Making a Mark

Zhuang Yifan felt that his brother had been acting quite strange recently.

He was usually the most particular about rules and never used his phone during meals. However, these past two days when they gathered for dinner, he was the first one to be on his phone. Not only was he always looking down and sending messages, but the corners of his mouth would uncontrollably curve upward when he typed, revealing a smile he himself hadn't even noticed.

If Zhuang Yifan hadn't been sharp-eyed, he might not have discovered it at all.

He couldn't keep things to himself. With a twinkle in his eye, he asked directly, "Brother, who are you messaging? If it's something fun, share it with us."

Zhuang Yihan had been replying to a message and didn't hear clearly. He only looked up at him upon hearing his voice and turned off his phone screen, placing it to the side. "What?"

Fang Yiting was amused and enjoyed watching the drama unfold. "He's asking who you're messaging. If you've got a partner, bring them out for us to meet. What's the point of hiding them away and chatting on the phone? Is online dating in vogue now?"

When Father Chen had his surgery back then, Zhuang Yihan had specially asked Xue Miao to help arrange a hospital room. The latter probably guessed something and later gossiped about it with Fang Yiting. Among their circle of friends, only the silly younger brother Zhuang Yifan was still in the dark.

Zhuang Yihan pretended not to see Fang Yiting's teasing gaze, lifted his steaming teacup, and took a sip. The aged rock tea had a rich aroma, but its taste was bitter, causing him to frown imperceptibly.

"He's been very busy recently. I'll introduce him to you when there's a chance next time."

Fang Yiting chimed in with a grin, exposing him, "I heard from Xue Miao that he's still a university student. How busy can he be? You're not deliberately hiding him from us, are you?"

Zhuang Yifan grew more and more confused as he listened. He scratched his hair, puzzled. "What are you guys talking about?"

From the sound of Fang Yiting's words, his brother had something going on? However, Zhuang Yifan filtered through everyone he knew and couldn't, for the life of him, think of who it could possibly be. Finally, a flash of inspiration struck his mind. He suddenly remembered his brother hiring a male model at a bar a few months ago. His eyes widened in shock, and he slapped the table. "Brother! I know! Are you with that guy from the bar last time..."

"Shut up!"

Zhuang Yihan directly cut Zhuang Yifan off. He didn't need to hear the rest to know that nothing good would come out of his brother's mouth. The words that followed would surely be unpleasant. His gaze held a warning.

"I'm serious this time. Don't cause trouble."

He hadn't forgotten how Zhuang Yifan had brought people to stir up trouble at Chen Shu's school in his past life, only to end up being taken to the police station.

Zhuang Yifan hadn't even had a chance to do anything yet and was inexplicably glared at. He felt incredibly wronged and muttered, "Even if I wanted to cause trouble, I'd have to know who the person is. Brother, you're really something else. You're in a relationship but you're even hiding it from your own brother."

Zhuang Yihan couldn't possibly tell them that he still had a one-year probation period and was far from being official. But seeing his brother looking so wronged and aggrieved, he still spoke up, "There will be plenty of time to meet in the future. There's no need to rush it right now."

After speaking, he seemed to recall something and glanced at the time. "I have something to do, so I'm leaving first. You guys take your time."

Fang Yiting leaned back in his chair and asked, "Have you even eaten? In such a rush to leave."

Zhuang Yifan scoffed, his tone dripping with sourness, "Is there even a need to ask? He's got his partner to keep him company. What does he need us for?"

He was in his twenties, but in front of Zhuang Yihan, he still acted like a child, always throwing tantrums. Zhuang Yihan put on his coat and stood up. As he passed by Zhuang Yifan, he reached out and gave his head a rough ruffle. "You're not a little kid anymore, still throwing tantrums. Won't it be good to have another brother who dotes on you in the future?"

Zhuang Yifan turned his head away in dissatisfaction. "Just don't find me a dad, that'll be enough. Besides, he's still in university. It's more likely he'll be calling me brother."

Zhuang Yihan raised an eyebrow slightly. "I don't mind, as long as you have the ability."

After speaking, he gently ruffled his brother's head again before preparing to leave the tea room. Before he left, he seemed to remember something and suddenly came back. "By the way, I've signed you up for a few ideological classes. Remember to attend on time. I'm suspending those bank cards you have for now. You'll get three thousand yuan a month for living expenses. No drag racing or going to bars. If you have any extra expenses, tell me. I'll allocate the funds after I approve."

Zhuang Yihan had been busy with work all these years and had ultimately neglected his brother's education. Fearing that he would cause some kind of trouble in the future, he bought a full year of moral education courses at a psychological institution, planning to give his brother a crash course.

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Yifan's eyes slowly widened. He was struck as if by lightning and for a moment suspected that something was wrong with his ears. He quickly pressed, "What? What what what? What ideological class? And you're suspending my cards? Brother, what did I do wrong recently?!"

'Is my soul that dirty?! Are my morals flawed?! I'm a flower of the motherland in the prime of my youth!'

But Zhuang Yihan didn't have any more time to explain to him. "In short, be obedient from now on and don't cause any trouble for me. I've hired two bodyguards for you. They'll watch you and make sure you don't go drag racing, stir up trouble, or get into fights. I'll have my secretary tell you the class schedule later. I have something else to do, so I'm leaving first."

After speaking, he hurriedly left the tea room and drove towards Chen Shu's school.

Chen Shu had told Zhuang Yihan before that he was very busy with his studies and usually didn't have time for things like dating. At first, Zhuang Yihan had just thought it was an excuse from Chen Shu and didn't take it to heart. After all, it wasn't like the two of them hadn't dated in their previous life.

But he hadn't expected Chen Shu to be genuinely busy in this life. The longest he had gone without seeing him was for ten days to half a month. If it weren't for the fact that they were still chatting on their phones, he would have suspected he had been dumped.

The weather was gradually turning cold, and pedestrians on the street were already wearing thick coats. Zhuang Yihan parked his car at the school entrance and waited, leaning back against the seat and quietly looking at the trees beside the green path. He saw plane tree leaves falling one by one, turning from green to yellow, and from yellow to withered. He had already lost count of how many seasons had passed.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice when Chen Shu walked out of the school gate. It wasn't until the passenger side door was suddenly opened and a figure carrying a gust of cold wind and a dry scent sat down that he reacted a beat later.

Chen Shu seemed to have rushed all the way here, his breathing still a little uneven. "Sorry, something held me up for a bit."

Only then did Zhuang Yihan realize that Chen Shu was half an hour late for their agreed time. He handed him a bottle of water and asked with concern, "What happened?"

Chen Shu shook his head slightly. "My roommate slipped and fell on his way downstairs. Another person and I happened to see it, so we helped take him to the Medical Building. That's why I'm a little late."

Chen Shu himself found this matter quite strange. He didn't know if it was due to the flapping of a butterfly's wings, but in this life, Yu Hui didn't get a fever. Instead, he slipped and fell on his butt while going downstairs in slippers, fracturing his right leg. Coincidentally, he was seen by him. He had no choice but to help a few upperclassmen carry the person to the Medical Building. A journey that normally took more than twenty minutes on foot, one could imagine how tiring it was.

When Zhuang Yihan heard that it was someone else who was injured, he wasn't very interested. He started the car and asked casually, "Where are we going for dinner tonight?"

Chen Shu didn't have much time to come out, so Zhuang Yihan especially cherished every opportunity to meet, making sure that dinner, movies, and relaxation were all essential parts of their time together.

Chen Shu tapped his screen and marked the location of a Black Pearl Restaurant on the navigation. "Let's go to this place. I heard the food is good and the view is nice. I've already booked a table in advance."

Usually, when the two of them ate, Chen Shu would meticulously select the location, either an old-style roadside restaurant or a more novel one. The food was invariably excellent. A meal would cost two to three hundred, which might be nothing to Zhuang Yihan, but for a student like Chen Shu, it was undoubtedly a significant burden.

Zhuang Yihan had tried to give Chen Shu cards and money, but Chen Shu either refused to accept them, or even if he was forced to, the balance inside never changed. It was clear he never used them. His only option was to rush to pay the bill during meals, but he never expected that Chen Shu would always quietly pay in advance, giving him absolutely no opportunity.

The Black Pearl Restaurant? The average cost per person had to be at least a thousand.

Zhuang Yihan never thought he would one day worry about the cost of a meal. He surreptitiously glanced at Chen Shu, who was sitting calmly beside him, and asked tentatively, "How about we go to that old restaurant from last time? Their congee is quite good."

Chen Shu now carried his laptop with him whenever he went out, and he was staring at the screen, typing away, busy with who knows what. But upon hearing Zhuang Yihan's words, he still spared a sliver of his attention to reply, "Do you like their congee? This place is actually quite good too. Try it first. If you don't like it, we can go to the other one."

'Go to the other one?' Wouldn't that be even more expensive?

Zhuang Yihan slumped back into his seat in defeat and had no choice but to say, "Then I'm paying later. Don't you dare fight me for it."

Hearing this, Chen Shu paused his typing a beat later, as if he had finally caught on. He turned his head to look at Zhuang Yihan, a strange smile hidden in his eyes. "Are you afraid I can't afford it?"

Zhuang Yihan's gaze drifted. "No, it's just that those kinds of restaurants are usually expensive and not tasty. It doesn't seem worth it."

Chen Shu smiled. "It's fine. Since I'm taking you, I can definitely afford it. The table is already booked and can't be canceled. Let's try it, the food is really good."

Zhuang Yihan asked doubtfully, "Have you eaten here before?"

But Chen Shu didn't answer. His gaze was fixed on the screen as he got busy again. The light tapping of the keyboard sounded, rhythmic and steady. Seeing this, Zhuang Yihan didn't press further and drove towards the restaurant.

This restaurant was located near the river, with the most beautiful scenery at sunset. Even the dining area was ingeniously set on a ferry. Although the menu consisted of the standard red wine, steak, and foie gras, the freshness of the ingredients ensured that the taste was not cliché.

Chen Shu and Zhuang Yihan were seated by a waiter. Their spot was near the railing, with the sparkling river below. A red sun was setting in the west, painting the sky a smoky, dreamlike blue-purple. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Chen Shu leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples, feeling the tension that had been wound up for so long finally loosen a little. He was about to say something when he looked up and saw that Zhuang Yihan opposite him had a stiff expression. The man, who always had impeccable etiquette, was now frequently adjusting his posture, trying to move further away from the railing.

Seeing this, Chen Shu paused, faintly guessing something. "Is this seat uncomfortable?"

In fact, it wasn't uncomfortable at all. After all, a spot with such a good view was hard to come by. But for some reason, Zhuang Yihan felt dizzy and his heart panicked as soon as he saw the sparkling surface of the river below. He was inexplicably reminded of the scene where they jumped to their deaths in their previous life. The feeling of suffocation lingered around him, making it difficult for him to breathe.

Zhuang Yihan didn't want to be a spoilsport and forced a smile. "No, the view from here is great."

Chen Shu thought for a moment, then said, "The wind seems a bit strong. To avoid catching a cold, let's change seats."

With that, he directly raised his hand and called over a waiter, moving from the seat near the railing to the middle of the deck. From here, the river was not visible, and they were surrounded by people. Zhuang Yihan's restless mood finally eased a little, and he gradually calmed down.

Chen Shu ordered him a hot orange tea. "Have something warm, it gets cold by the river at night."

Zhuang Yihan clutched the cup, warmth gradually returning to his hands, and only then did he come back to his senses. He was always sharp and quickly noticed something from the seat change just now. He asked hesitantly, "Are you a regular here?"

Chen Shu was cutting his steak, then placed a portion onto Zhuang Yihan's plate. He gave him an amused look. "Why do you ask?"

Zhuang Yihan said, "It's not the off-season yet. Restaurants like this require reservations a week in advance, and every table is assigned. I saw that the waiter seemed to know you, and he changed our seats just because you asked."

Chen Shu didn't hide it from him. "I participated in a competition some time ago. The host, President He's family is in the catering business. He wants to expand into the internet industry recently. He was quite satisfied with the concept of the work my classmates and I did, so he invited us to a few private dinners."

It was a strange twist of fate. In the previous two lives, Chen Shu had missed the semi-finals because he was busy taking care of his father's illness. In this life, with Zhuang Yihan busy helping out and sharing a significant part of the pressure, he had actually managed to fight his way to the finals.

Zhuang Yihan frowned in thought for a moment. "He Jianlan?"

Chen Shu smiled. "Yes, that's him. Why, do you know each other?"

Zhuang Yihan: "We've met a few times, not very close."

However, this person had a decent reputation in their circle. He had a wife and kids, so he wasn't a threat.

With that thought, Zhuang Yihan relaxed again. "So you've been so busy lately because of this?"

The internet era had not yet arrived, but when this wave truly swept across all industries, many people seized the opportunity to ride the wave and achieved earth-shattering comebacks. Some couldn't catch it and were instead knocked down on the shore by the wave, becoming a speck of dust in history.

Zhuang Yihan might be unlucky in love, but he was definitely an outstanding and sharp businessman. He had never made a wrong decision in all these years, always able to lead his company to ride the wave steadily. The business experience from his rebirth was actually negligible for him; at most, it allowed him to predict a wave of era changes in advance, but he was unwilling to flap the butterfly's wings too much, so he still chose to proceed steadily.

Chen Shu was different. With the experience and foresight from his past life, coupled with the support of his own abilities, it was enough to give him a royal flush to play in this life.

"Anyway, it's related to my major. I want to understand more about the future trends of the times, so I got in touch with President He."

Chen Shu's major became a good excuse. He had never explained too much to Zhuang Yihan about the fact that he was starting a business and investing with Duan Chengcai and Yu Hui, planning to venture into the e-commerce platform. Otherwise, with the other's keen sense, he would definitely guess that he had also been reborn.

Chen Shu didn't know if he should say it. He just felt that it wasn't the right time yet, and he hadn't figured out how to bring it up. He decided to let nature take its course.

As expected, Zhuang Yihan wasn't suspicious. He just reminded him, "If you need any help, just ask. Don't treat me like an outsider."

He could very well have people secretly investigate what Chen Shu had been up to recently, but when they were together, they had made a pact: to give each other enough trust and to ask directly if they wanted to know something. Zhuang Yihan didn't want to destroy this hard-won relationship.

Chen Shu said with a smile, "Don't worry, if I really need your help, I won't be polite."

Their car was parked by the river. After dark, the temperature dropped sharply. The restaurant closed, and the guests left in twos and threes. The place that had been bustling in the afternoon suddenly became deserted. Only the moon hung in the sky, illuminating the river's surface with a shimmering light.

However, Zhuang Yihan and Chen Shu had not gone home. The two were embracing, kissing messily in the back seat of the car.

The car's excellent shock absorption and soundproofing made it impossible for anyone to notice what was happening inside. The low gasps were blocked by the glass windows before they could drift outside.

Zhuang Yihan had drunk a little red wine today, and since he didn't want to stay by the river for too long, he had subconsciously wanted to go home after dinner. But he didn't expect Chen Shu to be in high spirits today. He had directly pulled him into the back seat for a round. The suit and shirt were disheveled, and the broken sobs and reddened corners of his eyes became the best aphrodisiac.

They passionately made love in the very place where they had died in their past life. It was hard to say whether it was more stimulating or more terrifying and thrilling.

Zhuang Yihan only felt tears uncontrollably spilling from his eyes. When the stimulation reached its peak, even his jaw was trembling. He tilted his head back weakly and hugged the hot body on him tightly. His throat was hoarse, as if he had used all his strength to call out that name, yet his lips trembled, and the word came out silently.

"Chen Shu—"

At that moment, even the air fell silent. They seemed to hear the river wind outside, blowing the waves, sometimes very close, sometimes very far.

"..."

Chen Shu closed his eyes, then let out a low breath. He looked down at Zhuang Yihan, who was sobbing uncontrollably, and reached out to brush away the salty tears from the corners of his eyes. He felt that in this new life, the other man's tears seemed to be increasing. He asked in a low voice, "Why are you crying?"

Zhuang Yihan himself didn't know what he was crying about. He looked up at the car roof with a dazed expression and replied blankly, "I'm scared..."

Chen Shu was stunned. "Scared of what?"

Zhuang Yihan's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, but he hoarsely uttered one word: "Winter..."

He said, "Chen Shu, I'm scared of winter..."

They had died over and over again in that cold season, separated again and again. Zhuang Yihan had clearly been reborn, yet he always felt that he still hadn't moved on. He hugged Chen Shu tightly in the darkness, trying to dispel the feeling of emptiness and panic in his heart, and asked in a low voice:

"Chen Shu, we'll be together forever and ever, right?"

Chen Shu remained silent. He reached up and gently brushed away the stray hair from Zhuang Yihan's eyes. An imperceptible, complex emotion flashed in his own eyes. He really wanted to tell Zhuang Yihan that they had, in fact, never been separated.

They had died together.

They had been buried together at the bottom of the river.

Later, as time flowed like water, even their bodies decayed in the same place.

So how could they ever be separated?