Fu Tianle fell silent.
If this had been earlier, he might still have lived within his narrow world of self indulgence, thoughtlessly retorting, wasn’t he?
But now, with reality being torn open piece by piece and laid bare before him, impossible to ignore, he could not bring himself to say the words “very good.”
He had not yet sunk to the absolute depths of selfishness.
There was still, at least, a trace of conscience left.
Fu Tianle was temporarily settled at home.
The old man had someone escort him back to his room. Afraid that he might relapse into irrational behavior, they withheld his phone for the time being.
Even if they gave it back, there was no one he could contact.
He could not reach Yuan Mian.
He could not possibly seek out Zhang Su’an.
As for the remaining friends, though numerous, there was not a single one he could confide in.
Once he revisited the future from his current standpoint, Fu Tianle suddenly saw things differently. Just a few days earlier, he had gathered with a large group of friends.
At that time, it had not been long since he discovered that he had lost contact with Yuan Mian. During the meal, he could not help but mention Yuan Mian a few times, complaining in a helpless tone that Yuan Mian was throwing a tantrum yet the entire table of friends behaved strangely, those who were eating kept eating, those who were drinking kept drinking. Not a single person responded to even one word he said.
Now, looking back, the expressions hidden beneath the table, the furtive exchanges of glances, all turned into slap after slap, striking Fu Tianle hard across the face.
Bang! Bang!
There was a knock at the door.
Fu Tianle opened it to find his mother, who had come to bring him some fruit.
After setting it down, she did not leave immediately, lingering as if she wanted to say a few more words.
“Don’t be so upset,” she said. “It hurts my heart to see you like this and besides, you know what they say, when one thing is lost, another may be gained. Maybe even Heaven wants you to settle down properly this year.”
“Get some good rest. Don’t worry about going abroad. Your mother would never let you be alone out there. I’ll have your fiancée go over later to stay with you and take care of you.”
Fu Tianle had grown up spoiled like this. He was used to such concern and indulgence yet today, hearing his mother speak made him irritable for the first time in his life, even dizzy.
“What fiancée? Where did a fiancée come from?” His voice rose uncontrollably.
He could barely comprehend what he was hearing. “Didn’t I already reject that outright when you mentioned it before? I don’t need a fiancée. I don’t want a fiancée. Why haven’t you dropped this already?”
His mother, however, spoke with conviction, inheriting that same unwavering logic. “That was because Yuan Mian didn’t agree before.”
What did this have to do with Yuan Mian?!
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Fu Tianle’s mind. A beat later, terror followed.
“Mom… you didn’t secretly have someone go look for Yuan Mian behind my back before, did you?”
His mother did not answer but her reaction answered everything.
A metallic taste surged up Fu Tianle’s throat. His vision darkened.
He realized then that so much time had passed that he could no longer even distinguish what he was feeling.
He slammed the door shut, leaving himself alone.
Only at this moment did a thought finally arise, one he had never dared to consider before, one he had always resisted with all his might.
Could it be that… from now on, he would never see Yuan Mian again?
Never.
They had not even said goodbye.
The preparations for going abroad were completed swiftly.
Fu Tianle stayed inside for several days without going out. It was only when the date of Yuan Mian and Hu Guangtong’s wedding drew closer and closer that he was urged by his grandfather to go out for a walk, his mood heavy and dispirited.
He shut out all outside information, doing his utmost to avoid hearing anything related to their wedding yet the desire to see Yuan Mian refused to fade.
Accompanied by bodyguards who both protected and monitored him, Fu Tianle went to a restaurant in the city that was not particularly famous.
Back when their relationship had been at its best, Yuan Mian had once gone through a phase where he loved the pan fried dumplings from this place.
At that time, whenever Fu Tianle brought dumplings from this restaurant to a filming set to visit him, even though Fu Tianle himself felt that bringing such food was embarrassingly modest, Yuan Mian’s response was always one of delight.
Now, Fu Tianle no longer knew whether Yuan Mian’s tastes had changed, just as when he had wanted to buy gifts to placate Yuan Mian before, he had spent a great deal of time privately researching. Yuan Mian’s needs and preferences had shifted over time yet Fu Tianle’s attention over the past few years had failed to keep pace.
All he could do was cling to a trace of hope, so faint it was nearly nonexistent.
Perhaps it was not even hope, only desperation, not knowing what else he could possibly do.
Yet, unexpectedly, Fu Tianle encountered someone here he had never imagined seeing, not even for a second.
Hu Guangtong.
He was learning how to make pan fried dumplings with the chef.
The man wore a thin beige sweater, his hair tied up into a short, perky little tuft. An apron was fastened around his waist, giving him the appearance of a domestic husband at home, worlds apart from the commanding presence he exuded when dressed in formal attire for business negotiations.
With just a single glance, Fu Tianle’s entire body jolted. Instinctively, he hid himself, unable to face Hu Guangtong head on.
Since that banquet, he had not seen Hu Guangtong again. Naturally, that bit of business had also fallen through.
It was not that he had never imagined how he might encounter Hu Guangtong again but no matter how he pictured it, he had never thought it would be like this.
Previously, though he had avoided news related to the wedding, he had still looked into the past of Yuan Mian and Hu Guangtong. He knew they had once attended the same school. Beyond that, anything related to Hu Guangtong was impossible to dig up.
For this, Fu Tianle had always harbored a sliver of luck, believing that Zhang Su’an was merely tormenting him with words but now, he realized he knew nothing at all.
Placed next to Hu Guangtong, even his own love seemed like a defective product, flawed from birth.
On what grounds had he ever blindly believed that he was Yuan Mian’s one and only, his true love? Hu Guangtong surpassed him, at every point, in every aspect. Anyone who saw them would understand. Of course Yuan Mian would love Hu Guangtong. Of course Yuan Mian would choose him.
How arrogant he had been, foolishly convinced that he was worthy of Yuan Mian’s love, convinced that Yuan Mian would love him forever. When he himself was not good and had not treated Yuan Mian well. All along, he had been relying on Yuan Mian’s love to bully him.
Fu Tianle fled the restaurant as though escaping.
Once outside, even the bodyguard’s expression looked unpleasant as he reminded him, “There was some commotion. Looks like we were still seen.”
Fu Tianle paused slightly. Instead of leaving, he stayed by the entrance, waiting to see how things would unfold on Hu Guangtong’s side.
But after more than ten minutes passed, no one came out. There was not even anyone sent to pass along a message.
“What does this mean?” the bodyguard could not make sense of it.
Fu Tianle, however, understood. His face grew even paler, to the point where all he could manage was a bitter smile.
Because he was not important at all. Hu Guangtong had not spared him even the slightest attention.
And Hu Guangtong’s attitude naturally came from Yuan Mian. That dignified decision maker of the Hu family, burdened with heavy responsibilities, could still take time at midday to learn cooking for Yuan Mian. If Yuan Mian had not completely cast Fu Tianle aside, Hu Guangtong would never behave this way.
Yuan Mian no longer loved him. Even hatred was a waste of time.
Most likely, the moment he had said, “Why don’t you go accompany him” Yuan Mian had already cut Fu Tianle out cleanly, not even sparing him the smallest fragment of emotion.
“If that’s the case,” the bodyguard mused, “does that mean there’s no need to go abroad anymore?”
He even sounded a little pleased.
Fu Tianle nodded, then shook his head.
There was no need anymore but he had just decided for himself that he would go abroad.
✦ ✧ ✦
Fleurveil
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The Realm accepts offerings. The translator specifically requests coffee.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Why don’t you go and keep him company?Chapter 2 · He opened the door and left without looking backChapter 3 · Why Hu Guangtong of all people?Chapter 4 · Have you broken up with Fu Tianle?Chapter 5 · Hello, I am Yuan Mian’s fiancé.Chapter 6 · You liked Hu Guangtong from the beginningChapter 7 · I want to spend the rest of my life with you.Chapter 8 · Have you seen Yuan Mian recently?Chapter 9 · Yuan Mian has already started talking to someone elseChapter 10 · He wasn’t Yuan Mian’s first love?Chapter 11 · Are you comparable to Hu Guangtong?Chapter 12 · Yuan Mian would certainly love Hu GuangtongChapter 13 · They’re going home together for dinnerChapter 14 · Extra 1Chapter 15 · Extra 2Chapter 16 · Extra 3