Should he tell Zhen Yan about the demon's mark? Song Zhuyu was feeling a little hesitant. Not that he didn't trust the man to keep his mouth sealed, but rather because he had no idea what this mark was capable of. If his assumption that the mark could render his spirit artifact useless and create such a vivid hallucination was correct, then it meant only one thing— bad news.
Despite being an Enlightened, Zhen Yan was an ordinary person, after all. Telling him about demons might be a little too hard for him to accept…
Poking his cheek with the tip of his tongue, Song Zhuyu began tentatively, "Supposedly…"
"Uh-huh," Zhen Yan leaned forward, eagerly anticipating the juicy gossip he was about to hear. Alas, his enthusiasm was cut short as two women approached, interrupting their conversation.
"Hey, we've been watching you for a while," the first woman said bashfully, tucking her mid-length hair behind her ear. "Are you a celebrity, by any chance?" she asked, her glittering eyes fixated on Song Zhuyu.
Zhen Yan: "..."
The desire to gossip in Zhen Yan's eyes was instantly extinguished, and only annoyance and helplessness remained. Such an occurrence had always happened whenever he was out with Song Zhuyu, so much that he could already recite the red-haired man's response backwards.
"I'm not," Song Zhuyu replied with a polite smile, revealing a faint dimple on his left cheek.
The two young women squealed for a bit before asking him eagerly, "Can we please have your contact information? Oh we're—" they were just about to introduce themselves when Song Zhuyu cut them off with an apologetic smile,
"I'm so sorry, beautiful ladies. But I already have a wife."
"O–Oh…" they blinked, the light in their eyes dimming. "Then, can we just have your phone number? Ah, we didn't mean anything by that, we just… want to make some friends!"
Song Zhuyu's smile grew even more dazzling, yet the words he uttered were merciless, leaving no room for further discussions. "Please, don't waste your time on me. I've had my hands full with my wife, so I will feel bad to leave you hanging. You two deserve someone who can give you all the attention in the world."
Zhen Yan, who knew all too well who – or what – the 'wife' Song Zhuyu had mentioned, could only roll his eyes. Technically, the man was not lying, but… the truth was extremely far from what the girls had expected!
Zhen Yan clicked his tongue. Girls, you've been fooled by this cunning bastard.
Also, why didn't they ask for his number?! Did he not exist at all?!
With his glib tongue, Song Zhuyu successfully fended off his suitors, sending them away with a blush on their cheeks. "What?" he arched a teasing brow upon sensing Zhen Yan's glare on him. "Jealous?"
"Fuck yes," he replied through gritted teeth. "But you know what's even more annoying? It's you! Your stinky face actually looks way better than them! Fuck…" Groaning, Zhen Yan palmed his eyes as if they had been scalded. "Being buddies with you has definitely raised my standard. It's all your fault that I'm still single until now!"
"Now you blame me?" Song Zhuyu feigned indignation and kicked him playfully, his silver eyes twinkling with mirth. "Also, why are you talking as if you're single by choice?"
The more Zhen Yan thought about it, the angrier he became. He abruptly rose to his feet, catching Song Zhuyu off guard.
"You know what? Let's go to the bar! I know a good one nearby. The only way to forget our troubles is to drink the night away! Come on, Lao Song!" He dragged Song Zhuyu up to his feet, who reluctantly complied.
"We could have purchased some beer and drank it at my place. Why should we go to the bar?" he voiced his disapproval, earning him an eye roll from the other.
"Duh! Have you been praying so much with those old men that you're starting to become one as well? Let's go, the night's still young! Now that we've come out, we might as well have fun!"
Narrowing his eyes sharply, Song Zhuyu questioned with skepticism, "You're not planning to use me to attract girls, are you?"
Zhen Yan, whose thoughts were seen through at a glance, could only clear his throat and continued dragging Song Zhuyu to their parked motorcycles. "What are you talking about? I have no such plans!"
***
Despite it not being the weekend, the bar was still quite crowded with people. Loud music blasted their ears as soon as they entered, with the DJ mixing the beat on the elevated platform. The disco ball cast a kaleidoscope of colors, illuminating the twisting and gyrating bodies on the dance floor.
Song Zhuyu immediately attracted a few pairs of eyes upon arrival, prompting Zhen Yan to whistle loudly.
"Look at you!" He raised his voice to rival the loud music. "No one would ever guess you're a priest when you look like this!"
Song Zhuyu shot him a disapproving glare. Still clad in the black leather jacket, body fitting shirt, fingerless gloves, ripped jeans, and boots, he looked like he could mingle with the gangsters without much difficulty. Even his cross earring seemed more like a fashionable accessory than an exorcism tool.
"I'm leaving in fifteen minutes," he hissed.
Zhen Yan hurriedly draped an arm over his shoulder and steered him toward the drink counter. "Ah, ah, ah, don't be like that! Half an hour— no, an hour. Just stay for an hour! I'm begging you, Lao Song, Mr. Song, Father Song!"
Song Zhuyu threw the man's arm off him, half-amused and half-angry. He furrowed his brow and issued a warning, "I will kill you if you get drunk here."
Zhen Yan's face lit up as he realized that Song Zhuyu had relented. Leading the man to the lounge bar, Zhen Yan ordered two light alcoholic drinks, but when he turned around, Song Zhuyu was nowhere to be seen!
"Wait, where did he go?!" Flustered, Zhen Yan craned his neck to look around the crowd. Fortunately, Song Zhuyu's towering frame and bright crimson hair made him stand out like a sore thumb, and thus Zhen Yan spotted him in an instant… walking straight toward the dance floor.
He watched with his jaws agape as his buddy approached a beautiful woman with sleek black hair dressed in a sexy off-shoulder white dress, then politely offered a hand to ask her for a dance. The woman, who was mesmerized by his gorgeous charm, giggled and readily abandoned her friends to accept his invitation.
"...!" Witnessing everything from the lounge, Zhen Yan's anger immediately shot up through the roof. He was so furious that he burst out into disbelieving laughter. "Didn't he just say that he already has a wife?! That cheating bastard, how come it's so easy for him to snatch a babe?!"
Cursing up to the heavens, Zhen Yan downed his drink in a gulp and also made his way to the dance floor.
Men are such animals!
***
The flashing lights made Song Zhuyu dizzy, and the woman's pungent perfume even more so, but he concealed his discomfort well and maintained a faint smile on his face.
"I've never seen you around before," the woman peered up at him, a flush spreading across her cheeks. Whether it was from infatuation or inebriation, nobody knew. Perhaps both. "I would have remembered a face like yours."
"Indeed," Song Zhuyu replied smoothly. "This is my first time here. I was dragged here by a friend."
"A friend? You should introduce him to me later," she giggled, slightly breathless.
Due to the loud music, the two of them had to stand close to hear each other. The woman was grasping onto Song Zhuyu's shoulders and arms, feeling him up, while Song Zhuyu was holding her waist lightly. At a glance, they looked like a perfect couple, dressed in coordinating black and white outfits. Even their height difference seemed cute, making her look extremely petite in comparison.
She was indeed feeling a little high. She had come here to have fun, but who could have guessed that she would really snag a hottie? No, scratch that— he was the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen. Even those idols she saw on TV paled in comparison!
Furthermore, the way he gazed at her made her feel so special, as if she was the only person in the room.
When the upbeat song transitioned into a more mellow tune, she seized the opportunity to draw him closer, running her fingers through his long crimson hair. "Oh wow, your hair is so soft…" she praised unabashedly. Her heart couldn't help but flutter at the soft and silky sensation between her fingers, and she delicately batted her lashes at him. "You truly surprised me. Who would have thought that a hottie like you would pick me, of all people?"
Song Zhuyu arched a perfect brow. "Why shouldn't I?" His words and expressions were tender and genuine, without a hint of lie. "As soon as I stepped into this place, my eyes were instantly drawn to you. You're so striking that I couldn't bring myself to look away."
No woman could resist such sweet words, especially from a man as stunning as Song Zhuyu. Giggling happily, she went on her tippy toes and whispered intimately into his ear, "You know, I'd very much love for us to know each other better. What do you say if we leave and continue this at my apartment?"
An impossibly enchanting smile broke across Song Zhuyu's face as if he had been waiting for this exact question, leaving the woman momentarily dazed by the sudden visual impact.
Song Zhuyu gently brought the woman into his embrace, leaning in to whisper right beside her ear. "Sure, I will accompany you…" his voice was light and mirthful, though the next words he said could send chills to anyone's spine.
"...on your trip back to Hell."
.
.
A/N: who's been overthinking? *raise hand* dw Song Zhuyu is a sweet-talker by nature but the romance in his brain is nonexistent hahah