E ⋆ Chapter 24

After lunch, Yu Zhinian went home to get his laptop and change clothes before heading back to school. Since the study he used to occupy had been commandeered by Yang Ke, he decided to go to the library to revise his thesis.

His advisor’s revision comments were very detailed. He worked on them until evening and only finished half, still having materials from several other courses to review. He went to a café to grab something to eat, then returned to the library to continue.

Yu Zhinian was so absorbed in his work that he lost track of time. When the butler called, it was already nearly eleven.

The butler asked when he would be home. Yu Zhinian said soon, and the butler told him: “Since it’s getting late, I’ve had the driver come pick you up. He should be arriving soon. Just head downstairs when you’re done and contact him.”

Yu Zhinian hung up, embarrassed at the thought of keeping the driver waiting, quickly packed up, and headed downstairs.

The rain had lessened somewhat, but the wind was still strong, blowing cold against his body. The temperature had dropped several degrees from the previous days.

Yu Zhinian stood at the library entrance, with bleak wind and bitter rain in the darkness ahead and brightly lit buildings behind him. For a moment, he felt as if he had returned to Ning City during his high school years. He was seventeen, staying too late at school, and Yang Zhongyun was urging him to come home.

But that moment passed quickly. Yang Zhongyun had been dead for two years. The place he needed to return to was still not home.

Once in the car, Yu Zhinian leaned back against the seat and looked out the window.

Without his thesis and studies to distract him, the ring on his left ring finger became very noticeable, making him deeply uncomfortable. Yu Zhinian didn’t want to touch it and tried hard to ignore it.

Yang Ke’s requirement was probably meant to make the marriage more credible.

Because Attorney Li had mentioned that in a while, Yu Zhinian would have to attend a board meeting of the Zhongqin Group. The company’s executives and shareholders were all eyeing those shares hungrily, so it was best Yu Zhinian not give them any leverage. That was why he wore it.

But he really wasn’t used to the ring. It felt like yet another thing weighing him down.

The ring was like a recurring reminder: in the face of the cold inheritance trust documents and Yang Ke’s company’s cash needs, the feelings of both parties in the marriage became insignificant.

The road to Yang Ke’s house was very wide, with trees swaying in the wind on both sides. In the yellow halos of the streetlights, the rain streaks looked like many long and short lines.

Yu Zhinian gazed out distractedly for a while when someone called him. He pulled out his phone and was surprised to find it was Ren Heng, the senior who was renting his apartment.

“Zhinian,” Ren Heng’s voice was bright and cheerful, “you’re back? Why didn’t you tell me? I just ran into Shao Xilin and found out from him.”

Ren Heng and his girlfriend Chu Sifan were among the very few who had never looked at Yu Zhinian with prejudiced eyes.

During Yu Zhinian’s most depressed period, they always invited him over for meals, walked alongside him wherever he went, and gave him a great deal of companionship and comfort.

Last October, Ren Heng had only about half a year left until graduation, but the apartment was suddenly sold by the landlord. They couldn’t find a suitable place in time and were in a complete panic.

When Yu Zhinian found out, he confirmed the duration of his project with his professor, determined that their time in He City shouldn’t overlap, and proactively invited Ren Heng to stay in his apartment, which was temporarily vacant.

“I just got back a few days ago. I’ve been too busy,” Yu Zhinian told him.

“I heard from Xilin,” Ren Heng said, “congratulations, Zhinian!”

Yu Zhinian thanked him mechanically and somewhat numbly. Ren Heng then told him news that, looking back now, he wasn’t sure counted as good or not: “Zhinian, Xiao Fan and I are planning to move early to the city where I’ll be working. My company is pushing too hard. We’ve talked it over and decided to leave next week. Do you have time? I’d like to treat you to a meal to thank you. Any day this week works.”

Yu Zhinian said he was free any day. “Let’s eat at home,” Yu Zhinian added, “I’ve been missing the food you and Fan-jie make.”

Ren Heng readily agreed: “Big brother will make you a whole table of dishes.”

Yu Zhinian’s mood finally seemed to lift a little after this, and he suddenly felt he had something to look forward to tomorrow.

Walking into the foyer, the living room lights were still on. Yu Zhinian walked over and saw Yang Ke in his pajamas, sitting on the sofa, reading some documents. The ring on his left hand was very noticeable, and there was a champagne glass on the coffee table with more than half the wine already drunk.

Yu Zhinian walked over. Yang Ke moved his gaze from the documents to Yu Zhinian, looked at him for a few seconds, and said: “You’re back?”

“Yeah,” Yu Zhinian explained, “I lost track of time while studying.”

“Can’t you read at home?” Yang Ke said with displeasure, “or you just don’t want to come home.”

Yu Zhinian felt that Yang Ke, having been drinking, was being unreasonable. The study had clearly been taken over as his office. But there was no point arguing with someone who couldn’t hold their liquor. Yu Zhinian didn’t hold it against him: “I’m going upstairs to rest.”

After a few steps, Yang Ke called his name.

“Yu Zhinian,” Yang Ke said.

Yu Zhinian turned back. Yang Ke looked at him and said: “The day after tomorrow I’m going to Hawaii to negotiate a hotel acquisition. It’s a three-day trip. Come with me. Think of it as a honeymoon.”

“…Do we need a honeymoon too?” Yu Zhinian asked hesitantly, “Attorney Li didn’t seem to mention it.”

“Hmm,” Yang Ke said. Perhaps because Yu Zhinian had been silent for a moment without responding, he asked, “You don’t like Hawaii?”

“I’ve never been,” Yu Zhinian admitted.

“Is there somewhere you’d like to go?”

“No,” Yu Zhinian looked at him for a few seconds, then still said, “if we can skip it, let’s just forget about it.”

“You’re already very busy with work,” he made an excuse on Yang Ke’s behalf, “if anyone asks, just say it’s in the planning stages. There’s no need to rush. I’m also very tight on time revising my thesis. Going back and forth would be too much of a hassle.”

Yang Ke didn’t speak, perhaps considering Yu Zhinian’s suggestion.

To ease the atmosphere, Yu Zhinian changed the subject: “By the way, the apartment Grandpa gave me will be ready to move into soon. I’ll have a place to live.”

“What do you mean?” Yang Ke looked at him as if he hadn’t understood.

“My senior is moving out early. He’s even treating me to dinner tomorrow night,” Yu Zhinian told him, “once I finish attending the board meeting, after a while, I’ll be able to move out.”

For some reason, Yang Ke fell silent and didn’t respond to anything.

He looked directly at Yu Zhinian, his face expressionless.

Yang Ke’s pajamas were made of silk, a light gray color that looked very comfortable. But this wasn’t actually what Yu Zhinian had imagined the grown-up Yang Ke would look like when they first met. Though he was still very handsome, and still very cold.

The real twenty-five-year-old Yang Ke looked simpler and more domestic. His schedule didn’t include sports car drives and pool parties. Most of the time there was only work.

Yu Zhinian still couldn’t help but wonder what kind of person would eventually make Yang Ke fall deeply in love.

Perhaps they wouldn’t necessarily be able to give Yang Ke vast wealth, wouldn’t necessarily be willing to sacrifice for Yang Ke, and might not even love Yang Ke as much as Yu Zhinian did. But they would just happen to be lucky enough to receive his affection.

Because love has no logic. Either it exists or it doesn’t.

Yu Zhinian didn’t have it. He had already come to accept this calmly.

Yang Ke’s silence was really quite long. Yu Zhinian didn’t feel comfortable going upstairs and asked: “What’s wrong?”

“Isn’t moving exhausting?” Yang Ke suddenly said.

“…It’s okay,” Yu Zhinian, suspecting Yang Ke was showing concern for him, said, “I’ve moved several times in Ning City over the past half year. I don’t have much stuff left.”

Yang Ke looked at him for a long time, then said softly, “let’s talk about it later,” and brought the topic back to the honeymoon: “If you have time, come to Hawaii with me anyway.”

Yu Zhinian hadn’t expected Yang Ke to be so insistent about this, but he really didn’t want to travel alone with Yang Ke. He was quiet for a few seconds. Then he and Yang Ke spoke at the same time.

He said “I don’t want to go,” while Yang Ke asked: “Okay?”

“This hotel is quite nice,” Yang Ke said, as if he hadn’t heard Yu Zhinian’s words, “Zhai Di’s sister recommended it to our company. She went there for her honeymoon.”

“I’ll have Smith send you the hotel information too,” Yang Ke said, “go upstairs and sleep now.”

Yu Zhinian thought about it and chose not to argue with him any further today. He said “good night” and went back to his room.