Chen Qianqing had still ended up going to the party with Lu Zhengfei the next evening.
There was a small bout of drizzle that day. Chen Qianqing slept throughout the car ride, and was woken up by Lu Zhengfei when they reached their destination.
Lu Zhengfei: “Qianqing, wake up, we’re here.”
Chen Qianqing opened his eyes and yawned. Only then did he get off the car with Lu Zhengfei slowly like a sloth.
Since it was a private gathering, the venue was a certain somebody’s private villa. Clearly, Lu Zhengfei knew the people there very well. He greeted the guard and brought Chen Qianqing in.
“Lu Zhengfei, you brat, you’re finally here.” As soon as Lu Zhengfei entered, the eyes of the crowd were all gathered on him. But most of the noise was just buzz: “You’ve been out in Fairyland for so long I bet you were this close to forgetting all your buddies, finally willing to show your little cutie around?”
As for the cutie, that would naturally be Chen Qianqing.
Of course, Lu Zhengfei’s friends were just kidding around with him. Nobody really believed he would live the rest of his life with a man, so it was only normal that their words would come spoken with a twinge of scorn. To Chen Qianqing, such attitudes displayed towards him was of no importance to him; but for the former Chen Qianqing, it was an act of humiliation.
When everyone thinks of you as just a plaything, wanting to stand up tall with your chest puffed was not easy.
When he heard the ridicule of the crowd, Lu Zhengfei frowned: “If you guys keep talking crap, I’m leaving.”
Everyone laughed, but they did not continue joking around. There was no need for them to anger Lu Zhengfei just for the sake of a joke.
“Lu Zhengfei, how’s your body doing?” Xu Shaoren, the doctor whom Lu Zhengfei had visited for Chen Qianqing’s psychological consultation, had also seen Lu Zhengfei through the crowd and came to greet him.
Of course, Lu Zhengfei knew what that guy Xu Shaoren was implying. He shot a glare at him: “Thanks to you, I’m doing quite well.”
Xu Shaoren broke out into another bout of laughter. He had a good relationship with Lu Zhengfei, and had been friends for many years. Otherwise, Lu Zhengfei would not have asked him about private matters such as his problems with Chen Qianqing. With just that sour look on Lu Zhengfei’s face, he could guess that Lu Zhengfei was definitely still working on that problem.
Compared to Lu Zhengfei, Xu Shaoren could definitely be crowned as the Saint of Love when it came to relationships. He looked at the straight-faced Chen Qianqing who was eating fruits at the side and turned to Lu Zhengfei, whispering: “Why don’t you try one of those sexual aid pills?”
That idea had never crossed Lu Zhengfei’s mind at all. The first reaction he had when he heard what Xu Shaoren said was anger; but after some thought, he became hesitant: “Aren’t those stuff harmful to the body?”
“What harm could it bring?” Xu Shaoren looked at Lu Zhengfei with mirth in his eyes: “You’re not using it all the time, it’s just the occasional ‘help’…But anyway, have you thought about what I asked you back then?”
When Lu Zhengfei asked Xu Shaoren about Chen Qianqing, he had once asked him about one thing——Was it only with him that Chen Qianqing could not get hard, or was it the same with others as well?
Lu Zhengfei really wanted to know, but he was also afraid of the answer.
Xu Shaoren said to him: “Isn’t today a good opportunity? I can test it out for you…”
Lu Zhengfei glared at him: “Scram.” He knew Xu Shaoren well, he had an appetite for both men and women. He knew that for him to suggest this implied that he had a good chance of taking an interest in Chen Qianqing.
Xu Shaoren teased: “Hey now, don’t be so heartless, do you really have to keep such a tight eye on him?”
Lu Zhengfei turned to look at Chen Qianqing, and his eyes warmed up a lot: “I’m being serious.”
Xu Shaoren was silent. He was already in his thirties, he had long passed the age where he believed in love. When he saw the expression on Lu Zhengfei’s face, he could only laugh…Seriously? How could people like them ever be serious?
Chen Qianqing had been playing with his phone at his seat ever since he entered. Every so often, he would nibble on a piece of fruit, not at all being concerned with what Lu Zhengfei and Xu Shaoren was speaking about.
But frankly, there was nothing much that needed his attention anyway. Anything Lu Zhengfei would speak about with Xu Shaoren would most likely be things he had also spoken about with Xu Shaoren. It would be nothing more than idle chatter, and some exchange of information.
Even though everyone was quite curious about him, they did not wish to provoke Lu Zhengfei. With his short-fused temper, he might really blow up if anyone were to make his little lover unhappy; and when that time comes, nobody would be having a good time. It was just pitiful for all the men and women in their circle who had their eyes on Lu Zhengfei, but none of them had ever succeeded.
Chen Qianqing knew that nobody would ever dare to provoke him while Lu Zhengfei was around, so he felt an unusual sense of leisure. And from the looks of it, he was nearly tipping off into dreamland.
Xu Shaoren invited Lu Zhengfei to play a round of snooker with him, but when Lu Zhengfei saw how sleepy Chen Qianqing looked, he simply refused.
Xu Shaoren had a hesitant smile on his face as he probed: “Lu Zhengfei…You’re not serious, are you?”
Lu Zhengfei knew that Xu Shaoren would not believe him. After a short silence, he said to him: “I’m preparing to come out of the closet to my family this Spring Festival.”
Xu Shaoren was stunned: “Have you gone mad?”
Lu Zhengfei responded: “I just want to give him some footing…I can’t just let him be bullied.”
Incredulous, his jaw was practically slacking in disbelief when he heard him. He warned: “Lu Zhengfei…Are you really in love with him? Or are you trying to ruin his life?”
Since Chen Qianqing was not impotent during his previous lifetime, Lu Zhengfei had never given Xu Shaoren the opportunity to say these words to him, and naturally so, Lu Zhengfei had no need to consult his friend about that matter. With this turn of events, Lu Zhengfei had now ended up speaking to Xu Shaoren about his own thoughts.
Lu Zhengfei said to him: “What are you trying to imply, Xu Shaoren? Would I come out to my family if I did not love him?”
Xu Shaoren was at a loss to whether he should be crying or laughing at his response. He looked sternly at his friend: “Lu Zhengfei…So you’re actually serious?”
Lu Zhengfei frowned: “I know it’s a lot of pressure to come out to them, but I will protect him.”
So young, so naive. Xu Shaoren could not understand; Lu Zhengfei was such a smart man, how did he end up so muddle-headed by something like this? With a single glance, he could tell that Chen Qianqing was only an ordinary student. After coming out of the closet, Lu Zhengfei would be faced with pressure from his entire family, how was he going to protect Chen Qianqing then?
Xu Shaoren sighed: “Lu Zhengfei, does your IQ go down under only when it’s related to love?”
Lu Zhengfei was peeved: “What’re you trying to say?”
Xu Shaoren patted Lu Zhengfei’s shoulder: “Don’t be in such a rush to tell your family, just try telling your cousin first, and just watch what he’s going to do to you and Chen Qianqing.”
When Xu Shaoren mentioned this, Lu Zhengfei immediately recalled the fact that Yuan Wenhong had deliberately hired someone to mark his collar with lipstick.
Xu Shaoren said: “Let’s say I was part of your family and you tried to come out of the closet to me, don’t you think I’ll find a way to get at Chen Qianqing? Lu Zhengfei…If you really want to do this, you’ll have to think long and hard about it.”
Lu Zhengfei kept quiet. From the looks of it, he was pondering his words.
Xu Shaoren went on: “And just look at the two of you, he doesn’t look like he’s doing this voluntarily, am I wrong? In that case, it would be very easy to get him to leave you. They just have to shut you in, threaten him a little, and think about it, what do you think you can do in that situation?”
Lu Zhengfei was not an idiot. The reason why he wished to come out to his family was just so he could prove to Chen Qianqing how much he loved him, and due to that, he wished to formally grant him that position. He felt like he was strong enough, that even if he were to come out the closet, he would still be able to protect Chen Qianqing; but Xu Shaoren’s words had quickly shaken him up from the beautiful dream that had been constructed within his mind.
Xu Shaoren said to him: “Lu Zhengfei…You really gave me a scare. This isn’t some idol drama, nobody is going to give you any blessings for your and Chen Qianqing’s relationship.”
Lu Zhengfei told him: “Xu Shaoren…I love him.”
Xu Shaoren was practically at the brink of planting his palm on his forehead. But he also began to wonder, which part of Chen Qianqing was so charming to him, that he was able to put Lu Zhengfei’s head this far up into the clouds? He said: “Lu Zhengfei, look at the people around you, how many do you think are actually taking Chen Qianqing seriously? And even if they did, what can you do to protect him? I’ve also liked men in my life, but I know that it’s just a game.”
Lu Zhengfei was finally silent.
Xu Shaoren continued: “And to be frank, isn’t the fact that he can’t get hard to you already suggesting to you that the only thing he sees from you is trauma? He has no other feelings towards you.”
Lu Zhengfei tried to refute him: “But he hasn’t been arguing with me recently, and he’s been a lot warmer with me…Doesn’t that mean he’s starting to soften up, Xu Shaoren?”
Xu Shaoren responded: “No, he’s just gotten smarter.”
Lu Zhengfei’s face soured considerably as he said: “Is it really that hard for him to fall in love with me?”
After some serious thought, Xu Shaoren said to him: “If it was a straight man, then I reckon it’d really be quite hard to fall for you.”
While the two were conversing, Chen Qianqing had met with the very first person who took the initiative to strike up a conversation with him ever since he entered the room.
“You’re called Chen Qianqing, right?” That person seemed pretty young, probably about seventeen or eighteen, but he was pretty and had a sweet look to him when he smiled: “Nice to meet you, my name is Tan Yuqiao.”
Chen Qianqing put down his phone and raised his head to look at him: “Yes?”
Tan Yuqiao said cheerfully to him: “You must be bored…I also came to accompany my friend.”
Chen Qianqing observed this person who named himself Tan Yuqiao up and down, and felt a vague impression of him. He seemed to be a celebrity that was being sponsored by Sun Qi. He responded plainly: “Mm.”
Tan Yuqiao continued: “You’re so distant…Can you give me your phone number? We can go out to play next time.”
Chen Qianqing said: “Are you this familiar with everyone?”
Even after hearing his words, Tan Yuqiao did not get mad. He only responded with a smile: “I like to be familiar with people who look good.”
“Who’s that?” When Lu Zhengfei saw Chen Qianqing with someone, he asked about him from Xu Shaoren.
Xu Shaoren glanced over to Chen Qianqing’s direction: “Seems like one of the playthings brought over by Sun Baiqi…Why?”
“It’s nothing.” Lu Zhengfei removed his gaze from them: “I was worried he’d be uncomfortable by himself.”
Xu Shaoren was amazed: “Young Master Lu, I never knew you were this thoughtful a person.”
Lu Zhengfei responded: “It’s cause you’re too ugly.”