Chapter 34: Lin Shu Beats Xie Buchin When Drunk-O nerd por quem eu tinha uma paixão secreta não era doce, então mudei para o bad boy que gosta de mim abertamente(Doce celestial do mundo humano)

In the inpatient ward of the hospital, Ji Xingshen’s fever would subside during the day, only to spike back to forty degrees Celsius as soon as night fell. This cycle had repeated for three days, and his fever still refused to fully break.

Ji Xiangyang called Lin Shu’s parents to demand medical expenses, only to have the call transferred to their secretary. He brazenly asked for ten thousand yuan. The secretary arrived in person to coordinate with the hospital, utilized the student medical insurance, and ended up paying only eight hundred yuan. Ji Xiangyang cursed his luck, blaming poor timing. He wanted to squeeze out more money as a "nutritional supplement" for his son, but the secretary, proving to be a difficult obstacle, claimed he had no authority to approve such an expense.

"Don't take a minor position and act like you're holding an imperial decree," Ji Xiangyang snapped. "If my son's treatment is delayed, can you be held responsible? Look closely—the person lying in this bed is next year’s top scorer in the college entrance exam. My son is in the same class as your boss’s daughter, and they are very close. Don't be so clueless."

"…I can't get through to you. Tell Mr. Lin to call me!"

Ji Xiangyang grabbed hold of the secretary, refusing to let him leave. Ji Xingshen could perceive what was happening, but he was unable to open his eyes or make a sound. Over the past three days, he had been trapped in a dream that felt like a long-running TV series. In the dream, he aced his college entrance exams, won a full scholarship to a prestigious university, and received a three-hundred-thousand-yuan bonus from the school. In college, he dated three different women while keeping Lin Shu on a string, never letting her find out. Later, after graduation, he started a project that required startup capital, but his then-girlfriend demanded he marry into her family to get the money.

The Ji family had only had one son for three generations. Helpless, Ji Xingshen had to turn to his backup option, Lin Shu. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever encountered, and also the most foolish. The thickness of the rose-colored glasses she wore when looking at him made him feel a bit uneasy. Moreover, because she knew all his shameful secrets, he always felt inferior in her presence. The more she liked him, the more he wanted to torment her.

After they married, Lin Shu obeyed his every word. When he decided to sell her shares, causing the Lin family business to be acquired, she only cried and threw a tantrum. Since she had money and was easy to control, she was a much better wife candidate than those women outside who spent money like water and always looked for trouble. In his dream, Ji Xingshen watched himself calculate every move, climbing to the very top. All his former dreams had turned into reality.

He didn't want to wake up, but his father’s shouting eventually pulled him back.

"Dad… what are you arguing about?"

Seeing his son awake, Ji Xiangyang rushed over, urging him to call Lin Shu’s parents for money, insisting that without it, he wouldn't be able to recover. Ji Xingshen, having just lived through a dream that spanned over a decade of success and fame, looked at the current situation with a strange sense of clarity. He understood it all now. Lin Shu’s parents sent a secretary because they felt they were being treated like bottomless pits for money, yet they were still unwilling to give up on the investment they had made in him for so long.

He looked at the secretary with disdain. A mere wage-earner trying to put on airs—in the future, this man wouldn't even be worthy of tying his shoelaces. Ji Xingshen didn't call Lin Shu’s parents; instead, he called Lin Shu. He knew that as long as he lowered his head just a little and coaxed her, she would give him all the money he needed. He realized he had been too high-minded during his student days.

Ji Xingshen dialed Lin Shu’s number, deliberately letting his voice sound hoarse and haggard. "Lin Shu, I'm sick. Aren't you going to come see me?"

The other end of the line was noisy, as if they were at a karaoke bar. It was Lin Shu’s friend, Zhou Ya, who answered. "Hello? Ji Xingshen? Lin Shu went to the bathroom. What’s up? I can tell her."

"Let Lin Shu take the phone."

"Hey, I can't hear you! Speak up—"

In the background, someone was singing Zhang Yu’s song at the top of their lungs: *It’s all your fault for making me fall in love so easily~ It’s all your fault, your pampering is nothing but a temptation~*

It was a man singing. He hadn't expected someone as well-behaved as Lin Shu to go to karaoke with guys. After all, she had told him after they were married that she had never even touched alcohol. Women were all dishonest, just like his mother. Even Lin Shu was capable of lying…

Whatever. The important thing was to keep her in his grasp. As his father said, he needed money for nutrition; otherwise, who knew how long this illness would drag on, and his studies would definitely suffer. Ji Xingshen strained to make his voice heard. "Zhou Ya, let Lin Shu take the phone—"

"Ah, I can't hear you, the signal is bad. Just send a text."

*Click.*

The call ended. When Ji Xingshen tried calling back later, the phone was out of service. He had a bad premonition, but deep down, he still felt that Lin Shu wouldn't be able to bear ignoring him, so he drafted a message and sent it.

...

Meanwhile, in the KTV suite, after Zhou Ya hung up, Lin Shu immediately snatched the phone and switched it to airplane mode. Zhou Ya squinted. "He’s looking for you, and you're not happy, so you put on this act?"

Lin Shu grinned. "If I don't pay attention to him, aren't you happy?"

Happy. She was extremely happy. Otherwise, she wouldn't have put in such an Oscar-worthy performance. Lin Shu checked the time; there was only an hour left before Zhou Ya’s curfew. She rushed to the song selection screen and pinned Zhou Ya’s song to the top.

Zhang Bing, who was currently singing, quickly covered the screen. "Big sister, I had one more song after this." It was also by Zhang Yu, *The Rain Keeps Falling*.

Lin Shu said, "It doesn't matter when the rain falls. Ya-ya has to go home soon, let her sing first, and you can sing after."

Zhang Bing moved his hand away but raised the microphone toward Xie Buchan, complaining aggrievedly, "Brother Chen, look at her!"

Xie Buchan was busy fiddling with the drinks on the table, mixing cocktails, and didn't have time to bother with him. The others laughed and pulled Zhang Bing away. "Forget it, forget it, it doesn't matter when the rain falls, hahaha…"

Zhou Ya felt a little embarrassed. She took a sip of her drink and, seeing her song at the top, jumped up, took the mic, and sang with deep emotion. She didn't have many chances to go out and have fun, let alone sing in such a lively group, so her mood was exceptionally good.

Lin Shu stuffed a cheese sausage into Zhang Bing’s hand and pressed her palms together in a gesture of apology. Zhang Bing sighed, took the sausage, and stopped making a fuss. *Sigh.* He had no backbone when facing such an innocent yet wicked face.

"Where’s mine?" Lin Shu went to Xie Buchan for a drink.

Xie Buchan tilted his chin toward a glass. Lin Shu pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. *Damn rascal, why does he look twice as handsome under the disco lights?* Everyone else looked greasy, but did he secretly use blotting paper?

"Why are you staring at me?" Xie Buchan asked in a low voice without looking up.

*Hmph.* She was looking at him to give him face; he was really ungrateful. Lin Shu picked up the drink and took a sip. She raised her eyebrows—it was sweet and sour, the color was nice, and it was chilled just right for a KTV.

Someone else came over to grab a drink but was held back by Zhang Bing.

"What are you doing, you lightbulbs?"

"Our drinks are all over there, we have to go over eventually."

Zhang Bing said, "Can’t you see the atmosphere is just right? Just stay thirsty for now. Brother Chen has been so good to you guys usually; now is the time for you to be sensible."

The group laughed and nudged each other, winking. They could all tell that Xie Buchan definitely had something for Lin Shu. Otherwise, he never invited girls—except for Jiang Xinyi, but she was an uninvited guest who couldn't be kicked out. Now, he hadn't only invited Lin Shu, but also her nerdy classmate. The sun must be rising in the west today!

Lin Shu drank continuously, finishing three glasses. After the fourth, she reached out and poked Xie Buchan. Xie Buchan tilted his head.

Lin Shu said, "Hurry up and make more, I finished them."

Xie Buchan looked at the four empty glasses. His lazy gaze gradually turned clear, then became urgent.

"Lin Shu, you drank the wrong drinks…"

He had mixed large glasses for the two girls with no alcohol, but the four triangular glasses Lin Shu had drained were the ones he had made for Zhang Bing and the others. No wonder she poked him after finishing them.