Chapter 13

In that moment, Wen Ci felt a sense of shame as if she had been caught doing something wrong. She wasn’t sure if Zhou Wu had overheard their conversation, or how much of it he had heard. Wen Ci quickly avoided his gaze, her heart racing, her ears burning, unable to say a word.

The conversation was interrupted, and naturally, it couldn’t continue. Xiang Wenwen stood up and reached out to him: “You’re here.”

Zhou Wu shook his hand briefly, then quickly let go, his eyes returning to Wen Ci’s face.

Under the dim lights, Wen Ci’s ears and cheeks had turned pink, and she lowered her eyes to avoid looking at him.

Seeing her increasingly flushed face, Zhou Wu took his gaze away without much expression.

He had only exchanged a couple of words with Xiang Wenwen. Was it really that big of a deal?

“Wen Ci, you look really beautiful today.” Qin Yun immediately followed up, clearly having already spoken with Xiang Wenwen, and directed his words straight at Wen Ci.

Wen Ci quickly adjusted her expression. She stood up, handed over the gift, and smiled, “Thank you, happy birthday.”

“Ah, thanks!” Qin Yun took it from her. “Have you had dinner yet? There’s a buffet inside, with all sorts of dishes. I’ve invited top chefs, so the food should be great—though I’m not sure if it’s already been emptied out by Dou Yiqing.”

“Talking bad about people behind their backs will give you hemorrhoids.” A cold remark came from behind him. Dou Yiqing had gone to get watermelon earlier but now returned with a plate of delicious food.

“Is that so?” Qin Yun smiled, “Then I’ll say it to your face.”

Dou Yiqing shot him a glare. Given it was his birthday and he had arranged such a lavish dinner, she decided not to argue with him. She pulled a gift from her bag and tossed it into Qin Yun’s hands. “For you, happy birthday.”

Qin Yun took it, shook it in his hands, and smiled sincerely, “Thanks for the three melons and two dates.”

Dou Yiqing handed the plate of food to Wen Ci. “Wen Ci, hold this for me. I’m going to go kill someone.”

Wen Ci speared a piece of beef with a fork and fed it to Dou Yiqing. “Calm down, calm down.”

“What are you guys talking about, so happily? Add me in!” The voice of Duan Wei reached them before she did.

She had somehow already made it to the shore and was walking toward them.

Duan Wei walked quickly, her clothes still dripping with water. Just as she was about to reach them, she suddenly slipped and fell straight toward Wen Ci.

Wen Ci didn’t have time to worry about getting wet. Instinctively, she reached out to catch her, but before Duan Wei even fell, Wen Ci herself was lifted into the air.

Zhou Wu had one arm around her waist, lifting her up and moving her to the side.

Duan Wei didn’t actually fall. Xiang Wenwen reacted quickly and caught her.

“My God, you scared me to death!” Duan Wei, still shaken, stood up and hugged Xiang Wenwen, kissing him repeatedly on the cheek. “Thank you, husband, woo woo woo.”

Xiang Wenwen let her kiss him carelessly, his voice soft, “Be careful.”

Each kiss from Duan Wei was sweet and passionate, completely different from the sadness she showed earlier when talking to Zhou Wu about wanting a divorce.

Wen Ci stood there, watching the affectionate scene in front of her, a look of confusion and doubt on her face.

The surroundings were dark, and with Duan Wei’s sudden action, no one noticed them. Once she was sure the person in her arms was steady, Zhou Wu slowly released her waist.

He lowered his eyes and admired the dazed expression on Wen Ci’s face. The inexplicable annoyance in his heart was somewhat dissipated by her fluttering eyelashes.

Others were also confused.

Dou Yiqing whispered, “I thought they were arguing.”

“They were,” Qin Yun whispered back, “Duan Wei can be like this, back and forth. She was talking about divorce earlier, but in a couple of days, she’ll want a divorce again. So can you move your foot off mine?”

The little drama had just ended when Qin Yun received a phone call. The DJ he had arranged had arrived, and Qin Yun waved his hand, signaling everyone to head to the third floor, announcing that the night event was starting.

Wen Ci had never been to a nightclub, so she was surprised to experience one at a birthday party tonight. The third floor of the villa was filled with tables and sofas, resembling the scattered tables and booths in a nightclub. In front, there was a DJ booth and a dance floor. The DJ, with his back to the floor-to-ceiling windows showing the bustling city nightscape, skillfully set the mood for the crowd. The lights flashed, and there were even dark blue light strips on the walls. Expensive speakers stimulated everyone’s eardrums.

This villa was clearly designed specifically for parties.

Qin Yun had originally invited them to sit in the middle sofa area, but Dou Yiqing refused because it smelled too much like smoke.

The two found a secluded platform in the corner.

“Wen Ci, are you okay?” Dou Yiqing leaned into her ear, worried that she might not be used to the loud noise. “If you’re uncomfortable, we can leave.”

Wen Ci was looking at the sofa in front of the dance floor.

Zhou Wu was sitting there, clinking glasses with someone who came over to greet him.

The person bent slightly at the waist, and Zhou Wu turned his face, supporting himself on the sofa with one hand while talking to the person. His jawline was sharp, and he had a faint smile on his face. As he spoke, his Adam’s apple moved, and in the dim lighting, he was incredibly attractive.

Wen Ci could not tell whether the beating of her heart or the drumbeats were louder. She glanced at him for a moment, then quickly turned her gaze away, laughing as she spoke to Dou Yiqing, “I’m fine.”

“Good, if you’re uncomfortable, just let me know, and I’ll take you home.”

A waiter passed by with a tray of drinks. Dou Yiqing called one of them over and grabbed all the drinks on the tray.

Wen Ci looked at the table full of drinks and was shocked. “Yiqing, can you drink all this?”

Drinking had only become a hobby of Dou Yiqing’s in the past two years. She had a perfect control over her alcohol tolerance. Every weekend, she would have a little to relax, help her sleep, and feel comfortable.

“Of course. Don’t be fooled by the amount; each cup doesn’t have much alcohol. Besides, some of these are rare, you can’t even find them outside, so of course I have to try them.” Dou Yiqing picked up a cup, took two sips, and couldn’t help but exhale, “Help! It’s so good—Wen Ci, do you want to try a sip?”

Remembering that Wen Ci had never drunk alcohol before, Dou Yiqing immediately regretted it. “Forget it, you shouldn’t drink.”

“What does it taste like?” Wen Ci asked, looking at the liquid in the cup. She knew that Dou Yiqing drank alcohol on weekends and often called her over video, so she was curious. “What does it feel like after drinking?”

“It’s sweet, bitter, and a little sour,” Dou Yiqing laughed, “As for the feeling… Wen Ci, how do you feel right now?”

The image of Duan Wei and Xiang Wenwen, who had just been inseparable, suddenly appeared in Wen Ci’s mind.

She suddenly understood why some people liked going to nightclubs. In the dim and noisy environment, it seemed like they could express their emotions freely.

“I feel great right now.” The music in the venue grew even louder. Wen Ci smiled, leaned toward Dou Yiqing’s ear, and said, “I’m really happy!”

“Then you’ll be even happier if you drink!!!” Dou Yiqing laughed in response.

Wen Ci felt a little tempted. She looked at the array of drinks in front of her. “Then… which one tastes the best?”

Dou Yiqing hesitated for a moment, then seriously picked a low-alcohol drink and handed it to her.

Wen Ci took a sip, and her whole face scrunched up from the sour bitterness. Dou Yiqing laughed at her, “How is it?”

The aftertaste slowly came back, and Wen Ci closed her eyes, keeping the scrunched face expression, nodding repeatedly, “It’s good!”

Dou Yiqing was delighted. “Wen Ci, you’re really too cute.”

No one knew how much Wen Ci had experienced that night. It was her first time running away from home, her first time jumping out of a window, her first time at a nightclub, and her first time drinking alcohol.

The excitement and tension she had never felt in 26 years were all experienced in one night.

Dou Yiqing had previously observed that the drinks she grabbed were all low in alcohol and in small amounts. It was clear that these were arranged for women in the more secluded areas, and despite Qin Yun being not great, he was considerate in these aspects.

But she didn’t expect Wen Ci’s alcohol tolerance to be lower than she had anticipated.

After three drinks, Wen Ci, who usually listened quietly to gossip, actually spoke up first. “Yiqing, don’t you think Duan Wei and Xiang Wenwen’s relationship seems pretty good?”

“Yeah, I thought they were fighting during the school anniversary.” Dou Yiqing looked at her with concern. “Wen Ci, you’re not tipsy, right? Is your head hurting?”

Wen Ci leaned on the table, shook her head, clinked glasses with her, her eyes curved with a sincere tone. “No, I feel fine. I’m really happy. I hope they stay together forever.”

Dou Yiqing: “…”

—-

The sixth drink.

Zhou Wu was sitting lazily on the sofa, his arms crossed, his expression indifferent as he watched the distant corner table.

Wen Ci was wearing his jacket and was drinking to drown her sorrows.

It was clear that Dou Yiqing had been trying hard to persuade her to stop, but Wen Ci kept drinking. Each time she finished a glass, she pitifully held up a finger to Dou Yiqing: just one more, the last one.

It seemed Wen Ci wasn’t used to drinking, as each sip made her grimace in bitterness. Then she’d stare at a spot, taking a moment to recover.

Zhou Wu followed her gaze.

On the dance floor, Xiang Wenwen was holding Duan Wei close, the two engaged in a close dance.

“What’s going on over there?” Qin Yun, who had invited them both and was keeping an eye on the two girls, asked in confusion. “It’s understandable for Dou Yiqing, but why is Wen Ci drinking so much?”

Zhou Wu stayed silent.

“Hey, Zhou Wu, can you give Wen Ci a ride home later? If not, I’ll have to arrange for a car now.”

“No,” Zhou Wu replied, looking away.

Qin Yun was taken aback. Wasn’t it you who said you’d pick her up because it was on your way? Why the sudden change?

He was about to ask when he saw Zhou Wu’s expressionless face, a slight tension around his eyes, and a faint aura of displeasure.

Alright, someone must have upset him again. Qin Yun kept quiet and sent a message to his driver team.

After turning down yet another person offering him a drink, Zhou Wu glanced back to see Wen Ci leaving the platform. She waved off Dou Yiqing, who wanted to follow, and staggered downstairs.

Zhou Wu looked away.

After a while, the music changed, and Qin Yun swayed his head, saying, “Damn, this one’s lively. Come on, Zhou Wu, let’s dance for a bit—hey, where are you going?”

“For some air.”

With that, Zhou Wu walked away.

Wen Ci was holding onto the railing, walking slowly, and Zhou Wu found her in no time.

He wasn’t in a hurry to approach her and followed her slow pace. He initially thought she was heading to the restroom, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

She kept walking down to the first floor, took out her phone, and started typing.

Everyone was drinking on the third floor, and even the staff rarely came to the first floor. The pool area was completely deserted.

Zhou Wu couldn’t stand it anymore. Just before she stepped into the pool, he pulled her back.

He hooked his finger into the collar of her jacket: “What are you doing, not watching where you’re going?”

Wen Ci turned around and saw him. She was momentarily stunned before breaking into a smile.

Perhaps due to the alcohol, her cheeks and ears were slightly red. Her eyes were more watery than usual, and when she smiled, they shimmered like crescent moons reflected in water.

“I was replying to your message,” she said.

Zhou Wu glanced at her phone and saw the unfinished message in the chat box: [No, we didn’t sleep together, you don’t need to AA.]

Zhou Wu couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation.

“Wait here. I’ll go get your bag and take you home.”

“Home? Now?” Wen Ci asked, dazedly. Her speech had slowed significantly from the alcohol. “But I haven’t finished what I want to do.”

“What else do you want to do?” Zhou Wu raised an eyebrow.

If she dared to say she wanted to see more of Xiang Wenwen or talk to him a bit more, she’d have to sit here and wait for Qin Yun to arrange for someone to take her home.

Zhou Wu looked at her, thinking.

“I want to kiss you.”

Zhou Wu was silent.

“I was going to message you and ask, but then you showed up,” Wen Ci smiled at him, embarrassed.

The noisy music mingled with the chirping of summer insects. A breeze blew by, causing ripples on the surface of the pool.

Zhou Wu looked down, gazing into her eyes.

Usually, she’d avoid eye contact after a few seconds, but tonight she stared straight at him, her eyes earnest and pleading.

After a while, Zhou Wu’s brow relaxed, and he returned to his usual nonchalance, a faint smile appearing on his lips: “Wen Ci, I never quite understand you.”

“Sorry.” Wen Ci didn’t know what she was apologizing for. It was probably just a habitual response. “So, can I? If it’s inconvenient… just a small kiss is fine.”