The smell of alcohol assailed the nostrils.
Chu Qianli looked at the man who had walked to the door, stunned. "Wuya?"
Then she saw what he was holding, a jar of wine?
Chu Qianli's expression immediately sank, and she said displeasedly, "You're not fully recovered yet, how can you drink? And drink like this!"
She quickly snatched the wine jar away and returned to the room, casually placing it aside.
Feng Wuya stood by the door, not entering.
Although reeking of alcohol, he still remembered that one should not casually intrude into a young lady's boudoir.
However, had he not gone into a certain young lady's chamber tonight? And the uninvited kind, at that?
Feng Wuya shook his head, his consciousness seeming a bit hazy.
Therefore, he refused to think too much about it.
"A'li, come out. Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. I'll drink with you."
"Am I accompanying you, or do you want me to accompany you?" Chu Qianli's brows furrowed even tighter. "Forget it, come in. Just pretend I'm not a woman."
"How can..."
"Stop being so fussy! Aren't we brothers?" Chu Qianli flicked her wrist, and two bottles of beverages appeared on the table.
"Come in, I'll drink with you."
"What is this stuff?" Feng Wuya's attention was immediately drawn to the two brightly colored bottles on the table.
He strode in, forgetting where he was stepping.
Alright, it was fine to consider her a brother.
He picked up the bottles.
"Strictly speaking, it's also a type of alcohol, but the alcohol content is very low."
Cocktails were also a type of alcoholic beverage, but to Chu Qianli, they were more like drinks.
With a flick of her long finger, she easily opened the bottle caps and handed one to Feng Wuya. "Here, try it."
Feng Wuya took it and drank it down heartily, downing half the bottle in one go.
However, when he stopped, he was somewhat displeased. "...Too sweet."
"You don't like it?"
Feng Wuya didn't reply. He walked over and picked up the wine jar he had put down earlier. "A'li, let's drink outside."
"You've learned to avoid suspicion?" Chu Qianli realized that Feng Wuya had indeed changed quite a bit since his return.
She smiled and followed him out. "Are you afraid of your fourth imperial brother getting angry, or are you afraid of the girl you like misunderstanding?"
"I don't have a girl I like," Feng Wuya retorted immediately.
Chu Qianli giggled and followed him into the pavilion.
"You denied it too quickly. There must be something fishy going on! Don't tell me you've actually fallen for Long Xinghe?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? How could I like her... a girl with her personality?"
Feng Wuya's face flushed, clearly displeased. He sat on the stone stool and continued to drink from the wine jar.
"The way you're drinking, it looks like you're drowning your sorrows. Anyone who didn't know would think Long Xinghe rejected you... Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. What are you glaring at me for?"
He actually got angry. This guy, has he become so easily angered lately?
Didn't he never get angry before?
"I'll get you a cup." With a flick of her wrist, she produced a large cup and poured him a full one.
She thought he would drink it slowly, but unexpectedly, the guy downed the entire cup in one gulp.
If this isn't drowning his sorrows, what is it?
"Don't tell me... you've really fallen for her?"
"No!"
Chu Qianli stopped asking.
In fact, Feng Wuya's feelings for Long Xinghe might be rather complicated.
It might not be as pure as she imagined, given all the sacrifices Long Xinghe had made for Wuya.
Therefore, whether it was gratitude, guilt, or a sense of indebtedness, or genuine affection, these were things that time would have to resolve.
Even Feng Wuya himself might not understand.
However, there was one thing she could probably confirm now: "So you understand your feelings for me now, don't you?"