Chapter 12

The night had fallen, and darkness blanketed the sky. A bright moon hung in the vast black canvas, casting a faint glow, while the earth was draped in a thin veil of mist. The gathering was coming to an end, and people began to leave one after another, leaving only a few behind in the KTV private room. "I'll go settle the bill first," He Junming stood up and left. "What about him?" Yu Fei gestured with her chin toward Gu Helin, who was completely drunk. He had drunk a lot that night—both liquor and beer—taking shots meant for Lin Shizhao and ultimately getting himself wasted. "I've already called a cab," Lin Shizhao said worriedly as she looked at Gu Helin, feeling a bit guilty. "I’ll help you take him downstairs. You won’t be able to manage alone." "Alright." The two delicate girls used all their strength to drag Gu Helin along. His strong arms rested on their shoulders, one on each side. For the two slender girls, the weight of the young man was no small burden. His skin was fair, and his sharp facial features were tensed with a frown. His head tilted slightly toward Lin Shizhao as he walked unsteadily. The private room was on the third floor, and it took them more than five minutes to make their way down. Once they reached the ground floor, the cab hadn’t arrived yet, so they had to wait a little longer. Lin Shizhao continued supporting Gu Helin. "I'm exhausted. Why is he so heavy?" Yu Fei wiped the sweat off her forehead with a tissue, grumbling as she did. She even lightly kicked Gu Helin. Seeing Yu Fei’s playful demeanor, Lin Shizhao couldn’t help but smile, her eyes curving into crescent moons. "Gu the genius won’t even know who did it when he wakes up," Yu Fei covered her mouth and giggled. "You little troublemaker." Finally, the cab arrived. The driver got out to help them stuff Gu Helin into the car. "Thank you, sir. Sorry for the trouble," Lin Shizhao politely expressed her gratitude. "It’s no problem, young lady. Get in," the friendly driver responded warmly. Lin Shizhao waved at Yu Fei before getting into the cab. Gu Helin leaned against her shoulder, his cheeks slightly flushed—he was definitely drunk. He slept peacefully, clutching Lin Shizhao’s small hand tightly with one of his, while his other hand rested on her abdomen. He was heavy, making it hard for Lin Shizhao to breathe, let alone move. She tried to struggle free, but the more she moved, the tighter his grip became. In the end, she had no choice but to give up. When they arrived, the driver had to help her again. Lin Shizhao felt embarrassed and kept thanking him as he left, shaking his head with a smile. With exhausted steps, she supported Gu Helin all the way up to the second floor. After finally getting him onto the bed, she took off his shoes and lifted his dangling legs onto the mattress. Then, she collapsed beside him, her chest rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath. Gu Helin suddenly turned over and draped his arm around her waist. A wave of electricity shot through Lin Shizhao, making her hair stand on end. Her heartbeat raced wildly. She stared up at the ceiling before slowly turning her head toward him. At that moment, Gu Helin’s eyes suddenly opened, locking onto hers. His sharp, well-defined features remained stunningly handsome. His eyes were incredibly clear, and his long eyelashes stood out distinctly. For a few seconds, they simply stared at each other, so close that even the fine hairs on their faces were visible. Instinctively, Lin Shizhao sprang up and turned her back to him. "I-I’ll go get you some water," she stammered before quickly fleeing the room. How embarrassing! Why did he have to wake up at that exact moment? Could he have been pretending? The scene of their eye contact kept replaying in her mind, making her wish she could find a hole to crawl into. Meanwhile, Gu Helin lay sprawled out on the bed, watching her retreating figure. He couldn’t stop the corners of his lips from curling into a smile.