Red Line Resurrection Chapter 12
byChapter 12
You have no right to break up with me?
The ointment must have been miraculous, as the pain was almost completely gone after waking up the next day. However, his eyes were still very swollen. He Wen comforted him on the way to school, saying that Liang Ji’an usually didn’t hit people casually.
Shen Lingjun was too embarrassed to tell He Wen why he had been hit, so he just nodded and mumbled a few responses. When he arrived in class, Zhou Shunan was also startled by his appearance. He grabbed Shen Lingjun’s wrist and cautiously asked, “Did you cry last night because of your test scores?”
Shen Lingjun glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to talk to him for the moment. Zhou Shunan wondered why Shen Lingjun was angry with him when he hadn’t provoked him, but he wasn’t annoyed. Instead, he eagerly leaned closer and said, “If you didn’t do well, I, your tutor, have half the responsibility. How about I treat you to a meal as an apology?”
Zhou Shunan had moved from the seat behind him to the desk beside him. He turned his head to observe Shen Lingjun’s expression. Shen Lingjun looked like a fox with a wagging tail, trying to smile but forcibly suppressing the curve of his lips. Finally, he lowered his eyes and replied casually, “You are not allowed to mention the test scores again.”
“I won’t mention them,” Zhou Shunan immediately raised his hand to swear.
Having escaped paying for a meal, and knowing that it was foolish not to take advantage of a good deal, Shen Lingjun’s mood improved. “But I have to inform my family first.”
Zhou Shunan rested his chin on his hand and stared intently at him. When he had dated before, he rarely felt his heart flutter, but he was experiencing it all with Shen Lingjun now. Even though nothing concrete had happened yet, watching his every move made him want to lean closer and even pull him into his arms.
A murmuring sound reached his ears—Shen Lingjun was on the phone with his family. He didn’t know what was said on the other end, but Shen Lingjun’s tone became very soft and unconsciously carried a hint of pleading.
Liang Ji’an didn’t agree to him eating out. Shen Lingjun pleaded a couple more times before he was finally granted permission, on the condition that he tell Liang Ji’an the address after the meal so he could pick him up.
Hanging up the phone, Shen Lingjun excitedly turned to talk to Zhou Shunan, but Zhou Shunan couldn’t hear anything at the moment. His vision blurred, focusing only on Shen Lingjun’s rosy lips opening and closing.
“Zhou Shunan!” Shen Lingjun kicked him. “I’ve called you three times.”
The person who was kicked finally snapped back to attention. “What?”
Shen Lingjun said, “I said I want to eat hot pot.”
He definitely didn’t want to eat any foreign food.
Zhou Shunan quickly agreed. “Okay.” He then asked, “Who were you talking to just now?”
“My brother,” Shen Lingjun replied while pulling out his textbooks. “I have to go back right after I finish eating.”
Zhou Shunan asked, “Your brother controls you that strictly?”
Shen Lingjun didn’t confirm or deny it. He pulled out a book of basic exercises and started working. Since he hadn’t figured out what to do next, he decided to take things one day at a time and learn as much as he could.
He didn’t seem disheartened by his test scores; instead, he was like a stress-relief toy that quickly bounced back after being squeezed. Zhou Shunan didn’t disturb him further and lowered his head to arrange the dinner location for the evening.
Since he had finally managed to get Shen Lingjun out, he naturally wanted to spend more time with him. Sure enough, as the hot pot was nearly finished, he immediately suggested, “It’s only a little past seven. Want to go somewhere else for a bit?”
Shen Lingjun’s brain was steaming from the spice. “Where should we go?”
Zhou Shunan poured him a glass of ice water, his tone carrying a subtle hint of temptation. “There’s a bar on the next street that’s quite interesting. A friend of mine owns it. Want to sit there for a while?”
Shen Lingjun couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. The gap between people was truly vast. He was here worrying about making bubble tea if he couldn’t get into university, while wealthy people were already starting their own businesses at this age.
But this thought only lasted a moment, because Zhou Shunan’s suggestion was very appealing. Not only had he not seen much of the world since coming to the city—at most, he had only been to an Internet Cafe back home—but having someone take him out to play was exactly what he wanted.
He hesitated. “But my brother definitely won’t let me go.”
Zhou Shunan lightly flicked his forehead. “You’re silly. Just tell him you’ll be back later and ask him to pick you up here. It takes over an hour to go to the bar and come back. You can just wait for him at the hot pot restaurant.”
Shen Lingjun was typically forgetful of past lessons. Liang Ji’an had only reminded him yesterday not to lie, yet today, being led astray slightly caused him to revert to his old ways. As if enlightened, he pulled out his phone and messaged Liang Ji’an: “Brother, can you pick me up at nine? I want to chat with my classmate a little longer.”
After sending the message, he attached his location.
Liang Ji’an quickly replied with an “Okay.”
Shen Lingjun completely relaxed and followed Zhou Shunan into the bar.
He looked around the environment. It was more like a disco than a bar—very noisy, in any case. Zhou Shunan, however, was in his element. There was no trace of the student about him now. He skillfully greeted the bartender and ordered two signature drinks.
Shen Lingjun didn’t dare to drink, because within ten minutes of sitting down, a row of drinks of unknown alcohol content had appeared in front of him. The bartender kept pushing them toward him, saying someone had bought them for him. Without exception, business cards or slips of paper were tucked under the glasses. Zhou Shunan crumpled them up one by one and tossed them away, clearly annoyed. Although Shen Lingjun was slow, he wasn’t stupid. Realizing these were all attempts at flirting, he started to feel uncomfortable.
Why were there so many gay people in the big city?
The bartender handed over another drink, shaking his slightly sore arm, and said to Zhou Shunan, “Can you take your little boyfriend away from here? I don’t want to work overtime.”
Zhou Shunan wanted to just go along with the mistake, but Shen Lingjun quickly interjected, “We are not in that kind of relationship.”
The bartender gave Zhou Shunan a knowing smile and raised an eyebrow.
Zhou Shunan didn’t say much. The music was loud and the lights were dim, making his gaze toward Shen Lingjun hazy. He grasped Shen Lingjun’s wrist and asked, “Want to dance?”
Shen Lingjun was still awkward, but his curiosity about new things had overcome everything else. Although he didn’t know how to dance, he nodded and followed Zhou Shunan onto the dance floor.
The crowd was dense and chaotic. Shen Lingjun felt someone touching him. He noticed Zhou Shunan’s palm resting on his lower back, pulling him closer. He thought Zhou Shunan was helping him, just like when he threw away the cards and notes earlier. He looked up earnestly and said, “Thank you.”
Zhou Shunan understood why he was thanking him and found his naivety amusing. He couldn’t help but lean down and move closer to him. “You’re too beautiful. The moment you walked in, almost everyone was looking at you.”
He almost couldn’t stop himself from kissing him. In this ambiguous and hazy atmosphere, a person’s rationality quickly fades. Shen Lingjun finally realized what was happening, and a sudden cold sweat broke out along his spine. He abruptly said, “My brother is coming to pick me up.”
“Let’s go back.”
Zhou Shunan’s rationality paused for a moment before he replied, “Okay.”
However, just as they exited the bar, Shen Lingjun ran straight into someone he hadn’t expected at all. Ji Yuxuan looked at him, his eyes red and his face haggard. “Shen Lingjun, what right do you have to break up with me?”
Author’s Note:
Smooch, smooch, smooch!