Translator: Lynn
The mutton restaurant owned by the owner of the BBQ joint turned out to be smaller and more run-down than Li Weidu had expected.
Of course, as a wealthy individual accustomed to dining in high-end restaurants, Li Weidu was unfamiliar with the concept of a barbecue stall that could have a lobby, twenty or thirty tables inside and out, eight employees, a thriving business, and two spacious private rooms – this was already considered a top-notch barbecue establishment in the world of street food.
As for the luxurious place he had envisioned, where fragrances wafted through the air like a high-end club where one could dine on candlelit cumin lamb skewers with red wine, it seemed to be a mythical realm existing only in another world.
In the car earlier, the owner had been all warmth and hospitality upon learning that Li Weidu would treat them. He extended his hand, saying, “Li Mingxin.”
Li Weidu found this strange. He had expected that Ji Kai’s friends would be a bit eccentric given Ji Kai’s unique personality, but he hadn’t anticipated them being so candid and forthright – introducing themselves so straightforwardly. Later, he learned that his name was Ying Jian.
Truly, what’s wrong with being named Ying? It was as if the person naming the child wasn’t the biological parent.
“I wish you a happy divorce~ I wish you a happy divorce~ Oh oh oh~”
“Happy divorce~ I wish you a happy~ Brother Kai can find a better one~”
In the private room of the barbecue restaurant, a whimsical two-layer brown bear-themed cake with candles shaped like trees adorned the scene, and a group of rough and rowdy men danced enthusiastically around it. Their voices were harmonized into parts, and the chorus of “ouh, oh, oh, ah, ah, ah” was sung with fervor.
Ji Kai’s friends were a motley crew. Although they were mostly well-built due to their gym affiliations, their appearances were, for the most part, unconventional. The term “Gargantel,” which Li Weidu had heard, was seemingly fitting. In his eyes, this group could almost constitute a real-life “Plants vs. Zombies” team, perhaps even becoming popular!
Ying Jian resembled a cactus spewing thorns in the game. Jiang Xiaobai seemed as fragile as a small electric fan clover. Dr. Li, with a peculiar hairdo, reminded him of a pea. Others resembled ice mushrooms, hot peppers, and he’d heard there was a painter known as “Little Sunflower” who wasn’t present.
However, among them, Ji Kai appeared exceptionally good-looking tonight.
Li Weidu believed it was largely due to his choice of clothing.
Ji Kai had gone to finalize his divorce today, but he wasn’t dressed in his usual streetwear—no tank top, torn T-shirt, or flip-flops. Instead, he wore a high-end custom outfit that accentuated his impressive physique, with long legs, broad shoulders, and a trim waist. It seemed like he had undergone a transformation after a life-altering experience. He had evolved into a mature, composed, sophisticated, and elegant gentleman. It was a remarkable change!
Li Weidu felt like he had single-handedly transformed Ji Kai with his impeccable fashion sense.
However, had Ji Kai gone too far with this transformation?
Since his return from City A, he has been so preoccupied that he hasn’t eaten, drunk, bathed, or changed his clothes. It felt awkward to sit and eat barbecue while wearing a suit. He had not made any adjustments to his appearance.
He had also been dealing with the realization that he was alone now and had lost his daily routines. All the habits and rituals he’d shared with his former partner were gone. He reached out his hand and rubbed Zuoyul, sitting next to him with a somewhat melancholic expression.
“Yan, how about I sleep at your place tonight?”
Lawyer Zuo, in the guise of Gargantel, replied, “Brother Kai, I understand you’ve had a tumultuous few days—sleepless, feeling lonely, and empty. However, getting to know each other better like this isn’t the right way, is it?”
“…”
“I genuinely consider you a brother, but if you want to sleep at my place and turn our circle of friends into a circle of… acquaintances, how can we continue to have fun together in the future?”
Ji Kai retorted, “I meant I want to sleep at your house, not with you!”
Who wants to sleep with you? If I had a home to return to, if Xiao Yan wasn’t staying at Li Mingxin’s place, if Jiang Xiaobai wasn’t with his parents, and if Ying Jian’s restaurant didn’t reek of cumin, then I would have weird and creepy decorations too, almost like a horror-themed clock tower.
…
Ji Kai won’t return to that “home” until Zhu Ling returns the key. To prevent accidental encounters, the drama TV series will continue to stir up.
A few hours ago at the Civil Affairs Bureau, Zhu Ling had refused to write or sign, clinging to his clothes, shedding tears, and reminiscing about the past.
“Brother Kai, Baby Bear, what would I do without you?”
“I still remember the first time you talked to me in a fast-food restaurant that year… It was midsummer, and there were no customers at two o’clock in the afternoon. The cicadas were chirping loudly. I was genuinely happy that day. For the first time, part-time work wasn’t tiring at all. It was so worthwhile and exciting!”
“I never told you, and you might not believe it, but in fact, I had been keeping an eye on you since the first time I saw you come to the store to eat. I look forward to your visits every day. You never knew I was hiding behind the cash register, watching you smile. I loved watching you eat the most. You ate so joyfully, and you gobbled it all up.”
“When people saw your contented expression, it made them want to eat two more bowls of rice.”
“Your favorite was the fish-flavored shredded pork rice bowl with a glass of lemonade. I would mischievously tell the chef to give you extra shredded pork when you weren’t full. I had dreams of you paying attention to me someday. I wished you would seriously notice me when I walked by the cash register. Every time I handed you your change, I daydreamed about the day when I would muster the courage to touch your hand…”
“Brother Kai, it’s all my fault.”
“It’s all my fault that things turned out this way.”
“Can you not leave? I dare not be alone anymore. I can’t live without you. Can you… can you not leave me?”
Can you not leave?
The Civil Affairs Bureau’s second floor was dim and slightly chilly in the evening. Ji Kai had been feeling confused and suddenly had the urge to have a serious argument with Zhu Ling—to pin him against the wall and ask, “Is it me? Am I the one who wants to leave? Am I willing to leave?” Saying “I love you” and “Don’t leave” while carrying on with the little goblin, who was the one riding two boats?
Zhu Ling, perhaps… I should have taught you the rules properly.
After three years of marriage, did I completely misunderstand something? Is it because I pampered you too much, was unwilling to let you endure even a hint of hardship, and ultimately shaped you into an irresponsible and careless person?
Thankfully, apart from the relentless ticking of the Civil Affairs Bureau’s wall clock urging the end of the workday, Ji Kai also received calls from the film crew every ten minutes.
The agent was pleading on one side, while the director was berating on the other. Accusing Zhu Ling of being a big star, the director mentioned that all the senior actors in the cast were waiting for him to return and resume shooting. He told Zhu Ling to return to City C by eight o’clock; if he couldn’t make it, he shouldn’t bother coming back, and he’d never work with him again.
The director was highly renowned in the entertainment industry, and Zhu Ling dared not provoke him.
So, he had no choice but to put up with it. He wiped away his tears, stumbled out, and made his way to the studio to act in an entirely groundless urban romantic comedy. Throughout the entire process, he maintained his usual suave and composed image, concealing all the heartbreak and turmoil within.
Before departing, Ji Kai had made an arrangement with him: when he completed his work and returned to S City in two days, he would have three more days.
Within those three days, Zhu Ling must return home, pack his belongings, and leave the keys on the table. To avoid potential awkwardness, embarrassment, and various complications in the future, they wouldn’t meet each other again.
The gay group questioned why Zhu Ling wasn’t made to clean up and leave the house if he had done something wrong. Ji Kai had his reasons.
When Ji Kai and Zhu Ling first got together, Ji Kai had a small house and a modest car. Over the past three years, Zhu Ling has earned a significant amount of money. However, that money was linked to the hard work he had put into catching up with appearances and shows, enduring the grievances of working with fake smiles, and pulling all-nighters.
Now that they were parting ways, Ji Kai didn’t want to take advantage of Zhu Ling’s hard-earned money. He only wanted two things: the apartment they lived in and the 200,000 yuan worth of Magotan in the garage that Zhu Ling rarely used.
One of the main reasons for wanting the apartment was that Lei Nanyu and Li Mingxin lived upstairs. Ji Kai hadn’t informed Xiao Yan about the divorce yet.
One day, he would have to break the news, and he wasn’t sure how the child would react. But Ji Kai thought that no matter how upset, sad, and confused Xiao Yan might be, he wouldn’t vent his anger on his godfathers. So, as long as he was willing to stay at Lei Nanyu’s house and they could see each other from upstairs and downstairs, their connection wouldn’t be severed so easily.
Of course, as a property with the best location and setting in S City, this apartment was considerably more expensive than the one Ji Kai had originally purchased for Zhu Ling. However, Ji Kai believed that Zhu Ling wouldn’t object to this.
In fact, he didn’t.
Without hesitation, Zhu Ling lowered his head and offered both of his hands, saying, “Brother Kai, take me, my money, and all my savings! I don’t want any of it!”
Nevertheless, Ji Kai didn’t want to take Zhu Ling’s money.
Firstly, Ji Kai had his own income, and secondly, he didn’t want to give Zhu Ling a chance to claim in the future, “See? He’s just after your money!” Ji Kai knew that he might have gone a bit overboard.
Now that they were completely parting ways, he had brazenly said, “I hope you live well, and I hope I never find you again.”
Did he still care if Zhu Ling would discredit him in the future? He might as well take the money and have a more relaxed life. It would be more economical!
But he also understood a rather sad truth: he couldn’t truly avoid knowing how Zhu Ling was doing in the future.
They were both celebrities.
Their faces were plastered on billboards, in entertainment news, on the internet, and on television. Unless he lived like a hermit, refrained from using phones and computers, and became a recluse, he would continue to encounter news about them from time to time.
Especially in the future, when he made his relationship with Zhu Ling public and they flaunted their affection at every turn, sparking hot discussions. After witnessing this, how could he not feel discomfort or awkwardness?
Ji Kai believed it was only fair. If he felt uncomfortable in the future, he couldn’t be the only one to endure it.
“I’m such a good person, and I don’t even feel bad for you. You lost out because of your hesitations! You’ve messed it up; why aren’t you uncomfortable? It can’t be easy for anyone!” Ji Kai didn’t owe him anything. If he couldn’t make it up to him, the guilt in his heart wouldn’t dissipate easily.
Ying Jian brought the menu, and Ji Kai happily perused it, ordering skewers and vegetarian dishes. He playfully called out, “Ying Jian! I want some porridge! Make me a bowl of preserved egg and lean meat porridge~” While outwardly cheerful, he was deep in thought, imagining a future scene.
When Zhu Ling returned to pack his things, he’d likely take only some clothes and cosmetics. Zhu Ling wasn’t particularly meticulous, so he probably wouldn’t think of checking the medicine cabinet next to the refrigerator, where Ji Kai had kept stomach medicine for a year.
He certainly wouldn’t notice the several pairs of cufflinks Ji Kai had secretly stashed away in the medicine drawer.
Zhu Ling loved dressing up and paid great attention to exquisite and perfect details. If he didn’t buy new cufflinks when purchasing shirts, he couldn’t live with himself.
But cufflinks, much like girls’ hair ties and earrings, had a way of disappearing mysteriously once taken off, no matter where they were placed.
Ji Kai was no different regarding carelessness, but Zhu Ling had gone into a frenzy at home many times when he couldn’t find his cufflinks, usually when he was in a hurry to leave the house. So, one day, Ji Kai spotted a specific brand in a store and purchased a few pairs of popular styles in secret.
If he wanted to drive Zhu Ling crazy again next time, he could give him a pleasant surprise.
However, the surprise had failed and had become a permanent, unused item.
So, he began to dream that he would not only abstain from taking Zhu Ling’s money but would also sort out the stomach medicines and send them to Zhu Ling, along with the small box of cufflinks when he returned.
After the divorce, the little goblin would certainly make every effort to sweetly win him over. Holding his new love in his arms, Zhu Ling received the things he sent. At first, he might not have felt much about it.
However, it didn’t matter. Three to five months later, when the new person had become the old person, the honeymoon phase had turned into a daily routine, and when Zhu Ling woke up one morning, realizing that yet another cufflink had fallen off his shirt and he couldn’t find a replacement, that’s when he would feel it.
He would think that he had lost the one person who cared about such a small detail.
Then, one night, when he suffered from a stomachache again and couldn’t find medicine anywhere, he would have a breakdown. He would think of someone who used to prepare medicine for him at home, someone who held him close at night and stayed up to soothe his stomach. In retrospect, he’d realize how much he had been favored by the heavens.
…
The mutton skewers had arrived, as had the porridge.
Despite Ying Jian’s tall and imposing figure, he could run a small restaurant and successfully attract customers. He had some unique skills. Ji Kai, deeply engrossed in his thoughts, took a bite of mutton skewer, and his entire being was enveloped in a delightful sensation of spiciness and aroma.
What was he thinking about? And why didn’t he send him medicine? Send a P!
Life was beautiful. Even if you felt wronged and were reluctant to accept it, why waste time and energy on things that were already lost?
Zhu Ling was fortunate. He was handsome, sweet-tongued, and adored by others. Naturally, he had a little goblin who cared for him and made him feel cherished. Let him have medicine, cufflinks, hot dishes, soup, and warmth. A heartless person would never be sincere, content, or think of you!
If you keep thinking about him, you are only tormenting yourself! It was better to seize the moment to find your second spring! Wasn’t that so? Many people were seeking him out!
In fact, quite a few.
Ji Kai knew he was in demand, but it wasn’t until he got divorced that he realized how in demand he was!?
Just a few minutes after leaving the Civil Affairs Bureau, the news had already spread thanks to some big mouths. On his way from the Civil Affairs Bureau to the barbecue restaurant, in just half an hour, he received more than a dozen text messages in a row. They ranged from direct love confessions to subtle tests!
That feeling was like an adrenaline rush—was that what they called it? Were his hormones going haywire? When he took off his coat and panted on the gym treadmill, half of the gym-goers were eyeing him! Everyone was watching!
Did Jiang Xiaobai get the same attention when he was running to the point of exhaustion? ?
What wasn’t apparent to outsiders was that while it was great to have a good market, the people who were hitting on him were a bit bewildering.
At least nine out of ten were handsome, but they weren’t handsome like Zhu Ling, Li Weidu, or Li Mingxin, who exuded a cool and composed charm. Instead, they were fair-skinned, big-eyed, and somewhat delicate—like Jiang Xiaobai, Ye Yan, and the like.
The first three words of the text message were “Brother Kai,” and the last three words were “Mwah,” claiming to be “Ready.”
“…”
There was also a direct and straightforward one: “Brother Kai, let’s go on a date. Make sure to keep your waist soft and not resistant. Tight and itchy. Mwah~”
Ji Kai: Do some people have a massive problem with me? Is there a misunderstanding?
…
Eating barbecue in a suit was rather inconvenient. The mutton skewers were sizzling with hot oil, and Ji Kai accidentally got some on his legs. He quickly stood up and went to the bathroom to tend to it. The restroom in Ying Jian’s establishment was dimly lit, and everything looked eerie in the mirror. Ji Kai was squeezing hand sanitizer when a big face suddenly appeared behind him.
“Damn you!”
“Ying Jian, when did you learn to walk without making a sound! You scared me! I thought there were ghosts in the restroom!”
Ying Jian: “Well, how could there be ghosts in such a bustling city center area? Seriously, Brother Kai, what’s going on between you and Mr. Li?”
What? What did he mean by “what’s going on”?
Ji Kai was aware that Li Weidu was there as well. Although he couldn’t comprehend why there was an “outsider” sitting directly across from him in a place where his brothers were having a good time, during the entire meal, he seemed busy peeling the mutton skewers, mushrooms, and rice cakes into small dishes and savoring them bite by bite with his chopsticks.
He seemed oddly absorbed. Ji Kai assumed that if there were knives and forks in Yingjian’s establishment, Li Weidu would probably demonstrate a Western approach to eating mutton skewers!
“Brother Kai, Brother Kai. Based on my observation, Mr. Li seems genuinely interested in you.”
“Boom!” It felt as if someone had hit his ears with two gongs. Ji Kai thought to himself, “What did I just hear?”
“Why don’t you give him a chance? At least let him pursue you. He’s quite handsome. After all, he’s no longer with that little goblin. The little goblin took your man, and you’re taking his man. It’s only fair, right?”
“Ying Jian,” Ji Kai extended his hand sympathetically and rubbed Ying Jian’s forehead, “Did you bang your head against a door today made of walnut wood? I’m right here. But I ignored him the whole time, and he ignored me the whole time. How can you sense the scent of romance when we treat each other as though we don’t exist?”
“Brother Kai, didn’t you check the group?”
“…”
“Damn it, you didn’t check the group! You took so long just to eat. Do you realize you missed out on 100 million? Li Weidu gave out red envelopes to everyone during the meal. Everyone was scrambling to grab them! Do you know how many red envelopes Li Weidu gave to everyone? So he… I mean, Brother Weidu, he must be sincere about you!”
At that moment, Ji Kai fully comprehended the level of Ma Kai Ni Luo-style reasoning.
What was he thinking? Whom was he sincere about?
The mental capabilities of these people…
“Brother Kai, don’t you believe me? Think about it. Apart from you, who else does he know at the dinner table? It’s our first time meeting him, so why would he spend so much money to please us if he didn’t have to come with us? It’s not just for you!”
“…”
“Think about it, why did he call you and why did he come specifically to see you after your divorce? The truth is already out. He has a crush on you! It’s obvious!”
“I think he might have a crush on Jiang Xiaobai.” After all, Jiang Xiaobai and Xiaobai Zhanji are the only people in this room. A type of white, tender, and juicy.
Saying so, Ji Kai couldn’t help but secretly feel a bit proud in his heart.
There was a certain logic—odd though it may be, it somehow made sense—after striving to steal what was mine, you rushed toward me when you lost what you had. Immediately after our breakup, you completely forgot about me, which suggests that my charm greatly outshines yours!
However, Ji Kai also knew that this was unlikely.
Highly unlikely.
In any case, even though he was with Ji Kai right now, even though the divorce had been finalized, and even though his feelings for Zhu Ling were so complex that he couldn’t fathom them, starting a new relationship immediately was out of the question. There had to be a recovery period.
Who didn’t need a break when recuperating from a serious illness? No matter how delectable the main course was, could you eat it when you had no appetite?
So, even if you stripped away a stunningly beautiful individual who was charismatic, wealthy, dominating, and gentle and placed him in Ji Kai’s bed, and then stacked all the ideals and endearments he had ever experienced in his life on this person, what should he do? No, he shouldn’t be hard-pressed. There should be no hurry.
Honestly, Ji Kai had developed a rather favorable opinion of Li Weidu.
While it had been rocky at the start, things had improved recently.
At any rate, the tycoon CEO, despite any potential issues, wasn’t that strange—after being moved to tears by his speech in the hospital that day, he had an epiphany and suddenly realized how knowledgeable, wise, and intelligent Ji Kai was. Did he genuinely like him? Really like him?
Impossible! There had to be some ulterior motive!
Translator’s Notes:
Hi!! Sorry for these delayed updates. I’ve been going home late and going out early. I’ll make sure to update the weekly quotas!
I’m definitely going to edit this chapter more. I’m sleepy and my brain can’t function well 😀
Thanks for reading <3
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
Support me on ko-fi for faster releases ^^
