Quick Wear: The first person to love the host

The twilight is closing, and the lanterns are starting to turn on.

Su Ziyu was internally pounding with fear, but outwardly she forced herself to remain calm and directed her servants to set up a table of exquisite food and wine in the warm pavilion.

This was the "battleground for confession" he had carefully chosen—the atmosphere was more relaxed than in the study, yet more formal than in the bedroom.

"Willow Leaf, replace the Da Hong Pao with the imperial wine 'Yu Ye Chun' bestowed upon you by the palace."

"Yes, master."

Liu Ye noticed his master's nervousness and unease, and knew the purpose of today's meal. He quickly replaced the tea with wine, and then went out to wait with his maids and servants.

Su Ziyu sat alone at the table. He poured himself a glass of wine and sipped it slowly to bolster his courage.

This drink is smooth on the palate, but has a strong aftertaste.

It was the key to his plan to lower Qi Jinyu's guard.

He was 80% confident he could persuade Qi Jinyu.

As the eldest prince, Qi Jinyu was not in a position of absolute power. He was under the pressure of the still-young emperor above him and the watchful eyes of the second prince below him.

Even if he had an army of hundreds of thousands, he still couldn't do it without money and food.

But he can.

The Shen family of Jiangnan may lack other things, but they can certainly provide money and provisions.

He refused to believe that Qi Jinyu would remain unmoved.

Since we're going to have to choose sides anyway, rather than choosing the Second Prince, that hypocritical villain, we might as well choose someone we know. At least Qi Jinyu is the male lead.

As for the remaining 20% ​​of uncertainties, they lie with Qi Jinyu.

Qi Jinyu's thought process was different from others, and judging from the person's clingy behavior during this period, he couldn't be sure if the person would suddenly go crazy if he knew that he was not a woman but a real man.

When Qi Jinyu stepped into the warm pavilion, this was the scene she saw: a beautiful woman under the lamp, the lady wearing her usual lotus-colored palace dress, her eyes lowered, holding a wine cup and drinking alone, her profile in the candlelight looking particularly alluring.

"You came."

Su Ziyu's tone was calm, but it made Qi Jinyu's heart tighten for no reason.

"What brings you to this banquet today?" Qi Jinyu sat down, her gaze sweeping over the dishes on the table before finally settling on Su Ziyu's face, a hint of barely perceptible tension and inquiry in her eyes.

Could it be that Madam has also learned about Su Miaomiao's situation?!

Su Ziyu picked up the warm jade pot and poured him a full cup, trying to make her voice sound natural: "Your Highness, you are too kind. I... just want to have a quiet meal and talk with you."

He raised his glass, his eyes sparkling: "My husband... let me toast you."

This was the first time the lady had taken the initiative.

A fleeting smile flashed in Qi Jinyu's eyes. She banished all the random thoughts from her mind, readily raised her glass, and drank it down in one gulp.

The toasting began.

Su Ziyu kept urging him to drink, finding various excuses—to express gratitude for his hard work or to celebrate some trivial matter.

Qi Jinyu was puzzled, but hearing his wife call him "husband" repeatedly, he was overjoyed and accepted every drink offered, one cup after another.

Jade Liquid Spring lived up to its reputation. After several rounds, Su Ziyu noticed that his eyelashes were slightly lowered, and he seemed to be three or four parts drunk.

Su Ziyu was secretly delighted and launched an even fiercer offensive.

However, he overlooked two things: First, Qi Jinyu was a frequent soldier stationed in frontier military camps, and his alcohol tolerance was unfathomable. Second, he was under immense stress and drinking on an empty stomach, so the seemingly mild Yu Ye Chun turned into a warm current that slid down his throat.

He didn't realize it at first, but by the time he felt his cheeks burning and his head spinning, it was too late.

The world began to become soft and blurry.

The figure of Qi Jinyu opposite him seemed to be doubled, and his voice sounded as if it came through a layer of cotton, making it difficult to hear clearly.

"I...I have something to tell you..." Su Ziyu put down her wine glass, her body swayed, and her elbow almost knocked over the soup bowl.

He shook his head, trying to focus his gaze, and looked at him seriously, with the kind of seriousness and... grievance unique to drunk people.

Qi Jinyu leaned back in her chair with a leisurely air, one hand supporting her chin, her eyes fixed on him with a deep gaze, like a beast watching its prey walk into its trap, waiting for the right moment to tear him apart and devour him.

"What is it? Tell me slowly."

"I...I'm not a bad person!" He immediately asserted himself as soon as he spoke, his brows furrowed as if he had been terribly wronged. "I really...didn't mean to lie to you..."

Qi Jinyu's lips curled slightly: "What are you lying to me about?"

“I…I’m not a sister…” He shook his head vigorously, feeling his head get even heavier. “I’m the older brother…Su Ziyu, you…your brother-in-law.”

He even stretched out his fingers, trying to gesture on the table, but they were too weak to move.

“Yes, Su Ziyu.” Qi Jinyu repeated readily, her voice deep and steady, carrying a strange soothing power.

Having received a response, Su Ziyu seemed to have opened a floodgate, or as if she had finally found an outlet for her emotions; her words, mixed with the smell of alcohol, poured out all at once:

"My sister... ran away from her wedding... my scumbag father... lied to me... drugged me... and made me marry in his place..."

"The Second Prince... he's even worse! He used my sister... to threaten me... hiccup... Husband... you have to help me beat him up..."

"...Don't hate me...Don't kill me...The Shen family is rich...It's all yours...I can also...work for you...I'm very good at making money..."

...

In the end, he was almost completely drunk and fell into a deep sleep.

In a blur, Su Ziyu felt a warm embrace gently lift him up, the movements more careful than ever before.

A warm handkerchief wiped his face and hands, and a low, helpless sigh rang in his ear: "With this little alcohol tolerance, you think you can get me drunk?"

There was not a trace of anger in that voice, only an overwhelming sense of doting and affection.

He was gently placed into soft bedding, and a light, feather-like touch landed on his forehead.

“…My silly wife.”

He heard him speak softly, his tone filled with the certainty of being reborn and the preciousness of something lost and regained.

"Having been given a second chance at life, all I want in this life is to grow old with you."

The next morning, Su Ziyu woke up with a severe headache. The familiar bed canopy was embroidered with intricate patterns of phoenixes singing in harmony.

He instinctively reached out to rub his temples, but suddenly realized that his arm was pinned down by something and he couldn't move.

It wasn't the weight of the quilt, but something warm, with a steady, rhythmic breathing...

Su Ziyu's muddled mind suddenly cleared up, becoming mostly alert.

He stiffly and extremely slowly turned his head to the side.

Then, breathing stopped.

Qi Jinyu!!!

He lay on his side beside him, sharing the same brocade quilt. He was completely naked, revealing his well-defined collarbones and large, muscular chest.

His usually meticulously tied black hair was now loose, with a few strands brushing against his deep-set cheeks, softening his usual coldness.

He was sleeping soundly, his long eyelashes casting a small shadow under his eyes, and his breathing was even and deep.

A hand rests naturally on one's waist, conveying an undeniable warmth and weight belonging to another person.

The close-up visual impact made Su Ziyu's blood seem to freeze instantly.

Damn, what on earth happened?

Yesterday he was going to confront Qi Jinyu, how did it turn out like this?!