Chapter 173: Small Report

"Let's go, I'll take you home." Jiang Hai was about to leave, and Fu Yuan and Xiang Hua were reluctant to part ways. Although Fu Yuan's happiness in the second half of his life might be tied to these people, at least until the relationship was confirmed, brothers were more important to him. Of course, according to Jiang Hai's estimation, the real issue was that Yu Jia had also left. Once he confirmed that Yu Jia wasn't going to hang out with the others, Fu Yuan smiled and walked over to Jiang Hai. He commented that he had made good progress today, at least getting a call from Yu Jia.

"What's the point of sending you a gift? You're driving under the influence now. Just take a taxi back!" Jiang Hai said with contempt, rolling his eyes at Fu Yuan.

"Hey, I'll call for a designated driver," Fu Yuan replied. He wasn't crazy; if this place were closer to home, it wouldn't matter. But it was far, and if something went wrong, it would be troublesome. Fortunately, the cost of a designated driver was reasonable now.

People with cars who wanted to pay for a driver usually didn't mind an extra hundred or eighty yuan.

"Okay, the designated driver charges by the kilometer. Since we're going the same way, and I'm not, I'll take a taxi back!" Jiang Hai said, not wanting them to go around in circles. There were plenty of taxis outside the hotel, so he wasn't worried about getting one.

"It's just a little money..." Fu Yuan hesitated, feeling a little embarrassed. After all, he had insisted that Jiang Hai come here, so he wanted to send him back.

"Jiang Hai!" Just as Jiang Hai was about to accept Fu Yuan's kindness, Feng Yunchen, who had been chatting with the study committee member in the distance, ran over with a smile. Her arrival immediately attracted attention.

"Oh, what's going on?" Jiang Hai asked, startled by her voice.

"I was busy picking food for you tonight, but I didn't eat enough. So now, you have to treat me to a nice meal!" Feng Yunchen pouted and playfully said to Jiang Hai.

"Oh, now I understand. We'll leave first!" Fu Yuan, still eager to watch the scene, was tugged by Xiang Hua, who wasn't drunk. Fu Yuan looked over and nodded, then left with Xiang Hua.

Watching them leave, Jiang Hai couldn't help but open his mouth, then glanced at Feng Yunchen, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"I can treat you to a meal, but tomorrow is New Year's Day. It's so late now; there's no restaurant open. How about we stay here, and I'll treat you?" Jiang Hai said with a chuckle, scratching his hair.

"Don't bother. It's expensive here, and the food's not great. I'm easy to please. Why don't we go to your house and pick up two bags of instant noodles on the way?" Feng Yunchen smiled, clearly enjoying herself.

Jiang Hai was taken aback by her response. It seemed like things were progressing faster than expected. "So, you want to go home with me already?"

"Of course! What, do you want to date me for a few more years?" Feng Yunchen rolled her eyes at him, making her intentions clear. With no more pretense, she walked up to Jiang Hai, slipped her arm around his, and pulled him along confidently. Watching this, the men who had been eyeing Feng Yunchen were heartbroken, especially Tian Chou, who had been surrounded by a group of women. He watched Jiang Hai and Feng Yunchen leave with his heart bleeding.

But as Jiang Hai had said, Tian Chou was a coward, too afraid to confront Jiang Hai. Even if he wanted to stir up trouble, he couldn't; everyone knew Jiang Hai was in the U.S.

Unable to do anything, Tian Chou could only watch helplessly as they walked away.

Soon, a taxi appeared in the distance, and Feng Yunchen pulled Jiang Hai into the back seat. Watching the taillights of the taxi fade into the night, Tian Chou tried to speak but couldn't make a sound.

But just as Tian Chou was speechless, someone else wasn't. As she walked behind the crowd, the squad leader pulled out her phone. Seeing an unfamiliar number, she hesitated for a moment before dialing it. Meanwhile, in the headquarters building of the Qi Group in the capital...

"President, are you really not going back this year?" The assistant, wearing black-framed glasses, looked at Qi Li, who stood by the window, gazing at the festive lights outside. She spoke carefully.

At this time, the building was quiet, with all lights off except in Qi Li's office.

Qi Li had a reputation for being cold, but she treated her employees well. She never delayed wages, always gave generous bonuses, and ensured no one had to work overtime during holidays. If there was overtime, the pay was the best in the industry. The company also provided free meals, lunch and dinner, which were surprisingly good. This generosity made Qi Li beloved among her employees.

So, when everyone had already gone home for the New Year, Qi Li remained in her office, the only light still on in the building.

"I do want to go back, but how would I explain it to my mother if she asks about me and Jiang Hai? Instead of facing that, it's easier to use work as an excuse to stay in the capital." Qi Li sighed and looked out at the lively scene below, feeling conflicted. She missed her mother, her younger sister, and second sister. She wondered if she would be able to go home this year.

"That damn Jiang Hai. If you ask me, boss, you should just divorce him. You'd live a more relaxed life," the assistant remarked, remembering the divorce agreement still locked in Qi Li's desk. Since receiving it, Qi Li hadn't signed it or said she wouldn't. She had just kept it on hold.

But how long would that last?

"Divorce? Maybe..." Qi Li's eyes became distant as she softly murmured.

Just as she spoke, the pleasant sound of her cell phone ringing interrupted her. Surprised, she saw that it was her personal phone, which few people knew. Glancing at the unfamiliar number, she decided to answer it.

"Hello, is this Qi Li? It's me!" The voice on the other end was familiar, and after a moment of recall, Qi Li smiled faintly.

"It's the squad leader. What's up?" Qi Li replied politely, as she didn't know the squad leader very well.

"We had a class reunion today. I sent you a text a few days ago, but you didn't reply. You must have been too busy. Anyway, I saw Jiang Hai there. He came, but when he left, he was with Feng Yunchen, one of our old classmates from junior high. I'm not trying to cause trouble, but I thought I should let you know. By the way, are you in Bingcheng?" The squad leader babbled on, clearly eager to share.

At first, Qi Li wasn't interested in hearing about the reunion. She had seen the message but hadn't responded, as Jiang Hai had said—no need to pretend, no need to make things complicated, and no need to expand her network. Why go to such a reunion? She was about to interrupt when the squad leader mentioned Jiang Hai.

The moment she heard those two words, Qi Li's sleepy eyes sharpened, especially when she heard that Jiang Hai had left with another woman. Her gaze turned cold.

"Thank you for letting me know. I'm not in Bingcheng right now, but I'll talk to him. Appreciate it," Qi Li said curtly before hanging up the phone, feeling a weight settle in her chest. This was the first time she'd heard news about Jiang Hai since their last call, and it wasn't good news.

"Prepare the next flight to Bingcheng. I'm going back now," she told her assistant, her expression serious.

The assistant, though confused, acted quickly, making the call.

"The last flight today is gone, but there's one tomorrow at 6:30 AM. It'll arrive in Bingcheng around 8:30."

"Then book that one. We'll head to the airport hotel now," Qi Li said, sighing.

"Got it. But boss, have you decided to go back for the New Year?" the assistant asked, recalling how reluctant Qi Li had been earlier.

"No, I'm going back to catch the adulterer." (To be continued...)