Chapter 9: The One Who Carried You Here Must Be Your Boyfriend

Two days later, Lu Mian was back to his lively self, seemingly having forgotten the incident that had occurred.

As soon as class ended, he dragged Ji Jinbai to the cafeteria at a brisk pace, almost leaving Ji Jinbai struggling to keep up.

“Xiao Bai, hurry up! The cafeteria has fried pork ribs today. We need to get there quickly, or they’ll be gone. I’ve been waiting for this for so long, and I must have some today.”

Ji Jinbai found a seat in the corner and sat down. They arrived just in time, as there were still plenty of fried pork ribs left. Lu Mian, satisfied, carried two trays toward Ji Jinbai.

While Ji Jinbai was focused on eating, Lu Mian tapped his shoulder. Ji Jinbai looked at him, puzzled, silently asking what was wrong.

Leaning closer, Lu Mian said with a hint of schadenfreude, “I saw on the forum that Zhou Yang dropped out for some reason. His dad’s company was recently exposed for tax evasion, illegal construction, and a series of other crimes. It’s on the verge of bankruptcy now.”

“How unfortunate. I wonder who he offended.”

Ji Jinbai thought to himself, it must have been that man’s doing.

“By the way, Lin Qi’s birthday is tomorrow. He invited our whole class to his birthday party.”

“Perfect timing to have some fun. Xiao Bai, you’ve never been to a bar, right? I’ll take you there tomorrow night.”

“Sure,” Ji Jinbai replied. Although he was an adult, he had indeed never been to a bar.

…

When Ji Jinbai entered the private room, many people were already there. The colorful lights above swayed, and a boy was softly singing a folk song.

Most people were chatting, drinking, or playing games, and no one noticed Ji Jinbai’s arrival.

He handed the gift to the birthday boy and then found a quiet corner on the sofa to sit.

The dim light fell on his face, yet it couldn’t hide his striking beauty and elegance, making him look almost unreal.

As Ji Jinbai was lost in thought, the sofa beside him sank. A handsome boy with glasses sat down next to him.

“My name is Zhou Yu. I noticed you the moment you walked in. Can we be friends?”

The boy held a glass of wine, looking at the beautiful boy in front of him with great interest. This trip was worth it—he had stumbled upon such a gem.

Seeing the undisguised desire in the boy’s eyes, Ji Jinbai felt his hackles rise.

He shifted further away, creating distance between them, and coldly replied, “Sorry, I don’t know you.”

Zhou Yu, intrigued by his aloof demeanor, pressed on, “That’s exactly why I want to get to know you. Let’s chat and get familiar.”

“You’re so good-looking. Don’t be so cold.”

As Zhou Yu became more persistent, Ji Jinbai grew increasingly annoyed, his eyes fixed on the wine glass on the table.

He remained unresponsive, exuding an air of detachment and indifference, not even glancing in Zhou Yu’s direction.

His ears buzzed, and the boy’s cologne, like a spilled spice jar, mixed with various scents, permeating his nostrils with an unpleasant odor.

He couldn’t help but frown.

After a long monologue, Zhou Yu realized Ji Jinbai had remained cold and silent, like a little mute. He felt the rejection.

Feeling utterly humiliated, he shot Ji Jinbai a sharp glare, picked up his glass, and stormed off angrily.

Seeing him leave, Ji Jinbai finally seemed to come back to life. He tried to pick up the wine on the table, poured half a glass, and took a sip. He found that it didn’t have a strong alcohol taste but rather a rich and sweet lychee flavor.

This was his first time drinking alcohol, and he thought it was just a beverage. He relaxed on the sofa, his eyes lazy, and poured himself one glass after another.

Sitting in the corner, no one noticed him. Lu Mian and the others were so engrossed in their games that they completely forgot about Ji Jinbai.

By the time the entire bottle was empty, Ji Jinbai’s eyes had already become unfocused, and his face was flushed red.

He felt his body heating up and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. Suddenly, he felt a warm sensation on his arm, accompanied by an intense itch. He couldn’t help but scratch, and red rashes began to appear on his skin.

Ji Jinbai felt something was wrong. His breathing suddenly quickened, and he began to struggle for air.

His eyes were slightly red, the corners of his eyes upturned with a fragile yet soft and obedient charm.

His breathing grew faster and faster. Staggering, he got up and rushed toward the door.

Ji Jinbai’s arms were weak, his vision blurred, and he couldn’t focus. As soon as he stepped out, he fell straight into someone’s arms.

Ji Jinbai instinctively pushed him away, then collapsed weakly onto the ground. He couldn’t stop scratching his arm, gasping for air, and even his head began to feel heavy.

The man had sharp features, a clean and defined jawline, exuding a cold and stern aura.

His black tailored suit was perfectly fitted, with a spotless white shirt peeking out from the cuffs, paired with a black overcoat.

Lu Tingshen crouched down and picked up Ji Jinbai.

The young man’s face was pale, his body trembling as he gasped for air, looking as if he were on the brink of death.

Lu Tingshen leaned in closer and smelled the alcohol on the boy’s breath. Seeing the red rashes on his neck, he sensed something was wrong. He rolled up the boy’s sleeve and found his arm horrifically swollen.

In an instant, he tightened his grip around the boy in his arms, realizing he might be having a severe allergic reaction.

Lin Cheng hurried over from a distance and saw his boss holding a young man who looked to be in pain.

Just before Ji Jinbai passed out, he faintly caught the scent of a cool, faint sandalwood.

“Go start the car, we’re heading to the hospital!” Lu Tingshen urgently instructed, his expression grave as he carried Ji Jinbai and strode toward the entrance.

When Ji Jinbai woke up, he found himself lying in a hospital bed with an IV drip, unable to forget the feeling of being on the verge of death the night before.

He remembered someone holding him, that person carrying a faint scent of sandalwood. Could it have been him?

Ji Jinbai thought with anticipation.

Weakly, he lifted his head and looked around, but he didn’t see the figure he hoped to find. Maybe it wasn’t him, Ji Jinbai thought with disappointment.

The door opened from the outside, and an elderly doctor with graying hair walked in. Seeing the handsome young man awake, he approached his bedside.

Picking up the medical record, the doctor scolded him with a mix of anger and concern, “Do you know you’re allergic to alcohol? A few more sips, and you wouldn’t have made it!”

“You’re such a good-looking kid, don’t take your youth for granted. Thankfully, that gentleman brought you to the hospital in time.”

The old doctor, seeing the young man who was about the same age as his grandson, didn’t realize this was Ji Jinbai’s first time drinking, and he had already landed himself in the hospital.

Afraid the doctor would continue lecturing him, Ji Jinbai nodded obediently, “I won’t drink again in the future.”

“By the way, what’s the name of the person who brought me here last night?”

The old doctor was somewhat surprised. “You don’t know him? He stayed by your side all night last night, taking care of you, and even paid your medical fees. I thought he was your relative.”

Ji Jinbai was also surprised. He had taken care of him all night.

Lu Mian, who had been standing nearby, stepped forward and looked at Ji Jinbai with a mix of guilt and grievance.

“It was my Second Uncle who brought you here. Last night, he suddenly called me and said you were in the hospital, asking me to pick you up and take you back to school today. I was really worried about you last night and wanted to come, but he wouldn’t let me.”

Ji Jinbai thought to himself that it must have been that man. Feeling a bit aggrieved that he hadn’t seen him when he woke up.

“Time to go.”

The nurse came over to tidy up the hospital bed and couldn’t help but tease Ji Jinbai. “Where’s your boyfriend? Last night when he carried you in, he had such a cold, serious expression on his face. It was quite intimidating.”

Ji Jinbai replied sheepishly, “He’s not my boyfriend.”

The nurse, feeling a bit embarrassed, said, “Oh, I’m sorry. Seeing how worried he was and how he took care of you all night, I misunderstood and thought he was your boyfriend. My apologies.”

The nurse hadn’t expected to be so mistaken. She had never misjudged a couple before. She had to admit, the way that man looked at the young man was definitely unusual.

Ji Jinbai smiled faintly. “It’s alright, no harm done.”

If only he were my boyfriend, Ji Jinbai thought gloomily.