Fouls Prohibited

Blame him?

How could he blame him?

“I won’t!” Ye Ci hurriedly denied.

The emotions in his chest nearly overflowing, he was afraid that he would look like an arrogant villain, so he tried his best to remain calm and commented objectively: “Chu Rui is indeed, yes, someone has to . . . . discipline him a bit.”

Because he was on the verge of susceptibility, the mask of a gentleman was more and more difficult to wear. Huo Tinglan smiled and looked down at Ye Ci’s thin lips that were closed like a clam shell. While staring, he skillfully prized out the nice things inside, using words to stroke out that clumsy little tongue: “En, I assisted you in disciplining them. What do you have to say to me?”

What did one say in this kind of moment?

Of course it was to say, “Thank you.” Even kindergartners knew that.

It was his duty under the circumstances to speak a sentence. Ye Ci didn’t know why, but he felt embarrassed and his voice was lower: “Thank, thank you, Huo-shushu.”

The room was silent for a few seconds.

Huo Tinglan didn’t receive enough sweetness, and finally failed in self-discipline. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised, and in a controlled and upright tone, he asked a shameless question.

“Is Huo-shushu good?”

. . . . . . 

Ten minutes later, when Huo Tinglan and Ye Ci arrived at the main banquet hall, the heat on Ye Ci’s cheeks was finally dispelled by the evening breeze.

The dusting of color was mellow, and not so red.

– – Is Huo-shushu good?

This question was so simple that he didn’t even have to think, but he was a mess and put on the spot. After dawdling for a while, Ye Ci squeezed out the word “good” with a red face.

Along the way, his palms were sweaty, clenching in embarrassment, and there was a faint sense of shame and confusion at what seemed to have been an off-color remark.

But that sentence had nothing to do with inappropriate matters, and the tone was normal.

He wasn’t disgusted, just embarrassed.

If it was really an adult joke, he wouldn’t have reacted like this. He would be angry.

So it wasn’t.

He thought and thought about it . . . .

It couldn’t have been.

Huo Tinglan helped him vent his anger, then turned towards him and also, also rubbed the back of his head for a while.

As a result, he speculated so wildly . . . . did he still have a conscience?

Ye Ci regained his senses and felt ashamed. He hurriedly shook off the thought of insulting Huo Tinglan’s noble character, and sat down with him at the banquet table.

The atmosphere of the banquet was not damaged by the temporary departure of Chu Wenlin and Ruan Jiayi. Chu Wenlin knew that he was wrong, and tried his best to act as if nothing had happened. When asked, he only said that his youngest son was unwell and was taken home by his wife to rest.

Since the season was suitable, the proportion of seafood and fish in the banquet dishes was relatively high. The ingredients were expensive and extravagant, and the layout was dazzling. Eight out of ten dishes were obscure to Ye Ci, and he didn’t even know where to place his chopsticks. But he had the leading role in this family dinner, in the center of everyone’s line of sight, and there were eyes on him at all times.

He was afraid of exposing his ignorance and inviting ridicule, making Huo Tinglan lose face by accompanying him. So he didn’t move his chopsticks, picking up his cup and taking a small sip of juice. After drinking, he put down his cup and paused, about to take another sip. Huo Tinglan received another pair of chopsticks from the waiter, put a piece of golden cheesy crab meat on his plate that was exactly the size of a bite, and whispered softly: “I don’t know if the chef’s craftsmanship here suits your tastes . . . . try it first?”

“. . . . En. Okay.” Ye Ci picked up the piece of crab meat as if he had been rescued.

“Try this, it looks good.” Huo Tinglan picked up a piece of raw fish sashimi with a snow pattern in a poised manner, selected some wasabi with the tip of his chopsticks, and then dipped the sauce-free side into the sauce plate that Ye Ci had at hand. The movement was just right, so that Ye Ci could clearly see the dipping process of eating sashimi.

Ye Ci was stunned for a moment, and after thinking about it, his eyes shook slightly, as bright as a thin sheen of water.

Huo Tinglan had seen through his awkwardness, but he was not uncomfortable. He just felt warm.

Throughout the banquet, Huo Tinglan was always considerate. Acting humble and empathetic, he couldn’t stop serving the newly married little gentleman, filling the juice and blocking the wine . . . . He couldn’t wait to take care of the little things like dipping sauce, and all of his actions revealed a deep, cherishing love. Compared to his father’s wife-loving demeanor, he was no less coddling.

The relatives of the main family and the branch family gradually understood – No matter how many benefits were attached to the marriage, from now on, Ye Ci was a character whom the Huo family could not afford to offend. Then they stepped forward to toast to Ye Ci and make a good impression on him, chatting enthusiastically. Huo Tinglan drank almost all the wine toasted to Ye Ci.

“Huo-shushu.” In the second half of the banquet, Ye Ci couldn’t help it, and gently tugged Huo Tinglan’s cuff under the tablecloth.

“En?” Huo Tinglan turned his face slightly.

Ye Ci pointed to his cup: “Don’t, don’t stop me from drinking, I . . . . I can drink.”

Taking advantage of Huo Tinglan’s unpreparedness, he had secretly poured himself a beer. Golden bubbles bounced around the mouth of the cup, exuding the aroma of wheat. 

Huo Tinglan stared at him, the corners of his mouth curled up, and he repeated lightly, “You can drink?”

His throat was soaked with wine, and had a slight drunken hoarseness that rustled in his ears, a little more sensual than usual.

The articulation was light, almost coquettish.

Like he was teasing.

Ye Ci became increasingly convinced that Huo Tinglan was not too drunk, so he decided on the merciful way: “Yes, I’m afraid, I’m afraid you are drunk . . . . and you’ll have a headache tomorrow.” Seeing that Huo Tinglan was noncommittal, he frowned a little anxiously and raised his voice without realizing it: “I, I drink very well.”

Speaking of getting drunk . . . . Huo Tinlan had never been really “drunk.” The physique of a top Alpha was not for nothing, and the alcohol only excited his nerves.

He didn’t need a little eighteen-year-old Omega to stop him from drinking.

He shouldn’t condone Ye Ci’s drinking. After all, he was only a few months into adulthood, and it was good to stay away from tobacco and alcohol.

Ye Ci hadn’t finished his weekend homework, so he would need to take a rest after eating, and then write another set of papers.

Moreover, he remembered that Ye Ci in the previous life couldn’t tolerate alcohol. After three to five glasses of beer, he would be drunk and delirious. Right now, he was full of confidence in his drinking capacity.

Huo Tinglan slowly frowned.

The only explanation was that after differentiating into an Omega, Ye Ci’s constitution gradually changed. His tolerance to alcohol had dropped dramatically, but he didn’t know it yet.

He remembered what Ye Ci had looked like after drinking in the previous life – –

Terribly obedient.

Like a fluffy little drunken shrimp.

Even if someone picked it up and stripped the shell, licking all the raw, tender meat inside and eating it clean . . . . he feared he wouldn’t know how to resist.

Huo Tinglan’s eyes got darker.

Restrained for a long time, lava-like sensuous desire slowly overflowed with the wine and the restlessnes of the Alpha glands, boiling and searing him.

Even his veins and arteries were so affected that they shifted slightly.

“Are you okay, Huo-shushu?” Ye Ci acted recklessly, with an eagerness to help. His eyes were clear and innocent, wanting to share the burden with him.

The young man’s heart was pure and precious.

As if coming to a decision, Huo Tinglan slowly curved the corners of his lips and said with a hoarse voice: “Just this time . . . . but it mustn’t be repeated.”

“En!” Ye Ci held the beer glass, sat up straight, and stood up to intercept the alcohol for Huo-shushu.

He looked very handsome when drinking, calm and neat, no-nonsense, with a sullen face. When the guests who came to toast finished their greetings, he raised his head for a cup.

Huo Tinglan played with an empty glass, staring at Ye Ci and watching his small and angular Adam’s apple roll up and down. His eyes darkened.

One cup.

Two cups.

Three cups.

. . . . . .

When the waiter came up to pour the fourth cup for Ye Ci, Huo Tinglan suddenly used five fingers to cover the mouth of the cup and waved him away. Presently, he looked askance at Ye Ci and said teasingly: “The strength of an alcoholic drink like this came on so quickly . . . . and you still claim to have a tolerance to alcohol.”

Ye Ci blinked hard, staring around and squinting. Peering at the double images in front of him with confusion, he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

“Stop rubbing, your hands are dirty.” Huo Tinglan laughed and reservedly used two fingers to gently block Ye Ci’s hand from rubbing his eyes. “Didn’t you take the physical hygiene class in junior high or elementary school?”

“This beer.” Ye Ci turned his head, his face as pink as a peach as he attempted to compensate: “The degree, degree of alcohol should be quite high . . . .”

“All the beer you poured was 6% alcohol light beer”

Huo Tinglan smiled mildly as he reduced him to silence.

Ye Ci was dazed, and wilted.

As the banquet drew to a close, it was somewhat noisy. Huo Tinglan’s voice was low, and others couldn’t hear what he said. They saw that his expression was gentle and teasing, as he leaned close to Ye Ci’s bright red ear and whispered softly, as if the newlyweds were flirting.

Unexpectedly, Huo Tinglan was extremely ruthless. He exposed the alcohol content of the beer, and on this joyous occasion, still looked after a child in deadly earnest. “. . . . The physique will change after one differentiates into an Omega. A high alcohol tolerance before might become low later. You can still handle three glasses of this light beer, but if you changed to one with a higher potency, you might be lying down by now. Do you still dare to drink outside in the future?”

“I know, I understand, Huo-shushu, in the future . . . . I won’t dare.” Ye Ci hung his head with a look of shame.

That clear young voice was soaked in wine, soft as a feather.

He was indeed the same as the previous life.

So obedient when he was drunk.

“Will you follow my advice and not drink without Huo-shushu there?”

“. . . . En.”

Huo Tinglan lowered his head with a smile.

This could now be ruled out as a major safety hazard.

After the dinner was over, the guests came to say goodbye one after another.

Generally speaking, as the main focus of this family dinner, Huo Tinglan and Ye Ci should accompany Huo Changyu and Lin Yao to see off the guests. They should be the last ones to leave, or simply stay overnight. But in fact, Huo Tinglan took Ye Ci to the car before the guests had left. Before leaving, he spoke with Lin Yao but didn’t know what to tell her. The corners of Lin Yao’s mouth suddenly raised so much that she couldn’t hold back the smile, and she didn’t mention the matter of letting his husband stay overnight. Huo Tinglan happily drove away with him.

In the car, Huo Tinglan showed a rare look of fatigue and tilted his head slightly back. He closed his eyes and catnapped, his handsome face frowning slightly. The blue blood vessels in his temples jumped, as if he was not very comfortable, and the pungent aroma of tequila wafted through the car, stronger than usual.

Ye Ci was already used to Huo Tinglan’s pheromones, so he didn’t notice for a while. He was also worried that he was uncomfortable due to drinking so much, so he stammered in concern: “Huo-shushu, do you need, need the car to pull over for a moment? I’ll accompany you . . . . to get out for a walk, and get some fresh, fresh air.”

Huo Tinglan smiled with his eyes closed: “I’m not drunk . . . .”

Ye Ci shook his head in disbelief and wanted to persuade him, but heard Huo Tinglan gently toss out the second half of the sentence: “This is the susceptible period.”