“Rui Ge?” Yu Junqing’s eyes went blank. Without thinking, he suddenly stood up, intending to step out of the private room to see if it really was Bo Rui.
“Brother Yu! Brother Yu! What are you doing?” Xiao Yitong panicked at Yu Junqing rising to his feet and immediately tried to block him. There were clearly people outside—why was Brother Yu stepping out now?
Stopped by Xiao Yitong, Yu Junqing realized he had somehow made it to the door. Xiao Yitong looked anxious, worried that he might cause trouble by walking out.
That made sense. The restaurant maintained privacy well, but that didn’t guarantee that every guest was equally discreet. Even though Yu Junqing wasn’t particularly famous now, he was still an actor—no need to stir up trouble.
Yu Junqing blinked, the impulse to check if it was Rui Ge fading. He patted Xiao Yitong on the arm to reassure him: “It’s fine. I just heard a familiar voice and wanted to step out to say hello.”
Seeing this, Xiao Yitong relaxed. Still, he was curious—who did Brother Yu know here? He had never seen Yu Junqing meet with anyone outside, not to mention that his phone hardly had any saved contacts.
Yu Junqing lingered by the door, thinking. Then he remembered the earlier message—its faint sense of distance now made sense. The sudden impulse from hearing Bo Rui’s voice gradually subsided, leaving a quiet, indescribable emotion in its place.
He sighed inwardly. Might as well continue eating. Even if it was Rui Ge, he probably wouldn’t have time for him. To Rui Ge, Yu Junqing was likely just another acquaintance from a good deed or two.
I don’t have time to deal with this considerate Rui Ge.
“President Bo, are you drunk?” Liang Xin, anxiously watching the CEO who had just wrapped up a company meeting, finally turned to help him. The amount of alcohol consumed was daunting—just watching from the side made his liver shiver.
“It’s fine. You can head back. I’ll stay here tonight,” Bo Rui exhaled, his breath heavy with alcohol. Judging by his frown, he’d clearly had quite a bit to drink. If he went home like this, the smell would permeate everything—better to stay at a hotel tonight.
Liang Xin nodded. A drunk boss meant booking a hotel was routine; nothing to worry about. Moreover, Bo Rui handled his liquor well—drunk but rational. Liang Xin, on the other hand, had “Mi Huang” waiting at home to feed.
Thinking of his mischievous, ghost-like cat, Liang Xin shuddered. He didn’t hesitate; contracts were signed, no responsibilities left. After a quick goodbye to Bo Rui, he dashed home.
Bo Rui squinted at Liang Xin’s hurried retreat and recalled the beige, ten-pound cat he’d seen earlier. Liang Xin was fine in every way—except doting on a cat as if it were a child. Bo Rui couldn’t understand it.
Instead of finding a girlfriend, marrying, and having a child, Liang Xin let a cat walk over his head every day. Bo Rui, alone and unbound, couldn’t fathom it.
Liang Xin’s phone unlocked to reveal a photo on the home screen: he was grinning foolishly, holding the hefty cat. He didn’t mind; he even remarked that the cat felt just right in his arms.
Speaking of feeling right, Bo Rui’s mind wandered back to that night—holding a warm body in his arms. The sensation had been unexpectedly pleasant. Sometimes, being alone made such warmth all the more tempting.
He chuckled at himself. Had he really drunk so much to crave another person’s warmth? And that person—pining wouldn’t do any good—they belonged to a different world.
Suppressing the flicker of longing and regret, Bo Rui knew himself. He hated having to placate or please others. Otherwise, why would he still be alone?
It wasn’t that he couldn’t get a young lady’s attention—he wasn’t the type to sleep around and discard someone. He valued responsibility too much to treat someone carelessly and then be left behind.
Leaning against his dizzy, heavy head, Bo Rui struggled to open his eyes. The dim orange light of the corridor guided him to the bathroom; he decided to relieve himself first.
Staggering a few steps, he almost bumped into the wall—definitely too much alcohol. Closing his eyes, his head spun, and vision blurred. Better to wash his face while at it.
Reaching the spot, Bo Rui fiddled with the zipper, steadied himself, and finally relieved himself. Quite a lot, indeed…
Yu Junqing hadn’t noticed until a wave of drunkenness approached him. He wrinkled his nose, finishing up and turning around. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a fleeting glimpse—his earlobe tinged with a faint pink.
R-Rui Ge? Yu Junqing’s mind raced. Rui Ge hadn’t left, had he? How… how was he here? The memory of that inadvertent glance sent his face crimson, blood rushing to his head. He froze, stiff as a board, then clumsily stumbled to the bathroom, forgetting he hadn’t washed yet.
Bo Rui squinted, feeling refreshed after finishing, washing his hands and face. Alcohol’s benefit: quick relief. He guessed his kidneys were good, could sleep early or little.
Not far from the restaurant was a decent business hotel Bo Rui frequented. Soon, he was familiar with the route, booked a room, and immediately changed clothes and showered. The alcohol stench was nearly suffocating.
Meanwhile, Yu Junqing, having witnessed something shocking, couldn’t calm his mind for dinner. At night, his unease matched the mood of the scene perfectly—his first take succeeded. Director Wang praised him, almost hitting him with the clapboard in excitement.
Xiao Yitong noticed, having followed Yu Junqing all day.
Finally done for the day, Xiao Yitong drove out to pick him up, curious:
“Brother Yu, what’s wrong? Ever since dinner, you’ve been acting… strange.”
Embarrassed, Xiao Yitong didn’t say outright. He had already noticed Yu Junqing’s ears were red, looking like a lovestruck schoolboy.
Yu Junqing hesitated, eyes darting, then his hoarse voice startled even himself: “Nothing… I told you, I ran into a familiar person. Just exchanged a few words—was a bit surprised.”
…Brother Yu’s lying skills were too poor. Xiao Yitong couldn’t bring himself to call him out. Surprised talking to an acquaintance? Then why the red face? Someone confessed to you?
Wait! Xiao Yitong pondered while driving. Something felt off. Brother Yu had been with him the whole time—just a quick trip to the bathroom. In such a short span, what could have happened?
Yu Junqing sat silent, realizing his own explanation had loopholes. But he couldn’t tell Xiao Yitong that he’d been flustered by… a certain massive presence.
Thinking of that, he recalled what he saw earlier. His earlobes burned, nearly bleeding. Rui Ge… what a physique.
Momentarily dazed, Yu Junqing remembered that night. He hadn’t paid much attention then; Rui Ge looked about his size—but now, the figure seemed surprisingly well-built…
Meanwhile, in a distant hotel room, the well-shaped Rui Ge sneezed mightily after a hot shower. Yet he shivered anyway—odd, given he’d just bathed.