Fairy, please have some self-respect. I am not the reincarnation of your deceased husband.

"If that's the case, then so be it..."

Chen Lianshu did not refuse.

The dishes on the stone table, though meant to be "snacks to accompany drinks," are not greasy at all.

It can only be said that these are some of the most popular side dishes to accompany drinks in the outer gate's dining hall, with an excellent balance between flavor and texture.

"This is a famous spirit wine from the inner sect, called 'Winter Plum Fragrance'."

After arranging the dishes, Mu Qianxue took out two jade-white wine cups from her storage ring, and then took out a medium-sized, bottle-shaped porcelain wine pot.

As soon as the bottle was opened, the fragrance of plum blossoms mixed with a faint aroma of alcohol filled the air, neither strong nor overpowering, but rather quite refreshing.

"Don't worry, there will be more after you finish drinking, plenty of it."

He poured a full cup and pushed it in front of Chen Lianshu.

Mu Qianxue's expression remained unchanged, aloof as ever, as if she truly only wanted to have a few drinks with her junior brother on a whim, with no other intentions.

"The fragrance of winter plum blossoms?"

Chen Lianshu took the wine cup.

The wine is crystal clear with a warm, lustrous color.

He had also heard of the name "Fragrance of Winter Plum".

This wine is mostly supplied to the inner sect and rarely flows into the outer sect, so people have only heard of it but never tasted it.

He then raised his glass in farewell and took a small sip.

As the wine enters the throat, the fragrance of plum blossoms fills the air, leaving a lingering sweetness on the lips and teeth. It is refreshing and has a sweet aftertaste.

No wonder both inner and outer disciples praise him highly.

"It is indeed fine wine."

Mu Qianxue also picked up her own cup and drank it all in one gulp.

Her purpose in coming here was to get herself drunk, so naturally, she could only drink more, not less.

And so, the two of them, with their side dishes, drank one cup after another.

At first, they were talking about sect gossip and cultivation experiences.

After several rounds of drinks...

Chen Lianshu, who had been secretly wondering if her senior sister had ulterior motives, gradually relaxed her guard.

Because at this moment—

With a "bang".

The crisp sound of porcelain clinking together was particularly clear in the quiet night.

"Hmm..."

As Mu Qianxue, who was swaying slightly, rubbed her forehead, her elbow accidentally knocked over two empty wine jugs on the table.

Her demeanor remained that aloof and unapproachable air, but her expression was clearly different.

Her eyes were reddish at the corners and her gaze was unfocused, making her particularly eye-catching.

"..."

This is precisely why Chen Lianshu lowered his guard.

I originally thought that my senior sister's abrupt invitation to drink was for ulterior motives, perhaps she wanted to take advantage of his drunkenness to get some information out of him.

But it seems that it was a misunderstanding.

He only drank two jugs of wine.

He sat upright, his mind as clear as ever.

But the other party had already shown signs of intoxication.

"Senior sister?"

Chen Lianshu tentatively called out softly.

"…Um?"

Mu Qianxue raised her eyes in response.

Those beautiful eyes, which were always as clear and cold as ice, glistened with tears. Their gaze was unfocused, and after a moment of focus, it gradually became unfocused again.

"...This wine has quite a strong aftereffect."

Even his reactions and speech were slower than usual, and his tone was noticeably slightly tipsy.

"How is Senior Sister?"

Chen Lianshu asked with concern:

"If you're drunk, why don't you go back and rest?"

"go back?"

Mu Qianxue shook her head, her movements somewhat slow.

"No, if we go back now, our master will definitely find out..."

She seemed to realize her slip of the tongue and quickly stopped talking.

Despite her efforts to sit up straight and maintain her aloof demeanor, her slightly swaying body betrayed her.

"It's alright."

Mu Qianxue looked at her husband, her eyes unfocused, but she still refused to admit it:

"I'm just a little dizzy, I'm not drunk."

"Let's...continue our conversation."

In fact, she knew perfectly well that she was drunk.

But... it's not enough, I'm not drunk enough.

"..."

Chen Lianshu saw everything and, seeing her insistence, said no more.

"By the way... in the week I was away, did you see any strange people, Junior Brother?"

Mu Qianxue did not specify that it was a "woman" in order to avoid arousing suspicion.

"A strange person?"

After thinking for a moment, Chen Lianshu shook his head.

"no."

He had indeed never seen any strange people.

Aside from his master, he had very little contact with anyone this week, spending most of his time cultivating alone in the courtyard.

"oh…"

That's good.

"That junior brother..."

Mu Qianxue hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

"Um?"

The evening breeze brushed against her cheeks, and she, who had originally intended to boldly ask questions under the influence of alcohol, became a little more sober, and her heart began to waver.

But in the end, the alcohol took over, and he spoke softly:

What do you think of me as a person?

The question came so suddenly that Chen Lianshu was taken aback.

But he immediately chuckled and said without hesitation:

"Senior Sister is exceptionally talented and upright, a role model admired by everyone in the sect."

This question is so easy to answer.

What he said was true, and his answer was extremely prudent, even a little too prudent.

"...a role model."

Mu Qianxue repeated the word in a low voice, her lips slightly pursed.

What she wanted was never such a proper and distant evaluation.

However, emboldened by the alcohol, she mustered the courage to ask the question that had been on her mind:

"And what about you?"

Mu Qianxue raised her eyes and stared straight at her husband.

"Do you see me the same way?"

"In my junior brother's eyes, my senior sister is naturally very good."

"Excellent..."

She murmured it to herself and gave a soft reply.

"Um"

Although she knew that the "excellent" her husband spoke of was the way his senior sister treated his junior brother, not what she had hoped for.

But this answer at least proves that I have a good impression of myself in the other person's mind, which is a good start and I also acknowledge the answer.

"Glug—"

However, Mu Qianxue did not forget the purpose of her trip, and drank another cup of spiritual wine.

With another empty bottle added to the table, she finally got what she wanted—to be completely drunk.

This time, the sound of the porcelain colliding lasted longer and was clearer.

With a soft "thud," Mu Qianxue collapsed completely onto the stone table.

"Senior sister?"

Until Chen Lianshu called out softly again.

"…Um?"

The other person then slowly propped themselves up.

This time, however, she swayed even more violently, and her expression became increasingly dazed.

Strangely, even when he was completely drunk, apart from a faint redness at the corner of his eyes, there were not many signs of drunkenness on his body.

"Is Senior Sister drunk?"

Chen Lianshu got up and walked to her side.

If you feel unwell, don't force yourself to stay awake.

"No need."

Mu Qianxue waved her hand, politely declining the other party's offer to help her up.

"I'm just a little dizzy, standing for a bit... will make me feel better."

She braced herself on the table with both hands and slowly stood up.

"..."

Although Chen Lianshu didn't say much, he didn't let his guard down and remained ready to protect her at any time.

Seeing his unsteady gait, I couldn't help but feel worried:

Is he really alright in this state?

As expected, the moment Mu Qianxue regained her footing and let go, she staggered backward half a step, her body tilting to the side, and she looked like she was about to fall.

"!"

Chen Lianshu reacted quickly and stepped forward to support her shoulder.

The two were now almost touching.

The cool fragrance mixed with the scent of plum blossoms and the aroma of wine emanating from the other person became even clearer.

Through the fabric, you could even feel the warmth of the other person nestled against your shoulder, and their slightly hurried breathing.

"I…"

Before Chen Lianshu could speak, Mu Qianxue spoke first.

Her voice was so soft it sounded like a sigh, with a hint of intoxication.

"I think I'm really a little drunk."

"Junior brother..."

As she spoke, Mu Qianxue softly leaned into her husband's arms, her forehead gently resting on his shoulder, her warm breath brushing against his neck.

She tilted her head back, her face hazy with intoxication.

Those eyes, which were always so clear-headed and restrained, revealed emotions for the first time, and for the first time clearly reflected his appearance.

"May I rest here for a while?"

"I'll leave once I'm sober."