Chapter 328

Gao Ge got promoted, wasn't stingy, and at everyone's request, treated them to dinner tonight.

Everyone informed each other, and in the end about twenty people gathered, joking that Gao Ge would be spending a lot tonight.

Gao Ge didn't mind, personally went to Xia Xi's office to invite her. Xia Xi didn't decline, and just before leaving work, she called Xu Yanfeng: "Colleagues are treating me to dinner tonight, I can't keep you and the child company, don't wait for me."

Xu Yanfeng grunted in acknowledgement, then asked: "Is the meeting over? Do you have any plans for this Saturday?"

Xia Xi was speechless for a moment, then sighed: "I'll tell you when I get back."

Hearing her tone, Xu Yanfeng had a rough idea that something had come up and she couldn't go; he didn't show disappointment, speaking gently: "Where are you eating? I'll pick you up when it's over."

Xia Xi: "I drove myself."

Xu Yanfeng: "You guys are having a gathering, you should have some drinks."

Xia Xi thought about it and agreed: "I'll send you my location when I get there."

After work, Xia Xi didn't feel like driving, carpooled with colleagues, and went to the dinner venue.

Several long tables were pushed together, with about ten people on each side; the tables were loaded with several grills piled high with various fresh meats and vegetables, plus a platter of snacks. Having worked together for a long time, they were all familiar with each other, no one stood on ceremony, and everyone ate and drank freely.

Gao Ge poured a cup of baijiu, held it with both hands, and toasted Xia Xi: "Thank you for recommending me at today's meeting. I'm not afraid of your teasing—I really want to take the director position, and eventually become deputy general manager. Because I messed up Li Tai's project before, I felt embarrassed to nominate myself. This drink is for you; previously I was narrow-minded, yet you didn't hold it against me and even gave me a push—I'm truly grateful."

Gao Ge downed the cup in one gulp, wiped his mouth, eyes shining brightly: "I've finished it; if you can't drink, just have whatever you like, even juice is fine."

Xia Xi pushed the coconut water aside and switched to baijiu; she couldn't hold her liquor as well as Gao Ge, so she just took a couple of sips and said, "Let's not bring up the past." She turned her head, lowered her voice, and confided: "Even if I don't speak up at the meeting, the director position is yours—Lu Mingji already knows it in his heart; he's just letting everyone voice opinions for show, but he's already decided."

Gao Ge laughed heartily: "Is it really okay to speak about Manager Lu like that behind his back?"

Xia Xi: "He's just an old fox, deliberately picking me to open this mouth."

Gao Ge collected his smile, puzzled: "Why?"

"That way, even if someone feels resentful, they won't blame him—the recommendation came from me."

Gao Ge laughed and cried: "Aren't you worried that people will then have opinions about you because of this, Manager Lu?"

"Our positions are different—he's the boss and rarely interacts with everyone." Xia Xi said, "I'm constantly mingling with you all, so even if someone is dissatisfied, it won't lead to any major thoughts."

Gao Ge nodded, then brought up the show: "So that means Manager Lu had already decided you'd participate in that variety show?"

Xia Xi couldn't bear to hear that, her head ached, she lifted her cup and took a gulp: "That's right."

"Fortunately." Gao Ge breathed a sigh of relief: "When I saw how resistant you were, my heart skipped a beat, and I thought I'd messed up with good intentions. I really think you'd be great on the show—your résumé is impressive, your image is good, you might even become a hit overnight and become the spokesperson for our Broad and Elegant."

Xia Xi gave a dry laugh.

As for the show, she certainly wasn't stage‑frightened, she just didn't like dealing with complicated situations, and the older she got, the more she disliked trouble. When the cameras roll, all sorts of demons and monsters flash before her eyes, then in post‑production they haphazardly edit, fabricating conflict‑driven clickbait that gets viewers arguing nonstop; one misstep and she could even face online harassment… Just thinking about it makes Xia Xi shudder, and she takes a sip of wine to calm her nerves.

Gao Ge patted her shoulder, smiling reassuringly: "Maybe it's not as complicated as you think—the director isn't a friend of Manager Lu? Have Manager Lu give the director a heads‑up, open a back door for you, and look after you." Holding tongs in one hand and scissors in the other, she cut the grilled beef into small pieces and placed a few on Xia Xi's plate, adding, "It sounds like a very wholesome program; there probably won't be too much flashy hype. You just communicate normally with clients, draw designs that satisfy them according to their needs, then have the construction crew install it per the design—just like our usual work, except there's an extra camera recording on the side."

"If only it were really that simple." Xia Xi picked up her chopsticks, grabbed the grilled meat from the plate, dipped it in the dry seasoning, wrapped it in lettuce, put it in her mouth, and chewed slowly.

The dinner wrapped up around eight o'clock; though no one had had enough, they suggested going to a nearby KTV for another round. Xia Xi waved her hand: "You guys go, I'm not coming."

Some people, like Xia Xi, wanted to head home early to rest. A few who had drunk a little or a lot waited by the roadside for a ride.

The remaining colleagues preparing to go to KTV asked concernedly: "How are you getting back?"

"I'm carpooling with Pei Yichuan and a few others who are heading the same way."

"I've called a designated driver; he'll be here in five minutes."

"I've booked a car."

"And Xia Gong, how are you getting home? You drank too, right?"

Xia Xi was holding her phone, looking down at a message; hearing this, she lifted her head to look at them, hesitated a moment, shook her phone, and said truthfully: "My boyfriend is coming to pick me up."

The three words "boyfriend" instantly ignited everyone's gossip instinct. There had been rumors at the company that Xia Xi and that person from the Xu Clan Group were dating; more than one person had seen them being intimate. Everyone tacitly understood, but no one had confronted Xia Xi for confirmation. Tonight presented a rare opportunity, the mood was right, people let down their guard, and extended probing feelers.

"Xia Gong, is your boyfriend Xu Yanfeng?" someone asked.

Xia Xi smiled and gave a slight nod: "I thought you all already knew." Although she hadn't announced it with a loudspeaker to everyone that she and Xu Yanfeng were together, she also hadn't deliberately hidden it—Xu Yanfeng often picked her up and dropped her off, so it would be abnormal not to see them.

"May I ask one more?"

"Go ahead." Xia Xi said.

"Did you two get together because of the collaboration between our company and the Xu Clan Group?"

The Jingyu Yuan project has always been under Xia Xi's responsibility, and indeed she has had many opportunities to interact with senior figures from the Xu Clan Group; I don't know exactly how they "hooked up," but it's truly intriguing.

"No." Seeing so many curious, excited eyes on her, Xia Xi found the scene amusing and said with a smile: "We attended the same university for our undergraduate studies—he's a year ahead of me. We dated back then, broke up, and have now gotten back together."

That one sentence successfully turned everyone's expressions into stunned silence.

"Well, well, who chased whom back then?!"

Xia Xi had drunk two glasses of baijiu and one of red wine; a breeze made her head feel light, she became unusually talkative, and satisfied their curiosity: "I was the one who pursued Xu Yanfeng. He was tough to crack—I chased him for a long time before finally winning him over."

"Wow! Xia Gong, I never imagined you were like this……"

Before anyone could recover from the shock, a black car pulled up to the curb, the driver's side door opened, and the man who had just been the topic of conversation appeared in everyone's view—not the cold, stern impression they had; his handsome face was somewhat blurred in the light, but as he drew nearer, his clear, sharp facial features gradually emerged, his brows and eyes soft as spring water.

He wore a plain white shirt and black trousers that clung to his long legs; a few steps brought him before Xia Xi, where he naturally took her bag from her hand and loosely put his arm around her shoulder.

Perhaps sensing everyone's focused gaze, Xu Yanfeng glanced at them, gave a slight nod, and said: "I'll take her home first."

Xia Xi turned her head and waved at them: "Have fun, stay safe."

Xu Yanfeng opened the passenger door, waited for her to sit, placed her bag on her lap, shut the door, then walked around to the driver's seat. Looking through the windshield, one could still see Xu Yanfeng leaning in to fasten Xia Xi's seat belt.

Outside the car, someone covered their face: "From the moment General Manager Xu stepped out of the vehicle, I felt like I was watching a drama idol."

Another person chimed in: "Seeing them interact up close for the first time, I said they didn't seem like a new couple—turns out they'd been together long before."

Inside the car, Xu Yanfeng studied Xia Xi's face—her cheeks flushed, her eyes misty with moisture, a little dazed—and he chuckled lightly: "Are you drunk?"

Xia Xi rubbed her forehead: "Not that drunk, just a bit light‑headed."

She hadn't intended to drink that much, but everyone was gathered, chatting happily, the mood rose, and she couldn't hold herself back.

"What should we do?" Xu Yanfeng touched her forehead—it was slightly warm—then started the car: "You said on the phone you'd tell me something when you got back; in this condition, can you still speak?"