You Have the Right to Keep a Secret Love

Chapter 42: "So, Qi Xi, do you still want me?"

After getting caught in the rain and drinking some fruit wine, Qi Xi's head felt a bit hazy, and she couldn't muster the energy to do anything. But the stark contrast between herself, miserable and alone in her rented room, and the knowledge that Gu Yan was definitely with his girlfriend at this moment was overwhelming.

Qi Xi thought for a moment and changed her mind. She called out to Zhao Yiran, who was about to leave.

"Can I go to the bar with you?"

**

Qi Xi initially hoped to have a lively evening, but she regretted it after following Zhao Yiran and her colleagues from the court enforcement department to the bar. The atmosphere in the bar vividly reflected the phrase, "They have a good time, and I have nothing."

The court judge went to handle a matter involving the seizure of a Rolls-Royce, and it was Zhao Yiran's first time at a bar, so she was very curious. She decided to sit down and order a drink. She took a bunch of photos and selfies, posted them on her social media, and then generously declared that she would also order a drink for Qi Xi, who was also at the bar for the first time.

"I won't drink. I had some fruit wine earlier tonight," Qi Xi waved her hands repeatedly. She had never been to a bar before and could only gaze at the variety of drinks on the menu. After a while, she found a beverage that appeared to be non-alcoholic and called over the waiter. "Give me a glass of bitter orange iced tea."

The atmosphere in the bar was lively, and before long, a person sat down next to Zhao Yiran and Qi Xi.

He was a well-dressed man with a decent appearance, holding the keys to a Ferrari in his hand.

The man smiled at Qi Xi and Zhao Yiran and said, "Hello, I noticed you earlier and wanted to ask what you do. Can we be friends?"

Zhao Yiran tactfully stood up to give way, but the man held onto her and said, "I was asking you, why are you leaving?"

Zhao Yiran was taken aback and pointed at Qi Xi, "Aren't you talking to her?"

The man raised an eyebrow, "I'm talking to you."

"Oh," Zhao Yiran sat back down, but as someone who loved a balanced life, she didn't show much interest in the man who seemed a bit out of the ordinary. "I'm an assistant judge."

"Wow, that's impressive. What kind of cases do you handle? Can you tell me about any particularly interesting cases? I have some family members involved in the legal field, so I'm quite curious about your profession."

Zhao Yiran glanced at the man, "I work in the criminal court, you know, the criminal court. But I don't really handle any major cases. I just sentenced a few rich second-generation individuals who were driving Ferraris to the death penalty."

"..."

Unfortunately, it was quite unexpected that this wealthy second-generation car enthusiast wasn't deterred by Zhao Yiran's cold and ruthless reply. He became even more enthusiastic. Despite Zhao Yiran's short responses, they surprisingly found some common interests and started chatting.

And so, Qi Xi, who was Zhao Yiran's only company, was gradually left out by the man.

Feeling even more bored on her own, Qi Xi started drinking her bitter orange iced tea. However, after taking the first sip, she felt that something was off. It didn't taste like tea at all—neither bitter nor with any tea flavor. It was predominantly citrusy, with a strong taste of lemon juice and cola, and there seemed to be a hint of alcohol mixed in.

But it was called bitter orange iced tea, so it should be a tea beverage, right? Could it have been made according to the standards of iced black tea?

As for the faint alcoholic taste, Qi Xi had heard that some non-alcoholic cocktails could have a hint of alcohol-like sensation in the flavor. Afraid of making a fool of herself for being unfamiliar with bars on her first visit, she didn't dare to ask the waiter and only took a few sips.