Without a word, everyone poured him three cups of wine.
He swallowed them down with a smile.
The game continued, with some choosing truth and others dare.
Tian Tian, clinging to a sliver of hope, thought: if it was her turn, she would choose dare.
As it turned out, the dares were also quite extreme.
The first person who refused to answer an emotional question was dared to kiss the guy to their left for three seconds.
The second girl who refused to answer an emotional question chose dare, and her assigned task was to post on her Moments, confessing to the first contact in her list, without blocking any other friends.
Tian Tian was stunned.
How could such a group of high-caliber young people play such a low-brow game?
Chen Dongyang surreptitiously grabbed her hand under the table, signaling her to relax.
As if sensing it, the bottle mouth turned towards Tian Tian the next second.
Everyone seemed to be anticipating this moment, cheering and egging them on.
Tian Tian hesitated for a long time before choosing truth.
As fate would have it, the question she drew was: When was your first kiss?
She had never been kissed before, so she wittily replied, "The moment I was born."
Everyone exclaimed, "With your parents, siblings don't count. First love, first love! If you don't tell the truth, we'll make you drink!"
Tian Tian steeled herself. Let them punish her with drinks.
Chen Dongyang stepped forward and took the wine for her.
"Her foot is injured, and she's still on medication, so she can't drink. I'll drink for her this round."
The others objected, "This way, it's no fun for the two of you."
Chen Dongyang said, "Then exclude her and don't let her play. If the bottle lands on her later, it'll count as mine. I promise not to break the game rules."
Hearing him say this, everyone had nothing more to say.
The game continued, and to their surprise, Chen Dongyang was the next to be pointed at.
He chose truth, and the question he drew was similar to the others: How many times have you been in a relationship?
Chen Dongyang took out a pack of cheap cigarettes from his pocket, placed one in his mouth like the other men present, lit it, took a puff, and then said.
"I forgot, I can't keep count."
Everyone looked at him knowingly and burst into laughter.
"Our Brother Chen really knows how to play. It's good to be handsome. I say, you've had so many girlfriends, doesn't Tian Tian get angry? Tian Tian, you're so beautiful, how can you be content with a playboy? Your heart is really big."
Tian Tian was taken aback, surprised that Chen Dongyang was such a player.
He seemed so honest usually, she even doubted if his words were true.
However, since no one else doubted him, she couldn't say much.
Perhaps others wanted to hear their story, or perhaps it was just a coincidence.
In the next round, the bottle turned to Tian Tian again.
She didn't want to hear any more truths and chose dare. Others designated that she had to kiss Chen Dongyang publicly for thirty seconds.
Uh, although this was a rather embarrassing matter, everyone else was playing so openly, and it was her own choice, so she couldn't refuse.
Tian Tian was ready, but Chen Dongyang refused.
"I'll drink for him. Tian Tian is shy."
"Tsk, you're really boring. Who wants to see you drink?"
Chen Dongyang raised his eyebrows, adopting an attitude that this was the rule, and they could accept it or not.
Everyone could only grumble, "Six cups, double the penalty for him."
As they played, time crept towards midnight.
Thinking they had work the next day, someone suggested they wrap it up.
Everyone dispersed in small groups.
Tian Tian wasn't sleepy at all, feeling that she had only begun to understand Chen Dongyang today; he seemed like a man with many stories.
Her mind was now consumed with exploring his past.
Chen Dongyang also noticed Tian Tian's thoughts.
After everyone had left, he asked her, "Are you sleepy?"
Tian Tian replied, "What if I say I'm not sleepy?"
"Then let's play a little longer."
"What do you want to play?"
"Let me treat you to a late-night snack. You didn't eat much tonight, you must be hungry."
Tian Tian didn't refuse Chen Dongyang. As they walked to the door, she noticed that it had started to drizzle.
She said, "Let's forget it. It's so late, and it's raining."
Chen Dongyang took off his jacket and draped it over her head. "It's fine. If you don't eat this meal, I don't think you'll sleep soundly tonight."
Tian Tian gave him a shy glare, and they got into the car.
"But you've been drinking..."
"It's fine, we'll just drive around nearby, I'll drive slowly."
Chen Dongyang searched for a nearby restaurant, and as he navigated there, he spoke to Tian Tian.
"Ask me anything you want. I'll tell you everything."
Tian Tian felt she had no standing to ask. "Who says I have questions for you?"
"No? Alright then."
Chen Dongyang knew her thoughts perfectly. After a few seconds of silence, Tian Tian, not wanting to fall into his trap, finally spoke.
"You said you told the truth during truth or dare today, right?"
"Of course, I adhere strictly to the game rules."
"You've had countless girlfriends? How could you be so promiscuous?"
Chen Dongyang shrugged. "How to put it. Young and reckless, not knowing better."
Tian Tian turned her face away from the window in annoyance.
Chen Dongyang glanced at her and chuckled softly, "Are you angry?"
Tian Tian, feigning indifference, replied, "Why would I be angry?"
"Alright. Stop being so awkward. If you want to know, I can tell you about my past."
Tian Tian really wanted to know, and her past had nothing to do with her, so she had no right to be angry. She turned her face back.
"Then tell me."
"Where should I start?"
Tian Tian thought for a moment. "What was your relationship with Hui Hui?"
"If I said that if it weren't for an accident, we would have had absolutely no relationship, would you believe me?"
"What accident?"
Chen Dongyang pulled out another cigarette. "Can I smoke one?"
"Didn't you quit smoking?"
"I can't help it. Listening to my story requires either wine or cigarettes."
He lit it and began to speak slowly.
"My mother took me to the United States when I was 12. At that time, my father had a large business in Jincheng, and our family was very well-off. My mother and I lived a happy life."
"But it was only happy for me. Because my father had mistresses back in China, my mother couldn't take it."
"Less than two years after we went there, my father went bankrupt. He also went to jail for some reason. My mother and I lost our financial support, and we had to rely on ourselves."
"Fortunately, my mother was a smart woman. While we were still financially comfortable, she made some investments, which were barely enough to maintain our lives."
"I had never suffered hardship since I was young. At that time, I didn't understand her and couldn't get used to the frugal life. I always argued with her and went out to play, meeting many international students. Those years were very wild."
Tian Tian asked, "Like partying every day?"
"Roughly. I attended parties almost every day, and I changed female companions every day."
"You know, those who could study abroad in such places usually came from good families. Although I had no money, the women I met did."