A Night Out at the Club

Zhuo would often wonder what the expressionless Yuan Anqing was truly thinking. At the same time, he would secretly fantasize about what Yuan Anqing would be like if he ever truly relied on him.

Would he cry into Zhuo’s arms after a hard day at work, seeking solace?

Zhuo: “…”

He had just superimposed the dramatic, weeping expression of a soap opera protagonist onto Yuan Anqing’s face in his mind’s eye. A shiver ran down Zhuo’s spine at the mental image, goosebumps rising on his arms. It simply didn’t suit him; such theatrics were utterly wrong for Yuan Anqing.

Yuan Anqing likely didn’t possess such a wide range of facial muscles. Even if he were to seek comfort in Zhuo’s embrace, he wouldn’t be overly emotional. Even tears wouldn’t drastically alter his stoic, corporate demeanor.

But an expressionless, exhausted Yuan Anqing silently shedding a tear? Now that would truly tug at one’s heartstrings. He would deserve to be comforted thoroughly.

As Yuan Anqing worked on his CAD models, he suddenly felt a massive hand gently pat the top of his head.

Yuan Anqing turned his head, his gaze passing through the translucent office partition. He noticed Zhuo’s eyes, filled with a bizarre mix of pity, affection, and anticipation.

Yuan Anqing: “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Zhuo replied, propping his cheek on his hand. He let out a soft, dramatic sigh, then reached his other hand around the partition to affectionately pat Yuan Anqing’s hair once more.

Yuan Anqing understood. It seemed Zhuo was once again lost in his own mental fanfictions, projecting them onto him.

The expressions of their surrounding colleagues were incredibly complex. They didn’t understand Zhuo, so they could only infer his intentions from his external behavior.

Zhuo spent his entire workday fixated on Yuan Anqing, doing absolutely nothing else. Didn’t the terrifying monster ever get bored? Such intense observation would be truly unsettling if directed at an ordinary person—akin to being stalked by a massive, obsessive predator. How did Yuan Anqing manage to work so efficiently with such a pair of eyes constantly watching him?

Zhuo rolled his ergonomic chair back, then closed one eye. He extended his left thumb and forefinger, using forced perspective to ‘pinch’ Yuan Anqing’s head between them from across the room.

After positioning his fingers perfectly, Zhuo pulled out his phone and snapped a photo of the ‘controlled’ Yuan Anqing.

Yuan Anqing: “…”

Couldn’t Zhuo just enlarge himself and literally pinch a normal human’s head in real life? Why use forced perspective?

“Mr. Yuan,” Yang Shu said, entering the office and breaking the tension. “We’ve discovered more Differentiated Beings who have retained their consciousness.”

Clearly, Yang Shu wouldn’t bring this up during work hours without reason. The Savior’s true job was calling once more.

Yang Shu momentarily paused under Zhuo’s sudden, hateful glare, but quickly recovered. He ignored the monster and continued, “According to the Breeding Body’s interrogation, at least three rogue organizations are systematically cultivating special, inferior Differentiated Beings.”

“You can investigate that yourselves!” Zhuo interjected aggressively. “You’re not planning to make Yuan Anqing go undercover, are you? With so many inferior Differentiated Beings, he’d be drained to death!”

“Mr. Yuan, of course, cannot go undercover. Those three organizations are likely well aware of his physical appearance by now.” Yang Shu walked over to Yuan Anqing’s desk. “The authorities wish to capture more inferior Differentiated Beings for research, so they hope you can participate in more group leisure activities.”

“Group activities?” Yuan Anqing asked, puzzled.

“Can’t the authorities catch the anomalies themselves?” Zhuo continued to question.

“Catching them with force is different from observing close interaction,” Yang Shu explained. “They want to know if these anomalies’ thought processes remain normal, if they can control their powers, and most importantly, they need to figure out if this artificial differentiation can infect ordinary people.”

Yuan Anqing understood. “So, what should I do?”

“You don’t need to do anything deliberately dangerous, but… would you be interested in participating in more recreational activities in your off-hours?” Yang Shu inquired.

Yuan Anqing raised an eyebrow. “Such as?”

“Like going to a public gym, or trying escape rooms, or playing werewolf games,” Yang Shu clarified.

“Oh, you mean murder mystery games, Manager Yang,” Sister Bear corrected him from the next cubicle over.

“Oh, right. Murder mystery games.” Yang Shu clearly wasn’t familiar with popular youth activities. “In short, you could try expanding your social circle in crowded areas. The anomalies will seek you out themselves; they’re far more interested in you than we are.”

Yuan Anqing finally understood. “You mean I have to spend my precious free time entertaining a bunch of strangers as bait?”

“In theory, you’d be having fun yourself,” Yang Shu offered weakly.

“Really?” Yuan Anqing didn’t think so. He felt no joy at the prospect, only deep inconvenience. While he could handle unfamiliar adults professionally, he saw no need to invite extra trouble into his off-hours.

Yuan Anqing turned to look at Zhuo, believing Zhuo would share his sentiment—especially since Zhuo had recently become obsessed with monopolizing their alone time.

However, he saw a bright spark of surprise and longing in Zhuo’s eyes…

Oh. I shouldn’t have sought Zhuo’s approval.

Zhuo adored strangers, especially dopamine-fueled young men and women in crowded places. They were always on the verge of excitement, ready to declare love, or to brawl. Absurd, thrilling, and full of raw desire. They were completely unlike the lifeless, dull office workers.

Yang Shu continued, “You just need to enrich your real-life experiences in public, and the Differentiated Beings will come looking for you.”

Yuan Anqing pressed his fingers to his temples.

His corporate work schedule was relatively stable right now, without excessive overtime. So, taking time to bring Zhuo along for some “fun” to fulfill his Savior quota seemed reasonable. Whatever.

After work, Yuan Anqing and Zhuo stood outside the company, opting not to take the bus home immediately.

“Have you ever been to a bar?” Zhuo asked him.

“Yes, I have.” Yuan Anqing was somewhat surprised by this choice, as he knew Zhuo intensely disliked the smell of alcohol. “I actually go quite frequently. Do you want to go to a bar?”

Zhuo also seemed surprised. “You actually go to bars?!”

“I drink,” Yuan Anqing said simply. “The atmosphere in most bars is quite pleasant, very quiet. Sometimes, drinking alone at home feels too stifling, so I go to a bar to decompress.”

Zhuo’s brow furrowed slightly. “Bars are quiet?”

Yuan Anqing nodded.

“Isn’t that where people dance?”

Zhuo had never been to a bar. He couldn’t even be kept in the same room with ordinary humans for too long during his captivity. So, he learned many things through social observation and media. The authorities hadn’t specifically informed him about nightlife, as they didn’t believe a world-ending monster could ever enter such places. Thus, Zhuo’s understanding of bars was limited to movies. He imagined them as chaotic, dirty places overflowing with base desire—practically designed for him.

That’s why Zhuo was so shocked when Yuan Anqing mentioned going to bars. What did the lifeless Yuan Anqing do at bars? Did he engage in close, sweaty dancing with strangers? Would Yuan Anqing still maintain that half-dead, corporate expression while grinding on a dance floor?

“What you’re talking about are nightclubs,” Yuan Anqing clarified, realizing Zhuo had fundamentally misunderstood the terminology. “I don’t consider nightclubs to be bars. Their purpose is to seek thrills and hook up, not to appreciate a drink.”

He wanted to explain the difference in ambiance to Zhuo, but Zhuo didn’t give him a chance. Zhuo looked him sincerely in the eyes and said, “Then let’s go to a nightclub.”

Yuan Anqing: “…” His words caught in his throat.

A nightclub?
What?
That kind of place?

“Have you ever been to a nightclub?” Zhuo asked him excitedly.

Yuan Anqing shook his head.

“You’d definitely be popular at a nightclub,” Zhuo stated.

“I know.” Yuan Anqing had a very clear, objective understanding of his own appearance, which was precisely why he disliked going to such places.

Zhuo excitedly pulled out his phone to search for nearby clubs. “I wonder if they allow outside drinks. If so, I’ll buy two big bottles of sparkling water.”

Yuan Anqing sighed. “…They don’t.” Indeed, people who went to nightclubs weren’t primarily there for hydration.

“Then, can you dance?” Zhuo asked again.

“I suppose so,” Yuan Anqing nodded slowly.

Zhuo was shocked. “You never told me you could dance!”

“I learned from a dance teacher in fifth grade,” Yuan Anqing explained.

“Fifth grade?”

“For the elementary school cultural performance,” Yuan Anqing stated calmly. “I can still vaguely remember the moves, but I’d need a pair of large folding fans.” He had once played the role of a single calyx petal in a large, high-saturation ‘peony’ flower formation.

However, it was clear that this kind of traditional folk dance had absolutely nothing to do with nightclubs.

“I can skip the dance floor,” Yuan Anqing said. “I’ll just drink at a booth.”

“Can you order milk?” Zhuo asked him seriously. “You’re not in good health! You have an ulcer!”

Yuan Anqing’s expression grew strained. “Friend, you don’t want us to argue, do you?” Going to a rowdy, overstimulating place and making him abstain from alcohol was too much. Yuan Anqing could only accept one of those tortures.

“Then just have a little bit, okay?” Zhuo conceded. It was clear he really wanted to go to the nightclub.

“Alright.”

Yuan Anqing’s lack of interest in nightclubs stemmed from his dearth of excess dopamine, and he had absolutely no inclination for flirtation. He detested the heavy perfume scents; those fragrances merely masked the smell of sweat from the desperate men and women. Furthermore, Yuan Anqing wasn’t sure if club bathrooms were hygienic, so he preferred not to get too close to them.

Eventually, they consulted Bai Tian and found a large, officially-vetted nightclub venue.

Yuan Anqing and Zhuo went after dinner. Zhuo was excited the entire cab ride, muttering about how fortunate it was they had their IDs, otherwise the bouncers might mistake him for a minor and deny them entry.

Yuan Anqing didn’t know how to respond to that. He simply glanced up at the two-meter-tall, broad-shouldered mob-boss figure of Zhuo, ensuring the monster hadn’t suddenly shrunk into a teenager.

Yuan Anqing had initially intended to book a two-person booth, but considering Zhuo wouldn’t fit comfortably in a single seat, he had to reserve an expensive, medium-sized VIP booth.

The booth was a face-to-face U-shape. Zhuo found it quite comfortable after sitting down, but he preferred the large, semicircular VIP booths in the center.

“Those are very expensive,” Yuan Anqing reminded him, raising his voice over the thumping bass. “And I don’t like being crammed in with so many people.”

“Why would so many people sit together?” Zhuo didn’t understand the appeal of bottle service. “Isn’t it just the two of us here?”

Yuan Anqing sighed.

Just then, a woman in a tight sequined dress approached their table with a sultry smile. “Handsome, is it just the two of you?”

“Hey, hey, hey! This spot is ours,” Zhuo said, frowning aggressively at her. “What are you doing here?”

Yuan Anqing sighed again.

Despite the world having various strange subspecies, Zhuo’s aggressive good looks and Yuan Anqing’s cold, ascetic appearance were still incredibly eye-catching. Nightclubs were places for releasing hormones, so it was natural for people to approach them.

Beside them, a slender man with colorful hair chuckled mockingly after seeing the woman rebuffed. Then, he puffed out his chest and strutted closer.

“Don’t you two like women?” the man smiled suggestively at Yuan Anqing and Zhuo.

Zhuo glared at him. “Your butt is almost touching our seats. What are you doing?”

The man froze, his smile cracking.

“It’s not even crowded in here yet,” Zhuo added, genuinely annoyed. “Go stand somewhere else! I don’t know you.”

Yuan Anqing: “…”

The man rolled his eyes and hurried away.

“Don’t you want to interact with them?” Yuan Anqing asked Zhuo. “Isn’t that why you wanted to come here?”

“Interact about what? They just want to sleep with us!” Zhuo said, fanning his hand in front of his nose in disgust. “Such a strong smell of cheap hormones!”

Zhuo could perceive pure desire, but he wasn’t interested in satisfying a stranger’s fleeting lust—mostly because Zhuo wasn’t hungry for human flesh right now.

“Besides, he didn’t pay for this booth, so he can’t sit in our spot,” Zhuo emphasized pragmatically.

“How can you experience the beauty of human desire without close contact?” Yuan Anqing inquired.

“I can see their desires from here.” Zhuo pointed to the crowd grinding wildly on the dance floor. “Look at that man in the plaid shirt. He looks very honest, right?”

Yuan Anqing followed his gaze.

Zhuo continued, reading the room like an open book. “He wants to sleep with the short-haired girl in the red dress next to him. And the man in the loose pink clothes next to the plaid-shirt guy wants to sleep with the plaid-shirt guy. Oh, they must have grown up together. The pink-shirt guy is incredibly jealous of the short-haired girl. And the short-haired girl is looking at the girl with the big wavy hair next to her—she actually wants to sleep with her.”

Yuan Anqing: “…”

Zhuo probably sees the crowd like some chaotic, sprawling reality TV show.
So Zhuo came here just to watch a bigger screen TV?

“By the way, do you know what Bai Tian’s core desire is?” Zhuo asked Yuan Anqing, changing the subject.

“What?” Yuan Anqing was somewhat surprised. “How do you know Bai Tian’s wife is a doctor?” He didn’t think Bai Tian, who was so wary of Zhuo, would reveal private information about his family.

“I can guess,” Zhuo said smugly. “Bai Tian’s physical desires aren’t being met, but he doesn’t harbor any resentment toward his wife, so it’s not an emotional problem. Ergo, his wife must be very busy. And those people in the government building really like to tell Bai Tian about their health issues, but Bai Tian isn’t a doctor.”

Noticing Yuan Anqing’s astonished gaze, Zhuo straightened his back proudly. “Furthermore, he previously complained that all his good pens were taken by his wife. Therefore, that doctor everyone asks for advice about must not be a relative, but his wife.”

“You’re truly impressive,” Yuan Anqing praised honestly. “But why are you so concerned about Bai Tian’s private life?”

Zhuo paused, then answered truthfully, “I wanted to mess with him.” If he hadn’t become Yuan Anqing’s bodyguard so quickly, his plan to psychologically torture his handlers would likely have already begun.

Yuan Anqing felt a deep sense of helplessness. He suspected Zhuo’s use of ‘mess with’ was a euphemism; Zhuo was more likely planning to set a trap and devour Bai Tian. But Yuan Anqing didn’t press the issue. After all, he himself was also technically destined to be devoured.

Yuan Anqing pulled out his phone and scanned the QR code on the booth table to order. “Want something to drink?” Purely chatting in a loud nightclub felt too strange.

“Do they have soft drinks?” Zhuo asked him.

“You came to a place like this to drink soda?” Yuan Anqing paused slightly. “Don’t you want to try some actual alcohol?”

“I don’t like alcohol,” Zhuo replied honestly. “It tastes very bitter and strange.”

“Some alcoholic drinks are delicious, mixed like sweet beverages,” Yuan Anqing explained. “They just make you drunk easily if you drink too much.”

Drunk? Zhuo had never experienced being drunk before, and he was curious, but he truly didn’t like the taste of pure alcohol. “Then you order for me?”

“Some of these drinks are too sweet for my taste, but you might really like them,” Yuan Anqing suggested, tapping on a fruity cocktail. “Also, stop chasing people away. We’re supposed to be immersing ourselves in group activities as bait; we can’t refuse people’s approaches.”

“Alright…” Zhuo’s expression soured. He didn’t like the idea of Yuan Anqing having other friends, even temporary ones.

Soon, the waiter brought their drinks. Zhuo glanced at his glass; it contained a bright golden liquid, while Yuan Anqing’s was a clear, strong white spirit.

Zhuo didn’t drink his first. He leaned over, picked up Yuan Anqing’s glass, and took a small sip.

Yuan Anqing didn’t stop him, instead quietly waiting for Zhuo’s reaction.

“Ugh! That’s awful!” Zhuo hissed, his face scrunched up. “So sour and bitter! Even worse than what I’ve had before!”

“Actually, once you get used to this kind of liquor, it tastes quite good,” Yuan Anqing said, taking his glass back. He found Zhuo’s action of licking the rim like a curious cat particularly comical. “Just like bitter melon.”

“I hate bitter melon.” Zhuo looked at the bright cocktail in front of him. He frowned, took a tentative, small lick, and his brow instantly smoothed out. “This one tastes good!” It was incredibly sweet, with almost no alcoholic burn.

“Do you like it?” Yuan Anqing asked him.

Zhuo drank more than half the large glass in one gulp. “I like it! I want more!”

“Don’t drink too fast! You’ll get drunk, and I won’t be able to carry your dead weight back.” Yuan Anqing quickly stopped him. Zhuo was drinking it like it was pure fruit juice. At this rate, Zhuo alone could down three liters.

Zhuo’s brow furrowed suspiciously, then he blinked, tilted the glass, and took another small lick, savoring it. “It really doesn’t taste like alcohol.”

Yuan Anqing was amused. “That’s precisely why it’s so easy to fall for it.”

Zhuo froze.

Yuan Anqing was smiling at him.

Those usually indifferent, deadpan eyes curved upward. Not in a polite, formulaic corporate smile, but in a genuine expression of quiet amusement.

Zhuo didn’t know how to describe it, but he felt as if Yuan Anqing’s eyes saw only him, and the rare tenderness in that moment was entirely for him alone.

The flashing purple and blue strobe lights of the dance floor couldn’t penetrate those dark, deep eyes. Only Zhuo could perceive the faint, latent golden glow hidden within those pupils, and within that golden glow, his own reflection.

“Why did you zone out?” Yuan Anqing asked him.

“It’s really sweet,” Zhuo said, his voice dropping to a low, husky whisper.

“What?” Yuan Anqing didn’t hear clearly over the bass.

Zhuo got up and leaned heavily close to Yuan Anqing’s ear. “IT’S SO SWEET! I WISH I COULD DRINK ENDLESSLY!”

Yuan Anqing smiled again. “Later, we’ll find a proper liquor store, buy the ingredients for these drinks to take home, and you can drink as much as you want there safely.”

This time, Zhuo leaned even closer, seeing the smile even more clearly.

Zhuo swallowed hard. He really, really wanted to rub his cheek affectionately against Yuan Anqing’s.

Thinking this, Zhuo simply did exactly that. He pressed his face against Yuan Anqing’s cheek and rubbed vigorously several times like an oversized dog. His movements were broad, yet he carefully angled his head to avoid letting the hard horns on his skull hit Yuan Anqing’s glasses.

After rubbing, Zhuo sat back down, chugging the remaining alcohol in one go, then placed the empty glass on the table with a triumphant flourish.

He felt great!

Yuan Anqing, whose glasses had been knocked askew by the sudden aggressive cuddling, was left staring in bewildered surprise.

The triumphant Zhuo still felt unsatisfied. “Another glass!”

This drink truly had a kick to it; he could feel his heart pounding incessantly in his chest.