護花近衛 - 第625章 借酒澆愁 - 翰墨軒

It seemed all these years of tempering had come to nothing. And then there was Wei Zhao, still wearing that same faint expression, as though he did not even recognize him. Chen Yuxuan could not help but sigh: the gap between them was one he would never close.

Shen Yushu too found her brother's attitude toward Wei Zhao rather strange. Why did it look as though there was no hostility in it at all? Was Shield Bro so far beneath notice that her brother could not muster any hostility, or so formidable that he dared not?

Once they were seated, An Liwen told the waiter to begin serving the dishes, and ordered a good many bottles of red wine as well.

The food had all been prepared in advance, the ingredients already seasoned, so the moment Gu Mengyao and the others arrived it could be brought swiftly to the table — it would not take long at all.

"Brother Yutian, since we parted that day, I never imagined you would already be a major — and we have all grown up too!" As the host of today's banquet, An Liwen naturally raised the first glass. "In the blink of an eye, we are all to have families and careers of our own. I find myself longing for those carefree days!"

"Heh, people must grow up sooner or later!" Chen Yuxuan lifted his glass as well and spoke mildly, though a hint of bitterness stirred in his heart. If not for Qiu Lingshan, he would never have set foot on the right path, would he? Would he have gone on being a profligate young master to the very end?

Chen Yuxuan would never forget the contempt in Qiu Lingshan's eyes back then, that loathing from the bottom of her heart for a spoiled rich boy — and that was precisely what had roused him to pull himself together. Yet he had never managed to overtake Qiu Lingshan. However hard he tried, he had started too late; he lacked her foundation, and so no amount of chasing could ever close the distance.

What struck Wei Zhao as strange was that Gu Mengyao raised her glass as well and drained it in one go!

Did the young lady not dislike An Liwen intensely? Why would she empty a whole glass of red wine at his suggestion? Wei Zhao glanced at Gu Mengyao in some surprise, and saw that her expression was utterly desolate.

Wei Zhao was momentarily taken aback, then understood at once: the young lady was still brooding over that wretched business with her mother, her spirits had not recovered, and now she was simply drinking to drown her sorrow! Wei Zhao had long since made his peace with the matter of his parents, but he supposed Gu Mengyao was not like that.

She had seen her mother as a child, whereas Wei Zhao had never seen his parents at all — two entirely different feelings. So Gu Mengyao would yearn, would grieve; and this feeling, long buried in her heart, had been dragged out by Zhong Yongliang of all people, with no way to give it vent.

It was a suffocating feeling. Without release, a person would sink into gloom — so for Gu Mengyao to drown her sorrow in wine now was, in truth, no bad solution.

And indeed that was exactly what Gu Mengyao had in mind. Had she been asked out to dine alone with An Liwen, she would never have touched a drop — who knew whether An Liwen might have designs on her once she was drunk? But with Wei Zhao at her side, she let down her guard.

She did not believe Wei Zhao would simply abandon her if she got drunk. With this shield at hand, she might as well make use of him!

Seeing Gu Mengyao drain her glass, An Liwen's eyes flashed with astonishment — which was promptly replaced by excitement! He had worried that Gu Mengyao might refuse out of pride and not drink at all; and then he could hardly drink much himself, and without a good deal of drink, the drunk-confession scheme could not proceed.