Cocktail
“Sis, I’m just going to have a meal, no need to make it so grand,” Song Yuhang said, and then she saw Ji Jingxing gently press a brow razor against her forehead.
“Oh, this isn’t just an ordinary date, it’s his birthday after all, and his friends are there. You should at least make a little effort to dress up.”
Feeling the blade moving back and forth on her face, Song Yuhang inexplicably recalled a joke: “Do burglars get touched when caught by the police?”
She didn’t dare to move, didn’t dare to move; it was a true reflection of her current state.
Mother Song walked out of the kitchen carrying the cooked dishes. “Your sister is right. Don’t act like a tomboy all the time; how will you ever get married? Fortunately, Lin Ge doesn’t mind these things and treats you well.”
Ji Jingxing still didn’t know that Lin Yan was Lin Ge’s sister, and the thought of that note made her smile fade a bit.
“Sis, that note I gave you last time…”
“Oh, that one,” Ji Jingxing glanced at her, her hands still in motion as she dabbed some powder to conceal the small freckles on her face.
“I was holding it tightly at the time, but it disappeared when I came out. I searched for it for a long time and didn’t dare to ask you for another one…” She paused, biting her lip slightly, looking somewhat aggrieved.
“I’m sorry, Yuhang, for delaying your matters. Is your colleague okay?”
Song Yuhang felt a sense of relief in her heart, and her instinctive trust made her not dwell on it too much. Maybe it really was lost.
“It’s okay, sis. I’ve already found it.”
Ji Jingxing then breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, “That’s good, or else I would have really blamed myself.”
The two of them sat in a corner of the living room, doing their makeup. Xiao Wei, throwing away the remote control, ran over and hugged Ji Jingxing’s thigh. “Mommy, mommy, I want to do makeup too!”
Ji Jingxing couldn’t help but suppress a laugh, holding makeup products in her hand as they were shaken back and forth by Xiao Wei. “No, dear, children can’t wear makeup. You can do it when you grow up.”
Song Yuhang reached out and lifted the child onto her lap, lightly dabbing a little red dot on Xiao Wei’s forehead with lipstick, then held up a mirror for her to see. “Look, Xiao Wei, when you grow up, you’ll definitely be a beautiful lady.”
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The child blushed from the compliment, holding Song Yuhang’s face, looking left and right. “Auntie is also pretty, Auntie is also a beautiful lady.”
Ji Jingxing chuckled, feeling a bit amused. “I see, Xiao Wei is really close to you. She’s never praised me for being pretty.”
Song Yuhang rubbed Xiao Wei’s head and smiled. “What do we do if Mommy gets jealous?”
Xiao Wei climbed down from her lap and tugged at Ji Jingxing’s clothes. “Mommy, squat down, squat down.”
Ji Jingxing didn’t understand what was happening, but as soon as she squatted down, she received an affectionate kiss on her face. Her heart melted, and she picked up Xiao Wei, showering her with more kisses and cuddles.
“Dinner’s ready, everyone, wash your hands. Yuhang, you should have some before you leave. It’s not good to drink on an empty stomach,” Mother Song wiped her hands on her apron and set down the last dish.
Song Yuhang checked the time; it was already half-past seven. “No, I won’t eat. I told Lin Ge that I’ll drive over myself, so I need to leave early.”
As she spoke, she hurried into her room, took a small box from a drawer, and tucked it into her bag. Just as she was about to leave, she was stopped by someone.
“Hey, wait a moment, you haven’t put on lipstick yet.”
Song Yuhang felt like crying without tears as she watched Ji Jingxing about to apply the bright red lipstick on her. She decided to handle it herself, saying, “I’ll do it myself.”
She casually dabbed some lipstick on her lips, without bothering to use a mirror, and lightly pressed her lips together. She grabbed a tissue, picked up the freshly fried crispy meat from the table with her right hand, and put it in her mouth before pushing open the front door.
“Mom, sis, Xiao Wei, I’m leaving.”
“This child, didn’t she say she wasn’t going to eat?” When Mother Song came out of the kitchen with utensils, Song Yuhang had already disappeared.
“Come on, Jingxing, Xiao Wei, let’s eat. Xiao Wei, sit here with Grandma, okay?”
After descending the stairs and finishing her meal, Song Yuhang wiped her mouth with a tissue, and casually removed the lipstick marks from her lips. She tossed the tissue into the trash bin and then proceeded towards the garage.
* * *
She was always punctual, so when she said eight o’clock, she meant eight o’clock. She thought Lin Yan might still be angry and might not come, but to her surprise, she had already arrived. At this moment, she was on the stage, accompanying a lively dance track while performing pole dancing.
The audience below stared wide-eyed, and a man with small braids rushed up and danced closely with her.
It’s really… she couldn’t quite describe it.
While she was lost in thought, Lin Ge had already rushed out to greet her. “You’re here! Just sit anywhere you like. Did you eat? There’s a buffet over there.”
Following his pointed finger, she glanced over and saw a few familiar faces sitting at the bar. Zheng Chengrui was busy devouring a chicken leg, while Duan Cheng held a tray and looked overwhelmed, with his mouth watering.
“Wow, what’s this, what’s this? It looks so delicious.”
Fang Xin held a glass of red wine in her hand and glanced at him indifferently. “That’s pan-fried foie gras…”
“And this?”
“Sashimi of sea bream.”
“What about this, what about this?” Duan Cheng pointed to another plate of seafood and asked her. Fang Xin became irritated and snapped, “Shut up and just eat.”
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Lin Ge smiled and said, “I was afraid you might feel uncomfortable, so I took the liberty of inviting your colleagues as well.”
After all, they weren’t in a romantic relationship, and Song Yuhang didn’t know Lin Ge’s hospital colleagues or his friends from the business world. Lin Ge was concerned that she might get bored or feel awkward.
Song Yuhang was taken aback. “It’s okay…”
Before she could finish her sentence, Fang Xin had already spotted her and stood up, waving at her. “Captain Song, over here.”
His thoughtfulness made Song Yuhang feel a bit uneasy.
“I’ll be back in a moment.”
Coincidentally, a few of Lin Ge’s friends approached him with their drinks. “Hey, who’s this? You rascal, you didn’t even tell us about this situation. That’s not fair.”
Lin Ge smiled and put his arm around his friend’s shoulder, clinking glasses with him. “What kind of situation could I have? She’s really a friend introduced by my mom…”
His voice gradually faded, becoming indistinct, and Song Yuhang walked over to join Fang Xin and the others.
“Miss, what would you like to drink?” the bartender approached her and asked for her order.
Song Yuhang glanced at the menu and tapped her fingertips on it. “Lemon water, please.”
“After finally coming out to relax, you’re not drinking?” Fang Xin asked.
“I’m driving, and besides, I can’t handle alcohol well. I’d rather not embarrass myself.”
While they were chatting, there were cheers and screams coming from the stage.
“Kiss! Kiss!”
People whistled and cheered.
After Lin Yan’s performance ended, her face was slightly flushed, and she was panting as someone half embraced her. It was the same man she had danced with earlier, his hand tracing the contours of her curvaceous figure underneath her leather jacket, gently lifting her chin.
Duan Cheng watched with envy. “Dr. Lin is indeed a heartthrob, not just talk.”
Zheng Chengrui teased him with a nudge. “That’s right, she’s got a certain young colleague completely smitten.”
“And you dare to say that about me? I wonder who’s buying breakfast for someone every day.”
Song Yuhang twirled her glass in her hand without saying a word, lowering her gaze.
Lin Yan didn’t even spare a glance in her direction; her smile grew more enchanting. She pulled the man’s neck and leaned in to kiss him passionately, but in that moment of ecstasy when he lowered his head, she swiped her lips over his and grazed his mouth corner before planting a kiss on his ear.
Lin Yan tugged at his tie, her voice like a seductive whisper. “Get lost.”
The man’s face instantly changed, and he was shoved away. He stumbled off the stage and seemed ready to charge back but was restrained by his friends, who pointed to a seat.
Lin Ge was chatting and laughing with a few friends.
“I have to say, your sister is something else. There are so many men in Jiangcheng City who want to pursue her, but she’s different. She’s like a flower in a field, untouched by anyone.”
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Lin Ge clinked glasses with him. “What Yanyan likes and what she wants to do is her business. I won’t interfere. But if anyone has ill intentions toward her, I won’t just stand by and watch.”
This statement was directed at someone with ulterior motives: Lin Yan’s choice of a partner was something he didn’t want to get involved in and couldn’t control. Trying to get close to Lin Yan through him was wishful thinking. However, if anyone dared to harm his sister, he would make sure they suffered dire consequences.
Although this host wasn’t the main heir of the Lin family, he came from a privileged background, had substantial wealth, and had established a thriving hospital after returning from studying abroad for many years. His capabilities were evident.
His friend smiled, downed the glass, and didn’t bring up the topic of Lin Yan again.
From Song Yuhang’s perspective, it was a clear and direct kiss. She put down her glass and spoke calmly, “I’ll go to the restroom.”
“Hey, Captain Song, the restroom is over there.”
Fang Xin pointed and informed her.
Song Yuhang snapped out of her thoughts, turned around, and said, “Oh, thanks.”
When she came out of the restroom, there was a little commotion on the dance floor again. Lin Yan was holding a young girl of about fourteen or fifteen dressed as a waitress, and the man she had just danced with was still on the other side.
“Hey, how come Miss Lin has changed her preferences? No longer into green leaves but red flowers?”
“I’m telling you, have some shame! That young girl is barely of age, and you’re old enough to be her father. You dare to lay a hand on her, how disgusting!” Lin Yan, fueled by alcohol, reached into the young girl’s tray, grabbed a glass, and splashed it at him.
“I wouldn’t give a damn even if I were blind; I wouldn’t like someone like you, not even a green leaf. Hell, at best, you’re just a weed!”
The man’s face turned red, and he took a step forward. Before he could raise his hand, his arm was grabbed.
“You again…”
A short-haired woman she didn’t recognize.
Song Yuhang opened her jacket, revealing a corner of her police badge. “Police.”
The man’s face turned pale and then red, he stepped around Song Yuhang, pointing at Lin Yan. “Alright, Lin Yan, just wait and see!”
Before he could finish his sentence, Song Yuhang had already stood in front of him, blocking Lin Yan. The man was shorter than her by a head, and a shadow fell over him.
In the colorful lights, there was a hint of coldness in her expression. With the air of a Criminal Investigation Team leader, she made the man gasp for breath, and he slinked away.