Jealous?

"A-Yuan, you're here?"

Jiang Ze paused midway through eating his watermelon.

What? A-Yuan? Why was he calling him something so intimate?

Ding-dong! Host, looks like you've got a romantic rival~

The system, which hadn't appeared in ages, suddenly sprang to life. But after hearing what it said, Jiang Ze wished it had stayed away.

What romantic rival? There's nothing between me and the boss, okay!

Jiang Ze glanced at Chu Chen, who had just walked in, then lowered his head and went back to battling his watermelon.

Meng Zhiyuan frowned beside him. The kid's thoughts were dangerous.

He glanced at Chu Chen standing nearby and gave him a cool nod.

"Hey, Chen, don't just stare at Zhiyuan. We've got a youngster here too. He's Zhiyuan's... uh, Zhiyuan's nephew!"

Jiang Ze himself had said there was nothing between them earlier, so there was nothing wrong with putting it that way, right?

Mu Shaoxuan sneaked a glance at the two of them. Seeing nothing amiss, he continued with the introductions.

"Xiao Ze, this is Chu Chen, the owner of this bar. He's also an old friend of mine and Zhiyuan's."

Jiang Ze put down his watermelon, nodded politely at Chu Chen, and called him Uncle.

"Xiao Ze, you look so young. Are you of age yet?"

Jiang Ze nodded. Watching him turn his gaze back to Meng Zhiyuan, he felt a flicker of irritation.

"Being called Uncle makes me feel old. Right, Zhiyuan? I remember you're only a year younger than me."

As Meng Zhiyuan's expression steadily darkened, Mu Shaoxuan swallowed, inwardly groaning.

Good grief, was this a romantic showdown?

He hurried to smooth things over. "Old? What old? Zhiyuan's only twenty-eight. He's still young! And you, Chu Chen, you're only twenty-nine. Neither of you is even thirty!"

Who would have thought his words would make Meng Zhiyuan's expression turn even darker?

No one would mistake you for a mute if you kept your mouth shut.

As they chatted, a server brought in several bottles of champagne and two fruit platters.

The three older men drank, while Jiang Ze, whom all three had decided was a child, could only munch on the fruit.

Jiang Ze craved a taste and gazed longingly at the drinks on the table.

"Want a drink too, kid?"

Beside him, Chu Chen raised his eyebrows and picked up a bottle of champagne to pour him some.

Before the bottle even reached the rim of the glass, the man sitting beside Jiang Ze stopped him.

"He can't drink."

Jiang Ze bristled. He was an adult!

"I'm of age! I'm almost twenty. I can drink!"

Meng Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes at him, his gaze full of warning.

The boss's eyes are so scary, but I still want a drink. Waaah...

"Hey, hey, what's this, Meng Zhiyuan? Why are you scaring the kid?"

"I'll drink with you."

Meng Zhiyuan took the bottle from Chu Chen, filled a glass, and downed it in one go.

"Hey, even better."

Jiang Ze had no idea what was going on. Watching the two enthusiastically trade drinks, he was furious.

He frowned at Mu Shaoxuan, who was enjoying the show nearby.

Mu Shaoxuan was speechless. Why was he looking at him?

Jiang Ze discreetly pointed to a spot on the menu on the table, then pointed at Mu Shaoxuan.

Mu Shaoxuan understood instantly and got up to leave.

Before long, he returned to the private room with a glass of brightly colored liquid.

"Try this. It's their signature fruit wine!"

What fruit wine? I pointed at the real stuff! Not this kiddie drink!

Jiang Ze huffily took the glass from him and went off to the other end of the room, far away from them.

"Oh dear, Xiao Ze's angry."

Mu Shaoxuan looked at the man beside him, his tone reproachful.

"It's your fault! Otherwise, I'd have gotten him a proper cocktail."

Meng Zhiyuan put down his glass and looked at the young man sulking off to one side, the corners of his lips lifting.

"A-Yuan, you and him..."

Still looking toward Jiang Ze, Meng Zhiyuan said without turning his head, "He's my kid. What's between us is none of your business."

Chu Chen gave what seemed to be a self-mocking smile, drained his glass, and turned to leave the room.

"Zhiyuan, couldn't you hold your tongue for once? It's been so many years. Do you still blame him?"

Meng Zhiyuan sat in a relaxed posture without answering, then beckoned to Jiang Ze at the other end.

"Come here."

Jiang Ze snorted and rolled his eyes. Are you calling a dog?

Seething inside, his expression cooled too. He didn't want to pay the man any attention.

Now that his drinking buddy's gone, he remembers me!

"Your little friend's angry. Is he jealous? The way he was looking at Chu Chen earlier didn't seem quite right~"

Not wanting to be a third wheel, Mu Shaoxuan left after giving the man that reminder.

Jiang Ze took little sips of his fruit wine. Its sweetness spread through his mouth, but somehow, before long, it turned faintly bitter.

The more he drank, the angrier he became, until he finally downed the rest.

Seeing his glass was empty, he was about to get up when he noticed a shadow looming over him.

At some point, Meng Zhiyuan had come to stand before him. His dark, intent gaze made Jiang Ze feel uneasy.

He looked around and realized that, without his noticing, everyone else had left the room.

The man slowly leaned down, seeming to envelop the young man entirely in his arms.

"Jealous?"

The young man's eyes widened as though he had heard something horrifying.

"Who's jealous? Not me!"

Seeming to realize he had reacted too strongly, he abruptly shut his mouth.

But the next moment, the man's fierce kiss descended, leaving him limp in his arms again.

The boss is completely unreasonable! He kisses me at the drop of a hat! Aaaaah, he doesn't play fair!

Meng Zhiyuan smiled and pressed a finger against the young man's flushed lips. A trace of sweetness seemed to linger in his mouth.

"I met Chu Chen when I was rebuilding the Meng Corporation. His family has a lot of connections, and he helped me a great deal. We're just friends. There's nothing else between us."

The man finished speaking slowly, a smile tugging at his lips. Seeing that the person in his arms was still puffing up with anger, he raised an eyebrow.

"Don't believe me?"

Who would? There was definitely something off about the way Chu Chen looked at the boss! There must be something going on between them. Men are such liars!

"Tsk."

Unable to resist, the man pecked the young man's soft lips again, only to receive a fierce glare.

"Back then, the Meng Corporation was at a critical juncture. I came to ask him for help, but he turned me away."

Jiang Ze blinked in surprise. Even the boss had gone through times like that. The resentment in his heart instantly gave way to sympathy.

"He had no choice at the time, but he felt guilty and kept hoping I'd forgive him."

Still, no one could have borne those hardships for him. Though so many years had passed and he had long since let it go, he wasn't about to be particularly warm toward him.

"Then did you forgive him?"

"Want to know?"

The man lowered his gaze to those still-flushed lips and spoke in a husky voice.

"Kiss me again?"

"You..."

How had this man gotten addicted to kissing? How many times had it been now? The swelling in his lips hadn't even had a chance to go down!

Jiang Ze planted a smacking kiss on the man's cheek, then turned away and refused to look at him.

Meng Zhiyuan knew better than to tease the kid too much, so he continued unhurriedly.

"If I hadn't forgiven him, would I come to his bar and invest in it?"

Jiang Ze looked at him in surprise. "You're a shareholder in this bar too?"

"Mm. What? Not jealous anymore?"

"I wasn't jealous!"

Mortified, Jiang Ze flew into a rage. Still nestled in the man's arms, he shifted and angrily bit his neck.

Hmph! That's what you get for bullying me!

"Tsk, biting that hard?"

Meng Zhiyuan rested a hand on the back of the young man's head, stroking his soft hair as he felt the sting in his neck.

Yet his eyes held a smile that had never been there before, tinged with a hint of madness.

This kid was his, and could only ever be his.