"Oh, looks like we really are tied by fate." The little girl said softly. Shang Xixia didn't think much of it. Her thoughts were simple—childhood neighbors who kept running into each other even after growing up. Truly, it must be fate.
But to the man, her words ignited waves of emotion deep within. Yes, fate, a captivating notion that's so easy to become addicted to.
"You are the fate of my entire life, the fate I will protect forever." Gu Jingchen murmured, his voice brimming with heartfelt emotion and tender whispers.
"Brother Jingchen, what are you saying?" The little girl caught his murmured words but couldn't hear them clearly.
"Oh, nothing." The man's usual calm demeanor flickered ever so slightly with a hint of embarrassment, then he denied it.
Seeing that the little woman and Zhou Xingyan had no issues, Gu Jingchen drove the three kids back to Yun City University, and before leaving, he agreed to meet Gu Jingrui later at the Xie Family's bar.
After dropping off the little lady and the other two, Gu Jingchen drove his car across the coastal bridge and headed straight to the Xie Brothers' Lai Le Bar.
Passing through the lively first floor of the bar, the man strode forward with long legs, just about to head upstairs when his phone started ringing.
"Boss, those two men in the private KTV room just woke up. That bottle of wine was indeed tampered with. We even found a small bottle of the same substance on one of the men and forced it all down. Now the two of them are in the room completely deranged, struggling madly!"
Rong Hao's voice carried a tacitly restrained schadenfreude as he reported to his boss.
In truth, Rong Hao's description was quite veiled; there were certain things he dared not say outright.
The scene in the room at that moment could only be described as scandalous: the two men, stripped completely bare and out of their senses, occasionally regained fleeting clarity to beg and scream, only to lose reason again moments later, writhing against each other frantically. Anyone looking on would find the sight painfully eye-searing, wouldn't they?
"Mm, noted. Don't release them without my orders."
The man issued the cold command, his mere words laden with such fury that the oppressive atmosphere on the stairs seemed to drop several degrees. Despite the early summer weather, the air felt frozen.
"Yes, boss." Rong Hao replied respectfully.
After hanging up the phone with his long, elegant fingers, Gu Jingchen went straight upstairs.
The private room on the second floor radiated a lingering sense of decadence. Ever since the brothers had become embroiled in romantic dilemmas, this spot had become their usual space for emotional catharsis.
Yun City's most prominent 'diamond bachelors' could be found here smoking, drinking. Though rarely drunk, they'd indulge—just enough to soothe their souls. It was only in this haven, where men revered like gods by outsiders, could let down their physical armor.
Sure enough, aside from the Xie Brothers, the three brothers from his own family were in the bar as well.
It was strange. Ever since *that* incident, Gu Jingrui and Gu Jingxin felt immensely out of place if left alone together at the Gu Mansion outside the dining table. They simply wouldn't remain solo together.
But at the bar, with everyone around, though they didn't talk much and rarely spoke to each other directly, their demeanor seemed more relaxed.
"Jingxin, tell me—no, wait—what's the worst consequence for two men?" Gu Jingchen raised his perfectly shaped brows and gazed at his family's Lao Si.
Gu Jingxin was the youngest professor of medicine at Yun City University, heralded as a prodigy in the international medical community. His medical prowess was unmatched—not just in Yun City but globally.
Gu Jingxin responded calmly, letting his long, immaculate fingers pick up a glass of wine and sip lightly, as if merely sampling its essence.
No helping it—it was a habitual trait of doctors.
The Gu Family's Lao Si rarely smoked, reserving the habit for situations of intense upheaval when he absolutely had to. Such occasions were rare, of course.
Lao Si Gu Jingxin had once tried persuading his brothers to quit smoking, only to find the effort largely futile. He eventually gave up but that didn't dampen his enthusiasm for bar gatherings one bit. He'd plant himself next to an air purifier or open windows while others puffed away, and sip green tea if alcohol wasn't in his mood.
In recent years, though, Gu Jingxin had eased up on the tea. His drinking habits became more sociable, though still far from rivaling his brothers' consumption levels.
His words stirred laughter among the group. Sometimes, when men gathered, teasing or risqué banter felt perfectly harmless.
Lao Si's remark mixed scientific reasoning with subtle jokes, drawing devilish grins from the sharp-featured crowd.
"Hmm, I'll verify soon; the experiment's underway. When results are out, I'll let you know." Gu Jingchen carried the thread seamlessly, grabbed a bottle from the table, and emptied it in one go!
Hu Ye and Li Chengxi—those bastards—would have to be taught an unforgettable lesson! Messing with Gu Jingchen's woman—what made them think they could even survive it?
The more he brooded, the darker his expression grew, until his face turned ashen. Settling onto the sofa, his striking features emanated an icy fury. His posture may have been casual, but the rage suppressing within him was palpable.
"Boss, isn't it almost time for you to head back to the team?" Hoping to shift the mood, Xie Qiyan spoke up.
Tonight, Xie Qiyan sported a wine-red shirt, its top three buttons and cuffs undone. The sleeves were rolled into neat layers, revealing a cufflink at the outermost edge—a touch of unbridled allure beneath the underlying sensuality. His voice carried a lazy charm as he glanced lightly at Gu Jingchen, his long, dexterous fingers swirling the wine in his hand, admiring the crimson liquid inside the glass.
"Hmm." Hearing his brother's question, Gu Jingchen's expression calmed, and he answered curtly with a single word.