Chapter Thirty: A Threesome?

Raising his arm, Chu Dong tilted his cup and drained it in a single gulp. The moment the liquor hit his stomach, he knew something was amiss—this was certainly not the Maotai he had tasted earlier. That had been a fifty-two-degree aged brew, smooth and sweet, gentle in flavor, with a lingering finish. But this was fiery! One cup sent a blazing line racing down his throat, igniting spasms in his stomach. Chu Dong’s face flushed red; if not for his considerable tolerance, he would have retched right then and there.

It was local moonshine, a “Burning Knife” labeled at sixty degrees, though the actual proof was surely higher. Where had Tan Xue and Li Youlan managed to procure such a potent spirit?

Tan Xue had expected that this cup would be too much for Chu Dong, certain he’d vomit. She covered her mouth with a small hand, her bright eyes fixed on him, waiting for his reaction. Li Youlan, on the other hand, was excited, craning her slender neck, eager to see Chu Dong embarrassed. Yet, to her surprise, Chu Dong acted as if nothing had happened.

Unperturbed, Chu Dong looked at the two girls before him, radiant as flowers. “Now it’s your turn,” he said.

“So what if it is? Bring it on—who’s afraid?” Li Youlan, disappointed that her swapped drink hadn’t felled Chu Dong, picked up her cup with a slight air of annoyance.

“I…” Tan Xue had never drunk before; the whole setup had been orchestrated by Li Youlan, who had confidently assured her that Chu Dong would be knocked out by a single cup—no need to worry. Now that Chu Dong was unfazed and demanding that she and Li Youlan drink, Tan Xue was at a loss.

“It’s fine, I’m here, don’t worry,” Li Youlan reassured her, draining her own cup before taking Tan Xue’s. “We’re sisters, united in heart. Her concerns are mine. If my little sister is troubled, her elder sister will handle it.”

“Wait a moment,” Chu Dong interjected, stopping Li Youlan from drinking on Tan Xue’s behalf. He noticed Tan Xue shooting him a fierce glare, but he pretended not to see. “Substitution isn’t out of the question, but there should be conditions. Drinking double for her would be a bit much for you, so how about I mix it for you? Surely no objection to that?”

“Mix a drink?” Li Youlan was hardly a stickler for rules; during her time in England, she’d seen every style of cocktail imaginable, and she doubted Chu Dong could impress her.

“Do you dare or not? Honestly, your look doesn’t seem like admiration—I sense a hint of disbelief.” Chu Dong pressed her just right; for a curious soul like Li Youlan, this was the perfect approach, though it wouldn’t work with Tan Xue, who never acted without certainty.

“Fine, let’s see what tricks you have.” Li Youlan, wearing a white gauze blouse, rolled up her sheer sleeves, stood up, and propped one leg on the stool.

Tan Xue quickly pushed down Li Youlan’s bold leg; the silvery skirt barely reached her knees and could not conceal the fleeting allure. Tan Xue wrinkled her nose at Chu Dong, as if to say, "Who told you to look?"

Li Youlan’s beautiful face was flushed, oblivious to what had just occurred. Chu Dong had been momentarily dazzled by her fair leg, but when he saw Tan Xue glaring at him, he wasn’t bothered. He wiped his mouth with a broad hand and stood. “The drink I mix is simple—if I drank two bottles myself, I’d be knocked out. I think you’d better not try it.”

“No way, you’re looking down on me?” Li Youlan was fired up. She tried to stand again, but Tan Xue held her back. Still, she shoved her cup toward Chu Dong, insisting he mix a cocktail.

“Maybe we should just let it go,” Tan Xue, worried their parents might walk in, tried to restrain Li Youlan.

“What’s there to fear? I want to see what this scoundrel has up his sleeve.” Li Youlan challenged Chu Dong, pointing at her cup. “Mix it, let’s see if you have any talents besides flirting.”

Chu Dong, unperturbed, dripped a few drops of white liquor into the cup Li Youlan handed him, added a measured amount of Sprite, and pushed it back to her with a gesture of invitation.

There are English-style and American-style cocktails; Li Youlan had only seen bottles flying in the hands of bartenders in the American style, dazzling and flashy. Seeing Chu Dong’s understated technique, she laughed, swaying with amusement. “Is that all you’ve got? Ha, I thought you were some kind of expert.”

She took a sip. “Hmm, it’s rather sweet, better than pure red wine.” Slowly, Li Youlan finished the cup.

“Not bad, not bad—now it’s your turn again.” She refilled Chu Dong’s cup, watching him drink it all down, then insisted on another of his mixed drinks.

Chu Dong was happy to oblige, but this time Li Youlan insisted Tan Xue try it too, coaxing her into drinking half a cup; Li Youlan finished the rest herself.

“Another round!” Li Youlan’s tongue was starting to slur, but she didn’t forget to urge Chu Dong to drink. Tan Xue found the half cup Chu Dong mixed for her pleasantly sweet; after drinking, warmth spread through her body, and she felt her strength draining away.

Chu Dong was feeling it too—three cups of strong liquor and his resistance was faltering. His head ached, temples throbbed, and his vision blurred. He leaned on the table, gazing at what seemed like a cluster of beauties across from him. He wondered in confusion: the drink he mixed would usually overwhelm even seasoned men, so how was Li Youlan still standing?

In truth, Li Youlan was barely conscious, supported only by her determination to outdrink Chu Dong. She wobbled to her feet, clutching the table as she made her way toward him, hands miming the gesture of holding a cup though empty.

“Come on, drink—let’s continue…” she began, but before she could finish, she toppled straight toward Chu Dong.

“Hey, Youlan!” Tan Xue had expected Chu Dong’s outstretched arms to catch Li Youlan, but when she fell, Chu Dong was nowhere to be seen.

Tan Xue stood up, but her legs were weak, as if walking on clouds. She barely made it around the table before collapsing, her vision swimming, unable to see what lay before her. Her hands outstretched, she fell forward and fainted.

In the silent night, only the crickets in the grass sang merrily, while the shy moon hid deep behind the clouds, peeking out now and then. The Tan family dining room was left in chaos, with plates scattered and three people sprawled on the floor in varying poses.

Little Jade had the habit of waking in the night for a trip to the bathroom, and tonight was no exception. As she walked toward the restroom, she suddenly recalled how Chu Dong had been trapped inside last time, and, anxious to avoid a repeat, glanced back to see if he was around. To her astonishment, she saw three people lying together on the floor in suggestive positions. She rubbed her big eyes, her mouth forming an incredulous O.

“What’s going on? Is this what they call a threesome?”