Ji Dongqing’s cousin had booked a private room on the fifth floor—a luxurious suite with extravagant, dazzling decor inspired by Dunhuang motifs. Crystal chandeliers hung everywhere along the corridor, their light reflecting off the mirror-smooth floors in mesmerizing patterns. A faint, pleasant air freshener fragrance drifted through the air, instantly lifting one’s mood.
Guided by the waiter, Ji Dongqing quickly found the room. The moment the door opened, a wave of tobacco smoke and alcohol hit them. Inside, the room was noisy and lively. Two men and two women were already seated on the sofa.
“Winter Sunny, you’re finally here—we’ve been waiting for you.”
The one who stood up to speak was Ji Dongqing’s cousin, Ji Weitang.
“Brother, happy birthday! These three are my roommates.”
“Come sit over here. Introduce your roommates to everyone.”
The Ji family genes must be excellent. Not only was Ji Dongqing delicate and refined, but Ji Weitang was also fair-skinned and handsome—the kind of look girls usually fell for.
“This is Lin Xiaoxuan, Jiang Yongtian, and this is Ji Huaixiang.”
Ji Dongqing introduced them one by one. “My cousin Ji Weitang. He’s really nice. Feel free to order whatever you want to eat or drink.”
“Yeah, you’re Winter Sunny’s roommates—no need to be shy.”
Ji Weitang’s face lit up with delight. He hadn’t expected S University to have so many beautiful girls. Especially when his gaze landed on Ji Huaixiang standing farthest out, his eyes widened dramatically, shining like high-wattage bulbs.
The dark green patent leather sofa was huge—more than enough for four people. Ji Huaixiang sat at the very end, keeping a safe distance from the others. The room’s lighting was dim, with moving spotlights overhead that didn’t reach the corners.
Ji Dongqing poured several glasses of juice and passed them to her roommates. Ji Huaixiang accepted one but simply held it without drinking—she wasn’t thirsty yet. The tobacco and alcohol smell in the room was quite strong; she couldn’t help wrinkling her nose slightly.
Ji Weitang wanted to show off in front of the beauties. He picked up the microphone and chose a song. His voice was decent, and with his enthusiastic performance, the result was actually quite good. When he finished, his friends clapped nonstop.
“Weitang-ge, your voice is amazing! Sing another one.”
One of the girls scooted even closer to him, speaking in a soft, coquettish tone.
Ji Weitang glanced toward the corner and saw the stunning beauty completely focused on her phone, showing no reaction at all. He downed the drink in his glass in one gulp, gently pushed the girl away, and said,
“No more singing. Let’s play games.”
He turned to Ji Dongqing. “Winter Sunny, get your roommates to come sit over here. Let’s all play together.”
Lin Xiaoxuan held her juice glass, her face already flushed pink—clearly shy. She lowered her voice and said awkwardly to Ji Dongqing,
“Let’s go sit over there and play.”
Ji Dongqing had spent some time with her and understood her personality. Seeing her acting all bashful now, she roughly guessed what was going on.
“Sure, let’s play together. Huaixiang, what about you?”
“I’ll watch from the side. If you guys lose, I’ll be the one to take you home.”
Ji Huaixiang put away her phone, smiled, and added, “Someone has to be the flower guardian.”
A trace of regret flashed in Ji Weitang’s eyes. He pressed the button on the wall and instructed the waiter to bring in some drinks the girls would like.
The pink cocktails came garnished with bright red, cute cherries—sweet and sour, exactly the kind girls loved. Lin Xiaoxuan’s luck tonight seemed poor; she kept losing. More than ten cocktails had already gone down her throat. Even Ji Dongqing and Jiang Yongtian had helped her drink several.
“You lost again.”
Ji Weitang touched the cigarette in his pocket but held back from lighting it. A dark glint passed through his eyes.
“I can see you can’t drink anymore. How about letting one of your roommates take a few for you?”
“Hey, Weitang-ge, why so gentle and protective today? Normally when I drink till I puke, you still force me to keep going,” one of Ji Weitang’s friends teased.
“Pfft, you’re a toilet—girls are delicate jade vases. How can they be compared?” Ji Weitang shot back.
At that, Lin Xiaoxuan’s sweet face turned even redder. Her head was spinning, her fingertips trembling. She turned toward Ji Huaixiang in the corner.
“Huaixiang, can you help me drink?”
“I don’t drink alcohol.”
Ji Huaixiang looked at Lin Xiaoxuan seriously.
“It’s just a few glasses. These cocktails are sweet and sour—not easy to get drunk on. Winter Sunny and Yongtian already helped me drink a lot.”
Seeing Ji Huaixiang frown, she pressed her palms together and acted cute: “Huaixiang, please help me~”
Ji Dongqing and Jiang Yongtian stayed silent. The cocktails were sweet, but the aftertaste was strong. After just a few glasses, their heads were already starting to spin.
“Huaixiang?”
“I don’t drink either. I’ll only help you once.”
Ji Huaixiang put her phone away. “Besides, alcohol stimulates the sense of smell—it’s not good for perfumery.”
“Ahh, I love you the most! Don’t worry, I won’t lose again.”
Lin Xiaoxuan didn’t care anymore. She directly handed the cocktail to Ji Huaixiang to drink.
The cocktail entered sweetly—indeed tasty—but the base note’s bite made Ji Huaixiang press her tongue against the roof of her mouth. It felt a little numb.
“Impressive. Looks like all of Winter Sunny’s roommates can hold their liquor. Two more glasses left.”
Ji Weitang’s eyes were glued to the girl’s exposed neck as she tilted her head back—snow-white, graceful lines he wished he could reach out and touch.
By the time she finished the third glass, Ji Huaixiang’s face had flushed red. She curled up on the sofa, her stomach burning with waves of heat—uncomfortable.
“Huaixiang, you’re amazing.”
Seeing that Ji Huaixiang was fine, Lin Xiaoxuan turned back and continued playing with the others.
The tobacco smell in the private room grew thicker and thicker, mixed with alcohol fumes. After sitting for a while, Ji Huaixiang found it hard to breathe—the air was too stuffy. Her head was starting to spin.
“I’m going out for some fresh air.”
“Go ahead.”
Lin Xiaoxuan’s mind was completely on the game.
The corridor lights had switched to warm tones—somewhat dim. Every room was noisy, but outside there wasn’t a single person in sight. Ji Huaixiang walked forward. At the corner stood a tall green potted plant taller than she was. She stood beside it, pressing her forehead against the wall. After a while, she began gently bumping her head against it—once, twice.
“A-Jin, don’t walk so fast. Wait for me.”
Zhou Zisheng sped up to catch up behind him. Even with a limp, the guy walked faster than him. He glanced at those unfairly long legs. Fine—sometimes heaven really is fair.
Gu Wujin’s steps suddenly paused. He stopped completely.
“What are you doing?”
He stood at the corner, watching the girl’s strange behavior.
Ji Huaixiang ignored him and continued gently banging her head against the wall.
Gu Wujin called out:
“Ji Huaixiang.”
Ji Huaixiang’s body paused. She turned her head to the side. Her red lips glistened with a watery sheen, and her beautiful black eyes were filled with drunken haze.
“Mr. Gu? I think… I see you.”
Gu Wujin:
“You do see me. What are you doing?”
“My head is dizzy.”
Ji Huaixiang pointed at the wall with a pitiful, aggrieved expression, her voice soft and whiny:
“This wall is so mean. It hit me. My head hurts.”
“Hey, who’s this little sister? She’s drunk, right?”
Zhou Zisheng stood to the side, eyes gleaming with interest. Tsk tsk—what a妖艳 (bewitchingly seductive) face. First time seeing one like this.
Gu Wujin had intended to ignore her, but remembering how much his grandma liked her, he still spoke:
“Who did you come with? Get your friends to take you home.”
“Not going back.”
Ji Huaixiang opened her beautiful eyes wide, watery and shimmering, looking at him pitifully.
“It hit my head. You help me bully it back, okay?”
Gu Wujin: “…”
Zhou Zisheng stood by with folded arms, eyes sparkling as he watched how Gu Wujin would handle this.
“I’ll take you back.”
Gu Wujin stepped forward to pull her along.
“No way. It’s still here. My head hurts.”
Ji Huaixiang pointed at the wall again.
Zhou Zisheng laughed and chimed in:
“Yeah, yeah—the wall’s still there.”
Gu Wujin had no patience left for her antics. He directly pulled her into his arms, intending to carry her away—but Ji Huaixiang suddenly started struggling.
“You can’t hug me! You can’t hug me! Only Brother Jin can hug me!”
She shoved him away hard. Gu Wujin, caught off guard, lost his balance and crashed back against the wall.
“A-Jin, you okay?”
Zhou Zisheng stopped laughing and hurried over. That sound was loud—he could feel the pain just hearing it.
Ji Huaixiang stopped struggling. She stood quietly in place, staring blankly at Gu Wujin.
Gu Wujin’s dark eyes deepened. He brushed the dust off his clothes, pulled out a cigarette, placed it between his lips, and walked straight ahead without a word.
“A-Jin… you’re really just leaving her?”
Zhou Zisheng was stunned and followed behind.
Gu Wujin smoked in silence. Zhou Zisheng didn’t say anything more.
Makes sense. A-Jin wasn’t the type to meddle in other people’s business. That girl earlier was beautiful, sure—skin fair and white—but her looks were too vivid and妖媚 (seductive and bewitching), not A-Jin’s type at all. From years of watching A-Jin choose girlfriends, he always went for girls with fair skin, pure and innocent appearances, and crisp, clear voices. A soft, weak,媚 (coquettish) voice like that? No way A-Jin would be interested.
“Let go of me! I don’t want to go with you—I want Brother Jin!”
The voice came from behind. Zhou Zisheng turned back and saw Ji Huaixiang being pulled by a man who clearly wanted to take her away.
“A-Jin, you really don’t care? That guy obviously has designs on her…”
Zhou Zisheng watched Gu Wujin continue walking forward. He shrugged. If A-Jin wasn’t bothering, he sure as hell wasn’t going to get involved.
“I don’t want you! I want Brother Jin!”
Ji Huaixiang glared fiercely at Ji Weitang.
“Your roommates are all inside. I’ll take you back to find them.”
Ji Weitang reached for her hand again, but she dodged.
Meanwhile, Zhou Zisheng followed Gu Wujin to the elevator. He pressed the down button.
“A-Jin, you heading back to the Gu house tonight or to your apartment?”
Gu Wujin took the cigarette from his mouth and crushed it out in the trash bin beside the elevator. Without a word, he turned around and walked back the way he came. Because he moved faster, his limp became even more obvious.
Fuck.
Zhou Zisheng cursed under his breath. Wasn’t he supposed to not care?
Ji Huaixiang was cornered there, her big, bright black eyes covered with a layer of misty water. She stubbornly glared at Ji Weitang, refusing to let him come any closer.
“You’re Huaixiang, right? You’re drunk. Let me take you back to the room.”
“No… I don’t want you…”
“Then who do you want?”
Gu Wujin restrained the coldness in his eyes and slowly walked closer.
Ji Huaixiang’s eyes lit up instantly. A dazzling, radiant smile bloomed across her drunken face.
“Brother Jin… I want Brother Jin.”
Gu Wujin looked at her calmly. His thin lips curved slightly, voice low and elegant:
“Come here.”
Ji Huaixiang stopped fussing. She frowned at him for a moment, then obediently walked over.
“Follow me.”
He half-embraced her. Ji Huaixiang struggled again. Gu Wujin narrowed his eyes at her.
“Push me away one more time, and I swear I won’t bother with you again.”
Hearing that, Ji Huaixiang finally let him support her without resistance.
“Wait—you’re who? You can’t just take her.”
Ji Weitang’s face darkened. He stepped in front of Gu Wujin to block him.
“Ask her if she wants to come with me.”
“Yes.”
Ji Huaixiang answered without hesitation.