Just as she finished packing her things and was about to leave, her phone suddenly rang. It was Lin Yu calling.

  "What would you like for dinner? I’ll go buy groceries."

  Lin Yu had now mastered the art of grocery shopping—no exaggeration, he was even more familiar with the market vendors than the original "He Jiarong" had been.

  "I’m going out for dinner with someone tonight," Jiang Yan replied.

  "Oh, alright then. I’ll call Mom," Lin Yu said, about to hang up.

  "Wait—um, why don’t you come along?"

  Jiang Yan couldn’t help but ask, though inwardly she was cursing him. *This idiot! His wife is going out to dinner with someone, and he doesn’t even bother to ask who?*

  "Is that appropriate?" Lin Yu hesitated.

  "Just say whether you’re coming or not," Jiang Yan snapped, annoyed.

  "Alright, then. Send me the address. I’ll go home to change and meet you there." Seeing her irritation, Lin Yu quickly agreed.

  "Jiarong, when are you going to bring your wife to see me? Last time, we only met briefly and didn’t even get to talk."

  After hanging up, Qin Xiulan smiled warmly as she rolled out dough. In her heart, she had already come to regard "He Jiarong" as her own son—she had noticed too many similarities between him and her late son, Lin Yu. So, in her eyes, his wife was now her daughter-in-law.

  "I’ll bring her when I get the chance, Mom."

  Lin Yu felt a pang of guilt. If Jiang Yan were *really* his wife, he would’ve introduced her long ago. But she wasn’t—she belonged to someone else.

  ---

  The Bi Xi Manor was a famous high-end restaurant in Qinghai City, known for its elegant decor, exquisite cuisine, and—most notably—its exceptionally beautiful waitstaff.

  Naturally, it was a frequent haunt for lecherous men like Yu Shixin.

  Tonight’s dinner was his arrangement. Aside from him and Sun Feng, several attending physicians and department heads from Qinghai City People’s Hospital—all his trusted lackeys—were also present.

  Jiang Yan waited downstairs for Lin Yu before heading up together. When they entered the private room and saw the crowd, she froze.

  "Ah, Dr. Jiang! So glad you could make it. Getting you to agree to dinner was no easy feat."

  Yu Shixin grinned, his eyes shamelessly raking over Jiang Yan’s figure. He swallowed hard. *A woman like this… dying in bed with her would be worth it.*

  Tonight, Jiang Yan wore a pale blue chiffon dress, her dark hair cascading loosely down her back, exuding an ethereal, fairy-like grace.

  The men in the room couldn’t help but stare, utterly captivated by her beauty. No wonder the deputy director was pulling out all the stops to "win her over." A woman like this would drive any man wild.

  Before arriving, they had all received Yu Shixin’s orders: find a way to get Jiang Yan drunk.

  "And this is…?" Yu Shixin was surprised to see Lin Yu. He hadn’t expected Jiang Yan to bring a man along.

  "Ah, this is Dr. Jiang’s husband, He Jiarong."

  Sun Feng quickly introduced him. Seeing Lin Yu accompany Jiang Yan, Sun Feng felt a flicker of relief. After all, Jiang Yan had worked under him for years, and he couldn’t bear to push her into the fire.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Lin Yu’s presence might make Yu Shixin think twice.

  At the introduction, Yu Shixin’s face twitched, a flash of malice in his eyes. *So this little vixen is on guard, bringing her husband along.*

  But he’d heard this "He Jiarong" was a notorious good-for-nothing. He wasn’t worried.

  He shot his subordinates a meaningful glance, signaling them to focus on getting Lin Yu drunk. Once he was out cold, Jiang Yan would still be within reach.

  After some small talk, the food arrived. Yu Shixin proudly produced several bottles of liquor he’d brought—a custom-edition Wuliangye with a high alcohol content, rich aroma, and potent kick.

  The waitress opened the bottles and poured a glass for everyone.

  "No, thank you."

  When it was Jiang Yan’s turn, she declined with a wave.

  "Dr. Jiang, we’re all here together tonight—such a happy occasion! How can you not drink? Besides, with your husband here, even if you get drunk, you’ll have someone to take care of you," Yu Shixin said with a greasy smile.

  "Exactly, Dr. Jiang, just one drink! Give us some face!"

  "Who knows? We might even become colleagues soon."

  "Are you looking down on us?"

  The group egged her on relentlessly.

  "Brother He, what do you think? Shouldn’t we all drink to celebrate?" Yu Shixin turned to Lin Yu when Jiang Yan stayed silent.

  "Right, we should drink." Lin Yu grinned.

  *This idiot!*

  Jiang Yan shot him an exasperated glare, but Lin Yu pretended not to notice. He even personally poured her a glass.

  Furious, she stomped hard on his foot under the table.

  "Brother He is a man of spirit!"

  Yu Shixin cheered inwardly, sneering. *This moron is practically serving his wife to me on a platter.*

  "Brother He, let me toast you first!" Yu Shixin stood and raised his glass.

  "Sure." Lin Yu didn’t hesitate, clinking glasses and downing it in one go.

  The private room’s glasses were small crystal tumblers, holding about an ounce each—easy to drink without a second thought.

  "Brother He, first time meeting—let me toast you too!" A department head immediately stood to propose another drink.

  "Alright." Lin Yu didn’t refuse, tossing back another glass.

  "Brother He, our first meeting—let’s keep in touch." Another toast came.

  "No problem!" Lin Yu threw back yet another.

  "Have you lost your mind?!"

  Jiang Yan was frantic, pinching his thigh under the table. *This lunatic can’t even tell they’re trying to get him drunk!*

  She regretted coming. Now she saw it—Deputy Director Yu had ulterior motives from the start.

  But Lin Yu ignored her warnings, accepting every toast without hesitation.

  By the time the round finished, he’d already downed nearly half a kilogram of liquor.

  Yu Shixin was delighted. This He Jiarong wasn’t just a pushover—he was an idiot.

  What shocked him, though, was that despite the high-proof alcohol, Lin Yu showed no signs of intoxication.

  Jiang Yan was equally stunned. *Since when did this fool have such a high alcohol tolerance?*

  But that couldn’t be—just last month, he’d gotten drunk and insisted on sleeping in bed, even pressing down on her…

  Her cheeks flushed at the memory, and she quickly pushed the thought away.

  In truth, Lin Yu had come prepared. Anticipating the toasts, he’d brewed a hangover-preventing herbal tonic before leaving home. Even if he drank ten times this amount, he wouldn’t feel a thing.

  "Brother Yu, why the pause? Drink up!" Lin Yu beamed, refilling their glasses.

  Yu Shixin wanted to cry. *What kind of monster is this?*

  "Brother Yu, you don’t seem happy. Not enjoying yourself? Waiter—bring us bigger glasses!" Lin Yu called out.

  The waitress promptly brought two large goblets. A full bottle was emptied just filling them—each glass held nearly a quarter kilogram of liquor.

  "Brother Yu, a toast to you!"

  Lin Yu pushed one toward Yu Shixin, laughing heartily. "Drinking with you tonight has been a pleasure!"

  "Brother… spare me…" Yu Shixin begged, his face ashen. One glass of this, and he’d be done for.

  "Brother Yu, you jest. Jiang Yan’s told me all about your legendary drinking skills. Right, Jiang Yan?" Lin Yu glanced at her.

  "Absolutely. Director Yu’s tolerance is incredible," Jiang Yan chimed in, suppressing a smirk. She’d caught on—Lin Yu was deliberately messing with Yu Shixin.

  Flattered, Yu Shixin couldn’t back down in front of Jiang Yan. He stood shakily, clinked glasses with Lin Yu, and gulped the liquor down.

  The quarter-kilogram of firewater hit him like a truck. His head spun, his body burned, and he could barely stand.

  Meanwhile, Lin Yu remained perfectly sober. He opened another bottle, filled their glasses again, and grinned. "Another round, Brother Yu!"

  "Brother… I c-can’t…" Yu Shixin swayed dangerously.

  "Nonsense! You’re a heavyweight!"

  Before he could finish, Lin Yu grabbed both glasses, downed his own, then gripped Yu Shixin’s neck and forced the liquor down his throat.

  Yu Shixin choked and sputtered, but resistance was futile. By the time the glass was empty, he coughed twice and collapsed face-first onto the table.

  Jiang Yan stared in disbelief at the unconscious bodies littering the table. The entire ordeal had taken less than twenty minutes.

  "Go wait in the car. I’ll call their families to pick them up," Lin Yu said before she could ask about his sudden alcohol immunity.

  Nodding, Jiang Yan saw no reason to stay and headed downstairs.

  Once she was gone, Lin Yu’s expression darkened. His gaze swept over the unconscious men like ice.

  *Why do these fools keep trying to lay hands on my wife?*