Chapter 111 - 091 We should drink together.

In the large hot spring pool, steam enveloped their faces, and the air was filled with a mixed, irresistible fragrance.

Yun Qian stared intently at the wine glass in Xu Chang’an’s hand, making him feel anxious.

Had he... done something wrong?

"Ahem." Xu Chang’an forced himself to stay calm and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Yun Qian took the glass from Xu Chang’an’s hand and gently tipped it over, only to see that the original wine inside had been drunk clean by Xu Chang’an, with just a few remaining drops slipping into the water in front of her, creating ripples.

"Why did you start drinking by yourself?" Yun Qian said, holding the wine glass and circling its patterns with her thumb, her eyes deep beneath her lashes.

Having a drink after a bath is one of the most enjoyable things in the world; she wouldn’t miss it. Xu Chang’an had prepared the wine for her, yet she hadn’t drunk it, resisting until now because she wanted to drink with him.

For her, drinking wine alone held no meaning unless shared with her husband.

"..."

Xu Chang’an felt completely perplexed under Yun Qian’s gaze.

"Me?" Xu Chang’an said honestly, "I felt a bit stifled, so I drank."

In his eyes, Jade Dew Wine was just a beverage—if Yun Qian wasn’t drinking, he’d naturally help himself to avoid waste.

To him, having this glass of wine was no different from eating Yun Qian’s leftovers.

"Fool," Yun Qian said.

Though she showed no displeasure on her face while saying this, it perfectly conveyed her feelings, didn’t he see that Xu Chang’an had already frozen in place?

"..."

The fragrance floated around, and Xu Chang’an only felt the rich aroma of the wine, recalling its taste slipping down his throat, warming him all over, just like the girl sitting opposite him.

His face slightly heated up.

Was he... drunk?

Xu Chang’an looked at Yun Qian dumbfoundedly, feeling that he had been intoxicated by the Jade Dew Wine he usually overlooked, but he knew exactly why he felt drunk.

Miss Yun’s slight reproach was something he hadn’t heard in a long time.

Putting down the wine glass, Xu Chang’an seriously said, "Miss, scold me again."

"...?"

Yun Qian gave Xu Chang’an a puzzled look, ignored him, and picked up the white jade wine pot to pour herself a glass of Jade Dew Wine.

Though it couldn’t be called drinking together anymore, since Xu Chang’an had a glass, she ought to have one too.

Her fair jade hand swirled the glass, and as the crystal-clear thick wine gradually calmed, Yun Qian sipped from the spot on the glass where Xu Chang’an drank, tasting the unique, subtle heft and rice aroma only Jade Dew Wine possessed.

Seeing this, Xu Chang’an frowned and said, "Drink slowly, this wine has quite the kick."

To Yun Qian, the kick was substantial.

"I know."

One glass of wine down, Yun Qian pointed at Xu Chang’an’s face and said, "Isn’t it because of you, drinking on your own."

"...My fault." Xu Chang’an didn’t know what Yun Qian was thinking, but he figured apologizing first was always the right move.

He looked at Yun Qian, noticing her moist autumn water eyes and flushed cheeks, and when she caught him looking, she covered her face with a small hiccup.

Yun Qian’s arm skimmed the water’s surface as she sat up a bit; the high water level was making her breathless.

"Would you like some wine? Together." Xu Chang’an picked up the wine glass in front of him, wiser this time.

"Are you also drinking Jade Dew?" Yun Qian asked.

"I have some strong wine prepared for later, thought I’d drink after bathing."

"Then I’ll drink with you after I’m done," Yun Qian shook her head, unwilling to drink alone, then extended her arm to Xu Chang’an: "Wash me, I’m feeling weak."

"I told you, you drank too fast." Xu Chang’an sighed, as usual helping Yun Qian clean up.

"..."

Peony petals floated on the water, scattered there intentionally by Xu Chang’an.

Yun Qian exhaled a breath of turbid air, touched her heated face, acknowledging to herself the need to vent some of that stuffiness.

"Miss, the peony petals are quite nice, aren’t they?" Xu Chang’an’s fingers pressed against Yun Qian’s neck, easing her soreness as always.

For a girl with a good figure who’s also frail, neck and shoulder aches are common.

"The flowers smell lovely," Yun Qian said, removing a petal stuck to her neck and flicking it into the water.

Xu Chang’an looked at the wine glass by the shore.

Actually, he hadn’t planned on drinking with Yun Qian today, but since she wanted to drink, he slyly let her drink by herself, only to realize he had done something foolish.

"Miss, perhaps have something to eat before more wine," Xu Chang’an suggested.

"Hmm."

"There’s cultivation tomorrow, let’s not get too drunk today," Xu Chang’an reminded her.

"Just tipsy," Yun Qian said, turning her head to glance at Xu Chang’an, calmly asking, "Do you not want to drink with me?"

"...A little," Xu Chang’an admitted.

"Why?" Yun Qian didn’t understand, so she asked.

"Haven’t I said I wanted to be more proactive?" Xu Chang’an sighed.

If he intended to take the initiative, using the wine’s courage wasn’t something a husband should do.

Compared to Yun Qian’s seamless transition from Miss to wife, Xu Chang’an’s identity shift was much slower.

While Yun Qian cultivated to become a qualified wife, wasn’t he also on his own journey?

"Proactive?" Yun Qian blinked more frequently, lifted her head, and looking at Xu Chang’an standing behind her said, "Does that mean... you don’t need to drink?"

"Just don’t want you drunk," Xu Chang’an said helplessly.

"I’m already drunk, why didn’t you say so earlier." Yun Qian said with a blush, thinking for a moment before adding, "Even if you had strong liquor, you wouldn’t get drunk, it doesn’t even boost your courage."

Even when they drank together, it was truly only her who ever got drunk, so after drinking, Xu Chang’an would always help her wash away the wine’s effects, preventing her from sweating through the night and losing composure.

"Miss, do you know flipping coins?"

"No."

"Using the heads or tails of a coin to decide whether to do something or not," Xu Chang’an explained on his own, "When tossing the coin, it doesn’t matter if it’s heads or tails, because the answer is already in your heart."

"...Hmm," Yun Qian nodded ambiguously, meaning... drinking was akin to flipping a coin; Xu Chang’an didn’t want to get drunk, only wanted a formality.

"I quite like drinking," Yun Qian said earnestly, "If you don’t drink, then it’s meaningless for me to drink alone."

"I never said I’d quit drinking," Xu Chang’an thought to himself that when he and Miss Yun had just defined their relationship, being close to her indeed required the aid of alcohol, but that was in the past; now, he wasn’t as green.

Now when he drank, it was more to see a Yun Qian different from her usual self.

Listening to the rain outside, Xu Chang’an lifted Yun Qian and sat her next to him, reached out to twist her damp hair into a coil, and once she changed into her nightgown, said, "Let’s go, dinner is ready."

"Hmm."

Yun Qian nodded, looked back at the bathroom, and asked, "Aren’t you going to let the water out?"

"Might need it again tonight," Xu Chang’an said.

Upon hearing this, Yun Qian blinked.