Who else could you love besides me - Chapter 17
"You're too kind, young lady. It is my great honor to have the chance to see your beauty today. I'll drink this first as a sign of my respect." Xi Ri smiled and finished his wine without changing his expression.
Xi En laughed and said, "Brother Yu seems to have a very good capacity for alcohol. We're so happy today, let's drink until we drop!"
These people are determined to drink until they drop, so they absolutely must get drunk.
While Japan has a decent capacity for alcohol, she is not a heavy drinker and can get drunk. Although she doesn't want to, some things are unpredictable. She knows this plan is extremely dangerous, but this is a golden opportunity to get closer to Minglu, and she can't let it slip by. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Now she has no choice but to take the risk.
As night fell, the atmosphere seemed to grow more lively. The group clinked glasses, addressed each other as brothers, and occasionally teased the beautiful young women nestled beside them. Watching them blush and their hearts race with shyness, they were overjoyed.
The group drank and made merry, ordering the girls to dance to entertain them. The drums and music blared, sweet songs filled the air, and the girls' graceful dances were like heaven on earth. Some of the men, having drunk their fill, even joined the girls in dancing. Only then did Xiri truly understand how dissolute these young men were.
He was a little drunk that day, and with a beautiful and considerate woman serving him, he felt very comfortable. He thought to himself: No wonder men like to come to this place of pleasure and debauchery.
The banquet finally ended, and the group staggered out of the Wan Hua Lou, shouting and yelling all the way. There were sedan chairs waiting at the entrance of the Wan Hua Lou, but the group of young masters seemed to have drunk quite a bit today and refused the sedan chairs. Fu Jin suggested that they send their newly made good brothers home, and the others all agreed, even Ming Lu said it was a good idea.
It was late at night, and the effects of the alcohol were strong. Xi Ri was already unsteady on her feet and staggering, but a sliver of clarity remained in her mind, constantly reminding her: she couldn't go home, she couldn't go home...
Xi Ri suddenly pointed behind him, his voice distorted by drunkenness, and laughed wildly, "My home is in the Wan Hua Lou, and I'll sleep here tonight!"
Xi En staggered, so drunk she could barely speak, but she still shouted, "Okay, we'll all sleep here tonight! Let's go!"
A group of people who had just left the Wan Hua Lou swarmed back. Granny Wan naturally took good care of them and wanted to arrange separate accommodations for them, but Ming Lu shook his head and waved his hands in dissatisfaction, saying loudly, "No, we want to stay together!"
Fu Jin said, "Okay, it's been a long time since we slept together."
These four men were used to their dissolute lifestyle, so Granny Wan wasn't surprised. Besides, they were all men, so she didn't think much of it. She arranged for all five of them to stay in one room.
Although Xi Ri was drunk, she felt something was wrong and wanted to leave alone. However, her legs felt unsteady and she almost fell. Fortunately, Xiao Tian'er helped her up. But Nalan muttered unhappily, "You can't sleep with your Xiao Tian'er. You have to sleep with us too."
Nalan was very strong after getting drunk, and dragged Xiri into the house. The shy little Tian'er had no choice but to let go.
There was a large bed in the room. The four of them scrambled onto it one after another, each taking their place. They were so drunk that they didn't care about anything else and fell asleep immediately.
Xi Ri was also drunk, but a voice inside her told her, "You can't go up there, you can't go up there..."
She tried to turn around, but someone grabbed her. She stumbled and fell onto the bed, unable to get up. In her dazed state, she heard Nalan telling her to climb up. She was so sleepy that she shifted her position and fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyes.
The next morning, I felt a strange itch in my heart, and I was very upset. When I woke up in a daze, I seemed to see my head resting on Xi En's stomach, my feet on Ming Lu's face, one of my arms being used as a pillow by Nalan Xuri and drooling a lot, and my other thumb was in Fu Jin's mouth, and Fu Jin was sweetly licking it...
This is a dream...
Xi Ri closed her eyes; she must be dreaming…
She didn't know how much time had passed, but the light had become blinding. Her head ached, and her neck was sore. When she opened her eyes again, the scene before her was exactly the same as her dream. She was stunned for a moment, and then felt weak all over.
This isn't a dream, it's all real. She's being so ridiculous.
He couldn't help but sigh.
She successfully got close to Minglu, but how will she live her life from now on?
If her identity were ever exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable.
The Beginning of the Plan to Destroy the Marriage
Now was not the time for her to think about these things. She tried to pull her limbs away. The others were fine, but Nalan was holding onto one of her arms and wouldn't let go. Fortunately, he was sleeping soundly, and Xiri's arm was finally freed. She quietly got up and went out the door.
The once brightly lit Wan Hua Lou was deserted this morning. She quietly went downstairs, and everything seemed to have gone smoothly. She had planned to leave, but then she thought, if she just left like this, wouldn't everything she had done last night be for nothing? No, she was now in a bind, and had no choice but to go. She steeled herself and went back. When she returned to her room and saw them sleeping again, she felt a wave of embarrassment. She clutched her throbbing head and sighed. What would happen if they found out her identity one day? At this moment, she truly regretted her mistake of not wearing a mask for fear of damaging her skin. Now, she could only pray that after this was done, she would never see them again for the rest of her life.
She was standing at the door, stunned, when Minglu woke up. He glanced groggily at the few people lying around him, then seemed to remember something. He got up and looked around in surprise, just in time to see Xiri standing at the door with a look of utter disbelief. Minglu was taken aback, clutching his aching head, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Xi Ri was stunned. Looking at the footprints on Ming Lu's face, she remembered that she hadn't taken off her shoes before getting into bed last night and had stepped on his face. So the footprints on Ming Lu's face must have been her handiwork!
She chuckled dryly a few times and said, "Prince Ming is awake. I'll go tell the maid to fetch some water for washing his feet." Unable to bear it any longer, she hurried out the door, leaving behind Ming Lu, who had just woken up and was still bewildered, wondering: Water for washing feet?
The group finally came to their senses and came downstairs, where they saw Tian Xiri waiting for them.
Nalan rushed downstairs first, patted Xiri on the shoulder, and said happily, "Brother Yu, it's good that you haven't left yet. I promised to take you around the capital yesterday, but I didn't have your address, so I was afraid you would leave."
Nalan was the most enthusiastic towards her, and he was also very refined in appearance. She had a good impression of him in the past, so she naturally smiled and said, "I've been waiting for you, brother. You can't go back on your word."
"Okay, I'll go home and change my clothes first, then I'll come and meet you."
"Let's go to Shixianglou, I can't find it anywhere else."
"Alright, we'll meet at Shixianglou at 1-3 PM."
Fu Jin smiled and said, "Brother Yu, I have some errands to run today, so I won't be able to accompany you."
"Brother Jin, you're too kind. You're busy with official business."
Xi En also smiled and said, "Brother Yu, today is my third sister's baby's 100th day, and I can't be with you. However, I've prepared a banquet for you at Xuezhu Pavilion tonight, and we'll get together then."
"Brother, you're too kind. I'll definitely be there." Xi Ri smiled, but inwardly she was groaning. She had drunk so much last night and hadn't returned home all night. Tian Shuang and the others must be extremely worried. And they were going to drink again tonight? She knew Xue Zhu Ge was one of the top restaurants in the capital. This was really going to be the death of her.
Xi Ri glanced at Ming Lu, waiting for him to say something in return, but he never did. The group dispersed at the gate and went back to their residences to change clothes. Xi Ri bid farewell to everyone and headed east, but unexpectedly, Ming Lu also headed east. They both abandoned their sedan chairs and went their separate ways. Xi Ri was afraid of leaving any traces, but Ming Lu didn't know why. Since they were going the same way, they naturally had to walk together. Xi Ri felt very awkward walking with him, but this was really a good opportunity.
Along the way, Xi Ri secretly glanced at Ming Lu.
Minglu was impeccably dressed; his dark green outer robe was embroidered with white lilies of the valley on the collar and cuffs, exuding elegance and sophistication, clearly indicating his refined taste. He stood tall and straight, his every move revealing a touch of casualness and arrogance, always with a cold expression, a cool demeanor that kept people at arm's length.
The two walked side by side down the street, each lost in their own thoughts.
After last night, Xi Ri knew that Ming Lu liked beautiful women, that Ming Lu didn't care about the arranged marriage, and that Ming Lu and Suo Ge seemed to be at odds. From these points, she had a chance to make Ming Lu break off the engagement.
In addition, she knew that Minglu had a good alcohol tolerance, no less than hers, and she herself considered herself to have a good alcohol tolerance.
Furthermore, although Minglu is lustful, he is also deep and reserved, making him difficult to deal with. She must proceed cautiously and plan carefully, otherwise she might accidentally make things worse.