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Chapter 48: As if he were also gracefully accompanying his meal.
The car had slid to the doorstep of a neon sign, and the rain had stopped.
“Awake?” Huo Niansheng lifted his head from his phone screen. “Hungry or not? I’ve booked a restaurant. Do you like seafood?” His gaze shifted to Chen Wengang. “Hearing you mention clamming today, I feel like having seafood.”
Chen Wengang was also awake.
“How about we plan a trip to go clamming sometime?”
“Where and how do we go clamming?” Huo Niansheng asked, seeking advice.
“I know a place…” Chen Wengang’s thoughts wandered after his nap, from scenes of successful clamming to the next scene. “You can also see a fluorescent beach there. The season is over now, but next year, we can go around March or April.”
He unilaterally decided that this relationship would last at least until next year, but Huo Niansheng didn’t object.
“Fluorescent beach; I thought you could only see that along the coast near the city; there’s a very famous one over there.”
“That’s the ‘Blue Tears,’ we have it here too; it’s not a tourist spot, not well-known, many people don’t know about it.”
The two got out of the car and went into the restaurant.
They booked a small private room, and the waiter brought out lobster linguine, scallops with sea urchin sauce, and a plate of boiled prawns. They didn’t order much, but everything was fresh, with the lobster, as large as an adult’s hand, sprawling generously over the linguine.
Chen Wengang put on gloves and skillfully removed its shell. Jin city was close to the sea, seafood often graced their tables, and they were both proficient.
Huo Niansheng leisurely peeled a small bowl of prawn meat into the dipping sauce, pushed it toward the center, and then dealt with his own lobster.
This made Chen Wengang feel a bit embarrassed. “You…”
Huo Niansheng gestured for him to start with his chopsticks. “How’s the food here?”
The lobster was plump and succulent, its claws filled with meat. The linguine had a chewiness from being fried in oil, absorbing the essence of the lobster soup. The scallops were rich in texture, and the sea urchin sauce was savory and slightly sweet.
Chen Wengang enjoyed his food in a refined and focused manner, while Huo Niansheng ate, his pupils reflecting him.
As if he were also gracefully accompanying his meal.
After dinner, they returned to the car. Huo Niansheng tapped the steering wheel leisurely: “Where should we go tomorrow?”
Chen Wengang turned to look at him.
Huo Niansheng also turned his head, squinting, and showed a teasing smile, his intentions becoming clear.
Just then, his phone buzzed twice—a message from Huo Jingsheng.
Huo Jingsheng had been blocked from something his second uncle had promised him, accusing him of settling a personal grudge. Huo Niansheng scoffed coldly, not paying much attention, but pretended to care, saying, “The elders suspended Huo Jingsheng’s credit cards, and he’s unhappy about it.”
Chen Wengang smiled in cooperation, pretending to believe him.
His phone buzzed with reminders, too, one after another, all from Qi Tongzhou.
Huo Niansheng’s sharp eyes caught a glimpse of the photos on his screen. “Is that Li Hongqiong’s younger brother?”
Chen Wengang replied, “He accompanied a friend to the opening of an art exhibition today. He originally invited me to go with him.”
Huo Niansheng elongated his tone, “Oh,” he said, “it’s okay for kids, but adults… they want to stick to you too.”
Chen Wengang paused: “I’ll find a chance to explain to him.”
Qi Tongzhou had been increasingly attentive lately, and Chen Wengang had subtly declined him several times recently. However, he hadn’t completely shut him out, and Chen Wengang didn’t have any better ideas to avoid hurting their relationship.
Huo Niansheng chuckled: “What were you thinking? I was just asking.” He leaned back against the seat. “I know about that exhibition. Li Hongqiong also invited me. If you want to go, we can go tomorrow.”
Chen Wengang fastened his seatbelt. “That’s fine.”
Then he heard a question from beside him, “One last question, are you going home today or staying with me?”
***
This time, they went to another five-star hotel.
The decor was in European style, with a towering dome in the lobby and grand murals on the ceiling, a replica of Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam. God was reaching out to create Adam, infusing him with divine spirit.
The guest rooms were also painted in thick, heavy tones resembling oil paintings, with tall bedposts draped in thick curtains, red walls, and golden tassels.
Chen Wengang turned back, his hands around his neck. “I only brought one change of clothes…”
Huo Niansheng held onto his waist, holding it tightly and pulling it forward. “That’s fine; it’s good to be prepared.”
Chen Wengang’s throat bobbed as he closed his eyes, accepting his kiss.
Soon, they were engulfed in an extremely intense game.
Both tenderness and fierceness were familiar to the point of being over-familiar. Despite the initial awkwardness after a decade apart, his body recognized the old love earlier than his mind did, and Huo Niansheng easily dominated his thoughts and intentions.
…
They had planned to go to the exhibition but ended up sleeping in until noon.
Chen Wengang pulled out a black T-shirt from his bag, which was thin and compact when rolled up. Huo Niansheng was also getting dressed, his clothes having been washed and dried by the hotel’s laundry service. 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 ground. “Want me to fold it for you?”
“Thanks; just help me fold it and put it back in the bag,” Chen Wengang replied.
Huo Niansheng glanced at the shirt, which had a few black letters printed on it and seemed to be of average quality. Chen Wengang smoothed out the bottom edge of the new T-shirt and noticed his gaze. “Just stuff it in. It’s from the supermarket; 50 yuan, not worth much.”
Huo Niansheng complied, putting the shirt into the bag and zipping it up, then leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. “My Wengang is diligent and frugal.”
Chen Wengang’s heart skipped a beat, a blush creeping onto his face, not just because of the words “frugal” and “diligent.”
His expression almost made Huo Niansheng want to strip his clothes off again.
But he pushed the thought away, chuckled, and picked up Chen Wengang’s backpack. “Check if your phone is in there; don’t forget anything.”
The two of them set off for the art gallery. It was the second day of the exhibition, and the atmosphere was still lively, with quite a few people around.
After entering and walking halfway around, Huo Niansheng lowered his head to send a few messages. “Li Hongqiong is here too. Want to find her?”
“Where is she?” Chen Wengang instinctively looked around.
“In the curator’s office. She has a stake in this gallery.”
A young man approached them, one of Huo Niansheng’s acquaintances, though Chen Wengang wasn’t sure which one. He greeted Huo Niansheng.
Chen Wengang’s discounted T-shirt, contrasted by Huo Niansheng’s attire, was a bit conspicuous. Though there was no dress code for the exhibition, the simplicity of his outfit didn’t seem to cater to anyone’s taste, leading the young man to assume he was a new university student Huo Niansheng was courting.
Thinking along these lines, he didn’t pay much attention to Chen Wengang. “When did your vision become like this?”
Chen Wengang glanced at him indifferently and told Huo Niansheng, “I’m going to chat with Li Hongqiong.”
Huo Niansheng patted his back. “Go ahead.”
As the young man watched Chen Wengang walk away, his eyes held a hint of speculation. He then turned back to see Huo Niansheng walking away without acknowledging him. Sensing Huo Niansheng’s unpredictable mood today, he decided it wasn’t a good day to engage further and left him alone.
Huo Niansheng strolled into the courtyard of the art gallery, where it was crowded. As he approached, he noticed journalists setting up tripods and cameras, with two chairs placed in front of a reflector for interviews. When he saw the interviewee, he chuckled and paused in his steps.
Mu Qing struck a perfect pose for the camera, exerting an effort that was evident. He didn’t notice Huo Niansheng approaching.
Among the crowd, there was also a familiar face, Qi Tongzhou.
Qi Tongzhou turned around, startled, and instinctively looked around before heaving a sigh of relief when he didn’t spot Chen Wengang. He then greeted him, “Huo-ge,” with a neither humble nor overbearing tone.
Huo Niansheng found it amusing, letting out a chuckle before nodding and shaking hands with the curator standing next to him.
Qi Tongzhou didn’t like Huo Niansheng’s disdainful attitude toward everything, finding it arrogant.
However, the curator’s demeanor was different, very courteous, and he knew how to cater to high net worth clients, having surely heard of Master Huo’s reputation. He appeared to fit the stereotype of an art enthusiast with his ponytail and fisherman’s hat, matching the description provided by Qi Tongzhou’s mother.
Qi Madam was an important client, and the young master had asked him to assist a friend. But yesterday was the opening of the art exhibition, and he was busy entertaining guests from all sides, so he definitely didn’t have time to come. Today, he managed to free up some time to invite reporters to film a few interviews.
There were seven or eight artists to promote, and the interviews were scheduled to be completed within a week, with Mu Qing being prioritized.
The curator handed over his business card first. “We’re now interviewing this emerging artist, who is actually still a student at the Art Academy but shows great potential. These three pieces here are his works, somewhat reminiscent of the style of the 20th-century abstract master Wolfgang and influenced by the traditional Chinese master Wang Xianzong. Most importantly, you can see that he has his own thoughts about the world within them…”
Huo Niansheng looked up, stared for a while, and raised his eyebrows. “Is that so? I don’t understand.”
The curator maintained his smile. “Yes, art needs some interpretation.”
Huo Niansheng lazily withdrew his gaze. “I’m just an ordinary person. Show me Botticelli and Caravaggio, and I can appreciate them; they paint people beautifully, right? As for abstract art, I don’t understand. You say there are masters in there, I believe you. You say some people might be pretending, I believe you. As someone who doesn’t understand, I don’t know how to distinguish.”
Looking like a troublemaker, Qi Tongzhou glared at him angrily, but he couldn’t cause a scene and didn’t want to disrupt Mu Qing’s interview.
Suddenly, Chen Wengang appeared from behind. “Why are you all gathered here in such a lively scene?”
He had just finished chatting with Li Hongqiong.
She walked over gracefully, smiling at Huo Niansheng. “What grandiloquent words are you spouting now?”
Huo Niansheng draped his arm over Chen Wengang’s shoulder. “Nothing much. Just talking about my retro aesthetic, liking Botticelli.”
Chen Wengang grinned. “I also like The Angels by Botticelli. Is it out of fashion to like him now?”
When Qi Tongzhou saw Huo Niansheng appear, his eyes initially brightened but then dimmed slightly, feeling a heavy sinking sensation in his heart. The behavior and intimacy between these two surpassed what he had observed at the yacht club. He was about to approach them when suddenly Li Hongqiong also draped her arm over his shoulder. “Little brother.”
“Hey!” Qi Tongzhou startled. “What’s up?”
Then he watched helplessly as the two of them walked away.
Li Hongqiong sighed. “Come with me.”
Qi Tongzhou followed her to the side.
“It’s okay if you want to pursue someone; it’s your freedom,” Li Hongqiong advised, “but if someone else already has their eyes set on them, you shouldn’t keep… pouncing on them.” She tried to be tactful, saying, “It’s not a good look.”
“What if there are special circumstances?” Qi Tongzhou wasn’t quite convinced. “What if this ‘someone’ is interested in a scoundrel?”
“Who? You mean Lao Huo? How do you know he’s a scoundrel?”
“Isn’t he considered one?” Qi Tongzhou found himself stuck at a dead end in his own thoughts.
“You haven’t seen it, and neither have I, so how can we judge?” Li Hongqiong was very discreet. “He’s as slippery as an eel. Do you think he’s a scoundrel? You can try to catch him in the act before saying anything.”
“Jie, I know you have a good relationship with him, but if that day comes, don’t favor him.”
“You little brat, I’m telling you, you’re setting conditions with me. I have something to do, so go play.”
When Qi Tongzhou returned to the courtyard, Mu Qing’s interview had ended. The cameraman checked the small screen, giving an okay gesture, and the journalist checked the microphone volume, signaling for the next one. Soon, another artist took the seat for the interview.
“How did it go?” Qi Tongzhou asked.
“I was really nervous,” Mu Qing said, clutching his chest and exaggeratedly laughing at him, “I was so afraid of saying the wrong thing. It was my first time facing the camera. Did I do okay?”
“Very well. Don’t be nervous. With your talent, you’ll definitely have many opportunities in the future,” Qi Tongzhou encouraged him. “By the way, is this interview going to be broadcast on TV? I noticed the logo on their microphone is from the local TV station.”
“It should be. The journalist said they’re going to do a special feature for the art program. I’ll let you know once I find out more.”
“That’s great. Congratulations. I’ll make sure my whole family watches it when it airs,” Qi Tongzhou sincerely congratulated him.
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Aaaa ive finally caught up. I really like this novel, its not so easy to predict whats going to happen next even if its HE. And the subtle tension… truthfully im a little uncomfortable with the relationship right now because its hard to see HNS’s true intention but i love how it keeps us readers on our toes. I also love how the problems are being dealt with here, its not like exaggerated face-slapping or burning bridges, everyone tries to keep a classy demeanour😂 and of course how this story approaces disability is refreshing.
Thanks for translating, looking forward to more chapters ♡