If you have a good time, you can use it in the middle of the day!

“Wow~ this restaurant is so high-class.”

“Don’t be shy. Order whatever you want.”

An Jiu’er strolled in like it was her own home, guiding Luo You into a private, half-enclosed room.

Luo You was only surprised for a few seconds before her face settled back into calm.

She had seen too many grand occasions in her life to behave like some country bumpkin.

A little rustic act for appearances was enough.

But the menu… now that was another matter.

The strange, foreign-looking characters stabbed right into the blind spot of Luo You’s knowledge.

Thunk—

At times like these, she knew there was only one line that fit the situation.

“I’ll order what you’re having”?

No, no, no. Too shallow. The proper response was:

“I’ll have today’s chef’s recommendation,” Luo You said in a deep, steady voice.

“Alright then, I’ll order the same.”

“???”

The two of them sat alone in the private room.

The atmosphere was strangely quiet.

All of a sudden, An Jiu’er covered her face, her voice tinted with apology.

“Sorry… I must’ve chosen the wrong place.

I hope this didn’t ruin your experience.”

“Ah, no, no. Don’t worry about it.

I’ve eaten at places like this before,” Luo You replied with reassuring calm.

“Sorry…”

“I told you, it’s fine.”

Just then, a server brought in a bottle of red wine with two glasses.

Luo You immediately spoke up.

“I can’t handle alcohol. Please bring me a glass of water instead.”

“Of course.”

The server left and quickly returned with a clear glass of water.

Meanwhile, An Jiu’er was still dwelling on her mistake.

“You can’t let this weigh on you. That just makes me suffer even more.

Come on, let’s toast. Bottoms up. Pretend none of this ever happened.”

“Uh…”

Luo You raised her water.

An Jiu’er lifted her wine, their glasses clinking together.

“Cheers,” Luo You said, stylizing her voice with a bubbly undertone.

“Cheers~” An Jiu’er licked her lips as she said it, her tone sultry enough to send a chill down Luo You’s spine.

Weird.

It was just “cheers” in words… yet somehow she felt the meaning had transformed entirely.

Then she drained the glass in one go.

Pffffft—

The liquid scorched all the way down.

Midway through, Luo You spat some of it out.

“Luo You?!”

An Jiu’er rushed in with napkins, dabbing at her lips.

The server came running too.

“Hey, waiter! Get over here! Is this water to you?!”

Luo You was furious.

This was clearly strong liquor—white spirits!

She hadn’t noticed when she gulped it, and now half had gone down her throat.

“Our deepest apologies, ma’am!

We’ll get you a replacement right away!”

The manager hurried in with profuse apologies, adding complimentary desserts to soothe matters, before a real glass of water was finally set down.

“Cough! Cough—!”

“Luo You, rinse your mouth.”

An Jiu’er pressed the glass insistently to her lips.

“Thanks… I-I’m fine.”

“You sure?”

“I said… I’m F-fine… oh no…”

She stumbled, slumping into An Jiu’er’s arms.

Damn. Dizzy.

Not only could she not take spice—her alcohol tolerance was bottom-tier garbage too.

Back when she was still a man, she never touched alcohol at all in the gym, never joined a single drinking party.

The last thing she wanted was to get drunk and get tangled up with those lusty men.

“Youyou, can you stand?” An Jiu’er asked.

“No… problem.”

Face flushed, swaying slightly, she didn’t notice that An Jiu’er had shifted her seat right up beside her, an arm slipping around her waist.

When she finally recovered a little, An Jiu’er stifled a soft giggle.

“Youyou… your alcohol tolerance isn’t that bad.”

“Ha! It’s amazing! I can drink tons!” Luo You mimicked some online meme she vaguely remembered.

But she stopped herself before the joke ran too far.

Some things weren’t funny if they became reality.

At that moment, An Jiu’er’s hand playfully pinched the soft flesh at her waist.

“Youyou, your waist… trained very well.”

“Hey! Stop! That’s far enough!”

She was on the brink—another step and this would be an abyss.

Luckily, An Jiu’er only laughed and released her.

“Alright, alright. If you want, I could even feed you instead.”

Luo You didn’t want to resist anymore.

She only wanted the alcohol fog to clear, so she obediently opened her mouth.

An Jiu’er’s eyes lit faintly at the sight.

“Here.

Deep-sea crab soup from Jiuming Sea. Try it.”

“Ah~~ mm. Delicious.”

She savored it carefully.

Between lips and teeth lingered the fragrance of the sea, accompanied by a distinct sweetness beneath.

An exquisite fusion beyond expectation.

“Next one is also crab, but with a secret sauce. Taste it.”

“Ah~~”

Even better—though the same underlying sweet flavor lingered again.

Two different dishes using the same trace of sweetness?

“What’s this sauce? I can’t figure it out. Can you?” Luo You asked.

An Jiu’er winked playfully.

“No idea. It’s a secret recipe. Worth a fortune.”

“Really now…”

Still, Luo You had this nagging sense she’d tasted it before, within the last two months.

Where was it?

But afterwards, with the dessert, that subtle sweetness was gone.

“Think you can still fight?” An Jiu’er asked, tone suggestive.

“No problem… piece of cake… oh no…”

Seriously, what kind of booze stayed this potent?

It’d been an hour and the strength hadn’t faded.

She stood up, wobbling, shoes slipping off her feet.

Her calves clad in black stockings, bare toes peeking free.

At once, An Jiu’er’s gaze sharpened dangerously.

“How about I take you home?” she offered, hand already tightening around Luo You’s waist.

“Uh… whose home?”

“Why, mine of cou—”

“Youyou?”

Ji Yue’s voice cut from the doorway.

“Hm?”

Luo You turned stiffly.

Through the doorway curtain stepped Ji Yue, tall and imposing, carrying a shopping bag of unknown contents.

To see her here surprised her beyond measure.

“You? In a place like this?”

If memory served, the lavish decoration outside would never be some place you just stumbled into.

“Don’t underestimate me.

I’ve got money too,” Ji Yue said coolly.

“Wow. My aunt’s a rich lady too?”

Luo You’s eyes practically sparkled.

She could almost envision it: once she had Ji Yue thoroughly trained, she’d be riding on her wealth without lifting a finger.

Ji Yue turned her head to An Jiu’er.

“And you are?”

An Jiu’er smiled politely.

“Her student at the gym. Nice to meet you.”

“I’m her relative.

Since you’ve already eaten, I’ll be taking her home.”

“Youyou, what do you say?”

“Mm?” Still tipsy, Luo You raised her blurred eyes.

“Uh… then I’ll trouble you, Ji Yue. Let’s carpool.”

“Don’t call me aunt.” Ji Yue looked exasperated.

“What’s with this fake kinship you’re spouting?”

With no choice, she slipped Luo You’s shoes back on, supporting her firmly under An Jiu’er’s lingering gaze, and walked her out.

After a long silence, An Jiu’er murmured thoughtfully.

“Ohhh~~?”

So she had rivals after all.

Her brows curved, her smile full of delight.

“No wonder Elera has so many women chasing after her.”

But her eyes also caught Ji Yue’s weakness.

Lack of self-confidence.

And yet—

The way she looked at Luo You, especially when holding her… those expressions, those swings of emotion, too intense to ignore.

“Well then, I’ll let her have her for now.

But… none of you can match my speed anyway.”

An Jiu’er laughed confidently, radiant with charisma.

Today she had gained plenty already.

Closer ties with Luo You.

And another weakness revealed.

“So she can’t handle alcohol…

I can use that for next time.”

“Zining was very worried about you,” Ji Yue said inside the car.

“Hm?”

“She saw you get into a luxury car, thought you’d gone astray.”

“Ha… she’s just imaginative.”

Luo You dismissed it.

It had been done deliberately for Zining to see, after all.

What mattered more now… was pushing closer to Ji Yue under this opportunity.

She leaned against Ji Yue’s shoulder, face nestling naturally lower, pressing into her chest without shame.

“You’re attacking me with your weapons again?” Ji Yue’s tone sharpened.

“How is that me attacking you?” Luo You shot back, eyes wide with mock innocence.

“You…” Ji Yue fumed. Always shifting blame so shamelessly.

“Hey~ Auntie.”

Luo You leaned in again, forcing Ji Yue back toward the car door.

“I told you, stop calling me that.”

“Then… shall we wash together tonight?”

“Wha—?!”

Ji Yue’s ears flushed red.

But she had already relieved herself that morning, so she forcefully rejected.

“No need. Wash yourself.”

“Eh~ but the places I fell still ache.”

She wiggled her hips wrapped in the blanket, as if showing off.

“…”

Ji Yue felt her blood rush dangerously to her head.

“Just kidding. You’ve got no courage anyway.”

“Don’t try to provoke me.

And you’re drunk.”

“Fine then.”

Luo You closed her eyes.

She knew it too.

Drunk, she couldn’t plot cleverly.

She’d only risked letting Ji Yue see through her schemes.

‘But I can’t wait to see Auntie serving me as a sponge…’

【What in the world is this idiot’s aim?】 Ji Yue’s thoughts churned.

Their relationship should have been tense.

At the hot spring in Jiuming Sea, Luo You had gone out of her way to avoid her.

Yet now she was clinging relentlessly.

Could it be… she actually had the kind of charm that attracted women?

Ji Yue let out a bitter laugh.

“Ha… ridiculous.

Am I really that starved, to keep imagining things like this?”

More likely, Youyou was just toying with her.

Yet here she was, weaving beautiful illusions in her head, before drifting toward sleep.

She nearly forgot—Youyou was still Luo Zining’s guardian.

That fact alone made these thoughts a farce.

Ji Yue hardened her resolve again—

Her only true target was that woman.

Herrera.

“If only I could find a moment when Herrera let her guard down…

I’d take her in one strike.

Then bind her to a tree, coat her in honey, and let an army of ants crawl all over her!”

Her eyes darkened as she muttered to the window.

【Would such a golden chance really fall into my lap?】
【If it did… could I seize it?】

No. She would.

To miss such a chance was to invite punishment.

Just then, Luo You’s hand slid upward—

Grabbing boldly at her chest.

Ji Yue reacted instantly, snapping her palm lightly across Luo You’s cheek.

Silence fell.

And yet, in that hush, Ji Yue couldn’t shake the sense…

That she had just lost something important.

That yawning regret sank deep in her heart.