Endless Fall

Shen Yi, who was next to him, asked, “Did you quarrel?”

“There’s been a misunderstanding.” Zhou Yanshen opened the tab of the beer can and started talking about what happened at noon that day.

He took two sips of the beer. “I really just helped her up. I didn’t want to have anything to do with her.”

Pei Zhi asked, “Why did you hold her up?”

“Wouldn’t you help me up if you were there?”

“No.” He hugged Lin Jiao gently and looked at Zhou Yanshen with an expression that said, “Are you so stupid as to fall for these tricks?”

“I didn’t think too much about it at that time.” Zhou Yanshen really didn’t notice if she was acting. “Maybe she has flat feet?”

Shen Yi explained to him, “For people with flatfoot, it’s impossible to fall without running or jumping.”

“Brother Yanshen, you’re really a kind person.” Chu Yuzhou couldn’t help but tease, “There are so many old ladies on the street. Aren’t they enough for you to hold?”

Zhou Yanshen was speechless.

He did have the inclination to take pity on beautiful women, so he did it subconsciously out of habit.

“Brother Yanshen, you really should learn from Uncle.” Pei Yilan saw that he was frowning, so she gave him an idea.

Hearing her say this, Zhou Yanshen looked up at the pair of lovey-dovey lovers opposite him.

He placed a soft pillow on his back and asked Pei Zhi seriously, “How do you usually do it?”

“I’m afraid you can’t do it.” Chu Yuzhou poured cold water on him.

“He didn’t even say. How do you know I can’t do it?”

“I won’t hold other women.” Pei Zhi said, “Especially women who have feelings for me.”

Zhou Yanshen was speechless. He rubbed his short hair and rubbed his ear stud with his fingertips. “Other than that, is there anything else you do?”

“Keep your distance from the opposite sex.”

“To what extent?”

Pei Zhi said, “Don’t talk to them and don’t look at them.” He said it casually, but it was actually as difficult as ascending to the heavens for some men.

Lin Jiao continued, “As long as you like her enough, you will naturally prioritize her feelings.”

“To put it bluntly, you need to be willing to do it.” Although Shen Yi had never been in a relationship, he knew. “QIan Yue can’t keep an eye on you at all times.”

Zhou Yanshen pondered for a long time.

He recalled how Qian Yue cried and really did not want that scene to happen again. “I can do it.”

“That’s what I call a man!” Chu Yuzhou patted his shoulder in admiration. “I’ll wait for you to take down the title of the prodigal of Lin City.”

“He’ll definitely be able to make it.” Shen Yi could tell that Zhou Yanshen was serious this time. “As for you, how many more years do you want to fool around?”

“I haven’t met the right person yet.”

“How can you possibly meet the right person if you mess around every day?”

“I’m done messing around.” Chu Yuzhou planned to turn over a new leaf. “I’ll stay single until next year to see if there will be any sparks of love with anyone.”

“Next year? Do you mean after the first day of Chinese New Year?”

“I mean after December this year.”

Shen Yi was speechless.

He raised his beer can and clinked it with them. Seeing that Zhou Yanshen was still in a daze, he asked, “Are you still thinking about her?”

Zhou Yanshen did not hide it. “Yes.” He was deeply tortured by his longing for her. “She’s still angry and refuses to see me.”

“Why don’t you go look for her then?” Pei Zhi said.

“Now?”

“You can continue waiting if you want.”

Zhou Yanshen was about to get up when he thought of something and stopped. “I’ll drink two more cans.”

“You want to get drunk to gain her sympathy?”

“It’s foolproof this way.” Perhaps because he did not want to make any mistakes, he reminded Lin Jiao, “Don’t tell her.”

Lin Jiao and Pei Yilan looked at each other.

Thinking that Qian Yue’s one-week deadline was coming up, they agreed. “Then talk it out with her tonight.”

“Definitely.”

“I don’t think two cans are enough.” Chu Yuzhou opened five cans for him in a row and said seriously, “You need to smell like alcohol for her to soften heart.”

Lin Jiao yawned. “Brother Yanshen, you don’t have to drink so much. How can you talk properly if you’re really drunk?”

“I only drank seven cans.” Zhou Yanshen lowered his head and sniffed his collar that didn’t smell of alcohol. “I’m afraid she won’t believe me if I go over like this.”

“Give me your jacket.” Pei Yilan poured some beer into her palm and sprinkled it on his jacket.

“Do you do this often?” Chu Yuzhou asked curiously when he saw that Pei Yilan was skillful.

“Very occasionally.”

“Thank you.” Zhou Yanshen put on his jacket and smiled. “I’ll treat you all to a meal another day.”

“Don’t forget to call a designated driver.”

“Got it.”

...

Chu Yuzhou retracted his gaze and asked Pei Yilan, “Aren’t you afraid that Qian Yue will find out?”

“Find out what?”

“About you helping him.”

Pei Yilan rolled her eyes at him. “I’m afraid he’ll disturb Qian Yue’s rest if he goes too late.”

“I didn’t expect you to be so considerate.”

“Are you being sarcastic with me again?”

Seeing that the two of them were about to bicker, Shen Yi immediately suggested playing a game.

The house was filled with laughter. The gradually rich fragrance of wine slipped out of the half-open door.

The neon lights flashed past the car window, contrasting with the trees on both sides of the road, forming a beautiful overlapping shadow.

There was a distance from the villa to Qian Yue’s house, but Zhou Yanshen’s anticipation did not diminish at all.

He got out of the car in the parking lot and took the elevator to her floor. In the silence, he pressed the doorbell.

...

“Who is this?” Qian Yue asked.

No one replied.

She raised her guard and looked out through the peephole. When she met that familiar face, she opened the door almost without hesitation.

“Qian Yue.” Zhou Yanshen went forward and hugged her, overwhelming her with the smell of alcohol.

His voice was very low. “I miss you.”

“How much did you drink?” Qian Yue closed the door and helped him into the living room calmly.

“I don’t remember.” When he approached the sofa, Zhou Yanshen stopped in his tracks and pretended to fall while pulling her to lie down with him.

Their eyes met, and his breathing became even more rapid.

He held her waist and stared at the face that he had wanted to see for a long time but could not. “Qian Yue, I miss you very much.”

“You said it.” Qian Yue blushed at the smell of alcohol. She was clearly not drunk, but she looked like she was drunk.

She avoided eye contact and tried to break free from the restraint around her waist. “Mr. Zhou, let go of me first.”

“I don’t want to.”

“You’re making me uncomfortable.”

Zhou Yanshen softened his grip slightly, but the difference in strength between a man and a woman still made it difficult for her to break free.

He pinched her chin. “Look at me.”