Chapter 6

There is a hot spring in your room, although it is not as varied as the pools outside, it is sufficient for relieving fatigue. You should take a bath first, and I will call you for dinner later. Yuan Qiyue said, "After dinner, we can go to the outdoor pools. I heard there are a total of 24 types of pools."

The result, of course, is that he was forced to drink to the point of nearly perforating his stomach. Shen Lai generally rarely drinks when socializing, and even when he does, he would not allow himself to be pressured to this extent. Firstly, because Yuan Qiyue is always by his side, and if she coldly refuses a drink, it would put Yuan Qiyue in a difficult position. Secondly, it is also because he must always give face to Mi Qilin.

However, Shen Lai's backup options are not limited to Gu Chengdong alone. Shen Lai is unaware of what the market is like for other thirty-year-old women, but hers should still be considered relatively sought after

Mi Qilin's face flushed; although he had entertained some thoughts in the past, Shen Lai showed no reaction. Being a married man, he naturally set those thoughts aside. Today, Shen Lai's boyfriend was also present, and even with Mi Qilin's thick skin, he felt somewhat embarrassed upon hearing Li Chang's words.

Mi Qilin said: "The garden of my villa was designed by Miss Shen. Didn't you all say it has style after seeing it? In the future, anyone who needs their garden designed can contact Miss Shen."

Dining in a Chinese restaurant tends to be quite noisy, and there is no need for two people to book a private room. Therefore, Yuan Qiyue chose a seat by the window and courteously and gentlemanly pulled out the chair for Shen Lai.

When Zhou saw her, Shen Laigang and Yuan Qiyue had just returned from climbing the mountain. This hot spring hotel is situated at the foot of the mountain, making it perfect for relaxing in the hot springs after a hike.

Yuan Qiyue looked up, smiled, and warmly approached, saying, "General Manager Li."

The room is designed in a Japanese style, and there is a hot spring tub on the balcony; however, the side where Shen is staying does not overlook the lake, and the view is average

Shen Lai, however, did not notice Zhou Ji, as he was preoccupied with conversing with Yuan Qiyue, and they entered the elevator side by side

When Yuan Qiyue saw Shen coming out, she was naturally taken aback by her stunning appearance. Even without any adornment, Shen was already remarkable, and such a meticulous outfit was certainly even more eye-catching. The men passing by rarely failed to turn their heads.

Shen Lai slightly pursed her lips in a smile, while the man leaned down to speak with her, their heads almost touching, appearing very intimate. Zhou Ji cast a glance and then turned his head away.

Yuan Qiyue let out a sigh of relief; naturally, he was eager to establish a good relationship with Li Chang. He smiled at Li Chang and said, "I hope I am not bothering you too much, General Manager Li"

After divorcing Zhou Ji, perhaps out of deep reflection on her pain, or perhaps fearing that future marriages would lack prospects, or maybe thinking that when she meets Zhou Ji again, she must appear more glamorous than before, she resolutely committed to going to the gym at least four times a week without fail. She has persisted for several years, and now her waist is slim, her legs are long, and her buttocks are perky. Her sexy and alluring abdominal muscles are a tight figure that many young women cannot even aspire to.

However, after Shen laid her head on the hot spring tub following her shower, she felt extremely comfortable. She was quite satisfied with both the facilities and the service of the hotel, and she was contemplating bringing friends here for leisure on future weekends. Especially in winter, if they had a view of the lake, watching the heavy snow fall while soaking in the hot spring and sipping plum wine would truly be a heavenly experience

Although Zhou was present, he neither assisted others in pouring wine for Shen nor said a word to Shen

Just as the two were about to order, they heard a baritone voice interject, "Isn't this Mr. Yuan?"

Yuan Qiyue looked at Shen Lai with difficulty; on one hand, there was the future girlfriend he was pursuing, and on the other, there was Li Chang, whom he could not afford to offend. At this moment, if Shen Lai were a bit more considerate, he should not have put Yuan Qiyue in such a difficult position

Shen Lai put down the water cup with a cold expression; the atmosphere between the two during the meal was just right, so how could it be desolate? Li Chang's wattage was probably that of an old-fashioned bathroom heater with four light bulbs.

Once one starts drinking, it becomes impossible to stop, and Shen can no longer use the excuse of "not being able to drink." Men seem to have an inexplicable mentality, eagerly pouring drinks for beautiful women, regardless of whether they ultimately gain any advantage from it.

Shen glanced at Li Chang, wondering if after all these years he was still standing up for Zhou Ji. Men can cheat without any sense of guilt, yet when it comes to women, they start nitpicking

"What does it matter? Miss Shen's design is indeed excellent, and my wife likes it very much" said Mi Qilin loudly

When checking in, Zhou was leaning against the front desk waiting to complete the procedures. Upon turning his head, he saw Shen Lai, who was dressed in a tight black and white sports outfit, accompanied by a man he had never seen before

This hot spring hotel is situated with mountains at the back and a lake in front, boasting a unique location. Having only opened for a little over a month, it has already become immensely popular, making it difficult to secure a room. Yuan Qiyue had to rely on connections to obtain two rooms, and naturally, the lakeside rooms were out of the question.

Mi Qilin is quite enthusiastic in helping Shen Lai with the promotion. It is a pity that if those present were not the old acquaintances that Shen Lai does not wish to meet, she would likely be very grateful.

"Not at all," Li Chang also laughed, his eyes as if he had never seen Shen Lai.

Although both hold the title of general, Yuan Qiyue is merely a subcontractor under Li Chang, and their statuses cannot be compared. Yuan Qiyue is only in a position to flatter Li Chang

Of course, one cannot enjoy a hot spring without a female companion; otherwise, what is the point of three men soaking together. Naturally, Zhou Ji did not bring Guo Xiaoyin, firstly because Guo Xiaoyin would feel uncomfortable in such an environment, and secondly because he had not responded to her WeChat messages or calls since they had breakfast that day.

Shen Lai held the wine glass and glanced at Yuan Qiyue out of the corner of her eye. Although she hoped that Yuan Qiyue would come out to say a word for her, judging by his appearance, he seemed to be even more intoxicated than she was. He no longer needed anyone to persuade him; he had already started pouring wine into his glass and drinking.

"Hmm." Shen Lai felt somewhat sweaty and was just thinking of taking a shower

Shen Lai naturally knows Li Chang, but the divorce back then caused unhappiness for everyone. Li Chang is a close friend of Zhou Ji, and Shen Lai has a rather indifferent impression of him, as they are all part of the same crowd, sharing similar flaws. Therefore, Shen Lai pretended not to see him, slowly lifted his cup of water to drink, waiting for Yuan Qiyue to initiate the conversation herself.

As soon as Zhou Ji noticed Shen Lai's S-line, he knew she had reached her limit. He stepped forward and grabbed Shen Lai's elbow, saying, "What room number? I will take you back."

"Shall we have Western cuisine or Chinese cuisine?" Yuan Qiyue asked

Shen Lai actually brought a more conservative dress, but seeing that the hotel chosen by Yuan Qiyue was so to her liking, she didn't mind giving his eyes a little treat. If the atmosphere was pleasant, Shen Lai also wouldn't mind taking their relationship a step further. From the lessons learned from Zhou Ji, Shen Lai understood that no matter how busy a woman is, she still needs to take care of her own physiological needs at times

In this day and age, how can there be purely good people in society

Shen pushed Zhou Ji's hand away forcefully, saying, "Don't mind me."

Zhou retracted his hand and said, "I do not wish to interfere with you. It is just that seeing you in such a destitute state is somewhat pitiable. To think you have to rely on drinking to secure orders, Shen Lai, what has become of your former nobility?"

On the weekend, Yuan Qiyue invited her to try out a newly opened hot spring hotel in the suburbs. Although soaking in a hot spring during the summer is not particularly comfortable, the scenery in the suburbs is beautiful and the air is fresh, so Shen Lai was also very willing to go out for a walk

Shen was wary of mixing work with personal matters, and she could not ascertain whether the assistant would disclose any other information about her to Gu Chengdong. Therefore, she decisively severed contact with Gu Chengdong. Later, Gu Chengdong called several times, but she did not answer, nor did she respond on WeChat. She even set her Moments to be inaccessible to Gu Chengdong, and she refrained from blocking him purely out of courtesy.

The hot spring hotel is owned by Zhou Ji's friend, in which he holds a 20% stake. It has been in operation for a month, yet he has not had the time to experience it until this week, when he finally arranged to go with Lü Dekai and Li Chang.

The garden of the Mi Qilin villa was designed by Shen Lai. At that time, Shen Lai's studio was just starting out, with no achievements to speak of, so securing such a project was quite difficult, and she felt a sense of gratitude towards Mi Qilin. Although she was also aware that Mi Qilin had other intentions at the beginning

"Old Mi, do you know Miss Shen?" Li Chang asked

"Is that so?" Li Chang smiled and said, "I say, Old Mi, what is your relationship with Miss Shen? Why are you so eager to help her with business?"

Thank you, Mr. Mi, for the recommendation. Coincidentally, I ran into Mrs. Mi a few days ago, and I didn't expect to see you again today, Mr. Mi. Allow me to offer you a toast.

Shen Lai did not expect Zhou Ji to intervene; he was no longer in the position of having the obligation to shield her from all the alcohol as he once did.

Shen Lai's figure has always been well-maintained, even more alluring than when she married Zhou Ji. At that time, her slenderness was natural, with muscles appearing somewhat soft; she was thin, but could not necessarily be described as having a hot figure.

Thus, Shen forced a smile and slightly nodded at Yuan Qiyue, who was looking over. If she did not genuinely want to try dating Yuan Qiyue, she would not have come to such an ambiguous place as a hot spring hotel with him

"How lonely it is for two people to have a meal, let's eat together." Li Chang said to Yuan Qiyue

Shen changed her clothes, sprayed a bit of perfume, applied a light makeup, and put on a captivating lipstick color. She turned around in front of the mirror and felt quite satisfied with herself.

"What, haven't you had enough to drink yet?" Zhou Ji asked, "Do you really want to go in and be forced to drink?"

Due to her temper, Shen Lai's studio is unable to secure many projects and can only barely sustain itself. There are not many patrons like Mi Qilin who appreciate her designs, so Shen Lai finds it difficult to refuse. However, it is indeed Mi Qilin who has been drinking with her the most, perhaps as a form of revenge for her earlier "lack of appreciation".

Upon moving from the hall to Li Chang's private room, Shen Lai realized that both Zhou Ji and Lü Dekai were present. She cast an irritated glance at Li Chang, who was truly full of mischief, knowing very well that her relationship with Zhou Ji was quite strained, yet still brought Yuan Qiyue along to join the fray

She propped her hands on the sink, took a long time to lift her head, and splashed water on her face with her hands. Only then did she remember that she had put on makeup, so she leaned in close to the makeup mirror, trying to see if her makeup was intact. However, the mirror always showed a double image, making it difficult for her to see clearly

In the end, Shen Lai had no choice but to use a tissue to dry the water marks on his face, and he staggered out of the restroom. After walking just a few steps in the direction of the private room, he saw Zhou Ji.

A male voice, filled with surprise, rang in Shen Lai's ear. When Shen Lai turned his head, he realized that a former client was also present, so he politely responded, "Mr. Mi"

Shen Lai could not rely on Yuan Qiyue, so he had no choice but to find an excuse to go to the restroom. He wanted to imitate those people he had read about in books who induce vomiting by gagging themselves, but he could not bring himself to be that ruthless. He felt nauseous but could not vomit, his stomach burning uncomfortably, and his heart racing as if it would leap out of his throat, feeling somewhat overwhelmed. It was likely that a heart patient would experience something similar.

However, it is too late to say anything now; Shen Lai can only sit calmly beside Yuan Qiyue.

Shen Lai had the intention to respond to Zhou with a couple of sentences, but he was worried that once he opened his mouth, he would spill everything. Therefore, he simply chose to ignore him and continued walking forward

After taking a bath, Shen picked a white spaghetti strap feather tassel long dress from the clothes brought by her. This dress can appear bulky if there is a bit of excess flesh, but if the figure is toned and sexy, it particularly enhances the overall look and accentuates the silhouette

In the past, when Shen Lai was with Zhou Ji, he would never understand such matters. However, now, even if he does not have fond feelings, Shen Lai is aware that society is difficult to navigate, and there is no need to make things harder for Yuan Qi over trivial emotions

Shen Lai's temperament does not favor pushing and shoving with others, especially when it comes to refusing a man's invitation to drink. It is inevitable that she will act coy and foolish. Not to mention in the presence of old acquaintances, even if she were surrounded by strangers at this moment, she would not behave in such a manner

Shen replied without hesitation: "Chinese cuisine"

Miss Shen