Chapter 322 - 226: Dongdong’s Heart, Part 2
Chu Nanyi pointed at KK again and casually said, "KK."
KK was furious: "Why are they being introduced in detail, while for me it’s just a name?!"
Chu Nanyi said innocently, "The thing is, you don’t have any title... So tell me, how should I introduce you?"
KK struck a deep, godfather-like pose, purposefully raspy as he spoke: "Born on the frontier, master thief extraordinaire, wallet collector, future Yueska Little Gold Man winner, third in command of Edge, Master K."
Chu Nanyi and Dongdong simultaneously rolled their eyes.
Chu Nanyi poured a drink to toast him: "Alright alright, Master K is mighty. I, the young master, apologize to you here."
After introductions, everyone started drinking.
As they drank, Chu Nanyi felt the atmosphere was a bit dry, so he asked the bartender for some dice and laughed: "Just drinking is too boring. Let’s play Truth or Dare."
Truth or Dare is a common game at the bar table.
The method of winning or losing can be decided by the participants, like rock-paper-scissors, card drawing, or dice throwing.
The loser has to choose between Truth or Dare.
Truth involves answering a question posed by others, while Dare involves completing a task set by others.
If unwilling to answer or complete, one must down a shot as a penalty.
Su Mo often played Truth or Dare at class reunions, but he didn’t know how to play with dice, and it took Chu Nanyi several tries to teach him.
In the first round, the dice rolled continuously, and Su Mo only heard them continuously saying things like "Add one," "Six-sixes," "Eight-fours," etc.
As they played, he didn’t realize he’d lost.
Amidst the laughter, Chu Nanyi said, "Choose, Boss."
Su Mo scratched his head: "Then Truth it is."
A beautiful girl asked, "Boss Su, how old are you this year?"
Su Mo answered honestly, "24."
The girl exclaimed: "Wow, so young and already a boss! My annoying younger brother is 24 and stays at home playing games, seven to eight hours a day. I’m almost fed up."
Su Mo laughed awkwardly, thinking: Seven to eight hours? That’s nothing. I was crazier when playing ’Dawn’...
Second round.
As they rolled, Dongdong lost.
Dongdong: "Dare."
Chu Nanyi excitedly jumped up and leaned closer: "Sister Dong, give me a kiss!"
"Dong." Dongdong punched him in the face.
Chu Nanyi fell onto the sofa, covering his face, innocently saying, "Sister Dong, you’re breaking the rules..."
Dongdong cracked her knuckles, showing a cute, sweet girl expression, saying with a sweet voice: "But Brother Chu didn’t say where to kiss, using my fist to kiss is also a kiss. Want another?"
Chu Nanyi quickly ducked his head and waved his hands: "No no, can’t handle it."
Third round.
KK lost.
KK: "I’ll take Dare too."
Chu Nanyi disinterestedly: "Just drink a shot, next."
KK: "..."
Fourth round.
Dongdong lost again.
Dongdong: "Let’s play Truth this time."
KK curiously asked: "Do you have someone you like?"
The atmosphere instantly heated up, with laughter all around, and Chu Nanyi was delighted to give KK a thumbs up: "You’re good, Master K."
Dongdong stood there, a bit at a loss, her eyes wandering, occasionally sneaking glances at Su Mo beside her.
Su Mo was completely unaware of what her gaze meant, watching like an onlooker, he laughed: "If you have, you have, if not, you don’t. Just say it."
"I... I..." Dongdong stammered, her face blushing as red as a ripe apple, her pupils trembling, almost steaming from her head.
The crowd started jeering: "Judging by that reaction, it seems she has someone!"
Dongdong stomped her foot, blushing as she said: "Yes... and so what? Having someone you like... Is that so funny? Have none of you liked someone since childhood?"
Su Mo laughed so hard his stomach cramped, raising his hand to signal everyone to stop: "Alright, alright, stop laughing. Dongdong is right, liking someone is normal, it’s not embarrassing."
Chu Nanyi, being seasoned in matters of the heart, had already noticed Dongdong’s gaze frequently drifting to Su Mo.
He smiled faintly, starting to assist: "So, Sister Dong, who is the person you like?"
Dongdong trembled as if shocked, sitting there red-faced, rubbing the corners of her clothes repeatedly.
At this point, Su Mo interrupted unexpectedly: "Hey, isn’t it supposed to be one punishment per loss? Shouldn’t the second question wait until she loses again?"
Chu Nanyi was speechless, thinking: This teammate is as dumb as a pig, can’t carry him.
Dongdong let out a long sigh of relief.
In the following rounds, it was the Saint Rivelan beauty squad who kept losing.
Chu Nanyi really knew how to play; for Truth he asked about romantic experiences, for Dare it was eating the same biscuit, ripping tissue with mouths, etc.
These beauties were regulars at nightclubs, very open to playing, the atmosphere was incredibly joyous amid all the laughter.
Later, finally it was Chu Nanyi who lost and chose Truth.
A beauty asked: "Young Master Chu, how many relationships have you had from childhood till now?"
Chu Nanyi furrowed his brows, counting with his fingers repeatedly.
Counting round after round, round after round...
After counting for a full minute, he awkwardly laughed: "Oh dear, can’t keep track, maybe I’ll just drink as a penalty."
He drained his cup of strong liquor in one gulp, drawing endless teasing from the beauties.
As they continued playing, Su Mo lost again, and chose Truth.
Chu Nanyi looked at Dongdong meaningfully, smiled as he continued stirring: "Boss, what kind of girls do you like?"
This question made Dongdong perk up her ears, listening very carefully.
Su Mo scratched his head: "This question is too broad, how should I answer..."
Chu Nanyi lightly coughed, gradually saying: "So, let me use an example. Suppose there’s a girl, very pretty and cute, who’ve been by your side for quite a while, sincerely good to you."
"However, she’s much younger than you, like... kind of like Dongdong, around 14 years old. If such a girl likes you, would you accept her?"
Dongdong had never been this nervous, her heart pounding intensely as if a little deer were wildly crashing about, clutching her sleeves and waiting for Su Mo’s answer.
Su Mo blinked, quickly giving his answer.
"Definitely not."
In a split second, Dongdong suddenly felt like a piece was missing in her heart, sitting there empty and bewildered.
Chu Nanyi was also stunned: "Why?"
Su Mo didn’t realize this was the second question, and continued to speak: "The main problem is the age; I’m 24, the other party is 14. A relationship between an adult and a minor is definitely not right."
Chu Nanyi tried to amend: "But people grow up. The little girl won’t always be a little girl, would you still find it impossible if she confesses to you after she becomes an adult?"
Su Mo leaned back on the sofa, murmuring as he stared at the ceiling: "Maybe my views are pretty conservative... Five or six years difference is okay. But a whole ten years, that’s really too much."
"Such a big age gap means our outlook on life, values, social experiences would be vastly different. Even if we’re together, it might not lead to happiness."
Chu Nanyi continued trying to help Dongdong: "Then suppose your three views are quite similar, and you get along well, in that case?"
Su Mo pondered: "Hmm... then there’s another issue."
"Are you sure she truly likes me?"
Chu Nanyi paused, confused: "What’s that supposed to mean?"
Su Mo: "You say she likes me, what’s the nature of her feelings? Romantic love? But at 14, such an ignorant age, are you sure she truly understands what love is?"
"Though I’m a single since birth, haven’t had a relationship, I’ve read a lot of books, seen many people’s love stories. I feel love is about the meeting of souls, not just impulsive emotions."
"Fourteen-year-old girls are often very pure. They might think being around an older opposite sex is fun, fulfilling, brings happiness, thus believing they’ve fallen in love."
"But often this kind of liking is just a common feeling born from long companionship, something more akin to friendship or family. The young girl, due to her immature mind, doesn’t understand how to distinguish her feelings, mistakenly taking it for love."