The music and singing had faded, and it was already the small hours.
Coal Ball startled awake, a lingering trace of "that was close, I nearly starved to death" in its eyes, and bounded into the hall to nudge A Huan, who was lying on the floor.
"Gooji gooji~?"
The once-tidy room was now rather messy, with open red wooden boxes all over the floor and numerous little implements scattered about that were not fit for outsiders' eyes.
Xie Jinhuan lay on the floor in his robes, a little tipsy, while Linghu Qingmo leaned in his arms, already asleep, holding the remarkably effective little whip in his right hand and gripping the thieving hand inside his clothes with his left.
Zhao Ling had also drunk quite a bit, but she could hold her liquor better, and this time they had not been drinking Number One Under Heaven. She had not lost her senses and was simply sleeping soundly on the couch in a pale gold breast wrap.
Hearing Coal Ball, Xie Jinhuan blearily opened his eyes and first looked down into his arms. Finding a handful of soft, delicate flesh in his palm sobered him a little. He stealthily withdrew his hand, fed Coal Ball a late-night snack, then fetched a light blanket to cover the Landlady before scooping Momo up in his arms.
Creak~
As he stepped out of the room, the winter wind struck him in the face.
Drunken Linghu Qingmo frowned faintly and opened his eyes. Finding everything dark around him, he asked sleepily:
"Mm... what time is it?"
"It's still early. Dawn's not here yet. I'm taking you back to your room to sleep."
"Oh..."
Dizzy with drink, Linghu Qingmo said nothing more, merely resting his head on Xie Jinhuan's shoulder and murmuring:
"Lecher~"
Xie Jinhuan