Translator: Lynn
Surprise! A sponsored chapter is here! Shout out to @Wu Zhe Lover for the ko-fi, thank you! <3
Sponsored chapter (1/2)
“Liang Yi needs to be more realistic about his thoughts on the third floor,” Cheng Ke said as he made his way up the stairs.
After a lengthy discussion with Liang Yi at the store, Cheng Ke and Xu Ding continued to explore their options.
“Let’s reconsider,” Xu Ding suggested. “I still prefer a partially private space rather than a completely public one. We can set up a salon to ensure the tranquility of the lounge on the third floor.” This store was larger than Cheng Ke had initially imagined, with three spacious floors and a pleasant view from the French windows overlooking a green space.
However, everything was currently painted white.
Cheng Ke wasn’t particularly fond of snow. Even if he sat in a warm room, basking in the sunlight while watching the snowfall, he would eventually feel lonely and weary.
He pushed open the door to the lounge, stepped inside, and stood by the window. It had been a while since he had been in this room.
“Now people can live here if they want. Everything is ready, but it might get noisy during the day, and the decorations aren’t complete,” Xu Ding remarked. “The air quality is not ideal either.”
Cheng Ke turned to him and smiled. “Are you observing me for research today?”
“You seem a bit off today,” Xu Ding replied with a smile. “Just tell me if you want to move or find a temporary place to live.”
“I might have to move in the future, but for now, I’ll make do with it,” Cheng Ke said.
“Is the rental contract for the San-ge’s house no longer valid?” Xu Ding inquired.
“…Well,” Cheng Ke responded softly, “the contract hasn’t expired yet, so we can get a refund when it does.”
“Are you going to continue paying the rent?” Xu Ding chuckled.
“Yes,” Cheng Ke turned his head away, finding it difficult to muster a smile.
“Alright,” Xu Ding didn’t pry further. “If you can’t find a suitable place, I’ll help you.”
“Thank you,” Cheng Ke expressed his gratitude.
After having a meal with Xu Ding and returning home, Cheng Ke was greeted by the security guard as he entered the building. “Welcome back, Mr. Cheng.”
“Yes,” Cheng Ke replied.
“Mr. Jiang came by today and took the cat with him,” the security guard informed him.
“Yes, I know,” Cheng Ke nodded.
“The cat seems to have gained weight in just two or three days,” the security guard commented. “When you picked it up the other day, its head was smaller than my fist, but now it’s as big as my fist. It’s quite an enthusiastic eater.”
“Yes, it certainly is,” Cheng Ke smiled and pressed the elevator button, hoping for a quick arrival.
“This way!” The security guard pointed to the open elevator door next to him.
Only then did Cheng Ke realize that the neighboring door had already been opened, so he hurriedly stepped inside.
Upon entering his apartment, everything mainly remained the same, except for Meow’s belongings and the bag Jiang Yuduo had left for changing clothes, which were now gone.
After taking a shower, Cheng Ke sat on the sofa with his notebook in his lap.
Working at night like this after a long time made him feel uneasy as he opened his notebook. It reminded him of the months leading up to when he was kicked out of his house.
Every day after returning home, he would retreat to his room, studying a stack of documents and forms, only to end up feeling like it was all a waste of time.
He let out a soft sigh and clicked on a file.
As he read half of it, he unintentionally fell asleep.
He didn’t know why, but these past few days, he had been feeling sleepy as soon as he arrived here. He could sleep like a log in any position, and it seemed like he could sleep forever without any sudden movements.
The school was on holiday, and the New Year was approaching. He could now hear the laughter of children downstairs and the daily fireworks being set off.
The atmosphere of the Chinese New Year was more palpable this year compared to previous years.
In the past, he didn’t pay much attention to New Year’s Eve, and he didn’t need to participate in the preparations at home. Usually, he would either go out with friends or stay home. He would only hear the sound of firecrackers if he stayed up late.
Sometimes, he would stand by the window and look down. A group of children, big and small, would be running around energetically, making him dizzy.
Occasionally, he would search the surroundings, the corners, behind cars, in the small garden, but he never caught a glimpse of Jiang Yuduo.
On the one hand, he felt relieved because he didn’t want his presence to continue keeping Jiang Yuduo in that state. However, he also felt a sense of inexplicable loss.
The phone on the coffee table rang for a long time before he finally walked over to answer it.
The call was from the hotel front desk, informing him that the room he had previously booked was available for check-in today.
“Thank you,” he hung up the phone.
Today?
He opened the notepad on his phone and glanced at the date. It was indeed scheduled for today… but he hadn’t packed his belongings yet.
After staring at his phone for a while in a daze, he let out a sigh and slowly made his way into the bedroom.
Fortunately, he didn’t have too many things to pack. He just needed to put his clothes and daily necessities in a box and take them with him. As for other household appliances and such… he would deal with them later.
“San-ge,” Da Bin approached after answering the phone, “Jaeger-LeCoultre has left with two suitcases and called a car.”
“Yeah,” Jiang Yuduo nodded.
“Do you want to follow him and see where he’s going?” Da Bin asked.
“No need,” Jiang Yuduo replied.
“Should I let them go then?” Da Bin asked again.
Jiang Yuduo nodded.
After Da Bin walked away, Chen Qing squatted on the edge of the flower bed and rubbed against Jiang Yuduo, asking, “Is he trying to avoid paying rent? Is he going bankrupt again?”
“He hasn’t occupied for the full rent this month,” Jiang Yuduo glanced at him, “He isn’t running away.”
“So he didn’t cancel the lease?” Chen Qing asked in a hushed voice.
“No,” Jiang Yuduo said, “When this month is over, you can call and ask him when he’s planning to retire.”
“Okay,” Chen Qing took out his mobile phone, checked the calendar, and then leaned in closer to Jiang Yuduo’s ear, “San-ge.”
“No need,” Jiang Yuduo said.
“Damn,” Chen Qing sighed, “Forget it, don’t ask. Anyway, these people are different from us, and they’re not the first ones. I used to think he was different from the others, looking down on us, but in the end…”
“Shut up,” Jiang Yuduo calmly interrupted.
Chen Qing froze momentarily, glanced at him, and remained silent.
Jiang Yuduo pulled his hat down and looked at the younger brothers beside him, laughing and chatting while huddling up. Those who can sense shamelessness are eagerly waiting to squander their New Year’s money.
“San-ge,” Chen Qing approached again after smoking a cigarette.
Jiang Yuduo looked at him.
“Should we go to my house this year?” Chen Qing asked, “My mother asked yesterday, she wants us to go shopping for New Year’s goods.” Lu Qiang usually went home to accompany his elderly mother during the New Year, and Jiang Yuduo would often spend the New Year at Chen Qing’s house.
But this year…
“No,” Jiang Yuduo said, “I’m leaving in two days.”
“…What?” Chen Qing was taken aback, “Where are you going?”
“Recovery.” Jiang Yuduo said.
“No,” Chen Qing looked puzzled, “You’ve never gone for treatment during Chinese New Year before. Why did you choose this time?”
“Forget it, then. Who has time to treat you on New Year’s Eve?” Chen Qing frowned.
Jiang Yuduo didn’t dwell on the topic, “Tomorrow, ask a few people to go down to the rented house and keep an eye on it. The Chinese New Year is approaching. Keep those who don’t go home and don’t let those who owe rent escape.”
“Okay,” Chen Qing said, “I’ll call a few more people. Last year, there was almost a damn fight.”
“Don’t worry,” Jiang Yuduo reassured, “You might not even be able to lift a finger.”
Jiang Yuduo was joyful as he stood up and patted Chen Qing on the head. “I’m going back now, I’m feeling sleepy.”
“Yes,” Chen Qing nodded. But as Jiang Yuduo took a few steps away, Chen Qing caught up with him. “Do you want to leave the cat at my place?”
“No, I’ll take it with me,” Jiang Yuduo said. After a moment of thought, he walked back and asked, “Are you driving? Is it parked here?”
“Yeah,” Chen Qing handed him the car key. “It’s parked in the row of parking spaces at the intersection, the third one. I’ll drive it back to the shop for you tomorrow night.”
Jiang Yuduo saw the car that Chen Qing had driven today as soon as he reached the intersection. The car was parked on the side of the road, in the third parking space. However, as he took a few steps closer to the car, he suddenly stopped abruptly and clenched his hands in his pockets.
It had been a long time since he had come face to face with these people at such a close distance.
A man stood on the left side of the car’s front, facing him.
If it weren’t for the fact that they were on the street, Jiang Yuduo would have thought he was looking at a mirror.
The man wore the same coat and hat as Jiang Yuduo, and his left hand was also in his pocket.
However, the brim of the man’s hat was pressed down low, casting his entire face in shadows. With cars passing by constantly, the bright headlights failed to illuminate his face.
Without hesitation, Jiang Yuduo pulled out a knife from his pocket and rushed toward the man.
As he jumped up with his hands on the front of the car, the man turned and ran across the street, narrowly avoiding Jiang Yuduo’s kick.
Upon landing, Jiang Yuduo heard a sharp horn blaring right next to his ear.
When he diverted his attention from the fleeing man, he saw a car stop beside him, and the driver was angrily honking the horn. The driver continued honking until their eyes met.
“Are you crazy?” The driver opened his door and got out of the car, pointing at Jiang Yuduo. “Don’t you have eyes?”
Jiang Yuduo didn’t utter a word but narrowed his eyes as he stared at the driver.
The driver, growing increasingly frustrated, scrutinized Jiang Yuduo, perhaps assessing the odds of winning if a fight broke out.
Jiang Yuduo calculated the odds for him, and they were likely zero.
When the driver’s gaze landed on Jiang Yuduo’s hand, his voice trailed off, and he swiftly turned around and got back into his car.
As he started the car and prepared to drive forward, the driver leaned out of the window again. “Tut tut, can’t handle it anymore?”
Jiang Yuduo remained silent, raised his leg, and kicked the front of the car.
“Damn it,” the driver withdrew his head, reversed the car slightly, and then maneuvered past Jiang Yuduo, driving away.
The person who had fled across the street had disappeared, leaving Jiang Yuduo to glance down at his left hand.
His left hand, holding the knife, was covered in blood.
He turned his head and took another look at the car’s hood. There was a bloody handprint on it.
Opening the car door, he searched inside and found a container with several wet wipes. He tightly gripped two wipes in his hands and used another two to wipe the blood off the hood. After carefully wiping it until it was no longer visible, he sat back in the car and meticulously cleaned the knife.
Originally, he had planned to go directly to the station to buy a ticket, but now it seemed necessary for him to return home first and bandage his hands.
Bandaging a wound was a simple task for him, especially for a superficial wound like today. He had lost count of how many times he had bandaged his hands.
After tending to his hands, he fed the cat and cleaned its litter box. As he prepared to leave, he glanced at the time and realized he still had less than half an hour.
He parked the car on the corner and scanned his surroundings as he walked by. Not spotting anyone, he got into the car, lit another cigarette, and took a few drags before starting the engine and heading toward the station.
The station was a bus station, and he rarely traveled. When he did, he preferred taking the most common long-distance bus that made multiple stops. That way, in case of any unexpected incidents, he wouldn’t be trapped inside.
While standing in line to purchase tickets, he glanced at the calendar on his phone. If he left the day after tomorrow, he would have had more time, but ultimately he chose to buy tickets for tomorrow, in the early morning.
After leaving the station, he casually walked into a small convenience store. “Do you have a phone?”
The store owner pointed to the end of the counter, where an old landline phone, nearly devoid of color, was situated.
Jiang Yuduo walked over, picked up the phone, and dialed a number.
He had never saved this number, and he only called it once a year, but he always remembered it clearly.
The phone rang, and after a few rings, it connected. A woman’s voice came from the other end. “Hello.”
Jiang Yuduo glanced at the store owner, who was sitting by the door, engrossed in watching a small TV. He whispered into the microphone, “Sister Luo.”
“Xiaojiang?” Sister Luo responded immediately.
“Yes,” Jiang Yuduo replied.
“It’s been a long time since we last spoke, almost two years?” Sister Luo’s voice remained steady, but a hint of surprise was detectable. “How have you been?”
“Very good,” Jiang Yuduo said. “I just bought a ticket.”
“Do you want to come over?” Sister Luo asked.
“Well,” Jiang Yuduo said, “do you have any free time?”
“When will you come?” Sister Luo inquired.
Jiang Yuduo paused for a moment. “When are you available?”
Sister Luo let out a soft sigh, then smiled and said gently, “You can come any day. Just give me a call in advance, and I’ll make time for you, alright?”
“Okay,” Jiang Yuduo agreed.
“Then I’ll be waiting for you,” Sister Luo said.
Jiang Yuduo ended the call, typed a number, and deleted the number.
In the car, Jiang Yuduo double-checked the ticket and then placed it in his wallet.
Snow began to fall again, and he found himself captivated by the snowflakes outside the window.
After a prolonged daze, he took out his phone and mindlessly tapped on it a few more times.
Feeling somewhat disoriented, he didn’t feel like driving, but browsing through his social media feed only made him more uneasy.
The content on his friends’ posts was the usual, except now there were numerous New Year’s products being advertised. Chen Qing and his store had promotions, lotteries, and around ten different advertisements.
Scrolling down, he hesitated for a moment, then exited and dialed Cheng Ke’s name.
Cheng Ke’s social media feed was empty, with not even a single punctuation mark.
Sighing, Jiang Yuduo returned the phone to his pocket.
Upon arriving home, he bought a large bag of food. Since he would spend almost a whole day in the car tomorrow, he wanted to have some familiar snacks along the way.
“Tomorrow, we’re going on a trip,” he casually packed two sets of clothes and a small package. “We’re heading to a distant place and taking a long-distance bus.” Meow jumped onto his bag and lay on its stomach.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let you stay in the luggage compartment,” Jiang Yuduo said. “I’ll hold you in my arms, but you better behave, or I might just toss you out the window.” Meow rubbed against his hand and walked away.
When Chen Qing called, Cheng Ke had just closed his laptop and was planning to lie down for a while. Initially, he intended to pretend he was asleep and ignore the call, but he glanced at the phone screen and saw Chen Qing’s name.
“Hello?” he answered the call.
“It’s Chen Qing,” Chen Qing’s voice sounded a bit uneasy from the other end. “Is your place still rented? If you don’t want to rent it anymore, just let me know. I can come over and refund your deposit.”
Cheng Ke was at a loss for words for a moment. “Um… Why don’t I return it next month?”
“Extend it for another month, then?” Chen Qing asked.
“Yes,” Cheng Ke replied. “I haven’t finished sorting out my things yet.”
“Alright, I’ll see you next month,” Chen Qing said before hanging up.
Cheng Ke held his phone and remained stunned for quite some time.
Originally, he had wanted to inquire about Jiang Yuduo’s situation, but the Chief Protector didn’t even spare him a moment.
Cheng Ke sighed, tossed the phone aside, and lay down on the bed.
Forget it, what else could he inquire about?
He had initially left to prevent Jiang Yuduo from losing control further in the name of “protection.” If he continued to pry, and Jiang Yuduo found out, it wouldn’t be beneficial at all. It would likely only make Jiang Yuduo think he was being hypocritical.
After lying down for two minutes, the phone rang again.
“Hey!” Cheng Ke rolled over and picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“Brother,” a familiar voice came through the receiver.
Cheng Ke regretted not checking the caller ID before answering, and he felt frustrated for a few seconds before saying, “What’s the matter?”
“Brother, here’s the thing,” Cheng Yi said. “I’ll pick you up in two days and take you back home.”
“Where are you taking me back to?” Cheng Ke asked.
“Home,” Cheng Yi replied with a smile. “Where else would I take you back to?”
“I have plenty of places to go back to,” Cheng Ke frowned. “Just tell me what you mean.”
“It’s not that complicated,” Cheng Yi continued. “I just want you to come home for the New Year. Don’t you want to go home?”
“Who asked you to bring me home?” Cheng Ke retorted.
“…Brother, don’t worry about it,” Cheng Yi said. “I’ll pick you up, and you just come back…”
“Cheng Yi,” Cheng Ke interrupted him, irritated by Cheng Yi’s obvious discomfort. “Let’s stop pretending in private. Aren’t you tired of it?”
“I just want you to come home for the New Year!” Cheng Yi’s voice carried a hint of anger.
“Don’t say such things. Nobody wants me to come home for the New Year. Not my parents, and not you,” Cheng Ke said, his voice tinged with bitterness.
Cheng Yi sighed but remained silent.
“Why don’t you say something?” Cheng Ke cleared his throat and spoke slowly, each sentence separated, “I won’t go home for the New Year, and I won’t go home even if it’s not New Year.” After saying this, Cheng Ke abruptly ended the call, slamming the phone hard onto the pillow.
The phone bounced off the pillow and landed back on his lap.
“Hey, damn it!” Cheng Ke picked up the phone and threw it onto the pillow once more.
The phone bounced back again, this time a bit farther, landing on his feet. He kicked the phone off the bed in frustration.
Jiang Yuduo hugged Meow and sat at a table near the back door of the tea bar, observing the people coming in.
When Sister Luo stepped out of her car, he noticed her through the window.
Nothing had changed. She had put on some weight, and her hair was cut short, but she still exuded an air of dignity and stability, like a mature and composed elder sister.
After Sister Luo entered the tea bar, she immediately glanced toward the corner. When she spotted him, she smiled and waved, walking over to sit down.
“Sister Luo,” Jiang Yuduo stood up.
“Please sit,” Sister Luo patted him on the shoulder, pulled out a chair, and settled beside him. She then glanced at the cat in his arms. “Do you have a kitten?”
“Yes,” Jiang Yuduo sat down, “I found it.”
“Very cute,” Sister Luo smiled. When the waiter approached, she ordered two cups of coffee and a plate of shortbread. “Do you still enjoy shortbread?”
“Yes,” Jiang Yuduo nodded.
Once the food was ordered, Sister Luo looked at him and asked, “Why are you out at this time? Aren’t you celebrating the New Year at a friend’s place?” Sister Luo didn’t know Chen Qing’s name but was aware of Jiang Yuduo’s close friendship.
“I wanted to have a chat with you,” Jiang Yuduo picked up a piece of shortbread and took a bite.
It wasn’t particularly tasty, and it was a bit salty, but he kept insisting to Sister Luo that he liked shortbread.
“What do you want to talk about?” Sister Luo inquired.
Jiang Yuduo took another bite of the shortbread but remained silent.
“Do you still see them often?” Sister Luo lowered her voice.
Jiang Yuduo paused for a moment, then looked up at her. “No, I hardly see them anymore.”
“Less frequently than before?” Sister Luo probed further.
“Yes,” Jiang Yuduo nodded.
There was a moment of silence from Sister Luo before she spoke again, “Would you like to come to my office for some minor evaluations?”
Jiang Yuduo didn’t respond.
“Xiao Jiang,” Sister Luo lightly patted his hand, “It’s alright. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to. We can just chat like this. You can choose the time and place, and I’ll meet you there.”
“I don’t have any issues now,” Jiang Yuduo said, “I don’t need tests or… various assessments. I simply came to chat with you, and have a casual conversation.”
“Alright, just a casual chat,” Sister Luo looked at him.
“Don’t speak like a psychiatrist, be mindful of your choice of words, and closely observe my reactions,” Jiang Yuduo also looked at her. “I’m not your patient, and I’m not a patient.”
“Okay,” Sister Luo smiled, taking a sip of her coffee, “You’re not a patient.”
“No,” Jiang Yuduo quickly added, “Not anymore.”
“Xiao Jiang, if you want us to chat as ordinary acquaintances, can Sister ask you some questions?” Sister Luo locked eyes with him.
“Yes,” Jiang Yuduo nodded.
“You came to see me and let me know that you’ve healed,” Sister Luo softly said, “Or perhaps you want me to observe your behavior and confirm that you’ve healed?” Sister Luo’s statement was a bit convoluted, but Jiang Yuduo understood it instantly. He gazed at Sister Luo without uttering a word.
Translator notes
I might not be able to post the next bonus chapter right away since my schedule this week is quite full, I’ll either make it up on the weekend or double the chapter on Monday with the scheduled chapter. I don’t have any stock-up chapters as of now hehe. Coincidentally these bonus chapter ends with Cliff too lol. Thanks for reading!
Support me on ko-fi for faster releases ^^
![After entering a book, he just wants to be a flower vase [Entertainment Circle]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/image_2022-10-19_141804903.png "After entering a book, he just wants to be a flower vase [Entertainment Circle]")
