TLSOTMTKOGAYWHTDI Chapter 59

Chapter 57: I don’t like men, I only like him!

The lights in Liu Jinchen’s clubhouse were always ambiguously like an unawakened dream.

As Qi Yanwang pushed open the door to the private room, he ran into Liu Jinchen embracing a handsome boy, his fingers roaming over the other’s waistline.

The boy was wearing a loose white shirt, the collar open, revealing faint red marks on his collarbone, almost like a silent boast.

“Oh, a rare guest.”

Liu Jinchen lazily raised his eyes, patted the boy’s butt, “Go out, Qi and I have serious business to discuss.”

The boy obediently got up, but deliberately slowed his pace as he passed Qi Yanwang, his eyes seemingly inadvertently sweeping over his stern profile.

Qi Yanwang didn’t even lift an eyelid, walking straight to the sofa and sitting down, his slender legs crossed, his fingertips lightly tapping on the armrest.

“Which one is this now?” Qi Yanwang asked, his voice as cold as ice.

Liu Jinchen shrugged, unconcerned. “So what? I’m not married, and I’m not some great romantic. Life is short, so we should enjoy ourselves, everyone is willing, and we all get what we want.”

He suddenly leaned closer. “What about you? Still guarding your chastity?”

Qi Yanwang sneered. “Be careful of retribution.”

“Retribution?”

Liu Jinchen scoffed. “I’m not playing with emotions, what retribution would I get?”

Those words were like a needle, precisely piercing Qi Yanwang’s heart.

The hand holding the wine glass tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white. He tilted his head back and drained the whiskey in the glass.

The strong liquor burned down his throat, but couldn’t extinguish the fire in his heart.

Liu Jinchen looked at him like this and sighed. “Seriously, every time you come here, you look half-dead. Zhuo Huaimo has been gone for so long, can’t you let it go?”

Qi Yanwang didn’t respond, he just placed the empty glass heavily on the table, making a dull thud.

He looked up at Liu Jinchen, his eyes as cold as poisoned knives. “How are Gu Chen Zhou and Che Ye doing inside?”

Liu Jinchen raised an eyebrow, his smile meaningful. “Don’t worry, everything has been arranged according to your wishes.”

He paused, leaned closer, and lowered his voice. “Gu Chen Zhou is a ‘new bride’ every night in there. Che Ye swallowed a toothbrush yesterday—like you said, the doctor forcibly force-fed him three liters of chili water through a stomach tube.”

Qi Yanwang’s expression didn’t change at all. “Just leave them breathing, that’s enough.”

Liu Jinchen stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed. “Alright, you call the shots.”

He leaned back, lazily swirling his wine glass. “But seriously, it’s been so long, and Xingyue Media has gone public. Shouldn’t you let it go? People have to look forward.”

Qi Yanwang didn’t speak, he just poured himself another glass of wine.

Seeing this, Liu Jinchen reached out and held his wrist. “Don’t be too obsessed, sometimes look at the person in front of you.”

As he spoke, he winked at the door.

Qi Yanwang followed his gaze and saw Xiao Zhu standing at the door, timidly afraid to come in.

The boy was wearing an oversized sweater, the sleeves so long that they covered half of his hands, revealing a slender wrist.

His eyes were big and his eyelashes were long, like a startled deer, but his eyes always followed Qi Yanwang seemingly inadvertently.

“Come in.” Liu Jinchen beckoned.

Xiao Zhu carefully walked in, standing in front of Qi Yanwang, his voice as light as a feather. “President Qi…”

Qi Yanwang looked up at him, but didn’t say anything.

Seeing this, Liu Jinchen quickly smoothed things over. “Xiao Zhu is so well-behaved, he’s always thinking about you.”

Qi Yanwang coldly glanced at Liu Jinchen. “Stop making trouble here.”

Liu Jinchen shrugged, smiling innocently. “I’m just doing it for your own good. Look at you, always with a straight face, how tiring. Xiao Zhu is so good, well-behaved and sensible, and won’t cause you any trouble.”

Qi Yanwang didn’t respond, he just drained the wine in his glass, then stood up. “I’m leaving.”

Xiao Zhu looked at his departing back, bit his lip, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Liu Jinchen patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, take it slow. President Qi is just tough on the outside, but soft on the inside.”

Xiao Zhu lowered his head, his voice almost inaudible. “But in his heart… there’s only Mr. Zhuo.”

Qi Yanwang walked out of the clubhouse, the night wind blowing against his face, dissipating the alcohol.

He looked up at the night sky, the stars twinkling, but unable to illuminate the darkness in his eyes.

“Zhuo Huaimo…”

He whispered the name, as if doing so could pull that person back to his side.

Qi Yanwang’s steps staggered in the night, the alcohol blurring his vision, the halos of the streetlights blurring before his eyes.

“President Qi!”

Xiao Zhu’s voice came from behind him, with a cautious probe.

Qi Yanwang didn’t turn around, but Xiao Zhu still caught up, his slender arm supporting his. “You’ve had too much to drink, let me take you home.”

“No need.”

Qi Yanwang shook off his hand, his voice as cold as ice. “I can walk myself.”

Xiao Zhu bit his lip, stubbornly following behind him. “You’ve been drinking, you can’t drive. I’ll take you, I promise to leave as soon as I get you home.”

Qi Yanwang didn’t push him away again, he just silently let him support him, his steps still unsteady.

Xiao Zhu carefully supported him, afraid that he would fall, his eyes always following his profile, his eyes hiding unspeakable emotions.

The moment he opened the door, the familiar scent of sandalwood hit him.

Qi Yanwang stood in the entrance hall, looking at everything in the house – the cushions on the sofa still held the shape from when Zhuo Huaimo left, his favorite scented candle was on the coffee table, and even the slippers were still in their original positions.

“This place…”

Xiao Zhu looked at the furnishings in surprise. “Is Mr. Zhuo’s home?”

Qi Yanwang didn’t answer, he just staggered to the sofa and collapsed heavily.

His fingers unconsciously stroked the armrest of the sofa.

Zhuo Huaimo also liked to do this, lying here, doing nothing.

Xiao Zhu tiptoed into the kitchen, poured a glass of warm water and placed it on the coffee table.

He squatted in front of Qi Yanwang and asked carefully, “President Qi, would you like some water?”

Qi Yanwang closed his eyes, his brows furrowed.

The alcohol blurred his consciousness. In a daze, he smelled a familiar shower gel scent – the one Zhuo Huaimo always used, with a faint scent of cedar.

“Huaimo…”

He murmured, reaching out and grabbing the wrist of the person in front of him.

Xiao Zhu’s heart beat suddenly quickened.

He looked down at Qi Yanwang holding his hand, his fingertips trembling slightly.

This was the first time he had been so close to this man, so close that he could see the curve of his eyelashes and feel the warmth of his breath.

“President Qi…” Xiao Zhu’s voice was as light as a feather.

But Qi Yanwang seemed unable to hear, he just forcefully pulled him towards himself.

Xiao Zhu knelt down beside the sofa, his hands on either side of Qi Yanwang.

His heart was beating so hard, it almost burst out of his chest.

“Huaimo…”

Qi Yanwang shouted again, his voice filled with deep longing and pain.

Xiao Zhu bit his lip, mustered his courage and lowered his head, gently kissing Qi Yanwang’s lips.

In that instant, Qi Yanwang seemed to be struck by an electric current.

Qi Yanwang’s fingertips sank into Xiao Zhu’s waistline, his lips and teeth carrying the burning heat of alcohol, as if he wanted to pour all his longing and pain into this kiss.

His palm slid down the boy’s back, his fingertips touching a warm patch of skin.

But at that moment, he smelled a scent that didn’t belong to Zhuo Huaimo—the sweetness of cheap perfume, mixed with the smoky and alcoholic smell of the clubhouse.

Qi Yanwang suddenly opened his eyes, seeing clearly the tear-stained face in front of him.

“What are you doing?!” Qi Yanwang pushed him away, his voice filled with suppressed anger.

Xiao Zhu fell to the ground, his eyes red. “I’m sorry… I just…”

“Get out!”

Qi Yanwang stood up, looking down at him. “Who allowed you to touch me?”

Xiao Zhu didn’t move, just looked up at Qi Yanwang, tears streaming down his cheeks.

“I know there’s only Mr. Zhuo in your heart…”

He choked out the words, “But I like you, ever since Mr. Liu told me that you saved me that day, I’ve always liked you…”

Qi Yanwang didn’t speak, he just felt a buzzing in his head, he couldn’t hear what Xiao Zhu was saying.

“I know I can’t compare to Mr. Zhuo, and I don’t expect to replace him in your heart.”

Xiao Zhu’s voice trembled. “I just want to be with you, even if it’s just watching you from afar…”

Qi Yanwang pinched the space between his eyebrows, feeling a throbbing in his temples.

What was he just doing?

How could he treat someone else as him? He instantly felt like a stone was weighing down his heart.

The intense longing mixed with the restlessness of betrayal.

Qi Yanwang walked to the window, lit a cigarette, and looked at the ink-like night.

He suddenly spoke. “Do you like men?”

Xiao Zhu was stunned for a moment, then nodded. “Yes…”

Qi Yanwang exhaled a smoke ring, his voice faint. “But I don’t.”

Xiao Zhu’s eyes widened. “But… everyone says you and Mr. Zhuo…”

“I just like him.”

Qi Yanwang interrupted him. “It’s just that the person I like happens to be a man!”

Xiao Zhu was stunned, and silently lowered his head.

Qi Yanwang stubbed out his cigarette and turned to look at him. “Go back, and don’t come again.”

Xiao Zhu stood up and wiped away his tears. “I understand… I’m sorry, President Qi.”

He turned to leave, the sound of the door closing as light as a sigh.

Zhuo Huaimo sat on the return flight, his fingers unconsciously swiping across the tablet screen.

The news page was still on the headline “Xingyue Media Successfully Listed”, with a picture of Qi Yanwang standing in front of the stock exchange – a black suit tailored like armor, and a gaze behind gold-rimmed glasses as cold as an ice blade.

He turned off the screen and leaned his head against the porthole.

All of this had nothing to do with him…

When the plane landed, Shao Fan was already waiting at the exit.

He took Zhuo Huaimo’s luggage and asked with a smile, “Did you have fun?”

Zhuo Huaimo nodded, but his eyes couldn’t help but sweep behind him.

There, a familiar figure was walking out of another passage – a black trench coat, gold-rimmed glasses, and a slender figure particularly eye-catching in the crowd.

He suddenly retracted his gaze, his heart skipped a beat.

Was that him?

“Let’s go.”

Shao Fan put his arm around his shoulder. “I’ll take you to eat hotpot.”

Zhuo Huaimo let him lead him forward, but couldn’t help but look back again.

That person had disappeared into the crowd.

It was indeed an illusion, it must be because of the news, how could that person appear here…