Dark Fire chapter 24

Let’s Give It a Try

The fireworks show lasted for more than half an hour. The last firework bloomed and faded, and the night returned to its quiet state.

Ling Zhuo lowered his head, his thin silhouette and the tense line of his back looking especially lonely in the night.

Lu Chixie watched him, finishing his second cigarette, then tossed the butt away and walked over.

Ling Zhuo was still sitting by the car’s hood. Lu Chixie grabbed his arm, pulling him up. Ling Zhuo stumbled forward, his nose brushing against Lu Chixie’s chin.

Ling Zhuo, with red-rimmed eyes, turned his face away and closed his eyes tiredly, “Let go of me. I want to go back.”

Lu Chixie: “Are you really this upset?”

Ling Zhuo’s closed eyelashes trembled, but he didn’t answer.

“Ling Zhuo.”

Lu Chixie called his name again, “Open your eyes and look at me.”

The night wind brushed his cheeks, finally calming his intense emotions.

Ling Zhuo opened his eyes, his voice hoarse, “Teacher Lu, are you here just to laugh at me?”

Lu Chixie: “Do you think it’s a joke?”

Ling Zhuo gave a bitter smile, “Aren’t I just a joke in your eyes?”

Lu Chixie: “So, you do care about what I think of you?”

“Come on,” he said, “if you’re sad, let’s go back and have a drink.”

Lu Chixie let go of him. Ling Zhuo didn’t say another word, turning to get in the car and driving off into the night.

Lu Chixie’s car followed, keeping a distance but always behind.

Back at the hotel, they took the elevator up from the underground parking lot. As Lu Chixie pressed the floor button, he asked, “Going to the bar?”

Ling Zhuo shook his head, “No, I want to go back and sleep.”

Lu Chixie: “It’s not even nine o’clock. What’s the rush? Afraid of being seen? Borrowing the assistant’s car to go on a date on Qixi night, aren’t you afraid of being spotted by fans?”

Ling Zhuo’s expression was indifferent, ignoring Lu Chixie’s taunts.

Upstairs, just before entering his room, Lu Chixie pulled him close and opened his own room door.

“Come in for a drink.”

Ling Zhuo stood silently at the door for two seconds before following him in.

Lu Chixie went to the bar in the living room, took out two bottles of liquor, and signaled Ling Zhuo to sit, asking him, “Which one?”

Ling Zhuo, distracted, sat on the high bar stool, “Anything.”

Lu Chixie grabbed a few more bottles, then took out cocktail tools and glasses, and opened the mini-fridge for ice and lemons, mixing a drink on the spot.

Ling Zhuo watched in a slight daze. Lu Chixie’s movements were casual, occasionally glancing at him.

A few minutes later, a bright green cocktail, as fresh as jade, was placed in front of Ling Zhuo. Lu Chixie smiled, motioning with his hand, “Try it.”

Ling Zhuo took a sip, nodded, “It’s pretty good.”

Lu Chixie made himself a drink, swirling it in his hand, then asked the absent-minded Ling Zhuo, “Were you really upset today?”

Ling Zhuo: “…No.”

“If you are, you are. There’s no one else here. Why not admit it?” Lu Chixie stared into his eyes, “What were you planning to do? Confess to him?”

Ling Zhuo took another sip, embarrassed, “Don’t ask.”

Lu Chixie: “Have you given up now?”

With Lu Chixie staring and pressing him, Ling Zhuo could only nod.

On the way back, he had asked himself the same question. From the moment the fireworks ended, he knew he had given up. But truly letting go of a seven-year-long feeling was far from easy.

“If you’ve given up, that’s good,” Lu Chixie clinked glasses with him, “Congratulations on your new beginning. Look ahead.”

Ling Zhuo snapped out of his daze and downed the remaining half cup of wine.

Lu Chixie continued to mix drinks for him, and after a few more cups, Ling Zhuo was probably drunk, gradually becoming more talkative. “You did come today just to see me make a fool of myself, didn’t you? You even said it yourself that you came for the show, and you even wanted to bet with me. You just wanted to see me lose the bet and feel embarrassed.”

Lu Chixie chuckled, “Do you really care that much about this?”

Ling Zhuo raised his hand and tapped his own chest, cheeks flushed with alcohol, his eyes somewhat hazy. “It would have been better if you hadn’t come. If you hadn’t come, I could have cried alone on the mountain. But with you here, I can’t even cry.”

Lu Chixie set down his glass, looking at Ling Zhuo with narrowed eyes. “Do you want to cry?”

“Yes,” Ling Zhuo hiccupped, his expression not much prettier than crying, “I’ve been secretly in love with him for so long, oscillating between hope and fear like a fool. I thought I had a chance, but it turns out I’ve been the clown from beginning to end. So many people like me, why doesn’t he?”

Lu Chixie said, “You really are a clown.”

Ling Zhuo looked at him with reddened eyes.

Lu Chixie sneered, “Who told you to have such bad taste in men?”

Ling Zhuo retorted, “…Do you even know how to console someone?”

Lu Chixie replied, “Did I say I would console you?”

Ling Zhuo choked.

Lu Chixie poured him another drink. “If you’ve given up, then forget about it quickly. If you know you’re a clown, don’t keep plunging deeper.”

This person never says anything nice, Ling Zhuo thought, not wanting to talk to him anymore as he gripped his glass.

Close to ten o’clock, he propped himself up from the sofa. A person who gets drunk from beer alone would find it even harder to handle a mix of various liquors. He was already feeling quite intoxicated.

“I’m going back.”

Mumbling to himself, he turned to leave, but Lu Chixie grabbed him back.

“What are you doing?”

Ling Zhuo furrowed his brows but wasn’t really angry. He didn’t even have the strength to be angry. He didn’t even notice when Lu Chixie pulled him closer by the waist.

 “I really want to go back.” he said, looking at Lu Chixie.

“You’re drunk again,” Lu Chixie said.

Ling Zhuo shook his head. “A nap will fix it.”

“Will you cry when you get back?” Lu Chixie asked.

Ling Zhuo didn’t want to respond.

Lu Chixie said, “You’re already this old, getting sad and crying like a child. Aren’t you embarrassed?”

Ling Zhuo felt uncomfortable all over. It was only now that he realized he was being held by this person. He pushed his arm away, “Let go.”

Lu Chixie said, “Can you still walk?”

Ling Zhuo scrunched his brows again. He wanted to say something, but Lu Chixie’s gaze fell on his moistened lips, soaked with alcohol. Without a word, Lu Chixie pulled him closer, lowering his head to kiss him.

Ling Zhuo was even more intoxicated than before. He remained stunned for several seconds before starting to struggle. Lu Chixie calmly held onto one of his hands, then pulled him towards the bar, imprisoning Ling Zhuo’s body and forcefully invading his mouth with the kiss.

In a daze, Ling Zhuo’s lips and tongue were entangled with his, unable to resist. Every part of his mouth was licked by that unruly tongue. He couldn’t even summon the strength to bite the person.

Unable to bear the lack of air, Ling Zhuo choked, his face turning red, coughing uncontrollably, tears finally bursting out.

Sensing the wetness on his face, Lu Chixie slightly backed off, allowing him to catch his breath.

“Let go of me.”

Ling Zhuo gritted his teeth, his body trembling slightly, tears streaming down his face. He was already upset, and being “bullied” like this by Lu Chixie made him finally break down completely, unable to stop crying.

Lu Chixie lifted his hand to wipe his face, all wet.

“Are you really crying?” he asked.

Feeling embarrassed, Ling Zhuo continued to cry, feeling ashamed. He didn’t want to cry in front of Lu Chixie, but he couldn’t help it. The overwhelming negative emotions made it hard for him to breathe. He couldn’t remember the last time he cried like this.

Lu Chixie stared at his distressed face, lowering his voice, “You look ugly when you cry.”

Ling Zhuo closed his eyes, but the tears kept flowing.

Lowering his head again, Lu Chixie captured his lips once more.

Ling Zhuo didn’t try to resist anymore. He just clenched his teeth tightly, refusing to let Lu Chixie succeed.

Their lips intertwined intimately, but Lu Chixie didn’t attempt to go further. He lightly licked Ling Zhuo’s upper lip’s bead of tears, then released him.

“Are you crying because I kissed you, or because you’re lamenting your lost love?” Lu Chixie asked.

Ling Zhuo continued to choke, refusing to speak.

“Feeling better after a good cry?” Lu Chixie asked.

Ling Zhuo lifted his red eyes. Lu Chixie went to get some tissues and handed them to Ling Zhuo. “Wipe your face.”

Seeing Ling Zhuo still frozen, Lu Chixie sighed slightly, helping him wipe away the tears. Only then did Ling Zhuo seem to come back to his senses, taking the tissues and wiping his face himself.

Watching his movements, Lu Chixie suddenly laughed, “The first time I kissed you, you hit me twice and immediately went to rinse your mouth. The second time, you hesitated because of my life saving grace, refraining from hitting me but banishing me instead. This time, you’re so sad but didn’t resist much. Are you getting used to kissing me?”

“You’re talking nonsense,” Ling Zhuo retorted.

“Don’t rush to deny it,” Lu Chixie said confidently. “Well, how about this? Since you’re heartbroken now, the best way to heal a broken heart is to start a new relationship as soon as possible. I don’t mind helping you out.”

“Being in a relationship should be much more interesting than unrequited love, shouldn’t it? Want to give it a try?”

Ling Zhuo was taken aback.

Lu Chixie smiled at him. “Give it a try.”

Ling Zhuo lowered his head, silent.

If it were before, even just before tonight, there would have been no chance he’d agree to such a proposal from Lu Chixie. But now, he suddenly realized that he was being convinced.

Perhaps it was because he had drunk too much and his mind wasn’t clear, or perhaps he would regret it when he sobered up tomorrow. But at this moment, when Lu Chixie said those words with such a persuasive tone, he felt hooked. Because of what Lu Chixie said: “The best way to heal a broken heart is to start a new relationship as soon as possible.”

Ling Zhuo wasn’t sure if what Lu Chixie said was true. His mind was too foggy to think clearly at the moment, but he instinctively wanted to grasp onto something. So when Lu Chixie asked him again if he wanted to “give it a try,” he nodded subconsciously.

It was a slight nod, almost negligible.

Lu Chixie raised an eyebrow. “You agreed?”

Ling Zhuo’s throat moved as he struggled to speak. “…Can’t let anyone know.”

Lu Chixie nodded. “Okay.”

Ling Zhuo added, “If we are not compatible, we can end it anytime.”

Lu Chixie shrugged it off, never intending to stop once he started, but he still said, “Okay.”

In a low voice, Ling Zhuo murmured, “And no sleeping together. You can’t force me.”

Lu Chixie burst into laughter. “Alright, alright, no need to push it.”

Then he asked, “Ling Zhuo, if we can’t sleep together, can we do something else?”

Ling Zhuo shivered and pushed Lu Chixie lightly. “Let’s talk about that later.”

He panicked. “I really have to go back.”

Lu Chixie chuckled again, seeing that he was genuinely leaving. He didn’t tease him further and escorted him back to his room.

Before Ling Zhuo closed the door, Lu Chixie reached out and hugged him, whispering in his ear, “Goodnight, sleep well.”