Wan Ting’s ambiguous attitude made him suspicious, yet he lacked any concrete evidence. Besides, in a situation like this, Wan Ting wasn’t really the one to blame.
The mess was of his own making, so naturally, he had to bear the consequences himself.
The power of decision-making still rested firmly in the hands of the older generation. Even if Wan Ting wanted to help him, his heart was willing, but his strength fell short. Wan Xu understood this clearly. Therefore, regarding the matter of the arranged marriage, this was the first time he had expressed his stance to Wan Ting so explicitly.
That being said, he still didn’t really want to doubt his older brother’s position.
Right now, Wan Ting, just like Wan Jiangming, knew about the marking. But for the sake of the marriage alliance, his brother would definitely choose to keep this matter under wraps. At the very least, from this perspective, it was advantageous for him to maintain his dignity in front of the Nie family.
The matter wasn’t all that important, so it gently turned a new page in Wan Xu’s mind.
By the time Wan Xu was discharged from the hospital, the new office had already been put in good order by the two of them.
To celebrate his discharge and the preliminary establishment of their studio, Yu Dong waved his hand generously and insisted on treating them both to a good meal.
That was what he said, but given that the three of them could not scrape together a thousand yuan even if they emptied their pockets, the so-called good meal amounted to returning to a small barbecue stall near the back gate of their alma mater.
Because the primary clientele consisted of students, the prices were relatively affordable. While it couldn’t compare to a grand seafood feast, it was already extravagant enough for the three of them.
However, what Wan Xu hadn’t expected was that they had also invited Lu Shen, and even more surprisingly, Lu Shen had actually agreed to come.
Inviting someone to a place like this was truly too shabby.
The hygiene of this little fly-restaurant was truly indefensible. Not to mention that a low canvas tent had simply been set up outside as the dining area, the concrete floor was so coated in grease that it was hard to find a footing, the plastic stools were absolute antiques that creaked loudly whenever someone sat on them, and the tables were finished with nothing more than a thin layer of red plastic sheeting slapped on top. With every gust of wind, the greasy smoke from the barbecue drifted straight toward them, so pungent it made it hard to keep their eyes open.
While waiting for Lu Shen, Wan Xu sat there picking at the plastic tablecloth. The thought of the other man sitting in a place like this dressed in an expensive, tailored suit felt absurd and funny.
Before long, Lu Shen arrived. Contrary to Wan Xu’s imagination of someone rigid and proper, Lu Shen was dressed quite casually. Blending into the crowd of college students, his age was impossible to guess at a glance.
He took off his coat, placed it casually on a nearby chair, rolled up his sleeves, and sat down right next to Wan Xu.
Yu Dong was still enthusiastically greeting Lu Shen and inviting him to order, while Luo Bin seized the opportunity to pull Wan Xu aside. Bending close to his ear, she whispered, “Brother Xu, be careful. I have a feeling that Alpha is interested in you.”
Wan Xu found it amusing. “Why do you say that?”
“A woman’s intuition,” Luo Bin said seriously. “Just think about it, Brother Xu. Before you left the hospital, we asked him out to dinner several times, and he never agreed!”
Little Luo wasn’t very tall, so Wan Xu had to stoop down slightly while they whispered. On the other side, Lu Shen seemed to notice the movement over by them; he turned his head and smiled at Wan Xu.
Feeling awkward, Wan Xu twitched the corners of his mouth, returned a polite smile, and quickly looked away, fixing his gaze back on a hole he had picked into the plastic tablecloth.
Lu Shen looked very young, somewhere in his early twenties and not yet thirty.
Based on the corporate data he had checked online, this President Lu possessed quite substantial financial resources. Having this much wealth at such a young age pointed to only two possibilities: either his family was extremely wealthy, or his family had some money and he himself was exceptionally capable.
He had no interest in the circle of second-generation elites, or rather, his actual exposure to it was minimal. His old man was obsessed with horse racing and paid little attention to him, and the social circle he had built himself didn’t take the other person’s family background into consideration.
Come to think of it, he and the few wealthy second-generation peers he knew were probably just bad matches by fate; they didn’t really get along. Or perhaps it was because he instinctively rejected entering Wan Jiangming’s social circle.
Yet, aside from that person, he genuinely hadn’t heard of any young master with the surname Lu in this city.
As he pondered, the hole in the plastic tablecloth had been torn wider by his fingers. Unflinchingly, he tied the torn edges into a knot and raised his head.
The chaotic din of the crowd drowned out the conversation between Lu Shen and Yu Dong.
Wan Xu only saw Lu Shen’s lips moving, Yu Dong nodding, and Luo Bin busy eating while occasionally chiming in. Lu Shen smiled, turned his head, and his gaze swept past Wan Xu, landing back on Yu Dong.
That glance was too fast. Before Wan Xu could figure out what it meant, Lu Shen had already turned back.
Right. An unknown young master from goodness knows where, taking an interest in a game that was still only in its conceptual prototype stage and featured crude art. Was he genuinely fond of this game, or did he have an ulterior motive?
Was he after money? Even Wan Xu himself couldn’t guarantee that this game would rake in a fortune. Moreover, during their very first meeting, he had explicitly told Lu Shen that he wanted to make it a buy-to-own title rather than an in-app purchase model better suited for long-term operation.
Was he after him? Wan Xu’s gaze shifted from Yu Dong to Luo Bin.
She was burying her face in her food, working hard, her cheeks bulging like a little hamster’s. Wan Xu couldn’t help but chuckle out loud.
“Boss,” Yu Dong said, winking at him, “Want to grab a drink?”
“Sure, let’s keep President Lu company,” Wan Xu said, standing up to walk inside the shop and shouting to the owner for two cans of chilled beer.
After Wan Xu left, Lu Shen’s gaze never once left him. Luo Bin poked Yu Dong with her elbow and kept shooting him meaningful looks, but Yu Dong acted completely oblivious.
Fine, a total blockhead. Too lazy to remind him any further, Luo Bin shoveled another couple of mouthfuls of fried rice into her mouth.
Realizing that his stare was far too naked, Lu Shen silently pulled his gaze back.
You had to admit that Wan Xu was simply the kind of person whose looks compelled you to take a second glance. His height wasn’t towering, but his bodily proportions were excellent, and his tight jeans outlined a beautiful curve in his hips and legs. When he bent forward, his hoodie rode up to reveal a slender, fair patch of waist before he straightened back up, hiding it once again inside the oversized garment.
As for that face, it went without saying. He still retained a tiny hint of baby fat on his face, and a pair of amber peach-blossom eyes brimmed with natural affection.
Nie Wencheng must have accumulated some immense virtue in his past life.
Yet this stubborn brat was utterly incorrigible.
A pair of slender fingers holding a canned drink extended toward him.
“President Lu.” Those eyes were smiling and bright. “Cheers.”
Lu Shen deliberately avoided physical contact with him, pinching the side of the can to take it, accompanied by a very quiet thank you.
The aluminum can was covered in condensation, dampening his entire hand.
Wan Xu noticed this deliberate evasion, smiled, and said nothing. He pulled the tab, gently tapped the rim of his can against Lu Shen’s, tilted his head back, and took a large gulp.
“Don’t mind me,” Wan Xu said, a flush already rising across his cheeks.
Lu Shen also took a small sip.
The canned beer at a small stall like this couldn’t be described as good; it tasted bitter upon entry, winning out solely on the fact that it was cheap.
His gaze drifted back to Wan Xu’s face.
Those amber eyes were bright and sparkling, curving into crescents when he smiled.
“President Lu,” Wan Xu said, propping his cheek on one hand and turning his head to look at him, “is there something on my face?”
Startled, Lu Shen hurriedly pulled out a couple of tissues and handed them over. “You’ve got some grease on the corner of your mouth. Wipe it off.”
Instead of taking them from his hand, Wan Xu casually wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb.
His lips had a gorgeous shape, with a plump Cupid’s bow and slightly upturned corners, which formed a natural smile.
Right now, those lips were slightly swollen and reddened from the spice, parted just enough to make it impossible to look away.
Lu Shen dazed for a moment. To cover up his awkwardness, he took another gulp of his drink.
Young people’s socializing didn’t involve that many twists and turns; once a few drinks went to their heads, they stopped caring about such trivial formalities. After getting a bit tipsy, Wan Xu quietly went back to picking at the plastic tablecloth.
Only the remnants of the meal remained on the table. Yu Dong went to pay the bill and, seeing that Wan Xu showed no intention of leaving, originally wanted to stay and keep their guest company, but Wan Xu said he wanted to talk to Lu Shen alone.
So Yu Dong took Luo Bin and left first.
Left with just the two of them, Wan Xu called out to him, “Lu Shen.”
“Now that it’s just the two of us, I’ll speak my mind.” Wan Xu’s face was as red as a ripe apple, but his articulation was clear. “First of all, I’m truly grateful that you’re willing to support our game development. This means a great deal to us. Secondly, this is a personal matter of mine; if I offend you, I apologize in advance. It’s my own issue, and I hope you won’t take it out on our project.”
Lu Shen’s fingers twitched, tapping against the aluminum can.
“Just which aspect of our game caught your eye?”
When he asked this question, the tension visibly drained from Lu Shen, but his gaze shifted away from Wan Xu to focus on the empty can in his hand instead. “It’s very interesting.”
It was unclear whether he was talking about the game or the person.
Resting his chin in both hands, Wan Xu stared at him with keen interest. “An interesting game isn’t necessarily a good commercial game.”
“But it has potential,” Lu Shen said, his expression serious. “Wan Xu, and so do you.”
Wan Xu chuckled.
“Mr. Lu, then which aspect are you more interested in?”
Lu Shen looked him up and down once more.
“Mr. Wan, are you single?” he suddenly asked.
“Why do you ask that?”
“Just curious. Someone as outstanding as you should have plenty of suitors,” Lu Shen said in a relaxed tone.
Luo Bin’s guess had been spot on.
Whether it was because the alcohol had numbed his nervous system or because he felt Lu Shen was genuinely a pretty good guy, Wan Xu lowered his head and answered with casual candor, “I have a fiancé.”
Lu Shen’s expression didn’t change much as he continued to ask, “What kind of person is he?”
At the mention of his fiancé, Wan Xu fell silent for a moment.
“I’ve never met him,” he began. “Maybe I saw him when I was little, but I don’t remember. The elders in our families arranged the match, and once it was set, I never saw him again. I always hear people say he’s an incredible person, but just how incredible he is, I have no idea.”
“Someone you’ve never met once, without even a foundation of affection, yet you’re forced to marry them just because you’re told to.” He paused, as if searching for a suitable word. “If I were a toy doll, they’d probably have negotiated a proper price for me too.” His voice grew increasingly hazy, turning into a low mumble. “Nobody even bothered to ask if I was willing.”
“But even if they had asked, and I said I wasn’t willing, would it have done any good?” He suddenly chuckled, and muffled a gulp of alcohol.
“If, and I’m saying if,” Lu Shen lowered his eyes, “if there really ever came a day when you and your fiancé developed feelings for each other, or if you grew to have feelings for him, how would you view this marriage?”
Wan Xu’s hazy gaze changed instantly. He pressed his lips together and shook his head.
“That’s a matter for the future. Who can say for sure about the future?” he said. “I don’t like this marriage, and I won’t like it in the future either. Marriage ought to be the choice of two people; it was wrong right from the start, regardless of whether the outcome is good or bad.”
Lu Shen sighed and forcefully brought the topic to a close. “You’ve had too much to drink. Let me find someone to take you back.”
Wan Xu shook his head again. “No, I can go back by myself.”
“You can’t even speak clearly. It’s not safe for you to go alone; I’ll take you back.” Lu Shen grabbed his arm and helped him up.
Wan Xu struggled slightly, shaking off Lu Shen’s support, barely steadied himself, took two steps forward, and then turned back.
“Haven’t I met you somewhere before, Lu Shen?” His face was full of puzzlement. “Your surname is Lu.”
Lu Shen smiled without answering.
“We’ll have a chance to properly get acquainted another time, Mr. Wan.”
Wan Xu opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but the alcohol had muddled his brain. In the end, he simply gave a polite nod.