Hearing this, Mu Chengyun looked slightly surprised and glanced back at Wen Yifan. As if caught off guard, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Senior, do you know Sister Yifan?"
Sang Yan's expression remained indifferent as he coldly stared at him.
"But it doesn't matter whether you know her or not." Mu Chengyun's youthful features showed the boldness of a newborn calf unafraid of tigers, his tone brimming with determination. Though still feigning unsteadiness, his words were clear. "You may have more experience than me, but in matters like this, I believe it depends on the person, not the tricks."
"Just the person?" Sang Yan drawled lazily. "Then you might as well go home and sleep now."
"..."
Not in the mood for further nonsense, Sang Yan turned his head. "Wen Yifan."
Coincidentally, Wen Yifan caught up. "What's up?"
Looking between their faces, she couldn't tell what they'd just discussed.
Recalling Mu Chengyun's earlier words at the bar, these two probably knew each other. And judging by how Sang Yan was dragging Mu Chengyun forward like a sack without the latter showing any displeasure—
They must be quite familiar.
At this moment, Wen Yifan even felt like she was intruding on their reunion.
Sang Yan studied her face. "Did you drink?"
Wen Yifan nodded honestly. "A little."
Sang Yan: "Can you stand steady?"
Unsure why he asked, she answered seriously, "I can stand steady."
"Then do me a favor." Sang Yan pulled his car keys from his pocket and tossed them toward her. "Go ahead and open the car door."
Wen Yifan caught them instantly.
Before she could speak, Sang Yan raised his hand again, gripping Mu Chengyun's hood with a half-smile. "This junior of mine is way too drunk—can't even walk properly."
Wen Yifan glanced at Mu Chengyun hesitantly. "Need help?"
"Don't bother." Sang Yan tugged Mu Chengyun forward, his grip anything but gentle, leaving Mu Chengyun's face flushed from the collar. "You're clumsy and careless—how could you take care of my delicate little junior?"
"..."
Watching his actions, Wen Yifan fell silent for a moment before dropping it. "Where's your car parked?"
Sang Yan tilted his chin. "Over there."
Mu Chengyun was starting to feel uncomfortable from the collar tugging.
But having committed to the act, he couldn't back out now. Watching Wen Yifan several meters away while enduring Sang Yan's sarcastic remarks about his "delicate, dainty" nature, he began regretting tonight's drunken charade.
Arriving at the parked car in the alley, Wen Yifan hurried ahead and opened the backseat door.
Sang Yan followed, unceremoniously shoving Mu Chengyun inside with swift efficiency.
Seeing this, Wen Yifan handed the keys back. She hesitated, unsure if Sang Yan would offer her a ride, and after a brief pause, decided not to invite rejection.
It was Mu Chengyun who spoke first. "Sister Yifan, aren't you getting in?"
Wen Yifan looked uncertainly at Sang Yan.
At that moment, Sang Yan stood by the backseat, gazing down at her with dark, inscrutable eyes. His brow lifted slightly, as if taunting her. Then, without a word, he shut the door.
"..."
The refusal couldn't have been clearer.
Wen Yifan checked the time—not even ten yet.It was still early, so she didn't think much of it. Just as she was about to say goodbye and leave, Sang Yan had already started walking toward the driver's seat, casually tossing out, "Sit in the front."
The unexpected remark left Wen Yifan momentarily stunned. "Are you talking to me?"
Sang Yan opened the car door, pausing briefly. "Who else?"
Wen Yifan: "Oh, okay."
"Someone's drunk and uncomfortable—let them lie down in the back," Sang Yan said nonchalantly. "Why would you squeeze in there?"
"..." Wen Yifan glanced through the window and noticed Mu Chengyun's slightly pale expression. For some reason, Sang Yan seemed unusually considerate today. "You're right."
With that, she turned to Mu Chengyun and said, "Then rest well in the back. Don’t drink so much next time."
Mu Chengyun: "..."
Once in the car, Sang Yan asked offhandedly, "Where does he live?"
Wen Yifan wasn’t entirely sure either, so she answered based on what she knew. "He’s a senior at Nan University and still lives on campus, I think."
Sang Yan: "Which campus?"
"..." Wen Yifan tried to recall the location from her last interview visit and answered uncertainly, "Probably the main campus."
"Right," Mu Chengyun mumbled from the back.
After that, no one spoke, and the silence grew almost eerie.
Wen Yifan didn’t notice anything amiss about the atmosphere, only that the effects of the alcohol were belatedly hitting her. Her stomach churned, and an unpleasant sensation rose in her throat.
The confined space of the car only intensified the smell of alcohol, making her nausea worse.
Unable to hold back, she asked, "Can I roll down the window?"
Sang Yan spared her a glance but said nothing. He reached over and pressed the button on his side, lowering the window next to her.
A cool breeze rushed in, carrying the faint scent of unknown flowers.
Wen Yifan immediately felt better. "Thanks," she murmured, leaning weakly against the window. She regretted drinking on an empty stomach and thought about making some soup when she got home to settle her stomach.
As the wind brushed against her face, her thoughts drifted.
She recalled Mu Chengyun mentioning at the gathering how Sang Yan had downed over a dozen bottles of alcohol without batting an eye. For some reason, this brought back memories of the first time she’d seen Sang Yan "drink" in high school.
She remembered it was Su Haoan’s birthday that day.
Su Haoan had invited many classmates, including Wen Yifan.
Wen Yifan usually didn’t participate much in group activities or gatherings, but this time, Su Haoan had invited her repeatedly, and she couldn’t keep refusing.
The venue was a KTV in Shang’an.
Su Haoan had given her the room number in advance, so she asked a staff member for directions and headed straight in. When she pushed the door open, she spotted Sang Yan sitting at the edge of the room. He wore a black T-shirt, reclining in his seat with a can of soda in hand.
Noticing her, Sang Yan turned his head slightly, the corners of his lips curling into a faint smile.
Before anything else could happen, a girl from the other side pulled Wen Yifan away.
The two of them barely interacted the entire night.Wen Yifan didn’t plan to stay long. As it approached nine o’clock, she got up to bid Su Haoan goodbye, wishing him a happy birthday in passing. Not wanting to disrupt the others’ fun, she quietly slipped out through the small back door of the KTV.
Down the stairs was a small plaza lined with shops and a McDonald’s.
Wen Yifan patted her pockets, considering whether to grab a McFlurry, when a taller shadow suddenly loomed over her. She instinctively looked up and immediately met Sang Yan’s lazy, roguish gaze.
She paused. "Are you heading back too?"
Sang Yan’s tone was unhurried. "Yeah."
Since they lived in different directions, Wen Yifan simply nodded. "See you Monday then. Be careful on your way."
With that, she turned toward McDonald’s. But after just a few steps, Sang Yan swayed slightly beside her and suddenly grabbed her arm, as if trying to steady himself.
Wen Yifan turned back. "What’s wrong?"
Still holding her arm, Sang Yan slowly uttered a single word: "Dizzy."
Hearing this, she studied his face. It looked no different than usual—his dark eyes bright, almost reflecting the streetlights. Unsure what was happening, she asked, "What’s the matter?"
"Can’t stand straight." Sang Yan met her gaze, emphasizing each word. "Need someone to hold me up."
"..."
Hesitantly, Wen Yifan stepped back in front of him and caught a faint whiff of alcohol. "You’ve been drinking?"
Sang Yan hummed in confirmation.
Wen Yifan frowned. "You’re a high school student. Why are you drinking?"
"Grabbed the wrong can. Both were red." Sang Yan said, "Thought it was Coke."
"Oh." Unsure how to handle this, she thought for a moment. "Should I call Su Haoan to come get you? Or you could call your parents—"
Sang Yan cut her off. "I don’t like troubling people."
Don’t like troubling people.
That probably included her too.
"Then," Wen Yifan pointed to the nearby steps, "why don’t you sit for a bit and sober up?"
"..."
She added slowly, "I’ll just head back first?"
Whether exasperated or amused, Sang Yan stared at her intently. After a long pause, as if resigned, he waved her off.
"Fine. Go ahead."
Taking his words at face value, Wen Yifan walked toward McDonald’s again. But soon, she glanced back and saw Sang Yan actually sitting on the steps. His posture was loose, dark hair falling over his forehead as he hung his head, his expression hidden.
He looked like a pitiful stray.
Wen Yifan averted her gaze and kept walking.
Not long after, she stopped, sighed, and returned to him.
"Sang Yan."
Without looking up, Sang Yan lazily acknowledged her with a vague sound.
Never having dealt with this situation before, Wen Yifan was at a loss. She could barely take care of herself, let alone someone else. Still, she offered, "Can you walk? I’ll take you to the bus stop?"
The next moment, Sang Yan lifted his head. After a few seconds, he reached out a hand toward her.
"Can’t get up."
Wen Yifan bit her lip, gripped his wrist, and pulled with all her strength.
He didn’t budge an inch.
She tried again, putting more effort into it.
Still immovable.
Frustrated, Wen Yifan half-knelt. "I’ll go back and get Su Haoan."Sang Yan looked at her calmly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing: "Can't you put a little more effort into it?"
"I can't drag you; you're too heavy." As she spoke, Wen Yifan tugged at him again with all her might. "See—"
Before she could finish, this time Sang Yan stood up effortlessly.
Wen Yifan was dumbfounded.
Sang Yan remained standing where he was and continued to command, "Let's go, to the station."
"..."
Wen Yifan felt something was off but couldn't quite put her finger on it. She could only say dryly, "How should I support you?"
Sang Yan thought for a moment. "Let me lean on your shoulder."
Remembering how hard she had to pull just to get him up earlier, Wen Yifan was reluctant. Afraid he might put all his weight on her and crush her, she asked, "Can't I just hold your arm?"
Sang Yan chuckled. "Can you hold both sides then?"
Wen Yifan didn't understand. "How would I hold both sides?"
She imagined the position and felt it was no different from a hug.
"If you only hold one side," Sang Yan smirked, "I won't be steady on the other."
"..."
After considering for a while, Wen Yifan steeled herself and agreed. Thinking the distance wasn't too far, she could grit her teeth and endure it. Leaving a drunkard like him here didn't seem right either.
She moved closer. "Fine, lean on me."
When he spoke, Sang Yan seemed utterly shameless and entitled. But when it came to action, he hesitated, his arm refusing to lift for the longest time.
In the end, Wen Yifan grew impatient and directly lifted his right arm to drape over her shoulder.
Whether it was her imagination or not, Sang Yan's body seemed somewhat stiff. Contrary to her expectations, there was no crushing weight pressing down on her like a boulder.
Unconsciously, she glanced at his face a few times.
After walking a short distance,
Wen Yifan suddenly felt Sang Yan's body tremble slightly, as if he couldn't hold back, letting out a low laugh. She looked up, her gaze settling on the dimple by his lips, then moving upward to meet his eyes.
He laughed to himself, his shallow breath brushing faintly against her neck.
He seemed to be acting drunk, and Wen Yifan asked in confusion, "What are you laughing at?"
Sang Yan was still laughing. "Nothing."
"..." She gave him a strange look and continued supporting him forward.
As they neared the station, Sang Yan suddenly called her, "Wen Shuangjiang."
Wen Yifan: "Hmm?"
"Let me tell you something."
"What?"
"Just remembered something wrong." Sang Yan curled his lips, dragging out his tone, reverting to his usual infuriating demeanor. "I only drank cola tonight."
......
Before they knew it, the car had arrived at the entrance of Nan University.
Perhaps having rested in the car, Mu Chengyun looked much more sober now. He got out, smiled, and didn't ask Sang Yan to escort him inside, simply bidding them goodbye.
Wen Yifan waved at him, then glanced at the university's entrance.
Turning her head, she accidentally met Sang Yan's gaze.
She immediately averted her eyes.
Another silent journey ensued.
During the ride, Sang Yan only asked once, "Your colleague?"
"A new intern," Wen Yifan said. "Seems to be a junior you know?"
Sang Yan replied indifferently, "Probably."
The car pulled into the underground parking lot of the residential area.Wen Yifan only truly realized how strong the aftereffects of the alcohol she drank were after her feet touched the ground. She felt lightheaded, as if the world was swaying around her.
Sang Yan got out of the car a few seconds later, locking it with the key fob. Noticing Wen Yifan’s state, he asked casually, “What’s wrong?”
Hearing his voice, Wen Yifan inexplicably recalled the sight of Mu Chengyun’s neck flushed red from being choked earlier. Subconsciously, she raised her hand to press down on her hoodie’s hood. “Nothing…”
“…”
Sang Yan found her behavior odd but didn’t detect anything unusual from her expression. After staring at her for a few seconds, he averted his gaze and headed toward the elevator.
Wen Yifan trailed behind him, moving sluggishly.
He had already been inside the elevator for a while by the time she followed, stepping in and leaning against the inner wall.
When they reached the sixteenth floor,
Wen Yifan prepared to step out as the elevator doors opened. But after standing for so long, her legs felt inexplicably weak and unsteady.
At the same time, Sang Yan turned around, seemingly about to say something to her. Before his voice could even form, Wen Yifan’s body lurched forward—everything felt out of control. Instinctively, she grabbed his arm with one hand and yanked his tie with the other.
Her face collided with his chest.
In an instant, all her senses were overwhelmed by the overwhelming Sandalwood scent that enveloped him.
Sang Yan’s body leaned forward with the motion.
She reflexively tilted her head back, her nose bumping against his jaw before she stumbled a step backward.
At that moment, the elevator doors closed again.
The scene seemed frozen in time.
Sang Yan was the first to react.
Straightening up, he tugged at the tie she had pulled askew and calmly pressed the door-open button. Then, he turned his head, giving her a meaningful look. “And what’s the excuse this time?”
Wen Yifan explained, “Sorry, I couldn’t keep my balance.”
“When I asked you earlier,” Sang Yan mused, “you seemed perfectly steady.”
“…”
Three seconds of silence passed.
In the quiet elevator, Sang Yan suddenly called her name. “Wen Yifan.”
Wen Yifan looked up belatedly. “Huh?”
Sang Yan scanned her up and down, raising an eyebrow. “Are you trying to chase after me?”
“…” Wen Yifan’s mind was still muddled, unable to process his words immediately. “What?”
“If that’s the case, just say it outright. Who knows—” Sang Yan bent slightly, meeting her gaze. He dragged out his words, pausing for two seconds before adding leisurely, “I might actually consider it.”
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