My Alleged Husband

Chapter 73: Chapter 71: Dead Drunk_1

Li Haixiao eventually agreed to let Xiao Wei and Li Jiayuan be together, knowing that the person who could make his always proud and complacent daughter throw caution to the wind to love must be special. He felt that rather than destroy his daughter’s happiness for a lifetime, he might as well give them a chance to see how long the road ahead was, and with so many setbacks waiting for them, it would show how deep their feelings truly were.

When Li Haixiao got home, Li Jiayuan hadn’t returned yet; she was still at Xia Jing’s house having dinner and drinking with her. Li Haixiao initially wanted to call and ask where Li Jiayuan was, but just as he picked up his phone, he suddenly remembered he had sent her to find Xia Jing, so he put down the phone, feeling assured that Li Jiayuan was safe at Xia Jing’s house. He grabbed a newspaper and sat on the sofa waiting for Li Jiayuan to come home.

Xiao Wei could hardly believe his ears and thought, ”My goodness, this happiness came too suddenly! I never expected Jiayuan’s father to agree so easily to our being together...”

Xiao Wei pinched his own face with his hand, and a pain instantly spread across his entire face. He finally believed it wasn’t a dream; it was real!

Although he was initially happy, when he remembered the hardships Li Jiayuan had endured for him, he couldn’t muster a smile. He clearly understood that the real reason Li Haixiao agreed to let him be with Li Jiayuan was because of Li Jiayuan herself. He knew what she had done for him, and that Li Haixiao had to some extent been left with no choice. He realized that this time, Li Jiayuan had truly hurt Li Haixiao.

”Come on, let’s keep drinking. Tonight we won’t stop until we’re drunk! Cheers!” Li Jiayuan was still drinking non-stop at Xia Jing’s house, joyful and celebrating her own victory, the culmination of her training.

”Cheers!” Xia Jing knew Li Jiayuan was excited, so she didn’t stop her and let Li Jiayuan continue to drink, secretly pleased with herself.

An hour later, the dining table was littered with empty bottles. Xia Jing looked at Li Jiayuan, shook her head, and muttered to herself, ”Oh Li Jiayuan, what has gotten you so excited that you drink to this state? I wonder what Xiao Wei would think if he saw you like this...”

Li Jiayuan was dead drunk, but Xia Jing was unfazed, a testament to their differing alcohol tolerances. Xia Jing helped Li Jiayuan to her own bed to lie down and sent Xiao Wei a message, ”Xiao Wei, Li Jiayuan is here drunk and keeps crying that she wants to see you. You’d better come over!”

Upon receiving Xia Jing’s message, Xiao Wei dashed towards Xia Jing’s house as if he was flying. When he arrived, Li Jiayuan had completely lost consciousness and was passed out.

”Elder Sister Xia, where’s Jiayuan?” Xiao Wei asked as soon as he spoke up, inquiring about Li Jiayuan’s whereabouts.

With a sigh, Xia Jing said, ”What is it with young women these days, or is it the young men who can’t stay put? Oh Xiao Wei, you’re breaking your Elder Sister Xia’s heart!”

Xia Jing joked with Xiao Wei, and he laughed awkwardly, feeling somewhat inappropriate but also unable to help himself.

”Elder Sister Xia, I...”

”Alright, no need to explain anything, I was just teasing you. Now that Jiayuan is my good friend, how could I possibly be jealous of her? I was just testing you, Xiao Wei; I wanted to see your reaction!” Xia Jing knew Xiao Wei was about to explain himself and she also believed he wasn’t the type to forget his kin once he had a wife. Her earlier jest was simply a probe to gauge Xiao Wei’s response.

After seeing Xiao Wei’s reaction, Xia Jing felt no discomfort in her heart. She thought that as long as Xiao Wei was happy, that was what mattered most!

”Jiayuan is in my bedroom; she’s not going to wake up now. Go and check on her!” Xia Jing said, barely holding back a laugh.

As soon as Xiao Wei heard that he could go in to see Li Jiayuan, he rushed in.

Just as he stepped in the door, Xia Jing called out from behind him, ”Hey! Hey! Are you in such a hurry that you forget to take off your shoes when you enter the door?”

Xiao Wei became aware of his feet and felt very embarrassed.

”Elder Sister Xia, I’m so sorry, I really forgot!”

”Forget it, I understand your eagerness. Just go on in; don’t bother changing your shoes,” Xia Jing rolled her eyes at him.

When he heard Xia Jing say this, Xiao Wei didn’t hesitate and went straight inside.

”Jiayuan, why did you drink so much?” Xiao Wei asked with concern.

But Li Jiayuan, unconscious from drinking, how could she know Xiao Wei was really by her side? It was as if she heard Xiao Wei in her dreams, calling out to her, her words intermittent, ”Xiao Wei, don’t go. I’ve finally passed the training and can be with you. If you leave, what am I going to do?”

Li Jiayuan spoke and then began to cry, just like she was having a bout of alcohol-induced madness!

Xiao Wei gently stroked Li Jiayuan’s forehead, whispering into her ear, ”Fool, you are so good to me, how could I ever leave you? You’ve given up so much for me, Jiayuan, do you know? This side of you fascinates me. I long to hold you in my arms, to tell you how much I love you...”

Xia Jing stood outside the door, listening to Xiao Wei’s sweet nothings to Li Jiayuan. She slowly walked in and said to Xiao Wei, ”Can’t you be less cheesy? You’re giving me goosebumps!”

As Xiao Wei heard Xia Jing’s voice behind him, he realized she had arrived. He asked, ”Elder Sister Xia, when did you get here?”

”I’ve been here for quite a while. You were just too engrossed in yourself to notice when I came in!”

”Elder Sister Xia...”

”What, feeling shy? It’s nothing. By the way, Jiayuan’s visit today couldn’t have been so simple. Did Li Haixiao look for you?” Xia Jing really had a way of guessing right.

”Elder Sister Xia, you’re really something, able to guess like that. Maybe you should become a fortune-teller?” Xiao Wei joked with her. Their relationship had begun as superior and subordinate but had now grown more familiar, and not everything was as rigidly formal as before!

”It’s not that simple. I just felt it was odd for Jiayuan to return without calling or messaging me; I had no idea she was back. So why would she suddenly come to see me? An impromptu visit? In my opinion, her father sent her out. What could possibly make Li Haixiao send Li Jiayuan away? Except to see you!” Xia Jing analyzed methodically. It made sense to Xiao Wei. No wonder Li Haixiao suddenly wanted to meet him, without bringing Li Jiayuan along. Even so, he was delighted, after all, Li Haixiao had agreed!

”So that’s how it is. Well, no matter, he has already agreed to let Jiayuan be with me, and I even called him ’father-in-law’, hahaha!” Xiao Wei laughed joyfully.

Xia Jing was dumbfounded, thinking: What’s going on?

Xia Jing hadn’t expected not only that Li Haixiao would agree, but also that Xiao Wei had already addressed him as father-in-law. She thought to herself: It seems I need to step up my game. Zhang Zhentian’s father hasn’t allowed me to call him ’dad’ yet. There must be something I’m not doing well enough; that’s got to be it.

Xia Jing felt a strong sense of defeat. She had met with Zhang Zhentian’s father so many times and had yet to call him ’dad’, whereas Xiao Wei had managed to do so in such a short time?

The more Xia Jing thought about it, the more out of balance she felt. She too wanted to call someone ’dad’ soon!

As she mulled it over, shaking her head from time to time, Xiao Wei saw the worry on her face and couldn’t help asking, ”Elder Sister Xia, what’s wrong? Why the long face?”

Xiao Wei might have been better off not asking, for Xia Jing’s mood only soured further. She replied, ”I’m feeling imbalanced...”

When Xiao Wei heard this response, he had a good idea of why Xia Jing felt imbalanced. But there was little he could do about it. He couldn’t exactly put a knife to Old Master Zhang’s throat to make him call Xia Jing ’dad’, could he?

”Elder Sister Xia, there’s not much I can do about it; you’ll have to figure it out yourself!” Xiao Wei said helplessly.

”Xiao Wei, are you doing this on purpose?” Xia Jing looked at him with suspicion.

”How could that be? Elder Sister Xia, why would you say that? You’re hurting my feelings!” Xiao Wei made an extremely aggrieved expression.

Xia Jing knew Xiao Wei was a crybaby who would burst into tears at the slightest provocation. She quickly said, ”I was just kidding, but honestly, you and Jiayuan really are a good match because you both are — crybabies!”

After speaking, Xia Jing laughed unabashedly. Xiao Wei, feeling a blow to his dignity, told her, ”Elder Sister, stop laughing. It’s embarrassing!”

”Alright, I’ll stop.” But no sooner had Xia Jing spoken than she burst into laughter again. Xiao Wei said nothing more, turning around to walk outside.