A Fatal Attraction from Lawyer A - Chapter 83

Inside the bar, neon lights flickered, casting beautiful polygonal patterns from the crystal ceiling onto the floor. The crisp clinking of glasses mingled with the sound of ice shifting against glass as the liquids swirled. Despite the December chill, the winter cold couldn’t dampen the spirits of those looking to let loose at night—including the two striking Alphas seated in a corner booth.

Qi Lin watched his close friend, Gu Yuxi. Dressed in a long, dark, oversized coat, Gu’s five-month pregnancy was completely hidden. No one would ever suspect that a man five months along would dare to come out for an “857” (partying from 8 PM to 7 AM).

“Old Gu, you really must have been suffocating at home.”

Gu Yuxi smiled and reached for the glass in front of him. Just as he was about to take a sip, Qi Lin pressed his hand down, prompting Gu to give him a questioning look.

“You actually dare to drink alcohol?” Qi Lin had agreed to accompany his friend to the bar, but he wasn’t brave enough to let him actually drink. If something happened, the consequences would be dire.

“It’s apple cider vinegar.” Gu Yuxi looked at Qi Lin’s vigilant face with a hint of helplessness. “Smell it if you don’t believe me.”

Qi Lin leaned in skeptically. Finding it truly was apple cider vinegar, he was left speechless. He handed the glass back with a subtle expression. “This is the best definition of ‘drawing a cake to satisfy hunger’ I’ve ever seen. Coming to a bar to drink vinegar—you must be the first person in history to do that.”

Gu Yuxi held the glass by the rim in his usual casual manner. He leaned back against the sofa and took a sip. Having not visited “Above the Clouds” in a long while, the seats felt a bit harder than he remembered.

“I want to drink, I just don’t dare to.”

Qi Lin chuckled at Gu’s professional “drinking” posture. He leaned forward, picked up his own glass of whiskey, and clinked it against Gu’s. “A toast? Whiskey and apple cider vinegar?”

Gu Yuxi caught the teasing tone. “How have things been between you and Jian Wenxing lately?”

Qi Lin’s expression immediately soured.

A faint smile touched the corners of Gu Yuxi’s lips. He leaned forward and returned the clink. “A toast? Apple cider vinegar and whiskey?”

Qi Lin knew Gu was doing this on purpose. He turned his face away with a laugh. “Gu Yuxi, you’re doing this intentionally.”

“Mhm.” Gu Yuxi smiled and took a sip of the cold vinegar. He felt a slight chill in his stomach and couldn’t help a small shiver. Looking at the remaining liquid, he muttered, “This vinegar is a bit sour.”

“Sour for a boy, spicy for a girl—isn’t that the old saying? What flavors have you been craving lately?” Qi Lin didn’t plan on drinking much. After two sips, he set his glass down, crossed his legs, and settled in for a chat.

Chatting in a bar had been their habit for twelve years, ever since university. The loud music didn’t matter; they just liked the lively atmosphere.

“I don’t care for sour or spicy,” Gu Yuxi replied. “Sweets are okay, but what I miss most is this.” He pointed to Qi Lin’s whiskey.

“Want a sniff?” Qi Lin teased, raising an eyebrow as he offered the glass.

Gu Yuxi expressionlessly raised his vinegar. “Bottoms up.”

The two tilted their heads back and downed their drinks in one go. To an outsider, it looked like a serious round of shots—if one ignored the bottle of “Tian Di Yi Hao” vinegar hidden by Gu Yuxi’s feet.

“So, what’s the deal with you and Jian Wenxing?” Gu Yuxi leaned back to make his stomach more comfortable.

Qi Lin shook his head. “Nothing much.”

Gu Yuxi knew their situation was still a mess because of the lie he had told originally. “Is he still chasing you?”

“Mhm.” Qi Lin lowered his eyes, his finger tracing the rim of his glass. “I haven’t said yes.”

Gu Yuxi caught the note of regret in his voice. If he couldn’t hear that after being brothers for over a decade, he’d have been blind. “So, you regret turning him down?”

Qi Lin looked up gloomily. “Stop being the fly on the wall of my heart, okay?”

“Why regret it? You were the one who rejected him.”

Qi Lin finished the rest of his whiskey and set the glass down with a heavy sigh. “I’m suddenly… not used to it.”

“Meaning?”

“When someone aggressively invades your life, doing things I never even dreamed of… that kind of persistence. Every morning, every noon, every day after work, every night before bed—Jian Wenxing would find a new way to show up in front of me.” Qi Lin thought about the endless ‘good mornings’ and ‘good nights’ over the last six months that had suddenly stopped after his last rejection. “Last week, he asked me again to be with him. I refused decisively.”

Gu Yuxi understood. “You rejected the guy, and now you’re the one who isn’t used to the silence?”

Qi Lin gave a bitter laugh. “Yeah. Maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment. I thought his constant pestering was annoying, that it affected my work and my social life. But now, I’m not used to the absence of it. I’m used to his surprises and his thick-skinned persistence. To put it simply: I regret it a little.”

“Do you like him?” Gu Yuxi asked. “But I thought you preferred Omegas?”

Qi Lin winced. “Don’t even start. Last time my Omega ex-boyfriend came to find me, Jian saw us.”

“And?” Gu Yuxi asked, leaning in for the gossip.

“He got angry, obviously.” Qi Lin sighed. “I’ve never seen such a big, tall guy be such a crybaby. He got drunk and came to my place to cause a scene—wailing, rolling on the floor, the whole ‘one: cry, two: scream, three: hang yourself’ routine.”

Gu Yuxi laughed, likely having had similar experiences. “Mhm, that sounds like the powerful Luo family genes. Luo Panzhi is a crier, too. So, what do you think now? No longer interested in Omegas?”

“It’s not that I was strictly set on Omegas, it’s just…” Qi Lin rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking like he had a headache. “You never know until you try. One night, Jian Wenxing and I both drank too much, and… we ended up in bed.”

Gu Yuxi wasn’t surprised. He was only curious. “And?”

“He was the one on top.”

“Oh?” Gu Yuxi’s voice went up an octave. He shifted closer to Qi Lin, the background music making it hard to hear the juicy details.

“I didn’t refuse,” Qi Lin admitted, a memory flickering in his eyes. “I can only say… he’s an athlete for a reason. It was…”

“It was?” Gu Yuxi prodded.

Qi Lin laughed, feeling embarrassed by his friend’s prying. He pushed Gu away with his arm. “Can you give me some face? This is awkward.”

Gu Yuxi composed himself and sat back. “Please continue, Lawyer Qi.”

“My concern now is our age gap and status. He’s still in university, and I’ve been working for years. We might be compatible in some ways, but I’m more realistic and rational. I worry that down the road, these things will cause friction.”

“You are indeed rational,” Gu Yuxi noted. “When I was dating Luo Panzhi, I realized I loved him when I stopped worrying about being ‘good enough’ for him. I found I couldn’t resist the temptation he offered, so I stopped overthinking the age gap, the boss-subordinate dynamic, and the public pressure of our genders.”

“I know,” Qi Lin said. “That’s why I’m conflicted. But it doesn’t matter now; I already rejected him.”

“If you like him, go get him back,” Gu Yuxi said, thirstily pouring himself another half-glass of vinegar. “Love is a process of mutual balance. He chased you for half a year? Anyone would get tired of getting no response. But I don’t think he’ll truly be content with giving up after all that effort.”

“What should I do then?” Qi Lin asked the “married and pregnant” expert for help.

“Once you’ve cleared your head, chase him back without holding anything back. Give him a taste of his own medicine.” Gu Yuxi poured a bit of whiskey into Qi Lin’s empty glass. “This time, it’ll be twice as effective.”

Qi Lin raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Mhm. When Luo Panzhi acts spoiled or cries, my heart aches and I can’t say no. If I did the same to him, he wouldn’t be able to handle it either. Because we like each other, the feelings are mutual.”

Qi Lin leaned back, lost in thought. After a moment, he spoke: “It wasn’t a waste of time for you to drag me out for this night talk. I think I know what to do. I’ve been worrying too much. At my age, how many people are going to chase me with that much passion? Probably only a thick-headed guy like Jian Wenxing would be brave enough.”

“You’re not so bad yourself.”

Qi Lin smiled, the pressure lifting. He downed his drink. “Tonight, I’m drinking until I’m under the table. By the way, does that guy of yours actually let you come to bars? He stood me up at the bowling alley last time.”

“He’s on a business trip. There’s no way he knows I’m here.” Gu Yuxi felt light as a feather without his “Butler Luo” watching him. “Want to go bowling after this?”

“I’ve been drinking, I can’t drive.”

“I haven’t had a drop. I’ll drive.”

Just as the words left Gu Yuxi’s mouth, his phone vibrated. A message from Luo Panzhi popped up:

[Wifey, what are you doing?]

Gu Yuxi frowned, thinking of his promise to be “good,” but he decided to play it cool. He replied:

[Working overtime. Do not disturb.]

It was a solid excuse. At most, he’d get a “don’t overwork yourself,” to which he would reply “okay, going home now.” It was both professional and obedient.

He hit send. The reply came back almost instantly:

[Turn your head and look at me.]

Gu Yuxi’s spine went rigid. His mind went completely blank. He slowly, stiffly turned his head.

In the booth directly across from them sat a man in a perfectly tailored suit. Though the lighting was dim, there was no mistaking who it was.

Luo Panzhi—who was supposed to be on a flight to Country F—was staring right at him. He raised his glass.

“Wifey, want to have a toast?”

Gu Yuxi: “…” His face went blank. What happened to the business trip?

He watched as Luo Panzhi stood up and walked toward them. A moment later, Gu felt the back of his collar being gripped. A warm breath brushed his ear, accompanied by a dangerously low voice:

“Working overtime at a bar?”

Gu Yuxi: “…”

“You seem quite busy, Lawyer Gu.”

Gu Yuxi found himself completely unable to argue.