Chapter 25: Liu Erlong Moves into Juxiang Pavilion
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Half an hour had passed.
"Woof— I can't do it anymore. I'm not in good form today. I can't handle the alcohol. Let's continue tomorrow!"
Plop!
As expected, Ning Fengzhi was the first to fall. After just six jars of wine, he was slumped over the table, completely unconscious.
From the side, Liu Erlong listened to the conversations of Fu Ye and the others, realizing for the first time that the one barking just now... was none other than Ning Fengzhi—the so-called strongest genius of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect!
Her job tonight was simple: pour tea and urge the dishes to come faster. But seeing that Fu Ye's group directly drank straight from the jars and the dishes had already been served, she was left standing quietly at the side... merely to watch the show unfold.
"Look! Young Master Ning has collapsed."
Fu Ye sneered at the sight of Ning Fengzhi lying motionless on the table.
"Oh? So you're strong?" Liu Erlong asked with a smile.
"I'm super strong, okay! Ignore that lightweight—come, let's keep going!" Fu Ye waved his hand nonchalantly.
Gu Rong thoughtfully carried Ning Fengzhi over to the sofa and laid him down before returning to the table for another battle.
Another half hour passed.
Plop!
Gu Rong, too, fell drunk, and Chen Xin burst out laughing.
"Haha! You old bones are no good anymore! You're done for too!"
But before the laughter could even finish, Chen Xin's own vision began to darken... and the next second—
Plop!
With that, Fu Ye remained the last man standing, having crushed all three opponents with sheer drinking prowess.
"Three little fools... can't even hold your liquor," Fu Ye muttered, shaking his head in disdain.
Glancing at the untouched food on the table, Fu Ye picked up a clean plate and selected a few dishes for himself. He looked back at Liu Erlong, who was standing quietly in the corner, trying her best to suppress her giggles.
"Little girl, come eat something. It'd be a waste to leave it."
Fu Ye placed the small plate on a nearby coffee table.
He wasn't someone who liked to waste food. Although Ning Fengzhi and the others drank like fish, their appetites weren't as impressive, leaving behind almost half the dishes.
"Ah? For me?"
Liu Erlong's eyes widened. She had long been tempted by the delicious aromas but was bound by the rule: no touching the guests' leftovers—even if they hadn't been touched, it all had to be discarded.
Fu Ye's action wasn't out of stinginess. It was simply that etiquette demanded the guests eat first. Only after they were done could others even think about touching the food.
The portions he picked for Liu Erlong were untouched and clean. There was no need to worry about hygiene.
"Eat something. After laughing for so long, you must be tired," Fu Ye said casually as he moved toward the three drunken men sprawled across the room.
"I didn't laugh!" Liu Erlong retorted immediately, covering her reddened cheeks.
Fu Ye simply smiled and continued, "Our Juxiang Pavilion runs until nearly ten at night. You live in the outer city, right? It's dangerous for a girl to travel so late. There's a spare room on the rooftop. If you want, you can stay there tonight."
Of course, these were Fu Ye's internal thoughts. He wasn't a pervert looking for an opportunity; it was simply common sense. It really wasn't safe for a young girl to commute through the Imperial City's outskirts so late.
"I'll send these drunkards to the guest rooms on the sixth floor first. If you decide to stay, just head upstairs to the rooftop," he added.
Effortlessly grabbing Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong with his left hand and Chen Xin with his right, Fu Ye trudged up the stairs, leaving Liu Erlong frozen in a daze.
After the boisterous drinking, night had fallen, painting the sky a deep purple. Fu Ye, feeling the full effect of the alcohol, took a quick shower and collapsed onto his bed, dozing off almost immediately.
His alcohol tolerance had dulled after so long without drinking.
Sometime later—
Knock knock knock.
Knock knock knock.
The persistent knocking jolted Fu Ye awake. He blinked drowsily at the window; judging by the moon's position, it was around 9:30 p.m. The Pavilion should have been closed by now.
"Coming..." he muttered.
Still groggy and clad only in a black pajama top, Fu Ye lazily pushed open the door.
Standing there was the red-haired girl, Liu Erlong.
"Huh? Why are you knocking on my door at this hour?" Fu Ye asked, rubbing his temple.
If she wanted to stay, she could've gone straight to the rooftop; the key was even left sticking in the door.
"B-Boss Fu Ye, I... gulp—"
Liu Erlong's words caught in her throat. Fu Ye's well-toned upper body—those perfect, sculpted abs—were fully displayed before her wide eyes.
Fu Ye, noticing her dazed stare, sighed helplessly.
"Alright, close your eyes. I'll take you there," he said.
This little girl... hadn't she ever seen a man's body before? Drooling so shamelessly—shouldn't girls be more reserved?
Without another word, Fu Ye grabbed Liu Erlong by the back of her collar like a kitten and, ignoring her startled yelp, tossed her onto the rooftop bed along with the key.
Click.
He locked the door, yawned again, and returned to his room to continue sleeping.
Just as he settled back into bed, a soft chime sounded in his mind:
[Liu Erlong's Favorability +55%]
"Huh? That fast?" Fu Ye murmured.
But thinking about it, it wasn't too surprising. In the original work, Liu Erlong was always a love-struck fool. Even after learning that Yu Xiaogang was her cousin, she still waited for him for over a decade.
"Ahhh... too sleepy. Sleep first."
Meanwhile, in the depths of Spirit Hall—inside the Pope's Palace, interrogation room—
Yu Xiaogang lay tied to an iron bed, his eyes filled with despair. Even after half a year of daily suffering, he still hadn't given in. He clung stubbornly to hope, believing someone would eventually rescue him.
"You there! Clean this place quickly! Dress this traitor properly! The Saintess is coming for inspection!" the guard barked.
The six men hurried into action. In less than a quarter-hour, the room was spotless.
Shortly afterward, Bibi Dong arrived.
Her eyes swept over Yu Xiaogang's battered form, and a mocking smile played on her lips.
"My, my, Yu Xiaogang... Still alive, are you? Tell me—how have the past six months treated you?"
Though she smiled sweetly, her gaze was colder and sharper than a venomous snake's.
"Devil! You're a devil, Bibi Dong! You'll pay for everything you've done!" Yu Xiaogang spat, his voice full of hatred.
Bibi Dong chuckled.
"A devil? Perhaps. But what you did was far worse than anything I could ever imagine. Torturing the one I cherished... killing him... For that, I'll make sure your suffering never ends."
As she spoke, she produced a small crystal in her hand.
"You don't want your 'experiences' over these months broadcast across the entire continent by Spirit Hall, do you, Yu Xiaogang?"
His face went pale.
"No—! You can't! You can't!!"
But even as he screamed, Bibi Dong merely waved her hand, and behind her, a massive pile of crystals appeared, glimmering ominously under the light.
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End of Chapter