Lu Qing stormed out of Yu Li’s room, and as soon as he got back to his own room on the second floor, he rushed into the bathroom with his little brother in tow, feeling all hot and bothered.

The sound of water splashed around.

Half an hour later, he emerged from the bathroom, steam still clinging to his body.

The man was shirtless, wearing only a pair of casual shorts. He plopped down on the edge of the bed, drying his hair with a towel while picking up his phone to answer the seventh call from Qin Yue.

After hitting the speaker button, Lu Qing set the phone aside and focused on drying his hair.

As soon as the call connected, Qin Yue’s loud voice filled the room.

“Why are you only answering now?! I called you six times before this, six times! Are you getting old and hard of hearing, only picking up now?”

Lu Qing replied, “I was just taking a shower. Couldn’t you wait if I didn’t answer?”

“This isn’t something you can wait on!” Qin Yue retorted, quickly getting to the point, “You’re something else, beating up Xu Baicheng, all for a blue face.”

Lu Qing clicked his tongue at that, “Where did the rumor come from that I beat him up? I just took him away for a friendly chat.”

Qin Yue sounded skeptical, with a hint of doubt in his voice, “Really didn’t hit him?”

Lu Qing said, “Why would I hit him in front of everyone? Even if I couldn’t resist the urge to punch him, I wouldn’t do it as Yu Li’s bodyguard.”

If he really wanted to deal with Xu Baicheng, there were plenty of ways to do it without causing trouble for the Yu family.

“True enough…” Qin Yue agreed, muttering, “I guess I was wrong, thinking you lost control out of jealousy.”

After all, knowing Lu Qing, when it comes to matters involving Yu Li, he rarely manages to keep his cool.

But maybe this time, precisely because it involved Yu Li, he managed to hold back.

“However,” Lu Qing’s tone shifted, growing colder, “The Xu family and the Yu family are on good terms, but Xu Baicheng often follows Xiao Li around, bothering him.”

Qin Yue immediately knew what he was getting at, “You want to…?”

“He’s got time to make a fool of himself in public, so I think this Xu family heir is too idle.”

Lu Qing said coldly, “Let’s find him something to do.”

Qin Yue chuckled, snapping his fingers in the air, “Got it. You can count on me.”

“I’ll make sure he disappears completely from Yu Li’s sight for a while.”

…

After the military training incident, Xu Baicheng hadn’t come looking for Yu Li, and even the daily harassment messages had stopped.

Based on Yu Li’s understanding of Xu Baicheng, he sensed something was off. It wasn’t until he asked Yu Huaiyuan that he found out Xu Baicheng’s academic records had some issues. When the instructor came knocking, Xu Baicheng’s first thought was to seek help from his family.

It wasn’t a big deal initially, but the Xu family was suddenly hit with a major project crisis. If not handled properly, it could lead to significant losses. Everyone from the chairman to the employees at headquarters was working overtime to fix it, leaving no time to deal with him.

Xu Baicheng was so overwhelmed he barely had time to eat, let alone continue bothering Yu Li.

With the annoying fly gone, Yu Li enjoyed the peace and successfully endured the seven days of military training, finally free from the scorching sun.

On the day military training ended, Yu Li was overjoyed. With no classes on Monday, he planned to drag Lu Qing out for hotpot after his evening shower, shedding the military training uniform he despised.

The reason for craving hotpot was simple. The entire afternoon was spent at the military training closing ceremony, where the performing formations were all excellent military training model formations. Yu Li wasn’t part of that, so he sat in the audience all afternoon.

Bored, he stared at the sky, and the more he looked at the red sun, the more it resembled a bubbling hotpot. The sight made him crave it.

The closing ceremony ended early, and after his shower, it was only six o’clock. Lu Qing drove, following the location sent by the Little Young Master, and finally stopped in front of a bustling new-style building.

The hotpot restaurant occupied three floors, each packed with people.

Though the sky hadn’t darkened yet, the red lanterns at the entrance were already lit.

Inside, the noise of diners filled the air, and waiters carrying fresh dishes weaved through the aisles. The place was brimming with lively energy.

As soon as Yu Li got out of the car, he caught the aroma of the red soup base he had been craving, and his stomach growled in response.

Lu Qing went to park the car, while Yu Li headed to the entrance. The manager, who was writing something at the front desk, looked up and his eyes lit up upon seeing Yu Li. He quickly came out to greet him, “Young Master Yu, what brings you here today? How many people? I’ll arrange a table for you!”

The restaurant, named Chongjie Old Hotpot, was run by a person from the mountain city. The soup base was authentic, and the ingredients were fresh, making it quite famous in Jiang Cheng. Yu Li had fallen in love with it after just one visit.

Yu Huaiyuan was there at the time, and although he was so spicy that his lips swelled, seeing Yu Li enjoy it, he simply bought the place.

Now that Yu Li was of age, the restaurant was transferred to his name, making him the true owner of the hotpot place.

“Two people,” Yu Li said, “No private room, just find us a table for two.”

Private dining can be done in a room, but hotpot is best enjoyed out in the open for the lively atmosphere.

“Alright, alright,” the manager said with a smile, “It’s busy now, so please wait here for a moment, Young Master. I’ll come to get you once the table is ready.”

Yu Li stood at the entrance for a while, waiting for both Lu Qing, who had parked the car, and the manager, who had arranged the seating.

Seeing the tall and broad-shouldered man, the manager paused for a moment, then his smile grew even brighter.

He had never seen Lu Qing with Yu Li before, but anyone brought along by the Young Master must have a special relationship with him.

The manager led the way, weaving through the restaurant, and brought Yu Li and Lu Qing to a table for two, separated from others on both sides.

The table wasn’t near the aisle, standing alone, so they wouldn’t be disturbed by other diners walking by.

The restaurant used a QR code for ordering, and after a few more words with Yu Li, the manager left.

Not long after, a waitress brought over a light green jug of wine, stopping at their table.

She smiled at the two of them and introduced, “This is our new product, green plum fruit wine. It’s not very strong, with a sweet and mellow taste, perfect for cutting through the spice. The manager asked me to bring a jug for you to try.”

Yu Li glanced at the clear wine, a hint of interest in his eyes. He told the waitress, “Leave it here. Thank you.”

Lu Qing’s attention was on Yu Li the whole time. After the waitress left, he looked at Yu Li, then at the jug of wine, and asked, “Is the Young Master interested in this wine?”

Yu Li eagerly poured himself half a glass, correcting him, “To be precise, I’m interested in wine in general.”

When other second-generation kids started smoking and drinking at fifteen or sixteen, Yu Li was strictly forbidden by his family from touching a drop. Even when he went out with the young masters from the circle, they never dared to offer him a drink, fearing Yu Huaiyuan’s wrath.

Because of this, even now that Yu Li was of age, he didn’t know what alcohol tasted like.

I’m an adult now.

Yu Li thought.

And it’s just low-alcohol fruit wine, drinking a little shouldn’t be a big deal, right?

With that in mind, he looked up at the man sitting across from him, squinting his eyes as he warned, “Don’t tell my brother I’m drinking, got it?”

“Don’t worry, Young Master,” Lu Qing chuckled, “I can keep a secret.”

Yu Li figured Lu Qing wouldn’t betray him.

Even though his brother paid Lu Qing’s salary, he was Lu Qing’s real boss.

With no worries, Yu Li picked up the wine glass.

Since it was his first time drinking, his expression was cautious. Like a kitten drinking water, he stuck out his tongue and gently licked the rim of the glass.

The expected spiciness didn’t come. The green plum wine was slightly astringent at first, followed by a sweet plum aroma that filled his palate. It didn’t taste like alcohol, more like a fruity drink, cool and slightly sweet, with a lingering aftertaste.

His almond-shaped eyes widened in surprise, and Yu Li glanced at the glass in his hand, then took another small sip.

It wasn’t an illusion; it was indeed sweet.

“How is it?” Lu Qing couldn’t help but ask, finding Yu Li’s cautious drinking adorable, “Not good?”

“It’s quite good,” Yu Li placed the glass back on the table, hesitating, “I thought all alcohol was spicy, didn’t expect this to be sweet.”

Lu Qing chuckled, “Fruit wine doesn’t have a strong alcohol taste, you can drink it like a regular beverage.”

Hearing this, Yu Li glanced at the burly man in front of him and asked, “Are you good at drinking?”

Facing this newly adult, first-time drinker, Lu Qing hesitated for a moment before choosing a neutral word, “…Not bad?”

So, he’s really good at it.

Yu Li pouted, taking another sip from his glass.

His brother was also a great drinker, trained on the social scene, never getting drunk, but only offering him milk tea.

Lu Qing was even more so, just by looking at him, you could tell he had an absurdly high tolerance, like someone who could mix beer and liquor for several rounds and still stand tall.

As they chatted, the hotpot base and side dishes were gradually served.

The restaurant had strong air conditioning, but with dozens of pots bubbling together, it inevitably got hot.

The red soup base got spicier as it cooked, and even though Yu Li ordered it mildly spicy, he was still left with swollen lips, constantly reaching for his glass to sip the wine and cut the spice.

The green plum wine did indeed cut through the spice and grease, leading Yu Li to drink it without realizing he was consuming alcohol, treating it like water. By the time the hotpot was nearly finished, Yu Li had drunk two jugs of fruit wine by himself.

The red soup pot was still bubbling, steam rising and making Yu Li’s head feel fuzzy.

He stared blankly at the dipping sauce with a layer of red oil, sluggishly wondering:

Is my head spinning from the spice or am I drunk?

After pondering for a while, Yu Li figured it out.

It must be the spice.

The wine tasted just like a drink, probably with negligible alcohol content. Even though it was his first time drinking, he was sure he couldn’t get drunk.

Thinking this, Yu Li finished the last half glass of wine.

The red soup pot boiled, steam swirling.

Through the mist, Lu Qing reached out to Yu Li, waving his hand in front of him, “Young Master?”

Yu Li took a while to react, slowly grabbing Lu Qing’s hand, his voice a bit floaty, “Dizzy, stop waving…”

Lu Qing looked at his flushed face, his tone a bit helpless, “Young Master, you’re drunk.”

“?”

Yu Li frowned at that, denying, “I’m not.”

Lu Qing said, “Your face is all red.”

Yu Li paused, then softly argued, “It’s from the spice, touch and see.”

Saying this, he directly pulled the man’s hand, placing it on his flushed cheek.

At this, Lu Qing was convinced Yu Li was drunk.

Drunk Yu Li’s face had a thin layer of pink, extending to the corners of his eyes, carrying a barely noticeable hint of intoxication.

The man’s rough palm was gently pressed against the tofu-like cheek, almost reflexively tightening, the thumb sliding back, lightly rubbing the soft cheek.

Softer and warmer than usual.

Warm enough to set Lu Qing’s heart on fire.

Yet the tipsy Young Master was completely unaware, pressing his face further into the hand, softly asking, “Feel it? It’s from the spice.”

“So soft…” Lu Qing said, his voice a bit hoarse.

Yu Li: “…Hmm?”

Lu Qing took a deep breath, using all his self-control to pull his hand away from Yu Li’s soft cheek.

He stood up, moving to Yu Li’s side, wrapping an arm around the little drunkard’s waist, half-lifting him from his seat.

As soon as Yu Li stood, half his body leaned against the man, feeling hot and restless.

He mumbled, “Why are you so hot,” while trying to break free from Lu Qing’s hold.

Lu Qing didn’t hold him tightly, so he managed to break free, but as soon as he stood steady, the world spun around him.

Yu Li yelped, falling back into Lu Qing’s arms.

With the person in his arms quieting down, Lu Qing held the dazed Young Master, walking slowly to the restaurant entrance to prevent him from falling.

The sharp-eyed manager saw them and immediately put down his pen, rushing over. Seeing Yu Li looking dazed, he asked urgently, “What’s wrong with Young Master Yu? He was fine just now!”

Lu Qing replied, “He’s drunk.”

The manager was stunned, repeating, “Drunk?”

Seeing Lu Qing nod confidently, the manager’s initial tension eased.

He glanced at the person leaning in the man’s arms, feeling a bit complicated.

The manager had assumed that someone like Yu Li, a scion of a prestigious family, would be familiar with alcohol from a young age. After all, in this circle, there were gatherings every three days and social events every two days. As the second young master of the Yu family, how could he not be exposed to alcohol? Yet, he never expected this young master to be such a rarity, with almost zero tolerance.

Their green plum fruit wine was known for having almost no alcohol content, listed under beverages.

Watching the two leave, the manager sighed softly, muttering, “Looks like next time the Young Master visits, we shouldn’t offer wine.”

He’s practically melting in that man’s arms.

…

The car wasn’t parked far, and soon enough, Yu Li was settled into the car, swaying in the passenger seat.

Lu Qing buckled him in, then stared at the flushed face for a while before closing the door and driving towards Epiphyllum Mansion.

Yu Li was quiet in the car, showing none of the typical drunken antics.

Ten minutes later, the Maybach was parked in the villa’s garage.

Lu Qing got out, opening the passenger door.

Yu Li, who had his eyes closed, opened them at the sound, his pupils brighter than when he was sober.

Lu Qing unbuckled the Young Master, asking softly, “Xiao Li, are you sober?”

Yu Li didn’t speak, just stared at him.

The temperature was high today, the hottest day of the seven-day military training.

Because of the heat, Lu Qing wore a sleeveless tank top when he went out. Though he hadn’t done anything strenuous all day, the sun was relentless, and sweat came out even when standing still.

The sweat-soaked tank top clung to his body, outlining the man’s firm muscles vividly.

Lu Qing was tall, and from Yu Li’s angle, he could see the bulging curve of his chest muscles and the arc-shaped shadows cast on his abs under the streetlight.

So—

Big—

Yu Li’s small Adam’s apple bobbed, his muddled mind fixated on those two words.

So big.

It made his hands itch.

Yu Li slowly raised his arm.

Under Lu Qing’s puzzled gaze, the slender white hand tentatively reached up. The wrist turned, and the soft palm cupped under the pectoral muscle.

Caught off guard by the sneak attack, Lu Qing felt a jolt, staring at Yu Li in shock.

But the tipsy Young Master didn’t find anything amiss, looking at him with bright eyes, softly saying:

“Let me touch.”