On the other side, Zhou Jinheng’s situation was not as rosy as Qiao An might have imagined. Although he had become a recent laughingstock in his social circle, and his parents expressed more complaints, overall, it didn’t shake the foundations of his life. After all, in the world of infidelity and cheating within the industry, he was just one among many.
While the scandal of his affair had become a hot topic on Weibo, causing a temporary dent in his reputation, with time, he could still make a comeback. The only thing that bothered him was the young man’s attitude. Their wedding was canceled, and everyone now accused him of being unfaithful. The stack of invitations in the drawer, which once held wishes for a happy and everlasting marriage between “Mr. Zhou Jinheng” and “Mr. Yin Minglu,” had turned into a pile of beautiful red discarded paper.
Every time he opened one of those invitations, it would quietly bring tears to Zhou Jinheng’s eyes. He hated how Qiao An, who had promised to have a drink, turned it into a blatant drugging and seduction. Even more, he hated himself for being swayed by Qiao An’s lies, for falling under his spell in a moment of weakness, and for not resisting the tempting offer that had been presented to him.
He was willing to accept Qiao An on the condition that Little Rose wouldn’t find out1Bitch. However, Little Rose happened to discover it, leading to a definitive breakup. Yin Minglu insisted that he would never forgive Zhou Jinheng. Losing his beloved, Zhou Jinheng felt increasingly miserable. He often drank heavily during the day until midnight, getting drunk and collapsing on the sofa, muttering and shouting the young man’s name.
His brothers couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. They regretted not exposing Qiao An’s schemes to their good brother earlier, leading to the current situation where Zhou Ge was obviously trapped in emotional turmoil. They had no choice but to go and plead with the young man.
After a month of intensive searching, they finally discovered the young man’s address. However, by then, Yin Minglu had achieved peace and tranquility in his new location. Expose it if you want; he had chosen this residential area carefully, and even the security guards were not to be underestimated.
“Sister-in-law, I’m here to apologize on behalf of Zhou Ge.” Qu Yan looked awkward. Despite looking down on all kinds of relationships, he acknowledged and respected the only one Zhou Jinheng had with Yin Minglu. He had once advised Zhou Jinheng to cherish it, recognizing that the young man was special. If they lived their lives well, they would surely become the “immortal couple” within their circle, the envy of others.
As a result, Zhou Ge unexpectedly couldn’t forget Qiao An, and his desperate actions turned their once-promising “immortal couple” into a joke. Many people lost faith in love, and those contemplating marriage hesitated, fearing that their partners might pull a similar stunt before tying the knot.
Yin Minglu, on the other hand, gained overwhelming sympathy due to his excellent reputation.
When Yin Minglu was confronted, he had a bag of fresh vegetables in his hand. Qu Yan immediately understood and couldn’t help but feel a myriad of emotions. Back when Zhou Ge told them about marrying Yin Minglu, they were shocked. They ridiculed Zhou Ge for being deceived by a cunning little boy and daring to voluntarily step into the “grave” of marriage. They even heard that the young man often argued with Zhou Ge, always throwing tantrums. At that time, they didn’t understand why Zhou Ge would like such a quarrelsome lover who seemed to pick fights every few days.
Later, they came to realize that only someone who truly loves you would dare to be so arrogant and domineering towards you. It was not like other lovers who came for money, appearing gentle and never daring to raise their voice. Furthermore, Yin Minglu not only had an outstanding appearance, but his personality was also charming. He was excellent at managing a household, a decent and stable person who could make those experienced in the realm of love feel the warmth of settling down.
From the vegetables he was holding, they could tell that the young man was virtuous and considerate, making them feel even more remorseful.
The young man cast a cold glance at them, said nothing, and even attempted to leave. Qu Yan couldn’t stop him and could only grit his teeth, reluctantly kneeling down in front of everyone. He said, “Sister-in-law, for the fact that I’ve knelt down for you, please forgive Zhou Ge. Men are like this, sometimes unable to control their lower desires. But his heart belongs to you; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been drinking himself into a stupor for a whole month. Doctors say his stomach is in bad condition. If this continues, his health will eventually collapse. You also love Zhou Ge. Can you bear to see him go down this path?”
Yin Minglu raised an eyebrow: Can I bear it? Compared to the original owner who committed suicide for love, what’s a stomach problem caused by excessive drinking? Since he made a mistake, he should endure the consequences.
“I know you’re very sad and angry, and you can’t forgive Zhou Ge for now. But I’m begging you, can you give Zhou Ge a chance?” After speaking, Qu Yan signaled with his eyes, and all the brothers who had despised the original owner in their past lives knelt down as well.
The scene was grand and imposing, as if Yin Minglu, holding a bag of vegetables, was the big boss in the underworld, controlling everyone’s life and death. These people knelt down, begging the young man for mercy, as if he held the power to spare or take their lives.
Of course, in essence, this group of people was attempting moral blackmail: “Sister-in-law, we’ve all knelt down for you. If you still don’t forgive Zhou Ge, it would be unreasonable.”
The sight of a group of men vying to kneel before the young man was quite attention-grabbing. Combined with the calm expression of the young man and the earnest pleas of the group, people, being emotional creatures, couldn’t help but sympathize with Qu Yan and his friends who were kneeling. Passersby instinctively urged the indifferent young man, saying,
“Young man, let’s talk it out. No matter how big the mistake, since they’ve apologized, forgive them.”
“That’s right, the deed is done. What obstacles can’t be overcome? Look, they are kneeling on the cold ground in this freezing weather. Prolonged kneeling can cause health problems. This young man, give them a chance.”
Of course, Yin Minglu had his own methods for dealing with these people.
He smiled and pretended to reach out to help Qu Yan up. Qu Yan was just starting to feel moved when, during the momentary eye contact with the radiant young man, he became captivated by those shining black eyes. The young man’s eyes sparkled with charm, and staring into them, Qu Yan felt a bit mesmerized. Subconsciously, he stammered, “Thank you, sister-in-law.”
Yin Minglu said, “Qu Yan, you asked me to forgive. If you were in my shoes, would you forgive?”
Qu Yan immediately blurted out, “Definitely won’t forgive! Daring to betray me, I would castrate those two gay men! One thing is for making alcohol, the other is for feeding the dogs!”
As soon as these words were spoken, his followers behind him were shocked, let alone the onlookers, especially considering Qu Yan’s thin lips and narrow eyes. His fierce expression distorted his entire face, resembling someone ruthless and vindictive. In contrast to the amiable Yin Minglu, Qu Yan looked more like a streetwise figure.
The whole venue fell into an eerie silence. Qu Yan finally regained his senses and realized that when the young man asked the question, he seemed to have been bewitched, speaking his true thoughts. He stammered, “…Uh-oh.”
The young man coldly remarked, “Since you can’t forgive, why demand me to forgive? Am I supposed to be so saintly and easy to bully in your eyes? Should I endure and tolerate everything magnanimously? You are all good friends of Zhou Jinheng. Have you ever considered my feelings when speaking up for him, who cheated on me? Don’t I feel hurt? And you still come to provoke me like this!”
“No! Sister-in-law, listen to me! I didn’t mean it that way,” Qu Yan hurriedly explained, realizing the situation was slipping out of control. At this point, the rhythm was already in Yin Minglu’s hands. He tilted his head, showing vulnerability, and said, “I already said I won’t forgive. You keep bothering me. How about I kneel for you? I beg you not to disturb my peaceful life.”
After saying this, he pretended to kneel, showcasing some excellent acting skills that even Yin Minglu wouldn’t underestimate.
“No, no, no! Sister-in-law, don’t do this. We didn’t mean to force you,” before the young man’s knees touched the ground, and even before his down jacket had a chance to wrinkle, Qu Yan panicked and quickly helped him up.
So, the whole disturbance ended without achieving anything. The young man effortlessly withdrew from the situation.
The group of brothers ended up kneeling for nothing and felt they had no face to face Zhou Jinheng, especially when he heard that they were going to beg Yin Minglu. He instantly stopped drinking, his face filled with hope that Little Rose could change his mind. But when the news came back, Zhou Jinheng felt even more miserable. He mechanically lifted the bottle and continued drowning his sorrows, not even bothering to go to work.
He sent messages to the young man’s phone every day, but they all seemed to disappear into thin air without any response.
It was at this moment that Zhou Jinheng realized the extent of the young man’s influence on him. Since the day of their breakup, his mind was filled with every smile and frown of the young man. What remained was regret. Perhaps having and losing made the loss even more poignant.
He hoped they could go back to how things were before. He didn’t know what to do next to win back Little Rose’s heart. He truly didn’t want to break up, but he felt powerless. He had done so much, and he didn’t know what else he could do to bring the young man, whose heart was as hard as iron, back to his side.
He thought that in this lifetime, he might never be able to love someone else as deeply as he loved the young man. If he couldn’t regain it, this unforgettable love, life would be utterly meaningless. He wished he could blame fate and ask for another chance. If he could go back to the day he falsely claimed to be going on a business trip, he would grab his reckless self and choose to confess to Little Rose.
But life doesn’t come with second chances. So, Zhou Jinheng could only numb himself with alcohol, avoiding everything in reality. In his dreams, he hadn’t done anything wrong, and he and Little Rose hadn’t broken up due to a fractured relationship. They were even more intimately entwined, and Little Rose remained as warm and passionate as ever, kissing his scruffy face with a pouted lip and a gaze filled with deep affection.
They had a child together, but for some reason, the child didn’t resemble the young man in cuteness. The facial features were not like his either, but rather bore some resemblance to Qiao An. Especially when the child looked at people, those clear and penetrating eyes were strikingly similar.
Why was this the case? Why didn’t their child look like either of them but instead resembled someone else? Zhou Jinheng was perplexed, unable to find answers in his dreams.
Seeing the young man in the dream being so good to the child, Zhou Jinheng couldn’t help but want to step forward and say, “Baby, this is not our child. Maybe the nurse made a mistake. Don’t be so kind to him!” However, the young man couldn’t hear him, continuing to take care of the child with a smile, even more attentively than Zhou himself.
Zhou Jinheng felt uncomfortable. He wished the young man would look at him and stop taking care of that naturally rebellious little rascal. Especially when the young man wasn’t around, he saw the child disdainfully push away the nutritious breakfast the young man had prepared, complaining to him as if reporting a misdeed, “This stuff has no taste at all, it’s not good. Is he trying to mistreat me on purpose by giving me this? Intentionally feeding me this tasteless stuff.” After saying that, the child kicked his legs, claiming he would go find Uncle Qiao, and Uncle Qiao would take him to eat delicious food like KFC or McDonald’s.
Abuse2hmm I guess this from the “mistreatment” part that the child said, my ass! Can’t that brat appreciate the delicious dishes the young man cooks? Not to mention how long it’s been since the young man last cooked. Zhou Jinheng wished he could grab that disrespectful kid by the collar and give him a good beating.
However, the young man seemed oblivious to the fact that the child he was taking care of was two-faced – always obedient and well-behaved in front of him but cunning and deceitful behind his back, saying all sorts of nasty things about him. The young man continued to pour his heart into it, always wearing a gentle smile.
Zhou Jinheng felt extremely uncomfortable watching this and couldn’t understand why his dream self chose to favor the child over the young man. Was his dream self out of its mind? Allowing that little rascal to bully the young man without restraint.
Feeling increasingly irritable, especially considering that his wedding with the young man was just around the corner, Zhou Jinheng tried on his wedding suit in front of the mirror. The thought of marrying the young man soon made him feel ecstatic. However, suddenly, in the dream, Qiao An appeared.
Then, for some reason, he found himself kissing Qiao An in the lounge, while Little was blushing and trying on dresses in another room. He paced back and forth, resembling a shy and nervous young girl getting on a sedan chair(a wedding chair or something for the first time, completely unaware of what was happening on the other side.
Zhou Jinheng was greatly shocked, unsure whether to grab the version of himself that was messing around behind Little Rose’s back or to comfort Little Rose , who was eagerly anticipating the wedding.
Not to mention, in the subsequent wedding, with the help of a group of good friends, he ended up eloping with Qiao An, leaving Little Rose behind.
In the most important scene of his life, Little Rose stood there in an elegant suit, exceptionally exquisite and beautiful. In his hands, he held a ring box, occasionally opening it to look inside. It seemed to be a ring he designed himself, infused with the designer’s wholehearted love. There was only one on the market, a unique design.
Then, the young man stood there, infatuated, waiting for the appearance of his other half. As if he could feel the young man’s emotions, Zhou Jinheng’s heart felt like it was being tugged at by a pair of small hands, aching. He wanted to grab the young man and say, “Darling, I’m here. Let’s have the wedding together. I’m right here!”
But the young man couldn’t feel it, still gazing eagerly toward the entrance of the church.
As time passed bit by bit, the smiles of the guests at the venue gradually froze, and it became difficult to maintain the cheerful atmosphere. The looks directed at the young man were filled with strangeness and sympathy. However, the young man seemed oblivious, still waiting in place. Only in the shadows where others couldn’t see, his mouth flattened, and a string of glistening tears quietly rolled down.
Although he was clearly shedding tears, he pretended as if nothing had happened, not daring to cry out loud. This appearance, trying not to make a sound while crying, made Zhou Jinheng ache for him. His chest felt like it was pressed by a large stone, making it difficult to breathe. He cursed himself, wondering why he had run away from the wedding. How could he have left behind his beloved Little Rose and chosen someone else? Was his dream-self brainless? Damn it, he thought, for making the young man so heartbroken!
“I’m sorry, darling…” He kept kissing the tear-streaked face of the young man, trying to comfort him, but it was in vain. In the dream, the young man was still abandoned on the day of the wedding.
Zhou Jinheng was feeling unbearably distressed, wishing he could strangle his dream-self who didn’t cherish Little Rose and take his place.
Moreover, he saw himself with Qiao An and that annoying child, like a happy family of three, strolling openly on the streets. Meanwhile, the young man watched helplessly and returned home in a dazed state. Zhou Jinheng was worried, his eyelids twitching incessantly. He felt that the young man’s mental state was not right, so he continued to watch.
As expected, the young man’s eyes were hollow and vacant. He filled the bathtub with water, wearing a face that didn’t want to continue living. He even took a fruit knife from the kitchen and left it in a corner. Zhou Jinheng wanted to reach out to him, constantly saying, “Darling, don’t do this. Don’t die! Don’t treat yourself like this. Why would you want to end your life for someone like him? He’s not worth it! He’s a fake, the real Zhou Jinheng is right here. Look at me!”
But the young man couldn’t hear, and he even took out his own phone. Zhou Jinheng saw on the phone screen that he dialed his number three times in a row.
The first time, no answer. The light in the young man’s eyes dimmed a bit, a bitter smile forming on his lips. The second time, still no answer. Zhou Jinheng’s eyelids twitched, a feeling of panic beginning to overwhelm him. He wished he could shout at his dream-self, “Why the hell aren’t you answering the phone?!”
When the third call came, the phone was no longer reachable. It seemed the young man’s number had been blocked. At this point, the young man’s gaze had lost all vitality. With a weak smile, he picked up the knife.
Ignoring Zhou Jinheng’s horrified attempts to stop him, the young man closed his eyes with a pale face and peacefully lay in the bathtub. Without waiting for the arrival of an ambulance, he gradually lost his breath. Watching his beloved young man die before his eyes, losing warmth bit by bit, and realizing that the culprit was his dream-self, Zhou Jinheng let out a scream of agony and soon experienced a mental breakdown.
Then he woke up. When he opened his eyes, he found himself staring at a white ceiling. It turned out he had consumed too much alcohol, suffered from alcohol poisoning, and was promptly taken to the hospital by his good friends.
Thinking about everything in the dream that felt so real, he teared up. For a moment, he didn’t know what was real and what was fake. He realized he had been taken to the hospital, but in the dream, Little Rose had met such a young end. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it’s my fault…” he subconsciously muttered, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes, overwhelmed by endless remorse.
Author’s note: Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided nutrient solutions!
T/N: Not gonna lie, I teared up a bit. OG little rose deserved better QAQ
Love what you read? A little donation can go a long way!
