A faint, playful smile curved at the corners of Mu Side's lips. "So?"
So?
He actually asked so? Wasn't it strange? That was something she had drunk from—how could he just casually pour it into his own cup like it was nothing?
Shu Lanzhou's mind suddenly made a connection, and her entire face flushed crimson. Even her ears and neck didn't escape the spreading heat…
"Hey, Shu Lanzhou, why's your face so red? Can't hold your liquor?" someone called teasingly.
Shu Lanzhou didn't dare lift her head; she could only nod randomly. "Maybe… just a bit tipsy!"
As soon as she spoke, she distinctly heard the chuckle beside her.
Soft. Low. Pleasant to the ear.
That laugh was like a tiny brush, gently sweeping over her heart, stirring ripples that spread and spread, impossible to calm.
Shu Lanzhou felt a little dazed. What's happening to me? Why was her heartbeat so out of control, as if something had bewitched her?
It's the laugh. Yes, it's Mu Side's laugh. His laughter is poisonous!
She felt like she'd been poisoned—so much so that she hadn't even noticed the small commotion happening under the table across from her.
"Let go!" Dong Anlan lowered her voice, shooting Ke Beichen a light glare.
Ke Beichen pretended not to hear and instead placed a shrimp into her bowl. "Eat more."
"You're peeling it for me?" Dong Anlan raised an eyebrow.
Ke Beichen: "…"
Damn! He'd miscalculated. Of all the dishes on the table, why did he have to pick the one that still had a shell?
This dinner was organized by their dorm as a treat for Shu Lanzhou. Since the exam results came out and everyone had improved, they wanted to thank Shu Lanzhou for her tutoring and guidance.
Ke Beichen, Mu Side, and Wu Cheng had all volunteered to join as bodyguards, worried the girls might stay out late and it wouldn't be safe going home.
Sure enough, the moment they stepped out of the private room, they ran into three drunk men.
One of them suddenly charged toward them like a madman.
"Shu Lanzhou, Shu Lanzhou, I was wrong… I really know I was wrong, can't you forgive me?" Guo Jialiang, completely wasted and hallucinating, dropped to his knees the moment he saw her, and began apologizing profusely.
Shu Lanzhou, just stepping out of the private room, froze when she saw Guo Jialiang kneeling in front of Dong Anlan.
"…Wrong person, buddy. Shu Lanzhou's over here!" Dong Anlan stepped aside. "Go on, apologize properly. Heck, bow down if you want. With all the crap you've pulled, even smashing your head wouldn't be too much."
Shu Lanzhou stepped back. "Don't bother—I didn't bring a red envelope!"
Her quip made everyone burst out laughing.
Guo Jialiang, still dazed, reached out to grab Shu Lanzhou's leg. "Shu Lanzhou, don't go. Just tell me—do you forgive me? Do you really hate me that much?"
"I'm not even worth calling 'big brother' once?"
Before his hand could even brush the hem of her pants, Mu Side kicked it away. "Where'd this drunk come from? Doesn't anyone take care of these guys?"
A waiter rushed over, along with Tian Hua and Fang Ruoshi, both stumbling drunkenly toward them.
"So sorry! So sorry!" the waiter apologized repeatedly.
Tian Hua and Fang Ruoshi tried to stagger closer but were quickly dragged off by the waitstaff.
"Huh? Didn't he get expelled? Why's he still around?" Zhang He asked, puzzled.
Ding Yuejiao explained, "I heard he came to settle some final paperwork today—won't be back again."
"Better not! Guys like him are just an embarrassment to the school." Several girls spoke angrily.
When they reached the ground floor, Wu Cheng offered to escort the girls back to their dorm.
Before Dong Anlan could respond, Ke Beichen grabbed her wrist.
"Thanks, Wu Cheng. I need Anlan with me—there's some work stuff we need to sort out at the library."
Mu Side looked at Shu Lanzhou. "Let's stop by the lab. Professor asked me to go over that experiment with you again."
"…."
Zhang He glanced between the pairs—one here, one there—and sighed in resignation. "Well, looks like I'm the only single left in our dorm."
"You…" Shu Lanzhou started to say she'd stay with her, but before she could finish, Mu Side pulled her along.
She frowned, a bit annoyed. "Brother, why're you dragging me? I wasn't done talking!"
"Next time's fine. I'm in a hurry." Mu Side held her hand tight, tugging at his collar absentmindedly.
Shu Lanzhou assumed he was pressed for time. "You should've told me earlier. We could've left ahead of them—they wouldn't have minded; we're all friends."
"Silly girl." Mu Side chuckled softly, losing all frustration at her words.
As they passed a grove of trees near the school, Mu Side suddenly stopped. "Shu Lanzhou, I—"
Caught off guard, Shu Lanzhou stumbled right into his arms. "Brother… I feel a little dizzy."
"What?" Mu Side almost laughed in disbelief.
"I said… I'm dizzy." Shu Lanzhou clutched at the hem of his shirt.
She tilted her head up; he lowered his. Warm lips brushed lightly across her cool forehead.
Both froze.
Mu Side's heart skipped a beat. Then, before he realized it, the arm he'd wrapped around her waist instinctively tightened.
"Brother…" Shu Lanzhou gasped softly. "It hurts… It really hurts, brother, I'm in so much pain!"
Startled, Mu Side quickly let go. "Where? Where does it hurt? Let me see."
He bent down to meet her gaze. The girl's eyes shimmered with tears, her whole face flushed unnaturally red.
"Everywhere… it all hurts… my head hurts the most… sob… Brother, I feel awful…"
She clung to his shirt, curling into his arms, her small frame trembling uncontrollably.
"…Don't tell me you're—" A terrible thought crossed Mu Side's mind. Without hesitation, he swept her into his arms and sprinted out of campus, every earlier spark of tenderness thrown to the wind.
—
The diagnosis was clear: Shu Lanzhou was allergic to alcohol. Topical exposure or smelling it was fine, but ingesting it? A complete no-go.
Some people got drunk in one sip. She had an allergic reaction in one sip.
Mu Side felt utterly defeated as he watched the little girl sleeping soundly in her hospital bed, all the earlier nervous affection creeping back into his chest.
Leaning closer, he thought of that accidental forehead kiss beneath the trees. His throat bobbed as he swallowed. Unable to resist, he pressed another gentle kiss to her forehead.
But it wasn't enough. His heartbeat didn't slow—it only quickened, restless, wanting more.
His gaze dropped to her lips.
He swallowed again. Once… twice… inching closer, closer, until they were almost touching—
Suddenly, Shu Lanzhou kicked at her blanket, swatting vaguely in his direction. "So itchy…"
She pushed his head aside, turned over, and went right back to sleep.
Mu Side leaned back in the chair, breaking into helpless laughter.
This little brat was born to throw me off balance.
But what could he do?
Spoil her, of course.
She was so well-behaved, he couldn't bear to force her love.
He'd just have to wait… wait for her heart to slowly open.
—
The early spring sunshine poured warmly through the window, cozy and comforting.
Shu Lanzhou stretched lazily with a satisfied sigh.
"What a great sleep!" she murmured contentedly, about to open her eyes—
"Awake?" a warm, gentle male voice floated down from above, seductive as a spell.
She froze, stiff as a board.
Eyes snapping open, she stared in shock. "Brother… why are you in my room?!"
Blushing furiously, she sat up gingerly, not daring to meet his gaze.
Before Mu Side could answer, her phone started buzzing wildly.
Mu Side handed it to her. "It's Dong Anlan. You should answer—might be something urgent. I'll go get your prescription filled."
Once he left, Shu Lanzhou finally realized she wasn't in her room… she was in a hospital.
She had no memory of how she ended up there.
Just that the wine last night… was really good. The best sleep she'd had in ages.
Seeing the call was about to hang up, she hurriedly answered.
"Dong Anlan? What's wrong?"
Dong Anlan's voice was urgent on the other end.
"Come back to campus—something's happened!"