E | Chapter 15

The hug didn’t last long. As soon as the car stopped, Yu Zhinian pulled away on his own.

Yang Ke seemed a little dazed, holding onto Yu Zhinian’s arm with no idea what just happened. He looked up at Yu Zhinian with confusion in his eyes.

“We’re home,” Yu Zhinian said to him.

The driver got out to open the car door for them.

Yang Ke nodded, leaning slightly on Yu Zhinian as he stepped out and walked into the house.

Yu Zhinian felt like the hug earlier had left Yang Ke’s scent lingering on him. The air itself seemed to smell like Yang Ke.

This fleeting closeness, limited in time, stirred a faint pain and jealousy in Yu Zhinian. Because in the future, the rare, dulled Yang Ke after drinking would no longer belong to him—it would belong to someone else.

As soon as they entered the house, Yang Ke’s phone rang.

He frowned slightly and muttered, “Who’s calling now?” before taking out his phone. He glanced at the screen, then answered the call with a simple, “Dad.”

Yu Zhinian turned back to look at him. Yang Ke handed his suit jacket to the butler, pulling at his tie while speaking with Zhao Sibei, who was on the other end of the line.

“Just got home,” he said to his father. “Went out for dinner.”

Whether it was because he was using just one hand or because of the alcohol, Yang Ke struggled to loosen his tie. Yu Zhinian noticed his movements—he seemed to tug at it a few times but got nowhere.

Yang Ke glanced at Yu Zhinian, then suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist. He brought Yu Zhinian’s hand to his tie. His grip was warm, and his expression carried a casual authority. Tilting his chin slightly, he wordlessly commanded Yu Zhinian to help him undo it.

Yu Zhinian froze for a moment, then leaned in nervously. He realized Yang Ke might have pulled the tie too tight, making it hard to loosen. Just as he was about to start untying it, he heard Yang Ke talking to his father.

“It’s not work.”

“I took three days off,” Yang Ke said, his voice very close.

“No, I’m not alone.”

“Yu Zhinian?” Yang Ke glanced down at him briefly, then added, “He’s here at home. Why?”

Hearing his name, Yu Zhinian paused, his hand stopping mid-movement as he looked up at Yang Ke.

Zhao Sibei said something over the phone, and Yang Ke listened silently.

They stayed standing under the soft light, not moving to sit down.

A guilty feeling rose in Yu Zhinian’s chest. He felt he should have left this place by now—he shouldn’t have stayed.

He recalled what Zhao Sibei had said when they parted ways last time, and he felt like he had let him down, betraying his trust and expectations.

It was like being caught cheating on a final exam—an honor student filled with remorse, walking down the hallway to the principal’s office, dreading the disappointed gaze of the head teacher.

“He’s renting a place, but the pipes there broke,” Yang Ke suddenly said to Zhao Sibei. Then he patted the back of Yu Zhinian’s hand, signaling for him to continue undoing the tie.

Yu Zhinian, startled, quickly focused and managed to loosen it. Yang Ke added, “I don’t know how long the repairs will take. Is there a problem?”

“Got it,” Yang Ke said to his father, ending the call. Then he turned to Yu Zhinian and remarked, “You’re so slow.”

“Taking forever just to undo a tie,” he said, but his tone was far from accusatory—it was almost playful.

Zhao Sibei’s call made Yu Zhinian feel ashamed for accepting these drunken moments of intimacy. It felt improper, a violation of unspoken ethical boundaries. Looking at Yang Ke, he realized it was becoming harder to continue interacting with this drunk version of him. He quickly excused himself, saying he was tired and wanted to sleep. Without waiting for Yang Ke’s response, he went upstairs.

After returning to his room, Yu Zhinian took a shower. When he came out, he saw a message from Zhao Sibei.

“Zhinian, could you call me back if it’s convenient?”

While drying his hair, Yu Zhinian called Zhao Sibei back on speakerphone. Zhao Sibei picked up quickly.

“Zhinian.”

“I’ll move out right away,” Yu Zhinian said without waiting for him to start. “I went to Yang Ke’s house to grab my stuff after I came back, but the basement door was broken, so the movers couldn’t get in. Then the rental agency called to say the pipes in the place I rented were broken, and I couldn’t stay there. I was going to check into a hotel, but the butler insisted I stay. Yang Ke probably pitied me and had my luggage brought upstairs.”

“I only stayed for two days,” he promised. “A classmate said I could crash at his place. I’ll move out as soon as possible.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Zhao Sibei replied. “Zhinian, I’m not blaming you.”

His tone was tinged with helplessness, as if Yu Zhinian had misunderstood him too deeply.

“I just wanted to say, if you’re facing any difficulties, you can come to me,” he said. “Whether it’s financial or personal.”

“There’s no problem,” Yu Zhinian said.

“Did you and Yang Ke have dinner together tonight?” Zhao Sibei asked.

“Yes,” Yu Zhinian replied.

“The restaurant is owned by one of his investors,” he explained. “They invited him to bring someone along for a tasting. I just happened to be back, so he took me.”

“Zhinian…” Zhao Sibei paused as if he wanted to say something more. In the end, he just told Yu Zhinian to get some rest and hung up.

Yu Zhinian dried his hair until it was mostly dry, then sat on the bed and messaged Shao Xilin: “Are you still awake?”

When Shao Xilin replied that he was, Yu Zhinian asked, “Would it be okay if I stayed over tonight? (I’ve already showered.)”

“Sure,” Shao Xilin replied quickly, asking what time Yu Zhinian would arrive and adding, “I stay up late anyway. By the way, have you sorted out your February shorthand notes? Let me take a look.”

After checking a ride-hailing app, Yu Zhinian told Shao Xilin he’d arrive in about two hours.

“No problem,” Shao Xilin replied.

It was already past ten o’clock. The housekeeper had hung up his freshly laundered clothes in the wardrobe. Yu Zhinian took them out, folded them, and packed them into his suitcase. After zipping it up, he booked a ride.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Pushing the suitcase to the side of a cabinet near the door, he walked over to open it.

Yang Ke stood there in a gray casual long-sleeve shirt, fresh from his own shower. His hair was dry, and the alcohol-induced aura from earlier had dissipated, leaving him with a more approachable demeanor.

“What’s up?” Yu Zhinian asked.

Yang Ke looked at him for a moment before saying, “Nothing.”

The drunken Yang Ke seemed like a different species from his usual self. Yet, both versions of Yang Ke left Yu Zhinian completely puzzled.

They stood face-to-face for a while before Yu Zhinian tentatively said, “Goodnight, then?”

“Mm,” Yang Ke replied, turning to walk back down the hallway toward the stairs and his room on the third floor.

Yu Zhinian closed the door, his head starting to ache from trying to figure out Yang Ke’s intentions.

Before he could sit down, the driver he had booked called to say he was waiting at the villa gate.

Grabbing his suitcase, Yu Zhinian wondered how to explain his departure to Yang Ke this time.

Both times he’d left this house, it had felt like fleeing a scene, and Yu Zhinian doubted Yang Ke cared much for any ceremonious goodbyes. A simple word would suffice.

He wheeled his suitcase downstairs, opened the front door, and stepped out into the night.

The May wind in He City was still chilly at night. The driver’s Ford was parked just outside the gate, its headlights illuminating the iron bars and ornate stonework, making everything seem a little too bright.

The driver, a middle-aged man in a jacket of indiscernible color, leaned against the car door smoking. When he saw Yu Zhinian approach, he stubbed out his cigarette with his foot and asked, “Just one piece of luggage?”

“Yes,” Yu Zhinian replied, opening the trunk.

As he was about to close it, he heard someone calling his name.

Turning around, he saw Yang Ke standing a short distance away. In the dark, Yang Ke seemed even taller, still dressed in his sleepwear from earlier. He walked a couple of steps closer.

The headlights illuminated half of his body, and Yu Zhinian could see one side of his face clearly. He also noticed Yang Ke was still wearing his house slippers.

“What are you doing?” Yang Ke asked softly, his tone almost puzzled.

Yu Zhinian hesitated before replying, “I think it’s better if I move out.”

“Why?” Yang Ke asked. “What’s wrong with staying here?”

Yang Ke’s face was expressionless, but his casual attire and lack of his usual sharp-edged sarcasm made him seem almost innocent.

“It’s not appropriate,” Yu Zhinian explained. “I don’t know when the rental will be fixed. If I keep staying here, it’s like I’m after your inheritance or something.”

“What’s wrong with wanting the inheritance?” Yang Ke asked again.

The night wind blew quietly. The driver remained silent a short distance away.

Behind the Ford, the asphalt road stretched long and wide under the dim streetlights, resembling a still, black river.

“Do you think that’s okay?” Yu Zhinian countered. He paused, unable to hold back his emotions. “Do you think it’s great if I hang around here every day, bothering you and chasing after you?”

Yang Ke seemed taken aback. After a moment, he asked, “So are you planning to chase someone else?”

Completely thrown by Yang Ke’s logic, Yu Zhinian answered, “No.”

“Yang Ke,” he continued, his frustration mounting. Remembering how Yang Ke had come to him earlier but said nothing, he thought of how strange Yang Ke had been these past two days. Gathering his thoughts, he asked, “Do you have something you want to tell me?”

Yang Ke looked at him in silence for a while before murmuring, “Mm.”

“What is it?” Yu Zhinian asked.

Yang Ke still didn’t speak, as though whatever he wanted to say was too difficult to voice.

Yu Zhinian patiently waited for some time, but Yang Ke remained silent, stubbornly standing in front of him. Suddenly, a ridiculous thought crossed Yu Zhinian’s mind.

Ever since his return, Yang Ke had allowed him to stay at the house and kept bringing up the trust fund. His words and actions seemed to suggest he genuinely wanted Yu Zhinian to inherit the inheritance. Coupled with his awkward gestures that now seemed like clumsy attempts at holding him back, and the fact that he’d come out in the middle of the night to stop him, Yu Zhinian couldn’t help but consider another possibility.

“Do you need to marry me?” Yu Zhinian asked slowly, his voice tinged with incredulity.

“Do you need the money?” he added.

Yang Ke silently looked at him without denying it, almost inviting Yu Zhinian to continue.

“If you need the inheritance, we can register for marriage,” Yu Zhinian said. “I mean, just go through the legal process.”

“Then we can work with Lawyer Li to figure out a way to transfer it to you,” he said softly, meeting Yang Ke’s eyes. “If that’s the case, you don’t have to feel embarrassed to ask. I won’t use it to blackmail you or anything. That money should be yours in the first place.”

“Yang Ke,” he asked seriously, “do you need it?”

The Ford driver lit another cigarette, and Yu Zhinian caught a whiff of the smoke. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw faint, wispy trails curling around the glowing orange tip in the darkness.

After a moment’s pause, Yang Ke replied, “Mm.”

Observation Log (2)
Subject: Yang Ke’s amusing moment of frustration
Recorder: Yu Zhinian
Date: October 15, 2016

This afternoon, I was with Katherine. We left the library to head to class and ran into Yang Ke by the elevator.

Yang Ke, accompanied by two students I didn’t know, entered the elevator ahead of us.

Once inside, Yang Ke stayed silent, standing quietly to one side while the other two discussed an assignment. He occasionally responded with single words.

Katherine, meanwhile, held onto my arm and chatted away about her social media likes, comparing the features of her most popular photos. At one point, she even pulled out her phone to analyze the patterns.

Both groups talked at length, completely oblivious to one crucial fact: the elevator hadn’t moved.

No one had pressed a button.

Yang Ke, clearly annoyed, finally reached out and hit the button for the first floor himself.