WangXian Forever Book 10

Chapter 26: Drunk

Predictably, Lan Zhan immediately passes out.

Wei Ying manages to catch him in his arms, and he sighs, hoping Lan Zhan won't be too difficult to handle today. However, there is no way to guarantee his behaviour.

Jiang Cheng pours more liquor in their cups, eyeing the younger Jade with trepidation.

"You know what happened the last time he got drunk-"

"I know."

"He disfigured their wall of rules-"

"How do YOU know about that?"

"Everyone knows! But no one is talking about it. Not to mention Old man Lan's hair issues-"

"I KNOW."

"And I heard from those who witnessed it, about him going skinny dipping in their fountain-"

"Okay, Jiang Cheng! When's the last time you got drunk? Huh? How about we have a drinking game just by ourselves? Bet you won't last three jars!" Wei Ying glares at him, annoyed with him for calling Lan Zhan out on something he couldn't control.

"Alright, we're on." Jiang Cheng signals a servant to come and deliver the necessary jars.

Eight in all, four each.

"I should really tell Huaisang we're gonna be late," Wei Ying says, without any remorse.

"Yeah, because he tells you everything," Jiang Cheng remarks snarkily, pushing the cups out of the way. "So how do you wanna do this?"

"I want us to talk, just the two of us. Every time we say something honest, or hard to get, we drink. Easy." Wei Ying cautiously glances back at him.

He'd be the first one to shy away from any kind of emotional flaying, an opening of wounds that should be addressed rather than left to fester and be infected with regret. There's so much between them, two lifetimes of pain and suffering wrapped up in a brotherhood of love and mutual loss. There was a time when they only had each other, and now the loss of their sister is a gaping hole, a missing chasm of her presence here in the empty seat across from them.

They both pour wine into a separate cup and put it there, commemorating her memory.

"I guess if we've got to do this, then drinking is the best way." Jiang Cheng says bitterly, wondering which was worse; doing the taxes or this. He hadn't thought the day would go like this. "Just the two of us?" He eyes Lan Zhan's sleeping form doubtfully.

"Yeah. I can handle him," Wei Ying beams, and turns his attention to his husband, who is just beginning to stir. He raises his free arm to show Jiang Cheng his arm, clenching his fist. "My muscles might be babies, but I'm just as strong as he is." He kisses the tiny bump of his own bicep hidden under layers of blue robes.

Jiang Cheng opens his first jar and takes a long, deep swallow. The faster he gets drunk, the better this will be. Maybe Wei Ying has the right idea; this will be easier all round if they're plastered. The wine goes down smoothly, a sweet and sour tang with a fleeting kick, a buzz that evaporates because of his golden core.

But it's not really his, is it?

His face twists in a bitter scowl and he finishes his first jar. Wei Ying's alcohol tolerance before, in his original body, was legendary. It's time to test out just how good it is.

"You promised to stay by my side," he accuses.

Wei Ying flicks off the stopper from his first jar and drinks at least half of it down. If they're going straight into it, there's no way he's doing it sober.