Contractual Marriage: We’re Meant to Be Together

223. Yes I Am

Translator: Bryan

“This is white wine.” Wei Qing picked up a goblet, poured Yan Chuyang a goblet of wine, put it beside his hand and added, “It has a medium-bodied, supple flavor. You won’t get drunk if you drink only a goblet or two.”

“I see,” Yan Chuyang said. Looking at the goblet vacantly, he picked it up, held it to his nose and took a sniff of it. It was indeed very fragrant, though slightly pungent.

“It’s very tasty,” Wei Qing murmured. “Try it.”

Yan Chuyang’s scalp prickled. He didn’t know why, but Wei Qing’s mien reminded him of Snow White’s vicious stepmother trying to trick her into eating a poisoned apple.

“I’ll try it later.” Yan Chuyang put down his goblet and looked at the tableful of delicacies, “I think I’ll eat something first.”

“Okay.” Wei Qing nodded and put some food in Yan Chuyang’s plate, “Filling your belly first is the most important.”

After Yan Chuyang ate a few bites of food, Wei Qing said to him with a goblet of wine in his hand, “Cheers.”

Too embarrassed to decline, Yan Chuyang drank a few goblets of wine tentatively.

He kept refusing to drink.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to drink. He just felt that something was amiss.

Wei Qing had always forbidden him to drink. Why was he acting so uncharacteristically on this occasion?

Yan Chuyang felt somewhat uneasy when drinking.

“Drink some more.” Wei Qing picked up the bottle and poured wine into Yan Chuyang’s goblet until it was almost half full.

After he drank two goblets of wine, Yan Chuyang’s cheek was faintly red. His tolerance to alcohol was very low. Although the white wine was mild, it had a high degree of alcohol, and those who didn’t drink often could easily get tipsy after drinking a few glasses of it.

“I can’t drink anymore,” Yan Chuyang said, patting his slightly groggy head, “I’m seeing double. I think I’m drunk.”

“It’s okay,” Wei Qing said, raising his hand to stroke Yan Chuyang’s cheek, “I’m here. If you get drunk, I’ll look after you.”

Yan Chuyang sighed and held up a finger, “Alright then, I’ll drink one more goblet. The last one.”

“Okay.” Wei Qing handed him the goblet and gave his chin a playful tweak, “Good boy.”

Yan Chuyang, emboldened by the words “good boy”, took the goblet of wine and finished it in one gulp with a heroic air.

He had drunk it so quick that he felt dizzy.

Ten minutes later, the alcohol kicked in. Yan Chuyang’s fair-complexioned face was suffused with color, and his consciousness became vague.

“Yan Chuyang, Yan Chuyang,” Wei Qing shook Yan Chuyang’s shoulders and held up a finger. “Tell me, how many fingers are you seeing?”

Yan Chuyang shook his head and tried hard to open his eyes. When five or six fingers appeared in front of him, he knitted his brows, abruptly swatted Wei Qing’s hand aside and snorted, “I don’t care. You don’t want to talk to me anymore. Why should I play with you?”

“I never said I didn’t want to talk to you.” Having noticed that Yan Chuyang’s eyes were unfocused, Wei Qing relievedly swept him into his embrace. “It’s just I’ve been busy dealing with something important lately.”

Yan Chuyang furrowed his brows, abruptly turned around and, gripping Wei Qing’s collar, said fiercely, “Is it more important than me?”

Some say that alcohol could turn a coward into a daredevil. It made some sense. Having gotten drunk, Yan Chuyang began to say things that he wouldn’t say when sober.

Wei Qing replied, “It’s as important as you.”

Yan Chuyang’s face froze momentarily. Three seconds later, he abruptly lifted his hands to push Wei Qing’s shoulders, trying to struggle free from his arms.

“What are you doing?” Wei Qing tightened his embrace into a squeeze.

Yan Chuyang pushed him again and said coldly, “I’m leaving. I don’t wanna stay in your house anymore! You no longer like me anyway, and I’m no longer the most important person to you! Why should I linger here?!”

“That’s nonsense!” Wei Qing grabbed Yan Chuyang’s shoulders, his face stern. “How dare you talk about leaving like that?”

“I dare!” Yan Chuyang thundered. “Wei Qing, you said it yourself. You said you’d look after me forever, that you’d never banish me from your house. What are you doing now?!”

Wei Qing’s face softened and he hugged Yan Chuyang, lowered his voice and said, “I just haven’t spoken to you for days. Is it a big deal? I didn’t do anything else beyond the pale, did I? What makes you think I no longer see you as the most important person?”

Yan Chuyang snorted, “You’re not cooking me dinner anymore, and you gave me the silent treatment. I made overtures to you on my own initiative, but you said I was flattering myself. Wei Qing, are you sure you put me first?”

“Did you put me first?” Wei Qing asked.

For an instant, Yan Chuyang didn’t know what to say.

Though drunk, he still knew that he didn’t put Wei Qing first.

His grandmother was the most important to him.

Wei Qing… Wei Qing could only count as the second most important one.

Yan Chuyang’s silence made Wei Qing’s heart throb painfully.

He shouldn’t have asked that question. It was an invitation to distress and heartache.

Yan Chuyang quieted down. He also realized that he was being a little unreasonable. He didn’t put Wei Qing first, but he expected Wei Qing to put him first.

That was so selfish.

Neither of them spoke. Yan Chuyang’s eyes were downcast, his face meek, holding the drooping tablecloth with his hand, looking faintly awkward.

“Alright,” Wei Qing exhaled deeply and broke the silence. “Let’s get down to business.”

As he said this, Wei Qing removed the tablecloth beside him and took out a document he had prepared.

Staring confusedly at the thick wad of paper in the man’s hand, Yan Chuyang asked, “What is that?”

“A project my company is working on. I need a little favor from you.”

Yan Chuyang shrugged, “What kind of favor?”

“Sign this and leave your fingerprint on it.”

“Eh…” Yan Chuyang blinked, “Why do you need me to sign it?”

“I, uh, I got a money problem. I need my marriage partner’s signature to get a loan.”

Yan Chuyang’s face turned pale and he looked at the man in panic. “What happened? How come you need to loan money?”

Wei Qing said softly after a momentary silence, “Yes, I’m poor now. Are you willing to vouch for me?”

“Yes, I am,” Yan Chuyang said without hesitation.

Wei Qing felt his heart quiver as a smile touched his lips. “Well then, can you be a good boy and sign it right away?”