Settling Accounts

By the time Chen Shu left the residential area, the sky outside had become completely dark, with not even a few stars visible. The surrounding chill surged in from all directions, so cold that one couldn't help but shiver.

He called a car with his phone and stood waiting under a streetlight. Suddenly, he felt something cool on his face. He reached up to touch it and looked up at the sky, only to see dense "raindrops" slowly twirling down. They landed on his dark coat, condensing into a patch of frosty white ice crystals. He was momentarily stunned.

It was snowing...

Two months earlier than last year.

Chen Shu slowly lowered his fingers, his thoughts unknown. He only heard the previously quiet phone in his pocket suddenly ring with one dynamic notification after another. It turned out that everyone on his Moments feed was posting photos and blessings, celebrating the first snow of the year.

Chen Shu glanced at it, then turned off the screen. He closed his eyes and leaned against the streetlight, feeling as if the last trace of warmth in his body had been carried away by this unexpected snow. He waited a long time for the driver to arrive. Only after getting into the car and being enveloped by the heater did he feel a bit warmer as he headed toward the university in the dead of night.

Chen Shu's family was poor, so he spent almost all his spare time working part-time jobs. Because the school had a curfew, making it inconvenient to come and go, he had applied for an entry and exit permit right after enrolling. After returning late many times, even the dorm auntie got to know him.

"Chen Shu, why are you back so late again? Were you working part-time?"

Seeing Chen Shu standing outside the dormitory building knocking, the dorm auntie put on a coat and shuffled over in a pair of slippers. She wore a pair of reading glasses on the bridge of her nose, but her gaze was sharp from years of watching students sneak out. Her thick, pink loungewear and messy perm gave her a homey feel.

Chen Shu nodded and stepped inside, helping to close the door. "I'm sorry, Auntie, for waking you."

"I'm on the night shift anyway."

The dorm auntie knew Chen Shu's family situation was difficult. He was usually an honest person and was never like those other boys who laughed and ran around wildly all day, chasing girls and drinking. She felt gratified but also sighed a little. As much as she disliked rowdy kids, she also knew that kids this age were supposed to be rowdy, not introverted and silent like Chen Shu.

She opened the window of her office, took out a bright red apple, and stuffed it into Chen Shu's hand. The stern gaze behind her lenses softened for a moment:

"It's the New Year, you should rest a bit. It's snowing outside, so cold. Don't come back so late next time. My son brought this apple from our hometown, take one and try it."

Chen Shu took the apple, suddenly forgetting when the last time he had received such warmth from a stranger was. He paused, seeming to want to say something, but not a single word came out. In the end, he just raised the apple and smiled:

"I'll head back to my dorm then. Auntie, remember to rest early. I'll wash it and try it when I get back."

The dorm auntie waved her hand with her back to him and returned to her own room. "Hurry upstairs, the lights are already out."

The school turned off the lights at eleven every night, but students would privately buy small night lights. When Chen Shu returned to his dorm room, he saw a light on in Yu Hui's upper bunk, hidden by the bed curtain. The other beds opposite were empty. Duan Chengcai's bunk was too dark and near the inside, making it hard to see clearly.

Yu Hui was originally playing a game when he suddenly heard the sound of someone pushing the door open. He poked his head out from behind the curtain to take a look and was a little surprised to see Chen Shu. "Chen Shu, why are you back?"

He used to sleep in the bunk above Duan Chengcai, but for some reason, the two of them could never get along and argued every day. Yu Hui simply switched places with someone else and moved to Chen Shu's side.

Chen Shu had quit his job at their home a long time ago, and no one knew what he did outside. The number of times he returned to the dorm could be counted on one hand. But because he was always a loner who left right after class, no one had found a chance to ask. At most, only Hu Jinyan dared to mutter a few words about it in private.

Chen Shu gave a soft "mm." "A little tired, came back to sleep."

Yu Hui said, "It's finally snowing outside, everyone's gone out to play. Hu Jinyan and the others went on dates with their girlfriends. But you, you actually came running back."

He had broken up with his last girlfriend less than a month ago and had returned to being a single dog, but Yu Hui didn't seem the least bit sad or lonely. He chuckled while playing his game, "Luckily, Duan Chengcai and I are here to keep you company. Otherwise, you'd be all alone today."

Chen Shu's movements paused at his words. He glanced at Duan Chengcai's bunk. It was pitch black, and you wouldn't even notice someone was lying there if you didn't look closely. "When did he get back?"

"This afternoon, probably," Yu Hui didn't like to gossip about people behind their backs like Hu Jinyan; he always did it to their face. "He came back all black and blue. I asked him if he got into a fight, but he wouldn't say. He just plopped onto the bed and buried his head to sleep. If he wasn't still breathing, I'd have thought he was dead."

Yu Hui rambled on, but Chen Shu was too tired. Towards the end, he could barely hear what Yu Hui was saying. He took off his coat, lay down on the bed, and fell asleep almost the instant his head hit the pillow. In his dream, everything that had once troubled him was gone, but it was replaced by a vast, white emptiness where he couldn't find any direction.

Yu Hui was still talking to himself on the upper bunk. After a long time without a response, he pulled back the curtain and looked down again. He shone his small night light on Chen Shu, only to see that the other person was already asleep on the bed. His face was pale and weary, and his eyes were red and swollen, as if he had been crying.

Yu Hui took back the light, surprised and uncertain, and muttered to himself, "This kid, don't tell me he had a breakup?"

Someone as handsome as Chen Shu could also get his heart broken?

Seeing that both his roommates were asleep, Yu Hui couldn't be bothered to play games anymore. He simply turned off his phone and lay down to sleep.

The heater in the dormitory hummed, lulling people into dreamland. Only the snow outside fell heavier and heavier, and a layer of white mist condensed on the balcony's glass window.

Winter break was about to start, and there were few classes in the following days. Since returning that day, Chen Shu had not left the dormitory. He turned off his phone, didn't look at any messages, and didn't reply to any. Every day, apart from eating, brushing his teeth, and washing his face, he spent the rest of his time in bed. He was utterly exhausted, as if trying to make up for all his previously lost sleep at once.

Seeing this, Yu Hui became even more certain that he had broken up with someone. The usually boisterous person quieted down and didn't dare to disturb Chen Shu.

It wasn't until the seventh day that Chen Shu finally seemed to recover. He turned his phone back on and saw that his message list was packed to the brim, nearly exploding. But there was nothing from Zhuang Yihan—

Chen Shu had already blocked him.

There were only a bunch of calls from unknown numbers, probably several hundred in total.

This sudden breakup had disrupted all of Zhuang Yihan's plans. Even a previously arranged drinking session with friends became inexplicably awkward due to the absence of one of the main characters. Zhuang Yihan didn't explain, attending the appointment alone. Although the atmosphere was still lively, a closer look revealed the undercurrents.

Zhuang Yifan had a habit of being late. When he finally drove up and arrived at the second-floor booth, he saw his brother sitting alone, drinking away his sorrows. For some reason, their friends only dared to sit at a nearby table, not approaching him.

"Bro, why are you sitting here drinking all by yourself? Where's Chen Shu? Didn't he come with you?"

Zhuang Yifan didn't know about their breakup. He walked over and sat down opposite him, asking puzzledly. He completely missed Xue Miao and Fang Yiting, who were diagonally across from him, frantically trying to signal him with their eyes, nearly blinking them blind.

Zhuang Yihan had been drinking, and his actions couldn't help but pause at those words. He looked up at Zhuang Yifan. His eyes appeared somewhat dim under the blue lights, filled with bloodshot veins as if he hadn't slept for days. The collar of his usually neat shirt was now casually open, giving him an unkempt and dejected look.

"He's busy."

Zhuang Yihan only said those two words.

His voice was hoarse and cold, it was unclear if it was from the alcohol or something else. He sat alone in the corner booth, drinking sullenly, his expression indifferent, looking very unapproachable.

Even a fool like Zhuang Yifan could tell something was wrong. He subconsciously looked over at Fang Yiting, only to see him with a pained expression, covering his mouth with his hand and silently mouthing three words to him from afar:

"Broke. Up."

Zhuang Yifan was shocked and blurted out, "What?! You and Chen Shu broke up?!"

His shout instantly drew everyone's attention. Fang Yiting was ready to faint, wishing he could pass out on the spot. Even Zhuang Yihan stopped pouring his drink, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he shot a cold look over. "Who told you we broke up?"

Zhuang Yifan: "..."

It's over. Seeing his brother like this, it was most likely true.

Zhuang Yifan swallowed hard, so shocked by the news that he didn't know what to say. He frowned deeply and asked in a low, incredulous voice, "Bro, why on earth would you break up with Chen Shu?!"

Perhaps it was because the image Chen Shu usually presented to the public was too good, but when this happened, everyone, including Zhuang Yifan, didn't think for a moment that he was the problem. They all suspected something was wrong with Zhuang Yihan's head for initiating a breakup.

As Zhuang Yifan spoke, he seemed to think of something and said in surprise, "Bro, you didn't cheat on him, did you?!"

"Bang—!"

Zhuang Yihan suddenly slammed the glass cup onto the table. The veins on the back of his hand popped out, almost shattering the glass. He stared at Zhuang Yifan expressionlessly. Although his tone was calm, it was inexplicably chilling. He squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth: "I already said, he had something to do today and couldn't come."

Broke up? What breakup?

As long as he didn't agree, this matter wasn't over. Chen Shu thought he could just break up with a casual "we're not compatible"? In his dreams!

After speaking, Zhuang Yihan suddenly lost the mood to stay. He grabbed his coat and got up to leave. Seeing that things were not looking good, Zhuang Yifan quickly grabbed him. "Bro, it's the middle of the night! Where are you going after drinking so much?! I'll call the driver to pick you up..."

"None of your business!"

Zhuang Yihan shook him off and walked downstairs without looking back. His breathing was ragged, and the alcohol was getting to him. He felt a nameless fire burning in his heart but didn't know who to vent it on. He was about to be driven mad by the torment.

Jiang Xi had been secretly observing Zhuang Yihan's movements these past few days and had naturally followed him to the drinking session today, though he stayed on the first floor without showing himself. To be honest, he never thought that the unassuming Chen Shu would be an easy opponent, so he naturally hadn't expected to topple him with just the few words he had said during their meeting. But... sometimes things were just this unexpected. He actually broke up with Zhuang Yihan?

Jiang Xi still couldn't figure it out and felt utterly bewildered. But time was tight now, and he couldn't afford to think too much. After all, only when these two were separated would he have a chance.

He saw Zhuang Yihan drunkenly staggering outside and immediately put down his glass to follow. He reached out from behind and grabbed him, frowning and saying in a low voice, "Yihan, you're drunk. It's dark and unsafe now. How about I get someone to take you home?"

Upon hearing this familiar voice, Zhuang Yihan's steps came to a sudden halt. He reflexively pulled his hand back, his tone icy, even containing a trace of hatred he himself hadn't noticed. "I warned you last time not to appear in front of me. Do you take my words for nothing?!"

Hearing this, the expression on Jiang Xi's face froze for a moment before returning to normal. "Yihan, you might have some misunderstanding about me."

"I have no misunderstanding about you. Disappear from my sight immediately!"

After saying this, Zhuang Yihan continued to walk away without looking back. But behind him, Jiang Xi's unwilling voice suddenly rang out, "Zhuang Yihan, don't you see it yet? You and Chen Shu are not from the same world, the two of you are not compatible at all! I know you suspect I said something to him that day, but if he really loves you, why would he break up with you over a few words from me?!"

Zhuang Yihan stood rooted to the spot. Hearing this, he felt as if his heart had been stabbed with countless bloody holes, so painful it was numb. He took a deep breath, then suddenly turned to look at Jiang Xi and smiled at him. While nodding, he muttered to himself, "You're right."

"You're right..."

Things took a sudden turn. Zhuang Yihan suddenly took two steps back and threw a vicious punch at Jiang Xi's face, knocking him straight to the ground and causing the surrounding patrons to gasp in shock.

But Zhuang Yihan still wasn't satisfied. Seeing Jiang Xi clutching his face and struggling to get up, he landed another kick squarely in his abdomen. He grabbed Jiang Xi by the collar, pinned him to the ground, and rained down punch after punch, his expression ferocious, his eyes bloodshot with rage. "Talk! Don't you love to talk?! I'll let you talk! Why aren't you talking now?! Huh?!"

"Not compatible? Is whether Chen Shu and I are compatible any of your business to comment on?!"

The last bit of reason in Zhuang Yihan's mind had long been burned away by rage. He thought, if it weren't for Jiang Xi's big mouth, how would Chen Shu have known about their past? If it weren't for Jiang Xi sowing discord, how would Chen Shu have become so disheartened? If it weren't for Jiang Xi insisting on going out to sea, why would he have jumped in to save him in the first place?!

Now Chen Shu was avoiding him, had blocked his number, and wouldn't answer his calls, clearly wanting to draw a line between them. Every time Zhuang Yihan thought about this, he felt that Jiang Xi dying a thousand, ten thousand times wouldn't be enough! His eyes were crimson as he fiercely choked Jiang Xi's neck, demanding through gritted teeth:

"Jiang Xi! I must have been blind to have liked someone like you! How have I wronged you?! You needed money, I lent you money! Your company had problems, I helped you with the turnover! You got married, and I didn't continue to pester you, so why did you have to go to Chen Shu and sow discord?!"

"Now that he's broken up with me, are you happy?! Are you satisfied?! But let me tell you, he can never be separated from me in this life, not even in death!"

Crazy! Absolutely crazy!

Jiang Xi's eyes widened in stunned disbelief, staring at Zhuang Yihan. He could never have imagined that the person he had once bewitched into complete devotion would suddenly come to his senses. He struggled to break free from the other's grasp, but the nearby patrons didn't dare to intervene, only watching from a safe distance.

Zhuang Yifan and the others heard the commotion and rushed down from upstairs. They were shocked by the scene before them, their faces changing drastically as they immediately rushed forward to stop him. "Bro! Calm down!"

"Don't any of you come closer!"

Zhuang Yihan's voice was sharp, and a single roar rooted them to the spot. Seeing this, Jiang Xi broke out in a cold sweat, his face flushed as he desperately tried to pry his hands away, speaking with difficulty, "Zhuang... Zhuang Yihan... if you kill me... you'll go to jail too..."

"Kill you?"

Zhuang Yihan suddenly let out a sneer, as if he had heard the world's biggest joke. He grabbed Jiang Xi's collar and yanked him up, the curve of his lips cold and cruel.

"Why would I kill you?"

"Jiang Xi, don't you like to play games with me? Fine, I'll play with you."

As Zhuang Yihan spoke, he patted his face forcefully. A storm was brewing in the depths of his dark eyes, his gaze chilling as he lowered his voice and enunciated each word:

"This won't be over until your Jiang Family is utterly ruined!"

After saying this, he flung Jiang Xi to the ground.

Zhuang Yihan slowly rose from the ground, shaking his throbbing, numb fist. His gaze swept gloomily around, finally landing on Zhuang Yifan. He threw out the words, "You clean up the mess," and turned to leave the bar.