Lu Yan was still a bit steamed. Originally, he didn’t plan to say goodbye to Wei Yuhe before heading out, but then he remembered he was still in the process of pursuing him. It wouldn’t look good to lose his temper so easily, especially since he was living under Wei Yuhe’s roof.

But before he could even open his mouth, Wei Yuhe closed his book, turned to him, and asked, “Where are you going?”

Lu Yan had been full of confidence, but seeing that frosty look on Wei Yuhe’s face immediately took the wind out of his sails.

“Out,” Lu Yan replied.

Wei Yuhe’s expression didn’t change, his gaze fixed steadily on Lu Yan. “Where?”

Lu Yan swallowed. For some reason, he felt nervous under Wei Yuhe’s intense stare. Maybe it was because his naturally stern look made it hard to breathe when he got serious.

“To a bar.”

The moment Lu Yan said it, he saw Wei Yuhe’s expression grow even colder.

Though a little intimidated, Lu Yan couldn’t help but think how controlling Wei Yuhe was. He didn’t want to go with him, but now that Lu Yan wanted to go alone, he was going to stand in the way.

Wei Yuhe placed his book on the coffee table, stood up, and walked towards Lu Yan.

“What is it?” Lu Yan asked, feeling a bit unsettled as he watched Wei Yuhe approach him without a word.

With an unreadable expression, Wei Yuhe finally spoke. “Together.”

“Huh?” Lu Yan thought he’d misheard. “You want to go too?”

Without a nod or a shake of the head, Wei Yuhe simply went to the entryway to change his shoes.

Delighted, Lu Yan quickly followed after him. “Why the change of heart?”

Wei Yuhe turned and looked at him. For some reason, he seemed to be in a good mood, and even his voice was lighter than usual. “Didn’t you say you’d teach me how to drink?”

Lu Yan felt his heart skip a beat. He swore he could feel himself being flirted with. This version of Wei Yuhe seemed different from the one he knew.

It was as if the straight-laced student had suddenly taken up bad habits like smoking, drinking, and fighting, giving his cool and distant demeanor a slight edge of rebellion.

And Lu Yan found himself drawn to this side of Wei Yuhe—he liked it even more.

So, with mischievous intent, Lu Yan took Wei Yuhe to a gay bar. The moment they walked in, they caught a lot of attention, especially Wei Yuhe, who immediately had people around him ready to make a move.

Since stepping into the bar, Wei Yuhe had kept his brows furrowed, clearly uncomfortable. Lu Yan noticed and figured he was just unaccustomed to the bar’s atmosphere, probably because he’d never been to one.

After taking just a few steps inside, Lu Yan turned to check on Wei Yuhe, only to find that he’d already been surrounded by a few guys.

Wei Yuhe glanced at Lu Yan, and even without saying a word, Lu Yan instantly understood his gaze.

Lu Yan hurried over, and before he got close, he heard a nearby guy speaking in a sweet tone, “Is it your first time here, gege? I’ve never seen you before.”

Lu Yan snickered to himself. Gege? Wei Yuhe wasn’t even 20 yet. Who was calling who “gege”?

“Excuse me, excuse me,” Lu Yan squeezed through the group, grabbing onto Wei Yuhe’s arm.

The boy didn’t seem too happy that his target was being taken away. He glared at Lu Yan with a bit of hostility.

Lu Yan clung tightly to Wei Yuhe’s arm, ignoring the slight stiffness in his posture. He even rested his head on Wei Yuhe’s shoulder, raising his eyebrow at the boy across from them with a smirk. “He’s mine.”

Without waiting for a reaction, he dragged Wei Yuhe further into the bar.

“Do you come to places like this often?” Wei Yuhe finally asked after the fourth time someone tried to cop a feel on him.

“Not often, just occasionally,” Lu Yan said, leaning close to Wei Yuhe’s ear with a grin. “I brought you here to get a taste of the scene.”

Seeing that Wei Yuhe was still frowning, Lu Yan tried to reassure him. “Relax. You’ll get used to it.”

“Long time no see! What’ve you been up to? Haven’t seen you here in a while,” the bartender greeted as soon as Lu Yan led Wei Yuhe to the bar and sat down.

From the way they interacted, Wei Yuhe could tell that Lu Yan had clearly been here more than a few times.

Pointing to the bartender, Lu Yan introduced him. “This is Yan Heng. He’s from the school next to ours.”

Then he gestured to Wei Yuhe, his eyes curving into a smile more charming than a crescent moon. “This is Wei Yuhe.”

Yan Heng’s gaze darted between the two of them several times before he finally couldn’t help but ask, “So, what’s the deal between you two?”

Lu Yan raised an eyebrow, feigning mystery. “Of course, we’re… just friends.”

Yan Heng eyed the two skeptically. “Just friends?”

His gaze lingered on Wei Yuhe, who looked back at him coldly, meeting his heated stare with an icy one.

Lu Yan waved a hand between them, giving Yan Heng a warning look. “Don’t get any funny ideas.”

Yan Heng sighed, feigning disappointment. “Can’t even dream a little?”

“Nope,” Lu Yan replied.

Yan Heng shrugged and gave up. “Alright, alright.”

“What do you two want to drink?”

Lu Yan turned to Wei Yuhe, taking his time. “How about a Blue King for him? I think it suits him.”

He remembered to ask, “Is that okay with you?”

“Whatever,” Wei Yuhe replied, sounding indifferent.

Lu Yan chuckled. “First time drinking, and you’re already acting brave. Aren’t you afraid I’ll get you drunk?”

Under the bar’s dim lighting, Wei Yuhe looked at Lu Yan’s slightly dreamy expression. “How do you know it’s my first time drinking?”

Lu Yan raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it?”

“No,” Wei Yuhe replied.

Lu Yan looked genuinely surprised, sitting up straight and staring at him intently. “It’s not your first time?”

This guy had only just reached adulthood, and his personality didn’t seem like the type to go out drinking with friends. Plus, Lu Yan doubted he had many close friends. After all, he’d been staying at Wei Yuhe’s place for days and hadn’t seen anyone else visit.

“Well, it’s normal not to be a complete newbie,” Lu Yan thought, figuring maybe he’d just tried a drink or two before but didn’t want to admit it. After all, guys could be a bit prideful about the strangest things.

Lu Yan wasn’t a particularly strong drinker himself. Despite frequenting bars, his tolerance hadn’t improved much, but he figured he could handle keeping up with Wei Yuhe.

For himself, Lu Yan ordered a drink called Red Orbit. Whatever it was made from, the cocktail glowed red under the lights, like blood.

The contrast between his fiery red drink and Wei Yuhe’s icy blue cocktail was a perfect match for them: one cold, one warm, one reserved, one lively.

Leaning on the bar, resting his chin on his hand, Lu Yan gazed at Wei Yuhe. Even in the noisy, bustling bar, his aura remained untouched—still cool, aloof, and dignified.

There were plenty of people sneaking glances at them, but no one dared approach, probably intimidated by Wei Yuhe’s unapproachable presence.

Plus, with the delicate “little beauty” next to him, resting his chin on his hands and staring at him, it made anyone think twice before interrupting.

A few people did try to strike up a conversation with Lu Yan, assuming that he and Wei Yuhe weren’t close. But every time someone got near and hadn’t even started talking, that seemingly immovable statue would turn his head and stare them down with a cold, unwelcoming gaze.

Anyone brave enough to try would leave just as quickly, retreating the way they came.