Two Little Novices

Having made up his mind, Shen Yi waited for the two to come out.

Once the three of them exited the store, Shen Yi whispered to Fu Nanzhi,

"Nanzhi, isn’t it time for dinner? It’s already so late—do you really want to keep shopping?"

Fu Nanzhi was clearly reluctant to stop. She had only visited a few shops, and in her mind, she still wanted to browse the entire row.

But since this outing was technically for Cheng Jun’s sake, she had to consider her feelings too.

Glancing at the time and seeing it was almost six, she asked,

"Zhujun, are you tired? Should we find a place to rest and grab something to eat?"

They had only walked through a handful of stores, and Cheng Jun didn’t feel the slightest bit tired. But judging by Shen Yi’s expression, she gave an ambiguous answer,

"I’m fine either way. It’s up to you, Nanzhi."

Fu Nanzhi crossed her arms and thought for a moment before finally agreeing to Shen Yi’s suggestion.

"Alright then, let’s go eat first."

"Actually, I already made a reservation—it’s on the top floor at 6:30, but we can go a bit early."

Shen Yi was overjoyed. As long as they weren’t shopping anymore, he was happy.

He didn’t care about the timing at all and immediately said,

"You two go ahead. I’ll drop these bags in the car and catch up."

"Fine, but hurry up."

"Come on, Zhujun, let’s go."

Fu Nanzhi agreed and pulled Cheng Jun along with her.

Shen Yi, meanwhile, lugged over a dozen shopping bags back to the parking lot.

After stuffing all the clothing bags into the trunk, he took the elevator straight to the top floor.

The top floor housed a reservation-only Western restaurant.

A waiter guided Shen Yi to a private dining room where Fu Nanzhi was already perusing the menu.

The room had a round table, and Shen Yi pulled out a chair, sitting slightly closer to Fu Nanzhi’s side.

Cheng Jun sat a little farther away, leaning in to look at the menu with Fu Nanzhi.

"Zhujun, do you want some wine?"

After finishing her food order, Fu Nanzhi spent a long time scanning the drinks menu before asking.

"Um..."

Cheng Jun hesitated before replying,

"I don’t handle alcohol well. Maybe not."

Fu Nanzhi laughed and patted her shoulder dismissively.

"It’s fine, it’s just red wine. We won’t drink much."

Unable to refuse her enthusiasm, Cheng Jun figured a little wine with dinner was normal, so she nodded.

"Alright, just a little then."

"Cough—"

Shen Yi, overhearing this, couldn’t help but clear his throat.

Fu Nanzhi turned to him.

"What’s wrong?"

Shen Yi waved it off. "Nothing."

It was perfectly normal for close friends to share a drink, and he didn’t want to ruin the mood.

His throat wasn’t actually itchy—he had just suddenly remembered that Cheng Jun might not be the best drinker.

She tended to get rowdy when drunk, and the memory of that scene was still vivid in his mind.

I’ll have to keep an eye on them. Better not let them drink too much.

Cheng Jun’s alcohol tolerance was poor, and Fu Nanzhi wasn’t much better.

At least red wine had a lower alcohol content, so they wouldn’t pass out after a glass or two.

The silver lining was that Fu Nanzhi was a quiet drunk—most of the time, she’d just fall asleep.

Before long, the orders were finalized. The waiter bowed slightly, confirmed any dietary restrictions, and left.

Shen Yi pushed a glass of water toward Fu Nanzhi and asked,

"What did you order for me?"

Fu Nanzhi rested her chin on her hand, elbow propped on the table.

"The usual. Medium-well."

Shen Yi nodded and handed them both napkins from the table to wipe their hands.

Soon after, there was another knock at the door.

The waiter entered, uncorked the wine, and poured it out to let it breathe.

Meanwhile, Fu Nanzhi was whispering to Cheng Jun, the two occasionally breaking into quiet laughter.

Shen Yi didn’t mind being left out. It was better than Cheng Jun feeling ignored. Seeing them so engrossed, he subtly tuned in to their conversation.

Most of it was about work—some complaints, some gossip—but the topic soon drifted, and now they were discussing nail art.

Shaking his head, Shen Yi refocused and opened a long-neglected mobile game to pass the time.

But as soon as he matched into a game, he froze.

"What the—when did this update happen?"

Staring at the unfamiliar characters, he had no choice but to look up a guide.

Since he didn’t recognize most of the new season’s roster, his first match was a chaotic mess.

The experience was terrible—he placed dead last.

The only upside was that it ended quickly, just as the waiter wheeled in the food cart.

Shen Yi closed his phone and declined the waiter’s offer to pour him wine.

"Drinking and driving don’t mix. I’ll be driving you two home later."

"Fine, Zhujun, if he won’t drink, we will."

Fu Nanzhi didn’t push him—she had only intended to drink with Cheng Jun anyway.

Shen Yi’s alcohol tolerance was leagues above theirs combined.

The deep red liquid swirled in the two wine glasses, releasing a rich aroma with just a gentle tilt.

Fu Nanzhi held her glass by the stem and proposed a toast.

"Sure!"

Cheng Jun readily agreed, lifting her glass.

Clink.

Shen Yi raised his water glass, and the three made a crisp sound as their drinks met.

After the first sip, a faint flush crept onto Cheng Jun’s cheeks.

They picked up their forks and started on the cold appetizers—some salads, vegetables, and fruits.

Before they could eat much, the soup arrived.

It was a classic cream of mushroom, and Shen Yi urged them,

"Here, have some soup first to warm your stomach. Don’t drink too fast."

"Mhm."

The two women took their bowls and sipped delicately with their spoons.

Shen Yi had eaten Western food many times, but for him, it was more about the atmosphere than the meal itself—too fussy, too slow, not satisfying.

Soon, the side dishes and main courses arrived, finally filling the table properly.

Fu Nanzhi and Cheng Jun, however, adapted effortlessly.

Both came from well-mannered backgrounds and were used to this kind of dining.

Cheng Jun’s face turned red after just two glasses of wine, and by the time she took a few sips of the third, her cheeks were as flushed as if she’d stepped out of a sauna.

Gripping her knife and fork, Fu Nanzhi teased her,

"Zhujun, you really weren’t kidding—your face looks like you just took a hot bath."

"Didn’t you practice drinking while studying abroad?"

Cheng Jun patted her warm cheeks and replied,

"I wasn’t joking! I really don’t drink much."

"Back then, whenever classmates threw parties, I either made excuses not to go or just had juice or cocktails. They thought I was a buzzkill, so eventually, they stopped inviting me. No chance to ‘practice.’"

Fu Nanzhi chuckled.

"Well, that’s perfect. Here, let’s have another toast."

Cheng Jun lowered her hands from her face and raised her glass to clink with hers.

Shen Yi, quietly working through his steak, glanced at them without a word.

Two lightweight drinkers, bonding over their lack of tolerance.

To slow them down, he cut a piece of steak and offered it to Fu Nanzhi.

Seeing the meat right in front of her, Fu Nanzhi opened her mouth and took a big bite, then turned to Shen Yi with puffed cheeks and a sweet, tipsy smile.

Shen Yi picked up a napkin and gently wiped a smear of sauce from the corner of her mouth.

Her dazed expression made it obvious she was already a little drunk.

Across the table, Cheng Jun watched the scene, her lips pressing together slightly.

The effortless familiarity between them left her feeling an unexpected pang of loneliness.

For a moment, she couldn’t tell if it was the lingering sweetness of the wine or the bitterness rising in her heart.

Drunkenness mingled with jealousy as she raised her glass again and said,

"Thank you for your generous hospitality, Nan Jie."

"Let’s have another round!"