Alcohol was a potent aphrodisiac, and a reunion after a long separation surpassed a honeymoon. Wang Xiaoliang and Wei Zijin clung passionately to each other, cheeks brushing, making love.
Love's clouds and rain, dreams of passion, the pleasures of flesh, tumbling together...
It was late into the night.
Wei Zijin's many days of hard work, the exhaustion of traveling, and then...
She nestled in his arms, breathing evenly, sound asleep.
Wang Xiaoliang, however, couldn't sleep.
He looked at the sleeping Wei Zijin, a faint trace of a smile still on her lips, and smiled too.
He was wide awake, his mind turning over all sorts of jumbled thoughts.
His phone had been vibrating earlier, but he hadn't had a moment to spare for it while they were making love.
He slowly withdrew his arm from beneath Wei Zijin's neck, moving as carefully as if he were defusing a bomb. She murmured but didn't move or wake.
Wang Xiaoliang felt around for his phone and turned the screen brightness and volume down to their lowest settings.
Nuomi's message was at the top-
"Tomorrow is a free day. The morning after, you're taking us out for beef offal. This is a notice, not a discussion. It's late. No need to reply."
Just that one message.
Wang Xiaoliang read it twice, then laid the phone facedown on his chest.
Nuomi was being considerate of their reunion after so long apart. He and Wei Zijin only had this one day to spend together.
He scrolled down.
The Huanluo Esports work group was flooded with messages. Luo Bisheng had created the group, and there were only three members: him, Luo Bisheng, and Chen Zhifei.
Chen Zhifei had started it. "Bisheng, report today's income and expenses."
Luo Bisheng: "I thought you'd gone to bed, so I