Chapter 38
Returning home, Fu Yu faced his empty apartment and felt a bit lonely for a moment, even though he had been living alone for two or three years.
In the past few months, Xiao Yi had frequently visited his place, sometimes for work-related discussions, but more often to cook dinner.
“I’m getting tired of eating out all the time. Let’s have something light for a change. I’ll whip up something simple,” Xiao Yi would say. Despite his casual words, every dish he made was meticulously prepared, and occasionally, he would even consult his phone for recipes and ingredient lists while cooking.
If he stayed late, Xiao Yi would willingly sleep on the couch. Fu Yu suspected that he intentionally stayed that late, and he had invited Xiao Yi to share the bed, but Xiao Yi would look annoyed and say, “I’ve already endured enough; don’t test me any further, okay?”
Fu Yu didn’t quite understand the meaning of those words, but when he saw that Xiao Yi was unwilling, he let it go.
In the evening, as usual, Xiao Yi sent a goodnight message. Fu Yu was sitting by his bedside reading a book when he picked up his phone:
“[Yu Yu, are you asleep? I had so much work today; my big brother is probably trying to kill me. But the restaurant our client took us to had great food, and I think you’d like it. I got their contact information; we can go there sometime.]”
Fu Yu felt a warm feeling in his heart and replied, “[No need; we can go together another time.]”
As soon as he replied, Xiao Yi immediately initiated a video call.
“Why aren’t you sleeping yet? It’s late over there,” Xiao Yi said with a tired yet gentle expression on the screen, causing Fu Yu’s heart to melt.
“I took a nap at the office this afternoon, so I’m not sleepy,” Fu Yu replied.
Xiao Yi smiled softly with a slightly hoarse voice. “Wasn’t it a busy day for you? What did you do? Give me a rundown.”
Fu Yu thought about Zhou Ying’s boyfriend, who always checked up on her, and now it seemed that Xiao Yi was also concerned about these things. Were all boyfriends like this?
“I didn’t do much. Had a meeting in the morning, reviewed some documents in the afternoon, and then took a nap. After work, I just came home,” Fu Yu said.
“After work, then what?” Xiao Yi inquired.
“I just came home,” Fu Yu replied.
“Oh,” Xiao Yi responded, and then he asked, “You didn’t go anywhere else?”
Fu Yu was about to say that he had gone to a coffee shop and met Zhou Ying there, but he quickly changed his mind. If he mentioned this, Xiao Yi might ask about his conversation with Zhou Ying and what kind of relationship advice he sought. How would he explain that?
“What are you daydreaming about?” Xiao Yi asked with a smile.
“I just went to a coffee shop for a while,” Fu Yu replied, skipping some details. He thought that the topic would be dropped at this point, but Xiao Yi continued with another question.
“Alone?”
Fu Yu hesitated and then said, “Yes, I went alone.” He hadn’t lied; he had only met Zhou Ying later.
The screen on the other end suddenly went silent for a few seconds, as if there was a network issue. Fu Yu was about to check his phone’s signal, but Xiao Yi’s voice came through again.
“It’s so boring to be alone. I’ll accompany you when I get back.”
Fu Yu replied softly, “Okay.”
After parting ways with the coffee shop, Fu Yu met with Zhou Ying a few more times. Zhou Ying was indeed experienced in matters of love, and she shared numerous secrets, from resolving conflicts to making someone happy. He listened like a diligent student, absorbing her experiences.
A month was neither long nor short, and there were only three days left until Xiao Yi’s return to the country. That evening, Fu Yu proactively invited Zhou Ying to dinner as a way of showing gratitude for her help during these days.
A month was neither long nor short, and there were only three days left until Xiao Yi’s return to the country. That evening, Fu Yu proactively invited Zhou Ying to dinner as a way of showing gratitude for her help during these days.
“I really appreciate your help,” he raised his glass.
Zhou Ying smiled and said, “Yes, you should thank me. I’m helping your love rival with strategies, sacrificing myself for others. How selfless of me!”
Fu Yu, with a hint of a smile, understood she was joking and didn’t take it seriously.
Zhou Ying scrutinized Fu Yu’s expression for a moment and remarked, “I’ve noticed you’ve become much more approachable than before.”
“Was I intimidating before?” Fu Yu asked.
“Not intimidating, just a bit aloof. Many girls in our year liked you but were too afraid to confess,” Zhou Ying teased. “I can see that in the future, you’ll be completely under his control. You’ll do everything he says.”
Fu Yu couldn’t help but chuckle, his eyes softening. “That’s probably true.”
Laughing, Zhou Ying exclaimed, “I can’t handle it! Please stop laughing like that; it’s making my bones go soft. I refuse this dog food!”
Fu Yu smiled and thought about how he would see Xiao Yi in a couple of days. He couldn’t help but feel a little happy.
While they were chatting, Fu Yu’s phone vibrated, and Xiao Yi sent a voice message. He quickly apologized to Zhou Ying and left his seat to answer the call.
“Hello, why are you calling so early today?” Fu Yu asked.
“What’s wrong with calling early?” Xiao Yi’s voice came from the other end, slightly noisy in the background, his tired yet calm tone contrasting with the background noise.
“Okay, but if you call later, I can have a good chat with you at home,” Fu Yu suggested.
“Are you outside right now? What are you doing?” Xiao Yi inquired.
“Uh, I’m having dinner with a friend,” Fu Yu replied.
Xiao Yi chuckled, sounding less fatigued now. “Which friend? Do I know them?”
Fu Yu was a bit unsure and glanced back at Zhou Ying’s location. Should he tell Xiao Yi about seeking relationship advice from Zhou Ying? Explaining it would take some effort. Perhaps it would be better to wait until he returned and talk in person.
Without giving a direct answer, Fu Yu said, “Just a regular friend. I’m not at ease to talk about it now. We can discuss it when you return.”
There was silence for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, and then Xiao Yi said, “Okay, you go on with what you’re doing. I also have something to attend to. Goodbye.”
“Okay, goodbye,” Fu Yu replied.
When he hung up the phone and returned to his seat, Zhou Ying teased him, “That was Xiao Yi, right? You two are really attached to each other.”
Fu Yu felt a bit embarrassed and said, “He’s coming back in three days, and I want to make my feelings clear to him. Do you think it’s feasible? What should I prepare?”
“Of course, it’s feasible, and he’ll be very happy,” Zhou Ying assured him. Then, she mischievously added, “You don’t need to prepare anything. Just clean yourself up and present yourself in bed.”
Fu Yu was taken aback and, for a rare moment, his ears turned slightly red. He tried to drink water to disguise his reaction but ended up choking on it, turning his face even redder.
“Oh, I was just joking; don’t take it seriously,” Zhou Ying hurriedly said, moving over to pat his back and help him catch his breath.
“Smack!”
The phone was slammed hard onto the ground, and the screen shattered instantly.
Ali, who was watching from the side, trembled with fear and mustered the courage to speak, “Young Master, perhaps there’s a misunderstanding…”
Xiao Yi turned his cold face to give him a sidelong glance, and the icy glare in his eyes could freeze the air. Alli dared not utter another word and simply followed Xiao Yi into the car. He cast a glance back at the pair sitting intimately by the hotel’s floor-to-ceiling windows, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, truly a well-matched couple.
Unfortunately, that man happened to be Fu Yu, Xiao Yi’s own lover, whom he adored deeply.
Perhaps Ali shouldn’t have reported this to his Young Master. Before going abroad, Xiao Yi had entrusted him with the task of taking care of Fu Yu. He had followed Fu Yu’s car every day to ensure his safety when going to and coming back from work. So, on that day when Fu Yu suddenly stopped the car and entered the coffee shop, Ali parked his car on the side to observe the situation inside.
Later, he saw a woman appear and sit across from Fu Yu. Because of the distance, he couldn’t see their expressions or hear their conversation, but they seemed to get along well. When the woman left, Fu Yu even handed her something that looked like a business card.
Ali immediately investigated the woman’s background and found out that she was Fu Yu’s former high school classmate. He reported this truthfully to his Young Master. Xiao Yi initially didn’t pay much attention, merely saying, “I’ll call him and ask,” but that evening, he sent a message instructing Ali to keep an eye on them and report any developments.
In truth, Ali didn’t think that Fu Yu was the type to cheat. Maybe he had merely coincidentally run into an old classmate. However, Fu Yu continued to meet with the woman, not just once but multiple times, and each time, they seemed to have a pleasant conversation. This inevitably made people suspicious.
When Ali reported for the fifth time within two weeks, Xiao Yi fell into a long silence. He didn’t say anything, but he squeezed his work schedule and returned to the country three days earlier than planned. He rushed over without even taking a break after getting off the plane and happened to run into Fu Yu and the woman having another date.
Seeing his Young Master’s current extremely distressed expression, Ali deeply regretted his actions. He still believed that there might be a misunderstanding. Fu Yu’s personality didn’t seem like someone who would cheat. Even if he had lost interest in Xiao Yi and liked someone else, he would probably express it directly. He had been straightforward when refusing others or agreeing to be in a relationship with Xiao Yi. There was no need to cheat behind Xiao Yi’s back.
After careful consideration and thinking of Xiao Yi’s happiness, he cautiously spoke again, “Young Master…”
“Shut up. Say one more word, and you’ll be out,” Xiao Yi cut him off directly, his voice was so cold that it sent shivers down one’s spine.
Ali trembled and dared not speak again.
The road lights outside the car window occasionally lit up Xiao Yi’s cold and gloomy eyes, but they couldn’t penetrate the darkness. Xiao Yi clenched his fist tightly; his knuckles turned white, and his nails almost dug into his flesh.
Fu Yu was really bad at lying and evading.
After receiving the first report, Xiao Yi called Fu Yu and asked him where he had been that day. Fu Yu’s response instantly made him feel a chill.
“I went there alone.”
It was a clever response, neither a lie nor a revelation of who he had met.
Xiao Yi had known Fu Yu for many years, and it was the first time he heard him speak like this.
Fu Yu was always straightforward in his words, saying exactly what he thought without any hesitation, whether it was in rejecting others or agreeing to a relationship. This made Xiao Yi believe unconditionally in everything he said.
But now, Fu Yu was keeping something from him.
Fu Yu even smiled at others.
He had never seen Fu Yu smile so openly, with an arching of the lips and a faint blush in his cheeks, all of which he had never witnessed before.
Xiao Yi took a deep breath of cold air, covered his eyes with his hand, and his fingertips trembled imperceptibly.
The smile he had exchanged so much time and effort to obtain was now easily given to someone else, even more so.
His heart felt as if it had been torn apart, and the pain was so numbing.
Well, that was it. He had had enough. It had always been a beautiful dream created by guilt and pity, and he had taken it too seriously.
It was time to wake up.
