But now that it had come to this, he, as an outsider, couldn't say much.
“Of the four of us, I’m the only single dog,” Situ Jun grumbled, downing a large mug of wine.
Situ Jing's expression faltered for a moment, her face looking a little odd. “Ze Xi has a girlfriend too?”
“Yes, his girlfriend…” Situ Jun was about to say something when Li Bowen subtly kicked him under the table.
Situ Jun looked at him in confusion, seeing Li Bowen’s expressionless face and eyes that were unfathomably deep.
As brothers who had grown up together, they shared a certain understanding, and he immediately swallowed back what he was about to say.
Fortunately, Situ Jing was lost in her own world and didn't notice.
Li Bowen poured two glasses of wine and handed one to Situ Jun. After clinking glasses and taking a sip, he said, “You’re always joking around and never serious. In reality, you’re just a lecher with no guts. You haven’t done anything, but your carefree attitude ruins your image.”
Situ Jun chuckled, “What can I do? I’m just sharp-tongued. I can’t help but tease beautiful women when I see them.”
Born this way, it wasn’t easy to change.
At this moment, Situ Jing, who had been spacing out, suddenly spoke, “Do you think Ze Xi still loves Jin Ning?” If the Ze Xi who loved Jin Ning so much fell for someone else, how heartbroken would Jin Ning be if she knew! This sentence sounded so unpleasant!
Li Bowen increasingly felt that Situ Jing was not quite right.
“Jin Ning has been gone for five years. Ze Xi has started a new life. We should be happy for him.” Situ Jun agreed with this sentiment and nodded. “That’s right. Ze Xi has suffered enough these past few years.”
Situ Jing didn’t speak, just drank one glass after another, several in a row.
Situ Jun quickly intervened, “Sis, stop drinking. Drinking so much is bad for your health.”
“Let her drink. It’s better to vent it out than to keep it bottled up,” Li Bowen said. It was better to be drunk than to keep it inside.
Situ Jun hesitated and looked at Li Bowen, still a little worried. But in the end, he didn't say anything more.
Situ Jing finished a whole bottle in one go. Her eyes were hazy, and she was slightly tipsy. Her breathing became unsteady, but her mood was no longer as listless as before. She swayed the bottle and spoke incoherently.
“There, there’s no more wine.” The alcohol content wasn't low, and Situ Jing had a poor tolerance for alcohol and usually drank very little. As a lawyer, she needed to keep a clear head and thus rarely drank.
Situ Jun still felt uneasy and persuaded, “Sis, don’t drink anymore. You’ll feel sick if you drink more.”
Speaking of feeling sick, Situ Jing suddenly burst into tears. She clutched her chest and cried out in despair, “It hurts here. It hurts so much.”
“Sis, don't be like this…” Situ Jun’s eyes reddened. As her twin brother, he seemed to be able to empathize with that suffocating pain.
Li Bowen watched in silence, his heart also heavy.
The four great families had always been in fierce competition and unwilling to yield to each other in their grandfather’s generation, but later, the Ling family gradually took the lead, and they moved towards mutual benefit. When the differences were small, everyone wanted to be the leader. But when the difference was vast, it was unattainable. The Ling family was merciful enough not to eliminate the other families. After Ling Yucheng took the helm, he advanced by leaps and bounds, leaving no room for others to harbor any other thoughts. The relationships between the four great families had become increasingly harmonious over the years. And the six of them, being of similar ages, had grown up together, forging an exceptionally deep bond. Although Su Jin Ning was not from the four great families, she and Jiang Ze Xi had been betrothed since childhood. Later, due to the family’s decline, she was left alone and grew up in the Jiang family’s home. Watching Situ Jing cry, Li Bowen couldn't help but feel upset.
Situ Jing sobbed in her brother’s arms, “Why doesn’t he like me? I’ve liked him for so many years. Why is his heart like a stone?”
“Because feelings can’t be forced. He, from beginning to end…” Li Bowen stopped halfway, unable to bear to say the heart-wrenching words. Situ Jing stopped crying, her voice muffled and miserable. She looked directly into Li Bowen’s eyes and finished his sentence, “He has never liked me from beginning to end.”
“Hahahaha…” She laughed, a little wildly. How much could he love Xia Wantang then? Ze Xi, who loved Jin Ning so much, had fallen for someone else. If, if Xia Wantang died, would she still have a chance? Five years, ten years, a lifetime, he would eventually accept her. Once this wild thought germinated, it spread uncontrollably in her heart. Li Bowen felt a chill down his spine from her laughter, a sense of foreboding.
As she laughed, Situ Jing felt waves of nausea, and then she vomited profusely. The smell was extremely foul, covering the floor. After vomiting, Situ Jing became much clearer. They compensated the bar for the damages. Only then did the three of them leave. Situ Jing remained silent, reverting to her listless state.
“I’ll drive you home.” Li Bowen drove, with Situ Jing and Situ Jun in the back seat. The car was very quiet. Halfway there, it started to rain outside, pattering softly. The sky was dark and oppressive, creating a suffocating feeling. There were no stars or moon, only endless darkness, like a devouring abyss. Li Bowen couldn't help but frown, feeling inexplicably irritable, but he still slowed down. By the time they reached the Situ family villa, the rain had turned into a downpour. Coupled with the darkness of the night, visibility was extremely difficult. Situ Jun was worried about letting him go home alone and asked him to stay the night. Seeing the boundless rain and darkness, Li Bowen agreed. Due to the heavy rain, the three of them were inevitably drenched like drowned rats. It was late, and Situ Jun’s parents had already gone to bed. Upon returning home, Situ Jing went straight to her room. Situ Jun asked a servant to prepare a guest room and gave Li Bowen a set of his pajamas. After arranging everything, he finally calmed down.
After showering and changing into dry clothes, Li Bowen stood by the window, looking at the torrential rain. The dense raindrops beat against the glass and then slid down, blurring the view of the outside completely. Reflecting on the events of the night, he still felt that Situ Jing was somewhat abnormal. He took out his phone, intending to call Ling Yucheng to give him a heads-up. But it was already past eleven o’clock, and he was likely asleep, so he decided to send a message instead. Only after sending it did he feel somewhat relieved. There were also a few unread messages, all from Wen Xuan Xuan. She probably sent a goodnight message as he hadn't replied. His tightly furrowed brow slowly relaxed, and his expression softened considerably.
“Goodnight, baby. I had a little drink with Situ Jun and his sister just now. It rained heavily on the way back, so I have to stay at the Situ’s tonight.” After explaining why he hadn’t replied to her messages, he prepared to go to bed. Thinking that it was so late, Wen Xuan Xuan should have been asleep. Who knew that the next second, a message notification sound came from his phone.