lcionline Chapter 258 Drunk
Chapter 258 Drunk
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It must be said that alcohol is a strange thing. After a few drinks, the atmosphere finally became more lively and less awkward. Even Aunt Jiang felt relieved and raised her glass to toast, saying, "Mengrou is too young. If she has offended you in any way, please forgive her!"
Liu Ye looked at one of the "rumored heroines"—perhaps because her life had been more comfortable these past few months, Aunt Jiang looked even more radiant and beautiful than when he first met her. Her lips were red, her teeth white, her eyes bright and captivating, and her skin so tender it seemed one could squeeze water from it. Standing next to sixteen-year-old Duan Mengrou, they looked more like sisters than mother and daughter. In later times, this would be called ageless beauty or reverse aging—he smiled wryly to himself, raised his glass, and said, "Not at all, Aunt Jiang has raised a wonderful daughter, very capable. I'm very satisfied."
Once the wine glasses were picked up, they couldn't put them down. Zhang Ming kept finding various reasons to urge them to drink, Liu Ye drank freely to drown his sorrows, and even Duan Mengrou and her daughter, while maintaining the composure expected of women at the table, drank quite a bit. After several rounds of drinking, several bottles of Wuliangye were almost empty, and everyone's faces were flushed, their eyes glazed with intoxication.
Seeing that everyone had drunk enough, and that the time was right, Zhang Ming stood up, shaking his head, and said, "I'm getting old and can't hold my liquor, so I'll take my leave."
Liu Ye then remembered why he had called Zhang Ming over, and, reeking of alcohol, said, "If the bank ever has any cash flow problems in the future, you must help Duan Mengrou out..."
Zhang Ming nodded repeatedly: "We're all family, so even without your instructions, sir, I will do my best to help."
Duan Mengrou stood up unsteadily and pleaded, "Deputy Steward Zhang, please have a few more drinks. If you can't walk, there are plenty of guest rooms in the mansion. If you don't mind, you can stay for the night..."
Zhang Ming waved his hand: "No need, no need. I came in a sedan chair, and the servants are waiting for me outside, so I won't bother you any longer. It's just that the master needs someone to serve him, so Duan Mengrou mustn't slack off..."
Under the influence of alcohol, Duan Mengrou was no longer as nervous and reserved as before. She patted her chest and promised, "Please rest assured, Deputy Steward Zhang, this servant will definitely serve Master... serve him perfectly!"
Seeing Duan Mengrou patting her chest so hard it trembled, Liu Ye couldn't help but laugh. It felt strange to see a man doing something like that on a woman. But then again, this girl, who usually seemed unassuming, actually had quite a voluptuous figure.
After Zhang Ming left, Liu Ye, still emboldened by alcohol, asked Duan Mengrou, "They say people speak the truth when they're drunk. I have a question for you, so tell the old man the truth. Who started those rumors outside that I'm having an affair with both mother and daughter?"
Upon hearing this, Aunt Jiang felt her face burning and instinctively covered her face. Her heart was pounding: Oh no, why did the master ask her these questions to her face?
With a loud "bang," Duan Mengrou slammed her hand on the table, startling Liu Ye.
“It must be Aunt Gao. No one but her could make up such a rumor. Only she knows the Gao family’s secrets best!”
"Aunt Gao?" Liu Ye recalled for a moment, remembering the middle-aged woman dressed in jewels when the Gao family's house was raided a few months ago. "Gao Hongtu's legal wife?"
"It's her!" Duan Mengrou said through gritted teeth. "She's lived a life of luxury for half her life, and suddenly she's lost everything. How could she possibly let this go? She can't beat the master openly, so she has to fabricate rumors and slander him maliciously in secret."