The gathering was not yet over when Lin Lan received a call from Xie Zilu. “Hello, what’s up?”
There was some noise on Xie Zilu’s end, along with the sound of billiard balls being struck. His voice fluctuated in volume, “Are you eating on Xinyang Street? My friend said he saw you.”
Lin Lan: “Yeah, it’s a team dinner.”
“What a coincidence! I’m at the club next door with some friends. Do you want to come over?” The noise receded, followed by the sound of a door closing. Xie Zilu had found a quiet place to call. “It’s just a few steps away. Come on, do me a favor. My friends want to meet you. I’ve already boasted about knowing you.”
Lin Lan: “Why would they want to meet me? I’m not a monkey.”
“They’re fans of the games too. I told them I know you, but they didn’t believe me. They insisted I call you over.” Xie Zilu’s voice had a nasal tone, like a child begging, “Please, I’ve already bragged so much. If you don’t come, they’ll definitely laugh at me. I won’t be able to face them again…”
Lin Lan felt helpless. “You chose to brag, what’s it got to do with me?”
“I wouldn’t call it bragging. I do know you,” Xie Zilu’s voice sounded cheerful, his laughter lacking its usual sharpness. “We were classmates before, and now we’re allies. We’ve known each other for almost ten years, right? And we chat every day. Isn’t our relationship good enough? Lin Lan… I don’t care. If you don’t come over, I’ll keep calling you and bother you all night.”
Is Xie Zilu always this difficult when he’s being playful? However, Lin Lan thought about it. Recently, Xie Zilu had indeed changed a lot, and there were still areas where he would need his help. There was no need to strain their relationship too much.
Lin Lan: “First, let me ask, you haven’t been drinking, right? And I don’t play billiards. I’ll just come over, have a look, and leave.”
Xie Zilu: “They’re drinking, but I haven’t. Ever since you mentioned it last time, I haven’t been drinking much. Lin Lan, come quickly. We’re on the second floor. You don’t need to play with us, just chat for a bit. It won’t take much time, and you can go back to your dinner after.”
Lin Lan was worn down and had no choice. Seeing that Xiao Shengjing was discussing something with Brother Mu and the others, he didn’t want to disturb him. He only told Jiang Jin, “I’m going out to meet a friend. You guys have fun.”
As he walked downstairs, he immediately spotted the club Xie Zilu had mentioned. The huge “gg” sign almost covered half the street. It took him two or three minutes to reach the main entrance. When he got to the second floor, he immediately saw Xie Zilu in the hall.
Xie Zilu was playing billiards, and the people around were making a fuss about something. When they saw him make a shot and pocket a ball, they all cheered loudly.
Among them was someone Lin Lan recognized: Zhang Ran, a lackey of Xie Zilu from their school days. Zhang Ran had a buzz cut and once flaunted a ring in their friend circle, which led to Lin Lan removing him from his friends list after a heated interaction.
Lin Lan habitually observed his surroundings. Only a few people were there, indicating they had booked the place. Bottles were strewn across the nearby table, and everyone’s faces were flushed from drinking.
It was clear that Xie Zilu hadn’t been drinking, though. He was the type to turn bright red all over when he drank, making it impossible for him to lie about it.
Lin Lan pushed open the glass door, and Xie Zilu was the first to notice him. He immediately put down his cue and walked over, “Why did you take so long?”
The patterned shirt he wore gave him a bright, youthful look, softening his usual sharpness. Standing in front of Lin Lan, his eyes couldn’t hide his happiness. Clearly excited about Lin Lan’s arrival, he said the opposite of what he felt: “I’ve been waiting for you forever. If I knew you were this slow, I wouldn’t have asked you to come.”
Lin Lan replied, “? Then I’ll leave?”
“Leave, my foot. Come over here,” Xie Zilu said, pulling him inside. Zhang Ran and the others started to make a commotion, but a single glare from Xie Zilu shut them up. “What are you all making noise for? So annoying.”
He pulled Lin Lan over to his friends and introduced him, “This is Lin Lan. You all know him.”
Lin Lan nodded politely. These people looked very familiar; they were the ones who used to hang out with Xie Zilu back in the day and were part of his memories.
Everyone’s eyes lit up with excitement, and they quickly started talking all at once: “Wow, Young Master Xie, you actually got him to come out? The last time I saw him was on a match livestream.”
“This is Lin Lan? Damn, I didn’t recognize him at all.”
“Young Master Xie, you’re really something. I respect you, bro.”
Even Zhang Ran looked Lin Lan up and down in disbelief, “You’ve changed so much…”
“Young Master Xie, since when have you been so close with Lin Lan?”
Xie Zilu, feeling a bit smug, put his arm around Lin Lan’s shoulder and smiled at him, “We’ve always been this close, right, Lin Lan?”
Lin Lan rolled his eyes discreetly, not bothering to expose his lie.
He disdainfully removed Xie Zilu’s hand, but Xie Zilu put it back and even pinched his face firmly.
Damn it.
Lin Lan already regretted coming.
Xie Zilu dragged him over to the sofa. Music started playing, and colorful lights shone on everyone. This place looked more like an entertainment bar than a billiards hall.
Lin Lan didn’t like the flashing lights; they hurt his eyes, and he furrowed his brows. Surrounded by a chaotic crowd, he sat there with a stern face, looking completely out of place amidst the revelry.
Xie Zilu said a few words to his friends, then turned back and laughed at Lin Lan’s frowning face. He plopped down next to him and asked, “Want a drink?”
Lin Lan: “No, I already had some over there.”
Xie Zilu leaned in and sniffed, indeed catching a whiff of alcohol. “Did you drink a lot over there?”
Lin Lan had just spent some time in the cool air, so the heat on his face had mostly dissipated, though he still had a bit of a buzz.
Lin Lan responded with a heavy nasal sound, “Mm.”
Xie Zilu found his deliberately stern expression adorable and poked his cheek, “Are you really that unhappy? You look like an angry pufferfish.”
Lin Lan slapped his hand away, “This crowd isn’t for me. I’m not comfortable here. I want to go back.”
“What’s uncomfortable? Too noisy? I’ll have them turn off the music…” Xie Zilu laughed, his natural roguish charm evident under the lights. He reached out to pinch Lin Lan’s face again. The cold touch of the ring on Xie Zilu’s hand brought back unpleasant memories for Lin Lan, and he impatiently slapped his hand away, “Stop touching me. I’m going back.”
Xie Zilu quickly withdrew his hand, “Alright, alright, I won’t touch you. Stay a bit longer. I’ll get you a drink…”
He stood up and pressed the service bell, “Waiter, bring us some juice.”
People around them started teasing him, “Oh, Young Master Xie has given up alcohol? Switching to juice now?”
“Young Master Xie’s got someone at home who doesn’t let him drink.”
“Really? I can’t believe it,” someone laughed.
“He’s already here sitting with us, what’s not to believe? Our Young Master Xie is really turning over a new leaf.”
“Damn, that’s Lin Lan? Tell me more about him…”
Xie Zilu slammed the table hard, his eyes flashing coldly, “What the hell are you all babbling about?” He glanced uneasily at Lin Lan, “They’re just talking nonsense, don’t pay attention to them.”
Lin Lan’s brows were tightly furrowed. It seemed he was starting to pick up on something from their words. He immediately stood up, “I’m leaving.”
“You just got here and you’re already leaving?” Xie Zilu stood up to block his way, his lips pressed into a tight line, a hint of obsessive stubbornness in his expression. “Can’t you stay a bit longer? I have something to show you.”
The room gradually fell silent. Everyone could hear the pleading tone in Xie Zilu’s voice. This proud young master was actually speaking so humbly in front of Lin Lan?
Zhang Ran looked like he’d seen a ghost, glancing between Xie Zilu and Lin Lan, his pupils dilated, “Young Master Xie, are you serious?”
Before Lin Lan arrived, Xie Zilu had been jokingly saying he liked Lin Lan. They all thought he was just playing around and teased him into bringing Lin Lan over. But now, seeing Xie Zilu’s serious demeanor, they realized he might not have been joking after all.
They held their breath, suddenly unsure how to handle the situation.
Xie Zilu blocked Lin Lan’s way, but Lin Lan didn’t hesitate to head in another direction. Xie Zilu, desperate, rushed over to stop him again, his voice a mix of forced calm and panic, “Lin Lan, I know it’s a bit sudden to tell you this now, but wait a moment. I sent my bodyguard to get something. He’ll be back soon. Just look at it before you go, okay?”
As he spoke, he grabbed Lin Lan’s hand, seeking some sense of security. Lin Lan forcefully pulled his hand away, “I’m not interested.”
The people behind them, including Zhang Ran, gasped, almost anticipating how Xie Zilu would lose his temper.
When Xie Zilu was in a good mood, he liked to joke around. But when he was in a bad mood, he turned into a madman, someone even he was afraid of.
No one dared to reject Xie Zilu like this, no one dared to anger him this way.
Because when Xie Zilu went mad, he wouldn’t even recognize his own father.
The atmosphere was tense, on the verge of exploding, and everyone was too scared to speak.
Xie Zilu stared at Lin Lan intensely, his lips pressed into a thin line. “I went through so much trouble to bring this for you, and you say you won’t look at it? No way, you have to look at it today.”
Xie Zilu grabbed Lin Lan’s hand and held it tightly. Before Lin Lan could react, Xie Zilu pulled him forcefully, causing him to stumble and fall onto the sofa. Then he shouted, “Close the door!”
Everyone thought Lin Lan was doomed. Some, eager to see what would happen next, even rushed to close the door.
And then… nothing happened?
Everyone watched in disbelief as Xie Zilu sat down next to Lin Lan without taking any further action.
This was completely out of character for Young Master Xie.
Xie Zilu had a stern look on his face. Although he was furious and felt like killing someone, he suppressed his anger and removed the alcohol in front of Lin Lan. “Who the hell told you to pour him alcohol? He drinks juice.”
The waiter brought the juice, and Xie Zilu even poured a glass for Lin Lan himself.
Zhang Ran glanced at Lin Lan, then at Xie Zilu, his words stumbling out, “Uh, Young Master Xie, I said something wrong earlier. I’ll punish myself with three drinks.”
He grabbed a bottle and forced himself to drink three shots. Only then did Xie Zilu’s anger start to dissipate.
Xie Zilu glanced at Lin Lan and, seeing that he didn’t want to engage with him, his tone softened immediately, “Why can’t you just wait patiently? You really want to make me angry.”
Lin Lan really wanted to grab a bottle from the table and smash it over Xie Zilu’s head, “I was having a good time at the dinner. Why did I have to come here to watch you act crazy?”
Zhang Ran paused with his drink, and everyone stared at Lin Lan in disbelief.
Despite his madness, Xie Zilu was particularly sensitive about being called crazy or a lunatic. If he heard it, he would become even more unhinged.
Xie Zilu laughed in anger, forcefully placing the bottle back on the table. He then picked up a fruit knife. While everyone worried he might stab Lin Lan, he instead sliced an apple, peeling it carefully before placing it on Lin Lan’s plate, “Why are you so angry? Eat some fruit to cool down.”
The crowd gasped, feeling like they had witnessed the supernatural. They had seen too many impossibilities today.
This also indirectly proved that Xie Zilu genuinely liked Lin Lan, to an unimaginable extent.
Some people were whispering, “Didn’t Young Master Xie used to love bullying Lin Lan? What’s going on now?”
“I don’t know, man. I used to join in bullying Lin Lan too. He won’t hold a grudge, will he?”
“Just look at how Young Master Xie is acting so humble in front of him. You better watch out.”
“Damn, who could have imagined this…”
The surroundings suddenly became noisy, with everyone unsure of what to say.
Xie Zilu sat up, feeling annoyed. “Lin Lan, I admit I’ve been a bit of a jerk before, but I’ve been trying to change lately. Look, I haven’t even been drinking. If there’s anything you don’t like about me, you can tell me, and I’ll work on it.”
Lin Lan frowned, “How does it matter to me whether you change or not?”
“How could it not matter?” Xie Zilu pursed his lips, suddenly unable to meet Lin Lan’s eyes. He spoke softly, “Don’t you want me to become a better person…”
Lin Lan: “Yes, but I think you misunderstand. When I want you to change for the better, it’s from a friend’s perspective. What perspective are you coming from to make these changes?”
Lin Lan’s words were always sharp and piercing, leaving Xie Zilu unable to hide.
He pursed his lips slightly as the smell of smoke filled the air, the atmosphere murky. The environment he was in clashed sharply with Lin Lan’s cleanliness, and every step he took closer made Lin Lan feel uncomfortable.
He knew, he knew it all along.
That’s why he was changing.
“Lin Lan, I’m changing. Can you give me some time, please?” Xie Zilu lowered his gaze, feeling slightly nervous. “Just wait for the thing to arrive, and you can take a look. After you’ve seen it, I’ll take you back.”
Lin Lan: “What exactly do you want to show me? You tell me first, then I’ll decide if I want to see it.”
Xie Zilu didn’t say. He knew that if he did, Lin Lan would definitely leave early, and he didn’t want all the careful preparations to go to waste. He held onto Lin Lan’s hand, preventing him from leaving, his voice sounding uncertain. “Lin Lan, you may not believe it, but I really have changed for you. Can you trust me just once? Perhaps in the future, I could become a better person…”
Lin Lan’s phone rang. Xiao Shengjing was calling. Just as Lin Lan was about to answer, Xie Zilu grabbed him firmly. “Don’t answer!”
He immediately hung up Lin Lan’s phone, took a big gulp of the wine on the table, and then stood up and looked at him firmly. “Lin Lan, I like you. Will you be with me?”
The surrounding voices were all suppressed. The atmosphere heated up. Everyone was cheering and teasing, “Wow, Young Master Xie, you finally said it out loud!”
“Wow! Young Master Xie is amazing! This courage is incredible!”
“You two should hurry up and get together!”
“Lin Lan, what are you hesitating for? Just say yes already.”
“This is Young Master Xie’s first confession in his life. The treatment is really unparalleled…”
“Lin Lan, hurry up and say yes.”
“Say yes to him!”
“Just say yes!”
The music mixed with the cheering voices. At that moment, Lin Lan seemed to experience ringing in his ears.
Xie Zilu’s expression was a bit awkward, his ears turning slightly red, but he continued, “I will quit smoking and drinking for you. I’ll give up everything you don’t like and become a better person. If you’re with me, you’ll never be bullied again. I’ll be good to you for the rest of my life, and I won’t like anyone else…”
This confession had surpassed everyone’s understanding of Xie Zilu.
A person who stood above all, viewing others as ants; someone who cared little about others’ lives and even less about their own; a person who constantly lost control, unable to manage their emotions.
Yet here he was, willing to pour out his heart and soul for Lin Lan to this extent.
And he did it in front of all his friends, making a solemn declaration.
Lin Lan looked at Xie Zilu in astonishment, his pupils shaking with disbelief. He couldn’t believe that Xie Zilu would confess to him. The situation had completely slipped out of his control. Lin Lan stood up immediately. “I’m leaving.”
This statement immediately poured cold water on Xie Zilu. He pressed his lips together slightly, grabbing Lin Lan’s shoulder with a bit too much force, forcibly keeping him seated. “Lin Lan, did you hear what I just said?”
Having only had one drink, Xie Zilu’s neck had already started to break out in a rash. His breathing and emotions were a bit out of control, and his grip was surprisingly strong.
Lin Lan couldn’t even stand up. Once again, he felt the overwhelming oppression that Xie Zilu brought, a sense of inequality inherent in their relationship.
Just as he was about to say something, the bodyguard arrived.
He brought a box, accompanied by a large bunch of white roses.
Xie Zilu suddenly stood up, walked over, and took the roses and the box. After confirming that everything was fine, he approached Lin Lan with an expectant look, like a teenager making his first confession. “Lin Lan, this is a brooch specially customized for you. The design on it was personally created by me for you. It’s okay if you don’t accept my confession, but please take this brooch…”
He opened the box, and inside was a very beautiful brooch, shimmering under the lights.
The square diamond on the hollow frame rotated slightly, exuding a lively beauty. There was a pattern engraved on the base of the diamond.
It was a pattern that Lin Lan was very familiar with.
It was the indelible mark personally imprinted by the masked clown on the original owner on that rainy night.
Lin Lan’s pupils widened infinitely in shock, and his consciousness was once again pulled back into that damp rainy night.
The monsters around him and the people cheering at this moment were exactly the same. Xie Zilu’s face began to alternate between the aggressive appearance of the clown and the expectant gaze of Xie Zilu.
The scars on his back also began to ache faintly, and all the torment from that night was imprinted vividly on him.
Lin Lan breathed slightly, feeling like he was being forced to suffocate.
He looked at Xie Zilu in front of him, suddenly feeling lost. Could one really expect someone like him to change for the better?
He was like a natural-born demon, carrying evil from birth. His recent transformation wasn’t about becoming better; it was about temporarily restraining his claws in front of something he liked.
Perhaps there shouldn’t have been any expectations of him in the first place…
As Xie Zilu took out the brooch intending to pin it on his chest, Lin Lan instinctively pushed his hand away, his voice cold, “I have a boyfriend.”
The cheers abruptly stopped, and silence fell like death.
Xie Zilu froze, his body already thin, giving him a slightly stooped appearance, and making him look especially pitiful.
In the face of his incredibly sincere and grand confession, all he received was a response that felt like a harsh slap across his face, as if someone had taken a knife and stabbed it into his heart.
The lights couldn’t find Xie Zilu’s face, leaving only a dead silence in the darkness. No one dared to speak, only the chaotic sound of Xie Zilu’s breathing filled the air.
“Lin Lan,” Xie Zilu suddenly grabbed Lin Lan’s shoulder, pressing him down onto the sofa. He used all his strength to restrain himself from going crazy. “Say it again to me?”
“I have a boyfriend,” Lin Lan repeated once more, “Someone you can’t afford to offend.”
After stabbing Xie Zilu with knives, Lin Lan then ruthlessly trampled on him a few times. They couldn’t imagine what consequences would follow.
Zhang Ran was worried that something bad might happen and hoarsely shouted, “Young Master Xie, calm down!”
At that moment, Lin Lan’s phone rang again, displaying: Xiao Shengjing.
He was indeed someone Xie Zilu couldn’t afford to offend. No matter how crazy he went in this circle, his father wouldn’t interfere, but Xiao Shengjing was someone he couldn’t touch.
And, most importantly, Lin Lan, who used to be a nobody, had always secretly admired Xiao Shengjing.
Now, even after his transformation, Lin Lan still liked Xiao Shengjing.
Everything suddenly became clear to Xie Zilu. He felt like a clown, a complete fool.
He chuckled softly, his grip gradually loosening. “No wonder you told me that those bad parts were also a part of yourself. So, you had already accepted your flaws…”
Lin Lan had no intention of continuing the conversation with him. He gently freed himself from Xie Zilu’s grasp and stood up.
No one dared to block his way. Lin Lan’s actions just now were akin to stomping Xie Zilu’s face into the ground, causing everyone to avoid getting involved, fearing the repercussions.
Lin Lan simply walked away.
Left behind were Xie Zilu and his cronies, along with the white roses scattered on the ground and the custom-made brooch he had personally prepared.
No one dared to breathe loudly. They couldn’t believe what they had witnessed today.
Xie Zilu hung his head, his slender body hunched over. Suddenly, he exerted all his strength, smashing the box in his hand against the wall, shattering it to pieces.
He gasped heavily, the rash on his neck tormenting him. He clenched his fists and hammered them against the wall, only stopping when it was a bloody mess. His brows furrowed, revealing sharp teeth, and he exuded a fierce aura. “Remember, none of you are allowed to speak a word about this.”
The people around him quickly nodded in agreement. This incident…this incident was something that even with ten times their courage, they wouldn’t dare to speak of it.
![Dissatisfied [e-sports]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4997572.jpg "Dissatisfied [e-sports]")
