Wei Huaichen’s hand, resting at his side, twitched slightly.
A clear ripple of emotion surfaced in his eyes. His pupils, usually a lighter shade, unexpectedly turned dark and profound, as if concealing a multitude of complex feelings.
Yet, when he spoke, his voice remained even. “Today’s documents are very important.”
“I’ll treat you another time. I’m sorry.”
He was gentle and polite, just as he always was, but there was a faint, subtle difference in his manner.
“Alright then.”
Shi Song felt a bit disappointed, but he still forced a small smile. “Then Brother, I’ll come look for you next time.”
The door closed. The light from the corridor was squeezed into a thin vertical line before being completely shut out.
Wei Huaichen stared at the heavy door for a long while before finally withdrawing his gaze.
Slowly, his hand moved to the exact spot on the desk that Shi Song’s finger had hooked around moments before. Inch by inch, he pulled the coffee cup toward himself.
After swallowing a mouthful of the extremely bitter liquid, he dialed a number. “Are you free tonight?”
The voice on the other end carried a teasing tone. “What’s going on? You’re actually reaching out to me first? Feeling out of sorts again?”
A long silence passed before the other side heard Wei Huaichen’s calm reply. “…Mm.”
Though it was only a single word, it felt inexplicably cold.
The person on the other end immediately sensed that something was wrong with Wei Huaichen’s mood. Shedding his casual, playful attitude, he grew serious. “Alright. Come to that restaurant on West 5th Street in a bit. We can talk while we eat.”
Shi Song wasn’t entirely surprised that Wei Huaichen had rejected his invitation. After all, he could see with his own eyes just how busy the Wei Corporation was lately.
He just felt a little regretful.
However, since he had spent a good amount of money reserving the restaurant, Shi Song thought about it and decided to text Jiang Feng to see if he was free to grab dinner tonight.
It was a last-minute invitation, but to his surprise, Jiang Feng agreed very quickly.
Shi Song had booked a French restaurant recommended by a classmate. It was said to have a very high rating, though he had never been there himself.
It wasn’t until he stepped inside that Shi Song realized just how authentic it was.
The entire menu was in French, and even the servers were French. A waiter babbled at Shi Song for a long time, but Shi Song didn’t understand a single word.
“Huh?”
Shi Song tilted his head, his eyes filled with complete confusion.
Sitting across from him, Jiang Feng couldn’t help but laugh. “How about I order?”
Shi Song’s face flushed a little. Feeling that Jiang Feng was teasing him, he stubbornly insisted, “It’s fine, I can handle it.”
After gesturing back and forth with the waiter for a long time, Shi Song finally managed to finish ordering.
Once the waiter left, the grin on Jiang Feng’s face widened. “Not bad, Xiao Song. Coming to such a high-end restaurant right off the bat this is way too elegant.”
Shi Song let out a small sigh of relief. “It’s nothing. I just wanted to thank you for helping out with Zhou Jing’s matter before.”
“Thank me for what? Who are we to keep score? It was just a minor favor,” Jiang Feng waved his hand dismissively.
“But I still think something’s fishy.” Jiang Feng stroked his chin, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. “Is hotpot not delicious anymore, or is barbecue not good enough? If you just wanted to treat me, you definitely wouldn’t choose a stuffy place like this. Spill it were you originally planning to invite someone you like, but they turned you down?”
“It’s not someone I like.”
The mere thought of Wei Huaichen made Shi Song feel like Jiang Feng was defiling his brother’s image. He immediately and swiftly refuted, “It’s true that I wasn’t originally inviting you, but my brother was too busy to come. Otherwise, I really wouldn’t have chosen this kind of place.”
Since the two of them had known each other for so many years, Shi Song didn’t bother being polite.
“Your brother?”
The aperitif was served, and Jiang Feng took a shallow sip. “When did the two of you get so close?”
Among all of Shi Song’s friends, Jiang Feng was the only one who knew the truth about what had happened years ago.
“It’s not exactly close.” Shi Song stuffed a forkful of salad into his mouth, his cheeks puffing out as he chewed for a while. After swallowing, he said, “I just think he’s actually a pretty decent person.”
“But speaking of which, he actually still remembers you. When I went back to stay at the house for a couple of days…” Shi Song recalled Wei Huaichen’s dark, ambiguous silhouette on that rainy day and remarked casually, “He even asked about you. He asked if the two of us were still in touch.”
“Hiss…he has a really good memory to remember me.” Jiang Feng inexplicably felt a sudden chill, and he rubbed the goosebumps on his arms.
Although he could no longer clearly recall what that person looked like, those gloomy, shadowy eyes still lived vividly in his memory. He couldn’t begin to imagine what kind of experiences would cause a teenager to possess a gaze like that.
Looking at Shi Song’s sweet, naive expression, Jiang Feng couldn’t help but warn him, “But your brother looks like the type who is deeply calculating. Make sure you don’t get tricked by him.”
“Alright, alright, I know.” Shi Song couldn’t help but laugh.
The French meal tasted good, but the dishes were a bit too sweet and rich.
Shi Song hadn’t originally intended to drink, but there was no water at the table, and he felt genuinely overwhelmed by the sweetness. Because he couldn’t understand the menu, he didn’t know what kind of alcohol the server had poured for him. He only found it sweet, crisp, and harmless, so he sipped it in small mouthfuls and ended up drinking quite a bit.
At first, he felt completely fine. But as he kept chatting with Jiang Feng, he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, as if he were about to fall asleep at any moment.
“I’m going to the restroom.” Unable to hold out any longer, Shi Song stood up.
“What’s wrong with you?” The restaurant lighting was dim, so Jiang Feng hadn’t noticed the expression on Shi Song’s face earlier. It was only when Shi Song stood up that he realized the younger boy’s cheeks and the tip of his nose were flushed bright red.
“I’m fine, just a little dizzy.”
Jiang Feng didn’t dare to be careless. “I’ll go with you.”
Once inside the restroom, Shi Song splashed cold water on his face, which finally made his hazy brain feel a bit clearer.
“I really shouldn’t have drank that,” he muttered with some annoyance, leaning his back slightly against the tiled wall. “I overestimated myself.”
“What is up with you? Getting drunk all of a sudden.” Jiang Feng helplessly supported Shi Song by the shoulder. “Where do you live? Let me take you home.”
His hand gripped Shi Song’s shoulder securely.
Hmm?
Suddenly, Shi Song felt a strange sensation.
He lifted his head blearily, his eyes widening when he caught sight of the figure standing at the doorway.
The newcomer stood against the light, meticulously dressed in a formal suit. The stray hairs near his ears were slightly disheveled, and his dove-gray eyes looked exceptionally cold, carrying an inexplicably dangerous aura.
How is this possible? Am I hallucinating because I’m drunk?
Shi Song’s lips parted slightly.
Sensing that someone was blocking the path, Jiang Feng looked up and spoke politely, “Excuse me, my friend is a bit drunk. Could you please let us through?”
But the person standing in front of him did not budge.
Jiang Feng frowned and repeated himself, “Excuse me.”
Wei Huaichen knitted his brows slightly, his voice dropping to a chilly register. “Jiang Feng?”
“You know me?” Jiang Feng asked, puzzled.
But Wei Huaichen did not answer. Instead, his gaze shifted toward the small, animal-like boy leaning against Jiang Feng.
Shi Song forced his eyes open to look at Wei Huaichen. His hair was messy from being rubbed, and his glistening eyes looked thoroughly dazed. Because he had just washed his face with cold water, a bright, crystal drop of water hung precariously from his sharp chin.
Uncomfortable, he shifted slightly. The trembling drop of water finally fell, tracing a path down his collarbone and disappearing into his slightly open collar.
The sight was inexplicably provocative.
“Brother…?”
His soft lips parted slightly, but he could only manage a quiet breath of a whisper.
Wei Huaichen’s frown deepened.
For some reason, Shi Song could sense that his brother was in a bad mood an exceptionally bad mood which enveloped his entire being in an intensely dangerous aura.
Wei Huaichen tilted his chin up slightly. His eyes locked onto Shi Song’s face, yet his voice remained calm and gentle.
“Songsong, come here.”