TLLKTBD CH 31

Chapter 31: Start with a B-52 Bomber

At 8:00 PM on Saturday, five people gathered at the newly opened bar, Basement. True to its name, it was indeed located in a basement.

Jin Lang, Lu Qian, and Xu Yang arrived on time, but Qi Shaobai and Ye Qinghe had gone out for dinner at five o’clock. Now, at 8:15, they still hadn’t shown up. Xu Yang kept glancing toward the entrance, muttering under his breath about how “Mr. Jiang” was late.

For Jin Lang, this was his first time at a bar. Well—actually, that wasn’t entirely accurate.

To be precise, it was his first time at a bar as a customer. He curiously observed the new venue, mentally comparing it to his old workplace. Sigh… just in terms of modern equipment, “You Mu” already falls short.

Turning his head, he saw Lu Qian browsing the drink menu. A flamboyant-looking waiter stood beside him, smiling seductively. Because of the loud music, the waiter leaned in close to Lu Qian’s ear while explaining the drinks. Unconsciously, Lu Qian shifted away from him—only to bump into Jin Lang’s shoulder.

Without hesitation, Jin Lang raised an arm and pulled Lu Qian into his embrace. With his other hand, he took the menu from Lu Qian without even glancing at it. Instead, he fixed his sharp gaze directly on the waiter and said, “Start with a B-52 Bomber^[1].”

His voice was firm and heavy, practically dripping with warning.

The waiter immediately picked up on his meaning, reining in his flirtatious demeanor and replacing it with a polite, professional smile. “Understood, sir.”

Xu Yang had spent a lot of time in bars during his younger days, so he understood basic drink terminology. He had been getting impatient from all the waiting, but seeing Jin Lang’s actions—wrapping an arm around Lu Qian and using a drink order as a way to put someone in their place—suddenly made things a bit more interesting.

Lu Qian, however, remained oblivious. Since Jin Lang had taken the menu, he leaned over to sneak a peek, completely unaware that he was still nestled in Jin Lang’s embrace. Not seeing what drink had been ordered, he casually asked, “Is that Bomber thing any good? If it is, I’ll have one too.”

“I’ll order something else for you. Last time, you said you liked milk foam, so let’s get you a White Russian. It’s made with coffee liqueur, vodka, and fresh cream,” Jin Lang replied. Then he turned to the waiter and added, “Not too sweet.”

The waiter nodded and turned toward Xu Yang, who was sitting across from them at the small round table. “And you, sir?”

Xu Yang couldn’t be bothered to look at the menu and simply ordered a basic Gin and Tonic.

“Alright, coming right up.” The waiter bowed and left. Jin Lang still shot a glare at his retreating back.

“You’re really protective, huh?” Xu Yang raised an eyebrow. “Afraid your Qian-ge is going to get seduced away?”

“…”

Only then did Lu Qian realize that he had been leaning against Jin Lang’s chest just moments ago. What shocked him even more was that he hadn’t felt uncomfortable at all.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had been this relaxed while having physical contact with someone—let alone leaning against another person. Frowning, he reflected on his uncharacteristic behavior. This wasn’t good. He had completely lowered his guard around Jin Lang.

Sensing Lu Qian tensing up after coming to his senses, Jin Lang quickly released him, no longer daring to hold him close. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lu Qian’s slightly furrowed brows, and a feeling of disappointment settled in his chest.

He recalled Lu Qian’s words: “I don’t have feelings for you.”

So… does that mean he’s even less appealing than that flirtatious waiter from earlier?

Watching Lu Qian subtly put some distance between them after being let go, Jin Lang felt even more disheartened. What should I do now?

Just a few days ago, Sister Jin had called to check on his progress again. It had already been over three months since he moved into Qian-ge’s home, yet he still hadn’t made any real progress. Even Sunny-ge had laughed at him, saying he was his most disappointing student and should go back for retraining.

Feeling utterly dejected, Jin Lang excused himself to the restroom, splashing cold water on his face in an attempt to refocus.

As soon as he left his seat, Xu Yang wasted no time sliding into Jin Lang’s spot, leaning in toward Lu Qian. “Not bad. You’ve made progress. How’s it going?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. What progress?” Lu Qian frowned. “He’s my friend’s little brother. Could you go after someone like that?”

“What does being your friend’s little brother have to do with anything? Forget about whether or not you’d make a move on him—your feelings toward him are already different from anyone else.”

Lu Qian scoffed. “How so?” Though he put on a dismissive act, he still felt a little self-conscious about being seen through. “Jin Lang is straight. I don’t mess with straight guys.”

Xu Yang clicked his tongue, amused. “Oh? Like you’ve ever messed with anyone else? You do realize that after all these years, he’s the only person I’ve seen who can touch you without getting pushed away. You really think that means nothing?”

“…” Lu Qian frowned again. “It doesn’t mean anything. Maybe I’ve just become more tolerant of physical contact.”

“Oh? Let’s test that theory.”

Without waiting for a response, Xu Yang raised his arm and wrapped it around Lu Qian’s shoulders, pulling him into his chest the same way Jin Lang had earlier.

Lu Qian immediately felt the pressure of Xu Yang’s arm, the warmth of his body, and the faint, elegant scent of his cologne. Everything was perfectly normal, yet his whole body stiffened in resistance.

He didn’t want to admit that Jin Lang was the only person he could let his guard down around.

Determined not to reveal his thoughts, Lu Qian forced himself to endure it, sitting stiffly while Xu Yang draped his arm over him.

“You see? I can tolerate you now too,” Lu Qian said.

“Hah! Tolerate?” Xu Yang scoffed. “Even you know that’s all it is—tolerating. But just now, when you were in Jin Lang’s arms, you looked completely at ease.”

Without mercy, he pointed out the truth, then deliberately leaned in close to Lu Qian’s ear. “And let’s not even talk about your feelings for him. Let’s just focus on Jin Lang. The moment that waiter got a little too close to you, he practically set the guy on fire with his glare.”

Xu Yang clicked his tongue. “A straight guy? I’ve never seen a straight man show that kind of possessiveness over another man. Tsk, tsk… definitely not that simple.”

Lu Qian’s face instantly turned red at Xu Yang’s words. Could it be? Jin Lang… feels the same way?

Meanwhile, Jin Lang stood near the restroom door, eyes slightly narrowed as he watched Xu Yang drape his arm over Lu Qian, the two of them talking in close proximity.

An intense wave of irritation surged through him.

He had the sudden urge to walk over and twist Xu Yang’s arm right off.

At that moment, however, he wasn’t the only one feeling upset.

(To be continued…)