Chapter 16: An Obvious Secret Crush part 3

CHi Ye’s tone was sharp, and everyone could feel the tension, though no one could quite figure out what triggered it. The room instantly fell silent.

Ye Shaowen quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “Chi, you drunk or something? That was uncalled for. Ye Hui’s advice is solid, some of us need that kind of wake-up call.”

Chi Ye glanced at him. “You know my tolerance. You think this counts as drunk?”

“…”

Zhang Kun cut in, “He’s right. We’ve been chatting so much, we barely drank. What’s the point of coming to a bar if we’re not drinking or playing games?”

He snapped his fingers at a nearby server and asked for more drinks and some game supplies.

“How about we play the tissue tear game?” he suggested.

Everyone had played it before and glanced around at their neighbors. No one objected.

Zhang Kun raised an eyebrow at Chi Ye.

Chi Ye frowned slightly, opened his mouth to say something. 

But Lin Yuran asked, “How do you play it?”

Zhang Kun chuckled. “With your mouth.”

“Knew it.” Lin Yuran hadn’t played it, but she’d heard of it. She turned to look at Ye Hui beside her. “Seriously, can’t we play something normal?”

Chi Ye spoke up. “Pick another one.”

The server arrived with drinks and props.

Zhang Kun suggested again, “Then how about ‘Judge & Dice’?”

“How’s that one go?” Lin Yuran asked.

Zhang Kun sighed playfully. “It’s an actual drinking game.” He explained, “Everyone gets a die and takes turns being the judge. The judge rolls first to pick a number. If someone else rolls that same number, they drink that many shots. If they match the judge exactly, they drink one more. If no one hits the judge’s number, the judge drinks that number of shots.”

After hearing the rules, Lin Yuran wanted to say she probably shouldn’t have come. But since everyone seemed into it, she didn’t want to kill the mood, so she kept quiet. Besides, for some reason, with Chi Ye sitting beside her, she wasn’t afraid of getting drunk. Lin Yuran didn’t know why, but his presence made her feel safe.

Gu Jiaze offered, “Let’s start with me.”

“Alright.”

Zhang Kun handed out dice and cups to everyone.

Gu Jiaze rolled a 6. When everyone revealed their rolls, no one hit 6. Gu Jiaze got a 2, and so did Ye Shaowen.

Gu Jiaze smacked his forehead. “Great, off to a terrible start!”

Zhang Kun poured the drinks. “No whining. Drink up.”

Ye Shaowen clinked glasses with Gu Jiaze. “Cheers, bro.”

After they finished, it was Dong Qian’s turn. She rolled a 1. No one else rolled a 1, so Gu Jiaze stepped up and drank for her.

Ye Shaowen hooted, “Must be nice having a boyfriend. That PDA came outta nowhere!”

Gu Jiaze grinned sheepishly.

Next up was Qin Lang. He rolled another 6. This time, Zhang Kun and Xu Jianwei both rolled 6s too. Zhang Kun drained his drink without hesitation.  Xu Jianwei daintily sipped hers.

Qin Lang, ever the gentleman, said, “Alright, I’ll take the remaining five for you. Let me be the hero tonight,” and downed them.

Xu Jianwei smiled softly. “Thanks.”

Qin Lang grinned. “Anytime.”

Then it was Xu Jianwei’s turn. She rolled a 4. Unfortunately, Lin Yuran hit it.

Xu Jianwei apologized, “Sorry RanRan, I’ll drink two for you.”

Ye Hui said, “I’ll do it.”

Before he could act, though, Chi Ye had already downed all four drinks in front of Lin Yuran.

Next was Ye Hui’s turn. He rolled a 2. And again, Lin Yuran hit it.

Ye Hui said, “My bad, I’ll drink.”

Lin Yuran replied, “It’s fine, I can handle two.”

Chi Ye didn’t say anything but picked up the glass. Lin Yuran quickly stopped him. “I’ve got it this time. Two’s nothing.”

Qin Lang cut in, “Let him drink. That guy only drinks for others in this game. He’s got ridiculous luck and never hits the judge’s number.”

Before anyone could argue, Chi Ye had already knocked back both drinks.

Then it was Lin Yuran’s turn. She rolled a 6. Everyone rolled their dice, one by one, and she looked down the line, from Gu Jiaze onward, not a single match.

Which meant… she had to drink six shots. Lin Yuran started to feel a little nervous.

Chi Ye was the last to reveal his roll. Before lifting the cup, Lin Yuran thought she saw him move it slightly. When he lifted it: 6.

Qin Lang frowned. “Chi, come on. I just said you were awesome, now you’re out here slapping me in the face.”

Chi Ye replied flatly, “That’s why you shouldn’t go around bragging for no reason.”

Then, without hesitation, he downed all six shots in one go.

As the game went on, Lin Yuran’s luck kept getting worse. Every time it was Chi Ye, Zhang Kun, or Ye Shaowen’s turn to roll, Lin Yuran would somehow end up matching their number. Chi Ye drank for her every time. Lin Yuran started to feel guilty.

After another round, Lin Yuran said decisively, “I’m done. One more round and I’ll be alcohol-poisoned.”

Zhang Kun laughed. “What’s this? Feeling sorry for Chi Ye? His tolerance is way beyond this.”

Ye Shaowen chimed in, “Every year when school starts, Chi Ye does a full tour across the country. Comes back and makes us all drink with him. He downs ten times this amount and still barely looks buzzed.”

Lin Yuran glanced sideways at Chi Ye. He really didn’t seem affected, totally relaxed, like it was nothing.

“Still, I’m out. This isn’t how alcohol’s supposed to be consumed.” Lin Yuran was a little put off by the game now and didn’t want to continue at all.

Zhang Kun suggested, “Let’s switch it up then. How about King’s Game?”

Gu Jiaze perked up. “Now that’s a good one. Let’s play!”

Xu Jianwei agreed, “Let’s go with that. It’s way more fun than just drinking.”

Qin Lang looked over. “You play this often?”

Xu Jianwei paused, then quickly said, “Nooo. Just played once at our graduation party. It’s been a while.”

Zhang Kun picked up a deck of cards from the table and briefly explained the rules. “We’ll draw from ten cards, one per person. Whoever draws the jokers gets to pick any two people to do a challenge.” He held up a second deck. “The dares are in this stack. Whatever you draw, you do it. If you can’t, you drink everything on the table.”

In the first round, Chi Ye and Xu Jianwei drew the jokers.

Chi Ye spoke first. “Gu Jiaze.”

Xu Jianwei didn’t hesitate. “Then… Dong Qian.”

Gu Jiaze and Dong Qian discussed quickly, and Dong Qian drew a dare. The moment she saw it, her face turned bright red.

The card said: “Kiss for one minute.”

“Whoa, that’s intense!” Lin Yuran whispered. “One minute’s actually pretty long!”

Chi Ye chuckled under his breath beside her.

Zhang Kun and the others got hyped. “Come on, let’s go! You’re a real couple. What are you scared of?”

Seeing Dong Qian getting shy, Gu Jiaze said, “It’s okay, I’ll use my shirt to cover us.”

Zhang Kun rushed over and yanked his shirt down. “No covering!”

Gu Jiaze looked helpless, using his body to shield Dong Qian as best he could. Zhang Kun kept perfect time, not a second short. When the kiss ended, everyone was fired up.

In the second round, Lin Yuran and Ye Hui drew the jokers.

Ye Hui leaned over and whispered in Lin Yuran’s ear, “Pick Weiwei. She’s been pinching me under the table.”

Lin Yuran stifled a laugh. “I’m not helping you bully her.”

Ye Hui winced, like he’d been pinched again. “Come on, pick her. If not, she’ll kill me.”

Ye Hui said aloud, “I choose Xu Jianwei.”

Lin Yuran ignored Xu Jianwei’s pleading eyes and glanced around the room. There really wasn’t anyone else suitable, so she said, “Then… Qin Lang, I guess.”

The dare Qin Lang and Xu Jianwei drew was: “Princess-carry the other person and do 15 squats.”

Xu Jianwei covered her face, blushing. “I’m actually not that light.”

Qin Lang thumped his chest. “Come on, all these muscles aren’t just for show.”

As Qin Lang did the squats with Xu Jianwei in his arms, she couldn’t stop giggling the entire time. When they finished, Qin Lang even added, gentlemanly, “Who said you were heavy? You’re light as a kitten.”

Xu Jianwei smiled shyly. “That’s just because your arms are strong.”

Qin Lang grinned, clearly pleased.

After two rounds, Lin Yuran was starting to feel uneasy. She flipped through the dare cards on the table and warned, “Okay, listen up. If anyone dares pick me next round, I’m cutting ties with you.”

In round three, Zhang Kun and Qin Lang drew the jokers.

Zhang Kun didn’t waste time. “I pick Chi Ye.”

Qin Lang answered instantly. “Then I have to go with Lin Yuran.”

Lin Yuran sighed. “Qin Lang, don’t ever talk to me again. I said I’d cut you off.”

Qin Lang gave a roguish grin. “That’s fine. We can always start over.”

When it was time to draw the dare, Lin Yuran hesitated and said to Chi Ye, “I’ve got terrible luck. You draw.”

Chi Ye didn’t say much, just reached out and drew a card from the middle. Lin Yuran flipped it over and immediately blacked out inside.

The card said: 「Kiss through the thinnest layer of tissue.」

……

T/N: 😚