Volume One, Chapter 12: She Is Drunk

"Alright!" Wang Dexing clapped his hands, and the two men reconciled. With the crisis resolved, he shifted his focus back to currying favor with the various leaders present.

Yet, at some point, the atmosphere in the private room became inexplicably strange, as if a subtle danger lurked in every corner. The leaders probed and tested each other, while Lu Wenzhou maintained a dark, forbidding expression throughout.

They quietly replayed the night's events in their minds, racking their brains but unable to pinpoint when or how they might have offended him.

Until Wang Dexing suddenly realized—ever since he’d asked Jiang Wan to drink, the room’s pressure had begun to drop.

"Miss Jiang, you're being inconsiderate," Wang Dexing misunderstood, thinking Lu Wenzhou was displeased by their lack of hospitality.

"Young Master Lu has done you such a great favor. Shouldn’t you at least offer him a toast?"

With that, he poured another glass of baijiu and handed it to Jiang Wan.

By this point, the alcohol had already left Jiang Wan flushed and dazed, her mind clouded. Her tolerance for liquor was poor—only after two years of endless social drinking to secure favors had she managed to improve from getting drunk at the mere touch of alcohol to barely managing half a glass of baijiu now. That last glass had already pushed her to her limit.

But no one else knew.

Trying to ease the tension, Wang Dexing pulled Jiang Wan up, bringing her to Lu Wenzhou with the glass in hand.

"Young Master Lu, thank you for helping clear up the misunderstanding between Miss Jiang and me. For my lack of hospitality, I'll punish myself with a drink."

Without further ado, he downed his glass in one go. Seeing Jiang Wan motionless, he nudged her with his elbow, urging her to hurry.

Everyone's eyes fell upon her. After their silent analysis, they all concurred with Wang Dexing’s deduction, encouraging Jiang Wan to toast Lu Wenzhou in gratitude.

Standing beside the head seat of the round table, Jiang Wan’s body burned and her mind swam. Intoxication made her legs weak, her stomach churned. She forced herself to remain upright, her blurred gaze settling on Lu Wenzhou.

He sat like a king enthroned, his eyes deep and obsidian, staring at her unblinkingly. Though she stood and he sat, his powerful aura radiated absolute dominion from every pore.

As Jiang Wan hesitated, invisible pressure mounted from all sides. With so many influential figures present, forging good relations with them was the only way for the Jiang family to thrive.

With that in mind, Jiang Wan braced herself to accept the glass.

But just as her hand reached out, Lin Zhi suddenly stood up.

She took the glass herself. "Jiang Wan is already a bit drunk. I'll drink this in her stead."

Her intervention was a godsend for the others, who quickly chimed in, praising Lin Zhi for her thoughtfulness.

Lin Zhi smiled and brought the glass to her lips.

At last, Lu Wenzhou, who had been silent all along, spoke: "No need."

His tone was cold, emotionless.

"I don’t like the women around me drinking."

As his words fell, Jiang Wan could no longer suppress the storm within her. She couldn’t disgrace herself by vomiting in public, so she covered her mouth and fled the private room at the fastest speed possible.

Lin Zhi quickly set down her glass and went after her.

Only the men remained. Even the most obtuse among them now understood Lu Wenzhou’s intentions.

Wang Dexing was about to flatter him when Lu Wenzhou unexpectedly said, "Too many women try to get close by drinking. I can't be bothered to deal with it."

With that, he rose and headed for the door.

The men exchanged glances, half comprehending, half bewildered. For a moment, none could discern the true meaning behind the prince of the capital’s words.

*

Restroom.

"Ugh—"

Jiang Wan couldn’t even make it to the ladies’ room before collapsing over the sink, retching uncontrollably.

She had barely eaten, but sour gastric acid burned her throat as it kept coming up. Clinging to the edge of the basin, the icy porcelain was a stark contrast to her feverish skin. Her legs trembled, her hunched figure on the verge of collapse.

"Jiang Wan, are you alright?" Lin Zhi came to her side, gently patting her back in comfort.

Yet, her presence only deepened Jiang Wan’s humiliation.

"I know taking over the company has been hard on you, but you don’t need to push yourself this far," Lin Zhi said. "If you ever run into trouble, you can talk to me. I’ll help however I can. And even if I can’t, I can always ask Wenzhou for help."

Her considerate words only made Jiang Wan feel even more nauseated.

"Ugh—"

After she finished retching, Jiang Wan forced herself upright. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and withdrew her arm from Lin Zhi's support.

"No need."

She refused flatly, reigning in her remaining composure.

"I don’t need help from the Lin family, and I certainly don’t need Lu Wenzhou’s help."

Having made her stance clear, she turned to leave.

But before she could take a step, she froze at the sight of the man who had appeared before her.

Standing just beyond the bend of the sink, Lu Wenzhou towered, his imposing stature and commanding presence impossible to ignore.

Wherever he stood, he dominated.

And in that moment, his obsidian eyes were shadowed with anger, his chilling gaze enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine.

Jiang Wan longed to ignore him, to escape, but her body refused to obey. Her already fragile consciousness seemed to drain away at the sight of him.

Before she could react, her eyes closed heavily and her body collapsed.

"Jiang—" Lin Zhi hadn’t even registered what was happening before the man lunged forward. In the final second before Jiang Wan hit the ground, he caught her securely, dropping to one knee, his powerful arms cradling her.

Not a scratch touched Jiang Wan.

Lin Zhi witnessed it all. Her steps faltered at his anxious reaction.

Seeing him unhesitatingly scoop Jiang Wan up in his arms, Lin Zhi clenched her fists, trying to stop him. "Young Master Lu, what are you doing?"

"She’s drunk. She needs someone to look after her." Lu Wenzhou’s gaze never left Jiang Wan’s unconscious face.

Lin Zhi’s heart was in turmoil, her voice tight with urgency. "If someone sees this, it won’t look good. Given your current relationship—"

She didn’t finish. Lu Wenzhou shot her a cold glare, devoid of any warmth, only icy indifference remaining.

"Our relationship is none of your concern."

"If you want something from me, you should know what to do—and what not to do."

With those words, Lu Wenzhou carried Jiang Wan away without a backward glance.

Watching his unwavering retreat, Lin Zhi stood rooted, frustration twisting her lips.

*

"Ugh—"

The moment she was placed inside the Rolls Royce, Jiang Wan, barely conscious, began to retch again as she lay in the back seat.

The cramped space quickly filled with the bitter, sour smell of vomit. Some of the sticky liquid seeped into the luxury upholstery.

The driver, just about to start the engine, stiffened with dread, glancing nervously at the rearview mirror.

Lu Wenzhou was famously obsessed with cleanliness. He tolerated not a hint of unpleasant odor, let alone someone else’s vomit.

The driver dared not speak or move, only watched Lu Wenzhou, awaiting his command.

Through the reflection, the man's face was as dark as night. After a long, silent struggle, he forced out two words through gritted teeth:

"Drive."