Chapter 32: Help Me... Just This Once

Meng Shutang arrived at the Hua Yan Zun Di.

She pushed open the private room door—toasts clinking, blue smoke curling, voices buzzing.

The round table was filled entirely with men, their burning gazes fixed on the doorway. Her heart tightened, and she stood there, not daring to step inside.

But thinking of the four million final payment, she gritted her teeth and forced herself to walk in.

In this kind of setting—a room full of men and one woman, especially someone as beautiful as a fairy like Meng Shutang—

it was no different from a little white rabbit wandering into a wolf's den.

Some men maintained their composure, but more stared at her lecherously, drooling.

"Whoa, that figure... that face. President Gu really keeps good stuff hidden by his side."

"Not bad at all. Skin so white it's blinding, face both innocent and alluring."

"Really want to pin her on a bed and knead her, see if she's as soft as she looks."

……

Meng Shutang kept her head down as she walked in and found a seat in the farthest corner, thinking that when one of the bosses asked a question later, she could just stand up and answer.

Once she finished answering and had nothing more to do, she would hurry away from this place of trouble.

Wang Qiang, sitting across from her, rubbed his chin, his gaze on Meng Shutang growing ever more heated.

A woman who had been with Gu Yunci was, in his eyes, still as clean as a virgin.

Especially her flustered, frightened, shy look, unable to raise her eyes—just like an unbroken young girl. Truly endearing.

He rose restlessly and came to Meng Shutang's side. "Miss Meng, we meet again."

Hearing his voice, and especially seeing his groping hand reaching over, Meng Shutang abruptly stood up.

Wasn't it said that the Gu Clan wouldn't cooperate with Ying Xia Group? Why would Wang Qiang be here?

While she was thinking, Wang Qiang picked up a glass of wine from the table and pressed it into her hand. "Everyone sitting here today is a person of standing. Miss Meng, drink this, and I'll casually introduce you to a project—guaranteed to bring your Fan Xing Ge a steady flow of wealth."

Meng Shutang didn't take it.

Wang Qiang grabbed her and forced her to drink.

Someone couldn't stand watching. "Wang Qiang, she's President Gu's woman after all. That's enough."

Wang Qiang: "She's not Mrs. Gu. Why should that be enough?"

"She's not even a Gu Clan employee—at most a Shang K girl you can pay to take out. You think Gu Yunci would stick his neck out for her?"

Wang Qiang reached out and pinched Meng Shutang's waist.

Meng Shutang pushed him. "When Gu Yunci finds out, he won't let you off."

"Won't let me off? That depends on whether he'll find out!"

Meng Shutang grabbed her bag to leave. "Excuse me, gentlemen."

"Stop."

The glass from earlier had spilled during the struggle. Wang Qiang pointed at five glasses of wine on the table. "I knew your stubborn temper, so I had them poured for you before you arrived."

"Drink all five glasses, and I'll let you go."

Meng Shutang looked at the wine on the table. "What if I don't?"

"Don't?"

Wang Qiang pulled out his phone. "I'll call Bai Cixian right now and tell her you flipped the dinner round table. Let's see if Fan Xing can get the final payment."

In three years of marriage, Meng Shutang knew that Gu Yunci would come home reeking of alcohol once or twice a year.

She asked him why he drank so much—at his position, did he still need to drink?

He smiled and rubbed her head. "If I can avoid drinking, of course I won't drink. But some drinking sessions can't be avoided."

"Even at my position, I can't escape convention."

Could this be what Gu Yunci meant by "some drinking sessions"?

"Fine, I drink, and you let me go?"

Wang Qiang: "A gentleman's word is his bond."

Meng Shutang had never drunk alcohol before. This was her first time.

She grabbed a full glass of liquor, tilted her head back, and chugged it, going all in. The spiciness stung her throat and burned her stomach.

Without making a sound, glass after glass, in mere moments, five full glasses of wine were all downed.

Crimson crept up her cheeks, her body began to sway, yet her eyes remained stubborn, refusing to show weakness.

Seeing this, Wang Qiang really wanted to hoist her over his shoulder, find a room, and thoroughly ravage her.

But Bai Cixian had said not to do that.

She would lock the dead-drunk, unconscious Meng Shutang in a room, and he would go over later.

After all, with so many people at the round table, he couldn't go too far and lose his sense of proportion.

He didn't buy into that, but Bai Cixian had flattered him as a man of standing who shouldn't be vulgar.

He listened.

Right now, watching Meng Shutang walk out dizzily, though he sat there, his lower half was restless and barely containable.

When Meng Shutang came out, a waitress approached. "Miss Meng, let me take you to rest over here."

Meng Shutang was dreadfully dizzy, and her body burned with heat.

The waitress led her to a room and locked the door.

She reported back to Bai Cixian.

After Bai Cixian found out, she called Gu Yunci again.

"Brother Yunci, my stomach isn't well, so I had Miss Meng take my place at a cultural tourism dinner."

"I just heard someone at the table say she went to a private room with a man, saying the two of them were discussing a project or something."

As the words fell, the man's furious yet tightly restrained voice came through, "Where is she?"

Bai Cixian was delighted in her heart, "Room 888, Hua Yan Zun Di."

She was about to say more, but the call on the other end had already hung up.

At this moment, Wang Qiang's call came through impatiently, "Great beauty Bai, how much longer before President Gu can come over? I'm so uncomfortable I could die."

Bai Cixian said, "President Gu will be right over. President Wang, please be patient."

Wang Qiang said, "I don't want to wait anymore. I want to hear Meng Shutang's soft, delicate whimpers right now."

"What's the rush? Have you forgotten that hoodlum from two years ago at the Yan Yun Restaurant who laid hands on Gu Yunci's cousin? He was sunk into the river, and to this day his body hasn't been found.

No matter how worthless Meng Shutang is, she's still his pet bird.

If you go in now, do you want him to tear you apart and feed you to the dogs?"

Bai Cixian could no longer bother with President Wang or President Zhou, and cursed him head to face, only her voice was pressed cold and ruthless.

She truly couldn't understand how every single man, upon seeing Meng Shutang, acted as if he'd lost his soul.

Did Meng Shutang really have that much attraction for men?

Wang Qiang said in lingering fear, "You're right. I'll wait a bit more."

Bai Cixian nodded, "That's more like it. Brother Yunci has a cleanliness obsession. When he goes in and sees Meng Shutang looking disheveled, he'll turn and leave without staying.

From then on, Meng Shutang will be thoroughly and completely yours."

Bai Cixian hung up the phone, just waiting for Gu Yunci to call her in a moment to have her smooth things over.

Who knew, what she got was Wang Qiang's call instead.

"Great beauty Bai, you miscalculated.

President Gu went in and never came back out. The door is even locked from the inside.

Regardless, thank you for saving my life. As for Meng Shutang, I don't dare have any thoughts about her anymore.

From now on, don't call me about anything concerning her."

After saying that, he hastily hung up the phone.

Bai Cixian called again, but Wang Qiang had already blocked her.

Room 888, Hua Yan Zun Di.

Gu Yunci kicked the door open and came in. Seeing Meng Shutang lying there with her clothes in disarray, he nearly ground his back teeth to pieces.

His hands clenched tightly into fists, itching to rush up and demand how she could be so lacking in self-respect.

They hadn't even gotten their divorce papers yet, and she was already this desperate to be with another man...

But he didn't. Instinctively, he turned to leave.

The next second.

"What they made me drink isn't right... I feel awful..."

Meng Shutang struggled to sit up from the bed and threw herself into his arms. Her fair, jade-like little hand slipped expertly through the gap of his shirt buttons, touching his abdominal muscles.

"Don't leave me..."

She stood on her tiptoes, her other hand wrapping around his neck, sealing his lips.

"Help me... just this once..."