Translator: Lynn
Sitting alone by the window, Ji Kai unconsciously hooked his long legs on the chair opposite.
The vibrant winter sunshine, just before noon, streamed through the glass, breaking into brilliant hues. Passing through the green plants in the hanging basket, it cast shadows on the table.
Absentmindedly, he shook the coffee spoon in his hand, slowly stirring the brown, smooth liquid. The cat-shaped marshmallows floating on top were gradually melting, causing the entire cat to become plumper.
“Sir, your pistachio mousse cake~”
The petite clerk, adorned with a green ghost bracelet, looked up, revealing green sleeves and a familiar green apron.
Ji Kai’s gaze shifted from her back to the cake. Well… are all “pistachio” themed desserts destined to be green, floppy, and lack visual appeal?
Recalling the shop named “The Wizard of Oz” six months ago, the pistachio pie, rejected by Li Weidu, was surprisingly delicious.
“Pfft…”
At that time, Ji Kai genuinely found Li Wei irritating to the core.
Arrogant, a relentless stalker, and condescending, Li Wei couldn’t fathom why such vexing beings existed in the world.
Yet, just six months later, in Ji Kai’s heart, that person melted like a marshmallow in coffee, transforming into a piece of sweetness and tenderness.
Ah… I miss him!
It’s only been two hours since they parted; why does he miss him so much?
…
Li Weidu should have arrived at the detention center by now, probably assisting Ye Yun in applying for “bail pending trial.”
Perhaps, at this moment, he’s using his long, beautiful hand to sign the bail form with a pen.
Bail pending trial entails paying a deposit (refundable in the end) to allow the accused to go home while awaiting the resolution of the case. Until a case is fully concluded and sentenced, no one can be officially labeled a “prisoner.” Once bail is paid, individuals no longer endure the hardships of confinement without good food or a soft bed.
…Having his boyfriend bail out his ex was not Ji Kai’s original intention.
After all, he didn’t aspire to lead the race for “China’s Good Predecessor” and “China’s Good Successor” awards, thereby reshaping himself, society, and China.
Nevertheless, for several consecutive days, Ye Yan’s mother had employed various means to plead for mercy, kneeling down and crying at their doorstep. It significantly disrupted the sweet and tender moments between him and Li Wei before their farewell.
…
Ji Kai recalled Li Weidu’s past complaint about the lackadaisical security guards in their villa area, contrasting them with the hardworking security team in Ji Kai’s community. He now wholeheartedly agrees on the importance of dedicated security!
It becomes especially crucial for peace of mind, given that their small villa has the unfortunate feature of a wall with floor-to-ceiling windows. While the view of sunflowers and small flowers in the courtyard brings joy, deliberate disturbances with ghostly howls can quickly disrupt the tranquility.
“Weidu, Auntie understands that you and Xiaoyun have broken up. But, if Auntie didn’t feel desperate, she wouldn’t have come to beg you with this old face. Wuwu.” “Weidu, you just want it to be easier for you. Come on, help Xiao Yun? Just because she has been working in your house for half her life, take pity on her!” “Weidu, woo woo, woo woo…”
Ye Yu’s mother doesn’t match the annoying image of a shrew that Ji Kai had imagined or described by Li Weidu’s mother, Aunt Bai. A shrew would have been easier to handle than this pitiful, tearful type that easily garners sympathy.
“Look, Weidu, it’s very cold now. Xiao Yu’s quilt is cold and hard in the detention center. She’s shivering from the cold, and it’s really distressing.”
“That child has been weak since he was a child. It’s not like you don’t know. What’s more, he was deceived in the first place… You used to protect him so much, and you won’t leave him alone now, right?” Chu Chu’s pitiful and weak appearance is almost the same as that of the little goblin.
As a man who could never take shortcuts due to the limitations of his appearance, Ji Kai sighs at this unique racial talent but sees no solution.
“Mr. Li, why don’t you help them pay the deposit for the sake of their past friendship? The little goblin and his family are so pitiful, so innocent, and so in need of love, right? It’s not like I can’t be super kind, super tolerant, and super magnanimous, and I can act like a holy father in a decisive second.”
However, Li Wei is unmoved by Ji Kai’s hypocritical kindness and forbearance. Ji Kai reassures him that he doesn’t mind at all and encourages him to go, emphasizing that he won’t be unhappy about it. But when Li Weidu says, “That’s good,” Ji Kai becomes suspicious. Was helping the little goblin his plan all along? He hastily offers to go with Li Weidu, but Li declines, assuring Ji Kai that he’ll be back shortly after addressing something with Ye Yan.
“…”
Not in a very joyful mood!
Ji Kai prodded and poked at the cake.
To be honest, he never developed the habit of spending time in tea shops.
In the past, his visits to this store were typically reserved for indulging in sweets and drinks to lift his spirits and ease his troubles.
Today wasn’t exactly bad, but it left him genuinely perplexed. Li Weidu’s peculiar thought process eluded him, and he couldn’t grasp the underlying reasons!
Given the current circumstances, what else was there to discuss with the little goblin? Hadn’t they even gone through the “breakup ceremony”? Was there any unfinished business? Li Weidu had refused to take him along! Were there matters he wasn’t supposed to hear?
After hastily devouring the cake, he began to wonder if he had overanalyzed the situation. Perhaps Li Weidu only intended to give the little goblin a stern talking-to. With his departure for Europe looming, tonight might be their last chance for intimacy. Why was he wasting time pondering over it?
Call him! Where are you? Have you finished work? I’ll pick you up. Once you shed your coat, loosen your collar, and share a few hugs, do you really think you can still remember the little goblin’s last name?
As his finger hovered over the dial button, he caught sight of a comical orange cat with a “king” pattern on its head lying just outside the glass.
He immediately thought of taking a photo to show Li Weidu later.
After a moment’s pause, he remembered the delicious pistachio cake he had just eaten and thought of packing one for Li Weidu.
Unbeknownst to him, a familiar figure was quietly approaching.
…
Zhu Ling didn’t want to startle Ji Kai.
However, the reality was that the moment he spoke, Ji Kai jolted, nearly causing the coffee cup to spill its contents.
As a result, their long-awaited reunion turned into a swift effort of both individuals reaching for tissues to clean up the mess on the table.
“It’s okay, both of you are fine. Let me handle it!”
The young girl in the green apron hurried over to the table with a cloth. She seemed to recognize Zhu Ling, wiping the table at a leisurely pace like a sloth while stealing glances at him with a blushing face and starry eyes. Eventually, she hesitated to leave and said, “Sir, would you like something to drink?”
“Then, give me…a cup of black coffee.”
Zhu Ling wholeheartedly ordered black coffee.
He was showing off, and he admitted it.
After all, with young fans present, he couldn’t casually say, “I actually want to drink lemon strawberry juice” or “coffee with sugar and milk.”
Just as he silently lamented, he observed Ji Kai’s hand reaching out to the tea tray beside the dining table, picking up a cream ball.
His heart suddenly swelled with joy, and his eyes sparkled.
Ji Kai struggled awkwardly to open the butter ball.
In the past, it was Ji Kai who helped him drive…
Ji Kai, sensing the burning gaze from the other side, furrowed his brow and lowered his head momentarily, a dark expression crossing his face.
What am I doing?!
Damn it. Suddenly, he felt off today. It seemed he had been making foolish mistakes since he woke up. First, he fabricated an excuse for Weidu to find Ye Yan, and now he inadvertently tore a cream ball for Zhu Ling?
Enough! He couldn’t take it anymore. He feared that he was becoming insatiable, plagued by desire all day long, and the resultant insomnia was wreaking havoc on his mind.
Hurry! Head home! They were already on their way back. Once they returned, they could prepare a hearty lunch, share a drink, take a nap together, and catch up on some much-needed sleep!
“Brother Kai, Brother Kai!” Seeing him rise, Zhu Ling hastily stopped him, “Just have a cup of coffee with me, just one cup!” “Sorry, I really have something to attend to.” “Ten minutes. No, five minutes. Brother Kai, I… just want to chat casually, just for five minutes. We haven’t met since I came back…” After only five minutes, Ji Kai resumed his seat and tossed the peeled butter ball into the half-filled cold coffee before him, raising the cup and taking a sip.
Zhu Ling: Wow… my cream ball!
“Kai, brother Kai, I haven’t seen you for a few months; why have you lost weight?”
Ji Kai glared, causing Zhu Ling’s hand, which had reached out to touch him, to retract suddenly.
“I’m okay. You, on the other hand, seem to have been through a lot during your trip to South America. How did the movie go?” “It went well, very well. Brother Kai, I have a good relationship with Director Xia and several seniors. Well, Luo Yuchen also said he would write a song for me…”
Well, nearly a minute had passed. Ji Kai glanced at his phone. Zhu Ling appeared a bit anxious, prompting him to get to the point.
“Brother Kai, actually, Ye Yan came to pick me up at the airport that day. I had no idea he would come at all!”
“…”
“I don’t know why so many people came. Reporters. Ben and I had no such intention! I don’t know why he would do that…”
Ji Kai nodded, “It doesn’t matter. You and he are both free now, and no one can gossip even if it is made public. Don’t worry, many things from the past are just that—past. I won’t speak carelessly. You two don’t have to worry about me when you show affection.”
“No, Brother Kai, Ye Yan and I are not at all… Listen—I’ll explain!”
“Zhu Ling, you really don’t have to do this. In fact, I met someone I like not long ago, and now that person is my boyfriend. Therefore, I sincerely wish you all the best.”
“……”
Boyfriend.
“Boyfriend?”
Ji Kai nodded, and in an instant, Zhu Ling’s entire back was drenched in cold sweat.
Boyfriend? Who, who could that possibly be?
Sister Tong asserted that finding someone else so quickly was impossible for him. His mind was in disarray, attempting to recall the numerous books he read in South America, along with the various experiences, routines, and techniques he learned from fellow idol stars.
However, his mind was a blank slate, and his entire body felt feverish. He fought hard to suppress the urge to ask vehemently who that person was, telling himself to stay calm.
Calm down, he’s just talking nonsense. Yeah! He did it deliberately in front of me…
He had read about this situation in books, and there were tricks to break it!
“Next time, bring your boyfriend along for a meal.”
He fully anticipated the other person stumbling and panicking, but instead, Ji Kai lowered his eyes and smiled as if genuinely thinking about someone, with tenderness in his eyes.
“No, no, he’s very touchy about this. He’d be furious.”
…
After leaving the tea shop and watching Ji Kai depart in a taxi, Zhu Ling immediately dialed his friend’s phone number.
“Oh, Brother Ling, you’ve been quite busy since you returned. You finally thought of visiting me today? Why, shall I pick you up tonight?”
On the other end, Ning Zhen’s voice was filled with a relaxed smile, while Zhu Ling’s eyes blazed with extreme manic intensity: “I asked you to keep an eye on him for me these three months! Who is that jerk?”
“Uh, what jerk? Brother Ling, what are you talking about?”
“Ji Kai! My baby bear! Who has been getting close to him recently? He said he has a ‘boyfriend.’ Why didn’t you keep me informed?!”
“Oh, oh!” Ning Zhen sounded very innocent.
Blame him? Ji Kai hasn’t been to the gym in so long. He squats every day and misses every day. He can’t monitor anything. What information can he get?
Ah! By the way –
“Well, I’m not sure. Brother Ling, don’t get mad after hearing this.”
“Spit it out!”
“It seems, it seems… Qi Yang!”
“…”
“He left you. After that, he pestered Brother Kai at the gym all day long. I don’t know how they met, but you know he always likes to take your things…”
Qi Yang?
Qi Yang!
Zhu Ling almost smashed his cell phone in the street.
Are you kidding me? He would never let anyone take his baby bear away from him.
What’s more, even if someone wants to steal him, no matter who the opponent is—just Qi Yang, he will never be able to accept it!
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
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