Chapter 61: Just Drunk

Liang Jinshang tried to dodge, but he snatched her phone away before she could react. Not only that, his hand gripped her wrist and didn’t let go—a gesture that was more than a little intrusive.

Her face, fair and luminous, was guarded. “Shang Yiming, what are you doing?”

Shang Yiming gave a lazy, careless laugh, then released her and stepped back. “Relax. I’m not going to do anything to you.”

He handed her phone back. “The issue you mentioned—after I gather everyone’s input, I’ll bring it up. It’s a minor problem, not something only you could spot.”

“Sometimes, you shouldn’t overestimate yourself,” he finished, the implication lingering as he turned to leave.

Liang Jinshang knew he wasn’t just referring to her noticing the parameter issue, but also to her defensive posture toward him. Still, such trivial barbs didn’t bother her. On the contrary, she felt relieved—Shang Yiming’s aggressive pursuit of her seemed to have ebbed away.

After the morning meeting, she had lunch with Le Quan and mentioned it in passing.

Le Quan leaned in, eyes bright with gossip. “You didn’t hear? Shang Yiming apparently has a new match from a blind date—he’s chasing after her now!”

So that was it.

Le Quan continued, “Good thing you didn’t get involved with him. I overheard him on the phone the other day, pestering the girl to go to a hotel with him… Don’t be fooled by men who look all proper on the outside; their minds are barely more evolved than animals.”

Liang Jinshang stretched her aching back, thoroughly agreeing.

Le Quan changed the subject. “By the way, Director Yuan is on a business trip this afternoon. Finally, no overtime today. Want to catch a movie together?”

“Where’s the trip?”

“I think to Xingcheng.”

Xingcheng?

Last night, Shang Yucheng had also mentioned he was heading to Xingcheng today. At the time, Liang Jinshang thought she’d finally find time to spend three nights at the hospital, keeping watch for her mother. So he was traveling with Yuan Xi.

She wasn’t quite sure how she felt about that. When Shang Yucheng returned, perhaps she should suggest they exchange health reports for the past three months.

…

Liang Jinshang hadn’t expected Shang Yucheng to notify her upon his return, but this time she was wrong. Three days later, at noon, she received a message from him.

The Grand Banquet Hotel was a five-star establishment two blocks from her office. Seated across from her, Le Quan noticed Liang Jinshang had paused, chopsticks frozen mid-air. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m done eating,” Liang Jinshang said, rising from her seat.

She hadn’t had much breakfast before heading out on site, and now lunch was cut short as well—she grabbed two cups of mung bean soup to go.

It wasn’t worth hailing a cab for two blocks, but walking left her sweating. Outside room 8403, she pressed the doorbell for ages; if not for room service arriving, she wouldn’t have gotten in at all.

Stepping inside, the scent of alcohol hit her immediately—so that was why he hadn’t opened the door.

She took the food cart from the hotel staff and rolled it in. Shang Yucheng lay sprawled on the bed, several buttons of his shirt undone, long legs stretched out carelessly, shoes still on his feet.

“Shang Yucheng? Shang Yucheng?”

He seemed genuinely asleep.

Liang Jinshang had thought she was coming to address his physical needs, but judging by the scene, it looked like she’d been summoned to look after him.

She was starving. Since he couldn’t be roused, she simply helped herself to the hotel meal. Someone had even ordered sashimi.

She didn’t hold back, then tucked the mung bean soup into the ice bucket to chill. After that, she went to the bathroom to wash away the sweat from her walk.

Finally, she wrung out a towel and began to wipe Shang Yucheng down.

He was heavy with drink—she couldn’t hope to move him, but she tried to make him more comfortable.

A sharp click sounded—the belt buckle snapping open rang loud in the quiet room. Liang Jinshang instinctively glanced at Shang Yucheng; he still lay there, eyes closed, breathing evenly.

She leaned over to unfasten his watch and, in the same motion, wiped the back of his neck.

Just as she straightened up, a sudden force seized the hand she’d braced on the bed.

“Mm!”

She lost her balance and toppled into Shang Yucheng’s arms, the reek of alcohol overwhelming her.

Flustered, she tried to get up, but he pressed a hand to the back of her neck. “What do you think you’re doing, getting all handsy?”

“You’re awake?”

“I’m just drunk, not dead,” he drawled, his voice low and mocking. “Besides, isn’t this what you wanted? Trying to wake me up after just three days, showered and ready.”

Liang Jinshang felt wronged, pushing herself upright. “I just wanted to make you more comfortable.”

His gaze swept over her loosely-tied robe. “More comfortable, or most comfortable?”

She fell silent.

The more they talked, the easier it was to cross a line—especially in this convenient setting.

She only had two hours for lunch and didn’t want to risk him getting ideas and making her late for work.

So she quietly changed the subject. “Since you’re awake, you can take care of yourself now.”

Shang Yucheng sat half-propped against the headboard, frowning at the smell of alcohol on himself. “I’ll eat something first. What did the hotel send—”

He glanced at the food cart and stopped short.

Liang Jinshang said nothing.

He looked at her with a faint, sly smile. “Did I ask you here to eat my lunch for me?”

“I’ll order whatever you want,” she said, pulling a cup of chilled mung bean soup from the ice. “Here’s a mung bean ice drink—have some to cool off.”

His expression darkened. “An ice drink?”

She froze. True, she’d misspoken, but the soup was chilled—what was the big difference?

Half-drunk and unreasonable, Shang Yucheng insisted she take a sip first to prove it was edible.

Fine—she happened to be thirsty anyway.

Liang Jinshang drank a mouthful, letting the sweet, cooling soup slip softly over her tongue before swallowing. She even offered a formal review. “The hotel’s mung bean slush is quite authentic. Are you sure you don’t want some?”

Shang Yucheng’s lips quirked. After a pause, he replied quietly, “Then give me a taste.”

She was about to hand him a fresh cup, but he nodded toward the one in her hand. “Didn’t you say it’s authentic? I want exactly that.”

She was speechless.

In the next half hour, her teeth were bumped painfully more than once, and she swallowed quite a bit of mung bean soup mixed with the taste of alcohol—deeply regretting ever bringing it along.

Who could have imagined that a simple cup of mung bean soup from the company cafeteria could become such a source of mischief in this man’s hands?

Seeing the growing darkness in his eyes, her own breath thickening, and his state only worsening, she hastily turned away, pressing her lips to the cold cup to soothe the swelling.

“Drinking… after that is bad for your health,” she said, her voice heavy. “Mung bean soup can’t fill you up. You really should eat something first…”