IETSTSMLARA | The Vicious Support Male Lead is a Bit Sweet | 5
Beside him, Luo Fei's expression changed from worry to his jaw drooping. Young Master Lin, if you had such a talented older brother, bring him out to play in the future!
However, the drowsy Lin Tang was only able to mumble "six six six" softly, completely oblivious to his friends' comments.
"Mr. Hu wouldn't renege on the bet, would he?" Lin Su said.
"Of course not," Hu Jie lifted his glass and drained it in one gulp, slamming it down with a loud bang. "Again!"
"Eight sixes," Lin Su's voice was calm, devoid of the enthusiasm of the surroundings.
"I don't believe it," Hu Jie guessed.
The dice cup opened, but it was as Lin Su had said.
As the supply of alcohol kept flowing, Hu Jie's face grew increasingly red, panting heavily like a bull. In the half hour of facing off against Lin Su, whether he played as the dealer or not, he never won. His comrades beside him were also completely drunk, lying on the ground.
"Nine of five," Lin Su's voice was calm.
"I don't believe it!" With another gulp of alcohol, Hu Jie collapsed.
Inside the private room, the scent of alcohol filled the air. Luo Fei was stunned all the way through, never once interrupting. Lin Su decisively rolled up his sleeves and, beside him, Lin Tang leaned on his shoulder, sleeping soundly.
"Let's go," Lin Su patted his rosy cheek, skin smooth and tender like a peeled egg, feeling quite nice to the touch.
Lin Tang grumbled as he pushed away Lin Su's hand, rubbing his shoulder and muttering, "Don't disturb me... mosquitoes, mosquitoes?"
His half-opened eyelashes trembling lightly, under the play of light and shadow, he looked like two butterflies yet to settle. In terms of appearance alone, Young Master Lin was completely up to standard, but his personality was just too difficult to deal with.
Luo Fei had been completely impressed by Lin Su tonight and hurried over to help support Lin Tang. But the next moment, he saw Lin Su effortlessly lifting Lin Tang by grasping his waist and legs.
Lin Su gestured towards the door of the private room, and Luo Fei quickly opened it. Lin Su was about to step out, but he almost collided with a tall man coming in.
The man stood at least 1.85 meters tall, his well-fitted three-piece suit accentuating his good physique. His handsome and serious face contrasted with his somewhat conventional demeanor, which seemed out of place here.
He exchanged a glance with Lin Su before turning his gaze to the person in Lin Su's arms. "What happened to him?" he asked.
"He's drunk. I'm taking him back," Lin Su replied.
"Mr. Sheng, why are you here?" Luo Fei was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected Sheng Hong to show up.
The protagonist, Sheng Hong, indeed looked very imposing. Compared to Lin Su's current appearance and condition, he did have an edge, but in terms of stature, they were equal, and Lin Su's aura was no less impressive.
No man wants to be overshadowed, especially Lin Su, who was merely biding his time rather than fearing anyone.
As Lin Su sized up the man in front of him, Sheng Hong also assessed Lin Su. He had seen Lin Su before; he remembered Lin Tang's older brother as someone with a deep scheming mind, somewhat gloomy, and difficult to read emotionally. Their interactions were limited, mainly due to Sheng Hong's inadequate abilities and his poor relationship with Lin Tang.
However, despite the familiar appearance, the man in front of him exuded a completely different vibe, as if... he had undergone a profound transformation.
Or perhaps he had shed the overly concealed emotions he used to carry.
Sheng Hong was always vigilant towards worthy opponents. Whether the formidable demeanor was a facade or genuine strategic prowess, he could discern to some extent. However, his concern at the moment wasn't for Lin Su but for Lin Tang.
The person in Lin Su's arms had intact clothing, with fair skin peeking through where one or two buttons were undone, showing no signs of being taken advantage of.
The Sheng family and the Lin family were close, with Sheng Hong's mother and Lin Tang's mother being especially close friends. When they were young, Sheng Hong’s mother would invite Lin Tang over, and also ask Sheng Hong to take care of him.
Although Sheng Hong was generally aloof, he genuinely cared for Lin Tang like a younger brother. However, Lin Tang's lack of ambition and his inappropriate feelings for Sheng Hong made the situation complicated, leading Sheng Hong to keep his distance.
In theory, he shouldn't have come, but he was afraid something might happen to Lin Tang.
However, upon arriving, he found that his presence seemed unnecessary here.
Inside the private room, bodies were strewn about haphazardly, but Lin Tang lay there, clean and pristine, sleeping soundly against Lin Su's shoulder, breathing lightly with a hint of alcohol, as soft and pure as before.
Yet, the person who used to cradle a soft bun in his arms had now been replaced by Lin Tang's nominal older brother.
It felt like something had been taken away, leaving Sheng Hong feeling inexplicably unsettled. He took a deep breath. "How are you getting back?"
"I'll drive," Lin Su replied coldly. "I haven't been drinking, Mr. Sheng, you can rest assured."
"Alright," Sheng Hong acknowledged, stepping aside to clear the way.
Seemingly startled by the noise outside the private room, Lin Tang, who had been sleeping soundly, murmured, "Brother Hong..."
Lin Su paused in his steps, pinching Lin Tang's waist. The half-awake young master let out a yelp, instantly waking up, but his eyes were still blurry from the alcohol.
Nestling in Lin Su's arms, his gaze shifted towards Sheng Hong, and the next moment, he reached out his arms as if to be held. "Brother Hong..."
That pleading expression reminded Sheng Hong of the first time he met Lin Tang. Back then, Lin Tang had looked just like this. If he had remained as soft and innocent as he was then, Sheng Hong felt he could have continued to treat him like a little brother. But alas...
Before his arm could reach out, a familiar and elegant voice sounded from nearby. "Sheng Hong, what's going on?"
Another tall figure approached, swiftly closing the distance. Like Sheng Hong, this person wore a tightly buttoned suit, exuding an air of restraint. His handsome and refined features similarly captivated the crowd at the bar.
The person who could address Sheng Hong so intimately and affectionately was none other than the protagonist's lover, Bai Xiuran.
Bai Xiuran made his fortune abroad, attending one of the top schools overseas. He had only recently returned to China from abroad to pursue business ventures, quickly rising to prominence in Beijing's elite circles.
He and Sheng Hong had met in business circles, sharing similar values and interests. Initially their relationship was in the ambiguous period, but their relationship had accelerated due to Lin Tang's sensitive reactions, which inadvertently pushed them closer together.
The fact that they came together to pick up Lin Tang now indicates that they are already together. When two people spend late nights together, their relationship can't be considered purely platonic.
It's only natural for a couple to appear together, but the intimate gesture pained Lin Tang, who was nestled in Lin Su's embrace. His eyes, initially hazy, now held anger. "Brother Hong, why is he here?!"
This outburst silenced even the bar.
Many in this circle knew of Lin Tang's relentless pursuit of Sheng Hong, despite Sheng Hong's preference for Bai Xiuran.
Love triangles and gossip are the favorite pastimes of those with idle time, and with that remark, Bai Xiuran felt somewhat embarrassed. Initially, he harbored no ill intentions towards Lin Tang.
However, Lin Tang's presumptuous attitude towards Sheng Hong, treating him as his possession and labeling Bai Xiuran as the third party, inevitably left a knot on Bai Xiuran's heart, no matter how well-mannered he was.
"Now that Lin Young Master has someone to pick him up, Sheng Hong, let's go back," Bai Xiuran said, casting a glance at Lin Su.
Sheng Hong nodded, gesturing to Lin Su before turning decisively to leave. He had no interest in being part of the spectacle here.
As he watched them leave, Lin Tang was struck dumb. He struggled in Lin Su's embrace, even though the alcohol made him stagger. He fought to catch up, calling out, "Brother Hong... Brother Hong, don't leave me, don't..."
Heartbroken and hopeless, tears welled up in his eyes, as if they were desperately trying to hold back from falling.
Almost stumbling, Lin Tang was caught by Lin Su. As Lin Su placed him in the car, Lin Tang still wore a stunned and hopeless expression.
Lin Su had never been in a romantic relationship himself, so it was hard for him to empathize with the despair of unrequited love. However, he had seen enough to know that suppressing one's emotions would only lead to heartache. It was better to let the tears flow, to excavate that piece of heartache, in order to heal.
After hesitating for a moment, Lin Su waved off Luo Fei, asking him to go back. Then, he sat in the back of the car, gently patting Lin Tang's head and encouraging him to bury it on his shoulder. "It's okay, big brother is here."
Lin Su had a younger brother of his own, but he was resilient and independent, able to handle things on his own without needing his older brother's intervention. Encountering someone as fragile as Lin Tang was rare, allowing Lin Su's brotherly warmth to find some room to express.
Buried in Lin Su's shoulder, Lin Tang didn't lift his head. While the outside world buzzed with activity, inside the car felt like a secluded world of its own.
Lin Tang's breath still carried the scent of alcohol, and Lin Su could feel the dampness on his shoulder. He gently patted the slightly fuzzy head, unexpectedly discovering how soft Lin Tang's hair was.
Soft hair often mirrored a soft heart, and the pain of cutting out someone who had settled in deeply was unimaginable.
But he had to do it. Lin Su could see the understanding between Sheng Hong and Bai Xiuran.
Regardless of whom Lin Tang liked, falling for someone who was already in a committed relationship would only harm himself. Moreover, in the original timeline, Sheng Hong and Bai Xiuran had spent a lifetime together, with no room for Lin Tang to intervene.
"Be good, let it all out," Lin Su comforted, gently stroking his head, a rare display of warmth.
Sobs emanated from Lin Tang's shoulder. At first, they were stifled, but gradually grew louder.
His hands, initially hanging limply, began to pound on Lin Su's shoulder. "Why... why doesn't Brother Hong want me... He promised... He promised he would marry me..."
Lin Tang's fists carried some force, but they didn't hurt Lin Su.
Lin Su listened to his words, his gaze lowered. "When did he say he would marry you?"
Despite having memories from another timeline, they were only general. Under the flap of a butterfly's wings, many things could change to varying degrees. Lin Su couldn't possibly know every word Sheng Hong had said to Lin Tang.
Lin Tang was clearly deeply upset, choked up as he said, "When I was seven... seven years old."
Lin Su: "..."
A seven-year-old child doesn't know a damn thing.
No, can't use foul language. Sheng Hong was about the same age as Lin Su, five years older than Lin Tang, which means he said this when he was twelve.
At twelve, one knows a bit more, but boys of that age are typically in the phase of thinking they can conquer the world, also known as the onset of adolescent delusions.
One didn't take it seriously, while the other took it to heart. It's no wonder Lin Tang was so persistent.
...
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