V1C13

Translator: Anne Noh

"That's not what I mean," Shu Nian turned around embarrassingly. What he really meant was, "It's really okay. It doesn't matter."

He looked around to find something that could be use to wipe the stain. Ke Luo also straightened his body with a dejected look and fumbled around his jersey pants to find a tissue or something that could be used.

"Ke Luo, you cause trouble to us!"

In a deserted corner, completely in desolation and silence, they were immediately caught by others. The audiences stared at Ke Luo.

Ke Luo just stuffed his other hand into the pocket with an expressionless face.

"Really outrageous," Ke Rong brusquely scolded, "What are you doing?! Why don't you quickly apologize to the guest! You really don't have a good upbringing. I really don't know what to do with you..."

"It's okay Mr. Ke..." Shu Nian was scared that the atmosphere was too stuffy. He felt sorry and hurriedly explained to ease the atmosphere. However, Ke Rong seized the opportunity to show his [1] care on the young entourage. He simply ignored Shu Nian and turned around to call an attendant: "Lead Mr. Shu upstairs to change his suit."

[T/N: [1] Shu Nian is Xie family's adopted son hence Ke Rong was being good and trying to kiss his ass because Xie Company is a big company.]

Shu Nian smiled reluctantly. How could an outsider intervene with another family's affairs?

Ke Luo shrugged his shoulders and put up a stance in front of Ke Rong before he ferociously turned around and walked away.

"Stop! What kind of attitude is that? Who taught you to be like that with the elders? You..."

"I'll bring him upstairs," suddenly Ke Luo reached out his hand behind Shu Nian's back. "I will help him personally. Doesn't this show much more sincerity and good upbringing, uncle?"

Ke Rong didn't get angry, but he looked strangely at Shu Nian.

Shu Nian didn't have time to be polite as Ke Luo pulled him away: "Let's go."

"Then, thank you..."

The upper level of the magnificent hall which Ke family's party was held was designed to facilitate guests to take a rest, to have a private conversations or anything else that shouldn't be discuss openly. Hence, it was not a surprise when Ke Luo took him upstairs to let him change his suit. He was left waiting in a room and then a new set of suit came over.

"This should be your size. Change into this. I will tell somebody to bring your clothes to dry cleaning and will send it back to you in two days.

"Thanks."

The clothes fitted Shu Nian perfectly and he didn't need to go home with dirty suit. Shu Nian sighed and pushed the door to go out. Ke Luo's back was facing him as he leaned against the railings in front of the room.

The magnificent party downstairs could be seen from there and the visual stood out. Shu Nian could see his young master Xie continued to socialize with those upper class ladies and it looked like he would be preoccupied for the whole night. Shu Nian involuntarily smiled, and turned around to look at the teenager beside him that was still in dazed.

Ke Luo had taken off the baseball cap, and the baseball jacket was hung loosely on his shoulder. A rather long and soft black hair, deep and bright eyes, long eyelashes, tall nose bridge, and a thin lip that was slightly puckered. The outline of his facial features seemed slightly deeper than average person and it was probably because he never expressed himself.

Ke Luo was only wearing a light colored short sleeved sports T-shirt. A simple brown string without a pendant hung around his slender neck. Although the young boy's shoulder haven't fully developed yet, but it was fairly broad. It was just a matter of time for it to become strong for others to rely on it.

He didn't look like a son from a well-known family, but it looked like he was very popular with girls. It was just that his exposed arms were covered with deep scars and most of it didn't look like it was obtained from the match.

Shu Nian slightly raised his brows.

Ke Luo noticed the person standing behind him. He turned his head and smiled: "Is it okay?"

"Yes."

Ke Luo straightened his back. He wiggled around in his sport shoes. He grinned shyly and with repulsion, "I don't want to go down right now."

"Oh..."

"Let's stay here for a while."

Shu Nian also looked downstairs and saw that Xie Yan was surrounded by beautiful ladies. Shu Nian looked away. He nodded and smiled and stayed beside Ke Luo. His eyes involuntarily drifted back to those scars on Ke Luo's arm.

Ke Luo noticed his gaze and looked down. He said indifferently: "You are curious about this? Oh, these scars are from before. It's impossible to have a new scar."

Shu Nian unknowingly let out a puzzled smile.

"Because I'm already a grown up now." Ke Luo smiled proudly and put his hands in his pocket. He thought for a while, wriggled his feet on the ground once again and licked his lips, "I'm too young before. That's why it ended up like that. There's no way out."

Shu Nian was lost for words. He didn't know what to say and didn't dare to imagine the scars under his clothes. He stood silently for a while and reminded Ke Luo: "It's quite chilly. It will be better if you wear a coat."

Ke Luo obediently put on his coat and fixed his messy hair. Shu Nian saw silver earring studs on his ears. He was startled but quickly became relieved.

It was a very common thing to see young boys wearing earrings nowadays. They were bold enough to wear earrings but majority of them are straight and most homosexuals didn't dare to wear earrings, just like him.

"Do you like playing baseball?"

There was nothing to say. Two people standing still like two pillars would be very awkward.

"Hmm, yes. I started to play ever since I'm at the orphanage." Ke Luo was quite excited and suddenly he became embarrassed. He looked up to see Shu Nian's reaction on "orphanage" as that word was unsuited with high society. He didn't see any ill reaction and then he continued, "When I was young and played baseball with my friends, we would go to the nearby old stadium. The gate was closed, the wall was too high and it was difficult to climb to sneak into the stadium, but there was a small hole..."

Shu Nian was surprised: "Impossible. That hole is still there?"

Ke Luo looked up at him in astonishment. It was a slip of the tongue and Shu Nian became slightly embarrassed: "Oh...It's nothing. I'm used to be in the orphanage...I was adopted."

"Really?" Ke Luo stared at him.

Shu Nian laughed: "Why do you look like you want to congratulate me?"

"Which orphanage did you came from?"

"Happiness. Hrmm, have you heard of it?" For almost twenty years, the memory was still clear.

"Isn't it the one that serve [2] fruit soup on weekend..."

[T/N: [2] Refer to the picture below.]

"That's right. It was so sour that you didn't know what it was. How about you?"

"I'm from Benevolence. It was horrible. Not only there was no fruit soup, the nuns even have a very long nails."

"But I heard they serve coffee in a very big cup every Sunday."

"It was a lie. It was like cleaning water from a pot. I won't even drink it."

"Haha..." Shu Nian felt that it was very interesting. It was as if they were not talking about the lack of food and clothes at orphanages, but rather about the fun they had during their childhood.

"[3] When did you stop having fruit soup there?" Ke Luo avoided saying "adoption".

[T/N: [3] Fruit soup was served at the orphanage. By saying 'stop having fruit soup', Ke Luo was referring to the time Shu Nian was adopted where he was freed from the orphanage and its horrible soup.]

"Oh, when I was 12 years old." Shu Nian vaguely remembered of the time when Xie Yan pinched his face and the brightness of evening light that shone on his face. At that time, he thought Xie Yan was the prince in the storybook, "Hmm, it has been eighteen years now."

"Eh, you're 30 years old?"

"What's wrong?" Ke Luo's wide eyes and expression made Shu Nian slightly unhappy.

"It doesn't look like it," murmured Ke Luo, "you look very young."

"Really? Thank you." Shu Nian smiled. He didn't have wrinkles and any facial hair. He has always had a very delicate feature, but to say that he looked young, it was something unheard of.

"I have a few more months before I become an adult," Ke Luo said proudly, "a grown up."

"Really? Congratulations..." Shu Nian was quite jealous. It was good to be young. When he was 18 years old, Xie Yan was still a 13 years old child. At that time, they were much more relaxed and happier than now. At a young age, there were many uncomplicated happiness. Now he regarded of it as something that hardly to come by.

"That's right..." Ke Luo suddenly remembered something and said in a very serious manner, "My name is Ke Luo."

Shu Nian smiled: "I know."

"...Uncle, you are very unfair. How should I address you? You should tell me your name. That is the basic social etiquette.

"Oh..." Shu Nian smile, "My name is Shu Nian. At your age, you can call me, hrmm... It would probably be more appropriate to call me uncle."

"[4]...Shu shushu..." Ke Luo felt awkward and scrunched his eyebrows, "others will think I stammered. shu...shushu...shu..."

[T/N: [4] Uncle is (叔叔) shushu in Chinese. One usually uses family name when using shushu. Example: uncle lee is lee shushu. Ke Luo sounds like he was stammering because Shu Nian's name also contain Shu (舒). It sounds the same but the characters are different. It doesn't make sense and won't be funny in English. Therefore, Capital Shu is for Shu in Shu Nian's name and small shu for uncle's shushu.]

"Ha...It's all right. It's all right. It doesn't matter if you call me with my [5] full name."

"Is it alright?" Ke Luo was still pondered.

[T/N: [5] It's rude to call elder with their full name. Hence, Ke Luo was reluctant.]

"Xiao Nian!"

Shu Nian was shocked. He hurriedly turned around and saw Xie Yan who was fuming.

"Young master..."

"You don't inform me anything and come here secretly?" Xie Yan complained rather than being angry, "there was nothing wrong and yet I have been looking for you for quite a while..."

"Sorry," Shu Nian stood straight. "What's the matter?"

"...Nothing," Xie Yan was lost for a word, "But...but you should always be by my side."

"Sorry, young master...I accidentally dirtied my suit. Therefore I borrow a set of clean suit..."

"You don't tell me anything." Xie Yan was still sulking.

"You were busy at that time," Shu Nian smiled wryly, "beside, I'm about to go down in a moment."

Xie Yan was lost for a word and had to play haughty. He reached over Shu Nian's shoulder and pulled him away: "Hmm...let's go. You are prohibited to wonder around."

Shu Nian couldn't escape and trembled as if he was electrocuted once he was touched by Xie Yan's hand and he slightly shied away.

"Who could this be?" Ke Luo asked quietly.

Xie Yan realized the presence of the third person and nodded at him politely, "Xie Yan from Xie household. Hi."

"My name is Ke Luo," Ke Luo straightened his body and unexpectedly he was as tall as them.

"Oh..." Xie Yan also knew the rumors about the youngest master of Ke household. Even though he looked reserved, he emitted a fierce aura, and one couldn't help but to look into his eyes.

Shu Nian stood still and watched the two men looking at each other, shaking their hands, greetings with a nod, and then moved away. He couldn't help but to associate it with the start of a boxing match and it was a quite funny.

Turning around to walk away, Ke Luo suddenly grabbed Shu Nian: "Hey, wait a minute." Then he took out a marker from his pocket. He opened Shu Nian's palm and quickly wrote a string of numbers.

"My number," He revealed a grin that could surprise others, "You must remember it."

"Okay, thank you." Shu Nian knew that Ke Luo was referring to the days he would need to retrieve the dry cleaning suit as well as the cleaning payment. Shu Nian nodded and felt that the young man was very sensible.

Xie Yan suddenly frowned and didn't say anything for a while. He looked menacingly at Ke Luo and pulled Shu Nian away.

Shu Nian looked at their connected hands and smiled wryly.

His young master had always handled things ambiguously.

He used to dare to have a pitiful fantasy due to Xie Yan's ambiguousness.

However, everything was crystal clear now.

[2] Fruits soup — Fruits cooked in a sweet and spiced broth, usually eaten warm.

Please note that some part might be incorrect as I don't know how to translate it to English. Mistakes are bound to happen and corrections are very welcome.