Chapter 10: Ulterior Motives

Yujing Bay.

After hanging up her best friend's call, Liu Yiyi still found it all a bit unbelievable. The guy had actually bought a car, and a 1.5-million-yuan Panamera at that. She wondered how much compensation Su's family had actually received. Her best friend must have made a hefty commission this time; no wonder she was treating them to a meal. Liu Yiyi resolved to feast at her friend's expense tonight.

She had originally planned to go out dressed simply. However, when she reached the door and looked at herself in the full-length mirror, she felt like something was missing. So, she returned to her bedroom and, after much deliberation, chose a white-striped blue knit shirt. The neckline was cleverly designed to reveal her delicate collarbones, and the slightly rolled-up sleeves showed off her pale arms. For her lower half, she wore a pair of simple yet elegant light blue jeans that perfectly outlined the curves of her backside. Her flowing hair was tied back with a black ribbon, with a few strands intentionally pulled loose, giving her a casual and natural look.

Traffic on Saturday was incredibly smooth. Over half an hour later, Liu Yiyi arrived at her destination—Sunshine New Business. Located in a bustling area of Rongcheng, this shopping mall was famous not only for its retail stores but also as a hub for gourmet food.

Liu Yiyi called her best friend. "Sorry! There was a bit of traffic on the way. Where are you guys?"

"We just arrived too. We're at the Starbucks on the first floor."

"Okay! I'll be right there."

Starbucks.

Su Yunzhou was looking out the window when he immediately noticed Liu Yiyi, who was dressed completely differently from her usual work attire. He waved his arm. "Sister Liu, over here!"

Seeing her best friend and Su Yunzhou sitting together, Liu Yiyi grew inexplicably nervous. She squeezed out a smile and walked briskly inside. "Sorry! I kept you waiting!"

Li Yan handed her a low-sugar latte and teased, "I don't mind waiting for you, but since you made Mr. Su wait so long, you should definitely apologize."

"Mr. Su?" Liu Yiyi called out with a soft, shallow smile.

Su Yunzhou laughed. "Sister Liu, why does that sound so weird coming from you? Just treat me like you do at the company..."

Before Liu Yiyi could speak, Li Yan showed a hint of displeasure. Ultimately, the three decided to use their own preferred terms of address without interfering with one another.

CLAP.

Su Yunzhou clapped his hands together, drawing the two women's attention. "It's getting late. What are we actually eating?"

Li Yan smiled. "You can have whatever you want! We're eating on the company's dime this time anyway!"

"Company's dime?" Liu Yiyi asked, slightly confused. "Shouldn't this be coming out of your own pocket?"

Li Yan shook her head and proceeded to recount the events that had happened earlier that day.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the café.

"Old Wang, look over there. There are two stunning mature women," a young man with a face full of acne scars whispered.

"Wow!" The man called Old Wang shifted his gaze from the linear trend charts on his laptop, pushed up his glasses, and revealed an envious expression. "That figure, those looks—they're absolute top-tier beauties!"

The young man sized them up quietly. "Old Wang, which one of those beauties do you think that kid is a toyboy for?"

"Isn't it obvious? Look at their expressions. He's definitely got a girl on each arm, enjoying the ultimate blessing of having both!"

"Holy crap! That's badass! We're both drinking Starbucks, so why am I stuck with an ugly bastard like you?"

"Uh..." Old Wang looked at the other guy's plain, logo-less T-shirt, then looked down at the Under Armour shirt stretched over his own beer belly, which was clearly a class above. He let out a faint sigh. "Maybe it's because he's got a flat stomach and a big package!"

After listening to her best friend's story, Liu Yiyi looked indignant, criticizing the dealership's management for being so deeply flawed that they would make such an amateur mistake. On the other hand, the victim himself, Su Yunzhou, remained calm, which only made Liu Yiyi feel more frustrated on his behalf.

"Hmph," she scoffed. "Then we definitely have to eat somewhere good. Since you guys can't decide, I'll pick."

Ultimately, they settled on a high-end Chinese restaurant named Tang Palace. The trio stood up and left Starbucks.

Walking alongside two women, each beautiful in her own distinct way, gave Su Yunzhou an unspeakable sense of satisfaction. Many men who were accompanying their partners shopping cast envious glances his way. One man was even caught red-handed staring by his wife and was currently being scolded.

Li Yan and Liu Yiyi were naturally gorgeous to begin with. Walking together, they were like a breathtaking piece of scenery. Coupled with the fact that they had dressed up specifically for the occasion, it was no surprise they turned so many heads.

The atmosphere at Tang Palace was incredibly elegant, and the decor was exquisite. A waitress dressed in a black vest and white shirt politely led the three of them inside.

"Please arrange a small private room for us," Li Yan requested.

The waitress smiled and nodded. "There is a minimum spending requirement for our private rooms. If the total doesn't meet the threshold, a service fee will be charged."

Li Yan gave a slight nod without a word, but her expression seemed to say, "Do we look like we're short on money?"

The private room was tasteful yet luxurious. Under the bright chandelier, the exquisite dining table basked in a soft glow. After the three took their seats, the waitress poured them tea and politely asked, "Who will be ordering today?"

Su Yunzhou waved his hand, indicating he was fine with anything. Li Yan and Liu Yiyi then browsed the menu together.

"We'll have a king crab!"

"Three honey-glazed squabs!"

"Seasonal vegetables? No! We're only eating meat!"

"Caviar and foie gras."

"And..."

The young waitress couldn't fully conceal the smile on her face; with an order this large, her service commission would be substantial. She looked at the two women with their outstanding auras, and then at the handsome young man, making a bold assumption about their relationship in her mind. Seeing that they were just about done ordering, she suppressed her grin and asked politely, "Honored guests, you have ordered quite a bit of seafood. For such cooling foods, I recommend pairing them with some yellow wine. We just received a new batch..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Liu Yiyi and Li Yan exchanged a strange look before turning their inquiring gazes toward Su Yunzhou.

"Do you guys want to drink?" Su Yunzhou asked casually. "I'm fine with whatever."

Li Yan didn't decline. She simply stated that her alcohol tolerance wasn't great, but to thank Mr. Su today, she was willing to have a few drinks. Liu Yiyi wore an odd expression as she said that since they were both drinking, she would accompany them for a glass.

Before long, a feast of delicacies was served on the table. Li Yan raised her wine glass. "I truly want to thank Mr. Su today, as well as my best friend. Here's a toast to you both."

[Affinity +1]

CLINK.

The glasses tapped together lightly, the crisp sound echoing throughout the private room.

After several rounds of drinks, Su Yunzhou vaguely sensed that something was off. The yellow wine tasted great, but after a few glasses, it was starting to go to his head. Liu Yiyi kept insisting she couldn't hold her liquor, but she seemed to have downed quite a bit. Li Yan had acted tipsy since her second small glass, and yet, she was still maintaining that exact same level of tipsiness.

Halfway through the meal, Su Yunzhou finished off another large crab leg. His head spun, and his vision grew blurry. He put down his chopsticks, rubbed his eyes, and stood up, swaying unsteadily on his feet.

"I... I'm going to the restroom..."

Seeing this, Li Yan immediately stood up as well. "Mr. Su, are you alright?"

Su Yunzhou was slurring his words. "I'm fine... I'm not drunk..."

The two women exchanged a look and rose together, escorting the staggering Su Yunzhou to the restroom inside the private room.

Listening to the commotion inside, Liu Yiyi blushed slightly. "I didn't expect his alcohol tolerance to be so average!"

[Affinity +3]

Li Yan looked at the empty yellow wine bottle and decanter on the table and teased, "You did that on purpose, didn't you! You work in the same company as him, and you didn't know his tolerance?"

"I wasn't close to him before!" Liu Yiyi said, shaking her head.

"Hehe!" At this moment, there wasn't a trace of drunkenness on Li Yan's face; her eyes were bright and completely sober. "I think someone here has an ulterior motive that has nothing to do with drinking!"

Liu Yiyi lowered her eyes. "You're speaking nonsense..."

CREAK.

The restroom door opened. Su Yunzhou's face still had un-wiped water droplets on it, but his complexion looked a bit better. "What were you saying about being drunk...?"

Liu Yiyi pursed her lips and stayed silent.

Li Yan's eyes sparkled playfully as she said, "Yiyi said she hasn't had enough to drink yet and wants to know if Mr. Su is up for another round."