As the two walked into the private room, Yi Ting and his CEO were stopped outside by a waiter.
"Sir, hello, are you with them?"
The waiter recognized their distinguished attire and maintained a respectful demeanor. Otherwise, according to protocol, she would have let them pass directly.
Yi Ting produced a business card and handed it to the waiter. Upon seeing it, she immediately bowed, her attitude becoming exceedingly deferential. "Please, come this way..."
The waiter intended to escort them to the largest private room, but the man suddenly spoke, "The room next door."
At the man's words, the waiter immediately went to clear out the occupants of the adjacent room. She efficiently tidied it up and then signaled to the man.
"President, the room next door has been cleared for you. The others will be ready shortly."
The man nodded and walked in directly, his brow unfurrowed, as if unaffected by the lingering scent of smoke and alcohol.
Seeing that the man had no objections, the waiter finally relaxed. They hadn't expected the president to show up unexpectedly, let alone request an ordinary private room. This particular spot offered nothing special, while his usual suite was fully equipped with the best view.
Nuoman Ziyue, oblivious to the subtle differences nearby, was engrossed in her meal with her girlfriends. "So, how is it? Is it good?"
Fan Nianzhi nodded enthusiastically, her words muffled. "Delicious! This place is amazing! I haven't had this flavor in so long."
Nuoman Ziyue glanced up at her before lowering her head again. "Oh, have you been here before?"
After swallowing a thin slice of meat, Fan Nianzhi continued, "My dad took me to try this flavor, but I'm not sure if it was this place."
"Mmm~ Uncle Fan is really so good to Niannian, it's enviable." She ate a couple more bites and quickly finished. "I need to go to the restroom..."
She had drunk too much fresh juice...
"Go ahead, be quick and come back!"
Nuoman Ziyue vaguely nodded and walked out.
When she returned, she was adjusting her outer garment when a large hand pulled her inside. Nuoman Ziyue let out a startled cry, and by the time she reacted, she was already in an unfamiliar private room, the door closed behind her.
Nuoman Ziyue tried to control her fear, fumbling along the wall. "Who are you? What do you want?!"
To her surprise, a male presence suddenly invaded her space, and the next moment, her lips met something soft and warm. Her eyes widened instantly.
She froze for only a second before launching a barrage of punches and kicks, using everything she had learned. By the end, her body was trembling.
In the darkness, the man seemed to sense her emotions and finally spoke, "You little liar, you've been deceiving me from the very beginning!"
Nuoman Ziyue's leg, raised to kick, froze mid-air. She couldn't mistake this voice; it belonged to the owner of the voice she had missed for months.
It was only then that she detected the man's familiar, pleasant scent, which she hadn't noticed due to her anger and fear.
Nuoman Ziyue was silent for a moment before suddenly asking, "What do you need from me, President Qi? If it's nothing..."
Before she could finish, the man pressed against her again, his lips lingering on hers.
Nuoman Ziyue forcefully pushed him away. "Qi Jiayou! Let go of me!"
As she struggled, Qi Jiayou suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace. He whispered close to her ear, "Yueyue, I regret letting you go..."
In the adjacent private room, Fan Nianzhi was starting to worry about Nuoman Ziyue's prolonged absence and was about to go look for her when she returned. However... did her complexion seem a bit off?
And...
"Yueyue, why is your lip bleeding?"
Didn't she just go to the restroom? How did her lip get broken?
Just as Fan Nianzhi was about to call a waiter, Nuoman Ziyue grabbed her, blocking her. "I'm fine, let's eat. I'm hungry, I'll eat first."
After Nuoman Ziyue spoke, she lowered her head and began shoveling food into her mouth. Her lack of chewing made Fan Nianzhi realize that her good friend wasn't hungry at all.
"Did something happen to you?"
As expected from friends who had grown up together, she could sense when something was amiss.
Nuoman Ziyue's eyes flickered, then she shook her head without speaking.
Fan Nianzhi was growing anxious seeing her silence. "Just say it! Did you run into someone just now? Did he harass you or bully you?"
Fan Nianzhi's unintentional words made Nuoman Ziyue blush. She mumbled a few words, "I'm really fine. Sit down quickly..."
Seeing her demeanor, she feared she might attract that man.
However, Fan Nianzhi clearly didn't grasp her friend's thoughts. She put her hands on her hips, took a deep breath, and then her eyes darted around. The next second, she rushed out.
"Hey~ Niannian, where are you going? Wait, don't leave..."
But the woman paid no attention. The more she said this, the more Fan Nianzhi suspected something was amiss. She simply assumed her good friend had encountered a difficult person and didn't want to say much.
To her surprise, as she opened the door, a man was standing there. He was tall, handsome, with facial features as striking as those of people from their country.
She was stunned for a moment, but quickly rolled up her sleeves. "Alright, you! You're the one who bullied Yueyue, right? How dare you stand at the door! Do you know who we are? You're so bold! If I don't teach you a lesson today, my name will be written backward!"
Before she could make a move, Nuoman Ziyue, who had rushed over, grabbed her. Seeing her friend's impulsive actions, she said, "I know him."
Fan Nianzhi immediately stopped and turned back to confirm. "You know each other?"
"Mhm."
"Who is he to you?" Fan Nianzhi asked blankly. It wasn't her fault for asking so many questions. A man suddenly appearing, and one she knew, felt peculiar.
This question stumped Nuoman Ziyue. She and Qi Jiayou weren't really anything, so how could she explain? Yet, she felt...
As Nuoman Ziyue struggled with her thoughts, Qi Jiayou answered for her. "I'm her boyfriend, Qi Jiayou."
Fan Nianzhi's eyes widened. She looked at Qi Jiayou, then back at her friend, and asked in disbelief, "You're a couple?"
Nuoman Ziyue's face turned dark. In her friend's words, it sounded as if she and Qi Jiayou were very intimate. Just as she was about to deny it, Qi Jiayou answered for her again. "We are a pair."
Nuoman Ziyue immediately turned and glared at the man, her face filled with anger. "Who said we're a pair? Did I agree to it?!"
He had just said in the private room that he wanted to be with her, but had she agreed? How could he have declared their relationship so readily in front of her friend?
Nuoman Ziyue didn't want to deal with him and turned to leave. But as soon as she took a step, Qi Jiayou pulled her back and, with a flourish... left a mark on her lips.