Running away from the Love-Brain

Red Birthmark

Q: Who kissed first?

A: Of course, it was Cui Xijin who kissed first. Why suddenly call out her full name? It's simply to show that I take this matter very seriously—Chi Buyu.

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Cui Xijin has always firmly believed that the possibility of a drunken encounter like this is zero.

But she truly couldn't explain the current situation.

The moment a dim beam of light seeped through her eyelids, she was startled awake by the light sensitivity. Blinking her lashes, she realized a soft fabric was draped over her face.

It made the tip of her nose itch.

She raised her hand to cover her splitting forehead, touching the soft fabric, and in an instant, nightmarish images swarmed in, as if directly splashed onto her retina, making them unavoidable—

"Can I kiss you after the magic trick is done?"

Her expression shifted slightly as she suddenly yanked the fabric off her face.

The light was several degrees brighter than before, and suddenly, the world turned chaotic, a blur of black and white. She squinted her eyes and saw a cluttered, cramped space, furrowing her brow involuntarily.

Against the wall stood a wardrobe stuffed with various fabrics piled in layers. A tightly drawn berry-red curtain was beside a creamy-white sewing machine, and a large brown workbench held an unopened iron.

In the corner stood two white plastic mannequins, headless and cut off below the neck.

On one of the headless mannequins, various winter garments were draped in disarray. She could recognize a few items as hers, while others were...

Looking down, she saw a small bundle of clothing pinched in her palm.

What is this? How did it end up covering her face?

She frowned, pinching one corner with her index finger. As it unfolded under gravity, she revealed a white camisole, thin and scraggly.

It was clearly not hers.

Her alcohol-fogged brain managed to draw this conclusion, yet it could not face the current chaotic situation to provide any further direction.

As expected, the alcohol had invaded her respiratory system; her throat felt distinctly uncomfortable.

Her memories were hazy, and trying to recall them gave her a splitting headache.

Her muscles ached, and even a slight turn of her head felt like her back was about to snap.

It was a clear case of a hangover.

Then, she looked down again and spotted a fuzzy brown-haired head nestled under her neck—

It was Chi Buyu. She was only wearing an oversized T-shirt, her arms wrapped around Cui Xijin's waist, her forehead pressed against her chin, her head resting on her arm, and her legs sprawled in a tangle over Cui Xijin's.

Her slightly curled long hair was all over the place.

It was messy and tangled against her neck and chest, even threatening to poke into every inch of her skin.

At that moment, she genuinely felt itchy.

But...

She impatiently shut her eyes, realizing she had maintained this awkward position for over ten minutes since she opened them, yet hadn't moved her hand to push aside the hair that was almost poking into her ear.