Chapter 3 - The Missing Piece

Lao Zhang was a good driver; they reached the pharmacy soon. Shen Mo got out of the car and bought the medicine. When he got back inside, he felt a pain in his stomach. Only then did he realize that while he was focused on taking care of Ji Mingxuan, he had forgotten to have lunch.

The sky was already dark when Shen Mo returned. He got himself something to eat and made some more congee for Ji Mingxuan. He then asked Ji Mingxuan to eat the congee along with the medicine he just bought.

They didn’t call the doctor. Worried, Shen Mo stayed by the bed and took Ji Mingxuan’s temperature every half-hour.

Luckily, Ji Mingxuan’s temperature went down.

Past midnight, Shen Mo was too tired to stay awake and fell asleep beside the bed.

He began to dream as he slept. In the dream, the snow had fallen. All he saw was a vast whiteness. Everyone was walking fast on the streets, their heads hanging low. The snow hadn’t melted yet. It even froze in some places, making it difficult for people to walk on.

But someone held his hand the entire way.

Shen Mo didn’t find the walk difficult. He felt happy instead, talking to the person as he walked.

“Today, my coworkers excluded me at work again.

“To be honest, I still prefer painting.”

These were all honest words he usually never told anyone. However, it was strange that the person next to him didn’t say anything.

Shen Mo turned around and asked, “Zhou Yang, why aren’t you saying anything?”

The man stopped and said, “I’m not Zhou Yang.”

Shen Mo looked up only to find that the man, tall and handsome, was actually Ji Mingxuan.

“Mr. Ji...”

Ji Mingxuan laughed coldly and slapped his hand off. Shen Mo fell on the icy snow on the ground as if he had suddenly lost his ability to walk.

He was instantly woken up, only to hear Ji Mingxuan’s voice. “How could you fall on the ground while sleeping?”

Speaking, Ji Mingxuan turned on the wall lamp.

Confused, Shen Mo looked at Ji Mingxuan for a while, as if he was still in his dream. Then he realized that he had fallen from the bed. He slowly got up from the floor, his expression still a little confused.

Ji Mingxuan lifted the blanket. “Come here.”

Shen Mo got into the blanket and brought in the cold air with him. It was warm in Ji Mingxuan’s arms. The heat felt a little uncomfortable to Shen Mo, so he shifted to the side.

But right away, Ji Mingxuan pulled him back.

With one arm wrapped around him, Ji Mingxuan said, “Don’t move. Do you want to fall again?”

Shen Mo didn’t dare to move. After the fall, he was finding it hard to go back to sleep. “Mr. Ji, did I wake you up?”

“I slept for a whole day. I’ve had enough sleep.”

“Are you feeling better now, Mr. Ji?”

Ji Mingxuan lowered his head, touching his forehead against Shen Mo’s, and replied, “I’m okay now.”

Shen Mo only felt that it was warm—he couldn’t figure out if Ji Mingxuan’s temperature had gone down or not. Thinking for a moment, he said, “You should go to the hospital.”

Aversion immediately appeared on Ji Mingxuan’s face. “No.”

Shen Mo didn’t expect Ji Mingxuan to hate going to the hospital so much. He recalled that three years ago, when he had still been hospitalized, Ji Mingxuan had visited him before.

Later, he recovered and left the hospital. For about half a year, his life was a complete mess. Sometimes he just sat at the window, watching cars drive by, and the day would be gone. He had few memories about those times. He only remembered that he had been kicked out by the landlord because he couldn’t afford the rent. It was Ji Mingxuan who took him to his house and later gave him a job. His life finally returned to its track.

What exactly happened in those six months? Why didn’t he remember a thing about it?

Shen Mo couldn’t recall anything. Soon, he drifted off to sleep.

Ji Mingxuan’s fever left as quickly as it had come. The next day, the heat had gone down, and Ji Mingxuan was able to sit upright in bed and deal with business matters. Ji An’an hadn’t come back yet, so Shen Mo took another day off to take care of Ji Mingxuan.

Ji Mingxuan didn’t hesitate, ordering Shen Mo around as he pleased. Before lunch, he even listed a couple of dishes he wanted. Luckily, Shen Mo wasn’t a bad cook. He tried to make a few of the dishes. Mr. Ji was just barely satisfied.

In the afternoon, Shen Mo went out for groceries. When he returned, he found that some of his clothes and toiletries had been taken to Ji Mingxuan’s room.

Ji Mingxuan was sending an email on his laptop when Shen Mo mentioned it to him. He didn’t even look at Shen Mo as he replied, “Aren’t you taking care of me these days? It’ll be more convenient for you this way.”

“Mr. Ji, I thought you’ve already gotten better.”

Ji Mingxuan coughed just in time. “Not completely.”

Shen Mo could only ask, “When will Miss Ji be back?”

“An’an went traveling. She’ll be back next week.”

“Did Miss Ji go on her own?”

A corner of Ji Mingxuan’s lips pulled. He tilted his head and glanced at Shen Mo. “What do you think?”

Shen Mo instantly realized. “She went with Zhou Yang?”

Ji Mingxuan nodded, adding, “She left on the twelfth.”

The day that it had snowed.

Zhou Yang had wanted to meet him and waited for him at the location of their first date, but Shen Mo didn’t go. Zhou Yang didn’t see him, so he soon left with Ji An’an instead.

What if Shen Mo had gone?

Shen Mo looked at the bright sunlight outside the window and stopped thinking about it.

Ji Mingxuan went to work after he had spent another two days resting at home. Shen Mo also went back to work and continued idling. His colleagues were still unfriendly to him. Days went by. Nothing changed.

Except for Ji Mingxuan.

He had used to be busy at work all day. He also had many business appointments and often came home late at night—it was normal for him even to spend the whole night outside. But he had changed a lot these days. He went to work on time, came home early, and also ate dinner at home. He even sent a list of dishes he wanted to eat to Shen Mo’s phone every afternoon.

Even Lao Zhang said, “Mr. Ji is finally turning back to his family. Work is so much easier now that I don’t have to drive at night.”

Shen Mo said, “But you get less overtime pay, don’t you?”

Lao Zhang didn’t mind it all that much. “I’d rather spend more time with my wife and kids.”

Shen Mo didn’t know why Ji Mingxuan had changed so much.

Ji Mingxuan had a capricious personality, so Shen Mo didn’t dare to make a guess. It’d be quite embarrassing if Shen Mo’s guess turned out to be wrong.

At the end of the week, Ji An’an finally returned.

She had gone to a well-known resort—an island somewhere in the Pacific. She looked as if she’d been somewhat reddened by the sun when she came back, wearing quite a fashionable outfit. Her eyes were as gentle as seawater.

Ji An’an took out the gifts she had bought for Shen Mo the moment she entered the house, saying with a smile, “It’s such a pity that Zhou Yang had to go home as soon as possible for some family business. Or else, I could’ve gotten you more.”

“This is more than enough.” Shen Mo asked, “Did you have a good time?”

“Of course. The water was so blue. We went out to sea by boat in the morning and didn’t come back until the evening. We held hands as we walked on the beach at night. And under the moonlight, the beach looked even more beautiful than it did during the day… I wish I could stay there forever.”

Ji Mingxuan said, “You were only gone for a week and your heart has gone wild.”

Ji An’an turned around and hugged his arm. “Brother, thank you so much for giving me the plane tickets. Next time, you should go there with Shen-ge.”

Shen Mo looked up at Ji Mingxuan, asking, “Mr. Ji arranged the trip for you?”

Their eyes met. Ji Mingxuan replied calmly, “That’s right.”

Ji An’an said, “When he gave me the tickets that day, I was so surprised. It was so soon—I didn’t even have time to pack.”

“It was supposed to be a surprise.”

“But we did have a great time and Zhou Yang...” Ji An’an’s face suddenly turned red. She stopped and looked at Ji Mingxuan. “Brother, I have something to tell you.”

Shen Mo knew what he should do. He immediately said, “I’m going to go make dinner.”

He then went to the kitchen, leaving the siblings to talk in the living room.

It was dinnertime already—the aroma of food wafted in from outside the window. The ingredients were all there. Shen Mo took a few vegetables out of the refrigerator and washed them.

He remembered that on the twelfth of this month, Zhou Yang had asked him to meet at the location of their first date. And on the same day, Ji Mingxuan gave the plane tickets to Ji An’an.

Was it a coincidence?

What if he had gone there that day?

Maybe he would’ve stood waiting amid the heavy snow again, all the way until the sky grew completely dark.

The water was so cold that it seemed to pierce his bones. Shen Mo’s hands trembled slightly as he hurried to turn off the tap. He heard Ji Mingxuan come in from outside, asking, “Do you need help?”

Shen Mo said, “No, I’m fine. I’ll get everything ready soon. Is Miss Ji hungry already?”

“No. She was tired and went to her bedroom to rest for a bit.”

Ji Mingxuan didn’t leave when he finished talking. Leaning on the door, he watched Shen Mo cook. After washing the vegetables, Shen Mo peeled a few potatoes. Debating whether to make braised potatoes or cook them with curry, he began to cut them.

He was about to ask Ji Mingxuan when he heard Ji Mingxuan say, “An’an just told me that Zhou Yang proposed to her."

Shen Mo placed a single cut. The cut was a little slanted. The piece of potato was a bit too big.

Oh, he thought, now I can only make curried potatoes.

Looking down, he continued to cut the potatoes, piece by piece.

Ji Mingxuan gazed at him and said, “An’an has already accepted the proposal.”

“That’s great.” Shen Mo busied himself thinking about how to cook the curried potatoes later. He said mechanically, “People who have been dating for a long time are bound to get married someday.”

Standing at the door, Ji Mingxuan looked at him for a moment. He then turned around and left.

At dinner, Shen Mo toasted An’an and asked her when the wedding would be.

Ji An’an only drank a little, but her face turned red. “We won’t be getting married so soon, but Brother said we should get engaged first.”

“I’ll discuss it with the elders of the Zhou family.” Ji Mingxuan patted Shen Mo’s hand and said, “Zhou Yang will be part of our family soon.”

Shen Mo never expected that even he would count as part of their “family.”

Ji An’an took a bite of the potatoes and teased Shen Mo, “Shen-ge, you messed up today. The potatoes taste too salty.”

Shen Mo also tried some.

It was really salty—so salty that it even tasted bitter. Still, he swallowed it and said calmly, “I’ll braise them next time.”

In the evening, Shen Mo forgot to move back to his own room, and he still slept in the same bed as Ji Mingxuan. He thought that he might not be able to fall asleep easily, but he slept through the whole night. He even overslept the next day. When he woke up, Ji Mingxuan had already gone to work.

He cleaned himself up and went to work in a hurry, although he was still a little late. But no one cared about him, either. His colleagues only glanced at him before they continued to gossip.

“Rich people these days like to play around, huh. They keep so many lovers around.”

"Shh, aren’t you afraid someone might hear you?”

“Lovers aren’t that big of a deal. The funniest thing is illegitimate children. I heard that the Zhou family...

“Which one?”

“The famous one...”

“Oh, I thought they only have one son.”

“Not anymore. They recently brought back an illegitimate son who’s in his twenties already. Everyone calls him ershao*.”

*Shao comes from the word shaoye(少爷) and means “young master,” while ershao means second young master.

“An illegitimate son in his twenties? They’re definitely gonna be fighting over inheritance soon.”

“Not necessarily. If the Zhou family and the Ji family do an arranged marriage…”

The voices behind Shen Mo gradually faded away. He could no longer hear them, but what he had already heard was enough to surprise him. When people talked about the famous Zhou family of H city, it always meant Zhou Yang’s family. But what was the illegitimate son about? Did Zhou Yang really have a younger brother?

This was indeed no secret. Shen Mo didn’t even have to poke around. He only casually asked Ji An’an a few questions, and she told him everything.

“It’s true. There is such a person. His mother is Mr. Zhou’s old lover; he’s only two years younger than Zhou Yang. The Zhou family acknowledged him not too long ago.

“I saw him when I came back yesterday. He seemed pretty glib and frivolous. But Mr. Zhou really liked him and arranged work for him in the company. That was also the reason why Mrs. Zhou wanted Zhou Yang to come back as soon as possible.

“Mr. and Mrs. Zhou are always so respectful and loving toward each other. Many people admired their relationship. Who knew something like this could happen?” Ji An’an sighed, but she soon smiled. “But Zhou Yang and I are different from them. We’ve known each other since we were young and we’ve had feelings for each other for so long. Nobody could compare to us.”

Shen Mo felt a tightness in his chest. He chatted with Ji An’an a little longer before he went to the bedroom to rest. Later, Ji Mingxuan finished working and got in bed as well.

After the lights were turned off, Shen Mo said in the dark, “It’s unfair to Miss Ji.”

“What?”

“She thinks she and Zhou Yang are really in love.”

Ji Mingxuan replied, “Are they not?”

Shen Mo was quiet for a moment. “On the twelfth, Zhou Yang asked to see me first.”

Ji Mingxuan didn’t seem surprised at all.

Shen Mo’s heart raced. He’d long since been suspicious that Ji Mingxuan had known from the beginning, but only now was he absolutely sure.

The two tickets... Did he book them on purpose?

“So what if he called you out? He still chose An’an in the end.”

“Because you interfered, Mr. Ji.”

Ji Mingxuan gave a light snort. “You think I threatened Zhou Yang? You’re wrong. There was no way for me to do something like that. I only told him about his father’s illegitimate son ahead of time. He wasn’t the only heir of the Zhou family, so whatever he did would affect his status in his family. I showed him the stakes, and...”

Ji Mingxuan smiled and said, “He made a choice himself.”

Shen Mo had known since three years ago what kind of choice Zhou Yang would make. What had happened now was just a kind of repetition. His heart was numb already. He was only worried about Ji An’an.

“What comes out of this will be nothing more than fake love.”

“Only high-schoolers care about love nowadays. Adults care about profit. Do you know how many benefits an arranged marriage between the Zhou and Ji families could bring? As for love…” Although they were in the dark, Shen Mo could imagine the dismissive expression on Ji Mingxuan’s face. “It doesn’t matter whether or not he likes her. As long as they’re tied together for now, feelings will eventually form.”

“What if no feelings form between them?”

“If so,” it seemed as if Ji Mingxuan smiled, replying in a low voice, “they will have already spent their entire lives together, anyway.”

It was nothing more than self-deception.

Of course, Shen Mo, too, knew that it was true of most arranged marriages.

“Wouldn’t they be just like Zhou Yang’s parents, then?”

Ji Mingxuan replied coldly, “Or else what? Should they elope like you and Zhou Yang did?”

Shen Mo was stunned for a moment.

Ji Mingxuan also seemed to notice that he had lost his cool. He ended the conversation there and went to sleep, turning his back to Shen Mo.

Yet, for a while, Shen Mo wasn’t able to fall asleep. Thinking about what they had just talked about, he felt his face burn.

Ji Mingxuan used the word “elope” so well. Wasn’t it what Shen Mo had dreamed of when he was still young and naive? However, this dream of his had been shattered by reality.

He didn’t know how he had found the courage to talk to Mr. Ji that way. Did it really matter that Ji Mingxuan’s view of love was completely different from his? Did he have to argue like that with Ji Mingxuan?

He didn’t.

And he didn’t have the right to.

It was normal that he was in a bad mood because his ex was getting married—Shen Mo convinced himself with such a reason and finally fell asleep.

He woke up late again the next morning. He only got to work on time after hurrying as much as he could. His colleagues were still gossiping in the office. The illegitimate son was causing quite a disturbance in the Zhou family, but it was no more than gossip to others. As the night passed, the subject changed, and the people switched to discussing celebrity rumors.

“That Zhao Yi, the one who’s been popular recently—everyone’s saying he has some special connections.”

“Who doesn’t have connections in the entertainment industry?”

“But he’s incredibly handsome, and he knows how to get along with people. He used to be a nobody, but his luck has gotten better recently. He has major roles in almost every show.”

“It’s because he has sharp eyes and played up to the right connections.”

Everyone laughed when they heard it.

Shen Mo felt a little hot, so he stood up and opened a window to let some air in.

When he got home in the evening, he found that Ji An’an was sulking. He asked why and was told that Ji Mingxuan had promised to have dinner with her, but a social event came up at the last minute.

“He’s always attending socials. I don’t even know how many times we can eat together in a whole year. Shen-ge, how can you stand him?”

How could Shen Mo reply? He could only say, “I’m used to it.”

He asked again, “Why don’t you ask Zhou Yang to have dinner with you?”

“Zhou Yang is busy dealing with the family business.” Ji Anan sighed, adding, “But it’s okay. Brother said it’d be over soon.”

She trusted Ji Mingxuan with all her heart.

Shen Mo opened his mouth, but he still didn’t say anything. Perhaps Ji Mingxuan was right. Zhou Yang and Ji An’an would take what they wanted from each other—this way, they could still live together for their entire lives.

Shen Mo thought that Ji Mingxuan would spend the night outside after the social, just as usual. To Shen Mo’s surprise, Ji Mingxuan came home at night, even though it was already past ten. There was the scent of tobacco on Ji Mingxuan’s clothes, but his eyes looked clear. He didn’t seem drunk.

As Shen Mo had expected, it was rare to see Mr. Ji drunk.

“Mr. Ji, you’re back.”

“Yes.”

“Miss Ji was complaining about you not having dinner with her.”

“I know.”

Ji Mingxuan went to shower before he got in bed. During this time, he only said two sentences to Shen Mo. The next day, Ji Mingxuan made up for the meal he owed Ji An’an. He spent all his time attending to her, not giving Shen Mo a single glance.

A few days passed. Shen Mo gradually realized that Ji Mingxuan was being passive-aggressive toward him.

Shen Mo didn’t remember any instance of this happening in the past. Before, when Ji Mingxuan had wanted to ignore him, Ji Mingxuan would leave home for somewhere between a few days to two weeks. It was different this time, though. No matter how late Ji Mingxuan came back, he’d sleep at home and turn his back to Shen Mo on purpose.

Without thinking, Shen Mo knew that what he’d said that night offended Mr. Ji. He wasn’t afraid of the cold shoulder—he was used to being completely ignored at work anyway. Like he’d told Ji An’an, he had gradually gotten used to many things.

Perhaps it was time to move back to his own bedroom.

Those who wore matching rings weren’t necessarily lovers.

Those who lay on the same bed didn’t necessarily know each other’s hearts.

They slept together yet dreamed of different things.

Shen Mo moved back to his bedroom quietly. At night, he fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. The next morning, he woke up only to find that Ji Mingxuan was still sleeping next to him. For a moment, he was stunned—he even thought that he might have sleepwalked. When he was a little more awake, he realized he was indeed in his own bedroom.

Ji Mingxuan was sleeping soundly.

The sky had almost brightened. The morning light shone on Ji Mingxuan’s face. His eyes were closed and his hair was a little messy, making him look less domineering and much younger than usual.

As Shen Mo got closer, he could see the shadows cast by Ji Mingxuan’s long eyelashes.

Right then, Ji Mingxuan opened his eyes. His dark eyes looked straight into Shen Mo’s.

Somehow, Shen Mo felt a little flustered. He turned to the side and asked, “Mr. Ji, you’re awake?”

It was as though Ji Mingxuan hadn’t fully woken up yet. He gazed at Shen Mo for a while longer before he nodded. “Yes.”

“Mr. Ji, why did you sleep here last night?”

Ji Mingxuan slowly sat up, replying calmly, “If we sleep in two rooms, wouldn’t it make An’an suspicious?”

Ji Mingxuan didn’t mention how he himself had used to stay out late in the past.

With his awkward personality, Shen Mo couldn’t come up with a retort in time. Ji Mingxuan had made the decision already. “I’ll be sleeping here these days.”

As he spoke, he lifted the blanket and got out of bed.

When Ji Mingxuan was putting on his shirt, Shen Mo inadvertently noticed that Ji Mingxuan was still wearing the cufflinks Ji An’an had bought him. Shen Mo could tell that Ji Mingxuan really loved his only sister. Shen Mo could only help him finish the act.

Today was the weekend again.

Ji Mingxuan went to work after breakfast. Ji An’an didn’t have to go to work, so she moved to the seat beside Shen Mo and asked, “Shen-ge, did something happen between you and my brother?”

Shen Mo hadn’t expected her to notice it. He denied, “No, Mingxuan and I... We’re fine.”

Ji An’an didn’t believe him. “I don’t know anything else, but I can tell when Brother is in a bad mood. He’s clearly been sulking these days.”

Shen Mo couldn’t admit it. He remained silent instead.

Ji An’an said, “My mother passed away when I was young, and my father was always busy with the company. I was basically brought up by my brother alone. He has a bad temper, but he spoils his family a lot. If you two are really fighting, you just need to coax him.”

Coax Ji Mingxuan?

Mr. Ji wasn’t an elementary school kid. How could he coax Mr. Ji?

The mere idea amused Shen Mo. The passive-aggression between him and Ji Mingxuan wasn’t over when Ji An’an and Zhou Yang’s engagement was set.

Perhaps because the Zhou family’s situation was complicated and they had to conduct the marriage as soon as possible, the engagement date was chosen to be quite soon. The engagement banquet was to be held in Dynasty Hotel, the most famous hotel in H city.

Shen Mo wanted to find an excuse, but he couldn’t turn down Ji An’an’s relentless invitations. In the end, he still decided to go.

On the day of the engagement, the weather was excellent. Most of the people present were business partners of the Zhou and Ji families. Shen Mo didn’t see anyone he knew, so he wandered around by himself. The hotel's lobby was splendid—the crystal lights hanging above looked especially beautiful, reflecting a myriad of colors.

Lost in thought, Shen Mo suddenly heard someone call his name, “Mr. Shen.”

Shen Mo turned around and saw Zhao Yi in a white suit. Zhao Yi was good-looking to begin with, but he looked even more charming in white. He almost seemed to shine among the crowd—every move of his attracted the attention of others.

Shen Mo didn’t expect to meet Zhao Yi here. He was surprised for a moment before he greeted, “Mr. Zhao, you also came?”

“The marriage between the Zhou and the Ji is quite a story in this city. Of course I wanted to come and take a look. Besides, I received my invitation….” Zhao Yi smiled at Shen Mo as he continued, “from Mr. Ji himself.”

Hearing Zhao Yi says this, Shen Mo realized that it had already been a few days since the last time he’d seen Ji Mingxuan. He slept heavily at night while Ji Mingxuan had been busy preparing for the engagement. He didn’t even know whether Ji Mingxuan had been sleeping at home or not.

Zhao Yi looked around, asking, “Where’s Mr. Ji?”

Shen Mo replied, “Mingxuan has a lot of friends. He’s busy greeting the guests.”

“Mr. Ji is such a busy person.”

“Yes, he’s always been this way.”

Somehow, greeting Zhao Yi made Shen Mo feel a little embarrassed. Shen Mo wanted to finish the conversation and leave, but unexpectedly, the lights within the hall dimmed.

As the music started, Zhou Yang and Ji An’an came out hand in hand. They were both in formal clothes. Zhou Yang’s black suit and Ji An’an’s white dress made them look like quite the match. A sole beam of light illuminated the two, dazzling people’s eyes.

Shen Mo looked at them from afar. Nothing felt natural to him. His impression of Zhou Yang hadn’t changed since three years ago—the man in front, who was about to become Ji An’an’s husband, seemed so unfamiliar to him.

Shen Mo didn’t notice until a while later that Ji Mingxuan was also standing nearby.

Ji Mingxuan’s gaze cast over. His eyes seemed to land on Shen Mo for an instant before they left.

Shen Mo wasn’t sure if it had been his imagination.

He heard someone at the side whisper, “The Ji family is full of good-looking people.”

“The sister is getting married soon, but the brother is still single.”

“There’s a lot of gossip around Mr. Ji. If he wants to get married, he can pick among so many wealthy ladies.”

Also hearing these words, Zhao Yi glanced at Shen Mo and raised his eyebrows slightly.

Shen Mo felt even more uncomfortable.

Fortunately, the engagement banquet was nothing more than a necessary part of the procedure. Everything was finished after Zhou Yang and Ji An’an cut the cake and poured the champagne. Everyone applauded when the two kissed. Shen Mo’s hands even started to hurt from clapping with the crowd.

Later, the lights came on again. Considering Shen Mo as her family, Ji An’an directly came to talk to him. She’d had some champagne on the stage just now. Both her cheeks were flushed, adding a touch of color to her face. She was already wearing the engagement ring on her left hand; it refracted a dazzling light under the chandelier.

Ji An’an patted her chest and said, “I was so nervous just now.”

“Everyone feels like that.” Shen Mo said sincerely, “Congratulations.”

Ji An’an smiled as she sipped her champagne, asking, “I can tell that Brother’s in a good mood today. Have you two made up already?”

Shen Mo replied without thinking, “Of course.”

Ji An’an was envious. “Zhou Yang and I... I hope we can be like Brother and you.”

Shen Mo said, “You two will definitely be better than us.”

As they chatted, they saw Zhao Yi approach Ji Mingxuan with a glass of champagne in his hand.

Ji An’an had also heard of the rumors. She looked a little annoyed, muttering, “Why did he come too?”

As she spoke, she grabbed Shen Mo’s hand. “Come, let’s go to find Brother.”

Shen Mo couldn’t get his hand out of her grip, so he could only follow her toward Ji Mingxuan.

Halfway through, Shen Mo passed a tall man. The man looks fine at first, but the deep scar on his brow made him look quite conspicuous.

With only a glance at the man, Shen Mo’s face turned pale. Feeling his legs weigh him down, he froze where he stood, unable to take another step.

Ji An’an turned around and asked, “Shen-ge, what’s the matter?”

Shen Mo’s hand, held by hers, also grew cold. He said, “The person from before...”

“Who?” Ji An’an turned, looking around as she said, “Oh, you mean the guy with a scar on his face? Mrs. Zhou hired him as a bodyguard. He’s responsible for the security of the engagement banquet. I think he’s a distant cousin of Zhou Yang’s too.

“He looks so aggressive. Scary indeed.” Ji An’an whispered, “I heard he’s involved with gangs. He’s been in jail before. He got out not too long ago.”

There was not a trace of blood on Shen Mo’s face. It took him quite some time to regain his voice. He murmured, “... I know.”

Ji An’an couldn’t catch what Shen Mo said, adding, “I don’t like this cousin of Zhou Yang’s either, but I have no choice. Mrs. Zhou favors her relatives. Whoever he is, it’ll be fine as long as we don’t bother him.”

Shen Mo said, “Okay.”

A tremble crept into his voice. He knew exactly what would happen if he bothered the man.

That was when Ji An’an noticed that there was really something wrong with Shen Mo. “Shen-ge?”

Like a bird at the sight of a bow, Shen Mo cringed when he heard her voice.

Standing in the crowded hall of the hotel, Shen Mo felt as if he had returned to that day three years ago. It was a day like any other. Zhou Yang had gone back to the Zhou family for a few days, so Shen Mo went out alone to do some shopping. He would never have known that he’d be abducted.

“Shen-ge, are you okay?” Ji An’an called him again.

As his attention returned to the present, Shen Mo tried to calm down. He said, “I don’t feel too well. I’m going to the restroom.”

Ji An’an saw that his face did look pale, so she let go of his hand, asking, “Do you need Brother to go with you?”

Shen Mo looked at where Ji Mingxuan was standing.

Ji Mingxuan was talking to Zhao Yi. Whatever they were talking about, Zhao Yi laughed quite happily. His eyes were glued to Ji Mingxuan.

Shen Mo shook his head. “No. I’ll be fine after some rest.”

He left the crowd and headed for the restroom.

The lighting of the hall was a little too bright, shedding a whiteness over people’s faces. Everyone—no matter man or woman, old or young—seemed to have a gruesome scar on their brow bone. The way to the restroom was short, but Shen Mo’s pace was plodding. When he entered the restroom, sweat had covered his forehead. Even the hair on his temples was wet.

In the mirror, his face looked frighteningly pale. After taking a look at it, Shen Mo turned his head down and washed his hands.

The cold water ran along his skin.

The injury on his right hand had healed long ago, leaving behind not even the trace of a scar. But he would never forget how someone had stepped on his hand and broken his fingers, one by one.

When he had been abducted, he’d originally had the chance to escape. He hid in the grass and dialed Zhou Yang’s number over and over, but he couldn’t get through to him no matter what, even though the string of numbers was carved in his heart.

Later, he was caught and taken back again, only to find out from his abductors that Zhou Yang had already gone abroad together with Ji An’an. Ridiculous—he, the one who had been left behind, was the last to know the truth.

Back then, he had laid on the ground, his body covered in injuries. His fingers were being crushed, and as he listened to his bones crack, he couldn’t even cry out in pain.

The pain had left an indelible scar in him.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Suddenly, from outside the restroom came a series of footsteps.

Shen Mo’s hands trembled as if he’d returned to that time when he had been desperately trying to escape. In a hurry, he hid in one of the stalls and locked the door firmly.

The footsteps were getting closer. Finally, the person entered the restroom. They stopped for a few moments in front of every stall, as if they were looking for someone.

Shen Mo was scared. He took his phone out of his pocket and rapidly dialed a number he’d long since memorized.

The name “Ji Mingxuan” popped up on the phone screen.

Staring at the name, Shen Mo was stunned.

He had almost forgotten where he was, but he still remembered that he was in an argument with Ji Mingxuan.

If he dialed the number, would Mr. Ji answer the phone?

He was scared of the man with a scar on his face. He was scared of the nightmarish memories. But what scared him the most… was the possibility that nobody would answer, even if he dialed the number.

Perhaps, Ji Mingxuan would still be talking to Zhao Yi. He wouldn’t even hear his phone ring.

Shen Mo stared at the name on the screen. Only when his eyes began to feel sore did he press delete, his fingers cold.

That day, three years ago, he had called Zhou Yang’s name countless times.

He didn’t learn the lesson until after he woke up in the hospital room. Nobody could save him except for himself.

The footsteps were getting closer and closer.

Shen Mo took a deep breath. He gripped his phone in one hand and clenched his other into a fist.

The footsteps stopped in front of the stall that Shen Mo was hiding in. Next, a few knocks sounded from beyond the door.

Shen Mo couldn’t stop shaking. Afraid that he might make a noise, he bit his fingers hard. Just then, he heard the person outside call his name, “Shen Mo.”

The voice sounded too familiar to him.

Shen Mo jolted as if he’d suddenly fallen into a dream. The last shred of strength disappeared from his body. Putting his hands against the door, he whispered, “Mr. Ji?”

He was afraid that his own voice would wake him from the dream.

Ji Mingxuan replied, “It’s me.”

Shen Mo was quiet for a little longer before he slowly opened the stall door.

Standing outside the stall was Ji Mingxuan, of course. For Ji An’an’s engagement, he was particularly well-dressed. He looked pretty handsome in his tailored suit.

He studied Shen Mo and asked, “I heard from An’an that you’re not feeling well?”

Shen Mo didn’t reply. Stunned, he gazed at Ji Mingxuan for a while before he looked down and fumbled for his phone. After he dialed a number, the name “Ji Mingxuan” showed on the screen again. This time, he didn’t hesitate and pressed down on the call button.

A ringtone sounded at once.

Ji Mingxuan looked a little surprised, but he still took out his phone.

Shen Mo held the phone and looked straight into Ji Mingxuan’s eyes. As he listened to the phone beep beside his ear, Shen Mo was so nervous that sweat seeped from his palms. He didn’t know how long had passed when Ji Mingxuan’s low voice came through the phone. “Shen Mo?”

After so many tries… someone had finally picked up the call.

Shen Mo’s legs gave out. He almost fell to the ground.

Ji Mingxuan grabbed his arm just in time. “What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

“Mr. Ji...” Shen Mo held onto Ji Mingxuan’s clothes and said, “I saw him...”

“Who?”

Not knowing how to describe the man, Shen Mo only pointed at his own brow bone and said, “He… has a scar here.”

His words were quite jumbled. Even he himself thought that he was too incoherent. But Ji Mingxuan understood.

Ji Mingxuan nodded and said, “So it was him.”

He added, “Who would’ve thought he got out of jail so quickly?”

Shen Mo found it a little strange. “You still remember him, Mr. Ji?”

Ji Mingxuan didn’t reply. He reached for Shen Mo’s chin, looked into Shen Mo’s eyes, and asked, “Are you scared?”

Shen Mo opened his mouth, but he couldn’t say anything.

He, too, knew that he was being a little delusional. That year, he had been abducted only because of Zhou Yang. He had nothing to do with Zhou Yang now. Would anyone give him a second glance?

And yet, his body still remembered the fear from back then. He really couldn’t control it.

Shen Mo didn’t say anything, so Ji Mingxuan didn’t press on. He squeezed Shen Mo’s hand and asked, “Why are you so cold?”

As he spoke, he took off his suit jacket and tossed it to Shen Mo.

Startled, Shen Mo clumsily caught the jacket.

Ji Mingxuan rolled up the sleeves of his shirt as he told Shen Mo, “Wait for me here.”

“Mr. Ji?” Shen Mo was puzzled.

Ji Mingxuan didn’t respond and went straight toward the door. When he was almost at the door, he turned around and said with a faint smile, “Just wait.”

Shen Mo was so used to listening to Ji Mingxuan that he didn’t think of doing anything else. He simply hugged the jacket and waited for Ji Mingxuan in the stall.

He could still feel Ji Mingxuan’s warmth on the jacket.

It was strange that Shen Mo could come down after exchanging just a few words with Ji Mingxuan. The fear that he had felt faded away like a receding tide.

Shen Mo didn’t know how long had passed when clamor suddenly came from outside.

He didn’t know what had happened, so he went out and ran toward the noise. Soon, he saw a crowd gathered in the hallway leading to the main hall. He could hear the people’s chatter even from afar.

“What a surprise. That Mr. Ji really….”

“Is he drunk?”

“Who knows? Strange things happen every year. There have been quite a lot this year.”

When he heard that it was related to Ji Mingxuan, Shen Mo grew even more nervous. He hugged the jacket tightly and squeezed his way through the crowd. When he finally got in, he saw Ji Mingxuan standing there wearing a single layer, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows. For some reason, his right hand was injured, bleeding slightly.

Not far from Ji Mingxuan, a man lay on the ground. He had a hideous scar on his brow bone, but his face was black and blue. It was quite an embarrassing look.

Seeing such a scene, even if he was an idiot, Shen Mo knew what had happened.

He stood still.

Ji Mingxuan glanced around and soon saw Shen Mo. He waved at Shen Mo as though nothing had happened. “I told you to wait for me, didn’t I?”

Shen Mo felt his heart beat faster than ever.

Step by step, he walked toward Ji Mingxuan.

He had long since learned that apart from himself, no one would come to his rescue.

But what if he couldn’t rescue himself?

If so…

If so, he would still have Mr. Ji.