Chapter 26: Alcohol

Ruan Xi finished replying to Zhang Xu, then stared blankly at her phone screen for a moment before barely managing to calm herself down.

She typed coyly in the comment section, teasing her friends: “Stop it, what if he sees this?”

A friend who joked that they looked like a couple on a honeymoon immediately private messaged Ruan Xi with a sly emoji.

The friend said, “What’s there to worry about? Just admit it— you like him.”

Seeing that message, Ruan Xi’s emotions strangely settled into a calm.

She thought quietly to herself:
How could it really be as simple as my friends say?

Her feelings would never be something she could openly show because… she didn’t want to lose Cheng Daichuan.

Ruan Xi weakly sent a lie back to her friend, saying she had other things going on and would chat later.

The golden sun sank low, the ocean clear.

Outside the Ocean Sunlight Bath, a couple wearing matching patterned swimsuits walked hand in hand toward the elevator, holding swim rings.

She didn’t catch what the guy said, but the girl suddenly raised her hand and slapped his back.

A bright red handprint blossomed on his back, and he chuckled softly, rubbing her hand playfully.

Really enviable.

Only after their figures disappeared around the corner of the corridor did Ruan Xi sigh and turn her head— only to suddenly lock eyes with Cheng Daichuan.

She jumped, clutching her phone tightly, and gasped, “Hiss…”

The Pro Max model phone looked surprisingly small in Cheng Daichuan’s hand.

He leaned back with his arms crossed, holding the phone by a corner between his thumb and index finger, tapping gently and slowly on his own arm.

He’d woken up but said nothing, just quietly resting on the lounge chair watching her.

Watching him made her chest tighten, breath shallow, almost short of oxygen.

Ruan Xi rubbed the imprint of the wicker weave on her elbow from the lounge chair and asked, “How long have you been awake?”

“Just a few minutes, I guess.”

“Oh…”

“Ruan Xi, why are you blushing?”

“…I’m not blushing! Maybe it’s the sun glaring.”

Ruan Xi looked calm but every hair on her body stood on end, mouth dry and tongue thick as she glanced toward the table beside her.

Her orange juice had long since been finished; only melted ice remained in the glass.

Avoiding any mention of her social media updates, she laughed and quickly changed the subject, asking herself, “Where were we going again? Oh right, the bar! Let’s go, let’s go.”

Cheng Daichuan was silent for two seconds, then stood up. “Let’s go.”

Passing by the Sea Deck Performance Area, a band was setting up equipment and singing.

Ruan Xi held a fruit-flavored popsicle and nodded along with the rhythm.

Hiding behind the identity of just a good friend gave her a sense of safety she felt she’d never lose.

She nudged the low-energy person next to her. “Cheng Daichuan, why do you look more and more drained the more you sleep?”

Cheng Daichuan replied flatly, “Am I?”

“Yes, come on, get hyped!”

Cheng Daichuan held the popsicle stick in his mouth, calm: “I’m hyped enough.”

“You can’t tell at all! This cruise ship has so many fresh things waiting for us to explore!”

He pressed her head down and turned her gaze.

Raising his chin, he said, “Shall we explore over there first?”

“What’s over there?”

“A cocktail robot.”

Ruan Xi raised both arms, cheering, then pushed Cheng Daichuan toward the cocktail robot.

As dusk approached, the public area filled with passengers, and a small line had formed at the cocktail robot.

Ruan Xi stood at the end of the queue, biting the last big chunk of her popsicle, savoring it.

A chill ran through her, and she shrank her neck, glancing at Cheng Daichuan with a squint.

As long as she wasn’t greedy, she could stay by his side forever, always talking and teasing like this.

Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad…

Cheng Daichuan raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Ruan Xi shook her head. “Nothing. Traveling with a good friend is just so fun.”

He reached out. “Give me the popsicle stick; I’ll throw it away.”

“Almost our turn. What are you drinking?”

“Anything. You pick.”

Though called a cocktail robot, it only had a single deep-blue mechanical arm.

Various bottles of alcohol hung upside down above, and the robotic arm selected the proper bottles and measured out the chosen liquids according to the customer’s selection.

As the passenger in front operated it, Ruan Xi peeked forward nervously, afraid she’d make a mistake when it was her turn.

Really, where did Cheng Daichuan go to throw away the trash?

She looked left and right but couldn’t spot him, so she sent him a message.

“There’s no description on the menu, just English names and photos.”

“Should I just pick two at random?”

He replied with a casual, “Okay [😝].”

…..Was Cheng Daichuan’s account hacked!

“Xi Xi, Chuan Chuan, Chao Chao are always chatting there, but Cheng Daichuan never reacts with emojis. It’s always you and Shi Chao.”

Ruan Xi found it oddly sarcastic but couldn’t find any proof.

It was her turn.

She put away her phone and stepped up to the menu screen.

The names all sounded nice, but from names alone she couldn’t guess the ingredients or taste, so she randomly chose “sea breeze” and a blue cocktail called “lightning.”

The robot worked quickly, mixing the first drink in moments and sliding it to Ruan Xi.

Without pause, it began making the second drink.

After gathering the various alcohols and juices, the mechanical arm started shaking the cocktail shaker.

Ruan Xi nodded along with the robot’s rhythm.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cheng Daichuan walking over and waved him over.

Both drinks looked appealing— one was a warm orange like a setting sun, the other a blue-green like a glassy sea.

Ruan Xi hesitated, unsure which to try.

Cheng Daichuan encouraged, “Try them both.”

Ruan Xi pursed her lips, eyes darting around. “But won’t that be rude…?”

Cheng Daichuan whispered, “Try them.”

Using the same straw, Ruan Xi sipped both cocktails.

Afterward, she fell silent.

The cocktails weren’t as good as the ones at the Welcome Ball, which tasted like sweet soda.

These tasted strongly of alcohol, fierce enough to make her frown.

Seeing her grimace, Cheng Daichuan asked, “Not good?”

Ruan Xi couldn’t admit she’d chosen poorly. “They’re fine, but I think I’ll keep the orange one.”

“If you don’t like it, give it to me.”

“Who said I don’t like it? I love it.”

Unbeknownst to Ruan Xi, the “sea breeze” contained 40% vol vodka.

After drinking it, her fingertips grew weak, and a strange excitement raced through her blood.

She chattered endlessly to Cheng Daichuan about the differences between Four-Seasons Osmanthus and Golden Osmanthus, university dorm life… even how to pick the right Over-the-Knee Socks.

When she finished, she grabbed his wrist. “That robot-made cocktail doesn’t count. Xi Xi and Chuan Chuan are going to a real bar to drink and toast!”

Cheng Daichuan glanced at the two hands holding his wrist; his fingertips reddened slightly and his palms felt warm.

He sighed. “Drink more? You’re drunk.”

“No way! I didn’t get drunk at the ball after drinking cocktails.”

“That one had low alcohol content.”

“Yeah, but I’m not drunk!”

“Okay, not drunk.”

“So we’re going to the bar!”

Cheng Daichuan said flatly, “No.”

Ruan Xi was stubborn, leaning on the table and whining, “Cheng Daichuan, why don’t you keep your word? We said we’d go.”

His gaze darkened, emotion unreadable. “If we go, don’t expect to sleep tonight.”

Ruan Xi didn’t understand and sat dumbfounded, “No sleep, no sleep! We can watch a midnight movie, right, big brother?”

Cheng Daichuan tilted his head back and finished the last sip of his drink. “I told you not to learn from Shi Chao.”

Ruan Xi was too excited to listen and pulled him toward the exit.

Any hesitation on his part earned her more pleading and coaxing, “Big brother, big brother…” soft and persistent.

They passed through an avenue overheaded by dozens of meters of LED screens.

At that moment, a sky show was still playing.

Realistic swarms of jellyfish floated across the screen above them, water ripples seeming ready to drip, as if they were underwater.

Ruan Xi kept looking up.

Jellyfish and colorful tropical fish were suddenly swept away by a whirlpool, then a huge whale swam past.

Ruan Xi blinked and took a deep breath, about to speak, when Cheng Daichuan suddenly reached out, gently pulling her into his arms and covering her mouth.

He whispered by her ear, “Don’t make a scene.”

Her ears tingled, and her nose caught the fresh scent of his bath products.

His palm was warm, pressed over her lips.

Quiet now, her mouth covered, she curved her eyes at him and asked, “How did you know I wanted to name the whale?”

Cheng Daichuan suddenly let go. “…I didn’t.”

“Then why cover my mouth?”

He said nothing.

Back in high school, after drinking, Ruan Xi had done the same.

On the way home from the ball, after putting on her shoes, she suddenly shouted “Little Black!” at Ais’s black ceramic cat food bowl and even said goodnight to “Little Black.”

Even Madam Shang was startled and after Ruan Xi got home, she laughed and patted her chest, saying, “Xi Xi’s voice is really loud.”

Ruan Xi always felt she wasn’t drunk, just wanted to sing.

After finding a seat in the bar and holding the drink menu, she hummed a tune she made up: “Xi Xi wants a cold, cold Heineken~ Chuan Chuan, what do you want?”

Cheng Daichuan ordered and handed the menu back to the waiter. “Not talking anymore, switching to singing?”

Ruan Xi rested her head in her hands and looked at the stage, then at the waiter.

She felt weak speaking, unaware her voice was soft and gentle. “Hello, handsome, can I sing over there?”

The waiter replied, “Of course, miss. Would you like to come over and see?”

Ruan Xi followed the handsome guy.

A few minutes later, she carried an acoustic guitar and sat on a solo seat on the bar stage.

Behind the dance hall was a clear glass window, the sunset vibrant like the color of roses.

Since university, Ruan Xi had heard from Shi Chao that Cheng Daichuan learned guitar with his dormmates.

That night, she called home and asked her family to send her old guitar to school.

Her mother said, “When did the sun rise from the west? You never liked learning as a kid and never seriously practiced a single song all these years.”

Since then, every time Ruan Xi practiced guitar, she thought: maybe one day I can jam with Cheng Daichuan.

Ayi Shang had studied in France and often listened to French songs; Ruan Xi had also self-studied a little.

She sang a French song, Je Veux.

She had heard cover versions on ins that were softer than the original and liked it, so she learned it.

Wearing a coffee-colored plaid slip dress, legs crossed, holding the guitar, she plucked the strings and softly sang “Papalapapala”…

Her voice wasn’t deliberately husky but sweet and gentle, singing with tenderness, though a wave of grievance welled up in her chest.

At dusk, the bar wasn’t crowded.

Cheng Daichuan sat not far from the stage, bathed in the sunset’s scattered gold, making him look like a distant mirage or a fleeting dream.

Ruan Xi played guitar and hummed, glancing at Cheng Daichuan.

He looked back at her.

With the sunset’s blessing, she deliberately added a touch of deep affection into her gaze.

Ruan Xi frowned slightly, her eyes suddenly moist.

Now, she could admit she was drunk.

She must be drunk.

Otherwise, why would she feel like this? She knew the “good friend” status was her comfort zone, she knew she shouldn’t be greedy, yet all of a sudden, she wanted to kiss Cheng Daichuan.