In that split second, He Xiaoyuan’s mind raced through countless possibilities: Where am I? Whose room is this? Why is Lu Ge half-naked? Why am I… half-naked? Right, I drank last night, and Lu Ge came to get me! Then what happened? I don’t remember anything! Did we… do something crazy? Did we mess up the sheets?!
!!!!!!
It was no wonder Lu Chen could read him at a glance.
Lu Chen set his phone aside, shifted slightly, giving himself leisure. He Xiaoyuan, asked what he was thinking, gradually calmed, and his vision cleared—
Lu Chen wasn’t fully naked; he wore pajama pants and wasn’t lying beside him. He was leaned against the edge of the bed, occupying just a narrow space.
He Xiaoyuan realized he wasn’t fully naked either—he was in his own underwear, the same pair he had originally worn.
He Xiaoyuan: “.”
He Xiaoyuan: “……………………………………”
In an instant, he realized he had overthought everything. A sigh of relief came, but so did embarrassment.
Under Lu Chen’s watchful gaze, he slowly lowered his arms back onto the bed and turned his neck to face the other side, back of his head toward Lu Chen.
No answer was given to Lu Chen’s “What are you thinking?”
Lu Chen watched the boy’s ear flush instantly, the red spreading to his exposed neck, the pale skin streaked with warmth, as if burning. He chuckled silently.
First, he wasn’t deliberately half-naked. He often slept like that at home; last night had been no different. He had simply not pulled on a shirt in the morning.
Second, his purpose in sitting there earlier had been simple: to make sure the boy didn’t kick off the blanket and stay warm while sleeping.
Finally, as calm as he had been last night, now he wanted to tease the boy a little.
“Looks like you’ve figured it out,” Lu Chen said softly. “Since you’re awake, maybe we should ‘settle’ last night properly.”
He Xiaoyuan’s heart skipped a beat. He worried he had done something improper, something embarrassing while drunk.
He almost turned his head to face Lu Chen properly—then Lu Chen added, softly: “Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility for what needs to be taken care of.”
He Xiaoyuan: ?
???
He lay on the pillow, frozen, trying to process: Lu Ge is… taking responsibility for me? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
?
!
When he realized why it was Lu Chen taking responsibility, He Xiaoyuan nearly reached down to cover himself.
Luckily, he caught himself—Lu Chen was just teasing him.
He Xiaoyuan immediately turned his head back, cast a forlorn look at Lu Chen, silently meeting his gaze for a few seconds, then muttered helplessly: “Lu Ge…”
Lu Chen smiled: “Awake now?”
He Xiaoyuan just wanted to dig a hole in the bed and bury his head.
Later, as he got dressed and went downstairs, he tried to recall last night. Thankfully, he hadn’t completely blacked out—he remembered leaving the restaurant, going to the nearby bus stop, and that Lu Chen had picked him up there before they returned straight to Yanlan Bay.
He Xiaoyuan carefully descended the stairs, step by step, still trying to recall what he had done after going upstairs. His eyes glanced toward the massive floor-to-ceiling window in the living room on the first floor, and in an instant, a cascade of memories—like a sudden sparkstorm in his mind—flashed before him:
He had leaned against the window, staring outside, wide-eyed and full of surprise.
He had breathed onto the glass, tracing shapes with his fingers through the fog.
He had pressed himself against the window like a sticker, exclaiming how extravagant the house was, how enormous the glass was, how beautiful the view was…
He Xiaoyuan: “……”
A sudden wave of embarrassment hit him. He slapped a hand over his face, wishing he could sink into the ground. Why had he, someone who neither drank nor knew how to, felt the urge to show off yesterday? He had left the place already, yet had returned to the private room to down another drink?
Perfect.
As he passed the sofa, he naturally remembered himself rambling on the sofa last night.
He Xiaoyuan felt like even covering his face with both palms wouldn’t be enough—he had embarrassed himself completely.
Had he said anything he shouldn’t have?
Not really—just the rambling and the leaning on the glass were already enough to make him lose face. Luckily, it was Lu Chen, someone he knew well.
If it had been anyone else, he couldn’t even imagine how he’d face them again.
Still, even with Lu Chen, he felt mortified, especially after the early morning scene. He wished he could just disappear.
So during breakfast, He Xiaoyuan kept his head down, burying his face in shame.
While eating, he reflected: what was wrong with him? Upon waking and seeing Lu Chen half-naked while he himself was only in his underwear, his mind had immediately jumped to thinking they had slept together.
What kind of twisted logic was that?
Where did that thought even come from?
How could he have gone in that direction?
And when he first woke, what on earth had been in his head to lead him there?
He wasn’t gay. Lu Chen wasn’t. Both were straight men. With their relationship, he really shouldn’t have gone down that path.
It had to be the alcohol messing with his head.
Drinking just two or three cups could do this—what would happen if he drank more?
Alcohol was a bad thing.
He needed to drink less—or not at all.
With that thought, he lowered his head and hastily shoveled breakfast into his mouth.
Seeing him so obedient yet sheepish made Lu Chen chuckle inwardly. Young people were physically resilient, yet their minds were active; even this early in the morning, so much was going on in that head of his.
Lu Chen saw through it all, but chose not to say a word.
While He Xiaoyuan ate, Lu Chen glanced at the time and walked to the entrance elevator. After waiting briefly, the elevator doors opened. No one was inside—just a paper bag on the floor.
Lu Chen picked up the bag, returned to the dining table, and gently set it on the chair next to He Xiaoyuan. “After breakfast, change into these,” he said.
He Xiaoyuan: Huh?
Like a confused little guinea pig, he looked up with his cheeks full, chewing slowly.
Lu Chen, standing tall by the table, glanced at his phone and then back at him, casually asking, “Did you forget you still have work today?”
He Xiaoyuan nearly choked.
He really had forgotten!
He had been too busy reflecting on last night, he hadn’t even remembered work.
“What time is it?” he asked, eyes wide, hurriedly.
Lu Chen: “Nine ten.”
He Xiaoyuan immediately lowered his head and hurried through the rest of his breakfast, then jumped up, grabbed the paper bag beside him, and headed toward the sofa.
At the sofa, he set the bag down and bent to undo his shirt.
Lu Chen, still standing by the table drinking water, noticed He Xiaoyuan exposing his smooth back.
In the daylight, the difference from last night’s dim lamp was striking.
Where last night had been vague and shadowed, now everything was clear: the young man’s back was pale, with a thin layer of muscle, smooth lines tapering down to a narrow waist—slim, fair, and delicate, giving the impression two hands could easily wrap around him.
Lu Chen swallowed, his Adam’s apple rolling slightly. Expression neutral, he looked openly, without hiding anything.
There was nothing wrong with looking, after all—he would take responsibility.
—
He Xiaoyuan rushed to his department, arriving just in time, still a little dazed, as if his mind hadn’t fully escaped the drunken haze from last night. He sat down, leaned back lightly in his chair, and his thoughts weren’t on work—only on last night and this morning, still trying to understand why he had imagined they slept together.
It took some time before he could let it go.
Just then, Chang Bei cheerfully entered the office and approached.
“Good morning, Little Yuan.”
He Xiaoyuan quickly pushed aside the messy thoughts in his head.
“Good morning, Mr. Chang.”
Chang Bei sat down. “How was dinner last night?”
He glanced at He Xiaoyuan, noting he seemed energetic enough—probably hadn’t drunk much. He also assumed the people at Barley wouldn’t have forced him to drink.
He Xiaoyuan replied: “It was fine, I guess.”
He wasn’t sure how one measured a “good” dinner anyway.
“Later, Mr. Xu had something to attend to and left first. I also made an excuse and left after him.”
Chang Bei approved, noting He Xiaoyuan’s cleverness: “Just one person at the table, no need to sit through everything—just a gesture is enough.”
“Once the contract is signed and the game launch schedule starts, we’ll invite the other team from KeLu, both companies together…”
As he spoke, Chang Bei’s eyes flicked up and saw the administrative staff posting an A4 sheet on the large whiteboard by the door.
He stopped mid-sentence, raising his voice: “Xiao Liu, what’s that you’re posting?”
The staff looked down: “Oh, Mr. Chang, it’s a company notice.”
Chang Bei: “What notice?”
He Xiaoyuan also looked up.
Administrative staff: “Notice advocating for conducting business without drinking, dining, or socializing.”
Chang Bei: “?”
He Xiaoyuan: “?”
Soon, the entire office had gathered around the large whiteboard, reading the new company notice.
Chang Bei stood at the front, hands clasped behind his back, eyes scanning the notice, muttering: “Regarding future communications and interactions with partner companies and departments, it is advised to avoid dining, drinking, or socializing…”
Next to him, He Xiaoyuan quietly raised his phone and snapped a picture of the notice.
Everyone else: “?”
What did this notice even mean?
People glanced at the issuing department and official seal in the bottom right corner: The President’s Office.
The President’s Office really had nothing else to do?
And even more “idle”—
That afternoon, He Xiaoyuan was called out of the department by Lu Chen and took the elevator alone down to the basement.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, he saw Lu Chen’s black Maybach “company car.”
The engine was running, waiting in place, rear windows down, revealing Lu Chen’s sharp side profile.
He Xiaoyuan approached, and Lu Chen looked over, signaling him to get in.
He Xiaoyuan bent slightly to peer inside the car, puzzled. “Where are we going?”
Lu Chen: “You’ll know when we get there.”
He Xiaoyuan walked around the rear and got in from the other side.
If Lu Chen were driving himself, He Xiaoyuan would have asked again if there was a special matter, but since a driver was present, he kept a professional distance, staying quiet as if at work.
Lu Chen didn’t say anything either, and the driver started the car.
During the drive, He Xiaoyuan glanced at Lu Chen, unsure of the intention behind this gesture.
Soon, the car stopped in the underground garage of a nearby star-rated hotel.
Lu Chen got out, and He Xiaoyuan followed. Lu Chen entered the elevator, and He Xiaoyuan followed as well.
As the doors closed and the elevator ascended with only the two of them inside, He Xiaoyuan finally asked, “Mr. Lu?”
Lu Chen, facing the elevator doors, turned his head slightly and looked at him steadily. “Pay attention to what’s around you.”
He Xiaoyuan: “?”
When the elevator doors opened, two rows of hotel staff in uniforms stood on either side, bowing politely to them.
At the elevator entrance, a female manager in a tailored uniform with a neck scarf and elegant appearance also bowed, greeting warmly yet with authority: “Good afternoon, gentlemen.” She gestured to the outer area: “Please, this way.”
He Xiaoyuan: “?”
Lu Chen led out first, walking with large, steady steps, posture upright, gaze straight ahead—every bit composed, imposing, commanding.
He Xiaoyuan followed quickly. The female manager stepped slightly ahead, leading the way: “Gentlemen, the private dining room is this way.”
Lu Chen gestured to He Xiaoyuan, signaling him to respond.
He Xiaoyuan, a little surprised, followed the manager’s gesture: “Sir, the private dining room is this way.”
He had no idea what was going on.
Soon, they reached the first private dining room.
The manager opened the door and led them inside, explaining: “Our private rooms aren’t named; they’re categorized by size and seating. Small rooms accommodate one table, 8–10 people; medium rooms two tables, 18–25 people; large rooms three tables, around 30 people.”
“This is A101, a small room, one table.”
He Xiaoyuan entered, standing by the door, wondering if the project team had some work-related meal and Lu Chen had brought him to choose a restaurant.
But this didn’t require someone of Lu Chen’s rank to personally handle, did it? How important could the meal be?
No, that wasn’t possible.
He Xiaoyuan soon realized that Lu Chen wasn’t there for casual reasons.
Lu Chen looked over, noticing him lost in thought, and spoke: “Focus.”
He Xiaoyuan looked up.
Lu Chen’s expression was serious, as if they were negotiating a multi-billion-dollar deal. He said: “You said you didn’t know how to handle these things?”
He Xiaoyuan was momentarily stunned.
Lu Chen’s tone was firm, and he continued slowly: “If you don’t know, then learn.”
He Xiaoyuan’s eyes widened. He finally understood what Lu Chen was doing—he was teaching him how to handle social business etiquette.
Sure enough, on the way to the next private room, Lu Chen spoke calmly while walking:
“Look at the scale of Sipu’s company. If there’s a business meal with partners, it won’t be at a small restaurant. Meals are usually at four-star or higher hotels, or other relatively upscale and sizable hotels, generally in private rooms.”
“To understand and learn, start with the environment.”
“I’ve told you before, work is all about practice making perfect.”
“When you know the hotels where meals are held, you’ll naturally feel more composed.”
“If you don’t want to show weakness, if you want to appear mature, you need enough experience. If you don’t have enough experience, you start by accumulating it.”
He Xiaoyuan followed quickly, gradually realizing why Lu Chen had brought him here and why he was so serious and focused.
Lu Chen was teaching him.
Teaching him personally.
He Xiaoyuan was astonished—he would never have imagined Lu Chen would teach in this hands-on way.
He had heard of teaching knowledge or skills, but never teaching business etiquette.
And Lu Chen was providing a “hands-on” demonstration. He had apparently coordinated with this four-star hotel’s restaurant in advance, bringing him over when it wasn’t open for regular service.
Judging by the staff’s attitude at the elevator, there was no way they had booked the entire restaurant, right?
He Xiaoyuan’s mind was blown. He kept glancing at Lu Chen as they walked, unable to fully process what he was witnessing.
Before reaching the next private room, he reached out and lightly touched Lu Chen’s arm, pausing.
Lu Chen tilted his head and looked over, pausing, his eyes silently asking, “What’s the matter?”
He Xiaoyuan met his gaze, his expression still complex, and slowly said, “Did I… say something to you last night when I was drunk?”
Was that it?
It must be, right?
Otherwise, why would there be any need for all this… fuss?
Or maybe it was something he had asked Lu Chen to do while drunk?
He Xiaoyuan had many guesses running through his mind.
But no matter the reason, he still couldn’t understand—why would Lu Chen bother with all this?
Given Lu Chen’s position and status, wasn’t this a waste of time, unnecessary, maybe even like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?
He Xiaoyuan couldn’t comprehend it.
Lu Chen answered calmly, “Because you said you didn’t know. You said that business meals and entertaining are a way to maintain partner relationships, and that these are part of your work, but you felt you weren’t doing well and it made you upset.”
He Xiaoyuan stared quietly, having completely forgotten he had even said these things. Did he really?
Even so…
He Xiaoyuan still thought: why bother? Why take all these efforts… for him?
He looked into Lu Chen’s eyes, as if searching for an answer.
And when Lu Chen said that he had felt upset, somehow, He Xiaoyuan saw a flicker of emotion in the man’s dark eyes.
He Xiaoyuan thought: so Lu Ge… taught him all this because he didn’t want him to feel upset?
Because he didn’t want him to feel bad…
He Xiaoyuan forgot to speak for a moment, standing quietly, meeting Lu Chen’s gaze, face to face.
Lu Chen lifted a hand and lightly rested it on He Xiaoyuan’s arm, gently reassuring him: “It’s okay. No need to rush. Learn slowly. Everything starts from nothing, from not knowing to knowing—it takes time.”
Like a leaf suspended on still water, drifting with expanding ripples, He Xiaoyuan felt an unexpected stir within him.
He wondered—how close must one person be to another to patiently teach them something, even something like this, hand by hand?
“Lu Ge…”
His Adam’s apple bobbed; he didn’t even know what to say.
Lu Chen’s eyes softened, and his hand gently patted the young man’s arm again, encouraging: “Go ahead. Learn what you need to learn, understand what you want to know. Don’t waste this opportunity.”
He Xiaoyuan saw himself reflected in Lu Chen’s gaze.
“All right,” he replied earnestly.
After that, He Xiaoyuan followed the restaurant manager to familiarize himself with the private rooms, inspecting the whole floor, from east to west, small to large.
Once he knew the rooms, he studied the menu, learning about cold dishes, hot dishes, pairings, restaurant specialties, even drinks and alcohol.
Efficiency complete, Lu Chen then took him to the next hotel.
He Xiaoyuan, puzzled, asked in the car: “Mr. Lu, how many hotels did you book?”
Lu Chen: “Four-star and above, mid-sized and specialty restaurants. All of them.”
His tone was casual, as if it were nothing special.
He Xiaoyuan silently drew in a sharp breath.
Lu Chen, sitting in the back with his legs crossed, glanced at him: “Remember, only familiarity leads to skill. You’re young, with little experience. If you want to appear composed, you need to know everything and be aware of everything.”
He Xiaoyuan nodded seriously.
For the rest of the afternoon, he followed Lu Chen across the city.
It was only then that he realized: including specialty restaurants, there weren’t that many four-star and above hotels in the city—only a few dozen.
Each had its own style, but overall, the patterns were predictable, easy to learn and master.
Finally, they returned to the restaurant where He Xiaoyuan had attended last night’s business meal.
It was already past six in the evening, peak dining time, yet the entire floor was empty—only the two of them.
He Xiaoyuan assumed that, as before, once he had familiarized himself with the rooms and menu, they’d be done. But they weren’t. Lu Chen led him to another sizable private room.
There was no round table—only two chairs side by side with a long table in front, set with tea, some light snacks, fruits, and seeds.
At the far end of the long table, He Xiaoyuan recognized a familiar stage.
Now seated at the table, he had a sudden guess.
He asked Lu Chen, “Do we… need to watch this too?”
Lu Chen shrugged off his suit jacket, casually draping it over the chair, and sat down slowly. Once seated, he glanced at He Xiaoyuan and gestured to the chair next to him: “Not afraid to watch, right?”
He leaned lightly against the chair, facing the stage with an easy composure: “This restaurant has had pre-performance shows for a few years. It’s a feature here.”
He Xiaoyuan sat down beside him.
Lu Chen looked at the young man and spoke calmly: “You might feel shy watching because you’re naturally reserved, uncomfortable watching girls, or simply inexperienced in this. That’s fine.”
“Just treat it as an art form, observe it with appreciation. Whatever you see…”
He continued: “Your eyes are for perceiving information directly. No matter what you see, as long as you don’t think much of it, it won’t unsettle you.”
As with last night’s business meal, young girls in traditional dance attire began performing, moving gracefully to the music.
He Xiaoyuan glanced a few times, then returned his gaze to Lu Chen.
He saw Lu Chen watching the stage with steady composure, as if eating or talking in a normal meal. No unusual expressions, no hints of emotion—like watching a film or TV show. He even reached for a peanut from the plate, casually shelling it, and passed it over, arm resting lightly on the chair.
He Xiaoyuan reached out to take it, hearing Lu Chen’s steady voice: “If you really feel you can’t watch, and yet have to act normal in a business setting, you can pretend to look, but let your mind wander—no one will know.”
He continued, “Everything works like this. If you’re determined to pretend, as long as you don’t reveal the beginning or the end, no one can tell what you’re thinking.”
He Xiaoyuan glanced at the stage again. Perhaps because he wasn’t in an actual business setting and had Lu Chen with him, he no longer felt the embarrassment he had yesterday.
He watched—just as Lu Chen said—appreciating the artistic performance itself, with none of the carnal or suggestive connotations he had imagined before.
He Xiaoyuan reflected: merely watching girls dance wasn’t a problem. His reluctance yesterday had been because, in his mind, the business dinner could only be about food, people, and alcohol—nothing else.
Anything else, even as trivial as the two gift boxes Vice President Zhang brought out, would carry an implicit “improper intent,” forcing overthinking.
He considered further: even if Barley truly had impure motives, in the context of that evening, as part of the restaurant’s specialty dance performance, why shouldn’t he watch?
If he avoided watching out of embarrassment, wouldn’t that suggest he actually had impure thoughts?
He knew clearly he didn’t.
He just wasn’t used to this and felt shy.
But how would others interpret it if they noticed?
Might they think he secretly liked it? Even play along with him afterward?
He Xiaoyuan thought deeper, gradually realizing that in professional settings—even during business meals—showing hesitation or discomfort could trigger unpredictable consequences.
He watched the performance, unconsciously applying Lu Chen’s advice: pretending to watch while letting his mind wander.
Lu Chen, spinning a peanut in his palm, glanced at him and wasn’t surprised—he knew He Xiaoyuan learned quickly, understanding after just a hint.
What Lu Chen didn’t know was that He Xiaoyuan’s thoughts had already drifted far away.
He wondered: was Lu Chen genuinely appreciating the dance as an art form… or merely pretending?
He considered the dancers on stage—young, graceful, full of vitality—and thought: Lu Ge must truly be enjoying it, right?
He Xiaoyuan silently scoffed in his heart, shifting his gaze to Lu Chen beside him.
He peeked a few times, noting Lu Chen’s relaxed posture, calm demeanor, and methodical shelling of peanuts. Slowly, he leaned closer and whispered, “Mr. Lu.”
Lu Chen, still watching the stage and shelling peanuts, responded: “Hmm.”
He Xiaoyuan tilted his eyes: “Is it… good?”
Lu Chen, unhurried and expressionless, said, “It’s fine.”
Before He Xiaoyuan could reply further, Lu Chen added, “A restaurant’s proper dance performance isn’t a bar’s gimmick to sell alcohol; it’s not a place of vice. But some might use it to test you, to see if you have any particular tastes.”
He Xiaoyuan turned to him, focusing entirely on Lu Chen, listening intently.
Lu Chen kept his gaze on the stage, peeling peanuts calmly, and continued: “If you don’t want to be tested, if you don’t want anyone to figure out anything about you, the first thing you need to learn is how to act.”
Act?
The stage’s flowing movements reflected in Lu Chen’s pupils, yet he was so calm, so ordinary—no one could tell whether he was truly seeing everything.
Even his calm, measured commentary could appear, to an observer, as indifferent and detached.
He Xiaoyuan immediately doubted: was Lu Chen really watching?
His “fine” response—did he genuinely mean it, or was it just a polite deflection?
Act?
So Lu Chen was… acting too?
Lu Chen continued: “Act as if you’re watching, act as if you’re paying attention. That’s all you need—act as if there’s nothing new, nothing unusual to see. Act until no one around can confirm your true attitude.”
He Xiaoyuan realized: so Lu Chen was acting calm, acting composed, acting collected… so completely that even someone right beside him couldn’t read his thoughts?
Then Lu Chen turned his dark eyes to He Xiaoyuan.
He Xiaoyuan shivered, realizing Lu Chen had seen straight into his mind.
“I…” he began.
Lu Chen leaned against the chair, letting out a soft, light smile: “I don’t need to act. I’m much older than you and have experienced countless situations over the years. Experience makes you steady—nothing surprises me.”
He spoke gently: “When I say act, it’s to teach you—to teach you how to handle situations, how to protect yourself through acting.”
Protect…
He Xiaoyuan felt a small flutter in his chest.
Lu Chen turned back to the stage, continuing to shell peanuts calmly.
He Xiaoyuan’s gaze lingered on him, absorbing the man’s composed, steady posture, the calm, commanding eyebrows, the deep and structured features.
As he watched, his attention completely detached from the stage, focusing entirely on Lu Chen—admiring his handsome, profound profile, his steadiness, his composure, his effortless mastery—qualities He Xiaoyuan himself lacked or rarely possessed.
Eventually, he even noticed how crisp the collar of Lu Chen’s shirt stood, the broad, solid shoulders beneath the neatly pressed fabric, and the long, strong hands passing him peanuts…
He Xiaoyuan clasped his hands together, palm to palm, holding the shelled peanut Lu Chen had just given him.
He Xiaoyuan lowered his eyes, keeping them down to hide the growing admiration and longing in his gaze for the man beside him.
Lu Ge is amazing.
He stuffed the peanut into his mouth, quietly thinking to himself.