Chapter 2 : Who is More Important Than Samue

At the entrance of the club, Paul glanced at the parked car: "Really not coming in?"

"Ha... Big brother, you know I''ve never been interested in these things. Have fun. I''ve arranged for Ralph to accompany you, and all expenses are on me. Don''t be polite."

Patrick leaned against the car, smiling at Paul, while discreetly keeping an eye on his old car.

In this hot weather, the car''s air conditioning wasn''t working well. He must be very hot, right? Would he get out of the car and leave? When did Paul become so talkative? Isn''t he satisfied with having fun and entertainment?

He also wondered if Samue recognized him. Did he know they went to the same school? Probably not. He was a golden boy, and Patrick was just a delinquent. The teachers might all know him, but a good student like Samue probably wouldn''t spare him a glance.

Thinking of this, Patrick felt a bit sad. Samue, oh Samue, would you notice me now?

Sigh, no matter what, even if you still don''t notice me, I''ll get close to you this time. I''m not just going to watch you from afar anymore.

The car was indeed hot, but Samue didn''t feel impatient. Compared to his previous environment, this was already quite good. The bustling crowds, honking cars, and vibrant streets broke his monotonous life of the past seven years.

His fixed mindset was shattered, leaving him momentarily bewildered and lost, unable to think about getting out of the car and leaving.

Perhaps he also hoped for a stranger to talk to him, to treat him like a normal person, an ordinary person... Fellow humans can often warm each other.

He didn''t know if Patrick was one of their kind, but seeing him accept people like them without any barriers made him feel more at ease. Not being treated differently or with prejudice was already a form of kindness in humanity.

Patrick returned to the car to find Samue lost in thought, not knowing what he was thinking. Those eyes that always seemed to shine were still as mesmerizing as ever... damn charming.

"Are you feeling too hot? I''m really sorry about earlier..."

"No need to apologize, I should be the one thanking you." Samue interrupted Patrick calmly, giving him a slight smile.

Thank you for what? If you let me be your 24-hour free driver, I''d be happy to. And stop smiling at me, I can barely hold myself back... I really want to pounce and take a bite.

Patrick licked the corner of his lips, his throat moving as he swallowed. Damn, this weather seems to be getting hotter...

"By the way, what were you going to say earlier?" Patrick didn''t even dare to glance at Samue, afraid that he might do something irreversible on impulse, so he quickly changed the subject.

"Are you heading to the city? Just drop me off at a bus stop ahead." They had only met by chance, and he couldn''t just stay in the car forever. It was better to take the initiative rather than wait for the other person to speak up.

"Pfft... You know I''m going to the city, so why rush to get out? Unless your home is nearby, just give me the address and I''ll drop you off. My four wheels are definitely better than your two legs. In this hot weather, it would be a shame to get your delicate skin sunburned."

Patrick wasn''t usually talkative, but he seemed to lose control in front of Samue, his words spilling out without a filter.

"What?" Samue felt like he was being flirted with.

"I said, in this hot weather, don''t get out and suffer. I''ll take you." Patrick wished he could bite his tongue off. Why did he blurt out everything when he was nervous? Samue wasn''t some bar patron looking for fun. If he scared him off, where would he find him again?

"No... I mean, are you always this enthusiastic, or do you think I''m particularly pitiful?"

"What? Pitiful? How could you be pitiful? You are..." Patrick stopped himself just in time, thinking that if anyone was pitiful, it was him.

"What am I? Or have you known me before?"

Samue couldn''t find a third reason for Patrick''s behavior other than these two.

Samue was sharper than Patrick had imagined. Dealing with a smart person required brains, but Patrick was someone who acted on impulse. He had already shown immense patience with Samue, but he almost let his ''little fox tail'' show.

Stopping in time didn''t help much; this was a question that needed answering. If he didn''t say something, he felt Samue would soon slam the door and leave in anger.

"Well, I am quite enthusiastic." Oh, come on... If it were someone else, would I still be enthusiastic? "But it depends on the person. If I like someone, I''ll do anything for them."

What a capricious reason.

"Hey... I''m honored."

Look at that... the grace of a smart person. Hearing that was comforting... If someone else said that, Patrick would have punched them—what''s with the pretentiousness? Don''t you know I haven''t read many books? Don''t talk to me in such a refined manner. If you''re happy, just say you''re happy. What''s with the ''honored'' crap?

"Sigh... No need, really. I do things based on my mood, so just think of it as me being in a good mood today and willing to serve you." How shameless.

"Harmony Road, No. 24."

"What?"

"My home address."

"Got it, sit tight." Patrick felt a burst of joy. If this joy was a budding flower when he first saw Samue, it had now fully bloomed.

The scenery can get tiresome after a while. Samue glanced at the bustling street for a bit before looking away, but the man next to him kept glancing at him without any intention of stopping. It''s quite a feat to do this while driving; this guy must be pretty good at flirting with girls, right?

Samue had already noticed Patrick''s unusual attention towards him, but he didn''t want to delve into it before figuring out Patrick''s intentions.

"Let him look, it''s not like it''ll cost me anything. Consider it part of the fare."

Samue was good-looking, with thick, dark eyebrows, big eyes that people nowadays would describe as "Kazzalan" eyes, a straight and slightly upturned nose, and lips that were just the right size.

His lips were slightly thin, looking very soft.

The lip line was distinct, with a noticeable cupid''s bow, and a small, enticing lip bead.

Just thinking about those lips made Patrick''s mouth water. His throat moved frequently, his heart itched, and his fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel as he calculated the longest route to Samue''s house.

But this wasn''t a long-term solution. The high temperature and the barely functioning air conditioning in the car made it an unpleasant experience. No matter how much Patrick wanted to spend more time with Samue, he didn''t want him to suffer through this.

"We''re here." Patrick let out a long sigh, reluctantly uttering those words.

As he turned, his gaze finally landed openly on Samue''s face.

Samue met his gaze directly and smiled slightly, "I was wondering how many more detours you''d take... Did we get here so quickly?"

"Ah... well... I... I didn''t mean to, you... you should go home now, your family must be worried."

Patrick looked embarrassed, his usually thick skin now as thin as a cicada''s wing in front of Samue, his ears turning a bit red, and his gaze becoming less straightforward.

"No, thank you."

No one would be worried because he had no family. He had been alone for seven years, and even the stolen moments of familial affection had disappeared from his life.

Samue''s heart sank, the smile in his eyes vanished.

As he said "thank you," he got out of the car and quickly walked into the building, disappearing from Patrick''s sight.

By the time Patrick chased after him, it was too late. He realized he might have said the wrong thing.

Damn... how stupid. If his family was really worried, someone would have come to pick him up.

How could he not understand such a simple logic? Patrick, could you be any dumber?

He had never scolded himself so harshly before.

Unwilling to give up, he ran to the building Samue had just entered. It was an old, dilapidated complex, almost like a condemned building.

The hallway was cluttered with various items and old furniture. He didn''t know how Samue had disappeared so quickly among these obstacles.

Patrick struggled to the second floor, looking at the doors on either side, unsure which one to knock on...

"I don''t know where I''m at, I''m standing at the back, And I''m tired of this waiting, Waiting here in line..."

His phone, which rarely rang, suddenly started singing loudly.

Startled, Patrick clutched his side pocket and dashed downstairs, afraid of drawing Samue out...

"Damn... shit, that really hurts..." Patrick cursed under his breath, clutching his bruised knee as he answered the phone, "Hello... who is it? If it''s nothing important, I''m hanging up, I''m in the middle of something."

"Patrick, Ralph isn''t answering his phone, so I had no choice. If I''m interrupting your ''important business,'' then I must give myself eight hundred points for my cleverness."

"Hmph... How can you say that? You really don''t wish Patrick well, do you? Can''t I have someone I care about?"

The person on the phone was Amanda, the financial manager at the bar. She was a college graduate from a prestigious university, but somehow ended up mixing with people like them. Patrick somewhat knew her feelings, but as a gay man, he couldn''t just give her false hope.

"Hehe... Don''t say you don''t have anyone. Even if you do, it''s not like you to indulge in daydreams. So, which little vixen has you so captivated that you can''t think straight?"

"Hehe... Stop prying. Why did you call?" Patrick opened his old car and got in. The leather seat was so hot from the sun that it almost made him curse when he sat down.

Amanda was taken aback. This wasn''t right. Although Patrick seemed unreliable, always hanging out at his bar and flirting with all sorts of people, he never truly had feelings for anyone. His eyes never showed genuine affection.

Every time she tried to test his boundaries, he would draw a clear line without any hesitation, never leaving room for misunderstanding.

What was going on today? Could it be that he...?