He stepped out from behind the bar.
The man was first shocked, then delighted.
Under the lights, Yan Heqing's little waistcoat fit snugly around his waist, clearly outlining its slender shape.
The man stared fixedly, thinking that he simply had to get his hands around that waist tonight.
"Huh!"
Chu Ziyu took a sip of his drink and stopped a server. "Is Xiao Yan the bartender here today?"
He got up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows, and drew back the curtain, just in time to see that slender figure following a man to a table.
This was the first time Chu Ziyu had seen Yan Heqing leave the bar. He was a little surprised. "What's happening downstairs?"
The server was quick-witted. From the context, she knew Chu Ziyu was asking about Yan Heqing, and immediately said, "Little Young Master Feng brought some friends here to celebrate his birthday today. He really likes Master Yan's cocktails and just insisted that he come over for a birthday toast."
Xie Yunjie came over and glanced downstairs. "It really is Feng Zhixian."
Chu Ziyu didn't know him and asked casually, "What are they doing?"
Downstairs, Yan Heqing was following Little Young Master Feng and his group toward the main hall.
Yan Heqing had just drained the drink the birthday boy had handed him.
He wished him a happy birthday and was about to leave when Little Young Master Feng stopped him.
Little Young Master Feng gazed at him intently. "Xiao Yan, everyone's having fun today. How about a little bet to liven things up?"
Yan Heqing lowered his brows. "What kind of bet?"
"Darts." Little Young Master Feng's tone was suggestive. "If you lose, you kiss me."
"And if I lose..." he said casually, "ten thousand yuan."
"Whoa!" The atmosphere around them instantly heated up. "Bet! Bet! Bet!"
"Darts," Lu Lin suddenly said in the private room upstairs.
At some point, Lu Lin had walked over to stand beside Chu Ziyu.
Chu Ziyu perked up and put down his glass. "Darts! I'm going to join the fun."
He turned and ran downstairs.
Xie Yunjie whistled. "Tsk, Feng Zhixian's famous for hitting the bull's-eye every time. Who's asking for trouble, playing darts against him?"
At the same moment, downstairs, Yan Heqing's thin lips parted slightly, uttering a single syllable.
"Okay."
Chapter 10: 010
When Chu Ziyu reached the main hall on the first floor, someone who recognized him squeezed over to cozy up to him. "Here to watch the fun too, Young Master Chu?"
Chu Ziyu didn't know the man, but that didn't stop him from asking for information. "Who's playing?"
The man told him about Feng Zhixian and Yan Heqing's wager, adding a few suggestive chuckles.
"Little Young Master Feng's had his eye on him for ages. He's definitely getting his wish tonight."
Chu Ziyu glanced at Yan Heqing in the crowd, feeling rather sorry for him. No longer interested in watching, he went back upstairs.
"Little Master Yan's pretty decent." Chu Ziyu sighed. "He's not like them. What a waste of a good man on a pig."
Xie Yunjie laughed. "Who knew? You can actually be tenderhearted toward a beauty."
Chu Ziyu ignored his teasing, his expression serious. "I just think..." He picked up his drink and took a sip, leaving the rest unsaid.
Lu Lin remained silent, gazing calmly at the hall.
Amid the milling figures, the young man stood straight. Even with the colorful lights falling across him, he was still just as out of place among his surroundings as last time.
He didn't belong in a bar.
Xie Yunjie walked back to the sofa. Seeing Lu Lin still by the window, he called, "Old Lu?"
Lu Lin didn't answer.
Downstairs, a dart with purple flights was embedded in the dartboard's bull's-eye.
Feng Zhixian looked back smugly.
Cheers rose around him, and Feng Zhixian walked toward Yan Heqing, certain of victory.
"Xiao Yan, why don't you concede now? Give me a kiss and we'll call it done."
"Yeah, no need to play. Just kiss him!" Feng Zhixian's friends egged them on. "Give him a passionate French kiss!"
Yan Heqing picked up a dart with red flights and nodded slightly. "I'd still like to try."
Yan Heqing's smile left Feng Zhixian's head spinning. He wished he could take him away right then. Unable to bear the anticipation, he urged, "Hurry up, then."
Unhurried, Yan Heqing looked toward the dartboard, his gaze changing in an instant.
He pinched the dart between his thumb and index finger, supported its middle with his middle finger, and threw it without the slightest hesitation.
Thud.
With a soft sound, the purple-flighted dart in the bull's-eye was knocked down, replaced by the red-flighted dart.
The room fell quiet for a moment, then applause suddenly broke out.
"Not bad, Little Master Yan! You're an expert!"
"Xiao Yan, you've been hiding your talents!"
"Hahaha, this is the first time anyone's knocked down Young Master Feng's dart. Coming here tonight was worth it."
Feng Zhixian said nothing. He stared silently at Yan Heqing, both frustrated and annoyed.
Yan Heqing nodded to those around him, then turned and walked over to Feng Zhixian, his tone polite. "Could you pay in cash?"
In the private room on the second floor, Lu Lin walked back to the sofa.
Xie Yunjie had opened a bottle of 1961 Romanée-Conti tonight, and he poured Lu Lin a glass.
"Don't just drink cocktails. Have some red wine."
Lu Lin didn't take it. "I'm leaving. I have something to deal with. Put tonight on my tab."
"Don't!" Chu Ziyu hurried to his feet. "I deliberately didn't invite anyone else because I knew you were coming. If you leave, you're just going to leave me and Old Xie staring at each other?"
Xie Yunjie said too, "You really can't leave tonight. I have an announcement."
"I'm getting married."
"!" Chu Ziyu looked shocked. "Someone actually wants you?!"
Xie Yunjie swirled his glass and smiled lazily. "We only had our matchmaking date yesterday. The Qiao Group's eldest daughter. Our groups happen to be collaborating on a project, so we hit it off right away. The wedding date's already set. Next month."
Chu Ziyu was speechless. Although he'd known this day would come sooner or later, now that it had, he couldn't help feeling apprehensive for himself. He patted Xie Yunjie on the shoulder. "Ah, I'm probably next. Of the three of us, only President Lu is free."
Xie Yunjie laughed at his words. "He's too free. I bet he'll grow old alone!"
Lu Lin sat back down on the sofa and accepted the wine.
Chu Ziyu chuckled. "President Lu has someone to inherit his empire anyway, so it doesn't matter. But I heard Xiao Mu Chi recently started a company of his own?"