```
"How could I possibly let go of you! Stop pretending to be so noble, I know what kind of person you are." Chen Xu practically dragged and pulled, trying to take Qiao Xi to the neighboring rest room.
"You... get the hell away from me!"
Qiao Xi felt unbearably hot and uncomfortable; her hand touched the Silver Needle in her sleeve cuff, and she jabbed fiercely.
"Ah!" Chen Xu let out a howl of pain.
She leaned warily against the wall, clutching a needle, feeling weak all over.
"So it's the case of refusing the toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. You refuse, but I insist on using force!" Chen Xu said furiously, his shame turning into anger.
No sooner had he finished speaking than he was sent flying with a kick.
"Use force on what? Young Master here is telling you, you're not going to get it up," Zhou Yu added two more kicks to Chen Xu's behind, "Scum!"
"Who the hell are you to dare to hit me, I won't let you get away with this!" Chen Xu ran away with his head in his arms, howling in pain.
"In a society ruled by law, Young Master is practicing righteous intervention!"
Meanwhile, Huo Xingzhou had already bent down and picked up Qiao Xi. His upper body strength was powerful, and beneath the thin shirt, one could see the perfect lines of his muscles, as he easily lifted her up to sit on his legs.
Qiao Xi called out with a sense of grievance, "Mr. Huo... "
"Let's go home first."
Huo Xingzhou said soothingly. The driver alongside him pushed his wheelchair towards the exit.
When the people in the private room heard the commotion and came out, they only saw Zhou Yu striding away and Chen Xu beaten to a swollen nose and face.
They looked at each other in confusion; Ye Manman was the first to break the silence, "Who was that guy? Where did Qiao Xi go?" Had her hundred thousand flown away?
Chen Xu's face darkened, "A meddlesome fool! His clothes aren't even brand-name; I don't know where Qiao Xi found so many lovers, she's really not picky!"
"Should we ask your uncle about it?" Ye Manman expressed her concern a bit.
"No need!" He gritted his teeth and said, "This trivial matter is not worth disturbing uncle over!"
He would not let it go!
...
Outside the grand hotel.
Zhou Yu got into the car and immediately noticed Huo Xingzhou and Qiao Xi snuggled together in the back seat. He raised his eyebrows and said, "I've inquired clearly, that guy is Sister-in-law's suitor. He's been pursuing her for several years without success, and wanted to take advantage of the graduation gathering to settle things once and for all."
"Qiao Xi is not a careless person." Huo Xingzhou didn't understand how she got so drunk.
"They were drinking Long Island Iced Tea, it doesn't taste much like alcohol, more like lemon juice, and it's normal for a naive girl like Sister-in-law not to recognize it." She grew up in the countryside and was unacquainted with the ways of the world.
The alcohol content of Long Island Iced Tea is particularly high, yet it tastes like a beverage. Even girls who can hold their liquor would be knocked down after just two cups.
This trick was quite clever, familiar with Qiao Xi's susceptibilities.
Qiao Xi, nestled in Huo Xingzhou's arms, buried her head and with her cheek against Huo Xingzhou's skin, said, "You're so cool."
Her throat was on fire, her cheeks burning hot, her whole body feverish.
Huo Xingzhou pulled her away, but she clung closer.
Zhou Yu watched them teasingly and mimicked in a pinched voice, "Husband, you're so cool... "
"Shut up."
"Come on, Husband."
"Zhou Yu!" Huo Xingzhou warned coldly.
Zhou Yu coughed a few times, quickly returning to normal, "What do you plan to do about tonight's incident? Do you need me to send someone to... "
"Let's not blow things up, Huo Beiting's people are watching me."
"Alright then, we'll let that kid off this time." They were holding a secret meeting tonight, the less people knew, the better.
Huo Xingzhou said, "I didn't say we're letting him off." A cold aura emanated from him as he gave a few low orders.
After hearing them, Zhou Yu quickly gave a thumbs up, "Xingzhou, you've never let me down!"
The car drove all the way to the small villa.
Zhou Yu helped Huo Xingzhou out of the car, and Aunt Qian came out quickly upon hearing the commotion, "Oh my, what happened to the Young Madam?"
```
"I got drunk at the student gathering," Zhou Yu politely said. "Aunt Qian, now that I've brought the person here, I'll be leaving."
"Take care on your way, Mr. Zhou!"
Aunt Qian watched Zhou Yu leave, then pushed Huo Xingzhou into the master bedroom.
"Young Master, I'll go make some Hangover Soup. You just watch over the Young Madam. She must be feeling awful after drinking," Aunt Qian said before she closed the door and left.
Huo Xingzhou looked down and saw the woman in his arms clinging to him, babbling on and on.
"So cold." Qiao Xi's almond eyes were hazy as she instinctively drew closer to Huo Xingzhou, reminiscent of the chill from being surrounded by snow-capped mountains that year.
"Mr. Huo," she murmured, "I'm so grateful to you."
"Grateful for what?" he kept his composure.
"For saving my grandmother, for giving me money, you are the best patient... I've ever met. I have a wish..." her cheeks flushed, resembling a coquettish and obedient Persian cat.
Huo Xingzhou pushed her messy hair behind her ears, his voice low and husky, "Considering you're drunk, I can be your Aladdin's lamp for once."
"Qiao Xi, you may make a wish now."
Qiao Xi struggled to maintain the little reason she had left: "I... I want to start my own clinic."
After she spoke, she immediately regretted it, clutching Huo Xingzhou's collar and said pitifully, "Aladdin's lamp, remind me again tomorrow, I'll forget!"
"Then I'll remember to remind you," he said.
Qiao Xi, half-asleep, nodded, "I'm thirsty."
"I'll get you some water," he said, setting Qiao Xi on the bed and wheeling himself to fetch her a cup of warm water.
Qiao Xi got up restlessly, staggering toward him and lunged.
Bang!
The wheelchair tipped over, and both of them fell to the ground, the full cup of warm water spilling over Huo Xingzhou's face and chest.
Huo Xingzhou's back hurt, and his head was dizzy. When he regained his senses, his cheek felt ticklish. Qiao Xi was lying on top of him, licking the water drops off his face.
"Qiao Xi!"
She was insane!
"Qiao Xi, I've said it before, even if I have to live a chaste life, it doesn't mean I can't taste temptation!" He was being pressed down, unable to muster any strength.
"No, I want water."
She nuzzled her head, planting soft kisses at the corner of his lips. The act of desperately trying to 'drink' made Huo Xingzhou clench his fists.
Eventually, he gave in.
"You've brought this upon yourself."
Then he took over, pressing his lips against hers, kissing passionately, fervently, with longing.
An unabashed ardor, indulgent yet tinged with anger and malicious retribution.
Gentle yet ferocious.
Qiao Xi was kissed breathless, panting heavily. Her eyes cloudy, she tried to pull away but found herself being drawn deeper into the confusing whirl of emotions.
It was as if she was stepping on soft, drifting clouds, her vision blurred, hazy.
The phone on the carpet buzzed insistently with calls from that Chen Xu. Huo Xingzhou paused the kiss, annoyed, lying on the floor as he embraced her waist and grabbed the phone.
Glancing at it, her WeChat was full of missed calls from Chen Xu, and those cheesy love messages he had accidentally seen last time.
Xixi? He doesn't deserve to call her that.
Huo Xingzhou, breathing slightly roughly, deleted Chen Xu and blocked him. Then he turned the phone off and tossed it aside.
Looking down, he saw that Qiao Xi had her eyes tightly shut and had fallen into a deep sleep.
He almost clenched his teeth, suppressing the heat rushing upon him and a touch of embarrassment.
"Young Master." Aunt Qian, holding a pot of Hangover Soup, pushed the door open. Seeing the mess on the floor and the man and woman lying there, her eyes could not hide the glee and scandal.
"Oh my!"