The stubborn her

toast

Chen Rui, already a bit tipsy, felt like he hit the jackpot when he unexpectedly encountered such a big shot. His behavior and speech gradually became more flamboyant. After several rounds of conversation, he started urging people to toast Mr. Zhou.

Several male leaders came forward to clink glasses, and when it was the turn of client manager Ellen, she raised a glass of orange juice and apologized with a smile, "Mr. Zhou, I'm really sorry, due to personal reasons, I'm not able to drink lately." Mr. Zhou noticed her bulging belly and politely clinked glasses with her, saying, "Congratulations."

However, Chen Rui felt somewhat embarrassed and signaled to Ellen, "If you don't drink, one of your subordinates can drink for you! What about... Shen Zhitong?"

Upon hearing this name, Mr. Zhou's hand holding the glass paused imperceptibly. His gaze wandered casually, but his peripheral vision naturally swept to one side, silently waiting.

"Boss, Xiaoyi is just a young girl..." Ellen wanted to intervene, but Chen Rui interrupted her, "What's wrong with being a girl? Don't discriminate against girls!" What twisted logic! Ellen rolled her eyes at Chen Rui, feeling irritated.

Chen Rui's eyes scanned the long table and soon settled on Shen Zhitong sitting in the corner.

"Shen Zhitong." Colleague Jiabao nudged her with her elbow, "Boss is calling you."

Shen Zhitong reflexively looked towards the boss's direction, and in that instant, her gaze coincided with Mr. Zhou's calm eyes.

Her heart pounded forcefully in her chest, as if a sharp needle had pierced through, her emotions complex.

Chen Rui stood up and waved to her continuously.

Mr. Zhou, on the other hand, remained seated, as steady as a mountain, his eyes quietly fixed on her.

He had noticed her long ago.

Shen Zhitong sighed softly and relented. She picked up her glass, her fingers trembling slightly. She forced a stiff smile and walked over. "Shen Zhitong, here, you seem like you can handle a drink. Help Miss Ellen toast Mr. Zhou."

Chen Rui pulled her over to Mr. Zhou. "Mr. Zhou."

Shen Zhitong greeted him politely, her expression unchanged.

When Shen Zhitong walked over, Mr. Zhou's gaze never left her.

He raised his glass, but was stopped by Chen Rui.

Chen Rui, who had a good grasp of the etiquette at the drinking table, was stubborn and serious, staring at the liquid in Shen Zhitong's glass, and laughing loudly, "Hey, is this cola in your glass? No, no, this won't do, won't do, it has to be sincere, right, Mr. Zhou?"

Ellen rolled her eyes at Chen Rui, exasperated, but couldn't show her anger in front of Mr. Zhou. She could only look to Shen Zhitong for help. All twenty or so pairs of eyes around them were watching her.

Shen Zhitong closed her eyelashes lightly, feeling slightly awkward, her hand suspended in mid-air.

Ellen quickly intervened, "Boss, at a toast, all that matters is the gesture."

Chen Rui, somewhat intoxicated, insisted, "No, no, the key is sincerity, right, Mr. Zhou?"

Ellen's eyes shot daggers at Chen Rui, and Shen Zhitong, after a moment's hesitation, raised her glass to take a sip of the cola, intending to refill it with wine.

But Mr. Zhou remained silent, and the glass in his hand gently touched the glass containing the cola, making a crisp sound.

"Thank you." He spoke softly and gently, then emptied his glass in one gulp.

"Wow! Mr. Zhou, you're generous!" Chen Rui exclaimed, playing up the atmosphere.

Shen Zhitong nodded politely to him and retreated to her corner.

She still felt afloat even after sitting down.

---

Mr. Zhou didn't stay long. He exchanged WeChat contacts with Chen Rui, bid everyone farewell, and stood up. "I have some friends waiting for me. Sorry, I have to leave first."

"Oh, no need to apologize! Mr. Zhou, you're really too polite." Chen Rui followed suit, escorting him all the way to the door of the VIP room.

Jiabao watched Chen Rui's obsequious behavior not far away and exchanged a disdainful glance with Shen Zhitong.

"If Chen Rui can use this kind of flattery to snatch a project from Mr. Zhou, I'll call him the 'Master of Flattery'," Jiabao joked.

Shen Zhitong remained silent, smiling faintly.

Jiabao continued to give her meaningful looks, "Hey, when you went to toast just now, Mr. Zhou kept staring at you. Looks like he's quite interested in you."

Shen Zhitong took a sip of the cola in her glass, smiled faintly, and replied, "You're overthinking it."