The glass was refilled with strong liquor, and the cup soaking with a cigarette was pushed in front of Xue Bao Tian.
“Drink it, and I’ll give you a chance.”
“Tong Yan.” Yan Ye spoke first. His tone was gentle and smiling, yet the ending syllables were bitten down firmly enough that the warning beneath them was unmistakable. “You haven’t even started drinking yet, and you’re already drunk?”
Sheng Yu, who had been lounging on the sofa watching coldly the whole time, clicked his tongue as if joking around.
“Xiao Ye, not even calling him ‘Brother Tong’ anymore? That’s hardly appropriate.”
“Brother Tong?” Xue Bao Tian rolled the words around in his mouth for a while. After a long moment, the corner of his lips lifted into his trademark lazy yet malicious curve. “Yeah, it’s pretty damn inappropriate. Your Brother Tong is talking to me, so why the fuck are you interrupting?”
He picked up the cigarette pack on the table and shook out a cigarette, directly catching it between his lips. Pressing down the lighter, he habitually lowered his eyes and took a deep drag. When the flame went out, he casually removed the cigarette, and a stream of pale smoke slowly drifted upward, blurring the cold sharpness of his expression.
Lifting his lashes, Xue Bao Tian’s gaze slowly swept across Tong Yan and Sheng Yu before he suddenly laughed.
“You two really are a perfect match. Looks like the Matchmaker God’s trash sorting skills are pretty damn accurate.”
Before anyone could get angry, he swiftly wiped the smile from his face and said coldly:
“Mr. Tong remembered wrong. This isn’t how the drink was done back then.”
Tong Yan’s brows furrowed. Thinking Xue Bao Tian was trying to back out, he was just about to argue when he saw Xue Bao Tian flick his fingers and neatly snap the freshly lit cigarette—barely smoked twice—into the liquor glass.
The crimson ember at the tip was instantly extinguished by the alcohol. The two cigarettes crossed inside the glass like an X, while bubbles rose upward together with pale gray ash floating atop the liquor. Just looking at it was revolting.
“Now that’s correct.”
As soon as the words fell, Xue Bao Tian lifted the glass to his lips and drained the entire cup of hard liquor soaked with two cigarettes and floating ash in a single gulp!
Tong Yan failed to hide his shock and let out a startled, “You—!” His eyes followed the descending glass, staring fixedly at the empty cup with the crossed cigarettes inside.
Sheng Yu raised his brows slightly and gave a half-smiling, half-amused “Oh?” as if watching a show.
Only Yan Ye remained silent from beginning to end. When he heard the glass hit the table, he finally loosened the fingers he’d clenched pale white and quietly handed over a sheet of tissue.
Xue Bao Tian didn’t take it. Instead, he wiped the moisture from the corner of his lips with his thumb and looked at Tong Yan.
“Mr. Tong, I drank this to repay what I owed you, not because I’m begging anyone. And even if I really were begging, I wouldn’t beg your… boyfriend. So you can relax.”
He casually pulled out another cigarette and stuck it between his lips, then kicked Yan Ye beside him.
“Move. I’m going outside for a smoke.”
Inside the restroom wash area, Xue Bao Tian leaned lazily against the wall. The unlit cigarette rested between his fingers, occasionally tapping against the wall and scattering tiny flecks of tobacco.
“I thought you wouldn’t drink it.”
The cool, clear voice echoed sharply within the enclosed space.
Xue Bao Tian tilted his head slightly and saw Tong Yan standing at the doorway. His gaze swept lightly over him. He clearly saw him, yet acted as though he hadn’t. Slowly and unhurriedly, he lowered his eyes to light his cigarette. Only after a long while did he deign to answer:
“Last time, I also thought you wouldn’t drink it.”
Tong Yan walked over to wash his hands. The face reflected in the mirror carried cold disdain.
“Didn’t you say my friend’s medicine could only enter Ruixiang for sale if I drank it?”
Xue Bao Tian scoffed.
“That’s right. I wanted to deal with your friend. Do you even know the shit he did? Fucking two-faced bastard, acting one way in front of people and another behind their backs. I was dealing with him, so why were you charging in front of him? Your own ancestral graves probably don’t even have anyone crying over them and you’re out here mourning random mass graves instead. You’re fucking idle. Your name’s Tong Yan, right? Giant fucking words for a brainless person. Master Xue offered you that drink so you’d learn when to advance and when to back off in the future.”
“…You!”
“What, me?” Xue Bao Tian tapped ash from his cigarette, biting it crookedly between his lips. “I drank that cup today not because I was afraid of you. It’s because you’re at least loyal enough to your friends. Problem is, you’re fucking blind and treat everyone like a friend. Now we’re even. Don’t keep yapping in front of me anymore.”
Tong Yan had never in his life been verbally shredded so viciously. He opened his mouth, yet had no idea how to retaliate. He’d never had a red-faced screaming match with anyone before. Yet twice now he’d completely lost face because of the same man standing before him.
The reflection in the mirror flushed red with anger before turning pale again. Tong Yan viciously threw the hand towel into the trash bin and turned to leave.
Yet just as he pulled open the door, he heard Xue Bao Tian call after him.
“Hey, you actually think of Sheng Yu as your boyfriend?”
Tong Yan turned back, his face black as a pot bottom.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You two aren’t just fuck buddies?”
“I’m not that casual!”
Xue Bao Tian cursed softly and pointed at Tong Yan’s eyes with the cigarette between his fingers.
“If you gouged those two eyeballs out and stomped on them, they’d at least make some noise. Sitting on your face, they’re just decorations.”
Tong Yan’s pleasant voice cracked from rage.
“Xue Bao Tian, there’s a reason you ended up ruined. Heaven finally opened its eyes!”
The door slammed shut with a loud bang, its echoes lingering for a long time.
Xue Bao Tian extinguished his cigarette, lowered his head, and exhaled the final mouthful of smoke.
“I’m fucking idle too. Why the hell do I care about him?”
His head felt a little dizzy. The liquor earlier had been extremely strong—normally something used as a base alcohol for mixing. Yet he’d downed a full glass. Even with his alcohol tolerance, it had been pushing it.
He walked to the sink intending to splash some water on his face and sober up a little, only to hear the restroom door open again.
Turning around, he saw Yan Ye. The man had placed a “Cleaning in Progress” sign outside before locking the door behind him.
Leaning against the sink counter, Xue Bao Tian’s tone was as cold as autumn wind.
“What, General Manager Yan planning to fuck me here?”
Yan Ye walked closer and wrapped both arms around Xue Bao Tian’s waist, carefully studying his expression.
“Feeling unwell? Because of the drink earlier?”
Seeing him avert his eyes, Yan Ye brushed his hair back, revealing his sharp handsome features.
“Master Xue’s unhappy? Because I didn’t stop you from drinking that?”
Xue Bao Tian looked at Yan Ye like he was an idiot, then smacked his lips thoughtfully and lifted his chin.
“Go ahead. Tell me why you didn’t stop me.”
Yan Ye’s fingers rubbed gently through Xue Bao Tian’s hair as he murmured softly:
“The conflict between you and Brother Tong obviously wasn’t anything major. I could tell from the fact you barely remembered who he was. Besides, Brother Tong’s simple-minded. He doesn’t have any bad intentions. He was probably just upset because he felt wronged by you before and wanted to get some payback.”
Xue Bao Tian brushed away the hand in his hair and shoved him.
“Brother Tong? Calling him so affectionately. Feeling sorry for him?”
Yan Ye shamelessly moved close again, bracing both hands against the sink and trapping Xue Bao Tian between his arms.
“I’m not feeling sorry for him. The main thing is, Master Xue clearly wanted to turn hostility into peace. If I’d sensed even the slightest unwillingness from you, I would’ve flipped the whole table before letting you drink that.”
Xue Bao Tian stared at Yan Ye for a long while before suddenly tilting his head with a grin.
“Little idiot. You’re actually pretty good at reading the room. Right now, I’d rather avoid trouble whenever possible. I can’t let Sheng Yu use Tong Yan as a weapon against me. Besides, someone like Tong Yan isn’t worth arguing with. His whole family line’s probably been playing the erhu for five generations. Finally grew eyes this generation, and there’s still fucking side effects.”
The way Xue Bao Tian cursed endlessly made Yan Ye love him to death. He shamelessly kissed behind his ear.
“Tired? Let’s go home.”
“I’ve been waiting forever. What the fuck were you doing?”
Yan Ye paused briefly before replying:
“Sheng Yu dragged me into having a drink.”
Within Yan Ye’s gentle eyes, Xue Bao Tian sharply caught a trace of coldness. Hooking a finger beneath the man’s chin, he asked:
“What happened?”
After Xue Bao Tian left the table, Yan Ye had indeed been dragged into drinking by Sheng Yu.
“Xiao Ye, sit down first. I want to ask you something.” When Yan Ye tried making excuses, Sheng Yu added, “It’s about Xue Bao Tian.”
The private room door closed, cutting off Yan Ye’s line of sight. He turned toward Sheng Yu.
“What do you want to ask?”
“Why help him? Every year, how many people across the country get swindled out of their savings? And how many ever recover the money? You can’t seriously be betting everything on him, right? Thinking that if you help him now, he’ll repay you after getting the money back?”
A gentle smile curved Yan Ye’s lips.
“Brother, you know I don’t have many friends. He counts as one. When someone’s fallen into hardship, I can’t just ignore it.”
“Friend? What kind of friend? A bed friend?”
The question sounded casual. Yan Ye’s hand holding the wine bottle only paused briefly before amber liquor slowly poured into the glass. Once filled, he pushed it toward Sheng Yu.
“Brother, you’re an expert when it comes to tracking and surveillance. I know nothing can really be hidden from you.”
“You’re still young. Too playful.” Sheng Yu finished speaking earnestly before smiling with hidden meaning. “Still, Ruixiang’s Crown Prince—good-looking, explosive temper, and probably pretty damn exciting in bed too, huh? That’s fresh.”
Yan Ye was pouring himself another drink. Hearing that, he slowly lifted his head.
Under the dim lighting of the private room, his lowered lashes, high nose bridge, and pale lips all looked gentle at first glance, yet every line of his features concealed a sharp, icy edge.
The stream of liquor pouring into the glass never stopped, just like the steadiness of Yan Ye’s voice.
“Brother, some things can be desired. Others can’t even be touched.”
Sheng Yu’s crossed foot swayed lightly.
“You like him that much?”
Yan Ye pushed the filled glass toward Sheng Yu. After the man took it, he tapped his own glass against Sheng Yu’s. The crisp sound made Sheng Yu frown slightly.
He saw it clearly—during the toast, Yan Ye’s glass had deliberately remained half an inch higher than his own.
Any man familiar with drinking tables understood the meaning. Yan Ye was using his status within Yanyue to suppress him.
“Not really love,” Yan Ye said after draining his glass in one gulp, deliberately leaving the empty cup tilted toward Sheng Yu as he waited for him to finish his own drink. “But nobody else is allowed to touch him.”
Near year’s end, there were still huge piles of documents waiting for Yan Ye’s signature. Even if he was merely rubber-stamping procedures, Sheng Yu still didn’t want open conflict at such a sensitive time. Suppressing his anger, he raised the glass and downed it in one motion.
The burning alcohol hit his throat, and he frowned instantly. Reaching for the bottle beside him, he checked the label and finally realized—it was the same strongest liquor Tong Yan had poured earlier for Xue Bao Tian.
By the time Sheng Yu set the glass down, Yan Ye was already standing to leave, once more wearing that same mild and gentle expression.
“Brother, enjoy yourselves. You know I don’t like staying up late, so I’ll head out first.”
A drop of water fell from the gold-plated faucet with a crisp sound, snapping Yan Ye back to the present.
The space between his arms tightened again until his body nearly pressed fully against Xue Bao Tian’s. He answered the earlier question at last:
“Nothing serious. Just testing and pressuring each other. Let’s go home.”
With both hands in his pockets, Xue Bao Tian sauntered toward the door. The long narrow line of his brows curled into a disdainful arc as he glanced back at Yan Ye.
“You’re not going to say goodbye to your Brother Tong before leaving? Calling him ‘Brother Tong’ every other sentence. Your mouth’s sweet as fuck.”
His fingers had just touched the door lock when he was suddenly yanked backward into a broad warm chest. Yan Ye’s laughing voice brushed against his ear.
“I spent the whole night wondering what Master Xue was angry about. Turns out it was all because of that ‘Brother Tong.’”
“You’re overthinking it, General Manager Yan.” Xue Bao Tian grabbed Yan Ye’s face and turned it toward the mirror. “Take a look at yourself. Looking this fucking dog-like, and you still want to play out scenes from romance dramas?”
“Fuck, what the hell are you doing—!”
Before he could finish speaking, Xue Bao Tian was suddenly lifted forcefully onto the sink counter. Startled, he looked up and met Yan Ye’s burning gaze.
Shit.
Alarm bells instantly rang inside Xue Bao Tian’s head. This damn dog had gone overboard again.
Half angry and half exasperated, he snapped:
“What the fuck did I even do?! Why are you suddenly worked up again? Which sentence did I say wrong? I can take it back and say it again if you want. Yan Ye, you promised me you wouldn’t lose control outside!”
Yan Ye pulled him tightly into his arms. Fingers hardened from years of gripping clubs and knives pinched Xue Bao Tian’s chin as he leaned in close, breathing in the air from his lips.
“Was it because of ‘Brother Tong’? If you don’t like hearing me call him that, then I won’t anymore.”
Terrified Yan Ye would stop acting human again, Xue Bao Tian gritted his teeth and coaxed him in a lowered voice:
“It’s not that I dislike it. General Manager Yan can call him whatever you want. You could even call your sister-in-law ‘baby’ for all I care. It’s not worth me bothering about.”
“Baby?”
At this moment, Yan Ye only heard what he wanted to hear. Something about those two words tugged strangely at his heartstrings. His mind blanked for two seconds before he finally asked:
“Two Hundred… you want me to call you baby?”
“!!!”
Xue Bao Tian was stunned for a full several seconds. Countless curses surged through his mind all at once until he didn’t even know which one to yell first.
“Fuck your mother, Yan Ye! If you were just messing with me here, Master Xue might still consider sparing your dog life. But if you actually call me that, I’m fucking killing you!”
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