LHKE Ch13

“Hey, why haven’t those guys who messed up business today shown up yet?” Jiang Chifeng extinguished his cigarette and glanced at the clock on the wall, where the hour hand was still at the zero mark.

Shen Li replaced the alcohol in front of him with yogurt, a new flavor at the bar—snow pear yogurt, served in a glass with a slice of lemon on the rim, looking quite appealing.

“It’s a good thing they’re not here. Why are you hoping they’ll come?”

“I don’t drink yogurt.” Jiang Chifeng pushed the yogurt away, pulled out a black card from his pocket, and slapped it on the bar. “I want to drink alcohol.”

“You’ve had enough.” Shen Li pushed the yogurt back, even adding a straw. “This is it. Drink it or leave it.”

Jiang Chifeng had been hanging out at Shen Li’s bar every day recently, claiming that the bar’s business was slow and that he was there to support it. In reality, he had probably had a fight with his significant other and was killing time here.

Shen Li lit a cigarette.

For the past few days, the bar had been frequented by police conducting raids, dampening the customers’ enthusiasm, so the business was slow, leaving Shen Li with some peace and quiet.

His eyes fell on a man in the corner who had been watching them, and Shen Li smiled with interest. “So, what’s going on between you and Wei Wenxing?”

“We’re breaking up. It’s been annoying.” Jiang Chifeng sucked on the straw, his tone listless.

Shen Li raised an eyebrow, surprised. “You want to break up, or does he?”

“Me.” Jiang Chifeng took a cigarette from the pack, didn’t bother with a lighter, and leaned over to Shen Li to borrow a light.

“That serious?” Shen Li held the cigarette between his fingers, slowly exhaling a puff of smoke. “Then don’t tell me about it; I’m the type who encourages breaking up, not making up.”

“Breaking up would be simpler.” Jiang Chifeng muttered a curse under his breath, suppressing his anger as he vented to his friend. “I’m so pissed off. His ‘first love’ is asking him for money again. It’s not borrowing; it’s practically a handout.”

“It’s not my money, so if he wants to lend it, he can do so freely. But why hide it from me?” Jiang Chifeng drank the yogurt like it was alcohol, downing a large gulp straight from the glass, leaving a small ring of milk on his lips.

Shen Li had heard bits and pieces about Wei Wenxing and his ‘first love’ from Jiang Chifeng before, enough to piece together the general story.

Wei Wenxing was a rising star in S City’s business circle, specializing in software development. His company had grown significantly, although it was still far behind Jiang’s family. When he was starting out, he went through tough times, and the person who had stuck by his side during those years was the ‘first love’ Jiang Chifeng referred to. The two had been university classmates and started their business together after graduation. Perhaps because the early days were too hard, the ‘first love’ eventually left Wei Wenxing, got married, had kids, and returned to a more traditional life path.

Given the hardships they had shared, it was understandable that Wei Wenxing would want to help out. With Jiang Chifeng’s wealth, the money wasn’t the issue; it was the fact that Wei Wenxing had kept it from him that caused the friction—Jiang Chifeng was the kind of person who couldn’t tolerate secrets.

“Such a jerk—just break up.”

“Well… not really.” Hearing his friend’s decisive words made Jiang Chifeng hesitate, feeling a bit softer. “The ‘first love’s’ daughter is sick, apparently quite seriously, and needs surgery. They’re really short on money…”

“Then don’t break up.”

Jiang Chifeng complained, “Can’t you be more sincere in your advice?”

Shen Li smiled and put his arm around Jiang Chifeng’s shoulders, leaning in close.

Jiang Chifeng, uncomfortable with the sudden intimacy, instinctively tried to push him away, muttering, “Shen Xiao Li, let me tell you, even though I’m planning to break up with Wei Wenxing, we haven’t yet. We can’t cross that line…”

“Don’t move, I need to tell you something.” Shen Li leaned in, staring into his eyes, bringing them even closer. “You’re not wearing contacts today, are you? Wei Wenxing is sitting right across from us in the corner booth. He’s been here for a while.”

Jiang Chifeng resisted the urge to turn around, his expression shifting before he suddenly flashed a particularly bright smile. “Let me tell you something too. Lu Changting just walked in and has been watching you since he arrived. I think he might have misunderstood something…”

Before Jiang Chifeng could finish his sentence, Shen Li pulled back, quickly and naturally putting some distance between them and sitting up straight to glance over.

—There was no one there.

“I was bluffing.” Jiang Chifeng clicked his tongue, his tone complicated. “So, you really have something going on with Lu Changting behind my back.”

Jiang Chifeng had found it odd when he saw a photo posted by Lu Changxu in his social media circle, showing Shen Li with them on a vacation. One photo, accidentally taken, showed Shen Li looking at Lu Changting with a bright smile that was as radiant as peach blossoms in spring.

Shen Li experienced a rapid succession of emotions—nervousness, forced composure, relief, and disappointment—all in a few seconds. His tone, unusually tinged with irritation, warned, “Don’t joke about things like that again.”

Jiang Chifeng glanced towards where Wei Wenxing was supposed to be, vaguely seeing a figure with a strong profile that indeed resembled him.

But still fuming, Jiang Chifeng ignored Wei Wenxing, instead focusing on gossiping about Shen Li and Lu Changting.

“Tell me about you and Lu Changting.” Jiang Chifeng’s curiosity was piqued. “When did this Meng Guang take on the Liang Hong case?”

Shen Li didn’t reply, habitually touching the red string around his wrist.

Jiang Chifeng was stunned for a moment before finally finding his voice again. “Congratulations are in order—you’ve finally let go of your old flame…”

“No.” Shen Li interrupted him with a firm tone. “It’s always been him.”

Jiang Chifeng: “???”

“What do you mean by ‘always been him’?”

Shen Li found Jiang Chifeng’s confused expression amusing, and his tone softened. “It means exactly what it says.”

It took Jiang Chifeng a while to process it. “Lu Changting is your old flame?”

Shen Li stubbed out his cigarette, calmly looking at him. “Yes.”

Jiang Chifeng took a gulp of yogurt to calm his nerves. “Hasn’t he been abroad all these years…? When did this happen between you two?”

Shen Li didn’t respond again.

Jiang Chifeng’s expression shifted several times, unsure whether to call him foolish or commend him for his unwavering devotion. Finally, he sighed, raised his glass of yogurt, and clinked it against Shen Li’s. “Shen Li, you’re something else. You’ve restored my faith in love.”

“Love is damn amazing.”

Shen Li glanced over at Wei Wenxing. “Then why aren’t you going after your own love?”

“My love is already mature; he should learn to come to me himself.” As he spoke, he opened WeChat on his phone and sent a message.

Shen Li watched as Wei Wenxing settled the bill and left, raising an eyebrow. “What did you send him?”

“I told him I’m craving spicy crayfish.” Jiang Chifeng finished his yogurt, grabbed his phone and coat, and stood up. “I’m off. See you tomorrow, darling.”

“Darling, my foot,” Shen Li laughed and cursed. “You send him out in the middle of the night to buy you spicy crayfish and then just waltz off. No conscience at all.”

Jiang Chifeng, scanning to pay, didn’t even lift his head. “I’m giving him a chance to prove himself.”

“I don’t get your kind of love.” Shen Li pulled a mint candy from the bowl on the bar and tossed it to him. “Need a ride?”

“My driver’s waiting outside.” After drinking yogurt and chatting for most of the night, Jiang Chifeng had sobered up quite a bit. He popped the mint candy into his mouth and walked out leisurely.

A while later, Shen Li received a WeChat message from Jiang Chifeng.

[Jiang Chifeng: Shen Xiao Li, want me to set you up?]

Shen Li typed out a reply.

[Liquor Seller: No need, don’t trouble yourself.]

[Jiang Chifeng: Don’t be polite; we’re close. I’ll set up a meeting with Lu Changting at the bar tomorrow.]

[Liquor Seller: I’m not being polite. Really, there’s no need.]

[Jiang Chifeng: ???]

[Jiang Chifeng: Are you just going to keep pining away in secret forever?]

[Liquor Seller: He’s straight.]

[Jiang Chifeng: …]

[Jiang Chifeng: Why are you being so stubborn?]

Shen Li glanced over at Le An, who was sitting behind the bar playing on his phone, and decided to send Jiang Chifeng a voice message.

“I once read something in a book: ‘For some people, that person is neither a temptation nor a thrill; they are fate. You can’t avoid them. Even if you were given ten thousand chances, you’d still choose to lick honey off a blade, abandoning everything to love them.’” He was smiling as he spoke, with a bit of resigned acceptance. “For me, that person is Lu Changting.”

When he first met Lu Changting, Shen Li was still young, thinking that love at first sight was just something out of a storybook. But over the years, he came to realize how precious it was just to watch that person from afar… They were so far apart that Shen Li could only sustain himself with a grand illusion, nourishing his hunger with the scraps of memories they shared, etching every detail of that person deep into his heart.

Afraid to forget, yet afraid he couldn’t.

Eventually, Shen Li accepted it, resigning himself to his fate—Lu Changting was his treasure.

Like a dragon fiercely guarding its hoard, Shen Li drove everyone away, desperately yet proudly, faithfully yet lonely, forever guarding it.

After sending the voice message, Jiang Chifeng was silent for a long time.

Shen Li suddenly felt a bit disheartened.

He fished a piece of chocolate from his pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth.

“Le An, you heard all that, right?”

“Go back and tell Le Yi.” He bit down on the chocolate, letting the sweetness wear away at the bitterness in his heart. “Stop wasting time on me.”

He had already spent twelve years on Lu Changting. Perhaps there would be another twelve, or even a third set of twelve years…

Le Yi was still young and shouldn’t be dragged into such a harsh, cold existence like he was.