After I Was Gone, Mr. Song Said He Loved Me - Chapter 8 - The Initial Encounter of a Love Triangle

I always thought I looked pretty decent, but the man in a suit before me was truly stunning.

His dark blue suit couldn’t hide his charisma. Unlike my androgynous appearance, he exuded an aura of a gentle stream, warm and courteous, the epitome of a gentleman from ancient times.

If it weren’t for the clatter of a cup tipping over, I wouldn’t have realized I was staring.

Turning my head, I saw Song Yu also staring at the man without blinking, not even flinching as tea spilled onto his sleeve. I quickly grabbed a napkin to wipe the tea off the table.

Song Yu let me fuss in front of him, his eyes never leaving the man in the suit.

I sensed something unusual in the air.

I couldn’t decipher what lay hidden in those deep eyes, but one thing was certain: the relationship between this unexpected guest and Song Yu was anything but simple.

After cleaning up, I quietly sat back down.

President Wu stood up and beckoned to the man at the door, “Come over, Nian.”

The man in the suit closed the door and walked over slowly.

President Wu pushed him towards Song Yu, wearing a proud and smug expression. “This is Nian Hua, the engineer responsible for the Qingguang New Energy project at my company. I spent a fortune to recruit him. From now on, he’ll be handling all our affairs in Hai City.”

“Nian, go greet President Song,” he instructed, nodding towards Song Yu.

Nian Hua slightly bowed and extended his right hand politely, “Hello, President Song. I’m the person in charge of the Qingguang project. I look forward to working with your company.”

Song Yu stared at the hand for a moment before retracting his gaze and saying indifferently, “For work matters, you can talk to Mr. Bai.”

Hearing Song Yu’s words, my mind buzzed.

Who else at this table could he be referring to as ‘Mr. Bai’ but me?

Nian Hua paused, then scanned the table, finally resting his gaze on me.

I awkwardly stood up and grinned at him, cursing Song Yu inwardly.

Wasn’t this supposed to be just a drinking session?

Why was there suddenly more to do?

Nian Hua’s expression changed slightly upon seeing me but quickly returned to normal, though I noticed.

As I pondered how to handle this unexpected situation, President Wu, as if discovering a new continent, wrapped an arm around my shoulder and loudly exclaimed, “Oh, President Song only mentioned you were sweet and good with drinks. I didn’t expect you to be Huanya’s liaison too?”

I glanced at Song Yu, who showed no intention of correcting him, so I had to continue the charade.

“Ah… I just handle some simple tasks,” I replied with a guilty smile, not really knowing what I was saying.

Nian Hua approached with a smile, pulling out a business card and handing it to me, “Hello, I hope we have a pleasant collaboration.”

Everyone in the room turned to me, seemingly waiting for me to exchange business cards with Nian Hua and confirm my identity. But how could I have a business card for a position I was suddenly thrust into?

Nian Hua’s eyes, sharp and beautiful, maintained a gentle curve, making me uncomfortable. For some reason, I felt he was intentionally trying to embarrass me.

I steadied myself and took the card, feigning regret, “President Song said today is just a casual dinner, no business talk, so I didn’t bring any cards. What a pity.”

I deliberately shifted the blame to Song Yu, making it sound as if we were quite close.

Nian Hua’s expression faltered, clearly not expecting me to use Song Yu as a shield. Hearing it was Song Yu’s directive, everyone dropped the topic of business cards.

I sneaked a glance at Song Yu, who remained expressionless, unaffected by my little maneuver.

How dull.

As we spoke, the farmhouse owner brought in a large tray of dishes, all northern home-style dishes. Though not visually appealing, they smelled delicious, showing the effort Song Yu put into hosting President Wu.

With the food served, President Wu pulled me back to my seat, and Nian Hua took the empty seat next to Song Yu.

Once the dishes were all on the table, President Wu leaned in and asked, “Mr. Bai, do you prefer baijiu or beer?”

Back when I worked at Royal Dynasty, I drank whatever the guests drank.

“I’ll follow your lead, President Wu,” I replied with a charming smile.

The man seemed pleased with my answer, picking up a bottle of Wuliangye¹ and pouring two full glasses of baijiu.

My father could handle baijiu well, and I had sneaked a few sips before. But since moving to Hai City, I mostly drank beer and wine, rarely touching baijiu.

However, like father, like son. If my father could drink, why couldn’t I?

As the conversation shifted to business, I listened and observed, piecing together the identities of everyone at the table.

It turned out President Wu was the largest energy supplier in the northeastern industrial base, holding several key national new energy projects. Partnering with him was akin to holding the nation’s lifeline, explaining why Song Yu was keen to win him over.

The other executives were merely there to fill seats and keep the atmosphere lively.

Halfway through the meal, President Wu and I had already downed quite a bit of baijiu.

My stomach was starting to burn, and my heart raced.

This Wuliangye was potent, nothing like the homemade baijiu I was used to.

Yet President Wu showed no signs of stopping, getting more enthusiastic with each drink.

As he was about to refill my glass, I grabbed his wrist, trying to negotiate, “President Wu, how about we switch to beer?”

The man gave a wicked smile, leaning in to whisper hoarsely, “Mixing drinks gets me drunk easily, and when I’m drunk, I can’t stop in that regard. Can you handle that?”

His words sent a shiver down my spine. Despite having met countless clients with intentions towards me, hearing such words from someone older than my father was revolting.

“Then… let’s stick to baijiu,” I conceded, clutching my twitching stomach.

Footnote:

1. 1. Wuliangye(五粮液):A famous and high-end Chinese baijiu (white distilled liquor) made from a blend of five grains-sorghum, rice, glutinous rice, wheat, and corn. Renowned for its rich aroma and smooth taste, it is considered one of China’s premium spirits.