Chapter 373: Tonight, proclaiming sovereignty!

Mu Lingxue felt Lin Yuan's……

She felt the change.

Mu Lingxue's pretty face instantly turned crimson!

She twisted Lin Yuan hard, then hastily seized the chance to pull her jade hand away.

"Hiss……"

Lin Yuan sucked in a breath of cold air, the pain almost making him frown; the words on the tip of his tongue…… he forced them back down.

Mu Lingxue acted as if nothing had happened, and again placed a boneless piece of fish meat for Lin Yuan, her tone tinged with annoyance:

"What's wrong? Are you choking? Eat slowly, no one's fighting you for it."

Her gaze swept over Lin Yuan, hiding a warning: "Try messing things up and see."

Lin Yuan rubbed his thigh, inwardly complaining, "She really went hard."

But on the surface he could only force a laugh: "No…… I'm not choking, I just think this fish is really fresh."

Lin Yuan's brow knotted into a lump from the pressure on his thigh. He

The corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably, pain making him grimace; he didn't dare let the sound of his inhaled breath be too loud.

He rubbed the spot that had been pinched, seeing the warning in Mu Lingxue's eyes, and could only awkwardly twitch the corner of his mouth. He dared not speak further.

"Lin Yuan, are you two really boyfriend and girlfriend??" Fei Fanjin gazed at Lin Yuan with deep eyes and asked.

At this moment, Lin Yuan was threatened by the police belle; how could he dare deny it?

Lin Yuan lightly nodded, tacitly accepting the role of "boyfriend."

But Lin Yuan couldn't help complaining in his heart: This police belle is too savage and domineering, pinching people without mercy!

Fei Fanjin watched Lin Yuan's nodding motion, and her wine glass "thudded" onto the tabletop.

Her gaze instantly dulled, the smile that had just risen on her face freezing as if coated with glue.

She stared at Lin Yuan, then glanced at Mu Lingxue's natural motion of serving vegetables; her chest felt as if something were blocking it, an empty sensation sinking through her limbs——

It turned out she was still too late; Lin Yuan really was together with Mu Lingxue.

At this moment, Fei Fanjin was filled with regret.

She regretted: a few months ago, when Lin Yuan pursued her, why had she refused?

Back then, she clearly had the opportunity……

But now, she had completely missed it.

She had missed out on this good man, Lin Yuan!

Some men, once missed, are impossible for a lifetime.

Fei Fanjin said nothing more, picked up the nearby red wine bottle, twisted open the stopper, and poured it into her glass.

The deep-red wine spilled over the rim, trickling down the inner wall; she didn't notice, simply lifted the glass and drained it in one gulp.

"Miss Fei, drink slowly……" Lin Yuan watched her tilt her head back to drink, frowned, and reached out to press her wine cup, worried she'd drink too much and harm herself.

Lin Yuan's hand hadn't yet touched the cup when Mu Lingxue across the table suddenly flashed her beautiful eyes.

Her hand under the table pinched Lin Yuan's thigh again, lightly; the force wasn't great, but enough to remind him.

Mu Lingxue's gaze swept over Lin Yuan's hand, then flicked to the fully flushed Fei Fanjin; the implication in her eyes could not be clearer——

"You're my boyfriend now; why bother managing your own girlfriend and instead go meddling with others?"

Lin Yuan's hand froze midair, he awkwardly withdrew it, and could only force a laugh twice:

"Miss Fei, drinking too much harms the body; better to drink less."

Fei Fanjin poured another glass of red wine, heard Lin Yuan's words, lifted her head, and gave him a strained smile.

Her voice carried the scent of alcohol: "It's fine…… I'm happy, today you've been released, you should drink……"

Before she finished speaking, she lifted the cup again and drank; the red wine trickled down the corner of her mouth, wetting her collar, which she didn't mind, her gaze gradually becoming hazy.

Mu Lingxue watched her in that state of drinking to drown sorrow, a fleeting hint of complex emotion flashing in the depths of her eyes.

She didn't say more, merely placed a piece of braised pork for Lin Yuan: "Don't worry about others, hurry up and eat, the dishes are getting cold."

Lin Yuan watched Fei Fanjin drink cup after cup, then glanced at Mu Lingxue beside him with an expression of "none of my business," and could only sigh helplessly, picking up his chopsticks to slowly eat the vegetables in his bowl, though his heart was in turmoil——

This meal was eaten with too much anxiety.

When Fei Fanjin had drunk the third bottle of red wine, she finally couldn't hold up, slumped over the table, still muttering:

"Lin Yuan…… am I…… really out of chances……"

At that moment, Mu Lingxue suddenly interjected, "Of course, Miss Mu, Lin Yuan is now my boyfriend. Moreover, you two aren't suited."

Mu Lingxue said this while also actively linking arms with Lin Yuan. This was a proclamation of sovereignty.

Lin Yuan watched Fei Fanjin's hand holding the wine cup tremble more and more severely; he could only sit aside and sigh helplessly.

Fei Fanjin suddenly raised her wine cup, the bottle shaking along with it, and slurred: "Officer Mu! Come, let me toast you……"

Mu Lingxue's hair stuck to her flushed face; she also seized her wine cup and smiled, "Sure."

Mu Lingxue said this and directly drained the cup.

The two women, at the dining table, toasted each other.

They secretly began to compare their drinking capacity……

Lin Yuan reached out to try to snatch the wine cups from the two women's hands, but as soon as he touched the rim, Mu Lingxue waved him away: "Don't interfere! We haven't drunk enough yet!"

Fei Fanjin seized the moment to gulp another large mouthful of red wine, wine staining the corner of her mouth which she didn't mind, laughing: "Look…… I can still drink…… you can't anymore, right?"

The two women were secretly comparing their drinking capacity.

The red wine was opened bottle by bottle.

One night, the two women actually drank a full four bottles of red wine……

With the final cup of wine, Mu Lingxue, unwilling to concede, also raised her cup and drained it in one gulp.

Mu Lingxue set down her cup, but her hand wasn't steady; the cup made a "clang" as it hit the table, and she herself swayed, almost falling over.

Lin Yuan hurried forward and steadied Mu Lingxue.

"You two, stop drinking… you're already like this…"

But when he turned his head, he saw Fei Fanjin already slumped on the table, still muttering softly, "I'm not drunk," obviously completely drunk.

Lin Yuan shook his head helplessly.

In the end, he paid for the meal.

He paid the bill, then helped up the two women, who were drunk as mud, and got them into the taxi.

Lin Yuan hailed a taxi and took the two women home.

Since Mu Lingxue's home was nearby, Lin Yuan told the taxi driver to go to her place first.

A few minutes later, the taxi pulled up steadily at the entrance of Mu Lingxue's residential compound.

Lin Yuan first went to the passenger side and carefully helped Mu Lingxue out of the car.

Mu Lingxue's steps were unsteady, and most of her weight leaned on Lin Yuan.

Her hair clung messily to her flushed cheeks, her eyes veiled with drunkenness yet still holding a hint of mischief.

Mu Lingxue had just steadied herself when she suddenly raised a hand, hooked it around Lin Yuan's neck, and, before he could react, rose onto her tiptoes to lightly peck his cheek—

The soft touch carried the rich aroma of red wine, then vanished in an instant.

Lin Yuan stiffened all over and instinctively glanced toward the back seat of the taxi.

All he saw was Fei Fanjin half‑leaning against the seatback; though her gaze was hazy, she happened to catch sight of this scene.

Fei Fanjin's already pallid face turned even whiter in an instant; her fingers clenched the hem of her clothes, the corners of her mouth turned down, and she looked as if she were about to cry.

Mu Lingxue seemed to have done it on purpose so Fei Fanjin would see; after the kiss she lifted her chin toward the car window.

Mu Lingxue's voice, soft and sweet from the wine yet tinged with triumph, said, "He's my boyfriend—what's wrong with me kissing him?"

Lin Yuan, both embarrassed and helpless, hurried to steady the swaying Mu Lingxue and whispered, "You're drunk—go home first."

Mu Lingxue wouldn't have it, clutching his arm with her small hand and muttering, "I'm not drunk… I'm sober… take me to the elevator lobby…"

Lin Yuan had no choice but to half‑support, half‑carry her toward the residential compound; glancing back at the taxi, he saw Fei Fanjin turn her head toward the window, her shoulders trembling slightly…

A pang of guilt rose in Lin Yuan's heart, but he could only attend to Mu Lingxue beside him.

At the elevator lobby of the compound, Lin Yuan pressed the up button for Mu Lingxue, then fished out her apartment key from her bag and placed it in her hand: "When the elevator arrives, can you go up by yourself? Remember to lock the door behind you."

Mu Lingxue leaned against the elevator wall, her vision a little clearer, yet she still clung to his hand and asked, "Won't you walk me to my door?"

"No, Fei Fanjin is still waiting outside; I need to take her home." Lin Yuan gently pulled his hand away and added, "Stay safe."

The elevator doors slid open, and Mu Lingxue stepped in, glancing back three times; even after the doors closed, her face could still be seen pressed against the glass.

Lin Yuan let out a breath of relief, turned, and hurried back toward the compound's exit.

He was still thinking of Fei Fanjin in the taxi, and his steps quickened involuntarily.

Lin Yuan locked the unit door of Mu Lingxue's building, turned, and hurried back to the taxi; as he opened the door, he could still smell the lingering red wine inside.

He had barely settled in when he heard a faint sniffling sound from beside him…

Lin Yuan turned his head and saw Fei Fanjin bowed, her shoulders trembling slightly; tears fell one by one onto her dark skirt, blooming into tiny wet spots.

Lin Yuan panicked at once, fumbled in his pocket for a tissue, and handed it over, his voice tight:

"Fanjin, don't cry—are you feeling unwell? Should I take you to the hospital?"

Fei Fanjin didn't take the tissue, didn't lift her head, only raised her eyes with a choked voice.

Her eyes were red‑rimmed, full of grievance, her voice thick with nasal congestion: "Lin Yuan… do you… have you ever liked me?"

Those words hit him like a sudden stone; Lin Yuan was utterly stunned, the tissue hovering in mid‑air, his mouth opening but not knowing how to reply—

Saying he hadn't liked her would hurt her feelings;

saying he had liked her would give her false hope, and besides, he couldn't explain his "fake relationship" with Mu Lingxue.

The taxi driver in the front seat caught a glimpse of this in the rearview mirror, his grip on the wheel pausing, his eyes full of surprise.

The driver furtively glanced up at Lin Yuan again, the corner of his mouth turning up in a knowing smile.

The driver said nothing, but while waiting for the red light, he quietly gave Lin Yuan a thumbs‑up, his eyes conveying admiration: "Brother, you're awesome."

The driver muttered to himself:

"This guy's something! He just saw off a girlfriend who looks hard to deal with, and now here's a woman crying and asking if he likes her—yet he's got two boats under his feet and stays so calm; he's a real role model for us men!"

Lin Yuan saw the driver's gesture and his face instantly flushed.

Lin Yuan coughed embarrassedly, quickly turned back to Fei Fanjin, and tried to change the subject:

"Fanjin, you've had too much to drink—don't dwell on this. Go home and rest; you'll feel better tomorrow."

Fei Fanjin wouldn't have it; her tears flowed even harder as she reached out and grabbed Lin Yuan's arm, her grip light but firm.

"I haven't drunk that much! I'm perfectly sober! Just tell me—even a little—did you ever like me?"