Chapter 619 - 622: Forget It

Chapter 619: Chapter 622: Forget It

Hua Manman picked up the mask and examined it. A cat’s face was drawn on the white mask with colorful ink.

Perhaps because it had turned into a cat, the system’s sense of aesthetics had also undergone a subtle change. Of all the masks available, it had taken a liking to this cat-face mask at first glance.

Hua Manman put the mask on her face. It was a perfect fit.

She casually picked up a plate of fish and placed it in front of the cat, Little Flower.

"This is your payment for running the errand."

Seeing the tasty food, Little Flower’s aches and pains instantly vanished. It happily pounced on the fish.

...

Yue Niang was sulking alone in her room when she suddenly heard a knock on the door.

She got up to open it and saw quite a few people standing outside.

The person in the lead was none other than Hua Manman.

She was wearing a gaudy cat-face mask and holding a plate of thinly sliced fish.

"I’ve brought you dinner."

Yue Niang was already full of anger. How could she possibly have an appetite?!

She was about to refuse, but Hua Manman had already squeezed her way into the room.

Hua Manman placed the fish on the table and called to the maids and servants following her.

"Put the things here. The pot goes right in the middle."

The maids and servants filed in one after another. In just a few moments, the table was laden with all sorts of ingredients.

The copper pot placed in the center was bubbling and steaming.

Hua Manman beckoned Yue Niang over to eat.

Yue Niang asked with a wooden expression.

"Didn’t you promise you would never appear before me again?"

Hua Manman said with a grin.

"I only promised you wouldn’t see my face. I never said I wouldn’t appear before you again.

Look at me. I’m wearing a mask.

You really can’t see my face, so I haven’t broken my promise."

Yue Niang hadn’t expected her to be so good at finding loopholes and cursed resentfully.

"You’re shameless!"

Hua Manman just smiled, not retorting.

She picked up the wine pot and poured two cups.

"I deliberately hid my identity and deceived you. It’s my fault. I’ll start by punishing myself with three cups."

She raised one of the cups, then remembered she was still wearing a mask, making it inconvenient to drink. She couldn’t help but feel a little regretful. ’If I’d known, I would have had Little Flower buy a mask that only covers half my face.’

Hua Manman had no choice but to pinch the bottom of the mask with one hand, lift it slightly, then bring the cup to her lips and toss it back in one go.

After finishing, she refilled her cup.

She downed three cups in a row before stopping.

Because she drank too quickly and on an empty stomach, her head started to spin, and she had to raise a hand to support her forehead.

Seeing this, Yue Niang wanted to tell her to stop. She still had a wound on her arm and shouldn’t be drinking.

But Yue Niang was still resentful about being deceived and toyed with. She turned her face away, deciding it was better to be out of sight, out of mind.

Hua Manman shook her head, trying to clear it.

She poured herself another cup and said to Yue Niang.

"The reason I deceived you was to use your identity to get close to Lu Kai. My intentions were impure, and I was willing to do whatever it took to achieve my goal. I’ll punish myself with another three cups."

In the blink of an eye, another three cups went down.

Hua Manman’s head was spinning even more, and she was even starting to slur her words.

"I was only thinking about my own plan and never considered your feelings. I was selfish. I’ll punish myself with another three cups."

Hua Manman picked up the wine pot and once again filled her cup.

However, before she could raise the cup, a slender, fair hand reached out and pressed down on it.

Yue Niang looked down at her, her heart finally softening. Even her tone became weary.

"Forget it."

The simple two words sounded light and airy, but to Yue Niang, they felt like a thousand-pound hammer.

It shattered the last of her resentment and indignation.

’Even if I stay angry, what’s the point?’

’I can’t change the fact that she’s a woman.’

’I might as well just let it go.’

’Forgive her, and forgive myself.’

Hua Manman was already a little drunk, and her mind was getting fuzzy.

She let out a drunken hiccup and asked groggily.

"You’re not mad at me anymore?"

But Yue Niang just gave a self-deprecating laugh. "The one I’m really mad at is myself. I was blind. I couldn’t even tell if you were a man or a woman."

She picked up the other cup, brought it to her lips, and drained it in one gulp.

With that cup of wine, things between them were truly and completely over.

Yue Niang’s heart ached with a sour bitterness, and her eyes began to burn.

She had thought she’d met the love of her life, only to find out she was a liar.

’How utterly absurd.’

She steadied herself on the edge of the table and sat down, pouring herself one cup after another.

She wanted to drown her sorrows in wine and drink until she forgot everything.

Hua Manman was afraid that if she got truly drunk, she’d cause some kind of inappropriate scene.

She stopped touching her wine cup and picked up her chopsticks to cook some food in the pot.

"Don’t just keep drinking. Eat something."

She placed a piece of fish, coated in red chili oil, into Yue Niang’s bowl.

In the past, it was always Yue Niang serving others as they ate and drank. Now, it was finally her turn to be served.

But she felt no enjoyment, only a heart full of bitterness.

She ate the piece of fish. The intense spiciness spread through her mouth, stinging her nose.

She lost control for a moment, and a tear rolled down from the corner of her eye.

PLIP. It landed on the tabletop.

Hua Manman quickly poured her a cup of tea.

"Can you not handle spicy food?"

Yue Niang shook her head, refusing the tea.

She picked up her chopsticks and began fishing vegetables out of the pot, stuffing her mouth while tears streamed down her face.

It pained Hua Manman to watch. "If you don’t want to eat this, that’s fine. I can get you something else."

Yue Niang wiped her tears with her sleeve and said through her sobs.

"Who says I don’t want to eat it? I love this food. I’ve never eaten anything like this before. Thanks to you, I’ve really had my eyes opened today!"

After speaking, she raised her cup and took a big gulp of wine.

The strong wine mixed with the spicy food, and the intense sensation made her temporarily forget the ache in her heart.

Hua Manman also raised her cup and said to her.

"You’re a good woman. You’ll definitely meet someone better and more suitable for you than me in the future."

But Yue Niang just smiled and pointed at the wine pot.

"You know what? Love is like this pot of wine. After the first person knocks it over, you can only add water before offering it to the second."

Even if she met someone better in the future, she might not be able to love them as recklessly as she did now.

Hua Manman was silent for a moment.

She put down her cup and had someone bring over a whole jar of wine.

In front of Yue Niang, she slowly poured the wine from the jar into the small pot.

Not a single drop was spilled.

Once the pot was full, Hua Manman set down the jar and said earnestly.

"Your life isn’t just this one pot of fine wine. There are countless other good wines out there waiting for you. Your future will only get better."

Yue Niang’s gaze was lost. "Do I really still have a future?"

Hua Manman’s tone was incredibly firm.

"Of course!"