Chapter 21 Part 2

Zhu Ran fell silent. He couldn’t come up with any more excuses and said in a defeatist tone, “Anyway, I don’t want to keep going.”

Huo Boyan looked into his eyes. “I’m not unreasonable. I just want to know why.”

Zhu Ran crossed the narrow sidewalk and realized he’d reached Lan Kwai Fong. Ahead was a trendy bar with a line of people waiting to get in. Zhu Ran joined the end of the queue and looked up at Huo Boyan. “Because I want to go to a bar.”

This street-side bar was very noisy and positioned as affordable—not at all matching Huo Boyan’s style or taste.

Thinking of that, Zhu Ran gave a light laugh and said to Huo Boyan, “You go take care of your stuff. I’ll play by myself. Just keep it secret from my little aunt for me.”

After hearing him out, Huo Boyan stood behind him and said, “I’ll go with you.”

Zhu Ran was stunned and hadn’t had a chance to respond when more people surged up behind them to join the line.

Zhu Ran felt an indescribable absurdity. He tilted his head back and asked Huo Boyan, “You come to places like this? Aren’t you afraid of trouble?”

Huo Boyan had one hand in his pocket and looked down at Zhu Ran. “What trouble?”

Zhu Ran said, “I was just speaking hypothetically…”

“Worry less.” Huo Boyan finished, then said something in Cantonese.

Zhu Ran had no idea what it meant, but the people lining up around them shot shocked glances their way.

Zhu Ran’s gut told him it wasn’t anything good. Somewhat annoyed, he said, “Huo Boyan, if you keep this up, I’ll start speaking dialect too.”

Huo Boyan asked, “Does your area even have dialects?”

Zhu Ran: ?!

“Don’t underestimate Beijing dialect. I curse dirty too!”

Huo Boyan didn’t answer. He suddenly leaned in closer to Zhu Ran, bracing one hand against the wall beside him, and lowered his head to ask, “You think I was cursing you just now?”

The night breeze carried the pleasant woody scent from Huo Boyan. What had once felt cool and aloof in the air-conditioned room now warmed under the thirty-plus-degree heat, bewitching the heart.

Zhu Ran’s heart raced inexplicably. He held his breath and said fiercely on purpose, “What else? Were you complimenting me?”

Huo Boyan chuckled. “Something like that.”

Zhu Ran said, “Do you think I’m an idiot?”

Huo Boyan replied, “I wouldn’t dare.”

Smooth talker!

Just then, a server came over with a pager device. Passing them, the server recognized Huo Boyan and invited him inside with surprise and respect.

“No need,” Huo Boyan said. “I’ll wait in line like everyone else.”

The server tried to insist, but Huo Boyan pulled out a cigarette and bit down on it. He looked down at Zhu Ran. “Smoke?”

Realizing the other didn’t want to continue, the server tactfully left. Zhu Ran stared at Huo Boyan in shock, as if seeing him for the first time.

Huo Boyan was completely different from before. His suit hung open as he stood relaxed by the roadside. His usual mild, polite smile now carried a hint of impropriety. In this sweltering midnight, it perfectly teased the nerves.

Who was this wild side for…?

Zhu Ran couldn’t help but stare a bit longer, then felt the man was too provocative to look at. He shoved his hands in his pockets and said with a straight face, “I don’t smoke.”

Huo Boyan said, “Good habit.”

There was no responding to that. Zhu Ran looked down and started playing on his phone.

He didn’t smoke—in fact, he hated the smell because Zhu Yanqing always smoked at home, filling the whole place with it.

Fortunately, Huo Boyan didn’t light up; he just lightly held it between his lips. Zhu Ran suspected he was just posing.

Before long, the server led them to a window-side bar counter. Huo Boyan took the outer seat, and Zhu Ran sat against the wall, flipping through the drink menu with his head down.

It was an elegant clear bar with soft music and a pretentious, artistic atmosphere. Thanks to topping some bar ranking list, it was packed. The chairs were close together, people leaned in to talk softly—it wasn’t noisy but created a subtle intimacy.

Zhu Ran flipped through the all-English menu absentmindedly, somewhat regretting his choice of bar.

Too intimate, especially in the corner. He shifted slightly, and his knee bumped Huo Boyan’s thigh.

Huo Boyan’s body was much hotter than his, and the muscles were rock-hard. Zhu Ran felt like he’d touched a living radiator.

Huo Boyan didn’t move away immediately, so Zhu Ran pulled his leg back first and said, “Sorry, too cramped.”

Only then did Huo Boyan shift his leg aside and nod. “A bit.”

The indoor AC was on low, but both Zhu Ran and Huo Boyan still felt hot. They quickly placed their orders.

It didn’t take long for the server to bring their drinks on a tray. The space was so tight that the server accidentally knocked Zhu Ran’s earbuds off the table while serving and apologized profusely.

“It’s fine.” Zhu Ran shook his head. Because the seats were so narrow, his earbuds had landed right on Huo Boyan’s thigh.

Zhu Ran was about to pick them up when he glanced down and saw how the expensive suit pants were stretched taut over Huo Boyan’s muscles, faintly outlining the shirt clip at the thigh root. With thighs that developed, his core and abs had to be strong too.

Zhu Ran’s hand paused halfway, then veered off oddly. He placed it properly on the table instead, letting Huo Boyan hand them over.

Huo Boyan hooked the earbuds around Zhu Ran’s neck and smoothly ruffled the back of his head.

Zhu Ran, already feeling guilty, bristled immediately. “Huo Boyan, I said don’t touch my head!”

Huo Boyan neither confirmed nor denied it, saying mildly, “You don’t like it?”

The bar filled with languid jazz, each note laced with a hook. Zhu Ran looked at Huo Boyan beside him and found he couldn’t say the word “no” no matter what.

Zhu Ran threw back a big gulp of his drink and said coolly, “Anyway, don’t touch it again.”

Huo Boyan let out an “Oh,” the amusement in his eyes deepening.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Zhu Ran grew extremely sensitive. He clinked his glass on the table and demanded, “What are you laughing at?”

Huo Boyan’s smile widened. He ruffled Zhu Ran’s hair again and said, “Zhu Ran, you’re just too cute.”

The man’s broad, strong palm swept over the back of his head, then gently pressed at the nape of his neck—as if Huo Boyan were drawing him into his embrace.

Zhu Ran gripped his glass tightly, feeling like a porcelain doll on display in a shop window. His brain shut down completely, his body stiff and unsure what to do.

Fortunately, the lights were dim, so he could blush freely.

—

Author’s Note:

The text includes a small amount of Cantonese, all from a translation tool. If anyone has more authentic expressions, feel free to point them out~