Marrying My Ex-Wife's Mortal Enemy (GL) - Chapter 19

There were more than ten people from Dou Huan’s department in total, so they booked a large round table in a spacious private room. The room had a stylish design—one wall featured a built-in fish tank filled with different kinds of goldfish. Beside it was a decorative lattice window, through which the private room on the other side could be seen.

They hadn’t been eating for long when the guests in the room next door arrived. Dou Huan didn’t think much of it—until a familiar voice said, “Open two bottles of red wine.”

That voice. It was unmistakable. No wonder she recognized it immediately.

Still, she didn’t turn her head. She didn’t want to confirm whether the person in the next room really was Chu Li.

“Let’s raise a glass to Director Zhao,” Liu Xinxing said, lifting her wine glass as she stood. Sitting directly across from Dou Huan, she smiled sweetly, as if she were speaking directly to her.

With her taking the lead, everyone else had no choice but to stand up as well, glasses in hand.

The scraping of chairs was quite loud. Chu Li glanced in their direction. Fish swam lazily in the tank between the rooms, blocking her view. The product manager beside her handed her the menu and asked if they should order more dishes.

“No need,” she replied.

She took another look in that direction but still couldn’t see clearly. Eventually, she withdrew her gaze.

This dinner was mainly for the company’s managers and some partners. Since it involved a lot of discussion about product design, three designers had been brought along as well.

Tong Yi was one of them.

Knowing she had a close relationship with Chu Li, the product manager had deliberately seated Tong Yi next to Chu Li.

Seeing that Chu Li didn’t object, Tong Yi was quietly pleased and offered to pour her wine.

But Chu Li ignored her and turned to chat with one of the business partners. She’d barely exchanged a few words when she heard Liu Xinxing say from the next room,
“Huanhuan, why are you drinking so little? Look, everyone else has already finished more than half!”

“I don’t really hold my liquor.”

That voice!

Chu Li turned her head immediately. The fish that had looked so beautiful a moment ago now felt like a nuisance.

She still couldn’t see clearly, so she stood up and walked to the lattice window for a better look. From there, she could just make out Dou Huan’s profile. Once she confirmed it was her, her heart practically leapt out of her chest. She turned, ready to head over.

“President Chu?”

Tong Yi called out and stepped up beside her to peek through the window. When she saw Dou Huan, she froze for a moment.

It had only taken one line from that woman for Chu Li to react like this—like a stray dog suddenly hearing its master’s voice and searching frantically for where it came from.

The thought made Tong Yi’s chest tighten.

She composed herself and called again with a smile, “President Chu?”

That snapped Chu Li out of it. She turned back and saw that everyone at the table was looking at her. A little embarrassed, she smiled and said, “I just saw someone I know.”

“Must be someone pretty important to you, huh? ”One of the business partners joked, though his tone had a slight edge.

“Yes, very important.” Chu Li sat down, pouring the partner a glass of wine. “Sorry—what were we just talking about?”

Back in Dou Huan’s room, Liu Xinxing was still trying to get her to drink.
“Look at your glass—it was barely touched before, and it’s still barely touched now. That’s just not sincere. Come on, I’ll drink with you. Let’s toast Director Zhao again.”

As she spoke, she walked over with her wineglass and gave Zhao Xi a flirtatious smile.
“Director Zhao, this is the new girl in our office. Please take good care of her.”

“No need to be so polite. It’s your team’s support that makes my work easier,” Zhao Xi replied, clinking glasses and finishing the rest of his drink in one go.

Liu Xinxing drank about half of hers. Dou Huan only took a polite sip.

Seeing Dou Huan stay silent, Liu Xinxing nudged her with an elbow and said playfully, “Say something, Huanhuan.”

“Say what?” Dou Huan turned to her with a faint frown, clearly impatient.

Liu Xinxing hesitated for a second, then leaned in and whispered with a grin, “Just say a few nice words.”

She wrapped her arm around Dou Huan’s and gave it a little shake, as if playfully begging.

Dou Huan pulled her arm back, raised her glass, and said flatly,
“Here’s to the design department’s continued success.”

“Cheers to that!”

Zhao Xi lifted his glass again, and everyone followed suit, shouting,
“To the design department’s continued success!”

Once the toasts began, they didn’t stop. Toasts to Director Zhao, to Sister Lu, and to colleagues one after another.

By the time the meal was halfway through, everyone’s glass was nearly empty—everyone except Dou Huan, whose wine had barely been touched.

She’d only made a toast with Sister Lu.

“You all keep eating. I’m going to the restroom,” Zhao Xi said, his voice a little unsteady—either tipsy or pretending to be.

Liu Xinxing cheerfully called out, “Huanhuan, go help the director!”

Dou Huan looked up and shot her a cold glare, then went back to eating, unmoved.

The atmosphere turned awkward.

Zhao Xi stumbled slightly and suddenly slapped a hand on Dou Huan’s shoulder. Reacting instinctively, she shoved him—hard enough that he lost balance and crashed to the floor.

He didn’t move.

Panic swept the table. Sister Lu was the first to react, rushing over to help.
“Director Zhao? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he said, sitting up and shaking his head. “Just a little dizzy.”

Dou Huan hadn’t expected him to fall so easily, but thankfully, he seemed unhurt.

Zhao Xi didn’t make a fuss, but Liu Xinxing exploded.
“Huanhuan! I told you to help him, not shove him!”

Dou Huan shot her a cold look. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“Then hurry and help the director up!”

“Can’t he get up on his own?”

She’d had it with Liu Xinxing’s bossy attitude. Her patience snapped.
“If you’re so concerned, you go help him yourself. Stop ordering me around like I’m your assistant.”

“What did you just say?”Liu Xinxing pointed at her, stunned.

“You know exactly what I mean,” Dou Huan said coolly, her tone unhurried but pointed.

It sounded almost like she was hinting at something more.

Zhou Wei hadn’t expected Dou Huan to be so bold and tugged at her arm, trying to calm her down.

But Dou Huan ignored her, clearly locking horns with Liu Xinxing now.

Liu Xinxing had never been called out like this in front of everyone. Her face darkened instantly. She shoved Dou Huan’s shoulder.
“What’s with your attitude?”

Dou Huan stared at her coldly.
“How would you like me to speak, Sister Xin?”

“I mean, you—”

Liu Xinxing was so flustered that she couldn’t even finish her words.

“Enough!” Sister Lu snapped, clearly losing patience.
“Are you seriously arguing over something this trivial?”

“Someone come help me get Director Zhao up.”

Dou Huan turned away, unwilling to look, and Liu Xinxing clearly had no intention of stepping up to help in that moment either.

In the end, it was another man from the office who stepped in to help Zhao Xi up and escort him to the restroom.

After that commotion, the atmosphere in the private room became unbearably awkward. No one dared to speak. From the room next door, however, laughter rang out loud and carefree.

Sister Lu, looking exasperated, pointed at Dou Huan and Liu Xinxing, then walked out to check on Zhao Xi.

Once she was gone, everyone exchanged looks—now that the supervisor had left, they figured they might as well keep eating. Most of them had been busy with toasts earlier, and now their hunger had kicked in. Silently, they returned to their seats and started eating.

Dou Huan stayed quiet but continued eating—food still had to be eaten.

Liu Xinxing, apparently still angry, started being deliberately petty. Whenever Dou Huan reached out with her chopsticks for food, she would spin the *lazy Susan (a lazy Susan is a rotating tray used on a table to distribute food)  to make it difficult. The others, uncomfortable but polite, said nothing.

Since things had already blown up, Dou Huan saw no reason to keep putting up with it. Whenever Liu Xinxing tried spinning the tray while she was reaching for something, Dou Huan would press down on it with her hand and hold it in place.

They ended up locked in a quiet little tug-of-war over the tray, neither of them giving an inch—until Dou Huan finally grabbed the dish she wanted. Only then did she release her hand.

But Liu Xinxing, unaware that Dou Huan had let go, kept pushing hard—and the tray spun rapidly. With so many dishes stacked on top of one another, a platter of spicy chicken slid off and tipped straight toward Dou Huan.

It hit her wine glass, knocking it over. A full glass of red wine spilled across the table toward Zhao Xi’s seat, dripping off the edge—right onto his bag, which had been resting on his chair.

By the time Dou Huan realized what was happening, it was already too late. The bag was soaked, though it was unclear whether anything inside had been damaged. She quickly picked it up and gave it a shake.

“Dou Huan, bring Director Zhao’s bag over,” Sister Lu called from the doorway.

“…Okay.”

Dou Huan walked over with the bag. Sister Lu took one look and frowned. “Why is it wet?”

Before Dou Huan could explain, Sister Lu had already turned away with the bag in hand. “Be more careful next time,” she said as she left.

Dou Huan looked back at Liu Xinxing, who merely shrugged, smug and unapologetic.

Too tired to argue, Dou Huan picked up her bag. “You guys enjoy the rest of the meal. I’m leaving.”

“I’ll come with you! ”Zhou Wei grabbed her own bag and followed.

What was supposed to be a cheerful team dinner had ended in a mess.

No one else had much appetite left either. People started packing up, heading out in small groups—some to pay the bill, some to the restroom, and some just waiting around.

Zhou Wei stuck close to Dou Huan. Once they’d walked far enough that no one else was in earshot, she whispered, eyes sparkling, “Huanhuan, you were seriously badass just now!”

She’d known Liu Xinxing back when they were friends. Even now, as coworkers, it annoyed her to see Liu barking orders at Dou Huan like that. It was so satisfying to see someone finally push back.

Zhou Wei herself would never have dared confront Liu Xinxing so directly—especially not with Zhao Xi backing her up. But Dou Huan? She’d pushed Zhao Xi down and publicly argued with Liu Xinxing in front of everyone. Zhou Wei felt vindicated just watching it.

Dou Huan glanced at her, amused by her excitement. “That wasn’t even me at my most badass.”

“Really? ” Zhou Wei’s eyes lit up like a kid’s. “Were you some kind of schoolyard boss before? Like a tough girl who got into fights?”

“You remind me of a friend I used to have,” Dou Huan said, “always letting their imagination run wild.”

Zhou Wei laughed. “Come on, I was just joking!”

Just as they approached the elevator, a voice called out, “Huanhuan.”

Dou Huan turned to see Chu Li standing a short distance behind them.

She ignored her and stepped into the elevator with Zhou Wei as soon as it arrived—only for Chu Li to rush forward and squeeze in before the doors closed.

The elevator was small, and the scent of alcohol clung to Chu Li. It was clear she’d had quite a bit to drink.

“Huanhuan, I need to talk to you,” Chu Li said. She glanced at Zhou Wei, then back at Dou Huan. “If you don’t mind, I’ll just say it here.”

“I do mind.”

Dou Huan’s anger surged instantly, her face turning icy cold.

Zhou Wei finally understood what Dou Huan meant earlier when she said her “most badass moment” hadn’t been seen yet.

Dou Huan clearly didn’t want Zhou Wei to know about her past with Chu Li. When the elevator stopped on the next floor, she gently patted Zhou Wei’s arm and softened her tone. “Weiwei-jie, go ahead without me.”

Zhou Wei hesitated, then held the elevator door. “O-okay. Text me when you get home.”

“I will.”

Once Zhou Wei had left, Dou Huan turned and walked in the opposite direction.

There were still plenty of people near the elevator. If any colleagues saw them together, things could get complicated.

“Huanhuan,” Chu Li followed closely behind, “were they bullying you just now?”

Dou Huan shot her a cold look. “And what business is that of yours?”

“I’m just worried about you. If they’re giving you trouble, tell me—I’ll make sure someone puts them in their place.”

Dou Huan gave a bitter laugh. “How generous of you.”

“Huanhuan, if you’re not happy working at Jingtian, just quit. Come to my company. If you want to be a designer, I’ll give you the perfect environment. You can design whatever jewelry you want—I’ll make it happen for you.”

The flush of wine on Chu Li’s face gave her an almost tender expression.

“You want me to join your company? ” Dou Huan looked her dead in the eye, arms crossed. “So I can share an office with Tong Yi and become the butt of the joke? Or are you dreaming of some happy little ‘two women share one wife’ fantasy?”

“No, it’s not like that—”

Chu Li grabbed her arm and pulled her into a hug. “It’s not like that. I just don’t want to see you hurt. I want to protect you.”

“That’s enough!”

Dou Huan forcefully pulled her arm free and shoved Chu Li away. “Chu Li, from the moment you cheated on me, I stopped needing your protection!”

“I’ve changed!”Chu Li cried out.

And then, suddenly, she dropped to her knees in front of Dou Huan, clinging to her hands.

Dou Huan’s eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t expected Chu Li to actually kneel—and for a moment, she was too stunned to pull her hands away.

Maybe it was the alcohol, but Chu Li’s emotions were raw. Tears welled up in her eyes as she pleaded, “Please, Huanhuan, I’m begging you—give me one more chance to win you back. Please…”