The bright lights of the bar flashed dazzlingly. To Ye Tong, however, the familiar figure sitting at the counter was nothing short of an eyesore. She almost turned right around and walked out. How on earth is that old fox here, too? She really is everywhere!
Seeing Ye Tong arrive, Luo Huan quickly rushed forward and threw her arms around her. “Tongtong, my little darling! I haven’t seen you in forever. I missed you to death!”
“I missed you too,” Ye Tong smiled, raising her arms to hug Luo Huan back. As she let go, she asked in a low voice, “What’s going on here?”
Knowing exactly what Ye Tong was asking about, Luo Huan took her arm and led her toward the bar counter, her seasoned acting skills instantly kicking in. “Oh, it’s the strangest coincidence! I actually ran into President Lin here at the bar.”
“A coincidence?”
“Yes! Incredible coincidence, right?” Luo Huan replied, her expression completely smooth, without a shred of guilt about her lie.
Ye Tong remained half-believing. How could such a perfect coincidence exist in this world? If this had been a few years ago, she might have believed that Lin Su came to a bar to unwind. But as Lin Su grew older, she increasingly disliked loud and crowded places. At least back when Ye Tong was still by her side, she rarely saw her step foot into a bar. For Lin Su to show up at a bar in the middle of the night was highly uncharacteristic.
Lin Su was an exceptionally self-disciplined woman. She usually took great care of her health and never forced herself to do things she disliked.
Having been at the bar for over half an hour, Lin Su had slowly nursed several drinks. A fire-like flush had bloomed across her otherwise fair, flawless skin, and her slender neck glowed with an alluring hue under the vibrant lights. Sitting there alone, she exuded an elegant, mature charm. She still carried a faint smile on her face, but her eyes looked somewhat hazy as she glanced over. Her presence had naturally drawn quite a few lingering stares.
Ye Tong frowned as she watched. Suddenly, a tall figure stepped in, blocking her view and cutting off the line of sight between Lin Su and Ye Tong.
The young man carried himself with practiced elegance. “Hello, beautiful lady. Are you here alone? May I buy you a drink?”
Lin Su pursed her red lips. As she looked up at him, the warmth in her eyes slowly turned to ice. “Move.”
Meeting Lin Su’s gaze, the man felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Still, not wanting to back down in front of a beautiful woman, he braced himself and held out the glass. Before he could hand it over, Lin Su spoke in a flat, indifferent tone.
“You’re blocking my view of the beautiful women. Please leave.”
The man stood there, so embarrassed he could barely breathe.
Bars were places of uninhibited indulgence, where men and women mingled and flirted freely. With a mature, beautiful woman like Lin Su, anyone regardless of gender would feel tempted to approach. Did they view Lin Su as prey?
The young man looked to be around twenty. Luo Huan intentionally slowed her pace, tilting her head to tut softly. “What is with the young guys these days? At Lin Su’s age, if she had married and had children early, she could literally be his mother.”
Ye Tong asked, “Are you calling her an old woman?”
“I didn’t say that! Lin Su is only four years older than me, and she looks even younger than I do. How does she look like an old woman? Even if she is, she’s a mature woman who still holds onto her stunning charm.”
“She’s still an old woman,” Ye Tong tossed back before walking straight toward Lin Su.
Watching her friend’s retreating figure, Luo Huan muttered to herself, “My goodness, is she jealous?”
Whether she was jealous or not was up for debate, but Ye Tong knew that the old fox, Lin Su, was practically a master of manipulation. The moment the young man left, another woman immediately swooped in, nearly sitting right on Lin Su’s lap.
Lin Su’s tolerance for alcohol was average, but she absolutely detested being touched by people she wasn’t familiar with let alone having someone cling so closely to her. Ye Tong waited patiently for a moment. Seeing that Lin Su made no move to extricate herself, and assuming she must be somewhat drunk, Ye Tong finally reached out and pulled the woman’s hand away from Lin Su’s neck.
“Excuse me, miss,” Ye Tong said coolly. “This is my seat.”
The woman grumbled, “How annoying!” and slunk away.
Ye Tong didn’t care to watch her leave. Ignoring Lin Su sitting right beside her, she sat down and ordered a drink. Luo Huan quickly slid into the empty seat on Lin Su’s other side. Taking advantage of the moment while Ye Tong was looking away, she lowered her voice and asked, “Lin Su, you aren’t actually drunk, are you?”
“No,” Lin Su replied, her eyes perfectly clear. She tilted her head and whispered back, “Didn’t you tell me to put my acting skills to use? She didn’t see through me, did she?”
Luo Huan tutted. “Probably not. But honestly, it’s a tragedy you didn’t go into acting.”
Lin Su chuckled softly but didn’t reply. Propping her chin on her hand, she leaned against the counter and quietly watched Ye Tong drink. In truth, after spending so much time together, they had realized they shared many traits—for instance, Ye Tong also disliked excessively noisy places, preferring a quiet and reserved atmosphere.
“I’m giving you another chance,” Luo Huan whispered in Lin Su’s ear.
She then stood up, moved to sit next to Ye Tong, and clinked her glass against her friend’s. “Tongtong, my darling, let’s have a drink!”
Luo Huan was naturally easygoing. Seeing Ye Tong finish her glass, she turned to Lin Su with a suggestive raise of her eyebrows. “President Lin, I’d like to toast you as well. Thank you for taking such good care of my darling Tongtong at LT.”
Lin Su didn’t know what trick Luo Huan was playing, but she decided to play along. Just as she raised her glass to return the toast, Luo Huan was suddenly pulled back by Ye Tong.
“Alright, stop making her drink. And don’t drink too much yourself.”
“Fine, fine,” Luo Huan said. She cast a helpless glance at Lin Su and shrugged, signaling she had done what she could.
With Luo Huan acting as the buffer to ease the tension, the atmosphere softened. When their conversation drifted to professional topics, Lin Su would occasionally chime in. Luo Huan bounced back and forth like a blade of grass swaying in the wind chatting with Ye Tong one moment, then turning to joke with Lin Su the next. It was as if she was terrified Lin Su would feel left out and take it out on Ye Tong back at the office.
Eventually, Luo Huan’s phone rang. Wrapping an arm around Ye Tong’s shoulders, she apologized hurriedly, “Tongtong, my darling, I’m so sorry! Something urgent came up at my company and I have to run. Once you successfully sign that contract, we’ll drink until we drop.”
Ye Tong smiled gently. “Go ahead.”
“So good,” Luo Huan cooed, pinching Ye Tong’s cheek. She leaned in closer and whispered, “The lady behind me seems a bit drunk. Since you two are staying together anyway, take her back to the hotel later.”
Ye Tong pursed her lips. “Fine.”
Out of Ye Tong’s line of sight, Luo Huan gave Lin Su a quick wink as she left.
Lin Su didn’t like staying in noisy places for long. Although she cherished the chance to share a quiet drink alone with Ye Tong, or to play up her “drunkenness” as Luo Huan had suggested, she ultimately chose not to.
“Director Ye, we should head back.”
Hearing Lin Su’s words, Ye Tong raised an eyebrow, finding it somewhat amusing. She turned to look at Lin Su’s slightly flushed face. “Lin Su, didn’t you say you’re getting older and can’t handle your liquor anymore?”
“Yes, I am getting older,” Lin Su agreed with a soft, compliant smile. “I can’t drink heavily and enjoy a wild night with you like I used to.”
“If you can’t drink, then don’t,” Ye Tong said, standing up. “Let’s go back to the hotel.”
Lin Su nodded and followed closely by Ye Tong’s side as they stepped out of the bar.
Lin Su wasn’t particularly drunk, but Ye Tong, having been repeatedly toasted by Luo Huan, had consumed much more. Though her mind was clear, her footsteps were unsteady. She nearly stumbled into the wall several times. Unable to watch any longer, Lin Su reached out to support her, only to be pushed away.
“No need. I can walk.”
Being rejected wasn’t a new experience. Lin Su offered a helpless smile, letting it go, and silently followed behind Ye Tong—not too far, but not too close.
Ye Tong suddenly stopped and spun around, staring intently at Lin Su. Confused, Lin Su opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but Ye Tong cut her off, speaking each word deliberately:
“Lin Su, you are nothing but a liar.”
Lin Su looked at her and smiled faintly. “You’ve said that to me many times before.”
Ye Tong let out a frustrated laugh, turned, and kept walking.
How does this old fox manage to lie so calmly and righteously? How did I ever fall for a woman like her in the past?
Before Ye Tong had even arrived at the bar, Lin Su had messaged Xiao Ziyu to bring the car. Seeing them emerge neither speaking to the other, walking one after the other Xiao Ziyu sighed. It looked like the success rate of her boss winning back her ex-wife was dropping even further.
Xiao Ziyu opened the car door and stepped forward with a bright, welcoming smile. “Boss, Director Ye, I’ve finally found you. Please, get in.”
Once inside, they occupied opposite window seats, keeping to themselves. Xiao Ziyu glanced at their cold, polite demeanor. While waiting at a red light, she quickly texted Luo Huan back:
The domineering president has a head like a block of wood. No hope.
Half an hour later, they arrived back at the hotel. With tacit understanding, Ye Tong and Lin Su took turns in the bathroom, washing away the scent of smoke and alcohol.
As the saying goes, enemies are destined to meet. Even after a shower, Ye Tong ran straight into Lin Su as she stepped out of the bathroom. Lin Su was drying her hair, her gaze landing on Ye Tong, who was dressed in a pink bathrobe.
Having just bathed, Ye Tong’s bright eyes were veiled in a soft mist. Her fair skin, peeking out from the bathrobe, was flushed with a delicate pink, and water droplets clung to the tips of her damp hair. Her figure looked exceptionally graceful and alluring. Looking at her, a subtle flicker passed through Lin Su’s eyes.
She spoke softly, “Director Ye, goodnight.”
Ye Tong replied politely, “Goodnight.”
Early the next morning, driven by their well-established work routines, both women woke up early. After getting ready, Ye Tong set up her laptop in the living room to prepare for the afternoon’s business banquet.
Xiao Ziyu had bought breakfast for them. Ye Tong was already finished eating by the time Lin Su emerged from her room. Seeing Ye Tong buried in her laptop, Lin Su greeted her naturally, “Morning, Director Ye.”
“Morning, President Lin,” Ye Tong replied without looking up. “There is breakfast on the table.”
Lin Su asked, “Did you buy this for me?”
Ye Tong threw cold water on the idea. “You’re overthinking it, President Lin. Secretary Xiao bought that specifically for you.”
Lin Su knew, of course, that Ye Tong wouldn’t buy her breakfast. She sat down, selected a bowl of meat porridge from the spread, and asked softly before eating, “Have you eaten, Director Ye?”
Ye Tong replied, “Yes.”
“Would you like a bit more?”
“No, I’m full.”
Lin Su ate her porridge slowly, remaining quiet. Suddenly, Ye Tong’s fingers paused over the keyboard. She looked up. “President Lin, regarding the banquet this afternoon, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
Lin Su nodded. “Go ahead.”
“We should divide the work. Since your alcohol tolerance is so low, you shouldn’t drink at the banquet. Leave the contract signing to yourself afterward.”
“No problem,” Lin Su said, setting her bowl down as a serious expression settled over her features. “But when negotiating business at a dinner table, drinking is inevitable.”
“I know. There shouldn’t be any issues with the joint cooperation between the three groups this time.”
Ye Tong looked down and typed a few more lines, her red lips pursing slightly. “Let’s agree beforehand. I will handle the drinking, and you will sign the contract.”
“Alright. How is your tolerance?”
Ye Tong replied, “Excellent.”
Lin Su raised her eyebrows, picked up her bowl, and silently resumed eating her porridge.
It seems Director Ye is very confident.