Volume One, Chapter Thirteen: The Full Effects of the Wine

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Shu Wan had already fallen asleep when she felt someone lift her up and rest her against the sofa. Then, a large hand pinched both her cheeks, ordering her to blow.

Blow what? She huffed and blew randomly, but it seemed she missed the mark, blowing into a palm instead.

Like an echo, the warm breath hit the palm and bounced back to Shu Wan’s face, mingling with a faint, pleasant fragrance from the other person’s hand. The warmth and scent flooded her nostrils—it was very pleasant.

The person seemed to hesitate for a moment before gently turning her head in another direction, commanding her to continue blowing.

After some effort, it seemed the task was finally accomplished; she was no longer told to blow but was instead forced to have something oily and cold rubbed onto her face. It was sticky and chilling, not very comfortable.

Later, Shu Wan had a long, vivid dream.

In the dream, she was tossed into hot water along with her clothes and soaked for quite a while before being pulled out.

Then she was wrapped in a blanket, the sound of a hairdryer buzzing loudly enough to make her frown tightly. Long, slender fingers clumsily ran through her hair as warm air blew over her strands.

Perhaps the pressure was too much, because the pulling caused a slight ache on her scalp. Frowning even more deeply, she softly murmured, “Ouch…” and then felt the hands ease their grip.

Afterward, the wet clothes were pulled off one by one from under the blanket, and warm, fuzzy dry pajamas were roughly and forcefully put on her.

This step was somewhat hasty and seemed reluctant—nothing like the careful attention given to drying her hair.

Finally, she was tossed onto the bed, but still aware enough to notice that the large stuffed toy she held every night was placed in her arms, the blanket tucked in tightly around her, and the door quietly closed behind the person.

She felt as if she couldn’t breathe, nearly suffocating. Shu Wan suddenly opened her eyes, raising her hands from above her head and pulling back the blanket to finally breathe in some fresh air.

“...” She realized she had wrapped herself tightly in the blanket.

A sudden throbbing pain shot through her temples. Shu Wan hissed softly, closed her eyes to adjust for a moment, then opened them again.

Facing the ceiling, her pupils froze instantly.

Had Meng Huaijin come back last night?

In her hazy, confused memories, she indeed recalled that cool, oppressive voice.

Shu Wan got up, put on her shoes, and opened the door to leave, only to find the living room empty.

She returned and gently knocked twice on Meng Huaijin’s bedroom door—no answer.

Finally, she checked the study, but still no one was there.

It must have been a hallucination—definitely a hallucination. He hadn’t come back.

Shu Wan opened the fridge to get some water but caught sight of the cake inside.

The cake was almost untouched, only the cream on the edges slightly dented.

Instinctively, she touched her cheek and realized the cold, greasy feeling from the dream was cream.

She gasped softly, closed the fridge, and then noticed a crumpled gift bag on the sofa, as if it had been roughly pulled.

A gift bag? Shu Wan had some faint recollection. It should have contained a scarf.

After karaoke last night, she had walked out of the amusement park with a few classmates. At that time, she was still somewhat clear-headed. Passing by a shop window, she saw a particularly beautiful men’s scarf and went in to buy it.

But she had no memory of how she had communicated with the salesperson—just that the scarf was hers.

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Shu Wan checked her phone and confirmed the purchase was made shortly after ten o’clock.

What happened afterward? She reviewed her call records. Goodness, Meng Chuan had called her ten times this morning, but she didn’t answer because the phone was on silent.

However, she had called him fifteen times last night, and he had kept his phone off!

Though drunk and confused, she had retained a thread of caution and hadn’t dared to take a taxi—she must have navigated home by herself.

She opened her map app and saw that her destination was the apartment, about two or three kilometers away—not too far, but not exactly close either.

In such heavy snow, she must have been ill if not for that hot bath and the change of wet clothes.

So then, where had Meng Huaijin found her? Or had he been sitting by the windowsill, tapping his watch as usual while she walked home?

Shu Wan didn’t dare think any further and immediately dialed his number.

After five or six rings, he finally answered but didn’t speak first.

“Uncle—” her voice hoarse, as if run over by a steamroller.

As usual, he responded with a simple “Hmm.”

“Are you back?” she asked tentatively.

He replied with another “Hmm.”

“Where are you now?”

“Working late.” He paused briefly, then added calmly, “Medicine is on the dining table. Fix your own breakfast.”

“I...”

“Beep beep beep—” the line went dead. He had hung up.

“...”

Shu Wan took her medicine first, then washed up and changed into thick clothes, preparing to go downstairs to a porridge shop she often frequented.

In the elevator, she returned a call to Meng Chuan.

He answered immediately: “Little Shu Wan, I’m sorry! Last night, as soon as I got upstairs, I... well, I just couldn’t leave. Then I got drunk, and my phone died.”

“You were caught up with a beauty, weren’t you?” He wasn’t as stern as Meng Huaijin, so Shu Wan dared to joke with him.

He laughed heartily a few times before wailing, “My brother tore into me this morning, but I understand. He painstakingly stitched up your little cotton jacket, and if I lost it, I’d be willing to die to make amends.”

A little cotton jacket, what a description. Shu Wan covered her mouth to laugh as she stepped out of the elevator.

“I’m sorry, little Shu Wan. Luckily, you’re alright after last night...”

Meng Chuan kept talking, but Shu Wan no longer heard him. She seemed to have caught sight of an all-too-familiar figure in the apartment’s security room.

“Uncle Meng Chuan, I’ve got something here, I have to hang up.”

After hanging up, Shu Wan walked into the security room and, upon seeing the person clearly, exclaimed in disbelief, “Grandpa Chen.”

Chen Zhong turned around and, seeing the expected girl, smiled kindly and warmly, “Dear Wanwan.”

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“Grandpa Chen, is it really you?” Shu Wan excitedly grasped his hand. “What are you doing here? I thought... didn’t Uncle Meng say you were...”

Chen Zhong made a shushing gesture. “After you left, I was originally only called in for questioning, but some people didn’t want me to speak, so they framed me with a baseless, grave charge intending to kill me.”

“So, he saved you.”

Chen Zhong nodded. “Director Meng had been investigating quietly for months. After I was acquitted yesterday, he arranged for me to come here as a gardener, to record the vehicles coming and going daily. Most importantly, I get to see our Wanwan every day.”

Months ago... that must have been after National Day. But Shu Wan had known nothing about any of this.

That meant the outfit and car he used yesterday to go out of town were also for this matter.

Shu Wan was silent for a long time, then comforted the old man, “There’s no safer place than here. Please rest assured.”

“This is certainly the safest place,” Chen Zhong sighed. “But the truth behind this is complicated and deep. Director Meng used a lot of connections for the sake of an old servant like me. I owe him a debt I fear I can never repay in this lifetime.”

Shu Wan felt a swirl of emotions inside but told him it was good he was free now and not to think too much.

The old man urged her to eat first; after all, they would see each other every day, and she could always talk to him.

Shu Wan nodded and left, first stopping by the porridge shop to pack some food. She didn’t go home but hailed a taxi by the roadside.

The office door made a soft sound as it opened. Thinking it was the wind, Meng Huaijin raised his eyes, only to meet a furry head and a pair of bright, shining eyes.

Shu Wan came over and placed the porridge and a variety of small dishes she had brought on the table, smiling brightly as she opened the container. “Eat something. These are all your favorites.”

The man glanced at her sideways without changing his expression. “Have you eaten?”

She shook her head.

He nodded toward the seat opposite him, inviting her to join.

Shu Wan sat down across from him and handed him chopsticks and a spoon.

“Sober now?” Meng Huaijin accepted the utensils and asked calmly.

What must happen will happen. The girl twitched her eyelids. “Yes, I had fun with my classmates yesterday and drank a bit too much. I’m sorry...”

“First time drinking?” he asked without much emotion.

She nodded. “It was my first time, so I didn’t quite control the amount.”

“Didn’t quite control?”

“...Not exactly didn’t control, just too happy.”

Happy—thinking of the tear-streaked, blotchy face, Meng Huaijin twitched the corner of his mouth and said coldly, “Don’t let it happen again.”

“Okay.” Shu Wan sat properly, struggling for a moment before finally asking, “Did I say anything nonsensical last night?”