Ye Zhou, dazed, was whisked away from the rooftop by Mr. Jiang, leaving the restaurant.
It wasn’t until the cold night wind hit his face that Ye Zhou, who hadn’t worn a coat, shivered from the chill, finally snapping out of his daze.
Noticing his movement, the previously silent Jiang Tingyuan held Ye Zhou’s hand with one hand, while trying to take off his coat with the other. However, it was impossible to undress while holding Ye Zhou’s hand.
Jiang Tingyuan’s gaze shifted to their clasped hands, his eyes flickering with rare hesitation. After a moment’s consideration, he quickly released Ye Zhou’s hand, took off his coat, and draped it over Ye Zhou.
Before Ye Zhou could react, he grasped his hand again.
He naturally separated Ye Zhou’s five fingers, inserting his own long, cool fingertips between them, then pressed their palms together. While doing this, Jiang Tingyuan’s expression remained calm, but his slightly cool, damp palm betrayed his unspeakable nervousness.
Ye Zhou’s mind was still a bit hazy. Ever since Mr. Jiang suddenly appeared behind him and told Xu Fei that he was his boyfriend, he had been in a state of disembodied trance, his body following Mr. Jiang while his consciousness flew elsewhere.
The restaurant was atop a mountain privately leased by the owner. The mountain was not high, and the entire mountain had only one restaurant at the summit. During meals, guests would be driven up by a special vehicle. Although there were streetlights along the road, they were spaced far apart, about 200 meters between each one, and the road was deserted except for the two of them.
Feeling a warm touch on his back, Ye Zhou realized Mr. Jiang had given him his coat. In the deep night, unable to see Mr. Jiang’s expression clearly, Ye Zhou broke the silence.
“Uh, you should wear it, Jiang-ge. I have a good constitution, I am young, and I am in great shape!” As Ye Zhou spoke, he tried to return the coat, but…
He had barely moved when he felt the hand holding his tighten, and Jiang Tingyuan’s deep voice echoed softly in his ear: “Are you calling me old?”
Ye Zhou: “……”
I’m not, I didn’t mean that, don’t put words in my mouth!
“No, no, our Mr. Jiang is in his prime. I’m just worried you’ll catch a cold. It was a slip of the tongue, a slip of the tongue!” Ye Zhou grimaced as he explained his verbal blunder.
The coat, in the end, was not returned. Not only that, but Jiang Tingyuan also naturally moved closer to him and said softly, “I see.”
“Then let’s move closer together. It’ll be warmer for the two of us.”
Ye Zhou: “…?”
Although the reasoning was sound, he couldn’t help but feel that something wasn’t quite right.
However, after more than two years of interaction, Ye Zhou still held a bit of awe for Mr. Jiang. After all, he was once his financial sponsor, and being too unrestrained could lead to deductions.
Even though their foster relationship had ended, the habits formed over the past two years still needed time to change.
So, when Mr. Jiang moved closer, Ye Zhou ultimately didn’t push him away. Whether it was out of timidity or a secret desire to remain close was unknown.
Their proximity suddenly closed by Jiang Tingyuan’s approach, the quiet of the surroundings was only broken by the occasional wind rustling through the leaves, creating a gentle symphony.
At this intimate distance, Ye Zhou could clearly hear his own heartbeat and their breaths intermingling.
Sounds that would normally be insignificant took on a new meaning in the quiet of the night, between Ye Zhou and Jiang Tingyuan, inadvertently steeped in ambiguity.
Seeing the atmosphere grow quiet again, Ye Zhou felt uneasy and cleared his throat, attempting to change the subject. “Ah right, I haven’t asked yet. Jiang-ge, why did you suddenly appear at Wangyue Pavilion? Were you here on business?”
“Yes, dining with a client,” Jiang Tingyuan confirmed Ye Zhou’s guess.
Jiang Group had a major project during this period, and Mr. Jiang, who was engrossed in researching how to pursue someone, had to pause his plans to make time for work.
He initially did not want to attend this dinner appointment, but the overseas client’s CEO had come all the way from Country T specifically to meet him. After several declined invitations, it seemed improper to refuse again, so he agreed to come.
Jiang Tingyuan hadn’t given it much thought. His secretary had booked the restaurant, and he just needed to attend. He never expected to encounter Ye Zhou there.
To protect privacy, the restaurant provided independent private rooms for each party, minimizing disturbances and exposure.
It was such a coincidence that, while dining, Jiang Tingyuan stepped out to take a call and happened to meet Ye Zhou, who had also stepped out for some air.
Since returning from South Africa, Ye Zhou had become extremely busy, and their meetings had become infrequent. Jiang Tingyuan knew the problem lay with himself.
He always preferred to act only after thorough preparation, and his approach to relationships was no different. Of course, the most important thing was that Jiang Tingyuan’s emotional life had been a blank slate for many years, and he urgently needed to learn to fill that void.
Jiang Tingyuan was somewhat obsessive-compulsive and a perfectionist. He always aimed for the best in everything. Now that he had decided to start over, he hoped that when he appeared in front of Ye Zhou again, he would be a better version of himself than before.
To say he didn’t miss him would be a lie. After living together so long, Ye Zhou had unknowingly become an irreplaceable part of his life. It might not have been obvious while they were together, but the longing grew clearer each day after Ye Zhou moved out.
Such emotions would have seemed ridiculous before, but habits can be terrifying. Just returning home brought back vivid memories of their interactions before Ye Zhou left. Every corner of their home held traces of Ye Zhou, and even the most inconspicuous objects carried his scent.
How could he not miss him?
After Ye Zhou left, Jiang Tingyuan moved out of the villa they had shared.
When Ye Zhou was there, the house was a home. After he left, it became just a house again.
Ye Zhou waited for Mr. Jiang to say more, but Jiang Tingyuan remained silent, lost in thought. Ye Zhou felt his tightly clasped hand being gripped even tighter. At first, he tried to endure it, but who could tell him why Mr. Jiang’s grip was so powerful?
“Um, Jiang-ge.” Ye Zhou called out, shaking his aching hand slightly, trying discreetly to pull it free. But Mr. Jiang’s grasp was too tight, rendering his efforts futile.
Seeing Mr. Jiang still dazed, Ye Zhou was truly exasperated. He poked Mr. Jiang’s shoulder with his other hand. “Jiang-ge? Hello? Are you back to your senses?”
“Hm, I’m back,” Jiang Tingyuan responded. “Since I’m back, don’t leave again.”
Ye Zhou only understood the first half, he couldn’t keep up with Mr. Jiang’s brain circuit with the latter. “Huh?”
In the darkness, Jiang Tingyuan chuckled silently and shook his head. “It’s nothing.” He naturally changed the subject.
“Back on the rooftop…”
Before he could finish, Ye Zhou hastily cut in. “That was Xu Fei, the male lead of ‘Thriller Circus’ and the young master of Qianlong. Today he wrapped up his scenes and invited the entire crew for a farewell dinner.”
Ye Zhou emphasized ‘farewell dinner,’ trying to make Mr. Jiang aware that Xu Fei would soon be leaving and that it would be difficult for him to reappear.
Jiang Tingyuan understood but was amused by Ye Zhou’s eagerness to distance himself, a teasing thought arising. His tone shifted. “Is that so? He seems to like you.”
Ye Zhou shook his head fervently, embarrassed. “He doesn’t like me, just the version of me he’s imagined.”
He recounted the recent events on set to Mr. Jiang, picking out the important parts.
After the background, Ye Zhou sighed. Scratching his head, he summarized: “Xu Fei doesn’t like me, how can I put it… it’s more curiosity than affection. He probably thinks I’m different from the people he’s known before, that I’m genuine and unpretentious.”
“But it’s only temporary. Soon he’ll realize I’m not the idealized version he’s given me. I’m just an ordinary person.”
Ye Zhou paused, a self-deprecating smile in his voice. “I’m no different from the people around him. In fact, a long time ago, I was the type of person he disliked, willing to grovel and capable of flattering shamelessly against my conscience to secure investments. I’m no different from those around him.”
“The reason I’ve become like this, able to confront him, his agent, and even his father with confidence, is not innate. This courage and composure were learned from someone else. Without him, I wouldn’t be who I am today. He taught me a lot, helped me regain my confidence, and gave me the strength to stand tall.”
“I’m grateful to him, even if his intentions weren’t for me. I’ve never regretted meeting him.”
Jiang Tingyuan’s steps slowed with Ye Zhou’s words until he stopped completely. He gazed at him for a long moment before asking, “It’s…me, isn’t it?”
“It’s you.”
“You don’t regret meeting me?”
“Never.”
Ye Zhou couldn’t let go of what happened to the original owner. He wasn’t the original and had no right to forgive anyone on the original’s behalf. But he couldn’t bring himself to hate Jiang Tingyuan over it either.
Was Jiang Tingyuan wrong? Yes, he was. But ultimately, he wronged the original owner, not Ye Zhou.
It was a bad debt, one that could only be settled if the original owner returned to reconcile with Jiang Tingyuan. Otherwise, whatever Ye Zhou did would be wrong.
In all honesty, from the time Ye Zhou transmigrated until now, he knew how Jiang Tingyuan had treated him. Precisely because he knew so well, he couldn’t hate him, but he couldn’t let it go either.
Continuing to dwell on it would only torment them both. Why bother? Life is difficult enough without imposing so many shackles on oneself. Sometimes it’s alright to be carefree.
Since he agreed to start over, then they should start over.
As the words left Ye Zhou’s lips, he was enveloped in a warm embrace, the unique pleasant scent of pine from Jiang Tingyuan. Ye Zhou smiled and slowly returned the hug.
“In the first half of my life, I prided myself on being clever, except when it came to you.”
“When it came to matters involving you, I became incredibly foolish. With emotions, with pursuing the person I like, I’m a beginner. I could only clumsily fumble and test my way through.”
“I know it was stupid, but I promise you, I’m a quick learner.”
“Give me some time. Before I win you over, don’t consider anyone else.”
“Okay?”
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