Chapter 20
“Pfft.”
The two beautiful girls were the first to cover their mouths and laugh at his words. “Taking the subway?”
Shi Yu ignored their teasing and strode over to Jiang Shangwan’s side. He was dressed very simply—a black long coat and dark pants, and after taking off his coat, a plain long-sleeve shirt underneath.
But Jiang Shangwan inexplicably felt that this simple outfit made his already outstanding appearance even more attractive.
“What are you carrying?”
Shi Yu opened his palm to show the plastic bag he was holding, counting off its contents like a treasured collection: “Hangover medicine, liver protection medicine, stomach medicine, plus a sandwich and some hot water. Drinking often irritates the stomach and causes pain—I’m worried you’d feel bad, so I brought some medicine just in case.”
Jiang Shangwan looked at the sandwich’s packaging. He truly understood that she liked to drink on an empty stomach, so he had thoughtfully brought food along.
“Wow.”
“So thoughtful, bringing all these things.”
“This little brother is so handsome, who is he?”
Jiang Shangwan gestured with her eyes for him to sit down.
In occasions like this, everyone was here to have fun, introducing identities was unnecessary. Jiang Shangwan gently pushed the wine glass toward him with her index finger, then looked up at him: “You’re the last one to arrive, so you have to drink three cups as a penalty.”
Shi Yu’s dark eyes glanced at the slight wetness of wine on her lips.
He nodded. “Okay.”
With a flip of his large hand, his long, fair fingers gripped the wine glass. Tilting his head back, he drank it all at once, his Adam’s apple moving noticeably as he swallowed.
“One cup.” Shi Yu wiped the cold residue from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, then lifted his eyes to stare intently in Jiang Shangwan’s direction. Soon, he finished the second and third cups one after another.
“Good.” Shen Luo clapped his hands with satisfaction and nodded slightly. “Still a real man.”
The leather sofa gently sank as Shi Yu finally sat down beside her.
Jiang Shangwan lowered her gaze and said casually, “You came just because I sent a location?”
“Mm.”
Shi Yu’s voice was calm. “I felt like you might need me, so I came.”
Jiang Shangwan’s heart tingled again. That feeling was so familiar—even after a long time apart, the subtle strange sensation in her heart easily resurfaced. She seemed to be easily stirred emotionally by him.
“I’ve been ignoring you, but you still come.” Emboldened by the wine and with desire stirring her moral boundaries, Jiang Shangwan mischievously hooked his little finger with hers. “Are you silly or what?”
Shi Yu quietly poured half of the wine from her glass into his own. His features looked gentle under the light, just like his voice. “Drink less.”
He knew she was drunk.
Only at times like this would she entertain playful thoughts, take initiative with bad intentions, and then flee as soon as she sobered up.
Qiao Yuqing’s hand had already slid onto Ji Zhao’s thigh. She seemed to enjoy the feeling of control. “What should we play?”
“Yeah, don’t just secretly chat by yourselves.”
“Pass the cigarette? Finger wrestling?”
“Just chat.”
Jiang Shangwan subconsciously didn’t want to drag Shi Yu into this messy ambiguous game. He was still a student—what was there to play?
“So boring.” Shen Luo curled his lips. “If we’re here, then let’s chat, right?”
Ji Zhao smiled arrogantly. He wore light makeup, with thin eyeliner extending to the corners of his eyes, making his smile very charming. He looked at Jiang Shangwan and said, “What does sister want to talk about?”
“Last time you gave me two concert tickets, but I didn’t come. What a pity.”
Ji Zhao was especially bold. Even though Qiao Yuqing’s hand was on him, he still openly flirted with Jiang Shangwan, throwing her a seductive glance.
As expected, Qiao Yuqing gave his thigh a hard pinch, pulled his collar, and kissed him.
“Who are you looking at? Hmm?”
“Wow—”
Amid the crowd’s teasing and laughter, Ji Zhao spread his hands in a pleading gesture, “Okay, okay, I was just inviting Sister Wan to the concert. I still love you the most!”
Shen Luo wasn’t in a good mood today. He refused the beautiful woman’s request for a kiss and just kept pouring drinks.
The air was thick with boiling hormones. Fueled by the rising intoxication and the bustling voices, this environment amplified everyone’s desire for physical contact.
Jiang Shangwan propped herself up slightly and glanced at Shi Yu’s tense jaw, managing to hold back the urge to get closer to him.
Shi Yu didn’t look at her, but his hand hung casually under the table. His long, distinct fingers rested right next to the edge of her skirt.
Jiang Shangwan caught a glimpse of the veins on the back of his hand, and that familiar feeling, sparked by this subtle, invisible movement, returned again.
Shen Luo pulled out a bunch of liquor bottles and started mixing colorful drinks, placing them in the center of the table. “Weren’t we going to chat? Let’s play a question game. Twenty drinks: five shots of high-proof vodka, fifteen of medium strength. Draw randomly.”
“Ask questions in order. If you can’t answer or are too slow, drink another shot,” Shen Luo laughed. “Drink it all in one go.”
Jiang Shangwan picked a drink closest to her. It tasted sweet with a hint of spiciness—smooth, not too strong.
She asked Shi Yu, “How did your exam go?”
“…….”
“Can you ask a more interesting question?”
“That’s too soft-hearted.” Everyone laughed.
Shi Yu drew the drink to the right of her cup. The extreme spiciness hit his mouth sharply, causing a sudden jolt in his head. His brain nerves started to tremble, but he held back the quiver of his tongue and said, “Next semester, I’ll still get the national scholarship.”
“Wow.” Ji Zhao was quite impressed with him. Last time at the investment meeting, it was obvious Shi Yu easily caught Jiang Shangwan’s attention. They thought he was from the investors’ side, but it turned out he was still just a student.
Jiang Shangwan glanced at his clean glass bottom and the faint blush spreading on his cheek, realizing he probably won the prize.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly, leaning closer, able to smell the strong, sharp alcohol on him. It seemed Shen Luo really mixed a strong drink.
“Mm… I’m fine.”
Shi Yu wasn’t a light drinker, but the drink was too strong and overwhelming at first.
Suddenly, Jiang Shangwan reached out to touch his forehead. Her cool hand pressed gently against his brow. “You’re so hot.”
The next question came from Qiao Yuqing. She asked Ji Zhao, “When was the last time you did it?”
Ji Zhao blinked innocently. “Last night.”
Qiao Yuqing smiled.
Shen Luo and the two women asked some boring questions about past love stories. When it was Shi Yu’s turn, he paused, didn’t ask Jiang Shangwan anything, and instead looked straight at Shen Luo.
“What’s your relationship with her?”
“Oh come on, why are you asking me this?”
“Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.”
In this kind of setting, men asking men questions instead of women was unheard of. Shen Luo was really taken aback and didn’t respond at first. After a while, he took the penalty drink pushed over by the girls and finished it, then slowly replied, “Childhood sweethearts, I guess.”
Jiang Shangwan: “…….”
Shen Luo said it ambiguously on purpose, but in reality, their relationship was as clean as could be. Jiang Shangwan believed that desire needed some distance and space, and since she and Shen Luo had grown up together, being too familiar with each other would dissipate any attraction between them.
Who would develop romantic feelings for a childhood brother?
Soon Shen Luo asked again, “Then what’s your relationship with her?”
The whole room fell silent, everyone looked over with curiosity, eager to hear his answer.
After a long silence, Shi Yu’s gaze was as reserved as his attire, quietly sitting there.
He didn’t answer.
Everyone immediately burst into laughter and teasing, “Drink!”
“What’s with not answering? Little brother?”
He then drew another drink and toasted Shen Luo with it. As luck would have it, the strong spicy sensation rushed into his mouth again, hitting every corner. His head was already starting to feel a bit dizzy.
This mixed drink was not only strong but had a powerful aftereffect.
Jiang Shangwan frowned slightly, grabbing his wrist to stop him, “Don’t drink anymore.”
Just by the smell, she knew this poor guy had hit the losing streak again.
Shi Yu’s gaze met hers, their eyes locking silently. He tilted his head slightly and, holding her hand, finished the remaining drink in one gulp.
He put down the glass and lowered his head a little, as if choked by the drink.
“Are you okay?” Jiang Shangwan’s brows furrowed tighter. She felt like they were bullying a kid. There were only five strong drinks in total, yet he had to suffer through two of them back to back?
What terrible luck.
Shi Yu shook his head lightly, and under the table, his hand gently brushed against the back of her hand.
It was a soft, comforting gesture.
Jiang Shangwan’s heart softened.
After drawing a drink, Ji Zhao also felt a bit dizzy and mumbled, “Sister Qing, I think I got the losing one. I’m so dizzy.”
He snuggled into Qiao Yuqing’s arms and asked, “Can I have a male lead?”
Qiao Yuqing’s eyes flashed with displeasure, and she replied coldly, “No.”
Still thinking about her resources while playing—how boring.
Shi Yu’s vision began to blur. He saw the light falling on Jiang Shangwan’s profile, and everything around them seemed to part like a boundary line—outside was noisy and chaotic, while she sat there, beautiful and spotless.
Jiang Shangwan met his slightly dazed eyes. Through his light-colored pupils, she saw her own reflection in his gaze, filled entirely with her.
Her heart rapidly melted, feeling the unwavering attention from the person beside her. At this moment, time seemed to pause, and in this brief yet eternal instant, his world appeared to stop just for her alone.
Jiang Shangwan suddenly felt that he was very obedient.
She really wanted to reward him.
So she did just that.
Under the table, hidden from everyone’s view, her fingers quickly moved closer to Shi Yu. Sliding beneath the thin hem of his clothes, her slender fingers touched his warm skin, tracing the clear lines of muscle in his abdomen, caressing gently.
Shi Yu’s whole body tensed.
The sensation was too vivid. He could feel the softness of her fingertips lightly gliding across his stomach, slowly igniting his growing discomfort and desire.
Outside, people were drinking and asking questions, laughing and whispering to each other, while they were intimately close, feeling each other’s softness and burning touch.
“So… hard.” Jiang Shangwan turned her head and smiled at him.
Her mischievous finger hadn’t withdrawn yet, slowly circling around.
Shi Yu closed his eyes, feeling his body uncontrollably change.
A soft sound escaped his throat: “Are you sure?”
Jiang Shangwan raised her eyelids slightly, puzzled.
“There’s even… harder,” he said.