Chapter 18 - 2#
He said this sincerely. He had seriously considered this question: whoever Zhang Xingchuan had liked before was in the past. As long as he was faithful to their relationship in the future, there would be no problem.
If it was a “dirty bun,” then so be it. Who told him he was so greedy and just wanted to eat this one?
Zhang Xingchuan didn’t understand and said, “Where did these ‘old flames’ come from? I told you about this already: I only briefly dated a lady when I worked in Silicon Valley, and that’s it.”
Tan Xiao asked in confusion, “Don’t you have an ex-girlfriend you couldn’t let go of? She’s already married with children, and you’re still hung up on her.”
Zhang Xingchuan looked around blankly and said, “Are you writing fiction? Why are you fabricating a romantic history for me?”
Tan Xiao: “…”
He blinked, then blinked again.
“So,” Tan Xiao said, “you don’t have a ‘white moonlight’?”
Zhang Xingchuan said with a wry smile, “Where would I get a ‘white moonlight’?”
Tan Xiao said, “Everyone in the company gossip group says so.”
Zhang Xingchuan asked, “What gossip group?”
“I heard it from others,” Tan Xiao said, unable to betray his former colleagues.
Even if the colleagues were spreading rumors, there were other witnesses and testimonies.
Tan Xiao said, “Your dad said so too.”
Zhang Xingchuan was even more surprised and said, “My dad told you?”
“During Chinese New Year, you two were arguing on a video call,” Tan Xiao said, “I overheard a few sentences.”
Zhang Xingchuan thought and thought before recalling this small incident from the Spring Festival. He said, “I told you he’s crazy; you still believe him.”
Tan Xiao said, “Then what exactly happened? I want to hear it from you.”
“Are you very concerned about this?” Zhang Xingchuan asked, “Concerned about whether I’ve liked anyone else?”
Tan Xiao said, “If I had liked someone else, wouldn’t you be concerned?”
Zhang Xingchuan said, “Have you liked anyone?”
“No, I haven’t,” Tan Xiao said.
“Neither have I,” Zhang Xingchuan said, “You are the first person I’ve ever liked.”
Tan Xiao believed him instantly.
He felt a little panicked. Was he really such a love-struck person? If Zhang Xingchuan really intended to deceive him about something, no matter what it was, he would be completely lost. Fortunately, he wasn’t the first heir; a love-struck person couldn’t inherit so much money and would surely die without a trace.
Zhang Xingchuan said very seriously, “I’ve never liked anyone else. There’s never been any ‘white moonlight.’ Do you understand?”
Tan Xiao nodded, feeling that this wasn’t right; his momentum was completely lost. He knew what worked with Zhang Xingchuan and said, “If there isn’t, then there isn’t. Why are you being so fierce with me? You weren’t this fierce with me even when you didn’t like me.”
Zhang Xingchuan fell for it. He couldn’t maintain his seriousness and said, “I just wanted to explain it more earnestly; I don’t want you to misunderstand me like that.”
“Then what happened?” Tan Xiao asked, “Why did your dad fabricate something out of nothing?”
Zhang Xingchuan hadn’t taken this matter seriously before, nor had he ever thought that one day he would have to explain this baseless accusation.
If anyone else had asked him, he would have just laughed it off. But this was Tan Xiao, and he felt it necessary to make a full clarification for his innocence.
“When I was in high school, one day I was walking home from school, and it started to rain. A kind female classmate with an umbrella offered to share it with me for a short distance. My dad happened to see us. I didn’t see him, but from then on, he thought that girl and I were in an early relationship. Later, I went to university, then graduate school, and returned to China, always single. When I turned thirty, on his birthday, he had a bit to drink and suddenly brought it up, saying he hadn’t made a fuss back then for fear of affecting our grades. He understood that I couldn’t let go, but he had already inquired and found out that the girl studied abroad in North America for her undergraduate degree, got married after graduation, and settled there. He told me to let it go and look forward.”
Tan Xiao said, “Didn’t you explain it clearly to him?”
“I did explain. That girl and I never saw each other again after high school graduation, nor did we exchange contact information.” Zhang Xingchuan was utterly speechless at his old father’s insistence on fabricating a heartbreaking romantic history for him. He said, “He told me not to argue with him.”
Tan Xiao burst out laughing.
This old man’s logic was actually very clear: he thought his child was in a campus romance more than ten years ago, and then for so many years, there wasn’t even a single relationship. Why could that be? It could only be for the one true love of his life, the girl with the umbrella.
Many people are unwilling or unable to believe that there are indeed people in the world who would rather be single if they don’t find true love, and there are also groups who want to be single for no reason at all. Essentially, it’s a matter of different personal choices, and it’s difficult for people to truly understand each other. They always weave some self-serving reasons for others to rationalize choices different from their own.
So, there was never any “white moonlight” sister.
Tan Xiao couldn’t describe his feelings. He had accepted that Zhang Xingchuan had liked someone else, and then suddenly found out he hadn’t.
He said, “Then am I your first love?”
Zhang Xingchuan asked, “Am I not your first love?”
Tan Xiao’s face turned red again and he said, “I never said I liked you.”
“You’re practically dying of liking me,” Zhang Xingchuan said, mimicking his father, “Don’t argue with me.”
Tan Xiao tilted his head, feigning stubbornness, and said, “No, I’m not.”
The restaurant bar was now in its 10 PM slot, with more guests coming for drinks and nightlife. The band’s style also changed from country music to light rock, making it a bit noisy.
Zhang Xingchuan called a waiter to pay the bill, but Tan Xiao had already scanned the code and paid faster than him. The CEO rarely visited such establishments where one scanned a table code, so he wasn’t very familiar with the operation. He couldn’t remember how many times Tan Xiao had paid the bill when they went out.
The waiter brought the receipt. Zhang Xingchuan glanced at it, realizing he had underestimated this flashy but impractical place; the per-person cost was close to a Michelin-starred restaurant.
He transferred money to Tan Xiao on WeChat, genuinely worried that Tan Xiao was overspending and didn’t have enough money.
Tan Xiao looked at it, didn’t stand on ceremony, and accepted the payment. It wasn’t much money for either of them, and they weren’t just friends anymore. Satisfying the CEO’s desire to show off his boyfriend capabilities was what a lover should do.
To create a faux-American social atmosphere, the bar’s aisles were designed to be very narrow, and the tables were very close together. To leave, they had to walk through the dining area one after the other. Zhang Xingchuan, who was in front, reached back, and Tan Xiao gave him his hand. They walked out hand in hand.
Tan Xiao found this a bit sweet but also thought, Is this what dating is like? It’s too simple.
The dining area of the bar was on the second floor. Most guests took the elevator up, but since the elevator was busy, they didn’t mind walking down the stairs. They unexpectedly found that the stairwell and walls were also exquisitely decorated, with a softly lit crystal chandelier and a beautiful window at the turn.
“Brother,” Tan Xiao tugged at Zhang Xingchuan’s hand.
Zhang Xingchuan asked, “What is it?”
Tan Xiao’s idea was bold, and when he was about to say it, he felt a little shy and said, “Should we…? Here… have a little intimacy?”
Zhang Xingchuan was instantly stunned.
Tan Xiao said, “It’s not a must, just a suggestion.”
Zhang Xingchuan thought, No, yesterday a kiss could make him freeze, but today he’s made such great progress? Is this right, baby?
He hesitated a little. This wasn’t the place he had chosen; the first kiss he had in mind should be more romantic, under flowers and moonlight. This place was too ordinary, and there was noise from the bar upstairs. Could they even kiss well here?
Tan Xiao didn’t know what he was hesitating about.
Tan Xiao took the initiative, leaned in, and kissed Zhang Xingchuan. Because of his unfamiliarity, it made a very clear sound.
Zhang Xingchuan was startled by the “smooch!”
Tan Xiao looked very brave, but he was actually very nervous, his back already a little damp.
“…” Zhang Xingchuan said, “Did I tell you to kiss me?”
“What’s wrong?” Tan Xiao heard this and was a little angry. He said, “Yesterday, you kissed me without asking for my opinion either.”
They were almost the same height, their gazes nearly level, and now they were very close. Zhang Xingchuan’s eyes shifted down slightly, and Tan Xiao immediately noticed that Zhang Xingchuan was looking at his lips.
Tan Xiao said, “Kiss or not? If not, I’m leaving.”
He deliberately put on a cold face.
In Zhang Xingchuan’s eyes, it was a cute cold face, and he said something very adorable.
Zhang Xingchuan completely gave up his persistence. What more romantic setting under flowers and moonlight did he need? This was under flowers, this was under moonlight.
Tan Xiao felt a little smug when he was kissed, but only for a few seconds.
The kiss was completely different from what he had imagined. For a moment, he wanted to scream, but he couldn’t; it was all blocked in his mouth.
No, no! Is this how you kiss? Brother! Wait a minute, Brother.
Zhang Xingchuan didn’t know; he was just going by instinct.
Tan Xiao blacked out again.
When he came to, the crystal chandelier above his line of sight was sparkling with colorful light, which hadn’t been there before. He slowly thought about it: his eyes had welled up with tears, his eyelashes were wet, and the moisture changed the diffraction grating, forming a microlens array, which would cause the light to scatter into starbursts. Of course, the formation of this glare was also interfered with by the tear film on the eye surface… No, what was all this nonsense?
Zhang Xingchuan was still kissing him.
He didn’t know how he had been pushed against the window by Zhang Xingchuan, their two mouths still stuck together.
How long had they been kissing? Although it felt good, did they really have to keep kissing like this?
Actually, he hadn’t been kissed for very long, only two or three minutes. It was just that as soon as Zhang Xingchuan kissed him deeply, he passed out.
It was hard to say whether Zhang Xingchuan was naturally talented or he was too inexperienced.
Tan Xiao re-established his understanding: such a wonderful kiss should be the real first kiss; yesterday’s was just a touch.
Zhang Xingchuan let go of him. He was thinking, “Why isn’t it over yet?” But when he was actually released, he relentlessly chased after him to continue kissing, rubbing his mouth against Zhang Xingchuan’s lips.
Zhang Xingchuan had no idea he would get into the mood like this. How could he resist? He pushed him against the window again and kissed him wildly.
A waiter led other guests upstairs and passed by. Tan Xiao truly couldn’t hear or see anything, and Zhang Xingchuan pretended he couldn’t hear or see anything, just shielding Tan Xiao in his shadow.
Others also discreetly passed by. During nightlife hours, as long as no illegal activities were involved, a kiss was something everyone was happy to see.
Tan Xiao’s hoodie cardigan was worn open, without the zipper pulled up. Zhang Xingchuan was holding him, and the hoodie naturally rode up. Zhang Xingchuan’s hand, through the white T-shirt, felt that his clothes were damp; he had broken out in a sweat from the kissing.
“Still want to kiss?” Zhang Xingchuan asked, worried he might catch a cold, “Let’s stop here, okay?”
Tan Xiao was already dazed from kissing, his whole body flushed and steaming. He wrapped his arms around Zhang Xingchuan’s neck and said, “No, I say no.”
Zhang Xingchuan also couldn’t resist him like this. He hugged and kissed him for a while longer, and only stopped again when he felt Tan Xiao’s skin was a bit hot.
Tan Xiao didn’t feel any discomfort and still had the energy to bring up old grievances: “Why didn’t you kiss me like that yesterday?”
Zhang Xingchuan said, “Yesterday, I didn’t know you were so…”
Tan Xiao asked, “What?”
Zhang Xingchuan’s face also turned red and he said, “So fond of me kissing you?”
Tan Xiao said, “Yes, I am. Brother, I…”
He still wanted to say something romantic to tease Zhang Xingchuan, his emotional intelligence was online, but his IQ was gone. His mind was very slow now, and he couldn’t think of anything clever. Finally, he said, “We should have a good relationship.”
Zhang Xingchuan was actually amused by this nonsensical romantic line and said, “Can’t we have a naughty one?”
Tan Xiao laughed and hummed, “Huh?” He leaned his face against Zhang Xingchuan’s neck and said, “I must be hypoxic; I’m so dizzy.”
After he recovered a bit, the two finally went downstairs to Zhang Xingchuan’s car. Tan Xiao sat in the passenger seat, still in a daze, and Zhang Xingchuan helped him fasten his seatbelt.
Zhang Xingchuan was looking down, inserting the seatbelt buckle. Tan Xiao naturally kissed him on the cheek. He looked up at Tan Xiao, who smiled back at him. That smile was very innocent, just like Tan Xiao usually was.
It was completely different from the unusual charm revealed during the kiss just now.
“Back to school?” Zhang Xingchuan asked, “Or my place?”
It was almost eleven o’clock.
Tan Xiao said, “The dorm is locked.”
The housekeeper aunt at home was clearly puzzled when Zhang Xingchuan brought a boy back to stay overnight.
Everything in the guest room was always ready, so there was nothing special to tidy up.
Tan Xiao sat on the sofa, blankly drinking water, his physical and mental energy completely drained.
Zhang Xingchuan found him really amusing and wanted to tease him alone, so he urged the aunt waiting nearby to leave quickly, saying, “You should rest. There’s nothing else here. We won’t be eating fruit or supper, so don’t worry about us.”
The aunt wasn’t trying to work; she was curious to see if the boy would sleep in the guest room or upstairs. Since the CEO dismissed her, she had no choice but to return to her own room.
Tan Xiao drank his water, not giving the CEO a chance to tease him.
“I need to sleep too,” Tan Xiao said, “My head is very dizzy.”
Zhang Xingchuan pretended to work with a tablet and said, “You know the way; go to sleep. I’ll handle a few more things.”
Tan Xiao put down the cup and left.
Zhang Xingchuan immediately put down the tablet, watching where he went, seeing if he would voluntarily go upstairs. It wouldn’t be impossible to just “eat him up” tonight.
Tan Xiao passed the staircase, didn’t go up, and finally opened the guest room he had slept in during Chinese New Year, and went in to sleep.
Zhang Xingchuan on the sofa: Alright.
The aunt secretly observing: Alright.