During the New Year, various gatherings were simply inevitable.
Chu Wei loved a lively crowd and had booked a get-together for the evening of the sixth day of the New Year well in advance.
The venue was a high-end entertainment club in Jing City. Shu Qingqing got out of the car with Lu Bochuan, and as soon as they walked through the doors, they bumped into Chu Wei and Shang Yan in the lobby.
Seeing Shu Qingqing, Shang Yan immediately came over, linked arms with her, and started sharing a funny story she had heard a few days ago.
The club manager spotted them and hurried over attentively to lead the way.
Just as they were about to get on the elevator, a group of people walked toward them.
Ren Qiuyang and a few of her friends had also come out for a small gathering today, but upon arriving at the club, they were told that all the private rooms were fully booked.
They were just about to head somewhere else.
Unexpectedly, they ran right into Lu Bochuan.
"Bochuan, Chu Wei," Ren Qiuyang greeted them with a smile. "Are you guys here to hang out too?"
Out of politeness, Lu Bochuan merely nodded without saying a word.
During the last birthday party, he had clearly sensed that Shu Qingqing didn't like Ren Qiuyang.
Chu Wei said cheerfully, "Yeah, just out for a get-together."
Ren Qiuyang raised a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "We originally wanted to book a private room too, but we came a bit late and they're all taken."
Chu Wei let out an "Oh" and said, "That's a bit of bad luck. It's the New Year, after all, there are a lot of parties."
Seeing that Chu Wei wasn't taking the hint, Ren Qiuyang decided to be blunt. "Why don't we join you? We all know each other anyway, and we really can't be bothered to go somewhere else."
Chu Wei was about to speak, but Lu Bochuan beat him to it: "That's not convenient."
Ren Qiuyang hadn't expected him to be so direct.
After a few seconds of awkwardness, she managed to force a smile. "Alright then, have fun. We'll get going."
Lu Bochuan didn't say anything else and led Shu Qingqing away.
The group quickly got into the elevator.
Only then did Ren Qiuyang reveal a venomous expression. "Bitch."
The person next to her immediately understood who she was talking about. "Exactly. It must be that bitch Shu Qingqing who stopped Lu Bochuan from agreeing."
Another person chimed in, "Yeah, Qiuyang. Didn't you guys always hang out together before? Now they don't even invite you to their gatherings. Shu Qingqing must be sowing discord behind your back."
Ren Qiuyang gripped her bag strap tightly, taking a long time before she finally led her group away.
Chu Wei had organized a childhood friends' gathering today. Besides Pei Yu, there were three other friends they had grown up with.
After dinner, the men sat down at the card table as usual.
The women were originally chatting on the sofa, but as the conversation flowed, it suddenly turned to their men's stamina and... bedroom affairs.
The girl named Tian Meng said, "Xiao Han has gotten lazy this year. I haven't seen him work out at all. I bet he can't even do twenty push-ups, so now he only lasts about half an hour each time."
Shang Yan shrugged. "That's already pretty good. Chu Wei struggles to even do ten, though he's still quite enduring in bed."
Shu Qingqing hadn't expected everyone to be so open. Finding it hard to participate in this topic, she was just about to quietly slip away when she was suddenly poked.
Shang Yan blinked at her. "Tell us, how many push-ups can your Lu Bochuan do in a minute? And... how long does he last?"
The others also looked over.
Tian Meng: "Yeah, Qingqing, your husband looks like the most disciplined one among them. Tell us."
Shu Qingqing's mind instantly flashed back to the few times she had teased Lu Bochuan, only to be met with his completely unresponsive body.
But could she say that?
No, she couldn't.
She had to protect Lu Bochuan's dignity.
So she tried to change the subject. "By the way, last time I saw this piece of clothing..."
Shang Yan immediately interrupted her: "Stop! Trying to change the subject won't work. Confess honestly."
Shu Qingqing had no choice but to lie without changing her expression. "Lu Bochuan is, of course... extremely impressive. He can do forty push-ups in a minute."
Shang Yan: "And the other thing?"
Shu Qingqing pursed her lips. "Just... three times, I guess."
Shang Yan covered her mouth in shock. "Three times?!"
Shu Qingqing began to hesitate. Did she say too few? After all, the domineering CEOs in novels usually started with a baseline of seven times.
But she really had no idea about these things.
After struggling for a few seconds, Shu Qingqing added, "Sometimes... four times."
As soon as she finished speaking, she heard Tian Meng gasp.
The others also showed expressions of surprise.
Shu Qingqing was bewildered, not knowing whether she had said too much or too little.
Shang Yan quickly gave her a thumbs-up.
So that meant it was pretty good?
Just as she was thinking this, Chu Wei walked over. "What are you guys chatting about?"
Shang Yan turned her face away and ignored him.
She and Chu Wei had gotten into a fight yesterday. Even though she accompanied him to the gathering today, it didn't mean she was willing to talk to him.
Looking hurt, Chu Wei pulled Shang Yan's hand over. "Wifey, just tell me. Tell me, please? Please, wifey."
Shang Yan told him to get lost and go back to playing cards.
Chu Wei raised an eyebrow. "Not going. Playing cards with them isn't nearly as fun as being close to my wife."
The others at the card table stopped playing as well and walked over.
Seeing this, Chu Wei immediately gave Tian Meng a meaningful look.
Tian Meng finally remembered that she had promised Chu Wei to help him reconcile with Shang Yan.
"Well then," Tian Meng stood up. "Why don't we play a game?"
Shang Yan immediately asked, "Play what?"
Tian Meng: "The couples' staring-without-kissing challenge. Each couple stares at each other for thirty seconds. If you don't kiss, you win. If you kiss, you lose. The loser has to hold their wife and do ten push-ups. How about it?"
Shang Yan immediately looked at Chu Wei.
No matter how you looked at it, this game seemed like Chu Wei's idea.
Chu Wei didn't shy away, looking at her with a fawning expression.
Everyone thought it sounded like fun.
However, among the six men, only Pei Yu had come alone.
Tian Meng waved her hand grandly. "Then let Pei Yu be the referee."
The first challenger was, of course, the impatient Chu Wei.
The two sat down, and after barely a second of eye contact, Chu Wei couldn't help but cup Shang Yan's face and kiss her.
Shang Yan swatted his face away.
Chu Wei leaned in to kiss her again. "Wifey, stop being mad at me, okay?"
Everyone burst into laughter.
The second pair was Tian Meng and Xiao Han.
At first, they were both very calm, but just as they were about to hit the thirty-second mark, Xiao Han suddenly hooked his arm around Tian Meng's neck and kissed her.
Everyone cheered and teased them.
Shu Qingqing poked Lu Bochuan's arm. "I want to win later."
Lu Bochuan stared at her lips, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Okay."
Soon, it was their turn.
Shu Qingqing cleared her throat and turned her head to meet Lu Bochuan's gaze.
Warm breath brushed across her cheek. The sharpness in Lu Bochuan's eyes dissipated, leaving only a soft, starlight-like glow that seemed to pull her in.
Shu Qingqing gripped the fabric of the sofa tightly, forcing herself not to look away.
As time ticked by second by second, Shu Qingqing clearly saw Lu Bochuan's Adam's apple bob countless times.
Time was almost up.
Seeing that the two were about to win, Chu Wei couldn't resist causing trouble. "Kiss! Kiss!"
Lu Bochuan's eyelashes fluttered, and he couldn't help but lean in a little closer.
Shu Qingqing's heartbeat accelerated, and she couldn't resist looking at Lu Bochuan's lips.
So sexy.
She subconsciously leaned in.
Lu Bochuan, however, pulled back a little.
The next second, Shang Yan's excited voice rang out in the quiet private room. "Thirty seconds are up! Qingqing, you won!"
Shu Qingqing was surprised for a moment. They actually won?
Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Lu Bochuan grabbed her hand directly and strode away.
