"Can't I? Then let's drink first. Who knows, if I'm happy, I might reduce the number of times. Yinyin, don't you think so?"
As he spoke, the man raised his glass again.
Amidst their back-and-forth, Mu Yinyin had already been forced to drink five glasses of wine.
The alcohol was starting to take effect. Gao Zhusheng noticed that Mu Yinyin's condition was beginning to change.
She raised a hand, gently supporting her forehead, as if a headache had already started.
Gao Zhusheng appraised her, the gleam in his eyes almost showing.
The next moment, he tentatively smiled and asked, "Yinyin, you look fine? Your alcohol tolerance is really good."
Mu Yinyin's head was feeling a bit foggy. She still had some lucidity and was constantly pinching herself or biting her tongue to stay conscious.
However, this man kept forcing her to drink. If this continued, she would truly be finished.
Mu Yinyin sat up slightly, but felt weak and boneless all over. She took a shallow breath and said, "Excuse me, President Gao, I need to use the restroom."
She desperately needed to splash some cold water on her face, otherwise she would really lose consciousness.
Gao Zhusheng wasn't in a hurry. Knowing how much she cared about this Qingzhu, he smiled and said, "Go ahead."
She had drunk so much without anything happening, but now seeing her disoriented, it was the perfect opportunity while she went to the restroom to slip something into the wine.
Otherwise, this woman was too cunning, and he wouldn't dare act this way from the start.
He just hadn't expected her alcohol tolerance to be so poor, which conveniently played into his hands.
Mu Yinyin took a shallow breath and stood up. It was already difficult for her to stand straight, and she dared not walk too quickly, or she would stumble.
Upon reaching the restroom, she immediately went to the sink, turned on the faucet, extended her hands, filled her palms with water, and splashed it onto her face.
When the cold water washed over her cheeks, she felt slightly more awake.
Her head felt heavy, and her eyelids were drooping, causing an uncomfortable swelling.
The reason she was still negotiating the number of times with Gao Zhusheng was because she knew some of his personality. If she agreed to twenty times, he would become more demanding and propose new, unacceptable requests. If she couldn't comply then, it would be disastrous.
Instead, by stalling him like this, she believed Gao Zhusheng would find it more difficult and eventually compromise after twenty times.
Otherwise, she could have agreed to his twenty times. She really didn't want to continue suffering from drinking.
The main issue was that her behavior when drunk was extremely poor, and Gao Zhusheng clearly had an agenda. She found it difficult to handle.
Mu Yinyin took a deep breath and splashed cold water on her face again.
She had let the water run for quite a while, so it had become much colder.
But…
Her head grew heavier again.
Mu Yinyin spent a full five more minutes splashing water before she managed to regain about five-tenths of her clarity.
She tidied herself up and walked out.
Jiang Ling was pacing in the corridor at that moment. Upon seeing Mu Yinyin, he immediately started to approach her. However, Mu Yinyin's expression suddenly changed. She feared that if he walked over, Gao Zhusheng might see him.
If that happened, Gao Zhusheng might fly into a rage and abandon this plan.
She quickly entered the private room and closed the door.
Gao Zhusheng didn't see Jiang Ling. Instead, he looked at Mu Yinyin with a smile, "You're back."
Mu Yinyin's eyes held a complex look, but she still nodded.
Gao Zhusheng narrowed his eyes. Her current state was much clearer than when she had left earlier.
But it didn't matter. The wine had been laced, and after one more drink, she would be even more disoriented than when she left, perhaps even becoming proactive.
Gao Zhusheng was becoming a bit impatient. This woman exuded charm, and his patience after enduring for so long was already a testament to his special interest in her. Now, he no longer had the patience to wait.
"Come, come, let's continue drinking."
Mu Yinyin's body stiffened, and her inner frustration grew. If they didn't continue their discussion, she might truly be finished.
While she was still lucid and not yet drunk, she had to say a few words to this man.
After a pause, she smiled and said, "President Gao, of course, I will drink with you to your heart's content. But I truly came with sincerity today. Can you give me a definite answer?"
Gao Zhusheng smiled slyly, "Oh, you see, as I just said, I want twenty times. But you haven't even entertained me to my satisfaction, and you're already trying to reduce the number. How can I give you a definite answer? At least let me have my fill, and then I might reconsider."
The meaning was clear.
He still wanted her to drink.
Seeing Mu Yinyin's eyes narrow and her silence, Gao Zhusheng's smile widened. He poured another glass of wine for Mu Yinyin and said with a chuckle, "Come, come, let's keep drinking."
Keep drinking.
He clearly emphasized these three words again.
Mu Yinyin: "…"
She slowly walked over and sat back in her original seat. Looking at the wine in front of her, Mu Yinyin's eyes held a touch of complexity.
If she drank any more, she would truly be finished.
Gao Zhusheng clearly noticed her resistance and said helplessly, "Look, you don't want to drink yet, Yinyin. You're being so hesitant. Are you not sincere about cooperating with me?"
"How could I not be?" Mu Yinyin immediately replied, "It's just that my alcohol tolerance is really poor. I'm afraid I'll lose my composure later and spoil your mood."
"Hahahaha…" Gao Zhusheng's laughter sounded quite hearty. The next moment, he immediately said, "How could that be? I think your alcohol tolerance is quite good. You drank so much earlier, and you're still lucid. There's no problem at all."
"I…" Mu Yinyin was about to say something, but Gao Zhusheng sighed and interrupted, "Forget it. You're a girl, and I won't force you. How about this, you have two more drinks with me, and then I'll talk business with you, okay? Just two cups. You drink this cup with me, and then we have one more, and we'll talk seriously about cooperation. I won't make things difficult for you as a girl. Is that acceptable?"
Mu Yinyin's eyes paused.
Two cups.
She looked at the person in front of her, her heart clearly disbelieving.
After two cups, he might try to persuade her again.
But since he had said so, she could only endure it and continue drinking.
At the same time.
Jiang Ling was still standing not far from their private room. His expression remained solemn. He had seen Yinyin's condition earlier, and it seemed alright, with no apparent problems. But he was unsure what would happen next.
Jiang Ling clenched his fists, and the veins on his forehead seemed to protrude, yet he was helpless.
He gazed in the direction of Mu Yinyin's private room and took a deep breath.
Yinyin, when will you finally come out.