Whoever Falls in Love First is the Dog - Chapter 31

Chapter 31: She is Like a Fox Waiting For the Little Prince, Looking Forward to the Arrival of That Expectation With Joy.

She was like the fox in The Little Prince, awaiting the prince’s arrival with joyous anticipation.

When Ruan Lihua heard the door open, she turned just in time to see Chen Yanxing push it open.

She tilted her head, sizing up this newcomer—but she couldn’t place her in her memory.

Chen Yanxing didn’t recognize Ruan Lihua either; her gaze passed right by her, landing on Shen Mengke instead.

“She’s drunk?” Chen Yanxing entered and asked.

“And you are…?”

“Chen Yanxing,” she replied, standing before Ruan Lihua, extending her hand politely. “I’m her assistant now.”

Ruan Lihua wasn’t unfamiliar with the name—it had come up more than once tonight as they talked about Shen Mengke.

She shook Chen’s hand briefly. “Ruan Lihua, her friend.”

Their fingers barely touched before Ruan withdrew her hand. She glanced at Shen Mengke to make sure she wouldn’t collapse, and then turned back to Chen.

“I have something to tell you.” With that, she led the way out of the room.

Chen Yanxing stayed a moment longer, watching Shen Mengke—who winked at her and then drank another swig.

Chen took a step forward and snatched the bottle away. “Stop drinking. Nobody drinks from the same bottle like that.”

She tried to place it back down, then noticed someone slumped over at the table.

With a laugh, she remarked, “Impressive—you even knocked someone out drunk!”

Shen Mengke pushed on Chen’s arm. “Go on—Lihua doesn’t like waiting.” She grabbed the bottle back and took another drink, her eyes narrowing in playful defiance. Under the lights, the red tint on her lips was impossible to ignore.

Chen Yanxing’s heart skipped. On impulse, she bent forward and gave Shen Mengke’s lip a gentle lick.

An electric jolt raced through Shen Mengke’s body, and she stared at Chen in stunned silence.

By then, Chen had already exited the room. Shen Mengke stayed frozen for a moment, taken aback by what had just happened. How should she interpret that gesture? Alcohol-fueled impulse? Subconscious desire? She couldn’t think—everything blurred.

She tightened and then released her grip on the bottle, deciding she wouldn’t drink anymore. Placing the half-full bottle on the windowsill, she closed her eyes, leaning against the wall, letting the cool breeze brush past—she didn’t care what the others outside were saying. She must be really drunk, she thought.

…

A short while later, Ruan Lihua returned with a question for Chen Yanxing.

“You’re going to Yuncheng too, right?”

Chen nodded in surprise—she hadn’t known Shen Mengke was heading there.

“You see, I haven’t run full tests, and I can’t diagnose, but her state—it’s not right. Please be aware.”

“State?” Chen asked. “What do you mean?”

Ruan fluttered her eyelashes, unwilling to elaborate. “I’ll be in Yuncheng too. If anything’s wrong with her, contact me immediately.” She pulled up a QR code on her phone.

Chen accepted it without comment and scanned it.

“I’m heading home—she’s all yours.” With that, Ruan passed by Chen and re-entered the room.

Moments later, Chen watched Ruan escort the very tipsy Shen Mengke out—Mengke leaned on Ruan, but Ruan seemed to handle her easily.

Once the elevator doors closed on them, Chen returned to the lounge.

Inside, Mengke sat at the table, eyes closed, but no longer drinking. She stared at the plates and bottles on the table and stood.

“Why do you always drink?” Chen asked quietly.

Mengke cracked open one eye, looked at her, then closed it and smiled. “What soothes sorrow? Only Dukang wine.”

She lifted a hand, but Chen gently caught it to prevent her from tipping over.

Mengke didn’t see, eyes still closed, and chuckled softly. Chen saw a single tear trail down Mengke’s cheek, shining in the moonlight.

…

Then Mengke spoke again: “What about you, Chen Yanxing? When you’re upset, what do you do?”

Chen fell silent for a long moment—so long Mengke thought she’d been ignored. Then Chen squatted to meet her eye.

In that moonlit moment, Chen’s face glowed softly—tears almost invisible, as if artfully placed.

“Do you have plans for tomorrow?” Chen asked.

Mengke blinked through a haze. “For what?”

Chen gently replied: “To show you what I do when I’m down. Are you free tomorrow?”

Mengke nodded and shook her head simultaneously. “Where?”

“You’ll see tomorrow,” Chen said with a smile.

Mengke didn’t drink the rest of the wine. She took Chen’s hand and stepped down from the windowsill—but the alcohol had left her body weak, like melting sugar. She stumbled and fell into Chen’s arms.

Chen held her tight but said nothing.

Mengke looked up at her, and a small, involuntary smile appeared. All her anxiety had vanished.

She didn’t know where she was being taken, but she felt joyous—like the fox in The Little Prince, awaiting the prince.

…

The next morning, in her excitement, Mengke woke at six, eager for their plan. She waited for Chen to wake, to wash, to breakfast, to drive—but as soon as they reached the mountain base, her excitement flagged.

Climbing a mountain wasn’t what she’d envisioned—it was too mundane. She hated exercise. She frowned and looked up at the endless slope.

Chen chuckled. “Do you fear heights?”

Mengke leaned against the car. “No—but I don’t like working out.”

“But what if there’s a surprise at the top?” Chen teased.

Mengke’s eyes lit up. “What?”

Chen pointed upward. “You’ll see when you get there.”

Mengke tied her hair, donned a cap and sunglasses for privacy, and glared at Chen. “If you mess with me, you’re done.”

Chen smiled and offered her hand. “Let’s go.”

…

As they ascended, Mengke realized she could do it—it was just Chen’s carefully chosen plan. She wouldn’t ruin it. She kept pace, motivated as a professional actress used to stamina during shoots.

When she paused, Chen stopped too and asked if she was tired. Mengke called out, “Don’t move!”

Sunlight streaming through Chen’s hair gave her a halo glow. Wind played with her strands as she held her pose, slightly bewildered.

Mengke captured the moment with her phone happily and bounced forward to stand beside Chen.

“Look,” she said, offering the phone. “Though you don’t look like Chen Xingxing, you’re more striking, and rare in showbiz. One day if your family falls, come join the industry.”

Then she darted ahead to the next step. “Race you to the top!”

That was cheating—but Chen just smiled and said, “Sure.”

As they climbed, Chen grew distracted. She glanced at the photo on her phone, realizing she’d never taken a picture like that before.

Mengke’s photo was a bit blurry—snapshots aren’t her strong suit.

Yet when she saw Mengke’s lively ponytail and stance in the sun, Chen slipped the assistant’s note into her pocket. Then she snapped a photo of Mengke’s spirited silhouette—shadow included.