Only the Sober Have a Sense of Shame

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the girls were all a little tipsy.

Of course, there was still a second round.

They were all young, after all.

Going back this early probably wouldn’t mean sleep anyway.

Might as well head to the karaoke room in the eco-park and enjoy some music.

The slightly buzzed state was perfect for it.

The music grew even more unrestrained.

Even Yang Laoliu, who was tone-deaf, joined in with a loud howl. But this time, no one teased her about being off-key—instead, they howled along with her, making everyone clap and cheer.

It was clear that over the past year, the girls had been exhausted, with no real chance to let loose.

This week-long vacation wasn’t entirely relaxing either. Back home, they still had to put on a front around relatives and friends.

Only after a few drinks could their true personalities and pent-up stress finally break free.

By eleven at night,

after another round of fruit wine, the girls were starting to get properly sloshed, their voices growing even louder.

Cao Cheng decided to call it a night.

Any more drinking, and things might get out of hand.

Not that Young Master Cao was afraid of trouble, but taking advantage of someone in such a state was beneath him.

Besides,

he hadn’t planned on anything happening tonight.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have invited all of them at once.

……

He then summoned the park’s staff to escort each of them to the dormitory area, where they could stay for the night instead of returning to their own places.

At least here, someone could keep an eye on them,

ensuring no late-night mishaps.

Ye Lan, thoroughly drunk, slumped against Cao Cheng’s chest: "Young Master… Young Master… I, I have something to—"

Cao Cheng steadied her. "Let’s get you to bed first. Whatever it is, we’ll talk tomorrow."

"Mmm~"

Ye Lan whined, her drunken eyes hazy as she shook her head. "No… now, Young Master…"

"Fine, fine, now it is."

As he spoke, Cao Cheng guided her out by the waist.

He wasn’t sure how she’d gotten so drunk.

It wasn’t like she’d had that much.

Then again, maybe it wasn’t the alcohol but the sheer relief of releasing all that built-up tension that had lowered their tolerance.

That had to be it.

Along the way,

it was pure chaos.

They claimed to be drunk, but instincts and subconscious urges still peeked through.

Take Yang Laoliu, for instance—she shoved aside the qipao-clad girl helping her and started walking in a straight line, declaring, "Look, look! See how straight I’m walking? Told you I’m not drunk…"

The other girls even applauded.

Cao Cheng chuckled, pulling out his phone to record the scene.

Clearly, Yang Laoliu wasn’t much of a drinker. She was genuinely out of it, probably blackout drunk.

No way she’d remember any of this tomorrow.

Then, she started muttering about how she actually sang well and wasn’t tone-deaf at all—before launching into another howl.

And she wasn’t the only one.

Some of the girls began dancing.

It was a full-on circus.

Cao Cheng kept laughing as he filmed, murmuring, "This is all blackmail material. Can’t wait to show you later and watch you cringe…"

"Young Master, you’re so mean."

"……"

Cao Cheng glanced at Ye Lan beside him.

She could barely stand, her arms locked around his waist, her face pressed against his chest.

If he weren’t holding her up, she’d probably slide right to the ground.

And yet…

she had the nerve to call him mean?

With an amused shake of his head, Cao Cheng raised his phone for a selfie. "Come on, smile."

Ye Lan immediately buried her face, refusing to look at the camera.

Still worried about embarrassment?

Yeah, right—so much for being drunk.

Cao Cheng saw right through her. Ye Lan was faking it.

If she were truly wasted,

she’d be grinning like an idiot and posing for the photo.

Only someone sober would care about saving face.

Her little act didn’t fool Young Master Cao.

But he played along.

After a few more steps, Ye Lan mumbled, "Young Master… can’t walk anymore…"

"What do you want to do about it?" Cao Cheng feigned ignorance.

"Carry me…"

"You’re a grown woman. No."

"Please, please~" She pouted, leaning into the drunk act.

Definitely not drunk.

But maybe a little buzzed.

Cao Cheng smirked. "You’re the team leader. Shouldn’t you be more serious?"

"I don’t wanna be…"

After a bit of back-and-forth, the others had already gone ahead.

Finally, Cao Cheng gave in and scooped her up in a princess carry.

Ye Lan seemed thoroughly pleased.

She didn’t cause any more trouble on the way, though she kept murmuring things into Cao Cheng’s ear—

too quiet for anyone else to hear.

Clearly, she was using the "drunkenness" as cover for a confession.

When they reached the dormitory,

the place was spotless, despite having been unused for a while.

He set her down,

but Ye Lan refused to let go.

The message was obvious.

Cao Cheng stayed calm. "I’m going to shower and change."

Only then did Ye Lan slowly release him.

She ‘struggled’ to sit up,

then offered, "Let me help scrub your back, Young Master."

"……"

Cao Cheng studied her.

Ye Lan had never been this bold before.

She’d always been reserved.

Even her fans knew her as the stern, composed leader who rarely showed emotion.

The epitome of a traditional Chinese authority figure—

stoic and unreadable.

Turns out,

alcohol really was a miracle worker.

It brought out the real her.

Not that Cao Cheng minded.

After all, these were his own carefully nurtured "cabbages."

It was only a matter of time.

"Let’s go."

The night lasted until dawn.

And truly, homegrown "cabbages" were the best—organic, tender,

just ripe enough without being overdone.

Every bite was crisp and satisfying.

Plus, these cabbages were high-profile.

The emotional feedback they generated was on another level.

Not that Cao Cheng needed this kind of thing to accumulate emotional energy anymore, but why not double the fun?

Win-win.

Soon,

the New Year arrived.

All nine girls took the stage at the Spring Festival Gala, performing a patriotic song.

After the holidays, they’d go their separate ways, each carving out her own niche in the entertainment industry.

The company had plans for all of them.

They just needed to follow the steps, letting their popularity solidify over time.

That solidification was key.

The difference between fleeting idols and lasting actors or singers lay in that process.

And it required more work—

not every project had to be a hit, but they needed a few standout roles or songs.

For an actor or singer, even one iconic role or track could mean a lifetime of security.

Their goal was simple:

find that golden ticket.

Easier said than done.

Countless veterans only stumbled upon their defining role in middle age or even later.

There was no formula.

That perfect role might be a lead, a supporting part,

or even a villain.

No rules.

Just luck.

Pure chance.

As long as a character breaks through into the mainstream, whether it's casual viewers or fans who don’t even know the actor’s name, they’ll instantly recognize and call out that iconic role.

Take, for example, "Cheung Wai" from Hong Kong cinema.

Or the "Prime Minister Zhuge Liang" from mainland productions.

Many might not know the actors' real names, but the moment they see that face, the legendary character’s name rolls off their tongues.

And that’s all that matters.