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Chapter 61: Your boyfriend is beautiful.
“How should I address you?”
Shen Ti continued to smile and withdrew his hand.
“Jancis.” The man in front of him wore a defeated expression, not bothering to glance at An Wujiu again. An electronic business card floated beside his right cheekbone, displaying his name, phone number, and position.
“Come with me.”
The two followed Jancis, the leader, into a corridor filled with psychedelic lights like a tunnel of simultaneous light. As they went deeper, the music became louder, and the heavy drumbeats seemed to directly pound the heart.
At the end of the corridor was a circular hall where several men and women were scattered, embracing each other, laughing, and talking ambiguously, some even grabbing each other by the neck and kissing passionately.
Although he passively accepted the kiss, the man’s eyes were fixed on him.
An Wujiu lowered his eyes in discomfort.
The place was just as he had imagined, but even more extravagant.
Just as he was thinking, his right wrist was suddenly pulled, and as he raised his head, he met the face of a man with his shirt half-open, exuding a charming air.
“Hey, handsome, care for a martini?” He spoke English with a thick French accent.
An Wujiu was about to refuse when a hand reached out, wrapping around his waist and pulling him to the left.
Shen Ti smiled at the flirtatious man: “Sorry, what did you say?”
The psychedelic blue light shone on his face, changing like a kaleidoscope. The oppressive feeling in his eyes increased, and possessiveness was released without reservation.
When the man met his gaze, he knew he had no chance, but he gracefully raised the glass in his hand toward Shen Ti. The golden liquid inside swirled, and he said to Shen Ti in his native language, “Your boyfriend is very beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Shen Ti responded in French and then continued to lead An Wujiu forward, embracing him.
“What did he say?” An Wujiu asked, turning his head.
It was too noisy here, and Shen Ti couldn’t hear him clearly. He lowered his head slightly, getting closer to An Wujiu, and asked what was wrong.
His deep voice sounded particularly appealing amidst the hormone-inducing music, like a black stone thrown into a lake.
Shen Ti’s hand was clasped around his waist, and An Wujiu felt a bit uncomfortable, but for some reason, his heart inexplicably throbbed.
As they turned a corner, Shen Ti tactfully let go of his hand and switched sides without drawing attention. This way, An Wujiu’s injured right hand was always close to him.
An Wujiu was observant, and he immediately sensed this comforting gesture.
“Thank you,” he said sincerely.
Shen Ti also smiled, not turning his head but just reaching out to gently touch his hair.
Jancis led them from the circular hall to another corridor on the opposite side, and the automatic door opened upward. The mesmerizing electronic music hit them like a tsunami.
Inside was a dance hall, very spacious, packed with people nearly skin to skin. The holographic projection of a virtual DJ danced in the air, leading the masses in the dance of desire.
Shen Ti picked up a bubblegum from the bar near the entrance, tore off the wrapper, and tossed it into his mouth.
It tasted like red wine, which was a bit strange.
Jancis cleared a path with both hands, and the three of them moved like a group of jellyfish piercing through a large school of fish, wandering to the other end of the dance hall.
The atmosphere here was even more intense because they were witnessing a special striptease performance. The scene was vivid, hormones rushing to the head, turning into the plaything of senses. The dancers on the stage were ambiguous in gender, swaying their bodies, and banknotes fluttered in the air, some tucked into their underwear straps.
They were indeed male.
Just as An Wujiu, who was persistent in distinguishing gender, was about to make a judgment, his head was turned back by Shen Ti.
“I’m just checking if they are male or female.”
An Wujiu leaned in to explain to Shen Ti.
But Shen Ti just smiled and leaned toward his ear.
“Why are you explaining this to me?”
In a trance, An Wujiu felt Shen Ti’s lips against his earlobe, but it was just a fleeting moment, too short to distinguish.
“You turned me,” An Wujiu said seriously, feeling out of place.
Shen Ti shrugged. “I just wanted you to look at the way.”
An Wujiu, usually logical, was defeated in this situation.
Jancis led them from the dance hall to a lounge at the back, and they took the elevator to the top.
The sealed elevator cabin had mirrors on all sides. Jancis quietly observed An Wujiu and Shen Ti behind him through the mirror—one standing quietly, the other playing with a virtual electronic screen while chewing bubblegum.
Looking at himself, Jancis felt like the receptionist for these two.
He awkwardly cleared his throat: “How did you guys meet Gabriel?”
Shen Ti waved his hand, put away the electronic screen, and started showcasing his storytelling skills.
“It’s quite a coincidence, to be honest. We met at a bar in the city. It was raining just like today, freezing cold. He was wearing a Hawaiian outfit with explosive hair like a cloud. Everyone found it magical. I struck up a conversation with him, but you know, his eyes were only spinning on beautiful women.”
“Indeed,” Jancis agreed with his description. “When he looks at beautiful women, his eyeballs could fall out. At that time, if you took anything from his hands, he wouldn’t even react.”
That’s too exaggerated. An Wujiu remained silent, quietly listening to Shen Ti’s lies.
“Then I found out that my cousin turned out to be his former colleague. Can you believe how coincidental it was? And that’s how we clicked instantly.” Shen Ti smiled, and even his gestures and small movements seemed incredibly natural.
Cousin…
He really knows how to make up stories.
“I see.” Jancis visibly sighed in relief, a hint of subtle disdain appearing on his face. “He’s just freeloaded off his connections from the previous company. Easy money for a slacker.”
Shen Ti and An Wujiu both understood his jealousy but just smiled. Shen Ti played the diplomat, “Indeed, nowadays, who doesn’t rely on some social connections to make a living.”
“Well, aren’t you two doing the same?” Jancis teased. “Growing up like this, I guess the money tree must be automatically delivered to your door.”
An Wujiu thought of what Zhong Yirou had said before.
In today’s society, beauty is indeed a valuable asset.
The elevator door opened, and the three of them walked out. This area was obviously much quieter than downstairs, extravagantly decorated, and in line with Gabriel’s own style and demeanor.
An Wujiu noted the positions of surveillance cameras; there were at least six.
Walking to the end, a large door covered in red velvet appeared before them. Jancis pressed the doorbell and called out, “Gabriel.”
There was no response inside, but they could hear some “activity.”
With such expensive decoration, the soundproofing wasn’t very good.
An Wujiu thought, thankfully Wu You didn’t follow; otherwise, it would be a sin to let a child experience this extravagant and sensual atmosphere.
Jancis, with a dark expression, pressed the doorbell again. The people inside seemed to be in a critical moment and had no time to bother with him.
“Lucy was right,” Jancis muttered under his breath.
Shen Ti smiled, looking like he was resolving a situation. “It’s okay; you go ahead and take care of your business. We’ll wait here on our own.”
Jancis was a cautious guy. He stared into Shen Ti’s eyes for a moment, contemplating himself, and finally received a call that interrupted his hesitation.
“What did you say? Who are you? Yes, I’m Jancis… My electronic check? Wait, I’ll be right down.” He hung up the phone, gave a brief explanation to the two, and hurriedly left.
Watching Jancis’ departing figure until he disappeared around the corner, An Wujiu turned back and squinted at Shen Ti.
Chewing on his bubblegum, Shen Ti shrugged. “That’s right, you guessed it correctly. Smart of you, it was indeed me.”
Even when confessing, he didn’t forget to flatter a bit.
An Wujiu raised an eyebrow and asked, “What did you do?”
This expression is a bit reminiscent of when he was evil, Shen Ti thought.
“I noted down his number and sent it to Zhong Yirou. I asked her to call him ten minutes later and get him out of here,” Shen Ti said casually, but the execution was exceptionally smooth.
“Why did you do that?”
Shen Ti didn’t want to answer this question.
He didn’t want to leave this man nearby. Whenever there was a little opportunity, those eyes of his would stick to An Wujiu.
“Why so silent?” An Wujiu stared straight into his eyes.
Shen Ti smiled, “Why are you so keen on digging into things?”
“Why don’t you ask yourself why you look so good, attracting others one by one?”
These words confused An Wujiu.
His Adam’s apple rolled up and down.
Shen Ti particularly enjoyed seeing him in this state.
But An Wujiu gave an unexpected yet logically reasonable answer.
“Because of genetics.”
After An Wujiu finished speaking, he turned around and pressed the doorbell again, ignoring Shen Ti’s laughter.
This time, the person inside finally reacted, impatiently shouting, “Who is it?”
Shen Ti took over the conversation and said, “Your partner ordered a drink.”
An Wujiu looked at him and whispered, “What if the other person doesn’t recognize it?”
Shen Ti shamelessly said, “Just finished. Who has the energy to debunk my lie?”
Sure enough, the red velvet door slowly opened.
Gabriel, still in bed, put down the small remote in his hand, lit a cigarette, and leaned against the headboard.
He didn’t even lift his eyes. “Put it on the table.”
But he didn’t hear the sound of the glass touching the tabletop. So, he raised his eyes and astonishingly found two unfamiliar men at the foot of his bed.
The taller one blew a pink bubble toward him.
The bubble burst with a pop, and the green-eyed man waved at him, “Hey, Gabriel.”
Gabriel was surprised, pushed away his sleeping bed companion, and reached under her pillow.
“Don’t pull out a gun,” Shen Ti chuckled. “We’re not here to cause trouble.”
But Gabriel still held onto the gun handle, looking cautious. “What are you here for? Who let you in?”
“As long as you have the intention, there’s nowhere you can’t enter.” Shen Ti raised his hands effortlessly, approaching him. He bet that Gabriel wouldn’t dare to shoot.
A guy who was so cautious about making reservations for an adult club would probably deserve a “Good Citizen Award.”
Sure enough, until he sat on the edge of the bed, Gabriel didn’t take his hand off the gun; he just stared at Shen Ti, not daring to breathe.
“Are you a guest from downstairs?”
Shen Ti shook his head, “I’m just here to ask you about something, and I’ll leave after asking.” He glanced at the blue-haired girl next to Gabriel and said, “You can have another round with her; I promise not to delay things.”
“Get out.” Gabriel turned to the bed companion.
Hearing his words, the blue-haired girl picked up her clothes and left on her own. The two handsome men who came were very gentlemanly and didn’t even look at her.
“We’re looking for a patient.” Shen Ti got straight to the point, shaking the hand that Gabriel had pressed on the blanket. “My name is Eric. I came here because of your reputation. You must be able to help me with this little favor.”
An Wujiu stood aside, feeling a bit thirsty. So, he walked to the table and poured himself a glass of cold tea.
“The patient’s name is…” Shen Ti suddenly realized he didn’t know An Wujiu’s mother’s name, so he turned and asked, “What’s her name?”
“An Congnan,” An Wujiu said, finishing the rest of his tea and holding the cup.
“Her name is An Congnan. I can write it down for you,” Shen Ti said to Gabriel. “An Congnan, sounds nice, right?”
“An Congnan… no, wait.” The two people who appeared out of nowhere made Gabriel confused, almost getting tangled up. “Who are you guys? Did I agree to help you?”
“Gabriel, let me put it this way.” Shen Ti said half of it and glanced at the gold chain on his neck, “This chain is nice. Where did you buy it?”
“I made it myself,” Gabriel answered along Shen Ti’s question.
“Great craftsmanship,” Shen Ti chuckled. “With your skills, you can definitely find An Congnan. Besides, I can’t think of anyone else who can handle this except you.”
Gabriel frowned, “Just by giving me a name, how am I supposed to find her?”
An Wujiu almost laughed; they managed to confuse him so quickly.
“Not just the name,” Shen Ti said to Gabriel. “She was hospitalized in St. Georgia before.”
“Got pushed out?” Gabriel thought this was normal. A moment later, he suddenly realized, “Wait, when did I agree to help you?”
“You see, you’re a bit forgetful.” Shen Ti smiled, hugging Gabriel’s bronze-colored neck. “Here’s the deal, Gabriel. You tell us a request, and we’ll try our best to fulfill it. Business is about mutual benefits.”
In this sudden request from Gabriel, Shen Ti’s words were quick and cryptic, making it difficult for Gabriel to grasp the meaning. As he thought about it, Gabriel’s eyes glanced toward An Wujiu, who was leaning against the table.
Suddenly, he squinted his eyes.
“You… you look familiar…”
Seeing this, Shen Ti was speechless; this was the third time in one night.
Patiently, he patted Gabriel’s shoulder with the back of his hand, “Hey, isn’t this pick-up line a bit too cliché?”
But Gabriel’s expression didn’t seem like he was lying. He struggled to remember, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t recall, feeling extremely frustrated.
“So annoying. You look really familiar; where have I seen you before…”
An Wujiu raised an eyebrow, exchanged a glance with Shen Ti, and walked toward the bed, “Have you seen me before?”
Gabriel looked up at him and said, “It seems like… have you been to Sha Wen?”
“No.” An Wujiu shook his head, dismissing his guess.
“Shouldn’t be? Have you been here before?”
Again, An Wujiu gently shook his head.
Gabriel, in frustration, scratched his explosive hair, the cigarette pinched between his fingers burning his hand. An annoyed expression on his face, he extinguished the cigarette and turned away, “Tell me everything about the illness, whether it’s a man or a woman, age and appearance; give me all the details.”
After speaking, he tapped the back of his neck with his index finger, and an address appeared in front of them.
Is this the promised information?
An Wujiu quickly organized this information and directly transmitted it to the person in front of him.
“Your mother?” Gabriel went through the information and asked, “Does she look like you?” He also did a quick search.
“Similar.”
“Hard to say. Those with a conscience will go directly to the black hospitals. Apart from higher debts, there’s nothing much; at least their lives can be preserved. If they’re heartless, then it’s tough luck.”
Gabriel looked unfazed, “But St. Georgia probably won’t just throw people away. I guess she might have been transferred to some underground clinic. It’ll take some time to find it. You probably don’t know that just in this neighborhood, there are over a dozen black clinics; none of them have electronic licenses. You won’t be able to find them.”
Shen Ti smiled, “Isn’t that the reason we came here to find you?”
“You’ve found the right person.” Gabriel pulled another cigar from the bedside table, lit it for himself, took a deep drag, and exhaled a ring of smoke.
“Are you players from the Holy Altar?”
An Wujiu stared at him.
“You know?”
“There are different marks on your bodies.” Gabriel held the cigar, “But you can’t see them yourselves. It’s a red symbol, right above your heads. Only ordinary people like us who don’t participate can see it.”
“What symbol?” An Wujiu asked.
“Kind of like a sun.” Gabriel couldn’t be bothered to describe it; since they couldn’t see it, he waved his hand. “Judging by your looks, you seem to be doing well in the Altar. I can’t handle the delicate work you do. But you’re right.” He pointed at Shen Ti with the hand holding the cigar.
“Mutual exchange. I help you find someone, and you help me with a small favor.”
An Wujiu nodded slightly and said, “Go on.”
Gabriel showed them a person’s information.
“Maguire, he’s like you, mingling in the Altar. I haven’t seen him for a long time. You find him for me. I heard it’s easy to die in the games in the Altar. It’s best if you can kill him, or if you can’t, torture him for me.”
Shen Ti chuckled, “Family issues, huh?”
“He’s my brother-in-law.” Gabriel’s eyes showed a fierce light, “Abused my sister; almost killed her. I’ve wanted to settle accounts with this bastard for a long time, but he hides in the Altar. Even if the game ends, I can’t find him. Don’t hold back; don’t be merciful when dealing with scum. Once it’s done, leave the rest to me.”
They signed the contract.
“Matching in the game is random for players,” An Wujiu reminded him.
“No problem; I can tell you’re not the kind ones.” Gabriel smiled. “Keep playing, and you’ll run into him sooner or later.”
The two left Gabriel’s room and entered the elevator.
“Isn’t Maguire the person Yang Erci mentioned last time? She met the player with the highest score.”
“Yeah.” Shen Ti smiled, stretching lazily. “It won’t be easy to handle.”
Out of the elevator, the two walked the same way, passing the dance floor. A man directly made a move, calling out “Sweetheart” and reaching for An Wujiu’s collarbone. An Wujiu caught his wrist, giving it a brutal twist.
The thug screamed in pain, clutching his dislocated wrist and squatting on the spot. An Wujiu unfeelingly moved past him and left.
“So fierce.” Shen Ti leaned against him, deliberately showing a frightened expression, “Why didn’t you make a move just now? Was the guy who approached us earlier more handsome?”
An Wujiu didn’t respond to his teasing, walking straight ahead. With progress in the situation, he felt a lot more relaxed.
At the entrance, they ran into Lucy, who was blowing on her toenails. Shen Ti greeted her and placed the plastic rose he had picked up on the way from the dance floor on her counter as a thank-you gift.
Lucy blew a flying kiss in return, “Not working tonight?”
Shen Ti didn’t look back, waving his hand behind him, “Maybe tomorrow.”
Back on the street, the light rain hadn’t stopped. Coming out of the crowded place, it suddenly felt a bit desolate. Shen Ti caught up with An Wujiu in two steps, both hands in his pockets, leaning toward him.
Almost falling, An Wujiu stopped in his tracks, hands on Shen Ti’s shoulders, commanding him in a serious tone, “Stand still.”
In Shen Ti’s eyes, he looked even more adorable.
“I can’t stand still…” Shen Ti’s voice carried a hint of ambiguous warmth. Both hands obediently stayed in his pockets, but his whole body leaned back like a toppling doll until An Wujiu was about to reach out. He extended his arms for a small, reserved hug.
Shen Ti’s chin rested against An Wujiu’s shoulder, and the warm breath of his words brushed against An Wujiu’s earlobe.
“The bubble gum seems to be drugged; I feel so hot…”
An Wujiu’s body tensed as if an electric shock had passed through him, but he had no intention of treating Shen Ti the way he dealt with the man earlier. He didn’t even have the thought of pushing him away; instead, he was torn between that and another unknown impulse.
“Really?” One of An Wujiu’s hands embraced Shen Ti’s back, and the other reached out, using the back of his hand to touch Shen Ti’s cheek, feeling the warmth.
“It seems a bit hot.” An Wujiu suppressed his racing heart, “What should we do?”
His voice trembled a bit, but he didn’t notice it himself.
But Shen Ti heard it very clearly.
“Should we go see a doctor…”
“I lied to you.” Shen Ti straightened up, gently flicking An Wujiu’s forehead, as if completely ignoring what had just happened, “I’m tired; let’s get a room.”
“What?”
“No need to see a doctor; I’ll be fine after a good night’s sleep.”
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