Only then did Jiang You react, looking over at Yang Qi, who had been yanked to the floor beside her.
Yu Lin sat down beside Jiang You, her gaze falling on Yang Qi with disdain and contempt. "I was gone just long enough to use the restroom, and you waltz in here to steal my spot. Who do you think you are, sitting next to Sister You?"
Yang Qi had been furious about being dragged to the floor, but when he saw it was one of Jiang You’s people, he could only swallow his anger.
’This damn girl,’ he thought. ’Aren’t we all just dogs wagging our tails for Sister You? What’s with this pecking order?’
Though he was cursing her out in his head, Yang Qi wore a fawning smile. "Sister Lin is right, of course. I was just asking if Sister You wanted a lemon slice, that’s all."
Lin Xue and Chen Yu were dancing their hearts out on the floor and weren’t at the table.
"Sister You, would you like a lemon slice for your fruit wine?" Yu Lin turned to Jiang You, her attitude doing a complete one-eighty. She was now warm, cheerful, and incredibly attentive.
"No, thank you." Jiang You shook her head.
Over at the bar, after Jiang You retracted her gaze, Zhou Yu’s movements paused. He lifted his eyes and looked in her direction.
His dark eyes shifted calmly before he lowered his gaze again, continuing to mix drinks in silence.
He was waiting for her to start her task.
A moment later, just as expected, the manager walked over. "Xiao Yu, the guests over there want you to give them a bartending performance. It’s just mixing drinks, nothing more. You should get going."
He was afraid Zhou Yu would refuse, so he made a point to emphasize that he was only being asked to perform a bartending show.
’As long as he goes over, that’s all that matters,’ the manager thought. ’What happens after that is none of my business. I can’t afford to offend Young Master Yang and his friends.’
"Okay," Zhou Yu agreed.
"Let me tell you, those are—" The manager, who had been worried Zhou Yu would refuse and was about to start persuading him, was cut short. He hadn’t expected the young man to agree in a heartbeat.
He stammered to a halt, then quickly recovered. "Right. Go on, then."
Zhou Yu headed over, carrying his bartending tools and liquor.
The booth was huge, easily large enough for twenty-odd people. After all, Yang Qi was footing the bill, so of course he’d spared no expense.
Yang Qi’s lackeys were all crammed onto another sofa, acting as a sort of hype squad, but they didn’t dare venture too close to Jiang You.
As they watched Zhou Yu approach, their gazes, subtle yet appraising, landed on him.
’This was the guy Miss Jiang had requested by name.’
’A total pretty boy, just as expected.’
"Come here!" Jiang You commanded, looking at him haughtily.
Zhou Yu’s deep, dark eyes shifted, his gaze momentarily landing on her.
’Under the sultry lights, she looked even more like a proud, captivating little kitten.’
Jiang You thought her imperious command would surely make the male lead furious. ’He must feel so humiliated!’
But little did she know, in Zhou Yu’s eyes, she was like a soft, plush kitten, extending its little paw pads to beckon him over. She thought she was being fierce, but she was just incredibly beautiful and captivating.
The two words, "Come here," sounded like an invitation as they fell upon his ears.
Zhou Yu’s throat felt a little dry.
Yu Lin, ever perceptive, dragged Yang Qi to another spot to make room.
Yang Qi was furious, but he let Yu Lin shove him along, his expression ugly and fierce. "Damn it, who is that pretty boy?!"
"Why do you care so much!" Yu Lin didn’t bother to explain.
’In her opinion, a bootlicker like Yang Qi didn’t need to know that much anyway.’
Zhou Yu came to a stop before Jiang You. With his eyelashes half-lowered, he placed his tools on the table and said softly, "Miss, I’ll begin your bartending performance now."
Jiang You grabbed his wrist. As Zhou Yu froze, she quickly let go.
Zhou Yu’s gaze fell on her fair, slender hand, as if ensnared by a spider’s silk.
’Couldn’t she have held on a bit longer?’
The touch on his wrist had been feather-light, gone before he could even process it.
"You won’t be mixing any drinks tonight," Jiang You said, her expression haughty. "I’ve booked you for the entire evening, so you don’t have to work. Just sit here and rest."
She paused, and as Zhou Yu’s eyes met hers, she asked contemptuously, "Well? Do you like me now?"
There was no affection in her gaze, only the simple need for an answer.
The result of her bet.
If he liked her, she would win the bet.
In fact, she had already won.
But she didn’t know that, and this wasn’t the result she wanted, either.
Neither the "her" from the mission nor the real her liked him.
Zhou Yu lowered his lashes, hiding the sting in his eyes. He felt an unexpected pang of pain.
According to the plot, he was supposed to mock her for being presumptuous, ignore her, and carry on with his bartending performance.
But Zhou Yu said nothing. His dark eyes shifted, his gaze falling to her skirt, which was a little too short. He stared at her fair, shapely thighs, her skin delicate and glowing with a healthy, rosy hue.
He endured the searing heat in his eyes, as if they were being scorched. A surging warmth made him want to look away, yet he couldn’t bear to. He took off his vest and draped it over her legs.
’I was waiting for the male lead to mock me,’ Jiang You thought. ’What’s the meaning of this? Why did he suddenly cover my legs with his vest?’
’It’s not even cold in here!’
’Whatever. I’ll just have to get used to the male lead going off-script.’
’In any case, I’m the villainess, and I have to stick to the plot.’
’Skipping the male lead’s lines... Next, I have to force him to drink, even though he’s allergic to alcohol!’
Jiang You’s scalp prickled with dread.
In the novel, the villainess didn’t know the male lead was allergic to alcohol. She only forced him to down a ton of hard liquor because he’d mocked her, and she, flying into a humiliated rage, decided he didn’t know what was good for him.
’But I know about it while doing this task!’
’I know he’s allergic, but I still have to pour alcohol down his throat for the mission and put him in the hospital.’
Jiang You’s eyelashes trembled. She was actually a little scared.
’It’ll be okay, right?’
’I’m really not cut out to be a villainess. My conscience can’t handle this.’
[Task countdown initiated...]
[Mission Failure: Ten-minute electric shock.]
The system’s deadly urgent tone left Jiang You with no more room to hesitate.
"Squat down." Jiang You looked up at Zhou Yu, her lips tightening for a moment. "Who allowed you to stand and look at me? Squat down and look at me!"
Zhou Yu slowly squatted in front of her, looking up with a sort of fawning obedience.
Jiang You was floored.
’Why is he so obedient?’
’I was supposed to have someone force him to his knees! He’s supposed to be *forced* to squat!’
’Whatever, the mission clock is ticking.’
Jiang You grabbed a glass filled with liquor from the table. Her hand was still trembling as she seized his chin and pressed the glass to his lips. "Drink it. You’re not leaving until you’ve finished every drink on this table."
No one knew better than Zhou Yu how agonizing his allergic reaction to alcohol could be.
And yet, he simply placed his own hand over the back of hers. His pale, bony fingers, marked with faint scars, gripped her hand and guided the glass, pouring the liquor down his own throat.
With his head tilted back, liquor hastily trickled from the corner of his mouth, disappearing into his collar.
Red spots and blotches gradually began to creep up his pale neck.
The young man’s breathing grew heavier and his eyes slowly turned bloodshot, yet his gaze remained stuck to her like silk from a web.
The allergic reaction was swift and severe.
Jiang You’s fingers trembled.
’Is he... does he have a death wish?’
[Task Nine complete.]