Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

959  Grumpily thoughtful

"Gods?"

Jin was a little tipsy by this point but his ears perked with that word.

He chuckled. "You know the Gods too?"

Alix paused drinking and raised her brow. "Hmm…maybe?"

He frowned, his cheeks slightly flushing red. "That's not an answer."

"Well then, you give me the right answer. Do you know the Gods?"

Jin sneered. "What can I say…I don't want to know them. One of them particularly gets on my nerves."

"But you still know them?"

"Hm…I didn't have a choice…" his gaze turned slightly glassy as he looked far away. He took another gulp and said, "I had an important person to protect…"

She stared at him. "Important person, huh?"

He dazedly nodded.

"Were you able to protect him?"

A soft smile curled his lips up and his gaze softened. "En. He is very happy now."

Alix slightly leaned forward. "And what about you?"

"Me?"

"You were able to protect your important person. He is happy now. That's great. But what about you? What…did you give up for his happiness's exchange?"

His black eyes stared back at her, transfixed. "Not much really."

"It's not much, yet you don't look so happy to me," she pointed out.

He let out a snorted chuckle. "I am doing just fine…"

10:23

"If you were doing fine, then I don't think you would have been sitting in a bar right now, getting all tipsy and drunk."

"It doesn't matter really. I don't see my actions…" he hiccuped, "as any great sacrifice. I was in the wrong anyway even though…he might say otherwise…"

Her eyes narrowed. "I think your important person might hold some other views about that."

He chuckled. "He doesn't need to know about it."

Jin stood up and said, "I am done here-"

He stumbled midway and Alix quickly grabbed his arm.

She smiled with a hint of sarcasm. "Who is the helpless princess now?"

He knitted his brows and shook her hold away. "The chair was unstable. I didn't stumble."

"So childish."

I can usually hold my liquor well but why am I feeling so drunk tonight? Jin thought in a drunken daze.

Alix rolled her eyes. She grabbed his arm and wrapped it around the back of her neck. "I don't want to see the accidents you get yourself into."

"I…I won't!"

"Shut up."

She breathlessly dragged him outside and made him sit on a nearby bench. She took a few moments to catch her breath.

Jin's head gently rolled from side to side. He looked up and tried to focus his eyes on Alix.

"You are not feeling chilly anymore…" he hiccuped.

Alix blinked. "When was I feeling chilly?"

He raised his hand but it wobbled in random directions.

"At the terrace…You were hugging yourself. You were shivering. In the car too…"

Alix pursed her lips in annoyance remembering that. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

I wasn't really shivering…or at least I didn't want to.

He smiled with another hiccup. "But now you are not…shivering…good good. A couple of drinks always work."

She slightly frowned and looked away for a moment. Then she looked back at him.

"Don't tell me that…you suddenly stopped your car here near the bar and went on with that stupid helpless princess taunt because you wanted me to come with you? Talk to you and have drinks with you?"

"Sssssssshhhhhhhhhhh…."

Jin tightly placed his finger over his lips.

"It's a secret."

She knitted her brows again.

Wasn't he drinking because of Shui?

Wait…so he came here because he wanted to cheer me up?

Or maybe both?

"Don't get…!"

Alix almost gasped with Jin's sudden exclamation.

"What?"

Jin waved his index finger at her as if teaching her like a teacher in a class.

"Don't get scared…" he hiccuped, "of that Kang Yuze again…You threatened me…of twenty million. It doesn't suit you. You are…invincible!!!"

"..."

He is beyond a helpless princess now, she thought.

But she smiled. "True. Getting scared doesn't suit me."

He nodded hard.

"But…! If you still get scared again…we can have some drinks again," he giggled.

"...You really did bring me here to cheer me up."

"Sssssssshhhhhhhhhhh…." He placed his finger on his lips again.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's a secret."

"Smart," he nodded, impressed.

Seeing Jin's state, Alix unlocked her phone and tapped on a contact name. She slightly hesitated for a moment but dialed it anyway.

"Hello."

—

A black car stopped near the bar and Jun stepped out from his driver's seat. He took a look around and found the ones he was searching for.

He walked upto the bench and pressed his lips. "Jin."

"Hmm…?"

Jun looked at Alix and said, "Thanks for informing me."

Alix paused and then shrugged.

"Just how much did he drink?"

"A couple of shots."

"That's strange. Jin can usually hold his liquor well," he frowned.

"Bro!" Jin recognized him and gleamingly waved his arm at him.

Jun let out a sigh. "I am sorry you had to deal with this. Today, he is a bit…"

Alix threw a glance at Jin.

"I think it was more to comfort me rather than himself," she muttered.

"Sorry?"

"Oh wait. I will drop you home first."

"I will be fine. It's walking distance from here."

"It's not a big deal really. Plus, you had a few drinks too and it's quite late now. It's better to be safe than sorry."

Alix gave it a thought and reluctantly agreed.

Jun helped Jin inside the car and Alix joined to sit beside him.

"Jin's car…?"

"It will be picked up, don't worry."

Jin had dozed off in his seat while Alix continued to stare at him with an unreadable expression.

Jun noticed it from the front mirror and coughed. "Did Jin, by any chance, misbehave with you in his state?"

"Huh? Not at all," her eyes slightly widened. "Why?"

"No, you are staring at him quite intently so…"

"It wasn't because of that."

"Oh," he sighed in relief. "That's good then."

"He is actually quite cute."

Jun choked hard and he almost lost his grip from the steering wheel. He stared at her, speechless. "Huh?"

"He acts grumpy most of the time but he can be very thoughtful."