Blue Cocktail chapter 14
On Friday night, lying on the large bed at his new apartment, Cheng Shuo felt increasingly uneasy about his thoughts.
The sudden call from Song Wenyuan led to countless doubts coming to light, which he had surprisingly failed to notice at the time. He had impulsively agreed—probably due to the influence of the ‘first love’ title.
After much thought, Cheng Shuo found teacher Chu’s number in his phone. It hadn’t been contacted for two years, possibly due to a change in the number.
He messaged her on WeChat, asking why she was suddenly leaving Huafeng City, but received no reply all night. It wasn’t unusual, considering how busy teacher Chu was. She had countless students, and even one message from each would flood her inbox. He remembered how busy she was back then, often taking a day or two to respond to messages.
Cheng Shuo had an intuition that Song Wenyuan’s words were a bit peculiar. However, they had arranged to meet in the daytime at a coffee shop, a public place where he believed Song Wenyuan couldn’t do anything out of line.
If not for teacher Chu, he might have called Song Wenyuan and canceled their meeting.
But what if it was teacher Chu who wanted to meet him?
He didn’t want to disappoint her. His acceptance into the Fu Art School was not solely his achievement, and he was genuinely thankful.
At 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Cheng Shuo brought fruits and a bouquet, following the address sent by Song Wenyuan in a text message. Arriving at the agreed coffee shop, he glanced at the signboard—
Wasn’t this the same place as Mo Blue Bar during the daytime?
He felt a mix of emotions.
Pushing the door, Cheng Shuo quickly spotted Song Wenyuan’s back. He walked straight toward him, placing the fruits and the bouquet beside him.
“Is the teacher not here yet?”
“Not yet. She just called, saying she’s stuck in traffic.”
After speaking, Song Wenyuan stood up. “She should be here soon. Let’s go pick her up. She hasn’t been to this café before, and I’m worried she might have trouble finding it.”
After thinking for a moment, Cheng Shuo picked up the flowers and fruits.
The colors of the old town were somewhat yellowish, like aging, yellowed drawing paper with low overall purity and brightness, as if someone had carelessly added an excessive amount of black when coloring.
The high walls of red bricks and black tiles cast a gloomy vibe, squeezing the plane trees to the narrow, winding roadsides. The trees’ extended branches and leaves held up the light that fell under the scorching red sun, forming shadows that turned into a gray net, falling on passersby.
Although following behind Song Wenyuan, Cheng Shuo maintained a certain distance from him.
Until Song Wenyuan couldn’t help but urge him, showing a hint of impatience in his tone. “Walk faster. I’m afraid you’ll get lost.”
Hearing this, Cheng Shuo took a few steps closer, giving him some leeway. However, they were still quite distant from each other.
“When I saw you at the bar, I felt like I knew you,” Song Wenyuan turned and asked, “Do you remember anything from the studio? Maybe during the winter break of my second year of high school?”
How could he forget?
Cheng Shuo pursed his lips and vaguely responded, “I have some impression.”
“What’s your impression of me?”
“You’re very skilled at painting.”
“Besides that, like regarding character?”
“I wouldn’t casually comment on someone’s character.”
“You wouldn’t?” Song Wenyuan inexplicably chuckled and didn’t say more, turning away again, walking alone in front.
Cheng Shuo always kept a moderate distance from Song Wenyuan’s back. Suddenly, he remembered how, in high school, he was always afraid of getting too close, feeling like a bother to the other person.
His steps abruptly halted.
Cheng Shuo found himself standing in a cramped alley, isolated. Surrounding him were two walls that rose precariously, and under his feet lay the oddly shaped stone-paved road, full of potholes.
The sunlight barely managed to penetrate the narrow alley.
Not far away, Song Wenyuan suddenly turned, looking directly at Cheng Shuo’s face, and lightly chuckled, “Why aren’t you moving forward?”
“I don’t think this is a good place to greet the teacher.” Cheng Shuo narrowed his eyes. “If you have something to say, I can hear it here.”
Then, for no apparent reason, Song Wenyuan said, “Do you, like many others, find me annoying?”
Cheng Shuo was puzzled. He remained silent for a moment before speaking. “You helped me in the studio, clarified a rumor for me. I was very grateful at that time. So, I don’t find you annoying.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Shuo captured a hint of bewilderment in Song Wenyuan’s eyes.
He thought Song Wenyuan had forgotten about that insignificant incident and guessed he’d ask about the rumor—
But he didn’t.
In the next moment, the bewildered expression turned into a sneer. Song Wenyuan strode toward Cheng Shuo, getting right in front of him. “You’re grateful to me?”
A chill emanated from his eyes. “Then why did you anonymously insult me on the campus forum?”
Cheng Shuo didn’t immediately react. “What?”
“You’re asking me what?” Song Wenyuan stared into Cheng Shuo’s eyes. “I want to ask why?”
He seemed to be recalling something too unbearable to think about. His voice became sharper, “I don’t know what’s going on in your mind. Why are you so intent on ruining my reputation? What benefit do you get from this? Do you hate me that much? What does my personal life have to do with you?”
Cheng Shuo immediately denied, “I didn’t post on the campus forum. Your being insulted has nothing to do with me.”
He turned to leave. He hadn’t walked far when three people appeared in front of him. Cheng Shuo quickly glanced at them—two were Song Wenyuan’s lovers whom he had brought to the bar last Sunday. He remembered one of them was named Xiao Jie.
He had been deceived.
The three blocked the alley’s entrance, covering the scant sunlight. They formed a third movable wall, slowly encroaching upon him. Cheng Shuo found himself sandwiched between them. A heavy darkness crawled from his toes to his ankles, anchoring his feet, weighing down on his shoulders like a mountain.
Song Wenyuan scornfully advised, “Cheng Shuo, be straightforward in life. Behaving like this only makes me look down on you.”
Cheng Shuo still didn’t give in. “Provide some evidence.”
“I looked up the list of first-year council members during my presidency. I found that you were one of them. You left the council after I stepped down, I guess because you couldn’t retaliate anymore, right?”
“I don’t know what I did to offend you. I’ve explained it to you many times, it was a school issue. As the student council president, I took the blame for the school. But you don’t seem to believe it.”
“If you don’t believe it, it’s fine. To bring up something from so long ago and post about it now, it’s been over a year. Do you hold that much resentment?”
Song Wenyuan’s face contorted. “You all couldn’t stand that I was above you, right? I’ve stepped down, what more do you want from me?”
When Cheng Shuo joined the student council, it was merely to get closer to Song Wenyuan. So, when Song Wenyuan left, Cheng Shuo also quit the council. However, he hadn’t anticipated that this would become Song Wenyuan’s evidence that he harbored malicious intent.
He retorted immediately, “I left the student council because I found it boring. It had nothing to do with you. Don’t be too self-centered.”
Song Wenyuan asked sternly, “The clothes I wore yesterday appeared in the photos in the post. Did you take them secretly?”
“That deduction is even funnier,” Cheng Shuo sneered, “Was yesterday the first time you wore this outfit to the bar?”
Song Wenyuan choked for a moment, paused, and nodded. “Okay, then I’ll ask you, why were you constantly staring at me in Mo Blue Bar last Sunday night?”
Cheng Shuo, upon hearing this, felt his entire body tense up as if a raw nerve was being hit.
“Haha, can’t say anything now, can you?” Song Wenyuan started pressuring, “Do you think I don’t know? Do you think you’ve hidden it well? How many times did you sneak glances at me that night? If not for taking photos, what else could it be for?”
A contemptuous smile gradually appeared on his lips. “You better not say anything like you have a secret crush on me.”
Cheng Shuo felt his heart squeeze for a moment, feeling something sharp scraping his throat, making it sore. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
“Can’t refute it now, can you? What about all that defiance earlier,” Song Wenyuan smirked triumphantly, like a victor, “I’m not here to hurt you. I hope we can peacefully solve this issue.”
“As long as you use that account, post again, saying the photos were photoshopped by you, the text was fabricated by you, and then sincerely apologize, this matter will be forgotten. I forgive and forget.”
“I don’t even need you to show your face. You can hide behind the account like a shrinking turtle. I just need you to post a clarification.”
Cheng Shuo had been silent, listening until the end. Suddenly, he raised his chin with determination, “I said that account isn’t mine. I won’t apologize for something I didn’t do.”
Song Wenyuan suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Cheng Shuo’s collar, and pushed him against the wall behind.
The bouquet shattered, oranges scattered all over the ground, rolling far away.
Screw the first love; even if it’s misunderstood, that first love title can take a backseat.
“Getting nervous?” Cheng Shuo smirked, “I said that account isn’t mine. You can threaten me all you want, but it’s useless. There will be no fewer insults in the post.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he caught a glimpse of someone throwing a punch.
Cheng Shuo deftly caught it with his forearm and threw a punch back. The other person yelled in pain, and Cheng Shuo smirked, revealing his canines subtly.
Suddenly, his knee ached; he didn’t know who struck him fiercely. He staggered a few steps before falling to the ground. His palms grazed the sharp stones on the ground, cutting his skin.
Struggling to get up, another person came to hit him. He barely dodged a punch but collided with another, bones meeting flesh. His cheek was scratched by the diamond on the ring, a smell of blood wafting to his nose. However, Cheng Shuo nonchalantly moistened his dry lips.
Unfortunately, outnumbered, he was soon pushed down by the four.
Cheng Shuo quietly slipped his hand to his waist. His eyes darkened a bit, luckily carrying something for self-defense.
He discreetly held the box cutter in his pant pocket in his palm. Maybe it wasn’t excessive to use it now.
The four formed a tight encirclement, and Song Wenyuan sneered down at him. Just as Song Wenyuan’s shoe was about to touch Cheng Shuo’s cheek, Cheng Shuo closed his eyes, and his right hand suddenly stabbed toward the other’s leg—
The resistance of the blade piercing the flesh did not happen, and the expected pain did not arrive.
Cheng Shuo slowly and unbelievably opened his eyes.
Song Wenyuan, who had just been proud, was now locked by Lu Huaiqian’s right elbow around his throat. The strength made it impossible for Song Wenyuan to break free.
Lu Huaiqian furrowed his brow, gripping and pulling Song Wenyuan backward, the sole of his shoe making a harsh scraping sound against the ground—
In an instant, Song Wenyuan’s instability caused him to fall to the ground, a deafening rumble in his ears as the dust flew half a foot high.
The other three hurriedly went to help him, and the encirclement dispersed.
Lu Huaiqian then released his arm, casually brushed off the dirt from his hands, and stood in front of Cheng Shuo with a half-smile.
The familiar and out-of-tune voice, “Fighting in broad daylight, isn’t that inappropriate?”
“If you fight here and cause trouble, it will affect my business. I can’t ignore that.”
“And I’m telling you, don’t think this place is very hidden; there are surveillance cameras here too.”
He turned and nodded in a certain direction, prompting the four people in front to turn and look.
He then turned back and extended his hand towards Cheng Shuo.
Standing at the alley’s entrance, the only bright spot, the sunlight fell on his back, sliding into the folds of his clothes. The outline of his hair was dyed a golden hue, like a gentle halo.
Cheng Shuo inexplicably felt the light was somewhat dazzling, so he turned his head.
Then tentatively, he placed his fingers in Lu Huaiqian’s palm.
He held the other’s hand and got up, the moment when the calluses on Lu Huaiqian’s fingertips pressed against his palm. That was the accumulation of years in Lu Huaiqian’s fingers, a sign of experience.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
Cheng Shuo lowered his eyes and retracted the blade he had drawn.
Then, he noticed that his hand was still being held by Lu Huaiqian, attempting to pull it away surreptitiously. However, the other’s grip was too tight; after several attempts to pull away, he had to give up.
“Boss Lu, this is a private grudge between me and Cheng Shuo.” Song Wenyuan stood up, looking directly into Lu Huaiqian’s eyes, “I hope you don’t get involved.”
“That’s not happening,” Lu Huaiqian’s smile gradually turned cold. He tightened his grip on Cheng Shuo’s hand and spoke unusually seriously, “I may ignore the others, but I will interfere in Cheng Shuo’s matters.”