His falsetto was not great, and Tao Zhi did not dare say much. After the greeting, he sat back down promptly.
So aloof.
Wei Yu thought. Would not even give his name.
But the voice was nice—soft and tender, like it could squeeze out water.
“Where’s Fu Zheng?”
Wei Yu saw Tao Zhi on Fu Si Heng’s left, so he went around to the right.
After sitting, he asked Fu Si Heng, “Didn’t Fu Zheng say he was gonna apologize to you?”
“He apologized, then went swimming.” Fu Si Heng said flatly.
“Oh—” Wei Yu got it. And left his friend here, huh.
The “friend” in question—Tao Zhi—heard himself mentioned and sat up straight again.
But they only touched on it briefly before Wei Yu moved on to other topics.
This let Tao Zhi breathe a sigh of relief.
The tense atmosphere on the sofa eased considerably with Wei Yu’s arrival.
They chatted, not avoiding Tao Zhi, discussing some collaboration and company matters.
Tao Zhi sat primly, eavesdropping a bit but not committing it to memory.
—Because it was not part of Fu Zheng’s assignment.
Tao Zhi started slacking off.
It couldn’t be helped—Fu Si Heng was ignoring him to talk with someone else. It would be rude to butt in.
Tao Zhi had manners.
But Wei Yu probably thought Tao Zhi looked bored sitting there. Spotting a server nearby, he had him fetch a fruit platter and urged Tao Zhi to eat.
Tao Zhi demurred twice, but Wei Yu insisted, so he had no choice but to accept.
Cherries in this season? And all sorts of fruits he did not even recognize… Delicious.
Tao Zhi focused on eating with the fork. Soon, another server brought drinks. Wei Yu took a glass and encouraged Tao Zhi to have one too.
Alcohol? No way Tao Zhi could drink that.
The last time was the thank-you banquet after college entrance exams—he got dizzy off a few beers, let alone these fancy liquors.
He waved his hands hurriedly. “Sorry, I don’t drink…”
“You don’t drink?” Wei Yu blinked in surprise.
He could not fathom a world with non-drinkers, his expression puzzled. But glancing at Tao Zhi, he understood.
Makes sense. Pure girl persona—normal not to drink.
—But that did not stop him from trying to persuade him.
“There’s fruit wine, super low alcohol. Try a bit?” Wei Yu leaned over from Fu Si Heng’s side to talk to Tao Zhi, signaling the server to pass a glass.
Peach-flavored sweet wine. Tao Zhi took a sip—sweet like juice, with just a hint of alcohol.
The alcohol content was surely low.
But he did not dare drink much fruit wine either, in case it ruined Fu Zheng’s plans. He just sipped delicately.
With Tao Zhi settled, Fu Si Heng and Wei Yu resumed their chat.
Tao Zhi sat obediently, munching fruit and snacks, rinsing his throat with fruit wine. In between, he pondered what to say to Fu Si Heng once Wei Yu left. What if Wei Yu did not leave? Would the night just pass like this?
Harboring a hope that Wei Yu would leave, Tao Zhi relaxed a fair bit.
Unfortunately, not for long.
Tao Zhi’s phone buzzed repeatedly. Puzzled, he opened it to a barrage of messages from Fu Zheng.
[What are you doing? Just sitting there quietly stuffing your face?]
[I told you to seduce Fu Si Heng!]
[Stop eating!!!]
The sender recalled a message.
The “stop eating” vanished, replaced by: [I’ll buy you some later. Now go talk to Fu Si Heng! No slacking!]
Tao Zhi: “…”
Sigh.
How did he get caught so fast?
Tao Zhi sighed.
He looked up, scanning toward the indoor pool, and sure enough, spotted Fu Zheng gripping his phone, glaring at him with a sour face.
Their eyes met, and Tao Zhi’s heart skipped. He stopped sighing, lowered his head, and typed an explanation: [Fu-ge’s talking business with Wei-ge. I can’t interrupt.]
Fu Zheng: [Why not? Just cut in.]
Fu Zheng: [Or find a way to get Fu Si Heng’s attention.]
Tao Zhi: [……]
Fu Zheng: [Stop eating. I’ll buy you whatever, as much as you want.]
Fu Zheng: [Jesus, I’m not starving you.]
Tao Zhi: “…”
Those words made Tao Zhi feel a bit embarrassed.
Like he was some glutton…
Tao Zhi pursed his lips, set down the fruit platter and snacks, and tilted his head slightly toward the side.
Fu Si Heng was still chatting with Wei Yu about topics he could not follow. Tao Zhi glanced over, looking like a small, hesitant, fluffy animal.
Fu Si Heng sensed his gaze.
His attention drifted for a second. When he refocused, he had no clue what Wei Yu said and suddenly found him annoying.
He wanted to ask what Tao Zhi was up to, but Tao Zhi suddenly sat straight again.
Just a quick peek his way.
Fu Si Heng cracked his knuckles.
…
But not long after, Fu Si Heng felt someone poke his arm.
“Poke” wasn’t quite the right word.
Tao Zhi thought what he was doing was flirting.
He crooked his index finger and stealthily slid the pad of it over Fu Si Heng’s arm.
Lightly, slowly. Then a gentle poke, successfully drawing Fu Si Heng’s attention.
Fu Si Heng clearly felt the little gesture.
He stopped caring about Wei Yu.
Wei Yu was long-winded and irritating, so Fu Si Heng turned to look at Tao Zhi.
Their eyes met. Tao Zhi nervously licked his lips, his first instinct to look away and pull back from Fu Si Heng.
But he remembered his goal.
So his hand went back.
This time bolder—the whole palm pressed against Fu Si Heng’s arm. The arm under the shirt was so hard and thick, making Tao Zhi’s heart skip.
It felt like Fu Si Heng could take on ten of him.
Fu Zheng? Maybe five or six.
Tao Zhi instantly behaved himself.
When he looked up again, he gave Fu Si Heng a friendly smile.
Such clumsy flirting.
Fu Si Heng thought.
He subtly fidgeted with his fingers, his expression unchanged.
