When Yan Yixuan arrived at the hotel, he saw Ji Ling and the two Luo brothers laughing loudly and without a care in the world in the bar’s private room.
As soon as Ji Ling spotted Yan Yixuan, his eyes lit up, and he loudly announced, “Ah, the big spender has arrived! The big spender’s got the money to pay!”
Yan Yixuan almost rushed over to cover his mouth.
It was obvious that Ji Ling was quite drunk, and while the two Luo brothers had also had their share, they were handling it better than him. The younger brother, who was meeting Yan Yixuan for the first time, looked him up and down with interest, while the older brother, Luo Teng, who already knew Yan Yixuan, smiled and nodded at him.
Before Yan Yixuan had arrived, he hadn’t expected the Luo brothers to be here. When he received the call, he could almost smell the alcohol through the phone. After thinking about it for a moment, he decided to head straight over.
Yan Yixuan greeted the two brothers, “I didn’t expect to see both of you here. My apologies for the lack of hospitality.”
Before Luo Teng could respond, Ji Ling, already half-drunk, slurred, “It’s fine, it’s fine, no one cares. Just leave the money and we’re good.”
“…” Yan Yixuan walked over, grabbed him by the collar, and yanked him up from the couch. Then, half-dragging and half-carrying him, he turned to the Luo brothers and said, “I’ll take this drunkard out of here, and all the charges here are on me.”
Luo Teng, who had been laughing at Ji Ling’s nonsense, looked back and forth between the two, then smiled and said, “Thank you, Young Master Yan. I leave Mr. Ji in your hands.”
His tone was one of entrusting a dear friend, and Yan Yixuan frowned at that.
Since when had Ji Ling gotten so close to the Luo family, and why did they seem so familiar with him?
Ji Ling leaned against Yan Yixuan as they left, waving his hand back at Luo and calling out, “Aren’t you still staying here? Let the big spender pay for the room too.”
“…” Yan Yixuan had had enough. His family ran this hotel, not as a charity. He couldn’t listen to any more of this, so he just said, “Fine, fine, I’ll pay. Let’s go.”
He dragged Ji Ling out of the private room, handed him over to the waiting waiter, and then led him back to his suite.
Yan Yixuan instructed the waiter to lay Ji Ling on the bed, then sent him out. Standing by the bed, he looked down at Ji Ling.
Ji Ling lay on the soft bed, letting out a contented sigh.
Yan Yixuan said, “Looks like Mr. Ji’s made a lot of money, now he’s acting all high and mighty, barking orders at me. This hotel of yours?”
Ji Ling chuckled, “Don’t be so petty. I’m just borrowing Young Master Yan’s family’s prestige to make an impression.”
Yan Yixuan looked at him, feeling a headache coming on.
It wasn’t that Ji Ling was drunk—it was just the rare sight of him letting loose like this.
Ji Ling continued, “I’m so happy today, really happy, beyond happy!”
Before Yan Yixuan could ask him why, Ji Ling blurted it out himself, “Because I’ve found a very important friend.”
Yan Yixuan vaguely understood that the ‘important friend’ he was talking about was Luo Teng, but couldn’t guess the reason behind it.
Ji Ling was still grinning foolishly, and Yan Yixuan couldn’t take it anymore. He said, “Go take a shower, you stink of alcohol.”
Ji Ling sat up on the bed, staring at Yan Yixuan. Instead of obediently following his orders, he grabbed him and pulled him into his arms.
Ji Ling hugged Yan Yixuan and lay back down.
Yan Yixuan: “…”
The bed was soft, and Ji Ling sighed again in contentment.
Yan Yixuan looked at him, realizing that the man was more tipsy than he appeared. But he wasn’t bothered enough to hold a grudge—just the way Ji Ling was clinging to him was making him uncomfortable. He shot him a glare, turned around, and lay shoulder to shoulder with him, feeling better.
But Ji Ling wasn’t having any of it. He still wanted to hold him.
Yan Yixuan warned, “Touch me again, and I’ll hit you.”
That finally made Ji Ling behave, and they both lay down together.
Yan Yixuan didn’t force him to shower, but he did ask, “How come Luo Teng came by?”
Ji Ling answered, “He came to give me money.”
“What?” Yan Yixuan was puzzled for a moment, but quickly understood, “Nice, Mr. Ji, even Luo Teng’s giving you investment. He’s always so high and mighty.”
Ji Ling smiled proudly, “Of course. Don’t forget who I am. When I make a move, it’s always a sure thing. Success is inevitable.”
Yan Yixuan glanced at him, “Yes, yes, the unbeatable, unstoppable Mr. Ji.”
What a fool.
Yan Yixuan thought to himself, then realized that Ji Ling must have contacted Luo Teng through Luo Teng. He couldn’t help but feel a little impressed with Ji Ling. “Luo Teng hates it when people use his brother to get to him, but he didn’t even mind you.”
“What do you mean ‘use’?” Ji Ling wasn’t pleased. “I won him over with sincerity. He willingly, eagerly, and happily pulled out money from his wallet.”
Yan Yixuan didn’t want to argue. The fact that Ji Ling was still making small talk meant that his drunkenness wasn’t as bad as it seemed.
Rather than being drunk, Ji Ling was more in a cheerful, tipsy mood.
He said, “Seeing the two Luo brothers together is really something. They don’t have a single crack between them.”
Yan Yixuan had long heard about Luo Teng’s fondness for his younger brother, but sibling closeness had always been someone else’s business to him. It had never really concerned him.
But Ji Ling continued, “Actually, they didn’t grow up together. One followed their uncle, the other was raised by their grandfather. They shouldn’t really be that close, but Luo Teng said he’d even give up his chairman position for Luo Teng. I think he’s telling the truth.”
It was probably the aftereffects of his joy, but Ji Ling, now feeling sentimental, couldn’t help but talk to Yan Yixuan when he saw him.
After seeing Luo Teng today, Ji Ling felt elated, but at the same time, seeing the Luo brothers made him think of Zong Jiqi.
Why couldn’t he and Zong Jiqi be like the Luo brothers? What went wrong between them?
Yan Yixuan listened calmly, then said, “You find brotherly harmony strange? Maybe that’s the normal way.”
Ji Ling was momentarily stunned and asked, “Really?”
“Maybe. I don’t really know how normal brothers get along,” Yan Yixuan replied, his tone as calm as ever.
Ji Ling couldn’t help but turn and look at him, asking, “Don’t you envy that?”
Yan Yixuan answered, “No, I’d rather not have a brother.”
Ji Ling was instantly at a loss for words.
He couldn’t help but think—The Yan family, the Zong family, and the Luo family were all big players in the business world, yet the three sets of brothers were so different.
Yan Yixuan, confused, asked Ji Ling, “Why bring this up all of a sudden? Do you have a brother?”
“…” Ji Ling probably didn’t have any siblings. He vaguely replied, “Just feeling a little sentimental.”
Yan Yixuan misunderstood, thinking of something else. He asked, “Are you still hung up on Yan Yili’s matter?”
Ji Ling quickly made his stance clear, “No, I’ve almost forgotten about him.”
Today was a good day, and he was happy. He didn’t want to spoil it by making Yan Yixuan upset.
Yan Yixuan hesitated, then said, “Last time I called you…” He trailed off.
Ji Ling interrupted, “You called me last time and told me not to interfere. I definitely didn’t interfere.”
He thought to himself that the Yan family’s situation couldn’t get any worse anyway.
Yan Yixuan said, “I’m just sensitive about my sister, so I get a little worked up.”
It took Ji Ling a moment to realize that Yan Yixuan was explaining himself.
Ji Ling propped himself up, placed a hand on Yan Yixuan’s forehead, and muttered, “The heavens are about to send down red rain. Young Master Yan is actually feeling guilty? Are you running a fever?”
Yan Yixuan slapped his hand away, glaring at him, “You’re so drunk you’ve lost your mind.”
Ji Ling looked at Yan Yixuan, and maybe because he was drunk, there was a soft glow in his eyes. He asked, “Young Master Yan, is it really just trivial matters between us, that we can chat so naturally?”
Yan Yixuan was caught off guard by the question. He thought for a moment but couldn’t come to a conclusion.
He surely didn’t think of Ji Ling as a hidden agenda anymore, but what exactly was their relationship? He’d never been so clingy with anyone. He wanted to pull away but couldn’t bring himself to. If he wanted to get closer, it still felt a bit awkward.
So, Yan Yixuan simply tossed the question back to Ji Ling, asking, “Then what do you think it is?”
Unfortunately, Ji Ling had no idea either.
He always asked Yan Yixuan what he meant by their relationship but never really figured out where he placed Yan Yixuan in his own heart.
Sober Ji Ling couldn’t figure it out, and now that he was drunk, his mind was foggy.
Thinking too much only made his head spin more, so Ji Ling simply said, “I feel dizzy. I really did drink too much.”
“Playing dumb,” Yan Yixuan muttered.
Ji Ling started laughing foolishly. He looked at Yan Yixuan and suddenly leaned in to kiss him, then pulled back, savoring the moment, “Seeing you just makes my lips itch.”
He might have really drunk too much, as he finally spoke out what he had been holding in for so long.
Alcohol was indeed a good thing—giving him the courage to let loose and say all the words he usually kept bottled up inside. Then, after a good night’s sleep, he’d forget about it.
Tomorrow, the composed Ji Ling would surely regret this, but who cared? Today, he was happy.
Yan Yixuan looked back at Ji Ling, reached out to pull him into his arms, and kissed him.
The strong smell of alcohol on Ji Ling seemed to have an effect on Yan Yixuan, who kissed him back with an intensity that mirrored drunkenness.
Just when things were getting heated, Ji Ling, holding himself back, pulled away. His drunken boldness made him ask, “Young Master Yan, would you mind being the one below?”
Like a thunderbolt, Yan Yixuan immediately sobered up, kicking him away.
“Get lost.”
Yan Yixuan thought for a moment and, still angry from being verbally taken advantage of, stood up, wanting to push Ji Ling down.
Ji Ling quickly jumped off the bed, laughing, and ran into the bathroom, “I’m going to take a shower.”
The suite had more than one bathroom, so Yan Yixuan followed suit. They both showered, then lay down again.
This time, there were no further advances. They lay side by side, each lost in their own thoughts.
Ji Ling was still drunk, and as soon as his head touched the pillow, he felt like he was about to fall asleep.
Half-conscious, he heard Yan Yixuan speaking softly.
“Last time I was so sensitive… not just because of my sister, but because of my grandfather,” he said quietly, his tone hesitant, as though he was debating whether to speak further.
Ji Ling waited for him to finish that sentence, his mind already wandering, but all he heard was Yan Yixuan’s voice drifting in from what seemed like far away.
Yan Yixuan, seemingly having made up his mind, said, “My grandfather’s condition has worsened.”
Ji Ling suddenly opened his eyes, the alcohol lifting a good part of the fog from his mind.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
