"Go easy there." A voice startled her. It was Alfred who was holding on to two flutes of champagnes.

She quickly blinked away her tears as she put her guard up. The sight of him agitated her foul mood even more. She had no choice but to keep her composure.

Alfred walked up to her as he placed his two flutes of champagne next to hers. "What are you doing here alone? Let me guess, events like this, just aren't enjoyable for you?"

He tried to sound charming but it made Xue Ting fold her arms in discomfort. She looked away as she could feel the heat from the three flutes of champagne flushing her cheeks.

"Hmmm... A little air for a while. You need a break eventually." She daringly went on and drank half a glass of her fourth flute to shadow her discomfort.

Alfred took the last one. "You don't mind?"

In fact, she did but all the better so that she could get rid of him. So, she nodded in agreement. They clanked their glass with each other as Xue Ting took a sip this time.

"You're a good drinker I suppose." Alfred tried to push her to talk more.

"Not really. It's just champagne after all." She flashed her professional smile in a stern voice. To avoid his uncomfortable stares, she looked up to the moon to distract herself.

Qiu Wen had noticed Xue Ting slipped away earlier. He cursed under his breath watching her back facing the main door which opened occasionally as he signaled for Jia Yi to tail on her when he noticed Alfred was not in the crowd either.

"I've heard a lot about you from Ryan. You're great in his eyes you know. We always wanted to meet you and he seems very keen on you to join the company too." Alfred explained as Xue Ting was a little surprised at Qiu Wen's intention.

She had never heard from him of this intention before as she found herself dwindling in her thoughts of whether it was really his real intention or just to entertain his acquaintances.

"Thanks but sometimes my husband tends to exaggerate. I'm not exactly skillful compared to him." Xue Ting made up an excuse noticing the awkward silence. She smiled politely as they finished their own flute.

"So you own a restaurant?" He questioned as he passed her the ones he brought and ensured she took the one on the right.

She shook her head to refuse the flute of champagne. "Thanks but I already had too many."

"Compensation for the one I had." Alfred insisted as Xue Ting felt suspicious but she still took it so as to not be rude.

"Just helping out in a restaurant actually." She answered his earlier question but before she could turn away, he stopped her.

"Let me thank you properly for letting me have a proper chat with you." He raised his flute but she could tell there were hidden motives.

Fortunately, a dark figure appeared to be approaching them. She was relieved when she saw it was Jia Yi. Instantly she walked up a little toward him, smiling in gladness.

"Ryan must have given lots of information, doesn't he?" She walked up to Jia Yi while answering Alfred.

Alfred chuckled realising she was referring to the information about her working in a restaurant which he learned from Francesca in actual fact. "Yes, he surely does."

"Excuse me a moment..." Jia Yi said upon arrival.

"Sure." They both said in unison.

"Mr. Tang would like to see you, Mr. Lang." Jia Yi said which came as a surprise to Alfred but a relief to Xue Ting who just learned his surname.

He quickly sipped his champagne and raised a little of his glass to acknowledge Jia Yi's request.

"Looks like that's all the time I have with you, Sicily." He walked closer catching Sicily off guard as he lightly patted her left shoulder while standing on her right as though hugging her from behind when Jia Yi stepped in to block him from getting closer to Xue Ting who moved away.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

She was trying not to snarl at that rate but Alfred walked off with a triumphant air as Xue Ting caught Jia Yi's eyes and knew she could not hide herself from being agitated by Alfred's gesture.

"Thanks for coming right on time." Xue Ting regained her composure as she smiled at Jia Yi who nodded in acknowledgement.

She walked back to the balcony rail and felt it was a waste to even offer Alfred that last glass while putting down the one in her hand.

"Make sure no one drinks this. I have a feeling…" Before she could finish her sentence, Jia Yi sprung into action and nodded as he took the flute from her and poured the contents away into a pot of plants before leaving the flute on the balcony with the rest.

She was a little high but she knew her limits. She wanted more to kill off her anxiety. "Wait here awhile, alright?" She said as Jia Yi nodded.

She walked back to the hall and quickly sought a waiter hoping not to bump into Qiu Wen or Alfred again. The speech ended when she saw a free waiter with just nice five flutes. She went up to him and grabbed them all spilling some onto the tray.

"Sorry…" She winced as she quickly walked off the hall while the waiter trailed behind her and helped her with the door.

She rushed back to the balcony and did not notice Qiu Wen had spotted her and her little commotion with the waitress as Alfred approached him. Jia Yi ran up to help her carry three flutes.

Francesca was by Qiu Wen's side as he tried to keep his composure. "Yo bro, your secretary said you were looking for me?" Alfred greeted as Qiu Wen cleared his throat knowing it was Jia Yi's cue that Xue Ting was with him.

"Yes, about that I thought Ms. Wei here had a little too many to drink tonight. Perhaps you could please look after her while I entertain the guests. She should also call it a night" Qiu Wen quickly took away his arm as Francesca wanted to protest.

"No, I wasn't. Who said I was? I'm alright. You can go ahead and enjoy yourself. Don't worry about me." She protested as Qiu Wen smirked but it was too late as the guests in front of them agreed with Qiu Wen.

"You can have one you know." Xue Ting offered Jia Yi who stood on alert by her side after putting the three flutes on the balcony's rail.

"It's alright. I'm on duty." Jia Yi answered solemnly.

"Is Ryan a good boss?" Xue Ting asked as she sipped her sixth flute.

"He is and he speaks highly of you everywhere he goes. You don't have to worry…" Jia Yi reassured as Xue Ting smiled wondering how much praises he had sung of her to others.

"I know. I hope you will be able to help him out for as long as he is in the company. The politics in the company is sometimes too overwhelming even for you." Xue Ting's gaze met Jia Yi's who was surprised at her understanding.

He quickly looked down to the ground and appreciated her more. Before they could speak more, a commotion was heard from the first floor as they peeped.

"Oh the VIP is leaving I see. How come she doesn't stay long?" Xue Ting asked as Jia Yi honestly had no answer to her question.

"Guess she is used to staying for a short while only. It showcases a lot of her high-end status quo." He decided to give his own honest opinion instead.

"Why aren't you there?" She pointed down.

"I'm tasked to watch over you." He smiled as he grew fonder of his Madam's caring nature.

She smiled. "You don't have to since the guy earlier just got in the car behind hers." She pointed at the taxi.

"I leave when Mr. Tang returns." He was persisting as Xue Ting knew it was Qiu Wen's little way of protecting her.

"Call me Xue Ting next time when it's not official." She decided as he thought he heard her wrongly.

"Sorry?" He said.

"Forget the formality. I want you to be more relaxed when you're with me. I don't welcome formality with familiar people." She explained.

"Yes, Mrs. Tang." He replied nonchalantly as Xue Ting raised an eyebrow.

"I mean Xue Ting." He corrected as she smiled and nodded in satisfaction while watching her husband approaching them.

"Thank you, Jia Yi. You may call it a night." Qiu Wen said upon standing next to his wife.

"Yes, Mr. Tang." He said as he went off.

"So, how many glasses of champagne have you had my lady?" He stood leaning using his arms on the balcony overseeing the moon watching her roll her eyes and ignore him.

He knew she was pretending to be jealous as he caught her by her waist and she yelped in surprise.

"How dare you?" She scolded playfully.

"Sounds very foul mood indeed. Who may have upset my lady?" He kissed her forehead which was forming a frown.

"Was Alfred the culprit?" He stood closer to her, able to feel her chest on him as her eyes fluttered a little seeing his wild gaze.

"No... He wasn't." She daringly down her sixth flute of champagne to keep her anxiety in check.

He pulled the glass away from her grip, worried she would be tipsy and drunk soon.

"I'm sorry. I tried keeping businesses short enough to attend to you. I didn't want you to be alone. Sorry about earlier being pulled away so suddenly that I didn't have time to keep you with Jia Yi. I know such events make you uncomfortable but that doesn't give you an excuse to drink so much." He apologised and lectured her as she giggled, wondering if he had seen her little commotion earlier.

"I didn't mean for you to see that little embarrassing accident." He stole a kiss from her which sent butterflies to her growling stomach as her eyes fluttered.

"Come, let me feed you more food than alcohol." He persuaded with a smirk upon hearing the growl.

"No, I am fine. You should head back to work. I just needed some air earlier." She refused while reaching out for her seventh flute, knowing he should be entertaining his guests.

"I'm done. I even sent my secretary off duty, Ting Ting. Let's go. Stop drinking on an empty stomach." He said sternly as she grew serious and obediently let go of her grip on the seventh flute.

"Leave those there. Someone will take them away." He led the way and discreetly opened the sideway doors for her to enter first before rushing her to the dessert table.

A part of her then realised she was getting woozy. She was glad for once to have someone to care for her after so many drinks which she usually skipped unless she was with May.