Chapter 77: A Hundred Ways to Drink

In the study of the Shangshu Residence, Cui Wangshu stood in front of the desk. The ink on the paper was bold and vigorous, just like the impression she gave others.

The woman lowered her gaze, her expression serious, though a faint trace of suppressed anxiety lingered between her brows. She set down the brush only to pick it up again, frowning slightly as she stared at the spot of ink that had accidentally stained her hand.

She stared at it for a moment, then wiped it off expressionlessly and continued practicing her calligraphy.

The sky grew darker, but Jiang Chenbi still had not returned, nor had she left any word about where she had gone.

“Xun An.”

Hearing the woman’s cool voice, Xun An entered from outside and bowed slightly, awaiting her orders. Cui Wangshu frowned faintly and asked, “Is she still at the teahouse?”

Xun An lowered her eyes. “The latest report says Miss Jiang has not left the teahouse yet.”

Cui Wangshu’s gaze darkened slightly. The last time with Liu Yao, she had lost control for a moment, and Jiang Chenbi had grown suspicious about whether she was being watched. If she lost control again this time, Jiang Chenbi would surely notice.

“Has she noticed anyone following her?”

Xun An shook her head. “The people change shifts every day, making it hard to detect. As for the people on Cui Daoyuan’s side, they’ve already been dealt with.”

Cui Wangshu hummed in acknowledgment. Just as she was about to say something, a guard’s respectful voice came from outside: “Miss Jiang.”

Jiang Chenbi stepped through the door and was surprised to see Xun An. She raised an eyebrow and asked, “Did I interrupt you while you were handling business?”

Cui Wangshu’s expression softened, and she smiled. “No, it’s already taken care of.”

Xun An quietly observed her lightning-quick change in demeanor before silently retreating.

Cui Wangshu walked out from behind the desk and stopped in front of Jiang Chenbi, asking gently, “Are you tired? Where did you go?”

Jiang Chenbi smiled. “Not tired. This afternoon, I suddenly thought of something in Luozhou and went back to give Ying Lan some instructions.”

Cui Wangshu hummed again, lifting her hand to lightly brush Jiang Chenbi’s cheek. Casually, she asked, “Was it complicated? You were gone for so long.”

Jiang Chenbi blinked, realizing she had probably returned much earlier, and explained, “It was fine.”

Cui Wangshu’s gaze darkened slightly. Jiang Chenbi had not mentioned the teahouse…

A smile tugged at her lips as Cui Wangshu wrapped her arm around Jiang Chenbi’s waist and chuckled softly. “Have you had dinner?”

“I have.”

Leaning close to Jiang Chenbi’s ear, Cui Wangshu smiled and said, “It’s still early. Want to have a drink?”

Jiang Chenbi’s eyes lit up. Was this to set the mood for tonight? She agreed without hesitation.

Cui Wangshu’s meaningful gaze swept over her smiling face, though her heart was not as pleased as it seemed. Her expression remained flawless as she said, “Then I’ll have someone warm some wine.”

Jiang Chenbi raised an eyebrow. “Sure.”

The servants in the residence moved quickly, and soon two pots of wine arrived. Jiang Chenbi looked at the two pots on the table in slight surprise. Were they really going to drink this much?

Cui Wangshu pulled her to sit down as if it were nothing, poured two cups, and lifted her eyes to gaze at Jiang Chenbi with watery tenderness. Jiang Chenbi’s breath hitched. How had this woman gotten so good at seduction lately?

It was as if she knew exactly how captivating her face was, deliberately putting on that coy, inviting expression to lure Jiang Chenbi in.

She clearly remembered that Cui Wangshu had not been like this before.

Cui Wangshu held the cup to Jiang Chenbi’s lips and said gently, “Let me feed you.”

Jiang Chenbi’s throat bobbed as she opened her mouth and drank the wine she offered. Cui Wangshu’s deep gaze lingered on her face for a moment before she lowered her head and took a sip herself.

The two chatted idly about recent events—both court matters and amusing incidents from Luozhou—as the sky darkened further. A faint flush of intoxication colored their faces.

Cui Wangshu licked her lips and leaned in to kiss Jiang Chenbi. Jiang Chenbi paused for a second before chuckling softly and hooking her arms around her neck in response.

After kissing for a while, Cui Wangshu pulled back and examined the drunken haze in Jiang Chenbi’s eyes. Pretending to be casual, she said, “When I came back today, I didn’t see you and thought something had happened to you.”

Drunk desire swam in Jiang Chenbi’s eyes as she laughed. “What could have happened? After handling things, I figured you’d be back late, so I went to the teahouse to sit for a bit.”

Hearing the answer she wanted, the discomfort in Cui Wangshu’s heart finally eased.

She hooked her lips into a smile and tugged Jiang Chenbi gently, pulling her onto her lap. Jiang Chenbi looked down at those still-clear eyes and pouted in slight dissatisfaction.

Jiang Chenbi narrowed her eyes, pinched Cui Wangshu’s cheeks, and picked up the wine pot, pouring the wine into her mouth.

Cui Wangshu tilted her head back to stare at her, her throat bobbing as she swallowed every drop. She poured too quickly, and some wine overflowed from the corner of her lips, trailing down her neck and soaking her collar.

Jiang Chenbi set the pot down and stared at the glistening wine on her neck before leaning down to kiss it away.

Cui Wangshu tilted her head back, letting her lick up the wine, her pupils contracting slightly. Suddenly, she grabbed Jiang Chenbi’s mischievous hand, lifted her head, and pulled her into a kiss.

Jiang Chenbi had already drunk quite a bit that Cui Wangshu had secretly fed her, and she was already tipsy. Now, tasting the strong wine in her mouth made her head spin even more.

Cui Wangshu scooped her up and carried her to the bed, grabbing the remaining pot of wine along the way.

Jiang Chenbi frowned, struggling to focus on the swaying figure before her. Dissatisfied, she said, “Why aren’t you drunk yet?”

Cui Wangshu let down the bed curtains and began undressing, chuckling lightly. “Do you really want to see me drunk that badly?”

Jiang Chenbi’s reactions were sluggish; she nodded and then shook her head. Cui Wangshu laughed softly, gently pushed her down onto the bed, and let a searing kiss fall.

Jiang Chenbi’s mind grew hazy until late into the night when she regained a bit of clarity.

Meeting those pitch-black eyes, Jiang Chenbi didn’t immediately register the suppressed frenzy in them. Her voice hoarse, she said, “You did that on purpose.”

Cui Wangshu brushed back the stray hair from her forehead, reining in her emotions. A wicked smile played on her lips as she nipped at Jiang Chenbi’s lower lip and murmured, “Did what on purpose?”

Jiang Chenbi huffed in frustration. “You clearly promised me tonight.”

Cui Wangshu paused, her tongue tracing over her collarbone before pecking it lightly. “Later.”

Jiang Chenbi’s tolerance for alcohol was not as good as Cui Wangshu’s. The latter had honed hers through years of navigating the court and the Cui Family—she wouldn’t get drunk unless hit by a cold wind.

After breaking out in another sweat, the alcohol finally cleared from her system somewhat. Jiang Chenbi lay on the bed, catching her breath, while Cui Wangshu peppered light kisses on her face.

Her voice, uncontrolled in her drunkenness earlier, was even hoarser now as she started, “Are you…”

She didn’t finish the sentence. Today, she had felt like Cui Wangshu was asking with an agenda, but she decided it wasn’t a good guess to voice.

Cui Wangshu raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Nothing.” Forget it. Maybe her bad mood tonight wasn’t because of that…

Cui Wangshu stopped kissing, her black eyes going blank for an instant. She got up and said, “Rest for a bit. I’ll go get something.”

Jiang Chenbi hugged the quilt and watched her throw on an inner robe. The fleeting glimpse of her figure made her inwardly marvel.

Such a cold face, yet a body better than any courtesan’s—no excess fat on her waist, toned and slender, with traces of long-term training hinting at hidden strength.

Every time she saw the movement of her chest beneath her, Jiang Chenbi felt dazed. The contrast between that face and body was simply too surprising.

Lost in admiring Cui Wangshu’s figure in her mind, Jiang Chenbi didn’t notice her return.

Cui Wangshu lifted the curtain, and Jiang Chenbi’s eyes immediately caught the red marks on her neck… Had she done all that?

Wine really was harmful…

Cui Wangshu climbed onto the bed, and only then did Jiang Chenbi notice what she held—a length of red cord and… another pot of wine?

Jiang Chenbi frowned slightly. “More drinking?”

Cui Wangshu’s lips curved into a smile. “I’ll drink. Red wine.”

Jiang Chenbi nodded and watched as she slowly removed her inner robe. Staring at that dazzling expanse of white, she held her breath.

The red cord cradled those two perfect shapes, looping downward and trailing into a large tail at the back.

Satisfied with the obsession in her eyes, Cui Wangshu tied the cord over her own eyes, blocking her sight.

The red cord clashed strikingly with her ink-black brows and eyes, like a fallen immortal consumed by mortal lust.

Cui Wangshu placed her hands behind her back, slipping them into the prepared binding, and knelt on the bed, waiting silently for Jiang Chenbi’s command.

Jiang Chenbi’s throat bobbed, her fingertips trembling as she gripped her chin, forcing her head up high. She leaned in and left a more brazen red mark on her unguarded collarbone.

Moving downward, Jiang Chenbi’s cheeks puffed slightly as she suckled gently, going over each one once before her gaze settled back on that perfect face.

Her peripheral vision caught the pot of wine, and she understood Cui Wangshu’s intent.

Jiang Chenbi picked up the pot, her movements deliberately rough as she poured the wine into her mouth. Cui Wangshu choked slightly, frowning and turning her head to cough lightly.

The red wine trailed down her neck. Jiang Chenbi’s eyes darkened as she yanked the red cord at her throat, forcing her to kneel prostrate on the bed.

Her voice, laced with desire, was tight. “Be good.”

Cui Wangshu’s ear tips flushed red as she obeyed. Jiang Chenbi’s pupils dilated, nearly filling her eyes, as she poured wine into the dip of her waist and gripped her hips, licking every drop clean.

With her hands bound and nothing to support her, Cui Wangshu could only lie flat on the bed, enduring Jiang Chenbi’s wanton actions from behind. The tail swayed irregularly.

In the end, the pot of wine was consumed in all sorts of ways. Cui Wangshu’s voice was hoarse as she asked, “Is it enough now… Master?”

Jiang Chenbi stared at her lips and murmured darkly, “Yes…”

Cui Wangshu swallowed, freeing her hands from the binding behind her and rubbing her sore wrists. Hoarsely, she said, “Then it’s my turn.”

She didn’t remove the blindfold but untied the red cords on her body, grabbed Jiang Chenbi’s ankle, and pulled her beneath her.

Jiang Chenbi licked her lips, admiring the red marks on her body, and said lingeringly, “I think I understand now why you always liked tying me up back then.”

She had seen this item in Yunyu Fang and immediately pictured Cui Wangshu’s perfect figure. Now, it looked perfect indeed.

A wicked smile played on Cui Wangshu’s lips as her fingertip drew out glistening wetness. She laughed. “You’ll learn even more soon.”

Jiang Chenbi gripped the quilt tightly and took a deep breath. How was she so precise even blindfolded?

Cui Wangshu tilted her head slightly, listening to her gasps, and unerringly found those reddened lips, nibbling gently like a wolf cub—utterly different from the submissive one moments ago.

They had court tomorrow, and they had started early tonight, so they finished relatively soon. After washing away the stickiness, Cui Wangshu pulled Jiang Chenbi into her arms and buried her head in her neck.

Jiang Chenbi couldn’t stand her large-dog-like hugs. It was early spring, and the weather was warming; she’d overheat to death.

She pushed at Cui Wangshu’s head, but the woman didn’t budge. Exhausted, Jiang Chenbi gave up and closed her eyes to sleep.

If Cui Wangshu woke her up from the heat in the middle of the night, she’d kick her unceremoniously off the bed.