Something is wrong
On the weekend, Cheng Xiaorui had already told Cheng Zhixu that he was going to go out and play with his friends, so she didn't have to worry, but he still felt sorry for not being able to go to the store to help.
"Xiao Rui! You're here, this way!" Chen Zihan waved to Cheng Xiaorui. His white T-shirt puffed up in the wind, and with his baseball cap on, he looked like a soda advertisement on a convenience store freezer. It wasn't scorching hot in June, unlike in September, but the sun was still glaring.
When Cheng Xiaorui walked over, Chen Zihan suddenly took off his hat and put it on Cheng Xiaorui's head. The ends of his hair still had the warmth of the sun.
"Let's go, let's go to the movies. I heard there's a new animated film coming out recently that's getting really high ratings." Chen Zihan took Cheng Xiaorui's hand, "I've grabbed the tickets in advance."
The cinema was unusually crowded on weekends. The sweet aroma of popcorn, mixed with the cool air from the air conditioner, wafted in. Cheng Xiaorui held a large bucket of freshly popped popcorn, a few caramel crumbs still clinging to the edge. Chen Zihan pressed an iced Coke against his face, the condensation on the side of the cup instantly soaking his temples.
"Hiss--" Cheng Xiaorui shrank his neck and dodged, but saw the other party shaking another glass of cola without ice, with a straw already inserted diligently.
After the movie ended, I stepped outside and was greeted by a warm current, no longer the cold air conditioning. "I've been sitting here for two hours, and my waist is a little sore," Chen Zihan said, stretching himself. "Are you hungry? Let's go eat!" He took Cheng Xiaorui's hand again, his eagerness mixed with tenderness.
They went to a luxuriously decorated restaurant, and Cheng Xiaorui found a seat by the window. Judging by the ambiance, the food must be expensive. After ordering a few random dishes, Chen Zihan handed the menu to Cheng Xiaorui with satisfaction, asking him to order whatever he wanted and he would pay. Cheng Xiaorui had expected this to happen, and looking at the prices on the menu, he finally gave up and ordered a few of the cheaper options.
Cheng Xiaorui had never tasted anything this high-end, except when his father was still alive. Seeing the carrot slices carved into roses dripping with sauce on the plate, he could tell it didn't cost much. He took a bite and nearly vomited. But then he looked up and saw Chen Zihan's cheeks puffing up like a hamster. Perhaps only rich people who eat here often get used to the food. Cheng Xiaorui didn't dare eat too much, fearing it would upset his stomach. It wasn't that he disliked the food, after all, trying something he rarely ate might have negative consequences.
Cheng Xiaorui poked the curled-up lobster tail on his plate with his fork, the sauce drawing a precious arc across the porcelain. Chen Zihan, who was smearing foie gras into a heart shape, suddenly looked up and asked, "Isn't it delicious?"
"It's too greasy." He lied, but in fact he was choked by the price tag of 368 yuan.
Chen Zihan blinked and suddenly snatched the plate from him: "Then help me finish this!" The strawberry mousse stained with the other's saliva was handed to his mouth. Cheng Xiaorui took a bite, and the sweetness exploded on the tip of his tongue - not the exquisite sweetness of a high-end restaurant, but the simple happiness of stealing white sugar as a child.
After lunch, the sunlight grew noticeably stronger. "Want to go to the bar? Some of my friends are there." Chen Zihan took out his phone and looked at it for a few seconds.
"All is fine." Cheng Xiaorui said.
"Really? If you think there are too many people, then don't go." Chen Zihan explained that he would follow all of Cheng Xiaorui's ideas.
"Since there is nothing to do, let's go." Cheng Xiaorui didn't care, as long as he didn't drink.
Neon lights flickered on the street. Chen Zihan pushed open the heavy wooden door of the "Blues" bar. The door hinges creaked, and air mixed with whiskey, woody perfume and a slightly musty smell blew in his face. Cheng Xiaorui took a deep breath and glanced across the dim room.
"Hanhan! Over here!" Chen Zihan's friend called from a corner booth. His blue-gray hair, highlighted by metal earrings, cascaded down like a sudden burst of fire on an icy plain. He waved his phone high, the blue light of the screen striking in the dim light.
Chen Zihan nodded and walked over, "I told you not to call me that." He led Cheng Xiaorui to a relatively quiet place, "You stay here first." After saying that, he turned and walked towards his friend.
Cheng Xiaorui sat quietly, the leather sofa giving off a faint smell, which he actually didn't like, as it made him dizzy. Looking up, Chen Zihan was still talking to his friend, and Cheng Xiaorui could only play with his fingers out of boredom.
After a while, Cheng Xiaorui wanted to go to the bathroom, but there were too many people in the bar and it was very large. He had never been there before and had no idea where the bathroom was. Seeing that Chen Zihan had not returned, Cheng Xiaorui went to find him.
"Sorry, Xiaorui, I've kept you waiting. Let's go." Chen Zihan saw Cheng Xiaorui coming and put the wine glass in his hand on the glass table with a slight clinking sound. "Sorry, everyone, I have to go."
"Hey, don't go so fast. It's a rare opportunity to come here." Curly added more wine to the cup that Chen Zihan had just put down, filling it up. Only then did he notice the person next to Chen Zihan, "Is this your friend? Do you want to have a drink together?" His tone was full of curiosity.
Cheng Xiaorui gently tugged at Chen Zihan's clothes and whispered, "I'm fine, drink it. Where is the bathroom?"
"Okay, I'll go to the bathroom and come back to continue." Chen Zihan took another sip of wine. After they left, the boy with dyed hair said, "Did you see that person next to him? I didn't even know when Hanhan got such a good-looking friend."
"Why, you really are all-male." Curly said, "It's okay to get to know him, but don't let your imagination run wild. You know who Chen Zihan is."
"Okay, okay, just saying it casually."
After a while, the two came out of the bathroom. Cheng Xiaorui said again that it was okay and asked Chen Zihan to go and accompany his friends first.
The cup of tea on the table went from lukewarm to completely cold. Cheng Xiaorui could only keep eating the fruit in the bowl, piece by piece, as the waiter brought it back. They chatted about topics Cheng Xiaorui didn't understand. He glanced at Chen Zihan, who seemed to be drunk. A moment later, Chen Zihan fell asleep on the sofa. Almost everyone present was drunk.
Curly, who was considered to be more sober, suddenly approached Cheng Xiaorui, got him a new wine glass, poured whiskey in it, and motioned for him to drink some.
"Sorry, I don't like drinking." Cheng Xiaorui hurriedly explained, turned his head and glanced at the indifferent Chen Zihan. It seemed that his life-saving straw was gone.
"What? It's okay, just drink a little. I think you're pretty amazing. No one who comes here doesn't drink." Curly still insisted, and Cheng Xiaorui refused again.
"Okay, then how about we play dice? The loser has to have a drink." The others opened their eyes the moment they heard this, as if they had discovered something interesting.
"Come on, come on, let's... play too!" Everyone rushed over, leaving Chen Zihan still asleep. Cheng Xiaorui had no choice but to play with them. He knew that this group of people would not let him go easily, but at least... at least hold on until Chen Zihan woke up.
Cheng Xiaorui's movements were clumsy, as he had never played this kind of game before. Apparently, the others didn't think it was a big deal and they all laughed and said he was quite funny.
In the first round, Cheng Xiaorui won.
Curly let out a "tsk," tilted his head back, and downed a glass. His Adam's apple rolled, and the wine slid down his chin, leaving a dark stain on his collar. The people around him laughed and clapped their hands on the table, some even whistled, but amid the clamor, Cheng Xiaorui still clearly caught the muffled voice.
"Just don't let him."
His fingertips trembled, his knuckles tightened, and the glass reflected his slightly tense jaw. The air was filled with the pungent smell of alcohol and the cold air conditioning, mixing into a suffocating sticky feeling. He lowered his eyes, wanting nothing more than to end this game as soon as possible.
In the second round, Curly won.
Cheng Xiaorui stared at the wine glass pushed in front of him, his brows furrowed. It was full, almost double the amount from the first round. Fine foam still clung to the rim, reflecting an amber glow under the light.
Did they do it on purpose?
He pursed his lips, said nothing, and reached for the wine glass, tilting his head back and downing it. The cold liquid slid down his throat, stimulating his eyes to a slight warmth. The wine, which he couldn't swallow in time, overflowed from the corner of his mouth, meandering along his neck, sliding over his rolling Adam's apple, and finally sinking deep into his collar.
"Wow—" someone exclaimed, followed by a shrill laugh.
He put down the empty cup, rubbed the corner of his lips with his fingertips, and when he lowered his eyes, his eyelashes cast a small shadow under his eyes, covering the emotions surging in his eyes.
The third round, the fourth round...
Cheng Xiaorui couldn't remember how many rounds he'd lost, or how many drinks he'd had. His ears were buzzing with laughter, the clinking of glasses, the hum of the air conditioner—all mixed together, like a thick layer of frosted glass.
A nausea surged in his stomach, spreading all the way up his throat. He gripped the edge of the table tightly, his knuckles turning white, his nails practically digging into his palms. Cold sweat soaked his back, and his shirt clung to his skin, making him shiver.
Curly's laughter suddenly approached: "If you lose again, the penalty will be doubled, okay?" He nodded mechanically and swallowed the sour water in his throat - he couldn't vomit, otherwise he would really lose.
Just bear with it a little longer...
He closed his eyes, his eyelashes trembled slightly, casting a shadow on his pale face.
Chen Zihan jolted awake from his daze, his forehead throbbing and his temples pounding like they'd been punched. He squinted, his vision blurring as he scanned his surroundings: dim lights, tilted bottles, boisterous laughter, and... Cheng Xiaorui, slumped in the booth.
The other party's condition is obviously worse.
Cheng Xiaorui sank into the sofa, his cheeks flushed unnaturally, his eyelashes wet and sticky, his breathing light and rapid, as if it would break at any moment. Chen Zihan blinked slowly, reached out to push him away, and felt a burning sensation on his palm.
"Xiao Rui... wake up..."
There was no response. Chen Zihan's mind was a blur, the alcohol thickening his thinking. He subconsciously pulled out his phone, his fingertips swiping across the screen. The names in his address book swam back and forth like fish. He squinted his eyes, tapped a number, and dialed.
“Beep—beep—”
The call was connected, but he could no longer hear what the other party said.
He had to leave this place first. He staggered to hold Cheng Xiaorui up. His body was so soft that it seemed boneless, and he was weighed down by his shoulders. Chen Zihan stumbled and hit his knee against the corner of the table. He gasped in pain, but he subconsciously tightened his grip, fearing that Cheng Xiaorui would slip.
The night breeze, wrapped in a chill, blew against his face. Chen Zihan squinted, the halo of the streetlight distorting into a blur of color in his vision. He was panting, his legs weak, but he still gritted his teeth and lifted Cheng Xiaorui up.
No...I can't carry it anymore...
Just when he was about to fall to his knees, a dazzling headlight cut through the night.
The black car stopped silently by the roadside, the door opened, and Lu Ziyi stepped out. His slender figure was cast into a cold silhouette by the streetlight. His eyes first fell on Chen Zihan, then slowly moved down. Cheng Xiaorui was lying on Chen Zihan's back, his cheek pressed against the crook of his neck, his breath burning, and he was sleeping unconsciously.
"Brother...you're here..."
Chen Zihan forced a smile and took a step forward, nearly falling. Lu Ziyi quickly supported him, his arm firmly supporting his back, while his other hand remained suspended in mid-air, fingertips slightly curled, ultimately not touching Cheng Xiaorui.
The night wind blew past, lifting the scattered hair on Cheng Xiaorui's forehead, revealing the red corners of his eyes. Lu Ziyi's gaze lingered on the thin red for a second, then suddenly turned away.
"Get in the car."
His voice was low, as if he was suppressing something, or simply tired.
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