ASSHKHME Chapter 8

Chapter 8: A Change of Perspective

Xie Yu noticed Chen Zhuo glancing over and finished distributing the last few game coins in the plastic basket. He stepped out of the group of children and walked over.

His eyes scanned the significantly reduced number of game coins Chen Zhuo had left. A teasing smile appeared on his rebellious and handsome face, “What’s up? Do you want to say ‘Brother Yu is so handsome’? Brother Yu will buy you more coins.”

He originally thought Chen Zhuo would praise him directly as handsome like before, but he didn’t expect Chen Zhuo to turn and leave, dropping the line, “It’s too against my conscience, I’ll get struck by lightning.”

Xie Yu really wanted to shut Chen Zhuo’s annoying mouth.

After killing three hours at the arcade, the four of them sat down at an all-you-can-eat barbecue restaurant. It was a square table, with Chen Zhuo and Xie Yu facing each other.

The table was ambitiously filled with all kinds of meat, the grill sizzling and popping with oil.

After Xie Yu burned several pieces of meat in a row, Chen Zhuo couldn’t stand it anymore and took the tongs from his hand, expertly judging the degree of doneness.

This was quite unexpected.

In Xie Yu’s mind, Chen Zhuo was the image of a pampered young master, raised with a silver spoon.

Those fair, slender-fingered hands should be used to play the piano or paint, not to flip lamb kidney slices in a smoky haze.

Hey? Who got the lamb kidneys?

Golden brown on both sides, perfectly grilled.

Chen Zhuo distributed the grilled lamb kidney slices to them in turn. When he got to Xie Yu, he was sternly refused, “No need, I’m doing great, no need to supplement.”

Chen Zhuo glanced at Xie Yu with disdain, feeling that he didn’t know what was good for him.

It wasn’t until Chen Zhuo wrapped it in lettuce and put it in his mouth, his expression drastically changing after chewing once, immediately spitting it out with a mouthful of pungent smell, that he realized what it was.

Xie Yu showed his two little tiger teeth, watching him laugh. The curling heat blurred the sharpness of his eyebrows and eyes, vaguely revealing a youthful air.

Chen Zhuo was dazed by his smile, took two sips of cola to dispel the taste in his mouth, and ultimately couldn’t bring himself to say anything harsh.

There was no way, Xie Yu’s face was really too much to his liking. What a pity, what a pity, it was a simpleton.

In the end, it was the customary polite passing around of the leftovers. The sushi that someone had taken from the buffet became the focus of attention. The three of them looked at Xie Yu, who hadn’t eaten much in order to control his calorie intake.

The young master Xie had never experienced this kind of scene before, helplessly covering his forehead, “The salad dressing is all oil, I’ll go pay the fine, okay?”

Li Ang winked at him, “Brother Yu, it’s just four pieces, your family’s money isn’t blown in by the wind.”

Xie Yu looked at him with disgust, “So gross, don’t wink at me.”

Zhao Jiashu earnestly advised, “Brother Yu, if you don’t eat it, it will be thrown away. Waste is shameful, we can’t waste food.”

Xie Yu didn’t buy it, “Get lost, who got the sushi? Who gets sushi at a buffet? Whoever got it eats it! Don’t morally blackmail me!”

Chen Zhuo, sitting across from him, guiltily rubbed his nose and quietly pushed the four pieces of sushi in front of Xie Yu, “You already have a very good figure, eating a little more occasionally won’t affect it.”

Hearing Chen Zhuo’s praise, Xie Yu was surprised, Xie Yu was flattered, Xie Yu became proud, “Really?”

Chen Zhuo sincerely nodded, “Yes, you really have a good figure.”

Although it was to persuade Xie Yu to get rid of the sushi that no one wanted to eat, the words were true, and spoken sincerely.

“Alright then.” Xie Yu picked up a piece of sushi and stuffed it into his mouth, the taste was actually not bad.

Zhao Jiashu looked incredulously at Xie Yu, who had been unwilling just now, and whispered to Chen Zhuo next to him, “These fitness people are really easily flattered.”

Chen Zhuo nodded.

Around eight o’clock in the evening, the four of them came out of Jinsheng Shopping Plaza, walking slowly after the meal to digest their food.

The night breeze was gentle, bringing a cool atmosphere, their T-shirts were puffed up by the wind.

Their hair was messed up, their young faces had not yet lost their greenness, their uninhibited youth was roaring in the laughter.

Chen Zhuo walked slowly, looking up, wanting to see the stars through the clouds, but until his eyes were sore and tearful, he couldn’t see them.

The neon lights flickered along the streets, the nightlife of the bustling Jiangbei City was just beginning.

Li Ang’s voice interrupted Chen Zhuo’s melancholy, excitedly saying, “Hey? Isn’t that bar street over there? I haven’t been to a bar yet, let’s go in and take a look?”

Having just broken free from parental control, like a bird released from its cage, he was eager to try all new things.

Zhao Jiashu pushed up his glasses, hesitating, “Won’t bars be very chaotic? What if there are bad people?”

“Hey, what era is it? You’re a grown man, are you afraid of this? Come on, come on, let’s go take a look.”

Li Ang hooked Zhao Jiashu’s shoulders across the zebra crossing, turning back to Chen Zhuo and Xie Yu and raising his voice, “Zhuo’er, Brother Yu, come on, let’s go take a look.”

“Okay.” Chen Zhuo responded with a smile.

He really liked the feeling of being with friends, lively and full of people, as if he had more connections with the world.

Xie Yu walked in the back with his hands in his pockets, he had long lost his curiosity about nightclubs like bars. The first thing he did when he came of age was to experience the nightlife of adults.

Of course, only drinking and dancing, not flirting or hooking up.

Ms. Cheng Tangyu taught him that male virtue is a man’s best dowry.

His parents were each other’s first love, and they were still as loving as ever after more than twenty years.

Xie Yu’s view of love took shape under his parents’ constant show of affection. He also yearned to meet that one and only in this life.

Pushing open that door that meant adulthood, the restless drumbeats and the heatwave of the crowd rushed in instantly.

Li Ang and Zhao Jiashu were excited by the atmosphere, “Wow! Exciting!”

The lights constantly changed following the rhythm of the DJ, the light and shadow falling on Chen Zhuo’s face, like a layer of decadent and enchanting gauze.

Too noisy, too loud, his thoughts were shattered by the electronic music.

In the chaos, Xie Yu placed his palm on Chen Zhuo’s back, leaning close to his ear, “Let’s go, to the booth.”

The low, magnetic voice fell on his ear, tickling. Chen Zhuo tilted his head to look, his nose almost bumping into Xie Yu’s. His eyelashes fluttered, and he took a step back.

The usual tit-for-tat in the intoxicating and dim environment seemed to no longer matter. Chen Zhuo moved his lips and obediently said, “Okay.”

Xie Yu went to communicate with the front desk, ordered two bottles of good wine, and booked a booth with a minimum spend. The location was good, they could go up to dance or play in their own little area.

Soon, the waiter brought up four glasses of mixed cocktails and a bottle of foreign wine.

Chen Zhuo sipped his cocktail, turning his eyes to Xie Yu, who was asking the waiter for ice, realizing that this kid was quite thoughtful and reliable in doing things.

Xie Yu raised his eyebrows to meet Chen Zhuo’s gaze, leaning closer to him in the noisy environment, “Hey, isn’t this your first time here? Very rebellious, tattooing and going to bars.”

Chen Zhuo’s lips were stained with the color of the wine, and he mouthed in the dim light, “Mind your own business.”