The next night, Han Ji finally received a message from He Wenqi.
Ru Shi Wo Wen (He Wenqi): Sorry, something came up unexpectedly.
Han Ji called back immediately.
“He Wenqi, what on earth is going on with you? Do you know how many times I called? Why didn’t you tell me in advance if you had to break the appointment? Why didn’t you reply to my messages? Why was your phone off?”
Han Ji was truly anxious and angry, a rare outburst of emotion; it was a barrage of questioning right off the bat.
There was a long silence on the other end.
“The phone ran out of battery,” a weak and powerless voice said.
Han Ji was instantly softened by the sound. He softened his tone slightly: “And before that? Was there something you couldn’t just tell me?”
“Han Ji, I’m a bit tired. Can we talk later?”
“Why talk later? Is it that exhausting to give a couple of sentences of explanation? Do you know I’ve been worried about you all day?”
“There’s nothing to worry about. I’m an adult; I can take responsibility for my own actions.”
Han Ji had searched for him for most of the night, scouring half of Jing City, unable to close his eyes all night. Now, the person was lightly dismissing his worry as a waste of effort.
Han Ji really wanted to pull him through the receiver and ask him properly what exactly happened to make him disappear for a day and a night.
Ultimately, he suppressed his anger and tried his best to remain calm: “Where are you now?”
“At home.”
“I’ll come over.” Han Ji wasn’t reassured and wanted to go check on him.
“No need, I’m really tired and want to rest early. It was my fault for not notifying you in advance last night. I’m truly sorry; I’ll make it up to you.”
He Wenqi’s voice did indeed sound devoid of energy. Although Han Ji was full of questions, he did not push further.
The call ended, and Han Ji pinched the bridge of his nose.
The person was back in contact; logically, he should be relieved, yet he remained restless. He kept remembering the scene of He Wenqi being held down and drugged by Zhang Wei; for that to be the first thing he saw upon meeting him again was, statistically speaking, far too coincidental.
Han Ji called the hotel front desk and ordered a bottle of red wine. He hadn’t chosen a house yet and was still living in the hotel.
A waiter soon delivered the red wine along with some matching snacks.
Han Ji unbuttoned three buttons of his shirt, revealing a portion of his solid chest beneath the black lapels. His Adam’s apple moved as the rich, mellow tartness of the red wine went down his throat.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the brilliant lights of ten thousand homes were even more dazzling than the starry night sky.
Han Ji was in no mood to appreciate it. After finishing more than half a bottle, he wasn’t sleepy at all; instead, the frustration in his heart grew more stifled.
He stood up, grabbed his coat, and went downstairs.
He couldn’t drive after drinking, so he took a car the hotel had pre-arranged at the entrance.
Han Ji gave the address he was concerned about and told the driver to drive a bit faster. The driver sped along, determined to satisfy the passenger. As the alcohol evaporated, Han Ji’s heartbeat accelerated as well.
When they reached the entrance of He Wenqi’s residential compound, just as he was about to open the door and step out, that familiar, slender figure walked out of the gate.
Han Ji was delighted that the two of them had such a silent understanding, but then he saw He Wenqi carrying a light duffel bag. The hand gripping the car door handle immediately let go.
He Wenqi walked a few steps to the side of the gate, looking around as if searching for someone.
A black sedan slowly drove up and stopped at the gate. He Wenqi smiled and moved toward the front of the car to greet it.
A sudden tightness gripped Han Ji’s heart.
The driver’s door opened, and a tall, upright man stepped out. He reached out to take the bag from He Wenqi’s hand, opened the back door, and put it inside. He Wenqi stood beside him, saying something.
The two stood by the car talking face-to-face for a short while, then the man raised one hand to place it on He Wenqi’s shoulder and wrapped the other arm around his back, hugging him intimately.
Unlike the harassment from Fang Zhenkang, He Wenqi did not resist; he seemed very dependent and submissive.
After they pulled apart, the man returned to the driver’s seat, while He Wenqi sat in the passenger seat.
A moment later, the car sped away with both of them.
Han Ji’s heart was in turmoil. He pulled out his phone and stared blankly for a long time, not knowing what to do.
Finally, he typed three words in the message bar: “What are you doing?”
After quite a while, the other party replied.
Ru Shi Wo Wen: Getting ready to rest.
Han Ji: At home?
Ru Shi Wo Wen: Where else?
Han Ji stared at the phone screen for a long time. His thumb lifted and hesitated repeatedly before he finally turned off the phone.
“Sir, are you still getting out?” The driver had waited a long time without receiving further instructions and couldn’t help but ask.
“Go back.”
“Back where?”
“The hotel.”
Returning the way they came, the lights outside the window were just as brilliant as when they arrived. Han Ji found them piercingly bright and closed his eyes.
The man had his back to him the whole time, so Han Ji didn’t see his face clearly. But from the peaceful expression He Wenqi had when leaning against the man, Han Ji was certain their relationship was significant.
He Wenqi had clearly left with someone and wasn’t at home; why did he lie? And he brought luggage—would there be a change of clothes inside? Was he spending the night with him? What was their relationship?
Han Ji’s heart ached faintly; he realized he had overlooked a question.
When He Wenqi said he wanted to be with him, he hadn’t figured it out himself. By the time he realized his feelings, the person was gone. Over these years, he had remained single, his heart only carrying the memory of one person.
Now that the person was right in front of him, he thought about reminiscing and making amends. Although He Wenqi was still very distant, he had patience.
But he had only focused on himself and forgotten to think about what the other person might be thinking.
Times change and the world shifts; no one will stay in the same spot forever.
…
Inside the black Volkswagen, He Wenqi replied to the two messages.
The man driving caught a glimpse: “What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”
“Nothing.” He Wenqi stuffed the phone into his pocket.
The man sighed and said, “Xiao Qi, you’ve suffered these past few years. You’re still young and have many opportunities. Now that I’m back, you don’t have to worry about anything with me here. Go do what you want to do; don’t let yourself regret it in the future.”
“Thank you, Uncle Ping.”
Liu Ping stared straight at the road ahead, driving very steadily. “Once I settle the accounts for this project I’m working on, the money should be almost enough.”
“Uncle Ping, we owe you too much. I will pay you back slowly.”
“Don’t talk about owing. We finally managed to convince your mother; we need to seize the moment now. We’ll talk about paying back later.”
“Yeah.” He Wenqi nodded.
“How are things on your end? That communication company you mentioned before?”
“It’s called ‘Star Glory Entertainment’ now. The management has changed, but I’ve inquired—their recommendation power hasn’t been affected. It’s just that there’s an extra layer of approval now.”
“How so?”
He Wenqi leaned back into a relaxed position. “Originally, the company could just issue a recommendation letter directly to the school. Now, because they’ve separated from the headquarters, Star Glory Entertainment has to submit it to the original international headquarters, and then the original headquarters gives it to the school.”
Liu Ping: “Sounds a bit more troublesome than before?”
He Wenqi: “As long as the opportunity is still there, it’s fine.”
Liu Ping laughed. “I don’t understand much of that. As long as you have a plan in your heart. If you need support from Uncle Ping, just speak up.”
His tone shifted as he sighed again: “Back then, you gave up such a good school for your mother. If you had told me a bit earlier, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.”
He Wenqi’s eyes dimmed. “It was the trouble I caused; I deserved it.”
“Good boy, you did nothing wrong.” Liu Ping paused for a few seconds and said in a low voice, “It was that person’s fault. He lied to your mother and hurt her; that’s why the shadow in her heart is so deep.”
“That person… how did he find his way there yesterday?” He Wenqi asked.
As they were nearly at their destination, Liu Ping slowed down, occasionally looking out the window. “I checked the hospital surveillance today. He probably followed me there and snuck in after I left.”
“He disappeared for so many years; why is he suddenly popping up now? What on earth does he want?”
Liu Ping parked the car in a parking spot and did not answer He Wenqi.
“We’re here. I found a temporary place to stay; the conditions might not be great, but we’ll stay here for a couple of days first.” Liu Ping took the duffel bag from the back seat and led the way for He Wenqi. “Your mother’s emotions have stabilized. Let’s not bring this up again; I’m afraid of triggering her.”
“I know.” He Wenqi followed behind, looking around.
The two walked along the main road for a dozen steps before turning left into a fork.
The path was very narrow, with walls on both sides, like a gap left between tall buildings. The further in they went, the quieter the noise from the main road became. Emerging from the gap, the road opened up, and there were simple shops with lights on either side.
There was a five-yuan barbershop, a grocery store, a small convenience store, and a small noodle stall selling late-night snacks.
Liu Ping led him further, turning right at another fork, where two rows of neat small buildings appeared.
This was a cluster of units in an old residential compound. The concrete road was worn down from use, and the dim streetlights faintly revealed thick moss along the edges of the road. The buildings on the left and right were symmetrical, each five stories high.
As they walked, He Wenqi’s heart fluctuated.
The old compound was very similar to where he used to live in his hometown. It felt as if he were walking through a time tunnel, traveling back to the past.
Even the structure of the building was identical: two households facing each other on one floor, and no elevator.
His home had been on the fifth floor; now, he was likewise going up to the fifth floor and stopping in front of a door.