Chapter 18

Finals ended, and the senior from the lab who was going to study abroad also graduated.

After taking graduation photos, she started organizing a gathering, inviting the sisters from the lab for a dinner party.

“Who knows when we’ll all be able to get together again after I leave, so everyone absolutely has to come, you absolutely must come!”

She specially emphasized: “After dinner, we’re also going to a bar. Everyone, we’re not stopping until we’re drunk!”

“You’re pretty bold, aren’t you?”

“Of course! I’m paying for everything!” She thumped her chest, acting like a big spender, and reached out to hook an arm around Cheng Yan’s shoulder, saying specifically, “Especially Junior Yanyan, don’t be polite at all.”

She reminded Cheng Yan earnestly several times, and Cheng Yan nodded in agreement.

The gathering was set for this Friday at 5 PM, meeting at the school gate.

On that day, Cheng Yan changed into a fitted long dress, applied light makeup, grabbed a bag, and met up with her seniors at the school gate.

“The professor is coming too, but she’ll drive directly to the restaurant. We’ll meet her inside,” one senior said.

Several beautifully dressed-up seniors looked at each other.

The organizer, the graduating senior named Ye Chi, immediately said, “Don’t worry, sisters, the professor won’t be joining the after-party fun!”

Only then did the others relax and laugh.

“You scared me to death. With the professor there, I wouldn’t dare drink you under the table.”

Ye Chi pushed up the sunglasses on her face, her red lips curving into a cool, dashing smile. “So, if the professor’s not around, shall we test our alcohol tolerance later?”

“Sounds good.”

“Tonight, we drink till we drop!”

The group arrived at the hotel Ye Chi had booked, coincidentally meeting the professor right at the entrance.

Seeing the professor, the few of them instantly calmed down and became reserved.

Outside the lab, the professor was always a bit gentler. She had no airs whatsoever while eating with everyone, and laughter never ceased throughout the meal.

It was only towards the end, perhaps when the emotion of farewell finally belatedly welled up in their hearts, that Ye Chi, eyes brimming with tears, expressed immense gratitude and reluctance to the professor.

Even the professor, accustomed to goodbyes, couldn’t help but redden around the eyes at that moment.

When they left, the professor indeed had other matters to attend to and left first, just as Ye Chi had said. They then drove to the bar Ye Chi had chosen.

The bar wasn’t far from the school. Ye Chi said it was opened by a friend of a friend, so it was someone they knew, making the safety somewhat guaranteed, and it was very suitable for them to party hard tonight.

They didn’t get a private room but found a spot where they sat scattered around, calling a server over for drinks.

Once the drinks arrived, Ye Chi was the first to open a bottle, pouring for each of them, then said, “I hadn’t planned on crying tonight. Really, it’s not like we’ll never see each other again.”

She sniffled, her voice nasal. “Forget it, I won’t say more. I toast everyone. I’ve had an exceptionally happy time with you sisters. I’ll down mine; you drink as you wish.”

She tilted her head back and downed her entire glass in one go.

“Whoa! Straightforward!”

“You downed yours; of course we all have to finish ours!”

“Can little sister Yanyan drink? If not, just drink as much as you can. No need to force it with us.”

Among these people, Cheng Yan was the youngest, the junior-most sister. The other few all took care of her.

This care was shown not just now, but also in various ways within the lab.

Cheng Yan curved her lips. The dazzling, sparkling lights reflected in her amber eyes, shimmering with a gentle glow.

She said, “I can drink.”

As her words fell, her slender, pale fingers gripped the cold glass. She lifted it and drank it all in one go.

The movement was natural and unrestrained. The bob of her Adam’s apple on her fair neck was indescribably sexy.

Despite having no deliberately alluring look in her eyes—her gaze was clear and calm—it absolutely captivated people’s attention.

“Wow!”

The others saw her drink for the first time and exclaimed in unison.

“Didn’t expect that our usually gentle Junior Yanyan drinks so well!”

“I’m floored. Junior Yanyan, do you have to be so sexy when you drink?”

“Oh no, for a moment there, I actually felt like dating Junior Yanyan.”

“Get lost! No cradle-robbing, hey!”

“What? I’m only four years older, okay? I’m still fresh as a flower!”

Ye Chi was also shocked. “You’re a dark horse, aren’t you.”

She’d thought Cheng Yan couldn’t drink much, as she had never seen her drink at the previous few gatherings.

Cheng Yan was helpless. “I only drank one glass.”

“That means you can keep drinking, then!”

A few of them became very excited.

With the pressure of experiments and academics weighing on them, these people would more or less use alcohol to vent from time to time.

Now, with the added sorrow of parting, they were even more eager to drown their worries in drink.

Ye Chi’s cheeks were flushed from drinking. She waved a hand grandly and said, “Anyway, it’s a place run by someone I know. Everyone, drink to your heart’s content!”

They toasted each other, and soon several bottles of alcohol were empty.

Midway through, someone swayed onto the dance floor, moving their body to the music.

“Junior, come join!” Ye Chi pulled Cheng Yan, wanting to drag her onto the dance floor.

“No, I can walk myself,” Cheng Yan said.

Tonight was probably about emotional release. Cheng Yan tucked her hair behind her ear, put down her glass, and stepped onto the dance floor.

The fitted long dress perfectly showcased her figure. Her well-proportioned body swayed to the music. Every smile, every frown, every movement exuded an indescribable charm.

Ye Chi was stunned.

She suddenly leaned close to Cheng Yan, asking with alcohol on her breath, “Say, Junior, how do you think I look?”

Cheng Yan glanced down at her, pushed her away slightly, then spun with the rhythm. The hem of her dress bloomed beneath her legs like a beautiful flower, breathtakingly captivating.

The distance instantly widened. She curved her lips, gentle yet cold: “Not a chance.”

Ye Chi said, “Alright, alright. My heart hurts so much.”

She reluctantly glanced at the dazzlingly charming Cheng Yan and decided to stay away from her.

Hormones were acting up. Damn it all, she’d been single for way too long.

Ye Chi ran off from her side. Afterwards, several people, men and women both, came to invite Cheng Yan to dance, but she refused them all.

Fortunately, when out for fun, most people respected mutual consent. After being refused, those people didn’t pester her. Cheng Yan once again enjoyed the time relaxing alone on the dance floor.

After a while, a few seniors dragged her back to keep drinking.

After two more glasses, Cheng Yan excused herself to go to the restroom.

“Let’s go, let’s go, I need to go too. Let’s go together.”

The two entered the ladies’ room. After finishing up and coming out, Cheng Yan’s eyes flickered. She noticed the back of a figure just leaving and felt it was a little familiar.

Big, light golden waves—she had only seen that hairstyle on one person recently.

But she quickly dismissed this minor confusion.

Walking to the mirror, water rushed over her hands. While waiting for her senior, she stared at her reflection.

Her cheeks were flushed. The lipstick on her lips was mostly gone.

She had drunk a lot, but she was truly relaxed.

After over a week of grueling finals, her nerves had been taut.

Today felt exceptionally easy and light.

She took out her lipstick, twisted it open, carefully reapplied it, then pressed her lips together lightly to blend the color.

She looked in the mirror again.

Looking good.

She curved her lips in a good mood and returned to the booth with her senior.

“Did a touch-up, huh!” Someone sharp-eyed noticed and then smiled brilliantly, scooting close to Cheng Yan and asking gossipingly, “Tell your senior, is there anyone you’re interested in? If not, want me to introduce you? Your senior knows tons of handsome guys and pretty girls!”

Cheng Yan swirled her glass but didn’t drink. Hearing this, she tilted her head with a smile and asked leisurely, “Isn’t Senior worried about your own situation?”

“Me? I just broke up; I’m not in the mood. We’re talking about your business here.”

No wonder she’d been drinking the most heavily just now, Cheng Yan thought.

She was about to answer when someone tapped her shoulder.

She was wearing a camisole dress. Sensing a stranger’s touch on her skin, Cheng Yan swiftly evaded it and looked back.

“…” Seeing who it was, Cheng Yan’s words stuck for a moment, unsure how to address her.

In the end, she still called her President Jun.

After all, she was surnamed Jun.

“Just call me Young President Jun,” Jun Lijiang winked at her. A few strands of her light golden, big wavy hair brushed against Cheng Yan’s shoulder, causing a slight itch. Cheng Yan subtly moved away.

She promptly corrected herself: “Young President Jun.”

Jun Lijiang said, “What a coincidence running into you here! Out with friends? Want to come to my spot for a drink?”

Seeing that Cheng Yan was about to refuse, she smiled especially cheerfully and kindly, but the underlying attitude faintly brooked no refusal. “No strangers there, just come over for a bit. Last time I didn’t get the chance to treat you to a drink.”

Since Jun Lijiang had put it that way, Cheng Yan fell silent, then forced a smile and said, “Okay, let me tell my friends.”

After informing her seniors, Cheng Yan followed Jun Lijiang away.

When she reached Jun Lijiang’s area and saw the woman sitting on the sofa, Cheng Yan wasn’t the least bit surprised.

But she still feigned surprise. “Aunt Jun?”

Jun Lijiang smiled at her. “Told you to come over for a drink. The three of us can have a drink together.”

She was pulled by Jun Lijiang to sit down on the sofa, right to Jun Jianqing’s left. On Cheng Yan’s right was Jun Lijiang.

Jun Lijiang first poured a drink for Jun Jianqing.

Cheng Yan noticed the glass in front of Jun Jianqing was clean, with no traces of liquor inside, as if freshly taken out.

A glass of alcohol was pushed in front of her.

Jun Lijiang asked, completely unself-consciously, “See? No strangers here, right?”

Cheng Yan: “Mm.”

Her gaze involuntarily drifted towards Jun Jianqing.

She was dressed very differently than usual today, wearing a long dress, black, which she wore with elegance and nobility.

And today, she wasn’t in a wheelchair either.

Jun Jianqing gently swirled her glass, tilted her head, her gaze falling on Cheng Yan’s flushed cheeks. Her eyes flickered slightly, and she asked in a low voice, “Want some?”

Cheng Yan understood her meaning.

She meant: it’s okay if you don’t want to drink.

Very considerate, very gentle.

But the reason she was sitting here now, holding a glass just filled with liquor, was eighty percent likely because Jun Lijiang had spotted her earlier in the restroom and told Jun Jianqing.

Jun Lijiang pulling her over here—Jun Jianqing had tacitly agreed to it.

Tsk.

Cheng Yan’s eyelashes fluttered. She gave a charming smile, reserved and bashful. “I can still drink a little more, but not too much.”

Jun Jianqing nodded. “Mm, don’t push yourself.”

Cheng Yan agreed.

Jun Lijiang raised her glass, saying, “What a coincidence, running into each other again tonight. Come on, cheers.”

Glasses clinked crisply. After they separated, Cheng Yan held her glass, lifted her chin, and her Adam’s apple bobbed as she drank.

Jun Jianqing, who had been about to raise her glass to her lips, paused mid-motion upon seeing this.

A feeling she had never experienced before appeared.

Her eyes deepened considerably. She controlled herself, swallowed, and drank the liquor in her glass in one go.

It was desire.