Is it a little wrong of me to get a female subordinate drunk? Yi Anguo wondered.

"How about we just forget it?" he suggested after a moment's thought. "If you want more experience, I can have Assistant Chen assign you some domestic tasks. We'll see how you do."

"I don't need you to look after me. I can do anything Assistant Chen can do," Zhou Mengdie said stubbornly.

"Alright! You asked for this, but I did give you a chance," Yi Anguo said with a nod.

For a woman in the business world, drinking was often unavoidable. This was especially true in China, where many deals were closed over drinks. So, if a woman couldn't hold her liquor, it was difficult for her to get by in the corporate world.

Yi Anguo had, more or less, always looked out for Zhou Mengdie. Whenever he brought her to an event, if she insisted on not drinking, no one would ever pressure her or make things difficult. Because she always refused, he assumed she was a lightweight who got drunk easily, which made him even more protective.

But today, she was the one who had thrown down the gauntlet, challenging him to a drinking contest. It was strange.

Strange as it was, Yi Anguo didn't take her seriously, believing he could have her under the table in minutes. He was confident in his own tolerance. He could handle a pound of baijiu without getting too drunk—at least, he wouldn't be blacking out and would still have a clear head. As for beer, that was harder to predict. It all depended on his mood. Sometimes two bottles might knock him out, while other times he could down twenty and still be fine.

Tonight, however, he felt he was in good form and could probably drink quite a bit.

Munching on fried peanuts, the two of them quickly polished off five 500ml cans of beer each.

Yi Anguo was still perfectly clear-headed; five beers weren't nearly enough to get to him.

He glanced over at Zhou Mengdie. Other than a flush on her cheeks, she seemed perfectly normal.

"Can you still drink?" he asked.

"Boss! Do I look drunk to you?" she retorted. "Or could it be that you can't drink anymore? Does that mean I've already won?"

"You've got to be kidding. I'm not even feeling a buzz yet. You really think you can outdrink me?" Yi Anguo laughed.

"Then let's just keep drinking. Enough talk!"

With five cans of beer in her, Zhou Mengdie's courage had swelled. Her tone no longer held the deference of an employee to her boss.

"Fine! Let's keep going. We'll see how many more you can handle!"

Yi Anguo didn't mind, and they continued to drink.

"Boss! Why are you so handsome and so rich?"

With a bit of alcohol in her system, Zhou Mengdie became much more talkative and bold than usual.

"Am I handsome? I don't really think of myself that way," Yi Anguo said, puzzled. He then countered, "So why are you so beautiful and cute?"

"Really? Do you actually think I'm beautiful and cute?" she asked.

"You are. That's obvious. I'm sure everyone thinks so," Yi Anguo said with certainty.

"Then, Boss, do you like me?" Zhou Mengdie asked boldly.

"Like you? Of course, I do. Why else would I make you my assistant?" Yi Anguo nodded.

"Boss, you made me your assistant because you like me? And here I was, thinking it was because of my capabilities!" Zhou Mengdie said, her voice laced with disappointment. "So you've just been treating me like a pretty vase. No wonder you started giving Assistant Chen important work as soon as she arrived. I've been by your side for years, and you've only ever given me insignificant tasks."

"I just think you're too innocent," Yi Anguo explained. "And who said I only see you as a vase? The things you do are important. At least you aren't calculating. I trust you. I feel at ease letting you handle things for me. If you were just a pretty face with no ability, why would I have kept you around? I don't need a vase."

"Then why are you so willing to give Assistant Chen so much responsibility? She's pretty, too. Do you like her as well?" Zhou Mengdie pressed.

"There are different kinds of 'like'. I just feel she has excellent ability and talent in certain areas, so I'm giving her a chance to shine," Yi Anguo said.

"So, when all is said and done, it's still because Assistant Chen is more capable, isn't it? I'm not as good as her, so I can only stay by your side and play the part of a decorative vase," Zhou Mengdie said dejectedly.

"If I really saw you as just a vase, do you think you'd still be here untouched? I would've plucked this flower of yours long ago," Yi Anguo joked.

"That's because you don't have the guts!" she retorted, emboldened.

"Why wouldn't I? Do you believe I could pluck this flower right here, right now?" he threatened.

"I'm not scared of you. You have so many women around you. Aren't you afraid they'll gang up and teach you a lesson?" Zhou Mengdie said without a hint of worry.

"Why would they gang up on me?" Yi Anguo asked, curious.

"They could all team up to ignore you. No matter who you turned to, nobody would give you the time of day. What would you do then?" she said with a giggle.

"If they all ignored me, I'd just ignore them back. I'd check into a hotel and we'd see who gets anxious first!" Yi Anguo said with a laugh.

"What if they get the kids to ignore you, too? What then?" she asked.

"Let them try," Yi Anguo said confidently. "The kids adore me. They wouldn't listen to them."

"And you still wouldn't dare lay a finger on me. If you did, I'd call the police. See if you're scared then," Zhou Mengdie continued fearlessly.

"Oh, really? If I wanted to make a move, do you think I'd give you a chance to call the police?" he replied with a smile.

"I don't care. You just don't dare touch me. You wouldn't do anything to me," she said, starting to act spoiled and completely unintimidated. "If you dare touch me, I'll tell Director Ding you bullied me."

Yi Anguo shook his head helplessly. "Alright, you win. We're done drinking. I'll get someone to take you home."

He was getting worried. If they kept drinking, something was bound to happen. His love life was already a mess, and he had more than enough women in his life. He shouldn't go around provoking others. Although his young assistant was beautiful, he couldn't give her the kind of relationship or marriage she might want, so it was best not to lead her on and cause harm. He knew he wasn't the most responsible man, but he still wanted to at least try to be.

Any later, and his young assistant's family would probably start calling to look for her.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Zhou Mengdie's phone rang.

She hesitated for a moment before picking up and answering the call from her mother.

"Mom! I'm all grown up; I'm not a child anymore. Can't you give me some space?

"Do I have to go straight home after work every day? Am I not allowed to make friends? Can't I go out for drinks with them?

"You're always saying I'm so old but still not dating or finding a boyfriend. How am I supposed to find a boyfriend and date when you don't even give me any time?

"What's wrong with drinking? I'm an adult. Isn't it normal to have a few drinks?

"Don't you and Dad often have a drink when you're together?

"I'm out drinking with friends. You don't need to worry about me. I don't want to come home tonight."

…

After her speech, Zhou Mengdie hung up and promptly pulled the battery out of her phone.

Yi Anguo was left a bit speechless. Was she drunk, or wasn't she?

"Sorry! Was I a bit rebellious just now?" she asked, looking embarrassed.

"Ever since I was little, I've been the good kid in my parents' eyes, always listening to them. They raised me very well.

"I've always been 'that other family's kid' that all the parents talk about, with grades that were always in the top three of the entire school.

"Even during summer and winter breaks, my parents would schedule all sorts of cram schools and hobby classes for me: piano, violin, painting, calligraphy. It was like they wanted me to learn every talent imaginable.

"I finally made it through high school, and I thought I could at last get away from my parents and live the life I wanted.

"I wanted to go to university in the capital. With my grades, getting in would have been no problem. But my parents, using my safety as an excuse, forced me to apply to Shenzhen University. They said it was right on our doorstep, so I wouldn't have to live on campus and could come home for meals and to sleep every day.

"Honestly, I know they were just afraid that if I went to university in the capital, I'd fall in love and get duped by some guy.

"They've always treated me like a child who never grew up. They didn't want me dating in college, and they were even more terrified I'd marry someone and move far away.

"I worked so hard on my English because I wanted to study abroad and finally break free from them, but they refused. They said an undergraduate degree was enough, and if I wanted to pursue a master's, I could do it here in the country; there was no need to go abroad.

"I worked so hard to become the person my parents wanted me to be, but this isn't the life I want for myself.

"Before, they were scared of me dating and didn't want me to marry early. But now, they're getting anxious and trying to push me into marriage. And because they're pushing, I have no desire to date or get married at all.

"I'm twenty-six years old. I'm an adult. Why should I have to live by their every command? When they told me not to date, I didn't. Now they want me to get married, so I'm just supposed to get married?

"My dad has always wanted me to work where he does, but I stubbornly refuse.

"My mom and dad want to set me up on blind dates, but I refuse to go."

Yi Anguo waited until Zhou Mengdie had vented all her frustrations before trying to reason with her. "Your parents' control over you is indeed a bit too strict—maybe even excessive—and they haven't considered your feelings.

"But they care about you deeply. They love you, and everything they do, they do for your own good.

"You could try talking to them more, with a little more patience. But there's no need to be defiant just for the sake of it, and you definitely shouldn't be taking out your phone's battery. When they can't reach you, they'll get extremely worried and anxious."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.