“Qi’er, don’t drink anymore.” Qin Cheng took the wine glass from Tan Qi’s hand and turned his head to signal Jian Heng. Jian Heng understood and stopped Cheng Bin, who was also unsteadily drinking.
The two chatterboxes finally separated, and Shao Ze couldn’t help but say: “A pair of one cup down1一杯倒 (yī bēi dào): lit. one cup/glass down; one drink down; one glass and you’re drunk; getting drunk after one glass; refers to people who cannot drink much. is having a drinking contest here.”
“Qi’er isn’t a one cup down,” Qin Cheng said as he put some food into Tan Qi’s bowl, “He’s a one gulp down.”
Shao Ze and Jian Heng laughed together.
Qin Cheng shook his head and couldn’t help but feel happy too. He might have been drunk too, otherwise, why would he even want to compare at this time? He felt that Jian Heng smiled more handsomely and was so handsome that he shone brightly.
Someone was singing in the next box, and the tune was turned to the west. Tan Qi squinted his eyes when he heard the noise and cursed with dissatisfaction: “It’s really unpleasant.”
After a while, Tan Qi raised his juice and smiled proudly at Jian Heng. Qin Cheng was sure that he was drunk, he even dared to provoke Jian Heng.
Tan Qi stuck his tongue out and stuttered: “You guys… don’t know!”
“Know what?” Qin Cheng suppressed his laughter, leaned back in his chair, and asked him, “Know that you drink alcohol and didn’t eat the food?”
“Bin.” Tan Qi shouted.
Qin Cheng grabbed his shoulders and turned him to the left, laughing so hard: “This is Heng’er, Bin is over here.”
After saying that, he couldn’t help but look back at Jian Heng. Jian Heng raised an eyebrow at him, and he couldn’t help but smile back.
Even though Tan Qi went the wrong way, he was not affected either. When he turned around, he excitedly said: “Our Qin-ge was also quite coquettish back in the day!”
Qin Cheng was taken aback, why are you still talking about him? How could Qin-ge be coquettish? Qin-ge is very serious, okay?
His shoulder was lightly tapped, Qin Cheng turned around, Jian Heng’s eyes carried a smile, and he leaned slightly closer to Qin Cheng’s ear and said: “Is that so?”
Qin Cheng inexplicably felt a little guilty. He turned his head slightly and also whispered in Jian Heng’s ear: “Of course not, I keep myself clean.”
Jian Heng was too close. The private room had air conditioning, but they still sweat a lot after eating. Jian Heng’s breath was hotter than the air, hitting Qin Cheng’s ear, making it slightly warm and moist.
Tan Qi took a sip of juice and said: “Good wine!”
He pointed to the roof: “Not to mention anything else, just this song, what they sang… what a crappy thing! When my Qin-ge started singing, even Omega would get pregnant!”
Qin Cheng stopped him. The look in Jian Heng’s eyes just now really put him under a lot of pressure: “Your Ge doesn’t have to shoot with his voice. Don’t just drink, eat some food, Qi’er.”
“Shit,” Cheng Bin covered his ears with a shy look on his face, “It’s so yellow2黃 (huáng): yellow (colour); (colloquial) pornographic; lewd; (colloquial) to fizzle out; to fall through; (Cantonese) to let the cat out of the bag (to let a secret be known)..”
Qin Cheng looked back at Jian Heng and asked for off-site assistance: “Hold them back.” He couldn’t control the two drunkards.
Jian Heng actually didn’t help him stop them, but also grabbed the back of his collar with one hand and pulled him back. He looked at Tan Qi: “Then?”
Qin Cheng turned around with a wary look on his face: “This student, what do you want to do?”
Jian Heng took a sip of beer, his eyes locked on his, and his Adam’s apple rolled as he swallowed. The emotion in his eyes was very strong, and there was a little smile on the corner of his lips: “Listen to the story.”
Qin Cheng coughed, a little unnaturally.
Whose youth is not crazy? Although his story does not destroy the three views3三觀 (sān guān): (neologism, slang) the three fundamental views or values of a person, i.e. one’s world view (世界觀), values of worth (價值觀) and philosophy on life (人生觀), more reference: Link 1, Link 2., it is also quite something, which makes him embarrassed to mention it in front of Jian Heng.
It didn’t matter to others, he just didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of Jian Heng.
With an audience present, Tan Qi went completely crazy. He nodded around everyone, shaking his head as he nodded: “In our school, during junior high, several well-known Omega fought over our Qin-ge every day!”
Qin Cheng was helpless, but still couldn’t help but interrupt him: “Your Ge isn’t that amazing.”
Tan Qi was unfazed: “Tsk, tsk, tsk, none of you guys have ever heard Qin-ge sing… When he graduated from ninth grade, how many Omegas were won over by one song, even Alphas! There are many people pursuing Qin-ge and take the exam to get into Fifth High School!”
When the phrase ‘even Alphas’ was mentioned, Qin Cheng couldn’t help but turn his head and glance at Jian Heng, who was looking at him intently. There was something profound in Jian Heng’s eyes, making Qin Cheng turn his head back the next second.
His heart was beating so fast that he couldn’t hold the wine glass in his hand.
“I carry with me an affection~ and a trace of sadness~” Tan Qi howled while holding the bottle of wine, “Many words are still unspoken~”
Qin Cheng patted him on the shoulder, not daring to look back at Jian Heng: “Stop singing, the wolf is coming.”
Tan Qi sniffed and suddenly hugged him, tears streaming down his face. He cried and shouted: “Ge, this many years has not been easy for you…”
“Hey, it’s not easy, it’s not easy.” Qin Cheng patted his back helplessly. His habit of acting crazy whenever he drink still hasn’t changed.
“It’s not easy! It’s not easy!” Cheng Bin suddenly shouted after him, scaring Qin Cheng.
Jian Heng signaled Shao Ze to keep an eye on him, as he is also a crazy drunk.
Cheng Bin grabbed Shao Ze’s hand, his eyes red and teary, about to cry. He turned his head and looked past Qin Cheng and Tan Qi, stopping at Jian Heng. Tears suddenly fell down: “It’s not easy for Heng’er! How difficult it is for Alpha to find a partner! If it weren’t for, if it weren’t for that——”
“Cheng Bin,” Jian Heng suddenly called out to him, furrowing his brow slightly, “Stop drinking.”
Cheng Bin was taken aback, then he wiped his eyes with a forbearing look: “I know, I won’t say anything.”
Qin Cheng couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Jian Heng.
What secret was there that he couldn’t know? Or perhaps it was something Tan Qi shouldn’t know, could he go back and ask?
The initial hidden excitement quickly faded after entering, only leaving behind an inexplicable sour feeling. Qin Cheng felt uncomfortable being separated by an invisible circle formed by Jian Heng and his friends.
He was suffocated from the inside out.
Everyone has secrets, and it is even more impossible for friends to tell everything. He said this before, but now he takes it back.
Qin Cheng is so damn unhappy right now. He was so upset that he dared to look Jian Heng in the eyes.
Fuck, we are all brothers who share the joys and sorrows of each other, grasshoppers on the same rope. So why can’t he tell him?
He couldn’t tell. Everyone has secrets. His behavior was very unreasonable and excessive, and Jian Heng had the right not to say anything.
But he wanted to know.
Two thoughts were torn in his mind, and Qin Cheng’s good mood was instantly torn to pieces.
The two drunkards ended up hugging each other. One after the other, bragging about how freaking awesome Qin Cheng and Jian Heng were.
One would talk about how at school, no one dared to provoke them when facing ten opponents alone, they kept a low profile and avoided trouble, had a group of admirers, but the two big shots remained virtuous, and displayed various handsome qualities in an instant…
They cried while talking, talked while crying, and Qin Cheng’s heart, which had hit rock bottom, was successfully covered with another layer of tears.
Jian Heng hasn’t spoken since he stopped Cheng Bin from speaking. He poured alcohol and drank in silence, looking very unhappy.
Qin Cheng knew that he should lean over with a glass of wine in hand and ask, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it——You don’t want to tell me why you are unhappy, so how can I comfort you? What basis do I have to comfort you?
Qin-ge is not happy either.
However, Qin-ge’s unhappiness didn’t last more than a minute before he was defeated. Once he recalled Jian Heng’s childhood and Jian Heng’s tattoo, Qin Cheng lost all his anger.
When Qin Cheng leaned over with the juice in hand, as if demons and gods at work, he pinched his finger and asked in a low voice: “What’s wrong?”
Jian Heng looked over with surprise in his eyes, as if he didn’t expect him to make such a move.
Qin Cheng felt awkward under his gaze, his suppressed unhappiness and embarrassment mixed together. His mind in a whirl, he reached out and pinched it again. Jian Heng didn’t say anything, so Qin Cheng simply grabbed his hand.
After grabbing it, he gave him a bold look, telling him with a challenging gaze——Qin-ge could pinch it whenever he want to, and if you disagree, he could fight it out.
Jian Heng looked at him for a while and suddenly smiled. He stretched out his hand and put it on his leg, which was a little hot.
He picked up the wine glass with his other hand and clinked his glass. He leaned next to him and whispered: “Feel free to touch, you have the privilege.”
After the word ‘privilege’ came out, the corner of Qin Cheng’s mouth were no longer in his control. If it weren’t for the roof, he could fly into the sky.
He couldn’t help but cough and took a sip of juice. He wiped his mouth casually and said: “Don’t drink anymore. I have to ask someone to pick us up if everyone is drunk.”
Jian Heng, unusually obedient, set down his glass and continued to look at him, a smile in his eyes.
Qin Cheng felt his face warm under Jian Heng’s gaze. After staring at each other4大眼小眼地跟他瞪 (dà yǎn xiǎo yǎn de gēn tā dèng): T/N: From the idiom 大眼瞪小眼 (dà yǎn dèng xiǎo yǎn), lit. the big eye stares at the small eye; two people staring at each other, without knowing what to do; look at each other helplessly. for a while, unable to hold it in, he also started laughing, laughing like a lunatic, shaking with laughter.
While laughing, Qin Cheng reached out and firmly held Jian Heng’s hand on his leg. He had long coveted this joint; last time in class, he was too disoriented from sleep to appreciate how good it felt to touch, but now, being clear-headed, it felt even better.
Jian Heng made no resistance, allowing Qin Cheng to touch his hand on his leg as he pleased. With his other hand, he picked up the half-empty glass of juice Qin Cheng had left and drank it. Sensing his gaze, Jian Heng half-closed his eyes and said: “Hangover drink.”
No problem, Qin Cheng nodded and continued to touch his hand.
Jian Heng’s hand was about the same size as his, but his fingers were longer, with prominent knuckles. He slid down from the wrist to the pinky finger and pinched it, then couldn’t help but squeeze it again. The five fingers curled up in the palm of his hand in a submissive gesture.
The pulse on Jian Heng’s wrist beat very strongly, and when he put his fingertips on it, it seemed to be beating along with it. After a while, it seemed like the two people’s heartbeats synchronized.
Qin Cheng couldn’t help but feel a little confused. He might be drunk, otherwise, why would he keep thinking about how nice it would be if he could hold hands like this forever…
Beside them, Shao Ze couldn’t bear to watch it. Jian Heng refused to drink from the huge bottle of juice next to him, and insisted on drinking from other people’s glass. Qin Cheng, a big straight guy, was making eyes with an Alpha of unknown orientation until he lose his anger. After that, he let himself be coaxed into confusion and even sneaked touching hands under the table…
What’s all this? He and Cheng Bin traveled thousands of miles to come here to eat their brothers’ dog food5狗糧 (gǒu liáng): lit. dog food; (slang, neologism) display of affection seen from the perspective of a third, lonely person..
***
After three rounds of drinking, Qin Cheng supported Tan Qi, Shao Ze dragged Cheng Bin, and Jian Heng went to pay.
When he came back, Qin Cheng asked: “How much?”
Jian Heng didn’t argue with him on this matter: “I’ve sent it to WeChat. Transfer the money when you have time.”
Qin Cheng likes this kind of tacit understanding; knowing that he definitely wants to treat the guest, he won’t say one more word of nonsense. Crisp and clear.
Qin Cheng hailed a taxi at the entrance . After negotiating the price, he turned around and called them: “You guys take this one, I paid for it.”
Jian Heng and Shao Ze helped Cheng Bin get into the car, then they turned their heads and asked him: “What about you?”
“I’m going to stay at Qi’er‘s house,” Qin Cheng said, “You guys go first, I’ll take him home.”
Jian Heng’s friend come over and they would definitely want to stay with him, so he had to be rational and make room. Therefore, theoretically, there was no difference between a girlfriend coming over and friends coming over. He had to pack up and leave.
Thinking about this, Qin Cheng’s determination rose again. He couldn’t quite pinpoint what was wrong, feeling a bit awkward and almost going crazy from his own affected behavior.
“Can’t stay,” Jian Heng stretched out his hand from the car, flicked the back of his hand with his fingers, and looked at him, “Come back, and I’ll stay at your house.”
What does it mean to have a beautiful instant change of mood? This was what a beautiful instant change of mood looked like.
Qin Cheng raised his arm to cover his mouth. Not good, there is no roof now, and the corner of the mouth cannot take off.
The song that TQ sang was a Cantonese song; 那有一天不想你 (nà yǒu yī tiān bù xiǎng nǐ), There Isn’t a Day I Don’t Think of You or Thinking of You Every Day by Leon Lai. Here’s the video link.
List of Idiom in Chapter 25
潔身自好 (jié shēn zì hào): lit. to keep one’s body clean; to keep one’s integrity and not follow the ways of evil people; clean-living and honest (idiom); to avoid immorality; to shun evil influence; to mind one’s own business and keep out of trouble; to keep one’s hands clean; refuse to be contaminated by evil influence; preserve one’s purity; lead an honest and clean life; keep one’s integrity/chastity; stand aloof; to keep oneself clean and not to join in with others; it also means to be afraid of getting into trouble, to cherish oneself, and not to get entangled with others.鬼使神差 (guǐ shǐ shén chāi): demons and gods at work (idiom); doings of ghosts and gods—unexpected happenings; unexplained event crying out for a supernatural explanation; curious coincidence; As if there were ghosts and gods supporting him, he unconsciously did what he didn’t expect to do.
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