My Perfect Enemy is Finally Broke Novel - Chap 32
In the end, Ji Ran had fallen asleep. Qin Man had listened to his instructions, only letting him go after sunrise.
He glimpsed the faint sunlight shining through the cracks in his curtains and felt his legs had gone numb. Fatigue robbed him of any ability to speak and he finally closed his eyes.
When he woke up once more, it was to a message from an unknown number.
“Hello, Mr. Ji. I’m Old Hu. I tried to call you but no one picked up, so I sent you a message. The Old Madam wanted me to let you know to be cautious when rearing a pet. It’s best not to bring it home as it may be dirty.”
The good mood brought about from his nap was instantly dissipated by the message. Ji Ran deleted it expressionlessly before throwing his phone towards the bed and letting out a groan.
Opening the wardrobe, he took out all the clothes the old lady had brought over yesterday and threw it on the chair.
“What’s wrong?” Qin Man lifted his head from the pillow and asked.
“Nothing.”
Qin Man glanced at the suits. “Do they not fit or are they not to your taste?”
“They don’t fit, and they’re not to my taste.”
Qin Man got out of bed and picked up the clothes. “You can’t leave suits like that, they’ll get wrinkled.”
“So what? It’s not like I’m wearing them? Take them if you want.”
Qin Man checked the measurements and replied, “They won’t fit me.”
“Give it to me.”
Qin Man handed them over. “Are you going to discard them?”
Ji Ran looked at him with the same gaze one would use to look at a fool. “These are new. Why would I throw them away?”
He walked out of the room and headed for the one at the end of the corridor, across the communal washroom.
It was a cloakroom, full of clothes. The glass case in the center of the room was filled with wrist watches. However, at a glance, everything appeared to be brand-new.
“Is this…” Qin Man leaned against the door frame and asked, “a hoarding tendency?”
Ji Ran wasn’t a hoarder. This room was filled with the things that Old Madam and Ji Guo Zheng had gifted to him over the years. He hadn’t touched any of them, apart from the suit the old lady had given to him for Ji Wei’s engagement party.
“It’s not.”
Ji Ran turned around and saw Qin Man didn’t even have a shirt on. Erotic and ambiguous marks were scattered across his body contours, appearing rather clandestine.
“…Are you a flasher?” His ears grew warm. “Not even knowing how to wear clothes.”
Qin Man rested his head against the doorframe. “Do you own any suits of your own?”
“It’s just a job, what’s the point of wearing a suit?” Ji Ran’s shoulders brushed across his when he left the room.
Three minutes later, he was brushing his teeth when he heard Qin Man come beside him. “It’s important to be dressed properly for the situation. Suits are considered a form of etiquette.”
“When you begin to discuss cooperation with others in the future, you cannot dress casually or the other party will think you do not respect them. This will greatly increase the difficulty in dealing with them.”
“Also, you look good in a suit.”
Ji Ran bit his toothbrush and turned around to glare at him. He muttered indistinctly, “…You’re so annoying.”
After he was done brushing his teeth, Ji Ran went to make a bowl of noodles. Actually, it was because he simply didn’t want to eat the bowl of clear noodles Qin Man made, and his hunger didn’t allow him to wait for delivery. So he personally went to cook.
Having had his fill, Ji Ran changed his clothes and went out.
“Where are we going?” Qin Man fastened his seatbelt.
“To buy clothes to shut you up.”
Ji Ran drove directly to Mancheng’s largest mall.
The mall was extremely large with numerous luxurious brands. Though it seemed fancy, there weren’t many shoppers. However, it could still operate because a single transaction here was easily equivalent to half the earnings of shops in other areas.
Qin Man brought him to a store that sold suits.
When the staff saw him, they hurriedly welcomed, “Hello, Mr. Qin.”
Looked like Qin Man was a regular.
Which made sense, seeing how much more frequently he wore suits.
Qin Man nodded. “What are your latest designs?”
“We have a couple of new arrivals, what type of style would you like?”
“Those that suit a young boy.”
“You’re the young boy!” Ji Ran sat on the sofa and interrupted them. “Bring out your newest pieces.”
The staff looked at Qin Man, and the latter nodded. “Go on.”
Before long, the staff returned with several suits.
Ji Ran had no particular taste in suits, no matter how he looked, they were the same; stiff and boring. He tried a few and found nothing he liked nor disliked.
When he was on the last piece, Qin Man brought a tie over. “Put this on.”
Ji Ran despised anything inconvenient. “No thanks.”
“Your current dressing seems too monotonous. Adding a tie will help.” The staff helped add.
Ji Ran clicked his tongue and snatched the tie over, throwing it around his neck.
“That’s not how you do it.” Qin Man walked over to face him and lowered his head, tying the tie seriously. His fingers were long and his knuckles were prominent, appearing rather pleasing against the red tie.
The staff by the side stared at Qin Man’s actions in a daze, unable to come back to her senses for a long time.
After he fixed the tie, he tucked it into the suit, hands pressing against Ji Ran’s chest as he flattened the shirt.
The assistant finally came out of her stupor and quickly continued, “Look, isn’t it nicer with an extra tie? This suit looks good on you, it looks quite elegant and makes your legs look long. You’d be even more handsome if your hair was dyed black.”
She had never spoken such sincere salesmen talk. Ji Ran indeed had the aura of a wealthy person. Just by changing into a suit and dying his hair, he would be more eye-catching than some celebrities.
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help glancing at Qin Man.
Mr Qin was naturally handsome, but he was different from Ji Ran. The former seemed more mature, and though he was polite, was actually colder to others.
Ji Ran hated buying clothes due to how troublesome it was. In the past, all his clothes were bought by Yu Wen Wen. Yu Wen Wen had good tastes, so whenever he saw something nice, he would take a picture for Ji Ran. Ji Ran would then send him the money and the clothes would reach him in a few days.
“Help me wrap all this up…”
“No need.” Qin Man interrupted him and turned to ask, “If we want a custom-made suit, can it be done by Wednesday?”
The staff froze. “I’ll have to ask the department…”
“No need, I know some people in there. I’ll talk to them on my own. Help him to take his measurements.”
Ji Ran frowned. “Custom-made? Just buy one that’s already there, no need for further trouble.”
Qin Man replied, “It’s not trouble. Just take your measurements, I’ll come collect it for you.”
“Why are you so troublesome…”
Qin Man smiled. “A person’s first suit has to be regarded with greater importance.”
Ji Ran paused, thinking about how he’d clearly worn one back at the engagement party.
Noticing his doubt, Qin Man clarified, “That one can only be considered a rental for the sake of the occasion. This suit will solely belong to you.”
The suit had been thrown back into the cloakroom once the engagement party was over and never touched again, still looking brand-new. Just like what Qin Man said, it was as if it were merely a rental attire for the occasion; it would be returned once the time was up.
Ji Ran pursed his lips. “Whatever.”
Qin Man was about to say something when his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and said, “I need to get this.”
After he left, the staff told Ji Ran, “Please wait for a moment, I’ll get the measuring tape.”
“Wait.” Ji Ran stopped her. He undid the tie and passed it over. “…help me to wrap this up too.”
Qin Man returned and saw the small box in his hand. “What did you buy?”
“None of your business.” Ji Ran held the box.
Qin Man didn’t mind. “An old friend just returned to the country and asked to meet up with me.”
Ji Ran was about to reply when he felt something was off. He turned and asked, “Qin Man, you need to be clear. I’m the one who is your sponsor, who are you to decide whether to follow me or leave? Did I agree?”
Qin Man nodded, “In that case, do you want to come along?”
Ji Ran felt it was worse now. Why should he go see Qin Man’s friend?
Even if he’d never eaten pork, he’d seen pigs run. In the past, he constantly saw Cheng Peng providing for his lover. In that situation, it was always others who accompanied Cheng Peng and never Cheng Peng who accompanied others.
“Dream on. Scram.” Ji Ran waved in disgust.
After Qin Man left, Ji Ran didn’t return home. Since he’d been sick at home for some time, he was nearly growing mushrooms from staying at home. His good friends called, asking him to go for a game of basketball.
Yu Wen Wen was early. Ji Ran took a set of clean sports attire over and changed on the spot.
“Tsk tsk tsk…” Yu Wen Wen stroked his chin and sat behind him with eyes of envy. “Ran Ran, you almost look like you’re having allergies. Qin Man is too fierce.”
Ji Ran’s actions halted before he picked up his speed.
“No wonder you were cooped up at home all day. If it were me, I wouldn’t leave either and stay in bed for 20 hours a day…No, I’ll use the entire house, even the roof.” Yu Wen Wen sighed, “How lucky.”
Ji Ran mused, “You’re so good at talking, how has no one interviewed you for a ‘first nights talk show’.
“I also wish they would, do you know of any one?” Yu Wen Wen asked.
“Know what?” Cheng Peng had parked the car and was walking towards them.
“Nothing.” Yu Wen Wen glanced at his watch. “Why’re you so late?”
“I had to send Chen An to school.”
Ji Ran paused while Yu Wen Wen laughed. “Since when have you begun to do things like sending your lover to school? Amazing.”
“I haven’t done so before, occasionally doing this doesn’t feel bad.” Cheng Peng laughed dully, “It’s just that all his classmates would call me ‘uncle’ when they greeted me. I’ve fucking only graduated a few years ago. They all wanted me to stay for their class gathering but I escaped.”
Speaking of this, Yu Wen Wen seemed to remember something. He grasped Ji Ran’s arm, “Ran Ran, there’s something I have to discuss with you.”
Ji Ran allowed him to do as he pleased, with his other hand holding the basketball. “Speak.”
“When are you free? Let’s go to True Colour.”
Ji Ran frowned. “Not going.”
True Colour was the a famous gay bar in Man Cheng which Ji Ran didn’t like to frequent. There were too many strange people there and the first time he went to the dance floor, he’d even been taken advantage of. The number of men who wanted a relationship with him couldn’t be counted. Unfortunately, there was none who could enter his sight.
“Just go. Bring Qin Man along, just this once.”
Ji Ran turned around. “What for?”
“Isn’t it because of those sisters? They really want to see Man Man, just once. Let them broaden their horizons and nothing else.” Yu Wen Wen waved his hand. “Last time, you rejected me and caused me to receive an earful. Even till now, they’re still nagging me non-stop.”
Ji Ran didn’t even hesitate. “Not going.”
“Why? Just treat it as a nightclub.”
“Exactly,” Cheng Peng chimed in, “it’s just drinking together. Moreover, weren’t you the one who wanted to humiliate Qin Man? Bring him to the gay bar and let him be touched all over by a group of men, it’ll definitely make him uncomfortable.”
Cheng Peng grinned while staring at Ji Ran. “Or could it be that you can’t bear to?”
“What’s there for me to not tolerate ?” Ji Ran stretched out his hand and dribbled the basketball before refuting, “I simply don’t want to go to True Colour.”
“That’s easy.” Cheng Peng said, “Next Wednesday, you’re starting work. We’ll hold a celebration for you at night. Xiao Wen, just bring your sisters along, I haven’t seen them for a long time.”
“Alright!” Yu Wen Wen rested his arm on Cheng Peng’s shoulder and asked Ji Ran, “Ran Ran, this should be fine, right?”
“It’s just working, what’s there to celebrate?”
“Back when Xiao Wen and I started working, we also had a celebration. This is the rule.” Cheng Peng stared at Ji Ran.
“What? Could it be that you want to hide Qin Man at home and not allow anyone else to even look at him?”
Ji Ran froze before blurting out, “Why would I hide him?”
Yu Wen Wen’s eyes lit up. “Does this mean you agree?”
“…Whatever. Throw whatever party you want, and look at whoever you want. It’s none of my business.”
Ji Ran threw the basketball towards the hoop. The ball fell heavily onto the ground without even touching a corner.
