Don't Bait Me Anymore! - Chapter 2

“Hello?” Sheng Yan spoke again, raising his voice slightly. “Can you hear me?”

A faint smile tinged his tone.

This tall young man before him was a truly unexpected delight for Sheng Yan.

He had noticed the man earlier when he went to the restroom.

From his features to his physique, not a single aspect failed to align with Sheng Yan’s aesthetic sensibilities.

Yet his aura was too cold and aloof, making him seem less like someone here to drink and carouse and more like a scholar on an academic research trip.

Thus, Sheng Yan had refrained from approaching immediately, instead heading to the restroom first. On his way back to his booth, he deliberately chose a path that would take him past the man.

Truth be told, Sheng Yan hadn’t even decided how to make his first move. Yet opportunity had fallen from the sky.

A heaven-sent chance like this was not one he would let pass.

But when his words faded, the man still didn’t respond.

The young man sat on the bar stool, tilting his head back to look at Sheng Yan. His dark eyes, softened by the ambient light, held a slightly dazed and unfocused expression.

This created a fascinating contrast with his sharply defined features.

A barely perceptible curve lifted the corner of Sheng Yan’s mouth.

Perhaps noticing that his two consecutive questions had gone unanswered, the classmate next to the boy couldn’t resist gently patting his shoulder and whispering something in his ear.

The classmate then turned to Sheng Yan with an apologetic smile, saying awkwardly, “He… he’s not usually like this.”

Sheng Yan smiled again, his eyes crinkling with amusement.

He put on an exceptionally understanding expression. “It’s alright, I understand.”

He did, in fact, understand.

After all, for years, Sheng Yan had been acutely aware of the impact his face could have.

Gu Zhiyi finally snapped out of his daze, realizing he had been staring blankly at a stranger and had even experienced the very physiological reactions he had previously scorned.

Gu Zhiyi couldn’t help but frown.

But fortunately, his rational mind finally resurfaced.

“Sorry,” Gu Zhiyi finally said, belatedly realizing his voice sounded strangely hoarse. “I zoned out. What were you saying?”

“It’s alright,” Sheng Yan said, his eyes curving again. His gaze never left Gu Zhiyi’s face. He repeated what he had said earlier. “I was thanking you. I didn’t fall thanks to you sitting here. As a token of my gratitude, would you like a drink?”

Anyone could tell that Sheng Yan’s “gratitude” was forced, but it didn’t matter. It was just an excuse.

What mattered was the “drink.”

As he spoke the last few words, Sheng Yan’s voice rose slightly, light and airy, yet carrying a subtle hook.

Gu Zhiyi’s thin lips tightened.

“No…” His usual rationality prompted him to refuse.

But before he could even utter the first syllable, Sheng Yan suddenly leaned closer.

“Hmm? My booth is right over there, it’s very close.”

As he spoke, Sheng Yan raised his hand and pointed toward the booth, using the gesture to lean forward slightly and close the distance between them.

He was so close that for a fleeting moment, Gu Zhiyi even thought his lips had brushed against his ear.

But he quickly realized it was just the warmth of Sheng Yan’s breath, creating an illusion.

It felt like a feather gently brushing against his ear, making it tingle.

Yet Sheng Yan had judged the distance perfectly. The moment the last word fell, he had already retreated to his original position.

As if the closeness had been entirely unintentional.

After two more seconds, Gu Zhiyi suddenly stood up from the bar stool.

Sheng Yan had long sensed that Gu Zhiyi was taller than him. But it wasn’t until the man actually stood up that the reality truly hit him.

Sheng Yan himself wasn’t short, standing at 178 cm. With his regular fitness routine, he had a tall and athletic build, neither frail nor overly muscular, which naturally drew the attention of “0” types.

Yet at that moment, the man standing before him was at least half a head taller, likely around 190 cm, with broad shoulders. The objective pressure that came from his height and stature made Sheng Yan’s heart skip an involuntary beat or two.

He had always loved large dogs since he was a child.

Gu Zhiyi hadn’t yet explicitly agreed to “have a drink.”

But Sheng Yan didn’t press the matter. He simply glanced up at Gu Zhiyi with another smile and turned to walk toward the booth.

It was as if he were certain Gu Zhiyi would follow, or perhaps he had merely issued an invitation, not truly caring whether it was accepted.

His pace was steady and unhurried. When he first turned, Gu Zhiyi was still standing in place. But after just a few steps, Sheng Yan noticed a tall figure emerge in his peripheral vision.

Clearly, Gu Zhiyi had followed.

Without looking back, Sheng Yan smirked silently.

He only stopped at the edge of the booth.

Ignoring Yan Han’s almost palpable, gossip-laden gaze, Sheng Yan calmly introduced the two sides.

He first gestured to Yan Han, who had followed them, and said concisely, “My friend.”

Then, he pointed to the two boys and said to Yan Han, “Just met them. New friends.”

Later, Sheng Yan deliberately softened the word “friends,” which, in this context, inexplicably took on an ambiguous, hard-to-define meaning.

Yan Han’s face lit up instantly, and he waved them over. “Sit, sit. New friends.”

It was clear he had deliberately repeated the phrase “new friends” to tease Sheng Yan.

But Sheng Yan pretended not to hear him, ignoring him completely. He simply picked up a clean glass to pour the brandy, and while doing so, glanced at Gu Zhiyi and asked, “Ice or water?”

In truth, brandies of this caliber were best enjoyed neat to savor the nuances. But everyone had their own preferences, and there was no need to insist on a particular way of drinking.

Gu Zhiyi sat down to Sheng Yan’s right, leaving nearly a person’s width between them. He replied softly, “Ice, please. Thank you.”

Sheng Yan nodded and said, “Sure.” He poured about two-thirds of the glass, added two ice cubes, and pushed the glass toward Gu Zhiyi. “Try it. I personally love the taste.”

Yan Han, ever the smooth operator, had already poured a drink for Gu Zhiyi’s roommate and struck up a conversation with him. Years of navigating social gatherings and business dinners had honed his ability to effortlessly engage anyone in conversation a life skill he’d long mastered.

Though the four of them sat in the same booth, Sheng Yan and Gu Zhiyi’s side of the table felt like a separate, isolated space.

Sheng Yan continued to openly gaze at Gu Zhiyi.

Gu Zhiyi thanked him again, then lifted his glass to his lips and took a sip.

Sheng Yan noticed that Gu Zhiyi seemed unaccustomed to the taste. The moment the wine touched his tongue, his brow furrowed slightly.

But the reaction lasted only a moment.

Soon, Gu Zhiyi seemed to adapt to the flavor, drinking steadily without changing his expression.

He drank slowly, allowing Sheng Yan to clearly see the sharp Adam’s apple at the base of his throat rolling as he swallowed. The way it was half-hidden beneath his collar added a layer of subtle sexiness.

Sheng Yan made no attempt to hide his gaze. As Gu Zhiyi was about to finish his glass, he suddenly spoke with a smile, “This wine suits you well.”

The familiar line could be used to dismiss or to flirt.

Gu Zhiyi, utterly bewildered, instinctively asked, “What?”

Sheng Yan, however, didn’t finish his sentence, “They’re both quite spirited.” Instead, he shook his head with a smile, raised his own glass, and gently clinked it against Gu Zhiyi’s nearly empty one. Then, he tilted his head back and drained the contents in one gulp.

He finished his drink in a single, swift motion.

Setting down his glass, Sheng Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, like a satisfied Persian cat.

Noticing Gu Zhiyi’s gaze, he lowered his eyes to conceal the amusement in his eyes. Then, he suddenly extended his tongue and lightly licked the rim of his glass, which was still glistening with a few drops of wine.

His tongue, a shade close to his lips, was a delicate rose color. As it swept across the translucent droplets clinging to his lips, it made his skin appear even whiter than snow.

It was an utterly simple gesture, yet when Sheng Yan performed it, it exuded a beauty that could only be described as exquisite.

Clink.

Gu Zhiyi abruptly set down his empty glass on the table. Avoiding Sheng Yan’s gaze, he asked in a hoarse voice, “Do you have any plain water?”

After a pause, he added in a muffled tone, “I’d like to add two ice cubes.”

Though his tone remained as cool and detached as usual, a faint blush crept up the tips of his ears—

A detail Sheng Yan noticed with perfect clarity.

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