Chapter 10: The Cannon Fodder in a Dogblood Novel (10)
Lin Mu withdrew his eyes and shouted with a bit of irritability, “Eleven fives.”
“Open, open, open. I bet there aren’t ten fives on the table.” Little Yellow Hair smiled and opened the dice box in front of him. “I don’t have a single five!”
Others lifted their lids one after another. Sure enough, added together there were only nine fives.
“Drink, drink, drink,” Little Yellow Hair jeered from the side.
Lin Mu silently picked up a glass of wine from the table and downed it in one go.
“Brother Mu, you should have just challenged Little Shen just now. I didn’t have a single four here. If you challenged him, he would have definitely had to drink.” The fatty looked at Lin Mu and spoke grinningly.
Lin Mu lifted his eyelids and swept a glance at him, his voice faint and emotionless. “He just got lucky.”
After speaking, he fished a cigarette from the table and held it in his mouth, but didn’t light it immediately.
Shen Tangqing rubbed his throbbing temples.
“You guys play first. I’m going out for some air, I’ll be back in a bit.”
Zhou Geng immediately looked up at him. “Are you drunk? Shall I take you to rest first?”
Shen Tangqing shook his head. Zhou Geng and the others were in high spirits; he didn’t want to spoil everyone’s fun. “I’m fine, just a bit stuffy. I’ll come back in after getting some air.”
“Alright then. There’s a sofa outside for resting. You can rest for a while. If you want to go back to the room to rest, call me.” Zhou Geng looked concerned, afraid Shen Tangqing was uncomfortable.
“Mn, okay.” Shen Tangqing smiled at Zhou Geng and stood up to leave the private room.
Ultimately, he had drunk a bit too much; his steps felt light and floating as he walked.
Lin Mu paused watching his back. Only after a moment did he pick up the lighter on the table and slowly light the cigarette in his mouth.
The cool air in the corridor dispelled the alcohol fumes from the private room.
After going out, Shen Tangqing couldn’t help but lean against the wall for support. After resting for a moment, he headed toward the main hall.
The dim floor lamp spilled light onto the leather sofa. Looking up, he saw Zhou Shuli sitting there, a half-drunk glass of red wine in front of him.
At the moment their eyes met, Shen Tangqing was stunned. His brain, clouded by alcohol, reacted a beat slow. He subconsciously raised his hand to rub his cheek, wanting to make himself look more sober.
Zhou Shuli’s gaze fell on his unsteady steps. He didn’t get up, just speaking faintly: “Come sit.”
Shen Tangqing hesitated for two seconds, but walked over anyway and sat down on the other end of the sofa.
His back leaned against the soft cushion, feeling as if all strength had left his body.
He turned his head to look at Zhou Shuli. The other wasn’t looking at him; his line of sight fell outside the distant floor-to-ceiling window, as if spacing out.
The atmosphere was subtly awkward for a moment.
After a while, Zhou Shuli stood up. Without saying goodbye to Shen Tangqing, he left the hall.
It wasn’t until Zhou Shuli left that Shen Tangqing completely relaxed.
He sank entirely into the soft sofa and closed his eyes to rest.
A few minutes later, the sound of footsteps came from beside his ear.
Getting clearer and clearer.
He opened his eyes sluggishly, crashing right into Zhou Shuli’s appraising look.
“Sleepy? Or drunk?” His voice was as cold as ever.
After speaking, he handed the cup in his hand to Shen Tangqing. “Hot milk. Drinking some might make your stomach feel better.”
Shen Tangqing truly hadn’t expected Zhou Shuli to get him a glass of milk. This brother was actually cold outside but warm inside!
“Thank you, Brother Zhou.” Shen Tangqing smiled and took the cup from Zhou Shuli’s hand.
Their fingertips “accidentally” touched.
Zhou Shuli’s eyes darkened instantly. The touched fingertips curled slightly. An uncontrollably chaotic feeling emanated from within his body.
A desire he had never felt before—quietly spawned at this moment, causing his body to tremble slightly.
He lowered his eyes, long lashes covering the surging desire in the depths of his eyes. His whole face became colder.
Should have worn gloves. Shouldn’t have had direct physical contact with him.
For me, this is too much—
Standing in place for two seconds, Zhou Shuli finally returned to sit on the sofa opposite Shen Tangqing.
His back was straight. The alienation around him was like a layer of thin ice, firmly wrapping around that bit of loss of control.
Shen Tangqing didn’t want to drink anymore after half a cup of milk.
After placing the cup on the table, he subconsciously used the tip of his tongue to lick the milk stain on his lip.
Zhou Shuli’s gaze fell on his rosy lips.
With a buzz in his brain, a momentary blankness appeared.
How can a man be born so seductive?
Zhou Shuli was sure he was straight. Although he had never dated anyone, his understanding had always been to start a career, get married, and have children.
It was just that he hadn’t met the right person yet.
But the moment he saw Shen Tangqing, he overturned his own inherent thinking.
Perhaps, a man being with a man doesn’t seem impossible.
It’s just—
How do men be together?
He had no concept and no experience.
But this didn’t hinder his desire to possess Shen Tangqing in the slightest.
This thought was like a vine, quietly wrapping around his heart, tightening more and more.
Zhou Shuli’s Adam’s apple rolled extremely slowly. His voice carried a strange huskiness.
“Do you mind if I smoke a cigarette?”
Shen Tangqing was startled. Details determine character. He didn’t expect Zhou Shuli to be so cultured; his impression of him improved a few degrees.
“Don’t mind, go ahead.”
“Do you want one?”
Shen Tangqing didn’t have much of a nicotine addiction. He had already smoked several tonight and didn’t want to smoke now.
“I won’t, thanks Brother Zhou.”
Zhou Shuli didn’t speak again. He took a cigarette from the pack and held it in his mouth.
His movements were methodical. His jointed hand held the cigarette body, and even the arc of his fingertips seemed to exude nobility.
Shen Tangqing recognized at a glance that the lighter in his hand was a TF1 annual limited edition, costing over a million.
Do these young masters think money grows on trees?
Shen Tangqing had the illusion that the money he earned in a lifetime would probably only be enough to buy one such lighter.
Unaware of Shen Tangqing’s thoughts, Zhou Shuli lit the cigarette and tossed the lighter casually beside the pack.
He rarely inhaled deeply when smoking. When he inhaled, his Adam’s apple rolled extremely slowly, just letting the smoke swirl in his mouth before exhaling it in clouds.
It was clearly a smoking posture, yet it exuded a restrained nobility, elegant and composed. It was truly pleasing to the eye.
Shen Tangqing’s gaze fell on the hand holding the cigarette. Looking at it from a close distance, the feeling of beauty was even stronger. Hiding it under gloves was truly a pity.
After taking another puff, Zhou Shuli looked up at Shen Tangqing.
“Why have you been staring at my hand?” His tone was as calm as if asking ‘what did you eat today.’
Shen Tangqing felt the illusion of being caught peeping. His face felt inexplicably hot. He smiled awkwardly at Zhou Shuli and praised sincerely,
“Just felt that your hands are quite beautiful, Brother Zhou.”
Zhou Shuli was stunned. His gaze fell on his own hand. Beautiful? He didn’t think so.
He thought Shen Tangqing’s hands were very beautiful.
Very suitable to be held in the palm and played with meticulously.
After a moment of silence, he found his voice. “Thank you.”
Shen Tangqing wanted to say something else but was interrupted by the ringtone of his phone.
It was Zhou Geng.
As soon as the call connected, Zhou Geng’s boisterous voice came through. “Tang Tang, are you feeling better?”
“Better. I’m coming back to the room right now.” After sitting outside for a while, Shen Tangqing’s brain was much clearer. He felt he could still fight them for another three hundred rounds.
“Alright—”
Hanging up the phone, Shen Tangqing looked at Zhou Shuli. “Brother Zhou, I’m going back to the private room. They are playing dice, do you want to join?”
“I won’t play. You go.” Zhou Shuli’s expression returned to its initial coldness. The ripples in his eyes were completely suppressed, leaving only a detachment that kept people away.
Shen Tangqing greeted him and stood up to leave the hall.
Zhou Shuli lowered his eyes, not looking at him.
After a long time, he raised his hand to look at his fingertips. It seemed as if the warmth from Shen Tangqing’s fingertips still remained there, making him uncontrollably fascinated.
He picked up the cigarette again. This time, he inhaled deeply.
The smoke rushed past, making his throat tight, yet it couldn’t suppress the desire growing frantically in his heart.
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