FSGOR Ch7

New York City, under a clear and sunny sky, felt like a world apart from the night in Ningcheng.

Jiang Tian was indeed flirting on purpose, but he had no idea that his moves, made in broad daylight, only worked so well because of how attractive he was.

Afternoon Tea: Nice photo.

Jiang Tian looked at the screen with a cool expression, thinking the scumbag was just lonely in the middle of the night and had taken the bait too easily.

The boy’s face was expressionless, but he followed the conversation with increasingly flirtatious words.

KIRA: ^^

KIRA: Thanks, ge.

KIRA: So… do you like it?

Afternoon Tea: Mn.

After sending the message, Chu Xuyu realized his response had been purely instinctual.

He hadn’t expected the conversation to last. In real life, he and Shen Yan had finished dinner and gone their separate ways. He had a meeting that afternoon and needed to change clothes before heading out again.

Inside the presidential suite.

The young man slipped on a shirt, covering his toned abs, buttoning it slowly. His gaze drifted to the phone screen on the coffee table.

KIRA: Ge.

KIRA: Can I call you that?

This little guy with the dog avatar seemed clingier than usual.

Afternoon Tea: You can.

KIRA: Good.

KIRA: I was joking earlier.

KIRA: Don’t call me “Super Buff Guy” anymore, okay?

Chu Xuyu’s lips curved slightly. If anyone saw him now, they’d think he was indulging someone with affectionate amusement.

Afternoon Tea: Alright.

Afternoon Tea: What do you want me to call you then?

That question stumped Jiang Tian. On the outside, he was sticky and affectionate to reel in the scumbag, but on the inside, he was full of disdain.

He turned helplessly to Lu Qiao, who had just finished singing an OST from a drama. With curls bouncing, Lu Qiao threw an arm around his buddy’s shoulders and asked, “Where’d you go?”

“My Jie called me.”

Jiang Tian handed over his phone, his intention obvious: Might as well scam the scumbag’s feelings while I’m at it.

Lu Qiao’s eyes widened: “!!!”

A new side quest unlocked!

Lu Qiao got fired up, rolled up his sleeves, leaned close to Jiang Tian’s ear and whispered, “Say this to him…”

Jiang Tian felt his face getting hotter the more he listened, but he still typed and sent the message exactly as suggested.

KIRA: Ge.

KIRA: You probably know a lot of gay guys, huh?

KIRA: I don’t want to be just another one of them.

KIRA: I want a special nickname, just from you.

Chu Xuyu, already dressed in a suit and adjusting his tie, paused. This little liar was getting better at flirting.

Holding his phone with both hands, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Afternoon Tea: You want a special nickname?

KIRA: Yeah.

KIRA: Something different from everyone else’s.

Afternoon Tea: Let me think.

Chu Xuyu didn’t actually know any gay guys—his closest friend was a hardcore straight man. But since he’d decided to go along with this game, the details didn’t need to be so strict. It was just a bit of fun, after all.

Afternoon Tea: Can’t think of one.

Afternoon Tea: You come up with it.

KIRA: …

KIRA: Alright.

The question bounced back to Jiang Tian again. Feeling stuck, he turned to his childhood friend for help once more.

Lu Qiao, claiming to be clueless about the gay scene, suddenly grabbed the birthday boy Zhao Yuanhao: “Bro, what does your boyfriend call you?”

They were still having fun nearby. Yuanhao’s boyfriend, hearing the question, gave a shy smile: “He likes it when I call him ‘hubby.’”

Instantly, the crowd erupted in cheers, and the couple blushed furiously.

The embarrassment wasn’t limited to the couple. Even Jiang Tian, a lifelong single and supposedly straight man, felt awkward. He lowered his head and typed:

KIRA: How about… hubby?

Afternoon Tea: …

The silence on the other side was loud. Jiang Tian rubbed his forehead as the teasing around him got louder. Annoyed and flustered, he stood up and excused himself to the bathroom.

Thankfully, no one paid him much attention. Behind closed doors, his phone buzzed again, and he wasn’t sure how to read the scumbag’s tone.

Afternoon Tea: Are you sure?

Jiang Tian: “…………”

‘Not really.’

The other guy was the messy one with a chaotic love life, yet the way he responded made Jiang Tian feel like he was the one being too flippant. The illusion was unsettling.

He admitted he might’ve gone a bit overboard, but then again, the other guy wasn’t exactly innocent either. So maybe his teasing wasn’t such a big deal.

Just then, a new message popped up—and the reaction from the other side… felt a bit off.

Afternoon Tea: You’re just barely an adult.

Afternoon Tea: Do you know how old I am?

KIRA: Thirty.

KIRA: You wrote it on your Blued profile.

Afternoon Tea: …

Chu Xuyu frowned. He had never downloaded any gay dating app. Yet strangely enough, the other party had guessed his age correctly—he was thirty by East Asian reckoning, with his birthday at the end of the year.

He put down his phone, expression turning cold to the extreme, beginning to suspect this was some kind of prank by someone he knew.

But no one came to mind who would dare offend him like this.

Unless this guy really was absurdly confident—relying on the fact that he fit all of Chu Xuyu’s preferences—and thought that gave him the right to act so spoiled and brazen.

Chu Xuyu still had a meeting to attend at a branch office and didn’t have time to keep chatting. He ended the conversation in a way that seemed casual.

KIRA: Did I say something wrong?

Afternoon Tea: I’ve got work to do.

KIRA: Alright.

KIRA: Let’s chat next time, then.

KIRA: Ge, good night.

Afternoon Tea: Good night, Border Collie puppy.

KIRA: !@#

 KIRA: Message retracted.

“…?”

Chu Xuyu pocketed his phone and, on his way out, knocked on his secretary’s door.

Inside, Judy took half a minute longer than usual to open the door. She still looked professional and composed, but her smile was clearly forced. However, Chu Xuyu, still distracted by that clingy “puppy,” didn’t notice these details.

***

Meanwhile, back at the KTV, Jiang Tian looked at his own flustered face in the mirror—his handsome expression now filled with despair.

Just moments ago, his hand had slipped and sent a string of gibberish. He had quickly deleted it, but it made him look completely unprofessional as an online scammer.

What the hell was that?

That scumbag actually had the nerve to call him a puppy. Sober as he was, Jiang Tian felt a wave of nausea rise, so intense that he dry-heaved on the spot. The sound was so loud it reached the others inside the private room.

The classmates who had been singing immediately fell silent: “???”

“Ge, are you okay?!”

“What happened?!”

They were sure Jiang Tian hadn’t touched any alcohol.

From that day on, the word “puppy” left a deep psychological scar on Jiang Tian. For the next two or three days, every time he tried to initiate a chat with the scumbag, he had to mentally prep himself and carefully avoid any content even vaguely related to dogs.

But his avatar was the biggest problem of all. He wanted to change it but was afraid that’d make his resistance too obvious. In the end, he gave up and let it be, resigning himself to fate.

That weekend was one of the most mentally exhausting he’d ever had. He would’ve preferred to stay busy at school—it would’ve at least kept his mind occupied. Instead, he spent the entire time on edge, worried the scumbag might suddenly pop up and say something flirtatious.

Still, sometimes Jiang Tian would overanalyze everything and wonder: Was that behavior Lu Qiao called “head-over-heels” just his imagination? After all, the guy hadn’t messaged him much over the last two days.

Of course, his older sister had also been busy lately. Due to the time difference, Jiang Tian didn’t get to talk to her until Wednesday. When he finally did, he could tell she was in much better spirits.

“Aiya,”

Jiang Jing, who’d finally gotten a half-day off after being busy for several days, was out shopping with an old grad school friend. “Your sister bounced back the very next day.”

“Not only did my girlfriends cheer me up, our boss even sent me a luxury gift set!”

“….”

Jiang Tian had been worried she might’ve made herself sick with stress. Hearing this, he breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”

“Oh, right, Jie.”

“Have you had any contact with the scumbag these past few days?”

Jiang Jing paused for a moment. “We chat occasionally. I didn’t let him notice anything was wrong. There are a lot of things that will have to wait until I’m back to deal with.”

Jiang Tian replied with a muffled “Mm.”

Maybe he shouldn’t have brought it up, but he really wanted to know what the scumbag was up to—chatting with him online while still flirting with a bunch of gay guys in the scene, and at the same time acting like nothing happened around his sister.

‘Did someone like that even have a conscience?’

The boy took a deep breath. Later, when Jiang Jing changed the subject and talked about her godlike handsome boss’s generosity, he couldn’t even focus—his mind was full of revenge plans for his sister.

They’d already met each other’s parents in preparation for an engagement. There had been financial exchanges, co-purchases… It wasn’t a simple breakup.

So Jiang Tian had to proceed carefully—collecting as much evidence as possible to make sure his sister wouldn’t suffer when it came time for the final confrontation.

They chatted a bit longer before his sister went off to continue shopping with her friend. Meanwhile, Jiang Tian still had to tutor Lu Qiao and Zhao Yuanhao. With mock exams approaching, the students of No. 3 High were insanely busy.

But then came a new problem.

From the scumbag’s perspective, Jiang Jing’s younger brother was probably swamped preparing for exams and absolutely wouldn’t have time to casually chat online.

After weighing the pros and cons, Jiang Tian decided to take a bold step: he requested leave that Friday and skipped a mock exam he technically wasn’t required to attend anyway.

He didn’t even tell his sister about it. It wasn’t like him—he had already secured a guaranteed college placement, but he’d always been a by-the-book, rule-following kid.

That day.

Jiang Tian wore a black windbreaker and rented a motorcycle, arranging for the delivery guy to bring it all the way to halfway up Qingxuan Mountain.

He struck a few cool poses and took some photos that exuded a rebellious edge.

The delivery guy was dumbfounded. He’d seen lots of dudes rent bikes to show off for girls, but someone like this—a clean-cut, handsome, model-like boy—why was he doing the same?

The guy thought,’ If I looked like him, people would be throwing themselves at me since birth. I wouldn’t need to act cool for anyone.’

He watched as Jiang Tian finished taking pictures and paid the rental fee. The boy politely said, “Sorry for the trouble, ge. Thanks for coming all this way—and for driving the bike back.”

The delivery guy quickly waved him off. “No trouble at all. This was an easy one!”

“If you need anything next time, just call me!”

“…Sure.”

Jiang Tian didn’t plan on there being a next time. After the exchange, he found a pavilion to sit and rest. Sweat beaded on his forehead—like glistening dew on his flawless face.

He drank a few gulps of mineral water, then pulled out his phone to message the scumbag.

KIRA: [Shared Image]

KIRA: [Shared Image]

He sent seven or eight in one go—shots of the mountain scenery, a bird’s-eye view of Ningcheng’s skyline, and pictures of himself leaning against the motorcycle. More than anything, he was mourning the inevitable blow to his monthly data plan.

He composed a few messages, crafting the persona of a rebellious, freedom-loving rich kid, then hit send.

KIRA: Took a ride into the mountains.

KIRA: The view’s great.

KIRA: ^^

Afternoon Tea: No school on Friday?

The instant reply was right on target. Jiang Tian unscrewed the bottle again and took another sip—slow, unhurried.

The early spring breeze was cool and refreshing, and he felt his mood lift. He was confident that when the scumbag found out the truth, it would seriously mess with his head.

***

New York, Midtown Manhattan. Dusk.

Outside the elevator climbing a luxury high-rise, the glittering lights of the city gleamed like a scene from an extravagant urban romance novel—exactly the kind of glamour that gave Manhattan its international reputation.

Chu Xuyu, in a sharp suit with a hint of alcohol on his breath, leaned against the champagne-colored elevator wall, fingers hovering over his phone screen.

Not far from him, Jiang Jing stood in formal eveningwear. As a secretary accompanying her boss to a banquet, she was polished, capable, and perceptive—always maintaining just the right distance from President Chu.

For example, she never pried into his personal affairs, not even when he was chatting on his phone more animatedly than usual.

Ding—

The elevator arrived at their floor. Chu Xuyu even politely let the lady step out first and said in a gentle voice, “Judy, have a good rest.”

“You too, President Chu.”

Jiang Jing remained composed and professional, even at the suite door. “Good night, sir.”

“Good night.”

Chu Xuyu walked slowly toward the suite at the end of the hallway. He wasn’t really drunk, just worn out from all the socializing at the banquet.

On his phone, the Border Collie pup was still messaging.

KIRA: International schools are more relaxed.

KIRA: Aside from money, my family doesn’t really care about me.

KIRA: I like being alone.

Afternoon Tea: Mn.

Chu Xuyu exhaled, hot breath swirling out. He pulled the room card from his suit pocket and swiped it, slightly unsteady.

Inside, the bright lights reflected off his slightly flushed face. He wasn’t drunk—just one of those people whose face turned red easily when drinking.

Afternoon Tea: Qingxuan Mountain?

KIRA: Yeah.

Afternoon Tea: The view really is great.

KIRA: Mhm!

KIRA: Maybe we can go hiking together sometime.

Chu Xuyu narrowed his eyes, head slightly spinning. Sitting down at the edge of the bed, he couldn’t help but feel this pup—with the dog avatar—had grown cuter now that he wasn’t just chasing after hookups.

Lately, work had been exhausting, and maybe that had mellowed him out. For now, he wasn’t in such a rush to figure out this pup’s true identity.

After all, he wasn’t sure whether he’d still be interested in chatting once he learned the truth.

From Chu Xuyu’s point of view, the other party’s identity was still in doubt. But even if the truth eventually revealed he was just a young gay guy who happened to match his taste, chatting with him wouldn’t exactly cause any harm.

Whether it was the alcohol or something else, Chu Xuyu, in his unusually good mood after being pampered all night, subconsciously sent the other party money. At that moment, even this elite CEO could begin to understand why people gave streamers gifts during livestreams.

Afternoon Tea: [Transfer: ¥20,000]

Meanwhile, Jiang Tian, still relaxing in the mountain pavilion, stared at the transfer notification like he’d just been struck by lightning.

He jumped to his feet in shock, not even realizing the sender might have done it in a less-than-sober state—or that this generous amount was actually missing a zero.

KIRA: [Transfer Refunded]

KIRA: ?!

KIRA: Why did you send me that much money?!

Afternoon Tea: [Transfer: ¥200,000]

Afternoon Tea: Hit the wrong number earlier.

Jiang Tian sucked in a sharp breath. “…………”

His original resentment didn’t feel quite as heavy anymore. With that much money, wouldn’t it technically count as getting back part of what his sister lost? He could always adjust the total later—at least it would save them some hassle during the eventual confrontation.

Still, Jiang Tian couldn’t sit still. He kept replaying it in his head—could it really be that saying “biker tops are cool and easily attract bottoms” was actually true? Had his research into gay social dynamics paid off that well?

Even if the scumbag had a type, was it really realistic to be this generous without ever even seeing his face?

Afternoon Tea: Got it.

Afternoon Tea: Buy puppy food.

KIRA: …

KIRA: [Transfer Refunded]

KIRA: That’s too much, ge.

KIRA: I really don’t want your money.

Maybe it was the scumbag’s lavish gesture that scared him a little, but Jiang Tian even started to suspect this was a scam in reverse—that maybe the guy would print out their chat logs and sue him later. He’d end up in jail before even entering college. Better not take any risks.

But what he never expected was that over in a luxury suite, Chu Xuyu was actually amused by his response.

A smirk curled on the man’s lips. A dark strand of hair slipped over his brow, shadowing his long eyes—eyes now gleaming with intrigue and a hint of danger.

Afternoon Tea: You’ve been chatting with me this long…

Afternoon Tea: Don’t want to hook up…

Afternoon Tea: Then what do you actually want?

There was a pause before the reply came in. The tone was almost probing.

KIRA: What if I said I want… something real?

KIRA: Would you believe me?

Of course Chu Xuyu didn’t believe him. In fact, he let out a low laugh, his broad shoulders shaking slightly, the sound fading into the stillness of the night sky over the city.

Afternoon Tea: This little puppy really knows how to make people smile.

KIRA: …

Afternoon Tea: In that case…

Afternoon Tea: Why not send me some photos I actually want to see?

KIRA: Hmm?

KIRA: What do you want to see?

Chu Xuyu’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. There was no hiding the desire that flickered in his eyes now, and he seemed almost irritated that the little puppy was playing dumb—so he decided to push back harder.

Afternoon Tea: Take off your clothes.

Afternoon Tea: Show me your abs.