Tong Yaqi steadied her wine glass again and sneaked a glance at Chu Ge.

In her sight, Chu Ge looked reluctant, causing Tong Yaqi's mouth to twitch. She downed her beer in one gulp, yet it couldn't calm her shocked mind.

Chu Ge and Qin Ruojing looked so much like a real couple; their interactions were too casual.

Oh my god, what on earth is going on? These two... they've really been hiding it deep!

Unconsciously, Tong Yaqi recalled a previous conversation with Chu Ge about the impossibility of a relationship between him and Qin Ruojing. Back then, she had spoken so confidently, truly believing the gap between Chu Ge and Qin Ruojing was too wide. However, from the current situation, weren't Chu Ge and Qin Ruojing already together at that time?

While Tong Yaqi was in shock, Chu Ge sat back down and said helplessly, "You forced me to drink, didn't you? If you guys get drunk, and I get tipsy, I can't guarantee I won't do something to you."

Qin Ruojing gave Chu Ge a side-eye, "You dare?"

Chu Ge also rolled his eyes dramatically, "Why? You think I don't dare?"

"Pfft!" Qin Ruojing scoffed dismissively, "What do you mean by 'you think I don't dare'? Isn't it obvious? Of course, you definitely, absolutely, a hundred percent don't dare!"

Chu Ge scratched his head, grinning his signature smile, chuckling, "Chairman, provoking a man with things like this isn't a wise choice. If you keep provoking me, why don't we just give it a try?"

Qin Ruojing rolled her eyes at Chu Ge again, "Alright, stop with that smirk. You might fool others, but don't I know you?"

When Qin Ruojing said this, she wasn't the least bit nervous. She had been with Chu Ge for so long; if Chu Ge really wanted to do something, there were plenty of opportunities. Overall, Chu Ge was a man she could completely trust.

So today, there was no pressure in her provoking Chu Ge verbally. If anything, there was a bit of rebellious psychology at play—if you're bold enough, bring it!

After speaking, Qin Ruojing turned her gaze to Tong Yaqi, "Yaqi, where were we just now?"

At this moment, Tong Yaqi's mind was almost short-circuited. How could she remember what they were talking about? She shook her head nearly in a daze, apologetically saying, "Chairman, I think I drank a bit too fast. I'm feeling a little dizzy. Please excuse me for a moment."

Watching Tong Yaqi walk into the restroom and close the door, Qin Ruojing slightly curled her lips and looked at Chu Ge, "Chu Ge, I told you not to pretend everything is fine. Look how nervous you made Yaqi. It seems you two are progressing well, huh?"

Chu Ge laughed, "Chairman, aren't you being a bit inconsiderate? Seeing Director Tong nervous makes you especially happy, doesn't it? Actually, we're just slightly better than regular friends. You might as well just tell her the truth, save her from overthinking."

In Chu Ge's view, regarding the situation with Tong Yaqi, even if Qin Ruojing's guesses were accurate, since she didn't have solid evidence, he might as well deny it.

"That depends on my mood. I bet you can't wait to clear up the relationship between us and ease Yaqi's concerns, right? How about I drink a few more with her later to give you a chance to do something?"

Looking at Qin Ruojing in front of him, Chu Ge felt once again as if she was Qin Ruoying, leaving him speechless.

Ah, alcohol is truly something that makes people drop their façades and reveal their true nature.

As Tong Yaqi exited the restroom, she saw Chu Ge and Qin Ruojing chatting and laughing, feeling a mix of surprise and a bit of sourness in her heart.

From the current situation, Qin Ruojing and Chu Ge must be a couple, which means there's no possibility for her and Chu Ge anymore. Even the current friendship would have to end?

Not knowing about this matter before was one thing, but now that she knew, if she kept hanging out with Chu Ge, it really wouldn't seem right.

Sighing quietly, Tong Yaqi walked back to the table, teasingly saying, "Chairman, Chu Ge, you really hide it well, huh? Even though I'm witnessing it with my own eyes, it still feels like a dream. But you should at least consider me, a newly divorced woman, and refrain from showing off your love in front of me, right?"

Hearing Tong Yaqi's words, Qin Ruojing felt a bit awkward, shaking her head, "Yaqi, you're overthinking. How could there be anything between Chu Ge and me? We really have nothing going on; it's just that my parents insisted on setting me up for blind dates recently, so I hired him to help me out."

"But... didn't you say that you two have already, already slept together?" Tong Yaqi was stunned again, filled with disbelief. Only after speaking did she realize she might have said too much, but it was too late.

Qin Ruojing hurriedly explained, "Yes, we did sleep together, but nothing happened between us. After spending some time together, I found out that he's a pretty decent guy, so I decided to let him be my driver and secretary. This way, it'll be easier to deal with my family."

Even after Qin Ruojing's explanation, Tong Yaqi still felt that the two people in front of her seemed too close, and she remarked with a strange expression, "But you two, your act is too good, right? You really look no different from a couple."

Chu Ge laughed, "That just means I'm a good actor, right? Her dad is an ex-detective, if you can see through our act, we would have been exposed at her house long ago."

Qin Ruojing glanced at Chu Ge, "Stop showing off. There aren't any outsiders here. Spill it, what's going on between you and Yaqi? You two must have hooked up, right?"

Upon hearing this, Tong Yaqi stammered even before Chu Ge could speak, "Chairwoman, actually Chu Ge and I... there's really nothing going on."

Qin Ruojing laughed and looked at Tong Yaqi, "Yaqi, I saw you all dressed up that night at the hospital to visit someone, no?"

At this point, Tong Yaqi was even more embarrassed. The "someone" Qin Ruojing mentioned was obviously her. She did dress up that night, and it just so happened she ran into Qin Ruojing while hiding in the bathroom.

After all, she had just divorced not long ago. If others found out about her and Chu Ge, they might assume she had been involved with him all along, which would be terrible for her reputation.

Seeing Tong Yaqi's helpless look, Qin Ruojing stood up, took her hand, and had her sit beside her, offering comfort.

"Yaqi, I've heard some things about you and your ex-husband, even if I haven't said anything about it. He's a heartless bastard, and you're better off divorced. Though Chu Ge seems a bit lazy, he's actually decent—better than that Sui Liang. If you two..."

Chu Ge rolled his eyes, "What do you mean by 'decent'?"

Tong Yaqi quickly waved her hand, speaking at the same time as Chu Ge, "Chairwoman, Chu Ge and I are fine as we are. We each get what we need without any emotional baggage, but thanks for the thought. We're just not suited to be a couple."

Qin Ruojing ignored Chu Ge's protest, smiled at Tong Yaqi, "Okay, let's drop this topic. If this guy bullies you, feel free to tell me, and I'll deal with him for you. We've covered the main topics; now let's drink and enjoy ourselves!"

Watching Qin Ruojing in high spirits, Chu Ge couldn't help but feel both amused and speechless—what an interesting boss.

What was initially an awkward situation somehow became a means to bring them closer, and the way she handled the conversation was so smooth, making everyone feel at ease. Yaqi is probably even more impressed and grateful to her now, right?

At the same time, he felt comforted by Yaqi's stance. A relationship based on mutual needs without emotional burden was indeed the best choice for them.

Next, the three of them sat by the dining table and didn't discuss any more business. Everyone felt so relaxed that the atmosphere kept getting better. At first, they found reasons to drink until they were just toasting with a simple 'cheers' after a while.

Unknowingly, more than an hour had passed, and the table was piled with empty bottles, with all of them having drunk quite a bit.

"I'm... I'm good. You two go ahead and sort yourselves out. Hehe... good night."

Qin Ruojing got up from her seat, gave a teasing smile, and patted Tong Yaqi's shoulder as she passed by, then, with a tipsy gait, headed back to her bedroom.

At that moment, Tong Yaqi was also muddleheaded from drinking. As Qin Ruojing closed the bedroom door, she turned to Chu Ge with a smile.

"Your... Your Majesty, I think... I think I'm drunk too, my head's spinning. Won't Your Majesty lend me a hand?"

Chu Ge took Tong Yaqi's hand and helped her up, guiding her into the room where Qin Ruoying used to stay, closing the door behind them with his heel...

In another room, Qin Ruojing returned to her own bedroom, yawning as she lay down to go to sleep.

After lying for a while, Qin Ruojing dizzily turned over, adjusting to a more comfortable position. Though she thought she would fall asleep immediately, her mind felt hazy, and even though her body felt weak, she had drunk way too much, with her head buzzing and slightly aching.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed before the buzzing in her head finally subsided and the headache slightly eased.

However, what made Qin Ruojing feel somewhat confused was that despite the headache easing, she didn't feel relieved at all. Instead, there was a strange and inexplicable sense of loss.

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