Chapter 116 - Li Ling And Zhihao's Drinking Limit

Zhihao looked at the red-colored drink that was suddenly poured into his wine glass in a daze. He couldn't remember how many glasses he had before this and he didn't seem to care as he carelessly picked it up and swirled it around before sipping the delicious red wine. 

Red wine was perhaps the only wine he ever liked. White wine was always a bit too sour for him, while red wine had the perfect blend of sweet and sour. He liked it and knew that his alcohol tolerance was high so there was no way he was going to stop anytime soon. 

He would try to fool himself by constantly repeating it in his mind that he was good with alcohol and he was going to stop if he starts getting drunk, but one look at his face and people would be able to tell that he was drunk. 

His eyes were slightly red and puffy as he looked at the man sitting across him. The man seemed to be a bit more sober than him, although he had clearly drunk more. 

The waiter looked at the two with an odd expression but didn't say anything as he brought out the fourth bottle of red wine these two people had ordered. Thankfully the people who were at this party were rich, so the waiter didn't have to worry about these customers not paying up and running away. 

"You look really good in that silver mask," The man commented as he looked at Zhihao. 

Zhihao grinned as he nodded, "Not as handsome as you."

"You think I look handsome?" 

Zhihao shook his head as he frowned, "I think you look really familiar."

"Familiar?" The man took another sip from his glass as he tilted his head and looked at Zhihao with amusement, "What do you mean familiar?" 

Zhihao squinted as he answered, "You look a lot like my friend." 

"Is he really handsome too?" 

"He's the most handsome dude, I have ever met?" 

The man chuckled as he heard this, "That good looking?" 

Zhihao immediately nodded enthusiastically as he responded, "I have never seen someone look as good as him."

"Aren't you praising him too much?" The man leaned in closer as he put his wine glass down. 

"No way. You haven't met him so you don't know," Zhihao shifted in his seat as he continued, "If you ever get to meet him, you'll know." 

"So you think that guy looks really handsome?"

"He does!" 

"And you also think that I look like him?" 

"You remind me of him," Zhihao frowned. Although Zhihao felt as if he were sober, he was super drunk and his drunk mind couldn't understand anything if it wasn't clearly said. His capability to comprehend human language would decrease with every other glass of wine he had. 

"Doesn't that mean you think I'm handsome?" 

"You are handsome," Zhihao responded innocently. 

"But you don't even know how I look." 

"I don't need to look at your face to know." Zhihao suddenly felt like what he had just said was something he had heard before. Wasn't this something the woman who was chasing after him a few minutes ago said? She also called Zhihao handsome and when he asked her how she could call him handsome without even looking at his face, the woman responded with something similar, but Zhihao couldn't remember what it was exactly. 

Now that he was reminded of the woman and felt like his wordings matched with her's somehow, he couldn't help but laugh as he suddenly thought up of something. 

"Why are you laughing?" The man asked. 

"It feels like I'm trying to woo you." 

The man took a whole minute to respond when he heard this, "Well, are you?" 

Zhihao shook his head as he spoke, "I think I already have someone I like." 

"You think?" The man looked at Zhihao with amusement as he asked, "Aren't you sure if you like the person or not?" 

Zhihao shook his head as he spoke, "It's complicated." 

"Unless it's something related to how the universe works, it's not complicated."

"How the universe works?" Zhihao couldn't understand what the man was saying and it was all because of his lack of comprehensibility due to his intoxicated mind. 

The man chuckled and pushed it aside as he responded, "Don't mind it. It's nothing." 

"I think I like someone whom I'm not supposed to like." 

"There is no one in the world whom you shouldn't fall in love with."

"But I can't be too sure." 

"Why can't you be sure? If you like them, you like them. What is so confusing?" 

Zhihao shook his head and sighed, "I think I like two people at the same time." 

"Well, I don't think your heart knows the rule of only falling for one." The man chuckled, "But you shouldn't go after them both. You'll have to choose one." 

"I can't..." 

"Are you saying that you'd rather date them both? You know that's called cheating, right?" 

Zhihao suddenly broke out laughing as he asked, "Who said I'm going after either of them?" 

"So you are going to wait and hope that your heart lets go?" 

"Not exactly." Zhihao frowned, "I told you, didn't I? It's complicated." 

"Nothing is complicated." The man sighed helplessly as he picked the wine glass up again, "Do you know what you are doing right now?" 

"What are you talking about?" 

"You are making up excuses," The man leaned in closer as he continued, "You're afraid of something. I can see it in your eyes." 

Zhihao was drunk, but he could still understand what the man had just said and it made a shiver run down his spine. The man had seen right through him. 

He really was afraid of something and he was too unwilling to share his fears with other people. 

"Now tell me; what are you afraid of?" 

Zhihao suddenly felt like pouring everything out. He wanted to tell this man everything, but his last piece of consciousness didn't let him. He had met the man on this very day, there was no way he would tell him everything. He didn't know why, but he felt very comfortable around the man as if he had known him forever. This was the same kind of feeling he got when he first met Li Ling. 

"I don't want to fall in love," Zhihao answered honestly. 

The man smirked as he heard this, "So you're afraid of love?" 

"I'm afraid of the aftereffects."

"What the hell are you talking about? Don't you think you are overthinking things?" The man asked strictly, "What's so difficult and complicated? If you like someone, you like them and if you don't like them, you don't. There is nothing more to it."

"But what if you like a friend and he likes someone else?" 

"Then you give up." 

"Exactly!" Zhihao sighed dejectedly, "that's why I said that it's complicated." 

"But you give up after trying your shot." The man continued, "If you never tell your friend how you feel, you might regret it for the rest of your life."

"I don't want to break over friendship." 

"That's bullsh*t!" The man cursed, "That is just you making up excuses. Tell me what really worries you." 

"I... Don't know... I guess I'm just not cut out for it," Zhihao didn't know why, but he was pouring himself out in front of this man, hoping that the man understands him and reassures him that he was right to put himself in his comfort zone, "I'm afraid that I might be mistaking this feeling as love. What if I'm really mistaken and end up getting bored of him in the future? What if he gets bored of me?"

"Look at me," The man spoke and Zhihao did just that, "What if I tell you I like you?"

"..." Zhihao was a bit too taken back. So much so that he didn't even get the chance to respond before the man continued. 

"Would you believe me?" 

"We just met today. Do you think we live in Disney land? You're not a Disney princess, you can't fall in love in one day." 

"A-Zhi, It's not my first time meeting you." 

Zhihao was shocked and the wine glass that was in his hands slipped and shattered as it hit the ground. When he met the man's eyes, he could clearly see that this guy wasn't lying. 

"We met before... A long time ago... Do you not remember the arcade, Laoshi?" 

It was like a bucket of cold water that was thrown on Zhihao's face and he felt as if he was suddenly all sober and at the same time, he also felt as if he was even more intoxicated. 

This guy was... The boy? 

There was no way such fate existed! 

The last thing Zhihao remembered before passing out was the man taking off his mask, but his face was still unclear and fuzzy due to Zhihao's eyesight being invaded and blocked by tiny black dots. 

The waiter wasn't shocked as he saw the customer faceplant himself on the table. 

They finished four bottles so how could they not be drunk?