Living Only For Myself: Make Those Who Hate Me Regret It-Chapter 177: Drinking on Her Behalf

The wedding was held at a mid-range hotel in Kang County. Twenty to thirty tables filled the main hall, and with every seat taken, all eyes turned toward the newlyweds.

At the far end of the hall, a rectangular stage was set up against the wall.

The wedding MC was already waiting. As soon as he saw the newlyweds arrive, he began warming up the crowd with a series of witty remarks.

Looking at the grand setup, the ceremony seemed much more elaborate than she’d anticipated—a far cry from the simple rural wedding she had imagined. A knot of worry formed in Xu Su’s stomach. ’Please don’t let there be any of those games where the bridesmaids and groomsmen have to do intimate things.’

A few of the games she knew of for hazing bridesmaids and groomsmen flashed through her mind.

’Passing a slip of paper by mouth... Popping a balloon back-to-back... A face full of flour...’

Xu Su shook her head internally. ’No, absolutely not. I can’t handle that.’

She glanced up at the two groomsmen standing beside her cousin’s husband. One of them, who wore glasses and had a rather scholarly and handsome air about him, happened to be looking her way. Their eyes met.

Xu Su gave a polite nod and quickly looked away, her expression turning numb.

She was already wondering, ’If the MC really insists on some interactive game, would I ruin my cousin’s wedding by flat-out refusing to join in?’

As a thought struck her, Xu Su glanced down from the stage. Among the sea of guests, Xi Zirong was particularly conspicuous.

She immediately noticed the young man’s intense, unrestrained gaze fixed directly on her.

When he saw her looking over, his smile softened. Feeling as if she’d been scalded, Xu Su quickly averted her gaze.

On stage, after finishing his jokes with the newlyweds, the MC predictably shifted the focus to the bridesmaids.

He looked out at the guests below and shouted, "How about our bridesmaids today? Aren’t they gorgeous?"

The crowd roared back in unison, "Gorgeous!"

Xu Su: ...

Her expression remained blank, a mask for her overwhelming embarrassment.

’I can’t stand being on this stage for one more second.’

Fortunately, none of the games she dreaded, like passing notes by mouth, were brought up.

Just as Xu Su was breathing a silent sigh of relief, she heard the MC announce, "I know you’re all eager, so on behalf of all the single men in the audience, I have to ask: do our two bridesmaids have boyfriends?"

The moment the words were out, the atmosphere ignited.

Loud, rhythmic applause erupted. The MC offered the microphone to Lingling first. Watched by so many people, the young woman grew flustered and blushed. "No," she said shyly.

The MC chuckled, made a few jokes encouraging the single guys to try their luck, and then turned the microphone to Xu Su.

"..." Staring at the microphone now in front of her face, Xu Su pressed her lips together awkwardly. "I do."

’I really don’t want to be teased like this in front of everyone... Besides, it’s true. I do have one.’

’He’s even sitting right here in this hall.’

Upon hearing Xu Su’s words, Xi Zirong’s mood, which had soured at the sight of so many people eyeing his girlfriend, instantly lifted.

As for Grandma Xu and the others, they all assumed Xu Su had just said that because she didn’t want to be teased and had made it up.

Xu Su looked quite young, so her answer was unexpected. Fortunately, the MC was a true professional. After a brief moment of surprise, he seamlessly continued.

Finally, after the newlyweds had exchanged rings, Xu Su helped Li Tingting change out of her wedding gown, and it was time to begin the customary toasting at each table.

Traditionally, the first toast should have been at the bride’s parents’ table, as a sign of respect for marrying their daughter.

Instead, Xu Su watched the groom shoot a disdainful look toward his father-in-law’s table before walking directly to a different one.

Xu Su: "..."

She gritted her teeth and followed them.

The couple’s first toast was for the groom’s superiors.

Her cousin’s husband, Luo Shaofeng, was just an ordinary clerk at the telecommunications bureau. The highest-ranking supervisor he could possibly invite to his wedding would be his own boss’s boss, at best.

Even so, in their eyes, this was still a VIP they couldn’t afford to offend.

Luo Shaofeng picked up a liquor glass, offered a few flattering pleasantries, and then downed a full glass in a hearty toast to the oldest middle-aged man at the table.

The man merely took a small sip, yet Luo Shaofeng looked incredibly honored by the gesture.

Someone at the table then looked at Li Tingting. "The bride should have a glass, too."

"That’s right, the bride should have a drink! It’s not every day we have President Zhao with us."

A troublemaker grabbed a glass, filled it with liquor, and handed it to Li Tingting. "Hurry, toast our leader. A single word from President Zhao could get Little Luo an extra ten or fifteen days of paid honeymoon leave."

Li Tingting’s reception dress was loose-fitting, and since she was still in the early stages of her pregnancy, it wasn’t noticeable.

"..." Xu Su’s brow furrowed. She opened her mouth to speak, then stopped herself.

Fortunately, Luo Shaofeng quickly took the glass and explained with a smile, "My wife is pregnant, so she can’t drink. I’ll drink on her behalf; it’s the same thing."

"Pregnant?" The man who had poured the drink raised an eyebrow. "Well, Little Luo, this is a double happiness! A wife and a baby on the way, what a joyous occasion."

Someone else chimed in jokingly, "If the bride can’t drink, then the bridesmaid can fill in for her. This lovely lady must be your sister-in-law, right? Come on, toast your brother-in-law’s boss."

"That’s right, it’s the same if the sister-in-law drinks. Time for the bridesmaid to step up to the plate."

"And when a beautiful woman offers a toast, surely President Zhao won’t refuse."

As Xu Su listened, the conversation suddenly shifted, and after all that, the glass of liquor ended up right in front of her.

...Though she enjoyed drinking, she wasn’t particularly fond of hard liquor. More importantly, this whole ’toasting’ culture really rubbed her the wrong way.

She made no move to take the glass, and after a long moment, the jovial atmosphere began to chill.

President Zhao, the middle-aged man with the imposing air who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "What are you all doing, pressuring a young lady to drink? That’s enough."

Xu Su felt Li Tingting stiffen beside her. She seemed incredibly nervous, and the look she shot Xu Su was pleading...

In the end, she picked up the glass. Afraid of causing problems for her cousin’s husband at work, she even forced a smile for these "superiors" and downed the liquor in one go.

The next moment, the middle-aged man, President Zhao, also raised his glass and drained it.

It certainly seemed like he was showing her a great deal of respect. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Everyone burst into applause.

"Bravo! See? It takes a toast from a beautiful woman for President Zhao to really enjoy his drink!"

The shout was so loud that it drew the attention of several nearby tables.

Xi Zirong’s table was too far away for him to hear the specifics of the conversation, but he could clearly see Xu Su downing the drink.

Even so, his expression darkened.

Xu Su felt a wave of disgust. She knew she was attractive; in her past life, she had encountered her share of malicious attention back in middle school.

But then she had met Zhou Mochen. When she was with him, no sordid people or matters ever dared to come near her.

If beauty is a curse for a girl from a humble background, then with a face like Xu Su’s, it was a cataclysm. Without immense wealth and status, it would be impossible to keep her safe.

In her past life, however, Xu Su had been protected so thoroughly that she was only ever surrounded by people filled with goodwill and flattery.

Bit by bit, it had cultivated her pampered disposition, making her someone who couldn’t bear the slightest grievance.