Lin Ting suddenly snapped out of her memories, like a kitten whose tail had been grabbed.
She defensively muttered, “I wasn’t.”
Lu Hesheng wasn’t annoyed. “Little sister, you were giggling at me just now, remember?”
“I know I’m handsome, but you didn’t have to smile for a full five minutes.”
Someone nearby immediately chimed in:
“Yeah! Lin Ting, you didn’t even react when it was your turn to roll the dice.”
“We were all watching, your eyes were practically glued to Lu Ge!”
“Don’t be shy! You were just a little drunk, we get it, we get it.”
Lin Ting: “……..”
All she wanted now was to disappear, or better yet, leave this planet.
Fortunately, everyone present knew when to stop. They only teased her briefly before urging the game to continue.
Lu Hesheng waved over a waiter and quietly gave some instructions.
Soon, a hangover soup and some mango juice were placed in front of Lin Ting.
He pointed at the drink. “Have this.”
Lin Ting, embarrassed, barely managed a “Thank you.”
In the following rounds, everyone tacitly agreed that Lin Ting could replace alcohol with juice.
Lu Hesheng, on the other hand, kept drinking round after round, becoming increasingly tipsy.
Suddenly, his heavy body leaned unexpectedly against her, as if she were a support on the sofa.
Lin Ting froze.
She wanted to reach for the hangover soup but didn’t dare move much—the man’s expression looked genuinely unwell.
Lu Hesheng gently covered her wrist with his hand, squeezing slightly in a pleading gesture:
“Don’t move… let me rest a bit. Feeling dizzy.”
Soon after, someone suggested calling it a night.
Lin Ting looked around. Everyone was busy tidying up or discussing where to go next, yet no one seemed concerned about the very drunk young master Lu.
Shen Xiao approached. “Lin Ting, his car is outside. I’ve arranged a driver.”
“Thanks for the trouble!” she said, giving a playful wink of appreciation.
Lin Ting had no choice but to help Lu Hesheng out of the bar.
Despite his broad shoulders and long legs, he was surprisingly light; she barely needed any effort to support him.
It was 3 a.m., yet the streets were still lively, filled with chatter and the roar of sports cars.
She easily spotted Lu Hesheng’s car. After securing him in the back seat, she took out her phone to book a ride for herself.
Lu Hesheng seemed mostly awake, though his eyes were still slightly unfocused.
He hooked her bag strap with his fingers. “Wait… where are you going? The dorm must be closed by now.”
Lin Ting: “I’ll see you safely into the car, then go to a hotel for the night.”
Without thinking, he shook his head. “It’s not safe for you to stay at a hotel alone.”
“Come to my place. There are plenty of guest rooms, no charge.”
Lin Ting hesitated.
At that moment, Shen Xiao and his friends emerged, joking and shoulder-to-shoulder, planning to grab late-night snacks.
Shen Xiao immediately waved her over, “Lin Ting, listen to Lu Ge! It’s so late, we can’t let you sleep at a hotel alone.”
Nan Sangning ran up, her face full of concern: “Yeah, Lin Ting, if you really can’t, you can sleep at my place!”
Nan Jiyun’s tone was cold, dismissive. “Sorry, Lin Ting, we only have one bed.”
Nan Sangning gaped at him, outraged, punching his chest several times.
“Big brother, have you lost your mind from drinking???”
Nan Jiyun glanced at the drunken Lu Hesheng, then opened the rear door and carried Nan Sangning away.
Lu Hesheng pinched the little bun on Lin Ting’s head. “The majority rules. Come with me, understood?”
Lin Ting nodded. She wasn’t worried about her safety—after all, Lu Hesheng wouldn’t sleep with a woman he didn’t like.
Her concern was that she might act on instinct in a drunken sleepwalking state, doing something she shouldn’t.
They got into the car, one in front of the other.
Both feeling a little car-sick from the alcohol, neither spoke first.
Lu Hesheng leaned back, eyes closed, casually asking, “Little sister… do you like him?”
Him? Lin Ting immediately realized he meant Ji Yunzheng.
She half-denied, half-agreed, “Mhm.”
Lu Hesheng asked, “What do you like about him?”
Lin Ting stared at her entwined fingers, searching for an answer: “My family wants it… he’s… not bad, I guess.”
He said, “Oh… when are you getting married? I want to get some good luck from it.”
She let go of her fingers, giving no answer.
Lu Hesheng didn’t press; it was just idle chatter. Soon, he leaned back and fell asleep.
Lin Ting turned her gaze to the passing nightscape outside the window.
In a barely audible whisper, she murmured to herself:
“I won’t marry him.”
She had never planned to be trapped in the Lin household or stay in Jingbei permanently. Her current compromises were only temporary measures.
Ever since her mother died, nothing here had ever made her feel truly attached.
Lin Ting only wanted to chase her dreams and live for herself, just once.
The car stopped in front of a high-end residential building in Jingbei.
The driver announced, “We’re here, sir, miss.”
Lin Ting turned, intending to wake Lu Hesheng.
But he had somehow already woken, staring at her without blinking, his eyes unreadable.
Her heart jumped. She frantically recalled what she had muttered aloud earlier—how much he had heard.
Lu Hesheng rubbed his brows, his hoarse voice breaking the silence:
“We’re here? I just woke up and didn’t hear what you said.”
Lin Ting quietly exhaled. “At the gate… the security wouldn’t let us in.”
Seeing Lu Hesheng in person, the guards respectfully allowed them entry. Lin Ting followed him, scanning their faces to pass the facial recognition check.
The apartment had one unit per floor. Lu Hesheng’s home was on the 28th floor, the topmost unit.
The apartment was spacious and empty, unlike a regularly lived-in place. From the floor-to-ceiling windows, the central axis of Jingbei glimmered below.
Lin Ting looked away, noticing Lu Hesheng had placed a pair of white women’s slippers by her feet.
She hesitated for a few seconds, preparing to slip them on.
He kindly asked, “Do you want me to take them off for you?”
Lin Ting shook her head immediately, putting them on faster.
He casually indicated a room:
“You’ll sleep there tonight. Closet has some girls’ clothes, bathroom has cosmetics and skincare—help yourself.”
Seeming to read her thoughts, Lu Hesheng smirked knowingly:
“Little sister, I’m not like a man who would mess with someone with a fiancé.”
Lin Ting quickly replied: “I didn’t mean that. I’m just worried the owners of these things might mind.”
He reassured her: “Don’t worry. I’m not the scumbag you imagine. On the contrary, I’m very disciplined.”
“Even the first time is reserved… for my future girlfriend.”
Seeing Lin Ting freeze, he finally laughed and explained seriously:
“The stuff in that room belongs to my cousin. She stayed here during her summer internship in Jingbei.”
Lin Ting nodded, then said: “Uh, senior… I have a class at 10 tomorrow.”
Lu Hesheng: “What? Want me to drive you to school?”