Straight In Between

Su Yue

Chapter 4

When they finally arrived at the office, Chi Cheng was already there and seated across from Mr Shen. Gao Ming went straight to him.

“Hey, can you tell Yuxuan to stop bossing my boyfriend around?” He hissed.

“What do you mean 'bossing him around'?” Mr Shen interjected. “I’m his boss. It’s only fair to get him to do his job, especially since you almost got me dumped yesterday.”

“Your boy is just too hot-tempered and spoiled. Why blame me for it?” Gao Ming shot back, slamming a hand on Mr. Shen’s desk.

“Yuxuan, your boy really is hot-tempered,” Chi Cheng agreed, making Mr. Shen glare at him.

“Let’s grab lunch, I’m starving,” Chi Cheng said, standing up. Just then, Xu Yang walked in with a file.

“Mr. Shen, this is the new project assigned last week. It needs your signature.”

Gao Ming stepped up behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist, making Chi Cheng cringe. Mr. Shen’s frown deepened.

“Secretary Xu Yang, if you’re tired of your job, you can submit your resignation. Making out with your boyfriend in front of your boss is incredibly disrespectful.”

Xu Yang quickly pushed Gao Ming away, his face flushing.

“You...!” Gao Ming glared at Mr Shen, frustrated.

“Fine!! Spit it out,” he said, pulling a chair close to Mr. Shen’s desk. Normally Mr Shen wouldn’t even interrupt even if he pulled Xu Yang’s c*ck out in front of him so he knew Liang Wei had one of those silly demands that he really didn’t want to hear.

“He wants to go shopping this evening. You’re paying for it.”

Chi Cheng scoffed.

“Always shopping. Shen Yuxuan, if your boy didn’t have his own money, I’d think he was only with you for the bank account. Does he never get tired of spending?”

“He sends most of what he buys to the orphanage; you know he cares very little about the money itself,” Mr Shen replied defensively.

“ I’m sending you the money, and Xu Yang is taking a week off work.”

“That’s more like buying a week off for your boyfriend,“Also, the point of you paying is for him to see you paying,” Mr. Shen explained with a serious expression.

“How will he know you're really apologizing if the money comes through me? Chi Cheng sat back in his chair while Gao Ming buried his head in his palms.

“How did we become friends? Shen Yuxuan , you’re the most cold, and petty person to ever exist.”

“You’re just as good at spoiling your boyfriend; I’m sure you understand me better than anyone,” Mr. Shen replied, standing up to head out.

“I can finally sleep my life away this summer. Who on earth was so bored that they decided school was the best thing to introduce to the world?” Xu Xuan’s voice rang through the classroom as he dropped his things into the seat beside Liang Wei.

“If smart students keep complaining about school, what are the average students supposed to do?” Liang Wei asked, throwing Xu Xuan’s bag at him to take the seat. .Xu Xuan tossed it back. “Hey, are you still coming to watch the competition?” He asked ,excitement laced in his voice.

“I'd better. That Shen Yuxuan is in his 'mood' again, getting me upset.”

“You two fought again? Wait, don’t you ever get tired of the drama?” Xu Xuan asked.

“Am I the one fighting? He’s the one getting me upset! How is that my fault? Wait... whose side are you on? Are you my friend or not?”

Xu Xuan pulled a small mirror from his bag and held it up to Liang Wei’s face.

“Look. You’re already upset,I think you’ll blow the class away with your breath. The things that set you off drives me crazy.”

“No, no, no. This time it was really something to get anyone upset,believe me... that Gao Ming, he’s...” Liang Wei paused and sighed, falling back into his chair. “Forget it.”

After lunch, they headed to Xu Xuan’s dorm to change before heading to the National Championship swimming competition. Liang Wei wouldn't normally attend such crowded events, but Xu Xuan would never miss a competition that brought him to seeing Su Yue.

They found seats in the upper stands and Wei couldn’t help shifting uncomfortably “

“She’s in the next heat,” Xu Xuan said, leaning forward excitedly.

Soon,Su Yue casually walked out and strolled to lane four just as Xuan said. She looked like she was taking a midnight stroll, completely unbothered by the thousands of eyes on her and oh,what a beauty she is.

“Fighting!!!!” Xu Xuan’s voice boomed across the arena. Liang Wei covered his face in pure embarrassment. Su Yue’s eyes lazily followed the sound and landed directly on them. With no makeup and her hair pulled into a tight bun, she looked even more striking. She rolled her shoulders once, a slow and controlled movement to calm how her stomach tightened at the sight of Xu Xuan.

Liang Wei leaned forward without realizing it. “What’s her name?” he asked quietly.Xu Xuan looked at him, stunned. “That’s Su Yue! Who doesn’t know her? She’s the one whose pictures I have in my locker!. Those Mr. Shen f**k your brain out or you just really hate the news?” Xuan replied,whispering the last part.

“That’s her? Your crush? She looks totally different in person.”

Xu Xuan hurriedly clamped his hands over Liang Wei’s mouth. “Lower your voice!”

Su Yue’s focus shifted back to the pool at the sound of the whistle blushing as if she read their lips. Her slender, legs crouched at the edge. When her head lifted one last time, her gaze landed straight on Liang Wei again. His breath caught. “Did I imagine that?” He muttered to himself just before the buzzer sounded and the water swallowed her, and the pool exploded into motion. She was a powerhouse, cutting through the surface like a blade. By the final lap, she was a full body length ahead of everyone else. When she surfaced, the scoreboard had her as the first. Xu Xuan collapsed back into his chair, breathless.

“Ugh, she drives me nuts.”

“Take me to the washroom,” Liang Wei said, after sitting forever dragging his friend up.

“If you like her so much, why don’t you just tell her?”

“Hell n—”

“Who likes who?” Mr. Shen’s voice suddenly interrupted.

Liang Wei choked on a cough, nearly jumping out of his skin. “Yo... u... what are you doing here?”

“You were on TV, and then I suddenly missed you,” Mr Shen said smoothly.Turned out he spotted Wei on the screen when they were out having lunch.

Liang Wei glanced at Xu Xuan, who was now grinning and pretending to study the ceiling, before looking back at the four men standing before him.

“Shopping?” Mr. Shen asked, reaching for his hand.

Liang Wei’s face went scarlet. He pulled his hand back, shaking his head.

“Tomorrow is the weekend. Let’s just do it tomorrow.”

Mr. Shen glanced at Chi Cheng, who was nervously scrolling through his phone, and then at Xu Xuan.

“Okay,” he smiled, seeing an opportunity to create a scene. “Since it’s the weekend, why don’t we all spend the night at my place or Chi Cheng’s? Xu Xuan should come along, too.”

Xu Xuan blinked,trying to ignore Xu Yang's presence for once. He was in a really good spirit.

“I can come too?” He asked more like he’d not really into it but doesn’t mind. Though he was friendly with them, he had never stayed over with the whole group before, especially if Xu Yang and his boyfriend were going to be present. Mr Shen doesn’t really spend much time at Liang Wei’s apartment because Wei always goes to his and for Chi Cheng he doesn’t even speak.

“Of course. We can watch movies and have some fun,” Gao Ming added, his arm still locked around Xu Yang.

By the time they arrived at Mr. Shen’s apartment, it was late. They had stopped at a restaurant first because Liang Wei refused to cook. But the moment they sat down to watch the movie they had spent an hour picking out, Mr Shen leaned over.

“I’m hungry,” he stated, grabbing Liang Wei’s hand.

Liang Wei’s frown deepened and he pulled a blanket over his head.

“Go away!”

Gao Ming burst out laughing, earning a sharp glare from Mr. Shen.

“I’ll eat anything, I promise,” Mr Shen pleaded, tugging the blanket away from Wei’s face.

“Shen Yuxuan, you should really learn how to cook for yourself.”

“Why not tell Xu Yang to learn? As my secretary and personal assistant he should be cooking for me,don’t you think ?”

“Why should he learn?” Gao Ming cut in proudly, pulling Xu Yang closer. “I’m not complaining. I’ll cook for him for the rest of our lives, you should be the one to learn so when you’re done pounding him, you can nourish him .”

Mr. Shen stared at him smirking as if to ask if he gets nourished. Before he could say anything,Liang Wei reluctantly stood up and headed for the kitchen, with Xu Xuan following to help. Chi Cheng finally looked up from his phone letting out a sigh and throwing the phone aside. His eyes landed on Mr. Shen then Gao Ming and glared at the smirks on their face.