Standing Next To You-Chapter 294: Truth

The group sat on the mat, surrounding an empty bottle placed at the center.

Zhong Cheng took it upon himself to explain the rules of the game to the three who had never played before.

"The person whom the mouth of the bottle points to must either answer a question truthfully or complete a dare. It’s up to the previous person to decide, whether it’s truth or dare. And if they refuse, they can opt to drink a cup of sake instead."

Upon hearing the rules, the trio had various reactions.

Bei Sangyun, intrigued, asked, "When you say ’dare,’ how far can one person dare the other?"

"Anything within reason, as long as it doesn’t cause harm to oneself or others," Zhong Cheng replied. "And if the other person declines, they can always choose to drink sake instead."

Lin Sunji appeared a bit nervous as she inquired, "What kind of questions can be asked during ’truth’?"

"Anything goes," Zhong Cheng answered. "If the person doesn’t want to answer, they can simply choose to drink sake instead."

Fei Chuan frowned and stood up abruptly. "This is ridiculous. I won’t participate in this childish game."

Zhong Cheng was undeterred and shook the bottle in his hand. "Well, there’s still three-fourths of sake left. The three of us can share it instead,"

He shot a meaningful glance at Bei Sangyun and playfully said, "Right, boss? Let’s have some fun plaaaying~ this game~."

Fei Chuan: "...."

He only learned today that Zhong Cheng was so damn annoying. freewёbnoνel.com

He settled back into his seat and shot a glare at Zhong Cheng, who pretended not to notice his gaze and coughed awkwardly.

Zhong Cheng was glad the rule of ’Love Triangle’ worked.

"Cough- Alright, let’s start now. Whoever finishes their cup first will have the privilege of spinning the bottle. Who’s brave enough to take it?" Zhong Cheng challenged.

Bei Sangyun was excited at the prospect of a new experience. She was used to taking huge risks and proffiting greatly from it. She reached for the cup, but Fei Chuan’s hand moved faster than hers.

The three onlookers stared at him in astonishment. Was he actually going to drink it?

Fei Chuan took a sip of the sake and couldn’t help but grimace. The first cup was awful, and the second wasn’t much better; this time, he tasted more of the bitter and the spike of the alcohol.

With the empty bottle in hand, Fei Chuan cast a menacing glare at Zhong Cheng, making his target abundantly clear.

Though Zhong Cheng wasn’t afraid of drinking the sake or facing truth or dare challenges, Fei Chuan’s intimidating gaze made him gulp nervously.

Fei Chuan toyed with the bottle for a moment before giving it a gentle spin. It rotated twice before slowing down, landing between Lin Sunji and Zhong Cheng.

Lin Sunji crossed her fingers, silently praying that the bottle’s mouth would point toward Zhong Cheng.

And her prayer was answered—the bottle stopped in Zhong Cheng’s direction.

Zhong Cheng: "...."

He looked at Fei Chuan in shock.

How did Brother-in-law manage that?

He had played this game countless times in his childhood, but he had never manipulated the bottle like Fei Chuan just did!

As expected of Brother-in-law!

Fei Chuan’s expression softened into a smug smirk as he turned to Zhong Cheng. "Truth or dare?"

Zhong Cheng pondered for a moment. If he chose "dare," Fei Chuan might task him with something absurd, forcing him to drink sake. Or worse, he might be instructed to drink the entire bottle.

But the purpose of the game was to deepen the bond between Brother-in-law and Boss. If they finished the sake too quickly, the game would come to an end.

So, Zhong Cheng reasoned, he should avoid drinking the sake at all costs.

His decision became clear.

"Truth!" Zhong Cheng replied confidently.

He believed he could answer any question thrown his way; after all, he had nothing to hide. Plus, Fei Chuan didn’t know him well enough to ask anything too personal or inappropriate.

Fei Chuan, noticing Zhong Cheng’s confidence, narrowed his eyes. "Before I ask my question, let’s clarify something. You said we can ask anything, right?"

Zhong Cheng nodded emphatically. "Absolutely. Ask away. I’ve got nothing to hide."

"And if the person can’t answer, they have to drink the sake, correct?" Fei Chuan inquired further.

"Indeed," Zhong Cheng affirmed confidently. He was certain he could handle any question that came his way.

First love? Most hated person? Embarrassing experiences? Personal questions? He could handle them all!

Satisfied with the confirmation, Fei Chuan nodded. "Alright. Here’s my question."

Suddenly, Fei Chuan’s gaze turned sharp, like that of a predator eyeing its prey. "What is the zeroth law of thermodynamics, and how does it relate to thermal equilibrium?"

Zhong Cheng: "...."

Lin Sunji and Bei Sangyun: "...."

Zhong Cheng blinked, wondering if something had gone wrong in his ears. Why he couldn’t understand the question? It sounded like a foreign language to him.

"...Zeroth... Thermal... Equify...?" Zhong Cheng struggled to recall what Fei Chuan had said. But what were those terms?

Lin Sunji was equally stunned. She had heard of thermodynamics from her physics tutor, but this topic seemed far too advanced, typically introduced in college. Although some engineering high schools might touch upon it, it wasn’t common knowledge for them.

They weren’t engineers or scientists, so why would they focus on this?

Lin Sunji was at a loss, and so was Bei Sangyun.

"You can’t answer? Then you have to drink the sake," Fei Chuan declared, pouring the sake into the cup until it overflowed. He ’kindly’ handed it to Zhong Cheng.

Zhong Cheng: "...."

He shot Fei Chuan a bitter look. "This is cheating! Who can answer that?!"

"You can’t even answer a simple question? You know how to cook but you don’t know the concept behind it?" Fei Chuan regarded Zhong Cheng with disdain as if he were a useless human being.

Zhong Cheng: "...." He ranked the lowest in the class in all science subjects, okay? He wasn’t a genius like him!

In frustration, Zhong Cheng took the cup and downed it in one go. He put down the cup and the warmth in his stomach relaxed him a little.

Now, Fei Chuan’s advantage was gone, and it was Zhong Cheng’s turn to take control of the game.

Blowing on his hands, Zhong Cheng hoped the bottle would land on Boss next; she could handle whatever was thrown at her and he believed Boss could do the rest.

Following Fei Chuan’s lead, Zhong Cheng spun the bottle with a little force.

After three rotations, the bottle finally came to a stop, pointing to the person beside him.

Lin Sunji glared at Zhong Cheng.

This person was truly the bane of her existence!

But she quickly calmed herself. Right. It was better that the end of the bottle was Zhong Cheng. After all, she outranked him. At least he wouldn’t ask something outrageous like Fei Chuan did.

And even if he did, she was confident she would be able to answer it.

****

Additional Scene:

Zhong Cheng gently pulled Bei Sangyun beside him. "Boss, it would be better if you and Brother-in-law sat across from each other. That way, there’s a greater chance of the two of you ending up as a pair for the ’truth or dare’".

Bei Sangyun’s eyes sparkled with anticipation as she nodded and settled in beside Zhong Cheng.

However, their moment was interrupted by a looming shadow that wedged itself between Zhong Cheng and Bei Sangyun, occupying the narrow space.

Zhong Cheng felt his sides and elbows being crushed as the newcomer pressed in with force.

Fei Chuan turned to Zhong Cheng with an innocent expression. "You’re taking up too much space. Can you move?"

Zhong Cheng stared back, dumbfounded.

’You’re the one who stole my spot!’

*****