Four-Faced Buddha [To My Shore] - Chap 33
Chapter 33 The Masked Man
2024-10-13 07:17 Category: Four-Faced BuddhaTurn off the lights
The lights were dim, the shadows flickered, and the chaotic light and wild music seemed to be cutting into each other. Those who willingly fell into it seemed to have only afterimages left of their bodies, without the weight of their souls, appearing light and airy.
The only place that can hold one’s bewilderment and despair is a bar.
You Shulang drank another cup. He had almost gone around to everyone he knew and didn’t know, drinking with them all, chatting casually and laughing, completely at ease.
Fan Xiao finally managed to break free from the crowd. As an investor with real money in his hands, he was naturally sought after.
He sat down next to You Shulang, reeking of alcohol. His ever-present obsequious smile vanished, and he muttered a low “Damn it.”
You Shulang lowered his eyes, glanced at the barely inch-wide distance between them, and refrained from moving.
“You’ve been drinking? And you have a cut on your hand,” he asked.
“No, I just had fruit tea, I was just a little annoyed.” Fan Xiao took out a cigarette and, without asking any questions, put one into You Shulang’s mouth.
“I don’t smoke in public places.” You Shulang glanced at Fan Xiao and used the tip of his tongue to push the cigarette out half an inch from where it was stuck too deep.
Fan Xiao paused, then stuffed the cigarette, which he had already pulled halfway out of the pack, back into the pack.
“I forgot that Director You has strict rules.” He split his fingers apart, took the cigarette back from You Shulang’s mouth, and put it between his teeth.
“well!”
The cigarette, once held by lips and moistened by tongue, now has a new owner. You Shulang holds up his hand in vain, looking embarrassed.
“What’s wrong? I’ve given you my half-smoked cigarette before, and you never made such a fuss.”
Previously, You Shulang hadn’t revealed his sexual orientation, so he had to pretend to be straight. Now…
“It’s nothing.” You Shulang dragged over a bottle of wine, filled the empty glass, swallowed half of it, and then, unusually, unbuttoned the second button below his throat.
“This wine has a strong aftereffect; you shouldn’t drink it like this.” Fan Xiao rested his elbows on his knees, twisting his body to peek through You Shulang’s collar. The vague flesh color was alluring, making him want to bite.
He suppressed his temper and asked, “Are you in a bad mood?”
You Shulang chuckled briefly, his tone as usual: “President Fan is overthinking it.”
The white smoke he exhaled was made alluring by the flashy lighting. Fan Xiao, who had taken off his cigarette, moved closer, glanced at the man’s collarbone, and then looked into his eyes: “Do you know why I could tell you were unhappy? Because we’re the same kind of people.”
“What kind of person?” You Shulang asked casually.
Fan Xiao’s eyes flickered, and he gazed at her intently, his eyes deep and seemingly tinged with a subtle sadness.
“A person wearing a mask.”
“…”
“If anyone bothers you again, I’ll take care of it for you.”
You Shulang subconsciously interpreted Fan Xiao’s words as an unwillingness to socialize. He refilled his glass, his expression still indifferent: “If you’re feeling annoyed, we can leave first.”
As if on cue, a man of medium height and whose appearance was merely decent parted the crowd and approached the two.
“What’s your last name again?” The man pointed at You Shulang with a somewhat exaggerated expression. “Don’t tell me, let me think about it myself.”
“You Shulang, Director You.” Fan Xiao quickly shifted the cigarette in his mouth from left to right, his face turning sour.
You Shulang patted Fan Xiao’s leg seemingly casually, then smiled and extended his hand to the man beside him: “Vice President Xue, we meet again.”
“Oh right, Director You.” Xue Baotian looked down on a nobody like You Shulang, but didn’t want to offend Fan Xiao, his benefactor. Seeing Fan Xiao giving You Shulang such face, he could only hold his anger and offer You Shulang a cigarette. “Would you do me the honor of having one?”
You Shulang took the cigarette, held it between his fingers without lighting it, and smiled gently, even with a hint of respect: “Vice President Xue, what have you been busy with lately? I haven’t seen you at any of the industry gatherings.”
Fan Xiao suddenly smiled from the shadows, raised his eyebrows, and stared intently at You Shulang. He knew You Shulang’s personality: thoughtful and considerate, easygoing and generous, but if you really stepped on his sore spot, he was not someone to be trifled with.
“Ah, I went abroad to investigate a project recently and just returned to China yesterday.”
After being beaten to a pulp in the backstreet of a bar, then sodomized and raped, Xue Baotian spent half a month recovering from his injuries and being grounded by his own father for half a month. He told lies without batting an eye, with remarkable ease.
You Shulang smiled, a hint of admiration on his face: “Thank you for your hard work, Vice President Xue.”
Fan Xiao, however, was not about to let him off the hook. He asked lazily, “Where did the Crown Prince go? What projects did he inspect? Which fields were involved? Did he gain anything? Tell us, so we can benefit from it too.”
Having worked in the industry for a long time, one can certainly spout nonsense, but that’s only in front of laymen. Xue Baotian didn’t dare to spout nonsense in front of Fan Xiao, fearing that the man’s keen observation would reveal his true intentions and affect their future cooperation.
His face stiffened, and Xue Baotian hurriedly changed the subject. Just as he started to speak, his phone rang.
“Found him?!” He jumped up from the sofa and threw a punch in the air. “Hold him down! I’ll be right there.”
In his haste, he forgot to say goodbye to Fan Xiao. He picked up a glass of strong liquor from the table, downed it in one gulp, and cursed through gritted teeth, “Damn it, see how I kill you!”
The door slammed shut with a loud bang, and the man vanished like the wind. You Shulang withdrew his gaze and casually tossed the cigarette between his fingers onto the table.
“What a nuisance.” Fan Xiao stubbed out his cigarette, put his hand on You Shulang’s shoulder, and said in a somewhat coaxing tone, “Has this idiot made you feel any better, Director You?”
He pressed his long fingers against the bridge of his nose; the strong liquor was taking effect. Unless absolutely necessary, You Shulang rarely drank, fearing both losing face in front of others and neglecting his duties. Yet now, he raised his glass again and poured the spicy liquid down his throat.
“I’m heartbroken.” A helpless smile spread across his face along with the smell of alcohol.
“What?!” Fan Xiao suddenly straightened his back, his expression changing several times in an instant as he tried his best to suppress his surprise and excitement.
“You’re not kidding, are you?” He said, taking out his phone. Sure enough, several unread messages from Lu Zhen were displayed on the screen. He couldn’t suppress his smile, but fortunately, You Shulang’s gaze was fixed on the brown wine, and he didn’t see Fan Xiao’s almost distorted face.
“They were fine just a few days ago, and they even said they would introduce us.”
You Shulang was silent for a while, then dragged over a few more bottles of wine. Unable to find a bottle opener, he flipped the bottles upside down, then pressed them with a clever force, and the caps popped open instantly, releasing the aroma of the wine.
After filling his own glass, You Shulang tapped it against Fan Xiao’s fruit tea cup: “Enough talk, have a drink with me.”
Fan Xiao ran his tongue halfway around his teeth, narrowed his eyes, leaned forward and whispered, “How could anyone be willing to let go of someone as good as Director You?”
You Shulang clicked his tongue, shoved the head away unhappily, and glanced sideways: “Want a drink or not?”
“Drink it! I’ll take the real thing or something else!”
“Just fruit tea. And…” You Shulang lowered his eyes, concealing the emptiness and sorrow in them, “And if I get drunk, take me home.”
“Alright,” Fan Xiao suddenly sneered, “I guarantee I’ll get Director You, who’s still hung up on his old flame and drowning his sorrows in alcohol, home safely.”
