LHKE Ch41

After drinking for a while, Jiang Chifeng suddenly thought of something, “Chu Jinghong’s engagement banquet is in a few days. You’re going, right?”

“Yeah.” Shen Li replied to Du Heng’s message and then put his phone away.

“The Lu family and the Chu family have been close for generations,” Jiang Chifeng gave him a meaningful look. “Lu Changting’s parents will probably be there too.”

Shen Li was taken aback. Just a few days ago, Lu Changting had brought up the idea of going home to meet his parents. Although he agreed, he thought he still had plenty of time to mentally prepare. Now, Jiang Chifeng was telling him that he might be meeting Lu Changting’s parents in just a few days… It felt too sudden.

Seeing his reaction, Jiang Chifeng frowned, “What’s the attitude of his family?”

“His parents know about me,” Shen Li said softly. “He even mentioned recently that he wants to take me home…”

Jiang Chifeng raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. “Well, that’s good.”

He and Wei Wenxing had been together for nearly two years, yet Wei Wenxing had never suggested introducing him to his parents. His own family saw their relationship as just a casual fling and didn’t care much, let alone approve. With no support from his own family, how could he hope to win over Wei Wenxing’s family?

Even though Shen Li and Lu Changting hadn’t been together for long, it was clear from Lu Changting’s attitude that he was in it for the long haul. Jiang Chifeng couldn’t help but feel a bit envious. But then, thinking about Shen Li’s years of unrequited love, he sighed internally.

There was nothing to envy… In this world, everyone has their own struggles, their own hidden sorrows and moments of clarity.

“I’m a little worried,” Shen Li sighed almost inaudibly. “Will his parents, and the Lu family, really accept me?”

Lu Changting’s parents were open-minded, but there were still elders in the Lu family. Would they really approve of Lu Changting being with another man?

“You’ve watched too many melodramatic family dramas,” Jiang Chifeng knocked on his head. “I can’t speak for everyone, but Mrs. Lu is gentle and kind. She definitely won’t give you a hard time.”

“As for the Lu family, sure, it’s a big family with complicated relationships, but Lu Changting is the current head of the Lu Group. Just look at his actions recently, and you’ll know your man is decisive and capable. As long as he stands by you, who would dare give you trouble?”

Shen Li wasn’t completely reassured, but he did agree with Jiang Chifeng’s praise of Lu Changting. “Of course, I trust him.”

Jiang Chifeng didn’t want to continue the conversation, downed his drink, and signaled to Le An for another. With Wei Wenxing not at home, Jiang Chifeng felt free to drink to his heart’s content, one glass after another. By the time Lu Changting arrived after work to pick up Shen Li, Jiang Chifeng was already drunk and slumped over, leaning against Shen Li’s shoulder, still insisting on drinking more.

Lu Changting, with a stern expression, pulled him up. But when he turned and met Shen Li’s slightly intoxicated, hazy eyes, his irritation instantly dissipated.

“You’ve been drinking?”

Shen Li smiled at him. “Just a few glasses.”

Lu Changting raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting to Jiang Chifeng. “And him?”

“He had… a lot of glasses.” Shen Li tugged on his sleeve, hooking his pinky around his, a touch of pleading in his tone. “He’s had too much. Let’s take him home first.”

Lu Changting’s temper vanished completely, and he helped Jiang Chifeng outside.

Jiang Chifeng, staggering and sluggish from the alcohol, squinted in the warm breeze outside the bar and finally recognized Lu Changting. “Lu Changting—” he drawled out his name, tugging randomly at his tie, his tone carrying a hint of threat, “You better treat Shen Li well.”

He muttered, “He really likes you… a lot.”

Jiang Chifeng hiccupped, paused, and added, “He really, really likes you.”

Lu Changting’s cold expression softened a bit.

He settled Jiang Chifeng into the back seat, leaned in, and stared at the drunk man before speaking slowly, “I really like him too. So, you, stay away from him in the future.”

With that, he slammed the door shut without waiting for Jiang Chifeng’s response.

Jiang Chifeng, hearing the sound of the door closing, laughed sluggishly and mumbled, “Jealous much.”

He fumbled in his pocket for his phone, unlocked it with his fingerprint, and sent a random message to his pinned chat: “Someone was mean to me!”

Wei Wenxing was probably busy because he didn’t respond for a long time.

Shen Li didn’t pay attention to him either. Once in the car, his eyes were only on Lu Changting, and vice versa. Lu Changting even pulled over to buy yogurt for Shen Li… Jiang Chifeng felt like he had turned into a sour lemon.

He leaned forward, clinging to the back of Shen Li’s seat, and asked for chocolate, deliberately giving Lu Changting a challenging look.

Shen Li reached into the door’s storage compartment and fished out a piece of chocolate to hand to him, but it was intercepted by Lu Changting. “Mine.”

Lu Changting shot a cold glance at Jiang Chifeng through the rearview mirror.

Jiang Chifeng felt targeted by Lu Changting. At that moment, he started to miss Wei Wenxing and felt a bit wronged. All his emotions were magnified by the alcohol, and he whined drunkenly, “Shen Xiao Li, I forbid you from making chocolate for him.”

“What do you even like about him? Look at him, so petty…”

Before Jiang Chifeng could finish, Shen Li turned and covered his mouth. He blinked, completely unaware that his drunken ramblings had revealed something he shouldn’t have said.

Shen Li pulled out another piece of chocolate from the compartment, unwrapped it, and stuffed it into Jiang Chifeng’s mouth, silencing him.

This time, Lu Changting didn’t stop him, but he did ponder over Jiang Chifeng’s words. Why did he say ‘make chocolate’? Wasn’t the chocolate bought?

It wasn’t the right time to ask, so he pushed the thought aside for later.

Jiang Chifeng, now with chocolate in his mouth, realized he’d said something wrong. He slouched in his seat, not daring to speak again.

Still feeling aggrieved, he unlocked his phone and sent another message.

When Wei Wenxing finally finished his meeting and returned to his hotel, he saw two cryptic messages waiting for him on his phone.

From his boyfriend.

“Someone was mean to me!”

“Wei Wenxing, when are you going to take me home to meet your parents?”

He called back.

Jiang Chifeng was already home, sprawled on the bed like a puddle of mud, too lazy to move. He was drowsy with sleep, and it took a while for him to fumble and answer the ringing phone.

“Who was mean to you?” The man’s tone was always like that—calm, still, like dead water without a ripple. Just a slight softening of his voice could have conveyed warmth, but…

Jiang Chifeng, frustrated, rolled over on the bed and called his name in his regional accent.

“Lu Changting was mean to me,” he complained to Wei Wenxing. “And Shen Li didn’t help me.”

Wei Wenxing sighed. “You’ve been drinking again.”

Jiang Chifeng licked his lips, trying to explain, “I only drank a little.”

Wei Wenxing stayed silent for a moment, clearly not believing him. After being together for so long, he knew exactly how Jiang Chifeng acted when drunk.

After a while, Jiang Chifeng softly said, “Hey,” as if checking to see if the person on the other end was still there.

Wei Wenxing responded, “I’m here.”

“I think I said something wrong today,” Jiang Chifeng mumbled, sobering up just a little. He belatedly realized that he might have let something slip. He remembered Shen Li telling him that back in high school, Shen Li had given Lu Changting chocolate… His thoughts were a mess, and he massaged his temples, wondering if letting Lu Changting know about Shen Li’s twelve-year crush over a piece of chocolate was a good or bad thing.

Wei Wenxing, confused, asked, “What?”

Jiang Chifeng didn’t know how to explain Shen Li and Lu Changting’s situation. He couldn’t, after all—it was Shen Li’s secret. His throat felt dry and sore, so he got out of bed barefoot to get some water, casually changing the subject. “When are you coming back? I miss you a little.”

Wei Wenxing heard the bubbling sound of the water dispenser, but not the sound of footsteps. He sighed. “Jiang Chifeng.”

Hearing his full name snapped Jiang Chifeng a bit more awake. “Yeah?”

“Put your shoes on.”

“…Oh.” Jiang Chifeng obediently put on his slippers and even stomped his feet on the floor twice for him to hear. “I put them on.”

“Wait for me to come back,” Wei Wenxing said. “When I return, I’ll take you to meet my parents.”

Jiang Chifeng took a sip of water before asking, “Why didn’t you take me before?”

There were many reasons.

I thought you were just playing around with me, that you’d break up with me anytime, that we wouldn’t last… Wei Wenxing knew how hurtful those words would be.

The words stuck in his throat, and he couldn’t say them. Wei Wenxing sighed again. “It was my fault. I should’ve been the one to bring it up and say I’d take you home.”

Jiang Chifeng huffed.

Wei Wenxing chuckled, the sound so close it felt like it was right next to his ear, making Jiang Chifeng’s ears warm.

Jiang Chifeng thought for a moment and slowly said, “I’ll talk to my family, but… they might need some time.”

“I know.” Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, Wei Wenxing gazed out at the unfamiliar city and the streetlights stretching far into the distance, a deep longing filling his heart. “It’s okay.”

“Alright, I’m going to shower and sleep.” Jiang Chifeng rubbed his ears. “You should sleep early too.”

“Yeah, goodnight.”

Jiang Chifeng smiled. “Goodnight.”