Chapter 46 Shen Pianran is drunk

After ending the call with Yu Liang, Chen Ang had just put down his phone and was preparing to pour a glass of water when his phone vibrated again.

This time, it was Shen Pianran.

He answered it and frowned slightly; the voice on the other end of the line sounded a bit off.

Shen Pianran usually spoke in a crisp and efficient manner, but right now, her speech was half a beat slower than usual, and her trailing notes were slightly drawn out.

"President Chen... would it be convenient for you to come and pick me up?"

"What's wrong?"

"I've had a bit to drink and can't really drive." She gave him an address, a private restaurant in the New District of Bin City.

Chen Ang thought for a moment, didn't ask any further questions, said "I'll be there in twenty minutes," and hung up the phone.

He got up, grabbed his jacket, and headed out the door.

Bin City at night already felt like winter; the wind poured in through the half-open car window, and it was very cold.

Chen Ang tossed away his cigarette butt, rolled up the car window, turned the heater to the second setting, and drove quickly toward the destination, arriving in less than twenty minutes.

When he pushed the door open and walked in, Shen Pianran was sitting at a table by the window in the main hall, with a baijiu decanter in front of her that was already empty.

She was still wearing the light gray suit jacket she had on during the day, and her hair had come loose, with a few strands hanging by her ears.

Her cheeks were flushed with an unnatural rosy tint, but her eyes were still clear. Seeing him enter, she raised her hand and waved at him, her movements much larger than usual.

"How much did you drink?"

"Not much." Shen Pianran stood up, supporting herself on the table, but her upper body swayed, and she instinctively reached out to grab Chen Ang's arm.

Chen Ang caught the scent of alcohol on her; it wasn't pungent, but it was heavy.

He helped her out of the restaurant, asked for the specific address, then tucked her into the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt.

Shen Pianran leaned against the seat with her head tilted toward the car window, eyes closed, breathing softly.

She didn't say a word the entire way, and Chen Ang didn't ask anything either.

The X5 pulled into the underground garage of the apartment complex where Shen Pianran lived.

Chen Ang turned off the engine, walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and helped her out.

Just as they reached the elevator, Shen Pianran stumbled in her high heels, and her entire body practically hung onto Chen Ang.

Chen Ang had no choice but to wrap one arm around her waist while using the other hand to press the elevator button.

The two were pressed very close together; her hair brushed against Chen Ang's chin, carrying a scent of cold pine mixed with the smell of alcohol, which was slightly sweet and cloying.

Chen Ang felt his own breathing become a beat heavier.

"Ding..."

The elevator reached the sixteenth floor.

Chen Ang practically carried her out of the elevator, arrived at her door, and fished the keys out of her bag.

Just as he was about to open the door, a voice came from behind:

"Pianran."

Chen Ang turned around and saw Attorney Zhou Zheng standing in the hallway, holding a thermos.

He was wearing a dark blue suit, his hair groomed meticulously.

Seeing Shen Pianran leaning in Chen Ang's arms, he looked as if he had been slapped in the face, and the professional smile on his face instantly collapsed.

"W-what are you two doing?" Attorney Zhou Zheng's voice was as dry as sandpaper.

Like a cat, Shen Pianran rubbed her face against Chen Ang's shoulder without even opening her eyes.

Chen Ang looked down at her, then looked up at Attorney Zhou Zheng, his tone flat: "Lawyer Shen has had too much to drink, so I'm bringing her home. And you are?"

"Attorney Zhou Zheng. I am Pianran's... friend." When he said the word "friend," his lips slanted slightly, and his gaze was fixed intently on the hand Chen Ang had wrapped around Shen Pianran's waist.

"Lawyer Zhou? I remember now, we met at the Jinli Teahouse last time." Chen Ang nodded. "Waiting at someone's door late at night, you certainly have a lot of free time."

Attorney Zhou Zheng's chest was instantly blocked by a surge of repressed frustration, and he felt a sharp, throbbing pain.

So, last time they met, he had exerted all his effort to show off his professional expertise, only to find out in the end that the other person hadn't even remembered his face.

Clown... the word flashed into his mind.

Chen Ang didn't wait for his answer; he inserted the key into the lock and twisted it open.

Shen Pianran mumbled something in his arms, the volume very low, yet loud enough for both men in the hallway to hear clearly. She said: "Chen Ang, aren't you going to close the door?"

Attorney Zhou Zheng's expression turned extremely ugly; his features seemed as if they had been squeezed by something, completely unable to maintain a composed appearance.

He took a step forward, reaching out to grab Shen Pianran's arm, but Chen Ang stepped to the side to block him and easily brought her inside the door.

"Lawyer Zhou, if you have something to discuss, talk about it at the law firm tomorrow. It's not convenient right now; it's very late, and we need to rest."

The door slammed shut in front of Attorney Zhou Zheng.

He stood in the hallway, his fingers gripping the handle of the thermos so hard it creaked.

Chen Ang helped Shen Pianran to the sofa, went to the kitchen to pour a glass of hot water, placed it on the coffee table, and then sat down opposite her.

He scanned his surroundings; the living room was lit by a warm-toned floor lamp, and a pot of moth orchids sat on the TV cabinet. The entire room was kept very clean, just like her—everything was in its proper place.

Shen Pianran leaned against the sofa, eyes closed, and remained silent for a long time—so long that Chen Ang thought she had fallen asleep.

Then she suddenly opened her eyes, propped herself up to sit straight, and took a sip of the hot water from the coffee table.

Although her eyes were still bloodshot, they had regained some clarity.

"Not drunk?"

"I am drunk." She held the cup in her hands, looking at him. "But not drunk enough to be unconscious."

Chen Ang looked at her without speaking.

She looked at him as well.

The two of them, with great tacit understanding, did not mention the coordinated performance they had just put on against Attorney Zhou Zheng.

Their gaze lasted for a long time, long enough that the only sound left in the living room was the slight creaking of the radiator.

The way Shen Pianran looked at him was completely different from when they were at the law firm during the day. It lacked that professional edge and instead had a layer of something like mist—not entirely clear, but not murky either.

"Lawyer Shen, you aren't thinking of having me stay the night, are you?" Chen Ang spoke first, his tone teasing.

Shen Pianran tilted her head, a hint of a smile appearing at the corners of her mouth, and played along: "And how much would that be per night?"

"I'm not cheap." Chen Ang shrugged.

"Well, give me a number then." Shen Pianran's soft body leaned in closer, as if she wanted to see Chen Ang more clearly.

The scent of alcohol and cold pine drifted toward Chen Ang. He rubbed his nose. "You can't afford it."

"It seems that's true..." She drew out the ending, then relaxed her body and leaned back into the depths of the sofa. "Actually, calling on a billionaire with a net worth of two billion would be quite an achievement."

Chen Ang shook his head and chuckled: "You still want to be my boss?"

Shen Pianran laughed too—not the polite smile belonging to business occasions, but a laugh tinged with a bit of drunkenness and a bit of genuine, irrepressible mirth.

Her eyebrows arched, and the mist in her eyes dissipated for a moment, revealing a bright light underneath.

This was a completely different person from the calm and capable image she projected during the day.

Then she suddenly stopped laughing, leaned forward, and rested her chin on one hand while looking at him. That gaze returned to the misty state from before; she didn't say anything, just looked at him.

The living room was quiet for several seconds. Chen Ang sat opposite her, not moving.

"Forget it." Shen Pianran withdrew her gaze, leaned back on the sofa, and pressed the back of her hand against her burning cheeks. "It seems my boss has strong self-control and won't take the bait."

She paused, then laughed again. This time, her tone had completely returned to its usual cadence, carrying a hint of self-deprecation: "I guess I'm just old and not as attractive as the young girls."

Chen Ang stood up. "As long as you're fine, that's all that matters. Someone will bring the bed photos over tomorrow. Also, I've found a CFO, and she will be coming as well; you can explain the company's situation to her then."

"Great, another day of working like a horse or ox tomorrow." Shen Pianran rolled her eyes, but her tone was very light.

Chen Ang inexplicably felt that the way she looked just now was very cute.

He immediately got up, walked to the entryway to change his shoes, and opened the door.

"Chen Ang." Shen Pianran's voice came from the living room.

He turned his head.

She was still slouched on the sofa, looking at him with her head tilted, holding that glass of hot water.

The light from the floor lamp shone from behind her, casting her entire figure in a semi-lit, semi-shadowed glow. She didn't say anything else.

Chen Ang waited for a moment, and seeing that she had no intention of speaking again, he closed the door and left.

The door lock clicked shut.

Shen Pianran got up and went to the door. Suddenly, she lowered her eyes. She raised her hand and touched her burning cheeks; her fingertips were cold, but the skin on her face was scorching hot.

Perhaps it was the alcohol.

She turned to the side, leaning against the door for a long time, until her heartbeat slowly returned to normal.

She lowered her head, let out a soft breath, and then smiled silently.