Chapter 183
When the man, who had been gentle and considerate just a moment ago, suddenly put on a serious face, Su Bin didn’t know what he had said wrong. But whether in this life or the last, Allen’s mood swings were still as unpredictable as ever, so Su Bin didn’t think much of it.
However, compared to before, when he would ignore his lover’s mood changes, Su Bin now found himself very eager to understand what Allen was thinking.
“What’s wrong?” He put down his knife and fork, looking at Allen with concern.
Allen gave a light hum and turned his head to ask, “Why did I used to ask you to eat these?”
“Ah, because I often cooked meals for everyone, so it was a form of reciprocation,” Su Bin smiled bitterly. The Allen from another timeline wasn’t as cold as the one before him. He would accept Su Bin’s kindness and would often reciprocate with small gestures, like brewing coffee or inviting him to meals. “Actually, I used to be really afraid of you. I would always try to avoid you, but you were always kind to me, helping me out, making coffee, and inviting me to eat… Oh, do you remember that time you complimented my English? That was you who taught me.”
Allen: “…”
“When I first came to B-country, my spoken English, grammar, and etiquette had many issues. You often corrected me. After spending more time with you, I gradually got better,” Su Bin paused, his voice lowering. “But for some reason, when we started over, I wanted to get closer to you, yet you kept rejecting me and remained distant.”
Allen was silent for a while before responding, “Because your behavior made me feel uncomfortable, and I became wary.”
Su Bin laughed bitterly, “In the last life, I was afraid of you, but you were affectionate and teased me; this life, I want to be close, but you’re so cautious… Is this what they call the law of extremes?”
“Then what about now?” Su Bin looked at Allen expectantly, practically shouting “I’m harmless” with his eyes.
Allen reached out to ruffle Su Bin’s hair. “Let’s eat first. The food is getting cold.”
Su Bin: “…”
After dinner, Allen casually asked about the things that had happened between Su Bin and “him” in another timeline. Su Bin shared many stories, often laughing as he recalled them, though sometimes a hint of sadness would show as he thought of “the other him” who was no longer around.
Before long, it was bedtime. Su Bin realized that Allen, who had claimed he had things to do that night, hadn’t left at all.
Seeing that Allen didn’t intend to keep him over for the night, Su Bin felt embarrassed to overstay his welcome. While he longed for Allen to accept him, he understood that a single day of intimacy couldn’t change much.
Su Bin tried to calm himself, telling himself to be patient. The events of today were already enough to keep him smiling for a while…
He slipped out of bed, wearing his robe, and walked to the door. Yet, he couldn’t resist and turned back to ask, “Can I still come… find you in the future?” — What he meant by “find you” was self-evident from the blush on his cheeks.
Allen raised an eyebrow and teased, “You want to warm my bed?”
Su Bin: “…”
Allen glanced at his legs. “You can’t even stand properly, yet you’re pretending to be strong. Go rest. We’ll talk later.”
— Allen was worried that if he let Su Bin stay, he wouldn’t be able to control himself and might want him again that night.
The next day, Allen had to go out. Before leaving, Su Bin asked to enter his room, wanting to clean the sheets and bedding that had been dirtied the night before.
Allen paused for a moment before saying, “Go ahead. From now on, you don’t need to ask me about these things.”
Su Bin was deeply grateful. Ever since they had been intimate the previous day, Allen’s attitude toward him had changed noticeably. Though they weren’t as close as they had been in another life, at least Allen wasn’t rejecting him anymore…
Taking advantage of Allen’s absence, Su Bin secretly climbed into his bed, hugging the pillow and breathing in its lingering scent, fantasizing about a beautiful future, his face burning with embarrassment.
After taking a nap to recover his energy, Su Bin cheerfully cooked dinner for his roommates, and just as Allen returned, he joined them for the meal for the first time.
“Su Bin, your cooking skills are unbeatable…” At the dinner table, Jin Fei praised Su Bin’s cooking. “Ever thought about opening a restaurant in B-country? I’ll invest in it for you!”
Su Bin had been smiling, but hearing the latter part of the sentence, his expression immediately went pale.
In the previous life, Allen had died in the restaurant Su Bin opened, after a tragic incident that led to his hospitalization and eventual death. Thinking about that scene, Su Bin felt a suffocating pain.
If only he hadn’t run away back then, if he hadn’t hired that chef, if there had been no “Boss Su”… After losing Allen, Su Bin had imagined countless “what-ifs,” wishing he could change history and keep Allen by his side.
That was the thorn in his heart. This time around, he never wanted to open a restaurant again.
Su Bin lowered his head, lost in thought. “Ah, I’m not really interested.”
Jin Fei had only been joking, and when Su Bin refused, he didn’t press the topic further.
It was Allen, however, who noticed the subtle shift in Su Bin’s mood. He remembered the story Su Bin had told and felt a complex mix of emotions—he realized that the “other” version of him had left a painful scar in Su Bin’s memory.
Even though he was alive and well, it seemed that in Su Bin’s heart, he had already died once.
He didn’t understand—what kind of person was he in Su Bin’s heart? A substitute? A target for atonement?
Though he knew that pondering over these questions was pointless, he couldn’t help but care, to be concerned…
Jin Fei’s suggestion, though disappointing to Su Bin, made him start considering his future.
In his previous life, after a breakup, Su Bin had entered into a strange contract with Allen, completely giving himself to him. As a result, Allen took control of his life—from dropping out of school, transferring to M University, to continuing his career in B country after graduation. Su Bin had lived under Allen’s towering presence, with everything going smoothly.
But this time was different. He didn’t want to assume that just because Allen had loved him in the past, the current Allen would treat him the same way. Su Bin wanted to rely on his own abilities to stay in B country and find a job that could support himself.
The next day, while shopping in the city center, Su Bin stopped in front of a familiar jewelry store.
In his previous life, he had bought Allen a ring but hesitated and never gave it to him. Sadly, he never got the chance to. This was one of his biggest regrets.
Now, without the “Boss Su” backing, buying a ring worth tens of thousands of yuan seemed nearly impossible. However, the idea of buying a ring lingered in Su Bin’s mind, deepening his desire to find a job and earn money.
Having already completed his university studies, Su Bin didn’t need to worry about his academic future. His fluent English also gave him an advantage, but finding a stable, high-paying job before receiving his diploma was still challenging.
Knowing that Allen didn’t like him doing illegal work, Su Bin didn’t dare to try any more under-the-table jobs. He had been watching the part-time job listings for months and finally found a perfect opportunity— a personal assistant.
A personal assistant job involved helping the employer with daily tasks like organizing the room, cleaning, cooking, etc. It sounded high-end, but it was essentially the same as a housekeeper in China.
In foreign countries, many rich second-generation students hired personal assistants. Jin Fei had hired one when he lived alone.
The job listing Su Bin saw said the employer was a Chinese man named Mr. Shen, who had his own business in M City. He was too busy and had poor self-care habits, leading to irregular eating and a weak stomach. He was looking for a part-time assistant who could cook Chinese food and help with his daily meals. The job was located just two bus stops from Su Bin’s apartment, and the salary was extremely high, making it an excellent opportunity for someone like Su Bin, who was good at cooking.
Su Bin quickly updated his resume and sent a few photos of the dishes he had made. To his surprise, the employer replied that evening and asked him to come for an interview the next day.
The interview process went smoothly. The employer was younger than Su Bin had imagined, and his attitude was very kind, though he was indeed very busy.
He asked Su Bin to make a dish while he answered phone calls in the living room. Afterward, Su Bin tidied up the messy kitchen, which had many take-out boxes, some of which still had food in them.
After cleaning up, Mr. Shen returned. He tasted Su Bin’s cooking and said, “Start working tomorrow. Here’s a spare door card. Sometimes I’m not home, so you can keep track of your working hours. The pay rate will be the one listed on your university’s part-time job website. I’ll pay you weekly by bank transfer.”
Su Bin had never met such an easygoing employer. “You want me to keep track of my hours myself? Isn’t that a bit too casual?” he asked, still trying to clarify his responsibilities.
Mr. Shen smiled. “Just manage it as you see fit. Oh, and I’ll keep some money on the counter in the entrance. Use it to buy groceries and other essentials. Here’s my private number—contact me if you have any questions.”
As he spoke, Mr. Shen’s phone rang. He rubbed his temples and answered the call, then nodded apologetically at Su Bin, signaling that he could leave.
The part-time job was easier than anything Su Bin had ever done. All he had to do was shop and cook for Mr. Shen, as well as clean the house.
The facilities at Mr. Shen’s home were well-equipped. On his first visit, Mr. Shen wasn’t home, so Su Bin carefully noted the time he arrived, bought some fruit and milk, made congee, and cooked two dishes and a soup, placing everything in a thermal container. He also tidied up the living room. Seeing that the study and bedroom doors were closed, he didn’t dare enter. The entire visit lasted less than two hours.
That evening, Su Bin received a text from Mr. Shen saying the food was very good, and he also mentioned that he hoped Su Bin could help organize other rooms. The next day, when Su Bin returned, both the study and bedroom doors were open. Su Bin noticed that there were many books on financial investments in the study, which made him guess that Mr. Shen worked in finance.
Su Bin continued working there for a week. When he submitted his work hours for the week, he reported twelve hours, but Mr. Shen paid him for about twenty hours, which was double what Su Bin had earned working illegal jobs in the past. With this job, Su Bin figured he could save enough to buy the ring in six months!
Though Su Bin had originally planned to look for another part-time job, this unexpected windfall had left him dazed.
But he wasn’t someone who took advantage of others. He honestly sent a message to Mr. Shen saying, “You’ve paid me too much.” To his surprise, Mr. Shen replied, “You didn’t include travel time in your calculations. You did a good job, so the rest is a tip.”
Su Bin was shocked. The “travel fee” referred to the time spent commuting back and forth.
