She wasn’t alone; Koujia was with her, to be precise, Koujia was supporting Meng Yuan as they entered.
Before they even got close, Shang Li caught a strong whiff of alcohol emanating from Meng Yuan, permeating the air.
“What happened?” Shang Li asked, taking Meng Yuan from Koujia’s hands. “Her agent was just looking for her.”
“Mhm, I’ve already spoken to Sister Wen Tang,” Koujia nodded, leaning against the wall as she caught her breath.
Seeing this, Shang Li settled Meng Yuan on the sofa, fetched a glass of water for Koujia, and then glanced at the nearly unconscious woman before asking, “What exactly happened to her?”
Koujia gulped down the water, patting her chest as if to calm her nerves. Just as she was about to speak, the person on the sofa let out a muffled groan, flailing her arms wildly and slurring, “Don’t stop me! How dare he? He’s asking for trouble, trying to ride on my fame. And those paparazzi. One day, Just wait! No one stop me.”
“See? This is what I mean,” Koujia sighed, throwing her hands up in resignation. “The company wants to let it slide since there’s still collaboration ahead, but Sister Meng Yuan refused. She insisted on confronting Zhou Kaian. I barely managed to stop her. She was so furious she went to a private bar. By the way, Shang Li, did you two have a fight?”
Shang Li raised an eyebrow slightly in confusion. “What? Did Meng Yuan say that?”
“No, no,” Koujia shook her head vigorously and chuckled. “Sister Meng Yuan was drunk, cursing Zhou Kaian while saying. that you blamed and scolded her or something. She sounded quite upset.”
Hah. Shang Li frowned, casting a cold glance in Meng Yuan’s direction and suppressing a scoff. What did she have to be upset about?
Still, one thing puzzled Shang Li. “Why is she so fixated on Zhou Kaian? If things really blow up, it won’t be good for anyone.”
Koujia replied, “I’m not entirely sure either. Right after Sister Meng Yuan finished recording the show, the hot search exploded. As soon as she stepped out, paparazzi swarmed her, blocking the way. She was supposed to go somewhere, but they kept hounding her with questions, and then she just.”
“Then she went crazy?” Shang Li finished the sentence flatly, a strange feeling stirring in her heart.
Koujia nodded like a chick pecking at rice, leaning in closer and lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Shang Li, you have no idea how terrifying Sister Meng Yuan was at that moment. Right in front of everyone, she had someone drag Zhou Kaian out and called him up, giving him a thorough dressing-down. She didn’t even spare those marketing accounts and almost sent them legal notices.”
“Is that so?” Shang Li forced a faint smile, lowering her eyelids to conceal the odd look in her eyes. “Well, thank you for your trouble. It’s already late, why don’t you stay here tonight? I’ll go tidy up the guest room.”
“No, no need. My friend will come pick me up soon,” Koujia waved her hands hurriedly in refusal. “Besides, this is part of my job. Sister Meng Yuan might have a bit of a temper and can be willful at times.”
Realizing she might be bad-mouthing her boss, Koujia lightly slapped her own mouth. “But Sister Meng Yuan never takes her anger out on us, unlike some other celebrities.”
Shang Li let out a soft laugh. “Alright then. Take care on your way home and stay safe.”
“Will do.”
As Kou Jia left, the spacious apartment suddenly fell quiet but not completely silent.
“Get away, don’t stop me! Damn Zhou! Tell him to get lost, I won’t.”
Shang Li stood in front of Meng Yuan, giving her a slight push, and Meng Yuan collapsed limply back onto the sofa.
She looked up, glaring at Shang Li with a mix of anger and unwillingness, her pupils dark and bright, shimmering with unshed tears. But in the next moment, her gaze softened, brimming with pitiful grievance.
Shang Li’s breath hitched slightly. She pressed her lips together and averted her eyes, only to catch a glimpse of Meng Yuan attempting to rise again, looking fierce and ready to pick a fight.
“Meng Yuan, settle down,” Shang Li sighed inwardly, stepping closer to support her. Before she could steady herself, she was pulled down onto the sofa. Luckily, her hand shot out in time to brace against the cushion, preventing her from landing directly on Meng Yuan.
Still, the distance between them was minimal.
The heat radiating from Meng Yuan’s skin seemed to envelop Shang Li instantly. The familiar scent of irises, mingled with the sharp tang of alcohol, invaded her senses, overwhelming her in a matter of seconds.
Meng Yuan stared at her unblinkingly, her expression calm like a tranquil sea at midnight beneath the serene surface, turbulent undercurrents of madness and recklessness swirled.
Shang Li’s mind went blank, warmth creeping up her cheeks. Forced to retreat, her gaze drifted downward, settling on Meng Yuan’s lips.
Full and tinged with a faint red, her lips were plump with a dewy sheen, slightly parted to reveal the delicate, rosy tip of her tongue. With each breath, the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest was palpable.
Bathed in the soft light, the atmosphere grew increasingly intimate and ambiguous. The sudden shift left Shang Li flustered, momentarily forgetting what to do.
As she leaned forward, her long hair cascaded beside Meng Yuan’s face, and at some point, a strand was caught by Meng Yuan’s fingers.
A slight tug at her scalp sent a shiver of pain through her. Shang Li glanced up to see Meng Yuan twirling the strand of hair around her pale fingers before bringing it to her nose and inhaling softly.
Shang Li’s entire focus was captivated by Meng Yuan’s every move. Though it was just a lock of hair being toyed with, her nerve endings tingled in response.
Cursing her own weakness, Shang Li swallowed the flutter in her chest, closed her eyes briefly, and tried to pull away.
But her skirt was pinned down. Puzzled, she looked to see Meng Yuan lounging lazily on the sofa, her silky blouse unbuttoned to reveal a vast expanse of pale, luminous skin. A crystal necklace rested delicately in the hollow of her collarbone, drawing the eye downward.
A flush spread uncontrollably from Shang Li’s neck to the tips of her ears. She struggled to tug her skirt free, nearly succeeding when a hand pressed down to stop her.
Their eyes met, and Meng Yuan met her gaze fearlessly, her expression openly mischievous and provocative, a blend of a child’s defiance and a mature woman’s allure.
“What are you doing?” Shang Li frowned, exasperated. Dealing with a drunk like this left her frustrated and helpless, forced to care for someone who seemed determined to cause trouble.
The thought only fueled her resentment. She wished she could just kick Meng Yuan out and be done with it.
As if sensing her irritation, the woman on the sofa let out a disgruntled whine, her displeasure evident.
“You have the nerve…” Shang Li’s anger flared. She yanked her skirt free in one swift motion, glaring fiercely.
A flicker of surprise crossed Meng Yuan’s face. She flailed, trying to grab Shang Li again, but Shang Li took several steps back, crossing her arms and watching with simmering annoyance.
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
The phone vibrated, followed by a sudden, melodious ringtone coming from Meng Yuan’s bag.
Shang Li glanced at it, initially intending to ignore it. But the ringing stopped and started again, repeating several times. Worried that the caller might have something urgent to discuss with Meng Yuan, she thought it over and decided to answer it for her.
The contact name didn’t reveal who it was, but upon hearing the voice, she realized it was Wen Tang.
“At home still drunk, okay.”
The call was brief, lasting only a few minutes before it ended.
As she placed the phone back into the bag, her hand suddenly brushed against a long, box-shaped object. Shang Li paused, and driven by curiosity, she couldn’t resist taking it out to have a look.
Opening the sky-blue gift box, she found a pearl necklace neatly nestled inside. The pearls were round, plump, and smooth, emitting a soft, lustrous glow. It was clear at a glance that they were of considerable value.
Suddenly, she recalled an auction she had seen a few days ago, where a pearl necklace had been bought at a high price by a mysterious bidder. It seemed to be the very one in front of her now.
Meng Yuan wasn’t particularly fond of necklaces or jewelry, so going out of her way to bid on one and keep it in a gift box clearly meant it wasn’t for herself.
That could only mean it was meant for someone else. But for whom?
Shang Li’s heart stirred slightly. Though she tried hard to suppress the thought, it was difficult not to let her mind drift toward herself.
“Meng Yuan, is this meant to be a gift for someone?”
Meng Yuan lifted her eyelids and glanced over, letting out a lazy “Mm” from her throat.
Shang Li licked her lips and asked in a casual tone, “Oh, who is it for?”
Meng Yuan didn’t answer. Instead, she said bluntly, “This isn’t for you.”