Don’t Ignite It chapter 16

Coincidental meet up

Xia Yu and the others were already having drinks at the newly opened bar.

The owner was a friend of Jiang Ti’s, and the bar had only been in business for a short while. Apart from them, it was quite crowded. The bar had a retro style, and although it was lively, it wasn’t too noisy to be annoying. There was a live band on stage, and the atmosphere felt more like a banquet than a rowdy bar.

It took a while for Xu Zhan to join them. He had probably just finished work at the university. He wore slightly prescription glasses and a soft white coat. When he walked in, he looked completely out of place in the bar scene.

Standing beside Xia Yu was the bar owner, Yu Wan.

Yu Wan wasn’t originally from Chuan City and had moved there only a few years ago, so he wasn’t very familiar with Xia Yu and his friends. When he saw Xu Zhan walking in from the entrance, he couldn’t help but whistle in admiration.

Xia Yu chuckled inwardly and raised his hand, calling out to Xu Zhan, “Over here.”

Yu Wan was somewhat surprised and asked Xia Yu, “Is he your friend?”

Chu Ziyi, who was standing nearby, couldn’t help but giggle.

Xia Yu smiled mischievously at Yu Wan and said with a hint of ambiguity, “He’s my husband.”

Yu Wan nearly sprayed the drink in his mouth.

He hadn’t realized that same-sex marriage was legal, and he had thought that Xia Yu, judging by his youthful appearance, was probably still a college student.

Concerned, he asked Xia Yu, “Are you of legal marriage age?”

Xia Yu burst into laughter.

Jiang Ti, who was standing next to him, gave him a pitying look and couldn’t bear to watch him make a fool of himself. He pulled Yu Wan back and said, “This is the owner of Jiezi Gallery. He’s twenty-five this year.”

Yu Wan’s mouth formed an ‘O’ shape.

Xia Yu continued to smile, and since Xu Zhan had now approached, Xia Yu pulled him over and introduced him to Yu Wan, “My husband, Xu Zhan.”

Xu Zhan greeted the people present.

He hadn’t met Yu Wan before and was a bit unsure of the situation. When he heard Xia Yu introducing Yu Wan as the bar’s owner, he politely extended his hand for a handshake.

Yu Wan’s expression became even more interesting.

Xu Zhan had an impeccable demeanor, elegant and refined. He looked like the perfect educator you’d find on a university campus. This kind of man sitting in the dimly lit bar, surrounded by a colorful and festive atmosphere, was like a pearl dropped into a wine glass, adding an intoxicating allure to his pristine image.

Now, looking at Xia Yu next to him, who was equally good-looking but more lively and cute, with slightly curly short hair and an oversized sweater, Xia Yu would rest his face on Xu Zhan’s shoulder when talking to him. They looked harmonious but somehow mismatched, like a pair of pure white little birds, intimately nestled together.

Yu Wan couldn’t help but wonder if he was wrong about their relationship. He quietly asked Jiang Ti, “Are they really a couple? Why do I feel like they got their numbers mixed up?”

Jiang Ti raised an eyebrow at him but didn’t respond.

Yu Wan wasn’t convinced. “Don’t you think? I have a keen eye. Besides, I’ve had quite a few partners myself. That Xu Zhan, is that his name? Even though he looks reliable and composed, and he matches well with Xia Yu, I just feel like he’s not the dominant type.”

Jiang Ti gave him a disdainful look and told him, “Stop speculating.”

Yu Wan shrugged and felt a lonely sense of not being acknowledged. He walked past Jiang Ti and went to chat with Chu Ziyi, who was a new acquaintance.

Xia Yu whispered something to Xu Zhan, who didn’t want to get too drunk since he had plans later, so he ordered a low-alcohol cocktail. Xia Yu leaned in close to Xu Zhan and shared his guess that Jiang Ti might have feelings for him.

Xu Zhan simply didn’t believe it.

He chuckled, “I’ve only met him a few times.”

Xia Yu chuckled and said casually, “But he’s secretly watching you right now.”

Xu Zhan was taken aback, instinctively raised his head, and indeed, Jiang Ti was gazing in their direction. Their eyes met briefly before Jiang Ti quickly turned away, as if he’d been caught doing something wrong.

Xu Zhan’s expression turned subtly complicated.

Xia Yu couldn’t help but burst into laughter and leaned against Xu Zhan’s shoulder, unable to contain his mirth.

“see,”

Xia Yu smiled playfully and said, “Actually, Jiang Ti is not bad. Consider it.”

“Stop making baseless claims,” Xu Zhan replied, uninterested in Jiang Ti.

However, Xia Yu wasn’t easily convinced. “What’s wrong with Jiang Ti? He’s handsome, he’s an artist, and you share similar interests. His tongue might be a bit sharp, but he’s not a bad person.”

Xia Yu knew that Xu Zhan was in the honeymoon phase of his relationship with his other partner, but he had never met the guy and didn’t even know if he was real. Judging solely by profession, Xia Yu was skeptical.

Jiang Ti, on the other hand, was different.

Not only was he Xia Yu’s friend, and they knew each other well, but Xia Yu also trusted his character. If Jiang Ti could really win over Xu Zhan, Xia Yu would immediately step aside and proceed with a divorce.

Speaking of which, Xia Yu suddenly remembered that Xu Zhan mentioned having another appointment later. He nudged Xu Zhan and asked, “You’re going somewhere else later, right? To meet your other partner? What was his name again?”

Xu Zhan didn’t deny it and nodded, “His name is Ruan Sen.”

Xia Yu felt a bit familiar with the name but didn’t dwell on it. He teased, “That name sounds a bit strange.”

If it weren’t for Jiang Ti, Xia Yu wouldn’t have minded. But compared to Jiang Ti, Xu Zhan’s outside lover didn’t have any advantages; he was simply being financially supported by Xu Zhan, who was deeply infatuated with him.

However, Xu Zhan liked it this way, and there was nothing Xia Yu could do about it.

While they were conversing, Yu Wan suddenly stood up and said, “I have a friend coming over with his brother. I’ll go greet them at the door.”

Xia Yu didn’t pay much attention and continued to play dice with the others. Xu Zhan, who wasn’t familiar with the game, sat nearby and watched with interest.

The two of them sat close together, whispering to each other from time to time, appearing deeply in love in the eyes of others.

After a while, Yu Wan returned with two guys. Xia Yu didn’t lift his head until he heard Yu Wan raise his voice slightly and say, “Let me introduce you all. This is my business partner, and he also has a stake in the bar. He’s my friend, Lu Yuan, and this is his brother, Lu Zhao.”

Xia Yu’s hand, which had been resting on the dice cup, tensed up.

He raised his head.

The first person he saw was Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan was about the same age as him, and they had been high school classmates. He bore some resemblance to Lu Zhao. Back when Xia Yu was chasing after Lu Zhao, Lu Yuan had often observed him with a mocking, sarcastic look and made many cutting remarks.

Now that they met again by chance, Lu Yuan’s face appeared somewhat stiff, and he seemed unsure of how to greet Xia Yu.

Xia Yu raised an eyebrow and said after a moment, “We know each other. Lu Yuan and I were schoolmates in high school and college.”

Then he shifted his gaze to Lu Zhao, who was standing next to Lu Yuan.

Lu Zhao was also staring at him intently. In this noisy and dimly lit atmosphere, where the lighting was dim and you could barely see the faces of people across from you, Lu Zhao, dressed in all black, seemed to blend into the bar. However, he had extremely fair skin, a cold and stern face, gray-blue eyes, and he stood silently, exuding an oppressive aura that made it impossible for people to ignore his presence.

Xia Yu felt Xu Zhan’s grip on his arm tighten slightly.

He turned to Xu Zhan with a reassuring smile, indicating that everything was fine, and then smiled at Lu Zhao.

“Long time no see, Lu Zhao.”

Not too long ago, he had been in Lu Zhao’s bed, entangled in kisses.

But now, in front of everyone, they were just strangers.

Lu Zhao didn’t respond with a “long time no see.” He maintained his calm demeanor.

“It hasn’t been that long,” he said, “Didn’t we meet not too long ago?”

With this remark, the atmosphere inexplicably turned cold.

Even Jiang Ti couldn’t help but exchange glances between the two of them.

Among the eight or nine people at the table, more than half were unaware of Xia Yu and Lu Zhao’s past grudges. Yu Wan was from out of town, and a few were assistants from Xia Yu’s art gallery who didn’t know Lu Zhao.

But Jiang Ti, being Xia Yu’s brother’s friend, knew about their history.

His expression also turned cold, and he silently wondered if he should go and tell Xia Jin to keep a closer eye on his younger brother.

Unfortunately, Yu Wan, who was sitting next to them, seemed oblivious to the situation, and his ability to read the room appeared to have malfunctioned. He exclaimed, “So, you all know each other? That’s great! Come, come, sit together.”

Jiang Ti couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

Xia Yu just smiled and remained silent.

But Xu Zhan spoke up.

He had been feeling angry since he saw Lu Zhao, and now that Lu Zhao had been staring at Xia Yu, he became even more guarded. He placed a hand on Xia Yu’s shoulder.

Although he looked refined and scholarly, he was slightly taller than Xia Yu, with broader shoulders. By doing this, he practically half-encircled Xia Yu, asserting his dominance.

Xia Yu was momentarily taken aback, and his back tensed slightly. However, after a moment of consideration, he didn’t move.

Xu Zhan then smiled at Lu Zhao.

“It’s been a while, Lu Zhao. I didn’t know you were in Chuan City recently. It’s quite a coincidence that we ran into each other today. We should invite you both over to our place sometime. Xia Yu and I would be happy to host you.”

He said it politely, but it was clear that he didn’t want to give Lu Zhao any face.

Lu Zhao’s gaze finally shifted away from Xia Yu and focused somewhat on Xu Zhan. In the dim lighting of the bar, amidst the mottled shadows, his handsome features, sharp jawline, and icy blue eyes exuded an aura of aggression. With a casual glance, he made people shiver deep down in their bones.

“I actually saw you in Xiangshi not too long ago,” Lu Zhao said, still looking at Xu Zhan. “You’ve been on business trips there recently, haven’t you? I had some other business, so I didn’t say hello. My apologies, I suppose.”

This remark caused an awkward chill to settle over the table.

Even Jiang Ti, who was sitting between them, couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Out of the eight or nine people at the table, only three understood the implied meaning behind Lu Zhao’s words.

Most of Xu Zhan’s rendezvous with his lover took place in Xiangshi.

Xu Zhan didn’t react much, but Xia Yu’s expression darkened. He gave Lu Zhao a warning look.

Lu Zhao remained unfazed, maintaining his arrogant and cold demeanor.

Even Yu Wan, who had a knack for reading people, couldn’t quite figure out the dynamics at this table. He had been about to say something but decided against it. He couldn’t quite grasp the situation.

Fortunately, he owned the bar and was friends with Lu Yuan, so he had a sense of authority in this situation. He sat down with a beaming smile and picked up the dice cup, saying to Lu Yuan, “You guys arrived just in time. Dice games are more fun with more people. Before you came, Xia Yu had all the luck, and he’s been making us drink penalties. It’s a good opportunity to dampen his spirits.”

He then turned to Lu Zhao, “what would you like to drink?”

“Just tequila,” Lu Zhao replied with a hint of reserve. “I’ve heard Lu Yuan mention you a few times. He said you’ve taken good care of him. Although we haven’t had a chance to meet until now, I appreciate it.”

The tense atmosphere at the table finally began to ease.

Yu Wan smiled and said, “It’s nothing much. Lu Yuan and I are like brothers. He’s been looking out for me as well.”

He wasn’t really a fool, and he understood that Lu Zhao was just being polite. But this was the heir to the Lu family, a legitimate heir, and it was good to get acquainted even if they didn’t have any business dealings.

With a relaxed atmosphere, the dice game began, and the awkward tension started to dissipate.