TIMO - Chapter 33
Chapter 33
As expected, Shi Nan won their bet.
Although Fu Zhao had the advantage in terms of musical style, she couldn't compete with Shi Nan's move of "kissing her cheek and showing off their affection."
It was as if the whole world loved to ship a couple.
Moreover, Fu Zhao's "three days and three nights" incident had already dominated the headlines of major media outlets. Everyone who had seen the news was already looking forward to her fiancée Shi Nan's debut. Coupled with Shi Nan's latest move, almost every spectator who watched the performance was completely smitten that night.
Including Jiang Wenqing and Ye Er, two high school students who were supposed to be studying hard.
Including Kong Weiyan, a key figure in the arts who had just finished a major battle.
Including Fu Wanqing, a workaholic.
They nearly carried the two of them straight to the Registration Office.
Unfortunately, the Registration Office wasn't open so late, otherwise they would have registered that very night while the feeling was strong-those were Kong Weiyan's exact words, no exaggeration needed, they were already dramatic enough.
Fu Zhao felt a bit helpless, but more than that, after the performance ended, after the cheers died down, and after the atmosphere-fueled emotions subsided, she didn't know how to face a quieted Shi Nan.
Perhaps it was because she cared a lot about that bet.
Perhaps it was because Shi Nan had kissed her cheek, and she was at a loss.
In her original world, it was actually quite normal for girls to kiss each other on the cheek.
It's very normal-she advised herself.
It was just a kiss on the cheek. The day they performed artificial respiration, they had already been very close.
Both were out of necessity. The artificial respiration was to save a life... and the kiss on the cheek was just so Shi Nan could win the bet.
Yes, it must have been out of necessity as well.
The stake was a wish.
Fu Zhao now owed Shi Nan a wish.
Fu Zhao couldn't relax, wondering when Shi Nan would finally tell her what it was. But even after the closing ceremony ended and they went to Jiang Wenqing's house to finish a whole table of seafood, Shi Nan never mentioned it.
It was as if she had forgotten about it, or as if she was deliberately keeping her in suspense.
"Shi Nan..."
She couldn't help but call out. Shi Nan turned her head to look at her, and the gazes of everyone else at the table followed, staring at the two of them without blinking.
"What is it?" Shi Nan looked at her and smiled, putting down the wine glass in her hand. She propped her chin on her hand, resting her elbow on the table, her eyes glittering under the warm yellow pendant light above.
Perhaps because she had had a little to drink, her fair, clear skin was tinged with pink. Her eyes seemed moister, giving them a dewy, glistening quality.
She had casually put her hair up before dinner, tying it into a soft, fluffy bun at the back of her head. A few fine strands had escaped, falling beside her neck, near her ear, and along her jawline.
She was still wearing her performance outfit-a white shirt and a denim skirt. Perhaps feeling a bit warm from the alcohol, she had undone another button, revealing her long, slender white neck and the alluring lines of her collarbones.
Her whole being was a translucent white, yet stained with the red of wine.
A pair of moist eyes just looked at her, the corners of her mouth naturally turned up in a slight smile. Her lips were touched with a watery sheen, their luster tempting. When she spoke, her red lips parted slightly, revealing the pearly white teeth within.
Red lips, white teeth, a smile as lovely as a flower.
Alluring yet pure.
Fu Zhao only glanced once, yet it felt as if she had meticulously seen every part of Shi Nan, countless chaotic thoughts flashing through her mind. She subconsciously clenched her fingers, feeling uncomfortable with the gazes directed at her, and also... displeased with the thoughts in her own head.
There were too many people right now. It wasn't a good idea to ask about the "wish" in front of so many people.
So, she lowered her eyes to compose herself, pushed the wine glass in front of Shi Nan over to her own side, and spoke after a moment of silence, "Doctor Liu said you can't drink this much recently."
"Pfft-"
Shi Nan let out a soft laugh, the corners of her eyes crinkling. Her expression was one of visible delight.
But before Shi Nan could respond, Kong Weiyan, who was happily drinking on the other side, let out a "tsk" and began to imitate her vividly, "Wifey~~ you can't drink so much lately~~"
"Wifey~~ let's go home."
She even added the term "Wifey," which Fu Zhao had never used, and the subsequent sentence, which Fu Zhao had never said.
And so, the others joined in the teasing, mimicking Kong Weiyan's tone, calling out "Wifey" one after another on Fu Zhao's behalf.
Laughter and chatter filled the air.
Even Fu Wanqing couldn't stop laughing, calling out "Nannan" repeatedly. It was clear she was very fond of Shi Nan.
"Okay, I'll listen to you," Shi Nan said softly, continuing to prop her chin and look at her. The light in her eyes flickered slightly, her smile brilliant.
"Looks like our Zhaozhao's three days and three nights of kneeling were for nothing. She was even thinking of breaking off the engagement before..." Fu Wanqing raised an eyebrow, her tone leisurely. "Shouldn't you be thanking your mother now? Hmm?"
"Hey! Speaking of which..." Kong Weiyan leaned in again, her tone exaggerated yet tinged with a hint of complaint. "I wasn't here when Fu Zhao knelt for three days and three nights. Is it true? Did she really kneel for three days and three nights?"
"It's true!!" Jiang Wenqing was the first to raise her hand, speaking triumphantly. "So many media outlets reported it, it's definitely true!!"
"The media doesn't count," Ye Er said calmly, taking a sip of his drink and naturally joining the conversation. "Who knows if the media exaggerated things. For example, whether it was really three days and three nights, nobody knows."
"Exactly!" Kong Weiyan tsked again. "What I mean is, besides the media and the people involved, did anyone else actually witness these three days and three nights?"
"Who else but our Island Master herself," Jiang Wenqing's mother chimed in. She was close with Fu Wanqing and didn't bother with titles, simply tugging on Fu Wanqing's sleeve. "Wanqing! You tell us, did Zhaozhao really kneel for three days and three nights back then?"
Fu Wanqing took a sip of wine, glanced impassively at Fu Zhao, who had long since covered her face and fallen silent, cleared her throat, and said succinctly, "Yes."
"At that time, I..."
And so, the original host's "three days and three nights" were brought up and shared once again, just like something Fu Zhao had heard about before: the scene at New Year's when parents share their children's embarrassing stories with a big table of relatives.
As for Shi Nan, perhaps because she was a little drunk, she didn't immediately object. She just watched with smiling eyes as the others shouted with increasing glee, looking as if she was graciously accepting their jokes.
Unlike Fu Zhao, who clutched the hem of her clothes and stammered out an explanation, only to be immediately drowned out by the others' jests.
Of everyone present, it seemed she was the only one who hadn't been drinking.
Listening to all this drunken talk while sober was not a pleasant feeling.
But even though she hadn't had any alcohol, her face flushed and her heart pounded, as if she were drunk.
She glanced at the flushed faces of the drinkers, listening to their heated discussion about her "three days and three nights." She closed her eyes and covered her ears, adopting a posture of not listening and not looking.
They're just high from shipping us.
It has nothing to do with the actual people involved.
She accurately applied a phrase she had seen before to this situation.
She shouldn't let the words of these drunks get to her, making her blush and her heart race, making her feel as hot as if she were sitting in a furnace.
She hadn't touched a drop of alcohol tonight, yet she felt as if she were drunk. Amidst everyone's laughter and joy, under Shi Nan's lingering gaze as she rested her chin on her hand, she was experiencing a physiological reaction akin to one caused by alcohol.
Heat spread through her, her head felt dizzy, and her heart pounded like a drum.
Until a weight settled on her shoulder, until her nose was filled with a light fragrance tinged with alcohol, until a few light strands of hair brushed against her neck, until the head resting on her shoulder shifted slightly.
All her previous natural physical reactions were nothing compared to this.
In that instant, her mind seemed to explode into a blank void, with only a "buzzing" sound circling around her.
The cheers from the others had clearly grown more intense with this action.
But to her ears, it was as if the world had fallen silent, leaving only the clamor of the wind-no, it was Shi Nan's soft breathing.
Yet it was like the wind, very clamorous, occupying all of her auditory attention.
The fragrant, mellow scent that filled her nose occupied all of her olfactory attention.
The spot on her shoulder, soft and warm, moved from time to time, along with the strands of hair that lightly fell into the hollow of her shoulder, as if adjusting for the most comfortable position, occupying all of her tactile attention.
And her vision?
She clearly wasn't looking at Shi Nan, just staring blankly ahead, yet all her attention was still focused on Shi Nan in her peripheral vision-her skin soft and delicate, the top of her head fluffy, her forehead smooth and full.
All of her senses had gone rogue, completely focused on Shi Nan alone.
"Can I lean on you for a bit?"
A voice, soft and accompanied by breathing, drifted over. It was gentle and carried a hint of a coquettish tone unique to being tipsy. Perhaps because she had been stunned for too long, the person on her shoulder didn't get a response and asked again,
"Just for a little while, okay? Hmm?"
"Okay."
That single word "okay" seemed to exhaust all her rationality. The voice that came out was dry and hoarse.
But she clearly hadn't been drinking.
Yet she had lost all her reason, lost all her senses.
Shi Nan just leaned gently on her shoulder, her breathing light and gradually evening out.
Fu Zhao remained stiff and straight, her back tense, her lips pressed into a thin line, until everyone had left, until the others, drunk and staggering, had been sent home, until Jiang Wenqing's mother handed her the keys and asked her to lock up later.
She was still in a daze.
This daze came from the person leaning on her shoulder.
Shi Nan didn't know how long she had slept.
But it had been a long time since she'd had a drink. Tonight, after all, was the successful performance of a closing ceremony act they had prepared for a long time. She couldn't help but get swept up in everyone's happiness, but just a little bit of alcohol made her head spin.
So she slept for a while, leaning on Fu Zhao's shoulder.
When she opened her eyes, everyone else was gone, and the table was a mess.
The silence after a carnival is the loneliest.
But she didn't feel that way, probably because the first thing she saw when she woke up was Fu Zhao.
She moved her head but still didn't want to sit up on her own, so she just kept leaning there, her eyes half-closed, wanting to nap a little longer. After all, she wouldn't find such a suitable pillow once she got back.
As if sensing she was awake, Fu Zhao also moved cautiously, sneaking a peek in her direction.
With her eyes half-closed, everything in her field of vision became hazy.
Including Fu Zhao.
Her whole face was blurry, illuminated by the warm light from above. When she looked over, it was as if she were seeing through a soft-focus filter.
Her eyes glittered and flickered, just like the little deer eyes she used to like.
Her lips were a little red and still moist, probably from drinking water just now.
But in the haze, they looked as if they had just been kissed.
At this thought, Shi Nan couldn't help but curve her lips into a smile. Who would have kissed her? It couldn't possibly be her, right?
"You're awake?"
A gentle, pleasant voice came over, like the clearest spring water on a mountaintop, or the coolest breeze on a summer night.
"Mmm~~ but I want to lean a little longer~~" Shi Nan said lazily, still refusing to let go of Fu Zhao.
Fu Zhao fell silent, her breathing becoming much lighter. She spoke again after a moment, her body tensing up once more. "Just now... they were drunk and made a lot of inappropriate jokes. I apologize to you on their behalf."
She was referring to them calling her "Wifey."
But Shi Nan didn't think it was an "inappropriate joke." Hearing Fu Zhao's "proper" apology made her a little unhappy again. She hummed in acknowledgment, "I didn't mind."
"...That's good."
Fu Zhao replied with that and then fell silent again, not saying anything more, seemingly waiting for her to sober up so they could go back together.
Shi Nan grew a little impatient and huffed through her nose. "Why don't you ask what my wish is?"
Fu Zhao was truly a bit dense. After Shi Nan said this, she dazedly repeated, "Then what is your wish?"
Shi Nan couldn't help but laugh again, her tone light and cheerful. "Mmm~~ I'm not telling you."
"You're not telling me?"
Fu Zhao asked back, unable to resist looking at Shi Nan, who was leaning on her shoulder, her expression puzzled. "Then how am I supposed to grant this wish for you?"
"You'll know when the time comes." Shi Nan was being mysterious. She smiled and lazily nuzzled Fu Zhao's shoulder, a light flashing in her eyes. "If I told you now, you definitely wouldn't agree."
Fu Zhao was at a loss for words for a moment before she finally said, "I'm not someone who goes back on their word."
"Mmm, I know."
Shi Nan responded quickly, her voice softening. "But I still want to bring it up at the right time. Perhaps it won't be so difficult for you to grant it then."
Fu Zhao couldn't understand why Shi Nan was being so mysterious at this moment, but she also had a faint feeling that something was off.
But she also knew that no matter how much she asked now, she wouldn't get an answer.
She deftly changed the subject. "Then I'll walk you home."
"It's already very late." She raised her wrist to look at her watch, only to see that the real-time pulse monitor on it was already off. She could only lower her hand again, a bit unnaturally. "It's now one-fourteen in the morning."
Almost the second she lowered her hand, the person on her shoulder lifted her head.
The weight on her shoulder suddenly vanished, and a sense of emptiness spread from that spot, accurately transmitting itself to her heart, which then skipped a beat.
"Alright then-"
She started to say as she stood up, but she immediately froze, her words stopping halfway.
Because of the soft touch she had felt in her palm just a second ago.
Almost in a flash, her hand was taken, followed by fingertips touching and palms pressing together.
Shi Nan had taken her hand again, not her wrist.
Fu Zhao realized this fact, turned back to look at Shi Nan, and asked her, "What's wrong?"
Shi Nan pouted and tickled her palm, but still didn't let go. "Because you're wearing a watch on your wrist, I can only hold your hand."
Did that make sense?
It made sense. Because Shi Nan was drunk.
Fu Zhao told herself this, taking a deep breath to calm down. "Let's go."
She tried to pull the person sitting in the chair up, but she didn't know where Shi Nan got such strength from. She was suddenly pulled back down into her seat.
The distance closed, her hand held in a warm, soft palm, shoulder to shoulder.
Their breaths drew near, a faint scent of alcohol and a light fragrance, breath entwining with breath.
It was too close.
So close that her gaze had nowhere to escape, so close that her heart began to slowly accelerate again. She met Shi Nan's approaching gaze. Her eyes were dewy, her curled lashes lifting slightly. Shi Nan leaned in very close, staring straight into her eyes, her voice soft, the corners of her eyes curved with a smile, with a hint of slyness.
"Can you take me for a ride on your bike, my future..."
She paused deliberately, blinked, and called out softly, her tone both playful and tender,
"Wifey~"
Author's Notes
She called her Wifey, even if it's a future one.
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