Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Wu Xia asked him to go to the living room to play for a while, but he refused. He insisted on following into the kitchen even to wash dishes or chop scallions, saying he wanted to learn cooking. Wu Xia, afraid of dirtying his clothes, gave him an apron.

Ling Sheng found it amusing, leaning against the sofa watching Jiang Chen awkwardly helping out. The apron was one that came free when buying soy sauce, with a tacky logo printed on it. And Jiang Chen was so tall, the apron was clearly too small, making him look a bit comical. His hands, usually accustomed to holding a pen, were clumsy with the knife. Chopping scallions, he furrowed his brows tightly, looking completely serious. The more Ling Sheng watched, the more amusing he found it.

They had bought a lot of ingredients, and Wu Xia was very grateful, so he made four dishes and a soup, a very lavish spread. After tasting it, Jiang Chen had to admit Wu Xia’s cooking skills were indeed excellent. Watching Ling Sheng chat with Wu Xia while eating, Jiang Chen vowed in his heart to learn to cook as well.

He would make food even better than Wu Xia’s!!!

On the way back after dinner, Jiang Chen was still pondering the matter of cooking. Seeing him unhappy, Ling Sheng asked, “What’s wrong? Still upset about the grocery shopping?”

Jiang Chen wasn’t petty, and this was just a small matter, so his mood had already passed. But hearing Ling Sheng ask, he still said, “A little.”

Ling Sheng was silent for a moment, then said, “I’ll cook for you next time.”

This surprised Jiang Chen. Ling Sheng’s pots were only bought today; could he even cook?

Suddenly, he wondered if Ling Sheng was going to learn from Wu Xia.

An image appeared in his mind:

Wu Xia was chopping vegetables, while Ling Sheng helped wash them. Wu Xia turned his head to remind him, “Remove a little more of the vegetable stalk, otherwise it will be bitter.”

Ling Sheng smiled at him, and then they leaned closer to each other…

“Red light, slow down and brake.”

Jiang Chen braked a little too hard, causing Ling Sheng to jolt forward slightly before regaining his balance.

“What were you thinking about?” Ling Sheng frowned slightly.

The sourness that had originally subsided in Jiang Chen’s heart now resurfaced, even stronger. He gripped the steering wheel tightly. No matter how much he reminded himself that it was in the past, he couldn’t stop the jealousy.

“How do you know how to cook?” he asked gruffly.

Ling Sheng finally understood. He chuckled and reached out to pinch Jiang Chen’s ear. “What are you imagining? Xia doesn’t even know I can cook.”

?

The balloon deflated instantly.

“He doesn’t know, and I’ve never done it before. I’ll only cook for you.” Ling Sheng rubbed his earlobe. “Are you happy now? You little jealous cat.”

His earlobe was rubbed red. Jiang Chen reached out, grabbed the hand that was tormenting him, and kissed it. “When will you cook?”

Ling Sheng’s knuckles grazed his lips. “In a while. After Xia’s matter is resolved.”

This suited Jiang Chen perfectly. He only wanted to be the one tasting Ling Sheng’s first meal.

But before they could enjoy a few days of peace, Wang Zhiqi contacted Wu Xia again. It started when a friend took a picture of them buying groceries that day and sent it to Wang Zhiqi, asking if that was his boyfriend and why he was with another man.

Wang Zhiqi knew he had been deceived by Wu Xia and demanded money from him, threatening him with videos.

For some reason, Wu Xia actually agreed to meet him. Ling Sheng had a high-level video conference today and couldn’t leave, so he notified Jiang Chen and asked him to rush over in case Wang Zhiqi did anything. Wu Xia was no match for him.

Jiang Chen had also been investigating Wang Zhiqi these past few days. This man came from the countryside and had elderly parents at home. He attended a second-tier university, but since entering college, he hadn’t been home in ten years, except to ask for money. Three years ago, he lost his job and developed a gambling habit, which he never quit, throwing all his savings into it.

They agreed to meet at a coffee shop. When Jiang Chen arrived, Wu Xia had already been there for a while. Looking at the figure sitting there from afar, Jiang Chen felt a strange sense of familiarity. He put on a baseball cap and a mask before going in.

The closer he got, the more familiar he felt. The man was sitting opposite Wu Xia, and when Jiang Chen saw his face clearly, he immediately understood why Wu Xia had been deceived.

Wang Zhiqi looked very similar to Ling Sheng. Even with heavy dark circles, unkempt hair, and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, they still had five or six points of resemblance. If he groomed himself, he would look even more like Ling Sheng.

There was a cup of coffee in front of each of them. Wang Zhiqi had drunk his, but Wu Xia hadn’t touched his.

Jiang Chen quietly sat down behind Wu Xia and ordered a coffee.

Wang Zhiqi took a sip of his coffee and sneered, “Not bad, Wu Xia. You found a new boyfriend so quickly.”

His voice wasn’t quiet, and Wu Xia immediately looked around. After confirming that there weren’t many people nearby, he dared to look at Wang Zhiqi. “I don’t have a boyfriend. What do you want?”

Wang Zhiqi’s dark circles were very heavy, indicating that he hadn’t been sleeping well lately. Since the pretense was over, he didn’t bother to act anymore and said bluntly, “I want money. Before, I only asked for 30,000 yuan. Since you dared to deceive me, I now want 100,000.”

“I don’t have it! I don’t have any money!” Wu Xia became agitated, unable to control his emotions. “I don’t even have 300 yuan. I have nothing!”

Wang Zhiqi snorted coldly. “Ask your old lover, or your new boyfriend. They look quite wealthy. I even said the way you looked at me when you first saw me was off. Weren’t you treating me as a substitute? Why aren’t you paying the substitute actor’s fee?”

“Don’t go to them!” Wu Xia was almost standing up. “This has nothing to do with them!”

Seeing Wu Xia’s reaction, Wang Zhiqi knew how much he cared about them, which made him even more smug. Sitting there, his eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, looking somewhat deranged. “Then give me the money! I want the money now!”

Wu Xia couldn’t possibly win against Wang Zhiqi. He was also afraid that Wang Zhiqi would reveal that he was gay, and the video was still in his hands. After being yelled at by Wang Zhiqi, his momentum immediately weakened. He remembered Jiang Chen’s words and asked in a hoarse voice, “How much money do you want to give me the video?”

Wang Zhiqi’s eyes lit up immediately. “That’s more like it, Xia. First, give me 100,000. That ex-boyfriend of yours, and that very handsome friend, both look very rich. Be good, ask them.”

He never intended to give him the video.

Wu Xia trembled with anger. “I don’t have it, I don’t have that much.”

“Then give me 80,000 first, 80,000!” Wang Zhiqi pressed his hands on the table, leaning towards Wu Xia. “Xia, I need money now. Those debt collectors call me every day. See, I haven’t even called you. I’ve been good to you, Xia. Give it to me. If not 80,000, then 50,000 will do. At least 50,000!”

Wu Xia’s face was completely pale, and he only shook his head. “I don’t have it, I don’t have it, I don’t have any money!”

Wang Zhiqi stared at him venomously, like a viper hissing its red tongue. “Then I’ll release the video. Didn’t you say you never slept together? Maybe he’d like to see what you’re like in bed, so slutty…”

Wu Xia was so scared that he leaned back against the coffee shop sofa, his face as white as paper, his entire body shaking. “You’re a madman, you’re a madman…”

Wang Zhiqi knew that Wu Xia had an ex-boyfriend, and even though they had broken up a year ago, he still thought about that man. But he didn’t really care too much. At first, he just thought he was easy to deceive, but later he found out that he was surprisingly easy to control. Until he saw the photo the day before, he realized why Wu Xia had always been so good to him.

It was only because he looked so much like his ex-boyfriend.

From the first meeting, Wu Xia had frequently stolen glances at his face, often lost in thought. At that time, he hadn’t gambled in a while, and he was just out for a walk when he happened to meet Wu Xia. He clearly felt that Wu Xia was attracted to him.

He used this attraction to quickly gain Wu Xia’s trust, even tricking him into bed. Wu Xia was too trusting, believing almost everything he said. When he easily got the first sum of money from Wu Xia, he couldn’t help but resume his old habits. It didn’t matter that he was broke; Wu Xia had money. He had a feeling that he could make a comeback soon!

After the comeback, he could pay off all his debts! He could turn his life around! He could have everything!

Just give him one more sum of money!

Wang Zhiqi reached across the table and grabbed Wu Xia’s arm. Wu Xia struggled to pull away, but it was no use; he couldn’t break free. He no longer thought that Wang Zhiqi looked like Ling Sheng; he was just a madman!

“Let go of me…”

He was so scared that he could barely make a sound.

Wang Zhiqi was breathing heavily, his eyeballs filled with bloodshot from his own fantasies. He was desperate. From the moment he started gambling, he had borrowed money from all the friends he could, and now they were all still looking for him to pay them back. The only person he could get money from now was Wu Xia.

He wouldn’t let him escape. He stared at him fiercely, suddenly thought of something, and smiled lewdly. In a voice that only the two of them could hear, he said, “Didn’t your ex-boyfriend even sleep with you? I guess I’m fulfilling your dream. If others see the video, they might even mistake the person inside for him, don’t you think, Wu Xia?”

Wu Xia only felt a buzzing in his ears, and then he couldn’t hear anything anymore. His mind went blank.

What was he saying…?

He not only wanted to destroy him, but he also wanted to destroy Sheng Ge.

He also wanted to destroy Sheng Ge!!!

Wu Xia stared at the madman in front of him. After a long period of having his nerves suppressed by fear and humiliation, at this moment, it was as if something snapped from within his body. His eyeballs were bloodshot, and he bit down hard on the tip of his tongue. A sharp pain instantly rushed from the tip of his tongue into his brain, stimulating his mind, which had been numbed by fear, to wake up.

The person who was still trembling with fear and slumped on the sofa suddenly forcefully shook off Wang Zhiqi’s hand. In Wang Zhiqi’s astonished gaze, he grabbed the coffee cup on the table and slammed it hard on his head.

Wang Zhiqi was completely unprepared and was directly knocked onto the sofa, his entire body dazed, painfully covering the spot where he had been hit.

The cup shattered on the ground, immediately attracting the attention of the coffee shop staff. But seeing that it looked like a fight was about to break out, no one dared to approach, fearing that they would be affected.

“I’m gay.” Wu Xia stood there, first muttering to himself blankly, then staring at Wang Zhiqi, his entire eye socket turning red. He was careful, walking on thin ice every day. He had never hurt anyone, never done anything bad, he couldn’t even bear to watch a chicken being killed. He just wanted to live a good life, just wanted a simple and stable relationship, what had he done wrong?

Wu Xia was trembling, his voice hoarse, but the volume was getting louder and louder, almost screaming out regardless of the consequences, “I’m gay, I’m gay, what’s wrong with being gay! What’s wrong!!!”