CH 5

In An Wuyang’s mind, two bottles of Louis XIII were automatically converted into one thousand two hundred Yuan. His usually cautious liver became wildly excited once more. Only that, things such as a free lunch in this world would come seldomly, sometimes, or not at all. 

Suppose he rejected the offer by saying no this time. In that case, he’d be slapping the customer in the face for being disrespectful and petty. And if he gave them what they wanted, An Wuyang could simply add the other’s phone number to his phone’s blocklist, incurring no loss.

“Oh.” With a wicked tripe idea forming in his mind just to brave the dangers, An Wuyang obediently took out his mobile phone and exchanged numbers with Huo Yunchuan.

“Give it to me.” A hand reached out and grabbed his cellphone. Fair and slender fingers briefly covered the screen’s surface. Then those nimble tips started flying accurately and quickly, registering his mobile phone number and dialling his number once he was done.

“All right,” Huo Yunchuan said, handing An Wuyang’s phone back to him. “Let’s order now.”

When the girls in the room saw An Wuyang pick up the machine to place an order, they envied his good fortune because they, too, wished to have two bottles of Louis XII on hand and a commission of 1,200 Yuan.

“Ji Shao, will two bottles of Louis XIII suffice for tonight?” The woman sitting beside Ji Mingjue wondered aloud coquettishly, emphasizing her pretty face even more.

{T/N: 姑娘 gū niang – girl; young woman, it could also be an ambiguous term to call a lady who provides special service}

Ji Mingjue raised his hand, pinched her lovely face between his thumb and forefinger, and chirped, “These brothers are happy tonight, so drink all you want.  However, how much you can consume is entirely dependent on your ability.”

The guniang named Xiaotu was overjoyed, but only for a few moments. After An Wuyang finished placing the order, she energetically flung her hand up and exclaimed: “I don’t want Louis XIII. Xiao An help me ask for a bottle of XO.”

In situations like this, one must be tactful to conduct themselves with integrity in whatever they do, rather than simply opening one’s mouth when they want something.

Ji Mingjue, on the other hand, snuffed out her dreams with the words, “Hey, what XO? If one has already made up their mind for Louis XIII, then all will drink Louis XIII.”

The pretty little rabbit seated beside Ji Mingjue had been waiting for an opportunity to kiss him all night, but it never came. So she just smiled sweetly and said, “Thank you, Young Master Ji. I love you the most.”

When she saw this scene, the girl accompanying Jiang Shao Fei squirmed restlessly and yearned to act cute. She exhaled and said, “Jiang Shao, this xiaojie also wants a bottle.”

{T/N: 蒋少: Jiang Shao –  蒋: surname ;  少: young} 

A 10,000 outlay for a bottle of foreign wine was insignificant.  Jiang Shao Fei’s family specialized in the export business, and this tiny amount was absolutely worth nothing to pay attention to: “Whatever you wanna drink, then drink as much as you like.”

The girl bit her lower lip, she turned her envious eyes away as they glistened, and she declined to order the second bottle.

The most miserable person in the private box was the girl whom Huo Yunchuan rejected at the beginning. Although she chose to sit closer to Chen Chu, she didn’t dare act like a coquettish baby to him. 

Chen Chu, who was known for being notoriously gentle and kind, took the initiative to offer her a bottle of wine, contrary to the girl’s expectations.

“Thank you, Chen Shao.” The girl’s heavy heart was instantly lifted by this kind act, so she wouldn’t be laughed at later by other sisters.

Seriously, Brother Quan would be the one who’s going to laugh to death tonight. The boy he’s rooting for, An Wuyang, just solely sold two bottles of Louis XIII without much effort.

The entire box just bummed up to a hundred thousand yuan.

“Excuse me, everyone, do you want anything else?” An Wuyang looked down at the list he had on hand and was astonished by the guests in this box. They really were arrogantly wealthy. 

The gentlemen inside the box exchanged glances and naturally conversed without using words to convey their message. After a few seconds, they all shook their heads.

Then, Huo Yunchuan spoke, “Bring up a can of milk, a big one.”

The people inside the box had grown numb to his odd behaviour and speech by now, but it didn’t spare them from being taken aback once again by his sudden request for milk. “What, no, Yunchuan, all of us are going to drink, and isn’t it unfair for him to drink milk?”

Huo Yunchuan shot him a pair of dangerously half-lidded eyes and asked, “Didn’t you say he’s only eighteen years old? Would it be appropriate to let him drink alcohol?”

“Ai? Since he’s a friend you know and would also be playing with us, how could you dampen his spirits?” Ji Mingjue objected.

“Hold on,” Jiang Shao Fei said, raising his hand. “He can drink milk as well, but if he loses a game later, you must fill in for him and drink his wine so that we can all agree on him drinking milk.”

Chen Chu clapped his hands once, expressing his agreement. “This is a good idea. I support it. How about it, Yunchuan, do you dare?”

Huo Yunchuan first looked around at the people seated in a semi-circular formation, then nodded and said, “All right.”

An Wuyang pursed his lips tightly next to Yunchuan, realizing there was no way he could butt in the conversation. However… he’d be fine if someone helped him drink his fill.

‘But for what reason did this man beside him agree to do this?’

An Wuyang didn’t believe that their night of casual romance could make their relationship blossom into a profound friendship.

He just thought it’d be too good for him to open two bottles of wine tonight.

When the girls accompanying the other young masters learned that Huo Yunchuan would gladly assist An Wuyang in withholding the wine, their faces darkened. The witty little rabbit immediately intervened, wanting him to make a mistake. “Now that the wine hasn’t arrived yet, how about we sing a song?”

She smiled and chanted as her gaze wandered around the crowd, deciding who would be the first to sing. Eventually, as if by chance, her vision came to a halt on An Wuyang’s figure. “Brother An, can you sing or not?”

Not long after she asked this, several pairs of amused eyes looked at An Wuyang.

In fact, they found singing dull and shallow. They didn’t enjoy singing or listening to others sing, but their topic of interest was different. Huo Yunchuan’s desired person appeared to be amusing.

“Do you enjoy singing?” Huo Yunchuan inquired softly.

Listening to An Wuyang sing meant he was also allowing himself to be mocked. He said dryly,  “Contrary to what you might expect, I know a few songs, but it’s not suitable for singing.”

“Why?” Chen Chu inquired, perplexed.

Maintaining the grim expression he had just pulled off, An Wuyang replied: “I can only sing two tigers and twinkle, twinkle little star.”

“Pfft—” Ji Mingjue sprayed the wine he had just drunk from his glass once more. “God fucking twinkle twinkling…Then you sing one.”

Jiang Shaofei echoed, “Sing.”

Chen Chu observed Huo Yunchuan’s expression but did not dare express his thoughts.

The microphone was already tightly gripped in An Wuyang’s hand at this point, and the little rabbit went out to play the song.

“…” An Wuyang blushed. He knew that if this song was sung, everyone in the box would have to laugh until they were out of breath, but it is difficult to get away from the tiger once you have strode it. All he could do was bite the bullet and sing. 

“Uh…can you give me some leeway? It’s too embarrassing for adults to sing this song, so can I not sing instead? “

As soon as he listened to the prelude, his entire body burned with shame, and he couldn’t let out the lyrics.

If the sentence he just awkwardly declared came from someone else, then none of the people in this expensive box would buy it.

The problem was that An Wuyang, who was only eighteen at the time, appeared to be both attractive and adorably innocent. The way he used that sophisticated mature voice to address himself as an adult was so endearing that people couldn’t help but be amused.

“It’s okay if you don’t sing; we’ll just have to use the adults’ way of solving the problem,” Ji Mingjue said, flashing a grin. And everyone knew right away that what he’d say next would be nothing good.

“Well, you take the initiative to talk and kiss Yunchuan, and your older brothers will let you off the hook.”

This request… Chen Chu and Jiang Shaofei raised their eyebrows, putting even more pressure on An Wuyang.

“Do you dare to play such a big game?” Despite their apprehension about settling accounts with Huo Yunchuan, they looked forward to seeing how the event unfolds.

Ji Mingjue was equally terrified but eager to participate in the show. He was not sure if Huo Yunchuan would kill him after this.

“…then I want to ask clearly—” An Wuyang drew everyone’s attention with his booming voice “—should I do it like a dragonfly just skimming the surface of the water, or do it loudly?”

‘Isn’t he the one with the microphone?’ The words he had just spoken aloud echoed around the decent sized box.

The youth’s clear and crisp voice was out of the ordinary, and it’s too fresh and youthful to be imitated by greasy middle-aged people.

The few old men, who had read countless people in their lives, cast sidelong glances at each other. Not to mention Huo Yunchuan, who had been in an intimate kinship with the teenager not long ago, became numbed from ear-piercing shock as the teenager’s voice perceived in his sharp hearing flew him into an unspeakable place.

“Ah…” Ji Mingjue was secretly envious of Huo Yunchuan’s yanfu, so he concealed it with a wink: “It’s only natural for you to do it loudly; what’s the point of gliding the surface and not going deeper? Might as well sing instead.”

{T/N: 1. 艳福 yàn fú – luck with women || 2. 蜻蜓点水 qīng tíng diǎn shuǐ – (lit.) the dragonfly touches the water lightly; superficial contact (idiom)}

An Wuyang thought about it as he reclined his mouth on one side. Singing nursery rhymes or playing with handsome guys and getting to kiss one, he couldn’t decide which was the safest bet.

Huo Yunchuan leaned back on the sofa, waiting for the teenager to make a decision. Not only did he adjust his posture on purpose, but he also adjusted his low-key sporadic breathing and state of mind to calm himself down.

The other hand, which wasn’t used to caress An Wuyang’s waist, was resting on the sofa’s armrest, slender fingers softly tapping the slightly stiff leather.

The moment the teenager put down the tortured microphone in his hand, he closed his eyes slightly. 

“I still choose not to sing,” An Wuyang said as he twisted and propped himself up on the sofa, raising his head only to find Huo Yunchuan’s lips on his.

When the faint sweet fruity fragrance finally came to his lips, Huo Yunchuan didn’t hesitate to claim it wholly. 

“Really…” the onlookers were struck dumb by the unexpected action of both of their comrade and guest, and some even whistled. Then someone jolted out of his stupor and said, “Yunchuan, you bird, he’s only eighteen years old and still a student…”

In fact, it didn’t take long. It lasted roughly about ten seconds.

But it was enough for An Wuyang, who felt that every aspect of him had been highly regarded by the other party, to realize that this man was truly deserving of the moniker he had bestowed upon Huo Yunchuan. Because he’d always be an animal.

Following a bang,  An Wuyang was itching to get away from Huo Yunchuan right away.

A waiter entered the room and served their wine, snacks and other refreshments, and of course, Wuyang’s can of milk. 

“Open the milk first, and pour him a glass.”

Huo Yunchuan’s unusually deep voice rendered the waiter speechless.

When the waiter heard this, he picked up a can of milk and a glass and poured the milk into it without a single spill. 

At room temperature, seven minutes had passed steadily.

“Thank you…” the young man said, his face turning a deep red as he accepted the glass of milk in front of everyone’s smirking eyes.

Rationally, he knew that abstaining from alcoholic beverages was a good thing indeed. On the other hand, he couldn’t accept the mockery of him drinking milk on an emotional level.

“There are cherries here; do you want some?” Huo Yunchuan’s actions appeared courteous and attentive, but his expressions and tone remained dull and cold, despite the fact that he had just kissed someone.

“Thank you, and I can do it myself,” An Wuyang said, picking up a small branch of a large, vividly coloured black-red, watery cherry and popping it into his mouth. When he bit into it, the sweet juice instantly invaded his mouth, staining the insides with its rich flavour. Wuyang was immediately smitten by the taste of this ridiculously expensive fruit.

An Wuyang didn’t seem to notice that the way he ate elicited a sensual aura, and a soft, warm gaze was transfixed intensely on his lips as he savoured the fruit. The man couldn’t help but think about how those lips felt more delicate and more flavorful than the cherries themselves as he watched the cherry juice dye the two petals.

Huo Yunchuan shifted his gaze away from the tease and tugged on his tie once more.

He also picked up a cherry and chucked it in his mouth to hide his gaffe.

The only information that could reveal his actual emotional state was the way the sexy Adam’s apple darted above the collar.

Meanwhile, the girls began to pour the wine and set up the dice cups, implying to play dice.

The game piqued An Wuyang’s interest. He set down the milk he’d been holding the entire time, leaned over, and asked, “How do I play this?”

For a brief moment, Huo Yunchuan was taken aback. He reasoned that a person who had spent years in the night market was unlikely to not understand or hadn’t heard of the dice game unless he was indeed not.

“I’ll teach you,” he said, taking the dice from the table and showing An Wuyang how. The rest of the people in the room stood by idly and ate and drank while Yunchuan finished teaching.

However, An Wuyang was quite stupid. When they finished teaching, he felt like he was in the clouds and mist, so he shook his head and said, “It’s too complicated.”

Huo Yunchuan: “…”

“Hahaha.” Ji Mingjue stumbled on his seat as he laughed. They all knew that Huo Yunchuan disliked stupid people.

Then Chen Chu relieved his siege and said, “You can learn it as you play, and Yunchuan is by your side to supervise. Are you afraid we won’t be able to bully you?”

Huo Yunchuan gave An Wuyang a wary look and nodded. “Yes. Anyway, in case I lose, I’ll still drink milk.”

“Hahaha,” this time it was Jiang Shaofei who remarked: “Yunchuan, you’ve picked a nice piece of sweet baggage. I could now, at last, see you get beaten down and drunk at the end.”

Huo Yunchuan took a sip of his wine, looking very condescendingly defiant. 

Ji Mingjue gave him a thumbs up and said, “Okay, you’re crazy enough.” Seeing Huo Yunchuan behaving like this reminded them of their childhood and younger frivolous days when studying in  N years ago.