Chang Sheng listened, his heart swelling with a mix of warmth and melancholy, a bitter ache settling in his chest. His throat bobbed as his deep-set pupils seemed to hold fragmented light.
He stared at the person clinging to his sleeve but remained silent.
Shen Yue, already drunk, rubbed her brow bone. A faint blush colored her fair face as she shook her head, her hand pressed against her forehead, her expression hazy.
She bent down, waving her hand to reach for the wine jug, but her body swayed, nearly toppling her to the ground.
Chang Sheng caught Shen Yue by the waist, preventing her fall, his fingers just brushing against the wine jug.
She collapsed into his arms, her back pressed against his warm, firm chest. Her body temperature was chillingly cold, like a sculpted ice figure.
Perhaps out of lingering affection, Shen Yue couldn't help but tilt her head, her cheek brushing against his chest.
Her heart seemed to beat faster.
Shen Yue muttered incoherently, her words slurred from intoxication.
She sat in Chang Sheng's embrace, her head slightly bowed. Her cascade of dark hair fell forward, obscuring her fair, jade-like face. Her plain white dress was splashed with wine from her trembling hands.
Chang Sheng heard her quiet, suppressed sobs.
She mumbled something in a low voice, "…She died, and I will die too…"
Chang Sheng's pupils constricted. He had never realized how deeply intertwined Shen Yue's life was with that person, to the point of wanting to follow them to death. If that person died, would Shen Yue also cease to live?
The thought of them being buried together was indeed something Shen Yue might do.
As he pondered this, Chang Sheng's emotions grew increasingly turbulent. He almost forcefully grasped Shen Yue's hand and snatched the wine jug from her.
Startled by the sudden disappearance of the wine jug from her grasp, Shen Yue's slow, drunken mind took a moment to register. Her eyes blinked blankly, and then she waved her hands in search of it.
Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Shen Yue's usual cool demeanor vanished, replaced by a more petulant vulnerability.
She waved her hands around for a long time without success, growing agitated with herself. The corners of her eyes turned red, giving her a wronged and pitiable appearance.
A mist seemed to gather in her eyes, veiled by a thin layer of haze. Her faint blush turned even paler.
This was an expression Chang Sheng had never seen before.
Yet, seeing it brought him both joy and sorrow.
The joy stemmed from the fact that only he was privy to this side of Shen Yue, that it was uniquely his, that she displayed this expression because of him. This offered a slight satisfaction to his intense possessiveness.
The sorrow arose from the fact that he had made Shen Yue sad. He felt that if one truly loved someone, they should not cause them pain, nor make them shed tears.
But he seemed to have made Shen Yue cry.
Yet, he felt no remorse, and even an urge to tease her more ruthlessly.
This excessive thought made his heart feel heavy, as if he couldn't breathe.
Shen Yue was still diligently searching for her wine jug, which seemed to have grown legs and run away. Stumbling, she managed to find it.
It was in Chang Sheng's hand. She reached for it, but Chang Sheng, using his height advantage, raised the jug and shook his head at her.
Knowing she couldn't see clearly, he deliberately spoke.
"You can't drink anymore."
Shen Yue didn't listen. Following the line of his arm, she reached out to grab it, but she couldn't even touch it.
She tried to stand up but was held fast by the man's strong, firm arms around her waist. The slight distance she had managed to create was immediately closed, her back pressed against his chest with no gap between them.
Shen Yue tried several times to no avail, her arms growing weary without even touching his wrist.
For the inebriated Shen Yue, this was undoubtedly even more distressing.
She had long since forgotten her carefully crafted aloof persona.
She fumbled and turned around to face Chang Sheng, waving her fingers in the air a couple of times before finally settling them on his face, clumsily cupping it.
The corners of her eyes were a vibrant red, as if touched by intoxication. Her long, thick eyelashes drooped slightly. She then lowered her head and murmured softly, her eyes especially, appearing watery and greatly wronged.
Just as Chang Sheng thought she might burst into tears, he found Shen Yue drawing closer.
"Are you going to bully me too?"
Her voice was low, soft, and light. The breath she exhaled carried a faint, cool fragrance, making Chang Sheng's scalp tingle.
Upon realizing what she had said, Chang Sheng's expression shifted slightly. He subconsciously tightened his grip on the wine jug, causing some of the liquid inside to spill from the sloshing.
Was Shen Yue using "you" to refer to him? Had someone else bullied her like this before?
"...Everyone is bullying me..."
Shen Yue murmured, her words disjointed. She likely didn't even know what she was saying.
Chang Sheng gazed into Shen Yue's hazy, dimming eyes and suddenly realized how close the distance between them had become.
So close that he could feel Shen Yue's breath on his face. The breath was cool, carrying a faint, sweet aroma that was pleasant, causing his own breathing to deepen unconsciously.
If he just lowered his head a bit more, he could easily kiss those full, luscious lips.
His body froze, his mind a jumbled mess.
He didn't understand what was happening to him, only that her lips looked incredibly alluring, soft, and fragrant, seeming as if they would taste wonderful.
Having no experience with romantic entanglements, he didn't know how to alleviate this growing desire.
He simply fixated his gaze on her lips, wanting to lick them. The mere thought sent a surge of heat from his back, and he sensed something was about to happen, yet he wasn't entirely clear.
He felt bewildered and restless.
Shen Yue swayed, and a wave of sleepiness suddenly washed over her. She couldn't control herself and slumped forward.
Her lips brushed past Chang Sheng's lower lip, disappearing quickly. They left behind a cold lingering warmth, an overly soft touch, and that cool, sweet fragrance.
Chang Sheng's hands trembled violently. The wine jug felt as if it might slip from his grasp, and it suddenly fell to the ground, hitting the grass with a dull thud. Transparent liquor spilled out, soaking the patch of ground.
He let out a breath, realizing he had been holding it in his tension. Shen Yue had collapsed onto him, unconscious.
She was soft and light, her entire body still smelling fragrant. Chang Sheng could encircle her completely with just one arm.
Chang Sheng lowered his head, gripping Shen Yue's thin, slender shoulder, lifting her body slightly. He brought his face close to her shoulder, inhaling the fragrance of her hair. All his movements were gentle, marked by a clumsy carefulness.
He was like a crude beast, yet also like a pure, blank canvas.
He simply acted on instinct, following his heart, then stretched out his neck to kiss those lips that looked as full as flower petals.