LHKE Ch17

On Sunday evening, Shen Li went to his shop as usual. The drunkenness from Saturday night felt like a dream, and by the time he woke up, all the emotions and troubles had faded from his memory.

But today, his thoughts kept drifting to how Lu Changting’s blind date had gone. What kind of person was the woman? Did they hit it off, or were they just going through the motions?

He was lost in thought when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He instinctively turned his head, saw no one, and then turned back to find Xiao Yao smiling at him. “Boss Shen, what are you thinking about so deeply?”

“Boss Shen,” said Lu Changxu and Chen Xingye, who were following Xiao Yao. They sat down at the bar, familiar with the place, and without looking at the menu, each ordered a “Godfather.”

“Brother Yao, Brother Chen,” Shen Li took a sip of tea at hand, “Young Master Lu.”

“Why aren’t Mr. Chu and Mr. Fu here?”

“They’ve been into self-cultivation lately, busy with work and ignoring us,” Xiao Yao ordered a “Mojito” and lazily scanned the bar’s hall. His gaze finally settled on a table by the dance floor, and then he slowly looked away. After a while, his eyes wandered back, and his brow furrowed.

Shen Li followed his gaze.

It was a young man in a black shirt with a clean, sharp buzz cut, and a shaved line along the side, looking quite cool. He seemed familiar too.

Chen Xingye glanced over and raised an eyebrow, “Isn’t that your little goldfish?”

Xiao Yao took a sip of the refreshing, minty drink, feeling restless. “I’ll go take a look.”

He got up, adjusted his sleeves and collar, and then walked over at a leisurely pace.

Shen Li was curious, “Who’s that?”

“Jing Yu,” Chen Xingye said nonchalantly, “a little star Xiao Yao recently started sponsoring.”

Lu Changxu glanced over at Xiao Yao, “When did that happen? I didn’t know.”

“About half a month ago,” Chen Xingye replied, “Met him at ‘Gujiu.'”

Shen Li wasn’t in the bar that day; it was a gathering set up by Fan Jingling. Although Xiao Yao and Fan Jingling were childhood friends, and Chen Xingye was also a childhood friend of Xiao Yao, Chen Xingye disliked Fan Jingling’s behavior and personality. They didn’t get along, so he barely knew Fan Jingling and always avoided his gatherings.

“Gujiu” doesn’t engage in flesh trade, but it doesn’t mind if guests bring their own company. According to Xiao Yao, Fan Jingling had grown tired of a little star he had sponsored before and wanted to change things up. Jing Yu’s manager tricked him into coming. Seeing Jing Yu’s reluctance and feeling a connection, Xiao Yao helped him out of the situation. Probably disillusioned with his manager and recognizing the reality, Jing Yu ended up staying with Xiao Yao.

This was the first time Xiao Yao had sponsored a star. He immediately borrowed money from Chen Xingye and pulled some strings to get resources for Jing Yu. From what Chen Xingye observed, Xiao Yao seemed to genuinely care about Jing Yu, but who knew what Jing Yu was thinking.

Shen Li didn’t ask further and was actually glad Xiao Yao found someone new to be interested in. He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag.

As he lit the cigarette, the bandage on his palm became visible. Lu Changxu noticed it and asked with a mix of concern and curiosity, “Boss Shen, what happened to your hand?”

The wound was on his palm, a place where it’s usually hard to get a cut that requires a bandage.

Shen Li glanced at his palm indifferently, “Got cut by some glass.”

Chen Xingye took a sip of his drink, recalling Shen Li’s WeChat post from the afternoon and Jiang Chifeng’s comment, “Checked in at No. 1 High.” Then, thinking of the high walls of No. 1 High, he guessed what had happened, “Did you get cut by some glass while climbing a wall?”

Lu Changxu asked, “What wall were you climbing?”

“Boss Shen went back to school last night, didn’t he?” Chen Xingye reasonably guessed, “Probably got there too late, and the gates were locked, so he had to climb the wall.”

Shen Li responded with a light “hmm,” “I went back to school last night to have a look.”

Lu Changxu opened WeChat and checked Shen Li’s Moments. At first glance, he thought the wall in the photo looked familiar. Looking closer, a vague thought flashed through his mind.

“Boss Shen went to No. 1 High too?”

Chen Xingye looked over, curious about the answer.

“Class of ‘07,” Shen Li replied. He never made a point of mentioning he went to No. 1 High, but he never hid it either.

“Small world,” Chen Xingye chuckled and clinked glasses with him, “Same year as me.”

He asked, “Which class were you in? We might have met before.”

Or maybe they had met, but it was just a fleeting encounter, leaving no impression.

“Class 16.”

“Oh, that’s far,” Chen Xingye took another sip, “I was in Class 34.”

No. 1 High divided its classes by academic performance. The first twelve were arts classes, and from Class 13 onwards were science classes. The higher the class number, the lower the academic performance. People like him, who got in by paying a hefty donation, were mostly grouped in the classes after 30.

Lu Changxu suddenly said, “Changting was also in the Class of ‘07, Class 13. Did you guys know each other?”

“Did we?” Shen Li touched the red string on his wrist, smiled, and shook his head, “I don’t remember.”

If only he truly didn’t remember.

Chen Xingye found it a bit odd but didn’t say anything.

Every school has a few people everyone knows—those with outstanding looks, top grades, notorious behavior, or a wild reputation… For Lu Changting, it was his noble background, striking looks, and excellent grades that made him so dazzling.

Class 13 and Class 16 were close, on the same floor. Could Shen Li really not have seen Lu Changting?

But after all these years, maybe he had truly forgotten.

Lu Changxu wasn’t entirely convinced either. He opened his chat with Lu Changting and sent a message.

[Xu: Boss Shen went to No. 1 High too.]

[Xu: Class of ‘07, Class 16. Surprised? Unexpected? What a coincidence.]

They acknowledged the alumni connection on their side, and Xiao Yao brought someone over as well.

Xiao Yao had no intention of introducing Jing Yu to them, nor did he introduce them to Jing Yu. He simply paid the bill, said that they would leave for now, and that they’d arrange another meeting soon.

Jing Yu followed behind him, putting on a mask, his whole figure almost blending into the shadows. Shen Li watched them leave the bar, and then noticed someone else entering—a person with their head slightly lowered, wearing a red hoodie, ripped jeans, and carrying a backpack, looking very much like a student.

As the person walked closer into the brighter light, Shen Li recognized them as Le Yi.

It had been a while since Shen Li had seen Le Yi. The boy who used to eagerly run to find him whenever he came to the bar had become much more reserved. He walked up to Le An and called out, “Ge,” in a very obedient tone.

Le An raised his head from behind the bar and, upon seeing him, frowned slightly.

Le Yi pressed his lips together and asked quietly, “…Can I talk to Brother Shen alone for a moment?”

Even the way he addressed him had changed, which showed that Le An had spoken to him, and Le Yi had listened.

Shen Li stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and stood up with his phone. “Should we go to a private room or my break room?”

“The open table over there is fine,” Le Yi pointed to a quiet corner of the bar.

The corner table had dim lighting. Le Yi carefully took out a box from his backpack and handed it to Shen Li.

“This is for you,” Le Yi said, touching the box, his tone a bit downcast. “I originally planned to take my time making it and give it to you for your birthday at the end of the year.”

He had just finished the design and thought he had plenty of time to prepare this gift. But Le An’s words had disrupted all his plans.

Shen Li had mentioned before that there was someone in his heart, but Le Yi hadn’t believed him. He thought Shen Li was just trying to placate him.

But now that person had come back, and Le Yi couldn’t deny it any longer.

He was unwilling to accept it, but what could he do? Shen Li only saw him as a friend’s younger brother—someone to care for, but nothing more. Le Yi had stayed up for several nights to finish assembling the model, thinking that no matter what, he had to give it to Shen Li in person, as a way to end things.

Shen Li accepted the box and politely thanked him.

Le Yi remembered how, when he confessed to Shen Li, Shen Li had also politely said, “Thank you.”

It felt like a thousand needles pricking his heart, leaving it in tatters.

“There’s nothing to thank me for,” Le Yi said. “And don’t say you’re sorry either.”

“You shone so brightly, and I tried hard to make myself shine for you too.” Le Yi lowered his gaze, his eyes reddening as he gave a self-mocking smile. “But my light was too dim, and I came too late.”

Shen Li patted his head, speaking softly, “I’ll keep the gift.”

“Go home, take a hot shower, and get a good night’s sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, the streets will be full of men, all better than Brother Shen.”

Le Yi looked up at him, then quickly lowered his head again, asking in a muffled voice, “Can I have a hug?”

He had always been like a little firecracker, throwing himself into Shen Li’s arms, but Shen Li had never hugged him back—not once.

Shen Li sighed, “Just one.”

He reached out and gave Le Yi a brief hug.

The boy’s hot tears silently fell on his shoulder, and Shen Li heard him say, “I wish you happiness, Brother Shen.”

Shen Li sighed again.

He felt like he’d been more heartbroken and sighed more in the past two days than in the last decade combined.

“You too.”

Le Yi left, and Shen Li returned to the bar with the box. At some point, Lu Changxu and Chen Xingye had moved to a booth to drink, leaving the bar area empty except for him and Le An.

Le An glanced at the box, and after a long time, said in a complicated tone, “He made it himself. It took him over a week, staying up several nights.”

Shen Li lifted the lid of the box for a look.

Inside was a miniature version of “Gu Jiu”—a two-story bar, complete with a rooftop terrace, private rooms, glass windows, a main hall, a dance floor, booths, and the fully stocked bar, all modeled after the real “Gu Jiu.” Even the figures inside were crafted—Le An behind the bar, Shen Li holding tea at the bar, and Le Yi sitting beside him.

Shen Li closed the box again and let out a heavy sigh.

“I’m going home. I’m a bit tired.”

…

After watching the whole scene, Lu Changxu finished his drink and sent a photo to Lu Changting.

He had taken the photo secretly. It showed Shen Li hugging Le Yi, as if they were talking about something, with most of Le Yi’s face buried in Shen Li’s chest.

The bar’s lights were too dazzling, and the distance was far, so Lu Changxu and Chen Xingye hadn’t noticed Le Yi’s tears. They only saw him talking to Shen Li, giving him a gift, hugging him, and then leaving.

Chen Xingye leaned over to look at his phone screen, raising an eyebrow. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know either,” Lu Changxu snapped his fingers, calling over a server to get another drink.

Chen Xingye tapped on the phone screen, belatedly realizing, “When did those two get together?”

“Do you remember the time when Changting first returned to the country? Everyone got drunk, and Boss Shen sent a lot of honey pomelo tea to the private room.” Lu Changxu’s tone was mysterious. “And that time when Changge almost got into trouble at the bar, Boss Shen sent two jars of it to him.”

“I tried it—when mixed with warm water, it had a slight sweet and sour taste, but that night’s honey pomelo tea was sweet without a hint of sourness.”

Lu Changxu took a sip of his drink and slowly added, “Changting has a sweet tooth.”

He can’t go without sweets.

Chen Xingye thought about it for a moment, “It could be a coincidence.”

“Don’t you think the atmosphere between them during those two days at the resort was a bit too close?” Lu Changxu pressed.

Chen Xingye, being straightforward, still thought Lu Changting and Shen Li were innocent, “It didn’t seem that unusual.”

“When the aftermath of Changge’s incident was ongoing, Fan Jingsheng kept sending people to ‘Gu Jiu’ for inspections,” Lu Changxu continued, “But the day after Changting found out, he invited Fan Jingling out for a meal, and since then, the police haven’t bothered ‘Gu Jiu’ again.”

“But that was because the issue was related to Changge,” Chen Xingye said. “It made sense for Changting to invite Fan Jingling to dinner and resolve the issue.”

Lu Changxu found his dullness exasperating, “That noon, after having lunch with Fan Jingling, Changting ran into a couple arguing on his way downstairs and stepped in to mediate.”

“The lobby manager reported to me that the lady claimed Changting was her son’s—boyfriend.”

“So coincidental?” Chen Xingye was stunned for a moment, then his curiosity was completely piqued. “Was that Boss Shen’s mother?”

“That’s exactly how coincidental it was.” Lu Changxu clinked his glass with his. “Tell me, do you really think Boss Shen didn’t know Changting in high school?”

Chen Xingye shook his head. “In theory, that’s unlikely.”

The more they thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed.

Lu Changxu chuckled, “Let’s just watch how this plays out.”