161. Drunk
==============================
“I… I like you.”
Even though Lin Nan was already half drunk and his head felt all fuzzy from the alcohol, at that moment, a wave of intense embarrassment surged from the depths of his heart, sending his brain into a temporary shutdown.
While his brain was taking a little vacation, his body strictly executed the commands given before the blackout – without hesitation, he tiptoed, wrapped his arms around Chen Yao’s neck, and then kissed him.
Since there were no specific instructions on where to kiss, Lin Nan just went ahead and planted a kiss right on Chen Yao’s forehead.
With the brain still out of commission, when Lin Nan’s lips left Chen Yao’s forehead, he was already as red as a ripe tomato, instinctively licking his lips only to taste a slight hint of saltiness.
A confused guest who had just emerged from the restroom looked at Lin Nan and then at Chen Yao, realizing they had stumbled upon a confession scene, and hurriedly rushed off.
Talk about hitting the jackpot – look at this lovely girl making the move on him!
Chen Yao was completely stunned, his brain still processing Lin Nan’s words and actions. He looked incredulously at Lin Nan, who was now tugging at his neck, and instinctively pushed him against the wall. Just as he was about to perform some dramatic “wall slam” action, he was shocked to see Lin Nan, who just moments ago seemed shy and expectant, suddenly squeal and bolt away, hands covering his face.
Wait, what just happened?
Lin Nan just drunk-kissed him and then confessed?
Does that mean he… actually likes me?
Chen Yao was utterly bamboozled by this whirlwind of events.
In Chen Yao’s understanding, Lin Nan had only just come to terms with being a guy himself, and had always treated him like a bro. So how did a confession come flying out of nowhere?
Logically, Lin Nan shouldn’t be crushing on guys so quickly.
Could it be he’s been secretly lusting after me for a while now?
Chen Yao suddenly had a revelation: “Lin Nan isn’t secretly gay, is he?”
He had barely spoken this thought out loud when he saw Lin Nan popping his head around the corner, glaring at him, “I’m not! I was just kidding!”
Glancing up, Chen Yao saw Lin Nan blushing, and the previous statement sounded like classic tsundere behavior.
Lin Nan felt the need to clarify, but having just pulled a bold stunt, he couldn’t bear to look Chen Yao in the eye, sheepishly turning his head, “Really, it was just a joke! If I really liked you, I would’ve kissed you on the lips, okay?!”
Why does it feel even more embarrassing to explain than to confess?
The thrill was unreal; his heart was racing like a teen after their first crush.
Is this what it’s like to tease a guy?
With his head spinning wildly, Lin Nan didn’t even notice how blush-inducing his tone was.
“Sure, sure, it was just a joke,” Chen Yao threw his hands up. He couldn’t tell whether Lin Nan was being serious or not, but since that’s how it was, he’d play it cool and pretend to be oblivious.
“So, you’re not going to the restroom anymore?” He worked hard to calm his flustered heart, plastering on a regular smile, even if his body was still buzzing with excitement.
Thank goodness they were in a KTV with dim lighting; otherwise, Lin Nan would have definitely made fun of him if he noticed.
“Not going…” Lin Nan retracted his head like a shy cat, biting his lip to keep the embarrassment from overwhelming him.
He still felt a bit dizzy, thanks not just to the booze but also that relentless feeling of shame.
His heart was thumping unusually fast, making his face flush and his limbs feel like they were on fire.
At that moment, he resembled a boiled lobster, a ripe apple, glowing red and radiating hormones, and this sight only served to stir up Chen Yao’s already shaky composure.
Chen Yao walked up to Lin Nan and casually asked, “So, should we head back?”
“Yeah.”
Though the embarrassment was dimming the effects of the alcohol, Lin Nan still felt a bit loopy. After a few steps, he astonishingly veered off course and smacked his head against Chen Yao’s shoulder.
If Chen Yao hadn’t been in the way, Lin Nan would have most certainly ended up kissing the wall.
Chen Yao, bewildered, turned to see Lin Nan’s increasingly “reckless” walking and twitched at the corners of his mouth. He didn’t dare help him for fear that he might accidentally reignite the emotions he had just managed to suppress.
“Forget it, no drinking after we get back.”
With his mission accomplished for the night, Lin Nan had no intention of drinking further and happily nodded in agreement.
But he couldn’t shake the feeling that although the confession had been premeditated, actually doing it felt incredibly smooth.
Could it be I’m a player?
While he claimed he wasn’t going to drink anymore, the moment he returned to the booth, he found himself reaching for a bottle of alcohol.
“Whack!”
Lin Nan recoiled as a sharp pain shot through his hand, instinctively pulling it back while shooting deadly glares at Chen Yao, trying to muster his most fierce, ferocious, and terrifying expression.
However, to Chen Yao, Lin Nan just looked like an angry little cat throwing a tantrum.
Adorable!
Without a shred of fear, Chen Yao swatted away Lin Nan’s stealthy hand again.
Lin Nan’s expression turned pitiful, his big watery eyes brimming as if about to teeter into tears.
That was Chen Yao’s breaking point; his face froze momentarily before he quickly snatched away all the beer from Lin Nan’s table, placing it in front of Tu Junhui, and hurriedly distanced himself from Lin Nan, worried that things could escalate.
Now Lin Nan was left hanging, clearly Chen Yao was determined not to let him drink any more.
Inside the booth, loud music and rowdy singing continued. Most of the people there had little to no musical talent, or simply hadn’t developed it at all.
This resulted in Tu Junhui sounding like he was howling, Chen Yao singing awkwardly, and though Xiong Da’s singing was bearable, it was only at the baseline level of “not horrible.”
Lin Nan, feeling the effects of the alcohol, had barely squatted down in the corner of the booth, burying his head in his arms, and appeared to have already dozed off.
In the corner, Lin Nan looked like a tired little cat, and if one got closer, they could hear his intermittent soft snores.
“Lin Nan?” Chen Yao approached and gently nudged him, but there was no response.
Looks like he’s really out cold.
“If you want to sleep, just lie down on the sofa. What are you doing squatting here?” he chuckled wryly.
Lin Nan’s snoring somehow sounded oddly endearing, soft and sporadic, occasionally accompanied by the faint sound of grinding teeth.
Chen Yao turned to Tu Junhui and Xiong Da, shrugging, and asked, “Should we head back? There aren’t many bottles left anyway; we can always take them with us.”
“Alright, I guess.” Tu Junhui scratched his head, still feeling like he hadn’t had enough fun.
Xiong Da stepped forward, intending to help Chen Yao carry the drunken Lin Nan, but Chen Yao resolutely refused, “What’s with your tomato-red face? Just take care of yourself; if anything, keep an eye on Tu Junhui. That guy’s had a fair bit to drink too, don’t want him going bonkers.”
“Is that so?”
Xiong Da, not typically one to overthink, instantly accepted Chen Yao’s reasoning.
