Chapter 482 Tempting the Bird (1)

Flipping it open, Cai Wenxi revealed a shining bottle of whiskey, a beacon of temporary relief glowing softly under the dim car light.

“…”

“…”

Zhang Ming was a habitual drinker, always ensuring his liquor cabinet was fully stocked.

After a moment of hesitant contemplation, Cai Wenxi’s hand reached out, her fingers curling around the cool glass of the whiskey bottle—

Gulp…

Gulp…

“Haaa…” She swallowed a quarter of the whiskey in quick succession, the sharp liquid burning down her throat.

She then let out a long, drawn-out sigh, her face a mask of relief mixed with a hint of despair.

Her high tolerance for alcohol was both a curse and a blessing, seemingly serving her better in moments of distress than her own conscious efforts to manage her emotions.

___

As the whiskey settled warmly in her stomach, Cai Wenxi leaned back against the plush seat of her car, closing her eyes as the muffled sounds of the party filtered through the windows.

The music’s distant thump unusually complinenting to the silence in her own small sanctuary.

“Why does everything have to be so complicated?” she murmured to herself, the alcohol loosening the tight knot of anxiety that had built up over the evening.

Her mind drifted to the confrontation she’d just left behind and the uncomfortable future awaiting her with Zhang Ming.

Ring~ Ring~

Her phone suddenly buzzed beside her, startling her out of her reverie.

??

She glanced at the screen—Zhang Ming’s name flashed insistently.

Cai Wenxi hesitated, her thumb hovering over the ‘decline’ button before ultimately pressing ‘answer.’

“Where are you? You’ve been gone too long,” Zhang Ming’s voice came through, tinged with irritation.

Cai Wenxi sighed, mustering her lips parted in hesisation before she eventually gathered the resolve and lied, “At the station, taking care of the task given by Chief.”

“Don’t be too long. People are asking about you,” Zhang Ming replied in relief, his tone softening slightly.

“I know, I know,” she responded, her voice weary.

Beep!

Hanging up, she set the phone down and stared out at the night sky. “Is this what my life has come to…?” She chuckled weekly, a charming smile spreading over her face.

It is said, a grieving drunk women smiles the brightest.

The whiskey called her for another sip, and she obliged, the warmth spreading through her more fiercely this time.

“Haaa… I have to lie just for a moment alone…?” she whispered to herself with a depreciating smile, feeling the edges of her resolve blurring just enough to face the rest of the evening.

With a deep breath, she prepared to step back into the role she played so well at these gatherings, the role of the perfect partner, hiding her true feelings behind a practiced smile. “Just a few more hours,” she reassured herself, steeling her nerves for the return to the party.

Tap…

Tap…

The soft, rhythmic tapping on the window sliced through the silence, jolting Cai Wenxi from her introspection.

??

She turned, her expression shifting from contemplation to surprise as she saw Zhang Wei standing just outside her car, causing her brow to furrow in momentary confusion.

‘What is he doing here? Was he following me?’

With a flutter of anxiety in her chest, Cai Wenxi rolled down the window, her pulse quickening slightly at his presence.

She couldn’t pinpoint why, but she felt as though she was the one with something to hide, or perhaps she was afraid he had uncovered some secret he shouldn’t have.

Her guilt was instinctual, an unnecessary shadow over her conscience.

“Got some space?” Zhang Wei asked, his voice light, an easy smile gracing his features as he leaned casually against the open car window, his finger gesturing towards the empty co-

pilot seat.

“…”

Cai Wenxi narrowed her eyes slightly, a hint of challenge in her tone. “If you can fit in,” she stated, her voice cool and detached as she adjusted her hair and glanced in the rearview mirror.

“Thank you.” Contrary to her expectations of him clambering through the window, Zhang Wei instead extended his hand inside, unlocked the door from within, and slid gracefully into the plush seat.

“…”

A flicker of disappointment crossed Cai Wenxi’s eyes before she rolled up the windows and inquired with a hint of suspicion, “Have you been following me?”

“Nope, I just like the car. Where did you get it?” Zhang Wei casually looked around the interior, pretending to be absorbed by his surroundings.

‘What a bad liar…’ Cai Wenxi thought to herself, her lips curving into a slight, knowing smile.

Little did she know, Zhang Wei had never intended to hide the truth.

People don’t necessarily dislike lies; in fact, they often love them, depending on how they are told.

“Were you drinking alone?” Zhang Wei finally blurted out, his gaze dropping to the half-empty whiskey bottle resting near her legs on the car mat.

Cai Wenxi rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Haven’t you been keeping tabs on me all evening? You should already have your answer.”

Zhang Wei gave a nonchalant shrug, trying to lighten the mood. “Why the hostility? It’s just a couple of colleagues discussing work.”

“Colleagues?” Cai Wenxi echoed with a hint of incredulity, turning to face him fully, her hands still on the steering wheel. She caught the cheeky glint in his eyes as he brandished his identity card.

“…”

Cai Wenxi let out a tired sigh. “That’s for Mystic Squad, not Dragon Squad,” she corrected him, frustration coloring her tone at his apparent ignorance.

“Potato, tomato—same thing,” Zhang Wei dismissed casually, tucking the card away, but his flippant remark only made Cai Wenxi’s eyebrows twitch in annoyance.

“Look, if you’re here to get information about Yu Tian, I’ve got nothing for you. The chief assigned me to monitor him—to prevent any chaos, he might create. As for you—You’re welcome to sit here as long as you want, but if Zhang Ming shows up and decides to throw punches, don’t expect me to intervene,” she explained, her voice a blend of weariness and diplomacy.

“!?”

‘So it is about Zhang Ming and her…’ Zhang Wei’s eyes sparked with understanding as he swiftly grasped the situation, carefully choosing his next words.

With a dismissive shake of his head, he spoke with subtle provocation. “Why would he resort to violence? I’m simply engaging in polite conversation. Or does he see you as his… personal property?”