Chapter 30: A Bittersweet Choice

As soon as she got home and opened the door, Li Xingya frowned.

‘What a strong smell of alcohol.’

Li Xingya looked at the table first.

There, she saw several empty bottles of foreign liquor.

The brands were still unfamiliar to her.

Besides that, there was the yellow sticky note left behind yesterday before leaving.

Compared to yesterday, an extra line of text now appeared at the bottom of the note.

[Don’t you worry about me]

Li Xingya took the sticky note in her hand and quietly looked at it for a few seconds.

Crinkle, the flat note was crumpled into a ball in her palm.

Li Xingya expressionlessly threw it into the trash.

‘Tsk.’

‘Is she still throwing a tantrum at me?’

‘Last night she transferred me money, and after school she replied to messages instantly.’

‘I thought she had already cooled down.’

‘So troublesome.’

‘Anyone would think I owed you in a past life!’

Li Xingya sighed.

Arriving at the kitchen, she opened the fridge and looked at the oddly shaped sandwiches inside.

She recalled that Jiang Chiyue’s favorite during this period should be… this avocado-flavored one.

‘What does avocado taste like?’

Li Xingya looked at the sandwich in her hand, curious.

She had never eaten avocado.

Before microwaving the sandwich to heat it up for Jiang Chiyue, she tore open the packaging in advance.

“Just one bite to taste.”

Li Xingya murmured.

“Jiang Chiyue probably won’t mind.”

‘After all, she likes “me” so much.’

‘She’d probably be happy to have indirect kisses a few more times.’

Li Xingya opened her mouth and took a small bite of the sandwich.

‘It’s slippery.’

‘No distinctive taste.’

Not exactly delicious, but not terrible either.

Of course, that was for Li Xingya, seeing as she could eat anything.

After confirming the taste of avocado, she brought the sandwich to Jiang Chiyue’s door.

Knock knock.

She knocked on the door, but got no response.

“I’m coming in.”

Li Xingya pushed the door open, and immediately a sour, pungent smell hit her.

“Ugh.”

Li Xingya disgustedly fanned the air in front of her nose with her right hand.

She even instinctively took a step back out of the room.

‘So disgusting.’

‘The alcohol smell in the room is even worse.’

‘How much did this girl drink today?’

From Lin Jin’an, Li Xingya already knew that Jiang Chiyue drank at night, but seeing this, it could only be explained as alcoholism.

Jiang Chiyue in the room had completely lost her young mistress airs.

Her upper body was draped over the bed, her lower body kneeling on the floor.

A round wine glass nearby had tipped over, spilling alcohol and dirtying the entire bedsheet.

Her phone was thrown far to the other side of the bed, the screen still lit.

Li Xingya leaned in to take a look.

[Sister, are you home?]

[I’m home.]

It was the content of their earlier chat.

‘This… she replied to my message while still barely conscious?’

Li Xingya turned around and looked at the disheveled Jiang Chiyue.

‘Maybe I should just leave her alone.’

‘Taking care of a drunk is such a hassle.’

Li Xingya thought for a moment, then finally stepped forward and, using both hands, barely managed to pull Jiang Chiyue up.

She had a soft heart.

‘Poor little thing.’

‘She probably still refuses to accept the reality that I’m not the “Li Xingya” she knew.’

‘But sorry.’

‘I’m not going to indulge you on this. If you want to reminisce about your white moonlight, go ahead.’

Li Xingya grumbled about Jiang Chiyue in her head.

While talking, she carried Jiang Chiyue to her own room.

‘So heavy.’

It was only a few steps away.

But when Li Xingya dropped Jiang Chiyue onto her own bed, she actually started sweating on her forehead.

Even her heartbeat was speeding up.

“Whew, okay.”

Li Xingya stood by the bed, looking at Jiang Chiyue lying on the bed, and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

“Next, I just need to wash the sheets and stuff… I hope the washing machine at Jiang Chiyue’s house isn’t too complicated.”

She turned and was about to leave, but the previously asleep Jiang Chiyue suddenly grabbed her hand.

“Don’t go.”

Li Xingya turned back.

Jiang Chiyue was lying on her side, slightly opening her eyes.

“Li Xingya… sister… don’t go.”

Jiang Chiyue’s voice sounded as if she was about to cry.

As for Li Xingya, the corner of her eye twitched.

‘Ah.’

‘The drunk is starting to go crazy.’

‘Can someone please save me?’

Li Xingya showed no sympathy for Jiang Chiyue’s behavior.

She just felt that things had become even more troublesome.

For people going crazy drunk, there are usually two ways to handle them.

‘One is to subdue them with force.’

‘Two is to go along with them as much as possible.’

Li Xingya had no physical strength.

What she could do was calm the other down before Jiang Chiyue started making a scene.

“Yueyue.”

Even though Li Xingya was already very tired, she still forced a smile.

‘Forget it. No point getting angry at a childish brat. I’ll just treat it as overtime.’

“Yueyue drank so much alcohol, you must be feeling really terrible now.”

“Mm.”

Jiang Chiyue let out a muffled nasal sound and grabbed Li Xingya’s right hand with both of hers.

Seeing that the other wouldn’t let go, Li Xingya took the opportunity to sit down on the edge of the bed.

“Want to eat a sandwich?”

She shook the avocado sandwich in her hand.

“I don’t want to eat a sandwich.”

Jiang Chiyue puffed out her cheeks.

“Then do you want to eat something else?”

“No.”

Jiang Chiyue shook her head.

“I just want Sister to stay with me.”

‘Ha.’

‘The worst possible answer appeared.’

Li Xingya squinted, trying hard to hide her impatient expression.

“You’re not being good.”

She pulled her right hand free and gently pressed it on Jiang Chiyue’s lower abdomen, slowly stroking in a clockwise motion.

“Yueyue hasn’t had dinner yet, right?”

“…No.”

Jiang Chiyue half-closed her eyes, enjoying Li Xingya’s gentle touch.

“Tell me, what do you want for dinner? Sister will make it for you later.”

Jiang Chiyue suddenly smiled.

“Liar, Sister obviously can’t cook.”

Li Xingya: “…”

‘She’s drunk, yet she’s unexpectedly clear-headed in this aspect.’

Li Xingya used her free left hand to poke Jiang Chiyue’s nose.

“Drunk people aren’t allowed to say things like that.”

“Why?”

“No reason. Are you going to disobey Sister?”

Li Xingya withdrew her left hand and placed it on her hip.

Jiang Chiyue nodded.

“I’ll obey.”

“Then what do you want to eat tonight?”

“Just have some congee… Sister, congee is fine.”

“Okay.”

Li Xingya smiled.

“Then you sleep a little longer. I’ll call you when the congee is ready.”

Li Xingya watched Jiang Chiyue close her eyes again.

Her anxious heart finally relaxed.

‘I’m only sixteen.’

‘Why do I have to take care of a twenty-year-old drunk?’

‘I might as well find a time to throw away all the alcohol in the house.’

Li Xingya’s nose tingled, and she felt like crying.

She tried to walk lightly out of the room, then took out her phone and opened a food delivery app.

“Sister Li Xingya” couldn’t cook.

But this Li Xingya knew how to order delivery.

‘She wants congee.’

‘But does Jiang Chiyue prefer sweet congee or savory congee?’

‘I can eat both sweet and savory myself.’

‘Forget it, I’ll order one of each.’

Li Xingya ordered a serving of cabbage and lean meat congee, and a serving of white fungus, lotus seed, and lily bulb soup, and also two salted duck eggs.

After using the discount coupon, the total was 27 yuan.

After paying, Li Xingya rubbed her temples and took a big bite of the remaining avocado sandwich.

Next—she still had to clean up Jiang Chiyue’s room.

‘Woo.’

‘Suddenly I feel so unlucky.’