It was a kind of forced smile that made one's scalp tingle, a smile Jian Fei understood.
Things had come to this, and there was no other way but to face it head-on.
Who had told her to offer herself up?
She forced a smile and extended the wine glass again.
"I have clearly recognized my mistakes and beg for your understanding."
The man slowly refilled her glass.
Jian Fei frowned and downed three glasses in quick succession.
She expected the other party to say something, but instead, another man changed the bottle of wine.
"Since you drank Mr. Li's wine, you can't refuse me, can you? I'll pour for you now. Miss Jian, you have quite a good tolerance for alcohol."
The director had initially thought Jian Fei had some special connection with them that might help with the project negotiations.
Now, it seemed...
He wished he hadn't let her come! What if she caused them to fall behind, and the project failed, delaying important matters?
The liquor hit quickly. Three full glasses, nearly a whole bottle, was indeed daunting for someone drinking for the first time.
Jian Fei was in a difficult situation and cast a pleading look at the director, who responded with an impatient expression.
"Drink if you're told to. If you want to apologize, you have to show sincerity. I didn't realize you were such a troublemaker at such a young age!"
Jian Fei was completely cornered, with no way out.
Even knowing the dangers ahead, for the sake of future stability, she had to place her hand on the wine glass.
However, before drinking, she had her own conditions.
"Mr. Zhang, Mr. Li, you know I didn't intend to offend you. I have sincerely apologized. As long as I finish these drinks, will that matter from that day be settled?"
She wanted a clear answer, but they wouldn't give it, replying with a smile, "Drink first, and then we'll talk."
She wasn't good with smooth talk, and her words were immediately shut down.
With a grim determination, thinking that with colleagues and her superior present, they wouldn't dare do anything drastic, she was about to lift the glass when the private room door opened.
A tall silhouette, backlit, entered with a clear, resonant male voice.
"Jian Fei, is your work done? I'm giving you a ride back."
Ke Teng was a man, and more so, a man well-versed in the world of entertainment and indulgence.
From the brief glance he had just taken, he had already deduced that Jian Fei was not having an easy time in this setting.
He had his assistant discreetly inquire, and it turned out the two men inside were indeed not good people.
He knew Jian Fei's personality and that she wouldn't fare well in such a situation, so he temporarily postponed his own affairs and came looking for her.
Upon seeing a man enter, and such a tall, handsome one at that, his impeccable attire and extraordinary aura suggested an unusual status. The people in the room were all taken aback.
Ke Teng walked directly to the center of the room, facing their curious gazes, and stood casually opposite everyone.
"Aren't you working in administration at the hospital? Why are you drinking in the middle of the day?"
"Is the hospital's performance so poor that it forces female employees to entertain guests with alcohol?"
His words made the director's face flush with embarrassment.
However, he dared not retort, his intuition telling him that the man opposite him was not to be trifled with.
He cast a look at Jian Fei, "Jian Fei, aren't you going to introduce us?"
"There's no need to trouble her. I'll introduce myself."
Ke Teng stepped forward and lazily extended his hand to the director.
"My name is Ke Teng. I'm from Shangcheng. I'm representing the Ke Group in your annual investment promotion. A pleasure to meet you."
From Shangcheng? His surname was Ke? A representative of the Ke Group?
The director, over forty and experienced in the ways of the world, was well aware of several renowned companies in the country.
Upon hearing his background, he immediately stood up.
"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Ke Teng shook his hand briefly and then turned to the other two men.
"And who are these two? No introduction?"
The director hurriedly and obsequiously introduced them again.
"These are the presidents of Jianye Real Estate and Hualong Decoration from our city, Mr. Zhang and Mr. Li."
To Ke Teng, the wealthy second-generation heirs of local small companies were nothing more than insignificant riff-raff.
He nodded dismissively at the two of them.
"Hello."
"Is this a local custom in your Tongcheng? When discussing business, you have to call a female employee over to liven things up with drinks? I hope I haven't disturbed you."
Although Mr. Zhang and Mr. Li were young and impetuous, they weren't foolish.
Upon hearing his background and seeing him protect Jian Fei, they intended to shift the blame.
"Mr. Ke, you misunderstand. We have no interest in Miss Jian drinking to entertain us. She insisted on drinking herself."
"She had a minor accident a few days ago and feels indebted to us. I was merely giving her an opportunity to apologize."
Is that so?
Ke Teng turned his gaze to Jian Fei, signaling her to put down the wine glass in her hand.
"What did you do to offend both gentlemen at once?"
Jian Fei couldn't deny being moved by his sudden appearance and concern.
However, having already provoked these local powers, she was content as long as the situation could be resolved quickly, and she didn't want to escalate the conflict.
Otherwise, Ke Teng could help her once, but not a second time.
After he left, she would still have to face difficult days.
"It's nothing. It was my own fault for being blind."
He felt she wasn't the type to bow to power, otherwise, she wouldn't have been so ruthless to him at the Ke family's place back then.
How could she be so timid now, dealing with men inferior to him?
Seeing her submissive demeanor, Ke Teng inexplicably felt annoyed.
He had initially intended to say a few words and then take her away, but now, he didn't want to leave without clarifying the situation.
There were no seats for him opposite them, so Ke Teng kicked the wine bottles on the table aside, sat diagonally on the coffee table, and stared intently at Jian Fei.
"Weren't you quite fierce in front of me? Daring to do anything, daring to say anything, so why are you so cowardly in front of others?"
"Speak. What exactly happened? Say it boldly, no one will eat you."
"How were you blind? I'd like to see for myself."
He deliberately spoke ambiguously, as if he and Jian Fei had a very unusual relationship.
Everyone in the room began to doubt. Judging by Jian Fei's looks, her family background, and her emotional intelligence, it didn't seem like she would know important people, let alone have a special relationship with him.
Why was this man protecting her?
Mr. Li couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "May I butt in and ask, Mr. Ke and Miss Jian are..."
Ke Teng originally intended to say they were friends, but then he reconsidered.
"Ex-girlfriend."
"She ran back to Tongcheng because she broke up with me. She used to be so fierce in front of me, even my dad was wary of her, so how has she become so pathetic now?"
Everyone in the room gasped in unison.
With her current demeanor, she was the ex-girlfriend of this man?
For a moment, they didn't know whether to call Ke Teng blind or Jian Fei exceptionally skilled.
Since her relationship with this man was unusual, everyone was intelligent enough to know that it was better to cause less trouble.