Chapter 72

Since Luan Nian refused to take care of Luke, there really was no one left to look after him. But Luan Nian’s words were always a mix of truth and falsehood—when he said he couldn’t, he probably could.

So Shang Zhitao asked again, “Can I bring Luke over now?”

“No.”

“?”

Luan Nian didn’t reply further and instead picked up a call from Dr. Liang. “What’s up?”

“Recently, your dad met a Professor Gong at an event. While chatting, he mentioned his daughter is back in the country, teaching at a university in Beijing, I think. Could you help look out for her?”

“Gong Yue, right?” Luan Nian asked.

“Huh? How did you know?”

“Coincidentally ran into her today.”

“That’s great! Young people should get together for meals and hang out when they have time, liven things up a bit. Otherwise, with your personality, you’d probably bore yourself to death, wouldn’t you?”

“Okay.”

Dr. Liang thought he misheard. “You said okay?”

“Mm.”

It was rare to hear Luan Nian agree to something, so Dr. Liang didn’t dare say more, fearing he might change his mind. “Alright, that’s settled then. Goodbye.”

After hanging up, Luan Nian found himself alone in the bar—the staff had already left for the day. He lay back on the sofa chair and gazed at the moon. On windy nights like this, the moon seemed exceptionally bright. Luan Nian mused that once the bar officially opened, he’d have much less free time.

When Shang Zhitao called, he was slightly tipsy. He answered but didn’t speak.

Thinking she might have dialed the wrong number, Shang Zhitao pulled the phone away to check—it was him. “I’m at your place, but no one’s home. Why aren’t you saying anything? Have you been drinking? Should I make you some noodles?”

“No need. I’m not coming back tonight.”

“Oh.”

Shang Zhitao hung up and noticed Luan Nian’s little red flag fish swimming in the tank. Fish were easier to care for than dogs—no daily walks needed, and their owners could stay out overnight without worry. She waited in his living room for a while, but Luan Nian really didn’t return. It wasn’t until midnight that she heard Luke barking. She hurried downstairs, still dressed, and saw Luke running around Luan Nian. It had been a while since Luke last saw him, and he seemed excited.

Luan Nian patted Luke, his voice slightly nasal. “What are you doing here?”

Luke sat on the floor and whimpered. Luan Nian crouched down to stroke his head, and Luke rested his snout on Luan Nian’s knee, just as adept at seeking affection as his owner.

“It’s windy outside,” Shang Zhitao said, walking to the window. “Why didn’t you come up from the underground garage?”

Luan Nian sat down to play with Luke, as if he hadn’t heard her.

Luan Nian knew he wasn’t an easy person to get along with. Logically, having grown up in a happy, well-off family, he should have developed a sunny disposition. But he was the opposite. As Dr. Liang put it, by the time Luan Nian was seven or eight, he already acted like a little adult—constantly frowning, rarely genuinely fond of anything, and hard to please. His personality didn’t resemble Dr. Liang’s or Luan’s Father’s; it was almost as if he’d been adopted.

That alone was one thing, but by his teens, Luan Nian’s interests turned downright alarming—weapons, combat, shooting. Back then, Dr. Liang lost sleep worrying he might accidentally veer onto a path of anti-social or inhumane behavior.

That was the kind of person he was—devoid of a sunny disposition, lacking in empathy, with too little softness within him.

Luan Nian was aware of all this. Over the years, he’d made deliberate efforts to change, but when he was truly unhappy, he still turned sharp and almost impossible to appease.

Seeing Shang Zhitao sitting on the sofa watching him, he grew impatient and said to Luke, "Tell your master not to look at me."

He wouldn’t even speak directly to Shang Zhitao.

Shang Zhitao felt that Luan Nian was acting a bit strange today, though she couldn’t quite pinpoint why. He seemed to have had some alcohol and caught a chill—his face was slightly flushed. When she reached out her hand, Luan Nian leaned his head back, frowning at her. "If you have something to say, say it. Don’t touch me."

..."You seem sick."

"None of your damn business."

Luan Nian went upstairs, with Shang Zhitao following behind him and Luke trailing after her. When Luan Nian reached the master bedroom, he blocked the doorway and taunted Shang Zhitao, "Sorry, I can’t serve you today. You’ll have to take care of yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"Didn’t you come here to satisfy your physical needs? Well, it’s not happening today."

"Oh. Alright then."

Shang Zhitao was also a little angry. She took Luke back to the guest room, turned off the lights, and lay down on the bed. It seemed she had never truly argued with Luan Nian before. She was a young woman with a temper too—if pushed, she could fight with anyone. But she had never truly exploded in front of Luan Nian. Why? She had thought about it before—probably because she didn’t dare. She lacked the confidence to lose her temper in front of him and had to talk herself down. Her ears perked up, listening for any movement from Luan Nian.

Luan Nian was taking a shower. Luan Nian went downstairs. Why hasn’t Luan Nian come to find me yet? Forget it—Luan Nian never lowers his head. Shang Zhitao sat up dejectedly, stayed like that for a while, sighed, and finally got out of bed.

She saw Luan Nian taking out the first aid kit and rummaging through it for medicine. Shang Zhitao walked over to feel his forehead, but Luan Nian turned his head away again. Suddenly, she wasn’t angry anymore—why should she argue with someone who was sick? She was always so good at comforting herself.

With quick eyes and hands, she found the fever medicine under the first aid kit. "Is this what you’re looking for?"

Luan Nian reached for it, but Shang Zhitao hid the medicine behind her back. He tried to grab it, his cheek brushing against hers. Shang Zhitao quickly stood on her tiptoes and kissed his chin, once and then again, like a little chick pecking at grains. She was trying to coax Luan Nian, her eyes bright, timid, and gentle. Her lips were warm, soft, and obedient.

Luan Nian looked down at her humble posture, feeling as if something had stabbed his heart.

"I’m not sleeping today," Luan Nian finally spoke properly to Shang Zhitao, his breath hot—he really was sick.

"Mm, no sleeping."

Shang Zhitao ran to pour water for him, watched him take the medicine, and then took his hand. "So, did you have a social engagement today?"

"Mm, I was entertaining guests at the bar today."

"Didn’t you say the first drink was supposed to be mixed for me?"

Luan Nian snorted at this and ignored her again, turning to go upstairs. Shang Zhitao followed behind him. "You broke your promise! You said the first drink was for me, and I haven’t even tasted it yet!"

I wanted to offer you the first drink, but weren’t you out shopping with your male roommate? The two of you, walking the dog, looking like a little married couple. Luan Nian admitted he was angry about this—he’d rather feed that drink to a dog than give it to her! But he couldn’t say it out loud. What was there to say? It wasn’t like she was the only one who could have ambiguous friendships with the opposite sex. If he wanted to, if he was willing, he could have them anytime.

But Shang Zhitao kept pestering him. Seeing that Luan Nian wasn’t speaking, she continued to complain, "Hmph, you broke your promise."

Luan Nian pulled her over, holding her firmly in his arms. His tongue pried open her lips and teeth, entwining with hers. After a long while, he asked fiercely, "Did you taste the first drink?"

Shang Zhitao blushed, licking her lips with the tip of her tongue, and shook her head. "Not thoroughly enough." Then she stood on tiptoe and bit his lip. It was back in Dunhuang when his palm pressed against her calf, even through the fabric, it still made her heart flutter uncontrollably. She had been thinking about it for days.

So, can a kiss soothe anger?

His mouth carried the taste of a cocktail, a little intoxicating. Shang Zhitao fell into his embrace, her arms wrapping around his waist, her head resting against his chest, and she softly called his name, "Luan Nian."

"Speak."

"Can I sleep with you? We won’t do anything."

"Hmm."

And they really did nothing. Shang Zhitao nestled into his arms, pulled his arm out, rested her head on it, and placed her palm against his chest. Seeing no objection, she grew bolder, wrapping her arms around his waist and murmuring in his embrace, "Actually, just lying here quietly like this, doing nothing, feels really nice to me."

"What’s nice about it?" Luan Nian asked her.

"It’s just..." Shang Zhitao didn’t know how to explain. "It’s just... nice." This gave Shang Zhitao the illusion that there might be possibilities between them beyond just physical intimacy.

Luan Nian’s body felt a little warm. He couldn’t tell if it was because of the fever or the alcohol, but his mind wasn’t entirely clear, and he felt somewhat uncomfortable.

"Go to the guest room."

"No." Shang Zhitao leaned against Luan Nian’s chest. It was rare for him to be sick and so compliant, and she actually felt a little fondness for it. She really was heartless, liking Luan Nian when he was sick. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and talked to him.

"Let’s not go hiking in Dunhuang again, okay? It’s too tiring. My legs still don’t feel like my own today."

"At the end of the event, Manager Jiang suddenly said to me, 'Flora, I remember you.' How could she remember me? I’ve only been in front of her a few times..."

"Lumi is so funny, and Lumi is also so brave. I feel like after spending so much time with Lumi, I’ve become stronger now..."

"Luke..."

Luan Nian covered Shang Zhitao’s mouth. "Why are you talking so much today?"

"I have to finish talking to you for the next two weeks because we won’t see each other for half a month..."

"Is your phone just for show?"

"You don’t want to reply to my messages or call me." Just a few words in a reply, a minute on the phone, and only occasionally a little more.

Shang Zhitao complained softly, like a chattering little grumbler. When she turned over, she bumped the inside of her knee, and the pain from the lactic acid buildup was unbearable. She let out a soft groan.

In the darkness, Luan Nian turned her toward him, lifted her leg onto his body, and pressed his palm against her calf, gently massaging it.

"It hurts." Shang Zhitao didn’t know if it was really painful or something else, but tears nearly welled up in her eyes.

"That’s why I said you need to exercise."

Shang Zhitao endured the pain and leaned closer to him, making the position somewhat ambiguous. Luan Nian shifted back slightly, creating a gap, and said to her, "Don’t provoke me."

Shang Zhitao really didn’t dare provoke him again and stayed quietly in his arms. Her phone rang, and she picked it up to see it was Dony asking, "What are you doing?"

Shang Zhitao glanced at Luan Nian and put down her phone. Luan Nian caught a fleeting glimpse of Dony and asked her, "Has Dony really never harassed you?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Because at Lingmei, you seem like the easiest one to push around and bully."

"Is that why you chose me?"

Shang Zhitao used the word "chose," as if Luan Nian originally had many, many options, and he picked the easiest one to handle.

"Hmm. You got it right." Luan Nian released her leg, turned away, and gave her a stubborn, cold back. Shang Zhitao didn’t mind either, pressing her face against his back and saying to him, "I secretly checked your schedule—you’re not traveling. So, please help me take care of Luke~ If you can spare the time to give Luke a bath, that would be even better. He’s like a little mudball. And lately, he seems to enjoy playing with a frisbee—throwing it out, catching it back, having a blast."

Luan Nian remembered her and Sun Yuanzhu walking Luke on the street—the scene seemed quite comical now.

The medicine was kicking in, and he felt a little dizzy. His phone lit up, and he saw Gōng Yuè asking him, "Can we hold an event at your place next week?"

"Welcome. You can contact the bar manager directly." Luan Nian replied, casually sending her the bar manager’s phone number before tapping to delete her as a friend.

Luan Nian was actually quite lazy—he couldn’t be bothered with social niceties, nor did he want to change the status quo.

He thought he didn’t want to change the status quo because he was lazy.

At least, that’s what he believed at the time.