FSGOR Ch6

 

Jiang Tian hadn’t replied for two whole days.

When he saw the scumbag’s message, he was on the phone with his sister, who had just arrived at a hotel in New York. Jiang Jing mentioned that her work schedule might change, meaning she would stay in the U.S. for a while longer.

Since the mission would drag on, Jiang Tian felt no urgency to meet up with the scumbag. At the peak of his avoidance, he left the guy hanging for two days.

On Friday night, the “exam prediction squad” at Xingfu Harbor community had grown. A soccer teammate nicknamed Ah Hao had joined, along with his energetic border collie puppy.

Ah Hao’s ticket in? He turned out to be gay—adding even more absurdity to the situation.

All credit went to Lu Qiao, the pimp of the day, who introduced Jiang Tian using a vague “a friend of ours” line. But it was no match for Zhen Gezi’s sharp instincts.

“Why not just say it’s Brother Tian?”

Zhao Yuanhao was a simple guy and asked curiously, “But I guess the guy must’ve done something unforgivable for you all to want revenge, right?”

Lu Qiao scratched his head with a sheepish grin, sneaking glances at Jiang Tian. As the person involved, Jiang Tian only hesitated for two seconds before testing the waters: “Can this be kept confidential?”

“Don’t worry,” Zhao Yuanhao chuckled. “You can trust me—tight-lipped as they come.”

And so, Jiang Tian admitted his identity. But out of respect for his sister’s privacy, he left out the most critical detail: “He asked me to send him a photo every day. Two days ago, he messaged to see if I’d made up my mind.”

Zhao Yuanhao asked, “Did he delete you?”

Jiang Tian shook his head.

Zhao: “Then he’s probably just messing with you. I bet he doesn’t believe you’re gay and thinks you’re a straight guy he can toy with.”

That left Jiang Tian and Lu Qiao silent.

Zhao Yuanhao, now the seasoned expert, hit the nail on the head: “Forget the Usavich avatar—that alone screams not corporate gay. And that soccer background image? Come on, super straight vibes.”

Jiang Tian: “……”

Lu Qiao: “……”

Zhao Yuanhao flipped the tone: “But the fact that he didn’t delete you shows something. Even if you’re straight, Brother Tian, you must be the kind of straight guy that makes bottoms drool.”

Jiang Tian choked on air. Lu Qiao tactfully went to fetch tea. Meanwhile, the ever-helpful “Expert Zhao” continued dispensing targeted advice: “I think you should turn your account more gay-friendly. That way, he’ll lower his guard.”

“He’s a cunning and successful man, but clearly, your looks have him completely under your spell.”

“You just need to make a few strategic moves—flip the passive into active—and he’ll be dancing in the palm of your hand.”

Jiang Tian nodded, enlightened. “…Thanks.”

Before Lu Qiao, the guy full of mischievous ideas, could return, Zhao Yuanhao leaned in, eyes shifting, and whispered, “Ah Tian…”

“So you’re really not gay?”

“……”

Jiang Tian shook his head lightly. “I’m not.”

Zhao Yuanhao looked a little surprised but didn’t say more. Still, Jiang Tian could guess what he was thinking—But you really look like you could be gay.

Jiang Tian: “?”

‘I seriously don’t understand the world of gay people.’

That night, Jiang Tian gave the study room to the two who were cramming and sat alone on the balcony, letting the wind blow as he stared at the scumbag’s profile picture on his phone.

The border collie wagged its tail beside him. Jiang Tian reached out and couldn’t help but pet it for a bit, even snapped a few pictures. After a long internal struggle, he asked Zhao Yuanhao if he could use the puppy as his profile pic.

“No problem!”

Zhao Yuanhao’s voice rang out from the study. “If you don’t want to use some fashion-forward East China metro guy or muscle man avatar, cute animals are fine too! I guarantee it’ll boost your catfishing success rate!”

Jiang Tian followed the expert’s advice, choosing new profile and background images within his own aesthetic range—distancing the account from anything straight.

Then he messaged the scumbag to explain why he’d gone dark for two days.

KIRA: Sorry.

KIRA: I’ve been busy preparing a friend’s birthday gift.

KIRA: Haven’t had time to reply.

Maybe because he wasn’t good at lying, Jiang Tian lightly rubbed the bridge of his nose with a bent finger.

He stared at the empty chat for a while, brow slightly furrowed, unsure if the other party would be annoyed at being ghosted.

Meanwhile—

After finishing a five-hour-long meeting.

Chu Xuyu, seated in his office after concluding business with the president of the overseas division, glanced at his buzzing phone, confused.

Who’s this person with the border collie profile pic?

He tapped on the avatar—only three-day visible posts, with a background image of a rainbow flag under a blue sky. Gay to the max.

As the heir to a major corporation, all his contacts were elite professionals. Wondering when he added this person, he opened the chat—and suddenly remembered who it was.

“Heh.”

Chu Xuyu leaned heavily against the leather sofa, a cold smirk tugging at his lips. It was the scammer, now trying out a more advanced tactic.

After ignoring him for days, the guy was suddenly reaching out again. Probably failed to get money elsewhere and came crawling back to this easy target.

Chu Xuyu wasn’t exactly known for his patience. Even A-list celebrities had to schedule dinner according to his calendar—who did this scammer think he was, playing around as he pleased?

He couldn’t be bothered to reply, not even with a punctuation mark.

KIRA: Are you asleep?

KIRA: Sorry about before.

KIRA: Been really busy lately…

KIRA: I didn’t ignore you on purpose.

Chu Xuyu scoffed. Who could be busier than him? Seeing the excuse, he finally lost it and typed with one hand:

Afternoon Tea: So are you sending the pics or not?

KIRA: …

KIRA: Are you mad?

Chu Xuyu didn’t want to admit it—but he was. No one ever dared pull attitude with him, let alone make up such ridiculous excuses.

KIRA: Don’t be upset.

KIRA: I’ll send the pics, okay?

KIRA: [Image shared.]

The photo sent wasn’t a selfie, nor did it have anything to do with the sender himself. It was of the same border collie from the profile picture—bright-eyed and adorable—but unfortunately, not enough to quell Chu Xuyu’s irritation.

Afternoon Tea: ?

Afternoon Tea: Why are you sending a dog?

KIRA: [Image shared.]

KIRA: [Image shared.]

KIRA: Two more.

KIRA: It’s my friend’s dog, super cute—thought I’d share it with you.

In the two new pictures, the boy’s hand was gently petting the dog—first ruffling its fluffy head, then cupping its chin. The border collie looked blissful, tongue hanging out, clearly enjoying the handsome boy’s attention.

Chu Xuyu’s eyes subconsciously locked onto the screen, and even his breathing grew warm. His gaze seemed to trace along the boy’s beautiful hand.

The fingers were long and defined, the palm broad. A small black mole sat at the base of the thumb. Faint blue veins ran beneath fair skin—subtly exuding youthful, restrained sensuality.

“…”

Chu Xuyu had to admit—someone this perfectly tailored to his taste could be forgiven, even for ghosting him two days.

Afternoon Tea: It is cute.

KIRA: Do you like dogs?

Afternoon Tea: They’re alright.

KIRA: Then when we meet—

KIRA: We could stop by a dog café too.

Chu Xuyu’s fingers paused, brows lifting slightly in surprise.

But how could he possibly know? On the other end of the screen, Jiang Tian was executing a new strategy—tailored from premium-level playbooks for gay dating scams. Even high-level romance scammers might have to take notes.

KIRA: Instead of suggestive pics, I’d rather share bits of daily life. Are these kinds of photos okay?

Afternoon Tea: Sure.

KIRA: Then it’s settled.

KIRA: I know you’re not in a rush to meet.

KIRA: How about early next month?

Afternoon Tea: ?

KIRA: Something wrong?

Chu Xuyu had been seated long enough. He stood, phone in hand, and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window.

The sun was slightly blinding, bathing the skyscrapers in gold. His narrow eyes squinted. Finding it amusing, he did something rare—he messaged Shen Yan.

Afternoon Tea: He was eager to meet at first.

Afternoon Tea: Guess what his new tactic is now?

SHEN: ?

SHEN: Let me see.

Afternoon Tea: [Screenshot shared.]

SHEN: Damn.

SHEN: This guy’s basically a high-level hacker.

SHEN: Wait, could he somehow know you’re planning to move your trip back to China?!

With a half-smile, Chu Xuyu made a decision: he would cancel tomorrow morning’s meeting and go meet the popular film star instead.

Perhaps because he was so dead set on exposing this little liar, Chu Xuyu showed up the next day still in a bathrobe, walking leisurely into the restaurant. Shen Yan was already seated, propping his head on his hand with a mischievous look in his eyes, saying nothing.

Chu Xuyu sat down with a blank face. “Where’s the programmer?”

Shen Yan sighed, “Come on, you hit me up last minute. That friend of mine’s still in Silicon Valley—he’d need to take leave, okay?”

Chu Xuyu: “It’s Saturday.”

“Ahem.”

Shen Yan realized he slipped. “Earliest is tomorrow. Today, he’s got another job—recovering chat logs for my girlfriend’s bestie.”

“…?”

Chu Xuyu raised an eyebrow. “Alright then.”

He wasn’t particularly interested in Shen Yan’s personal life, but since he brought it up—the girl was named Lu Yang, a minor celebrity from Ning City who debuted just three years ago. She had a cute vibe and was about the same age as Judy.

As a top actor, Shen Yan’s standards weren’t low. A career-driven celeb with a spotless record dating an unknown actress in secret—and hiding it well—meant it had to be genuine love.

Shen Yan: “Wanna talk about the little scammer?”

Chu Xuyu: “Not much to say.”

“Fine.”

Shen Yan figured Chu Xuyu had been ghosted by the scammer and hadn’t been able to uncover the real identity, so he was likely in a foul mood. “Then let me share a juicy bit of gossip.”

Chu Xuyu: “Go ahead.”

Shen Yan casually nibbled on his appetizer, brain full of lovey-dovey thoughts. “She told me not to tell anyone…”

“But basically—”

“Her bestie’s fiancé is a gay man who’s scamming her for marriage.”

Chu Xuyu’s eyelid twitched. “And you’re telling me this?”

“Well, you’re gay too,” Shen Yan sighed, “so I’m just warning you not to do such horrible things.”

Chu Xuyu nearly walked out on the spot.

Shen Yan’s mouth was always reckless, but he meant no harm. After chatting a bit, he answered a call—someone saved under a babyish nickname. The sugary-sweet conversation didn’t pause even in Chu Xuyu’s presence.

“…”

Now Chu Xuyu really wanted to leave.

But he hadn’t finished eating yet, and heard Shen Yan trying to comfort whoever was on the line. From the sound of it, the girl had broken down after seeing her cheating fiancé’s old sweet messages, and since they were in different places, there was no way to console her in person.

Chu Xuyu looked down, idly skimming through his work emails, tuning out the second half of the call.

Shen Yan: “She’s in New York too?”

“Don’t worry, baby.”

“I’ll get my assistant to order delivery and ask the driver to be extra nice, okay?”

The man was surprisingly considerate in love. For some reason, the perpetually single Chu Xuyu felt out of place in the atmosphere.

He looked away, aimlessly glancing toward the distance. By the fountain outside the hotel, a couple crouched to play with a stray puppy. The dog rolled around happily in the sun.

It looked like a scene from a romantic oil painting.

“……”

 

Chu Xuyu remained aloof, lowering his gaze as he tapped on the profile picture of the border collie and typed out a line.

Afternoon Tea: Super macho man.

Afternoon Tea: Don’t forget to send a photo.

In Ning City, at 9 p.m., inside a KTV in a downtown mall—

Out-of-tune singing leaked intermittently from the private room. Jiang Tian sat with his head down, clutching his phone tightly, as if he existed in a different world.

Today was Zhao Yuanhao’s birthday. He had invited his soccer friends to celebrate. After eating hotpot and cutting the cake at Haidilao, they went upstairs to sing karaoke. It should’ve been a joyful night.

But just minutes ago, Jiang Tian had taken a call from his sister overseas. He had stepped out of the room and found a quiet corner. The moment he answered, he was hit with the sound of her choking back sobs, like being plunged into icy water.

At first, he thought she’d been mistreated abroad and even considered buying a plane ticket to fly over immediately. But the more he listened, the more he realized—Jiang Jing had recovered her old chat logs and had emotionally broken down.

Even though the recovery only went back to the day before she got drunk, it was enough for her to relive all the lies of that relationship.

Now, after Jiang Jing hung up to talk to her best friend, Jiang Tian finally had a moment to breathe.

He stood there, dazed for a while. When he returned to the private room, the others were still wildly singing and dancing. The colorful lights danced across his face. His knuckles had turned white from gripping his outdated phone, and the fury he had suppressed for days flared up again.

Why did his sister have to go through such pain?

He wouldn’t let that scumbag off the hook. That man deserved to feel what it was like to have his sincerity betrayed.

Jiang Tian curled up in the corner of the sofa, holding his phone. Light shimmered over his striking features. Perhaps his rage had reached its peak, because the boy pulled up a mocking smile—he no longer cared about lines or boundaries.

Afternoon Tea: Super macho man.

Afternoon Tea: Don’t forget to send a photo.

KIRA: Ge.
KIRA: I’m in a bad mood.
KIRA: Can you talk with me for a bit?

The other side’s status changed to “typing…” Jiang Tian took a deep breath. Surrounded by gay friends, he had practically absorbed the craft by osmosis. Without hesitation, he typed out something pitiful and sympathetic.

KIRA: I went to a friend’s birthday party today.

 KIRA: He and his boyfriend were so sweet. They came out to their families and got full support.

 KIRA: I’m really envious of them.

Coming from someone with a cute dog as a profile pic, even someone as cold-hearted as Chu Xuyu paused in surprise.

The New York sun shone just right, landing across his broad shoulders. The handsome young man exhaled slowly.

Afternoon Tea: And then?

KIRA: I know hookups aren’t good.

 KIRA: Maybe I’m just…

 KIRA: Too starved for affection.

Chu Xuyu felt a flicker in his chest, like something resonated. He may have longed for affection too—but he had always been emotionally mature and had a mental cleanliness that kept him from ever trying to fill that void through casual sex.

Still, hearing this explanation made him more understanding. Young guys in the gay scene did often get led astray by the wrong people.

KIRA: I’ve been thinking things through recently.

 KIRA: That’s why I’m not rushing to meet anymore.

 KIRA: I want to get to know you properly first.

Afternoon Tea: Got it.

KIRA: Sorry.

 KIRA: Do you still want today’s photo?

Afternoon Tea: Up to you.

Chu Xuyu considered himself a thoughtful person—especially in the workplace. He was never harsh with his employees. So even if the person on the other end was a broke little scammer, he didn’t see the need to push them to send photos if they weren’t in the mood.

However, a new message popped up—and the photo Jiang Tian sent made Chu Xuyu freeze on the spot.

KIRA: My friends are singing.

 KIRA: I’m just sitting in the corner, listening.

 KIRA: [Image shared.]

In the photo—

The boy sat tucked into the shadows of flickering neon lights. The shot was carefully cropped at the jawline, showing only the sharp lines of his Adam’s apple.

In the dim setting, the collar of his plaid shirt was buttoned to the very top. His entire aura was different from the soccer jersey photo—less vibrant, more restrained, with a reserved, refined kind of sensuality.

It was quiet—but undeniably seductive.

“…”

Chu Xuyu’s throat went dry. His fingers hovered over the screen, tempted to type:

Was all of that emotional build-up… just to seduce me?