Chapter 13: What If, Sister Has Already Fallen in Love at First Sight?
This story happened a year ago.
It was an ordinary day. Chen Yin went down the mountain to buy wine for his Master in Flowing Cloud City.
His loli Master had an unbelievably strong craving for alcohol. She loved fine wines and didn’t shy away from mortal liquor either.
Whenever she wanted to buy immortal wine, and Chen Yin would stretch his neck, feigning poverty, she would pout and tell him to go to Flowing Cloud City and buy some mortal wine to satisfy her cravings.
So much so that Chen Yin became accustomed to it and told the innkeeper in Flowing Cloud City to always keep some wine on hand for his Master.
He thought this day would be like any other, just pick up the wine and leave.
But when Chen Yin arrived at the inn, he saw the innkeeper looking at him with a troubled and anxious expression.
Chen Yin curiously followed his gaze towards the center of the inn.
And that scene, he would never forget.
***
On the first floor of the inn, all the tables had been pushed aside. In the vast empty space in the middle, there was only one table left.
The table was surrounded by overturned wine jars and several unconscious men, many customers watching from the sidelines and pointing.
And at the table, a stunningly beautiful fairy was sitting upright, raising a large wine jar to her lips and gulping it down.
Drops of the fine liquor trickled down the corners of her lips and her white neck, slowly flowing to her alluring collarbone. Her thin red silk dress clung to her smooth skin, and her long, slender legs stretched out on the tabletop, as exquisite as a piece of art on display.
The woman tilted her head back, emptying the wine jar, then shook it a few times as if unsatisfied before casually tossing it aside.
Then, she gracefully wiped her lips with her delicate fingers and turned around, flashing a smile that could make the world lose its color.
Those bright red lips seemed to capture Chen Yin’s entire attention, leaving all the men staring at her in a daze.
“Is there more?”
She raised her chin proudly, a faint blush on her snow-white cheeks, her voice cold and arrogant with a hint of mockery.
“Are all you men so pathetic?”
“When you’re trying to flirt with me, you all pretend to be heavy drinkers, but when it comes to actually drinking, you’re all useless weaklings!”
Her voice echoed like celestial music, but no one dared to refute her.
After a moment, she snorted in disappointment, her eyes filled with disgust and contempt as she looked at the men on the ground. With a wave of her hand, another jar of wine flew into her hand. She uncorked it and began to drink heartily again.
To be honest, Chen Yin had only seen his Master drink so unrestrainedly.
This girl would probably get along well with his Master.
Although Chen Yin didn’t know this woman, he could sense a profound and unfathomable cultivation level from her, far exceeding his own as a small fry who hadn’t even reached the Cloud Ascending Realm.
But he had no choice but to wade into this muddy water.
…Because the wine he had prepared for his Master was almost finished by this girl.
He didn’t want to be scolded by his Master when he returned to the mountain.
So, he sighed and instantly put on a cheerful smile.
“Ah, a thousand cups is not enough when you meet a kindred spirit.”
“To think I would have the fortune of meeting such a beautiful woman again. As fellow wine lovers, would you be willing to let me join you for a drink?”
The woman turned her head and glanced at Chen Yin, a flash of disgust in her eyes, which was quickly replaced by a provocative look.
“Heh. You think just because you’re a cultivator, you’re any better than those men?”
“You can drink with me, but you’re not allowed to use your cultivation. You drink as much as I drink, otherwise, get lost.”
Chen Yin coughed awkwardly and chuckled. “Naturally, I’ll do as you say.”
Seeing that he actually agreed, the woman took another look at Chen Yin. After a moment of silence, she flicked her sleeve, and both she and Chen Yin appeared on the rooftop of the inn, away from the mortals below.
“I want to see what makes you different from those other men.”
With that, she casually picked up a jar of wine and poured it into her mouth dramatically.
Drops of the fine liquor trickled down her bright red lips, making one’s gaze fixated.
Chen Yin only glanced at her briefly before averting his gaze and also raised the wine jar to his lips.
After a while, the woman finished the wine, wiped her lips gracefully with her fingers, and turned her head, only to find, to her surprise, that Chen Yin’s jar was almost empty as well.
The woman raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone softening a bit.
“You’re the only man I’ve ever seen who can drink so heartily.”
“That means I’m a one-of-a-kind good man, right?” Chen Yin also wiped his mouth and said with a grin.
The woman’s eyes softened, and she narrowed them slightly. After a long time, she said calmly:
“My name is Luo Qiaoqiao. What about you?”
“Chen Yin.” He cupped his hands slightly.
But inwardly, he was in turmoil.
…That Luo Qiaoqiao, the Silk-Robe Fairy whose name resounded throughout the cultivation world?
Why was she here drinking? And why did he happen to run into her?
“…Chen Yin.”
Luo Qiaoqiao nodded slightly and looked away. “I’ll remember you.”
“Drink with me.” Her tone carried a hint of unquestionable authority.
Chen Yin hesitated. He didn’t mind drinking under the moonlight with such a beautiful woman, but what about his Master’s wine after they were finished?
However, he was already in too deep, so he could only bite the bullet and say:
“How could I refuse such a kind invitation from a beautiful woman?”
Jar after jar. The moon drifted across the sky, until all the clouds dispersed, leaving only a clear, silvery-gray light bathing the rooftop.
The night breeze brushed against Luo Qiaoqiao’s hair, and a faint blush appeared on her delicate face.
Clearly, no matter how invincible one was, drinking so much without using cultivation would still lead to intoxication.
Just like his loli Master, who almost tore down their home when she was drunk.
Chen Yin was fine. He had a good tolerance for alcohol. After all, in his previous life, he was a complete alcoholic, the kind who couldn’t live without alcohol.
But he also died from drinking. His cause of death was alcohol poisoning.
After coming to this world, he had little interest in drinking anymore, except for occasionally having a drink with his Master. After all, his Master had a terrible drinking habit and would go on a rampage when drunk. Chen Yin didn’t want to drink with her too much.
…There was also no need to drink.
“You have quite the tolerance.” Luo Qiaoqiao said softly. “Do you always drink like this?”
Chen Yin shook his head.
“People who drink don’t always do it for the sake of the drink itself.”
“Those so-called alcoholics are mostly just people who have nowhere to vent their emotions and can only find release in alcohol.”
He chuckled. “If life is smooth sailing and carefree, naturally no one would become an alcoholic.”
Luo Qiaoqiao paused in her drinking, then shook the wine jar and stared blankly ahead.
“Are you saying that my life is unsatisfactory?”
“The renowned Silk-Robe Fairy, naturally, wouldn’t have an unsatisfactory life.”
“…As expected, you would say that too.” Luo Qiaoqiao’s eyes flashed with a hint of loneliness and disappointment. “You men are all so superficial and hypocritical.”
“If I weren’t Silk-Robe Fairy, if I didn’t have this heaven-gifted beauty, I’m afraid you wouldn’t even look at me.”
Chen Yin suddenly shook his head and said, “No, no. You’re wrong, young lady.”
“The carefree life I’m talking about isn’t just about a glamorous life. Even if you have no worries…”
“If there’s only emptiness beneath the surface, then the wine isn’t used to vent emotions.”
“…But to fill the void in your heart.”
Luo Qiaoqiao fell silent and turned her head away. “Am I… empty?”
“If Sister Qiaoqiao didn’t feel empty and lonely in her heart, why would she go out of her way to avoid her fellow disciples and come here to drink alone?”
Luo Qiaoqiao didn’t answer.
Her eyes shimmered with a gentle light, and she swirled the wine jar with a slender finger, lost in thought.
Chen Yin tilted his head back and drank the entire jar with her, smiling contentedly.
“But, everyone’s heart is empty.”
“No one’s heart can be truly filled. We’re all like people starving to death in the rain.”
Luo Qiaoqiao suddenly looked up at him, as if struck by something.
Under the moonlight, Chen Yin raised his head to drink, then lowered it without looking at her, his gaze fixed on the wine jar with a hint of melancholy.
Luo Qiaoqiao didn’t know what he was thinking.
But, for the first time.
She became curious about what a man might be thinking.
“Why… starving to death in the rain?”
Chen Yin thought for a moment and said, “I don’t know.”
“I just feel that our encounter, young lady, should be accompanied by heavy rain.”
In the rain, no one could see each other clearly.
There would be no need for pretense.
“If I could hold your hand through the rain…” Chen Yin chuckled self-deprecatingly. “Then perhaps, you would be willing to stay with me forever.”
“Wouldn’t you?”
Luo Qiaoqiao suddenly covered her mouth and burst into laughter.
Her laughter was light and melodious, like the Milky Way flowing under the moonlight.
She laughed freely, without restraint, tears welling up in her eyes.
After laughing for a long time, she gently wiped her eyes, her gaze filled with appreciation and amusement.
“You know what?”
“I, Luo Qiaoqiao, have never liked any man.”
“But you… you’re really interesting.”
She slowly leaned towards him, her soft body resting against his shoulder, her eyes hazy and unfocused.
“I’m very interested in you now.”
Chen Yin smiled frankly. “I’m honored.”
“But, Sister Qiaoqiao, you should be careful.”
“Careful of what?”
“Careful that my charm is too great, and you might accidentally fall in love at first sight. With such a huge debt of love, I’m afraid I won’t be able to repay it in my lifetime.”
Luo Qiaoqiao smiled, her slender finger tracing his Adam’s apple, then gently lifting his chin.
“…What if…”
“Sister has already fallen in love at first sight?”
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