Luo Jingshu followed him inside. The room’s decor hadn’t changed much, but the guest room door was open, and a used towel hung on the rack.
His expression didn’t shift, though his steps slowed slightly. He lingered by the guest room door for two seconds, his gaze briefly sweeping over the items inside.
The bed was neatly made, with a coat draped over the end—Xiao Ziyue’s coat from the previous evening.
Luo Jingshu quickly averted his gaze as Xiao Cheng sat down on the couch.
Xiao Cheng hadn’t noticed Luo Jingshu’s momentary glance. Settling down, he crossed one leg over the other, his expression anything but friendly, with a hint of impatience in his eyes.
“Go ahead.”
Although Xiao Cheng wasn’t planning to forgive Luo Jingshu, he couldn’t deny that Luo Jingshu had never offered a proper apology since the incident.
Deep down, Xiao Cheng wanted to hear Luo Jingshu’s explanation.
He believed he’d done nothing to wrong Luo Jingshu from the moment they met. In every argument, he’d been the one to reconcile first, never giving Luo Jingshu the cold shoulder.
Xiao Cheng couldn’t understand where Luo Jingshu’s intent to play with him had come from.
Luo Jingshu didn’t sit across from him but instead placed his belongings on the floor, then seated himself on the carpet, his raised pant leg revealing a slender, defined ankle.
Sitting cross-legged at Xiao Cheng’s feet, Luo Jingshu looked up at him. “Brother Cheng, I was wrong for not being honest with you the first time we met.”
Xiao Cheng silently repeated “stay calm” to himself twice; they weren’t here to argue. “We hadn’t met before then, right?”
As he asked, Xiao Cheng held a hint of curiosity—he couldn’t shake his curiosity about the letters on the necklace, wondering if they really were two “n”s.
“No, we hadn’t.”
In his previous life, he hadn’t met Xiao Cheng while living with the Luo family, and in this life, they’d only met a couple of months ago. Luo Jingshu answered with certainty.
Xiao Cheng lowered his gaze, observing Luo Jingshu’s expression. “So, you didn’t know me before?”
“Mm.” Luo Jingshu pressed his lips together, which seemed to tug at the cut on his lip, causing him to reflexively run his tongue over it.
Xiao Cheng’s foot, which had been bouncing in the air—a habit he had when thinking—stilled as he asked, “Then why didn’t you tell me the truth?”
Luo Jingshu rarely shared his feelings with others. He’d organized his words beforehand, but facing Xiao Cheng’s gaze, he suddenly found himself unable to explain.
“I… wasn’t in a good mood at the time.” He caught a glimpse of Xiao Cheng’s mocking expression and felt his own guilt. He added, “Back then, I didn’t know you well and assumed you were just like everyone else, only interested in my appearance.”
At that first encounter by the pool, he’d indeed thought that. And to some extent, the impression he’d carried from his previous life had influenced him.
Luo Jingshu deeply regretted labeling Xiao Cheng based on his prejudices and spinning a lie that would be hard to forgive.
Thinking about it, he hadn’t gained any satisfaction from the so-called “game,” only reaping the bitter fruit of his own making.
Xiao Cheng’s foot stilled as he heard this. He couldn’t deny that his initial attraction to Luo Jingshu was because of his looks. The first time he saw him, he’d indeed been mesmerized by his face.
Most “love at first sight” cases come from attraction based on looks. Physical appearance is often the only thing that stands out at a first meeting.
Xiao Cheng had never denied being captivated by Luo Jingshu’s face, but after getting to know him, he found himself equally drawn to his personality.
He nodded, choosing not to refute Luo Jingshu’s words.
Luo Jingshu continued, “Brother Cheng, I’m inherently a pretty terrible person.”
“When you mistook me for Luo Yuan, I decided to go along with it and mess with you.”
As he said this, an apologetic look crossed his face. His voice was quieter and raspier than usual, with a faint tremor as though he was barely holding back tears.
Xiao Cheng looked at him, slightly surprised. He’d expected Luo Jingshu to defend himself, but here he was, honestly owning up to his mistakes.
From the beginning, Luo Jingshu had seen him as mere amusement. Xiao Cheng had suspected it, and Luo Jingshu readily admitted it.
“Later, I realized you weren’t that type of person, but I was still awful.” Luo Jingshu’s eyes were red, his voice shaky with anger as he cursed himself. “I’m just a fool. I had so many chances to tell you the truth, yet I kept hiding it.”
Xiao Cheng finally met his gaze again, taking in the redness of Luo Jingshu’s tear-filled eyes. “Was everything about your time with the Luo family—being mistreated there—just another lie?”
Luo Jingshu shook his head, his fingers tentatively resting on Xiao Cheng’s knee. When Xiao Cheng didn’t push him away, he sighed in relief. “That wasn’t a lie. The Luo family really doesn’t like me.”
Xiao Cheng recalled meeting Luo Yuan. The other’s clear disdain for Luo Jingshu was obvious.
Luo Yuan’s attitude likely mirrored Mother Luo’s; it was no surprise they didn’t care for Luo Jingshu.
This was something Xiao Cheng struggled to understand.
He thought all parents loved their biological children. He’d seen countless news stories about parents who, after losing a child, spent decades searching for them.
He had assumed that after the Luo family finally found Luo Jingshu, they would treasure him and shower him with affection to make up for the lost years of parental love.
How could anyone treat their own son as though he were an enemy?
No wonder Xiao Cheng initially mistaken Luo Jingshu for someone else; Mother Luo’s behavior was far from typical.
“They don’t like me, and I don’t like them either,” Luo Jingshu’s voice wavered slightly before he continued, “I was the one behind the Luo family’s bankruptcy.”
Xiao Cheng had somewhat expected this, but hearing it from Luo Jingshu himself still surprised him.
“You worked with Jiang Ying?”
So, at that time when Jiang Ying had supposedly bullied Luo Jingshu, it had been an act, a scheme they’d planned together to deceive him.
“Jiang Ying pretended to be interested in me, and they couldn’t wait to send me off to him.” Luo Jingshu’s expression turned cold, his gaze dark and unreadable. But as Xiao Cheng’s eyes met his, he quickly masked that dark side.
“Brother Cheng, I was indeed putting on an act last time, but Jiang Ying isn’t a good person either. You shouldn’t trust him.” Luo Jingshu looked up, trying to make his expression appear sincere, though inwardly he scoffed.
That bastard Jiang Ying must have had too easy a life if he dared set his sights on his Brother Cheng.
Xiao Cheng felt a strange, almost absurd sense of déjà vu. He vaguely remembered saying the same thing to Luo Jingshu once; now, it had come full circle, with Luo Jingshu saying it back to him.
“Let’s leave Jiang Ying aside for now.” Xiao Cheng took a deep breath. “Do you have anything else to say?”
Despite everything Luo Jingshu had said, it all boiled down to one simple truth: he didn’t care about Xiao Cheng.
If he’d felt even a little for Xiao Cheng, he could have come clean instead of letting Xiao Cheng discover it on his own.
Luo Jingshu swallowed, his throat dry and aching—a sign he might get sick.
Since breaking up with Xiao Cheng, his routine had become chaotic, plagued by sleepless nights filled with memories of their time together.
He’d barely eaten for days, his stomach constantly plagued by a dull ache.
He couldn’t help but think that if Xiao Cheng were still there, he would have been concerned, possibly even soothing his stomach with a warm hand.
He’d once had the most gentle, patient boyfriend.
It was his own fault he’d ruined it.
Brother Cheng didn’t want him anymore.
Luo Jingshu closed his eyes, holding back the sting of tears, his voice slow and hoarse.
“Brother Cheng, I’ve never loved anyone else, and I don’t even know what it means to love someone.”
Though his heart had stirred, he hadn’t recognized it.
“I’m just a jerk who took advantage of your affection and played with your feelings.”
There was a sheen of tears in his eyes, his lips parting and closing as he whispered, “By the time I realized I cared for you, it was already too late.”
Why had he only come to realize Xiao Cheng’s importance after he’d been completely rejected? If he’d just realized it a bit sooner, he might’ve had a chance to make amends.
Instead, he was left to face the pain of a heartbreak beyond repair.
Xiao Cheng looked quietly at him, studying the expression on his face. He had expected these words to stir something in his own heart.
But at that moment, a thought flashed through Xiao Cheng’s mind: Is he lying to me again?
A sudden ache rose in his eyes, a faint redness spreading across his rims.
He felt sorrow at his own suspicion; Luo Jingshu had left such a deep mark on him that Xiao Cheng realized he could no longer easily trust anyone’s feelings.
Then, Xiao Cheng’s mind drifted: What if someone else confessed to me?
Like Xie Zhao, for instance.
He imagined the scenario and suddenly realized that he couldn’t fully trust their sincerity even with a different person.
He’d question whether the person genuinely liked him or was lying for some ulterior motive.
After all, the one he’d genuinely loved had deceived him. If that could happen, how could he believe someone who hadn’t experienced his affection would truly care for him?
Xiao Cheng’s thoughts spiraled chaotically. Almost instinctively, he pushed away Luo Jingshu’s hand on his knee. “Stay away from me!”
His tone was filled with irritation and disdain.
Luo Jingshu withdrew his hand and pulled his legs back, truly putting more distance between them.
He fixed his gaze on Xiao Cheng’s face, eyes dark with a possessiveness he couldn’t hide. Yet the moment Xiao Cheng looked his way, that fierce look softened into obedient submission.
The little wolf had tucked away his sharp teeth, disguising himself as a docile puppy, even handing his leash over to his master, willing to beg and submit.
Xiao Cheng, however, didn’t notice the fleeting change in Luo Jingshu’s expression. Rubbing his temples, he sighed. “Luo Jingshu, there’s really nothing left for us to discuss.”
“I believe what you said was true, but when it comes to your feelings… I’m sorry, but I simply can’t trust them.”
Xiao Cheng was already too hurt by Luo Jingshu. He didn’t even want to remember how devastated and full of resentment he had felt when he overheard those words behind the tree.
Xiao Cheng might have brushed it off as immaturity on Luo Jingshu’s part if it had happened before they started dating.
But by then, Luo Jingshu had been his boyfriend.
If he didn’t like him, then why give him hope?
Luo Jingshu pursed his lips, his dark eyes filled with pleading and bitterness. “Brother Cheng, I know I’m no good… but my feelings for you were real.”
All that time, he’d always assumed Xiao Cheng loved him, that he’d never leave him. So he never bothered to examine his own feelings for Xiao Cheng.
Xiao Cheng’s face twisted with pain, his crossed leg dropping down.
“I can’t trust you anymore, you know?”
Xiao Cheng glanced at the bag Luo Jingshu had placed beside him, his voice lowering. “Your acting is too good—I can’t tell what’s real and what’s not.”
How could he still give him a ring if he didn’t love him? Xiao Cheng knew he could never do something like that.
A ring wasn’t just any gift. The meaning behind it made it impossible for Xiao Cheng to give it away casually.
But Luo Jingshu had managed it.
He’d kept Xiao Cheng around as a diversion while also preparing a ring for him.
The stark contrast between those two attitudes left Xiao Cheng unable to tell what was true. And he no longer wanted to try.
“It’s over between us.”
Luo Jingshu’s voice was hoarse. “I won’t keep bothering you, Brother Cheng.”
“I just wanted to clear the air about everything between us.”
“In the future…” Luo Jingshu choked up, finding it hard to continue, “no matter who you end up with, I wish you happiness.”
His tone was sincere, and Xiao Cheng’s tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed. “That’s good to hear.”
It was rare for Luo Jingshu to share his outlook, and after a pause, Xiao Cheng added quietly, “I hope you’ll learn to treat others sincerely from now on.”
“Maybe someone else can achieve what I couldn’t.”
It sounded almost like he was encouraging Luo Jingshu to find someone new.
Luo Jingshu’s once-straight back slumped, his reddened eyes brimming with tears he could no longer hide.
“Brother Cheng…” His voice was rough.
Xiao Cheng wiped his face and changed the subject, “Alright, you can go now.”
Luo Jingshu hooked the gift bag with his fingers and propped himself up. Sitting cross-legged for so long had made his legs numb.
He steadied himself, noticing that Xiao Cheng seemed to glance at the bag. He softly explained, “When I got this gift, I truly wanted to give it to you.”
Back when they’d just started dating, Fu Ju had asked if he’d gotten Xiao Cheng anything.
Luo Jingshu hadn’t thought about it at all, and Fu Ju had laughed, “You’re so stingy. I never skimp on houses, cars, or gifts for any partner.”
That was when Luo Jingshu first started considering what he could get for Xiao Cheng. He’d never sincerely prepared a gift for anyone, so he was at a loss.
In his previous life, when he was pretending with Jiang Ying, his assistant chose all the gifts he gave—sometimes, he didn’t even know what was inside the box.
He thought about it and immediately thought of a necklace.
He remembered that in his last life, “Xiao Cheng” had wanted to give him a necklace, supposedly one he had designed himself.
Luo Jingshu could still vaguely recall its appearance, but by then he’d lost interest in “Xiao Cheng” and hadn’t accepted it.
But after more thought, he decided it wasn’t right.
He believed that the “Xiao Cheng” from his last life and the Xiao Cheng from this life were two different people, and he shouldn’t confuse the two.
After ruling out the necklace, Luo Jingshu originally planned to give Xiao Cheng a pair of cufflinks. But that evening, when he got home, an ad for rings popped up on his phone.
An idea sprang to mind, and he naturally placed an order, without feeling anything unusual about it.
However, after the purchase, a strange discomfort crept over him. He couldn’t figure out how to give the ring to Xiao Cheng in a natural way.
It felt like he couldn’t find a reason to give it to him.
Luo Jingshu agonized over this for a long time before finally deciding to give it to Xiao Cheng as a New Year’s gift.
He hid the ring away, believing he’d be staying at Xiao Cheng’s apartment for a while. But on the third day, they broke up.
After their first fight, when Luo Jingshu returned to pack his things, he hesitated momentarily and didn’t take the ring with him.
He’d thought they’d make up soon enough.
Who could have known?
In the end, they really did break up.
When Luo Jingshu poured out the entire story, Xiao Cheng fell silent once again.
He wanted to say something—his lips moved, but no words came out.
After a long sigh, he simply said, “You can go.”
Luo Jingshu picked up the ring and headed for the door. When he reached the doorway, he suddenly turned back to look at Xiao Cheng, his words drifting out as though from somewhere distant:
“Goodbye, Brother Cheng.”
Xiao Cheng didn’t respond.
After that, it was as though Luo Jingshu truly vanished from Xiao Cheng’s life.
He didn’t have anyone around who was familiar with Luo Jingshu, and the only person who might know something, Xie Zhao, wouldn’t proactively bring up Luo Jingshu with him. Xiao Cheng felt like he was truly moving on.
When he brought up Luo Jingshu’s name, he could now remain calm and natural.
After the final exams, Xiao Cheng moved from S City to A City and settled into Bai Yiheng’s apartment.
Mr. Bai’s home décor exuded the air of a successful person. It was refined but always had a cold, unwelcoming vibe, perhaps because he rarely cooked at home.
On Xiao Cheng’s first official day at work, he familiarized himself with his position. There wasn’t much work to do, and the tasks were mostly light.
Bai Yiheng had another trusted secretary, named Chen, a gentle woman in her late twenties. She had long hair and a friendly smile, making her seem approachable and warm.
She was also the only one who knew Xiao Cheng’s background, aside from Bai Yiheng.
“Assistant Xiao, I’ve listed the main tasks for you,” Secretary Chen said, handing him a small notebook. “Don’t worry. Although Mr. Bai can be strict, he won’t nitpick for no reason.”
Xiao Cheng quickly thanked her. “Thank you, Secretary Chen. I appreciate it.”
Secretary Chen’s position was above his, so technically, she didn’t need to go out of her way to help him, but she seemed happy to do so.
She winked at him. “Don’t be so formal with me. Let’s keep it natural.”
Xiao Cheng thanked her again, and then, unable to help himself, smiled. “Secretary Chen, you’ve really helped me a lot. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even know what to do.”
Secretary Chen patted him on the shoulder. “Just follow Mr. Bai’s lead. He’ll tell you what you need to do.”
Xiao Cheng wasn’t truly an assistant, so he couldn’t be expected to act as one. There was no conflict of interest between them, and he might even become her superior in the future. Secretary Chen was happy to help him out.
Following the tasks in Secretary Chen’s notebook, Xiao Cheng organized materials for Bai Yiheng and made him a cup of coffee.
When Bai Yiheng saw him bring in the coffee, he couldn’t help but laugh.
“How do you feel?” He stretched, then looked at Xiao Cheng with a relaxed demeanor. “I’m guessing you haven’t done this kind of work before, have you, Young Master Xiao?”
Xiao Cheng placed the coffee and seriously replied, “Mr. Bai, you’ve got it wrong. I’m not Young Master Xiao. I’m your assistant.”
Bai Yiheng: …
“Alright,” he said, picking up the coffee and looking at Xiao Cheng with a faint smile in his eyes. “Assistant Xiao.”
The taste of the coffee was familiar, and Bai Yiheng paused for a moment. “Did Secretary Chen tell you about this?”
“Yes,” Xiao Cheng replied, praising Secretary Chen so much that Bai Yiheng couldn’t help but sigh.
“If Secretary Chen knew you thought so highly of her, she’d probably be smiling in her sleep.”
After a few playful words, Bai Yiheng pushed a pile of documents towards Xiao Cheng. “These are the materials Secretary Chen organized. You can take a look.”
Xiao Cheng’s desk was set up right inside Bai Yiheng’s office, making it clear he was closely connected with him.
When Xiao Cheng first joined, he didn’t know how many people had been speculating about his background.
Xiao Cheng hadn’t been hired through the normal channels. When Bai Yiheng brought him in, everyone only realized that a new assistant had joined, with no prior hint of his arrival.
After Xiao Cheng had filled out his paperwork, those in the know quickly found out that he was just a first-year university student studying a major unrelated to the job he was doing.
This made people curious.
Although the company’s chairman also shared the surname Xiao, no one connected Xiao Cheng with Xiao Yu.
Xiao Cheng kept a low profile and didn’t display the typical arrogant demeanor of a wealthy young master. His respectful attitude towards Secretary Chen was far removed from the image people might expect of a prince.
So far, those who had met him didn’t recognize him, and those who did didn’t seem interested in him. As a result, the rumors were getting more and more far-fetched.
Some even speculated that he was Bai Yiheng’s secret lover.
Xiao Cheng remained unaware of these rumors, engrossed in reading the documents Bai Yiheng had given him.
The documents were a mix of important project proposals from the past few years and some proposals that had not passed the review process.
“You can start by reading through them, then write me a report afterward,” Bai Yiheng said, his expression turning serious as he addressed Xiao Cheng. “Analyze why some proposals pass and others don’t.”
As a decision-maker in the company, one must have a broad perspective.
Xiao Cheng understood this principle well and was particularly focused, occasionally jotting down notes in a blank notebook.
Bai Yiheng had been worried that Xiao Cheng might not adapt, but seeing how seriously he was reading, Bai Yiheng couldn’t help but relax and felt a sense of satisfaction in his expression.
The two of them worked without disturbing each other until Xiao Cheng’s phone screen suddenly lit up with an alarm, reminding him that it was already five in the afternoon.
Xiao Cheng put down his pen and quickly walked over to Bai Yiheng’s side, softly reminding him, “Mr. Bai, you have a dinner appointment at 7 PM with Mr. Shao Jun, Chairman of Shao Group, for his birthday.”
Bai Yiheng rubbed his aching head with one hand while grabbing his phone with the other. It was already five.
He stood up. “Let’s go then.”
At these types of events, Bai Yiheng’s usual companion was Secretary Chen, but this time, it was Xiao Cheng.
This further confirmed some people’s suspicions, and their gaze toward Xiao Cheng became more scrutinizing.
Preparing for the event took quite a bit of time, as there were media present, and everything had to be perfect.
Unlike Secretary Chen, who would normally walk arm-in-arm with Bai Yiheng, Xiao Cheng kept a step behind, walking beside him and listening as he greeted people.
Someone who didn’t know Xiao Cheng asked, “Mr. Bai, who is this?”
“He’s my assistant,” Bai Yiheng simply replied, offering no further explanation.
The person didn’t react strangely and instead smiled, nodding at Xiao Cheng.
As they moved around the venue, Bai Yiheng whispered in Xiao Cheng’s ear, “The person who asked who you are—don’t interact with him too much, and don’t take anything he offers you.”
Xiao Cheng was taken aback, looking up at him.
Bai Yiheng’s expression remained casual, and his voice even stayed as gentle as usual. “He likes young, handsome men, and his tastes are… a little particular.”
Xiao Cheng vaguely understood, and only then did he realize Bai Yiheng didn’t seem to like the man.
From what he had heard in their earlier conversation, Xiao Cheng hadn’t picked up on any of this.
Had Bai Yiheng not mentioned it, Xiao Cheng might have assumed the man was one of Bai Yiheng’s close friends.
Xiao Cheng straightened his back, “Don’t worry, Mr. Bai.”
Bai Yiheng had already started teaching him, and only now did Xiao Cheng fully grasp what he meant.
Bai Yiheng chuckled lightly. “Don’t be too nervous. Just stay alert. You don’t need to stick close to me. Go sit over there.”
Once Xiao Cheng took over the Xiao family’s business, people would eventually discover his identity, so there was no need for too much explanation.
Bai Yiheng led him around the venue not only to show him the ropes but also to remind him that no matter the situation, one should never easily reveal their true thoughts to others.
Xiao Cheng took his advice and found a seat. As an assistant, he was actually more relaxed than his boss. He ate and listened to music, thoroughly enjoying himself.
That was until someone suddenly stood behind him, placing their hand on the backrest of his chair. “You’re here too.”
Xiao Cheng jumped, his eyes widening in surprise as he turned to look, only to find a familiar face.
It was Jiang Ying.
