When Xu Shi drank too much, she became talkative, sleepy, and loved to kiss Yu Lingshan.
After Yu Lingshan stopped her from moving, it wasn’t long before she got drowsy. She sat there with her eyes half-closed, swaying back and forth. She couldn’t understand what Yu Lingshan was saying, and her responses were a jumbled mess.
Yu Lingshan decided not to make things difficult for her. She stroked her face and said, “Go to sleep.”
Those words successfully flipped Xu Shi’s switch. She didn’t even have the strength to murmur an ‘mhm’ before collapsing into Yu Lingshan’s arms and closing her eyes.
Yu Lingshan couldn’t carry her. She had already tried to carry her to the sofa last time, but failed.
So this time, Yu Lingshan didn’t even try. She carefully laid her down on the rug, got her a pillow and a blanket, tucked in her hands and legs, and set the air conditioner to sleep mode. Only after getting the little master comfortable did she go take a shower herself.
When she came out of the bathroom, Xu Shi was still in the same position. Yu Lingshan sat down beside her and took her hand.
Then, thinking about the things this little kid had said to her through tears, she slowly started to smile.
“What are you thinking about all day?”
Yu Lingshan gently flicked Xu Shi’s forehead, then pinched her nose.
“Thinking so much, yet you never come and ask me.”
Yu Lingshan pinched for a few seconds before letting go, then picked up Xu Shi’s hand again.
But after playing with her hand for a while, Yu Lingshan got bored. She randomly picked a movie, leaned against the sofa, and propped her legs on Xu Shi’s body. Without worrying about whether she would wake Xu Shi up, she started watching the movie.
Of course, this little pig was sleeping like the dead, completely still and utterly unaware.
Around the halfway point of the movie, the specific ringtone for Xu Shi’s phone went off.
Xu Shi remained motionless. Yu Lingshan felt for the phone by her thigh and saw that it was a call from her mother.
Yu Lingshan thought for a moment, then paused the movie and answered.
“Xiao Shi,” her mom asked. “What time are you coming home?”
Yu Lingshan sat up a little straighter. “Hello, Auntie.”
Her mom paused for a second. “Where’s Xu Shi?”
Yu Lingshan explained, “She went with me to meet a few teachers tonight, had a little to drink, and fell asleep.”
Her mom said, “Oh,” then, “Ah… are you Yu Lingshan?”
A smile was in Yu Lingshan’s voice. “I am.”
Mom: “Where is she? At your place?”
Yu Lingshan: “Yes, she just fell asleep.”
“I see, that’s good,” her mom sighed. “She can’t even hold her liquor, what’s she doing trying to drink like others.”
Yu Lingshan chuckled. “She was just too happy, so she drank a little extra.”
Her mom laughed too. “Well, I’ll have to trouble you to take care of her, then.” Her mom seemed to deliberate for a moment before adding, “I’ve been hearing her mention you a lot lately. She said you helped her out in a big way.”
Yu Lingshan smiled to herself. She picked up Xu Shi’s hand again, pressing her palm against it.
But she said aloud, “Not at all, I didn’t do much.”
Mom: “I feel at ease with her at your place. Is she coming home to sleep tonight?”
Yu Lingshan glanced down at Xu Shi. “I don’t know when she’ll wake up.”
“If she wakes up too late, just have her stay there. It’s already quite late,” her mom sighed. “This child, causing you trouble after drinking.”
Yu Lingshan: “It’s fine, it’s no trouble.”
Mom: “Alright then, I won’t disturb you. You should get some rest soon too.”
Yu Lingshan: “Okay, Auntie. You get some rest too.”
Mom: “Okay.”
After hanging up, little pig Xu was still sleeping soundly, not looking the least bit disturbed.
Yu Lingshan gently pinched her cheek. “She said you’re troubling me. Are you troubling me?”
Xu Shi couldn’t hear a thing, but that wasn’t enough for Yu Lingshan. “And you dared to drink so much.”
Perhaps feeling the pinch, Xu Shi furrowed her brow, swatted Yu Lingshan’s hand away, and whimpered a few times.
But soon, she was fast asleep again.
When Xu Shi woke up this time, it was still the middle of the night.
She didn’t know if it was her sleeping position or something wrong with her, but when she woke up, her head and neck ached, and her eyes felt a little sore.
She stared blankly for a long time after opening her eyes before realizing she was in Yu Lingshan’s living room.
The projector was playing a movie she hadn’t seen. Yu Lingshan was also sitting on the rug, leaning diagonally against the sofa with her eyes closed, her head propped on a throw pillow. Half of Xu Shi’s blanket was covering her, and her feet were resting on Xu Shi’s thighs.
Xu Shi rubbed her head and carefully sat up.
But just as she propped herself up, Yu Lingshan’s eyes suddenly opened.
Xu Shi froze instantly, clutching the blanket as their eyes met.
“You’re awake,” Yu Lingshan said.
Xu Shi: “Mhm.”
As if she knew Xu Shi’s next question would be about the time, Yu Lingshan said, “Three-thirty.”
Xu Shi was wide awake now. She thought for a moment and said, “Wow, so late.”
Xu Shi’s last memory was of telling the taxi driver to go to Yu Lingshan’s place.
So she had ended up here inexplicably again.
For some reason, Xu Shi had a feeling that Yu Lingshan was angry. After all, based on past experience, every time she got drunk and ended up here, Yu Lingshan would definitely be angry.
So, speaking nicely was definitely the best approach.
Smiling would be even better.
So Xu Shi gave Yu Lingshan a smile.
Yu Lingshan was amused by her. “You can still manage a smile.”
Xu Shi asked in a small voice, “Did I do something again?”
Yu Lingshan’s smile widened. “Your use of the word ‘again’ is very apt.”
Xu Shi pressed her lips together.
Yu Lingshan pointed to the bedroom. “Go pick out some pajamas and take a shower first.”
Xu Shi: “Oh.”
Yu Lingshan: “We’ll talk when you come out.”
Xu Shi nodded obediently. After agreeing, she immediately threw off the blanket, slipped on the slippers, and went to Yu Lingshan’s bedroom.
It was only after she turned on the water in the bathroom that she belatedly started to feel nervous.
They were supposed to talk at eight, but she had dragged it out until now.
The more Xu Shi thought, the more nervous she became. She decided to just stand directly under the showerhead and turned the water a little colder.
But even that was useless. Her mind was filled with thoughts: What does she want to talk to me about? Why be so serious and formal? Can’t she just say it directly?
Then she regretted drinking so much that she’d forgotten everything. She must have done something again tonight.
After showering and drying off, she stared at the white slip dress of Yu Lingshan’s that she had just picked out, lost in thought.
Then, she gritted her teeth and put it on anyway. She gave her hair a quick blow-dry, tidied herself up in the mirror, and went out.
She went out in one go, opening the bedroom door just a few seconds after opening the bathroom door.
But the moment she saw Yu Lingshan, she froze in fright. She paused at the doorway for half a second and turned to go back.
“What are you doing?”
Yu Lingshan called out to her.
Xu Shi continued to shrink back into the room.
Yu Lingshan: “Come out.”
Xu Shi stopped moving.
Half her body was outside the door, her hand still gripping the doorknob tightly. And what a sight she was.
Her hair was half-dry, and because it was thick and she hadn’t dried it properly, it was fluffy on her head, making her head look smaller and her eyes bigger. She wore a white dress and was barefoot.
Xu Shi remembered Weiwei saying that she and a white dress were a perfect match, especially with her hair down.
So, like this, it should… earn… some… points… right?
“Come on out,” Yu Lingshan said again.
Xu Shi murmured an ‘oh,’ tidied her hair a little, and immediately walked over. She stepped onto the rug and sat down obediently beside Yu Lingshan.
Yu Lingshan looked at her and chuckled.
She chuckled again.
Then Yu Lingshan asked, “Do it first, or talk first?”
Xu Shi was stunned. “Ah, ah?” she stammered. “Do-do-do what?”
Yu Lingshan enunciated perfectly: “Love.”
Xu Shi’s face instantly turned red.
“Wh-wh-what?”
Yu Lingshan was amused. She tilted her head, resting one hand on the edge of the sofa, while her other hand suddenly reached out and hooked Xu Shi’s shoulder strap.
“What’s this? When you’re drunk, you know how to pin me to the floor and demand to do it with me, but now you’re playing dumb?”
Xu Shi’s face grew even redder, and her voice got louder. “What? M-me?”
Yu Lingshan didn’t explain properly, instead circling back to the original question. “Well? Do we do it, or do we talk?”
Xu Shi knew that when Yu Lingshan didn’t want to talk about something, you couldn’t pry it out of her. The best thing to do was to follow her lead.
Of course, she was also so nervous her heart was about to leap out of her chest.
How could she not understand what Yu Lingshan meant?
Xu Shi swallowed. “Either is fine.”
Yu Lingshan smiled again.
Yu Lingshan asked, “Do you know how?”
Xu Shi’s mind went blank, but her mouth managed to answer, “I… I think so.”
Yu Lingshan raised an eyebrow. “Do you know how to be a 1 or a 0?”
Xu Shi looked puzzled. “A 0… doesn’t need to know how, right?”
“Ah~” Yu Lingshan laughed. “Looks like you’ve done your research.”
Xu Shi gave a dry laugh.
Yu Lingshan didn’t let go of the strap she was hooking. Instead, she continued, wrapping her index finger around it once.
Because of this, Xu Shi’s dress was pulled up a little.
Yu Lingshan looked into Xu Shi’s eyes. “Aren’t you straight? Why would a straight girl look into this stuff?”
Xu Shi bit her back teeth and also looked into Yu Lingshan’s eyes.
They looked at each other for a while, long enough for Xu Shi’s nerves to tense up, then relax, then tense up again.
Long enough for Yu Lingshan to ask, “Hm?”
A wave of emotion suddenly washed over Xu Shi. She shook her head. “Not anymore.”
“Not anymore?” Yu Lingshan looked very interested. “What do you mean?”
Xu Shi felt like she was laying it all on the line. Her heart was pounding as she said, “Because I like you, so I’m not anymore.”
The hand toying with the strap suddenly stopped.
Finally, she slowly started to smile. The hand hooking the strap suddenly tugged, pulling Xu Shi toward her.
Xu Shi lost her balance and tumbled toward Yu Lingshan, but just before she landed on top of her, she braced herself with her hands on the rug.
The distance between them wasn’t close, but it wasn’t far either.
Yu Lingshan looked into Xu Shi’s eyes. “Say it again.”
Every nerve cell in Xu Shi’s body was buzzing, but her mind was clear. She knew what Yu Lingshan wanted to hear.
“I like you.” Every word from Xu Shi was filled with emotion.
Yu Lingshan pressed her lips into a smile. She blinked slowly and finally let go of the strap.
But the next second, she pinched Xu Shi’s cheek hard.
Xu Shi sucked in a breath as she heard Yu Lingshan ask, “Does it hurt?”
Xu Shi shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt.”
Yu Lingshan: “If it hurts, say so.”
Xu Shi: “It hurts.”
Yu Lingshan laughed. She rubbed the spot she had pinched, then cupped Xu Shi’s face. “What are you so aggrieved about? Is liking me such a grievance?”
Xu Shi did feel quite aggrieved, but because she had been so nervous just now, that feeling had been drowned out by other emotions.
Now that Yu Lingshan had said it out loud, the feeling of grievance was like a child called on by the teacher, suddenly the center of attention in a crowd.
It raised its hand high, sprinted a hundred meters from the vast sea of people to the very front, and shouted loudly, I’m aggrieved, I’m aggrieved!
A sting immediately went to Xu Shi’s nose.
Absurdly, tears started falling right away.
Even more absurdly, as she cried, Yu Lingshan smiled.
“What’s this,” Yu Lingshan stroked Xu Shi’s head. “Why are you crying again?”
Xu Shi seized on the key word in Yu Lingshan’s sentence. “Crying again?”
Yu Lingshan wiped her tears with her thumb. “You cried earlier when you were drunk, too.”
Xu Shi said, “Oh,” and sat down properly beside Yu Lingshan.
Yu Lingshan tilted her head to look at Xu Shi. “Let me guess why the little kid is crying.”
Xu Shi didn’t cry much this time, it was just a brief burst. She wiped her eyes casually and shook her head at Yu Lingshan. “It’s nothing.”
Yu Lingshan tucked Xu Shi’s hair behind her ear. “This is it after confessing?”
Xu Shi’s voice was thick with tears. “Hm?”
Yu Lingshan looked at Xu Shi. “And then? Is that all?”
This question seemed very difficult. Xu Shi thought for a long time.
Yu Lingshan didn’t rush her, waiting quietly for Xu Shi.
After who knows how long, Xu Shi suddenly sighed and shook her head. “There’s nothing else.”
Yu Lingshan sounded helpless. “Why don’t you ask me?”
This sentence also seemed difficult. Xu Shi fell into deep thought.
But Yu Lingshan didn’t have as much patience this time. She quickly continued, “Ask me if I like you.”
Xu Shi immediately grew nervous again, her hands clutching her dress tightly.
Yu Lingshan: “Go on, ask.”
Feeling encouraged, just like with her confession earlier, she looked into Yu Lingshan’s eyes. “Do you like me?”
Yu Lingshan: “I do.”
Yu Lingshan’s reply was swift, coming almost the instant Xu Shi’s words faded.
Tears fell from Xu Shi’s eyes again, but she wasn’t crying. She was smiling.
A little shy, a little relieved, a little surprised, but very, very happy.
Yu Lingshan was amused by Xu Shi. “You’re so silly,” she said, cupping her fingers to catch Xu Shi’s tears. “I don’t know what you’re crying about.”
Xu Shi let out a little laugh, then she lowered her head and gently pecked the corner of Yu Lingshan’s lips, making a little whimpering sound.
Yu Lingshan was exasperated. “Has my affection been subtle? I’ve been pursuing you all this time, Xiao Zhi.”
Xu Shi didn’t answer, just looked at Yu Lingshan, crying and smiling at the same time.
Yu Lingshan ruffled Xu Shi’s hair. “Happy now?”
Xu Shi: “Mhm.”
After saying that, Xu Shi leaned in again.
She had missed Yu Lingshan so much, so she could kiss her for a very long time.
Then, in a pause between breaths, she asked Yu Lingshan, “What are we doing now?”
It was clearly a question, but because Xu Shi asked it so cutely and deliberately, it sounded a little like she was playing dumb, with a hint of provocation.
So Yu Lingshan gave an answer that didn’t match the question: “Okay.”
Of course, she wasn’t really answering a different question at all.
Get instant access to all the chapters now.
