Sweet with a hint of bitterness, and a touch of lingering flavor.
Tang Wanwan nodded. "Not bad."
Saying that, she downed the wine in her glass in one smooth gulp.
Shen Xianyu didn't have time to stop her; his expression changed instantly. "Why are you drinking so fast?"
Tang Wanwan looked at him, speechless. "It's such a tiny amount. Do you expect me to sip it in several parts?"
"…"
A sudden light chuckle came from the side.
It was Gu Yunyi, who had been watching them the whole time. He tilted his head slightly, smiling in a way that felt almost too casual to be worth much.
Seeing Tang Wanwan glance over, he gestured toward her empty wine glass and teased, "How about… a refill? It's everyone's first time meeting today—since you've already broken the rule, it'd be rude not to have another."
He had a pleasant face, his eyes smiling along with his lips, making him seem naturally approachable.
Tang Wanwan was already leaning in that direction.
She had been the obedient "good girl" for eighteen years. Now she was a university student—what was wrong with having a drink?
Anyway…
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the man sitting a few seats away.
Anyway, her health would soon recover.
With that thought, she confidently handed her empty glass over.
The very next second, Shen Xianyu caught her wrist firmly, his expression full of disapproval.
"I know my limits," Tang Wanwan looked up at him with a smile. "Just let me drink a little."
Her eyes sparkled brightly, full of life and free from any trace of weakness or fatigue.
Shen Xianyu studied her for a moment, then gave in. "Fine. Last glass."
Though it seemed like he controlled everything in their relationship, in truth, she was the one he could never refuse.
Gu Yunyi personally refilled half a glass for her.
With that half glass, Tang Wanwan clinked cups with everyone at the table.
Red wine had quite a kick—especially for a girl who had never touched alcohol before.
By the time she got to Jiang Yanzhi, her glass was nearly empty again, and her mind felt a little foggy.
She steadied herself and said to him, "Jiang Yanzhi, thank you for picking me up today."
Jiang Yanzhi looked at her once, didn't say much—just gave a small smile and finished his wine in one gulp.
He wasn't exactly cold—after all, he wouldn't drink just anyone's toast—but neither was he warm.
It was the kind of polite, slightly distant attitude one might show toward a friend's girlfriend.
After making her way around the table, Tang Wanwan had at least gotten familiar faces for everyone.
As the meal went on, the men's conversation gradually shifted to business matters. Tang Wanwan listened for a bit, but quickly lost interest.
She was a little hungry, but her mind was elsewhere, so even eating felt distracted. With each bite of rice, her eyes would stray—always in the direction of her "tonic pill."
She thought she was being subtle, but from the point of view of the one being stared at, it was as if she was using him as a side dish for her meal.
A glance, a bite of rice—her rhythm was remarkably steady.
Jiang Yanzhi, who had been sitting lazily and chatting with a friend, began to stiffen in his posture. The half of his body under her gaze felt oddly warm.
The girl, meanwhile, showed no signs of stopping.
Jiang Yanzhi could only feel hotter. He reached up, unbuttoned his shirt collar, and still found it wasn't enough. He took his wine glass, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one go.
The cool liquid slid down his throat, but the action carried an edge of urgency that broke his usual calm and self-control.
Fu Jingbai, mid-conversation with him, immediately noticed something was off. His brow arched in mild surprise. "What are you nervous about?"
He had only asked whether the acquisition case in Z City was going smoothly.
Tang Wanwan, still focused on her food, hadn't been paying attention to their side of the table.
When she finally looked up, someone called her name.
It was Gu Yunyi. He seemed to have been watching her for quite a while.
When their eyes met, he smiled warmly. "I heard you're a freshman at A University?"
Tang Wanwan nodded. "That's right."
"Junior then," Gu Yunyi's smile deepened. "Did Xianyu ever tell you? All of us here went to the same school."
"No," Tang Wanwan shook her head honestly. "No, he rarely mentions other people in front of me."
Otherwise, she wouldn't have heard the name "Jiang Yanzhi" for the first time today.
Gu Yunyi gave a light tsk, murmuring something about "choosing romance over friendship."
Tang Wanwan realized—this man really liked to smile.
He also seemed to have a good temper.
She wasn't the only girl at the table, but while the other men treated her with polite attention, they were much more casual toward the other women—Not disrespectful, but with an indifferent air that made it clear they didn't think much of them.
Even Shen Xianyu himself hadn't acknowledged the women sitting beside his friends once the whole evening.
Only Gu Yunyi kept smiling, making him seem the most approachable of the bunch.
Learning they had all gone to A University didn't surprise her.
There were only a handful of prestigious universities in the country, and if none of them had chosen to study abroad, it was normal that a group of childhood friends would end up at the same one.
The two of them chatted casually for a bit.
Shen Xianyu, sitting between them, listened in silence for a while. Seeing their conversation growing more and more lively, he first shot Gu Yunyi a glance, then placed a piece of lotus root on Tang Wanwan's plate and said quietly, "Eat properly."
"…Wow," Gu Yunyi clicked his tongue. "Your jealousy is something else."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried enough for everyone at the table to hear.
Laughter and teasing followed.
"Isn't that right?" someone joked. "Our Young Master Shen has been waiting for years to finally get his chance. That possessiveness… tsk…"
That "tsk" was drawn out with meaning.
Shen Xianyu kept a straight face, smiling as he scolded, "Drink your damn wine."
By the end of dinner, Tang Wanwan felt much more at ease with the group.
It was still early, so naturally there had to be a second round.
They moved on to a private karaoke room.
The young men split off in small groups to entertain themselves.
The lights in the room were dim, slow music playing through the speakers.
Jiang Yanzhi leaned lazily against the sofa, a cigarette between his fingers, his face shifting in and out of shadow under the flickering lights as he spoke with Fu Jingbai.
In one corner, Gu Yunyi was setting up a card game, missing one player.
Tang Wanwan had barely sat down before someone invited her to join.
"This is easy," Gu Yunyi grinned. "With the brains it took to get into A University, you'll pick it up in two rounds."
Tang Wanwan found his words amusing—he had a knack for light provocation.
She did end up joining them.
Shen Xianyu sat behind her, guiding her play by hand.
But before the game was even finished, her attention began to wander—again, toward the person sitting nearby.
Shen Xianyu noticed her distraction and bent down to murmur, "Are you drunk? Or tired?"
He leaned in too close, his body almost enclosing hers from behind, his breath warm against her ear.
Only then did Tang Wanwan realize how intimate their posture was—it felt as if she were wrapped entirely in his arms.
Her neck quickly flushed pink, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jiang Yanzhi stub out his cigarette, stand, and walk out of the room.
"Wanwan?" Shen Xianyu's brows furrowed when she didn't answer. "Shall we head home?"
(End of Chapter)