“Cappuccino?”
This one sold well in the shop.
Breathing in the dry air inside the store, Wen Ying’s voice gradually shed its dullness.
“Sure.”
He took out his money, counted it, and handed it to Qu Huo, his tone still carrying a faint trace of lazy weariness.
The drinks at the coffee shop were pricey, but they counted as affordable within Cherry Alley. An occasional splurge was something Wen Ying could still manage.
“By the way, what’s this shop called?”
While sitting near the counter waiting for his coffee, Wen Ying asked Qu Huo on a whim.
The cursive lettering on the wooden sign by the door was far too flamboyant Wen Ying could only vaguely make out that it was in a foreign language.
“l’aube.”
The heart-shaped latte art settled neatly into form as Qu Huo took a moment to answer his question.
“In French, it should mean ‘dawn.'”
“Dawn?” Wen Ying grew curious. “Is there some deeper meaning behind it?”
“Don’t know.”
Qu Huo answered honestly: “I never asked.”
A very Qu Huo-style answer.
A strange, pragmatic doer who lacked curiosity.
“Oh.”
Wen Ying immediately lost interest.
Steam curled up from the coffee, and the earbuds in his ears played review material he needed to study.
The young man propped his chin on his hand, watching raindrops fall outside the window.
Before long, Qu Huo walked over to him, bent down, and set the coffee on the table.
By etiquette, he should have said “enjoy your drink.”
Wen Ying’s gaze shifted away from the cornflowers on the flower shop sign across the street.
He thought, drifting and picky.
“Enjoy.”
Qu Huo’s voice was calm, like the autumn rain that had fallen for three straight days without damaging a single petal.
Just as expected.
Wen Ying said a reserved thank you.
In the end, he couldn’t tell whether the coffee was good or not.
A barely-adult teenager was too sensitive to bitterness to really enjoy coffee.
Not too bitter.
That was the best compliment he could give this cup.
He stayed in the shop for over an hour, during which only four customers came in.
Wen Ying worried that if business stayed this dismal, the coffee shop might close its doors someday in the future.
When the fourth customer left, his long-silent phone finally began vibrating violently loud enough that even Qu Huo noticed the noise and glanced his way.
Scanning the messages, Wen Ying stood up with his bag and pulled the nearly-dry raincoat back on.
The wind chime by the door jingled.
“Please come again.”
Qu Huo recited the customary farewell mechanically.
“Don’t go near the Lantern Bar area.”
Wen Ying had one foot already stepping into the rain when he suddenly turned around, looking at Qu Huo seriously.
At that moment, Qu Huo was polishing a glass until it was spotless.
“Thanks, I understand.”
He kept his head lowered, then asked softly: “Is the reason you came to Cherry Alley related to your warning to me?”
This time, it was no longer the attitude of a shopkeeper to a customer his words carried much more familiarity.
“Sort of.”
Wen Ying was surprised by his proactive questioning, but he didn’t dislike it.
This was his last warning to Qu Huo. He hoped he’d take it to heart.
He had no patience for a third reminder.
The young man’s figure vanished completely into the mist of rain.
Inside the shop, Qu Huo watched thoughtfully as he grew more distant.
At the entrance of Cherry Alley.
“You’re here?”
Under the cherry blossom tree, Huo Jueyue leaned against the trunk with an umbrella, tilting his head up in a show of aloofness.
But the corners of his mouth, curling up wildly, had already betrayed him.
“Yeah.” Wen Ying responded flatly, keeping a two-meter distance from him. “Let’s go.”
“Hey, why’d you suddenly agree to come?”
Huo Jueyue didn’t move, a glint of triumphant glee hidden in his eyes, his tone teasing: “Weren’t you unwilling before?”
Yesterday, he’d lost control again and invited Wen Ying once more on the goose app.
Unexpectedly, he’d gotten a positive answer from Wen Ying.
He was willing to help him.
Ha, men.
So Wen Ying’s earlier resistance was just playing hard to get.
No one could resist the charm of Young Master Huo!
Seeing him start to get cocky, Wen Ying’s already sour expression turned even colder.
The young man turned to leave without a word, scaring the posturing Huo Jueyue into frantically grabbing the corner of his raincoat.
“I won’t say anything else.”
He wagged his tail, trailing behind Wen Ying like a puppy: “Don’t be mad.”
Wen Ying looked at him coldly.
“How about I swear to you?”
Huo Jueyue quickly raised four fingers: “If I run my mouth again, may lightning strike me dead.”
You shouldn’t make that kind of vow on a rainy day.
His gaze slowly dropped, and Wen Ying’s lips moved slightly.
“Let go of me.”
The pain of nearly being thrown over someone’s shoulder was still fresh in his memory. Huo Jueyue shuddered and quickly released Wen Ying’s raincoat.
Wen Ying’s pace slowed, and his expression improved a bit: “Let’s get this straight I’m only responsible for getting you inside.”
“Deal!”
“Keep up.” Wen Ying changed direction, heading toward the Lantern Bar not far away.
The wind picked up, and he pulled his wide hood lower, covering the upper half of his face.
Huo Jueyue scrambled to follow.
The little shorty was mad.
But even when mad, he was cute.
Huo Jueyue thought aimlessly, staying obediently silent.
Halfway there, he finally mustered some courage: “Wen Ying.”
Three steps ahead of him, Wen Ying didn’t stop walking.
“You’re not cold to everyone, clearly.” Huo Jueyue’s chest was tight with dissatisfaction.
He had seen Wen Ying give Richard candy, smile at Gu Xiche, and even show a pleasant face to Si Haoxing.
And he had interactions with the monster sitting by the back door of the classroom.
Why did he have to keep him at arm’s length?
“It was what Young Master Huo said before the semester started to stay away from you.”
A raindrop landed on the tip of his nose, and Wen Ying rubbed it uncomfortably.
“It’s only been half a month since school started.”
What was merely a physical reflex was mistaken by Huo Jueyue for nervousness.
Huo Jueyue’s heart churned with agitation as he retorted dryly, “Well, you still can’t treat this young master like that.”
Wen Ying ignored his unreasonable tantrum.
After walking another dozen meters, Huo Jueyue spoke again, his voice as faint as a mosquito’s hum.
“Actually, we could be friends.”
Or even take it a step further that would be fine too.
Wen Ying finally turned his head, but the words that left his lips were still merciless: “Young Master Huo surely isn’t short of good brothers.”
Yeah, brothers.
Huo Jueyue grew increasingly dazed and fell silent.
Like him, Wen Ying was a man.
But how could a man, with just a single look, damnably tug at his heart?
The closer they got to the Red Lantern Bar, the more students there were in small groups.
“Strange, why isn’t it in pairs?” Huo Jueyue muttered quietly behind.
But Wen Ying, ahead of him, curled his lips slightly.
The original rule of the game required arriving in pairs to enter the masquerade party.
But now, the rules of the game had been changed.
“Young Master Huo.”
The doorman recognized Huo Jueyue and greeted him eagerly.
“You really came today, as expected.”
Huo Jueyue didn’t look at him, but instead at Wen Ying beside him.
Wen Ying stood even farther away from him.
Once bitten, twice shy he instinctively reached out to touch Wen Ying, but Wen Ying dodged politely and imperceptibly.
“Go on in, Young Master Huo.” Wen Ying showed the warmest smile of the entire trip.
But that smile was directed at everyone, not at Huo Jueyue.
“I’ve already delivered you here.”
“You’re not coming in with me?”
Huo Jueyue asked in surprise.
“I was going to, but this morning I found out the bar had changed its rules on short notice.”
Wen Ying pointed at the small blackboard nearby, where the bottom line reading “Entry requires bringing a partner” had been erased.
“Young Master Huo has no use for me anymore.”
Huo Jueyue stared wide-eyed, reading it twice, then looked at the attending doorman.
He had gotten up too late and hadn’t noticed the shop’s new announcement at all.
The doorman nodded, confirming Wen Ying’s guess: “The owner changed the rule on short notice and sent out text messages last night to notify all customers who have previously dined here.”
Because he was constantly receiving confession texts, Huo Jueyue almost never checked his messages.
He hastily opened the mountain of unread messages and indeed found one from the Red Lantern Bar.
He was left speechless.
The atmosphere suddenly turned heavy, clashing with the joyful surroundings.
Huo Jueyue looked at Wen Ying with a pleading gaze.
Since you’re already here, let’s go in together.
He didn’t actually want to go to the bar he just wanted to stay with Wen Ying.
For a moment, Huo Jueyue wanted to bare his innermost feelings directly to Wen Ying.
Wen Ying simply stood there: “If Young Master Huo has nothing else, I’ll be on my way.”
He had never planned to attend some boring party, nor had he prepared a suit.
Faced with his innocent and carefree demeanor, Huo Jueyue’s prepared words were choked back hard.
“Goodbye.”
The proud Young Master Huo lowered his head and reluctantly slipped into the noisy bar.
“Noble young sir, won’t you go in with Young Master Huo?”
The attendant looked at Wen Ying, who remained rooted in place, his smile cloyingly warm.
A few days prior, their owner had received a message from the Huo family’s head steward, Wang.
Steward Wang had only made a small request to change the rules, and as businessmen, they would naturally do their best to oblige.
The message said two distinguished guests would be coming this must be the other one.
“No need.”
Wen Ying’s peripheral vision caught sight of the tables and chairs under the bar’s eaves.
Because it was raining outside, no precious young master or miss was sitting beneath the eaves.
They wouldn’t let a single drop of rain touch their clothes.
An idea struck Wen Ying.
“It’s too stuffy inside. I’d like to sit there for a while.”
He had promised the Huo family he would keep an eye on Huo Jueyue, and he would fulfill that promise.
This spot allowed him to observe Huo Jueyue’s movements inside the bar, was inconspicuous, and kept him from being tied to Huo Jueyue’s side.
Once he took some photos and videos for Steward Wang, his task would be complete.
“Very well, follow me.”
The attendant quickly pulled the table and chairs out to a spot sheltered from the rain.
The lively music and laughter drifted into Wen Ying’s ears. He pulled a glass candy from his bag, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth.
Then, under the attendant’s astonished gaze, Wen Ying pulled out a small booklet.
And began memorizing vocabulary.
[Little Highness, you needn’t worry too much about the monthly exam results.]
The “gentleman” couldn’t help but say.
[Since you’re out and about, take some time to relax it’s good for your spirits.]
Otherwise, given how tense His Highness the Young Prince is right now, it’s hard to say when would be a good time to bring out the second volume for him to read.
Because the content of the second volume is far more explosive than the first.
“I know.”
Wen Ying said he knew, but only buried his head even lower.
He didn’t have the heart to tell the gentleman that he was actually a bit afraid of places like bars and discos.
Because he had never been to them before, he felt extremely ill at ease being there.
But admitting that he was eighteen and still afraid of going to a bar would be a bit embarrassing to say out loud.
To banish these distracting thoughts, Wen Ying recited with even more fervor.
Hateful bar!