"Sister, I was waiting for you. Aren't you feeling unwell? Why are you still coming to a place like this? Have you been drinking?"
"Our group has dispersed. If you've had your fill of fun, let's head back together."
"Did you throw up again? Have you rinsed your mouth? I brought warm water and honey pomelo tea. Have a sip to soothe yourself."
Perhaps Qin Shen was too young to understand insincerity. Or perhaps he was simply a person of refined and crisp demeanor.
No matter when he appeared, he gave the impression of a spring breeze.
After being surrounded by a boisterous and oily crowd for hours, seeing him felt like encountering something sweet and refreshing.
As he spoke, Ge'er stared at him, finding him more and more adorable and pleasing to the eye. As she took the cup of tea, she couldn't resist pinching his cheek again.
"Bringing your own warm water to a KTV, you're something else."
Qin Shen loved to see her smile, and he also liked her unreserved intimacy with him.
After Ge'er pinched his face, he reached up to touch his own.
"I'm a bit of a germaphobe. I don't like using other people's cups, nor do I like drinking beverages. Since I usually make a lot of food and drinks for myself, bringing them along isn't a hassle."
"You should make it a habit too. Either don't come to places like this, or bring your own water if you do. It's for your own good, and his too."
He was referring to Ge'er's belly.
Ge'er nodded, feeling fortunate to have met such a good neighbor.
"I understand. If you're a germaphobe, you should have said so earlier. We've already shared a cup. How about this, consider this one mine, and I'll get you a new one later."
Qin Shen quickly snatched the cup back.
"It's fine, my germaphobia is selective. I don't mind you."
Ge'er chuckled, "If you don't mind me, I mind you. Alright, let's go back together. You can do me a favor."
"Go into the private room and get my bag and phone. If you don't know who to ask, find Jiang Wei and tell her I'm not feeling well and have left. Give me your car keys, I'll wait in your car first."
Qin Shen was more than happy to run errands for her. He gave her the car keys and told her where the car was parked. The two went in opposite directions.
Unexpectedly, as she reached the staircase, Lei Dongyi emerged from somewhere, blocking the corner like a ghost.
He must have been too hot from playing games, as he had taken off his jacket.
The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up to his elbows, one hand in his pocket, revealing a smooth line of his arm.
He leaned casually against the wall, his face flushed from alcohol, resembling a rogue trying to pick up a beauty.
He exuded a different kind of dashing and unrestrained aura.
Their eyes met, but Ge'er didn't stop walking.
Bad mouths can only spew bad things. She couldn't be bothered with him anymore.
Ignoring him, she continued forward. However, as she reached the corner, Lei Dongyi grabbed her arm.
Ge'er, keenly aware of her married and child-rearing status, flinched as if pricked by a needle and violently shook him off.
"What are you doing? Drunk and acting out?"
Lei Dongyi, surprised by her strong reaction, frowned slightly as if hurt. He straightened up and rubbed his temples.
"Did I startle you? I'm sorry, that's not what I meant."
Whatever he meant, there was no longer any need for interaction.
Ge'er sidestepped him, intending to walk along the other wall.
However, Lei Dongyi called out to her in a low voice.
"Don't you have anything to say to me?"
How amusing. After so many years of not seeing each other, they had become strangers, so distant they couldn't be more so. What was there to say?
Besides, hadn't they already exchanged the basic greetings required?
Ge'er didn't know what he wanted to do, nor did she want to know. She said coldly,
"No."
Lei Dongyi didn't believe her. He took a step forward with his long legs.
"Are you still angry with me?"
"Why should I be angry with you?"
"Don't be like this, Ge'er."
Ge'er was disgusted by his way of addressing her.
"Lei Dongyi, are you out of your mind? Or have you been hanging out with those scoundrels for too long and caught their disease, becoming one yourself? How long has it been since we last saw each other? Do you even know if I'm single or what my situation is, to be calling me by my name like this? Don't you find that offensive?"
Lei Dongyi looked down at her agitated state, his handsome features filled with helplessness.
After a few seconds, he took half a step back and raised his hands.
"Alright, I'm a scoundrel, I'm sorry. Then I'll rephrase..."
Ge'er interrupted him, "It's good that you know you're a scoundrel. I don't have time to waste talking nonsense with you. Find someone else to talk to! I'm warning you, if you take another step forward, I won't be polite!"
Lei Dongyi didn't move forward, but he also refused to leave.
"Is that kid just now your boyfriend?"
He saw her talking to Qin Shen?
So what if he saw? Why call him a kid?
Did he look down on Qin Shen?
Heh, as expected, after spending time with scoundrels, his words were more irritating than the last!
"Lei Dongyi, what do you mean by that?"
Lei Dongyi met her gaze frankly, "I don't mean anything. I just want to remind you that he's not suitable for you."
"You're really something, Lei Dongyi. He's not suitable for me? Am I now at a point where I need a stranger to dictate my choice of boyfriends? Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to speak to me like this?"
Lei Dongyi maintained his gaze, as if Ge'er was making a fuss and he was the innocent party.
"I truly don't have the right. I've wronged you over the years. Your current situation, I bear a great responsibility..."
The more he spoke, the less she wanted to hear. What did he mean by "your current situation"? Was she doing poorly today?
Thinking of the child in her womb, and of herself becoming a single mother in the future, Ge'er suddenly lost control of her emotions, wishing she could go up and punch him a few times.
"Lei Dongyi, I hope we never see each other again. I hate seeing you, and I hate hearing you speak."
"Today, for Jiang Wei's sake, I won't argue with you. But if there's a next time, I'll do anything, you know that."
With that, she quickly turned to press the elevator button.
At some point, a little boy ran out from another private room and also rushed to press the elevator button.
Neither of them paid attention to the other. The moment they turned, Ge'er bumped into the boy's face.
With a "clang," the little boy fell to the ground and burst into tears.
Before Ge'er could help the boy up, a group of men and women, full from drinking, came around the corner.
Seeing her child crying, a young woman screamed and ran over quickly, shouting as she ran.
"Baby, what's wrong? What happened? What's wrong, baby?"
Ge'er was truly fed up. She shouldn't have gone out today.
Why was she encountering all these troublesome things?
She helped lift the boy up with his mother. The woman cradled her child and immediately lashed out at Ge'er.
"What's going on? Did you knock him down? Are you blind? Such a big person..."
Before Ge'er could defend herself, Lei Dongyi walked up in two steps, grabbed her arm, and pushed her behind him.
"How can you be guardians? Letting children run around in public places, what if they get hurt or bump into someone?"
"We're pregnant. If he had caused something to happen, who would be responsible?"