Ch69-Wow, Learning Really Pays Off
"Gege, come over for dinner at my place today."
"My cooking is really good!"
Thinking about how everyone had worked hard fighting today, Ruan Qing suggested he cook.
Meng Ci nodded, then plucked some vegetable leaves from a pot at home and brought them over to Ruan Qing and the others.
Outside, Yun Jingcen and the others were still mopping the floor, so Meng Ci stepped out to help with whatever he could manage.
But Duan Yan took it to another level.
Seeing some walls stained with blood, he grabbed a basin, took Cheng Yu down to the stairwell, scraped up a bunch of plaster, mixed it with water, and started plastering it back onto the walls.
Watching this, Meng Ci began to suspect Duan Yan had majored in civil engineering, not physics, during college.
Otherwise, how could someone who looked so bookish actually know how to plaster?
Cheng Yu and Fang Shurui helped Duan Yan reinstall the electric fence. This time, they set it over thirty centimeters high and added hinges so it could be opened from the inside.
With the outside mostly handled, Yun Jingcen and Mao Xinyu went inside to help Ruan Qing prepare dinner.
With so many people, they opted for a hotpot.
On the induction cooker, the yin-yang pot emitted a rich, spicy aroma.
Though it was a yin-yang pot, only the spicy broth was available -one side held less, the other more.
Ruan Qing was serving dishes when he spotted the pack of Coke in Meng Ci's hand. His eyes lit up, and he hurried over.
"Gege, is this for me?"
"Of course." Meng Ci handed the cola to Ruan Qing.
"Thanks, Gege!" Ruan Qing then ran back to her room carrying the cola, reappearing only a minute or two later.
"Gege, you can't tell the teachers about giving me the cola!"
"They think drinking too much soda is bad, so they only give me one bottle every few days!"
Meng Ci nodded. "No problem."
"But hide it well. Don't let the teachers find it."
"And if they do find it, you better not rat me out!"
Ruan Qing nodded obediently before going inside to help Yun Jingcen and the others bring out the dishes.
Now that the Qinglong Gang had been dealt with, he believed no immediate threats loomed.
Meng Ci therefore brought out some beer and even retrieved a bottle of red wine he'd bought in M Country from his spatial storage.
None of them were heavy drinkers, so each only had about half a bottle of beer.
But when they tasted the red wine Meng Ci brought, they all praised it highly.
Only Mao Xinyu, usually the elegant and intellectual teacher, defied her usual composure and drank several glasses.
"Mr. Meng, this is the real deal!"
Mao Xinyu held a disposable cup, leaned back in her chair, and brought the glass to her nose for a sniff, her expression utterly Intoxicated.
Her posture was graceful, as if she were at some high-class, elegant banquet.
Yun Jingcen nudged her with her elbow. "Stop pretending!"
"If you like it, just drink it. Don't put on airs."
Mao Xinyu snorted lightly. "People like you, who don't know how to enjoy life, just don't understand wine."
With that, she downed the entire cup of red wine in one gulp.
"Is this what you call understanding wine?" "Yun Jingcen retorted.
"I'm just venting my frustrations."
Mao Xinyu declared, grabbing the wine bottle and clinking it against her glass. More than half the bottle vanished into her stomach.
Ruan Qing sat nearby, watching Mao Xinyu drink. When she set the bottle down, Ruan Qing snatched it away unnoticed.
Before he could pour it, Mao Xinyu snatched it back.
"Kids shouldn't drink alcohol, you know! Burp-"
"Go drink your Coke like a good boy!"
Duan Yan said sternly, "If you don't want to eat, then go review the lesson for later."
"If you still don't understand what was taught yesterday, you'll have an extra hour today."
Hearing this, Ruan Qing deflated instantly, feeling like the sky had fallen.
Teacher Duan had just endured such a fierce battle, and now he had to supervise his studies? Was the teacher made of iron? Didn't he know what exhaustion was?
Waaah, it's pouring rain, why can't we just stop studying?
In the end, Yun Jingcen came to Ruan Qing's rescue.
"Ruan Ruan, don't listen to him!"
"He's just drunk and talking nonsense. Go eat your meal."
"I'm not drunk." Duan Yan's eyes were glazed over, yet he kept insisting he wasn't intoxicated.
None of them expected Duan Yan to have such a low tolerance for alcohol. After only half a glass of red wine, he was completely wasted.
"Ruan Qing, you're coming with me right now..."
Duan Yan stood up, but his legs
gave way. His eyes closed, and he collapsed drunk. Cheng Yu, who had been watching him closely, caught him as he fell.
"Xiao Yan's drunk. I'll take him to rest."
"You guys handle things here."
"No problem. Go take good care of him."
As the only two sober people present, Yun Jingcen and Ruan Qing helped clear the dishes. Fang Shurui, who could hold his liquor, also assisted in carrying things inside.
Meng Ci kept watching Duan Yan and Cheng Yu. When he saw Cheng Yu carrying Duan Yan in a princess carry, his eyes lit up.
By now, everyone had finished eating. Meng Ci and Shen Que had also had a few drinks, so Yun Jingcen didn't ask them to help with the cleanup.
Meng Ci remained composed, his steps steady as he walked through the double security doors.
Seeing Shen Que beside him showed no reaction and about to open the door to go home, Meng Ci's eyes darted. He suddenly stumbled, his body lurching forward, and he let himself fall, no longer caring about anything.
"Meng Cil"
Fortunately, the two households were close together, and Shen Que caught Meng Ci in time.
"Meng Ci? Wake up."
Shen Que shook him several times, but Meng Ci showed no response.
He checked his breath with a finger-it was slightly rapid, but otherwise normal.
Could he be drunk?
After several shakes yielded no response, Shen Que could only search Meng Ci's person for keys.
He felt the pockets of Meng Ci's coat-empty. Other places were awkward to check.
Sighing, Shen Que had no choice but to unlock his own door.
Hoisting Meng Ci's arm over his shoulder, Shen Que supported him inside.
Meng Ci's head hung low, his eyes slightly open. Meng Ci thought to himself, learning from someone experienced really does pay off.
But why was this different from what he'd seen? Why wasn't he being carried princess-style?
Then Meng Ci inwardly chided himself. If he'd known he'd be chasing someone, he should've asked that shop owner to download some dating tutorial videos to study.
Now it seemed he'd mostly have to figure things out on his own.
Otherwise, if he kept staring at Duan Yan and the others, he'd probably be seen as a villain trying to ruin their relationship.
Shen Que supported him all the way into his bedroom. Remembering Meng Ci's back wound, Shen Que intended to help him lie down.
Just as he grabbed Meng Ci's shoulders, Shen Que was caught off guard and suddenly pinned down by Meng Ci.
"Meng Ci?"
Yet Meng Ci showed no reaction. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Shen Que's neck, breathing steadily.
Meng Ci's scheme had succeeded, and he felt a secret thrill. If he could just sleep like this on top of Shen Que, what kind of reaction would he get when Shen Que woke up
tomorrow?