YABE - 13

On the night of Gu Hengan’s official wrap-up, he treated everyone to dinner.

A private hall in a hotel was reserved for the occasion. With over a hundred people from the crew, minus those who couldn’t attend, it still took four or five tables to seat everyone comfortably.

The atmosphere was lively—so much so that a group of girls, besides ordering beer, even enthusiastically ordered a bottle of baijiu.

For his first movie, the man stood up with a glass in hand, going around to thank everyone for taking care of him during this past month.

Wen Siyu, as an invisible intern assistant, naturally sat far away from their table. With her boss out of sight, she didn’t bother with formalities. By the time Gu Hengan finished his speech, she had already devoured a chicken thigh.

Jiang Xu’s seat was three people away from Gu Hengan, next to Director Li. At this moment, the man rested his chin on his hand, openly lost in thought. His fingers unconsciously rubbed the rim of his juice glass, his gaze distant and unfocused, clearly preoccupied with something else.

Wen Siyu stole glances at him, tilting her head slightly, then absentmindedly picked up a glass and took a sip.

So absorbed was she in secretly watching her idol that she didn’t notice another glass had appeared beside her at some point.

The liquid hit her tongue, sharp and bitter, numbing the back of her throat.

Without warning, she swallowed a gulp before realizing what it was.

“Si Yu!” The girl sitting next to her gasped softly. “That’s my drink! Did you accidentally take the wrong one?”

The girl quickly leaned over, her expression tense: “Sorry, sorry—I shouldn’t have left it here. Are you allergic to alcohol?”

“I don’t know—I’ve never had alcohol before,” Wen Siyu waved her off reassuringly. Her nose crinkled, eyes squinting against the burning sensation. She held the glass up to examine it—the clear liquid inside looked indistinguishable from water. Bringing it closer to sniff, she found it sharp and pungent.

Still grimacing, the little girl smacked her lips. The initial bitterness and spiciness faded, leaving behind a hint of sweetness.

Huh.

Eyes wide with surprise, Wen Siyu blinked: “This stuff isn’t bad—it’s just a bit spicy and bitter. Actually, it’s pretty good.”

With that, she cautiously raised the glass to her lips, mentally prepared herself, and took another sip.

The clear liquid slid down her throat, fiery and electrifying. Startled, the girl wrinkled her nose, hunched her shoulders, and shivered all over, her vivid expression sending the table of girls into fits of laughter.

The girl beside her finally exhaled in relief, playfully hitting her shoulder: “Earlier, when everyone suggested getting drinks, you refused. I thought you might be allergic to alcohol—you scared me!”

“I’ve just never had alcohol before,” Wen Siyu shrugged sheepishly, sticking out her tongue. Leaning closer, she whispered conspiratorially, “Sister Weiwei, this drink is actually pretty good. No wonder everyone loves it!”

Weiwei leaned in too, whispering mischievously: “Sister knows an even better way to drink it. Want to try?”

Wen Siyu’s round eyes sparkled with excitement as she nodded eagerly: “Yes, yes!”

Weiwei flicked her hair dramatically, snapping her fingers to call over a waiter. She ordered a large bottle of Sprite.

Under the watchful eyes of the table, she poured two-thirds Sprite into a glass, then topped it off with one-third baijiu.

After stirring it with a straw, she handed the glass to Wen Siyu: “Try it.”

The little girl hesitated, raising the glass to her lips and taking a cautious sip.

She blinked, then took another sip.

Another blink, and she began drinking in small sips.

Halfway through the glass, her gaze toward Weiwei had turned utterly admiring.

With starry eyes and under the expectant gazes of the other girls, Wen Siyu delivered her verdict: “Super delicious!” Cradling the glass in her hands, she had already finished the entire thing.

Standing up, she grabbed a nearby bottle of Sprite and mimicked Weiwei’s earlier actions—two-thirds Sprite, one-third baijiu. She mixed herself another drink and happily sipped at it.

Weiwei tilted her head proudly, satisfied with herself. After a pause, she leaned in again: “Sister knows an even better way to drink it. Want to try?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Wen Siyu clutched her glass, nodding vigorously like a rattle drum.

Weiwei snapped her fingers again, summoning the waiter. This time, she ordered a bottle of orange juice.

Following the same formula—two-thirds orange juice, one-third baijiu—she pushed the glass toward Wen Siyu: “Try it and tell me which one tastes better.”

Without hesitation, the girl downed the Sprite cocktail in her hand and picked up the orange juice mix.

After a few sips, she nodded thoughtfully, delivering her expert evaluation: “This one’s good too, but the Sprite one is still better.”

Weiwei chuckled: “The first time I tried this, I used green tea. That’s when I realized alcohol could taste so good.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than she noticed the girl’s eyes lighting up again.

Weiwei: “….”

She suddenly felt like she’d done something terribly wrong—like she’d unleashed a monster.

In the hours that followed, Wen Siyu experimented with green tea and baijiu, cola and baijiu, and even coconut milk and baijiu.

In the end, she concluded that Sprite still made the best cocktail.

By this point, however, the girl making these observations was no longer entirely sober.

It was around this time that Weiwei began to regret her actions.

Oh no…

The two sat on a sofa in the corner of the hall, the little girl leaning on her shoulder, giggling uncontrollably.

At first, her laughter was soft and subdued, interspersed with whispers: “Sister Weiwei…”

Weiwei sighed, responding with a faint “Mm.”

Wen Siyu’s chin rested heavily on her shoulder as she turned her head to ask: “Do you have someone you like…?”

Weiwei was taken aback, wondering if this seemingly carefree girl harbored some unspoken heartbreak.

Before she could respond, Wen Siyu continued on her own.

“I do…”

“When I was little, I had a pet frog…”

“The kind that goes ‘ribbit ribbit’—you know what I mean, right?” She puffed out her cheeks and croaked: “Ribbit!”

“That’s it—ribbit!”

Weiwei: “….”

“But then he died…”

“I was so sad, Sister Weiwei.” The little girl’s sorrowful gaze met hers, her lips trembling.

“I lost my love.”

“My Prince Frog…” Tears began pooling in her eyes.

“My Prince Frog… he’s gone!”

“WAAAAAHHHH!!”

Weiwei: “….”

Fearing she’d escalate further, Weiwei consoled her while calculating how to get her back to the hotel. After some thought, she decided to lean the girl against the sofa and go inform Director Li, since they were acquaintances.

Director Li chuckled upon hearing about the situation: “This girl has always been sheltered by her family—she’s never touched alcohol before.” He called over an assistant from another table, who was in the middle of boasting loudly, and instructed him to escort the two girls back.

Jiang Xu, who had been mostly silent throughout the evening, glanced up at the giggling girl sprawled on the sofa in the corner.

White T-shirt, black mini-dress, two slender legs propped up on the sofa.

He subtly averted his gaze, his tone indifferent: “I’ll take them.”

Director Li let out a surprised “Eh?” before responding. Before he could say anything, the assistant director, who was usually outspoken and now emboldened by alcohol, stood up, face flushed, raised his glass, and shouted: “Teacher Jiang!”

Jiang Xu: “….”

Assistant Director: “Let me toast to you!”

Before he could finish, the line producer beside him forcibly pushed him back down, looking mortified.

Jiang Xu set down his glass, stood up, and pushed his chair back: “I haven’t had any alcohol tonight, so I can drive them back.” A faint smile curved his lips as he added solemnly, “Besides, I want to get home early to review the script. I’ve been slacking off for so long—I’m afraid I’ll become the NG king.”

Seeing his determination, Director Li chuckled: “Alright, then Miss Wen is in your hands.”

Jiang Xu nodded, watching as the slightly tipsy girl was half-supported, half-led over by the others. The girl wasn’t completely wasted yet, grinning widely as she gave him a serious look and declared solemnly: “I’ll walk in a straight line for you.”

Then she strode confidently toward the exit.

The two chased after her to the hotel entrance, bundled her into the car, and Jiang Xu took the wheel. The two girls sat in the backseat. Wen Siyu sat upright, turning her head to gaze intently at the person beside her: “Sister Weiwei.”

Weiwei: “Hmm?”

The little girl pouted pitifully, resting her head on Weiwei’s chest: “I want to raise a lion…”

Weiwei: “….”

Jiang Xu: “….”

After a noisy ride, by the time they reached the hotel, Wen Siyu had calmed down significantly. Her face was flushed, her body beginning to feel limp—clearly, the full effects of the alcohol had kicked in.

They half-carried her into the elevator, fished out her room card from her bag, and eventually, Jiang Xu carried her while Weiwei opened the door.

The beep of the card unlocking the door startled the girl in his arms. She wriggled free and leapt out of his embrace.

With her arms stretched out straight, she walked steadily to the bed, flipped over, and climbed in.

Raising her head, she grinned at the man and woman standing by her bedside, then turned over, wrapping herself tightly in the blanket. Silence.

Weiwei: “….”

Jiang Xu: “….”

Weiwei stepped forward to check—her breathing was steady. She had fallen asleep.

Bending down to tuck her in, Weiwei straightened up, exchanged a glance with Jiang Xu, and they quietly exited the room.

Back in his own room, Jiang Xu glanced at the clock—it was 7:30 PM.

The meal had left him reeking of cigarette smoke and alcohol. He headed to the bathroom, stripped off his clothes, and tossed them onto the floor, preparing for a quick shower to wash away the smell.

Ten minutes later, the man emerged from the bathroom shirtless, a towel wrapped around his waist, another towel draped over his head as he dried his hair with one hand. He wandered into the kitchen, grabbing a can of cola and gulping it down greedily.

Just as he was enjoying the refreshing fizz, there was a knock at the door.

Knock, knock, knock. Knock, knock, knock.

Six rhythmic knocks in succession.

Jiang Xu paused, trying to recall if he and Zhou Yi had such a code.

Using his foot to close the fridge door, he grabbed the cola and headed toward the entrance.

Click—the door opened.

There, leaning crookedly against the doorframe, stood the little girl, her gaze hazy as she looked at him.

She was still wearing the same outfit—white T-shirt, black mini-dress, her bare legs exposed.

Barefoot, she smiled brightly at him: “Hi.”