"Miss An, have you finished eating?" Despite An Ying’s cold demeanor, Su Jianteng was persistent, still confidently initiating a conversation with her. "Mhm." An Ying softly hummed, glancing out of the corner of her eye at the tables behind her. Each table was filled with a harmonious atmosphere, cheerful laughter all around; she silently retracted her gaze, a trace of melancholy appearing in her eyes. She had only one thought now, to go home early. While An Ying was lost in thought, Manager Wu from another table stood up and walked over to her table. Manager Wu, holding a glass of wine, stood respectfully beside Su Jianteng, "Mr. Su, it’s an honor to dine with you today. I toast to you, feel free to drink at your leisure." After speaking, Manager Wu boldly downed his drink in one go. Su Jianteng, holding a glass, heard Manager Wu’s words, his expression relaxed significantly, "Manager Wu, you’re too kind." With that, he took a symbolic sip from his glass and then put it down. Seeing Manager Wu stand to offer a toast, everyone else stood as well, approaching them and surrounding their table in the center. The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became boisterous. Manager Wu then walked over to An Ying’s side, "Come on, everyone here toast to Mr. Su." With Manager Wu’s call, everyone eagerly went to pour themselves a drink; the atmosphere was instantly ignited, and when everyone raised their glasses at the same time, Manager Wu seemingly inadvertently glanced in An Ying’s direction, "An Ying, you can’t be an exception." After speaking, Manager Wu picked up a bottle of strong liquor from the table, filled a glass to the brim, and handed it to An Ying. An Ying lowered her head, trying to minimize her presence, but she still couldn’t escape. Seeing the glass of alcohol right in front of her, she slowly reached out her hand to take the glass. Seeing this, Manager Wu’s smile deepened, "Come on, let’s toast to Mr. Su with this glass." Chapters fırst released on 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭⚑𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⚑𝕟𝕖𝕥 Everyone raised their glasses, "To Mr. Su." Su Jianteng looked at everyone with a smile, "Thanks, everyone, for all your hard work." He held the glass from earlier, which he hadn’t drunk from, and looked sideways at An Ying beside him. The crowd was bold, all chugging down their drinks. Seeing everyone’s stance, An Ying hesitated with her glass in hand; she couldn’t drink alcohol at all. She covered the glass with one hand, pretended to take a sip, and while everyone was focused on the main man, she quietly set the glass down during their moment of joy. Manager Wu suddenly spoke, causing An Ying’s hand that had just set down the glass to tremble slightly. Immediately, Manager Wu loudly said, "Everyone’s drinking; you can’t be an exception." Voices of agreement followed one after another. The noise of the crowd rose, and An Ying only felt a buzzing in her ears, "Sorry, I don’t drink." She looked at the crowd and replied tactfully. Hearing her words, the uproar gradually quieted down, seeing her delicate and seemingly older than them, everyone usually treated her quite kindly, so they didn’t make things difficult for her at this moment. Instead, it was Manager Wu who, seeing this situation, directly picked up An Ying’s glass and forcibly pressed it into her hand, "Since everyone is drinking, you can’t be an exception; it’s just a glass, nothing to worry about." Surrounding onlookers glanced at each other, suddenly sensing an unusual atmosphere. Manager Wu, who usually seemed easygoing, was suddenly insistent on this glass, interesting! Everyone remained silent, but no one spoke up for An Ying. After all, they all worked under Manager Wu to varying degrees, considering his position. Su Jianteng’s deep eyes moved almost imperceptibly, seeing the beauty’s worried expression, yet he did not stop Manager Wu. Manager Wu bent over, leaned close to An Ying’s ear, and said softly, so only the two of them could hear, "If we make the boss happy, everyone will get a raise. Why not?" An Ying’s whole body stiffened. Her family wasn’t well-off, and she had withdrawn some money from the bank the last time, money she would eventually have to pay back, and she didn’t want to owe any man. An Ying’s grip on the glass tightened. Her beautiful eyes drifted, her lashes fluttered continuously like a tranquil, serene autumn water. Perhaps because the atmosphere had reached its zenith, all eyes fell on her, under double pressure, An Ying raised her glass, gently closed her eyes, and downed its contents in one go. "Haha, Miss An is really straightforward." Su Jianteng laughed heartily, watching the beauty’s cheeks quickly blush with two streaks of red, his gaze becoming excited. An Ying’s brows knit tightly; the spicy taste lingered in her throat, her head felt slightly dizzy. After An Ying finished her glass, the weight on Manager Wu’s heart was finally lifted. He looked at the crowd, "Come on, everyone, continue to drink and have fun." Feeling Manager Wu’s enthusiasm, everyone started drinking and enjoying themselves again. Su Jianteng had also had a glass earlier, yet showed no signs of discomfort. For a man seasoned in the business world, that glass was hardly even an appetizer. "Miss An, are you still comfortable with your job?" Su Jianteng slightly turned, shifted his body towards her, stopping just as his elbow was about to touch her. Hearing the man’s voice, An Ying only felt her head was particularly heavy and dizzy. She shook it vigorously, trying to clear her mind, "It’s okay." She gave a perfunctory response. The beauty’s slim figure gave off a delicate vibe, with her distant mountain-like brows slightly furrowed, a faint hint of melancholy lingering in her eyes. Su Jianteng was captivated, but didn’t dare to be too blatant, "If there’s any part you’re not comfortable with, you must let me know. I’ll have Manager Wu adjust it for you." "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Su, but I’m really fine now, no need to trouble you," An Ying, her face tinged with melancholy, her eyes dim and lifeless. Seeing her indifferent and distant manner, a sense of wistfulness swept through Su Jianteng’s heart. "An Ying, between us, no need for such formalities." Su Jianteng, with a hot head, blurted out, calling her by name. Hearing her name called directly, An Ying trembled, lowering her head even further, the once rosy cheeks gradually turning pale. "Mr. Su, I’m feeling a little unwell, I want to head home first." An Ying steadied herself on the dining table with one hand, barely standing, and intended to leave. Su Jianteng, seeing this, looked towards Manager Wu in the distance. Manager Wu, who had been observing the situation, noticed the cue and quickly went over to An Ying, "An Ying, you’re not feeling well?" "Mhm." An Ying took two steps, her gait slightly wobbly, as if walking on cotton. "If that’s the case, let me have someone take you to a room," Manager Wu signaled an attendant nearby. The attendant stepped forward to support An Ying’s tottering body.