Surprise! My online crush turned out to be... - Chapter 19

Chapter 19

“Shu Yang.” Tao Zi ignored Qiao Jianxue’s arm and called out, as Qiao Jianxue smiled at him beside him, her face resting on Tao Zi’s arm.

Shu Yang nodded at Tao Zi. He knew Tao Zi must have come to him out of fear that he would be uncomfortable alone. But this girl wasn’t the right place to talk.

Furthermore, Shu Yang found Qiao Jianxue’s actions amusing. He and Tao Zi were brothers, and they wouldn’t let such a small gesture of hers rub against their relationship.

Her actions were a waste of effort.

But because she was Tao Zi’s cousin, Shu Yang couldn’t say anything directly in front of her. He could only swallow what he had been about to say.

Shu Yang was unusually silent that evening, not actively engaging in conversation. He stayed in a less crowded area, watching the lavishly dressed people come and go below.

Tao Zi, a relative of the Qiao family, would occasionally help out with entertaining. Qiao Jianxue, on the other hand, seemed to be clinging to Shu Yang, constantly clinging to him, eagerly checking his phone.

Shu Yang gently placed his hand on the corridor railing and slowly relaxed. His peripheral vision flickered to Qiao Jianxue, and a smile slowly curved his lips.

He turned to look at Qiao Jianxue. “Do you really want his contact information?”

Hearing this, Qiao Jianxue took two quick steps closer. “Are you willing to give it to me?”

Shu Yang smiled and nodded. His crooked eyes were filled with teasing, a glint of cunning flashing across them. He lowered his voice and said nonchalantly, “I’ll give it to you, but you have to go downstairs and find three people in the lobby…”

A clean, fresh scent emanated faintly from the young man, completely at odds with the atmosphere of the cocktail party.

Qiao Jianxue felt bewitched and stopped pestering him. She readily agreed to the young man’s offer, but by the time she reached the bottom floor, she still hadn’t figured out what he meant.

After finding the three people she’d pointed out and talking to them, she went upstairs again to look for Shu Yang. However, she discovered that the people who had been there were gone, and the faces of the three people she’d been looking for had remained dark all night.

Shu Yang had already secretly hidden away in another quiet lounge, locked the door, and waited for the party to end before going home. Now he just hoped Shu Zhiyi wouldn’t forget him.

But here, instead of Shu Zhiyi, he waited for Tao Zi. After all, it was Tao Zi who had given him the room number.

Shu Yang sat across from Tao Zi with a smile.

The people who knew him best were Fatty Shen and Tao Zi. One look at his expression and they knew he’d done something awful again.

“Tell me, how did Jian Xue offend you?” Tao Zi poured two glasses of water and placed them on the table for them. He hadn’t said anything during their earlier conversation, but he’d clearly seen the impatience and irritation in Shu Yang’s eyes. But after all, on one side was her cousin, and on the other was her brother, so he wouldn’t speak rashly until he had a clear understanding of the situation.

But in reality, Tao Zi considered herself closer to Shu Yang. Even though they were cousins, they rarely interacted.

“I just caused a little trouble for her dad,” Shu Yang said nonchalantly. “She was trying to steal my girlfriend, and I just gave her a little lesson, not a fatal blow.”

“What girlfriend?” Tao Zi didn’t care about the trouble; he didn’t quite understand such things. But he trusted Shu Yang to be tactful.

“Well…it’s a bit hard to explain.” Shu Yang took a sip of water and considered his words. Only Chen Yi knew about this, and he hadn’t told Tao Zi yet. But now, there was really no need to say anything…right?

He was about to explain when he heard the familiar ringing of his cell phone.

He was distracted when Tao Zi reminded him, “The phone’s ringing, answer it…”

Almost reflexively, Shu Yang swiped the answer button, and at the same moment, Francis appeared on the screen.

“Shu Yang, you didn’t call me.”

Under the obstruction of headphones, the man’s slightly hoarse voice rang out across the entire lounge.

Tao Zi sat across from Shu Yang, unable to see the person on the screen. He merely raised an eyebrow at the words and then pricked up his ears.

Shu Yang stole a glance at Tao Zi across from him, then at the person on the screen, unsure what to say. “Big, big pigeon…”

His heart softened at the sight of the man’s brows. Even if he and Francis would never meet, there was no denying they’d hit it off during their previous conversations. Besides, wasn’t this the situation he’d always hoped for? Why was he so conflicted?

He couldn’t even figure out what he was thinking.

“Someone wants your contact information. She’s a pretty girl, but a little bit nervous…” Shu Yang’s voice sank, until he could look Francis in the eye and was speechless.

Francis stood motionless on the screen. His military uniform was still impeccable, exactly as it had been when Shu Yang first saw him. He was still the same person, but Shu Yang knew his mindset had changed.

This change was truly unsettling!

Shu Yang touched his hair, which was held in place by hairspray. He wondered how much hair oil that Tony had applied to him earlier; it was a headache.

“From our previous communication, I thought you understood that we were each other’s only existence.” Francis spoke at a moderate pace, loud enough for all four ears in the room to hear clearly.

Francis probably meant no other than to say that since their identities had been confirmed, the vast distance between them, time and space, made it impossible for anyone else to interfere with their relationship. But the words were so ambiguous that Shu Yang blushed instantly. Tao Zi, who sat across from Shu Yang, lowered his head. Even if Shu Yang stole a glance at him, he couldn’t make out his expression.

“Really? Really? Haha, hehe, hehe.” Shu Yang gave an awkward smile.

“Is there someone with you?”

“Um, my brother…”

“The one who answered the phone this morning?” Francis frowned.

“No, it was someone else, Tao Zi.” Shu Yang called Tao Zi, signaling with his eyes if he wanted to come over and take a look. The situation was now clear; it was obvious who was the one holding the line.

Taozi nodded.

Shu Yang turned his phone around, and Taozi’s face appeared in the video feed. He also saw the handsome man in the video.

The two exchanged glances and nodded in greeting.

Shu Yang quickly turned the phone back. The atmosphere was a bit eerie, like meeting his parents with his boyfriend.

Because Taozi was right next to him, it was difficult for Shu Yang to chat freely with Francis, so they quickly ended the call. But before ending, Shu Yang whispered, “Um, can I call you when I get back? It might be a little late.”

“Yeah.”

Shu Yang actually felt a little pleased with the usual ‘yeah.’

When he put the phone down, he met Taozi’s inquiring gaze.

“Do you like men?”

Shu Yang had expected Taozi to ask, but he hadn’t expected her to be so blunt. He didn’t know how to answer this question. He’d always thought he liked young ladies, but then he met this big pigeon who seemed tailor-made for him, and the world changed.

But answering “yes” now would be like directly admitting his love for Francis, and he still felt a little uncomfortable saying it out loud. If he said “no,” he wouldn’t be sure whether it was true or not.

“Maybe,” Shu Yang finally found a compromise.

Tao Zi rubbed the glass in her hand with her fingers and nodded. “Maybe” was an admission.

“What’s wrong, Tao Zi?” Shu Yang asked, seeing Tao Zi remained silent. “Are you having trouble accepting it?”

Many people still find it difficult to accept this kind of sexual orientation, but Shu Yang didn’t want to lose a good friend because of it.

“Not really. I thought I couldn’t accept it, but if it were you, I wouldn’t be so opposed to it.” Tao Zi smiled.

This smile put Shu Yang’s mind at ease.

He was glad that his friends were open-minded and tolerant. Moreover, he’d only just realized his own sexual orientation, and he’d always been a bit worried. His friend’s approval would also put him at ease.

Even if he and Da Ge couldn’t possibly be together, who knows, he might meet a more attractive male guest in the future.

But as soon as the thought occurred, Shu Yang extinguished it. How could anyone be more attractive than Da Ge? It was impossible.

The atmosphere between them was a bit cold. Tao Zi glanced at Shu Yang, who was curled up on the sofa, lowered her head, thought for a moment, and then changed the subject.

“What did you talk about with Qiao Jianxue?”

Shu Yang’s interest perked up again at this point. He sat up straight and reported on his “great achievements.”

“What a coincidence.” Shu Yang’s eyes curved with a smile, and when he was particularly energetic, they seemed to sparkle with stars. “Today, I was listening to Shu Zhiyi’s assistant discussing the itinerary in the car. I listened to a few words, and I put them to use today.”

Shu Yang patted his lap. “Qiao’s company has been bidding on several projects lately. Tonight’s banquet is about that. I guess you know about that. Do you know which ones are the most sought-after?”

Tao Zi clasped her hands together and looked at the jubilant Shu Yang. “The Zhang, Wang, and Li families?”

“Yes, thank goodness I actually know what they look like. Mr. Wang’s family’s been having some trouble lately, and Mr. Zhang’s company has had some issues. Mr. Li, well, there’s nothing wrong with him, but he hates people calling him bald. Hahaha, I just asked Qiao Jianxue to go and chat about family matters, but I guess she’ll get a good scolding.”

A little princess like her certainly wouldn’t care about who her family’s business partners are partnering with lately. Even so, she’s been taught to be cautious in her words and actions.

But lately, she’d been desperate to find that person’s contact information. Furthermore, the words Shu Yang had taught her were all standard social jargon. She’d never imagined that seemingly ordinary words could instantly trigger someone in a difficult situation to associate themselves with her.

No matter how polite and courteous the tone, it would become a form of pretentious sarcasm.

While the three wouldn’t cancel their partnership with the Qiao Corporation, they would still harbor some concerns. When the Qiao Corporation found out, Qiao Jianxue would inevitably receive a reprimand.

Shu Yang had never been a good person. If he displeased him, he wouldn’t repay kindness with kindness, only justice.