07 Steel-straight guy, flirts without knowing it
Ever since Fan Chen left the studio, Xia Yao had been quietly probing Xue Bin, trying to ask about her recent situation. She thought he wouldn't notice that it was Zhang Jie feeling too awkward to ask herself, so she sent over silly and sweet Xia Yao to set him up.
Xue Bin didn’t know what Zhang Jie was up to, but he didn’t believe this woman could have good intentions. All along, he’d been playing dumb and acting clueless to get by. Whether Fan Chen had instructed him or not, he hadn’t revealed a single word.
It wasn’t that he was exceptionally loyal, but simply that he didn’t want to get involved in this mess. On one side was his former boss, and on the other was his current boss. Being stuck in the middle frustrated him to no end. He’d originally planned to resign as soon as he found a better opportunity, but since Xia Yao had calmed down for a while, he’d temporarily shelved the idea of quitting.
He didn’t expect Xia Yao to bring a different man to deal with him instead. What a laughable move!
Xue Bin almost burst out laughing. What kind of logic did Zhang Jie have? A chubby, adorable girl spent all day acting cute and playful, using every trick in the book, yet couldn’t set him up. Now she sends over a man—what’s her plan? Where on earth did she get the confidence to believe that this guy would convince him better than Xia Yao?
Yang Xiaodong’s face was full of a warm smile, “I heard that when Fan Chen took on Heshan, Bin-ge contributed a lot.”
“Yes, she was injured and hospitalized back then, unable to move around much. Many of the procedures were entrusted to me,” Xue Bin replied casually as he sipped his drink, calmly handling Yang Xiaodong’s questions. He was curious to see just how chatty this guy could get.
Yang Xiaodong was delighted with his answer. “She entrusted such an important matter to you—she must trust you deeply.”
“It's alright, after all, I’m technically her apprentice.”
“Oh, I see.”
Apprentice? Was the relationship too close? Maybe not easy to win over? Yang Xiaodong lowered his eyelids thoughtfully.
Xue Bin turned his head and waved to the bartender, “Another glass, please. Thanks.”
“Alright, please wait a moment.”
Yang Xiaodong smiled gently and continued, “Actually, I’d like to ask you about something regarding Fan Chen.”
Seeing Xue Bin’s eyebrows slightly furrow, Yang Xiaodong quickly added, “Of course, it’s not for free! I’ll pay you some money. How much I pay depends on how valuable your information is to me.”
The empty glass was filled with Negroni once again—bright red, crystal clear, with its sweet bitterness stimulating the taste buds. Xue Bin turned to the bartender, nodded, and said, “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Xue Bin glanced back at Yang Xiaodong with a faint smile, “What exactly do you want to know about her?”
“Oh, not much, just things like preferences or daily habits. I don’t mean any harm; I just want to discuss some business with her. You know as well as I do—Fan Chen is pretty aloof and hard to approach. To cater to her preferences, I have no choice but to use this strategy. But don’t worry, I genuinely don’t have bad intentions!”
Seeing no immediate reaction from Xue Bin, Yang Xiaodong patiently softened his tone, “Xiaoyao has worked with you for a long time, so you must know her personality well, right? Since she introduced me to you, it naturally means I can be trusted.”
His story was quite convincing. Saying it was about habits—but it was likely to end up as a request for her address. Xue Bin squinted at Yang Xiaodong, as if he saw through the meaning hidden behind his smile.
Xue Bin laughed lightly and asked, “I’m curious—how much would she be willing to pay for this?”
“She?” Yang Xiaodong froze, thinking he might have accidentally mentioned Shen Nanqiao. Nervously, he brushed it off with an awkward laugh, “Bin-ge, you must’ve misheard. What ‘she’ are you talking about?”
Glancing at the noisy environment around them, Yang Xiaodong leaned in closer and raised his voice, “It’s too noisy here! How about we move somewhere quieter?”
Xue Bin’s lips curled into a sly grin. Somewhere quieter? Is this some sort of trap?
Who knows where Zhang Jie found this peculiar guy, coming out in the middle of the night to seduce a man? Lacking in curves and charm, the only redeeming feature was his decent-looking face. But still—wrong gender, buddy!
Time to scare him off.
Xue Bin suddenly smirked and placed an arm around Yang Xiaodong’s shoulder, instantly feeling the stiffness of the man’s body. He leaned in close, his gaze fixated on Yang Xiaodong’s pale pink lips for a few seconds before whispering in a low voice near his ear, “Sure, you pick the place.”
Heavy, hot breathing brushed against Yang Xiaodong’s face and neck, as if Xue Bin’s closeness was setting his entire upper body ablaze. The sultry bar lights and seductive music made Xue Bin’s two simple words—“Sure”—sound far too suggestive.
And just like that, Yang Xiaodong froze in place.
Like he’d been struck by lightning, he shoved Xue Bin away and angled his body to conceal his embarrassment. He quickly grabbed his drink, gulped it down, and stammered, “It’s too late today. Let’s… let’s meet another day!”
Caught off guard by the push, Xue Bin tipped backward slightly. His expression darkened instantly. He’d tolerated this pretty boy all night, but Yang Xiaodong’s overly upright attitude was really getting on his nerves. Coldly, he snapped, “Leaving already?”
“Sorry! I’ll contact you again!”
After blurting out his apology, Yang Xiaodong turned to leave in a panic, only for Xue Bin to grab his shoulder, halting him in his tracks.
“Do you even know how to spell the word ‘politeness’?” Xue Bin asked coldly.
Standing at 187 cm tall, with a broad and muscular chest, his oversized T-shirt couldn’t hide his well-developed biceps. His imposing figure towered over Yang Xiaodong, who looked like a rabbit that had wandered into a wolf’s den. With a sudden pull, Xue Bin spun Yang Xiaodong around effortlessly.
The wolf closed in step by step, tilting his chin upward as he loomed over the retreating rabbit. “You’re the one who asked me out, the one who showed up late, and now, before I’ve even finished talking, you’re the one in a rush to leave. Do you think I’m some kind of toy for you to play with?”
The heat of his anger brushed against Yang Xiaodong’s face, waking every pore on his skin. He felt like a boiled shrimp, flushed red enough to be mistaken for a wedding decoration.
His pink neck and the bobbing Adam’s apple betrayed his nervousness. Yang Xiaodong swallowed hard, his mind blank except for one thought: This man is ridiculously sexy.
He began to question Xiaoyao’s motives for arranging this meeting. Was it really to help with business, or was it to offer him some eye candy after being single for so long?
Flustered, Yang Xiaodong stammered, “Bin-bin-ge, don’t… don’t misunderstand. I didn’t mean anything… I just… I suddenly feel a bit unwell! Let’s reschedule…”
This timid response? Stumbling over a few words already? Xue Bin’s head throbbed with frustration. Frowning, he asked, “Reschedule? And why should I agree to that?”
“I… I…”
Noticing how flushed Yang Xiaodong looked, as if genuinely unwell, Xue Bin instinctively reached out to feel his forehead. The coolness of his hand was met with a burning heat that made him recoil in shock. “Damn, are you having heatstroke?”
Yang Xiaodong wanted to dig a hole and disappear. This steel-straight guy was terrifying—flirting without even realizing it!
“No, no, no… nothing like that! I… I really need to leave…”
“Get back here!” Seeing Yang Xiaodong’s anxious expression, Xue Bin wondered if he’d gone too far and scared the guy into a panic. He studied him carefully and muttered, “I don’t believe it. You were fine just now, and suddenly you’re unwell? Why don’t you just say you’re on your period?”
When his gaze landed on the unusual state of Yang Xiaodong’s lower half, Xue Bin’s face turned pale. In just a few seconds, he pieced together why Yang Xiaodong was uncomfortable and why he was in such a hurry to leave.
Xue Bin had intended to act like a heavy-handed weirdo to scare the guy, but it turned out Yang Xiaodong’s tastes were even more extreme? In the end, Xue Bin was the one who got freaked out.
Thinking about how he’d just had his arm around Yang Xiaodong’s shoulder and leaned in so close while talking, Xue Bin shuddered. Goosebumps covered his skin, and he wished he could chop off the arm that had touched him. With a disgusted expression, he brushed past Yang Xiaodong and hurried away.
Leaving behind a single word: “Gross!”
Yang Xiaodong felt a chill run from his head to his toes. Shame, anger, and frustration overwhelmed him. The curious or indifferent glances from those around him felt like mocking laughter.
He couldn’t help but smile bitterly. What a mess this had turned into…
Yang Xiaodong stood frozen for a moment before calming down and returning to the bar. His face looked defeated as he said, “One Bloody Mary, please.”
As the bartender turned away, Yang Xiaodong lowered his head, rubbing his temples in frustration, unaware that someone had approached him.
“Want a cigarette?” A slender hand with distinct knuckles held out a black ice menthol cigarette.
Yang Xiaodong turned his head and thought he’d seen a ghost.
The night’s events had left Xue Bin, the steel-straight guy, thoroughly shaken. His mind was a mess, and he felt like his heart had been shattered. Riding his electric scooter, the night wind whipped past him, but it couldn’t calm his racing heartbeat.
At a red light, Xiaoyao’s call finally connected. Xue Bin immediately shouted, “Damn you!”
The helmet covered the young man’s Bluetooth headset, and his sudden outburst drew annoyed glances from those around him. Exhausted office workers, fresh from overtime, turned to look at the man on the scooter.
His tall frame didn’t match the size of his ride. He hunched over, cramped on the small scooter, with his long legs awkwardly positioned.
A macho man riding a toy horse—that was Xue Bin’s current vibe.
Too busy venting his anger, Xue Bin didn’t notice the reactions of those around him. He kept his eyes straight ahead, cursing for nearly a minute until he finally spat out, “You think messing with me is fun, Xiaoyao?”
The office workers finally realized he was on a call and shifted their attention away, as if collectively retracting their metaphorical swords.
“What’s your problem? What did I do? We’re colleagues, after all. We see each other every day. Do you really have to be so harsh?” Xiaoyao’s voice sounded awkward on the other end.
As the light turned green, Xue Bin’s scooter sped off. He sneered, “What’s my problem? You dare ask me that? Xiaoyao, I’ve had enough of you! You need to learn your limits when meddling in other people’s business! You stick your nose into everything! How much did Zhang Jie pay you to follow her orders so obediently?”
A nervous laugh came from the other end, “Hehe… So you figured it out?”