Chapter Forty-Nine: The Intoxication

Tong Bin seemed to know the area intimately. He led the way, taking two turns before finding a brightly lit little street.

Stepping onto it felt like moving from darkness into light. Shop signs glowed along both sides, and the street bustled with people and vehicles. Sheng Yao glanced at a street sign and, with a sudden realization, remembered this was the night market street that had become popular in the past couple of years. It was situated at the edge of the high-tech park, right next to the residential district built for the park employees. For those working in the tech park, everything they needed was within reach without ever leaving the area. The local news had featured this street several times, but it was Sheng Yao’s first visit.

He quickly calculated that the Monster Clinic had moved nearly twenty kilometers.

“Let’s sit over here.” Tong Bin’s voice interrupted Sheng Yao’s thoughts.

He had chosen a barbecue place and sat right down at an outdoor table by the entrance. Sheng Yao followed and took a seat.

“Can you drink?” Tong Bin asked while scanning the QR code on the table to order.

“I can.”

“I’ll order two beers then. Anything you don’t eat?” Tong Bin asked.

Sheng Yao shook his head.

Tong Bin, clearly attentive, ordered a few skewers for himself and then handed his phone to Sheng Yao so he could add anything he wanted.

Sheng Yao scanned what Tong Bin had ordered, but added nothing. “I’ve already had dinner. This is enough.”

“Oh.” Tong Bin took back his phone. “I haven’t eaten yet… but I’m not hungry.”

He placed the order and then sat quietly, tracing the wood grain on the table, lost in thought.

Sheng Yao did not break the awkward silence. He kept replaying his first encounter with Tong Bin, the information Uncle Zhang had provided, and the thick medical file he’d seen in the Monster Clinic.

If Tong Bin was indeed the owner of that file, his condition was clearly more severe than both Liu Yu and Mao Mao’s. Had he already undergone some mutation? Or was his situation more complex, marked by narrow escapes and unique experiences?

Sheng Yao began to doubt what Tong Bin had said earlier. The sincerity he projected could well be an act—a masterful performance. Or perhaps… was it the effect of the doctor’s injection?

He studied Tong Bin, feeling a surge of concern, but also a growing wariness.

“Your beers.” The server brought over two bottles and disposable cups. “Shall I open them now?”

Tong Bin looked up. “Yes, go ahead. Open both.”

With a hiss, cold beer frothed and misted in the evening air.

Tong Bin filled his cup, then Sheng Yao’s, not waiting for a response. He clinked his cup against Sheng Yao’s and downed the beer in one go.

Sheng Yao picked up his cup, frowning slightly.

Tong Bin drank alone, finishing one bottle before picking up the next.

The skewers hadn’t arrived yet. The table between them was bare, and Tong Bin looked like a drunkard, drinking without pause.

When Tong Bin reached for more beer, Sheng Yao placed a hand on his wrist.

Tong Bin looked up, eyes already glazed. Clearly, he wasn’t a seasoned drinker.

“You haven’t eaten yet. Wait for the food, then have more beer,” Sheng Yao said, choosing the safest topic.

Tong Bin chuckled, his eyes darting around. Suddenly, he grabbed Sheng Yao’s retreating hand, let go of the cup, and pointed to the sky.

“Look at that,” Tong Bin called.

Sheng Yao turned his head briefly in the direction indicated, then brought his gaze back. “What about that building?”

“That office building… The first two floors are restaurants, above that are offices for rent. I have a classmate who started a company there—well, not quite a company; he just set up accounting and business departments there. The R&D center is inside the park. He’s got money—has an R&D center not just here, but in other cities too, two or three branches, I think.” Tong Bin rambled.

Sheng Yao nodded. “He’s done pretty well for himself.”

“Yes. Very well, in fact…” Tong Bin poured himself more beer. “He’s the most successful in our class. That’s why he’s organizing a reunion tomorrow night, right at the restaurant downstairs. He’s booked the whole place. It’s not just our class—students from our department, older and younger classes, even people from his old research group and his fellow PhD students… He’s covering all expenses. Must be several hundred people, and it’s a buffet, a really good one… He told us to bring our families… bring our families…”

Tong Bin took another swig, poured himself more, and glanced at Sheng Yao, as if worried he might object.

Sheng Yao did not stop him. He’d already caught the hidden meaning in Tong Bin’s words but chose not to respond. He found himself unable to grasp Tong Bin’s personality—was he truly a skilled actor, or just as ordinary and meek as he appeared? Was he really using alcohol to vent, or was there a deeper message?

Tong Bin drained another bottle, then shook it in frustration. “Order two more.”

“Let’s wait for the food,” Sheng Yao replied half-heartedly.

Tong Bin didn’t argue or try to order himself. He seemed to accept Sheng Yao’s words, drooping his head and sighing.

“Tomorrow… Yaya will bring her husband… Her husband—ha! Did you know? She married him ages ago! Not just a boyfriend!” Tong Bin’s face twisted between laughter and tears. “Not a boyfriend, a husband. They registered last year, right after she changed jobs. They haven’t held a wedding, but they’re planning one… She and that man dated long ago. They all knew… everyone knew… except clueless me…”

Sheng Yao watched as Tong Bin slumped over the table, as if all strength had left him, leaving him a heap of lifeless clay.

His eyes were open but empty, staring at the table. After a moment, he raised his hands and began tugging at his hair in pain.

The server arrived with the skewers, glanced at the slumped figure, and looked hesitantly at Sheng Yao.

Sheng Yao smiled and raised his cup. “Could you bring two more beers?”

“You’ll need to order on your phone.”

“Alright.” Sheng Yao sipped his beer, took out his phone, and placed the order. When the beer arrived, he poured some for Tong Bin.

Imitating Tong Bin’s earlier gesture, Sheng Yao clinked cups and downed half his drink before asking, “So it was because your successful classmate is organizing the reunion that you found out Kong Yajie already had a boyfriend, already got married?”

Tong Bin lifted his head, rubbing his face and forcing a bitter smile. “Yeah… they mentioned it in the group chat. Zheng Yichao started organizing the reunion last week.” He glanced at Sheng Yao, then added, “A lot of our class went into AI after graduation, some in R&D, some in other roles. Everyone knows Zheng Yichao is doing well—started his own business, carved out a big share of the domestic market, even partnered with foreign firms. He’s generous, too—bought tickets and booked hotels for classmates coming from out of town. Back in college, he got along with everyone. The whole group is still close.”

Tong Bin seemed to sober up a little, as if Sheng Yao's question had given his heartbreak a channel to escape, clearing his mind.

“Lots of people said they’d come. For some from out of town, Zheng Yichao even bought their tickets, booked their hotels. He’s loaded now,” Tong Bin said, envy creeping into his voice before frustration took over. “Today, he tagged Yaya in the group, asking why she didn’t join his company if she wanted a new job. A couple people teased him. Yaya was always the prettiest girl in our class—everyone said so. She didn’t hang out with the guys much, except for me. We ended up in the same group, working on assignments together, and after graduation, we…”

Tong Bin closed his eyes in pain, then managed a bitter smile.

He seemed lost in memories of university, of happier times, of how two young people had stumbled into adulthood together.

“We always understood each other… even wrote our theses together, helped each other out. At work, too—overtime, getting scolded, celebrating the good times…” he murmured.

Sheng Yao raised his cup, clinking it softly against Tong Bin’s. It was just a paper cup, making no sound, but the gesture seemed to ease Tong Bin’s mood.

He took a gulp and continued, “People were teasing in the group chat. Zheng Yichao has no girlfriend or wife. Yaya was always the campus beauty. Zheng Yichao stopped their teasing—he said… he said Yaya already had a boyfriend… Everyone was surprised. No one had heard that. Someone even joked, asking if her boyfriend was him…”

Tong Bin fiddled with his cup, head lowered. “Two of Yaya’s roommates then spoke up… Turns out she’s been with someone for a long time; they already registered. Her husband is well-known in our field, works as a tech lead at a leading company, not just a name—he’s really talented. Our company even tried to poach him when he was abroad… They’re holding a wedding this year… Everyone congratulated her, teased her for keeping it a secret… Zheng Yichao invited her to bring her husband to the reunion…”

“What did Kong Yajie say?” Sheng Yao asked.

Tong Bin drank in silence. “Nothing… she didn’t reply. Maybe she muted the chat. Her roommate said she’d call her.”

“So, only her roommates and Zheng Yichao knew about this?” Sheng Yao asked, passing a skewer to Tong Bin.

“No,” Tong Bin answered distractedly, taking the skewer. “Probably everyone knew… If Zheng Yichao knows, it’s likely a lot of people do… Besides her roommates, other girls said they’d known for ages. They heard her talking to her boyfriend, saw photos they’d taken abroad. The girls must have known in private. Maybe some of the guys too. There were a couple of couples in our class… Anyway… I was the only one kept in the dark.”

He tossed his skewer aside, scowling, and took another swig.

He drank and gnawed at the skewers as if venting his frustration.

Sheng Yao didn’t stop him.

Soon, Tong Bin was truly drunk.

He slumped over the table again, clutching his hair. “Yaya… Why, why didn’t you tell me…”

Sheng Yao lowered his gaze, watching him.

He could tell that at first, Tong Bin’s “drunken rambling” was partly an act, a way to vent his bitterness to a stranger who had nothing to do with his life. Sheng Yao’s silence made Tong Bin awkward, prompting him to shift his tone.

Even with someone with no stake in his life, Tong Bin remained careful, almost pleading for understanding. Even when blaming the woman he liked, he circled the issue gently, never saying a harsh word.

Now, thoroughly drunk, he still didn’t curse Kong Yajie.

He was like Liu Yu had been—drunk and miserable—yet unlike Liu Yu, whose body sprouted tumors, Tong Bin showed no physical change at all.

Was there… another condition at play?

Sheng Yao could not help but wonder.

Tong Bin kept repeating his “why,” mumbling nonsense like any drunk.

Night deepened. The shops around them grew busier, not quieter, as more people flooded in.

Their table sat mostly untouched, cold skewers still uneaten. Several groups of passersby, unable to find empty seats, eyed Sheng Yao and Tong Bin’s table repeatedly. Even the servers, busy as they were, made time to clear away the empty bottles and ask if they wanted to order more.

Sheng Yao looked at the drunken mess that was Tong Bin, sighed, and pulled out his phone to search for nearby hotels.

After a while, he reached out and patted Tong Bin’s shoulder. “Did you bring your ID?”

Tong Bin opened bleary eyes. “Why… why did she hide it from me?”

“Where do you live?” Sheng Yao asked, not expecting a real answer, and was met with the same question from Tong Bin.

He sighed inwardly, hesitated, then called a car and set the destination as his own home. He also asked the server for a few plastic bags.

The ride-share car arrived quickly.

Sheng Yao hauled Tong Bin up, half-carrying him to the car.

“Your friend’s drunk, huh? Will he throw up?” the driver asked warily.

“I brought plastic bags. If anything happens, I’ll pay for the cleanup,” Sheng Yao replied, bundling Tong Bin into the car and buckling him in before taking his own seat.

“Alright. Just keep an eye on him,” the driver said, starting the engine.

Tong Bin swayed with the motion of the car but, fortunately, did not get sick.

At their stop, Sheng Yao helped him out and up to his apartment.

“I know…” Tong Bin suddenly muttered, no longer repeating his earlier question.

Sheng Yao, surprised, glanced at him.

“I know… I know it all… It was always one-sided…” Tong Bin said quietly.

Sheng Yao saw tears fall—he couldn’t tell if they were sweat or tears.

Suddenly, Tong Bin looked up, gripping Sheng Yao’s shirt with one hand.

Sheng Yao saw his face clearly: his drunken, bloodshot eyes brimmed with tears.

“People get divorced, right? I still have a chance, don’t I? I’ve never confessed to her… I never told her… I…”

Tong Bin’s voice broke, and he hung his head.

Sheng Yao did not answer. His own romantic life had gone smoothly—save for the accident that separated him from Bai Xiao, he’d never encountered hardship or heartbreak. He had no experience to offer comfort.

Besides, he sensed that Tong Bin did not want comfort.

Sheng Yao half-dragged him upstairs, unlocked the door, and dumped Tong Bin onto the bed.

Tong Bin lay there, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling and chandelier.

As Sheng Yao turned to fetch water and a towel, he heard a faint murmur behind him.

“…better not… It’s better this way… I just want her to be happy…”

Sheng Yao paused, then looked back to see Tong Bin mumbling with his eyes closed, already drifting into sleep.