Su Mu was no naive girl who would blush at the mention of going to a hotel.
She gave Xu Yun a meaningful look and retorted, "I did make you a promise, but do you think your Sister Su is an easy woman?"
"Of course not."
Xu Yun replied with a straight face, "I think Sister Su is a very dignified and proper woman."
"Then why was the first thing out of your mouth an invitation to a hotel?"
"Uh, Sister Su, you've misunderstood."
Xu Yun said awkwardly, "That's not what I meant. My idea was, since it's still early, we could buy some drinks and go to a hotel to have them."
"Go to a hotel... to drink?"
"That's right."
Xu Yun explained, "I'm a lightweight. When I get drunk, I just pass out. If you're not comfortable with it, we can forget it."
"Are you sure you don't have any ulterior motives?"
Su Mu smiled. "Somehow, I get the feeling you're trying to get me drunk."
"Absolutely not."
Xu Yun immediately raised three fingers to the heavens and swore earnestly, "I promise, I have no improper intentions toward you."
"Alright then. I'll trust you this once."
Su Mu, realizing it had been a while since she'd had a drink, said, "Let's go. But not to a hotel. We're going to your place."
"..." Xu Yun.
Su Mu asked with a smile, "Is it inconvenient at your place?"
"No, that's not it."
Xu Yun said sheepishly, "It's just that my place is a bit small. I'm embarrassed to bring you over."
"It's fine. I don't mind."
"Alright. Since you insist, let's go to my place."
After stopping at a supermarket to buy a few cases of beer, Su Mu drove to Xu Yun's residential complex with him giving directions.
Su Mu was a little surprised.
'Logically, with the kind of resources Xu Yun has demonstrated, he shouldn't be living in a place like this.'
After they took the elevator up and entered his apartment.
She was utterly astonished.
At first, she'd thought Xu Yun was just being modest when he said his place was small.
But it turned out to be true.
A 100-square-meter apartment might not be considered small for an ordinary person, but for someone with her and Xu Yun's financial means, it was tiny.
Her own apartment, for instance, was a spacious single-floor unit of over 200 square meters.
'In her mind, no matter what, Xu Yun's place should have been much nicer than her own!'
'And yet, here he was in a regular apartment, not even 100 square meters?'
Su Mu stepped inside, taking in the couldn't-be-more-ordinary decor. "Xu Yun," she asked doubtfully, "are you sure this is your apartment?"
"What else would it be?"
Xu Yun replied, "I've always lived here. Look, all the stuff in here is mine."
"..." Su Mu.
'He's clearly so wealthy, so why is he so hard on himself?'
'I just don't get it!'
Su Mu glanced around the room again and chuckled. "You said it was a mess, but I think it's fine. It's actually quite tidy, not what you'd expect from a single guy's place."
"As long as you don't mind, Sister Su."
Xu Yun first turned on the TV and put on a random channel to break the silence in the room.
Then, he opened a can of beer, handed it to Su Mu, and said, "Here."
Su Mu took the beer and smiled. "Getting started already?"
"Of course."
Xu Yun grinned. "There's no foreplay when it comes to drinking."
"..." Su Mu.
Xu Yun opened one for himself, raised it, and said, "Sister Su, let's have one?"
"Alright."
Su Mu lightly clinked her can against his and downed the whole thing in one go.
"..."
Seeing this, Xu Yun had no choice but to follow suit and chug his.
'A grown man can't lose to a woman, right?'
He couldn't help but laugh. "Sister Su, looks like you can really hold your liquor."
"Not really. I haven't had a drink in ages. I'll probably be out after another two or three cans."
This was also why Su Mu had dared to agree to come to his place for drinks.
After all, it would take more than an ordinary person to get her drunk.
Su Mu said teasingly, "So you'd better go easy on me. Don't actually get me drunk."
"Of course."
Xu Yun said confidently, "Sister Su, just drink at your own pace."
"Okay."
They both opened another can. As she drank, Su Mu asked, a little puzzled, "Why don't you buy a bigger apartment, or even a villa?"
"..." Xu Yun.
'That question really hit a nerve.'
'Sister Su, you think I don't want to? The problem was, I didn't have the money before!'
He smiled and replied, "Well, I'm planning on buying a new place soon. When I do, you can help me pick one out, Sister Su."
"I can do that."
Su Mu asked, "Now that you're not getting married anymore, what are your plans? Aren't you going to look for someone new to date?"
"What? Are you going to set me up with someone, Sister Su?"
Su Mu smiled. "If I had someone in mind, would you consider it?"
"Nope."
"Why not?"
Xu Yun said playfully, "Because you've already captured my heart, Sister Su. There's no room for anyone else."
"Oh, really? So a few drinks give you the courage to flirt with me, is that it?"
After a few cans, Su Mu's face had flushed slightly. She smiled and said, "Even if you did, it would be impossible between us."
"Why?"
"I'm three years older than you, you know. I'm almost thirty."
"A woman three years older is a brick of gold."
Xu Yun said, slightly tipsy, "Sister Su, gold bricks are very valuable. Who wouldn't want one?"
"But I've also been divorced."
Su Mu asked with a self-deprecating smile, "You really don't mind? Your parents wouldn't mind?"
"See, Sister Su? You immediately jump to marriage."
Xu Yun tilted his head back, took a long swig of beer, and sighed. "Marriage is the tomb of love. Me, I just want to be happy every day. I don't want to think about the long term.
To hell with love. It's all just a slave to money. All that matters is that two people are happy together."
"..." Su Mu.
They each went on to drink several more cans.
Xu Yun looked at Su Mu, who still didn't seem the least bit drunk, and knew he had been tricked.
'Damn it!'
'All that talk about being out after a few more cans... It's been a few cans, and another few, and another few after that. Out, my ass!'
'If anything, *I'm* the one who's about to pass out.'
Su Mu took another sip of beer and then turned to look at the man beside her.
He seemed a little drunk; his gaze had grown hazy.
They say a drunk mind speaks a sober heart. Su Mu suddenly smiled and asked probingly, "Xu Yun, you don't really have designs on me, do you?"
"I do."
Xu Yun turned his head to stare at Su Mu, a smile on his face as he spoke his mind.
"I've had feelings for you since the first time I saw you. It's not just me—I bet every other guy at the company does too.
But you're the kind of woman a guy can only fantasize about, someone completely out of our league.
So before, I had the desire, but not the guts.
Now, though, I have the desire *and* the guts... but I still don't dare make a move."
Hearing Xu Yun's frank confession, Su Mu didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable. On the contrary, she couldn't help but smile as she asked, "And why is that?"
"Anything against a woman's will is against the law."
Xu Yun mumbled drunkenly, "I don't want to kiss you one day only to end up in a jail cell the next."
"Hahaha..." Su Mu burst out laughing.
'To be honest, her initial impression of Xu Yun had been quite good. It was just that his financial situation seemed lacking, so even if she were to look for another partner, she wouldn't have considered him.
At most, they could have become good friends.
Because a financial gap that large wasn't something love could bridge.
Besides, she had already been through one divorce.
If she were to find someone new, she would naturally want a man who was better and more exceptional than her ex-husband.
At the very least, he had to be more successful than she was, right?'