TYMRHBDES Chapter 11

He called out “sister-in-law” with little sincerity.

The others around the table looked up to see what was happening.

Some of their gazes were overly intense, staring right at him as if they wanted to strip him naked and examine every inch of his body.

Jiang Luoluo gripped Fu Tingchuan’s sleeve tightly.

He’d always been a well-behaved kid, and no one had ever brought him to this sort of place before.

A strong arm pulled him into a comforting embrace. The familiar cold fragrance of Fu Tingchuan’s scent wafted through the air, somehow making Jiang Luoluo feel strangely at ease.

Fu Tingchuan uncrossed his legs and removed his hand from Jiang Luoluo’s shoulder. But he didn’t leave it there—he rested it on the back of the couch behind Jiang Luoluo instead.

With a cigar between his fingers, Fu Tingchuan looked up lazily, shooting an amused glance at the unrelenting gazers out of the corner of his eye.

They finally turned away with a huff, starting up a fake conversation about the bar’s layout.

They weren’t like Fu Tingchuan.

Most of them were here thanks to their families’ connections, but not Fu Tingchuan.

No one knew what Fu Tingchuan’s family background was like, but they had heard rumors about how he made his wealth. In the early days, he used shady and brutal methods to succeed.

Later, after he got into high society, he worked hard to wipe away the traces of his past. He looked every inch the elegant and wealthy young master.

Once, someone who didn’t like him tried to tease him by bringing up those unproven stories. They mocked him for turning from a crow into a phoenix. Not long after, that person disappeared from the circle completely. The next time anyone heard about him, it was said that he was brought back from Laos, mentally broken. His legs were crushed, and his arms were gone, leaving behind only two bowl-sized scars on his shoulders…

After that, whenever people met Fu Tingchuan, they were more respectful and keeping their distance than trying to be friendly.

No one wanted to risk getting involved with such a dangerous person.

Jiang Luoluo picked up a grape from the fruit bowl nearby. He carefully peeled off the skin and held it up to Fu Tingchuan’s mouth.

His pale white fingers looked like fine mutton-fat white jade,¹ making the green grape beside them look especially appealing.

Fu Tingchuan glanced at Jiang Luoluo, then opened his mouth and swallowed the grape.

His warm, wet tongue deliberately brushed against Jiang Luoluo’s finger as he did so. Jiang Luoluo’s fingertip quivered, and he lowered his head to pull his hand away, curling it up next to the rest of his fingers.

Finding him amusing, Fu Tingchuan felt even more eager to tease him. “Why did you stop peeling?”

Under the lamplight, Jiang Luoluo’s cheek flushed a deep red. He lifted his head and quickly glanced at the corners of Fu Tingchuan’s smiling lips before whispering, “You don’t want to eat it anymore?”

“How could I not want to eat it?”

Fu Tingchuan leaned down slightly, his husky voice resonating in Jiang Luoluo’s ear. “Whether you’re peeling grapes or yourself, I still want to eat both.”

In the pause between the music, Fu Tingchuan’s words, mixed with his warm breath, struck Jiang Luoluo’s pale cheek. The words were also heard clearly by everyone in the same booth.

Someone in the crowd chuckled aloud.

Jiang Luoluo flushed so red, it seemed blood would drip from his face. His long eyelashes fluttered as he covered his face and quickly threw himself into Fu Tingchuan’s arms.

Teasing voices continued to come from the crowd:

“Nice one, Mr. Fu!”

“Didn’t expect you to be a seasoned player in the dating scene!”

“Truly didn’t see that coming!”

Some had always been intimidated by Fu Tingchuan, their actions showing they wanted to avoid him at all costs. Now, hearing him speak flirtatiously, they no longer felt awkward. Instead, they felt closer to him as he seemed more like one of them.

Laughter filled the air. A faint smile played on Fu Tingchuan’s refined face as he wrapped an arm around Jiang Luoluo, pulling him close. He kissed the messy hair by his ear and whispered lowly:

“Good boy.”

“If Fu Tingchuan can afford to flirt with grapes and luxury, maybe you can help me afford some coffee! Toss a coin to your writer on Ko-fi—grape-peeling lessons aren’t cheap!”