Chapter 50

Chapter 50

In the evening, Grandma Fu organized a family barbecue in the courtyard.

As an outsider, Shen Tingzhou attended the BBQ with Xu Xun.

Originally, Shen Tingzhou was the main griller, while Xu Xun merely assisted by handing over ingredients. However, Shen Tingzhou received a phone call and had to step away, so Xu Xun took over the grilling duties.

Shen Tingzhou walked to a quiet spot and spoke briefly on the phone.

After hanging up, Shen Tingzhou entered the living room to wash his hands but heard Sang Qing say, "Get some crushed ice from the fridge."

Looking around, Shen Tingzhou saw that he was the only one in the living room and realized Sang Qing was speaking to him. He then went into the kitchen.

The Fus' refrigerator was built-in. After a moment of studying it, Shen Tingzhou opened the compartment where the ice cubes were stored.

Sang Qing, with his back to Shen Tingzhou, was preparing sashimi on the island counter.

When Shen Tingzhou brought the crushed ice over, Sang Qing was slightly surprised and apologized, "I didn't realize it was you. I'm sorry for troubling you."

"No trouble at all, it's a small favor," Shen Tingzhou asked, "Do you need any more help?"

Sang Qing politely declined with a smile, but Shen Tingzhou did not leave immediately.

Watching Sang Qing's skillful knife work, each slice of raw fish was evenly thin and beautifully arranged like flowers. The plate also featured intricate designs made from sugared radishes, leaving Shen Tingzhou in awe.

What dexterous hands, almost like those of a top chef.

This time, Sang Qing wore transparent gloves designed for chefs. Shen Tingzhou noticed that the little finger of his right glove was empty.

Seemingly sensing Shen Tingzhou's gaze, Sang Qing calmly said, "I cut it myself."

Shen Tingzhou: Ah?

Sang Qing: "It's a rule in the Thousand Doors; when you leave, you must cut off a finger."

Shen Tingzhou: ... Is this the Thousand Doors he thought it was?

The Steward's voice drifted over, "Never expected Mr. Sang to be part of the Thousand Doors."

The sudden appearance of the Steward startled Shen Tingzhou. He looked at the Steward, who was holding a teacup with a mysterious smile.

Shen Tingzhou: This conversation is going to be something else.

Sang Qing finished slicing the last piece of fish, arranging it into a beautiful bouquet before looking up to meet the Steward's gaze. His face remained composed.

He said calmly, "I was young and foolish."

The Steward took a sip of tea and smiled, "Indeed, you were quite foolish."

Sang Qing did not get angry and switched to another knife to carve flowers on a carrot, "I heard the Steward used to be the leader of the Mafia?"

What? The Mafia!

This revelation shocked Shen Tingzhou's entire family for three hundred years.

Good grief, do today's stewards have such complex and dramatic backgrounds?

The Steward smiled, "We don't cut fingers like your Thousand Doors."

Sang Qing replied coolly, "Cutting a finger is better than taking a bullet."

Shen Tingzhou: ... Both have their battle scars.

The Steward suddenly lifted his robe and reached toward his waist, causing Shen Tingzhou's pupils to dilate and his scalp to tingle.

We don't pull out guns here; that's illegal, Steward!

Just as Shen Tingzhou was about to intervene, the Steward pulled out a deck of cards.

Some people hide explosives in their pants, others hide cards in their waistband...

The Steward spread the cards out, shuffled them swiftly, and then began shuffling again.

Observing the Steward's single-handed shuffling technique, Shen Tingzhou realized he was well-practiced, moving very quickly.

The Steward split the deck into two, placed his index fingers on the backs of the cards, bent them, and used his thumbs to flick them. His other fingers held the ends of the cards, and he deftly interlaced the two piles.

He quickly arched the deck, released the bottom three fingers, and the cards snapped together with a crisp sound, merging seamlessly.

A standard and impressive faro shuffle.

The Steward shuffled twice more, then drew a card from the deck, smiling at Sang Qing, "Mr. Sang, do you know what this card is?"

Without much thought, Sang Qing replied, "Spades Ace."

The Steward flipped the card.

Shen Tingzhou glanced over; it was the King of Spades.

Sang Qing did not comment further, arranged the sashimi slices on a plate filled with crushed ice, removed his gloves, washed his hands, put on his white gloves again, and carried the platter out.

As Sang Qing passed the Steward, he subtly pulled a card from the Steward's sleeve and placed it on the table.

Shen Tingzhou barely saw how he did it; the movement was incredibly smooth.

After Sang Qing left, Shen Tingzhou approached the table, picked up the card Sang Qing had placed, and said to the Steward, "Spades Ace."

The Steward looked at Sang Qing.

Sang Qing carried a tray in one hand and walked from the living room to the backyard.

As Sang Qing passed a step, Shen Tingzhou noticed that the Steward's eyes suddenly became sharp and focused. Once Sang Qing steadily descended the steps and disappeared from sight, the Steward's gaze relaxed again.

Shen Tingzhou heard him mutter, "He didn't trip on the step, tsk, what a pity."

Shen Tingzhou: ...

So you were mentally cursing Old Steward Sang just now!

Indeed, men remain boys until they die; no matter how old they get, they still enjoy playing such childish tricks.

-

These two minutes were so eventful that Shen Tingzhou felt somewhat dazed.

After washing his hands and walking out of the living room, the bustling backyard gradually brought him back to reality.

He scanned the scene with satisfaction, and when he saw Fu Huaifei, his gaze paused for a few seconds.

Fu Huaifei sat by the flower bed in the corner, his long, glossy hair braided and hanging over his chest, adorned with pretty little flowers.

Dressed in light blue, he sat there, exuding an ethereal beauty as if winter had bloomed into spring.

Beautiful, yet abstract.

The unreal feeling about Fu Huaifei made him seem out of place in the world.

Shen Tingzhou looked for three seconds, then moved his eyes away, and the backyard regained its earthly charm.

Looking at Fu Huaifei, it felt unreal; looking elsewhere in the backyard, it felt warm.

Looking at Fu Huaifei, it felt unreal; looking elsewhere in the backyard, it felt warm.

Looking at Fu Huaifei, it felt unreal; looking elsewhere in the backyard, hmm...

Realizing this, Shen Tingzhou turned his head again. Fu Huaifei was no longer alone; Sang Yan had appeared.

Sang Yan forcefully held Fu Huaifei's chin, leaning close as if about to kiss him forcefully.

Shen Tingzhou doubted his eyesight and closed them briefly before looking again.

Fu Huaifei was forced to tilt his head back, his neck elegantly arched, his side profile beautiful, and his eyelashes fluttering as he looked up at Sang Yan, as if about to say "Yamete."

Fu Huaifei didn't shout "Yamete," but Sang Yan spoke three words first.

Shen Tingzhou strained to hear and realized he said, "Doctor Shen."

What?

Sang Yan looked at Shen Tingzhou with concern, "Doctor Shen, Master's throat seems a bit uncomfortable."

Shen Tingzhou, regaining his composure, walked over with a guilty stride.

The backyard's streetlights and the flashlight on the phone cast a slightly orange glow, making it hard for Shen Tingzhou to see clearly whether Fu Huaifei's throat was swollen.

After being examined by both Sang Yan and Shen Tingzhou, Fu Huaifei seemed to have gone through a great ordeal, weakly slumping back into the Rococo antique chair, his eyes slightly red.

Sang Yan comforted Fu Huaifei a few times, then anxiously asked, "How is it, Doctor Shen?"

Shen Tingzhou instinctively replied, "Don't worry, it's not cancer."

Sang Yan: "Ah?"

Fu Huaifei looked at him in shock.

Shen Tingzhou's expression turned subtle for a few seconds, "...I mean, he might be a bit overheated from the barbecue. Ahem, how much did he eat today?"

As Shen Tingzhou asked this, his gaze swept across the small round table covered with lace, and he couldn't help but feel awkward.

It seemed Fu Huaifei wasn't eating the same barbecue as everyone else.

On the table lay an intricately painted and gilded set of utensils. Ordinary lamb cubes were neatly stacked by Sang Yan, with sauce lines drawn on the empty spaces of the plate, ending with a mint leaf.

Even the roasted bean skin had its own exquisite design, making it seem unattainable.

No matter how ordinary the barbecue ingredients, after Sang Yan's skillful touch, they all conveyed a sense of being too expensive to eat.

What surprised Shen Tingzhou most was that Sang Yan could accurately recount everything Fu Huaifei had eaten tonight—

"Five pieces of lamb, three pieces of beef, half a piece of bean skin, two bites of grilled fish, one scallop, half a piece of squid, half a piece of bell pepper, and he quite liked the tofu, eating three whole pieces."

Shen Tingzhou: ...

Fu Huaifei was shocked, "I ate that much?"

"How can that be considered much?" Sang Yan worried, "Master, your appetite is too small."

This answer pleased Fu Huaifei, and he relaxed back into the chair, continuing to be an elegant yet frail man.

Seeing this, Sang Yan felt heartbroken, "Master, are you feeling very uncomfortable?"

Fu Huaifei seemed to have a sore throat and didn't want to talk much, weakly shaking his head at Sang Yan.

When he saw Old Lady Fu looking their way, Fu Huaifei immediately shrank behind Sang Yan. When her gaze shifted, he gently lowered his eyelashes.

Shen Tingzhou smiled wryly, "Maybe he's a bit overheated. He should drink more water and eat some fruit."

Sang Yan immediately responded, "I've stewed some pears."

Shen Tingzhou nodded, "Pears are good. Have him drink more."

Sangyan leaned forward and whispered to Fu Huaifei, "Sir, are you cold? Should I get you a coat?"

Fu Huaifei nodded slightly and lifted his slender hand.

Sangyan quickly took it and squatted in front of him. "What is it, sir?"

Fu Huaifei whispered softly, "Go quickly and come back soon."

After saying this, he turned his head and began to cough lightly. Who wouldn't say he looked like a delicate flower?

Sangyan worriedly poured a cup of hot tea. "Warm your hands with this tea; I'll be right back."

Fu Huaifei hummed in acknowledgment, obediently holding the teacup as he waited for Sangyan's return.

-

After Shen Tingzhou returned, he shared two explosive pieces of news with Xu Xun.

"Did you know? The Steward used to be the head of the mafia, and Old Sangyan is from the Thousand Sect!"

Xu Xun reacted calmly. "I know. Eat the meat quickly; it's just off the grill."

Shen Tingzhou took the skewer Xu Xun handed him and started munching on it.

Xu Xun asked, "How does it taste?"

Shen Tingzhou gave a hundred percent approval. "Very good."

Xu Xun smiled in satisfaction and took a piece of fruit.

Shen Tingzhou looked at him. "Why aren't you eating?"

Xu Xun shook his head. "I can't eat too much; it makes me prone to heatiness."

Shen Tingzhou's eyebrows twitched. They say a nephew resembles his uncle, and Xu Xun really does share many similarities with Fu Huaifei.

Xu Xun was very perceptive and stared at Shen Tingzhou. "What are you thinking about?"

Shen Tingzhou slowly smoothed out the curve of his lips. "Nothing. I'm wondering whether I should make you an egg custard; you shouldn't go hungry."

Xu Xun's gaze softened. "Eat first; we can talk after you're full."

Shen Tingzhou nodded and continued munching on his skewer while Xu Xun passed him some lettuce.

Once they were nearly done eating, Shen Tingzhou brought Xu Xun into the kitchen and made him an egg custard.

Not long after, Sangyan and Fu Huaifei also came in.

Like Shen Tingzhou, Sangyan was there to make Fu Huaifei an egg custard.

Shen Tingzhou's egg custard came out of the pot first, garnished with scallions, sesame oil, and soy sauce, ready to be eaten.

Sangyan was making a deluxe version of the egg custard. He took three eggs, mixed them, added milk, then started cooking caramelized sugar.

Watching the skilled and busy Xiao Sang Steward, Shen Tingzhou recalled Old Sangyan's knife skills, feeling that it was indeed worthy of being learned from a master.

Xu Xun and Fu Huaifei, uncle and nephew, one ate the simple version of the egg custard, and the other had the deluxe version, both equally quiet.

Shen Tingzhou chatted with Sangyan. "Xiao Sang Steward, have you eaten?"

The excellent cook, Xiao Sang Steward, shyly replied, "Thank you for your concern, Dr. Shen. I've eaten. There's still a lot left from the sir's meal, and it would be wasteful not to finish it."

"Hmm?" Shen Tingzhou raised his voice slightly.

Sangyan smiled faintly. "The sir eats with a fork and knife, so there's no contact with the utensils. It's hygienic and there's no risk of cross-contamination."

"Hmm." Shen Tingzhou lowered his voice.

At this moment, Xu Xun suddenly said, "It tastes a bit strange."

Shen Tingzhou looked over, and Xu Xun told him, "It tastes a bit strange to me; you should try it."

He scooped a spoonful of the egg custard and offered it to Shen Tingzhou, who tasted it without hesitation. "It seems a bit bland; maybe add a little more salt."

Xu Xun nodded. "Okay."

Shen Tingzhou sprinkled a bit of salt, and Xu Xun continued eating.

Seeing Xu Xun use the spoon Shen Tingzhou had used, Fu Huaifei and Sangyan exchanged glances, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

Fu Huaifei: They're using the same spoon.

Sangyan: Although it's unhygienic, Dr. Shen must have his reasons.

Old Lady Fu walked in. "I prepared other food for you two, so why are you still here gorging yourselves?"

Seeing that Xu Xun was also being scolded, Fu Huaifei felt a bit balanced and didn't throw a tantrum and leave.

Sangyan spoke up for Fu Huaifei. "The sir isn't feeling well."

Old Lady Fu looked at Fu Huaifei affectionately. "Out of 365 days, you're unwell for 730 days. It's hard for you to make one day feel like two."

Fu Huaifei silently put down his utensils and stood up to leave.

"Leaving already?" Old Lady Fu turned to Sangyan. "Quickly support him back to his room to cry. Don't flood the place and drown Dr. Shen."

Shen Tingzhou: ...

Sangyan, whose verbal skills were not as sharp as Old Lady Fu's, supported Fu Huaifei and left.

Once they were gone, Old Lady Fu's gaze fell on Shen Tingzhou and Xu Xun.

Shen Tingzhou felt like he was being called on unexpectedly in class, and his nerves tightened.

The old lady smiled kindly. "Doctor Shen, thank you for coming tonight. Please sit down and eat with Xiao Dai. Make him eat more so that when he becomes Xiao Wa, he'll look better."

If you haven't finished elementary school, you really can't understand this joke.

Having finished elementary school, Shen Tingzhou took a while to realize the meaning of "Xiao Dai becoming Xiao Wa."

After the old lady left, Shen Tingzhou sat next to Xu Xun. "Are you okay?"

Xu Xun swallowed the last bite of egg custard. "Is there anything I can't swallow now?"

Shen Tingzhou hesitated for a moment before pushing a piece of ginger towards him.

Xu Xun frowned but then picked up the ginger and put it in his mouth.

Seeing him actually doing it, Shen Tingzhou was startled and quickly stopped him. "No need, no need, I was just joking."

Xu Xun held Shen Tingzhou's cheeks with his hand, leaned forward, and almost touched his lips to Shen Tingzhou's, their noses touching.

Shen Tingzhou's pupils contracted in surprise, and all he saw were blurred shadows.

In reality, those were Xu Xun's eyelashes, which appeared blurry because they were too close to Shen Tingzhou's eyes.

Xu Xun moved closer, causing Shen Tingzhou to close his eyes in fright.

The next moment, Shen Tingzhou's forehead was lightly bumped, and the intimate pressure disappeared. Shen Tingzhou slowly opened his eyes.

Xu Xun's eyes sparkled with a hint of amusement. "This is your punishment for tricking me."

Shen Tingzhou remained stunned, his heart pounding uncontrollably.

He couldn't think about whether the punishment Xu Xun mentioned was the harmless bump or something else.

As people who had eaten came back, Shen Tingzhou quickly distanced himself from Xu Xun.

Looking at Shen Tingzhou's flushed face and flustered expression, Xu Xun curved his lips into a smile.

-

That night, lying in bed, whenever Shen Tingzhou closed his eyes, he saw the scene in the living room—

Xu Xun's face magnified, his hot breath, and the faint touch of their lips.

Shen Tingzhou tossed and turned, unable to shake off the image. He pulled the blanket over his head, only to sit up abruptly as if even more explicit scenes were entering his mind.

Shen Tingzhou hit his head once, then grabbed his phone, intending to distract himself with something else.

He scrolled through his social media feed, lingered on a short video platform for a bit, and finally opened the Hua District forum.

The top post was a familiar one.

"Ha, I've given up on my face blindness. This is the third time I've mistaken someone."

And the one who complained about their partner a few days ago, whose post was locked by Yu Jurong.

"Thank you for your concern. Don't worry, nothing happened. Even if he had ten guts, he wouldn't dare do anything to me."

The post was flooded with one comment: "I hope your butt is as tough as your mouth."

The first thirty comments were all the same. The poster, seemingly indignant, replied, "Don't doubt me; I already smashed his wheelchair."

Many started teasing the poster—

"Believe, believe, how could we not believe you?"

"If we can't trust the poster, what else in this world is real, what!"

"Exactly, even tigers take naps. Couldn't someone have smashed the wheelchair while Yu Er was sleeping?"

The poster, being young and easily provoked, responded, "I didn't smash it while he was sleeping; I did it right in front of him."

"Then were you wearing clothes? Was he wearing clothes?"

Poster: "... Don't ask, but I did smash his wheelchair, and I'm getting a divorce tomorrow."

"Wish you a happy single life."

"Wish you a happy single life."

"Wish you a happy single life."

Seeing these six words, Shen Tingzhou thought, being single is indeed quite nice.

While listing the benefits of being single, Shen Tingzhou suddenly remembered a face, and he immediately clutched his face, screaming inwardly.

No way, no way!

-

Shen Tingzhou tossed and turned all night. When he woke up the next morning, he was exhausted.

In the afternoon, Zhou Zitan brought He Yanting over and stared at Shen Tingzhou with a strange expression. "What's wrong with you? You look odd."

Shen Tingzhou's heart skipped a beat.

Was his abnormality that obvious? Even Zhou Zitan, who was usually oblivious, noticed!

Zhou Zitan peeked towards the kitchen, sniffed twice, and asked Shen Tingzhou, "Doctor Shen, did you cook something? There's a burnt smell."

My sesame paste!

Shen Tingzhou vanished from Zhou Zitan and He Yanting's sight in a flash.

The sesame paste did turn out a bit burnt, but only slightly. Zhou Zitan has a dog's nose and can smell even the slightest hint of it.

Shen Tingzhou served the sesame paste and asked them, "Do you want some? It's very authentic sesame paste."

His sesame paste wasn't bought; it was given to him by the Steward. The texture is very smooth, with a rich and thick aroma.

He Yanting poked his head in, "I want some."

Zhou Zitan also said, "I want some."

Shen Tingzhou had only cooked one portion, so he drank the slightly burnt one himself and cooked two new portions for them.

He Yanting now has a child's taste, so Shen Tingzhou added a little sugar for him.

Looking at the two heads focused on drinking their sesame paste, Dr. Shen, who had calmed down, held a cup of tea and asked, "Why are you here?"

Zhou Zitan looked up, "Dr. Shen, let's go to a bar tonight and dance."

"Us?" Shen Tingzhou pointed at himself, then at He Yanting and Zhou Zitan, confirming, "Are you talking about the three of us?"

Isn't this combination a bit too wild? Xiao He is still a kid.

Zhou Zitan has his own logic, "My sister said that if I want my brother to like me, I need to show more of my charm. Thinking about it, my biggest charm seems to be DJing."

Shen Tingzhou's expression went blank for a few seconds, "Uh, did you introduce another match to your sister again?"

Zhou Zitan was surprised, "How did you know?"

Shen Tingzhou rubbed his forehead, "That's not important. What's important is that you shouldn't introduce matches to her anymore; she doesn't like it."

Zhou Zitan looked a bit sad, "Ah, she doesn't like it?"

Shen Tingzhou nodded seriously, "Yes, she doesn't like it!"

Zhou Zitan said dejectedly, "Okay. Come watch me DJ tonight, Dr. Shen. You should relax too; staying cooped up at home all day is no fun."

If it were a day ago, Shen Tingzhou would definitely not have gone, but now he really needed to vent.

-

Everyone has their own domain, and Zhou Zitan's domain is the bar.

Upon arriving there, Zhou Zitan's aura changed. Shen Tingzhou led He Yanting behind him.

The laser lights swept over Zhou Zitan's face, giving him an unusual sense of composure and boldness.

"Dr. Shen," Zhou Zitan leaned over and whispered in Shen Tingzhou's ear, "Wait here with my brother for a moment. I'll go upstairs to meet their boss."

Shen Tingzhou nodded.

After Zhou Zitan left, He Yanting tugged at Shen Tingzhou in dissatisfaction.

Shen Tingzhou took him to the front bar, found a prominent spot where Zhou Zitan could see them, opened the cake, and pushed it towards He Yanting, "Eat it."

He Yanting started eating with a fork.

The bartender inside smiled when he saw this and came over to ask Shen Tingzhou if he wanted a drink.

Shen Tingzhou politely declined, still haunted by the last time he drank here.

The bartender didn't press further, wiped a glass, and left.

The music suddenly quieted down, and the dancers in the dance floor turned to look at the DJ booth.

The person on stage hit a few intense notes and, speaking into the mic with a deliberately lowered voice, said, "Next up, welcome our DJ, Doctor Fen, Master Fen!"

The regulars whistled in greeting, and the newcomers joined in by waving their arms.

Shen Tingzhou looked towards the DJ booth and patted He Yanting's shoulder, as Xiao Zhou wanted to show his charm to his brother.

Zhou Zitan took off his jacket and hoodie, revealing a sleeveless vest underneath, with black headphones around his neck. He flipped down from the second-floor stairs onto the DJ booth.

Seeing his black hair, the regulars who recognized people by their hair thought he was a fake and booed him to leave.

Zhou Zitan walked up to the turntables and gave the crowd the middle finger.

Shen Tingzhou instinctively covered He Yanting's eyes until Zhou Zitan stopped gesturing. Then Shen Tingzhou released He Yanting.

Zhou Zitan put on the black headphones, adjusted a few opening notes, and made a common gesture to the lighting technician.

The stage lights suddenly burst into brilliance, sweeping across the dance floor.

Zhou Zitan skillfully operated the turntables, and under the cold neon lights, Shen Tingzhou noticed the tight and beautiful lines on his arms.

Xiao Zhou actually had muscles!

Shen Tingzhou didn't understand DJing, but he could clearly feel the strong rhythm of the music, which was both energetic and catchy. He moved his shoulders along with the beat.

The people in the dance floor recognized Zhou Zitan from his style, and some screamed his name.

Zhou Zitan gave them the middle finger again, his eyebrows conveying an untamable wildness, causing everyone to call out his name. But Zhou Zitan ignored them, focusing on his rhythm, occasionally glancing at Shen Tingzhou.

There's no denying that Zhou Zitan on stage was indeed very charming.

Shen Tingzhou pointed to his ears, indicating he was listening carefully.

Zhou Zitan smiled and switched to a children's song for Shen Tingzhou.

The strong rhythm alternated with the children's song, mixed with some unique samples, creating a strange yet dynamic blend.

A man with shoulder-length hair on the second floor said, "This DJ has real talent."

Beside him, Yu Jurong looked at the flamboyant Zhou Zitan, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly, but he didn't say anything.

-

After playing on stage for over half an hour, Zhou Zitan took off his headphones and came down.

Shen Tingzhou's eardrums were almost blasted out, and Zhou Zitan led them into a private room.

Zhou Zitan looked over with anticipation, without the arrogance from the stage. "How was my performance tonight?"

Although Shen Tingzhou didn't quite understand, he felt it was impressive. "It was very good. I saw many people cheering for you."

Receiving praise from Shen Tingzhou greatly satisfied Zhou Zitan's vanity, and he smiled at He Yanting.

He Yanting still couldn't stand him and turned his head away.

Zhou Zitan deflated like a punctured balloon. "That Jiang guy can do anything and you like it, but whatever I do, you don't like it."

Even before He Yanting lost his memory, he had looked down on Zhou Zitan's DJing, thinking it was not a proper job. Surprisingly, even after losing his memory, he still disapproved.

Hearing him mention Jiang Ji, He Yanting turned his head and bluntly said, "He's good; you're not!"

Zhou Zitan couldn't take it. "I'm not good, yet I bring you out to play and buy you delicious food. What does he do for you?"

He Yanting replied haughtily, "I don't need you to buy me anything."

After thinking for a moment, he added, "Dr. Shen should buy it."

Seeing that they were about to argue again, Shen Tingzhou quickly intervened. Just then, the bar owner came looking for Zhou Zitan.

Zhou Zitan gave He Yanting a fierce look and angrily left.

After he left, Shen Tingzhou lectured He Yanting, "He's your younger brother; you can't keep bullying him."

He Yanting insisted, "He's not good."

Shen Tingzhou peeled a mandarin orange for him. "But he treats you well."

He Yanting ate the orange without further arguing with Shen Tingzhou.

Shen Tingzhou and He Yanting sat in the spacious private room, watching Tom and Jerry together. Over an hour passed, and Zhou Zitan still hadn't returned.

Just as Shen Tingzhou was about to call him, Xu Xun's call came through.

Seeing this name, Shen Tingzhou's heart rate started to race again. He hesitated whether to answer, but He Yanting, unable to watch the cartoon, touched the phone and answered it for Shen Tingzhou.

Shen Tingzhou: !!!

Despite the good soundproofing in the private room, Xu Xun still heard the noisy music and asked Shen Tingzhou, "Where are you?"

Shen Tingzhou stammered, "I'm outside."

Xu Xun frowned, "At a bar?"

Shen Tingzhou didn't deny it. "This time, I didn't drink."

"Same place as last time?"

"Yes."

Xu Xun didn't say much more. After a brief chat, Shen Tingzhou hung up the call.

He Yanting kept staring at Shen Tingzhou. Seeing him lost in thought, he couldn't help reminding him, "Tom and Jerry."

Shen Tingzhou snapped back to reality and restarted the video of Tom and Jerry.

He Yanting suddenly said, "Your face is so red."

Shen Tingzhou touched his hot face. "No... right?"

Just as he was about to explain that it was too warm inside, He Yanting had already turned to watch Tom intently, so Shen Tingzhou swallowed his words.

Shen Tingzhou asked, "Do you want more fruit?"

He Yanting looked over, pleading. "I want candy."

Shen Tingzhou: "Eating too much candy is bad for your teeth."

He Yanting: "Let it be bad; it's fine."

Shen Tingzhou laughed and peeled a piece of candy for He Yanting.

After waiting another half an hour, Zhou Zitan finally returned with a sullen expression.

Seeing the small cut on Zhou Zitan's lip, Shen Tingzhou asked, "What happened to your mouth?"

Zhou Zitan's expression flickered with disgust for a moment. He pulled out a tissue and wiped it, avoiding Shen Tingzhou's gaze. "Nothing."

Shen Tingzhou stood up. "Let's go back. Your brother is tired."

Looking at He Yanting, who kept rubbing his eyes while staring at his phone, Zhou Zitan's gaze became unfocused. "Dr. Shen, is sex the path to love? Does he like Jiang Ji because they did it?"

Shen Tingzhou nearly choked on his saliva. "Who told you these things?"

Zhou Zitan looked uncomfortable. "Who told me doesn't matter. The important thing is, if my brother did it with someone else, would he forget about Jiang Ji?"

Hearing this, Shen Tingzhou's spine tingled, and he immediately said, "Don't do anything rash!"

Given Zhou Zitan's unpredictable nature, Shen Tingzhou wouldn't be surprised by anything he might do.

Zhou Zitan's eyes flickered. "...I didn't."

"No matter who gave you the idea or what they told you!" Shen Tingzhou emphasized once again, "You! Don’t! Act! Rashly!"

Zhou Zitan hesitated for a long time before finally saying gloomily, "Alright."

Seeing Zhou Zitan's dejected face, Shen Tingzhou was alarmed.

It turned out that Xiao Zhou had indeed thought about it. Who, in the end, had given him such a bad idea!

If one day He Yanting regained consciousness and found out what Zhou Zitan had done, what kind of trouble would he be in?

-

Shen Tingzhou led the now more innocent Xiao He ahead, with Zhou Zitan following behind.

Just as they walked out of the bar, Xu Xun's call came through again, "I'm almost at the bar where you are."

Shen Tingzhou panicked and looked around, searching for Xu Xun.

Xu Xun continued on the other end, "Get ready and come out."

Shen Tingzhou: "I..."

Xu Xun: "If it’s not convenient now, I’ll wait for you outside."

Hearing these considerate words, Shen Tingzhou couldn't say no.

After hanging up, Shen Tingzhou said to Zhou Zitan, "Take your brother back first; a friend of mine will be here soon."

Zhou Zitan didn’t ask any more questions, "Then we'll be off."

Shen Tingzhou instructed, "Call me when you get home."

Zhou Zitan acknowledged and left with He Yanting.

For the first time, Shen Tingzhou felt so nervous about meeting Xu Xun, his heart pounding wildly.

No matter how many times he pressed his chest, he couldn’t stop the feeling of unease.

As Shen Tingzhou was taking deep breaths, an arm wrapped around him from behind, accompanied by the smell of alcohol and cigarettes.

This could not possibly be Xu Xun. Shen Tingzhou instinctively pulled away and turned to see a drunk man with two companions behind him.

The man reached out to touch Shen Tingzhou's face, teasing, "Are you a guy or a girl? So pretty?"

His two companions laughed.

Fu Huaifei might be mistaken for a girl, but from appearance to demeanor and attire, Shen Tingzhou exuded no feminine traits whatsoever.

He frowned and dodged, about to say something when someone walking ahead made him pause slightly.

The drunk man became even more excited, "Quite spicy, you..."

Before he could finish, Shen Tingzhou's eyes widened slightly, and then his scalp tightened. The man hadn’t realized what was happening when his head was slammed against the wall, leaving him dizzy and ringing in his ears.

Xu Xun released the limp man, knocked down one of his companions with a punch, and the other ran into the bar for help.

Afraid of things getting out of hand, Shen Tingzhou dragged Xu Xun and ran.

They ran into the alley across the street, turned onto another street, and the cold wind rushed into their chests. Shen Tingzhou panted heavily, slowing his steps.

Xu Xun grabbed his hand and pulled him into a dark alley.

Leaning against the wall, Shen Tingzhou caught his breath, only to realize how close Xu Xun was.

Xu Xun's breathing was steady, but his breath was warm, and the shadows in his eyes were heavy, making Shen Tingzhou feel a sense of danger.

He couldn’t help pushing Xu Xun away, but his hand was caught.

Xu Xun leaned closer to Shen Tingzhou, his lowered gaze fixed on him, noses almost touching, almost brushing against each other.

"Close your eyes," Xu Xun gently brushed against Shen Tingzhou and whispered, "I want to kiss you."

Shen Tingzhou's breath stopped.