She hadn’t expected that just as life was starting to look up, her elderly father would fall seriously ill and end up in the hospital, right when money was needed most. That’s why her current job was so crucial to her, and why she forced herself to endure the harassment from that playboy—she didn’t want to lose this hard-won position. Otherwise, she would have switched jobs long ago. After all, she could clearly distinguish between dignity and her family’s lives. That bastard had seen right through her predicament and kept pestering her, both gently and forcefully.

In contrast, Ben Carter's introduction was much simpler. Both his parents were still around, but he liked his freedom, so he struck out on his own at an early age. He only ended up studying at Xinghai Academy because he came across a suitable opportunity. He also had two younger siblings at home, enough to keep his parents busy.

Maybe it was because they were both away from home, giving them common ground to talk about. When friends meet over drinks, a thousand cups aren’t enough. Before long, each of them had downed several glasses, but so far everything seemed normal. Emily Harris wanted to order more, but Ben Carter stopped her. He knew just how strong this liquor was, and she had already had quite a bit tonight—even he hadn’t drunk this much in a long time. If she got drunk, it would be a mess.

Without drinking, the two kept chatting away. Ben Carter was fine—he said what was appropriate and nothing more. Emily Harris, on the other hand, couldn’t hold back. She poured out all sorts of funny and embarrassing stories from her life, even sharing many private things without hesitation.

As he listened, Ben Carter started to sense something was off. Thinking it over, he realized what the problem was: Emily Harris was probably drunk. She’d had several drinks by now, and the fact that she wasn’t slumped over the table was already impressive. The fact that she could still chat with him was even more so.

Ben Carter looked closely at her eyes—sure enough, they were sultry and unfocused, her gaze no longer clear. The alcohol had flushed her face bright red, though in the dim light it was hard to notice unless you looked carefully. She was definitely tipsy. Now was the time to get her home while she was still somewhat lucid, or things would get troublesome.

Ben Carter restrained himself and said to the beauty, “Sister Yu, it’s getting late. We should head back. Let me call a cab for you.”

After chatting for a while, the two had become much more familiar, and their way of addressing each other had grown closer.

Emily Harris waved her hand, swaying her head and said in a syrupy voice, “It’s fine, let’s have a bit more. I don’t have work tomorrow. Let’s keep chatting. I love talking with you—there’s no pressure at all.”

With that, she picked up her glass to drink, not even noticing it was already empty.

Hearing this, Ben Carter knew things were bad—she was almost certainly drunk. This was going to be a hassle. He said helplessly, “Sister Yu, let’s go. I have class tomorrow!”

Luckily, she could still understand Ben Carter. Emily Harris mumbled softly, “You have class tomorrow? All right, let’s go back then!”

With that, she wobbled to her feet, trying to call the waiter for the bill, but she was so unsteady she couldn’t even face the right direction.

There was no choice. Ben Carter had to stand up, help Emily Harris sit back down, and said, “Sister Yu, rest for a bit. I’ll take care of the bill.”

Then he called the waiter over.

When she heard he was paying, Emily Harris got anxious. “How can I let you pay? I invited you!”

She struggled to get up and pay, but she was so drunk her legs were weak—there was no way she could stand. She collapsed onto the table, completely losing her composure, but still tried to insist on paying.

There was nothing else for it. Ben Carter leaned close to her ear and said loudly, “This time it’s on me. Next time, you can treat me.”

Then he called the waiter and paid the bill. Emily Harris tried to get up, but just couldn’t manage it.

After paying, Ben Carter said to Emily Harris, “Sister Yu, let’s go home!”

He tried to help Emily Harris up from the table. Emily Harris struggled to stand, but the alcohol had really hit her now. She felt weak all over, her limbs powerless. Though her mind was still a little clear, she simply couldn’t stand, not even with Ben Carter’s help.

There was no other way. Ben Carter grabbed one of her arms with one hand and put his other hand under her armpit, finally managing to lift her to her feet. Though he was now holding a fragrant beauty in his arms, with her fresh, natural scent filling his nose, Ben Carter had no mind for such things. All he could think about was how to get Emily Harris home. The biggest problem was, he had no idea where Emily Harris lived. It seemed that rescuing a damsel in distress was not as easy as it sounded.

The bar was crowded. Ben Carter struggled to help Emily Harris out. Along the way, a few guys noticed the drunk beauty and tried to take advantage, but Ben Carter skillfully blocked them—he had no intention of causing trouble.