Since Wen Yu said he would come over, Fu Yuhan’s urgent desire to leave subsided somewhat.
This was probably the difference between having familiar people present and not.
Yong Rong grandly paid the bill and led the group upstairs to the KTV to book a private room.
This place was like a different world from the mall outside. The lighting became ambiguous and dim. The men and women who had just entered the store were ready to move, trying to tear off their daytime disguises and reveal their restless souls.
Fu Yuhan felt somewhat uncomfortable. He didn’t really like this kind of environment and quickly sat in the corner of the inner sofa after entering the private room.
“Hey, Xiao Han, don’t be so reserved.” Yong Rong called to him. “Come sit over here, let’s all chat together.”
Before entering, Yong Rong had been discussing tattoo designs with San Mao. Fu Yuhan really didn’t know what he could chat about if he went over.
Maybe it was his mood, but the same KTV environment didn’t seem so unbearable when he came to sing with Yang Fan and the others.
“Really, come over here, let Old Four sit over there.” Yong Rong said. “Let the mic hog sit next to the song selection station—or do you want to sing?”
Fu Yuhan pursed his lips and moved to sit next to Bei Lin.
Yong Rong seemed somewhat dissatisfied but said nothing, bringing over the dice cups. Soon the private room door opened and a server pushed in two bottles of alcohol and a row of drinks.
Fu Yuhan twitched his mouth: “Didn’t you say we wouldn’t order more after finishing what we had earlier?”
“We didn’t order more,” Yong Rong said, “but we changed venues, didn’t we?”
“…”
“It’s no fun to play dice without betting drinks.” Yong Rong lifted his chin at the server. “Mix one bottle first.”
“Yes, sir.” The server responded.
Jägermeister and Red Bull were poured into a large mixing pitcher in proportion, a bucket of ice was placed on the table, and Fu Yuhan’s stomach inexplicably churned.
Yong Rong was either the type of “friend” who forced drinks on people regardless of their objections, or he was trying to take advantage of someone.
And looking around, the easiest target here was Fu Yuhan himself.
Regardless of which reason, Fu Yuhan should have turned around and gone home immediately.
But he had been shooting for two days and hadn’t gotten paid yet.
He took a deep breath and pulled out his phone.
Fu Yuhan: I really don’t want to ask you for help.
Wen Yu: ?
Fu Yuhan: But if I drink too much, it won’t be convenient to go home.
Wen Yu: …
Fu Yuhan: So remember to help collect my corpse later.
He put away his phone and looked up: “How do we bet with the drinks?”
“Hahaha… straightforward!” Yong Rong laughed loudly. “Come on, let me explain the rules first. Simple—losers drink a cup.”
“Take it easy, you guys.” Old Four sighed.
“I’m actually already drunk.” San Mao rubbed his belly.
“Just don’t lose and you won’t have to drink.” Yong Rong said, explaining the gameplay to Fu Yuhan as the game officially began.
“Liar’s Dice” was a bluffing game. Simply put, everyone shook dice and called numbers based on their own results.
Starting from three, the next person had to increase either the quantity or the number compared to the previous person—for example, after “three 3s” you could call “four 2s” or “three 5s,” but not “three 2s.”
Theoretically, numbers could be called indefinitely until someone called “open.” Then everyone would open their dice cups to see the results. If there were more dice of that number than the previous person’s call—for example, if Bei Lin called “six 4s” and the four people had a total of 7 dice showing 4—then the person who called “open” would lose. Otherwise, the previous caller would lose.
The rules weren’t hard to understand, but the strategies were tricky.
For instance, right from the start, Yong Rong confidently called “five 3s.” Bei Lin and San Mao followed by adding one, and Fu Yuhan, seeing his own 2 threes, went with the flow and chose to add one.
However, when the dice cups opened, Yong Rong didn’t have a single 3. That confident demeanor was just an act to fool people, and Fu Yuhan, who had called “eight 3s,” was forced to drink.
After three rounds, he felt like he had drunk a bellyful of alcohol again.
His head was actually starting to spin, but he could barely hold on.
The private room had its own bathroom. Fu Yuhan went to relieve himself and felt slightly more alert when he returned to continue playing.
He learned quite quickly. Before long, he had turned the tide and could play back and forth with the other three experienced players. Moreover, he didn’t flush when drinking, and with his expressionless face, he looked like nothing was wrong.
Yong Rong adjusted his sitting position, feeling a bit restless.
If he had three parts interest in Fu Yuhan initially, then after taking Wen Yu’s call, those three parts became seven.
He was eager to try anything that could make Wen Yu unhappy. Besides, this little guy really did look good and seemed clean.
Yong Rong pondered secretly for a moment and adjusted his strategy.
Before he settled down to open his shop, Yong Rong had been a complete wastrel playboy. Setting other things aside, he was quite skilled at dice games. Previously when playing with Bei Lin and San Mao, he would hold back, but now that he had decided to get Fu Yuhan drunk, he simply played all out. After more than ten rounds, he had defeated all three of them.
“Bro, let’s take a break.” San Mao waved his hand, looking like he was about to vomit. “I can’t do it anymore, I’m really drunk.”
“I need to go to the bathroom…” Bei Lin swayed as he stood up, crawling into the private room’s bathroom and closing the door.
“You guys are too weak.” Yong Rong said. “Look at Xiao Han—nothing wrong with him at all!”
“…I also want to use the bathroom.” Fu Yuhan stood up. “I’ll go outside.”
He indeed looked like nothing was wrong, walking without swaying. In the private room, Old Four was singing, San Mao was nodding off drowsily, and Yong Rong thought for a moment before also standing up: “Wait, I’ll go too.”
Fu Yuhan stiffened, but quickly returned to normal and silently walked out.
Some things couldn’t be refused when not made explicit, but that didn’t mean he had no feelings about it.
A sense of crisis was a person’s instinctive reaction—the stinging sensation would slowly crawl up from the base of the spine to the back of the head.
He remained silent, and Yong Rong called him twice from behind without getting a response. Finally, he managed to lock himself in a stall before the other person entered the bathroom.
There were missed calls from Wen Yu on his phone along with several messages.
Wen Yu: How much did you drink?
Wen Yu: Hey, respond.
Fu Yuhan leaned against the stall wall, propping up his eyelids to type.
Fu Yuhan: Where are you?
Wen Yu immediately called back, and Fu Yuhan quickly hung up.
Fu Yuhan: It’s not convenient to answer now, bro.
Fu Yuhan: Can we text? Where are you?
The reply came quickly.
Wen Yu: Almost there, what’s your situation?
Fu Yuhan: I don’t know?
Fu Yuhan: I’m in the bathroom, Yong Rong followed me in, I’m not sure what he wants to do.
Fu Yuhan: I’m hiding in a stall.
Fu Yuhan: Tsk, I’m a guy, why am I hiding?
Wen Yu: Guys need to hide too, can’t you tell his orientation isn’t very straight?
Wen Yu: Stay in the stall and don’t leave, I’ll be right there.
Almost at the same time.
The moment his phone received Wen Yu’s message, Yong Rong’s probing voice rang out in the sandalwood-scented bathroom.
“Xiao Han?”
“Mm?” Fu Yuhan responded simply.
“Are you throwing up?” Yong Rong seemed to be concerned about him. “Feeling bad? Why have you been in there so long?”
“…Mm.” Fu Yuhan gripped his phone.
He really did feel bad, a bit nauseous too. It felt like a vein was throbbing painfully at his temple, but he also knew that no matter what, he had to hold on now.
“Is it serious?” Yong Rong seemed to have followed the sound to the door of his stall, softening his voice. “If you’re really feeling bad… should I take you home first?”
Fu Yuhan frowned. The moment he opened his mouth, he almost threw up. He steadied his breathing, trying to make his voice sound the same as usual: “…No need, I’m fine.”
“Then I’ll wait for you here.” Yong Rong said. “Come out quickly, we’ll play a couple more rounds and then go home.”
“…Oh, okay.” Fu Yuhan pinched his fingertips.
He hadn’t noticed while sitting in the private room, but once he entered the bathroom, that vague discomfort became increasingly intense. Fu Yuhan used his hand to brace against the wall, lifting his gradually sliding body up a bit.
…If Wen Yu moved any slower, he might really have to come collect his corpse.
He thought hazily.
There seemed to be many more voices in his brain. Someone was calling “Xiao Han” in that goosebump-inducing voice, someone was urging him to drink, and someone was screaming. Fu Yuhan even seemed to hear his mother scolding him for not coming home so late and going out drinking instead.
Until the sound of “bang bang bang” pounding on the door came—
Just from the sound, you could feel how violent the person at the door was. They were smashing the bathroom door like venting anger, followed by the sounds of unlocking and entering.
“Where is he?”
A familiar voice rang out in the small space, immediately followed by Yong Rong’s incredulous voice: “Wen Yu? You actually came?”
Two unfamiliar voices said: “Sir, customers cannot lock this door, this violates the rules…”
Only then did Fu Yuhan realize that Yong Rong had locked the bathroom door earlier.
It seemed hiding in the stall was the right choice… Whatever Yong Rong wanted to do, it wasn’t good.
Wen Yu ignored him completely, coldly raising his voice: “Fu Yuhan?”
Fu Yuhan opened his mouth but seemed unable to speak, only managing to weakly tap twice on the door with his finger.
“Here?”
The door was knocked twice from outside. Fu Yuhan struggled to slide down the small latch on the door.
The stall door was pushed open from outside. The moment he saw clearly, Wen Yu’s expression changed slightly.
“What’s wrong with you?” He instinctively reached out and felt cold sweat on Fu Yuhan’s forehead.
“Feel sick…” Fu Yuhan closed his eyes. “…Can I sleep now?”
“…”
Wen Yu sighed, slipping one hand under his armpit and half-carrying, half-supporting him.
“Sleep, I’ll handle this.”
“…Thank you.”
Before closing his eyes, Fu Yuhan only managed to say two words.
Wen Yu lifted his eyelids.
Yong Rong felt somewhat guilty under his gaze, stiffening his neck to ask: “Wh-what?”
“That’s what I should be asking you.” Wen Yu said coldly. “What did you give him?”
“What could I give him? He just drank some alcohol.”
“Ha, playing innocent with me, don’t I know you?” Wen Yu sneered. “Yong Rong, you better pray he’s okay, otherwise… your grandfather’s birthday is coming up, isn’t it?”
After saying this, he stopped looking at him and walked out supporting Fu Yuhan.
“…Wen Yu!” Yong Rong came to his senses and shouted behind him. “Don’t be too arrogant! Do you think I’m afraid of you?”
“You can wait and see.” Wen Yu didn’t look back.
##
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
