Chapter 48 A little wine doesn't make you drunk, you get drunk on your own.
Shen Mi is now so familiar with the way to Ruomu Pavilion that he could find it with his eyes closed.
The waiter treated Shen Mi like family. Of course, customers who are well-mannered and willing to spend money on food are naturally treated like family; this is the most basic content of their training.
Usually, it was just the general and the lady who came, but today there were four of them. The waiter looked at the fox-man elder surrounded by the other three and was surprised to find him familiar.
He stepped forward to greet him warmly, but before he could even utter a word of pleasantries about old customers, he met the face of the fox-man elder with a smile. The elder looked at him as if they were seeing each other for the first time.
The waiter swallowed his words, chuckled to himself, and left after confirming the customer's needs. Back in the kitchen, he thought with lingering fear, "Thank goodness I didn't say anything. I see so many people working in the restaurant every day; I almost got confused. If I had offended this important person, I would have lost my bonus this month."
Shen Mi was listening intently to Jing Yuan and Master Bai Xuan's conversation. Although he was listening, his hands never stopped moving. He carefully rinsed each cup with hot water, then poured tea and served water, his movements fluid and graceful.
Bai Qi was quite pleased to see her like this. She downed the tea in one gulp, then handed the teacup to Shen Mi without a second thought, gesturing for her to pour another cup. Shen Mi merely glanced at her, thinking to herself, "Silly girl, this is the perfect opportunity to win over your crush."
The words in my mind had barely left my lips when I heard the system interrupt with a time-limited task.
[Please complete the mission: Feign drunkenness for four hours. Mission reward: 360 Star Jade.]
"Wow!" Shen Mi exclaimed in surprise. "There's actually a mission reward this time!"
But what's the deal with Xingqiong?
[Xingqiong is connected to the host's game account in the real world. Since the experience points from the host's last completed mission have been credited, the system has activated a reward mechanism. Item exchange will be available as the system level increases.]
The system answered with a smile, as if two invisible hands were cupping its face, waiting for Shen Mi to praise it.
Funds received? Reward?
Why did Shen Mi feel like she couldn't understand what it was saying? She had been playing the game for two or three years, and this was the first time she had ever heard of a delay in gaining experience points after completing a mission.
The key thing is that her system is still upgrading. By the time it finishes upgrading, she'll be able to go home.
Shen Mi covered her eyes with her hands, feeling that she was only two lines of tears away from being that crying emoji.
This reward mechanism is no different from the empty promises made by unscrupulous bosses in the real world. What's the difference between this and only giving bonuses if you do a good job?
The system, seeing this, didn't know what to do either, and could only innocently stare at its fingers, trying its best to comfort her.
This isn't what I wanted to see either... but before the upgrade, my intelligence and abilities were limited, and that's all I could do and give. Don't have too high hopes for me...
Chen Mi: ...
"Come on, go home, go home, kid, go home. How could your boss bear to let a system that's still growing like you work for someone else? Give me your boss's phone number, I'll go and give him a piece of my mind!"
According to the Labor Law of the People's Republic of China, it is illegal to employ children under the age of sixteen.
How old are you this year? What caused this...? I'll hire a good lawyer to represent you in court. Such a large company shouldn't bully you just because you're disabled!
After saying that, Shen Mi laughed out loud in his mind, hands on his hips, and said self-deprecatingly: I just don't know if the law covers this.
The system was so frightened by Shen Mi's crazed state that it could barely speak.
[Host, calm down! I'm just consuming too much core energy and need a lot of experience to level up. Please calm down first.]
Shen Mi exploded, slamming her hand on a non-existent table and flipping it over with both hands.
Tell me how to stay calm! Could you stay calm in my shoes?!
The system dared not speak, trembling as it hid in a corner, watching helplessly as wisps of black smoke rose from behind Shen Mi. With a grim face, she slowly approached.
Tell me, how much experience do I need to level up to the maximum level?
The system held up five fingers and weakly said, "Level 5, host, you're one level away from reaching it..."
Finally, a smile appeared on Shen Mi's lips, as if the vacuum environment had been suddenly released.
[Great, that's finally some good news.]
The system struck while the iron was hot.
[Host, your progress in conquering the enemy is the most stable I've ever seen. I believe in you; given time, you will definitely succeed!]
Shen Mi snorted coldly, glared at the system, and returned to Ruomu Pavilion.
Jing Yuan was still chatting with Bai Xuan, but the conversation had shifted from everyday matters to the customs and cultures beyond the immortal ship. However, it was mostly Bai Xuan who was speaking, while Jing Yuan listened to various voices from the universe through his words.
As they were talking, the wine Jingyuan had ordered arrived.
He took the wine glass from the waiter and poured the first glass for Bai Xuan. Shen Mi observed for a while and noticed that the relationship between Jing Yuan and Bai Xuan was even closer than that of master and disciple; it was as if there was an invisible rope connecting them.
But seeing him smile so happily, Shen Mi was genuinely happy for him.
Before the dishes were even served, Shen Mi had already taken several sips.
Whether it was to complete a task or something else, Shen Mi took the opportunity of offering wine during the apprenticeship ceremony to fill the cup to the brim.
She sipped her food and drank her wine, her face turning bright red. Although she was a little dizzy, she remained clear-headed. When she got tired of drinking, she rested on the table, listening to them chat about all sorts of things.
Shen Mi only learned from hearing this that the large golden round cake in the courtyard was his most precious possession.
With a blush, Shen Mi innocently said, "Shouldn't the most precious things be kept at home?"
Bai Xuan shook her head and said earnestly, "If we put it at home, only I can see it. But if we put it in the yard, everyone can see it, and not only will I be happy, but everyone who comes to see it will be happy too."
He paused, a gentle smile in his eyes, "Besides, true treasures aren't meant to be hidden, they're meant to be shared."
Shen Mi was somewhat moved by what she heard. Her previously dazed mind seemed to be gently tapped, and her eyes slowly focused. She slightly raised her head, her rosy cheeks pressed against her arm, her eyes bright.
Jing Yuan sat opposite her, with Bai Xuan next to him. When she spoke, he was facing her directly.
That look of sudden clarity caught Jing Yuan's eye, causing him to pause slightly in surprise.
Her cheeks still flushed with the effects of alcohol, but her eyes were surprisingly clear, the light from above casting a round halo around them. Jing Yuan's lips unconsciously curved into a smile, but he didn't interrupt, simply watching her quietly.
Bai Xuan smiled, said nothing more, and lowered her head to pour wine. Laughter and conversation slowly returned to the table, but the echo of those words from earlier lingered in Chen Mi's heart for a long time.
It was getting late, so Jingyuan got up to say goodbye to Baixuan. Baiqi, who was drunk, seemed to have something to say and stammered as she clung to Jingyuan, refusing to let go.
Later, after Bai Xuan pulled and tugged at him, he finally gave in, and so the two of them took charge of the people they brought.
Back at the table, Jing Yuan rubbed his forehead to cool down from the alcohol and pinched the bridge of his nose with his index finger.
Recalling something, he sighed and said, "I didn't expect this old man to still be able to drink so much."
After saying that, he leaned down and, as he got closer to her, he could hear her moaning.
With a smile on his lips, Jing Yuan easily adjusted their positions with a pull of his arms. His movements were fluid and graceful. Compared to the swords he wielded, she was practically weightless. With a gentle lift, she was lifted off the ground.
Thinking of this, Jingyuan recalled how much effort she had used to carry him when he had a stomachache that night.
No wonder it's covered in bruises.
He clasped his arms behind her back, firmly securing her legs, and with a sinking step, the weight on his back was distributed to her shoulders.
Perhaps due to excessive nervousness, he vaguely felt her slightly tightened fingers unconsciously gripping his collar, and at that moment, he felt the weight of her head on his shoulder.
A trace of her scent lingered in the air, mingling with the fragrance of her hair as it brushed against his ear. He heard the soft rustling of his own clothes and her extremely gentle sighs, as if she were right beside him in a dream.
Jingyuan adjusted her position so she could lie more comfortably, her back straight, her steps steady, and she walked home step by step.
Shen Mi leaned against Jing Yuan's back, barely daring to breathe, and could only vent his unsettled anxiety to the system.
Is he planning to walk home?
[Hard to say. But this is good too, there's only an hour left until the mission is complete.] The system opened the countdown timer to show her.
He then added, "[Now is the best time to increase favorability. Host, seize the opportunity and succeed in winning her over as soon as possible. I'll be leaving now.]"
Jingyuan's fluffy hair kept brushing against Chenmi's face. The curly white hair carried the fresh scent of conditioner, like using orange-scented shampoo, making one want to take a big bite and fill their mouth with fruity fragrance.
Shen Mi carefully blew the air out, and without the interference of hair, she could quietly lean against his back and wait for the countdown to begin.
Even with my ear pressed against his back, I could almost hear the thunderous pounding of his heart in his chest.
Each sound struck her heart.
After finally arriving home, Jingyuan opened the door and, feeling his way in the dark, led her into her room.
When he entered the room, he tripped over something on the corner of the bed and fell into her bed, dragging her down with him.
It wasn't the scent of aloeswood, but the sweet fragrance of a young girl, which unconsciously seeped into his nostrils. Jingyuan subconsciously took a deep breath, held it in, and tried his best to sever the connection, as if he were looking at something indecent.
But that sudden, large mouthful had already entered his brain through his nasal cavity, tightly binding his senses like spider silk. Everything was magnified countless times, and Chen Mi's rapid breathing after drinking echoed in his ears.
He was startled, and the faint feeling of intoxication he had after drinking vanished instantly. Only after listening carefully did he realize that the rapid breathing was coming from himself.
Another flurry of activity ensued, and in their panic, it seemed as if they had bumped into something, their hands and feet somehow becoming entangled. From a distance, the two looked like two lotus flowers growing side by side.
In the darkness, his heart pounded with fear. He could only hear his own thunderous heartbeat and her steady breathing. He looked up and saw and confirmed that her eyes were tightly closed. His pounding heart finally calmed down.
Thankfully, he hasn't woken up yet.
He placed his hands on either side of her, trying his best to do a plank so as not to touch her. Little did he know that the results of his daily training would be used for this.
He carefully moved his body away, so gently that he barely made a sound, but just as he was about to leave, he couldn't help but stop.
Her eyes were closed, and her hair was disheveled and scattered across her face. The curtains were not fully drawn, and the silvery sunlight filtered through the glass, scattering sparse light across her face. Her serene and tranquil appearance resembled that of Changxi from mythology.
Jing Yuan felt as if he were being drawn and bewitched by some invisible force, as if a desire had been quietly ignited in his heart. At that moment, he felt an indescribable impulse seize him, as if something was whispering in his heart.
He leaned down as if possessed, his gaze lingering on her features, her scent filling his nostrils. He slowly, very slowly drew closer, his heart pounding with each passing second, as if he were about to cross the line.
It finally came to an abrupt end before that soft pink expanse.
He suddenly realized what was happening, took a deep breath, suppressed his restless, romantic thoughts, stroked her head with his right hand, gently brushed away the stray strands of hair that had fallen across her cheek, then turned his face to her ear and softly whispered, "Goodnight."
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Author's Note: Plenty of food, plentiful and filling! [starry eyes][starry eyes][starry eyes]
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