Facing Song Anning Again

Song Anning could hardly believe his eyes. He had not even had the chance to say a few words to Cen Muxiao before Guo Lantai started making trouble at the dinner table again.

Not only did he start acting cute and coquettish right in front of them, but his mouth was getting increasingly unrestrained, daring to say all sorts of shameless things!

Calling Cen Muxiao "good sir" was one thing, but he even brazenly claimed that Cen Muxiao not letting him drink meant he cared about him. Where did he get the confidence to say that?

What Song Anning found even more unbelievable was that Cen Muxiao had actually cast him aside just because of one bit of Guo Lantai's cutesy behavior.

Watching him stride toward Guo Lantai without hesitation, Song Anning nearly ground his teeth to pieces. He was not even telling the truth—couldn't Cen Muxiao just treat it like farting and ignore him?

Didn't going over there prove that he had gone from completely ignoring him before to being unable to ignore him now?

No matter the reason, that man had successfully stolen Cen Muxiao's attention again!

With a knot of resentment in his chest, Song Anning unwillingly followed after them. He wanted to see what new tricks Guo Lantai had come up with after he had been gone for just one evening!

Before he had even stopped walking, the two of them began having a baffling exchange, one line after another.

Cen Muxiao directly accused Guo Lantai of acting, and Song Anning thought so too. He had only drunk a little red wine and already dared to use it as an excuse to act drunk. It was painfully fake!

But since Cen Muxiao knew he was acting, why had he come over to indulge him? He could have ignored him entirely. If Guo Lantai wanted to act, let him act. If he wanted to drink, let him drink. It was not as if Cen Muxiao would be held responsible if he drank himself to death.

Song Anning had worked hard all day and had only just stepped through the door, yet Cen Muxiao had come to greet him. Couldn't he have simply ignored that person and gone upstairs with him?

Hadn't Cen Muxiao just been asking about his interview? Shouldn't he have been eagerly asking about the results? Song Anning had kept it secret for so long precisely to make him curious, then give him a surprise!

How had he suddenly become so indifferent and unconcerned?

And knowing that Song Anning had gone out on business and had not returned for so long, Cen Muxiao had not even called to ask. Instead, he had openly sat there drinking with Guo Lantai!

And he had even kept him company until he was satisfied!

What made Song Anning even angrier was that Guo Lantai's words became more and more outrageous. Cen Muxiao looked cold and displeased, yet why did their conversation somehow sound so harmonious and affectionate to him?

By the end, Guo Lantai's words had already lumped himself and Cen Muxiao together as one family. They were family—then what was Song Anning?

Just as he simmered with anger, his mind full of confusion and bewilderment, Guo Lantai, who had boldly downed a huge glass of wine, suddenly rose from his seat. He stood there swaying, tilting his head up to meet Cen Muxiao's gaze.

What was that look? Was he batting his eyelashes?

What was that smile? Was he acting shy and cute?

Hey? Hey? Oh my—was his leg crippled? How could he lose his balance and grab onto Cen Muxiao's arm like that?

Cen Muxiao! Shouldn't you be shaking him off hard right now?

Just as Song Anning was stunned by Guo Lantai's series of actions, just as he was about to rush over and free Cen Muxiao from Guo Lantai's harassment, Guo Lantai suddenly looked his way.

"Eh? Sir, do we... have a guest in the house? Why has he been standing there without saying anything? At first glance, I thought—I thought I'd seen a ghost!"

Guo Lantai squinted and shook his head hard. His flushed face really did make him look drunk. "Oh, he looks familiar. Let me think. Hey, isn't this Mr. Song, the homeless man?"

"Guo Lantai, sober up. If you insult Anning again, don't blame me for being rude."

Only when Cen Muxiao saw the expression on Song Anning's face did he finally speak up to reprimand Guo Lantai.

Only then did he realize that he had ignored Song Anning. He should have sent him upstairs first; otherwise, how could he have let him see Guo Lantai in this irritating drunken state?

Even when sober, Guo Lantai always found ways to pick at Song Anning. Now that alcohol had emboldened him, what nice words could possibly come out of his mouth after running into Song Anning? If Cen Muxiao still did not speak up, Song Anning would surely think he was taking Guo Lantai's side.

These days, his relationship with Song Anning had never made any breakthrough. They had given each other plenty of space, but that did not mean Guo Lantai could squeeze himself into that space.

Seeing that Cen Muxiao had finally noticed him and started speaking up for him, Song Anning silently breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Cen Muxiao was still protecting him.

With that thought, he finally had the confidence to confront Guo Lantai face-to-face. "Even if Mr. Guo has had too much to drink, you should not insult people, should you? First you call me a ghost, then you mock me for being homeless. Is it fun for you to target me like this?"

"Huh? That counts as targeting you? You appeared without making a sound. Didn't that scare me like a ghost would? And you came back from studying abroad and moved into the Cen family home. Isn't that being homeless? I don't think I'm wrong! Ugh!"

Guo Lantai widened his innocent-looking eyes as he questioned him, then turned to Cen Muxiao and gossiped in a low voice. "Sir, I checked his name before. One name, three roof radicals. When his parents gave him that name, they must have hoped he would build lots and lots of houses someday and have a home of his own. Isn't he just lacking houses in his fate, so the roof radicals were there to make up for it?"

Cen Muxiao stared blankly at his playfully fluttering long lashes. It was not because he believed that nonsense, but because looking down at Guo Lantai from this angle gave him an entirely different feeling.

He was rather pleasing to the eye!

At that moment, Song Anning's slightly shrill voice rang out abruptly. "Guo Lantai, stop talking nonsense. I have a house in my hometown. I'm only staying in the Imperial Capital temporarily, and buying a house is only a matter of time. Whether I'm homeless or not is none of your business!"

Guo Lantai merely pressed his lips together and immediately said something that was enough to infuriate Song Anning. "Of course it is. It's my business. If you have a home to return to, then those bronze mirrors of mine will have somewhere to go, won't they? I'll store them for you first. Don't forget to take them when you leave!"

At the mention of the bronze mirrors, Song Anning became even angrier. "No need! I have no interest in your things!"

Guo Lantai muttered softly, "But you seem pretty interested in my sir."

Song Anning: ...Guo Lantai, have you forgotten? The sir you're interested in is not interested in you. It's too late to take those words back now. Just wait to be slapped in the face!

As he thought that, his aggrieved gaze fell on Cen Muxiao's face. "Muxiao, look at him!"

The unspoken meaning was: Look at what he said. Shouldn't you say something to refute him?

"Twisted logic."

To his surprise, Cen Muxiao did not personally speak up to strike at Guo Lantai as Song Anning had hoped. He only quietly uttered a few words, then stiffly ordered Guo Lantai, "You've had too much to drink. Go upstairs and sleep."

"Mr. Song's brow is dark."

But Guo Lantai acted as though he had not heard him. He changed the subject with astonishing speed, staring at Song Anning. After reading his name, he began reading his face.

Song Anning bit his lip. ...Because you made me angry!

Guo Lantai added, "There may be bloodshed... mmph!"

Before he could finish the second half of the sentence, Cen Muxiao's large hand covered his mouth. Then Cen Muxiao tucked him under one arm and carried him away.

That big bastard had no choice but to personally send him back to his room to stop him from saying any more nonsense and provoking Song Anning...