The “Perfumum” bar was incredibly lively. Zhu Jingru was changing on the third floor. Uncharacteristically, he changed into a simple white T-shirt and didn’t wear any earrings. After washing his face, he slicked his hair back to reveal the smooth lines of his forehead, looking youthful, handsome, and free-spirited.
Huang Chen came in to get some liquor and was momentarily stunned by Zhu Jingru’s fresh and youthful appearance. “You look so young, boss, almost like in that photo downstairs.”
“Not even close,” Zhu Jingru replied. His naturally smiling lips made him look like he was pretending to be well-behaved no matter what he did. He faced the mirror and pressed hard on the pinch mark to make it more obvious.
Huang Chen pretended not to see. He had grown used to all sorts of strange and flashy antics; you couldn’t be Zhu Jingru’s employee without a certain level of mental fortitude.
“A-Yin said Teacher Yue and Sister Wen are both here. I wonder if the manager came.”
Zhu Jingru reached out and stroked the smoky-gray scarf on the chair, which had been washed clean. He had only worn it once today, but it was still very fragrant and warm.
The first floor was a cacophony of voices, filled with handsome men and beautiful women in all sorts of costumes. The ambiguous lighting, paired with lazy, lo-fi music, and a stage adorned with floral arrangements set the mood. The DJ was a man with tattooed arms, an expert at warming up the crowd and creating an explosive atmosphere.
A giant firework exploded overhead with a bang. The electric guitar and drums were deafening, and silver confetti reflected the light as the crowd’s revelry soared in that instant.
Before leaving, Yue Chuan and Li Wenxue had still failed to persuade a certain someone. Bai Qinglin looked as if he was prepared to throw the book on the table, along with those roses, into the trash can by the kitchen door. Well, he was impervious to reason, just too difficult to handle.
Yue Chuan had originally wanted to test him again.
But Bai Qinglin, wearing his refined glasses while exhaling smoke, was the very picture of a cold-faced monster. The sense of pressure he exuded was innate. He had even turned his head to stare at Yue Chuan for a moment, his gaze terrifying.
Li Wenxue said, “Old Bai doesn’t like crowds. It’s normal for him not to go.”
“He’ll go,” Yue Chuan said with absolute certainty. The book hadn’t been upside down at all; he had just been bluffing. He hadn’t expected Bai Qinglin to actually lower his head to check, which was a clear sign he had been distracted.
Due to the number of customers, the café didn’t close until ten o’clock. Bai Qinglin wiped his fingertips with a cloth. A drop of water fell onto the edge of the sink and trickled down along a few green veins. He meticulously adjusted the garters on his arms, finally folding the cuffs up slightly.
After he was done, he put on his coat. He had only unfastened the top button of the cotton shirt underneath, leaving his Adam’s apple exposed.
After Bai Qinglin pulled down the roll-up door, the burn on his finger throbbed faintly. The bandage was too rough, and the sensation was unpleasant.
There were still many people on Ginkgo Avenue. Bai Qinglin turned his head to look in the direction of home. The crosswalk at the traffic light was clear. He couldn’t help but think of the back of that neck pressed against the white wall, glowing like porcelain, making one want to bite it.
Bai Qinglin relaxed his furrowed brow and tilted his head up slightly to breathe. The uncontrollable thoughts and the insatiable hunger—he traced the root of his affliction back to Zhu Jingru’s repeated, unbridled advances.
That washed coat could no longer chase away the emptiness.
Bai Qinglin unblocked the number in his blacklist. He sat on a sofa in the small garden at the entrance of the bar, his posture more relaxed than his usual upright one.
Zhu Jingru answered quickly. “This is the first time you’ve ever called me.”
“Mn.”
“One ‘mn’ isn’t enough.” Zhu Jingru’s voice was lazy, his speech always slow. “I’m guessing you’re calling to ask for your scarf, Brother Bai?”
“Yue Chuan will bring your coat tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Zhu Jingru continued, “There are too many people today, so I can’t come down. How about I throw it to you from the balcony?”
Just as Bai Qinglin was about to answer, Zhu Jingru suddenly changed his mind. “No, that won’t work either. The tangled tree branches will probably catch it. How about I wear the scarf and jump from the third floor to return it to you?”
His tone was serious. Given his previous track record of unpredictable madness, it was something he was truly capable of doing.
Bai Qinglin commented lightly, “You’re very bold.”
“If I wasn’t, how would I dare to provoke you?”
Flirtatious words came to him effortlessly, and an unspoken intimacy began to spread.
This time, Bai Qinglin didn’t remain silent. He asked casually, “How long do you plan on provoking me?”
“Until you agree.” The moment Zhu Jingru finished speaking, he heard a low chuckle from the other end of the line. It was incredibly brief, almost just a slight vibration in the throat and breath, but he had definitely heard it.
Zhu Jingru’s ears burned. He immediately changed the subject. “Brother Bai, I sent you so many text messages before. Did you read them?”
“I did.”
“You saw them but didn’t reply?”
“I didn’t want to.” Bai Qinglin stood up and pushed open the bar’s glass door, his face expressionless. He lowered his eyes and rubbed the door handle for a few seconds with the pad of his finger. The sensation was still uncomfortable. “Come downstairs, Zhu Jingru.”
