Drunk In Love (Years of Intoxication) - Chap 47
Zhou Heyi took He Gu around Central and Eastern Europe, then to Northern Europe. He Gu decided to visit Southern Europe and France last since he wanted to wait for Susu to get there so they could go have fun together.
If you didn’t count Russia, the entirety of Europe was still smaller than China, and it only took an hour to drive between countries. Along the way, they drove and stopped occasionally. Depending on their mood they would stay overnight and explore a city. When they were tired, they would even stop and stay for a day or two.
At first, He Gu was a bit reluctant to pour his money away on this holiday. But the more he thought about how hard he had worked for Nanchuang, barely taking any days off for the past seven years, the more he started to think this holiday could make up for all the missed opportunities before.
The more time he spent with Zhou Heyi, the more satisfied He Gu felt towards the young man. Zhou Heyi’s caring, considerate, and passionate nature made He Gu feel that it wasn’t just an act for work, but that he was genuinely a nice person at heart.
Half a month after they set off, they arrived in Denmark. Having travelled non-stop for a couple of days, on top of visiting numerous cities, the two were feeling quite worn out, so they decided to stop and spend a few days in this small yet auspicious and peaceful country.
The weather in May was still slightly chilly; He Gu wore a thin windbreaker as he sat on a bench in Copenhagen’s Town Square, reading his book whilst enjoying the sun. The warm sunlight and gentle breeze was very comforting and relaxing.
Zhou Heyi went to buy them some drinks and snacks from a nearby store. In the past few days, He Gu experienced how handy it was to have someone run errands for him. He finally understood why rich and fully able-bodied people still liked to order their assistants to do the most trifling things – it really was such a comfortable way of living.
“Hi,” someone greeted him randomly.
He Gu lifted his head, and saw a handsome young foreigner with gold hair and blue eyes looking at him curiously. He Gu nodded his head and said, “Hello?”
“Can I sit next to you?”
“Go ahead.”
The man sat down. “What book are you reading? Is that Chinese?”
“Yes, a popular science book.”
“I’m Fred.” He stretched out his hand.
“He Gu.”
“He Gu,” said Fred awkwardly. “What does your name mean?”
“It means… ‘why, oh why’.”
Fred laughed cheerfully, “Why, oh why? You’re called ‘why, oh why’?”
He Gu couldn’t help laughing along with him. “It’s just another way of saying ‘why’ in Chinese, it’s kinda like…” He Gu thought for a long while but couldn’t seem to come up with a way to explain it in English. In the end, he could only reply stiffly, “An ancient Chinese literature saying.”
His name was chosen by his father. Originally, it was chosen in hopes that He Gu would grow up to always seek knowledge, but ultimately, he spent half his life getting lost in one person.
“Oh, oh. That must be a very graceful saying, then,” said Fred as he looked straight at He Gu with deep, smiling eyes.
He Gu nodded in agreement.
“So, are you here on holiday? Or for work?”
“Holiday.”
“On your own?”
“I guess so. I hired a tour guide.”
“I rarely hear of anyone going on holiday on their own.”
“That’s because I don’t have any friends,” He Gu answered honestly.
“I can be your friend.” Fred blinked at him. “I can even bring you to places only Danish people know about.”
He Gu closed the book, and looked at him suspiciously.
Fred smiled awkwardly. “I’m sorry, I know Chinese people are more reserved. It’s just, I… umm, I was passing by and saw you sitting there focused on reading your book. You looked so good with the sun shining on you, it made my heart skip a beat. I just wanted to get to know you.”
He Gu suddenly realised something and felt ill at ease. He had always been nervous when talking to foreigners, and this young man was so direct as well. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Zhou Heyi approaching from a distance.
Fred followed his gaze and looked over. “He’s your…”
“Tour guide.”
Zhou Heyi walked over and stopped in front of them. He looked Fred up and down, then asked He Gu, “Who is he?”
“A flirt”, said He Gu with a serious face.
Zhou Heyi chuckled, then smirked at Fred as he pointed at He Gu and shook his head.
Fred revealed an expression of understanding, smiled and stood up. “It’s nice to meet you, and I hope you have a good time in Denmark.”
“Thank you.”
Zhou Heyi sat down on the bench and laughed out loud.
He Gu felt a little embarrassed. “What are you laughing at? Is it that incredulous that someone wants to flirt with me?”
“No, hahaha. I just pitied that guy, it must’ve been quite awkward.”
“It was alright. We chatted for a while.”
Zhou Heyi looked at He Gu with a smile, “You must’ve been quite popular back in China, too.”
“Me? No.”
“No?” Zhou Heyi said sceptically. “How’s that possible? There must’ve been plenty of people trying to court you.”
“Really.” Zhuang Jieyu didn’t count, since he was only doing it to tease him.
“You’re so charming, how could they not see it? Unless they’re blind.” Zhou Heyi placed his hand on the armrest of the bench and rested his chin on the back of his hand. Then stared unblinkingly at He Gu’s glowing profile with the golden light of the setting sun behind him. The clean and handsome lines of his face made his heart skip a beat.
“What kind of charm do I have? Being with me is very boring, normal people can’t stand it.”
“Who said that? That’s because they can’t find a common topic to talk about. Look at how we’re chatting away right now. I feel so happy being with you, I don’t feel bored at all!”
He Gu turned and looked at Zhou Heyi. “You’re such a sweet-talker.”
Zhou Heyi’s eyes were as bright as the glittering stars above, and revealed a genuine kindness and gentleness that couldn’t be hidden.
He Gu was moved. He wasn’t sure if he had misunderstood the situation, but he felt that Zhou Heyi’s passionate and attentive behaviour couldn’t possibly be just because of their employer-employee relationship… could it?
Zhou Heyi passed the sandwich and coffee to He Gu. “Come on, have some food to line your stomach. Tonight, I’ll take you to eat seafood.”
He Gu took a bite of the sandwich and squinted his eyes to observe the people gathered in the town square. At that moment, he felt quite cozy and relaxed despite being in a place where he didn’t know anyone at all. It turned out, once he was willing to get out, it wasn’t actually that scary to be in a new and strange environment. He could get used to it, adapt and blend in. As long as he was willing to take that initial step, everything was actually easier than he imagined.
Since he was brave enough to leave a man he had loved for so long, He Gu felt he now had the courage to leave a city he had lived in for over twenty years.
After dinner, they returned to the hotel.
That night, when He Gu took a shower, he suddenly didn’t want to undress in front of Zhou Heyi anymore. Instead, he took his change of clothes and went into the bathroom.
Zhou Heyi probably felt it, too. Instead of coming out topless as usual, he also came out of the bathroom fully clothed.
The temperature in Northern Europe was relatively low at this time of year, so it was still quite chilly at night. Relying on the fact that he was still young, Zhou Heyi lay on the bed in just a tank top and a pair of shorts as he played games on his phone. After a while, he let out a yelp and hugged his calf as he rolled around, wailing.
“What’s wrong?” He Gu asked with concern as he went over to have a look.
Zhou Heyi hissed in pain. “I’m fine, just… cramps.”
He Gu knelt on the bed and grabbed Zhou Heyi’s foot with one hand. “There’s an acupuncture point on the sole of the foot that helps with cramps. I’ll massage it for you.” In the past, He Gu once went on a two-day course to study massage therapy just so he could give Song Juhan a massage. Although he couldn’t be considered a professional masseuse, He Gu’s memory was very good and he could still remember all the commonly used acupuncture points.
Zhou Heyi nodded his head frantically while whimpering something unintelligible as He Gu massaged his foot with one hand and gently rubbed his calf with the other. He Gu’s calm demeanour made him seem as if he was a doctor.
Eventually, the pain subsided. Zhou Heyi turned his attention to the other man and stared at He Gu’s face intently as a strange glint flashed in his eyes.
“Are you feeling… better?” Under Zhou Heyi’s intense gaze, He Gu was stunned.
Zhou Heyi blushed instantly, then gently grasped He Gu’s hand. “Mr. He, I… you…”
Mr. He* lowered his head, wanting to stand up, but Zhou Heyi held his wrist tightly and refused to let go. His face was still blushing bright red, yet he was hesitant to speak.
*The author uses Mr. He (何先生) instead of He Gu (何故) here… not sure why
“Heyi,” said He Gu calmly. “I just ended a relationship. All I want right now is to go out, relax and have fun for a while.”
Zhou Heyi nodded, “I’ll be here with you.”
“After that I’ll be leaving here. I can’t stay here forever, and I don’t know when I’ll come back.”
“I don’t care.” Zhou Heyi sat up. “Mr. He, I like you – everything about you attracts me. I don’t care who you’re thinking about in your heart, or whether you’ll stay or not, or even if we’ll ever see each other again. Rather than wasting time to think about all these things, why don’t we seize the moment and spend some quality time together now. Otherwise, I’m sure I’ll regret it later.”
He Gu stared at Zhou Heyi silently. He had a very good impression of this young man, and even secretly admired his powerful and beautiful body in his heart. To be able to meet someone who’s able to satisfy all these conditions, He Gu couldn’t find a single reason to reject him.
Especially Song Juhan, he definitely couldn’t be that reason.
From the moment He Gu decided to leave Song Juhan, he was free. From his heart to his body, it was time for him to try the things he had only dreamt about before. He wanted to try and see whether it really was that fun, and to experience for himself why Song Juhan was so happily enjoying it.
So when Zhou Heyi kissed his lips, He Gu didn’t reject him. He only hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around his thin waist.
The two fell on the bed as Zhou Heyi passionately kissed He Gu’s lips, chin, and neck. He Gu smelled the fresh scent of shower gel on Zhou Heyi’s body and it started to intoxicate him.
Their desire grew stronger and stronger, and He Gu started to feel a little embarrassed as he said, “I, I don’t know how to…”
Zhou Heyi snuggled closer and whispered in He Gu’s ear, “It’s fine, you do know, every man knows. You just need a little guidance.”
When He Gu entered Zhou Heyi and experienced the so-called ‘joys of being a man’, his mind reluctantly thought of Song Juhan. All he could think about was that – according to Song Juhan’s standards – he was no longer ‘clean’.
He felt a deep sense of loathing towards the constant dark shadow looming over him – the shadow that was better known as ‘Song Juhan’.
Finally, he indulged himself and spent a special, once-in-a-lifetime night.
Zhou Heyi was a big-hearted and very open-minded person. He didn’t say too much or ask difficult questions. As he said previously, he simply wanted to enjoy the time he had with He Gu. Similarly, He Gu was happy to do the same.
A month passed by in the blink of an eye. They had travelled around most of Europe so the trip was coming to an end. Tired and fatigued from all their travels, Zhou Heyi drove He Gu to Paris.
He Gu called the property management company in advance to send a housekeeper to his mother’s villa to prepare the house and wait for him to arrive.
It was a small three-story villa in the 16th arrondissement* of Paris, with a pleasant neighbourhood and excellent public security.
*The city of Paris is divided into 20 administrative districts or ‘arrondissements municipaux’.
When Zhou Heyi saw the house he couldn’t help complimenting, “This house is so pretty. Houses in the 16th arrondissement are quite expensive.”
“It’s my mother’s.” He Gu carried a small suitcase and walked in whilst Zhou Heyi held a large suitcase filled with handmade products and special souvenirs that He Gu bought.
Zhou Heyi put the suitcase down, then wiped his sweat and said, “How long are you going to stay here?”
“Not sure. Once summer holiday starts, my younger sister will come over and I’ll bring her out to explore the city.” He Gu smiled and said, “If my mother doesn’t have any specific plans then, can you come and be our tour guide again?”
“Of course.” Zhou Heyi looked at He Gu unblinkingly, his expression abruptly changed to one of disappointment. In a flash, he lunged forward and hugged He Gu tightly before kissing him hard on the lips.
In response, He Gu held on to his thin waist. The thought of their imminent farewell left He Gu feeling quite reluctant to part.
Zhou Heyi wrapped his arms around He Gu’s neck, panting as he said, “I have to go back to work now.”
“Thank you for staying with me during this time.” He Gu gently touched his head and said softly, “Make sure to be safe when you travel around.”
“En…” Zhou Heyi pursed his lips. “Amsterdam isn’t too far from here, it’s only a few hours drive. I’ll find time to come see you when I can.”
“Okay.”
Zhou Heyi paused for a moment, then said expectantly, “Ge, do you like me even a little bit?”
He Gu honestly answered, “I do.”
Zhou Heyi kissed him again, his eyes red and watery as he said, “I’m leaving now. If anything comes up just give me a call. I come to Paris quite often, so I’m familiar with the city.”
“Okay.” He Gu stared at Zhou Heyi quietly. At that moment, he felt a sudden urge to make him stay, but in the end he didn’t say anything.
Since he couldn’t give Zhou Heyi a hundred percent of his feelings, he didn’t want to promise him anything.
After Zhou Heyi left, He Gu looked around the empty house and immediately felt a sense of loss.
He was all alone again. At that moment, He Gu didn’t know what to do with his time anymore.
The housekeepers from the property management company would come twice every week. They cleaned the house, replenished the groceries and helped with occasional trivial matters. Apart from that, He Gu barely came into contact with anyone.
In fact, he hadn’t left the house in over a week. It had been ages since he’d experienced such a strong sense of loneliness; yet the more alone he felt, the more afraid he was to go outside and meet people. He considered going back to China, but the thought of running into Song Juhan made him feel incredibly fatigued. It wasn’t that he was afraid of facing Song Juhan, he just felt annoyed to deal with Song Juhan’s aggravated and angry personality, or to hear his repulsive so-called ‘promises’.
Compared to all that, being alone wasn’t that big of a deal.
Once Zhou Heyi had some time off, he couldn’t wait any longer, and drove down from Amsterdam to see He Gu. He Gu was very happy to see him and gave him the professional surfboard he got the housekeeper to buy for him. Apart from his mother, He Gu had never given anyone such an expensive gift, but he was more than happy to do so. Zhou Heyi’s smiling face made He Gu feel like it was totally worth it.
Zhou Heyi purposely pushed two jobs and took a week off to come see He Gu. He showed He Gu everywhere around Paris, both the scenery of the old city as well as the less well-known local specialties. With Zhou Heyi, He Gu could always expect to experience something new and exciting.
The two had afternoon tea at a cafe that had a view of the Eiffel Tower. Zhou Heyi smiled as he teased, “I really can’t believe you haven’t been out in over a week. I can’t even stand staying in for two days, let alone a week. If I didn’t come down to find you, would you’ve just stayed indoors for good?”
He Gu nodded, “But I’m not familiar with this place, what if I get lost?”
Zhou Heyi laughed out loud. “You’re normally so mature. Why is it only regarding this matter that you’re so cowardly?”
He Gu laughed, “I’m not cowardly, I’m just being cautious.”
“I guess I’m gonna have to come keep you company more often.” Zhou Heyi yawned. “It’s just that my holidays aren’t fixed, sometimes I’m very busy with work, and sometimes I’m not.”
He Gu thought about how unsafe it would be for Zhou Heyi to drive four to five hours to come see him, so he said, “Next time, just take the train, we can always rent a car here instead.”
“Sounds good, or maybe…” Zhou Heyi smiled widely and said, “You can come find me.”
He Gu froze. “I… I guess I could.”
“I’m renting a place in Amsterdam. I do have a roommate, but he’s very quiet. If you’re bored, you can always come find me.”
“Sure.”
Zhou Heyi pulled He Gu’s hand and placed it on his cheek as he rubbed against it lightly. “I just want to spend every minute and every second with you before you leave.”
He Gu revealed a small smile but didn’t say anything as he gently touched Zhou Heyi’s warm cheeks.
The two had dinner at a well-known and prestigious Michelin-starred restaurant. On the way home, they discussed how the food was all just in appearance and didn’t actually taste that good.
When they got home, they noticed a black sports car parked outside the villa.
He Gu didn’t pay much attention to it as Zhou Heyi parked the car in the garage. The two walked towards the house, laughing and chatting away happily.
Out of nowhere, the black sports car’s door swung open abruptly and a tall figure stepped out. With a deathly and icy-cold expression, the man stalked towards He Gu.
He Gu’s heart trembled as he secretly clenched his fists.
