Winner Takes All

Title: 谁把谁当真 (Winner Takes All)

Author：水千丞 (ShuiQianCheng)

Translator: 月野 見事 (TsukinoMigoto)

Protagonists ：黎朔 (LiShuo), 赵锦辛 (ZhaoJinXin)

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Li Shuo returned to China on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. Zhao Jinxin had something to do with his family. He was relieved that he didn’t go with him this time. He was able to hide from Zhao Jinxin.

Before leaving, his dad talked to him earnestly and talked about life and feelings with him, which made him quite helpless. In short, the theme was almost the same fucking straightforward thing. His dad told him to cherish the people in front of him, but he didn’t say anything. He can’t tell the truth at this point.

He doesn’t blame his parents for thinking such ways. After all, they don’t know the grievances between himself and Zhao Jinxin. Probably, to outsiders, he is more like a player rather than Zhao Jinxin.

He also hopes that he was the player instead of being played around, and he is also working hard in this direction.

After returning to the capital, Li Shuo went to withdraw the money first. In order not to attract attention, he took out 1.6 million in between four banks, and then asked the assistant to give 100,000 in cash to Xu Darui first. This was done to stabilize the loan shark. If the loan is paid off in one lump sum, the loan shark will not be easily released. It’s Xu Darui’s. He will also give Xu Darui the next money in batches and ask for the recording back.

After being busy for a few days, Xu Darui was temporarily suppressed, and the information at hand was basically sorted out. Li Shuo had time to respond to Wen Xiaohui’s invitation, but he was not in the mood to go out for dinner, so he let Wen Xiaohui come to his home. Wen Xiaohui bombarded him on the phone and said that he would bring Luo Yi. Luo Yi asked for it on his own initiative.

Since Luo Yi is so calm, he has no reason to be more narrow-minded like a child.

He prepared a few dishes and opened up a good bottle of wine.

Wen Xiaohui and Luo Yi arrived on time, at seven o’clock,

It has been half a year since he last saw Luo Yi. Luo Yi has lost the appearance of the pale boy at the time. He is in good spirits, and he has matured a lot, and his skin is showing a healthy glow.

Seeing Li Shuo, Luo Yi greeted him neither humbly nor arrogantly.

Li Shuo also smiled generously: “Please come in.”

Wen Xiaohui smiled and pulled Luo Yi in through the door.

Li Shuo looked at the little lovers, they were very harmonious and full of love, and he was very pleased.

“Brother Li, miss me? I’m looking more beautiful, right? Did you buy me gifts?” Wen Xiaohui was too familiar with him, and while poor, took out his own slippers from the shoe cabinet and threw a pair of them to Luo Yi.

Luo Yi looked at the pair of rabbit slippers and twitched the corners of his mouth.

Li Shuo smiled and said: “Yes, yes, I bought it.”

Wen Xiaohui pushed Luo Yi: “Well, I bought it.”

Luo Yi supported the shoe cabinet with one hand, tilted his head and looked at Wen Xiaohui: “You bought two pairs of couple slippers and put them in someone else’s house?”

“Oh, there’s a discount at the supermarket. I bought a pair for Brother Li because they looked good.” Wen Xiaohui stepped on his own, “Hey, I wear them, and you wear them too. We are wearing couple slippers. You have no complain, huh?”

Luo Yi snorted and put it on.

“Sit down.” Li Shuo took out the chair, “I’m ready to cook.”

Wen Xiaohui piled the bags in his hands on the hallway, “Brother Li, these are all gifts for you. You can only open them when we leave.”

Li Shuo smiled while serving the dishes, “Why?”

“Because if you open it on the spot, I will be embarrassed.”

“You know how to be embarrassed too?”

“Why not? I am pure.” Wen Xiaohui laughed and served Li Shuo.

During the dinner, Li Shuo assumed nothing bad will happen. He chatted with Luo Yi, asked him about the company, and talked about the financial market. Luo Yi also behaved well and was being humble. Now in his early twenties, he seemed to never been the young reckless man from before. There’s a big difference, even though everyone present has learned his true side.

Li Shuo can sense that Luo Yi was still not at ease with him. He was always inquiring about the details of his daily contact with Wen Xiaohui. Li Shuo had a clear conscience and naturally told the truth.

Fortunately, the atmosphere is not awkward, and Wen Xiaohui is relieved.

After eating, Li Shuo put away the table, made tea, and was walking towards the living room with the tray, when the doorbell rang.

“Xiaohui, help me open the door.”

“Okay.” Wen Xiaohui jumped to open the door.

As soon as Li Shuo put the tray on the coffee table, he heard Wen Xiaohui yell out: “You fucking wild duck! Who allowed you to touch this door!”

Li Shuo was surprised, could it be…

Luo Yi also stood up, and the two of them walked to the hallway together.

Sure enough, Zhao Jinxin was standing outside the door carrying his luggage with a cold face.

“Why are you back already?” Li Shuo blurted out.

“I miss you, so I came back early.” Zhao Jinxin leaned against the door frame and looked at Wen Xiaohui unceremoniously.

Wen Xiaohui turned to look at Li Shuo in surprise: “Brother Li, you guys…”

“We are fine, you don’t have to worry too much.” Zhao Jinxin pushed him away and entered the door openly. After putting down his luggage, he began to take off his coat, just like he was at his own home. “Baby, do you have any more food for me? I’m very hungry.”

Wen Xiaohui’s eyes were red with anger: “Brother Li, why are you still with him?!”

Li Shuo sighed, not knowing how to answer the conversation for a while.

No one knows better than Wen Xiaohui what he has experienced. From everything that happened in the hospital to the decadent period that no one has never been seen before, Wen Xiaohui was there with him. Now…

Li Shuo is a little confused. After being humiliated like that, he still ‘reconciled’ with Zhao Jinxin, or rather the truth was that he was threatened by Zhao Jinxin to ‘reconcile’, which one is more embarrassing to tell? He rubbed his eyebrows and said apologetically: “Sorry, Xiaohui, I will explain to you later.”

“Why did you apologize to me? You fucking don’t need to apologize to me. You are with this kind of bastard, you should be sorry for yourself!”

Li Shuo was silent, Wen Xiaohui’s words sounded like a bell ringing above his head.

Zhao Jinxin’s face became more and more ugly, while Luo Yi rolled his eyes and looked like he’s bored.

Wen Xiaohui got more and more excited: “What did this bastard say and do at the time?! Li Shuo, you are good at everything, but your heart is soft. Did you forget everything he said about you? May I help you remember?”

Zhao Jinxin watched Wen Xiaohui’s eyes become gloomy, he said coldly: “Our business, it’s not your right to talk. Get out.”

Luo Yi narrowed his eyes and whispered: “Who are you telling that to?”

“Zhao Jinxin, you shut up.” Li Shuo said solemnly.

Wen Xiaohui rolled up his sleeves with a fierce look, “Fuck, I teach you how to behave today.” He tugged Luo Yi, “husband, help me beat him.”

“Okay.” Luo Yi pushed Wen Xiaohui behind him, and was about to rush up with a stride.

Zhao Jinxin was full of contempt, stepped back, and assumed an attacking posture.

Li Shuo stretched out his long arms and crossed him in front of Luo Yi. He said gloomily, “Okay, don’t make trouble at my house. Xiaohui, you should go back first and give Big Brother Li a face, okay?”

Wen Xiaohui’s face was distorted with anger, he grabbed a decoration and smashed it at Zhao Jinxin’s feet, then forced his two middle fingers up, “I curse you with erectile dysfunction for the rest of your life.”

Luo Yi’s mouth twitched, obviously holding back a smile.

Li Shuo hurriedly sent the two out of the door.

Zhao Jinxin folded his arms around his chest and leaned on the cabinet, with a look of innocence: “If you think about your reputation, don’t care about that little twink. Unless he might say something bad again…”

“Then you can bear it with me.” Li Shuo looked at him, “He is my friend, he just cares about me. There is nothing wrong with it.”

“What qualifications does he have to point fingers at us?”

“I said he has it then he has it.”

Zhao Jinxin took a deep breath: “Okay, you have the final say.”

Li Shuo pointed to the kitchen, “There are leftovers in the refrigerator, please heat it yourself.”

“I’m not hungry anymore.” Zhao Jinxin smiled mockingly, “I haven’t slept all day and night, I just want to see you sooner.”

“Then you go home and sleep.” Li Shuo put away the untouched tea.

Zhao Jinxin hugged Li Shuo from behind: “I miss you so much, I want… I miss the old you. I often think, if you didn’t come to the hospital that day, you didn’t have to hear those words…”

“Then… I will be dumped by you for ‘decent’ reasons in the near future. I will definitely be sad, not reconciled, reflecting on what it is that I did not do well, and wanting to accommodate to you, but in fact you are just tired of playing.” Li Shuo said blankly, as if what he said had nothing to do with him.

“No.” Zhao Jinxin closed his eyes and rubbed Li Shuo’s neck cautiously, “I can’t bear to break up with you. We will be very happy now…”

Li Shuo sneered: “You deceive yourself and others. Okay, since you don’t want to eat, you should go back.”

“I’m not going back, I want to sleep here.”

“Whatever.”

Li Shuo took the tea to the kitchen, cleaned it, and then wiped the kitchen again. After he’s been busy trying to forget himself for a while, it was already dark.

Li Shuo walked into the bedroom and saw that Zhao Jinxin was already asleep in the bed. The shadows in the eye sockets and the frowning eyebrows in his sleep can tell the owner’s fatigue and strain.

Li Shuo walked over gently. He dared not sit on the bed for fear of awakening Zhao Jinxin. He could only support the bedside table with one hand, leaned down, and stared at Zhao Jinxin’s sleeping face without saying a word. In the end, even when he had endured, he can’t help but reach out to move the bangs on Zhao Jinxin’s forehead.

What a perfect face, it seems to be able to be forgiven for any wrongdoing…

But if he can’t be fully his till the end, he would rather not have him at all.

That night, Li Shuo slept in the guest room, but when he woke up, Zhao Jinxin was in the same bed as him, his hands and feet were wrapped around him, he was almost suffocated from heat.

After getting up, Li Shuo saw a text message sent by Xu Darui, saying that he had been beaten, and the loan shark asked him to pay the remaining money quickly. He also said that he had gained an extra 20,000 yuan in the past few days.

Li Shuo did not reply, but sent a text message to the assistant, asking him to give Xu Darui another 200,000.

At this time, Zhao Jinxin also woke up. He had slept and regained his vitality so he began to circle Li Shuo with a hippy smile, and took the initiative to make breakfast.

While eating breakfast, Li Shuo looked at Zhao Jinxin in silence. The calmness on the surface concealed the surging emotions in his heart.

Zhao Jinxin smiled and looked at him, and said coquettishly: “Why Uncle Li looks at me like this? Did you find that I’m too good-looking?”

“Um.”

Zhao Jinxin blinked: “I’m all yours.”

Li Shuo’s heart tightened: “Are you… going to the company today?”

“I’m going. I have to go in a while, there’s some business at the company. What’s the matter?”

“I’m going too. I want to talk to you about something.”

“Audit? Can’t talk about it now?”

“Go to the company to talk about business.”

“Well, that’s right.” Zhao Jinxin licked the corner of his mouth and smiled ambiguously, “Home is a place to be in love.”

Li Shuo put down the dishes and chopsticks: “I’m finished.”

“I have finished eating too, let’s go.”

“You go first, I have to do something else first.”

“Okay, then I’ll go first.” Zhao Jinxin raised his chin and pressed a kiss gently, “Today I can see Uncle Li in my company. I am so happy.”

Li Shuo was silent.

Zhao Jinxin changed clothes and hurried away.

Li Shuo was in a daze and took out a thick document folder from his safe.

The reason why he chose to have a showdown with Zhao Jinxin in the company is to control his own emotions in a crowded place.

Li Shuo took a deep breath, changed his clothes, took the document folder and went out.

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*Translator’s Note: Sorry… I just have to say this. Xiaohui is such a bad-ass! I love this little guy so much. Xiaohui cursed ZJX “won’t be able to get it up forever” but I think “erectile dysfunction” fits better. It means almost the same anyway. Lol. Get ready for a showdown!

Next update: 2022/02/21