Chapter 3998 — Drunk by the Bear
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
This cheap woman! Xu Lingchong was so enraged his teeth ached. Before Wei Zhao appeared, Shangguan Lan'er had at times shown a young lady's temper, yet in his eyes the flaw could not conceal the virtue. But now, seeing her in league with Wei Zhao, the more he looked at her the more she seemed to him a slut any man might bed—a fine pair of dogs in heat!
"Yes, yes—Junior Sister Lan'er is heaven's favored daughter; not just anyone may give her face," Xu Lingchong said, nodding and smiling in apology, while the corner of his mouth unconsciously curved into a strange little arc. Say what you will—so long as you drink this cup, what comes after will not be for you to decide.
Shangguan Lan'er gave a delicate snort, too impatient to waste more words on Xu Lingchong, and at once tilted back her head to drink it down. It was, after all, specially brewed spiritual wine, and she had drunk no small amount of it since childhood; a few cups would be no trouble at all.
Watching from the side, Wei Zhao felt a trace of hidden worry. Xu Lingchong's conduct plainly stank of a trick, and if he was not mistaken, the spiritual wine must have been laced. With Wei Zhao's own strength and resolve, he did not much fear it for himself—but with Shangguan Lan'er it was another matter entirely.
Yet just as Xu Lingchong's scheme seemed on the verge of succeeding, Little Curly Bear beside them suddenly leapt onto Shangguan Lan'er, and while no one was watching, licked the cup clean in a single lap.
"Xiaobai, you little tippler!" Shangguan Lan'er was caught between laughter and tears.
Surprising as the sight was, it was also only to be expected. Sneaking spiritual wine was no once-or-twice affair for Little Curly Bear; in truth, the creature had shown drunken potential from a young age. Ever since one time it had tumbled into a wine vat and fallen into a stupor of drunken oblivion, the little thing had stolen wine upon every encounter, never once letting the chance slip by—and the present opportunity was naturally no exception.
At this Xu Lingchong was struck dumb. The spiritual wine he had schemed by a thousand devices to make Shangguan Lan'er drink had, in the blink of an eye, gone into the belly of that beast Little Curly Bear. Damn it—what sort of nonsense was this?
"There. Xiaobai has now drunk in this young lady's stead, so you have no more business here, have you? Now hurry up and clear the way for me!" Shangguan Lan'er lifted her chin at Xu Lingchong.
"This... this cannot count, surely?" Xu Lingchong hastily poured another cup, wanting to make Shangguan Lan'er drink it, but alas, the young miss did not even favor him with a glance; she simply called Wei Zhao along, stepped around him, and went upstairs.
Hell! Xu Lingchong could only vent his gloom with a curse. Had they not been in such a public setting, he would at this moment have been tempted even to force the wine down Shangguan Lan'er's throat. Though this plan had been conceived on the spur of the moment, whether it could be carried off smoothly bore upon his grand future prospects—not the slightest mishap could be permitted!
Yet Shangguan Lan'er had already led Wei Zhao upstairs. However much Xu Lingchong stamped his feet in dismay, it was now all in vain. At such a moment, if he forcibly followed and pressed Shangguan Lan'er to drink, it would be far too deliberate and conspicuous; he feared everyone present would begin to suspect his motives.
Watching the retreating figures of Shangguan Lan'er and Wei Zhao as they ascended hand in hand, Xu Lingchong spat in hatred. This last round of maneuvering had not, at least, been entirely fruitless: Shangguan Lan'er's side had failed, but at least he had made Wei Zhao drink that cup of laced spiritual wine. If put to good use, the follow-up plan could still proceed smoothly. R1152