DLRAS Chapter 48

Chapter 48: As if he were also gracefully accompanying his meal.

The car slid to a stop under the neon sign, the rain having ceased.

“Awake now?” Huo Niansheng looked up from his phone screen. “Still hungry? I booked a restaurant. Do you eat seafood?” His gaze slid over Chen Wengang. “Hearing you talk about beachcombing today made me crave it.”

Chen Wengang was fully awake now too.

“Why don’t we find some time to actually go beachcombing?”

“Where to? And how?” Huo Niansheng asked, seeking guidance.

“I know a place…” Having taken a nap, Chen Wengang’s thoughts wandered, skipping from images of a bountiful beachcombing harvest to the next scene. “You can also see bioluminescent beaches there. The season is already over for this year, but we can go next March or April.”

He had unilaterally decided that this relationship would last at least until next year, and Huo Niansheng didn’t object.

“Bioluminescent beaches? I thought those were only found along the coastline in the neighboring city; there’s a really famous one there.”

“You mean the ‘Blue Tears’. We have them here too, it’s just not a tourist spot and isn’t well-known, so many people are unaware of it.”

Talking as they walked, the two got out of the car and entered the restaurant.

They booked a small private room. The waiter served lobster E-fu noodles, sea urchin paste roasted scallops, and a plate of boiled Kuruma prawns. They didn’t order much, but everything was exceptionally fresh. The bright red lobster, a whole hand-length longer than an adult’s palm, sprawled dominantly over the noodles.

Chen Wengang put on gloves and skillfully dismantled its armor. Jin City was a coastal city, and seafood was a frequent guest on dining tables; he was well-versed in the task.

Huo Niansheng unhurriedly peeled a small bowl of shrimp, dipped them in sauce, and pushed the bowl to the center of the table before tackling his own lobster.

This gesture actually made Chen Wengang feel a bit sheepish: “You…”

Huo Niansheng gestured for him to pick up his chopsticks: “How does the food here taste?”

The lobster was plump and springy, its claws packed with meat. The E-fu noodles, having been deep-fried beforehand, retained a chewy texture and had soaked up the rich lobster broth. The scallop meat was complex in flavor, with the sea urchin paste delivering a savory umami burst up front and a lingering, subtle sweetness on the finish.

Chen Wengang enjoyed his meal with refined concentration, while Huo Niansheng ate, his pupils reflecting Chen Wengang’s image.

It was as if he were leisurely savoring him as an appetizer.

After the meal, the two returned to the car. Huo Niansheng tapped the steering wheel at a relaxed pace. “Where are we going tomorrow?”

Chen Wengang turned to look at him.

Huo Niansheng also turned his head, his eyes narrowing as he flashed a teasing smile, the lust in his eyes becoming blatantly obvious.

However, his phone buzzed obnoxiously twice. He looked down and saw a message from Huo Jingsheng.

Huo Jingsheng had been deprived of some assets his Second Uncle had originally promised him and was now accusing him of using public office to avenge a private wrong. Huo Niansheng scoffed coldly, not caring in the least and too lazy to bother, but verbally remarked, “The elders cut off a few of Huo Jingsheng’s credit cards, and now he’s unhappy.”

Chen Wengang smiled cooperatively, pretending to believe him.

As if taking a cue, his own phone also began to vibrate—message after message, all from Qi Tongzhou.

Huo Niansheng had sharp eyes and caught a glimpse of photos popping up on his screen: “Is that Li Hongqiong’s godbrother?”

Chen Wengang confirmed it: “He accompanied a friend to a painting exhibition’s opening ceremony today. He originally invited me to go along.”

Huo Niansheng drew out a long “Oh.” “It’s one thing for the little kids, but even the ‘big kids’… want to stick to you, huh.”

Chen Wengang paused: “I’ll find an opportunity to make things clear with him.”

Qi Tongzhou had been increasingly attentive lately, stopping just short of tearing the paper window to confess. Chen Wengang had finally started rejecting him implicitly on several occasions. But as long as that window remained unbroken, Chen Wengang couldn’t think of a better way to handle it without hurting his feelings.

Huo Niansheng snorted a laugh: “What are you thinking about? I was just asking.” He leaned back against his seat. “I know about that exhibition. Li Hongqiong invited me too. If you want to go, we can check it out tomorrow.”

Chen Wengang buckled his seatbelt: “Alright then.”

Then he heard the person beside him ask, “One last question. Are you going home today, or staying with me?”

This time, they went to a different five-star hotel.

The decor was European in style. The lobby featured a soaring dome ceiling painted with a grand mural—a replica of Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam, where God reaches out to impart the divine soul into Adam’s earthly body.

The guest room, too, carried the heavy, rich tones of an oil painting. Thick curtains draped from the tall bedposts, accompanied by red fabric wall coverings and golden tassels.

Chen Wengang turned his head back, wrapping both arms around his neck. “I only brought one change of shirt…”

Huo Niansheng gripped his waist, tightened his hold, and pulled him close: “That’s wonderful, you came prepared.”

Chen Wengang’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He closed his eyes and accepted his kiss.

Immediately, he was swept into a game of ultimate bliss.

The gentleness and the ferocity were familiar beyond words. Initially, due to the ten-year gap, some clumsiness was inevitable, but his body recognized the old flame faster than he did. Huo Niansheng effortlessly seized his mind and thoughts.

…

They had said they were going to an exhibition, but they ended up tangling in bed until noon.

Chen Wengang pulled a black T-shirt from his bag—a thin piece of clothing that rolled up into almost nothing. Huo Niansheng was also getting dressed; his clothes had been washed, dried, and returned by the housekeeping department. As he buttoned up, he saw Chen Wengang unfolding the shirt and pulling it over his head.

Huo Niansheng bent down and picked up the shirt Chen Wengang wore yesterday from the floor. “Shall I pack this away for you?”

“Thanks, just fold it a bit and put it back in the bag.”

Huo Niansheng glanced at it. The shirt had a few black letters printed on it, and the craftsmanship was mediocre. Chen Wengang tugged the hem of his new T-shirt flat and, sensing his gaze across the room, said, “Just stuff it in anywhere. I bought it at the supermarket for 50 bucks, it’s not worth much.”

Huo Niansheng did as he was told, zipped up his bag, walked over, and kissed his cheek: “My Wengang is so thrifty and good at managing a household.”

Chen Wengang’s heart trembled, and a flush of pink rose to his face—not because of the words “thrifty and good at managing a household.”

His expression almost made Huo Niansheng start stripping him again.

But he was pushed away. Huo Niansheng chuckled twice and picked up Chen Wengang’s backpack. “Check if you have your phone, don’t leave anything behind.”

The two set off for the art gallery. Today was the second day of the exhibition. The atmosphere was still lively, with quite a few people around.

After circling halfway through the entrance, Huo Niansheng looked down and sent a few messages. “Li Hongqiong is here too. Do you want to go find her?”

“Where is she?” Chen Wengang subconsciously looked left and right.

“In the curator’s office. She has shares in this gallery.”

A young man walked toward them—one of Huo Niansheng’s many fair-weather friends—and came over to greet him.

Chen Wengang’s discounted T-shirt stood out a bit when standing next to Huo Niansheng. Although there was no formal dress code for viewing an exhibition, seeing someone dressed so plainly, not looking like the type who tried to please or serve others, the other party assumed he was a new college student Huo Niansheng had picked up.

With this assumption, he didn’t take Chen Wengang seriously: “When did your taste become like this?”

Chen Wengang shot him a faint glance and said to Huo Niansheng, “I’ll go chat with Li Hongqiong.”

Huo Niansheng patted his back: “Go ahead.”

After he left, a bit of speculation crept into the man’s eyes. When he turned back, he saw that Huo Niansheng had ignored him and was already walking away. Remembering Huo Niansheng’s unpredictable temper, he figured today wasn’t a good day, rubbed his nose, and decided not to chase after him and ask for trouble.

Huo Niansheng strolled leisurely to the gallery’s central atrium. There was a large crowd here. As he got closer, he saw a reporter with a tripod and camera set up, and two chairs placed in front of a reflector for an interview. Recognizing the interviewee, he let out a scoff and stopped in his tracks.

Mu Qing struck a perfect on-camera pose, though maintaining such an unnatural posture was undoubtedly tiring. He didn’t notice Huo Niansheng’s arrival.

In the crowd of onlookers, there was a familiar face: Qi Tongzhou.

Qi Tongzhou turned his head and paused in surprise. He subconsciously checked behind Huo Niansheng first, and upon seeing Chen Wengang wasn’t there, he breathed a sigh of relief and greeted him neutrally: “Huo-ge.”

Huo Niansheng seemed to find it amusing. He let out a chuckle, nodded, and then shook hands with the curator standing next to him.

Qi Tongzhou really disliked his dismissive attitude toward everything; he found it arrogant.

The curator’s attitude, however, was completely different. He was extremely attentive. Knowing high-net-worth clients like the back of his hand, it was impossible for him not to have heard of Young Master Huo. He was a man with a ponytail and a bucket hat, fitting the stereotypical image of an artist perfectly. He was the one Qi Tongzhou’s mother had introduced.

Mrs. Qi was an important client of his, and the young master had leveraged family connections to ask him to promote a friend this time. But yesterday was the exhibition’s opening ceremony; he was busy socializing with all parties and definitely didn’t have the time. Only today did he manage to free up his schedule, inviting reporters to film a few interview segments.

There were seven or eight painters to promote, and the interviews would be conducted successively over a week. Mu Qing had definitely received special care by being scheduled first.

The curator first handed over a business card: “The newcomer painter currently being interviewed is actually still a student at the art academy, but he’s a young man with great potential. These three pieces over here are his work. They have a bit of the style of Wolfgang, the 20th-century abstract master, and you can also see the influence of the national style master Wang Xianzong. Most importantly, you can see that he has infused his own thoughts about the world into them…”

Huo Niansheng tilted his head back, stared for a long while, and raised an eyebrow: “Is that so? I don’t get it.”

The curator maintained his smile: “Yes, yes, art does require some interpretation.”

Huo Niansheng lazily withdrew his gaze. “I’m just a common man. If you show me Botticelli or Caravaggio, I can appreciate them a bit—isn’t it just that the people painted look beautiful? As for these abstract pieces, I don’t understand them. If you tell me there’s a true master among them, I’ll believe it. If you tell me some people are just fishing in troubled waters, I’ll believe that too. People like me who don’t understand have no way of telling the difference.”

He acted like a complete disruptor. Qi Tongzhou glared at him angrily but couldn’t lash out, not wanting to ruin Mu Qing’s interview.

Suddenly, Chen Wengang appeared from behind. “It’s so lively here. Why did you guys gather together?”

He had finished chatting with Li Hongqiong and came down with her.

She walked over gracefully and asked Huo Niansheng with a smile: “What nonsense are you spewing now?”

Huo Niansheng put his arm around Chen Wengang’s shoulder. “Nothing much. Just talking about my retro aesthetic, and how I like Botticelli.”

Chen Wengang smiled gently. “I also like the angels painted by Botticelli. Is liking him considered unfashionable now?”

When he appeared, Qi Tongzhou’s eyes had initially lit up, but they slowly darkened, his heart sinking heavily. The words and actions of these two were even more intimate than they had been at the yacht club. He was about to step forward when Li Hongqiong suddenly slung an arm over his shoulder: “Little brother.”

“Ah!” Qi Tongzhou jumped. “What is it?”

He could only watch helplessly as the two of them walked away.

Li Hongqiong sighed: “Come here.”

Qi Tongzhou followed her to the side.

“There’s no problem with you pursuing whoever you want; it’s your freedom,” Li Hongqiong advised. “But if someone is already taken, stop throwing yourself… at them.” She tried to be as tactful as possible. “It doesn’t look good.”

“What if it’s a special situation?” Qi Tongzhou wasn’t convinced. “What if the person he’s with is a scumbag?”

“Who? You mean Old Huo? How do you know he’s a scumbag?”

“How is a guy like him not a scumbag?” Qi Tongzhou had driven himself into a dead end in his own mind.

“You haven’t seen anything, and neither have I. How can you judge?” Li Hongqiong spoke flawlessly. “He’s as slippery as an eel. You think he’s a scumbag? Try catching him in the act before you say anything.”

“Qiong-jie, I know you’re close to him. If that day really comes, don’t play favorites.”

“You brat, I’m trying to advise you, and you’re negotiating with me. I have things to do, go play by yourself.”

By the time Qi Tongzhou returned to the atrium, Mu Qing’s interview had concluded. The cameraman checked the small screen and gave an ‘OK’ sign. The reporter checked the microphone volume and signaled for the next person, and soon the chair was occupied by another painter for their interview.

“How was it?” Qi Tongzhou asked.

“I was really a bit nervous.” Mu Qing clutched his chest and gave him a slightly exaggerated smile. “I was terrified of saying the wrong thing just now. It was my first time in front of a camera, did I do okay?”

“You were great. What’s there to be nervous about? With your talent, there will definitely be many more opportunities in the future,” Qi Tongzhou encouraged him. “By the way, is this interview going to be broadcast on TV? I saw the logo on their microphone was from the local television station.”

“It probably will. I heard the reporter say they’re doing a special feature to be broadcast on an arts program. I’ll let you know once I get the details.”

“That’s fantastic, congratulations,” Qi Tongzhou congratulated him sincerely. “When the time comes, I’ll get my whole family to watch it together.”

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