When Renzi hung up the phone, he had a disbelieving look on his face. “I scolded Brother Xiaoshan “bullshit”, but he still agreed to eat with me?”
Yu Yuntao patted Renzi’s shoulder. “A man has to be firm!”
Renzi looked up at Yu Yuntao, “Do you normally scold Brother Xiaoshan like this as well?”
Scold? We even fought before! However, Yu Yuntao felt that it was not right to mention it, and so said, “Depends on the situation.”
If the situation isn’t too bad, I’ll scold. If it’s serious, I’ll hit him!
Renzi chose a restaurant with a pretty good atmosphere — and it was also a restaurant that he had often chose to bring the girls he was chasing to. The restaurant manager was very familiar with him, and so despite a last minute reservation, he could still get a nice table. The manager even teased him, “Which pretty girl are you dating this time?”
“It’s not a pretty girl, it’s President Gu.”
The manager then smiled, “Alright, then I hope you’ll enjoy your meal.”
As Renzi and Gu Xiaoshan had been buddies for so long, when Renzi frankly said, “I’ll be on a date with President Gu, create a more romantic setting”, the manager treated it as though Renzi was making a joke.
Although he thought it was a joke, but to prevent any trouble, the manager decorated the private room more romantically just like before, with the standard champagne, candles and roses in a vase. When Renzi and Gu Xiaoshan sat in there, it really did feel quite awkward. Although he liked Gu Xiaoshan, Renzi had to admit that two men sitting in such a room was rather strange. Renzi then thought, it must be because he still thought of things like a straight man, and had not switched over yet.
Gu Xiaoshan spoke, “I heard it’s hard to get a table here, but you’re actually able to do so.”
Renzi laughed, “I’m a VVVVVIP!”
Gu Xiaoshan smiled, “Oh? You often come here with your female partners?”
Renzi seized up immediately, regretful that he had stepped into this trap himself. Gu Xiaoshan also regretted that he would actually say something that sounded as though he was jealous. He clearly was not jealous! Gu Xiaoshan sipped at the wine, then felt that this wine was bad, a little acidic1.
While cutting his steak, Renzi asked, “I usually treat people to meals at these restaurants. What about you? Where you would bring those boys on a date?”
“Didn’t you see it before? Most of the time I’ll go to Restaurant X.”
“The one in your office building?”
“Yes, the one on the ground floor. It’s easy for me to go there after work, and it’s also my own restaurant. That way, I save both effort and money.”
Gu Xiaoshan spoke with an indifferent tone, then took a bite of the steak, speaking slowly, “I’m a very horrible lover.”
Renzi chewed on his steak, feeling that it tasted dull. After a moment, he asked again, “Even if that’s the case, they still like you very much.”
Gu Xiaoshan laughed contemptuously, “They don’t like me. If I’m not Gu Xiaoshan, would they still be willing to swallow this grievance down?”
Renzi looked caught between comprehension and incomprehension. “But you’re Gu Xiaoshan.”
This sounded a little profound, and Gu Xiaoshan did not know how to answer. Tilting his head, Renzi thought for a moment, and smiled, “Also, how could this be considered a grievance? How did you wrong them? To be able to be with you, even if they did not get anything, and had to spend money instead, I’m sure everyone would still be willing!”
Gu Xiaoshan was brought to amusement by him.
This could be the first carefree smile Gu Xiaoshan had given Renzi ever since they jumped into the sea. As though being showered by a spring rain, Renzi felt a gentle warmth taking over him. He thought, he really loved Gu Xiaoshan to death, and he was really willing to spend and lose his money if it was for Gu Xiaoshan. At this moment, he even wished that Gu Xiaoshan would become a bankrupt, then Gu Xiaoshan could become his sugar baby!
Gu Xiaoshan replied, “Don’t say such silly things.”
Renzi objected, “This is not silly, I mean it sincerely.”
“Your sincere words can make people misunderstand.”
Renzi blushed, “What would they misunderstand?”
Gu Xiaoshan then listed them out one by one for Renzi. “You once told Xiaowu that you would love her for ten thousand years. Count it yourself, how many more years do you owe her? You said you wanted to marry He Rucui, then promised Tiffany that you’ll register your marriage with her in Vegas. How many bodies do you have that you can become so many people’s husband?”
Renzi choked, there was clearly no right answer to this. He then stammered, “W-who is Tiffany?”
Gu Xiaoshan laughed, as though mocking him. “Really? Luckily I stopped you then, and did not let you do something you would have regretted for life. You’re no longer young, shouldn’t it be time to grow up? Stop doing things that you would regret.”
Renzi stood up fiercely. “But, but it was clearly you who said it… You said that I’m still young, you said that my “error-tolerant rate” is high, you said…”
As Renzi spoke, his voice started trembling, as he was getting emotional. He also did not know what was going on with him, where did these sudden emotions come from?
It must be because he was furious, he was indignant, that his feelings were so looked down upon!
However, on the other hand, he had to admit, his previous actions were really irresponsible. Now, he had to face the consequences of his irresponsible actions.
He was just… sad.
Tears could be seen welling up in Renzi’s round eyes, and he gritted his teeth, trying to hold them back. Gu Xiaoshan could not bear to look at him like this, and so forgot all the “I should freeze him out”, “I have to be cold to him, to make him give up” and other similar thoughts that he had. He coaxed him, “Of course, you’re still young. Even if you reach the age of eighty, you should still be like a child. It’ll be good that way, I like it that way.”
When Gu Xiaoshan finished speaking, he felt an indescribable ease within him. It felt like he was not trying to coax him, but instead spoke the truth that was hidden deep within him.
Hearing Gu Xiaoshan’s words of affection, Renzi recovered. “That won’t work too. I really shouldn’t continue on this way. Brother Xiaoshan, you’re right.”
This meal ended on an unhappy note.
Gu Xiaoshan brought Renzi out of the restaurant, saying that he had drank, was in no state to drive, and had called for a substitute driver already, and they would make their own way back home. Renzi then said, “We’re going the same way, just ask for one substitute driver would be fine.”
“No, I’m going back to the office.”
Renzi was alarmed. “Why are you staying at the office everyday? Won’t you work yourself to death like this?”
Gu Xiaoshan laughed, “Who would work themselves to death? I’m not a normal employee, if I want to lie down in the office, I can just lie down. If I want to drink tea, I’ll just drink tea. If I want to work out, I’ll just work out. How comfortable.”
Renzi then nodded. “As long as you’re comfortable.”
Gu Xiaoshan and Renzi called for a substitute driver individually, and reached their destinations in a car each.
Night fell, and the sky was filled with stars. Gu Xiaoshan looked at the scenery outside his window, and unexpectedly sighed. He thought he had a heart of stone, but did not expect that towards Renzi, he had no resistance. This was something that had never happened before. He thought, after all, Renzi was a person who had accompanied him since they were children, and was like his younger brother. Of course it would be different. He should still continue freezing him out, and treat him coldly, just with a different method. Within two days, Gu Xiaoshan had assigned himself work that would take him overseas, using both time and the ocean to increase the distance between him and Renzi.
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