Chapter 60: Passing Wine "Brother Wen Yuan, how could you..."

Shang Zui and Qiu Yue returned to the table, exchanged glances, and sat back down. The atmosphere was noticeably quieter than before.

Gu Ci curiously asked Shang Zui, "What took you so long?"

Shang Zui smiled, shook his finger, and gulped down the mint water on the table. "Nothing, just chatting with Senior Brother Qiu."

He then looked pointedly at Qiu Yue.

Gu Ci, perplexed, was about to ask Senior Brother Qiu about this, but Shang Zui pulled him aside and suggested, "I heard there's a famous bar nearby called Equinox. Little Gu Ci, why don't we continue after dinner?"

"Huh?" Gu Ci hadn't expected this part. Speaking of alcohol tolerance... both he and Shang Zui were incredibly poor drinkers, otherwise they wouldn't have fainted after drinking fermented rice wine. But Shang Zui, on the other hand, was the type who was both poor and playful. He loved to show off even though he knew he couldn't handle alcohol.

He didn't agree outright, but instead sought the opinions of Senior Sister Jiang and Senior Brother Qiu: "Seniors, what do you think..."

Senior Sister Jiang shook her head and declined: "I'm old, I should go to bed early. You guys go have fun, I won't join in the fun."

Qiu Yue said, "I can go."

Shang Zui raised his lip and picked at his chopsticks. He said nothing more, but a look of triumph lingered in his eyes.

They finished dinner quite harmoniously, chatting about various topics until the sunset faded from the horizon. The three of them walked Senior Sister Jiang back to the school gate and then, without any prior arrangement, stopped and looked at each other.

"Let's go." Shang Zui stretched and winked slyly. "The night... has just begun."

Equinox Bar.

This bar was located on a street near the university. The entrance was a simple, understated wooden door. Once it was fully opened, the bustle and bustle inside hit us, a stark contrast to the quiet outside.

Under the dim, low-lit interior, a different world unfolded. It was vast, spread across two floors, and the booths were filled with people. But what was striking was that most of them were well-dressed men, either in suits or designer clothes, and their ages ranged from all ages.

Gu Ci's eyebrows twitched, and he suddenly felt something was wrong. He was about to stop when Shang Zui continued to hold him and walked forward. "Don't be afraid, little Gu Ci. The drinks here are delicious, and the bartenders are all very handsome..."

Gu Ci felt even more uneasy and asked, "Shang Zui, tell me the truth, where exactly is this place?"

Shang Zui: "..."

Meeting Gu Ci's serious gaze, he said, "A gay bar."

Gu Ci: "?"

He felt like the sky was falling, and he didn't even dare to look at Qiu Yue who was standing next to him. Anxiously, he pulled Shang Zui close and whispered in his ear, "Why didn't you tell me in advance? You and I...we like boys, but Senior Brother Qiu doesn't. What if this causes him trouble?"

"Trouble?" Shang Zui couldn't help but sneer. "He's agreed. You can wait and see. Will it cause him trouble?"

Gu Ci was stunned.

What did this mean?

"Okay, don't think too much about it." Shang Zui held him and sat down at the bar, deliberately asking, "Are you worried that Huo Gou will check on you?"

Gu Ci: "..."

He didn't know what Shang Zui was planning, but since he was already here, he might as well make the best of it. He could only sit for a while.

The bartender was a distinctly Asian man with dark complexion. Standing tall and long-legged behind the bar, his shirt sleeves rolled up high, revealing his muscular build, he asked in English, "What would you like to drink?"

Shang Zui stared at the bartender without blinking, then handed the menu to Qiu Yue. "This guy needs to drown his sorrows the most. Let him order first."

The bartender glanced at Qiu Yue inquiringly, and Qiu Yue's usually warm face darkened.

"What's wrong, Senior Brother Qiu?" Gu Ci felt that he had been acting strangely since dinner, and his spirits were not as high as usual.

Qiu Yue silently ordered a strong liquor.

Gu Ci worriedly tried to dissuade him, but Qiu Yue smiled, "It's okay. I'm fine."

Gu Ci couldn't tell if it was an illusion, but he could detect a hint of bitterness in that smile. But since Qiu Yue insisted on denying it, he couldn't press the issue. But it was clear that he might have been unhappy.

Knowing his alcohol tolerance and accustomed to cleaning up after drunken parties, Gu Ci ordered a glass of minimal alcohol dessert wine, sipping it carefully, fearing a swig of alcohol might overtake him. Qiu Yue, on the other hand, entered the bar without a word, downing his glass in one gulp. Even the bartender's eyes flickered in surprise, as if he hadn't expected a customer to drink so readily.

Shang Zui, observing him, shook his head and sighed, "He's trapped by love..."

Gu Ci had just finished messaging Huo Wenyuan when he overheard Shang Zui's words, filled with confusion and curiosity. "Shang Zui, do you know something? Why did Senior Brother Qiu suddenly become like this?"

"Did... something happen when you were ordering?"

Shang Zui feigned bewilderment and shook his head. "I don't know. Senior Brother Qiu and I just met for the first time."

Qiu Yue seemed genuinely there to drink, having already downed two drinks in a short time. Gu Ci couldn't persuade him, so he ordered him a water. Just then, his phone rang.

It was Huo Wenyuan.

Gu Ci answered the call, his hands tucked into his waist as the noise around him made him cover the receiver. "Brother Wenyuan?"

"Still at the bar?" Judging from the background noise, Huo Wenyuan must have just emerged from the conference room. "I'll pick you up?"

Gu Ci glanced at the two people traveling with him. One was quietly drinking a strong drink, clearly drunk. The other... was chatting up the handsome bartender with a drink in hand, his eyes hazy, also apparently intoxicated.

He sighed softly and said, "Okay."

"Why do you sound so uninterested?" Huo Wenyuan smiled. "Is Shang Zui with you?"

Gu Ci nodded. "Yes."

"Okay, we're coming. Wait for me, Cici."

Gu Ci hummed softly, and only after hanging up did he realize something was amiss.

... "We"?

Who else could it be besides Huo Wenyuan?

Just as he was wondering, Qiu Yue suddenly stood up and walked out. Gu Ci followed him vigilantly: "Senior Brother Qiu, where are you going?"

Qiu Yue was still conscious at the moment and said, "I'm going to the bathroom. It's okay, Junior Brother Ci, don't worry about me."

"Wait! I want to go too!" Shang Zui stood up and said, "Senior Brother Qiu, let's team up!"

Qiu Yue rolled his eyes at him: "Who's going with you, you scheming dog."

Shang Zui walked over unconvinced: "How am I scheming? I'm just a love security guard!"

"It's okay." He patted Gu Ci's hand that wanted to support him, "Don't be afraid, we'll go to the bathroom together, it's not a big problem."

Gu Ci had no choice but to sit there and wait. He was replying to the message on his phone when suddenly a man in a blue suit sat in Shang Zui's seat, holding a glass of wine and talking to him: "Hello, can I have a drink with you?"

He raised his head and met a pair of slender light brown eyes. The man raised his lips and praised: "You look very good."

Gu Ci was a little embarrassed, and answered in a distant but polite manner: "Thank you, but I don't drink anymore."

"Sorry."

"It's okay, it's your right." Although the man felt regretful, he still stood up gentlemanly, "Excuse me, may I have your contact information?"

"You are my type."

Gu Ci still refused: "Sorry, I already have a boyfriend."

"So that's the case, what a pity." The man shook his head and blinked, suddenly leaned close to Gu Ci's ear and said mysteriously, "I almost forgot, you should be together."

"Childhood sweethearts, grew up together, you should trust him very much, right?"

Gu Ci raised his head in disbelief.

The man anticipated his reaction and continued his deceptive tone. "I'm just sighing. If you knew his father was the one who murdered your father, would you still choose him so recklessly?"

Gu Ci's expression was more serious than ever. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Nonsense? My little beauty, I'm not talking nonsense. This is the truth," the man said with a smile. "Why do you think Huo Xiao wants to keep the cause of your father's death a secret?"

"If you don't believe me, you can go back and ask Feng Jing."

With that, he casually downed his drink and walked away.

Gu Ci quickly stood up, about to confront him, but the man had already vanished into the crowd. Gu Ci stared blankly at the crowd, his body icy, his mind blank.

...Who was that person? Why was he saying these words to him?

"Ci Ci," a familiar voice called from above him. Gu Ci instinctively turned around, looking back, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

Huo Wenyuan glanced at the wine glass in front of him and affectionately tried to touch his face. "Have you been drinking?"

Gu Ci, for some reason, turned his face away, avoiding Huo Wenyuan's palm.

Realizing his action, they both froze.

"...I'm sorry, Brother Wenyuan," Gu Ci apologized. "I don't know what's wrong..."

Huo Wenyuan clearly didn't take it seriously. He pulled him to sit down and jokingly asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Gu Ci could only nod, using "uncomfortable" to cover up his previous abnormality.

Huo Wenyuan asked with concern, "Then let's go home?"

Hearing the word "home," Gu Ci's nose inexplicably soured.

...Now that he thought about it, where was his "home"? The Huo family? His own house? Or Huo Wenyuan's apartment?

It seemed neither.

Gu Ci felt he couldn't think any more. Everything tonight was too abnormal. He could only force himself to detach from his emotions. With an evasive look in his eyes, he said to Huo Wenyuan, "Shang Zui and Senior Brother Qiu haven't returned yet. They've had quite a few to drink. Let's send them back first."

Huo Wenyuan studied Gu Ci's expression thoughtfully, tapping the table with his slender fingers. He said to the bartender, "Give me an Eden."

A blue and green iceberg cocktail was served.

"Want to try it?" Huo Wenyuan continued to smile, his eyes sparkling. "It's called 'Eden.' It's both forbidden and a paradise."

Gu Ci was confused, but Huo Wenyuan took a sip of the drink, then wrapped his arm around his waist, pulling him close, forcing him to look him in the eye.

Gu Ci's heartbeat suddenly raced. He tried to move back, but Huo Wenyuan held the back of his head firmly, preventing him from moving. The next moment, Huo Wenyuan tilted his face, his lips pressed against his, and passed the drink to him.

His eyes widened, the sharp aroma of vodka, faintly tinged with the sourness of green apples, filling his mouth. Yet Huo Wenyuan continued to kiss him recklessly, wanting to plunder every last ounce of sweetness. Gu Ci's hands were forced against his chest, but he had no strength to struggle. Only when his breathing became rapid did Huo Wenyuan finally release him.

Panting frantically, Gu Ci covered his lips and said to Huo Wenyuan, "Brother Wenyuan, how could you be so public..."

...No, why haven't Shang Zui and Senior Brother Qiu returned yet?

Huo Wenyuan saw his thoughts and said softly, "Qu Zhi will send them back, including your Senior Brother Qiu."

Gu Ci: "?"

"Qu Zhi is here too?"

His mind suddenly felt dizzy. The surroundings were too noisy, and he couldn't process the overwhelming amount of information.

Huo Wenyuan mentioned, "Just now, I saw your Senior Brother Qiu at the door. He seems to have some issues with me."

Gu Ci propped up his face, trying to clear his head. "...What would Senior Brother Qiu think?"

Huo Wenyuan leaned forward, his nose almost touching his own. His tone was strangely resentful. "You said I should be your brother, so why do I have the nerve to be your boyfriend?"

Gu Ci froze, holding his face in his hand, motionless.

Huo Wenyuan continued, "You also said... I'm destined to be unrequited. I've been rejected before, and now I must be forcing you."

Gu Ci: "..."

Even though his eyes couldn't focus, he muttered, "Isn't that... nonsense..."

No, why would Senior Brother Qiu say something like that...

So thirsty, so confused...

Gu Ci rubbed his temples dazedly, his body starting to feel hot, his head lowering. Just before he collapsed onto the bar table with a thud, a pair of hands placed a steady hand on his forehead.

"Brother Wenyuan..." Despite being a little drunk, Gu Ci continued to mutter.

"I like Huo Wenyuan of my own free will..."

"No, it's impossible. Why should I believe you... They can't do that... It must be fake..."

Huo Wenyuan stood up and easily picked up the babbling Gu Ci.

The bartender nodded respectfully to him. A man who looked like a manager came over and asked, "Mr. Huo, the room upstairs is ready. Do you want to go upstairs to rest?"

" No." Huo Wenyuan stared at Gu Ci, whose face was flushed in his arms, and clenched his hands.

"Take him home."