The Cold Queen is My Exclusive Little Snack - Chapter 19

“Zhongli Yan! She’s a treacherous, shameless, and utterly despicable person!”

Jiang Shuqing slammed her wine glass down with a clink, her teeth grinding as she stabbed a scone with her fork, tearing it to shreds before shoving it into her mouth and chewing with a furious crunch.

Zuo Xingning had no idea how Jiang Shuqing was making such a noise, nor did she dare ask, fearing Jiang Shuqing might mistake her head for a piece of bread and start chewing on that too.

Rewind ten minutes: Jiang Shuqing had stormed down the stairs in a rage, smashing everything in her path and hurling whatever she could grab at Zhongli Yan.

The woman who had moments before exuded elegance and charisma instantly lost her composure. Abandoning her carefully crafted facade, she cowered in terror, begging for mercy as she fled.

The scene was so surreal that Zuo Xingning’s first thought was—So the purple stains on Zhongli Yan’s clothes really were from spilled wine.

Waiters rushed over to intervene, but seemed hesitant, afraid to touch either party. They crowded in the hallway, their presence serving only as a human barricade.

Amid the chaos, Zhongli Yan lured Jiang Shuqing into a small banquet hall. Slipping out like an eel, she tried to slam the door shut, but caught sight of Zuo Xingning watching the spectacle from the side. With a swift motion, she bundled Zuo Xingning inside as well.

No one knew what Zhongli Yan was thinking, not even Zuo Xingning, who had been dragged inside without a moment to react.

Chu Shiyin was a step too slow. The door to the small banquet hall slammed shut in front of her, leaving Zuo Xingning with only a fleeting glimpse of Chu Shiyin’s livid expression as Zhongli Yan blocked her path.

Fortunately, Jiang Shuqing’s murderous intent was directed solely at Zhongli Yan. Deprived of her target and seeing Zuo Xingning again, another impulse took over.

Jiang Shuqing glanced around the room, improvising on the spot. “Zuo Xingning, do you drink?”

“……”

Zuo Xingning pulled out her phone and texted Chu Shiyin, reassuring her that Jiang Shuqing had calmed down, though her mental state still seemed unstable.

Are you hurt?

Zhongli Yan said Jiang Shuqing often mentions you. He thought you might be able to talk her down. If you can keep her occupied for a while, whether it works or not, I’ll owe you one.

If you’re scared, come out. I’m right outside the door.

Zuo Xingning read the last message, her heart warming.

“Hey,” she asked Jiang Shuqing, “is Zhongli Yan’s favor really worth that much?”

“Why bring her up? It’s bad luck,” Jiang Shuqing said, wrinkling her nose reluctantly. “She’s only worth… a tiny bit, I guess.”

I know how to interpret Jiang Shuqing’s words now, Zuo Xingning thought.

I understand, don’t worry. Jiang Shuqing and I are just chatting. She hasn’t done anything to me. You can talk freely, Jiejie. Just put the favor on your account.

“Zuo Xingning,” Jiang Shuqing snapped impatiently as she finally put down her phone. “Do you even know how to drink?”

“I do.”

Yeah, right.

Zuo Xingning scooped up a spoonful of sweet fermented rice balls.

Jiang Shuqing shot her a wounded look, wanting to argue that it wasn’t real alcohol, but she couldn’t refute the twisted logic of “if it has ‘wine’ in the name, it must be alcohol.” She swallowed her retort and vented her frustration on Zhongli Yan instead.

“That bastard! Does he think dragging out all the elders will make me agree to marry her?! Even if he dug up her great-great-grandfather’s grave, he wouldn’t stand a chance!”

“Sure, sure,” Zuo Xingning said, popping a bite-sized egg tart into her mouth.

To facilitate their conversation, Zhongli Yan had cleared the banquet hall beforehand. Now, only the two women remained, but the room was fully stocked with drinks and snacks.

“And they said we should cultivate feelings first?” Jiang Shuqing gulped down the wine in her glass. “Cultivate my ass! I’d rather die than be with someone I don’t like!”

“Right, right, right,” Zuo Xingning chewed thoughtfully. “Though staying alive is still preferable…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Jiang Shuqing seized the opportunity to lash out. “Are you saying I should marry Zhongli Yan too?!”

“…No, no, calm down,” Zuo Xingning stammered, cold sweat breaking out. “I just meant, maybe we should talk about something else?”

Jiang Shuqing narrowed her eyes, muttering, “How come there are two of you annoying Zuo Xingnings? Fine, what do you want to talk about?”

Just keep drinking, and there might be three of them soon.

Zuo Xingning cleared her throat. “About the ice cubes last time… Yang Na said you helped me find them. Um…”

Having grown accustomed to their constant rivalry, she found it difficult to say something soft. “Ahem… thank you.”

“Th-thank you? For what?” Jiang Shuqing turned away, the blush on her ears merging with the drunken flush on her face. “What ‘helped you find them’? I just didn’t need them and asked someone to throw them away for me.”

“Alright, alright,” Zuo Xingning said, not bothering to argue.

Who in their right mind would go to an ice cream shop and ask for “useless” ice? She’s definitely drunk. Anyone even slightly sober wouldn’t come up with such a clumsy lie.

Speaking of which—just how much had Jiang Shuqing drunk?

She’d already seemed tipsy when she first arrived, and now she’d had even more… This couldn’t possibly be good for her!

“Ah…”

Zuo Xingning slumped onto the table, feigning dizziness. “Jiang Shuqing, I’m drunk—let’s take a break.”

“Hmph.” Jiang Shuqing snorted coldly, sized up Zuo Xingning for a couple of seconds, then got up and headed toward the food area.

As she passed the wine display, she glanced back and saw Zuo Xingning still lying there, eyes closed and groaning. With a speed that belied her supposed drunkenness, she grabbed a glass of pale-colored wine and quietly mixed it into the sweet fermented rice balls, stirring thoroughly.

If you’re going to drink, you might as well really drink!

“Get up,” Jiang Shuqing said, walking straight back to the table and slamming the spiked rice balls down. “Do you think I’m a three-year-old? How could you get drunk from rice balls? Keep drinking!”

Zuo Xingning obediently sat up, eating more and more until she was so full her eyelids began to droop.

Jiang Shuqing, on the other hand, grew increasingly energetic with each sip. Zhongli Yan had already died 108,774,900 times in her drunken rants.

Zuo Xingning felt this couldn’t go on—she couldn’t possibly eat another bite.

“Shu Qing,” she tried to reason with the drunk, “everything can change before you’re married. Your family just wants you to get to know him better, right? Just try it out first, and if it doesn’t work, then you can decide.”

“Try what bullshit?” Jiang Shuqing spat, her language growing increasingly vulgar. “We’ve been practically inseparable since childhood! I know exactly what Zhongli Yan is like—he’s just deliberately trying to disgust me!”

“Feelings aren’t something you can just ‘try out’! If they could be forced, they would have developed long ago! Besides, I’ve never sensed any special ‘chemistry’ with Zhongli Yan. How could I possibly like him? My mom’s completely lost her mind!”

“Special chemistry?” Zuo Xingning focused on that phrase. “Are you a dog?”

“Zuo Xingning, what do you mean by that?!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I meant you’re a drug-sniffing dog… No, no, that’s not right either…” Why was her mouth suddenly obeying her brain so perfectly?

Zuo Xingning reorganized her thoughts. “I was asking, what’s this ‘special scent’ you’re talking about?”

“You know, that one,” Jiang Shuqing huffed, still sulking. “When you like someone, you can smell a unique scent on them that no one else can. Don’t you know that?”

I think I’ve seen something like that in a story before… But… Isn’t that just something made up for romance novels?

“No way!” Jiang Shuqing smirked triumphantly, as if she’d just won a round. “Tsk, it’s obvious you’ve never liked anyone, you little brat~”

“Who are you calling a little brat?!” Zuo Xingning instantly forgot her original purpose, her feathers ruffled at the sore spot.

“You, the little brat who’s never liked anyone! Nyah~”

“Who says I’ve never liked anyone?!”

Zuo Xingning slammed her hand on the table and stood up abruptly. After a tense two seconds, she sat back down, her cheeks flushed, her voice barely a whisper: “I mean, you don’t have to eat pork to know what it tastes like, right? So, you know, what’s there to not understand?”

“I knew it!”

Jiang Shuqing exclaimed excitedly, her eyes shining with disbelief, “You like Teacher Chu, don’t you? I could tell right away! Have you ever smelled that… you know, that special scent you only smell when you like her?”

“Let me tell you, a woman as aloof as Teacher Chu is tough to win over. What’s her zodiac sign again? Let me check if you two are compatible…”

“Um… um…”

Jiang Shuqing’s questions kept coming, and Zuo Xingning shrank further and further, turning as red as a lobster from head to toe.

“Yes, I have a friend… yes, my friend has a crush on an older woman, but the woman only sees her as a child. So she asked me for advice, like, what should she do… and stuff.”

“A friend, huh? No problem! Your friend can be my friend too!” Jiang Shuqing waved her hand dismissively and pulled Zuo Xingning into a hug. “First, we need to clarify one thing: Does Chu Shiyin know you like her?”

Does Chu Shiyin know I like her?

Does she?

Zuo Xingning froze.