Wang Jin cut in, correcting them. "Not everyone who’s drunk collapses unconscious. Some do things they’d never dare sober."
A ripple of shock passed through the group. "So... the leader did force himself on Yue ger?"
"Ha! And Yue ger, kind soul that he is, sacrificed his own happiness to protect the leader."
"Did he even have happiness? Wasn’t the one he liked Brother Heng already—"
The speaker was elbowed sharply. Catching himself, he glanced at Wang Jin and slapped his own mouth. "My bad. What I meant is... he’s pitiable. The one he loved didn’t love him back. At least now he’s marrying someone who adores him, that’s a good thing, right?"
The others hurriedly agreed. "Right, right! It’s a blessing in disguise."
Mu ger grinned. "At least you don’t have to worry about Yue ger pestering Brother Heng anymore, A Jin."
Wang Jin arched a brow, though a flicker of unease lingered in his eyes. Logically, it made sense, but something about this didn’t sit right with him.
The conversation veered back to the wine.
"Where did the wine in the leader’s house come from, then?"
Wang Jin tilted his head in thought.
He hadn’t gifted wine to anyone, only invited a few ger over for tastings. The sole bottle he’d given away was the one Yuan Heng had poured for Xi ger...
"Xi ger has a bottle," Wang Jin said.
The group exchanged knowing looks.
"Xi ger and Yue ger are close. He must’ve given it to Yue ger!"
"Wait, that doesn’t add up. If Xi ger gave it to Yue ger, it should’ve stayed with Yue ger. How’d it end up in the leader’s house? And how’d they end up... compromised because of it?"
"..." Silence.
One ger ventured, "Maybe Yue ger took it to the leader?"
"But Yue ger rejected him. Would someone that proud really seek the leader out?"
"Did the leader go to Yue ger, then?"
"That doesn’t fit either. If the leader went to Yue ger, it’d have happened at Yue ger’s home, not the leader’s..."
"..." The group hit a dead end, exchanging bewildered glances.
"..." Unnoticed, Xi ger had arrived at Wang Jin’s courtyard just in time to catch the tail end of the discussion. He froze mid-step, listening, and with every word, his blood ran colder.
Yue ger and the leader’s sudden marriage... was because of a drunken mistake?
How could that happen?
He had given Yue ger that wine, but he’d warned him never to drink it with a beastman. Why would Yue ger take it to the leader? Why drink together at all?!
He knew what could happen!
Unless... it was deliberate. Did he plan this?
Xi ger’s thoughts spiraled, his mind reeling.
He couldn’t fathom why Yue ger would do this...
Wordlessly, Xi ger retreated from the courtyard and strode off in one direction.
He went straight to Yue ger’s home.
There, Yue ger was laughing with his family, cheerfully picking out wedding attire. When he spotted Xi ger, he flashed him a bright smile, there was no trace of reluctance in his expression.
Xi ger’s gaze darkened.
Now he was certain.
Yue ger had done this on purpose.
But... why?
Why resort to something so extreme?
He had already taken the initiative to show goodwill, all he needed was to wait for the leader to pursue him again... Why resort to such drastic measures?
For a ger to willingly engage with a beastman before marriage... If the tribe found out, he would become a laughingstock...
His expression darkened. After briefly greeting Yue ger’s family, he lowered his voice and said, "We need to talk," then stepped outside first.
Seeing this, Yue ger excused himself from his family and followed Xi ger out.
"Why did you drink that wine with the leader?" Xi ger demanded as soon as they were outside.
Yue ger froze, seemingly surprised Xi ger knew about it. After a pause, his face shadowed as he asked, "Ah Xi, how did you know about the wine?"
"You’re asking me? Half the tribe knows by now, they’re saying you two were drunk and then..."
Xi ger gritted his teeth. "I warned you not to drink that wine with a beastman! Why did you give it to the leader, let alone drink it with him?!"
He took a deep breath, then declared, "You did this on purpose!"
Xi ger’s face turned icy. "You deliberately slept with the leader!"
At these words, Yue ger frowned, a flash of ruthlessness crossing his eyes - but in an instant, it melted into feigned vulnerability.
Xi ger blinked, wondering if he’d imagined it.
Yue ger grabbed Xi ger’s hand. "Ah Xi, let me explain, I didn’t drink the wine!"
Xi ger shook him off. "Stop lying to me!"
"You said you just wanted to try the wine, so I gave it to you without a second thought. And then you used it for this?! Why would you scheme to sleep with the leader? What’s your game?"
"I didn’t!" Yue ger protested.
Xi ger pressed on. "The leader adores you! If you’d just shown him a little kindness, he’d have come back to court you properly. Why force his hand like this, making him think he assaulted you?!"
"That’s not what happened!" Yue ger’s eyes welled with tears, red-rimmed and pitiful. "I truly didn’t drink it! I listened to you!"
"But even if I didn’t, the leader did!" Yue ger sobbed. "Everything I told you was true! When I said I’d started liking him, I meant it. I was taking your wine home, but then I remembered your advice, that I should apologize to him. I thought maybe there was still a chance for us, so I brought him the wine as a gift."
"..." Xi ger faltered. "You... gifted it to him?"
Yue ger nodded. "You said not to drink together, so I didn’t. Only he drank."
"But even if he was the only one who drank, once he was drunk, he could still..." Yue ger trailed off, but Xi ger understood.
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