In the villa’s living room, the smell of barbecue grease mingled with the malty aroma of beer.
Firefly arranged everything neatly across the coffee table, then sat opposite Li Yedao.
Silver Wolf was dragged into the seat beside her.
Silver Wolf glanced at Firefly, looking somewhat uneasy.
She leaned closer and lowered her voice.
“You actually brought him back?”
“Mm.”
Firefly nodded softly.
There was something hidden in her eyes that Silver Wolf couldn’t quite read.
“…Don’t do anything stupid.”
After whispering that into Firefly’s ear, Silver Wolf stood up to leave.
This place was dangerous.
Just the atmosphere alone felt wrong.
But the instant she rose, someone grabbed her wrist.
Li Yedao pushed her back onto the sofa.
He didn’t use much force, but his intent was firm.
Under Silver Wolf’s confused gaze, he leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Stay here with me.
Something feels off.”
He didn’t explain further.
But Silver Wolf was Silver Wolf.
Her brain turned once and she immediately understood.
It was the oldest setup in the book.
Two people drink together.
They get drunk.
Then something happens that becomes extremely awkward to explain afterward.
Li Yedao was keeping her around as insurance.
Silver Wolf paused, then settled back into her seat and folded her arms.
“Well, since you’re begging me, I’ll reluctantly stay.”
Across from them, Firefly watched the exchange and frowned.
Only for an instant.
The next second, her expression returned to normal.
She picked up a can of beer and offered it over.
“Silver Wolf, want one?”
“No.”
Silver Wolf waved it away decisively.
“You know I can’t handle alcohol.”
Her alcohol tolerance belonged in the category of worse than a dog’s.
One sip and her face turned red.
Three sips and she started making life-changing decisions.
Firefly was obviously trying to knock her out first before making her move on Li Yedao.
Silver Wolf had already written the entire script in her head.
There was no chance she was willingly jumping into that pit.
Rather than looking disappointed by the refusal, Firefly’s lips curved upward slightly.
She popped open the can herself and took a sip.
Then she pulled out another unopened one and handed it to Li Yedao.
“Yedao, drink with me a little.”
Li Yedao had been about to refuse.
But Firefly looked so pitiful that he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Her eyes were shimmering as though tears might spill out at any second.
That’s right.
He went soft.
Beer should be fine.
Silver Wolf was sitting right beside them.
Even if Firefly wanted to get him drunk, she couldn’t possibly do anything with a third person watching.
“Thanks.”
He accepted the can and took a gulp.
The curve of Firefly’s lips rose a little higher.
She began chatting, her tone casual, as though they were simply talking about everyday things.
“Yedao, you said over the phone that someone forcibly kissed you.
What exactly happened?”
Silver Wolf’s ears immediately perked up.
She was genuinely curious too.
Earlier, she hadn’t had time to ask for details before Firefly interrupted the call.
Li Yedao raised a finger to his lips, looking mysterious.
“Secret.”
Firefly frowned but didn’t press him.
Silver Wolf, on the other hand, became even more interested.
She leaned back with her arms folded.
“Even if you don’t tell me, I can guess.”
“It was someone close to you, right?”
Li Yedao said nothing.
His expression didn’t shift in the slightest.
Silver Wolf knew immediately that she had guessed correctly.
She pulled out her phone and started messaging Kafka, trying to find out whether she knew anything.
While Silver Wolf hammered away at her screen, Li Yedao and Firefly continued eating and drinking.
Though “eating and drinking” was mostly just Li Yedao listening to Firefly vent.
She talked about recent frustrations at work.
About how bored she felt whenever she was alone.
As Li Yedao listened, it didn’t seem all that different from their usual conversations.
And yet…
Something still felt strange.
Firefly was speaking more slowly than usual today.
The pauses between her sentences were longer, as though she were deliberately stretching out every topic.
And whenever he was almost finished with one skewer, she would immediately hand him another.
She was especially diligent about replacing his drinks too.
Stalling for time?
Li Yedao’s head started to feel heavy.
The lights around him blurred.
Firefly’s face went from one to two.
Am I drunk already?
Ten minutes later, Li Yedao’s body felt as though it were burning.
His thoughts dissolved into mush.
He tipped sideways and collapsed directly onto Silver Wolf, letting out a faint, muddled breath.
Silver Wolf jumped in alarm, nearly throwing her phone across the room.
She steadied herself and looked down.
Li Yedao’s face had turned unnaturally red.
Fine beads of sweat covered his forehead.
“Li Yedao, what’s wrong with you?”
He didn’t answer.
He only kept pressing closer to her, as though instinctively searching for something cool.
Something clicked in Silver Wolf’s mind.
She snapped her head toward Firefly.
Firefly was also swaying as she braced herself against the coffee table and stood.
Her steps were unsteady.
Her eyes were unfocused.
But there was an unmistakable smile on her face.
Clearly, something was wrong with her too.
Just not nearly as badly as Li Yedao.
“Firefly, you—!”
Silver Wolf’s eyes widened.
In an instant, every fragment clicked into place.
Those two cans of beer…
Firefly had been drinking from the same batch.
“You dosed yourself too?!”
Firefly shook her head slightly.
Her smile was three parts intoxication and seven parts satisfaction.
“I put something in the beer.”
“Yedao got affected.”
“And so did I.”
She slowly walked closer and crouched in front of Silver Wolf.
Her gaze softened as she looked at Li Yedao leaning against Silver Wolf’s shoulder.
Then she raised her head and looked Silver Wolf directly in the eyes.
“Silver Wolf, choose.”
“Do you let me have him…”
“Or do you help him yourself?”
“And just so you know—”
“Even if you help him, I’m still going to have him help me too~”
Silver Wolf froze completely.
She wanted to curse.
But something clogged her throat so badly that she couldn’t squeeze out a single word.
In the end, she only managed half a sentence.
“Aren’t you afraid he’ll hate you when he wakes up?”
“No.”
Firefly gently shook her head, completely certain.
“He won’t.”
“If Yedao truly felt nothing for me, he wouldn’t have come today.”
“He was having trouble choosing.”
“So I chose for him.”
There was something in Firefly’s eyes as she spoke that sent a chill down Silver Wolf’s spine.
She knew that look all too well.
Whenever Firefly looked like that…
No one could stop her.
Silence stretched for a long time.
Eventually, Silver Wolf sighed.
“…Keep it down.”
Firefly nodded.
She helped Li Yedao upright, half supporting and half carrying him toward her room.
Not long afterward, the bedroom door closed.
A few indistinct sounds leaked through the crack beneath it.
Silver Wolf remained alone on the sofa, staring at the scattered barbecue skewers and empty cans covering the coffee table.
Her expression was complicated.
“Old Li…
it’s not that I didn’t try to save you.”
“Firefly’s just way too devious.”
She muttered to herself, picked up one untouched can of beer, looked at it for a moment, then put it back down.
“Besides, you weren’t exactly fighting for your life earlier either.”
“And there’s no rule saying you can only marry one person.”
“Just think of it as getting a wife for free.”
After finishing that bit of self-justification, Silver Wolf felt slightly better.
She stood up and returned to her room, leaving the living room to that tightly shut bedroom door.
…
…
The next morning.
Li Yedao opened his eyes.
His first sensation was—
Heavy.
Something was pressing against his chest.
Something very heavy.
He stared at the unfamiliar ceiling while his brain slowly booted up.
Several seconds passed before his awareness began returning, sluggish as though filled with lead.
Wait.
This is way too heavy…
He lowered his head with difficulty.
Long silver-gray hair was scattered across his chest.
Firefly was lying on top of him, her face buried against his shoulder, her breathing even and warm.
The blanket had slipped down to her waist, exposing her bare shoulders and collarbones.
Memories flooded back into his mind.
Beer.
Dizziness.
His whole body burning.
Silver Wolf’s indistinct voice.
Then fragmented images that refused to assemble themselves into a complete timeline.
But there were enough pieces for him to understand what had happened last night.
…I still fell for it.
He had thought Firefly merely wanted to get him drunk.
He hadn’t expected there to be a second trap.
“…Mm.”
The person in his arms stirred awake from his movement.
Firefly lifted her head drowsily.
She blinked.
Then, after recognizing his face, the corners of her lips curved upward.
Her voice was unbelievably soft.
“Good morning, husband.”
Husband…
She sure switched titles naturally.
Li Yedao opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Then opened it again.
Still nothing came out.
He stared at Firefly’s face only inches away.
Her eyes still carried the haze of sleep, but beneath it was something cautious and uncertain.
She was waiting for his reaction.
“Firefly, you…”
He only managed three words before getting stuck again.
Firefly lowered her eyelashes.
Her voice became very quiet.
“That was my first time.”
Li Yedao said nothing.
She bit her lip, then added,
“I really like you.”
“I really…
have for a long time.”
She made herself seem so small, practically curled against his chest.
All that remained was a girl terrified of being pushed away.
Li Yedao looked at her.
All the questions, accusations, and discussions about life choices that had rushed to the tip of his tongue became lodged in his throat.
He couldn’t force out a single one.
After a long time, he finally sighed in resignation.
“I’ll take responsibility.”
“Really?!”
Firefly abruptly raised her head.
The tears she had been holding back all night finally spilled over.
She hugged him tightly and buried her face against his neck.
Her tears followed the dried tracks from the night before, soaking his collarbone with warmth.
“That’s wonderful…”
“That’s wonderful…”
“Really…
wonderful…”
The first time she said it, she couldn’t contain the sheer joy in her voice.
After that, the words became soft murmurs.
Like someone who had prayed for something for a very long time and had finally gotten it into her hands.
She clung to him tightly.
Refusing to let go even a little.
join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I’m a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 230)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
Yu-Gi-Oh!
— Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 355 “Is this chat group even serious?” (Completed)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal!
(Completed)
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77 From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa (Completed)
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 265
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 377
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (Completed.)
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume5/8
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 135
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 170
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 135
Supernatural Multiverse 210
My Harem Is Indescribable 120
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 120
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 130 Still playing traditional Honk 105 The Most Filial Son Under Heav 120 What Should I Do After Switchi 85 Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80 Transmigrated as Sukuna 165 Checking In in Demon Slayer 105 The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 120 I Refuse to Become a Heroic 115 My Best Friend Into a Slime?
90
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (Completed)
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero?
105
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 115
Why did they assign me to Uma 100
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 110
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 160
Honkai’s Otherworld?
Wait—Who Are You People?!
150
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 75 The Uma Musume Who Became 80 I’m Definitely Not the King of 160 After Maxing Out Every Class 170 Honkai: World Modulation Mode 150 I, the Elden Sword Saint 80 Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 115 No One Knows Pokémon Better 75 From Trilobites to Titans 70 Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 130 DanMachi: My Party Members Are 150 An Anime Heroine Darkened 70 Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 100 Honkai: The Fire Devil 145 Honkai Transformation Cards Volume3/15 Age of Heroes, I’m Just a Back 120 Uma Musume Has No Weird Fan Le 100 At age 8, she co-starred with 80 Honkai: Schicksal Media 105 An Extremist in a Slice-of-Lif 85 Chainsaw Man, but I’m Aatrox 75 Honkai Apocrypha: Are the Valk 60 Morgan Shirou’s Journey in Dan 43 DanMachi: Get to Work, Dimensi 95 Honkai: Star Rail—Kiana Cried!
63
Sakiko Togawa: A Blood-Soaked Cards Volume2/32 Detective Conan: My Whole 65 Honkai: Star Rail:Reincarnated 92 In the Nasuverse, but I Practice Scientific Cultivation 53 Honkai: Starting Out as a God of Luoxing 65 Honkai: I Really Never Intended to Start a Harem!
join here to read ahead.
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178) Zenless Zone Zero: I’m a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 230)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 ) Yu-Gi-Oh!
— Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl 355 “Is this chat group even serious?” (Completed) I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal!
(Completed) Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77 From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa (Completed) Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 265 From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20 Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 377 Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer (Completed.) I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume5/8 The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 135 Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67 Uma Musume: From Beginner 170 Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85 Uma Musume: I Want All 120 I Can Copy Unique Skills 135 Supernatural Multiverse 210 My Harem Is Indescribable 120 Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 120 Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 130 Still playing traditional Honk 105 The Most Filial Son Under Heav 120 What Should I Do After Switchi 85 Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 80 Transmigrated as Sukuna 165 Checking In in Demon Slayer 105 The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 120 I Refuse to Become a Heroic 115 My Best Friend Into a Slime?
90 A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel (Completed) What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero?
105 Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 115 Why did they assign me to Uma 100 DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 110 The Gacha Merchant Who Started 160 Honkai’s Otherworld?
Wait—Who Are You People?!
150 Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 75 The Uma Musume Who Became 80 I’m Definitely Not the King of 160 After Maxing Out Every Class 170 Honkai: World Modulation Mode 150 I, the Elden Sword Saint 80 Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 115 No One Knows Pokémon Better 75 From Trilobites to Titans 70 Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 130 DanMachi: My Party Members Are 150 An Anime Heroine Darkened 70 Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Links 100 Honkai: The Fire Devil 145 Honkai Transformation Cards Volume3/15 Age of Heroes, I’m Just a Back 120 Uma Musume Has No Weird Fan Le 100 At age 8, she co-starred with 80 Honkai: Schicksal Media 105 An Extremist in a Slice-of-Lif 85 Chainsaw Man, but I’m Aatrox 75 Honkai Apocrypha: Are the Valk 60 Morgan Shirou’s Journey in Dan 43 DanMachi: Get to Work, Dimensi 95 Honkai: Star Rail—Kiana Cried!
63 Sakiko Togawa: A Blood-Soaked Cards Volume2/32 Detective Conan: My Whole 65 Honkai: Star Rail:Reincarnated 92 In the Nasuverse, but I Practice Scientific Cultivation 53 Honkai: Starting Out as a God of Luoxing 65 Honkai: I Really Never Intended to Start a Harem!