Hate The Bright Moon Chapter 18

Chapter 21

“What are you all chatting about so excitedly?” Chen Shilü went to the pantry. No wonder the assistant’s desk phone went unanswered—she was also among this cluster of whispering girls.

“Ah, Director Chen!” Seeing him turn around, everyone looked slightly embarrassed. “Why did you come to get water yourself?”

“That’s because my assistant is busy chatting.”

The assistant who was called out blushed, quickly took Chen Shilü’s cup, and scurried off to get water.

It was almost quitting time on Friday, and everyone was happily slacking off. Chen Shilü had no intention of criticizing anyone, so he changed the subject: “Are you discussing where to go after work? If you have any good recommendations, let me know.”

“We weren’t planning anything fun.”

“We were talking about a really handsome guy who arrived downstairs.”

“He’s right in the lobby on the first floor. I went to look—he’s super handsome.”

“He looks like some newly debuted young idol.”

Chen Shilü was puzzled: “What would a young idol be doing in this office building?”

“I don’t know. Sometimes film crews shoot scenes near our building.”

“But he doesn’t have a photographer or a crew with him.”

Everyone was so enthusiastic that Chen Shilü became curious, wondering how handsome this person really was. But he couldn’t let his straight-laced persona crumble in front of his colleagues, so he just maintained a stern expression and asked, “You’ve been talking for ages, but did anyone go ask for his contact information?”

That one sentence ended the discussion. Everyone exchanged glances, and no one spoke up.

Chen Shilü took his water cup back to the office, and the gossiping girls dispersed.

Work wasn’t too busy, and when quitting time arrived, everyone packed up and clocked out one after another.

Chen Shilü rode the elevator with the same girls from earlier, continuing the conversation they hadn’t finished in the pantry: “You’re all in sales, yet you’re so shy. If that handsome guy is still there later, I’ll help you get his number.”

“Director Chen, you’d help with that?”

“Maybe don’t, I feel a bit awkward.”

“I want it, I want it! Go for it, Director Chen!”

“It’s a small matter.” Chen Shilü was half-joking, joining the fun. He genuinely enjoyed watching young people date, especially handsome men and beautiful women.

The moment he stepped out of the elevator, he froze.

Chi Huang, who had been looking around the first-floor lobby, immediately fixed his wandering gaze on Chen Shilü and walked straight toward him.

Even without seeing his face, his height and long hair were noticeable enough. This time, he was wearing a black T-shirt and red-and-white cycling pants, carrying a helmet in his hand. This made him stand out like a crane among the flock of drab office workers in the building.

Chen Shilü instantly realized that the handsome guy the girls were discussing was him.

Sure enough, the unfamiliar eyes in the lobby followed Chi Huang’s movement and shifted to Chen Shilü, including the astonished looks of his colleagues beside him. They even stopped in unison, following his lead.

Chi Huang stood in front of him and glanced at the time: “You’re right on time leaving work today.”

Why was he here? How did he know where he worked? And the surprised, hesitant expressions of his colleagues nearby… Chen Shilü had too many questions, but his mouth jammed up.

There’s always one person in a crowd who lacks social awareness. The girl who had just encouraged Chen Shilü to ask for the number spoke bluntly: “Oh, he’s here for you, Director Chen. You two know each other?”

Chen Shilü finally regained his composure: “…Yes, we know each other…”

While he was still hesitating, Chi Huang’s eyes curved into a smile, and he took over the conversation: “He’s my cousin. Something came up at home today, so I came to pick him up from work.”

“Director Chen, your cousin is so handsome too. Your family must have handsome genes.”

Chi Huang hooked his arm around Chen Shilü’s neck, pulling him close: “I’m taking my brother now. See you ladies later, if we get the chance.”

In that situation, Chen Shilü had no choice but to leave with Chi Huang. However, once they were outside the company building, he shook off Chi Huang’s arm. “Who is your cousin? Can you stop talking nonsense?”

“Then what should I have said? I couldn’t exactly say I’m your little lover, could I?”

Chen Shilü’s face darkened. He was in no mood for jokes. “You shouldn’t have said anything. You shouldn’t have come here at all. Also, how did you know my company address?”

Compared to Chi Huang’s uninvited appearance, the fact that he knew so much about him was more unsettling and worrying.

“Fu Lei told me.”

Hearing that answer, Chen Shilü clenched his molars, tightening his jawline. He didn’t want to pursue how much of his private information Fu Lei had been coaxed into revealing by Chi Huang. He just wanted to get rid of this bastard immediately.

“Go back! Don’t come looking for me again.”

“Hey? I came all this way specifically to pick you up.”

“Are you a hooligan or do you not understand human language? I told you last time that our relationship was over. What else do you want? Are you looking for compensation for lost youth?”

“If you’re offering compensation, I certainly won’t refuse.” Chi Huang maintained his usual flippant smile.

Chen Shilü couldn’t be bothered to waste any more breath on him and walked away to the roadside to wait for a taxi.

Chi Huang rode his motorcycle up to Chen Shilü, stopped, and handed him the extra helmet he had brought. “Get on.”

Chen Shilü ignored him.

“I won’t hurt you. I just want to take you somewhere.”

You couldn’t engage with this kind of person; the moment you did, he’d take an inch and demand a mile.

“I took what you said last time to heart. You said you wanted to end that kind of relationship with me. No problem. I don’t have to sleep with you. How about we be friends starting today?”

Chen Shilü’s ride arrived, and he decisively left Chi Huang behind and got into the car.

Chi Huang just as decisively followed him, the motorcycle sticking close to the sedan, riding side-by-side.

The driver didn’t realize what was happening at first and tried to avoid the motorcycle for safety, but no matter how he tried to evade it, the motorcycle relentlessly stayed close. Although the rider’s technique was superb—he narrowly avoided scraping the car several times with flexible maneuvers—it still terrified the sedan driver, who broke out in a cold sweat.

When they stopped at a traffic light, the driver finally couldn’t hold back, rolled down the window, and cursed, “Are you sick? How are you riding? If you want to die, go lie down in the middle of the road yourself!”

“Brother, you stole my person first.” Chi Huang pushed up his helmet visor and pointed at Chen Shilü in the passenger seat. “If it weren’t for you, he would be riding with me.”

The driver looked horrified, yelled “Lunatic,” and then kicked Chen Shilü out of the car.

Chen Shilü was furious, wanting nothing more than to tear Chi Huang limb from limb.

Chi Huang handed him the helmet again, speaking gently: “Stop making a scene. Get on the bike. Don’t let everyone on the street laugh at us.”

Chen Shilü looked at the helmet, wishing he could snatch it and smash it into Chi Huang’s face. He barely restrained himself and asked, “Is this fun for you? What good does it do you to deliberately provoke me?”

“No good. I don’t want to provoke you. I actually came to butter you up.”

“What is there about me worth buttering up? You can find someone like me anywhere. Just leave me alone, okay?”

This was what Chen Shilü didn’t understand. Someone like Chi Huang wouldn’t be unable to let go just because they had slept together a few times. As for his type—a middle-aged man—if not ubiquitous, they were certainly plentiful in the adjacent financial district. The effort Chi Huang was expending on him could easily be used to hook ten other people with his skills.

Chi Huang looked at him and smiled, as if he had asked a particularly amusing question: “Honestly, I don’t know either. I was hoping you could tell me. What kind of magic do you possess, Chen Shilü?”

“…”

He snatched the helmet from Chi Huang’s hand, put it on, and swung his leg over Chi Huang’s motorcycle.

He didn’t know where Chi Huang planned to take him, but he knew that if he didn’t get on the bike today, this whole ordeal wouldn’t end.

He also knew that while Chi Huang could be unreasonable, he wouldn’t do anything truly outrageous. Just now, Chen Shilü knew he was a professional; many seemingly dangerous moves wouldn’t actually result in an accident, but the taxi driver, having never encountered someone like this, didn’t think so.

This bastard wasn’t stupid or crazy. On the contrary, he was very intelligent and calm, and excellent at exploiting people’s weaknesses, which was precisely why Chen Shilü disliked him.

There was nothing more annoying than a clever bastard.

The bike rode further and further away, leaving the main city area.

Chen Shilü couldn’t help but ask, “Where exactly are you taking me?”

“My secret base.”

He frowned: “How old are you?”

The motorcycle climbed onto a winding, rugged mountain road. With continuous sharp turns and narrow lanes, one side was a mountain wall, and the other was a cliff. Even trusting the professional rider’s skill, Chen Shilü felt uneasy.

Near the summit, Chi Huang chose a turn-off and plunged into the mountain. Further up, there was no paved road, only a narrow, winding path trodden by people. The dense thicket made the already dim evening light even darker.

The ride was violently bumpy. Chen Shilü told him to stop: “I don’t know why you brought me to this wilderness, but if we fall, we’ll die here.”

“Ah, dying here with you wouldn’t be so bad.”

Chen Shilü finally lost his temper, but he didn’t dare move recklessly right now, so he could only express his anger through his voice: “If you want to die, go die by yourself! I damn well don’t want to die!”

“It’ll be fine. If you’re scared, just hold me tight.”

Chen Shilü wanted to strangle him, but for now, he could only hold him tight, his chest pressed against Chi Huang’s back, merging the two of them into one.

The motorcycle leaped over the last steep slope, finally bursting out of the woods and onto the highest ridge.

The view immediately opened up. The previously suffocating forest was now lush, vibrant life beneath their feet. The distant, rolling mountains took on the ink-wash tones of a landscape painting in the evening light. This panorama stretched endlessly, meeting the sunset glow on the horizon. The sun was sinking, the residual light like blood, and the illumination flowed like gilded gold across the slope on one side.

Chen Shilü instantly thought of many poems about this moment. He wanted to take a picture, but his hands were forced to cling to Chi Huang’s waist.

The ridge was still a dirt path worn down by footsteps. Although much flatter, one slip and they would both tumble down the slope. Just as the fear, briefly dispelled by the beautiful scenery, returned to Chen Shilü’s heart, the bike jumped onto a platform paved with wooden planks. Chi Huang finally turned off the engine.

Chen Shilü stumbled off the bike, feeling weak-kneed the moment his feet hit the ground, his heart pounding wildly.

Chi Huang pulled him to the edge of the platform. “This is an abandoned viewing deck. I found it when we were doing off-road training. I haven’t told anyone else,” he whispered, as if sharing an exciting secret. “You’re the only person I’ve brought here.”

Chen Shilü wanted to ask, What the hell is this?

But Chi Huang turned toward him, and his face was bathed in the same gilded light as the sunset slope. His nose, sharp as a mountain ridge, divided his face into two halves: one bright and clear, the other shadowed.

Chen Shilü was once again unintentionally caught by a stunning moment hidden in life, leaving him speechless for a time.