Chapter Fourteen: As It Was
On the spacious sofa, President Wang sat with a woman on each arm, whispering into Nina’s ear from time to time. Nina would cover her mouth, laughing so hard her whole body shimmered with delight. Xiao Xiao watched them, genuinely admiring Nina; men conquer the world, while women conquer men, and in this arena, Nina was undoubtedly exceptional. With her taste, she would never truly fancy this wealthy yet coarse-looking man, but she handled him effortlessly. Even when she lost a drinking game, she could play coy and make President Wang laugh as he took her penalty for her. Just this skill of feigned compliance left Xiao Xiao far behind.
“Why aren’t you drinking?” A man sidled up beside Xiao Xiao, putting his arm around her shoulder and pressing a glass to her lips. Xiao Xiao pushed his hand away, explaining, “I’ve already had quite a bit. You all go ahead—enjoy yourselves.” But he wasn’t about to let her off so easily. He pressed the glass to her again, impatience in his voice. “Do you even want to do business anymore?” In that moment, Xiao Xiao felt no different from the women who sold their charms in the world of pleasure, her dignity deeply insulted, her brows knitting together.
“Ning Xiao Xiao, what’s wrong with you?” Manager Huang came over and sat down, sandwiching her between the two men. The one beside her was already losing patience. Manager Huang hurriedly took the glass and downed it, full of apologies. She quickly refilled it, shoved it into Xiao Xiao’s hand, and apologized to the man, “It’s my fault for not teaching my subordinates well. I’ll drink as a penalty. This cup is her apology to you; please don’t hold it against her.” Then, in a low voice, she warned Xiao Xiao, “Do you know who he is? President Wang’s assistant—can you afford to offend him? If you want to die, don’t drag the company down with you!”
Xiao Xiao turned her head and glared fiercely at Manager Huang. The assistant sighed, clearly bored. Manager Huang mouthed a phrase; Xiao Xiao read her lips: “A wise person doesn’t suffer immediate loss.” Well then, better than losing her job. She closed her eyes and drained the glass. Seeing her willingness to admit fault, the assistant praised her, finally setting down his own glass—only to realize a hand was sliding along his waist. Instinctively repulsed, Xiao Xiao shifted forward bit by bit, but the hand followed. Unable to bear it, she turned and firmly demanded he show some respect. He ignored her, but President Wang heard her rebuke and shot her a cold look. The assistant poured another glass, forcing a smile. “I think there must be some misunderstanding. Drink this, and we’ll be friends again, as before.”
Xiao Xiao snorted, “Who wants to be ‘as before’ with you?”
“So you’re refusing to give me face.” The assistant’s expression darkened further. Nina, noticing the tension, sat up from President Wang’s arms and reprimanded Xiao Xiao, “If you can’t handle your liquor, behave yourself. Don’t make a scene!” She shot Xiao Xiao a warning glance, repeatedly looking toward the door. Xiao Xiao caught on, grateful, and quickly held her forehead, feigning pain. She staggered to her feet and headed for the door. The assistant called after her, unwilling to let go, but she pretended to be too drunk to hear, mimicking a drunken gait as she left.
Once outside the private room, she glanced nervously over her shoulder several times, making sure no one followed. Leaning against the wall, she gasped for air. Suddenly, she remembered seeing a girl in school stepping onto rain-soaked grass just to pick a fuzzy dandelion. The girl’s boyfriend mischievously knocked rainwater from the tree with a stone, and she stood in the shower, giggling at him with her eyes squinted into crescent moons. In her memory, the girl’s face became her own. By now, she couldn’t recall if such a moment had ever truly happened, or if it was just her longing for the past, believing all beautiful things had once belonged to them.
Lonely Moments—Do Not Speak of Love, Chapter Fourteen: As Before, updated!