The man held her by the waist, his head slightly tilted back, revealing a handsome face with red lips and white teeth. His usually cool eyes were now dotted with glimmers of light, and a faint redness at the corners of his eyes added a touch of softness and tenderness to his otherwise noble and restrained expression.
Her heart pounded irregularly. Cheng Fangqiu instinctively stroked the back of his neck, and he immediately leaned closer, nuzzling into her palm like a well-behaved kitten rolling around.
“Wife, I really, really like you.”
As if afraid she wouldn’t hear him, he mumbled it again, his voice muffled.
This time, his voice was much louder. Cheng Fangqiu’s face flushed red, and she hurriedly covered his mouth, but it was clearly too late. Ding Ximei and Cheng Xuejun, who hadn’t been drinking, both turned to look, and even Zhou Yingchen and Cheng Baokuan, who were drunk and slumped on the sofa, glanced over with dazed eyes.
They had obviously all heard.
A hint of embarrassment and helplessness flashed in Cheng Fangqiu’s eyes. Unfortunately, the instigator was completely unaware of how much of a scene he had caused. His arm around her waist tightened even more, and even with his mouth covered, he continued to ramble.
“Wife, what about you? Do you… do you like me?”
His voice was slightly hoarse, and his words were stumbling and somewhat slurred, but the warmth of his breath spilled onto her palm, tickling and unsettling her, making it impossible to ignore.
Cheng Fangqiu was too embarrassed to answer him in front of so many people. Pretending not to hear, she reached under his armpit, trying to help him stand up. But he was tall and muscular, and she couldn’t lift him at all.
“Zhou Yinghuai, let’s go back to the room,” she had no choice but to coax him softly.
But he was too drunk to understand her words. His mind was fixated on one question: whether she liked him or not. Not hearing the answer he wanted, he stubbornly asked again, “Wife, do you like me?”
Cheng Fangqiu bit her lower lip, her face burning red. She couldn’t help but curse inwardly—why was he so clingy when he was drunk?
Fortunately, Cheng Xuejun walked over at that moment. “Sis, let me help you take brother-in-law inside.”
A savior! A true savior!
The two of them managed to haul Zhou Yinghuai a few steps, but he was like an octopus, practically melting into Cheng Fangqiu’s arms, making it extremely difficult to move forward. In the end, Ding Ximei also came to help, and they finally got him onto the bed.
Cheng Fangqiu leaned against the wardrobe, gasping for breath, feeling as though those few steps had been more exhausting than running 800 meters.
The man on the bed was still murmuring her name, his affectionate demeanor almost too much to bear.
Cheng Fangqiu touched her burning cheeks and turned her head, meeting Ding Ximei and Cheng Xuejun’s meaningful gazes. She coughed lightly and forced a dry laugh. “Let’s go make some sobering soup for these drunkards.”
“Okay,” Ding Ximei teased, glancing at Cheng Fangqiu before nodding and heading out the door first.
Cheng Xuejun, on the other hand, took a few more glances at Zhou Yinghuai on the bed before slowly following Ding Ximei out. He couldn’t help but think of how his father used to call out his mother’s name when he was drunk.
It seemed that brother-in-law’s heart was entirely filled with his sister. That put him at ease.
After they left, Cheng Fangqiu turned back to tidy up Zhou Yinghuai’s disheveled clothes. She undid a few more buttons on his shirt and removed his belt before stopping.
The man on the bed had flushed cheeks, his eyes tightly closed, and his breath still carried the lingering scent of alcohol. Thankfully, he had stopped talking nonsense.
Cheng Fangqiu quietly watched him for a while, her lips curling into a smile without her realizing it. Finally, she leaned down and gently kissed the corner of his lips, softly whispering the belated answer.
“I like you.”
How could she not like him? How could she not?
Such a wonderful Zhou Yinghuai deserved all of Cheng Fangqiu’s affection.
—
After leaving the room, Cheng Fangqiu gently closed the door behind her. The two men on the sofa were sprawled in disarray, and she couldn’t bear to leave them like that. She and Cheng Xuejun helped Zhou Yingchen to the guest bedroom to lie down before finally taking a break.
Ding Ximei had already boiled some water. There was honey at home, and honey water was one of the simplest remedies for sobering up. It helped relieve headaches and had a calming effect, making the next morning less painful.
“This is how they always are when they’re drunk,” Ding Ximei said as she adjusted Cheng Baokuan’s position on the sofa to make him more comfortable. She then walked over and sat down beside the two siblings.
Cheng Fangqiu smiled. “Today wasn’t too bad. At least he didn’t cause a scene.”
The three of them couldn’t help but recall the embarrassing incidents Cheng Baokuan had caused when drunk, and they all burst into laughter. After the laughter subsided, Cheng Fangqiu took the opportunity to bring up the matter she had discussed earlier with Xu Qiqi, seeking their opinions.
Ding Ximei and Cheng Xuejun were initially delighted but soon grew concerned about causing trouble for Cheng Fangqiu. They were especially worried about owing favors, as favors were the hardest debts to repay.
“Qiqi and I are good friends. She’s good to me, and I’ll naturally be good to her in return. I understand the principle of mutual care,” Cheng Fangqiu said. She was well aware that she would owe Xu Qiqi a favor, but sometimes, favors were also a way to maintain relationships.
Only when there were connections could a relationship last longer.
Moreover, she wasn’t ungrateful. She remembered all the kindness Xu Qiqi had shown her, and if Xu Qiqi ever needed help in the future, she would step up without hesitation.
After saying this, she continued, “We’re family. Why talk about trouble? You’re not going to stop treating me as family just because I’m married, are you?”
Her words were half-joking, half-wounded, and they tugged at Ding Ximei’s heart. She quickly took Cheng Fangqiu’s hand. “What are you saying? Qiuqiu, you’ll always be your parents’ precious daughter.”
She just didn’t want her daughter’s family to become a burden, which was why she hesitated so much. Now it seemed that her hesitation had hurt Qiuqiu instead.
“Then just accept my kindness openly,” Cheng Fangqiu said, holding Ding Ximei’s hand in return. She had brought this up with them before, but they still acted the same way.
She knew it was because they cared so much about her that they behaved this way, so she wasn’t truly angry. Instead, she gently persuaded them, “When you’re good to me, I don’t hesitate or refuse. That kind of hesitation is for outsiders.”
“Besides, No. 1 High School is quite far from here. Xuejun will have to live in the dormitory and can only come over on weekends. How much trouble could that possibly cause?”
Cheng Fangqiu looked at them with a mix of reproach and affection. To reassure them, she added, “I’m looking forward to Xuejun going to college and making something of himself. As his sister, I’ll be able to bask in his success.”
Her words left the two of them speechless, and they couldn’t help but tear up. They realized Cheng Fangqiu was right. From now on, they would gradually change their habit of being overly hesitant and learn to accept their family’s kindness openly, repaying it with equal sincerity in the future.
This way, both sides could feel at ease, avoiding any lingering resentment.
“Sis, I’ll definitely be good to you in the future,” Cheng Xuejun said, his voice trembling with emotion, but his words were firm and sincere. “I’ll study hard and get into college!”
Cheng Fangqiu’s eyes curved into a smile as she teased him, “You’re a grown man now. Don’t cry. I’m more worried about whether you’ll even be able to wash your clothes properly when you move into the dorm.”
“I can wash clothes! I can take care of myself,” Cheng Xuejun immediately replied, wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes and straightening his back to appear more mature.
His words also revealed his desire to come to Rongzhou for school. Cheng Fangqiu looked at Ding Ximei, waiting for her decision. Ding Ximei initially wanted to say something but eventually nodded decisively.
As parents, who wouldn’t want their children to succeed? With such a great opportunity right in front of them, she wanted to seize it firmly.
The matter was settled.
After discussing the important matters, the water had boiled. Cheng Fangqiu poured a cup of honey water for everyone. Even if they weren’t drunk, drinking a cup would be good for their health. Besides, in these times, a little sweetness was hard to come by, so everyone drank with satisfaction.
“Dad and Zhou Yingchen will be your responsibility,” Cheng Fangqiu said, holding a cup of honey water. After giving her instructions, she opened the door and entered the master bedroom.
Zhou Yinghuai was still lying in the same position, unmoved. She carefully placed the cup on the bedside table and then tried to wake him. After calling his name several times and lightly patting his face, Zhou Yinghuai finally opened his eyes groggily.
“Qiuqiu?”
Seeing that he could still recognize her, Cheng Fangqiu seized the moment and coaxed him gently, “Sit up and drink some honey water before going back to sleep.”
Zhou Yinghuai felt the light above him was too bright and disorienting. He tried hard to focus on her face, but it remained a blurry shadow. After a while, he grew frustrated, and his breathing became more rapid.
“What’s wrong?” Cheng Fangqiu noticed his unusual behavior and asked with concern.
The familiar soft voice reached Zhou Yinghuai’s ears. He tried to prop himself up halfway, attempting to sit, but his limbs were weak from the alcohol, and he fell back onto the bed the next second.
This loss of control over his body made him frown, a flash of frustration crossing his eyes. However, a voice deep in his mind reminded him that she was still by his side, and he couldn’t act out. For a moment, his expression twisted with complexity before finally settling into one of pure grievance.
He opened his watery, glistening black eyes and stared at her helplessly, as if saying he wanted to get up properly but couldn’t.
The man’s shirt, which she had unbuttoned earlier, had come undone even more after his movements, revealing a large expanse of his chest. His skin glowed coldly under the light, and the faint pink of his nipples peeked through the fabric of his shirt, gradually becoming more pronounced from the friction.
His body was pale, but the tips of his ears and cheeks were tinged with a faint red, creating an extreme contrast that made him exude a shy yet alluring charm.
Who said only beautiful women could cause trouble when drunk? She thought the same applied regardless of gender.
Zhou Yinghuai, this male enchantress, was truly restless, constantly tempting her. If she had the means, she would definitely pamper him properly!
Unfortunately, reality was that she could only stare at this “Tang Sanzang meat” (a metaphor for something desirable but unattainable) and serve him sobering soup.
Cheng Fangqiu took a deep breath, suppressing the dryness in her throat. As she helped him sit up, she took the opportunity to feel the firmness of his chest and abs.
If she couldn’t have him, couldn’t she at least touch him?
Thinking this, the blush on Cheng Fangqiu’s face deepened. She couldn’t help but wonder: was she, deep down, such a lustful woman? Before marriage, she hadn’t been like this—at least not as “ravenous” as she was now.
So it wasn’t just men who became insatiable after tasting the forbidden fruit; women were the same?
After silently reciting a few calming mantras, Cheng Fangqiu finally cleared her mind and managed to pour the sobering soup down Zhou Yinghuai’s throat. After the warm soup settled in his stomach, he seemed to regain some clarity and leaned against the headboard, rubbing his temples.