Xu Yitong parked her car by the roadside, picked up the small sachet next to her, and stepped out in her high heels.
Leaning against her red Ferrari with her arms crossed, she assessed the situation for a few seconds before calling out, “Hey, what’s going on?”
Just as Chen Yuzheng stood up, someone grabbed his clothes.
Yu Nuo stared at him without blinking and asked pitifully, “Brother, where are you going? I haven’t finished telling you about the Little Mermaid yet. Don’t you want to hear it?”
Chen Yuzheng steadied her swaying body and said, “I’ll listen later.”
Xu Yitong’s shoulders shook with laughter as she strolled over slowly. She put her hands on her knees, bent down, and examined Yu Nuo face to face.
The drunk little kitten sat obediently, though her hand still held onto Chen Yuzheng’s clothes. Her cheeks were flushed, and she instinctively felt uneasy. She sneaked a glance at Xu Yitong and asked carefully, “Brother, who is she?”
Xu Yitong couldn’t hold back and snorted, “Chen Yuzheng, when did you get a sister?”
Chen Yuzheng paused, “She’s drunk.”
Xu Yitong teased, “Look at you, getting a young girl drunk. What were you planning to do?” She straightened up and shook her head, “This won’t do, it’s illegal, Zheng.”
Chen Yuzheng: “?”
“You’re overthinking it.”
Yu Nuo was in a daze when she suddenly covered her mouth and stood up. She stumbled to a nearby tree, held onto the trunk, and crouched down to throw up.
Chen Yuzheng watched her closely and followed.
He crouched down beside her, took out the water he had just bought for her to rinse her mouth, and handed her tissues to wipe her mouth.
After observing for a few seconds, Xu Yitong couldn’t contain her amusement and raised her phone to start recording, “I have to document this and share it with the group, let them all see.”
Chen Yuzheng was too busy to pay attention to her as he patted Yu Nuo’s back.
In all her years, she had never seen Chen Yuzheng like this. Let alone dealing with someone’s drunken behavior, he wouldn’t even bother responding if someone tried to talk to him for too long.
Since when did he become so patient and gentle with a girl, even comforting her?
After throwing up, Yu Nuo was unsteady on her feet. She stumbled backward a few steps.
Chen Yuzheng grabbed her, initially just to prevent her from falling, but Yu Nuo ended up falling into his arms.
She wrapped her arms around his waist, speaking incoherently, calling him “brother” one moment and “Andersen” the next.
Xu Yitong continued recording while trying to help support Yu Nuo, but was refused.
Chen Yuzheng paused slightly, then bent down, slipped one arm under her legs, supported her waist, and lifted her up in his arms.
He frowned and called out to Xu Yitong, who was enjoying the show: “Stop recording and open the car door.”
After sending a few short videos to her girlfriends’ group chat, within minutes, there were numerous responses:
A: [Damn, is this your cousin? Who’s that drunk girl?]
B: [Aww, little brother has grown up, princess carry!!!! So manly!!!]
A: [Remember last New Year when we went out for dinner and I was drunk and unstable? Do you remember what your brother said to me??? He said “don’t touch me,” he actually said don’t touch me???? Your brother, that absolute jerk, actually has such a gentle side!!! I clearly invested in the wrong person!!!!]
C: [Never thought I’d live to see Zheng-zheng dating. Think back to when I first met him, he was just a cocky middle schooler. Ah, we’re all getting old.]
—
In her hazy state, Yu Nuo’s consciousness slowly returned. After drinking too much, her throat was unbearably dry. She opened her eyes, wanting to pour some water, and found herself lying in bed.
The wall lamp beside the bed was lit, casting a slightly yellow glow.
She stared blankly for a few seconds before jolting upright, examining the unfamiliar room.
Lifting the silk blanket, she got out of bed, her bare feet touching the white carpet. Yu Nuo looked down at herself, wearing a white nightgown.
After a while, she desperately tried to remember what happened last night.
She had barbecue with Chen Yuzheng, drank some alcohol, then walked on the street… after that, she had no memory…
Her phone was placed nearby. Yu Nuo’s mind slowly cleared as she picked it up to check the time.
Three in the morning.
She sat on the edge of the bed for a while, movements sluggish, then got up and opened the door, walking along the hallway.
The living room lights were still on, with comic books and various Lego sets scattered in the corner.
Xu Yitong was holding a game controller, staring intently at the TV screen, shouting: “Hey hey hey, Chen Yuzheng, move back, don’t die again.”
While playing, she heard footsteps. Xu Yitong turned her head, her eyes brightening, and called out: “Hey, Chen Yuzheng, your sister’s awake!”
Yu Nuo: “……”
Chen Yuzheng was lounging on the sofa and gave her a casual glance.
At the same time, a blood-red Game Over appeared on the TV screen.
Xu Yitong threw down the controller in frustration, crawled onto Chen Yuzheng, and grabbed his neck, “I told you to move back!! You’re driving me crazy!!!”
Chen Yuzheng tilted his head back, lazily tossed away his controller, and stopped Xu Yitong’s actions, “Don’t touch me.”
Watching them fool around, Yu Nuo felt a bit uncomfortable… it seemed like she had appeared at an awkward moment…?
“Um… I…” Yu Nuo awkwardly pointed at herself, “I…”
Xu Yitong: “You were drunk earlier, so we brought you back here.”
Yu Nuo thanked them reluctantly, feeling embarrassed: “Sorry for the trouble, where are my clothes? It’s so late… should I head back?”
Xu Yitong ran over and looked Yu Nuo up and down several times, “No rush, no rush, sit down first.”
Yu Nuo was pulled along unsteadily and plopped down on the sofa.
Chen Yuzheng turned his head to look at her, “Are you feeling better?”
Yu Nuo nodded. She was only wearing a thin nightgown, with nothing underneath… now both of them were staring at her. She felt quite uncomfortable, guilt written all over her face, and shifted away slightly, nervously grabbing a nearby cushion to cover her chest.
Xu Yitong kicked aside the game controller and sat cross-legged on the carpet. She propped her face up with both hands, smiled while looking at Yu Nuo for a while, then asked with interest: “Little sister, what’s your relationship with Chen Yuzheng?”
“Huh?” Yu Nuo first glanced at Chen Yuzheng, then quickly explained, “Just friends…”
“Just friends?!” Xu Yitong clearly didn’t believe it, “I’ve never seen Zheng go out drinking alone with any girl.”
Chen Yuzheng stood up.
Yu Nuo’s gaze followed him.
“My… clothes…” Yu Nuo asked hesitantly.
“I helped you change!” Xu Yitong said excitedly, “Hey, I even helped you take a bath. Little sister, how old are you? Nice figure! Aww, I love girls like you who are slim and pale with a small waist and big chest! Do you eat papaya regularly?”
Yu Nuo’s face turned bright red.
Chen Yuzheng handed her a glass of water and gave Xu Yitong a warning look before telling Yu Nuo, “She’s my sister.”
Yu Nuo thanked him and quickly said, “Hello, big sister.”
“Don’t call me big sister, it makes me sound old.” Xu Yitong straightened up suddenly, her face showing displeasure, “Call me Tongtong!”
Yu Nuo took a sip of water, trying to stay calm, and answered Xu Yitong’s earlier question, “I’m 22, and I… don’t really eat papaya.”
“Ah! Yesterday you kept holding onto Chen Yuzheng and calling him gege (older brother), I thought you were underage!”
Yu Nuo’s expression changed. She was still drinking water and couldn’t help but choke, coughing violently: “Wh-what…?”
“Yeah, you called him brother!”
After catching her breath, Yu Nuo completely avoided looking at Chen Yuzheng’s expression.
There had never been a more embarrassing moment than this. She was being publicly humiliated and was so mortified that steam was practically coming out of her head. She hastily said, “I, I don’t remember, maybe I was drunk and mistook him for someone else?”
Chen Yuzheng’s lips showed a hint of a smile.
Yu Nuo lowered her head, sinking into extreme embarrassment… It was over, how could she ever face Chen Yuzheng again….
Having teased her enough, Xu Yitong laughed heartily, “I’ll stop teasing you, why are you so shy?”
She stood up from the floor and fondly hooked Yu Nuo’s chin with her finger, “Ah, too cute, just like a little kitten.”
“What do you say?” Xu Yitong yawned, “Are you both sleeping at my place tonight?”
Yu Nuo immediately said: “I should go home.”
Yesterday was the TG team building event, and worried they might play late again, she had specifically brought her house keys.
Xu Yitong: “Your clothes are dirty, I threw them in the washing machine, they’ll only be dry tomorrow.”
Chen Yuzheng stood up: “I’ll take a shower and then send you home.”
Yu Nuo watched his back and made a sound: “No need to trouble yourself, I’ll just take a taxi.”
Xu Yitong suddenly thought of something, suppressed a smile, and grabbed Yu Nuo’s wrist, “Alright then, let my brother take you. Come, come to my room, I’ll pick out some clothes for you.”
Yu Nuo didn’t want to trouble her further: “I can just blow-dry my clothes, they should be wearable.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine.”
Xu Yitong pulled her upstairs and pushed open a door, turning on the lights.
Yu Nuo stood at the doorway, looking inside.
Floor-to-ceiling windows on all four sides, city lights visible in the distance through the glass, a dressing table taking up nearly half the wall, expensive skincare products scattered messily about.
Xu Yitong opened the closets one by one, hand on her chin in thought.
Yu Nuo stood like a doll, letting her do as she pleased.
Xu Yitong took out several pieces of clothing, pulled her in front of the mirror, and patiently tried them one by one.
Yu Nuo turned her head, “Just find me anything…”
“That won’t do.”
Yu Nuo tried on several outfits, but Xu Yitong wasn’t satisfied with any of them. She grabbed another piece, “Try this one on.”
…
…
Chen Yuzheng knocked on the door, “Are you done?”
There was no response from inside.
He knocked again.
Xu Yitong called from inside: “Wait a bit, don’t rush! Two more minutes!”
Chen Yuzheng leaned against the railing, looking down at his phone.
There was movement at the door, and Xu Yitong poked her head out, blinking, “Little brother, are you ready?”
Chen Yuzheng: “?”
He peered behind her, “Ready for what?”
Xu Yitong stepped aside, giggling, “Come out!”
Yu Nuo didn’t have the courage to look up, and was gently pushed forward. She took two steps forward, feeling rather nervous.
Xu Yitong: “How is it!”
Chen Yuzheng was briefly silent. His gaze swept from head to toe, casually taking her in.
The light from above poured down, Yu Nuo’s cheeks were soft, her feet bare, her long hair loosely tied up, her neck long and porcelain-white.
She wore a short, low-cut black floral chiffon dress with a tube top style, two thin straps above the shoulders, and a lace-up design in the back. Her two lotus-root-like pale arms were crossed uncomfortably.
No one spoke, and Yu Nuo gave a dry laugh, made eye contact with Chen Yuzheng for a moment, then uncomfortably looked away.
She had never dressed like this before, and hesitantly asked Xu Yitong: “Do I look… strange…?”
“What’s strange about it?” Xu Yitong clicked her tongue and waved her hand in front of Chen Yuzheng’s eyes, “Someone’s eyes have gone straight.”
Chen Yuzheng’s lips curled up as he put away his phone, “Let’s go.”
—
Yu Nuo turned her head, staring at the night scene outside the window. The scenery along both sides of the road rapidly retreated behind them.
A horn sounded nearby, and Yu Nuo came back to her senses, telling Chen Yuzheng: “My home is near Century City… let me open the navigation for you.”
Chen Yuzheng had both hands on the steering wheel and glanced at the rearview mirror, “No need.”
“Hm?”
She didn’t think much of it, “Do you know the location?”
“No.”
Yu Nuo: “……”
Noticing they had gotten onto the elevated highway, the route seemed a bit wrong. Yu Nuo carefully asked, “Then, where are we going?”
“Where do you want to go?”
“….Weren’t you supposed to take me home?”
“That was the original plan.”
“Hm?”
“Dressed like this,” Chen Yuzheng paused, then said, “I changed my mind.”
Yu Nuo: “…..”
…
…
Yu Nuo didn’t know where Chen Yuzheng was taking her, and she didn’t ask anymore. She sat quietly in the passenger seat, lowering her head to play with her fingers.
Though physically exhausted, her heart felt very relaxed. Being with him, she didn’t know what would happen next, but she inexplicably felt a sense of peace.
Chen Yuzheng suddenly asked: “Feeling better?”
Yu Nuo turned her head: “What?”
She thought for a moment, “I was drunk yesterday… did I say something to you?”
“You did.” Chen Yuzheng gave a light laugh, “Kept calling me brother.”
Yu Nuo: “……”
He casually asked: “Ever been street racing?”
“Hm?”
“Want to try?”
Yu Nuo barely had time to say “ah” before responding. The car roof made a sound, and the top began to automatically retract from front to back, letting the wind rush in from all sides.
The sports car emitted a low roar, accelerating in an instant.
Her hair flew wildly, and Yu Nuo could barely keep her eyes open.
On the elevated bridge in the early morning, the Ferrari was like a red lightning bolt. The feeling of weightlessness instantly made her scalp tingle. She hit the back of her seat, feeling like she was about to fly out, and Yu Nuo tightly closed her eyes, unable to control her screaming.
She curled up pitifully, her entire face losing color.
Chen Yuzheng was amused and called out to her, “Sister.”
The wind was too loud, and Yu Nuo’s panicked voice was broken: “I can’t take it, please, stop for a bit.”
Chen Yuzheng: “Open your eyes.”
She was at a loss, her voice trembling: “I’m scared…”
His soft laughter was right by her ear, and Yu Nuo gripped the seatbelt tightly.
The car continued forward, and when the feeling of weightlessness passed, the fierce howling wind was in her ears. With a twisted expression, she slowly opened her eyes.
Yu Nuo was instantly stunned.
The star-filled night sky was nearly deep blue. The brilliant rainbow lights and shadowy darkness flashed by like a yellow line flowing past.
After staring in a daze for a while, Yu Nuo turned her head.
Chen Yuzheng’s distinct profile looked very handsome in the alternating light and shadow, and there was still a trace of a smile at the corners of his mouth.
Whether from nervousness or something else, Yu Nuo’s heart suddenly began to beat irregularly.
Yu Nuo quickly averted her gaze.
She felt like her soul had left her body, with a sense of having survived a close call…
Quietly moving her hand to the edge of the car, she spread her fingers, feeling the wind pass through them.
The car showed no signs of slowing down, and Yu Nuo was somewhat worried: “…Street racing seems so dangerous… why don’t you stop first?”
Chen Yuzheng leaned sideways against the window, bent his elbow to prop up his head, “Call me brother one more time?”
Yu Nuo’s mind went blank: “Hm?”
“Call me gege (older brother), and I’ll stop.”
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