Hearing the word "girlfriend", Qin Yaoyao's heart suddenly raced. Without any reason, she glanced at Xiao Yanzhi to see his reaction.
Xiao Yanzhi had just lifted his wine glass halfway when he suddenly paused for a moment. He raised his eyes and stared at the person who had said that.
Under his intense gaze, that person felt a bit uncomfortable. He scratched his head awkwardly and said, "A Yan, did I say something wrong?"
After a brief silence, Xiao Yanzhi brought the glass to his lips and casually asked in a cold voice, "Have I ever had a girlfriend before?"
The person immediately understood and said with a smiling apology, "Right, right. It's my carelessness. It's not 'changed', but 'brought'."
Everyone in the circle knew that Xiao Yanzhi used to bring Jiang Li with him on various occasions. Although they had never publicly declared their relationship, many people had already taken it for granted.
Now, with Xiao Yanzhi's attitude, everyone instantly understood.
It seemed that his relationship with Jiang Li before was just for fun.
Regarding the statement that Qin Yaoyao was his girlfriend, Xiao Yanzhi neither confirmed nor denied it.
But such an attitude often equated to a tacit admission in everyone's eyes.
Qin Yaoyao beside him was instantly overjoyed. She tightened her grip on Xiao Yanzhi's arm and almost pressed her whole body into his embrace.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Yanzhi noticed the change and lowered his eyes to ask her gently.
Qin Yaoyao shook her head. Her eyes sparkled with admiration. "Nothing. I just suddenly thought that you're really nice, A Yan."
Xiao Yanzhi paused.
He was nice?
He lowered his eyes, and his gaze gradually became deep. Under the dim light in the private room, it was hard to discern his true emotions.
Later, the atmosphere in the room gradually heated up. Qin Yaoyao was no longer as nervous as at the beginning. She could even chat with these people from time to time.
In the middle, she went to the restroom and sent a message to Jiang Li.
Qin Yaoyao: [Sister Jiang Li, are you there?]
Soon, Jiang Li replied: [What's up?]
Qin Yaoyao: [Today is Young Master Duan's birthday. A Yan brought me here to celebrate. But I don't know these people well and I'm not sure how to get along with them. I was wondering if you have any suggestions, Sister Jiang Li.]
After sending the message, she also added a cute tongue - sticking emoji.
Within a few seconds, Jiang Li quickly replied: [Xiao Yanzhi is with you. He will help you out.]
The message was plain and emotionless, just like her.
Qin Yaoyao bit her lip. Looking at the message, she felt a bit annoyed. She directly deleted the chat history before leaving the restroom and returning to the private room.
...
After replying to Qin Yaoyao's text message, Jiang Li originally planned to go to sleep. But she tossed and turned in bed and couldn't fall asleep. Instead, she became more and more awake.
Finally, she sat up in bed and called Xu Yansen, asking him to meet at their old drinking place.
—
"This is a blatant show - off. Can you just bear this?" Xu Yansen looked at the chat history and slammed the table hard, startling the people nearby who glanced over.
To avoid being recognized, Jiang Li had to pull down her hat and glared at Xu Yansen. "Don't make such a ruckus."
She just came out to relax and had no intention of being recognized.
Xu Yansen was extremely unhappy. He rolled his eyes so hard that they almost turned to the sky. He picked up a glass of vodka and gulped it down. The burning sensation made him grimace, but he still managed to curse, "What a perfect match, the green - tea girl and the dog man."
Jiang Li asked Xu Yansen out to drink, not to gossip about others like a gossiper or a complaining woman.
She frowned slightly, signaling him not to be so emotional.
"I said, you're not with your sugar daddy today and have time to drink with me. It turns out your sugar daddy is with the green - tea girl."
He ordered another drink. His voice was already a bit slurred. "How much longer are you going to bear this humiliation, 'Ninja' Jiang Li?"
Xu Yansen was as sarcastic as ever, and Jiang Li was already used to it.
She picked up her glass and clinked it with his. Her tone was light and casual. "I'm going to dump my sugar daddy. Let's just celebrate in advance."
Hearing this, Xu Yansen's eyes lit up. "The love - struck girl has finally come to her senses? Are you finally willing to leave that scumbag?"
Jiang Li: "..."
She wasn't a love - struck girl. At most, she was just a poor soul who couldn't get the one she loved.
Xu Yansen argued vehemently. His tongue was already a bit thick. "I say... you should have done this a long time ago! What on earth do you see in Xiao Yanzhi besides his stinking money?
"He's neither gentle nor considerate. You're just looking for a headache." Xu Yansen raised his eyelids to look at her. "Are you really determined to leave?"
"Yeah, I've decided." Jiang Li nodded and finished the wine in her glass in one gulp.
She calmly looked into Xu Yansen's eyes.
There was not a trace of hesitation in those charming and beautiful eyes. They were resolute and decisive.
Xu Yansen: "Have you informed your boss?"
Jiang Li: "I did. He didn't agree."
"Then you still..." Xu Yansen paused. Before he could finish his sentence, Jiang Li shrugged indifferently. "Whether he agrees or not is up to him."
Her eyes were now shining brightly, like the dazzling stars in the night sky.
"Bravo!" Xu Yansen slapped Jiang Li on the shoulder. "Since that's the case, I won't be able to use that precious recording of mine to blackmail you in the future. What a pity..."
Jiang Li was just about to smile and ask him to delete it when her phone started vibrating.
She glanced at the caller ID.
Qin Yaoyao.
It was ten o'clock at night. According to the preferences of Xiao Yanzhi's group, the party should have just started and was in full swing. Why was she calling at this time?
Jiang Li frowned slightly and hesitated whether to answer the call.
"Stop being so hesitant. It's just a phone call." Xu Yansen snatched her phone and clumsily pressed the answer button. He even turned on the speakerphone.
Jiang Li: ...
As soon as the call was connected, Qin Yaoyao's panicked voice came through the receiver. Her tone was in complete disarray, as if she was about to cry from anxiety. "Sister Jiang Li, come here quickly. A Yan is in trouble!"
...
The drinking session with Xu Yansen was only halfway through when Jiang Li rushed out, saying that she had an urgent matter and would make another appointment next time.
Xu Yansen stared blankly at the empty glass across from him. He waited until Jiang Li's figure disappeared at the bar door before he sighed helplessly and muttered to himself.
"It seems that I still have to keep that recording. It might come in handy in the future."
—
Since Jiang Li had drunk alcohol, she couldn't drive. She had to take a taxi to the place where Xiao Yanzhi and the others were. Along the way, she kept urging the driver to drive faster.
As soon as the car stopped, Jiang Li opened the door and rushed into the club. She headed straight for the private room that Qin Yaoyao had sent the location of in the text message.
But she was running so fast that she accidentally bumped into someone head - on.
Jiang Li paused. Her first reaction was to apologize. "I'm sorry. I wasn't looking and bumped into you."
After standing still and seeing the person's face, her pupils suddenly constricted, and she instinctively reached out her hand.