Out Of Control All The Way - Chapter 6

In July, the air in Beijing was scorching hot. Jiang Muzhou flipped up his visor, feeling the suffocating heat of the wind against his cheeks. He lowered his head slightly, twisted the throttle, and rode all the way back.

After parking the bike and taking off his helmet, he noticed several missed calls on his phone.

He didn’t have many friends; most of them were online gaming buddies he had never met in person, along with fellow motorcycle enthusiasts from his riding group.

Those were really just casual gaming acquaintances, and there were only a few he was actually close to.

Gu Yubai counted as one, and the other was his childhood friend, Tong Hui.

He lit a cigarette and dialed the number back.

The very first thing the person on the other end said was, Xiao Zhou, you have to save me.

Hearing this, Jiang Muzhou instantly felt a headache coming on. He took a deep drag of his cigarette and asked, What is it this time?

This childhood friend of his was extremely unreliable, possessing a freewheeling personality that bounced through life like a game.

He had dated numerous girlfriends over the years, yet had never genuinely settled down with a single one.

According to Tong Hui, he was merely pursuing the beauty of romance—a beauty that was ineffable, thrilling, and dreamlike. He wanted to chase every different shade of romantic perfection and only ever desired to immerse himself in the atmosphere of falling in love.

Jiang Muzhou truly could not comprehend the inner workings of this childhood friend’s brain, nor could he understand the mindset behind his pursuits. If it weren’t for the fact that they had known each other since kindergarten, gone to middle and high school together, and later ended up in the same city—not to mention being distant relatives—they wouldn’t have been so close. Whenever Tong Hui needed help, Jiang Muzhou would always step in.

Can you take me in for a while? My place has been targeted.

Did you go messing around with romance again?

On the other end of the line, Tong Hui’s tone sounded utterly pitiful. I really didn’t this time! She’s the one who chased after me, and when I refused, she practically tore my rental apartment apart.

Jiang Muzhou gave Tong Hui his current address.

Before long, the guy drove over in a tiny electric car.

True to form, Tong Hui had shoulder-length, jet-black hair and wore a wildly colorful shirt and pants combo that he insisted was high art. The entire aura he exuded clashed completely with Jiang Muzhou.

Upon arriving, he took a tour around Jiang Muzhou’s studio.

He clicked his tongue twice. You’re unloyal, man. You didn’t even notify me when you opened for business; I should’ve sent you some flower baskets.

Then he asked, How many days has it been open?

A little over half a month, Jiang Muzhou replied. It’s not a walk-in retail shop, so we don’t care about those formalities.

Tong Hui shook his head repeatedly. No way, you’ve got to have the rituals. How can you call it a grand opening without a few flower baskets?

Since childhood, Tong Hui had loved these sorts of things. He placed a heavy emphasis on ritual and aesthetic appeal, navigating life entirely by feeling.

Within moments, he placed an order on his phone, ignoring all of Jiang Muzhou’s attempts to stop him.

Tong Hui went upstairs to take a look around. I told Auntie during Chinese New Year that you were doing great, and she made me promise to let you look after me.

Jiang Muzhou glanced sideways at him. Haven’t I looked after you enough? Every time you stir up some mess and have nowhere to go, you come hide at my place.

Tong Hui grinned. Thanks in advance this time too!

Same old rules, the downstairs sofa belongs to you.

The two of them went out for lunch, and upon receiving a call from the flower delivery service, rushed back to the studio.

Just as they turned the corner, aside from the two delivery tricycles, Jiang Muzhou unexpectedly spotted that familiar G-Wagon.

Standing right outside the G-Wagon, however, was an exquisitely pretty young woman dressed in haute couture.

Tong Hui let out a startled curse and turned to bolt.

They heard the young woman shout, Hey, catch him! Don’t let him get away!

When Shang Shixu stepped out of the vehicle, he immediately caught sight of the bewildered Jiang Muzhou standing by the roadside.

Seeing that Shang Shixu wasn’t following her commands, the young woman took off running after Tong Hui herself.

Leaving the two men standing there, staring blankly at each other.

Jiang Muzhou raised an eyebrow. What an absolute mess.

Boss… someone finally broke the quiet atmosphere in the air. Should we place these flower baskets right at the entrance?

Jiang Muzhou shifted his gaze, sweeping over the eight brightly colored flower baskets piled on the tricycles, and said leisurely, Can we return them?

The delivery worker’s smiling face instantly turned serious. Sorry, fresh flowers are non-refundable.

Figures.

After the delivery worker left, Jiang Muzhou turned to ask the tall man standing behind him, President Shang, aren’t you going to chase after them and see what’s happening?

It truly was a small world. People he would never have crossed paths with in the past were now unexpectedly bumping into him three times in this short span without any deliberate arrangement.

First was the car accident, second was someone else’s birthday party, and third was right now.

If Tong Hui ever found out about his encounters with Shang Shixu, he would definitely claim it was a one-in-a-million destined fate arranged by the heavens.

Perhaps Shang Shixu was also a bit surprised to run into him, as the smile on his lips remained unwavering. You aren’t even in a rush, so I’m even less in a hurry.

Isn’t that your sister?

A cousin.

Shang Shixu looked over at the eight gorgeous flower baskets that had just been delivered, wondering if he had somehow neglected some sort of etiquette.

Noticing his gaze, Jiang Muzhou moved one of the flower baskets that was blocking the walkway slightly to the side and said, This studio of mine has been open for over half a month. I didn’t care about any of this and didn’t tell anyone, except for that guy who just ran off—he’s the one who’s obsessed with these things.

Shang Shixu looked thoughtful.

Since the big boss had already made the trip, Jiang Muzhou invited him inside to sit down.

He gave a brief overview of the studio’s current status and progress.

Shang Shixu nodded. No rush. Take your time.

The downstairs office area was spacious and well-lit, featuring massive floor-to-ceiling windows on one side and a solid wall on the other. A large screen hung on the wall, fronted by a big sofa with a carpet laid out on the floor, serving as the gaming area.

In the middle of the office zone were several rows of desks, each showing signs of use, indicating that the spaces were occupied.

The entire area featured a two-story open ceiling design. Looking up, you could see the second-floor corridor enclosed by black metal railings.

The staircase was made of black iron plates with a raised textured pattern. Shang Shixu went upstairs to take a look around, finding not only a large conference room but also several smaller meeting rooms.

Jiang Muzhou hadn’t set aside a private office for himself.

As they walked further inward, Jiang Muzhou spoke up. That’s my dormitory inside.

Shang Shixu hadn’t expected that Jiang Muzhou had actually set up a living space right in his workspace, just as he had offhandedly mentioned last time.

This guy is really genuine. That was the first thought that flashed through his mind.

However, Jiang Muzhou didn’t open the door the way he had just introduced the conference rooms, noticing Shang Shixu looking at him.

Jiang Muzhou said with some embarrassment, I haven’t tidied up, it’s a bit messy.

A bedroom was a matter of personal privacy, and Shang Shixu understood why Jiang Muzhou wouldn’t want to expose his private space to others; he himself didn’t like people entering his own room either.

Yet a flash of subtle disappointment crossed his mind, recalling how he had once invited Jiang Muzhou to stay in his own quarters.

Still, Jiang Muzhou wasn’t someone overly guarded about his privacy. He walked right over and pushed the door open, as if his previous remark was merely a precautionary heads-up so the visitor wouldn’t judge his messiness.

Shang Shixu glanced inside from the doorway. It was a standard bachelor’s dorm, not nearly as terrible as Jiang Muzhou made it sound. There were quite a few things around, but they were cluttered without being chaotic.

A small bed, visually around a meter and a half wide, was placed near the window—a single bed.

Even so, the bathroom facilities and amenities looked quite complete.

Jiang Muzhou explained, What I liked about this place in the first place was this layout. It was designed by the original landlord, which saved me the trouble of renovating.