EPISODE 8

Chu Zijian only thought about it but wouldn't dare say it in front of Cen Wu. He hooked his arm around Cen Wu's shoulder and led him towards the bar. "Come on, Second Young Master, I'm buying drinks tonight!"

The original owner was quite generous. For gatherings like this or when going to clubs, as long as Xie Shangjing wasn't around, the original owner would foot the bill for everyone.

Chu Zijian and the others followed the original owner hoping to get some benefits, but no one was a fool. The original owner definitely wouldn't just take losses, so they would also take the initiative to treat him to drinks from time to time.

Cen Wu's body was tense, his beautiful eyes wide behind the mask, still visibly shaken.

As night descended, the neon lights outside the bar flickered, and before him stood one of Huai Jing's most extravagant playgrounds for the rich. As soon as he reached the bar entrance, the thumping dance music and the bustling crowd made it feel like a scene of debauchery.

"Second Young Master," Chu Zijian, clearly a regular here, was led to a reserved seat by the owner. He sat down and asked Cen Wu, "What would you like to drink tonight?"

The waiter was quick to act, bending down to hand Cen Wu the drink menu. "You can take a look first."

"I..." The security of the circular booth seat finally made Cen Wu's tightly pressed, reddened lips move, but his voice was still shaky. "I'll just have water."

A high schooler? No way he should be drinking.

He didn't dare imagine what would happen if he went home reeking of alcohol and ran into Cen's parents. It would be a disaster waiting to happen.

Although Cen's parents doted on the original owner to the point that they wouldn't say anything even if he bought a bar just to smash it for fun, he wasn't their biological son after all. It was better to not push his luck.

The waiter almost thought there was something wrong with his ears.

Blue Night was one of the biggest bars in Huai Jing, and the second young master Cen had been here several times with Chu Zijian. They treated it like money in the bank would burn a hole in their pocket, always ordering a towering champagne display.

How was it that Cen suddenly changed his ways? The Cen family certainly wasn't broke, so what was going on?

It took another twenty minutes for Cen Wu to finally calm down completely, his heart no longer racing, his hands no longer shaking, and his sharp wit returning. He started scanning the crowd, looking for Xie Guilan.

Chu Zijian hadn't deliberately organized a gathering, but even when it was just the two of them before, they could still have a great time.

Tonight, however, Cen Wu hadn't said much and instead kept looking around the booth as if searching for someone.

As a loyal sidekick, he suddenly had a revelation and waved at the waiter. "Over here."

The waiter walked over, and Chu Zijian whispered something. The waiter nodded repeatedly before leaving the booth.

Cen Wu was too busy searching to notice the commotion. It wasn't until several scantily dressed, well-groomed men approached him and sat on either side, acting intimately.

Cen Wu blinked, speechless.

The man sitting to his left was actually quite handsome, looking twenty-seven or twenty-eight. He had narrow, sultry eyes and pale, cool skin but styled his hair with mousse in a slicked-back look. He wore a flashy burgundy blazer with an open collar, revealing a silver chain around his neck, and a strong cologne scent.

"Second Young Master," the man said with a smirk as he poured a drink for Cen Wu. "Why aren't you dancing tonight?"

Ah?

Cen Wu's mind was still reeling, and the young man on his right also poured him a drink.

This person was even younger, probably just over twenty, wearing a black combat vest. His pectoral muscles were full but not exaggerated, the kind of guy who'd go viral as a male god if someone posted a video of him online.

But when he spoke, his voice was playful yet scolding, like a pouting girlfriend. He leaned closer to Cen Wu and said, "I sent you a message last night, Second Young Master, but you didn't reply. What's going on? Is riding horses more fun than me?"

Ah??

Cen Wu suddenly remembered. The familiar face was the first message he'd opened last night, and it was because of this guy's abs that he ended up scrolling through his friend circle until past 3 a.m.

Wait, why are you so clingy, dude?

Chu Zijian stood up and moved aside. Cen Wu was still at a loss when suddenly several more men and women—mostly men—sat down around him.

Chu Zijian gave a sly, suggestive smile and winked at him mischievously. "Second Young Master, a few new male models just joined us at Blue Night. I've asked the manager to call them over so they can keep you company."

Ah???

Cen Wu's pale cheeks flushed bright red, and his long lashes fluttered nervously. He wanted to escape the booth, but the crowd was too dense. Legs and hands were everywhere, blocking his path.

What happened to the easy-breezy night I was promised? Why are there so many guys hitting on me?!

Caught between men on both sides, Cen Wu couldn't break free, like he was trapped in a web.

He had come to relax, but now his hair was a mess, his face flushed, his eyes misty with tears, making him look like the one being forced.

Just when he was about to collapse, Cen Wu looked up and, through the hazy lights of the bar, caught sight of a familiar figure.

!!!

Xie Guilan, wearing the waitstaff uniform—a white shirt and black vest—walked over with a tray. His black suit pants accentuated his tall, long legs.

In the dim, neon-lit bar, his skin looked pale and distant, like he didn’t belong in this chaotic scene. His narrow, cold peach blossom eyes made him stand out from the surrounding commotion.

Xie Guilan seemed to sense that someone was watching him. He turned his head and met Cen Wu's wet, foggy gaze.

Cen Wu: Ugh, help me!

Save me, save me, save me…

When Xie Guilan's eyes landed on Cen Wu's face, his icy gaze grew even colder. When he saw the several men with their suits half-open next to him, his brows wrinkled in disgust.

He looked like a player, always chasing after new people.

In all of Huaijing, who didn't know that Second Young Master loved adding people on WeChat, and he only went for those who had a six-pack?

Xie Guilan didn't care about this person at all; in fact, he found it repulsive and preferred to avoid him. He had caught sight of Cen Wu exchanging flirty glances with others several times, only to end up exchanging contacts after a few words.

Even the new male models tonight were aware of this.

Feeling uneasy, Cen Wu looked up to find Xie Guilan, but accidentally locked eyes with one of the male models next to him. The guy was new to the job, his handsome face showing some embarrassment, his ears red.

But his hands moved quickly, as if afraid Cen Wu would change his mind. He hurriedly opened his WeChat profile and handed his phone over, pretending to be casual. "Hey, do you want to scan me, or should I scan you?"

Cen Wu: “……”

Not interested.

Xie Guilan's icy gaze remained cold and indifferent as he silently carried the tray and left.

Cen Wu: “……”

Cen Wu couldn’t believe how cold Xie Guilan could be.

Cen Wu had no choice but to wedge himself into the corner of the booth. Although several people were gathered around, they all kept a respectful distance, not daring to actually touch him.

In the original novel, a classic wish-fulfillment story, the Cen family's sphere of influence was incredibly vast. Even if a business wasn’t directly owned by the Cen family, it still had countless connections to them.

Backed by the entire Cen family, this overwhelmingly powerful entity could crush others as easily as squashing ants.

No one dared to take advantage of Cen Wu.

They could only rely on their looks or try to show off their abs, hoping to make Cen Wu glance at them for just one more second.

Cen Wu was dizzy and overwhelmed by the attention from the men around him, falling into self-isolation. He put his mask back on, hiding his snow-white, slender chin, leaving only his cold, slightly reddened eyes exposed.

His eyes, with their naturally extended tail when he frowned, carried a sense of aloofness and rejection.

Cen Wu’s social anxiety varied in intensity. When he could still manage, he would blush and stammer. When his social anxiety reached a certain point, his face would turn cold, his mind going blank while his expression remained as icy as ever. This was why, despite his young age, no one on set dared to cross him.

"Second Young Master..." The male model next to him paused, not daring to pour him more alcohol, and obediently closed his mouth.

Cen Wu had originally come to the bar worried that Xie Shangjing would cause trouble for Xie Guilan tonight. But it was almost 10 PM, and Xie Shangjing hadn't shown up yet, so he probably wasn’t coming.

Just as he was debating whether to leave, he heard a quarrel amidst the bar's chaotic music.

Cen Wu turned to look and saw it was the booth Xie Guilan had just delivered drinks to.

"Second Young Master, isn't that Wang Yue?" Chu Zijiang had also heard it and turned to look.

Cen Wu remembered the name. Wang Yue was a wealthy second-generation heir, but his family had become rich overnight by mining and then opening an entertainment company, making a fortune.

The old-money families in Huai Jing tended to look down on these nouveau riche families, and the original Cen family didn’t associate much with Wang Yue.

Cen Wu remembered that he didn’t meet Wang Yue until much later in the original novel. By then, Xie Guilan had already returned to the Cen family. Emotionally distant from the Cen parents, Xie Guilan didn’t take over the family business with Cen Xiao. Instead, he went off to start his own entertainment company and gambled against Wang Yue.

Wang Yue, of course, lost miserably but, unwilling to accept defeat, plotted an accident to frame Xie Guilan.

But that was a story for another time. Cen Wu was puzzled. Could it be that Xie Guilan already had a grudge against Wang Yue now?

"Second Young Master," Chu Zijiang looked up and, seeing that Xie Guilan was being blocked by Wang Yue's men, realized that Xie Guilan was in for a rough night. Excitedly, he said to Cen Wu, "Did you see that? Did you see it?"

"Y-yes..." Cen Wu swallowed.

"?" Chu Zijiang felt something was off and asked Cen Wu, "What did you see?"

Cen Wu stammered, "H-his fists are clenched."

Xie Guilan wore the bar's waiter's black leather gloves, his hands completely covered, but his white shirt sleeves were rolled up, exposing his forearms.

Even though the bar lighting was dim and they were too far away to hear the argument, Cen Wu could already imagine the veins popping out on Xie Guilan's cold, white arms.

Fierce and unrelenting.

He could probably take out three people with one punch, and even three Chu Zijiangs wouldn’t be a problem.

Chu Zijiang: ???

Before Chu Zijiang could respond, Cen Wu pushed past the others and strode toward Xie Guilan.

"Second Young Master!" Confused, he cursed Xie Guilan under his breath and hurried after him, "Wait for me!"

Bar Area A, booth.

Wang Yue rested his arms on the back of the sofa behind him, with light casting upward. He had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, his eyes squinting, his jaw muscles tensed, a half-smile on his face—a clear sign that he was about to snap.

The floor was covered in shattered glass and spilled red wine, spreading out in all directions.

Xie Guilan stood nearby, his tall and handsome figure exuding an icy intensity from his pitch-black eyes.

Just as Wang Yue was about to explode, a young voice interrupted.

"Wh-what's going on, Yue?" Cen Wu and Chu Zijian approached. The people in the nearby dance floor automatically made way for them, like the Red Sea splitting open. Cen Wu forced a smile. "Getting angry over something big all of a sudden?"

Cen Wu wasn’t sure what was happening. He had just been in a hurry to cross the dance floor, but suddenly everyone made way for him, leaving him mortified. Still, he had to keep up the facade.

Cen Wu stood at a slight angle in front of Xie Guilan, subtly blocking him. Xie Guilan’s eyes were dark and gloomy as they fixed on Cen Wu’s cold white neck, sending a chill down Cen Wu’s spine.

What’s with him again, my young master? I didn’t do anything to upset him, right?

Cen Wu subtly squeezed Xie Guilan’s wrist, and his own heart rate slowed.

It must be said, the moment he got close to Xie Guilan, the air in the bar felt fresher, no longer smelling like sweat and alcohol.

Being around Xie Guilan made him feel grounded, like everything was back to normal.

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