Translator: Lynn
Sponsored chapter (2/2)
Jiang Yuduo usually dislikes going to bars. His younger brothers enjoy it, and he reluctantly accompanies them occasionally when they insist too much. The loud music, bright lights, crowded atmosphere, mediocre drinks, and the resulting headache upon leaving, all make him uncomfortable. Everyone assumes that he simply doesn’t like that kind of environment. Little do they know that such chaos triggers his anxiety and brings back fragments of memories repeatedly.
Although not exactly the same, he never knows when a certain point, detail, or even a flicker of light and shadow will remind him. Jiang Yuduo lowered the brim of his hat, glanced at the stamp on his hand, and followed Chen Qing inside.
As he entered, he noticed two girls standing near the entrance, engrossed in phone conversations. It caught him off guard. It seemed that not everyone here was male. Could these two be girls? Or were they talking to someone from the flower shop… Oh, he recognized the voice, it was the young girl…
The bar was quite spacious, and Jiang Yuduo quickly stored the layout in his mind without paying much attention to other things. There were two floors, with the corridor leading to the restroom and the dance floor doubling as the bar area… It was the busiest time at the bar now, with people on the dance floor and in front of the bar. The surrounding area was filled with standing or walking individuals, and the tables were occupied.
“Damn it! San-ge!” Chen Qing turned his head and shouted, his face filled with shock.
Before Jiang Yuduo could comprehend the reason for his shock, he felt a hand touch his waist, almost reaching his buttocks. He swiftly grabbed the hand. When he turned his head, he saw a man in his forties smiling at him. That smile was overly suggestive, even though Jiang Yuduo had only encountered Cheng Ke, a seemingly non-stereotypical homosexual, he understood the implication of that smile at a glance. He forcefully removed the man’s hand, turned around, and pushed Chen Qing.
“San-ge!” Chen Qing leaned closer to his ear, pointing towards the stage at the back of the dance floor. “Look! This is too damn…”
Chen Qing and his group were particularly interested in the dancers at the bar. However, this was the first time they had seen a dancer with such an expression. Jiang Yuduo furrowed his brows and glanced in that direction.
“…a guy?” he remarked.
“Yeah! Are you blind?!” Chen Qing yelled in his ear. “He’s shirtless and doesn’t have breasts! Can’t you see?” Three men on the stage were performing a sensual dance, wearing only underwear and boots, twirling around a pole in sync with the music.
Jiang Yuduo felt slightly unsettled. When he saw girls dancing like that, he didn’t have any strong reaction. But now, witnessing three half-naked men performing seductive moves, their bodies glistening with sweat… The crucial point was that growing up and knowing Cheng Ke’s homosexuality, he subconsciously associated all his imagination about homosexuality with Cheng Ke.
Suddenly, Cheng Ke appeared in his mind on that stage…
“This bar is fishy!” Chen Qing shouted in his ear again. “San-ge, something’s off about this place!”
“Nonsense,” Jiang Yuduo muttered, paying little attention to him. He had been standing here for less than two minutes, and already three people had intentionally or unintentionally bumped into him as they walked past. He could no longer differentiate between deliberate acts and casual teasing in this chaotic environment. It was unclear whether these touches were potentially dangerous or just harmless playfulness.
He needed to find a corner to retreat to.
“Find a table!” he yelled at Chen Qing.
“Where would we find a table in this joint? Let’s head to the bar first!” Chen Qing replied.
“Why?” Jiang Yuduo glanced at the crowded bar. Going from here to the bar meant maneuvering through the dense crowd, and he really didn’t want to do that.
“To redeem our drinks!” Chen Qing waved the fluorescent ticket in his hand. “We can exchange it for a glass of wine at the bar!”
“Drinking alcohol?” Jiang Yuduo glared at him. “You drove us here, damn it!”
Chen Qing was taken aback for a moment. “Since when did you care about my drunk driving?”
“I’m not going,” Jiang Yuduo frowned.
“That’s not right,” Chen Qing argued. “You can’t drive later!”
Before Jiang Yuduo could respond, Chen Qing looked around and pointed to a corner near the stairs. “Third brother, wait for me there! I’ll bring the drinks over. What do you want? My treat!”
“As long as it’s not wine,” Jiang Yuduo sighed, pushing him away. “Just go away.”
Watching Chen Qing squeeze into the crowd and go to the bar, Jiang Yuduo walked to the side of the stairs. The place Chen Qing chose for him was not bad, he could see the whole first floor, with a corner behind him, so it was safe. He didn’t know if Cheng Ke would go to the second floor, so he planned to take a look at the first floor first. The flickering lights and shadows in front of my eyes were like frames of people playing in a frame-by-frame jam, confused with the booming music. If he was just playing casually with Chen Qing, he could bear it, but now he has men kissing on the left and right, and half of the men dancing in front of him, being rubbed and touched from time to time, he can’t hear or hear anything In the state where he couldn’t see clearly, he had to find Cheng Ke, not be seen by Cheng Ke, and still need to discover potential dangers…
He didn’t even see when the young man in front of him was standing in front of him.
The young man was tall and handsome, and he shook a glass of wine at him, “Handsome guy, are you alone?”
“…No.” Jiang Yuduo said.
“Oh,” the young man was a little disappointed, but quickly chased after him, “Did you come with your boyfriend?”
Boyfriend?
It’s just a male friend!
Jiang Yuduo had never answered such a difficult question. He saw Chen Qing who was holding two cups and was struggling to squeeze towards him from the crowd.
It took two seconds before he gritted his teeth and answered, “Yes.”
“That’s it, I’m sorry,” the young man smiled, “I hope to meet you again next time when you come alone.”
Jiang Yuduo was stunned.
“San-ge!” Chen Qing started to shout at him several meters away, “San-ge——” The young man who turned around and was about to leave glanced at Chen Qing, then looked back at him, and then slowly walked away.
“Should I give you a megaphone?” Jiang Yuduo stared at Chen Qing.
“Fuck!” Chen Qing stuffed a glass of something unknown into his hand, “Fuck! This is a gay bar! Gay bar! Didn’t you tell me from the beginning! Now here Shocking ass!” Jiang Yuduo took a sip of the water in the glass, there were sweet and sour bubbles, but he didn’t know what it was.
“Someone pinched my butt just now,” Chen Qing said with a look of shock, “It’s not touching, San-ge! It’s fucking pinching!”
Jiang Yuduo sighed, didn’t speak, and pulled Chen Qing aside with his hand, his eyes continued. Searching through the crowd.
“I’m starting to suspect Jaeger-LeCoultre,” Chen Qing whispered in his ear, “He came to this kind of place to drink! Do you think he’s… gay?”
“But didn’t you come here too?” Jiang Yuduo retorted.
“…Oh,” Chen Qing replied, sounding confused.
It had been a while since Jiang Yuduo had done this. He found something to fixate his gaze upon and kept staring until all the sounds in his ears faded away. Then, he raised his eyes to search within this isolated environment. When he fixated his gaze on someone, isolating himself and the person, he could observe their every movement, even the most subtle ones.
In reality, Cheng Ke was easy to spot. He possessed a striking handsomeness and a unique charisma that set him apart from others. If he was with someone as handsome as Lin Xu… even if they were sitting in the shadows, Jiang Yuduo could still spot them.
On the diagonal right side of the stage, a shadow caught his attention. Cheng Ke and Lin Xu were sitting at a tall table. Lin Xu wore a slightly fitted gray T-shirt that emphasized his toned muscles, and his handsome face stood out among the crowd. Hungry gazes were directed toward him from all around.
Jiang Yuduo suspected that Cheng Ke might be very attracted to Lin Xu, considering he(CK) had kissed him(JY) twice for no apparent reason. But after observing for about three minutes, Cheng Ke’s eyes kept wandering, occasionally turning his head slightly to listen to Lin Xu’s words, and a faint smile lingered on the corner of his mouth. After pinpointing Cheng Ke’s location, Jiang Yuduo positioned himself as the center and expanded his awareness outward, scanning for any suspicious individuals or movements. However, he found nothing except for two people engaging in explicit behavior while kissing. Witnessing such scenes filled him with terror.
The fact that Lin Xu had invited Cheng Ke to such a place troubled Jiang Yuduo. Despite the chaotic surroundings, he didn’t find any obvious problems, but the uneasiness within him persisted. This uneasiness stemmed from a gut feeling, and for Jiang Yuduo, it was usually accurate. When he saw Lin Xu again, he finally identified the source of his unease—
It was Lin Xu.
Initially, he wanted to believe that Lin Xu had developed an interest in Cheng Ke and wanted to pursue him, which was why he came up with this plan to investigate. However, seeing Lin Xu constantly smiling and chatting with Cheng Ke now… felt excessive. Jiang Yuduo didn’t witness this level of familiarity during the video he recorded. They didn’t have much communication, yet their current behavior of constantly getting closer was abnormal, no matter how he looked at it.
Jiang Yuduo furrowed his brow.
“San-ge,” Chen Qing shouted in his ear, “I think I see Jaeger-LeCoultre!”
The sound felt like an explosion, and it took him a few seconds to regain his composure.
“Who is that man?” Chen Qing continued yelling, “I feel like I know him very well, they can’t be…”
“Shut up and drink your wine!” Jiang Yuduo interrupted him.
“That guy looks pretty handsome,” Chen Qing remarked, “He looks like a model…”
“Why don’t you let Jaeger-LeCoultre introduce him to you?” Jiang Yuduo glared at him.
“Forget it,” Chen Qing said, “I still prefer girls… Hey, there are quite a few girls here. I saw a couple of them earlier. They’re so beautiful, but they seem to be a couple… Hey, San-ge, do people think we’re…”
“Get lost,” Jiang Yuduo cut him off, looking at him sternly.
“…Let me go to the second floor,” Chen Qing sighed, “I’ve never been to a bar like this before, might as well give it a try.” Jiang Yuduo didn’t say anything.
Chen Qing ascended the stairs to the second floor, and soon enough, he disappeared. But not long after Chen Qing walked away, Jiang Yuduo once again sensed some uncomfortable movements around him. People were approaching, and their stares made him uneasy. He had to maintain a cold expression, hoping to deter those who approached with a menacing aura.
Jiang Yuduo couldn’t understand why Cheng Ke was sitting like that. Lin Xu had tried to get up twice and invite Cheng Ke to dance, but Cheng Ke merely smiled, and Lin Xu sat back down.
If you want to dance, why not just do it? Why must you drag Cheng Ke into it?
Jiang Yuduo glanced at the crowd wildly dancing on the dance floor, especially those dancing face to face and even sharing kisses. With such proximity and unsuspecting contact, it was too easy for something to happen. Not only could someone be stabbed, but they could be stabbed ten times and collapse to the ground without anyone noticing.
Cheng Ke put down his glass, turned his head, and said something to Lin Xu. Lin Xu nodded, and Cheng Ke stood up.
Where was he going?
Jiang Yuduo immediately placed his drink on the stairs and focused his gaze on Cheng Ke’s surroundings. Cheng Ke left the table and started walking in his direction. Jiang Yuduo quickly concealed himself in the shadows, but given Cheng Ke’s slow pace, there was a chance that he might directly overlook him if he stood right in front of him.
Cheng Ke entered the dance floor, seemingly intending to cross it. Jiang Yuduo could see him furrowing his brow and turning his head multiple times… Was he being touched? After crossing the dance floor, the distance between them was less than three meters. Cheng Ke didn’t notice him and continued straight into the corridor.
He must be heading to the restroom.
Jiang Yuduo hesitated whether to adjust his position to get a view of the restroom door, but as he casually glanced at the table where Cheng Ke and Lin Xu were sitting before, he abruptly stopped.
The table was now empty, and Lin Xu was nowhere to be seen.
Jiang Yuduo’s nerves kicked in, and he instinctively reached for his trouser pocket. But there was nothing there. He wasn’t allowed to bring in a knife when entering the bar, and it was left outside. He fixed his gaze on the people heading towards the corridor, knowing that if Lin Xu followed Cheng Ke to the restroom, something was amiss.
Less than a minute later, Jiang Yuduo spotted Lin Xu emerging from the dance floor and making his way toward the corridor. Lin Xu was walking rather slowly, and his pace didn’t suggest a need to use the restroom. Jiang Yuduo followed closely, and as he passed by a table, he discreetly picked up an empty goblet. Lin Xu remained unaware of his presence behind him, not even bothering to turn his head or scan the surroundings, and proceeded unhurriedly to the restroom door.
Two individuals were embracing each other in the corridor. Jiang Yuduo didn’t have time to observe what they were doing; his focus remained fixed on Lin Xu. Lin Xu reached the restroom door but hesitated for a couple of seconds before entering. Those brief moments of hesitation confirmed Jiang Yuduo’s suspicion regarding Lin Xu’s intentions toward Cheng Ke.
Without a second thought, Jiang Yuduo rushed forward. The moment Lin Xu took a breath, seemingly to ease his tension before entering the restroom, Jiang Yuduo grabbed his arm and forcefully pushed him against the wall. In one swift motion, he pressed his elbow against Lin Xu’s throat, while his other hand lightly tapped the wall. The shattered wine glass grazed Lin Xu’s neck.
“San-ge?” Lin Xu exclaimed, surprise evident in his voice as he regained his composure and recognized Jiang Yuduo.
“Speak,” Jiang Yuduo calmly demanded, “Who sent you?”
“What?” Lin Xu looked at him, attempting to free his elbow from Jiang Yuduo’s grasp.
“Don’t move,” Jiang Yuduo warned, “Tell me the truth.”
“What are you saying?” Lin Xu’s expression shifted from shock to fear, “No, what’s going on?”
From the corner of his eye, Jiang Yuduo noticed that the couple who had been kissing had already fled, and someone from the other end of the corridor began to glance in their direction. He needed to get Lin Xu out of there as quickly as possible.
But before he could make a move, Cheng Ke emerged from the restroom.
“Cheng-ge!” Lin Xu exclaimed, “What’s happening?”
Cheng Ke stood frozen in place, taking a long while before responding, “Why are you here?”
“I just came for the restroom,” Lin Xu replied.
“I didn’t ask you.” After Cheng Ke regained his composure, his gaze first landed on Jiang Yuduo’s face, then shifted to his elbow resting on Lin Xu’s throat, and finally to the broken cup.
Jiang Yuduo could perceive the change in Cheng Ke’s expression, transitioning from shock to confusion, and ultimately mixed with a sense of helpless anger.
“Jiang Yuduo,” Cheng Ke glanced towards the other end of the corridor and moved closer, enunciating each word, “I’ll give you three seconds to let him go.”
Jiang Yuduo remained motionless, his eyes fixed on Cheng Ke.
He knew that Cheng Ke didn’t believe him, and he also understood Cheng Ke’s emotional state at that moment. When he rushed over, he had already anticipated the possibility of this situation, but until it actually unfolded, he hadn’t devised a corresponding solution. He simply aimed to prevent Lin Xu from causing harm to Cheng Ke.
“One,” Cheng Ke locked eyes with him and began counting, “Two…”
Jiang Yuduo’s hands trembled slightly; he knew the consequences of not releasing his grip.
Even though he was now let go, Cheng Ke would no longer consider him a friend.
“Three,” Cheng Ke declared.
Jiang Yuduo released his hold.
Lin Xu touched his neck and spoke, “Cheng-ge…”
“Go back for now,” Cheng Ke said, “I’ll find an opportunity to explain everything to you.”
Lin Xu hesitated, his gaze lingering on Jiang Yuduo for a moment. Eventually, he responded, “But…”
“It’s alright,” Cheng Ke reassured him, “There was a misunderstanding between my San-ge and me.”
Lin Xu stood in place for a few more seconds before turning around and departing.
Cheng Ke glanced at the cup in Jiang Yuduo’s hand, reached out to gently take it, and placed it in the nearby trash can. “Jiang Yuduo?” he called.
“Yes,” Jiang Yuduo replied.
“Go get your clothes,” Cheng Ke looked at him, “Let’s leave.”
“…Alright,” Jiang Yuduo agreed.
By the time the bartender and security arrived, they had already left the corridor and entered the locker room. Just as Jiang Yuduo was about to leave with his clothes, someone hurriedly entered through the door, calling out, “San-ge!”
Cheng Ke’s initial shock turned into a sense of powerlessness upon seeing that it was Chen Qing.
“Did you come by car?” Cheng Ke asked Chen Qing.
“Yes,” Chen Qing nodded.
“Give me the key,” Cheng Ke requested, “You can take a taxi back.”
Sometimes Cheng Ke could understand why Chen Qing would blindly trust anyone or anything related to Jiang Yuduo. At that moment, Chen Qing didn’t even question him and simply took out the car key, handing it over.
“Should I drive you back to the store tomorrow?” Cheng Ke inquired.
“It’s fine,” Chen Qing replied, “This car will be picked up the day after tomorrow, and I know the owner well.”
“Alright,” Cheng Ke nodded, “Don’t linger here, hurry up.”
After stepping out of the bar’s entrance, Chen Qing hailed a taxi and departed.
Cheng Ke walked with Jiang Yuduo to the parking area. “Shall I drive?” he offered.
“But didn’t you have alcohol to drink today?” Jiang Yuduo questioned.
Cheng Ke let out a soft sigh. He had no idea when Jiang Yuduo had arrived, where he had been hiding, and how long he had been observing him.
“I had a drink,” Cheng Ke replied. “Get in the car.”
“I didn’t consume any alcohol either,” Jiang Yuduo stated.
“I know,” Cheng Ke said as he opened the car door and sat in the driver’s seat. “I can tell you haven’t been drinking.”
Jiang Yuduo got into the car.
Cheng Ke held the steering wheel but didn’t start the engine. His mind was in turmoil, unsure of what to say or if he should say anything at all. After sitting silently for a while, his handphone rang.
He picked it up and saw that it was Xu Ding calling.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Why so quiet?” Xu Ding’s voice came from the other end. “Aren’t you still at the bar?”
“Well, we left,” Cheng Ke replied. “What’s up?”
“Oh, nothing,” Xu Ding chuckled. “Lin Xu just called me and said that San-ge might have had too much to drink, so I wanted to check on you.” Cheng Ke felt relieved. Lin Xu hadn’t informed Xu Ding about the recent incident, probably out of concern for any potential trouble, and had come up with another excuse for Xu Ding’s inquiry.
“It’s alright, I’m already in the car,” Cheng Ke assured him.
“That’s good then, I’ll hang up,” Xu Ding said.
“Thanks,” Cheng Ke smiled and ended the call.
After a moment of silence, Cheng Ke turned his head to look at Jiang Yuduo. “Give me a reason why you think there’s something wrong with Lin Xu.”
“You didn’t know he was going to the toilet either,” Jiang Yuduo replied. “You left, and shortly after, he followed.”
“Do you realize that in a place like this, going to the toilet can be a code for something else?” Cheng Ke questioned.
Jiang Yuduo furrowed his brow and turned to face him. “What are you insinuating?”
Cheng Ke remained silent.
Jiang Yuduo stared at him for a while before asking, “Did you give him any signals?”
“No,” Cheng Ke sighed. He truly didn’t expect Lin Xu to follow him, nor did he give any indication to Lin Xu. The video he had been filming was simply a habit when spending time with someone.
“Is that all?” Jiang Yuduo inquired.
“If he wanted to, he could follow,” Cheng Ke replied. He didn’t know how to explain further. He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and spoke again after a while. “Jiang Yuduo.”
“Yes,” Jiang Yuduo responded.
“I know you want to protect me,” Cheng Ke said, “but I can’t handle this situation anymore.”
Jiang Yuduo remained silent.
“Tonight, you have to answer all the questions I ask,” Cheng Ke declared. “If you refuse to answer, I’ll move out next month. My life is already dull enough, and I can’t bear these many uncertainties.”
“Moving out?” Jiang Yuduo was taken aback.
“Just pretend you don’t have me as a friend,” Cheng Ke stated.
“Don’t!” Jiang Yuduo raised his voice sharply.
The anxiety in Jiang Yuduo’s voice surprised Cheng Ke. He opened his eyes and turned his head, unsure why Jiang Yuduo had such a strong reaction.
Jiang Yuduo looked at him and after a long pause, he spoke again, his voice slightly hoarse. “What do you want to ask?”
“Who are they?” Cheng Ke asked. “What did you see?”
Translator notes
I did not expect this will end on a cliff LOLSupport me on ko-fi for faster releases ^^
