"Why did you drink so much?" Jiang Hai rubbed his temples, looking at the empty beer bottles scattered on the floor, then couldn't help but grin.
"Come on, drink..." Xia Yuan, still slumped over the table, raised her glass weakly, silently begging for more.
Jiang Hai shook his head with amusement. "Okay, that's enough. You should get some rest." Checking his phone, he saw it was already past ten.
He stood, stretched his stiff, numb backside, and addressed Xia Yuan. But she didn't move—still sprawled on the table, utterly exhausted.
You see, most domestic beers were lighter, more watered down, so knocking back eight or ten bottles wasn't a big deal. Foreign beers, however, were brewed stronger, with higher alcohol content. Tasty at first, but overwhelming after too many. Xia Yuan looked genuinely worried and tired today, so she'd drank a lot to dull the stress.
"Forget it, I'll get her inside. I'll just crash in the car tonight." Jiang Hai smiled gently, bending to lift the drunk Xia Yuan like a princess. He carried her to the bedroom.
After laying her down, Jiang Hai turned to leave—only to feel her hand grasp his shirt.
"Don't you know why a woman invites you for dinner, gets you drunk, and then takes you to bed?" Xia Yuan's voice was serious, eyes wide as she pulled him back.
"Uh, this..." Jiang Hai stammered. He understood her meaning but hesitated. Was this really okay?
"Tomorrow morning, we won't even recognize each other..." She chuckled softly, then with sudden strength, yanked him onto the bed and kissed him deeply, her lips heavy with alcohol.
As before, Jiang Hai couldn't resist temptation. Once enticed, control slipped away.
Her hands slid to places best left unsaid, and Jiang Hai's body responded instinctively, primal urges erupting.
Unconscious of restraint, he transformed, lunging like a wolf.
Clothes tore as they tumbled together. Jiang Hai found his place, and the passionate battle began.
From the start, Xia Yuan's body curved like a cooked shrimp—yielding yet alive with desire.
She was young and had needs, though life's pressures and motherhood rarely left her time for indulgence. But tonight, after meeting Jiang Hai, she allowed herself to enjoy.
So began their fierce, inexplicable struggle.
When Jiang Hai reached his peak, he lost all control.
Luckily, Xia Yuan's own strong desires, fueled by childbirth and life, matched his vigor. The first half was a stalemate. But in the second, Jiang Hai gained dominance.
As the storm quieted, they collapsed in each other's arms. Xia Yuan's face softened into a smile, one Jiang Hai hadn't seen in ages.
The next morning, Jiang Hai woke early. He stared at Xia Yuan sleeping beside him and rubbed his aching head.
What now? Should he leave? Stay? He didn't know.
In Jiang Hai's mind, what Xia Yuan needed most was money—but leaving it felt like an insult. They'd just met, and he was at a loss.
"How can I face you?" he muttered softly. Noticing her breathing had changed, he realized she was awake but unsure how to meet his gaze.
Seeing her hesitation, Jiang Hai scratched his head, then quietly dressed and prepared to leave.
Before stepping out, he paused, took out a business card, and placed it on the table. From the sofa lay Xia Yuan's daughter's schoolbag—he pulled out a pencil, scribbled a note, and left it beside the card.
As the door clicked shut, Xia Yuan's eyes fluttered open.
"Xia Yuan, Xia Yuan, you're really crazy. You don't even know who he is, and yet... you're really crazy," she whispered, patting her cheek.
She had no memory of the night before—it was all just the fog of alcohol.
"But never mind. The pressure feels lighter now. Let's keep pushing forward." She slowly sat up, dressed, and went to clean the table that hadn't been touched since last night.
While tidying, she spotted what Jiang Hai had left. Curious, she picked it up.
On top was a gold-stamped business card—just a name and phone number, with a dragon emblem on the back.
Underneath lay a note:
"If you have any problems or troubles, call me at this number. I'll help you."
"Tsk, big talk! And the handwriting's terrible!" Xia Yuan laughed, about to toss the note, but thought better of it. She folded it and tucked it into her bedside drawer. The card went into her pocket.
By the time Xia Yuan finished packing and left for work, Jiang Hai's battle-scarred shield car, parked at the community entrance, was gone.
Though disappointed, she didn't care.
After dropping her daughter off at kindergarten, she headed to her first part-time job at Haishang Supermarket.
Xia Yuan juggled two jobs now: cashier at Haishang during the day, and waitress plus dishwasher at a nearby Chinese restaurant in the evenings. Hence, her rough hands.
"Xia Yuan's here!" she heard as she entered. Everyone looked unusually energetic—even the typically slow black-and-white uniformed staff were already at their stations.
"What's going on with them?" Xia Yuan asked a familiar colleague.
"You weren't here yesterday. Last night, they announced the boss would arrive early this morning. Everyone's scrambling for attention. Our store manager's been promoted to headquarters, so they need a new one. That's why the competition is fierce. Honestly, I think you should be manager. We all know you're competent, but you can't speak English well, and we don't get many foreign customers here," the colleague whispered.
Xia Yuan smiled faintly, shook her head, and started to change when a group entered.
Leading them was an old man, flanked by a middle-aged man, two drivers, and bodyguards. The former store manager, familiar to everyone, followed with a smile.
The real boss had arrived.
Xia Yuan grinned and tried to slip into the dressing room unnoticed, but was spotted.
The manager called out sharply, "Xia Yuan, why haven't you changed yet?"
"Ahem, sorry, I'm going right now," she replied, lowering her head. Having survived the workplace, she knew when to concede.
As she turned, she didn't notice the business card slipping from her pocket.
The old man paused, picked it up, and studied it. His eyes showed confusion. The middle-aged man behind him looked at it with respect.
"Wait a moment, young lady," the old man called, stopping her.
"Uh, hello? What can I do for you?" Xia Yuan asked cautiously. She didn't know who he was but sensed he was the boss.
"Is this your card?" he asked, holding up Jiang Hai's card.
"Uh, it's from a friend," she answered, flushing as she pocketed it. There were things between her and Jiang Hai she didn't yet understand.
"Do your best. I have high hopes for you." The old man smiled kindly, then gestured to hurry up and change.
Xia Yuan didn't question it and went into the locker room. After changing, she took her post and started work.
The group toured the store and left. Xia Yuan barely cared about their business. As her colleague said, she didn't speak English, and the manager probably had no interest in her.
She focused on making money.
Just before her evening shift ended, a notice arrived from headquarters: the former store manager was reassigned to the sales department, and Xia Yuan was promoted to store manager.
The news stunned the staff. Everyone knew Xia Yuan was skilled and experienced, but her English was poor. They'd ruled her out long ago. Yet, here she was, the new manager.
Xia Yuan herself stared at the official letter, disbelief flooding her. She almost couldn't believe it.
"$1,200 a week! Xia Yuan, you did it!" her friends cheered.
Xia Yuan still felt dazed, remembering the boss she'd seen that morning.
"It must be him..." Her fingers brushed Jiang Hai's business card in her pocket. Her intuition told her it was connected.
This mysterious man she'd spent the previous night with was more than she'd guessed.
"Achoo! Is the air conditioner too cold?" Jiang Hai sneezed loudly in his car, pinching his nose in irritation.
After leaving Xia Yuan's, he'd driven to a nearby town to buy outdoor and protective gear, plus food and water.
Now, he was heading deep into the mountains, searching for a secluded spot to upgrade. It had to be far from people—no campers or hikers.
Luckily, his car was rugged and capable, though limping along. No ordinary SUV could manage this terrain.
Speed was slow—around 20 kilometers per hour—but steady.
His car was also the place where he upgraded. He couldn't risk abandoning it, or the upgrade might fail. So, despite the slow pace, he pressed forward.
(To be continued...)