Blue Cocktail chapter 38
“If… if you still don’t believe,” Cheng Shuo probably misunderstood Lu Huaiqian’s silence, “you can continue… until you feel… I don’t mind you touching me….”
Lu Huaiqian’s expression slightly froze, his gaze lowered in silence for a long time, and he said in a hoarse voice, “It’s my fault, I misunderstood you, I’m sorry.”
The redness at the corners of Cheng Shuo’s eyes had not completely faded, his fine eyelashes trembled, and the black vest had long been stretched open, the white shirt crumpled.
His chest rose and fell slightly due to the increased breathing rate, but he still wanted to be strong. He turned his head, with an indifferent tone, “It’s okay… I let you touch me… as long as you don’t misunderstand.”
Lu Huaiqian fell into silence at these words.
He stood in place for a long and meaningless time, saying nothing.
Cheng Shuo’s words, in his ears, sounded like a provocation in tone and like flirting. He thought Cheng Shuo was like a wild cat or a blue rose, but he liked it— a bit cunning, a bit bold, a bit indulgent, a bit stubborn.
The air turned into aging wine. Intoxicated people are always prone to losing judgment, reason, and self-control. Drunkenness numbs the nerves, and he witnessed the selfish power— as long as satisfying Cheng Shuo’s desire to make him cry, in the end, Cheng Shuo would compromise with him— he crazily thought that he wanted to hear Cheng Shuo cry and beg him to stop first, then cry and say he wants more.
So, involuntarily, he moved towards Cheng Shuo, taking a few steps until his leather shoes stepped on something hard.
Lu Huaiqian slightly moved the shoe tip, looked down, only to see a button, pure black, fallen from the vest.
He bent down to pick it up, fingertips slowly rubbing the button’s central hole and the entangled, broken black thread. The touch awakened his reason— if it were just a few minutes ago, he still had some remaining self-control, at least he wouldn’t pull off the button on Cheng Shuo’s vest, on the first day Cheng Shuo wore the new clothes he gave him.
Lu Huaiqian’s expression darkened, he didn’t move forward anymore. He slowly exhaled, his voice a bit husky, “The button fell off. You can take off the vest now and give it to me. I’ll return it to you once the button is sewn back on.”
On the other side, Cheng Shuo had already recovered, breathing returned to normal. He almost didn’t hesitate, “No need, It’s just a button, I can handle it myself.”
Rejected again, as he expected. He couldn’t express the feeling in his heart, just tightened the button in his right palm even more. Lu Huaiqian nodded, not insisting anymore, “Hmm.”
As soon as he said that, the person in front suddenly leaned in, and Cheng Shuo poked the back of Lu Huaiqian’s hand with his fingertips.
“Well, give me the button, or how am I supposed to sew it back when I get home,” Cheng Shuo, as usual, couldn’t help but tease him, “You said I’m not smart, but I think you’re even less smart now.”
Lu Huaiqian was stunned at the words but didn’t respond with a tease. He just silently lowered his gaze, presenting his palm to Cheng Shuo.
Cheng Shuo took the button, and their skin touched. The delicate skin on Cheng Shuo’s fingertips grazed over the rough lines of Lu Huaiqian’s palm, like the moment a dragonfly touches the water, a fleeting moment that was both polite and distant.
Lu Huaiqian withdrew his palm, took his work uniform from the cabinet, “I’ll leave now, don’t delay changing.”
Cheng Shuo shook his head, “okay.”
Lu Huaiqian took a few steps, then suddenly remembered something, turned back and asked, “It’ll probably be late when you get home. Do you need me to take you?”
“No, thanks.” Cheng Shuo refused without hesitation.
“The bar needs you,” he thought for a moment, then said.
The same answer as a few weeks ago, no surprises, no changes.
Lu Huaiqian pursed his lips, thought quietly for a moment, then said in a low voice, “After you get home, don’t forget to message me immediately.”
Cheng Shuo nodded, feeling a bit impatient with the other’s words, “I got it, I got it.”
“Don’t bother about me, go about your business.”
Lu Huaiqian finally gave Cheng Shuo a deep look, then turned and left. Although he walked fast and hurriedly, as soon as he left the dressing room, he didn’t forget to close the door gently, with soft and gentle movements.
He hurriedly walked to the bathroom on the second floor, checked the remaining toilet paper, enough. Then, in a hurry, he locked the door and unzipped his pants.
Speaking of which, it’s quite funny. The person being touched seemed to have no reaction, but the one teasing and provoking had a response. If one must explain the reason behind it, it should be that Cheng Shuo didn’t like him, so he didn’t even dare to talk to Cheng Shuo, let alone ask for help. Thinking about it, he felt like quite a clown.
Lu Huaiqian was about to tilt his head to the maximum, the muscles on his neck were more prominent after being stretched. He closed his eyes, Cheng Shuo’s face filled his mind, a suppressed breath escaped his throat. He lifted his eyelids to take a few glances and hastily tidied up the aftermath.
This was the second time.
In the narrow, enclosed space, Lu Huaiqian leaned against the wall, sliding down to sit on the floor, feeling somewhat drained. He tilted his head back, tapping on the tiles with a not-too-light-not-too-heavy sound. He closed his eyes, breathing heavily. His black hair was slightly messy from the friction, sweat beads dripped from the ends of his hair, trickling down his jaw, soaking the fabric, or hitting the white tiles, creating scattered patterns.
Lu Huaiqian still felt unsatisfied, not thoroughly vented. Slowly, he had to suppress the impulse inside him. Today wasn’t suitable for a cold shower.
Many people might think he was adept and confident in matters of the heart, but that was a misunderstanding. In fact, he had become quite passive, led around by Cheng Shuo.
Lu Huaiqian endured until the veins on his forehead were about to burst, but on his face, he smiled self-deprecatingly.
Damn, so who could tell him how much longer he had to endure?
The smell on his body was too strong; he definitely needed a shower.
But Lu Huaiqian had no impression anymore, including when he went to get a change of clothes, when he turned on the showerhead, when he used a hairdryer to dry his hair. He mechanically completed a series of actions based on muscle memory.
Then he should have gone downstairs immediately to make a cocktail, but obviously, his state was not right.
So, he readily dispelled this thought, thinking, it’s better not to tarnish his reputation.
Lu Huaiqian, with a cigarette in his mouth, leaned on the second-floor balcony.
The smoke rose, attempting to ignite the moonlight.
The corners of his eyes habitually curved, seeming to be smiling, but his gaze appeared as if blown out by the night wind, looking deep and indifferent.
In his line of sight, the hot smoke collided with the cold moonlight, similar yet incompatible, a bit like him and Cheng Shuo.
Until the phone in his palm vibrated, a familiar three-word message, as if adding one more word would be too troublesome for Cheng Shuo.
(have arrived home)
His eyes gradually softened.
Lu Huaiqian silently extinguished the cigarette, put the phone back in his pocket, and headed down the stairs.
Take it slow.