Chapter 343: Chapter 342: "Do You Want Me to Go with You?

However, he was a middle-aged man with some worldly experience. After panicking for only a few seconds, he began apologizing profusely to Zhou Mochen while simultaneously scolding the stunned Lili, who was standing frozen to the side, for her lack of manners and for causing offense.

The young Lili was so frightened by the scene she was at a complete loss. Xu Su, unable to watch any longer, waved at her. "You can go."

The moment she spoke, Zhou Mochen, who was standing, glanced down at her. Their eyes met for a moment before he sat back down. He then addressed Wang Qiang and everyone else at the table, "When you work for me, all you need to do is your job well. There’s no need for these crooked schemes. If you have real talent, you won’t be overlooked."

Everyone collectively breathed a sigh of relief. Wang Qiang, in particular, nodded repeatedly. In just that short time, his back had become soaked with cold sweat, and he cut a pathetic figure.

’Actually, after seeing Young Master Zhou with a stunningly beautiful girl by his side this afternoon, I started to hesitate about whether I should go through with the plan for Lili.’

’But if I missed this chance, who knew when—or if—I would ever get another opportunity to dine at the same table with Young Master Zhou in this lifetime?’

’It was a huge risk, but if I succeeded, I would have someone by Young Master Zhou’s side to put in a good word for me. How could I possibly worry about not being promoted then?’

’I’m already middle-aged, but my career has stagnated for the past few years. It’s not that I’m doing badly—I’m one of many senior engineers at Zhou Real Estate—but I can’t be called a huge success, either. After all, I’m just handling a project in a third-rate city like this...’

’The silver lining is that Young Master Zhou seems to place great importance on the Chang City project, even staying here for three years to oversee it. What a golden opportunity! If I could just catch his eye, my career would soar.’

’But in the past few years, I’ve never had a proper chance to distinguish myself. Now, the project is almost finished, and Young Master Zhou will be returning to the capital any day now...’

’I couldn’t help but feel a sense of urgency!’

Wang Qiang always felt he had the ability; he was just one step away from climbing to the next rung of the ladder. What architect doesn’t dream of their work gaining worldwide fame?

’Zhou Real Estate could give me that chance. I just need someone to put in a good word for me, to make sure the higher-ups remember me at a critical moment!’

That’s where Lili came in. The moment he first laid eyes on her, the idea had sparked in his mind.

’The girl is so beautiful—young, yet incredibly alluring. I restrained myself from even touching her and even hired a tutor to train her for three whole months, all in the hopes of presenting her to him. It would have been a win-win...’

He had schemed in private for months, all for that one faint possibility. After confirming this afternoon that Young Master Zhou would attend the celebration banquet, how could he possibly abandon the opportunity?

Even though he already had a beauty by his side, Wang Qiang judged others by his own standards. ’What man,’ he thought, ’would ever complain about having too many women?’ 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

And so, he made this disastrous move.

’Thank goodness, thank goodness...’

Wang Qiang cautiously studied Zhou Mochen’s expression. Only when he was certain that the man wasn’t truly angry did he finally let his guard down completely.

’I’m incredibly lucky that Young Master Zhou is so good-natured and didn’t hold my petty schemes against me. He didn’t even lose his cool on the spot.’

Xu Su paid no mind to their complicated games. Seeing that the show was over, she lowered her head and started digging into her meal.

After sitting down, Zhou Mochen tilted his head and watched Xu Su for a moment. Seeing that she didn’t intend to speak, he picked up a hairy crab and began to shell it.

His face was impassive as he focused on shelling the crab, placing the extracted meat onto a small saucer before setting it in front of Xu Su.

A perceptive waiter nearby quickly brought over the dipping sauce.

Xu Su didn’t refuse and began to eat in a slow, deliberate manner.

Across the table, Huang Chao, who had been keeping a close eye on them, felt his tense back instantly relax. He had been genuinely terrified that another scene was about to break out.

Only when Xu Su took a bite did Zhou Mochen’s tightly pressed lips part. "Want something to drink?"

"..." Xu Su thought for a moment. "Sure. I’ll have that Peach Blossom Brew."

The female manager had rattled off a long list of recommendations earlier, but the only thing Xu Su had really caught was the mention of their house-made Peach Blossom Brew. Since it wasn’t sold for takeout and was only for dine-in customers, she naturally had to give it a try.

Zhou Mochen gave a faint smile, took the delicate bottle from the server, and personally filled her glass.

The pale pink liquid looked tempting. Xu Su took a small, tentative sip at first. After savoring the taste for a moment, she downed the rest in one gulp.

Her eyes brightened. She tapped her fingertips on the table. "More."

"It’s that good?" Zhou Mochen asked.

"It has the subtle sweetness of peach blossoms and a crisp body, with the faint bitterness you expect from a fruit wine. The finish is a sweet aftertaste that leaves you wanting more." Xu Su finished another glass. "I’d like to get some to take with me."

’Among all the peach blossom wines I’ve ever tasted, this is easily one of the finest,’ she thought. ’I can’t pass it up.’

The female manager, who had been attending to them, immediately launched into an explanation. Apparently, the Famous City Clubhouse had originally been a restaurant that first became famous during the Qing Dynasty. Their recipe for Peach Blossom Brew had been passed down for several generations, refined over a hundred years of history.

The restaurant eventually closed after going through various hardships, with only the recipe surviving. It wasn’t until the current generation of the family rebuilt their fortune that the Peach Blossom Brew was revived as the signature specialty of the Famous City Clubhouse.

’A very inspirational story.’

Zhou Mochen nodded slightly, then picked up Xu Su’s glass to take a sip. He turned his head to her and said, "The alcohol content is pretty high. Don’t drink too much. It’s easy to get drunk."

This piqued the interest of everyone at the table, and they all asked the server to bring them Peach Blossom Brew as well.

Initially, the name had sounded like a pretentious gimmick, so a table full of men like them hadn’t been interested. But now that Young Master Zhou himself was drinking it, they naturally had to follow his lead.

It was a perfect conversation starter, wasn’t it?

Xu Su paid no mind to Zhou Mochen’s warning. ’So what if I get drunk?’ she thought. ’It’s not like I have to go to school or anything.’

’If I’m not going to get drunk now, when would I? After school starts? I actually like the feeling of being drunk...’

Toward the end of the meal, Xu Su was already tipsy. When her demands for Zhou Mochen to pour her more wine were ignored, she grabbed his arm and puffed out her cheeks. "Why do you always have to be so controlling!"

’He’s acting like a stuffy old official micromanaging his daughter. I’m an adult, for crying out loud, and he’s right here with me. Does he really need to control how much I drink?’

Zhou Mochen reached out, tilted her chin up, and studied her face. "Drunk?" he asked.

"...No."

He looked at her as if to say, ’What sort of tantrum are you throwing now?’ Xu Su was thoroughly annoyed. She let go of his arm and stood up to leave the room.

She had barely stood up when Zhou Mochen was on his feet, pulling her back. "Where are you going?"

"To the restroom," Xu Su said, taking a deep breath. "You’re not going to micromanage that, are you?"

"You’re right, my mistake. If you like it, you can drink it." Zhou Mochen sighed in resignation, then asked, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"..." Xu Su was left speechless.

She recalled Xi Zirong being like this once before.

’He’d practically wanted to escort me to the bathroom...’

’But Zhou Mochen is even more ridiculous!’

’Does this guy really think he’s my dad? And not just that, is he treating me like a little kid in kindergarten?’

The people around them didn’t dare to interrupt, each of them likely lost in their own thoughts.

In the end, Zhou Mochen didn’t actually go to the restroom with her. Instead, he motioned for one of the women at the table to accompany her.