Sex and love, anger and pride [mxm] [✔]

Chapter 16

Hong paid her bill without even flinching. The owner saw that she paid for that expensive wine without even touching it, he smiled thinking that he will enjoy it later for free, and Wei was not scolded for taking a few minutes off.

She came back every day, just to talk to him; he started to loosen up to her and calling her by name was no more difficult now.

She didn't always buy 'the most expensive' wine, but she made sure to order a bottle every time, inevitably leaving it untouched.

Yunlan went back to work, reassuring everyone that although he had been unwell everything was alright now.

'Alright' was far from what he felt, but at least his health had improved, and he hadn't touched a drop of alcohol since that awful day.

His work was as flawless as usual, he used it to keep his mind off his personal problems, but the nights were still difficult.
Sometimes he stared at the door as if waiting for Wei to arrive, but it never happened.

Five weeks had passed now, and he still missed him like hell.

He didn't even know how he was doing.
He had tried calling him a couple of days before, but Wei hadn't answered.

Today had been another lonely day at work, and it would have been another almost sleepless night, if he hadn't met Zhu Hong.

He was about to call a taxi when he heard a voice. "Can I give you a ride?"

He turned and saw her waiting for his answer. "Thank you, but I don't..."

"I'd like to talk to you about Shen Wei," she interrupted him, and he widened his eyes and nodded.

They sat in the back seats of her car, she told the driver to switch on the radio and drive slowly, then leaned back and said, "I know where he works, he's a waiter now."

She went on, "Before I tell you where it is, I need to speak to you. I think you miss him, and I think he misses you too."

"Does he talk about me? Please, tell me where he is."

"I will. This is the first time we're this close without me getting injured, so I think I can trust you to be a better person now?"

He blushed and nodded, feeling rather ashamed of himself.

"I think he deserves more than that place he works at, or at least I'd like him to have much more, and you could give it to him."

"I tried, but he wouldn't let me..."

"He won't accept your money, I was thinking more on the line of a new job, at your company maybe?"

"You think he would work for me?" he asked doubtful.

She sighed. "No, of course not, not for you, but that looked like a big company, can't you find him a job away from you? Where he could be on his own, earn money the way he wants to?"

Yunlan thought about it, but she quickly added, "Nothing too big, mind you, or he'll think that it's charity and refuse."

Yunlan frowned, abandoning the idea that had popped into his mind, then he remembered that old Li was about to retire.
"I think I might have something," he said, and she smiled.

"Think about it," she told him, "then tomorrow go eat at this place." She scribbled the name and the address.
The car stopped and he got out.

She called him back. "Remember to sit near the entrance and ask for a bottle of their most expensive wine before asking him to sit with you. And don't drink it!"
He looked puzzled, but she just winked at him and left.