Smelling the familiar scent, Xiao Lan clung to Ye Qiu, her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist.
Suppressing the urge to flick her forehead, Ye Qiu silently activated the Blue Silver Emperor's Second Soul Skill, Blue Silver Fragrance!
He wasn't sure if this Spirit Ability could sober her up, but it was worth a try.
"Bro-hiccup~ Kiss."
"Heh heh. Kiss? Just you wait until you wake up! I'll deal with you then!"
Looking at the drunken Xiao Lan, Ye Qiu endured the smell of alcohol and reluctantly put his arm around her small waist.
Ning Rongrong frantically tidied her pulled-out blue undergarment, her head lowered, not daring to look at him, her flushed face turning even redder.
"Miss Ning! What's going on?" His voice carried anger.
They had just started dating, and if the two of them continued to fool around like this, Ye Qiu would start to worry that Xiao Lan would go astray.
"What's going on? I was in a bad mood, and Xiao Lan voluntarily offered to drink with me!"
"Also, stop calling me Miss Ning! I don't like that title!"
Facing his questioning, Ning Rongrong's expression shifted from guilt to anger. Ye Qiu's address annoyed her. She jumped off the bed and walked to the table, taking another large gulp of wine.
Perhaps the Spirit Ability had taken effect, as the Xiao Lan in his arms stopped moving erratically, and a steady breathing sound gradually emerged, her mouth still smacking as she dreamt.
Ye Qiu placed her on the bed, tidied her messy hair, and pulled up the covers.
He hadn't expected that Xiao Lan, craving alcohol, would comfort Ning Rongrong by drinking with her.
Her gluttonous nature truly gave him a headache.
He looked at Ning Rongrong, whose eyes were still a bit red.
He knew that she was in a terrible mood today, so his voice softened considerably, but he still couldn't help but caution her.
"Alright, Miss Rongrong!"
"Don't give Xiao Lan alcohol anymore; she's still a child!"
Ning Rongrong propped her chin on one hand, shaking the wine glass in the other, looking at him unhappily and muttering softly.
"It's not like I made her drink...snort!"
Staring at Ye Qiu, she seemed to think of something, her somewhat hazy eyes lit up, and she changed the subject!
"No problem! But I want you to drink with me! How about it?"
"I'm sorry, I don't drink!" Ye Qiu firmly refused. He truly didn't drink.
"Really? You're a man and you don't even drink?" A smile suddenly appeared on her face.
"Of course it's true, why would I lie to you?"
"That's just great!"
"Hmm??"
Ye Qiu looked at her strangely. He didn't drink, so why was she getting excited?
"Ahem... I, I mean I just ran out of wine!" Ning Rongrong evaded his gaze.
She quickly pulled a transparent jar from her spirit tool. Inside, a vivid red liquid swirled.
"So you can just drink juice with me! How about it?"
"Juice?"
Ye Qiu half-believed, half-doubted as he took the red jar, removed the stopper, and sniffed. Indeed, there was no hint of alcohol.
All he smelled was a rich fruity aroma, and a slight fragrance of roses. It smelled very good.
"What? Are you afraid I'll have ulterior motives for you? Dream on!"
Thud!
Her slightly tipsy eyes rolled at him, and she forcefully placed a cup opposite him.
Getting up, she took Ye Qiu's arm and pulled him to the table.
Her face, flushed from drinking, carried a strange smile.
"Alright then." Ye Qiu subtly pulled his hand away and sat down.
Seeing this, Ning Rongrong also sat back down, took the jar from Ye Qiu's hand, and poured a full cup for him and herself.
Holding it, Ye Qiu was still a bit uneasy. As the cup neared his lips, his eyes unconsciously turned to her.
Noticing his gaze, Ning Rongrong pouted, "Hmph! What a coward!"
She picked up her own cup and drank it all in one gulp!
Afterward, she even inverted the cup, smiling as she looked at Ye Qiu.
Seeing that she had no reaction and her complexion hadn't changed at all,
Ye Qiu took a small sip. The taste was good, sweet, and the aroma lingered. He couldn't help but feel curious.
"What kind of juice is this? It's so good."
"If it's good, drink more. Why are you so timid about drinking juice?"
"Hey! What are you...! Ugh~ Gulp!"
Ning Rongrong, when he wasn't paying attention, got up, pressed down on his hand, and made him drink a large gulp.
As the juice entered his stomach, the fragrance spread from his mouth inward. The sweet sensation felt as if Ye Qiu were in a sea of flowers.
A warmth rushed straight to his brain...
When Ning Rongrong let go of him, his head felt a bit heavy.
He couldn't help but shake his head, his eyes a bit blurry. The Ning Rongrong in front of him even appeared to have double vision.
"You... why can't you stand steady?"
"Pfft~ Heh heh!" Ning Rongrong covered her mouth and chuckled softly. "You really are a rookie..."
This red jar of juice was actually a type of fruit wine, brewed and concentrated from various fruits and roses. Because the alcohol scent was masked by the fruit and floral aromas, it smelled just like juice.
Moreover, this wine was actually quite potent; it didn't feel strong in the mouth, but once it reached the stomach, it would make one linger in a sea of flowers.
Let alone a rookie like Ye Qiu, even some veterans couldn't handle it.
Ye Qiu had also forgotten Ning Rongrong's alcohol tolerance and overestimated his own ability.
Seeing her drink a large amount, he felt a sense of lucky, not expecting himself to be a one-cup wonder.
He had caution, but no alcohol tolerance whatsoever.
Ning Rongrong propped herself on the table with both hands, cupping her chin, her smile bright, her eyes curved into crescents.
"Ye Qiu... what's wrong?"
"I'm a little dizzy..." Ye Qiu felt his body go soft. He leaned his arm on the table to sit up straighter.
Ning Rongrong walked to Ye Qiu's side, sat next to him, leaned on the table with one hand propping her head, and looked at his flushed profile, her voice soft.
"Ye Qiu, do you... dislike me?"
"Mmm! A little..." Ye Qiu's words were already a bit slurred.
"Is that so~ Are you still holding a grudge over the auction house incident last time?" Ning Rongrong's eyes became a bit dangerous as she asked again.
"Huh?" Ye Qiu tilted his head, looked at her, and held up his index finger and thumb, "A little... bit..."
"Oh~ I see!" Ning Rongrong showed a look of realization.
"You really are a stingy person!" As she spoke, she poured another cup into his glass.
She brought the cup to his lips and made him drink another large gulp.
The already tipsy Ye Qiu became even more unsteady; if Ning Rongrong hadn't been holding him, he would have collapsed onto the table.
His fair face and neck were completely flushed.
Before his eyes, Xiao Wu's figure seemed to appear, smiling at him, then suddenly transformed into Zhu Zhuqing, with spider legs extending from her back, looking cold and aloof.
She held Ye Qiu, preventing him from falling.
Looking at him, she had been captivated by him at the first auction house.
Then she recalled the scene in Sunset Forest when Ye Qiu descended from the sky to save her, and the pleasant scent she had smelled in his arms.
Her rosy cheeks turned even redder. She leaned into Ye Qiu's neck and sniffed lightly twice. 'It still smells so good, as expected.'
"Ye Qiu! I'll ask you one last question..." Ning Rongrong turned his head to make him face her directly.