Ning Yan continued, "Speaking of which, I still have to thank you. If it weren't for you, my husband and I would never have had the chance to meet. You could say my current happy life is all thanks to you. For that alone, we absolutely must have a drink."
Ning Yan took two wine glasses and personally poured two full glasses of wine, each at least one and a half liang, and handed them to Qiu Ying.
Listening to Ning Yan's sarcastic remarks, Qiu Ying was flustered and, caught off guard, had a glass of wine thrust into her hand. Ning Yan clinked glasses with her, then held Qiu Ying's hand and pushed the wine to her lips.
What else could Qiu Ying do? Naturally, she drank all the wine. Ning Yan also drained her glass, then picked up the bottle and refilled Qiu Ying's glass, pouring one for herself as well. "Come, this glass is to wish you and your husband a long and happy life together." You two must be tied down, don't go harm anyone else!
Qiu Ying saw the wine again pushed to her lips and could only gulp it down.
Ning Yan poured again, "This time, let's toast to our former friendship. I'll chug it, you can take your time."
Take her time, my foot! Ning Yan was practically pouring the wine down Qiu Ying's throat.
After about half a catty of 53-proof white wine, Qiu Ying's cheeks were only slightly red. Fu Jiaxing always felt something was off, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was.
Ning Yan glanced at the two of them, then said with a half-smile, "I thought my alcohol tolerance was good enough, but I didn't expect Yingying to be even better than me. I'm already a bit dizzy after half a catty, but Yingying has followed toasting several tables, at least two liang more than me, and she's not affected at all. Truly impressive, impressive."
Fearing Ning Yan would force more wine on her, Qiu Ying quickly pulled Fu Jiaxing to the next table to toast.
Fu Jiaxing's mind finally connected the dots. The first time they had that drunken escapade, he was definitely drunk, but Qiu Ying had only drunk two cocktails. How could she have been drunk?
And today, Ning Yan's words clearly had a hidden meaning. He wanted to ask her directly to clarify, but he felt it wasn't appropriate in the current situation, so he could only suppress the doubts in his heart.
After the two left, Ning Yan ate her meal contentedly. It had cost her fifteen hundred silver dollars, so it would be too much of a loss not to eat her fill.
Gao Yuhong was not a picky eater. He ate whatever was available, and seeing his wife eat so heartily, his appetite was especially good. The four bodyguards, needless to say, rarely got to attend such a banquet, so they naturally ate and drank their fill.
On the way back to the hotel, Gao Yuhong asked her, "I don't think Fu Jiaxing's conditions are too bad. You really didn't fancy him back then?"
Ning Yan's beautiful peach blossom eyes blinked, alluring as if they held a hook, enticing Gao Yuhong to pull her directly into his arms. Ning Yan leaned in and kissed his face before saying, "My standards are very high. After two encounters, I knew he wasn't an honest person. How could I possibly have fallen for him?"
"Then what about me? You only met me once and took me home."
"Because with just one glance, I was certain that you are the person I want to spend my life with. Since I had made up my mind, of course I had to confirm our relationship immediately."
Gao Yuhong smiled with such delight. The two of them were truly a match made in heaven, thinking exactly alike!
They stayed in County for another night, and the next day, the couple returned to the city.
That evening, Ning Yan received a WeChat message from Fu Jiaxing.
She hadn't blocked him before, just waiting for this moment. She was too lazy to waste words with that man, so she sent him the recordings she had made of Qiu Ying's attempts to sow discord and even belittle Fu Jiaxing, then blocked him immediately.
Compared to the disgusting things Qiu Ying had done in her previous life, Ning Yan felt what she had done could be called benevolent.
From now on, whatever happened between those two had nothing to do with her.
In the Fu family's new house.
Fu Jiaxing repeatedly listened to the recordings on his phone, his cold eyes fixed on the frosted glass of the bathroom, where a woman's silhouette could vaguely be seen.
Thinking of the past "drunken escapade" and then Qiu Ying's true alcohol tolerance, Fu Jiaxing let out a "heh." After waking up that day and seeing a naked Qiu Ying, he had felt sorry for her, but he never expected that it was all her scheming!
Three months later, Ning Yan saw Qiu Ying's WeChat Moments. She was pregnant, with twins no less, but even with the photo edited, her exhaustion was evident.
Even in this state, she wondered why Qiu Ying was still showing off in the group chat.
Hmm, she soon found out why.
Gao Yuhong took Ning Yan to Beijing to play. The two found an old restaurant to sample the delicacies, and then Ning's Mom called.
"Yanyan, you've been married for so long, why hasn't your belly shown any movement?"
Gao Yuhong held up a fragrant roasted lamb chop to Ning Yan's mouth, signaling her to eat it while it was hot. Ning Yan opened her mouth and took a bite. It was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of meaty flavor. Delicious!
"We're still young, why have children so early?"
"What do you mean you're still young? Qiu Ying is your age and got married later than you, and she's already pregnant, with twins! Why aren't you worried?"
Gao Yuhong then held a bowl of soup to his wife's lips. Ning Yan took the bowl and drank half of it in one gulp. After she finished, Gao Yuhong drank the remaining half.
"Why are you worrying so much? Isn't it better to take Dad on a trip or go shopping when you're free?"
"You ask why I'm worrying? You're not old, but Gao Yuhong is thirty-three. Children will be born sooner or later, why not have them while you're young?"
Gao Yuhong's hand, holding a shrimp, paused. So, his mother-in-law was complaining about his age?
Ning Yan: "Mom, my mother-in-law lives in Beijing and can't help me with confinement. Will you come and help me take care of the baby?"
"How would I have the time? If I go, your dad will starve! Gao Yuhong earns tens of thousands a month, can't you just hire a nanny?"
Ning Yan: "Let me do the math for you. His current monthly salary is forty thousand, mortgage is twelve thousand, car loan is eight thousand, the nanny's salary is nine thousand a month, and daily expenses are almost ten thousand. Now, nannies specializing in confinement cost ten to twenty thousand a month. Do you think we can afford it? Or are you planning to subsidize us?"
Ning's Mom: "You brought back six hundred thousand when you got married. That money is enough for you to have children."
"But that money was used to pay the final installment for my apartment! Otherwise, our mortgage would be even higher!"
Ning's Mom was speechless. Finally, she blurted out, "Do whatever you want, I don't care anymore!"
Ning Yan snorted inwardly. If you're not going to help with confinement or childcare, why are you rushing us?
After the call ended, Gao Yuhong said with a wronged expression, "Wife, do you also think I'm old?"
He was a full ten years older than Ning Yan, so he was indeed a bit older.
Ning Yan cupped Gao Yuhong's face, scrutinizing him for several rounds before confidently saying, "Not old, not old at all. Your age is just right. Mature, steady, charming, you're exactly my type. Don't listen to her, she doesn't even know what she's saying."