Chapter 87
Note: Early chapter release. Thank you so much for the Ko-Fi, kassilph! ♡⸜(˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)⸝♡
With a composed demeanor, Li Yu picked up the tall wine glass. His fingertips trembled slightly, with a lingering, soft cool sensation subtly remaining on the skin.
Upon finishing, he heard Mu Cai chuckle softly, "You are very good-looking."
An air of disbelief appeared on everyone's faces around them.
In their more than 20-year-old lives, the most handsome person they'd ever seen was this man seated on the red sofa — his skin as white as snow, his face exquisite. Every inadvertent gesture and expression of his was captivating, soul-stirring.
Yet, such a person was actually telling someone else they looked good?!
It seemed he was completely unaware of his outstanding appearance!
Li Yu’s long eyelashes fluttered slightly. Keeping his eyes downcast, he didn't look towards Mu Cai. Instead, he bowed humbly, his voice low, "You flatter me, sir."
With that, he held the porcelain plate, turned around, and left the private room.
His retreating figure seemed tranquil, but his footsteps hastened, resembling a hasty escape. Even the plate in his hand was forgotten as the waiter left.
And there on the red sofa sat a beauty with a slender waist and long legs, staring with starry eyes at the departing waiter. Not until the other’s retreating figure disappeared from the doorway did he then pick up the passionfruit wine from the table. Holding the glass in his slender, fair fingers, he swirled the liquid gently as a mysterious smile appeared on the face of the Mu family’s second young master.
Sighs of various depths echoed throughout the private room.
Among those attending the banquet, some had a deep relationship with Mu Cai—directly invited by him. While others barely knew Mu Cai—they were just riding on the coattails of their friends. However, they all knew the second young master of the Mu family; seeing the expression on his face, these experienced socialites knew very well that Mu Cai had taken a liking to the waiter.
For someone like the second young master of the Mu family, they had coveted him for a long time. Today, love at first sight occurred, but unfortunately, they lost their chance even before they got a chance to make a move!
It was truly regretful!
With this thought, all the participants couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy towards the waiter.
Mu Cai, not very adept at acting, fulfilled the task assigned to him. It was his first time as the lead, and the role was rather comprehensive, so he was inevitably apprehensive, worried that he wouldn't carry it off well.
Now, seeing the reactions of the people present, Mu Cai finally breathed a sigh of relief.
This was a typical story where nearly everyone loved the protagonist. The reaction of the crowd when he just entered the room was indicative. Many would certainly have wanted to strike up a conversation with the protagonist, probably hoping to develop some connection. After the protagonist's display, they should have realized that he's merely a poor student without any background or means, and they were likely now feeling eager to try their luck.
But everyone in the private room was now sighing, which indicated that his acting had been convincing. These privileged characters, aware of the protagonist, knew all too well that his intentions were clearly focused, leaving them to feel thwarted due to their status yet unable to voice their anger.
Mu Cai was quite pleased with his performance, he couldn’t help but smile quietly, holding his glass.
The man sitting across, with relaxed brows and eyes, with delicate white fingers resting on his thigh. His eyes seemed to glint, and the corners of his bright red lips curved into a charming smile that was pure and beautiful.
Was he this happy from interacting with the waiter?
Lou Chengye's gaze darkened as he asked in a deep tone, "Mu Cai, have you taken a liking to that waiter?"
Mu Cai recalled that not long after this scene, the original character had used all means to forcefully keep the protagonist, so, surely, the original character must have taken a liking to him around this time. With this thought, he nodded and gave a vague response, "Indeed, I am somewhat interested."
Although Lou Chengye hadn’t associated much with Mu Cai in recent years, he was well aware of Mu Cai’s nature. Knowing that Mu Cai had taken the initiative and even lifted the glass of passionfruit wine earlier, and now expressing such interest, it was highly likely he had fallen for the waiter.
As for what Mu Cai would do next, Lou Chengye could predict without thinking.
Naturally, he would pursue the youthful and beautiful prey, taking pleasure in their company once he succeeded.
Whether or not the prey would fall into the trap by mutual attachment, based on the waiter's reaction just now, Lou Chengye felt that the hunter didn't have the time to lay out the trap before the prey opted to escape.
The spherical ceiling light once again shifted, casting deep purples that pulled the brightness of the private room into dimness once more. The secluded corners returned into the shadows, blocking curious glances and triggering another round of silent sighs.
In the dim light, Lou Chengye looked at the blurred profile of Mu Cai's face. From his full forehead to his lifted nose tip, to the slightly protruding soft lips and the smooth chin line, there wasn't a part that wasn't pleasing to the eye.
No one would not want to possess someone like this.
Lou Chengye was no exception either.
He couldn't help but speak, voicing a subtle reminder. "You're twenty-five this year, aren't you? It's time for you to settle down and take a look at the company at home."
Hearing his childhood friend’s words, Mu Cai wasn’t surprised. After all, in the script, Lou Chengye was portrayed as a person who is very serious and proper. He was the last character to be wooed by the protagonist. Moreover, he had not been interested in the protagonist, thinking that the people working in such high-end clubs were no decent people, so he didn't have a good impression of the protagonist either.
Mu Cai played his role as a privileged character dutifully: "My brother is looking after the family business, I have nothing to do with it. Besides, since my brother doesn't care about what I do, you shouldn't worry about it either."
Mu Cai’s character was a rich second-generation child with an elder brother who was four years older. His brother was mature, stable, assertive, and had begun to take over the family business. He was an excellent heir to a considerable fortune. The family business was thriving under his brother's control, and their parents were pleased. As such, Mu Cai’s character was left with only the duty of indulgence and enjoyment.
Mu Cai was quite satisfied and even found comfort in this setup because it was similar to his family's situation. His brother and sister were both sharp and capable individuals who took over the family company, expanding and strengthening the business, while also pampering their younger brother exceedingly. Mu Cai had nothing to worry about; all he needed to do was what he enjoyed.
However, hearing Mu Cai's words, Lou Chengye was not ready to give up yet. He continued,"You also can't get involved with the people here. I don't have prejudices, but if you want to date, it has to be a child from a decent family. And with your wilfulness, you need someone who can control and take care of you, preferably from a family compatible with ours. The one earlier was just a waiter, even if they liked you, it would only be for your money, not genuine feelings…"
Despite Lou Chengye's earnest advice, the person in front of him seemed perturbed. Mu Cai was somewhat puzzled. Lou Chengye was not a chatterbox, but when he lectured, it was long-winded. After calculating the time, Mu Cai feared that if he continued listening, it might interfere with his mission, so he quickly interrupted: "I don't want someone who can control me, nor do they need to be from a compatible family. Otherwise, how am I to discard them when the time comes?"
After strongly expressing this rather offensive view, he stood up and slipped away while Lou Chengye was still in shock. He put down his passion fruit drink and even took his coat as he left.
He planned to finish his mission as quickly as possible and head home. He wanted to discuss with the system the possibility of resolving such a troublesome setup. Since childhood, Mu Cai had always been a good boy, with no intention of participating in group activities, let alone dating someone else when he was still in a relationship in his previous world. His heart still cherished those feelings.
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Mu Cai pushed open the door of the private room, and the dimly lit corridor was in stark contrast to the noisy atmosphere inside. The hallway seemed exceptionally cold and quiet. He walked along the corridor with the soft carpet muffling the sounds of his footsteps.
As he approached the restroom at the end of the hallway, Mu Cai finally heard whispers from the direction of the men's restroom.
One of the male voices was quite agitated: "Li Yu, I can't believe you're really working part-time here! Don't work here anymore; I know you need money. You could intern at our company. It aligns with your major and would give you a familiar environment, a hundred times better than here! You have no idea how chaotic this place can be, and the kind of people that come here!"
Li Yu looked at his senior, Sun Huabin, who stood in front of him, gesticulating excitedly.
Sun Huabin was a fellow student he'd met during a freshman meeting at S University. He was a warm-hearted individual who has always looked out for him. Li Yu was initially grateful for Sun's kindness, but hearing the last sentence made him feel a bit uncomfortable.
He couldn't help but recall the person he had just seen in the private room.
The individual was dressed in a loosely fitting white turtleneck sweater, which made their face look as pale as snow, their features like a beautiful painting. The person huddled in the red couch, and the way they looked up at him seemed like a lazy cat, leaving a careless imprint of little plum blossoms in his heart with their fluffy paws.
"Li Yu? Li Yu!"
Sun Huabin had been talking for quite some time to realize that the usually aloof junior in front of him was lost in thought.
After calling him several times, he finally managed to bring Li Yu back from his daydreams. But to his surprise, all Li Yu did was give him a cold look and say, "I appreciate your concern, senior. However, I think you might be assuming the worst about people. I've been working here for over a month now and everything's going well. I haven't encountered anything you're worried about. My roommate's uncle is the manager here, and he takes good care of me."
This was also one of the reasons why Li Yu chose to work here part-time. Even though he had learned to be independent from an early age, and liked to solve problems on his own, having someone look after him was always better than not. At least, the other waiters who tend to play underhanded tricks on each other never tried to trip him covertly.
Sun Huabin didn't understand why his junior, whom he had gone to great lengths to get closer to, suddenly started acting aloof again. He was about to say something more, when he heard Li Yu say, "If you have anything else to say, just contact me on WeChat. I have to get back to work right after using the bathroom. If no one sees me for a long time, they might consider me absent."
With no other choice, Sun Huabin replied, "Alright, Li Yu, you can finish up this winter break, and if anything happens, be sure to contact me promptly. And do consider what I said!"
Having spoken, he saw Li Yu nod and then turned around to leave.
Unexpectedly, as soon as Sun Huabin stepped out of the restroom, he saw an exceptionally beautiful young man standing by the sink. The youngster stood under the light, wearing a camel-colored coat left unbuttoned, with a clean white turtleneck sweater underneath. With black pants and black boots, the overall style radiated youthful chic. He was so attractive that it left Sun Huabin speechless.
The man greeted him with a deep, meaningful smile, saying, "Hello."
Sun Huabin had thought that Li Yu was the most handsome person he had ever seen. Now, he realized there were others beyond compare. Feeling somewhat dazed, he returned the greeting, "Hello."
The young man, Mu Cai, watched Sun Huabin and tentatively asked, "Are you leaving?"
Sun Huabin had originally planned to leave, but now he hesitated, saying, "Um, I was about to leave, but..."
"You should go now," the person across from him said, looking at him with bright, starry eyes, "I need to use the restroom."
Sun Huabin: "..."
Sun Huabin was a warm and cheerful person, with a handsome appearance that made him popular in school. However, today two people were eager for him to leave, and they were both more attractive than the other, which made Sun Huabin doubt his own looks.
Could he really have become so ugly that people couldn't stand to look at him?
Regardless of his thoughts, under the urging gaze of the other party, whose appearance resembled an angel, he could only leave silently. He even forgot about asking for the other person's WeChat information, which had crossed his mind moments ago.
Mu Cai watched Sun Huabin leave and prepared to enter the restroom to find Li Yu. However, just as he turned around, he saw the person he was looking for standing right behind him.
The other person's eyes widened for an instant, and even their rosy lips parted slightly. With their snow-white face, upturned nose, they looked both adorable and pleasing to the eye.
Li Yu silently appreciated the sight for a moment, before slightly bowing and saying, "Hello, sir."
He had heard the conversation outside while in the restroom. Although he had only heard that ethereal and delightful voice once, it left a deep impression on him. Therefore, he instantly recognized it. He couldn't help but walk out to take a closer look at the person.
Mu Cai thought to himself that the protagonist shou was really polite. Thinking about his upcoming mission filled his heart with guilt. However, Mu Cai was an experienced staff member who had completed tasks in three different worlds. So, he dutifully asked, "I overheard your conversation just now. Are you short of money?"
The question was straightforward and impolite to the point of hurting Li Yu's pride. If it were anyone else asking, Li Yu would definitely react coldly. However, the man standing opposite him was casually tucking his hands into his coat pockets, his bright eyes focused intently on Li Yu, and there was no sign of guilt from eavesdropping on his face. As though it was natural for him to ask such a question, Li Yu didn't feel offended at all.
Such a blatant question demonstrated Mu Cai didn't consider being short of money as something shameful that needed to be hidden. This, in a subtle way, boosted Li Yu's confidence and allowed him to admit something he normally wouldn't dare to speak of; "Yes, I need money."
In the next moment, Li Yu saw the seemingly harmless person, with an angelic face, slightly open his rosy lips, and utter a sentence he would never forget:
"I have money. I can... support you."
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Author's Note:
Lou Chengye says, "Given your willful nature, you should find someone who can manage you, take care of you, and is well-matched in terms of social status. For instance, someone like me."
Mu Cai remained silent...
Li Yu commented, "Give it up. He has already decided to... take care of me :)"
Mu Cai got confused, "What happened to the pledge not to yield or bend???"
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