Chapter 43

Zhou Wu always felt that Wen Ci was a contradictory person.

She had always played the role of a good student, a well-behaved child throughout high school, yet she would seek him out for a one-night stand. Zhou Wu thought at the time that appearances could be deceiving. When they were in bed, he discovered that it was her first time. At first, she was in pain, sweating but silent. Later, when it became more comfortable, her cheeks and the area under her eyes turned red, yet she still remained silent.

Today, dressed so innocently, with soft hair cascading over her shoulders, drinking in tiny sips, startled by the music, her eyes growing wide and round as she watched others play dice, she looked like she was in class. Yet, she also sent him messages inviting him out for a kiss, her usual polite tone saying “okay” and “sorry,” but this time she whispered breathlessly in his ear, asking him if he was a virgin.

It seemed common for someone to turn into a different person when drunk, but oddly enough, Zhou Wu didn’t feel that Wen Ci was very different from usual.

It seemed like she was just more talkative, a bit bolder, but she was still the same person. When sober, she was obedient; when drunk and asking him if they could be fuck buddies, she was obedient; now, when kissed until she was gasping for air and trembling from his touch, she was still obedient.

Zhou Wu didn’t know why she suddenly asked that question. He swallowed hard, having drunk a bit as well, his voice a little husky: “Didn’t it feel good?”

“It did,” Wen Ci replied, her voice soft. “So, is it true?”

“Mm,” Zhou Wu answered briefly.

Then he noticed Wen Ci’s reaction becoming more obvious, her delicate skin raising faint little bumps.

“What’s this? What are you enjoying?” Zhou Wu sensed something was off. He wrapped one arm around her waist and, with the other hand, gently rubbed her. After a pause, he hesitated and asked, “Is it because I was your first?”

“Mm,” Wen Ci’s voice was weak. Remembering what Dou Yiqing had said about that blogger, she felt a bit guilty for acting this way. “Sorry.”

“…”

What was she apologizing for? And what’s so precious about a man’s first time? Could that be what made her feel good?

Zhou Wu lazily thought to himself, his heartbeat slowing down, then picking up again.

His phone, which had been shoved in his jeans and felt uncomfortable, lit up once more when they entered the private room. Zhou Wu glanced at it, seeing that it was a call from Xiang Wenwen.

“Don’t get too happy,” Zhou Wu stretched out his hand and turned Wen Ci’s face, which was resting on his shoulder, to face him. Wen Ci was sitting on a high bar stool, which Zhou Wu had raised to its highest point, making it just enough for them to be almost at eye level. Zhou Wu lowered his gaze, his voice casual, as if he wasn’t planning to let her go yet, and intentionally said, “Xiang Wenwen said he’ll send you back.”

Wen Ci, with half-lidded eyes, looked at him and said, “Zhou Wu, send me back.”

After playing Truth or Dare and drinking too much, she was completely honest, with no inhibitions. Her glass was empty, and now she was completely drunk.

“Is Zhou Wu your driver? You had him pick you up, take you here, and now you want him to send you back?” Zhou Wu said indifferently, his tone cool as he calculated later actions. “If you want to be with Xiang Wenwen, why don’t you call him to pick you up?”

“I’m happy sitting with you,” Wen Ci leaned in, nuzzling his nose like a cat, answering in a way that didn’t quite match the question, “…We used to sit far apart.”

Zhou Wu paused slightly: “In the past?”

Wen Ci murmured, “Yeah… you were too tall, always sitting in the last row.”

Zhou Wu realized she was talking about their high school days.

At this point, there was something to be settled. Zhou Wu pinched her chin, moving her slightly aside: “Wen Ci, you’re supposed to be a good student, and you had a crush on someone in your first year?”

Wen Ci apologized, “Sorry.”

Zhou Wu gave her a cold look and asked, “What did he do for you to have a crush on him?”

Wen Ci thought for a moment and said, “He helped me carry books.”

That was it. Zhou Wu scoffed, then paused, realizing something was off.

“Wen Ci, Xiang Wenwen was a transfer student. He wasn’t there when the first year started.” Zhou Wu said coldly, “It was me and Qin Yun who carried the books.”

Wen Ci nodded. She knew. She had been the one to sign for and pick up the books.

At that time, the other students were holding stacks of textbooks, and Wen Ci naturally took some as well. She had developed late and was very small in first year—some might even mistake her for a first-year junior high student. The books in her hands looked like a small mountain.

Zhou Wu and the other boys were joking in the corridor, bad-mouthing their new class teacher, Mr. Yu. Although they were all first-year students, Zhou Wu had already grown tall, standing out among the boys. His slender frame and broad shoulders filled out his school uniform.

As they laughed, Zhou Wu passed by Wen Ci, giving her a casual glance, his face carrying a playful smile. Wen Ci was startled and stopped in her tracks, not yet reacting before he already turned his gaze away.

He also took the textbooks from her hands.

Thinking her memory was mixed up, that she had confused him with Xiang Wenwen, Zhou Wu frowned and was about to let her go, but before he could, Wen Ci suddenly leaned in and kissed his chin. “Zhou Wu, you look really good in a school uniform.”

Zhou Wu: “…”

What was this, acting drunk? Zhou Wu couldn’t help but smile slightly, his voice lazy as he said, “Stop fooling around.”

Before he could finish, Wen Ci stuck out her tongue and licked his lips, speaking in a slurred voice, “…You look good when playing basketball too.”

“…”

Zhou Wu, trying not to fall for the drunk act, asked with a dragged-out tone, “And… what else?”

Dim light from the room’s window filtered in, casting shadows on Zhou Wu’s face, highlighting his sharp nose and the faint drunkenness in his eyes as he looked down at her.

Wen Ci stared at him, dazed, and answered, “And now.”

—-

In the private room of the nightclub, it was too inconvenient, and they couldn’t wait to call a cab. Zhou Wu took her next door to the Blue Note to rent a room.

They were so close that when they entered the room, they could still vaguely hear the noise from the bar.

Wen Ci lay on the bed, kissing Zhou Wu. Zhou Wu half-forced her to look up, and she had no choice but to keep swallowing, making soft, ambiguous sounds, blending with the noise of sucking.

Zhou Wu got up to grab something from the bedside, but Wen Ci caught his finger.

“I have some in my jeans pocket.”

“Teacher Wen, carrying a condom with you?”

Wen Ci nodded. “I always carry one when I meet you.”

“…”

Both were heated from the alcohol, and their lips and teeth tasted of liquor. Tonight, Wen Ci had a particularly strong reaction. Zhou Wu slipped his hand into her mouth, running his fingers lightly over her teeth. “Not at home tonight, don’t be too loud.”

The Blue Note was filled with friends, and when people drank too much, they would come to the hotel nearby to sleep. There might be familiar faces around.

Wen Ci held his fingers in her mouth, her cheeks flushed, and mumbled, “…Okay. Sorry, I was just really comfortable.”

“…”

By the time they were done, it was nearly 2 a.m. Wen Ci curled up in bed, her pale back rising and falling with each breath.

Zhou Wu helped her smooth her back, calling her name softly: “Teacher Wen.”

Zhou Wu had already felt something was wrong earlier.

At Qin Yun’s birthday last time, Zhou Wu thought what she said was just drunken rambling, nonsense, not to be taken seriously.

But tonight, he realized that when Wen Ci was drunk, she didn’t lie much.

Occasionally, she would blurt out one or two seemingly random things, but when he thought about it, there was always some logic behind it.

Wen Ci responded in a hoarse voice, “Hmm?”

“What’s 19 plus 28?”

Wen Ci was silent for a long time before answering, “47.”

“Who is your least favorite student?”

Wen Ci immediately said a name that sounded like a male student. Zhou Wu asked, “Why?”

“He’s loud, always bullying female classmates.” Wen Ci paused, then quietly added, “Very annoying.”

Zhou Wu nodded, confirming.

Wen Ci, when drunk, was indeed very honest. In fact, she was more straightforward than usual. If he had asked these questions when she was sober, she might not have answered at all.

Zhou Wu’s voice was lazy as he stroked her hair, massaging her scalp lightly. It felt like a casual conversation: “What season do you like?”

“Winter.”

“Do you like dogs or cats?”

“I like Yeye.” Wen Ci asked, as if she couldn’t tell where she was, “Why isn’t Yeye home today?”

Zhou Wu smiled: “Do you like lions or tigers?”

“…I don’t like either.”

“Who is more handsome, Zhou Wu or Xiang Wenwen?”

“Zhou Wu.”

“Then do you like Zhou Wu or Xiang Wenwen?”

“Zhou Wu.”

Her heart felt a little itchy, like it was being scratched. Zhou Wu cleared his throat, leaned down, and kissed her again, repeating, “Do you like Zhou Wu or Xiang Wenwen?”

Wen Ci replied, “Zhou Wu.”

They went in circles, always the same answer without hesitation. Zhou Wu asked a new question: “When did you start liking me?”

She didn’t answer.

Wen Ci had already fallen asleep, her face pressed against him.

Under the dim light of the bedside lamp, Wen Ci turned her face slightly, her breath shallow, sleeping soundly.

Zhou Wu lifted his head, catching sight of his own face in the inexplicable mirror designs at the head of the bed. His neck and ears flushed red, as though he had caught Wen Ci’s emotions. His heart raced just like it did during intimacy.

Damn…

Zhou Wu let out a long sigh, raised his hand, and gently traced Wen Ci’s small, well-defined nose.

“Wen Ci.” After a long pause, he smiled lightly and sighed, “You don’t seem to be lying, do you?”