Chapter 37 - You’re talking about 18+ activities, aren’t you?

After everyone had laughed enough, they picked up their chopsticks again. Lin Xian took a bite of food, drained the last of her drink, and her eyes sparkled with mischief as she suddenly asked Xiao Wanqing, “Aunt Xiao, I became an adult today, didn’t I?”

Xiao Wanqing looked at her playful little face and instantly guessed she was up to something again. She nodded calmly, quietly waiting for what was to come next.

Sure enough, Lin Xian’s eyes curved in a sweet smile as she cooed, “So does that mean I can now do things that adults do?”

Huh? What? Xiao Wanqing blinked in surprise...

“Hahahahaha!”

“Oh my, oh my…”

Everyone was stunned by Lin Xian’s sudden question.

Shi Man blurted out, “Whoa, little Lin Xian, what exactly do you mean by 'things that adults do'?” Her question was aimed at Lin Xian, but her eyes slyly flicked over to Xiao Wanqing with teasing meaning. “What kind of adult things do you want to do, hmm?”

Xiao Wanqing was a little puzzled by Shi Man’s look and was about to ask with her eyes when Shi Man casually glanced away again and continued to tease Lin Xian with a dazzling smile, “You’re talking about 18+ activities, aren’t you?”

Lin Xian instantly flushed, embarrassed and annoyed. “What are you thinking?! Can you keep it pure, please?!” She pointed accusingly at the ambiguous smiles on the faces of Shi Man, Chen Zhi, Tang Mo, and even Xia Zhijin, sighing in mock frustration. “You future pillars of socialism—what on earth are your brains filled with every day?! How are you supposed to build the country like this?!”

Then she turned back to Xiao Wanqing, instantly switching to an innocent, angelic expression. “Aunt Xiao, all I wanted was just a little drink… Now that I’m an adult, can’t the restrictions be loosened a bit? Plus, a bit of alcohol always livens up the mood…”

Although the youngest among them—Lin Xian—had officially come of age today, none of them had entered the real world yet. They were still seen as kids by their families, who kept a tight leash on things like drinking. So when Lin Xian brought it up, it felt like she was fighting for their collective freedom. Instantly, all previous bickering and teasing was swept away, and the group aligned as one to support her request.

“Yes, yes, we’ve all eaten quite a bit already—our stomachs are lined. A little drink will make things more fun!”

“Exactly, Aunt Xiao. Too much alcohol is harmful, but a little drink just sets the mood!”

“Yeah, we’re all adults now. Just a tiny bit should be fine, right?”

Xiao Wanqing looked at their eager young faces, glowing with anticipation. She didn’t want to ruin their fun, but she did feel a little uneasy. Her eyes drifted to Xia Zhijin. Thankfully, the moment their gazes met, Xia Zhijin understood her concerns and reassured her gently, “Don’t worry, Aunt Xiao. I’ll drive. I won’t be drinking.” She glanced sideways and saw Shi Man already getting excited. Her expression softened as she added, “They probably just want to try a little—something new, something fun.”

“You little alcohol bandits… just this once, okay?” Seeing their bright, pleading eyes all fixed on her, Xiao Wanqing couldn’t help but soften. Though she was scolding them with her words, her body had already stood up and headed toward the bar in the living room.

“Aunt Xiao, I knew you were the best!” Lin Xian hurried after her, completely in tune. “Let me help you carry it.”

Moments later, Xiao Wanqing returned, holding two bottles of red wine in one hand and a tray of wine glasses in the other. Lin Xian followed behind, arms wrapped around a six-pack of beer.

“What would you like—red wine or beer?” Xiao Wanqing asked, retrieving a corkscrew from a small cabinet.

Chen Zhi’s head tilted when she saw the beers being placed on the table. A cheeky idea popped into her mind. “Aunt Xiao, do you have any dice at home?”

Without missing a beat, Xiao Wanqing said, “Yes.” She’d already prepared for Lin Xian’s visit and had stocked up on all sorts of party games, including dice and a dice shaker.

Chen Zhi grinned mischievously. “Just drinking is boring. Let’s spice it up with a game, shall we?” She placed two beers and a cup in front of her and gave one can a flick with her middle finger. “Let’s play Truth or Dare. It’s simple. Each person rolls the dice once per round. The person with the highest total gets to ask the one with the lowest total a question or give them a challenge. The loser chooses—truth or dare. If they refuse both…” She cracked open a beer with a crisp psst and poured it into the cup, filling it to the brim. “They drink the whole glass.”

Tang Mo immediately perked up. “Yes, yes, let’s do it!”

Shi Man rested her cheek on her hand, eyeing the golden, frothy liquid thoughtfully. After a pause, she nodded. “Sounds fun.”

Xia Zhijin raised her hand. “I’ll sit out. I’m driving, so no drinking for me.”

Lin Xian hesitated, tempted but cautious. She turned to Xiao Wanqing, silently asking for permission.

Xiao Wanqing didn’t object, though she waved them off gently. “You all go ahead and play. I’ll just watch.”

But Chen Zhi and Tang Mo had figured her out during dinner—she was an unusually kind, easy-going adult. The alcohol hadn’t even kicked in yet, but their courage was already rising. They wouldn’t let her off that easy.

“Aunt Xiao, come on! Don’t tell me you think we’re too childish to play with?” they protested.

Xiao Wanqing couldn’t help but laugh. Lin Xian’s friends, huh… Birds of a feather really do flock together. Their boldness, sass, and mischief? Definitely cut from the same cloth.

“Aunt Xiao, pretty please?” Lin Xian also looked at her with bright, hopeful eyes, her voice as soft as a kitten’s paw.

Xiao Wanqing’s gaze softened under their hopeful stares, and her heart melted a little. “Alright then… just don’t make fun of this old lady for not knowing how to play.”

“We won’t, we won’t! Aunt Xiao, we’ll go easy on you, promise!” Chen Zhi patted her chest with exaggerated solemnity.

Just get her to join first—everything else can come later!

Lin Xian fetched three dice and a shaker cup from under the TV cabinet. The game would go clockwise, starting with Chen Zhi.

Chen Zhi rolled first. She lazily gave the shaker a spin and then confidently lifted the lid. “Watch and learn, people…”

When the cup opened, her face darkened dramatically—three ones! A complete flop right out of the gate!

“Hahahahahaha…” Everyone burst out laughing.

Lin Xian gloated, “We’re watching, alright! A+ luck, Chen Zhi!”

Even Xiao Wanqing, usually so gentle, joined in on the teasing. “Should we start thinking about what question to ask her or what challenge to give her?”

Chen Zhi struggled in vain. “No way! I—I still have a chance to turn this around!”

Tang Mo took the cup next and gave it a quick shake. She revealed her roll: 3-4-5. Not the highest, but definitely not the lowest.

Shi Man crushed her hopes, deadpan. “Let’s be real. We’re not skilled enough to rig it. Just accept your fate.” She rolled: 5-5-6. Then she passed the cup to Lin Xian.

Lin Xian rolled 4-4-6. Finally, Xiao Wanqing rolled 1-1-2—just enough to avoid the bottom spot.

Shi Man was glowing with smug satisfaction. Her peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly, glinting with mischief as she flirted with Chen Zhi in a deliberately seductive voice. “Ah Zhi, I’ve come to pamper you…”

Chen Zhi looked utterly defeated, her expression hopeless. “I hate this!” she groaned. But knowing she couldn’t escape, she steeled herself like a warrior marching to the battlefield. “Fine. Truth it is. Just make it quick and painless.”

“Hahaha, that’s the spirit! I love girls like you.” Shi Man gave her a benevolent look, as if rewarding her bravery. “How many relationships have you been in?”

Normally, Chen Zhi kept her private life under tight wraps. No matter how hard they tried, the girls could never get anything out of her. But this time, Shi Man had struck gold—delivering for the gossip-hungry crowd.

Sure enough, Lin Xian and Tang Mo both clapped in delight. “Good job, Manman! Excellent question!”

Chen Zhi’s face flushed slightly. She gritted her teeth and looked utterly unwilling, but a bet was a bet. She stammered, “T-three…”

Lin Xian gasped in mock surprise. “Wow, Chen Zhi! Didn’t take you for a seasoned player!”

“Shut it!” Chen Zhi snapped in embarrassment. “Next round, next round!”

But for some reason—some unknown cosmic injustice—Chen Zhi kept losing. Four rounds in a row, every single forfeit landed on her. From determined defiance to soul-crushed resignation, she spiraled downward fast.

When Shi Man delivered the ultimate kill move—“What’s the name of the person you currently like?”—Chen Zhi, eyes dead, downed a huge cup of beer in one go and slammed it on the table.
“This isn’t ‘Truth or Dare’! This is Chen Zhi’s Personal Trauma Hour! Let’s change the game! Something straightforward, no more tricks. Let’s play ‘Never Have I Ever.’ If you’ve done it, drink.”

Everyone had gotten a fair amount of gossip out of her and, seeing her run of bad luck, took pity. They agreed to change the game.

This time, Lin Xian went first. Without hesitation, she said, “Never have I ever… cheated on a test.”

Everyone leaned in, expecting something juicy—only to hear that. A collective groan echoed through the room. “Boooring…”

I mean, seriously—anyone smart enough to get into Jingnan University wouldn’t needto cheat.

Unsurprisingly, not a single person raised their glass.

Next was Chen Zhi. She tapped her fingers twice against the table, considering carefully before saying, “Never have I ever… been dumped.”

She’d had three little-boyfriends during her younger, wilder days—relationships that were more like pretend games than anything serious. None of them lasted more than two months. Every time, she was the one who got bored and called it off.

This was her attempt to bait Shi Man, Tang Mo, or Lin Xian.

But to everyone’s surprise—including her own—the only person who silently lifted a glass and drank… was Xiao Wanqing.

Lin Xian instantly sat up straighter. All the teasing vanished from her face. She watched Xiao Wanqing tilt her head back, her pale, elegant neck drawing a sharp and beautiful curve in the air, then calmly set her glass down and smiled as if nothing had happened.

Lin Xian’s heart gave a dull ache.

The others looked uneasy, and Chen Zhi was frozen in place, mortified that she’d unintentionally struck a nerve.

Thankfully, the one person who hadn’t joined in the game—the ever-cool Xia Zhijin—jumped in to steer the mood back.

“Chen Zhi,” she said lightly, her tone casual but still crisp, “who would've thought you were out here shattering innocent boys’ hearts left and right?”

Chen Zhi immediately latched onto the lifeline. “Senior!” she gasped, mock accusing. “I can't believe someone as cold and noble as you would say something so unserious! After this dinner, your goddess image in my heart is totally ruined!”

Laughter erupted around the table.

Just like that, the awkwardness vanished. Everyone silently agreed to move on, like nothing had ever happened.

Next up was Tang Mo. After a beat of thought, she said slowly, “I’ve never… fallen for a boy.”

Sometimes, she genuinely wondered if she might be asexual. At their age, it wasn’t unusual to not have dated—but never having liked anyone? That felt rare. She figured this round would trip someone up.

“Nice one, Tang Mo!” Chen Zhi immediately cried, eyebrows furrowed as she downed her drink in one decisive gulp. That’s fine—everyone was about to drink anyway, right?

She looked around expectantly, waiting to see who else had to drink with her.

But when she looked again… everyone else was just sitting there. Calm. Unbothered. Smiling at her, almost sympathetically.

Wait. What?

“Why aren’t you drinking?!” she demanded. No way. No freaking way they were all that innocent. Fine, maybe Xia Zhijin, Shi Man, and Lin Xian hadn’t had their hearts stirred yet, but Auntie Xiao? At her age, surely she’d had someexperience?

Chen Zhi turned to Xiao Wanqing with a mix of disbelief and suspicion in her eyes.

And it wasn’t just her. Even Lin Xian stole a quick glance at Xiao Wanqing. She suddenly remembered the time they went to the gym together—when Wen Tong asked, “Are you still waiting?”—and later that night, the way Xiao Wanqing cried watching A Chinese Odyssey…

Had she just imagined all of it?

While Lin Xian was still lost in thought, Shi Man, after watching Xiao Wanqing for a long moment, glanced at Lin Xian’s bewildered face, then at Xia Zhijin’s calm, unreadable expression. She made a decision.

She clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. Then, with the solemnity of someone about to leap off a cliff, she clearly said: “I’ve never… liked a girl.”

The air instantly froze.

Tang Mo broke the silence with a groan. “What kind of question is that? Did you forget we’re all girls here?”

Chen Zhi laughed too. “Manman, are you just copying Tang Mo’s earlier ‘never liked a guy’ thing? It doesn’t count if it applies to everyone.”

Shi Man didn’t argue. Her face wore the usual cheeky, carefree smile, but in her eyes was something dark and resolute.

Still smiling, she swept her gaze across the room. Then, she picked up a glass of beer, raised it to her lips, and tilted her head back. She drained the whole thing without pausing, then set the glass upside down on the table—empty to the last drop.

The silence was deafening.

Can… can you even do that?

Lin Xian, Chen Zhi, and Tang Mo were frozen in place, wearing awkward, half-formed smiles that couldn’t quite mask their shock.

They had no idea how to react.

And then, the most suffocating moment of all—Xiao Wanqing, elegant and composed, reached for an open can of beer.

In front of everyone’s stunned gaze, she calmly filled her empty glass. Her pale, slender fingers moved with practiced ease. She raised the glass, her graceful jawline catching the light, and finished the drink in one clean motion.

Once again, the entire room fell into stunned silence.