Chapter 6
The teahouse was still softly bustling, and the cicadas outside the window were growing ever noisier, yet at the table between the two of them there was utter silence.
Qu Tongqiu was still frozen in the agitated posture he’d had moments before, but now his face was twitching—“rigid” was no longer strong enough to describe it.
Ren Ningyuan, on the other hand, showed no particular reaction. He calmly lowered his head, went on drinking his tea, and even ate a pastry.
By the time Ren Ningyuan had finished the pastry, Qu Tongqiu—who looked like he’d turned to stone—suddenly thawed. He sprang up and bolted for the door. Ren Ningyuan had just opened his mouth to speak when Qu Tongqiu knocked over a chair with a loud clatter and fell flat on his face.
The commotion was so great that everyone in the teahouse stared at him in surprise. A waiter moved to help him up, but Qu Tongqiu seemed wound up like a toy—he scrambled back to his feet at once and staggered out, sending the whole room into laughter.
Only Ren Ningyuan didn’t laugh. He quietly drank another cup of tea, then made a call and left a message for Qu Tongqiu.
“You don’t need to worry. The apartment wasn’t bought with money from selling myself. If you don’t mind it being ‘dirty,’ go ahead and live there.”
After that, he paid the bill and, instead of taking a car, walked back to his apartment.
That day, Ren Ningyuan went again to his usual spot for morning tea. His tastes in this regard were rather old-fashioned. If circumstances allowed, he preferred reading the morning paper at home and eating breakfast made by a loved one.
It was just that the person who would cook for him didn’t yet exist, and he refused to hire domestic help—the feeling of strangers intruding into his living space was too uncomfortable.
After finishing his meal and coming down from the teahouse, he suddenly heard someone call out from behind him, “Boss.”
Ren Ningyuan stopped and turned to look at the man.
Qu Tongqiu looked somewhat awkward, wanting to smile but not knowing how, grinning foolishly at him for quite a while.
Ren Ningyuan frowned slightly. “What is it?”
Qu Tongqiu’s tongue tied itself in knots again and he couldn’t get anything out. Ren Ningyuan stopped waiting, turned, and walked on ahead. Qu Tongqiu hurriedly followed after him.
When they reached the apartment door, Ren Ningyuan stopped and looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. “I’m not inviting anyone in. If you don’t speak now, go home.”
Qu Tongqiu was both embarrassed and nervous, his posture almost servile.
“Boss, last time I misspoke. I was confused for a moment and talked nonsense. I’ve thought it through— the sex industry is also a reasonable existence. There are always people who need to relieve their loneliness and all that…”
Ren Ningyuan’s expression remained calm; he said nothing, letting Qu Tongqiu ramble on.
“People all have sexual desire. This is also a way of channeling it, reducing sex crimes and such…”
Ren Ningyuan looked thoughtfully at the ground, neither angry nor pleased.
“Boss, you’re just an ordinary businessman. I understand that.”
Ren Ningyuan gave a quiet “Mm.”
Qu Tongqiu looked at him eagerly. “So… are we reconciled?”
Ren Ningyuan didn’t answer. After a moment, he suddenly said, “I don’t know if you’ve heard—”
“Hm?”
“My establishment caters to homosexual clientele.”
This time Qu Tongqiu jumped up with a whoosh, his face turning pale. Ren Ningyuan watched him stumble into the elevator—he seemed to trip again—and thought that he should have just frightened him thoroughly all at once.
Ren Ningyuan didn’t go inside either. An old friend called and summoned him away. That friend was also a major shareholder in Nar, but recently he’d been extremely unserious about work, spending several days preparing a birthday party for his lover—which also happened to be the anniversary of their meeting, or, put more crudely, the anniversary of their first night together.
“Ningyuan, you came just in time. Help me check how the lighting looks,” Ye Xiutuo said. With slightly peach-blossom eyes, tall and handsome, he had the look of a gentle good man, hormones radiating everywhere. The manga artist beside him was rather clean-cut and honest-looking. Standing together, the two of them radiated a pink, romantic aura that outsiders found almost overwhelming.
“Mm, it passes,” Ren Ningyuan said after a look. “But if the wind picks up, it might affect the effect.”
Ye Xiutuo laughed. “Don’t worry. I’ve been watching the weather forecast carefully, and I’ve got a backup plan.”
The young manga artist still had some sense of embarrassment and behaved properly the whole time, while Ye Xiutuo, in front of old friends, had absolutely no sense of shame—he picked him up and kissed him anyway, kissing him until he flushed and kept trying to dodge away.
The story of how that dazed little manga artist had once sworn, through tears and desperate vows, to “redeem” Ye Xiutuo and support him for life was something Ye Xiutuo was endlessly proud of and loved to recount at every opportunity. Today was no exception, and he retold it yet again, showing off shamelessly.
No matter how many times Rong Liu heard it, his reaction was always the same: sighing in envy.
Ren Ningyuan said lazily, “It’s nothing special. I once had a loyal little follower who was willing to support me for life too.”
Rong Liu turned pale with shock. “What? Really? Even you were that lucky?”
Ye Xiutuo, however, was indignant. “Don’t compare your bootlicking subordinates with my Lin Han.”
In truth, in the eyes of outsiders, the manga artist’s conditions weren’t particularly outstanding and he might not even seem worthy of Ye Xiutuo. But Ye Xiutuo was very happy.
The two lived together like a newlywed couple, their life harmonious and blissful, and they even kept a dog.
When it came to love, that was really all most people wanted.
Many guests attended the birthday party; the cruise ship was lively. Fireworks were set off midway through, and the lighting effects afterward were flawless. In the end, the shameless Ye Xiutuo even took out a ring.
Everyone’s romantic nerve was thoroughly stimulated—there were screams and applause, and some of the more effeminate “number zeros” from the shop were nearly fainting.
Honestly.
T City clearly had so many single people, yet there were still so many lonely ones. It seemed no one knew where, in the vast sea of people, their own love was hiding.
That night, when Ren Ningyuan returned home alone, it was already very late. As he came out of the elevator, he saw someone standing timidly outside his apartment door.
“Boss.”
“…”
“I’m sorry. I was just… too shocked today. Because of what happened before, I…”
Ren Ningyuan nodded to show he understood, saying nothing.
“No matter what kind of shop you run, it’s all the same. Even if you’re that kind of person, it’s fine—Chu Mo is like that too, isn’t he? I can accept it. No matter what, I’ll respect and admire you just like before.”
Ren Ningyuan looked at him for a moment, then took out his keys and opened the door.
The man was nervous and a little disappointed. “Boss?”
Ren Ningyuan pushed the door open and glanced at him. “Come in.”
It was Qu Tongqiu’s first time entering the place where Ren Ningyuan actually lived. He was immediately overwhelmed by the honor and followed him inside.
The interior was similar in style to the apartment lent to the father and daughter, but with Ren Ningyuan currently living here, that unique atmosphere was even more pronounced, making Qu Tongqiu feel all the more awed and uneasy.
Ren Ningyuan took off the suit jacket he’d worn as a witness and began undoing his cufflinks and collar button.
No matter the weather, he rarely seemed to sweat dressed like this—clean and elegant. Watching him unbutton his shirt, Qu Tongqiu’s heart began pounding for reasons he couldn’t explain.
He was simply too charismatic a man.
“Sit,” Ren Ningyuan said.
At once, Qu Tongqiu perched on the sofa, barely occupying half a seat.
Standing, Ren Ningyuan took a bottle of wine from the rack. “There’s something you probably misunderstood.”
“What?”
“My shop caters to homosexual clientele, but that doesn’t mean I’m homosexual. I like women.”
Qu Tongqiu froze, surprised. But thinking it over, Ren Ningyuan really had dated several women before. With that thought, he let out a great sigh of relief.
As Ren Ningyuan poured the wine, he asked, “How long were you waiting outside?”
“Ah, not long. Not long at all.”
Ren Ningyuan glanced up at the wall clock. “It’s late—there’s no subway anymore.”
“It’s fine. Taking the bus and transferring twice will get me there.”
Ren Ningyuan said lightly, “Why make it so troublesome? Take a taxi.”
Qu Tongqiu was a little embarrassed but answered honestly, “It’s too expensive.” One lived in the east of the city and the other in the west—taking a taxi late at night would cost a fortune.
Someone like Ren Ningyuan never really understood his frugality—or rather, his poverty.
“How about this,” Ren Ningyuan said, setting down the bottle. “If you don’t mind, you can stay here tonight.”
Qu Tongqiu was utterly flattered and thanked him repeatedly. The apartment was spacious, but clearly designed for a single occupant. No matter how he looked around, there was only one bed.
“Then… should I sleep on the floor, or…?”
Ren Ningyuan frowned slightly. “We’re both men—there’s no need for that. Go take a shower first. Pajamas are in the closet, and there are toiletries too. Pick a set that fits.”
Qu Tongqiu immediately obeyed, practically ready to salute. Grabbing a thin bathrobe at random, he charged into the bathroom as if heading into battle.
Just using Ren Ningyuan’s bathroom already felt deeply moving. Everything belonged to Ren Ningyuan, and the green-tea aftershave was exactly the scent he usually carried. After using everything once, Qu Tongqiu felt as though he’d been cleansed and baptized.
He finished bathing with great solemnity. When he came out, he saw that Ren Ningyuan had already taken the two glasses of wine he’d poured earlier into the bedroom and was sitting there reading a magazine. Looking up at him, he said, “Have some red wine before sleeping. It helps with sleep.”
Qu Tongqiu drank with him, then watched Ren Ningyuan go into the bathroom, his heart pounding with nervous excitement.
He’d never imagined that, after so many years, he would lie on the same bed as Ren Ningyuan again.
That mixture of longing and reverence from his student days— even after more than ten years, it was still just as vivid.
Lying beneath the thin silk quilt, both expectant and anxious, he waited, hoping to chat with Ren Ningyuan. The chance to talk late into the night like this—he’d yearned for it for over ten years and had never once been granted it.
However, the faint sound of running water from the bathroom was strangely hypnotic, making one especially drowsy. Before he could wait for Ren Ningyuan to finish washing, he drifted off into a sweet, heavy darkness—and began to dream.
The dream was chaotic and disjointed, thick with erotic atmosphere. It had been a long time since he’d had such a clear, vivid spring dream. The shadow that pressed down felt almost solid; he could vividly sense the movement of a bathrobe being untied, the touch of lips sharp and distinct. He was being stroked and kissed, just like real caresses, to the point where he could even hear his own heartbeat.
In a hazy daze, his emotions were stirred. The warm sensation where tongues met was far too clear; even in the dream he could feel his face flushing and his heart racing. Vaguely, he felt that the object of the spring dream must be a beauty—what kind of beauty, he couldn’t quite say—only that he liked them very much, a comfortable, pleasurable feeling rising from deep within.
But after kissing for a while, he strangely realized that the dream’s partner was tall and strong, nothing like a woman. Instead, it was as if he himself were being treated like a woman.
The two tangled together for some time, and Qu Tongqiu couldn’t help wondering whether he had grown breasts—otherwise, why would he be held like that and kissed on the chest?
But since it was only a dream, no matter how strange it was, there was nothing to be done. He could only let it continue. The other person pressed between his legs; the two of them, naked, intertwined, assuming all kinds of heart-pounding, ambiguous positions.
In the dream, there was reckless, uninhibited lovemaking. The pleasure was intense, and when it reached its peak, he simply clung to the other person, seeming even to wrap his legs around the other’s waist, rubbing and swaying along with the movements.
Yet even in his daze, a question lingered in his mind: how could he be dreaming that he’d turned into a woman?
In the dream, he still retained a sliver of reason, fearfully aware that this was Ren Ningyuan’s home. If he had a spring dream and dirtied the bed, it would be a big problem. But amid that heated tangle of limbs, he finally lost control and reached climax.
Before he even had time to worry about the bedsheets, another wave of caresses followed. Qu Tongqiu couldn’t help thinking that this spring dream was unbelievably endless—could it be because he was too starved? But the dream was far too enchanting, like drowning in a tide; in a dream, there was no need to talk about self-control. He quickly became immersed in it again.
He vaguely saw the other person’s face, thinking the contours were extremely sensual. After the passion subsided, he suddenly recognized it—it was Ren Ningyuan!
This was no small shock. Cold sweat broke out all over him, and the dream cut off like the power had been shut down, plunging into complete darkness.
When he woke up, Qu Tongqiu felt weak all over. He must have slept too long and too deeply; his entire body was soft with fatigue.
A lingering tingling itch on his back reminded him of last night’s hungry spring dream, and he was instantly startled by the bizarre dream of turning into a woman and being caressed. He hurriedly looked down—thankfully, his chest was still flat. Still uneasy, he pulled open his underwear and carefully checked below, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
He secretly checked the bedsheets; they seemed fine. The dark silk fabric didn’t show any obvious traces. Nervous, he turned to look at Ren Ningyuan. The man was still asleep, his profile calm and handsome. It seemed he probably hadn’t noticed anything.
That such a man he admired could actually become the object of his spring dream—Qu Tongqiu swallowed several times in panic. He had even dirtied the man’s bed. If this were discovered, he really wouldn’t have the face to keep going on like this in the future.
Taking advantage of Ren Ningyuan still being asleep, Qu Tongqiu tiptoed out of bed, intending to sneak away quietly.
But when he reached the living room and thought it over, leaving without a sound would be even more disrespectful—another offense added on top. So he used the ingredients in the refrigerator to make a simple breakfast, as a modest gesture of thanks for being allowed to stay overnight. When he opened the door to leave, he noticed the morning newspaper had already been delivered, so he brought it inside and placed it beside the breakfast. Only then did he slip away.
That day passed in utter exhaustion. His stomach was empty, and his heart was even more uneasy, not knowing what the situation would be when Ren Ningyuan woke up. While he was relying on the company’s drinking water to stave off hunger, he suddenly saw Ren Ningyuan calling. Qu Tongqiu answered nervously and said, “Boss.”
“Mmm. You weren’t late for work, were you?” Ren Ningyuan’s tone revealed no joy or anger. “It’s quite far.”
“No, no. Coming from your place, the subway doesn’t even require a transfer—very convenient,” Qu Tongqiu said, nodding and bowing unconsciously. “Boss, did you just wake up?”
“I’ve been up for a while. I just thought of something I wanted to tell you.”
Thinking of the bedsheets, Qu Tongqiu’s heart gave a jolt, his scalp tingling with embarrassment.
“The breakfast you made was good. Thanks for the trouble.”
Qu Tongqiu immediately straightened up. He was no longer sleepy or hungry; his face burned hot, leaving only gratitude at being appreciated. “It was nothing, it was nothing. If you need anything, just say the word. I can make it anytime.”
“Oh.” Ren Ningyuan seemed to think for a moment. “What dishes can you cook for regular meals?”
“I can do all the home-style ones. Give me the ingredients and I can cook. If it needs to be more refined, I can do a bit of that too.”
“Home-style is fine,” Ren Ningyuan said naturally, carrying on. “Come over again after work tonight. I’ll be home late—you can take your time cooking.”
“Well…” Qu Tongqiu thought. He couldn’t exactly walk through the wall to get in.
“There’s a key under the flowerpot by the door.”
Qu Tongqiu was once again overwhelmed by the favor. Ren Ningyuan didn’t like others entering his territory, yet he entrusted him with something as important as a key. This was practically the highest reward he’d received since becoming Ren Ningyuan’s aide, and he was determined not to fail the trust.
Using the key he found, Qu Tongqiu let himself into Ren Ningyuan’s home. He firmly remembered Ren Ningyuan’s instructions: he could eat whatever he liked, but he mustn’t rummage around or look at things at random; his activity space was the kitchen. Even if Ren Ningyuan hadn’t said it, he knew his limits well.
He carefully timed the cooking. All the ingredients were washed and chopped in advance. Rice was put on to cook; anything that needed stewing or steaming was started early. The leg meat was sliced thin and marinated with seasonings, and a bowl of pea shoots and mushrooms was set aside to be stir-fried only after Ren Ningyuan got home, so it would be hot and fresh.
While waiting for the soup to simmer over a low flame, with nothing else to do, he decided to clean. He took a cloth and wiped everything from top to bottom, even cleaning the bookshelves. After wiping his hands dry, he thought of borrowing a book to read.
Ren Ningyuan read many strange books. Looking along several rows of spines one by one, none of the titles really sparked any desire to read—until he noticed a photo album.
The album was well preserved, though it was clearly old. In most households, several large albums on the shelf are meant for others to see—wedding photos, pictures of children from their first month onward, family portraits—things people are happy to share.
Qu Tongqiu hesitated, unsure whether this was private. To be cautious, he shouldn’t touch it—but with a flick of his finger, he saw the gold-stamped words on the cover: “S University XX Class Graduation Commemorative Album.”
His blood instantly warmed. He hadn’t expected that after so many years, Ren Ningyuan would still keep something the college had given them at graduation—something he himself had missed out on. Thinking back to how everyone had received a copy at graduation, while he hadn’t, he couldn’t help feeling a mix of emotions.
Sitting cross-legged on the freshly cleaned floor, he began flipping through the album. As soon as he opened it, there was that slightly aged, nostalgic scent unique to old photo albums. As expected, the contents were images from school—the first page was a full academy graduation group photo.
The graduation photo was packed with faces. Looking carefully one by one, there were familiar classmates from the same major, unfamiliar faces from other majors, and teachers in the front row whose impressions had grown vague. Through these thin pages, the figures in his memory all came into sharp focus again—the class monitor back then, his dorm mates—all wearing the look of youth from long ago. Only he himself was not among them.
As he looked through the pages and recalled the past, a wave of melancholy rose in him.
Among those tiny human figures, there was no Chu Mo, and no Zhuang Wei.
This, he knew well enough. Back then, Chu Mo and Zhuang Wei should already have been studying in the United States.
The news that Zhuang Wei’s whole family was going to emigrate to America was dug up in the second semester of sophomore year.
At the time, it was an astonishing, remarkable matter. So even though Zhuang Wei wanted to keep a low profile, the news still spread throughout the entire college.
For several days, everyone who saw Zhuang Wei asked about it and offered congratulations. Yet Zhuang Wei showed not the slightest bit of happiness. He cursed, “Congratulate my ass—what’s there to congratulate?” and then took out his irritation on Qu Tongqiu, becoming even rougher with him than before.
As for Qu Tongqiu, let alone emigrating—he had never even seen a living foreigner with his own eyes. Naturally, he found the idea of moving abroad to live incredibly novel and interesting.
Because of that, he completely failed to understand why Zhuang Wei was angry all the time. For example, it was clearly Zhuang Wei himself who had been careless and scalded his hand with boiling water, yet he cursed Qu Tongqiu until he was drenched in abuse, even squeezing out half a tube of Qu Tongqiu’s toothpaste to smear on the burn.
Chu Mo’s emotional instability was at least understandable. He had strong feelings for Zhuang Wei, and with Zhuang Wei leaving, it was only natural for him to be in a bad mood.
But before long, Chu Mo loudly announced that he too was preparing to apply to study in the United States.
This shocked Qu Tongqiu. He knew Chu Mo admired Zhuang Wei, but he hadn’t expected him to follow him to such an extent. And he also knew that Ren Ningyuan had feelings for Zhuang Wei as well, and was even closer to Chu Mo. In the end, perhaps even Ren Ningyuan would leave with them.
The thought of this suddenly robbed Qu Tongqiu of sleep. If Ren Ningyuan went to the other side of the globe, then no matter how hard he tried to chase after him, he would never be able to catch up. Life at university without seeing Ren Ningyuan was unimaginable—and even harder to accept.
One day, after helping Ren Ningyuan pick up balls, they were resting by the court. Unable to hold back his unease, Qu Tongqiu finally asked, “Boss, are you going abroad too?”
Ren Ningyuan looked at him and said, “Why would I go abroad at this point? If I go, it would be after graduating from university.”
“But Zhuang Wei is going,” Qu Tongqiu said, then hurriedly added, “Chu Mo is going too.”
Ren Ningyuan smiled. “I’m not the same as Chu Mo.”
Qu Tongqiu suddenly felt greatly reassured and immediately became cheerful. No matter what others did, Ren Ningyuan would still stay and spend the four years of university with him. That alone was enough to make him content.
He never imagined that later on, the first one to leave would be himself.
At the time, Zhuang Wei had already become extremely famous at their school. He was good-looking, had excellent grades, came from a good family, and his photography had won a national award. He had even appeared on television and shot a print advertisement. He was practically a once-in-a-thousand refined young gentleman.
Being good-looking is useful anywhere. Zhuang Wei had a kind of androgynous, gentle beauty. In an environment with a severely skewed gender ratio, not only did girls from other departments and schools flock to him by reputation, even the boys within the college gradually became fervent admirers.
Chu Mo and Ren Ningyuan were the two most famous supporters behind him.
Chu Mo’s obvious favoritism and blatant pursuit of Zhuang Wei were common knowledge, while Ren Ningyuan, though outwardly calm, had also expressed appreciation for Zhuang Wei’s aloof character and outstanding talent.
The secrecy and taboo between people of the same sex were fertile ground for gossip. Everyone was vaguely discussing the possibility that the former and current student council presidents might secretly resent each other over Zhuang Wei.
Rumors flew everywhere; even the parties involved could not avoid hearing them.
Ren Ningyuan merely smiled at this as usual, neither confirming nor denying anything. Chu Mo, on the other hand, cursed “how boring,” and beat up two gossiping boys so badly that Qu Tongqiu watched in trembling fear.
Although he followed Ren Ningyuan around all day, Qu Tongqiu had no clear idea what this man—who never showed joy or anger on his face—actually felt about Zhuang Wei.
Zhuang Wei’s own attitude was never clear either. With rumors spreading and hearsay compounding, if Chu Mo truly developed resentment and the two ended up falling out, then no matter what kind of muddled mess this triangle turned into, Qu Tongqiu absolutely did not want to see his boss come out at a loss.
After much thought, Qu Tongqiu decided he should personally help Ren Ningyuan gather some information. So he bought some beer, along with braised beef and dried bamboo shoots for drinking snacks, and took them to see Zhuang Wei.
Zhuang Wei no longer lived in the school dorms. He had rented his own place, convenient for washing and drying his photographs.
When Qu Tongqiu went in, Zhuang Wei was sticking black-and-white photos on the wall. Seeing what Qu Tongqiu was carrying, he asked, “Did Chu Mo send you?”
“No…”
“Then Ren Ningyuan?” Zhuang Wei guessed.
Ren Ningyuan might really be very good to Zhuang Wei. Thinking of that, Qu Tongqiu inexplicably felt a little sad.
“No, I bought them myself.”
Zhuang Wei looked at him in surprise. “You? Do you have something you want?”
“No, I just happened to be passing by. You can eat them.”
Zhuang Wei gave an “oh,” raised one elegant eyebrow, put down the photos, and leaned against the table to look at him.
Facing the young man’s striking beauty, even Qu Tongqiu himself felt that aside from being overly proud and bad-tempered, Zhuang Wei was indeed very charming.
That charm was different from Ren Ningyuan’s. Ren Ningyuan’s was a gentle pride that inspired awe and admiration, making people want to kneel and worship him. Zhuang Wei’s cold arrogance, on the other hand, attracted swarms of attention.
No one dared to set their sights on Ren Ningyuan; plenty coveted Zhuang Wei.
Qu Tongqiu couldn’t really be said to covet him. He had a vague sense of admiration and fondness, but Zhuang Wei was moody and always bullied him over trivial matters. Whenever he argued with Chu Mo, he used Qu Tongqiu as a shield, which made Qu Tongqiu dislike associating with him.
“Sit down.” Seeing Zhuang Wei staring at him, Qu Tongqiu felt faintly afraid and took two steps back toward the door. “No need.”
Just yesterday, he had suffered because of those two fighting. Zhuang Wei had cursed Chu Mo—“I’d rather kiss a dog than let you touch me”—then grabbed the stunned Qu Tongqiu beside him and kissed him before he could react. After that, he slapped Qu Tongqiu in disgust. Before Qu Tongqiu could even figure out what was happening, Chu Mo slapped him as well.
The lives of protagonists always require some faceless bystanders—to be ordered around, used as background, vented upon, framed, and so on. And he just happened to be one of them.
“Hey, I told you to come over.”
Qu Tongqiu was grabbed by the ear and dragged over. Zhuang Wei used quite a bit of force, making him hiss in pain.
Zhuang Wei pulled out a chair. “Sit. Eat first.”
Flustered, Qu Tongqiu said, “I don’t need to—”
“If you don’t eat, how can I be sure there’s nothing wrong with it?”
Left with no choice, Qu Tongqiu rubbed his ear and sat down, eating a piece of bamboo shoot to prove it was harmless. Thinking of his mission to gather information for Ren Ningyuan, he asked, “Zhuang Wei, do you have a girlfriend?”
Zhuang Wei picked up a piece of beef and snorted. “If I had a girlfriend, would you not be able to see it? Are you blind?”
“Then… do you have a boyfriend?”
No sooner had Qu Tongqiu asked than he got a smack on the head. Zhuang Wei glared at him. “What do you mean? Do I look like a homosexual?”
“N-no… how could you—”
Zhuang Wei stared at him. “Why are you so nervous? Do you look down on homosexuals?”
Qu Tongqiu waved his hands frantically. “No, no, no—”
Zhuang Wei cursed “wishy-washy fence-sitter” and stopped paying attention to him.
“Zhuang Wei, I want to ask—between Chu Mo and Ren Ningyuan, who do you think is better?”
Without a second’s thought, Zhuang Wei replied, “Neither.”
Qu Tongqiu was at a loss. An answer like that would be hard to explain when he went back. But then Zhuang Wei asked, “Fatty, if I leave, will you be very reluctant to part with me?”
“Yes,” Qu Tongqiu answered. “We’ll all miss you.”
Zhuang Wei’s gaze on him turned strange. After looking at him for a long time, he suddenly said, “Honestly, what do you think of me?”
Being stared at like that made Qu Tongqiu’s skin crawl. Something felt off, but he didn’t dare think in that direction, so he followed along and replied, “You’re pretty good.”
“How good?” Zhuang Wei pressed. “Better than Ren Ningyuan?”
Qu Tongqiu didn’t know how to answer. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Uh… you and Boss aren’t the same…”
“How are we not the same?”
Zhuang Wei had already moved closer. The two were far too near now. Qu Tongqiu felt pressured. Meeting Zhuang Wei’s eyes made his heart panic, and he could only steel himself and say, “You’re better.”
Zhuang Wei said nothing, just looked at him for a while. Then suddenly he commanded, “Open your mouth.”
Qu Tongqiu shuddered. Before he could speak, his shoulders were pinned down. In his panic he struggled a couple of times, saw Zhuang Wei’s face closing in, and instinctively shut his eyes in fright.
Their lips pressed together, and in an instant Qu Tongqiu broke out in goosebumps from head to toe. What made it worse was that Zhuang Wei was still holding him, cupping the back of his head, prying open his teeth, his tongue pushing its way inside.
Even with another man, the touch of tongues was far too stimulating. Qu Tongqiu’s whole body tensed up. Dizzy and flustered, he waited for Zhuang Wei to withdraw his tongue and end this inexplicable kiss. Instead, his collar suddenly tightened, and a heavy punch smashed into his face.
The blow was vicious. Qu Tongqiu toppled backward, falling under the chair, pain exploding until his head rang and stars burst before his eyes. Before he could recover, he was hauled up again by the collar, took two more punches to the stomach, and then was kicked hard and sent flying.
His vision went black for a moment before his consciousness slowly cleared. His ears were still buzzing when he heard Chu Mo shouting furiously, “Zhuang Wei, don’t keep testing me like this!”
“Who’s testing you?”
“There’s nothing between me and that woman at all! You use this kind of trash to provoke me—aren’t you being childish?”
Qu Tongqiu lay on the ground for a while, dazed and spinning. Seeing the two of them arguing fiercely, completely ignoring his existence, and knowing Chu Mo wouldn’t come over to hit him again, he slowly got up and fled.
Even though he was already used to being treated like this, he still felt that being a cannon-fodder side character really wasn’t a good taste at all.
Their lips pressed together, and in an instant Qu Tongqiu broke out in goosebumps from head to toe. What made it worse was that Zhuang Wei was still holding him, cupping the back of his head, prying open his teeth, his tongue pushing its way inside.
Even with another man, the touch of tongues was far too stimulating. Qu Tongqiu’s whole body tensed up. Dizzy and flustered, he waited for Zhuang Wei to withdraw his tongue and end this inexplicable kiss. Instead, his collar suddenly tightened, and a heavy punch smashed into his face.
The blow was vicious. Qu Tongqiu toppled backward, falling under the chair, pain exploding until his head rang and stars burst before his eyes. Before he could recover, he was hauled up again by the collar, took two more punches to the stomach, and then was kicked hard and sent flying.
His vision went black for a moment before his consciousness slowly cleared. His ears were still buzzing when he heard Chu Mo shouting furiously, “Zhuang Wei, don’t keep testing me like this!”
“Who’s testing you?”
“There’s nothing between me and that woman at all! You use this kind of trash to provoke me—aren’t you being childish?”
Qu Tongqiu lay on the ground for a while, dazed and spinning. Seeing the two of them arguing fiercely, completely ignoring his existence, and knowing Chu Mo wouldn’t come over to hit him again, he slowly got up and fled.
Even though he was already used to being treated like this, he still felt that being a cannon-fodder side character really wasn’t a good taste at all.
