TLLKTBD CH 4

Chapter 4: Uh… You Didn’t Clean Up After?

“Sir, be careful.”

Jin Lang balanced a tray in his hand, nearly spilling the two glasses of liquor on it. He quickly steadied the tray while briefly supporting Lu Qian’s arm before promptly letting go. He then carefully maintained his posture, ensuring the tray remained stable, and respectfully stepped aside to allow the other guests to pass first.

Lu Qian glanced at the young waiter who had lowered his head in deference and immediately recognized him—it was the same barista from the café.

“Oh, it’s you. Sorry about that. The drinks didn’t spill, did they?” Lu Qian asked with concern. He figured that if a waiter dropped drinks, they might have to pay for them.

“Huh?”

Jin Lang had spent the entire night dealing with rowdy and overly touchy customers, so he was caught off guard by the sudden display of politeness and concern in the stranger’s tone. He looked up, and under the dim, smoky lights, he found the man’s face somewhat familiar.

“I mean, if you spill the drinks, do you have to pay for them? Do you need me to…?” Lu Qian gestured toward the glasses and reached for his wallet.

“There’s no need,” Jin Lang finally understood what he meant. “The boss wouldn’t make us pay for something like that. Besides, I didn’t spill anything.”

With a professional smile, he kept his gaze lowered, avoiding direct eye contact with the guest as he answered politely.

Lu Qian nodded. That made sense—Jin Xiaomi had never been the type to be overly harsh on her employees. After a brief pause, he added, “Next time you serve drinks, when you reach the table, crouch down slightly. It’s a way to protect yourself.”

With that, he turned and left.

Jin Lang blinked, staring blankly at the man’s retreating figure.

What did he mean? Protect myself?

Wait a minute… That guy—!

Oh! It was last night’s “won’t leave no matter what” customer!

Jin Lang’s face instantly heated up. Did he see it just now? He must have seen me getting groped, right?!

Outside You Mu, Lu Qian raised his hand and absentmindedly rubbed the spot on his arm where he had just been grabbed. He had never been comfortable with physical contact—even through clothing, even if it had lasted only two seconds, even if he didn’t feel repulsed by the coffee shop waiter—he still felt the lingering sensation of being touched and wanted to brush it away.

In his mind, Xu Yang’s voice echoed:

“So what are you going to do about it?”

Lu Qian let out a soft sigh.

He glanced at his watch—it was already close to eleven at night, yet the streets were still bustling. This area was full of entertainment venues, so many shops were still open. Every time he visited Jin Xiaomi, he would drink a little, so he never drove himself. As he slowly walked toward the intersection to hail a cab, he passed by a lottery shop.

At the entrance stood a large inflatable God of Wealth, smiling down at him.

Lu Qian recalled his conversation with Jin Xiaomi earlier: “If only I had money.”

The orphanage’s struggles, Teacher Chen’s efforts, the children’s living conditions, and even the exhausted look in the coffee boy’s eyes… all of it could be improved.

Wait, what did the coffee boy have to do with any of this?

Lu Qian shook his head and, after a moment of thought, stepped into the lottery shop. He pulled out all the cash he had and bought a small stack of lottery tickets.

“Hope you hit the jackpot!” The shop owner grinned. He especially liked customers like this—people who had clearly had a few drinks and weren’t thinking too clearly. They always spent big without hesitation.

Winning the jackpot? He didn’t dare hope for that.

Since he was a child, his luck had always been bad—he had never won any kind of prize, big or small.

But this time, I really need some good fortune, Lu Qian thought. This money could help the orphanage through this difficult time. It could allow the teachers to focus on caring for the children and ensure the kids could grow up without worries. Please, gods in heaven, help me!

He patted the God of Wealth’s round, plump belly and murmured his plea with sincerity.

At that moment, he placed all of the orphanage’s hopes on unrealistic lottery tickets and the deity’s blessings. Fortunately, when he woke up the next day, he had returned to being a pragmatic, clear-headed young man. With swift efficiency, he got himself to work to earn money.

The moment Lu Qian stepped into the office, Lin Jun’s assistant, Li Jin, approached him with a report.

“Team Leader, Xiao Qi is feeling unwell and has taken the day off.”

“Oh? He’s not feeling well? What’s wrong?” Lu Qian frowned. He wasn’t sure if that kid was really sick or just avoiding work.

“Seems like a cold. He called in this morning and said he had a fever—his voice sounded completely hoarse,” Li Jin said loyally. “He really wasn’t doing well, so I told him to rest more. Team Leader, if you need anything, you can count on me!”

Lu Qian nodded. He knew that Li Jin and Qi Shaobai were close in private, so he asked him to check in on the guy over the next few days.

But once Qi Shaobai took leave, he ended up staying away from the office for three full days.

The workplace, which was usually filled with Xiao Qi’s constant chattering and liveliness, suddenly became much more mature and elegant.

In the afternoon, as Xu Yang passed by, he couldn’t help but peek inside. “Why is it so quiet today?”

Lu Qian raised a brow at him. “Xiao Qi is sick, so I told him to rest more.”

His eyes returned to his computer screen as he continued working. “Poor guy. He’s been running a fever for three days now, hasn’t he? I heard he lives alone. I wonder if anyone’s taking care of him.”

When Lu Qian glanced up again, all he saw was Xu Yang’s hurried figure disappearing out the door.

He bit his lower lip, holding back a laugh.

Not interested in kids, huh? Let’s see you keep up the act.

“Three days with a fever? That’s not right, Team Leader,” Li Jin said in confusion. “Xiao Qi’s been fine for the past two days. Wasn’t he just out checking materials with the suppliers because you sent him?”

“Oh, well, he hasn’t fully recovered. The fever keeps coming and going, so he still needs to rest more.” Lu Qian kept his eyes fixed on his computer, making up nonsense with a perfectly serious face.

In the director’s office, Xu Yang was pacing back and forth, clutching his phone.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally dialed the number.

The phone rang several times, and just as Xu Yang was about to lose patience, the other end finally picked up.

A groggy yet cautious voice, tinged with nasal congestion, came through the receiver.

“Hello… Xu—Director?”

“Why have you been absent for three days?” Xu Yang questioned coldly.

“I-I requested leave. Qian-ge knows about it.”

There was some rustling on the other end, as if the person was scrambling to sit up in bed.

Hearing those sounds, along with Qi Shaobai’s weak voice, Xu Yang felt a pang of guilt.

“Lu Qian said you had a fever. How come it still hasn’t gone away after all these days?”

“It’s gotten better, actually. By Monday night, I was already feeling a lot better. The past two days, I only had a slight, lingering fever—it’s nothing serious. Qian-ge told me to rest more. I just went to a few suppliers to check the wood and stone materials, then I came back to rest.”

“Why did you suddenly get a fever in the first place?”

Xu Yang thought back to that night. Qi Shaobai had rushed out wearing that ridiculously oversized, thin T-shirt.

The March night wind had hit him head-on—it must have been unbearable.

And the night before that…

Xu Yang cleared his throat. “Does your stomach hurt?”

“Huh? Oh! Director, you’re amazing! How did you know my stomach was hurting too?”

Qi Shaobai was completely stunned by the unexpected concern.

“It was probably a stomach flu, but it’s fine now.”

Xu Yang’s expression darkened slightly, a hint of red creeping up his face.

He had always been considerate toward his partners—whether it was a serious boyfriend or just a fleeting one-night stand, he never neglected aftercare.

But Qi Shaobai…

That night had been too sudden.

It had been far too long since Xu Yang had been with anyone, and his impulsiveness had hit him fast and hard.

He hadn’t prepared anything at home.

Afterward, he had passed out drunk, and when he woke up, he was so frustrated by Qi Shaobai’s carefree attitude that he forgot everything else.

The whole situation had been an absolute mess from start to finish.

“Wait… you didn’t… clean up afterward?” Xu Yang hesitated as he brought up the topic.

“Clean up?” Qi Shaobai sounded confused. “Oh! I did! I washed all the bedsheets and hung them out on the balcony, and I even changed the bedding! You didn’t notice?”

Then, as if suddenly realizing something, he gasped.

“Oh! Director, are you talking about the kitchen? I’m so sorry! I left everything there when I rushed out that night. I was planning to finish cooking first before cleaning up…”

As he kept apologizing, Xu Yang’s frustration erupted.

His initial guilt was instantly burned away.

“The kitchen, my ass!” Xu Yang cursed, completely losing his temper. “If you’re fine, then get your ass back to work! You want me to dock your pay?”

He hung up immediately after yelling.

Xu Yang took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling with irritation.

Is this guy an idiot? Or just really, really stupid?

Meanwhile, Qi Shaobai stared blankly at his phone after being yelled at for no reason.

After a while, he finally processed what had just happened.

Hugging his phone, he kicked his legs excitedly on the bed.

Xu-ge called me first… and even told me to come back to work. Yes!

The next day, Qi Shaobai showed up at the office with a bright smile.

Though he still looked a little pale from his recent illness, his energy was back.

Before long, the office returned to its usual lively, noisy state.

One phone call—instant cure.

April arrived. Spring was in full bloom, and the city was filled with drifting willow catkins and flower seeds.

“Achoo… achoo!”

Lu Qian had always been allergic to pollen. Today, in his rush to leave work, he forgot his mask on his desk. As soon as he stepped into the building’s ground floor lobby, he started sneezing uncontrollably.

“Here, take this.”

A hand extended a brand-new disposable mask toward him.

Lu Qian didn’t even need to look up—he recognized the voice immediately.

He took the mask that Xu Yang had thoughtfully prepared, ripped open the packaging, and quickly put it on. Sniffing and speaking in a muffled voice, he thanked Xu Yang.

Xu Yang chuckled. “I knew you’d forget your mask again.”

As he spoke, he caught a glimpse of Qi Shaobai and Li Jin walking past them, their carefree silhouettes reminding him once again that he and Lu Qian could never return to how things used to be. His smile dimmed slightly.

“Well, I’ll get going now. Take care of yourself,” he said. Without waiting for Lu Qian’s response, he gave a small wave and walked away.

Lu Qian had initially planned to invite Xu Yang to dinner and then head over to Jin Xiaomi’s place to hang out, but he hadn’t expected Xu Yang to escape so quickly. Standing there, half-opening his mouth, Lu Qian watched his retreating figure with mixed emotions.

Slowly, he stepped out of the building and made his way down the stairs. His car was at the shop for its annual maintenance, so he had to find another way home. Luckily, just as he walked out, a taxi had just dropped off a passenger. Before the driver could even close the door, Lu Qian slipped inside.

The driver, still smiling from his last fare, turned around with amusement. “Where to, sir?”

Where to?

Might as well go straight to Jin Xiaomi’s place. It had been almost a month since their last meeting.

Lu Qian gave the driver the address for “You Mu” and then closed his eyes, sinking into thought.

He was thinking about Xu Yang.

That man had pursued him for three years. Even though Lu Qian had always resisted his advances, now that Xu Yang had finally stopped, there was an odd emptiness in his heart, a faint sense of sorrow.

He understood Xu Yang’s restraint and distance—it was because Xu Yang had yet to completely let go. But what about himself? Shouldn’t he be happy that their relationship had returned to a normal, distant politeness? Then why did he feel… a little lost?

He entertained a hypothetical scenario: What if Xu Yang turned back and started chasing him again?

The thought alone sent a chill down Lu Qian’s spine. He let out a relieved sigh. No, it wasn’t that he had unknowingly fallen for Xu Yang. It was just that he had gotten used to being pursued. Now that it was gone, he was simply being sentimental.

Understanding his own misplaced emotions, Lu Qian felt a bit more at ease, though still somewhat helpless.

It seemed that if they truly wanted to be just good friends and brothers without any lingering feelings, it would still take some time.

Rubbing his temples, he leaned against the window, exhaustion washing over him. Before long, he had almost drifted off to sleep.

Forty minutes later…

“Sir, we’re here. There’s a bit of traffic up ahead. I’ll drop you off at the intersection, okay?”

The driver’s voice woke Lu Qian from his nap. Still groggy, he glanced around to confirm the direction of You Mu before making his way toward the establishment.

It was a little past six in the evening—dinnertime. But for a place like You Mu, which operated in a special industry, this was still considered early. Though it was already open for business, there were only a few scattered patrons inside.

As soon as he stepped in, Lu Qian greeted the bartender, Ah Tang.

Ah Tang returned his smile. “Qian-ge.”

“Is boss isn’t here?” Lu Qian glanced at Jin Xiaomi’s usual spot, finding it empty.

“Xiaomi-jie is in the office. She should be out soon. Qian-ge, you haven’t had dinner yet, have you? Want to try our special set meal?” Ah Tang offered.

“Sure. Thanks.”

“No problem. We got a new chef in the kitchen, so you can help us test the flavors,” Ah Tang said as he turned to place the order.

Lu Qian nodded in appreciation and took a seat.

Meanwhile, inside the office, Jin Xiaomi was sitting in deep thought, a frown on her face.

Jin Lang had been acting strange lately. She had heard that his mother had visited him several times. After that, he started looking around for more job opportunities and even considered taking on a third side gig. He had also been borrowing money from a few close colleagues—adding up to a not-so-small amount.

Feeling uneasy about the situation, Jin Xiaomi pulled out his personnel file.

Inside were the details from when Jin Lang first applied for a job at You Mu six months ago, along with some background information she had discreetly gathered on him.

Jin Lang. Twenty years old. From T City.

That was all the basic information he had provided, along with a contact number and address.

Jin Xiaomi picked up another sheet of paper—her investigation results. She always ran a quick background check on anyone joining You mu to avoid potential trouble.

Jin Lang’s background was clean. His father had passed away, and although his mother still lived in T City, the two of them rarely met and seemed to have a strained relationship. He had worked part-time since high school and once had a girlfriend, though the relationship didn’t last long.

After graduating high school, he was admitted to the prestigious F University’s Fine Arts program—a school known for being difficult to get into and extremely expensive. Without money, he had no choice but to take on multiple jobs. That was how he ended up applying as a waiter at her club.

When he first started, Jin Lang was exhausted and haggard. One time, he got dizzy from fatigue and stumbled, spilling five drinks all over Sam, ruining his brand-new outfit.

Sam had been furious, scolding him for being desperate for money at the cost of his health. That was when Jin Xiaomi learned that Jin Lang’s other job was at a busy restaurant kitchen—a physically demanding role.

Going straight from there to working the night shift at You Mu meant he barely had any time to rest.

In the end, Sam forced him to take two days off and even helped him find a less strenuous job at a café—at least one that wouldn’t wear him out as much.

Thinking back on it, Jin Xiaomi still admired Sam. He had a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Though he usually joked and cursed at people, when something actually happened, he was always the first to step in and help.

But now, Jin Lang was struggling with money again.

Was his financial situation getting worse?

This wouldn’t do. If she left it alone, things could spiral out of control.

After some thought, she made a call and gave a few instructions.

Once she hung up, she stared blankly at Jin Lang’s half-body photo.

Such a delicate-looking boy.

What a pity.

She only hoped she could still help him in time.

(To be continued…)