Inflatable dolls

"Come on, guys. If we don't leave now, the dorm will lock its doors. I don't want to sleep on the street." Li Yichen snatched the beer bottle out of Yang Weifeng's hand.

"What a buzzkill... urp..." Yang Weifeng belched, slurring his words. "I'll... pay the bill... let's... go back to the dorm... and keep drinking."

He braced himself against the table and swayed to his feet, only to tip sideways and drop back into his seat.

"Heh heh..." Sun Kai pointed at Yang Weifeng and laughed stupidly. "Big Bro... you've had too much. Your... your legs have gone all wobbly. I'll pay."

"Bull... shit," Zhang Yong protested, his face as red as a monkey's ass. "Today... nobody... fights me for it. Anyone who does... is asking for trouble..."

"I'll pay..."

"No... I'll pay..."

The three of them shakily tugged at one another, ended up clinging together, and slid to the floor. Then their legs tangled until they were hopelessly knotted together, unable to get back up.

"I'll get it." Li Yichen felt touched. Even this drunk, none of them had intended to let him foot the bill.

He stood, and with a thought, a dark glow swept through his body. His mind instantly cleared, and the unsteadiness in his legs vanished.

By the time he returned from paying, his roommates still hadn't untangled themselves. If anything, the situation was getting worse.

"Ah..." Li Yichen shook his head with a wry smile, walked over, and reached down to lift Yang Weifeng up. Their tangled knot immediately came apart.

"Number Four... let... let go... I can walk." Yang Weifeng was six foot three and weighed nearly two hundred pounds, yet he looked like a little quail in Li Yichen's grip.

"All right, Big Bro. Let me carry you." Without giving him a chance to argue, Li Yichen hoisted him onto his back, then joked, "Don't puke on me, or I'll toss you into a ditch."

Yang Weifeng grunted twice, apparently in protest, but then his head lolled to one side and he fell silent.

Li Yichen shook his head with a wry smile, then crouched and easily scooped up the other two, one on each side.

Just then, a guy at the next table suddenly shouted, "Shit, the dorm locks up in ten minutes! I'd better get going, or I'll be sleeping on the street."

"Walking won't cut it. I'll have to run." Someone at another table panicked too. "It takes at least twenty minutes to walk from here to the dorm."

"Hey, wait for me!"

Amid a clatter of chairs and dishes, more than half the sizable crowd cleared out at once.

"Fuck, is it that late?" Li Yichen immediately grew anxious.

If he were alone, he could simply pass through the wall. But with one guy on his back and two hanging from his arms, he could hardly take them all through a window.

With no time to think, he took off running toward the dorm.

One of the guys running ahead caught sight of him out of the corner of his eye and blurted, "Holy shit!" His eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Is he even fucking human? Even a beast wouldn't be that strong!" Everyone's jaws nearly hit the ground as they watched Li Yichen sprint along carrying three men.

"Could they be inflatable dolls?" someone asked doubtfully. All three were hanging limply, after all, and from a distance, they did look a little like dolls.

"I don't think so." Another guy curled his lip. "Even if they were inflatable dolls, he'd get a few hot girls, wouldn't he? One costs sixteen hundred. Who's got nothing better to do than buy three? And male ones, at that."

"Oh... sixteen hundred... You really know your stuff, buddy." The others immediately caught the implication.

The guy flushed. "I was guessing." He quickened his pace and hurriedly added, "I've got something to do. I'll go on ahead."

"Don't run! Tell us more about those inflatable dolls..."

"No comment... stop following me..."

While Li Yichen was running back, more than a dozen people who looked like students emerged from a nearby restaurant. None other than Han Wenqi was leading the group.

He seemed drunk and staggered a little, throwing an arm over the shoulder of a girl in white beside him to keep himself from falling.

"S-sorry..." Han Wenqi seemed very embarrassed.

The girl blushed, pressed her lips together, and said softly, "It's all right..."

Just then, a taxi stopped in front of them.

Shen Yi opened the door and called to the girl, "Xia, I booked a hotel room for President Han. Sorry for the trouble, but could you help take him there?"

Her natural caution as a girl made her hesitate, and she was about to refuse when Shen Yi continued, "You only need to get President Han to the hotel. I'll be right behind you."

"Well..." The girl named Xia hesitated, then nodded and helped Han Wenqi into the back seat. She closed the door and sat in the front passenger seat.

The taxi slowly pulled away. Though Han Wenqi's eyes were closed, a strange smile crept onto his lips.

Ten minutes later, the taxi came to a smooth stop outside the hotel.

"Hello! The number you have dialed is switched off. Please try again later. Sorry! The subscriber you dialed..."

"Why is his phone off? Did the battery die?" Xia hung up helplessly.

"Miss, we're here. Are you getting out or not? I've got another booking." The taxi driver urged her impatiently.

"Oh, sorry. I'll get out right now." Xia hurried out, went to the rear door, and helped Han Wenqi out of the car.

Han Wenqi leaned limply against her and said with a hint of gratitude, "Thank you for bringing me here. You should head back. I can go upstairs myself."

"Can you manage on your own?" Xia asked tentatively.

"It's fine. I can manage." Han Wenqi smiled faintly, then looked into her eyes and said softly, "Thank you. You're so kind."

Xia's heart fluttered, a blush spread across her cheeks, and her pulse began to race. President Han is so handsome, such a gentleman.

She lowered her head slightly, unable to meet his gaze.

"I'll get going, then. See you tomorrow, President Han." She hurriedly let go of him and turned to leave.

"Ah..."

She instinctively turned back and saw Han Wenqi's body go limp as he began to collapse.

"Are you all right?" Without a second thought, she caught him and asked in concern.

Han Wenqi gave a rueful smile. "I've really made a fool of myself in front of you tonight."

"It's all right. I'll take you to your room before I leave." Xia supported Han Wenqi as they headed into the hotel.

"I'm really sorry for all the trouble tonight," Han Wenqi said apologetically.

Xia said nothing, but her flushed face betrayed how nervous she was.

She hadn't even noticed that Han Wenqi had quietly taken her hand in his.

With a beep, the door opened. Her heart jolted, and she hurriedly said, "President Han, get some sleep. I... I'll go now."

Just as she tried to escape, she suddenly felt his grip on her hand tighten.

She froze, her heart pounding uncontrollably. She felt as though she were suffocating, and her mind went completely blank.

Then a strong pull on her hand sent her falling backward, leaving her leaning against the wall of the room's entryway.

She tilted her head up slightly, her wide eyes fixed on the handsome face inches from hers with unease, fear, and a little anticipation.

Han Wenqi planted both hands against the wall, trapping her between his arms. He gazed into her eyes and said tenderly, "Xia, I like you."

"But... I have a boyfriend."

"I don't care..." As he spoke, he lowered his head to kiss her lips, while one hand gently closed the door.