Xu Jiayi took a deep breath and continued, "I'm telling you, Shi Xinxin, I like you. I want to stay by your side. Whether you like it or not, I've already told you, you can't interfere with me."
"Then you can't interfere with me either," Shi Xinxin raised her head, looking like she was about to argue and confront Xu Jiayi.
Xu Jiayi spread his hands. "Have I interfered with anything you're doing? Since I got here yesterday, it seems you've been sleeping. We've only spoken for a few minutes, and you were eating."
Shi Xinxin was rendered speechless by Xu Jiayi's words. She opened her mouth and then closed it, completely unable to refute him.
"I'm going to the bar, you can't stop me." Finally, Shi Xinxin managed to blurt out this sentence.
Xu Jiayi sneered. "Have I stopped you? It seems I asked if you wanted to go to the supermarket with me, and you agreed. I didn't stop you from going to the bar."
Hearing Xu Jiayi say this, Shi Xinxin became even more indignant. She felt she couldn't win an argument with Xu Jiayi and decided not to continue.
Shi Xinxin stamped her foot and turned to walk back.
Xu Jiayi roared from behind, "Weren't you going to accompany me to the supermarket? And if you don't go with me, I won't even know where the supermarket is. Shi Xinxin, please!"
Although Xu Jiayi's tone was pleading at the end, he didn't actually sound meek or subservient.
Shi Xinxin continued to walk forward without looking back. Xu Jiayi couldn't help but guess that Shi Xinxin was definitely going to the bar again.
This was because Xu Jiayi could tell that direction led to the bar.
Xu Jiayi also seemed a bit angry and turned to walk in his original intended direction, appearing as if he no longer wanted to bother with Shi Xinxin.
But how could Xu Jiayi just abandon Shi Xinxin? He couldn't stop worrying about her, after all, she was the woman he deeply loved.
In the bar, Xu Jiayi didn't drink much; his eyes were constantly fixed on Shi Xinxin's location. He watched her sitting alone at the bar, drowning her sorrows in alcohol.
Xu Jiayi's striking appearance attracted many beautiful women who tried to engage him, but he politely declined them all.
Meanwhile, Shi Xinxin also attracted the attention of many foreign men, likely just out of curiosity. However, Shi Xinxin rejected them all, even being very curt with those who tried to get too close.
Seeing Shi Xinxin learning to protect herself and remain clear-headed in the bar, Xu Jiayi could finally relax a little.
But the situation still felt disheartening.
Just as a waiter was delivering drinks to a nearby table, Xu Jiayi directly pointed at Shi Xinxin and asked the waiter, "Do you know that girl?"
The waiter nodded. "She's an interesting Chinese girl. She comes here often to drink, especially on weekends. She drinks a lot, but she always seems somewhat sober. She always mutters something in Chinese that we don't understand."
"Does any man take her home?" Xu Jiayi continued to ask.
The waiter looked at Xu Jiayi with a suggestive gaze. "Not really. Except for last night when you took her away, no other man has succeeded. Even though she drinks and appears a bit tipsy, for some reason, her mind remains sharp, so no man has managed to take advantage of her."
Hearing the waiter's words, Xu Jiayi was reassured. He had been afraid that Shi Xinxin wasn't protecting herself properly and had given up.
"Thank you." After thanking the waiter, Xu Jiayi continued to drink, his eyes still on Shi Xinxin.
Xu Jiayi checked his watch for the fifth time. It was already three in the morning, yet Shi Xinxin still showed no signs of leaving. Xu Jiayi hadn't expected her to have such a high alcohol tolerance.
Finally, Xu Jiayi couldn't wait any longer. He walked directly to Shi Xinxin and roughly took the glass from her hand. "Let's go home."
Shi Xinxin, with her blurry eyes, looked at Xu Jiayi. "Xu Jiayi?"
Just like yesterday, Shi Xinxin could still recognize the person in front of her.
Xu Jiayi sighed and reached out to pull Shi Xinxin away.
But Shi Xinxin struggled. "Didn't I say? You can't interfere with my freedom. This is my freedom."
Seeing Shi Xinxin still struggling, Xu Jiayi felt helpless. "I'm not interfering with your freedom. You've been drinking all night; it's time to go back and rest."
Shi Xinxin still looked unwilling. "I don't want to. I finally get to have a good drink."
"Don't give me that. You must come here every day when I'm not around. Don't pretend you're just having a good drink for once," Xu Jiayi directly called her out.
Shi Xinxin snorted coldly, still showing no intention of leaving. She reached out and hugged her glass again, leaving Xu Jiayi looking helpless.
Xu Jiayi wanted to force Shi Xinxin to leave, but Shi Xinxin, for some unknown reason, struggled with surprising strength. Even Xu Jiayi was too exhausted to continue wrestling with her.
Xu Jiayi could only stay by Shi Xinxin's side. He had many things he wanted to ask her, but the place was too noisy for his words to reach her.
Shi Xinxin continued to drown her sorrows in alcohol, which pained Xu Jiayi deeply.
"Shi Xinxin, let's go. Can I talk to you?" Xu Jiayi finally softened his tone and asked, hoping Shi Xinxin would open up to him.
But Shi Xinxin remained unwilling to speak.
Xu Jiayi could only accompany her in her solitary drinking.
When he carried the drunken Shi Xinxin home again, upon opening the door, Xu Jiayi felt as if time had rewound. The house was still in disarray, just like yesterday. Though it wasn't any dirtier than before.
Xu Jiayi sighed and placed Shi Xinxin on the bed. In her semiconscious state, Shi Xinxin was still murmuring Sheng Chenjin's name.
Xu Jiayi looked at the persistent Shi Xinxin and said with a somber tone, "Why, is he that important to you?"
Xu Jiayi watched Shi Xinxin, who was sleeping, murmuring Sheng Chenjin's name in her daze. He made a final decision in his heart...
The next day was Sunday, just like yesterday, as if nothing had changed. Shi Xinxin woke up with a splitting headache around noon.
When Shi Xinxin opened her room door and came out, she saw the tidy room again.