Chapter 14: Please, I Beg You

"Wow, impressive," Bai Yu gave Chu Linchen a thumbs-up, feeling even more satisfied with him. She hadn't expected him to be so easygoing, not nearly as rigid as the rumors suggested. Well, this only made him a better match for Lu Qiqi.

Finally, the bottle neck pointed at Lu Qiqi. As her good friend, Bai Yu naturally wanted to go easy on her, so she said, "Then let our Qiqi find a way to get Mr. Chu's contact information. And I mean his private one, of course~"

Her tone carried a suggestive, meaningful lilt. Lu Qiqi finally grasped her implication and couldn't help but chuckle, feeling both awkward and helpless. What was wrong with Bai Yu? How could she possibly think that she and Chu Linchen could become a couple?

However, even though she hadn't considered anything with Chu Linchen, for certain reasons, she really did want his private contact details. She decided to take this opportunity to get them.

"Mr. Chu, I wonder if I might have the honor of obtaining your private contact information?" Lu Qiqi asked directly.

Chu Linchen kept his eyes fixed on the red wine in his glass, the liquid reflecting the lights with a deep, captivating glow, but he didn't even glance at Lu Qiqi. It was clear he was politely refusing.

"Mr. Chu, what would it take for you to agree? I could treat you to a meal alone," Lu Qiqi said, feeling a bit awkward but pressing on regardless. "Or if you have any requirements, feel free to state them."

Chu Linchen still didn't look up.

"Uncle, please..." Lu Qiqi played her trump card. As soon as her soft, sweet voice emerged, Chu Linchen couldn't help but look up, meeting her gaze perfectly.

As their eyes locked, Chu Linchen felt his heart skip a beat. He quickly looked away and downed the wine in his glass in one gulp. "I'll scan you."

"Thank you!" Lu Qiqi was overjoyed. She had thought he would continue to make things difficult and was already prepared to give up. She quickly took out her phone and opened her QR code.

After adding him on WeChat and seeing his minimalist profile picture and empty timeline, Lu Qiqi felt a headache coming on. This man was just too hard to figure out.

Seeing this interaction, Qin Xi felt uncomfortable. If she didn't know that Lu Qiqi was already married, and if she didn't want to maintain a good image in front of Chu Linchen, she would have long since lost her temper.

Seeing the two of them add each other on WeChat, Qin Xi finally couldn't take it anymore. She frowned, a look of pain crossing her face, and rubbed her temples. "Brother Chen, I'm very tired and have a bit of a headache. Can we go back now?"

Before Chu Linchen could speak, she turned to Bai Yu and said, "Miss Bai, I'm sorry, but I can't play anymore today. I'm really not feeling well." She felt a pang of regret for having invited Bai Yu today.

Since things had reached this point, Bai Yu couldn't force them to stay, but she was annoyed by this little "green tea" character. They were both seasoned veterans in this social game; did she really think Bai Yu couldn't see through her schemes? She was just playing the classic game of acting like a sister, then a fragile girl, hoping to become the "darling" in the end. Too bad—clinging on like that never made for a good bargain.

"Is that so? What a pity," Bai Yu said, then decisively suggested, "Qiqi, Mr. Chu has been drinking, so why don't you give them a ride? My driving skills aren't great, so I won't embarrass myself." Sure enough, she caught a hidden, venomous glare from Qin Xi.

Lu Qiqi stood up immediately, pulling her car keys from her bag. "No problem, I'm a steady driver; I'll make sure to get you home safely. Let's go, Miss Qin. I'll drop you off first; young women should always be careful at night."

Afraid that Chu Linchen would refuse her, Lu Qiqi decided to take the initiative by focusing on Qin Xi. Although they weren't officially a couple, she knew their relationship was special. She had no interest in meddling in their private affairs; her main goal was the investment funds Chu Linchen held. What was romance compared to the sweet success of a career?

With Lu Qiqi holding her arm and being so insistently hospitable, Qin Xi couldn't refuse and was led outside, with Chu Linchen forced to follow.

In the car, Qin Xi sat pressed tightly against Chu Linchen in the backseat. She cast a defiant look at Lu Qiqi through the rearview mirror and said in a sickeningly sweet voice, "Brother Chen, I'm feeling a bit unwell. Could you stay with me tonight? I'm afraid to be alone."

However, catching the scent of her unfamiliar perfume and feeling his body instinctively recoil as she kept leaning into him—no longer finding that enchanting, intoxicating allure—Chu Linchen sat up straight and calmly operated his phone.

"I have a lot of work to do. I can have my personal physician contact you," Chu Linchen said, his voice slightly raised. "Miss Lu, please take me back to the office."

"Understood."

Lu Qiqi glanced at the rearview mirror and nodded in agreement. Qin Xi was deeply disappointed, but seeing the cold indifference in Chu Linchen's eyes, she knew that pouting wouldn't achieve her goal today, so she wisely kept her mouth shut.

After dropping Qin Xi off, she watched Chu Linchen with longing eyes, but his face remained expressionless. He simply said coldly, "You can go now."

"Brother Chen~"

Watching the car pull away, Qin Xi couldn't help but stomp her foot. She nearly lost her balance in her high heels, the pain turning her face pale.

Now that it was just Lu Qiqi and Chu Linchen in the car, an awkward silence filled the air, so Lu Qiqi decided to bring up the collaboration again.

"Mr. Chu, I am truly sincere about this. If you have any concerns, please tell me directly, and we can adjust the proposal to meet your requirements."

Watching Lu Qiqi's lips move as she spoke of these tedious business plans, a flicker of irritation crossed Chu Linchen's mind. For some reason, he kept thinking of her saying, "Uncle, please," earlier at the restaurant. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he couldn't help but tug at his necktie.

Not wanting to hear any more of it, Chu Linchen remained silent, leaned back, and closed his eyes to feign sleep.

After speaking for a while without a response, Lu Qiqi checked the rearview mirror and saw that Chu Linchen appeared to be asleep. She slowed down slightly, making the ride as smooth as possible.

When they reached the destination, the car came to a gentle stop. Seeing him fast asleep, she didn't have the heart to wake him. Instead, she took her own wool shawl from the passenger seat.

Opening the back door, Lu Qiqi gently draped the shawl over him. Looking at his sleeping profile, his face appeared somewhat cold in the moonlight, his dark, tousled hair falling across his forehead in a mix of light and shadow.