Transmigrating Into a Book: After My Online Dating Identity Was Exposed, I Was Ruthlessly Retaliated Against by the Male Lead - Chapter 5

Amidst the deafening music, Lin Qing’an took small sips of his alcoholic beverage a sweet-and-sour fruit-flavored drink with a very pretty color. It tasted completely non-alcoholic, yet according to the bartender, its potency was extremely high.

Lin Qing’an, Duan Xuan, and Qin Zhiyi had each ordered a glass, and their eventual consensus was that the potency was indeed no joke.

“I can’t take it anymore, I need to use the restroom.” Qin Zhiyi stood up dazedly and stumbled toward the washroom.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Duan Xuan immediately stood up and followed behind Qin Zhiyi.

Half-drunk, Lin Qing’an sat quietly in the booth, continuing to take small sips of his fruit wine. Under the colorful, flashing lights and amid the deafening music, their section of the booth had somehow turned into a peaceful sanctuary.

“Handsome, here by yourself?”

The sofa next to him dipped as a figure sat down. Lin Qing’an turned his head to look at the newcomer, instinctively returning a smile when he saw the other person’s beaming face.

The newcomer was captivated by his beauty, swallowing saliva repeatedly. The hand that had initially rested on the back of the sofa now draped over Lin Qing’an’s shoulder.

“Let me buy you a drink.”

As he spoke, the man tried to swap out the glass in Lin Qing’an’s hand, only to find—unexpectedly—that Lin Qing’an, who looked so soft and delicate, possessed such incredible strength. The glass remained completely motionless in his grip.

Lin Qing’an smiled and raised his cup. “I already have one.”

Realizing something was amiss, the man sneaked a small pill out of his pocket and dropped it into Lin Qing’an’s glass while he wasn’t looking. The pill dissolved the moment it touched water, taking only two or three seconds.

“Here, let’s cheers.”

Grinning broadly, the man pushed against the bottom of Lin Qing’an’s glass, trying to force him to drink. Watching the rim of the glass draw closer and closer to those rosy lips, the man grew more and more excited.

However, fortune is fickle: a sharp pain flared across his arm, and his face instantly twisted into a mask of agony. Shocked, the man stared at Lin Qing’an’s cold, sharp expression, trembling uncontrollably.

“Y-You’re not drunk?”

“Sorry to disappoint.” Lin Qing’an gripped the man’s arm and applied a sudden, fierce burst of pressure. A faint crack sound was completely drowned out by the deafening music.

“It hurts, it hurts, it hurts…” Breaking out in a cold sweat, the man begged for mercy repeatedly. “I was wrong, I’ll never dare to do it again…”

“Too late.”

Before the man could figure out what Lin Qing’an meant, a glass of ice-cold alcohol was splashed directly across his face and body the next second. The man felt a brief surge of hope—the spiked drink had been thrown away by his target.

Before his smile could even reach his eyes, he opened them to see Lin Qing’an holding the glass securely and steadily in his hand. Panic surged in his chest, and he lunged forward. No matter what, that glass could not be left behind!

Seeing that things were going south, Lin Qing’an quickly retreated and raised his foot to kick the man, but two security guards suddenly arrived and pinned the man down.

A manager-looking man stepped forward with a smile and said to Lin Qing’an, “I’m so sorry, sir. You weren’t frightened, were you?”

Lin Qing’an shook his head slightly. Right at that moment, Duan Xuan and Qin Zhiyi returned from the restroom and saw several security guards in black suits surrounding the booth. They hurried over to Lin Qing’an’s side.

Qin Zhiyi glanced twice at the man being restrained by the security guards, turned to Lin Qing’an, and asked, “What happened? Are your hands okay?”

“This guy put something in my drink to mess with me. I’m calling the police.” As Lin Qing’an spoke, he handed the glass to Duan Xuan and pulled out his phone to dial the emergency number.

“This is the evidence, hold onto it.”

Sensing that the situation was turning south and gripped by fear, the man suddenly broke free from the two security guards and lunged toward Duan Xuan. Momentum carried him straight into Duan Xuan, knocking him completely over onto the sofa. The drink in Duan Xuan’s hand tipped over due to the violent movement, though fortunately he kept a steady grip, leaving a small amount sloshing at the bottom of the glass.

Lin Qing’an’s gaze darkened. He strode forward, hauled the man off Duan Xuan, and pinned him face-down onto the floor. Pressing his knee against the small of the man’s back, he threw his entire body weight onto him. The immense force caused the man excruciating pain, leaving him utterly unable to break free.

“Duan Xuan, are you alright?”

Duan Xuan rubbed his bruised shoulder and shouted, “I’m fine! A good chunk of the drink spilled out, but thankfully there’s still some left!”

Lin Qing’an nodded and prepared to dial the police.

Seeing this, the manager hurriedly stepped forward, flashing a ingratiating smile as he reached out to block Lin Qing’an’s phone, stopping him from making the call.

“Sir, let’s leave this matter to us to handle. It’s our fault for letting a customer get frightened. Drinks are on the house tonight, enjoy yourselves.”

Turning around, the manager barked an order at a nearby waiter, “Go set up a private room for these three gentlemen, and waive all fees.”

Then he spun back to the two security guards, shot them a meaningful look, and snapped, “Why aren’t you beating this bastard up and throwing him out the back door? Coming into our bar to cause trouble he must have a death wish.”

He performed the four classical theatrical arts of facial expression and tone with absolute perfection. The smile vanished from Lin Qing’s face. He glared coldly at the manager and reached out to grab the manager’s wrist.

“Manager, making decisions on my behalf… isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”

The manager’s expression faltered slightly; he hadn’t expected Lin Qing’an to be so stubborn. But in a place like a bar, everyone came just to unwind and have a good time. If word of this incident got out, the bar’s business would surely…

“Sir…”

The manager forced a smile and started to speak again, but the moment the word left his mouth, a man’s voice cut him off.

“Manager, what’s going on?”

Xie Tingchuan emerged from the shadows. Upon seeing the man pinned down by Lin Qing’an, his brow furrowed slightly. “What’s so hard to handle here?”

Xie Tingchuan’s voice was swallowed by the deafening music, so Lin Qing’an didn’t catch what he actually said; however, that slightly familiar voice sent a sudden jolt through his heart.

The manager approached Xie Tingchuan, and the two exchanged a few words. Lin Qing’an couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he caught the word “Boss” loud and clear.

Lin Qing’an looked over at Xie Tingchuan and asked, “You’re the boss. An incident like this happened in your bar how do you plan to handle it?”

Xie Tingchuan took two steps forward, looking down at Lin Qing’an from a height. Only then did he clearly make out Lin Qing’an’s features—it was that guy who lived downstairs from him.

“Is the spiked drink still around?”

Lin Qing’an nodded. “I’m calling the police.”

“An incident like this definitely requires the police.” Xie Tingchuan shot a sideways glance at the manager, pulled his phone out of his pocket, ignored the manager’s unspoken hesitation, and directly dialed the emergency hotline.

“Hello, this is Charm Night Bar. I’m the owner. Someone targeted my guest, slipped an unidentified substance into his drink, and has already been subdued. Please come over as quickly as possible.”

He laid out the situation to the police in just a few brief sentences before hanging up the phone.

Xie Tingchuan lowered his gaze to look at Lin Qing’an. By now, the booming music had stopped, replaced by a soft, gentle melody, while the kaleidoscopic lights shifted into a muted, dim amber hue that washed over Lin Qing’an’s face. Xie Tingchuan found himself drawn solely to the other person’s eyes upturned peach-blossom eyes that were exceptionally pretty.

“The police have been called. We can’t let this affect the bar’s business, so let’s wait by the back door.”

Lin Qing’an nodded without hesitation, agreeing with his decision.

The culprit was held firmly in place by two security guards. Xie Tingchuan and the manager strode ahead to lead the way, while Lin Qing’an, Duan Xuan, and Qin Zhiyi trailed behind at the back. After a two-minute walk, they stepped out into the rushing wave of heat. The few young men stood in the night air, each wrapped in their own silence.

Lin Qing’an, who had consumed quite a bit of high-potency fruit wine, felt his head growing hazy under the blast of the warm night breeze. Yet since the matter wasn’t fully resolved yet, he had no choice but to force himself to stay alert.

The police arrived very quickly, showing up in just over ten minutes. After being briefed on the sequence of events, the police handcuffed the man and led him toward the squad car.

“You guys come with us to the police station to make a statement.”

Lin Qing’an nodded, turning to Duan Xuan and Qin Zhiyi. “You guys head back to campus first. We won’t be able to hang out tonight. Once I finish making my statement, I’ll head straight back to my apartment.”

Qin Zhiyi said worriedly, “I’ll go with you.”

Duan Xuan chimed in, “Yeah, we’d feel uneasy letting you go alone. Let’s all go together.”

“Alright, you guys should worry about how you’re going to treat me next time instead.” Seeing the concern on their faces, Lin Qing’an gave their shoulders a reassuring pat. “I’m just going to the police station to make a statement, not committing any crimes. I’ll be fine.”

With that, Lin Qing’an climbed into the police car, rolled down the window, and waved to the two of them. “Hurry back now.”

Helpless, Duan Xuan and Qin Zhiyi could only watch as the police car drove away.

Inside the backseat of the police car sat Xie Tingchuan and Lin Qing’an. Lin Qing’an went along as the victim, while Xie Tingchuan accompanied them as the bar owner and the person who made the call.

Lin Qing’an lay back against the seat, his expression relaxed. The drowsiness brought on by the alcohol threatened to wash over him like a tidal wave. Xie Tingchuan glanced at him, pulled out a business card, and handed it over.

“Sorry you were frightened by this accident. This is the manager’s card—you can get a discount next time you come to the bar.”

At that moment, the hazy, half-asleep Lin Qing’an’s immediate thought was: This guy is sitting in a car heading to a police station, and he’s still trying to drum up business?

The next second, Lin Qing’an accepted the card without the slightest bit of politeness. A discount—who wouldn’t want one? Besides, since this happened at their bar, it didn’t look great for their reputation anyway. So, was this hush money?

Lin Qing’an blinked. If it was hush money, wouldn’t just a discount be a bit too stingy?

Xie Tingchuan’s brow furrowed slightly. What does it mean that he keeps staring at me? The two of them had wound up on the exact same strange wavelength.

Is he unsatisfied with this little? How greedy!

With that, Xie Tingchuan turned his head away, refusing to look at Lin Qing’an any longer, and pulled out his phone to scroll through it by himself.

Lin Qing’an felt too embarrassed to directly ask for perks either, especially with a police officer sitting right up front if his behavior got misconstrued as extortion or blackmail, that wouldn’t end well.

Lin Qing’an let out a dissatisfied tsk, leaned back against the seat, and closed his eyes to rest his mind resting his mind, ah… falling asleep.

They reached the police station in no time. The police escorted the culprit inside and said to Xie Tingchuan, who had just stepped out of the car, “Wake that person up and come inside together to make your statements so you can leave.”

Xie Tingchuan stood in place, looking at Lin Qing’an, who was fast asleep inside. He called out to him a couple of times, but the sleeping person gave zero response.

Frowning, Xie Tingchuan reached out and gently shook the other person’s arm. However, Lin Qing’an’s body felt completely boneless, leaning sideways and sliding downward the moment the force was applied. With a sigh, Xie Tingchuan had no choice but to prop him up, half-dragging and half-carrying him out of the police car.

The moment they stepped out, the police car drove off immediately, leaving Xie Tingchuan standing there supporting Lin Qing’an all by himself.

“Hey, wake up, we’re at the police station!”

As he spoke, Xie Tingchuan tapped Lin Qing’an’s face.

The mild sting and uncomfortable posture made Lin Qing’an frown in annoyance, but the moment he forced his eyes open and saw a stranger’s face, he snapped instantly awake.

Lin Qing’an hurriedly backed away, but lacking any strength in his limbs, his bottom hit the ground directly. That shock brought his awareness completely back to reality.

Xie Tingchuan withdrew the hand he had extended to help him up. “If you’re awake, get inside and make your statement.” With that, Xie Tingchuan walked straight into the station.

Frowning, Lin Qing’an pushed himself up from the floor, rubbing his sore, numb backside, and slowly shuffled into the police station.

To prevent them from getting their stories straight, the police separated Lin Qing’an and Xie Tingchuan, having them make their statements in separate rooms.

After the statements were completed, it was already 10:30 PM when Lin Qing’an and Xie Tingchuan emerged from the police station. The night wind was no longer balmy, carrying a trace of coolness that felt exceptionally refreshing as it blew against them.

Cooled by the crisp breeze, a wave of sleepiness washed over Lin Qing’an once more. Having spent over half an hour together at the police station, Lin Qing’an figured he and Xie Tingchuan were somewhat acquainted now, so he prepared to ask if they wanted to head back together.

“Um…”

Before he could even get the word out, the other person completely ignored him. Watching Xie Tingchuan’s retreating back as he strode ahead, Lin Qing’an let out a speechless, dry chuckle. Fine then, see if I care!

Afterward, Lin Qing’an hailed a taxi back to his apartment complex. The driver drove for twenty minutes, and Lin Qing’an slept for twenty minutes, only waking up when the driver reached the destination and called out to him.

“Thanks, Driver, the fare’s been transferred.”

Dazed and groggy, Lin Qing’an stepped out of the cab and spotted a familiar black silhouette heading toward the apartment entrance.

Remembering how cold and aloof the guy had been earlier, he couldn’t help muttering internally, What bad luck!

Lin Qing’an couldn’t help rolling his eyes. Why on earth do I have to live in the exact same building as him?

As soon as he stepped into the building lobby, he saw the guy waiting by the elevator. Lin Qing’an paused for a second. Wait, why should I be scared of him?

Without a second’s hesitation, Lin Qing’an walked right over and stood next to him.

The elevator arrived quickly. Lin Qing’an stepped inside first and pressed the button for the 5th floor.

Xie Tingchuan stepped in after him and pressed the button for the 6th floor.

Turns out we really do live right above and below each other!

Lin Qing’an thought dazedly. The drowsiness grew another two or three shades heavier, and he let out a yawn, tears welling up at the corners of his eyes from the physical reflex.

For some reason, Lin Qing’an suddenly felt like laughing. He tilted his head slightly toward Xie Tingchuan, carefully controlling his angle so his actions wouldn’t look too obvious, and stared at the guy for a couple of seconds.

This face, this nose, this mouth…

After conducting a silent comparison, Lin Qing’an arrived at a definitive conclusion: if anyone was handsome, it was definitely him. He could say those words without feeling even a shred of guilt.

Right as the elevator doors were about to close, a childish voice yelled from outside, “Wait for me, elevator wait for me!”

Hearing the voice, Lin Qing’an instinctively held the elevator door open. The next second, two adults leading a crowd of little kids squeezed in, chattering noisily and filling up the entire elevator cabin.

Lin Qing’an and Xie Tingchuan were squeezed into a corner together. Because the space was cramped, physical contact between them became unavoidable.

The moment his wrist was grabbed, Lin Qing’an instinctively wanted to twist his hand around to subdue the person, but a hoarse voice sounded right beside his ear.

“You’re touching me.”

“Huh?” Feeling his wrist suddenly gripped, Lin Qing’an looked up in confusion. Meeting those pitch-black eyes, an inexplicable wave of guilt hit him. “There’s no space left.”

Xie Tingchuan looked down at him, narrowing his eyes slightly, and issued a low warning. “Keep your hands where they belong.”

“I didn’t…” Sleepiness engulfed Lin Qing’an’s brain, and he mumbled his defense weakly, leaning his body against the cold elevator wall with his eyelids half-drooping.

Ding.

The elevator stopped on the 3rd floor, and the kids swarmed out in a pack, instantly leaving the elevator interior feeling spacious again.

Without the support of the kids propping him up, a drowsy Lin Qing’an lost his balance as the elevator shifted upward, swaying slightly and almost tumbling to the floor.

Xie Tingchuan frowned deeply, applying a bit of force with his hand. Why is this guy so completely defenseless? He can even fall asleep inside an elevator?

The elevator stopped on the 5th floor. Xie Tingchuan spoke up.

“Hey, we’ve reached your floor.”

“Mhm.”

A response born from the depths of sleep light and shallow. Xie Tingchuan genuinely had the urge to just leave Lin Qing’an stranded right here in the elevator.

But he couldn’t. No matter what, this guy had encountered criminals in his bar tonight, and had even gotten drunk at his bar; leaving him abandoned inside an elevator was simply too unreasonable.

Besides, the guy was reasonably good-looking, and if he ran into any danger in today’s society, Xie Tingchuan’s conscience wouldn’t let him rest easy.

Half-pulling and half-dragging him without an ounce of gentleness, Xie Tingchuan hauled Lin Qing’an out of the elevator.

On a single-apartment-per-floor level, Xie Tingchuan didn’t even need to guess which unit was his; he stopped directly in front of the sole doorway.

“You’re home.”

“Mhm…”

“If you want to sleep, go sleep inside!” Losing his patience, Xie Tingchuan tightened his grip slightly on Lin Qing’an’s hand. Snapping back to his senses, Lin Qing’an saw the familiar front door and the familiar stranger, Xie Tingchuan.

“Thanks for walking me home.”

Sleep-fuddled Lin Qing’an completely forgot about the unpleasantness that had transpired earlier between them. He fished his keys out from under the welcome mat, unlocked the door, turned around, and smiled at Xie Tingchuan.

“Do you want to come in for a visit?”

That familiar voice and sweet tone made Xie Tingchuan frown again. He carefully looked Lin Qing’an over twice and declined his invitation.

“Alright then. Let’s be friends!”

Leaning against the doorframe, Lin Qing’an couldn’t suppress a yawn due to the lingering sleepiness. A tear rolled down his cheek, only to be dismissively brushed away by its owner.

Xie Tingchuan’s brow furrowed tightly. He kept feeling like Lin Qing’an seemed familiar, but after scouring all his memories from childhood to the present, Xie Tingchuan could confirm that he didn’t know this person in fact, he had never even seen him before today.

“No need.” With that, Xie Tingchuan turned around and prepared to leave.

“Hey, buddy…” Lin Qing’an hurriedly called out, but the other person had already stepped into the elevator, completely ignoring Lin Qing’an’s attempt to stop him.

“Does he really want to avoid making friends with me that badly?”

Lin Qing’an was rather surprised. After all, everyone he had met growing up liked him quite a bit; this was his first time encountering someone who rejected him so bluntly.

“Whatever, time for bed, time for bed…”

Unable to fight off the heavy sleepiness any longer, Lin Qing’an shut the front door and turned toward the bathroom.

“Shower and sleep…”