Chapter 26: Midnight

Chapter 26: Midnight

Qin Yan: "What's wrong?"

Su Zhiyu stopped Qin Yan's movement, his face slightly red as he pulled him back: "I'm the captain. You just drank for me, so now it's my turn to drink for my team member."

Qin Yan: ...?

Su Zhiyu quickly poured himself a glass and knocked it back in one shot. He drank too hastily, and the liquor dripped down his jawline, seeping into his collar.

Although the heating was on inside, the icy liquid still made him shiver as it trailed down.

Qin Yan's eyes darkened. He reached out and pressed his hand against Su Zhiyu's lower back, lowering his voice to warn him: "You're drunk."

With that, he decisively snatched the glass away, raised his eyes to the man offering the toast, and smirked: "Pour."

The man met Qin Yan's gaze and, for some reason, felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly let out an awkward laugh: "No need, no need! One glass is enough, hahaha. I'll go over there."

Su Zhiyu had drunk quite a bit, and his tolerance wasn't great to begin with. Now he sat to the side like a slow-reacting baby, mellow in a way that was almost unsettling.

The gathering ended, and everyone went their separate ways.

The artists who had been drinking were picked up by their assistants or had cars arranged by their managers. The crowd gradually dispersed until only Qin Yan, Su Zhiyu, Yang Yichen, Liu Mian, and Jiang Yizhou remained.

All five of them had been drinking. Jiang Yizhou and Su Zhiyu didn't have cars, while the others lingered until the end, each with their own reasons for staying.

Yang Yichen made no effort to hide his close relationship with Qin Yan. He walked up to the group: "I've called my driver. How are you all getting back? How about Brother Yan takes one, and I take two?"

Hearing this, Jiang Yizhou's eyes lit up, his ears flushing as he looked at Qin Yan: "Then I'll go with Brother Qin? I think we're heading in the same direction."

Qin Yan shoved his hands in his pockets and drawled: "Do you know where I live?"

Jiang Yizhou's expression stiffened: "Uh, I think we should be going the same way. Brother Qin, where do you live?"

"Guess?"

Qin Yan's gaze lingered subtly on Su Zhiyu. Yang Yichen noticed and asked directly: "Zhi Yu? Where do you live?"

"!"

Su Zhiyu's back stiffened. He didn't want anyone to know he lived with Qin Yan. He parted his lips and offhandedly blurted out a direction that was completely opposite.

Yang Yichen indeed had no idea they lived together.

"Well..."

"I happen to be heading in that direction too. It's on my way. My driver is also coming to pick me up, so I'll take the captain home."

Su Zhiyu: ?!

Shameless!

But he didn't dare say he wasn't going the same way as Qin Yan—wouldn't that give away that he knew where Qin Yan lived?

"What's wrong, Captain?" Qin Yan said deadpan. "Do you want Yang Yichen to take you instead?"

Yang Yichen immediately sensed the murderous intent and quickly declined: "Zhi Yu, you should go with Brother Yan. I think I'm not actually going that way. I'm headed toward West Garden. What about you two?"

He looked at Liu Mian and Jiang Yizhou.

Liu Mian gave him a shy smile: "I'm going the same way as Brother Yichen for part of the trip. Could you drop me at the Chengguang intersection?"

Yang Yichen made an OK gesture: "I'll take you home."

Liu Mian hesitated for a moment: "Thank you."

"What about you?"

Jiang Yizhou still wasn't giving up, looking at Qin Yan with his hand pressed to his forehead like he was about to pass out: "Brother Qin, I think we're going the same way for a stretch. Could you drop me off at a nearby intersection?"

He was drunk, and Brother Qin looked perfectly sober—he wouldn't actually leave him on the side of the road, right?

But before Jiang Yizhou could fantasize any longer, Qin Yan gave a cold smile: "Not on my route. Yang Yichen's more convenient."

"..."

Soon, Yang Yichen's driver pulled up outside. Liu Mian followed without another word, and Jiang Yizhou, seeing that Qin Yan had no intention of helping him, clenched his jaw and followed Yang Yichen.

Everyone was gone.

Su Zhiyu quietly edged away from Qin Yan.

Qin Yan was a little amused but didn't call him out on it. When the driver arrived, the two got in one after the other, with enough room between them for two more people.

The ride was smooth.

By the time they reached the villa, Qin Yan was about to wake Su Zhiyu when he realized he'd already curled up in the corner, head lolled to the side, fast asleep.

Or maybe just drunk.

In the dim light, he could see the boy's fluttering lashes trembling slightly, hugging his own arms, lips slightly parted, breath smelling faintly of wine.

"Young Master—"

"Shh."

Qin Yan held a finger to his lips, got out on his side, and walked around to the other side and opened the door.

Even though the garage had heated floors, it was still cooler than in the car. Su Zhiyu furrowed his brow but didn't wake up.

Qin Yan shrugged off his jacket and draped it over Su Zhiyu, then bent down and scooped him out of the car, making a beeline for the villa.

The driver stared in shock from behind them, wanting to snap a photo but not daring to.

They hadn't been home in two or three days, and the first thing that happened when they got back was Qin Yan carrying Su Zhiyu inside. The staff and housekeeper could barely hide their shock.

Qin Yan carried him upstairs to his room.

Wait.

Why did he smell that sweet white peach scent again?

Qin Yan braced his hands on either side of him, about to take in the increasingly distinct, sweet scent, when someone grabbed his collar.

"You..."

"Mm... so uncomfortable... hot."

Su Zhiyu slurred a few fragmented words, his burning palm making it obvious he was completely drunk.

Qin Yan patiently soothed him: "I'll have someone make you a hangover soup. You can't drink this much next time. If I'd known drinking would make you this uncomfortable, I shouldn't have let you drink at all."

Honestly.

He'd been so smooth, knocking back one glass after another.

Qin Yan carefully pried Su Zhiyu's hand off his clothes and went out to have a servant prepare the hangover soup.

When he came back, Su Zhiyu was already fast asleep, lying peacefully in bed.

Qin Yan tucked the blanket around him, then fetched a warm towel to wipe him down before leaving.

The hangover soup never got used.

In the middle of the night, Qin Yan groggily got up. Though he hadn't drunk as much as Su Zhiyu, he'd still had a fair amount. He hadn't felt anything before bed, but the effects were taking longer to wear off than he'd expected.

He fumbled for his phone in the dark and checked the time—3 a.m.

Ugh, his head was pounding.

Qin Yan rubbed his aching temples, reached for the thermos on the nightstand, and found the water inside was still warm—just right.

After half a cup, his head cleared up considerably.

Thud.

A muffled thud came through the wall from the next room. Qin Yan froze, then listened more intently, keeping still. Sure enough, he heard more sounds—like something had hit the floor.

What's he doing?

Qin Yan thought of Su Zhiyu's utterly wasted state and felt uneasy. Since he couldn't sleep anyway, he got up and left his room.

By the time he reached Su Zhiyu's door, thick, sweet fragrance was spilling out from inside.

"Su Zhiyu?"

Startled, Qin Yan pushed the door open quickly. The white peach scent, almost the same as last time, instantly wrapped around him—the only difference being that this time, the smell of alcohol lingered in the air too.

And the source of the pheromones was leaning against the table, eyes dazed and pained. Everything on the table had been knocked to the floor, the chair was tipped over, and the drawer was hanging open.

He seemed to be looking for something but hadn't found it. Now he was barely holding on, his mind slipping further and further away.

A strange Alpha suddenly barged into the room thick with sweet fragrance. The distinct Alpha pheromone scent was quickly triggered, adding to the already heavy, boozy air.

It was enough to make a person dizzy, on the verge of collapsing again.

Su Zhiyu turned his hazy gaze toward him, his legs going weak, almost causing him to fall.

"Su Zhiyu!"

Qin Yan rushed over in one stride to catch him. The room was dark, lit only by the faint light from the hallway, casting a dim, hazy glow over them and adding a touch of intimacy.

They were standing way too close. Su Zhiyu looked up at Qin Yan, his breathing growing heavier and heavier.

"Qin, Qin..."

"It's me. Is your heat cycle starting again?" Qin Yan silently cursed himself—why hadn't he learned from last time and stocked up on suppressant patches?

"Mmm..."