“Do you want to join my industry? It will allow your life to be completely fulfilled,” Qin Jiang said with a lustful look on his face.
“Forget it, I'm afraid of getting sick,” Xiao Nanchen replied.
“Xiao Nanchen, why haven't you tried it? If you're careful, you won't get sick. Plus, I'll find you healthy women to be with. You don't think I, Qin Jiang, would be intimate with just anyone, do you?”
Yes, you really would.
Qin Jiang could tell what Xiao Nanchen was thinking from the look in his eyes.
He rolled his eyes and said to Xiao Nanchen, "Really, no sense of romance. Oh well, let's just drink."
With that, he and Xiao Nanchen started drinking again.
Dinner was just the first stop.
Around 7 pm, Qin Jiang took Xiao Nanchen to a nightclub VIP room.
At the nightclub, they drank even more aggressively.
By 9 pm, Xiao Nanchen felt like he had reached his limit.
He said to Qin Jiang, "I'm drunk, I can't drink anymore."
"You're drunk already?!" Qin Jiang clearly wanted more.
"You know I can't hold my liquor," Xiao Nanchen replied.
Qin Jiang sighed helplessly, "You know I went through a lot of trouble to get permission from my old man to come out and spend time with you today. If you leave now, he'll drag me back the next second. I'm practically being driven crazy by my current situation."
Xiao Nanchen could imagine how it must feel for a wild stallion like Qin Jiang to be caged up.
But still...he really couldn't drink anymore tonight.
He didn't want a repeat of last time when he got dead drunk...
And did a lot of reckless things.
Like forcefully kissing Xia Qiqi.
His personality wouldn't allow him to do too many things beyond his control.
"I really have to go," Xiao Nanchen said firmly.
Qin Jiang wasn't the type to really inconvenience others either.
And he could see Xiao Nanchen's face was unnaturally flushed.
He said, "Alright, let's meet up another time."
"Next time, I'm afraid you won't be able to get out," Xiao Nanchen replied.
"Don't worry, as long as it's you and Ah Huai asking me out, I'll definitely find a way. I've figured out how my old man thinks," Qin Jiang said.
You can outsmart your own father?!
You're clearly sly and crafty.
Neither he nor his cousin dared to casually provoke Lord Qin.
Even though Lord Qin respected them immensely.
If they stepped out of line even a little, Lord Qin had ways to make them suffer miserably.
Just thinking about it now still made him shudder with fear.
"I'll walk you out," Qin Jiang said, unwilling to part.
"No need," Xiao Nanchen declined. "I'm not at the point where I need to be walked out. You can stay at the nightclub a while longer. Your father probably won't find out I left first so quickly."
Qin Jiang considered this and agreed he had gotten rid of his father's people keeping eyes on him.
"Then I'm heading out first," Xiao Nanchen said without further ado.
He picked up his cane and walked out.
His head was still a little dizzy.
But he thought he could make it out of the nightclub.
He walked slowly, one step at a time.
Just as he made it through the frenzied lobby, someone bumped into him.
Xiao Nanchen lost his balance.
His body started falling backward.
A figure suddenly reached out to steady him.
Xiao Nanchen turned to say "Thank you" and in that moment, his eyes froze.
He saw Gu Yanxuan.
Gu Yanxuan held Xiao Nanchen tightly, "Are you alright?!"
Xiao Nanchen shook his head.
He didn't expect to run into Gu Yanxuan here.
Of course it wasn't a chance encounter.
Gu Yanxuan had been having people follow Xiao Nanchen and Xia Qiqi these past days.
Just in case there were any issues with their divorce.
Today she also got word that Xiao Nanchen was dining with Qin Jiang.
She didn't quite understand their connection, but she just wanted a chance to "coincidentally" meet Xiao Nanchen.
She had waited half the night for this opportunity to get close to him.
"Thank you," Xiao Nanchen moved, signaling her to let go.
"Let me take you home," Gu Yanxuan said.
"No need."
"You've been drinking. You can barely walk steadily, let me take you home." Gu Yanxuan was very adamant.
In that moment, she didn't even think to ask Xiao Nanchen's opinion. She just supported him and walked outside.
Xiao Nanchen pressed his lips together.
And chose to remain silent.
Sometimes he felt he needed to give himself a chance.
Even knowing it wouldn't succeed.
He still wanted to try...to change.
Gu Yanxuan helped Xiao Nanchen into the guest car at the entrance.
She got in directly with Xiao Nanchen.
Xiao Nanchen didn't speak.
Gu Yanxuan also maintained her silence.
For her, just being able to accompany Xiao Nanchen made her heart race. She was content without any conversation or action.
The car arrived.
Gu Yanxuan supported Xiao Nanchen again to his home.
From beginning to end, although Xiao Nanchen was cold, he didn't refuse her.
Not refusing...did that mean her chance had come?
The old Xiao Nanchen would have avoided her completely.
Her heart beat a little faster as she walked through Xiao Nanchen's door, helping him to the living room sofa.
"Thank you," Xiao Nanchen said.
Clearly hinting for her to leave.
But Gu Yanxuan didn't want to go.
Because Xiao Nanchen had shown her a hint of indulgence, she wanted more.
She had actually been holding back when it came to Xiao Nanchen for a long time.
She couldn't control herself anymore.
"Xiao Nanchen, I know you and Xia Qiqi are divorced," she said.
Xiao Nanchen's eyes flickered slightly.
"Now that you two are over, can I be with you?" Gu Yanxuan asked.
Xiao Nanchen's throat moved as he said, "No."
"I love you very much," Gu Yanxuan said.
"But I don't," Xiao Nanchen replied.
"I don't need your love. And you've never given me a chance to be with you, how do you know you won't fall in love with me? You and Xia Qiqi only developed naive feelings because you lived together. If you give me the chance to live with you now, we could also become very much in love."
"That won't happen," Xiao Nanchen said, his tone gentle but his words piercing her heart.
Just that decisively, repeatedly rejecting her.
"I won't give up. I will definitely pursue you until I win your heart, Xiao Nanchen!" Gu Yanxuan said passionately.
As she spoke, her eyes reddened.
Xiao Nanchen still looked cold.
But deep down, he also felt a touch of sympathy.
Not because he had feelings for Gu Yanxuan.
But it reminded him...
How he had once begged Xia Qiqi just as pitifully.
Groveling in the dirt before her.
Yet this proud woman Gu Yanxuan now acted so weak and pathetic before him.
In the end...
He still chose coldness.
He had lived through the painful ending and didn't want Gu Yanxuan to follow in his footsteps.
Seeing Xiao Nanchen so cold, Gu Yanxuan was truly heartbroken.
She turned to leave.
But then suddenly stopped.
She said, "Xiao Nanchen, just see me as crazy, as shameless. I can only use the most primitive means to get even a single glance back from you."
As she finished speaking...
Xiao Nanchen watched as Gu Yanxuan began taking off her clothes, one by one.
