Chapter 27

"If President Lu insists on extorting me, there's nothing I can do." Cheng Lang said pitifully, "President Lu says I hit you, so you need evidence. You can't produce any evidence, yet you're trying to slander a lowly waiter like me with nothing but your word. I truly have no way to defend myself."

Lu Chengxuan's gaze fell on the order pad in Cheng Lang's hand. "You deliberately hit me through that order pad—"

"President Lu certainly has quite the imagination." Cheng Lang smiled as he clapped his hands. "Even if you want to force an honest man into prostitution, surely you don't need such a lousy excuse to make trouble for me?"

Lu Chengxuan looked at Cheng Lang in disbelief. In all his life, he had never encountered anyone who dared bully him like this. "Do you believe I can make it impossible for you to survive in X City?"

"I do." Cheng Lang nodded. Rubbing his chin, he asked thoughtfully, "President Lu, didn't you just say you were curious about what Qin saw in me?"

Lu Chengxuan looked at Cheng Lang, furious and somewhat bewildered. He had no idea why Cheng Lang had suddenly brought this up.

"Actually, I don't know either," Cheng Lang answered honestly. He truly did not know what Qin Mu saw in him. "But your words gave me an idea."

Cheng Lang snapped his fingers. "Since President Lu has declared that you'll make it impossible for me to survive in X City, I need to find myself a backer for self-protection."

"What do you think about me seducing Qin?" Cheng Lang asked eagerly. "As long as I get into his bed, with his capabilities, he can definitely protect me, right?"

Lu Chengxuan's expression changed. "You dare?"

"What wouldn't I dare do?" Cheng Lang spouted nonsense without missing a beat. "Now that you mention it, the more I think about it, the more feasible this seems. Qin is handsome, well-endowed, and rich. Being his lover must be especially blissful."

Lu Chengxuan was so angry his brain nearly ran out of oxygen. "Shut the fuck up! Do you believe I'll find someone to break your legs?"

"Then I'd better hurry and get into Qin's bed before President Lu finds someone to come after me. Qin looks very reliable. I believe he'll protect me." Seeing Lu Chengxuan roll his eyes in rage, Cheng Lang whistled happily. He turned around and casually pushed open the restroom door, only for the smile on his face to freeze.

The other person they had been discussing was standing quietly inside the restroom.

Cheng Lang: "..."

Author's Note:

Cheng Lang: What do I do? Waiting online, pretty urgent!

Chapter 27

"Q-Qin?" Having loudly proclaimed that he would get into Qin's bed, only to be overheard by the man himself—even Cheng Lang, thick-skinned as he was, could not help feeling awkward.

"What a coincidence. You came to use the restroom too?"

Qin Mu silently glanced at Cheng Lang and walked away.

Outside the restroom, Lu Chengxuan was also staring at Qin Mu in shock. Realizing that Qin Mu had heard everything he had just said, Lu Chengxuan's expression changed. "A-Mu..."

Qin Mu did not spare Lu Chengxuan even half a glance as he strode upstairs on his long legs.

Cheng Lang emerged from the restroom looking utterly dejected. Lu Chengxuan glared viciously at him. "This is all because of you."

"What are you blaming me for?" Cheng Lang looked innocent. It was not as if he had made Lu Chengxuan say and do such tasteless things. "Does President Lu blame the lack of gravity on Earth whenever you can't shit?"

"You—" Lu Chengxuan choked on his anger and said bitterly, "You're utterly vulgar. How could A-Mu possibly like someone like you?"

Watching Lu Chengxuan fume, Cheng Lang asked with a smile, "Do you think Qin also heard about President Lu insisting on forcing a boy to be with you?"

Lu Chengxuan's expression changed.

Cheng Lang watched Lu Chengxuan's face shift through colors like a palette. In the end, he left in a daze.

Cheng Lang returned to the dance floor on the first floor, where Shen Huaiyu was carrying a tray around and delivering drinks. Cheng Lang stood in a corner and waited until Shen Huaiyu had finished before pulling him outside the dance floor.

"I ran into Lu Chengxuan just now." Cheng Lang got straight to the point. "He bragged to me about how he forced you to stay by his side."

Shen Huaiyu's face turned deathly pale. "Don't listen to his nonsense. I didn't do it for you. I did it willingly."

"Willingly what?" Cheng Lang asked. "Willingly let him sleep with you?"

At Cheng Lang's words, Shen Huaiyu looked embarrassed for a moment. Lowering his eyes, he said self-destructively, "You don't understand. I'm not like you. Call me shameless or say I've given myself over to degradation if you want. My life has already become this way. It can't get much worse. Just treat it like I got bitten by a rabid dog."

Shen Huaiyu blinked, and tiny tears quickly rolled down his face. "But you can't. You're the only friend I made after starting college. You've helped me so much. I can't drag you down."

Listening to Shen Huaiyu, Cheng Lang asked, "How do you know that everything you hate now isn't exactly what I've always longed for?"

Shen Huaiyu raised his head in shock. His tear-filled eyes widened as he stared at Cheng Lang in disbelief.

"One man's poison is another man's honey. You're such a good student—you've heard that saying, right?" Cheng Lang's expression was calm. "Before you decided to swallow your grievances and make compromises, did you consider anyone else's feelings? Did you ever think about whether I was willing to accept this favor? Whether I was willing to bear the sin of ruining someone else's life?"

Shen Huaiyu looked at Cheng Lang, pale as a sheet and visibly uneasy. "Cheng Lang, are you angry?"

"Mm." Cheng Lang nodded and emphasized, "Very angry."

Shen Huaiyu looked at Cheng Lang helplessly, so upset he was about to cry.

Seeing Shen Huaiyu on the verge of tears, Cheng Lang's heart softened. He stepped forward and rubbed Shen Huaiyu's head. "Don't easily destroy your own life for anyone. Others may not appreciate it. Yet you've given up so much, and once the person you protected cannot understand your difficulties..."

Cheng Lang thought of the things Shen Wojin had said to accuse Shen Huaiyu after waking up. His tone paused slightly. "...if the person you saved by risking your life and dignity calls you worthless, you won't be able to bear the consequences."