At Meng Anzhi's private residence, the weather in early November had turned completely cold.
When Meng Anzhi saw Zhao Zhiyuan enter, she instructed the cook to serve the dishes while taking out a handkerchief to wipe his forehead. "Why are you running so fast in the middle of winter? Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"
Zhao Zhiyuan bent down to let her wipe it more easily, his eyes smiling gently.
I was worried you'd be hungry for too long.
As he straightened up, he naturally took Meng Anzhi's hand. "Where do you want to go after dinner? To see a play or a shadow puppet show?"
Meng Anzhi looked at him with a smile, "It's too cold outside, I don't want to go anywhere. Why don't we just stay inside and chat?"
"Okay." Zhao Zhiyuan reached out and adjusted her collar. "When the court is on holiday, I'll stay with you every day."
"Aren't you going back to Willow and Poplar County for the Spring Festival?"
"I'm not going back." Zhao Zhiyuan smiled, his voice softening. "I want to prepare the house in advance, so there won't be any rush on the wedding day."
After he finished speaking, he secretly glanced at Meng Anzhi's expression. Seeing that she was not angry, the corners of his mouth subtly curled up.
There was a knock on the door, and the cook came in carrying the food. After setting it out, she bowed and withdrew.
Zhao Zhiyuan picked up a piece of fish, carefully removed the bones, and placed it in her bowl. "Is Anzhi Hall busy today?"
"It's alright." Meng Anzhi finished eating and asked softly, "How about you? Is your work at the Ministry of Works tiring?"
"I can manage." Zhao Zhiyuan put the peeled shrimp into her bowl as well.
Ever since the two confessed their feelings for each other, he has taken such meticulous care of them, serving them food, removing bones, and peeling shrimp with natural ease and attentiveness. This private residence is where the two often rest.
Meng Anzhi felt a sudden softening in her heart as she watched him intently peeling shrimp.
But only for a moment.
She picked up the wine pot and slowly poured him a full cup. "It's cold, have some wine to warm yourself up."
Zhao Zhiyuan put down the shrimp shells he was holding and moved closer to her. Meng Anzhi naturally picked up her wine glass and fed him a drink.
Zhao Zhiyuan frowned slightly. "This liquor is a bit strong."
"Strong liquor is the only way to warm up." Meng Anzhi poured him another glass, gently pushing it to his side, a faint smile in her eyes.
Zhao Zhiyuan barely ate a few bites of food, but drank quite a bit of wine, and the figures in front of him were swaying.
He couldn't get enough of looking at Anzhi; she was like a fairy descending to earth, approaching him step by step, so close that he could almost feel her breath.
Oh no... His face was cupped in the hands of a fairy, " Anzhi ..." As soon as the words left his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbed. He was already handsome, but now, with his eyes glazed over with drunkenness, he was even more alluring, making hearts flutter.
This was the first time Meng Anzhi had done something like this. She appeared calm on the surface, but her mind was in complete disarray. She mustered her courage and leaned closer, but just as she was about to touch his lips, Zhao Zhiyuan suddenly turned his head away.
He placed his hands on Meng Anzhi's waist and said aggrievedly, " Anzhi... are you bullying me?"
Meng Anzhi thought he wasn't too drunk yet, so she poured another full glass of wine and held it to Zhao Zhiyuan's lips. "How could I bully you? Be good, drink some wine to quench your thirst."
Zhao Zhiyuan tightened his grip on her waist, his lips pressed tightly together, staring intently at her. He didn't like drinking, but Anzhi had fed him, and he couldn't bear to refuse.
So he took the wine glass in his mouth and, with her hand, drank it all in one gulp. The wine slid down his chin, down his neck, and into his collar, revealing the perfect curve of his neck to Meng Anzhi.
" Anzhi... I think I'm drunk..."
Meng Anzhi, unsure whether he was truly drunk or faking it, fed him four or five more cups before coaxing him, "Since you're drunk, let me help you inside to rest for a while."
Zhao Zhiyuan curled his lips into a smile, obediently draping his arm over Meng Anzhi's shoulder, and muttered, "Rest..."
"Yes, take a break..."
"Ouch!" Meng Anzhi quickly held her breath. Zhao Zhiyuan was too heavy; he almost crushed her.
After finally managing to get the person into the inner room, she was already covered in sweat.
Looking at Zhao Zhiyuan, who was as drunk as a log, Meng Anzhi took a deep breath, rolled up her sleeves, and was ready to pull off a big heist. But as soon as her hand touched his belt, her wrist was grabbed.
" Anzhi... what are you going to do?"
Caught red-handed, Meng Anzhi's face flushed, but her tone remained calm and unhurried, "I was worried you'd be too tired to sleep in your clothes, so I helped you take them off."
Zhao Zhiyuan chuckled softly. He was drunk, not out of his mind. He took Meng Anzhi's hand and pressed it to his chest, and for some reason, he felt a surge of emotion and wanted to cry.
Couldn't she wait a little longer? He already believed it was real, and he treated this private residence as his home, so why did she have to break the ice?
Meng Anzhi just stared at him for a while, then raised her hand to wipe his eyes. The two were silent for a moment, until Zhao Zhiyuan spoke first.
"I want a legitimate status..."
"No."
" Meng Anzhi!" Zhao Zhiyuan sat up abruptly on the kang (a heated brick bed), but due to his extreme drunkenness, he fell straight backward. If Meng Anzhi hadn't pulled him back, his head would probably have been smashed.
Zhao Zhiyuan sat up straight, his wet eyes glaring angrily at her. "Do you know what it feels like to be caught between good and bad fortune, joy and sorrow, all because of a single thought?"
"You don't know, because my heart is in your hands... You want it to beat fast, and it beats fast; you want it to fall into hell, and it falls into hell."
I know there's something wrong with you refusing to get engaged, but I'm thinking, what if? What if you like me? What if you go after another man? If you see how good I am, will you change your mind...? Ugh...
Before he could finish speaking, Meng Anzhi pulled him close and kissed him on the back of the head.
Zhao Zhiyuan felt a buzzing in his mind, followed by a complete blank.
At this moment, two little figures were fighting in his mind. Little Black shouted at him, "Push him away... you coward, you're being taken advantage of and you don't even know how to fight back!"
Little White just stood there grinning foolishly... it was so sweet...
Little Black cried out, "Wake up, you idiot... She's a liar. Once she gets what she wants, you're nothing but a rag... She won't even give you a second glance."
Little White chuckled foolishly... So soft...
Little Black was furious, "Don't pretend to be drunk! Open your eyes! Zhao Zhiyuan is taking off your clothes... Wake up, you idiot!"
Little White chuckled foolishly... It's cool here...
Enraged, Little Black ripped off his official hat and slammed it to the ground, furious. "I truly despise you! Have you wasted all your education on poetry, literature, and etiquette? Pull up your pants right now! Are you really willing to be schemed against like this?"
Little White chuckled foolishly... So smooth...
Little Black frantically shook Little White, "It's too late, wake up... wake up... ahhh... you idiot, you actually let her succeed..."
Little White chuckles foolishly... Hang in there...
Little Black slumped to the ground, dejected. "It's over... it's all over. Zhao Zhiyuan, you're doomed for life because of this woman..."
Little White chuckles foolishly... Hang in there...
Little Black, tearing at his hair, roared wildly, "Hold on my ass! Hold on... you brain-dead idiot..."
Little White chuckles foolishly... Hang in there...
Little Black had completely turned to the dark side. He flung his official robes aside, placed one foot on a stool, and said with a sinister look in his eyes, "Things have come to this... there's no turning back now. Rather than passively lying there and letting others bully us... we might as well take the initiative. Listen to me..."
"You're right..." Little White retorted, nearly making Little Black faint with anger, "Idiot... I haven't even said anything yet..."
After the storm subsided, Meng Anzhi got up and dressed. Just as she was about to leave, someone grabbed her wrist and stopped her. Zhao Zhiyuan sat up and the brocade quilt slid off.
The once splendid runner-up now possessed a captivating allure. After a long silence... he slowly spoke, "Shall we have dinner together again tomorrow night?"
A flicker of disbelief crossed Meng Anzhi's eyes, but she quickly made up her mind, "What do you want to eat tomorrow? I'll ask the kitchen to make it for you..."
Zhao Zhiyuan released her hand, slumped back onto the kang (a heated brick bed), covered his eyes, and chuckled softly... laughing at his own weakness, laughing at how, even now, he wasn't thinking of questioning her or demanding recognition.
Instead, she was afraid... afraid that Meng Anzhi would deny everything once she put on the clothes, afraid that it was just a dream, afraid that they would become strangers from now on... Fortunately, she still had some value to herself.