PD Chapter 24: Eighty Million

Outside the bar, a crowd of men and women had gathered. Some had red fluorescent paint smeared on their faces and arms, likely there to join the bar’s special event tonight.

He Linzhou wove his way through the scattered groups, finally reaching the steps in front of the bar, a little puzzled. He turned to Wen Xunchuan beside him, asking, “Whoa, what’s the occasion? So many people today! And why so many girls?”

Wen Xunchuan tilted his chin toward the signboard by the bar entrance, showing him the anniversary event notice. He looked a bit puzzled too. “It says it’s an anniversary special event.”

They had already taken ages just finding a parking spot, so Wen Xunchuan knew it’d be crowded tonight. But pushing open the door, he was still taken aback by the sea of people inside.

He checked his watch—it wasn’t even ten yet. On normal nights, this wasn’t even close to peak time. What kind of event was drawing in such a crowd?

As expected, all the booths were taken. Fortunately, the two of them were regulars at every gay bar in A City, so their familiar faces got them a spot near the stage, even if it was just a small table.

The bar played a slow, gentle Korean song, while the spherical glass lights above them rotated slowly. Changing colors from the lights spilled over their surroundings, giving the dim setting a subtle hint of romance.

The noise around was a constant buzz. He Linzhou leaned a little closer to Wen Xunchuan, lowered his voice, and spoke in a playful tone. “Brother Chuan.”

Wen Xunchuan rolled his eyes and took out his wallet, handing it to this shameless, clingy person without a word.

He Linzhou took the wallet, opened it, and immediately broke into a grin. “Can I order whatever I want?”

“Mm.” Wen Xunchuan waved him off, dismissively, and lit a cigarette, popping it into his mouth.

Not long after He Linzhou left, someone else took the empty spot beside Wen Xunchuan. A tall, thin young guy with a college-student vibe nudged his shoulder gently, greeting him with a polite and smiling “Hi!”

Wen Xunchuan exhaled a puff of smoke in the empty direction, then turned to take a look.

The guy had slightly long black hair that lay neatly across his forehead. While his features weren’t especially striking, together they created a gentle, pleasant look. He wore thin silver-framed glasses, adding a refined air to his overall demeanor.

Honestly, by this bar’s standards, he was prime material. But, unfortunately, not Wen Xunchuan’s type.

He responded with a faint smile, simply saying, “This spot’s taken.”

The guy nodded, still smiling. “I know. I just saw him go to the bar.”

Wen Xunchuan raised an eyebrow slightly, unsure of the guy’s intentions.

“Wanna hook up?” The guy was straightforward.

“Already have company.” Wen Xunchuan declined.

But the guy didn’t seem fazed. “That’s fine. I don’t mind joining.”

Wen Xunchuan’s hand, holding his cigarette, gave the tiniest tremor. His face twisted in an expression of utter disgust, as though he’d just swallowed a hundred flies. After a moment, he finally responded, “…Sorry, not interested.”

The guy placed a hand on Wen Xunchuan’s shoulder, leaning close to whisper in his ear. “I could be in front, or I could go in the middle… Just try it. It’s exciting.”

An image flashed through Wen Xunchuan’s mind, but he shook it off instantly. He removed the guy’s hand from his shoulder, subtly shifting his body back to put some distance between them, rejecting him firmly. “No, thanks.”

The guy tried to persuade him again, and Wen Xunchuan, thoroughly annoyed, finally shot back with a random excuse, “I can’t get hard for other people.”

Just as he finished speaking, the cigarette between his fingers was suddenly plucked away.

He turned to see He Linzhou standing beside him, his expression anything but pleased as he took a drag from the stolen cigarette. Glaring at the guy who’d taken his seat, he said, “Move.”

The guy looked like he wanted to say something, but one look at He Linzhou’s expression was enough to scare him off. He quickly mumbled, “Sorry,” and left in a hurry.

Wen Xunchuan glanced up at He Linzhou’s face, realizing that when this guy put on a stern face, he actually looked quite intimidating.

But this impression didn’t last long. The very next second, He Linzhou’s expression morphed into something completely baffling. He plopped down beside Wen Xunchuan, took another drag of the cigarette, and, out of nowhere, remarked, “Can’t tell with you.”

Wen Xunchuan was used to his friend’s sudden and random thought process. He gave him a sidelong look and asked, “Did you lose your hands?”

“Huh?” He Linzhou slid a drink over to him, meeting Wen Xunchuan’s grumpy stare at the half-smoked cigarette in his hand. Clicking his tongue, he handed the cigarette back. “Oh, don’t be so stingy. Fine, here. Take it.”

Wen Xunchuan pushed the cigarette away, his face clearly showing disgust.

He Linzhou “tsk”ed, took another drag himself, slowly exhaling a cloud of smoke, and said, “I read this article once that said two people kissing for 10 seconds can exchange… uh.”

He paused, frowning as he tried to remember, “How many bacteria was it?”

“Eighty million.” Wen Xunchuan swirled his drink, taking a small sip. The smooth, sweet liquor spread across his tongue, filling his mouth. He glanced at the bottle. This was strong stuff, though it went down smoother than typical spirits, with only a hint of burn in the throat.

“Right, eighty million.” He Linzhou shot him a look and continued, “You already have eighty million of my bacteria on you, so what’s one puff of a cigarette?”

Just as he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a chill, as though an icy wind had blown past. He shivered and looked up to find Wen Xunchuan glaring at him with a deadly look. His voice grew smaller. “…Why are you looking at me like that?”

Before Wen Xunchuan could throw a comeback, the soft clink of a glass bottle hitting the marble table interrupted.

“What’s with the face?” Chen Si put a bottle of liquor down on their table, watching them with interest. “Oh, are you two fighting like a couple?”

He Linzhou shrugged with a pout, putting on a look of innocent confusion.

Wen Xunchuan shot him a glare before looking away.

He took a sip from his glass, ignoring Chen Si’s teasing, and casually asked, “How come you’re free to hang out here tonight?”

“Anniversary, of course.” Chen Si chuckled. Noticing He Linzhou eyeing the bottle he’d brought, he explained, “For you guys. Consider it a customer appreciation gift.”

“Thanks.” He Linzhou took it without hesitation. After all, his tab alone could probably support half the bar staff for a year.

Chen Si leaned on the table with his elbows, looking at them curiously. “So, are you two really together now?”

“What do you think?” Wen Xunchuan looked up at him.

“I think…” Chen Si glanced at He Linzhou, who was winking at him mischievously, and couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, it’s not impossible.”