Chapter 83 Xia Yan, I Hate You...

"Thank you, Swallow." Only then did Xiangqin regain her composure and thank Zhu Yan.

Zhu Yan shook her head and simply told her to rest before leaving the room. At the door, she instructed the nurse to change Xiangqin's saline drip, then walked out of the infirmary. Her mood was restless, and she wanted to find somewhere to walk.

Before she realized it, her feet had brought her to Lin You’s doorstep.

“How did I end up here again?” She heard Lin Nuannuan’s voice from the courtyard, and memories of the past flashed through her mind. All those moments no longer belonged to her.

“Zhu Yan, why are you here? Didn’t you go down the mountain? Is it Lin You’s condition...?” Xia Yan happened to open the door and, seeing Zhu Yan lingering at the entrance, was immediately alarmed—her first thought was that Lin You’s illness might have worsened.

Zhu Yan shook her head. “I just arrived at the foot of the mountain and haven’t even seen Lin You yet. I was called back.”

Relieved that Lin You was fine, Xia Yan looked at Zhu Yan’s troubled expression and asked, “What’s wrong? Is something weighing on your mind?”

“Not exactly. I just don’t know if what I did was right.” Zhu Yan thought again of how she’d helped Xiangqin deceive Li Yong.

Xia Yan glanced at the time. “Come in and talk. The kids will be home from school soon. Stay for dinner tonight—I still have a bottle of special reserve white liquor. Let’s have a drink together…”

Night fell.

“To your health, Zhu Yan. Speaking of this matter, you did make a mistake, but as a friend, you didn’t do wrong. Just pretend you don’t know anything about it…” Xia Yan lifted her small cup and downed the white liquor, then picked up a piece of marinated beef and popped it into her mouth. She’d smoked the meat last night, and cut it for tonight when Zhu Yan came.

Zhu Yan was a little dumbfounded; Xia Yan hardly looked nineteen—she seemed like a seasoned veteran at the table. The liquor was smooth, but the cupful still burned all the way down.

“What if Li Yong finds out someday?” Zhu Yan asked.

“What else? Pretend you know nothing.” Xia Yan smiled, refilling Zhu Yan's glass. “Try my marinated beef.”

“By the way, you said you saw Zhang Jun when you went down the mountain? That guy isn’t running away, is he?”

Zhu Yan pondered and nodded. “Most likely. That scumbag hurt people and now he’s run; if I ever see him again, I’ll slap him twice!”

“The country’s so big, it’s not that easy to run into him…” Xia Yan waved her hand dismissively.

The two drank until ten, only stopping when Zhu Yan was slumped over the table, rambling nonsense.

Xia Yan held her forehead, wondering how she ended up talking so much tonight and now had gotten her friend drunk—what should she do?

“Xia Yan, why are you still drinking?” The voice startled Xia Yan; she turned to see Lin Hongzhe standing with arms crossed, looking at them coldly.

“Xiao Zhe, why are you up? Did we wake you?” Xia Yan asked.

“No, I just got up to use the bathroom. Aunt Zhu is drunk—what will you do?” Lin Hongzhe walked to the table, frowning slightly, clearly displeased by the smell of alcohol.

Xia Yan thought for a moment. “Xiao Zhe, can you do me a favor? Tonight, you sleep with your sister, and I’ll sleep with Aunt Zhu.”

She had her reasons for this arrangement. Lin You’s room was empty, but it felt wrong for Zhu Yan to sleep in his bed. Better to let Lin Nuannuan and Lin Hongzhe squeeze together, and she’d sleep with Zhu Yan—or perhaps, she could sleep in Lin You’s room herself.

Entering the room, she carefully picked up Lin Nuannuan. The little one mumbled, “Sister, you smell awful.”

“Sorry, Nuannuan.” Xia Yan pursed her lips, abandoning her plan to kiss the girl, and tightly closed her mouth.

When she returned to the living room, she struggled to help Zhu Yan up. “Oh my, you’re so heavy.”

“Who’s…heavy? You’re the heavy one…” Zhu Yan slurred.

“Yes, yes, I’m heavy, you’re not. I shouldn’t have said that, sorry.” Xia Yan supported her toward the bedroom. “Drank so much, yet still hears me talking about her—such sharp ears.”

She helped Zhu Yan onto the bed, wiped her face briefly. Perhaps the wet cloth roused her; Zhu Yan opened her eyes, saw Xia Yan, then closed them again. Yet her lips kept moving: “Xia Yan, I hate you… Why did you take Lin You away from me?”

Xia Yan stood by the bed, unsure how to respond. She sighed heavily, tucked Zhu Yan in, and went to wash up alone.

When she returned, Zhu Yan was already asleep.

Xia Yan carefully climbed into bed, pulled the quilt over herself, and thoughts of Lin You filled her mind. She recalled all that had happened lately, and gradually drifted off.

The next morning, the sun was already high. Zhu Yan was gone, her quilt neatly folded to the side.

In the living room, there was still some breakfast on the table.

“Nuannuan, where’s Aunt Zhu?”

“Aunt Zhu went home.” Lin Nuannuan sat obediently, playing with a plush toy. Xia Yan smiled, stroked her head, and went to the table to pick up a bowl of rice porridge, which was still warm—just right for drinking.

Last night was her first time drinking since coming to this world. She hadn’t gotten drunk, but the body’s original owner was still somewhat unaccustomed to it.

A bowl of porridge settled her stomach.

Just as she began to tidy the kitchen, the courtyard door opened, and a figure she’d been longing for day and night appeared at the entrance.

“Daddy.”

Lin Nuannuan saw Lin You, put down her toy, and ran over with a smile. Lin You picked her up, kissed her a couple of times, then let her down.

“What are you doing back?” Xia Yan’s tone held surprise.

“You didn’t call yesterday, so I thought something might be wrong at home. I wanted to come back last night, but the doctor wouldn’t allow it.”

“What could happen here? If anything did, I’d call you right away. You, on the other hand, shouldn’t be running around when you’re not fully recovered.”

Though she scolded him, her heart was sweet.

“No worries. I checked with the doctor; all my indicators are normal now. I just get two bottles of saline every night. Otherwise, I’d be home already.” Lin You paused. “Tomorrow’s the weekend—tonight, you and the three kids come down the mountain with me.”

“Is it to meet the two leaders?” Xia Yan asked instinctively.

Lin You nodded. “Yes, I want you to meet them soon, so our marriage application can be approved sooner…”