In the colorful flower house, the young man had sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose, and thin lips. The deep coldness that usually defined his expression was replaced by a touch of softness. He sat quietly amidst the flowers, his back straight and his posture elegant. A warm breeze swept through, causing the flowers to sway. The stray hair on his forehead moved with the wind. Between the loose hair, his casual clothing, and the vibrant, blooming flowers, he seemed to have shed his usual solemnity, appearing exceptionally gentle.
Is that Shen Yifeng? Jiang Wu stared blankly at the scene, unable to decide whether the flowers or the man were more beautiful.
As if sensing something, Shen Yifeng looked up. In that moment, with the wind rising, their eyes locked. Perhaps it was the embarrassment of being caught peeking, or perhaps something else entirely, but Jiang Wu’s face turned fiery red, like a ripe apple, with the heat spreading to his ears. His heart began to beat wildly, faster and faster, as if it were about to burst out of his chest.
Shen Yifeng stood up, and judging by his posture, he intended to walk toward him. Seeing this, Jiang Wu’s heart raced even faster. He felt that if he did not leave now, he might die from heart palpitations. Without caring about manners, he turned and ran toward his room as if a ferocious ghost were chasing him.
He left Shen Yifeng standing there in confusion, as he had intended to invite Jiang Wu over to admire the flowers.
Jiang Wu moved like a gust of wind, cutting through the living room and rushing straight up to the second floor. Uncle Liu, who had been wiping the stair railing, had just started to smile when Jiang Wu zipped past him, his face bright red. Uncle Liu was stunned. What is wrong? Little Jiang is always so well-mannered; he has almost never been this rude. A sense of worry washed over him, and he put down his rag, intending to go upstairs to ask what happened.
Back in his room, Jiang Wu threw himself onto the sofa, burying his burning face in a pillow. He reached up to touch his heart, trying to calm its rapid rhythm. Finally, after some time, his heart rate returned to normal, and the heat on his face subsided slightly.
Just then, a simple knock sounded at the door.
Could it be Shen Yifeng?
The thought of him brought the image of the flower house back to Jiang Wu’s mind. His heart, which had just calmed down, began to race again, and the heat returned to his face. Jiang Wu felt nervous; he licked his lower lip, got up, and walked toward the door.
When Uncle Liu heard no movement, he asked with concern, “Little Jiang, are you alright?”
Jiang Wu had not reached the door yet, but hearing Uncle Liu’s voice brought a sense of relief, followed, surprisingly, by a trace of inexplicable disappointment. Before he could figure out why he felt disappointed, he pushed the thought aside. Hearing Uncle Liu’s worried tone, he hurried forward and opened the door, flashing a smile. “Uncle Liu, I am fine.”
Uncle Liu scanned him from head to toe, noting that other than his flushed face, nothing seemed wrong. But since Jiang Wu’s face was so red, Uncle Liu could not help but ask, “Little Jiang, did you catch a cold?”
Jiang Wu was dazed, unsure why Uncle Liu would ask such a strange question. “I do not have a cold. Thank you for your concern, Uncle Liu.”
“That is good, that is good.” Hearing the denial, Uncle Liu breathed a sigh of relief. “Then you…”
Before he could finish, a thought flashed through his mind, and he swallowed his words. Jiang Wu waited blankly for him to continue.
“Then Little Jiang, you should rest well. It will be time to eat in a little while,” Uncle Liu said with a chuckle.
“Okay,” Jiang Wu replied, feeling confused.
Uncle Liu gave him a knowing smile. “Then I will head downstairs.”
“Goodbye, Uncle Liu.” Jiang Wu waved. He felt that Uncle Liu’s smile was different from usual, though he could not quite put his finger on why. Giving up on the thought, he turned and entered his room.
Downstairs, Uncle Liu kept replaying his previous thought, becoming more convinced it was true. If I remember correctly, Little Jiang just returned from the backyard, and the young master seems to be there too. And this morning, Little Jiang came out of the young master’s room. Remembering Jiang Wu’s red-faced run, Uncle Liu, who had been young once himself, understood. With an indulgent smile, he pulled out his phone to call the old master. I wonder when they will hold the wedding?
Jiang Wu stayed in his room for the rest of the time. He practiced drawing on his tablet. Meanwhile, Shen Yifeng stood in the flower house for a moment before heading out. He scanned the living room but could not find Jiang Wu.
“Is the young master looking for Little Jiang?” Uncle Liu’s voice suddenly appeared from nowhere. Shen Yifeng turned to see Uncle Liu standing there with his phone in hand.
Shen Yifeng nodded.
Uncle Liu gave a knowing look. “I just saw Little Jiang head back to his room.”
“Hmm.” Shen Yifeng began walking toward the stairs. He was worried, not knowing why Jiang Wu had run off earlier.
Seeing Shen Yifeng heading upstairs, Uncle Liu quickly blocked him. Dinner is almost ready; if the young master goes up now, will he ever come down again? Little Jiang’s frail frame will not be able to handle this day-and-night torment. Uncle Liu looked at Shen Yifeng with a hint of reproach. But remembering that his master was nearly thirty and had finally found a partner, his annoyance softened.
“Uncle Liu?” Shen Yifeng asked, puzzled by the strange expressions on Uncle Liu’s face. “What is wrong with you?”
Uncle Liu did not answer. Thinking that the old master was away and that he had raised Shen Yifeng since he was a child, he felt it was his duty to offer some advice for his master’s future happiness. He put on a stern expression.
“Young master, I have been your age, so I can understand you.”
“?”
“But Little Jiang is still young. You cannot, and should not, be so unrestrained.”
“?”
“And also, Little Jiang is thin-skinned. You should be more mindful even when outside.”
Seeing that his master remained unresponsive, Uncle Liu sighed deeply. “Young master, do not pretend you do not understand. If you want a long-term relationship, you must learn restraint. I believe you should understand this logic better than I do, given your business experience.”
Understand you? What is wrong with me? What is wrong with Jiang Wu? What restraint? Why are we talking about business? Shen Yifeng thought Uncle Liu had gone mad, blurting out such nonsensical things. Perhaps he is under too much pressure.
“Uncle Liu, why don’t you go out and relax for a few days?”
Uncle Liu was shocked. Is he trying to get rid of me because I’m in the way? He looked at Shen Yifeng with disbelief, thinking that the young people of today really were something else.
Just as Shen Yifeng was wondering what else to say, the clock on the wall chimed twelve. Hearing it, Uncle Liu exclaimed that he had chores left to do. “Young master, you must remember what I said.” With that, he scurried away.
Shen Yifeng exhaled and walked upstairs.
Jiang Wu was painting in his room. Hearing a knock, he assumed it was Uncle Liu calling him for dinner. He put down his tablet and opened the door, only to have the handsome face of Shen Yifeng fill his vision. Jiang Wu’s smile froze.