Blue Cocktail chapter 55
Cheng Shuo’s invitation to his senior went very smoothly.
The senior’s name was Zhu Meng. During high school, Cheng Shuo had a personal Weibo account for artistic activities, and he and Zhu Meng, both artists in the community, followed each other. They collaborated on projects like comics, handbooks, promotional images for non-commercial radio dramas, and more.
Although they had a close relationship, Cheng Shuo valued personal privacy. He never thought about extending their friendship from the realm of two-dimensional art to the three-dimensional world.
It wasn’t until one day in his freshman year, when he was still young and naive, that he posted a sketch of a corner of the campus on Weibo. Despite careful checks and the absence of distinctive buildings, Zhu Meng, a fellow alum, recognized it at a glance. She sent him a private message, asking, “Are you also a student from Paimi?”
From that point on, both Cheng Shuo and Zhu Meng were exposed.
Cheng Shuo provided Zhu Meng with Lu Huaiqian’s contact information.
Considering that the old city was far from Paimi and the location of the Mo Blue Bar was somewhat remote, Cheng Shuo persuaded Lu Huaiqian tirelessly. Eventually, Lu Huaiqian agreed to drop him off at Fufu Jiayuan on Friday.
On Saturday, Cheng Shuo personally went to the school gate to pick up Zhu Meng and brought her back to the bar.
The three of them sat in a corner of the bar and had a face-to-face conversation.
Lu Huaiqian spoke calmly and methodically. In the face of Zhu Meng’s questions, he answered fluently. He had thought it all out, including specific roles, which he had already assigned. He had even organized the actual photos of the popular cocktails that needed to be drawn into a USB drive. Speaking of which, Lu Huaiqian patted his pocket, but it was empty. The USB drive should be in the study on the second floor. He left a sentence, asking them to wait for a moment, and hurriedly ascended the stairs.
Before Zhu Meng came to the bar, she had briefly chatted with Lu Huaiqian on WeChat.
Boss Lu was sincere and didn’t speak any empty words. When she asked about the remuneration, it was clearly stated in black and white. Taking advantage of Lu Huaiqian’s absence, Zhu Meng grabbed Cheng Shuo and whispered, “How much did Boss Lu offer you? Let’s compare. If the prices are different, we can negotiate with him. Maybe we can get more!”
“I’m not charging him.”
Zhu Meng was extremely shocked, “Not charging? There are over twenty illustrations. Just thinking about it makes me tired. Such a large project, not to mention squeezing my rest time, it’s also exhausting and stressful. And you’re doing it for free!”
Cheng Shuo sighed helplessly but was straightforward, “He is my boyfriend.”
Short and to the point, but the information behind it exploded.
Zhu Meng was stunned for a long time, finally digesting the four short words. She smiled, “Wish you two a long-lasting relationship.”
“Thank you.”
Suddenly, Zhu Meng remembered something, “By the way, your boyfriend asked me for my Weibo account in the morning, saying he wanted to see my portfolio.”
Distant memories resurfaced in Cheng Shuo’s mind. Lu Huaiqian had once tricked him regarding his artist Weibo account.
His heart tightened, and Cheng Shuo hurriedly asked Zhu Meng, “Did you give him your Weibo account?”
Zhu Meng was a typical e-person; she had posted explicit content on Weibo, but she was never afraid of exposure. If Lu Huaiqian asked her for it, she might really give it!
Having been with Lu Huaiqian for a long time, Cheng Shuo had become more sensitive. He couldn’t help but suspect that the old fox wanted to achieve two goals at once—cocktail illustrations and his Weibo account.
“No, he said he wanted to see the portfolio. I directly sent him a package of my works. Weibo images are scattered, and it’s not convenient for him to look at them.”
Cheng Shuo secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Lowering his voice, he said, “Zhu Meng, I remember we follow each other on Weibo.”
“Yeah.”
“There’s something I need your help with,” Cheng Shuo paused for a few seconds, “Can we… unfollow each other temporarily?”
“Why?” Zhu Meng asked curiously.
“I’m afraid my boyfriend will trace back and find my Weibo account. He doesn’t know my pseudonym yet, and I don’t want him to see the R-18 drawings I posted on Weibo. It would be too awkward.”
Indeed, Zhu Meng couldn’t understand. “What’s so awkward about that?”
She blinked, “Maybe your drawings can even inspire your boyfriend!”
Cheng Shuo didn’t want to provide inspiration. Moreover, did Lu Huaiqian, that experienced man, really need him to inspire him?
Cheng Shuo forced a smile, “It’s really awkward.”
“Alright, I respect your thoughts.” Zhu Meng opened Weibo, “I’ll unfollow you now. I’ll follow you with my Weibo alter account. Is that okay?”
“Thank you so much.”
She thought for a moment, couldn’t help but tease, “You’re really good at human figure drawing. I saw your recent drawing of a navel orange. Compared to last year, your progress is significant. It’s so suggestive and full of sexual tension. I’ve already saved it to my album. I love it.”
Upon hearing such a straightforward compliment, Cheng Shuo just wanted to find a hole to crawl into. “You’re being too modest. Your luxury car drawings are much better than mine. Let’s leave this commercial flattery in the two-dimensional world.”
In fact, Zhu’s Rolls-Royce had seen more action than his.
But Zhu Meng wasn’t as easily embarrassed as he was. She laughed a few times and then changed the subject. Her fingertips slid across the phone screen, “I’ll also un-like all the posts I liked on your Weibo.”
Cheng Shuo expressed his gratitude once again.
“Just reviewed the chat records, and Boss Lu also said that if I give him my Weibo, he will reevaluate my level. According to him, it seems like he might pay more? What do you think?”
“If you want to give it, go ahead.” Cheng Shuo smirked, with a hint of calculation, “Give it to him and let him slowly find it in your following list.”
This old fox probably didn’t expect his cleverness to backfire.
“Then I’ll give it.”
“Sure.”
After waiting for a while and not seeing Lu Huaiqian, they were greeted by Zhao Ge instead.
Seeing Zhu Meng, Zhao Ge asked, “Who’s this?”
Cheng Shuo introduced, “She’s the artist I invited to participate in the cocktail menu design, Zhu Meng.”
Zhao Ge grinned, “Hello, hello.”
Zhu Meng responded with a smile, “Hello.”
Zhao Ge praised sincerely, “Your hair color is beautiful.”
Indeed, it was beautiful—a jellyfish hairstyle with lotus pink short hair layered on top of lavender long hair, creating a dreamy gradient.
Zhu Meng thanked him.
Casually chatting, Zhao Ge said, “When I was in college, I really wanted to dye fancy hair colors, but I didn’t dare. Mainly because I was a poor student. With conspicuous hair, it’s easy to attract the teacher’s attention and become a regular on the attendance list. Later, when I started working, there weren’t many opportunities anymore. It’s also a small regret.”
Cheng Shuo was surprised, “It’s easy to attract the teacher’s attention?”
He immediately realized, “Oh, right, you didn’t attend the Fine Arts school.”
Cheng Shuo smiled slightly and raised an eyebrow, “With this hair color of mine, I’m already considered low-key in the class.”
Zhu Meng testified from the side, “Although it sounds a bit stereotypical, about 80% of our classmates in the class have dyed their hair.”
After a little thought, she said, “Every time in class, when you look around, it’s like a magic castle.”
Zhao Ge laughted and made small talk with them but unfortunately he had work to do. So, he didn’t linger. He said his goodbyes and left in a hurry.
Bored, Zhu Meng took out her iPad from her backpack, opened a drawing app, lowered her head to draw a few strokes, and couldn’t help but furrow her eyebrows, “I feel like it looks a bit strange? Cheng Shuo, you’re good at figure drawing, help me take a look, how should I fix it?”
Cheng Shuo stood by Zhu Meng’s side, took just one glance, and the degree of shock in his pupils was evident.
The folds of the bedsheet, entangled men, even the key organs were all outlined.
“You’re drawing this in a public place—?” he began, then hesitated.
“Oh, I’m in a hurry to submit my work. I can only rush it.” Zhu Meng urged, “Cheng Shuo, they say saving a life is more significant than building a seven-tiered pagoda. Hurry and help me, where did I go wrong?”
This statement brought back painful memories of Cheng Shuo’s rushed submissions. He thought he could help a bit, so he focused and assessed for a few seconds, “The lower half of this figure has an issue.”
“Exactly what I thought!” Zhu Meng said.
Cheng Shuo tried to use gentle and civilized language, “In this pose, the legs should affect the waist. The curvature of the waist and the degree of suspension are not enough. I feel there’s also an issue with the perspective of the legs.”
Zhu Meng quickly made a couple of changes but still found it unsatisfactory. Suddenly losing her touch, she felt really frustrated.
She looked at Cheng Shuo, “Can you make a few corrections for me? Just roughly sketch out the outline, no need for clean lines!”
Considering that Zhu Meng would only start helping Lu Huaiqian design illustrations after finishing her current drawing, and Lu Huaiqian had said it was urgent, Cheng Shuo took the iPad. “Do you need to open a new layer?”
“Yes, please.”
Cheng Shuo decided to act quickly to avoid being seen by Lu Huaiqian and experiencing social death. He started making corrections from the abdominal muscles, making just a few strokes that brought the drawing to life. Finally, he considerately adjusted the layer order and transparency before handing it back to Zhu Meng.
Zhu Meng thanked him profusely and praised him for being amazing.
Cheng Shuo said, “Don’t mention it.”
Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind, startling Cheng Shuo.
A USB drive fell into Zhu Meng’s palm. Lu Huaiqian’s voice followed, “All the relevant materials are in there. There are not only images but also videos. Pick whatever you find useful.”
When did this old fox arrive, and was he walking without making any sound?
So… did he see Cheng Shuo helping Zhu Meng with her drawing?
“Today’s meeting ends here. If you’re not busy, you can sit in the bar for a while. I’ll treat you to a non-alcoholic cocktail.”
“No need, thank you. I still have drawings to submit,” Zhu Meng stood up, waved her hand, and said, “I’ll leave now. Goodbye!”
Lu Huaiqian waved goodbye with a smiling face.
Then he turned around, leaving a plain sentence, “Cheng Shuo, come with me.”
Unexpectedly, it was the changing room again.
The oval spun twice, and Lu Huaiqian locked the door.
Suddenly, a force pushed Cheng Shuo back against the wall.
Leaning down from the opposite side, Lu Huaiqian initiated an intense kiss, moist and scorching. Suddenly, a slight pain came from the lower lip, intentionally bitten by Lu Huaiqian. Faint traces of blood emerged, tinting the lips a deeper red, captivating and inviting. Lu Huaiqian repeatedly and gently licked the split, and the slight pain stimulated nerves. Cheng Shuo did not resist; instead, he found it strangely comfortable.
Lu Huaiqian bit Cheng Shuo’s tongue softness multiple times, kissed through lips and teeth, and continued downward, lingering at the throat. During the prolonged intimacy, Cheng Shuo’s lips tingled and itched, a low-level sensation of pleasant pain.
Naturally, Lu Huaiqian reached out and unbuttoned the first button of Cheng Shuo’s denim jacket.
Cheng Shuo tensed up and quickly grabbed Lu Huaiqian’s wrist. “What are you doing?”
His restraint was quickly broken free because with just one kiss, Lu Huaiqian made him weak all over, and his hands had lost their strength long ago.
Lu Huaiqian, with his broad palm, grabbed Cheng Shuo’s wrists with one hand, lifted them above his head, pressed them against the wall, and continued to kiss without saying a word. Only during the intermittent breaths did he squint his eyes, his voice slightly hoarse as he asked, “Did you often help her with such drawings before? Or were they more explicit?”
This was jealousy.
Cheng Shuo hurriedly explained, “It’s all because of you. Those were the drawings she needed to submit. I helped her so that she could finish earlier and start the cocktail illustrations. Besides, how is that considered explicit? In the eyes of art students, it’s not that surprising. The school even organized nude model drawing sessions for us. After drawing a lot, seeing these became commonplace. We art students view nudity purely as an appreciation of art—um—”
Lu Huaiqian didn’t want to hear the rest and kissed him again.
The words Cheng Shuo hadn’t finished turned into indistinct moans.
Although Cheng Shuo’s mouth remained stubborn, his body’s response was accommodating. Enjoyment overcame him. Lu Huaiqian’s left hand gradually loosened its grip. He raised his eyes, glanced at Cheng Shuo’s wrist, and on the fair skin, there were several bright red marks from his fingers. Lu Huaiqian felt oddly satisfied, as if it were a private mark.
Fingers silently slipped down from the waist, and Lu Huaiqian lifted a small part of Cheng Shuo’s shirt, exposing the skin above the pants to the cool air.
“Nude model?” Lu Huaiqian furrowed his brow and asked, forcefully grinding over the chest’s rosy area. “Men or women, how old?”
Cheng Shuo answered stubbornly, a soft moan almost escaping his lips, “I don’t remember!”
He was tormented to the point that the corners of his eyes turned red, and a bit of physiological luster emerged. “I’m just afraid you’d get jealous. That’s why I asked my senior sister for help. You know my sexual orientation; how could I possibly like girls?”
Lu Huaiqian sneered, “Last week, when you heard I was going on a blind date with a girl, weren’t you unhappy too? Don’t you know my sexual orientation?”
Fingers suddenly moved downward, touching his ass, causing a shiver.
Cheng Shuo couldn’t help but exclaim, “Lu Huaiqian!”
He knew he misspoke and softened his tone, “Don’t do this here.”
Realizing his attitude was too rigid, he had to use a softer tone, “…please.”
Lu Huaiqian half-lifted his eyelids, “Why?”
Cheng Shuo gritted his teeth and managed to squeeze out a sentence with a low and unclear voice, “The soundproofing in the changing room is not good. It might be heard… it will affect the bar’s reputation.”
“At a time like this, you still have the mood to care about the bar’s reputation. You’d better care about yourself,” Lu Huaiqian murmured in Cheng Shuo’s ear, sliding his middle finger in, “Cheng Shuo, I did it on purpose. I’m just teasing you because I know you won’t dare to make a sound.”
Cheng Shuo’s pupils shrank abruptly, and his body shivered violently.
But he still had to stubbornly say, “You’re too easy to get jealous. Too much jealousy is not good.”
As the words fell silent…
Along with the index finger.
Cheng Shuo stubbornly bit his lower lip, his legs involuntarily trembling and weakening.
“You’re right; I get jealous easily.”
Lu Huaiqian’s tone seemed somewhat proud.
Ring finger.
Later on, Cheng Shuo’s clothes were disheveled, hair scattered, knees involuntarily bending. Lu Huaiqian lifted his arms, pressing him back against the wall, resuming the intimacy.
His face was flushed, eyes hazy, as if falling into an ocean, willingly drowning. He loved everything, even the pressure at ten thousand meters deep. In the end, the only sound left in the depths of his heart was not fear but a craving.
Wanting more, give it to me, I want more—
But at this moment, Lu Huaiqian withdrew his hand.
He was neat and tidy, except for a few creases on the left sleeve, squeezed and stacked. “Cheng Shuo, remember this day.”
Lu Huaiqian paused, lowered his eyes, and examined his fingertips. Under the bright light, there were sparkling light points. “Disobedience will lead to punishment. I will always treat you exceptionally well, so please don’t intentionally do things that make me jealous.”
Then, with a calm expression, he pulled up Cheng Shuo’s pants and buttoned up the denim jacket one by one.