Chapter 120: Confrontation (2)

  Xu Shaojie suddenly stood up and smiled awkwardly at Huang Meng.

  I'm going to the restroom for a moment.

  Huang Meng smiled slyly at Xu Shaojie, it seemed that Xu Shaojie couldn't bear the teasing anymore. It looked like today's plan was working, and as long as she could conquer Xu Shaojie, everything else would be easy to say afterwards.

  Xu Shaojie entered the bathroom and immediately closed the door. He took out his mobile phone from his pocket and pretended to answer a call in the bathroom. After the voice came out, Huang Meng's heart began to chill.

  "Hello, oh, it's Secretary Ding, hi, I'll be right there..."

  Xu Shaojie walked out of why, facing Huang Meng smiled and felt very embarrassed to speak.

  "Huang Meng, sorry about this, but Secretary Ding Yuan suddenly has something urgent and I have to go. Let me take a look at your computer... it's the same model as the one in my office. If you don't understand anything, come to my office and I can teach you."

  "Then, Secretary Xu, after work, I'll treat you to dinner."

  "No, thank you, I don't know what Secretary Ding Yuan has going on, can't say for sure about the time."

  "Alright, Secretary Xu, I've disturbed you, take your time."

  Huang Meng was obviously not giving up, but Xu Shaojie was Secretary Ding Yuan's secretary. When Secretary Ding had something to attend to, Xu Shaojie would definitely go with him. Huang Meng couldn't do anything about it; she couldn't be too obvious in her pursuit of him, especially since she worked at the municipal party committee office and had to follow certain rules. As she watched Xu Shaojie leave, Huang Meng forgot all about the cold, still wearing her woolen undergarments as she stood blankly in her bedroom, lost in thought.

  Huang Meng wasn't always like this. She had a carefree and innocent childhood, an optimistic youth, and a romantic adolescence filled with longing for love and happiness. However, her attitude and personality changed as her environment changed. Those unbearable experiences made Huang Meng feel that this is a society dominated by men, where women are born weak, and to gain power and enjoyment, they must learn to control men, through them, control the world, and ultimately control their own destiny. Huang Meng believed that a woman's greatest advantage and resource is her body. Men, no matter how powerful or high-ranking, are still just men, and even if they face great difficulties, they can overcome them, but women's bodies are something they cannot surpass. Women can use their bodies to get what they need: money, honor, houses, cars, and so on. Huang Meng's husband worked at a foreign trade company and was rarely home, but the greatest blow to her came from him. He wasn't faithful, having numerous affairs outside, yet he could earn a good income. Torn between financial comfort and emotional torment, Huang Meng chose the former.

  Xu Shaojie almost ran out of Huang Meng's house, Xu Shaojie didn't hate Huang Meng, a woman would do this, there must be unspeakable reasons. Huang Meng was not arrogant at work, usually quiet and gentle. Xu Shaojie walked while reflecting on his situation, already 24 years old, girlfriend Tang Wanyu worked in the provincial city, with few opportunities to meet in a year. The relationship between him and Zhang Xiaoyu couldn't be made public, currently facing the biggest problem of how to handle emotional issues. Different identities and status, if not controlled properly, it's easy to cause shock. Heroes can't pass the beauty barrier, Xu Shaojie didn't think he was Liu Xiahui, next time encountering such a problem, maybe he would be trapped. Spring scenery outside the gate is like the end of the world, losing this life forever without return. If lifestyle issues affected his future, Xu Shaojie wouldn't forgive himself.

  Back in the office, Xu Shaojie put Ding Yuan's speech draft into his briefcase and went home directly. After Xu Shaojie returned home, Zhang Xiaoyu was very surprised. Usually, when Xu Shaojie came home, he would call first, but today he didn't call and just came home for dinner. Xu Shaojie didn't say anything, just ate with his head down, then went upstairs alone.

  Just as Xu Shaojie was about to start reading the speech draft of Ding Yuan, thinking about revising it, his mobile phone rang. Not many people knew Xu Shaojie's number, except for a few members of the Yuda District committee and colleagues from the municipal party committee office. Xu Shaojie looked at the number and saw that it was an internal call from Huaiyang City.

  "Hello, is this Secretary Xu? I'm Huang Meng."

  Xu Shaojie almost didn't answer, what does Huang Meng mean by calling at this time? The scene of the two being together in the afternoon was already awkward enough.

  "Huang Meng, hello, is there something?"

  "Secretary Xu, actually today is my birthday. I was thinking of inviting you to celebrate with me, but then Secretary Ding called you. Just now I asked and Secretary Ding has already gone home. So, I'd like to invite you to spend my birthday with me instead. Don't worry, I've also invited Section Chiefs Qian, Li, and Qiao, and they all agreed."

  "Oh, happy birthday to you! I didn't know today was your birthday and didn't prepare a gift for you. I'm really sorry."

  "Secretary Xu, your presence at my birthday celebration is the best gift I could ask for."

  "Okay, where is it?"

  "In the dazzling dance hall, at 7:30 in the evening, I'm waiting for Secretary Xu."

  Xu Shaojie hung up the phone and looked at his watch, it was almost 7 o'clock. Xu Shaojie really couldn't understand Huang Meng's mind. Huang Meng had invited Qian Dazhi, Li Heqing, and Qiao Yurong, there shouldn't be anything unusual about that. The typing room was temporarily under the jurisdiction of the comprehensive department, so it wasn't strange that Huang Meng had invited Li Heqing and Qiao Yurong. However, Huang Meng's invitation to Qian Dazhi indicated that he had been carefully observed in his daily life, and Qian Dazhi's relationship with Xu Shaojie was the closest.

  Xu Shaojie also remembered that on his birthday, Huang Meng had invited him to his home, seemingly preparing for a passionate drama. The fact that Huang Meng chose this time suggested that he had been planning something in advance. For a moment, Xu Shaojie felt that he really couldn't see through Huang Meng.

  Xu Shaojie didn't say a word while eating, Zhang Xiaoyu was worried and arranged for her daughter to do her homework, then she went upstairs herself. Soon after, she saw Xu Shaojie coming down the stairs, looking like he was about to go out.

  "Shao Jie, is there anything else tonight?"

  "Oh, a colleague in our unit is having a birthday, I'll go celebrate."

  "Come back early and drink less."

  Xu Shaojie smiled and went to the living room to take a look at the little girl doing her homework, then left.

  Huang Meng was waiting at the entrance of the dazzling song and dance hall, standing beside her was her lover, Luo Xuan, the owner of the dazzling song and dance hall. Luo Xuan was less than thirty years old, with a handsome appearance.

  He has a strong aura of success, and at first glance, he looks like a successful businessman. Luo Xuan is not yet married, and in this day and age, businessmen are popular, with money in their pockets. However, Luo Xuan is somewhat infatuated with Huang Meng, and has no intention of finding a girlfriend, despite the long line of girls chasing after him.

  Today is Huang Meng's birthday, Luo Xuan had made preparations earlier, reserving the best private room and arranging for several beautiful girls from the song and dance hall. Luo Xuan already knew that most of the guests coming today were colleagues from Huang Meng's unit, people working in the municipal office. Luo Xuan wouldn't dare to offend them, so he restrained his desires and stood properly beside Huang Meng, welcoming the guests.

  When Xu Shaojie arrived at the dazzling song and dance hall, it was 7:20. Xu Shaojie didn't like to be late, he would rather arrive early, Xu Shaojie had always believed that this was a respect for others, but also a respect for himself.

  Seeing Huang Meng again, Xu Shaojie's face was somewhat unnatural. However, Huang Meng didn't show any discomfort and proactively stretched out his hand to shake hands with Xu Shaojie, thanking him for attending the gathering. When Xu Shaojie shook hands with Luo Xuan, he felt Luo Xuan's generosity and openness. Everyone else had arrived, but Xu Shaojie was late.

  Huang Meng led Xu Shaojie into the private room, which was actually not a private room at all, but rather the grand hall of the song and dance hall. It was unexpected that Huang Meng would be so generous as to book the entire hall. There were not many people in the hall, probably around 20 or so, mostly women and few men. The song and dance hall had the usual red lighting, which made the entire hall look hazy under its illumination.

  Qian Dazhi, Li Heqing and Qiao Yurong all saw Xu Shaojie. Qian Dazhi was the first to stand up, walked over, brought Xu Shaojie to their seat, Li Heqing and Qiao Yurong also stood up. Although the ballroom was dimly lit, Xu Shaojie still felt some eyes on himself.

  In the middle of the hall was a dance floor, with laser sound playing dance music, apparently the celebration ceremony had not yet begun. Xu Shaojie sat on the sofa and saw that on the table in the middle, there were beer, red wine, drinks and snacks, as well as some glass cups.

  The music stopped suddenly, a beam of white light shot out from the top of the dance hall, Xu Shaojie saw Luo Xuan enter, walking straight to the middle of the dance hall, Luo Xuan's hand held a microphone.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. Today is Ms. Huang Meng's birthday. On behalf of the Dazzling Music Hall, I would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Ms. Huang Meng. We are also deeply grateful that she has chosen to spend this wonderful night with us at the Dazzling Music Hall. Next, I would like to dedicate a song to Ms. Huang Meng, 'Good People Good Dreams'. I hope to sing it together with her and wish her a happy birthday."

  When Luo Xuan and the girl entered the song hall, the atmosphere inside became much more lively. Everyone applauded and cheered, Xu Shaojie clapped his hands while nodding secretly in approval. This Luo Xuan is not bad, you can tell from the way he chose a song that he's not some amateur who only knows "Happy Birthday".

  The music started quickly, and at this time Xu Shaojie just discovered that Huang Meng was wearing a red woolen coat, with white skin inside, plus a good figure, which was indeed the focus of everyone's attention.

  "In the candlelight, your smile warms me and moves me. Bidding farewell to yesterday's wounds and pain, my heart is understood by you."

  "Although it's a blurry night, I know where we're going and where we've been. You and I have walked through the rain and wind, slowly leaning our hearts together."

  The hall was quiet, Huang Meng and Luo Xuan sang well, with accurate rhythm and full of emotions, as if they had a tacit understanding when performing this song, Xu Shaojie was somewhat impressed.

  After the song was finished, the hall erupted in warm applause. A pretty girl brought over two glasses of red wine. Luo Xuan gave a toast to Huang Meng, who looked even more beautiful at this moment.

  Xu Shaojie didn't want to sing, after graduating from university, Xu Shaojie had never been to a karaoke hall, today was the first time, he liked listening to music, so the popular songs that came out, Xu Shaojie basically all knew.

  At this moment, Huang Meng came over with a wine glass in hand. Everyone quickly stood up and raised their glasses to congratulate him. Xu Shaojie was genuinely congratulating Huang Meng on his birthday. Women are most taboo about having birthdays; every time they have one, it means another year of youth has slipped away.

  "Secretary Xu, would you like to sing a song for me?"

  Qian Dazhi cheered loudly on one side, while Xu Shaojie looked somewhat helpless. At this moment, no one had suggested a song, and it was supposed to be the birthday girl who chose the first song. Obviously, Xu Shaojie had been chosen, and he couldn't decline, otherwise it would be impolite to Huang Meng and also cast a shadow over her birthday celebration.

  "Okay, I'll make a fool of myself and sing '999 Roses', also a song by Teng Yu-hsien. Huang Meng, happy birthday to you."

  When the music started, the whole venue fell silent. This song is very popular now and many people sing it. Everyone likes to listen to it.

  "Past events are like the wind, foolish heart is hard to understand. Borrowing wine to bid farewell, but your shadow lingers on. The candlelight casts a projection, but cannot reflect your face. I still see you alone in the photo. The night wind has turned cold, reminiscing about past memories like a dream. My heart feels frozen, how can we know each other yet not meet? It's hard to bear the pain of parting, hard to let go of the love that has already dissipated like the wind. Hard to let go of your wildness in my heart... I have long planted 999 roses for you..."

  Singing and singing, Xu Shaojie felt that he shouldn't have chosen this song. In the afternoon, something embarrassing happened, and in the evening, he sang this song himself, what does it mean? Xu Shaojie felt his scalp tingling.

  The hall was very quiet, Xu Shaojie's singing level is not on the same level as Luo Xuan and Huang Meng. Xu Shaojie had won the championship in a university song competition before, it can be said that in an ordinary karaoke room, it's hard to find anyone who sings better than Xu Shaojie.

  Huang Meng's face turned red with excitement, and during Xu Shaojie's performance, Huang Meng held a glass of wine and walked to Xu Shaojie's side. Xu Shaojie felt that Huang Meng's body was already leaning against his arm. The air conditioner in the ballroom was on full blast, and Xu Shaojie had long since taken off his down jacket. At this moment, Xu Shaojie felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

  After Xu Shaojie finished singing, the hall was quiet for a few seconds, followed by warm applause and loud cheers. Huang Meng held his wine glass, looking at Xu Shaojie with eyes that made him feel unbearable.

  After drinking the wine, Xu Shaojie returned to his seat.

  "Hey, Secretary Xu, I didn't expect you to be so talented. If I had your level of skill, I would have become a pop star."

  "Nonsense, Secretary Xu is a leader, singing is just for entertainment."