Departure

Zhuang Yihan has fallen in love with him?

Chen Shu was somewhat surprised to hear this. Although the answer was within his expectations, it was still inevitably abrupt when it was truly revealed. It even felt like a daze, as if in a dream. So this was the feeling of obtaining something he couldn't get in his past life?

It was much calmer than he had imagined.

Zhuang Yihan only felt Chen Shu suddenly embrace him gently in the dark. The action was more tender and close than ever before. The other man rubbed his forehead with his chin for a moment, finally planting a casual kiss and whispering:

"Go to sleep."

The kiss was cold, as elusive as the wind.

The night was chaotic. For the first time in a long while, Chen Shu had a dream.

He had thought he would dream again of the fragmented ending of his past life. However, what appeared in his dream was a pure black Steinway Piano. He was sitting awkwardly on the piano bench with a man beside him. The man taught him an introductory piece note by note, his eyes lowered, inadvertently revealing a trace of meticulous patience.

The man taught very seriously, but Chen Shu was too nervous. His mind went blank, and his ten fingers were as clumsy as if they were fighting, unable to remember the tune no matter what.

"I'm sorry, I... am I too stupid...?"

Chen Shu heard his dream self speak in an uneasy tone, as if he had made some terrible mistake. His ten fingertips twisted together nervously, the force so great that they turned pale.

"You're too nervous."

The man beside him spoke in a faint voice, like a clear winter spring flowing through a mountain stream. There was no impatience in his tone. He placed his hands on the keys and played a simple introductory piano piece. The smooth music poured out from his fingertips, adding a touch of melody to the night.

When the piece ended, it left one unable to recover for a long time.

Chen Shu subconsciously looked at the man beside him, his gaze focused, carrying a hint of adoration he himself hadn't noticed. He praised him sincerely, "President Zhuang, you play so well."

Unfortunately, the man merely stared at the black and white keys, not noticing Chen Shu's feelings. Or perhaps, he had long noticed them but simply didn't want to give him any hope. "This piece is very simple. It doesn't require any talent. If you can't learn it, practice it repeatedly. If you can't get it after ninety-nine times, then practice it a hundred times."

His fingertip rested on one of the keys and he suddenly pressed it down. The dull note made one's heart jump. "Chen Shu, do you understand what I mean?"

Chen Shu stared at him blankly, "President Zhuang...?"

Obviously, he didn't understand.

The man didn't mind. He broke it down and explained it to him in detail, "There are many things in this world that you can learn as long as you work hard enough. But there are other things that are not worth desperately forcing, and the piano happens to be something you can both reach out and touch, and learn through hard work right now."

"I've hired professional teachers for you. Piano, violin, art, etiquette—these are all lessons you must learn next. When you've learned them well enough, I'll send you abroad for a few years of advanced study in business administration."

Chen Shu's mind was a mess. He didn't understand why he had to learn things that were so unrelated to him. He uneasily clenched his knees and spoke cautiously, "But I'm about to graduate. Isn't it a bit late to learn these things now?"

After speaking, he suddenly realized something. A trace of embarrassment flashed in his eyes, and his voice lowered, "President Zhuang, was it... was it at the last banquet that I embarrassed you?"

Upon hearing this, the man turned his head to look at Chen Shu. For some reason, he didn't say anything, seeming a little surprised that he would say such a thing.

Seeing the man remain silent, Chen Shu felt extremely embarrassed in that instant. He forced his lips into a smile that was uglier than crying, "President Zhuang, I'm sorry. I will definitely work hard for you. I won't embarrass you next time."

But the man shook his head slightly and said in a low, serious voice, "I'm not making you learn these things because I think you're an embarrassment. It's because these things will only benefit you, not harm you, when you step into society in the future. Chen Shu, you're not learning for me, you're learning for yourself."

"Feelings, once obtained, can be lost. Only things like this, once learned, are truly your own. No one can take them away."

Zhuang Yihan was practically telling Chen Shu in an explicit way not to invest too much emotion in him, but to find a way to use the limited conditions to create infinite possibilities.

After all, an insurmountable chasm separated the upper class from the lower class. When an ordinary person broke through layer after layer of barriers to get an admission ticket to this circle, what he should do most is to carefully observe this world of debauchery, then accumulate connections, broaden his horizons, and absorb knowledge. He should use every minute and every second to the fullest before this ticket expires, rather than wasting time indulging in romantic affairs.

Now that Zhuang Yihan was willing to keep Chen Shu and provide him with conveniences, why shouldn't Chen Shu make good use of it all? He could fill in the gaps of what he wanted to learn before but couldn't afford to, use Zhuang Yihan's connections to broaden his horizons, observe the business tycoons he could usually only see on TV, and try to figure out their investment trends. These were things that no amount of money could buy.

The word "love" was too ethereal and too hurtful.

For a wealthy man like Zhuang Yihan who had no worries about food or clothing, it was an unforgettable memory. For a poor man like Chen Shu who couldn't see a future, it was a north-westerly wind that could neither be eaten nor drunk. Not only could it not fill his stomach, but it would also blow away the last few straws that kept him warm.

Unfortunately, the Chen Shu in the dream at that time was still green. His heart had not yet been hardened by the world, and he couldn't hear the subtext in those words. He nodded vigorously and unconditionally agreed to everything Zhuang Yihan said, "Okay, President Zhuang. I'll definitely study hard. I'll study hard for myself."

A strand of hair quietly slipped down before his eyes, making him look a bit more simple and ignorant.

Zhuang Yihan fell silent for a moment at this sight. In the end, he couldn't hold back. He raised his hand and gently tucked it behind his ear, like the cold mountain snow melting, finally letting a rare trace of gentleness flow out. His voice was deep and earnest, "Chen Shu, study hard. you're not stupid at all."

"In the future, when you return from studying abroad, come to the company and help me. You will have everything that others have."

He had initially kept this boy from the countryside simply out of emptiness and boredom, without any particular intentions. He had planned to support him with money, and when he lost interest, they would just go their separate ways.

Zhuang Yihan had received an elite education since childhood. Culture, conversation, finesse, background, wealth, appearance—lacking even slightly in any of these was not enough to catch his eye. This somewhat simple and rustic university student before him had a reserved and gloomy personality when they first met. He was jealous and petty. Clearly, none of these traits were comparable to the people around Zhuang Yihan, nor were they presentable.

The only thing Chen Shu had was a sincere heart.

A heart that liked Zhuang Yihan.

However, this kind of affection was too abundant for Zhuang Yihan, who was in a high position at the time, and he was not in want of it at all. But because of the strange twist of fate that night, there was, after all, a bit more special sentiment compared to others.

Zhuang Yihan knew he couldn't give Chen Shu an emotional response, so he could only make up for it in other ways.

For some reason, he always hoped that this young man, crushed by his family, could live a better life. It was just that even Zhuang Yihan himself didn't know how long his interest in Chen Shu would last. So, he could only teach the other party some skills to make a living before his interest faded, so that even if he and Chen Shu were to part in the future, the other could still live well.

And as expected, Zhuang Yihan did not go back on his word.

He arranged for Chen Shu to enter the company, supported him wholeheartedly, and helped him rise all the way to the position of second-in-command, becoming an existence that many could only dream of reaching.

What others had, Chen Shu indeed had.

It was just that what Chen Shu wanted, he never got...

The dream gradually blurred. Whether it was the piano or the person sitting in front of it, they all eventually turned into a blurry shadow. Only that simple, melodious tune continued to echo above, growing clearer and clearer.

Chen Shu had been clouded by hatred for too long. That thing called a conscience had also been lost at the bottom of the cold river. Only in his dreams at midnight would he remember that Zhuang Yihan had also once pulled him up from the boundless darkness.

The other had personally taught him to play the piano, had held expectations and hopes for him, and had even personally raised him to a very high position. It was Chen Shu himself who took the wrong path, fell from above, and lost everything completely.

The night was always so long, like the cold river water engulfing his whole body. No matter how he swam, he could never reach the other shore. Only the break of dawn could dispel some of the chilling cold that lingered around him.

When Chen Shu woke up in a daze, he guessed he had been dreaming again. As for what he dreamed about, he was no longer willing to recall it. He only knew that when he opened his eyes in bed at dawn and reached up to touch his face, it was covered in cold tears.

Zhuang Yihan was lying on one side, fast asleep. Chen Shu glanced at him, then quietly and carefully lifted the covers, got out of bed, and went to the bathroom.

Chen Shu silently turned on the faucet, brushed his teeth, and washed his face. It was as if he was doing something retaliatory, scrubbing the tear stains on his face with all his might until his skin was red from the friction. Only then did he stop and look at the slightly decadent and weary man in the mirror.

Reflected within were a pair of dark eyes, so dim that not even light could penetrate them, and they even carried a hint of malevolence.

Chen Shu let out a soft laugh at the person in the mirror. He knew that the Black Snake was definitely watching him at this moment:

"Is my body from my past life almost completely rotten by now?"

He asked, his tone playful.

As soon as Chen Shu's words fell, the mirror in front of him suddenly rippled like the surface of water. The person within it also changed. His originally handsome and pale face suddenly became ashen and distorted, as if bloated by water. Traces of decay began to appear on his forehead and spread rapidly to the sides of his face and behind his ears. His skin cracked open, revealing the bright red, torn flesh and ghastly white bones beneath, a terrifying sight.

Seeing such a horrifying scene again, Chen Shu showed no sign of panic. He stared motionlessly at the face in the mirror, as if trying to carve the utterly defeated ending of his past life into his heart.

This casual, playful voice suddenly appeared by his ear, like a pebble dropping into a calm lake, shattering the illusion in the mirror. In its place was a coiled Black Snake. It flicked its red tongue, and its head slowly emerged from the mirror, moving closer to Chen Shu's face:

"How about it, scary?"

Chen Shu spoke sarcastically, "A corpse that can't move, what's so scary about that?"

In real life, it's often the living who hurt you the most.

The Black Snake spoke with satisfaction, its tone bewitching: "It's right for you to think this way. You've already successfully reached the end of this game. You have everything you couldn't get in your last life in this one. Why would you want to go back to the bottom of the river and be a cold corpse?"

"Zhuang Yihan is right outside."

"Go and break up with him. Return all the suffering you endured in your past life. In the future, no one will ever be able to cause you pain again."

After speaking, the Black Snake gently touched Chen Shu's forehead, then slowly moved towards his shoulder, coiling its body around him circle by circle. Humans are accustomed to providing warmth and comfort with such close gestures. It probably wanted to imitate this, but it forgot it was a snake; its cold scales couldn't warm anyone.

For a moment, Chen Shu felt as if he was being squeezed so tightly he couldn't breathe. He was freezing cold, as if he had truly become a corpse. His slightly upturned, fox-like eyes stared coldly at the mirror. Inside, there was himself, and a Black Snake coiled around his body.

"Get off."

Chen Shu said in a low voice, word by word,

"I don't need you to teach me how to do things."

Zhuang Yihan wasn't some ordinary person with no power or influence, someone he could beckon with a finger when needed and casually kick aside when not. If he couldn't give a justifiable reason for breaking up, the other man would absolutely not let it go easily.

Chen Shu needed to think carefully, very carefully,

to come up with an absolutely suitable reason to completely separate from Zhuang Yihan...

After speaking, he pushed open the door and walked out of the bathroom. The warm sunlight from outside fell on his body, finally letting him feel a long-lost warmth. But Chen Shu didn't want to go back to the room. He lay down directly on the sofa to rest, his eyes lazily closed, remaining motionless in that position.

'Am I really still alive?'

Chen Shu thought.

He was incredibly cold all over, as if clammy water was dripping down his body. The sunlight made him feel warm yet uncomfortable. Only by trying to move closer to the corner of the sofa could he feel a bit more comfortable.

When Zhuang Yihan woke from his sleep and walked out of the bedroom, he saw Chen Shu sleeping alone on the sofa. The man was completely enveloped in the shadow of the corner. The sunlight slanted in through the window, perfectly avoiding him and landing on the soft wool carpet.

"Are you cold? Why aren't you sleeping in the room?"

Zhuang Yihan found a blanket and covered Chen Shu with it. Then he reached out from behind to hug him, lying down on the sofa with Chen Shu in his arms. He had slept very well yesterday. His voice was lazy, with the nasal tone of someone not fully awake in the morning. "It's going to snow soon. Why don't you stay in A City and celebrate the New Year with me this year?"

With his back to him, Chen Shu uttered a sentence, his emotions indiscernible, "I'm going back to my hometown."

Zhuang Yihan also felt it wasn't right to not let Chen Shu go back to his hometown. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Then you can go back for a few days, and then come back to A City to be with me?"

Chen Shu let out a soft laugh. "Why?"

Hearing this, Zhuang Yihan tightened his hug from behind. He rested his chin on Chen Shu's shoulder, over the fluffy, warm blanket, hiding the awkwardness and insecurity of a new romance, and whispered, "I'll miss you..."

Winter is so cold; he would miss Chen Shu.

But Zhuang Yihan didn't know that in his past life, Chen Shu had also died in such a cold winter.