Chapter 173: Chapter 174: Backstab
"I didn’t see you at Dilitech this morning."
"I was at the hotel this morning. I heard you had come, so I came over specially." The man winked at her, smiling charmingly.
Thea Lynch took the peach he handed over and introduced him to the people behind her, "This is my senior from university. After graduation, he went to work at Dilitech and is currently a key player in the research and development department—Levi."
Levi greeted everyone, then turned to Thea Lynch and whispered, "Did Abby invite you for tonight?"
The Abby he mentioned was the manager Thea Lynch had met in the morning.
"Yes," Thea Lynch realized, "Did she invite you too?"
"Of course, she caught me while I was passing by earlier. Hard to refuse."
Coincidentally, both of them were recruited by Abby, but a difference arose as Levi worked for a year before switching to Dilitech’s domestic branch, while Thea Lynch hadn’t even started before changing jobs.
Abby could be considered a talent scout for them both.
"I really dislike these gatherings." Levi sighed, then suddenly smiled as he looked at her, "But if you’re there, my mood might be a bit better."
"I just don’t know what time it’ll end tonight. I’ve got a ton of work to do when I go back."
"You have no idea, back when I worked for her, she often dragged me out for drinks, and we’d drink until the early hours!"
Thea Lynch stood beside him, avoiding the crowd of people coming and going, shaking her head helplessly, "Thankfully. Abby just loves social gatherings, just find an excuse to leave early."
Levi asked her, "Which hotel are you staying at? Let me see if it’s on my way, we can return together."
"Just across the street. We’re staying quite close."
"Ah, then it’s not on the way," Levi said, "But I suppose I should have some gentlemanly conduct, even if it’s out of the way, I should take you home. Can’t let a girl head home by herself in the middle of the night."
"Let’s see," Thea Lynch patted his arm, smirked, "You might drink so much tonight you won’t know which way is north, and I’ll have to take you home."
She knew how bad her senior’s drinking capacity was.
Back in school, during club events, he was always the one carried back after the gatherings.
Speaking of his drinking ability, it was even worse than hers.
Hearing her words, Levi seemed to choke, awkwardly touching his nose as if reminiscing those old days.
In the evening, the two headed to the restaurant from the convention center.
Abby had left early due to afternoon commitments, only leaving them the restaurant’s address.
"Didn’t I ask you back then if you wanted to come to work at our Dilitech here in China? You said no, then followed my referral to Abby’s place. Why did you later go backstab?"
This foreigner is something, even knows the word "backstab."
The two had contacted once before, but Levi had politely not asked about these details, especially since it had been a long time.
Now, getting more familiar, naturally, Levi would go into the gossip a bit.
"I heard you’re close with the president of Stratus?"
"He’s my brother, we grew up together." It was the same question, and Thea Lynch explained patiently.
After hearing her explanation, Levi had a moment of realization.
"I thought he was your boyfriend."
"Why?" Thea Lynch raised an eyebrow.
"Wasn’t there talk about you on the forums some time ago? Someone said you have some relationship with Stratus’s president, so I thought you were a couple."
Thea Lynch shook her head lightly, "We’re not, just siblings."
Worried Levi might misunderstand, Thea Lynch specifically clarified, "I have someone I like."
"Ah, I heard about that too!"
Thea Lynch froze, "...this too?"
"Yes, that’s why I thought the person you like is Stratus’s president."
"..." Thea Lynch was indeed taken aback.
The restaurant wasn’t far from the convention center; they took a cab for just about a ten-minute ride.
Before entering, Thea Lynch was mentally prepared, but upon seeing the room full of people, she couldn’t help but twitch the corners of her mouth hard.
"Wow." Levi was also surprised, "I expected a lot of people, but not this many. Truly Abby, the social queen."
Almost all were familiar faces, consisting of team representatives from companies attending the exhibition today. Thea Lynch had greeted them in the morning.
Thea Lynch and her senior sat side by side.
They were just making an appearance, so they deliberately sat a bit farther for easy exit any time.
Levi rummaged through his backpack and handed her a box of hangover cure.
Thea Lynch felt no need to take them.
"You take them yourself."
Levi showed a look as if he was hurt that she didn’t trust him, "You’ve never dined with Abby; you wouldn’t understand. Better take two beforehand, you won’t feel as terrible vomiting later."
Saying this, he pushed the hangover pills towards her again.
"Trust me, you won’t regret it!"
"Abby is a terrifying drinker! Back when I worked with her, no one in the department could outdrink her!"
Thea Lynch: "..."
Thea Lynch was someone who listened to advice, so finally she really took a few.
If she were home, she would truly not fear being drunk. Because there weren’t many occasions to get drunk, everyone present would be familiar, no fear of having no one to take care of her.
But abroad, it’s another story.
The sole reliable acquaintance she had was Levi, yet he’s bound to collapse before her ...
Whether he cared for her, who could say.
Rather than rely on her beyond-reason brother, she preferred trusting these hangover pills.
Abby was ten minutes late and apologized to everyone upon entering, then took three self-imposed penalty drinks.
Seeing this, Levi felt a headache and quietly complained to Thea Lynch, "As expected of the Asian roots, you all drink fiercely."
Thea Lynch: "Well, maybe I’m an exception."
"Come on, you drink pretty well too."
"In college, I couldn’t handle more than three glasses. You’d knock back a whole bottle before falling."
Levi said again, "If I’m out of it later, remember to cover me."
Thea Lynch looked surprised, "...You’re sure it’s me?"
Levi pondered then reconsidered, "Well then, remember to call me a cab."
Abby was too fierce; one round, and Levi already couldn’t hold up.
"I hate drinking with you all most. I just sip lightly, but you down your drinks at once. It’s overwhelming ... oh dear."
Seeing his face flushing red with a few drunken touches, Thea Lynch gave him a tip, "Actually, you can secretly pour it out."
"!" Levi brightened, "Can I?"
"Sure." Thea Lynch nodded, offering him a couple more tips.
These were once learned from Foreman Chandler and the guys.
But no trick could counter Abby; any tactic stood little chance against absolute prowess.
Levi was the first to succumb, followed swiftly by Thea Lynch, unsurprisingly.
With the last scrap of consciousness, Thea Lynch got Levi safely back to his hotel before returning herself. From the start, she had her uncle’s driver waiting outside, and once inside her car, she peacefully fell asleep.
In the haze of sleepiness, her phone suddenly rang beside her.
