Back To The 80s: President's Doted Wife Chapter 1561 - 1562: Enduring Humiliation to Entertain

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Previously on Back To The 80s: President's Doted Wife...
Mother Qi is upset that her grandson cries when she holds him. Father Qi suggests she's overthinking and that her past actions might be affecting her luck. Later that night, Mother Qi is terrified when she believes she sees a figure in her room, only for Father Qi to dismiss it as a nightmare caused by her anxieties.

While some souls found solace in dreams on a warm August night, for others, slumber remained elusive. Far from the city's heart, in the Capital's outskirts, a grand estate pulsated with the sounds of revelry, its banquet still in full swing.

Chiang Qing found herself ensnared in a web of profound humiliation. She had once believed that merely becoming the paramour of the depraved Gao Hongbo marked the nadir of her existence. Yet, to her dismay, he had escalated his demands, compelling her to entertain his unsavory guests with drinks.

The sight of aged men, their faces etched with time's blemishes, sent waves of nausea through Chiang Qing, but she resolutely plastered a smile upon her features.

Her fingers absently traced a pendant resting against her chest: an antique bronze key, a relic she had painstakingly unearthed from a Jiangnan estate days prior.

This key, accompanied by a letter penned by Old Master Loo, promised a property bequeathed by him, accessible only to one Shen Rong upon presentation of the key. This exchange would nullify any existing contract. The letter was further authenticated by Shen Rong's signature and a handprint.

However, armed with only the name Shen Rong, the task of locating this individual seemed insurmountable. Hope flickered when she discovered a photograph at the box's base, a memento of Old Master Loo and Shen Rong.

With the photograph and a token of recognition, the quest to find Shen Rong remained an arduous undertaking. Until this person was found, Chiang Qing understood that her own survival depended on enduring another day under Gao Hongbo's oppressive dominion.

It was this grim reality that propelled her, much like the dancers in tawdry clubs, to offer forced laughter and engaging conversation to a group of aging men, enduring their demeaning attention.

"Little Chiang, why the silence? Do you find us old folks tiresome?" an elderly gentleman seated beside Chiang Qing inquired with a genial smile.

He was none other than Old Master Wang, the chairman of a vast corporation, a man with whom Gao Hongbo maintained close ties. The hushed conversations during the banquet, filled with veiled references, spoke volumes of their clandestine dealings involving wealth and influence.

Chiang Qing offered a faint smile. "You jest, sir. I was merely contemplating Secretary Gao's amusing anecdote from earlier." With that, she raised her glass in a toast. "To your health, sir."

"Oh? I had thought you found us an imposition," Old Master Wang chuckled, lifting his own glass. "It seems your thoughts were occupied by Secretary Gao!"

His comically ambiguous remark sent ripples of laughter through the gathering.

Internally seething, Chiang Qing could do naught but maintain her smiling facade.

"This is where you falter, Little Chiang. Old Master Wang addressed you and called out your name several times, yet you remained unheard. I believe a penalty of clinking glasses is in order," Gao Hongbo remarked, a playful glint in his eyes as he observed Chiang Qing.

Chiang Qing's cheeks flushed a deeper hue, her complexion, already enhanced by the wine, now appearing even more captivating.

"I would be honored to clink glasses with Little Chiang, but I must inquire if she would grant this old man such a privilege?" Old Master Wang's gaze lingered on Chiang Qing's alluring and vibrant countenance, a flicker of desire igniting within his eyes.

Witnessing the unmistakable longing in the eyes of Gao Hongbo and the other men, Chiang Qing understood the unspoken meaning behind the old man's lecherous stare.

Her heart screamed in protest, an unyielding refusal, yet catching Gao Hongbo’s stern gaze, her own heart faltered. She recalled his words spoken just before the meal commenced.

"These gentlemen are my close associates, and I have certain business matters to attend to with them. Behave yourself, serve them diligently. Whatever you desire, I shall grant. If you wish for anyone to face hardship, I shall oblige you."

She had no choice but to succumb to the allure that Gao Hongbo dangled before her.

"Deeply honored by Old Master Wang's favor, how could I possibly refuse? Come, let us drink together!" Chiang Qing declared, raising her glass, clinking hers against his, and draining it in a single gulp.