Chapter 13

Xu Zhengdong got a call from his sister.

She'd been crying all morning, but now she finally breathed a sigh of relief and told him, 'Xuanxuan's back. He's okay, just slept somewhere all night — his hair's a mess.'

'Did you ask him if anything happened?'

'I asked. He said no, told me not to worry, and wouldn't say where he went last night.'

Xu Zhengdong asked again to be sure, 'He doesn't have any injuries, right?'

'No, I checked him over.'

Xu Zhengdong felt a little more at ease.

He put down his phone and said to his friend, 'Sorry for putting you through all that — my nephew's home. But there's one more thing I need: look into this guy for me. His name's Su Xingchuan.'

Half an hour later, his friend sent over Su Xingchuan's info.

The name, age, and background all checked out.

His family situation was about what Xu Zhengdong had guessed: an ordinary middle-class family, parents working at private companies who'd both retired a couple years ago and lived in their hometown. Su Xingchuan himself had done pretty well — got into Nancheng No. 1 High School, then A University.

Wait, A University?

Xu Zhengdong froze. Didn't little Xuan go to A University too?

No way. Xu Zhengdong had a vague, ominous feeling.

His friend called at just the right moment.

'Mr. Xu, you asked me to look into Su Xingchuan's romantic history. I dug a little more — he had a relationship in college, with a guy. The guy's name is...' The friend's voice suddenly pitched up, incredulous. 'Li Xuan?'

Xu Zhengdong's brow shot up.

Well, isn't that something?

His friend teased, 'Jokes aside, Mr. Xu, your nephew and him are quite the match looks-wise.'

Xu Zhengdong was speechless.

He'd had his eye on Su Xingchuan at first sight, scoped him out for three months — of course they were a match.

The first time he saw Su Xingchuan was at a business dinner.

Three months ago, when the Zhongjin Project launched its Series A financing, Yan Tao smelled an opportunity and immediately stepped up with his Guangxin Securities. That day Su Xingchuan came along with Yan Tao to the dinner, and Xu Zhengdong noticed him the moment he walked into the room.

Though young, Su Xingchuan was thorough and diplomatic, always putting Yan Tao first and never showing off.

Xu Zhengdong's first impression of him was very positive.

To learn more about the Zhongjin Project, Su Xingchuan proactively built a rapport with Xu Zhengdong's secretary. After a while, the secretary also thought highly of him. When Xu Zhengdong asked, she said, 'Su Xingchuan is single at the moment. I've tried setting him up, but he's politely declined. I've never seen him flirting with anyone.'

Young, handsome, and promising, into fitness, good dress sense.

Single, and not interested in women.

From Xu Zhengdong's two decades of experience in the game of love, there was an eighty percent chance Su Xingchuan wasn't straight.

Xu Zhengdong had been planning to introduce Su Xingchuan to little Xuan — Xuan had such a quirky temperament, he needed someone easygoing to look after him.

Turns out... it was completely unnecessary.

He'd carefully picked someone out, and it turned out to be the kid's ex-boyfriend. Was that fate or what?

He messaged his secretary, asking Su Xingchuan to come to the office. But she replied: [Mr. Xu, Mr. Yan from Guangxin Securities says Xiao Su has been unwell lately — had a minor surgery and is still recovering. They've sent someone else to handle things for now.]

'Unwell?'

Xu Zhengdong snorted coldly.

In the security footage, he'd carried little Xuan from the bar to the car, striding briskly the whole way, movements sharp as hell, making a whole night of it before bringing him back. Didn't look unwell at all.

He instructed his secretary: [Tell Yan Tao, I want Su Xingchuan handling this project from start to finish. Otherwise, the deal's off.]

*

*

For the third time, Li Xuan told his mother, 'I really am fine. Stop worrying. I just want to lie down for a while.'

His mother stroked his hair. 'Alright, then Mom will go out first. Tell me if you get hungry.'

Li Xuan said, 'Thanks, Mom.'

The door closed. Li Xuan pulled a photo album out from under his pillow. Curled up in bed, in the dim daylight, he turned the pages one by one — all pictures of him and Su Xingchuan together.

They'd taken so many photos when they were together. At the breakup, he'd wanted to take them all, but Su Xingchuan held half down, staring coldly at him. He didn't dare beg, so he only managed to grab the other half and leave in a hurry.

Each one was carefully laminated and placed in the album.

In the photos, Su Xingchuan always loved holding him, and he always tilted his head up — either asking for a kiss or giving one, just openly passionate, eyes only for each other.

The last one was taken just days before the breakup.

Back then he didn't know that in a few days he'd be breaking up with Su Xingchuan. He took Su Xingchuan up the mountain to have fun, rented a tent. There was a bonfire party outside, and Su Xingchuan wanted to go, but he thought it was too noisy. He clung to Su Xingchuan's arms, not letting him out. Su Xingchuan indulged his bratty mood completely, kissed his cheek, and said, 'Okay, okay, you selfish brat.'

Li Xuan raised the camera and took a picture of himself.

Click.

In the photo, Su Xingchuan's eyes held a smile.

Li Xuan missed that Su Xingchuan so much. There would never be another Su Xingchuan in this world, with that face, that warm embrace, and that temper so gentle it made him feel guilty.

Never again.

Even though he had wonderful parents, an uncle, and an aunt, he still missed Su Xingchuan. He missed him so much.

Li Xuan buried his face in the album.

Just as tears were about to spill, someone knocked on the door. Xu Zhengdong's voice came through: 'Asleep?'

Li Xuan sniffled and said, 'No.'

When Xu Zhengdong walked in, he remembered the album in his hands and hastily shoved it under the covers.

'I heard someone stayed out all night,' Xu Zhengdong said.

Li Xuan's face went stiff; he pressed his lips together and said nothing.

'Do you know how long your uncle was looking for you this morning?' Xu Zhengdong deliberately hardened his tone, dead serious.

'It won't happen again,' Li Xuan mumbled.

Normally Li Xuan had a peculiar temper and gave Xu Zhengdong, his not-so-real uncle, the cold shoulder. But whenever he messed up, he'd play the good kid. Seeing him so pitiful, Xu Zhengdong couldn't be bothered to scold him.

'I checked the security footage from Grey Shore Bar this morning.'

Li Xuan's head snapped toward him.

Xu Zhengdong got straight to the point. 'I saw someone carry you out of the bar.'

Li Xuan immediately said, 'No, you're mistaken.'

'I'm not mistaken.' Xu Zhengdong showed him the video screenshot and asked deliberately, 'This person — you don't know him?'

'No, I don't.' Li Xuan's ears started turning red. Flustered, he denied it flatly: 'I don't know him.'

Xu Zhengdong was ready. 'Oh, is that so? Well then, good thing I called the police. I'll have them find out who he is.'

Li Xuan's eyes flew wide open in panic. He shot upright, grabbed Xu Zhengdong's hand, and cried, 'Uncle, don't call the police!'

The album in his lap went flying.

Li Xuan didn't care anymore. Clutching Xu Zhengdong's hand, he begged urgently, 'You have to take it back, call the police right now and tell them, don't report it. I know him, I know him. He's someone I know.'

It was the first time Xu Zhengdong had seen Li Xuan this emotional.

Spoiled and willful as Li Xuan was, he was generally quiet — if he wanted something, he'd just ask his parents; he didn't throw tantrums. After graduating, he'd spent three years abroad alone, and when he came back he was even colder and more withdrawn. When was the last time he'd seen him this panicked? Probably right after the breakup.

It all came back to that man.

'That person is Su Xingchuan, isn't it?'

Li Xuan froze.

'The one you dated sophomore year — that was him too.'

Li Xuan mumbled, 'No.'

'I already let the police know — as long as we found him, it's fine. Don't worry, it won't affect him.'

Li Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

Xu Zhengdong picked up the album from the floor. The photos were clearly of Su Xingchuan and Li Xuan together.

Hugging and kissing — tsk.

Even though Li Xuan was twenty-seven now, he'd always lived under his family's protection, studying medicine and working in a stable environment. Looking at him, Xu Zhengdong still saw a child.

Like a little cabbage that'd never seen frost.

Now watching that little cabbage get trampled by a pig — it left a sour taste in Xu Zhengdong's mouth.

Li Xuan snatched the album back and stuffed it under the covers.

Xu Zhengdong shut the door, came back to sit on the edge of Li Xuan's bed, and asked curiously, 'Tell your uncle, why did you break up?'

Li Xuan refused to say.

'Cheated?'

Li Xuan shook his head. How could Su Xingchuan ever cheat?

Seeing Li Xuan's tight lips, Xu Zhengdong's curiosity really got to him. He said, 'Su Xingchuan works at Guangxin Securities. He and his boss are both begging me to give them the financing project. One nod from me, or one refusal, could decide whether Su Xingchuan has a good New Year. Aren't you afraid I'll make things hard for him?'

Li Xuan burst out, 'Don't you dare make things hard for him!'

Xu Zhengdong chuckled. 'Still defending him, huh?'

'The breakup wasn't his fault. Uncle, please don't make trouble for him.'

'Then what was it?'

'It was...' Li Xuan started, then stopped.

That voice echoed in his ears again.

That sharp, venomous, disgusted voice he feared so much — Su Xingchuan's mother.

Whenever he thought of Su Xingchuan, whenever he wanted to see him, that voice would come back, scolding him for his selfishness, mocking his cowardice, leaving him at an utter loss.

He couldn't bear to think back. He'd even fooled himself, brainwashing himself into thinking he no longer loved Su Xingchuan.

But that unexpected reunion made him understand — forgetting was futile.

He couldn't get past Su Xingchuan. It was a hurdle he couldn't clear.

'Uncle, I still like him a lot. He's the only person I've ever loved.' He said quietly.

Xu Zhengdong immediately said, 'If you like him, go for it. I'll help. It's just one Su Xingchuan — no big deal. How about I tie him up and give him to you for your birthday? Sound good?'

Li Xuan broke into a smile through his tears, but after laughing, he looked even more dejected.

'He has a boyfriend.'

'Who? What's he look like? Better-looking than you?'

Li Xuan scrolled through his phone — something he'd found on the Guangxin Securities website. 'His coworker. Name's Xie Liang.'

Xu Zhengdong took the phone and said confidently, 'Forget about some boyfriend. Don't worry, little Xuan, your uncle will think of something. I'll get Su Xingchuan for you for sure—'

Before he finished, he suddenly frowned hard.

What Li Xuan showed him was a group staff photo from Guangxin.

Xie Liang stood near the right.

The slightly paunchy build, the inexplicably retro slicked-back hair, the crocodile-leather belt with a gold-plated buckle, the pointy dress shoes that made his legs look short, and the Rolex watch he'd tried so hard to expose past his cuff.

Xu Zhengdong: '......'

He looked at Li Xuan, then at Xie Liang.

He looked at Li Xuan again, then at Xie Liang again.

He was silent for a long moment, then said, 'Well... I never thought Su Xingchuan's taste was so... diverse.'