After Picking Up the Rival Boss, It Smells Really Good - Chapter 2

Qin Gou sat by the bedside, listening to the sound of running water from the shower.

His gaze fell upon the disheveled bed, and images from last night automatically played in his mind. Although they hadn’t actually gone all the way in the end. Recalling Lu Lian’s restrained expression at that moment, Qin Gou let out a soft “Tch.”

The shower stopped. Lu Lian emerged wearing a bathrobe, his gray hair slightly damp. Droplets trailed from his hairline down his sharply defined profile, past the slightly prominent Adam’s apple, rolling onto the pale yet firm chest muscles exposed by the bathrobe before disappearing into forbidden territory.

Qin Gou’s eyes lingered on the conspicuous red marks across the fair abdominal muscles.

Noticing Qin Gou’s intense stare, Lu Lian frowned: “Clothes.”

Qin Gou: “?”

Lu Lian pointed at their badly crumpled clothes on the floor: “Do you have other clothes to change into?”

Qin Gou picked up his phone: “I’ll have someone bring some over.”

After giving instructions to Fang Wenyan over the phone, Qin Gou set down his device and locked eyes with Lu Lian. Silence hung heavily in the air until he finally gestured toward the nearby sofa: “We need to talk.”

Lu Lian studied him for a moment before taking a seat.

Observing Lu Lian’s complete composure, Qin Gou carefully began: “About last night…” He paused before continuing, “To some extent, we’re both responsible.”

“Responsible?” Lu Lian interrupted, genuine confusion in his tone, “What responsibility? Marrying me?”

Qin Gou choked up again. If he actually did that, the first person to kill him would probably be Lu Lian himself.

“Besides, you didn’t actually do anything to me last night. In your words, what would this be called mutual assistance?”

“…”

“A minor matter between adults. I’m sure Young Master Qin wouldn’t make too much of it.” Seeing Qin Gou speechless, Lu Lian smoothly took over the conversation: “However, I do have a major transaction to discuss with you.”

As expected. Qin Gou looked up at Lu Lian, the faint traces of awkwardness and ambiguity in the air quickly dissipating: “Go on.”

“I have no influence on Gorgona Island.” Lu Lian laid his cards on the table, “So I need someone with power to help me leave secretly.”

Qin Gou leaned back comfortably on the sofa: “Gorgona Island, being the notorious ‘Land of Exile,’ has always been easy to enter but hard to leave. Besides, I myself was exiled here by the Qin family. How could I help you?”

“You certainly can.” Lu Lian tapped the table, clearly not buying Qin Gou’s nonsense, “Young Master Qin, since I’m proposing this transaction with you, I naturally know your capabilities.”

Qin Gou was taken aback, then stood up and moved closer to Lu Lian, his sharp eyes carrying a hint of aggression: “You investigated me?”

Lu Lian didn’t retreat. He looked up at Qin Gou, their faces now extremely close: “I’ve always made it a habit to investigate every lover.”

Qin Gou was momentarily stunned before realizing he was referring to Ye Wan.

As Ye Wan’s ex-boyfriend, it seemed his background had been thoroughly exposed as well.

Ignoring the faint discomfort in his heart, Qin Gou leaned back into the chair, resuming his casual posture: “Wasn’t Ye Wan on the same flight as you?”

Lu Lian countered: “Do you care about him?”

“Just asking casually.” Qin Gou said indifferently, “Given your current situation, it’s quite obvious there have been quite some incidents around you.”

Lu Lian made no attempt to conceal it, his voice devoid of emotion as he stated, “There’s a mole by my side.” The plane crash was clearly his doing as well.

“Although it seems I’m doomed, they aren’t easily fooled. They’re probably sending people to track my whereabouts right now,” Lu Lian informed him. “So I need you to help me leave here without exposing my identity.”

Qin Gou tapped his finger on the table: “What’s in it for me?”

“I know you want to take back the Qin family from Qin Yuan.”

Qin Gou clicked his tongue, his fingers still lightly drumming on the table. After a moment, he said, “If you can’t make it back, all this is just empty promises, and I’ll be taking risks for nothing.”

Lu Lian remained unruffled: “No risk, no reward, isn’t that right?”

The tapping sound ceased. Qin Gou looked up, his deep black vortex-like eyes reflecting Lu Lian’s figure. He stared fixedly at Lu Lian for a while before his lips curved into that familiar smile: “Deal.”

Qin Gou had just finished showering when the hotel doorbell rang. He opened the door to find Fang Wenyan handing him a bag of clothes while asking, “Why did you want me to bring two sets of your clothes over, Holy??”

Qin Gou looked puzzled as Fang Wenyan pointed at his chest, mouth agape in an ‘O’ shape. Sensing something, he looked down and saw two red, ambiguous marks on his skin that weren’t covered by the bathrobe.

Qin Gou: “…” He tightened his robe, took the clothes and was about to close the door when Fang Wenyan forcefully held it open. His eyes were shining, his smile reaching ear to ear: “Never thought I’d see the day, Gou-ge! You’ve finally stopped preserving your purity for that little enchantress Ye Wan. Let me see which beauty has caught our Gou-ge’s eye?” As he spoke, Fang Wenyan stood on tiptoe trying to peer into the room.

Qin Gou quickly reached to push Fang Wenyan’s head, but Fang proved flexible he suddenly squatted and slipped under Qin Gou’s arm into the room!

Qin Gou: “…”

Fang Wenyan dashed into the living area and saw a tall gray-haired man standing with his back to him by the window. Just as he moved closer for a better look, Qin Gou swiftly pulled him away, then embraced the gray-haired man, pressing his face firmly against his own chest.

Fang Wenyan: “…”

Lu Lian: “…”

Lu Lian was almost the same height as Qin Gou. With Qin Gou holding him like this, his head could only rest on Qin Gou’s shoulder.

“He’s quite shy, so stop making a scene,” Qin Gou said while casually stroking Lu Lian’s hair.

“He doesn’t really seem the shy type,” Fang Wenyan remarked, trying to peek from various angles. Unfortunately, Qin Gou was blocking his view too well. “By the way, Gou-ge, I thought you always liked the delicate type like Ye Wan. When did you change your taste?”

“Since when did I say I liked delicate flowers?” Qin Gou twirled a strand of Lu Lian’s hair around his finger while sounding somewhat resigned. “Are you leaving or not? If you don’t go now, I’ll give you a live show of us going at it!”

“Okay, okay, I’m going,” Fang Wenyan quickly waved his hands. “I won’t interrupt your romantic evening with your lover then.” He backed away while speaking, finally closing the door for them with a lecherous grin.

Qin Gou: “…”

“Can you let go now?” Lu Lian’s cool voice sounded by his ear.

Qin Gou obediently spread his hands and went to the table to retrieve the clothes from the bag.

Lu Lian stared at Qin Gou’s slightly reddened ears and said expressionlessly, “So this is the first time I’ve learned that I’m such a disgrace.”

“If you want the whole world to know who you are by tomorrow,” Qin Gou handed the clothes to Lu Lian with a serious expression, “I had Fang Wenyan bring masks and hats. You should wear them too.”

While changing, neither of them deliberately avoided the other. Qin Gou remained composed even when faced with the kiss marks on Lu Lian’s body, though the redness in his ears never faded.

Fang Wenyan had brought two casual hoodies and mid-length shorts. Lu Lian tossed the blue hoodie Qin Gou had handed him back and snatched the gray one for himself.

“You’re only three years older than me. Why dress so conservatively?” Once they had their clothes on, one appeared calm and restrained, the other bold and unrestrained yet somehow, they complemented each other perfectly.

As Lu Lian put on his mask, he asked, “What’s the plan now?”

“Tsk.” Qin Gou placed the hat on Lu Lian’s head and slung an arm over his shoulder. “Let’s go, my little lover. Since we’re in this together now, it’s time to meet my ‘underground forces.’”

When faced with chaotic and muddled lives, alcohol is often the most common short-term anesthetic. On Gorgona Island, bars are everywhere.

At the corner of an alley stood a seemingly inconspicuous bar, its hanging sign bearing a single elegant script: Weeds.

“This is where I found you outside the bar yesterday,” Qin Gou said, buddy-like, as he held Lu Lian and pointed through the floor-to-ceiling window.

“What can I get for you, gentlemen?” A waiter approached, standing straight and polite, though a streak of white in his black hair gave him a rebellious edge.

“Let’s try something different today,” Qin Gou beckoned.

The waiter nodded. “Please follow me.”

He led them to the innermost private room. Under the dim yellow light, the stud in his left ear gleamed faintly as he tilted his head slightly and murmured something. The wall before them began to shift, revealing an entrance just large enough for one person.

“Go on in,” Qin Gou said. Lu Lian, unsurprised, followed them into the passage.

After walking a dozen steps in darkness, light suddenly flooded in. Before them lay a spacious hall adorned with modern electronic firearms on the walls. Beyond the hall were rows of closed doors, each clearly serving a distinct purpose.

“Boss, didn’t you say we should lay low lately? Aren’t you worried about being watched by Qin Yuan’s people?” The once polite waiter instantly dropped his facade, slumping lazily into a chair in the hall as if his strings had been cut.

“Fang Wenyan got them all drunk yesterday,” Qin Gou remarked casually, then turned to introduce Lu Lian. “My brother, Jiang Zhuo.”

Lu Lian gave a cold glance and a slight nod.

Jiang Zhuo tilted his head, studying the fully masked man before him. “Dressed like that are you some big shot who can’t show his face?”

Pretty much. Qin Gou raised an eyebrow and joked, “You guessed it. He really can’t see the light of day. How about lending a hand?”

Jiang Zhuo nodded, then teased, “You and Fang Wenyan are so close, yet you never bring him along. Is this new friend of yours that much more important?”

“With Wenyan’s personality, if he got involved our base would be doomed.”

Jiang Zhuo pulled a cigarette from his pocket, crossed his legs and lit it while looking down, returning to serious matters: “How does he want us to help?” Since he brought this so-called friend here, clearly this assistance would require utilizing the Weeds’ influence.

“He doesn’t have an identity card on him right now,” Qin Gou said. “We need to avoid official channels and discreetly get him out.”

“Smuggling then.” Jiang Zhuo exhaled a cloud of smoke. “This isn’t particularly difficult, but it requires waiting.”

Gorgona Island was remote, backward, chaotic, and isolated. Those who came here were either those who couldn’t make it elsewhere or those engaged in illegal dealings.

The Main City authorities couldn’t extend their reach to manage this distant island, but fearing it might harm the Main City, they implemented a blanket strict departure policy. How you entered didn’t matter, but leaving required rigorous identity and background checks. Anyone involved in even the slightest shady business would be detained here.

Simply put, it confined all dangerous elements here. You could cause as much trouble as you wanted on the island, but you couldn’t endanger the Main City.

Gradually, certain major families discovered alternative uses for this departure system.

Internal strife among siblings was common in large families, but being too heavy-handed would create bad publicity. So they exiled the losers to Gorgona Island, glorifying it as being sent on business assignments, while placing their own people at the exit points. Unless they grew wings, there was no way off the island.

This was how Qin Gou had been exiled by his family.

Thus, for someone like Lu Lian currently without an identity card yet an influential figure in Pelat City using official channels was difficult. Even if possible, it would inevitably alert the nobles.

“Fortunately, Gorgona Island holds a large market every month. Merchants with special permits can come to purchase local products like spices and mineral ores on that day. We can take the opportunity to have A Qi hide him on a cargo ship that shouldn’t be too hard.” Jiang Zhuo flipped open a calendar and pointed at a date.

“Miss Qi handles commercial transactions between Gorgona Island and Pelat City,” Qin Gou explained to Lu Lian. “A few days ago, she went to Pelat City to deliver goods and will return next month to pick up more cargo.”

Lu Lian had remained silent during their conversation, only giving a slight nod at this point.

Jiang Zhuo waved his hand. “We’ll follow the arrangements when the time comes.”

He then glanced at the room behind them, and his previously bold demeanor noticeably softened as he turned back to Qin Gou. “Boss, you still need to see Doctor Bai, right? I won’t accompany you. Last time I had a minor injury, you have no idea how cold his stare was.”

“Then you’d better put out that cigarette quickly.” Qin Gou tapped his forehead and led Lu Lian inside. “Alright, you’re done here. Notify me when there’s news.”

“Got it.” Jiang Zhuo kept the cigarette in his mouth, made a goodbye gesture, and hurried off without delay.

As soon as the room door opened, a gentle voice came from inside: “Where’s all this smoke coming from? Is it that kid Jiang Zhuo again.”

The brown-haired man in a white lab coat adjusted his glasses and looked up from the array of test tubes and instruments, but suddenly stopped speaking when he saw Lu Lian wearing a face mask, his brows gradually furrowing.