Chapter Eighty: Fragments

"Jiao, you're my best friend from now on!"

Rita shouted, her breath reeking of alcohol, her arm around Sheng Jiaoyang's shoulder.

Lin Na, who had also been given quite a bit to drink, swayed her head, her mind hazy. She instinctively dialed a number on her phone, and it connected

quickly. "George, I'm drunk, come pick me up—"

The breathing on the other end of the phone grew heavier. "Where are you?"

"Where am I?" Lin Na looked around, her eyes blurry. She leaned towards Rita and asked, "Where am I?"

"My house!" Rita replied casually.

A hand snatched Lin Na's phone away. "I want to make a call too." With that, Sheng Jiaoyang, holding her phone, hung up Lin Na's call. She leaned against the bar, the phone almost touching her eye, her fingers swiping across the screen.

"Lin Yan, Lin Yan... Hehe, found him."

"Hey, Lin Yan, I'm at Rita's house... Rita, don't you know her? You've seen her before... Come on, I'm waiting for you..."

Rita put her arms around two people and said, "Stay here tonight, I haven't had enough to drink yet, let's continue!"

Sheng Jiaoyang had already fallen asleep holding his phone. Lin Na propped her head up with her hands, swaying occasionally, sometimes flashing a little bit of consciousness, but quickly falling back into a daze. However, compared to Sheng Jiaoyang, she was already considered quite awake.

Some young people were lying haphazardly in the living room, with only the incessant music playing loudly.

This was the scene Lin Yan saw when he arrived. He frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping across the living room, and soon spotted the three people at the bar.

He walked over and gently rubbed Lin Na's head. "Nana?"

Lin Na looked up at him, blankly.

"Let's go home." Lin Yan reached out to help Lin Na up and was about to walk out.

Lin Na suddenly stopped, looking left and right.

"What are you looking for?"

"Where's Little Sun? Where did you hide my Little Sun?" Lin Na broke free from Lin Yan's hand and backed away.

Lin Yan quickly grabbed Lin Na and comforted her, "Nana, I know you're sad about what happened to Jiao Yang, but the living must go on. You have to look forward."

Lin Na shook off his hand again, "What do you mean by living or dead? My Little Sun is fine!"

"Jiao Jiao, Jiao Jiao—" Lin Na looked around and rushed over when she saw Sheng Jiao Yang slumped on the bar.

The weight of the impact made Sheng Jiao Yang groan.

Lin Yan pinched his brow, walked over, and helped Lin Na up. He looked at the person lying there, his gaze lingering on the phone she was holding for two seconds.

"Jiao Jiao—" Lin Na reached out and pulled at Sheng Jiao Yang, trying to lift her up.

Sheng Jiao Yang was already slumped on the bar, and with Lin Na's pull, she fell to the side.

Lin Yan's brow twitched, and he reached out to support her.

"Come on, Jiaojiao, let's go home." Lin Na was so focused on pulling her that she didn't realize the other person couldn't even stand up. Oh, no, she was already dazed, so it was no wonder she wasn't conscious.

Seeing this, Lin Yan sighed helplessly, bent down and picked her up. This time, he didn't even need to pull her; Lin Na obediently followed him out of Rita's villa.

The bodyguards waiting outside saw them come out and quickly came forward to take the person from Lin Yan's arms.

Sheng Jiaoyang felt herself leaving that familiar embrace. Even though she wasn't fully awake, she instinctively grabbed him tightly, pressing her face against his chest.

"Never mind, get in the car." Lin Yan personally carried her into the car and placed her on the back seat. Just as he was about to let go, she hugged his neck again, and the other person even rubbed her face against his neck.

Lin Yan frowned slightly and raised his hand to push her away, when he suddenly heard the person so close to him murmur, "Brother Lin Yan..."

He paused, looking down at her dark head.

Why would a complete stranger call him that?

Lin Yan's doubts grew, and unable to push away the person clinging to him, he had no choice but to sit down.

"Let go of Xiao Taiyang! She's mine!" Lin Na started acting crazy.

Lin Yan told the driver to start the car, raised the partition to block the view of the driver and bodyguard in front, and turned to look at Lin Na, saying in a low voice, "Nana, she's not your Xiao Taiyang."

"She is! She is!!" Lin Na pulled at Lin Yan, trying to separate him from Sheng Jiaoyang.

"Stop it, Nana." Lin Yan frowned.

Lin Na shouted regardless, "Let go of her!"

Who was letting go of whom? A hint of helplessness appeared between Lin Yan's brows. He grasped Lin Na's relentless pulling hand and said, "Nana, she's not Jiaoyang. Even if there are many similarities, she's not, she's not. Don't get confused." His tone became more firm as he spoke, as if reminding himself.

Lin Na froze, staring blankly at Lin Yan, tears streaming down her face.

Just as Lin Yan breathed a sigh of relief, Lin Na broke free from his grasp, curled up in her seat, and burst into tears.

"George, why aren't you here yet—"

Facing a person who was completely drunk and out of control, Lin Yan felt a headache and a pang of heartache. Lin Na had never been so out of control in front of them; it was only now, when she was drunk, that she could act so unrestrainedly.

Compared to the out-of-control Lin Na, the girl clinging to him like a koala seemed quiet and obedient. He couldn't help but recall their meeting at the mall that afternoon—her familiar tone and gaze, and the intimacy she displayed on the phone that evening—all of which puzzled him.

Occasionally, unbelievable thoughts would flash through his mind, but they were too absurd for him to believe, dismissing them as mere idle daydreams.

Upon reaching his doorstep, Lin Yan picked up the motionless girl from his arms, then had the bodyguard carry Lin Na on his back, and took her to her room.

Once back in her bedroom, Lin Na seemed to regain some consciousness and ran into the bathroom.

The bodyguard, as if sensing his presence, left.

Lin Yan placed the girl on Lin Na's large bed, his arm still around her neck. He looked at her face so close, her eyelashes forming a beautiful arc, each one countable, their breaths mingling.

Lin Yan was somewhat surprised that he didn't feel awkward or uncomfortable being so close to someone he'd only met two or three times. However, regardless, he had to break free from her grasp; he was already being kind to Lin Na by personally carrying her up.

Just as he was about to forcefully pry her arms off his neck, the long, black eyelashes before him fluttered, and she opened her eyes, her clear black and white gaze meeting his.

Her eyes held a mixture of clarity and confusion, as if she still didn't quite understand the situation. She blinked at him.

"Lin Yan?" Her voice was somewhat unsteady; even she herself couldn't tell if she was sober or drunk.

"Can you let go now?" Lin Yan asked calmly.

She didn't speak, only staring at him blankly, as if confirming something.

"Lin Yan, what are you doing to Jiao Jiao?" Along with the angry voice came Lin Na, who yanked Lin Yan up.

Lin Yan looked at Lin Na, whose face was covered in water stains. "Sober now?"

"What were you doing just now?" Lin Na looked at Lin Yan with the protectiveness of a mother hen, not treating him like family at all.

"Then you'll have to ask her." Lin Yan glanced at the person lying on the bed.

Sheng Jiaoyang rubbed her temples, and after half-closing her eyes and seeing who was standing by the bed, her expression froze. Her mind instantly cleared, and she quickly tried to recall what had happened after she got drunk.

Seeing the beautiful girl's serious and angry expression, her heart skipped a beat.

Had she said something she shouldn't have?

"Jiaojiao, did he bully you?" Lin Na asked when she saw that she was awake.

"What?"

Seeing Sheng Jiaoyang's confused look, Lin Na knew that she definitely didn't know. She glared at Lin Yan, chased him out of the room, turned around and poked Sheng Jiaoyang's red cheek.

"You, do you think you're that monster Rita? If you can't hold your liquor, don't drink so much, lest you get taken advantage of next time without even knowing it!"

Sheng Jiaoyang nervously gripped Lin Na's hand. "Did I say anything I shouldn't have?"

Lin Na blinked. "I blacked out too."

"...Okay!" Sheng Jiaoyang could only think optimistically that even if she said something, Lin Yan wouldn't believe her.