Lu Yubai looked up and caught a glimpse of Yan Chi’s receding figure, and he suddenly felt a wave of relief.
“I will be cured.” “He is my medicine.” “As long as I stay by his side, I will get better.”
Lu Yubai’s gaze was firm and calm, as if he were certain of victory. Yet, as he spoke those words, he felt a lack of confidence deep in his heart.
The Hospital
The two stood at the entrance of the hospital corridor. Lu Yubai leaned half-heartedly against the doorframe, glancing into the dark, lightless ward. A strange look flashed through his eyes, and then he left on his own.
Yan Chi’s face was stiff, and fine beads of sweat broke out on the tip of his nose. With an extremely unnatural expression, he followed behind. Lu Yubai was already waiting for him in the car. When Yan Chi got in, the atmosphere was thick with awkwardness.
Yan Chi was the first to break the stalemate. “About that,”
Lu Yubai smiled. “I know. Grandfather is getting on in years; you were waiting for him to fall asleep.”
Yan Chi did not speak, his thin lips pressed tightly together. As the car drove all the way back to the Yan residence, both were lost in their own thoughts, remaining silent the entire way.
The Yan Residence
Yan Chi lay in bed. Moonlight spilled through the window, falling across half of his face. His hand was tightly gripping a pair of gold cufflinks, his knuckles straining as if he wanted to rub the objects into his very flesh and blood.
He did not know what he was doing. He did not know why he was lying, nor why he still cared so much about Lu Yubai.
This was wrong! He had said he would not give Lu Yubai any more hope.
He got out of bed and went to the study alone. He sat there reading, going through “Restoration of Ancient Books” three times, yet he felt no sleepiness at all. Perhaps the moonlight tonight was too piercing. Even as it reached two or three in the morning, Yan Chi was still wide awake, though his eyes had begun to feel sore and strained.
His slender fingers tiredly rubbed his eyelids. After hanging up a painting, he headed back to his room. As he passed Lu Yubai’s door, he suddenly heard a sound from inside. It was the sound of something breaking, sharp and crisp, like glass or a mirror.
Yan Chi’s heart skipped a beat. He knocked on the door in a panic. “Lu Yubai, are you still awake?”
Anxiety, a rare emotion for his usually calm and refined voice, was evident. When he heard no response, he knocked again. “Lu Yubai? Did something break?”
Fearing he might have missed a reply because the sound was too low, Yan Chi pressed his ear against the door. There was still no sound from the room. Just a second before Yan Chi was about to open the door and enter, Lu Yubai’s lazy, intermittent voice drifted out.
“It is, it is nothing. I accidentally smashed my laptop.”
Yan Chi felt something was wrong with the way he sounded, but it was not his place to say more. He had told himself he would not do things to make Lu Yubai misunderstand anymore, nor would he say ambiguous things.
“Go to sleep then. I will have the maid clean it up tomorrow,” he said indifferently.
“Okay, I know.”
After receiving Lu Yubai’s response, Yan Chi walked back to his room. Before entering his own door, he looked back at Lu Yubai’s tightly locked door, feeling an inexplicable tightness in his chest.
The Next Day
When Yan Chi went downstairs, the maid was already there. A bowl of noodles sat on the table. He ignored the noodles and went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
The maid stopped him. “Young Master Yan, Mr. Lu has already left. He made this bowl of noodles for you.”
Yan Chi’s brow furrowed slightly, and his hand froze while tying his apron. “He left?”
He checked his watch; it was only 6:50 AM. How early must Lu Yubai have woken up to make him noodles?
“Yes, Mr. Lu took a suitcase when he left. He said you do not check your phone often, so he asked me to tell you that he is going on a business trip for a week to deliver some letters,” the maid said.
Yan Chi’s eyes darkened, and he gave a slow, dull nod. He sat down and began to eat the noodles. To be honest, Lu Yubai’s cooking was truly terrible. He could not even tell the difference between soy sauce and vinegar, and he had used sugar instead of salt.
Yet, he finished them anyway. Eating “sweet vinegar” noodles once in a while was not too bad.
Lu Yubai had woken up early to fly to Luocheng. By the time he arrived, it was already evening. As soon as he touched down, he sent a text to Yan Chi.
Lu Yubai: “I have arrived! The weather is terrible! It is so gray, it looks like it is going to rain!” Lu Yubai: “There is construction outside the airport; the road is muddy and dead.” Lu Yubai: “Oh, my expensive custom leather shoes!” Lu Yubai: [Image] (Leather shoes covered in mud) Lu Yubai: “Wife, do you know how to polish leather shoes? (Starry eyes)”
Yan Chi was eating dinner when he received the message. His brows arched slightly, and a bright smile flashed across his face, sweeping away his usual gloom. Yan Chi put down his chopsticks and typed with his slender fingers.
Yan Chi: “No.”
After replying, he put down his phone. Just as he picked up his chopsticks to continue eating, he met Zhuo Xiao’s scrutinizing gaze.
“Director Yan,” “Do you not usually keep your phone on silent? Why is it on today?” “Who sent you a message that made Director Yan reply in seconds?”
Zhuo Xiao looked at Yan Chi with a suspicious look.
Yan Chi suppressed the surge of emotion in his eyes and gave him a cold look. “If you are so free, go with Li Ting and restore the ancient books that were delivered two days ago.”
His voice was flat. Li Ting, who was passing by with a dish, stopped instantly. She looked at Zhuo Xiao with an expectant gaze and cheered excitedly, “The Director is wise!”
Zhuo Xiao glared at Li Ting. “Get lost! I have not finished the bronze restoration in my hands! Those ancient books will make me go blind!”
Li Ting left with a smirk. Zhuo Xiao was so startled he did not dare say another word, burying his head in his food. However, he kept stealing glances at Yan Chi, and soon after, he posted a photo in the group chat titled “Melons in the Field (Research Institute Edition).”
In the photo, Yan Chi was replying to a message with a smile on his lips.
Zhuo Xiao: “Family, come and get the gossip! There is a photo and proof!” Zhuo Xiao: “Today’s gossip: The Director’s iron tree has blossomed; he is in love!”
The group chat exploded instantly. After all, for an iron tree like Yan Chi, who had not blossomed in thirty-one years, a first bloom was bound to attract onlookers. Staff members replied one after another, and even the security guard joined in. Within seconds, the notifications reached 99+.
Soon, Old Wang the security guard posted a photo of Yan Chi and Lu Yubai leaving the institute together at night. The caption read: “Fertilizer Number 1 has appeared!”
Zhuo Xiao was having the time of his life in the group chat, letting out a sneaky laugh. That was until Lin Lan sat down next to Yan Chi with his tray. “Yan Chi,”
Hearing the voice, Zhuo Xiao immediately closed his screen in a panic, wiped away his smile, and focused on his food. Yan Chi put down his chopsticks. “I am finished.”
He got up and left, and Zhuo Xiao immediately grabbed his tray to follow while still eating. Lin Lan was left at the table looking incredibly embarrassed.
Luocheng
Lu Yubai gave the driver an address. After the driver noted it, Lu Yubai’s phone vibrated.
Yan Chi: “No.”
Lu Yubai’s heart felt a twinge of pain, but he was not discouraged. He began typing away with a grin.
Lu Yubai: “Do not worry, Wife. Since you are with me, I will not let you polish leather shoes!” Lu Yubai: “I will not let you suffer.” Lu Yubai: “Have you eaten, Wife?” Lu Yubai: “What time do you get off work tonight?”
After arriving at his destination, Yan Chi still had not replied. He got out of the car and told the driver to wait at the entrance. This was a vintage-style villa that looked very elegant.
He rang the doorbell. Soon, the door opened. Standing there was a middle-aged man wearing pajamas.