Chapter 20: There’s Still a Difference Between a Reserve and the Official Partner
Su Lin felt the rhythm of his heartbeat was inexplicably a bit strange. He lowered his eyes, avoiding Jiang Qing’s gaze.
Jiang Qing was just about to speak when footsteps suddenly sounded from the other end of the corridor. Both turned their heads simultaneously, only to see Shen Zhize walking toward them, his face calm.
“Qing, what took so long?” Shen Zhize stopped a few steps away. His gaze drifted between Jiang Qing and Su Lin, his tone gentle: “Chi Jiong and Song Lingchen are still waiting for you.”
Jiang Qing pulled some distance away from Su Lin: “Just smoking a cigarette to get some air. Heading back now.”
Shen Zhize’s gaze landed on Su Lin, an eyebrow raised slightly: “Is Bartender Su getting off work?”
Su Lin nodded: “Yes, Young Master Shen.”
“Then we won’t hold you up.” Saying so, Shen Zhize naturally reached out to wrap an arm around Jiang Qing’s shoulder, “Let’s go back, Qing. Song Lingchen said he wants to bet another round with you, double the stakes.”
Su Lin stood in place, watching the two walk away shoulder-to-shoulder, Shen Zhize’s arm firmly looped around Jiang Qing’s shoulder.
Until their figures disappeared around the corner.
At the end of the corridor, as they turned the corner, Shen Zhize glanced back, perfectly catching the expression Su Lin hadn’t yet completely concealed.
His arm tightened slightly, pulling Jiang Qing closer to his side.
“How did you end up chatting with him?”
Jiang Qing casually let him hold him, his fingertips playing with the cigarette case: “Just bumped into him. What, Young Master Shen, now you even have to question who I talk to?”
Shen Zhize froze for a second, then laughed out loud:
“Well, of course, after all, I’ve even joined the queue.”
“Sorry, Young Master Shen, there is still a difference between a reserve and the official partner. I haven’t stated my stance yet.” Jiang Qing said with a smile.
The two exchanged a look and burst into laughter simultaneously.
“Honestly speaking,” Shen Zhize reined in his joking expression, “The way that bartender looks at you really is a bit different.”
Jiang Qing raised an eyebrow: “Since when did you become such a worrywart?”
“Just a reminder.” Shen Zhize pushed the private room door open for him.
Jiang Qing stepped inside.
Inside the room, Song Lingchen was holding his wine glass and yelling loudly: “Chi Jiong, you’re cheating! This round doesn’t count!”
Seeing them return, Chi Jiong also turned on his inner drama queen, wailing: “Jiang Qing, come be the judge! Song Lingchen is a sore loser!”
Shen Zhize followed behind Jiang Qing into the room.
He remembered Su Lin’s expression that hadn’t been fully concealed in time, and his eyes darkened.
Song Lingchen did a flying leap and hung himself onto Jiang Qing’s shoulder.
“Qingqing! Chi Jiong is bullying me!” His entire body was practically glued to Jiang Qing’s side, his tone aggrieved and intimate. “He just took advantage of you not being here and won three hands against me in a row!”
Chi Jiong laughed uproariously: “Young Master Song, if you can’t afford to lose, then don’t play! What kind of skill is whining to Second Young Master Jiang?”
Jiang Qing was bumped into taking a half-step back by Song Lingchen, instinctively supporting his waist: “Alright, it’s not a big deal.”
Standing to the side, Shen Zhize watched Song Lingchen practically hanging off Jiang Qing’s body, his brows furrowing. But he quickly returned to normal, calmly walking over to sit on the sofa and pouring himself a drink.
“Lingchen, let Qing sit down first.”
Song Lingchen reluctantly loosened his grip slightly, but still sat down right next to Jiang Qing, half his body leaning against him.
Jiang Qing seemed long accustomed to this kind of contact. He casually picked up the dice cup from the table, spinning it on his fingertips: “Shall I play a round for Lingchen?”
Chi Jiong immediately perked up: “Come on, come on! Let Second Young Master Jiang witness my skills!”
Sitting opposite them, Shen Zhize’s gaze fell on Jiang Qing’s fingers expertly manipulating the dice cup, then swept past Song Lingchen glued to his side. He picked up his wine glass and took a sip.
Outside the private room, Su Lin stood in the corridor, listening to the faint sounds of laughter and noise coming from inside. He looked down at his own hands, then turned and walked toward the employee exit.
————————————
The Jiang Residence.
In stark contrast to the blurry clamor of “Zero Six,” the Jiang residence right now was terrifyingly quiet.
Jiang Linmu was kneeling on the ice-cold floor, wishing he could shrink himself into a ball.
Jiang Yu lifted his eyes, sweeping a glance at the person kneeling on the floor.
Jiang Linmu instantly shuddered, subconsciously shrinking his neck.
Jiang Yu didn’t speak, looking down at his phone screen.
11:39.
He unhurriedly found a phone number in his contacts and dialed it, conveniently turning on the speakerphone.
“Do… do…”
The rhythmic ringing tone was exceptionally clear in the silent study, every single ring striking right at Jiang Linmu’s heart.
After a few rings, the call connected. Instantly, deafening music blasted through, mixed with Chi Jiong’s clearly drunken shouting:
“Hahahahahaha… Hello? Brother Yu?! Rare guest! What made you think of calling me? Did you figure things out and decide to come play at my place? I’ll save the best seat for you! I guarantee you’ll…”
Chi Jiong’s enthusiastically overflowing voice carried through the speaker, forming an absurd contrast with the freezing atmosphere in the study.
Jiang Yu ignored the noise on his end and cut off his words:
“Chi Jiong.”
Just these two words seemed to hit the mute button on the other end. Chi Jiong’s laughter came to a screeching halt, and even the background music seemed to instantly drop a few decibels.
His voice was noticeably much more sober, “Jiang Qing… Uh, Second Young Master Jiang was just here at my place a moment ago, but… but he said he had a curfew at home, so he already… already went back!”
This unprompted, clumsy cover-up made Jiang Linmu, who was kneeling on the floor, close his eyes in absolute despair.
Suddenly, Jiang Qing’s shout came through the earpiece.
“Another round! Young Master Chi! We aren’t leaving until we’re drunk!”
“………”
Chi Jiong felt as if he had just taken a step closer to death.
“Tell Song Lingchen and Shen Zhize to personally escort him back.”
The other end of the line fell silent for a moment; presumably, Chi Jiong had put the phone on speaker.
Inside the private room:
A group of people stared at that little black brick, not daring to breathe loudly.
“Brother…”
“Do… do…”
The call disconnected.
“So what do we do now…” Song Lingchen swallowed hard.
“Prepare for our funerals.”
——————————————
20 minutes later.
The Jiang residence was still terrifyingly quiet.
Jiang Yu unhurriedly turned a page of the book in his hand, How to Communicate Calmly with Children.
Four people were kneeling in front of him.
From left to right:
Jiang Linmu, Jiang Qing, Song Lingchen, Shen Zhize.
Four people, lined up in a row—a truly spectacular sight.
Jiang Yu slowly turned another page, picked up his teacup, and blew gently on the steam.
Jiang Qing was already completely unfazed by this scene. He even had the free time to debate whether he should play A Branch of Flowers or Lifting the Bridal Sedan Chair tomorrow morning.
Beside him, Jiang Linmu inexplicably felt a chill run down his spine.
Next to them, Song Lingchen and Shen Zhize, who were also kneeling, had swallowed their saliva an unknown number of times, as this was their first time experiencing such a situation.
As for why Chi Jiong escaped this disaster.
Because Song Lingchen was an accomplice, and Shen Zhize was an accessory to the crime for the nth time.
Whereas Chi Jiong’s crimes were slightly lesser, negligible enough to ignore.
Time ticked by, minute by minute.
Jiang Linmu’s legs were already starting to go numb, but he didn’t dare move.
Finally, Jiang Yu closed the book, emitting a soft “snap.”
He lifted his eyes, slowly sweeping from Jiang Linmu on the far left to Shen Zhize on the far right.
His gaze paused on Jiang Qing for a split second, then landed on Song Lingchen and Shen Zhize.
“Lingchen, Zhize.”
Jiang Yu’s voice wasn’t loud:
“It seems the threshold to my Jiang family is too low, making you think you can take my younger brother out to experience the ‘nightlife’ whenever and wherever you want?”
Song Lingchen’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he spoke with difficulty:
“Brother Yu, I’m sorry, it was us…”
Shen Zhize inhaled sharply, rushing to admit his mistake: “Brother Yu, I was wrong! I won’t ever dare to do it next time!”
“Next time?”
Jiang Yu gently repeated, “Zhize, last month, it seems you said the exact same thing.”
Shen Zhize instantly fell silent, his scalp tingling.
Jiang Yu’s gaze finally landed back on tonight’s “main culprit.”
“Jiang Qing.”
Being called out, Jiang Qing jolted, violently snapping out of his internal debate over whether “Lifting the Bridal Sedan Chair looks grander, but A Branch of Flowers is more dashing,” and subconsciously straightened his somewhat sore, kneeling back.
“Brother…”
“Tell me,”
“Did you have fun playing tonight?”
Jiang Qing’s Adam’s apple bobbed, trying to squeeze out a smile:
“A-alright, I guess… No, Brother, I know I was wrong! I was just a little curious for a moment…”
“Curious.” Jiang Yu nodded.
I’m dead.
Now it was Jiang Qing’s turn to swallow hard.
The living room fell into silence once again.
Meanwhile, the butler by the door watched this scene and once again shed tears of sorrow.
“How wonderful. The Eldest Young Master has toiled so much for this family at such a young age, even his punishment of making them kneel is full of aesthetic beauty.”
“The Young Masters’ relationship is as close as ever…”
The butler sighed with emotion as he walked away. With tears in his eyes, he looked up at the bright moon.
Witnessing this scene, he couldn’t help but want to recite a poem:
(The following 20 words are omitted.)
———Mini Theater———
[Shen ZZ: (Staring darkly at Su Lin)]
[Shen ZZ: (Can’t hold back anymore, steps forward)]
[Shen ZZ: Is Bartender Su getting off work? If you’re not off work, let me treat you… treat you to go to hell.]
[Susu: …….]
[Qingqing: What? Young Master Shen, now you even have to question who I’ve talked to?]
[Shen ZZ: Ahhh Qingqing, why are you so cold! (Sheds two lines of clear tears)]
[Qingqing: Sorry Young Master Shen, there’s still a difference between a reserve and the official partner. I haven’t stated my stance yet.]
[Shen ZZ: No! (Grabs Jiang Qing’s leg)]
[Shen ZZ: Qingqing, quick, say you love me! Quick, say you’ll love me for a lifetime! I don’t accept being a reserve!]
[Qingqing: …….]
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