At the same time, Qin Ci spotted Hua Jian too.
Shu Yao was puzzled. "Why did you stop?"
He followed Qin Ci's gaze inside, and the man who seemed bathed in a halo of light instantly filled his vision, stunning him.
Jiang Yueming wasn't into men, but that didn't stop him from teasing.
He immediately whistled and shot his mouth off. "Whoa, the bartender here is this gorgeous? Who knew you had such fine taste, Young Master Shu?"
Shu Yao snapped out of it, his face flushing. Whether Jiang Yueming's words embarrassed him or the sight of the bartender made him blush, he couldn't tell.
"What are you talking about? This is the first time I've seen him."
Qin Ci glanced at him. Jiang Yueming raised an eyebrow. "Fine, I was talking out of my ass."
But Qin Ci kept looking at him with that same expression. Jiang Yueming was confused. "What?"
Qin Ci gave a derisive chuckle. "You really are an idiot."
Jiang Yueming protested, "Come on, why are you making personal attacks again? How am I an idiot?"
Qin Ci turned his gaze toward the bar, lifted his chin, and scoffed. "Take a closer look."
Not only Jiang Yueming but Shu Yao looked over too.
Only now, Shu Yao felt a little uncomfortable.
Shu Yao knew Qin Ci's fondness for him was more like the way he treated a rare possession: fiercely possessive, yet uninterested in getting to know him.
It seemed he could do whatever he wanted.
Normally, a comment like Jiang Yueming's about Shu Yao having such fine taste would have enraged Qin Ci.
But today, Qin Ci wasn't angry. He was calm, and the way he looked at the man behind the bar was unusual.
It was the curiosity of someone who had spotted prey.
If Qin Ci could hear Shu Yao's thoughts too, he would have had to give him some serious praise.
He really was curious about the beautiful man behind the bar.
His expertise when tuning the car that night, his composure while racing with him, and those few things he'd said during the crash.
Qin Ci bobbed the cigarette between his teeth, then suddenly asked, "Why isn't Xue Pan back yet?"
Jiang Yueming, who hadn't recognized Hua Jian at all, turned to look and quickly said, "Here he comes."
"Young Master Shen, you're finally here."
The door to private room 206 was pushed open from outside, and Lu Zexi smiled at the newcomer.
Shen Mo was tall, his hard features carrying an air of menace.
His gaze swept over Lu Zexi, and when he saw Bo Lin, his lips curled slightly. "You really are here."
Lu Zexi was offended. "What? You thought I'd lie to you?"
Shen Mo finally spared him a glance. "You lie to me all the time."
"Tch."
The three of them were good friends, but Shen Mo was in a different line of business and had spent the past few years away, leaving them few chances to get together.
Bo Lin asked, "What's Shen Ling been doing lately?"
Shen Mo was surprised to hear him ask about Shen Ling. "Shen Ling? No idea. I only got back to the Imperial Capital today. What's wrong with him?"
He belonged to the first branch of the family, while Shen Ling was an illegitimate son of the second. Their paths rarely crossed.
"I've heard some rumors." Bo Lin sipped his drink. "Since you're back, you should look into him."
Shen Mo's face immediately darkened.
Bo Lin was aloof by nature. He would never concern himself with an illegitimate son's affairs without a reason.
For him to say something like that, Shen Ling must have crossed a serious line.
Lu Zexi didn't follow. "Shen Ling? Wasn't he banished abroad ages ago?"
Since it involved the Shen Family's private affairs, Bo Lin didn't want to elaborate. "That classmate of yours, Xie Zhiwei-I never knew he was so well-informed. Or perhaps I should say well-connected."
"Who? Xie Zhiwei? How does he come into this?"
Lu Zexi was like someone lost in a melon patch, unable to make sense of the gossip on either side.
Having finished their cryptic exchange, the other two promptly clammed up.
Lu Zexi deflated. "Seriously, you two are assholes. You say half of something and make me guess the rest. Unbelievable."
Bo Lin and Shen Mo clinked glasses and exchanged a smile.
"What's going on downstairs, anyway? It's so noisy." Shen Mo impatiently loosened his tie and lounged back on the sofa.
Bo Lin stared at the pale brown liquid in his glass. The ice glittered inside it, much like that luminous scene he'd glimpsed earlier.
Lu Zexi said casually, "Some family's kid-I forget whose. It's his birthday, so he booked the whole place for the night."
Shen Mo seemed to remember something else. "I saw that kid from the Qin Family downstairs just now."
Lu Zexi raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
Shen Mo looked at Bo Lin. "The Qin Family's old man competed with mine for a position back then. Bo Lin knows."
Bo Lin considered it briefly. "Qin Ci?"
Shen Mo nodded. "Right. When I came upstairs, I happened to see him sitting next to the bartender at the bar. I heard those kids calling out about ordering bottles for the bartender."
Lu Zexi exhaled a mouthful of smoke and chuckled. "Well, well. My angel of a bartender is really doing me proud. He'll bleed those brats dry tonight."
Shen Mo paused while lighting his cigarette and said meaningfully, "You know, that young bartender really does look like an angel."
Remembering how Hua Jian's words had scared him away from UP for several days, Lu Zexi felt rather sheepish again.
"That young bartender teaches the little one from Fanling art, and he's also Xie Zhiwei's younger brother's boyfriend. He's no simple character."
As the three talked, Bo Lin stood up. "I'm going out for a smoke."
Lu Zexi froze, then looked down at the cigarette between his fingers.
Shen Mo was baffled. "Why not smoke in here?"
"Who knows? He's weird. Come on, let's drink."
The private room felt too stuffy. Bo Lin took his lighter and cigarettes out into the corridor.
At the end of the corridor was the stairwell, with a small window directly opposite it. Hot air from outside and a sudden cheer from downstairs broke the silence.
"Young Master Bian, you're our birthday boy today! Everyone, raise your glasses and toast Young Master Bian!"
Hua Jian finally had a moment to relax.
But before he could leave the bar, a hand tapping on the counter appeared in his line of sight.
"Hello, sir. What would you..."
"What, don't recognize me?" Qin Ci looked at the man before him, a smile curving his lips without reaching his eyes.
Hua Jian's expression stiffened. "You are..."
"Enough. Stop pretending. When I crashed into Cui Zhao that day, they said you helped Xue Pan carry me out?"
Hua Jian lifted his eyes and exchanged a glance with Xue Pan behind him, then naturally looked away.
"No need to thank me, Young Master Qin. I only did what I should." Hua Jian wore a faint smile. "What would you like to drink? Shall I mix you something?"
Qin Ci hadn't come for a drink. He leaned forward. "That night, you said Cui Zhao would toy with me until I died..."
"Mix me a drink." A deep male voice cut Qin Ci off.
A flash of hostility crossed Qin Ci's face, and he turned impatiently to look.
When he saw who it was, his hostility instantly dissipated. "Bo Lin?"
Hua Jian breathed a sigh of relief. "One moment, please."
"You're Qin Ci?" Bo Lin acted as though he'd only just noticed him.
"Yes." Qin Ci straightened up a little. "You're here for a night out too, Bo Lin?"
Bo Lin glanced up at the man busy behind the bar and said mildly, "Shen Mo is upstairs too. Go up and have a drink."
Qin Ci's face fell. He said awkwardly, "There's no need, is there? Shen Mo's enjoying himself. I won't disturb you guys."
Bo Lin turned his eyes toward him, and Qin Ci immediately said, "Got it, Bo Lin."
He remained seated, and Bo Lin simply watched him.
After a pause, Qin Ci quietly got off his stool. "I'll head up right now."
[Bo Lin really is a hidden big shot. Someone can actually keep Qin Ci in line!]
The boy's astonished voice was incredibly loud. Qin Ci, who had only taken a few steps, gritted his teeth, but didn't dare stop and strode away.
As Xue Pan followed him upstairs, he glanced back.
Hua Jian, smiling like a social butterfly, had lowered his head and leaned toward Bo Lin, saying something he couldn't hear.
"Mr. Bo, try this."
Smiling, Hua Jian set the drink before him.
[I haven't run into him while teaching Fanling's little one these past two weeks. The big shot must be busy!]
The boy's voice made Bo Lin's fingers twitch.
He lowered his eyes to the liquid in the glass without speaking.
Hua Jian didn't mind his silence. His thoughts were still on Qin Ci.
[But what did that idiot Qin Ci want with me? That night, he and I...]
Clink!
The sound of a glass striking the counter rang out.
Startled, Hua Jian looked over, and the next instant, his gaze collided directly with Bo Lin's.
He froze, marveling inwardly, [Is this guy really this handsome up close? But what's wrong with his eyes? They're all wet, like he's about to cry.]
Bo Lin pressed his lips together, hostility flashing in his eyes, and Hua Jian abruptly came back to his senses.
Before you continue