Chapter 34 Feigning Drunkenness "Is it possible that he's waiting for you too?"...
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they helped clean up the mess. There was still almost a third of the food left, so they put it all into the refrigerator as a food reserve.
Mu Tingyu stood outside their tent and curiously peeked inside.
She pointed to the sleeping bag and asked Shaoyue, "Do you have any extra sleeping bags?"
"What's wrong with you?" Shaoyue asked. "Why do you want to sleep in a tent when there's a bed available?"
“Uh…” Mu Tingyu’s face was a little hot. “My period accidentally got on the blanket… and Xing Ze washed it… so it probably won’t dry tonight.”
"Wash...wait, did Xing Ze wash your sheets?" Shao Yue's eyes widened.
"Hmm." Mu Tingyu nodded. "He said the washing machine doesn't clean properly."
"..." Shaoyue stared at her for a long time, "Listen to Bao."
"Yes," Mu Tingyu replied. "What's wrong? Why the sudden expression?"
"I'll ask you that question again," Shaoyue said softly, "Are you two dating?"
"..." Mu Tingyu's ears burned. "No."
She thought for a moment, then added, "Not for now..."
Shaoyue then asked, "So when do you plan to get together?"
"?"
Mu Tingyu was both amused and exasperated: "Wait a minute, isn't this question a little strange?"
“What’s so strange?” Shaoyue glanced at her. “Isn’t the initiative yours?” “No way,” Mu Tingyu said seriously. “I don’t even know if he likes me or not.”
“I asked him if he had anyone he liked, but he didn’t answer.”
Shaoyue simply couldn't describe her current feelings.
There's a complex mix of emotions: "My cabbage has actually been snatched away like this," and a sense of bewilderment: "It seems like my cabbage still doesn't understand what's going on."
Mu Tingyu's expression was so serious that she began to doubt her own judgment.
"Doesn't he... like you?"
Mu Tingyu said in a light tone, "I don't know, he didn't say it himself."
“Oh,” Shao Yue’s expression was blank. “Anyway, I don’t think Xing Ze would wash the sheets for someone he doesn’t like.”
"It's different," Mu Tingyu said, her eyes crinkling as she coaxed her. "What if he's just a nice person?"
Having known her for so many years, Shao Yue quickly understood what she was thinking: "...You want to wait for him to speak first?"
She smiled slyly: "Hehe."
Looking at her smiling face, Shaoyue was speechless for a moment before finally asking, "Tingbao, what do you like about him?"
Mu Tingyu tilted her head and thought for a moment: "If you like someone, you just like them. You don't need a reason."
"Let me ask you something," Shaoyue hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell the truth, "...Is it because he's nice to you that you like him?"
"......"
"It's not just that," Mu Tingyu replied softly, her gaze fixed on the distance. "There can be many people who are good to me, but he must be different."
"What's different?"
"......"
Mu Tingyu was silent for a moment before replying, "He can 'see' me."
"It's not about appearance, but about seeing...my inner self. He's willing to understand me, willing to look at me closely, even though I have an unpleasant past, but that's the real me."
Shaoyue paused for two seconds before exclaiming in surprise, "You told him about your family?"
"Yes, Lin Yulan asked me for 200,000 yuan a couple of days ago. I wasn't feeling well, so I didn't hide it from her."
Shaoyue gasped, "Two hundred thousand? Has she gone mad?! You gave it to her?"
“I gave it to them,” Mu Tingyu replied calmly. “You know, A Yue, it’s worth it to sever ties with their family for 200,000.”
Shaoyue knew the true nature of Mu Tingyu's greedy aunt, and couldn't help but worry, "Tingbao, what if she comes to harass you again?"
"Let her come, at worst I'll sue her for extortion." Mu Tingyu curled the corners of her mouth. "Anyway, I'm really penniless right now."
"Listen, Bao..."
She said slowly, "But do you know what? When Xing Ze heard about this, his first reaction was to ask me if I had enough money."
“This morning I put my period on the bed, and his first reaction was to ask me if I had changed my pants.”
"Don't let his fierce appearance fool you, he's actually very thoughtful and caring, showing kindness to others quietly and without fanfare."
"Actually, these aren't particularly rare traits, but he gave me the feeling that he didn't care what happened, he only cared about me as a person."
“When I’m unhappy and don’t talk, he tries every means to get me to open up and is willing to spend time watching boring movies with me.”
"I had a stomachache and couldn't sleep, tossing and turning all night, and he really took care of me all night."
He also said that he could accept me no matter what, whether I was a crybaby or a laugh-loving person. I don't know if he's telling the truth or how long that will last, but I'll assume it's forever—
She took a soft breath: "Ah Yue, I don't know how to describe it to you."
"But I'm really happy."
“…Tingbao, could it be that no one has ever treated you like this before, so you feel he is different?”
Shaoyue stammered, "I'm not trying to discourage you, it's just... you've never been in a relationship before, so you might be easily moved... What if, I mean, what if, he... doesn't want to 'see' you anymore?"
“Listen, I’m just afraid you’ll get hurt.”
Mu Tingyu raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "Then kick him out."
Shaoyue exclaimed, "Ah! Is it...so easy?"
Seeing the utterly surprised look on Shaoyue's face, she laughed: "I just like him, but it's not like I can't live without him. I live for myself, so why should I keep going if I'm not happy?"
Shaoyue opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
“But I think,” she said, her eyes crinkling, “we shouldn’t go against our own feelings just because of future uncertainties, otherwise it would be too unfair to him.”
"Don't worry, Yue, I know it in my heart." Mu Tingyu hugged her. "Thank you for your concern."
Shaoyue blinked slowly: "...If you think that way, then I do feel a little more at ease."
Two small lamps hung inside the camping tent, dim but soft. Several people came out of the tent together, and Huang Jing raised her hand to greet them: "What are you all talking about? It's time to come and have a drink!"
After Mu Tingyu answered loudly, she asked with some surprise, "You also bought wine?"
“Yes,” Shaoyue laughed, “They’re all playful, so it’s a rare opportunity for them to rest and relax.”
They walked toward the low table and just then saw Xing Ze coming out of the house.
Xing Ze was holding a cup of water, still steaming, and it was obvious who it was for.
He stood at the doorway, his gaze quietly fixed on them.
Just as Mu Tingyu smiled and was about to go to greet her, she heard Shaoyue speak softly beside her.
"Tingbao, is it possible that Xing Ze is also waiting for you?"
-
The young people couldn't stay idle after the meal, and soon they gathered around the low table, started a game, and even invited Xing En and Xing Ze to join them.
When they went shopping in the afternoon, they specifically bought a few cans of beer, intending to have a drink as a token gesture.
Xing Ze didn't like this kind of beer, so under someone's deathly gaze, he took out the osmanthus wine.
He raised an eyebrow: "What are you looking at? This wine was originally mine."
Mu Tingyu bluffed, "...This is what I wanted, and I have a share too. I haven't even agreed to let you drink it yet!"
"Did you ask for my opinion before you gave Xing En the drink?"
"......"
"You're taking advantage of the fact that I can't drink now!" she said, feigning indignation. "You secretly drank some last night, and now there's only a little left. If you drink any more, there won't be any left!"
"It's gone, it's gone," Xing Ze said, seeing that there was still a third of the wine left in the jar. He reached out and pinned her down as she was gesticulating wildly. "You cause trouble when you drink too much. You're not allowed to drink anymore."
"?"
"Who's messing around! I'm perfectly well-behaved when I'm drunk!" she yelled, shoving the hot water in her hand into his. "I'm not drinking anymore!"
I do tend to be more irritable during my period.
Having no other choice, Xing Ze bent down and said gently, "You need to drink the hot water. What if your stomach hurts again tonight?"
"Impossible, I'm healthy enough to run a 3,000-meter race right now."
She's been fed countless cups of water all day. She finally finished her brown sugar ginger tea, and now she's going to suffer the torment of hot water.
She then asked, "Didn't Sister Xiaoping send you some wine before? Where's the wine?"
Xing Ze paused for a moment: "I finished drinking it a long time ago."
Mu Tingyu slammed her hand on the table in anger: "When did this happen! How much alcohol did you secretly drink behind my back?"
At that time, the two were not familiar with each other, and her words were somewhat unreasonable.
But Xing Ze was still patient. He reached out and patted her head, his voice helpless: "Next time we go to the market, ask the shopkeeper for another jar, okay? Drink the hot water first."
"Come play games!" Huang Jing shouted to them from the low table. "Come on, we've been waiting for you!"
Mu Tingyu snorted and, pretending to be reluctant, took the water glass.
"I don't care, you go ask for it."
-
There's a street full of bars around their school, brightly lit and bustling every night. Most students have been there once or twice, either for club gatherings or birthday parties, and they're quite familiar with the drinking games.
Xing En was a regular at bars, so he didn't need an explanation. As soon as he saw them take out two decks of cards, he knew what they were going to play: "Ladies' Cards?"
"right!"
Of those present, only Xing Ze was unfamiliar with the rules of the game. Mu Tingyu was strictly forbidden from drinking alcohol, so she had to sit next to him and explain the rules to him while playing.
Perhaps because he was a newbie, Xing Ze kept drawing the card that required drinking. Considering that his liquor had a high alcohol content, everyone agreed that he should only take a sip each time, but the liquor in his glass would soon be empty, and he would reach out and scoop out another glass.
Mu Tingyu reached out and pinched his waist, whispering, "Drink less, leave some for me."
She was sitting right next to Xing Ze, so it was very natural for her to do this.
Xing Ze swallowed a mouthful of wine and it took him a long time to speak: "...Don't touch me."
Feeling emboldened, she reached out and pinched him again.
Xing Ze grabbed her hand as she tried to pull it back and flicked it several times with his fingers.
"Aww!"
Mu Tingyu was forcibly suppressed by violence, and finally calmed down for a while.
Soon it was Xing Ze's turn to draw a card, and he turned over a "2".
A cheer erupted from the table: "The first Miss card has appeared!"
Seeing that she couldn't save her drink, Mu Tingyu joined in the gloating and egged him on to drink with her.
Even with Xing Ze's high alcohol tolerance, this way of drinking was a bit too fast, and the wine jar, which originally had a third left, was quickly emptied.
After several more rounds, he flipped over an "8".
He gestured, threw the cards into the pile, stood up, and went inside.
Watching his retreating figure, Cao Yaxi exclaimed, "Brother Xing's alcohol tolerance is really good! He doesn't seem drunk at all."
"No way, he seems to have drunk a lot, the wine jar is almost empty."
"Look at him, he walks without wobbling at all."
Huang Jing asked curiously, "Hey, Sister En, given Brother Xing's drinking capacity, how much of this kind of liquor can he drink?"
Xing En raised an eyebrow: "Hmm... that's all."
"Really? I can't tell at all!"
Mu Tingyu stared at it silently for a while, then suddenly spoke up: "Does anyone have an '8' that I can use? I've drunk too much water and I need to go to the toilet!"
Shaoyue handed over an "8" from across the table: "Go!"
"Thank you, Yue! I can't repay your kindness enough. I'll give you a kiss when I get back!"
"Seriously?!"
Xing En waited until Mu Tingyu entered the room before slowly saying, "Xing Ze's alcohol tolerance is just so-so..."
"That should be just enough for him, enough to get him interested."
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Author's Note: Xing En: ^^
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