Jiang Jue was different from Qiu Huai and the others. Having been isolated from the world for a thousand years, he had only been exposed to this brand-new human realm for a few months and even those months were spent in a daze.
To be precise, this was only his third day with a clear consciousness.
Fortunately, his learning ability was strong. In a short time, he had grasped the operating order and various aspects of modern society, though he still felt somewhat unfamiliar with everything around him.
Until just now, a familiar figure flashed past his eyes.
It was his A’Nian.
Even though he knew full well that he was the one who had sealed A’Nian’s memories, and the other no longer recognized him.
Before he could even get a clear look at that face, Qiu Huai barged in, pushing the person into the private room and slamming the door shut with a deafening bang.
Jiang Jue lowered his gaze to glance at the clothes he was wearing, then looked up at the real waiter not far away, who seemed to be trying to shrink his presence as much as possible.
He didn’t see any problem with it.
“This outfit was given to me by the assistant you sent.”
Qiu Huai’s vision went dark. He slapped his forehead, and his phone vibrated.
It was a message from that intern assistant.
[Boss, I really was pressed for time. I found some clothes for the Emperor on short notice. I hope you don’t get too worked up when you see them—it’s not good for your health.]
Followed by a cute puppy sticker.
Qiu Huai: “…”
At least he still cared about his health. There might still be hope.
In despair, he grabbed the real waiter beside him and ordered, “Take him to change into something decent, quick!”
…
Inside the private room, Jing Nian stood by the huge floor-to-ceiling window, his long eyelashes slightly lowered, giving him a serene yet fragile appearance that made one instinctively want to protect him.
That was, of course, only when he wasn’t throwing punches.
The city’s lights stretched out before his eyes, along with the sparkling night sky dotted with stars.
With the human realm as the boundary, above the sky lay the divine realm, and beneath the earth was the underworld.
Jing Nian had learned that his ex-husband also his adoptive father came from the divine realm only after he had already been tossed into the underworld and handed over to Qiu Huai.
To this day, he still hadn’t figured out the truth behind Gu Yehan’s departure or whether the man was even still alive.
Perhaps too much time had passed, but all memories of A’Fu’s voice, smile, and appearance had gradually faded from his mind.
Only the slightly forbidden feelings between the two of them remained deeply etched in his heart.
Over the years, what had kept Jing Nian working in the underworld was this very relationship. He was determined to wait for Gu Yehan to return and give him an explanation.
Once he was free, he would go to the divine realm, drag the man out, and see just what he was busy doing—probably flirting with some pretty little immortal lord.
The more Jing Nian thought about it, the angrier he became. Even though it was just a baseless guess, his cheeks puffed up in frustration, transforming him from a fragile porcelain doll into a prickly little pufferfish.
It was all Qiu Huai’s fault!
What kind of host locks a guest in a room without even serving food?
There wasn’t even a menu.
He naturally directed his anger toward the old ghost outside who hadn’t even entered yet, rolling up his sleeves and planning to find any excuse to greet his dear superior with his fists.
But as he yanked the door open, he ran right into Qiu Huai, who had his back turned and was nervously saying something.
He only caught a few vague words.
“Change clothes”…”waiter”
Jing Nian blinked.
…Uniform roleplay?
They were really going all out for a meal.
He let his sleeves fall back down, leaned against the doorframe, crossed his arms, and let out a faint, accusing hum toward that guilty back. “What waiter?”
Qiu Huai froze completely, every hair on his body standing on end.
He slowly turned his head, forcing a smile that looked even more pitiful than tears. “Ah… Nian Nian, why did you come out?”
As he spoke, he instinctively shifted to the side, trying to block something.
The move wasn’t particularly clever, and the man behind him was far too conspicuous.
Jing Nian’s gaze swept past Qiu Huai and landed on that man—tall and slender, with deep-set eyes and a handsome face that left no room for criticism. Even dressed in a waiter’s uniform, he couldn’t hide the innate aura that radiated from within.
Jing Nian only glanced at him before looking away. Just a good-looking waiter, nothing more.
Not his husband, anyway.
He was more concerned about what to eat tonight.
But Jing Nian had no idea what a storm that single glance had stirred in Jiang Jue’s heart.
During those agonizing days, Jiang Jue had imagined countless scenarios of their reunion. The kid might hate him, resent him, question why he had disappeared for so long, or even lash out at him without restraint, throwing a punch.
But reality had already been set in stone the moment Jiang Jue decided to erase Jing Nian’s memories of him before leaving.
Jing Nian didn’t recognize him, nor did he care.
Even though he had prepared himself, Jiang Jue suddenly felt that his once-proud resilience had become fragile in this moment. His heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a powerful hand, leaving him breathless.
The deeper the love, the more cautious he became.
His gaze never left Jing Nian, afraid that this was all a dream—that if he looked away even for a second, Jing Nian would vanish from his dream.
His thin, well-defined lips parted slightly, but before he could speak, a calm voice interrupted him. “Where’s the menu?”
Jiang Jue was taken aback and instinctively asked, “What…?”
Jing Nian’s expression fell as he turned to glare at Qiu Huai. “Weren’t you supposed to get the menu to order? Where is it?”
Qiu Huai feigned ignorance, desperately winking at Jiang Jue. “Yeah, where’s the menu?”
In his eagerness to see Jing Nian, Jiang Jue had come completely unprepared. Still processing the situation, he frowned and repeated, “Menu?”
“You’re the waiter, and you’re asking me?” Qiu Huai glanced at Jing Nian’s clenched fist and pretended to be uninvolved. “Is this how you treat guests? What kind of training did this hotel give you?”
Given their current positions, Jiang Jue was Qiu Huai’s superior. His dissatisfaction with Qiu Huai grew, and his expression turned increasingly dangerous.
Under the weight of two unfriendly stares, Qiu Huai felt prickly all over.
Like father, like son! The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! Two peas in a pod!
At the critical moment, the hotel manager rushed over, panting. “Mr. Qiu! The menu… the menu is here!”
Qiu Huai sighed in relief, forcing a laugh as he wrapped an arm around Jing Nian’s shoulder and guided him toward the private room. “See, it’s here now. Come on, Nian Nian, let’s go order. Order as much as you want. If we can’t finish, we’ll take it home. I wouldn’t even mind if we took the waiter home with us!”
He subtly glanced back at Jiang Jue and winked. “Besides, this waiter is new and lacks practical experience. How about we keep him in our room?”
Jing Nian shot him a look and pouted. “You’re paying, so it’s your call.”
He just felt that Qiu Huai was acting strange today.
Was he somehow part of Qiu Huai and that waiter’s roleplay game?
Tsk. Better finish eating quickly and make a run for it. There’s no such thing as a free dinner unless you’re fast enough to escape.
In Jiang Jue’s imagination, the first reunion with Jing Nian might not have been perfect, but it certainly shouldn’t have been this disastrous.
The mastermind behind it all was still intimately holding his child’s shoulder, whispering secrets into his ear.
What was even more infuriating was the provocative glance thrown his way afterward.
Jiang Jue slowly clenched his fist. He never should have entrusted A’Nian to such an unreliable person back then. Who knows what kind of influence this person had on his well-behaved child or how much slander had been whispered about him.
The private room was well-heated, the air conditioning turned up high. After taking his seat, Jing Nian casually removed his thick cotton coat and draped it over the back of his chair.
Seeing the coat nearly slip off, Jiang Jue quickly walked over to pick it up. But the moment he touched the 100% polyester fabric, his brows furrowed deeply.
How could anyone wear such cheap material?
Jing Nian’s skin had always been delicate and fragile—even slightly coarse fabric could leave red marks. Especially those slender wrists; in the past, just a gentle squeeze would leave faint red traces, making one reluctant to apply even the slightest pressure.
“Thank you,” Jing Nian said softly, unaware of Jiang Jue’s disdain for his online-purchased polyester clothing.
Jiang Jue carefully placed the coat back, his gaze sweeping over Jing Nian’s slightly lowered eyelashes.
His face looked thinner than Jiang Jue remembered. He had always been picky with food, and without anyone around to ensure he ate properly, it seemed he hadn’t been taking good care of himself.
Something on the table was lit. Jing Nian only noticed it when he looked up from the menu—it was a candle.
This was a candlelit dinner.
Under the dim candlelight, the atmosphere gradually grew awkward. Something felt off.
Jing Nian kept a close eye on Jiang Jue’s movements, worried that if the lighting grew any dimmer, the other might attempt some subtle, unwelcome gestures.
“Qiu Huai, don’t you think the atmosphere is a bit ambiguous?”
Qiu Huai let out an awkward laugh. “Ambiguous? I think it’s fine!”
His hand, hidden under the table, was gesturing so frantically it was nearly cramping. He wished he could fling his arm out, but Jiang Jue didn’t even glance his way.
This wasn’t part of the plan!
Though, to be honest, there was no plan to begin with.
Jing Nian had always been drawn to attractive faces. Qiu Huai’s unilateral plan was for Jiang Jue to showcase his masculine charm to captivate him, but Jiang Jue was only concerned with how to ensure the child ate well and healthily.
During his growing years, skipping meals was simply unacceptable.
Jiang Jue poured a cup of warm water and gently placed it beside Jing Nian’s hand, his voice soft as he reminded, “Be careful, it’s hot.”
The candlelight cast a gentle glow over his sharp features, softening the intensity in his deep eyes.
Unfortunately, Jing Nian didn’t look up. He merely hummed in acknowledgment, his attention fully on ordering—not what was right, but what was expensive.
“That’s all. Also, put out this candle,” Jing Nian said, trying to subtly hint that there should be no underhanded moves. If there were to be any, he’d rather finish his meal, pack up, and let them sort it out themselves at home.
Jiang Jue had always been indulgent toward the child and immediately extinguished the candle.
Qiu Huai was so frustrated he nearly slapped his own forehead swollen. He pulled out his phone and typed furiously.
【Jiang Jue!! Do you still want your wife or not?!】
【If you do, follow my plan!!】
The moment the messages were sent, his phone rang twice at full volume.
In the quiet private room, the sound was particularly jarring.
Jiang Jue didn’t bother hiding it. He opened his phone which Qiu Huai’s intern assistant had cranked up to maximum volume and glanced at the screen filled with exclamation marks.
Then, without a word, he closed it.
He had no intention of following Qiu Huai’s arrangements.
This person was utterly unreliable.
Jiang Jue’s gentle gaze lingered on Jing Nian once more.
Beautiful, no matter how many times I look, I never get enough.
The dishes arrived, but Jiang Jue still wasn’t idle. He poured water, handed napkins, and took care of Jing Nian with meticulous attention.
“It’s too late to eat much meat. It’s hard to digest.”
“Have some congee.”
“The fruit is quite fresh too—you can have a little.”
“…”
Jing Nian, before Jiang Jue could take away the braised pork in front of him, quickly snatched a piece with his chopsticks and deliberately stuffed it into his mouth, puffing out his cheeks.
Who was he to let a waiter dictate what he could eat?
Judging by appearance, the other man seemed more mature than him. Sure enough, older men loved to nag—even more than his own father.
A Western-style candlelight, Chinese dishes, a waiter standing nearby who acted more like a father than his own dad, and across from him, that idiot boss who looked like his brain had been squeezed in a door.
Finally, the guilty idiot boss spoke up, his eyes darting toward Jiang Jue. “Nian Nian, are you satisfied?”
Jing Nian nodded perfunctorily. “Mhm, mhm, mhm, satisfied, it’s fine…”
The bill looked as long as a phone number—very satisfying indeed.
“See, Nian Nian is very satisfied!” Qiu Huai innocently spread his hands toward Jiang Jue. Never mind what exactly he was satisfied with—as long as he was satisfied, it couldn’t be blamed on him.
After the meal, Jing Nian leisurely pulled out a few plastic bags usually used in the underworld to pack Mengpo Soup.
Jiang Jue stared at the plastic bags, his brain momentarily short-circuiting.
Although he had taught the child since young not to waste food, A’Nian had never done this before. The child had been raised with meticulous care and abundance!
Jing Nian, holding a plate and pouring leftovers into the plastic bag, muttered to himself with a pout, “The black-hearted boss doesn’t pay wages, the poor employee has to take leftovers as compensation, not even a silk quilt…”
“Is that true?” Jiang Jue’s voice turned cold, carrying an overwhelming pressure.
Qiu Huai looked at the ceiling, the floor, and the floor-to-ceiling window beside him, then raised a paw to scratch his head.
“…Probably… maybe… QAQ”