Chapter 14: Yu Ting Was a One-Drink Wonder

【014】

They returned to the Qianmen Hotel to get their luggage and check out. Lu Jue called a taxi this time, and by the time they arrived at Lu Yan’s place, it was already pitch black.

When Yu Ting got out of the car and saw the two-story garden-style Western mansion, his long lashes fluttered.

He knew Lu Yan must have had a good family background, but living alone in such a garden mansion in Jing City was beyond anything he could have imagined.

He followed Lu Jue inside in silence.

The door lock was a keypad, something Yu Ting was seeing for the first time. Lu Jue pulled out his phone, opened his chat with Lu Yan, glanced at the code left for him, and couldn’t help but laugh. As he punched it in, he said, “The code is 1-1-1-1-1-1.”

Yu Ting didn’t reply right away. He was only staying for two nights and one day, so he probably wouldn’t need the code, but since Lu Jue mentioned it, he just responded with an “Mhm.”

It must have been Lu Jue’s first time here too. Inside and out, the place was completely dark. After entering, he fumbled around for a moment before flipping a switch.

The room lit up instantly.

The warm, cream-yellow glow illuminated a living room that was as large as all the rooms in Yu Ting’s home combined. Three walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling lattice windows, their dark green frames showing considerable age.

The wooden floor was spotless. The TV, sofa, coffee table, and other appliances and furniture weren’t covered with dust sheets, suggesting someone came to clean regularly.

Lu Jue did a quick walkthrough of the first floor. “There’s a guest room on the first floor. The sheets have just been changed and are clean. Do you want the first or second floor?”

“The first floor is fine,” Yu Ting said.

Lu Jue nodded. “I’m going to shower first. We can go out and walk around later.”

Once Lu Jue went upstairs, all was silent. Yu Ting entered the first-floor guest room. Though called a guest room, it was actually a suite with its own bathroom, split into an inner and outer chamber.

The outer room held a floor-to-ceiling bookcase and a set of desk and chair. The inner room was furnished only with a double bed, also facing a floor-to-ceiling lattice window. The curtains weren’t drawn, and the cream-yellow light spilled onto the small garden outside, revealing a few indistinct clusters of blooming flowers—though it was too dark to make out the specific varieties.

The room clearly wasn’t used often, or perhaps had never been used at all. The books in the bookcase were purely decorative; their plastic wrapping hadn’t been removed. But everything was clean, free of dust.

Yu Ting only swept his gaze around briefly. He spotted a few books that caught his interest, but all were unopened. Taking a few deep breaths, he put down his luggage and went to shower.

Toiletries were fully stocked. The shower gel and shampoo were brand new and unopened. Using gas, the hot water never ran out. Yu Ting had a very comfortable shower. When he came out of the bathroom, he finally heard a pattering sound.

He looked toward the lattice window. Heavy rain was lashing against the glass. It had become a torrential downpour.

Toweling his hair, Yu Ting faintly heard movement outside the door. He dried his hair a bit more, hung up the towel, and opened the door to go out.

In the living room, the large TV was on. Lu Jue, wearing only a bathrobe loosely tied at the waist, had hair that was almost dry. One hand held a glass half-filled with a pale golden liquid. He was leaning against the sofa, looking down and sorting through game cartridges.

Hearing footsteps, Lu Jue slightly raised his head. When he saw the slender figure of Yu Ting standing at the edge of the living room, he pinched a Mario cartridge between two long fingers and shook it toward Yu Ting. The corner of his lip quirked up. “Guess we’re stuck inside. Want to play a few rounds?”

~

Yu Ting had played Mario before, not many times, forced by Li Chengxi to play.

But his reflexes were incredibly fast. After a few levels, he was clearing them without any trouble. The two moved to the floor, sitting cross-legged on the carpet. The living room was filled only with the cheerful sounds of the game and the increasingly violent storm raging outside the window.

After playing for a while, Lu Jue’s gaze was entirely drawn to the youth next to him.

Fresh from the shower, Yu Ting’s hair was soft and fluffy. It was jet black, and his long, elegant neck was as white as a freshly pulled lotus root stem, making the tiny crimson mole behind his left ear seem even more vividly red.

The same faint scent of shower gel that clung to Lu Jue himself continuously wafted from beside him into his face.

Just then, Mario on the TV screen jumped into the air repeatedly and collected a long string of coins. The corner of Yu Ting’s lips curved up slightly, his long, too-thick lashes quivering along with the smile.

Lu Jue’s heart trembled along with those two beautiful fans of eyelashes. An uncontrollable longing surged in his throat. He was very hungry, and very thirsty.

Yu Ting was focused on dodging obstacles when his nose suddenly caught a faint scent of alcohol.

He instinctively turned his head. A subtle woody fragrance washed over him. In his vision was a stretch of chest peeking out from the bathrobe, marked by a few almost-faded nail scratches.

Lu Jue’s low, slightly hoarse voice fell into his ear from above. “Want a drink?”

“No.” Yu Ting realized the liquid Lu Jue had been holding earlier was alcohol.

They were too close. Even the not-too-strong smell of alcohol made Yu Ting feel a bit dizzy. He leaned back a little, turning his head to rescue the little figure about to fall on the screen. “I’m a one-drink wonder.”

Lu Jue seemed to chuckle. “Really?”

“Probably.” Yu Ting wasn’t entirely sure.

He had no memory at all of that one time he got drunk.

Zhao Rufei had planted a few grapevines at the flower nursery. Last year, there was a bumper harvest. After giving away as much as she could to everyone, there were still two huge baskets left. So she soaked them in wine. Last Chinese New Year, she said the flavor was especially good and let Yu Ting have a glass.

No exaggeration—the next thing Yu Ting remembered after drinking it was opening his eyes in his room the next day.

He asked Zhao Rufei, and she just smiled and told him not to drink anymore in the future.

His behavior while drunk probably wasn’t very good.

Yu Ting stared intently at the screen and changed the subject. “Are you and Lu Yan relatives?”

Lu Jue slowly returned to his spot. He seemed slightly tipsy, pressing the controller lazily. “No, we grew up in the same compound. Went to school together from kindergarten through middle school.”

He didn’t like Yu Ting talking to him about other men, Lu Yan included. He switched the topic again. “Just checked, there are no big malls nearby. I have to go out tomorrow morning. How about we go shopping in the afternoon? If you want to walk around in the morning, you can go to the park across the street. The scenery isn’t bad.”

“Okay.”

The rain kept falling. After clearing the game, Yu Ting went to sleep. Accompanied by the sound of rain, he fell asleep very quickly and slept very well. When he opened his eyes, the storm had stopped outside, and the sun was out.

Yu Ting propped himself up, staring out the window for a good while. This time, he got a clear look at the flowers outside. Roses again—pink Angela Roses.

He checked the time. It was already past eleven. He basically never slept in; the last time he did was in elementary school.

Yu Ting got out of bed, washed up, changed, and went outside. It was quiet.

He walked to the staircase and looked up at the second floor. It was equally silent.

He took out his phone and sent Lu Jue a text.

Are you out?

The next second, Lu Jue called. Yu Ting swiped to answer. Lu Jue’s side was very quiet; the faint chirping of birds could be heard. “I’m out. Bought some food, it’s in the fridge.”

Then he asked, “You didn’t forget the door code, did you?”

“It’d be pretty hard to forget, right?” Yu Ting replied.

A low chuckle came from Lu Jue’s end. He said something unexpected came up and he’d be back around six in the evening.

After hanging up, Yu Ting went to the kitchen, phone in hand.

The kitchen was divided into a Western and Chinese kitchen, and there were two refrigerators. It was Yu Ting’s first time seeing a double-door fridge. He moved quietly, opening the right-side door. The refrigerator was packed with food.

Fresh fruits, milk, various breads and cakes.

Yu Ting wasn’t hungry yet. He took an apple, a bottle of yogurt, and a small slice of toast.

Just as he reached the dining area, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Yu Ting paused, put down his breakfast, and went to the entrance hall.

The video doorbell showed a somewhat familiar face: Guan Ning.

Yu Ting breathed a sigh of relief. Although he had gotten Lu Yan’s permission to stay for two days, it would still be awkward if Lu Yan’s parents or friends were at the door.

He opened the door. Guan Ning didn’t seem surprised to see him. Lu Jue was the only Young Master of the Lu family, after all; how could he possibly be the one opening doors!

Guan Ning was dressed casually today. Smiling, he walked inside, his eyes darting straight toward the living room. “Isn’t my brother up yet?”

Yu Ting closed the door and followed him. “He went out.”

“!” Guan Ning turned his head. “Did my brother have some business?”

“I don’t know.”

Guan Ning nodded as if it were only natural, and even looked happy about it. “Of course my brother wouldn’t casually tell other people his business.”

He stopped walking further in and turned around to ask, “Did my brother say when he’d be back?”

Yu Ting’s brow twitched slightly. “No.”

Guan Ning nodded again. Rubbing the tip of his nose, he thought for a moment. He had now grasped another good way to get close to Lu Jue—

Follow Yu Ting!

His smile was innocent and pure. “Brother Yu Ting, it’s pretty boring just waiting around like this. Let me take you on a tour around the area!”

Compared to staying in the room alone with Guan Ning, Yu Ting also thought going out was the better choice.

He put the apple, yogurt, and toast back into the fridge just as he’d taken them out.

It was nearly noon, and the sun was scorching. By the time they reached the gate of the residential area, Guan Ning refused to walk any further. He called his chauffeur and had them driven straight to a shopping mall.

“Much cooler. Let’s just wander around here!” Guan Ning led Yu Ting into a luxury boutique.

The store was filled with a dazzling array of handbags.

The moment a sales assistant saw Guan Ning, she greeted him with a smile. “Young Master Guan, what brings you here in person today?”

Guan Ning was used to this and ignored her. He pulled Yu Ting straight to the display case at the very back, examining the dazzling selection of pet harnesses. “My dog has gotten fat again; I need to get a few new harnesses.”

He happily picked them out. “This one’s pretty, this one’s cute, and that one would look great on my dog too. I’ll take them all. Little Lin, get the large size!”

The sales assistant, Little Lin, couldn’t hide her grin and quickly packed them up for Guan Ning.

After paying, Guan Ning, holding the beautifully wrapped boxes, smiled and asked Yu Ting, “Do you see anything you like?”

Of course, he knew Yu Ting must have seen something he liked. Who wouldn’t be tempted by a big luxury brand? But Yu Ting definitely couldn’t afford it. A single dog harness was nearly five grand, let alone anything else.

He could tell Yu Ting was broke. He really didn’t know how his brother could be friends with someone like this.

Guan Ning was in a great mood. “If you see something, I’ll buy it for you!”

Yu Ting politely declined. “No need. I’m not in a position to afford this brand yet.”

His voice wasn’t deliberately lowered, nor did he sound embarrassed or awkward. Little Lin also stole a glance at him.

His outfit clearly wasn’t designer, but the young man wore it very well, with a great sense of quality to it.

Guan Ning huffed in displeasure. Yu Ting spoke as if he’d ever be in a position to afford it!

His young master’s temper flared, and he no longer wanted to browse. “Brother Yu Ting, I’m so tired and hungry. Let’s find a place to eat!”

Seeing Yu Ting hesitate, he immediately hugged Yu Ting’s arm and whined, “Brother Yu Ting, I’m really tired. Let me see…” He glanced at his watch and stared wide-eyed, exclaiming, “We’ve already walked twelve hundred steps!”

Yu Ting was momentarily stunned, hearing the perfectly pronounced “twelve hundred steps.” Guan Ning took the opportunity to drag him away.

Guan Ning was five or six centimeters shorter than Yu Ting, not quite 1.8 meters, and of a slight, small build. But his strength was surprisingly great, easily pulling Yu Ting into the car.

After a long drive, the car finally came to a stop.

After getting out, Guan Ning sent Lu Jue several texts in a row.

Lu Jue hadn’t accepted his WeChat contact request.

Brother! That private restaurant I wanted to take you to last time, you have to come today.

Brother, no lie, it’s insanely delicious!

Brother, Brother Yu Ting is here too.

Yu Ting looked up at the restaurant sign—Purple Moon.

It didn’t look like a place to eat, more like a bar or some kind of entertainment venue.

He paused briefly. It was already past five, and he finally felt hungry.

Guan Ning was already shouting that he was starving and impatiently pulled Yu Ting inside.

It was indeed a private kitchen.

The decor was a rainforest style, with two floors. The first floor had a ceiling height of nearly ten meters. The roof was all glass, ceiling hung with tropical plants that blocked out the light, with long, dangling vines all emitting cold mist.

The second floor had private rooms. Guan Ning went straight up and chose a four-person room.

A waitress brought a few small dishes of snacks. Guan Ning casually ordered seven or eight dishes, then pushed the menu to Yu Ting. “Order.” He glanced at it and added, “I’ll pay, just order whatever.”

Yu Ting took the menu. The prices were indeed beyond his means. He ordered one dish and a bowl of rice. “Let’s split the bill. My share is 76.”

Guan Ning shrugged. “Whatever.”

He pulled out his phone to check. No reply. Lu Jue still ignored him.

After Yu Ting finished ordering, hard-pressed by the staff’s strong recommendation, he took a piece of the signature chocolate. Putting it in his mouth, the first taste was a fresh yuzu chocolate flavor. When he bit down, the intense, fiery rum burst and filled his mouth.

It was liqueur chocolate…

“…”

Too late to spit it out, Yu Ting silently swallowed it. At the same time, he took out his phone. It was almost six, and Lu Jue would be back soon.

Yu Ting pressed the button a few times, but the screen remained black.

He had charged it before bed last night, but this old phone was ancient. Zhao Rufei had mentioned it sometimes failed to charge.

After thinking for a moment, Yu Ting decided not to borrow Guan Ning’s phone. He stood up. “I’ll be right back.”

Guan Ning couldn’t care less. “Oh.” He looked back down and continued texting Lu Jue.

The next second, he glanced up at Yu Ting’s receding back.

Was he seeing things? Yu Ting’s face had gone so red!

Yu Ting went to the front desk to borrow a charging cable. Going downstairs was a very long slope with a very gentle incline, both walls covered in dark green vines, the floor planted with soft, real grass.

Yu Ting walked very slowly. He clearly felt his head becoming heavier. He paused briefly, pressing hard on his temple to stay clear-headed. Suddenly, someone pulled his shoulder. Yu Ting turned around. The person tapping him was a much taller and bigger foreign man.

The man smiled at him, speaking some foreign language Yu Ting didn’t recognize. Yu Ting shook his head to show he didn’t understand and was about to turn and leave, but the man moved closer, his hand touching Yu Ting’s face.

Yu Ting instinctively felt a sense of violation. He raised his hand to push the man away, but before he could act, a gust of wind rushed past his back. His vision dimmed. Before he could react, the foreign man crashed to the ground with a huge thud.

In his blurring vision, Yu Ting saw a familiar back, and pained cries for help reached his ears.

Yu Ting’s head grew heavier and heavier. He shook it hard. The surrounding sounds shattered into countless layers in his ears, growing more and more distant. His body unstoppably sank downward. He quickly reached out and grabbed a vine on the wall, barely managing to steady himself.

Then he heard Guan Ning’s scream.

“Yu Ting, come and pull my brother away, quick! He’s going to beat that guy to death!”