Chapter 145
On the weekend, Allen dressed in a different outfit— a black, fitted trench coat, matching tight leather pants, and vintage gray pointed leather shoes. Despite the dark color scheme, it gave Su Bin an inexplicable sense of “evil.” If it had been before, Su Bin would have been terrified and perhaps would have hidden behind a wall, imagining all sorts of scenarios.
But now, Su Bin gazed at Allen with a mixture of awe and admiration.
Allen glanced at Su Bin and, with a smirk, beckoned him closer. Su Bin, as if mesmerized, approached and was overwhelmed by the familiar scent of Allen. His heart raced, and he felt a sudden impulse to kneel.
“…” QAQ What’s wrong with me!
Allen adjusted the collar of Su Bin’s coat, checking the collar around his neck and smoothing out his tie.
“Let’s go,” Allen said softly.
The level of importance Allen seemed to place on meeting someone they barely knew was unexpected.
At that moment, Su Bin felt a sudden reluctance to meet William. But backing out now wouldn’t be appropriate.
Suppressing his impulse, Su Bin opened the passenger door for Allen, and they drove to the bar, where Allen carried a long-pointed umbrella due to the light rain.
The bar wasn’t far, only a twenty-minute drive, but it was located in a somewhat secluded area. Su Bin parked the car and followed Allen inside.
Contrary to the expected vibrant and lively atmosphere, the bar had a dim and tranquil ambiance but was nearly full. Patrons sat on large, comfortable sofas, speaking in hushed tones.
In a dark corner, there was a table that seemed reserved for Allen and Su Bin. They sat down, blending into the shadows like bats lurking in the dark.
As Allen lit a candle on the table, William appeared. He had arrived early, initially sitting at the bar and watching the entrance. Upon seeing Su Bin and Allen, he came over.
William greeted Su Bin and then turned his attention to Allen. “Hello, it’s an honor to meet you…”
Allen gave a soft hum, removing his trench coat and handing it to Su Bin, who hung it on a hook by the wall.
Dressed in a form-fitting black sweater and leather pants, Allen looked like a sleek black sword, sharp and cold.
He waved for William to sit and, with a metallic tone, introduced himself as “Lewis.”
— Not Allen, not Lance, but Lewis.
This formal name created a clear boundary between them.
Allen pulled out a bill from his wallet and handed it to Su Bin, instructing him to order two vodka drinks and a can of ginger ale.
Su Bin accepted the money and went to the bar to get the drinks. When he returned, he handed the change back to Allen.
In William’s eyes, this behavior seemed quite odd. Under his peculiar gaze, Su Bin’s cheeks flushed slightly.
Expecting one of the vodka drinks to be for William, Su Bin was surprised when Allen simply handed him both.
The vodka was only a small portion at the bottom of the glass, the rest filled with ice. Allen opened the ginger ale and poured it into Su Bin’s glass, then instructed him, “From now on, stay quiet and don’t speak.”
Su Bin: “……”
From the start, Allen seemed intent on displaying his control over Su Bin in front of William. This was the first time Allen had made such a public display of his authority over Su Bin.
Su Bin now regretted his rashness. He hadn’t prepared himself for William to learn about his relationship with Allen, but he knew that if he wanted to befriend William, this was unavoidable. If William couldn’t accept it, then there was no point in pursuing the friendship.
William remained silent, shifting his gaze between Allen and Su Bin, though he seemed to focus more on Allen. Under the dim candlelight, William’s eyes had a peculiar, intense warmth.
He began discussing topics with Allen, starting with Su Bin’s outfit and then passionately talking about fashion, art, and praising Allen’s aesthetic and style.
Allen rarely responded directly, mostly just giving brief affirmations.
William also shared his experiences, education, and mentioned the revenue of “Huazhi Heart,” as well as his spending habits, subtly probing into Allen’s identity and background.
Allen engaged in verbal sparring while casually sipping his vodka, occasionally topping off Su Bin’s drink with ginger ale, creating a stark contrast with William’s eager attempts at conversation.
Previously, Su Bin never thought of William as someone who showed off. But now, watching William fumble with awkward topics in front of Allen, Su Bin found it increasingly irritating.
For a social expert, nothing is more painful than having someone unwilling to engage. Allen wasn’t intentionally dismissive but found William’s topics boring.
For instance, when William mentioned a brand, Allen replied he didn’t pay much attention to labels, leaving William bewildered.
When William asked about Allen’s work, Allen used some medical terms, further confusing William.
……
Su Bin, under Allen’s directive to remain silent, could only listen to the growing awkwardness. The discomfort was primarily William’s, while Allen remained indifferent.
Su Bin wondered why William didn’t steer the conversation towards “him,” as he was the one who sought friendship, making him the only relevant topic between Allen and William.
Perhaps because of his role as an observer, Su Bin felt unusually clear-headed.
Allen had shown him a different side of William, one that made Su Bin reconsider continuing the friendship. He even thought that his previous admiration for William’s “broad knowledge and humor” was misplaced.
If Su Bin were the one speaking in front of Allen, he might not have known what to say either.
He had a unique relationship with Allen, which made Allen especially attentive to his words and actions.
But without this connection, would he also end up like William, struggling for common ground?
The answer was yes. Because whether it was William or himself, none could match Allen’s level.
If he were in William’s place, he would have likely tried to avoid such a situation.
— They were from different worlds, destined to have no common language.
What reason could there be for Allen to fixate on him?
…Is it just because he’s easy to bully? OAO
Looking at the wall clock, Allen finally started to get impatient. “Let’s get to the point. What do you think of Michael?”
William was momentarily taken aback and then calmed down from his previous enthusiasm, saying, “He’s very charming, very naive… very likable.”
Su Bin: “……”
Allen nodded and coldly said, “I know.”
William paused, seemingly searching for words to describe Su Bin, but ended up saying only some superficial things.
Su Bin was speechless. At this moment, he realized that William didn’t understand him at all… It was strange how he was once moved by just a few of William’s words.
Seeing that Allen was displeased, William hurriedly said, “Why do you interfere with Michael making friends? He’s not a child…”
Allen lifted his chin slightly and countered, “Who says adults can’t be controlled?”
William: “……”
William: “If you control him like this, he won’t be able to develop independence. What will happen in the future?”
Allen: “I don’t need him to be independent. I will always keep him under my protection and control.”
William: “What if you……”
“There is no ‘what if.’” Allen’s tone grew stern, as if touched on a sore spot.
William moved his lips, trying to argue one last time, “But restricting his social interactions—won’t he find his life very monotonous?”
Allen glanced at Su Bin, who seemed to share the same doubt.
“His world should only include me. Since I can’t always be with him now, there is ‘Boss Su,’ which is the ‘game world’ I created for him and the greatest freedom I can offer.”
William stared at Allen in shock, speechless in the face of his arrogance and authoritarianism.
Su Bin was also stunned. He had thought of his business as something he was diligently managing, but to Allen, it seemed like just a game. No wonder there were misunderstandings between them—no wonder Allen’s eyes didn’t even blink when Su Bin suggested meeting William for the benefit of the restaurant business.
Allen continued, “You’re not Michael, so you don’t have the right to subjectively determine whether he would be bored. Moreover, even if he is bored, it doesn’t matter. Boredom helps him focus solely on me.”
William’s face showed a look of confusion as he gazed at Allen, mumbling, “Your relationship…”
Allen raised an eyebrow, “Didn’t you already know the relationship between him and me from the beginning?”
Su Bin: “……” From the beginning? What does that mean?
Allen: “Otherwise, when I ordered Michael to remain silent, you would have questioned it, but you didn’t.”
William: “……”
Allen looked at him with a cold smile, “So your interest was never really in Michael but in me, right?”
William looked at Allen in silence, his bewildered expression gradually turning into one of fascination.
At this point, everything that needed to be said had been said. Even Su Bin, halfway through, could see that William was more interested in Allen.
Just then, William did something that left Su Bin dumbfounded—
He extinguished the candle on the table with his hand, showing no sign of being burned, then quickly pulled up the black curtain behind the sofa and knelt down in front of Allen!
Su Bin: “……” O皿O
