51

The next morning, Xu Ze went to the Sanatorium. Logically he had no need to worry too much — this Private Sanatorium housed many patients of special status, and its service and security had always been top-tier. Xu Ze had often noticed, on previous visits, bodyguards stationed outside certain rooms.

Zhou Zhen had just started his shift too. He'd changed into his white coat and come out of the office to do rounds, and happened to run into Xu Ze stepping out of the elevator. He was a little surprised: 'What brings you here so early?'

'Bringing breakfast for grandma.'

'The breakfast here is all tailored to your grandma's physical condition — there's really no need to come all this way yourself.' Zhou Zhen smiled.

Xu Ze nodded, rounded the corner, and saw an Alpha sitting on a chair outside Ye Yunhua's hospital room, reading a book. Hearing footsteps, he glanced sideways at Xu Ze, then went back to his book.

'Is that a bodyguard from the next room?' Xu Ze asked Zhou Zhen.

'Ah... yes, that's right.'

Ye Yunhua had just finished washing up with the nurse's help. Xu Ze set the breakfast on the table. Zhou Zhen recorded data from the instruments while chatting with Ye Yunhua, asking if she felt uncomfortable anywhere. Before long, he said goodbye to Xu Ze and went on to other rooms.

'Time for breakfast.' Xu Ze handed the spoon to Ye Yunhua.

Ye Yunhua looked him up and down and asked, 'Are you a new nurse?'

'Mm.'

'Then let me ask you something — they all refuse to tell me.' Ye Yunhua took Xu Ze's hand and pulled him to sit down, leaning close. 'How much does it cost to stay here for a month? Is it very expensive?'

'It's not expensive,' Xu Ze answered.

'It must be very expensive. When is Xiao Yuan coming to pick me up? Xu Ming is always out on missions, missions, missions, and she can't cook either. Xu Ze always goes hungry following her around.'

Xu Ze's hand paused over the bento box he was opening. It had been a long time since he'd heard his parents' names from Ye Yunhua's mouth.

And at this moment he even felt that forgetting might truly be a kindness. That way Ye Yunhua wouldn't remember that Xu Ming died ten years ago, that Qiao Yuan died six years ago. She'd still be waiting for her daughter to come take her home from the hospital, still thinking about going back to cook for her grandson.

Her memory was stuck more than ten years ago. In this family, only Xu Ze was still moving forward.

'They're a bit busy. They probably can't come recently,' Xu Ze said quietly.

'How do you know? Did Xiao Yuan call you?'

'Mm. She called when you were sleeping, so I didn't wake you.'

'Then next time remember to wake me up to answer, alright?'

Xu Ze sat there, a bento box lid in his hand, having forgotten to put it down for a long time.

'Okay. I'll definitely wake you.'

Two days left before school started, the Summer Camp was over. They landed at noon. Lu Heyang and He Wei went out to eat together. Tonight was the wedding of the Capital City vice mayor's son — that is, Chi Jiahán's older brother — and the bride was the younger daughter of the League Committee's vice chairman.

'You're right not to go,' He Wei said. 'If Chi Jiahán weren't the best man, I wouldn't go either. At occasions like this, us younger generation would definitely be dragged around to socialize — just thinking about it is annoying.'

'What about Yun Chi?'

'He probably won't go. Ever since that Omega showed up, his mood has been terrible — you know that.' He Wei sighed. '97.5% match rate. It's too high. Yun Chi's physical condition is so special; if mishandled, he could be locked in for life.'

Lu Heyang took a sip of lemon water and said nothing.

After eating, going home, showering, taking a nap, Lu Heyang went out around three in the afternoon. He arrived at the Auto Repair Shop where Xu Ze worked and drove his car into the wash bay. The car washer was perceptive, and asked Lu Heyang with an excellent attitude whether he wanted to go sit in the shop, enjoy the air conditioning and have a drink. Lu Heyang declined politely.

'Where's Xu Ze?' he asked.

'Oh, looking for Xu Ze?' The man set down the water gun as he spoke. 'He's in the repair bay next door. An accident car came in at dawn, and he worked overtime fixing it until morning. There's been a lot to do during the day — he hasn't had a break. I don't know if he's finished the one he's working on now. Let me go call him for you.'

'No need. I'll find him myself. Thanks.'

'Ah, alright.'

The repair bay was a bit noisy. Lu Heyang walked from the main entrance to the innermost room without seeing Xu Ze. Finally he asked one of the mechanics, who pointed toward the tool room in the corner.

The semi-open tool room had no door. Against the wall stood a filthy, worn-out sofa — small, a two-seater — and Xu Ze was curled up on it catching some sleep. The surroundings were chaotic and loud. Xu Ze wore that blue coverall, his whole body bent, like a stroke of blue paint squeezed out onto a palette.

The lights weren't on in the tool room; the lighting wasn't great. Only a thin sliver of sunset came in through the window, falling on Xu Ze's tired, quiet face.

Lu Heyang looked at him and felt the sounds at his ears receding, gradually disappearing.

The summer break of his second year of high school, at seventeen, was short — only one month. Big and small things happened. Some people made decisions; others had their fates planned for them. Lu Heyang couldn't foresee the changes about to happen, neither in himself nor in those around him. Everything was unknown, full of uncertainty. But standing before Xu Ze, seeing him, he would once again find that state of silent tranquility.

Xu Ze didn't need to do anything. Simply by existing, he could carry Lu Heyang away from all of reality, back to that small room where the wind lifted the white curtains and the scent of Plum Blossom drifted in.

'Xu Ze. Xu Ze.'

'...' Xu Ze opened his eyes, frowned slightly, sat up. 'How did you get here?'

Chi Jiahán sat down beside him: 'Nothing much.'

He took out his Mobile Phone to check the time — he'd slept about half an hour or so. Xu Ze breathed a small sigh of relief. He touched the Inhibitor patch on the back of his neck and said, 'I'm in my Susceptibility Period.'

'It's fine. I brought a Wristband.' Chi Jiahán handed him a paper bag. 'Eat something.'

'The sofa's dirty.' Xu Ze was about to stand up to find a clean piece of cardboard. 'Wait a moment.'

'You eat.' Chi Jiahán held him back. 'It's fine.'

Xu Ze opened the bag, took out the pastry, didn't eat it, and asked: 'Did something happen?'

'My brother's getting married tonight.'

'...Congratulations,' Xu Ze said.

'What do I have to congratulate him for — the one who should be congratulated is him.' Chi Jiahán lay down, chin resting on his knees, fingers tugging at his shoelaces. 'My brother transferred a million to me, said it was a best man's red envelope for me.'

'Truly happy for him.' Chi Jiahán said this, but there was no trace of joy on his face. He scratched the corner of his eye. 'If grandma needs money, I'll transfer it to you.'

Knowing Xu Ze would definitely refuse, Chi Jiahán added: 'It's a loan. I'm advising you to borrow from me early — otherwise when my dad finds out my brother transferred money to me, he'll freeze my card again.'

Xu Ze said quietly: 'Okay.'

He understood that Chi Jiahán hadn't come specifically to talk about money, but because he was sad, so he'd come to be with him for a while.

Many years ago, Ye Yunhua had taken Xu Ze to the Chi Family to make pastries, and so Xu Ze had met Chi Jiahán — who also disliked talking and preferred to stay alone in his room. Ye Yunhua would always wrap a small bag of the freshly baked pastries and have Xu Ze quietly bring them to Chi Jiahán first.

By then Chi Jiahán's parents had already been divorced for half a year. His father's old lover had brought a bastard son eight years older than Chi Jiahán to the Chi household, becoming the legitimate Mrs. Chi.

The stepmother would toss the leftover pastries to Chi Jiahán after the guests left — but that illegitimate older brother was an Alpha who, when he came home from school, would take him to the garden to swing.

During the summer break before his third year of middle school, on the way to a bookstore, Chi Jiahán experienced his first heat. It was Xu Ze — whom he hadn't seen in years — who pulled him out of the hands of several thug Alphas in an alley and brought him to the special assistance center for an Inhibitor.

Chi Jiahán loathed Alphas. The loathing came from his own father and the bad people he'd encountered. Only his brother and Xu Ze were the two exceptions.

'I'm leaving first — need to get to the hotel early to prepare.' Chi Jiahán exhaled and straightened up.

Xu Ze stood up with him: 'It's getting dark. It's not safe. I'll walk you out.'

'No need. The driver's right outside.' Chi Jiahán said. 'I'm off.'

He tried to smile, but couldn't manage it. Xu Ze looked at Chi Jiahán for a moment, then reached up and squeezed his shoulder.

After seeing Chi Jiahán out of the Auto Repair Shop, Xu Ze was walking back when someone called out to him: 'Hey Xu Ze, how come people keep coming to find you every few days? Two today alone.'

'Two?' Xu Ze stopped walking.

'Yeah, there was an Alpha who came earlier and left after a bit. I thought you knew.'

Realizing Lu Heyang should also have returned today, Xu Ze immediately asked: 'What did he look like?'

'Just... looked like a high schooler, about your height, looked rich.'

'Okay. Thanks.'

Xu Ze pulled out his Mobile Phone, wanting to send a message to ask Lu Heyang if something was up, but then thought that since Lu Heyang hadn't woken him or left a message, he'd probably just come to take a look — though Xu Ze had no idea how Lu Heyang knew he worked here.

The manager came out from the shop next door and called Xu Ze over to settle his wages. Xu Ze went to his office and looked over the entire month's work orders, confirmed there were no issues, and signed.

'If you're done with work, you can head back. You've been pretty tired this month. School's starting in a couple days — rest up at home. The wages will be in your card tomorrow morning.'

Xu Ze nodded. The manager flicked some ash off his cigarette, then added: 'You're such good material — learn fast, can take hardship. You shouldn't be in a place like this. Study hard. When you get into college, let me know the good news. You hear?'

'Definitely,' Xu Ze replied.

That evening, once the wedding procedures were done, Chi Jiahán disappeared. He Wei wove through the guests holding wine glasses and chatting cheerfully, out into the ceremony hall's exterior. This was the hotel's top floor, with an S-shaped pool embedded in the terrace, the railings entirely transparent, the sea not far beyond. He Wei was a touch afraid of heights; walking with one hand pressed to his chest, he finally spotted a familiar head beneath the sun umbrella in the corner.

Going around the wooden railing, He Wei walked down the steps. Chi Jiahán was sitting in a chair with his back to him, looking at something unknown.

Getting closer, He Wei finally heard Chi Jiahán crying through the wind on the high floor.

His first reaction wasn't to go comfort him, but to turn and run — knowing Chi Jiahán's temper, if he were caught crying secretly, he'd be so angry he'd never want to see that person again.

But He Wei ultimately didn't run. If he really had, he'd be the fool.

He walked calmly toward Chi Jiahán, but because the light was poor, he was tripped by a chair halfway, and stumbled violently several steps.

'Holy shit...' He Wei was scared to death, really afraid he hadn't been able to brake and would tip over the glass railing.

Chi Jiahán was startled and immediately stopped crying, asking him: 'What are you doing?'

Hearing his voice still thick with tears, He Wei felt comforted. He steadied himself, sat down beside Chi Jiahán, and said: 'Nothing. Came to chat with you.'

'What's there to chat about.' Chi Jiahán sniffed.

He Wei took a handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to him: 'Alright, then no chatting. I'll sit with you for a bit.'

Chi Jiahán didn't take it, so He Wei asked: 'You want me to wipe it for you?'

'You're insane,' Chi Jiahán said.

He took the handkerchief and wiped his face, but the tears seemed to multiply the more he wiped, completely unstoppable. He Wei patted Chi Jiahán's back, then put an arm around his shoulder, saying: 'Our little Chi, are you this moved because your brother's getting married?'

Chi Jiahán squeezed two words through his teeth: 'Shut up.'

So He Wei shut up.

A few minutes later, Chi Jiahán's emotions had calmed a bit. He wiped his tears dry and was about to get up when he heard footsteps on the wooden floor from above — very close to them, several people had stopped by that wooden railing.

'The Chengxi project is definitely dead. I've seen the draft tender document — the conditions above are completely tailored for the Gu Family.'

He Wei recognized this voice — it was Lu Heyang's brother-in-law Wei Lingzhou.

'Then the Chengxi and Wharf lines are basically going to be cut clean, tsk.'

Chi Jiahán's eyes widened slightly. He leaned close to He Wei's ear and whispered: 'It's Tang Feiyi.'

He Wei looked down at him, a little surprised Chi Jiahán knew Tang Feiyi — but he quickly figured that since Chi Jiahán was friends with Xu Ze, he should also know about the Underground Club's affairs.

'This council chairman's son-in-law you are...' Tang Feiyi laughed again. 'Such a big benefit, and they really didn't give it to you.'

'When Lu Chengyu ran for office, the Gu Family provided loads of cash all along the way — their cooperation started over twenty years ago, you know that.' Wei Lingzhou scoffed lightly. 'Besides, they've already found out I'm in contact with you. How could they possibly give the project to me? The Municipal Government isn't stupid.'

'This can't be turned around. You should clean up the Chengxi side as soon as possible — since you've been spotted, behave yourself.'

This was a third person's voice. He Wei furrowed his brow — it was He Yu.

Some time ago, Lu Heyang had told him that Xu Ze said he'd seen He Yu at the Underground Club. At the time the Summer Camp hadn't ended yet, and He Wei had planned to ask He Yu about it once he got back. He'd even thought he'd ask after the wedding was over — but he hadn't expected to overhear him with Tang Feiyi and Wei Lingzhou here.