The Protagonist 'Gong' Became my Wife - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Wanting to Kiss

What an eyesore.

Gu Zhuo licked the tip of his tooth, his already sour mood sinking further.

He won’t come to see me, yet here he is on a date with He Wenyun.

Fine. Just great.

The angrier he felt inside, the wider the smile grew on his face. He walked up to Jiang Yanning and naturally rested his elbow on the man’s shoulder. He had grown taller recently, making this gesture quite comfortable.

“What are you doing here? Let go.”

Jiang Yanning wiped the sweat from his face with a towel and shifted his body, avoiding Ding You’s touch. Ding You, thick-skinned as ever, leaned back in.

“Mr. Jiang looks like he’s in a bad mood. Why aren’t you looking for your boyfriend instead of coming here?”

Jiang Yanning didn’t want to discuss his business with Gu Zhuo with others. He merely gave Ding You a cold look and made a move toward the locker room. Suddenly, the towel in his hand was snatched away by He Wenyun.

“Yanning, I’m headed that way to grab some water. I’ll put this away for you.”

Jiang Yanning didn’t think much of it and offered a casual thanks. Only Gu Zhuo noticed the fleeting flash of obsession in He Wenyun’s eyes. With that towel in He Wenyun’s hands, there was no telling what would happen.

Gu Zhuo suddenly laughed out loud, pressing a hand onto He Wenyun’s shoulder with a slight increase in pressure.

“Don’t be in such a hurry to leave. Today is a good day. Why don’t the three of us have a race? I’ve been here a few times now and haven’t witnessed President Jiang’s true skills.”

Jiang Yanning glanced at him, frowning. “You don’t even have a car. How are you going to compete with us?”

Ding You raised an eyebrow and fished a car key out of his clothes. “Who says I don’t?”

Jiang Yanning’s face darkened. “How did those keys end up in your hand? Did you steal them?”

Gu Zhuo didn’t know whether to be relieved that this risky move hadn’t blown his cover yet, or sad that this “persona” was so untrustworthy in Jiang Yanning’s eyes. He explained with a mix of truth and lies: “I borrowed them from a friend, obviously. So, are we racing or not?”

“We’re racing. Why wouldn’t we?”

Jiang Yanning was both anxious and furious; his gaze was fierce enough to suggest he wanted to punch Ding You in the face.

When did Gu Zhuo become friends with Ding You? Are they that close? Close enough to lend out the things I gave him? Close enough to smell of the same perfume? Didn’t Gu Zhuo say he didn’t have many friends? Is he… lying to me?

Watching Jiang Yanning’s angry silhouette as he walked away, Ding You rubbed the bridge of his nose. He admitted he had brandished the key on purpose to provoke Jiang Yanning, but he hadn’t expected to overdo it and turn the man into a powder keg.

At this point, he could only try his best to hide his skills, let Jiang Yanning take first place, and coax him out of his mood.

Three cars took off from the track simultaneously, kicking up a cloud of dust. He Wenyun, eager to show off in front of Jiang Yanning, stayed right next to Ding You to interfere with him. Ding You didn’t care about winning, but that didn’t mean he’d let He Wenyun overtake him. The two cars chased each other across the track, pulling apart the instant their frames brushed.

After a few rounds, Ding You successfully forced He Wenyun’s car into an obstacle, leaving him trapped and unable to move. Looking at He Wenyun’s exasperated face, Ding You felt much better. He floored the accelerator and caught up to Jiang Yanning.

Out of the three, only Jiang Yanning was racing seriously. His resolute gaze was fixed on the road ahead; every turn of the steering wheel was precise and effortless. Ding You leaned back and controlled his speed to pull level with Jiang Yanning. In his peripheral vision, Jiang Yanning’s figure filled his sight.

77 fluttered its wings nearby, looking left and right. Feeling a bit like a third wheel (a “bright lightbulb”), it silently dimmed its own glow.

When the round ended, Jiang Yanning’s mood finally improved. At the very least, he had a smile on his face when he stepped out of the car. Ding You clapped enthusiastically.

“Not bad, not bad! President Jiang is truly impressive; I admit defeat!”

Wenyun offered a towel from the side, which Jiang Yanning took. He began walking toward the changing rooms.

“Alright, that’s it for today. I’m heading back.”

After a few steps, he suddenly turned around and grabbed Ding You’s elbow. “A-Yun, I have some business with Mr. Ding. You go back on your own first.”

Wenyun’s expression changed drastically, but not daring to make it too obvious, he could only lower his head and agree. Once the silhouettes of Jiang Yanning and Ding You had walked a distance away, he suddenly muttered: “Why is it that they can do it, but I can’t?”

…

In the locker room, Jiang Yanning pinned Ding You against a locker, his eyes sharp.

“Speak. How do you know Gu Zhuo?”

Ding You’s eyes darted around as if he had thought of something fun. He smirked, revealing sharp canine teeth. “You care about me? Relax, Gu Zhuo and I are bros. It’s you I was pursuing!”

Jiang Yanning’s brow furrowed, and his grip tightened. “Answer my question.”

“No!” Ding You leaned against the locker, looking like a dead pig that didn’t fear boiling water. “You give me no benefits, so why should I tell you? I have a right to privacy too.”

Jiang Yanning took a deep breath, speaking through gritted teeth. “Then what ‘benefits’ do you want? You’d better think carefully before you answer.”

Ding You raised an eyebrow. “Simple. Accompany me for dinner. Your treat.”

“That’s it?”

“Yep. That’s it.”

They hadn’t had dinner together for five whole days.

With the deal struck, they both showered and changed. Jiang Yanning had already messaged Assistant Zhou to book a restaurant according to Ding You’s request. As he was about to get into the car, a reply came. Assistant Zhou was asking if he was going with Gu Zhuo. Confused, Jiang Yanning replied honestly: “No.”

The other side went silent.

It wasn’t until the car slowly pulled up in front of the restaurant that he understood why Assistant Zhou had asked. It turned out to be a couple’s restaurant. The meal Ding You had ordered was also the shop’s best-selling couple’s set.

Ambiguous lighting, elegant music, pink heart-shaped balloons, and bright red roses everywhere. Jiang Yanning could barely maintain his cold mask; his face was red with anger. Ding You, on the other hand, was very happy. He handed Jiang Yanning a glass of red wine with a smile.

“Eat up, President Jiang. I’ll tell you once we’re finished.”

Jiang Yanning glared at him and buried his head in his food.

“President Jiang, cheers.” “President Jiang, have another sip.”

Gu Zhuo had already taken a system-produced sobering pill; he was literally a thousand-glass drinker. To end the meal quickly, Jiang Yanning drank readily. Noticing Jiang Yanning’s gaze starting to glaze over, Gu Zhuo finally stopped teasing him.

“I’m finished. What did President Jiang want to ask?”

“What… What is your relationship with Gu Zhuo?” Jiang Yanning propped up his head, struggling to stay conscious.

“Friends.” “How did you meet?” “Part-time jobs.” “Are you very close?” “Close. So close we’re like the same person.”

Gu Zhuo intentionally slowed his pace, leaving infinite room for imagination. He wanted to see how Jiang Yanning would react.

His collar was suddenly seized by a great force, and he was pressed back against the chair. Gu Zhuo winced in pain. Jiang Yanning’s brain, corroded by alcohol, was a bit incoherent, and his movements were clumsy and heavy.

He lowered his head slightly, his wine-scented breath brushing against Gu Zhuo’s lips. From a distance, it looked as if their necks were entwined.

“I’m warning you. Gu Zhuo is my boyfriend, the person I like. You’d better stay far away from him, do you understand?”

Gu Zhuo didn’t understand.

They were too close. Way too close. His attention was stolen by those bright red lips. Opening and closing, as if tempting him.

I want to kiss him.