Chapter 6
After Jiang Zhou said that, he stopped speaking to Chen Ju. Chen Ju cupped the cold beer can in both hands, hunched his shoulders, and sat there without a word.
Suddenly, someone beside him called Chen Ju’s name. Chen Ju raised his head blankly and looked over. The speaker was a chubby man wearing glasses.
“Boss Chen, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten me?” The fat man slung an arm around Chen Ju’s shoulders. “Come on, let’s go sing a song together! We’ll sing that song about good brothers!”
Chen Ju tightened his grip on the beer can in his hand. It had grown warm from his grasp. He didn’t want to reveal his stutter in front of so many people, especially Jiang Zhou.
“I... I can’t sing,” Chen Ju refused.
The fat man chuckled. “It’s fine, it’s fine! We’ll turn on the original track and just hum along!”
Without giving Chen Ju a chance to refuse, he pulled him up from the sofa. Chen Ju instinctively looked at Jiang Zhou and called softly, “Jiang Zhou!”
A large hand closed around his wrist. Warmth from the palm seeped through his skin and into his veins. Jiang Zhou had grabbed Chen Ju’s wrist.
Chen Ju and the fat man wore the same startled expression. A moment later, the fat man chuckled. “Don’t worry, Brother Zhou. I’m just asking Chen Ju to sing a song. We’re only having some fun!”
“Mm.” Jiang Zhou released him, his face still cold and emotionless.
Chen Ju followed the fat man over to the singing area. The spot on his wrist where Jiang Zhou had just grabbed him felt as if it were burning. He glanced toward Jiang Zhou, who had disappeared into the darkness. He couldn’t see the man’s expression, but he had the strange feeling he was being watched.
Why had Jiang Zhou grabbed him just now? Was it because he’d called his name? No, that couldn’t be it...
Though the fat man had said they’d just sing casually, he didn’t make things difficult for Chen Ju, letting him hum along from the side. The man sang with his face and neck flushed, full of passion.
When they finished, applause broke out around them. Chen Ju lowered his head in embarrassment, since he hadn’t sung a single word the entire time.
The singing wrapped up soon after, and everyone began saying their goodbyes. Chen Ju followed behind them, glancing silently at Jiang Zhou surrounded by the others. Clutching his backpack strap, he turned and headed toward a nearby alley.
Jiang Zhou’s voice sounded faintly from behind him, as if calling his name. Chen Ju paused for a moment but didn’t stop walking.
He wouldn’t be presumptuous again. Jiang Zhou was saying goodbye to everyone; he wouldn’t remember Chen Ju at the back of the crowd.
When Chen Ju reached the corner, the voice suddenly grew louder. Jiang Zhou’s voice, carrying a hint of anger, cut through the cold air and rang in Chen Ju’s ears.
“Chen Ju!”
Chen Ju stopped and slowly turned around, staring back in disbelief. Jiang Zhou stood a few steps away, his brows tightly furrowed. A trace of impatience showed in his indifferent eyes.
It really was Jiang Zhou. He hadn’t imagined hearing him.
“Tsk.” Jiang Zhou strode up to Chen Ju and said coldly, “Why are you walking so fast?”
Chen Ju froze, then hurriedly explained, “S-sorry. I thought... I thought I was hearing things.”
“Enough.” Jiang Zhou cut him off, seemingly impatient. “Don’t say pointless things.”
Chen Ju’s eyes stung. He lowered his head and stared at the ground. With no one else around, Jiang Zhou had turned back into that icy, sharp-tongued person—the side of himself he showed only to Chen Ju.
Because Jiang Zhou hated him.
“I came to find you because there’s something I need your help with,” Jiang Zhou said bluntly.
Help? Jiang Zhou was asking him for help?
Chen Ju looked up in surprise. “W-what do you need help with?”
“Pretend to be my lover for a while,” Jiang Zhou said, his thin lips parting. “You only need to fool the people around me.”
Chen Ju’s eyes widened slightly. He thought he must have misheard again. Otherwise, how could he have heard Jiang Zhou say something like that?
He stared at Jiang Zhou for a long while before finally forcing a dry, trembling question from his throat. “Why?”
Jiang Zhou’s eyes were half-lidded as he replied coolly, “You only need to answer yes or no. Why are you asking so many questions?”
“I... I...” Chen Ju nervously clenched his hands. Cold sweat gathered in his palms, and his heart pounded so loudly in his chest that he could barely hear the sounds around him.
“Here’s my contact information.” Jiang Zhou stepped in front of Chen Ju and handed him a business card. “Think it over and get in touch with me. I’ll pay you.”
“I... I don’t want your money!” Chen Ju hurriedly looked up. When his eyes met Jiang Zhou’s utterly unruffled gaze, his heart suddenly tightened. The man simply didn’t care.
“You’re short on money right now, aren’t you?” Jiang Zhou hit the nail on the head. “This amount is nothing to me. Get back to me within a week at the latest.”
Without waiting for Chen Ju to reply, Jiang Zhou turned and left.
Chen Ju stared blankly in the direction the man had gone. The business card in his palm still held a trace of warmth, proof that none of this was a dream.