"Alcohol is as dangerous as a tiger; only by abstaining can one find peace..."
Shen Yi sighed, digesting the information he had just received.
He didn't immediately start the second simulation. Instead, he sat up straight and turned on his computer to look up more details.
Since he didn't like drinking and had never paid attention to the state of those who were addicted to alcohol, he urgently needed to understand more about the situation.
Shu Yunyi's condition absolutely required her to quit drinking. Anyone who allowed her to drink was harming her, including Shen Yi himself.
He had originally thought that alcohol was a bridge for communication between them, a foundation for opening their hearts to each other.
But now, it seemed more like a death sentence for her.
After some research, Shen Yi fully understood the dangers of alcohol. If it didn't lead to addiction, things might still be manageable. But once dependency formed, it not only harmed the body in various ways but also devastated the mind.
Even Shen Yi in the later stages of the simulation was affected. If he didn't drink, he felt empty, as if something was missing from the day. He would toss and turn in bed, unable to sleep until he got drunk.
Fortunately, Shu Yunyi was only a heavy drinker at first, not yet an alcoholic. There was still hope.
"Quitting alcohol is imperative."
If she didn't quit, it would be a dead end. Shen Yi finalized his plan and began the second simulation.
He chose the time node right after their second drinking session. Starting too early would require them to get familiar with each other again, and he wouldn't have a reason to persuade her to quit. Starting too late might mean missing the opportunity and risking his own addiction to alcohol.
This timing was just right.
Would you like to spend 1 strategy point to enter this time node?
"Yes."
【After this experience, your relationship developed in a positive direction.】
【She didn't explicitly accept you, but she didn't reject you either. You interacted like ordinary, comfortable friends.】
【You exchanged contact information and occasionally chatted, but her past still seemed to be a forbidden topic that she never brought up.】
【In the following days, you secretly made a plan for her to quit drinking, but you didn't tell her.】
【You knew that helping Shu Yunyi quit drinking successfully wouldn't happen overnight, so you decided to take it slow.】
Shen Yi had carefully researched and found that quitting alcohol couldn't be done abruptly. Cutting it off completely could be harmful, leading to withdrawal symptoms and a series of adverse physical reactions.
The first step to quitting was money. From the previous simulation, Shen Yi learned that Shu Yunyi's school had stopped paying her salary due to her long-term neglect of work.
She relied entirely on her mother's financial support and her own meager savings to buy alcohol.
This was also one of the reasons she frequently argued with her mother.
Cutting off her financial source could, to some extent, curb her ability to buy alcohol on her own.
【Your first choice was to work from both inside and outside, gradually tightening the constraints on Shu Yunyi's situation.】
【You immediately contacted Shi Jing, asking her to subtly influence Shu's Mother by reporting the dangers of alcohol.】
【Once Shu's Mother was convinced, she cut off Shu Yunyi's living expenses, leaving only a small amount of money for basic necessities, and repeatedly warned her not to soften her stance.】
【After successfully implementing the plan, you waited quietly for the results.】
【You continued to chat with Shu Yunyi every day, but you never mentioned drinking or actively sought her out.】
【Once Shu's Mother tightly controlled her finances, giving her only enough money for basic living expenses, Shu Yunyi still tried every means to save money for alcohol, even cutting back on food.】
【But money eventually ran out. Through Shi Jing's continuous updates, you learned that Shu Yunyi gradually couldn't afford alcohol anymore. After a big fight with her mother, she finally reached out to you.】
Shen Yi sighed. In his plan, the ideal scenario was for Shu Yunyi to take the initiative to leave her room, return to work, and earn money.
Having a job, teaching classes, and mentoring students would not only provide income but also keep her busy. Being busy had many benefits, as one major cause of alcohol addiction was emptiness and boredom.
Unfortunately, she was too much of a homebody. As the saying goes, "poverty breeds change," and she indeed contacted Shen Yi as he had anticipated. The sorrow of being controlled by alcohol was evident here.
【She surprisingly reached out to you, saying that she enjoyed your previous conversations and subtly hinted that she hoped you would bring alcohol to visit her again, just like last time.】
【You didn't refuse. Instead, in the evening, you brought a few bottles of beer to have a small gathering with her.】
【When she saw the beer, she was a bit dissatisfied, but you brushed it off by saying you had a stomachache and couldn't drink hard liquor.】
【This time, the drinking wasn't as satisfying. Shu Yunyi couldn't get drunk, and she mentioned that she still preferred hard liquor.】
【You agreed with her, and during the gathering, you subtly emphasized the dangers of drinking, casually mentioning examples of friends who had fallen ill from excessive drinking.】
【Although Shu Yunyi seemed uninterested, she listened because it was you speaking.】
【Two days later, at Shu Yunyi's urging, you visited her again.】
【This time, you still didn't listen to her and instead brought a bottle of red wine.】
【As soon as you entered, before she could say anything, you excitedly told Shu Yunyi that a friend had given you a good bottle of wine and that you had specifically brought it to share with her.】
【As expected, after hearing this, Shu Yunyi couldn't complain and could only praise the wine during the gathering.】
【When she invited you again, you said you were busy and would come back in a few days.】
【You were consciously trying to reduce Shu Yunyi's alcohol intake, spacing out the drinking sessions as much as possible.】
【Under your evasive tactics, Shu Yunyi could never drink to her heart's content.】
【With less alcohol and longer waiting times, Shu Yunyi's alcohol addiction remained unsatisfied, making her increasingly restless and anxious.】
【After repeated requests, you finally brought hard liquor to her door, determined to wear her down this time.】
That night.
Shu Yunyi paced back and forth in her room, occasionally glancing at her phone screen.
The TV in the living room was on, but she had no interest in watching it. It was merely background noise to make her feel less lonely.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
The door was knocked, and Shu Yunyi instinctively smiled, rushing over to open it.
As soon as the door opened, there was Shen Yi, holding alcohol and food.
Shu Yunyi pretended to be calm as she let Shen Yi in, but her mouth watered at the sight of the liquor bottle in his hand.
Shen Yi laid out the food and alcohol, inviting Shu Yunyi to sit down. He didn't rush to open the bottle.
"Come, try this. I waited in line for a long time to get it."
Shu Yunyi suppressed her craving, maintaining her composure as she took a few bites and nodded in approval.
"It's delicious."
"See, I didn't lie to you. Now, try this low-alcohol liquor. I guarantee you've never had it before."
Shen Yi said as he unscrewed the cap and poured a glass for Shu Yunyi, handing it to her.
Shu Yunyi took the glass, looking at the clear liquid with anticipation, and downed it in one gulp.
As soon as she finished, she frowned. The taste of the liquor was too weak, almost like water.
She then sniffed the glass and confirmed her suspicion.
"Bang!"
Shu Yunyi felt tricked and slammed the glass on the table angrily.
"What kind of low-alcohol liquor is this? It's clearly watered down!"