Chapter 45
After downing two cans of beer, warmth spread through her body. Xie Mi tossed a blanket to Shen Yanqing, threw her jacket at Xiao Jingxi, then strode over to the grill and started wolfing down barbecued meat.
Cherish life, stay far away from battlefields of love.
CP fans were furious.
[Old Xie, get back here right now!]
[Stop struggling, facing love triangles is your destiny]
[As expected of Sister Xie—careless for just one moment and she’s the female lead of a romance variety show]
Some people grew sour.
[What’s with the act? She must be secretly delighted]
[At first, clearly Shuangshuang was meant to be the main heroine, but later the investors stepped in, and well… both love lines feel so forced]
[666. First of all, Xu Shuangrong being “the heroine” only exists in your dreams—besides hyping CP with Xiao Jingxi at the start, she had no other love storyline. Second, Mr. Shen has shown interest in Xie Mi from beginning to end. I don’t see that as forced at all. And with his status, do you really think any investor could control him? Lastly, I also think it’s weird that Xiao Jingxi suddenly likes Xie Mi, but I simply take it as Xiao Jingxi being mentally ill. Don’t blame everything on Xie Mi.]
Qiu Chengye’s eyes darkened as he stared at Xie Mi, the beer can in his hand gradually crumpling.
During the two days the show was off-air, he’d seen the rebroadcast.
He realized that the latter half of their first meeting had been captured by a hidden camera set up by the production team—and the fact that Xie Mi had pinned him to the ground and pummeled him was now public knowledge.
And later, Xie Mi had threatened him to call her “Dad,” even fed him baby food, leading the entire internet to mock him as being “son-type.”
Utter humiliation!
He didn’t know how Xie Mi had managed to seize such private dirt on him, but he had to do something.
“Come, drink with me.”
Dragging over two cases of beer, Qiu Chengye sat opposite her, sneering. “I hear you can hold your liquor. Dare to compete with me?”
Years of barhopping had given him legendary tolerance. Knocking out Xie Mi would be no problem.
After all, as they say, alcohol makes people spill the truth. Once she was drunk, he could lead her on, make her reveal her secrets—then he wouldn’t be the only one disgraced.
Xie Mi narrowed her eyes, instantly recognizing this bastard’s malicious intent.
“Moderate drinking is for pleasure. Heavy drinking harms the body. Drink by yourself.”
“How about this—I’ll throw some resources your way if you drink with me.”
At the words “throw resources”, Xu Shuangrong immediately glanced over.
But Xie Mi got angry.
“I finally managed to lie flat and rest, and you want to dump more work on me? Do you think I’m stupid?!”
Qiu Chengye flared up too. “Fine, I’ll give you money then!”
Xie Mi grew even angrier. “You think you can brush me off with a few peanuts? Get lost!!”
Qiu Chengye’s mouth twitched violently. Unable to endure it any longer, he suddenly dropped to his knees in front of her and shouted angrily, “Dad! Your son toasts you!!”
This time Xie Mi didn’t say a word—she raised her cup and drained it in one go.
Correct method of toasting: unlocked.
Everyone else was dumbstruck. Qiu Chengye, however, forced himself to smile with triumph and continued toasting her.
“Dad! Drink!”
“Sure!”
[Solid proof. Qiu Chengye really is son-type]
[Future friends of Qiu Chengye: “Even your dad, I don’t want to talk about”]
[Hahahahaha I can’t handle this]
Seeing his chance, Xiao Jingxi stepped forward to shield her.
“Mr. Qiu, that’s enough. She can’t drink that much.”
“Shut up. You drink too!” Qiu Chengye naturally wouldn’t let him ruin the plan. Without another word, he shoved several cans into Xiao Jingxi’s arms.
“Tonight, no holding back. Everyone drinks!”
Qiu Chengye turned into a total drunkard, forcing drinks on everyone, determined to knock them all down.
In no time, several crates of beer were mostly emptied, leaving everyone dizzy and unsteady.
Swaying, Qiu Chengye staggered over to Xie Mi, leaning close with a cold sneer.
“Xie Mi, I’m warning you—don’t get too cocky. So what if you know my secret? If we go head to head, stripping a layer of your skin is nothing…”
Xiao Jingxi yanked him away from behind. “Cut it out, you’re acting like a lunatic.”
Then, turning to Xie Mi with deep emotion, he said, “I know you resent me because of the cyberbullying incident, but you should thank those who hurt you. It’s because of them that you grew, improved, became stronger—don’t you agree?”
“Bullshit!”
Xie Mi shot to her feet and rammed her forehead into his chin. “Thank my ass! I wish they’d all drop dead on the spot! The only one I thank is myself for surviving everything! Everyone else can go to hell!”
Director Niu was startled and quickly tried to comfort her in a low voice: “Teacher Xie, you need to stay positive.”
Eyes half-open, dizzy, she corrected herself: “Everyone else can go get euthanized!”
[Are they all drunk out of their minds?!!]
[Even drunk, Teacher Xie makes sense]
[Exactly, stop with the toxic chicken soup. I’m not swallowing it]
[This round I’m with Old Xie]
Already wasted, yet thinking he was still in control, Qiu Chengye suddenly flipped the table.
“Xie Mi, you think I won’t deal with you? Believe it or not, I can erase you from the entertainment industry in minutes!!”
Xie Mi grabbed a chair and charged at him.
“I only live once! I’ll do whatever I want! Instead of waiting to be stabbed or run over someday, I’d rather go wild right now! Whoever dares stop me, I’ll beat them to death!!”
“Ahhhh!!!”
Qiu Chengye fled in panic while she chased him like a mad dog.
Just as drunk, Xiao Jingxi suddenly stood up and shouted at her, “Xie Mi! If my love means nothing to you, then face my hate instead!!”
[I’m fried to a crisp inside and out!!!]
[??? Never thought I’d hear such a corny line from the Movie Emperor himself]
[Wait… did anyone else catch the keyword? Xiao Jingxi loves Xie Mi?? Loves?!]
[They’re all insane. Absolutely insane]
[Is this a recreation of the Mushroom Poison Incident scene?]
Director Niu was dumbfounded.
He’d thought a seaside drinking party like this would end romantically, with the male and female guests confessing their feelings under liquid courage…
How did it turn into a mass drunken riot?!
“Quick! Stop them!”
“Wait, where’s Teacher Xie?”
“She’s gone!!”
When they finally realized, all that was left on the beach was Qiu Chengye knocked flat by a chair. Xie Mi had vanished.
The night sea was pitch black, both dangerous and mysterious.
“Shit!”
Even Director Niu panicked. “What are you standing around for? Go find her!”
“Mr. Shen seems to have already gone!”
…
“Xie Mi!”
Shen Yanqing’s voice echoed through the woods, the eyes that were always calm now tinged with panic, his voice tight with undisguised anxiety.
After several rounds of searching with no sign of her, unease tightened his chest, his knuckles whitening from the force of his grip.
Suddenly—footsteps rustled behind him.
He turned.
“Surprise!”
The girl’s cheeks were flushed, her beautiful eyes glazed with drunkenness, but her smile was radiant.
“Your guardian angel is here to grant your wish!”
With all her might, she flung the flower petals in her hands into the air. White petals whirled down around them, reflected in Shen Yanqing’s pupils.
A crumpled slip of paper fluttered to the ground.
On it was written:
[Shen Yanqing’s wish: To see apricot blossoms fall like rain once more]
