Chapter 16: Then You Drive

After several glasses of alcohol, Ji Xueli, who already had a low tolerance, started to feel dizzy.

She massaged her temples, her steps unsteady as she headed toward the bathroom, trying to sober up. She had no interest in Duan Qingyu and the women around him anymore.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she couldn’t help but think about the rules Duan Qingyu had set for her. It was quite obvious—he intended to humiliate her, treating her like those people who stripped off their clothes for status.

Cold water ran through her fingers, the sound of the water momentarily clearing her foggy mind.

What were the other common tropes in old-school novels? Substitution plots, transactional plots… it seemed that humiliation tropes were quite common in early literature.

“The Crown Prince really has a great tolerance for alcohol. Another drink?” A woman nearby smiled and fluttered her eyelashes at Duan Qingyu.

Duan Qingyu, with a calm expression, pushed the women aside. The scent of their perfume gave him a headache.

He glanced at the empty seat next to him, unsure when it became vacant. Having stayed too long, he was starting to feel a bit bored for some reason.

Duan Qingyu put down his glass, watching as people continued to enjoy themselves, yet the person beside him still hadn’t returned.

“I’ll leave first.” He picked up his coat, standing up with indifference, clearly losing interest in the place.

“Already leaving?” Cheng Du wasn’t too surprised. After all, Duan Qingyu’s moods were unpredictable, swinging between highs and lows.

“Hey, where’s Lili?” He didn’t see Ji Xueli next to Duan Qingyu and frowned.

Duan Qingyu didn’t seem concerned. He ignored the question and walked straight toward the door, wanting to clear his head alone.

But then an uninformed woman stepped forward, coquettishly grabbing his arm. “Crown Prince, why not play a little longer? Let’s continue with the next game…”

In the instant she grabbed his arm, he ruthlessly shook her off. Duan Qingyu’s voice was icy cold: “Leave.”

The woman fell to the ground, stunned. Wasn’t the Crown Prince supposed to be the most gentlemanly, treating his female companions with care? Everyone associated with him had risen to prominence.

Cheng Du glanced at the woman on the ground, a faint smile curling on his lips. Another poor soul who believed in the rumors. The so-called gentlemanly behavior, the gentle manners—everything was just a facade. The craziest one among them all was Duan Qingyu, who was indifferent to others and harsh in nature.

So, when he heard that Ji Xueli was chasing Duan Qingyu, he was surprised and bewildered. They had been so familiar with each other back in school. If they liked each other, why did she choose to be with Ji Yan Zhou halfway through?

When Ji Xueli emerged from the bathroom, she saw Duan Qingyu walking toward the exit. She was slightly puzzled but quickly followed him.

After all, she came here for him, so naturally, she had to follow him.

When Duan Qingyu took the car key from the security guard and was about to open the car door, his hand was suddenly stopped by a warm hand.

A woman’s voice sounded: “Drinking and driving?”

Duan Qingyu looked over and saw Ji Xueli standing beside him, though he didn’t know when she had come over.

“What’s wrong? Are you going to drive?” Duan Qingyu looked down at her.

“Sure.” Ji Xueli raised an eyebrow and pulled open the car door in line with his hand.

Duan Qingyu looked at his own hand, then at her sitting in the driver’s seat. His gaze darkened. It seemed she had forgotten that she was also driving under the influence.

Duan Qingyu walked around the car and sat in the passenger seat. This was getting more interesting.

Ji Xueli gripped the steering wheel, her expression shifting slightly. She had been holding back a lot of emotions, and now she could finally let them out.