Fu Yu’s long, powerful fingers tapped the steering wheel. While driving, he watched Ruan Luo’s every move out of the corner of his eye.
As Ruan Luo asked the question, his dark eyes betrayed an innocent naivety.
He was like a snail extending its tender tentacles, hesitatingly probing the world. For a moment, Fu Yu was mesmerized.
Breathtakingly beautiful, yet so fragile he seemed he might break at the slightest touch.
This was the first time Ruan Luo had shown curiosity about the world since his amnesia. Fu Yu’s meticulous planning had finally paid off.
Fu Yu kept his composure, his tone deceptively casual. “They’re gifts for you. And for the animals.”
Ruan Luo blinked. “For me?”
“For you.”
“And for the animals?”
“And for the animals.”
Ruan Luo nodded. He seemed to want to ask more, but perhaps fearing that prying too deeply would be rude, he held his tongue.
Still, he seemed lost in thought for the rest of the journey. Fu Yu couldn’t tell if he was anticipating the gifts.
The Maybach left the Capital, drove into the countryside, and finally wound its way up a mountain road, stopping halfway up the slope.
The mountainside was covered in a dense cluster of buildings, with spacious plazas connecting the grand halls and jade-white pavilions. Incense smoke curled lazily before some of the main halls.
Setting aside the picturesque scenery of clouds and water at the mountain’s base, the rugged, jagged rocks and the exquisitely preserved ancient ruins, whose maintenance costs must be astronomical, suggested that this mountain’s tourism standard was at least three stars.
Though it was a bustling afternoon, the parking area was deserted. Only Fu Yu’s black Maybach, prowling like a predator, slowly pulled up.
Fu Yu walked around to the passenger side, opened an umbrella to escort Ruan Luo out, and then swung the large backpack from the back seat onto his left shoulder. He led Ruan Luo toward the largest plaza.
Only after Fu Yu and Ruan Luo had walked away did two figures emerge from a pavilion in the parking area. They were two women in uniforms, their eyes wide as they watched Fu Yu’s retreating figure disappear.
“President Fu’s presence is so overwhelming. Just looking at his back makes me break out in a cold sweat.”
“Me too, President Fu is an atheist. Did he come to our Tianshi Temple to help us break our feudal superstitions? If he did, why did he rent out the whole place? I can’t imagine how much money he’s burning through for a single afternoon.”
“Girl, you’re missing the point! Isn’t the real question: why the hell is there an omega by President Fu’s side? Could he be his wife? I heard President Fu got married once.”
“Rumors are unreliable. It’s probably just some delusional fanboy, fangirl, or whatever imagining things. President Fu is so rich he rents out entire mountains for a stroll. If he got married, wouldn’t it be the most extravagant wedding the world has ever seen? Don’t believe anything that hasn’t hit the headlines.”
“That omega looks like a student. What’s his deal? A sugar daddy and his canary? But no sugar daddy would lower himself to serve his canary like that. He even made President Fu carry his backpack. And look at him acting up, making President Fu hold the umbrella for him in this light drizzle.”
“He’s fair, fragrant, and soft like a little celestial being. So what if he’s a bit spoiled? If I were President Fu, I wouldn’t just hold the umbrella for him; I’d carry him in my arms so his feet wouldn’t even touch the ground… Hehe… Girl, no one else can get in here today. Even the cleaning staff are slacking off. Why don’t we slack off too? Let’s sneak into the temple and explore. Maybe we’ll get to see President Fu again!”
This wasn’t the first time Ruan Luo had been the subject of gossip.
Fortunately, the whispers only lingered in the dark corners beyond Fu Yu’s sight. As long as Ruan Luo remained within Fu Yu’s view, he was undisturbed.
By now, Fu Yu had already guided Ruan Luo up the mountain path and onto the White Jade Dao Law Plaza. A purple-robed Daoist Master and seven black-robed Daoists stepped forward to greet them.
Ruan Luo could tell that Fu Yu and the Daoist Master had made prior arrangements, but their conversation was laced with too many subtleties for him to fully grasp. He only understood that this was the first time they had met in person. The Daoist Master extended a warm welcome to Fu Yu, and in his kindness, also addressed Ruan Luo with a few inquiries. Ruan Luo responded with respectful politeness.
Ruan Luo also noticed that while Fu Yu spoke with the others, he would glance at him every so often, as if worried he might be bored. After only three minutes of conversation, Fu Yu politely declined the Daoist Master’s invitation to join them, explaining that today was not convenient and promising to arrange a separate meeting another time.
Afterward, the Daoists stationed on the plaza and at the main hall were all dismissed.
Ruan Luo followed Fu Yu along the now-quiet mountain path.
A fine rain fell. Fu Yu held an umbrella beside him, tilting it so that two-thirds of its surface covered Ruan Luo. He kept a perfect distance.
The deeper they walked into the mountains, the more breathtaking the scenery became. Several times, Ruan Luo stopped in his tracks to admire the view.
“Is it more beautiful than the banana grove?”
“…Yes!”
Fu Yu smiled faintly. “Really? Then why did your ‘mm-hmm’ sound so hesitant?”
Ruan Luo’s fingers curled slightly. “…I don’t like the banana groves. Everything along the way outside has been more beautiful than the banana groves.”
Fu Yu fell silent for a moment before speaking softly. “Do you like flowers?”
Ruan Luo looked up at him. “The flowers in the garden?”
“Not just those,” Fu Yu said. “They could be the ones along the road, or on the mountain.”
Ruan Luo tilted his head. “Did I use to like flowers?”
“You did,” Fu Yu replied. “You used to like jasmine, gardenias, and tulips.”
“I can’t remember what they look like or smell like. The roses in the garden are lovely. Fu Yu, I like roses now.”
As they spoke, Fu Yu led Ruan Luo onto a small plaza by a cliff, where a building stood.
Ruan Luo let out a soft, breathless “Wow.”
He saw an ancient, gnarled banyan tree, its branches draped in countless red ribbons.
“This is the Wishing Tree.” Fu Yu went to the self-service counter to pick up wish ribbons and pens. He lowered his gaze and asked softly, “Ruan Luo, do you have a wish?”
“…I don’t know.”
“If you could treat your amnesia as a new beginning, leaving behind everything from the past to start over, what kind of life would you want to live?”
Ruan Luo couldn’t help himself again and bit his lower lip. “To wake up every day in a warm, cozy bed… does that count?”
Fu Yu gazed at Ruan Luo for a long moment. “It counts.”
Ruan Luo felt a flicker of happiness.
Fu Yu handed him a wish ribbon and writing utensils. “Write it down.”
As he took a fresh ribbon and pen for himself, he added, “Take your time. You can write more.”
Fu Yu had told Ruan Luo he could write as much as he wanted.
Yet, his own wish ribbon bore only four characters: Ruan Luo, be safe.
Fu Yu was tall. As he tied their wishes, he glanced at Ruan Luo’s ribbon. It seemed casual, but he memorized every word of the three small lines written on it.
After securing the ribbons, he cast a frigid glare toward a certain spot on the mountain path across the ravine. The two heads that had been craned out to peek instantly retracted.
Across the ravine, two parking lot attendants slacking off clutched their heads in dismay.
“He saw us, damn it!”
“It’s fine. They’re over there, we’re over here. There’s a whole ravine between us. They can’t jump over and beat us up.”
“You know what? That omega is seriously gorgeous. I take back what I said. So what if he’s a pampered pet? What else can you do with an omega like that but spoil him rotten? No wonder President Fu is holding the umbrella and carrying his backpack. Damn, I wish I were President Fu!”
“Speaking of which, don’t you find this whole thing a bit creepy?”
“What’s creepy?”
“President Fu, the atheist, not only shows up at a Daoist temple but is actually tying wish ribbons!” The two of them shivered in unison.
“He’s the richest man in the country. What wishes could he possibly have left? Asking the gods to teach him how to spend his money?”
Fu Yu took Ruan Luo to several scenic spots.
As they walked, Ruan Luo began to feel tired. He wanted to ask Fu Yu if they could take a break, but he was afraid of ruining the mood. Just as he was hesitating, Fu Yu took the initiative to stop. He found a pavilion and gestured for Ruan Luo to sit. “Rest a bit. I have a gift for you.”
Ruan Luo’s dark, deer-like eyes instantly lit up.
The first gift was the latest top-selling smartphone.
Fu Yu said, “My number is in the contacts; you can call me anytime. You can call anyone else, too. I’ve already downloaded all the popular games for you.”
The second gift was a tablet.
Fu Yu added, “Use this for movies and TV shows, not your phone. The phone screen is too small and will strain your eyes.”
The third gift was a fitness watch.
Fu Yu explained, “I’ve adjusted the heart rate monitor for you. It will alert you if it’s too high or too low. If you get a notification, tell me immediately.”
The rain in the mountains had ceased at some unknown point, leaving only the Maybach parked by the railing, its umbrella slowly dripping water.
For a moment, listening to Fu Yu’s deep, gentle voice, Ruan Luo forgot to breathe.
When he looked up, his eyes were misty, and his long, raven-black lashes were wet with tears.
Ruan Luo didn’t know what was wrong with him. Even though Fu Yu treated him so well, his nose and eyes still stung with an untimely soreness. Forcing himself to hold back, he asked the question that had been lingering in his heart: “Fu Yu, what is our relationship?”
After asking, Ruan Luo mustered his courage to lift his face and tentatively meet Fu Yu’s gaze.
Fu Yu’s eyes darkened. He hesitated for nearly three seconds before answering, his voice slightly hoarse as if he had carefully chosen his words: “You are the little mister on my marriage certificate.”
Ruan Luo stared at him, stunned.
He saw Fu Yu’s brow furrow slightly. Fu Yu said softly, “Don’t be afraid. Don’t worry. It’s a marriage of convenience. Once you are able to take care of yourself, I can let you go whenever you want.”
The first half of the sentence was a lie; there was no such agreement between them.
Only the second half was true.
Ruan Luo’s deer-like eyes, wet with tears, met Fu Yu’s for a moment before he lowered his head.
He murmured, “I guessed as much.”
He just hadn’t guessed it was a marriage of convenience.
Strangely, Ruan Luo felt as if a cold wind had swept through his heart, and he suddenly felt utterly dispirited.