Lin Feng placed the drinks on the table.
A moment later, Su Yue emerged from the kitchen carrying a cake. She set it down carefully beside the bottles.
"Wait here," she said.
She disappeared into the bedroom.
A few seconds later, she returned with a bag in her hands.
She extended it toward him.
"What is this?" he asked.
A slight blush colored her cheeks.
"It's a gift."
"A gift?"
"Yes." She looked down. "For always taking care of me."
Lin Feng took the bag and opened it.
His mouth fell open.
It was the new Pie Phone 20.
"I've always wanted to get this," he said. "Didn't this just release last week? How can you afford it?"
The Pie Company had always been a luxury brand. To get their products this early after launch - it must have cost a fortune.
She smiled mysteriously.
"I have my ways."
Lin Feng set the phone aside.
"Now I feel bad for not bringing a gift."
Su Yue sat down next to him on the couch.
She looked at him with a warm smile.
"But you did," she said.
"What?"
"Lin Feng, you're surprisingly naive for someone so scheming."
"What?"
"Nothing."
She reached for a bottle and poured into two glasses.
She passed one to Lin Feng.
They clinked them together.
She took a sip.
Lin Feng watched her for a moment.
I guess she's doing better.
He took a sip of his own.
Then his expression changed.
He remembered something.
He turned to Su Yue.
She placed her empty glass down with a heavy thud.
Then she turned to look at him.
Her eyes seemed slightly unfocused.
"Umm... are you feeling alright?"
She hiccuped.
"I feel better than ever."
So no, Lin Feng thought.
He sighed internally.
The situation was just like with Teacher Liu back then.
Su Yue suddenly climbed onto the couch.
She began moving toward Lin Feng on all fours.
"What are you doing?" he asked, leaning back.
"Nothing," she said with a mischievous smile.
She kept approaching.
"Hey…"
He tried to push her back gently, but she kept coming.
She giggled.
"What do you want?" he asked, struggling against her.
She was surprisingly strong.
"Mine," she said.
"What?"
"Mine."
Lin Feng grabbed the Pie Phone bag and held it up.
"This? You want this back?"
She pushed it away.
He caught it before it could fall.
"Hey, that's expensive!"
She reached out and placed a hand on his chin.
She smiled at him, her face inches from his.
"Mine," she said softly.
Lin Feng cleared his throat.
He gently removed her hand.
"Ahem. Sorry, lady. This young master doesn't belong to anyone."
He stood up quickly and straightened his clothing.
"Why don't we get you to rest…"
The sound of pouring liquid interrupted him.
He turned around.
She was pouring herself another drink.
"Stop!"
He rushed over and took the bottle from her hands.
She reached for another one.
He grabbed that too.
She pouted.
"You said we could drink all we wanted."
"Well, that was before I knew you couldn't drink."
He set the bottles aside.
"How about this - you get some rest, and we can get drinks another time."
He paused.
"Something non-alcoholic."
Her lower lip trembled.
Then she began throwing a tantrum.
"No! You promised! You promised!"
She kicked her legs against the couch.
"Okay, okay, calm down…"
He tried to soothe her, but she wasn't having it.
Unlike Teacher Liu, who simply couldn't handle alcohol and passed out, Su Yue seemed to become more active.
This was troublesome.
His eyes landed on the cake.
"Ah, the cake," he said. "Why don't we eat the cake first?"
She crossed her arms.
"I don't want to. I made it for you anyway."
Lin Feng facepalmed.
Then his expression turned serious.
It seemed he had to use his ultimate move.
He walked past her and sat down on the couch.
He patted his legs.
She looked at him in confusion.
"Come sit here," he said.
A slight blush appeared on her face.
"You don't want to?" he asked.
She quickly scrambled over and sat on his lap.
He pulled the table closer.
"Take the cake," he said.
She picked up the tray.
"You made this for me, right?"
She nodded.
"Then feed it to me."
She stammered for a moment.
"I… okay."
She cut a piece with the fork and held it up.
"Say ahh."
"Ahh."
She placed it in his mouth.
He chewed slowly.
She watched him intently.
"Is it tasty?"
He tilted his head.
"I can't tell. One more bite."
She fed him another piece.
"Is it tasty now?"
He swung his head from side to side.
"I don't know... maybe one more bite will confirm it."
This should keep her attention, he thought. She won't be able to cause any more trouble.
...
A few minutes passed.
The cake was now half-eaten.
She fed him another piece.
"Is it good?"
He closed his eyes.
"Hold on, let me think."
Silence.
Then he felt a weight against his chest.
He opened his eyes.
Su Yue had collapsed against him, her breathing soft and steady.
The fork slipped from her fingers.
He caught the tray with the half-eaten cake before it could fall.
He sighed.
Finally.
Any longer and he would have exploded.
He slowly got up, cradling her in his arms.
He placed the tray with the remaining cake on the table.
Then he carried her to her room.
He set her down gently on the bed and pulled the covers over her.
He exhaled.
He watched her sleep for a moment, her face peaceful and untroubled.
He sighed again.
Maybe I should stop drinking with these women.
…
The morning light filtered through the curtains.
Su Yue stirred.
Her eyelids fluttered open, heavy with sleep.
She lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling.
Her head felt foggy. Her thoughts moved slowly, like wading through mud.
Eventually, she pushed herself up.
She swung her legs off the bed and stood, swaying slightly.
Still half-asleep, she shuffled out of the bedroom.
She needed water.
She made her way toward the kitchen, her feet dragging against the floor.
As she passed through the living room, something caught her eye.
A figure on the couch.
She stopped.
She blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"Lin Feng?"
He was sprawled across the couch, one arm hanging off the edge, his chest rising and falling with slow, steady breaths.
Her drowsiness vanished instantly.
Why is he…
Then it hit her.
The memories came flooding back.
The drinks.
The pumpkin.
Climbing onto the couch on all fours.
"Mine."
Grabbing his chin.
"Mine."
Sitting on his lap.
Her face went from pale to crimson in an instant.
Her legs gave out beneath her.
She collapsed to her knees on the floor.
She buried her face in her hands.
I wish the world would just cease to exist.