Shangguan Chong had started out in real estate. Later, after merging with the Jin family’s company, he expanded into service industries like catering and apparel, which was how he became the richest man in A-City.
Although Shangguan Xianxian and Shen Wei held no real power in the Shangguan family, they could at least enjoy some of the minor privileges of being the boss’s daughters within the family’s businesses. After all, if Shangguan Chong didn’t even maintain this superficial effort, it would look far too unseemly.
After getting fresh ingredients from a hot pot restaurant under the Shangguan family’s banner, Shen Wei and Shangguan Xianxian arrived at Ye Yuhuan’s home with two waiters from the restaurant to help carry everything.
Walking up the concrete stairs, which had a distinct sense of age, Shen Wei was quite puzzled. She hadn’t expected Ye Yuhuan to live in a place like this. Logically, she shouldn’t be short on money; upgrading to a better home would be a simple matter for her.
Old buildings like this, constructed twenty years ago, were now only inhabited by retired elderly people or young people who had left their hometowns to make a living in the city.
Judging by Ye Yuhuan’s swift and decisive methods for accumulating wealth, she didn’t seem like someone who was indifferent to material things.
So strange, Shen Wei had sighed to herself countless times.
Ye Yuhuan and Song Zhiqing opened the door to welcome them. Seeing their grand entrance, one could only say that Song Zhiqing, who also came from a wealthy family, was truly down-to-earth by comparison.
The two waiters left after putting everything down. Before they went, with excellent service spirit, they helped set up the table and the hot pot base, instantly giving the homemade meal the feel of a chain restaurant.
Ye Yuhuan remembered from the plot that Shen Wei couldn’t handle spicy food, so she had specially prepared a yin-yang pot.
Shen Wei watched as Ye Yuhuan and Song Zhiqing’s wooden chopsticks never once dipped into the clear broth. Being clever, she immediately guessed that this side was probably her own personal pot. It was a thought best not dwelled upon; a moment’s consideration would lead to the conclusion that the woman across from her knew her like the back of her hand.
Today’s hot pot seems a little bitter, Shen Wei mused, picking up a piece of tender tripe.
Fortunately, the flavor of the hot pot and the lighthearted atmosphere helped soothe the gloom that had settled over Shen Wei after she recalled the vexing truth of the world. Song Zhiqing was practically a one-woman party-starter. Watching her eat so joyfully, occasionally teasing Ye Yuhuan by feeding her a bite, Shen Wei felt that even if this person bankrupted her family’s business, she could still make the Song family rich by becoming an eating-streamer.
But, it seemed, things could get even better.
Shen Wei suddenly put down her chopsticks. From the large pile of neatly arranged ingredients, she took out several white porcelain bottles and placed them on the table. In response to Ye Yuhuan and Song Zhiqing’s questioning gazes, she explained, “The owner of that restaurant said this is their signature rice wine. It has a very low alcohol content, so even students can drink it. I just grabbed a few bottles.”
For the first time, Song Zhiqing found Shen Wei incredibly agreeable. Her mischievous little hand immediately shot out, but Ye Yuhuan caught it with a fake smile. “You can’t drink.”
Song Zhiqing was aggrieved, utterly aggrieved. She watched as Shen Wei and Shangguan Xianxian started drinking. They were all underage, so why was Ye Yuhuan only picking on her!
Shen Wei and Shangguan Xianxian watched the drama unfold, enjoying the silent argument the two were having with their eyes. After spending these past few days together, the four of them had indeed grown much closer. Although Shen Wei still held a grudge against Ye Yuhuan, it didn’t affect Shangguan Xianxian’s admiration for the pair. In fact, having recently read many yuri novels and being in a secret relationship herself, she could even detect a hint of ambiguity in their trivial squabble.
Ah, is this what they mean by birds of a feather… or in this case, girls of a feather, flock together?
Ye Yuhuan had a headache. How was she supposed to handle this? After thinking it over, her only recourse was to shoot a death glare at Shen Wei.
Shen Wei raised her hands in surrender. “Really, this stuff tastes just like a soft drink. It’s sweet, and it definitely won’t get you drunk.”
Seeing Ye Yuhuan hesitate, Shen Wei pressed her advantage. “If you don’t believe me, take a sip yourself. If I’m lying, I’m a puppy.”
Even with that, Ye Yuhuan still looked at her with disapproval for corrupting the younger ones. She scoffed coldly, “Even elementary schoolers don’t use the ‘I’m a puppy’ line anymore.”
Auntie Shen had a temper, and it wasn’t a small one. She immediately grabbed a large cup, filled it to the brim, and handed it to Ye Yuhuan. “Here, drink this. If you can taste even a hint of alcohol, I’ll write my surname, Shen, backward.”
Ye Yuhuan slowly lifted her eyelids, took the cup, and took a sip. And then, the three people present witnessed a biological miracle.
Ye Yuhuan got visibly drunk.
First, her cheeks flushed red. Then, her eyes grew hazy and her limbs went weak. Finally, her entire body slumped against Song Zhiqing like a puddle of liquid, muttering incoherently.
If Ye Yuhuan hadn’t been clinging to her, Song Zhiqing would have lunged over to scratch Shen Wei. “Did you secretly swap it with baijiu for my Yuhuan!”
Indeed, it wasn’t impossible. The rice wine was clear in color, not unlike baijiu.
And Shen Wei was a very good actress. Otherwise, how could Ye Yuhuan have gotten drunk from a single sip of mere rice wine? Such a thing was unheard of. It must be Shen Wei getting revenge for being threatened before!
Shen Wei cried foul, and Shangguan Xianxian vouched for her. “That’s impossible. We took them all from the same shelf.”
Song Zhiqing trusted Shangguan Xianxian’s character. Hearing this, she skeptically took a sip from the cup Ye Yuhuan had drunk from, tasted it, and then, in disbelief, took another large gulp.
This… this was just Sprite with extra sugar, wasn’t it?
Song Zhiqing looked at Ye Yuhuan with a complicated expression. The girl was currently whimpering on her shoulder.
Shen Wei had been genuinely startled by the two of them and had even begun to wonder if she herself had been drinking baijiu. Now that she was vindicated, she immediately scoffed, “I told you it was rice wine. Hah, look at how arrogant she was. I thought she could really hold her liquor.”
Song Zhiqing couldn’t stand anyone looking down on Ye Yuhuan. She shot Shen Wei a fierce glare, determined to argue even without reason. “You’re the one who made her drink it. Our Yuhuan never touched a drop of alcohol before. It’s all your fault for bringing this stuff to her.”
Shen Wei’s jaw dropped. Wow, is this what they call turning on a friend in an instant?
Weren’t you the one just now clamoring to drink?
Shangguan Xianxian let out a chuckle. The cold beauty’s smile was quite captivating, and for a moment, Shen Wei lost the will to argue with Song Zhiqing. She threw her hands up. “So what do you suggest we do now?”
Shangguan Xianxian had more experience with this, as Shangguan Chong often came home reeking of alcohol late at night when she was a child. She offered a reliable suggestion: “Shouldn’t we make her some sobering-up soup or something?”
Shen Wei said sarcastically, “It was such a tiny amount of alcohol. By the time the soup is ready, Ye Yuhuan will probably have digested it.”
Shangguan Xianxian gave her a reproachful look. After Ye Yuhuan had passed out from one sip, Shen Wei had become like the Monkey King freed from his golden headband. She’d never seen this side of her before. Has she become more lively after making friends?
Still, this wasn’t the right way to treat a friend.
“Weiwei, be good.”
Before Shen Wei could react, Ye Yuhuan heard the name and her head shot up as if an acupuncture point had been pressed. “Weiwei? Who’s Weiwei! Is it Shen Wei? Shen Wei, I’m telling you, Shen Wei is the female lead…”
With lightning speed, Shen Wei clapped a hand over Ye Yuhuan’s mouth and suggested with a sincere smile, “I think we should make her a bowl of sobering-up soup after all.”
Song Zhiqing’s eyes narrowed dangerously at the hand in front of her. She used two fingers to pry the offending object away, saying with disgust, “What are you doing, getting all handsy? Is there something Ye Yuhuan says that we can’t hear? Keep your paws off her face.”
The moment Shen Wei’s hand was removed, Ye Yuhuan whimpered to Song Zhiqing, “Qingqing, she hit me.”
Hearing this, Song Zhiqing’s anger flared even higher. She hugged Ye Yuhuan to comfort her, wishing she could split herself in two and fight Shen Wei right there by the hot pot.
However, as if the scene wasn’t chaotic enough, the miracle-state Ye Yuhuan asked in a quiet but actually somewhat loud voice, “By the way, Qingqing, let me ask you a question.”
Song Zhiqing’s expression softened into one of affection. “Go ahead, ask.”
Ye Yuhuan dropped her bombshell. “Why did you kiss me that morning? And after you kissed me…”
Song Zhiqing instantly turned into a tomato and clamped her hand over Ye Yuhuan’s mouth, mumbling to the two wide-eyed onlookers, “Um, she’s drunk. She’s started talking nonsense.”
Shen Wei looked at Song Zhiqing, then at Ye Yuhuan, and finally at Shangguan Xianxian, who had a look on her face like she was watching her favorite ship come to life.
What kind of plot twist is this?
My love rival and my nemesis are getting together?
Shen Wei was ecstatic.
She cleared her throat, took Shangguan Xianxian’s hand, and said tactfully, “Seeing her like this, she really needs you to take good care of her. We won’t impose any longer. We’re pretty much full anyway. Thank you so much for dinner today.”
Shangguan Xianxian wanted to stay and watch the show, but she knew that if she did, she might be hunted down by a mortified Song Zhiqing, so she nodded obediently.
In reality, they were only halfway through the hot pot.
But that wasn’t important. Standing outside the door, Shen Wei and Shangguan Xianxian exchanged a smile. After all, they had feasted on something else entirely.
They were even thoughtful enough to order a housekeeping service to come clean the table for Song Zhiqing, figuring she currently had neither the energy nor the ability to do it herself.
Back in the living room, once the two nuisances were gone, Song Zhiqing finally released the nearly suffocated Ye Yuhuan. After giving her some warm water, Song Zhiqing asked, her face flushed, “What did you mean just now?”
But now, Ye Yuhuan didn’t want to talk to the bad woman who had covered her mouth. “You said you were on my side, but you hit me just like Shen Wei did.”
Song Zhiqing was growing frantic, but this child-like version of Ye Yuhuan couldn’t be rushed. She had to summon every ounce of her patience to explain, “Because that’s a secret between the two of us. You can’t tell other people.”
Ye Yuhuan was still Ye Yuhuan. Even this mini-version of her could ask a tricky question. “But if it’s our secret, why are you asking me about it now?”
Song Zhiqing continued to coax her. “I wanted to test you to see if you’d forgotten.”
Ye Yuhuan pursed her lips in thought for a moment, then let out a firm “Oh!” before declaring proudly, “Huanhuan is the best at tests! Huanhuan remembers everything!”
Song Zhiqing gently guided her. “So, which morning was that?”
“The day we first slept together!”
Song Zhiqing clutched her heart. Good heavens, did Ye Yuhuan’s entire personality flip when she drank?
“How did I kiss you?” Song Zhiqing asked, her throat dry.
Ye Yuhuan scratched her head, thinking for a moment. They were sitting face-to-face on the sofa, so it was very convenient for Ye Yuhuan to place her hands on Song Zhiqing’s face. She slowly leaned in. Song Zhiqing watched Ye Yuhuan’s lips get closer and closer, knowing she should pull away. An explanation could be given verbally; there was no need for a physical demonstration.
But Ye Yuhuan’s hands felt like they were emitting a constant electric current. Song Zhiqing felt like a small animal, paralyzed by a shock before being sent to the slaughterhouse. She was completely unable to move. Finally, as if surrendering, she closed her eyes.
It felt like the touch of a cloud, and Song Zhiqing’s whole body went soft.
She was even a little disappointed that it was only a kiss on the forehead.
“That’s how you kissed me!” Ye Yuhuan said cheerfully, tilting her head.
Song Zhiqing steadied her breathing and curved her lips into a smile. “Yes, that’s amazing. Huanhuan got all the answers right.”
Ye Yuhuan must absolutely never drink again. If anyone dared to give her alcohol, Song Zhiqing would personally hunt them down with a knife.
But before that… Song Zhiqing swallowed, her face turning an even deeper shade of tomato. Feeling extremely embarrassed, she asked, “I’ve forgotten again. Can Huanhuan help me review?”
Ye Yuhuan looked utterly shocked. “How can you be so dumb!”
With that, she planted another firm kiss on Song Zhiqing’s forehead. “Do you remember now?”
“I remember everything now,” Song Zhiqing replied in a daze.
She remembered the rabbit spirit that looked like Ye Yuhuan. No, it wasn’t just like Ye Yuhuan, it was Ye Yuhuan. And they weren’t just running and playing in a meadow.
It was an erotic dream.
Song Zhiqing touched her heart. It was beating furiously.
Yes, she really was dumb. To only now realize that she was in love with Ye Yuhuan.
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