The Obsessive Tycoon Claims the Deserted Heiress-Chapter 78 - 077: Don’t eat me

"Alright, alright, goodbye." Xu Linchuan impatiently shooed them away.

He staggered to his feet, grabbed the wine bottle, and poured another cup for the two people seated beside him.

As the wine in the glass neared the rim, Yu Zhi reached out her hands in a chaotic flurry, as if trying to snatch it away. "Wine!"

Shi Wei quickly placed an arm around her shoulders and leaned down to coax her softly, "I'll let you drink at home, be good."

"Really?"

"Mhm, I won't lie to you."

Worried she would continue causing a fuss about drinking, Shi Wei decided not to bother with the other two anymore.

He effortlessly scooped her into his arms and carried her out of Meiyue Pavilion.

Inside the taxi.

Shi Wei gazed at the young girl now seated on his knees, his eyes darkening slightly.

"Zhizhi, move over." His voice was hoarse, tinged with restraint.

Yu Zhi shook her head, wriggling uncontrollably and leaning her body against his chest.

Her drunkenness hadn't faded yet, and she had no idea what she was doing. But the sober Shi Wei couldn't allow her to act so recklessly.

Shi Wei took a deep breath, picked her up and placed her to the side, speaking in a stern tone, "Don't come over here."

If he had known she'd be this troublesome after drinking, he would never have trusted her promise.

Yu Zhi pouted, letting out a soft "hmph." The slight sheen of moisture on her lips glimmered faintly under the dim light inside the car—the sight was tantalizing.

She tugged on Shi Wei's sleeve, her voice carrying a hint of grievance, "You don't care about me."

"Stop causing trouble and sit properly." Shi Wei's Adam's apple bobbed as he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, shifted his gaze to the window, and no longer responded to her.

After that, the car fell silent, and the person beside him made no further sounds.

Several minutes later, Shi Wei stole a glance at her, noticing her sitting obediently with her hands placed neatly on her knees. His lips involuntarily curled into a slight smile.

But before he could fully relax, Yu Zhi caught his gaze.

She edged closer to him, tilting her head slightly upward. "I'm sitting properly," she said, her tone resembling that of a child seeking praise.

"Mhm, you're good."

"Then take care of me."

"How should I take care of you?" Shi Wei raised his eyebrows slightly, not quite understanding what she meant.

Yu Zhi smiled mischievously, seizing the moment while he was still puzzled. She climbed back onto his knees.

She pointed downward and announced, "I like sitting here."

Shi Wei: "..."

He coughed awkwardly, lightly nudging her stiffly. "Zhizhi, you—"

Before he could finish speaking, he felt the weight of her soft body lean into him.

Shi Wei's breathing hitched, and his hovering hands suddenly didn't know where they should go.

"Zhizhi, stop this." His voice was thoroughly strained, his deep eyes growing darker and darker, resembling shadowy streams in the night.

Yu Zhi wrapped her arms around his waist, her eyes drooping as she murmured, "You said you'd take care of me."

The heat from her touch ignited a fiery sensation at his waist, gradually consuming the tightly wound string in Shi Wei's mind.

"I didn't say I wouldn't take care of you." Shi Wei held his hands a few centimeters away from her back, hesitating to let them fall down.

"Young man, your girlfriend likes you so much, why keep resisting?" The driver, who had been all ears to their conversation, finally chimed in, unable to take it anymore.

These young people—it seemed as if they weren't even decisive about their romances. Back in his day, once someone caught his eye, he'd directly visit their home asking for their hand.

"Likes me?" Shi Wei asked instinctively, a rare trace of confusion flashing across his face.

"Who else would she like? Me?" The driver glanced at him disdainfully through the rearview mirror, clearly unimpressed. A slow learner, indeed.

He sighed lightly and continued, "People reveal their truest selves when drunk. If she didn't like you, why would she cling to you like this?"

"Really?" Shi Wei asked hesitantly.

"I'm not lying to you. My wife is the same every time she drinks too much." The driver seemed to recall fond memories, a hint of warmth spreading across his face.

Shi Wei murmured a response and lowered his gaze to the girl in his arms, a strange feeling stirring in his chest.

Thanks to the driver's words, Shi Wei gave him a generous tip when they left the car—a few hundred extra.

Outside Emperor's Scenic Heaven's entrance, the Shi Family home was still a considerable distance away. Since unfamiliar cars were not allowed into the residence, Shi Wei had no choice but to carry Yu Zhi in his arms, walking slowly under the scattered light and shadows cast by the roadside lamps.

"Master." The person in his arms suddenly shifted, lifting her head to look at him unblinkingly.

Her light brown almond-shaped eyes seemed to glimmer with starlight, bright and dazzling.

"What master?" Shi Wei adjusted his grip slightly, afraid she might slip from his arms.

"You're the master."

"I'm not."

"You are!"

"..."

Shi Wei paused, holding her securely, staring at her with a serious expression. "Zhizhi, do you even know who I am?"

A vague fear crept into him—a fear that everything tonight was nothing but a dream, or worse...that she was mistaking him for someone else.

"Master." Yu Zhi pinched his cheek and frowned in disapproval, "You're so dumb!"

"I'm not the master," Shi Wei said softly, a flicker of pain in his eyes—a shadowy mist wrapping around him tightly.

All the anticipation, fleeting joy, everything he had cautiously cherished seemed to turn into cruel mockery, stabbing straight at his heart.

Yu Zhi, drunken and uninhibited, didn't notice the shift in his emotions. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered close to his ear, "I... hiccup... I have a secret to tell you."

"I don't want to hear it." Shi Wei interrupted her immediately, fearing any mention of the "master," his steps quickening noticeably.

But Yu Zhi was undeterred, continuing anyway. "I hid the plum blossom bottles in the safe at home. The password... what was the password again?"

She counted on her fingers, frowning in frustration. "What do I do? I forgot the password."

"It's fine, forgetting is—"

Shi Wei abruptly stopped mid-sentence, halting in place.

He set Yu Zhi down from his arms, pulled her close by the waist, and looked her directly in the eye. "Zhizhi, was it really 'master' that you said earlier?"

"Why won't you admit it?" Yu Zhi lowered her heavy eyelids, clearly growing irritable. "Is it because I forgot the password?"

Shi Wei suddenly laughed, his almond-shaped eyes carrying a gentle warmth like an intricate net trying to catch and hold her.

He cupped her cheeks tenderly. "Alright, I admit it. Don't get angry, okay?"

Yu Zhi hummed softly, her lips slightly pursed. At precisely that moment, a feather-light kiss landed on her lips.

Their noses brushed, breaths intertwining, faintly tinged with sweetness.

"You..."

Realization struck Yu Zhi, and she hastily pushed him away, covering her lips with both hands. "Don't eat me!"