Bai Yang only allowed Shao Cheng to drop him off at the restaurant where he worked. It took about ten minutes to get there. After getting out of the car, he thanked Shao Cheng several times. However, Shao Cheng parked the car and also got out.
“I’m going in to have a meal,” he briefly explained.
Bai Yang smiled wryly because the restaurant where Shao Cheng planned to have a quick dinner was a place he could afford to indulge himself only after saving up for a long time.
The two of them entered the restaurant together. Even though they didn’t communicate with each other, anyone could tell that they were there together. While changing into his work clothes among the staff, Bai Yang was approached by the restaurant manager. The manager asked, “How come you’re here with our VIP member?”
The restaurant had quite a few VIP members. To be precise, Shao Cheng’s membership card was used by his father for frequent dining, and he had only visited once or twice. But the highly skilled manager remembered the appearance of every single member. Moreover, someone like Shao Cheng, who was remarkably good-looking, was especially memorable.
Bai Yang simply replied that they were classmates and he was just accompanying him.
The manager inquired further, “With such wealthy classmates, why don’t you let him help you?”
“Even if he’s wealthy, it’s his money, and he’s not obligated to help me.”
The manager sighed for a moment before returning to the main area of the restaurant. Before leaving, he asked Bai Yang to serve Shao Cheng’s table.
Bai Yang changed into his traditional-style work uniform. The deep red top with a frog button closure exuded an air of elegance, while the well-fitted black trousers accentuated his long legs. He carried the dishes Shao Cheng had ordered from the kitchen to their table, gently placing the plates down and saying, “Here’s the matsutake and bamboo shoots, as well as the Longjing tea shrimp that you ordered.”
Shao Cheng gave him a faint glance before starting his dinner.
Evenings were the busiest time for the restaurant. Naturally, Bai Yang couldn’t exclusively serve Shao Cheng’s table. While busily moving around, he occasionally glanced in Shao Cheng’s direction to see if there was anything he needed. However, Shao Cheng never signaled for him.
This dinner lasted for about two hours. Bai Yang momentarily got carried away and thought Shao Cheng was waiting for him. But when he turned around to look again, the seat was already empty.
He sighed softly, feeling a bit disappointed.
“When do you get off work?”
The familiar voice unexpectedly came from behind, and Bai Yang turned around with surprise and delight.
Shao Cheng seemed impatient as he asked again, “When do you get off work? It’s already 8 o’clock.”
Clearly, Shao Cheng wasn’t aware of the hardships in the service industry. At this restaurant, shifts ended at around 10 o’clock at the earliest. Bai Yang smiled and said, “It’s still early for me to get off work, you should just head home.”
Shao Cheng didn’t seem satisfied with this response and furrowed his brows. “How much do you earn?”
The number Bai Yang mentioned displeased him even more. “You’ve made me wait for so long for this little amount of money? I’ll transfer it to you. Quit this job and let’s go.”
Bai Yang didn’t want to upset him, but abruptly quitting like this wasn’t appropriate nor reasonable. He was hesitating when the manager approached, asking Shao Cheng if he needed any further service.
“He won’t be coming here anymore.” Shao Cheng took charge of the situation for Bai Yang.
The manager looked at Bai Yang, then at Shao Cheng, puzzled about what was happening.
Bai Yang was still trying to figure out how to convince Shao Cheng, but Shao Cheng cut him off with a single sentence:
“Didn’t you say you’d do anything I asked?”
Bai Yang’s words caught in his throat, and he fell silent for a few seconds. He then turned to the manager and gave a deep bow, saying, “I’m sorry, Manager. I have to resign.”
The manager looked at him in surprise. “So suddenly?”
“Yeah, something came up. Today isn’t convenient, but I’ll come and explain the situation to you in detail later.”
The manager sighed. “I knew you’d quit sooner or later. Working here is beneath you. Fine, I won’t force you to stay.”
Bai Yang felt guilty. The restaurant wasn’t really short of servers, and it was the manager’s kindness that had led him to hire Bai Yang when he was struggling. Now that Bai Yang had overcome the most difficult period, he wanted to find a job that aligned with his interests and expertise, and better prospects for his career. Even without Shao Cheng’s intervention today, he had planned to resign within the next few weeks.
He apologized repeatedly, but the manager waved off his apologies.
Shao Cheng, on the side, coldly interrupted, “Go change your clothes, I’ll wait for you in the car.”
Bai Yang had no choice but to head to the staff area to change out of the uniform he had worn for nearly a year. He wouldn’t get to wear it again, and he felt a bit reluctant to part with it.
When he came out, Shao Cheng had already left for outside, but the manager caught up to him and held Bai Yang’s hand in gratitude. “Your classmate just loaded 50,000 into our restaurant card. Please thank your classmate for me!”
50,000… That was almost all the money Bai Yang had earned working at the restaurant. Of course, he wasn’t vain enough to think that Shao Cheng recharged the card because of him. This amount was insignificant for Shao Cheng, maybe he thought the food here was good and intended to eat here often, so he had loaded the money beforehand.
Bidding farewell to the manager, Bai Yang walked to the parking lot and got into Shao Cheng’s car. In the darkness, Shao Cheng’s profile appeared even more rugged and stern. He drove silently, not saying a word.
Bai Yang tried to find a topic to break the silence, but after thinking for a while, he couldn’t come up with anything suitable. The gap between his life and Shao Cheng’s was immense, like night and day. In fact, the fact that he could sit in Shao Cheng’s car, being driven home by him, was already quite a sight.
After searching in his mind for a while, Bai Yang finally came up with an idea, “The detective novel I was reading in the library today was quite interesting.”
“I’ve read that one,” Shao Cheng’s sentence cut off his topic.
So, the car fell into silence again.
Bai Yang didn’t mind this quietness. Every second spent with Shao Cheng felt like a gift, regardless of whether there was conversation or not. However, he worried that Shao Cheng might find him boring, even though he genuinely didn’t have much about him that was interesting.
Time passed slowly, slow enough that Bai Yang could feel himself memorizing every movement and breath of Shao Cheng. Yet, time passed quickly as well, as if he blinked and they were already at his residential building.
Moments of happiness were destined to come to an end. Bai Yang sighed internally, expressing his gratitude to Shao Cheng before preparing to open the car door and get out. However, Shao Cheng suddenly grabbed his arm.
“Don’t get out yet,” Shao Cheng said in a low voice.
Following Shao Cheng’s gaze, Bai Yang looked down to his building and indeed saw a group of thugs squatting on the ground, cigarette tips glowing and some holding sticks.
One person was talking loudly on the phone, saying, “Boss Song, when is that kid coming back? We’ve been waiting for two hours!”
Evidently, these people were sent by Song Chi to deal with him. If Shao Cheng hadn’t noticed in time, Bai Yang would have been at a disadvantage facing them alone.
“It’s fine. I’ll call the police. It’s just that I’ll have to ask you to wait a bit longer,” Bai Yang felt apologetic. He had troubled Shao Cheng too many times already.
Shao Cheng, however, pressed down on the gas pedal and drove away from the residential building.
“Calling the police won’t help. They haven’t attacked you yet, so it’s not a crime. At most, it’s disturbing the peace.”
“Right… so, where should we go now?”
Shao Cheng stared straight ahead and said:
“My place.”
