Chapter 13

In the vast and deserted villa, Fu Yu went downstairs to have his prepared dinner, then returned to the bedroom and lay down to rest. He didn’t need to be at odds with his own body.

But is it really okay to settle down like this?

He pondered this question and, unintentionally, lifted his gaze and saw the dolphin toy that Xiao Yi had forgotten to put away at the bedside.

That person actually kept this thing.

A complex and inexplicable emotion surged in his heart, but after a tiring day, he didn’t have the energy to think about things that would only give him a headache. Fu Yu could only close his eyes and force himself into a state of sleep.

However, his sleep was shallow. He woke up slightly at the sound of the front door closing downstairs, and when he heard footsteps coming upstairs, he was almost completely awake. The bedroom door was not closed, and the person coming up should be Xiao Yi. He gently pushed open the door, didn’t turn on the light, and seemed to squat down at the bedside.

Fu Yu pretended to be asleep with his eyes closed and didn’t know what the other person wanted to do. After about half a minute or so, he suddenly felt Xiao Yi’s hand touching his forehead, the fingertips carrying a hint of coolness from outside, gently brushing aside his disheveled hair at the forehead, and then slowly and gently stroking his head a few times before retracting his hand, without touching him again.

After a barely noticeable sigh, Xiao Yi left the room.

Could it be that he sensed that I was pretending to sleep? Or has he truly become a changed man? Fu Yu wondered. Last night, when he was completely unconscious from alcohol, Xiao Yi didn’t do anything to him, so it seemed like he had genuinely turned over a new leaf.

The sound of clinking pots and bowls came from the kitchen downstairs, indicating that Xiao Yi was cooking something. There was already a ready-made dinner on the dining table, and Fu Yu had only eaten one portion. What could he be doing?

Fu Yu pulled the blanket, his mind in a tangled mess with no answers. Fatigue came over him again, and his consciousness gradually faded away.

In a drowsy state, he only felt that the bed and pillow in Xiao Yi’s house were exceptionally soft and warm. There was a comforting, faint scent in the bedding, like a gentle hand, caressing his cheek until he fell asleep.

He slept unusually soundly that night. When he woke up, Fu Yu felt that his physical condition had improved significantly. He checked the time; it was not even seven o’clock, and today was the weekend, so he didn’t have to rush to the office.

The thin, cool sunlight outside the window reflected on the room’s floor. The bedroom, sparsely furnished, seemed a bit desolate, and the villa was quiet as if there were no other sounds.

He went downstairs along the stairs and, upon reaching the living room, saw Xiao Yi lying on the couch wrapped in a blanket, fast asleep.

Despite the large couch and the ample heating, it was still winter, and one could easily catch a cold if not careful. Fu Yu, with a sense of compassion, walked over and gently pushed Xiao Yi’s arm.

“Wake up, go sleep upstairs,” he said.

Xiao Yi half-opened his eyes, as if trying to identify the person in front of him. His usual arrogant and frivolous gaze seemed a bit confused at the moment.

Fu Yu was about to turn and leave when suddenly his arm felt a pull, and he lost his balance, falling onto Xiao Yi, who in turn, with a sideward movement, pulled him along with the blanket into his embrace.

The spacious couch was just enough for the two of them. Although Xiao Yi was still half-asleep, the strength in his arms remained, as if protecting something precious, holding him tightly. With the blanket wrapped around Fu Yu and Xiao Yi on the inside, he struggled hard but couldn’t break free.

“Yu Yu…” A barely audible murmur made Fu Yu stop his movements.

He hadn’t heard Xiao Yi call him by that nickname in a long time.

In high school, Xiao Yi enjoyed teasing him, always engaging in playful and frivolous actions, giving him nicknames of a provocative nature, and the most common one was “Yu Yu.” Fu Yu simply thought he was doing it for fun and didn’t pay much attention to it.

However, there was one time during a school sports event. They both participated in a relay race, with Xiao Yi on the third leg and Fu Yu on the final leg. The gap left by the second leg was rapidly closing thanks to Xiao Yi’s effort, and when the relay baton reached Fu Yu, he sprinted with all his might, finally crossing the finish line first.

After crossing the finish line, Xiao Yi rushed over, excitedly lifting him up and twirling around, holding him tightly as he spun, and then ruffled his wind-blown hair, his proud and indulgent smile showing, “I knew it, my Yu Yu is the best!”

That time, Fu Yu realized that Xiao Yi was calling him by that nickname with seriousness.

At that moment, his heart raced inexplicably, perhaps because he had just finished exercising without rest.

Now, hearing Xiao Yi call him that again brought a completely different feeling, and this somewhat childish nickname was obviously a bit out of place for a man who had been an adult for many years.

The sound of the alarm on Xiao Yi’s phone suddenly rang, accompanied by the sound of the rice cooker in the kitchen.

Fu Yu only now noticed the fragrant smell in the air.

“You cooked congee?” he asked.

Xiao Yi looked somewhat surprised, “Do you want some?” But he quickly denied that possibility, “Forget it.”

Fu Yu remembered that he had left without eating the breakfast that Xiao Yi had prepared for him yesterday, and he also remembered the sounds from the kitchen last night… This person had put in so much effort to take care of him, and perhaps he had been a bit too heartless.

“It’s fine,” Fu Yu said.

Xiao Yi appeared somewhat disappointed, but he quickly recovered and sat at the dining table, supporting his chin with his hand, looking at Fu Yu with a hopeful and nervous expression as he ate his congee.

“You used to say that I never eat breakfast and it’s unhealthy, and you used to bring me breakfast, remember?” Fu Yu asked.

Thinking back, there was indeed such a thing. Xiao Yi, for some reason, had disliked the food in the cafeteria and didn’t allow the servants at home to prepare lunch. If it weren’t for Fu Yu taking him out to eat, he probably wouldn’t eat at all. Moreover, he often skipped breakfast in the morning. Such a rich young man had actually come to school on an empty stomach. Helpless, Fu Yu had to bring him breakfast every day.

“So, are you repaying me for the breakfast I used to bring you?” Fu Yu inquired.

Xiao Yi’s actions were always unpredictable, going from not eating at all to cooking by himself.

“It’s not about repaying you; I just wanted to do it,” Xiao Yi replied with a faint smile.

Fu Yu recalled that he had indeed brought breakfast to Xiao Yi, but he had never imagined that Xiao Yi would eventually try to make breakfast himself. “You’ve wanted to do this for a long time?” Fu Yu asked.

Xiao Yi nodded, “I tried making it after the first time you brought me breakfast. It took me several days to make something decent. I wanted you to try it, but I was afraid that if you knew I could cook breakfast myself, you wouldn’t let me bring it anymore, so I held back. Now, it seems that when you want to do something, you should just do it, or you won’t know when you’ll have another chance.”

Fu Yu’s spoon paused. It seemed like Xiao Yi was reminiscing about the past, and his expression gradually became colder.

“But some things should never have been done,” Fu Yu continued. He didn’t take another sip of his congee and stood up to put on his coat. “Thank you for the breakfast, but don’t try to make me feel soft by bringing up these old memories. It won’t work.”

“I didn’t mean that—” Xiao Yi began, but Fu Yu cut him off.

“I’ve been patient enough with you, Xiao Yi,” Fu Yu said. He suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned back toward Xiao Yi. “Don’t think that I can sit down and talk to you and have a meal with you and forgive you. It’s impossible.”

His gaze was as cold and sharp as a blade.

“I don’t want to recall the past, Xiao Yi. I regret bringing you breakfast, and I regret considering you a friend. All those memories you cherish are ones I want to eliminate and forget.”

“If time could go back, I wish the person seated next to me that year wasn’t you. I wish you had never appeared in my life.”

This way, I wouldn’t have to be heartbroken because of your actions.

The scar in his heart was torn open again, and it bled.

Xiao Yi’s expression was even more dismal than his, almost devoid of any color, frozen in place as if in a trance.

Fu Yu’s heartache was evident, and he turned away without looking back. “I’ve given you two chances to apologize, and since you’ve refused both and don’t take my feelings seriously, there’s no need to pretend to have such deep feelings. My attitude won’t waver. Goodbye.”

He walked to the door and left, not wanting to hear any explanations.

The biting cold wind rushed into his skin, piercing his heart, and the pain reached deep into his bones.

 

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