Chapter 91: Drunk
Wang Zijun really did bail on them.
The banquet was about to end, and there was still no sign of him.
“Hiss~ What’s up with you today? You seem out of it. Not like you at all.”
“Just a bit tired lately.” Xu Qing smiled faintly, picked up the coat draped over the chair, and put it on. As he stood up, the slight buzz of alcohol hit him, causing him to sway briefly. He steadied his feet, straightened his sleeves, and asked, “Where to next?”
“Karaoke and more drinks. You’re not done, are you?” His friend casually slung an arm over Xu Qing’s shoulder.
“I’m done, I’m done. You guys go ahead. I need a breather.”
Xu Qing shook his head with a smile. The thought of going out no longer interested him. He just wanted so peace and quiet, ti to reflect on the changes that had happened recently.
Influence is mutual. It wasn’t just Jiang He who was influenced by him—unknowingly, he had also been influenced by Jiang He quite a bit. He just couldn’t tell whether it was the impact of his feelings or Jiang He herself.
He glanced at the dishes on the table, barely touched and already wasted, feeling an indescribable emotion.
It wasn’t awkward or jarring, but there was a faint, soft thorn pricking his heart. It didn’t seem like a big deal, but he couldn’t help noticing it.
What was the point of this dinner gathering?
Around him, people were getting up in twos and threes, still laughing and joking. The sound of chairs scraping, cups hitting tables, and bottles falling to the ground mixed together into a noisy hum.
Xu Qing suppressed his discomfort, left the private room, and stepped outside. The chill in the air cleared his mind a bit.
“You guys go on, don’t worry about ,” he told the friends who followed him out.
“Really drank too much? Co on, let’s have so fun. You don’t have to drink, just sing a couple of songs.”
“No, another ti.”
Xu Qing refused, pulled his coat tighter around himself, and said, “I’m off.”
“Hey…”
Their voices were carried away by the cold wind. He squinted, exhaled a long breath, and watched the white mist drift from his mouth, feeling a mont of serenity.
Just then, his phone rang. He took it out and saw it was Wang Zijun, the serial flake, calling.
“Hello?”
“Qingzi, help!”
Xu Qing froze. A series of thoughts flashed through his mind.
“Where are you?”
“At Ru’s Hotel by Grand Plaza. Hurry!”
“What happened?” He paused, looked at the street on both sides, and asked, “Should I call soone?”
“…”
There was a mont of awkward silence on Wang Zijun’s end. “No… just co alone.”
Half an hour later, at Grand Plaza.
With a hint of alcohol still on him, Xu Qing bought a complete set of clothes—underwear, thermal wear, and a sweater—from a mall. Carrying the bag, he followed the location Wang Zijun sent via WeChat.
The wealthy flake was wrapped in a blanket behind the door. He let Xu Qing in, grabbed the clothes, and dashed into the bathroom, his bare butt peeking out.
“What happened? Your ex-girlfriend pulled a honey trap on you?” Xu Qing glanced around the empty room and casually sat on the bed.
“I let my guard down!” Wang Zijun’s voice was full of indignation.
“Weren’t you supposed to, you know, hook up?”
“Hook up, my a**! At first, she just said we’d have a drink. I thought maybe old feelings were rekindling, so I went along. Then we had so dessert, and I was just about to et up with you…”
“And then? You ate dessert and ended up in a hotel?”
Xu Qing looked around and chuckled. “Pretty fancy place. Deluxe suite.”
“That woman tricked into coming here. I hadn’t seen her in ages…”
Wang Zijun, now fully dressed, erged from the bathroom, seething. “She told to take a shower first. When I ca out, she and my clothes were gone!”
“…”
Xu Qing stared blankly for a mont. “That’s it?”
“What do you an, that’s it?” Wang Zijun was furious. “She’s evil! This is an outrage!”
“Wait, hold on… You went into the shower completely naked? She took even your boxers?”
“She… she helped take them off and then shooed into the shower. Damn it! It was a trap!”
Before stepping into the shower, Wang Zijun had been happily humming, thinking it was a perfect day.
A chance encounter with his ex, a pleasant chat, a stroll, coffee…
It was all fake!
A con!
A scam!
Xu Qing laughed for a long while, then lay back on the bed with his eyes closed.
“Be glad it wasn’t a honey trap. When you yelled for help, I thought you were being kidnapped…”
“Forget this ss. You guys done eating?”
“Yeah, we just finished when you called.”
“Weren’t you going out after dinner? You didn’t go?”
“No.”
“Perfect timing, then. Let’s go.” Wang Zijun, still reeling from the incident, needed to soothe his soul.
“No, you go on.”
Xu Qing lazily sprawled on the hotel bed. The thought of the noisy karaoke scene made him shake his head.
After a night of eating and drinking, all that was left was the sll of alcohol. He’d rather save the money and buy a couple of pounds of ribs to make soup for Jiang He.
“Had too much to drink?”
“A little… Mostly, I just don’t feel like it. Lately, I don’t enjoy being in big, rowdy groups. It feels pointless. Look at the past six months; I’ve barely gone out.”
He opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. “How does that saying go? Human sorrow and joy are not connected. To , they’re just noisy. Too noisy…”
“You really are drunk,” Wang Zijun concluded. “Just go yell a few songs, and you’ll feel better.”
“Not interested.”
Xu Qing closed his eyes again and, after a mont, said, “In the future, let’s just stick to small gatherings with close friends. These big events are pointless.”
He no longer wanted wild nights out. He just wanted a stable life.
“Why the sudden change?” Wang Zijun asked, puzzled.
“Sudden?”
“…Maybe not.” Wang Zijun scratched his head. This had started a few months ago. Before, Xu Qing would join nine tis out of ten. Since winter began, though, he’d barely shown up.
“You go ahead. I just need so quiet.” Xu Qing’s eyes held a trace of confusion. There were things he needed to think about.
After a pause, he turned his head and asked, “How long did you book this room for?”
“The whole afternoon.”
Wang Zijun didn’t leave imdiately. He sat down and glanced at Xu Qing. “If you’re drunk, just go ho. What are you doing here… Did you fight with your girlfriend?”
“No. Just go.”
“Alright. Want to extend the booking for another night so you can rest?”
“No need. I’ll leave after I sober up.”
“Alright, I’m off.”
The door clicked shut.
The hotel room fell into silence.
Xu Qing turned over on the soft bed, staring at a corner of the room.
aningless socializing didn’t compare to quality solitude. Reading a book, watching a movie, or browsing trending topics was far more fulfilling than aimlessly partying. He’d always known that, but never cared before.
That wasn’t what he was thinking about now.
In a fleeting mont earlier, he realized there was a difference between getting by and living life. Having soone wasn’t just about an extra pair of chopsticks.
For Jiang He, this place had everything. But for a young woman, he had nothing.
Attachnt, responsibility, family…
He often joked about tricking Jiang He into marrying him. But was he really ready?
Setting aside Jiang He’s complicated identity, the word marriage felt surprisingly heavy.
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