Chapter 30: I’m Really Back

Pouring a small half-glass of wine for Kong Chengyu, Ding Jia then picked up her own glass and filled it to the brim. Her alluring red lips moved delicately as she spoke, "Young Master Kong, Ding Jia offers you a toast to apologize for what happened earlier. Please forgive my carelessness!"

"Xiao Ding, for an apology, you must drink first to show your sincerity!" Delighted by Ding Jia's initiative, Wu Youwei stood up with his wine in hand, signaling for her to drink first.

"Hehe!" Covering her lips with a light laugh, Ding Jia downed her glass in one go.

Gently swirling the amber-colored liquor in his hand, Kong Chengyu looked up and watched as Ding Jia downed her drink. He saw her throat move as she swallowed, her originally rosy cheeks instantly paling from the burn of the alcohol. She gasped slightly, trying to catch her breath.

Once her throat and empty stomach had adjusted to the burn, Ding Jia weakly steadied herself with one hand on the table and poured herself another full glass with the other. "Young Master Kong, will you honor me by accepting my apology?"

With a cold smile tugging at his lips, Kong Chengyu slowly asked, "You have a good tolerance for alcohol?"

"Xiao Ding can handle her liquor. She can accompany Young Master Kong for a few more drinks. Later, I'll make sure to send her home in a car. She'll have the afternoon off, the afternoon off!" Wu Youwei stood beside Kong Chengyu with his glass in hand. "Young Master Kong, my assistant was careless earlier, and I must apologize too. I'll finish this glass!" With that, he tilted his head back and drained his glass.

Holding her glass, Ding Jia's shimmering phoenix eyes lingered on Kong Chengyu, as if she couldn't get enough of him, seemingly unbothered by Wu Youwei's presence.

Kong Chengyu raised his glass toward Wu Youwei and drank most of it, showing some respect. However, his dark eyes didn't glance toward Ding Jia again, as if he hadn't noticed her longing gaze.

Seeing Kong Chengyu drink so readily, Wu Youwei's tension eased, and he raised an eyebrow, signaling Ding Jia to drink as well.

With her red lips slightly parted, Ding Jia lowered her head and downed her drink in one go. But as she set the glass down, she stumbled and fell into her chair, her shoulder-length hair swaying gracefully in the air, gently brushing against Kong Chengyu's handsome face.

A faint scent of jasmine wafted to his nose. Kong Chengyu's feet instinctively moved, almost reaching out to catch her as she fell, but he quickly looked straight ahead, finishing his drink in one gulp and ignoring her collapse.

With one hand supporting her temple, Ding Jia slightly lowered her head, her semi-long black hair once again covering half of her face, obscuring her expression. However, her slight gasps hinted at her discomfort.

"Xiao Ding, are you okay? You were supposed to accompany Young Master Kong for drinks!" Wu Youwei, while refilling Kong Chengyu's glass, pretended to scold Ding Jia. "Young Master Kong, this young lady lost her nerve when she saw you. She must be smitten!" He laughed heartily.

"President Wu, let's talk about your proposal," Kong Chengyu said, taking a sip of the spicy liquor. He didn't engage with the joke and directly steered the conversation toward business.

Rubbing her temples with her fingertips, Ding Jia took a while to recover from her dizziness. When she looked up, she saw Kong Chengyu listening coldly to Wu Youwei's proposal, drinking glass after glass as if it were plain water.

Her lips moved several times as if she wanted to urge him to put down the glass, but she couldn't bring herself to speak. Instead, she started picking up dishes and placing them in his bowl.

With his mouth filled with the burning heat of the liquor, Kong Chengyu frowned as he listened to Wu Youwei's proposal. He glanced down at the chopsticks reaching toward him, noticing that the dishes were all his favorites. It was as if she had read his mind, perfectly catering to his tastes.

After waiting a few minutes and seeing that he didn't pick up his chopsticks, Ding Jia ladled a bowl of soup and handed it to him with both hands. "Young Master Kong, drinking too much on an empty stomach is bad for you. Have some hot soup."

Wu Youwei, who had been passionately explaining his proposal, was suddenly interrupted by Ding Jia. He glared at her but didn't dare scold her, fearing that Kong Chengyu might actually take the soup.

"I don't like tea or soup," Kong Chengyu coldly refused. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, and took a deep drag, ignoring her as she continued to hold the bowl.

"Xiao Ding, you're drunk. Sit down and rest!" Wu Youwei's face fell as Kong Chengyu refused the soup, and he scolded Ding Jia in a low voice.

Alternating between cigarettes and alcohol, Kong Chengyu's cold expression remained unchanged. Even as Wu Youwei finished detailing his proposal and boasted about his company's capabilities, Kong Chengyu continued to drink at a steady pace.

Sitting quietly beside them, Ding Jia nervously intertwined her fingers. The feast on the table held no appeal for her. Her glistening eyes remained fixed on Kong Chengyu, tears welling up as she watched him drink and smoke, seemingly pained by his lack of restraint.

"Young Master Kong, as you can see, you now understand my company. You can trust in our capabilities. We can definitely provide the highest quality lighting equipment for Chengzai Group!" Wu Youwei drank a large glass of wine, satisfied with his presentation. He believed that Kong Chengyu's silence indicated approval, and the massive deal was about to be sealed.

Taking a deep drag of his cigarette, Kong Chengyu exhaled slowly. Once the smoke cleared, he stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray and stood up decisively. "Send the proposal to my office tomorrow," he said, not waiting for Wu Youwei's response, and walked out of the private room.

"Yi!" Grabbing her bag, Ding Jia ignored Wu Youwei's reaction and hurriedly chased after him.

With his hands in his pockets, exuding an air of elegance and handsomeness, Kong Chengyu acted as if he hadn't heard the clear calls behind him, continuing to stride toward the exit.

"Yi, wait for me, please, wait for me!" Gasping for breath, Ding Jia pressed one hand to her chest while her high heels clicked rapidly against the floor. She finally caught up to him at the entrance, grabbing his arm.

"Chengyi, it's me, Ding Jia, your Ding Ding!" The tears that had been building in her eyes finally spilled over as she stood before him, her voice soft and pleading. "I'm back, I'm really back!"

His large hand gripped her wrist tightly as Kong Chengyu leaned in close, his voice low and demanding. "Back? Where did you go before? Do we know each other? The woman I knew didn't drink and was delicate, not someone who puts on a false front!" With that, he roughly released her hand.

She had vanished from his world without warning, and now, years later, she had suddenly reappeared. Everything felt unguarded, as if his world was at her mercy.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Stumbling and falling to the ground, Ding Jia gasped for breath, her tears streaming down her face. "Yi, it's not like that. I really can't drink, but I need this job. I have to support my parents. Yi, I've missed you, I've missed you so much…"

With his well-defined fingers, Kong Chengyu elegantly smoothed out the wrinkles on his jacket that she had caused. He glanced coldly at her lying on the ground and let out a cold "hmph," ignoring her as he walked away, his demeanor icy and detached, as if he truly didn't know her.

Sitting on the ground, Ding Jia watched through her tears as his tall, straight figure walked away without a second glance. She sobbed uncontrollably, her chest tightening with pain, her breathing becoming labored. Yet, she continued to murmur, "Yi… Yi…"

Suppressing the anger surging within him, Kong Chengyu drove straight back to Xiaoyue Residence, unsurprised to find the place as silent as ever.

Exhausted, he leaned back on the sofa, staring at the white ceiling. Memories he had buried long ago began to replay in his mind like a movie, one scene after another. The image of that delicate, coquettish girl sobbing on the ground, silently accusing him of cruelty, haunted him.

A dull ache spread through his chest, and the sense of helplessness he hadn't felt in years returned. Slowly closing his eyes, he allowed himself to sink into the darkness, letting the chaotic memories take over. Unconsciously, his tightly pressed lips relaxed, and his usually cold expression softened with a rare tenderness.

Lost in the distant past, Kong Chengyu fell asleep. When he opened his eyes, he noticed the dim light outside the window. Turning on the lamp, he saw that it was already 8 p.m. The haze of alcohol cleared from his mind, and he was fully awake.

Rubbing his face to dispel the sleepiness, Kong Chengyu stood up. Just as he turned around, he heard the sound of a key turning in the lock.

Holding seven or eight shopping bags of various sizes from luxury brands, Hua Lianxi hummed a tune as she opened the door. Surprised to find it unlocked, she looked up and met Kong Chengyu's gloomy gaze.

Instantly snapping back to reality, Hua Lianxi puckered her lips playfully and smiled sweetly at Kong Chengyu. "Young Master Kong!"

She had gone on a shopping spree, swiping her card recklessly. Holding bags filled with the most coveted items for women, she felt as if her heart had been hollowed out. All her pride and resolve had vanished with each swipe of her card, and her stubbornness had led her down a path of no return.

Carrying these dazzling shopping bags to the nursing home, she looked at her mother, who was still trapped in her tangled emotional world. She let herself cry, wishing she could slap her mother twice to snap her out of it, and wishing she could slap herself twice to wake herself up from the pain of this illusion.

Despite her heart being riddled with scars, she forced herself to put on a brave face, pretending to be a greedy woman reveling in her purchases. It was all so ironic yet painfully real.

Kong Chengyu's sharp gaze swept over the shopping bags in her hands, finally landing on her bright, sweet smile. The anger he had just managed to suppress surged back, and he felt even more disgusted by her apparent satisfaction from her extravagance. The veins on his forehead bulged, and his lips pressed into a tight line.

Sensing his anger, her smile grew even more radiant, her lips curving upward. Lowering her eyelids, she gracefully stepped past him, intending to retreat to her room and distance herself from him.