After drinking a glass of wine, Qi Li's face turned pale instead of flushed.
You have to understand—Qi Li started her career at a high level. From the beginning, she was already a general manager and chairwoman. The people she negotiated with were often from the capital or even higher up the ladder. She never had to deal with those nouveau riche types or frivolous characters. Even when she did encounter them, they never dared to overstep boundaries. She held authority from the start.
Most of the time, her mere presence was enough. As long as she showed up, no one dared to force her to drink. It was perfectly normal for her to sip a single glass of red wine throughout an entire event. As a result, her alcohol tolerance wasn't very high—and the key point was that this wasn't red wine. It was white liquor.
That one glass alone could've knocked out even a man, especially if he drank it as quickly as she did.
"Come on, let's drink more..." Seeing that Jiang Hai had finished his wine, Qi Li poured herself another glass and then filled Jiang Hai's cup. Watching her, Jiang Hai frowned and reached for the bottle.
"Don't stop me. I really want to drink today," Qi Li said, looking at him earnestly. Her gaze made Jiang Hai hesitate. He sighed and gently set down the bottle, then placed the food he had picked up with his chopsticks onto her plate.
"If you want to drink, eat something first," he said seriously.
Qi Li smiled but didn't respond to his concern with words. Instead, she lowered her head and began eating. When she finished her plate, Jiang Hai picked out another dish for her.
And so it went—he served her food, and she quietly ate. Without realizing it, she had eaten quite a bit.
After finishing three plates, she finally set down her chopsticks, lifted her wine glass, and looked at Jiang Hai.
He knew she wasn't one to eat much, and three plates was already a lot—especially since the food wasn't that great. Seeing her stop and raise her glass, he sighed, finished what was on his plate, and picked up his own glass. If she really wanted to drink, he wouldn't stop her. After all, he wasn't the one at risk here.
They clinked glasses, and Qi Li downed hers in one go. Maybe because she'd eaten something, her complexion improved slightly—her face was no longer pale, just flushed.
"Come on, let's drink more..." Seeing that Jiang Hai had also finished his wine, Qi Li grabbed another bottle and refilled both their glasses. Without giving him a chance to say anything, she tilted her head and drank again. Jiang Hai was speechless—she was clearly trying to get drunk tonight. After three glasses, she'd already consumed over seven taels. That was more than enough. Jiang Hai wasn't worried about her drinking too much—he was worried she might hurt herself.
Just as he debated whether to finish his third glass, Qi Li poured herself a fourth.
"Hey, hey, slow down. The bride and groom are coming over to toast," Jiang Hai said, quickly placing his hand over her glass.
Qi Li paused and looked at the approaching couple.
"We didn't even toast earlier," she mumbled, her tongue slightly thick from the alcohol.
Jiang Hai sighed—she was right. They hadn't.
"Were you in a bad mood then?" he asked gently, trying to find a reason for her behavior.
"Yeah, I was. I was thinking about my dad back then. Now..." she paused, eyes on Jiang Hai, "I'm in a bad mood because I'm thinking about another man. A bastard named Jiang Hai."
Jiang Hai was stunned. How was he supposed to respond to that?
"The newlyweds are here. Come on, a toast to you both. Wishing you a long and happy life together." Just then, Huang Yunfei and his wife approached, smiling as they held glasses of water.
Before they could say much, Qi Li stepped forward and toasted them herself, then immediately downed another glass of liquor. The guests at the table looked on in confusion, while Huang Yunfei seemed caught off guard by her sudden action.
"Well, it's my first time drinking like this... Maybe I overdid it. You two go ahead and do what you need to. Oh, and you're heading out for pictures later—take my car. I'll park it in your garage tonight and come for it tomorrow," Jiang Hai said with a sigh as he stepped up beside Qi Li. He wrapped an arm around her and spoke apologetically to Huang Yunfei.
After drinking his own glass, he fished the car keys from Qi Li's bag. Neither of them could drive now. Even if Jiang Hai could hold his liquor, drunk driving in China was serious—it could lead to prison time. This wasn't the U.S., where it might just mean community service.
He had no intention of experiencing the inside of a prison, so he tossed the keys to Huang Yunfei.
Huang Yunfei's eyes lit up. If he could use Jiang Hai's car in the shoot, it would be a bonus.
"Alright, take care of my sister-in-law. If she's feeling sick, take her home to rest. We'll play cards later. If you're free, come by. There's a thank-you party tonight. I'll call you," Huang Yunfei said with a smile.
Jiang Hai nodded, waved at the others, then helped the now-wobbly Qi Li out of the restaurant.
Despite being a bit unsteady, Qi Li was still conscious. She could feel Jiang Hai supporting her and leaned into him instinctively, letting him guide her as they quietly slipped away.
Downstairs, Jiang Hai hailed a cab, and the two of them climbed into the back seat so he could better take care of her.
"Where to?" the driver asked, casting a curious glance at Qi Li. It wasn't every day he had such a beautiful passenger. Was she drunk? What was going on—was Jiang Hai some kind of body snatcher?
"To Luhao..." Jiang Hai started, instinctively giving the address of his own home.
But Qi Li suddenly sat up and waved her hand, lightly tapping the driver's seat.
"No. Go to Lu Community. I don't want to go to your home. That's your place, not mine. I want to go to our home. Our new home," she said seriously.
Jiang Hai sighed. "Alright. Lu Community it is."
The driver glanced at the two of them through the mirror, confused. Our home? Were they married? Lovers? Despite muttering to himself that this was like a flower stuck in cow dung, he drove off without another word.
In the back seat, Jiang Hai watched the slightly drunk and muddled Qi Li beside him. He didn't know what to say.
The drive was smooth. When they arrived, Jiang Hai paid the fare and carried Qi Li out.
The security guards at the entrance were surprised at first, but relaxed when they recognized the pair. Both Jiang Hai and Qi Li were residents. In fact, Jiang Hai had lived here a year ago, and Qi Li had recently returned often. Still, this was the first time they'd come back together.
Since they were clearly a couple and homeowners, the guards didn't intervene.
Back in their old home, Jiang Hai felt a mix of emotions as he stepped through the door. Once, he had waited here for Qi Li. Now she was the one living here—was she waiting for him?
He changed his shoes, left his slippers where they always were, and carried Qi Li into the master bedroom. He helped her take off her shoes and coat but didn't go any further. He just sat by the bed and looked at her.
Perhaps feeling his gaze, Qi Li opened her eyes, despite her headache.
"You can't drink like that. Why did you drink so much? Are you feeling sick? If you need to throw up, I'll get a basin," Jiang Hai said, starting to stand.
But before he could, Qi Li grabbed his hand.
"I drank a lot. My body's weak. But I'm not drunk—I'm still clear-headed," she said, looking at him earnestly.
Jiang Hai met her eyes. Sure enough, despite her condition, her spirit was still strong.
"Then tell me what you want. I'll help you," he said, leaning closer.
"I want you," she said seriously.
"What?" Jiang Hai blinked in confusion. Was she... drunk after all?
"You didn't understand? I want you. Just as you are now. I don't know if I can accept sharing you with others—but I can't let you go either. I want to fight for you, to compete with Ai Xiaoxi and the others. If I want to do that, I have to at least do what they can do. It's not about proving how great I am... I just want to reclaim what I lost."
As she spoke, something in Qi Li ignited. Jiang Hai didn't know where she found the strength, but she pulled him to the edge of the bed...
(To be continued)