Chapter 19: She Couldn’t Possibly Be Worried About Him

"Hey handsome, are you alright?"

"Hah, I'm fine…"

Lin Jie knelt on the bathroom floor, staring at the tiles in a state of dismay. He knew he was drunk, knew that kneeling here was utterly humiliating, but somehow it felt oddly comforting.

What kind of madness was this?

Thankfully, a young man in a white shirt pulled him up, and Lin Jie muttered his thanks repeatedly.

Once drunk, Lin Jie realized he turned into a chatterbox. He had just praised the guy who helped him to the point of embarrassment, and he could strike up a conversation with anyone he passed along the way.

Just as he was about to return to the booth, someone tugged at him.

Lin Jie turned around and saw a beautiful girl, his eyes lighting up. "Hey there, gorgeous…"

"Gorgeous? It's me!" Ye Mo said, a mix of amusement and exasperation in her voice.

Lin Jie froze for a moment, then recognized that the person pulling him was Ye Mo.

"Oh, sister, I was just in the bathroom."

"I know you were. Where else would you be?"

Ye Mo chuckled softly at Lin Jie's drunken state. She knew he had been drinking but didn't expect him to be so far gone, so quickly.

"Do you need to use the bathroom too?" Lin Jie asked, eyes still slightly unfocused.

"No, silly. I'm here to take you back." Ye Mo wrapped an arm around his waist and led him back to the booth.

Once they were seated, Ye Mo handed Lin Jie his phone, leaning close to his ear with a playful grin. "Hey, who's Su Jiamei?"

Lin Jie took the phone, shooting her a puzzled look. "How do you know about her?"

"She called you several times. I got curious and picked up," Ye Mo said, her voice loud enough to pierce through the drunken haze.

Lin Jie nodded, seemingly unbothered. "Alright."

"You're not upset, are you?"

"What does it matter? Did she say anything important?" Lin Jie shook his head indifferently.

"She said she's worried about you." Ye Mo responded honestly, all the while sneaking glances at his expression.

Lin Jie laughed sharply, leaning into her ear to say mockingly, "Worried about me? She couldn't care less!"

He downed his drink, laughing bitterly.

Su Jiamei, worried about him?

What a joke.

Ye Mo blinked. The drunk Lin Jie was nothing like his usual self. The real Lin Jie, hidden beneath layers of restraint, only revealed himself under the influence of alcohol.

"And why is that? What happened between you two?"

Ye Mo didn't expect an answer, but to her surprise, Lin Jie began recounting his story with Su Jiamei in vivid detail. He spoke of his three years of silent admiration, the heart-wrenching disappointment of one fateful night, and the endless yearning he had bottled up. With no one else to turn to, the alcohol loosened his tongue, and all the pain he had held in came pouring out.

With a note of anger, Lin Jie raised his voice, demanding, "Who do you think that guy was? Tell me, who was he?!"

Ye Mo, momentarily furrowing her brow, was about to remind him that she wasn't Su Jiamei and didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of this fury, when suddenly, Lin Jie's anger subsided.

In a quiet, steady voice, he said, "She claimed they barely knew each other, that they had only met once. Not even friends… yet she stood up for him, accused me for his sake."

"I'm no saint. When I saw other guys talking to her, I got jealous. When that guy touched her head, I lost control…" Lin Jie paused, then laughed bitterly, a touch of self-mockery in his smile. "I made concessions for her again and again, but she never made even one for me… Just once, I wished that night she would have stood by my side… not lashed out at me."

His voice grew softer and softer, until Ye Mo could hardly hear him. The last whispers were swallowed by Lin Jie himself.

She never apologized… never reached out, never drew closer, not even for a moment.

Lin Jie wasn't asking for much, just a little tenderness, a small favor he had never received.

But no.

Nothing.

Just like every other night, every single day before, his connection with Su Jiamei was always a one-way street.

Lin Jie would pretend he didn't care, until one day, he truly wouldn't.

And he would do it.

"Do you think what I said was ridiculous?" Lin Jie asked Ye Mo, forcing a smile as he stared into her silence.

He felt as though he had overstepped. After all, she had been nothing but gracious, treating him to fine drinks, yet here he was, unloading his pathetic little story.

Ye Mo shook her head, leaning in closer. "There's nothing ridiculous about it. All I see is a boy pining for someone who could never fully appreciate him."

Lin Jie laughed again… No one ever felt sorry for a lovesick fool.

"Thank you, sister," Lin Jie said, looking at her with sincere gratitude.

She had listened intently, and so he thanked her just as seriously.

"No need for thanks. We're here to have fun, aren't we? Don't let it ruin your night. Come on, let's drink."

They clinked their glasses together with a crisp sound, and downed their drinks in one go.

Drunk Lin Jie was adorable, babbling nonsense, and occasionally attempting to kneel down on the floor. Ye Mo found it both amusing and a little thought-provoking.

"Just rest, little brother. Don't worry, I'm here."

Whenever Lin Jie tried to get up, muttering that he wanted to go home, Ye Mo only had to say this softly, and he would obediently lie back down.

By this time, it was already four in the morning. The bar had silenced its loud music, leaving only a few scattered patrons nursing their drinks in the dim booths.

Ye Mo, legs crossed, yawned lazily, occasionally glancing at the now fast-asleep Lin Jie.

"Where are you?"

"Me? I'm at a bar."

Ye Mo waved off the nearby staff with a glance and answered a call, yawning again as she spoke.

The voice on the other end seemed exasperated. After a long pause, they said, "Miss Ye, I thought you were on vacation. What are you doing in a bar? If Uncle Ye finds out, you'll be in for it again."

Ye Mo's expression darkened. "I've already been scolded. Doesn't matter anymore."

"But it wasn't even Uncle Ye who scolded you…"

"I don't care," Ye Mo retorted, her voice turning petulant, her cheeks puffing slightly, brows raised in defiance, making her look irresistibly cute. "I was bullied online, and not only did he not defend me, he expects me to sit quietly and take it… Dream on! Why should I be the one to bear the insults and not fight back?"