His Addiction - Chapter 34

Today, Xu Zhi had finally vented some of her frustration. By leaving with Liang Jinmo and ignoring Liang Mushi, she had definitely angered him.

But… in the long run, she wasn’t ready to completely sever ties with Liang Mushi.

Considering the long-standing relationship between their families, she had many reservations. She even thought of Fu Wanwen. If Fu Wanwen knew she was working for Liang Jinmo, she would definitely be furious.

Seeing her silence, Liang Jinmo said, “I understand.”

Xu Zhi, feeling anxious, put down the small cake she had been holding. “Understand what?”

“You still choose Liang Mushi,” he said indifferently. “As expected.”

“That’s not it!” Xu Zhi quickly said. “It’s… not just about him. I haven’t planned my future yet. I need time.”

Liang Jinmo: “I need to finalize the initial team members around March next year. I won’t wait forever. If you don’t come, I’ll find someone else.”

Xu Zhi’s fingers curled into her palms, her voice softening. “Then… then you should start looking… I don’t want to hold you back.”

She felt a hollow ache in her chest, unsure why.

Then she felt a surge of annoyance. He was the one who told her to take her time, and now he was saying he wouldn’t wait. She wanted to argue with him, but she knew she didn’t have a valid argument.

He had no obligation to save a spot for her. He was looking for a translator for his work. He would find someone else if she didn’t join.

But she still felt uncomfortable.

Liang Jinmo glanced at her and made a phone call.

Xu Zhi heard him asking someone to keep an eye out for qualified translators and to forward their resumes to him.

The call lasted a long time, eventually shifting to other work-related topics.

Xu Zhi finished her cake and quietly got up, wandering around the study.

Then she noticed a liquor cabinet behind the bookshelf.

Liang Jinmo had a private collection. Judging by the labels, the bottles were from all over the world.

She picked up a bottle with French writing on it.

“Want a drink?” Liang Jinmo, having finished his call, was standing behind her.

Startled, Xu Zhi turned to look at him. “My alcohol tolerance is terrible. I’d better not.”

“Your tolerance… is indeed something else.”

They both remembered her drunken escapade, but their thoughts were different.

Liang Jinmo thought of her sudden, unexpected embrace.

Xu Zhi, on the other hand, was determined to keep up the act. She knew what she had done that night, but she couldn’t let him find out.

Liang Jinmo glanced at the bottle in her hand. “It’s okay. This is a fruit wine, very low alcohol content. Want to try it?”

“Will I get drunk?”

“Not if you only have a little. You can try it.”

He took the bottle from her hand, opened it, took a glass from the cabinet, and poured her a small amount.

The wine was a pale pink, quite pretty. She took a sip, her eyes lighting up. “This is much better than tequila.”

Liang Jinmo opened another bottle for himself.

“What are you drinking?” Xu Zhi asked.

Liang Jinmo: “Something for adults. Children shouldn’t be curious.”

Xu Zhi’s eyes widened. “I’m not a child! I’m twenty-two!”

Liang Jinmo lowered his eyes, hiding his smile.

They sat down on the small sofa by the liquor cabinet, enjoying their drinks.

After finishing half her glass, Xu Zhi poured herself some more.

Her phone vibrated persistently in her pocket. She took it out and glanced at the screen.

Liang Mushi’s latest message read: Zhi Zi, don’t get involved with someone like Liang Jinmo just to spite me. Do you think he’s genuinely trying to be your friend? He’s just trying to get back at me by getting close to you. He’ll hurt you.

Although the fruit wine had a low alcohol content, it was still affecting Xu Zhi. Acting on impulse, she showed the message to Liang Jinmo. “Look, Liang Mushi says you’re only getting close to me to get revenge on him.”

She was too close.

She probably hadn’t realized it herself. The small sofa could only comfortably seat two or three people. They had been sitting at opposite ends, with some distance between them. But now, she had leaned in, practically pressed against him.

He could smell the sweet fragrance of the fruit wine, his gaze drawn to her lips, pink and glistening, parting slightly as she spoke.

His Adam’s apple bobbed. The alcohol seemed to be stirring within him as well.

He glanced at her phone screen, reading the message, but didn’t react much, simply asking, “Do you think I’m getting close to you?”

Xu Zhi finally sat back, tilting her head thoughtfully. “No. It seems like we always meet by chance, except for… today, when I messaged you.”

She pouted. “You’re… actually quite cold and distant.”

Liang Jinmo took a sip of his drink, thinking she shouldn’t embarrass herself in public like this again.

Although she wasn’t as drunk as last time, she was clearly different from her usual self, saying whatever came to mind.

“I thought you hated me,” she continued chattering. “Because I tore up your test paper when we were kids. I… I didn’t mean to. I wanted to apologize later, but you always looked so stern, so I didn’t dare to talk to you…”

He asked, “You wanted to talk to me?”

Xu Zhi took a sip of her fruit wine and thought for a moment. “I don’t know. But I always felt guilty, like I owed you… I wanted to treat you better… but you never appreciated it.”

Liang Jinmo watched her drink, thinking he should probably stop her, but he didn’t.

“You know, that time you jumped into the lake… it really scared me. When I was sick later, I kept having nightmares about you jumping…” Her long lashes fluttered. “When I woke up with a fever, I actually felt relieved. The fever was proof that I had saved you, that you were okay.”

“I wanted to ask if you had caught a cold, but…” she pouted. “Every time I saw you after that, Liang Mushi was there… so I couldn’t talk to you.”

“Yes, you’re always like that.” Liang Jinmo finally spoke. He had always thought that Xu Zhi, around Liang Mushi, acted like an obedient little wife.

Xu Zhi suddenly turned to look at him. “But I’m different today!”

She seemed a little excited. “From now on, I won’t avoid you because of him anymore. I’ll even tell him that we’re actually very close, just to spite him.”

Liang Jinmo, relaxed, leaned back against the sofa, his hand resting on his forehead. He asked, “How close?”

“I threw up on you. Isn’t that close enough?”

Liang Jinmo: “…”

Xu Zhi continued, “If that’s not enough, I also hugged you.”

So, she remembered…

Liang Jinmo asked, “I thought you didn’t remember?”

“Zhou He showed me the video,” Xu Zhi, losing all restraint, continued, “And you patted my head.”

“Oh, and you definitely don’t remember this, because you were unconscious…” She looked at him. “That time I rescued you from the lake, I gave you mouth-to-mouth.”