E | Chapter 11

Electrified | Chapter Eleven

Landing in He City happened at precisely 12:30 in the afternoon.

Yu Zhinian barely shut his eyes on the plane. Over nearly fifteen hours of travel, he compiled tens of thousands of words of notes, revised a thesis, read through an academic journal, and only began to feel drowsy just as the plane started descending.

Exhausted, Yu Zhinian dragged his suitcase out of the airport and received a call from Lawyer Li, who had personally come to pick him up.

Standing at the exit, Lawyer Li didn’t hold up a sign but was dressed formally, starkly contrasting with his surroundings. Upon spotting Yu Zhinian, he greeted him with a warm, professional smile.

Silent and composed, Yu Zhinian got into the car and settled into his seat. Lack of sleep left him drained, both mentally and physically, to the point where he had no energy for small talk or social interaction.

When Lawyer Li asked him where he wanted to go, Yu Zhinian gave it some thought before calling the moving company he had previously arranged with. The movers confirmed they were waiting for his instructions, so he provided them with the address of Yang Ke’s property.

“Let’s go to Yang Ke’s place first,” Yu Zhinian told Lawyer Li. “Smith has been pestering me to collect my things.”

Lawyer Li directed the driver toward Rose District and turned back to Yu Zhinian, saying, “We need to discuss the matter of that trust first.”

Yu Zhinian, his mind foggy, groaned inwardly at the mention of the trust. Feeling utterly overwhelmed, he suggested evasively, “I’m too tired right now. Can we talk in a few days?”

Lawyer Li hesitated before responding, “This isn’t something we can afford to delay.”

“I’ll talk first, and you just listen,” he offered. “You can decide later.”

He explained, “The trust Chairman Yang set up for you isn’t just about shares. If you and Yang Ke don’t marry, it’ll affect not only your rights but several company decisions as well.”

The spacious business car had seats on opposite sides. Lawyer Li, sitting across from Yu Zhinian, detailed the numerous complications that would arise from not proceeding with the marriage.

Yu Zhinian listened in silence, his fatigue mounting. Before long, the car approached Yang Ke’s house.

Though he had not visited Rose District often in the past, he eventually lived there long enough to become familiar. The sight of the newly budding trees along the roadside stirred unspoken emotions within him.

“Lawyer Li,” Yu Zhinian said, gathering what little energy he had to piece together Lawyer Li’s earlier points. After a moment of contemplation, he asked the one question that truly concerned him, “But none of this really affects Yang Ke, does it? He doesn’t seem interested in inheriting the company.”

Lawyer Li paused, his expression momentarily stiff. “It’s… not entirely that simple.”

The car entered the property gates and stopped in front of the house. The moving truck and its crew were already there, standing by the vehicle. The butler, too, waited at the door for Yu Zhinian.

Without continuing the conversation with Lawyer Li, Yu Zhinian got out of the car, retrieved his luggage, and walked toward the butler.

Yang Ke wasn’t home. The only people present were the butler and some staff. The butler led Yu Zhinian and the moving crew to the basement, but after fumbling with the key for some time, they discovered the door lock was broken.

Yu Zhinian asked the butler, “Was the lock fine before?”

“It was working,” the butler replied, speaking into his phone. “I opened it just a couple of days ago.”

The butler made several calls to locksmiths, even reaching out to agencies, but everyone happened to be unavailable that day. This left Yu Zhinian and the movers awkwardly crowded on the basement staircase, unable to go up or down.

Lawyer Li, a typically busy man, had not yet left for some reason. He stood at the top of the stairs, peering down and asking the last mover in line, “What’s the holdup?”

“Mr. Yu,” the butler said apologetically after putting down his phone. “It seems we won’t be able to get anyone to open the lock today.”

Yu Zhinian’s head throbbed as he stared at the unyielding door. Helpless, he turned to the moving company’s manager and asked, “Do you have any availability tomorrow?”

The manager looked troubled. “We usually require reservations at least a week in advance. It’s a busy season for moving…”

“Could you check for me anyway?” Yu Zhinian asked, putting aside his pride to plead.

Just as they were negotiating, a voice Yu Zhinian knew all too well came from upstairs.

“Why are there so many people here?”

Instinctively, Yu Zhinian looked up. He saw someone new standing beside Lawyer Li. From his angle, he could only make out black trousers, a white shirt cuff, and a wrist adorned with a watch.

“Seems the basement lock’s broken,” Lawyer Li explained, stepping aside to let the newcomer through. Taking a step forward, the man bent slightly to survey the scene.

Finally, Yu Zhinian saw him clearly.

Yang Ke was dressed in a sharp black suit. His hair hadn’t changed since the last time Yu Zhinian saw him. His face, devoid of expression, shifted his gaze from the butler—who was still on the phone—to the door, and then to Yu Zhinian.

Yu Zhinian’s heart raced. He opened his mouth, but his lips were dry, and his brain felt paralyzed. No words came out.

Fortunately, Yang Ke only glanced at him briefly before turning back to the butler. “What’s going on?”

“The lock’s broken,” the butler replied, maneuvering past Yu Zhinian and the movers as he climbed the stairs. “No one’s available to fix it today. Mr. Yu’s things are all inside.”

“If we can’t open it today, maybe the movers should head back,” Lawyer Li suggested loudly from upstairs. “It’s too crowded here anyway.”

“Now that Yang Ke’s here and Zhinian is too, why don’t we take the chance to sit down and talk?” Lawyer Li leaned over the staircase railing, addressing Yu Zhinian. “What do you think, Zhinian?”

Yu Zhinian felt a wave of embarrassment. He didn’t think there was much to discuss, nor did he want to have any conversations involving Yang Ke. Still, standing at the bottom of the stairs wasn’t ideal either. Reluctantly, he walked upstairs and stopped a few steps below Lawyer Li. In a low voice, he said, “I already understand the specifics. I’ll think about it and contact you in a few days, okay?”

He deliberately avoided looking in Yang Ke’s direction, though he couldn’t help but catch glimpses from the corner of his eye. Yang Ke stood about a meter away, possibly looking at him, possibly not.

Suddenly, Yu Zhinian realized he might have entirely lost the ability to converse with Yang Ke. He felt tense, deflated.

As he finished speaking, Lawyer Li remained silent. After a moment, Yu Zhinian turned to the butler and said, “I’ll head out for now. Once the lock is fixed, could you call me? I’ll come back to get my things.”

“But didn’t the movers say they’re unavailable tomorrow?” Lawyer Li interrupted. “How will you move without them?”

Yu Zhinian glanced at the moving company manager and replied awkwardly, “I’ll find another company. Once the door’s fixed, I’ll definitely get my stuff out.”

Again, Lawyer Li didn’t respond.

Yang Ke still hadn’t left. The atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.

As Yu Zhinian debated his next move, his phone vibrated. He looked down to see three missed calls from Lin Kai, his real estate agent. Distracted by the lock issue earlier, he hadn’t noticed.

Before he could call back, Lin Kai’s name popped up again. Answering, Yu Zhinian heard the agent’s apologetic voice relay yet another piece of bad news: “Zhinian, the water pipes in your rental burst. The place is flooded and uninhabitable for now.”

For a moment, Yu Zhinian was stunned. Could this day get any worse?

“How long will it take to fix?” he asked numbly.

“At least a week,” Lin Kai said cautiously. “I’m so sorry. I’ll refund part of your rent immediately.”

Yu Zhinian didn’t respond. After more apologies from Lin Kai, he hung up and raised his head, only to meet Lawyer Li’s concerned gaze. “What’s wrong? Why are you staying at a hotel?”

“The water pipes in my rental broke,” Yu Zhinian explained, helplessly. “I have no choice but to find a hotel.”

Lawyer Li’s eyes widened. “That won’t do! Just stay here. It’s not like there’s no room.”

“No need,” Yu Zhinian declined instinctively.

The butler chimed in, “Mr. Yu, your room is cleaned daily.”

Yu Zhinian forced a smile at the butler but refused again. “It’s okay, I’ll find somewhere else.”

The moving company manager interrupted their exchange, informing Yu Zhinian that they were leaving and would try to find another crew for him. With that, the movers departed, leaving the house feeling emptier than ever.

From where Yu Zhinian stood, he could see the dining area, a corner of the living room, and the staircase leading to the second floor.

He’d always found this house warm and inviting, its beige and coffee tones paired with soft rugs giving it a homey vibe. At one point, he had even naively envisioned it as his home.

“Going out to find a hotel seems unnecessary,” Lawyer Li continued his persuasion. “You’re already here.”

Before Yu Zhinian could respond, Yang Ke spoke.

“Just stay if you’re going to.”

Yu Zhinian froze.

“Stop dawdling,” Yang Ke added, turning to the butler. “Take his luggage upstairs.”

Yu Zhinian blinked in surprise, looking up at Yang Ke, who remained expressionless as he said, “I’m not that petty. You staying one night won’t kill me.”

Yang Ke’s words were hardly comforting, but Yu Zhinian muttered, “Oh,” in response. Lawyer Li interjected, “Don’t talk about death. How unlucky.”

Yang Ke didn’t reply. After a brief pause, he asked Yu Zhinian, “You met with my father the other day?”

“Yeah,” Yu Zhinian answered.

“Why didn’t you say anything in the car?” Yang Ke continued. “Weren’t you always chatty?”

Yu Zhinian wasn’t sure what Yang Ke was getting at. Not knowing how to respond, he tried to change the subject with a polite question. “Why are you home this afternoon? Aren’t you going to work?”

“Day off,” Yang Ke replied curtly.

“Oh. Then I’ll really borrow your place for tonight,” Yu Zhinian said sincerely. “Thank you.”

Yang Ke studied him for a moment without responding. Before he could speak, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and answered.

Yu Zhinian caught a brief snippet of Zhai Di’s loud voice on the other end but couldn’t make out the words. Yang Ke lowered the volume slightly, said, “I’m at home,” and walked to the living room to continue his call.