Chapter 26: Drunk—Kissed the Wrong Person
The alcohol was merely for heightening the atmosphere. The fruit wine Lin Shuhuai ordered was very low in alcohol content, only able to be called fruit-flavored sweet water.
Yu Xi also behaved like a curious kitten, sniffing the wine pot continuously. Therefore, no one present stopped this.
The first to notice something wrong was Sheng Yunshu, who was sitting on the other side of Yu Xi.
She saw Yu Xi picking all the yakitori skewers off and once again selecting the green peppers from among them, transporting them into Meng Shen’s plate.
Meng Shen would eat one, and he would add another.
After observing for a while, Sheng Yunshu silently gave her portion of yakitori to Yu Xi.
After Yu Xi finished adding his and Sheng Yunshu’s portions, he thought troubledly for a moment, looked around, his eyes lit up, and he propped himself on the table with one hand to reach for the plate across from him.
“Want this?” Sheng Yunzhuan took the initiative to move her plate closer.
“Mhm, mhm, thank you.” Yu Xi took them and turned to give them to Meng Shen, a somewhat silly smile blossoming on his face. “Our A-Shen must eat more; you can’t be hungry.”
Sheng Yunzhuan widened her eyes. “Whoa!!! Xiao Xi, you’re actually giving my things to someone else. I’m angry!”
Lin Shuhuai laughed lightly and took a sip of sake. “Our Xiao Xi has truly been taking care of A-Shen since childhood; he hasn’t changed at all.”
“He’s already grown so big, why does he still need to be taken care of? This is unfair. Xiao Xi, if you gave them to him, what will I eat? I’m going to starve to death—!” Sheng Yunzhuan began to make a scene.
Hearing this, Yu Xi was panicked for a few seconds and hurriedly added the meat from the yakitori to Sheng Yunzhuan’s plate.
Sheng Yunzhuan looked at her meat and then at the green peppers in Meng Shen’s plate. Her pouting mouth turned into a proud smile. “That’s more like it.”
Zhang Xingkuo spoke up, not wanting to be left behind: “Xiao Xi, I want some too.”
Lin Shuhuai joined in the fun: “Me too.”
Yu Xi then gave them one by one. Everyone was competing and scrambling, wanting more than the others, making him extremely busy.
He finally finished distributing all his portions and hadn’t even caught a breath before he met Gu Chuanzhou’s gaze on his right.
“Xixi, I don’t have even one.”
“…” Yu Xi’s eyes were about to turn into swirly circles.
“Enough.” Sheng Yunshu spoke up at the right time. “Stop making things difficult for him. Xiao Xi is already a bit drunk.”
Hearing Sheng Yunshu speak up for him, Yu Xi immediately sought shelter behind her, hiding his head behind her back. “Yunshu Jiejie.”
Sheng Yunshu was slightly stunned, a glowing smile manifesting in her eyes. It was very rare for her to show her emotions so clearly, and she gave a light response.
“Really drunk? Let me see.” Sheng Yunzhuan left her seat and came over, sticking her head out to look at Yu Xi.
Yu Xi spotted her and called out again, “Xiao Juan Jiejie.”
“Oh my, oh my!” Sheng Yunzhuan cupped her face and screamed. “It’s been so long since I heard Xiao Xi call me that. Come here and let Jiejie give you a hug.”
She reached out and hugged Yu Xi’s head, rubbing his hair vigorously.
When Yu Xi was released, he had become a messy-haired little cat.
The bit of fruit wine he had just drunk had taken full effect. Yu Xi’s entire face had turned a rosy pink, his dark bright eyes filled with a misty luster, his long eyelashes half-lowered. His reactions were slower than usual, and he was so well-behaved it seemed he wouldn’t resist no matter how he was handled—he was exceptionally attractive.
Lin Shuhuai watched with great interest. He rounded the table from the other side, leaned over to scratch Yu Xi’s chin, and asked in a low voice, “What should Xiao Xi call me?”
Yu Xi answered, “Shuhuai Gege.”
Just as he finished calling him that, Sheng Yunzhuan on the other side still wasn’t satisfied. “Xiao Xi, call me again!”
“Xiao Juan Jiejie.”
Gu Chuanzhou: “Xixi—”
With this “Gege” and “Jiejie” calling, it was never-ending. Unknowingly, Yu Xi was surrounded by several people and began to feel dizzy.
He heard Sheng Yunzhuan arguing with Zhang Xingkuo again.
“Didn’t Xiao Xi call you ‘Xingxing’ since he was little? You stop joining in the fun and taking up space—move aside!”
“So what? I’m only a few months older than Xiao Xi. Is there a problem with hearing him call me ‘Gege’?”
Yu Xi supported his head. “Stop… stop arguing, Xingxing…”
This situation had happened many times in childhood. Usually, Yu Xi would choose to hold Zhang Xingkuo and coax him with a couple of sentences to end the war.
Drunk as he was, his vision was a bit blurry. He wobbled twice and threw himself onto the one with the largest frame, hugging him with both hands, gently patting the other’s back. “Okay, okay, Xingxing is the best. Don’t be angry with Xiao Juan Jiejie. Everyone is a good friend…”
He didn’t hear the person he was hugging speak. His brows knitted into a troubled knot, and he tried hard to think of a solution. “By the way, the cheek kiss… we agreed before. I haven’t given it to you yet…”
As he spoke, he grabbed the person’s clothes and leaned upward, his hands finding the neck to climb. He leaned directly toward the person’s face.
Because his center of gravity was unstable and he lost his sense of proportion, with a “smack,” he pressed his lips onto the young man’s cheek.
“…”
The private room fell silent for a full ten-plus seconds. Everyone’s face was filled with unavoidable shock, including the person who had been given this cheek kiss.
Yu Xi, however, had no perception of the frozen atmosphere, only thinking he had finished his task. He let out a heavy breath of relief. “There, is Xingxing not angry anymore?”
In the next second, he was forcefully pulled away by a hand and crashed into another broad chest.
He was made dizzy again by this sudden movement, his soft legs unable to find strength, and his waist was held tight to force him to stand up.
“Mm…” He let out an uncomfortable whimper, instinctively pulling at the arm tightly encircling his waist.
Then he heard Zhang Xingkuo’s voice, which sounded like he was gritting his teeth: “You kissed the wrong person!”
“What?” Yu Xi blinked dazed.
Zhang Xingkuo repeated word by word: “You. Kissed. The. Wrong. Person. That’s Meng Shen, not me!”
Heaven knows what Zhang Xingkuo felt seeing Yu Xi proactively hug Meng Shen and deliver a cheek kiss. The person who had picked up a bargain that should have been his for no reason was currently covering the spot that had been kissed with a dazed look in his eyes—he was probably so happy his soul had flown three meters away.
He took the benefit Zhang Xingkuo had meticulously sought, and didn’t even know to dodge! Truly shameless!
“You have to pay me back, and you must pay twice!” Zhang Xingkuo shook the person in his arms with unwillingness in his heart.
“I… I know… I’ll pay you back. Don’t be angry…”
Yu Xi was made very dizzy by the shaking and hurriedly agreed.
Before he could take the initiative again, a face impatiently leaned toward him. He naturally leaned in, their faces rubbing against each other, rubbing the left side then the right.
“Done.” Yu Xi held up two fingers. “I gave them, twice.”
He considered it over and wanted to leave the embrace that was making him hot, beginning to struggle. He even grumbled, “Xingxing’s face is so hard. It’s uncomfortable to rub against.”
Zhang Xingkuo choked for a moment. “This doesn’t count. I want you to give me the same kind as you gave Meng Shen. Do it again—”
“Enough.”
A cold and deep voice sounded.
Gu Chuanzhou’s hand hooked under Yu Xi’s armpit. His eyes were dark as he stared at Zhang Xingkuo. “Let go. Don’t you see he’s uncomfortable?”
Zhang Xingkuo, who wanted to argue further, paused. He unconsciously loosened his strength a bit, and this lapse allowed Gu Chuanzhou to succeed in taking Yu Xi away from that embrace.
“Okay.” Gu Chuanzhou sat Yu Xi on his thighs and smoothed his back, asking softly, “Are you dizzy?”
“Mhm.” Yu Xi gave a very small response. Knitting his brows, he buried himself a bit further into this relatively comfortable chest.
Sheng Yunshu called the waiter and had them bring a cup of honey water with a straw for Yu Xi.
“Look at you, not knowing how to take care of Xiao Xi’s state. You’ve grown so big yet aren’t steady at all. Just for the sake of a cheek kiss, truly…” Lin Shuhuai sighed and shook his head.
“…” Zhang Xingkuo’s face was unsightly.
Not long ago, the words he used to complain about Lin Shuhuai to Yu Xi were returned by the party concerned—he was a bit unconvinced yet more of his mood was guilt.
He had indeed been a bit hasty for a moment.
Knowing he had done something wrong, he didn’t dare to argue further, standing to the side and observing Yu Xi’s condition.
This also caused him to miss the small movement of Lin Shuhuai tilting his head to steal a laugh.
Sheng Yunzhuan, however, saw it clearly and rolled her eyes. “Big idiot.”
It was unclear who she was talking about.
…
After the surroundings fell silent, Yu Xi wasn’t that dizzy anymore.
The large hand behind him was patting his back very comfortably, and the honey water fed to his mouth was sweet. He bit the straw and took small sips. His tightly knitted brows gradually relaxed, and after drinking enough, he licked the sweet water off his lips, not forgetting to say thank you in a soft voice.
Sheng Yunshu, who was leaning over, stood up, placed the more-than-half-empty cup on the table, and replied warmly, “You’re welcome.”
“Still uncomfortable?” Gu Chuanzhou’s hand patting his back never stopped. He lowered his head and asked, his chin brushing over Yu Xi’s hair.
Yu Xi scratched his head a few times because of the itch, making his hair even messier.
“No, but… it seems a bit hot.”
As soon as he said it was hot, he felt a cool breeze fanning over him within a few seconds.
It was Zhang Xingkuo who had gone to ask for a fan.
He finally got a chance to perform and took the opportunity to say, “Xiao Xi, I’m sorry.”
Yu Xi looked up, rubbing his eyes which weren’t clear yet. He only saw a mass of smoke-grey hair appearing in his vision. Without thinking, he reached out his hand and rubbed it a couple of times.
“August, so good.”
Zhang Xingkuo, who was mistaken for a dog and petted, was stunned, and his guilty expression froze on his face.
Sheng Yunzhuan’s unreserved laughter and Lin Shuhuai’s stifled laughter sounded simultaneously.
“…”
Zhang Xingkuo gave them both a couple of glares, yet he couldn’t bear to be angry with Yu Xi at all.
Dog it is then! Being petted feels quite good too!
He convinced himself and continued to lower his head to be petted like a dog by Yu Xi.
Ten minutes later, when Yu Xi had mostly recovered, the group left the restaurant’s private room and went outside.
Yu Xi could stand but couldn’t walk in a straight line, so he was still being held by Gu Chuanzhou.
Four cars were at the door, and thus a certain question appeared again.
Gu Chuanzhou said simply, “Xixi is more reliant on me now.”
Zhang Xingkuo said unconvincingly, “How is he reliant on you? I’m a racer, my skills are the best. Sitting in my car will definitely be the most comfortable.”
Sheng Yunzhuan huffed. “Everyone has had alcohol; is there a difference when the driver is driving? Besides, do you know how to take care of people? My sister and I are much better than you, and there’s Meng Shen too!”
Lin Shuhuai laughed. “Let Xiao Xi choose for himself.”
Yu Xi heard his name and looked up, meeting the expectant gazes of the six people, not yet understanding what was happening.
Gu Chuanzhou’s voice came from above: “Who does Xixi want to take him home?”
Yu Xi looked at this one then that one, turning his not-very-flexible head and thinking for a while. Finally, he crashed his head back into the closest warm embrace.
“Gege… take Xixi home.”
Translator’s Note:
- Fruit Wine (果酒 – guǒjiǔ): Often very sweet and deceptive in how it affects people.
- Shao niao (燒鳥): Yakitori (Japanese grilled chicken skewers).
- Tiemianli (貼面禮): Yu Xi meant to give a polite cheek kiss but accidentally gave a “smack” on the cheek, which in many contexts is a regular kiss.
- August (八月): Xingxing’s dog. Xingxing having smoke-grey hair like the dog is a running joke.
- The “Gege” Trap: When Yu Xi calls Gu Chuanzhou “Gege” in that tone, the other men have basically lost the battle.
I smell a scheme! Ahhhh~
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