You Really Know How to Play

Sure enough, Shen Yanchuan looked a little flustered and turned to Gu Hansheng as if seeking help. "You're just going to sit there and watch?"

It was rare to see Shen Yanchuan flustered. I was certain he wouldn't dare play this game with me.

I had to seize this chance to tease him. He was always scheming against me, and I'd been nursing some resentment too.

I stood up. "What are you doing, President Shen? Don't tell me you can't handle a little game?"

Shen Yanchuan clearly hadn't expected me to be so enthusiastic.

He froze for a moment and seemed to mutter, "Fuck."

Someone started egging him on again. "That's not fair, President Shen. You were fanning the flames when we were playing, and now that it's your turn, this is how you act?"

I didn't let him off either. "Aren't you pretty uninhibited, President Shen? Surely a little game like this is nothing to you?"

When Gu Hansheng said nothing, Shen Yanchuan seemed genuinely panicked. "Wait, Xiao Hanhan, what's gotten into you? Don't you like Gu Hansheng? Isn't it inappropriate for you to play this game with me?"

I froze, not expecting Shen Yanchuan to say that. With so many people here, including Shen Nian, he'd struck right at the feelings I kept hidden. Without thinking much, I instinctively denied it. "Who said I liked him?"

I paused, then slowly raised my head to look at Gu Hansheng.

I no longer had words to describe the look on his face.

If looks could kill, I reckoned I'd have been torn into ten thousand pieces by now.

Shen Yanchuan glanced at Gu Hansheng, then closed his eyes with an air of righteous resolve. "I'll drink. I'll drink, all right? Stop messing with me!"

I gave him a quiet smile. "Four glasses!"

"Hey! Xiao Hanhan, don't push it. I just helped you drink one earlier."

Shen Yanchuan looked at me in displeasure.

"You said yourself that you were drinking that one for Gu Hansheng!"

At a loss for words, Shen Yanchuan stared at me for a long moment, then glanced at Gu Hansheng and nodded. "Fine. You two really know how to play!"

I watched him down four glasses, unable to keep the corners of my mouth from lifting.

Seeing Shen Yanchuan get the short end of the stick was the happiest part of my evening.

They started playing again, but Shen Nian said she wasn't feeling well and wanted to leave early.

Gu Hansheng left with Shen Nian.

My nerves, taut all evening, finally relaxed.

With the leads gone, supporting characters like us were naturally free to stay or leave.

Everyone gradually left. Since An'an was still asleep, I was the last to go.

Shen Yanchuan stayed until the end too.

An'an kept sleeping. I tried waking her twice, but she didn't stir.

"You can go. You don't have to wait here." I looked at Shen Yanchuan. "Once An'an wakes up, I'll take a taxi and bring her home."

Instead of leaving, Shen Yanchuan sat down. "I brought you here, so naturally, I have to get you both out safely.

"Besides, I've been drinking, so I can't drive. Why don't you take me home too?"

I chuckled. "Has your family gone bankrupt too? Don't you have a driver to pick you up?"

I thought Gu Hansheng must have taken Shen Nian home himself. It was her birthday today, so he would surely stay the night there too.

I couldn't help sighing.

Seeing me sigh, Shen Yanchuan asked, "What is it? Thinking about Gu Hansheng?"

"He really does treat Shen Nian well!"

"Hmm?" Shen Yanchuan smiled, not understanding. "You don't need to compare yourself to Shen Nian!

"You and she hold different places in Gu Hansheng's heart."

I gave a self-mocking smile. "I know."

Of course I knew they were different. One was an ex-wife who had once trampled him underfoot and now cared only about money; the other was the white moonlight who had given him warmth during his hardest times.

However you looked at it, they were bound to be different, weren't they?

Shen Yanchuan added, "Not different in the way you're thinking..." He seemed to want to say more.

Just then, An'an woke up.

I hurried to help An'an up.

After we came out of the karaoke bar, Shen Yanchuan made a call. Before long, a car stopped in front of us.

"Get in. I'll take you two home first."

I helped An'an into the back seat first. Just as I was about to get in, a cold voice sounded behind me. "Get in my car."

My body stiffened. I turned to look. It was Gu Hansheng, his face dark.

Hadn't he left with Shen Nian?

I felt a little nervous. Had things gone badly with Shen Nian? Had they argued?

Shen Yanchuan gave me a knowing look. "I'll get your friend home safely. Go in his car."

But I didn't quite trust Shen Yanchuan.

After all, An'an was a girl, and she was drunk. I couldn't leave her alone in Shen Yanchuan's car.

"No, I'll ride with you." Then I turned to Gu Hansheng. "I need to see An'an through her door myself."

I got into Shen Yanchuan's car.

Shen Yanchuan looked at Gu Hansheng. "Once I've dropped off her friend, I'll take her back."

Gu Hansheng said nothing. He merely cast me a sinister, icy look before leaving.

For some reason, panic stirred in my heart.

What? Had he argued with his white moonlight and come back to take it out on me?

I wasn't his punching bag!

Why did he have so much to be angry about every single day?

At that thought, my nose stung, and my eyes grew warm.

The driver took An'an home first.

Then Shen Yanchuan told the driver to take me back.

Neither of us spoke along the way. All I could think about was the look Gu Hansheng had given me before leaving.

And the gentle way he looked at Shen Nian.

I was always seeing people say not to compare yourself with others.

But with such a vast difference, how could I not care?