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The game went on for several more rounds. More alcohol was consumed, the scene became increasingly chaotic, mistakes were frequent, and the laughter and commotion almost lifted the roof off.

Zhou Ai seemed to play casually, but she never made a mistake again, always responding accurately, no matter how many strange words were added beforehand.

Chu Yi, on the other hand, maintained his composure and calmness throughout, only pausing slightly when Zhou Ai glanced at him or when it was his turn to speak to Zhou Ai.

After a while of commotion, Cheng Yingzhi finally collapsed completely, muttering as he fell asleep. Qi Yuan, his eyelids drooping, lay sprawled on the sofa, grinning foolishly.

Shen Yu glanced at the time and laughed, "Alright, let's call it a night. If we keep playing, we won't be able to get up tomorrow."

The party is over.

Shen Yu was responsible for taking the completely drunk Cheng Yingzhi home. Chu Yi was responsible for taking Qi Yuan home.

Chu Yi struggled to lift the almost unconscious Qi Yuan and prepared to walk out. Qi Yuan was so drunk that his whole body was weak and his steps were unsteady. Most of his weight was on Chu Yi, making him stagger.

Zhou Ai followed silently, half a step behind them.

Just as Chu Yi was trying to adjust her posture to support Qi Yuan more steadily, Qi Yuan suddenly lost his strength and slid downwards like a heavy bag of sand, about to pull Chu Yi down with him—

An arm suddenly and forcefully pierced through from the side, firmly catching Qi Yuan's sliding body, while subtly separating Qi Yuan and Chu Yi from their overly close proximity.

Chu Yi felt a lightness on his shoulder, and before he could react, Qi Yuan had been pulled away from him by a force. He turned his head in astonishment and met Zhou Ai's face, which was inches away from his.

Zhou Ai's brows furrowed slightly, not with the previous irritable gloom, but with a hint of... disgust?

He held Qi Yuan's arm firmly with one hand, and with the other hand he seemed to want to support Qi Yuan's waist, but after hesitating for a moment, he just held it loosely to prevent him from slipping down again.

"Give him to me." Zhou Ai's voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable tone. As she spoke, her gaze was fixed on Chu Yi.

Chu Yi was indeed startled by this sudden intervention, and subconsciously still held onto Qi Yuan's other arm without letting go immediately.

A brief stalemate ensued between the two, with the intoxicated Qi Yuan between them.

"Mr. Zhou?" Chu Yi was a little puzzled. Zhou Ai didn't seem like the kind of person who would take on such troublesome matters.

"You can't lift him up." Zhou Ai said succinctly, her brows still furrowed. Her gaze swept over Chu Yi's slightly flushed cheeks and disheveled collar from the effort, then quickly shifted to Qi Yuan's thoroughly drunk face. Her tone hardened further. "Besides, he'll get your clothes dirty like this."

Chu Yi then noticed that Qi Yuan did indeed look like he was about to vomit. He had been so focused on stabilizing Qi Yuan that he hadn't noticed this at all.

Without a word, Zhou Ai had already transferred most of Qi Yuan's weight onto herself. Qi Yuan groaned sleepily, tilted his head, and tried to lean on Zhou Ai's shoulder.

Zhou Ai's body stiffened visibly, and the look of disgust on her face became even more obvious. She almost immediately turned her head away and used her elbow to gently push Qi Yuan's head away. The action was a bit rough, but she still dutifully prevented him from falling.

He glanced at Chu Yi, who was still standing there in a daze, and slightly raised his chin: "Let's go. Weren't we taking him home? Where's the car?"

Looking at Zhou Ai's clearly unwilling yet forced-to-take-on "trouble" appearance, and combined with his earlier explanation that "it will get your clothes dirty," Chu Yi's surprise slowly dissipated, replaced by a very faint, subtle emotion that she herself was unaware of.

He released his grip, handing Qi Yuan completely over to Zhou Ai, and nodded: "Okay, thank you, Mr. Zhou. The car is outside."

Zhou Ai gave a low "hmm" through his nose, supporting Qi Yuan and trying to keep the drunkard as far away from him as possible, and strode outside. His steps were steady, and even with someone practically clinging to him, he didn't seem to be struggling much.

Chu Yi followed slightly behind him, watching Zhou Ai's tall back and the hand that was trying to keep its distance from the drunkard. The lamplight stretched their shadows long and intertwined.

A night breeze blew in from the doorway, carrying a hint of coolness, but it couldn't dispel the strange, inexplicable feeling that lingered in Chu Yi's heart.

Zhou Ai seems to be a little more complex than he appears.

The three of them stood at the entrance of the clubhouse in a somewhat strange manner.

Zhou Ai frowned, trying her best to keep the limp Qi Yuan in a relatively upright position, some distance from her chest, her movements revealing a stiffness that came from a forced effort.

Chu Yi stood aside, wanting to lend a hand but seemingly unsure where to begin. The night breeze ruffled the fine strands of hair on his forehead, bringing a touch of clarity, but it couldn't dispel the subtle awkwardness of the moment.

The designated driver hadn't arrived yet, and the wait seemed to stretch on silently. Occasionally, a car would drive by, its headlights briefly illuminating them before quickly disappearing.

Chu Yi's gaze fell on Zhou Ai's face, which was excessively eye-catching even in the dim light.

Although it was late at night, this was still an area with many entertainment venues, and it was hard to guarantee that there wouldn't be paparazzi lying in wait or passersby recognizing him.

Chu Yi couldn't help but lower her voice and remind her, "Is this okay?" As she spoke, she quickly and subtly gestured to the side of her face, indicating whether to wear a mask or disguise.

Zhou Ai was completely focused on the "tug-of-war" with Qi Yuan and didn't hear Chu Yi's almost breathy words. She only saw his lips move.

He turned his head slightly, and because he was supporting Qi Yuan, he couldn't move too much, so he naturally bent down towards Chu Yi and brought his ear a little closer.

The distance between the two instantly shortened.

Chu Yi could even smell a faint, cool fragrance mixed with the scent of tobacco on Zhou Ai's body, which was completely different from the smell of tobacco and alcohol that he had picked up in the private room earlier.

The sudden closeness made Chu Yi's breath catch in her throat, and she subconsciously took half a step back.

"What do you mean it's okay?" Zhou Ai's voice sounded lower than usual because of her slightly bent-over posture, and it was questioning, her breath almost brushing against Chu Yi's ear.

Chu Yi composed himself and repeated, his voice clearer than before, but still not loud: "I said, is it okay if you don't cover your face?" He gestured to his face again, "If someone takes a picture..."

Zhou Ai heard him clearly. He straightened up and distanced himself again, but his gaze remained fixed on Chu Yi's face.

The nightlight cast dappled light on his deep eyes. He raised an eyebrow, and a half-smile curved his lips, a smile that carried an almost arrogant confidence and self-assurance.

"They don't dare to film." He said calmly, looking into Chu Yi's eyes as he stated a simple fact.

Chu Yi was slightly taken aback.

Seeing his somewhat dazed expression, Zhou Ai found it amusing and slowly added, her gaze sweeping meaningfully over Qi Yuan, who was slumped against her, "Besides, compared to me being photographed alone with someone, this kind of... helpful footage, even if it does leak out, is much easier to handle with public relations, isn't it?"

Chu Yi sensed the sarcasm in his words and was momentarily at a loss for words. Just then, a car slowly pulled up in front of them; the designated driver had arrived.

Zhou Ai said no more, deftly shoving Qi Yuan into the back seat, his movements still carrying a hint of disdain, but steady enough. He closed the car door, straightened up, and looked at Chu Yi: "Get in."

Chu Yi nodded and walked around to the other side of the car. Just as he opened the door to get in, he seemed to hear Zhou Ai chuckle very softly, or perhaps it was just his imagination due to the night breeze.

He got into the car, closed the door, and shut out the outside world. Through the car window, Chu Yi saw Zhou Ai standing there, not intending to leave immediately. His figure appeared somewhat blurry against the backdrop of neon lights, yet was also unusually clear.

Chu Yi lowered the car window, leaned out slightly, and said to Zhou Ai, who was still standing there, "Goodbye, Mr. Zhou. Thank you for tonight."

Zhou Ai turned around at the sound. The streetlights cast flickering shadows on his sharply defined face, and he looked perfectly normal.

He simply stood there and nodded slightly in the direction of the car as a response. His expression was not clear in the shifting light, but it seemed to be his usual calm and somewhat aloof demeanor.

However, only Zhou Ai herself knew that the aftereffects of the wine she had drunk in the private room were quietly surging up during this moment of stillness.

The cold night wind did not sober him up; instead, it acted like a key, unlocking the valve of alcohol that had been temporarily suppressed by reason.

A slight dizziness began to swirl around my head, and things at the edge of my vision seemed to become somewhat blurry and sluggish.

He took a deep breath, trying to suppress his discomfort and maintain his composure.

The driver started the car smoothly.

Chu Yi closed the car window, shutting out the noise. Inside, only Qi Yuan's indistinct mutterings and the faint sound of the air conditioner could be heard. He subconsciously glanced at the right-side rearview mirror.

In the mirror, Zhou Ai's figure is gradually shrinking and receding into the distance.

He remained standing there in the same posture, as upright as a solitary tree, standing in front of the dazzling yet cold backdrop of the city.

The neon lights flowed and shifted around him, yet strangely, they couldn't penetrate him at all; instead, they accentuated his sense of loneliness, as if he were isolated from the hustle and bustle.

As the car rounded a gentle bend, the angle of the rearview mirror changed accordingly.

Just a second before Zhou Ai's figure was about to completely disappear from the edge of the mirror, Chu Yi seemed to see Zhou Ai's figure in the mirror sway slightly, extremely slightly, as if it had lost its balance due to the night wind, or as if it had finally succumbed to the surge of alcohol and subconsciously wanted to find something to hold onto.

But he quickly regained his composure, simply raising his hand and rapidly massaging his temples with his knuckles, a light and swift motion.

This fleeting action created a subtle contrast with Zhou Ai's earlier boastful confidence, saying "They dare not take pictures."

Chu Yi's heart was inexplicably touched.

He remembered Zhou Ai smoking in the private room, his precise yet mocking gaze during the game, and how he suppressed his disgust but still took over Qi Yuan's role.

This person... doesn't seem to be just as cold and aloof as he appears on the surface.

In the rearview mirror, Zhou Ai's figure finally disappeared completely.

Chu Yi let out a soft sigh, withdrew her gaze, leaned back in her chair, and closed her eyes.

Alcohol, nicotine, unexpected help, that confident "They wouldn't dare film," and finally that subtle gesture of massaging his temples...

All these fragments piece together a Zhou Ai that is becoming increasingly complex and difficult to ignore.