Chapter 20

Li Xuan followed Xie Liang into the lobby, where he saw Xie Liang have the woman sit on a bench, then go operate the self-service machine by himself.

From the look of it, he was checking when the test results would be ready.

After Xie Liang sat back down, Li Xuan pulled up his mask, walked over to the self-service machine, and asked the volunteer in the red vest quietly, 'What test did that man just do?'

The volunteer thought for a moment: 'Looks like a sperm quality check.'

Li Xuan froze.

Who needs that kind of test? Couples about to get married, or married couples who haven't conceived after a long time.

But isn't Xie Liang gay?

He turned around to look at Xie Liang.

Xie Liang didn't notice Li Xuan, whose face was only half visible. He was chatting with the woman beside him. They sat side by side on the bench, Xie Liang leaning toward her. The woman took the slip from Xie Liang's hand and brought out her phone, comparing something. Heads close together, they looked extremely intimate.

Not just intimate, there was a rapport.

The kind of magnetic understanding that only comes from being together for years.

Li Xuan took a step forward, but didn't know what to do. Just then, his department head pestered him on WeChat, so he had no choice but to leave first.

After work, he called Xu Zhengdong and asked him to look into Xie Liang. Xu Zhengdong heard him out and said harshly, 'No need for all that trouble, Xiaoxuan. If you want to fight for him, Su Xingchuan is right here in your uncle's company. There's no need to go around checking on his boyfriend. With a little maneuvering, I can make him cry—'

'Uncle, if you keep being crazy, I'll tell my mom.'

'...'

Li Xuan was annoyed with Xu Zhengdong: 'I just don't want him scamming into marriage, cheating Su Xingchuan and that girl. What are you thinking?'

Xu Zhengdong was a bit embarrassed and said, 'Alright, alright, your uncle will help you check.'

Li Xuan waited anxiously all night, sleepless again.

If Xie Liang really does have a girlfriend or even a wife, does it mean he still has a chance to be with Su Xingchuan?

Does Su Xingchuan still like him?

Can he pursue Su Xingchuan again?

He tossed and turned, his tangled thoughts giving him a headache.

The next day, Xu Zhengdong told him astonishing news: Xie Liang had a girlfriend of five years, named Xue Ningzi.

Xu Zhengdong sent over a photo of Xue Ningzi.

It was the same young woman who had been with Xie Liang the day before.

Li Xuan felt his temples throb sharply. What should he do now? He had to do something.

He had grown up under his family's protection and rarely had a strong will to actively do something on his own. Most of the time, whenever he wanted something, his parents and uncle would hand it to him. Studying was easy for him, being a doctor wasn't too complicated either. Even chasing Su Xingchuan took little effort—just a bit of pouting and acting cute, and in less than a month, Su Xingchuan was his boyfriend, doting on him without limits.

That breakup at twenty was a calamity for Li Xuan, driving him back into his parents' protective circle and making him even more afraid to come out.

He put down his phone, his hands slowly clenching into fists.

No, this time he couldn't run away.

He had to do something, couldn't run away again.

.

Su Xingchuan dragged his exhausted body out of the office. Xu Zhengdong's Secretary happened to be passing by and winked at him: 'Have you crossed President Xu lately? Why does he always have a sour face when he mentions you? He used to think quite highly of you.'

Su Xingchuan chuckled softly, 'Guess I did a little.'

'What happened?'

Su Xingchuan shook his head.

'You've been looking awful lately. Too busy or something's wrong with your health? Look at your face, no color at all.'

Su Xingchuan rubbed his brow and sighed, 'Too busy. Once this project ends, I'm definitely taking a long vacation.'

Actually, it's not just busyness—it's mental exhaustion.

Looking at Xu Zhengdong, it was hard not to feel jealous, and even, occasionally, a sense of humiliation. He often wondered, if he were more capable, more outstanding, would Li Xuan come back to him? But just thinking was useless; he could only pour his emotions into work, burying himself in it, so busy all day he didn't know up from down.

'Take a break for yourself. Oh, by the way,' the Secretary suddenly remembered and teased, 'Did President Xu try to set you up with someone?'

'What?'

The Secretary looked surprised: 'President Xu didn't tell you? Did I misunderstand? He asked me to find out if you had a partner, said you looked decent, I thought he meant to set you up.'

'When was this?'

The Secretary thought for a moment, 'About two months ago.'

Su Xingchuan was completely baffled. He said goodbye to the Secretary in a daze and walked into the elevator alone, thinking: I really am tired lately. He went to the parking lot to get his car, and just as he drove up to the entrance of Zhongjin Group, he saw a familiar figure standing by the roadside.

It was Li Xuan.

When he stands at the roadside, he likes stepping half on the curb, leaning forward, playing a balancing game.

He was doing it now.

Su Xingchuan knew Li Xuan definitely wasn't standing there waiting for him, but he couldn't help himself—his masochistic side kicked in. He stopped the car right in front of Li Xuan and rolled down the window, and Li Xuan looked up and saw him.

Their eyes suddenly collided.

Su Xingchuan acted cool and said, 'No need to wait. President Xu has a dinner engagement tonight, won't be back at the company.'

But Li Xuan said, 'I came to see you.'

Su Xingchuan instantly froze, his thoughts growing sluggish.

'What?'

'I came to see you.' Li Xuan repeated.

Su Xingchuan felt his exhausted body instantly come alive.

To see him?

Not to see Xu Zhengdong, but to see him?

Before Su Xingchuan could fully recover, Li Xuan added, 'Can I get in your car? I want to go somewhere.'

He said it vaguely, without any specific reason, his expression still icy, not even putting on a pleading attitude. Su Xingchuan clearly should have refused—refuse this inexplicable ex-boyfriend—but he simply couldn't.

Su Xingchuan cleared his throat and said, 'Get in.'

Li Xuan opened the passenger door and got in.

Su Xingchuan suddenly noticed Li Xuan wasn't carrying his backpack today, and his bangs were a bit messy, as if he'd rushed over here right after work, standing at the gate of Zhongjin specifically waiting for him. Su Xingchuan felt a pathetic little surge of pleasure.

'Where to?'

Li Xuan sent an address to Su Xingchuan on WeChat.

Su Xingchuan opened it and saw it was a restaurant.

He said sarcastically, against his own feelings, 'Going to eat? No need to invite President Xu? Just the two of us, that might not be proper.'

'Just drive.' Li Xuan frowned, his expression serious.

'...'

Su Xingchuan must have owed Li Xuan eighty billion in a past life; otherwise, how could he be living like Li Xuan's slave in this one?

The car slowly pulled out of Zhongjin Group and headed toward Huajiang Avenue. Li Xuan looked at the message his uncle had sent: 'Xie Liang and his girlfriend are eating at Franxi Restaurant in the city center.'

He wanted to rush over immediately and expose Xie Liang's true colors.

But if he exposed Xie Liang, would Su Xingchuan be angry?

He tilted his head slightly and looked at Su Xingchuan.

Su Xingchuan noticed his gaze and silently straightened his back. 'What?'

Li Xuan lowered his head again.

Su Xingchuan hated seeing Li Xuan looking so pitiful.

He started making conversation for the sake of it: '4.3 kilometers, a cab would cost at least fifteen yuan, and you just hop in my car—'

Li Xuan suddenly cut him off: 'Su Xingchuan, do you really like your current boyfriend a lot?'

'Huh?'

It was such a ridiculous lie that every time Li Xuan mentioned Xie Liang, Su Xingchuan couldn't react right away.

Li Xuan clasped his hands tightly together on his lap, his fingertips turning white. He asked, 'How much?'

He wanted to ask: Do you like him the way you once liked me?

Su Xingchuan didn't know how to answer for a moment.

He had a vague feeling that something was off—Li Xuan's reaction was off, and Xu Zhengdong's reaction was even more off.

Not to mention what the Secretary inadvertently mentioned today.

Just take that last meeting.

Su Xingchuan had always thought Xu Zhengdong's attitude was strange, contradictory, even bizarre.

He wasn't just Li Xuan's ex-boyfriend; he was the ex who had pestered Li Xuan again and again, the ex who had thrown attitude at Xu Zhengdong and sworn he'd always love Li Xuan. Yet Xu Zhengdong didn't hold a grudge, even gave him the Zhongjin project, treating him like an ordinary subordinate... Su Xingchuan glanced at the bare, withered trees by the roadside and suddenly recalled Xu Zhengdong's words: 'You can't carve rotten wood.'

Su Xingchuan felt something stirring inside, words on the tip of his tongue, eager to be spoken. Seven years, he'd remembered a four-month relationship for seven years, every drop of blood in his body replaced, and he still loved Li Xuan—didn't that deserve for Li Xuan to know?

'Actually, he and I aren't at all—'

'We'll talk when we get there.' Li Xuan cut him off again.

Li Xuan was growing more and more anxious.

He was now afraid of hearing anything that would affect his emotions. He was about to do something right but with a selfish motive. He glanced at Su Xingchuan's profile from the corner of his eye, his nose stinging with held-back tears.

He still wanted very much to go back to Su Xingchuan's side.

Soon they arrived. Su Xingchuan squinted at the restaurant name: 'Franxi Restaurant. Isn't this Xie Liang's favorite spot? You like it too?'

Li Xuan's face stiffened.

He got out of the car without a word, and Su Xingchuan hurried after him.

There weren't many people inside. Li Xuan scanned the room and immediately spotted Xie Liang and Xue Ningzi sitting in the southwest corner.

The two were eating and chatting cheerfully.

Su Xingchuan asked, 'Don't you not like this kind of food?'

Li Xuan looked back at him, breathing rapid and flustered, but Su Xingchuan was calmly flipping through the menu, completely unaware of the gravity and urgency. He even asked, 'What do you want to eat?'

Afraid of wasting time, after a few seconds of hesitation, Li Xuan grabbed Su Xingchuan's coat sleeve, tugged him forward, and pointed southwest: 'Look over there.'

Su Xingchuan followed Li Xuan's pointing.

He recognized them at a glance: Xie Liang and Xue Ningzi.

He'd often eaten with the two of them before. Xie Liang liked bringing his girlfriend everywhere. Su Xingchuan was a year younger than Xue Ningzi and called her sis. Before Xue Ningzi knew Su Xingchuan was gay, she had even enthusiastically tried to set him up.

Seeing Su Xingchuan completely unresponsive, Li Xuan got anxious.

'Isn't that your boyfriend? He's eating with a girl, don't you see? Yesterday he went to the hospital with that girl to check sperm quality, they're trying to conceive, they've been together for five years!'

He gripped Su Xingchuan's sleeve, speaking with such agitation he nearly ripped it, and kept saying, 'Look closely! Do you see?'

Su Xingchuan stared blankly at Li Xuan.

'Su Xingchuan, you idiot, say something...' Li Xuan felt hurt and couldn't help feeling guilty. He clutched Su Xingchuan's cuff tightly, with a timid nudge: 'He's no good, he's two-timing, you've been deceived, don't you know?'

Su Xingchuan stared at Li Xuan without moving.

Was he flattering himself? Why did he see the shadow of the past in Li Xuan?

Li Xuan's voice started to choke: 'Do you still like him?'

The look in Su Xingchuan's eyes suddenly turned from blank shock to delight.

It wasn't his imagination.

Li Xuan still had feelings for him!

He grabbed Li Xuan's wrist, too overwhelmed to speak, wanting only to hug him. 'What did you ask me?'

But Li Xuan struggled out of his embrace, 'Su Xingchuan!'

Su Xingchuan still tried to pull him into his arms.

Li Xuan really didn't understand Su Xingchuan's reaction. He'd never experienced something like this, didn't know how to handle a scumbag, but he couldn't stand by while Su Xingchuan and that girl were deceived. He wanted Su Xingchuan to step up and resolve it, but Su Xingchuan was staring at him with a dopey grin like he'd lost his mind, asking foolishly, 'Say it again, okay?'

Li Xuan pushed his arm away and resolutely turned around.

He walked quickly toward Xie Liang.

His uncle used to call him childish, saying he had no sense of responsibility, was used to others handling everything, and wanted to run at the first sign of trouble. When Su Xingchuan's mother found him back then, he had also run away crying, and that one miss became seven years.

Li Xuan thought: This time, I won't run.

He rushed up to Xie Liang.

Xie Liang was discussing wedding dresses with his girlfriend: 'Honey, I don't think this weather is good for outdoor wedding photos. The place we saw yesterday was perfect...'

As he spoke, Xie Liang suddenly felt a cold draft.

He turned and saw Li Xuan, puffed up like a blowfish, fierce and grim, standing by his table like a judge.

He was very surprised. 'Huh? Dr. Li?'

The next second, Li Xuan stretched out his hand, pointing at Xie Liang, and said to Xue Ningzi, 'Miss Xue, he's gay, don't let him fool you!'

Nearby diners and waitstaff all turned to look, their eyes lingering on Xie Liang with a hint of disgust.

Xie Liang: '...'

Xue Ningzi: '...'

Su Xingchuan: '...'

After half a minute of silence, Xie Liang let out a howl: 'Su Xingchuan! Take this blasted ex-boyfriend of yours away!'