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In the evening, inside the bustling Shrek City, there was a tavern. Compared to the noisy main streets, this tavern was hidden deep inside a quiet alley. It seemed very peaceful and calm. Inside the tavern, there were no loud games or people shouting.
There was only the soft light from the spirit guidance lamps. The air was filled with the smell of wine and a little bit of tobacco smoke. Most of the people there were drinking by themselves. A few friends talked in low voices, which kept the place quiet.
In the very back of the tavern, in a corner that was hard to see, Zhang Lexuan sat on a sofa. She was all alone. It looked like she had been there for a long time. There were several empty wine bottles on the table in front of her.
This showed that she had drunk a lot of alcohol. She was wearing a nice dark dress that fit her tall and curvy figure well. Her long legs were covered in smooth black stockings. She had them crossed casually, and they shone a little under the dim lights.
She tilted her head and rested it against the back of the sofa. Her cheeks were very red from the drink. Her eyes looked blurry and a bit empty. Usually, as the Senior Sister of the inner court, she looked very sharp and smart. But right now, that was gone.
She only looked soft and tired because of the alcohol. Some of her dark hair stuck to her face because she was a little sweaty. Her collar was open a bit because the alcohol made her feel hot. This showed her neck and collarbones. She looked like a woman who had let down all her guards.
Suddenly, the shadows in the corner moved a little. A person appeared quietly right next to her. It was Kong Mingan. He looked at all the empty bottles on the table. Then he looked at Zhang Lexuan. she was slowly stirring the yellow wine in her cup. He stayed silent for a moment. Usually, alcohol does not affect a Spirit Master very much unless it has special ingredients.
A Spirit Master can just move their spirit power through their body to get rid of the feeling of being drunk. However, Zhang Lexuan was not doing that. It was clear that she wanted to feel drunk.
Zhang Lexuan felt that someone was there. Her blurry eyes slowly focused on him. Then, she smiled a little bit. Her breath smelled strongly of wine. She sounded like she knew he would come. She said that he came just like she thought he would.
Kong Mingan looked at her and told her that she was drunk. Zhang Lexuan tried to sit up straight and shook her head. She tried to act like she was sober, but her body swayed. She almost fell over.
Kong Mingan thought to himself that drunk people always say they are not drunk. He did not just stand there. He moved closer and sat next to her. He put his arm out to support her so she would not fall.
Zhang Lexuan turned her head to look at him. She pushed her glass toward him. It was still half-full of wine. She looked at him like she was challenging him. She asked if he wanted a drink. Kong Mingan raised his eyebrow at her. Zhang Lexuan laughed a little. Her voice sounded a bit rough because of the wine. She asked if he could not handle the drink. Kong Mingan told her that he was an adult.
He knew that you cannot use logic with someone who is drunk. It was better to just do what she wanted so things would stay simple. He reached out and took the glass from her.
He tilted the glass and drank some. The wine felt spicy but also a little sweet as it went down his throat. Then he put the glass back down. In his past life, he used to help his younger friends when they got into trouble, so he was good at drinking.
But in this life, he was always busy with important things. Because of his high status, he did not need to go out and drink with others. So, this was actually his first time drinking in this life.
Zhang Lexuan watched him very closely. Her eyes followed every move he made. She watched his lips as he drank and his neck as he swallowed. She even looked at the open part of his shirt. Her eyes changed for a second, but then they became sad again. After a moment of silence, she spoke in a very soft voice. She asked if he was the one who arranged everything that happened.
Kong Mingan shook his head and spoke honestly. He told her no. He explained that he only put a special mark on her after the last competition. He said that if her life was in danger, the mark would let him know. It would help him find her so he could save her.
He told her that he did not know about the ambush before it happened. But he did admit that the arrival of Poison Undying later on was his doing. He was telling her the truth.
His plan for Zhang Lexuan was just to see what happened. It was like placing a piece on a game board. He did not know if it would be useful, but it was good to have it there. Also, he had many other important things to do.
He could not spend all his time thinking about just one person. Zhang Lexuan looked into his eyes for a few seconds. She was trying to see if he was lying. Then she looked down at the table.
The alcohol and her sadness were making her feel very weak. She was also angry and disappointed because of what happened lately. She felt like her heart was breaking. She felt totally hopeless about Shrek. She did not understand why the Shrek she loved was so different now. To her, Shrek was supposed to be about light and justice.
But now it seemed like it was rotting inside. She wondered why she had sacrificed so much in the past. She had even done hard things that made people think badly of her. Now, she felt like none of it mattered.
Since her family was gone and she was the only one left, Shrek was her only home. It was like a rope she held onto so she would not drown. And now, she felt that rope was breaking. She felt like she was drowning in deep water again.
Her faith was gone, and she felt cold and lonely. It was hard for her to even breathe. She needed something new to hold onto. She needed a new rope that would not break and would not leave her.
Zhang Lexuan held her wine glass very tightly. Her fingers turned white because she was squeezing it so hard. Suddenly, she turned around and looked straight at Kong Mingan.
Then, she leaned toward him. Her soft body pressed against him. He could smell the wine and her perfume. She grabbed his shirt with both hands. She held onto him like a person who was trying not to drown.
Kong Mingan could feel how warm and soft she was. He could also feel that she was shaking just a little bit. He looked down at her. Zhang Lexuan looked up at him. Her eyes were blurry from the wine, but they were also full of a deep need.
Her voice shook as she asked him if he wanted her. She waited for his answer while holding onto him tightly. The tavern remained quiet around them as they sat in the corner. This moment felt very heavy for both of them.