not a decent stand-in

The two walked into the banquet hall together.

It was only then that Zuo Tong noticed that the dining table was full of familiar faces, celebrities from all walks of life in the financial and investment circles.

After Shao Lin introduced everyone to him, everyone quickly chatted happily.

During the meeting, many bigwigs showed great interest in investing in Aveo, and tried their best to encourage Zuo Tong to go public as soon as possible.

Zuo Tong was polite on the surface, he listened to the advice humbly, but he was actually very clear-headed, and was not led into the pit by these people.

In fact, he has not been very enthusiastic about going public.

Back when Aveo was still a small third-tier company, he needed funds from time to time, which also caused him a lot of trouble.

However, since the company successfully launched several phenomenal projects and popularized a group of its own artists, the momentum of making money has not stopped, and there is no rush to go public to make money.

As a self-made man who has been in the business world for many years, Zuo Tong knows very well that everyone wants a piece of the profitable business.

If one is not careful, they may become someone else's dinner.

During the entire meal, everyone discussed the atmosphere very enthusiastically. After the end, some people were still unsatisfied and suggested to continue to find a place for entertainment.

Zuo Tong didn't like to socialize, and he was a little uncomfortable, so he planned to leave first.

Shao Lin smiled and said, "Mr. Li, Boss Zuo may have to lend me a loan today. I still have some things that I want to talk to him alone..."

When Mr. Li heard it, he smiled ambiguously: "Oh, why did Mr. Shao say that, you are busy if you have something to do, we can go and play by ourselves!"

A few people stood up and left the box noisily, even before leaving, they did not forget to wink at Shao Lin.

Zuo Tong saw it, but there was a cold snort in his heart.

These old perverts don't know what dirty thoughts are in their hearts.

It is no secret in the business world that Shao Lin doesn't like women. It was precisely because of his sexual orientation that he was exiled to France by his family.

In fact, Zuo Tong felt a little uncomfortable, but it wasn't entirely because of the teasing of these old perverts.

Rather, between him and Shao Lin, there was indeed some unexplainable relationship.

Three years ago, Zuo Tong went to France on a business trip and met Shao Lin who ran a fashion brand there by chance.

The two chatted happily, and Shao Lin directly expressed his affection for him.

Although Zuo Tong was a little surprised, he was not disgusted.

At that time, he was actually not sure whether he could be regarded as gay in the true sense. Although he liked a man for 20 years, he only liked this man.

Shao Lin's personable demeanor made him tempted for a moment, but in the end he still couldn't pass his own level and rejected the other party.

Shao Lin didn't stalk, instead, during the time in France, the two often drank and chatted, and they became friends.

Not long after Zuo Tong came back from France, Shao Lin was also reused by his family and returned to China.

So he kept joking that it was Zuo Tong who attracted him back to the country.

In the past few years, the two of them had dinner occasionally. Although Shao Lin didn't mention that meaning again, he always paid close attention to his movements.

Although the people around Shao Lin changed a lot during this period, every year on Zuo Tong's birthday, he would send roses.

This also made Zuo Tong really unsure whether the other party hadn't given up yet.

After the others left one after another, Shao Lin shrugged helplessly and said, "Don't mind, these people always talk badly, and I will explain it to them in the future."

Zuo Tong chuckled, and said not very politely: "That's not necessary, we have nothing to explain."

Shao Lin nodded, with an innocent expression on his face: "There really isn't one at the moment, so you don't have to be so reserved every time you see me!"

"Is there?" Zuo Tong was noncommittal, turned around and walked outside the hotel.

Shao Lin followed and walked beside him. His usual strength was well restrained by him, and he smiled gently: "Then if not, you should promise me to have a drink, right?"

Zuo Tong looked apologetic: "I'm really sorry today, I can't accompany you..."

"Oh? Have a date?"

"No, I'm not feeling well, I want to go back and rest early."

Shao Lin stopped and saw that his complexion was really not good, so he sighed: "No wonder, you haven't looked very energetic today, is it okay?"

"I have a little cold, nothing serious."

"It seems that I am really unlucky!"

"Next time, I owe you a drink!"

The two walked to the door of the hotel. Zuo Tong was just about to call the driver, but the person beside him grabbed his arm.

"You can skip the wine, but at least let me take you back?"

Zuo Tong couldn't laugh or cry: "Please, it's not that I can't take care of myself..."

"That doesn't convince me. If it were someone else, I wouldn't let a patient go home alone, OK?"

Zuo Tong knew that Shao Lin was a man of one mind, and it wasn't a big deal for two big men to argue about it, so he turned around and got into his car.

Along the way, the two briefly chatted about cooperation matters.

Shao Lin tried his best to lobby and showed a lot of sincerity, but Zuo Tong kept his tone tight and didn't reveal much about his thoughts.

Later, the topic was casually brought up by Shao Lin to personal matters.

"Why, you're not in a good mood recently?"

“How come you see?”

"I'm afraid you didn't realize it yourself. This night, your brows have never been loosened, and you look preoccupied."

Zuo Tong chuckled lightly: "The pack of wolves looked around, and I was stared at as a big piece of fat all night, should I still laugh?"

Shao Lin laughed loudly when he heard the words: "So in your eyes, I'm just a big bad wolf with malicious intentions?"

"I don't know if you have malicious intentions, but it's your usual style to be like a wolf like a tiger..."

"Hey... I didn't expect you to look at me like this. Let me reiterate that this time I am really optimistic about Lecheng's potential. You know, I always distinguish between public and private!"

"I know..." Zuo Tong sighed inaudibly, "Recently, the Hong Kong branch has a lot of things to do. I may be a little tired. I don't want to think too much for now..."

Shao Lin also sighed: "You look like this, I feel distressed... I just don't know that person, why are you still not enlightened?"

Hearing this, Zuo Tong's face froze, and he was silent for a while before laughing at himself: "Don't pretend to know me well, I can handle my own affairs by myself."

Shao Lin shook his head: "This is the so-called, moths to the flame..."

At this time, the car just stopped in front of Zuo Tong's house, Shao Lin looked through Zuo Tong's shoulder and looked not far away from the car window.

"If I'm not mistaken, it's him, right?"

Zuo Tong followed his gaze and turned his head. In the night, a tall and handsome man was standing at the door of his house on the phone, holding a big paper bag in his hand.

The next second, Zuo Tong's phone rang.

He frowned and hung up the phone.

With a smile on his face, Shao Lin suddenly leaned over to help him unbuckle his seat belt, leaned into his ear and said, "It's not just flames that bring warmth..."

Zuo Tong was stunned for a moment, and said lightly: "Unfortunately, I'm used to it..."

He opened the door and got out of the car, turned around and said to Shao Lin, "Thank you, I will treat you to dinner when I have time."

"Okay, stay with me anytime!"

Shao Lin waved his hand and drove away.

On a summer night, there is no wind, and it looks a bit muggy.

The night was dark, under the street lamp, Xiang Yindong's shadow was stretched very long, but his face at this moment was darker than the night.

He ran forward in three steps at a time, grabbed Zuo Tong's arm, and reached out to touch his forehead.

"Fuck, where did you go, didn't you say you were sick?"

The tone is full of gunpowder.

Zuo Tong leaned slightly, dodged, and walked straight into the villa.

"Hey! Why don't you talk?" Xiang Yindong followed, with a somewhat aggressive tone, "Who is that man? Why did you send you back?"

"Friend..." Zuo Tong responded lightly, and opened the door.

He didn't expect that Xiang Yindong would suddenly appear at his door, and the questioning tone made him feel even more complicated.

It seemed that something was about to come out, but he didn't dare to think about it.

After entering the room, Xiang Yindong changed into his slippers familiarly, and quickly put the big bag in his hand on the coffee table.

Zuo Tong walked over slowly, and saw that he had put out the take-out boxes in the bag one by one, and greeted him: "I specially went to Xiaoyazhu to pack things, come and eat!"

"I've already had dinner..." Zuo Tong looked crazy.

This guy really likes to think he's smart.

"Have you eaten?" Xiang Yindong looked confused, then smiled nonchalantly, "Then have some supper!"

Zuo Tong didn't bother to pay attention to him, went into the room to find clean clothes, and went to the bathroom to take a shower first.

When he came out, Xiang Yindong was sitting on the sofa, watching the football game while eating, seeing him, he still did not forget to tell him: "Didn't you catch a cold, dry your hair quickly!"

Zuo Tong was in a panic, not knowing what this guy meant.

He wiped his hair, walked to the sofa, saw that the coffee table was already full of empty lunch boxes, and couldn't help complaining: "Next time you want to eat, don't say you bought it for me!"

"I really bought it for you!" Xiang Yindong chewed with food stuffed in his mouth, and said angrily, "You have to throw away that mobile phone. At critical moments, I never got through!"

Zuo Tong was very speechless about his eating, and explained casually: "There is an important dinner tonight, so the mute is turned on."

Xiang Yindong's face softened a little, he picked up a shrimp dumpling, and handed it to him: "Your favorite shrimp dumpling, why don't you have one?"

Zuo Tong looked at him suspiciously: "Do you... have something you want to ask me?"

Xiang Yindong nodded, and said seriously: "Yes, please eat it quickly!"

Zuo Tong gave him a white look, opened his mouth suspiciously, and bit down the shrimp dumpling.

After chewing twice, he asked again, "What are you doing here? Just to deliver me food?"

Xiang Yindong raised his eyebrows: "No way?"

Speaking of this, he couldn't help feeling a little depressed.

Originally afraid that Zuo Tong would be too busy to eat dinner, he went to Xiaoyazhu to pack some food and send it to his company on a whim, wanting to surprise him.

Who would have guessed that if he didn't say anything, he couldn't get through to his phone at all.

Worried in his heart, he rushed to Zuo Tong's house non-stop, but they gave him a "surprise".

Zuo Tong sat on the sofa and looked at him sideways: "There is nothing to be courteous about, it's either adultery or stealing..."

Xiang Yindong was uncomfortable being watched by him, so he cleared his throat and said, "I have something to tell you..."

Zuo Tong's heart suddenly beat violently, but his face pretended to be nonchalant: "What's the matter..."

The atmosphere in the room was inexplicably tense, and the sound of the news broadcast on the TV covered up Zuo Tong's chaotic heartbeat.

Seeing his sudden serious face, Xiang Yindong couldn't help but froze, although it was hard to say, he still said: "I remembered, that Shao Lin, he is gay..."