Unexpected Second Chance at Love

While Yue Ling and Lu Tian board the plane, the air didn’t feel the same back at their home. What should have been usually quiet was now bumping with loud music like the party of the century was happening.

Xu Long had showered and changed into a simple white long sleeve and black joggers as he stood in the kitchen. He pops open one of his boss’s bottle of red wine and pours himself a glass. As he did so, his head did not forget to move in rhythm with the music echoed throughout the house.

”Wow, you really have a death wish, huh?”

Lin Hui’s voice sounds from behind as he enters the kitchen and sees the scene in front of him. He wore a black t-shirt with De L’amour’s white logo on the front and grey lounge pants. His usually nicely kept hair was now slightly damp with a few waves.

His eyes lower to the glass of red wine in Xu Long’s hand, and he shakes his head. Before Yue Ling and Lu Tian left the house, they had given permission to use anything in the fridge. Yet…

”Your boss gave you an inch, and yet you dare to take a mile.”

Xu Long spun around when he heard Lin Hui’s words of ridicule. He doesn’t say anything right away, but audaciously raises his hand holding the glass and takes a sip of the red wine.

”Mmm…”

He savors the wine like it was the most delicious drink in the world and grins mischievously at the man.

”This wine is so good. Are you sure you don’t want to take a mile too?”

Lin Hui’s face contorted at Xu Long’s smile. However, in a split second, the corners of his mouth twitch upwards. He lets out a wicked snicker and tiptoes his way to the counter.

”One glass won’t kill me.”

Seeing that he (Lin Hui) decided to cooperate, Xu Long’s chin raises, and his nose grew. He takes another sip of the wine and giggles like a bad boy up to no good as he leans towards Lin Hui.

”As long as you and I don’t mention this, our bosses will never know.”

Lin Hui nods his head in agreement and continues to pour himself a drink. Once the glass was filled to the rim, he takes a sip to see if what Xu Long said was right, and his eyes lit up with fireworks.

”Bro, your boss really knows his wine. This is so awesome!”

He downs the glass in one big gulp and pours another drink.

”Man, I can drink this and not get drunk.”

”You’ll get drunk if you don’t take it easy.”

The moment Lin Hui was about to down his second glass of wine, Liu Shan’s voice resonated from behind the two men. He had also changed out of his sweaty clothes and wore a seal onesie.

He walks over to the counter to join the two men and picks up the wine bottle.

”Judging by the year, this bottle should cost at least two of your paychecks combined.”

His calm words enter Lin Hui and Xu Long’s ears, causing them to almost choke. Together their heads turn to look at him, and like two peas in a pod, they swallow at the same time.

”T-Two of our paychecks?”

Lin Hui stammers in question, and Liu Shan answers with an ’mm.’ He (Liu Shan) doesn’t pour himself a glass and place the bottle down.

”I’m going to finish setting up the monitors for the security cameras outside. Don’t do anything foolish.”

As he walks away, the two men holding their own glass stare with an agape mouth at his departing figure. Until he was no longer in sight did Lin Hui come to his senses.

He (Lin Hui) raises his glass and stares quizzically at the red liquid he had drunk.

”Wealthy people and their expensive wine.”

He heaves a long and deep sigh before his words continue.

”This wine cost more than my rent.”

Xu Long’s position was no different from his friend’s. He stares at the red wine and takes a deep breath as he nods his head in agreement with Lin Hui.

”It cost more than my rent and bills together.”

After knowing how expensive the wine was, Lin Hui and Xu Long follow in the direction Liu Shan had gone. However, both men’s steps were cautious, and they held onto their glass of wine like it was the most fragile and prized possession in the world.

”Did boss give you permission to drink that?”

The second Lin Hui and Xu Long stepped foot inside the living room, they were stopped by Qi Li’s cold and indifferent tone of voice.

Both men lifted their heads to look at the man.

Xu Long’s jaw dropped to the floor when he saw Qi Li without glasses. He swore his heart jumped from his body as the man reminded him so much of his boss.

On the other hand, Lin Hui doesn’t react as he had long been accustomed to Qi Li’s demeanor and continues toward the middle of the living room. He could sit on the floor because they had moved all the furniture to avoid any damages.

He looks at Qi Li and grins from ear to ear as he sends a wink.

”If you don’t say anything, they won’t know.”

He raises his hand to take a sip of the red wine, but from the corner of his eyes, he could see the assistant still standing in place.

His head turns to the right, and he creases his brows. At first, he could not grasp why Xu Long looked so shocked, but he quickly understood. He sighs intensely, then turns his head to the left and looks at Qi Li then down at his glass.

”Bro, we all know that you have a very nice body. Now, can you go put on a shirt? Can’t you see that James Long Bond over there just lost his soul?”

Qi Li stood in front of the hallway leading to the two spare rooms on the first floor. Unlike his fully clothed appearance from outside, this time, he was the shirtless one with only black lounge pants. This appearance was one he always stuck to when he is going to bed.

He had a towel dr.a.p.ed over his neck, and his well-toned and muscular physique was one that can make any gender turn their head for a second glance. His perfectly shaped 6-pack was tempting enough, but one can see he is in the process of going for eight.

However, despite his perfectly carved body, his entire upper body was covered with tattoos.

He no longer looked like a company working man, but a dangerous man that made one cower in fear.

His neck’s sides were tattooed with roses that converted into the head of an owl on the front. His chest detailed two fierce dragons like they were in a battle as their bodies wrap behind his broad shoulders before circling his entire arms.

Covering his toned abdomen was the head of a roaring tiger and a man’s head. If one were to see this, one would think the head is in the tiger’s mouth, or the man is wearing the tiger as if it was a mask.

He held the ends of the towel over his neck and stared vacantly at the two men. He doesn’t put too much thought into what Lin Hui said and turns around to leave.

”Call me when he’s alive again. I’ll be with Shan.”

As he turned around, Xu Long’s jaw dropped even more into the floor.

On Qi Li’s back was the yin yang symbol below his nape with tree roots traveling up his neck before blending in with his hair. Below all this detail is the image of Buddha carved throughout his entire back with lotus flowers.

Lin Hui rolled his eyes at Qi Li’s departing figure. He looks back at the assistant, and he shakes his head.

”Still curious about why he always wears a turtleneck?”

Xu Long’s eyes never moved away from the direction the dangerous-looking Qi Li had gone. When he heard Lin Hui’s question, he dazedly shook his head.

”I think I prefer him better with a shirt on.”

It’s true that he was curious initially, but now that he knows the truth, he wishes he was never interested.

He had a feeling that Qi Li always wears a turtleneck because he (Qi Li) was hiding something. However, when everyone took off their shirts after working hard, his (Xu Long) curiosity grew more when Qi Li was the only one who kept his shirt on.

This made him (Xu Long) think that the man was either shy or embarrassed about his (Qi Li) body in front of others. However, that was not the case at all.

Qi Li kept his shirt on so that no one will be put to shame by him.

Thinking about Qi Li’s envious body, Xu Long heaves a long sigh. He picks up his feet and joins Lin Hui in the living room.

He takes a seat on the floor and stares out to the back courtyard from the huge window that had been removed. He thought back to how Lu Tian chose Qi Li to give the construction report, and he chuckles a sigh.

”Good thing my boss isn’t here, or else he would be in more shock than me.”

Lin Hui laughs as he could already picture Lu Tian’s shocked expression. He places his right elbow on Xu Long’s shoulder and stares out the window too.

”I don’t think he will be in shock. He’ll just be eating more vinegar.”