Chapter 193 – You Got Me Drunk

Before heading out, Xia Xun made a special trip home to change into a floral chiffon dress.

She stood in front of the mirror for one final inspection.

The pale blue chiffon fell lightly to just above her knees, its floral skirt swaying with every turn like a blossom nodding in the breeze.

She toyed with the long hair draped over her shoulder, then spritzed on just a touch of citrus perfume-Lin Xi had once said she liked the scent.

“Is this too deliberate?” Xia Xun frowned at her reflection, then shook her head.

“Tonight might decide whether we’re truly destined to end up together!”

Her phone vibrated with a message from Lin Xi.

I’m already at Qingmu. I got us a table by the window. Waiting for you~

A smiling emoji followed.

Xia Xun’s heart suddenly beat a little faster.

She took a deep breath, picked up her petite handbag, and left.

The fragrance of gardenias hung in the April evening air.

As Xia Xun walked down the sidewalk, the hem of her dress swayed gently with each step, drawing no shortage of glances from passersby.

She had never cared about other people’s attention. She only hoped Lin Xi would notice the dress. On one of their previous shopping trips, Lin Xi had said this style would suit her.

Qingmu was the newly opened fusion restaurant Lin Xi had mentioned, tucked away in a quiet alley downtown.

The moment Xia Xun pushed open the heavy wooden door, cool air carrying the faint scent of spices washed over her.

Her gaze immediately locked onto the table by the window. Lin Xi was looking down at the menu, the restaurant lights softening the lines of her profile.

“Have you been waiting long?”

Lin Xi looked up as Xia Xun approached, and her eyes lit up at once.

“Xia Xun.” Lin Xi stood. Half a head shorter than Xia Xun, she wore a simple white shirt and navy high-waisted trousers today, making her look neat and capable. “I only just got here. You look-“

Her gaze lingered on Xia Xun’s dress for several seconds.

“That dress is beautiful.”

Xia Xun felt her cheeks warm. “I bought it last week. You said this style suited me.”

“I remember.” Lin Xi’s smile deepened.

She was lying. She did not remember saying that at all!

She had only complimented Xia Xun because Xia Xun really did look beautiful!

Even now, Lin Xi could not understand why such a gorgeous girl would ever fall for an utterly ordinary background character like her…

“Have a seat. I asked them to save us their best table.”

After sitting down, Xia Xun noticed that a glass of iced lemon water was already waiting for her-one of her favorite drinks.

Lin Xi remembered that particular detail because she happened to like iced lemon water too.

“The news certainly dropped a bombshell today.” Lin Xi deliberately steered the conversation toward Thor’s capture.

As she spoke, she pushed the menu toward Xia Xun. “They have fresh cod today. When we were fishing yesterday, you said cod was your favorite.”

Cod was a saltwater fish. Lin Xi had even thought about taking Xia Xun sea fishing once the weather grew warmer.

All she could say was… she hoped that day would come.

“Yeah. That draconic Special-Grade Disaster has finally been caught.” Xia Xun took the menu, her fingertips accidentally brushing Lin Xi’s hand.

A strange little current seemed to spread from the point of contact.

She pretended to focus on the menu to conceal her suddenly racing heart.

They had held hands before, so why was she still this nervous? Xia Xun silently cursed herself for being so hopeless.

“A draconic Special-Grade Disaster is certainly rare. I heard that a Special-Grade Disaster like that gets locked up in the Countermeasures Bureau’s Undersea Prison, right?”

“That’s right. The Undersea Prison will be her home for the rest of her life.” Xia Xun gently turned a page of the menu.

The troubling answer made Lin Xi rub her temples.

The movement caused the collar of her shirt to part slightly, revealing her delicate collarbones.

“They haven’t taken this draconic disaster to the Undersea Prison yet, have they?”

Xia Xun nodded. “She’s still-“

The information was highly classified. Xia Xun paused, then gave a vague answer. “She’s still in District 2.”

Lin Xi already knew Thor was still in District 2. What she wanted to know was exactly where Thor was being held.

She lightly tapped a finger against the rim of her glass, searching for a way forward…

Xia Xun handed her menu to the server.

An idea flashed through Lin Xi’s mind. “Why don’t we open a bottle of wine to celebrate?”

“Celebrate?”

“Sure. You finally caught the Special-Grade Disaster you’ve been after.”

“That’s true. It’s a shame I missed the operation itself.”

“Nothing to regret. Haven’t you been working tirelessly toward this all along?”

Before Xia Xun could answer, Lin Xi had already waved over a server.

She ordered a bottle of white wine.

It was time for the simplest tactic of all: get Xia Xun drunk, then pump her for information!

Xia Xun had said she could not hold her liquor and got drunk almost immediately.

Lin Xi, meanwhile, had no reason to fear alcohol. She could simply evaporate it from the wine.

Desperate times called for desperate measures…

“Thank you for recognizing my efforts,” Xia Xun said softly.

Having her work praised by the girl she loved filled her heart with sweetness.

Lin Xi turned back to her and tilted her head. “In my eyes, you’re the hardest-working and most outstanding Magical Girl there is.”

“Lin Xi-” Xia Xun began excitedly, but the server arrived with the wine and interrupted the moment.

Lin Xi insisted on pouring for her. With her long, elegant fingers curled around the bottle, the gesture almost resembled a ritual.

“Try it.” Lin Xi slid the glass toward her.

It was a Riesling, said to carry aromas of peach and honey.

Xia Xun took a sip, letting the cool wine slip down her throat. “It’s delicious,” she said with a smile. “You always manage to find the best things.”

“That’s because I know what you like.” Lin Xi took a sip as well, leaving a faint mark from her lips on the rim of the glass.

The light passed through the wine and cast amber flecks across Lin Xi’s face. Xia Xun found herself unable to look away.

Their appetizer arrived-foie gras pâté with fig bread.

Lin Xi eagerly cut off a small piece. “Quick, try this. The combination is amazing.”

Xia Xun took a bite.

“Well?” Lin Xi asked expectantly.

“It really is wonderful.” Xia Xun nodded. “The richness of the foie gras pairs perfectly with the freshness of the fig.”

“Right?” Lin Xi beamed.

Of course, the only reason she had chosen this restaurant-and this dish-was Zheng Mo’s expert guidance as an heiress.

Lin Xi hesitated. “Actually… whenever I discover something delicious, you’re always the first person I think of.”

Warmth bloomed in Xia Xun’s chest. She lowered her head and cut into the bread to hide her expression. “Me too.”

The restaurant gradually filled with patrons, soft jazz blending with the clink of silverware.

When the main courses arrived, Lin Xi insisted on giving Xia Xun half of her pan-seared cod.

“This way, we can both try two different flavors.” She carefully transferred the fish onto Xia Xun’s plate.

The tips of Xia Xun’s ears turned pink, thanks to the combined effect of Lin Xi’s words and the wine.

Her heart pounded violently in her chest. There was a seriousness in Lin Xi’s eyes that Xia Xun had never seen before.

For a moment, the din of the restaurant seemed to recede. Nothing remained in the world but the two of them and this sudden intimacy.

“Lin Xi…” Xia Xun began, only to find she had no idea how to continue.

“The cod’s getting cold.” Lin Xi abruptly laughed, instantly lightening the mood. “Come on, eat.”

Then she poured Xia Xun another half glass of wine.

Wasn’t Xia Xun surprisingly good at drinking after all?