Drunk or Not? You Tell Me, Am I Drunk or Not!
The balloon-filled room that Yu Xi had meticulously decorated was just a small surprise; the main event was still to come.
On the day of Yuan Yue’s birthday, Jiang Yan called early in the morning to send her well wishes, apologizing that her boss wouldn’t approve her leave, so she couldn’t get away to come over.
Yuan Yue said it was fine, that it was just a birthday and not worth making a big fuss over.
Jiang Yan sighed and said she would definitely come to see her on the weekend.
After hanging up, Yuan Yue felt a little melancholy.
With Yuan Xi and Zhuang Xiaochen’s help, the apartment next door had been successfully sold. If Jiang Yan came to stay the night, it meant that this time, Yu Xi would really have to sleep on the sofa.
Yu Xi wasn’t particular about it. Her mind was entirely focused elsewhere, and she pulled Yuan Yue along to continue discussing the plans for tonight’s birthday party.
Perhaps because she had some cash on hand from just selling the apartment, Yu Xi was dead set on being extravagant. Yuan Yue looked at her plan, estimated the cost, and it was enough to make her spectacles fall right off1. “Are you made of money? Does it really need to be this expensive just to eat?”
Yuan Yue didn’t have many friends, so the guest list for this birthday was pretty much the same as Wang Shasha’s last party. Even though there were only two or three more people, the budget had doubled.
Just thinking about all that money made Yuan Yue’s flesh hurt2. She even declared resentfully that if it was going to be like this, she’d rather not celebrate at all.
Yu Xi grinned, saying nonchalantly, “I didn’t get a chance to celebrate with you for the past 28 years. This time, I’ll just make up for it all at once. As long as the money is well spent, this little bit is nothing.”
She really was rich in wealth and coarse in manner3. Yuan Yue was speechless but offered to help share some of the cost, which Yu Xi refused.
In the afternoon, Yu Xi began to do her hair and makeup.
Yuan Yue sat quietly at the vanity, letting her do as she pleased, waiting for Yu Xi—who normally hated makeup—to make her beautiful. She looked at the somewhat unreal version of herself in the mirror, then at the focused expression of Yu Xi standing behind her, and hesitated. “Why do I feel like you’re getting me ready for my wedding day?”
Yu Xi was helping her with a meatball head bun4. Hearing that description, she couldn’t help but let out a puchi5 of laughter. “You’re going to get married sooner or later. Just think of today as a rehearsal.”
To show her gratitude, Yuan Yue stood up, wrapped her arms around Yu Xi’s neck, and planted a huge kiss on her lips, immediately smudging her lipstick onto Yu Xi’s mouth.
Yu Xi found it uncomfortable and was about to wipe it off with her hand, but Yuan Yue’s eyes were sharp and her hands were fast. She grabbed her hand and warned, “Don’t you dare wipe it. If you secretly wipe it off, I’ll plant strawberries6 on your neck.”
A warning like that had absolutely no deterrent effect, but seeing as she was the birthday star7, Yu Xi decided to go along with her arrangement.
That evening, everyone gathered together to celebrate Yuan Yue’s birthday. The huge private room was filled with fiery red roses. Xiao Min excitedly leaned in to smell them, but suddenly noticed something was off. She pinched a petal and asked, puzzled, “How come they’re fake?”
Yuan Yue and Yu Xi exchanged a glance. Knowing her intentions, Yuan Yue said softly, “Thank you.”
Yu Xi just smiled but didn’t speak.
Everyone present was a close acquaintance. Yuan Yue first helped collect a wave of gifts before she began accepting everyone’s blessings.
And precisely because they were so close, everyone raised their glasses and tried to get her drunk without restraint. The sight of it made Yuan Yue’s head ache. She drank a few symbolic cups and then started to cry out in bitterness without stopping8. “I can’t, I’m going to throw up if I keep drinking like this.”
Yu Xi appeared at her side, wrapped an arm around her waist, and said calmly, “Who else wants to make a toast? I’ll drink for her.”
Once Yu Xi’s bold words were out, everyone became even less polite, shifting their hands to point their glasses at her instead.
Yu Xi didn’t hesitate in the slightest. No matter how many came, she accepted everything on the list9, and after a full round, her expression hadn’t changed at all.
Yuan Yue, on the other hand, was the first to feel her heart ache for her. She steadied the crowd, saying, “Alright, alright, everyone sit down and eat first. What’s the fun in only drinking?”
After speaking, Yuan Yue ignored the others and pulled Yu Xi down to sit.
Yuan Xi was also worried everyone would get too rowdy, so he quickly stepped in to soothe them. “Let’s sit down first. There’s plenty of time for you all to mess around later.”
The boss had spoken, so no one dared to disobey, and they all took their seats one after another.
Yuan Yue quickly put some plain vegetables into Yu Xi’s bowl, urging her, “Hurry and eat something light to line your stomach.”
Yu Xi first wiped the lipstick from her lips, slow and methodical, and looked at her teasingly. “Isn’t it a little late to think about lining your stomach after a whole round of drinking?”
Yuan Yue blushed and leaned in to whisper, “No matter what, don’t drink anymore later. These people are terrifying when they get crazy.”
Yu Xi was noncommittal. She just raised an eyebrow and said, “It’s fine if I don’t drink, but you’re not allowed to drink either.”
Yuan Yue nodded hastily, diligently putting food on her plate. As she was busy, she suddenly saw someone walking toward her. Yuan Yue looked up, recognized the person, and her heart skipped a beat.
It seemed Guo Xiangyuan had deliberately dressed up today. His suit was crisp, his hair was slicked back with a lot of wax, and he was probably wearing cologne. He stood behind Yuan Yue, hesitating for a long time before finally mustering the courage to speak. “Yueyue, this is my gift for you.”
Yuan Yue hadn’t even realized she’d missed Guo Xiangyuan, or perhaps he had intentionally waited to give his gift separately.
Since it was a birthday gift, Yuan Yue had no reason to refuse it. She said a polite “Thank you,” took the exquisite gift box, and was about to set it aside without a second glance.
“Aren’t you going to open it and take a look?” Guo Xiangyuan said.
Yuan Yue froze for a second. “There’s no need to be in such a hurry, right? I was thinking I’d wait until I get home to open everyone’s gifts together.”
“That’s fine too…” Having been publicly rejected, Guo Xiangyuan looked a bit embarrassed. He forced an unnatural smile and made a point to remind her before he left, “You’ve received a lot of gifts, so don’t forget that this one is from me.”
Yuan Yue thought he was being very strange but didn’t want to think too deeply about it, so she just gave him a perfunctory nod.
The moment Guo Xiangyuan left, Yu Xi leaned over and, like one needle seeing blood10, said, “That guy is interested in you.”
Everyone knew about that, except for Yu Xi, who had only just found out. Yuan Yue was afraid she’d overthink it, so she deliberately lowered her voice. “I promise, I’m not interested in him at all! I’ve rejected him so many times, I can’t help it.”
Yu Xi’s gaze swept over her body, finally returning to her face. She said sourly, “If I’d known there was someone here plotting outside the proper tracks11, I shouldn’t have made you look so beautiful.”
Yuan Yue knew Yu Xi was eating vinegar12 again, but she was feeling especially happy today. Her feelings were difficult to control, and taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, she held Yu Xi’s face and gave her a quick peck on the lips.
Yu Xi stared at her in surprise.
Yuan Yue ignored her, a wide smile on her face. “Don’t worry, I’ll always be yours.”
Feeling a bit self-conscious, Yu Xi pulled her hands away.
Yuan Yue mistakenly thought she was going to wipe her mouth. This time, instead of warning her, she grabbed a napkin and wiped the red mark from her lips herself.
They were in their own little world, you are me, and I am you13, but a person sitting directly across from them was completely stunned.
Xu Ming had been invited to Yuan Yue’s birthday party. Because their relationship was distant, he rarely spoke and sat in a spot far from her. He had been absentmindedly eating when he looked up and inadvertently saw the kiss.
But in the next moment, he quickly felt relieved. It wasn’t unusual for girls to act intimately with each other sometimes. What made him suspicious was that he still hadn’t seen the person Yuan Yue was supposedly in love with appear.
Xu Ming couldn’t seem to pull his gaze away and just kept staring fixedly across the room. Zhuang Xiaochen, who had been sitting silently beside him, couldn’t take it anymore.
Zhuang Xiaochen slammed her wine glass down on the table.
The sudden noise successfully caught Xu Ming’s attention. He slowly withdrew his gaze but continued to eat without looking at her.
Zhuang Xiaochen knew he was ignoring her on purpose. She felt awful but had no way to vent, so she said coolly, “Stop your wishful thinking. I told you a long time ago, she has a person on her heart14. She could never be with you.”
Xu Ming had originally planned to continue giving her the cold shoulder, but his curiosity was piqued by her mention of the person on Yuan Yue’s heart. He turned to face her and, as if sent by ghosts and dispatched by gods15, asked, “How come I haven’t seen Miss Yuan’s boyfriend?”
Zhuang Xiaochen shot him a sidelong glance. “Who told you Miss Yuan has a boyfriend?”
Xu Ming had eaten a shriveled thing16, but since he needed information from her, there was no point in arguing. He thought for a moment and said, “Didn’t you all say she has someone she likes?”
This time, Zhuang Xiaochen didn’t answer right away. She looked far across the room at the couple whose intimate gestures were hard for others to notice and said with deep meaning, “The person she likes has been here the whole time. Whose fault is it that you can’t see it for yourself?”
Xu Ming felt like he was just asking for a lack of fun for himself17, but he couldn’t help but follow her gaze again.
At that moment, Yuan Yue picked up a piece of lettuce, ate half of it herself, and fed the other half into Yu Xi’s mouth.
Xu Ming watched for a long time but couldn’t see anything unusual. He felt like he’d been played by Zhuang Xiaochen again. He couldn’t help but laugh self-deprecatingly as the frown on his brow gradually smoothed out. Looking at the table full of food, he had no appetite. He stood up and decisively left.
Zhuang Xiaochen didn’t understand why and instinctively stood up to chase after him.
Back on their side of the room.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Yu Xi saw that everyone was more or less done18, and whispered in Yuan Yue’s ear, “Listen to me. Pretend you’re drunk right now.”
Yuan Yue didn’t react for a moment and just stared at her blankly.
Yu Xi lowered her voice again. “Silly, if you don’t pretend to be drunk, we’ll never be able to leave.”
Although Yuan Yue understood this time, her reaction was a beat too slow, and she didn’t know what to do.
Yu Xi didn’t have the patience to explain further. She pulled Yuan Yue’s head onto her shoulder and commanded, “Close your eyes.”
Yuan Yue obediently squinted. Through a tiny slit, she saw Yu Xi nudge the high-spirited Yuan Xi beside them. “Dage19, Yueyue is drunk. I have to take her home first.”
Yuan Xi was in the middle of a drinking contest with his employees, his face bright red. He slurred, “Who… who gave her red wine again, was it you?”
When Yuan Xi drank too much, he lost control of his volume. The employees present heard him and all denied giving Yuan Yue any alcohol.
Yuan Xi was half-convinced, half-skeptical. He leaned in to look at Yuan Yue’s face and said suspiciously, “How’d she fall asleep?”
Yu Xi said without batting an eye, “She’s not asleep, just dizzy. I’m letting her rest her eyes for a bit.”
Yuan Xi pinched Yuan Yue’s cheek. After finishing his assessment, he yelled, “Her face isn’t even red! She’s not drunk at all!”
The pinch hurt a little, and Yuan Yue silently cursed him in her mind but didn’t dare make a sound.
Once Yuan Xi had too much to drink, he became completely reckless. He slapped Yuan Yue’s shoulder heavily and said to Yu Xi with bloodshot eyes, “You’ve had a lot to drink too, so you can’t drive. Wait, I’ll drive you guys back later.”
Yuan Yue narrowed her eyes, slandering him in her stomach20. He’s drunk enough to be in this state, and he still has the nerve to boast shamelessly about driving us home. She knew there was no reasoning with Yuan Xi right now, so she slowly opened her eyes and mumbled, “Ge21, I want to go home…”
Seeing her enunciate so clearly, Yuan Xi burst out laughing. “Pretending to be drunk, are you? You’re not acting like it at all, you little rascal!”
Yuan Yue was about to be driven crazy by this brother who loved to pit his younger sister22. She couldn’t take it anymore and her eyes suddenly flew open.
Yuan Xi was so startled he froze.
Yuan Yue didn’t give him any time to recover. As she straightened up, she threw her arms around Yu Xi’s neck and kissed her fiercely.
Her mouth was suddenly sealed. It took Yu Xi a full second to react. She tried to push her away, but Yuan Yue held her tight.
A chorus of gasps and exclamations erupted around them. Yuan Yue turned a deaf ear23 to it all, kissing her for a while longer before finally letting the bewildered Yu Xi go. She whipped her head around to stare straight at Yuan Xi.
“Am I drunk or not?” she roared at him. “You tell me, am I drunk or not!”
Yuan Xi’s unrestrained behavior sent chicken skin bumps24 all over his body, and her roar sent a jolt through him, sobering him up by more than half in an instant. He shook his head and stammered, “D-D-Drunk… You’re drunk! Hurry up and go, both of you!”
The author has something to say:
Oh my god! The last chapter was so tame25, how could you all tell I was about to make things explicit26?
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