A Tough Nut to Crack

Cheng Yue had not played in years, so he was a little rusty at first. After working the controls a few times, he regained his old touch.

As the atmosphere heated up, his movements grew smooth and fluid.

The Laser Lights seemed to favor him, shining down on him until his whole body appeared to glow.

Cheng Yue looked up through a gap in the wildly dancing crowd and spotted Qi Su standing on a sofa in the distance, waving his arms and dancing. A smile tugged at his lips.

"Aaaaaah! Oh my God! I can't take it, girl!"

The atmosphere in the bar reached another new high.

Cheng Yue was confident. If he was going to party, he would take it all the way. He grabbed the champagne beside him, shook it a few times, stepped onto a speaker, and aimed at the dance floor, spraying it with abandon.

For a moment, the entire bar seemed to be his personal stage. The scene rivaled a celebrity meet-and-greet, with every eye fixed on him.

That included Cheng Yuxuan, who sat in a booth directly opposite. He had come at his friends' invitation. To be honest, he had frequented places like this since high school and had long since grown bored of them.

He simply had not expected to run into Cheng Yue here.

As the handsome youngest son of a director at a state-owned enterprise, he had never lacked company. He had agreed to Qi Su's introduction because Qi Su was someone his father wanted to cultivate.

He had also been somewhat curious about blind dates, which was how that dinner had come about.

Cheng Yue really was handsome, striking enough at first sight to make Cheng Yuxuan, who had only intended to go through the motions, take the meeting a little more seriously.

When he heard that Cheng Yue was merely a security guard at a residential complex, Cheng Yuxuan had felt a flicker of disdain. He came from a good family, and though he did not openly look down on others, an unconscious sense of superiority had still arisen within him.

He had always believed in enjoying life while he could. Even if he thought little of Cheng Yue's job, the man's looks were certainly attractive enough.

He happened to be single at the time, so after some hesitation, he had made the first move, only to be turned down.

Cheng Yuxuan considered himself above pestering someone who was not interested. Since Cheng Yue was unwilling, he certainly would not lower himself by doing anything beneath his dignity.

He had thought their lives would remain parallel lines, never crossing again. Yet just as that face had begun to fade from his memory, Cheng Yue had reappeared before him, dazzling and impossible to ignore.

The blaring music, the packed crowd, the frantic screams-Cheng Yuxuan seemed unable to hear any of it. His gaze was fixed on that blue-haired figure, and he could not tear his eyes away.

"Yuxuan? Yuxuan?"

His friend leaned close to his ear and shouted, "What's wrong? Completely mesmerized?"

Those who knew him were already aware of his preferences. Seeing him stare so intently at someone, they all began teasing him.

"If you like him, go for it. Is there anyone our Young Master Cheng can't win over?"

Cheng Yuxuan kept his eyes on the stage, but an inscrutable smile curved his lips. "This one's a tough nut to crack."

Despite his words, there was a measure of certainty beneath his tone.

The moment Cheng Yue stepped off the stage, Qi Su swept him into a bear hug, slapping his back repeatedly and looking as excited as a gorilla.

"Bro, you were insanely cool!"

Some people gradually lost their youthful spirit as they aged, their eyes filled with the weariness of life. Others were like red wine, growing richer and more fragrant with the years.

Cheng Yue happened to be the latter.

He blended youthful vitality with a grown man's allure to perfection, every movement brimming with an unrestrained, captivating charm.

Qi Su could not help feeling relieved that his wife had not come along. Otherwise, the monkey jumping up and down just now would have been her.

Cheng Yue shoved him away in disgust and casually wiped the alcohol stains off on his shirt. "Relax. No matter how handsome I am, you're not my type."

Only then did Qi Su remember his good buddy's sexual orientation. His enthusiasm cooled instantly, and he withdrew his hands and hastily backed away.

"Really? Well, I have a wife."

Cheng Yue: "..."

A killing blow.

It was a rare occurrence. Usually, Cheng Yue was the one who left others speechless, but this time Qi Su had actually found his weak spot.

That brought Cheng Yue's thoughts back to the tragic loss of his virginity, and grievances old and new surged up all at once.

The timing, the place, and the people were all just right.

Looking at Qi Su's smug grin, Cheng Yue suddenly clenched his fists. Honestly, if he did not beat him up now, it would be downright rude.

"Prepare to die, you dog!"

When Cheng Yuxuan came over, Cheng Yue was pinning Qi Su down and tickling him while the eldest and the others stood by watching the show.

To an outsider, it looked like a crime scene: a group of grown men gathered around, holding someone down as they committed an offense.

Especially when the man beneath them struggled and the others swarmed in to hold his legs down and help. No matter how you looked at it, it did not seem innocent.

Cheng Yuxuan froze for a moment. He had seen plenty, but he had never seen anyone bold enough to fool around like this in public.

"What are you...?"

At the vaguely familiar voice, Cheng Yue turned with a smile still on his face, then paused when he saw who had come.

The world really was round, and Capital City really was small.

Cheng Yue silently marveled at the coincidence and stood up. Freed from his restraint, Qi Su rolled over and sprang up, ready to retaliate, only to look up and see someone who surprised him.

"Young Master Cheng?"

Cheng Yuxuan greeted him with a smile. "Qi Su."

He was the boss's son, after all. Qi Su instantly forgot about revenge and began chatting with him enthusiastically.

"What a coincidence. You're here for a night out too?"

The eldest and the others did not know Cheng Yuxuan. They watched curiously as Qi Su invited him to sit, then directed questioning looks at Cheng Yue and asked quietly, "Who's this?"

Helpless, Cheng Yue offered a vague explanation. "The son of Qi Su's boss."

Although the blind date was already in the past, seeing him again still felt rather awkward.

Cheng Yuxuan had no such reservations. After nodding amiably to the others, he sat down without hesitation.

"Were you playing some new game just now?"

The question was directed at Qi Su, but his eyes were fixed squarely on Cheng Yue.

Cheng Yue awkwardly took a sip of his drink and lowered his eyes to avoid his gaze.

Oblivious as ever, Qi Su noticed nothing amiss and said casually, "Nah, we were just messing around."

Cheng Yuxuan had not come over to ask about that in the first place. Once he had his answer, he did not pursue it, instead lifting his glass and looking beside him.

"Cheng Yue, you've been quite a pleasant surprise tonight."

As soon as he came over, Cheng Yue had guessed that he must have seen his earlier performance. Realizing there was no avoiding him, he sighed inwardly, then looked up with a polite, reserved smile.

"Thank you for your support, Young Master Cheng. I hope I didn't make a fool of myself."

Hearing that formal address, Cheng Yuxuan feigned helplessness, a hint of complaint in his voice. "You're being far too distant. Things might not have worked out between us, but we've met so many times. Why are you still calling me Young Master Cheng?"

That single remark made the eldest and the others widen their eyes, their startled gazes turning toward the two of them.

"What's going on, Orange?"

Cheng Yue also wanted to know exactly what this young master was trying to do. The atmosphere, already cool, grew even quieter.