In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

Xie Zhen turned to Lin Zhiyin, his tone gentle yet authoritative: "Madam Lin, this bottle of wine was reserved in advance by the young master. There's an order to things, and even if your father were here, he would abide by the rules of Wangjiang Tower. So, I'll have someone bring another bottle from 618 and put it on my tab, how about that?"

Lin Zhiyin glanced at Xie Zhen, then at Xie Yige, her expression shifting. She clearly recognized Xie Zhen and knew his influence in Chang'an's business circles. After a moment of tension, she coldly snorted:

"Since Mr. Xie has spoken, we will give you this face."

After saying this, he turned and left with his maid.

Xie Zhen then turned to Xie Yige, his attitude respectful: "Young Master and Miss Li, please have your meal first. If you need anything, please feel free to ask."

"Butler Xie..." Xie Yige still had many questions, but seeing Li Zhiwei present, she didn't ask any more and just nodded, "Thank you for your trouble."

Xie Zhen withdrew and gently closed the door.

Li Zhiwei immediately leaned closer, her eyes wide: "Yige, why does Mr. Xie call you 'Young Master'? This Wangjiang Tower... could it be your family's property?"

"I..." Xie Yige opened her mouth, unsure how to answer, "I don't know either."

She really doesn't know.

My mother never mentioned that the family owned such properties in Chang'an. Nor did she mention that the always smiling Steward Xie actually had such influence in the capital.

The waiter brought in the wine and dishes again. The glass wine pot contained a purplish-red liquid, with ice cubes clinking against the sides. It was accompanied by several delicate side dishes: roasted mutton, delicate peony shrimp, crab roe tofu, and stir-fried asparagus.

"Quickly, try this wine!" Li Zhiwei poured two glasses, handing one to Xie Yige. "This is wine from the Western Regions, said to have been aged for many years; it's quite rare!"

Xie Yige accepted the glass. Water droplets clung to the glass, and the wine shimmered like honey in the light—truly worthy of the name "Grape Wine in a Luminous Cup." It was icy cold on the palate, followed by a rich, lingering grape aroma with a hint of spiciness, smoothly gliding down the throat. Sweet, refreshing, and with a long, lingering aftertaste.

"It tastes so good..." she couldn't help but exclaim.

"Right!" Li Zhiwei swirled her glass triumphantly. "Wangjianglou's wine never disappoints."

The two ate and chatted, talking about everything from the sights and sounds of Chang'an to the interesting stories of Donglin, gradually losing track of time. After a few rounds of drinks, Xie Yige and Li Zhiwei both had flushed cheeks and became more talkative, their relationship quickly growing closer.

When we left Wangjiang Tower, dusk had already fallen.

Li Zhiwei drank to her heart's content, and as she got into the carriage, she held Xie Yige's hand, chattering about where she wanted to go next. Xie Yige smiled and agreed, watching her carriage drive away before turning and getting into her own carriage.

As the car approached Chongrenfang, Xie Yige suddenly felt nauseous.

"Bichun, stop for a second..." She covered her mouth, her voice trembling, "I can't take it anymore, I feel like throwing up..."

As soon as the carriage came to a stop, she staggered off, rushed to the bridge, and began vomiting violently into the river. A gust of evening wind blew, and the effects of the alcohol surged, making her feel even more dizzy.

Bichun hurriedly followed and handed her water to rinse her mouth. The water went down her throat and she spat it out, which slightly relieved the burning sensation, but made her even thirstier.

"Bichun, I'm so thirsty... I want to drink more water..." She leaned against the cold stone railing, her eyes unfocused.

"Miss, please wait here and don't wander off!" Bichun said urgently. "I'll go to a nearby house and get you a bowl of water!"

Bichun ran away in a hurry.

Xie Yige leaned against the bridge alone, the night wind ruffling her hair. The river flowed gently beneath the bridge, reflecting the lights on both banks like countless golden scales, shimmering on the water.

The light swayed gently, like his deep eyes.

She stared blankly, then suddenly reached out, wanting to touch the light.

Leaning forward slightly—

A strong arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into a warm embrace. The familiar scent of cool sandalwood instantly enveloped her.

"Xie Yige," the voice was extremely low and hoarse, each word seemingly squeezed out from between clenched teeth, carrying an extreme tremor of suppressed emotion, "Are you out of your mind?"

Xie Yige groggily raised her head.

In the interplay of moonlight and lamplight, a handsome, fair face came into view. His brows and eyes were deep-set, his lips pale, and his jawline taut. It was the face she had longed for day and night, the face she had dreamt of countless times.

"Cui Yutang..." she murmured, her eyes suddenly reddening, "How come... I'm dreaming again..."

Tears streamed down her face without warning, one after another, like a broken string of pearls. She reached out and awkwardly wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest and sobbing.

Scalding tears instantly soaked his clothes.

Cui Yutang froze.

The soft body of the person in his arms pressed tightly against him, the sweet floral scent mixed with a faint smell of alcohol wafting into his nostrils. That warmth, that breath, that slight trembling—all of it made him lose control.

He closed his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing violently. When he opened them again, the deep pool in his eyes seemed to have been thrown in by a boulder, churning up a raging torrent. His arms tightened uncontrollably, tightening even more, almost as if he wanted to knead her into his very bones.

"Yige..." He lowered his head, burying his face in the warm crook of her neck, his voice hoarse, "Yige... what am I going to do with you..."

But the person in her arms remained motionless.

She actually... fell asleep.

Her cheeks were flushed from the alcohol, her long eyelashes were wet and drooping, and her breathing was steady and gentle. She fell asleep in his arms without any defenses.

Cui Yutang stood frozen in place for a long time before letting out a very soft and helpless sigh.

"You always know... how to torture me."

Bichun rushed back with a bowl of water, and when she saw the scene before her, she was so frightened that she almost dropped the bowl.

"Miss..."

"She almost fell into the river just now." Cui Yutang raised his head, his face having returned to its usual coldness, but the bloodshot eyes betrayed his earlier shock. "If she drinks in the future, don't leave her alone. It's very dangerous."

Bichun's face turned pale, and she hurriedly nodded.

"Give me water." Cui Yutang held out his hand.

Bichun hesitated for a moment, but still handed over the bowl.

Cui Yutang held Xie Yige steadily in one arm, and with the other hand, he held a bowl of water to her lips, his voice softening unconsciously: "Sweetie, drink some water. Otherwise, your throat will hurt when you wake up tomorrow."

In her dream, Xie Yige smelled the scent of clear water and unconsciously opened her mouth, taking small sips from his hand. Her pink lips glistened with moisture, gleaming alluringly in the moonlight.

Cui Yutang looked away, his Adam's apple bobbing as he forced himself to suppress the impulse that was almost overwhelming his reason.

After feeding Bichun, he handed the empty bowl back to her.

"Where is the carriage?"

"Over there," Bichun pointed in a direction and led the way.

Cui Yutang carried Xie Yige in his arms, following behind her. The person in his arms was very light, like a feather, or a fragile dream. He walked steadily and slowly, hoping that this road would never end.