Chapter 24: Holding Her

She remained as petite and delicate as ever, her figure unchanged. The faint aroma of wine lingered, a subtle intoxication.

Qin Yanzhou hadn’t paid much attention to the alcohol content when pouring the wine. The wine was strong, but he hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

Across from him, she began to appear drowsy, her chin resting on her palms, her eyelashes fluttering.

“I’m a little dizzy.”

The words made Qin Yanzhou feel even more uneasy. Was she already drunk?

Beyond her speech becoming softer and slurred, her actions seemed normal. Her flawless face showed no signs of inebriation.

She had a low tolerance for alcohol, but not this low. Qin Yanzhou truly regretted letting her drink so much.

A cool breeze blew, ruffling the stray strands of hair on her forehead. Shen Muyan’s beautiful eyes drooped. She was drunk, but not rowdy. She stayed obediently in her seat, her chin resting on her palm.

But staying out in the breeze like this, she would catch a cold.

A refined and steady fragrance drifted into her senses, the base notes blending with the long-lasting pine and bergamot, carrying a warm, enveloping aura.

Qin Yanzhou bent slightly, his hand already reaching for her shoulder. He straightened her coat, his fingertips brushing against the bare skin of her neck and shoulders, sending a jolt of electricity through him.

She felt a tingling sensation and leaned to the side, turning her head to look at him.

He didn’t do anything else, just stared at her directly. Her cherry-red lips parted slightly, glistening with the residue of wine.

Qin Yanzhou could tell the difference between genuine and feigned intoxication. Her hazy eyes were already giving her away, she simply had a low tolerance for alcohol.

The entire floor was already cleared, and no one dared to come in without permission, unless Qin Yanzhou or Shen Muyan called for them.

“Should we head back?” he asked softly.

“Mm.” Shen Muyan still possessed a sliver of her senses, she understood his words and nodded in response. But then, she added, “I’ll get scolded by my father when I get back to the villa. When I went to get wine from the cellar, I broke two bottles…”

This was the first time Qin Yanzhou had spoken Cantonese in front of her. His voice was gentle, even softer than the Wu dialect.

After hearing her words, Qin Yanzhou felt his heart soften.

She was an honest girl, she was simply drunk, and she still had to deal with the consequences.

He hadn’t investigated her background that thoroughly. Bringing her back to the villa was simply an act of convenience, there was no other kind of relationship between them.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

But Shen Muyan didn’t respond, her mind seemed to be empty, unable to process any words.

Qin Yanzhou didn’t know what to do. He hesitated for a moment, then directly reached out to hold her hand and lead her away. The situation was unusual, he felt it was too inappropriate to just leave her like this.

“Let me carry you.”

“Mm.” Qin Yanzhou paused slightly, his eyes narrowed slightly. He was known for his restraint and self-control, but his defenses were slowly crumbling. Shen Muyan was joking.

Her peach-blossom eyes, veiled in a layer of mist, assured him that her mind was clear, her speech was also clear.

He knelt down on one knee, this was the first time he had been so gentle. His heart, which had gradually calmed down, was now in turmoil again, but he forced himself to remain composed.

“Brother.”

Shen Muyan leaned against his side, uttering only two words.

Qin Yanzhou furrowed his brows, no wonder she was so comfortable leaning on him, she must have mistaken him for Shen Yunze or Shen Yu.

The high-concentration, vintage red wine was indeed easy to get drunk on. He had lost his self-control, indulging in a few too many glasses, leading to this situation. He couldn’t escape responsibility.

He resigned himself to his fate, willingly wrapping his arms around her slender waist and lifting her up.

She was light, very light.

Leaning against his chest, she moved restlessly, her scent mingling with the sweetness of the grapes.

The cruise ship’s hollow, rotating staircase was lined with railings. Lu Lin was waiting there.

He was immediately surprised, but as a seasoned assistant with professional etiquette, he quickly opened the car door, allowing them to enter smoothly.

He drove steadily towards the port, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

She leaned against his shoulder, her head resting on his chest.

——

The white clouds drifted across the azure sky, the car was moving quickly, the blinds were drawn, but the wind still seeped through the gaps, creating a rustling sound.

When Shen Muyan arrived, she was slightly trembling, the unfamiliar environment made her nervous, but she quickly calmed down.

Her head felt extremely heavy. She pressed the button on the ceiling, the blinds slowly converged to the sides, the dawn’s glow dissipated, the sun rose in the east, its brilliant rays shone through the glass, refracting into a myriad of colors, a beautiful sight.

She could see half of Victoria Harbour’s scenery, and the wine…

Wine!

Suddenly, Shen Muyan froze, her heart filled with a sense of panic. Wine, and Qin Yanzhou, he was drunk.

She had a clear recollection of the drunken state she had described, she was clingy, extremely clingy.

“Ugh…”

Her mind was a bit scrambled, the fragmented memories were finally piecing together the story.

She had been so out of it last night, the hair tie had fallen out of her hair, her hair was now slightly messy, falling down her back, and her dress was wrinkled.

What had happened?

She had to get up.

The more anxious she became, the more confused she got.

Amidst her jumbled emotions, her phone rang. Her bag was neatly placed on the headrest, her phone was pressed against a piece of paper.

It was written in elegant cursive, the handwriting strong and forceful.

【Contact me.】

Signed, Qin Yanzhou.

It was over…