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Chapter 36: Kiss Me

When Song Xian returned to the living room, the dinner party had just begun. Zhao Yuebai’s parents were holding glasses of wine and greeting the guests. Standing at the doorway, she was quickly pulled to Jiang Liuyi’s side. Tilting her head slightly, Jiang Liuyi murmured, “You’re back.”

“Mm,” Song Xian replied softly, offering no further words.

Jiang Liuyi couldn’t help but steal a glance at her profile. Song Xian’s gaze was slightly lowered, her expression calm. Just by standing next to her, there was an inexplicable sense of tranquility that seemed to envelop them both. 

She thought of how Song Xian had just run into Yu Bai and yet, upon returning, hadn’t said a single word about it. If it had been Yu Bai, the first thing she would have done after coming back was to complain—grumbling about being mistreated, dripping with sarcasm. 

Jiang Liuyi remembered when she and Yu Bai had first gotten together; they posted a photo on social media, and when a classmate made a slightly critical comment, Yu Bai had taken a screenshot of it, brooding over it for days, throwing fits until Jiang Liuyi coaxed her out of it.

But Song Xian—not once.

Sharing a meal with friends, enduring mockery, being met with indifference from her parents after returning home—even that brief encounter with Yu Bai just now—Song Xian had said nothing. It seemed she preferred to process everything on her own.

At that thought, Jiang Liuyi lowered her eyes and suddenly reached out, taking Song Xian’s hand. Standing beside her, Song Xian glanced down at their joined hands, furrowing her brow slightly as she looked at Jiang Liuyi. This time, though, she didn’t ask why.

Soon, the toasting made its way to them. Zhao Yuebai’s parents, both gentle and perpetually smiling, approached. Their kindness was evident at a glance. They said, “Song Xian, you’re Allen’s niece, right?”

Song Xian accepted the glass Jiang Liuyi handed her, lightly clinking it against theirs before answering with quiet composure, “I am.”

“There are a lot of people today, sorry if we didn’t welcome you properly. Let’s have Yuebai personally invite you over this weekend to spend some time at home.”

Song Xian offered a small smile. Jiang Liuyi picked up the conversation from there, chatting briefly with Zhao Yuebai’s parents. Around them, hushed whispers drifted through the air. Before long, Zhao Yuebai’s parents moved on to greet other guests. Zhao Yuebai then came over to Jiang Liuyi’s side and said, “We’ll talk later.”

Jiang Liuyi gave a small nod, then led Song Xian to their seats. At their table were several of Jiang Liuyi’s classmates. One of them teased, “Hey, Liuyi, why aren’t you sitting at Qian Shen’s table?”

Everyone turned to look. Qian Shen was sitting with Yu Bai and Lin Qiushui’s group. Jiang Liuyi had once been part of that circle too, so her sudden choice to sit elsewhere now seemed a bit out of place. The person who had spoken was quickly nudged in the arm by someone beside him, who muttered, “What are you babbling about? Her wife’s right here—you expect her to sit with Yu Bai?”

Realizing the slip, the first speaker immediately apologized to Jiang Liuyi. Jiang Liuyi paused briefly, then gestured that it was nothing.

The table quieted down. Overhead, the lights shimmered while the emcee spoke onstage. In their social circle, birthday parties were a yearly affair, not so much for the celebration itself, but for the networking they provided. Jiang Liuyi’s own birthday wasn’t far off. By old habit, she would be expected to host a party, but this time, she wanted to ask for Song Xian’s opinion.

Hearing the question, Song Xian turned to her, repeating softly, “A birthday party?”

Jiang Liuyi nodded. “Do you think I should throw one?”

Song Xian replied, “It’s up to you.”

Jiang Liuyi watched her curiously. “Did you use to have birthday parties?”

“No,” Song Xian shook her head. “In our family, we didn’t celebrate birthdays with parties.”

She was entirely serious, her gaze steady. Jiang Liuyi couldn’t help but feel a tug of curiosity. She asked, “What about your parents? Would they at least get you a birthday cake?”

Song Xian thought for a moment. “When I was little, they would.”

After she turned ten, they stopped buying cakes altogether. Jiang Liuyi nodded thoughtfully. “Were your parents very busy?”

Song Xian answered, “Not particularly.”

Jiang Liuyi found it impossible to glean much about Song Xian’s parents from her sparse replies. At most, she could guess that their personalities might resemble Song Xian’s—reserved and understated.

Jiang Liuyi said, “Then I won’t throw a party this year either. How about we go on a trip together instead?”

Song Xian turned to her, repeating softly, “Go on a trip?”

Jiang Liuyi nodded. “Just like a vacation. We’ve been married for a while now, but we’ve never traveled together.”

A honeymoon-like trip—it was something they couldn’t really put off forever.

Song Xian understood and said, “Alright, but you’ll have to tell me the time and destination in advance. I’ll need to arrange for work handover.”

Jiang Liuyi smiled. “Got it.”

Their quiet conversation, from an outsider’s perspective, looked like they were whispering secrets to each other, their heads close together. Across the table, a woman murmured, “They actually look pretty good together.”

Another woman, glancing over at another table, said, “Did you see Yu Bai just now? Her eyes were all red—you could tell she’d been crying. Honestly, how can someone still be like that after all these years?”

“Different circles, that’s all,” one woman said. “In her circle, Yu Bai was treated like a princess. Couldn’t handle the slightest grievance. I heard once Jiang Liuyi was a little late for a date, and Yu Bai actually went crying to her friends about it.”

“What did Jiang Liuyi even see in her back then?” another woman added, shaking her head. “A total mess!”

The first woman sighed. “Well, you know how it is—bystanders see things clearly; people involved get all muddled. Plus, you might not know this, but when Jiang Liuyi got kicked out of the Jiang family, it was Yu Bai’s friends who took her in. She might seem cold on the surface, but she’s actually very kind and knows how to be grateful. Otherwise, with her current status, would she still be working at Lin Qiushui’s company? Dream on!”

“True enough. But she’s doing well now. So happy—beautiful, capable wife from a good family background. Congrats to her for escaping the chaos!”

The two clinked glasses stealthily and laughed together. A few classmates nearby, curious about their laughter, asked what was so funny. They simply exchanged knowing glances and said nothing.

The dinner party officially began. It wasn’t overly formal—just eating, drinking, and mingling. When people came by offering drinks, Jiang Liuyi would intercept them, explaining that they had driven and couldn’t drink. 

In truth, many of the guests were aiming for a chance to approach Song Xian. Jiang Liuyi had originally planned not to let her drink at all, but then she thought of how adorable Song Xian could be when a little tipsy. She turned and asked, “Want to have a little?”

Song Xian nodded. “I can.”

When Song Xian said “a little,” she truly didn’t intend to drink much, but her tolerance was notably poor. After just a few glasses, her cheeks were flushed red, though her gaze remained clear and bright. Jiang Liuyi, familiar with how Song Xian behaved when drunk, knew the signs; but to outsiders, she still appeared perfectly sober. 

Seeing no warning signs, guests kept coming over to toast. Song Xian didn’t shy away either, raising her glass readily to clink with anyone who approached. Jiang Liuyi wanted to intervene but couldn’t find the chance.

Zhao Yuebai wandered over from another table and, upon spotting Song Xian drinking, grinned. “I’ll have a glass too. Come to think of it, at our last gathering, I never even got to drink with Song Xian.”

Song Xian, sitting quietly at Jiang Liuyi’s side, heard Zhao Yuebai and immediately picked up her glass, pouring herself another drink with meticulous care, her gaze steady on the cup, showing no obvious signs of intoxication.

Jiang Liuyi said, “Don’t drink anymore.”

Zhao Yuebai turned with a laugh. “Now, now, Liuyi, that’s not fair. I’m toasting Song Xian—you can’t block it.”

Jiang Liuyi was about to explain that Song Xian was already drunk when Song Xian, without waiting, raised her glass and clinked it against Zhao Yuebai’s, tipping it back in one smooth gulp. Zhao Yuebai gave her a big thumbs-up. “So straightforward!”

Jiang Liuyi’s head throbbed just watching her.

To avoid Song Xian getting truly drunk and feeling unwell, Jiang Liuyi didn’t wait for the dinner to wrap up. She simply gathered Song Xian and made their exit early. Zhao Yuebai frowned. “But the entertainment’s about to start!”

Jiang Liuyi said, “We won’t be joining. Song Xian’s had quite a bit to drink, and I’m worried she’ll start feeling unwell.”

Zhao Yuebai lowered her head slightly. “Really?”

From her perspective, Song Xian didn’t seem drunk at all. She was still standing upright, her gaze steady and clear, though her cheeks were deeply flushed and there was a faint scent of alcohol around her. Zhao Yuebai asked, “Song Xian, are you drunk?”

Song Xian lifted her eyes to look at her and calmly shook her head. “No.”

Jiang Liuyi, exasperated, said, “Go keep the others company. We’re heading out first.”

With no other choice, Zhao Yuebai walked them out. As she returned, Lin Qiushui quickly followed behind and asked, “Where’s Liuyi?”

“Left already,” Zhao Yuebai said bluntly. “What, trying to pull her back to patch things up with Yu Bai again? Planning to make her apologize this time too?”

Lin Qiushui’s expression stiffened. She swallowed back her frustration and said, “No, that’s not what I was thinking.”

“Not what you were thinking?” Zhao Yuebai rolled her eyes. “You think I don’t know you all by now? Every single one of you sides with Yu Bai. I’m telling you, Jiang Liuyi’s married. The two of them are doing just fine. Stop stirring up trouble!”

In the past, Zhao Yuebai would have only gotten more riled up the longer she talked, but not tonight. Far from angry, she was practically giddy—after all, it wasn’t every day that Qian Shen’s little circle got publicly embarrassed by Song Xian, and without Song Xian even meaning to.

It was so satisfying! Even better than finding out Jiang Liuyi no longer had feelings for Yu Bai!

Zhao Yuebai didn’t bother wasting more words on Lin Qiushui. She simply brushed past her and headed back inside. Lin Qiushui glanced toward the front gates, watching as a sedan slowly pulled away, then sighed.

Inside the car, Jiang Liuyi turned to see Song Xian sitting upright and said, “Fasten your seatbelt.”

Song Xian lowered her gaze, found the seatbelt, and buckled it carefully. Jiang Liuyi, taking in her serene expression, couldn’t help but ask, “Song Xian, are you sure you’re not drunk?”

As expected, Song Xian behaved just as before. She turned to Jiang Liuyi, her eyes clear as glass, and said, “No.”

They drove away from the Zhao residence, pulling over under the soft glow of a streetlamp. The pale yellow light seeped into the car, illuminating Song Xian’s solemn demeanor and making Jiang Liuyi’s heart itch with a strange tenderness. Jiang Liuyi turned the wheel sharply, steering the car to the curb, parked it, then turned toward Song Xian. Unbuckling Song Xian’s seatbelt, she asked again, “Really not drunk?”

Song Xian obediently nodded. “No.”

Jiang Liuyi held back a laugh. “Then kiss me.”

Song Xian froze for a few seconds, staring steadily at her. Her gaze was clear and composed, making Jiang Liuyi feel for a moment as if she were the one taking advantage. Just as she was about to say, Let’s wait until we get home, Song Xian leaned in. 

Light as a dragonfly skimming the surface, she brushed a kiss against Jiang Liuyi’s lips—a fleeting touch, almost nothing at all—yet Jiang Liuyi’s heart raced uncontrollably. She hadn’t had a drop of alcohol, but somehow, she felt dizzy.

Song Xian, serious as ever, asked, “Was that right?”

It was exactly like that night after the company dinner, when Song Xian had drunkenly asked the same question at the table. Jiang Liuyi clenched her hands, meeting Song Xian’s gaze. Under the muted glow of the streetlamp, her pupils seemed to shimmer, fluid and vibrant, like flowing water kissed by light.

After a long moment, Jiang Liuyi answered, “Yes, that’s right.”

Song Xian nodded and was just about to sit back properly when Jiang Liuyi caught her wrist, pulling her closer until she tipped into Jiang Liuyi’s embrace. Closing the distance without hesitation this time, Jiang Liuyi spoke her heart aloud. “Song Xian, kiss me again.”

Song Xian nodded and leaned in, her soft lips brushing against Jiang Liuyi’s. The kiss was tender, warm, the faint scent of alcohol blending with her natural sweetness, intoxicating.

Jiang Liuyi’s gaze burned. Just as Song Xian was about to pull away, she slid an arm around her waist, holding her close, their eyes locked, lips still brushing. Jiang Liuyi’s voice, low and rough, came in a whisper. “Song Xian, don’t stop. Keep kissing me.”