Chapter 41 Confession

Chapter 41 Confession

As if anticipating that someone would start cheering after the confession, Chi Xiao leaned forward and grabbed the wine glass, tapping it lightly on the table twice: "I'm done. Can we move on now?"

He was well aware that Ming Can wouldn't like such an occasion.

This dare was a punishment for him; he shouldn't have dragged her into it.

He truly feared that someone without any tact might pressure Ming Can to respond, which would be no different from bullying a girl.

Moreover, he didn't want to hear her response either.

No matter how he considered it, he should have taken the drink instead of accepting this dare.

But in that moment, impulse overwhelmed reason, and by the time he realized it, the words had already slipped out.

So, he could only try to salvage the situation afterward.

With a cold and somewhat impatient tone, he hammered down the final word, controlling the scene and nailing his confession firmly to the dare.

Just a dare, not a genuine confession.

Seeing that Chi Xiao seemed annoyed by this dare, having barely completed the task, his eyes turned icy, and he returned to his previous state of being distant and aloof. The boys naturally dared not cause any more trouble and quickly changed the topic, starting the next round of the game.

Ming Can remained silent throughout, as if she had participated in the dare but also been completely detached from it.

She felt that during that round, Chi Xiao seemed worried about her being punished, so he stepped in front of her and called a risky number, losing the game for her.

Several times afterward, she thought he was going to take a drink as punishment.

Unexpectedly, he suddenly turned around and said he liked her.

He spoke quickly and decisively, and for a fleeting moment, his gaze was direct and intense. But that moment passed swiftly, and the dare ended hastily. Ming Can's emotions were lifted high and then gently set down. She couldn't tell whether Chi Xiao was sincere or just playing along.

The one thing Ming Can was relatively certain about was that today's drinking session was different from the ones she had attended before.

The games were the same, and the punishments were still outrageous. What had changed wasn't the external factors but herself.

Her previously planned strategy—choosing truth whenever punished—suddenly seemed difficult to execute.

It wasn't because her truths had become ambiguous or because she had developed secret girlish thoughts she couldn't share.

Rather, she remembered some buried memories, making her suddenly unwilling to say unpleasant things in public.

Lost in these thoughts, Ming Can picked up the wine glass on the table and took a sip of the cool beer.

Completely unaware—

Why had she, who was selfish and never cared about hurting others, suddenly started considering their feelings?

The game continued.

Having learned from the earlier incident, Chi Xiao no longer helped Ming Can. Losing for her might have even worse consequences, since these friends dared to target him but might not necessarily bully Ming Can.

After two rounds, Ming Can lost once.

"You actually had that many threes?" Ming Can was frustrated but accepted the loss, grabbing the wine glass directly. "I'll drink."

Before the punishment was even decided, she volunteered to drink, showing an unusually high risk awareness.

Amidst the surprised looks of others, Ming Can raised the glass and gulped down the entire drink with a bold demeanor.

Chi Xiao observed her actions closely, frowning slightly.

When Ming Can lost again and still chose to drink as punishment,

Chi Xiao couldn't help but lean closer and ask softly, "Didn't you say your alcohol tolerance isn't good?"

Ming Can: "Just a few beers, no big deal."

Chi Xiao: "Still, you should drink less."

Her cheeks were already flushed with a faint redness, her eyes sparkling, and her red lips lightly pursed as she said, "I'll stop at five glasses, okay?"

The rising intonation at the end seemed to hook at his heart, making it itch.

"Okay." Chi Xiao gazed at her, unable to look away, his lips subtly curving upward. "Just don't get drunk and act crazy."

Ming Can: "Hmph—"

Do I look like a three-year-old who needs your reminder?

Indeed, when Ming Can got drunk, she did act crazy.

To be precise, she looked fine on the outside and acted normally, but her mind went wild, calmly spouting nonsense.

According to those who had seen her drunk, she would unleash intense criticisms usually buried in her heart, such as lambasting school policies, cursing all men, and once sending thousands of yuan in red envelopes in her high school group chat, forcing a classmate she disliked to kneel and sing "Conquer."

Ming Can forgot everything after getting drunk, learning about these embarrassing incidents from her best friend Rui Yiqing.

Since then, she had been very restrained at drinking sessions, never overindulging, and thus never getting drunk again.

Ming Can knew her limits. Tonight, she planned to drink only five glasses, which would make her dizzy but not crazy.

As everyone gradually got into the game, rounds passed one after another.

Ming Can initially thought five glasses would be more than enough, as she rarely lost in these games. Today, she realized she hadn't lost before because she hadn't faced skilled opponents. Her boasting skills were simply inadequate among this crowd, and she soon lost for the fifth time.

The glass was refilled, and Ming Can still refused the truth or dare, lifting the glass to her lips.

"The fifth cup," the man beside her whispered as a reminder.

"Are you annoying me? Do I not know how to count?" Ming Can turned and glared at him.

Her voice was soft but laced with irritation. The way she cursed him out without hesitation made Chi Xiao pause for a moment.

He felt that she seemed a bit tipsy.

Ming Can finished her fifth cup and leaned back lazily, holding a pillow against her chest as if trying to suppress her heart pounding from the alcohol.

She couldn't drink anymore.

If she lost again, she would have to accept another punishment or simply stop playing.

Just then, a phone call came in. Ming Can, seizing the opportunity for a breather, quickly grabbed her phone and walked out to a quiet spot to answer it.

Seeing the caller ID, the breath she had just relaxed caught again, and she reluctantly answered, "Hello, Dad."

Ming Zheng's steady voice came through, "It's nine o'clock; you should be done with your friends, right?"

"Mm-hmm." Ming Can touched her flushed face and preempted her father before he could continue, "I told you earlier that I couldn't attend the party because of the concert. But it's not just that. Even without the concert, I don't want to go to that party."

Caught off guard by his daughter's sudden frankness, Ming Zheng paused for a moment before asking, "Why?"

Though Ming Can wasn't drunk, the alcohol had affected her mental clarity, making her unusually candid and blunt: "Because I don't like arranged marriages. And I don't like the marriage partner you've chosen for me."

"..." Ming Zheng was silent for a long time before saying, "Cancan, you're still young. These things don't need to be rushed. You can take your time to consider them."

Ming Can: "Can I also take my time to decide whether to attend the party?"

With only a few days left until the party, Ming Zheng frowned, "You must go."

Ming Can gave a silent, derisive laugh.

Ming Zheng continued, "Listen to me first. Your grandparents returned from abroad yesterday, and they will be attending this party too. Your uncles and their families will also be there. You wouldn't want our family event to be missing you, would you?"

Ming Can's grandparents had been abroad recently, and Ming Zheng assumed they wouldn't attend the party, so he hadn't insisted on Ming Can going, merely hoping she would show up. Now that the elders had returned early and confirmed their attendance, the situation had changed, prompting Ming Zheng to urgently contact his daughter to explain the situation.

After hearing this, Ming Can quickly suppressed her impatience and accepted her father's decision, "I understand. Don't worry, I'll attend."

She knew when to be rebellious and when to be responsible and composed.

Hanging up the call, Ming Can slowly shuffled back to the living room in her slippers and sat down in her original spot.

The luxurious life she had enjoyed since childhood was provided by her family, and since she benefited from being part of a wealthy family, she had to bear the responsibilities that came with it.

Even if those responsibilities often felt more like shackles to her.

Someone had refilled her glass, and with her mind preoccupied with family troubles, she picked up the glass and poured the cool liquid into her mouth.

Suddenly, her arm was gently restrained by the person beside her.

"Why are you still drinking?" Chi Xiao's brows furrowed, his tone stern, "Put it down."

Put it down?

She had already drunk half of it.

Seeing his stern face giving her orders, a rebellious streak emerged within Ming Can, and she ignored the obstruction, finishing the entire glass.

Putting down the glass, she licked her lips, seemingly realizing belatedly that his concern was genuine. She leaned closer to Chi Xiao's ear and whispered, "Just one more cup, it won't be a problem."

Her speech now included more filler words than usual.

Her warm breath brushed against his ear, leaving a sticky sensation that lingered.

Feeling a bit dizzy, Ming Can barely maintained her composure, reminding herself not to drink any more.

"I'm not playing anymore," Ming Can announced, "I had a great time today. If you want to continue, feel free to stay here."

Outside, the snowstorm continued unabated. Although it wasn't too late, the weather was terrible, and the road back to the hotel might become difficult if the snow kept falling. Thus, the gathering ended, and everyone spent a few minutes cleaning up the living room. Chi Xiao put on his coat and escorted them to the door.

"Be careful on the way," Chi Xiao said, "I have some things in the bathroom that I'll pack up and leave soon."

Even at this moment, he emphasized that he was only using the bathroom and would leave after packing up, not staying overnight.

Watching his roommates walk away, Chi Xiao returned inside, took off his coat, and shook off the snowflakes clinging to it.

The living room lights were still dim, casting a soft glow. The TV was muted, but its screen flickered, illuminating the girl standing by the floor-to-ceiling window. One hand rested on her waist, accentuating her slender figure, while her shoulders and legs stretched gracefully. She stood there, framed by the snow outside, looking like a beautiful oil painting, almost too serene to disturb.

Chi Xiao thought she would go upstairs to wash up, but she remained there.

He entered the living room, and Ming Can turned to look at him, as if she had something to say.

Before she could approach him, Chi Xiao had already stepped next to her.

They stood side by side by the window.

Ming Can held a cup of hot water in her left hand, steam rising from it. She blew on it gently, causing the vapor to scatter, and took a sip.

The warmth of the liquid soothed her throat, and she softly said to Chi Xiao, "Senior, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"A while ago, I mentioned that my dad asked me to attend a party, and I didn't want to go," Ming Can said, "But now something has come up, and I have to attend."

Ming Can remembered promising Chi Xiao that she wouldn't go, and with the change in circumstances, she naturally wanted to inform him to avoid any misunderstandings.

Chi Xiao: "Must you go?"

Ming Can: "Yes."

Chi Xiao: "Alright, I understand."

Ming Can held the cup with both hands as the warmth reached her face. Beneath her skin, the alcohol rushed to her head like a sudden gust from underground, making her dizzy.

In the next instant, a strong hand suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her back from her leaning posture.

"I'm not drunk," Ming Can said reflexively. "I can stand steady."

Chi Xiao didn't let go: "Are you sure you're not swaying?"

Pausing for a moment, he chuckled softly: "The water in your cup is about to spill."

Ming Can looked down at the cup, the colorless liquid inside seemed to be swirling:

"I... it's because the family matters are so frustrating. I'm so angry my hands are shaking."

Chi Xiao: "What happened?"

"Rhetorical question." Ming Can pouted, like a floodgate opening, she started talking rapidly, "Whenever I attend a banquet, I have to go on blind dates. The elders are there, so I can't be impulsive. I have to put up with interacting with your uncle's family. You don't know how charming I am; your aunt and uncle really like me..."

"I know."

"What do you know?"

"Nothing, continue."

Ming Can glanced at him, a hint of annoyance in her eyes for being interrupted. Her lips touched lightly, then froze: "... Damn, I forgot what I was going to say next."

When she wasn't drinking, this thought would only appear in her mind.

But now, she couldn't control the connection between her thoughts and words, blurting out whatever came to mind.

Chi Xiao seemed to notice this too.

His right hand still gently held Ming Can's arm. Through the fabric, he could feel her slender and well-proportioned bones pressed against his palm, conveying waves of warmth.

He could clearly feel her pulse beating beneath her skin. Looking down, he saw her long lashes fluttering, her almond-shaped eyes showing confusion, and her puffed cheeks indicating frustration at not being able to continue.

How could she be...

so adorable.

Chi Xiao took a deep breath and said softly: "It's okay, if you can't remember what to say, I'll say it."

Ming Can: "What do you know about my family's affairs?"

"A little," Chi Xiao said. "If you must attend that banquet, I'll help you with the arranged marriage issue."

Ming Can was surprised: "How will you help?"

Chi Xiao smiled lightly: "You just need to know that no matter which timeline we're in, you won't marry Chi Yao. That's enough."

Ming Can couldn't help but blurt out her fleeting thought: "If I don't marry Chi Yao, who else would I marry? You?"

...

The air around them fell into silence.

Chi Xiao didn't expect her to say anything so straightforward, cutting through the haze and revealing his hidden intentions to the world.

After a moment of silence, he expressed himself in the most neutral tone: "According to the future plot, it's like that."

Ming Can showed no restraint in her disdain: "So, if I don't marry him, I have to marry you? Do I have no other choice? Must I get married at all?"

"That's not what I meant."

She had said those words herself. He merely didn't refute them.

"Then what did you mean?"

"I just want to help you."

"Why do you want to help me?" As Ming Can spoke, she felt her head getting heavier, her thoughts becoming more chaotic, like a stormy sea where some voice was carried high by the waves and placed in the most conspicuous place—

It was his unexpected confession during the dare game not long ago.

"Do you really like me?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was clear, echoing in the empty living room.

As soon as she asked the question, Ming Can regained her composure and immediately regretted it.

Chi Xiao held his breath, looking down to see her brows furrow slightly and then relax, her lips moving, her expression complex.

Among all the intertwined emotions, he was certain there was no hint of joy.

Chi Xiao hadn't lost much in the game tonight, having only had a few drinks like sipping a beverage, with barely any buzz. But at this moment, he felt an uncontrollable emotion surging from his chest, making him feel unclear and impulsive.

His grip on Ming Can's arm tightened, pulling her closer until her soft body almost touched his chest.

Taking a deep breath, Chi Xiao's lips curved upward, a suppressed self-mockery in his voice, and he said solemnly:

"Don't you know whether I like you or not?"

He couldn't understand why he suddenly asked this question impulsively.

The answer to the question had long been in his hands.

In her flamboyant life, he had always been nothing more than an insignificant and unnoticed passerby.

She didn't remember that he had once stood in front of her, clearly expressing his affection for her.

That day's scene, even now, was etched deeply in Chi Xiao's memory.

Second semester of our sophomore year, early spring.

North City was still experiencing the biting cold of winter, with clear skies and a fierce wind that cut like a knife.

Chi Xiao waited outside the school auditorium with a violin on his back.

Over an hour passed, the sun began to set, and the orchestra students poured out of the auditorium after their rehearsal.

Standing at the bottom of the steps, Chi Xiao called out to Ming Can as she descended.

She wore a scarf he had knitted himself, which gave him a sudden boost of confidence, though she had no idea it was his handiwork.

They walked one behind the other to a secluded spot.

Behind the auditorium, a few ginkgo trees were sparsely planted, trembling slightly in the wind.

The boy with his violin was as upright as those ginkgo trees, yet trembling imperceptibly from nervousness.

With all his sincerity, he spoke a few words to the girl in front of him.

And then.

He fell into an icy abyss with her brief response.

Realizing his utter worthlessness.

From that moment on.

Until now.

He never dared to speak a single sincere word in front of her again.