Chapter 442: How to Propose

The entire private room fell silent, all eyes focusing on Jiang Qingli.

From what the manager said, this boss not only knew Jiang Qingli but was also quite close to her?!

Instantly, everyone’s gaze landed on Jiang Qingli.

Shock, followed by dawning realization.

Someone who had had too much to drink slurred, "Advisor Jiang... do, do you know the boss here?"

Jiang Qingli took the glass from the manager’s hand.

She wasn’t entirely sure if the boss here was Ye Linyuan. He had told her before that Snake Barrel was a complex mix of various factions, and that some nobles from the Upper City District also came here to make a quick buck.

But the stage was already set, so Jiang Qingli simply nodded.

Everyone’s gazes immediately filled with admiration for her.

Although it was hard to imagine her having connections with a figure who moved in both legitimate and illicit circles, if it was Jiang Qingli, it suddenly seemed perfectly reasonable.

She had even managed to tame a "white phosphorus-type" Prince like Qin Muye; bringing a mysterious male into her fold seemed well within the realm of possibility.

Liu Wu’s expression turned awkward. His eyes darted about; he might dare to bully a new female intern, but he absolutely did not dare to cross Jiang Qingli.

He could only shrink back into a corner, desperately trying to make himself invisible.

Someone asked Jiang Qingli what the legendary Golden Blood tasted like.

Jiang Qingli had never heard the rumors about this drink, but from everyone else’s reactions, she could tell it was exceptionally valuable.

She lifted the glass, glanced down at it, and froze for a second.

In the glass, ice cubes floated on the surface of the drink, arranged into an arrow pointing toward the door.

She looked up to see the manager winking and nodding at her, the meaning roughly, ’Let’s step outside and I’ll show you the way to your tryst with the boss’ or something of the sort...

Jiang Qingli: "..."

’She just knew it. This had to be Ye Linyuan’s handiwork.’

’No wonder when Ye Linyuan heard at lunch that she was going out for a gathering with Xie Youchen tonight, he had seemed so calm, completely lacking his usual jealous sourness.’

’So he was planning on putting on a big show...’

’The man could be so childish sometimes.’

She smiled faintly, and the person next to her leaned in to share some gossip about the drink.

When she heard them say the drink contained the heart’s blood of an old man who had been dead for years, Jiang Qingli fell silent for a moment before quietly setting her glass down.

Then, when no one was looking, she sent Ye Linyuan a message: [Does the drink really have the old City Lord’s blood in it? (panicked_snake.jpg)]

In the chat window, a small black cartoon snake twisted frantically. It was from a sticker series Jiang Qingli was very fond of.

Ye Linyuan replied quickly: [Come over, and I’ll tell you.]

Before she could reply, someone came over to offer a toast.

Golden Blood had a bitter taste that Jiang Qingli didn’t particularly like, so she casually picked up Xie Youchen’s fruit wine from beside her and took a sip.

She had just started to put the glass down when someone else came to offer a toast.

This time, the toast was for Xie Youchen.

The young man’s long, slender fingers picked up Jiang Qingli’s glass, gently tapped it against the other person’s, and he drank it for her.

The person was drunk and emboldened, and started to jeer, "Marshal Xie, you’re protecting your little sister even when you’re out having fun? What are you going to do when you get married?"

On an occasion like this, Xie Youchen, for once, didn’t play the spoilsport.

Instead, he played along with the joke, chuckling softly. "I can protect her even after I’m married."

He clinked glasses with the man and then drained the contents in one go, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.

Others might not have noticed, but Jiang Qingli saw it clearly—

the young man’s lips, as if by chance, landed right on the spot her own had just touched.

When he set the glass down, his lips seemed to be stained a deeper red.

Jiang Qingli couldn’t help but stare for a few extra seconds.

When she tried to look away, her gaze met his.

The young man’s tie was loosened slightly, revealing a hint of his pale skin and collarbone. As he moved, a faint, woody fragrance drifted over, cutting through the smell of alcohol and enveloping her from behind. Along with a sense of security, it carried an undercurrent of intimacy.

"What is it?" He acted as if he knew nothing, leaning down to ask by her ear, "You keep staring at your big brother."

Amidst the noisy chatter, his lips, damp with wine, brushed against her earlobe.

She froze, the tips of her ears turning scorching hot.

She pressed her lips together before whispering, "...You know exactly what you’re doing."

Xie Youchen’s lips curved into a delighted, soft laugh. His warm breath made Jiang Qingli feel as if the very air around them was heating up.

-

After a few rounds of drinks, Jiang Qingli was feeling a little dizzy. Watching the endless waves of people coming to offer toasts, she felt a bit intimidated and wanted to step out for some fresh air.

She leaned close to Xie Youchen’s ear and whispered, "I’m going to get some air."

Xie Youchen asked, "Are you going by yourself, or should your big brother go with you?"

Jiang Qingli hesitated. "Ye Linyuan is probably waiting for me in one of the rooms. He’s been waiting for a while, and besides..."

She turned her screen for Xie Youchen to see.

On the screen, the caller ID showed the contact name "Cat Teacher."

"Our Ah Li has had it tough," Xie Youchen said, gently stroking her hair. "Come back soon."

Jiang Qingli leaned in and whispered in his ear, "I promise I won’t be more than twenty minutes."

She didn’t notice that as she leaned close, a strand of her hair fell against his collarbone, and the young man’s entire body tensed.

A few seconds later, Xie Youchen managed to react, murmuring in a low voice, "Okay. Your big brother will wait for you."

"And..." Jiang Qingli hadn’t left yet. She whispered in his ear, "Think seriously about what I suggested earlier, okay?"

After speaking, as if feeling her words were a bit problematic, she added, "I’m not in a huge rush, either. If you’re not used to the idea, you can take your time."

Xie Youchen held his breath, staring at the fair skin behind her ear for a moment before his voice came out hoarse. "Your big brother will listen to whatever you say."

...

Using the excuse of getting some air, Jiang Qingli stood up and left.

The moment she left, the private room erupted in a chorus of gasps and exclamations:

"So Advisor Jiang really does know the boss! The way the manager was sucking up to her just now, I’ve never seen him like that in all the times I’ve been here."

"I heard the boss is good-looking, just a little on the older side."

"A little older is fine! If the old man dies early, you inherit early!"

Yuan Liang stepped in to stop the more exaggerated speculations. He turned his head and saw Xie Youchen leaning back on the sofa, the back of one hand pressed to his forehead. He couldn’t see his expression clearly, but he looked drunk. His neck and face were flushed red, as if he had a stubborn fever.

Xie Youchen’s tolerance for alcohol was famous in the military district.

Yuan Liang was puzzled. "What the hell is in that Golden Blood? How did you get this drunk?"

’He’d seen it with his own eyes. Xie Youchen had deliberately taken the girl’s glass and drunk from it after she had picked up the wrong one.’

’And he was whispering things to tease her!’

’That lovesick fool act... He never thought he’d see this side of Xie Youchen.’

’Serves him right for getting drunk.’

Xie Youchen gave a noncommittal grunt and looked down at his terminal.

Yuan Liang asked a server to bring something to sober him up. When he turned back, Xie Youchen was still staring at his terminal. Yuan Liang leaned in curiously. "Drink some sobering tea. Don’t you have a meeting tomorrow morning? Don’t get drunk and embarrass the military district."

The moment he leaned over, Xie Youchen blanked the screen.

The young man took the tea, his expression perfectly calm. "Thanks."

Someone nearby offered a toast, and Yuan Liang clinked glasses with them, his expression still hard to describe. He hadn’t quite recovered from what he had just seen—

Xie Youchen had been chatting with the military district’s AI assistant.

As a top-tier technological product of the military district, the AI assistant not only possessed encyclopedic knowledge but was also programmed with a gentle and friendly personality. It often chatted with the officers and performed regular checks for any psychological issues.

Xie Youchen never bothered with the AI.

A moment ago, the AI had sent its routine check-in, asking how he’d been lately.

Xie Youchen, for the first time ever, had replied with four words:

[How does one propose?]