Chapter 472, The little one sleeps in the snow (second update)

"I wonder if Xiaojiu has eaten yet, she still hasn’t come back and it’s already so late." Mrs. Jiang’s face drooped, her appetite waned.

"Ahan, your wife hasn’t come back yet, aren’t you worried?" Feng Yi seized the opportunity to join the conversation and tease him.

"You should know there are a lot of people eyeing your wife, if you don’t keep a close watch, and she’s gone, don’t come crying."

Li Mochan glanced at him indifferently and suddenly felt a taste as dull as wax in his mouth, as if something was stuck in his chest, inexplicably feeling extremely uncomfortable.

The others covertly observed his reaction. Li Mochan looked down, his lowered eyelashes concealing the emotions in his eyes, making them impossible to probe.

Dinner passed quietly, with everyone subtly bringing up Ye Jiuliang.

Unable to stay in the living room, Li Mochan returned to his room early.

"Sigh."

Mrs. Jiang let out a sigh, "If this sudden incident hadn’t happened, today should have been the day Ahan and Xiaojiu registered their marriage."

At these words, everyone fell silent.

...

The dim streetlights, the vast sea surface, the churning waves made a deep sound, hiding a touch of desolation and sorrow.

The clinking of bottles overpowered the roaring of the waves, and the strong smell of alcohol dissipated with the wind.

On Zhanqiao Pier, Ye Jiuliang and Gu Xinuo sat side by side, surrounded by piles of empty bottles.

"It’s been a long time since I drank so heartily."

Ye Jiuliang leaned back, the bottle slipping from her hand, rolling a few times before coming to a spinning stop.

She lifted her eyes to the misty sky, a hazy light twinkling in her gaze.

"Ajiu, you’ve had a lot to drink already, shall we go back?" Gu Xinuo said gently, looking at the nearly empty bottles.

Having such a high tolerance for alcohol was also a concern, as so much drink would have been too much for her to handle.

"Not going back." Ye Jiuliang shook her head, a rare hint of tipsiness in her voice.

"Keep drinking."

She reached out for a bottle beside her, randomly picked one up, pulled the cork, and lifted it to her lips.

The rich taste of alcohol was addictive as it slid down her throat.

Seeing her reddened eyes, Gu Xinuo turned away, her nose slightly sour.

She reached out to help her up and took the bottle from her hand.

She spoke gently, "Ajiu, let’s stop drinking, okay? You haven’t had dinner yet, at this rate even an iron constitution would be overwhelmed."

"He told me to drink less, now he won’t tell me anymore." Ye Jiuliang laughed while saying, her cheeks flushed with a tipsy red.

"No more, Anuo, nobody controls me anymore."

At those words, Gu Xinuo couldn’t help but her eyes redden.

She held her cold hand, looking at the intoxicated her, her voice choked with emotion, "How about I take you back? I’ll take you back to see Li Mochan, hmm?"

"I’m not going back, he has forgotten about me."

Ye Jiuliang broke free from her grasp, wobbling to her feet, her steps unsteady as if she might fall into the sea at any second.

"Li Mochan, who allowed you to forget me, who gave you permission..." She screamed at the misty sea.

Her husky voice echoed in this corner of the world, the only response being the flickering lights of fishing boats on the sea.

Gu Xinuo stood up, tears swirling in her eyes.

If she could, she really wanted to give Li Mochan a beating; her Ajiu never cried, yet he made her Ajiu cry.

Suddenly, silvery white snowflakes floated with the wind like willow catkins, as the first snow of the winter season in Beijing finally arrived, its brilliant beauty making everything else seem dim and dark.

The light snow brushed against her cheeks, chilly.

Ye Jiuliang reached out to catch it, the silver-white snowflake touching her palm before it disappeared in an instant.

It’s snowing.

Her eyes trembled lightly, a rare blankness on her face.

"Anuo, it’s snowing."

Gu Xinuo responded, "Yes, it’s snowing."

Ye Jiuliang tugged at the corner of her lips, a soft laugh escaping as the cold wind swept by, drifting over the sea.

"Heh..."

It snowed, but their promise could no longer be fulfilled.

How ridiculous.

Ye Jiuliang picked up the bottle off the ground, brought the opening to his lips, and continued drinking.

How did he end up drinking again?

Gu Xinuo felt a headache coming on.

The snowfall grew denser, and a frosty chill penetrated the air, as if her bones were about to freeze.

Ye Jiuliang slumped to the ground, staring blankly at the fluttering snowflakes.

Gu Xinuo glanced at the time; it was almost eleven o’clock.

She reached out to take the bottle from her hand, "Ajiu, the snow is getting heavier, let’s go back. Otherwise, you’ll catch a cold tomorrow."

Ye Jiuliang shook his head, lying down to sleep on the snowy ground.

Despite the coat, the feeling of coldness still seeped into her clothes.

Looking at her curled up figure, Gu Xinuo sighed helplessly and walked to the side with her phone.

Not knowing Li Mochan’s number, she dialed Jiang Yisheng’s instead.

Someone on the other end quickly answered, and Jiang Yisheng’s voice resonated in her ear, "Xinuo?"

"Yisheng, is Li Mochan with you?" Gu Xinuo asked directly.

"Cousin has gone back to his room," said Jiang Yisheng.

Gu Xinuo frowned, "Could you take the phone to him for me? I need to talk to him."

Jiang Yisheng said, "Okay, wait a moment."

He set down his teacup and hurried upstairs.

He asked, "Is Jiuliang with you?"

"Yes, she has had too much to drink," Gu Xinuo replied truthfully.

Jiang Yisheng was taken aback—drunk?

He quickened his pace and reached Li Mochan’s bedroom door, raising his hand to knock.

"Knock knock—"

"Cousin, open up quickly, it’s urgent."

After a few seconds, the lock clicked open.

Li Mochan was in a robe, clearly ready to wind down for the night.

His voice was cool, "What’s the matter?"

"Someone’s looking for you," Jiang Yisheng handed him the phone, then stepped back.

Li Mochan glanced at him and brought the phone to his ear.

In his usual terse manner, "Who?"

"Li Mochan, Ye Jiuliang is drunk and won’t go back because of the snow. She’s lying in the snow. If you don’t come over, I will take her back to Country Y. Even if you regain your memory later, don’t even think about seeing her again." Gu Xinuo’s anger surged as she watched the heap in the snow.

"You said before to have her drink less. She says now there’s no one to care for her. Do you really not care anymore? If you don’t, then return her to us."

After giving the address, Gu Xinuo hung up without giving him a chance to reply.

Li Mochan’s gaze suddenly became deep and dark, with a fleeting glimmer.

She was drunk?

Gu Xinuo’s voice wasn’t quiet, and Jiang Yisheng also vaguely heard everything.

"Cousin, it’s snowing outside and it’s very cold. Aren’t you going to pick up Jiuliang?" He asked tentatively.

Li Mochan handed the phone back to him and turned to walk towards the French windows.

Jiang Yisheng’s expression showed a trace of confusion—was he going or not?

Li Mochan pulled back the curtains, and the drizzle turned heavier, piling a thin layer of snow on the courtyard’s ground, soft as a blanket.

The cold wind battered against the windows, making a slight noise.

"Cousin, are you really not going?" Jiang Yisheng walked up behind him, asking once more.

If he didn’t go, once his memory returned, he’d probably want to kick himself to death.