witchcraft

Chapter 18

"My God, you're a complete newbie, and you dare to come here alone? Aren't you afraid of being devoured alive?" The bartender was clearly enjoying teasing Feng Qi.

"..." Feng Qi rubbed his temples. "I just came to broaden my horizons..."

The bartender suddenly leaned closer and whispered in Feng Qi's ear, "Want to try me? I'm really good at it, I guarantee you'll be in heaven."

"Try what..." Feng Qi asked unconsciously, but then he realized what he was doing, his face turned red, and he couldn't speak.

"Hao Jie! Stop harassing the customer, come and help!" another bartender shouted.

"Got it!" The bartender, Hao Jie, gently traced Feng Qi's hand on the beer bottle with his fingers and said to Feng Qi ambiguously, "My name is Hao Jie. I don't know your name yet?"

Feng Qi felt goosebumps all over his body and forced a smile, saying, "Feng Qi."

"Feng Qi? What a strange name." Hao Jie stood up and cheerfully moved to a spot a short distance away to greet another group of guests. These people seemed to be regulars, joking and cracking lewd jokes with Hao Jie, their hands even groping him. Hao Jie didn't seem bothered, maintaining a professional smile as he darted among the crowd like an eel.

Feng Qi felt discouraged when he recalled how Hao Jie had interrupted him, preventing him from asking the question he wanted to ask.

“I advise you not to pay too much attention to that person,” a middle-aged man said to Feng Qi in a low voice. “He’s a notorious womanizer. If you fall for him, you’ll suffer.”

Feng Qi turned his head and saw an ordinary-looking middle-aged man speaking to him from a few centimeters away. Knowing the man had misunderstood, he shook his head: "I didn't..."

The man sneered, "Newcomer, your eyes haven't left Hao Jie since you walked in. What are you pretending for!"

"..."

"I'm giving you advice as someone who's been there. Falling in love with that man will send you to hell!"

Feng Qi sighed inwardly, realizing there was no way to explain it. He said helplessly, "Think what you want."

“I’m one of the owners here, Yu Gang. And you, young man?”

"Feng Qi." Feng Qi simply took Hao Jie's mispronunciation and used it as the name.

"Which wind, which chess piece?"

"The wind of the windmill, the chess of the chess piece."

“A pseudonym, but it doesn’t matter.” Yu Gang beckoned to a bartender. “Bring this young man a Blue Margarita.”

"boss--"

Feng Qi was about to speak when Yu Gang stopped him, saying, "Just call me Brother Yu."

"Brother Yu, I'd like to ask, how long has this bar been open? Why didn't I know about it before?"

Yu Gang glanced at Feng Qi and asked, "When did you realize you were different from others?"

Feng Qi was speechless for a long time before replying, "Yes, I discovered it back in college. I only recently had the courage to admit it."

"Good boy," Yu Gang placed the mixed drink in front of Feng Qi, "How did you find out?"

Feng Qi inwardly groaned, never expecting that pretending to be gay would be so difficult. He could only lower his head and say, "In college, when I was showering with classmates, I found that... my heart would race... Recently, I discovered that Professor Liu, who used to teach us, is also gay. That's why..."

Fortunately, the bar was dimly lit, and the music drowned out Feng Qi's pounding heartbeat. Yu Gang thought Feng Qi was just shy and that's why he had his head down so low. He chuckled and said, "Liu Zhuxu? I know him."

"Really?" Feng Qi looked up abruptly and asked, "Professor Liu has been here before?"

“He’s not just been here before; he was a regular here back in Zhicheng,” Yu Gang said proudly. “Don’t underestimate our place; we’re quite famous in the industry.”

Feng Qi nodded repeatedly in agreement, and he tentatively said, "It seems that Mr. Fu Pengju is also a regular customer of yours."

Yu Gang paused, looking at him suspiciously: "How did you know?"

“I work under General Manager Fu. I’ve been in Zhicheng on business these past few days, and I’ve heard him mention your place before,” Feng Qi said quickly, seizing the opportunity.

Yu Gang pondered for a moment, then smiled knowingly: "It seems your CEO Fu values you quite a bit. He's usually very averse to these things, and every time he came before, he'd wear sunglasses and sit in a private room, rarely showing himself to anyone. Yet he's talking to you about these things. Tsk tsk, but he's always preferred the glamorous type. When did he change his taste and start liking the refined, cultured type?"

Feng Qi choked on his drink after Yu Gang's words, and chuckled ingratiatingly, "Yeah, I don't know why either." While chatting with Yu Gang, Feng Qi cautiously probed. He quickly discovered that many people on the list were regulars. This proved that his guess, like Cao Xiangui's, was pretty much correct.

But what exactly happened four or five years ago that brought them trouble? And why did it only happen recently? Thinking about these questions, Feng Qi pushed through the crowd and went to the bar's restroom.

Pushing open the wooden door, Feng Qi stood frozen in place as if struck by lightning.

On the toilet wall, two people are entangled together, engaging in illicit acts and making lewd noises.

Feng Qi felt a little embarrassed and wanted to back out, but he saw the young man facing him looking at him in a surreal way, with a sarcastic smile on his lips.

The man's feet were lifted onto another person's shoulders. His face was smeared with pale powder, his lips were as red as blood, and his multicolored hair, like withered straw, fluttered in the air with the violent movements. He was as thin as a stunted teenager. The man repeatedly entering and exiting his body was clearly very old, with sagging flesh, a fat body, and a pale, fleshy buttocks.

Feng Qi didn't know what kept him watching; perhaps it was the young man's desperate and vacant eyes. He stopped himself from leaving, calmly walked to an empty stall, urinated, and then walked out of the restroom expressionlessly.

A hoarse voice was still screaming in my ears: "Fuck me! Come on!"

This was their life. Feng Qi leaned against the wall outside the restroom, lowered his head, lit a cigarette, and exhaled a long puff of smoke. His clear eyes were veiled in a thin mist of smoke.

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Just as Feng Qi finished his cigarette and was about to talk to Yu Gang again, the surrounding lights suddenly dimmed, and the soft music abruptly stopped. Only a spotlight shone upwards from the center of the bar. All sound vanished. Everyone's attention was focused on that beam of light. Feng Qi then realized that there was a fairly large stage in the center of the bar.

The music resumed, but this time it wasn't the previous tender song; instead, it was a languid, casual, yet slightly husky male voice. A supple body emerged from below, appearing before everyone. That young body was like a snake, full of allure and deadly danger. In the dim blue light, even tiny specks of dust could be seen. The dancer's beautiful face wore an expression of disdainful pride, as if he were a king, with the eyes of the entire world fixed upon him.

Feng Qi knew this must be the wonderful performance Hao Jie had mentioned. When he saw the dancer's face clearly, he was slightly surprised. The dancer who had attracted everyone's attention was actually the young man he had seen in the restroom earlier.

His hair was no longer a tangled mess of colors; he was probably wearing a wig. But undeniably, his current medium-length black hair suited him better, making his skin appear even fairer.

"My toys are pretty good, aren't they?" Yu Gang walked up to Feng Qi without anyone noticing, unable to hide his smugness.

Feng Qi felt uncomfortable with the word "toy," and Yu Gang's hand smoothly slipped inside his shirt. Feng Qi jumped back abruptly, saying awkwardly, "You..."

Yu Gang raised an eyebrow and glanced at him sideways: "Could it be that you're still keeping yourself pure for your boss?"

Feng Qi felt disgusted, as if snakes and insects were crawling over the places Yu Gang had touched. In the end, he didn't reveal his thoughts, only managing a forced smile: "Brother Yu, I..." As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Hao Jie, who was walking towards him. Yu Gang turned his head slightly and saw Hao Jie as well. He snorted coldly: "I gave you advice before, that kind of man is not to be touched. You just wouldn't listen. Fine, you're out here having an affair anyway, so I won't force you."

Feng Qi was both amused and exasperated; it seemed he was no longer a suspect. Yu Gang had mistaken his attention to Hao Jie for attraction, but that was fine too, it saved him from a bout of sexual harassment.

Hao Jie strode over, watching Yu Gang leave in a huff, and grinned smugly. He gestured towards the stage and asked Feng Qi, "Don't you like it?"

Feng Qi shook his head; he simply couldn't stand the way other men flirted and posed. Hao Jie, however, interpreted it differently, laughing, "Very few people wouldn't be captivated. Look, everyone around him is drooling."

Even if someone is captivating, it shouldn't be enough to make you drool. Feng Qi refocused his attention on the dancers on stage and smiled slightly: "His dance has no soul." He had seen true dancers before, people who loved dance as if it were their own life. Even without glamorous costumes or a dazzling stage, this child still shone with the brilliance of a gemstone.

Feng Qi sighed as he recalled the silent child from his memory. Hao Jie beside him also sighed, "Xiao west's imitation is too obvious."

"imitate?"

Hao Jie nudged Feng Qi mischievously and said with a smile, "What, curious? I can tell you, how about I get off work at three o'clock? It's a long night, we have plenty of time to chat."

Feng Qi was practically going crazy, waving his hands repeatedly: "I don't want to know."

Hao Jie laughed cheerfully, "Just kidding, look at your scared face. I won't eat you." With that, he patted Feng Qi on the shoulder and went to greet the other guests.

Emerging from the Mayan region, even with Feng Qi's thick skin, he cried out that he couldn't take it anymore. He felt like a sheep willingly running into a wolf's den, a chicken delivered right to the weasel's mouth. Fortunately, he still gained something.

Chapter Three: Azure Jade

Chapter Three

The whole world was silent.

Xiao west lay supine on the stage, his breathing erratic. His clothes had been torn to shreds by the frenzied audience. Sweat dripped from his smooth forehead onto the marble after the intense exercise.

Emptiness, an inescapable emptiness. No matter how immersed or absorbed one is in the dance, once the music ends and the audience leaves, an endless emptiness remains.

He heard someone approaching, but he was too lazy to turn his head to look. Until the person's face blocked all the light.

As always, she teased: "My prince, do you still have the energy to stay with me?"

He closed his eyes and slightly raised his hand: "Jay, help me up."

Hao Jie chuckled silently, then gently lifted him up. Xiao west clung weakly to Hao Jie, resting her chin on his shoulder, and laughed freely, "Jie, did I dance well today?"

"Okay," Hao Jie said gently as he picked Xiao Xi up in his arms. "Let's go back and take a shower. Look at you, all sweaty."

"Can't you smell anything else?" Xiao west whispered intimately in his ear, "The smell of other men, the smell of semen, is inside me."

Without warning, Hao Jie let go, and with a thud, Xiao Xi fell to the ground. The intense pain only excited Xiao Xi more, and he laughed loudly, "What? Jealous? Our young master Jie can be jealous?"

"You've taken drugs again?" Hao Jie frowned. "How many times do I have to tell you before you understand that that stuff will only ruin you?"

Xiao Xi chuckled nonchalantly, "I'm already ruined, aren't I? Instead of living a life of petty calculations, I might as well seize the day and enjoy the moment. Jie, I'm very happy. I'm happy having sex with strange men, I'm happy dancing, and I'm happy seeing you so angry that your veins are popping out. Aren't you happy that I'm so happy?"

Hao Jie wanted to leave and ignore this crazy person, but he shifted his foot, turned around, and said with a pained expression, "If Qianye saw you like this, how heartbroken he would be."

It would have been better if that name hadn't been mentioned. The moment it was, Xiao west's entire expression changed. His previously playful demeanor turned deathly pale, his eyes filled with resentment: "Get out of my way! Who needs your hypocrisy! Who needs your help! My death is my own business. Don't mention that name, you don't deserve it! Neither do I!" In the end, he couldn't catch his breath and collapsed to the ground, coughing incessantly.

Hao Jie sighed softly, picked up Xiao Xi again, and said gently, "Okay, let's not talk about it, let's go home, take a shower, and get a good night's sleep. Aren't you tired after a long day?" Xiao west suddenly became obedient, curling up in Hao Jie's arms and burying her head deeply, but her whole body was trembling uncontrollably.

"Jie, I'm scared, I'm going crazy with fear. What if I die one day and go to another world, and I meet Qianye, but he ignores me?" His voice was hoarse, like that of a child lacking security. Hao Jie felt a pang of heartache for Xiao Xi, and he gently comforted him, "No, Qianye loves you the most."

“I will definitely die before Qianye, no matter how long it takes, I will wait for him, and then I will apologize to him, keep saying it, keep saying it, until he forgives me, and then we will be as good as before. Right, Jay?”

"Yes, close your eyes and get some rest."

Hao Jie carried Xiao Xi, who had quickly fallen asleep, and walked towards the back alley, where it would be easier to hail a taxi.

As he stepped out of the bar's back door, he heard Yu Gang talking on the phone. His first instinct was to avoid the conversation, but a name Yu Gang suddenly mentioned made him stop in his tracks. He peered forward and, finding Yu Gang engrossed in his speech and oblivious to him, retreated to a corner out of Yu Gang's sight.

"...Qianye...after all these years, you still have the same bad temper."

"Going back to Zhicheng without even saying goodbye to his old flame is just outrageous..."

"You think you can fool the world by changing your name and fabricating a false identity? Don't think I don't know about your shady dealings from four years ago..."

"What do I want? Heh, that's a good question. Of course, I want to rekindle our old dreams..."

"Dreaming? My great artist, you're all the rage and adored by millions, while we're still living in dire straits! Don't be so out of touch with reality! You don't know, Maya's business has been terrible lately, and she's almost run out of cash. Considering our past relationship, how about lending me some money, and I'll repay you double in the future?"

"I'm shameless? Oh, what are you saying? I've always been an honest and kind person. You've known me for a long time, how can you say that about me, brother? I still remember how you were in ecstasy when you were under me. What, you've forgotten everything in just four years?"

"Tomorrow at 5 PM."

"I'll let you know the exact location of the Zhou Tai Hotel later. Don't forget, busy man."

Yu Gang hung up the phone triumphantly, got into his car, and drove off in no time.

Hao Jie listened to Yu Gang's words expressionlessly. Although he had always known that Yu Gang appeared kind but was actually quite cunning, he hadn't expected him to be so shameless as to blackmail Qian Ye. Qian Ye, yes, this conversation also brought shocking news—Qian Ye was coming back.

He subconsciously looked down at Xiao west and found that she had woken up sometime earlier, her big eyes wide open, staring hatefully at the place where Yu Gang had left.

"You heard everything?"

"Mm." Xiao west's voice was very low, so low that it was almost inaudible if you weren't paying attention.

"Do you want to go see him?" Hao Jie tentatively suggested.

Xiaoxi reacted immediately, grabbing his collar: "No! I don't want to bother him! He's living a good life, right here in the sunlight..."

"Okay, okay, we won't go see him, we'll go home," Hao Jie sighed.