After YanMingXiu hung up, the atmosphere of the two people in the bathroom is a bit tensed.
ZhouXiang stuffed his cell phone into his pocket and looked at LanXiRong with an inquiring expression, asking his meaning behind doing that. After all, it is his cell phone and his own personal matters. Although LanXiRong has a lot of grievances against YanMingXiu, it has nothing to do with him. So him doing that is all too strange.
LanXiRong’s face revealed a trace of embarrassment as he awkwardly responds, “I saw that you couldn't even stand up so I was just being nice in helping you answer your phone." After saying that, his eyes drifted to the side.
ZhouXiang didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Even if he were to blame LanXiRong, nothing would have happened, so he simply pushed him away, opened the bathroom door and walked out.
CaiWei glanced at them strangely, then immediately mocked, “Fuck, how old are you guys to still be pissing together…done comparing (dick size)? Who's bigger?"
LanXiRong smiled as he responded, “Wei Ge, can you not be so vulgar. ZhouXiang left to answer the phone. The bathroom is slippery. I was just afraid that he would slip."
That sounded a bit convincing. ZhouXiang's steps were a bit wobbly.
ZhouXiang is too lazy to say anything else as he sat on the sofa and waved at CaiWei, “Wei Ge, I can’t drink anymore, really can’t drink anymore. Give… my mom a call. That I'm busy….really… make up an excuse to let her know that I won't be going home tonight."
He's so drunk that his mom would be taking care of him instead of resting. He just won't go back today and instead planned on going to the condo that YanMingXiu gave him.
CaiWei took his phone and drank a mouthful of water to make his voice sound less drunk. Then he walked out, intending to go to a quiet place outside to make the call.
ZhouXiang was so drunk that he was a bit lazy to even move. His eyes blurred seeing various blending colors on the LCD TV screen that is supposedly showing videos of love songs, but it paused in his mind. The lyrics and melody are out of tune, making it sounded like a sad song.
Maybe because he had drank too much or perhaps he had held it in for too long, ZhouXiang has an unspeakable impulse at this time to vent all the secrets buried within himself. He is too tired to keep hiding. It's too troubling. He really wanted to tell everyone. Then, he wouldn't have to keep these secrets.
Unfortunately, he didn't dare.
LanXiRong saw that he wasn't looking normal so he opened a bottle of mineral water and put it on his lips. “ZhouXiang, are you okay? Drink some water.”
ZhouXiang took the bottle and carelessly poured it in his mouth but most of the water spilled all over the front of his shirt.
“Fuck,” ZhouXiang angrily swore as he patted the water on his lapel.
LanXiRong sighed and grabbed the bottle of mineral water in his hand and put it aside, then took out some tissue to help him wipe.
Although the heating in the bar is very good, wearing a long-sleeved shirt is even a bit hot, but as soon as they go outside, the chilly air from the blowing cold wind is guaranteed to make the scalp go numb, let alone that ZhouXiang had wet the front of his shirt and pants.
LanXiRong wiped him a few times but seeing that the tissue paper on his clothes did not wipe any water away, he felt that this is not going to work. His clothes was soaked against his chest, it's definitely uncomfortable so he suggested, "Why don't you take off your top and put on my sweater. I have a shirt inside.”
ZhouXiang kept pulling the front of his shirt to prevent it from sticking to his chest. Looking at LanXiRong’s clothes, he nodded to agree. LanXiRong took off the outer sweater and threw it to him. “Go put it on in the bathroom.”
ZhouXiang grabbed the sweater and wobbled as he tried to stand up. But his legs went soft and he suddenly fell back.
Ah Liu teased him, “Why bother to go to the bathroom, just change here. There are no girls here and even if there is, it's not a big deal. Ah Xiang has a great body ah, come on, show it off, satisfy these dudes' cravings."
Since Ah Liu had gotten to known him, he spoke more and more without reservations. His words have always tinged with a bit of vulgarity so ZhouXiang had gotten used to it.
ZhouXiang smiled, “Looking is no problem, but that'll cost ¥100 for each look and I only take cash.” After he finished talking, he reached out to unbutton his shirt.
Ah Liu hollered on the side, singing a little pornographic song with no idea where he learned that from.
ZhouXiang quickly took off his wet shirt. Then wiped the front of his chest with a paper towel and put on LanXiRong's cashmere sweater. His body suddenly felt a lot more comfortable.
At this time, CaiWei came back. His expression looking a bit strange.
ZhouXiang took his phone back and asked, “What happened?”
CaiWei sat to his side and looked at him deeply, “You and YanMingXiu are very close?”
ZhouXiang’s heart jumped. Did CaiWei saw his text message? But he didn't say anything to YanMingXiu in the text message.
CaiWei responded, “He just called and said that he is coming to pick you up.”
ZhouXiang is startled. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
LanXiRong heard it on the side and narrowed his eyes, pretending to inadvertently ask, “I can just take you back. Why bother for him to make a trip just to come get you?"
ZhouXiang half-heartedly responded, “Oh, I've just realized that I have to go to the set tomorrow. He might have been afraid that I would delay the progress. I … I'll go out to give him a call.”
CaiWei pulled him, “Don't need to call him. He's very close to the Worker's Stadium and will be here very soon.”
ZhouXiang’s expression changed slightly. He's worried that if YanMingXiu came over, their relationship would be exposed. If it was someone else, that would have been fine. But he definitely didn't want to ever let CaiWei know about it. CaiWei had repeatedly warned him to not get too close to YanMingXiu, but he already…he really don’t want to see CaiWei's disappointment in him.
ZhouXiang stood up unsteadily, “I…I'll just make a call, tell him not to come, waste of time…”
He grabbed his phone and walked out of the private room and started to dial YanMingXiu’s number, but YanMingXiu didn't pick up.
He thought… would YanMingXiu be angry? After all, he and LanXiRong never got along before. He even hung up the phone immediately.
ZhouXiang fiercely bumped his head twice against the wall to try and force himself to be a bit sober. He has to think of what to say later so that other people won't be able to see anything wrong.
When he returned to the private room, CaiWei and Ah Liu were still drinking. Ah Liu has always been simple-minded and didn't think much of anything but the other three people all had apprehensions on their minds.
After about ten minutes, the door of the private room was suddenly opened and the four people all turned their heads to see YanMingXiu wearing a heavy coat standing in the doorway looking quite worn out. The lights in the hall came in through the door, forming a circle of backlighting on his body. They seem to be able to see the chilliness exuded all around his body.
YanMingXiu immediately saw ZhouXiang's drunken flushed face.
LanXiRong sat still and just looked at him coldly.
No matter how much CaiWei hated YanMingXiu, on the surface he can't offend him. Seeing that no one spoke, he might as be the first one to say something.
“President Yan, you're here, that's really fast.”
YanMingXiu went over and slammed the TV off. The singing noise in the box room disappeared instantly. Most of the noisy music from outside is isolated so now the quietness in this box room is a bit strange.
YanMingXiu pointed to ZhouXiang and said with gloomy face, “Get up, I'll take you back.”
ZhouXiang could only say to the other people, “I still have to go to the set tomorrow. I'll leave first. You guys continue." Then he deliberately said to YanMingXiu, “President Yan, will have to trouble you.”
He supported himself with the table wanting to stand up. YanMingXiu immediately grabbed his arm, pulling his entire person up.
YanMingXiu’s expression looked unsightly; so much that anyone with eyes could tell. If it is only because of the hostility between him and LanXiRong, many people in the circle already knew that so it's not at all surprising. However since YanMingXiu came in, his eyes were not on LanXiRong. Adding on, there was no confrontation between the two so YanMingXiu's chilling attitude is really baffling.
ZhouXiang grabbed his coat and put it on. He swiftly took his shirt and quickly took a few steps, turning back to the three people to awkwardly excuse himself. Then, he was firmly pulled out by YanMingXiu.
Ah Liu didn’t know too much of the details so he didn't give it too much thought but LanXiRong and CaiWei are different. The two of them looked at each other, their expressions a bit complicated.
After YanMingXiu shoved ZhouXiang into the car, he was in no hurry to drive, but grimly asked, “Whose clothes are you wearing?”
ZhouXiang stared blankly, “Why?”
“Is it LanXiRong's?”
There was no need to talk about the wet top in ZhouXiang hands. YanMingXiu is very familiar with the cashmere sweater that he is wearing. He remembered that a sponsor had just sent him a book of a batch of clothes last week. The cashmere sweater and the shirt inside were set. He had ordered a set and had just received it yesterday but hasn't had the time to wear it. ZhouXiang is wearing the cashmere sweater of this set, while LanXiRong wore the matching shirt.
Even though he could guess that ZhouXiang changed into it because his own top got wet, still his heart felt annoyed to the extremes.
He hated LanXiRong. He felt that the reason he and (older) ZhouXiang had gotten to this point definitely involved this bastard, LanXiRong. Anyone who lusts after his things should die, regardless how much this (younger) ZhouXiang actually weighs in his heart, he will not let his things touch the slightest breath of LanXiRong.
He said bluntly, “Stay away from surname Lan in the future, I hate him.”
ZhouXiang is silent. Hearing this sounded all too familiar.
YanMingXiu saw that he didn’t talk and thought that he wasn't happy. He turned and gripped ZhouXiang’s chin with his hand and said expressionlessly, "Don’t forget who you fucking belong to. Don't piss me off."
Under the dim light, only ZhouXiang's bleak smile is visible as he faintly uttered, “President Yan… whatever you say, I'll definitely obey. I, ZhouXiang certainly won't forget that it is you who owns me.”
End of the chapter