Chapter 769: Go with the Flow

"It is of no concern." Xiliu Yuan looked calmly at Sang Zhi. "I wonder how well the Eighth Prince of Beili can hold his liquor?"

Sang Zhi replied languidly, "Try me."

"Please." Xiliu Yuan raised his cup.

Sang Zhi took the wine jug from Ye Qianning’s hand. "Cups are boring."

"Someone, bring more wine," Xiliu Yuan said coolly.

Before long, attendants from the Immortal Sea Building came upstairs, carrying jug after jug of wine.

At the banquet, everyone saw Elder Chen’s table starting a drinking competition. The other tables grew lively, and following the trend, they also began their own drinking contests.

Jug after jug of wine was delivered to the feast. At first, the guests were still rather reserved, but they soon let loose. The shouts from finger-guessing games grew louder and louder.

Though her father had forbidden her from drinking too much, Ye Qianning secretly had quite a few cups anyway.

Elder Chen hadn’t had a drink in years, but he was so happy today that he couldn’t help but indulge in a few extra cups, leaving his head groggy.

"Master, let me help you back to your room to rest."

"I’m fine, I’m fine. I’m happy today, so happy. Pangtuan... Your master is happy today." Elder Chen grasped her hand, his words slurring with drunkenness.

"Master, you’re drunk. You can’t have any more." Ye Qianning took the cup from his hand.

"No more drinking. If Pangtuan says Master can’t drink, then Master won’t drink."

"Master." Ye Qianning helped him to his feet. "I’ll take you back to your room."

"Alright."

Elder Chen wasn’t truly drunk, but his head was spinning.

Ye Qianning glanced at the few people still drinking at their table, as well as the guests in the other seats. "Luo Xuan, have the kitchen prepare more sobering soup."

"Yes."

Luo Xuan left.

After taking Elder Chen back to his room, Ye Qianning put a pill in his mouth.

"Pangtuan, your master really isn’t drunk. I’m perfectly clear-headed." Elder Chen’s face was flushed and his head was spinning, but his mind was indeed clear.

"I know."

Elder Chen gripped her hand tightly. "Pangtuan, the letter you wrote... Master saw it. And I understand. I know you probably couldn’t move... with such a severe injury... You’ve suffered so much all these years."

A thousand words couldn’t express what was in his heart, and now that the moment had arrived, he didn’t know where to begin.

"It wasn’t suffering."

’As long as someone was waiting, everything I experienced was worth it.’

"The Daoist who took you away all those years ago, was he the one who saved you?"

"Mhm."

"If he saved you, why didn’t he feed you? Why did he let you starve until you were like this?" Elder Chen’s heart ached beyond words. ℯ𝓵.

"...Actually, there was a reason for it. I didn’t get thin from starving; I just grew up." Ye Qianning never imagined that the note she’d put in a drifting bottle, the one complaining about the old Daoist, would actually wash ashore.

’She had sent so many bottles to report that she was safe, yet the one about being starved was the one to reach their hands.’

"There’s a limit to how much you can change just by growing up. You’re all skin and bones, with barely any flesh left on you," Elder Chen said, wiping his eyes.

"Master, please don’t cry. I’m not that skinny." Ye Qianning’s attempt to comfort him had little effect. "I’ll eat well from now on and put on some weight. I can definitely get chubby again."

Wiping his tears, Elder Chen nodded. "Yes, you must build yourself up. You’re home now, you must build yourself back up."

KNOCK KNOCK

A knock sounded at the door.

Immediately after, Xiang Minghou pushed the door open and came in, followed by Zhan Chi, Qian Fanji, and Gu Shuo. The overwhelming stench of alcohol instantly flooded the room.

"Father, did you drink the sobering soup?" Ye Qianning asked as she stood up.

"Mhm, I’m not drunk," Xiang Minghou said, waving his hand dismissively.

"I’m not drunk either," Zhan Chi added. His face was bright red, but judging by his speech, he truly didn’t sound drunk.

Qian Fanji’s face was slightly flushed, but he didn’t appear drunk either. Only Gu Shuo seemed dizzy, as if the world were spinning. He reached out to steady himself on the doorframe, his eyes terribly bloodshot.

Ye Qianning could see that every single one of them had drunk a lot. ’Usually, the ones who insist they’re not drunk are on the verge of collapsing.’