Page 14

"Hm?" Xin Chun looked up in confusion.

The next moment, Owen curled his finger and touched Xin Chun's lips through the Band-Aid. "This is what was missing."

His gaze was focused, deep, and captivating.

Xin Chun's heart skipped a beat at the flirtatious gesture, but his expression remained unchanged. He smiled. "So I was lacking a bit of etiquette. I'll remember next time. Of course, it would be best if there isn't a next time."

He remembered. He had only said that on purpose.

Teasing people was fun. Teasing Owen was even more enjoyable.

Ke Hang had been right. Zhao Gang had indeed called him. Not only that, he had mentioned in the group chat that he had run into Xin Chun by chance in the airport's underground parking garage.

Now, everyone who needed to know knew that Xin Chun had come to B City on a business trip.

Ke Hang privately messaged Xin Chun to curse Zhao Gang out: [Fuck, that bastard. He deliberately brought you up in the group chat because he wants you to come to the class reunion.]

Xin Chun: [That's why I agreed to him. But I said I'm busy, so I'm not sure when I'll go over.]

He would decide when that time was.

Ke Hang: [Haha, sounds good, sounds good. Boss, your underling will report the situation at any time.]

When the classmates gathered for dinner, Xin Chun did not show up. However, the senior student they had mentioned before, Shao Kang, did come. He had good relationships with some people in the class, and they had studied under the same advisor, so it was only natural that he had been invited.

But Shao Kang's friends knew that he had come to the gathering for more than just that reason.

One friend said, "Even if Xin Chun came to B City on business, he should be done working by late at night, right? I think he just doesn't want to attend the class reunion. Ever since graduation, he's never said anything in the group chat."

"You turned down work to come here, while he's hiding from everyone."

Shao Kang was handsome, came from a decent family, and worked at a major company. At such a young age, he had already become a department manager. He was outstanding in every respect, and his personality was beyond reproach—gentle and witty.

In others' eyes, calling him a winner in life would not have been an exaggeration.

If his sexual orientation had been conventional, the girls in their class would have chased after him long ago. But Shao Kang happened to like men, and he had never hidden his orientation in college.

And it was no secret that he had openly pursued Xin Chun.

"Work can run late too. Maybe he really can't make time." Shao Kang smiled.

Until dinner was over, Xin Chun still had not come. Shao Kang suggested that everyone go have some fun at a bar, and said he would treat them. Naturally, no one refused. They cheered and praised Shao Kang for being generous.

Ke Hang lowered his head and messaged Xin Chun.

At that moment, Shao Kang walked over to Zhao Gang. "Xin Chun should be done with work by now. Sorry for the trouble, but give him another call and invite him to the bar."

"After all, classmates from the same class haven't seen each other in a long time. Everyone should get together."

Zhao Gang said, "Sure, I'll call him."

Xin Chun received Ke Hang's message, and Zhao Gang's call came immediately afterward. It seemed he could not refuse, so he agreed.

After Zhao Gang hung up and informed Shao Kang, Shao Kang smiled and asked, "Could you give me Xin Chun's phone number?"

Xin Chun came to the bar with Owen, and Ke Hang brought them inside.

The classmates knew that Xin Chun's boss would be coming too, but they had not expected his boss to be a mixed-race man from Y Country—tall, handsome, gentlemanly, and aristocratic. Simply standing there, he became the center of attention in the crowd.

Especially his outfit, his cufflinks, his tie... none of them came cheap.

The female classmates could not help whispering among themselves.

"Oh my god, he's so handsome. His eyes are actually green, and he's the company boss too. I wonder what company it is and what kind of business it does."

"His Chinese is so good too. I thought Xin Chun's boss would be some middle-aged man with a beer belly, but he looks pretty young. Do you think he has a girlfriend?"

"I used to think Xin Chun and Shao Kang were actually a good match, but compared to this... Shao Kang falls a little short. Xin Chun and his boss suit each other better."

A handsome mixed-race superior and a pretty, innocent subordinate—wasn't that straight out of a novel?

Shao Kang had not expected Xin Chun's boss to look like this either.

Perhaps it was intuition, but Shao Kang felt a sense of crisis.

He greeted Xin Chun. "Long time no see. After graduating from college, you left B City and even changed your phone number. I heard you went back to your hometown. How have you been?"

Xin Chun said, "Pretty well."

Shao Kang brought up several more topics, but Xin Chun's responses remained indifferent.

Unable to watch any longer, Shao Kang's friend asked, "Xin Chun, do you have a girlfriend?"

Xin Chun shook his head. "Busy. No time."

"No girlfriend, then what about a boyfriend?"

Ke Hang said, "What are you doing, taking a census? My buddy already said he's busy and has no time for dating. He doesn't even have a girlfriend, so where would a boyfriend come from?"

Shao Kang also tugged at his friend's arm. He smiled apologetically at Xin Chun and said, "I haven't been able to contact you since graduation, Xin Chun. But I really want you to know that my desire to pursue you has never changed."

As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding classmates immediately started egging them on.

Someone even shouted, "Senior Shao is really brave! A man this great is hard to find. Xin Chun, why not just accept him? Hahaha."

Owen's expression did not change much as he looked at that person. "I don't think Xin Chun wants to be joked about like this."

The person's smile vanished at once, his expression stiffening. He said awkwardly, "I was just saying it casually. I didn't mean anything by it. Xin Chun, don't take it to heart."

Xin Chun's boss had quite the imposing presence.

Shao Kang glanced at Owen, then said, "Everyone, let's stop this topic here. Do me a favor—I don't want to put Xin Chun in an awkward position."

"Come on, today is about having fun. Let's drink."

"Alright, alright, let's drink! Senior Shao is generous."

Everyone became cheerful again.

Xin Chun had not gotten a word in from beginning to end. He wanted to make things clear with Shao Kang once and for all, but Shao Kang was pulled away by his friend again.

"What is it?" Shao Kang asked.

His friend said, "Don't say I'm not helping you. The owner of this bar is my friend. You've been here a few times too, so you know this bar has a regular game. I'll go talk to my friend in a moment..."