This person’s way of speaking and acting is just too shameless. If I had known he had this kind of personality beforehand, I wouldn’t have asked for his help even if I wanted to please Mo An. He’s a total piece of “dog-skin plaster” (someone who sticks to you and won’t let go).
Truly, you can’t judge a person by their appearance, just as you can’t measure the sea with a bucket.
I turned around, grabbed his lapel, and roared at him in a low voice.
“Shut. Up.”
Shi immediately made a zipping motion over his mouth, indicating he was silenced.
A wise man knows when to submit to circumstances. Since he stopped talking nonsense, I didn’t feel like getting physical again. My hits earlier weren’t light, yet he acted like it was nothing. If I really hurt him, my future wife would probably be the angriest one.
I reached my familiar spot, listening to the loud, familiar music and watching the crowd swaying on the dance floor in the distance. At this moment, there was a sense of release.
Just then, A-Biao brought the drinks according to the old routine. Once the glass was full, I didn’t say a word and downed it in one go.
Putting down the glass, I turned to look at He Shi, who had followed me. His expression was now one of scrutiny a bit different from the unprofessional, punchable look he had earlier.
I believe no one likes the feeling of being observed, and I am no exception.
“What are you looking at?”
Shi quickly reverted to his nonchalant manner, tilting his head and imitating the look of an innocent young girl.
“Young Master You, isn’t it because you’re so good-looking?”
“If you want to stay here, shut up and stop the nonsense. Otherwise, get lost.”
I really dislike it when people treat me this way; it feels awkward to the bone. It makes me feel like I’m a girl being teased in every possible way.
Glass after glass of alcohol red, beer, foreign stuff it felt like the sorrow in my heart wasn’t being relieved at all by the liquid gold or the alcohol rushing to my head.
Why is it so hard for me to like someone?
Before, when I finally liked a woman, people always treated me as a backup. Now that I’ve finally fallen for a man, it’s even harder. He’s like a fortress with no blind spots. I want to charge in with a pack of explosives and sacrifice myself, but I don’t even know where to start.
Here I am, “falling before the battle is won” tragic and lamentable.
I can’t blame anyone but my future wife; he’s a master of calculation, and his moves are steady, accurate, and ruthless.
Perhaps my behavior of drowning my sorrows in wine was too obvious. As A-Biao filled my glass again and I prepared to take a sip, a hand reached out from the side and stopped me.
I subconsciously tried to pull my wrist away, but I turned and saw He Shi. He was staring at me very seriously and then spoke.
“Babe, drinking doesn’t solve problems.”
Even though the address was still that unprofessional one, the tone was completely different. It carried a seventy percent seriousness. I didn’t realize what caused this sudden change, so I didn’t snap out of it immediately.
I just stared at He Shi for three seconds, long enough for him to place his hand on my head and give it a rub. He even smoothed my hair, like he was petting a restless kitten.
“Be good, don’t be sad.”
This act of having my head rubbed… It had been a very long time since anyone had done that to me. Ever since my dad became successful and paid less attention to me, my interactions with people around me seemed to lack the need for care. I was usually the one making the decisions, so I had to bear all the choices and consequences myself.
Suddenly being cared for by someone with such an action, I was a bit at a loss. It took me quite a while to react and swat away He Shi’s hand which hadn’t moved.
“Get lost, why are you touching my head?” Shi wasn’t angry about being swatted; he just looked at me meaningfully.
I subconsciously retorted: “Besides, who’s sad? Me?”
Shi neither nodded nor shook his head; he just kept looking at me. I felt a bit like I was “protesting too much” at that moment, so my voice went up a notch.
“Me? Heh, impossible. How could I be sad? What does this Young Master have to be sad about?”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I saw He Shi give me a helpless smile. I immediately realized he wanted to say something, so I instinctively stopped him before he could speak.
“What are you laughing at? Don’t think you know me so well. Sorry, we aren’t close.”
He Shi burst out laughing after hearing this. Seeing me staring at him unhappily, he tucked the smile away.
“Aren’t we already in a relationship of ‘mhm-ing and ah-ing’ (sexual intimacy)? How are we not close?”
I can’t stand it; this man keeps ruining my reputation. Just after He Shi spoke, I glanced at the nearby waiter. The look in their eyes was full of curiosity and mockery. That look made my scalp tingle.
Even if my future wife currently holds me in contempt, I still have to cherish myself. After all, if he won’t accept me when I’m “clean” like this, it will be even harder to get close to him if I mess around outside.
That Mo An is like a big fool who only knows how to work all day and doesn’t know what love is. A straight man, late-stage “straight-man-itis,” doesn’t know how to cherish people.
I shouted at him, “Screw off, when did I ever do that with you?”
Shi leaned in and blew an ambiguous breath into my ear. I turned and glared at him, prepared to pick him up and throw him into the Mother River if he made another move.
Shi raised both hands, signaling surrender.
“At least you’re sensible.” I leaned back against the sofa and relaxed.
Shi leaned in again and said softly.
“Do you usually stay quiet when you’re ‘fighting’?”
I gave him a nudge in the ribs with my elbow. “Since when is ‘fighting’ equivalent to doing that kind of thing?”
Shi rubbed his chest, then slowly picked up his glass, took a sip of wine, and turned to look at me.
“I don’t think I ever specified what ‘that’ thing was from beginning to end.”
Impressive. A master. He can twist words like that. I admit defeat.
“He Shi, just say it. What exactly do you want?”
Shi put down the glass and looked at me.
“I’m purely concerned about you, do you believe that?”
He was just being unprofessional a moment ago, and I really wasn’t used to him suddenly being serious. I countered stubbornly: “I’m not your anybody, I don’t need your concern.”
He Shi reached out and rubbed my head again, then said softly.
“Kid, there’s no hurdle that can’t be cleared. Look on the bright side.”
I was extremely dissatisfied with his repeated, unbridled hair-rubbing.
“Go away! Who asked you to care about me?”
“Really don’t want it?”
Actually, at this time, I didn’t want to be alone. Even if the person was this quite annoying fellow in front of me, it was better than drinking alone in misery. Facing He Shi’s eyes that seemed to see right through me, for some reason, I spoke against my heart.
“Ab-so-lutely.”
“Then I’m really leaving?”
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded quickly.
“Go, go, go. Hurry up and go, old man.”
Shi thought about it and then spoke.
“Then I’m leaving. Can you manage on your own?”
This guy not only has a masochistic streak but also has the potential to be a chatterbox. If you’re going to leave, then leave. This “leaving but not leaving,” deep-confession look doesn’t suit us at all.
I raised my glass and downed it. I drank too fast and accidentally let out a burp when I put the glass down. He Shi’s laughter came from beside me; I felt a bit embarrassed, and my attitude toward him turned nasty.
“Get out, get out, get out! Hurry up and get out! Don’t disturb this Young Master’s drinking.”
Shi smiled, turned around, and left.
Fine. The world is left with just me again. In this noisy environment, I am out of place with my surroundings.
Just as I was about to have a few more drinks and then find a room to sleep, He Shi’s voice came from not far away.
“How about I find someone to pick you up?”
I immediately shook my head. Even He Shi could see I was in a bad mood; my state must be truly terrible. Why let others see me as a joke?
He Shi laughed at my reaction. When he spoke again, the teasing tone was very thick.
“Or… do you just wish for me… to take you… home…”
Shi is definitely a master of flirtation in his daily life. Being able to make a normal sentence sound incredibly ambiguous is a kind of skill.
“No need, thanks. Just hurry up and go.”
Shi thought about it, then shook his head, pulled his phone out of his pocket, looked at me, and then spoke.
“Forget it, I’ll have someone come pick you up. Looking at you, you’re definitely not going home until you’re drunk.”
“No—” My “no need” wasn’t even finished.
I saw him start tapping on his phone. Regardless, after being cared for in this environment, a bit of warmth entered my heart. I didn’t know why He Shi thought I was gay, or why he looked at me in a different light. But being treated like this by him today, at this time, I wasn’t unmoved.
“Thanks, really no need…” Just as the words left my mouth, I heard He Shi speak.
“Xiao An…”
Tsk. I used my slightly tipsy but not yet fully non-functional brain to think. Is he calling my future wife?
He Shi heard my voice and raised an eyebrow at me, seeking my opinion. Actually, I was just pretending to be calm. I didn’t know his plan earlier, I didn’t know who he was going to call. Now, I am extremely satisfied with his arrangement.
I shook my head, signaling for him to continue.
Shi looked at me and smiled, then continued the call.
“Xiao An, come pick me up at my place. Yeah… the… I’ll send you the address in a bit… okay… bye-bye…”
Is that easy?
It seems He Shi is a major push factor on my path to pursuing my wife. It looks like I need to apologize to him properly and have him forgive my rudeness earlier.
While I was thinking about how to get He Shi’s forgiveness, he had already slowly approached me. I didn’t realize the distance between us was getting closer and closer until He Shi’s voice sounded in my ear.
“Not drinking anymore?”
I nodded obediently. My appearance was as well-behaved as it could be. Joke’s on you—after that phone call, his status in my heart was solidified. From now on, I wouldn’t dare be disrespectful.
I was thinking aimlessly about how to use He Shi to conquer my “iceberg” at home when I heard He Shi’s voice.
“You like Xiao An?”