CHAPTER 136: CHAPTER 136: GATHERING (1)

"If you’re really not feeling well, we don’t have to go." Lan Shan didn’t really want to go in the first place, and she knew Xinluo wasn’t that eager either. It was just hard to refuse Yu Tian.

"It’s fine, I can manage." Ye Xinluo smiled, forcing a smile.

"Alright then, if they start drinking later, just don’t drink."

At gatherings like this, drinking is inevitable, and Ye Xinluo wasn’t much of a drinker, Lan Shan worriedly said.

"Yeah, I know."

She hadn’t planned on drinking anyway; once they got there, she could just find a place to sit with Shanshan.

...

The car drove along, and half an hour later, they arrived at the entrance of Huangge Hotel.

After parking the car, Lan Shan walked in with Ye Xinluo.

Yu Tian had already sent over the room number.

Room 308, third floor.

Huangge Hotel had many large private rooms, perfect for gatherings. Yu Tian’s family was well-off, so booking a big room was no surprise.

By the time they arrived, most of the others were already there. Seeing them come in, Yu Tian warmly walked up and grabbed both Ye Xinluo and Lan Shan’s arms, saying, "Why are you so late? You’ll have to drink three glasses as punishment."

She led them to their seats.

"Yeah, it’s Tiantian’s birthday today, you have to drink as punishment."

The speaker was a woman with long curly hair. Ye Xinluo, who was slightly face-blind, couldn’t remember her name at the moment.

Sitting beside her, Lan Shan spoke up, "Xinluo isn’t feeling well today, so she can’t drink. I’ll drink with you instead."

Lan Shan, who often accompanied her father to various gatherings, had attended quite a few dinners, and had honed her skills well.

She might not be able to handle a thousand cups, but she could handle these people.

"Lan Shan, you can’t be so protective of Xinluo. You were both late, so both of you have to drink," Yu Tian said with a laugh.

She poured a glass of wine for Lan Shan, and then poured another for Ye Xinluo.

"Yeah, both of you have to drink."

The people around them chimed in. Ye Xinluo, finding it noisy, tugged at Lan Shan’s arm and said, "Let me do it. What if you get drunk?"

Lan Shan turned around and smiled, "Are you worried about me, dear?"

Ye Xinluo was amused by her cheekiness and replied with a bit of annoyance, "I’m worried I won’t be able to get home tonight."

"You’re so heartless," Lan Shan pouted. "Come on, don’t worry. If I get drunk, you can just drive me home."

Ye Xinluo then remembered that she had gotten her driver’s license years ago, but hadn’t really driven since she got it, lacking confidence.

"But I haven’t really driven much."

Lan Shan rolled her eyes at her, "Then we’ll take a cab."

"But..." Ye Xinluo wanted to say something, but Lan Shan gave her another eye-roll, and she closed her mouth, saying nothing more.

"If you’re really worried about me, then you should drink with me. We can sleep on the street together if we have to. If it weren’t for the fact that you might get drunk and act up, I wouldn’t help you," Lan Shan said, meaning the opposite of her words.

"Hey, what are you two chatting about?" the wavy-haired woman asked, realizing that the whole table was looking at the two of them.

Lan Shan patted Ye Xinluo’s hand and smiled, "I’ll drink with you."

With that, she picked up her glass and downed it in one go.

Applause erupted around them, mixed with teasing cheers, rising and falling.