CHAPTER 109: CHAPTER 108: YOU’RE DRUNK

What should I do?

There’s no escape, no hiding, and I dare not disobey.

This man is like a ghost in the night. Whenever she takes a night walk for various reasons, he always suddenly appears in a deserted corner and ties a cloth over her eyes.

Gao Huifang was terrified of this man who always threatened her. She had thought of telling the team leader, but she was more afraid that the incidents of her being bullied multiple times would spread.

She also thought of secretly finding this person out, but there was no such person in the village. Gao Huifang had paid attention to the voices of many men, but none matched his.

She was desperate, hoping that her only way out, Song Kangcheng, could save her, yet fearing he would know that the bride he was about to marry was being... in this wild land.

And it wasn’t just once.

Thinking of Song Kangcheng, of his always gentle smile, Gao Huifang’s tears finally fell uncontrollably.

"Wuuu... Please, let me go..."

"I’m getting married; I can’t have your child..."

She desperately pleaded, but it didn’t bring any compassion from the man.

On the contrary, the man became even more excessive.

"Why not? It’s just having a child. You’re really heartless; you can’t let my hard work go to waste, can you?"

"Marry him with the kid, and he won’t even have to work hard. Isn’t that great? Don’t you agree?"

Listening to the man’s frenzied laughter, Gao Huifang broke down and started desperately calling for help, shouting Song Kangcheng’s name.

But she was only met by the sound of water lapping against the riverbank and the cold wind’s howling.

...

He Chen made grilled fish in accordance with Ye Manman’s instructions in the evening. However, due to the lack of many seasonings, the taste wasn’t particularly ideal.

But Ye Manman didn’t mind because her intention wasn’t just about eating grilled fish.

On this New Year’s Eve, He Chen also made a lot of delicious dishes. In front of the two of them was a large table full of dishes, and, of course, the homemade rice wine that Ye Manman insisted on having.

She didn’t let He Chen boil egg drop rice wine, but since the alcohol content of this homemade rice wine was uncertain, He Chen was worried she would get drunk from drinking too much and only gave her a small cup.

Ye Manman took a few bites of the grilled fish and a sip of the rice wine, finding it tasted pretty good, so she assumed the alcohol content wasn’t high. Fearing He Chen would not get drunk from drinking too little, she gave him a larger cup instead.

"He Chen, it’s our first New Year together, happy New Year to you! May all your wishes come true in the new year!"

Ye Manman picked up her small cup filled with rice wine, deliberately toasting to He Chen.

He Chen was both flattered and surprised, quickly picking up his large cup filled with rice wine and lightly clinking it against her cup, speaking very shyly and quietly.

"I, I also wish you a happy New Year, hoping you are healthy, happy, safe, and smooth every day in the new year."

He Chen wasn’t very good at saying these pleasant formal words. Feeling that his words were not as eloquent as Ye Manman’s, he quickly drank his full cup of rice wine.

Although the rice wine had a somewhat strong alcoholic taste, it was sweetened, so it still went down smoothly. Anyway, He Chen didn’t find it unpleasant.

Ye Manman was pleased with his straightforwardness, smilingly drinking her small cup as well.

After drinking, the two began to eat again. Several dishes were the latest creations based on Ye Manman’s suggestions. They looked and smelled delicious, so naturally, she wouldn’t miss them.

However, after eating for a while, she began to feel a bit heady, while He Chen still appeared very sober.

He was still diligently picking out fish bones for her, tenderly placing the boneless fish into her bowl.

Ye Manman pouted, eating the fish under his eager gaze while thinking, "Why isn’t he drunk yet?"

Apparently, one cup isn’t enough.

Her eyes rolled around, and Ye Manman refilled her cup again.

She felt a bit weak, her hands not cooperating, but still remembered her grandiose mission, so she firmly grasped the cup and lifted it again.

"He Chen, this is the first year of our marriage, are you happy?"

He Chen stared at her flushed face, her gaze dreamy, her soft body uncontrollably half leaning on the table, raising her cup towards him, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down.

Suppressing his untimely urges, he quickly turned his head and responded.

"Happy."

"If you’re happy, then let’s have a toast!"

Ye Manman was unaware of her condition, only feeling a little tired and weak-limbed but still alert. That’s why she kept thinking about her grandiose mission, staring intently at He Chen.

Under her hazy gaze, He Chen felt his entire body not obeying, not knowing where to place his hands, obediently refilled his large cup, and gently clinked it against hers, then drank it all.

Ye Manman smiled with satisfaction, half-laying on the table, trying to bring her cup to her lips.

Seeing her obviously disoriented, He Chen quickly reached out to stop her.

"Manman, stop drinking."

However, his action was a bit too late.

Ye Manman was quick.

Yet the cup she saw in front of her perfectly missed her mouth, with the wine spilling onto her cheek, flowing down her fair neck into her clothes, and her mouth ended up biting her own wrist.

The icy wine instantly cleared Ye Manman’s sluggish nerves for a moment.

But it was just a moment.

She thought she wasn’t drunk, just didn’t get the wine into her mouth, and didn’t notice her cheek and neck were glazed with sparkling wine. She murmured in confusion, "Hmm?" and proceeded to put the cup into her mouth again.

At this point, He Chen realized.

Ye Manman was drunk, and quite heavily so.

If it were a normal day, spilling such sticky, sweetened rice wine on herself, Ye Manman would have rushed to shower and change, not like now, completely unbothered, continually pushing the empty cup to her mouth.

He stopped her, covering the hand holding the cup, but Ye Manman apparently didn’t see it, as she just leaned over to the cup instead.

Then, He Chen felt a sudden warmth and softness on the back of his hand, his whole being shaken, staring intensely at the dazed person before him, as if a fire in his heart was suddenly doused with oil, blazing more fervently.

"Manman?"

He Chen wasn’t sure how he managed to call her name. He gritted his teeth, jawlines taut, fearing he might do something impulsive.

When Ye Manman heard someone calling, she shook her head, lifted it, her beautiful eyes half-closed, and her head tipped unconsciously as she spoke.

"Hmm?"

This small query, flirtatious and bewitching, made He Chen’s ears itch, his body half-numbed.

"You’re drunk."

His voice was hoarse, unable to control his limbs.

He Chen could only bend down, but his usually strong and steady arms felt like cotton, trembling as he half-embraced her collapsing body.

The sweet fragrance of the damsel mixed with the scent of wine hit him, and Ye Manman’s soft body leaned into his embrace.

Whether it was the wine or something else hitting him, He Chen’s face suddenly erupted in red. Besides his trembling arms, even his legs started to betray him, uncontrollably shaking.