Translator: Lynn
Thank you Sandiiiahh for the ko-fi! Here’s your bonus chapter<3
Sponsored chapter (1/2)
After sending a message to Xu Ding, Cheng Ke drifted back into sleep. Over the past two days, his emotional state had been on a roller coaster, with his mind weighed down by various matters. However, this moment seemed to signal the completion of some significant task, marking its passage. Regardless of how challenging it might have been, he felt an overwhelming sense of relaxation.
Despite Jiang Yuduo’s persistent unease, which he couldn’t shake off entirely, he managed to fall asleep almost instantly after closing his eyes. Perhaps it was because Jiang Yuduo was here now, right beside him, officially holding the title of his boyfriend. These thoughts alone could bring him a sense of comfort.
He couldn’t put his finger on it, but at this point in his life, he’d never felt such a strong desire to establish a connection with someone, nor had he ever been this content with a relationship.
This time, he slumbered soundly. Upon waking, the sunlight streaming in through the curtains was brilliantly bright. Glancing at the time, he realized it was already three o’clock.
Cradling his cast arm, he sat up gradually, a sudden recollection of Jiang Yuduo standing by the window in the morning sweeping over him. A twinge of nervousness seized him, and he called out, “Jiang Yuduo!”
“Here,” Jiang Yuduo’s voice drifted in from outside the bedroom window, “I’m in the backyard.”
Getting out of bed, Cheng Ke moved over and drew back the curtains, spotting the lantern that was previously hanging on the clothesline now resting on the ground. Jiang Yuduo was brushing it clean.
“Wasn’t the original color nice enough? Why paint it?” Cheng Ke opened the window.
“Tung oil, colorless,” Jiang Yuduo explained, “It offers protection to the wood. I’m not sure how effective it’ll be.”
“Oh,” Cheng Ke acknowledged, surveying him, “Have you had lunch?”
“Have you?” Jiang Yuduo put down the brush and walked toward the window.
“Damn,” Cheng Ke was taken aback, “You didn’t wait for me to have lunch together, nor did you wake me up for it?”
“You were out like a wood,” Jiang Yuduo said, “I got hungry again, so I just ate beef brisket and potato rice.”
“…Where’s mine!” Cheng Ke wasn’t initially hungry, but when he heard the words “beef brisket and potato rice,” his appetite surged, and his eyes lit up.
“In the thermos,” Jiang Yuduo entered the room, “I’m not sure if it’s still warm, but I’ll heat it up for you.”
“Okay,” Cheng Ke replied.
Jiang Yuduo appeared to be in a good mood, and everything seemed normal. While Cheng Ke was getting ready, Jiang Yuduo lingered by his side, engaging in conversation.
“After a while, Chen Qing will come to pick me up, and we went around before having dinner,” Jiang Yuduo informed.
“Alright,” Cheng Ke replied with a nod, “I have a meeting with Xu Ding around four.”
“Where… are you headed?” Jiang Yuduo inquired.
“He’s coming here,” Cheng Ke felt a slight unease as Jiang Yuduo posed this question. Memories of the broken wine glass at the bar that day flashed through his mind as he spoke. “I haven’t decided on a place yet. Once I do, I’ll let you know.”
“No need,” Jiang Yuduo’s smile grew wider, “It’s in my territory. I can find out where you’re going by asking someone.”
“Indeed,” Cheng Ke reciprocated the smile.
As Cheng Ke sat down to eat, Chen Qing’s car pulled up and honked its horn outside the window, instead of his usual approach of coming in and knocking on the door.
Chen Qing’s consideration and discretion left Cheng Ke feeling slightly embarrassed. There was no reason for such a response since he and Jiang Yuduo hadn’t done anything suspicious. It almost made him feel like they were in the midst of something private.
Jiang Yuduo appeared to be in a similar situation. As though to confirm that they weren’t up to anything, he immediately leaped up upon hearing the horn, grabbed his jacket, and headed outside. He threw in a casual remark as he departed, “Chen Qing and I are around this area. If you need anything, just call.”
“Sure,” Cheng Ke replied.
Jiang Yuduo rushed out with haste.
Cheng Ke sat across from Meow and finished his meal under the feline’s watchful eyes.
“Here’s some canned food for you,” Cheng Ke scooped a couple of spoonfuls into Meow’s food bowl and said, “Don’t let your San-ge know, he thinks you’ve become picky lately, rejecting cat food after getting a taste of canned food.”
Meow paid him no heed, burying its head in the food bowl.
A message from Xu Ding’s phone caught Cheng Ke’s attention.
– Give me the number, just need to check the call log, right?
Holding his phone, Cheng Ke pondered for a moment before responding to Xu Ding.
– I’m awake and free now. Let’s meet. I scheduled an appointment for four.
Having arranged to meet Xu Ding at four o’clock, Cheng Ke settled onto the sofa, turned on the TV, and listened.
The idea of checking Jiang Yuduo’s call records weighed on him with guilt and unease. It was something he had never done before, and he typically looked down upon such actions.
However, his current desperation to locate the psychiatrist Jiang Yuduo mentioned was pushing him into unfamiliar territory. Jiang Yuduo wouldn’t easily share such information, so if Cheng Ke wanted to find out, he had to take matters into his own hands. Unlike Cheng Yi, he lacked the investigative resources to delve into Jiang Yuduo’s affairs. If he didn’t inquire with Dr. Luo, he would likely remain in the dark.
The extent of Cheng Yi’s knowledge of Jiang Yuduo was unknown. Cheng Ke prayed that Cheng Yi’s discovery was limited to mental health issues rather than the incident involving the injury.
Cheng Ke dreaded the thought of confronting Jiang Yuduo about this matter and feared his possible reaction upon learning of the investigation.
Initially, Xu Ding had suggested checking out a newly opened restaurant for potential references, but Cheng Ke declined and chose a Western restaurant in Jiang Yuduo’s vicinity.
Upon taking their seats, Xu Ding cut to the chase with a smile: “Did the money come through?”
“Directly to the card,” Cheng Ke grinned, “Did he not inform his acquaintances this time?”
“He told Tiancheng and the others,” Xu Ding took a sip of his coffee, “But not me.”
“Not you?” Cheng Ke was taken aback, even though Xu Ding and Liu Tiancheng’s group weren’t particularly close. However, he was aware of the broader context of what had happened before.
“Maybe he thought it would be too much of an affront to me,” Xu Ding mused, “Considering you caused quite a stir at the company and sent him to the hospital… everyone’s aware of it.”
Cheng Ke chuckled.
“Would this impact your business dealings with Liu Tiancheng?” Cheng Ke inquired.
“No, he’s quite pragmatic,” Xu Ding responded, “Plus, we don’t have many ongoing collaborations at the moment.”
“In fact, I’ve always wondered,” Cheng Ke paused for a moment, “Why do you…”
“Help me so extensively?” Xu Ding finished his sentence with a smile.
“Yeah,” Cheng Ke nodded.
“I’m a pragmatic individual as well,” Xu Ding explained, “While my opportunities to collaborate with Xiaoyi are limited, if you return home one day, it would be much easier for me to work with you. The chances to cooperate would significantly improve too.”
“I…” Cheng Ke smiled. Xu Ding’s candidness put him at ease, although he suspected that Xu Ding might have made a bet that went awry. “Did you lose money on that?”
“No loss, even if it’s just to make a new friend,” Xu Ding stated, “You’re far more appealing than Xiaoyi.”
Cheng Ke took a sip of his coffee with a smile.
“Do you want to review the call records?” Xu Ding inquired.
Cheng Ke paused, gazed at his cup for a moment, and then nodded, “I only have their ID number and mobile phone number. Can you still trace them?”
“How far back are we talking?” Xu Ding asked.
“Within the last two months,” Cheng Ke replied.
“That should be possible, but you’ll likely only retrieve call and message records,” Xu Ding mentioned, “Finding more detailed information might be challenging. I don’t possess the extensive connections that Xiaoyi does.”
Cheng Ke glanced at him, “Did he mention this too?”
“How could he not?” Xu Ding frowned, displaying clear displeasure at Cheng Yi’s actions.
Cheng Ke let out a soft sigh.
“Is everything alright?” Xu Ding questioned, “I usually don’t detect anything unusual about the San-ge.”
“I’m not sure,” Cheng Ke furrowed his brows, “Honestly, I just want to…”
“The call records you’re inquiring about belong to San-ge, right?” Xu Ding scrutinized him.
“Yes,” Cheng Ke glanced at Xu Ding, “But you can’t let him find out about it.”
“He won’t hear it from me,” Xu Ding assured, “Give me the number, and I’ll expedite the inquiry for you.”
“Alright,” Cheng Ke retrieved his phone and navigated through his photo album. He had previously taken a snapshot of Jiang Yuduo’s ID card for contractual purposes.
Xu Ding maintained his tactful approach and refrained from asking whether Cheng Ke desired to uncover the details of Jiang Yuduo’s conversations.
“Shall I send it to you?” Cheng Ke inquired.
“I’ll simply note it down,” Xu Ding jotted down Jiang Yuduo’s ID number on his phone, asking, “Is this the phone number he gave me?”
“I’m not sure, it should be. Please verify it.” Cheng Ke navigated to his phone book, where Jiang Yuduo’s number was stored. He hadn’t altered Jiang Yuduo’s name since their initial save, and it still read, “Jiang’s brain is abnormal.”
Seeing this, Xu Ding chuckled, “This is it.” Cheng Ke glanced at the name, hesitating if he should change it.
Back when he assigned Jiang Yuduo this name, he could never have foreseen it turning into a reality one day. After lingering over the screen for a while, he ultimately chose not to change it, returning the phone to his pocket.
“I’ll have my friend check this immediately. It’s a straightforward task,” Xu Ding remarked. “It might be getting late after dinner.”
“Yes,” Cheng Ke agreed.
“Earlier, you mentioned… you’re uncertain about the San-ge’s condition?” Xu Ding inquired.
“That’s right, I’m not sure,” Cheng Ke confirmed.
“Does he take medication?” Xu Ding probed further.
Cheng Ke contemplated for a moment, “I haven’t witnessed him taking any medication.”
“This type of situation… typically requires medication for control, right?” Xu Ding asked in a hushed tone.
“Likely so,” Cheng Ke’s brow furrowed, “But I haven’t seen him take any medication. We don’t live together, so I might not be fully aware.”
“I see,” Xu Ding paused briefly, “I probably shouldn’t pry, but I can’t help but feel concerned.”
“Ask away,” Cheng Ke smiled.
“Given his current state, are you safe being with him?” Xu Ding spoke softly, concern evident in his tone.
Cheng Ke’s mind immediately conjured the image of Jiang Yuduo pinning his hand on the back of the couch the previous night and his averted gaze.
“Not yet,” Cheng Ke responded.
“Understood,” Xu Ding nodded, “So, what’s the update on the restaurant opening, Boss Cheng?”
“This isn’t my restaurant,” Cheng Ke chuckled.
“But you’ve put in a lot of effort managing it,” Xu Ding noted, “You ought to be called the boss as well.”
“Until now, you’ve done the lion’s share of the work,” Cheng Ke stated, “I’m merely lending a hand.”
“After the opening, it will be all on you,” Xu Ding mentioned, “I’ve got numerous commitments this year, and I might not have much time here, so you’ll have to handle things.”
—
As they chatted, Chen Qing, who was meticulously peeling crayfish, interjected, “San-ge, do you really not consider me a friend?”
Jiang Yuduo, busy with his own crayfish, responded, “Why wouldn’t I consider you a friend? If I didn’t, how could I tolerate your absurdity for so many years?”
“When will you tell me?” Chen Qing asked, looking at Jiang Yuduo.
Jiang Yuduo remained silent.
“This is frustrating!” Chen Qing irritatedly placed the peeled crayfish into the bowl, then abruptly raised his head after a pause and said, “Damn, could it be fake? You two are faking as a couple just to mess with Cheng Yi?”
“What’s the logic in pretending to be a couple and then angering Cheng Yi?” Jiang Yuduo retorted.
“… Is that true?” Chen Qing sighed, resuming his crayfish peeling.
Chen Qing’s crayfish peeling skills were genuinely top-notch, and he exhibited exceptional speed and precision in this task. He had peeled seven or eight crayfish in no time.
“Yeah,” Jiang Yuduo swiftly grabbed the bowl in front of him and devoured all the crayfish meat within.
When he set the bowl back in front of Chen Qing, the latter still held a crayfish in his hand, his expression frozen in astonishment.
“It’s still tasty,” Jiang Yuduo commented.
“I…” Chen Qing stared at him, and after a lengthy pause, he finally spoke, “I genuinely consider you a friend. Otherwise, I could have dunked this bowl of spicy oil over your head.”
“Eat it properly. Don’t get mad. I’ll peel them for you,” Jiang Yuduo said, taking one crayfish and slowly peeling it. “I’ve got a pot of spicy oil on my head1I don’t really understand this one, but their conversation is quite literal. Is it a slang I don’t know? Here’s the raws:
“我……”陳慶瞪著他，半天才說了一句，“我也就是真拿你當朋友了，要不這一鍋辣油能他媽都扣你腦袋上去。”
“就沒見過你這麼吃的，磨磨嘰嘰，行了別氣了，我幫你剝，”江予奪拿起一個來慢慢剝著，“還一鍋辣油扣我腦袋上，你給自己的定位也太不準確了。”, you’re too direct with your questioning, It’s not like that.”
“That’s not necessarily true,” Chen Qing objected, “I might not be great at fighting, but I’ve got a good brain.”
Jiang Yuduo placed the peeled crayfish in his bowl. “Did you say that? Which skin did you use when you said that?”
“Let me show you something,” Chen Qing reclined slightly. “You’ll find out which skin I used, the thinnest one.”
Jiang Yuduo remained silent, his hands busy as he shot a glance at Chen Qing.
Chen Qing pulled a USB flash drive from his pocket and placed it on the table. “Do you know what’s in here?”
“Small-time porn?” Jiang Yuduo guessed.
“I just keep the small stuff on my phone. Who uses a USB flash drive for that?” Chen Qing replied while eating. “Plus, now that you’re all high-class with Jaeger-LeCoultre, I figure small-time porn isn’t your thing anymore.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuduo experienced an indescribable mix of emotions—embarrassment, discomfort, awkwardness, and an elusive something else.
“Shut up,” Jiang Yuduo retorted.
“I’m letting you in on something; I’ve got it on my phone too.” Chen Qing took out his earphones, plugged them into his phone, placed one earbud in his ear, and handed the other to Jiang Yuduo. “You’ll understand once you listen.”
Jiang Yuduo sighed, accepted the earbud, and placed it in his ear. “Go ahead, play it.”
Chen Qing tapped on his phone and then looked up at him.
Two seconds later, a shouting voice abruptly erupted from the earphone: “I don’t want to hear your name ever again! I don’t want to see a trace of you in this house!”
Jiang Yuduo’s head jerked up abruptly, a mixture of surprise and anxiety evident as he looked at Chen Qing. “Did you record that?”
“Three parts,” Chen Qing removed the earplugs, “I’ve got almost everything.”
“Damn it,” Jiang Yuduo finished listening to that part, and pulled out the earplugs, asking, “Why did you record this?”
“Just in case, this bastard usually puts up a façade, and acts all high and mighty,” Chen Qing explained, “He’s a two-faced snake. Even if it doesn’t do any good now, it’s recorded. You take it, and if he causes trouble in the future, you can toss this thing in front of his dad. You think that wouldn’t knock him down?”
Jiang Yuduo fixed his gaze on Chen Qing. “Have I underestimated you all this time?”
“How about that!” Chen Qing triumphantly slammed the table, “San-ge, how did I do?”
“Fantastic,” Jiang Yuduo said, picking up the USB flash drive and examining it, then slipping it into his coat’s inner pocket.
“But let me make it clear—I didn’t do this for Jaeger-LeCoultre,” Chen Qing emphasized, “I mean, he’s not in a great place right now. I want to cuss him out, but deep down, I think he’s alright. So, don’t give him tongue-lashing2Kissing. LMAO. Every time I think about you two… ouch, it just feels awkward…”
“Watch your language,” Jiang Yuduo pointed at him.
“If I didn’t say it,” Chen Qing waved his hand dismissively, “Anyhow, it’s for your sake. Whenever I recall those insults he hurled at you in the office that day, it infuriates me.”
Jiang Yuduo remained silent and clinked his glass against Chen Qing’s, then took a sip of his drink.
A psychiatric patient.
Thinking of this phrase now, it still pricks his heart like a needle. It’s not excruciating, but it sends a shiver down his spine.
After dining with Chen Qing and exiting onto the street, Jiang Yuduo walked alongside Chen Qing, who led him to a mall. Lately, Chen Qing’s mother had developed a fondness for knitting sweaters and had tasked him with buying more yarn.
Throughout the journey, Jiang Yuduo kept his gaze fixed straight ahead, never looking back. However, he was aware that if he turned around, he would spot the figures trailing behind.
Entering the restaurant, it was one person; upon leaving, it became two. The same car remained parked across the road.
Inside the mall, Chen Qing conversed with him, yet his words barely registered. He couldn’t focus on what Chen Qing was saying. His ears buzzed with background noise, and his eyes were crowded with faces.
He yearned to disregard it all, but the sensation of being watched grew stronger by the second.
“Want to hang out at my place for a bit?” Chen Qing offered.
“I’m heading home to rest,” Jiang Yuduo replied.
“Alright then,” Chen Qing agreed, “I’ll treat you two to dinner after a couple of days, once I’ve processed what happened between you and Jaeger-LeCoultre.”
“I’ll pay,” Jiang Yuduo said.
Before Chen Qing could respond, Jiang Yuduo gave his shoulder a pat, turned briskly, and started walking away.
At the crossroads, instead of heading home, he veered in the opposite direction.
He needed to shake off the shadows trailing him. He couldn’t lead them to his place—Cheng Ke was there. He couldn’t allow Cheng Ke to discover… their presence.
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
Support me on ko-fi for faster releases ^^
