Jiang Tingnan had never told Ruan Yan anything about his past. All he knew was that Jiang Tingnan’s mother had died very early, and his father……
The man’s face had turned to disgust when he mentioned his father, cold to the utmost. “You can count him as dead too.”
Back then Ruan Yan had only taken it for family trouble. He knew Jiang Tingnan had built everything from nothing, starting his own company.
But however much “from nothing” it was, surely it couldn’t be nothing in this sense. Hearing Lin Dong say over the phone that Jiang Tingnan might be working at a construction site, Ruan Yan nearly thought he’d misheard.
Lin Dong hurried to add, “It’s not certain, it might just be someone with the same name. My uncle took on a project, and since I chose accounting as my university major, he insisted I go learn early. I saw the list of their workers, and there happened to be one named Jiang Tingnan.”
Hearing nothing but silence from the other end, Lin Dong tried to reassure him. “Don’t panic, Kitten, I’ll go over to the site later and take a picture for you then. But who is this person you’re looking for? How come I’ve never heard of him? You’re in such a rush about it, does he owe you money?”
Ruan Yan’s voice came out muffled. “I’m the one who owes him.”
“Huh???”
No matter how good a friend he was, the business of being reborn was not something Ruan Yan could say out loud, so he mumbled a couple of vague things and brushed it off.
After hanging up, Ruan Yan was still a little dazed.
Jiang Tingnan hauling bricks at a construction site??
No matter how he looked at it, that was impossible!!
It was also only after they married that Ruan Yan learned the two of them had graduated the same year, though Jiang Tingnan was two years older. He said it was because he’d taken two years off school for illness back then.
Ruan Yan had felt ashamed about that once.
The two of them had graduated the same year, and Jiang Tingnan had fought his way up to the very top of the business world, while Ruan Yan could only sit at home living off him.
When he’d said as much, the two of them had just showered late at night. Jiang Tingnan wasn’t any good at sweet talk to soothe people. He simply pulled Ruan Yan into his arms and bowed his head to kiss his cheek.
“I’ll have the lawyer come to the house tomorrow.”
Ruan Yan looked up, shocked. “What for? You want to divorce me?”
The man’s brows lowered, and he raised a hand to give Ruan Yan’s bottom a swat. “What nonsense are you talking! I’m having the lawyer come and notarize a transfer of some shares to you.”
Ruan Yan was even more bewildered. He reached up and looped his arms around Jiang Tingnan’s neck, shaking him. “Get a grip. Don’t let love rot your brain, all right?”
Jiang Tingnan had nothing to say to that, only decided Ruan Yan still had energy to spare, and so pressed him down and continued to exhaust him.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt it had to be somebody who merely shared the name. At this point in time Jiang Tingnan should be like him, getting ready to start university.
But Ruan Yan’s mind was still a mess. He went back to his room, and without quite knowing what he was thinking, actually dragged out his suitcase and started packing clothes into it piece by piece.
He held one up, so ugly. Held up another, such poor quality, the fabric so coarse.
Irritated, Ruan Yan dove headfirst into the wardrobe again.
In the afternoon Liu Zhen came home during her shift change, and the sight of the wreckage in Ruan Yan’s bedroom frightened her into thinking a thief had broken in.
Then she saw Ruan Yan sitting in a pile of clothes and finally let out a breath, scolding him. “Are you going to act up to the heavens?”
The words left Ruan Yan in a daze.
Liu Zhen used to scold him just like that. At every meal Ruan Yan never had to lift a hand. Jiang Tingnan picked the bones out of his fish, and Jiang Tingnan shelled every piece of shellfish for him.
Liu Zhen couldn’t stand the sight of it and would scold him. “Ruan Yan, are you going to act up to the heavens? Nan, stop spoiling him. He can eat it or not.”
Jiang Tingnan would only smile and shield Ruan Yan. “It’s fine, Mom. I like peeling shrimp.”
Ruan Yan lifted a hand and rubbed his forehead, feeling like he’d caught something from Jiang Tingnan. Had his brain gone soft with love too? How was it that these past few days his head had been full of nothing but Jiang Tingnan.
“I’m sorting out clothes. I’m starting university soon, aren’t I, so I’m getting my things packed.” Ruan Yan hugged an armful of clothes, speaking rather unhappily. “The fabric on all of these is too rough.”
Liu Zhen rolled her eyes. “Where did these princess habits come from? If you don’t want to wear them, go wrap yourself in a burlap sack.”
The clothes he used to be able to wear, the food he used to be able to eat, the chores he used to be able to do, after a few years of Jiang Tingnan’s pampering, all of it left him at a loss.
Ruan Yan didn’t say a word, only quietly gathered up the clothes he’d tossed aside in disdain and stuffed them back into the suitcase.
Liu Zhen had been about to leave, but the longer she looked the more she felt something was off about Ruan Yan. She frowned. “There’s still more than a month before school starts. What are you packing for now? What on earth has been going on with you these past few days?”
Ruan Yan pushed the clothes deeper into the suitcase, feigning ease. “Nothing’s going on. What if school starts early, what if……”
What if that person really was Jiang Tingnan.
Liu Zhen looked him over a couple more times, said nothing, and turned and went out.
That evening his mother was working overtime and Ruan Han was eating out with her girlfriends, leaving Ruan Yan alone again.
He didn’t have much appetite, so he made a pack of instant noodles to get by. Sitting on the sofa watching a TV drama from ten years ago, he actually found it not bad at all.
Lin Dong’s message came through right at that moment.
【My uncle just came and got me. I took a picture for you on the way, see if it’s the person you’re looking for.】
An image loaded in bit by bit.
Phone cameras in this era weren’t much good, and the picture was blurry as anything. It was already dark out and the light was poor, but Ruan Yan still knew him at a glance: the figure turned in profile toward him, bent over moving something, wearing nothing but a plain athletic tank top, hair cropped short, his brows and eyes not as coldly severe as they would be ten years on, yet still giving off that same air of indifference.
It was Jiang Tingnan.
Jiang Tingnan, ten years ago.
.
Ruan Yan didn’t sleep well all night.
The quilt’s fabric was stiff, and with all the rain lately it even smelled of damp. He missed the smooth gambiered silk quilts he used to sleep under, cool in summer, so comfortable. One roll to the side and he’d land right in Jiang Tingnan’s arms. The man had to hold him to sleep every night, and however many social engagements he had, Jiang Tingnan never once stayed out until morning.
Ruan Yan let out a small sigh.
He had no idea how Jiang Tingnan was doing now. Wouldn’t work at a construction site be exhausting? And wherever he slept would only be worse.
Thinking all these tangled thoughts, Ruan Yan drifted in a haze and didn’t close his eyes until daybreak. He’d barely slept at all before the alarm woke him, and he crawled up rubbing his eyes.
Liu Zhen was off work today, and the moment she came out of her room she saw her son in the living room with his suitcase, rummaging around in the fridge.
She jumped. “What are you doing?”
Ruan Yan gave her an ingratiating smile. “Mom, I want to go find a place to live near the school first. I can work part time and earn my living expenses too.”
Liu Zhen narrowed her eyes. “What rotten scheme are you cooking up now?”
“None, I just want to work my way through school.”
Liu Zhen gave a cold snort and went back into her bedroom. Before long she came out and handed Ruan Yan a bank card. “Your tuition and living expenses are on the card. Go on, go on, hurry up and go. Every day at home isn’t enough room for you to act up in. Once you’re gone your sister and I can finally get some peace.”
Ruan Yan blinked, then suddenly went over and hugged his mother hard. “Ms. Liu Zhen, take good care of yourself! I’m going to get you living in a big villa.”
Once he found his husband!
Liu Zhen gave a “tch.” “You just study properly and stop dreaming up nonsense.”
Ruan Yan then hauled Ruan Han up out of bed, forced a farewell on her, and left with his suitcase in hand.
Ruan Han, yawning, went to get an apple out of the fridge, only to take one look inside and find it cleaner than her own face.
“Mom!!! Big brother cleaned out the whole fridge!!”
The construction site was some way off, over on the west side of the city. The area was all old districts, now being torn down for redevelopment.
Ruan Yan no longer had an extended Maybach to ride in and had to take the coach instead, an hour on the road, jolting him until he nearly threw up.
When he got off, there were people outside the station selling tea eggs and roasted corn. Ruan Yan hadn’t eaten a thing since getting up that morning, and at the smell his stomach started to growl.
He couldn’t resist going over to buy two tea eggs. They still felt hot through the bag, and Ruan Yan peeled off a bit of shell, then had to press his reddened fingers against his ears to cool them down.
He was so hungry he swallowed one egg down whole without even tasting it. Just as he was about to peel the second, Ruan Yan suddenly stopped.
This early, Jiang Tingnan probably hadn’t eaten yet either.
He tucked the remaining tea egg into his bag, then took out his phone and opened the message Lin Dong had sent him, with the address of the site in it.
Ruan Yan looked well-behaved and was sweet-tongued, so it took him only a few quick questions to get the directions clear, and then he set off toward his husband, hauling that enormous suitcase behind him.
After nearly twenty minutes of walking, his legs sore with exhaustion, Ruan Yan finally reached the dust-filled construction site. A few people came pushing carts past him, shouting for people to make way.
Ruan Yan choked on the dust and coughed a few times, quickly dragging his case aside.
And there, in all that swirling dust, Ruan Yan saw Jiang Tingnan.
He was wearing an I-back tank top, stacking bricks into a cart. Hearing someone call his name, he raised a hand to wipe off sweat and looked over with a frown.
The next second Ruan Yan came flying at him like a little bird, throwing his arms tight around him. “Husband, I missed you so much.”
The last time he’d embraced Jiang Tingnan was in his previous life. Ruan Yan held on tight, practically climbing up the man with all four limbs, and even whined out a request. “Hug me, I’m going to fall.”
Half a minute later, Jiang Tingnan lifted him down, raising a hand to press down on Ruan Yan’s shoulder and stop him from pouncing at him again.
His brows and eyes were somber, his expression rather cold, and he lifted his gaze and said coolly, “Who are you? Do I know you?”