Chapter 121 — Strong Liquor

And as for Xiaobai, the crowd simply stared. Her eyes were half closed, the flush on her face deepening until it seemed to glow from beneath her fair skin, utterly alluring. Her gaze was like water, brimming as if about to spill over, enough to intoxicate any man with a single glance.

Yet for all her beauty, her capacity was more fearful still. Even now there was no sign that she could not stand steady; she was still drinking the fierce liquor in great gulps.

The Miao present, women included, were all deeply versed in the ways of drink, and at a glance they could tell the woman was not feigning anything; she was truly taking on that whole pack of Miao men with nothing but her own capacity. Beyond their astonishment and admiration, they were overawed by Xiaobai's peerless charms, and they shouted their approval in chorus.

Bang!

Bang!

Two dull thuds, and two more Miao warriors crashed down. By now only the Miao squad leader was left, struggling to hold on, but his steps were growing unsteady, and clearly he too had reached his limit.

As for Xiaobai, her color deepened, and suddenly she tilted to one side. A cry of alarm went up from the onlookers, but she slowly lowered the wineskin and let out a long breath. Her eyes looked ready to drip water; the wine lent her more charm, and she was radiant as a flower. Her right hand still held the wineskin, but her left swept toward the crowd, and with a sweet laugh she cried, "Ake xi!"

The crowd broke into an uproar at once. Ake xi meant "good wine" in the Miao tongue, and here was this woman of monstrous capacity and even greater beauty, crying out "Good wine!" so perfectly on cue...

In an instant the crowd erupted in thunderous applause.

Xiaobai tossed her head, seeming a little tipsy now, her steps a shade unsteady. She walked slowly to Ming Li's side, leaned her weight against him, and gave him a chuckle.

Ming Li was speechless.

Xiaobai closed her eyes, swaying her head gently for a moment, then suddenly laughed again and cried out loud, "Three hundred years! Three hundred years!"

Head back, hand raised, drink!

Even the way she drank was peerlessly clear and lovely, tender and alluring!

Boom!

The last Miao, the squad leader, finally collapsed in a heap. Unwilling as he was, his face was red as Xiao Hui's backside, and he was utterly spent; moments later he passed out and lay snoring on the ground. Someone ran over to take up his wineskin and check it, and found a good half-skin of fierce liquor still inside. He paled at the sight and announced it loudly to the crowd, which burst into an uproar, for this was plainly an unbelievable record.

But the people had not forgotten that there was still one incredible woman, still drinking.

Xiaobai's face was like red jade now, and even her fair neck, even the little patch of bosom her collar revealed, had taken on a faint flush.

By the look of her, she too seemed unable to stand steady now, yet braced against Ming Li, she was still drinking in great gulps.

The crowd was gradually falling quiet, and the expressions on their faces had slowly shifted from excitement to admiration.

At last Xiaobai drained the final mouthful, drew the wineskin away, and seemed unable even to open her eyes. Then she smiled, flushed, her expression languid, and with a careless wave of her hand tossed the great wineskin away.

Someone at once ran over to pick it up and check it, and discovered that the wineskin was, astonishingly, empty!

The man stood dumb as a wooden chicken. After a moment he loudly announced it to the crowd staring fixedly at him, and the people fell silent for a long while, then suddenly let out a heaven-shaking scream.

Amid all the clamor, Ming Li sat on pins and needles. Xiaobai's body, soft as boneless, leaned limply against him, her face flushed red beneath the white, her bright eyes half open and half shut, her gaze tender as water, fixed intently on him.

"A-are you all right?" Ming Li managed at last, muttering the words.

Xiaobai reached out and clutched his clothing, her body swaying as if the wine had gone to her head. Her snow-white teeth gently bit her lower lip, her breathing grew heavier, but the tenderness in her eyes and the smile at her lips did not change in the least.

"You..." Xiaobai's voice, tender as if it too were about to drip water, murmured softly at Ming Li's ear.

"Do you like me?"

"..."