Chapter 50 – Drinking

Lin Ganzhi’s feelings were complicated for a moment.

The conversation ended quickly. Qin Feichen had been upstairs with Yan Shengping for so long that the people below would surely speculate. Knowing Yan Shengping had his own plans, Qin Feichen immediately cooperated, chatting for a few more sentences before heading down.

But this twenty-minute conversation was enough to make the people below not dare to underestimate Yan Shengping. When Lin Ganzhi followed Yan Shengping and saw the newfound respect in everyone’s eyes, he felt for the first time what it was like to have a backer, what it meant for his boss to be powerful!

Just as they came downstairs, Qin Taotao approached excitedly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Lin Ganzhi. With her brother present, her confidence was clearly much higher.

“Brother Shengping, can I borrow Ganzhi to hang out?” Her tone was just like a child asking a parent for permission.

Lin Ganzhi was a little dissatisfied. Did he need to ask for Yan Shengping’s permission to go hang out?

He looked up and met Yan Shengping’s scrutinizing gaze. A shiver ran down Lin Ganzhi’s spine, and he cautiously asked, “Can I?”

He was being very pragmatic.

Yan Shengping paused for a second, then nodded. “Don’t play too wildly.”

Lin Ganzhi’s heart leaped with joy. He followed the equally happy Qin Taotao towards the party’s buffet area, his conspicuous pink hair standing out in the crowd. Yan Shengping’s gaze followed him for a few seconds before he felt Qin Feichen’s somewhat teasing smile, as if to say, “I didn’t expect you to fall for someone too.”

“Brother Yan, want to go for a walk? And tell me about your sister-in-law while we’re at it?” Qin Feichen was quite interested.

Yan Shengping wasn’t keen on sharing his love life, but he really disliked the atmosphere here. “Go say hello to your parents first.” Since Yan Shengping didn’t refuse, it meant he agreed. The light of gossip was practically overflowing from Qin Feichen’s eyes.

“This, this, and this, are all new dishes our head chef came up with. You should try them!” Qin Taotao pointed to several uniquely shaped dishes.

Lin Ganzhi said thank you and joined the fray. As he ate, Qin Taotao introduced the ingredients and origins of each dish. There was no one else besides Lin Ganzhi who received such fawning attention from the second young lady of the Qin family.

The socialites nearby who overheard their conversation were green with envy.

Suddenly, there was a stir in the crowd. Madam Qin personally went to greet a woman. It was the currently popular Best Actress, Qi Lan.

Qi Lan was wearing a starry blue long gown today, her long black hair elegantly coiffed. Her entire outfit consisted of well-known new Haute Couture pieces. Upon seeing Madam Qin, she gave her a hug.

Madam Qin feigned anger and said, “Usually when I ask you to come, you say you’re busy filming. How come when your niece has a birthday, you can fly back right after receiving an award?”

Qi Lan affectionately linked arms with Madam Qin. “You’re a mother of two now, why are you still getting jealous like a child? Didn’t I come for your birthday? And haven’t I just taken on Director Zheng’s new film? It’s a rare opportunity. You must come to the premiere, sis.”

Qi Lan and Madam Qin were biological sisters. They were just low-key about it, so only the socialites who had been invited by the Qin family knew. They never deliberately publicized it. And the Zhong family was attending the Qin family’s banquet for the first time.

Zhong Jingyi’s expression immediately soured.

Seeing Madam Qin and Qi Lan finish their pleasantries and start looking for Qin Taotao, he quickly pulled Luan Yuanzhou over.

“Madam Qin, Sister Qi Lan.” Zhong Jingyi smiled obediently, trying to get close. “I haven’t seen you since the show ended. I didn’t expect to run into you here.”

Qi Lan gave a distant smile, and Madam Qin’s attitude wasn’t much warmer either. After all, because of the previous incident, her favorable impression of the Zhong family had faded quite a bit.

“Hello. Since you’re here, enjoy yourself. My sister’s chefs are very skilled. I need to go find Taotao now, so please excuse me. Sis, can you help me find where Taotao is?” Qi Lan was a sharp person, and with a few words, she pulled Madam Qin away.

Zhong Jingyi’s expression froze, but in front of so many people, he could only manage a stiff smile. The luck he had always prided himself on seemed to have been continuously collapsing for the past two months.

Standing to the side, Luan Yuanzhou saw everything. He was somewhat confused as to why Zhong Jingyi, who had never bothered to curry favor with the powerful before, would specifically greet Qi Lan today. After all, the old Jingyi was completely focused on his dreams, and his hard work had deeply attracted him back then.

Luan Yuanzhou fell into a brief moment of confusion and doubt.

“This is delicious!” Lin Ganzhi popped a small cake into his mouth, one after another, making it unclear which one he was praising. “Thank you, Miss Qin.”

Looking at Lin Ganzhi’s puffed-out cheeks, Qin Taotao’s hidden maternal love was instantly stimulated. She quickly said, “Don’t call me Miss Qin, it’s so formal. Just call me Taotao from now on. My parents and friends all call me that. Besides, you’re my idol. Brother Shengping is practically my brother, so if you don’t mind, can I call you sister-in-law?”

“Cough, cough, cough, cough!” Lin Ganzhi choked on the words “sister-in-law.” As expected of siblings, their line of thinking was identical. He clamped his mouth shut, trapping a mouthful of cake, and some crumbs got stuck in his throat, making it itch uncomfortably.

Qin Taotao quickly handed him a drink. Lin Ganzhi gulped it down and only recovered after a while, his eyes red from coughing. After catching his breath, he said, “There’s no need for ‘sister-in-law.’ Just call me by my name. I’ll call you Taotao as you said.”

For some reason, perhaps because she genuinely liked him, hearing “Taotao” from Lin Ganzhi’s mouth felt different from when others said it. She was secretly thrilled for a long time, on the verge of pulling Lin Ganzhi in for a good squishing, when Madam Qin came over with Qi Lan.

Just as everyone thought Qi Lan was there to see her little niece, Qi Lan walked straight to Lin Ganzhi’s side. Her cold expression suddenly changed, and she said with pleasant surprise, “Ganzhi, I didn’t expect you to be at Taotao’s banquet too. Why didn’t you tell me earlier? If I had known, I would have prepared a gift for you as well.”

Both Madam Qin and Qin Taotao were surprised. Although they knew Qi Lan and Lin Ganzhi had been on the same show, the two hadn’t interacted much. They hadn’t expected Qi Lan to be so affectionate towards Lin Ganzhi. Everyone knew that Qi Lan was cold in private and didn’t like to socialize with people in the entertainment industry.

Qi Lan didn’t just stand there. “Let’s go, let’s go sit in your greenhouse. I’ve been busy with work since the show ended and haven’t had a chance to properly tell you all about Ganzhi.” Qi Lan’s face showed her gratitude.

Then, under the stunned gazes of the crowd, the cold goddess from the screen affectionately led the minor celebrity Lin and the Qin mother-daughter pair to the greenhouse outside.

Seriously, was Lin Ganzhi the long-lost son of the Qin family? Otherwise, why would the Qin family, known for their aloofness, break their principles for a minor celebrity?

Once in the greenhouse, Madam Qin had the butler open a bottle of aged wine from their cellar and had the chef prepare some more exquisite dishes and pastries.

Then, Qi Lan recounted the entire story of how she was saved. Madam Qin was so moved she nearly stood up to bow to Lin Ganzhi, repeatedly saying thank you.

“You, why didn’t you tell us about such a huge thing? You were so seriously injured and still went to work. You’re not allowed to go out for a while. I’m going to call my brother-in-law. You just rest well at our house.” Madam Qin was now terrified in hindsight.

Then she looked gratefully at Lin Ganzhi. “Ganzhi, I really don’t know how to thank you. Our Qin family owes you two huge favors now. If you have any problems in the future, just come to the Qin family. If you don’t mind, just call me Auntie Qin. Taotao likes you a lot too. Come over and play whenever you’re free, and feel free to bring Shengping to stay for a while.” Madam Qin spoke with sincerity.

Lin Ganzhi, on the other hand, was a little embarrassed by the praise. He sweetly called her Auntie Qin and said, “I was a good swimmer at the time, so it was only right to help Sister Qi Lan. Mr. Luo and Wenren also helped later, so it wasn’t all my doing.”

Madam Qin patted Lin Ganzhi’s hand. “Don’t worry, I will visit and thank Wenren and Mr. Luo another day.” Then, she glared unhappily at her sister. “I told you the entertainment industry is a murky place where people judge you based on your status. You refuse to reveal your identity, and what happens when you get into trouble? Ai, I’m not trying to guilt-trip you, but at the very least, if something happens, their efficiency and speed wouldn’t be like that.” Madam Qin spoke with heartfelt emotion.

Qi Lan understood her sister’s worries and comforted her. “Sis, my brother-in-law’s business is big, but I don’t want to be talked about in that circle. I promise you, from now on, I’ll take a bodyguard with me wherever I go, how about that?”

Qi Lan was cold to outsiders, but with her sister, she was incredibly affectionate, like any ordinary younger sister who knew how to be endearing. The formidable Madam Qin was coaxed and lost her temper.

Lin Ganzhi nodded. He subconsciously looked around, very curious to know which corner his bodyguard was hiding in now and whether he had eaten. If he could see him, he could share some food with him. Of course, the result was disappointing. From the day they said he would have a bodyguard, Lin Ganzhi had tried every method but had never found a trace of him.

Was the quality of bodyguards this high now?

Lin Ganzhi was impressed.

“Ganzhi, try this wine. It’s very good.” Madam Qin personally stood up to pour him a glass. Lin Ganzhi was flattered and drank it all, then smacked his lips. The taste was really different! It was delicious!

After chatting with Qin Feichen for a while, Yan Shengping stayed at the banquet for another half hour. With the backing of the Qin family, many discerning guests came over to chat with Yan Shengping. The business world was like that; when you were doing well, thousands would flock to you, all thinking only of what they could gain. Yan Shengping chatted back without changing his expression, and by the end of the party, he had found several promising partners.

As the banquet gradually came to an end, Yan Shengping, who still hadn’t seen Lin Ganzhi, felt a little uneasy. He found Qin Feichen, who made a call and then looked a little nervous.

“It seems sister-in-law is drunk, in the greenhouse.”

Yan Shengping’s lips tightened. Even though he didn’t say a word, Qin Feichen could feel that he was not in a very good mood.

The two of them reached the greenhouse within five minutes and saw Lin Ganzhi sitting dazedly on a chair, staring blankly at a large cosmos flower in the distance. His face was flushed, his eyes glistening with moisture, and even the frequency of his blinks was slower than usual. Slowly, one by one, his eyelashes gently swept his lower eyelids.

He was like a drunk little hamster.

The three women stood to the side, gently coaxing Lin Ganzhi. “Ganzhi, let’s go back, okay? Let’s not drink anymore.”

Lin Ganzhi let out a drunken hiccup, clutching a wine bottle tightly, refusing to let go, being extremely stubborn.

Qin Taotao reached out to try and snatch the bottle, but Lin Ganzhi looked up, his watery eyes filled with protest. Qin Taotao, a sucker for cute things, couldn’t resist that look and put the bottle back, resorting to just coaxing him. “Ganzhi, there’s other good food. Let’s not drink, okay?”

Lin Ganzhi stared blankly for two seconds, trying to process the information. He vaguely only heard “don’t drink.”

The wine is good. Not drink? No way.

Lin Ganzhi hugged the bottle even more tightly, like he was protecting his food, and leaned back further.

They had seen people who vomited, went crazy, or cried when drunk, but they had never seen someone who was both so obedient and stubborn.

Qin Feichen, who had harbored a faint suspicion that Lin Ganzhi had ulterior motives, instantly dismissed all such thoughts. Anyone else might be after Yan Shengping for other things, but Lin Ganzhi? Impossible!

Just as everyone was getting anxious, Yan Shengping’s appearance was like a ray of light!

“Shengping, you’re just in time. Ganzhi had a little too much to drink with us. Could you please help him up? Or maybe he should just rest at our house.” Madam Qin said apologetically. She had let Lin Ganzhi get drunk twice now and was a little embarrassed to see Yan Shengping.

Yan Shengping looked at Lin Ganzhi, who had completely switched to a different mode, and hesitated slightly. But at that moment, Qin Feichen very proactively walked over.

“Sister-in-law, let’s not drink anymore. Brother Yan is here to find you.” Qin Feichen walked over and tried to take the wine bottle from Lin Ganzhi, wanting to tease him.

Lin Ganzhi’s handsome brows furrowed, and he clung to the bottle for dear life. Seeing that the little weakling couldn’t physically overpower a soldier like Qin Feichen, he freed a hand and lightly pounded on Qin Feichen’s teasing hand. It actually hurt a little.

Qin Taotao, on the side, couldn’t stand it anymore. She came over to block Qin Feichen, her eyes gradually filling with disdain. “Brother, doesn’t your conscience hurt, bullying Ganzhi like this?” She actually wanted to say, “Has your conscience been eaten by a dog?” But worried she wouldn’t be able to beat Qin Feichen, she changed her words in the end.

Qin Feichen looked at Lin Ganzhi, who was on the verge of being bullied to tears, and the residual guilt in his heart was finally stirred. After he let go of the bottle, Lin Ganzhi hugged it even more tightly, like a hamster protecting its food.

The fact that they couldn’t bring themselves to be harsh with him because he was too cute when drunk probably only happened to Lin Ganzhi.

Now, everyone’s eyes were on Yan Shengping. Yan Shengping sighed, walked over, and was just about to use force.

Lin Ganzhi blinked dazedly. The leather shoes looked familiar, so he looked up. When he saw the familiar face, Lin Ganzhi’s fingers loosened, and he very proactively handed over the wine bottle. This action stunned the onlookers. Who was it just now who was protecting the bottle like it was his own child?

Yan Shengping was also moved by Lin Ganzhi’s action and asked in a hoarse voice, “For me?”

Lin Ganzhi nodded eagerly, his misty lashes trembling slightly. It’s for the boss, it tastes so good! So many people tried to take it, but he didn’t give it to them! With this gesture, the boss will surely see his loyalty.

Yan Shengping looked at the single mouthful of wine left in the dark bottle, his heart filled with a mix of emotions.

But he still took the bottle. “Thank you. It’s late, let’s go home.” Yan Shengping’s voice was unusually gentle.

Lin Ganzhi, who couldn’t be persuaded by anyone else, now stood up obediently and stayed close to Yan Shengping’s side, a rare spark of energy in his dazed eyes.

The onlookers were momentarily unsure whether Lin Ganzhi was truly drunk or just pretending, or if he was really that infatuated with Yan Shengping.

Qin Taotao watched for a long time. Right now, she just wanted to go back to her group chat and loudly proclaim that Lin Ganzhi and his old man partner were a perfect match!!!

“I left the gift with your brother. Happy birthday. Madam Qin, we’ll be heading back for today. Staying here too long might attract gossip,” Yan Shengping said slowly to the Qin family members.

Qin Taotao nodded happily. Qin Feichen patted Yan Shengping’s shoulder. “I get it. I’ll come find you at your place to hang out.”

“Me too, me too!” Qin Taotao looked at Lin Ganzhi reluctantly.

Even Qi Lan stood up. “Shengping, I’m really grateful to you both for saving my life. When you have time, my husband and I would like to treat you to a meal.”

Yan Shengping nodded politely but then added, “This is also the last time he’ll be saving anyone. I don’t want the person I care about to put himself in danger.” Yan Shengping’s firm attitude didn’t displease them. After all, who would want their loved one to be in danger?

But this possessive attitude from Yan Shengping was a first tonight.

Before leaving, Yan Shengping had intended to return the wine bottle to Qin Feichen, but Lin Ganzhi looked over with a swift reaction, his eyes filled with grievance and accusation.

“Brother Yan, it’s just a wine bottle. Let Ganzhi take it back to play with. Otherwise, I think he’ll throw another tantrum,” Qin Feichen said, at a loss for whether to laugh or cry.

Yan Shengping was also deeply speechless. He had no idea where Lin Ganzhi picked up these habits.

He could only hold the wine bottle in one hand and lead Lin Ganzhi out with the other.

At that time, the guests were also slowly leaving. When they saw the wine bottle in Yan Shengping’s hand, those in the know recognized it as a pricey antique red wine. But, was it necessary to show it off when it was almost empty? Was he just trying to spite them for not having any?

Yan Shengping, whose reputation had just started to recover, was once again slandered.

And the culprit was clinging to his side like a baby penguin, waiting for Uncle Yan’s car to pull up.

After getting in the car, Lin Ganzhi didn’t look outside as he usually did. Instead, he stared intently at Yan Shengping, as if afraid his boss would vanish on the spot.

Uncle Yan thought it was because their relationship had improved due to the banquet.

Yan Shengping felt a little uncomfortable under the intense gaze. When he turned his head, he saw Lin Ganzhi’s misty eyes. He sat there, a little shy when Yan Shengping looked over, but he quickly discarded this emotion that didn’t belong to him and unconsciously scooted a few steps closer to Yan Shengping, all while watching him. His sparkling eyes seemed to hope that Yan Shengping would encourage him a little.

Yan Shengping’s body stiffened slightly, but at the same time, his heart seemed to be burning. A burgeoning emotion almost made him lose his most prized rationality.

Lin Ganzhi, don’t you dare flirt with me while you’re drunk!

But the drunk Lin Ganzhi couldn’t sense Yan Shengping’s unease. He only knew that Yan Shengping was the safest, his most respected boss. He wanted to hug his boss, to thank him for giving him a hundred million.

“Yan… Shengping,” Lin Ganzhi called out sluggishly.

Yan Shengping’s fingers trembled uncontrollably. He said to Uncle Yan, “Uncle Yan, pull up the partition. I think Lin Ganzhi is about to have a drunken fit.”

Uncle Yan selectively played dumb. “Is that so? That’s terrible. I’ll pull it up right now. I’ll draw the curtains for you too. If there are any problems, just call me, sir.” The partition in Yan Shengping’s car was not only great for privacy but also for soundproofing. He used to like holding meetings in the car, and now it was being used for this.

A wave of restlessness washed over Yan Shengping, while at the same time, his rational mind was fiercely scorning him.

When the surroundings plunged into darkness, the small car light illuminated the back seat again a second later. The warm light shone on Lin Ganzhi’s flushed cheeks and the golden-edged pink hair. The chubby look of his cheeks made Yan Shengping unable to resist reaching out to rub them.

“Go on, weren’t you just calling me?” Yan Shengping’s deep voice gently guided him.

Hearing this, Lin Ganzhi sniffled, looked up, and paused for ten seconds before saying, “Yan Shengping, I… my head hurts.”

Yan Shengping’s fingertips froze.

“Yan Shengping, my head hurts!” The more Lin Ganzhi spoke, the more aggrieved he became, the end of his words curling up with an arrogant and domineering air.

Yan Shengping took a deep breath. It was his own fault for expecting this little ancestor to have a moment of clarity.

But then, Yan Shengping reached out and, with two fingers, began to gently and somewhat unskillfully rub Lin Ganzhi’s temples. “Is that better?”

Lin Ganzhi let out a soft “mmm,” a sound like a purring kitten coming from his throat. He didn’t say anything else, his body softly leaning against Yan Shengping. The faint scent of coconut milk filled Yan Shengping’s nose.

The movement of Yan Shengping’s hands unconsciously became gentler.

His mind suddenly flashed back to his conversation with Qin Feichen.

“Brother Yan, don’t you think the current Ganzhi is different from the one you described before you got married? I mean, what if, what if he’s fake, or has ulterior motives? No, you must have thought about this more than I have, you…”

“I’ve considered it. I considered it the day after we got married. But I don’t care about his identity or his motives.”

“Huh? Brother Yan, then what do you care about?”

He was willing to stand in front of the powerful for me, to seek medical treatment everywhere for my health, to unreservedly publicize our relationship and life online. Yan Shengping thought of many things before finally concluding:

“I probably care about how good he is to me.”

…

At this thought, Yan Shengping used one hand to brush aside the hair covering Lin Ganzhi’s forehead. Lin Ganzhi’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

“Yan Shengping, I’m upset.”

“Dizzy?”

Lin Ganzhi shook his head. Emboldened by the alcohol, he recklessly buried his head in Yan Shengping’s chest. “Upset, because I heard you were wronged.”

To have opened his heart to others, only to be trampled on so wantonly. If it were him, he would have treasured Yan Shengping like a precious jewel, not letting him suffer any injustice.

It was just a pity that his luck was so bad; he had never met someone like Yan Shengping who would give their all for him.

Yan Shengping’s heart tightened. “If… you’re only doing this because you pity me.”

“How could that be the reason?!” Lin Ganzhi sat up straight, a little unhappy. But because he was drunk, his anger was all directed at the partition.

He was his most respected boss, and he had given him so much money! This was from the bottom of his heart! It was heartache!

A faint smile played on Yan Shengping’s lips, but he said, “Your head doesn’t hurt anymore?”

Lin Ganzhi’s body went limp, and without warning, he leaned over. Yan Shengping happened to be turning to look at him. The only sober person could have dodged it, but a moment’s hesitation allowed Lin Ganzhi’s lips to gently bump against Yan Shengping’s chin.

The soft touch made Yan Shengping’s heart feel like it was on fire.