Pretending Not to Love You [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Zuo Qiu was lost in thought when his arm was pulled back sharply. The force was so strong that it made him stumble back a few steps. Zuo Qiu turned back in confusion, only to see Xiao Bojun frowning at him, his eyes filled with condemnation and a hint of… fear?

“Are you trying to get yourself killed? Walking without looking! Didn’t you see that huge red light? Are you blind!” Not far from them, a small truck driver leaned half his body out of the window and yelled at Zuo Qiu.

Zuo Qiu realized that he had probably been too absorbed in his thoughts and hadn’t noticed the traffic, almost causing an accident. Feeling extremely apologetic, he sincerely said to the driver, “I’m so…” sorry.

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by Xiao Bojun beside him: “Who are you pointing that finger at? Watch your mouth, old man.”

Xiao Bojun was over 190 cm tall and had a well-built physique from regular exercise. At that moment, his face was full of defiance. The driver had some sense; seeing the young man’s clothes, he knew he wasn’t from an ordinary background. His anger instantly subsided. He threw out a final “Watch out where you’re going next time!” and drove away.

Zuo Qiu felt like he was soaking in honey, surrounded by pink bubbles: Xiao Bojun argued with someone because of him, because of him… Although he felt a little guilty towards the truck driver, Zuo Qiu couldn’t control his surging heart, thinking that Xiao Bojun was incredibly handsome right now.

Xiao Bojun was infuriated by Zuo Qiu’s look of silent submission: “He was cursing you, why didn’t you curse back? Apologizing? Apologize my ass!”

Xiao Bojun came from a wealthy background. Since childhood, no matter what happened, he was the one who cursed others; even if others were in the right, they were wrong to him. Since he was in a rage, Zuo Qiu didn’t argue and let him continue to lecture him.

“With a personality like yours, soft as cotton, if you marry a tigress wife someday, she’ll treat you like a little chick to boss around!”

A tigress isn’t suitable for you. A lion like me is your best choice!

But Zuo Qiu didn’t catch the underlying meaning. Seeing the light turn green, Zuo Qiu walked forward, answering Xiao Bojun, “That’s so far away; who knows what will happen in the future!”

The one he wants to love, he can’t love. He’s probably destined to live out his life alone.

Xiao Bojun saw Zuo Qiu walking ahead, quickly took a few steps, grabbed Zuo Qiu’s wrist, and felt annoyance at the slow-witted Zuo Qiu. He said harshly, “Follow me, so you don’t get yelled at again.”

Zuo Qiu wanted to say, It’s a green light now; it’s safe, but looking at their intertwined hands, he quietly shut his mouth.

…

During the grocery shopping, Xiao Bojun had a black expression the whole time. The smelly, dirty vegetable market was unbearable for him. If he wasn’t worried that Zuo Qiu wouldn’t be able to carry everything, he really would have left immediately. He couldn’t stand it for another second!

While Xiao Bojun couldn’t stand it, Zuo Qiu was busy haggling with the butcher over a single yuan, making Xiao Bojun’s knitted brows capable of trapping a fly.

“Take it or leave it, just say the word, stop the nagging!”

The vendor saw Xiao Bojun’s extreme impatience and how tall and imposing he was. The vendor shrank his neck and said to Zuo Qiu, “Take it, take it.”

Zuo Qiu smiled, paid the money, took the meat, and left: “Boss, I’ll definitely come back to your stall next time!”

The vendor looked at Xiao Bojun behind Zuo Qiu again, gave a forced smile, and nodded.

On the way back, Zuo Qiu chuckled the whole time, remembering how Xiao Bojun had challenged the truck driver and the vendor.

Xiao Bojun said, “Look at you, getting so happy over a little bit of money.”

Xiao Bojun thought Zuo Qiu was pleased with himself for saving one yuan. Zuo Qiu didn’t argue. He turned to look at Xiao Bojun beside him. He would probably never understand that Zuo Qiu was often happy for half a day because of any little thing he did for him.

Seeing Zuo Qiu’s smiling little face, Xiao Bojun felt a slight itch in his heart. He transferred the bags in his right hand to his left, then looped his right arm around Zuo Qiu’s neck, leaning close to his ear and saying, “Just follow me from now on, kid. As long as I have food to eat, I’ll share most of it with you.”

Xiao Bojun’s unique scent wafted onto Zuo Qiu’s ear. Zuo Qiu lowered his head, struggling to control his ears from betraying his inner feelings. He imitated Xiao Bojun’s tone: “Then I humbly ask Young Master Xiao to grant me sustenance,” acting like he was preparing to pledge allegiance.

Xiao Bojun stared at Zuo Qiu’s face for a moment. He had always been confused about one thing: Since Zuo Qiu liked men, shouldn’t he, a man full of masculine charm—a walking hormone—be his first choice? Why didn’t Zuo Qiu like him? Xiao Bojun thought and thought but couldn’t find a reason, finally concluding that Zuo Qiu had poor eyesight. It absolutely wasn’t because he lacked charm, absolutely!

…

The two returned home chatting and joking. Zuo Qiu prepared the dishes in the kitchen while Xiao Bojun leaned nearby, talking to him.

A while later, the doorbell rang. Zuo Qiu went to open the door; Zeng Xinyi had arrived.

Zuo Qiu saw Zeng Xinyi’s poor expression, cautiously greeted her as “Sister Xinyi,” and invited her in to sit down.

Zeng Xinyi walked towards the sofa with a dark look on her face.

Zuo Qiu returned to the kitchen and, seeing Xiao Bojun still standing there, said, “Why don’t you go out and talk to Sister Xinyi?”

Xiao Bojun glanced at Zeng Xinyi, who was glaring at him fiercely, and said, “No.”

He didn’t have the habit of coaxing women. Let her be.

This was originally a matter between a couple, and Zuo Qiu, an outsider, felt it wasn’t appropriate to intervene. So, he didn’t try to persuade him further, took the apron hanging nearby, and put it on, ready to start cooking.

Seeing Zuo Qiu put on the apron, Xiao Bojun snatched it and said, “Let me help you.”

He then pressed close to Zuo Qiu’s body to put the apron on him. Xiao Bojun would absolutely not admit to taking advantage of the opportunity.

The kitchen was harmonious, but Zeng Xinyi, sitting on the sofa watching everything, felt she had had enough.

“Aah! Aah! Aah!”

The furious shouting drew the attention of the two in the kitchen. Xiao Bojun frowned, looking at Zeng Xinyi, who was screaming and clutching her head, and snapped, “What are you going crazy about?”

Zeng Xinyi stopped yelling, pointed at Xiao Bojun, and shouted, “Xiao Bojun, I hate you! You damn ho…”

Before she could finish, Xiao Bojun’s voice cut her off: “Say that again!”

Zeng Xinyi still had a shred of sanity left and didn’t dare to finish her sentence, only repeating, “I hate you, I hate you.”

Seeing the situation, the “final lunch” was unlikely to happen. Xiao Bojun said to the stunned Zuo Qiu beside him, “You go out for a walk. I’ll call you when you can come back.”

Zuo Qiu knew he was a third wheel that would interfere with the couple’s conversation, so he nodded and quickly agreed.

Xiao Bojun watched Zuo Qiu’s back disappear through the doorway, then turned and sat down by the sofa. “Since you know, I won’t say much more. Let’s part on good terms.”

Zeng Xinyi screamed with rage, “What do you take me for? Your shield or your guinea pig? How could you do this to me!”

With that, she lunged at Xiao Bojun and started scratching him wildly.

…

An hour later, Zuo Qiu returned home after receiving a call. He found the apartment looked like a war zone. The cotton from the sofa cushions was scattered everywhere, the table lamp was shattered on the floor, and the freshly bought fruit was rolling around. What surprised Zuo Qiu the most was the fresh scratch marks on Xiao Bojun’s face.

“You guys sure handled things intensely, didn’t you?”

Xiao Bojun, who was in a foul mood, heard this and his face darkened: “Handled things? Handled what?”

“Isn’t it often said online that there’s nothing a night of sleep can’t fix, and if there is, then sleep twice! Weren’t you two just solving your problem? Where’s Sister Xinyi? Is she resting in the bedroom?”

Xiao Bojun was so mad he laughed. He stared at Zuo Qiu, silently noting: Zuo Qiu likes to solve problems this way.

Zuo Qiu saw Xiao Bojun’s disapproving look and knew he must have guessed wrong. Feeling awkward, he said, “I’ll go clean up,” and quickly darted into the bathroom to find tools, making his escape.

“Ouch!”

The rushed Zuo Qiu didn’t realize the bathroom was also a part of the battlefield. As soon as he stepped in, he slipped on the bar of soap thrown on the floor. Zuo Qiu closed his eyes, unable to bear the embarrassing sight of himself falling face-first.

But the expected pain didn’t come. When Zuo Qiu opened his eyes, he found himself leaning against the wall, with Xiao Bojun standing in front of him.

Xiao Bojun had one hand braced on the wall beside Zuo Qiu and said, “I was just about to warn you, but who knew your little short legs run so fast.”

Zuo Qiu was speechless. Although he was a few centimeters shorter than Xiao Bojun, he was still over 1.8 meters tall, and his legs were anything but short. But the fact remained that Xiao Bojun had saved him, so Zuo Qiu still thanked him.

Xiao Bojun felt the atmosphere was perfect for teasing a certain someone, so he adopted the tone of a bandit flirting with a young maiden and asked Zuo Qiu, “Am I good to you?”

Zuo Qiu nodded. He is very good to me.

Xiao Bojun continued his seduction: “There will only ever be two men in the world who treat you this well: one is the father who watched you grow up, and the other is the partner who accompanies you to the end of your life.”

A partner? Did he mean that? Zuo Qiu’s heart leaped with joy, but he instantly remembered Zeng Xinyi, who had just been throwing a tantrum here. He quickly extinguished the fantasy in his mind and asked uncertainly, “You… you want to be my dad?”

Xiao Bojun was so angry his face was practically twisted out of shape. He snapped, “Yes, I’m interested in your mom!”