The alcohol in the bar was very strong; less than a glass could send him on a luxury one week trip to the hospital. Huang Chongwen was glib and knew how to please people; everything he said was exactly what Yun Deng liked to hear. Initially, Yun Deng had a good impression of him, but after Xia Shisheng told him that Huang was two-faced and acted this way toward everyone, the relationship gradually faded.
Before long, several attractive men and women walked in. These people were specifically chosen by Ke Ningsen to accompany them and liven up the atmosphere; he always remembered everyone’s aesthetic preferences. Xia Shisheng was immediately surrounded by several “big sister” types and began flirting, though he still found time to send a message to Yun Deng, who was sitting not far away.
Yun Deng was truly bored and could only eat the grapes from the fruit platter. In the noisy environment, the notification sound from his phone was completely drowned out. To avoid drinking, he decided to go down to the dance floor for a while before slipping back up. However, just as he was about to get up and leave, Ke Ningsen blocked his path and suggested they play something together.
Before long, the coffee table was cleared and filled with goblets, liquor glasses, playing cards, and dice. The group intended to play everything. Tonight, Yun Deng’s luck was at an all-time low; fortunately, Xia Shisheng covered for him and drank a few glasses on his behalf. Because there were many people in the room, no one noticed this detail. Even if someone was dissatisfied, they were quickly distracted by the fast-paced games.
After several rounds, the group’s behavior became increasingly bold. Xia Shisheng was completely drunk and had become very talkative, starting to mix white wine and red wine in a single glass. After losing the last round, Yun Deng chose to take a bottle of alcohol down to the dance floor to find someone to drink it for him.
The area below was a chaotic mess. On the left side of the T-shaped stage stood a row of muscular, shirtless men, while on the right was a group of beautiful women in miniskirts. Below the stage, a crowd had gathered to watch the dancing. Various colored ribbons drifted down from above the dance floor, making the scene look dreamy, as if snow were brushing over everyone.
The people who come here fall into three categories: those looking for fun and indulgence, those looking for a one-night stand, and those looking to expand their social circle. Since the legalization of same-sex marriage, homosexuality is no longer discriminated against in this society. Many people wear rainbow symbols on their collars or other visible locations to attract their own kind. However, many can identify someone’s sexual orientation at a glance even without such a sign.
Yun Deng was not wearing anything of the sort today, yet someone still came over to strike up a conversation. The newcomer was tall and broad-shouldered with a bit of a belly and a ring of facial hair, but his face was clean and fair.
“Buddy, are you a 0?”
Yun Deng hated this question more than anything. He couldn’t understand which part of him looked like a “0,” but he suppressed his irritation and replied politely to the stranger.
“Sorry, we’re the same ‘number’.”
“Really? You’re not just making up an excuse to reject me, are you? Is it because I’m not your type?” The man with the belly took a step forward, closing the distance between them and pressing for an answer.
“We really are the same. Why would I lie to you?” Yun Deng took a step back, attempting to brush past him and head in the other direction.
“Hey, don’t leave! Let’s exchange contact info first. If you spend the night with me, I’ll make it worth your while.” Seeing him try to leave, the man immediately reached out to grab his wrist.
He had noticed Yun Deng the moment he walked in an hour ago wearing sunglasses. Today, Yun Deng wore a black-and-white contrast irregular shirt that revealed his sharp collarbones. Under the flickering lights, the white fabric of the shirt offered a glimpse of a waist so thin it looked like it could be held with one hand. Paired with his slightly curly hair and a cold expression, he was a true temptation.
Yun Deng hadn’t expected the man to actually get physical. He didn’t hesitate; he initially thought about smashing the wine bottle in his hand over the man’s head, but fearing that flying glass shards might injure bystanders, he pointed the mouth of the bottle directly at the man’s face and poured the entire contents over him.
The reddish-black liquid streamed down the man’s face, dripping onto the floor. The bottle cost two thousand yuan, and Yun Deng truly felt it was a waste on this greasy man.
“Get lost. Stop disgusting me.”
“You!”
The man hadn’t expected to be doused in wine. He wiped his face with his hand, his fury igniting instantly. He lunged forward, trying to grab Yun Deng’s collar. Their commotion quickly caught the attention of the duty manager, who rushed over to intervene.
The manager recognized Yun Deng and knew his family background. He immediately summoned security to kick the troublemaker out. Once the situation was resolved, the manager bowed and apologized profusely, ordering the staff to tighten security.
After being disgusted for no reason, Yun Deng was no longer in the mood for fun. After repeatedly assuring the manager he was fine, he walked toward the central bar. The bar was relatively quiet, so he ordered a glass of fruit juice.
Not long after he sat down, a man wearing a black sleeveless vest with a “dragon-whisker” styled slicked-back haircut took the seat next to him. Gu Xiao ordered a glass of fruit juice as well. After he spoke the words “fruit juice,” he clearly felt the person beside him size him up.
Gu Xiao glanced back casually. From a distance, the person had looked familiar, but at this close range, he immediately recognized him as the cross-dresser he and his friend had picked up off the street.
He took the initiative to strike up a conversation: “Have we thrown up in the same restroom before?”
Yun Deng was completely bewildered by the remark. Seeing his confusion, Gu Xiao added a few more details.
“I forgot which day it was, but it was at that underground bar in the East District of the main city. You were wearing a little dress.”
As soon as Gu Xiao finished, he saw a look of sudden realization dawn on Yun Deng’s face. Yun Deng remembered now. That time, he had woken up in a hotel, and the kind stranger who had booked the room for him had even left a set of clothes. He had tried to look into it afterward, but since he didn’t have the authority to check street surveillance, he could never find his benefactor.
“Oh, right! Was it you who sent me to the hotel? I was so drunk that night I don’t have much of an impression.”
“It wasn’t me. My friend was the one who sent you back,” Gu Xiao explained.
“Then could you give me your friend’s contact information? I want to thank him. Plus, your friend paid for the room and the clothes that night.”
Yun Deng hadn’t expected such a coincidence—to meet the person who had found him at the underground bar here today. He had been so drunk that night, and since Xia Shisheng was also wasted and couldn’t hold him back, he definitely would have spent the night on the cold street if that person hadn’t taken him away. Back then, the weather was still quite chilly; he probably would have turned into a “frozen treat” by morning.
To his disappointment, however, Gu Xiao turned him down.
“No need. My friend isn’t short on money. Just make sure you don’t pass out outside again,” Gu Xiao joked with a smile.
He had come here today purely to find inspiration for his drawings. He hadn’t expected to run into the person they had found on the street. After that night, when he had checked with Lin Yanxu, he learned the person had been left at the hotel, and that was the end of it.
Yun Deng took his juice and rested his head on one hand while messaging Xia Shisheng. He had only just noticed the message his friend had sent half an hour ago, basically telling him to be careful and not get carried away with drinking again. He took a photo of the glass in front of him and sent it over. After that, he switched to his chat with Lin Yanxu.
Mianmian Yu: “[Image.jpg]” Mianmian Yu: “This is delicious.”
Lin Yanxu was likely busy, as the message remained unanswered. Suddenly, Yun Deng noticed the person sitting next to him was drawing on a tablet in the dim light. Moving closer, he saw it was a silver butterfly about to take flight. He hadn’t expected this “cool guy” to have such an artistic soul.
After a brief conversation, they exchanged contact information.
“What’s your name? I’ll save your contact,” Gu Xiao asked after the friend request was accepted.
“Yun Deng. ‘Yun’ as in cloud, and ‘Deng’ as in lamp.”
“Oh? Using ‘Deng’ for a name is quite rare. Your parents have quite the personality,” Gu Xiao joked while typing the name into his phone.
Yun Deng also thought it was a rare name. He had asked his mother about it when he was a teenager. Back when they lived in Jiangnan and weren’t wealthy yet, his mother had loved a crystal chandelier in a department store. His father had bought that lamp as a betrothal gift before proposing. After they married, the couple started their own business and worked their way up to their current success.
Yun Deng responded with a few smiles and then casually clicked into Gu Xiao’s social media feed. Gu Xiao was a tattoo artist, and his feed was full of beautiful examples and sketches.
Sitting beside him, Gu Xiao looked at the name in his contacts and suddenly felt it sounded familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before. The surname “Yun” was quite rare. After thinking it over, he remembered that the chairman of his friend’s rival company also had that surname.
Unaware of Gu Xiao’s thoughts, Yun Deng continued scrolling through the feed, praising the art style. Suddenly, he noticed a “like” under one of the text posts. On this app, you can’t see likes unless you have mutual friends. Before clicking in, he imagined many possibilities, thinking it might be Song Shuya, but instead, he saw a familiar name.
It was Lin Yanxu.
For a moment, Yun Deng thought the dim lighting had caused him to misread the name. He held the phone close to his face and confirmed that the “like” was indeed from Lin Yanxu.
“Do you know Lin Yanxu too?”
“Hmm?” Gu Xiao stopped drawing and turned to look at Yun Deng.
“You know him as well? What a coincidence!”
Yun Deng never imagined he would end up adding a friend of Lin Yanxu’s. If it were anyone else, he wouldn’t care, but anything related to Lin Yanxu made him want to ask more.
Gu Xiao froze for a few seconds, then seemed to realize something. His gaze toward Yun Deng became more calculating. Pretending to be casual, he said, “Yeah, he’s my boyfriend.”
“What?” Yun Deng said, his face full of shock.
He accidentally knocked over his juice, spilling it across the table. Fortunately, the bartender was quick and helped clean it up. Gu Xiao’s mischievous side was triggered, and he decided to add fuel to the fire. “Yeah, we’ve been together for over ten years.”
“I don’t believe you. You’re lying.” Yun Deng could tell this guy was a bit of a jokester, the type who liked to tease people.
Unexpectedly, the next second, Gu Xiao dialed a familiar phone number, put it on speaker, and invited Yun Deng to listen. Yun Deng’s heart began to race. After a few seconds, the call connected, and a familiar voice came through.
“What is it?”
Lin Yanxu’s voice was very distinct. Recognizing it, Yun Deng suppressed his surging emotions and kept listening.
“Are you busy? Nothing much, I just missed you and wanted to call,” Gu Xiao said with a smile.
“I just finished. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”
“Alright, alright.”
After hanging up, Gu Xiao intended to tease him further, but when he turned around, he saw that Yun Deng looked like he was about to cry. Under the swirling purple and red lights, a single tear rolling down his cheek was clearly visible.
Earlier, Gu Xiao had caught a glimpse of Yun Deng’s contact name for Lin Yanxu and immediately guessed that this was the little fellow who had been chasing his friend all month. He simply couldn’t resist the urge to play a prank. Now, seeing the person crying, he was at a loss. He had never dealt with a situation like this before.
“Hey, wait! Why are you crying?”
Yun Deng simply couldn’t control his emotions; when he felt aggrieved, he wanted to cry. Although he usually masked it well, he couldn’t hold it back today. He really liked Lin Yanxu. Now, he was heartbroken all over again.
Gu Xiao wasn’t good at comforting people. Seeing Yun Deng turn away and ignore him, he immediately redialed the number he had just hung up on and urged his friend to come over as soon as he was finished.
Lin Yanxu arrived at the Fengshan District half an hour later. Two hours ago, he had accompanied someone to the hospital and then returned to the office to handle affairs, and now he had been called here by his friend. The specific reason wasn’t given, only that it was “urgent.”
He walked in, passing through the lively dance floor to reach the bar. Upon seeing Gu Xiao, he frowned slightly and asked what was wrong.
Yun Deng, who didn’t want to sit anywhere near Gu Xiao, saw that Lin Yanxu had actually arrived and immediately skipped over three empty seats to stand by his side.
“Brother…”
Yun Deng felt overwhelmed with grievance. Forgetting all about his pride, he grabbed the man’s arm and began to sob quietly. Lin Yanxu hadn’t expected to see Yun Deng here. He placed an arm around him in a half-embrace, gently patting his back to soothe him.
Seeing his “savior” arrive, Gu Xiao immediately explained the situation. “I told him it was a joke, but he’s still crying.”
Lin Yanxu had been incredibly busy this month, yet he still found time to reply to the various messages Yun Deng sent him. He hadn’t expected these two people, who should have had no connection, to meet here today. Now, seeing the person who had finally quieted down a few hours ago crying and clutching his clothes, Lin Yanxu felt a sense of helplessness for the first time in his life.
“Why did you have to tease him for no reason?”
“I didn’t expect him to be so sensitive!”
Gu Xiao truly hadn’t expected this fair-looking, mild-mannered guy to be such a crybaby, the type whose tears wouldn’t stop once they started. Fortunately, someone was there to clean up the mess. It was a true stroke of luck.