Chapter 547: The Director (Drunken Limited Edition)

She did not know that shortly after she left, the Water Bottle Director had already visited her home.

At this moment, Li Ang was standing outside the Director's office, preparing to report on the day's situation and, incidentally, greet the red-haired Director to tell her he planned to sleep at the Bureau tonight. However...

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Who... is it?"

"Director, it's me."

"Who... are you?"

"I'm Li Ang!"

"Li Ang... who is that?"

"..."

Listening to the reply from inside, which could hardly be called logical and clearly indicated her brain had gone offline, Li Ang outside the door couldn't help but remain silent for a moment, then spoke up, feeling somewhat speechless:

"Director, have you been drinking?"

"Drinking... who?"

No doubt about it, she had definitely been drinking, and she had drunk a hell of a lot...

"Director, I'm coming in. Don't you dare make a move!"

As Li Ang spoke, he tentatively pushed the door open a crack. But before he could see the situation inside, a wave of alcohol fumes hit him head-on, making his vision go dark.

Good grief, you really can drink!

Looking at the empty bottles piled higher than a person beside the desk, and the red-haired beauty sprawled across the desk giggling foolishly at him, Li Ang felt a headache coming on while secretly clicking his tongue.

Because he discovered he was being targeted by the rebels and feared they would harm his family, Li Ang had originally intended to ask the red-haired Director for a favor—to see if she could transfer the "Protective Fur" that had been tied around his neck but never activated to Anna, and then try to get two more for William and Melanie.

After all, he had offended the rebels because of official business, so protecting employees' families should also be the Bureau's responsibility. If it was truly inconvenient, he could exchange it for an anomalous object or something else. It just so happened that the "Ghost Hand Under the Bed" given to him by Senior Jie Rui wasn't very useful to him, so he might as well use it to trade for protective charms for his younger siblings.

But looking at the Director's state, which was comparable to "Ma What-Mei," he figured he could ask all night and might not get a straight answer. Perhaps he should just forget it for today and wait until she was sober tomorrow.

In any case, the Secret Investigation Bureau was about to start a massive search, and the rebels would certainly be too busy to care about anything else in the short term. Anna and the others were still protected by the Happy Apartment; as long as they greeted the landlady every day when they went out, they would have a safety buff, so it wouldn't matter if it was a day or two later...

"Little Li Ang~ You're Little Li Ang, aren't you?"

Just as Li Ang was hesitating whether to leave, the drunken red-haired Director suddenly slapped her forehead, sat up from the desk, and giggled:

"You're late! Hahaha, I've already drunk all the wine! Don't even think about mooching any of my wine!"

"..."

This silly woman!

Looking at the woman in front of him whose very brain seemed to be reeking of alcohol, he found it truly hard to associate her with the "wise and mighty" Director in her sober state. Li Ang couldn't help but sigh helplessly.

"I'm not trying to steal your wine... Speaking of which, weren't you fine during the day? Why did you drink so much?"

"Because I got paid~"

After shaking her head vigorously, she seemed slightly more sober, and the red-haired Director, whose speech now had some logic, giggled foolishly:

"I owed too much money from the last time I treated you to drinks, which left me with no money to buy wine for a while. Now that I'm finally a bit better off, if I don't have a good drink now, the wine worm in my stomach will die of thirst!"

"..."

To be fair, if that thing really existed, it would be better to just let it die of thirst. However... did treating me to drinks last time really cause you to owe so much money?

Looking at the shining 【Martyr of the Wine Kingdom】 on his interface, Li Ang couldn't help but scratch his head in embarrassment, then said sheepishly:

"Um, may I ask, roughly how much did you owe that time?"

"Wuu wuu... I really owed so much..."

Hearing Li Ang's question, the red-haired Director, who had just been full of joy, saw her expression instantly collapse. She blinked her charming fox eyes, and with teary eyes, she counted on her fingers:

"Including the part I paid at the shop, the bill sent over was over three hundred Gold Wheels. And I spent so much money, but you ended up drinking more than me, and I didn't even get much..."

"..."

Over three hundred Gold Wheels... Good heavens, did I drink away more than half a year of my salary that day?

"This... it really is that much. I'm truly sorry..." Although he had been mentally prepared, hearing a bill three times higher than his estimate, Li Ang was still shocked. Then, under the red-haired Director's pitiful gaze, he scratched the back of his head sheepishly and said:

"Director, how about I..."

"Help me pay the bill?"

"Uh... it's not about the bill. I wanted to say, how about I send you home? It's easy to catch a cold sleeping here..."

"..."

Turning his head slightly to avoid the red-haired Director's confused gaze, Li Ang bit the bullet, walked over, and carried the drunken woman down from the desk.

Paying the bill was impossible; he would never pay the bill in this lifetime. The Director was so generous to treat him to drinks; if he rushed to pay, wouldn't that be ungrateful?

Besides, there was Anna's medicine, the rent at home, and the tuition for his younger siblings... Hmm... and the Director was already an excessive drinker; drinking less was good for her health. If he paid the bill and gave her money to buy more wine, he would be harming her!

After shamelessly finding a bunch of reasons for himself, Li Ang coughed dryly and said to the red-haired Director in his arms who kept glaring at him:

"Director, where is your home?"

"I don't have a home."

"Uh... then where do you usually sleep?"

"A suite in a tavern outside, or... or the reception room upstairs..."

"..."

"Are you pitying me?"

"..."

Before Li Ang could think of how to answer, a fair and slender arm reached up, pinched Li Ang's chin, and turned his head toward her.

After staring at Li Ang's eyes, which faintly revealed a trace of softness, the red-haired Director wrinkled her nose, her rosy lips parted slightly, and the alcohol breath mixed with the scent of gardenias sprayed onto his face. She said quite domineeringly:

"I'm perfectly fine on my own! You are not allowed to pity me! I don't need pity!"

"Mm-hmm."

"You don't believe me?"

Seeming to feel that her "Director's dignity" had been challenged, the red-haired Director stiffened her neck and glared at Li Ang, incidentally hooking her foot and kicking him lightly.

"I am very strong! Whether I was betrayed, treated with hostility, or alienated, I have never cried! Even when everyone in the Bureau ran away, it was the same. I have never been afraid of being alone! I'm not afraid!"

"..."

So unfamiliar... Is she really the same person as the Director during the day?

Looking at the little woman who was shouting "I'm not afraid" but subconsciously grabbed his sleeve and curled up into his arms, Li Ang hesitated for a moment, then suggested:

"Director, you should rest. How about I send you upstairs first?"

"I don't want to go..."

Hearing Li Ang's words, the red-haired Director suddenly grabbed his lapels and said with teary eyes:

"There are so many people upstairs scolding me. I don't dare go up when I'm awake..."

So many people upstairs scolding you?

Li Ang was slightly startled upon hearing this, then asked curiously:

"Isn't upstairs empty? Hasn't there always been no one there?"

"There are, clearly there have always been!"

Seeing that a mere little Li Ang actually didn't believe her, the red-haired Director pouted and argued with a puffed-up face:

"I've counted carefully. From the fifth floor to the top floor, there are a total of 129,600,000 people scolding me. It hasn't stopped for so many years. If you don't believe me, listen!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 548 =====