Chapter 90: The Beauty in Her Cups (Part One)

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Qin Anyi blinked in surprise, not expecting her to drink red wine so boldly, especially after just saying she couldn't drink. In novels, red wine is often portrayed as mild going down, but its aftereffects can be quite potent. Normally, people sip red wine with an air of sophistication, except in some southern regions where they drink it in big gulps like beer. Most people, however, prefer to pretend they’re wine connoisseurs, savoring only a mouthful at a time. This was why Qin Anyi was taken aback. Still, since the young woman had already downed her glass in one go, he had no choice but to pick up his own and do the same.

Ever since his body had been enhanced, his resistance to alcohol and many other things had also improved dramatically. He knew that where once three or four bottles of beer would have been his limit, he could now drink a dozen or more without trouble. So, alcohol was no longer an issue for him.

But just as he finished his glass of red wine, Kirin’s voice sounded in his mind, giving him a detailed breakdown of the alcohol content and how it would affect his reaction time and cognitive abilities.

Zheng Sining wiped the corner of her eye, sobbed softly, and raised her glass again. “I know you’re a normal man. If something were to happen between us because of the alcohol, I wouldn’t blame you. That’s not what I mean… but if it did happen, so what? I’m a normal woman too.” With that, she tilted her head back and drained her glass once more, not even checking to see whether Qin Anyi had finished his. She kept pouring herself more wine—this time filling the glass to the brim.

“Anyi, I never knew getting drunk could feel so strange. My mind is clear—I know exactly what I’m doing—but I have this overwhelming urge to talk. I’ve never felt this way before…” Zheng Sining was already visibly excited from the alcohol. For someone unused to drinking, four glasses of red wine in quick succession was enough to change them.

“Yes, it feels good while you’re drinking, but you’ll probably regret it when it’s over,” Qin Anyi said with a shrug.

“Hehe… Anyi… do you know why my baby doesn’t have a father? That man… I once thought he was my whole world. We spent two happy years together, but an unexpected pregnancy shattered the dream. He broke up with me just because I got pregnant—because he didn’t want to pay for an abortion. Isn’t that ridiculous?” Zheng Sining let out a hiccup, tears welling in her eyes again. “It’s laughable… I never spent a cent of his money while we were together. I knew his family was poor, and even when I got pregnant, I never expected him to pay. But he broke up with me over this…”

“And how could I bear to have an abortion? This was my child… So all the sweet words were lies. When I calmed down and thought back on those two years, I realized he’d never spent a penny on me. Whether we went out or bought things, it all came from my allowance. Even when we got a hotel room, I paid. So now, I feel grateful that we separated so early.”

Qin Anyi listened quietly as Zheng Sining spoke, occasionally taking a few more sips of wine. Under the influence of alcohol, she had lost all control over her emotions. In half an hour, she finished a bottle and a half of wine and went through an entire box of tissues. Only then did her story slow to a stop. In that time, Qin Anyi listened as she recounted every detail of that absurd college romance, as well as the hardships and helplessness she had endured in her three years as a fashion designer. Watching her cry so heartbreakingly before him, Qin Anyi realized these were things Zheng Sining had kept bottled up for years—perhaps even her parents had never heard her pour her heart out like this.

“I’m… I’m sorry for making you listen to all this nonsense. The food’s gone cold—I’ll go reheat it,” Zheng Sining said unsteadily as she rose from her stool, reaching for the dishes on the coffee table.

Qin Anyi quickly got up, circled around, and steadied her by the shoulders. “No need, I’m full anyway. You’ve had too much—just rest now.”

“No… I’m not drunk!” she protested, shaking off his hand. But her balance faltered, and she stumbled, falling hard toward the floor.

Reacting in a flash, Qin Anyi caught her around the waist, using himself as a cushion to break her fall. The two of them tumbled down together, Zheng Sining’s soft and ample figure landing squarely against his lips…