Shang Qingye had a cigarette dangling from his lips with the tip glowing. He raised his right hand, gripping the cigarette between his index and middle fingers. After taking a deep drag, he pulled it away and exhaled a slow ring of smoke.
“What is going on? Why isn’t anyone moving? Go on, have some fun with your Brother Ye,” Yu Siyang said. It was unclear where he had picked up such thuggish habits and crude language. Shang Qingye lifted his eyelids slightly, casting a cold, sidelong glance at Yu Siyang.
Upon hearing Yu Siyang’s words, the women—all heavily made up—began to inconspicuously crowd around Shang Qingye.
Frowning, Shang Qingye stood up and pulled a few tissues from the box on the table. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the hand holding the cigarette used a tissue to wipe the fingers of his other hand. He crumpled the used tissue into a ball and walked slowly toward Yu Siyang.
“Where did you learn such rubbish talk?” Still holding his cigarette, Shang Qingye tossed the crumpled tissue at Yu Siyang. A smirk played on his lips, giving him a roguish air, yet there was not a trace of warmth in his eyes.
He sat down on the sofa where Yu Siyang was perched, though he kept a deliberate distance between them.
Perhaps Yu Siyang had been away for too long, as he failed to read Shang Qingye’s mood. He assumed his friend was just joking around. “What is wrong? I am treating you well, am I not? If it were anyone else, I would not have gone to all this trouble.”
As he spoke, he beckoned to the most striking girl among the group with a playboy grin. “Come here.”
The girl, who looked to be in her early twenties, obediently approached. “Go keep my buddy company,” Yu Siyang commanded.
Hearing this, the girl looked at Shang Qingye and prepared to move toward him. Before she could take a step, however, Shang Qingye’s deep, magnetic voice rang out. “Tell them all to leave. I do not like this.”
Shang Qingye exhaled another cloud of smoke. The haze blurred his features, making his expression unreadable.
“Huh? You do not like them?” Yu Siyang looked stunned, as if he had been hit over the head. He could not fathom that there was a man in this world who did not like beautiful women. He studied Shang Qingye’s face and asked tentatively, “You really do not like them?”
“Yes. Tell them to leave,” Shang Qingye replied, his irritation rising as the loud environment made his ears throb.
“Okay, okay, I get it,” Yu Siyang said with a sigh, as if he had suddenly reached an epiphany. “Wait for me. I know what to do now.”
He made a hand gesture and led the group of women out.
Shang Qingye had no idea what Yu Siyang thought he “understood,” but the pain in his ears, triggered by the cacophony of the club, was beginning to gnaw at him. He pressed his left ear in frustration and took another drag of his cigarette.
After a while, just as Shang Qingye finished his cigarette, Yu Siyang returned. This time, he brought a group of young men.
“You must like these ones, right?” Yu Siyang said, looking proud of his perceived cleverness as he hurried over to claim credit.
The boys gathered around.
Shang Qingye’s ears were still hurting. Looking at the idiot Yu Siyang and the group of boys behind him, he started to laugh. The corners of his mouth curled higher and higher, but his eyes no longer just lacked warmth; they were filled with the look one reserves for a complete fool.
Fine. It was truly wonderful.
“Yu Siyang, have you been eating pig brains while you were away? How can you be this stupid? Tell them all to get the hell out of here!” Shang Qingye was so angry he laughed.
“You do not like them either?” Yu Siyang asked cautiously. He was used to Shang Qingye scolding him like this. Back when they were kids, Yu Siyang was often spineless and would not fight back when bullied; Shang Qingye would lecture him exactly like this. “You are not still hung up on that internet friend you added when you were a kid, are you?”
“It is quite lively in here. Mind if I join you?”
Before Shang Qingye could retort to Yu Siyang, a voice as clear as flowing spring water interrupted them.
Shang Qingye froze. Slowly, he lifted his eyes to look toward the source of the voice.
Yu Qingdu stood a short distance away, a faint smile on his face as he watched Shang Qingye. Behind him stood a fair-skinned, blond-haired young man.
Seeing who it was, Shang Qingye closed his eyes. Things had officially spiraled out of control.
“Holy crap, he is gorgeous!” Yu Siyang scanned Yu Qingdu from head to toe, his eyes full of admiration. He rubbed his chin and sighed with regret. “Too bad I am not into guys. But my buddy probably is. You can stay and play with him.”
Yu Siyang spoke with an insufferable air of entitlement.
Shang Qingye cursed under his breath. He truly wondered just how large the Yu family’s business had grown for Yu Siyang to become this lawless abroad.
“What the hell? Who do you think you are?” Wen Chen, standing behind Yu Qingdu, bristled at the insult to his best friend. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to start a fight, but Yu Qingdu stopped him before he could move.
“Is that so?” Yu Qingdu let out an ambiguous laugh. He looked at Shang Qingye, the smile still on his lips. “Do you need me to play with you, Shang Qingye?”
As soon as Yu Qingdu spoke, two gasps of “Holy crap!” echoed through the air.
Wen Chen and Yu Siyang stared at each other, glared, and then shouted in unison, “You two know each other?!”
Shang Qingye was beyond frustrated. This was exactly why he hated bars; the moment he stepped inside, the ringing in his ears would not stop.
Yu Qingdu did not answer them. Instead, he scanned the group of bewildered boys who were standing around awkwardly. He asked with feigned curiosity, “Were these prepared for Qingye?”
Yu Siyang finally realized the atmosphere was off. He did not dare nod or admit to Yu Qingdu that he had ordered them for Shang Qingye.
“Does Qingye like these types?” Yu Qingdu asked, his eyes shimmering as he looked at Shang Qingye.
Shang Qingye frowned, exhaling a heavy breath. He was so frustrated he barely knew what he was saying. “I did not order them. The idiot did.”
Upon hearing this, the smile on Yu Qingdu’s face remained. Maintaining his gentle and refined demeanor, he walked up to Shang Qingye, pulled him to his feet, took his hand, and began leading him toward the exit.
“Excuse us, but I am taking him with me. You can keep these for yourself,” Yu Qingdu said, his eyes sweeping over Yu Siyang. Though his eyes were curved in a smile, there was no warmth to be felt.
Yu Siyang did not dare say a word. When his gaze met his friend’s, the warning look Shang Qingye gave him chilled him to the bone. He nodded blankly.
As Yu Qingdu led Shang Qingye past Wen Chen, he paused. “A-Chen, I will stop here for today. I will call you out to hang out properly in a few days.”
Wen Chen was the type of friend who would do anything for his brothers. Seeing the scene unfold, he understood exactly what was happening; a drama of catching a cheater was playing out in his mind. He nodded firmly and shot another glare at Yu Siyang, whom he now viewed as the bad influence on his best friend’s partner.
“Go, go! I will take care of things here.” Wen Chen cracked his knuckles and rolled his neck.
“Do not cause a scene. It would be hard to explain to your company,” Yu Qingdu warned in a low voice.
“Yes, yes, I know. I have got this. I am just going to play with this young man here,” Wen Chen said, waving them off without turning around.
Yu Qingdu nodded and prepared to lead Shang Qingye away. However, he felt some resistance as he pulled. Turning back, he saw Shang Qingye staring in the direction of Wen Chen and Yu Siyang.
“Relax,” Yu Qingdu said. “Wen Chen has his limits.”