Chapter 14: Drunk

The old place—café across from Jintian High, her favorite in school days.
Mu still remembered.
Whatever trick old fox Ji used—he really got Mu out.
Two years no see—she’d gone to bureau and Mu’s home. Mu always knew her moves—empty every time.
Familiar seat—Mu across. Familiar coffee on the table.
Coconut latte, iced—her favorite.
Mu looked tired—fine lines at the eyes with age: “My staff said you broke into my office?”
“Director Mu—easy to verify. Check the cameras.” Distant, faultless.
Mu’s eyes dimmed—hadn’t expected this attitude.
Still soft: “Ke-ke, Chief Ji said you were hurt on a mission days ago. How are you?”
Mu hid from her—long apart—still elder warmth. Talking down like spoiling a junior.
She knew—it was all false.
Mu produced a small white bottle: “Bureau special recovery pills—you’ve spent a lot lately—they’ll restore energy faster.”
She shook the bottle—small pills inside. At the bureau experimenters gave dark brown decoctions.
“I’m fine—thanks for remembering. I thought you were too busy at the bureau—forgot me.” No more circling—straight: “Aunt Mu—why hide from me these two years?”
Mu laughed—looked at the ceiling, troubled act: “You don’t know—after flame cases spiked I focused on research—no time. I adopted you—should take responsibility—work made me neglect you—my fault…”
“Skip that. I want the real reason.”
She cut Mu—no warmth left: “Every time I looked for you—gone or on mission. I asked experimenters your schedule—waited at your door. On days I came—you happened to work overtime till dawn. Aunt Mu—how many coincidences is that?”
“Child—you’re young. Some things you don’t understand.” Mu dropped gentle—back to high Director Mu. “Children should act like children. What you shouldn’t know—never touch. Accidents… rot in your gut.”
Then in a blink Mu was warm again—patted her head—face-change champion: “If you need anything later—go to Chief Ji. Good child—I’m always your backstop.”
Said that—left.
Two coconut lattes on the table—neither touched.
She gripped the bottle—SI research center.
“Jiang-jie—analyze this drug.”
She didn’t trust Mu handing clues—but too much about Mu she didn’t get—and sometimes there really were clues.
Results back—Jiang Ran: “Leader—ability-suppressing drug. Ordinary users long-term—like normal people till they stop. Strong users—seven or eight tenths suppressed.”
---
“Okay. I know.”
Seeing her dazed, Jiang Ran still asked: “Leader—where’d this come from? Contraband—only bureau seniors qualify…”
Stopped mid-sentence.
Even an outsider saw it. Cold laugh inside—left.
Lately idle.
Captives no new leads—hall victims still unconscious—Ji no new tasks—actual college days for a while.
Sun-Moon opening delayed but teacher wouldn’t waste competition chance—dragged them drinking.
Teacher talked old—drank young—thousand-cup legend at school.
At the tavern—others already there.
Mostly grad students teacher brought—but familiar face in the crowd.
Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci noticed her—flinched—teacher waved: “Little Yi! Sit—by Jiang Ci.”
She didn’t care—any seat same.
Opened: “Coincidence—you got roped into the contest too?”
“…Yes.” Jiang Ci rubbed her forehead helpless.
Young associate professor Wang—hated wasted talent—loves fun and meddling.
At school played stern teacher—old speech and clothes—mismatch.
Two styles collided—Professor Wang’s extreme contrast.
After rounds Wang said: “How about a game?”
“How?”
“Dice—high wins.” Wang pulled a feather pen from his bag. “Leadership gift—not worth much—just fun!”
Night deep—Yi Ke not back.
Bai Yanci anxious—about to WeChat—call came.
Noisy line—young woman: “Hello? You’re Yi Ke’s sister? She drank too much—please pick her up.”
Jiang Ci on Yi Ke’s phone.
Bai Yanci disliked Jiang Ci—remembered same university.
Yi Ke called her sister in contacts—no real name saved.
“Fine. Send address.”
Near-campus tavern—Bai Yanci blinked to a discreet spot, then walked in, pushed the door.
Smoke thick—almost moon-palace mist—choking.
Why would Yi Ke come here—ask for misery?
Jiang Ci knew her a little—helped Yi Ke over, out the door.
“So you’re her sister.” Jiang Ci awkward—words came out wrong. “Take her back—any longer this place won’t fit her.”
“What happened?”
Jiang Ci frowned: “Drunk like this still drinking—without Teacher Wang she’d be dancing on the table.”
Very Yi Ke.
Drunk Yi Ke restless—kept moving. Feather pen slipped—fell.
Yi Ke bent—Bai Yanci faster—bent too.
Space shrank fast—almost touching. Yi Ke’s view—black hair, lowered lashes.
Maybe alcohol—she looked up too fast—lightly brushed her lips.
Wine chill, a trace cool.
Yi Ke barely reacted—Bai Yanci froze—half bent—breath missed.
Time stretched—or only a blink.
Yi Ke wiped dust off the pen, held it out, voice rougher than usual: “Sister—I won this. Meant to give you.”
Jiang Ci saw all—soft tsk—teasing smile: “Team Leader Yi’s blooming at last? If you weren’t her sister I’d think she had a girlfriend soon.”
Blooming? With Yi Ke’s face—never dated?
Disliked Jiang Ci—but Yi Ke had saved her—thanked and left.
Apartment—she went to cook sobering soup.
Yi Ke grabbed her: “Sister—where going? Don’t you like my gift? I worked hard to win it.”
“How’d you win?”
“Dice—I rolled the biggest!”
……
“You drank too much—I’ll make soup.”
“I didn’t drink—you did.” Yi Ke unreasonable sober—worse drunk. “Don’t you think this feather pen’s design unprecedented? What color combo!”
Bai Yanci finally looked at the pen.
Mm… red and green—unprecedented indeed—matched the rabbit nest.
Jiang Ci’s words—wanted to ask: You never dated?
Improper to ask.
Why ask? Not a matchmaker—no Cupid—couldn’t conjure romance for Yi Ke.
But Jiang Ci said: thought she’d get a girlfriend.
Jiang Ci’s face—no sense anything wrong with that.
Yi Ke woman. She woman.
Two women together—forbidden under heaven. On the moon—two women found together—execution.
Yet her own repeated boundary crossings—accidental tenderness—less and less like herself—drifting from moon training.
Even… forgot why she came to the mortal world.
Did she harbor the same feeling—want to defy the world?
The thought startled even her.
“Sister—what thinking?” Yi Ke hooked her sleeve. “Staring so long—want to ask something?”
Struggled inside—asked: “You never dated?”
“Nope.” Yi Ke easy.
“Why?”
“What why? Haven’t met someone I like.” Voice fading—almost inaudible. “But now I have…”