Chapter 28: Can’t You Tell?

Chapter 28: Can't You See?

In the span of one night, Lin Hao and his group, along with Ji Mushan, all withdrew from school.

Strangely, Lin Hao and the others never showed up during the withdrawal process—only Ji Mushan appeared.

The online rumors fell apart instantly.

The conversation suddenly turned to Wen Yu's adorable face.

A lot of people got hooked by that face.

Plenty of people also came out to apologize, saying they had wrongly blamed Wen Yu and Lou Xuemeng.

Ever since Gu Junhan hung up on him last time, Wen Yu had sent a dozen-plus messages with no reply.

Wen Yu sat across from Lou Xuemeng, his coffee already cold.

He kept his head down, his fingers absentmindedly tracing the cup's rim, his eyes full of confusion and unease.

"Xuemeng." Wen Yu's voice trembled, his arms shaking slightly. "What do I do if my friend's mad at me?"

Lou Xuemeng was casually flipping through a fashion magazine. She looked up at that and raised an eyebrow.

"Friend?" Lou Xuemeng closed the magazine, a playful smile curling at the corner of her lips. "What kind of friend? The kind who gave you a black card and a watch?"

Wen Yu's cheeks flushed a little, clearly struck a nerve.

"...Yeah."

"Then just sweet-talk him." Lou Xuemeng said it lightly. "Guys, sometimes they're harder to handle than kids. Give him an out, act a little cute, or..." She paused, her gaze sharpening. "Show him what you're worth."

Wen Yu nodded, deep in thought.

"I understand." Wen Yu stood up and grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair. "Thank you, Xuemeng."

Lou Xuemeng's gaze landed on the Patek Philippe on his wrist, her expression unreadable as she mulled it over.

This kid Wen Yu—if I don't steer him right, how's he ever gonna satisfy my cousin?

"Wait." Lou Xuemeng called him back, continuing, "Wen Yu, do you seriously not know why they pick on you?"

Wen Yu stopped in his tracks.

Of course he knew.

Because he wasn't tough enough?

Because he always backed down out of habit?

"I don't know why they bully me..." Wen Yu turned around, his round eyes meeting Lou Xuemeng's directly. "Can you teach me how to make them stop picking on me?"

Lou Xuemeng looked at him, as if seeing this always-mild, easygoing kid for the first time.

After a beat, she smiled.

"Alright."

Lou Xuemeng got up, walked over to Wen Yu, and reached out to fix his slightly rumpled collar. "First, stop wearing white shirts that make you look like an easy target. Second, learn to use every resource you've got, including people."

Her eyes swept over the watch on Wen Yu's wrist again. "Third, why don't you go ask your friend?"

Wen Yu's pupils narrowed slightly.

"Should I go ask him?" Wen Yu was confused.

Lou Xuemeng gave him a knowing look. "You think I handled this whole mess by myself?"

"Those people dropping out—I heard that was your friend's doing."

...

Wen Yu mulled it over. Did Gu Junhan help him?

It seemed like every time, the people who bullied him either dropped out or vanished.

"Xuemeng, do you know my friend?" Wen Yu blurted out, a hint of probing in his voice he hadn't even noticed.

Lou Xuemeng paused, then smiled. "No, I don't know him."

She paused for a second. "But I can guess. That black card you had isn't just some ordinary thing. With that kind of status and position, it's hard not to wonder."

Wen Yu nodded, figuring he was overthinking it—how could they possibly know each other?

Lou Xuemeng leaned back in her chair, squinting. "You can go find him and talk. After all, he's mad because of you."

Wen Yu was sold on Lou Xuemeng's words.

He picked up his phone and hesitantly sent a message.

"Yu Bu Jia Tang: Um... can we talk?"

Two minutes went by. No reply.

Wen Yu sent another message.

"Yu Bu Jia Tang: I can come to you. Where are you at?"

Wen Yu closed his eyes and hit send. The other side replied fast: "Okay."

"CW Villa. Someone will meet you at the entrance and bring you in."

CW Villa.

Wen Yu's heart lurched.

That was the most exclusive area in Silvermoon City, perched halfway up the mountain with tight security.

"Hi, I'm here to see Gu Junhan." Wen Yu glanced at the burly guys around him, his palms already sweating.

The security guard didn't say a word, just spoke quietly into his walkie-talkie.

A moment later, they let him in.

The villa wasn't the flashy luxury he'd pictured—it looked more like a modern art museum.

A middle-aged man in a black suit and white gloves stood at the entrance.

"Master Wen. The boss is waiting for you." Mr. Dong's voice was low and even, with a professional, detached air.

When Wen Yu went inside, the villa was pitch black.

The living room lights were off, and only the faint light from outside barely outlined the furniture.

Gu Junhan sat on the sofa, a cigarette dangling between his fingers.

"What do you want to talk about?" The man's voice was hoarse and cold, heavy with barely contained anger.

Wen Yu spoke up softly, nervously saying, "I want to cheer you up!"

Gu Junhan was wearing a high-quality black silk shirt, the top two buttons undone, and his muscular forearm pulled Wen Yu right next to him. "How are you gonna do that?"

Wen Yu saw the man still holding a cigarette and tugged at his shirt corner. "Want me to light it for you?"

Gu Junhan's raw intensity carried a natural coldness and arrogance. He brought the cigarette to Wen Yu's lips. "Open up."

Wen Yu had clearly overestimated himself. With the cigarette between his lips, the strong taste hit him so hard he couldn't breathe.

"Cough, cough." Wen Yu coughed a few times, his eyes watering from the smoke burning his throat, barely able to keep them open. His red, teary eyes now looked at Gu Junhan with what seemed like deep affection.

Though "deep affection" was probably just Gu Junhan's imagination.

Gu Junhan let go of Wen Yu, who slid onto the sofa, bracing himself on Gu Junhan's thigh, shaking all over.

"You can't smoke?" Gu Junhan asked.

Wen Yu shook his head, his face flushed with discomfort.

Then Gu Junhan changed his tone and sneered, "Can't smoke, but you wanted to light one for me?"

Wen Yu was half-kneeling on Gu Junhan, his pale, smooth legs trembling uncontrollably. He looked like a tied-up rabbit in that position. His voice was soft, almost begging. "I'm sorry, it's my fault."

Gu Junhan let out a cold laugh, clearly not satisfied. "Wen Xiaobao, if you don't really want to cheer me up, then get the hell out. You wouldn't care about losing a friend, right?"

As he spoke, it was hard to tell what he was thinking, but it seemed like if Wen Yu actually left, he'd go crazy.

He even thought—if Wen Yu couldn't smoke, then he'd learn to be "smoked" himself.

Wen Yu went quiet for a moment, remembering what Lou Xuemeng had said. Suddenly, he reached out and gently put his hand over Gu Junhan's hand on his knee.

The man's hand was cold, with sharp knuckles and light calluses. The faint, cold scent of cedar from him overwhelmed Wen Yu's senses.

"Can you please stop being mad..." Wen Yu's voice was weak, with a hint of hurt, like he might cry any second.

"Is it because I didn't dodge when Lin Hao pushed me last time? Is that why you're mad?"

"I don't know... why they keep picking on me. Can you teach me how to make them stop?"

Gu Junhan stared blankly at the tears welling up in Wen Yu's eyes, his hand lightly brushing Wen Yu's throat.

"Wen Yu, do you know you're playing with fire?"

Wen Yu's lashes were wet from the tears in his eyes as the man blew smoke right in front of his lips.

Coughing from it, Wen Yu seemed to regret listening to Lou Xuemeng. He felt like Gu Junhan was just like the others. Bullying him, even worse than them.

Gu Junhan stared at him for a long time, the rage in his eyes slowly fading, his voice low and scary.

"That desperate for me to teach you? Fine."

Wen Yu felt the change in the man's vibe and instinctively moved back.

Gu Junhan's big hand landed right on Wen Yu's stomach, pushing him down onto the huge sofa.

That hand seemed to control every part of Wen Yu.

Gu Junhan leaned in close to his ear. "I'll teach you. Step one: never go soft on your prey."

"Especially... on me."

Before the words even faded, he kissed him fiercely.

The kiss was full of greed and possession, tasting of blood and tobacco, greedily taking away every breath Wen Yu had.

Like holding a kitten in the middle of a raging storm.

Outside the window, everything was still as water.

Wen Yu was dizzy, shrinking back on the sofa in fear, struggling. "You..."

Tears streaked his face, his nose red, his eyes full of helplessness and begging. "Please stop kissing me..."

"Stop?"

"Didn't you want me to teach you? Didn't you want to make me happy?" Gu Junhan pinched Wen Yu's chin. "Xiaobao, you're so cold-hearted."

"That lasted three minutes?"

Wen Yu had walked right into the lion's den. "No... I don't want to cheer you up anymore. I don't want to learn."

"Can you not be like this? We can talk it out."

Wen Yu seemed to think Gu Junhan hadn't gone that far, that there was still a way back.

Gu Junhan let out a scornful laugh.

Baby, can't you tell I want to * you?