Chapter 123: Unlike you, I’m very generous to my friends!

Chapter 123: Unlike you, I’m very generous to my friends!

Huo Xiao cocked an eyebrow, his eyes held an ambiguous expression. "Do you need me to help you remember?"

"No need," Jian Li hastily waved his hand. "I suddenly remembered."

He forced a dry laugh and closed the door, leaving the waiter outside.

"Sir, would you like to order later?"

The waiter’s voice came through the private room door.

"Shall we order now?" Jian Li belatedly looked towards Huo Xiao.

"Sure," Huo Xiao pursed his lips.

His lips, originally well-defined, a pretty pale pink, and thin,

seemed to have little flesh, but were unexpectedly soft to kiss...

But now, his lips looked as if they had been roughly treated, slightly swollen and a bit reddened.

Jian Li's gaze couldn’t help but linger on his lips, instantly recalling the sensation of last night’s kiss.

He felt even hotter, his mouth dry and throat parched. He raised his hand to fan his neck. "Waiter, could we have the menu, please?"

Jian Li's eyes darted away, sitting uncomfortably across from Huo Xiao. "What do you want to eat?"

Huo Xiao, "I like whatever you like."

The waiter calmly handed over the menu. "All our dishes are excellent. Feel free to try anything you like."

While inwardly panicking.

AAAAAAA!

I like whatever you like! Huo, the film emperor, you’re amazing! AAAAAAAAA!

"Sir, would you like me to introduce the specialties of our restaurant?" He smiled politely with a professional demeanor.

Jian Li wasn't paying any attention to the menu; his mind was fully occupied with how to deal with last night's incident.

He simply pushed the menu away and said, "Go ahead."

"As a way to thank our valued customers, we are offering a special couple's package," the waiter flipped to the last page of the menu, "a luxurious candlelit dinner, paired with top-tier red wine."

"It's more than worth it."

"It will offer you both a truly romantic dining experience."

Jian Li's face flushed red. He secretly glanced at Huo Xiao, and only dared to turn his head when he saw no reaction. "Is this just for couples? Do you have a friends' package?"

The waiter looked puzzled. "Actually, we don't."

"But we do have a family package, would you like to go with that option?"

"Family..." Jian Li thought for a moment, after all, good friends are like family. "Let's go with that."

Waiter: stifling laughter.jpg.

Oh my!

So it’s a family thing, huh?

My favorite pairing is finally real!

"Very well, sir, please wait a moment." The waiter left the private room.

The room suddenly fell silent.

The air was filled with intimacy and awkwardness.

The atmosphere was thin yet heavy.

Jian Li's thoughts were spinning.

Hesitating whether to start a conversation,

To be honest,

When it comes to treating someone to a meal, he had little experience.

In his previous life, aside from coordinating with his teammates in battle, he mostly kept to himself,

Not to mention face-to-face conversations...

In the end, he could only resort to an awkward topic, “How did you sleep last night?”

“Not bad,” Huo Xiao picked up his glass, took a sip of water, “I might have slept better if the person holding me had loosened their grip a bit.”

Jian Li was stunned. *Loosen the hold a bit?*

*Who was holding you?*

Ah, crap!

He mentally scolded himself for falling into the trap.

He forced a smile to play it off, “I’ll be sure to pay attention next time.”

A hint of amusement flickered across Huo Xiao’s face. “Good,” he said.

Jian Li realized what had happened. *Another trap.*

This blunder was too embarrassing,

He quickly called out to the waiter outside the private room, “Waiter, please bring the wine up.”

Alcohol emboldens the timid!

The pickup lines he found online needed some liquid courage to deliver effectively and achieve the desired effect.

The waiter was particularly efficient.

At Jian Li’s call, the waiter opened the door.

Holding a pre-opened bottle of red wine, he quickly walked to the dining table and poured it into the glassware.

The red wine was very translucent, and under the light in the room, it cast a brilliant glow.

Jian Li glanced over and immediately picked up the glass, drinking it in one gulp.

The waiter was stunned.

Huo Xiao smirked, "Thirsty?"

"Ah," Jian Li agreed, "Just moistening my throat."

The waiter quickly refilled the glass, nearly filling it. "Sir, have another to quench your thirst."

Jian Li looked up. *You’re quite considerate, huh?*

Without hesitation, he drank another cup.

The waiter’s eyes lit up, clearly excited, and he was ready to pour another round when a colleague who entered behind him interrupted, "Sir, the dishes are served."

Private clubs serve a limited number of guests each day, with ample staff and resources, ensuring exceptional efficiency.

Before long, the table was laden with dishes.

Several waiters bowed in unison, "Sir, please enjoy your meal."

"Okay," Jian Li nodded.

The waiter who poured the wine asked, "Sir, would you like me to keep pouring?"

He gestured with the red wine bottle, indicating if he should continue pouring.

Jian Li waved, "No, thank you. I’ll do it myself."

"Yes, sir." A hint of disappointment flashed across the waiter's face, but his professionalism made him turn and leave the private room.

Jian Li, after two glasses of red wine, became more talkative and asked, "Bro, are you homophobic?"

"Actually, I..."

Before he could finish, Huo Xiao cut in, "No."

'I’m not gay' got stuck in Jian Li’s throat. His smile faltered. "Ah, I’m not homophobic either."

Huo Xiao’s lips curved. "Based on how you acted last night, you don’t seem homophobic."

Jian Li, "..."

See? He’s still hung up on last night!

He had meant to clarify that he wasn’t gay, but ended up saying he wasn’t homophobic instead.

Damn, the misunderstanding just got worse!

Frustrated, he drained his glass of red wine again.

Huo Xiao picked up his chopsticks and put a quail leg on Jian Li's plate. "Don't drink on an empty stomach, you'll get drunk easily."

Taking a deep breath, Jian Li put down his empty glass and said, "About last night—"

"I admit, I was impulsive. Would an apology suffice? Can we call it quits?"

Huo Xiao put down his chopsticks, his expression turning cold once more. He slowly said, "No."

Just as I thought!

The quieter they are, the more petty they become!

Jian Li was a bit frustrated. "So what do you want?"

"You can’t just kiss me for free, just like that, can you?" Huo Xiao raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn’t that be a huge loss for me?"

"How about I let you kiss me instead? Would that work?" Jian Li said, pouring wine into his cup, his tone defeated. "Then we’ll call it even, won’t we?"

Huo Xiao pressed his lips together. "Then how do you account for the fact that you kept touching me all night?"

"We’re both guys, aren’t we?" Jian Li took a big gulp, speaking as the alcohol hit his throat. "Why are you being so stingy? You can touch me too, alright?"

"When? Now?" Huo Xiao suddenly asked.

Still feeling dazed, Jian Li blurted out, "Now?"

"I’m not like you, I’m pretty generous to my friends!"

Huo Xiao moved his leg from under the table and patted it. "Come here, let’s see how generous I am."

Outside the private room, the server was so excited he almost jumped up.

"Holy crap, this is intense?!"