"Hehe, everyone, no need to be so formal. As a physician, saving lives is just part of my duty."
"Today, I've taught you how to detoxify the venom from the Sunflower Wood Beast's tail spikes. From now on, you won't be helpless when facing such a poisonous magical beast."
Gu Changqing lifted his cup and downed it in one go, smiling as he spoke.
"Master Gu, you can really hold your liquor!"
"Saving brother Wang might've been an easy task for you, but for us, the entire Blood War Mercenary Group, it was a life-saving act of immense gratitude."
"Qingye, refill Master Gu's cup. We must offer another toast to both him and Miss Gu."
Fei Lei, leader of the Blood War Mercenary Group, lifted his cup again and motioned to Qingye, the young woman attending to Gu Changqing, to pour him more wine.
Qingye glanced softly at Gu Changqing with her gentle eyes, obediently filling his cup. As she handed it to him, she whispered in a voice only they could hear, "Master Gu, you should drink less. They are all rough people."
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she spoke. She felt like a wife cautioning her husband about drinking too much, but alas, with her status, she couldn't possibly be worthy of someone as remarkable as Gu Changqing.
The thought dimmed her eyes for a moment.
"No worries. If I get drunk, you can take care of me, Qingye-jie"
Gu Changqing winked playfully at Qingye before standing up and finishing another cup.
Hearing him call her "Qingye-jie" made her heart flutter sweetly. The idea of taking care of a drunk Gu Changqing made her feel a little excited.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yi Xian had been invited over by the members of the Blood War Mercenary Group as well. She glanced over at Gu Changqing, itching to ask him about some medical knowledge, but the timing was just off. Every time she thought about how he teased her earlier, her face would turn red with a mix of embarrassment and irritation. Frustrated, she grabbed the cup in front of her and downed it all in one go.
Finding that unsatisfying, she filled her cup with more wine and started drinking.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Xiao Yi Xian wasn't used to drinking. In her rush of irritation, she chugged the wine down and promptly started choking.
Luckily, Qingye and Ling'er were by her side.
Qingye quickly patted her back, while Ling'er handed her a cup of tea.
"Sister Yi Xian, why are you drinking that? This wine is awful! Spit it out!"
Ling'er frowned cutely, her little mouth pouting in disapproval.
"I… cough, cough…"
Xiao Yi Xian's eyes watered as she continued to choke. It was her first time drinking, and she had tried to imitate Gu Changqing and the others by downing a whole cup at once. Her throat was burning, and she couldn't even sit straight from the pain.
"Let me help!"
Seeing Xiao Yi Xian struggling, Gu Changqing immediately stood up and quickly walked to her side. His hands moved swiftly, pressing a few key acupuncture points on her back and abdomen. With his unique technique, he helped clear her meridians, bringing her relief.
Soon enough, Xiao Yi Xian's face relaxed, and her body felt much better. Still, her face blushed brightly as she looked up at Gu Changqing, her eyes filled with embarrassment. On one hand, she felt shy for not being able to handle alcohol; on the other hand, this "bad guy" had just run his fingers all over her body, making her feel tingly and weak.
Although her body felt relaxed, she couldn't help but wonder if he had taken advantage of her.
"Don't look at me like that. It's a meridian massage technique. I can teach it to you when you're sober."
Gu Changqing, knowing exactly what she was thinking, spread his hands innocently.
"Really?!"
Xiao Yi Xian's eyes sparkled, her spirits lifting instantly. However, the next moment, she started mumbling nonsensically.
"You... Why are there two of you? No, wait, now there are three... You're such a bad guy..."
Before she could finish, she slumped into Qingye's arms.
"Hahaha, miss Yi Xian is drunk!"
"It's the first time we've ever seen our miss doctor drunk like this. We're truly lucky tonight, thanks to Master Gu and Miss Gu!"
"Miss Yi Xian never touches alcohol. She must've been really happy tonight!"
The mercenaries of the Blood War Group burst out laughing.
Had Xiao Yi Xian been conscious, she would have cursed these clueless mercenaries.
"Happy? You're the ones who are happy! Your whole family is happy!"
She had only drunk that cup because of the embarrassment Gu Changqing caused her!
"Qingxin, take miss Yi Xian to your room to rest for a while. She can sleep with you tonight."
Fei Lei turned to Qingxin, a beautiful young woman in a green dress, standing beside Ling'er. Qingxin was a gentle and soft-spoken Dou Fighter from the Blood War Group, about the same age as Qingye, and just as lovely.
"Don't worry, Commander. I'll take good care of her."
Qingxin smiled and gently took the unconscious Xiao Yi Xian from Qingye.
"Why are you so strong, bad guy?"
Ling'er looked at Gu Changqing with wide-eyed admiration, though her choice of words left everyone around stunned.
"Ling'er, that was rude! Apologize to Master Gu at once!"
Fei Lei hurriedly reprimanded her, worried that Gu Changqing might be offended.
Ling'er realized her mistake, her face turning pale with fear. She hadn't meant to be disrespectful—it's just that in her mind, Gu Changqing had always been a bit of a "bad guy." He teased Xiao Yi Xian, held her hand, and made Qingye blush all the time.
She just naturally thought of him as a "bad guy," the kind who's still noble and skilled but loves teasing girls.
Flustered, Ling'er quickly bowed and apologized, "I'm sorry, Master Gu! I didn't mean to call you bad. It's just... you tease sister Yi Xian and sister Qingye a lot, and I..."
"Ling'er!"
Qingye interrupted, her face flushed with embarrassment. Ling'er was too young to understand, but Qingye didn't mind being teased by Gu Changqing—in fact, she kind of enjoyed it. Yet now, how was she supposed to face everyone after Ling'er's blunt honesty?
"Hehe, no need to apologize. I'm not that petty. But if you really want to know why I'm so strong, give me a kiss, and I'll tell you."
Gu Changqing grinned mischievously, leaning his face close and pointing to his cheek, teasing the little girl.
"You're a bad guy!"
Ling'er, now red with embarrassment, stomped her foot and dashed away, but not without feeling a bit flustered. She finally understood why sister Qingye and the others blushed when Gu Changqing teased them—it was a strange, embarrassing feeling... but strangely addictive, too.
"Hahaha! Looks like Ling'er finally met her match!"
"Only Master Gu can handle her!"
The mercenaries of the Blood War Group roared with laughter.
Despite his teasing, Gu Changqing's manners were always proper, so the group didn't mind his playful attitude. In fact, they had grown quite fond of him. One after another, they raised their glasses to toast him, overwhelming him with their enthusiasm.
By the end of the night, Gu Changqing was "drunk" for real, collapsing softly into Qingye's arms.