Seven Cups

A distressing number of the flasks lined up on the verandah were empty by the time the moon had risen to its full glory in the night sky. Gong Yezi had with great difficulty composed the fifth line of his poem, but from the looks of it that would be the last one before the story of the fox fairy started to make its appearance.

Suzhen put down her cup as she saw Xuxian's head start to droop ever so slightly. Moving closer to him, she patted his shoulder gently. "Xuxian. You've had enough."

He smiled at her, drowsily. "Don't worry, Susu. I don't get drunk that easily."

She hid a smile at his flushed cheeks. "Ah, is that so!"

Gong Yezi snorted. "Ha, that's what you think, young man. You may not remember but I remember you at Ke Xiao Yao's wedding two years ago, you were the first to go down after five cups."

He shook his head and took another drink. "You should have seen him, Madame Xu. Had to be supported out by Granny Hong's boy Yuanzheng. Your husband's a good man, but he's disgracefully bad at holding his liquor. After so many years as neighbours I would call him one of my good friends but for the fact that we never actually drink together. An old man like me can't possibly carry him when he's drunk, so I never let him drink more than three cups. Three cups! I've barely started and he's already done. What kind of friendship is that?"

"It was strong wine," Xuxian defended himself. "And at any rate, too much wine is harmful for the body. One shouldn't overdrink."

Suzhen nodded, her mouth tucked in gravely. She had never seen Xuxian drunk before, and his serious, quaintly childish behaviour amused her.

Hurling a sour plum pit off the porch, Gong Yezi reached for another one with a satisfied sigh. "Ah, what a pleasant evening this is. I find myself growing nostalgic and sentimental, as they say old men do."

Wagging his finger at the two of them, he continued. "You must cherish each other well, since heaven has allowed you to find each other. To have loved, and to grow apart because you take that love for granted, is to destroy your love with your own hands." He waxed eloquent. "But to have loved, and lost, is exquisite regret. To this day, I still remember my beautiful Ning--"

Xuxian propped his chin on his hands. "Susu, we won't grow apart, will we?"

Startled, Suzhen turned to him. "Why would you say so?"

His voice was starting to become inarticulate, but his earnestness was obvious enough. "You won't grow tired of this life, because this is all I can give you?"

He took her by the shoulders, frowning as he tried to concentrate on his words. "Susu," he said with great effort, "sometimes I'm afraid that I'll wake up one day and you won't be next to me. I'm afraid this life is too hard for you, and you will feel like you sacrificed too much for me."

"When did I say that?" she replied, trying to reassure him.

He shook his head humbly. "No, of course you won't say it, you're too kind to say it to my face." he mumbled. "Madame Zheng said Song Gongzi came again last week. You didn't tell me, but I keep worrying about it, worrying that a man as rich and charming as he can be will make you grow distant from me. He can do so much for you. Maybe one day you will feel like you cheated yourself, marrying me, when you could have done so much better."

Suzhen laughed, though something like tears glinted in her eyes. "My poor Xuxian. If I'd only known how talkative you are when you're drunk, I would have given you some sooner, and set my fears at rest."

She sighed and gently laid his head on her lap. "Sleep now. You've had too much to drink."

Gong Yezi shook his head. "Told you. Seven cups, and he was out. He beat his previous record, but only by a bit."

Suzhen was not listening. She stroked Xuxian's hair; he was already asleep. "Do you ever wonder, if nothing had happened and you had married Ning Xi without finding out that she was a fox fairy, whether you would be happy together?"

Her voice was wistful.

Gong Yezi stopped eating a preserved plum, looking thoughtful. It was not often that someone actually bothered to respond to his favourite story as if it had really happened; his alcoholism had made many people dismiss it as delusional. He hesitated, unsure how to reply.

He did not realize that every moment of hesitation was being marked by Suzhen's intent eyes as she watched him.

Abruptly, she turned away. "Well, it is late. I must get Xuxian back to rest properly, he will be so tired from the journey. Thank you for inviting me over, Gong Yezi. I enjoyed the wine, and your company." She bowed.

"The pleasure was mine." He bowed his head in return. "Eh, I'll help you carry him back. You shouldn't have encouraged him to fall asleep, he'll be a dead weight now."

"No need for you to trouble yourself, I can just carry him back." Suzhen draped Xuxian's arm around her shoulders and got up, carefully supporting him to his feet. She took his other arm and hoisted him onto her back, taking a moment to get her balance. She was slender, but stronger than she looked, even without using any of her cultivation. "Good night, Gong Yezi."

For the second time that evening, Gong Yezi raised his eyebrows, but he had drunk enough to do so only briefly. By the time Suzhen had made it down the steps he was waving cheerfully at them.

"We'll finish the poem another time, eh Madame Xu! And we'll have to water down your husband's wine or at this rate he'll always be the first out one before we've even started." He chuckled. "Poor Physician Xu."