An hour later, Li Chang'an looked at the three people who were nearly passed out and couldn't help but smile wryly.
'Honestly… you're all too weak. Pathetic, the lot of you.'
But just then, Liu Erlong lifted her head again, swaying unsteadily. Her mature face was flushed a rosy red, making her look strikingly alluring.
"Come on, Teacher Li… let's… let's keep drinking."
Li Chang'an only smiled at her, saying nothing.
Not because he was lost for words, but because in her drunken state, the two "forbidden mountains" on her chest happened to be half-revealed from his angle of view.
"Hey, Old Flender?" Liu Erlong reached out and patted Flender's shoulder when Li Chang'an didn't respond. But Flender, like Zhao Wuji, was already snoring like a dead pig.
"Boring! Fine then—Teacher Li, come with me to my room. We'll keep drinking there."
She looped her arm firmly around Li Chang'an's neck, pressing his head against her chest as she staggered toward the door.
This position… just so happened to let Li Chang'an's face sink into the softness of those two "forbidden mountains." Blood rushed hotly through his veins.
Li Chang'an dared not refuse a drunken Liu Erlong. Fortunately, her office was close by, and since it was still class time, there weren't many people around to see.
And so, half-dragged and half-held, he accompanied her a few steps until they reached her office.
After her change of heart, Liu Erlong had long since left the secluded forest dwelling, returning to proper teaching and office work.
Though called an "office," the place was actually a suite: one bedroom, two halls. The front was a formal office area, while the back held her private living quarters and sitting room.
Her room was simple, without any girlish pink decor—clean, neat, and filled with a subtle, refreshing scent. Not perfume, but the wholesome fragrance of sun-dried bedding: fresh, pure, and very comforting.
As soon as they entered, Liu Erlong collapsed onto the sofa in the lounge, already half-unconscious.
"Haha… come on… keep drinking…" she mumbled with a silly laugh before falling silent again, leaving Li Chang'an standing there speechless.
'Forget it… after all, I've already taken advantage enough. Can't just walk away now.'
The two bottles they had shared—Gentle Caress and Drunken Beauty—were strong vintage wines. Without soul power to neutralize the alcohol, there was no way anyone could hold their ground.
Li Chang'an fetched a towel, soaked it with warm water, and carefully wiped away the liquor stains at the corner of her lips and across her chest.
But taking things further? That was beneath him. Li Chang'an never stooped to such underhanded tricks—everything he did was aboveboard.
Once he finished cleaning her up, he went into the bedroom to tidy her bed, then returned to the sofa. Looking at the unconscious Liu Erlong, he sighed softly:
"Teacher Erlong, I'm not trying to take advantage of you… I just want to help."
Whether she heard or not, he slid an arm under her and carried her in a gentle princess embrace toward the bedroom.
Among all the women around him, few could rival Liu Erlong's charm. Perhaps only Bibi Dong had a comparable allure. Even Bai Xue fell a bit short—not because she wasn't beautiful, but because their charms were of different kinds.
Unlike Bibi Dong's noble elegance, Liu Erlong radiated raw strength and free-spirited boldness. Only as he held her now did Li Chang'an realize—she wasn't thin, but slightly plump in all the right places, giving her an irresistible balance of softness and strength.
He didn't hurry his steps, nor did he walk too slowly. He simply carried her at a steady pace, savoring the feeling.
After laying her gently upon her pink bed, he pulled the blanket up over her body. Then, thinking further, he carefully slipped off her shoes and set them neatly to the side.
Satisfied, Li Chang'an clapped his hands softly and turned to leave—when suddenly Liu Erlong grabbed his arm.
"No… don't go. Stay with me. Stay… with me," she murmured, eyes still shut, her voice slurred.
Li Chang'an froze.
Before he could react further, she clutched his arm tighter and tilted her head against it, nestling in close.
"This…"
"Xiaogang… Xiaogang has changed. I… I'm so lonely. Don't think I'm drunk—I'm clear-headed. I know you were sneaking looks at my chest. So as compensation… you have to stay with me."
Her words came haltingly, unclear, but Li Chang'an's sharp hearing caught every syllable.
Which only made him more embarrassed.
But judging by her state, she was half-drunk, half-conscious. Even if she knew who was in front of her, perhaps she was only speaking on impulse. By morning, she would probably return to her usual self.
Alcohol gave courage—that was all.
Soon after speaking, Liu Erlong quieted again. She breathed evenly, as if asleep.
Li Chang'an gently brushed her cheek, speaking softly:
"Alright. I'll stay. Don't worry—I won't leave you, and I won't change. After all, you're lonely too."
Yes—though a member of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Liu Erlong's position within her family had always been awkward. If not for her strength, she might have been cast out long ago.
For years, she had struggled and fought on her own. Though she had Flender and Yu Xiaogang as "friends," in the flow of her life, she was mostly alone. Lonely.
Li Chang'an, whose soul came from Earth, understood that loneliness deeply. Though he had been blessed with loving parents and teachers, his inner self had always carried a quiet solitude.
Time passed. At last, when Liu Erlong's breathing grew truly steady, Li Chang'an carefully withdrew his arm.
Asleep, she was completely different—calm, gentle, almost pitiable in her solitude. She stirred a natural tenderness in him.
Sigh…
Without thinking, Li Chang'an bent down and lightly kissed her forehead. Smiling, he tucked the blanket securely around her before slipping out quietly.
What he didn't notice was that, after he left, Liu Erlong slowly opened her eyes. Her cheeks burned with shame as she pulled the blanket over her head.
'Liu Erlong, Liu Erlong… why did you have to sober up so quickly? And why remember everything so clearly? This time, you've truly embarrassed yourself.'
'Still…'
'That Teacher Li… really is gentle.'