Jiang Ling did not answer immediately. He kept his eyes lowered, staring at the food on his plate. Holding his knife and fork, he unhurriedly cut a piece of foie gras and fed it into his mouth.
Just then, the waiter arrived with the wine. Jiang Ling motioned to the person and said, “I want a little too.”
Huo Junnian nodded slightly. “Just a little. Do not get greedy.”
As the waiter poured the red wine into the glass, Jiang Ling watched the red liquid swirl. The liquid mirrored the turmoil in his heart. It felt like a slow psychological execution. Below the surface of the dining table, an undercurrent surged as the two engaged in a silent contest.
Huo Junnian tapped his fingers lightly on the table, waiting with immense patience. He watched the youth pick up the wine glass, take a small sip, and then set it back down. He expected to get an answer soon.
However, an accident occurred. The wine glass previously resting on the table suddenly tipped over. The wine instantly spilled across the table and splashed onto Jiang Ling. The moment the wine spilled, Jiang Ling immediately stood up, trying to shake off the excess liquid. But his school uniform was highly absorbent. Almost instantly, the white and blue fabric was stained a deep wine red.
“I am going to the restroom.” He could not help but frown. He looked at Huo Junnian, pursed his lips, and offered a shy, obedient smile. “Uncle, let us talk about this when I get back, okay?”
“Fine, go ahead.” Huo Junnian clearly did not mind the delay. He said mildly, “There is no rush for this.”
Jiang Ling nodded. He left the private room and walked out at a steady pace. The moment he was out of the man’s sight, he quickened his steps, rushed into the restroom, and closed the door behind him.
Jiang Ling propped his hands on the sink, finally finding a moment to breathe. At this moment, his back was nearly soaked with sweat. He turned on the faucet and splashed several handfuls of cold water onto his face. The cold stimulus eased his strained nerves.
Jiang Ling took several deep breaths. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, seeing the disheveled state he was in once the calm disguise was stripped away. Looking at this scene, he fell into a daze. Recalling what Huo Junnian had just said, he could not help but let out a low laugh.
Huo Junnian was sharper than he had imagined. He did not even know when the man had started to notice. Perhaps it was that bowl of spilled hangover soup, or that impulsive argument in the car, or maybe it was the gaze he could never quite hide during their daily interactions.
Today was clearly a carefully prepared Hongmen Banquet by Huo Junnian. Huo Junnian wanted him to speak? What could he say? The man wanted nothing more than for him to admit that he liked men and that he liked him!
He could admit it, but the consequences of that admission were not what he wanted. He believed that as soon as he confessed, Huo Junnian would still pretend to be a gentle, doting elder on the surface and patiently counsel him, telling him it was no big deal. But soon after, he would be packed up and sent away. Huo Junnian would never appear before him again for the rest of his life.
Jiang Ling’s expression turned grim. He clenched his fist and slammed it into the water filled basin. The splashing water hit his face, instantly blurring his vision. He absolutely could not let that happen!
Jiang Ling gritted his teeth, his bloodshot eyes filled with a fierce aura. But he could not run. The moment he fled, he would be confirming the man’s suspicions. Even if he tried to explain later, the man would not give him another chance. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, his mind racing for a way to solve this.
A knock sounded on the door, snapping him back to reality. He looked toward the door; he could not stay in the restroom for too long.
Jiang Ling splashed some water on his school uniform to lighten the wine stains. He carefully checked his reflection, adjusting his gaze to make it softer and less fierce. He quickly grabbed a few tissues, wiped the water off his face, opened the door, and walked out. By now, his upper body was nearly soaked through.
Ignoring the gazes of those around him, Jiang Ling headed back toward the private room. Suddenly, he spotted a sneaky figure at the door. He frowned slightly. Just as he was about to step forward to question the person, the figure turned around.
Jiang Ling froze when he saw the man’s face. Tang Qin? Why was he here? He was likely here to find Huo Junnian. As Jiang Ling pondered, he noticed the door to the private room move. Simultaneously, a flash of inspiration struck his mind. He narrowed his eyes; he had suddenly found a solution.
Huo Junnian waited for a while but saw no sign of Jiang Ling returning. He frowned and checked the time on his wrist. He did not quite believe Jiang Ling would run away, but he could not be one hundred percent certain. He decided to go out and check if something had happened.
The moment Huo Junnian pushed the door open, he heard a clear voice. “Excuse me, who are you looking for?”
It was Jiang Ling’s voice. Hearing that familiar tone, Huo Junnian felt relieved. He did not know someone was hiding behind the door and pushed it wide open.
Tang Qin, hiding behind the door, did not seem to notice the movement. He was still trying to see if the person inside was his target. When the voice suddenly sounded behind him, he turned around in a panic. That was the main reason he was knocked over.
By then, the door was already open. Huo Junnian said, “Ah Ling, you just”
His voice stopped abruptly when he saw the scene before him. He saw the tall youth holding a stranger by the waist with one arm. From Huo Junnian’s perspective, their posture was incredibly intimate and ambiguous. The youth’s hand was on the man’s waist, and their faces were so close they could almost kiss if they leaned in any further.
Huo Junnian could not see the man’s face, but the posture alone made him knit his brows. Yet, in the eyes of others, this dramatic scene was quite romantic. Someone passing by even started clapping.
Huo Junnian called out in a deep voice, “Ah Ling, what are you doing?”
The youth seemed to be snapped out of a daze by his voice and released his grip. Tang Qin, who had been held by Jiang Ling, was now fully exposed to Huo Junnian. When Huo Junnian saw the man’s face, a flash of shock crossed his eyes, followed by a darkening expression. “Tang Qin, why is it you?”
Tang Qin had not yet regained his senses; everything had happened too quickly. When he finally realized Huo Junnian was standing before him, he saw that the man did not look welcoming. Just as Tang Qin was about to retreat, Jiang Ling spoke up.
“Uncle, since Mr. Tang is already here, why not let him come in and sit for a while?”
Huo Junnian remained silent. Sensing the youth’s kindness, Tang Qin took a cautious look at Huo Junnian and said softly, “Thank you for helping me just now.”
Jiang Ling gave a shallow smile. “You are welcome. It was nothing.”
Huo Junnian frowned and turned back into the private room, a tacit agreement to let the man in. He had no idea what Jiang Ling was up to.
Back at the table, Jiang Ling appeared much more composed, perhaps because there was now an extra person. He became even more active. He took the initiative to ask, “Is Mr. Tang also here for dinner?”
Jiang Ling’s lead gave Tang Qin an opening to explain. “Yes, yes. I have an appointment with a friend here, but he has not arrived yet. I did not expect to run into President Huo by accident.”
“What a coincidence. We are also here for dinner.”
Tang Qin looked embarrassed. “Yes, what a coincidence.”
Jiang Ling smiled. “Since it is such a coincidence, we should get to know each other.” He took the initiative to reach out his hand to Tang Qin.
This move stunned both of the other men in the room. Tang Qin was somewhat terrified; he had not forgotten the last time he saw this youth. At the same time, he was confused by the youth’s friendliness. He shook the boy’s hand a beat late and said, “Of course. Hello, my name is Tang Qin.”
“You do not need to say it, I know.” Jiang Ling interrupted and said directly, “You are one of the members of SK. I have followed you guys before.” He tilted his chin and said with a hint of pride, “My name is Jiang Ling. Jiang Qicheng is my father. Chengyuan Group belongs to my family.”
Hearing this, Tang Qin’s mind cleared instantly. He had not heard much of the name Jiang Ling, but he had heard of Jiang Qicheng, a famous wealthy businessman in H City.
Jiang Ling took out his phone and handed it over, acting naturally. “If it is fine, we can add each other’s contact information. We can go out and play together when we have time.”
“Huh?” Tang Qin was dazed for a second. He instinctively glanced at Huo Junnian. He had not expected to be so wrong; he had assumed this young master was Huo Junnian’s current lover. But being approached by such a young, handsome, and wealthy young master made Tang Qin feel somewhat flattered. His smile instantly became much more genuine. “Of course, I am available anytime.”
Huo Junnian had remained silent, but when he heard Jiang Ling’s actions, he instinctively frowned and interrupted them. He said sternly, “Tang Qin, why are you looking for me?”
Tang Qin snapped back to reality. “I am here to thank you. I have not found an opportunity to see you before. Since I ran into you by chance, I thought I would come over to offer a toast and say thanks.”
Huo Junnian’s brows were tightly knit. He just wanted to dismiss the man. “No need.”
However, Jiang Ling directly called the waiter in. “Get us another wine glass and prepare a bottle of wine.”
Huo Junnian looked at Jiang Ling, his eyes full of disapproval. But Jiang Ling acted as if he did not see it and even helped pour a glass for Tang Qin.
“Thank you,” Tang Qin said as he received the glass.
“You are welcome. Since we know each other, we are friends.”
Tang Qin did not expect the young master to be such a nice person. He immediately held up his glass and looked at Huo Junnian with affection. “President Huo, I have intruded today and disturbed you. I will penalize myself with three glasses first.”
He finished the wine Jiang Ling poured and then poured himself another. He did not notice the undercurrents in the room. The room was deathly quiet. Tang Qin had finished two glasses and was about to drink the third when the glass was suddenly snatched from his hand.
He froze. Even Huo Junnian was stunned.
Jiang Ling said, “Drinking too much is bad for the health. I will drink this glass for you.” He held the snatched glass, glanced at Huo Junnian, and then drained it in one gulp under their watch.
Jiang Ling lifted his eyes and gave Huo Junnian a dull look. Since the man wanted an answer so badly, he would give it to him now.
The moment Jiang Ling set the glass down, Huo Junnian stood up abruptly, propped his hands on the table, and shouted angrily, “Jiang Ling!”
Tang Qin was terrified by Jiang Ling’s actions. If the earlier embrace could be called an accident, and the friendliness could be explained away, he really could not explain the young master drinking a glass of wine for him. He did not forget his relationship with Huo Junnian. As he looked at the uncle and nephew again, he seemed to smell invisible gunpowder in the air.
Jiang Ling looked over with a surprised expression. “Uncle, what is wrong with you?”
“Ah Ling, you are drunk. We are going home.”
Jiang Ling curled his lips but did not agree. He said with a smile, “I am not drunk. I am very sober right now. Besides, what about Tang Qin if we leave?”
Tang Qin, despite being a bit tipsy, was now fully awake. He quickly said, “It is fine! I remembered I have something urgent and must leave first. President Huo, let us meet again when there is an opportunity.”
After Tang Qin hurriedly left, only the two of them remained in the private room. Huo Junnian was fuming at Jiang Ling’s actions. He was in no mood to discuss anything else. Seeing that he had achieved his goal and there was no point in finishing the meal, Jiang Ling stood up and looked at the angry man, smiling lightly. “Uncle, let us go home.”
Huo Junnian’s eyes darkened. He stared at Jiang Ling for a few seconds before getting up and leaving the restaurant. After Huo Junnian left, the smile on Jiang Ling’s face dropped. He tucked one hand into his pocket and followed expressionlessly.
Because they had been drinking, Huo Junnian did not drive but called for a chauffeur. The two sat in the back of the car in silence. The atmosphere was stagnant, and the temperature in the car seemed to drop. Outside, a light rain began to fall, adding a damp, muggy feeling to the interior.
Soon, they arrived home. Huo Junnian got out of the car first, left a single sentence for the youth, and headed inside. “Come to the study.”
Jiang Ling’s expression shifted slightly. He watched the man’s retreating back and followed quickly. Even if Huo Junnian had not said anything, he would have sought him out. Today’s events were far from over.
As soon as Jiang Ling entered, he was stopped by Aunt Zhang. “Oh dear, why are your clothes wet? Hurry and change, or you will catch a cold.”
A smile flashed in his eyes. He patted Aunt Zhang’s hand and said soothingly, “It is fine, Aunt Zhang. Do not worry. Uncle has something to discuss with me; I am going upstairs first.”
“What is so important it cannot wait?” Aunt Zhang did not understand. But she did not push further, only shaking her head. “Fine, I will make you some ginger soup.”
Jiang Ling’s eyes softened. He reached out and gave her a hug. “Aunt Zhang, you are so good to me. I will come down to drink it in a bit. Oh, by the way, we did not eat much outside. Please help me make two bowls of rice wine eggs. Yours are so delicious; they taste like home.”
Aunt Zhang was charmed by Jiang Ling’s words. She blushed and said, “I only know how to cook home style dishes. If you like it, come and eat often.”
“Okay!” Jiang Ling agreed with a smile. “I will head upstairs first. I am afraid Uncle will be unhappy if I keep him waiting too long.”
“How could that be?” Aunt Zhang thought he was joking. “I have been here so long and have never seen Mr. Huo get angry.”
Jiang Ling just smiled and headed upstairs. He arrived at the study and knocked, but there was no sound from inside. He curled his lips; someone was indeed very angry with him. He pushed the door open and walked in.
Huo Junnian was standing by the window with his back turned. He had taken off his suit jacket. His arms were propped on the windowsill, the muscles of his back straining against his shirt. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing firm forearms with prominent veins. The way his fingers held a cigarette looked incredibly sexy. At the thought of this, Jiang Ling wanted to laugh. He felt he was truly beyond saving. Even at a time like this, such things could cross his mind.
He knocked on the door again and said, “I am coming in.”
Huo Junnian slowly turned around, narrowing his eyes at the door. The youth stood there with his head down, wearing the damp blue and white school uniform. He looked exactly like a well-behaved student. But when Huo Junnian thought about what this well-behaved student had done today, his anger flared. He had not smoked for a long time, but this time he could not help breaking his abstinence.
“Jiang Ling, do you know what you are doing?”
“I know.” Jiang Ling looked up. “However, please specify which matter you are referring to so I can answer properly.”
Huo Junnian frowned. He flicked the ash from his cigarette and said deeply, “Let us start with Tang Qin.” He did not believe Jiang Ling had not done it on purpose.
“Tang Qin?” Jiang Ling let out a light laugh. He met Huo Junnian’s sharp gaze and said word for word, “Toward him, I simply could not control my feelings.”
Huo Junnian’s face fell instantly, and a flash of disbelief crossed his eyes. “Jiang Ling, do you know what you are saying?”
“I know.” Jiang Ling faced the man’s cold, surprised gaze and walked forward step by step until only one pace separated them. “Did you not want me to say it myself? I can tell you everything without reservation.”
He reached out and took the cigarette from the man’s fingers. Then, right in front of him, he brought it to his lips and pressed his teeth against the marks the man had left on the filter. His tongue tasted a hint of moisture, still holding the warmth from the man’s teeth. Jiang Ling’s heart was racing, but he was exceptionally calm, even excited. He took a deep drag, the tip of the cigarette glowing red. This cigarette was better than any he had ever smoked before.
Jiang Ling raised an eyebrow and exhaled a cloud of smoke. The white smoke blurred the space between them. Huo Junnian stared at the reckless youth, his gaze falling on the half finished cigarette. He instinctively frowned.
“I like men.” Jiang Ling looked at Huo Junnian with a wild expression. He smiled and said, “Uncle, we are the same kind. This is my secret.”
As soon as he finished, the cigarette was snatched from his mouth. Huo Junnian stubbed it out, looked at Jiang Ling with a tight frown, and asked coldly, “Who taught you to smoke?”
Jiang Ling was stunned. He never expected Huo Junnian to focus on that. Should the focus not be on the fact that he liked men?
“I saw others doing it and tried it out of curiosity.”
“Quit. You are not allowed to smoke anymore.”
“Oh.” Jiang Ling looked at Huo Junnian’s stern face, curled his lip, and said with drooping eyes, “I will quit then. I am not addicted; I just smoke one occasionally to look cool.”
Huo Junnian was somewhat satisfied with that answer. He frowned and asked, “You could not control your feelings for Tang Qin?”
Jiang Ling nodded and admitted it without hesitation. “Yes. Do you not believe me?”
Huo Junnian sneered. He would be a fool to believe it. Jiang Ling did not bother explaining. He just sighed, shook his head, and smiled at Huo Junnian. “If you do not believe me, there is nothing I can do. Did you not know I have had a crush on him for a long time? His stage name is Tang Qin, his real name is Tang Yuhang. His birthday is June 18th, he is 175 centimeters tall and weighs 49 kilograms. His favorite fruit is grapes, and his favorite flower is a rose. He had an appendectomy when he was six. There are four people in his family, including a sister eight years younger. He graduated from Jinnan University with a major in dance and is good at painting and composing. He has a dog named Ruby. In short, he is an innocent, simple guy.”
Huo Junnian had not believed it, but as Jiang Ling listed Tang Qin’s details as if they were family treasures, he began to hesitate. He suddenly could not understand what the youth was thinking. He said with a deep frown, “Do you not know the relationship I had with him?”
“I know! That is why I was so angry at the company that time.” Jiang Ling’s tone dropped. But he quickly looked up and said with a sense of release, “But what can I do about it? I cannot change his past. The only things I can hold are the present and the future. Worrying about that would only add to my troubles. Honestly, if he did not have a sex life at his age, I would have to wonder if he had some issues in that area”
Although he was straying off topic, Jiang Ling took a secret peek at the man before quickly looking away. Perhaps because Jiang Ling had given him too many shocks tonight, Huo Junnian did not look particularly surprised by these bold statements. Jiang Ling saw no reaction and sighed. “Uncle, you might not believe this, but I actually lack confidence. I am afraid he will not like me.”
After saying this, he lowered his head in silence. He looked completely dejected, like someone who had lost their love before even confessing. His half wet hair clung to his cheeks, making him look inexplicably pitiful.
The study went silent. Suddenly, the dejected Jiang Ling moved. He hooked his fingers under the hem of his shirt. With a light pull, the damp school uniform came off easily. In the next second, the youth’s unrefined, jade like body was exposed to the man.
Jiang Ling looked up into Huo Junnian’s eyes, unabashedly exposing his body as he slowly approached. Outside, the rain continued to fall. Occasional gusts of wind brought fine mist into the room, leaving a slight chill on the skin. But that chill was not enough to extinguish the rising heat in the room. His youthful body, shaped by frequent basketball games, was covered in a thin layer of muscle. With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, the lines of his muscles were perfect, like a carved work of art.
The youth stood tall, his neck arched. The eyes that usually held a hint of rebellion had turned soft, like a newborn cub. He approached with a fearless posture. Huo Junnian was frozen in place, his mind going blank. The youth even boldly grabbed the man’s hand and placed it on his vibrant, youthful body. No words could describe the visual impact. At this moment, Jiang Ling felt like a young animal exposing its soft belly, an innate allure that was impossible to refuse.
Huo Junnian seemed captivated for a moment, which was why he did not withdraw his hand immediately. Jiang Ling’s gaze never left the man’s face; he did not miss even the slightest micro expression. He was observing his prey. This seemed to be his innate hunting instinct.
The moment the man’s cool fingertips touched his warm skin, a thin layer of goosebumps rose, and his body trembled uncontrollably. His lowered eyelashes flickered. Because he was so nervous, the muscles of his waist and abdomen rose and fell with every breath.
Jiang Ling cautiously looked up at the man’s expressionless face. He then lowered his head, steadied his breathing, and said in a shy, low voice, “I do not know if my type is popular in the circle. I am afraid people will think I am too young.
Uncle is the only one of my kind I can reach, so I want to know your opinion.”