I Snatched the Overbearing President’s Canary [Transmigration] - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: The Gathering

The air was heavy, like the stillness before a mountain storm.

Shenyu knew all too well that Ning Chen had been “marked” by Fu Hengzhan. The inevitable would come, and the days ahead would likely be anything but peaceful.

But he wasn’t going to give up on Ning Chen. This might be a book, but for Ning Chen, this was reality. Having started this journey, He Shenyu wouldn’t abandon him. He would persist until persistence was no longer an option. And if all else failed, he had his own two hands and feet—at worst, he’d take Ning Chen and disappear. He didn’t believe Fu Hengzhan had the infinite energy to hunt them forever.

However, that was a last resort. He still wanted Ning Chen to have a normal education and graduate. Ning Chen was a brilliant student; with the end of the semester approaching, he didn’t need to cram like most students. He even found time to develop his own software. Ning Chen said it was just for practice, and though He Shenyu didn’t quite understand the code, he watched Ning Chen hunched over his laptop every night before bed. Apparently, he was rushing to finish it for a competition with a cash prize.

This weekend, the time for the “Hongmen Banquet”—the treacherous feast—had arrived.

Fu Hengzhan had organized a gathering at a bar. Since the request came from the CEO himself, He Shenyu had no choice but to agree. Ning Chen was busy, but when he heard He Shenyu wanted to take him to a gathering of friends, he agreed.

Looking at Ning Chen’s innocent face, He Shenyu felt a pang of guilt. He couldn’t reveal the whole truth yet, so he only said vaguely: “I just hang out with them casually. It’s a social circle thing. If they say anything unpleasant, don’t take it to heart.”

He hated the idea of bringing Ning Chen to such a place; in his mind, Ning Chen was the quintessential “good student.” But his hands were tied.

Ning Chen nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite. He whispered, “Then can I just talk to you, Shenyu?”

Shenyu smiled. “You don’t have to go that far. Just be natural. If you don’t feel like talking, just stay behind me.”

“Okay,” Ning Chen smiled back. “I understand.”

…

The bar Fu Hengzhan booked was called Empty Blue, a high-end club with private rooms. When He Shenyu arrived with Ning Chen and gave Fu Hengzhan’s name, the waiter led them straight back. It was clearly a regular haunt for the group, though He Shenyu didn’t know if the original “Doctor He” had been there before.

Shenyu wore a casual button-down, fitting the bar’s decor perfectly. Ning Chen was in his usual black T-shirt; yet, his face made even the simplest clothes look harmonious. The red string around his neck served as a curious accessory. Online style guides said simple clothes needed complex accents, but since Ning Chen never wore the Jade Buddha outside his shirt, only the red cord was visible on his shoulder.

“Doctor He, you’re here?” Someone greeted him at a corner.

Shenyu smiled back. “Mhm, we’re here.”

He recognized the man—Guan Heng, the one who had been glued to his phone at the KTV. Shenyu had learned from social media that Guan Heng was a college student who had taken a two-year hiatus after being unhappy studying abroad. His family was wealthy enough that no one cared if he finished his degree. The Guan and Fu families were long-time business partners, so he and Fu Hengzhan were childhood friends. Shenyu liked him well enough; Guan Heng always seemed a bit listless and lacked the aggressive, messy lifestyle of some of the others in the circle.

“Is this Ning Chen?” Guan Heng looked at Ning Chen with curiosity but didn’t stare.

Shenyu nodded. “Yes, my boyfriend, Ning Chen. Ning Chen, this is Guan Heng; he’s also a university student.”

Ning Chen nodded politely. “Hello.”

Guan Heng nodded back and turned to He Shenyu. “Go on in, most people are already there. I’m going to pick someone up.”

Shenyu led Ning Chen into the room. It was already lively, but there was no dramatic “everyone stops and stares” moment. These people were mostly elites; Ning Chen was a fresh topic of conversation, but not worth a scene. Shenyu found a quiet corner for them to sit.

People were mostly doing their own thing, and no one went out of their way to make Ning Chen uncomfortable. Shenyu breathed a sigh of relief. In the original novel, Ning Chen had been brought to these parties by Fu Hengzhan, which naturally put him in the spotlight and made him a target for those looking to flatter the CEO. Fortunately, today, he was with “Doctor He,” a peripheral figure in this world. No matter how handsome Ning Chen was, these people had seen plenty of beauties. This was the one perk of being a side character.

Shenyu handed Ning Chen a glass of juice. “Don’t drink alcohol, just stick to juice.”

Ning Chen obediently took a sip of grape juice. “Okay, Shenyu.”

Soon, Guan Heng returned with another young man. Everyone raised a glass, and the usual party games began. Shenyu and Ning Chen played along for a few rounds. Eventually, a dare fell on Guan Heng and his guest. From the whispers around him, He Shenyu gathered that the party was actually for Guan Heng; he had a crush on the guy, things had gotten awkward after he was found out, and the friends were trying to help them reconcile. On the surface, the other guy looked uncomfortable but didn’t want to ruin the vibe. Later, He Shenyu saw Guan Heng drinking alone in a corner—it seemed things weren’t going well.

Song Zhi suddenly sidled up to He Shenyu. Noticing his gaze on Guan Heng, he laughed. “Doctor He, your relationship with your boyfriend is so good, don’t upset poor Guan Heng!”

Shenyu gave a polite, strained smile and clinked glasses with him. He felt Song Zhi was only there to be annoying.

“Hey, Ning Chen, I heard you’re at Q University?” Song Zhi leaned forward, talking over He Shenyu to address Ning Chen. “My sister is a freshman there. She must be your junior.”

Ning Chen didn’t know him and glanced at He Shenyu. Seeing no objection, he replied politely, “Mhm, probably.”

“You’re quite famous at school. My sister mentioned you, and said you’re very handsome. Seeing you in person, the rumors don’t do you justice!” Song Zhi smiled.

Ning Chen gave a small smile, unsure of how to respond. Shenyu couldn’t take it anymore. He looked at Song Zhi and said, “President Song, is there something you need?”

Song Zhi didn’t get angry. He pulled out his phone. “My sister wants to add Ning Chen on WeChat. Ning Chen, what do you think?”

As Ning Chen went to reach for his phone, He Shenyu pressed his hand down. “I’ll send it to you later, President Song.”

“Sure, don’t forget now, I’m waiting…” Song Zhi chuckled and sat back down next to Fu Hengzhan, whispering something in his ear.

Shenyu wasn’t stupid. It wasn’t the sister who wanted the contact info—it was Fu Hengzhan. Since he couldn’t get through He Shenyu, he was going to try going directly to Ning Chen.

Don’t panic, He Shenyu told himself. As long as Fu Hengzhan still has some shred of dignity, he won’t say anything too out of line, right? Should he warn Ning Chen? But how? If he made Fu Hengzhan seem too “special,” would it trigger Ning Chen’s original personality from the book?

“Shenyu, drink less.” Ning Chen suddenly placed his hand over He Shenyu’s wine glass.

“What?” Shenyu was lost in thought; the room was too loud.

Ning Chen leaned in close to his ear. “I said drink less, Shenyu. No one is even toasting you, why are you drinking so much by yourself?”

“Oh, it’s just fruit wine. I won’t get drunk.” Despite saying that, He Shenyu put the glass down.

A girl sitting nearby laughed. “Doctor He, you and your boyfriend are so sweet. People were saying you had ‘that’ kind of relationship, but I said it didn’t look like it. How could a canary boss his patron around like that?”

She clinked her glass against Ning Chen’s juice. “Ning Chen, right? I’ll drink juice with you! I hope you two stay happy forever.”

The expression on Ning Chen’s face was complex, but he quickly masked it with a smile. “Thank you.”

Ning Chen wasn’t entirely a stranger to social grace; he often attended dinners with his professors and had worked as a waiter. His social performance was adequate. Though he hated talking to strangers, he would do it for He Shenyu. But the girl’s words, though well-intentioned, stung him.

He and He Shenyu… weren’t they exactly ‘that’ kind of relationship?

Even if He Shenyu called him his boyfriend, the essence of the contract was still there. Ning Chen didn’t truly believe He Shenyu viewed him as a boyfriend in his heart. Their current relationship was just a game extended from a financial arrangement.

Seeing Ning Chen’s shift in mood, He Shenyu stood up. “It’s getting late, let’s head back.”

Leaving wasn’t too abrupt; they had been there a while and others had already left. Shenyu said goodbye to the group and led Ning Chen out. Fu Hengzhan remained expressionless, showing no interest in stopping them.

Having drunk a bit much, He Shenyu needed to use the restroom. Ning Chen waited for him outside. When He Shenyu came out, he found Ning Chen leaning against the wall, staring at his phone as notification pings sounded one after another.

Shenyu’s heart sank. He walked over with a frown. “Fu Hengzhan added you?”

Ning Chen nodded blankly. “Mhm. Why did he add me? I thought it was that junior sister.”

Shenyu stared at Ning Chen in silence. Seeing the look on his face, Ning Chen turned the screen toward him. “Shenyu, I didn’t say anything to him.”

Shenyu glanced at the screen and nodded. But in the next second, a new message popped up:

Fu Hengzhan: Ning Chen, did you know? Shenyu has only ever dated women before. Did he tell you that?