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Chapter 12: Is ten seconds enough time to think about it?
Chen Wengang followed Yu Shanding into the elevator, watching him press the button for the 5th floor, with a sign indicating “VIP Entertainment Lounge” next to it.
Yu Shanding was handling business for Huo Niansheng, and Chen Wengang knew beforehand that he would face difficulties, so he was mentally prepared for it.
Initially, he wanted to keep an eye on Yu Shanding to prevent him from causing trouble for the young girl.
He also wanted to meet Yu Shanding, an old friend, to have a channel to reach Huo Niansheng.
But he didn’t expect Huo Niansheng to be here himself.
Among the so-called upper-class individuals in Jin City, Yu Shanding’s wealth was the kind that couldn’t be shown off. Despite his generous spending, many people behind his back still laughed at him as Huo Niansheng’s lapdog. He was probably aware of it.
In fact, in the past, Chen Wengang had a good relationship with him, although it changed later.
Yu Shanding, not exactly appearing as a good person, still had some virtues; at least he was loyal and filial.
After Huo Niansheng’s death, he left everything to Chen Wengang, but Yu Shanding didn’t want to work for him anymore and decided to leave. At that time, Chen Wengang didn’t stop him. Loyalty was more than just slaughtering dogs; Yu Shanding was loyal to Huo Niansheng, and with his object of loyalty gone, it was natural for him to leave.
Later, due to some coincidences, their paths crossed again.
Chen Wengang didn’t think he had done much, but he remembered Yu Shanding saying, “Mr. Chen, I may not be educated, but I’m not the kind of person who forgets kindness. You took care of my family, and I’ve seen your character. If you don’t mind, consider me a friend. If you need anything, just tell me. If you’d tell me to go east, I wouldn’t go west.
Before Chen Wengang passed away, the two would still talk about Huo Niansheng when they drank together.
Chen Wengang always watched as Yu Shanding poured a glass onto the floor first. He was grateful for this glass of liquor.
But their friendship had lasted so long that he almost forgot about this guy’s unscrupulous behavior when he was younger.
Yu Shanding pushed open the door to the entertainment lounge, and Chen Wengang followed him in.
The room was filled with silence as they entered.
The entertainment lounge was not small, but only a portion of the lights were turned on, creating a blurry division between dimness and brightness on the intricately patterned golden and red carpet.
Mahjong and coin-pushing machines were concealed in the dark half, while a crystal chandelier illuminated three side-by-side pool tables.
Next to the tables, a person was bending over, playing pool. In the vast hall, he was the only one enjoying himself.
With a crisp sound, balls collided and a red ball dropped into the pocket, the sound echoing in the empty room, emphasizing its emptiness.
The person stood up straight, and upon seeing Chen Wengang, his peach blossom eyes suddenly curved: “Wengang.”
Huo Niansheng was very welcoming, “How did you end up here?”
Yu Shanding exaggeratedly revealed an “unexpected encounter” expression, “So, Xiao Chen, you know Mr. Huo… Well, this is truly something!” He slapped Chen Wengang on the back, and Chen Wengang couldn’t be bothered to hold a grudge against him.
Just staring back, his mind couldn’t remember why he came here.
For a moment, he felt like he was being swept into the vortex of those eyes.
His heart felt both sour and swollen.
Suddenly, a pool cue was placed horizontally in front of him, and Huo Niansheng smiled at him, “Can you play?”
“…A little.” Chen Wengang raised his hand to take it, answering in a soft voice, as if afraid of disturbing this dream.
“How about giving it a try?” Huo Niansheng returned to the table, inviting him, “I’m just bored alone.”
“Since you’re Mr. Huo’s friend, feel free to chat. Xiao Chen, if you need anything, just call. I’ll be in my office. I’ll come up anytime.” Yu Shanding tactfully left, gesturing near his ear before departing.
Huo Niansheng stepped aside from the pool table, indicating the spot closest to the cue ball with a glance.
Chen Wengang subtly exhaled, setting down the pool cue. He took off his suit jacket, looked around, but couldn’t find a suitable hook, so he placed it on a nearby chair. Then he walked back, clad only in a white shirt and black trousers, checking the cue’s shaft and tail.
On the emerald green table, only black and white balls remained, positioned at tricky angles, making scoring them in one stroke a challenging task.
While Chen Wengang inspected the balls, Huo Niansheng also observed him.
Long legs, narrow hips, and a figure as straight as the pool cue.
Leaning against the table, he bent over, resting the cue on the stand, his gaze forward, displaying precise and clean movements, unlike an amateur.
The crystal chandelier scattered pristine light from above.
Despite being overhead lighting, numerous glass pendants diffused the light softly and elegantly, not hindering his aesthetics. Instead, it seemed like a layer of soft light filter was applied. Huo Niansheng felt a stir in his heart. He had encountered many beautiful people, but there was an indescribable sense of vulnerability about him.
How to describe it?
Perhaps like the crystal chandelier on the ceiling, sparkling brilliantly when suspended high, but if it were to unfortunately fall—
Snap!
The white cue ball pushed the black ball forward, utilizing momentum. The black ball collided with the cushion, rebounded, gradually slowed down due to friction, rolled to the edge of the pocket, and gently dropped into the pocket.
Chen Wengang stood up and nodded slightly at him, his pupils reflecting the shadows of the crystal chandelier.
Huo Niansheng complimented him with a smile, “You know more than just a little.”
Chen Wengang smiled slightly and said, “Thank you.”
The game was over. Huo Niansheng leaned the cue against the side and bent over to retrieve the colored balls one by one.
Chen Wengang also reached into the groove under this side of the table, holding the balls and placing them into the triangular rack two by two.
Their fingers accidentally brushed against each other, and Chen Wengang quickly withdrew, as if splashed with hot water.
Last time he observed Huo Niansheng’s hands, this time it was Huo Niansheng noticing his—fingers like onion roots, hands that seemed never to have done rough work. His ten fingers were fair and slender, and his nails were well-groomed.
This piqued Huo Niansheng’s interest as he spoke, “Have you learned to play the piano?”
Chen Wengang knew why he asked like this; countless people had said that God had given him hands fit for playing the piano.
He instinctively lowered his head and looked at his own hands and said, “A little.”
In reality, if his biological father were still alive, he probably wouldn’t have learned to play the piano, and his hands wouldn’t be so delicate. He would have lived dependent on his father, taking care of household chores, cooking, and doing laundry when his father was at work.
His entire life would probably be vastly different from now, but he couldn’t imagine what it would be like.
“Another ‘a little’?” Huo Niansheng found it amusing, “Your ‘a little’ obviously lacks credibility.”
“This time it’s truly just a little,” Chen Wengang insisted. “I learned the basics, but I play quite averagely.”
“Too bad there’s no piano here in Mr. Yu’s place. Otherwise, I’d bet on whether what you said is true.”
“Wouldn’t it be up to me whether to win or lose then?”
“Yeah, It’ll be all up to you.” Huo Niansheng arranged the colored balls into an equilateral triangle. “I can afford to lose.”
After neatly arranging, he took a step back, smiling, and let Chen Wengang take the first shot.
Chen Wengang placed the cue ball on the table, arching his back.
With a snap, the colored balls scattered like flower petals.
It was Huo Niansheng’s turn for the next shot. However, he was all about chatting with him, “By the way, who did you learn from?”
Chen Wengang truthfully replied, “Back in high school, there was a snooker club in the school. It’s been quite a while since I last played.”
“Do you like snooker?”
“It’s okay.” It was Zheng Yucheng who liked it, and Chen Wengang accompanied him.
“I heard from Baoqiu that Zheng Yucheng participated in youth snooker competitions during school.” Huo Niansheng smiled, using chalk to rub the rubber tip of the cue, “It seems he might be more interested. How were his competition results?”
“It seems okay.” Chen Wengang vaguely said, “I don’t remember the details. He was just playing for fun.”
Huo Niansheng let out a meaningful chuckle from his nostrils.
Unconsciously, he got closer to Chen Wengang, placing his right hand on the table, revealing the strong muscles of his forearm.
Chen Wengang smiled too, but his body tensed, and at the same time, he felt a strange and subtle sense of confusion.
Huo Niansheng didn’t have memories of rebirth—he had shared a bed with the other for seven years; if he did, he couldn’t have missed it. However, facing this Huo Niansheng, every word and action exuded a sense of intrusion, and he found himself struggling to cope.
Chen Wengang was too nervous; being within half a meter of Huo Niansheng, he even held his breath.
Huo Niansheng, on the other hand, was unabashed, freely revealing his true self. Those without memories were fortunate. In this lifetime, he didn’t have to conceal his caution in every attitude because of Chen Wengang’s disability.
Chen Wengang got distracted and missed a shot, prompting Huo Niansheng to cease provoking him with conversation.
The entertainment lounge was filled with the crisp sound of balls colliding for a while, yet the silence of each person taking turns to hit the ball made it feel somewhat eerie.
Finally, Chen Wengang initiated a conversation, changing the subject, “Is this place not open to the public?”
Huo Niansheng replied, “Mr. Yu closed this lounge for renovation recently. I have a good relationship with him, so he lets me use the space to pass the time. By the way, Yu Shanding called me before he came up, saying you came to see me about something.”
Chen Wengang could only smile, “I originally came to try my luck with him.”
Huo Niansheng asked, “What exactly is it? Why don’t you tell me about it?”
Chen Wengang explained the banquet hall incident to him, omitting any mention of Mrs. Zheng.
After listening, Huo Niansheng remained silent. Now, it was his turn to take the shot. He bent down and focused on his aim.
Seeing this, Chen Wengang didn’t interrupt, quietly watching from the side.
After a while, Huo Niansheng finally took the shot. It was a brilliant chain reaction—balls colliding in succession, producing a few crisp sounds.
He casually said, “That’s a bit troublesome. I do need to use it. Invitations have already been sent out.”
This time, Chen Wengang chose not to respond. He was thinking about how to phrase his reply. On one hand, he knew Huo Niansheng was using a certain tone; on the other hand, he did come to him voluntarily, and admitting or denying it was difficult to explain in a single sentence.
Huo Niansheng reminded him, “It’s your turn.”
Chen Wengang bent down as instructed, choosing a nearby blue ball.
Once again, he played unexpectedly, and the rubber tip slid past the cue ball, completely missing the shot.
Because Huo Niansheng enveloped him from behind, “If you please Zheng Yucheng this time, how will he thank you?”
Chen Wengang froze, still in the posture of supporting the cue and leaning over, and for a moment, he didn’t comprehend the words in his ears.
He felt the warm breath of the man coming from behind, forcing him to lower his waist even more. It was a perilous posture, and it was hard to ignore its alluring nature. Chen Wengang gripped the edge of the table, his heart pounding, and the cue unintentionally fell onto the table.
Helplessly, countless images of moments with Huo Niansheng flashed in his mind.
Remembering the first time they made love, and oddly, the first kiss came much later. Recalling many nights when they refused to turn on the lights, the warmth of the skin, the entwining of bodies, the passionate breaths, and the steaming desires…
He was no longer a naive young man, yet he felt more nervous than when facing it for the first time.
Chen Wengang propped himself against the pool table, feeling as if he were a lamb caught by the nape of its neck.
The hunt had started the moment he walked in.
Huo Niansheng was a cheetah resting in the night, opening his half-closed eyes and watching the prey that had entered his territory.
A hand crawled up his lower back, sliding through the shirt tucked into his belt, the thumb sensually caressing his supple waist.
“In fact, I’m not really concerned about the Zheng family’s matters,” Huo Niansheng whispered low in his ear, with a hint of playfulness, “You can have the banquet hall if you want, but when asking for a favor, you should show some sincerity, right? Otherwise, how about this—you spend the night with me?”
Struggling, Chen Wengang forcibly turned his body around.
The other party remained unyielding, almost becoming face-to-face, with their noses almost touching.
Huo Niansheng’s hand still rested on his waist, showing no signs of restraint. His knee unknowingly nestled between Chen Wengang’s legs.
Chen Wengang was almost pressed down onto the pool table, his body slightly tilted backward. To maintain balance, he could only push his hands backward, leaning against the edge of the table. The hardwood pressed against his palms, and he accidentally hit a ball, making it roll away with a muffled sound.
“Don’t worry, no one would know about it,” Huo Niansheng said, “Spend the night here, and I’ll send you back tomorrow.”
“You…” Chen Wengang pushed him and said, “Step aside.”
“Of course, this sacrifice might be a bit significant.” He thought for a moment and chuckled, “You can also propose other conditions. I’m always generous with people; you can ask for anything. But my patience is limited. I can only give you, let’s say, ten seconds. Is that enough time to consider?”
Chen Wengang glared at him, and Huo Niansheng returned a playful smile, twirling a strand of his hair with his fingers: “I’m starting to count.”
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