The performance wasn’t over yet. Yu Sen had been on stage for ages without seeing Ye Mingxuan return. After coming down, he searched backstage and asked Ye Yufan, “Have you seen Mingxuan? He’s not replying to my messages or answering my calls.”
Ye Yufan was engrossed in a game, his eyes darting around. “No idea. Haven’t seen him.”
Yu Sen pulled out his phone again and found a message from Ye Mingxuan saying he had to leave early for something. Only then did he relax.
“Brother Yu Sen, let’s grab some late-night snacks,” Ye Yufan said, putting down his phone. “You promised to treat us to dinner, right?”
“Yeah, but…”
“I skipped dinner and I’m starving…”
Yu Sen gripped his phone and sighed. “Fine. Let’s go.”
…
Aunt Fu was cleaning the house. She had just finished wiping the windows and was heading to the kitchen to wash the cups when the front door lock beeped twice. Ye Mingxuan walked in.
“Mr. Mingxuan, did the performance end so quickly?” Aunt Fu dried her hands and approached him, only to notice his poor complexion. Surprised, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
Ye Mingxuan looked as if his soul had been drained. It took him a moment for his gaze to focus. He shook his head. “Nothing. Just a bit tired. Came back to rest.”
“Then I’ll make you a cup of milk.”
“No need, Aunt Fu. Just some water will do.”
Ye Mingxuan changed into his slippers, flashed Aunt Fu a smile, then headed upstairs.
Aunt Fu followed a few steps, watching Ye Mingxuan’s pregnant silhouette ascend the stairs, a vague sense of desolation washing over her.
She sensed something was off. He’d been perfectly fine before leaving—why was he like this now?
Perhaps he was genuinely exhausted. Concerts were crowded with long lines; it was only natural for a pregnant woman to tire easily.
After tidying up the kitchen leftovers and switching off the last light in the living room, Aunt Fu slipped out of the house on tiptoe.
The entire duplex plunged into darkness, save for the balcony bathed in moonlight. Ye Mingxuan sat on the balcony swing, his face pale under the fluorescent glow of his phone screen.
Ye Mingxuan gripped his phone, lingering on the dialer screen for an eternity.
He’d intended to call Tan Sizhe, but his hand froze just as the number appeared.
He didn’t know what right he had to confront Tan Sizhe.
Ye Mingxuan belatedly realized that to Tan Sizhe, he might be nothing at all.
They had no emotional foundation. Beyond their child, nothing bound them together. Even Tan Sizhe’s agreement to marry might have been pressured by Grandpa Tan. So if Tan Sizhe truly had a lover outside, what right did Ye Mingxuan have to question it?
Reflecting on their past, Tan Sizhe’s kindness toward him—was it merely compensation?
Ye Mingxuan lifted his gaze to the crescent moon in the sky. Soon, dark clouds gathered and obscured it.
He blinked, his heart pounding like it was being hammered, sending waves of dull, throbbing pain through him.
The baby kicked him from within. Ye Mingxuan bent down, patting the spot soothingly, realizing he couldn’t afford to wallow in sorrow any longer.
If he remained depressed, it wouldn’t be good for the baby’s development.
He needed to find something to distract himself. Yes, like sleep.
Ye Mingxuan freshened up briefly in the bathroom, then returned to the bedside to make up the covers. But he found himself staring blankly at Tan Sizhe’s pillow for a moment.
When he shook out the quilt, he could still catch the lingering scent of the man on the bed—warm and reassuring.
Ye Mingxuan stood there with downcast eyes for a moment before tossing the bedding aside. He went to the walk-in closet, retrieved a fresh blanket, and spread it over the sofa.
The sofa was spacious enough to sleep on. Ye Mingxuan turned off the light and crawled in, settling down in the darkness.
Half an hour later, tossing and turning for ages without sleep, Ye Mingxuan sat up, sniffling with a pout. He crawled onto the bed, wrapped himself in the quilt, and nestled his head into Tan Sizhe’s pillow. Only when the other man’s scent completely enveloped him did Ye Mingxuan finally drift into a deep sleep.
…
The next morning, Aunt Fu was startled when she cheerfully brought breakfast to the table.
“Mr. Mingxuan, why are your eyes so puffy?”
Still half-asleep, Ye Mingxuan wiped the tear stains from the corners of his eyes and lowered his head to eat. “I stayed up late last night.”
Aunt Fu sighed helplessly. “Young people these days love staying up late on their phones. My son does it too. It’s terrible for your eyes. I heard from a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner…”
Ye Mingxuan sipped his millet porridge, completely tuning out Aunt Fu’s words except for the word “Mr.”
“What master? I was saying how everyone’s glued to their phones these days, making it easy to get cervical spine issues—” Aunt Fu paused, then smiled knowingly. “You miss Mr. Tan, don’t you?”
Ye Mingxuan froze, then looked down in embarrassment. He’d misheard her.
“If you miss him, why not ask him yourself?” Aunt Fu wiped the cup.
Ye Mingxuan pressed his lips together. If he could ask, he would have done so long ago.
Aunt Fu, thinking he was just shy, changed the subject: “It’s Sunday today. Does Mr. Mingxuan have any plans?”
Ye Mingxuan shook his head. Aunt Fu suggested, “Then go for a walk and soak up some sun. Pregnant women especially need sunlight—it helps with calcium synthesis.”
“Mm.” Ye Mingxuan agreed with Aunt Fu. He should go out for a stroll to lift his spirits.
He went back inside to ask Lin Jiale if she was free. She was bored anyway and readily agreed.
The weather was pleasant today. Ye Mingxuan slipped into a loose hoodie and arranged to meet Lin Jiale at the bus stop near the mall.
“Mingxuan!” Lin Jiale greeted him excitedly. “Look what I brought!”
Ye Mingxuan looked closer and saw Lin Jiale leading a fluffy white Bichon Frise. Surprised and delighted, he exclaimed, “A puppy!”
“I’m raising him. Just about to take him for a haircut,” Lin Jiale explained. “You said you didn’t know where to go. Perfect—let’s head to the pet store.”
Ye Mingxuan smiled. “Sure.”
It turned out pets really could lift one’s spirits. After sitting in the pet store for a while, Ye Mingxuan quickly became friendly with several puppies.
Seeing the puppies reminded him of Ah Jin, so he mentioned it to Lin Jiale.
Lin Jiale sat beside him drinking water. “This dog is so perceptive! He knew you were pregnant the first time he saw you.”
Ye Mingxuan: “Yeah, Ah Jin was especially adorable.”
But whenever he thought of Ah Jin, he couldn’t help but recall Tan Sizhe—remembering how he’d stood behind the window watching Tan Sizhe play with Ah Jin in the garden.
Lin Jiale finished her drink and noticed Ye Mingxuan staring off into space again. “What’s wrong with you? You were spacing out on the way here, and now you’re doing it again. Something on your mind?”
Ye Mingxuan snapped back to reality, hesitating. “Jiale, I’ve been wondering… if I hadn’t married Tan Sizhe back then, what would my life be like now?”
“Why are you suddenly asking this?” Lin Jiale said. “If you hadn’t married him, who knows how Ye Yufan’s family would have treated you.”
Ye Mingxuan: “Then do you think marrying Tan Sizhe was the right choice?”
Lin Jiale: “Of course! Look at you now—you’re completely different from when I first met you. It’s like you’ve been reborn.”
“After marrying Tan Sizhe, you’ll eat well, live well, and the Tan family treats you wonderfully. Plus, Tan Sizhe supports your piano and painting—how great is that? Who needs a bicycle! But you’re still too sensible, unwilling to spend his money. If it were me, I’d max out his black card every day…”
Lin Jiale was right, Ye Mingxuan thought. His life was so much better now than before. He should learn to be content.
Yet his heart still felt hollow, as if something vital had been lost.
Lin Jiale had talked herself thirsty, finishing the last drops in her bottle. Her dog, freshly groomed and round as a ball, stood beside Ye Mingxuan as they rose to lead it out.
Near the pet shop was a brand-name boutique. As they walked past the window display with the dog, the afternoon sun shone brightly, reflecting off the items inside. Ye Mingxuan was momentarily blinded by the glare and turned back.
Inside the window lay a black leather bracelet, its “Z”-shaped silver clasp gleaming with a clear, lustrous sheen.
Ye Mingxuan bent down, his eyes like pools of starlight, sparkling as he stared at the bracelet.
Lin Jiale leaned closer: “You want to buy it?”
Ye Mingxuan nodded: “Mhm.”
Lin Jiale: “For yourself?”
Ye Mingxuan: “No.”
He wanted to buy it for his master.
The moment he saw this bracelet, he knew it belonged on Tan Sizhe’s wrist.
Lin Jiale pointed at the price tag: “Over four thousand. Not bad.”
Ye Mingxuan nodded. He had forty thousand yuan saved in his account—earned last semester—so buying a four-thousand-yuan bracelet was more than manageable. He didn’t have many expenses anyway.
Stepping into a luxury boutique for the first time, both Ye Mingxuan and Lin Jiale felt a bit nervous. Lin Jiale teased him:
“What are you nervous about? The clothes you’re wearing could cover half a month’s rent here!”
Ye Mingxuan stiffened: “Usually, my boss has clothes delivered to our home. I’ve never bought anything in a store before.” What are you nervous about? The clothes you’re wearing could cover half a month’s rent here!”
Ye Mingxuan stiffened. “Usually, the gentleman has clothes delivered to my home. I’ve never bought anything in a store.”
Hearing this, Lin Jiale nearly fainted from anger. “You’re just showing off, aren’t you!”
Fortunately, the salesperson was patient. Ye Mingxuan swiped his card, took the gift bag, and clutched it to his chest like a precious treasure as he walked out the door.
After browsing for another half-day, he bid farewell to Lin Jiale and hailed a cab home.
The dusky twilight drew its curtain, drenching the entire city in orange hues. Just as Ye Mingxuan reached to place the bracelet in the cabinet beneath his desk, Aunt Fu called from downstairs: “Master’s home!”
Ye Mingxuan’s hand trembled, dropping the box. He scrambled to pick it up, shoved it haphazardly into a drawer, and without another thought, dashed out the door in his slippers.
He fluttered like a butterfly to the stairwell entrance. Tan Sizhe happened to be climbing the steps upward. Hearing the commotion, he looked up, their eyes meeting across the distance.
Though only a day had passed, Ye Mingxuan felt as if an eternity had elapsed. “Sir.”
Tan Sizhe had gone away on business for who knew what, returning looking slightly thinner, his features even more sharply defined. Seeing Ye Mingxuan, all his weariness vanished. He stepped forward. “I didn’t see you downstairs earlier. Thought you were sleeping in the bedroom.”
“I brought you some local specialties. Want to come downstairs for a bite?”
Ye Mingxuan stared blankly at Tan Sizhe, his throat feeling as if a small stone had lodged there, making it painful to speak.
“What’s wrong?” Tan Sizhe found his reaction odd. “Are you feeling unwell? Stomachache?”
Ye Mingxuan had thought he could pretend nothing had happened, but Tan Sizhe’s concern made the bitter resentment welling up inside him surge forth uncontrollably.
Tan Sizhe watched as Ye Mingxuan lowered his head, his fluffy hair swaying in the breeze. Then, Ye Mingxuan’s lips turned down at the corners, and he gently bumped his head against Tan Sizhe’s.
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