LHKE Ch34

Lu Changting led Lu Chang’an to the bar and told him to order whatever he wanted, but with one condition.

“Order whatever you like, but you have to tell me why you got into a fight.”

Lu Chang’an was dazzled by the wall of alcohol and grew more excited as he discussed his preferred flavors with Le An, first wanting something sweet, then something a bit sour, and even with a hint of plum.

Shen Li came down from the lounge upstairs, spotting Lu Changting at the stairway. As he got closer, he noticed a handsome young boy sitting beside him. Although tall, the boy still had a bit of baby fat and an innocent look.

“This is my brother,” Lu Changting said with a smile, naturally pulling the boy closer and introducing him. “This is Lu Chang’an, my third uncle’s son.”

Even though Lu Chang’an had never been to a bar, the stories he’d heard always carried a hint of debauchery. Seeing Shen Li and Lu Changting so close, he curiously glanced at Shen Li a few times.

“Hello,” Shen Li greeted him with a friendly smile, recognizing that Lu Chang’an was still a young boy. “My name is Shen Li.”

Lu Chang’an nodded politely, “Hello, Brother Shen.”

Shen Li sat beside Lu Changting, who took hold of his hand, playing with it.

Lu Changting leaned in and whispered to Lu Chang’an, “I’ll let you in on a secret—he’s my boyfriend.”

Secret? Shen Li had made it public ages ago, but it was easy to tease Lu Chang’an, who was new to the bar scene and naïve about such things.

Lu Chang’an stared at him in surprise, then looked over at Shen Li, his eyes wide with shock. “Huh?”

“A secret for a secret,” Lu Changting said, pushing the drink Lu Chang’an had ordered toward him. “Now, tell me, why did you get into a fight?”

After a moment of silence, Lu Chang’an finally spoke, “He’s not a good person.”

He pursed his lips. “He has a girlfriend, but he still talks about… about…”

“About what?”

Feeling cornered, Lu Chang’an’s tone grew sharp and sarcastic. “About his glorious achievements in hookups.”

“Who are you standing up for?” Lu Changting took a sip of his drink, asking leisurely. “His girlfriend?”

Lu Chang’an didn’t reply, just picked up his drink and took a couple of gulps, his clear eyes filled with frustration and indignation.

Lu Changting suddenly laughed. “You like her, don’t you?”

“I do not!” Lu Chang’an was too quick to deny it, making it even more obvious.

Shen Li had been quietly listening, and from the injury on Lu Chang’an’s face, he could roughly piece together what had happened. Teenagers at seventeen or eighteen are full of vigor—fighting either for love, for revenge, or out of a pure-hearted sense of justice. Lu Chang’an was probably fighting for love.

Shen Li never looked down on any kind of affection. In fact, he found Lu Chang’an’s immature, even a bit reckless, admiration to be quite endearing.

Lu Changting felt the same. Although fighting was wrong, it was understandable for someone young, passionate, and with a strong sense of right and wrong.

He patted Lu Chang’an on the back, making sure to address the principle. “Does fighting solve the problem?”

“If you don’t tell her, she’ll never know she’s with the wrong person, and that’s worse for her.”

“She doesn’t believe me,” Lu Chang’an said, sounding dejected. “Neither does the teacher.”

“No one believes me,” he continued. “He gets good grades and acts all proper at school, so the teachers favor him. I threw the first punch, so it’s my fault.”

“Brother Changxu…” He lowered his head, trying to maintain a nonchalant tone. “Brother Changxu protected me, but he must think I’m in the wrong too.”

“If you like someone, go for it. If you’re misunderstood, explain yourself. The goal is to act with a clear conscience and have no regrets,” Lu Changting said calmly. “Do I really need to teach you something so simple?”

Lu Chang’an looked up at him, his eyes shining brightly, filled with the joy of being trusted, though he still stubbornly retorted, “You’ve never taught me this before.”

Lu Changting took another sip of his drink, his fingers interlaced with Shen Li’s, exuding a quiet intimacy even without words. “Liking someone should make you better, not worse. Right now, you might think fighting for someone you like is cool and satisfying, but in a few years, you’ll realize how foolish you were.”

There are many ways to solve problems, but Lu Chang’an chose the one where both sides lose. It’s okay to be impulsive and passionate when you’re young, but you can’t stay that way forever.

“You know your grades are bad, your temper is bad, and your social skills are lacking,” Lu Changting criticized his younger brother bluntly. “You should work toward being better in all those areas if you want to attract someone.”

“Got it…” Lu Chang’an’s face turned bright red, his tone awkward and voice low. “I won’t fight anymore.”

Seeing that Lu Chang’an had learned his lesson, Lu Changting nodded toward the crowd. “Go enjoy yourself.”

The unspoken message: stop being a third wheel.

Lu Chang’an had always admired Lu Changting, and though they had grown distant, just this brief conversation had restored much of that trust.

He took his drink to find Lu Changyin and the others, but after taking a few steps, he came back and stood in front of Shen Li, giving an exaggerated bow. “Sister-in-law!”

Then, he ran off, his mischievous spirit back in full force.

Shen Li was momentarily stunned by the title, then shook his head with a smile. “Your brother is really cute.”

“What’s cute about him?” Lu Changting grumbled, squeezing Shen Li’s fingers in annoyance. “He’s in his second year of high school, with exams coming up next year, yet his grades are at the bottom, and he’s always causing trouble.”

“Unlike me in high school—I was good at everything: academics, sports, art, and even social activities. Teachers liked me, I had good relationships with my classmates, and I won so many awards I lost count.”

Shen Li teased, “Your brother’s just a bit stubborn and innocent—he’s adorable.”

Lu Changting’s expression grew intense. “Are you praising another man in front of me?”

“You’re the cutest,” Shen Li replied with a quiet laugh. “You’re always the cutest.”

Even at twenty-seven, Lu Changting could still be so adorably jealous over something so trivial.

Lu Changting brought Shen Li over to greet Lu Changyin and the others. They rearranged a few tables to sit together, but Lu Changting and Shen Li took a separate table on the side, creating a little world of their own amidst the loud music of the bar.

Lu Chang’an was quietly talking to Lu Changxu, probably apologizing. After listening, Lu Changxu patted his head, signaling that the matter was settled.

Lu Changyin took a sip of her drink and whispered to Lu Changge with a smile, “Our Chang’an has a little crush now, who would have thought?”

Lu Changge laughed and said, “Ah, a crush. It’s like a bottle of wine kept hidden away, and when you drink it many years later, it still makes your heart flutter across all that time.”

Hearing the word “crush,” Lu Changting suddenly thought of something.

Shen Li had mentioned before that he didn’t have any ex-boyfriends. So, it seemed that the “Xiao Gege” he once spoke of could only be one thing—his crush.

He glanced thoughtfully at Shen Li and couldn’t quite agree with Lu Changyin’s sentiment. “For a future partner, that crush is just vinegar—old vinegar.”

Lu Changge thought for a moment and then was at a loss for words. “That’s true…”

Many people can’t let go simply because they can’t have what they want. But for the person who comes after, that inability to let go becomes a thorn, a painful obstruction.

Lu Changting looked deeply at Shen Li and, jokingly, asked, “You didn’t prepare any of that old vinegar for me, did you?”

Shen Li, who had been listening to them compare a crush to wine and then to vinegar, was caught off guard when the question suddenly turned to him.

His heart skipped a beat, and he answered, “I’ve only ever liked you.”

Whether it was in the past or now, whether it was a secret crush or an open one, all his feelings were for Lu Changting.

Shen Li spoke with such sincerity, his eyes bright and clear, that for a moment, Lu Changting almost believed him.

He smiled, didn’t say anything, and simply took a sip of his drink.

Suppressing his emotions, Lu Changting reached for Shen Li’s pants pocket.

He was in a bit of a mood and needed something sweet.

He felt around for some chocolate, found it, and slowly unwrapped it, changing the subject casually. “When did you stash so much chocolate in my car?”

“You noticed?” Shen Li replied. “I’ve been hiding it there for a few days.”

His tone was so casual, as if doing something nice and preparing little surprises for Lu Changting was just a normal thing.

Shen Li always had a way of unknowingly touching the softest parts of his heart.

Any negative emotions he had dissolved completely in the sweetness of the chocolate and Shen Li’s words. Lu Changting pinched his cheek. “You.”

Shen Li smiled and asked, “You don’t like it?”

“I do,” Lu Changting paused, a thought suddenly occurring to him. He said, “Lu Changyin found it and took a bunch.”

“I didn’t bring much with me,” Shen Li said. “I’ll restock you the day after tomorrow.”

Lu Changting, unsatisfied, grumbled, “Is it just chocolate?”

Shen Li asked, “What else do you want?”

“I’ve been eating takeout for two days, and it’s not good,” Lu Changting slowly revealed his true thoughts. “Why don’t you just take me home?”

Shen Li couldn’t help teasing him, “Take you home to meet my mom?”

Lu Changting was momentarily stunned, suddenly remembering that Shen Li lived with Cheng Zhao.

Meeting the parents wasn’t out of the question, but his real intention in going home with Shen Li wasn’t to meet the parents—it was to spend a day relaxing with his boyfriend, doing nothing and just enjoying their time together.

After all, taking a nap alone at home felt like a waste of time, but with Shen Li, any way they spent time together felt fulfilling.

“Why don’t you come to my place instead?” Lu Changting lowered his voice. “Just spend the weekend with me.”

“My mom’s not home,” Shen Li chuckled. “But let’s go to your place instead.”

He added playfully, “My place is small, I’m afraid you won’t be comfortable.”

After all, his home wasn’t just his; even though Cheng Zhao hadn’t been around lately, he worried that Lu Changting might feel uneasy. Besides, his room held many secrets he wasn’t ready to share yet. If he wanted a long-term relationship with Lu Changting, he’d have to slowly integrate into his life. Spending a weekend at Lu Changting’s place was a good start.

“I’ll find a good time to take you home to meet my mom,” Lu Changting said, his tone relaxing now that he had gotten what he wanted. He didn’t mind Shen Li’s teasing. Once Shen Li was at his place, on his turf, he could settle the score however he wanted.

The group at the nearby booth was thoroughly ignored by Lu Changting and Shen Li until the couple had finished their drinks and were ready to leave.

Lu Changxu waved them off impatiently, “Go on, go on, leave already. Stop showing off your love, it’s hurting my eyes.”

“Deep love,” Lu Changting said in mock seriousness, “is impossible to restrain.”

Lu Changxu smiled good-naturedly. “When you bring him home officially, I’ll make sure to give you and Shen Li a big red envelope.”

There was a hint of gritted teeth in his words.

Lu Changting coughed lightly. “Well, I’ll be waiting for that.”