not a decent stand-in

July is hot, and the weather is getting hotter every day. As soon as the sun comes out, the ground sizzles.

Xiang Yindong closed the document in his hand and rubbed the corners of his eyes, looking very listless.

Alex asked with concern: "What's wrong? Didn't sleep well last night?"

He looked up at the other party, with thick dark circles under his eyes, he had already given the best answer.

"It's just a little annoying..." Continued to browse the documents with his head down, Xiang Yindong asked absently, "I heard that Bureau A's project is progressing smoothly, you and Xiang Chenyu are now involved, Chu Dongming didn't make things difficult for you, right?"

"To some extent, after all, all I do is help Xiang Chenyu earn performance, and he is also 'defending' Wujiwu." Alex shrugged.

"What about the kid? Is there any movement?"

"As usual, I'm busy..."

"Picking up girls again?"

"I have a hot fight with the new beautiful employee. Yesterday, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for him and delivered them to his home."

"New employee?" Xiang Yindong was a little surprised, "This guy, now he even dares to eat the grass beside the nest?"

"It's strange here, that girl was recommended by him, and she didn't avoid suspicion in the company, as if everyone didn't know..."

Xiang Yindong frowned when he heard that, Xiang Chenyu introduced him?

"What do you think of Chu Dongming?"

"Mr. Chu turned a blind eye for the time being. After all, Xiang Chenyu doesn't have any resources, so it's understandable to want to cultivate some power of his own."

"He's kind-hearted..." Xiang Yindong disapproved, "Keep an eye on him, don't let him mess around, you should also check that girl's background."

"I checked it out earlier. I used to work in a public relations company, which claimed to have government resources. Xiang Chenyu is trying his best to introduce Director Chu, hoping that she can participate in the project of Bureau A."

"Oh? It's rare to see him so active... Don't you think the timing of this girl's appearance is a bit subtle?"

"I just reported to you because I was afraid that there would be problems, so as to save Xiang Er Shao from being tricked and counting the money!"

Xiang Yindong nodded: "I see, you continue to watch him, and report to me in time if there is any movement."

After Alex left, Xiang Yindong rubbed his hair irritably, picked up the phone, hesitated for a long time, and put it down again.

He has repeated this action many times today.

Although he had already made up his mind to tell Zuo Tong everything about his rebirth and what happened in "7th Heaven" that day.

But how to speak is a problem.

Thinking of that night, Zuo Tong was so nervous that he still refused to admit it, Xiang Yindong couldn't help showing a wry smile on his face.

That person has always wanted to save face and suffer. If he knew that he had lied to him for so long, would he turn his face on the spot?

How to minimize the lethality of the gun has become the most troublesome issue for him now.

In fact, he already wanted to understand many things, even including accepting Zuo Tong's feelings.

But based on his understanding of Zuo Tong, this is definitely not what he wants.

They still need some time to adapt to the changes in their relationship with each other.

While Xiang Yindong was thinking about this, Zuo Tong was also sitting in the office in a daze.

He has always refused to think about the future, because he never thinks that there is anything worth looking forward to in the future.

He refuses any deep affection and dependence, because he doesn't want to bear the feeling of powerlessness when faced with loss.

But from childhood to adulthood, the care and care that that person inadvertently showed was like poison, eating away at his heart.

No matter how much he reminded himself that everything would eventually be lost, he still couldn't quit.

So he would rather they were just good brothers, choose the safest distance to look at that person, even if one day, watching him and an unknown woman walk into the marriage hall, it would be better than alienating each other.

But now, Xiang Yindong knew about his sexual orientation, and he said those breaking words, things seemed to be developing in the direction he least wanted to see.

"咚咚-"

There was a knock on the door, and the office door was suddenly pushed open. Ying Zhen walked in with a grimace on his face, and asked, "Are you free tonight? Come with me for a drink..."

"What's wrong?" Zuo Tong didn't have much energy, but Ying Zhen's condition was obviously worse than him.

"It's nothing, I want to drink!"

Ying Zhen sat down on the sofa and said listlessly, "There have been too many announcements recently, you can push some of them away for me, I heard too many screams, tinnitus!"

Zuo Tong squinted at him, and said without sympathy: "Where are there so many requests...choose one..."

Ying Zhen drooped her head and thought for a while, then replied, "Okay, let's have a drink!"

The two people who were worried and had nowhere to vent hit it off and drove to "Joys" to find a drink.

As night approached, "Joys" was crowded with people. Before nine o'clock, it was already packed, and it looked like it was full of people.

Countless pairs of eyes circled around Ying Zhen's booth, stealing the limelight from the famous foreign DJs who came to help out tonight.

Guan Peng had to let the bodyguards in the bar maintain order so that they would not be disturbed by too many people.

Zuo Tong had a sullen face and didn't speak much, drinking wine glass by glass.

"Why are you so sad?" Ying Zhen leaned towards him, picking up which pot was left unopened, "That winter melon guy is bullying you again?"

Zuo Tong glanced at him coldly, with a hint of warning.

Ying Zhen was already drinking a little too much at this time, without any superstar aura, she slumped on the sofa and said to herself, "Then call him over and explain clearly to me..."

Before Zuo Tong could stop him, he had already pulled out his mobile phone and yelled at WeChat: "Winter Gua! Boss Zuo and I are here with Guan Peng, come quickly!"

Zuo Tong felt a little uncomfortable in his heart.

He stood up from the sofa and said lightly: "Let him drink with you, I'll go back first!"

"Hey! Hey!" Ying Zhen grabbed him with great strength and said almost arrogantly, "If you have anything to say, say it clearly in person, don't be like me, regret it in the end... Regret, there is a fucking use !"

Zuo Tong was stunned for a moment, seeing that Ying Zhen's eyes were bloodshot, his heart was touched.

He pushed Ying Zhen's hand away, hating iron for being weak and said: "You know it's useless, so take it easy, what the hell is drinking?"

"So, don't learn from me!"

With a self-deprecating smile on the corner of Ying Zhen's mouth, he poured another glass of wine and drank it down.

With his appearance, Zuo Tong couldn't leave casually, so he could only lean on the sofa in a daze.

The ears are filled with noisy music, but the mind is blank.

Not long after, Xiang Yindong arrived.

Ying Zhen propped herself up crookedly, hooked his shoulders, and handed him a glass of wine: "Come on, winter melon, have a drink with me first!"

Xiang Yindong reached out to take the glass of wine, but his eyes fell on Zuo Tong.

Seeing him looking at himself coldly, he gritted his teeth and poured the glass of wine down his stomach.

Wine is strong and cowardly, but this is a glass of timely wine.

"Yo, you're good at drinking!"

Ying Zhen smiled and pulled him to sit on the sofa, poured another glass of wine, and prepared to pour it down.

Zuo Tong frowned, and just about to go up to stop him, Xiang Yindong had already snatched the wine glass.

"Fuck, my eyes are as red as a rabbit, are you still drinking?"

He glanced at Zuo Tong with some dissatisfaction, "Why didn't you pull him? What's the matter?"

Zuo Tong held a glass of whiskey in his hand, his eyes were a little blurred, and he said with a half-smile: "There are so few days every year, what's the use of pulling?"

Xiang Yindong didn't quite understand what he meant, but with Ying Zhen's involvement, the awkward meeting between the two of them seemed less awkward.

Ying Zhen drank a little too much, and didn't even grab the glass of wine with Xiang Yindong, and fell asleep on the sofa directly.

With his little drinking capacity, he actually fell asleep a long time ago, just waiting for Xiang Yindong to come.

Xiang Yindong's head was full of black lines, moved him to a comfortable position, and then turned to look at Zuo Tong: "Have you recovered from your cold, so you came here to drink?"

Zuo Tong looked at the wine glass in his hand, and said indifferently: "Is it too much for you to take care of?"

"You..." Seeing Zuo Tong's indifferent and resisting face, Xiang Yindong wanted to get angry, but in the end he held back, "I was at fault for what happened that day, and I shouldn't question what kind of friends you make, but Shao Lin Man, I still hope you stay away from him..."

"Why?" Zuo Tong pretended to be calm, but the hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly, and his voice became low, "Because he is a man?"

The music in the bar was very loud, and the dim lights flickered on and off, reflecting in his watery eyes.

Xiang Yindong's heart froze, he suddenly pulled him up from the sofa, and walked outside the bar.

Zuo Tong's head was dizzy, he broke free twice but did not break free, and let him drag himself out of the back door of the bar.

In the corner of the empty back alley, the loud music from the bar could no longer be heard.

There is a faint light in the darkness, shining on Xiang Yindong's chiseled profile, outlining two figures facing each other.

Leaning against the wall, Zuo Tong almost lost his strength and said, "What exactly are you trying to say? If you want me not to like men, then I'm sorry, you'd better stay away from me, it's more practical..."

Xiang Yindong stared into his eyes without letting go of any of his expressions, that kind of resistance and avoidance made him feel uncomfortable.

"Xiao Tong, do you know that I really want to beat you up with the way you are now?"

Zuo Tong didn't know why, but he couldn't stand Xiang Yindong's gaze, so he lowered his head.

Unexpectedly, Xiang Yindong suddenly raised his chin, and said viciously: "Listen well, I don't mind if you like men, but you just can't like Shao Lin..."

There was a faint light in Zuo Tong's eyes, and he was forced to look at Xiang Yindong, his heart beat wildly.

"What do you mean……"

"Literally, I know what you're thinking, I just wish you could give me some time..."

On a hot summer night, time seems to have stopped.

The distance between the two people is very close, exchanging breaths with each other, Zuo Tong's hands are clenched into fists, trying to control his heartbeat.

He turned his head slightly, and said inaudibly: "I don't know what you're talking about...you don't have to force yourself, as I said, I won't..."

"Don't deceive yourself..." Xiang Yindong stretched out his other hand and propped it against the wall, trapping Zuo Tong in front of him, "You know what I'm talking about!"

At that moment, Zuo Tong felt that all his disguise had been stripped clean, and he was exposed in front of Xiang Yindong without any hiding place.

The panic, low self-esteem, aggrieved, and doubts all came to my heart.

He pushed the person in front of him away, gritted his teeth, and said, "Who the hell is deceiving himself! Xiang Yindong, stop pretending, you clearly said that you would get angry when you saw two men together, you clearly said that you couldn't figure it out How could Yan Yi like men! But now you say, can you accept that I like men?"

Xiang Yindong took a step back and bumped into the wall with a bang, but was still holding on to Zuo Tong's hand.

"What are you trying to prove? How great is our friendship? Let me tell you what I..."

The accusation was not over yet, the next second, Zuo Tong's arm was pulled, and the soft and moist touch hit his lips.