Chapter 14

Ying Quhe hung up his clothes, turned around, and saw Xi Mi staring blankly down at her sandwich.

Seeing her fluffy short hair and a stray cowlick standing straight up, he felt an urge to reach out and ruffle it.

To save her from embarrassment, Ying Quhe walked over to draw open the living room curtains, revealing a full view of the county town’s night lights.

Xi Mi secretly peeked at him. Just his elegant back was enough to make her cheeks flush bright red. Being alone with a man in a room made her nervous, and it was only when Ying Quhe turned on the TV to add some background noise that the tension gradually began to fade.

Xi Mi took a bite of the milkshake sandwich. Surprising for something of its kind, the flavor wasn’t cloying at all.

Imagining Ying Quhe preparing food was bound to be even dreamier than Culinary Dao. Her heart melted into a sweet, tender mess, making her feel like a block of tofu soaking in syrup.

The living room service phone rang, and Ying Quhe picked up the receiver with a low “Hello.”

His voice drifted through the air and into Xi Mi’s ears, crisp and soothing.

“Mhm, alright.”

Ying Quhe frowned slightly. “It’s fine, we’ll find another way. I will also file a complaint against you based on the facts.”

Click. He hung up the phone.

Though his tone held clear anger, his eyes remained calm as water, entirely unruffled. He turned to Xi Mi and said, “The hotel has no vacant rooms left. You sleep in my room tonight, and I’ll take yours.”

Ying Quhe walked over to the entryway and picked up his suit jacket. “You probably saw the show’s notification? The next match is the top one hundred to fifty elimination round between the Traditional Group and the Influencer Group, located in Jinyang. There’s still a week until the next match, and the crew won’t cover room and board. So rest early tonight, wake up early tomorrow to pack your things at the inn, and travel back to Jinyang with us so we can look out for one another.”

He paused for a moment as something occurred to him. “If we travel together to Jinyang, Tian Jian will probably be very happy.”

Seeing him about to leave, Xi Mi looked at the empty room and immediately panicked. It felt as though once a real man left, the masculine yang energy would go with him, leaving the room strangely eerie once more.

“What’s wrong?” Ying Quhe asked, jacket in hand.

Struggling to admit the truth, Xi Mi tugged at his clothes and stammered, “I… I won my first match today, so I want to celebrate.”

“How do you want to celebrate?” Ying Quhe looked down at her, looking concerned.

Xi Mi looked down and twiddled her fingers, stammering without coming up with a plan.

The little girl clearly had something on her mind. Since she didn’t want to talk about it, Ying Quhe didn’t push. He nodded in agreement. “Alright, I’ll celebrate with you. I’ll have them open a bottle of red wine.”

“Wait!” Xi Mi suddenly looked up. “Four jars of corn liquor and a roast goose! Let’s celebrate with that!”

Ying Quhe knitted his thick brows. “Corn liquor?”

“Yes, corn liquor! It’s a specialty of Tangxi Ancient Town, and the roast goose here is great too.” Mentioning strong liquor and roast goose brought a brilliant spark to Xi Mi’s eyes, and she swallowed unconsciously.

Twenty minutes later.

The waiter delivered four jars of corn liquor in rustic ceramic jars. A square of red paper was pasted onto each jar, inscribed with brush calligraphy: Tangxi Corn Liquor. The roast goose was wrapped in fresh lotus leaves, sealing in its aroma the moment it came out of the oven.

Uncorking a jar, the potent aroma of strong liquor mixed with the rich fragrance of corn spread through the room.

The smell was far too pungent, and Ying Quhe turned his head away in distaste.

Xi Mi, on the other hand, cradled the jar and greedily breathed in the fragrance, sighing in admiration. “This liquor smells amazing! The flavor is so authentic!”

Right in front of Ying Quhe, she gulped down a huge mouthful. Ying Quhe watched her with a look of concern, but after taking a gulp of the strong liquor, the little girl was completely unaffected. She tore off a goose leg and handed it to him. “Mr. Ying, try this! The roast goose here is super authentic. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and the meat is prepared exceptionally well.”

Ying Quhe took the goose leg and took a small bite. It really was good; the skin was crispy without being burnt, and the meat was fine and tender. One bite tasted great, but taking a second bite felt a bit too greasy.

As if sensing his thoughts, Xi Mi handed over a jar of the liquor. “Here! How can you eat roast goose without corn liquor? It cuts through the grease.”

Ying Quhe didn’t care for Chinese spirits, preferring to study red wine instead.

Seeing Xi Mi drink the liquor like water, he assumed it wasn’t strong. Copying her, he lifted the jar and took a big gulp. The moment it went down, it felt like liquid fire scorching his throat, burning straight into his chest. It choked him so badly his lungs felt ready to burst, and he leaned against the wall, coughing violently.

Xi Mi was startled. Wiping her greasy hands, she hurried over to pat his back and scolded him gently, “How could you drink strong liquor like that? It stings, right? Here, take another bite of roast goose, it’ll help settle it.”

After his fit of coughing subsided, Ying Quhe turned his head to look at Xi Mi.

His eyes were bloodshot and glistening with moisture, while his cheeks began to flush red. Xi Mi stared at him, momentarily stunned. It was as if this resolute man had suddenly dropped his mask, exposing his softest side to her. This pitiable look… like a little Wolf Pup soaked by a rainstorm, his vulnerable state made her desperately want to pull him into a hug.

Realizing how he must look, the man quickly looked away and turned his back, giving a few soft coughs. The strong liquor hadn’t just scorched his heart and lungs; it seemed to have burned his nerves as well.

This was a sensation he had never experienced even after drinking a whole bottle of red wine.

After the fiery heat passed, an unpretentious, natural flavor unexpectedly lingered on the tip of his tongue. That rich, mellow taste made Ying Quhe want another sip, despite the agony of the alcohol searing his throat.

Ying Quhe suddenly turned around. Xi Mi’s face bumped right into his chest, and she instinctively stepped back.

“Let me taste that liquor again.”

Xi Mi held the jar tightly, refusing to hand it over. “You’re already like this, can you really handle it? Don’t force yourself. I get that you city folks prefer Western liquor and aren’t used to spirits like this, but you shouldn’t torture yourself just to save face. If you can’t drink it, don’t. I won’t make fun of you.”

Ying Quhe looked at her with a complex expression as he took the jar from her arms. “So, can you tell me how you manage to drink liquor like water?”

Xi Mi grinned. “Ever since I was little, I loved sneaking into my grandfather’s cellar to steal liquor. The more you drink Chinese grain liquor, the more fragrant it gets. It’s addictive, and it cuts right through the grease of the roast goose.”

“Mhm, it really is addictive.” Ying Quhe lifted the jar, tilted his head back, and took another gulp. His dashing posture resembled a knight-errant on horseback, with stray liquor slipping from the corner of his mouth down his neck, finally pooling in the sexy dip of his collarbone.

Ying Quhe was trying to experience that lingering, mellow flavor on the tip of his tongue once more after the fire of the spirit subsided.

Xi Mi was mesmerized by the sheer swagger with which Ying Quhe downed the drink.

It was as if Ying Quhe had transformed into an ancient general mounted on a warhorse, holding a sword in one hand and a jar of wine in the other, tilting his head back to drink heartily while his battle cloak snapped in the wind behind him, majestic and imposing.

Directly after, this magnificent general let go of the wine jar and collapsed toward Xi Mi like a falling mountain.

Ying Quhe fell so suddenly that the jar hit the floor and smashed onto the top of Xi Mi’s foot, making her gasp in pain.

Ying Quhe’s body felt as heavy as a stone. Xi Mi’s petite frame couldn’t support the weight of a grown man, so she wrapped her arms around him and stumbled backward several steps until her back hit the wall, barely managing to keep them upright.

Ying Quhe was already dead drunk, his body limp as mud against her. Feeling utterly exasperated inside, Xi Mi dragged him over to the rug in the living room.

A dark bruise had formed on the top of her foot where the jar had struck. She rubbed it, turned her head to look at the unconscious Ying Quhe, slapped him on the forehead, and poked his nose to lecture him. “I told you not to drink so much! You didn’t listen, and now look at you, passed out cold! You’re giving me such a headache…”

Propping her elbows on the carpet, Xi Mi rested her face in her hands, carefully studying the quietly sleeping Ying Quhe.

Ying Quhe’s eyelashes were thick and curled. She couldn’t resist plucking one out, then plucked one of her own to compare. Their lengths weren’t much different, but the man’s lash was darker, thicker, and coarser than hers.

Xi Mi poked the high bridge of his nose with a finger. It felt nice under her touch, and feeling mischievous, she pinched his nose shut so he couldn’t breathe.

Still sound asleep, the man parted his lips to breathe through his mouth, revealing two rows of neat white teeth.

She usually found Ying Quhe far too serious, but right now he felt like a delicately crafted glove puppet, entirely at her mercy.

Sitting up cross-legged, she pressed two fingers against the corners of his mouth and gently pulled them upward into an arch, curving her own lips as she muttered to herself, “That’s it. You look so much better when you smile.”

Xi Mi didn’t think she had ever seen Ying Quhe smile before.

Ying Quhe coughed again, startling Xi Mi so much that she snatched her hands back.

She stared at him cautiously for a moment. Only when she was sure he showed no signs of waking did she let out a sigh of relief, slapping his forehead once more. “Can’t a grown man like you just lie still when you’re drunk? You scared me to death!”

As if he could hear her, the unconscious Ying Quhe knitted his brows tightly together.

Xi Mi really disliked seeing him frown. Using two fingers, she smoothed out his brow, then patted his cheek. “That’s much more peaceful. If you keep frowning all the time, you’ll end up with wrinkles.”

The author has something to say: What if Ying Quhe wakes up right now?

Xi Mi: “How could he possibly wake up?!”

Ying Quhe: “I’m just going to lie here and stay quiet. :)”