PD Chapter 1: Mistaken Identity?!

“Brother Chuan, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you out!” The music in the bar was deafening. The boy, seemingly afraid that he wouldn’t be heard, scooted closer, pressing his chest lightly against Wen Xunchuan’s arm as he spoke in a half-teasing tone, “What have you been up to? Got yourself a girlfriend?”

Maybe it was the dizzying lights and the clinking of glasses overhead, or perhaps it was the few strong drinks he had downed that blurred his mind, but Wen Xunchuan found himself staring blankly, unable to remember who this kid—who looked no older than seventeen or eighteen—was. But that didn’t dampen his mood tonight.

“Girlfriend? Not so easy to get one of those. I was on a business trip and just got back today,” Wen Xunchuan’s slightly tipsy peach blossom eyes held a soft allure even when he wasn’t smiling. He casually wrapped an arm around the boy’s waist and leaned in close to his ear, his warm breath deliberately brushing past it as he said, “What’s the matter? Missed me?”

The playful lilt of his words, coupled with the hand lightly caressing the boy’s waist, had the boy’s heart racing in a wild rhythm.

“Ge,” the boy murmured, half-melting against Wen Xunchuan, hinting shyly, “Should we… find somewhere quieter to sit for a bit?”

Wen Xunchuan chuckled softly and placed a gentle kiss on his temple, his voice both indulgent and tender, “Not tonight, sweetheart. I have work tomorrow, can’t keep up with you free-spirited kids. Next time, alright?”

Anyone could tell from this that he was politely declining, but the boy’s heart still skipped a beat at the sound of that one word, “sweetheart.” Emboldened, he looked up with his slightly flushed face and asked, “Then, Brother Chuan, can I add you on WeChat?”

“Of course.” Wen Xunchuan shifted slightly and reached into the inner pocket of his coat, which was draped over the sofa. After feeling around for a bit, his fingers touched the cool, smooth surface of his phone, but he pulled his hand back, turning to the boy with an apologetic smile, “Sorry, I must’ve rushed out and forgotten my phone.”

Who rushes to a bar in such a hurry? The boy frowned, a bit displeased, giving Wen Xunchuan a skeptical look, but couldn’t find a trace of deception on his sincere face, so he finally sighed in disappointment, “Alright.”

In truth, Wen Xunchuan didn’t have much interest in such boys. Whether he was underage was one thing, but the kid’s clingy, sticky attitude was clearly going to be trouble.

Why give himself unnecessary headaches?

On the other hand, the person across from them…

Wen Xunchuan’s gaze drifted over the boy’s head toward a nearby area, and sure enough, for the third time tonight, he caught sight of the intense gaze from the neighboring booth—a gaze so scorching, it was impossible to ignore.

The man was leaning back casually on the sofa, his head tilted slightly, watching him with an intrigued smirk, eyes narrowed playfully as he met Wen Xunchuan’s gaze head-on.

Pretty good-looking.

And pretty bold too.

Wen Xunchuan’s lips curved into a charming smile. He pulled back his gaze, loosened his hold on the boy, and stood up.

“Brother Chuan, leaving so soon?” The boy stood up as well, tugging on his sleeve with a touch of reluctance in his voice, “Not staying a little longer?”

Wen Xunchuan withdrew his hand unobtrusively and picked up his coat from the sofa, “I’m heading out. Work tomorrow.”

As he spoke, he purposefully glanced toward the person across the room.

That man remained lounging in the same laid-back position, a nearly burnt-out cigarette between his fingers, his gaze following Wen Xunchuan’s every move.

As soon as Wen Xunchuan got up, the man took a deep drag, straightened up, and crushed the glowing cigarette butt into an ashtray.

The cloud of smoke he exhaled quickly blended into the colorful bar lights, creating a hazy, dreamlike mist that briefly obscured their line of sight.

A moment later, the smoke dispersed, and the man was gone.

Wen Xunchuan unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves.

He took a tissue, placed it under the public soap dispenser on the sink, and pressed it a few times, carefully washing his slender fingers one by one under the running water.

Click—

The sound of a lighter snapped near his ear. Wen Xunchuan didn’t look up, but a faint smile touched his lips as he glanced out of the corner of his eye at the figure beside him.

He continued his unhurried pace until every finger was clean before finally speaking, “Looking for me?”

The man, a cigarette between his lips, leaned against the sink, pulling out a tissue when he saw Wen Xunchuan straighten up, offering it to him.

Wen Xunchuan took the tissue, dried his hands, tossed it in the trash, and turned to size up the man in front of him.

Now, without the chaotic bar lighting or the loud music, the man’s gaze was no less intense.

His eyes were dark and deep-set, his features rugged, sharper than Wen Xunchuan’s own.

The guy was dressed in a red-and-black plaid designer shirt, layered with an oversized denim jacket, and on his feet were a pair of limited-edition sneakers worth a fortune online.

Based on his attire alone, he looked like he might be a few years younger than Wen Xunchuan.

Wen Xunchuan rarely came across this type that would openly show interest in him—though he’d heard of a type in their circle called bed zero.

As the name implies, they’re only a zero in bed, while their appearance and personality lean more toward a one.

This wasn’t usually his type, but tonight, the rare quality of this specimen had piqued his curiosity.

A change in taste every now and then couldn’t hurt. Wen Xunchuan raised an eyebrow, studying the man.

The man’s gaze remained fixed on him, his thin lips parting slightly to release a small puff of smoke before murmuring, “You look even better in person.”

The A City circle wasn’t that big; it wasn’t unusual for everyone to have heard each other’s names.

Wen Xunchuan didn’t think much of it, assuming it was just a pickup line, so he politely replied, “You’re not bad either.”

Usually, this kind of conversation ends with a suggestion—something like checking if they have their ID on them and finding a hotel to ‘chat.’

But instead, the man suddenly asked, “Why have you been avoiding me lately?”

Wen Xunchuan blinked, staring at him, completely puzzled. Was tonight a case of one drink too many? Did he accidentally lose his memory on a business trip?

He squinted and took a closer look at the man, racking his brain but failing to recall any memory of him.

Hesitantly, he asked, “Uh… and you are?”

The man’s expression shifted, almost as if he’d heard the world’s biggest joke, chuckling coldly as he walked over to him, snuffing out his cigarette.

Only when the man stood in front of him did Wen Xunchuan realize he was slightly taller.

“Forgot me after just a few days?”

Before Wen Xunchuan could react to his words, the man grabbed his hand and pressed it against his body, looking down at him with a chilling voice, “Fine, you don’t recognize me, but you should recognize this, right?”

Wen Xunchuan froze.

Not because of the cryptic question, but—

Damn!

So it’s a case of mistaken identity?!