Chapter 11
On the day of moving, Zhang Yang cried heavily.
As she watched her lifelong home being emptied bit by bit, leaving a mess all over the place, memories from her childhood to the present came flooding back, and she felt a strong reluctance to leave. She feared that if she left, there would be nowhere to place the memories she had with her parents.
But this house no longer belonged to her, her home was no longer hers. Leaving here felt like she was about to embark on a lifetime of wandering.
She thought, if it weren’t for the car accident, if her parents were still alive, she would never have done these absurd things. She would never have given everything she had just to exchange it for someone’s company.
Now she couldn’t turn back, she could only take one last look at her home, full of nostalgia, and gently close the door.
Following the moving company’s truck, she arrived at her new rental home, directing the workers to place the furniture in suitable positions. They worked tirelessly until it was dark outside, and Zhang Yang was already tired and hungry.
She cooked a bowl of instant noodles, sat on the sofa, and scanned the small apartment. The luggage filled the living room, leaving almost no place to walk. She didn’t even know where to start with cleaning up, feeling a sense of helplessness.
Many of the furniture and appliances were so old that they were practically trash. She didn’t want them, but since she had moved to a new home, she wanted to start a new life and buy new things. Unfortunately, she only had a little bit of money left and dared not spend it recklessly, so she had to bring the old junk with her.
After finishing the bland noodles, she forced herself to start cleaning up. Tomorrow, Ke Yao would come, and this would be their home. How could their home be a mess?
Thinking of Ke Yao, Zhang Yang was finally able to temporarily escape the drowning emotions and feel a little joy and hope. Although everything was bad now, there was always a way out, and she and Ke Yao would surely make the best of their days.
She cleaned until midnight, and Zhang Yang was so tired that she could hardly stand up straight. When she opened the last box and saw the white T-shirt, she froze.
It was the couple’s outfit she and Ke Yu wore to the amusement park.
She picked up the T-shirt, shook it out, and compared it to her own body. It was a large men’s size, reminding her of the broad chest she had leaned on before. Ke Yu’s embrace, his eyes, and the serious and expectant expression he had when he said, “Take me home” all appeared in her mind one by one.
Zhang Yang’s heart immediately tightened and her eyes stung with pain.
Where was Ke Yu now? What was he doing? Would his new “owner” treat him well? Even if she had Ke Yao now, she would never forget Ke Yu for the rest of her life. Perhaps they could never meet again, but she hoped that Ke Yu could live well in a place where she couldn’t see him, be treated kindly, valued, and loved as a real person.
Forgetting her might be a good thing for Ke Yu. Otherwise, how could she alleviate the guilt that felt like she had betrayed him?
She buried her face in her T-shirt and let out a low sob.
The next day, Zhang Yang was late for work.
Before, it only took her about ten minutes to walk to her workplace. Although she had purposely chosen a new apartment near a subway station, she had completely underestimated Beijing’s rush hour.
In fact, she had never really experienced rush hour before.
It took her a full 75 minutes to get from her new home to her workplace, and most of that time, she was standing in a crowded subway car, surrounded by all kinds of unpleasant odors. Her hand holding onto the handrail kept sweating, and her body swayed with the start and stop of the car, like a helpless leaf on the sea.
She usually took the subway for transportation, but rarely did she have to endure such a crowded and long-standing journey. When she finally got off the train, she felt like she was about to collapse.
At work, her colleagues came to her to express their concern about her unpleasant appearance.
Zhang Yang couldn’t bring herself to tell them that she had sold her house and moved. Thinking about having to wake up an hour and a half earlier from now on, wasting the time she could have spent sleeping in her bed on a crowded subway, she felt her vision darken.
She knew everything could be difficult, but she didn’t expect it to be so hard right from the start.
She comforted herself that she would see Ke Yao in the evening and everything would be worth it. She had to believe that.
The evening rush hour was just as agonizing. Zhang Yang felt like her spirit had been drained by the two subway rides she had taken that day, leaving her feeling sluggish.
Before she even got home, her phone rang. She saw that it was an unknown number and knew who it was.
“Miss Zhang, are you sure it’s the Happiness Estate on Wanxing Road?”
“Yes.” Zhang Yang could imagine Wang Wei’s reaction when he saw the estate. Anyone who could afford custom-made goods was either rich or wealthy, and probably no one needed to risk everything like she did.
“We’re already downstairs at your building.”
“Wait a moment, I’ll be there soon.”
Zhang Yang started to run, but once she entered the estate, she slowed down and opened the front camera on her phone. The person on the screen had red cheeks, pale lips, lifeless eyes, and a sweaty fringe of hair sticking to her forehead. It was a tired and messy face.
She had planned to go home, take a shower, and tidy up before meeting Ke Yao, but the long commute had delayed everything.
A familiar black Mercedes was parked at the bottom of the building. Zhang Yang took a deep breath and tried to control her excitement.
Three people got out of the car – in addition to Wang Wei and Ke Yao, there was another burly man who looked like a bodyguard.
Kai Yao wore a hat and sunglasses, hiding his face, but his impressive physique still caught people’s attention.
Zhang Yang stole a glance at Kai Yao, feeling a bit uneasy and running her fingers through her hair. Ordinary girls always felt a sense of inferiority when facing outstanding boys.
The bodyguard opened the trunk and took out a large suitcase.
“Miss Zhang, the suitcase contains the three outfits you selected, and here are the instructions.” Wang Wei shook the document folder in his hand.
Zhang Yang nodded. “Let’s go upstairs.”
The three outfits referred to the clothes Kai Yao’s company gifted her. It was one of their buy-and-give services. She chose the male lead’s attire from their first encounter in a drama, his outfit from a concert, and his uniform from a variety show. These were the three most memorable and emotional outfits for her, representing the three highlights of Kai Yao’s career.
The bodyguard carried the suitcase, and they went upstairs together.
The small rental apartment of less than 40 square meters left Wang Wei speechless.
Zhang Yang’s face grew hot, but she pretended to be calm. “Just leave the luggage there. I’ll tidy up later.”
Wang Wei handed the thick document folder to Zhang Yang. “These are some important instructions. You were already aware of them before signing the contract, so please strictly follow the rules for using custom-made products.”
“Yes.” Zhang Yang thought of the harsh terms and felt a sense of discomfort in her chest.
Mr. Chen told her that Kai Yao couldn’t have legal status, couldn’t show his face in front of outsiders, and couldn’t flaunt himself on social media. She would also be under constant surveillance, and if she violated the agreement and brought risk to the company, Kai Yao would be taken back. These were all the costs that came with choosing a 100% similar clone.
There were many other restrictive conditions she couldn’t remember. She needed to take the time to carefully read through the contract and instructions. The company was afraid of something going wrong, and she was even more afraid.
Wang Wei and the bodyguard had left. Ke Yao remained standing in the center of the living room, silent from beginning to end.
“We’re home, you don’t have to cover your face anymore,” Zhang Yang whispered.
At these words, Ke Yao took off his hat and sunglasses.
Zhang Yang’s breath caught in her throat. Even though she had mentally prepared herself, seeing “Sheng Shi” right in front of her still made her heart race.
However, this dazzling and magnificent person was completely incompatible with the simple and rough background of the rented house. He should be shining under the red carpet, on the stage, at the party, under the spotlight and camera, and not here, facing the deformed sofa, worn-out carpet, peeled table and chairs, outdated appliances, and the crowded and old atmosphere, as if Ke Yao was in a different dimension from everything else.
Zhang Yang felt ashamed. Ke Yao was not Sheng Shi, and she was not Mina. They couldn’t even afford a decent living, and she had to bear the burden of external debt. Even the joy of seeing Ke Yao couldn’t ease her stress.
Ke Yao ran his fingers through his flattened hair and asked, “What should I do now?”
Zhang Yang was taken aback for a moment. Just that simple action and careless tone made him incredibly handsome, and she said, “Just sit down for now.”
Ke Yao sat on the sofa, his eyes calm with a hint of confusion.
Zhang Yang was not unfamiliar with this confusion. Ke Yu’s eyes had also shown it before. She said, “My name is Zhang Yang, but you can call me Feiyang.”
“Hello, I’m Ke Yao.”
There was a moment of silence.
“Are you…are you hungry?”
Ke Yao nodded.
“Then let me make something for you, just wait here.” Zhang Yang sighed lightly in her heart. At least Ke Yu knew how to cook, but Ke Yao had been reset and probably didn’t know anything. She had to teach him everything from scratch.
After making the food, Zhang Yang saw that Ke Yao was still sitting on the sofa without moving, just like Ke Yu before, like a robot waiting for her instructions. She couldn’t help but feel helpless.
“Ke Yao, come and eat.”
Ke Yao obediently sat down.
Zhang Yang had originally planned to make some of her best dishes to celebrate, but she was too tired. She didn’t have the energy to go grocery shopping or the motivation to prepare a feast. She simply stir-fried a few dishes and ate while watching Ke Yao. She couldn’t help but feel a little fluttery in her heart.
Ke Yao was also very handsome, and looking at him made her happy, but he could make her dizzy and even lose her composure. Not only because of his extraordinary appearance, but also because this face belonged to an era of splendor. How could mortal eyes dare to gaze directly at the sun?
In this moment, her heavenly being was sitting in front of her, eating the home-cooked meal she had prepared. She was so excited that even her chopsticks were shaking, and she couldn’t count how many times she had suspected that she was dreaming.
If there really were such beautiful dreams in the world, don’t wake her up. At this moment, she was truly convinced that all her efforts were worth it. If she had to go through these trials to prove her love, then she accepted it. Love is more precious the rougher it is.
“Is it delicious?” Zhang Yang asked tentatively.
Ke Yao looked at the piece of fried egg he had just picked up and said in an uncertain tone, “Delicious?”
Zhang Yang mustered up the courage to look straight at Ke Yao. “Ke Yao, we’re going to live together from now on, do you understand?”
Ke Yao nodded.
“Then, call my name.”
“Zhang Yang…Fei Yang.”
“Yes, call me Fei Yang.” Zhang Yang didn’t like her name. It sounded like a boy’s name, and it was too ordinary, but Fei Yang sounded much better – light, graceful, and beautiful.
“I will call you brother in the future,” Zhang Yang said with a smile.
“Okay.”
Zhang Yang hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Do you understand who I am to you?”
“You are my master,” Ke Yao said, smiling slightly.
This smile reminded Zhang Yang of Ke Yu.
“I am not your master, I will…” Zhang Yang felt a little shy. “I will be your lover, your family, your friend, your wife. Do you understand?”
This time, Ke Yao shook his head honestly.
Zhang Yang’s gaze was firm. “I will be your only and most important person.”
Ke Yao blinked, still not reacting much.
“It’s okay, I’ll teach you slowly, I’ll teach you everything.”
Although she said that, on the first day, Zhang Yang already felt how difficult it was.
When Ke Yao was sent to her house, he already had basic life knowledge, and even knew how to please girls because of Mina’s “credit,” but Ke Yao was different. After being reset, he was sent directly to her and didn’t know much, just like a robot.
Zhang Yang felt defeated after talking with Ke Yao for a while, and ended up reading the manual, feeling more and more depressed.
According to the manual, it would take her three months to train Ke Yao to the level of Ke Yao, clearly because Mina had already had experience with two custom products, making her efficient.
But it’s okay, she had a lot of time, three months was nothing, she and Ke Yao had a lifetime together.
When it was time to sleep, Zhang Yang was a little awkward, but also a little expectant.
There was only one bedroom in the house, one bed, and she wasn’t in a rush to do anything tonight, but if Ke Yao could be a little more proactive…
Zhang Yang came out of the shower and saw that Ke Yao had already lain down according to her instructions. She hesitated and sat on the edge of the bed.
Ke Yao wasn’t asleep, and was quietly watching Zhang Yang with a pair of deep eyes.
In that moment of eye contact, Zhang Yang was inexplicably frightened, feeling that the gaze was both familiar and strange. It was familiar because of the face, but strange because… she had never seen Ke Yao have this kind of difficult-to-define gaze.
Zhang Yang became nervous, as if any impure thoughts in her mind were blaspheming Sheng Shi.
Ke Yao softly said, “Are you going to sleep?”
“Um.” Zhang Yang forced herself to calm down, and then slowly lay down, carefully moving closer to Ke Yao.
Ke Yao remained indifferent.
Looking at Sheng Shi’s face so closely, Zhang Yang felt like her heart was about to burst out of her chest. She gently pulled Ke Yao’s arm and hesitated to move towards his embrace.
Ke Yao seemed to understand, and actively tightened his arms around Zhang Yang, and even softly called out “Feiyang” in her ear.
Zhang Yang’s face was flushed, silently screaming, her heart beating so fast that it was probably exceeding human capacity. She would never forget the excitement and happiness of this moment!
Two months ago, if someone had told her that she could have her own idol, she would have thought that person was even more daring than she was in her dreams.
Now she was living in a dream.
