Chapter 104: Chapter 104
“I really think I should go. It’s late and I’m not staying here tonight so would be better going now. I can book an Uber myself.” She bowed a little as a show of respect, attempting to put space between them and moved to get up, but Rong caught her in a tighter hold and yanked her back down.
“One more drink. Come on. Have you ever tried Baijiu? It’s our celebratory toast after all. Don’t be the party pooper Miss. Lei.” He crooned at her, putting on fake pleading puppy eyes and then nuzzled against her and began with the pleading. “Please, please, pretty please. Once you have one I will walk you down to get you a cab. I promise!” He added, raising a hand salute, smiling brightly and TangShi felt pressured by the audience around them all staring her way. Glancing around her classmates and seeing them all nodding eagerly and egging her on for another round.
“Oka, but just one. I don’t want to get home much later.” She faltered, her stomach twisting up and really wanting to go home and wait for YuZhi at home. A strange feeling swirling up inside of her and making her stressed.
Rong jumped up and walked off to the bar behind them, pulling out small cups for the Baijiu and began to get to work at setting up seven of them on a tray. His back to the group, obscuring his preparation.
TangShi smiled towards her friends, seemingly all way drunker than her as none of them had split up their consumption and seemed like they were hell bent on being reckless tonight. Rong was the only one who had stayed relatively sober compared to them and she guessed it was to make sure he could watch over them all. He was older than most of them and saw himself as the father figure here tonight.
“Here, drink up everyone. One shot down the hatch. Will put some hairs on your chest and make men of you all!” He jested, placed a cup in front of TangShi, eyeing her up with a smile. “You’ve never drank it right?” He nudged her, before sliding down beside her, pushing his arm along the back of her chair to cage her in and nodding for her to lift her cup.
“No, I know it’s strong though like vodka, so maybe I shouldn’t.” She knew her limits and had avoided this clear potent drink even when with YuZhi. It was known for being the strongest alcohol in China.
“One won’t do all that much. Just warm your belly and send you to sleep when you get home. It smells a bit strange and has a weird taste if you’re not used to it, but that’s normal.” He lifted her elbow, trying to angle her to take it and she watched as her classmates all lifted cups from the tray he placed in the center and downed theirs with minimal effort. TangShi hesitated holding it up as if to sip and yet the smell was strangely awful. The clear liquid had a swirly cloudiness to it in the center and a sweet scent seemed to hover around the rim. Having never tasted it, she found it odd. It didn’t smell like alcohol she was used to, but Rong wasn’t for letting her off lightly.
“Come on, don’t be a scaredy cat. Down the hatch. One… two……. three.” he lifted her elbow forcing it against her mouth so she could only obey and swallowed the shot in one choking gulp that burned her throat and made her instantly cough. She covered her mouth, screwing up her face at the astringent flavor and bitter aftertaste, shaking her head. Disliking it immensely and hating the way it seemed to warm her throat and send her belly into gurgling swishyness.
“I don’t like it.” She picked up a glass of water and downed that to clear it out of her mouth, gulping to remove the taste and hoped it would dilute it enough not to make her drunk. After a few mouthfuls she stood up to leave before the addition of this shot made her go from tipsy to worse.
“Woah there missy. At least wait for your friends to come back from the ladies room and say goodbye. What’s the rush?” Rong pulled her back down, sliding his arm around her shoulders again, a little possessively that she didn’t like and pinned her to the seat. TangShi was instantly uncomfortable and struggled to shrug him off and get her space back. “Relax, drink some more. Trust me, you’ll have fun and still get home in time for pretty lover boy.” Rong smirked, keeping his grip tight and TangShi stiffened all over at his odd tone of his last words. Sensing the venom in the undercurrent and blinking at what seemed like a scowl in his expression.
“I honestly want to go. Can you let me up?” She pulled away, fighting him subtly, not liking the subtle changes in his mood and then he relented and stood up with her.
“Okay, okay. Come on, Miss. Lei, I can take a hint. I’ll walk you down to the ground floor and get you a cab. This way.” Rong caught hold of her wrist, aiming for her hand but she turned it away, and pulled her with him towards the main door into their dining room. Walking her like she needed his guidance and even though she tried to slide her arm away he wouldn’t let go. His grip tightening and his posture seeming to grow taller.
“I’m fine to walk without support. I’m not drunk.” TangShi stuttered but her words slurred a little and her vision seemed to blur a smidge. Shaking her head as she yanked herself free and headed towards the door head of him herself. Cursing out the damned drink for having an instant effect and hoping this was as bad as it was going to get. It made her lightheaded and woozy and she was struggling to formulate thoughts.
“Sure about that? You don’t seem so stable.” He laughed heartily, enjoying how vulnerable she now seemed and feeling like a macho protector she needed. Catching up with her as she slid into the carpeted quiet foyer and looked left and right to try and remember which way the elevators were. Disorientated because both directions had the same dull lighting and dark décor with endless closed doors and long walks. Her eyes beginning to water and her breathing becoming labored as though someone was sitting on her chest. She took a few steps, and her legs began to turn to jelly. Reaching out to steady herself on a wall and missing but Rong pulled her back to him.
“I guess one drink really was the tipping scale for you, lightweight. Glad I am here to take care of you now.” Rong laughed as she stumbled away from him carelessly in a bid to escape and caught her around the waist. Pulling her butt in against his groin and spooning her from behind as they walked left down a darkened hallway and she became progressively worse. Her mind spinning so she couldn’t fathom reality anymore. Aware of a warm body holding her but no longer conscious of real touch.
Not knowing why she was suddenly slipping into extreme drunkenness but scared, and her anxiety began to build in the depths of her stomach because she didn’t feel right at all. She knew this wasn’t how she normally felt when she was slipping into severe drunken stupor. It was happening so fast, and she cursed that damned drink for being so potent, and herself for being dumb enough to drink it.
She pulled out her cell to try and get Linlin to come for her, knowing that was the wise thing to do, but dropped it from useless uncoordinated fingers so it bounced across the floor and ended up at Rong’s right foot. Rong stopped and scooped down to pick it up, then waved it in front of her as everything started to sway and swim and her body became fluid. Slumping down so he had to be the one to hold her steady, unable to push him away as her limbs started to go numb and her head and eyelids got heavier. Clutching at midair to get her phone and not really doing all that much.
“My…. let ….me. I must…. call.” She slurred so badly it made no sense.
“I’ll take care of this. You don’t seem fit to make calls anymore.” He pulled her with him, sliding her cell into his jacket pocket, whistling to himself merrily as her steps slowed to dragged scuffs and her coordination became like that of a newborn fawn walking for the first time. Her body becoming dead weight. “Look at the mess of you. Lucky I’m here to take care of you, pretty girl. Don’t worry, TangShi, I’m the kind of man who’ll take real good care of you all night. You can trust me to be what you need.” He bent down and scooped her up in his arms princess style, laughing at her dazed expression, adoring how cute she was this way as reality slipped away and she could only murmur a few words before darkness took over and knocked her into oblivion.
“I want… home…”
“Sure, you do.” Rong smirked, leaning in to kiss her on the temple and carried her onwards down the silent and empty hotel lobby.