Quite Pitiful

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the day of the sea trip was approaching.

Jiang Xi chose a coastal city in the south, where the average year-round temperature was around 25°C. For A City, which was already feeling a bleak chill, it was undoubtedly very comfortable. The plane tickets, hotel, and accompanying reception staff were all fully arranged, making it easy to see his meticulous work style.

However, the more meticulous he was, the more dangerous it meant, because people like Jiang Xi usually didn't do meaningless things. If they did, it only meant they were plotting something.

The flight was a full four hours. After boarding, Chen Shu flattened his seat, put on an eye mask, and lay down, entering a state of feigned sleep. He always had a calm and unruffled personality; even if his mind was full of complicated thoughts, others wouldn't be able to tell.

Zhuang Yihan was originally in his seat looking over development materials. When he suddenly noticed Chen Shu lying down to rest, he couldn't help but turn his head to glance at him. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

There were eight seats in first class on this flight, split into two rows. Each row had a window seat, with the two middle seats adjacent to each other. Zhuang Yihan and Chen Shu occupied those. Zhuang Yifan, Fang Yiting, and Xue Miao sat behind them, chatting together. The remaining two secretary/assistant-type people sat quietly by the windows, engrossed in their work.

Hearing Zhuang Yihan's concerned question, Chen Shu raised a hand and lifted his eye mask slightly. His ink-black hair was a bit messy from lying down, and his voice was low and lazy. "No, just tired."

Zhuang Yihan thought he looked like some kind of sleepy, dozing animal. He pulled out a blanket and draped it over him. "If you're tired, sleep for a while. We'll be there in a few more hours. I was worried you'd have some lingering side effects like dizziness from falling into the water last time."

Zhuang Yihan's concern and worry about the incident where he fell in the water occasionally made Chen Shu feel quite pitiful.

That's right, pitiful.

He had died so pitifully in his last life...

Chen Shu's lips twitched with a hint of playful self-mockery, but the emotion came and went so quickly that no one noticed. He raised his hand and pulled the eye mask back down. The black fabric over his eyes made his skin seem even fairer and his lips a richer red, giving off an indescribable, alluring charm. "Alright, I'll sleep for a while. Wake me up when we're about to land."

Zhuang Yihan couldn't help but glance at Chen Shu a few more times. They had been together for some time now, and while they hadn't really taken that final step, there was certainly no shortage of kissing and touching. Yet, he always felt like it wasn't enough.

How to describe it? It was as if Chen Shu was a reincarnated fox spirit sent specifically to seduce him.

Yes, the kind that only seduces you but never sleeps with you.

Thinking of this, Zhuang Yihan cursed inwardly. 'What damned fox spirit? He's clearly a Liuxia Hui*.' His resentment was hard to hide, and he lost all interest in his documents. He simply closed the file, put it aside, and lay down like Chen Shu to rest with his eyes closed.

*T/N: A well-known ancient Chinese official known for his integrity. Famously had a lady sit in his lap, yet he had no lustful thoughts about her.

The four-hour journey was neither long nor short. At one point, a flight attendant came in with menus, and everyone had a little something to eat. Before long, the plane began its descent.

Jiang Xi had sent drivers to wait outside the airport ahead of time. The group got into two cars and headed straight for the hotel. Zhuang Yifan was a picky eater and hadn't had much on the plane. By now, he was starving. Crossing his legs, he asked:

"When are we going to eat? Did Jiang Xi book a place?"

He used to be quite respectful of Jiang Xi, always calling him "brother" in public and in private. But ever since he realized Jiang Xi was treating his own older brother as a meal ticket, that goodwill instantly vanished. Having watched his actions with a cold eye all these years, only disgust and ridicule remained in his heart, so his tone was naturally impolite.

An accompanying assistant, most likely sent by Jiang Xi, was sitting in the front passenger seat. He was a bit uncomfortable with Zhuang Yifan's tone but could only reply with a smile, "President Jiang and his fiancee have already booked a banquet and are waiting at the hotel to give everyone a welcome dinner."

Zhuang Yifan seemed to scoff. "Jiang Xi really doesn't forget to bring his fiancee everywhere."

He had no issue with Jiang Xi's fiancée; he simply disliked Jiang Xi, so his attitude was not friendly.

Zhuang Yihan was handling business on his laptop. Without looking away from the screen, he spoke coolly to Zhuang Yifan, his low voice laced with a warning, "If you can't behave, then go back. I'll have someone book a flight for you right now."

He hadn't wanted Chen Shu to know about the past mess between him and Jiang Xi to begin with, and Zhuang Yifan was just fanning the flames. Sometimes, Zhuang Yihan really wanted to take a needle and sew his mouth shut.

Zhuang Yifan muttered, "We're already here, I'm not going back. Right, Chen Shu?"

He'd learned to be clever now, knowing to pull Chen Shu into the same camp.

Chen Shu was cleaning his sunglasses. At Zhuang Yifan's words, he glanced up, thinking, 'Why does everyone in the Zhuang Family have such an all-or-nothing personality, loving someone to life and hating them to death? I thought Zhuang Yifan only targeted me, but I didn't expect Jiang Xi to be a victim too.'

"Then just be quiet and listen to your brother."

Whether in private or public, he would only ever side with one person.

Zhuang Yifan realized he had chosen the wrong ally and slumped back into his seat, completely deflated. "You two just gang up on me. I knew I should've ridden in the other car with Xue Miao and the others."

Zhuang Yihan turned his attention back to the laptop, ignoring his brother's complaints. Only when he heard Chen Shu take his side did the corners of his lips curve up imperceptibly.

He probably thought he was the only one in Chen Shu's heart, and others likely thought so too.

The group arrived at the hotel and collected their key cards. One had to say, Jiang Xi really knew how to make things happen—he had actually arranged for Chen Shu and Zhuang Yihan to be in the same room. This move made Fang Yiting and the others exchange suggestive looks, their gazes toward the pair filled with ambiguity.

Chen Shu picked up both their bags and went upstairs, his expression unchanged. It was Zhuang Yihan, who remained at the front desk to fill out the check-in forms, who felt a bit awkward. Zhuang Yifan, having a short memory for scoldings, sidled up, nudged his arm, and whispered, "Bro, we still have to go out on the boat tomorrow. Take it easy tonight."

After speaking, he stroked his chin and wondered to himself if his brother was the top or the bottom. With Chen Shu's build, it seemed it would be difficult to win against him.

Little did he know, this sentence hit Zhuang Yihan right where it hurt. Despite looking like a seductive fox spirit, in bed, Chen Shu was more chaste than a monk. No amount of teasing could stir him.

Zhuang Yihan narrowed his eyes, his gaze chilling. "No one will think you're a mute if you don't talk."

After finishing, he submitted the forms and turned to head upstairs, leaving Zhuang Yifan standing there, completely bewildered as to why he had gotten angry.

Dinner was at a well-known local hotel. Perhaps because of some business partnership, the private room was of a very high standard. Besides his fiancée, Min Rou, Jiang Xi had also brought several other men in suits. They were said to be renowned local entrepreneurs who also had a stake in the resort development project.

"Yihan, I figured since we're here to discuss the development project anyway, I invited President Chen and the others to join us. It's a good opportunity to have dinner together tonight."

Jiang Xi was dressed in his usual sophisticated suit, with his arm around his fiancée, Min Rou. To outsiders, they looked like a talented man and a beautiful woman, a perfect match.

For some reason, however, compared to the last time they'd met when she was happy and radiant, Min Rou looked much thinner and her complexion was rather pale. While she managed an appropriate smile when Jiang Xi spoke, it seemed forced, and she appeared somewhat absentminded.

In truth, Zhuang Yihan had no intention of participating in the resort project. He had already had a share transfer agreement drawn up; he planned to have Jiang Xi sign it and buy back the shares at the original price, so the two of them would be even from then on. But he hadn't expected Jiang Xi to bring the business partners along without warning, so he had to temporarily swallow the words on the tip of his tongue.

"It's only right. President Chen and the others are our hosts, after all. We'll have to trouble them to introduce us to the local culture, so we don't end up stumbling around like headless flies."

Zhuang Yihan raised his glass and smiled faintly, maintaining decorum for both parties. The business partners were also smooth operators, raising their glasses in response and exchanging witty remarks, making the atmosphere quite lively.

As for the couple, Jiang Xi and Min Rou, Zhuang Yihan didn't pay them much attention. While dealing with the group of partners, he would occasionally turn to speak a few words to Chen Shu, whispering to him which dishes were good. The atmosphere was harmonious and intimate, showing no trace of his previous gloom and pain.

Jiang Xi took in this scene, his thoughts unknown.

Just then, a pot of vinegar hotpot rotated around the table. Zhuang Yihan was about to try some, but before his hand could touch the ladle, it was stopped. A familiar voice spoke beside him, "This dish is very spicy. You can't eat it."

He turned his head and saw it was Jiang Xi.

Zhuang Yihan frowned imperceptibly and discreetly pulled his hand back. Beneath his flat tone was a deliberate distance. "Everyone has different tastes. I'll have to try it to know."

However, he really couldn't handle spicy food. Despite his words, he gave up on the dish.

Jiang Xi let out a laugh, as if he couldn't help himself. "You couldn't handle spicy food back when we were in school. Do you think I don't know you? You can't even stand the smell of onions. Try this dish instead; it's good and light."

With that, he used the serving chopsticks to place a piece of steamed grouper into Zhuang Yihan's bowl. The pearly white fish, garnished with emerald scallion shreds, looked very fresh. "I remember you like fish."

He vaguely brought up their time in school, showing that he still remembered Zhuang Yihan's preferences. It was a subtle yet clever move, because that had truly been the most painful and vulnerable time in Zhuang Yihan's life, and also the beginning of their acquaintance.

Like the bright but elusive moonlight,

Reaching out to touch it was always met with a void.

Staring at the food in his bowl, Zhuang Yihan was momentarily lost in a daze. He didn't know if he was recalling the taste of worldly indifference after his father's death, the memory of Jiang Xi being the only one to help him stabilize his family business when he was isolated and helpless, or the naive gratitude he had felt back then. He only knew his mind was in turmoil, filled with complex and indescribable feelings.

A faint shadow appeared behind him, and it seemed an emotion called pain was beginning to stir, waiting for a suitable moment to take root and sprout.

Zhuang Yihan said nothing, silently eating the food in his bowl. His tongue was numb; he couldn't taste a thing.

Seeing this, Zhuang Yifan nudged Chen Shu's arm, feeling anxious. He whispered, "My brother can't eat spicy food. You should serve him some dishes too. Don't let that guy Jiang Xi show you up."

Chen Shu saw everything clearly but feigned ignorance, saying with a faint smile, "I know your brother can't eat spicy food, but what does that have to do with Jiang Xi? Is there something between the two of them?"

Realizing he'd let it slip, Zhuang Yifan hastily looked away. "Oh, no, I was just talking. What I mean is... look how well Jiang Xi treats his fiancée. You should learn a thing or two, don't let him outshine you."

Chen Shu smiled. 'Why should I learn?' he thought.

Min Rou was Jiang Xi's fiancée, fine, but he and Zhuang Yihan had no substantial relationship.

Whose food Zhuang Yihan chose to eat, who he chose to obsess over, and who he allowed to wound him all over—those were his own choices. There was no need for him to stop it, nor could he. Competing out of jealousy was the lowest of strategies.

Zhuang Yifan was still too young and couldn't handle it; he couldn't even stand to see Jiang Xi serve his brother a piece of food. In his past life, Chen Shu had watched Zhuang Yihan go crazy over Jiang Xi day after day. If he were to react like Zhuang Yifan, wouldn't he have had to jump into the river again?

Just as Chen Shu was thinking about what to say, he caught a glimpse of a figure slipping out of the room unnoticed. The words he was about to say changed. He stood up, patted Zhuang Yifan's shoulder, and said, "I'm going to the restroom. Be right back."

His seat was right next to the back door. After speaking, he turned and left the private room in the blink of an eye.

Outside the hotel was an open-air swimming pool, shimmering under the night sky. After leaving the private room, Min Rou walked alone to the edge of the pool and sat down, hugging her knees and burying her head, sobbing softly. Meanwhile, her supposedly steady and considerate fiancé, Jiang Xi, hadn't even noticed her early departure and was still inside, toasting and drinking.

Or perhaps he had noticed, and was simply pretending not to.

"Mrs. Jiang, the lighting here is dim and it's far from the crowd. If you can't swim, I'd suggest you find a better place to cry."

Min Rou was crying her heart out when she suddenly heard a low, concerned male voice behind her. It startled her. She turned around in a panic, only to see Chen Shu's handsome and familiar face. The night lights cast a faint blue glow on his features, giving him a unique sort of gentleness.

Min Rou hadn't expected Chen Shu to come out. She quickly turned her head and wiped her tears, trying her best to act as if nothing was wrong. She forced a smile. "Oh, Mr. Chen, why aren't you inside eating with them?"

Chen Shu gestured with the cigarette between his fingers, then walked down the steps and found a spot to sit not far from Min Rou. "I'm having a smoke. Do you mind?"

Min Rou was distracted. "It's fine, go ahead."

Now that he was closer, the redness and swelling around her eyes were more obvious, making her look haggard and lost. She was a far cry from the sweet, happy woman he had met for the first time.

Chen Shu lit his cigarette and asked curiously, "Mrs. Jiang, you seem to have been crying. Is something wrong?"

For some reason, Min Rou found that title grating. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders and gave a self-deprecating tug at her lips. "Mrs. Jiang? I don't know how much longer I'll be able to wear that title. Maybe I won't be Mrs. Jiang for much longer."

Chen Shu raised an eyebrow. "Did you and President Jiang have a fight? It's inevitable for couples to have their ups and downs. If there's a problem, you should just talk it out. I think President Jiang is usually very considerate of you."

"Considerate?"

Min Rou lowered her head, her long hair hiding the expression in her eyes. She spat out the sarcastic word. "That's because you don't know him. You've all been deceived by him..."

Chen Shu feigned a look of surprise, as if he didn't understand why Min Rou would say such a thing. "Mrs. Jiang?"

Min Rou's voice was cold and agitated. "Stop calling me Mrs. Jiang, I might not be for much longer!"

She paused after speaking, suddenly realizing her loss of composure. Her face turned pale and ugly. She looked up at Chen Shu, her lips twisting into a cold sneer. "You don't know about Jiang Xi and Zhuang Yihan, do you?"

Chen Shu smiled faintly, flicking the ash from his cigarette, perfectly willing to play the role of a clueless, lovesick fool in front of others. "They're very good friends."

"Friends?!"

Min Rou reacted as if she'd heard the funniest joke in the world, her voice becoming uncontrollably sharp. She suddenly burst out laughing, slumping onto the steps without any regard for her image, laughing until tears streamed down her face. "I thought I was the only fool. I didn't expect there to be a second fool kept in the dark."

This thought might have made her feel a little better. Her laughter died down as she ran out of energy. But her dark eyes stared at Chen Shu, looking cold and unsettling in the vast, encroaching darkness. She asked in a low voice:

"Tell me, if the husband I love deeply wants to divorce me for someone else, shouldn't I find a way to get rid of the person standing in my way?"

Chen Shu smiled slightly, as if he didn't understand the dangerous thought hidden behind Min Rou's words. He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a bewitching quality in the swirling smoke. "Get rid of this one, and there will be a next one, and a next. Compared to solving an endless stream of problems, the best way is to leave the problem itself."

Chen Shu's low voice seemed ethereal in the dark night. It was unclear if he was talking about Min Rou or someone else. Perhaps, for a moment, he was also thinking of his own sincere feelings that had dissipated like smoke in his past life. "After all, no matter how much you love someone, you shouldn't lower yourself to the dust for them. Otherwise, that's not love, it's stupidity."

With that, he ignored the devastated Min Rou, stubbed out his cigarette, and stood up. As he was about to leave, he seemed to remember something, paused, and turned back to say in a low voice, "Miss Min, I think that title suits you better. After all, a person shouldn't be bound by a certain title. It's getting late, you should go back soon."

Chen Shu had been gone for a while. When he returned to the private room, he ran into Zhuang Yihan who was just about to go look for him.

"Where did you go? What took you so long?"

Chen Shu pulled out his chair and sat down. "Nowhere, just went out for a smoke."

That was all he said.

"..."

Zhuang Yihan pressed his lips together, his hand on the table clenching unconsciously. A wave of indescribable irritation rose in his heart. He couldn't tell if it was because of Chen Shu's slightly cold attitude, or the panic he felt when he had turned around earlier and found him gone, or a combination of both. In any case, there was an inexplicable sense of unease, and that feeling lasted until the dinner ended and they were back in their hotel room.

Chen Shu was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth in front of the mirror, when he felt an arm wrap tightly around his waist from behind. Zhuang Yihan rested his chin on his shoulder and, for once, apologized and softened his tone, trying to dispel the strange atmosphere from dinner. "I'm sorry..."

Chen Shu had a mouthful of foam, so he didn't speak. After rinsing his mouth and wiping it with a towel, he raised an eyebrow and asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Although he could guess Zhuang Yihan's personality for the most part, people in love were prone to bouts of hypersensitivity. Like right now, Chen Shu didn't understand why Zhuang Yihan was apologizing out of the blue.

Chen Shu: "Did you do something to wrong me?"

At his words, Zhuang Yihan's eyelids twitched violently. "How have I wronged you?"

Chen Shu's smile deepened. He turned around, leaning back against the sink, and looked at him leisurely. "Mm, you haven't wronged me. So why are you apologizing?"

Zhuang Yihan suddenly fell silent again. After a long pause, he asked in a low voice, "...I didn't pay attention to you during dinner today. You went out to smoke, were you angry with me?"

Chen Shu wasn't angry. It was just Zhuang Yihan who had a guilty conscience and liked to overthink things neurotically.

Chen Shu seemed to want to tease him, asking with an ambiguous tone, "Dinner? When are you referring to? When President Jiang served you food?"

It's over, it's over, here it comes. It really was because of Jiang Xi! It really was because of that piece of food! Zhuang Yihan felt a sense of panic, as if his fears were confirmed. He unconsciously touched his throat, wondering if it was too late to run to the toilet and throw it all up. "Don't overthink it. There's nothing between him and me."

He had only pursued him one-sidedly for a period of time, that's all. Nothing had happened.

Zhuang Yihan didn't know why he felt so guilty. Perhaps it was because he was deliberately hiding it from Chen Shu, not wanting him to know about that muddled and absurd past. After all, from Zhuang Yihan's current perspective, his pursuit of Jiang Xi back then had been somewhat insane. It wasn't something honorable to talk about, and he was afraid Chen Shu would get the wrong idea.

Chen Shu looked deeply at Zhuang Yihan. His beautiful, fox-like eyes were slightly upturned, a hint of a smile flowing within them under the warm ambient light. He slowly chewed on those words, finding them more interesting. "Nothing between you two?"

The Zhuang Yihan of his past life would never have said that, not even if he were beaten to death.

After all, their entanglement was so deep, so unforgettable.

He was the white moonlight of his youth,

The one he couldn't let go of for eighteen years.

Chen Shu reached out and gently brushed the stray hair from his eyes, his tone gentle. "I know there's nothing between you. You seem to be too sensitive."

Zhuang Yihan was stunned. "Am I?"

Chen Shu: "Of course you are."

In his past life, to make Chen Shu give up, Zhuang Yihan could shamelessly tell him he liked Jiang Xi. It was simply because he didn't care, didn't like him, so no matter how painfully Chen Shu's heart broke, he wouldn't be moved.

But in this life, he was tight-lipped and evasive, only wanting to bury that messy past. Even mentioning the name "Jiang Xi" was like touching a ticking time bomb that he just wanted to throw as far away as possible.

Chen Shu thought, past life and present life, the same person. Why was the difference so great?

It turned out that only when you didn't love someone could you truly be loved. Because loving someone makes you lose your reason, and people who have lost their reason are often not very likable.

Finally, Chen Shu let out a soft laugh and pinched Zhuang Yihan's cheek. "Don't overthink it. I just went out for a smoke today. You and President Jiang are both friends and business partners, don't let me come between you. You should interact more in the future. I won't get jealous."

Not get jealous? Why not?

Zhuang Yihan had been worried that Chen Shu would misunderstand things between him and Jiang Xi. But when Chen Shu actually said he didn't mind, a new thorn pricked his heart. If Chen Shu cared about him, shouldn't he feel jealous or unhappy? Why did he always have this detached demeanor, even telling him to interact more with Jiang Xi?

He frowned, stunned, staring at Chen Shu as if trying to see through him.

But Chen Shu didn't notice Zhuang Yihan's gloomy mood. After washing up, he went straight to bed. He was involved in many clubs and positions at school, and on top of that, he was a low-key popular figure, so his phone was always flooded with messages. Even though he only selectively replied to the important ones, it still took him about half an hour.

Zhuang Yihan came out of the bathroom drying his hair, a heavy heart as he lifted the covers and got into bed. His gaze inadvertently swept over and saw the screen of Chen Shu's phone, which was filled with red unread message notifications. He froze.

Honestly, it looked a lot like a player's phone.

Zhuang Yihan: "Who are you talking to?"

Chen Shu didn't even look up, continuing to reply to the messages. "A classmate. What's wrong?"

A classmate?

Zhuang Yihan chewed on those two words, tasting some unknown flavor. He suddenly turned his head to look at Chen Shu. A lock of his damp black hair fell forward, making his cold, narrow eyes seem more gloomy. His well-defined hand, looking exceptionally pale under the light, reached out, seeming abrupt in the silent air:

"Do you dare let me see?"

His eyes held a sharp suspicion that wanted to see right through the person. This was the real Zhuang Yihan, beneath the facade.

Even though this suspicion was so unreasonable, so nonsensical, so baseless, it was a side reflection of the panic, unease, and even anxiety hidden beneath Zhuang Yihan's calm exterior.

Zhuang Yihan was undoubtedly outstanding—family background, wealth, appearance—any single one of these things was out of reach for most people. Yet when facing Chen Shu, he found himself at a loss. It seemed like the other man could do anything, understood everything, and always knew what was on his mind, providing him with the exact emotion and care he needed at the right time. All Zhuang Yihan could give Chen Shu was money, and Chen Shu didn't seem to care much for it.

A dark, burning emotion called "frustration" churned inside Zhuang Yihan, with no outlet. This led to his almost provocative behavior.

"You want to see my phone?"

Hearing this, Chen Shu finally tore his gaze away from his phone. He raised an eyebrow, finding Zhuang Yihan's words both surprising and amusing. "Why?"

Zhuang Yihan: "No reason. If you don't dare, then forget it."

Chen Shu thought for a moment, but didn't refuse. He handed over his phone without hesitation. "Fine, go ahead."

Surprisingly good-tempered.

Most people in the world would resist and resent having their phone looked through by others. In serious cases, it could even lead to disgust and arguments—

But what if that person had given you five million, a car, and a house?

Chen Shu felt that was a different matter entirely.

Besides, he and Zhuang Yihan weren't a couple, but rather a sugar daddy and his canary. When the sugar daddy made a request, what reason was there not to satisfy it? He wasn't the type to live off someone and still put on a high-and-mighty act.

Zhuang Yihan was taken aback. He hadn't expected Chen Shu to hand over his phone so readily. He glanced at the screen and saw it had gone dark. "Password."

Chen Shu recited six digits.

Zhuang Yihan was halfway through typing when he realized the numbers were familiar. His fingers paused. "...My birthday?"

Chen Shu looked up at the ceiling, his eyes half-closed, and hummed lazily. "Hurry up and look. My phone only has 2% battery. This is your only chance. If you miss it, there won't be a next time."

Hearing his threatening tone, Zhuang Yihan scoffed, not taking it to heart, and lowered his head to start checking the WeChat chat history.

Chen Shu had a few hundred people on his list, most of whom he had to add for school club work. Their notes were all uniformly "XX School XX Department XX Position." Zhuang Yihan scrolled through a ton of chat logs and found that Chen Shu hadn't replied to any of the private, flirty messages asking him out for meals. They were even muted in his message list. The friends he did reply to frequently were all for official business.

The history was clean, one could even say it was a bit impolite and cold, because Chen Shu hadn't even replied to many people.

Just with a casual swipe, Zhuang Yihan had seen no fewer than ten pursuers sending messages cursing Chen Shu out for being rude and pretentious, for not replying to a single one of their dozens of messages. There was a clear sense of love turning to hate.

Zhuang Yihan's tone was playful. "Someone's cursing you out."

Chen Shu couldn't even be bothered to lift an eyelid. "I know."

Zhuang Yihan: "Why don't you delete them?"

Chen Shu: "There are too many, I can't keep up."

Zhuang Yihan's gloomy mood was suddenly amused by this sentence. It was clear he was quite satisfied with the results of his inspection. "Take your phone back."

Chen Shu took the phone. Before he could say anything, he felt a sudden weight in his arms as Zhuang Yihan abruptly hugged him. The side of Zhuang Yihan's face pressed against his chest, his slightly damp hair brushing against his chin, a softness that was completely different from his personality. He changed his tune faster than one could flip a page.

"Chen Shu..."

Zhuang Yihan's voice was low, as if it wanted to melt into a pile of snow on Chen Shu's body. "Why did you use my birthday as your lock screen password?"

Chen Shu thought, there really wasn't a reason. It was just a habit from his past life that he continued to use in this one. He closed his eyes, his voice low and lazy, knowing exactly what Zhuang Yihan wanted to hear. "If not yours, whose would I use?"

Zhuang Yihan listened to Chen Shu's strong, steady heartbeat, feeling a wave of heat wash over his body and an indescribable sense of contentment. The corners of his lips curved up slightly. "Chen Shu, always be this good to me, okay?"

Zhuang Yihan could clearly feel a change in his emotions. If before, he had mostly liked or even been attached to this person, at this very moment, an emotion called possessiveness suddenly took root and grew wildly in the quiet night. He looked up and gently patted Chen Shu's face, speaking half-jokingly, "If you get with someone else in the future, or treat someone else like this, I'll drag you with me even in death, you know that?"

Hearing this, Chen Shu wasn't scared at all. Instead, he laughed, thinking, is dying such a big deal? Who was Zhuang Yihan trying to threaten? He looked down, studying him seriously, and said out of the blue, "You're becoming more and more like someone."

Zhuang Yihan's eyelids twitched. "Like who?"

His mind could be quite dramatic at times. He thought, could it be that Chen Shu has some white moonlight in his heart and is treating me as a substitute?

But Chen Shu said, "Like me."

He repeated it seriously. "Like me."

Like the him from his past life.

An anxious, insecure, overly sensitive, and occasionally neurotic madman who even wanted to drag the person he liked down to death with him, as if that was the only way they could belong to him alone.

Quite pitiful.