Chapter 37 — Nan Xu, don’t bite, be gentle…
Nan Xu and Xie Hejing had been in Linbin City for a week. By their last evening there, everyone was finally much more relaxed.
Nan Xu even had the mood to stroll down the city’s shopping street. When she returned to the hotel, her hands were full of shopping bags.
That made Xie Hejing tease her, saying she probably needed to courier everything back to Zhi’an.
But Nan Xu didn’t mind. She was more concerned about whether she had forgotten any of the gifts she’d bought for everyone.
At last, she pulled a gift box from the pile of shopping bags and handed it to Xie Hejing.
He raised an eyebrow. “I get one too?”
Nan Xu nodded. “Of course! Open it, Brother. Do you like it?”
Inside was a wallet.
Suppressing a smile, Xie Hejing asked, “So, what do you want me to do this time?”
Why did he make it sound like her gifts always came with strings attached? Though to be fair, last time at the airport, they kind of had.
But this time was different.
Nan Xu frowned. “I just want you to praise me.”
“Good girl, Nan Xu. Thank you.”
That instantly put Xie Hejing in a great mood.
Qi Ming organized another gathering, and this time even more people showed up than at the welcome banquet. One after another, people came forward to toast Xie Hejing, keeping him busy with drinks.
Whether it was from happiness or something else, he didn’t refuse anyone that night. Cup after cup, he downed every drink, and the lively atmosphere at the table kept rising.
Linbin was famous for its seafood. After several days of exhausting work, Nan Xu hadn’t had a proper meal, so now that she finally had the chance, she practically didn’t stop eating from the moment she sat down.
But as the toasts kept coming, she couldn’t ignore how Xie Hejing accepted each one without even a frown, tipping his head back and draining every glass. Nan Xu had to force herself to tear her eyes away from the food.
She gnawed on a crab leg, glancing at him now and then. Watching him knock back who-knew-how-many glasses, she couldn’t help but frown, worried he might get drunk.
Just as he set down an empty glass, someone refilled it to the brim. Seeing that, Nan Xu’s heart skipped a beat. Under the table, she tugged at the corner of his shirt.
When he looked her way, she showed him the message she’d typed on her phone:
[Brother, drink a little less. Too much isn’t good for your health.]
Xie Hejing glanced aside, lips curved in a half-smile, and gave her a slight nod.
Nan Xu thought he had listened. But the very next moment, he raised the glass to his lips again.
At least this time he didn’t down it in one gulp—he only sipped slowly.
Still, Nan Xu’s brows furrowed. Even the crab on her plate didn’t taste quite as good anymore.
What if Xie Hejing really did end up drunk later? She had no experience looking after someone in that state. She couldn’t just leave him there, could she?
It was a relief when the drinking party finally came to an end. Nan Xu rubbed her slightly overstuffed stomach and whispered to Xie Hejing, “Brother, I’m going to the restroom for a moment.”
When she came back out, Xie Hejing was no longer in the private room.
Qi Ming was still there though. Seeing her look around, he explained, “Assistant Nan, President Xie already went to wait for you in the car. I suggested calling a designated driver, but he said you hadn’t been drinking, so you could drive back to the hotel.”
After giving her the details, he even added considerately, “Are you sure you’re okay with that? If not, I can still call a driver for you.”
Nan Xu was a little taken aback, not sure why Xie Hejing didn’t want a driver. But since he had insisted, she nodded and said to Qi Ming, “It’s fine, I’ll drive.”
“Goodbye, President Qi,” she added as she reached the door.
Qi Ming smiled. “Goodbye, Assistant Nan.”
In the parking lot, relying on her memory from earlier, Nan Xu quickly found the car.
Since she was the one driving, she didn’t say much, just opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat.
Through the rearview mirror, she sneaked a glance at Xie Hejing. He was slouched against the back seat, his jacket tossed carelessly to the side. His shirt was rumpled and partly unbuttoned, and his eyes were closed, his expression unreadable. He really did look like he was drunk.
Pressing her lips together, Nan Xu asked softly, “Brother, are you okay? Did you really drink too much?”
He didn’t answer right away. After a long moment, he gave a muffled reply: “Mm.”
His voice was heavy with fatigue and alcohol.
Nan Xu sighed inwardly. Despite her attempts to persuade him, he still ended up drunk.
She started thinking that once they got back to the hotel, she should probably look up how to take care of someone who was drunk. Or maybe she should search it now, before they even set off. She pulled her phone from her bag and started typing.
“Nan Xu, come here and press my temples,” Xie Hejing suddenly said.
Her thoughts scattered, and she lifted her gaze from the phone toward the back seat.
His eyes were open now, and he was fiddling idly with his watch, turning it over in his hand.
Nan Xu wasn’t prepared for their eyes to meet.
For some reason, at that moment his gaze felt like a dark, bottomless pool, shadows hiding whirlpools within—dangerous, almost lethal.
But wasn’t he supposed to be drunk? Why did his eyes look so frightening?
Startled, Nan Xu quickly averted her gaze.
“Don’t want to?” Xie Hejing’s voice came again, low and husky, carrying the lazy edge of someone still tipsy.
When she looked back, everything about him seemed normal again.
Maybe she had just imagined it. Nan Xu let out a small breath of relief.
When she was searching just now, Nan Xu really had seen an article that said massaging someone’s temples could help ease a hangover headache.
With that in mind, she put away her phone. “I’m coming.”
Unfastening her seatbelt, she opened the rear door. But Xie Hejing was still slumped there, making it impossible to figure out how to even start.
Unless she lay on top of him—which Nan Xu immediately ruled out.
“Brother, sit up straight and turn your head so I can massage your temples,” she suggested.
At her words, the corner of his lips lifted in a faint smile. “I’m drunk. No strength.”
Nan Xu’s eyes widened. “Not even enough strength to sit up?”
“Mm.” He bit lightly at the inside of his lip.
Hearing that, Nan Xu’s brows furrowed. How could he be that drunk? She had warned him not to drink so much.
“Then I’ll pull you up. You just use whatever strength you can, all right? Otherwise, I’ll waste all my energy just trying to sit you up.”
Xie Hejing gave a lazy “Mm” in response, but didn’t move from his position.
Nan Xu bit her lip, rolled up her sleeves, and took hold of his arm, then lifted it onto her shoulder. Freeing both hands, she grabbed his other arm and tried to pull him up, but he wouldn’t budge.
“Brother, I’ll count to three, and then we’ll pull together, okay?” she said.
“…All right.” His eyes lowered.
Nan Xu gritted her teeth, throwing all her strength into it. “One, two—”
But before she even got to “three,” his arm suddenly tugged her inward, and she toppled straight onto his chest.
Because she’d pulled so hard, she practically crashed into him. He was fine, of course, but her head throbbed from the impact.
Nan Xu: “…”
She blinked rapidly until the dizziness faded a little.
“Brother, I meant pull outward, toward me—not drag me into you.”
Her voice carried a hint of frustration. She was sprawled in his arms, the car door still wide open. The scene looked far too suggestive.
The corner of Xie Hejing’s eyes lifted. “Sorry, I’ve been drinking. My memory isn’t so good.”
“…It’s fine,” Nan Xu muttered.
She waited for him to let go. He only repeated the apology, yet his arm stayed firmly wrapped around her back.
At last, she had to remind him, “Brother, could you let go? Otherwise, how am I supposed to sit you up?”
“Oh, right. Forgot. You kept so quiet I thought you liked this position too.”
Nan Xu: “…”
She decided it wasn’t worth arguing with a drunk.
It took all her strength, but Nan Xu finally pried Xie Hejing’s hand off her and pushed herself upright.
She glared at him, her expression vivid—anger, helplessness, resignation, a whole storm of feelings flashing across her face.
Only after a long moment did she feel like she’d recovered a bit of strength.
If she failed again and had to repeat it, Nan Xu was certain she’d collapse before she could get him up.
So this time, she gave him very clear instructions: “Brother, don’t get it wrong this time. You need to pull toward me.”
“We pull together.”
“Mm…” Xie Hejing agreed again.
Nan Xu took a deep breath, repeated the same movements as before, and almost gritted her teeth as she counted: “One, two, three—”
But before she could even finish, Xie Hejing suddenly moved, and with a quick pull Nan Xu lost her balance and fell right into his arms. Before she could react, he sat up and, with one hand, shut the car door.
The entire sequence was swift and abrupt.
Nan Xu’s mind went blank. It wasn’t until the car door clicked shut that she came back to herself, the unfinished “three…” still hanging on her lips.
Why was she in his lap now—sitting directly on him?
“Brother, you—”
Forget it. No use reasoning with a drunk.
Frowning, Nan Xu tried to move aside.
But Xie Hejing stopped her, one hand on either side of her, his posture deceptively casual yet leaving her completely trapped. He leaned in slightly. “Go on. Massage.”
“Like this?” Nan Xu was dumbfounded.
“Mm.” He shifted a little closer. “This way saves time.”
Nan Xu wanted to ask what exactly it was saving time for, but before she could, Xie Hejing spoke again: “Headache. Do you really want to waste more time?”
She was at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, she reminded herself he was drunk.
Don’t argue. Don’t overthink it.
She lifted her hands and pressed against his temples, slowly massaging as she muttered under her breath, “Why’d you have to drink so much anyway…”
Xie Hejing had closed his eyes. Nan Xu’s gaze drifted to his face. The warm yellow glow of the car’s interior light spread like a gentle filter across his features.
In that moment, the usual sharpness and severity were gone, leaving his whole presence softened.
It was also the first time Nan Xu had studied him from so close. His features were perfectly carved, each line striking in just the right way. There was no denying it—he was an incredibly attractive man.
Nan Xu stared, swallowing hard as if it took effort. She was so caught up in the sight of him that she didn’t even realize her hands had slowed, then stilled completely.
Just then, Xie Hejing opened his eyes. Their gazes collided, and his eyes locked tightly onto hers.
That dangerous aura from earlier rose up again.
Deep inside, a wave of inexplicable panic surged through Nan Xu. Her heart trembled uncontrollably.
She instinctively wanted to escape that gaze, but his hand pressed firmly against the back of her head, leaving her nowhere to run.
“Nan Xu, were you just staring at me?”
“…No,” she denied.
But her voice lacked conviction.
Interest finally flickered in Xie Hejing’s eyes. His voice, low and deliberate, seemed like a rope tightening around her nerves.
“What were you looking at?”
Following his words…
Nan Xu’s gaze slid downward, settling on his lips—opening and closing with each breath.
Usually they carried a lazy curl, but under this hazy, intimate light, they seemed inexplicably sensual, almost bewitching.
Her heart suddenly thudded wildly, the sound hammering against her ribs.
Even her breathing grew uneven, the warmth of it rising and falling in the small, enclosed space.
Xie Hejing lowered his gaze to follow hers. His brows relaxed, and the corners of his mouth hooked ever so slightly.
“Nan Xu, this time I won’t make you take responsibility. If you want to kiss me, just kiss me.”
Nan Xu’s lashes fluttered. “…I don’t want to.”
The two words came slowly, as though it took real effort for her to force them out.
“Really don’t want to?” Xie Hejing pressed. “Nan Xu, your eyes will give you away.”
“I—I was just looking for a moment,” she explained weakly, her guilt plain in her tone.
His gaze stayed fixed on her, as if it could pierce through to the truth in her heart.
“All right,” he said at last, as though letting her off the hook.
But a few seconds later, he spoke again, soft and tantalizing.
“Nan Xu, you know people forget what happens when they’re drunk.”
Nan Xu only lowered her head and stayed silent, maintaining her usual demeanor of a small quail. But Xie Hejing knew she had heard him.
He raised his brows, leaned close to her ear, and his words grew blurred, his consonants dragged out: “Nan Xu, I’m drunk.”
His voice, steeped in alcohol, was husky and rough at the edges, every syllable dripping with heat.
The breath of it washed over her, and Nan Xu shrank her neck, shaken by the impact, as if suddenly reminded of something. She stared dazedly into his eyes.
“You’re drunk…” she echoed faintly.
Xie Hejing nodded encouragingly.
“Try it. Just try, Nan Xu. You know I have no strength left—I won’t do anything to you.”
Won’t do anything…
Nan Xu nodded along with him, his words swirling in her mind, stirring up her thoughts until they tangled. Slowly, hesitantly, she leaned closer.
Xie Hejing’s breath caught for an instant. Watching her approach, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at his lips.
Nan Xu’s breathing grew quick and uneven, her warm breath brushing across his face.
The moment their lips finally touched, Nan Xu felt as if her very soul was trembling. Her hand gave a little shake.
In the next second, Xie Hejing caught her hand, and just like that, she felt a faint sense of reassurance.
Her movements were clumsy, cautious—just a soft press against his lips, like a startled deer ready to bolt at any moment.
Xie Hejing gently patted her back, again and again, slow and steady, soothing with every touch.
It was as if his encouragement gave her courage. Tentatively, she brushed against his lips, and the sensation made her heart jolt violently.
Her lips grazed his, timid and trembling.
But Nan Xu didn’t know what came next. Relying only on imagination, she shyly stuck out her tongue and gave a tentative lick.
It was warm, lingering, achingly sweet—a sweetness so intoxicating it could swallow a person whole.
Xie Hejing breathed in her faint fragrance, his heartbeat stumbling, muscles taut as he forced himself to bury the surge of emotion and desire, clinging to restraint with all his strength.
He’d said he wouldn’t do anything—and he wouldn’t.
Still, even his small, unconscious reactions startled Nan Xu. She thought she’d done something wrong.
A rush of panic overtook her, her mind going blank. In her fluster, she reflexively bit down—intending to bite her own lip.
But instead, she caught his.
Nan Xu jerked back in alarm. Just as she pulled away, Xie Hejing’s hand continued patting her back, his voice low and coaxing:
“Nan Xu, don’t bite, be gentle.”
Then, after a beat, he added, teasingly seductive, “But it’s fine. We can try again.”
The allure in his tone was overwhelming, and Nan Xu felt her head spin. She nodded once, and leaned forward again.
Time blurred. By the end, Nan Xu’s face was flushed red, her whole body hot, her thoughts dissolving into haze. She finally pulled back slightly, glancing up at him.
In his eyes was only tenderness—gentle warmth wrapping around her, while he held back every hint of the desire that might frighten her.
Nan Xu pressed her lips together, then couldn’t help but ask, “And… then what?”
Xie Hejing chuckled, leaning lazily back against the seat. “Then… whatever you want.”
He paused, emphasizing deliberately: “Anything.”
Nan Xu lowered her head, deep in thought. The problem was, she had no idea what she could do…
“President Xie.” A knock on the window.
The sound exploded like thunder out of nowhere.
Nan Xu snapped back to herself, jolted from the dreamlike haze, staring at him in disbelief—had she really just done that?
But Xie Hejing recovered in an instant. He grabbed the jacket beside him, draped it over her, and tucked her into his arms.
The window cracked open just a sliver, his voice calm and cool as it slipped into the night:
“What is it?”
Hidden beneath his jacket, Nan Xu listened. His tone was smooth, steady, not a trace of drunkenness to be heard as he spoke with Qi Ming.
Nan Xu closed her eyes, her lips turning pale from biting them. She tried to move, but Xie Hejing held her in place.
Qi Ming, listening to the cold, cutting edge in Xie Hejing’s voice, felt sweat break out instantly.
In all the days he’d observed him, even when Qi Hui splashed wine on him, Xie Hejing had never sounded like this.
Qi Ming hurriedly spoke: “President Xie, you left your wallet behind. I noticed your car hadn’t left yet, so I thought I’d bring it over.”
The car’s window was dark enough that no one could see inside, but Qi Ming—though lacking many other strengths—was exceptional at reading tension.
“Sorry to disturb your rest,” he added quickly.
Xie Hejing’s anger simmered under control. “Throw it in. Thanks.”
Qi Ming slid the wallet through the small gap in the window and immediately dashed away like a gust of wind.
Outside, all was silent again.
Listening to Xie Hejing’s heartbeat thumping so close, Nan Xu hesitated, then asked, “Brother… were you actually drunk at all?”
They remained in the same position. Nan Xu was still held in his arms, wrapped in his jacket, surrounded by his scent.
After a pause, Xie Hejing said quietly, “…I could be drunk.”
Could be drunk? What did that even mean?! Was it up to her to decide?!
Nan Xu didn’t bother overthinking it. She just asked, “Tomorrow… will you forget what just happened?”
He had said before that people forget what happens when they’re drunk.
At her words, Xie Hejing’s hands, holding hers at his sides, gradually tightened. A soft laugh escaped him.
Nan Xu didn’t need him to say anything else.
He wouldn’t forget.
Her chest tightened.
She didn’t even know how she would react later, when she finally had to leave the warmth of his jacket and face him directly.
Xie Hejing patted her back a third time, slow and steady.
“If you want me to forget, I can forget.”
He lifted his eyes to the window, into the thick, inky darkness. The night outside was quiet, long, and endless.
“Before today ends, I want to say one more thing to you.”
“What?” Nan Xu asked.
“Thank you… for the kiss, Jiaojiao.”