if it's a man you truly love and are planning to marry, and you suddenly hear that he's with another girl, you would have the same thoughts as me. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Luo Wei nodded: "Sister Xiaoya, I understand how you feel, so I don't blame you. If you hadn't acted like that just now, I might have looked down on you and thought you didn't really love Zhao Qiang."
Volume Two [414] Enjoying the Moments
【414】Enjoy to the fullest
Xu Xiaoya smiled bitterly. Who would want to share their husband with someone else? But Zhao Qiang was too powerful, so powerful that she couldn't control him at all. Now she could only please him and try to unite with her allies who were beneficial to her to defeat the other women.
Xu Xiaoya said, "Hu Qian's words reminded me that if I don't reflect on my actions, I might lose Zhao Qiang. Now we are sisters in the same trench, the kind that are even closer than blood sisters. Let's go out for drinks and pretend nothing happened. Let Zhao Qiang explain to Hu Qian himself."
Luo Wei chuckled: "I'm probably going to get a good scolding from those three women."
Xu Xiaoya said, "That's for the best. Oh, I suddenly remembered, Zhao Qiang once slept in the same room as Yang Shiqi."
Luo Wei said leisurely, "They've been in Africa for so long, does Sister Xiaoya still care about this?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "Yes, back then, I couldn't control Zhao Qiang when they were out. They probably did everything they were supposed to do. As Zhao Qiang's girlfriend in name only, I feel like a real failure."
Luo Wei said, "Alright, Xiaoya, you should see our advantages. After all, you are Zhao Qiang's girlfriend in name only. Having this status already gives you an advantage. Moreover, Zhao Qiang treats you very well, which is something Hu Qian and the others can't compare to."
Xu Xiaoya said, "You're right. Then tell me, how far have things progressed between you and Zhao Qiang?"
Luo Wei blushed: "At most, we'll just hold hands. Zhao Qiang has too many concerns and is always unwilling to take things any further with me."
Xu Xiaoya finally relaxed and chuckled, "Alright, I'll find a chance to make it happen for you two. After all, we're comrades now. I just hope you remember our promise and don't steal my husband away. Otherwise, we'll become enemies. I don't want to see that happen, and you certainly don't want that either."
What else could Xu Xiaoya do in the current situation? She wasn't an ordinary girl; she was very intelligent. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to stand up for Zhao Qiang. She clearly understood that Zhao Qiang would not easily give up on Hu Qian and the other women. Given the unequal power dynamics, it was a wise choice for her to join forces with Luo Wei. Moreover, once she made this decision, Xu Xiaoya immediately reversed her attitude towards Luo Wei. This is the decisiveness that a strong woman should have.
"Don't worry, Xiaoya, I won't let you down."
Xu Xiaoya closed the notebook and put it in Zhao Qiang's bag, saying, "Let's pack up and go out, so they don't keep us waiting."
The laptop screen, which had been in standby mode, suddenly lit up, and Wei smiled triumphantly on the screen, "Brother, I really helped you a lot today, but Sister Hu Qian and the others have been exposed. You'll have to figure out how to explain this to Sister Xiao Ya yourself."
The two women touched up their makeup and returned to the living room. Zhao Qiang had been waiting impatiently. It wasn't that he didn't want to see what the two girls were doing in the room, but he was afraid to see them arguing, so he could only hold back.
"Why isn't everyone drinking?" Xu Xiaoya asked, forcing a smile.
Ge Zhongyi said, "Xiaoya, I can't drink anymore. Your boyfriend is not giving us face; he won't drink when we offer him a toast."
Xu Xiaoya said, "Uncle Ge, Qiang can't hold his liquor. He can't drink any more after this amount. I'll drink for him."
Ge Zhongyi said, "How can this be allowed? A man has to have a woman drink for him."
Xu Xiaoya chuckled, "It's nothing, it's my honor to drink for him." As she spoke, Xu Xiaoya secretly pinched Zhao Qiang's thigh under the table. Zhao Qiang endured the pain without making a sound, but Luo Wei, sitting on the other side, secretly took his hand and wrote three words in his palm, "I love you." Luo Wei couldn't contain her joy and wanted to tell Zhao Qiang as soon as possible. She didn't care about the title of wife. From the very beginning, knowing that Zhao Qiang would never leave Xu Xiaoya, she had no intention of fighting for that title. She didn't think she had the strength to overpower Xu Xiaoya.
Zhao Qiang thought to himself that Luo Wei was too bold, actually pulling his hand to write these three words in front of Xu Xiaoya. He could only pat the back of Luo Wei's hand, trying to pull his hand back, but Luo Wei stubbornly held his hand tighter. There was nothing Zhao Qiang could do but let her do as she pleased.
Xu Xiaoya pinched Zhao Qiang's thigh, but perhaps realizing it was a bit too much, she gently stroked it a few more times. Zhao Qiang was even more unsure of what Xu Xiaoya wanted to do, and could only think to himself, "A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea."
Xu Liming was afraid that Ge Zhongyi would recklessly push forward, so he advised, "Secretary Ge, Zhao's alcohol tolerance is indeed not high. This is just right for him. If he drinks any more, he'll definitely pass out."
No matter how unreasonable Ge Zhongyi was, he couldn't refuse Xu Liming's face. Besides, he didn't dare to go against Xu Xiaoya's wishes, otherwise his life would be difficult in the future. It wouldn't be too difficult for someone with huge wealth to trip him up, but it would be a bit more difficult for him to trip up his investment in the family business, because Xu Liming knew all the inside stories of officialdom. Wouldn't it be easy for that father and daughter to deal with him? It wasn't worth it for a drink.
With Xu Xiaoya's support, Zhao Qiang no longer needed to drink. However, the alcohol he had drunk earlier was still quite strong, and his head started to feel dizzy. But this feeling wasn't unpleasant; rather, it was light and comfortable, which is probably why many people like to have a drink when they have nothing to do.
The atmosphere became much more harmonious afterward. Xu Xiaoya accepted all drinks offered, shielding Zhao Qiang from alcohol while also helping Luo Wei drink a couple of glasses. Later, she even drank for Xu Liming, practically getting Sun Changqing and the others drunk by herself, demonstrating her extraordinary alcohol tolerance.
"...I hope that the profits of Haifeng Group can reach another level before the end of the year, so that we can strive for more favorable policies from the province next year," Sun Changqing said, his tongue thick with slurred speech.