Lai Li wandered aimlessly forward, picking up a decent-looking petit four from time to time and popping it into his mouth. The cloying sweetness masked the fishy stench lingering in his nose.
So many “mirrors.”
Aside from the two large curved floor-to-ceiling windows, everything was transparent marble—even the floor reflected faint shadows.
They were everywhere, their gazes always tracking Lai Li’s footsteps like shadows, their mouths opening and closing as their voices battered his eardrums again and again, accompanied by shrill screeches: “Come back, come back here!”
Lai Li’s head throbbed. Every time he paused and immersed himself, the skin on the back of his neck would suddenly shiver, reeling in his fraying sanity. His brother had just pinched it there; the warmth of his fingertips seemed to linger.
Dai Linxuan was here too.
Lai Li’s awareness slowly returned, and the moody music mixed with the guests’ murmurs flooded his ears. Only then did he realize he’d unknowingly reached the edge of the banquet hall. The slanted floor-to-ceiling window was right in front of him, creating the illusion that one more step forward would send him plummeting into the abyss.
Lai Li tilted his head and met the gaze of his reflection in the glass. Beneath the ghostly image lay the noisy, crowded streets of Saibo City.
“Chatting a bit won’t cost you an arm and a leg!”
The familiar voice made Lai Li turn his head. Jing Deyu, dressed in a white suit, was grinning mischievously as he followed a server… He narrowed his eyes—it was Song Zichu.
Lai Li followed them to an empty corridor. A sign on the left read “Safety Exit & Restroom.”
Jing Deyu’s voice came through the half-open fire door: “Weren’t you working at Cloud Summit before? How’d you end up here?”
“The manager transferred me over to help out,” Song Zichu explained. “I’ll head back once the banquet’s over.”
Cloud Summit had ties to the Dai Family, and they’d borrowed servers before, but transferring a part-time college student without high-end service experience was a bit odd.
Jing Deyu clearly hadn’t thought much of it: “Cloud Summit’s full of handsy old perverts—still working there?”
Song Zichu was straightforward: “The pay’s good, and I need money to pay off debts. Plus, with the loan from Lai Li, I won’t have to worry next time something like that happens. Even if I offend a guest by refusing, I can just find another job.”
Jing Deyu grinned: “Last time we stepped in for you—your manager’s definitely got your back now. No more of that crap.”
Song Zichu replied: “I really appreciate it.”
Jing Deyu seized the chance: “Why not work for me? I’ll pay you a salary every month—at least ten times what Cloud Summit gives you.”
“Sorry, I don’t take rewards without merit. I prefer earning my pay fair and square,” Song Zichu refused. “It’s work hours now; I can’t disappear too long…”
Knock knock—
The sudden knock startled them both. They turned together to see Lai Li leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching them with a half-smile.
“Fuck, Lai Li!” Jing Deyu felt inexplicably guilty. “How’d you get here? Didn’t you say you’d never set foot in Saibo City?”
Song Zichu paused, then greeted Lai Li.
“Go ahead and fuck one—try it,” Lai Li shot back at Song Zichu. “The drill instructor got hospitalized too?”
He’d skipped training today because of his injuries, but what about Song Zichu?
“I asked my counselor for a sick day. One day’s pay here equals a whole week normally—too tempting,” Song Zichu said with a helpless smile. “Better to earn it quick and pay you back.”
Lai Li corrected him: “Pay back my… friend. I never loaned you money.”
Song Zichu didn’t see the point in splitting hairs. Without Lai Li’s influence, why would that friend lend him fifty thousand out of nowhere?
“Fine, I’m here to work hard and pay back your friend,” Song Zichu softened. “Lai Li, please don’t tell the counselor.”
Before Lai Li could respond, Jing Deyu vouched: “Don’t worry, we won’t. Young Master Lai hates meddling—you do whatever, as long as you don’t piss him off.”
Song Zichu relaxed: “Thanks, guys. Gotta get back to work.”
Once he was out of sight, Lai Li spoke: “Stay away from him.”
“Why? Rare to find such a hot college boy—waste not to hit that…” Jing Deyu grumbled, then recalled Lai Li’s unusual “good deed” that night and probed, “You don’t have a thing for him, do you?”
Lai Li grabbed Jing Deyu’s collar and half-dragged him into the adjacent restroom: “Don’t make me dunk your head in the toilet. Gross much?”
Jing Deyu braced against the stall door, cursing repeatedly: “Some freaks in the scene are into that, but it’s not like it’s fine wine!”
Lai Li released him abruptly and backed away five or six steps like dodging the plague.
“Hey, hey!” Jing Deyu turned, saw his expression, and raised his voice. “Don’t look at me like that! I haven’t drunk any!”
Lai Li warned coldly: “Stay away from my brother!”
Jing Deyu was done. He sometimes wondered if Lai Li was brain-damaged. Was gayness some fucking contagion? Airborne?
“I really haven’t,” Jing Deyu sighed, questioning yet again, “You crushing on your own brother or what? Brother complex this bad is straight-up twisted—controlling my orientation too…”
Lai Li glanced over: “Try disgusting me again.”
“Fine, fine, shutting up,” Jing Deyu surrendered. “But Song Zichu’s mine—deal?”
Lai Li entered a stall and unzipped: “Last warning: stay away from him.”
Jing Deyu pried: “At least give me a reason? If you don’t like him, why block me? You must have some interest—that night was the first time I saw you play hero…”
“Last time: scram,” Lai Li said, peering through the stall gap. “Or you wanna taste fresh brew?”
“…Fuck.” Jing Deyu stormed off, muttering, “I don’t have that kink!”
Lai Li finished up, went to the sink, and washed his hands with downcast eyes.
Footsteps approached from the side; Song Zichu’s figure appeared in the mirror’s edge: “Lai Li…”
Lai Li stayed silent, fingers curling into his palm.
The returning Song Zichu asked: “Did you have the manager transfer me here?”
Lai Li lifted his gaze to the mirror reflection: “Where’s that confidence from?”
“The manager said I had a good look, but I’m just a part-time student—why bring me to such an important event?” Song Zichu had wondered before coming; seeing Lai Li made it all click.
“What do you think my purpose was in transferring you?” Lai Li grabbed a paper towel and dried his hands. “Looking out for you? Or humiliating you?”
Song Zichu froze.
The Lai Li before him was utterly different—face shadowed, eyes dark and lifeless.
Song Zichu opened his mouth: “You…”
Bzzz…
Lai Li’s phone buzzed with a new message. He glanced down, and the hostility around him vanished instantly, as if it’d been Song Zichu’s imagination.
Song Zichu hesitated: “Really not you?”
Lai Li sidestepped: “Didn’t you ask before why I ‘helped’ you?”
Song Zichu nodded: “Yeah.”
Lai Li stepped closer, whispering distance: “Because I promised my brother I’d live on campus freshman year.”
“What’s that got to do with me…” Song Zichu stiffened, unaccustomed to the proximity.
Lai Li smiled pleasantly and murmured on: “If my roommate’s a whore selling his ass for cash, I’d puke stepping into the dorm.”
Song Zichu’s face drained white: “Lai Li, you in a bad mood today?”
Lai Li straightened: “Nah, seeing you makes me feel great…”
He was about to twist the knife more when his gaze hit the figure at the restroom entrance—his voice cut off. Dai Linxuan, who’d just texted asking his location, stood there watching them silently.
“…” Lai Li instinctively stepped back, widening the gap with Song Zichu. “Bro.”
Song Zichu bowed his head: “Mr. Dai.”
He’d just seen him at the school infirmary last night, so he remembered.
Dai Linxuan tugged his tie and smiled: “You’re Little Chestnut’s roommate?”
Song Zichu replied stiffly: “Yes.”
“You’ll be together another four years—take good care of each other,” Dai Linxuan said warmly. “Why work here during class time? Short on cash?”
Song Zichu faltered: “I…”
Lai Li cut in sharply: “Bro!”
Dai Linxuan pivoted slightly, stepping aside: “Little Chu, go back to work. We’ll get to know each other another time.”
Song Zichu hurried off. At the corridor’s end, he whipped around, suddenly realizing Lai Li’s brother had used his name.
Had Lai Li mentioned him, or had his brother looked into him?
Just then, a staffer placed a “Maintenance” sign at the restroom door.
…
Dai Linxuan turned on the faucet and asked amid the water: “He’s the one you mentioned that day—the apple of your eye?”
Lai Li narrowed his eyes: “Where’d you get that idea?”
“Your circle’s small—only a few friends, and Song Zichu’s the new one. He works at Cloud Summit,” Dai Linxuan analyzed while washing his hands. “Before I noticed him, you had plenty chances to see him. The bodyguards only report safety stuff—not who catches your eye.
“Then he got harassed; you stepped in, loaned him money. Lai Li, you never meddle.
“Guess: love at first sight?
“You hit Cloud Summit all summer—how many times did you watch him secretly?”
“Don’t be gross…” Lai Li realized. “You had him transferred here?”
“Yeah, to give you a chance to bond,” Dai Linxuan interlaced his fingers, scrubbing slowly. “I know the pain of pining too well—can’t let my hand-raised little brother suffer it.”
Lai Li’s expression darkened again: “Dai Linxuan, stay away from him.”
“Touchy?” Dai Linxuan shut off the water and cupped Lai Li’s jaw with cool, wet hands, tone gentle. “I said: romance permitted.”
Lai Li found it absurd: “So what’s this?”
Dai Linxuan’s thumb slid up, prying Lai Li’s lips and rubbing intimately; cool droplets slipped into his mouth.
Lai Li seized his hand and scoffed: “Bro, you okay one sec with me dating, next doing this? Wanna be the third wheel?”
Dai Linxuan chuckled.
Lai Li thought his brother had lost it.
Then he heard Dai Linxuan whisper: “Everyone else can play homewrecker—why not me?”
The words hit like a bomb from Dai Linxuan’s mouth. Caught off guard, Lai Li got his neck grabbed and shoved into a stall.
His forehead pressed to the wall, hands pinned behind; Dai Linxuan’s other hand reached around, kneading through thin suit fabric.
Lai Li’s breath hitched: “Dai Linxuan!”
“So desperate to hide him from me?” Zip—the zipper slid down. “Borrowed fifty grand from Dai Yi instead of asking me?”
Lai Li twisted, grinding out: “I don’t want you tangled up with him!”
Dai Linxuan continued: “But you know bodyguards report everything—what’s the point of the roundabout? Or does love make you dumb?”
Lai Li gasped sharply.
Dai Linxuan had gone mad, gripping him here! As Lai Li clamped his wrist to flip him, a loud thwack sounded outside—like a mop hitting the floor.
Janitor.
Lai Li’s heart leaped to his throat; all resistance halted. He froze, breath hushed. Dai Linxuan wasn’t fazed, leisurely pulling his belt to bind Lai Li’s wrists—rustling sounds that could draw the janitor any second to check for rats.
“Found your weakness, baby—you fear discovery more than me,” Dai Linxuan kissed his ear. “No, I don’t fear at all. Only you do.”
Lai Li’s eyes reddened, voice a whisper: “Bro, cut it out… Janitor’ll get to this stall eventually…”
He panted silently.
Dai Linxuan continued murmuring, “You’re afraid others will know I’m gay, afraid they’ll know I like you… Are you worried it’ll confirm those pedophile rumors?”
“Worried that once the rumors are confirmed, others will look at me strangely, or that you don’t want people gossiping about you?”
“Of course it’s worry for you… No, it’s not like that at all!” Half of Lai Li’s face was pressed against the wall as he bit his lip hard. “The auction is about to start…”
“I’m not the auctioneer. There’s still twenty minutes—plenty of time.” Dai Linxuan lowered his head and took his earlobe into his mouth. “Consider it a return gift for the morning after Dai Yi’s birthday…”
Lai Li was going crazy too. In the cold, air-conditioned room, he broke out in a fine sheen of sweat that soaked his undershirt and even made his shirt clip slip.
He was nearly out of his mind, unable to make sense of Dai Linxuan’s words, his brain filled only with thoughts of the janitor outside the door.
The janitor went into the farthest stall.
The janitor came out and mopped the floor.
The janitor wiped down the toilet next door, muttering, “Who threw their cigarette butt on the ground? Rich people’s manners are all the same.”
The janitor…
Dai Linxuan rubbed the sensitive tip. “Brother said dating’s allowed, but only sweet talk.”
“No getting into bed.”
“No holding hands or hugging.”
“No kissing.”
“And no getting too close.” Dai Linxuan whispered tenderly. “Like just now—that’s not allowed, Little Chestnut.”
Suddenly, a crackle sounded from next door. The janitor’s walkie-talkie blared—probably an earpiece knocked loose—as the foreman’s voice echoed through the entire restroom: “Everyone speed up! Guests entering the auction hall in five minutes!”
The shock made Lai Li’s body go slack, a fleeting blankness crossing his face. Dai Linxuan grabbed a few tissues to clean him up. Stripped of his usual flamboyance and arrogance, Lai Li looked almost obedient in that moment… just like two years ago.
The next second, that obedient fist swung at him.
Dai Linxuan closed his eyes but didn’t dodge.
Yet the expected pain never came. Instead, there was a bang as Lai Li yanked open the door and stormed out without a backward glance.
In truth, Lai Li had wriggled free from the belt midway through but held off on fighting back until the janitor was gone.
Dai Linxuan stood there a moment longer before meticulously wiping his fingers. He folded the used tissues into a neat square and slipped them into the pocket against his thigh.
Ten minutes after the auction began, Lai Li finally showed up. Jing Deyu sat alone at the corner round table and waved him over. “Where’ve you been? You’re so late.”
Lai Li took a seat, filled the glass in front of him, and downed it in one calm gulp.
Jing Deyu had known Lai Li for six years and understood him well enough—calm from Lai Li was the calm before the storm. Nervously, he said, “Maybe you should go sit with your brother instead.”
