Chapter 17 : The Shield

In the medium-sized karaoke room, some people were talking quietly, some were queuing up songs, and others were howling like banshees.

Jiang Yanlin sat on the sofa, propping her head up, and watched the lively scene for a while.

It had only been six days since she had last seen this group, but it felt like a long time had passed.

This time, the first person to get drunk was still Xiao Nuo. She was in high spirits, hogging the microphone and hitting high notes. No one could compete with her, so they all just sat around, chatting and listening to her sing.

The tall young man named A Qiu was by her side the whole time, helping her queue up songs and making sure she didn’t trip.

Jiang Yanlin found this amusing—the last time, the two of them had the exact same dynamic.

The single sofa to her right had been empty for over ten minutes. No one had noticed that two people had been gone from the room for a while.

Jiang Yanlin wasn’t worried that El would mess things up. In the end, he was the crux of the problem. The moment he made his choice, everything was already settled.

As expected, it wasn’t long before the door to the room was pushed open again, and two people walked in, one after the other.

The people drinking in the room immediately called El over, while the other figure paused for a moment before heading straight to the corner.

A light breeze stirred as someone sat down beside her.

Jiang Yanlin took out her phone, casually opened the chat window, and sent a cat sticker.
—The caption read, “Taking a dump.”

A second later, the other person replied with a question mark.

Jiang Yanlin didn’t respond, sending the same sticker six or seven more times until it filled the entire screen.

After a few seconds, the other person finally gave what could be considered a response.

[“Read and noted.”]
– From Mavis.

Jiang Yanlin smiled, put away her phone, and looked up at her.

Miss Péi was dressed casually today in a shirt and jeans, with no makeup, as if she had just popped out for a stroll.

Her black hair was loose on her shoulders. Up close, she could catch a faint, now-familiar scent of her shampoo.

Noticing her gaze, Péi Wanyi also put away her phone and looked over.

Their eyes met for a moment. Jiang Yanlin leaned forward slightly, closing the distance, and asked in a voice only she could hear,
“Are you satisfied?”

The issue that had been raised in the early morning had been resolved in just 22 hours.

Jiang Yanlin didn’t need to dig into how much Péi Wanyi actually cared about El’s feelings right now.

When a problem arises, solve it, but never easily give up the upper hand.

This was Jiang Yanlin’s consistent way of doing things.

At this moment, she had personally presented her “sincerity” to the other person, responding with a calm demeanor—”The risk you wanted to resolve, the attitude you wanted to test, I’ve given them to you.”

So, are you satisfied?

Péi Wanyi stared at her for a moment, then let out a light laugh.

“You’re getting quite good at using this shield.”

Jiang Yanlin replied without batting an eye, “Sometimes, there’s usually more than one reason for doing something.”

She used the word “reason,” as if she couldn’t help herself.

But looking into her eyes, one couldn’t find even a hint of a wavering intention.

Péi Wanyi was naturally aware of her “frivolity,” like a beautifully colored cocktail, only found in places of vice and debauchery.

Not as high-brow as wine, nor as established in luxury as whiskey.

This small glass was filled with commonplace illusions.

But when you saw it, you couldn’t help but want to bring it to your lips for a taste.

Only when the alcohol went down your throat would you realize you had been greatly deceived.
—A color so brilliant and sweet, yet in reality, a potent liquor that could knock you out in two sips.

The song in the room changed. It was a live version of “Red Rose” from some variety show. Hearing it, Péi Wanyi suddenly asked, “Do you want to sing? I can queue it up for you.”

Jiang Yanlin didn’t refuse. Xiao Nuo had already queued up enough songs to last for the next hour, so even if she picked one, she wouldn’t have to sing.

Seeing her nod, Péi Wanyi was about to pick a song on her phone when Xiao Nuo suddenly shouted into the microphone, “Mavis, why are you hiding and not singing tonight? I picked this for you, come on and sing!”

Jiang Yanlin couldn’t help but smile. Sometimes, luck is a part of strength. Miss Péi’s luck was definitely not good tonight.

Having been caught, Péi Wanyi had no intention of arguing with a drunkard and simply picked up the microphone in front of her.

The intro was already a few dozen seconds in. She caught the third line of the verse, singing softly,
“All the excitement leaves only a weary pain, no longer moved…”

Unlike her speaking voice, Péi Wanyi’s singing was much gentler.

Her tone was beautiful, the kind that could capture one’s attention from the first note.

Jiang Yanlin listened for a few lines and noticed her pitch was also good, though her pronunciation of the Chinese lyrics was a bit too precise, which was rather cute.

She rested her head on her hand, listening. Someone sat down to her left, but she didn’t pay much attention.

It wasn’t until everyone had quietly finished listening to the song and Xiao Nuo was enthusiastically cheering that the room became lively again.

That’s when El, who was sitting next to Jiang Yanlin, spoke up.
– “They’re saying they want to get a late-night snack after we’re done singing. Do you want to go?”

Jiang Yanlin paused, turned to the person on her right, and asked her, “Are you going?”

Péi Wanyi seemed to have accepted her fate and replied, “Yes.”

Only then did Jiang Yanlin turn back to El and say with a smile, “Then I’ll go too, although I can’t eat much.”
—Even if she couldn’t eat, she had to go. She loved this.

El’s gaze flickered between the two of them, but he said nothing more and went back to discuss where to eat with the others.

The corner became quiet again. Péi Wanyi looked at her and said out of the blue,
“Actually, he’s only cheerful on the surface. A lot of the time, what he says and does isn’t what he truly means.”

Jiang Yanlin wasn’t surprised. “Everyone in this world has to be like that. You have to try very hard to occasionally not be like that.”
—When the “self” cannot smoothly integrate into the community, most people only make one choice.

The connection between people is maintained through “concession.”

But Jiang Yanlin didn’t like to concede.

And neither did Péi Wanyi.

These two people, who lived more for themselves than most, had taken this step closer precisely because they hadn’t conceded.

But when a third party exits the game, how many times will the remaining two opponents “refuse to concede”?

At this moment, for a rare night, their instincts had failed them.

And there were still countless nights to come.

The late-night snack was still at El’s restaurant.

Xiao Nuo was blackout drunk and couldn’t go far. At least the second floor of El’s place was a good spot for her to rest.

“She’s been like this lately. We don’t dare to leave her alone.”

The group took three cars. El had driven, so he hadn’t been drinking. He let the three women ride with him.

Péi Wanyi was in the back seat looking after Xiao Nuo. Jiang Yanlin was in the front passenger seat and heard El casually say something very informative.

Fortunately, everyone was used to El’s loose lips, and he knew it, so he didn’t say any more.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Péi Wanyi first helped Xiao Nuo upstairs to rest. Jiang Yanlin lent a hand, and in the end, the two of them stood on the second floor, mutually deciding not to go back down.

“Xiao Nuo just broke up a while ago. Lately, whenever she goes out, she just drinks and gets like this every time.”

Péi Wanyi explained, and Jiang Yanlin had already guessed it was for a similar reason.

But everyone’s carefulness made her feel that this was probably not a simple emotional entanglement.

“A Qiu is a good guy.”

Jiang Yanlin didn’t press for details, only making a simple comment.

She hadn’t had any contact with A Qiu, just a polite greeting. He wasn’t very enthusiastic, so she had also kept her distance.

But she could see that A Qiu was probably a worrier, good at taking care of people, and especially patient with Xiao Nuo.

The relationships in this group were tangled. Just by observing from the sidelines, Jiang Yanlin felt like she had gotten a lot of “gossip.”

Péi Wanyi stood by the railing, the same spot as last night. She and Evan had been catching up on the sofa nearby. They really hadn’t seen each other in a long time and had gotten a bit lost in their conversation, forgetting the occasion.

Thinking of this, Péi Wanyi was about to speak when she heard the person beside her say softly,
“I did hear you.”

This was something they both knew.

That’s why the rhythm was disrupted, why they couldn’t help but test each other.

There was no need for a meaningless “are you angry” or “why are you angry.”

Nor was there a need for a blunt “I’m not happy” or “don’t bother me.”
—That was a childish game they would have played many years ago.

Péi Wanyi still spoke up.
“I don’t usually talk about my own affairs with people, but Evan is a very good friend.”

Jiang Yanlin didn’t care who she talked to or how. She just replied casually,
“So next time, you two should remember to find another place to chat.”

As she spoke, Jiang Yanlin turned her head.

The lights on the second floor were dim. The only people in the space were the passed-out Xiao Nuo and the person in front of her.

At such a close distance, Jiang Yanlin realized that Péi Wanyi wasn’t much taller than her. It was probably her well-maintained figure that made her legs seem long.

Péi Wanyi looked at her, and after a few seconds, she reached out and tucked a stray strand of her hair back into place.

“We’re even now.”
Miss Péi announced.

Jiang Yanlin was starting to get used to her inner arrogance.

But thinking about it, neither of them had really lost out.

Let’s just say it was a favor for the free shield.

So Jiang Yanlin turned to the side, about to say something, but El, who was coming upstairs, interrupted her.
– “We’re all waiting for you. Come on and eat.”

The two of them paused. Jiang Yanlin looked at his smiling face and agreed.

Péi Wanyi, beside her, said nothing and went downstairs with her.

The people downstairs had already found their seats and were eating and drinking. Jiang Yanlin sat at the bar. El had prepared a separate dish for the two of them—grilled chicken breast with few calories, served with a glass of lemon water.

Jiang Yanlin thanked him and ate in small bites, occasionally responding to El’s small talk.

Péi Wanyi ate faster than her, putting down her fork after a short while and getting up.
“I’m leaving. I have to get up early tomorrow.”

El was a bit surprised but said nothing.

Jiang Yanlin watched her stride out the glass door. A few seconds later, she let out a laugh and took out her phone to send a message.

[“You left so quickly.”]

Péi Wanyi’s message popped up the next second.

[“I wanted to be alone with you.”]