Chapter 17 Chapter 17 "You mean, Xiaoba really likes...
"Why, since you keep calling me 'Big Daddy' and 'Little Daddy' every day, shouldn't you have had a premonition of this? Didn't you say you've seen it before? Now that you know the truth, you can't accept it?"
Zhou Xubai poured himself some more wine and looked at Ye Xiuming with a deliberately provocative look.
Ye Xiuming was still immersed in shock in various senses. He stared at Zhou Xubai in amazement. After a long pause, he said, "You mean, Xiaoba really likes men?"
Although Zhou Xubai was impatient, he still said "hmm".
"Then...what kind of men does he like?"
Zhou Xubai nearly spit out the wine in his mouth again. He was stunned for over a minute, staring at Ye Xiuming as if he were an endangered species. Was he being a little too controlling of a poor kid he'd picked up along the way?
"Little guy, do you know what love means? Liking someone is not as superficial as liking a dish. When Su Ting likes someone, it is even more complicated and unpredictable. Over the years... even I can't figure him out."
Wen Yanyu is more handsome than Gu Jianqing, and Fu Xici is better than Gu Jianqing, but Su Ting doesn't seem to have any interest in these two people.
"So, you don't know." Ye Xiuming said with some disappointment, "I thought you knew everything about Xiaoba."
"Don't challenge me, I might actually find out." Zhou Xubai accepted the challenge inexplicably, as if he was angry with a brat. "Xiao Ye, just wait for me. I'll find out tonight."
Su Ting's birthday party was a buffet held at the Threshold Western Restaurant. The food was dazzling, rich in variety, and easy to serve. The bar also specially invited the best bartender in Jincheng. Su Ting ordered a gin and tonic and took the opportunity to discuss resource exchange with several of his business partners.
Zhou Xubai had a lot of questions in his mind and stood next to Su Ting for a long time without being able to get a word in. When Su Ting mentioned the high-end smart home module, Zhou Xubai knew that his chance had come and moved forward.
"Everyone, there is love before there is a home, so what kind of person does President Su like?"
The corners of Su Ting's eyes were slightly numb, and he looked confused.
What the hell is Zhou Xubai doing?
The people around him really started to make a fuss: "Brother Xu Bai, your real intention is not to stay at the bar. Is asking this because you have some feelings in your heart?"
"That's right, I heard Xu Bai started a business with President Su, building it from nothing. The relationship between the two is extraordinary."
"I'm optimistic about you."
Zhou Xubai's ears turned red, his Adam's apple rolled up and down, and he tried to argue anxiously: "That's not what I meant. I was asking on behalf of...a friend."
"Oh, I thought there would be something good to watch today, but Brother Xubai, you are disappointing."
Another person chimed in: "Yeah, Xu Bai, even if you really like Su Ting, it's okay. There's no need to be embarrassed."
Damn Ye Xiuming, he can't wash himself clean even if he jumps into the Yellow River. Zhou Xubai secretly gave Su Ting an apologetic look, but he didn't see that Su Ting's face had already turned pale, and in the end he didn't even raise his eyebrows.
Su Ting seemed to have activated self-protection mode.
That was the mechanism that would be activated whenever he came into contact with anything emotionally related.
But Zhou Xubai didn't want to betray the little brother who called him "Big Dad" for the time being.
His eyes stumbled and briefly met Su Ting's, then strangely shifted away. As if he had done something wrong, he casually said "I have something else to do" to everyone present, and left in everyone's puzzled eyes.
Su Ting was left alone in the extremely empty Western restaurant to deal with others.
Ye Xiuming was hiding in an empty corner, enjoying a plate of prawn cocktails. Before he knew it, his head started to feel dizzy and his vision became increasingly blurred.
Later, he vaguely heard the sound of small fireworks and everyone singing birthday songs to celebrate, and his mind went blank.
My vision went dark and I passed out.
Su Ting was almost completely not immersed in the happiness of being surrounded by so many blessings. Instead, he used his sharp eyes to search for Ye Xiuming's figure in the crowd.
It seems like I haven't seen this child all night.
Could it be that he left early with Zhou Xubai?
His eyes darkened quietly. He picked up the cake spatula and made the first cut, leaving behind a signature stiff smile. He walked straight to the floor-to-ceiling window and called Zhou Xubai.
After hearing the news that Ye Xiuming did not leave with Zhou Xubai, Su Ting suddenly became nervous and hurriedly grabbed the male waiter who was passing by to deliver wine, "Have you seen my son?"
The waiter shook his head. "I didn't see him, but he was just picking out something to eat."
Su Ting quickly dialed Ye Xiuming's phone number, but no one answered.
He changed his usual behavior, twisted the knot of his tie, and said in a voice that sounded slightly pleading, "Everyone, has anyone seen Ye Xiuming? He's my adopted son." He gestured at his chest, "He's probably around where I am."
Everyone present shook their heads.
"Then I have to say goodnight to everyone in advance..."
Su Ting suppressed his nervousness and watched the last person leave.
He called the Threshold hotel manager and asked, "Please help me find a child and see when and where he went."
Su Ting usually keeps his emotions hidden, but today his anxiety was visible to the naked eye. When the manager said he didn't see Ye Xiuming leave the Western restaurant, Su Ting searched for him like crazy in every corner of the restaurant.
Finally, he found Ye Xiuming, whose face was flushed red, with a few unfinished shrimp cocktails beside him. Su Ting was losing his patience, so he picked up Ye Xiuming and carried him out, waving to hail a taxi.
"Go to the nearest hospital."
The prawns were marinated with strong liquor, and eating too much would be like being drunk. Ye Xiuming was still young and in his growth spurt, so it was hard to guarantee that he wouldn't have problems if he suddenly consumed so much alcohol.
Su Ting hugged the thin Ye Xiuming, and a feeling of bitterness welled up in his heart. It was all his fault for not being able to take good care of him. If something really happened, how would he explain to him?
He adopted Ye Xiuming home, definitely not to let him die early.
After arriving at the hospital, the emergency room gave Ye Xiuming simple treatment, hung an IV bottle for him, gave him a few instructions, and then left as if nothing had happened.
Looking at the weak Ye Xiuming, Su Ting's heart suddenly collapsed and his fingertips felt numb.
He stood beside Ye Xiuming with a silent expression, almost never leaving his side. At this time, Ye Xiuming uttered words that did not form a sentence in a very unclear manner.
"Little... Little Dad. Why are you..."
"The photo...are you sad?"
"Well, I'm sad."
The word "photo" triggered Su Ting's deeper protective mechanism. He looked at Ye Xiuming in silence and said, "What did you see and hear?"
Ye Xiuming breathed hard and said, "I saw it... Little Dad... was in a terrible state. There were... lots of photos."
Su Ting said in an incredulous tone: "Who showed it to you?"
Ye Xiuming suddenly burst into tears, his voice intermittent: "Ruan Lin."
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