INT Chapter 21

Lu Ze froze for only two seconds before naturally walking up to the bar. The others instinctively made way for him.

 

“Make me a Fool’s drink,” Lu Ze said with a smile.

 

Liang Xiao also smiled. “Alright.”

 

A cool-looking blonde woman next to Lu Ze asked, “Are you really his boyfriend?”

 

Lu Ze glanced at Liang Xiao, raised an eyebrow, and asked, “Doesn’t it look like it?”

 

“You’re too young, kid,” the blonde woman said, looking at him. “Still in college, right?”

 

Lu Ze looked down at his outfit—hoodie, jeans, and sneakers—a typical college student’s attire. If he had known he’d end up at a bar tonight, he wouldn’t have dressed like this for class.

 

Then he looked at Liang Xiao across from him. Dressed entirely in black, Liang Xiao exuded maturity regardless of what he wore—it wasn’t about clothing but his aura.

 

Leaning on the bar with his elbow, Lu Ze tilted his head toward the blonde woman and said amidst the increasingly loud music, “So what? Can’t a young guy date?”

 

The blonde woman swirled her drink confidently. “You’re not his type.”

 

The smile on Lu Ze’s face turned cold for a moment. He stared at her silently for two seconds.

 

The blonde woman froze slightly. Lu Ze turned to Liang Xiao and said, “Enjoying the show? Didn’t you hear her say I’m not your type?”

 

Liang Xiao remained calm, continuing to mix drinks as he replied slowly, “You really aren’t.”

 

The blonde woman smiled at Lu Ze but then heard Liang Xiao add, “So I’m surprised too.”

 

Lu Ze finally smirked and glanced at the drink Liang Xiao was preparing. He said rather whimsically, “I don’t want a blue Fool’s drink. Make it red.”

 

Liang Xiao looked up at him with a helpless smile. “Fine, but don’t tell me later that it tastes off.”

 

The two began chatting as if no one else was around. Before long, those trying to strike up conversations with Liang Xiao tactfully left. Lu Ze snapped his fingers and leaned over the bar slightly to whisper to Liang Xiao, “How was that? Did I play along well?”

 

Liang Xiao pushed a drink toward him with a smile. “A red Fool’s drink.”

 

Lu Ze blinked in surprise. “Wow, you actually made it red? Isn’t this drink supposed to be fixed? You can change its color?”

 

“Normally no,” Liang Xiao replied. “I improvised it—it probably doesn’t taste right.”

 

Lu Ze laughed for a moment. “Then this isn’t Fool’s anymore—it’s your own creation.”

 

“Yeah,” Liang Xiao said with his usual lack of expression. “Try it.”

 

Lu Ze took a small sip and snapped his fingers again. “It’s good—sweet but with a bit of spice. You should call it ‘Lover.'”

 

He took another sip and lowered his voice to ask Liang Xiao, “Xiao-ge, is this your side job? I almost didn’t recognize you when I first saw you.”

 

“No,” Liang Xiao replied while wiping a glass. “I used to work here, and now I just help out occasionally.”

 

Lu Ze nodded and teased, “You helping out seems pretty dangerous.”

 

“Thanks for earlier,” Liang Xiao said.

 

Lu Ze sighed, placing his glass on the bar. “Last time you helped me, this time I helped you—now we’re even… Wait, no, you even got sick because of me, so it’s not even.”

 

“It’s even. The beef patties you ordered were delicious,” Liang Xiao said.

 

“Of course they were.”

 

Someone else ordered a drink, and the two fell silent. Liang Xiao focused on mixing drinks while Lu Ze watched. Compared to the other bartenders, Liang Xiao’s movements weren’t flashy or overly technical—no tossing bottles or elaborate tricks—but his actions were smooth, natural, and efficient.

 

It wasn’t eye-catching but consistently pleasing to watch.

 

As Liang Xiao started mixing a second drink, Lu Ze took out his phone to record him. He should have asked for permission first, but as Liang Xiao’s “boyfriend” at the moment, it felt unnecessary.

 

What would he even ask? “Can I record you?” What kind of boyfriend wouldn’t be allowed to take videos?

 

So Lu Ze silently recorded the video and put his phone down when Liang Xiao pushed the drink forward.

 

Liang Xiao smiled faintly. “Finished recording?”

 

Lu Ze understood that meant he didn’t mind and grinned. “Finished. You looked super cool.”

 

After laughing, he suddenly exclaimed, “Crap! I forgot about Jie-ge.”

 

“The guy who was with you last time?” Liang Xiao asked.

 

“Yeah, the one you helped send back to the hotel last time,” Lu Ze said as he looked around. “Where is he? He was just here…”

 

“Don’t panic. Try calling him first.”

 

Lu Ze took out his phone and called Jiang Yijie twice, but there was no answer. Frowning, he said, “He doesn’t have his phone on him—it’s probably too loud for him to hear.”

 

“Did he drink too much?” Liang Xiao asked.

 

“Probably not,” Lu Ze said with some concern. “But he’s not in a great mood…”

 

He carefully scanned the chaotic crowd under the dim lights until his eyes began to hurt. Liang Xiao stepped out from behind the bar and said, “I’ll check over there for you. If I find him, I’ll send you a voice message.”

 

“Alright.”

 

The bar was large, with multiple halls on just one floor. Lu Ze and Liang Xiao split up to look for Jiang Yijie. While searching, Lu Ze called Jiang Yijie’s phone and shouted his name, but the bar’s flashing lights quickly made him dizzy, and everyone seemed to blur into double images.

 

He even checked near the entrance, where he only found someone drunk, clinging to a bike and refusing to let go—not Jiang Yijie.

 

Logically, Jiang Yijie wouldn’t leave him behind… unless he had gone off with some woman to book a room? Just as Lu Ze was about to check the nearby hotel, his phone buzzed with a voice message from Liang Xiao. He quickly answered, “Did you find him?”

 

“Yes,” Liang Xiao replied. “He’s drunk—in the restroom.”

 

When Lu Ze saw Liang Xiao helping Jiang Yijie out of the restroom, he couldn’t help but laugh. Poor Liang Xiao always seemed to end up picking people out of restrooms.

 

Lu Ze reached out to help support Jiang Yijie, but Jiang Yijie unexpectedly pushed his hand away.

 

Stunned, Lu Ze exclaimed, “You don’t even recognize me? How much did you drink in such a short time?”

 

Jiang Yijie kept his head down and didn’t respond. When Lu Ze tried to help again, Jiang Yijie pushed his hand away once more. “Don’t… touch me.”

 

“Seriously?” Lu Ze cursed softly and leaned closer to examine him. “You really don’t recognize me? It’s me—Lu Ze.”

 

Jiang Yijie squinted at him for a moment before saying, “I recognize you.”

 

Lu Ze was baffled. “Then why won’t you let me help you?”

 

Jiang Yijie straightened up on his own and staggered forward. “I don’t need help…”

 

Watching him wobble away, Lu Ze turned to Liang Xiao and asked, “Your bar doesn’t sell fake alcohol, does it?”

 

Liang Xiao shook his head seriously. “We don’t.”

 

Seeing Jiang Yijie about to bump into someone, Lu Ze rushed forward and pulled him back—only for Jiang Yijie to stumble directly into him.

 

Helplessly, Lu Ze patted Jiang Yijie’s face. “Jie-ge?”

 

Jiang Yijie turned to look at him. Their faces were so close that Lu Ze could smell the strong scent of alcohol on Jiang Yijie’s breath. Frowning, he asked, “How much did you drink?”

 

Jiang Yijie stared at him intently for a few seconds before speaking clearly and slowly: “Can you stop touching me?”

 

“What?” Lu Ze heard him but was momentarily dumbfounded.

 

“If you’re not interested in me,” Jiang Yijie said deliberately, “then stay away from me.”

 

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