Chapter 94: Losing Control

Luan Nian said that no man is good, including himself, and he harshly criticized them all. Shang Zhitao found him quite amusing; his sharp tongue spared no one, not even himself.

She talked to Luan Nian about her application to go to the northwest. Luan Nian asked her why she really wanted to go.

She thought for a moment: “Next year, I’m applying for a promotion to expert level, and I still lack an S+ project. Grace also suggested that I go.”

“Grace suggested it?”

“Yes.”

“Why did Grace suggest that you go? Have you thought about it?”

“Why?” Shang Zhitao asked him.

“You think about it yourself. You’re not 22 anymore, clueless.”

Luan Nian was unwilling to spell things out too clearly. The workplace was complex, with everyone harboring their own motives. Shang Zhitao had established herself firmly in the planning department and was rapidly promoted, soon becoming a competitor to Grace. This time, when Grace suggested she go to the northwest, leaving headquarters, distancing herself from colleagues, and taking on a risky project, no matter how you weighed it, the disadvantages outweighed the benefits.

But Shang Zhitao was an adult, and adults should be responsible for their own choices. Fortunately, life is long, and she still had the chance to make corrections.

“So, you mean Grace is wary of me?” Shang Zhitao asked him.

Luan Nian handed her the mixed drink: “Try this.” It was his answer.

Shang Zhitao took a sip. It was sweet and sour, reminiscent of the little strawberries that used to grow in front of the old house during her childhood. It was quite tasty. She smacked her lips and asked him: “What’s this drink called?”

“Out of Control.”

Luan Nian leaned out from behind the bar, pressing his lips to hers, his tongue licking the edge of her lips, teasing hers. Shang Zhitao tried to pull back, but he stopped her, placing his hand on the back of her head, and complained: “Why are you dodging? I’m just tasting my own mix.”

Why was it called “Out of Control”? Perhaps because the drink was so sweet and sour, making one lower their guard, leading them to drink more and inevitably overindulge. Luan Nian’s tongue entwined with hers, and as he noticed shadows of people outside, the bar staff who had gone running were returning.

Luan Nian released her and smacked his lips: “Indeed, top-notch.”

It was unclear whether he was complimenting the drink or her.

At this moment, Luke was playing by himself in front of the bar, while Shang Zhitao sat outside the bar counter, her face still flushed. Luan Nian stood inside the bar, mixing drinks for Shang Zhitao. His bartending was more of a hobby; he mixed drinks mainly for himself, never for sale. The drinks he made for Shang Zhitao depended on his mood and followed no rules. There was just one principle: each time he would mix only a small amount, enough for her to finish in one sip, allowing her to taste many without getting drunk.

The bar manager hadn’t changed; it was still the same person. Shang Zhitao was curious about what kind of salary Luan Nian offered him, considering how common job-hopping was in this industry. Moreover, his bar manager was an unusually handsome guy.

But Luan Nian just smiled and said nothing.

Shang Zhitao’s phone rang, and she heard Lumi’s excited voice: “Damn! Shang Zhitao! Guess what!”

“Huh?” Shang Zhitao was a bit confused: “What happened to you?” She glanced at Luan Nian walking away. Conversations with Lumi always contained content that others shouldn’t hear, and their chat records were the same. Sometimes Shang Zhitao thought that if she lost her phone, the chat records between her and Lumi being leaked online would surely cause a sensation. They truly talked about everything without taboos.

Realizing she was overly excited, Lumi took a deep breath: “Alright, big sister will tell you what happened.”

“What happened?”

“Yesterday, big sister here almost slept with Will.”

...

Hearing Lumi jump from one topic to another, Shang Zhitao finally pieced together the full story.

Lumi often went out to eat with her large family on weekends, choosing an old restaurant in town and spending the whole afternoon dining. With the pleasant spring weather, after eating, they would stroll through the alleys to visit their old houses, reminiscing about the hardships of the past.

That day, they went out to eat again, dining at a traditional halal restaurant. The tables were joined together, and the family surrounded the meal. Just as the dishes of roasted lamb and stir-fried wood ear mushrooms were served, Lumi heard someone speaking at the entrance: “For two.” She recognized the voice immediately—it was the same person who scolded her daily like a grandson. Stretching her neck, she saw that it was indeed the god-like figure, accompanied by a refined young woman. It seemed like a date, but the two appeared distant. Lumi quickly retracted her neck, spending half the meal too afraid to look up, fearing being caught red-handed.

Grandma noticed her odd behavior and was displeased, loudly scolding her: “Lu Mi’er! Why do you look like a wilted eggplant! Where’s the spirit of our Lu family!” Grandma’s voice boomed like thunder, drawing the attention of half the restaurant. Lumi wanted to cover Grandma’s mouth, but it was already too late. Will’s gaze had already turned towards them.

Coincidentally, the person Will was dining with was his ex-wife. Initially, they discussed her work; she worked in a research lab. Lumi occasionally peeked, noting how dignified and graceful she looked. However, their meal wasn’t pleasant. Lumi occasionally overheard Will telling his ex-wife: “Don’t slander me.”

Now things were clear. Lumi spotted Will’s weakness and suddenly felt that her days at Lingmei were numbered. With a fawning smile towards Will, she then said to Grandma: “My dear Grandma, let’s go quickly. Your alley awaits your inspection.” Saying this, she helped Grandma walk out, wanting to escape.

They hadn’t walked twenty meters when someone grabbed her collar. Just as she was about to curse, she turned around and saw it was Will, immediately shutting her mouth. She was genuinely afraid of him.

“Why are you hiding?” Will nodded to Grandma and then asked Lumi, releasing her collar. Will was peculiar. He was usually an old-fashioned man, yet he couldn’t suppress his anger whenever he saw Lumi, repeatedly grabbing her collar, wanting to throw her out.

“I... Isn’t this to avoid intruding on your privacy...” Lumi had eavesdropped on most of the meal, practically ready to cut off her ears and place them on his table. Now her excuse sounded feeble.

Grandma didn’t want to be ignored: “Do you know each other?”

“My boss.”

“Hello, Grandma.” Will, though stern, respected Lumi’s grandma, showing some manners.

“Hello, boss. Hello, boss.” Grandma clasped her hands behind her back, nodded to Will, and then followed her descendants to inspect the alley. Left standing there, Lumi didn’t know what to say and could only explain: “You can criticize me every day, but today’s situation isn’t my fault. How could I know that a family gathering would coincide with you? Besides, divorce is no big deal. After divorcing, you can find someone else.”

“Do you have a problem?” Will had always been unable to tolerate others’ nonsense. Lumi’s words were never serious, and listening to her made his brain hurt: “Who told you I got divorced?”

“Not divorced?”

“...Divorced.”

“Well, that settles it. Go back and accompany your ex-wife. Maybe you can reconcile. That way, you won’t have to look for someone new.” Lumi threw this sentence out and ran.

After running a few steps, she turned back and saw Will standing by the roadside, obviously in a bad mood. Hoping he wouldn’t jump off the second ring bridge, she bought a pack of beer, ran back, pulled one out for herself, and handed one to Will.

The two sat there, drinking four cans of beer in silence. Lumi grew hungrier the more she drank, finally suggesting: “How about this—sitting here drinking beer isn’t a solution. We need some snacks, right?”

“Mm.”

“Then come to my place, and I’ll cook something for you?” Lumi was cunning. They say that true friendship comes from the heart. If she cooked for Will, they might become friends, and he might reconsider before scolding her too harshly in the future.

Surprisingly, Will didn’t refuse. He didn’t expect anything from Lumi. Raised with traditional family values, his parents were both highly educated intellectuals who couldn’t accept women like Lumi. Reckless in actions, crude in speech, and seemingly socializing at work, she exuded a carefree spirit.

A divorced single man, once upright in conduct, ended up being unfairly accused. Judging by Lumi’s family, they were likely nouveau riche. Of course, Lumi had no inappropriate intentions towards him either.

Following Lumi to her home, the location was excellent, with a 90-square-meter apartment. As Lumi boasted in the company: “I own several apartments like this.” She aired her own dirty laundry, exposing all her flaws.

Will took off his trench coat and looked around. There was nowhere to sit in Lumi’s house; the sofa was piled with her clothes, the top piece being an ultra-thin lingerie item. Her taste was bold, and the lingerie probably didn’t serve much purpose.

Seeing his gaze, Lumi quickly gathered her clothes: “Sorry, sorry. No one usually visits. Even my mom doesn’t bother coming, saying my place is too small for her to take a walk.” She showed off her wealth again.

After settling Will down, Lumi went to cook. She was decent at cooking, throwing ingredients together haphazardly, producing dishes that were barely edible. Four hot dishes, plus half a sheep’s face, four treasures, chicken sausage, and pickled beans from Daoxiangcun, made eight dishes in total. While arranging the plates, she fawned over Will: “State guest treatment. If it were anyone else, I’d make them chew on pickles. But you’re such a big shot, so noble, I have to treat you well.”

Her chatter was incessant, one sentence after another, filled with platitudes, making Will’s brain throb painfully.

The two sat drinking, Will sitting stiffly like a stern old scholar, while Lumi lounged with her legs propped up on the chair, trying to coax him: “Relax, relax, this is my home. If you get too hot or drunk, just take off your clothes. If you’re shy, I’ll take mine off too, to keep you company.”

Not a single word she spoke was proper.

Surprisingly, Will didn’t reprimand her today, silently drinking alone as he endured her uncouth remarks. In the past, when he returned home, everything was always spotless. Both he and his ex-wife were meticulous, and she loved tending to flowers, birds, fish, and insects, so their home was filled with such things. Will himself had little interest in hobbies. He excelled academically and intellectually, accidentally taking charge of the market sector, and because of his integrity, managed it well. When Luan Nian recruited him, he had just gone through a divorce and thought a change of environment might be good—a fresh start. But on his very first day at work, standing in the corner of the elevator, he overheard a woman speaking in a brash, Beijing accent: “Let me tell you, there’s no male leader I can’t handle. Worst case, I’ll just sleep with him.” Everyone in the elevator laughed, and another girl scolded her: “Stop talking nonsense. You make it sound so real.” The woman who boasted about sleeping with her male boss was Lumi, and the girl who stopped her was Shang Zhitao.

These two were inseparable at the company, often whispering together, exchanging crude jokes that no one else understood.

Because of this first impression, Will concluded that this woman was frivolous. Seeing her act carefree every day, he couldn’t tolerate having such a subordinate in his department, seizing every opportunity to reprimand her.

And yet, on this afternoon, listening to Lumi talk was quite entertaining—it went well with the alcohol, and gradually, he began to feel tipsy.

Will’s face turned as red as Guan Yu’s, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. With low body fat, the veins on his arms stood out prominently. Earlier, when he had saved Lumi from a fight downstairs at the company building, she had immediately thought of him as a true man. Now, looking at his handsome face again, she felt a stirring in her heart.

She moved her chair closer to him, casually placing her hand on his leg and patting it like a buddy. But inside, she was calculating: His muscles are firm—he’s a fine specimen. To sleep with him or not? Definitely yes! A battle raged in her mind. Why wait? Let’s do it today. It’ll satisfy me, and maybe afterward, he’ll yell at me less, making my days easier.

Her little gestures caught Will’s attention, and he found them amusing. What’s with this girl? Does she have no sense of propriety? Curious to see what tricks she might pull, he stayed still. Lumi thought to herself, Men. Leaning forward slightly, supporting herself on the table and chair, she brought her face close to his, her tongue flicking across the corner of his lips: “Will, are you feeling hot? Let’s take off our clothes and cool down.”

She then sat on his lap, unable to resist his handsome mouth, and bit him lightly. Her teeth grazed his lip, and Will even felt a slight sting. He leaned back, dodging her advances, and said to her: “You go first.”

Will’s words carried a teasing tone, but Lumi wasn’t afraid. She took off her thin shirt, revealing a skin-colored camisole underneath. The alcohol gave her skin a rosy glow, and it looked quite attractive. Cupping his face with her hands—Damn, why is he so hot? —her fingertips moved slightly, and she leaned down to kiss him. He remained motionless, and before anything happened, she was already burning with desire.

This guy was pretty good. Her hand traced the lines of his chest downward, reaching his member, which was impressively large. She marveled inwardly and coaxed him: “Let’s let Big Brother out for some air, shall we?”

Will had had his good times with his ex-wife, but neither of them were particularly talkative during intimacy. He had never encountered someone so chatty during foreplay, and suddenly he couldn’t hold back, breaking into laughter. He picked Lumi up and tossed her onto the sofa, saying: “If only you’d talk less, the fewer mistakes you’d make. And stop scheming. Sleeping with your boss won’t exempt you from work, you know. It’s not like I own the company. You’re so naive—you don’t even realize when you’re at a disadvantage.”

Will vented the frustration he felt toward his ex-wife onto Lumi: “And another thing—your figure isn’t great. Wear more clothes when you’re out. If you’ve got something to show, flaunt it, but if you don’t, why reveal your flaws?”

As he lectured her, he put on his trench coat: “Thank you for the hospitality, but the last dish was subpar—lacking in color, aroma, and taste.”

Damn.

It was the first time Lumi had heard Will speak so much, and though every word was cutting, she wasn’t angry at all. This guy was amusing. He probably isn’t that great in bed.

She asked Shang Zhitao: “Do you think he’s any good?”

“It doesn’t matter to you either way.”

“How does it not matter? He’s got me all worked up!”

“You better behave. Or he’ll accuse you of workplace harassment.”

“I’m not afraid. Just wait, Shang Zhitao. I’m going to sleep with him. Next year, when you apply for expert status, I’ll make sure he gives you full marks. It’ll be worth our friendship.”

Lumi chuckled and hung up the phone. Shang Zhitao checked the call duration—they had talked for an hour. Putting her phone back in her pocket, she entered the room to hear Luan Nian say: “What do you two have to talk about? Don’t you chat enough at the office?”

Shang Zhitao couldn’t tell him about Lumi’s plans to sleep with Will, so she pretended not to hear and sat on the floor brushing Luke’s fur.

For some reason, Luke was especially happy around Luan Nian, running around more than ever before. He also listened to Luan Nian’s commands, running whenever he called. Probably because Luan Nian bribed him with food.

“When I go to the northwest, can you take care of Luke?”

A faint smile appeared on Luan Nian’s lips, and after a moment, he said: “How I take care of him is none of your business.”

Shang Zhitao laid out her conditions: “No fresh meat dog food, no excessive snacks, don’t spoil him…” She rattled off a list of demands until Luan Nian finally lost patience: “Why don’t you just not send him here for boarding?”

“No.”

On this Sunday afternoon, Luan Nian, recovering from his illness, the fragrant green mountains, the carefree Luke, and their idle chatter created a serene atmosphere.

A short while later, several cars pulled up, and a group of young men and women stepped out. Shang Zhitao said: “You have guests. I’ll head to the back.”

“Are you embarrassed to be seen?” Luan Nian teased.

“…” She remained seated at the bar, her drink half-finished.

Shang Zhitao heard someone call out: “Teacher Gong.” Turning around, she saw Gong Yue. Standing beside her was a well-dressed man who was shaking hands with Luan Nian. Luan Nian beckoned Shang Zhitao over: “Shang Zhitao, come here.”

Jumping off the tall stool, she walked over and heard Luan Nian introduce her: “This is my girlfriend, Shang Zhitao.”

The word “girlfriend” startled her, and she thought she must have misheard. Looking at Luan Nian, he pulled her wrist gently: “This is Teacher Gong Yue.”

“Hello, Teacher Gong,” Shang Zhitao said, standing straight. Having always been intimidated by teachers, she naturally felt a sense of reverence toward Gong Yue. Gong Yue studied her carefully, smiled, and introduced her boyfriend: “This is my boyfriend, Teacher Sun Lin.”

“Hello, Teacher Sun.”

“We’ll head to the reading session now,” Gong Yue nodded to Luan Nian and left with her boyfriend.

Shang Zhitao wanted to ask about the term “girlfriend,” but Luan Nian had already returned to the bar and called out: “Hurry up, girlfriend.”

Gong Yue asked Tan Mian: “Did you know Luan Nian is dating someone?”

“No.”

“Her name is Shang Zhitao.”

“I don’t know her.”

Tan Mian wasn’t particularly close to Gong Yue, so he didn’t say much. Luan Nian had mentioned that Gong Yue brought students every week, likely under pressure. He hadn’t taken it to heart and didn’t plan to ask Luan Nian about it.

“Help serve the drinks, girlfriend,” Luan Nian pushed the bartender’s prepared drinks toward her. Hearing those three words again, Shang Zhitao felt a strange sensation she couldn’t quite articulate and simply stared at him.

Without raising his head, Luan Nian said: “Didn’t we agree to go on an adventure together?”