Chapter 14

The door slammed shut in front of him, and Ye Ji’an jolted awake, his muddled brain slowly bouncing around three possibilities: first, he was sleepwalking; second, Liang Xiao was sleepwalking; third, someone had come up with a clever trick to rescue him from this den of iniquity.

Ye Ji’an leaned towards believing the last one.

But what he felt more was worry. This dinner was different from the company’s internal gatherings; if Liang Xiao acted like he used to and clashed with the leaders, Ye Ji’an couldn’t be sure whether the General Manager would be furious and lose face. As a newcomer who had only been in the company for half a year, without any connections or power, if he really offended a high-ranking leader over something as trivial as drinking… that would be too much of a loss!

Thinking of this, Ye Ji’an’s reaction finally sharpened. He pushed the door with more force, feeling he had to go in and save the situation. Just as he opened it a crack, he saw Liang Xiao standing stiffly in his previous spot, but he wasn’t the only one standing—two other young employees who had come to drink, several secretaries of the guests, and even the General Manager himself were all standing around the table!

Ye Ji’an froze, not rushing to enter. Years of observing people had taught him that this situation was not what he had imagined, and acting rashly might not yield positive results.

It seemed someone was droning on about something; Ye Ji’an couldn’t catch the words clearly, but it was the usual flattery one would hear at a drinking table.

At that moment, Liang Xiao seemed to sense something and turned his head, giving Ye Ji’an a brief glance.

Damn, how fierce.

Was that a warning for him to stay put?

Ye Ji’an instinctively shrank his shoulders, blinking and making the gap even smaller, obediently hiding inside. Only then did Liang Xiao turn back, “It’s a work-related matter; there’s been a small issue that requires Director Ye to return quickly,” he articulated clearly, his tone neither servile nor overbearing, “It should take quite a while, so we won’t be sending him back.”

“Alright, alright, Xiao Liang even made a special trip, hurry and take Xiao Ye back,” Ye Ji’an finally recognized that it was the General Manager’s voice. He then heard him laughingly explain to the guests, “He drank quite a bit earlier and needs to get back to work. Nowadays, young people are just too hardworking during the New Year.”

“Yeah, during the New Year, we can’t let him drink with everyone,” Liang Xiao suddenly picked up a wine cup from the rotating tray, leisurely pouring half a cup of white liquor into it. This cup was originally meant for red wine, the one Ye Ji’an had just used. He raised it to chest height, smiling at the person across from him, “General Manager Feng, I’ll drink three cups on behalf of our department.”

“What are you doing?”

“Wishing you a Happy New Year!”

“Hey, this little Liang,” the General Manager chuckled, “really knows how to joke.”

“I’m not joking; I know you like to drink,” Liang Xiao said with understanding, “though I can’t compare to Director Ye, I’m still a junior in the company, so it’s fine for me to drink, right?”

Now, the General Manager was flustered, repeatedly saying that it wasn’t appropriate, while the guests chimed in, “Xiao Liang drove here, so he shouldn’t drink.” The two young employees beside Liang Xiao were even more exaggerated, linking arms with him and stuffing drinks into his hands. Liang Xiao remained calm, not insisting, and happily allowed them to swap the Wuliangye for six walnuts. “I did drive here,” he raised the drink can to his lips, and everyone at the table raised their glasses to him. He smiled, “Sorry about that.”

Then, amidst another wave of polite chatter, Liang Xiao took a small sip of the protein drink, while the others at the table emptied their cups. He called out “Uncle Sun” and “Uncle Liu” a couple of times, said goodbye, picked up Ye Ji’an’s coat and bag from the back of the chair, and turned to leave.

Ye Ji’an watched him transform from a silhouette to a full figure through the crack in the door, stepping closer, unable to move as he stood there, his heart screaming for half a day. God knows how Liang Xiao managed to do that! Ye Ji’an felt as if the General Manager had completely changed, not only different from his usual self in the company but also from the one who had been insisting on toasting him just moments ago. According to his earlier expectations—even if it was an urgent work matter, that old bald head wouldn’t let him go for the sake of face.

“You’re amazing!” The door closed again, and he grabbed Liang Xiao’s wrist.

Liang Xiao frowned slightly, focused on draping the coat over him. “Are you still feeling unwell, Senior?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Ye Ji’an slipped his arms into the sleeves, seeing Liang Xiao step towards the elevator, and he hurried to keep up. “What happened at the company?”

“Nothing.” Liang Xiao didn’t seem to intend to hand the bag over to him. “It’s just that if we hurry, we should be able to get in before it starts.”

“How much time is left?”

“A little over half an hour.”

From here to the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center, even taking a taxi would take nearly an hour, assuming the traffic was good, not to mention taking the subway. Ye Ji’an, even in his drunken state, was clear-headed about that. But he didn’t want to dampen Liang Xiao’s confidence, so he just raised the urgent question, “What about work?”

“There’s no work.”

“Ah?” Ye Ji’an nearly stumbled.

Liang Xiao ultimately supported him, almost pulling him into an embrace as they walked, “The sudden issue was something I made up to give him a way out.”

Ye Ji’an stopped in front of the elevator, watching the numbers rise, gradually approaching his floor. His brain went through a process of shock, calm, and then shock again. “You knew those two investors?” he asked as they stepped into the elevator.

“I’ve met them.” Liang Xiao pressed the button for a lower floor.

“…Is your family in this line of work?”

Liang Xiao shifted his gaze from the number display to his face and nodded, “Yes.”

Ye Ji’an leaned against the wall, thinking, no way…

Then Liang Xiao added, “They don’t compete with our company.”

Ye Ji’an’s mind clicked into place, and he felt relieved—of course, they wouldn’t! The Chairman’s last name was clearly Chu; such a rare surname he would never forget. As far as he remembered, there was no one with the surname Liang in the upper echelons of the company… If they said there was no competition, then they must be the young masters of other big bosses, right? Perhaps they had collaborated with those two investors before. As for the General Manager, Liang Xiao had never seen him lose his temper even when he openly challenged him in the company. Given his opportunistic nature, it made sense that he would back down in front of someone with a strong background.

It was pretty much what he had imagined before.

Ye Ji’an let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks,” he relaxed completely, finally leaning against Liang Xiao’s shoulder. “I thought I’d be out of my mind today, and then I wouldn’t go to your place. You wouldn’t be able to sleep with a drunkard reeking of alcohol.”

“In situations like this, Senior, just go with your feelings. If you don’t want to come, you don’t have to worry about it. The General Manager won’t make a fool of himself again.” Liang Xiao led him out of the elevator.

The lobby was resplendent, and Ye Ji’an squinted against the glare. “I thought you were mad at me for not talking to me for so long.”

“That was work.”

“Hmm? But there wasn’t any, was there?” Ye Ji’an felt as if the revolving door was going to make him dizzy.

“There was a little, but I finished it all. I was the last one to leave!” He said this in a childlike manner, as if seeking praise. Ye Ji’an almost wanted to ruffle the hair of this amazing person. The cold wind hit his face, and just as he looked up to raise his hand, he was suddenly blinded by a bright light.

This was much brighter than the polished marble floor of the lobby.

Because it was lights, car lights. A bright red sports car, with a streamlined body and a rounded nose, was parked sideways at the entrance.

“So I said we’d make it in time.” Liang Xiao hung the car keys on his pinky, then pressed the bag back into Ye Ji’an’s hand, continuing to hold his hand as he led him to the car.

“You’re awesome.” Ye Ji’an covered his eyes, laughing.

Liang Xiao leisurely opened a car door, bowing slightly in a gentlemanly manner, finally smiling, “Senior, please get in.”

Ye Ji’an straightened his appearance, bending down to sit inside with a certain seriousness, casually tossing his bag onto the floor mat. Liang Xiao quickly rounded the front of the car and sat beside him. The sound of the supercar’s engine starting was the first time it resonated clearly in his ears. The phrases “angry bull” and “crazy wild child” from movies and documentaries didn’t even come close; Ye Ji’an felt as if he were sitting in a rocket. As they maneuvered out of the cramped parking lot and onto the congested auxiliary road under the bridge, he felt stifled for Liang Xiao, trapped in a small space.

Yet Liang Xiao showed no signs of impatience; perhaps he was used to driving, not rushing to utilize his speed advantage, treating the Bugatti Veyron as if it were a Passat.

Ah, little Bugatti, you’re really being wronged, Ye Ji’an thought. I’ve seen you once at Shin Kong Place, once in the basement picking something up, you must be gathering dust there every day, probably with no topics to discuss with the other good brothers around you. Who told your owner to like squeezing the subway with me? During rush hour, you really can’t show your skills; in this city, you’re only being underutilized. Now that you finally have a chance to stretch your legs, your young master is still so composed, probably because I’m in the car and he’s particularly cautious about safety, right?

Ye Ji’an accidentally let out a silly laugh.

In the oval rearview mirror, Liang Xiao’s curious gaze fell on him.

Being looked at like that, Ye Ji’an suddenly realized he seemed to be comparing himself to a car and quickly stopped his thoughts. He believed he was indeed quite drunk.

Not being able to make sense of the dashboard, Ye Ji’an decided to think of something serious, “What’s the speed limit on this road?”

“I don’t know.” Liang Xiao had finally passed the most congested intersection and merged onto the ring road. At around nine o’clock, there weren’t many cars on the Third Ring Road. They were practically seeing one supercar after another, and in less than two minutes, Ye Ji’an suddenly felt as if he was indeed soaring like a rocket. The wind was fierce but tightly sealed outside, only howling and scraping against the car body. The sensation of temporary weightlessness from speeding hit him, that undulating yet smooth feeling, leaving the ground, mixed with the unique blur of the night, felt like being in a vacuum, like flying.

Ye Ji’an was used to moving underground, in subways, crowded platforms, and the underground passages scattered throughout the financial district of Chang’an Street. He felt like an ant, turning into a black pixel, a hurried red blood cell in the city’s veins, with only a little oxygen belonging to him. Even walking along the main road didn’t feel different; he still felt as if he were being pressed down by a layer of dirt, standing up a bit would hit his head.

But now he was flying.

The air was indistinct, only knowing front, back, left, right, up, and down, with no one blocking him.

Ye Ji’an tightened the seatbelt across his abdomen, looking at Liang Xiao’s profile.

Of course, it was still the same, with sharp cheekbones and a defined nose, his lips habitually pressed together, appearing distracted, yet his eyelashes were thick and curled like a girl’s. He had seen this countless times, but now it felt a bit different, the warm orange beams from the streetlights quickly sweeping past, the distant neon lights flickering, this face also flickering in and out of focus.

“You’re speeding,” Ye Ji’an said.

“We’re almost there.” Liang Xiao’s eyes held a smile.

“Be careful, you might lose 12 points, or if a police officer on a motorcycle follows you, they could revoke your license.”

“Doesn’t matter, they can’t catch up to me.”

Ye Ji’an wanted to kiss him. At that moment, he really wanted to.

That kiss became a reality at the bar entrance. In fact, he had been holding back during the few traffic lights they passed, but he felt like he was riding a wild horse; if he got dizzy from holding the reins, they would both be thrown off. Once they reached their destination, he didn’t care about the time, with only a few minutes left before the show started, he wrapped his arms around Liang Xiao’s neck and kissed him, drunkenly missing his lips. Liang Xiao held his face gently, tenderly nibbling on his lower lip, a smile breaking through his clumsiness, “Don’t rush, Senior.” He whispered, lightly pinching the back of his ear.

Ye Ji’an swallowed hard, remembering why he was here, straightening up to wipe his mouth, looking down, “…Did I hurt you?”

Liang Xiao unbuckled his seatbelt, “The wine is sweet.” Saying this, he got out of the car.

Ye Ji’an pushed the door open, and as soon as he got out, he realized they were indeed quite eye-catching. A few young people smoking at the entrance stared at them in a daze. Liang Xiao naturally locked the car and led him, even helping him open the electronic ticket on his phone. There was no line at the ticket check, and as they entered, they went down to the underground bar, only to find that the show had already started for over five minutes. The official performance hadn’t begun yet; a warm-up band was on stage, with just a bass and a guitarist, not even a drummer, yet they managed to create an exciting atmosphere that made the ears feel quite comfortable.

The lights were all cool colors, primarily blue and white, deep and shallow, chaotically splashed throughout the room. Ye Ji’an skillfully pulled Liang Xiao forward, having drunk, he no longer hesitated even when bumping into people, feeling quite at ease. He unconsciously raised his eyebrows and smiled, not just because he naturally got excited in such settings, but also because he noticed the diverse outfits around him—girls in deep V-neck dresses with heavy makeup, emo boys in tight T-shirts, and friends in gothic styles whose genders were hard to discern… This was just the tip of the iceberg, yet they were the only two in suits and ties, with employee badges still clipped to their chest pockets.

“We’re quite the odd pair!” Ye Ji’an found a spot near the center and stood, leaning close to Liang Xiao’s ear, laughing loudly.

“I think it’s cool!” Liang Xiao also whispered in his ear.

“Ha ha, really?” Ye Ji’an felt the alcohol in his blood evaporating, in fact, it had already started, wafting up in wisps, all gathering in his head, making him babble incoherently, “Can Prince Liang jump around?”

Liang Xiao seemed a bit shy from his words, lowering his head to unbutton his suit jacket. “Actually, Senior, you’ve been here before, right?”

“Hmm?”

“Actually—” Liang Xiao directly took off his suit and tossed it over his shoulder, slightly bending down to lean close to Ye Ji’an’s ear, this time he gently said, “Before I started talking to you, I saw your tattoo once!”