《Flying Ash》


 CH 1

    Yi Hui dreamed again.


    It was still illogical scattered fragments, shrouded in an ash grey mist, reminding him that this was a long, long time ago.


    If he looked around, there was a somewhat empty bedroom with two pillows placed side by side on the bed and a crooked Doraemon doll on the left smiling, pale and decadent under the direct light of the bedside lamp.


    His gaze inadvertently swept across a glass of steaming hot water on the table. In his dream, his body got up one step ahead of his consciousness and made him walk out. The door opened with a bang. What greeted him was not a sunny morning but a stormy midnight. Far away, skyscrapers, grass and the night sky distorted and merged into a thick darkness.


    When he turned around, the door was gone. He had nowhere to go and he didn¡¯t know where to go. He didn¡¯t dare to sit still, so he had to walk towards the neon lights in the distance.


    The picture in front of him shook with the rhythm of his footsteps. He was sure he hadn¡¯t blinked and yet the wavering points of light submerged into the fog, disappearing little by little. But he still couldn¡¯t stop. He heard a voice from behind. Someone was chasing him, trying to step on his shadow and crush his spine.


    The road under his feet had also become steep and difficult to walk. The dark shadow sometimes floated by his side and sometimes above his head. It was like vines wrapping around his body tightly, or like snakes touching his back with its tongues.


    It was difficult to breathe and his chest was sore. When the last discernible ray of light in front of him was also swallowed by the darkness, he slipped and fell to the ground.


    Biting cold came before the pain. The cold penetrated his heart and his inner organs through the pores of his whole body. Between the huge heaven and earth, the only thing he could hear was his own heartbeat.


    The black clouds overwhelmed him and he was almost engulfed in darkness.


    With the last bit of his strength, he raised his head and looked around. There was no one coming from behind and no one coming from the front. The only sound that reminded him of his isolation was the triumphant laughter that hovered in the air.


    No one would come to save him.


    At 4:30 in the morning, Yi Hui pushed away the quilt and sat on the bed for a few minutes before his brain regained control over his limbs. He slowly got out of bed, put on his slippers and walked downstairs.


    His footsteps had always been very light; he had never even alarmed the birds perching on the eaves of the house outside the window. He went to the kitchen and poured a glass of cold water. After taking two sips, he felt a faint pain in his stomach. Only then did he remember that there were many physical problems with this body. He needed a quilt in late summer and early autumn because of his weak physique. As soon as he caught a cold, a fever or a flu would follow.


    He poured the water again to boil it. After washing up, Yi Hui had nothing to do. He sat at the dining table with his head propped up by his hands, dazed by the humming of the kettle.


    It was not the first time he had that dream just now. Yi Hui had trouble sleeping on a bed other than his own. Since he came here, he hasn¡¯t slept through the night once and last night when he managed to fall asleep, he was disturbed by this pervasive nightmare, without a moment of peace.


    He pushed his hair away from his cheeks and pressed his temples.


    The time spent to relax with his eyes closed was enough time for the water to boil. When he poured the water into the cup, his wrist shook and the hot water spilled along the edge of the table and on the floor. When it splashed on his instep, it was no longer hot. Yi Hui still shrank as if by reflex. It was only after the pain had reached his central nervous system that he came back from his daze.


    After he¡¯d drunk a glass of water, his heart was still beating fast, going on a rampage inside his ribcage. Yi Hui patted his chest a few times, thinking helplessly that he had changed to a relatively mature body but his mental strength was not as good as before.


    No one in this family got up as early as he did, so he watered a few pots of flowers in the yard. The iron jasmine that had been in full bloom when he first arrived here now had faded petals, just its branches were still green as always.


    Yi Hui squatted in front of the flowerpot and looked at it for a long time, thinking of a pot of white snowflakes (1) that he had once raised on the window sill. They were also white, with wider and more rounded petals than iron jasmine and they also bloomed in the summertime.


    He had been full of expectations for this summer and those expectations were inextricably linked to the pot of snowflakes.


    But in the end, he didn¡¯t see them blossom, and had left one step first.


    Before returning to the house, he gathered the clothes that had been drying outside all night. At this time of year the air in the south of the country was still hot and humid and there were almost no wind outside. Instead of being dry, the fabric was heavy and wrinkled, as if it had been soaked in water.


    When pushing the door in, he bumped into a girl in a short suspender skirt. The girl was startled when the door opened suddenly: ¡°Are you a ghost walking without a sound?¡±


    Yi Hui had been alone in a quiet space for a long time, and the sharp human voice unexpectedly pierced his eardrums. He was stunned for a while, then lowered his eyes and stepped aside to make way: ¡°Sorry.¡±


    No matter how angry the girl was when she woke up, she couldn¡¯t be fierce when punching cotton. She glanced at the clothes Yi Hui was holding and said with a sneer: ¡°I was scared to death. What¡¯s the use of apologizing?¡±


    Her words were unforgiving but her actions were much more peaceful. After washing up, she went into the living room to fold clothes with Yi Hui.


    A middle-aged woman who came down from upstairs was very relieved to see this scene: ¡°A brother and a sister should be like this. I told you it was a good place. The sun shining and the sea breeze blowing makes a person feel better.¡±


    The girl curled her lips: ¡°He wrinkled my skirt, can I not do it myself?¡±


    Taking a look at the shirt that the girl had just folded, Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help but lift the corner of his mouth.


    Today was Sunday and the local residents generally got up late, so the hum of the car motor seemed to be the only discordant sound in this quiet town.


    ¡°Yimang, open the backseat window and let in some fresh air,¡± the woman said, holding the steering wheel.


    The girl named Yimang struggled to open the window of the back seat of the van and said in disgust at the harsh sound of friction: ¡°This car should be scrapped.¡±


    The middle-aged woman tilted her head and said, ¡°Bear with me, we¡¯ll get a new one soon.¡±


    The girl rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Whatever, since I was in my third year of middle school you had already said we¡¯ll get a new one soon. Now I am in my sophomore year of high school but we still haven¡¯t got it yet. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think our family is saving for a Maserati.¡±


    The woman was accustomed to her sharp tongue and smiled: ¡°Then it¡¯ll be a Maserati, just like my baby daughter says.¡±


    Their neighbourhood was about twenty, thirty kilometers away from the city center. The closer they got to the city center, the greater the traffic was. There were three traffic jams in a single block on the main road. It was easy to get to the entrance of the hospital, but there was a sign outside saying that the parking lot was full. The van had no choice but to stop temporarily across the road.


    When Yi Hui got out of the car, the woman opened the window and reminded him: ¡°We¡¯re going to the supermarket. If you come out early, stay at the entrance and don¡¯t run around. Wait for us to pick you up.¡±


    Before Yi Hui could respond, the girl in the back seat slapped the back of the driver¡¯s seat impatiently: ¡°He is not a child, let¡¯s go quickly.¡±


    Watching the van join the traffic and disappear at the end of the road, Yi Hui put his hands in his pockets and stepped on the crosswalk to cross the road.


    When he walked into the hospital building, the cool breeze blew over his face, blowing a few strands of hair away from his neck. He turned his head to look at the rushing people and for a moment was at a loss as to where he was.


    This was the second time for him to come see Doctor Liu. The last time was a week ago, the day after he arrived here.


    Sitting on a chair in the consultation room, Yi Hui habitually hung his head to observe the wood pattern of the table. A male doctor wearing glasses put down a teacup and sat opposite him. He tapped the table twice with his pen before Yi Hui regained his senses and raised his head.


    ¡°Today is a good day.¡± The doctor started with a relaxing topic, ¡°Your complexion is better than before.¡±


    Although it is said that one would be unfamiliar at first, but well accustomed soon enough, Yi Hui, in his natural reverence for the doctor, still behaved with excessive restraint. He nodded and said, ¡°En, it¡¯s a lot better.¡±


    The next process was like the last time; the doctor asked him seemingly irrelevant things while chatting with him.


    Yi Hui¡¯s nerves were subconsciously tightened and he had to think about each question for a while before he could answer it.


    After a few questions, the doctor noticed this situation. He put down his notebook and pen, crossed his arms on the table and asked jokingly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Afraid that I will call the nurse to come over and give you an injection?¡±


    His words referred to Yi Hui being forcibly sent to the hospital last week. The unfamiliar environment without familiar people around him triggered his deep fear of hospitals. At that time, the doctor asked him what was wrong with him but he only kept repeating one sentence ¡ª ¡±HuiHui won¡¯t get an injection.¡±


    Thinking of this, Yi Hui felt embarrassed and shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m not afraid anymore.¡±


    Even if he was dumb and lacked common sense, he knew that this was therapy like psychological counselling. Out of self-protection, he was subconsciously reluctant to open his heart, shrinking into a not-so-hard shell, trying to block out anyone who wanted to set foot in this forbidden area.


    After chatting for a while, the doctor probably noticed that he couldn¡¯t let go of his guard, then closed the notebook and said that this was it for today.


    Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief quietly and was about to stand up when he heard the doctor say, ¡°This is the third year, right?¡±


    Yi Hui, who knew almost nothing about it, felt guilty, so he looked away and answered with a stutter, ¡°Yes, right.¡±


    The doctor smiled, as if he hadn¡¯t noticed his abnormality at all: ¡°We know each other so well but it¡¯s always me asking you questions. Do you have anything you want to ask me? Treatment progress, life chores, opinions on the people and things around you, maybe I can give you some suggestions¡­ By the way, you used to bring paintings to show me before. What, don¡¯t you paint these days?¡±


    Yi Hui was taken aback, lowered his head and said, ¡°Paint, I still paint.¡±


    The doctor waited in silence for a while, and when he saw that he had no intention to speak, he picked up the documents on the table and prepared to put them back in the filing cabinet behind him. As soon as he turned his back, Yi Hui¡¯s weak voice reached him: ¡°Is it okay to ask anything?¡±


    The doctor turned around and encouraged him with a gentle look: ¡°You can ask anything. I will keep it a secret for you.¡±


    Yi Hui licked his lips, hesitating, and after a full minute raised his head as if he had made up his mind. He fiddled with a strand of his long hair falling on his chest: ¡°Can I cut off my hair¡­?¡±


    **************(1) Snowflakes (white plumbago) ¨C a plant with clusters of pure white flowers

 CH 2

    The reason why he wanted to cut his hair short was very simple: this long hair did not belong to him.


    Yi Hui was used to thinking simply and directly, and only later, when he had the time to think deeper, did he belatedly realize the absurdity of the question he asked.


    It was not his at all, this body didn¡¯t belong to him from head to toe. What was the point of seeking affirmation and support from others?


    On the way back, it suddenly started to rain. At first, a few sparse drops fell from the dark clouds but soon it turned into a torrential rain. The pea-sized raindrops pelted the tin roof with such force that the poorly soundproofed van was filled with a heavy, dull noise.


    The woman in the driver¡¯s seat commanded while waiting at the red light: ¡°Yimang, close the window and don¡¯t let your brother catch a cold.¡±


    The girl withdrew her arm resting on the edge of the window and muttered something, while struggling to close the window.


    Yi Hui shifted his gaze from the window on his side to the window on the other side that had not yet been completely closed, and looked outside through the few inch wide gap.


    The autumn rain here was very different from that in the capital. It was as fine as silk, like silver webbing falling from the sky, full of warmth and humidity unique to the south.


    The residents here were also very different from the capital. There were many small vendors selling tropical fruits on both sides of the road. The heavy rain drenched them as they picked up their things in a hurry, laughing heartily and gossiping with stall owners next door.


    He wondered if Jiang Yihui, who had come here from the capital three years ago, had also been unable to break away from the fast-paced life to adapt to this peaceful, leisurely paradise.


    Perhaps it was a coincidence, or it could be a joke made by Heaven. The original owner of this body was also called ¡°Hui¡±. If one removed the surname, his name was subtly similar to ¡°Yi Hui¡±.


    If he were still alive, Jiang Yihui would be a young man of twenty-something years old. His mother Jiang Xuemei was driving in front and his younger sister Jiang Yimang was sitting next to him.


    It was an ordinary single-parent family, composed of the eldest son suffering from mental illness, a younger daughter in middle school, and a mother, the backbone of the family, struggling to raise the two children.


    If one had to mention something unusual, from what Yi Hui had learned about this family after occupying this body for ten days, Jiang Xuemei¡¯s partiality towards her son would count as one.


    After all, for the sake of her son¡¯s comfort, she moved her family from the capital to this remote southern island. Even Yi Hui¡¯s own mother who had loved him dearly in the past could not do it.


    As a result, Jiang Yimang was dissatisfied with her brother and provoked him verbally from time to time. After Yi Hui figured out this complicated family relationship, he expressed his full understanding of her attitude.


    ¡°Yihui, did you have a good chat with Dr. Liu today?¡±


    Jiang Xuemei¡¯s words interrupted his thoughts. Yi Hui withdrew his gaze and said, ¡°Very good.¡±


    Jiang Xuemei smiled and nodded: ¡°That¡¯s great. Mom bought shrimp, do you want to eat them boiled or with sweet and sour sauce?¡±


    Jiang Yimang beside him snorted softly, and Yi Hui pushed the question at his younger sister: ¡°Whatever Yimang wants.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t make up his mind about such matters of personal preference and avoided them if he could.


    It was not that he hadn¡¯t thought about telling the truth, but whenever he looked at Jiang Xuemei¡¯s concerned eyes, he couldn¡¯t say the words on the tip of his tongue.


    You could call him cowardly or selfish but no matter how stupid or dull he used to be, he also knew what kind of pain it was to weep over a loved one who had passed away.


    Jiang Yihui committed suicide. From the few words he had left before his death, it could be seen that he couldn¡¯t find the meaning in life and really didn¡¯t want to live anymore.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t empathize with this. As someone who clearly knew that he was different from others, he had never given up doing his best and welcomed every difficulty he met with optimism. What¡¯s more, Jiang Yihui was only facing disappointment in the lack of recognition of his talent and difficulty in finding a confidant.


    However, unless you experienced something firsthand, you were not qualified to speculate or question.


    Yi Hui shook his head, feeling that his thinking was superfluous. At the moment, he had his hands full managing his own affairs. He was at a loss as to where to go from here. The most urgent task was to decide whether to pretend that nothing happened and take over Jiang Yihui¡¯s identity or to find an opportunity to tell them that he had inadvertently occupied the magpie¡¯s nest.


    Back home, Jiang Xuemei went to the kitchen to prepare lunch. Jiang Yimang went back to her room and locked the door. Yi Hui had nothing to do and went to the studio downstairs to stay there for a while.


    The father of Jiang family passed away early and they relied on Jiang Xuemei to do odd jobs to support them. They did not live in poverty but they were not well-off either. One could see from Jiang Yimang¡¯s dress that she had worn it again and again.


    In such circumstances, Jiang Xuemei insisted on renting a detached house and vacated a special studio there, proving her bias towards her son from another perspective.


    The studio was arranged in the only south-facing room downstairs. Even when it was raining and dark clouds covered the sun, the room was not dim.


    The wooden cabinet in the corner looked stained, but if you came closer, you could see that the surfaces were immaculately polished and a few trophies were shining brightly.


    Yi Hui raised his hand and slid his fingers over the uneven characters on the base of the trophy. He thought that if Jiang Yihui hadn¡¯t gotten sick and could occasionally produce a few paintings to subsidize his family as before, his family¡¯s life would be much better.


    After occupying this body for nine days, Yi Hui had a general understanding of the basic information on the original owner.


    Jiang Yihui, twenty-four years old, won the first prize in an international painting competition two years in a row and dropped out of the Capital Academy of Fine Arts in his sophomore year.


    This was another unexpected coincidence between the two of them in addition to their names. Yi Hui also liked to paint.


    The difference was that he did not paint with such a strong sense of purpose, let alone any motivation, so he did not understand how Jiang Yihui could have fallen into depression and even taken the path of suicide because he could not produce works that he was satisfied with.


    Yi Hui studied many of the works he had left behind. Whether in terms of line, colour or intention, there was no denying that Jiang Yihui was an artist of considerable talent. Perhaps people with talent beyond the reach of others had a certain aloofness and sense of nobility about them, but sometimes their obstinacy could become a sharp blade to stab themselves with.


    As a fellow artist, among the works left by Jiang Yihui, the one Yi Hui admired most was not the ones that had won awards and high praise, but a landscape painting that was stuffed in the lower part of the cabinet together with a pile of discarded drafts.


    The main subject of the painting was a house, surrounded by a clear sky, grass and a wooden fence, a simple composition of muted colours. At first glance, it looked mediocre but if you looked closely, you could see that the house had white walls and red tiles, the sky above was clear, the clouds were light, and the pure white flowers in the corner of the yard were blooming.


    It was the house rented by the Jiang family in a small southern town.


    During lunch, Jiang Xuemei mentioned this year¡¯s painting competition: ¡°If you want to participate, Mom will ask for a leave to accompany you¡­ It is important to participate, no matter if you win the prize or not. But if you don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s quite a torment to go back and forth for more than two thousand kilometers, drawing and playing at home is about the same.¡±


    From Jiang Xuemei¡¯s cautious attitude, it was not difficult to see that Jiang Yihui¡¯s mental illness made him very emotionally unstable and he could get angry with his family.


    Yi Hui looked pained and said, ¡°Let me think about it.¡±


    The family had a habit of taking a nap. The rain hasn¡¯t stopped outside. Fearing that he would be sitting idly and allowing his thoughts to run wild, Yi Hui also went to his room to rest.


    Perhaps because the morning was spent straining to deal with the psychiatrist and because of the lack of sleep last night, as soon as Yi Hui laid on the bed to relax, he fell asleep under the muffled sound of the rain hitting the eaves of the house.


    It was a short sleep, just enough to have a dream full of flashback memories.


    It was night again; the candlelight was swaying and the figures were distorted. There were heavy, rapid footsteps and torn pieces of drawing paper flying all over the sky.


    He stepped forward quickly, trying to reach out to pick them, but the pieces of paper fluttered down, passing through his almost transparent palms, and falling to the ground.


    He couldn¡¯t catch them, so he squatted down to pick them up, and his fingers inadvertently brushed across one piece of paper, with an eye half-covered by hair painted on it.


    Those were the eyes that existed in Yi Hui¡¯s memory. They were bright, deep and full of affection. The most talented artist in the world could not depict their beauty. Yi Hui had been hopelessly sucked in since the first time he saw them.


    Suddenly, the thick eyelashes trembled and the pupils shrank slightly. The eyes narrowed, becoming thin and long, and a cold light shone from them, eliminating the only remaining illusory warmth.


    As if being strangled by someone, his body hung suspended in the air, his heart dropping down like from a cliff.


    This time he clearly saw that the owner of his eyes was smiling at him, laughing at him for not being able to help himself, mocking him for being stupid.


    After breaking free from the dream, Yi Hui got out of bed, rushed into the studio and locked the door. His unbalanced heartbeat and erratic breathing slowly subsided as the haunting voices in his ears faded and he was sure that no one here would tear up his paintings or laugh at him.


    Pushing away from the wall, he stepped on the floor with his bare feet and walked to the painting board step by step.


    When he picked up the landscape painting, Yi Hui¡¯s hand was still trembling uncontrollably, and he turned the painting over. In an inconspicuous position in the lower right corner of the drawing paper, he wrote two scraggly words ¨C Help me.


    The front was bright and sunny, and the back was grey and lonely.


    Yi Hui suddenly understood Jiang Yihui a little bit. It was not that he cared for nothing in this world and had no affection for his family, it was just that he was too tired and was trapped in a maze, unable to find a way out, so he preferred to die in order to be freed.


    There were always people who wanted to die but could not and there were also people who wanted to live but even their hardest efforts could not get recognition from the world to give them a reason to carry on.


    Yi Hui closed his eyes and touched the sharp edge of the paper as if foreshadowing the abrupt end of his own pale and absurd life. His fingers continued to move slowly, skimming the sharp corners and sliding over the dry pigment particles on the drawing paper. His fingertips felt faintly warm as if connected to another life.


    Even on the first day after coming here, Yi Hui knew that he had no other choice; but at this moment, he really convinced himself to live on as Jiang Yihui.


    The past is irrecoverable, not to mention that the foolish man named Yi Hui had nothing from the beginning to the end.

 CH 3

    The next morning, Yi Hui told Jiang Xuemei that he wanted to participate in the painting competition. Jiang Xuemei was overjoyed, dropped cooking breakfast halfway and began to pack the bags, chanting, ¡°It¡¯s cold over there, let¡¯s bring a few more thick clothes,¡± and ¡°The smog masks must be prepared in advance.¡± Jiang Yimang, who was unable to eat the food, slapped the table unhappily and reminded: ¡°There are still a few days left, what¡¯s the hurry?¡±


    At noon when the sun came out, Yi Hui was in the studio, sorting out the paintings. He heard Jiang Xuemei raise her voice to tell the neighbours outside: ¡°Yihui is going to the capital to participate in the competition. We will leave in a few days. At that time, please take care of Yimang¡­ Ai, thank you for your good words and I will bring you some local products when I come back! ¡±


    Her words were full of joy.


    Yi Hui guessed that the family probably hadn¡¯t been back to the capital for a long time. This time his agreeing to participate in the competition could be considered him taking the initiative to cooperate with the treatment and making positive steps. As his mother, she was naturally happy.


    For their trip next week, tickets could be booked in advance now.


    The town was located in a remote area and no trains stopped there, so you could only take a bus to the city. After agreeing on a time with Jiang Xuemei, Yi Hui knocked on the door of Jiang Yimang¡¯s room and wanted to borrow her computer to book train tickets online.


    After making him wait for more than a minute, Jiang Yimang finally opened the door. When he explained what he wanted, she said impatiently: ¡°You still refuse to change your smartphone. Why don¡¯t you want Mom to buy you a new one?¡±


    Saying that, she turned and went back to the room, lying on the bed with only the back of her head facing Yi Hui.


    It was the first time Yi Hui entered a girl¡¯s room. He whispered ¡°Excuse me¡±, walked straight to the desk without looking around, sat down and took the mouse to click on the screen.


    He didn¡¯t know how to use a computer very well. He muttered pinyin and stumbled over the keyboard to find the letters, managing to get to the ticket booking site and was dazzled by the unfamiliar interface, and not knowing where to press.


    ¡°Can you do it or not?¡±


    Jiang Yimang couldn¡¯t watch it anymore. She got up from the bed, grabbed the mouse in Yi Hui¡¯s hand and asked him the specific time to set off. She clicked on it and bought the tickets in less than two minutes.


    The interface returned to the homepage and she asked Yi Hui: ¡°Okay, do you want to buy the return tickets, too?¡±


    Yi Hui shook his head: ¡°No, she¡­ Mom said we¡¯ll buy them over there.¡±


    Guessing that Jiang Xuemei might take her brother to play in the capital for a couple of days, Jiang Yimang¡¯s face looked unhappy again.


    Yi Hui stood up but didn¡¯t leave and asked the girl who rushed back to the bed to play with her mobile phone: ¡°Do you want to go together?¡± ¡±


    Jiang Yimang turned her head when she heard his voice. The surprise on her face was fleeting and she said with a downcast look, ¡°Forget it, I have to go to class, and Mum won¡¯t let me go.¡±


    Yi Hui thought for a while and said, ¡°If you can ask for a leave, I¡¯ll ask Mom.¡±


    ¡°You?¡± Jiang Yimang looked at him suspiciously, as if she didn¡¯t believe it, ¡°Don¡¯t you always think I¡¯m in the way? Why are you suddenly so kind?¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t expect this. Once upon a time, he was the only child in the family. He was always envious when he saw that others had brothers and sisters. Later, he had an elder brother. Although he was a half-brother, Yi Hui was still excited that there was finally a peer in his family who could talk to him.


    It meant Jiang Yihui was indeed aloof and uncommunicative; no wonder his relationship with his own sister was so bad.


    Seeing Yi Hui stand silently without refuting, Jiang Yimang realized that she had said a bit too much, so she propped herself up and got out of the bed again, trying to find a way out of the embarrassing situation: ¡°It¡¯d be better to mind your own business, you can¡¯t even tie your hair. When you get over there, you¡¯ll have Mom worrying about you again.¡±


    As she said that, she took a rubber band out of the small bamboo basket on the bedside table, asked Yi Hui to sit down and went around behind him to comb his hair. Her tongue was sharp: ¡°How many good things have you eaten, your hair is longer and thicker than mine.¡±


    If it were in the past, Yi Hui would have thought she was complimenting him and would not have understood the sarcasm in her words. Now that he had a new brain, he would rather not understand.


    He asked with a wry smile: ¡°Is there a barber shop near here?¡±


    ¡°You must really be bored out of your mind at home, you don¡¯t even know anything nearby?¡± After muttering that, Jiang Yimang suddenly grasped the point and stared anew, ¡°Do you want to cut your hair?¡±


    In the evening when the sun was about to set, the Jiang family of three walked out together with Aunt Qiu next door and her two babies to squeeze into a small barber shop.


    The small town had a low population density, but the people there were close. After the young barber with grey hair sharpened his scissors and razor, he hesitated and asked, ¡°Ah Hui, are you sure you want to cut it?¡±


    Yi Hui sat in the barber¡¯s chair, looked at himself in the mirror, his long hair covering him like a shroud, and nodded: ¡°En.¡±


    The barber took a strand of hair, shook his head and sighed. Just as he was about to make the first cut, Jiang Xuemei, who was watching from the side, suddenly said, ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    She looked at Yi Hui and tried to persuade him tactfully: ¡°Yihui, think about it again. If you cut your hair, you won¡¯t be able to continue growing it. If you are worried that your hair is too long and will touch the paint easily, Mom will comb it for you every day¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, Mom, he finally made up his mind, so don¡¯t talk him out of it.¡± Jiang Yimang urged.


    Aunt Qiu also agreed quickly: ¡°For big and small guys, short hair is the best. What¡¯s the saying, ¡®Cut off three thousand strands of worry¡¯? Maybe with this haircut, Ah Hui¡¯s illness will be completely healed.¡±


    The Jiang family had lived in the little town for nearly three years, and the residents in the neighbourhood knew that Jiang Yihui was mentally ill.


    Jiang Xuemei elbowed Aunt Qiu and moved her eyes, hinting at her not to say this in front of the child. Aunt Qiu understood and her voice dropped in volume: ¡°Hey, why are we talking about this, let him decide for himself.¡±


    Yi Hui was going to cut it, so he pointed at the uncle standing at the door with a cigarette and watching the show: ¡°Just cut it like that, okay?¡±


    In the end, he didn¡¯t get a crew cut but a half-length haircut. The barber tried to persuade him it would look better with a perm.


    Yi Hui sat with his eyes closed all the way, only shaking his head in reply. After the protective cloth was removed, his eyelashes fluttered and he opened his eyes.


    There was no mirror in Jiang Yihui¡¯s room and the one in the bathroom was broken and a new one hadn¡¯t been installed yet. For more than a week, Yi Hui had been dishevelled even when he went out and he had never had a chance to see this face clearly.


    Now, without the cover of his hair, his entire face was reflected in the mirror in front of him. With his mental activity, his mouth was the first to open and then his eyes widened slowly.


    ¡°Let me just say, you¡¯re much more handsome with short hair.¡± Jiang Yimang gave him a rare smile, stepped forward, patted the scattered hair off his shoulders and looked in the mirror with him.


    Yi Hui sat motionless, his gaze sweeping from bottom to top, watching his sharp jaw, his pale skin that had lacked the sun for a long time and his fluttering nostrils. The moment he looked at the man in the mirror, his whole body trembled violently.


    Jiang Yimang put her arm on his shoulder, felt him shivering and teased him: ¡°What, do you think you are too handsome?¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s lips moved again but before he could speak, a few meaningless broken sounds overflowed from his throat.


    Even though he had been mentally prepared in the past ten days and persuaded himself to accept being Jiang Yihui to survive in this world, the face in front of him that was eight or nine points similar to the former Yi Hui still gave him a huge shock.


    Two thousand kilometers away, backstage at the Golden Flower Awards Ceremony at the Capital International Convention and Exhibition Center.


    When he switched on the phone that had been switched off for several days, he was surprised to see a familiar face. The skin was white and the eyes were big, which could be regarded as his liked type.


    Zhou Jinheng raised the corners of his mouth in a smile that didn¡¯t touch his eyes and flicked his fingers across the short hair and the dark pupils on the screen, unlocking it directly without stopping for a moment.


    The wallpaper was not set to a selfie, it was a grinning Doraemon with flowery words written next to it ¨C Waiting for you to come home.


    He couldn¡¯t count the number of times he¡¯d gone home and forgotten his phone in his shirt pocket or left it on the sofa, only to take it the next day and see all these strange things.


    Even the address book was changed. The little fool looked stupid but he actually knew the letter sorting and added an ¡°a¡± to his name, changing it to ¡°a HuiHui¡±.


    One could also see from that that he was indeed not very smart and still didn¡¯t know that calling him ¡°HuiHui¡± was actually making fun of him. (1)


    After saving a few useful phone numbers into the new phone, Zhou Jinheng did not hesitate to turn off the old phone that had just been turned on and threw it to his assistant: ¡°Find a place to throw it away.¡±


    Assistant Xiao Lin caught the phone as if picking up a hot potato: ¡°Throw it anywhere?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng looked at him askance: ¡°Just don¡¯t let the paparazzi pick it up.¡±


    The assistant director knocked on the door, informing him that it was time for him to come out. Xiao Lin watched Zhou Jinheng drinking coffee unhurriedly with his long legs on the dressing table, swaying to the beat of the music. Seeing that time was running short, he leisurely put down his legs and stood up: ¡°Where are the clothes?¡±


    Xiao Lin hurriedly presented him the suit hanging on the side, holding it with both hands.


    Fortunately, the change of clothes was fairly quick. Zhou Jinheng came out of the dressing room and strode out, passing by like a typhoon crossing, almost blowing Xiao Lin off his feet.


    After following up quickly, Xiao Lin held a memo, saying: ¡°The party ends at ten o¡¯clock. I have booked a ticket for you to S City at half past eleven¡­¡±


    Hearing the key words S City, Zhou Jinheng paused and turned his head. There was already a faint trace of anger in his frowning eyebrows: ¡°Who said I¡¯m going to S City?¡±


    Xiao Lin said nervously, ¡°The itinerary, half a month ago¡­¡° He lowered his head and flipped over, ¡°It seems that it was written by Mr. Yi and next to it was written¡­ I will wait for you at home.¡± ¡±


    Zhou Jinheng chuckled lightly: ¡°Mr. Yi?¡±


    He turned to face Xiao Lin. Behind him was the stage entrance. A few beams of light flowed from the crack in the door. The backlit position made his knife-carved face even more three-dimensional and cold.


    Xiao Lin couldn¡¯t help swallowing. He couldn¡¯t figure out how it was clearly the same man, but why were the contrasts between expressions on and off the stage so great. This ability to look at all living beings disdainfully from above was not something a man in his early twenties could possess.


    ¡°Do you know how the last assistant was fired?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng spoke in a low voice, looking condescendingly at Xiao Lin who was so scared that he didn¡¯t dare to breathe.


    In the next second, he curled his lips and chuckled again, the sharpness in his gaze shrank completely as if the vicious man just now was not him at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m teasing you, don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Zhou Jinheng raised his hand and patted Xiao Lin on the shoulder with a kind expression, ¡°For an assistant, one¡¯s work ability is the first priority. But you are my assistant, not his. You should know what to do and what not to do.¡±


    Xiao Lin, who had just taken office for less than a month, nodded hurriedly and said yes, then hesitatingly asked: ¡°Then, then this ticket¡­¡±


    Zhou Jinheng waved his hand and said impatiently: ¡°Keep it. If I back out, the old b*stard will annoy me to death.¡±


    Xiao Lin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and while breathing a sigh of relief, he thought: fortunately, there are more powerful people pressing on this ancestor, otherwise it would be impossible to survive.


    The sound of footsteps was all that was left in the exclusive walkway, and as he approached the entrance to the scene, Zhou Jinheng strode forward with one hand in his pocket, more relaxed and casual than if he were returning to his own home.


    Xiao Lin, who wanted to help him take care of his hair again, took out the mirror from his bag and looked up. Where was there any trace of the ancestor?


    At the other side of the door, there was another world full of flashing lights and roaring music.


    The moment Zhou Jinheng walked in, the laser light from the center of the stage swept over him, and his deep eyes under the sword eyebrows squinted uncomfortably. When he opened them again, his pupils reflected the dark mass of the people in the audience.


    He was determined to win this award, so he didn¡¯t need to pretend to be humble and restrained. He stepped towards the guest table with wide strides, nodded to a few friends in the circle and sat down in the middle, ignoring surprised or envious glances of others and whispers behind his back.


    When it came to Zhou Jinheng, in addition to his family background, his career development was blessed by luck since he had entered the circle. Those who were open-minded said that he was born to eat this bowl of rice and it was difficult for him not to become popular, while those who were jealous said that his strength did not match his fame and that he was too arrogant after achieving a little success that he would sooner or later fall.


    Although acting skills were a matter of opinion and there were bound to be people who would give a different assessment of the same role in the same production, Zhou Jinheng had never been criticized for his external qualifications in the two years he had been in the industry.


    He had straight and broad shoulders comparable to a model¡¯s, and his height of nearly 1.9 meters made him taller than most even when sitting, not to mention the face that had been described by the media as ¡°a seamless merge of all first male leads.¡± When he was expressionless, he looked serious and quiet, and his smile was just right, a little insolent and evil. His eyes in particular, in the words of fans, ¡°made their legs soft.¡±


    However, at this moment Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t care what others were talking about. He didn¡¯t like this kind of event full of smirks and false promises. Being willing to come here was one of the compromises made for the sake of his acting career.


    Being stared at by many pairs of eyes in public was bad since he had to think twice about every move. Zhou Jinheng sat upright and stared straight ahead, bored. The award ceremony was about to begin and the situation outside the venue was being broadcasted on the screen. The entrance was crowded, except for the long lines of the reporters, dominating the view were flowers spreading from the red carpet to the entrance of the venue.


    It reminded Zhou Jinheng that when he returned to S City tonight, there would be a bunch of bright flowers waiting for him.


    They would be flowers specially prepared for him, and maybe there would also be a freshly baked cake.


    That fool was so stupid, but occasionally he was smart. The last time Zhou Jinheng was signed for a film by a famous director, he was in a good mood and didn¡¯t refuse the flowers the little fool sent him. Since then he had really made it his mission to send flowers to celebrate no matter how big or small the event was.


    There would also be a hand-written card with ¡°Congratulations to Mr. Zhou Jinheng¡± and so on written on the front and a line of teeny small characters such as ¡°Husband, I love you¡± written in an inconspicuous place on the back.


    Thinking of this, Zhou Jinheng sneered softly, finding the scheming of the little fool not only annoying but also inexplicably amusing.


    Taking into account the fact that Zhou Jinheng had stood him up last time and counting the times, it was unexpected the little fool could actually hold back from contacting him for so many days.


    Frowning, Zhou Jinheng made a decision about where to go tonight. Anyway, the ticket had not been refunded and there was nowhere else to go in S City. It was better to go to the little fool¡¯s place, otherwise, he would cry and complain to the old b*stard.


    But so what? All he had to do was hook his finger and the little fool would run to him, blushing and crying ¡°husband¡±.


    The surrounding lights gradually dimmed and the countdown to the award ceremony started.


    Zhou Jinheng felt impatient, but the corners of his mouth hidden in the darkness curved into a smile that he hadn¡¯t even noticed.


    The author has something to say: Yes, our Xiao Zhou doesn¡¯t know that the little fool is dead.


    **************(1) ¡®Hui¡¯ in ¡®Yi Hui¡¯ (êÍ) means ¡®sunshine¡¯; ¡®Hui¡¯ in ¡®HuiHui¡¯(»Ò»Ò) means ¡®ash¡¯, ¡®grey¡¯

 CH 4

    The party ended earlier than expected but the plane was late.


    Zhou Jinheng took a nap in the waiting room for a while. When he woke up, the boarding hadn¡¯t started. He loosened the tie around his neck, kicked the leg of the table grumpily and told his accompanying assistant Xiao Lin to go and change his ticket.


    Xiao Lin ran to the counter and came back, trembling: ¡°All the planes are delayed at this point, so it doesn¡¯t make much sense to change the ticket¡­¡±


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face was as black as the bottom of a pot: ¡°What about high-speed rail?¡±


    Xiao Lin fiddled with his mobile phone and hesitated even more: ¡°There is a high-speed rail, but you have to go to the South Railway Station to take it. It takes about six hours to get to S City. It¡¯s better to wait here for the flight¡­¡±


    Zhou Jinheng interrupted him: ¡°Okay, you can go, I¡¯ll wait by myself.¡±


    Xiao Lin was so relieved that he dropped the phrase ¡°Call me if you need anything¡± and ran away as if chased.


    Zhou Jinheng waited patiently for another hour, and the plane finally took off.


    When he arrived in S City, it was still raining and foggy. He took a taxi to his villa in the east of the city. Even though he knocked on the door for a long time, no one came to open it. Zhou Jinheng vaguely recalled that the only housekeeper in the house had just been fired by him not long ago, and the little fool was probably sleeping soundly at this hour.


    Resentfully, he unlocked the door with the password, and just as he stepped inside, he was struck dumb by the deserted air that surrounded him.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t go back to this place often but he was very familiar with the way it was supposed to smell. The little fool was addicted to sweets. The refrigerator was stuffed full with candies and desserts, not to mention that the house was often filled with the sweet smell of food. But now it was empty as if it had been sprayed with a colourless and odourless purifier, and nothing else could be felt except for the little smell of rain and earth that had wrapped around him when he entered.


    There were no expected flowers or cake. After going upstairs to the master bedroom to confirm, Zhou Jinheng had to admit that the little fool was not at home.


    The suppressed anger caused by the delay of the plane exploded in an instant. Zhou Jinheng yanked the neatly folded quilt on the bed and threw it on the floor. The Doraemon doll on the pillow rolled on the floor, lying face up, smiling stupidly at Zhou Jinheng.


    It was the little fool¡¯s favorite doll; he had to hold it to sleep every night.


    When he was annoyed, everything would not be pleasing to the eye. Zhou Jinheng inexplicably felt that the doll was laughing at him for rushing all the way back, so he threw it into the air and kicked it a few meters away. The doll hit the wall and bounced back. After rolling a few times, it lay on the floor with its butt up.


    After going to the bathroom to wash his face and calm down, Zhou Jinheng took out his new mobile phone and flipped through the address book. His thumb hovered over the contact called ¡°HuiHui¡± for a few seconds. In the end, he didn¡¯t click on it. He dialled a number casually: ¡°Hey, I¡¯m back in S City, where are you gathering today?¡±


    He thought that the lights and colours of the bar would numb his nerves and dull his emotions, but after a few glasses of wine, watching his friends hugging and laughing and smelling the pungent perfume around him, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s mood got worse instead of better.


    Someone came up to talk to him: ¡°What¡¯s the matter with Young Master Zhou? Why won¡¯t he play with us? Is the wine not strong enough or are the girls here not energetic enough?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng raised his hand and pushed out: ¡°Go away, play on your own.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what was wrong with him; he didn¡¯t go to a good celebration party in the capital and instead came to this smoky place in the middle of the night to suffer.


    Everyone was accustomed to Young Master Zhou¡¯s bad temper. The man who was pushed away was not angry at all and said with a playful smile: ¡°Or is it that Young Master Zhou¡¯s vision is too high to care for these vulgar fans?¡±


    Another man at the side joined their conversation, ¡°That¡¯s not the case. Our Young Master Zhou has a beautiful wife from a famous family at home and they say that after tasting a noble and elegant taste, you can¡¯t drink those poor quality or strong flavours anymore, right Young Master Zhou?¡±


    Although the marriage contract between the Zhou family and the Yi family was supposed to be kept secret from the outside world, this kind of thing could not be concealed among the local families. Just like how no one ever said it openly, there was no one who wouldn¡¯t know that Yi Hui, the young master of the Yi family, had a brain problem.


    There was a certain amount of mockery in the man¡¯s words. At any other time, Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t help but lose his temper. But at this moment, his mind was not here, so he just ignored it. He put down the unfinished wine glass, picked up his coat and threw it on his shoulder to leave.


    ¡°Young Master Zhou is leaving?¡± The man who was the first to talk to Zhou Jinheng caught up and tried to stop him, leaning into his ear and lowering his voice, ¡°You know that guy¡¯s mouth is cheap, you don¡¯t have to be angry with him.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng just felt dizzy and was eager to go out to get some air. He drew together his eyebrows and said, ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡±


    The family of the man who was chasing him was doing a local fire-fighting equipment business in the area of S City. Recently, he was trying to get close to the Zhou family, attempting to make connections with Zhou Jinheng before negotiating a partnership with the Yi family that was in the hotel business, so he was very attentive. ¡°You¡¯re right not to be angry, Young Master Zhou, that guy is lazy and just spends his family¡¯s money. You don¡¯t know how jealous he was when he saw Young Master Yi following you. Last time you brought Young Master Yi here, he¡­¡±


    Zhou Jinheng grasped something from the first half of his words and didn¡¯t wait for him to finish before tilting his head and narrowing his eyes at him, ¡°You also think that I¡¯m climbing the social ladder?¡±


    The man was taken aback: ¡°How can it be! You and Young Master Yi are a good couple, a match made in heaven!¡±


    Knowing full well that it was just compliments and flattery, Zhou Jinheng was still relieved to hear this. He did not linger outside the bar and went straight back to his villa in the east of the city.


    He fell asleep when he got home. When he woke up and vaguely saw the dawn sky outside the window, he subconsciously stretched out his hand to feel the man beside him. He didn¡¯t feel anyone. Sitting up with a start, he saw Doraemon on the floor at the foot of the bed in an unchanged position and remembered that the little fool was not at home.


    In the bathroom, Zhou Jinheng touched the towel with a cartoon picture hanging on the rack. It was dry and seemed to have not been used for many days.


    While brushing his teeth, Zhou Jinheng deliberately knocked down the cartoon toothbrush standing in the corner, raised his eyebrows and thought disdainfully: let¡¯s see how long you can last this time.


    The Zhou and Yi families had a marriage contract. Since Zhou Jinheng was not of legal marriage age (1) at the time of the agreement, the two families only held a low-key wedding ceremony and sent the two of them to this marital home in the name of spending time together to nurture their relationship.


    Because of his work, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s stay here in the past two years had added up to less than two months, and even that was under the threat of the old b*stard who would block his credit card or take away his sports car. Now that Zhou Jinheng¡¯s acting career was on track, he had his own financial source and the pressure from his elders had become less and less effective. Since the beginning of the spring this year, he could count the number of times he had stayed in this house on the fingers of one hand.


    Only the fool Yi Hui really regarded this place as his home, arranged everything carefully, waited patiently and tried his best to get him to come home every day. Even not living here occasionally was a gamble he took, thinking that this would make Zhou Jinheng worry about him and come back to see him. He didn¡¯t know that Zhou Jinheng had already seen through his little schemes.


    If it didn¡¯t help, he also had his half-brother. Yi Hui had done it two or three times last year when he bought a plane ticket and ran to the capital to join his brother.


    Isn¡¯t it just running away from home? Kid tricks. The Yi family had a number of properties in S City, most of which Yi Hui¡¯s mother had acquired for him during her lifetime, all with Yi Hui¡¯s name on them, so he had plenty of places to go to.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t worry at all. If something really happened, his cheap brother-in-law would have called him to lecture him a long time ago. How could he have been allowed to get away with it for so many days?


    Thinking about it, Zhou Jinheng began to feel irritated again, wondering how long he would have to live with his hands and feet tied.


    After washing, he took out half a bag of frozen toast from the refrigerator and swallowed it with cold water. Zhou Jinheng frowned while chewing, thinking that having the little fool at home was good for something, after all. At least coffee and hot water were available twenty-four hours a day and you could drink them whenever you reached out your hand.


    Back in the room, Zhou Jinheng once again caught a glimpse of the doll lying on the floor in the corner. After thinking for a while, Zhou Jinheng went over and picked it up, dusted it and put it back on the bed.


    If the little fool came back and saw it like that, he would cry. When he cried, his nose and eyes were red and very ugly. If others saw it, they would think he was bullying him.


    It was rather inconvenient to have no housekeeper at home. After throwing the dirty clothes into the washing machine, Zhou Jinheng took a set of casual clothes from the closet and put them on. Suddenly, he heard the phone ring.


    After groping for a long time, he took out the mobile phone from the jacket he threw into the washing machine. Seeing the words ¡°old b*stard¡±, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face turned dark and he felt faintly disappointed.


    The manner in which the phone was answered was not polite: ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Changed number?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was halfway through putting on his pants. Unable to tie the belt with one hand, he turned and leaned on the washing machine: ¡°En, sorry, I forgot to tell you.¡±


    Now that the old b*stard had found his new number, he wouldn¡¯t keep discussing this matter: ¡°Bring Xiao Hui home on Sunday.¡±


    ¡°Another family gathering?¡± Zhou Jinheng sneered, ¡°If you¡¯ve got so much free time, why not build up your business skills and try to do more honest business? Or is there a plan to marry my sister out for money too?¡±


    ¡°*sshole!¡± The middle-aged man on the other end of the phone said angrily, ¡°You stinky runt, who agreed to marry the Yi family in exchange for personal freedom? Now that you¡¯ve muddled out a bit of progress, you want to turn away and not acknowledge the debt?¡±


    ¡°By personal freedom, do you mean calling to check up on me every three days? I¡¯ve never seen any father-in-law so concerned about his son and daughter-in-law¡¯s life after marriage.¡±


    When he finished speaking carelessly, the breath in the microphone sounded ragged and he felt that the old b*stard was getting really angry. Zhou Jinheng changed his tune: ¡°Sunday, right? I have to ask him if he has time. The big artist is so busy. It¡¯s okay for you to jerk me around at will but it¡¯s not appropriate to jerk him around, right?¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Zhou Jinheng breathed a sigh of relief, put on his clothes and walked downstairs, passing the corner room on the first floor on the way down. He paused, hesitated for a moment and opened the half-shut door.


    This was Yi Hui¡¯s studio. Although the area was small, it was neatly organized. A half-finished painting of a man was propped up on the painting board, with two chairs next to it, one tall and one short. It reminded Zhou Jinheng of Yi Hui¡¯s clumsy way of sitting on his haunches or sometimes kneeling with one foot propped up on the ground, holding the painting board to find the right height.


    S City was located south of the Yangtze River and the humid air was particularly noticeable in the shady room. The corners of the paper stacked in the cabinet in the corner were all a little warped and the paper surface was uneven and bumpy. No wonder he complained before that ¡°the paintings he painted have become ugly.¡±


    The aggrieved voice of the little fool unexpectedly echoed in his ears. Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heart suddenly softened. Taking into account that there would be no guests coming to this place anyway, it would be better to free up the second bedroom upstairs for a studio. In that room, the painting paper would not absorb moisture so easily.


    And buy him a few chairs of the right height later. The little fool was clumsy, in case he fell at home.¡­¡­


    While he was thinking about it, the phone in his pocket rang again. Zhou Jinheng pressed the button without looking at it: ¡°What other orders do you have to give?¡±


    There was a two-second silence on the other end and then the man said, ¡°Jinheng, Fang Yuqing is back.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng glanced at the caller¡¯s name and said with a smile: ¡°Yang Chengxuan, I sent you the new number not for you to call me to joke. You saw what happened last time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true this time. I found the flight information. He flew from Country M and will arrive at the capital airport in five hours.¡±


    The smile on his face froze but his eyes lit up. Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t even put on his coat. He changed his shoes and walked out while dialling Xiao Lin. After connecting, he said quickly: ¡°Help me book a ticket from S City to the capital. You have an hour, hurry up.¡±


    At the same time on the other side of the country, in a remote southern town, Yi Hui was having a headache changing his train tickets to the capital.


    Jiang Yimang was extremely excited: ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to see your tutor early? Let¡¯s go two days earlier, I¡¯ve taken a leave anyway so I can leave whenever we want.¡±


    Yi Hui looked at the screen trying to find the right time and seats available: ¡°But Mom has a job and her time has to be arranged reasonably.¡±


    Jiang Yimang smirked.


    Yi Hui turned his head and looked at her suspiciously.


    ¡°I think you are changing a lot day by day recently.¡± Jiang Yimang showed a pleased expression, ¡°A few days ago it was all about ¡®eat your dinner¡¯ and ¡®take a bath¡¯, but today it¡¯s about ¡®arranging your time reasonably¡¯.¡±


    Yi Hui was agitated, thinking that he had been exposed: ¡°I, I, I heard Mom saying that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just talking casually, what are you so nervous about? Dr. Liu said that it is not surprising that you change at this stage. Let Mom and I take more care of your emotions.¡±


    Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief: ¡°Oh, oh, thank you.¡±


    Jiang Yimang shook with laughter: ¡°How come I didn¡¯t find you so cute before?¡±


    Yi Hui pondered it secretly, judged this sentence to be a sincere compliment, blushed and made Jiang Yimang laugh again.


    Because Yi Hui played a big role in persuading Jiang Xuemei to take her daughter to the capital, and perhaps because of the haircut, the relationship between brother and sister improved by leaps and bounds in the past two days. Jiang Yimang didn¡¯t roll her eyes, didn¡¯t say anything mean and even shared something good with her brother when she had it.


    After he finally got the tickets, Jiang Yimang stopped Yi Hui: ¡°Hey, don¡¯t go yet, take a look at this.¡±


    She closed the door mysteriously and took out a camera from her school bag.


    Yi Hui asked, ¡°Newly bought?¡±


    ¡°Where can I have so much money from? I borrowed it from my classmate.¡± Jiang Yimang stroked the camera, unable to put it down, ¡°When the time comes, you will receive the award and I will take pictures of you.¡±


    Yi Hui smiled shyly: ¡°I may not be able to win the award.¡±


    Jiang Yimang curled her lips: ¡°Aren¡¯t you very good at painting? Have some confidence.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t want to spoil her mood: ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    ¡°However, you¡¯d better pray that the competition time is not the same as the meeting time. If it is, I will definitely choose HengHeng.¡±


    Yi Hui blinked: ¡°Heng¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°Zhou Jinheng, our family¡¯s HengHeng.¡± Jiang Yimang took out a stack of hand posters from her school bag, ¡°You didn¡¯t even forget the star I like, did you? If it weren¡¯t for him, why would I follow you to the capital?¡±


    Hearing this three-syllable name, Yi Hui felt a buzz in his ears and shivered.


    He hoped he had heard it wrong and lowered his eyes to look at what Jiang Yimang was holding. The words ¡±Zhou Jinheng¡± jumped into his eyes without warning. Together with the face that could not be erased from his mind, it seemed so close to him and yet so far away.


    After an unknown period of time, Jiang Yimang pushed Yi Hui: ¡°What¡¯s with you, don¡¯t you think my HengHeng is good-looking?¡±


    Yi Hui stared at the familiar name in a daze, listening to it echo in his ears over and over again. He bit his bloodless lips a few times, raised his head, pulled up the corners of his mouth and squeezed out a reluctant smile: ¡°Looks good, he, he looks the best.¡±


    *******************

 CH 5

    On the day of departure, several residents from the neighbourhood came to see them off.


    They didn¡¯t use the bus tickets to the city. After Jiang Yimang refunded the tickets and came out of the station, she saw Jiang Xuemei and Yi Hui standing on the side of the road with colourful plastic bags in their hands.


    Aunt Qiu was pushing a bag of boiled eggs into Yi Hui¡¯s hands and when she saw Jiang Yimang coming, she turned to hand them to her: ¡°Go, go, don¡¯t miss the train. The eggs are soft boiled, eat them on the road.¡±


    The pickup truck was owned by Aunt Qiu¡¯s family and she had offered to take them to the city the day before, saying that it was along the way for them. Jiang Xuemei didn¡¯t want to bother them, so she woke up early and prepared to sneak out, but when she opened the door, Aunt Qiu¡¯s truck was already parked at the door with its headlights on.


    That was why Jiang Yimang was refunding the tickets just now.


    Their family was sitting in the back row seats. Yi Hui heard the cooing sound from behind and couldn¡¯t help but turn his head to look at the big white geese in the steel cage in the cargo box. Jiang Xuemei saw that he was interested and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to a restaurant to eat geese in the capital.¡±


    Jiang Yimang was in a good mood because she was about to see her idol, so she took off her headphones and said, ¡°He wants to raise it at home, not eat it.¡±


    Uncle Qiu, who was driving, laughed: ¡°This is a bird of prey. You cultured people cannot raise it. If you like them, come to our house to see them in the future. Pick one and take it home to kill and eat.¡±


    Yi Hui pursed his lips and smiled in response. He had lived in a big house since he was born, with a dedicated housekeeper waiting on him at all times. He had never been in such a truck, never seen a goose run around and never knew that neighbours could get along so well.


    Because of being equipped with a large bag of food, the family only spent money on mineral water during a nearly twelve-hour train journey.


    Yi Hui, who had occasionally travelled by plane, took a long-distance train for the first time. He had a shelled boiled egg in one hand and a hot pig¡¯s trotters in the other, but he had no time to taste them. He stared out the window intently. Golden wheat fields and low houses passed by and even the ordinary sight of the sun setting seemed unbearable to miss.


    After Jiang Yimang finished her share, she coveted the trotters in Yi Hui¡¯s hand. Yi Hui simply gave it to her. She gnawed on it and asked, ¡°What¡¯s so nice to look at? Be careful, if your neck gets stiff, you won¡¯t be able to twist it back.¡±


    Yi Hui smiled at her, proving that he was okay, then turned his head and continued to look out the window.


    When he was studying painting, he often went out to sketch. He had seen many more beautiful sceneries than this, but this time he felt different.


    The train was speeding on the tracks, the clouds in the sky were floating very slowly, there were children crying and people whispering to each other all around. Everything seemed to be telling him ¨C you are still alive.


    Only if you live, can you perceive this beauty.


    Only if you live, you will not be left behind.


    It was dinner time when they arrived in the capital. After checking in the booked hotel, they immediately went out to eat.


    As someone born and raised in the capital, Jiang Xuemei never stopped talking the whole way. This was where she used to work. There used to be a pancake shop here. After turning a corner and crossing two streets, there was a primary school she went to¡­ The excitement of returning to her hometown was beyond words.


    Jiang Yimang was in middle school when they moved out of the capital and she remembered it well, let alone Jiang Yihui, who was already an adult attending university at that time.


    However, Yi Hui grew up in S City. Since he was a child, his knowledge of the capital was limited to a few places of interest as well as a few local delicacies that his brother and sister-in-law took him to eat. For fear of making mistakes if he spoke, he just listened to them talk and made up his mind not to interrupt.


    Jiang Yimang said that she missed the fried dumplings in a shop in the south of the city. Jiang Xuemei felt that she owed her daughter a lot over the years. She was unwilling to say no and they took a taxi to go there. Yi Hui took the opportunity to sit in the back seat and continued to look outside the window.


    Compared to the modern buildings in S City, many streets in the capital still retained simple traditional buildings. A few unique skyscrapers sandwiched between the rows of green tiles and white walls had a different flavour in Yi Hui¡¯s eyes.


    After turning a corner at the intersection, they entered a street called Shaoguang Road. The roadside street-view seemed a little familiar to Yi Hui. When they stopped at the red light, he turned his head and looked out the window on the other side. A gothic building in red and white stood among the surrounding low houses, illuminated brightly and particularly conspicuous.


    Jiang Yimang also saw it and exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful here at night! Mom, do you remember, when my brother came here to sketch, we two accompanied him. There was a newlywed couple who got married here, and the bride¡¯s wedding dress trailed all the way to the bottom of the steps¡­¡±


    Yi Hui was so absorbed in watching that he didn¡¯t even hear being called brother.


    Jiang Yimang felt bored when she didn¡¯t get a response, so she raised her elbow and nudged him: ¡°You painted here so many times back then, haven¡¯t you seen enough? Or¡­¡± She looked askance, leaned to Yi Hui¡¯s ear and asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you want to get married here too?¡±


    The word ¡±married¡± touched a certain string buried deep in Yi Hui¡¯s heart and he shook his head instinctively: ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    Jiang Yimang laughed: ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ll likely get married before I will, so we¡¯ll have a wedding here when the time comes. Mom will definitely agree, right, mom?¡±


    Jiang Xuemei, who was in the co-pilot seat, said yes again and again, and the mother and daughter kept talking about this topic.


    Yi Hui turned his gaze to the church again.


    His denial just now was half a lie.


    He didn¡¯t want to get married because he had been married before and the wedding ceremony was held in the church in front of him.


    At nearly seven o¡¯clock in the evening, Zhou Jinheng was driving on Shaoguang Road. There were no traffic jams but the red lights were very dense. He often hit the brakes as soon as he started, which made him furious.


    After hurrying so much, he arrived at the restaurant before the appointed time. Zhou Jinheng ordered the food and by the time the second course was served, Fang Yuqing arrived late.


    He sat down and said, ¡°Sorry, there was a traffic jam on the road, have you been waiting for a long time?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was in a daze for a moment, wanting to answer ¡°yes¡± but changed his mind, inexplicably feeling that he wasn¡¯t sure he was waiting for him.


    ¡°No, I just arrived too.¡± In the end, he chose the most normal response. Zhou Jinheng looked at Fang Yuqing for a while, letting the face in front of him overlap with the one in his memory as if to confirm that he was no different from before.


    That day, Zhou Jinheng rushed back to the capital from S City, mixed in the crowd at the airport exit and watched Fang Youqing, who was wearing a windbreaker, come out. An impulse that had been building for a long time made him take two steps forward and then he was forced to stop by the heartbeat that had calmed down.


    He watched the familiar figure approach, watched him hug the relatives and friends who came to pick him up and then watched him walk away.


    Right now, Fang Yuqing, who was sitting opposite, smiled and raised a glass, ¡°I heard you are very popular now. Congratulations on getting what you want.¡±


    The words ¡°getting what you want¡± sounded a bit ironic for no reason. Zhou Jinheng should have been flustered, but for some reason, he felt calm like never before. He raised a glass too, the corners of his mouth curled up: ¡°What else did you hear?¡±


    Fang Yuqing still looked like nothing mattered and said with a gentle smile: ¡°I also heard that you are married.¡±


    For no reason, a wave of impatience rose in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heart. He lowered his eyes and played with the glass in his hand, saying ¡°en¡± indifferently.


    But he still looked forward to seeing Fang Yuqing¡¯s reaction. During the last three years, he had often imagined this scene. Did the person who left him without looking back really never regret it?


    ¡°Congratulations.¡± Fang Yuqing said congratulations again, his voice sounding sincere.


    It seemed that a stone hanging in the air slowly landed. While feeling melancholic and dazed, at the same time Zhou Jinheng felt a sense of relief for the first time in a long while.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He replied, ¡°I heard that you have been admitted to the school you admired. Congratulations.¡±


    This dinner that was three years late was supposed to maintain this distant atmosphere, finally ending with an exchange of contact information, even if they knew that the string of digits would lie in the address book and accumulate dust.


    Unfortunately, it was not to be. He wasn¡¯t sure who started it, but another bottle of wine was opened and the two of them drank and chatted.


    Fang Yuqing was not good at drinking but Zhou Jinheng did not think he was in a position to persuade him to drink less. The conversation gradually enriched, from the food on the table to work and to their alma mater; the floodgates of memory were opened and a raging tide came out.


    ¡°You are married, you are really married.¡± Fang Yuqing¡¯s cheeks turned red and his speech became slurred as he raised a pair of moist eyes to look at Zhou Jinheng, ¡°You¡­ are you happy?¡± ¡±


    Zhou Jinheng laughed dryly: ¡°Guess?¡±


    Fang Yuqing, who had drunk too much, shook his head sloppily and affirmed, ¡°You are not happy.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t want to say anything, so he leaned back in his seat and looked up at the ceiling that reflected the swaying lights.


    Maybe he had also drunk too much and his thoughts were floating. He unexpectedly remembered the wedding banquet that was held here.


    It was supposed to be held in S City. Later, because the little fool¡¯s brother wanted to move the wedding from S City to the capital, even though they knew that he intended to supervise, the Zhou family was so desperate to get the investment that they agreed to it.


    Zhou Jinheng was not good at remembering things, especially these irrelevant things. He only remembered that after going through the motions in a nearby church, he was stared at by his brother-in-law and led the little fool into this restaurant. As soon as the little fool entered the door, he looked up at the glittering glass dome and exclaimed like a child: ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so beautiful.¡±


    How did he respond at the time?


    Zhou Jinheng thought back carefully. He was very impatient then. He just wanted to leave quickly after the process was over. He led the little fool straight inside, urging in a low voice: ¡°Don¡¯t look at it, I will take you to look at it slowly next time.¡±


    Now that he had time to admire the dome, he had to say that it was indeed very beautiful. The little fool was learning art, so he liked all these bells and whistles.


    Why didn¡¯t he bring him to see it later?


    Alcohol sometimes had a wonderful catalytic effect. Zhou Jinheng remembered that the little fool really took this matter to heart. Every now and then, he would come up with different excuses, such as ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡±, ¡°I want to go to sit in the sun¡±, ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to draw faster if I sit there¡±, and all sorts of ludicrous excuses which were always brushed off by him on the pretext of being busy with work.


    Zhou Jinheng sneered softly, as if mocking, even more, it was like mocking himself.


    How could anyone be so stupid and keep other people¡¯s casual words in mind for so long?


    He¡¯d driven the car here but was taken away by a driver.


    On the way back, Zhou Jinheng laid in the back seat and dreamed about their spirited first love and about the promise that had not been mentioned today.


    Back then, he and Fang Yuqing, like all campus couples, had childishly made a lifelong promise. This promise had been like a scar burned in his heart and every memory was equivalent to tearing the newly healed wound open again. When he thought about it now, what he couldn¡¯t forget was the pain that had recurred over the years; but the importance of the man himself was rather blurred.


    So, why on earth did he want to marry the little fool?


    Once doubt took shape in the mind, it would lead to countless hypotheses and guesses. It was undeniable that apart from being a bargaining chip to enter the showbiz industry, there were other things in this marriage that attracted him.


    Until that dinner just now, Zhou Jinheng thought that Yi Hui looked a bit like Fang Yuqing.


    They had the same white skin and big eyes that seemed to be overflowing with moisture when looking at you, docile and naive; the same pleasing figure, neither tall nor short, comfortable to hug from behind; the same delicate and quiet nature, not drawing attention to himself and not needing special care; just give him paper and a brush and he will be quiet all day.


    But a lot of people had those characteristics, what about apart from those?


    The two of them were clearly different.


    There was a surge in traffic at night, and starting from Shaoguang Road, the stops were more frequent than usual.


    Zhou Jinheng changed his position and looked out the window. The lights of the church were bright at night but it didn¡¯t lose its solemnity.


    Just like that day when the bells rang, Yi Hui, dressed in a white suit, tried his best to conceal his smile. Suppressing the rising corners of his mouth, he put on a serious expression, for fear of being teased by the people around him. He didn¡¯t know that his curled eyes and his happy expression had already betrayed his heart completely.


    He stood at the beginning of the red carpet, stretched out his hand, blushed at the sound of the bells and said, ¡°You¡­ you lead me over.¡±


    The picture was played back vividly and clearly in his mind, finally allowing Zhou Jinheng to capture things that he hadn¡¯t noticed before.


    He treated it casually, but Yi Hui treated it seriously.


    From the moment he took Yi Hui¡¯s hand, those loving, pure eyes fell on him and never moved away.


    The night was getting darker; the church behind him was so far away that its outline could not be seen and then it completely disappeared from sight but Zhou Jinheng was still hesitating.


    Yi Hui¡¯s phone number was displayed on the mobile phone interface and he could call him as soon as he pressed ¡®dial¡¯.


    What would happen after calling? Yesterday, he threw his doll on the ground and Doraemon¡¯s belly was a bit dirty. Would he notice it when he got home?


    Or he could buy him a new one on the way back. The little fool would definitely not be able to see the difference.


    Besides, he promised the old bastard to go back to Zhou¡¯s house together on the weekend, so this call had to be made.


    Finally, it was decided; but as soon as his finger was about to press down, the phone suddenly vibrated with an incoming call.


    It was an unknown number. Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t save it in his address book but he was familiar with the string of digits and his face turned black the moment he saw it.


    After picking it up, he said ¡°Hello¡± and before he was ready to accept the question ¡°Why the number change¡±, a low male voice came from the other end: ¡°Why can¡¯t I get through to Yi Hui¡¯s phone?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng hated it when people pressed him down from the position of an elder, and his rebelliousness sprang to life: ¡°It¡¯s his phone, how should I know?¡±


    The man on the other end didn¡¯t seem to want to talk nonsense with him: ¡°You are not with him?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng: ¡°No, I¡¯m in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Is he at home in S City?¡±


    ¡°He is not with you?¡±


    The two voices said it almost in sync, and in the end, Zhou Jinheng was forced to back down by the authority of his brother-in-law: ¡°I went back two days ago and he was not at home.¡± After a pause, he asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t he go find you?¡±


    There was silence on the other end as if the man was thinking; after a while, he said, ¡°I was out of the country on business for the first half of the month and had no contact with him.¡±

 CH 6

    Zhou Jinheng also failed to get through to Yi Hui¡¯s phone, so he went back to S City overnight.


    There was still no one at home. The cup that he used when he came back last time was still at the head of the bed as he had left it, half-full of cold water.


    He opened the address book again, flipped through it up and down two or three times but couldn¡¯t find a number that could be dialed.


    He didn¡¯t know where else Yi Hui could go.


    However, this situation was not unfamiliar. Zhou Jinheng remembered another one, although he¡¯d almost forgotten the cause. Anyway, it was nothing more than standing him up and not keeping promises. In short, it just made the little fool unhappy. The little fool ran away from home in a bad mood. He didn¡¯t go to the capital to find his brother and he didn¡¯t go to other houses in S City. His phone was turned off and no one knew where he went.


    Zhou Jinheng was attacked from both sides by the old b*stard and his brother-in-law far away in the capital. He was overwhelmed and asked his friends to check and monitor. After getting the news, he drove to a department store in the city center in the middle of the night. Sure enough, the little fool was squatting on the steps, pitifully shrunk into a ball, holding his Doraemon in his arms.


    Later Zhou Jinheng asked him what he was doing there, but Yi Hui turned away and refused to speak. He didn¡¯t have the patience to ask again and just put it behind him as a childish tantrum.


    In any case, how can one guess what¡¯s going on in a fool¡¯s mind, God knows what he is thinking about.


    Of course, you couldn¡¯t let him get used to it. Zhou Jinheng could foresee that if he went out to find him again now, the little fool would dare to do it again next time. That¡¯s where the word ¡°emboldened¡± comes from.


    So he took a bath with peace of mind and prepared to sleep. Early tomorrow morning, the little fool would turn on his phone and receive a call from his brother-in-law. He would hear that he was at home and he would definitely be back by himself.


    Lying in bed and touching the smirking Doraemon, Zhou Jinheng pinched its big face and kneaded it flat and then round again, venting his emotions. When he felt comfortable, he let it go. He threw it on Yi Hui¡¯s pillow, turned over, pulled up the quilt and fell asleep.


    Zhou Jinheng had a dream.


    It was a spring dream. The picture in the dream was blurred; it was vaguely discernable that there was a man lying on the bed in front of him. The man was slender, with just enough flesh on his bones, his skin bathed in a luminous white light against the dark sheets.


    He couldn¡¯t help but stretch out his hand to touch. It was delicate and silky under his touch, and a soft, quiet hum reached his ears. With the body trembling under his palms, his mind exploded and he thought of nothing else. He lifted up the man¡¯s legs and leaned over.


    After waking up, Zhou Jinheng panted and pushed away the quilt. His face became extremely unsightly the moment he saw the mess under him.


    Facing the mirror in the bathroom, he found countless reasons for what happened to himself. For example, he was too tired from filming and didn¡¯t have time to relieve his tension. For example, he hadn¡¯t gone to bed so early for a long time. Deep sleep was the most likely cause of strange dreams.


    However, looking at the dripping face of the man in the mirror, at his slack eyes that seemed to to be still reverberating with memories under the steamy water, Zhou Jinheng had to force himself to admit that he was fascinated with Yi Hui¡¯s body.


    In the past three years, he has returned home a few times and had done it with Yi Hui a few times.


    At first, Yi Hui took the initiative to seduce him. Who knows where the little fool learned this botched method from. After taking a shower, he crawled onto the bed before his hair dried. When Zhou Jinheng threatened to kick him out of bed, he hugged the quilt and looked at him with red eyes.


    When Zhou Jinheng grew impatient and picked up the pillow to go to sleep in the next room, the little fool was anxious and crawled to the side of the bed to grab his clothes. Only then did Zhou Jinheng see that there was no scrap of cloth on his body under the quilt. The little fool didn¡¯t wear anything; his narrow waist was half-covered by a thin quilt and there was a crimson blush spreading from his face to his chest.


    Since it was delivered to your door, there was no reason not to eat it.


    What¡¯s more, Zhou Jinheng had just been forced into marriage and was in a bad mood, so he urgently needed someone to vent his anger.


    Making love with the little fool felt both fresh and wonderful. The little fool was clearly a few years older than him but so jerky in bed that one would think Zhou Jinheng was bullying a child.


    This child was covered in thin skin and tender flesh and would almost cry from the slightest touch of his hands. He didn¡¯t dare to cry out. He bit his lips and breathed through his nose. When he felt uncomfortable, he clung to his shoulders and whispered: ¡°Husband¡­ Slow down, slow down, HuiHui hurts.¡±


    As everyone knows, such words can only be used to liven things up in bed. The little fool was ruthlessly played with, his legs up and tears dripping silently down his cheeks past brightly coloured lips, like shiny cherries freshly plucked from the tree, making Zhou Jinheng want nothing more than to swallow him up in one gulp.


    The scene was obviously an enticing one, but the innocent eyes of the little fool added a touch of purity to it. It was this natural innocence of the little fool that lured Zhou Jinheng to indulge in it several times.


    The man in the mirror noticed from his darkened eyes that he had reacted again, and became angry again.


    He picked up his mobile phone. The screen was empty and there was no call from the little fool. The door downstairs was closed and everything at the door was as quiet as usual. No one came back at all.


    This feeling of being threatened and restrained by something made Zhou Jinheng irritable, no less than the sense of depression and restraint brought to him by the restriction of his personal freedom.


    He thought fiercely, ¡°Don¡¯t come back here if you dare,¡± and at the same time, using actions to dispel his frustration, he kicked the flower pot by the door.


    Who could imagine that the flowerpot was so fragile that it shattered to pieces with a single touch? The mud inside was scattered on the floor, and the thin stems fell into the mud, even breaking two leaves.


    About a quarter of an hour later, Zhou Jinheng received a call back from his assistant Xiao Lin: ¡°I¡¯ve arranged it. Someone will come in two hours.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was dissatisfied: ¡°Two hours? No, they must be here within an hour.¡±


    Xiao Lin said helplessly: ¡°It¡¯s hard enough to buy a flowerpot at this point. You don¡¯t know the species of the flowers. Different species require different soils. The man said that he would wait for the flower market to open to buy a few more before coming.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng gave a tut, squatted down, frowning in disgust, and touched the stems and leaves that were barely inserted back into the soil: ¡°It is a kind of white flower with five petals and white stamens¡­ It should like to be in cool and humid places but is afraid of the cold.¡±


    He remembered that when he was at home, the little fool watered this pot of flowers every day and moved it into the house as soon as it got cooler. He felt annoyed seeing it, so he told him to throw the flower away. The little fool shook his head like a rattle, saying, ¡°Only with flowers and plants does it resemble a home.¡±


    This thought made him even more exasperated. Why don¡¯t you hurry back if you know this is home?


    Xiao Lin responded, saying that he would call the man as soon as possible and show the revolutionary spirit of saving flowers as you would save a person.


    After hanging up the phone, Zhou Jinheng picked up a piece of broken porcelain from a flower pot and fiddled with a pile of soil in the middle, unable to stop worrying that the squeamish flower would not survive.


    He was impatient and irritable. He had never raised any flowers and his knowledge about caring for plants was close to zero. If the housekeeper was still there, this flower might be saved in time.


    Why was the housekeeper fired?


    Zhou Jinheng frowned, searching again for answers to the neglected trivialities.


    It seemed that it was because he felt that the housekeeper took too much upon herself and thought that she had been bought over by the little fool. That day he learned that his former assistant had contact with the little fool in private, so he fired the assistant first and then went home to drive the housekeeper away. The little fool had been with the housekeeper for a long time and got attached, so he shed a few tears.


    Now as he thought about it, what big waves could a housekeeper who only washed and cooked make? At that time, he was so angry that he didn¡¯t even care about the little fool¡¯s mood.


    Even though his face became obviously more and more unsightly, Zhou Jinheng still didn¡¯t want to admit that this emotion was called regret.


    It was okay, save the flower, call the little fool back, and you¡¯ll be fine.


    Zhou Jinheng picked up his mobile phone and took a photo, then posted it to his circle of friends on Weibo.


    After posting, he sat down and leaned back in the seat, waiting for someone to rush back into his arms, glancing at his mobile phone from time to time.


    The little fool paid the most careful attention to his every move, he would never believe he didn¡¯t see the photo.


    Today in the capital, like in S City, was one of the rare sunny days since the start of autumn.


    In a mobile phone shop, Yi Hui inserted the phone card into the phone and Jiang Yimang exclaimed: ¡°Ah, HengHeng has posted on Weibo!¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s hand shook when the mobile phone vibrated while being turned on. Jiang Yimang leaned over to look: ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, you haven¡¯t used the mobile phone for too long so you can¡¯t hold it?¡±


    She helped with the settings, added her and Jiang Xuemei¡¯s numbers and excitedly wanted to send Yi Hui a Weibo.


    ¡°No, no need.¡± Yi Hui hurriedly grabbed his new mobile phone, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to use Weibo, so I can just make a phone call.¡±


    Jiang Yimang curled her lips: ¡°Yes, your crappy mobile phone will probably get stuck on Weibo. It¡¯s not like Mom didn¡¯t give you money, why don¡¯t you choose an expensive one?¡±


    Yi Hui smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need it to be too good, it¡¯s just for calling.¡±


    On the way back, Jiang Yimang kept chattering like Jiang Xuemei, saying that it was not okay to refuse to socialize like that. Even online socializing was better than being bored alone, all his ailments came from boredom.


    It had been a long time since someone had shown such disapproval and concern for him, so Yi Hui nodded again and again and said yes. When he returned to the hotel, he opened the browser and searched for information on the Internet.


    He searched for the news of the Yi Group first and just clicked on the most recent one. He caught his brother¡¯s name at a glance in the dense text. The whole article reported that the young master of the different surname was managing it well and the Yi family¡¯s business was flourishing.


    Then he searched for the name of his sister-in-law. Despite being called his sister-in-law, he was actually a boy of the same age as him. The news said that he was filming in seclusion in a remote area of southwest China. According to visiting fans, everything was fine.


    Yi Hui was relieved and for fear of accidentally seeing other entertainment industry-related news, he hurriedly closed the page after reading.


    At noon, Jiang Xuemei called and asked if Yi Hui was feeling better.


    Jiang Yimang leaned to the microphone and interjected: ¡°Okay, I took him to buy a new mobile phone, now don¡¯t worry about him getting lost.¡±


    Jiang Xuemei chuckled on the other end of the phone: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as you two siblings are well, Mom is very relieved.¡±


    They originally were going to Yi Hui¡¯s alma mater to find the art teacher who recommended him to participate in the competition. Who expected that Yi Hui would catch a cold last night, develop a low fever in the middle of the night and keep coughing. Jiang Xuemei was so scared that she didn¡¯t dare to take him out again. In the morning, she went to see the teacher and asked Jiang Yimang to stay and take care of him.


    When she heard that Jiang Xuemei was inviting the teacher to dinner and had to go elsewhere for some business in the afternoon, Jiang Yimang rolled around in bed: ¡°Ahhhh, so boring, if I knew, I would¡¯ve brought my cross-stitching to pass the time.¡±


    Yi Hui had seen her half-embroidered cross-stitched portrait, smiled reluctantly and said, ¡°You can go out to play, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Jiang Yimang did not forget what her mother entrusted her to do and resolutely stayed to take care of him. Holding the mobile phone, she sat cross-legged in the corner of the bed and giggled, chatting with her friends on WeChat and QQ.


    After chatting for a while, she suddenly jumped up: ¡°Really? Didn¡¯t he just return to the capital from S City? Staying at the Garden Hotel? The one in the west of the city?¡±


    After receiving a positive answer, Jiang Yimang jumped out of the bed, threw on her coat and shoes hastily and ran to the door in a frenzy. She slapped her forehead, then came back to pull Yi Hui out with her: ¡°Go for a walk, accompany me to help, it only takes half an hour!¡±


    Yi Hui was dragged all the way and in less than ten minutes, he was standing in front of a magnificent hotel among a group of chattering girls.


    Jiang Yimang was chatting with the girl next to her: ¡°I live in a nearby hotel, a block away from here. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a coincidence? When the group said HengHeng would come out later, I just ran here straightaway!¡±


    As soon as he saw the hotel signboard from the other side of the road, Yi Hui¡¯s heart was already beating in his throat. Now that the name of that man was constantly mentioned by the girls around him, he felt even more panicked. The first thought that came to mind was to leave quickly.


    ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± Jiang Yimang grabbed his arm, ¡°Don¡¯t run around, he will be out soon and we will go back in a while.¡±


    As soon as she said that, a black business car drove by and slowly stopped at the entrance of the hotel. Several security guards rushed out of the hotel.


    The crowd was suddenly abuzz, except for Yi Hui.


    Once he saw the familiar business car, he knew what would happen next.


    As if realizing that danger was approaching, he desperately retreated, wanting to evacuate, trying to get as far away as possible, but he was involuntarily pushed forward by the crowd. He said something to Jiang Yimang, but the surroundings were boiling and all that could be seen was his mouth opening and closing.


    In the end, he failed to squeeze out of the crowd.


    Yi Hui¡¯s eyes were full of panic, his gaze crossing the crowd as he watched the man stride out of the hotel. Obviously, there were many people around, security guards, assistants and agents, a vast group of them, but he saw him at once.


    He was wearing a black coat and black pants, dressed in a low-key manner, but his cold strong temperament was unique, making people involuntarily focus on him.


    He held a mobile phone in his right hand and pressed it to his ear, his expression gloomy, as if he was angry with the person on the phone.


    His breath caught in his throat. Yi Hui was dragged back by a hand to a time where he didn¡¯t want to recall and he couldn¡¯t break away from, and then he couldn¡¯t help but think¡­


    I¡¯m already gone, who would make you angry?


    He exhausted the last bit of his strength just by moving his gaze away.


    The enthusiastic fans flocked forward and finally left the only person who was out of place to stand alone.


    Yi Hui closed his eyes weakly as if blocking his vision could make him forget the sight he had just seen.


    But that man, that face, he traced it inch by inch with his fingers and drew it religiously with a brush. Its every outline and every subtle expression were deeply imprinted in his mind and he couldn¡¯t erase them or cut them out.


    Jiang Yimang was still overflowing with excitement when she came back and wished the whole world would share her joy of meeting her idol for the first time: ¡°HengHeng is so handsome. He is better-looking in reality than in the photos. He is also tall. He looks good when he smiles, but even more so if he doesn¡¯t¡­ My God, how could there be such a perfect man!¡±


    After talking for a long time, Jiang Yimang didn¡¯t get an answer, so she grabbed Yi Hui¡¯s shoulder and turned him to face her: ¡°Did you see him too? The one who is all in black. Today, HengHeng¡¯s clothes are really stunning, especially for him¡­¡±


    Her voice stopped abruptly and the smile on Jiang Yimang¡¯s face froze. She was stunned for a while and asked, ¡°You, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡±


    Yi Hui shook his head, trying to say it was nothing, but his throat was dry and blocked and he couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    Following Jiang Yimang¡¯s surprised gaze, he raised his hand to touch his face but before he touched his chin, a drop of transparent liquid fell on his palm.


    He realized that his face was wet with cold tears.


    The author has something to say: Don¡¯t worry, it will be soon. Before learning the truth, this is the necessary path to go.

 CH 7

    Although Yi Hui in the past was not smart and his intelligence was equivalent to that of a young child, he actually didn¡¯t like to cry very much.


    He knew he had grown taller and had been in the world longer than those children. His mother didn¡¯t cry when she was sick and in pain and his brother didn¡¯t cry when he was busy at work. He was an adult just like them. Crying couldn¡¯t solve any problems and it was very embarrassing.


    But for some reason, as long as Zhou Jinheng was there, he couldn¡¯t help it.


    He was crying the first time they met.


    It was a spring afternoon, and a ray of the slanting sun swept in along the edge of the window, dividing the drawing paper in front of him into light and dark halves. The students in the front row were drawing sketches and the rustle of pencils rubbing against the paper made the atmosphere of the entire studio very peaceful.


    Yi Hui was sitting in the corner of the back row. The more anxious he felt, the more his hand holding a brush trembled. The moment the tip of the brush approached the paper, it trembled even more and the lines that came out were crooked, twisted, and very ugly.


    He bit his lower lip, controlled his wrist and tried to get rid of the distracting thoughts. His mother was waiting for him in the hospital, waiting for him to finish his painting of the flowers outside the window to bring to her.


    Although everyone kept it a secret from him, he still guessed from his mother¡¯s half-conscious state and the doctor¡¯s expression when he spoke that his mother would leave him soon.


    His mother said that she wanted to see the flowers in spring, how could he not satisfy her wish?


    Thinking of this, Yi Hui took a deep breath, changed to a new drawing paper and opened his eyes desperately, holding his breath. Just as he was about to start drawing, there was a slight click behind him.


    The window opened, first in a slit, then letting in the pouring sunlight. Then a figure blocked most of the light, grabbed the edge of the window with both hands, stretched out their long legs and jumped down neatly.


    It was a young boy.


    The window was very small, but the boy was very tall. It could be seen that it was not the first time that he had done this kind of thing.


    When he got into the studio, the boy patted his hands, dusting them off casually, and put one hand back in his pocket. When he turned around, there was still a trace of triumph on his face that he hadn¡¯t had time to hide.


    Then he met Yi Hui¡¯s inquiring gaze.


    His expression turned gloomy very quickly, covering a little discomfort and embarrassment, and the boy preemptively stared fiercely: ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Yi Hui shook his head, trying to say that he didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Perhaps the sunlight outside the window was too dazzling. As he blinked, the tears that had been in his eyes for a long time burst out.


    The boy obviously didn¡¯t expect to scare someone into crying. He said ¡°Hey¡± uncomfortably. He took two steps forward and pulled out his hand from the pocket of his pants to grope the pocket of his school uniform. He didn¡¯t find anything. He said awkwardly: ¡°What are you crying for?¡±


    Yi Hui turned away embarrassedly, clutching his cuffs and wiping his tears indiscriminately while shaking his head, meaning ¡°It¡¯s none of your business¡±, but the boy misunderstood. Seeing that there was no teacher on the platform, he strode around him, squatted down, raised his head and observed: ¡°You¡¯re really crying¡­ am I that fierce?¡±


    There was impatience and chagrin in the boy¡¯s tone, and Yi Hui was extremely embarrassed to hear it. However, he felt so sad and he couldn¡¯t stop his tears once he started crying. He simply let go and wept, covering his face with his arms, trying not to make a sound.


    After venting enough, he sobbed and put down his arms, and with his eyes blurred by tears, he saw that the boy was still there.


    ¡°Finished crying?¡± The boy sneered but his expression did not show contempt. He handed over a handkerchief that he had found somewhere, ¡°Wipe it. If I scared you just now¡­ sorry.¡±


    The boy was obviously not good at behaving humbly and apologizing. With his neck strained, he looked like he was refusing to admit his mistake and his eyes moved away, not meeting Yi Hui¡¯s gaze.


    Yi Hui, conscious of the trouble he was causing, took the handkerchief and whispered ¡°Thank you¡±.


    He wanted to wipe his tears and snot clean and explain to the boy that he didn¡¯t cry because of him, but the boy stood up and wandered to the seat at the back of the studio. Three chairs were grouped together there. He laid down, picked up a book to cover his face, crossed his legs and fell asleep.


    Yi Hui had many doubts in his heart. Who was he? Why did he want to come in through the window?


    But these things were not important and they were not what he should have asked.


    Folding the handkerchief carefully, Yi Hui focused and continued to draw.


    After crying, his mood was really much more comfortable and once he was fully engaged, his efficiency also increased. Not long after, the drawing paper was covered with soft lines. A thin branch curved up, full of budding and already blooming flowers mixed together.


    ¡°The painting¡¯s not bad.¡±


    The moment the voice suddenly sounded above his head, Yi Hui was startled and his hand couldn¡¯t help but slacken.


    The boy stretched out his hand to catch the brush and stuffed it back into Yi Hui¡¯s fingers: ¡°Am I really that scary?¡±


    Yi Hui tilted his head slightly, facing the boy¡¯s bleary, half-narrowed sleepy eyes. He yawned as if there was no one else around and continued to evaluate the painting, pointing his slender finger on the drawing paper: ¡°Here and here, it would be better to have a brighter colour.¡±


    Listening to his low, lazy voice and his casual tone, Yi Hui took a closer look at the two places he was referring to and found that what he said made sense.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡± Yi Hui thanked him again, moved his butt to the side and invited the boy to sit down.


    The boy waved his hand, raised his arms and stretched out. He twisted his neck and glanced towards the front: ¡°If you really want to thank me, draw me a picture next time.¡±


    Yi Hui nodded solemnly: ¡°What, what picture?¡±


    ¡°A portrait.¡± The boy squinted his eyes and smiled at him, then put his index finger to his lips, lowered his voice and said, ¡°It¡¯s a secret between us, don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    This was their first encounter.


    At that time, Zhou Jinheng was still studying, and with the vigour of a teenager, he recklessly entered Yi Hui¡¯s world and was carefully cherished by Yi Hui in his heart along with the scent of flowers and the sounds of birds of that spring afternoon.


    Later, when they met again at the blind date dinner, Yi Hui thought it was fate. Even if the other party no longer remembered their first encounter in the studio that day, Yi Hui still believed that they had a lot of time in the future and he could slowly make him remember, and then make more and better memories.


    He immersed himself in this sweetness on his own initiative, ignoring the reason why Zhou Jinheng appeared in the studio at the time, as well as the disinterest and boredom Zhou Jinheng hardly concealed when facing him.


    There were some things in his previous life that he didn¡¯t understand until the end but he suddenly had an epiphany after changing his body. Yi Hui smiled bitterly. In the past, he thought that by working hard, he would be no different from normal people. Now he knew that stupidity really came from nature, otherwise he would not have been dying and still doing silly things until the end of his life.


    Jiang Xuemei was about to come back. Jiang Yimang sat aside and observed Yi Hui. Seeing him crying and laughing, she didn¡¯t dare to say anything.


    After a while, Yi Hui comforted her: ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Jiang Yimang was still suspicious: ¡°Then¡­ why did you cry just now?¡±


    Yi Hui thought for a while and said, ¡°There was sand in my eyes.¡±


    ¡°Che, are you fooling a kid?¡± Jiang Yimang rolled her eyes fiercely and then began to use her imagination, ¡°Let me guess¡­ In fact, you are also a fan of HengHeng, right? The hidden kind, you¡¯re afraid that people say you are a big old man who is chasing stars, oh ¨C no wonder you were in a hurry to get away from the hotel just now, knowing you¡¯d cry if you saw your idol, right?¡±


    Yi Hui was speechless with his sister¡¯s sky-breaking brain but could not think of any other better explanation, so he simply did not answer.


    Jiang Yimang thought he had acquiesced and bounced on the bed, saying that there was a fan meeting tomorrow and asking Yi Hui to go with her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± Yi Hui avoided instinctively, ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep well yesterday, so I want to sleep a little longer.¡±


    Jiang Yimang held his arm coquettishly: ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go to bed early tonight? The competition is the day after tomorrow, so come with me tomorrow, okay, brother?¡±


    Yi Hui was softened by her ¡°brother¡± call and said helplessly: ¡°Want to see me cry again?¡±


    Recalling his face wet with tears, Jiang Yimang shuddered, weighed it again, let go of his arm and decided to give up.


    He was crying so frighteningly at that time. He obviously didn¡¯t make a sound, but his empty eyes seemed to be filled with boundless despair as if one could drown in them.


    In the Garden Hotel not far away, Zhou Jinheng, who had just returned from the company, was worrying about tomorrow¡¯s meeting.


    Who had an idea of holding a fan meeting at this time? He had never bothered to put on a fake smile in front of people. If Yi Hui did not show up, he would probably go on stage with a black face tomorrow and then be criticized by major media outlets for acting like a big shot.


    Where the h*ll did the little fool go? Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t know how many times he asked this question today.


    But there was no answer. His mind was in a mess and he couldn¡¯t figure out a clue to follow. The overwhelming irritability almost swallowed his last trace of sanity.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s mobile phone hadn¡¯t been ringing for a long time after the Weibo message was sent out. He couldn¡¯t wait. He returned to the capital and settled down. On the way out of the hotel to the company, he called the old b*stard and asked if the little fool had contacted him.


    The old b*stard held a grudge and said sarcastically: ¡°He¡¯s your spouse and you don¡¯t know where he¡¯s gone, so you come and ask me, his father-in-law?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng gritted his teeth: ¡°Legally speaking, he is not my spouse yet.¡° He was afraid that if the old b*stard felt unhappy, he wouldn¡¯t tell him even if he had news, so he suppressed his temper and said, ¡°If he contacts you, please let me know as soon as possible.¡±


    Before hanging up the phone, he still had to listen to a lecture. Because the promise to take Yi Hui to the family gathering fell through, the old b*stard felt humiliated and scolded him for his incompetence and for not even being able to coax a fool.


    Zhou Jinheng was so angry at the time that he almost bought a plane ticket and went back to kick the newly rescued snowflakes (flower) to death again.


    Now that he had calmed down, he felt that the old b*stard¡¯s provocative tactics were as ridiculous as ever.


    It¡¯s not that he couldn¡¯t coax, it¡¯s that he didn¡¯t bother to coax at all. The little fool was so clingy that he didn¡¯t need to do anything, he just followed him around anyway. Even if he got angry, it didn¡¯t last long. A casual apology, and the little fool would stop hiding and would smile.


    Even so, Zhou Jinheng decided to step down on his pride and take the initiative to find him. It was just this once, let¡¯s just take pity on him for not coming home for half a month. He must have been crying somewhere, waiting for Zhou Jinheng to go and find him.


    After two years in the entertainment industry, Zhou Jinheng was also familiar with the ways of the world and was reluctant to seek help from his dog friends in S City. He was afraid to owe others. After thinking about it, he dialed a number marked ¡°Yang Chengxuan¡±.


    Listening to him explain, Yang Chengxuan pondered for a moment and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t Fang Yuqing back?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng felt puzzled: ¡°What does his coming back have to do with me looking for the little fool?¡±


    Yang Chengxuan chuckled: ¡°I thought you would dump that fool.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was stunned. Fang Yuqing has been back home for several days. They talked on the phone and had dinner together. He reminisced about the past and looked forward to the future. During this time, he never had the idea of getting rid of the little fool.


    The Zhou family chose to marry the Yi family because they were in dire straits and needed help. After two years, the Zhou family¡¯s business was back on track again. The old b*stard did not let him back out of this marriage because he was afraid that outsiders would say that their family had crossed the river and demolished the bridge. But why did he never think about backing out of this marriage either?


    This so-called marriage had always been a joke in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s eyes. If Fang Yuqing hadn¡¯t left him to go abroad, he would have never agreed so easily. But he was disheartened and disillusioned.


    If being an actor was the only thing that allowed him to regain his fighting spirit, then entering into such a ridiculous marriage relationship with Yi Hui was to distract him and alleviate the pain of lovesickness. In layman¡¯s terms, it was for healing.


    No matter how high-sounding the excuse was, it was undeniable that he and the Zhou family had used Yi Hui. The difference was that the Zhou family used him openly and he used him secretly. In comparison, he was more despicable.


    Let¡¯s be nice to him in the future, Zhou Jinheng thought, so that when the time comes for us to really separate, we won¡¯t feel guilty about it.


    What¡¯s more, the little fool was so easy to coax, if he went back to his home in S City a few more times a month, he would be so happy that he would soar.


    What was important was to get the little fool back first.


    At the end of the call just now, Yang Chengxuan reminded him that he needed to recall the last time he met or talked with the little fool. Zhou Jinheng tried to recall, but he didn¡¯t have a clue even though he got a headache from thinking.


    It was his birthday that day. He only remembered that he had drunk a lot of alcohol and his mind was muddled. Before that, he seemed to have promised the little fool to spend time together and then he received a call.¡­¡­


    Right at that moment the mobile phone thrown on the bed rang loudly.


    It was his brother-in-law again, Cheng Feichi.


    Pinching the center of his eyebrows and taking two deep breaths, Zhou Jinheng sat down by the bed and accepted the call.


    The man on the other end was the first to speak: ¡°Has Yi Hui come home yet?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng usually had little contact with this high-ranking brother-in-law of his and they had little understanding of each other. It made sense that he should be a very easy-going person in private, otherwise the little fool would not be so close to him. But once the titular brother-in-law turned to face him, his attitude immediately sharpened. There was no trace of kinship and the undisguised indifference could be felt across the phone line.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s attitude naturally didn¡¯t get any better either: ¡°No, I asked someone to check it out and there should be results soon.¡±


    Cheng Feichi asked rhetorically: ¡°Why aren¡¯t you looking for him?¡±


    ¡°I have looked for him, I have searched all the places I could,¡± Zhou Jinheng said angrily, ¡°Who knows where he is hiding?¡±


    Cheng Feichi said solemnly: ¡°I should ask you that.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng almost laughed angrily: ¡°What, did he inform me before he ran away from home, or did he leave me any clues? I am not a roundworm in his belly. God knows whether he will go east or go west after he leaves the house, and whether he will go to heaven or enter the earth?¡±


    He was talking confidently but doubts grew in his mind.


    He faintly realized that something was wrong.


    The Yi family had a lot of power in S City. Even if the old man of the Yi family was too lazy to take care of this stupid kid, the brother-in-law would not let it go. However, Cheng Feichi¡¯s call to him meant that he had not found anything.


    He thought that the man on the other end would hang up unceremoniously after hearing these words but he didn¡¯t.


    The two fell into silence at the same time. After about half a minute, Zhou Jinheng was about to ask him when he last contacted Yi Hui. The man on the other end of the phone said first: ¡°Half a month ago, the night before I went abroad, Yi Hui sent me a text message.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t help but prick up his ears: ¡°What did he send?¡±


    After another two or three seconds of silence, Cheng Feichi said word for word: ¡°He wrote, ¡®Brother, he treats me very well, don¡¯t worry about me anymore.¡¯ ¡±

 CH 8

    The painting competition was held in the fine arts building of a university on the outskirts of the city.


    For the competition that started at nine o¡¯clock in the morning, the family of three arrived after seven o¡¯clock. A banner was hanging over the door. While there were not many people, Jiang Xuemei took a group photo with her two children under the banner and said that she would print it out and hang it at home.


    Breakfast was bought at a nearby stall, three buns and a bag of soy milk per person.


    Yi Hui took a bag of soy milk and studied it for a long time. He didn¡¯t know how to deal with it. Jiang Yimang took it and bit open a gap, inserted a straw and handed it back: ¡°No one here knows you. Don¡¯t pretend to be elegant.¡±


    Yi Hui had never drunk this kind of bagged drink, so he hesitated to take it and then observed for a while before leaning over and taking a sip. Jiang Yimang asked him if it was delicious. He bit the straw and nodded, ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    It was rare for Jiang Xuemei to hear her son say that something tasted good. She wanted to give him her bag and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you dislike sweet food before?¡±


    Yi Hui choked and coughed violently while covering his mouth. Jiang Yimang patted him on the back and explained on his behalf: ¡°Didn¡¯t Dr. Liu say that he might change? It¡¯s not unusual for his taste to be different from before.¡±


    Both mother and daughter had careless personalities. Jiang Xuemei easily accepted this theory and told Yi Hui to go in and have a good time and then come out to have dessert together.


    This time the competition was not much to talk about. The theme was set early in the morning. Although they painted on the spot, the contestants had enough time to prepare in advance and most of them had specific ideas.


    Besides, it was not a formal competition. Yi Hui knew that Jiang Xuemei just wanted to find a reason to take him out, so he was not nervous and walked into the competition site just for the sake of participating.


    Spreading out his painting tools, he looked up and saw the big word ¡°Sunrise¡± written on the blackboard. Perhaps because they were a campus group, most of the participants around him started with landscape paintings, but Yi Hui took a different approach. He sketched an outline of a man in the right part of the drawing, surrounded with translucent light. There was no sun on the whole paper, but it could be seen that the man in the painting was walking in the light of the sun rising in the east.


    Since his rebirth, while retaining his memory, Yi Hui had been affected by the condition of the body of the original owner almost all the time. Although he was thin in the past, his physical fitness was good. But now he had a cold and fever every three days and couldn¡¯t drink much cold water. So he took it for granted that he would inherit a little of the original owner¡¯s painting habits but after he really started drawing, he discovered that he still kept most of his own brushwork.


    The man in the painting was standing against the light, his short hair fluttering in the wind, and thousands of strands of golden morning rays poured through every small gap between his hair and shoulders, brushing the side of his face and his deep facial features in the shadow. The man¡¯s chin was raised slightly, his figure tall and straight. Unexpectedly, he looked like a god descending into the light.


    Before the paint was dry, Yi Hui hurriedly handed in the painting.


    He didn¡¯t dare to look at the man in the painting again, for fear that the face backlit by the sun would be visualized in his mind and overlap with another face.


    After packing up his painting tools and going out, he planned to meet Jiang Xuemei and Jiang Yimang at the main entrance, but he didn¡¯t expect to meet someone he knew on campus.


    To be precise, Jiang Yihui knew him. It was a handsome boy who also came to participate in the competition. When he saw him, he waved desperately: ¡°Jiang Yihui!¡±


    Yi Hui turned a deaf ear and walked forward, lowering his head. The boy relentlessly caught up and stopped him with his arms open: ¡°Jiang Yihui, why are you ignoring me?¡±


    Yi Hui had nowhere to hide, so panicked that he didn¡¯t dare to raise his head: ¡°No, no.¡±


    Fortunately, Jiang Yihui was not an outgoing person. The boy thought he had forgotten his name and reported that his name was Tang Wenxi, his college classmate.


    ¡°You really, after four years in college, you still don¡¯t remember my name and have to make me re-introduce myself every time. So embarrassing.¡± Tang Wenxi complained but there was a happy smile on his face. He suddenly remembered something and changed his words, ¡°Oh, no, it was two and a half years. I almost forgot that you dropped out in your junior year.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know whether it was a coincidence but the people around Jiang Yihui were very lively and interesting and since he was reborn, the people he had met were all as kind and friendly as the boy in front of them. Under his influence, Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help but relax and let his guard down, chatting with the boy about the competition they had just finished.


    In the end, Tang Wenxi invited Yi Hui to have lunch: ¡°Let¡¯s have a meal together. There is a small restaurant outside the school. There will also be a few junior brothers and sisters there. It just so happens that we haven¡¯t spent time together for a long time.¡±


    Yi Hui refused, saying that his mother and sister were waiting for him.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go together.¡± Tang Wenxi said enthusiastically, ¡°Anyway, there are not many people, so everyone can fit in.¡±


    Yi Hui was afraid of getting along with strangers and was racking his brains on how to refuse, then a man came from a short distance away, walking at a quick pace, ¡°Weren¡¯t you just picking up something? What¡¯s taking so long?¡±


    He came up to Tang Wenxi. Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief and planned to take advantage of the commotion to slip away. However, Tang Wenxi was determined to keep him for dinner. He grabbed his arm and pushed him forward: ¡°Chengxuan, this is the guy I mentioned to you before. The art genius of our class, Jiang Yihui.¡±


    Hearing the man¡¯s name, Yi Hui subconsciously shrank his neck, not daring to look up.


    Zhou Jinheng had a friend with this name, and he was very afraid of Zhou Jinheng¡¯s friends.


    However, this name was very common, and the capital was so big, there should be no such coincidence.


    Yi Hui comforted himself and was just about to look up to say hello when the other party spoke first: ¡°Yi Hui? What are you doing here?¡±


    After coming out of the Public Security Bureau, Zhou Jinheng answered the phone while starting the car to go to the airport.


    ¡°Where are you playing?¡± Yang Chengxuan on the other end of the phone asked.


    Zhou Jinheng held the steering wheel with one hand and slammed on the clutch to reverse: ¡°The Public Security Bureau.¡±


    ¡°Did you really call the police?¡± Yang Chengxuan laughed, ¡°For real? He is such a big guy, he can¡¯t be kidnapped, right?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t laugh and said with a serious expression: ¡°I have sent someone to check in S City but I can only find the police here in the capital.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan asked, ¡°Have you checked if he crossed the border?¡±


    ¡°His passport expired and he cannot leave the country.¡±


    ¡°Fake passport?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng snorted coldly: ¡°With his IQ, do you think he knows how to buy a fake passport?¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Yang Chengxuan pondered for a while and said, ¡°If you think about it, he can only be kidnapped for a ransom but no one contacted anyone about him for so long. Obviously it¡¯s not kidnapping¡­ Could it be that he just disappeared into thin air?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was not in the mood to joke with him at this moment: ¡°Hurry up and say if there is news, I will hang up if there is no news.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry, of course I have something.¡° Yang Chengxuan didn¡¯t keep him in suspense and said, ¡°Just now I met someone who looked a lot like Yi Hui in the campus of D University.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°Tsk, aren¡¯t you curious?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng frowned and said impatiently: ¡°If you say ¡®looked like¡¯, it means it¡¯s not him.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan on the other end of the phone laughed: ¡°You do know me. It was really not him, I have specifically confirmed it.¡±


    On the contrary, Zhou Jinheng was curious: ¡°How did you confirm it?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have a big scar on the back of his hand?¡° Yang Chengxuan said carelessly, ¡°I took a closer look and his hands were clean and clear, there was nothing.¡±


    After he hung up the phone, the wheels of the car kept spinning at high speed on the road and Zhou Jinheng¡¯s brain kept running non-stop.


    The scar Yang Chengxuan mentioned was actually a scald.


    The little fool¡¯s skin was so white that it was easy to leave traces on his body, not to mention boiling hot water splashing directly on it.


    More than once; there were three times in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s memory.


    The first time was an accident; the little fool got up early and, afraid that he would be thirsty,  brought water to the bedside. He had just woken up and was angry and slapped him away. The cup fell to the ground and smashed to pieces, and the hot water spilled all over the little fool.


    The second time was when under the invisible threat of his brother-in-law, he bit the bullet and took the little fool out for Valentine¡¯s Day. The restaurant they went to was where he and Fang Yuqing had been before, so the more he looked at the little fool sitting opposite, the more unsatisfied he seemed. After a barbecue with a charcoal fire was served, the little fool foolishly picked up food for him. He was very disgusted. He raised his hand and pushed away the plate in front of him. The barbecue basin suddenly collapsed, and the hot edge touched the hand that the little fool stretched out.


    If the first two times could be counted as unintentional, the third time was mixed with some intention.


    That day, he heard that Fang Yuqing had been admitted to his favorite Academy of Fine Arts in Country M and it would be impossible for him to return home in the next two or three years. With the last bit of hope disappearing before his eyes, he was trapped in the cage of this absurd marriage. He could do nothing and his mood instantly worsened to the extremes.


    Everyone else knew to back off when he was angry, but the little fool didn¡¯t know any better and followed him around, asking him what was wrong and why he was unhappy, and telling him to eat, saying he would be fine if he ate something sweet and drank some hot water.


    He was exasperated with the little fool and full of annoyance with nowhere to vent it. He asked the little fool to take a cup, picked up the kettle and poured the water into the cup. It wasn¡¯t enough to see the little fool breathe hard as he was scalded through the walls of the cup, but he didn¡¯t stop even when the cup was full, as if bewitched, allowing the freshly boiled water to spill out onto the little fool¡¯s hand that was clutching the cup.


    That¡¯s where the scar on the back of the hand came from. It might have been better if someone applied the scald ointment for a few days. But the little fool didn¡¯t know how to apply it and covered it all day to prevent others from seeing it, dragging it until a layer of skin peeled from the wound and the scar remained permanently.


    When he thought of the little fool not letting go of the cup even though it was so hot that he was crying, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s expression became more and more grave, his lips pursed into a cold, hard line.


    Using his young age and arrogance as an excuse to vent his anger on an innocent person, he also knew that he was too bad at the time. But the little fool not only didn¡¯t blame him, but also tried his best to hide it from others. When Zhou Jinheng occasionally asked about it with a guilty conscience, he said with round eyes and a sincere face that it didn¡¯t hurt, and added, ¡°I know you didn¡¯t mean it. It¡¯s okay, the scar will disappear in a few days.¡±


    The little fool had no concept of time. The hideous scar remained on his hand for more than two years and he did not take it seriously, and when asked by his brother he simply said that he had scalded it accidentally.


    How can it be called ¡°treats me well¡±?


    Zhou Jinheng pulled the corners of his mouth but did not laugh.


    The text message relayed to him by Cheng Feizhi seemed to land on him like a heavy punch, smashing his guesses and self-assumed truths to pieces, telling him not to measure a gentleman¡¯s belly with a villain¡¯s heart. The little fool was as good as his word, melting his trust and love for him into the passing time, and as long as he looked back at the traces, it could be seen everywhere.


    Right, text messages, mobile phones!


    With his breath caught in his throat, Zhou Jinheng slammed the steering wheel and made a U-turn less than two kilometres from the airport.


    Before the car¡¯s movement levelled out he called his assistant impatiently: ¡°Where is the phone I gave you last time, where did you throw it?¡±


    At two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, downstairs in the company, Xiao Lin watched the flashy red sports car swing into a tailspin and stop steadily in front of him. He couldn¡¯t help opening his mouth and yawning again.


    Yesterday¡¯s fan meeting was held from the afternoon until dark. After it was over, he stayed with the other staff to clean up the scene and only went home to rest in the middle of the night. He was still confused when he was awakened by Zhou Jinheng¡¯s call. It took a long time to remember which mobile phone he wanted.


    Although he hadn¡¯t been following Zhou Jinheng for long, Xiao Lin had roughly figured out his temper and habits and knew that the most important thing to do as his assistant was to help him take care of what he left behind. The things that were thrown around in particular needed to be put away, as one day he might think of them and turn to ask for them.


    Therefore, when he handed the mobile phone that had been discarded not long ago back to Zhou Jinheng, Xiao Lin couldn¡¯t help but feel a little proud, holding his head high and waiting for a compliment, thinking happily that maybe he could even get a big red envelope.


    Who knew that Zhou Jinheng¡¯s complexion was still gloomy after he took the phone and his whole body exuded a low pressure that warned outsiders from coming closer. When he turned on the phone, he waved his hand and told him that he could go.


    Xiao Lin took a step back and closed the door behind himself. With a soft ¡°click¡±, Zhou Jinheng was the only one left in the huge conference room.


    The mobile phone also turned on smoothly at this time. Seeing the little fool with his big smile on the wallpaper, for the first time Zhou Jinheng did not rush past impatiently but stared for a long time until the screen switched off with timeout and the little fool¡¯s face suddenly disappeared from sight.


    His heart felt heavy, as if being dragged down by something. Zhou Jinheng took a few deep breaths, tried to suppress the uneasiness spreading in his heart, clicked on the phone again and unlocked it.


    Almost at the same time, the mobile phone started vibrating again and again and text messages that could not be received at the award ceremony venue because of a bad signal poured in at the same time.


    When the phone stopped shaking completely, Zhou Jinheng moved his stiff thumb and clicked on the SMS interface.


    More than a dozen missed call prompts, all from ¡°a HuiHui¡±.


    The little fool didn¡¯t know that he had left his mobile phone in the car after he got drunk that day and never touched it again, not to mention that when he returned to work in the capital, he simply bought a new mobile phone and changed his number along the way.


    The little fool didn¡¯t know anything, he just remembered what he had promised and called the number that he had abandoned a long time ago over and over again, looking forward to him coming back for his birthday.


    The time of incoming calls was very regular. From 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. the next night, there was a call every half an hour, as if for fear of disturbing him. Zhou Jinheng could even imagine the cautious and expectant look of the little fool when he dialed the phone.


    He must have prepared flowers and a cake, his favorite white, his favorite flavor.


    Putting down the phone, Zhou Jinheng closed his eyes. In the past two days, he had been busy with work and looking for the little fool everywhere. At this time, there was no one around, so exhaustion crept up between his eyebrows.


    In addition to being tired, what he didn¡¯t want to open his eyes to was the sudden influx of memories the string of these missed calls caused.


    He remembered. On his birthday, he was blindly drunk. He heard from others that Fang Yuqing was back. He drove to the airport on impulse. It was only halfway down the road, in the cold wind, that he realized the news was so full of holes that it was clearly a joke played on him.


    He remembered his anger after realizing that he had been deceived and he also remembered how he beat up the joker but he forgot the mobile phone that was thrown in the back seat and the agreement with the little fool.


    The author has something to say: he will know in the next chapter.

 CH 9

    On the second day after the competition, the three Jiang family members did not stay in the capital and bought the tickets to return immediately.


    Before leaving, they took the time to visit a few relatives and friends. Except for Yi Hui¡¯s teacher, all of them were friends of Father Jiang during his lifetime. Talking about the past, Jiang Xuemei, as cheerful as she was, couldn¡¯t help but shed tears. Yi Hui listened in silence, gaining an intuitive understanding of the Jiang family and a deeper sense of the great selflessness of a mother¡¯s love.


    On the way to the railway station, they passed a park famous for its lakes and hills. Jiang Xuemei pointed to the sparkling lake and said to Yi Hui, ¡°It was here that your dad and I had our first date back then. He quit his well-paid job for me and came to the capital to start from scratch. At that time, I thought, if I have a child in the future, I will name him or her ¡®Hui¡®.¡± (sunshine/to shine)


    Before Yi Hui could react, Jiang Yimang was displeased, puffed out her cheeks and complained that her parents were biased and gave the name to the boy first.


    While Jiang Xuemei was coaxing her daughter, Yi Hui put his head against the window and recalled the past things about his family, especially his mother.


    Perhaps it was another coincidence. His mother had also told him that his ¡°Hui¡± was taken from ¡°All things bright and beautiful¡± in hope that he would always be bathed in the sun; optimistic, confident and carefree.


    But he let her down.


    He pinned all his hopes on one man, walking on thin ice all day long, worrying about personal gains and losses, using great wisdom to cover up self-deception, and finally ended up with such a bleak end. There was no one to blame but himself.


    Back in the small town, Yi Hui first went to his appointment with Dr. Liu.


    Before going to the capital, Yi Hui had met him with his hair cut short and at his guidance dropped some of his guard, half-heartedly confessing some confusion.


    After a simple greeting, Dr. Liu cut directly to the point: ¡°Do you still have nightmares these days?¡±


    Yi Hui was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head and said, ¡°Not much anymore.¡±


    Dr. Liu leaned forward and showed that he was listening: ¡°Looking at your expression, it seems that you have a new problem?¡±


    Yi Hui lowered his head; his gaze fell on his clasped hands, his thumb rubbing the back of his hand unconsciously, and said slowly: ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t draw people anymore.¡±


    ¡°People? Are you referring to everyone in the world, or a specific person?¡±


    Yi Hui took a gulp of air and said, ¡°A specific¡­ one person.¡±


    Dr. Liu observed his state, and after a while, he asked again, ¡°Do you want to avoid him or forget him?¡±


    After the shock of being seen through so thoroughly, Yi Hui was silent for a long time. He seemed calm, but his lowered eyelashes were trembling, revealing his inner tension and struggle.


    Maybe there was still a bit of panic, the panic of never going back and never seeing that man again.


    Seeing that he didn¡¯t answer, Dr. Liu put it another way: ¡°Do you want to abandon the past completely, or do you want to cover your ears while stealing a bell and watch him from a distance, secretly, where no one else can see?¡±


    Breathing heavily, unable to make a judgement or a choice, Yi Hui was in a state of anxiety. Now that he had a brain that was a hundred times smarter than before, he should be able to figure out everything, but this problem seemed to be beyond the limit of what he could handle. Fragmented images flashed before his eyes and his brain was overwhelmed, sending out a howling alarm of overload


    In the end, Dr. Liu interrupted his thinking and did not force him to give an answer immediately.


    Before leaving, he told Yi Hui: ¡°If you are eager to get rid of the influence of something or someone on you and emerge from the past, the first prerequisite is to believe in yourself.¡±


    ¡°Even if you have a terrible dream, you have to believe that you will not sit still in the real world, let alone repeat the same mistakes. This is something you can do as long as you are alive and breathing.¡±


    When he woke up again from his dream, the glass teacup next to the bed reflected the light from the window, and the water in it was so clear and transparent that it seemed like a dream bubble.


    Zhou Jinheng spread out his palms in front of his eyes, letting the cold sweat from his palms evaporate and his eyes skimmed over the varying depths of his palm lines that reminded him of a scene from long ago.


    He called it ¡®long ago¡¯, but by careful calculation it must have been only a little over two years ago. At that time, he and Yi Hui had just moved in together and they were under the high-pressure supervision of their elders. He went home frequently; as a result, his time spent with Yi Hui was stretched out indefinitely.


    He couldn¡¯t help it, he was upset and irritable, and he didn¡¯t know how to give anyone a good face. Yi Hui was the opposite of him. Who knows who had brainwashed him, but he thought he had been coming back on his own initiative and he was happy like a fool all the time.


    No, he was a fool to begin with.


    Zhou Jinheng was a little surprised that he was suddenly muddle-headed enough to treat him like a normal person. At first he pulled up the corners of his mouth in a smile and then, as he looked at the curved and extended lines on his palm, the self-deprecation in his smile gradually receded, replaced by a rare touch of tenderness.


    In those days the little fool used to lie on the edge of the bed and hold his hand while he slept, rubbing his soft fingers against his palm and mumbling something under his breath.


    Because his movements were too soft and his voice was too low, Zhou Jinheng woke up only two or three times when sleeping lightly. By chance, he was in a good mood and he patiently listened to Yi Hui¡¯s explanation of his reasons for doing so.


    ¡°Your lifeline is very long, much longer than mine, but the love line is a little shorter¡­ But it doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ll touch it for you and blow on it, and it will get longer.¡±


    At that time, Zhou Jinheng sneered with disdain: ¡°Do you know what love is?¡±


    The little fool was shy, blushed and hesitated for a long time, and said, ¡°I know, I know, I just want to see you and want to be with you every day.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng picked up Doraemon at the head of the bed and threw it into his arms: ¡°You spend time with this thing every day, do you love it?¡±


    The little fool panicked and hurriedly explained: ¡°No, it¡¯s different, it¡¯s my friend, you¡¯re my¡­ my husband.¡±


    The last few words were as thin as a mosquito squeak and after saying them, he buried his face in Doraemon¡¯s belly, the tips of his ears red.


    This kind of appearance could always arouse an almost vicious desire in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s body. He propped up, leaned in front of Yi Hui, pressed his lips to his hot ears and asked him in a wicked manner: ¡°You know to call me husband but do you want to f*ck?¡±


    The little fool was trembling all over with heat gushing in his ears from the low voice. He wanted to retreat but couldn¡¯t bear it. For fear that Zhou Jinheng would change his mind if he didn¡¯t agree quickly, he raised his head and showed two moist black eyes. He looked at him obsessively, his voice was muffled but clear: ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you, whatever you want, I¡¯ll give it.¡±


    Coming out of the bathroom, Zhou Jinheng wiped his hair grimly, silently expressing his irritation with rough movements.


    It¡¯s not as if you can help it in your dreams; but if you wake up and keep thinking about it in broad daylight, it can get out of hand.


    Wiping his hair a few more times indiscriminately, Zhou Jinheng threw the towel on the floor. He picked up the phone again. The screen was empty and there was no new news.


    He didn¡¯t know where else to look, so he had to ask everyone in S City who was a bit capable, including the few dog friends he couldn¡¯t bear. He should have gotten feedback by now, but why was there no movement at all?


    It seemed that the little fool made up his mind to avoid him this time, so he deliberately did not let him find him.


    He knew that the little fool was actually not that stupid, otherwise how could he hide for so long, otherwise how could he let him¡­¡­


    Zhou Jinheng raised his hand and ran his fingers through his wet hair a few times, walking back and forth. The sudden ringing of the phone made him temporarily forget this unidentified irritability, but he was even more frustrated when he picked it up because he didn¡¯t hear the voice he wanted to hear.


    Fang Yuqing on the other end of the line sensed something: ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You don¡¯t seem very happy I¡¯m calling?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Zhou Jinheng denied subconsciously, ¡°I just got up, I was a little tired.¡±


    Fang Yuqing did not doubt that and explained his intentions succinctly: ¡°My works will be on display at the art exhibition of the Art Museum this weekend. I wonder if I can be fortunate enough to invite a big star to come and accompany me?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°I have work this weekend.¡±


    ¡°Is it an important job?¡±


    ¡°En, it¡¯s very important.¡±


    Fang Yuqing was taken aback for a while, then quickly adjusted his mood and the tone of his voice did not sound the least bit different: ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a pity, let¡¯s talk about it next time we have a chance.¡±


    After hanging up, Zhou Jinheng stood holding his mobile phone, feeling belated doubts about what he had just said.


    This was the first time he refused Fang Yuqing¡¯s invitation and he prevaricated it with lies.


    He took a full week off and he expected it would take one day to get back the little fool who ran away from home.


    What about the remaining few days?


    In fact, it was completely possible to agree. After all, he had never refused Fang Yuqing¡¯s request. Even when Fang Yuqing insisted on going abroad that year, he did not say ¡°no¡±.


    His inherent pride made him unable to beg humbly. Just like when facing a marriage forced on him, he had to muddle through, resist passively, stick his neck out and refuse to relent, and then naturally take out his anger and resentment he had nowhere else to vent on to the little fool.


    But what about the little fool?


    Zhou Jinheng, who accidentally figured it out because of an unrelated phone call, exhaled and smiled in relief.


    Since he had asked for enough leave, it would be better to take the little fool to the amusement park during the weekend. He thought about the little fool writing this wish on the back of the card he gave him a while ago. Maybe the crooked childish writing was too ugly, since he actually remembered it.


    They could go to the amusement park in the capital and along the way go to the restaurant with the glazed dome for dinner. It was more beautiful when the lights were brightly lit at night; it would definitely make the little fool exclaim with excitement again.


    Waiting until night¡­ Thinking about this, Zhou Jinheng felt a little embarrassed and then thought: don¡¯t they already have a veritable relationship, just a piece of paper is missing, so why can¡¯t he think about it?


    The little fool even looked good when he cried, so it was not impossible to praise him in bed.


    Planning to get this far, Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t help but think that if he had praised the little fool and smiled at him a little more instead of talking to him with unwarranted disgust, maybe he wouldn¡¯t run away from home.


    The little fool wanted very little, very little, if he had given him one-tenth of the patience he gave to Fang Yuqing before, he wouldn¡¯t have to sit here alone now.


    Zhou Jinheng, who had tasted regret for the first time, felt a little helpless, not knowing whether to cry or to laugh. For a while, he didn¡¯t know whether to blame the little fool for being too stupid, or to scold his former self for being naive and ridiculous.


    Idle time was idle time. Zhou Jinheng decided to destroy some evidence before the little fool came home.


    He poured water on the pot of snowflakes, learning from the little fool to use the watering can to fill every leaf with a drop of water.


    He couldn¡¯t find the exact same Doraemon, so he just threw it in the washing machine and washed it up. When he took it out, it looked a bit deformed and its stomach was still gray. He rolled up his sleeves and scrubbed it with his hands. His hand shook and he poured too much washing powder, so he had to rinse it several times before barely squeezing out the foam.


    He put the washed doll on the bay window, turning it over every ten minutes to ensure a uniform suntan, then deciding to clean up the studio while he had time.


    However, no one had been there for almost a month, and a thin layer of dust accumulated on the surfaces of the cabinets, table and chairs. Thinking that soon everything here would be moved to the sunrise room, Zhou Jinheng just wiped them casually.


    When he finished wiping the dust, he passed by the painting board and saw the half-finished portrait. As if taking a chill pill, he felt the nerves that had been tense for days finally relaxing a little.


    The painting wasn¡¯t finished, so the little fool would definitely come back.


    Thinking about the little fool having the audacity to say that he wanted to buy a house for him with the money from selling paintings, Zhou Jinheng chuckled. In addition to finding it interesting, he also suddenly felt some expectation.


    Thus, when he received the phone call in such a good mood, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s first reaction was to think that he had heard it wrong.


    He changed his shoes, picked up the key and went out. While thinking about which car to drive to pick up the little fool, he frowned and asked, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    On the other end of the phone was the young master of the fire-fighting equipment company. He had been chasing Zhou Jinheng to get into his favor all the time, always sweet-talking with his glib tongue. Now somehow he stammered, ¡°We found it, it¡¯s on the mountain in the countryside.¡±


    With every word he heard, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face turned a shade colder.


    His heartbeat was erratic and his forehead throbbed wildly, causing swelling pain in his temples. The uneasiness that he had been suppressing with self-comfort was making a comeback, with the backlash so powerful that it didn¡¯t even give him a chance to breathe.


    His eyes dimmed and his limbs and joints refused to obey him. Zhou Jinheng slowly took out his old mobile phone from his pocket, looked at the smiling face of the little fool on the screen and asked, ¡°Which mountain did you find? What did you find?¡±


    After all, it was an urgent matter of life and death, and when the man heard that his voice was quite calm and not as thunderous as usual, he had the courage to repeat it: ¡°Qingdai Mountain on the outskirts of the city. We found the corpse.¡±


    The weather in S City in early autumn could change at a moment¡¯s notice. Just now the sun had disappeared from the clear sky, and the rain overfilling the black clouds started falling.


    The voice in his ears gradually faded, ¡°the police just arrived¡±, ¡°the scene is being blocked¡±, ¡°your brother-in-law is also here¡±¡­ Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t hear anything.


    His mind was blank, his heart was emptied and a barrier seemed to be erected around him to block out all the noise.


    Only the water falling from the sky still had the ability to penetrate the barrier. A drop of rain on the phone blurred Yi Hui¡¯s face. He hurriedly wiped it with his hand. His fingers slipped on the screen and unlocked it accidentally. Six words unexpectedly jumped into his eyes.


    He put down his mobile phone, looked back and vaguely saw that in the big house shrouded in dark clouds, Yi Hui was leaning over the table, writing ¡°Waiting for you to go home¡± with his scalded hand.


    In the most clumsy way in the world, the little fool spent three years taking those words apart, then crumbling and grinding them in an attempt to quietly and silently pour them into his heart.


    And he didn¡¯t piece them together until today, three years later, when he finally remembered to look back.

 CH 10

    On the night of the return home, Yi Hui received a call from Tang Wenxi: ¡°Why did you leave so soon?¡±


    Yi Hui told him truthfully: ¡°After the competition, I had nothing else to do, so I went home.¡±


    Tang Wenxi said regretfully: ¡°It¡¯s a pity¡­ There¡¯s an art exhibition at school this weekend and we were thinking of asking you to come along.¡±


    The words ¡±we¡± reminded Yi Hui of the old acquaintance he met by chance when he was talking to Tang Wenxi last time. He couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. His empty hand clenched into a fist and shrank into his sleeve: ¡°You, just go and see it by yourself, never mind me.¡±


    ¡°Never mind you? How can that work, we are old classmates. You left in such a hurry the day before yesterday and we didn¡¯t have time to have a meal together. Next time don¡¯t you dare to shirk it off.¡±


    Hearing that he was as enthusiastic as when they met face-to-face, Yi Hui gradually relaxed.


    When they parted, Tang Wenxi asked for his mobile phone number but he didn¡¯t expect him to call so soon. At that time, when he saw Yang Chengxuan, Yi Hui was too busy panicking. Now that he was sitting at home far away from the capital, he felt safe enough to think about this friendship that originally belonged to Jiang Yihui.


    From the few words during their previous chat, Yi Hui noticed that Tang Wenxi admired Jiang Yihui. He called Jiang Yihui an ¡°art genius¡± and there was just a bit of envy but no jealousy in it. It meant that Jiang Yihui¡¯s talent was recognized by the people around him.


    But Yi Hui was different. He started drawing in elementary school simply because he liked it and his family was well off. No one put pressure on him. He was not motivated to learn and he never compared himself with others. He could paint whatever he wanted. His level of painting was definitely different from that of Jiang Yihui who had specialized in painting.


    The lack of confidence made Yi Hui very nervous. He was so anxious he felt like hanging up the phone without saying a word.


    Tang Wenxi on the other end didn¡¯t notice anything. He chatted with Yi Hui about art-related topics. Seeing that Yi Hui was holding back, unwilling to talk more, he complained: ¡°Classmate Jiang, what¡¯s the matter with you? You weren¡¯t like that before. Even though you don¡¯t usually talk much, when it comes to painting, you are full of energy. You alone could speak for the whole hour.¡±


    Yi Hui was taken aback for a moment. He looked at his reflection in the window glass, unable to imagine this face looking confident and eloquent.


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know what to say, no one will listen.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tang Wenxi raised his voice, ¡°I listen, we all like to listen. Promise me, if you have time in the future, you must come back to school often.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Yi Hui sat alone in the studio for a long time.


    He knew that they liked Jiang Yihui, not him.


    No one would like him.


    Even though someone once said ¡°like¡± to him, it was against his will and they had other purposes.


    Whose ¡°like¡± was like that? Rude, perfunctory, insulting to the extreme. Anyone with a little intelligence could have seen how much he hated him.


    Yi Hui walked outside, squatted down in front of the pot of iron jasmine that had been moved indoors because of the cool weather, reached out and touched its dark green leaves, exhaling slowly.


    That¡¯s right, if no one likes him, no one will miss him, and if no one misses him, no one will be sad.


    What Yi Hui didn¡¯t know was that in S City, more than a thousand kilometers away, everything was in a mess because of him.


    On the outskirts of the southern part of the city, the sound of police sirens echoed in the mountain. High-watt LED lights illuminated the surrounding grass in a ghastly white light and a small house not far away also shared the little light as well, casting a low, dark shadow on the muddy ground.


    There were traffic jams on the way and the mountain road was slippery with the rain. It took a lot of time to get up the mountain. Zhou Jinheng trekked through the mud on the mountain path to find this place. A group of police officers exited from the hut.


    The night on the mountain was wet and cold, and his hair and body were soaked by the rain but Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t realize it. He pushed his way through the crowd into the hut and looked around. There was no one inside.


    The man who called him to report the news was still there. He took his arm and dragged him out, as if he thought this place was gloomy and unlucky: ¡°Young Master Zhou, Young Master Zhou, please come out. He has been shipped away. I called you several times but you didn¡¯t answer¡­¡±


    Zhou Jinheng seemed to have not heard, threw him away and walked in again.


    He spent a minute turning the small room upside down, looking behind the curtains, under the wooden table, under the bed, wherever he could. He pursed his lips tightly without saying a word and searched every corner thoughtfully, preparing not to stop until he got the result.


    In the end, he was dragged out by the police. When he kept trying to go inside again unconsciously, they seriously said that he would be charged with obstructing official duties and destroying the scene.


    Zhou Jinheng suddenly reacted when he heard this: ¡°What scene?¡±


    Police: ¡°The crime scene.¡±


    ¡°What crime?¡±


    ¡°Murder.¡± The police thought he was here to make trouble. After answering, they dragged him outside the cordon and announced, ¡°Start clearing the site, evacuate as soon as possible.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was pushed to the periphery, nearly ten meters away from the hut. He didn¡¯t give up and rushed in regardless. Several people grabbed his shoulders and dragged back his arms at the same time. He couldn¡¯t move, staring at the small house hidden in the dark.


    He didn¡¯t know that his eyes were bright red and bloodshot, his chest was heaving violently, his breathing rapid, and strands of wet hair were stuck to his forehead. His pants were dirty with mud and his clothes were soaked and mottled by the rain. He looked wretched, his usual glamorous appearance gone without a trace.


    The sound of pattering rain was mixed with the sound of the police transcribing the conversation with the owner who had just arrived.¡ª¡ª


    ¡°How old is this house?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember, more than ten years, right? In the wilderness, no one lived there for so many years, who would remember?¡±


    ¡°Then how did you make a deal with the deceased?¡±


    ¡°I live at the foot of this mountain, there, just to the south, where the light is. I walked up the mountain that day and saw him wandering around, so I asked him what he was doing. He was so happy when he heard that I was the owner of this house and asked me if this house was for sale.¡±


    ¡°Then you sold it to him?¡±


    ¡°Hey, how can I do it? There¡¯s no title to this crummy house either. How could I, a good law-abiding citizen, do this kind of business? But he, a few days later, he came here again and said that he wanted to buy this house. I refused to sell it. He chased after my *ss and said that he could pay as much as I wanted. I thought he was very sincere, so I decided to rent it to him to play for a couple of days and helped him move some furniture from the bottom of the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Did you give him the key?¡±


    ¡°I gave it, how could I not? I got paid with one hand and delivered the key with the other.¡±


    The police showed a photo from the phone to the homeowner: ¡°Are you sure it was him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s him. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s him. He¡¯s a handsome young man but he talks stupidly. Here-¡± The homeowner pointed at his head and lowered his voice. ¡°There may be something wrong. He¡¯s a fool. I gave him the key. He confirmed with me several times and asked if the house belonged to him from now on¡­¡±


    As soon as he said that, there was a burst of noise next to him. Zhou Jinheng suddenly broke free from those who held him, rushed over extremely fast, grabbed the homeowner by the collar and pulled him up, looking down at him and shouting, ¡°Who did you call a fool? He is not a fool, you are mistaken, right? Tell me you are mistaken!¡±


    The owner was taken aback, hesitating to say anything, and the people around him hurriedly pulled Zhou Jinheng away.


    In the chaos, he saw the photo on the screen of the police officer¡¯s mobile phone. The man on it had a white face and a few strands of short soft hair falling onto his forehead, covering most of his black eyes.


    The man was smiling brightly at the camera, just like on the lock screen wallpaper of the phone Zhou Jinheng clenched in his palm, grinning wide to reveal two small, sharp tiger teeth.


    When he arrived at the hospital, Zhou Jinheng still couldn¡¯t tell the difference between reality and illusion.


    He was very clear about his goal of coming here. He asked the information desk and walked to the morgue quickly. He didn¡¯t get a chance. The staff said that the body had just been taken away by relatives.


    ¡°His brother said he wanted him to be sent to the capital for cremation and his father also signed and agreed.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heartbeat was still very fast but his brain was running faster: ¡°Don¡¯t you need to do an autopsy?¡±


    The staff member replied: ¡°An autopsy, you say? It¡¯s been done. Hypoxia combined with hypothermia triggered cardiac arrest. There doesn¡¯t seem to be any signs of external injury.¡± Seeing Zhou Jinheng¡¯s blank expression, he reluctantly added, ¡°It¡¯s not a very painful way to go and it¡¯s been cold recently, so the corpse is not unrecognizable.¡±


    After coming out of the hospital, those words kept circling in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s head ¨C the corpse, the scene of the crime, it was a fool, unrecognizable.


    Unrecognizable, how could it be possible? Yi Hui¡¯s appearance was so clear that he could see him smiling as soon as he closed his eyes.


    He didn¡¯t know where to go. He returned home again. The Doraemon doll was lying on the bay window and the unfinished painting was still there. Zhou Jinheng breathed a sigh of relief.


    The little fool didn¡¯t take his favorite thing and he didn¡¯t finish painting. How could he die?


    He wouldn¡¯t die.


    The man who notified Zhou Jinheng of the news was probably afraid that something would happen to him. He had been following him since the mountain. When he saw his expression relax, he thought he had calmed down. He said something like ¡±Sorry for your loss¡°, but when he saw that he didn¡¯t have any special reaction, he boldly added: ¡°As the saying goes, if something old doesn¡¯t go, something new won¡¯t come. This is all God¡¯s will. We have long said that Young Master Yi was not worthy of you. How could he be worthy?¡±


    Anyone who had heard of the relationship between the two of them also knew that Zhou Jinheng hated Yi Hui. They never attended any kind of gatherings together, and when he was free, he would hang out in bars all night and never go home. When he mentioned Yi Hui occasionally, his eyes were full of contempt. A blind man could see that if he could have kicked Yi Hui away, he would have kicked him away a long time ago.


    Therefore, the man took it for granted that it was the result Zhou Jinheng wanted and smugly patted him on the back. Unexpectedly, Zhou Jinheng reacted strongly and looked at him with eyes a hundred times sharper than before: ¡°How many of you? Which ones?¡±


    It was completely dark.


    When they arrived at the bar, the people were forewarned and were about to run away, but Zhou Jinheng blocked them at the back door.


    ¡°Who locked him in?¡± Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face was grim and his voice was low. ¡°Speak!¡±


    The three of them were smiling playfully a moment ago but now they were so frightened that they tried to back away. They looked at each other and none of them dared to speak.


    They took a step back and Zhou Jinheng took two steps forward. The fierce aura of hostility emanating from his body filled the narrow passage, enveloping them. Obviously, he was one against three but they were frightened to cold sweat, their usual arrogance dissipating without a trace.


    It was only when they were cornered and had nowhere to retreat that the three shivering men spoke up and started pushing each other ¨C


    ¡°It was him. He saw Master Yi coming to meet you and asked us to go and tease him together.¡±


    ¡°You are talking cr*p! Obviously it was you, you said you wanted to see if he was really stupid and you dragged me along¡­¡±


    ¡°Master Zhou, listen to me. I didn¡¯t participate. This matter has nothing to do with me. When the two of them said that they were going to send Young Master Yi up the mountain, I didn¡¯t follow them. I also advised them not to overdo it.¡±


    ¡°What a load of fart! You were the one who was enticing him the most and saying how you would help him see if Young Master Zhou would like his birthday present.¡±


    ¡°But it wasn¡¯t me who did that prank, was it? It was you, you locked the door before you left and told him to behave himself and wait for Young Master Zhou in the house.¡±


    ¡°How was I supposed to know you took the key? It was out in the middle of nowhere and no one could hear him screaming for help.¡±


    ¡°Who knew he was so stupid, told him to wait and he would really stay still. If he had a normal mind, he would get out through the window and run away.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t have the patience to listen to the rest of the bullsh*t, and his anger, which was at a critical point, was ignited without warning. He rushed forward, pressed down the man and hit him, starting at the key parts, his fists falling on his head, face and chest, every time as fierce as it could be.


    When the police arrived, the three of them were already unconscious on the ground, unable to move. Zhou Jinheng was still sitting on one of them, swinging one punch after another tirelessly with the muffled sound of heavy blows landing on the bloodied flesh.


    Even when being pulled away by the police, he still held the man¡¯s shirt and refused to let go. He stared at him with bloodthirsty eyes like a beast and asked with a hideous expression: ¡°Who do you say is stupid? You F*cker speak!¡±


    While the three unconscious people were taken to the hospital by ambulance, Zhou Jinheng was sitting in the interrogation room of the police station. The new clothes he had changed to welcome someone home were covered with blood stains and he couldn¡¯t tell which ones were his own and which ones belonged to others.


    He was handed a tissue to wipe his face. He didn¡¯t answer or cooperate in making a statement. The police had to turn around and question someone else.


    The man who had been with Zhou Jinheng for the whole day was desperate. He didn¡¯t know how he got into all this trouble trying to butter him up a little, but he helplessly made up a story for the police: ¡°Young Master Zhou, you should know him, right? He is an actor, just getting life experience in the bar, it¡¯s all just a joke, a joke.¡±


    The police were well-informed and didn¡¯t believe in this set-up: ¡°Getting life experience? Is he preparing for a remake of Goodfellas, beating someone to death?¡±


    Soon after, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s father, Zhou Huarong, arrived and slapped him twice without saying a word: ¡°Look at what you did!¡±


    Zhou Jinheng turned his head when he was slapped, still silent, without even lifting his eyelids.


    When he saw the wounds on his son¡¯s face, Zhou Huarong¡¯s heart softened. He sighed and lowered his voice to say uncomfortably: ¡°I have already explained the circumstances to the lawyer. Those people are fully responsible. It has nothing to do with you. When the police ask you later, just admit your mistake and say that it was a minor conflict and a momentary impulse, so that I can bail you out as soon as possible.¡±


    Only then did Zhou Jinheng react. He turned to look at Zhou Huarong, his voice hoarse when he opened his mouth: ¡°What responsibility?¡±


    Zhou Huarong was dumbfounded: ¡°Of course Yi Hui¡¯s death is their responsibility and it has nothing to do with our family. Don¡¯t talk nonsense after you go out and quit messing around for a while¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Jinheng interrupted: ¡°Who is dead?¡± Then he said to himself, ¡°He is not dead.¡±


    His expression was indifferent, and only after a closer look one could discover that it was not indifference but numbness and stubbornness of someone who was not going to listen to anyone and was completely immersed in his own world.


    It was a sleepless night.


    The capital in the early morning was already autumn-like, misty as if in a layer of gauze, the air dry and cold, and the wind felt like the night dew had penetrated the lungs.


    Finding the corresponding house number from his memory, Zhou Jinheng had little hope when he pressed the doorbell. There might be no one inside, and even if someone was, he probably wouldn¡¯t open the door for him.


    So when the door opened, he was stunned at first and then hurriedly asked, ¡°Where is Yi Hui?¡±


    His heart that had been dead all night leapt to life, and when he saw that the man at the door was silent, he asked impatiently, ¡°Is he here? I want to see him.¡±


    If he had been paying attention, he would have noticed that the man he called his brother-in-law was still wearing a suit and had not had time to take it off. Obviously, he had just returned from somewhere. From the fatigue of his face, it could be inferred that he also stayed up all night.


    Cheng Feichi looked at Zhou Jinheng up and down silently and finally cast his gaze on his colorful face, his eyes as cold as a knife: ¡°Not here.¡±


    The response made Zhou Jinheng excited: ¡°You have taken him away, he is here with you, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°He is dead.¡± Cheng Feichi said mercilessly without hesitation.


    The little smile that had just appeared on his face froze; Zhou Jinheng was speechless.


    Cheng Feichi didn¡¯t plan to relent and asked rhetorically: ¡°Don¡¯t you know how he died?¡±


    There was a continuous buzzing in his mind and scattered fragments whistled past his eyes ¨C the barren mountain in the rain, the low dilapidated house, the dazzling bright red blood, the smiling face blurred by the raindrops.


    The voices in his ears were noisy and disordered, as if they all came from another world. There were some words spoken that he did not understand and a cruel fact depicted that he did not agree with.


    A fact? No, impossible, he didn¡¯t believe it.


    With his lips twitching, Zhou Jinheng gritted his teeth and replied: ¡°He¡¯s, not, dead.¡±


    Just three words seemed to have exhausted the little strength he had left. When he raised his head again, the light in his eyes disappeared and his trembling voice seemed to beg: ¡°He¡¯s not dead, please¡­ let me meet him.¡±

 CH 11

    Closing his eyes after more than thirty hours without sleep, Zhou Jinheng had a lucid dream.


    The so-called lucid dreams meant knowing that you were in a dream and still having a sense of autonomy. But even if everything in front of him was illusory, he could only watch as a spectator, unable to move, unable to speak and unable to participate in anything, even though it was something he had experienced, something that had really happened.


    He saw Yi Hui sitting curled up in the corner, alone in a small and cramped room.


    He held his phone tightly and two minutes later he lit up the screen to see the time, calculating something soundlessly. It was hard to wait for the whole hour; he hurriedly exhaled some warmth on the palm of his hand and opened the dial-up interface to make a call to the contact named ¡°husband¡±.


    The long beep turned into a series of short ones. While listening, Yi Hui recalled what the people who sent him up the mountain said. They said that Young Master Zhou had gone to find his first love. That man was beautiful, smart and could draw, so he would definitely not come tonight.


    Every time he thought about it, Yi Hui¡¯s face paled and his hand holding the phone trembled. No one answered at the other end.


    Zhou Jinheng in his dream was very anxious. Just as he was about to step forward and hug the trembling man, the picture suddenly turned and he walked past a department store in the center of S City.


    He saw himself and Yi Hui walking side by side in the street. After the blind date dinner arranged by the two families three years ago, the two of them were pushed out for a walk by their elders on the grounds that ¡°the two of them need to chat nicely¡±.


    Yi Hui blushed unnaturally and walked very slowly. He was so nervous that he looked for a topic desperately: ¡°You, do you like painting?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng, with his hands in his pockets, still looked to be in his teens. He frowned impatiently, thinking of his first love who left him to learn to paint. His tone was not good: ¡°Don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Yi Hui let out an ¡±oh¡±. He was surprised and a little lost at the same time, but quickly regained his spirit and continued to search for topics: ¡°Then do you like to catch dolls?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was very annoyed. He just wanted to get rid of this fool quickly. He turned into the department store on the side of the road, his face cold, and stood in front of a row of doll catching machines at the door.


    Yi Hui trotted to keep up, and when he saw Zhou Jinheng buying tokens, he was surprised and said, ¡°Can you catch dolls?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng ignored him and started to insert the tokens as soon as he exchanged them. However, he was irritable and lacked patience, and he didn¡¯t catch anything after spending most of his money.


    When he stepped up and raised his leg to give the crappy machine a kick, Yi Hui, standing in front of another machine, waved at him: ¡°Grab this, this one has a round head, it must be easy to catch.¡±


    He hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly walked over, inserted the token, manipulated the joystick, saw that the position was right, lowered the claws and, sure enough, caught it.


    Yi Hui applauded and cheered like a child. When he got the Doraemon doll, his face was full of disbelief: ¡°This, this is for me?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng said perfunctorily, ¡°En, it¡¯s for you.¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s face turned redder and he said ¡°thank you¡± shyly, with a conspicuous faint blush spreading to his auricles.


    He thought this would make this fool quiet for a while, but who knew that it didn¡¯t take long before he started chattering again: ¡°How did you know that I like Doraemon?¡­¡­This Doraemon is so cute, I want to place it at home, on the bed, so that I can see it every day¡­ By the way, what do you like, can you tell me?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was so annoyed by him that he had a headache and stopped abruptly. Yi Hui didn¡¯t stop in time, knocked his head on his shoulder and covered his forehead with a little ¡°ah¡± in pain.


    ¡°I like quiet.¡± Zhou Jinheng turned around and said to him with a cold face, ¡°It¡¯s best to make a home on a barren mountain in the future, with no one to bother.¡±


    Yi Hui was so frightened that he shrank his neck. When Zhou Jinheng turned around and continued to stride forward, Yi Hui rubbed his head and tried to keep up immediately, hugging the doll: ¡°Mountains, I like mountains too. When I sell my paintings and have money, I will build a small house on the mountain and invite you to play, okay?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng, who was watching, wanted to step forward and tell him that he had just said it casually, don¡¯t take it seriously. But in a whirlwind, he passed onto the next scene without warning.


    It was a caf¨¦ where they met one last time before they got married.


    Yi Hui learned from Zhou Jinheng to order a glass of iced Americano. He opened his mouth and took a sip. It was so bitter that he frowned. Seeing that the man on the opposite side of the table had drunk half a glass nonchalantly, he hurriedly hid his exaggerated expression and asked him about his preferences as if unintentionally: ¡°Do you usually drink this?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t come to chat with him. Thinking of his father¡¯s words, he said bluntly: ¡°Let¡¯s get married.¡±


    He choked on the coffee he had just swallowed and his mouth was instantly overflowing with bitterness. Yi Hui¡¯s eyes teared up but his heart was bubbling with sweetness. He covered his mouth and said ¡°Okay¡± even before the coughing stopped.


    After a while, he realized that he had agreed too quickly and was not reserved enough. He glanced at the handsome boy sitting opposite him, then withdrew his gaze shyly, then couldn¡¯t help but take another look and mustered up his courage to ask in a low voice: ¡°Then you¡­ do you like me?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was a little surprised, then raised the corners of his mouth in a smile: ¡°Like, of course I like you.¡±


    Yi Hui, who heard the answer he wanted, grinned and overlooked the contempt that flashed in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s smile, just like Zhou Jinheng later who also overlooked his sincere and deep love.


    When he woke up, the sun was shining outside the window. Zhou Jinheng was in cold sweat, panting and looking at the clock. Less than an hour had passed since he laid down but he had been in his dream for three years.


    Raising his hand to cover his eyes, in the dark, he could still see the endless pictures in his dream.


    He saw Yi Hui shrinking in the corner of the hut, with his back against the cold wall, again and again, dialling the number that had been turned off and discarded.


    The nights in the mountains were cold and Yi Hui was wearing only a thin shirt. His lips were white with chill and his hands were shaking badly. He shed tears of panic and fear in despair again and again, and then quickly wiped them off with his sleeves, as if he was worried that someone would come later and see it. He didn¡¯t want that man to see him crying ugly.


    Besides, today was the man¡¯s birthday, so he couldn¡¯t cry.


    He put his ear to the wall, hoping to hear footsteps, but the wind was so strong that he could only hear the sound of tree branches shaking and rustling. After a while, he closed his eyes and when he opened them again, the tears in his eyes had disappeared and the light of expectation dimmed.


    He picked up the phone and calculated that the time had not yet arrived. He was afraid that he would disturb that man too often. He hooked his stiff fingers and pressed ¡°110¡± on the keyboard. When he was about to press the dial, he suddenly remembered that he was an adult. Only children could look for a policeman uncle. After struggling for a while, he deleted the number.


    He waited and waited, but no one ever knocked on the locked wooden door.


    By the time he was so cold that he couldn¡¯t feel his body, his breathing became weak. He couldn¡¯t open his eyes and he couldn¡¯t even pinch his thighs or bite his lips hard enough to force himself awake.


    In a daze, he kind of believed what those people said.


    After a while, perhaps he understood, or had a premonition. He clicked on the SMS interface vigorously, put his head against the wall for support and tapped the keyboard with his frozen fingers to send a text message to his brother who was far away in the capital.¡ª¡ª


    [Brother, he treats me very well, don¡¯t worry about me anymore]


    As long as he did this, his brother wouldn¡¯t blame him.


    After sending the text message, Yi Hui dialled the number for the last time. Amidst the rapid beeps that sounded both far and near in his ears, he tried to raise the corners of his mouth and said to the cold air in a hoarse and almost inaudible voice: ¡°Happy birthday.¡±


    When he came to the foot of Qingdai Mountain on the outskirts of S City again, the police had already cleaned up the scene.


    When he found the owner of the house, the owner said through the door that he would not accept interviews. Zhou Jinheng said that he wanted to buy the hut and named a large number, and the door opened immediately.


    Walking along the winding steep mountain road, the homeowner led the way, turning around from time to time to brag to Zhou Jinheng: ¡°This house is really nice. It¡¯s cool in the winter and cool in the summer. Don¡¯t you rich people like this kind of natural scenery? It would be great to stay there for a couple days during the holiday. What¡¯s that called again? Oh, right, going back to the basics!¡±


    When he went to open the door, he changed his tune again and was in a hurry to leave without stepping into the house, for fear of meeting a ghost: ¡°I¡¯ll place the key here for you. I have found someone to clean the house and the smell of the dead body is almost gone. If you mind, you can replace all the furniture here, just be careful not to let the city authorities see the illegal construction.¡±


    He rambled about a bunch of cr*p and Zhou Jinheng barely listened and he also didn¡¯t care about the smell of the dead body that the owner mentioned.


    He came to check, to verify that Yi Hui really didn¡¯t like him that much.


    He was not good to Yi Hui at all. He had coaxed him into getting engaged for the sake of his personal freedom. He took advantage of him but still was not satisfied, scolded him and hurt him, made him cry many times and caused him to be looked down upon by his own friends, humiliated and bullied.


    What was there about him to like? How stupid was Yi Hui? Could one still like him after being treated like that?


    Zhou Jinheng emptied his mind and searched for justifications to prove that Yi Hui didn¡¯t like him that much. As long as he didn¡¯t like him so much, he wouldn¡¯t die because of him.


    With this thought in mind, he walked into the hut and checked all the places that he hadn¡¯t been able to go through carefully that day because of his haste.


    There was nothing on the chair, nothing on the wooden table, and there was nothing on the small wooden bed that was about one metre wide. His gaze brushed across the wall in the corner. Thinking that Yi Hui had been sitting there waiting for him, Zhou Jinheng averted his eyes in a panic. It seemed that if he didn¡¯t look, Yi Hui would not be there and would be alive and well.


    The hut was less than ten square feet and there was very little that could be called furniture. It was unlikely that there were any hidden compartments or other designs. After confirming that there was nothing inside or outside the window sill, Zhou Jinheng wiped the film of sweat from his forehead. He wanted to go out to take a breath. When he turned around, his toes touched something on the floor.


    Looking down, he didn¡¯t see anything at first glance. He squatted down and leaned over to take a closer look, only to see that there was something like a wooden board turned upside down under the bed by the wall. It was backlit, hidden by the corner of the bed, and the brown board almost blended in with the floor, so it was no wonder the police hadn¡¯t noticed it.


    Zhou Jinheng gently dragged the wooden board out from under the bed, flipped it over and placed it on the table face up.


    His heart rate that had regained its calmness not long ago was once again chaotic and on overdrive as he touched the cloth covering the board.


    He began to make various assumptions as if trying to brainwash himself again ¨C maybe it was just a piece of ordinary wooden board left over, maybe it was a decorative painting that the owner had forgotten to take away, or it might be that Yi Hui wanted to use it to paint the mountain scenery. He had always had a soft spot for landscape paintings.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t even want to remove the cloth anymore. He wanted to run away. If he didn¡¯t look at it, he could treat it as non-existent.


    But he had to look. He wanted to know where Yi Hui had gone and he wanted to confirm that Yi Hui didn¡¯t like him to the point of losing his life for a casual promise.


    After calming down a little, he took a deep breath, pinched the corner of the cloth, raised his hand and pulled the cloth away.


    The moment he looked at it, time seemed to stop.


    Zhou Jinheng wanted to retreat but he was pinned to the spot and couldn¡¯t move. While his breathing stagnated, a fierce torrent broke through the dam and surged into his mind, crushing his self-deceiving assumptions one after another without missing anything¡ª¡ª


    Raised snowflakes (flower) because he liked the colour white;


    Often heating the water because he didn¡¯t like to drink it cold;


    Slept with the Doraemon all the time because he gave it to him;


    Ran away from home and squatted in front of the department store because that was where they had their first date;


    Bought this house to give it to him because he once said that he liked quiet and wanted to live in the mountains.£»


    Was not angry when scalded by him and trampled on by him over and over again, because he really liked him.


    The little fool did his best to be nice to him for every minute and every second of his day. His ¡°like¡± was the simplest ¡°like¡± in the world. As long as the man named Zhou Jinheng was happy, he would be satisfied.


    But what did Zhou Jinheng do?


    He used, hurt and deceived the little fool who loved him the most in the world again and again, abandoned him when he needed him the most and chose others over him without hesitation.


    Even the word ¡°like¡± that he was the first to say, he said it in a perfunctory manner, but the little fool took it seriously. He held it in his heart like a treasure, and then returned it to him a thousand times over, loving him with all his heart for three years.


    Even before his death, he used the most clumsy method to exonerate him, not to disturb him and not to let others cause him even a little trouble.


    A ray of slanting sunlight fell on the table through the window, illuminating the painting that had been hidden in the dark for a long time that was finally able to see the sun.


    It was a portrait. The man in the painting had a tall nose and deep eyebrows. He had looks that made the whole world envious. His lips were pursed slightly and his expression was haughty, as if nothing in the world was good enough for him to look at.


    And the man with the same face outside the painting was so depressed that he seemed to have lost his soul. The setting sun lengthened his lonely shadow, and his lifeless eyes fell on the painting, staring at his former self who was so arrogant and stupid.


    He was stupid, he was the real fool.


    The things that Yi Hui had promised him were all personally delivered to him one by one, but he never fulfilled the things he promised. He failed and there was no chance of him fulfilling them again.


    His little fool was dead.

 CH 12

    The funeral was scheduled for three days later.


    The Yi family did not contact the Zhou family again. It must have been on the orders of his brother-in-law. Yi Hui¡¯s father had never cared much for his youngest son that was useless to him. Zhou Jinheng had to do everything possible to make his friends find out the time of the funeral.


    Hearing that he was going there, Zhou Huarong scolded him on the phone: ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to get rid of him a long time ago? Now that the marriage contract is void, what are you still rushing there for?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was taken aback: ¡°Void? Who said that?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dead, of course it¡¯s void. Or do you still plan to marry him?¡±


    Even if he had forced himself to accept reality, Zhou Jinheng still couldn¡¯t stand anyone saying that Yi Hui was dead. What¡¯s more, the Zhou family¡¯s eagerness to demolish the bridge after crossing the river was too ugly and he felt ashamed as a member of the Zhou family.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you go or not, and you have no right to care if I go or not.¡± Zhou Jinheng said solemnly, ¡°I will go as his fianc¨¦, not on behalf of the Zhou family.¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s case was handled very quickly under the supervision of all parties. Those three guys were weaklings. They were interrogated briefly and soon gave a full account of the facts; then they were sent to the prosecution for sentencing in the next few days.


    Those three had some family connections too. Zhou Jinheng knew that Cheng Feichi must have been the driving force behind it. He was so busy, he couldn¡¯t help at all. But when he thought about it in retrospect, he realized he was the one Cheng Feizhi wanted to kill the most.


    Even so, he went to the funeral site.


    When he reached the door and saw the black and white photo in the middle of the funeral hall, Zhou Jinheng was stunned for a long time, his past flying before his eyes, compressed into one picture. For a moment, all he could think of was to walk up and touch the smiling man in the photo and say to him: I¡¯m here.


    But he didn¡¯t get a chance. As soon as he saw him, Cheng Feichi, who was receiving visitors inside, immediately motioned to the security guards around him to kick him out.


    Zhou Jinheng used all his strength, gritting his teeth and refusing to go, staring at the photo unblinkingly.


    The security guards did not dare to make a loud noise to disturb the funeral hall and in the end Cheng Feichi went out in person. He walked to the door, glanced at Zhou Jinheng dressed in a black suit with lukewarm eyes and said, ¡°Get out.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng refused to leave, struggling in vain in the circle of security guards: ¡°Let me take a look at him, just one look, let me go in and take a look at him.¡±


    Cheng Feichi asked, ¡°You? What qualifications do you have to look at him?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng thought it was obvious: ¡°I am his fiance.¡±


    ¡°The marriage contract has been annulled, don¡¯t forget, you and him didn¡¯t even get a certificate.¡± When he said that, Cheng Feichi¡¯s cold expression showed a rare fierceness, ¡°I let you go before because Yi Hui didn¡¯t want me to hurt you.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was stunned suddenly, his eyes dazed again. His hands loosened and he stopped struggling.


    Cheng Feichi took a step forward, looked at him condescendingly and warned: ¡°Don¡¯t mention my brother¡¯s name in the future, and it¡¯s best not to appear in front of me, otherwise I can¡¯t promise not to violate his wish.¡±


    At noon that day, the photos of the actor Zhou Jinheng appearing in a certain funeral hall went on the hot search. Under the intervention of the company, the photos of the security guards did not spread out, so the netizens focused on ¡°whose funeral this was¡±.


    Zhou Jinheng in the photo was dressed in solemn formal attire and had a solemn expression. There were all kinds of guesses in the comments. A classmate, a relative, a teacher and even a lover were all mentioned. The story was well-written and eye-catching, even involving rumours about some female celebrities.


    There was a lot of uproar on the Internet but the party involved had no time to care. Zhou Jinheng arrived in S City and went straight home. He took out the painting that he had just brought back from the mountain the day before yesterday and looked at it for a while, then turned it over carefully, reached out and touched the words in the lower right corner, his face softening as he calmed down all together.


    There was a visitor in the afternoon. Zhou Jinheng had already forgotten when he had allowed others to come to this place. He opened the door and stood dumbfounded for a long time before turning sideways to let Yang Chengxuan in.


    When he entered the house, Yang Chengxuan first looked at the painting that was pushed away by Zhou Jinheng and then looked at Zhou Jinheng pouring a cup of water and spilling it all over the floor. He asked worriedly: ¡°Jinheng, are you¡­ okay?¡±


    ¡°Pretty good.¡± Zhou Jinheng replied as he placed the cup on the table and sloshed out another puddle of water.


    Yang Chengxuan was Zhou Jinheng¡¯s old friend since they were in school. He also witnessed the relationship between Zhou Jinheng and Fang Yuqing from the sidelines back then. He could be regarded as knowing Zhou Jinheng very well. But it was the first time in so many years that he had seen him in such a state of loss.


    ¡°People can¡¯t come back from the dead. I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± Yang Chengxuan comforted, ¡°I know that you have been under the same roof for three years anyway and there¡¯s a bit of emotion involved, but you¡¯ll get over it, you¡¯ve got to move on.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng had long been immune to this kind of pompous rhetoric and ignored it.


    Yang Chengxuan recalled what and who Zhou Jinheng cared about most over the years and said, ¡°See, your acting career is developing just right, it¡¯s not your style at all to fall apart. Fang Yuqing is also back, tsk tsk, look at this autumn, there will be a double harvest of love and career for you. I am so envious.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng frowned slightly when he heard Fang Yuqing¡¯s name. Yang Chengxuan thought it had an effect and took advantage of the victory to continue: ¡°Just in the morning, he called me to come and comfort you. Back then, you two fell in love under my nose and made my teeth ache. Now I am risking being sour to death watching you two get back together. Don¡¯t let me down.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t help but silence this noisy man.


    After pouring a cup of water, Zhou Jinheng turned around and carefully covered the painting with a cloth. As soon as he took it back to his room, the phone in the house rang.


    If it hadn¡¯t rung, Zhou Jinheng would have forgotten that there was still a landline at home. Standing in front of the chest of drawers in the corner of the living room, he stared at the Doraemon sticker on the landline handset for a while and was still in a daze when he picked up the phone: ¡°En.¡±


    ¡°Hello, is this Mr. Zhou¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°We are from XX Travel Agency. There is a honeymoon trip booked for you and Mr. Yi Hui. The time was the 22nd of last month, but the two of you did not come on the day of departure and we couldn¡¯t get through to the number we had. We would like to ask if the two of you want to reschedule your trip or cancel it?¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Zhou Jinheng went straight into the room, opened the cabinet and rummaged around in the drawers.


    Yang Chengxuan followed him: ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t lift his head: ¡°Passport.¡±


    ¡°You want to go abroad?¡±


    ¡°Yi Hui booked a honeymoon trip.¡±


    ¡°Honeymoon¡­ that¡¯s when you just get married, right? I thought you two didn¡¯t get the certificate?¡±


    After he reminded him, Zhou Jinheng remembered something and began to look for their ID cards  again. There was finally a hint of lightness in his tone: ¡°I am 22 years old this year and I can get married.¡±


    His ID card was found quickly but Yi Hui¡¯s was hidden somewhere. Zhou Jinheng looked for it in a hurry, pulled out several drawers and turned them upside down on the floor, scattering the things in them all over the place.


    Seeing him kneel on the ground and rummage through desperately, as if not hearing a word he said, Yang Chengxuan couldn¡¯t stand it, rushed into the room, grabbed his arm and pulled him up: ¡°Jinheng, are you crazy? He is dead, how are you going to marry him and what honeymoon are you going to have?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng panted heavily. Just about to say ¡°he is not dead¡±, he recovered in a daze and looked around the messy house, as if looking at the past that he had not cherished.


    His lips moved, his adam¡¯s apple rolled, and he said, ¡°He wanted to go. He kept saying that he wanted to go. I¡­ I should have taken him there a long time ago.¡±


    On the day of departure, Zhou Jinheng called Xiao Lin while packing his luggage and asked him to get two more days off from the company.


    Because he only brought his ID and a few changes of clothes, the suitcase was quite empty. Zhou Jinheng took the Doraemon doll at the head of the bed, looked at it for a while, then finally stuffed it into the suitcase.


    The place he went to was an island in the southern hemisphere, famous as a honeymoon mecca. There were two other couples who were travelling there. Seeing Zhou Jinheng alone, they all showed expressions of surprise.


    But it didn¡¯t matter; except for flying together, they would not spend the rest of the time together. Zhou Jinheng was happy to feel clear-headed; only when the plane took off, he subconsciously reached to grab the hand of the man next to him and ended up grabbing nothing. He turned his head to see an empty seat that gave him a bit of a real sense of loneliness.


    When they got married three years ago, they took a plane from S City to the capital. Yi Hui was sitting next to him. He was frightened by the roar of the plane taking off. His face turned pale, his eyes closed tightly and he held Zhou Jinheng¡¯s hand without saying a word.


    At that time, Zhou Jinheng only found it funny. After struggling for a long time, he couldn¡¯t pull his hand away. He stretched out his other hand and pushed Yi Hui¡¯s head: ¡°Hey, is it so scary?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until the plane was flying smoothly that Yi Hui exhaled, slowly let go of his hand and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m afraid, it¡¯s terrible.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t figure it out: ¡°Then how do you usually fly?¡±


    Yi Hui lowered his head and replied embarrassedly: ¡°Just, just close my eyes, clench my fists and bear it, and it¡¯ll pass.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t understand it even more: ¡°Then why were you holding me?¡±


    At that time, Yi Hui was blushing so hard he was almost dripping blood and looked like he would faint with shame if he said one more word. He shook his head and resolutely refused to speak again.


    Only looking back now, did Zhou Jinheng know what it was like to be needed and relied on by someone when they were most afraid.


    Yi Hui gave him all his trust from the beginning, trusted him alone and no one else.


    He got off the plane and followed his local guide to the hotel to drop off his luggage.


    When everything was settled, Zhou Jinheng opened the window and the salty sea breeze filled the house. He finally had time to stop and admire the exotic scenery in front of him.


    After standing by the window for a while, Zhou Jinheng suddenly grinned. He recalled Yi Hui¡¯s passport had not been replaced for many years and had expired a long time ago. Foolishly booking a tour abroad, if he realized it only when he was about to depart, he would probably cry on the spot again.


    Thinking about it, he stopped smiling. Yi Hui set the travel time on August 22, the day after his birthday. No wonder he jumped up and down for the entirety of spring, waiting for summer. He asked him what he wanted to do in summer and had acted mysterious and refused to say. He had been preparing for this birthday ¨C the painting, the house, even this belated honeymoon trip.


    The island was sparsely populated, quiet and comfortable. Zhou Jinheng ate alone and slept alone. When he couldn¡¯t sleep or eat, he stood in front of the door and looked at the sea.


    Most of the time, he was in a state of relaxation, not daring to think about anything, for fear of bringing up a string of images hidden deep in his memory that he hadn¡¯t looked at before. These memories were too few, and he was afraid that he would be too greedy and spend too much at once and there would be no more in the future.


    He didn¡¯t expect to get new memories related to Yi Hui.


    On the last night of his trip, Zhou Jinheng sat alone by the beach until the staff came forward to persuade him to go back to his room to rest early. When he slowly approached the seaside hut, he immediately noticed something was wrong.


    Pushing open the door, he was greeted by a dim, swaying light. As if he had a premonition, he rushed into the room and was greeted by rows of candles and large flaming red flower petals that nearly burned his eyes.


    But the thrilling feeling that came as fast as the storm went away even faster. When he saw an envelope tucked inside a bouquet of white flowers on the bed that was linked to the trademark service offered by the hotel on this island, Zhou Jinheng guessed what was going on and his heartbeat gradually calmed down.


    Yi Hui arranged everything in advance, including this secret grand surprise.


    ¡¾Dear husband£º


    Happy birthday!


    Do you like this trip? I heard that it is very quiet here. I shouldn¡¯t have disturbed you in the previous few days, right? If I disturbed you, I apologize to you here, I¡¯m sorry, don¡¯t be angry with me.


    Also, I know you don¡¯t like red, but roses symbolize love, so let me use it this time, okay?


    Do you remember, we have been married for three years!


    Time flies so fast. Many things have changed. You have grown taller and more handsome. You have many, many fans and made many, many great movies.


    But there are also many things that have not changed. For example, I still like you very much and it hasn¡¯t changed at all, not a bit.


    I heard my brother say that without a certificate, we are not considered a real family, so I decided to propose to you!


    I wanted to wait for you to propose, but you are so busy, what if you forget?


    Since I am older than you, let me propose to you!


    Are you ready?


    It¡¯s about to start soon! ¡¿


    The letter was a bit long and Yi Hui¡¯s childish handwriting covered an entire page.


    Looking at it, Zhou Jinheng only felt his heart clench. His chest was blocked and it was difficult to breathe. He couldn¡¯t even turn the paper over and continued to read.


    After several efforts to lift the page and reveal the last few lines, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s hand abruptly loosened and the paper fluttered and fell among the flower petals on the bed.


    The candlelight shone on the paper, illuminating the two most immaculate lines of the entire letter.


    [Mr. Zhou Jinheng, please marry me!


    ¡ª-The Yi Hui who loves you¡¿


    The little fool claimed to be ¡°HuiHui HuiHui¡± all the time. This was the first time he had written down his name solemnly and piously, just to propose to one man.


    Zhou Jinheng stood alone in this room full of flowers for a long time, until the candles burned out, one after the other, and the brilliant vibrancy of a moment ago was no longer visible.


    He lifted his hands to cover his face and liquid spilled through his fingers, as if he had held it in for too long and finally could let it out into the darkness.


    A few drops fell on the letter and with a sharp gasp, Zhou Jinheng replied in a voice that was trembling beyond recognition, ¡°¡­¡­ okay.¡±


    As the night fell on a small island in the southern hemisphere, the evening just arrived in the southern town of the country.


    The window of the hospital was facing northwest. The sun was at its best at this time of day and if you opened the door, you could see a ray of sun falling on the top of the head of the man at the window, casting a delicate hazy light on his fluffy, fine hair.


    ¡°Have you finished writing?¡± Another man asked, walking up to the table.


    Yi Hui remained in his crouching writing position, carefully scribing the last words before putting down his pen, then let out a breath and said, ¡°Finished.¡±


    Dr. Liu sat down opposite him and turned the notebook around: ¡°Desserts, painting, raising flowers, catching dolls¡­ is there nothing more?¡±


    Yi Hui blinked inexplicably: ¡°What else?¡±


    Dr. Liu explained: ¡°The essay topic was ¡®what I like¡¯. You can write down everything you like, including people.¡±


    Yi Hui thought for a while: ¡°Then¡­ add mother and sister.¡±


    ¡°Nothing else?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Sure there¡¯s none left?¡±


    Yi Hui was stunned when he was asked and then shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m sure, there¡¯s nothing more.¡±


    Dr. Liu smiled and asked no more questions.


    It was the last part of psychological counselling today. Yi Hui put a pen cap on the pen and placed it back in the pen holder. When he got up and walked to the door, he paused and turned around with determination: ¡°Dr. Liu, I have the answer to the question you asked last time. Can I answer it now?¡±


    Dr. Liu sat on the chair without moving as if expecting that he would turn around. ¡°Yes, come and sit down,¡± he beckoned to him.


    Yi Hui sat back again, and the uneasiness of being seen through somewhat weakened his courage. But he had to say it, he had to try. Even if his heart still hurts when he thinks of that man.


    The room was very quiet and the quiet flow of air accompanied him as he said his final goodbye to those painful memories.


    After about ten minutes, Yi Hui finally took a deep breath and his eyes were no longer hesitant when he raised his head.


    He said, ¡°I want to forget him.¡±

 CH 13

    The word ¡±forget¡± was easy to say, but it was not easy to do.


    Whenever this word was mentioned, Yi Hui thought of himself in the past who was always afraid of being abandoned. When his mother was gone, when his father ignored him, when he knew he was dying¡­ He was very scared. But now that he thought about it, he was more afraid of being forgotten than being abandoned.


    But he didn¡¯t want anyone to be sad for him more than not being forgotten.


    When he texted his brother at that time, he had an idea of just leaving quietly, alone. Although looking back now, that text message was just a futile struggle. They would find out anyway, they would know anyway. But he had already started a new life and he hoped their life wouldn¡¯t stop for him either.


    He was just a trivial passerby in their lives. His departure might make them sigh and feel melancholy for a while but it should never affect their beautiful lives.


    Dr. Liu said that reasonable discussion and rational analysis could help, but the key was his determination. So Yi Hui energetically put it into action. Starting from his daily life, he tried to integrate it into his new life and overcome the difficulties he had been avoiding.


    For example, the inability to move a brush to draw a figure.


    After much deliberation, Yi Hui invited his younger sister Jiang Yimang to be his model.


    Because she was relatively free with school just starting, Jiang Yimang used most of her spare time to cross-stitch a person and had done a great portion of it by the weekend when Yi Hui asked her to be the model.


    At first she was very excited, saying that after so many years her brother had finally discovered her beauty. But after she had sat in the same position for half an afternoon, she couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. She yawned incessantly, her head tilted against the wall for support and she asked repeatedly if it was ¡°ready¡±.


    ¡°Not yet, wait a minute.¡±


    Yi Hui was slow in drawing, he hadn¡¯t finished the outline yet. However, the more Jiang Yimang hastened him the more his hand shook. The more he tried to draw a round and smooth arc, the more likely it was that angular lines would appear.


    It was a ¡°residual effect¡± left by someone who painted too much. At that time, in order to give a perfect work to that man, Yi Hui practiced in the studio all day long. Half of the shelves in the cabinet were filled with discarded drafts, all painted by him.


    At that time, Yi Hui¡¯s mind was simple. He only remembered that the man asked him for a portrait when they first met. He wanted to fulfill his promise but he never thought about whose portrait the man wanted him to paint. If the painting that he hid was lucky enough to see the sun, that man would at most smile contemptuously when he saw it and then leave it behind.


    His three-year obsession was nothing more than a joke in the eyes of that man. This time when he really left probably was a relief to that man.


    Thinking of what he shouldn¡¯t have thought, Yi Hui shook his head, took a few deep breaths and concentrated on the drawing paper in front of him.


    The model sitting behind the drawing board was almost asleep, propping her chin on her hands and barely facing the artist. Her eyes closing from time to time, she murmured: ¡°I¡¯ll give you¡­ one more hour, I, I have to photoshop the pictures.¡±


    Yi Hui was afraid that she would really fall asleep and chatted with her while painting: ¡°What pictures are you photoshopping?¡±


    With this topic, Jiang Yimang got a little refreshed, rubbed her eyes and sat up straight: ¡°HengHeng¡¯s pictures, I took a lot of photos at the last meeting. I stayed up all night yesterday and didn¡¯t even finish selecting them. HengHeng is so beautiful, I can¡¯t bear to give up even one of them.¡±


    This topic was a sore spot.


    Yi Hui said helplessly: ¡°Then photoshop them all.¡±


    Jiang Yimang looked up to the sky and cried out, ¡°Then I will be exhausted! Ah ¨C it¡¯s Zhou Jinheng¡¯s fault, the man is so d*mn attractive. How can he look so good from every side, smiling or not, with his eyes open or blinking? Even every strand of hair on the back of his head is so handsome, ah-¡±


    Yi Hui paused for a moment with the brush in his hand and sighed with a sense of accomplishment of finally getting the model into shape. He thought that this might be the ¡°desensitization therapy¡± that Dr. Liu had been talking about.


    That¡¯s good too, you had to give it a try to know if it worked.


    Just as he was about to echo Jiang Yimang¡¯s words, there was a knock on the outside door.


    Jiang Xuemei was working outside at this hour, so Yi Hui thought it was a neighbour, ran out without asking who it was and flicked the latch, opening the metal door.


    Then, before he could see the face of the visitor clearly, he was hugged.


    ¡°Classmate Jiang, SURPRISE!¡±


    Half an hour later, the new model Tang Wenxi sat with hot tea in his hand in the place where Jiang Yimang had just been sitting. His posture was very professional and except for his lips moving, all his other parts remained still.


    ¡°Classmate Jiang, your home environment is awesome. Is that a loquat tree in the yard? ¡­¡­ Is living in a place like this particularly stimulating to creative impulses as if a tsunami of inspiration would gush out? ¡­¡­Alas, if my parents weren¡¯t in the capital, I would have settled here too¡­How is the painting going? Remember to paint me handsome¡­ Can I take this painting with me? ¡­¡­Ah, no, I¡¯ll take a picture and show it to them.¡±


    Yi Hui liked to be quiet when he was painting. He was already at his limit, barely chatting with Jiang Yimang just now. He didn¡¯t expect this classmate Tang Wenxi to be so much noisier. Since he sat down, he kept talking like a machine gun. The noise made Yi Hui¡¯s head ache.


    He suddenly regretted giving his address to this old classmate. At that time, Tang Wenxi said in the text message that he would send him a picture album. Who knew he would deliver it by himself?


    Yi Hui pressed his forehead with his left hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m just practicing painting. It doesn¡¯t look good, don¡¯t take pictures.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t work, I must take it and show it to them.¡± Tang Wenxi¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Back then, your paintings were the most popular in our class. Many classmates wanted to pay you to paint portraits, but you refused.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­ I don¡¯t even remember.¡±


    Tang Wenxi said that people of high rank were often forgetful. He told him of Jiang Yihui¡¯s past exploits at school, including receiving love letters from the girls in the next class and being chased by a boy from the science university who sent him flowers to the classroom.


    Even if it was not Yi Hui himself, Yi Hui still blushed when he heard it and told him to stop talking.


    Tang Wenxi had never seen him so shy, so he continued with a playful smile: ¡°You¡¯re a good-looking guy, and you¡¯re a cool artist, so you¡¯re attractive to both men and women. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know that¡­ Otherwise, why would Yang Chengxuan strike up a conversation with you the first time he sees you saying, ¡®You look a lot like someone I know¡¯. Che, I don¡¯t even bother with such an old-fashioned method anymore.¡±


    Yi Hui had a sensitive temperament and good observation skills. Now that he had a smart brain, he immediately heard the sourness in Tang Wenxi¡¯s tone.


    He thought for a while and asked, ¡°Are you friends with Yang¡­ that classmate Yang Chengxuan?¡±


    Tang Wenxi rolled his eyes: ¡°Who¡¯s his friend? He¡¯s just a schoolmate who calls me by my first name all day long and is annoying as h*ll.¡±


    Yi Hui felt a little relieved: ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°If you see him again in the future, remember to hide further.¡° Tang Wenxi was still not at ease and reminded, ¡°He is a well-known playboy. His family has a few bucks, so he played with all the beautiful girls and handsome guys in our Academy of Fine Arts. Don¡¯t be fooled by him.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or to cry; Yang Chengxuan was that man¡¯s friend and he couldn¡¯t avoid him enough.


    Having someone come to visit, Jiang Xuemei was very happy. She bought a lot of food when she got off work and took Jiang Yimang to the kitchen with her. There was a lot of banging and clanging inside and soon the smell that wafted out made Tang Wenxi¡¯s mouth water.


    ¡°Anyway, my teacher is on a business trip abroad. I will finish my homework in three days when I go back,¡± he slapped his thigh and gritted his teeth making a decision. ¡°Life is good when you¡¯re happy, I¡¯ll stay here for a few more days. Classmate Jiang, you don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    Of course Yi Hui didn¡¯t mind. Jiang Xuemei also applauded in support, asking him in passing to spend more time with Yi Hui in the next few days.


    However, the plan was bound to change. As soon as he made arrangements for the next few days and had borrowed Auntie Qiu¡¯s pickup truck to go to the beach, Yi Hui suddenly received a phone call.


    It was a call from the Fine Arts Association in the capital to inform him that his painting in the last competition won the gold medal. They asked him to come there in person to receive the award three days later.


    He asked if it could be mailed or collected by others but was denied. The condition that he had to receive the award in person made it difficult for Yi Hui and he even wanted to give up the unexpected award.


    The biggest reaction to that was from Tang Wenxi: ¡°Give up? Classmate Jiang, are you crazy? Although it¡¯s not a big competition, it¡¯s a gold medal, don¡¯t say no to it!¡±


    Jiang Yimang agreed: ¡°Yeah, what if there¡¯s a prize? I¡¯m still waiting for you to buy me a camera.¡±


    After thinking carefully, Jiang Xuemei, the most rational of them, gave the most relevant advice as an elder: ¡°Personally I would like you to go and receive the award. After all it¡¯s an affirmation for you and it will give you strength when you feel troubled and want to give up.¡±


    Yi Hui was still hesitant: ¡°But I¡¯ll have to go to the capital¡­¡±


    Tang Wenxi immediately raised his hand: ¡°I will go with you! Let¡¯s move up the beach trip to tomorrow. If we hurry, then you can get the award and I¡¯ll go home!¡±


    Two nights later, red signal lights flickered in the night sky and a plane slowly landed at the airport of the capital.


    Zhou Jinheng was the last to get off the plane. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Xiao Lin, who was waiting below, handed him sunglasses and a mask: ¡°There are more than a hundred fans outside to greet the plane. Let¡¯s hurry up and try not to cause a commotion.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng had no makeup today, his eyes were sunken and with faint dark shadows under them, his face was obviously tired. He didn¡¯t say anything, just nodded.


    After returning from vacation on the island, Zhou Jinheng plunged into work, not only making up for the work that had been missed because of his leave, but also picking up all the offers that were previously on hold at the company for consideration. In addition, he signed up for a TV series that would start filming in a month or two, a historical drama of more than eighty episodes that would take at least three months to shoot, so his schedule for the rest of the year was packed up.


    Xiao Lin thought at first that this ancestor was enlightened and wanted to take advantage of his youth to work hard on his career, but after several days of observation, he found that this did not seem to be the case.


    Except for sleeping and eating, Zhou Jinheng was busy almost all the time. In the past, he used to be seen in the lounge, listening to music and drinking coffee. Now, except for  work, he rarely had time to rest after shooting. Xiao Lin spread out pillows and blankets for him but he just sat down and read the script, concentrating, as if no one or nothing could disturb him.


    Xiao Lin also heard about the death of Mr. Yi. He thought that according to Zhou Jinheng¡¯s attitude towards him, without Mr. Yi¡¯s control, life would be much better in the future. He never expected it to be ¡°better¡± like this. Xiao Lin, who was in confusion, even had the most unrealistic idea ¨C was Zhou Jinheng so depressed because of Mr. Yi¡¯s death that he had to use work to relieve his sadness and fill his inner emptiness?


    After thinking about it for a while, he felt that it was impossible. Zhou Jinheng¡¯s dislike for Mr. Yi was known even to him, his recently appointed assistant, so how could he be so sad about Mr. Yi¡¯s death?


    He didn¡¯t dare to ask. Zhou Jinheng¡¯s bad temper was well known to everyone, so Xiao Lin persuaded himself to do his part, not to gossip and to keep this well-paying job.


    For him, it was a good thing that the artist he worked with was obsessed with his work; at least there were fewer moments of temper tantrums and he was more obedient.


    In the past, Zhou Jinheng would wear sunglasses but he absolutely refused to wear a mask, saying it was too stuffy. But at this moment, he only frowned, took both things and put them on and zipped up his open jacket so as not to be too eye-catching.


    However, this did not have any effect and he was discovered by sharp-eyed fans.


    This was a non-public itinerary. The company only arranged for two staff members to pick him up and help carry things. Adding Xiao Lin, it would be a total of three people. It was already late at night and before the security guards on duty at the airport could interfere, their group of four was surrounded by fans. The crowd was very lively for a while.


    Zhou Jinheng was surrounded in the middle and wanted to lower his head and move forward, but there were too many people, far more than the ¡°hundred¡± that Xiao Lin mentioned. All around him were black heads of people, crowding him so much that he could not move.


    He chose to take a late-night flight to avoid fans but he didn¡¯t expect to encounter this situation. His expression under the cover of sunglasses and mask gradually became impatient. Zhou Jinheng raised his head to look at the road ahead. Xiao Lin, who was standing in front of him, stepped aside to let him go by himself. He looked over the heads of the people huddled in one place and suddenly saw a familiar figure.


    The man was wearing a long coffee-colored knitted coat with a blue sweater underneath, ankle-length jeans and a pair of white sneakers.


    This combination that could not even be called harmonious inexplicably attracted Zhou Jinheng¡¯s attention.


    He saw the man stop in the corner of the hall, take off the bag he was carrying on his back, then raise one leg to support the backpack and reach into it with both hands to look for something.


    Due to the unstable centre of gravity, the man jumped on one foot in place a few times. After a while, he took out a tissue before putting his raised foot back on the ground and wiping his nose with the tissue.


    His actions were quite unusual but they made Zhou Jinheng freeze in his tracks. Finally he reacted, pushing his way through the crowd, moving forward in great strides.


    ¡°Move aside¡­ please move aside.¡±


    Saying that, he squeezed out of the crowd with difficulty. On the way, he accidentally bumped into a fan. The little girl screamed with excitement as her mobile phone fell to the ground. It happened to fall at Zhou Jinheng¡¯s feet. He bent over and picked it up and stuffed it back into her hand.


    The whole process took only a few seconds but when he looked up again, the man was already gone.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t give up. He squeezed out the crowd regardless and ran to that corner.


    Stopping where the man had stood just now, he took off his sunglasses that were in the way and looked around several times before being forced to accept the fact that the man was indeed gone.


    When Xiao Lin, carrying a big bag, caught up, he was about to ask the ancestor what he was doing. Zhou Jinheng looked up over the hall and ordered, ¡°Go find the surveillance.¡±


    Xiao Lin was puzzled: ¡°Huh?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was still breathing hard, stared at him and turned up the volume, almost yelling: ¡°Go find the person who does the surveillance here, hurry up!¡±


    There were few passengers coming and going in the airport lobby late at night. Behind a stone pillar in the corner, Yi Hui leaned back against the wall, hugging his bag and holding his breath, his eyes widened as if he was in shock.


    After going to the bathroom, Tang Wenxi walked around the lobby several times and finally found Yi Hui in this nook and cranny. Seeing that he was covered in sweat and the knuckles of his fingers holding the bag turning white, he was taken aback: ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you¡­ Is your cold so serious? Or is it your phobia of flying delayed?¡±


    In order to save money and time, the two gave up high-speed rail and bought discounted tickets for a late-night flight. Yi Hui told Tang Wenxi before boarding the plane that he was a little afraid of flying and said that he would work hard to overcome it.


    Seeing that it was Tang Wenxi, Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief, closed his eyes and said, ¡°I just thought of the moment of takeoff and was a little scared.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t think about it. The more you think about it, the more scared you will be. Isn¡¯t it looking for abuse?¡±


    Tang Wenxi stayed on the spot with Yi Hui for a while.


    After taking a few deep breaths, Yi Hui opened his eyes and his expression relaxed, the sweat on his forehead drying up.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He shook his head and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Tang Wenxi hesitated: ¡°Really?¡±


    Yi Hui put the bag back on his shoulder, patted Tang Wenxi and said in a relaxed tone: ¡°Really, let¡¯s go or there will be no taxi later.¡±

 CH 14

    On the way to the Art Association the next day to receive the award, Yi Hui still sneezed a lot.


    ¡°Did I snatch away your quilt last night?¡± Tang Wenxi asked worriedly, ¡°You had a dose of medicine, how is it possible that you are not only not getting better but getting worse?¡±


    Yi Hui stuffed the tissue that he used to wipe his nose into the plastic bag he carried and said in a deep nasal voice, ¡°No, I just catch colds like this and it won¡¯t get better for a while.¡±


    When he arrived at the pre-booked hotel last night, Tang Wenxi decided to stay with Yi Hui on a whim, saying that he was worried he might be afraid of being alone. Originally, they wanted to replace the large bedroom with a standard room, but the front desk said that there were no rooms available, so the two boys squeezed into one bed for a night.


    Even though Yi Hui said it was not his fault, Tang Wenxi was still a little apologetic. He scratched his head and said, ¡°I invite you to stay at my house tonight, I will sleep on the sofa and you can monopolize my bed!¡±


    This time it was Yi Hui¡¯s turn to feel apologetic. He kept refusing and Tang Wenxi invited him again and again, saying that his parents were very kind and amiable, until Yi Hui was persuaded: ¡°Really¡­  I won¡¯t bother you?¡±


    Tang Wenxi patted his chest and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been messing around at your house for so long, my Mom asked me to take you home on the phone yesterday. She¡¯ll make you sweet and sour tenderloin, vinegar-slipped prawns and shredded apples!¡±


    Yi Hui was addicted to sweetness and these dishes firmly sealed his fate. He swallowed and nodded: ¡°Then¡­ thank you.¡±


    The award ceremony was arranged in the compound of the Arts Association and the two found seats in the back row.


    Tang Wenxi also won an award and hopped like a rabbit when he came back from the stage with the certificate of excellence. When it was Yi Hui¡¯s turn, he was even more excited, jumping up and down like a monkey, taking pictures of the stage with his mobile phone.


    Yi Hui was afraid of being seen by his former acquaintances and didn¡¯t want to take pictures. He covered his face with his certificate throughout the process. When he was offered to say a few words of acceptance speech, he also shook his head and said nothing. When he finally moved off the stage at the end of the ceremony, Tang Wenxi cried out in regret and escorted him to take a photo next to the plaque at the entrance.


    ¡°The only imperfection is these clothes,¡± on the way back, Tang Wenxi looked at the photos on his mobile phone and said regretfully, ¡°You are a good artist, what are you wearing?¡±


    Yi Hui smiled and said, ¡°Mom bought it for me, as long as it is comfortable, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    After arriving at Tang Wenxi¡¯s house and saying hello to his parents, he was dragged into the bedroom. Tang Wenxi closed the door, drew the curtains and¡­ opened the wardrobe door.


    Tang Wenxi¡¯s wardrobe was very large, occupying two entire walls. He took something out of it and threw it into Yi Hui¡¯s arms: ¡°I¡¯m about the same size as you. Try this one. Try this one again. This one is also good. The pink colour matches your skin tone. Quickly, show it to me.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t expect him to have a penchant for dressing up. He was fiddled with like a puppet for a long time. Finally, he changed into a shirt and a vest. Tang Wenxi happily took a bow tie to tie it around his neck. Yi Hui said helplessly: ¡°We¡¯re going to eat later, don¡¯t blame me if it gets dirty.¡±


    Tang Wenxi curved his eyes in a smile: ¡°No problem, I still have seven or eight identical bow ties in my cupboard.¡±


    Yi Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    During the meal, the Tang parents were very enthusiastic. As soon as one of them finished serving the dishes for him, the other¡¯s chopsticks would also be stretched out. Yi Hui said that he couldn¡¯t eat much, so they brought him an empty bowl to put the food into, saying that it would cool quickly and he could eat slowly.


    Talking about the award he won today, Mother Tang praised Yi Hui to the skies, saying, ¡°If our Wenxi was half as good as you, I would wake up smiling from my dreams.¡±


    Yi Hui felt embarrassed and said, ¡°Classmate Tang has a very high level of aesthetics and is very good at¡­ matching clothes.¡±


    Father Tang smiled: ¡°That¡¯s true. He thought about studying clothing design when he was in college.¡±


    Yi Hui was puzzled: ¡°Then why¡­¡±


    Tang Wenxi chewed his food and said vaguely: ¡°Mom thinks that being a designer has no future prospects, so she changed my application while I was not paying attention.¡±


    Yi Hui was speechless again, thinking that they were indeed a family. He finally knew where Tang Wenxi¡¯s happy-go-lucky personality came from.


    After dinner, he received a call from Dr. Liu.


    This week¡¯s routine consultation was cancelled because Yi Hui went to the capital to receive his award. Dr. Liu asked him on the phone how he had been in the past few days. After getting the answer that everything was normal, he congratulated him on winning the gold prize.


    ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s not a very prestigious award, it¡¯s not that impressive¡­¡± Yi Hui began to feel embarrassed again and retreated to the yard of Tang Wenxi¡¯s house to talk on the phone.


    The Tang family lived on the ground floor of an old-fashioned block with a small courtyard, not as big as the one at their house where they could grow trees and flowers, but at least they could set up a folding table and two small stools.


    Yi Hui sat down on one of the stools with his back turned to the openwork iron gate of the yard, and continued to talk to Dr. Liu: ¡°There is reward money, so I am going to buy a camera for my sister¡­ for me? No, I don¡¯t have anything I want. The main reason for drawing is to be happy, and the reward money is secondary¡­ I can continue to practice calligraphy. Didn¡¯t you say that writing more can exercise your brain? I took the copybook with me when I went to the capital.¡±


    Dr. Liu on the other end of the phone entered a state of counselling again, asking him what was around him and asking him to describe it to him, or draw it, or write it down.


    Yi Hui agreed, stood up and was about to look around, when he was suddenly hugged by someone from behind.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even tell me you were back?¡± The man was taller than him and easily trapped him in his arms, leaning close to his ear, ¡± Flirting with some wild man on the phone, eh?¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s hair stood on end from the hot air sprayed on his ear and he almost jumped up in fright, dropping his mobile phone on the ground without bothering to pick it up.


    When he broke free from the shackles, he ran to the wall, turned his head and saw that it was Yang Chengxuan.


    Yang Chengxuan was also full of dismay when he saw who he was. He looked at him up and down as if he couldn¡¯t figure out how Tang Wenxi¡¯s clothes could be on him.


    Then he recovered and raised his hands to show his innocence: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I recognized the wrong person.¡±


    Yi Hui was still panting, trying to suppress his wild heartbeat. He was so panicked, he didn¡¯t know what expression to put on to deal with it.


    Yang Chengxuan moved first. He took a step forward, but seeing Yi Hui so scared, he retreated like a gentleman. Yet the smile on his face was playful: ¡°Tsk, not only do they look alike, they are even the same timidness.¡±


    At the same time, in the surveillance room of the capital airport, Zhou Jinheng declined a phone call from Yang Chengxuan.


    The surveillance in the airport was not something he could check casually if he wanted to. Yesterday, Xiao Lin had the door closed in front of his nose. He went in person but failed to see the man in charge. Finally, he asked Zhou Huarong to pave the way for him. Only today did he have the opportunity to enter the surveillance room.


    He could only watch it there, without copying or taking anything away. Zhou Jinheng adjusted the images from all angles during the relevant time period yesterday, staring at the screen intently without blinking.


    It was a corner of the lobby and the surveillance angle was narrow. Zhou Jinheng almost missed it at first, just seeing a thin silhouette that flashed by in a hurry.


    On the contrary, the camera from another angle captured the front. He saw a man running into the camera in a panic, then turning around a corner, leaning against the wall and using the stone pillar next to him to block his body.


    ¡°Right here, stop it there.¡± Zhou Jinheng said quickly.


    The picture was frozen and zoomed in. Because the camera was hung too high, the picture was not clear. It was barely possible to see the coffee-colored knitted coat and a very out-of-tune blue sweater under it.


    It was even more difficult to distinguish the face. Seeing the blurred features was the limit. Anyone who appeared in the surveillance footage had two eyes, a nose and a mouth, a sight that could drive a normal person to face blindness.


    Xiao Lin on the side leaned over and looked for a long time but couldn¡¯t quite make out the outline: ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Before he could match this face with someone he had met, Zhou Jinheng said loudly: ¡°Yi Hui.¡±


    Stunned, Xiao Lin was silent for a long time. ¡°Isn¡¯t Mr. Yi already¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Yi Hui.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s tone was firm. He picked up the phone and started dialling. The busy sound from the other end made him a little impatient. After he had dialled it several times, Xiao Lin noticed that his fingers were trembling slightly.


    ¡°Records¡­ right, flight records!¡± Zhou Jinheng stared at the man on the screen for a few seconds and his gaze became even more assured.  Then he turned around and left.


    In the narrow corridor, Xiao Lin ran to keep up: ¡°That¡¯s not Mr. Yi, you are mistaken.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s him.¡± Zhou Jinheng stared ahead gritting his teeth, ¡°It¡¯s him, I wouldn¡¯t make a mistake.¡±


    Xiao Lin frowned: ¡°There are tens of millions of people in this world and there are countless similar faces. There are even celebrity look-alikes.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t listen, insisting: ¡°It¡¯s him.¡±


    He had been with Yi Hui for so long, he knew every little movement, every gesture of Yi Hui¡¯s. He would never see it wrong.


    Xiao Lin felt helpless and raised his voice: ¡°But Mr. Yi has passed away, you¡­¡±


    The unfinished half sentence faded away when Zhou Jinheng¡¯s footsteps stopped abruptly.


    As if he was struck, or suddenly awakened from his sleep, he opened his mouth and the previous excitement and joy all disappeared. There was only boundless blankness in his eyes.


    Zhou Jinheng failed to get any of Yi Hui¡¯s belongings and didn¡¯t even get to see him for the last time.


    At first, he felt resentful, even angry. He was the closest person to Yi Hui. They had done the most intimate things in the world. Whether it was crying or laughing, being shy at the beginning or wanton as it got better, he had seen all of Yi Hui¡¯s expressions. Why was he not qualified to see him?


    Later, he gradually calmed down; the people around him were no different from usual. No one mentioned anything related to Yi Hui in front of him, so he let himself go numb day by day. If there was no time to think, he could pretend that this man had never occupied his thoughts.


    After a long time, Zhou Jinheng thought he had succeeded. He filled his life to the limit. He worked hard, took many offers and didn¡¯t leave himself even a minute of rest. In the eyes of others, he just turned into a workaholic. Nothing else was different from before.


    He also thought so, until he got off the plane yesterday.


    He called Zhou Huarong again. This time, Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t call him ¡°old b*stard¡±. His words were earnest and submissive to the point that he disdained himself, but he was still met with an unmerciful rebuke.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you would rely on yourself in the future? At first it was just to check the surveillance. Now you want the list of passengers who took the plane yesterday?¡± Zhou Huarong sneered, ¡°Do you think the airline is run by our family? I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t let yourself get carried away again. You had Yi Hui to cover for you before, yet now you want to continue to do whatever you want in front of me? Stop dreaming!¡±


    Right after hanging up, he received another call from Yang Chengxuan: ¡°You kid, why did you hang up on me just now?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng leaned against the wall, exhaled and said: ¡°Pressed the wrong button.¡±


    ¡°What have you been up to recently? It¡¯s been a long time since we have gone out together. Are you free to have dinner in the evening? I have a fun one here, you must¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Zhou Jinheng refused before he finished speaking, ¡°I have work.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you recently? I haven¡¯t seen you so busy before. What? Is your family bankrupt and waiting for you to make money in the entertainment industry to rescue them?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng wasn¡¯t in the mood to joke with him: ¡°No, I¡¯m really busy.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, I can¡¯t convince you but can Fang Yuqing? I¡¯ve heard he will hold a painting exhibition in a while. Although he is co-organizing with several other young painters, it is the first in his life. Didn¡¯t you say when you were in school that you would definitely help with his first painting exhibition?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng sighed, ¡°When is it?¡±


    Yang Chengxuan smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, people can¡¯t come back from the dead. He won¡¯t want to see you like that from heaven. This workaholic mode doesn¡¯t suit you at all. Come out and get together with your brothers, drink some wine and sing, meet your old lover and have a reunion¡­¡±


    ¡°But I miss him.¡± Zhou Jinheng interrupted Yang Chengxuan¡¯s incessant gushing suddenly.


    It was as if a certain switch was flicked and the emotions that had been suppressed for a long time flowed through a small crack. The more it flowed, the bigger the crack was, and the cold wind poured in, full of countless fine needles that pierced his skin one by one, plunging deep into his flesh and blood.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face twitched in pain. He held his breath and repeated: ¡°I miss him so much.¡±


    His voice was hoarse, almost choking.


    After saying that, he closed his eyes but when he opened them again, instead of diminishing, the emotions intensified, as if too big to hold, as if they would keep filling up and then overflow.


    He finally had to admit that he was going crazy thinking about Yi Hui.


    As soon as he stopped, even if he only stood still for a second, Yi Hui¡¯s appearance occupied his entire mind. Yi Hui who was happy, Yi Hui who was sad, Yi Hui with his eyes red and frightened, or taking his hand and saying, ¡±Husband, don¡¯t be angry¡±,  or greeting him with a smile every time he came home.


    After that day, he never came home and never saw that nice smile again.


    Xiao Lin, who had been standing silently beside him, felt as if he had listened to something he shouldn¡¯t have listened to.


    He turned around only when the phone call ended. He wanted to find out something from Zhou Jinheng¡¯s expression, such as who he was talking to and who he was missing.


    Xiao Lin imagined colourfully that it was probably the legendary first love. Last time he woke him up early in the morning to book a ticket to the capital from S City, didn¡¯t he go to pick the man up?


    He had no intention of snooping on his privacy, he just wanted to collect some necessary information to facilitate future work so as not to step on a landmine, so when Zhou Jinheng put down his mobile phone in a daze, he glanced at it as if inadvertently.


    Just one glance made Xiao Lin stunned. Zhou Jinheng replaced the old mobile phone that he had thrown away before but the wallpaper did not change. Mr. Yi still smiled at the camera showing a V sign.


    That was the only photo of Mr. Yi he had ever seen and probably the only one owned by Zhou Jinheng.

 CH 15

    After Tang Wenxi¡¯s repeated persuasion, Yi Hui decided to stay in the capital for one more day.


    Yang Chengxuan came and left in a hurry. When he saw Tang Wenxi, he said hello and left, telling him meaningfully to remember to lock the door. Tang Wenxi was confused and asked Yi Hui what happened.


    Yi Hui wished he could ask directly what the relationship between the two of them was. But thinking of the evasive and reluctant manner in which Tang Wenxi mentioned Yang Chengxuan before, he gave up and only said, ¡°I wore your clothes and he treated me as you.¡±


    Tang Wenxi was shocked: ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything to you, did he?¡±


    Yi Hui asked rhetorically: ¡°What do you think he did to me?¡±


    Tang Wenxi scratched his ears and his head. Silent and hesitating, his face turned red little by little.


    Yi Hui had a guess in his heart and didn¡¯t want to embarrass him, so he pushed him into the house: ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Auntie cut the fruit? Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go in and eat quickly.¡±


    The next day, the two went to the amusement park together.


    Originally, Tang Wenxi first announced that he wanted to go, saying that the amusement park had recently been renovated and a new park area had been opened. The high praise for the new rides on the Internet filled him with unprecedented expectations and enthusiasm.


    He wanted to go before but could never find a companion. His classmates and friends around him either laughed at him for being childish or said they were busy. He mentioned it at the dinner table and his parents said that he¡¯d better off spending time at home doing his homework. Yi Hui was the only one who showed the same yearning expression as him.


    The two hit it off immediately. They got up early that day, each equipped with a backpack and a sun hat, and took the first bus to the amusement park in the suburbs.


    When they arrived right in time for the opening, the carousel at the entrance had just started working and there were very few people. The two of them took a ride three times, happily holding up their mobile phones to take pictures of each other.


    ¡°I think you like taking pictures, don¡¯t you?¡± Climbing down from the wooden horse after the end of the last lap, Tang Wenxi immediately began to flip through the photo album to sift for better-looking ones. ¡°Why did you block your face in the Arts Association that day? You were receiving an award, it doesn¡¯t happen all that often.¡±


    Yi Hui was taken aback for a moment and then said, ¡°It¡¯s different. There were strangers there. It¡¯s a different matter if you are taking pictures of me.¡±


    Tang Wenxi was very satisfied with this answer and excitedly pulled him to the roller coaster: ¡°Let¡¯s go to the roller coaster, and this royal photographer will take a special amusement park photo session for you!¡±


    Of course, he didn¡¯t take one; mobile phones were not allowed on roller coasters.


    It was indeed impossible to film as the two of them sat up in their places happily and climbed down with pale faces. Yi Hui, who was in a slightly better condition, helped Tang Wenxi and asked him how he felt. Tang Wenxi reluctantly squeezed out a smile, shook his head to indicate that he was okay, turned his head and vomited into the trash can.


    Five minutes later, Yi Hui handed Tang Wenxi a paper towel soaked in water to wipe his mouth and said worriedly: ¡°Why don¡¯t we go back?¡±


    Tang Wenxi was still holding the trash can but waved his hand and resolutely said no.


    ¡°Why try to be brave if you can¡¯t ride roller coasters?¡± Yi Hui looked at his pitiful tearful look and didn¡¯t know if he should laugh. ¡°Before going up, who said he was the roller coaster king as a kid and when the equipment broke he was okay hanging upside down?¡±


    Tang Wenxi waved his hand weakly: ¡°I am getting older. Ten years ago, I could sit through eight trips without taking a break.¡±


    Yi Hui was deeply skeptical: ¡°Eight trips? It took us more than an hour to line up.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, at least five times if not eight.¡± Tang Wenxi finished trying to look cool, wiped his mouth, straightened up, feeling fine again. ¡°Time waits for no one, let¡¯s go, hurry up and ride the next one. I have to cure your phobia of flying today!¡±


    In fact, playing exciting rides felt completely different from flying. Yi Hui did not want to spoil his fun, so he let him make the arrangements.


    After experiencing the baptism of a series of adrenaline-pumping rides such as a roller coaster, a pendulum and a jumping machine, Tang Wenxi finally regained the mood of ten years ago. After eating something casually at the park restaurant at noon, he took Yi Hui to the Shoot the Chute and lined up there.


    The endless line continued from the outside to the cave of the artificial rockery. Tang Wenxi pointed to the screaming people swooping down from the height outside: ¡°That¡¯s it! I loved riding it the most when I was a kid, especially in the summer. Hey, have you ever tried it?¡±


    Yi Hui looked in the direction he pointed: ¡°No, I have only been here once.¡±


    ¡°Once? Then you should have ridden it too, it¡¯s a classic.¡±


    Yi Hui pursed his lips and smiled: ¡°I came in a hurry that time so I only tried one ride and left.¡±


    Tang Wenxi immediately patted his chest and said that he wanted to make him feel the true charm of this ride. Then, when everyone bought disposable raincoats, the two of them sat unarmed and defenceless. It was an unforgettably fast and cool experience, with water splashing all over their faces as the boat went down.


    When they got off the boat at the station, the two of them pointed to each other¡¯s wretched appearance soaked in water and laughed so much that they couldn¡¯t stop even when they walked outside.


    Tang Wenxi wiped Yi Hui¡¯s face with a tissue, smiling and telling him not to let his cold get worse. Yi Hui took the tissue, wiped his face himself, then followed Tang Wenxi. He heard Tang Wenxi shout unexpectedly: ¡°Wow, it¡¯s finally bright!¡±


    It was already half dark and the carousel in the distance was lit up with colorful lights. Yi Hui raised his head, and the ferris wheel in front of him was also switching on the lighting equipment. The lights lit up one after another along the huge inner circle, and then warm yellow lights flickered on top of each cabin in the outer circle. The dreamy, dazzling scene blended with the quiet dusk and the distant setting sun.


    ¡°What are you staring at?¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s wandering thoughts were interrupted by Tang Wenxi. He shook his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Tang Wenxi didn¡¯t get tired after playing for the whole day: ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go and try the new ride first. You can sit on the ferris wheel anywhere.¡±


    Before leaving, Yi Hui turned his head and glanced at the huge disc bathed in the waning sun again. Watching it rotate slowly, he wondered if the people sitting on it felt as he had felt at that time, full of infinite longing for the future.


    If you think about it carefully, it¡¯s not that he hadn¡¯t had a good time.


    In preparation for the wedding, Yi Hui frequently traveled between S City and the capital. Yi Hui saw this ferris wheel several times on the way to the airport.


    He wanted to ride it and begged his elder brother and sister-in-law to take him there. His sister-in-law was about to agree but was brushed off by his brother¡¯s light-hearted words, ¡°Let Zhou Jinheng take you there¡±.


    Yi Hui knew that his fiance was very busy and didn¡¯t dare mention it. Unexpectedly, after stepping out of the church that afternoon, Zhou Jinheng suddenly took off his sunglasses, looked at him and asked, ¡°Want to ride the ferris wheel?¡±


    Yi Hui nodded dumbly.


    Zhou Jinheng stepped forward to open the car door and motioned to him to go up: ¡°What are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Even if he knew that it was suggested by his brother, Yi Hui was still very excited. Along the way, he tried to peek at Zhou Jinheng¡¯s expression. He was afraid that if he didn¡¯t like it being too far away, he might be unhappy and say he wouldn¡¯t go.


    It wasn¡¯t until he bought a ticket to enter the park and stood in the line at the foot of the ferris wheel that Yi Hui calmed down, feeling that Zhou Jinheng should not be able to run away.


    It was a weekend and there were a lot of people in the line. When the lights switched on, there was a commotion in the crowd. The people behind wanted to squeeze to the front to see and pushed Yi Hui, who was also looking up. He fell forward and almost toppled over. Zhou Jinheng, who was beside him, quickly hugged his waist, so he didn¡¯t fall.


    ¡°Look at your feet¡­ aren¡¯t you a grown-up?¡±


    Although Zhou Jinheng frowned and his tone was not nice, Yi Hui classified this sentence as one of concern and blushed a little.


    When they got in the cabin, Yi Hui¡¯s heart started beating faster and faster as they gradually climbed higher. Zhou Jinheng lowered his eyes and saw him clutch his clothes nervously. ¡°Afraid of heights and still come to ride it?¡± he said with a sneer.


    Yi Hui felt embarrassed, lowered his head and didn¡¯t say anything. Then he heard a rustling sound and the voice suddenly was right next to his ear: ¡°Okay, don¡¯t be afraid. If you are afraid, close your eyes and count. Count to one hundred, and you will be there when you open your eyes.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng actually moved from the opposite side to sit beside him.


    Yi Hui closed his eyes obediently, but instead of counting silently, he was hiding the throbbing feeling inside. He remembered a book describing that when love came, there would be ¡°a little deer stomping¡±. (1) He felt that it was not a little deer he carried in his heart but Doraemon rolling all over the floor.


    As a result, they arrived back at the station before he could count to ten. Zhou Jinheng went down first and strode ahead. Yi Hui called out to him with a bit of courage that had not yet faded: ¡°I, I just made a wish for you.¡±


    Perhaps because of the successful completion of the task, Zhou Jinheng was in a good mood at the moment. He slowed down, turned his head and asked with interest, ¡°Oh? What wish?¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s face was almost burning when he looked at him: ¡°I hope¡­ I hope that every wish of yours can be fulfilled.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was taken aback for a moment. When Yi Hui thought that he was going to be ridiculed for his stupid wish and planned to take back this sentence, embarrassed, Zhou Jinheng really laughed.


    Laughing was laughing, but there was no contempt or mockery.


    He raised his hand to touch the top of Yi Hui¡¯s head and realized that Yi Hui was older than himself. He withdrew his hand but the corners of his lips were still hooked upward: ¡°Then¡­ thank you.¡±


    On the way to the airport, passing by the amusement park and looking at the ferris wheel in the distance through the car window, Zhou Jinheng suddenly remembered that Yi Hui still knew how to be aggrieved at that time and still retained some awkward temper.


    Later, at some point of time, he changed. He became quiet and fearful, afraid to text himself more than two lines for fear that he wouldn¡¯t be happy reading it or wouldn¡¯t answer his calls afterwards.


    Back at home in S City, Zhou Jinheng first poured water on the flowers and then went to the kitchen to get some food for dinner.


    Before he left last time, he hired a housekeeper. Her main task every day was to take care of the pot of snowflakes, clean a little and leave some food in the fridge so the house remained the same even if he hadn¡¯t returned for many days.


    He was about to go to the filming site soon, and Zhou Jinheng, who took the time to rush back today, had a task.


    First he took a piece of paper and drew the floor plans of the two rooms up to scale; then used a tape measure to measure the length, width and height of the bookshelves and the painting board and set the general placement in relation to the window. After that Zhou Jinheng rolled up his sleeves and began to move the things in the studio to the sunrise room upstairs.


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t have many painting tools and he neatly packed them, so he could place them in the same order. Slightly more troublesome was the cabinet where the drafts were stored. It was difficult to move it alone. Zhou Jinheng wrapped the eight corners of the cabinet with anti-collision sponges, half lifted and half pushed it and moved it outside.


    Moving it to the corridor was fairly easy. In the doorway, the foot of the cabinet tripped over the raised threshold and the cabinet fell obliquely to the side. Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t have time to reach out and hold it. Fortunately, the door frame was blocking it, so it didn¡¯t overturn to the ground.


    The cabinet had no doors and a stack of drafts slipped from the upper shelf.


    After straightening the cabinet, Zhou Jinheng picked up the drafts scattered all over the place, only to find that he was painted on all of them.


    He was sitting, standing, smiling, frowning, drinking coffee leisurely, falling asleep with his eyes closed; there were even sketches of him walking the red carpet to win awards and even hand-drawn portraits of every character he had played.


    Zhou Jinheng knew that Yi Hui could paint and occasionally jokingly called him a ¡°painter¡±, but only recently did he know that he painted so well.


    Smooth lines, bright and just the right colours; Zhou Jinheng knew a lot about painting because of Fang Yuqing and Yang Chengxuan. As critical as he was, he had to admit that these works were excellent. In addition to the skillful brushwork, what was even more precious was the deep affection contained in the paintings.


    There was a Doraemon-patterned zipper bag sandwiched in the middle of the drawing paper. When he held it in his hand, Zhou Jinheng remembered the Doraemon sticker on the phone and couldn¡¯t help but smile, thinking that he might be able to find other Doraemon-related products hidden everywhere in the house.


    He opened the zipper, took out a plain handkerchief, spread it out and saw two small words embroidered with very thin thread in the lower right corner ¨C thank you.


    Zhou Jinheng really couldn¡¯t remember what he had done to be thanked. He looked at the handkerchief again and stroked it carefully with his fingers. Finally, when he touched the pattern on the edge, the memory that faded with the wind was brought back by the wind that levelled the land.


    The sunny studio in the afternoon, the windows that can be easily pushed open from the outside, the rustle of the pencils moving against the drawing paper, and someone sitting in the corner of the back row with tears on his face while painting the bright spring flowers outside the window.


    It turned out that their first meeting was not really their first meeting. He forgot it totally but for Yi Hui it was unforgettable.


    How could Yi Hui not be aggrieved? He was wronged and saddened every moment. He was sad that Zhou Jinheng had forgotten their first encounter, sad that Zhou Jinheng had forgotten their previous agreement, sad at Zhou Jinheng borrowing someone else¡¯s handkerchief to give him and then turning away and forgetting that he had been so kind to him, pulling him into a net of false tenderness and joy and leaving him alone in the cold abyss.


    Zhou Jinheng began to question himself uncontrollably¡ª¡ª


    Why have you never cared before?


    How could you turn a blind eye for three years?


    How could you be willing?


    In the past, Yi Hui used to lie on the side of the bed many times and said to him, who pretended to be asleep, in a very small voice: ¡°You have to remember where we met for the first time. When you remember, can you¡­ give HuiHui a hug?¡±


    He had passed over twenty years into his life and he had never regretted his actions, his pride and recklessness. Even when everyone said his choices were wrong, even when he hit his head and was bleeding, he never regretted it.


    Zhou Jinheng slowly raised his arms and spread them as if in a hug.


    There was nothing but silent air in his empty arms. His fingers felt cold as if to remind him that no one would stand there waiting for him and no one would rush into his arms.


    Deep affection was useless, and even more useless was belated affection.


    He regretted it, regretted not being nice to Yi Hui, regretted not hugging him before he was disheartened, regretted not holding his hand as he murmured so many times on the side of the bed, regretted not agreeing to all the little requests he had whispered in his ear and patiently repeating ¡°I love you too¡± when his eyes widened in disbelief.


    For the first time in his life, Zhou Jinheng felt a sense of despair, as if he was trapped in a winter with only darkness, snow and wind, and no daylight.


    But in this dire situation, he pulled the corners of his mouth and smiled, stiff as if unaware of pain, chewing the word that was originally unfamiliar to him.


    Regret¡­regret.


    But what was the use of regretting now?


    No one would paint on the painting board that was moved to the sunlight and no one would respond to his late feelings.


    *****************

 CH 16

    It was already dark when they came out of the amusement park. Since Yi Hui was going back tomorrow, Tang Wenxi dragged his tired body and went to Electric City with him.


    Yi Hui was also tired. On the subway on the way there, he dozed off against the railing. When they arrived at the station, he was practically carried out of the crowd by Tang Wenxi and almost took the wrong exit even following behind him.


    ¡°You little heartless b*stard,¡± Tang Wenxi picked him up by the arm and tugged him in the right direction, ¡°you¡¯ve forgotten the roads in your hometown after moving away only three years ago?¡±


    Yi Hui suddenly became energetic and walked forward wide-eyed: ¡°I remember coming out of here and going there.¡±


    He was right. Less than a hundred meters from the underground station, there was a large electrical appliance store on the left, and on the third floor, in the photography section, the two were dazzled by the wide range of cameras.


    After he described his needs to the shop assistant and said that he wanted a camera suitable for celebrity chasing, the shop assistant recommended a suitable model and also recommended a telephoto lens.


    Yi Hui had never used a camera before and the experience was fresh for him. He asked Tang Wenxi to take two steps back, stand under the light and let him try to take a few pictures.


    Under the guidance of the shop assistant, Yi Hui quickly mastered the techniques and was praised for his camera skills and composition.


    ¡°No kidding. Classmate Jiang has won the gold medal in a painting competition. Composition is a piece of cake for him.¡± Tang Wenxi used the opportunity to boast, took the camera and looked at the previews, asking Yi Hui to send him a copy.


    Yi Hui leaned forward to take a look, only saying ¡°No¡± and ¡°Don¡¯t¡± a couple of times modestly and just smiling shyly.


    It was always something to be proud of when you won an award. Dr. Liu told him to learn to recognize his own strengths while overcoming obstacles. In the past, his source of confidence was always others but now he was finally learning to acknowledge himself.


    He stayed at Tang Wenxi¡¯s house for one night. Early the next morning, Yi Hui packed up his things, bid farewell to the Tang parents and Tang Wenxi, who was too late with his homework and had to work hard, then he set foot on the road to the train station.


    He didn¡¯t get a discounted ticket for the return trip. Yi Hui thought it would be good to take the train so he could watch the scenery alone while slowing down the pace and thinking about many things.


    He had just made arrangements for the next ten hours or so of travel when he suddenly received a call from Jiang Yimang.


    ¡°Brother, you haven¡¯t left yet, have you? Hurry up, hurry up, change the ticket!¡±


    Yi Hui was puzzled: ¡°Why do you want me to change the ticket?¡±


    ¡°HengHeng is on a trip in the capital today. Go and take a few photos for me!¡±


    ¡°A trip? Take pictures?¡±


    ¡°Yep, to make a cover shot. I¡¯ll send you the address, you wait at the door, there must be a lot of girls there. Remember the black business car you saw last time? He should be using that one, and when he goes in, seize the opportunity to take a few pictures for me, just use your mobile phone.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t react for a while once he realized Jiang Yimang wanted to send him to the frontline.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost at the train station, you can see other people¡¯s photos of him on the Internet¡­¡±


    Jiang Yimang hurriedly interrupted him: ¡°No, this is the last event before HengHeng goes to the shooting site and I¡¯ve just learned about it. That series is very long. If I miss this opportunity, I might not be able to see him for several months. I will definitely regret it to death. If there was time, I would buy a plane ticket and fly over now!¡±


    Yi Hui was taken aback. He remembered that Zhou Jinheng rarely picked up TV series with a large number of episodes. He was too easily annoyed to stay at a site for too long, he was also still on the rise, no way he didn¡¯t have other offers, how could ¡­¡­


    But now was not the time to think about it. Yi Hui curbed his overactive mind and spoke to the phone: ¡°Mom won¡¯t let you come if she knows.¡±


    ¡°Oh, why are you like this?¡± Jiang Yimang complained, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m calling you brother, can you do this for me?¡± ¡±


    Yi Hui hesitated just for a moment: ¡°No.¡±


    Jiang Yimang was used to Yi Hui¡¯s soft temper and agreeable tone these days. She probably didn¡¯t expect to be rejected. She struggled to persuade him: ¡°Just delay for a while, just for two hours. It¡¯s very easy to change the ticket. If you can¡¯t, I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    Thinking back to seeing that man unprepared when he had come to the capital last time and thinking of the unexpected encounter at the airport two days ago, Yi Hui took a deep breath. The thrilling tension and the faint pain in his chest seemed to be still there.


    He couldn¡¯t see him anymore. He had to stay as far away as possible.


    Listening to Jiang Yimang¡¯s words, Yi Hui didn¡¯t hesitate again and said as a matter of fact: ¡°No, I¡¯m returning.¡±


    Yi Hui was actually very bad at rejecting others.


    Before, he had also gone to school for a while. At first, as a gesture of goodwill, he would bring many small snacks to school every day to give to his classmates. One day he got up late and forgot to bring them. His classmates were very upset. No one said a word to him all day.


    Later, his mother hired a tutor for him. He studied at home for a few years and studied painting too. Then his brother appeared and suggested that he should integrate into society and communicate more with others. Only then did he go back to school again and enroll in a painting class.


    Some of the classmates in the painting class were not easy to get along with. When he spoke, someone would always laugh, but he still liked places with people around. Occasionally, some classmates would borrow painting tools from him and he was also very happy to help.


    It made Yi Hui feel that he was no different from others, that he was needed, not superfluous.


    When he was with that man, this desire for recognition had almost reached its peak, so Yi Hui never refused any requests from him. He hoped that he was no different from a normal person in his eyes, hoped he would like himself as much as he liked him. Or he didn¡¯t even need to like him as much. Half, one-third, or even one-tenth would be enough.


    But in the end it failed. The ¡°likes¡± he thought he got were all a misinterpretation, all a perfunctory pretense that the man was forced to make.


    Thinking of this, Yi Hui was lost and couldn¡¯t help but start to worry. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that his rejection on the phone was too blunt. Jiang Yimang was young and for a little girl chasing a celebrity, such a blow was the most unbearable. Obviously, there were many euphemistic ways to make her less sad but he was so stupid that he chose the roughest and most direct one.


    If it weren¡¯t about that man, he wouldn¡¯t be in such a hurry to refuse.


    After being uneasy all the way, Yi Hui was still a little nervous when he got off the train at the station, fearing that no one would open the door for him when he went home.


    Then he saw his mother and sister waving at him under the street light at the exit of the station.


    Jiang Xuemei stepped forward quickly and hugged him in the autumn night: ¡°You¡¯re back, Mom missed you so much.¡±


    Jiang Yimang on the side rolled her eyes fiercely: ¡°It¡¯s only been three days. If you don¡¯t know, you¡¯d think he hadn¡¯t been back for three years.¡±


    When the three of them got in the van, Yi Hui handed Jiang Yimang the camera in the box. Jiang Yimang took a closer look and raised her finger to the tip of her nose: ¡°For me?¡±


    Yi Hui nodded: ¡°En.¡±


    Jiang Yimang immediately took it, opened the box, took out the camera and looked at it again. After a while, she held it up and pointed the lens out of the window. Then, afraid that it would get dirty, she put the lens cap back but she couldn¡¯t put the camera down.


    After she played for a while, Jiang Xuemei reminded her that she hadn¡¯t thanked her brother yet. Jiang Yimang couldn¡¯t stop smiling and said to Yi Hui awkwardly: ¡°Thank you¡­ brother.¡±


    Hearing her call him ¡°brother¡±, he knew she was not angry. Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, we agreed I¡¯d give it to you if there¡¯s a money prize.¡±


    Jiang Yimang pursed her lips and muttered, ¡°When I ask you for help seriously, you refuse. When I say something casually, you remember it in your heart.¡±


    Yi Hui was amused: ¡°It¡¯s my fault that I lack the ability to distinguish between them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡° Jiang Yimang said sullenly. ¡°Later, I thought for a while, it doesn¡¯t make sense to ask you to help me take pictures. I still have to save money and see him with my own eyes.¡±


    Jiang Xuemei, who was driving, didn¡¯t hear her clearly, turned her head and asked, ¡°Where are you going that you need to save money?¡±


    Jiang Yimang hurriedly denied: ¡°Not going anywhere, I said I want to save money to get a new car for our family.¡±


    While talking, she gave a look to Yi Hui and Yi Hui copperated, not revealing her secret.


    Jiang Xuemei was deeply gratified by her daughter¡¯s understanding, which triggered a family education lecture. She was still talking when they got home, saying that she would replace the car at the end of the year and they didn¡¯t need to worry about it. She also told them not to spend their pocket money frivolously and to spend every dime on the right thing.


    Yi Hui, who had cut the price of the camera in half when reporting it, wiped away a cold sweat secretly, thinking that fortunately he had listened to Tang Wenxi¡¯s suggestion, otherwise he didn¡¯t know what he would have to listen to.


    As soon as he put down his things, Yi Hui was called downstairs by Jiang Xuemei: ¡°Come, come, let¡¯s see where this photo fits.¡±


    The family portrait taken at the entrance when he participated in the competition last time was printed. It was twelve inches long and was also framed with an ostentatious wooden border that made its presence felt wherever it was placed and was quite eye-catching.


    Jiang Yimang couldn¡¯t help rolling her eyes again: ¡°It¡¯s too big for the wall, Aunt Qiu can¡¯t help but laugh when she sees it.¡±


    She said that but still held one side with Yi Hui and held it high on the wall to find the right spot.


    In the end, they chose the wall facing the window in the dining room. As the only male in the family, Yi Hui gingerly took on the hard work.


    He climbed onto the stool, knocked the nail into the wall and turned his head to see the two ladies who opened their arms to protect him from falling from both sides. Yi Hui was a little embarrassed: ¡°This little height is fine, no need to support me.¡±


    After hanging up the photo, he still got down with the help of the two of them. Yi Hui, who was blushing, was just about to run, when Jiang Xuemei grabbed him and hugged him.


    With her daughter in her left arm and her son in her right arm, she faced the family portrait that had just been hung on the wall, and suddenly sighed, ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    Jiang Yimang laughed: ¡°The three of us in this photo look really stupid. Oh my God, the more you look at it, the more stupid it is. Let¡¯s take it down!¡±


    Yi Hui also laughed, but not because the photo was stupid, but because he felt happy for the first time since he was reborn.


    In the past, he had lived in a big house and he didn¡¯t worry about food and clothing. He didn¡¯t know the hardships of life and he didn¡¯t need to taste the warmth of human affection. A delicious meal and a cute toy could make him happy all day long. Even so, there were still times when he was not satisfied.


    Ever since he realised he wasn¡¯t quite the same as everyone else, there hadn¡¯t been a day when he didn¡¯t want to be smart and normal. Because he was stupid and unlikeable, he secretly cried many times, complaining about the injustice of heaven, and even gave up at the last moment of his life, feeling that he shouldn¡¯t have been born in this world.


    But now, he was extremely fortunate to be able to continue to live in this world, able to fulfill all those unfinished regrets.


    But who would want to leave if they had the chance to stay?


    Looking at himself and the happy people in the photo with him, Yi Hui lifted the corners of his mouth and curved his eyes, repeating Jiang Xuemei¡¯s words, ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°Brother, why are you¡­ don¡¯t you think it¡¯s stupid to hang the photo here?¡±


    Amidst Jiang Yimang¡¯s frantic complaints, Yi Hui solemnly chanted several times in his heart: thank you to those who have been and still are good to me, thank you to fate and to God for being willing to give me the chance to do it all over again.

 CH 17

    Every second a new life is born in the world, another life comes to an end.


    On the day Yi Hui¡¯s case opened, Zhou Jinheng arrived early. He sat down in the corner of the back row and listened to the words ¡°the deceased¡± coming out of the mouths of the judges, lawyers and others again and again, stubbornly unwilling to equate these two words with Yi Hui.


    The case went on for a long time, but the three defendants were not sentenced in court because the motive for the murder was not clear and the investigation had to be continued.


    Since this was S City, Zhou Jinheng intended to clear the way to meet with those three people and get some information from them. He was so preoccupied with beating them up that day that he didn¡¯t have time to ask them anything. And the court only analysed the events of the case and no one mentioned Yi Hui warmly, which was not what Zhou Jinheng wanted to hear.


    Hate was hate, but those three people were the last people Yi Hui had contact with before he was gone. Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t want to miss anything about Yi Hui.


    After the trial was over, he rushed to the detention center. He had already made the arrangements in advance but he still couldn¡¯t meet anyone. After he asked, it turned out someone else had stepped in first. At first, Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t know who it would be but when he walked outside the detention center and saw a man, then did he know that it was Cheng Feichi inside.


    The man was shorter than him and wore a mask like him, obviously not to prevent dust but for fear of being recognized by passers-by.


    Zhou Jinheng, as a colleague, recognized Cheng Feichi¡¯s legal spouse, Yi Hui¡¯s sister-in-law.


    He walked over to say hello: ¡°Senior Ye.¡±


    Ye Qin was startled at first hearing the voice, but when he saw that it was Zhou Jinheng, he ignored him, turned his head and walked away.


    Zhou Jinheng hurriedly stepped forward and took off his mask: ¡°Senior Ye, it¡¯s me, Zhou Jinheng.¡±


    Ye Qin stopped, glanced at him lightly and said, ¡°I know.¡±


    The implication was ¡°I¡¯m leaving because I know it is you.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng heard the impatience and disgust in his tone. Normally, with his temper, he wouldn¡¯t tolerate being snubbed while showing his good intentions but now there was no other way, so he had to bite the bullet: ¡°I have a few things I want to ask you¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t expect Ye Qin not even to have the patience to finish listening and say directly: ¡°I don¡¯t have time.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was repeatedly choked but after adjusting his mentality, he said in a low voice: ¡°It will only take five minutes.¡±


    Ye Qin sneered through his mask: ¡°Five minutes? Now, you are asking me for five minutes? HuiHui waited for you for so long but you couldn¡¯t even bear to give him five minutes!¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was startled by the sudden reminder. He opened his mouth, but made no sound.


    Ye Qin was also quick-tempered; either he didn¡¯t say anything, or once he did, he couldn¡¯t stop: ¡°His heart was filled with you, learning to draw for you, learning to text, learning to bake cakes, learning not to rely on others, learning to swallow his anger. Even though it was difficult for him to go out, he thought about buying you gifts. He slept with his mobile phone, for fear that you would not find him when you went home¡­ He treated you so well and liked you so much, even if you didn¡¯t like him, why were you so mean to him!¡±


    ¡°He was so happy on the wedding day. I was unable to attend. He sent me a lot of photos. He said he was very happy and he would be happy with you for the rest of his life.¡±


    As Ye Qin was saying that, his eyes gradually turned red, his expression painful and full of self-blame: ¡°He didn¡¯t tell us anything, he held everything in his heart, he said he was fine, and I believed it. How could I believe it¡­¡±


    Listening to these words, Zhou Jinheng only felt that his chest was getting hollow, as if something that he couldn¡¯t grasp was escaping quickly.


    He saw Ye Qin¡¯s clenched fist and he had no intention of avoiding it at all. He even hoped that the fist would strike his face faster. The heavier, the better, and then perhaps it would be able to override the pain of his heart being hollowed out.


    Probably with the same idea of keeping his promise as Cheng Feichi, Ye Qin did not make a move in the end.


    He stared at Zhou Jinheng fiercely with his reddened eyes: ¡°If you gave him a little more care, even if only it was a little bit, he would not die alone on that barren mountain. Don¡¯t expect to get any news from me that might make your conscience feel better¡­ You have no heart, you are not worthy.¡±


    After a few days of observation, Xiao Lin found that Zhou Jinheng was even more silent than before.


    He was so used to being yelled at that when he suddenly had nothing to do and there were no emergencies to deal with, it made Xiao Lin very uncomfortable. He didn¡¯t feel at ease getting his salary; after all, before he took this job, the personnel department reminded him that this master was difficult to serve.


    Now Zhou Jinheng was not difficult to serve at all. Except for doing his job and going home to sleep, he didn¡¯t drink, didn¡¯t smoke, didn¡¯t drive cars at night and didn¡¯t go to nightclubs. He was so good that he deserved an award for being the most dedicated model worker in the entertainment industry.


    The fans were also aware of it. Not long after the filming of the historical drama started, the frontliners who squatted outside the filming site changed their gifts from flashy things such as flowers and coffee to ginseng pills, vitamins, plaster patches and other nourishing items.


    That day, Xiao Lin took the time to visit the super topic (function launched by Sina Weibo. It is a circle formed by people with common interests), and the discussion under the pictures posted by a frontliner all revolved around ¡°why has HengHeng lost weight again recently?¡± One of the frontline girls said that she had been stationed near the filming site since the start. Zhou Jinheng was the first to go to work and the last to return to the hotel every day, and he stayed in his room all day if he had no scenes to shoot. She hadn¡¯t even seen him come out for dinner.


    Below this comment, the girls expressed their concern about their beloved older brother¡¯s physical condition. Seeing that, Xiao Lin was also worried. He looked up at Zhou Jinheng, who was hanging in mid-air on a high-tension wire, thinking that it was not possible to continue like this. Today, he had to go out and buy some delicious food for him and, along the way, ask him some questions to see if he was still in a heavy mood because of Mr. Yi¡¯s departure and maybe even give him some enlightenment as an elder.


    Who would have thought that halfway through the scene, something would happen to Zhou Jinheng.


    Anyone who had been hung on a high-tension wire would know that since gravity was concentrated on the part of the body in contact with the wire, there would be a strong feeling of pressure and brief pain and some bruising was inevitable. In the past few days, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s body had been covered with multiple bruises. If Xiao Lin hadn¡¯t come in without knocking when he was changing clothes in the lounge one day, he might not have known what his injuries looked like until now.


    At that time, after Xiao Lin pointed it out, Zhou Jinheng just turned his head and glanced over his shoulder, reached his arm back to rub his skin a few times and said lightly that it was okay.


    But no one could dismiss the current situation by saying that it was okay¡ª¡ª


    Because of the negligence of the staff who controlled the wires, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s body was still swaying violently in the air when they hastily loosened the wire, making it difficult for him to regain his balance. Before landing, he hit the wall heavily. Apart from the invisible places under his clothes, there were several bloody abrasions on his forehead, cheek and at the corner of his mouth.


    Xiao Lin jumped to his feet in a hurry, and after handing Zhou Jinheng over to the medical staff, he went to discuss the situation with the crew on behalf of the company.


    Neither party wanted to make a fuss. The person in charge of the crew nodded and apologized and promised to severely punish the employees involved. Fortunately, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s medical examination showed that his muscles and bones were not injured, but his appearance was too damaged to continue filming. The crew gave him half a month off at once, promising to coordinate the shooting schedule.


    Having received a satisfactory reply, Xiao Lin handed over the job to the company and went back to Zhou Jinheng.


    Even if everyone was suppressing the news and didn¡¯t want to spread it, the shooting scene was still in a mess. Several fans who were staying with the crew heard that something happened and rushed to the scene with their cameras. When they saw Xiao Lin, they swarmed around and asked him if Zhou Jinheng had an accident. Xiao Lin avoided answering, lowered his head and walked forward.


    After finally escaping from the crowd of the fans, he met another man at the door of the lounge.


    It was a young man with a handsome face and elegantly dressed. When seeing Xiao Lin, he greeted him politely and then asked, ¡°Is Mr. Zhou Jinheng here, please? I am his friend. If you are unsure, please go in and give him a message that Fang Yuqing is looking for him.¡±


    Three minutes later, Xiao Lin led Fang Yuqing into Zhou Jinheng¡¯s exclusive lounge. When he went out and closed the door, he still glanced at the visitor through the crack. He saw Fang Yuqing drag a chair to Zhou Jinheng¡¯s couch and sit down, his gestures so familiar as if it was his own home.


    Zhou Jinheng was resting with his eyes closed when he heard the sound of the door closing and opened his eyes to look at the man sitting next to him: ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Passing by on a business trip. I heard Yang Chengxuan say that you are filming here.¡± Fang Yuqing smiled, ¡°The way you¡¯re speaking, I don¡¯t seem to be welcomed.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng shook his head: ¡°No, it¡¯s just that unfortunately today, it¡¯s not convenient for me to entertain.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you have everything necessary here, I will entertain myself.¡±


    Fang Yuqing turned around, picked up a bottle of water on the table and poured himself a cup of water. Zhou Jinheng was just about to say that this was his cup but Fang Yuqing was already drinking, so he pursed his lips and didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Have you lost weight recently?¡± After drinking the water, Fang Yuqing took the initiative to find another topic, ¡°Filming is very hard, right? I see that your fans have sent a lot of supplements and they are asking your assistant to take care of you.¡±


    These days Zhou Jinheng was almost always alone, except for shooting. He was used to being quiet. At this moment, he had no desire to talk. He just said ¡°en¡± and closed his eyes again.


    Fang Yuqing didn¡¯t originally have a talkative and lively personality, but now, somehow, he began to chat with him on various topics. He talked about watching a play recently and finding it very interesting. After that he said that he was learning to cook and invited him to come to his home to try his craft. And then he talked about the painting exhibition next week and asked if he had time to come.


    Zhou Jinheng sat up from the couch, raised his hands and pressed his temples. He was about to say something but frowned at the pain caused by the movement. Fang Yuqing immediately turned to the table, took a cotton swab and dipped it in alcohol to wipe his wounds: ¡°Why are you always like this, refusing to apply medicine if you are injured. I¡¯ll¡­¡±


    His unfinished words were interrupted as Zhou Jinheng dodged. He shrank back and raised his arm to block Fang Yuqing¡¯s outstretched hand. Looking up and meeting Fang Yuqing¡¯s stunned gaze, he realized that he was overreacting.


    After a while, Zhou Jinheng took the cotton swab from him: ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    The smile on Fang Yuqing¡¯s face was barely hanging on as he watched Zhou Jinheng take a cotton swab and wipe his face all over since he couldn¡¯t see where the wound was.


    He remembered that three years ago, Zhou Jinheng had been even more arrogant and irritable than he was now but he was always able to restrain himself in front of him. After a fight with someone, one second he would pretend to be cool, face sullen; then the next second, he would see his aggrieved expression turning to him, asking him to apply medicine.


    Fang Yuqing was not stupid and he could guess the reason why Zhou Jinheng was alienating him now. He took a deep breath and smiled again: ¡°I just moved to a new home recently. When I¡¯m ready, I will invite you and Yang Chengxuan to play. By the way, there is also your little sister, I heard that she is about to come back from abroad? Let¡¯s invite her to play together at that time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to film and I won¡¯t have time.¡± Zhou Jinheng refused bluntly, ¡°If you want to invite YueYue, I will give you her number.¡±


    Fang Yuqing was dumbfounded by the unexpected answer, and the two of them were silent for a while, the atmosphere seeming a bit heavy.


    Fang Yuqing had known Zhou Jinheng intimately for a long time, so his understanding of Zhou Jinheng¡¯s character prompted him to take a step back.


    He stood up, pretending to feel relaxed, and said, ¡°You are tired, I won¡¯t bother you anymore today.¡± As he said it, he hooked his fingers and tapped on the table, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to take the medicine and eat the fruit I brought you. Don¡¯t worry, there is no high sugar content in it.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng nodded and got up to see him off.


    At the door, Fang Yuqing suddenly turned around again. He tried to find something other than indifference in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s eyes, such as reluctance, for example. Maybe the light here was too dim but no matter how long he looked, he still found nothing.


    In the end, he couldn¡¯t help but ask again: ¡°Then next week¡¯s painting exhibition, will you be free to come over?¡±


    Before Zhou Jinheng refused, Fang Yuqing hurriedly added another sentence: ¡°Half a day, just half a day. You promised before that you would come to see my first painting exhibition. This one is not only my own work. Think of it as me asking you as a friend to help hold the fort, okay?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng started speaking but the words he intended to say were blocked.


    After a while, he exhaled lightly, his eyes still calm, as if he was mechanically fulfilling an agreement that he could not break out of: ¡°Okay.¡±

 CH 18

    Autumn in the south comes later than elsewhere. The flowers were still blooming, the vegetation was still green, and after staying under the sun for a long time, you would even feel hot.


    Yi Hui and Jiang Yimang sat under the loquat tree in the yard, each one on a small chair, one painting and one doing manual work.


    Jiang Yimang was very energetic. After sitting for half an hour, she couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. She stood up and stretched, then ran into the house to get two popsicles and gave one to Yi Hui. After eating her own, she began to eye the one that Yi Hui had just opened and hadn¡¯t bitten yet.


    Yi Hui simply handed it to her and then picked up the brush: ¡°Eat it, my stomach is uncomfortable and I don¡¯t want to eat ice.¡±


    Jiang Yimang accepted it happily, took a big bite, looked at Yi Hui¡¯s painting and said thoughtfully: ¡°If you paint well, you should also be able to cross stitch, right?¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t understand this logic: ¡°Cross stitch, isn¡¯t it sewing a fixed-color thread onto a fixed grid?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t make it sound so unattractive.¡± Jiang Yimang swallowed a mouthful of ice, ¡°You have to embroider with enthusiasm to make it look good and it won¡¯t work if you don¡¯t put your heart and soul into it. If one stitch is tight and the other is loose, it definitely won¡¯t work.¡±


    Remembering the few times he had done needlework before, Yi Hui thought it made sense and nodded, ¡°It¡¯s easy to see and hard to do, but the finished product must be beautiful.¡±


    Jiang Yimang¡¯s eyes lit up: ¡°Brother, are you interested in trying it?¡±


    Yi Hui understood that Jiang Yimang was tired of embroidering and wanted to pull him in as a helper.


    Originally, it was not a big deal to help and he happened to have nothing else to do anyway, but thinking of who was on the embroidered cloth, Yi Hui backed away: ¡°No, I¡¯m clumsy, I¡¯ll ruin your work.¡±


    Jiang Yimang, who was deeply influenced by Tang Wenxi, opened her mouth and praised, ¡°My brother won the gold medal in the painting competition, he has wonderfully dexterous hands, how can he ruin it?¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s face felt hot as he said: ¡°But, but these are two different things.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost the same,¡± Jiang Yimang waved her hand and stuffed the embroidering cloth into his arms. ¡°Here, just start the embroidery from here. I have already picked out the thread I need and placed it next to it. There is a number on it¡­ I¡¯ll go in and sleep for a while.¡±


    When Yi Hui recovered, Jiang Yimang had already disappeared.


    What should he do? He bit the bullet.


    Yi Hui folded the embroidering cloth into a piece as small as possible so that he could not see the whole face. Holding it in his hand, he slowly moved the needle, thinking that he needed to adapt to being praised in the future. You can¡¯t become stupid when you are praised and agree to anything in a daze.


    But it was okay to embroider and with all his attention on the rows of small grids in front of him, he didn¡¯t have time to think about what the whole picture looked like.


    When Jiang Yimang came out after taking a nap, she saw that Yi Hui had embroidered a lot and exclaimed, ¡°How come you embroider so fast? I was going to save the eyes for the last, they are HengHeng¡¯s eyes, ahhh!¡±


    Yi Hui said that he could help her remove it but she was not happy. She stroked the neat stitches, pursed her lips and said, ¡°Since you embroidered my HengHeng¡¯s eyes so beautifully, forget it.¡±


    Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that she wouldn¡¯t ask for his help again in the future. Jiang Yimang beside him suddenly unfolded the embroidered cloth with a swish, admired it for a while and asked with a frown: ¡°Isn¡¯t our HengHeng super-handsome?¡±


    This time Yi Hui couldn¡¯t avoid it. A pair of eyes that had just been embroidered with his own hands looked straight at him, making his heart beat wildly. For a while he was silent.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with your expression?¡± Jiang Yimang was upset, turned the embroidering cloth and looked at it up and down, ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡±


    After getting along with each other during this period of time, Yi Hui had gained a deep understanding of the behavior habits of celebrity-chasing girls like Jiang Yimang who seized every opportunity to promote their idols to the world.


    Still, he would not say anything against his will, nor would he want to lie.


    ¡°Of course it looks good.¡± He forced himself to look at those eyes, overcoming the unspeakable psychological obstacles. ¡°It looks better than the photos.¡±


    The pace of life in a small town was slow. In addition to painting, Yi Hui also took on the work of watering flowers, drying clothes and cleaning the yard every day. Even the geese from Aunt Qiu¡¯s house next door became his responsibility. Every evening, he would swing a bamboo pole to drive a few chubby geese to the river to swim and eat grass, and then send them back before the sun set.


    Yi Hui felt that he could do more, but the small family of three didn¡¯t have more chores for him to do. Later, Jiang Xuemei had an idea, rummaged through the cabinets to find a piece of folded cloth and stuffed it into Yi Hui¡¯s arms: ¡°Mom hasn¡¯t had time recently, so this is on you.¡±


    When he unfolded it, it turned out to be a single stitch embroidery of ¡°If the family lives in harmony all affairs will prosper¡±.


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t mind that it was something girls liked to do. He took the embroidery thread from Jiang Yimang and started to embroider it neatly. In the middle of the process, he changed a few places, matching several different colors to make the dark characters more three-dimensional.


    Jiang Yimang was very envious and was going to ask Yi Hui to help her embroider, but Jiang Xuemei stopped her: ¡°The celebrity you are chasing, if you let your brother help embroider, there is no sincerity in it at all.¡±


    Jiang Yimang thought for a while and felt that it made sense, so she immediately decided to embroider everything herself without relying on help from others.


    The days went by uneventfully, interspersed with occasional ¡°little surprises¡± from a few celebrity-chasing sisters.


    Sometimes she would be shocked. For example, that day Jiang Yimang came back from school with red eyes. Yi Hui was worried that she had been bullied at school and knocked on her closed door to ask her what was wrong. Jiang Yimang¡¯s mouth was curved down and she cried out loudly: ¡°HengHeng fell from the wire and was injured. His face is damaged. What can we do?¡±


    Maybe because she cried too loudly, Yi Hui¡¯s heart beat faster and he felt cold sweat on his forehead and back. Only when he heard Jiang Yimang say that it was not serious but just some skin injuries did Yi Hui calm down.


    ¡°I¡¯m so angry. What kind of sh*tty crew actually injured HengHeng and kept us from knowing the news. If it weren¡¯t for a frontline sister in the group today who accidentally leaked it, would this matter just be swept under the carpet like this?¡±


    Jiang Yimang became more and more angry, as if she couldn¡¯t wait to rush to the filming site to beat some people up. Yi Hui was much more rational and persuaded: ¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t let the news come out because he didn¡¯t want you to worry.¡±


    Jiang Yimang sniffed and was about to cry again: ¡°Why is HengHeng so good¡­¡±


    Yi Hui handed her a tissue, unable to laugh or cry. He had no idea what the man and his team were planning, he was just taking a wild guess and finding a reason to comfort Jiang Yimang.


    However, it was the first time that this kind of high-tension wire injury had happened to that man.


    Yi Hui knew how picky that man was when he chose a role. In the past, when he had nothing to do at home, he used to watch movies and TV shows of the man over and over again. Later, he learned to surf the internet, watched variety shows, interviews and so on, and even repeatedly watched some of them several times.


    The one that impressed him the most was a magazine interview. The reporter asked the man if he would take on costume films, Qing dynasty palace dramas, martial arts movies and the like in the future. The man was used to being casual and answered without even thinking about it: ¡°No, Qing dynasty palace dramas need you to shave and grow hair. It¡¯s hard to grow hair. In martial arts movies you must hang on a wire flying around. That¡¯s too much trouble.¡±


    At that time, as soon as this interview came out, there was an uproar in public opinion. Black fans found a reason to ridicule and scold him for his lack of professionalism. What kind of actor was he, still picking and choosing. On the contrary, the true fans felt that he was very dignified and had the ability to pick a script casually, choosing whatever he wanted to play, and mocked the black fans about being sour grapes.


    So, why did he pick up a type of drama that he once said he would not pick up and was even injured there?


    Just when Yi Hui was about to fall into a thinking state, Jiang Yimang beside him pushed him: ¡°Brother, the phone is ringing.¡±


    He returned to his room, picked up the mobile phone on the table and saw the caller ID ¡°Tang Wenxi¡±. Yi Hui was still relaxed when he pressed it.


    Who would have thought that after he listened to a few words, his expression would become tense, the speed of his speech gradually increasing: ¡°Display? Why is it on display? ¡­¡­I didn¡¯t take a closer look at the contract signed when I received the award¡­That¡¯s my work, I didn¡¯t agree¡­tomorrow, so soon? ¡­¡­Then I will be there.¡±


    The next day, Exhibition Hall A of the Capital Art Museum.


    The huge exhibition hall was divided into countless small spaces by the partitions, and each space had interconnected passages to facilitate the audience to follow the best route for browsing all the paintings on display.


    The checking of the tickets just started and Fang Yuqing was waiting at the entrance after receiving the call. When he saw a tall man approaching from afar, he immediately waved his hand in greeting.


    When the man walked up, it turned out there was another man beside him and the smile on Fang Yuqing¡¯s face disappeared silently.


    ¡°What is it? Jinheng¡¯s face was stinky all the way and now you don¡¯t welcome me either?¡± Yang Chengxuan said innocently, ¡°There is a work of my friend on display here today. I will go to support him. I won¡¯t disturb the world of the two of you, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Fang Yuqing was embarrassed by his words and hurriedly said that he was not unwelcome, and then glanced at Zhou Jinheng who was standing next to him. He saw him in a mask covering his face, with his hands in his windbreaker pockets and the freshly scabbed wound on his forehead still quite noticeable. It didn¡¯t look like he had applied the medicine properly. His emotions were unreadable in his exposed eyes.


    While the two of them were still chatting, Zhou Jinheng suddenly interjected: ¡°Let¡¯s go in, it¡¯s open.¡±


    Saying that, he took the lead and strode away. Fang Yuqing dropped his conversation with Yang Chengxuan halfway and hurriedly followed, taking Zhou Jinheng to the middle of the venue: ¡°My work is over there. I¡¯ll explain it to you as you look.¡±


    This was an exhibition aimed at discovering new talents. The works on display were all by young artists who had just become known in the world of arts or had some achievements in recent years.


    Fang Yuqing¡¯s paintings were undoubtedly the most popular among them, which was evident from the position the organisers had assigned to his work.


    However, this time Zhou Jinheng came with the purpose of relaxing. Instead of going straight to the middle of the exhibition hall as Fang Yuqing wished, he started from the entrance and looked at the paintings one by one. Fang Yuqing also had to entertain other people. Seeing that he had his own plans, he went ahead and became busy elsewhere.


    Zhou Jinheng had never studied arts and his standard of appreciation was based entirely on whether it met his taste. He hurriedly passed a few paintings that seemed mediocre to him in all aspects, but a few others did attract his attention.


    For example, the landscape painting in front of him, which was placed in a corner. It had majestic mountains as its main subject. Complemented by a little morning light spilling out from the gap between the mountains, it not only emphasized the theme of ¡°sunrise¡±, but also avoided looking too deliberate. In his opinion, even though it only won an excellence award, it was much better than the works with silver and bronze awards.


    In reality his appreciation was more selfish. By immersing himself in this painting, Zhou Jinheng was finally able to detach himself from his state of numbness and indifference to his surroundings and face his recent anomaly.


    Especially the top of that rocky cliff. The first thought that came to his mind when he saw it was to climb to the top, and then jump down, to experience more of the unbearable feeling of being out of control and more of the pain of being beyond the breaking point.


    These days, Ye Qin¡¯s sentence ¡°You have no heart, you are not worthy¡± was spinning in his mind endlessly. He knew better than anyone that he was the culprit. Those three men merely contributed to his evil deeds, and he was the one who deserved a death by a thousand cuts.


    When the wire lost control that day and his body fell at an extreme speed, swaying and slamming into the wall, his first reaction was not to raise his arms to protect his head and torso, but to think that it would be good to go. Maybe there was still time to catch up with Yi Hui. There was no need to stay here alone with the pain that could not be relieved by being scraped and bruised to numbness.


    Compared to Yi Hui¡¯s pain, what was his?


    He seemed to be trapped in a barren mountain surrounded by cliffs. He had no light to guide him and couldn¡¯t see the way forward. He could not feel the wind that brushed his face, he could not feel the branches that cut his skin, he could not reach the top of the mountain, he could not wait for the storm, he did not know when this torture would end.


    If life was worse than death, it was better to die.


    Yang Chengxuan wandered over from the next door, saw Zhou Jinheng looking intently, and said, ¡°Why, are you interested in this one? This is what my friend painted. Here, he¡¯s right over there. Do you want me to take you to talk to him?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng shook his head and withdrew his tired gaze from the painting: ¡°No, I¡¯m just taking a look.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan felt a little helpless: ¡°Okay¡­ But I¡¯m not reprimanding you, but if you accept the invitation to come to the exhibition, you should look at it properly. Fang Yuqing has been circling around you for half a day, but you didn¡¯t even pay attention to him. It¡¯s embarrassing, okay?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng walked to stand in front of the next painting and replied curtly, ¡°I¡¯m looking, not ignoring him.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan let out a ¡±tsk¡±, leaned closer and lowered his voice slightly: ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t see that he wants to get back together with you. It¡¯s the right time and the right place. You are widowed and he is not married¡­¡±


    Before he finished speaking, he was silenced by a sharp look from Zhou Jinheng.


    ¡°I¡¯m here for the sake of our friendship and fulfilling the promise. It doesn¡¯t have the meaning you think,¡± Zhou Jinheng said.


    Yang Chengxuan asked, ¡°What if he thinks it does?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng frowned, as if he didn¡¯t want to talk about this topic: ¡°Then I will make it clear to him.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan spread his hands and shrugged: ¡°Okay, whatever you want, I just think the opportunity is rare and I don¡¯t want you two to miss it again. Didn¡¯t you get married to forget him? Now that you are single, it¡¯s not a crime to think about it, no need to be so d*mn stiff.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng frowned tighter. As soon as he was about to say something, there was a lot of movement on the opposite side of the wall, as if someone was arguing.


    ¡°They said that it will not be on display, why is my painting still hanging here?¡±


    ¡°You signed a contract with the Arts Association and they sent this painting to participate in the exhibition.¡±


    ¡°But, but they clearly said¡­¡±


    ¡°Said what? Did you have an agreement with the Arts Association or with the person in charge here?¡±


    ¡°They promised me on the phone that they would withdraw it.¡±


    ¡°They are them, we are us. I didn¡¯t receive a notice to withdraw the painting here. If you have any questions, please contact the person in charge¡­¡±


    ¡°I, I am the author of this painting, and now I want to take it off.¡±


    Yi Hui knew that he was stupid and unable to speak well. It would only delay time to keep arguing like this. In a hurry, he went up to the painting and tried to remove it from the wall.


    After receiving a call from Tang Wenxi yesterday, he immediately took a bus to the city, and then took an early morning plane to the capital. He rushed to the Art Association early in the morning to negotiate with the staff there. After receiving a reply that the painting could be removed from the exhibition if the liquidated damages were paid, he rushed to the exhibition site again non-stop.


    Since last night, Yi Hui had neither eaten nor slept. He was determined to take the painting away no matter what, but in fact he could barely stand and there was a blur of colors in front of his eyes.


    He was pushed away by the staff and he didn¡¯t get the painting. He was so anxious that his nose felt sour and he bit his lip, about to start crying.


    ¡°No, this painting cannot be shown to others.¡± Yi Hui stubbornly stepped forward to pick it up again, ¡°This is my painting, and I have the right to take it away.¡±


    It was already the most ferocious thing he could say, but unfortunately, its intimidation effect was too little.


    The staff member was probably annoyed by his ¡°unreasonable¡± attitude and this time he put some strength into his push. Yi Hui stood on tiptoe and his hand was about to touch the edge of the frame when he was pushed away. His feet were wobbly and combined with his unsteady stance, he staggered a few steps away.


    He was about to fall on his back when a man grabbed his arm from behind and supported him, shaking his body a few times before he could stand.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡± Yi Hui, who almost fell, turned pale with fright and his voice trembled.


    He turned his head to see what the kind-hearted passerby who had rescued him looked like. As soon as his gaze met those eyes, his breathing stopped for an instant and he even forgot to pull away his arm.


    The other party was not calm either.


    The moment their eyes met, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heart almost popped out of his throat.


    The man he caught was also wearing a mask. Noticing his eyes darting as if to dodge, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s hand tightened subconsciously and he put his other hand on the thin shoulder, gripping hard and forcing the man to look at him.


    The dark, moist eyes and his own face reflected in them were a sight he had seen many times before.


    His Adam¡¯s apple rolled up and down. Zhou Jinheng swallowed dryly, raised his hand from the man¡¯s shoulder and tried to remove the mask covering the face in front of him.


    When he was about to touch it, his movement stopped suddenly, as if he couldn¡¯t wait to do it but was afraid to lose the hope that had just risen. He curled his fingers and withdrew his hand.


    His gaze never wavered for a second. Zhou Jinheng¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at the man in front of him. His lips opened and closed as he cautiously called ¡°Hui¡­ HuiHui?¡±

 CH 19

    The body under his palms trembled violently.


    Zhou Jinheng held his breath, not daring to miss the slightest reaction from the opponent. His heart that had been silent for a long time began to beat happily. He stepped forward and asked for the final confirmation in a hoarse voice: ¡°HuiHui, is that you?¡±


    The man held by him seemed to be stunned. After a while, he blinked a few times. With the fluttering of his eyelashes, the panic in his eyes dissipated, as if it had never existed and it was Zhou Jinheng who misinterpreted it.


    He shook his head, then shook it again, then backed away, trying to get out of Zhou Jinheng¡¯s grip.


    This reaction instantly extinguished the fire in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heart.


    He didn¡¯t give up, raised his hand again and tried to pull off the mask on the man¡¯s face anyway. He didn¡¯t expect the man who had been silent until now to resist violently, twisting away and struggling desperately; but the difference in strength was too great and he could only free one arm.


    He immediately raised his hand to cover his face and pressed his palm to the mask, undeniably resisting Zhou Jinheng¡¯s touch: ¡°I¡­ I am not.¡±


    The voice sounding through the mask was muffled; Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t have time to listen carefully as all his attention was attracted by the raised hand.


    It was the right hand, the hand of an artist, the fingers long and thin. The back of the hand was clean and there was no trace of burn on it.


    In the quiet atmosphere of the painting exhibition, the episode that didn¡¯t attract much attention ended quietly.


    Thinking back about that scene, Yang Chengxuan couldn¡¯t figure out what kind of madness Zhou Jinheng was suffering from and was a little impatient with his recent unusual behaviour: ¡°It was your idea to look at the exhibition properly, did you come here to go crazy? What¡¯s wrong with you? It¡¯s just a dead man, didn¡¯t you want him to¡­¡­¡±


    Fang Yuqing next to him reacted quickly, touched Yang Chengxuan and motioned for him to stop talking with his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I thought it would be a good idea to invite you to the exhibition in these circumstances, thinking it would make you feel better.¡± Fang Yuqing said to Zhou Jinheng, ¡°Why don¡¯t you two go back first? There are a few paintings here that will be put on display in the City Art Museum for a long time. You can come to look at them another time.¡±


    After walking out of the venue and getting in the car, Yang Chengxuan started the engine and made a call. When he learned that the friend he mentioned before had also left the venue early for some reason, he slammed the steering wheel and cursed, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Halfway through the ride, his irritability was dissipated in the cold wind and he accosted Zhou Jinheng, who was sitting in co-pilot: ¡°Master Crazy, shall we go clubbing or bar-hopping next?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng hadn¡¯t said a word since he came out, but after recovering, he only replied lightly: ¡°Airport.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan couldn¡¯t believe it: ¡°Back to S City again?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng said ¡±en¡±.


    At the red light, Yang Chengxuan turned to look at Zhou Jinheng and said in confusion: ¡°Wait a minute, what the h*ll is going on? I saw you eating and sleeping normally and I thought everything was back on track. Who knew that once you make a noise, it¡¯d be a boom. Would you take a person on the road that wants to go home with¡­ No, wait, who told me before that the marriage contract would be terminated as soon as you¡¯d become economically independent and would never talk of that fool again? His death is not your responsibility. Otherwise, even if your family had the ability to cover the sky with one hand, you¡¯d have to go to jail. Now that you are like this, I really don¡¯t understand. Did you run into something evil or were you bewitched?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng raised his eyelids: ¡°No.¡±


    After talking for a long time, he got a one-word response. Yang Chengxuan felt dizzy with anger: ¡°Right, don¡¯t go to the airport. I¡¯ll take you to the temple to burn incense to exorcise some evil spirits.¡±


    After being angry for a while, Yang Chengxuan turned his head and saw Zhou Jinheng still sitting there in silence. Somehow he suddenly remembered the day he said on the phone that he missed that fool. It was the first time since they met that he had seen Zhou Jinheng exposing his vulnerability in front of others. And just now in the exhibition hall, Zhou Jinheng eyes were bright when he held the man¡¯s arm and refused to let go but now they turned into pools of stagnant water, lifeless.


    A premonition rose in Yang Chengxuan¡¯s heart: ¡°You can¡¯t¡­ be serious, right?¡±


    The same words he had asked Zhou Jinheng four years ago. At that time, Zhou Jinheng was playing with the brush in his hand, a smile in the corners of his mouth: ¡°If he is serious, I will be serious.¡±


    And now, that bright spirit and self-confidence were all gone.


    With his eyes looking into the void, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face was calm as he answered the question that had passed the statute of limitations: ¡°His death is my responsibility.¡±


    The crew gave him two weeks off; Zhou Jinheng delayed his return to the family home until the last day.


    The Zhou family mansion was located in the bustling area in the central part of S City. Because he hadn¡¯t been back for a long time, he couldn¡¯t remember the way clearly. He turned right and left many times until he drove into the yard. When he pushed the door open, his family was already sitting around the table and preparing to eat.


    ¡°Brother, sit with me!¡±


    When his younger sister Zhou Jinyue saw him, she stretched out her neck and waved at him. If Zhou Huarong hadn¡¯t been there, she might have got up and rushed to the door to greet him.


    Zhou Huarong cleared his throat with an unpleasant expression and said: ¡°Do you still know how to come back?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng slowly changed his shoes, took off his coat and threw it on the sofa, walked into the dining room, sat down next to Zhou Jinyue and took a bowl to eat without saying a word.


    The more he acted in this way, the more Zhou Huarong felt challenged. He slammed his chopsticks on the table and scolded, ¡°What kind of attitude is that? Do you treat your home like a hotel to come and go as you please?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng served Zhou Jinyue a bowl of soup and after telling his sister to take a sip of the soup to warm her stomach, he replied indifferently: ¡°You told me to come back.¡±


    Zhou Huarong snorted: ¡°If I didn¡¯t call you back, the stupid things you do outside would ruin my reputation.¡±


    The next things spoken were just some typical criticisms, ¡°I took care to arrange a position for you in the company and you don¡¯t come and show your face. You don¡¯t make that much money but you¡¯ve got yourself all bruised up.¡± ¡­ At first, the scolding and persuasion was quite moderate. Zhou Jinheng let it go into his left ear and slip out of his right ear indifferently, but later on, when he talked about Yi Hui, the atmosphere changed abruptly.


    ¡°I originally thought that when you turn twenty two, you will go and get your certificate. At that time, there would be a wedding in S City, but it is a pity that Xiao Hui, this child, was so unlucky.¡±


    Zhou Huarong sighed as he said it with a painful expression. If one didn¡¯t know him, one would have thought that he was really regretting this lost marriage.


    Zhou Jinheng was so used to his superficial tricks that he just wanted to sneer, ¡°It¡¯s not impossible to have a wedding now and announce it to the world.¡±


    Zhou Huarong immediately raised his eyebrows: ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who mentioned the ghost marriage and all that?¡± Zhou Jinheng continued to contradict, ¡°I asked someone. There is really a special organization for this kind of wedding, and the price is not expensive.¡±


    Zhou Huarong slammed his hand down on the table: ¡°Shameful, full of nonsense! How can the living and the dead get married? Besides, you and him haven¡¯t had a certificate yet, at most it is canceling the marriage contract. Divorce, being a widow, it¡¯s all bullsh*t!¡±


    The outside discussion invariably reached his ears but even though Zhou Jinheng heard a lot of it, he didn¡¯t care and didn¡¯t want to hear it.


    After a while, Zhou Huarong calmed down, consciously suppressed his temper and took the initiative to say amiably, ¡°Dad knows that you are just talking in anger. I wronged you when I asked you to be with Yi Hui.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t seem to be listening, enjoying eating and drinking soup.


    Surrounded by the whole family sitting at the table, Zhou Huarong felt somewhat embarrassed by this lack of response; but he called Zhou Jinheng back this time because he had something to say, so he kept his temper down and said as calmly as possible: ¡°The marriage contract is automatically terminated now and not many people outside know about it. After a while, no one will mention it¡­ Let it stay in the past.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng still ignored him with his eyes lowered; no one could tell what he was thinking.


    Seeing that his reaction wasn¡¯t particularly fierce, Zhou Huarong continued: ¡°Our family has been cooperating with the Tan family¡¯s company recently. They have a young son who is the same age as you and just came back from studying abroad.¡±


    It was not the first time Zhou Huarong had done this kind of thing. He thought that if the foundation was laid properly, even if Zhou Jinheng initially resisted, he would not fight to the bitter end. After all, he had the bargaining chip in his hand. Hadn¡¯t he also meekly accepted the marriage with the Yi family back then?


    With that in mind, Zhou Huarong felt even more confident: ¡°I have seen that child, he looks good and is smart, different from Yi Hui¡­¡±


    Before he finished speaking, Zhou Jinheng swept the tableware in front of him to the ground with a loud bang, the sharp sound of breaking dishes stinging the eardrums.


    Not giving anyone time to react, Zhou Jinheng stood up, grabbed the edge of the dining table with both hands, strained his arms and made a gesture to lift the table. The soup bowl placed in the center of the table was tilted and the soup was about to splash on the table. If it weren¡¯t for Zhou Huarong shrinking back quickly, he would almost be drenched all over.


    This move was unexpected to everyone. Zhou Jinyue screamed and dodged. On the other side, Zhou Huarong was so shocked and angry that he couldn¡¯t speak clearly, ¡°What, what are you mad about?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face remained calm. Only if one looked closely, one could see that his teeth were clenched, the muscles of his forearms were tense and his veins were bulging as if he was exerting a lot of strength and with just a little additional effort, the hundred-pound marble table would topple over.


    Mindful of his younger sister¡¯s presence, Zhou Jinheng eventually suppressed this sudden outburst of anger.


    ¡°It is Yi Hui who is different from them.¡± He moved his stiff jaws, his upper and lower teeth creaking from clenching too hard, ¡°No one can replace him.¡±


    The meal ended in turmoil and chaos.


    Zhou Huarong was furious, threatening to use the family law. Zhou Jinheng was afraid that he would lose control again if he stayed, so he turned and walked out.


    Zhou Jingyue, who had regained her senses, chased after him and grasped Zhou Jinheng¡¯s arm to persuade him to go back: ¡°Brother, your hand is still bleeding, go in first and get it bandaged.¡±


    When she pointed it out, Zhou Jinheng lowered his head to look and found a nearly two-inch-long cut on his left hand that he hadn¡¯t noticed. Blood continuously dripped down his fingers to the ground. It must have been sliced by a piece of broken porcelain when he went crazy just now.


    He stared for a moment, then raised his hand and casually wiped it on the sleeve of his other arm: ¡°It¡¯s okay, go back.¡±


    Zhou Jinyue was still a young girl in her teens. The commotion just now made her eyes red with fright: ¡°Brother, what¡¯s the matter with you? I just got back and you¡¯re like this¡­¡±


    Zhou Jinheng smiled bitterly. More than one person had asked him that; he also wanted to know what was the matter with him.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t come back.¡° He still had to comfort his sister who was much younger than him, ¡°I have a job, so you go back. I haven¡¯t been home for a while, mother¡¯s room will be left to you to clean up.¡±


    Zhou Jinyue nodded, sniffed and said, ¡°I know, I know brother did have some feelings for that fool. But he is dead and you are still alive, life must go on and mother wouldn¡¯t want to see you like this from the heavens. Cheer up and don¡¯t make us worry about you.¡±


    Unexpectedly there would be a day he would be comforted by his younger sister in such a clumsy way. Zhou Jinheng felt ridiculous and his heart was filled with overwhelming sadness.


    If it weren¡¯t for his belittling and trampling, Yi Hui¡¯s existence would not have been so weak and small, so small that even after he had lost his life for him, he would receive only a few unpleasant sighs from others.


    He had obviously lived so passionately, his existence was so vivid, and even now he occupied all his mind, making him go insane, making him  feel numb to the physical pain.


    He knew better than anyone that the attitude of others depended on his attitude. Had he treated Yi Hui better, just a little bit better, had he just served him a bowl of soup at the table, no one would have dared to ignore him like that.


    It was all his fault, he was the one who pushed Yi Hui into h*ll with his own hands, then looked on coldly and abandoned him.


    Before leaving, Zhou Jinheng did not forget to correct his sister¡¯s way of addressing Yi Hui: ¡°He is not a fool, don¡¯t call him ¡®the fool¡¯ in the future.¡±


    Zhou Jinyue didn¡¯t understand: ¡°What should I call him?¡±


    This question stumped Zhou Jinheng himself. However, after being stunned for a moment, he relaxed, his face revealing an expression that could be considered soft: ¡°Call him sister-in-law. I am your brother, and he is your sister-in-law.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t know if doing so was equivalent to atoning for his sins. He only knew that he wanted to do it and wanted to give Yi Hui a name and a status, a name and a status that could be openly announced to the outside world.


    He changed Yi Hui¡¯s phone number on his mobile phone from ¡°HuiHui¡± to ¡°wife¡± and also thought the default sorting was too backwards, so he added an ¡°a¡± in front of it, just like Yi Hui. The name he had been ashamed to say during those three years was now on his lips and in plain sight without any hindrance.


    Zhou Jinheng thought this was very good. Others thought he was a lunatic. He himself knew how serious he was and it was enough.


    On the day he returned to the filming site, sitting in the waiting room, he flipped through Yi Hui¡¯s circle of friends again. In the past, they rarely contacted each other this way, even though they used phone calls or text messages. Zhou Jinheng only recently remembered that Yi Hui still had a WeChat ID.


    Probably treating his circle of friends as his own private space, Yi Hui posted everything in it.


    ¡°I made a big cake and waited for my husband to come back for his birthday!¡±


    ¡°My husband is going home tomorrow. I¡¯m going to the supermarket to buy things in the afternoon!¡±


    ¡°My husband kissed someone else on TV again today. HuiHui is so sad¡­¡±


    ¡°I played games with my husband last night and I can¡¯t get out of bed today [crying]¡±


    ¡°But I still like playing games with my husband¡­¡±


    And so on. When he read it for the first time, it took Zhou Jinheng a while to realize that ¡°playing games¡± referred to making love.


    After reading the entries one by one, Zhou Jinheng closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.


    Yi Hui left him so many things, but he was still afraid that if he didn¡¯t save some, he would have nothing in the future.


    When he picked up his phone again, the interface jumped back to the homepage of the circle of friends. The latest news came from Yang Chengxuan.


    Remembering that he hadn¡¯t contacted him for several days after their parting on unhappy terms last time, Zhou Jinheng planned to take this opportunity to say hello to him. Along the way, he wanted to tell him what happened and what he thought about it, so that he stopped taking it upon himself to pull the strings for him and Fang Yuqing.


    When he scrolled down, his finger accidentally touched one of the pictures. It was one of the many paintings photographed by Yang Chengxuan. Zhou Jinheng glanced at it when it was enlarged on the screen, and with just one glance, his whole body was frozen in place and he could not move.


    During his vacation due to the injury, he hardly went out. He looked and looked at the paintings that Yi Hui had left and framed several of them with his own hands. Therefore, he was very familiar with Yi Hui¡¯s brushwork and painting style and could recognize it at a glance.


    What¡¯s more, it was himself in the painting.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t know how he dialed the phone. He waited until he got the information about the author of the painting, and learned that this painting was one of the works that won the gold medal in the theme painting competition called ¡°Sunrise¡±. It was hanging for less than an hour at the exhibition of the Capital Art Museum that just closed and, because the author was unwilling to display it, it was personally retrieved by the author after paying a penalty for breach of contract.


    As he stroked the painting on the screen, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s first thought was to slap himself and ask if he was blind at the time. He didn¡¯t notice such a large painting hanging on the wall.


    What followed was an uncontrollable, almost crazy excitement.


    In his mind, he kept replaying the scene on the day of the exhibition, the small movements that he was very familiar with, the eyes that he had seen many times. Zhou Jinheng was drowning in raging ecstasy. He never knew that the impact of losing and regaining could be even greater than the impact of coming back from the dead, powerful like an earthquake.


    Surviving a desperate situation sent shivers down his spine, and hope and confidence that had long been gone returned to him.


    I knew I was right. I knew it was him.

 CH 20

    In the early morning, Yi Hui finished watering the flowers and set up the easel in the yard. As soon as he sat down, he sneezed unexpectedly.


    Jiang Yimang came out with her school bag on her back: ¡°Have you caught a cold again? It seems to be cooler today, so you should go back to the house to paint.¡±


    Yi Hui rubbed his nose: ¡°No, just an itchy nose.¡±


    ¡°It means someone far away misses you.¡± Jiang Yimang said with a smile, ¡°The more you sneeze, the more strongly the person thinks of you.¡±


    After she said that, Yi Hui sneezed twice more.


    This body was not in good health. As a precaution, Yi Hui soaked a pack of Banlangen. The granules were sweet and bitter, so he drank it down in three gulps and hurriedly took a piece of sugar and stuffed it in his mouth. The bitterness disappeared, leaving only the sweetness he liked.


    Jiang Xuemei went to work and Jiang Yimang went to school. The house was a little deserted. Yi Hui drafted the lines for the painting, mixed the colours and was just about to put down his brush when his mobile phone rang.


    Tang Wenxi got straight to the point: ¡°Did you call me last night?¡±


    Yi Hui put the brush down and covered the palette: ¡°En, someone else picked it up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, it was a friend, we had dinner together last night and went back in his car, but I fell asleep in the car.¡±


    Yi Hui actually knew who the man answered the phone was. Seeing that Tang Wenxi didn¡¯t want to say anything, he didn¡¯t ask and changed the subject: ¡°I painted halfway through yesterday. I remembered that I had seen a certain kind of paint in the capital before. You can buy it near the Academy of Fine Arts.¡±


    Tang Wenxi knew what he wanted to ask halfway through: ¡°Let me buy it and send it to you, ok? It¡¯s no problem, tell me the brand and color number, and I will buy it later.¡±


    Yi Hui thanked him, but still felt that it was too troublesome: ¡°I went to the capital in a hurry last time, otherwise I would have bought it myself.¡±


    Speaking of that, Tang Wenxi was angry: ¡°Wow, you were more than in a hurry last time. Someone just went to the painting exhibition site and didn¡¯t even come to play with me, took their painting and ran away while I was thinking what we¡¯d be eating for lunch. Tell me, doesn¡¯t your conscience hurt?¡±


    Yi Hui raised his hand and touched the position of his heart: ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to hurt¡­¡±


    ¡°Pff-¡± Tang Wenxi laughed out loud, ¡°You didn¡¯t really touch your heart, did you?¡±


    Yi Hui put down his hand slyly: ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about the last time, I wanted to go home as soon as I got the painting, but when I got to the airport, I remembered that I didn¡¯t look for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop talking, stop talking,¡± Tang Wenxi seemed to be almost unable to bear it. ¡°The more you talk, the more I realize that I have no place in your heart, not even in a small corner¡­ Lowly me wants to cry.¡±


    If he had heard it before, Yi Hui would have thought that he was really going to cry. But after a while, he adapted to the ability of a normal human brain to process information and learned to distinguish which words were jokes, so he didn¡¯t panic.


    For example, now he curled his eyes in a smile and said to the phone: ¡°Then come, cry in my arms.¡±


    Tang Wenxi didn¡¯t have time to come over.


    He was studying in graduate school and his teacher was very strict. He often pointed at his paintings and said, ¡°My three-year-old grandson can draw better than this.¡± It made Tang Wenxi very depressed. He complained to Yi Hui many times thinking that this strange old man was clearly praising one and stomping on the other, using his paintings as a way to exalt his young grandson¡¯s artistic


    Whenever he heard Tang Wenxi talk about his teacher, Yi Hui laughed uncontrollably but he didn¡¯t make a sound when he laughed, so Tang Wenxi cut to the next topic without even knowing that he was still laughing on the other end of the phone.


    Tang Wenxi got a new idea. Every time after chatting on the phone he would send a text message asking Yi Hui if he still remembered what he had just said on the phone. Yi Hui typed a reply like a report, using it to improve his memory along the way: learn to shop online and buy a tablet.


    Online shopping was mentioned on the phone earlier. Tang Wenxi said he could learn to shop online when he came across things he couldn¡¯t buy around, and told him not to rush to buy paints and learn about digital painting first.


    Yi Hui was already intrigued to hear that he could draw with the computer and save the finished picture directly in the computer.


    It¡¯s not that he hadn¡¯t heard of this thing before, but at that time he was clumsy and didn¡¯t want to trouble others, so he kept procrastinating and didn¡¯t buy it. Now he was not afraid of it, he was not afraid of not being able to understand it and was not afraid of making mistakes. His courage was growing bigger.


    The last time he went to the capital, Jiang Xuemei did not feel comfortable letting him go alone and he was also worried. As a result, it went quite smoothly, he didn¡¯t go the wrong way or was abducted. But the process of taking down the painting was a little bit tortuous.


    Thinking of what happened at the painting exhibition, Yi Hui instinctively hunched his shoulders and his body retreated until his back touched the wall. Only then did he come back to his senses.


    He would never meet him again. Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief and said to himself that as long as he didn¡¯t go to the capital or S City, it would be impossible to meet him again.


    The modern online shopping system was well-developed and his newly bought hand-painting tablet would arrive in less than 24 hours.


    The express pick-up point in the town was near the middle school. Yi Hui rode his bicycle to pick up Jiang Yimang first and then took her to pick up the express delivery.


    Yi Hui hadn¡¯t ridden a bicycle much and when he was carrying someone in the back seat, his riding was even more crooked, drawing curves on the ground. Jiang Yimang nervously clutched his clothes: ¡°Can you do it? Or let me down and go by myself.¡±


    After getting home smoothly, Yi Hui locked the bicycle, raised his hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Because he had overcome another difficulty, he curled his lips and smiled.


    In order to thank Jiang Yimang for taking him to find the express pick-up point and for lending him her computer, Yi Hui¡¯s first task after receiving the tablet was to draw an avatar for Jiang Yimang.


    ¡°Big eyes, white skin, golden curls tied with a blue bow, expression¡­ Just make it cute, draw a heart at the corner of the eye, a small one. The overall style is best to be the goddess style, that is, sharp eyes, the kind that looks very haughty, cold and difficult to approach.¡±


    After listening to her request, Yi Hui looked confused, unable to imagine what a haughty goddess with a blue bow and a heart in the corner of her eyes would look like.


    Seeing that he was having difficulties, Jiang Yimang gave him a second choice, ¡°If this doesn¡¯t work, you can draw me an anime version of HengHeng and I will post it to the super topic¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Before she finished speaking, Yi Hui hurriedly said, ¡°The cute haughty goddess, no problem.¡±


    Although the request sounded a bit outrageous, it was not difficult to draw it. Yi Hui also appreciated the ¡°tablet being like a paper¡± that Tang Wenxi mentioned on the phone.


    Once you start doing it, time flies by quickly. He just had enough time to adapt to the painting method of the tablet and draw a rough outline on the screen when it was almost dark.


    Yi Hui dropped his pen, put on his coat, opened the door, trotted to Aunt Qiu¡¯s house next door and picked up a few big fat geese.


    He wondered if all the animals got attached to people after spending time with them. In short, these geese had never bitten Yi Hui. When they saw Yi Hui walking from far away with a small bamboo pole in his hand, they would flap their wings happily.


    The three geese walked to the river by themselves. Yi Hui sat down on the low embankment and had nothing to do. He took out his mobile phone to check the habits of geese on the internet and turned to a forum post. The comments were all about how fierce geeses were and how painful it was to be bitten. One person said that he was bitten by a goose who pinched so hard there was still a scar left on his butt.


    Yi Hui looked at it and laughed silently, just gasping a little. Smiling, he looked up at the big white geese pecking at the grass by the river and suddenly realized that his previous wish to raise a small animal had now been easily realized.


    His purpose of wanting to keep a pet was very simple. He hoped to have a living creature by his side, so that when it was cold, he could cuddle with it to keep each other warm.


    Others thought that his family was in a superior situation. Even if he was incompetent and stayed at home for the rest of his life, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about making ends meet, let alone having to work for a mouthful of food and a shelter from the rain.


    But no one knew how scared he was to live alone in such a big house. When he woke up at night, it was pitch black in front of his eyes, and when he stretched out his hand, he could only touch the cold mattress. Only the echo of his own voice would always respond to him.


    That was why he so cherished the time that man came home. He didn¡¯t want to close his eyes to waste time sleeping. He would rather hold back drowsiness and lie on the side of the bed and look at the man quietly, begging for time to move slower. It would be better if he could quietly store up enough warmth so that the long days alone would not be so hard when the man was gone.


    When returning the geese, Yi Hui was a little reluctant to part. He touched the head of the youngest goose across the fence. Aunt Qiu on the side said in amazement: ¡°Our geese chase and peck when they see outsiders, especially this one. It is so fierce that Uncle Qiu doesn¡¯t dare to approach, only you can touch its head.¡±


    Yi Hui was as happy about this ¡°fate¡± as he was about the prospect of crossing over into another body and starting a new life after his death.


    Everything was fresh, and he still had a lot to do in the future, and there was a long way to go.


    On the way home, Yi Hui¡¯s steps were light. He walked to the door, heard the laughter coming from inside and smelled the aroma of food. He immediately forgot Aunt Qiu¡¯s comment that there seemed to be outsiders in town today.


    After showing the draft to Party A, Miss Jiang Yimang, and getting approval and praise, Yi Hui sat down at the dining table and quietly planned out his words, preparing to announce his intention to sell paintings online to make money.


    The Jiang family¡¯s financial situation was average. His family had spent a lot on his illness and it was time for him to do his part. Unlike hand-painting, digital painting was less likely to have a distinct personal style and should not be recognisable.


    The dishes were served to the table, steaming with heat. Yi Hui was about to speak when there was a knock on the metal door outside.


    ¡°Who is it? ¡°Jiang Xuemei asked out the window.


    The person outside the door didn¡¯t answer and knocked on the door three more times.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s my classmate. She said she would come to our house to play in the next two days.¡± In a hurry to open the door, Jiang Yimang threw down the spoon she used to scoop up a bowl of soup and was almost scalded by the hot soup splashing up on her hand.


    Yi Hui got up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll open the door, sit down and be careful.¡±


    When he walked to the door and put his hand on the doorknob, Yi Hui was still pondering what to say to make Jiang Xuemei accept his idea and how to mention it to Dr. Liu. He wondered if he¡¯d approve of selling paintings to make money.


    He opened the door absent-mindedly, and under a low-watt street lamp hanging from the door beam, the first thing that he saw was a tall and upright figure in front of him.


    He raised his eyes and looked at the sharp-lined jaw, the thin lips that were slightly open, and the handsome deep eyebrows.


    He seemed to have spent the whole night on the road. His neat and crisp coat was crumpled and his shoulders were covered with a thin layer of night dew.


    The eyes that were often illuminated by lights were now bloodshot, and a few strands of dew-soaked black hair fell over his razor-sharp brow, drawing attention to the unhealed wound on his forehead.


    Even though he tried his best to avoid it, Yi Hui saw the bruises on his face that caused him nightmares for several nights. His dreams were filled with scenes of a man whose face he could not see falling from a high altitude, and when he woke up, his heart was out of control and he could not pull himself together for a long time.


    Now that the man was standing in front of him, Yi Hui¡¯s mind was blank and he couldn¡¯t think about anything.


    He saw the corners of the man¡¯s mouth slowly rise, evoking an extremely relaxed smile, his exhaustion seeming to be swept away.


    In a whirlwind, he was pulled forward with great force and fell into the man¡¯s embrace.


    A pair of powerful arms firmly wrapped around his body, and the close proximity to each other gave him an unobstructed feeling of the other party¡¯s rapidly rising and falling chest and the hot breath gushing on his ear.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found you.¡° The corner of Zhou Jinheng¡¯s mouth pressed against the hair at Yi Hui¡¯s temple, almost greedily claiming the familiar smell of his body after a long absence, as he murmured in a low voice ¡°I¡¯ve found you.¡±

 CH 21

    Yi Hui¡¯s eyes widened. Being held in this familiar and unfamiliar embrace made him extremely frightened, as if he had fallen into a pool of deep water. The more he struggled, the deeper he sank. The salty water poured into his body through his mouth and nose and he was almost unable to breathe.


    But what he was hugging was not a lifesaving driftwood, but a demon that wanted to take him back to h*ll.


    With a burst of sudden strength, Yi Hui broke away from Zhou Jinheng¡¯s arms, took two steps back and then raised his hand very fast to push the metal door close.


    However, he was still not as fast as Zhou Jinheng who put his palm against the door and pushed the door that was about to close open.


    Yi Hui said nothing, just kept pushing the door. Through the crack in the door Zhou Jinheng could only see his lowered head and his hand on the door frame. Fearing hurting him if he pushed too hard, Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t dare to move and could only resist the door as much as possible to prevent it from closing.


    Perhaps it was taught by Yi Hui¡¯s mother when she was still alive. He remembered that Yi Hui was very vigilant and never opened the door easily when he was alone at home. Once he came back from the filming early and knocked on the door for a long time before Yi Hui came to open the door. He asked him why he was so slow. He said embarrassedly: ¡°My mother said that a Big Bad Wolf would come to eat children who opened a door casually. HuiHui climbed to the window and saw that it was you and came right away.¡±


    Thinking like this, Zhou Jinheng put his mind at ease and said eagerly into the doorway: ¡°HuiHui, don¡¯t close it, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Who would have thought Yi Hui would react even more violently when he heard that. He pushed desperately with both his hands and feet. Zhou Jinheng was unprepared. The arm he placed in the crack of the door to protect Yi Hui was severely clamped. He gasped and his expression suddenly changed.


    Yi Hui in the door was stunned when he heard the sound, and when he lowered his eyes to see Zhou Jinheng¡¯s arm still stuck in the crack of the door, he couldn¡¯t help but let go and take two steps back.


    Such a big commotion alarmed the people in the back room. Jiang Xuemei and Jiang Yimang came out one after another. Jiang Yimang still had her chopsticks in her mouth and asked indistinctly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is the door broken again and can¡¯t be opened?¡±


    Without a human obstruction, the half-closed metal door opened inwards by inertia, and the man standing outside the door faced the people inside unhindered.


    This time it was Jiang Yimang¡¯s turn to be shocked.


    The chopsticks she was biting landed on the floor one after another. She pointed at the door, then covered her mouth, then rubbed her eyes and then turned her head to look around. She didn¡¯t know what to do with her hands and feet. She couldn¡¯t manage to say anything for a long time. She was so excited that she was about to faint: ¡°Oh¡­ this¡­ I¡­ this, is this a hidden camera show?¡±


    In the end, no one was let in. The head of the family, Jiang Xuemei, interrogated Zhou Jinheng and asked him to take a closer look to see if he was looking in the wrong place and then took the lead to close the door.


    After a while, the lights on the wall outside went out, and the kitchen lights could not be seen when standing outside the courtyard. After two minutes, the upstairs windows lit up.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t knock on the door. He stood quietly, looking up at the vague silhouettes in the windows, trying to guess which one was Yi Hui¡¯s room.


    It wasn¡¯t until the pain in his arm transmitted to his cerebral cortex that he snapped to attention. Lifting his arm and moving it, it seemed swollen but the tendons and bones were unharmed, so it shouldn¡¯t be a big deal.


    What also came to mind was Yi Hui¡¯s reaction just now: the panicked look in his eyes, the timid expression on his face, his evasive gestures, which, when you thought about it, was almost as expected.


    His face was obviously bloodless with pain and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but Zhou Jinheng lifted the corners of his mouth and smiled.


    Wasn¡¯t this how his little fool would react? Last time at the painting exhibition and that time at the airport, he had the same reaction. How could he not recognize it?


    After he had confirmed it in his own way, a big stone on his heart finally fell to the ground.


    He found the address yesterday and set off immediately. The transportation to this small town he had never heard of was inconvenient. The only flight with empty seats was the early morning flight. He couldn¡¯t wait and took the high-speed rail for more than ten hours overnight.


    When he arrived at the provincial capital, it took a lot of effort to travel to this small town. He had never taken a long-distance bus. He spent half a day trying to find the right station. When he arrived at the next city, he had to change buses again. However, the bus broke down halfway and couldn¡¯t go further. Fortunately, he met people who were in a hurry to stop a car to go to town, so he followed them and carpooled with them, otherwise he might still be on the road at this moment.


    On the way in the shared car, he was almost recognized by his companions. If he hadn¡¯t done his best to deny it, coupled with his wretched look of not sleeping all night and the mask tightly covering his face, who knew how long this mess would have continued.


    Thinking of it, Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly and feel that the hassle was worth it. At least he had found him. Now he was in the house in front of him; he had just eaten dinner and might fall asleep in a while.


    It made him feel secure in a way he had never felt these days.


    He took out his phone and the smiling face on the screen overlapped with the face that he had just seen in the door, avoiding and resisting, giving him another boost.


    Zhou Jinheng lowered his hand, closed his tired eyes and exhaled a long breath.


    It was good to find him.


    If he found him, he could take him home.


    The heart of the man outside the house was shaken but the people inside the house were also ill at ease.


    The window of Yi Hui¡¯s room facing the other side of the yard was open. Jiang Yimang sneaked into his room after eating and taking a shower. She laid down on the window sill and looked around: ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to have left yet. Hey, is that black shadow him? ¡­¡­ I¡¯d better go downstairs and turn on the lights outside, otherwise I can¡¯t see clearly.¡±


    She was pulled away by Yi Hui who was sitting at the table: ¡°Mom is already asleep, don¡¯t disturb her.¡± As he said it, he glanced at the window, ¡°The man must have left. We already said that he got the wrong door.¡±


    Jiang Yimang curled her lips and sat back: ¡°It¡¯s rare to see someone who looks so similar to HengHeng, am I not allowed to look twice, huh?¡±


    Yi Hui wanted to say something, but after opening his mouth, he couldn¡¯t say that it was not Zhou Jinheng. He hesitated for a moment but kept his mouth shut and turned around to continue fiddling with his tablet.


    He looked focused, but in fact, his soul was wandering and he sat for half an hour without drawing a decent line.


    While comforting himself that his mentality was weak tonight and not suitable for drawing, he took out the embroidery of ¡°If the family lives in harmony all affairs will prosper¡± and worked on it, but with the first stitch the needle was stuck in his hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, more excited than me?¡± Jiang Yimang went to her room and found a band-aid to put on him, ¡°Just say it if you don¡¯t want to draw me, you don¡¯t need to hurt yourself.¡±


    Yi Hui said no; Jiang Yimang smiled and said, ¡°I know that my requirements are a bit difficult to achieve, but it¡¯s a challenge and you can hone your skills, right?¡±


    Yi Hui smiled without commenting.


    He had never lied before, but today he told one lie after another. First saying that he didn¡¯t know that man, then that the man was not Zhou Jinheng. In fact, he had been lying since he was reborn, pretending to be Jiang Yihui, fooling them and almost fooling himself.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s appearance was tantamount to a slap in the face, as if telling him: don¡¯t think that you can become another person by occupying someone else¡¯s body. The things he had experienced and the people he had known were not something he could easily get rid of even if he wanted to forget.


    But he was not worried to the point that he couldn¡¯t sleep.


    Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief when he woke up in the early morning and watched Jiang Yimang go out. He didn¡¯t hear any abnormal movement outside.


    He knew that the man would not stay outside the door. The man had a bad temper and had no patience at all, especially for him. He would often shout and wouldn¡¯t let him finish a sentence. How could he stay here without leaving after being shut out yesterday?


    Moreover, he said he wasn¡¯t him.


    The things that happened yesterday were vivid in his memory, and Yi Hui began to feel goosebumps again. He subconsciously wrapped himself in his clothes tightly, returned to his room and locked the door. Jiang Xuemei knocked on the door and asked him why he wasn¡¯t painting in the yard. He answered her through the door and said, ¡°It¡¯s cold today, I don¡¯t want to go out.¡±


    Jiang Xuemei loved her son who had been frail since he was a child. She cooked sweet soup and left it in the pot before going to work. During work, she called to remind Yi Hui to drink it.


    Yi Hui stayed in his room, alone until noon. When he was hungry, he opened the door and came out to have a bowl of soup. He stared out of the yard while drinking. He was sure that no one was there. He secretly laughed that he was too idle and imagined things to scare himself. After drinking the soup, he moved the laptop and the tablet outside and continued painting in the yard.


    In the evening, Yi Hui, who was immersed in the painting, completely forgot what he was worried about when he got up in the morning. Seeing that it was almost time, he changed his shoes and went out as usual, preparing to take the geese for a walk.


    When he opened the courtyard door, his head was still lowered as he was fastening his buttons. Jiang Xuemei liked to buy him this kind of jacket with many buttons, saying that it was more windproof than a zipper. Yi Hui couldn¡¯t get used to it and it took him a long time to button up every time he went out.


    He had walked to Aunt Qiu¡¯s house so many times that he could reach it smoothly even with his eyes closed. So when he suddenly hit a wall of flesh, he was stunned.


    He vaguely remembered experiencing the same thing before. Three years ago, in the department store, he was holding a doll he had just picked. He didn¡¯t pay attention to the road when he was happy and slammed his head against a man¡¯s shoulder.


    The difference was that on that occasion he tripped and almost fell, but this time someone had shielded him in advance and warned him to be careful.


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t care about saying thank you. He turned around and ran.


    Panicked, he didn¡¯t choose the way home but turned to a small path leading to the river. The swaying reeds on both sides of the road didn¡¯t let him see clearly. He focused all his attention on the front and just kept running, running as far away as possible, the further away the better.


    He couldn¡¯t hear the sound of footsteps behind him and he didn¡¯t know if he was about to be caught. In a panic, he stepped into a pothole in the road and stumbled, just in time to be pulled into the arms of the man behind him.


    Even if there was no chance for a struggle, Yi Hui was still resisting. He pushed against the man¡¯s chest, but the man refused to let go. The two tumbled over and fell to the ground. Yi Hui was swept around halfway by the waist and pressed against the man. He closed his eyes and struggled to stand up when his hand propped up on the man¡¯s chest was firmly gripped.


    The man held it very tightly and forcefully restrained Yi Hui from getting up: ¡°HuiHui, open your eyes.¡±


    Yi Hui closed his eyes tighter. When he couldn¡¯t break away, he used his other hand to separate himself. When he touched the back of the man¡¯s hand, he felt the unevenness of his skin. It was different from any other part of his body, and the scene he had seen yesterday that he had deliberately ignored came back to him.


    The bruise on his forehead, the hideous scar on the side of his hand ¨C Yi Hui was instantly dragged back to that horrible dream. He was so scared that he didn¡¯t want to see or hear anything. He kicked his legs on the ground and pushed his body back desperately. The moment he pulled his hand away, the inertia drove his hand high into the air, and a sound of a slap reached his ears.


    Yi Hui opened his eyes in agitation and his gaze fell on the face in front of him. He watched the patch of skin rapidly turning red and several jagged marks emerging on it.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t expect that he would be beaten, so he raised his hand and rubbed his cheek. At first it just felt hot, but in retrospect he thought it was amusing. Who would have imagined that he would one day be slapped in the face?


    He lifted the corners of his sore mouth and wanted to smile self-deprecatingly, but when he looked up at the man in front of him, he couldn¡¯t smile anymore.


    Yi Hui knelt on the ground, shrinking his neck and curling himself into the smallest possible ball, closing his eyes without saying a word. Yet he raised his head stiffly, exposing his whole face, as if waiting for him to hit back.


    Memories raged in his mind like a tide, and almost immediately Zhou Jinheng thought of everything he had done ¨C laughing at him and insulting him in front of everyone, tossing him in bed to satisfy his own desires, ordering him to take the cup and pouring freshly boiled water into the cup ruthlessly.


    His heart seemed to be fried in a pan of oil. Zhou Jinheng clenched his fists and almost crushed the roots of his teeth.


    Who said there was no karma in this world? Retribution came after all.


    As time passed by, Yi Hui sat still, holding his head up and waiting.


    He was very nervous, and his breathing was quivering slightly.


    However, the expected pain did not come. Instead, there was a warm hand, moving slowly and stroking gently.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, HuiHui, don¡¯t be afraid.¡° Zhou Jinheng squatted in front of him, holding his chin and brushing his fingers across his cold cheeks and the trembling eyelashes of his closed eyes, ¡°Open your eyes and we¡¯ll go home.¡±

 CH 22

    When Jiang Yimang returned home that night, she immediately realized that the atmosphere at home was not right.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother your brother.¡± Jiang Xuemei grabbed her hand when she was going to knock on Yi Hui¡¯s door, ¡°He is in a bad mood, so let him stay alone for a while.¡±


    Jiang Yimang went downstairs unhappily and kept looking upstairs while eating: ¡°Brother really doesn¡¯t want to come down and eat with us?¡±


    ¡°Hush-¡± Jiang Xuemei asked her to keep her voice down, ¡°Don¡¯t make trouble, he promised me that he would come down for dinner when he calmed down.¡±


    Jiang Yimang grasped the point: ¡°Calm down? What happened?¡±


    Jiang Xuemei shook her head and said she didn¡¯t know.


    Thinking of her son¡¯s reddened eyes when he came back, she was more impatient than anyone else to know what was wrong but was afraid that chasing and asking would have the opposite effect. So she had to pretend that everything was okay and waited for him to figure it out and tell her everything himself or for a suitable time to ask a casual question.


    In the upstairs room, Yi Hui sat on the bed wrapping himself from head to toe in a blanket.


    He had this habit since he was very young. He did it when his parents quarreled over him, when his mother hugged him and cried and when he was bullied by other children and didn¡¯t want to talk about it.


    Drowning in the darkness made him feel safe. He was the only one in this small world. No one would scold him, no one would look at him weirdly, and as long as he wanted to hide, no one would find him.


    His reaction just now had been almost instinctive. He didn¡¯t want to see that man, nor did he want to be seen by that man. He closed his eyes as if burying his head in the sand. He was used to admitting his mistakes and waiting for punishment, so he stayed stiff and waited, even if it wasn¡¯t his fault, even if he acted only in self-defence.


    The cheek the man had touched still felt a bit hot. Yi Hui raised his hand and rubbed the unusually warm skin. With just one touch, he immediately withdrew his hand and then wrapped himself tighter.


    His vision was blurred, but his mind was very clear. He knew that he had overreacted just now.


    He should walk down the road with his head held high, not to run as soon as he encountered someone, and when asked, answer in a dignified manner, ¡°My name is Jiang Yihui.¡±


    He was now Jiang Yihui, not the timid Yi Hui who was afraid of everything.


    He now had a home and a family, so he didn¡¯t have to go back to that big cold and empty house and wait for someone who would never come back.


    Thinking about it this way, Yi Hui felt a little emboldened. He picked up his mobile phone and wanted to see how his brother and sister-in-law were doing recently. He also wanted to call Tang Wenxi. Tang Wenxi called him when he was going home just now, but he hung up without saying a word. He had to call him back and say that he was okay.


    As soon as his hand stretched out of the blanket and touched the mobile phone, his fingers felt numb from a sudden vibration.


    It was a text message from an unknown caller: [Feeling better? ¡¿


    Yi Hui was puzzled. His gaze moved to the number and when he saw the string of digits he knew by heart, with a shiver he almost pressed the dial button.


    He didn¡¯t reply, and he didn¡¯t plan to reply, but the text messages came one by one.


    [I scared you just now, would it be better to change to text messages? ¡¿


    [The number was entrusted to someone to find, I hope it didn¡¯t scare you]


    Yi Hui read these text messages several times and didn¡¯t understand what he meant by ¡°scare¡±.


    There was no need to understand.


    He simply switched off the phone.


    Later, Yi Hui went to Jiang Yimang¡¯s room to borrow her computer, opened a search engine to check the news he wanted to know and left a message for Tang Wenxi on QQ.


    Jiang Yimang stared at him from the side for a long time, then leaned over and asked, ¡°Brother, are you okay?¡±


    Yi Hui blinked: ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°If nothing is wrong, then that¡¯s good!¡± Jiang Yimang was straightforward. Yi Hui said he was okay and she believed it. She immediately changed the subject, rubbed her hands and raised her eyebrows, ¡°Then my goddess avatar¡­¡±


    Yi Hui patted her head, smiled and promised, ¡°Tomorrow, tomorrow will be good.¡±


    He opened his eyes the next day and took a deep breath of the fresh air outside the window. It was much better.


    It was so good that Yi Hui felt that he was ridiculously stupid yesterday. He was confused by the man¡¯s casual words and turned back into that stupid fool.


    After having breakfast and repeatedly assuring Jiang Xuemei that he was okay, Yi Hui sent his family away and devoted himself to a quiet time alone.


    When he was about to go out in the afternoon, he still hesitated. He stood in front of the mirror at the door for about five minutes, looking at the man in the mirror and making sure that he was not the former Yi Hui before stepping out.


    Just as he reached the road, the man emerged from around the corner, still wearing yesterday¡¯s clothes, and followed relentlessly behind.


    It was useless to hide, so he had to face it.


    Thinking this way, Yi Hui tried his best to overcome his fear and said first, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hitting you yesterday.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was taken aback for a moment, as if he didn¡¯t expect Yi Hui to take the initiative to talk to him, let alone say such a sentence.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    Because of this sudden dialogue, his prepared speech was messed up. It was the first time for Zhou Jinheng to coax someone and it was inevitable that he would feel awkward. It took him a while to come up with the phrase: ¡°Did you receive my text messages yesterday?¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t look away: ¡°En.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ why didn¡¯t you reply?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know if it was an illusion, but apart from inquiry, Yi Hui actually heard a trace of grievance in his tone.


    He stood still, without looking at Zhou Jinheng, and said in a natural tone, ¡°Why would I need to reply?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was startled again. This was completely different from what he expected. He thought that Yi Hui would be angry, sad, and maybe cry. He was even ready to stand and let Yi Hui beat him at will. But he never imagined he would be confronted by such a cold Yi Hui.


    So cold as if he didn¡¯t know him at all.


    Perhaps to test his suspicions, Yi Hui said immediately: ¡°I don¡¯t know you, don¡¯t follow me.¡±


    The autumn afternoon sun was shining brightly, and the air was filled with a humidity unique to the south.


    Zhou Jinheng washed his face with cold water in the only hotel in this small town. He picked up the towel on the shelf and was about to wipe his face. A strong musty smell reached his nose. He frowned, threw the towel into the sink and walked outside to make a call, still dripping.


    It took several beeps before the man on the other end reluctantly picked up, ¡°May I ask what the young master wants now?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was in a bad mood but he had to lower his head when he asked for help: ¡°He turned off the phone, please help me check if there is any other contact information.¡±


    ¡°Yo¨C¡± Yang Chengxuan still felt weird, ¡°didn¡¯t you go there, what contact information do you want?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng lowered his eyes and a few drops of water slid down his cheeks: ¡°He refuses to see me.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t tell me yet, let me guess.¡± Yang Chengxuan seemed to be interested, ¡°He said he was not Yi Hui, right?¡±


    His eyelids trembled as Zhou Jinheng gave a muffled ¡°en¡±.


    Yang Chengxuan slapped the table excitedly: ¡°What did I say? If he said ¡®yes¡¯, it would mean there are ghosts. I confirmed it for you before. He is really not. He just looks a bit alike and his name just happens to be a bit alike. It¡¯s fine if don¡¯t believe other people, but you don¡¯t believe me either? Are you blind or are you really crazy? Those two people are not related to each other but you have to say they are the same person!?¡±


    In normal times, no matter who spoke to Zhou Jinheng with such an almost sarcastic attitude, he would have been furious.


    However, this time he not only endured it but also continued to ask Yang Chengxuan as if he hadn¡¯t heard what he just said: ¡°Please help me check his other contact information, Weibo, QQ and WeChat. These all require a real name to register¡­¡±


    ¡°Zhou Jinheng!¡± Yang Chengxuan interrupted him with a sudden burst of laughter, ¡°Wake up, he is dead, Yi Hui is dead! He was dragged to the crematorium and burned! If you want ashes, ask his family for them, instead of going to the southern town that can¡¯t even be found on the map! Was my f*cking head kicked by a donkey too? I actually checked the address and phone number for you and thought I¡¯d let you go and come back sober, my f*cking ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s him.¡± Zhou Jinheng¡¯s simple words blocked the other party¡¯s anger, ¡°There¡¯s no way I could be mistaken.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan hung up the phone in fury and Zhou Jinheng had to find another way. He contacted the man who had helped him find Yi Hui when he disappeared before and asked him to help with the investigation.


    In a society where relationships are everything, one cannot rely on one¡¯s words alone. The man knew that he was no longer related to the Yi family by marriage, so he didn¡¯t have to curry favour with him and his attitude changed. Even if Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t see his expression, he could hear his perfunctory tone. Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t want to beat around the bush and promised a substantial sum of money straight away, and the man reluctantly agreed.


    Finally, he didn¡¯t forget to ¡°advise¡± Zhou Jinheng in a dignified manner: ¡°Money is simply worldly posessions, what matters is the friendship between our two families over the years. I believe that with Young Master Zhou¡¯s good looks, he will be able to find a better marriage in time. So don¡¯t forget to give a hand to your younger brother when the time comes.¡±


    After he hung up, the phone screen automatically switched to Yi Hui¡¯s photo. Zhou Jinheng looked at it as if hypnotized.


    In fact, there was not much resemblance in terms of appearance, whether it was the face, the figure or the manner of speech. Zhou Jinheng raised his hand to touch the spot on his face where he had been hit and even began to suspect that everything that had happened yesterday was another one of his absurd dreams.


    Born into a profit-oriented merchant family, he was brought up with a sense of value ¨C is it worth doing, is it worth the time and effort?


    He had always been disdainful of this mentality but it was undeniable that he grew up under the influence of this concept. He would involuntarily consider the value of everything he did, including whether to continue studying or to enter the entertainment industry, and whether to accept the marriage arranged by his family or to give up his dream.


    But this was a different matter, and he had no way of converting its possible gains or losses into money, or whatever else was convenient to calculate or measure.


    He could only do it, he had no choice.


    Without Yi Hui, even breathing seemed superfluous.


    If this was really a dream, he would rather hold his breath and never wake up.

 CH 23

    As a brother who keeps his word, on this day in November, Yi Hui sent the avatar drawn with the tablet to Jiang Yimang¡¯s mobile phone.


    Jiang Yimang, who had supervised the draft all the way, had an even greater sense of accomplishment than the creator. Putting on her avatar, she went to various groups to chat, attracting the little sisters to see her new avatar. When asked, she replied, radiant with delight: ¡°My brother painted it for me.¡±


    Yi Hui was happy to see it and his mood improved. He watered the flowers in the yard, researched information and went online to buy flower fertilizer, and heard Jiang Yimang say that mobile phones could also be used for online shopping. He turned on the phone that had been switched off for a day and a night, and several text messages came in.


    ¡¾Are you asleep? ¡¿


    [I can see that the light in your room is out, good night]


    [Good morning, it is sunny today, but the temperature difference between day and night is big, so wear more clothes]


    [Is the doll in the yard yours? I have also washed the dolls at home¡¿


    [Are you still going to herd the geese today? ¡¿


    Yi Hui flipped through them one by one, a little nervous at first, afraid that he would mention the events of that day again, but he didn¡¯t mention a word about it.  All he said was just a bunch of confusing things.


    The time distribution between the text messages was very even, every two hours, as if for fear of disturbing him.


    Yi Hui had never seen the man so cautious and he felt dazed after reading the messages.


    He was already removing the past from his mind little by little. Why did he have to bring it up again?


    As he was now, he didn¡¯t even look like him at all anymore.


    It happened to be the weekend, the day when Yi Hui went to psychological counseling.


    Jiang Yimang finished her homework and went with him. Jiang Xuemei drove the car from the spacious courtyard of Aunt Qiu¡¯s house to the front of her house. When he got into the car, Yi Hui kept urging Jiang Yimang, telling her to hurry up.


    Jiang Yimang turned her head suspiciously and looked around: ¡°What are you doing, kicking me into the car so that you can wear a floral dress behind my back?¡±


    Yi Hui, who downloaded a lot of photos of floral dresses on the computer in order to draw them, blushed at once: ¡°No, no dress. Let¡¯s just go early and come back early.¡±


    In the end, his wish to return early was not fulfilled.


    When he entered the clinic, Dr. Liu could see that Yi Hui¡¯s state was different. After a routine conversation, he asked him to stay for a little chat and asked if he was in any trouble.


    ¡°This is not treatment time, I am concerned about you as a friend. You can tell me if you have any worries, I will give you rational analysis and advice from the perspective of a bystander.¡±


    Faced with such sincere words, Yi Hui couldn¡¯t say no, but he couldn¡¯t explain it calmly either and just said: ¡°I met an old friend.¡±


    Dr. Liu said, ¡°It seems that you don¡¯t want to continue your relationship with this friend?¡±


    This kind of conversation did not directly break hiis thoughts but let him take the conversation in the direction he wanted made Yi Hui feel very comfortable. He just needed someone to listen to him: ¡°He came to me, probably because he felt guilty, probably because he was forced to by his family, or for some other reason, and I don¡¯t want him to bother my family or ¡­¡­  to see him again.¡±


    Dr. Liu suggested: ¡°According to your description, the other party has a strong personality, and ¡®declining politely¡¯ may not be appliable. The best way is to reject him in person and tell him clearly, ¡®I can¡¯t go back¡¯, and ¡®let¡¯s not meet again in the future¡¯.¡±


    Hearing this, Yi Hui felt somewhat dazed, but only for a brief moment, so brief that it dissipated before he had time to examine the reason for it.


    Before he left, Dr. Liu also put forward a hypothesis: ¡°Is it possible that he is sincere? It¡¯s not because of guilt, it¡¯s not because of family, it¡¯s just because he wants to do this?¡±


    Yi Hui was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head and smiled helplessly: ¡°Impossible.¡±


    This hypothesis seemed to Yi Hui even more absurd than his own reincarnation.


    He clearly knew that I was already dead.


    After seeing the doctor, the family went to the supermarket to make purchases. Along the way, they had dinner at the fast food restaurant downstairs. After eight o¡¯clock in the evening they drove back in the small van.


    Yi Hui hadn¡¯t slept well in the past few days. He leaned in the back seat and dozed off with his head against the window. Jiang Yimang was full of energy. She opened the window and sang loudly, from pop hits to old classics. Jiang Xuemei occasionally sang a few lines with her, complimenting her as she sang: ¡°My daughter is singing like a fairy, she can debut as a singer anytime!¡±


    Yi Hui squinted his eyes as he listened to them laughing, thinking ¨C it¡¯s nice to have a parent who makes good use of positive reinforcement.


    In his memory, his mother was a strong woman. Although she loved him very much, Yi Hui could perceive the regrets and resentments buried in her heart since he was a child.


    That¡¯s why she was so mean to the brother, who had just come back to his family, and saw him as a villain who was coming to harm them both; that¡¯s why she never praised or encouraged his paintings and only regretted it when she was about to die. Then she held his hand and begged him to paint a picture for her.


    Then and now, Yi Hui had good reason to think that even if he had come to his mother¡¯s bedside with a blank sheet of paper, she would have smiled and said it looked good.


    Thinking of this, Yi Hui didn¡¯t know whether to be happy with his memory improving or to be sad that he had said he wanted to forget but could not.


    His wish was to live as Jiang Yihui, but he couldn¡¯t let go of those memories, whether they were happy or sad, he could not let go of them.


    Fortunately, it was completely dark; no one knew what he was thinking and no one saw his eyes wet.


    When they returned home, they put the ingredients they had bought in the fridge and sealed them in plastic wrap, and by the time they finished, the clock was already pointing to eleven o¡¯clock.


    Jiang Yimang was going to school tomorrow. She yawned and went upstairs to sleep first. Jiang Xuemei remembered that the work clothes she was going to wear tomorrow had a hole that hadn¡¯t been mended, so she went to her room with a sewing box in her hands. Yi Hui took the initiative to clean up the mess and put all the packaging waste into a garbage bag, intending to throw it out to free some space in the kitchen.


    The trash can was just across the road and it took no more than a few minutes to get there and back, so Yi Hui went out without his coat, wearing a thin shirt.


    Every household in the small town advocated frugality. Except for the Jiang family¡¯s house, the street lights hanging at the doors of other households had been extinguished. Yi Hui trotted all the way to the opposite side of the road, barely able to see the location of the trash can. He stuffed the garbage bag in and then picked up the lid of the can that had been thrown aside to cover it.


    An unexplained gust of wind made Yi Hui shudder. He shrank his hands into his sleeves, turned around and was about to leave, when he was suddenly grabbed by someone who came out of nowhere and pulled forcefully. Before he could scream, he was already pinned against the wall behind him and a tall black shadow pressed towards him.


    ¡°Where did you go and why are you back so late?¡±


    The moment he heard the voice, Yi Hui let out a sigh of relief.


    It was him, not some bad guy.


    Zhou Jinheng probably didn¡¯t expect that he was almost treated as a robber. In the little light from the opposite side, he saw Yi Hui¡¯s pale lips and thought he was cold. He withdrew his hand propped on the wall and touched Yi Hui¡¯s fingers. His expression got even more unsightly: ¡°Your hands are so cold, why don¡¯t you wear more clothes?¡±


    Yi Hui tried to wriggle away but couldn¡¯t free his hand and asked helplessly, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    He thought Zhou Jinheng had already left. This man was the most impatient. If anyone dared to treat him coldly, he would definitely just shrug it off and leave and would never come back again.


    So Yi Hui did not try to look for a solution for his attitude while talking with Dr. Liu today; Zhou Jinheng was used to being arrogant, so where was the need for him to solve it?


    He was secretly confused, not knowing that the man that came face to face with him felt equally full of doubts.


    ¡°I want to take you back.¡± Zhou Jinheng thought he had made himself clear enough, but now that he was holding his hand, he said what was on his mind, ¡°I¡¯m here to pick you up and go home.¡±


    Yi Hui repeated in disbelief: ¡°Go home?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng thought he had been persuaded and his expression showed a hint of delight: ¡°Yes, go home, the studio at home has been arranged, you will definitely like the sunrise room. The dolls at home are also washed and put on the bed. You can sleep with either one you want. There is also a new housekeeper at home. Her cooking is delicious. She is especially good at making sweets. If you want to eat sweet food in the future, you don¡¯t need to go out, you can eat it at home.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s eagerness to talk made Yi Hui feel that he was a little bit like how he used to be. The word ¡°home¡± that he repeatedly mentioned made him feel even more strange, so strange that it should not have come from him at all.


    Yi Hui took a breath and said, ¡°You are wrong, I am not the one you are looking for.¡±


    The silence lasted for nearly a minute, so long that Yi Hui thought Zhou Jinheng was wondering what method to use to torture him again. He had already closed his eyes and was waiting when suddenly he heard a chuckle.


    ¡°You are not?¡± Zhou Jinheng seemed to hear something very funny, ¡°Then who are you?¡±


    Yi Hui bit his lower lip: ¡°My name is Jiang Yihui, not the one you are looking for¡­¡±


    The pain coming from his jaw made him swallow the last words; Yi Hui was forced to look up to face Zhou Jinheng¡¯s eyes that emitted a cold light in the dark night.


    ¡°Look at me and say you are not HuiHui.¡± Zhou Jinheng gritted his teeth, ¡°Look at me and say you¡¯re not!¡±


    Yi Hui was held down by him, his jaw was wrenched and he was unable to move. He squinted at the man less than a centimeter away from him. At first he felt relieved, thinking that this was the real him, he had always had this spoiled stinky temper, it was impossible for him to treat him so well. One disobedient denial after another should have angered him long ago.


    Later, he felt he had gone crazy and turned into a sullen beast who could only vent his anger with a roar. The only thing that could restrain him was the answer, the answer he wanted to hear.


    But Yi Hui didn¡¯t want to give that answer. If he said that, it would be tantamount to compromise. He would have to change back to the fool who was submissive, fearful and could only live his life attached to others.


    God gave him a chance to come back, not to watch him repeat the same mistakes, not to make him a laughing stock again.


    This belief gave birth to an unprecedented strength rising in his heart. Yi Hui opened his eyes wide, his gaze meeting the eyes of the man in front of him. He said word by word: ¡°I am not the HuiHui you are looking for¡­ I am not.¡±


    Even if he told himself to forget, he still clearly remembered the first time he heard Zhou Jinheng call him ¡°HuiHui¡±. He regarded this as a unique and irreplaceable name between the two, just like how he called him ¡°husband¡± in private.


    How happy he had been at the time and how painful it was to think about it now.


    ¡°HuiHui¡± written with the character meaning ¡°shine¡± and with the character meaning ¡°ash¡± sounded no different, but the meaning was very different indeed. One was the brilliance of the bright moon in the sky and the other was the dust flying over the ground in vain.


    Yi Hui looked straight at Zhou Jinheng and repeated in a quiet voice: ¡°My name is Jiang Yihui, not the HuiHui you are looking for.¡±


    HuiHui was dead, in that mountain hut as cold as an ice cave, in his indifference and contempt for three years.

 CH 24

    ¡°You are not¡­ say it again, you are not?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s voice was very low and no emotion could be heard in it. If not for his slightly jerking cheeks as if he was gritting his teeth to hold back something, Yi Hui would have almost thought that he was not angry but was just repeatedly asking for confirmation in hope to get the most accurate answer.


    Yi Hui took a deep breath and said, ¡°I am not.¡±


    After saying that, he released the tension in his body and found that it was not that difficult to lie.


    Especially after saying it once, it became very easy to say it again, and Zhou Jinheng¡¯s sneer failed to make him feel scared again.


    After another chuckle, Zhou Jinheng asked, ¡°At the airport that time, at the painting exhibition, how can you explain your reaction?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of people. Of course I want to avoid the crowd at the airport.¡± Yi Hui answered each point, ¡°Normal people are nervous and scared when they are stopped by a stranger in a public place like at the painting exhibition.¡±


    These answers made perfect sense, but because of his inability to find loopholes, Zhou Jinheng had even more doubts in his heart. When he asked the next question, he was not as confident as before: ¡°Then you¡­ why did you draw me?¡±


    He was talking about the painting that won the award and participated in the exhibition.


    Yi Hui expected that he would be asked this and recited the hastily prepared explanation: ¡°My sister is your fan. When I participated in the competition, I accidentally drew a figure that looked similar to you. Later, I felt that there might be a suspicion of copyright infringement, so I took the initiative to pay a penalty for breach of contract and withdrew the painting.¡±


    This answer, which was even more impeccable than earlier, left Zhou Jinheng stunned for a moment.


    He still didn¡¯t believe it, but there was no way to brush it off with another chuckle, ¡°Accidentally? What a good ¡®accident¡¯.¡±


    Yi Hui strained his neck to meet his eyes, his frank gaze tearing the little confidence he had left to shreds.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s throat was tight, his breath was heavy, and he struggled like an arrow at the end of its flight: ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, don¡¯t try to lie to me¡­ No matter what you become, I can recognize you.¡±


    Until he returned home and laid on the bed, all that Yi Hui could see were those bloodshot eyes and the two tiny versions of himself reflecting in them.


    He rolled over and covered his head with a quilt. The hand that had been squeezed hard still felt a little painful. He hugged that hand and pressed it to his chest. It felt chilly at first but got a little more comfortable later.


    When he was about to fall asleep, he took off the mask he was using as a disguise and temporarily let go of his identity as Jiang Yihui. In his drowsiness, Yi Hui thought wistfully: why couldn¡¯t you have done it sooner, held HuiHui¡¯s hand a little sooner, held it as tightly as you did today. Maybe he would have lasted a little longer, lasted until you found how good he was, lasted until you were willing to look back at him.


    After dreaming all night, Yi Hui woke up and sat by the bed for a long time, rubbing his dizzy head, unable to recall a coherent plot in his dreams, only remembering some strange fragments.


    For example, Jiang Yimang killed his favorite big goose and braised it and five large porcelain bowls were not enough to hold it.


    Because the picture was too real and shocking, he hurriedly called Aunt Qiu and learned that the geese were all staying behind the fence. Before he could even hang up the phone and breathe a sigh of relief, Jiang Yimang was laughing so hard that he couldn¡¯t find a hole in the ground to hide in .


    ¡°If I really kill the goose, I won¡¯t let you find out. I¡¯ll tell you after you eat the goose meat cleanly.¡± The more Jiang Yimang thought about it, the more amused she felt. She hugged her stomach with a painful laugh and said, ¡°Ouch, brother, are you going to make me laugh to death early in the morning so that you can inherit my unfinished math homework?¡±


    Jiang Xuemei came out of the room and asked in confusion, ¡°What math homework?¡±


    Jiang Yimang reacted extremely quickly, using Yi Hui as a shield: ¡°Brother thought I had killed his goose, so he called Aunt Qiu to confirm the safety of the goose.¡±


    Jiang Xuemei smiled when she heard it: ¡°It¡¯s just across the muddy road, open the window and yell, no need to call.¡±


    Of course, Yi Hui would not say that he was afraid of being heard by someone who might be laying in ambush anywhere. He blushed and said, ¡°It¡¯s faster to call.¡±


    The family of three happily finished breakfast. Yi Hui didn¡¯t even look out of the yard when he was hanging the clothes to dry. When Yi Hui returned to the house, he used his mobile phone to check whether the flower fertiliser he had bought had arrived, and when he logged out, his finger accidentally clicked on the text messages. Two unread messages that he had deliberately ignored, opened in front of him.


    One was from yesterday afternoon: [Where did you go? When will you be back? ¡¿


    One was from last night: [Can you give me a reply? I am very worried¡¿


    These two lines made Yi Hui even more dazed than before.


    Why was he worried?


    How would he reply?


    However, the man did not send any more text messages today, which made Yi Hui feel a little relieved and think that the face-to-face rejection that Dr. Liu recommended was really effective.


    Moreover, he was already Jiang Yihui and even though the changes could not be called earth-shaking, at least he was very different from before. Jiang Xuemei and Jiang Yimang were not able to notice anything. How could that man recognize him?


    He must be scaring himself again. That man used to bully him for being stupid, always joking and teasing him with his nonsense, and now he was using the same method to frighten him as if he was still the same fool who believed everything he said?


    Yi Hui, who had always been calm, in a rare moment of irritation pushed his bicycle out when he went to take the geese for a walk in the afternoon.


    He thought with confidence that riding was faster than walking, and if he encountered that kind of situation again, he would never be caught.


    The precautions this time were superfluous.


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t ride the bicycle much. He rode very slowly and cautiously. He was not even as fast as the geese. Three large white geese rushed ahead of him and he was left behind, still keeping his eyes on the ground and going at a tortoise pace for fear of tripping into a pothole as he had done that day.


    On the way back, the geese, perhaps sated and energised, ran even more happily, fluttering their wings, as if they were going to break the long-distance running record.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t keep up; fearing that the geese would run away and be lost, he hastily accelerated, stepping on the pedals.


    As soon as he sped up, he couldn¡¯t keep the front steady. The front wheel was about to roll into a deep pothole in the road but the rear wheel was suddenly locked in place and the bicycle skewed, changing direction and going around the edge of the pothole.


    Yi Hui was so frightened by this thrilling event that his heart beat wildly. While thinking that Jiang Yihui definitely could not ride a bike, otherwise he would have some muscle memory left in this body, he turned his head and looked back. As he expected, there was no one.


    Lucky, Yi Hui thought while breathing a sigh of relief.


    The figure on the bicycle gradually drifted away. Zhou Jinheng was sitting crookedly in the high grass at the side of the road after dodging too quickly.


    He wanted to prop himself to stand up, but his palms were cut by shards of glass buried in the mud. He stood up and patted the soil all over his body and then looked at the fresh wounds on his hands. He thought with joy that the new injuries overlapped the old ones. Now there was another excuse to take leave from filming.


    When he called Xiao Lin to take a few more days off, Xiao Lin replied sadly: ¡°Brother, can I call you brother? You really can¡¯t take any more time off. They are waiting for you to start working over here. The injury on your face can¡¯t be seen under the foundation. The crew paid for insurance and also sent an apology. If you say you won¡¯t come, isn¡¯t it like slapping everyone in the face?¡±


    After listening to his complaint, Zhou Jinheng continued to call him ¡°brother¡± politely, pretended to be weak and said, ¡°Not only my face, but also my hands are injured and infected, and there are signs of fever. I¡¯m going to hold a weapon in that role and there are quite a few close-ups of my hands, so I can¡¯t really shoot it.¡±


    After receiving a photo of his hand injury, Xiao Lin replied with a string of abbreviations and finally agreed to ask for leave for him.


    Zhou Jinheng liked filming. In the past, the only reason for him to take a break was illness. He had never thought that the first time he would make up a reason for his absence was to coax his wife to go home.


    Lifting the corners of his mouth, Zhou Jinheng laughed helplessly. His wife refused to go home with him and pretended not to know him. What should he do?


    He knew that he was like a perverted stalker these days, and if he kept wandering in front of Yi Hui, he might scare him enough to call the police. The little fool was too timid to ride his bike fast, and it must have been hard for him to be forced to say those words yesterday.


    Since Yi Hui was unwilling, they would not meet for a while. He did not want to lose control and freak out in front of him again.


    Casting a quick glance just now, Zhou Jinheng saw that Yi Hui¡¯s chin was still red. Last night, he thought he didn¡¯t exert much strength, but he forgot how stoic the little fool was; even if it hurt a lot, he wouldn¡¯t make a sound.


    It was time to learn to control his temper, Zhou Jinheng thought. At least so that he wasn¡¯t so afraid of him, at least for him to go home willingly.


    Yi Hui knew nothing about him making arrangements and plans. He walked into the yard humming ¡°Good Luck Coming¡± and told Jiang Yimang, who came back from school, that he was not only lucky today but also took his bicycle skills to the next level.


    Jiang Yimang still remembered what happened in the morning and squinted at him: ¡°Did you ride a bike to herd the geese? Have you taken a closer look to see if your geese lacks any arms and legs?¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s face was hot when he said, ¡°No, no, not a feather is missing.¡±


    In the evening, the family watched TV in the living room after dinner. When the mobile phone on the table vibrated, Yi Hui shivered instinctively. He picked up the phone but didn¡¯t dare to look at it. He quickly removed the top prompt and put it back.


    After he repeated that several times, Jiang Yimang couldn¡¯t stand it anymore: ¡°Who is it? If you don¡¯t want to receive text messages, just block them.¡±


    After listening to her explanation of the term ¡°blacklisting¡±, Yi Hui widened his eyes and said, ¡°Can it be done?¡±


    Jiang Yimang rolled her eyes fiercely: ¡°Brother, you should go out more in the future. Staying at home all day, you¡¯ll quickly turn dumb.¡±


    Yi Hui thought that he was originally a fool and it was normal for a fool not to know how to do such things.


    He went back to his room, closed the door, opened the familiar number lying on the SMS interface, pulled it down and blocked it, all in one go.


    Putting down the phone, he felt that his world was very clean and there was nothing to scare him anymore. The phone even seemed to look a lot more pleasing to the eye.


    The next morning, under the guidance of Jiang Yimang, Yi Hui set up a Weibo account on his mobile phone and registered an account.


    It was the time to choose a name. He wanted to choose one of the following: ¡°Sunshine Sky¡±, ¡°Ray of Sunshine Forever¡± or ¡°Shining Shining Little World¡± (1). Jiang Yimang rolled her eyes when she heard it and said that no young man would stuff his name into his web name, it was just too corny.


    After thinking about it, Yi Hui felt that it made sense. He humbly listened to Jiang Yimang have a heated discussion with the little sisters in the group and finally decide on his name before she went to school.


    The early morning sun was just right. Yi Hui sat by the window holding his mobile phone. Following the note left by Jiang Yimang, he struggled to type the words ¡°¢Ù Xiao Hui Xia¡± (2), and used his mobile phone number for real-name authentication. When he posted his first Weibo, he couldn¡¯t find where the circled ¡°1¡± was, so he just sent it out: hello everyone, I am one Xiao Hui Xia.


    Xiao Hui Xia hasn¡¯t started publishing his works yet. Apart from Jiang Yimang and a few of her little sisters, there were just a few zombie accounts in the list of followers.


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t understand what a zombie account was. Jiang Yimang used WeChat voice to tell him between classes. He didn¡¯t understand it so he just ignored it. As long as someone paid attention to him, he was happy.


    In the afternoon, he used the tablet to draw up a cartoon drawing. When he drew the outline, he felt that it looked good. It was not even a problem to make it an avatar. He couldn¡¯t help but want to post it to Weibo that he just opened, to share it. He picked up the phone and found that there was a new follower and a new message.


    Yi Hui looked at it for a long time, not knowing what the nature of this new fan called ¡°Dora-hum-hum¡± was. (3)


    He remembered Jiang Yimang saying that zombie accounts would not leave him a message or give him a like, but this person left a message as soon as he appeared. He shouldn¡¯t be a zombie, could he?


    And the Doraemon avatar was so cute.


    Dora-hum-hum: Hello [rose]


    Yi Hui stared at the rose for a while, inexplicably a little shy.


    Roses symbolized love, how can they be given casually?


    **************


    (1) All the names use the character êÍ (hui) ¨C sunshine, shine


    (2) ¡°hui¡± in Latin letters(3) Dora-hum-hum (¶ßÀ²ºßºß) pronounced du¨­-l¨¡-h¨¥ng-h¨¥ng

 CH 25

    But someone greeted him and welcomed him, he was already very happy.


    In case the other party was waiting, Yi Hui hurriedly replied: Hello [so happy]


    As soon as he changed his avatar, there was a message from Dora-hum-hum: The new avatar looks good [rose]


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t expect it to be discovered so soon and replied in surprise and joy: Thank you!


    After a while, he was asked by the other party: Did you draw it yourself? [rose]


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t want to show his pride too obviously: Yes¡­¡­


    Dora-hum-hum replied quickly: It¡¯s amazing [rose] [rose] [rose]


    The full screen of red roses made Yi Hui blush and his heartbeat sped up. He had only given roses once when he wanted to propose. He felt that this kind of flower had extraordinary significance. Even though he knew that the other party might have chosen an emoticon casually, he still felt embarrassed.


    It was hard to find someone to talk to, so Yi Hui started to look for a topic: Your avatar looks good too!


    Dora-hum-hum seemed to be really free and always responded within a few seconds: Do you like it?


    He finally stopped sending roses; Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief: I like it, I like Doraemon the most [so happy]


    In the hotel room not far away, Zhou Jinheng, who received this message, stared at the word ¡±like¡± for a long time, thinking of the ¡°like¡± that the little fool had said to him, the ¡°like¡± he had answered him against his will, and the ¡°like¡± when he had compared himself to Doraemon in which the little fool eagerly explained that it was a different ¡°like¡±.


    He laughed when he thought of it. Zhou Jinheng felt that he was too childish at that time, he was jealous of a doll and refused to admit it. Had he admitted it earlier¡­¡­


    What happened afterwards was so heartbreaking that he stopped in time not to recall it. He took a moment to slow down, picked up his mobile phone again and called the man who had given him the information to say thank you.


    ¡°Not the wrong person, is he? Ha-ha, I knew there was no information I couldn¡¯t find out when I was on the move.¡±


    The man sounded very proud. Zhou Jinheng echoed his words and complimented him mechanically. When he was about to hang up the phone, the man started gossiping: ¡°This Jiang or something, is he Young Master Zhou¡¯s new target?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng thought for a while and said, ¡°There is no new target, it¡¯s still the original one.¡±


    Because of starting Weibo, Yi Hui¡¯s life became very fulfilling recently.


    Jiang Yimang bought him a membership for a month. Yi Hui spent most of the day just choosing avatar pendants and backgrounds. He thought this one looked good and that one was cute. He was simply too dazzled to choose.


    He tried, one by one, in line on the principle of trying without paying. He didn¡¯t notice that there was a checked ¡°share to Weibo¡± box below. After trying it a few times, he selected as many as he could. By the time he figured out what was going on, originally a cool blogger who only posts two or three posts, he had become a background-selecting maniac who posted more than fifty posts a day.


    Yi Hui finally understood what Tang Wenxi meant when he said, ¡°lowly me wants to cry¡±. He held his mobile phone and deleted the posts one by one. He was too slow and was caught by Tang Wenxi who had just followed him. A string of ¡°hahahahaha¡± comments made Yi Hui want to cry even more as he bit his lip and pressed his phone desperately. Delete delete delete, delete all of them.


    There were those who didn¡¯t gloat, though, such as Jiang Yimang, who missed the event because she had a class, and Dora-hum-hum, a very kind follower.


    ¡°Kind¡± was the third label Yi Hui put on Dora-hum-hum after ¡°cute¡± and ¡°very free¡±.


    At first he didn¡¯t know any better and posted his work in HD without watermarks. Dora-hum-hum reminded him to key in captcha authentication codes. Yi Hui asked him what that was and he guided him step by step. It took more than two hours but he never showed any impatience. Yi Hui felt very embarrassed. In a private message, he kept saying thank you, and Dora-hum-hum replied with ¡®you are welcome¡¯ and a bunch of rose emoticons.


    Moving from comments to private messages was equivalent to a further relationship. Yi Hui also paid attention to Dora-hum-hum. When he hid in the quilt at night, he clicked on his homepage and walked around. When he saw the blue icon next to his name, he thought to himself: he turned out to be a boy.


    In the past, Yi Hui had few friends. Since he knew that his classmates at school liked his snacks instead of him, he became even more afraid of socializing with others. Stupid is stupid but he could more or less sense whether the stares and laughter of others were kind or mocking.


    So he cherished the people who were kind to him, his mother, brother, sister-in-law, Jiang Xuemei, Jiang Yimang, Tang Wenxi¡­ Now there was Dora-hum-hum. Yi Hui felt he was getting happier every day and he couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud, smothered under his quilt.


    He was so happy that he slowly forgot he was harassed by that man a few days ago. In addition, he accidentally heard Jiang Yimang say, ¡°HengHeng hasn¡¯t posted on Weibo recently. I guess he¡¯s busy filming.¡± He felt even more relieved and stopped riding the bicycle. He thought: he just thought I looked a bit like him, so he chased me on a whim and naturally left when he got the cold treatment.


    That was more like him. He was not the kind of person who could endure this kind of anger.


    In the evening of that day, Zhou Jinheng calmly watched Yi Hui, who had finished walking the geese, go back into the house, then took out his mobile phone and liked the newly posted Weibo of Xiao Hui Xia, commenting: Look for the stones that are as flat as possible and they¡¯ll bounce more times.


    As soon as he turned off the screen, the phone suddenly vibrated. He thought Yi Hui had replied but when he picked it up, it turned out to be Fang Yuqing¡¯s call.


    Living alone in this small town for days, he almost cut off contact with the outside world. When he saw the name, Zhou Jinheng was taken aback for a moment, then frowned, feeling uncomfortable that his illusory beautiful dream had been broken.


    ¡°I thought you were on the filming site. I didn¡¯t know you were still on vacation until I got here.¡± Fang Yuqing on the other end of the phone said with a smile in his voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t quite believe Yang Chengxuan when he said you were a workaholic now, but now I see that you are.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng replied casually, not mentioning his injury.


    Fang Yuqing didn¡¯t seem to notice his coldness: ¡°Where did you go to play alone?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°En, just walking around.¡±


    Fang Yuqing smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s boring to be alone. Next time, you can call Yang Chengxuan or me. I¡¯ll be free once I¡¯m finished being busy this period and can go anywhere.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°I want to be alone.¡±


    There was silence on the other end for a while, and when Fang Yuqing spoke again, his tone was still relaxed: ¡°I thought I could see you today. I brought you some food, low in sugar¡­¡±


    Before he finished speaking, Zhou Jinheng interrupted: ¡°I like sweet food now.¡±


    This time the silence lasted longer; Zhou Jinheng thought that the other party hadn¡¯t understood his implication and was about to explain when Fang Yuqing said, ¡°Zhou Jinheng, do you really not understand what I mean, or are you pretending not to understand?¡±


    Fang Yuqing rarely spoke bluntly like this. He was used to being secretive and enjoyed being tacitly understood by the other party, saying only half of what was on his mind.


    But Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t want to be his ¡°other party¡± anymore.


    ¡°I love sweet things now, especially cream cakes.¡± When he said that, Zhou Jinheng seemed to be thinking of some beautiful past and his originally cold tone also warmed up a little, ¡°People change.¡±


    The latter sentence was not so much addressed to Fang Yuqing as to himself.


    Fang Yuqing thought that he was still angry because he hadn¡¯t told him other things in the past and yielded in a soft tone: ¡°If you are still angry with me for what happened back then, I can wait.¡± Without giving Zhou Jinheng time to respond, he hurriedly added, ¡°I know that it was my fault to keep you waiting for so long. I will never leave again, okay?¡±


    If he had heard these soft words earlier, Zhou Jinheng might have hesitated. But now all Zhou Jinheng could think about was how much of an *sshole he used to be, how he could make everyone believe that there was not even a small part of his joys and sorrows that belonged to Yi Hui.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t wait for you, so don¡¯t wait for me either.¡° Zhou Jinheng looked up at the sunset breaking through the sea of clouds on the horizon and said calmly, ¡± I don¡¯t know why other people will change their minds or how many times they will change it. For me it¡¯s only once, and when it comes to him it¡¯s the end of the line and it won¡¯t change again.¡±


    Three years was a short time, but it was actually very long for him. So long that the little fool got tired of waiting and left without looking back.


    Long enough for him to finally grow up, to finally see his own heart and drop everything to chase after the little fool who hadn¡¯t gone far.


    Jiang Yimang¡¯s birthday was in mid-November, and Yi Hui started preparing early.


    He didn¡¯t know what girls liked nowadays. Jiang Yimang didn¡¯t seem to have any other interests except for her fanatical obsession with her HengHeng, which put Yi Hui in a difficult position.


    After careful consideration, he decided to make a cake first, one that would be both cute and goddess-like.


    For that, he followed several food bloggers on Weibo. When he saw pictures of a beautiful cake, he liked them. If there was a recipe, he patiently copied it down. He also drafted a layer by layer plan for several selected cakes and stored it in an encrypted folder on his computer.


    He wanted to surprise his younger sister. He did his best to hide it to prevent others from discovering it, but he didn¡¯t know that other people could see his likes. Jiang Yimang went through a pile of cake pictures he had liked recently. She figured it out very easily but at home, she pretended to know nothing. She was extremely curious. Every day when she came back from school, she laid on the window outside the yard and peeped into the kitchen.


    That day, Yi Hui was drawing on the computer in the yard. The picture on the screen looked like a cake. Jiang Yimang was so fascinated that she felt her saliva was about to drip. She was startled when she saw Yi Hui suddenly stand up. When she turned around and wanted to run, she bumped into a person standing behind her and was so shocked that she almost cried out.


    ¡°Hush-¡± Zhou Jinheng put his index finger to his lips, motioning her not to make a sound.


    Not only did Jiang Yimang not make a sound; she was completely stunned by the face in front of her eyes.


    About ten minutes later, the spirit that flew away returned to the body. The two of them stood by the stone pillar in the shadow of the back door. Jiang Yimang gazed at Zhou Jinheng for a while, pinching herself secretly a dozen times. Only when her flesh felt numb with pain did she believe that what she saw was true and the man in front of her was actually real.


    Zhou Jinheng noticed the young girl¡¯s dodging gaze. When he first debuted, the media commented that his appearance was very aggressive and joked that most people didn¡¯t dare to look at him directly. He didn¡¯t think about it before but now, seeing Jiang Yimang¡¯s reaction, he thought it was probably not completely unfounded.


    Just that little fool was not afraid of anything. He stared at him the first time he saw him as if he couldn¡¯t help but write the word ¡°like¡± on his face.


    Thinking that everything reminded him of Yi Hui, Zhou Jinheng smiled secretly, overwhelmed by his love, not knowing that Jiang Yimang almost fainted because of his unintentional smile.


    After brewing for a while, Jiang Yimang cleared her throat and said, ¡°Heng¡­ I mean you, do you really know my brother?¡±


    ¡°En.¡± Zhou Jinheng admitted happily.


    ¡°It was you who was at our door last time?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Zhou Jinheng handed her a square box, ¡°Please help me give this to him and do not mention that I gave it to him.¡±


    Jiang Yimang was still immersed in her complex emotions of panic and joy and had already lost at least eighty percent of her thinking ability. She nodded and asked, ¡°Why can¡¯t I mention that you gave it to him?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng pretended to lower his voice mysteriously: ¡°Then it won¡¯t be a surprise.¡±


    Jiang Yimang felt lightheaded from his deep voice, took the box and turned around mechanically, walked two steps and turned back: ¡°Then, then why do you want to give my brother a gift?¡±


    This question was on point.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t think for long. With a smile lifting the corner of his mouth, he swallowed the words ¡°Because I did something wrong and I am begging him for forgiveness¡± and said: ¡°Because I am courting him.¡±

 CH 26

    That night, ¢ÙXiao Hui Xia posted a photo on Weibo. It was a Doraemon-shaped scented candle. It was not lit. There was a cartoon flame on the candle wick with the words: from my sister, so pretty, can¡¯t bear to light it¡­¡­


    Dora-hum-hum was the first to reply: Light it, those small ornaments will turn on.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t believe it: Really? [Doraemon surprised]


    Dora-hum-hum: Give it a try.


    Yi Hui immediately put down his mobile phone and rushed to find something to light it with.


    No one smoked at home, no firewood was burned for cooking and there was no lighter. He took the candle to Aunt Qiu¡¯s house next door to light it.


    After lighting it, he shielded it with his hand to block the wind, carefully placed it on the table and leaned in to observe. In the flickering candlelight, the bamboo dragonflies, memory bread (1), a door¡­ everything around Doraemon began to rotate slowly. Fresh fragrance filled the air. He sank into this dreamy scene, moved a chair and sat at the table, propped his face with his hands and admired it for more than ten minutes.


    When he picked up the phone again, he was taken aback by a string of messages on Weibo. After a closer look, they were all from Dora-hum-hum¡ª¡ª


    Don¡¯t light it up by yourself, ask your family to help.


    Also, don¡¯t use matches, be careful to burn your hands.


    Remember to put the lighter in a safe place when you are done and don¡¯t touch the open flame.


    Is it lit?


    If you can¡¯t find a lighter, don¡¯t light it yet.


    Is it lit?


    Are you back?


    Don¡¯t light it up yet.


    Where did you go?


    Where did you go?


    Stay still, don¡¯t touch the fire!


    ¡­¡­


    Yi Hui was dumbfounded. He had the feeling that if he didn¡¯t reply to Dora-hum-hum right now, he would come knocking on the door. Afraid that he was waiting and anxious, he hurriedly typed a reply: I¡¯m back, I didn¡¯t have a lighter at home, so I went to the neibours to borrow one.


    Dora-hum-hum: You weren¡¯t hurt, were you?


    Yi Hui replied: No [Doraemon smiles]


    Dora-hum-hum: Don¡¯t do this kind of thing by yourself in the future, it¡¯s too dangerous.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t figure out where the danger was, so he tilted his head and replied: It¡¯s not dangerous, it¡¯s just lighting a fire.¡­¡­


    Dora-hum-hum: You are an artist and your hands are more important than anything else.


    Yi Hui was taken aback for a moment.


    Although he felt that the other party made a small problem into a big matter, he still felt touched by such care: Thank you for your concern, I will be careful in the future [heart]


    At this time, outside the Jiang family courtyard, Zhou Jinheng, who was running over, was holding the wall with one hand and gasping for breath.


    He almost raised his hand and knocked on the door just now. After receiving a reply, he calmed down a little bit.


    ¢ÙXiao Hui Xia could post little videos now, so he posted how he lit up the candle and turned it on. Zhou Jinheng¡¯s sharp eyes caught a hand accidentally filmed in it.


    The back of the white clean hand without any burn marks put Zhou Jinheng into a daze for a moment, his thoughts straying and being led elsewhere.


    But after a brief moment, it was outweighed by another, the more unmissable details, such as the same hobbies, the same drawing style, the exact same punctuation habits when sending messages.


    He deliberately or unintentionally ignored the differences. He ignored the causes and consequences the other people talked about and stubbornly grasped the similarities, amplifying them infinitely. It was enough to persuade himself to take a firm stand.


    This was Yi Hui, he was not crazy.


    Look, even his cautiousness was the same. The hand in the video stretched forward, originally intending to touch a rotating small pendant, but because the flame in the middle suddenly rose higher, he quickly withdrew his hand and the camera pulled away as the person in charge stepped back. It was followed by a small gasp recorded in the video, ¡°Scared me to death.¡±


    This was absolutely Yi Hui¡¯s reaction when he was frightened. Zhou Jinheng smiled heartily but at the same time he couldn¡¯t help but think with sorrow: he was obviously afraid of being burned, so why was it that when in front of such a bad him as he was back then, why did he never dodge and never cry out in pain?


    Perhaps the scented candle really had a calming effect. Yi Hui had a good night¡¯s sleep that night.


    When sleeping soundly, it is easier to dream. He was very impressionable, so he dreamed that he picked up a cup and poured water, and the cup cracked in his hand, hot water splashing on the back of his hand.


    The burning pain from the dream followed him outside of the dream. A few minutes after waking up, Yi Hui was still sitting on the bed looking at his hand. In his previous life, it was covered with burns, mottled and ugly, and in this life it was clean and flawless; but in either case, his hands were the hands of an artist.


    During breakfast, Yi Hui was startled by the sound of boiling water in the kitchen kettle. His chopsticks trembled and a fried dumpling he had picked up fell on the table. Jiang Yimang teased: ¡°Tsk, you don¡¯t want to eat it and used this trick. I¡¯ve learned it, learned it.¡±


    The table was not dirty. Yi Hui picked up the dumpling and put it back in the bowl, lowered his voice and said solemnly: ¡°You are not allowed to learn this from me.¡±


    Yi Hui was very thin, and Jiang Xuemei was always worried that he was not eating enough. In addition to three meals a day, some ready-to-eat food was often prepared at home.


    Recently, because of the change in Yi Hui¡¯s preferences, bread and biscuits had been replaced with sweets. Sugar balls and fried fruits could not be kept for too long. Half a catty of each of them was bought but Yi Hui couldn¡¯t finish eating them. This morning, Jiang Xuemei searched under the bed and found a few small bags of unfinished snacks, some of them already moldy.


    ¡°Brother, are you a hamster, do you store food for winter?¡± Jiang Yimang almost toppled over with laughter, and after laughing her fill, said righteously, ¡°But don¡¯t look for me if you can¡¯t finish it. I¡¯m losing weight.¡±


    For this reason, Yi Hui felt sorry for Jiang Xuemei and ran around the yard several times during the day when he was alone in an attempt to speed up his digestion and come back to eat more.


    Tang Wenxi heard his distress on the phone and suggested that he do push-ups at home, which could not only strengthen his body but also burn off a lot of energy, killing two birds with one stone.


    Yi Hui felt that it made sense. He swept and wiped the bluestone floor in the yard and then rolled up his sleeves.


    Who would have thought that this body was much weaker than he used to be and after doing two push-ups, he couldn¡¯t manage another.


    Yi Hui felt ashamed, so he got up and slipped into the house, breathing out in relief that fortunately no one saw him.


    That afternoon, Jiang Yimang was delayed for half an hour in the last class. She thought that she might not see that man today, and she hung her head and wilted when she left school. When she was halfway there, she saw the tall figure on the side of the road near the door of her house and she was so excited that she almost cried out with excitement.


    The two instinctively walked to a secluded place behind the house like secret service agents.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t wear a mask today. His iron-grey windbreaker jacket further accentuated his slim waist and long legs, and Jiang Yimang looked almost dumbfounded.


    It¡¯s just that the sack he was holding in his hand didn¡¯t match his handsome outfit.


    ¡°Yoga mat.¡± Zhou Jinheng explained, ¡°If he wants to do sports in the future, he can do it on this mat.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Jiang Yimang hesitated, ¡°My brother sits at home all day and doesn¡¯t exercise.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng smiled a little at something that came to his mind and said, ¡°He will.¡±


    Jiang Yimang¡¯s brain was basically on strike in front of her idol. Since her idol said that her brother would exercise, she immediately took the yoga mat and held it in her arms to weigh it: ¡°Where did you buy it? We don¡¯t seem to have something like this in town, right?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°I went to the city during the day.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± After these few days of contact, Jiang Yimang was not as nervous as she was at first and occasionally they could have a normal conversation, ¡°Then Heng¡­ is it okay if you don¡¯t go to film?¡±


    About to thank Jiang Yimang for helping him deliver the gift, Zhou Jinheng was very patient with the young girl. He would answer any questions: ¡°I asked for a leave, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Jiang Yimang tentatively asked, ¡°For my brother?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng replied without hesitation: ¡°En.¡±


    Jiang Yimang¡¯s gaze moved down and she asked, as always when she saw it, ¡°Does your hand still hurt?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng moved his bandaged wrist and said truthfully: ¡°Still does a little bit, but it¡¯s nothing serious.¡±


    ¡°Our family has medicines for removing stasis and swelling. There are sprays and patches, I will get them for you.¡±


    Jiang Yimang turned around to leave but was stopped by Zhou Jinheng: ¡°No, don¡¯t alarm him.¡±


    For some reason, Jiang Yimang, who had never been in a relationship, could always hear Zhou Jinheng¡¯s concern for her brother from these few words.


    She still couldn¡¯t fully digest this matter. Feeling that the world was too magical, she stood still for a while and then asked, ¡°You guys, you and my brother, when did you meet?¡±


    ¡°Five years ago.¡± Zhou Jinheng replied.


    Jiang Yimang counted on her fingers and drew her breath. He had always said he was too busy with work to fall in love. What¡¯s the deal with having known each other since he was 17?


    The shocked young girl was still undaunted and, with a vague yearning for love, asked expectantly, ¡°So will you guys ¡­¡­ get married?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng finally smiled again: ¡°When he forgives me, of course we will.¡±


    Yi Hui, who was obsessed with painting, didn¡¯t know about the conversation between the two people outside the door of his house. He only knew that his sister was looking at him strangely in recent days.


    The other day when she delivered the scented candle, she was so dumbfounded that she had to be called several times before she reacted. Today, when she came back with a cylindrical sack and said it was for him, her expression was less silly but her eyes lit up when she looked at him, as if looking at some national treasure.


    Yi Hui touched his face: ¡°Is there something on my face?¡±


    Jiang Yimang shook her head: ¡°I heard that if you often look at someone, you will slowly become like that person. I want to look at you more.¡±


    Yi Hui opened today¡¯s gift with question marks floating over his head and found that it was a blue yoga mat. He recalled the shame of doing only two push-ups in the yard this afternoon and asked vigilantly: ¡°You¡­ did you see it?¡±


    Jiang Yimang, still staring at him, replied, ¡°I saw it.¡±


    Yi Hui felt his reputation was ruined and didn¡¯t have time to delve into other things, so he ran back to his room with the gift.


    The yoga mat was very useful. Once it was spread on the floor next to the bed, even if he got out of bed without slippers, his feet wouldn¡¯t be cold anyway.


    At night, after lighting up the scented candle, Yi Hui leaned on the bedside and swiped Weibo. He saw a post from Dora-hum-hum. The photo showed a hand with a swollen, torn wound, shocking even though it was blurred.


    With them being fellow bloggers who exchanged greetings every day, Yi Hui immediately sent a private message: What happened to you?


    Dora-hum-hum, who was very free, replied in seconds: I¡¯m hurt


    There were no roses. It seemed to be very serious. Yi Hui was a little distressed: How did you do it? Have you applied medicine? Be careful of infection [pitiful]


    On the other end of the phone, Zhou Jinheng saw Yi Hui¡¯s concern and his expression that had been terrible throughout the treatment of the wound finally relaxed.


    Bandaging the gaping wound, Zhou Jinheng thought, unable to cry or laugh: the medicine didn¡¯t work as well as one word from the little fool.


    He used to receive a lot of such care.


    He remembered that once he accidentally injured his arm during filming. He returned home irritably and the little fool took care of him. When the little fool saw that it was not convenient for him to eat, he leaned forward and used a spoon to scoop rice to feed him. He was in a bad mood and pushed him away. The bowl overturned on the ground. The little fool was not angry. After cleaning up, he ran to the bathroom to fill a bath for him but, afraid of his anger again, stood at the door of his room and said timidly, ¡°Your arm is swollen, so a hot bath will make you feel better.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was used to taking a shower and felt that taking a bath was a waste of time. That day he had nothing to do on his day off, so he got into the bath. He didn¡¯t remember how comfortable it was. He just remembered waking up, lying on the bed. The little fool laid on the side of the bed, holding his hand and gently touching it with his lips.


    Perhaps calling it  ¡°a kiss¡± would be more appropriate, a kiss so careful that it was almost ingratiating, landing on the back of his hand and on his heart.


    Since that time, whenever he woke up in bed at home, Zhou Jinheng would always continue to pretend to be asleep quietly so as not to scare the little fool but to hear what he would say.


    It¡¯s a pity that there were not many such opportunities because he had gone home too infrequently and the touch of the soft lips on the back of his hand was almost gone.


    In order to renew his life, or to find a respite from these days of unanswered gestures of affection, Zhou Jinheng wanted to ask for some more attention from the little fool and couldn¡¯t help but complain: I¡¯ve applied the medicine, but it still hurts.


    ¢Ù Xiao Hui Xia: What can be done? Is there no one around to take care of you?


    Zhou Jinheng replied: There was but now they are angry with me.


    ¢Ù Xiao Hui Xia: Ah¡­ then coax her back!


    Zhou Jinheng smiled bitterly: He refuses to see me.


    The other end was silent for two or three minutes, as if processing the small details of ¡°she¡± becoming ¡°he¡±. After a short while, he had processed it and then asked, ¡°Why? What did you do wrong?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng thought for a while and to keep him from suspecting anything he only asked: If someone hurt you, would you forgive him?


    ¢Ù Xiao Hui Xia: That depends on the hurt.¡­¡­


    When he saw these words, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heart suddenly jumped and he couldn¡¯t wait to press the keys to type: I said I liked him when I didn¡¯t, lied to him to make him be with me and later treated him badly.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t dare to say anything else, fearing that he would be exposed if he said too much. The little fool was not stupid, and now he was even smarter, so he needed to act carefully.


    After the message was sent out, he held his mobile phone and waited for a reply. Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t feel the pain in his hand at all at this moment but every minute of waiting was difficult, longer than any wait he had experienced.


    About three minutes later, the phone vibrated twice in a row. The moment he saw the long-awaited reply, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heart that was beating erratically in anxiety was like a stone falling off a cliff and hitting the ice cold ground hard.


    ¢Ù Xiao Hui Xia: Deception is not a small matter


    ¢Ù Xiao Hui Xia: If it were me, I couldn¡¯t forgive


    ***********(1) Memory bread, a prop from the manga Doraemon. By printing the contents on the bread and then eating it, the contents can be remembered

 CH 27

    After repeated confirmations, taking apart the radicals of each word and reorganizing them several times, Zhou Jinheng had to admit that there was indeed the word ¡±couldn¡¯t¡° in front of ¡±forgive¡±.


    From unwilling to believe to being flustered in just a few seconds, he typed some words and deleted them, going back and forth several times, unable to organize his words to send them. Instead, he received a third message from Xiao Hui Xia: But everyone is different. I can¡¯t stand deception the most. Maybe his bottom line is not there [Doraemon smile]


    Zhou Jinheng was stunned; his fingers that had just moved flexibly hung stiffly above the screen.


    You are him, and his bottom line is your bottom line.


    Really¡­ can¡¯t forgive me?


    Lying on the bed, Yi Hui held his mobile phone and waited. There was no reply from Dora-hum-hum. He was a little anxious. He returned to look through their chat just now and began to reflect on whether his tone was too heavy.


    But he didn¡¯t want to lie and deceive people, and he also emphasized that it was his own perspective. It shouldn¡¯t be too much of a blow to Dora-hum-hum, should it?


    While he struggled to think about what to say, Dora-hum-hum finally sent a reply: Then what if I promise to be nice to him in the future and not let him suffer any grievance?


    Seeing this line of words, Yi Hui came back to his senses. This was the first time someone confided in him. He tried to be as comforting as possible, putting himself in the other person¡¯s shoes, but he inevitably related the troubles they encountered to his own experiences.


    Be nice to me? Don¡¯t let me suffer any grievance?


    After thinking for a while, he shook his head, rejecting it. How can he be nice to me? I didn¡¯t feel aggrieved at the time either, it was all done willingly.


    After pondering again, Yi Hui filled his reply with positive energy: Give it a try, hope is always reserved for those who are prepared!  [cheers]


    The next day was Jiang Yimang¡¯s birthday. Yi Hui got up early and took the bus to go to the city to buy ingredients. He was afraid that they might not be fresh if he bought them in advance. He bought fruit, milk, eggs and even the tools for making the cake from scratch.


    On the way back, he carried a large bag with difficulty. He got off the bus and just transferred the bag with the tools to his shoulder, intending to reduce the burden on his hands. When he walked to the exit of the station, he ran into a man dressed as a staff member. He presented a trolley to him and diligently helped him organize all his baggage in the trolley.


    Yi Hui was delighted to hear that this was a convenient service offered by the station: ¡°This trolley is great, right? I will return it when I send the things home.¡±


    The staff member waved his hand open-mindedly: ¡°No need, keep the trolley.¡±


    Surrounded by goodwill, Yi Hui returned home dizzy as if treading on cotton. He turned the trolley over and took a look and then went to a shopping website to search for the brand. It was not very expensive but it still made him feel strange. If every passenger with heavy luggage was given a trolley, wouldn¡¯t the station go bankrupt?


    The more Yi Hui thought about it, the more he worried about the station. After finishing the cake, he put it in the oven at Aunt Qiu¡¯s house and immediately went out to return the trolley. When he arrived at the station, he looked around but couldn¡¯t find the staff member. He ran to the service desk to ask. The person there said that the station did not provide trolley service and asked if he remembered it wrong.


    Coming out of the station scratching his head, Yi Hui had doubts about his memory for the first time after he was reborn.


    He originally wanted to leave the trolley at the station for passengers in need, but the station resolutely refused to accept it. Yi Hui had no choice but to push it back.


    Passing by the vegetable farm stall on the way, he bought some vegetables. Today the vegetable farm stall owners were also very enthusiastic. There was buy one get one free for fish, buy one get one free for shrimp and those who bought a few scallions and garlic were all given a big piece of ginger. Yi Hui repeatedly refused and the stall owner auntie stuffed it into his trolley and said with a smile: ¡°How can you make fish without ginger?¡±


    Half a day had passed in the blink of an eye and although he couldn¡¯t put his finger on it, Yi Hui felt that something wasn¡¯t quite right, as if there was an invisible hand behind his back manipulating and influencing his life.


    However, time waited for no one. Yi Hui was too busy to delve too much into it and concentrated on making the cake.


    Making cakes was one of the few skills he learned in his previous life and one of the few skills he was proud of. Yi Hui ignored the reason for learning it and only recalled the process of laughing and crying when learning to bake cakes. Laughing because of all the hilarious mistakes and making enough failed cakes to circle around the globe, and crying because the cakes he made were not tasted by anyone but himself.


    However, this time it was different. The birthday star, Jiang Yimang, was extremely enthusiastic. She finished her homework at school and rushed home to eat the cake. Jiang Xuemei also came back from work early to cook a table of dishes. Uncle Qiu and Aunt Qiu next door came to congratulate her with their two children. The small living room was crowded.


    It was not quite dark yet and the lights inside and outside the Jiang family¡¯s house were turned off. A lit number candle was inserted in the cake shaped as a cat¡¯s face with blue as its main color. In the candlelight Jiang Yimang made a wish with her fingers crossed. When she opened her eyes, she puffed her cheeks and leaned forward. With a blow, the candle with the number 17 was extinguished. Everyone applauded and congratulated the Jiang family on their daughter coming of age, wishing her peace and joy, and to become more and more beautiful as she grew.


    In this happy and peaceful atmosphere, Jiang Yimang didn¡¯t forget to use her birthday for personal gain and looked at Yi Hui expectantly: ¡°Brother, I have a wish. Can you agree to it first?¡±


    The birthday star was the most important, how could Yi Hui refuse. After she got his promise, Jiang Yimang¡¯s eyes lit up again: ¡°In the future, on your wedding day, I will be the bridesmaid¡­ a groomsman is also fine, I just want to follow the whole process exclusively, only I can take pictures, okay?¡±


    Yi Hui was still baffled when Aunt Qiu interjected, laughing: ¡°Your brother is still young, did he and some little girl go this far?¡±


    Jiang Xuemei also smiled: ¡°Wedding day? Your brother doesn¡¯t go out of the house, if you have time to worry about that, why don¡¯t you introduce him to someone first?¡±


    Jiang Yimang patted her chest and said, ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll take care of it!¡±


    It was someone else¡¯s birthday but Yi Hui was happier than anyone else. At night, he heard Jiang Yimang say she wanted to eat another piece of cake. He personally went downstairs, cut a piece, delivered it to her room and, along the way, gave her his gift.


    It was a portrait. In the painting, a girl looked back spontaneously, her bright face surrounded by flowers and sunlight. She smiled lightly, with a blush rising to the corners of her upturned eyes that belonged only to a shy young girl.


    How could Jiang Yimang not see that it was her. She held the small painting and looked at it for a while. Two lines of tears slid down her face, causing Yi Hui to jump up in fright. He hurriedly grabbed a tissue to wipe her tears, asking if the painting was not good and saying that he would take it back and repaint it.


    Jiang Yimang pressed the picture frame to her chest and refused to give it back. She shook her head like a rattle and said in a trembling voice: ¡°It looks good, it looks so good. I only learned today that I look so good.¡±


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t figure it out: ¡°Then why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°I used to treat you badly. I bullied you and didn¡¯t like to talk to you. I always pestered you and said bad things about you to Mom¡­ You, you never bickered with me and you repaid my grievances with virtue and painted me so beautifully. Woo ¨C brother, I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    After hearing the second half, Yi Hui figured out what was going on and said with laughter: ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, brother knows you were not being malicious.¡±


    Thinking of the trivial dislike he felt from Jiang Yimang when he first occupied this body, it was not difficult for Yi Hui to imagine the way the siblings used to interact.


    When the family moved here back then, the one who was most affected was the young Jiang Yimang. She was obviously the youngest in the family and most in need of care, but she had to say goodbye to her hometown for the sake of her brother, part with her dear friends and come to this strange town. Even if she didn¡¯t mention it, the seeds of ¡°I am not valued¡± were planted in her heart.


    One of the siblings was not good with his words and the other was resentful. No one had taken the initiative to take a step forward over the years. If it hadn¡¯t been for Yi Hui reviving in Jiang Yihui¡¯s body and breaking this layer of ice accidentally, the two of them might still be silent all day long, one continuing to find fault with the other. The family atmosphere would stay a delicate mix of peacefulness and hidden explosions.


    ¡°Okay, be good, no more crying.¡± Yi Hui himself was a cry-baby and he had no experience in coaxing people. He patted Jiang Yimang¡¯s head and patted her back for a while, ¡°Stop crying, I will paint you more beautifully in the future.¡±


    After hearing this, Jiang Yimang burst into tears and laughed: ¡°It would be too fake to be more beautiful. It¡¯s like stacking up eighteen layers of filters. I like it to be realistic.¡± She said, patting the painting in her hands, ¡°Here, just like this.¡±


    Yi Hui had heard of the word ¡°filter¡±, a common term used by girls in the entertainment industry.


    In the evening, he posted a photo of the cake to Weibo. After receiving some exaggerated compliments from Dora-hum-hum, Yi Hui was a little embarrassed. He held his phone and replied: How can it look so good? Your filter is too thick [Doraemon smiles]


    Dora-hum-hum: Really, it looks good and it¡¯s delicious.


    Yi Hui narrowed his eyes in a smile: It¡¯s like you have eaten it [haha]


    The other end did not reply at once, as if considering it: I hope I will have a chance to eat it in the future.


    Yi Hui thought he was joking and he also replied jokingly: If you come to play in the future, I will bake it for you.


    Dora-hum-hum: I screenshotted for evidence.


    Yi Hui: You can do that? [Doraemon is surprised]


    Dora-hum-hum: Uh-huh.


    Somehow, this ordinary word made Yi Hui¡¯s brain imagine how it would sound. He thought of a young man, a few years younger than him, pretending to be mature, raising his head and saying ¡°Uh-huh¡± in a high, level tone. After getting rid of the unexplained familiarity, Yi Hui strangely felt closer to Dora-hum-hum.


    Thinking of the poor Dora-hum-hum, who was so disappointed and pitiful when he confided in him two days ago, Yi Hui was overwhelmed with affection and could not help but compliment: Dora-hum-hum, you are so cute [cute]


    There was no immediate reply from the other end. Yi Hui thought that he didn¡¯t like being complimented on being cute and was just about to change his words to compliment him on being handsome when Dora-hum-hum replied: Don¡¯t call me Dora-hum-hum.


    Yi Hui was puzzled: What should I call you?


    Dora-hum-hum: Call me Hum-Hum. (h¨¥ng-h¨¥ng)


    A few days later, Tang Wenxi, who had handed in his homework and was free, visited him for the second time. Yi Hui, who was new to online social networking, told him about the interesting things he had encountered on the internet recently. Tang Wenxi laughed and said, ¡°Hum-Hum? I can¡¯t, haha, is he lying to you? Is he actually a girl? How can a boy ask others to call him that, it¡¯s stupid and girly.¡±


    Yi Hui shook his head categorically: ¡°Hum-Hum is very nice, he can¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    Tang Wenxi curled his lips and said, ¡°Oh, now that you have Hum-Hum, you don¡¯t want Xi-Xi.¡±


    The topic surrounding the ¡±nicknames¡° triggered Yi Hui¡¯s laughter. Hum-Hum, Ha-Ha and Xi-Xi sounded like a family. Yi Hui laughed silently with tears in his eyes. Tang Wenxi pretended to be angry and said, ¡±If you laugh again, I¡¯ll go home.¡± Only then did he barely manage to stop.


    The two hadn¡¯t spent time together for a while. The last time they had to rush to receive the award. Tang Wenxi suggested to go to the beach again to see what the sea looked like in late autumn.


    Yi Hui went with him. Even though it was approaching winter, the average daily temperature here was still more than ten degrees. Jiang Xuemei was afraid that he would catch a cold in the sea breeze, so she found him a padded jacket and a thick woolen scarf.


    This time it was Tang Wenxi¡¯s turn to laugh. He swaggered around in short-sleeves and shorts, singing that one of them was like summer and the other was like winter and it was one kind of luck to be brothers in this life.


    They say that what goes around comes around. On the way back he couldn¡¯t sing. The sea breeze during the day was quite cool and pleasant but at night, the temperature dropped sharply and the wind was bone-piercing. Tang Wenxi was so frozen, his teeth were chattering. Trying to save his face, he insisted that it was not cold. Yi Hui couldn¡¯t bear it. He took off his scarf and gave it to him. Tang Wenxi refused at first but finally accepted it in humiliation.


    The scarf was so big that it could almost wrap his whole upper body. Tang Wenxi sat in the bus, enjoying being wrapped in the scarf by Yi Hui, while turning his head and looking around.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Yi Hui sat upright, ¡°Don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll tie a knot.¡±


    Tang Wenxi gave a ¡±tsk¡±: ¡°I always feel that someone is watching us.¡±


    On the bus, Yi Hui turned his head to look at him: ¡°No, you must have sensed wrong.¡±


    When they got off at the station and walked back, Tang Wenxi suddenly grabbed Yi Hui by the shoulder and pulled him to his side. Before Yi Hui could make a sound, he made a gesture to keep silent: ¡°Hush ¨C that person is still behind us.¡±


    Yi Hui still didn¡¯t believe it but he couldn¡¯t help getting nervous: ¡°No, it can¡¯t be?¡±


    Tang Wenxi didn¡¯t turn his head but his gaze moved to look around: ¡°Let¡¯s find a way to split up and see who he is following.¡±


    By now Yi Hui was already familiar with the territory. The two discussed their countermeasures in low voices. At the fork of the road Yi Hui turned as if nothing happened; he had not gone more than twenty meters when he heard footsteps faintly following behind him.


    His heart was beating like a drum. He took a few more steps while counting silently. He closed his eyes and turned around. Immediately afterwards, they quickly stepped forward and blocked the man in the middle of the road with him in front and Tang Wenxi behind.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the little thief stealing chickens and dogs, see if I don¡¯t take you¡­ Ouch, ouch, Classmate Jiang, run, go to the police!¡±


    Under the dim street lights, Yi Hui watched Tang Wenxi, who was the first to rush up, being caught by a tall man whose face he couldn¡¯t see clearly and his arm was wrenched backwards. When the man reached his hand to cover Tang Wenxi¡¯s mouth, he made a decisive move to stop him: ¡±You, let go of¡­¡±


    The word ¡±him¡± faded away because he suddenly saw the man¡¯s face.


    Yi Hui had never seen Zhou Jinheng looking this frantic before.


    Zhou Jinheng used to be confident and chic. In addition, he entered society when he was in his teens. He rarely showed immaturity consistent with his age in his gestures. But at this moment, he subconsciously dodged when their eyes met, as if he was a child caught doing something bad.


    He let go of Tang Wenxi, looked away at first but then couldn¡¯t help but glance at Yi Hui, opening his mouth to say something: ¡°I¡­¡±


    He thought he would at least have a chance to explain, but before he could say anything, Yi Hui took two steps back and looked at him with an extremely wary and resistant look: ¡°Why are you still here?¡±


    His raised hand froze in the air. Falling into an ice cave could not describe a millionth of Zhou Jinheng¡¯s feelings at this time.


    Perhaps it was the intimate communication over the phone these days that gave him some sort of illusion, but only now did Zhou Jinheng realize how naive he was.


    Won¡¯t let him suffer a little grievance in the future?


    All the grievances that Yi Hui had suffered were caused by him personally. If Yi Hui did not want to accept it, no matter how much he did, it would be in vain.


    It took him too long to think of repairing it. It was like applying medicine to a closed wound. It looked touching, but it was actually meaningless.


    What¡¯s more, the wounds he inflicted to Yi Hui were too deep and too heavy. When the blood was dripping, he didn¡¯t care at all. Now he was dead, hung to dry with no temperature. As his executioner, looking back and saying that he wanted to make amends, who would believe him and would forgive him?

 CH 28

    He didn¡¯t sleep well all night again.


    Yi Hui tossed and turned heavily, waking up the man lying next to him several times. At dawn, Tang Wenxi put his arm across Yi Hui and murmured vaguely without opening his eyes: ¡°What¡¯s the matter? The guy was so handsome that you can¡¯t sleep?¡±


    It was Zhou Jinheng. A few hours ago, on the deserted road, there were only three people. Tang Wenxi, who threatened to call the police, turned around and saw Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face. The police were not called and the shame of being caught and restrained was forgotten as he said, ¡°D*mn, do all thieves look like this nowadays?¡±


    He didn¡¯t pay attention to the entertainment industry, he just thought that the man was good-looking. With the artist¡¯s appreciation of everything beautiful, he bluntly flipped out his WeChat QR code and begged to be added as a friend, painstakingly advising Zhou Jinheng to stop stealing chickens and dogs and saying he could introduce him to a studio as a model.


    This interruption prevented the other two men from speaking. Yi Hui didn¡¯t know what to say. He retreated far enough to feel safe and lowered his eyes in silence. When he heard Tang Wenxi ask about the man¡¯s height and measurements, a manifestation of his occupational disease, he raised his hand and pulled his arm: ¡°It¡¯s late, let¡¯s go back.¡±


    When they left, Tang Wenxi still turned his head from time to time to look: ¡°Tsk, his figure is great, he can walk on the catwalk¡­ Why is he still standing there, as if he is looking at you¡­ Wait a minute, Classmate Jiang, do you know him?¡±


    Yi Hui nodded, then quickly shook his head: ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    At dawn, Tang Wenxi got up and stretched his lazy waist. The first thing he did after he regained his senses was to confirm with Yi Hui: ¡°You really don¡¯t know that handsome guy last night?¡±


    Yi Hui felt that if he continued to ask, he would be ¡°beaten into submission¡±, so he took a step back and said, ¡°I¡¯ve met him a few times, but I don¡¯t know him well.¡±


    ¡°I knew it!¡° Tang Wenxi finally managed to pry out the truth, how could he let him go so easily, ¡°What is the relationship between you two, quickly tell me.¡±


    Yi Hui regretted it as soon as he admitted it. He thought it would be better to bite the bullet and deny it to the end. While boiling water to avoid Tang Wenxi¡¯s questioning, he was forced to answer: ¡°I don¡¯t know him well. I saw him at the painting exhibition¡­ He mistook me for someone else.¡±


    Tang Wenxi held his head to think and concluded after a while: ¡°It turns out that he is not a thief.¡±


    Yi Hui was amused: ¡°Have you ever seen a thief dressed like that?¡±


    Tang Wenxi thought about it for a while, felt that it made sense and suddenly realized with a slap on his forehead: ¡°I see, he was there to chase you.¡±


    Yi Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Think about it, isn¡¯t it one of the most ancient ways to strike up a conversation ¨C saying that you look like someone he knows?¡± Tang Wenxi analized it carefully, ¡°You said that he has been pestering you recently, isn¡¯t he just courting you?¡±


    Yi Hui was stunned. The first thing that came to mind was Zhou Jinheng¡¯s overwhelmed face in the dim street lights last night.


    If he had no memories of the previous life, Yi Hui might have believed it stupidly. At this moment, he might be blushing and struggling with whether to deny it.


    But he knew better than anyone else that Zhou Jinheng chased him because he looked like Yi Hui. As for whether it was out of guilt or due to the pressure from others, he had no way of knowing and he didn¡¯t want to know.


    ¡°Impossible.¡± Yi Hui shook his head firmly, then forced himself to smile, hiding the helplessness in his heart behind his relaxed tone, ¡°You have seen him. With his looks, there can only be others who chase him.¡±


    This statement was confirmed in the days that followed.


    No matter where he went to play with Tang Wenxi, that man never appeared again. As sensitive as Tang Wenxi was, he didn¡¯t feel anyone followed them. At first he was relaxed but within two days he started shaking his head in disgust: ¡°So he¡¯s not chasing? Couldn¡¯t he hold on a little longer? Young people nowadays are so boring.¡±


    Now that he mentioned it, Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help but use the occasion to admonish him: ¡°In the future, if you encounter this kind of situation again, don¡¯t rush up and fight. What if the other party has a weapon on him?¡±


    Tang Wenxi scratched his head: ¡°I didn¡¯t know he was so good and could restrain me one-handedly. Luckily he wasn¡¯t a bad guy or it would¡¯ve been my Tou Qi.¡± (first 7-day period after a person¡¯s death) Saying that, he shuddered, slapped his chest and added in a sudden shock, ¡°Hey, Classmate Jiang, do you think he regards me as a rival, that¡¯s why he was so fierce? You didn¡¯t feel the strength of that hand. I have rough skin and thick flesh so I could withstand it. You, with your thin arms and legs, you might¡¯ve been broken.¡±


    Yi Hui thought that he had felt that strength more than once but didn¡¯t say anything: ¡°If you know it¡¯s dangerous, don¡¯t be so impulsive next time.¡±


    He didn¡¯t believe in the love rival theory, unless Zhou Jinheng was really crazy.


    Whether the man was crazy or not, he didn¡¯t know; but Yi Hui really felt the recent abnormality of Dora-hum-hum.


    In the evening of that day, he received another message from Dora-hum-hum: Will you return late today?


    Inexplicably, he sounded like a wife blaming her husband for not coming home early after getting off work.


    When this thought flashed in his mind, Yi Hui felt that it made no sense. The guy just cared about him. He reassured himself and replied: No, I¡¯m already on my way back


    The other end seemed to breathe a sigh of relief: Okay, pay attention to safety.


    In the past few days, Yi Hui and Tang Wenxi had wandered around almost every playable place together. The closer ones were okay, but going to the further ones would inevitably mean coming back later. Dora-hum-hum kept telling him ¡°It¡¯s not safe.¡± From time to time, he sent messages to confirm Yi Hui¡¯s location and reminded him not to talk to strangers and to go home early.


    Yi Hui was embarrassed and said euphemistically once: I am a man, besides, I have a friend with me.


    Dora-hum-hum¡¯s answer was very strange: Friend?


    Yi Hui replied: Yes, my friend, my university classmate


    Dora-hum-hum: That¡¯s good.


    Yi Hui thought about it for a long time, unable to figure out why it was good. He simply attributed it to Hum-Hum¡¯s kind concern for him. Out of a sense of gratitude, he shared his happiness: I only recently learned that we can have so much fun here


    Dora-hum-hum: For example?


    Yi Hui told him the most interesting things he had seen and heard in the past few days, and also sent him a few photos of the seaside.


    Dora-hum-hum: It¡¯s so beautiful.


    For some unknown reason, Yi Hui could always read that he was depressed between the lines. In relation to the previous conversation, it was easy to guess that it was probably because of another relationship setback.


    Yi Hui was not good at comforting people, so he continued to use clumsy methods: When you come here, I will take you to play


    Dora-hum-hum: I took a screenshot.


    Yi Hui: Why do you keep taking screenshots, do I look so untrustworthy [Doraemon smile]


    Dora-hum-hum: I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll forget.


    Yi Hui: I have a good memory, I don¡¯t forget easily


    The other side paused for a moment and wrote: It¡¯s good to forget.


    After a while, another reply came: Forget all the unhappy things, remember just the happy ones.


    Because of this incomprehensible sentence, Yi Hui felt that he had wasted Jiang Yihui¡¯s brain and was still terribly stupid.


    In this case, he remembered the advice given to him by Dr. Liu. Write more, draw more, use your hands and your mind and challenge new content that had not been tried before, and it will help to expand the mind and develop the brain.


    So Yi Hui took a job to paint a group portrait of Jiang Yimang¡¯s sisters. Girls often heard Jiang Yimang boast that her brother had won the gold medal in the national painting competition and they all had great expectations. In addition to sending photos, each person also listed a dress code, with six of them requiring skirts.


    Yi Hui was obviously used to painting men and very bad at painting girls, especially girls in floral skirts. The portrait painted for Jiang Yimang could be regarded as a painstaking work that exhausted his lifelong learning.


    Fortunately, there were professionals around. As a fashion design enthusiast, Tang Wenxi gave him a lot of opinions and when Yi Hui couldn¡¯t draw the dynamics of a flowing skirt, he even wrapped himself in a bath towel and used Yi Hui¡¯s bed as a catwalk, standing on it and spinning around to lift the skirt and tossing his hair, ¡°The shyness of a young girl, can you see?¡±


    Yi Hui shuddered and raised his hand to cover his eyes: ¡°I see it, I see it, you can come down.¡±


    When Yi Hui was drawing the outline, Tang Wenxi sat in boredom beside him, shaking his legs. His next words were like a thunderbolt out of the blue: ¡°Classmate Jiang, do you like boys?¡±


    Yi Hui suddenly jerked and drew a line out of the frame.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be nervous, I¡¯m just asking casually, we are both artists, there is nothing to panic about.¡± Tang Wenxi giggled, ¡°When I was in school, your sexuality was a topic that our department and even the whole school talked about. At that time, there was a voting post in the school forum. I made six finsta accounts and voted for ¡®Jiang Yihui likes boys¡¯.¡±


    Yi Hui was in a complicated mood; he couldn¡¯t hide the truth about himself but he didn¡¯t expect Jiang Yihui also to.¡­¡­


    Tang Wenxi was so delighted that his mouth stretched almost to his ears: ¡°It seems that I guessed right?¡±


    Yi Hui was still struggling whether to admit it when Tang Wenxi went ahead and cleared up the suspicion first: ¡°I didn¡¯t ask this because I have a crush on you. I only feel admiration for Classmate Jiang¡­ Although I also like men.¡±


    Yi Hui nodded shyly.


    Everyone had some curiosity, and he also wanted to know if the boy Tang Wenxi liked was someone he knew.


    The first time the two young men talked about emotional issues, their embarrassment finally prevailed over their desire to confide. In the afterthought, Tang Wenxi became shy and retreated, refusing to say anything. Thinking that he would get to know one day, Yi Hui righteously decided not to pursue the matter.


    He just didn¡¯t expect this day would come so quickly.


    After playing in the small town for nearly half a month, Tang Wenxi felt that if he stayed any longer, his teacher might chase him back to the capital in person. Lamenting, he booked a plane ticket online.


    He didn¡¯t want to waste the days before leaving and decided to use them to go on a scenic tour. Since they¡¯ve played in the water already, he dragged Yi Hui to climb the mountains.


    Yi Hui liked peace and tranquility and didn¡¯t want to go but his mother and sister persuaded him to go out for a walk. He was practically packed up and thrown out of the house. Jiang Xuemei even arranged a tent for him, saying that if it was too late, he could stay on the mountain for a night. If he didn¡¯t stay overnight, he could use it as a picnic mat, or to hide from the rain. Anyway, it was killing two birds with one stone.


    The tent was quite heavy, and Yi Hui sighed all the way to the foot of the mountain and then watched Tang Wenxi rush towards someone ahead. It was only then did he realize that his position today had changed from Tang Wenxi¡¯s play companion to a light bulb (third wheel).


    Walking up to the beginning of the narrow mountain path, Yang Chengxuan looked at the sign placed on the side of the road and cursed with a cigarette in his mouth: ¡°What kind of crappy mountain is smoke-free?¡±


    Tang Wenxi scowled, ¡°If there is no smoking ban, do you think they¡¯re waiting for you to set fire to the mountain?¡±


    The two bickered in the front. Yi Hui fell behind and looked around, nervous.


    When they were formally introduced to each other just now, Tang Wenxi said that they met by chance. Yi Hui didn¡¯t quite believe it. Yang Chengxuan patted his empty pockets and said that he had decided to come here on a whim and didn¡¯t bring any change of clothes. Yi Hui reluctantly persuaded himself not to be nervous.


    He always felt that Yang Chengxuan looked at him with a kind of inquiry and playfulness, as if he was looking at a commodity. If it weren¡¯t for Tang Wenxi, he would definitely find an excuse to turn around and run away.


    Among the three people, Tang Wenxi was the only one who didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable. He wanted to climb the mountain with all his heart. His backpack was tied up and his shoelaces were fastened. He was about to start walking when he was stopped by Yang Chengxuan: ¡°You two just brought one tent?¡±


    Tang Wenxi replied, ¡°Yes, we won¡¯t stay overnight, it¡¯s enough for three people.¡±


    ¡°Who said three people?¡± Yang Chengxuan laughed, raised his chin and pointed behind Yi Hui, ¡°Here, I have a friend.¡±


    Hearing the word ¡°friend¡±, Yi Hui knew that something was wrong. He stayed where he was. Only when the man came up to him, blocking the light, a good half a head taller than him, did the reality of having met again descend on him.


    ¡°This is my friend, Zhou Jinheng.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan introduced him as if nothing was wrong. Zhou Jinheng was wearing a mask (mouth mask; not actual mask) and Tang Wenxi didn¡¯t recognize him at a glance. He smiled and shook hands with him, saying ¡°Hello.¡± Yi Hui, who was standing aside, was one of the two people confused.


    The other one was Zhou Jinheng.


    Although his face was covered with the mask, Yi Hui was able to see the dismay in his eyes. He didn¡¯t seem to know that he would meet him here.


    Once they met, they started climbing the mountain.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t explain anything to Tang Wenxi, nor could he leave him here alone. Since he couldn¡¯t walk away, he tried to stay as far from the man as possible, dragging Tang Wenxi forward at the maximal speed.


    The mountains on the southern coast were not high in altitude and the neat stone road was easy to walk. After climbing halfway up the mountain in a burst, Tang Wenxi yelled that he couldn¡¯t walk anymore and Yi Hui, who was panting heavily, stopped.


    Sitting down on a stone bench far away from the other two men, Tang Wenxi was so easy-going that he didn¡¯t notice anything wrong with Yi Hui at all. When Yang Chengxuan asked him to go buy water together, he hurriedly went and Yi Hui couldn¡¯t stop him.


    Today was a working day, and there were not many people climbing the mountain and even fewer people rested on the platform. Fearing to meet the man¡¯s gaze accidentally, Yi Hui lowered his head to play with the pendant on his bag.


    It was given to him by Jiang Yimang yesterday. It was a round circle half of a palm in size, with a circle of rhinestones on its surface in an outline of a bright ferris wheel. It also had a long and thick tassel. At this moment, Yi Hui was fiddling with the tassel,  concentrating on counting how many cords there were.


    But that man¡¯s sense of presence was too strong. With him simply walking over and standing there for less than ten seconds, Yi Hui was flustered, his thoughts tied in knots. He even lost count.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t know you would be here.¡±


    The moment his too familiar, deep voice reached Yi Hui¡¯s ears, his hand shook and a mass of tangled tassel cords slipped from his palm, which caused Zhou Jinheng to look at his hand.


    After looking at it for a few moments, he looked away. Pursing his lips briefly, Zhou Jinheng continued what he had just started saying: ¡°If you don¡¯t want to see me, I will leave now.¡±

 CH 29

    Had he not known him well enough, Yi Hui would have thought he did it on purpose.


    Making him leave would not only seem very rude, but also would admit the suspicion ¡°I am Yi Hui¡±. Not making him leave was tantamount to acquiescing in disguise that he could continue to haunt him. In short, there was no correct way to respond.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t make up his mind. He hesitated for a while but before he could answer, the two who went to buy drinks came back.


    ¡°Four bottles of exactly the same mineral water, don¡¯t pick and choose.¡± Tang Wenxi distributed them one by one, went to Yi Hui¡¯s side, looked at Zhou Jinheng who was standing there, and then turned to look at him, ¡°What did you two talk about just now? Why don¡¯t you keep talking?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Yi Hui unscrewed the bottle cap and took a big sip.


    The four of them continued to walk together.


    The second half of the road was slightly more difficult to walk. The stone slab road was paved only halfway up the mountain. There were fewer tourists here. Most people stopped at the platform just now. There was an open view and a large green area in the sunlight, a perfect location for either watching the scenery or having a picnic and relaxing.


    However, Tang Wenxi said that if you started climbing, you had to go to the top of the mountain, otherwise it didn¡¯t count as having been here. Yi Hui also didn¡¯t want to have a picnic, so he continued to climb even though his legs were already soft.


    The mud path seemed to have been made by people who had gone up the mountain before. It had steep twists and turns, some parts of it were high and some were low. Without Tang Wenxi, he might not have been able to climb up some places at all.


    They found it difficult to walk and the people behind them were naturally out of breath. Yang Chengxuan yelled non-stop that he couldn¡¯t climb anymore. Yi Hui saw Tang Wenxi turn his head frequently, looking helpless, and said, ¡°You go back, I can climb alone.¡±


    Tang Wenxi quickly said ¡°I¡¯ll be right back¡± and rushed back along the path. Yi Hui looked up at the road ahead, silently cheering himself up. He clutched the backpack straps on his shoulders and kept climbing.


    It turned out that it was fine to be alone. When he saw he would reach the highest point after another section of the path, Yi Hui could no longer hear the voices behind him. He wanted to wait for them for a while, but when he thought that Zhou Jinheng was also there, he changed his mind, thinking that he could just as well wait for them at the top of the mountain where there had to be some people to strengthen his courage.


    Only when he reached the top of the mountain did he find that there was no one there. A platform for tourists among the green trees was empty. Yi Hui climbed up and leaned against the railing to look around. He found that the scenery here was beautiful. He glanced over the mountains, rocks and vegetation and could see the azure sea in the distance.


    He put down his backpack and sat on a low stone by the railing. The mountain breeze dried the sweat on his forehead. He stretched out his hands and let the cool breeze pass through his fingers and brush his palms. Exhaling, he finally found a little pleasure in climbing.


    It was a pity that the pleasure was fleeting and the sky changed before he had time to experience it carefully.


    Yi Hui checked the weather forecast yesterday and it said that it would be sunny and cloudy today. So, seeing the dark clouds gradually obscuring the sun at this moment, he wasn¡¯t very worried. He thought that once the others reached the top of the mountain, they would go home soon anyway.


    Who would have thought that after he¡¯d waited for them for a while, they still didn¡¯t come. What did come were the first drops of rain.


    Yi Hui panicked a little and took out his mobile phone to call Tang Wenxi. The signal on the mountain was not good, but he finally got through and waited until the other end was connected. The voice sounded intermittent and almost inaudible. He only heard Tang Wenxi say something like ¡±Stay still¡° and ¡±We¡¯ll be there right away.¡± When he called again, there was a busy tone. With the weather changing, the signal became more and more volatile.


    He wanted to call home, but halfway through the call, he hung up. Yi Hui didn¡¯t think it was necessary; it would only make his mother and younger sister anxious. It was a mountain near his home and the altitude was not high. Even if it rained and he was trapped here for a while, it would be fine. It was not dark and it was not that he couldn¡¯t get down.


    His thoughts were relaxed but the actual situation was not optimistic.


    Thick dark clouds surged from all directions and soon the rain fell, drenching the dry slate floor of the platform in a blink of an eye. Yi Hui had nowhere to hide from the rain. He opened the bag, took out the tent and put it over his head. The raindrops fell on the rainproof cloth above his head like pebbles. This violent, noisy sound made Yi Hui¡¯s heart beat wildly, as if he was experiencing a catastrophe alone.


    It felt like deja vu. Yi Hui wrapped the tent tightly around him and kept his eyes wide open, desperately trying not to recall. But the sight in front of him was still too close. Overlapping with the scenes in the depths of his memory, just hearing the similar sounds, the picture stood before his eyes .


    It didn¡¯t rain that night, but the sound of the howling wind didn¡¯t stop for a moment, accompanied by the rustling sound of swaying branches. It didn¡¯t sound like the wind was blowing the leaves but rather as if the leaves were cutting the wind, splitting the originally intact section into pieces, into spikes and needles that pierced holes in Yi Hui¡¯s hard-built defense.


    The current situation was worse than in the past but he was not the Yi Hui who used to only foolishly wait for someone to save him. If he was scared, he knew how to run quickly. He put the bag back on his shoulders, draped the tent cloth over himself to block the rain, left the platform and walked slowly back along the path.


    The mountain road was muddy with rain and the rain got in his eyes blocking his vision. In two steps, Yi Hui slipped because he stepped on a wrong place. He got up and moved on. He miscalculated the height and distance on a steep step. His foot landed on nothing and he fell straight forward. Fortunately, there were no obstacles such as stones in front of him. He fell to the ground feeling a dull pain in his knees.


    Yi Hui propped himself up, then stood up, not caring to check whether his pants were torn or whether the mountain road was slippery. There was only one thought in his mind: to go down the mountain quickly.


    He stumbled down the hill, as if he would be caught if he didn¡¯t run. Caught and put in the little house where no one would come to save him.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t remember how many more times he stumbled. He lost all his five senses while running. He couldn¡¯t see the road ahead and couldn¡¯t hear anyone calling him. He was rushing like a headless fly. When he crashed into the man¡¯s arms, he thought he had finally escaped.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t expect to find him here. He walked with difficulty along the road up the mountain. He just recognized a string of footsteps in the sounds of wind and rain. When he looked up, he saw a figure rushing towards him in a daze. Subconsciously, he opened his arms. If he hadn¡¯t reacted in time, it might have ended in a fall.


    Taking two steps back to stabilize the man, Zhou Jinheng called softly, ¡°HuiHui?¡±


    The man in his arms did not speak or move, only his shoulders trembled violently as he gasped rapidly.


    After confirming that this was Yi Hui, Zhou Jinheng tightened his arms, put his chin on the top of Yi Hui¡¯s head buried against his chest and said with a sigh of relief: ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡±


    But they hadn¡¯t escaped the mountain yet.


    The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and seeing that it wouldn¡¯t stop for a while, Yi Hui wanted to continue going down, but the stone road soaked in rainwater was more difficult to walk than the mud road, so slippery that every step was dangerous. Zhou Jinheng walked in front of him and stretched out his hand but Yi Hui didn¡¯t hold it, so he had to walk by his side and protect him with his raised arms.


    Yi Hui felt that it was more dangerous and simply stopped walking. On the platform halfway up the mountain, he went to an open space, took off the rainproof cloth and backpack, and started to set up the tent.


    He had never assembled this thing. Even if the portable version was easy to operate, it was still very nerve-wracking. The brackets went into the holes but he didn¡¯t know how to fix them. After a long time, he found that he was assembling it in a reversed order and had to disassemble it and start over.


    After, Zhou Jinheng helped him to set it up.


    Zhou Jinheng played the role of a soldier when he first debuted. In order to look realistic, he learned many survival skills before filming, including setting up a tent. Zhou Jinheng learned everything quickly. Yi Hui, who was practicing with him at home at the time, felt quite depressed. He hoped they could play together for a while longer.


    Unexpectedly remembering the past, Yi Hui, who was squatting in the tent, saw the curtain open but forgot to stop Zhou Jinheng from getting in.


    Even though it was noisy in the tent because of the wind and rain, Yi Hui could still hear his rustling movements, followed by a beam of warm yellow light that illuminated Zhou Jinheng¡¯s rain-soaked face.


    ¡°It¡¯s dark outside, you can take this.¡± He bent down, supporting himself on the ground with one hand, put his mobile phone on the blanket in front of Yi Hui and crawled back.


    When he almost left and was about to put down the curtain, he added: ¡°I¡¯m just outside, call me if you need something.¡±


    What could he need? The tent was set up, there was food and drinks in his bag and even a change of clothes. It was not impossible to stay here for a night.


    Speaking of staying overnight, Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help but think of Tang Wenxi, who said that he was going to camp with him on the mountain. When Zhou Jinheng set up the tent just now, he said that the two of them went down the mountain to find help. Although he knew that it was the safest way, Yi Hui still thought that this was the guy who claimed to value friends the most. If it weren¡¯t for Yang Chengxuan who was the only one in his eyes, would Tang Wenxi leave him here alone?


    When he put on clean clothes, his anger almost disappeared. Yi Hui picked up the mobile phone and found that there was a bit of signal at this moment, so he hurriedly called home and told Jiang Yimang that he was trapped in the mountain because of the rain. When the rain stopped, he would go home. He asked her to tell their mother not to worry.


    Jiang Yimang yelled on the other end of the phone: ¡°Oh my God, are you alone, brother?¡±


    Yi Hui glanced at the curtain: ¡°No, there is someone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Jiang Yimang¡¯s mood switched. She had been nervous a moment ago but now she laughed, ¡°Then you guys have fun, don¡¯t worry about going down the mountain, you can come back tomorrow morning.¡±


    Yi Hui hung up the phone, puzzled.


    When he took out the tissue from his bag, he suddenly remembered the face dripping with water in the light of the mobile phone just now. Sitting in a tent set up by someone else and using someone else¡¯s mobile phone to illuminate it, Yi Hui felt guilty and defensive. He stretched out his legs and checked. It seemed that the space in the tent was not too small and the two of them would not be unable to stay away from each other.


    What¡¯s more, it was still raining outside; you wouldn¡¯t even leave a stranger outside in the rain.


    After a long period of psychological preparation, he made sure that he had completely placed himself into Jiang Yihui¡¯s state of mind, crawled to the door, opened the curtain and said to the outside: ¡°It¡¯s raining heavily, come in and hide from the rain.¡±


    A small tent stood on the platform halfway up the mountain and there was a dim light coming through the door curtain.


    Yi Hui handed a tissue to Zhou Jinheng and took another to wipe his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he found that the man opposite him was looking at him. Yi Hui subconsciously lowered his eyelashes and narrowed his eyes, fearing that Zhou Jinheng might notice that he had cried.


    Fortunately, the rain was heavy enough just now and no one could see the tears that overflowed his eyes the moment he relaxed. Fortunately, the light at the moment was faint and the slight trace of redness in his eyes was almost invisible.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t look for too long, turning his gaze elsewhere. At least judging by his posture, he didn¡¯t seem uncomfortable. One of his long legs was stretched on the ground, the other bent, and he held his hand on his knee in a relaxed manner. With just a glance, Yi Hui saw a scabbed twisted wound on the side of his hand.


    It hurt just to look at it. Yi Hui shuddered, then turned over his backpack distractedly and pulled out a blanket in the color matching the tent, tied with a rope tightly.


    The rope must have been tied by Jiang Xuemei who made several knots. Yi Hui kept his nails short and couldn¡¯t untie a knot for a long time. When he was exhausted and about to give up, a slender hand stretched out and took the blanket tied into a ball.


    Pulling out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, Zhou Jinheng picked out an untouched cigarette and put it in his mouth. After lighting the lighter, he suddenly remembered something and asked, ¡°Can I smoke? Just for a moment.¡±


    Yi Hui was stunned: ¡°Ah, yes.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng skillfully lit the cigarette he was holding, then put down the lighter and pressed the cigarette to burn the rope. As the smell of the burnt fabric reached their noses, the rope fell apart. The position and the pressure of the cigarette was just right and the blanket was not scorched at all.


    Taking the blanket, Yi Hui whispered ¡°thank you¡±.


    He selfishly encompassed everything he wanted to say in these two words, including thanking Zhou Jinheng for returning to find him. Other than that, he didn¡¯t want to have any fundamental communication with this man.


    Perhaps because of the previous unpleasant encounters, as well as Yi Hui not giving him a good face today in front of his friends, Zhou Jinheng was in a bad mood and did not respond when he heard his thanks. He stuffed the cigarette back into his mouth, inhaled and opened the curtain to exhale the smoke.


    After he did it several times, Yi Hui, who didn¡¯t want to pay attention to him, couldn¡¯t help but focus his gaze on him again.


    In his memory, Zhou Jinheng only smoked during the filming because of the role.


    He was only eighteen years old when he made his debut. He was forced into marriage by his family at the most rebellious age. That was probably the most depressing period of his life. Even so, Yi Hui did not see him degenerate; drinking and socializing were fine to a certain degree but smoking, if someone urged him to smoke he would never fall for it.


    At this moment, there was a cigarette pressed between his beautifully shaped thin lips, its light getting dimmer as the tobacco burned. When the cigarette was transferred between his index and middle fingers, the sound of exhaling the smoke was like a sigh, and Yi Hui was dazed.


    When did he learn to smoke?


    Feeling the never-ending gaze on him again, Zhou Jinheng threw the cigarette he¡¯d barely started to smoke outside, watched the little fire be extinguished by the rain, turned his head and said, ¡°Yang Chengxuan left his cigarettes there. I have no smoking addiction.¡±


    Yi Hui felt embarrassed to be read so easily and moved back a little with the blanket in his arms, as if he was trying to say, ¡±What does it have to do with me?¡±


    He heard an unexplainable chuckle and raised his head. A pair of dark quiet eyes met his gaze.


    ¡°I have grown up.¡± Zhou Jinheng looked at Yi Hui, his voice steady and firm, ¡°You can believe me.¡±

 CH 30

    Believe¡­ believe in what?


    He believed everything he said before, but what happened? What was waiting for him was broken promises and deceit over and over again.


    Thrown back to his previous life without warning, Yi Hui pulled up his legs, leaned back and did not respond as if he hadn¡¯t heard it.


    Zhou Jinheng saw his obvious intention to avoid him and turned away, a little frustrated. But only a moment later he moved back to Yi Hui as he noticed something he hadn¡¯t seen before.


    ¡°Did you hurt your legs?¡± Zhou Jinheng leaned forward and touched Yi Hui¡¯s knees exposed outside the blanket. The fabric of his pants was soaked with crimson. ¡°There¡¯s blood everywhere. Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    Yi Hui really didn¡¯t notice. When he changed his clothes just now, he just wanted to hurry it up and didn¡¯t have time to look down to check why it hurt. Only now did he know that his skin was broken.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Yi Hui¡¯s voice was faint. He bent his legs to avoid Zhou Jinheng¡¯s outstretched hand and leaned to the side again.


    Based on his understanding of Zhou Jinheng, since he had been repeatedly rejected like that, he would definitely not try again.


    Who knew that this guy would continue to lean forward, his posture changing from sitting to squatting. He lifted Yi Hui¡¯s pants with both hands, rolled them up and asked, ¡°Do you have medicine?¡±


    He really did. When he went out, Jiang Xuemei stuffed a bottle of Yunnan Baiyao powder into his bag. Zhou Jinheng picked it up and looked at the instructions on the tube, unscrewed the lid and sprinkled it on Yi Hui¡¯s wounds.


    He was impatient and moved quickly. Before Yi Hui could react, he had lifted his pants and placed on the medicine.


    The medicine made the wounds hurt. Yi Hui gasped in pain and his body shivered. Zhou Jinheng asked nervously, ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    Before Yi Hui could answer, he lowered his head to blow on the wounds, his warm breath spraying down on bare skin, causing Yi Hui to shrink again.


    ¡°Still hurts?¡° Zhou Jinheng was not good at this kind of thing. He panicked seeing Yi Hui¡¯s reaction, ¡°It hurts a bit when this medicine is just applied.¡±


    Yi Hui was silent.


    The distance between them was too short; he was afraid that he would give himself away if he spoke and he even regretted calling the man to hide from the rain in the tent.


    There was no response but Zhou Jinheng was not angry. He took out a handkerchief from Yi Hui¡¯s bag, folded it into a strip and pressed it to Yi Hui¡¯s wound, then wrapped it around Yi Hui¡¯s knee, tied it and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t bandage it, it¡¯ll get infected. If it still hurts, just¡­ pinch me.¡±


    After listening to the second half of the sentence, Yi Hui raised his eyes, puzzled and saw Zhou Jinheng¡¯s focused expression. Meeting his clear gaze reduced his nervousness a little, making him think of a similar scene in his past.


    It happened not long after they started living together. Zhou Jinheng was at home after filming. As the elder in the family, Yi Hui took on the task of arranging everyday food and living, and bought many things to show off his skills to make a nutritious meal.


    Who would have thought that as soon as he washed the vegetables, put them on the chopping board and started cutting, the electricity would suddenly go off.


    Yi Hui shivered, the blade scraped across his fingers and the fear of cutting himself made him cry out. Zhou Jinheng, who was resting upstairs, heard the sound and rushed down: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Yi Hui shook his head and said nothing, so he approached and grabbed Yi Hui¡¯s wrist and said, ¡°You cut your hand? Tsk¡­ it¡¯s just a little bit, why did you scream so loudly?¡±


    Yi Hui felt embarrassed and wanted to pull his hand back but was led by Zhou Jinheng to the living room and made to sit down on the sofa.


    Zhou Jinheng walked back and forth with a flashlight in his hand. He found a band-aid somewhere, squatted in front of him, held his fingers and put the band-aid on him.


    Due to the poor light and rough gestures, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s hand that held Yi Hui¡¯s wrist pinched it painfully, but he didn¡¯t dare to say anything, fearing that Zhou Jinheng would not care about him in the future. No one liked delicate flowers who complained all day long.


    After putting the band-aid on, Zhou Jinheng blew on his thin white finger and when he looked up, he saw tears falling from Yi Hui¡¯s wide-open eyes.


    It was not the first time Zhou Jinheng had seen him cry and he said helplessly: ¡°Why are you still crying? Does it hurt so much?¡±


    Yi Hui shook his head vigorously, covered his eyes with his other hand and said, ¡°I miss my Mom.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a mother either, do you see me crying?¡±


    This sounded thoughtless, but at the time it comforted Yi Hui inexplicably. He slowly put down his hand and sniffed: ¡°Then, then don¡¯t you miss her?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng confessed frankly: ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡­ why don¡¯t you cry?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of crying? If you cry, will she come back?¡±


    Saddened by these words, Yi Hui flattened his mouth and the tears that had just stopped were about to burst out again.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Zhou Jinheng frowned, ¡°Still crying?¡±


    His expression was impatient, but his movements were much softer.


    Holding Yi Hui¡¯s hand gently in his palm, Zhou Jinheng looked up at him, and the corners of his lips turned up in a gentle arc: ¡°So what if Mom is gone, isn¡¯t your husband here?¡±


    He thought that the sentence contained a bit of teasing, but the clear eyes of the young man smiling in the faint light had already deeply imprinted in Yi Hui¡¯s mind.


    He took everything Zhou Jinheng said as true, including this joke. From that moment until a long time later, he not only regarded Zhou Jinheng as his husband, but also as his closest person in the world.


    He innocently wanted to be with him like this for the rest of his life.


    When he pulled away from his memories, Yi Hui was still a little startled but his eyes gradually became cold.


    Zhou Jinheng seemed to be aware of it. He opened his mouth to say something but in the end he didn¡¯t say anything. He helped him tie the handkerchief and returned to his place.


    Yi Hui was not an ungrateful person. He took out the water and biscuits from his bag, gave half of them to Zhou Jinheng and asked him to turn off the phone light and take it back, so as not to run out of power later.


    Zhou Jinheng said at first that he didn¡¯t need it, but when he saw Yi Hui insisting, he didn¡¯t refuse anymore. He took it and only drank water, putting the biscuits aside without touching them.


    The rain outside was getting stronger, seeming endless. In the evening, the sky was getting darker and darker, and the visibility in the mountain was getting even lower. Through the transparent windows of the tent, one could only see the shadows of the swaying trees.


    Yi Hui had spent almost the entire day climbing the mountain. Later, because of the weather change, he was scared half to death. After finally relaxing, he planned to take a break, recharge and then rush down the mountain in one go.


    His bag was used as a pillow. He pulled up the blanket and laid down, turning his back to Zhou Jinheng. The tent was quite spacious and the two people didn¡¯t hinder each other.


    He was about to close his eyes when he heard the phone ring. Yi Hui pulled the blanket to the tip of his ears, hid his hands under the blanket and clicked on Weibo. Unexpectedly, he found that the signal was better now and the homepage could be easily refreshed.


    He clicked onto the notification interface and saw a message from Dora-hum-hum: Are you home yet?


    Yi Hui shrank in the blanket and typed a reply: No, the weather is bad, I¡¯m trapped in the mountains [cry]


    Dora-hum-hum: Are you okay?


    Yi Hui: I¡¯m okay, I can go down the mountain when the rain stops


    Dora-hum-hum: Is anyone with you?


    Seeing these words, Yi Hui thought of another man in the tent and inexplicably felt that someone was standing behind his back: En


    Dora-hum-hum had to ask: Who?


    Yi Hui said vaguely: A friend of a friend


    Dora-hum-hum: Is he reliable?


    Although he felt that the topic was taking a strange direction, Yi Hui replied: He¡¯s okay, I couldn¡¯t set up a tent, he helped me set it up


    Dora-hum-hum: Then, do you think I¡¯m reliable?


    Yi Hui was even more confused, but since the other party asked, he thought about it seriously. Remembering that the other party had helped him a lot before, he replied: Reliable, Hum-Hum is the most reliable [so happy]


    The two chatted casually for a while, then Yi Hui put down his phone and continued to rest.


    Maybe he was too tired during the day but he actually fell asleep. However, he slept very lightly and any movement could wake him up, such as Zhou Jinheng¡¯s voice when he answered the phone.


    ¡°Hey¡­ en, I found him¡­ it won¡¯t take long to climb back from the bottom of the mountain¡­ You can go first, sorry I can¡¯t send you off¡­ what¡¯s fake¡­ I¡¯m serious, I¡¯m not kidding.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s voice was very low. In a daze, Yi Hui didn¡¯t understand the subject of the call. He only extracted the message ¡°He originally went down the mountain and then came back to find me.¡± He thought to himself that he had to thank him again when he woke up. The more like strangers they were, the more polite he had to be.


    When he woke up again, he noticed there was someone next to him. The rustling of tiny movements merged with the sound of rain outside, much lighter than the sound of conversation, but Yi Hui still caught it sensitively.


    He didn¡¯t dare to move or open his eyes, for fear that his stressed reaction would reveal something.


    Fortunately, the man who leaned over didn¡¯t want to alarm him. First, he helped him pull up the blanket and covered his exposed toes. Then, his hand wandered cautiously on the edge of the blanket, then finally gently held one of his hands lying by his side.


    As his hand was lifted a little bit, Yi Hui¡¯s heartbeat accelerated. If it weren¡¯t for the darkness in the tent, one would have easily found that his closed eyelids were trembling and his eyelashes were fluttering.


    It was too close, so close that he could clearly feel another heartbeat that didn¡¯t belong to him.


    In the dark, all his senses were infinitely magnified. When a soft touch fell on his hand, Yi Hui immediately knew that it was his lips.


    Zhou Jinheng was kissing his hand, moving from the back of his hand to the roots of his fingers, slowly turning to the web between his thumb and index finger, his breath hot and gentle.


    It was the place where he held the brush when he painted. This patch of skin was scalded in his previous life. After the redness, swelling and blisters subsided, it became wrinkled and mottled, making his hand even more unpleasant to look at. Although he was a fool at that time, he also knew how to distinguish between beauty and ugliness, so he usually wore gloves or hid his hands in his sleeves.


    And now the man who had caused it was kissing the spot where the scar had been, just as he had fantasised countless times, quietly, gently, without the slightest hint of disgust.


    Yi Hui suddenly recalled that it wasn¡¯t like Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t give him a chance to refuse at that time, nor did he stop him from letting go of the cup midway.


    The reason why he endured the pain and didn¡¯t let go was because he didn¡¯t want him to be angry and was willing to be a prop for him to vent his anger; the reason why he hid the wound was not because he was afraid he would be upset when seeing it, but more because he was afraid he would see it and be disgusted.


    It was because he loved him too much.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± With his warm lips clinging to the skin on the back of his hand, Zhou Jinheng whispered through the sound of rain, as if from light years away and after countless years of baptism, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ trust me one more time, okay?¡±


    The author has something to say: Regarding why Xiao Zhou firmly believes that Jiang Yihui is Yi Hui, in fact, Xiao Zhou is not sure about the so-called reincarnation and rebirth. He is very sad and desperate. Seeing Jiang Yihui¡¯s gestures and manners were the same as Yi Hui¡¯s, coupled with his reactions when he saw him and because he did not accept the fact that Yi Hui was dead, he ignored the causes and consequences and directly convinced himself that it was Yi Hui. Everything was just his wishful thinking. As for whether he will have doubts in the future, that will be a matter of future events. This question had been asked many times and I have answered it many times in the comments. I will answer it here. Too much talk involves spoilers but if I don¡¯t answer, I will be asked again and again¡­ Transmigration of a soul is very mysterious in itself, not to mention a human¡¯s intuition, so if you can¡¯t accept this logic, you should read with caution.


    (Translator¡¯s notes: in other words, no, Zhou Jinheng will not have doubts :))

 CH 31

    The sleeping man didn¡¯t move and Zhou Jinheng felt at ease and even more happy that he could finally touch him.


    Approaching him when he was awake was out of question. He had to be mentally prepared to be ignored when he said something. Although this silent resistance was frustrating, it also indirectly proved that the little fool had not forgotten him.


    Only when you can¡¯t forget someone will you feel resentment, and only when you are full of resentment, will you resist. Hate is caused by love. It was better to be hated by him than to be forgotten by him.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t expect that one day he would comfort himself with the wonderful logic he had seen in a script. Smiling bitterly, he held that hand tighter.


    God treated him well after all.


    He would make up for his mistakes one by one. Since he was given the opportunity to hold this hand, he would never let go.


    It rained until the second half of the night.


    When Yi Hui opened his eyes, Zhou Jinheng was putting down the tent curtain that had been opened. When he saw him wake up, he said, ¡°The rain just stopped, go to sleep for a while.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t answer. He pressed his palm to the tent cloth and checked it. It really didn¡¯t rain, so he sat up and packed his things.


    Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t persuade him and helped him to clean up.


    The blanket was not tied with a rope anymore and was too big to fit into the backpack. Zhou Jinheng held it under his arm. He also put away the tent and carried it on his back. Yi Hui was going to grab it but he walked forward in big strides and only left a pack of unopened biscuits for Yi Hui: ¡°You can take this. You must eat before you go down the mountain.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t bother to pay attention to his unreasonable ¡°orders¡±, put the biscuits in his pocket and walked on his own.


    It was still dark, and the potholed uneven road was covered with a layer of rain, making it almost as difficult to walk on as when it rained. Zhou Jinheng led the way, but his hand with a flashlight was stretched behind him to show Yi Hui the way. After walking for a while, Yi Hui felt uncomfortable. He used his mobile phone to turn on the flashlight and said, ¡°I have a flashlight, so you can light the road for yourself.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng turned his head when he heard his voice and there was a smile on his face in the beam of light: ¡°Okay, then follow me and be careful.¡±


    After a while, Yi Hui realized that he smiled because he thought he cared about him. He hesitated but didn¡¯t clarify it after all.


    The more you talk about it, the more guilty you feel. Their current relationship was at best just one of casual acquaintances and it was perfectly natural to be indifferent.


    Passing the only public restroom on the mountain along the way, Zhou Jinheng turned his head and asked, ¡°Do you need to go?¡±


    Even though it had been half an afternoon and almost the whole night, Yi Hui felt that he could hold back for a while, so he shook his head and said, ¡°No need.¡±


    He wanted to continue to walk and go down the mountain as soon as possible, but who knew that Zhou Jinheng would turn back, step in front of Yi Hui and handed the blanket to him: ¡°Wait for me.¡±


    Yi Hui stood there holding the blanket, so angry that he wanted to stomp his feet but not daring to move casually, for fear that he would not be able to hold back if he moved a lot.


    After Zhou Jinheng came out, he wiped his hands and muttered to himself: ¡°You can¡¯t hold it in like this in the future. I seem to have read it in some book. Holding it in for a long time will damage your kidneys.¡±


    Perhaps it was a psychological effect but Yi Hui immediately felt a pain in his kidneys, which seemed like a warning to not ¡°hold it in¡±.


    In the end, he still went into the men¡¯s room. Zhou Jinheng followed Yi Hui in with a flashlight, as if he wanted to watch him throughout the whole process. After Yi Hui stared at him critically for a long time, he exited in a daze. He didn¡¯t forget to shout from the outside: ¡°It¡¯s slippery, be careful.¡±


    Yi Hui felt that he seemed to be taking care of a child. Well, if you think about it, he was a fool before, wasn¡¯t it equivalent to a child at a young age?


    His slightly warming heart suddenly cooled down. In the past he had been stupid enough to stick to the man as soon as he hooked his finger. Even if he was not much smarter than before, he would not be stupid to that point.


    When they were almost down the mountain, Yi Hui received a call.


    ¡°Classmate Jiang, I¡¯m sorry!¡± As soon as the call was connected, Tang Wenxi apologized, ¡°There was no rescue team under the mountain. I wanted to call the police. That guy said that there were no wolves in such a small mountain and the police will definitely not bother with it. He also said that his friend had already met you¡­ Are you with him now?¡±


    ¡°En.¡± Yi Hui responded vaguely, more worried about him, ¡°I¡¯m fine. There is really no danger on the mountain. Have you reached the bottom of the mountain? My sister said that you didn¡¯t go back to my house, did you find another place to stay?¡±


    When he mentioned it, Tang Wenxi began to falter: ¡°En, en¡­ I found another place to stay in the city, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    The two chatted a little more. Tang Wenxi¡¯s plane ticket was booked for tomorrow morning. The flight was about to take off in less than half a day, so Yi Hui couldn¡¯t make it over to see him off. He promised that he would help him pack the luggage he had left at the Jiang family¡¯s house and send it over, then hung up the phone.


    After more than a day of excessive use, the phone¡¯s battery finally ran out and the flashlight and shutdown vibration went out together. Once Zhou Jinheng, who was walking in front, noticed it, he returned without saying a word and walked side by side with Yi Hui.


    This section of the road was spacious and easy to walk, but it was windy and rainy all night, and the fallen dead branches and leaves were spread all over the ground. Yi Hui stepped on a branch inattentively and almost fell. Zhou Jinheng reached out to help, but he avoided him.


    In the end, Zhou Jinheng was still young and could not hide his mood. When he kicked the road obstacle away for the third time in a grumpy manner, Yi Hui was actually silently relieved.


    He was still the same and their recent entanglements must have been on a whim. When he got tired of playing and ran out of patience, he would naturally give up.


    Along the way, Yi Hui deliberately forbade himself from thinking about it. In order to distract himself, he found a bunch of irrelevant things for himself to think about.


    For example, why was Zhou Jinheng¡¯s mobile phone still charged?


    The resting place at the foot of the mountain was still far away from the residential area. Zhou Jinheng asked Yi Hui to wait here and went to the 24-hour convenience store on the opposite side to buy something.


    Yi Hui had been enduring since the halfway point, and now that there was no one around, his clenched teeth relaxed a little. Sitting on a stone bench and rubbing his left knee, he thought that this body was slow to recover and he was afraid that he would have to stay in bed for a few days to recuperate when he went back.


    He didn¡¯t know what Zhou Jinheng went to buy, he just felt that if the wound was not treated well, it might become infected and it would be troublesome to have a fever later. Now that he occupied this body, he needed to adapt to its habits, protect it well and not let his family worry about him.


    After rubbing his knee a few more times, Yi Hui stood up and moved his joints. Thinking that it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to walk a little, he limped towards the light on the other side of the road.


    In the early hours of the morning, the entrance of the convenience store was deserted. There was a pickup truck parked at the main entrance. Two people wearing overalls with the supermarket logo were moving goods inside. The mountain air after the rain was fresh and he took a deep breath. His lungs were filled with the smell of soil and vegetation. The footsteps and conversations of workers slightly obscured Zhou Jinheng¡¯s voice.


    The phone call seemed to be coming to an end. Zhou Jinheng, carrying a half-full shopping basket in his hand, with his back turned to the door, bent down in front of the shelf with desserts to look for something. Because he couldn¡¯t spare his hand to hold his mobile phone, his tone became brisk: ¡°Go home? Didn¡¯t I go back last time? Tsk, if it weren¡¯t for you, why would I go back? ¡­¡­ You little girl, just take care of yourself, don¡¯t worry about your brother¡­ Well, you can start preparing now, and maybe I will take your sister-in-law home with me next time¡­ Okay, your sister-in-law is waiting for me, so hang up first.¡±


    Putting the mobile phone back in his pocket, Zhou Jinheng took the items he selected and threw them into the shopping basket. He turned around and saw Yi Hui standing not far away. He was taken aback for a moment: ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to wait for me there?¡±


    Later, he must have realized that Yi Hui had heard what he had just said. There was a rare shyness on his face as he licked his dry lips and said, ¡°I got everything, let¡¯s go and check out.¡±


    His gestures were full of familiarity and intimacy, but the other party did not intend to cooperate. Yi Hui passed by Zhou Jinheng and walked to the counter selling medicines. From the direction he was taking, Zhou Jinheng realized what he was looking for, stopped him and raised his shopping basket: ¡°I have already got it.¡±


    On the bench outside the convenience store, Yi Hui was pressed to sit down again against his will. Zhou Jinheng squatted on the ground, neatly rolled up his left trouser leg, removed the handkerchief that had been tied for a few hours and saw faint redness and swelling around the wound. He frowned and wondered, ¡°Why did it get more serious?¡±


    He remembered that although the little fool was delicate, he was blessed with good health. He usually recovered quickly from headaches and fever, not to mention such small bumps and bruises that often healed before he noticed them.


    Yi Hui could naturally understand what he was thinking. He planned to be silent to the end, but remembering Zhou Jinheng¡¯s brisk tone when he was talking on the phone just now, Yi Hui suddenly felt a surge of sourness in his heart.


    Then, this strange feeling transformed into another side of him that he had never dealt with before, strongly affecting Yi Hui¡¯s sanity and causing him to say without thinking: ¡°Because I am not him, of course I am different from him.¡±


    With these words, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s expression suddenly changed as if he was standing in cold wind. But after a while, he curled his lips and his expression softened again: ¡°If you¡¯re different, then you¡¯re different. Who can stay the same from childhood to adulthood.¡±


    As he spoke, the movements of his hands did not stop. He carefully wiped the wound with a cotton swab dipped in red medicine, leaned over and blew a few times and was just about to wrap the bandage; but as soon as he opened the pack of gauze, Yi Hui suddenly took it away.


    ¡°I am not the one you are looking for. You are mistaken.¡± Yi Hui didn¡¯t find it easy to speak. He remembered saying something similar, but he knew it carried more weight at this moment, ¡°You¡¯ve made a mistake, I¡¯m not him.¡±


    Perhaps sensing the danger or perhaps lacking confidence, Yi Hui had changed his mind. He didn¡¯t want to play with Zhou Jinheng anymore and didn¡¯t want to wait until Zhou Jinheng lost patience. He wanted to cut off the relationship now.


    What was this for? He had already changed his body and was trying to escape the past, but Zhou Jinheng had somehow gotten the wrong idea and came to haunt him. Whether it was out of necessity or out of obsession, why should he still be in control of everything and why should he have to spend time with him again?


    Even the longest life had an end, and since Yi Hui did not own this life, he had nothing to offer in exchange.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that if I didn¡¯t want to see you, you would just leave?¡± Before the other party could speak, Yi Hui continued, ¡°Thank you for coming back for me, thank you for your care, now you can go.¡±


    When he heard this, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s lips were pursed, and the smile he had barely managed to put up could not be maintained. His face turned gloomy, as if it was about to rain in the mountains.


    It was a sign that he was about to get angry. Yi Hui knew better than anyone what he looked like when he was angry. He would be furious, would use something handy to vent his anger, and then walk away.


    As soon as things didn¡¯t go as he wished, he would always react like this. Yi Hui didn¡¯t mind being that ¡°something¡± again. It was not the first time anyway; he had enough experience in this area.


    One second, two seconds¡­ Time passed quietly, but the expected violent storm did not come.


    Yi Hui only heard a little snort. He couldn¡¯t tell whether it was cynical or sarcastic. In short, it wasn¡¯t a happy chuckle.


    ¡°Go? Where else can I go?¡± Zhou Jinheng¡¯s voice was muffled, as if he was asking himself, ¡°Where else can I go if you are here?¡±


    Yi Hui did not understand, nor did he want to understand. When Zhou Jinheng pinched his chin and turned his face to make him look at him, there was no trace of warmth in his eyes.


    Even though he was fully mentally prepared, even though he¡¯d got through the first few times unscathed, Zhou Jinheng was still stung by Yi Hui¡¯s display of indifference and resistance. His frustration was like a fine net that enveloped him in an impermeable manner.


    Along with it came the overwhelming sense of uncertainty.


    ¡°You like me. You had said you liked me.¡± Zhou Jinheng stubbornly looked at Yi Hui, touched his cold hand lying by his side with his other hand, as if he couldn¡¯t wait to pass some of his body warmth to him, ¡°You are just angry with me, but you don¡¯t want me to go, right?¡±


    Faced with this nonsense, Yi Hui only considered it a joke, but he didn¡¯t know whether to cry or laugh.


    He couldn¡¯t even find an expression that was appropriate enough to repel the opponent.


    The effect of self-hypnosis continued and now he no longer needed to detach himself deliberately in order to stay out of it. Like a third party outside the story, he could ignore the tenderness that did not belong to him, and without looking into the expectant and begging eyes, he could withdraw his hand little by little from the other¡¯s loosened palm.


    ¡°It was him who liked you, not me.¡±


    The skin of his hand felt nothing but the air again, and as the sweat on it evaporated. Yi Hui¡¯s vision became dim and blurred, but his thoughts were clear.


    From beginning to end, I was the one who begged you. In my previous life, I begged you to like me. Now I beg you to let me go.


    If I have to do this for you to let me go, then I will say it.


    ¡°I hate you, please¡­ stop pestering me.¡±

 CH 32

    Soon after returning home, Yi Hui really had a fever.


    The heat was menacing, engulfing almost all of his consciousness. In a daze, the only thing he could recognize was the tall figure in front of him, walking into the dark night.


    Out of habit and instinct, he wanted to chase and touch him, but the remaining sense of reason forced him to stop. He could only stand still and watch the figure go further and further away.


    It was afternoon when he opened his eyes again. Jiang Yimang was sitting by the bed, cross-stitching. Seeing that Yi Hui was awake, she hurriedly helped him to sit up and delivered the prepared warm water to his mouth: ¡°You have been talking in your sleep for as long as I have been sitting here. Are you thirsty? Quickly drink more.¡±


    Yi Hui was startled; forgetting about drinking water, he asked hastily, ¡°What did I say?¡±


    Jiang Yimang smiled slyly: ¡°You said everything, who you like and who you hate, I heard it all.¡±


    Seeing that she was teasing him, Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief and thought that he probably didn¡¯t say anything shocking in his sleep.


    After drinking water, he felt a lot more comfortable. Yi Hui thought about the unfinished paintings and immediately devoted himself to work.


    Jiang Yimang helped him put a small table on the bed and asked while plugging in the notebook: ¡°Brother, did you come back alone today?¡±


    It was almost dawn when Yi Hui got home. He didn¡¯t disturb Jiang Xuemei and Jiang Yimang who were sleeping. He opened the door and went back to his room. Jiang Yimang felt strange when she woke up early in the morning and found him lying in his bed.


    ¡°En,¡± Yi Hui lowered his head to fiddle with the tablet, ¡°alone.¡±


    Jiang Yimang pointed to the supermarket shopping bag that was placed next to the backpack: ¡°Then who bought that?¡±


    Yi Hui said without looking at it, ¡°Me.¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk.¡± Jiang Yimang finally found a loophole and stretched out her hand to take out a handful of candies and chocolates from the shopping bag, ¡°You bought these too? Bought so much just to climb a little hill¡­¡±


    Yi Hui was taken aback for a moment, then casually came up with a reason, ¡°There was almost none at home, so I bought more along the way.¡±


    On the other side, Jiang Yimang was still rambling about her guesses and suspicions. Yi Hui looked at the pile of colorful packages and fell into his thoughts.


    When he was in the convenience store, it seemed that he did see the man wandering around the candy counter for a long time. He didn¡¯t pay attention to it before, but now he realized that he actually bought so much.


    Different flavors of gummy candies, toffees, fruit candies, lollipops, chocolate beans of different shapes, chocolate bars and individually packaged cream pastries. The man didn¡¯t like sweets. He used to ignore these things without even a glance. Now he would spend his time carefully selecting them. Yi Hui was surprised and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little confused.


    In the past, he felt so disgusted. He sneered at him for being childish and he was annoyed that he made the house smell sweet and greasy. Why could he find it tolerable now?


    Yi Hui shook his head silently, interrupting this useless thinking.


    Maybe it was because it felt fresh. Or maybe the man was unwilling to accept that the gaze that had always followed him was gone.


    Anyway, it wouldn¡¯t be because he liked him.


    Perhaps what he¡¯d said before the parting was hurtful enough. In the next few days, Zhou Jinheng disappeared and never appeared again.


    Intuition told Yi Hui that he had really left this time. As a result, his life got back on track. He painted every day, did housework and went out for a walk at regular intervals. In addition to feeling that the neighbors around him still took special care of him, everything returned to normal.


    Even that last doubt did not linger for a long time. One day he received a gift from Jiang Yimang, a set of molds for making chocolates. The patterns were clear, excellently made, not blurry at all. There were also some pieces with various Doraemon styles.


    Yi Hui examined it carefully. It didn¡¯t look like it could be bought at the stationery store in front of the school. When he told Jiang Yimang to be honest, her eyes flickered: ¡°The stationery store in our school is amazing. You can get anything there. I don¡¯t go there frequently but I asked the boss to pay attention to it for me when he bought the goods, and he brought it for me.¡±


    Yi Hui was half convinced. After all, the girl was attentive; she could  choose random trinkets that would be exactly something he liked.


    He seemed to have figured out her previously unclear motivation for giving gifts. Likely, the Jiang family¡¯ mother and daughter discussed privately what to do to take care of the recent ups and downs in his mood and even asked the neighbors to pay attention to him. Other than that, Yi Hui couldn¡¯t think of anything else.


    The mother and daughter refused to tell him, so he pretended not to know. While enjoying their care, he used his own way to give back to them as much as possible.


    For example, the group portrait of the girls painted for Jiang Yimang and her little sisters ended up not costing them a single dime.


    The girls were very upset. They said that when they looked at the portrait, they knew how much effort it took to draw it and him not charging them a cent for it weighed on their conscience.


    Yi Hui smiled and said: ¡°It would be nice if you recommend me around and help me get more work.¡±


    He said it casually, not expecting that the girls would take this task seriously. The ones with more followers posted, the ones with less followers shared it to their circle of friends, and the ones who were in the circle with Jiang Yimang even sent it to the major fan groups and super topic, shouting for more work for him.


    The effect was very significant and orders were pouring in, most of them avatars and sketches. At first, Yi Hui didn¡¯t pick and would not refuse anyone who came. If they had an order, he would take it. Later, there was too much to draw, so he had to set a rule ¨C only two orders were taken a week, and if the composition was complicated, the term would be longer.


    In addition to the strong publicity arranged by the girls, Yi Hui¡¯s good painting skills were also one of the important reasons for this ¡°prosperous business¡±.


    He had studied painting for more than ten years, getting up early every day to practice his basic skills in any weather. So even though his brain was not smart in his previous life, the time spent was not wasted. His basic skills were solid, and now he had broadened his horizons and had plenty of inspiration. The works that came out were better than the others, which quickly made him hot in the circle of online artists.


    At first, Yi Hui didn¡¯t understand what ¡°hot¡± was. Jiang Yimang told him that the most intuitive proof of ¡°hotness¡± was the increase in the number of followers on Weibo. Yi Hui checked it. In the past, posting on Weibo was equivalent to talking to himself. Now, not only did people like and comment, but also reposted if he posted some interesting photos.


    Yi Hui, who had tasted the taste of popularity for the first time, was both happy and a little frightened. If someone else became popular, they might start to play tricks and do their job half-heartedly, but Yi Hui did the opposite and became more diligent. He put all his heart into completing every job he received. Even if Party A was satisfied, he would take the initiative to raise the standard and try his best to be perfect, fearing to ruin his brand.


    The consequence of it was that the time spent on painting was increasing day by day. That day, he finally had some time to make chocolates and put the filled molds into the fridge. When he closed the fridge door and looked up, his gaze fell through the kitchen window at the courtyard. He suddenly noticed that the loquat tree had already lost half of its leaves; some of them had fallen onto the chairs under it while others were blown to the ground by the wind, giving rise to a strange sense of desolation.


    The climate in the south was warm and many flowers and plants stayed green in all the seasons. After living here for a long time, he almost forgot that winter existed.


    When he returned to his room, he picked up his mobile phone and posted a Weibo: Is it snowing in your place?


    The Internet brought together people from different places. Not long after he posted it, the comments were full of various geographical names from all over the country. Some people said sadly that they had never seen snow in their lives. Some people said that it was raining for the second time this year. And someone asked him if he had never seen snow and if they should send him a street scene of the capital.


    Yi Hui, a blogger whose hometown was in the south of the country, smiled secretly, thinking that since half of his family was in the capital, wasn¡¯t it easy to see the snow?


    Even though he thought about it, he didn¡¯t dare to contact his brother and sister-in-law who had settled in the capital, fearing to scare them. But he secretly followed them and knew that they were doing well.


    When he was about to exit Weibo, there were two more new messages in the private message box, sent by Dora-Hum-Hum: It¡¯s snowing.


    Yi Hui clicked on the photo to see. The picture seemed to be taken standing in the house and looking out the window. A thick layer of snow was piled on the low roof cornices and laid on the simple carved window frames. A red plum branch leaning against the window only vaguely revealed two or three flower buds.


    Yi Hui replied: You haven¡¯t gone back yet?


    A while ago, Dora-Hum-Hum said that he was going on a business trip abroad and then he sent some local photos every few days. Yi Hui hadn¡¯t been to too many places and he was very interested in the beautiful red walls and white tiles in the photos. Dora-Hum-Hum started sending photos every day, so Yi Hui knew at first glance that he was still away on a business trip.


    Dora-Hum-Hum: En, I have to stay here for a while.


    Yi Hui hadn¡¯t been to work before, and while thinking what it would feel like to travel so far for business, he typed: Then Hum-Hum, do you want to go home?


    One word came back from the other end: Yes.


    Yi Hui curled his lips, feeling that this guy¡¯s reply was too simple and he didn¡¯t know if he really wanted to or he was answering perfunctorily. After thinking for a while, he asked: Who else is in your family besides you?


    In their daily chats, Yi Hui unknowingly talked about his family situation. Occasionally, after the excitement passed, he remembered that he should repay the courtesy and care about Hum-Hum¡¯s family situation.


    Dora-Hum-Hum: There is also a younger sister.


    Yi Hui was puzzled: No one else?


    Dora-Hum-Hum: En.


    Yi Hui felt uncomfortable when he heard it. He knew the suffering of not having a mother better than anyone else. He did his best to comfort Dora-Hum-Hum: I also have a younger sister, and my younger sister is the cutest [cute]


    It didn¡¯t seem to have any effect, and after a while Dora-Hum-Hum sent another ¡°en¡±.


    Words have their own temperature. They could naturally make him perceive the low mood of the other party that had not improved since the day he had confided in him. Yi Hui¡¯s emotional experience was basically non-existent and he didn¡¯t dare to make suggestions casually, so he tried to encourage him in his own way: You still have me [heart]


    Dora-Hum-Hum: You are so busy painting for others all day that you ignore me.


    Seeing this aggrieved sentence, Yi Hui felt like a husband caught flirting with others and blushed to the roots of his ears: No, that¡¯s just work¡­ If you want, I¡¯ll draw for you too!


    Because of this promise, Zhou Jinheng, who was far away on the filming set, was distracted for the whole afternoon.


    Half of it was excitement; HuiHui was finally willing to paint for him again; the other half was hesitation. The opportunity was not easy to come by, what to ask him to draw?


    When Yang Chengxuan came to visit, the snow had just stopped and the sky was dim. In order to maintain the antique style of the filming set, there were few street lights on the side of the road. Fortunately, the white snow on the ground reflected the last remnant light on the horizon, illuminating the semi-open manhole cover.


    ¡°F*ck, what kind of sh*tty place is this?¡± Yang Chengxuan cursed and jumped away, pulling Zhou Jinheng with him. ¡°I told you not to shoot this crappy series. Shouldn¡¯t it be miserable enough to fall off the wire before? The scar didn¡¯t heal yet but you¡¯re rushing back, are you too idle?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng gave a noncommittal ¡°en¡±.


    After walking around for a while, Yang Chengxuan realized that he was still absent-minded and didn¡¯t listen to him at all.


    Back indoors, sitting on the sofa, Yang Chengxuan unceremoniously took a bottle of drink and opened it, guzzling down half of it like beer before slapping it back on the table: ¡°Come on, let¡¯s talk. What¡¯s the new problem this time? You don¡¯t know what gift to give? Or is he ignoring you again?¡±


    The two of them were buddies from childhood to adulthood. They argued and quarrelled often. It didn¡¯t matter; within a few days, they got in touch again as if nothing happened.


    Yang Chengxuan had been watching from the sidelines without a word before but now he came all the way to provide advice. He figured that as long as Zhou Jinheng was chasing a living person, he would help him as a friend. Regardless of whether he misidentified, moved on or was looking for a substitute, the result would be the same.


    He still remembered how Zhou Jinheng looked when he returned from climbing the mountain last month. He really didn¡¯t want to see this guy look like he¡¯d lost his soul again. If he could help him, he would.


    Yang Chengxuan said half jokingly: ¡°In my opinion, you might as well just tie him up and take him home. Is there anything that can¡¯t be solved by some interaction in bed? If there is, then do it twice.¡±


    When it came to matters related to Yi Hui, Zhou Jinheng finally seemed to hear him. He frowned and said, ¡°No way.¡±


    He didn¡¯t dare to mention the words ¡°go home¡± anymore. He knew that if he said them, he would definitely be blocked by Yi Hui¡¯s sentence ¡°You are mistaken.¡±


    Although these denials hurt him, he left the town not because he was afraid of pain but because he feared he would not be able to control his emotions. His self-control seemed to stop working in front of Yi Hui. He didn¡¯t want to scare Yi Hui; his little fool could no longer withstand even the slightest bit of wind and rain.


    It was better for him to arrange everything and leave. He could always find out what was going on over there anyway, and take the opportunity to approach from another direction. The long-awaited success allowed him to breathe easier, and his stabbed and bleeding heart seemed to start healing.


    ¡°He promised to draw for me.¡± There was a smile in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s eyes, as if he was thinking of something good in the past, ¡°I¡¯m trying to think of something for him to draw.¡±


    ¡°Yo, that¡¯s good.¡± Yang Chengxuan applauded weakly, ¡°That¡¯s a milestone victory, isn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s go out for a drink tonight?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng shook his head: ¡°No, I promised him to go to bed early every day from now on.¡± After thinking for a while, he said again, ¡°Since you have a fixed partner, you should also go out and fool around less.¡±


    After being lectured by Zhou Jinheng for the first time, Yang Chengxuan was a little upset and casually replied: ¡°The fixed partner is crap, it¡¯s just for fun. I¡¯m different from you. It¡¯s easier for me to pull out than pulling a trouser belt.¡±


    At that time, he was thinking about something else and didn¡¯t pay attention. It wasn¡¯t until he took a shower and laid down in the evening that Zhou Jinheng began to think about the words ¡°pull out¡±.


    In the past few years, what he longed for most was to pull out of that marriage, and it was best to get out of it alive and in one piece. But now, he was clinging to that little illusory tie, stubbornly trying to continue it.


    Zhou Jinheng closed his eyes and slowly exhaled a cloud of turbid air that had been stagnant in his chest for a long time.


    He could not let go of Yi Hui unless he managed to completely remove him from every image in his memory, leaving not a trace of him behind.


    But he couldn¡¯t do it.


    Fortunately, he couldn¡¯t do it.


    The words ¡°I hate you¡± still sounded in his ears, each subtle note of it trembling. The more he thought about it, the more obvious the strenuous intention of resistance.


    The corners of Zhou Jinheng¡¯s lips rose in a faint smile.


    So what if you hate me? Unfamiliarity can change to like and dislike can change to like again.


    What¡¯s more, he was offering his heart in exchange this time.


    On a sunny morning, as soon as Yi Hui picked up his mobile phone, he received a message from Dora-Hum-Hum: Good morning.


    Yi Hui rubbed his eyes with one hand and typed with the other: Morning [sleeping]


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Didn¡¯t you wake up? Why don¡¯t you sleep for a while more?


    Yi Hui lifted the corner of his mouth: No, need to get up and work [cheers]


    After sending each other breakfast photos, Yi Hui drooled over the sweet tofu brains and sesame dumplings in the photo of Dora-Hum-Hum. Then he suddenly remembered business and asked: Have you thought about what you want me to draw?


    Dora-Hum-Hum: En, draw something you like.


    This answer left Yi Hui scratching his head: Shouldn¡¯t I draw what you like?


    Dora-Hum-Hum: I like everything you like.


    Yi Hui inexplicably found this comment ambiguous, only to assume that Hum-Hum was too kind and did not want to make things difficult for him. He thought for a moment and suggested: Would you like me to draw flowers?


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Okay.


    Yi Hui: Roses?


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Okay.


    Yi Hui: You really like roses [insidious]


    This time Dora-Hum-Hum didn¡¯t say ¡°okay¡±: He likes them.


    Yi Hui, holding the phone, was stunned.


    Roses had a special meaning to him. If the other party didn¡¯t like them, he didn¡¯t want to draw such a special kind of flower casually, especially if it was for someone else.


    He had only given roses to one man, only once, although that man didn¡¯t care at all.


    He didn¡¯t know if Dora-Hum-Hum noticed his embarrassment but he changed his words: It¡¯s better to draw other flowers.


    Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief: Okay, as long as you can tell the name of the flower, I can draw it for you!


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Really?


    Yi Hui learned from him: Uh-huh [cool]


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Are fireworks okay?


    * fireworks in chinese translated directly is smoke flowe

 CH 33

    He should have gone along with this snide reply and asked ¡°Do fireworks count as flowers?¡± But Yi Hui looked at this word with a smile frozen on his lips, not really interested in joking.


    Of the countless promises made in his previous life, fireworks was the one that made quite an impression on him, as it was his birthday wish for three consecutive years.


    In the first year, not long after they had their wedding and started living together, Zhou Jinheng happened to be out of work for a while. Under the strict supervision of both families, he had to stay at home all day and stare at Yi Hui.


    It was not that they hadn¡¯t thought about finding common topics, but what could a normal person talk about with a fool? If you can¡¯t have a conversation, they could only go to bed to communicate. During that time, the two of them did it almost every day. Zhou Jinheng had just developed a strong sexual appetite, often making Yi Hui¡¯s back sore and legs too weak to get out of bed. His birthday was spent in bed in a daze.


    The next year, it coincided with Zhou Jinheng¡¯s filming on site and Yi Hui made a cake for him. In the crowd of fans visiting the site, he was squeezed, pushed and almost fell. After he was taken to the crew lounge by the assistant, Zhou Jinheng scolded him, asking if he was crazy. Running here instead of staying at home, what if someone found out?


    Yi Hui knew that he was in the wrong but couldn¡¯t restrain the grievances in his heart, so he hugged the cake and left.


    He didn¡¯t go far, for fear that Zhou Jinheng would not find him. He squatted at the back door of the hotel where Zhou Jinheng was staying. His birthday was at the end of winter and it was still very cold that day. By the time Zhou Jinheng returned from work and carried him into the hotel, he was so cold he couldn¡¯t speak clearly. His birthday had long passed and the cake had been squashed beyond recognition.


    In the third year, Yi Hui learned to be smart. Since the city banned fireworks and firecrackers, he booked a hotel somewhere in a foreign country, inquired in advance where fireworks were sold and was prepared to buy them as soon as he got there. But before the trip, it rained and rained and even hailed, so all the flights to the place were cancelled and the plan was ruined again.


    At that time, Zhou Jinheng teased him about the matter: ¡°I don¡¯t think you will ever successfully prepare for a trip in your life.¡± Seeing that his eyes were red and he was about to cry again, he changed his tone and said perfunctorily, ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s better to leave it to someone else in the future, don¡¯t waste your time making your own arrangements.¡±


    In retrospect, this was true. Later on, he made another plan before Zhou Jinheng¡¯s birthday, only to have an accident happen to him before he could fulfill it.


    Yi Hui smiled helplessly, wondering whether he should be happy for his improving memory or sad that God felt that he and Zhou Jinheng were not suitable for each other and desperately prevented them from being together.


    When he was a fool, these things were the only things he knew that could be called romantic. Now they didn¡¯t seem to be anything special, just ordinary things that every couple experienced. Even though they hadn¡¯t done it, Zhou Jinheng must have done it with that other man, maybe more than once.


    Yi Hui took a deep breath, regained his senses and replied as quickly as possible: Yes, no problem [ok]


    After New Year¡¯s, Chinese New Year quietly approached.


    Yi Hui became more and more busy. In addition to the previous commissions, he signed up for a drawing competition. Since it was an online selection, the draft could be sent by email. He just wanted to see how good his drawing level was; if he won the prize, it would be a bonus.


    It was just that the competition schedule was very tight with drafts due by the end of the year and the prizes to be awarded at the beginning of the new year. Because of the competition, Yi Hui was so busy that his sleep time was cut down and the geese hadn¡¯t been taken for a walk for a few days. Aunt Qiu came to visit and said that the youngest goose was wilting recently, probably because she missed him too much.


    Yi Hui felt very guilty. He went to see the geese, carrying new rations he bought on the Internet and complained to Hum-Hum on the way back: My geese has lost weight, it hurts so much [sad].


    Dora-Hum-Hum: I have also lost weight.


    Yi Hui: [Doraemon is surprised]


    Recently, Dora-Hum-Hum occasionally said something that made him unable to answer. Yi Hui scratched his head and was thinking about how to reply without being rude and how to reverse this unexplained ambiguous atmosphere. Dora-Hum-Hum must have also felt that he¡¯d said something inappropriate, so he changed the subject quickly: Feed them more food and they will be fat.


    Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief: Then you should eat more food too! [very happy]


    He didn¡¯t know if this had an effect, but Dora-Hum-Hum became more diligent and would send Yi Hui photos of his three meals a day. Normally, Yi Hui might not have paid much attention; but at this moment, he felt the trepidation of being called to account by Party A, so he took the initiative to report his own progress: The line draft is finished, will start colouring immediately [cheers].


    Dora-Hum-Hum sent a string of emoticons and then said: I¡¯m not rushing you, draw slowly, I¡¯m not in a hurry.


    He was not in a hurry, but Yi Hui was in a hurry. Yi Hui took up a lot of work and didn¡¯t do it. Although there were no exact time requirements, he inexplicably felt it was as if winter vacation had passed day by day and he hadn¡¯t started doing his homework. He couldn¡¯t relax and it felt like a waste of time to sleep for one more minute. What¡¯s more, it was a painting for a good friend. He drafted three line drafts alone and revised them for several days before he was satisfied.


    When he got home, Yi Hui sat down, propping his chin, and the more he looked at the drawing, the better it seemed, so he wrote to Hum-Hum: ¡°Wow, it¡¯s nice, it¡¯s really nice, it¡¯ll be a world famous painting when it¡¯s finished! [sprinkle flowers]


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Looking forward to it [rose][rose][rose]


    Seeing the long-forgotten roses, Yi Hui guessed that the man on the other end must be laughing, and his mood changed for the better: Hum-Hum, are you in S City? How has the weather been over there recently?


    Dora-Hum-Hum: I¡¯m not there these days, but I¡¯ll be back right away. What happened?


    Yi Hui: My sister is going there next week. It has been so cold recently. I will help her prepare her clothes in advance


    Dora-Hum-Hum: You are not coming?


    Yi Hui: She is chasing a star, what am I going to do?


    The two often talked about Jiang Yimang, and Yi Hui felt that there was nothing to hide. Anyway, no one knew who the person on the opposite side was after logging off the internet. He also learned this from Jiang Yimang. His 17-year-old sister recently became his life mentor. She taught him urban culture and various online idioms; the small gifts did not stop either. Yesterday, she actually gave him a flashlight and asked him to be careful when he went up the mountains next time.


    Faced with such care and attention from his younger sister, Yi Hui was willing to work hard for her. First, he helped her persuade Jiang Xuemei to let her go to S City. Although she clearly used the excuse of ¡°playing with her sisters¡±, Yi Hui thought that a group of young girls chasing a star counted as playing together and there should be no need to worry about safety. In addition, he sponsored the round-trip fare and helped book a hotel, using the money he earned from receiving the commissions recently.


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Which star?


    Yi Hui thought for a while and felt that there were few people in the country who didn¡¯t know Zhou Jinheng, so he typed his full name bluntly.


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Oh, does your sister like him?


    Speaking of this, Yi Hui wrote with a little bit of helplessness in his doting: More than like, her room is full of his photo posters. She bought a camera to take pictures of him on the frontline. A while ago, she said that she was going to the movie set, and she is also cross stitching his portrait¡­ she likes him so much that she can¡¯t wait to marry him [sad]


    After a few minutes without reply, Yi Hui thought that as an ordinary office worker, he likely couldn¡¯t understand ¡°frontline¡± and ¡°movie set¡± or something. He was just about to enthusiastically explain the terms when his phone suddenly vibrated: What about you, what do you think of him?


    Yi Hui was stunned, ignoring how random this question was. The first thing he remembered was the sentence ¡°You said you liked me¡± that man said at the door of the convenience store at the bottom of the mountain that day.


    Listening to how bitter those words were, it was bewildering to look back at it now.


    But whether he liked him or hated him, it was no longer a question that he needed to think about. Yi Hui gathered his thoughts, took a deep breath, picked up the phone and typed: Very handsome [cute]


    When he saw these words, Zhou Jinheng had just bid farewell to the crew and got in the car heading to the airport.


    In a hurry, his scenes were finally finished before the end of the year. His assistant Xiao Lin came to pick him up in person, saw Zhou Jinheng smiling at his mobile phone in the rearview mirror and said happily: ¡°Let me just say, based on your current popularity, even if you stay idle for half a year, fans will not forget you¡­ If you don¡¯t believe it, wait and see at the awards ceremony next week, the popularity award of the year will definitely be in your bag again.¡±


    Xiao Lin had been concerned about Zhou Jinheng¡¯s state of mind before, but Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t bother to explain, citing ¡°I was worried that no one would know me after a few months of filming¡± as the reason for stalling. Xiao Lin really believed it. From time to time these days, he showed him the rainbow farts from the super topic. Seeing that he didn¡¯t refuse, Xiao Lin thought that he actually enjoyed it very much. Now, as soon as he left the crew, he was busy reviewing Weibo.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t deny it. He focused all his attention on the conversation with ¢Ù Xiao Hui Xia and looked at the words ¡°pretty handsome¡± several times, the corners of his mouth rising higher.


    He had previously asked Yi Hui about his impression of him, and although he only got the word ¡°okay¡±, when added to the current ¡°pretty handsome¡±, didn¡¯t that equate to ¡°not too bad¡±?


    He was brooding about Yi Hui¡¯s evaluation of ¡°you are the most reliable¡± for Dora-Hum-Hum. Even if Dora-Hum-Hum was a mask he was wearing, it still tasted so delicious that he wished he was the one being complimented.


    As their chats continued, it was not that Zhou Jinheng hadn¡¯t thought about confessing to Yi Hui; but whenever he wanted to say it, he eventually held back. Reason told him that it was not the time yet. He had to be patient and behave well, and strive to merge the seemingly unrelated people ¡°Zhou Jinheng¡± and ¡°Dora-Hum-Hum¡± into one as soon as possible to make it as easy as possible for Yi Hui to accept.


    Even though he would be angry the moment he knew the truth, afterwards, he would calm down and think back about all the happy things. The little fool was so kind and soft-hearted, how could he not forgive him?


    Zhou Jinheng filled himself with peace of mind, replied with a rose emoticon, then relaxed. He leaned back in the back seat and closed his eyes to recuperate.


    Due to the long filming cycle this time, other appointments were delayed and Zhou Jinheng plunged into the busy work at the end of the year without taking a break.


    In less than a week, two advertisements were shot, one interview was recorded, three magazine covers were shot and he even acted as a guest of honour at a music festival. The fans in super topic were both distressed and happy. While shouting, ¡°Brother has lost weight again, don¡¯t be busy and have a good rest¡±, they proudly announced everywhere, ¡°He is indispensable, everyone needs him.¡±


    The major awards ceremony at the end of the year was extremely lively. One of the most highly regarded was the Hundred Flowers Award. They said that ¡°Mid-year gold flowers, end of the year hundred flowers¡±. The Hundred Flowers Awards were not only a recognition of the achievements in the film and television industry over the past year, but also a decisive opportunity for ambitious people who wanted to build a career to gain recognition. To come back with a prestigious award would certainly be a great way to gild the lily.


    Therefore, the fans were well prepared. On the day of the award ceremony, flower baskets and banners from various support groups filled the inside and outside of the venue. Among them, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s support was the most eye-catching. The huge flower wall with his name and photos were placed in a prominent position at the beginning of the red carpet. There were twenty two hot air balloons, which was exactly the age of Zhou Jinheng.


    Not to mention other fans, there were even a few newcomers who hadn¡¯t seen the scene before and were secretly speechless with envy, despite smiling on the surface. ¡°Popular indeed ah.¡±


    The subject of the topic, Zhou Jinheng, had no time to care about what other people said at this moment. All his thoughts were on the photos brought by Jiang Yimang.


    The photos had just been printed. The main character of all of them was Yi Hui. He was painting, eating, herding the geese with a small bamboo pole, sleeping in various poses¡­ It practically covered Yi Hui¡¯s everyday life. Zhou Jinheng smiled when he looked at the pictures, then looked at a few photos again and frowned: ¡°He has lost weight.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been rushing to draw recently, he¡¯s too tired.¡± Jiang Yimang, who entered the backstage for the first time, was still a little nervous and spoke as she looked around, ¡°Especially the one you want, my brother is very serious about this painting, more serious than about the painting for the competition.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng loved hearing this and a smile returned to his face: ¡°Did he like the gift I gave him a few days ago?¡±


    ¡°That umbrella? He liked it, couldn¡¯t bear to put it away, saying that he wanted to sleep inside Doraemon.¡± Jiang Yimang also found it funny, ¡°Later, Mom said that those who play with an umbrella at home don¡¯t grow tall, so he reluctantly put it away.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng smiled even more when he heard this and the depression of not seeing him dissipated a lot.


    This was Yi Hui, this was what his little fool would do.


    Before going to the stage, Zhou Jinheng took out a small box and asked Jiang Yimang to take it back and give it to Yi Hui: ¡°Since you are here, I won¡¯t mail it this time. It¡¯s a bottle of essential oil with a soothing effect. Didn¡¯t you say that he hasn¡¯t slept well recently? He likes sweet ones, so I bought the sweeter flavour.¡±


    Jiang Yimang took it, looked envious for a while and then said with a sad expression on her face: ¡°On average, I give him gifts every week, and he is already suspicious. Christmas, New Year¡¯s Day, Midwinter, Thanksgiving Day, Laba Festival, Lantern Festival¡­ I don¡¯t know what other excuses I can make.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng had come up with a countermeasure a long time ago, took out another bottle and handed it to Jiang Yimang: ¡°Just say that you wanted to buy it yourself. It just happened that there was a promotion in the store, buy one get one free. He will definitely accept it.¡±


    He was at the award ceremony, but his heart was tied to a small southern town thousands of kilometres away.


    A few hours later, Zhou Jinheng returned triumphantly with the two weighty awards for best actor and most popular actor of the year. The first thing he did when he got his phone was not to post his acceptance speech on Weibo, but to log on his second account to see if there was any unread news.


    There was no news, but there was one unexpected thing.


    Someone posted a long Weibo post on Yi Hui. Roughly glancing, the general meaning of it was that the privately commissioned work of the web artist ¢Ù Xiao Hui Xia copied a painting made public by artist A last year. The work also involved commercial use. It was recommended that artist A should entrust a lawyer to prosecute ¢Ù Xiao Hui Xia.


    The contradictions behind closed doors in this kind of circle were generally not seen by outsiders. The reason Zhou Jinheng could see it was that ¢Ù Xiao Hui Xia reposted this Weibo and only wrote two words ¨C I didn¡¯t.


    As Zhou Jinheng looked through the many comments full of personal attacks from the people who hadn¡¯t gotten to the bottom of the situation, his forehead suddenly throbbed, his heart hanging in his throat. He couldn¡¯t wait to fly to Yi Hui right now. The little fool had a kind heart and a soft temper. He had been bullied a lot in the past. He was worried that he would do stupid things when he was alone and helpless.


    First he sent a private message to ask and waited for a long time, until on the highway to the south, he received a reply from Xiao Hui Xia: I didn¡¯t [cry]


    His heart clenched abruptly; Zhou Jinheng seemed to see Yi Hui¡¯s tearful face through this emoticon, and his breath stalled for an instant.


    I said I would never let him cry again, so why did I break my promise so quickly?


    While telling the driver to drive faster, Zhou Jinheng persuaded himself to calm down and not to mess up, and then quickly typed out a line of words: I know you didn¡¯t. Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.

 CH 34

    It was late at night but the courtyard of the Jiang family was brightly lit.


    Yi Hui logged in to Weibo with his computer, with real-time alerts for new messages in the bottom right corner. If he was not careful and clicked on them, the endless questions and verbal abuse jumping to his eyes would overwhelm him.


    It was very difficult to find Dora-Hum-Hum¡¯s message among them. Words like ¡±plagiarism¡°, ¡±shameless¡°, and ¡±come out to apologize¡± hit like bullets. Yi Hui couldn¡¯t bear it. Subconsciously trying to hide, he covered his eyes and slumped on the table. Jiang Xuemei had to call out several times when she came in to bring the sweet soup, before he slowly lifted his head.


    ¡°Right, I have a mobile phone.¡± With a fluster, he turned to the bed and rummaged there.


    An hour ago, Yi Hui was lying in bed ready to go to sleep, opening Weibo to say good night to Dora-Hum-Hum. Before he could click on the dialog box, he was stunned by a three-digit number of new mentions.


    Since he opened Weibo, the number of Xiao Hui Xia¡¯s fans just exceeded a thousand so far. Usually, the most likes and comments for his published works he had received were in the double digits. He didn¡¯t expect that the first time he received so many new alerts would be because of suspected plagiarism.


    Jiang Yimang, who was still in S City, was very anxious when she saw Weibo. When she said on the phone that she wanted to come back, Yi Hui stopped her, saying, ¡°No, you finally went out,  come back after you have enough fun.¡±


    ¡°What fun, they are bullying my brother.¡± Jiang Yimang huffed and puffed, ¡°Plagiarism? Empty words won¡¯t kill him, wait for me to find someone to report him!¡±


    Anyway, she was persuaded not to rush back overnight. When Yi Hui clicked on Weibo with his mobile phone, he found that his hands were still shaking and there were dark stains floating before his eyes, so he failed to press the button several times. Only after turning off strangers¡¯ private messages and comments according to Jiang Yimang¡¯s instructions and blocking Weibo mention alerts did the world finally return to silence.


    ¡°Come, have a sip of soup first.¡±


    Jiang Xuemei felt terribly distressed when she saw her son¡¯s pale face and cold sweat covering his forehead. She didn¡¯t understand Weibo or anything, so the only way she could help was to stay with her son and feed Yi Hui soup, spoon by spoon.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t actually drink it but fearing that his mother would be worried, he reluctantly took a few sips. As soon as he drank a small bowl, he vomited it all out.


    As he sat next to the toilet, his physiological tears fell into the sewer with the filth. Yi Hui desperately yanked the paper to wipe his dirty face. Even though he was a mess, he was still thinking about comforting Jiang Xuemei: ¡°I, I¡¯m fine, the soup, wait a minute, I¡¯ll drink it¡­ It¡¯s not that Mom¡¯s cooking is bad.¡±


    Jiang Xuemei looked at him with her eyes red, stepped forward and hugged his shoulders, patting him lightly on the back: ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t drink it, it¡¯s okay. If you don¡¯t draw in the future, it¡¯s okay, our family is still fine.¡±


    Although he had never experienced this kind of thing before, Yi Hui could guess from those malicious comments that the incident was very serious, so serious that it might affect his reputation in the entire artistic circle.


    The other concerned party, artist A, had already heard the news and expressed his shock by reposting in Weibo, saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that my less mature work from last year would also be copied.¡± At the same time, he mourned the declining trends of the world and advised fledgling young painters not to rush to make quick gains but to hone their skills in a proper manner.


    Artist A was also a new online artist who was on the rise. His popularity was higher than that of Yi Hui, with just over 10,000 followers. The comments on his Weibo were one-sided, all saying that he was too kind and sympathising with him. Almost every comment mentioned Xiao Hui Xia, demanding the plagiator dog to kneel down and apologize and then put down his brush forever and get lost.


    Even blocking didn¡¯t work. With a swipe of his hand, he could still see all kinds of cynical remarks and verbal insults. Yi Hui posted a few replies, hoping that netizens who didn¡¯t know the truth could distinguish right from wrong or at least see the cause and effect clearly before making judgments.


    However, it didn¡¯t work. Leaving aside the fans of Artist A, most of the passers-by were just trying to have a quick laugh and they would leave after scolding him, regardless of whether he had plagiarized or not.


    Yi Hui¡¯s head was in a turmoil as various voices from all directions overwhelmed him, some laughing, some cursing. The followers he had previously met in the comments section, who usually always praised him for his divine paintings, now were threatening to unfollow him without listening to his explanations, saying they were disappointed in him.


    He wanted to reply to the comments one by one and tell them, ¡°I did not plagiarize¡± but he himself felt that this explanation was weak. Who would believe his one-sided words?


    Except for Jiang Xuemei and Jiang Yimang, there was probably only Dora-Hum-Hum.


    After changing settings to not accept private messages from those whom he didn¡¯t follow, Dora-Hum-Hum¡¯s private message box was at the top, his messages coming one by one without interruption¡ª¡ª


    Don¡¯t read the comments. Block all others except for my private messages.


    Don¡¯t listen to their nonsense, I know you didn¡¯t, how could you copy it?


    I¡¯ve sorted out the cause and effects and know what to do.


    Send me the original painting that was commissioned and tell me who commissioned it.


    If you don¡¯t have his real name, a Weibo account is also fine.


    Are you still there?


    Don¡¯t you believe me? Our chat history is here, you can take screenshots in real time for your records.


    Trust me, I will definitely take care of it for you.


    Are you still there? If you are there, just reply to me. If you don¡¯t want to talk, you can press an emoticon. I am very worried.


    ¡­¡­


    For some reason, Yi Hui didn¡¯t cry when facing verbal criticism and endured without crying when he was held in his mother¡¯s arms; but at this moment, receiving the support and help of someone he had never met, he wanted to cry.


    With his nose sour, Yi Hui opened his eyes wide and raised his head to desperately hold back the tears. He opened the message box with difficulty because of his blurry vision and chose an emoticon to send.


    Seeing the [ok] emoticon appearing in the dialog box, Zhou Jinheng breathed a sigh of relief.


    He was this close to calling Yi Hui. Fortunately, he received a reply at the last minute, otherwise he would have acted impulsively. It was not clear which was worse: the plagiarism storm or the online silence.


    Not long after, Xiao Hui Xia sent him the commissioned painting and the Weibo account of the customer. The matter had fermented to this point but he was still protecting others: the person who made a commission was also a victim, so he didn¡¯t want to reveal his name.


    While he waited, Zhou Jinheng thoroughly researched the matter and compared the two paintings suspected of plagiarism. At this moment, he sneered with confidence and replied: Victim? Perpetrator is more like it.


    Yi Hui¡¯s response was very slow; he seemed to be thinking: Why did he want to harm me?


    Zhou Jinheng hesitated for a moment but eventually did not tell Yi Hui about the cruel laws he had seen since he entered the society. He only said: There are many bad people in this world. They will mess with you even if you  do nothing wrong. There are bad guys who won¡¯t change their ways, and others who won¡¯t cry until they see their coffin, and there are those who are so stupid that they don¡¯t know how to regret until they¡¯ve done a lot of things wrong.


    Yi Hui digested it for a long time and replied solemnly: If you know your mistakes and can change, you are a good man.


    When he saw this, Zhou Jinheng laughed at the little fool¡¯s unauthorized change of ¡°good boy¡± to ¡°good man¡± and at the fact that his Dora-Hum-Hum mask was always gathering the praises.


    Zhou Jinheng, who had been issued a good man card, was full of energy and rushed home as soon as he returned to S City.


    All of Yi Hui¡¯s works were stored carefully in the studio and he even came back to look at them after the filming a few days ago, so it was easy to find the painting he wanted.


    Before leaving, he poured water on the pot of snowflakes at the door. Zhou Jinheng learned from Yi Hui¡¯s example, squatted in front of the flower pot and poked its leaves: ¡°Wait a little, your master will be back soon.¡±


    In the early morning of the next day, within eight hours after the plagiarism incident broke out, a Weibo user named ¡°Dora-Hum-Hum¡± posted a long article about  ¢Ù Xiao Hui Xia, Artist A and the fake account that posted the plagiarism testimony last night.


    Starting from the events of last night, the article first analyzed the differences in composition and color of the two paintings, and then cited the legal provision showing that the so-called ¡°extreme partial similarity¡± was not established.


    In order to block the mouths of netizens, a number of similar works were also demonstrated later. One of the paintings signed by Mr. Yi was particularly representative. When the three paintings were compared together, it could be said that they were quite similar in painting style and composition skills. Other aspects had their own merits and there was no plagiarism at all.


    What followed was the chat history. Judging from the timeline, Xiao Hui Xia received this commission last month. The other party asked him to paint a kind grandmother. In addition to stipulating the appearance of the character in the painting, he also required that she had to sit facing the window, with the sunset light falling obliquely on her body.


    This kind of composition would have something in common with the work of Artist A in any case, not to mention that the customer also made a request for the background, asking the artist to draw a pot of white flowers on the low table next to her.


    This pot of white flowers was the focus of discussion among passers-by last night. Many people thought that elderly people in declining years mostly preferred colorful flowers and were unlikely to like white flowers that were traditionally considered more inauspicious. In addition, the two hand-painted grandmothers were wearing brightly colored Tang costumes. No matter how you looked at it, you would feel that the white flowers next to them looked somewhat dissonant.


    When Artist A made this painting public, he explained that his grandmother raised this flower when she lived in the south when she was a child, so she had a special preference for it. This was tantamount to pointing a finger at Xiao Hui Xia ¨C why did he think of painting this flower? How come it happened to be the same variety as Artist A¡¯s snowflakes that were not common in China?


    In this regard, in addition to giving chat records to prove that the flowers were requested by the customer, the blogger also posted several photos of snowflakes, saying: ¡°My family in S City raises them. This flower is not unusual at all. Is there a kind of rule that forbids painting something you don¡¯t own? Did the great artist A Dada make it up?¡±


    The whole piece was factual and reasonable, but this sentence was mixed with personal feelings, as if someone improvised and added a sentence to a prepared public relations text. It was also because this sentence was full of mockery that the whole official script acquired a little bit of vivid personality.


    After all, no one could be calm when encountering this kind of thing.


    Because the clarification was timely enough, the impact was contained before it expanded. A lot of people who went to bed early, got up early, and saw the whole process of the so-called plagiarism matter being quickly counter-attacked. After the article was reposted by several big names in the circle, everyone enjoyed the show for a while. Not only was there a lot of noise in the circle, but people from outside the circle also came to join in the fun and see the joke.


    But all this had nothing to do with Yi Hui anymore. He clicked on Weibo and watched his number of followers go up. Not only did those who scolded him yesterday come back to apologize, but also many new faces appeared. They flicked through the archive of his Weibo. Everyone praised him for his good painting skills, and some asked him if he would accept commissions, saying that since it was almost the New Year, they would add money to cut in line to get a painting for it.


    Yi Hui, who had spent the whole night thinking of a way out, was in a daze, thinking whether this was the ¡°hype¡± Jiang Yimang mentioned.


    With excitement and anxiety, Yi Hui asked Dora-Hum-Hum: Hum-Hum, are you doing marketing work?


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Similar. Usually others are marketing me.


    Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief: No wonder you¡¯re so amazing [Doraemon is surprised]


    Recalling how frightened he was by the unexpected situation last night, Yi Hui hid his head under the quilt again, revealing only two reddened eyes: Thank you! Did your team write that article? How much does it cost, I will reimburse you!


    He asked sincerely, but Zhou Jinheng, who saw this on his mobile phone, almost laughed out loud.


    The little fool even knew the word ¡°team¡±. He should be more careful when chatting with him in the future, don¡¯t give yourself away by chance.


    After replying that there was no team, Zhou Jinheng opened the car door and got out. He looked up and saw the faint morning light floating on the low roof with the words ¡±XX Service Area¡± gleaming with gold, and he wanted to laugh even more.


    After taking evidence from S City, he didn¡¯t think about anything, got in the car and asked the driver to drive to the southern town where Yi Hui lived. At that time, he had only one goal, which was to get there quickly, hold him in his arms and tell him not to be afraid.


    Flying there would be faster but flying was not an option for Zhou Jinheng. He had to be online for the little fool all the time. What if he looked for him during the flight and couldn¡¯t find him and cried again?


    The whole process from communication, drafting and publishing was all done in the car. At this moment, looking at the unfamiliar scenery around him and the vehicles passing by on the highway, Zhou Jinheng realized in a daze that he had been in the car all night. After he stretched his body, the backache was merciless. He rubbed the back of his neck and checked where he was; it turned out he was still hundreds of kilometers away from the small southern town.


    Wasn¡¯t it funny? When the car got there, Yi Hui might have completed the painting for him.


    After rubbing his tingling back, Zhou Jinheng moved his muscles and joints. First, intending to make amends for the driver who had been driving all night, he went to buy food and drinks for him, then took off his mask and walked to the sink to wash his face with cold water.


    When he raised his head, he saw himself in the mirror, dressed in a suit and shoes, and suddenly remembered that he had embarked on a journey right after the awards ceremony yesterday. He didn¡¯t have time to participate in the celebration banquet and Xiao Lin¡¯s phone was also decisively blacklisted by him.


    He was really in a hurry, really anxious, his thoughts full of the little fool; he couldn¡¯t care about anything else.


    When Yi Hui asked him if he really had a pot of snowflakes in his house, Zhou Jinheng leaned against the car door and just lit a cigarette.


    He replied: No, my friend¡¯s house.


    ¢Ù Xiao Hui Xia: So that¡¯s it¡­ Actually, this flower is really not very common.


    Slowly exhaling a string of smoke rings, Zhou Jinheng typed with one hand: En, but I like it very much.


    He liked the flower, but even more, he liked the person who liked to raise the flower.


    After learning that the painting used for comparison was also found by a friend in the gallery of painting competition works in S City, Yi Hui¡¯s concerns seemed to be dispelled and his tone became lighter: Hum-Hum¡¯s friends are as good as Hum-Hum, they can even find that! [like]


    As his tightly wound nerves loosened and exhaustion spread through his body, Zhou Jinheng inhaled the smoke again, recalling the surprised expression on Yi Hui¡¯s face when he saw him smoking in the tent that day.


    Thinking about it, he raised the corner of his mouth again. The little fool also denied that he was Yi Hui but ¡°When did you learn to smoke¡± was clearly written on his face, almost as if he wanted to take the cigarette out of his mouth and throw it out.


    Thinking himself an elder, the little fool had a clear system of rewards and punishments, and he did these things a lot.


    He remembered that when he came home with the Best Newcomer award last year, the little fool was so sleepy that he couldn¡¯t open his eyes, but he still stood at the door with a bunch of flowers to greet him. When he walked into the house to put down the flowers, he received a reward kiss as soon as he turned around.


    Yi Hui tiptoed and leaned to his ear and said, ¡°My husband is awesome.¡±


    His soft voice was very drowsy and his words muffled, but he treasured them in his heart to this day.


    He really wanted to hear them again.


    Zhou Jinheng picked up his mobile phone, thought about it again and again, and wrote: I won an award yesterday, a pretty good award, the whole company will be on the rise next year.


    After sending it, he held his mobile phone, looking forward to the reply. Yi Hui replied quickly and lived up to his expectations: Hum-Hum is awesome! [praise][praise][praise]


    Zhou Jinheng imagined the voice in his mind and transformed the words slightly. ¡±HengHeng is awesome¡±. Not only did it make his heart ripple but also seemed to instantly infuse him with energy. There was no need to smoke and he could win eight more Best Actor awards in one breath.


    He was the best actor who belonged only to this little fool.


    When he threw the cigarette into the trash can, he received another message from Yi Hui: Hum-Hum, you are so nice, why are you so nice to me?


    The little fool in his mind was so good and the other one was so good, too; Zhou Jinheng was almost wrapped around by him. He smiled and typed a few words, then deleted them, and typed another line but still didn¡¯t think it was appropriate.


    Because I like you.


    Because I said that I will never let you be wronged again.


    ¡­¡­


    Zhou Jinheng had some difficulty pushing back his black hair that had become messy without styling. When he tilted his head, the sun rose over the roof, its warm light passing through the strands of his hair and shining gently on his face.


    He deleted and changed it again. Only five words were left in the end: Because you are worth it.

 CH 35

    In less than 48 hours, a sudden storm dissipated without a trace, and the only aftertaste was probably reflected in the growing popularity of ¢ÙXiao Hui Xia.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been online for the past few days. I just opened Weibo and thought someone had bought you a bunch of followers.¡± Tang Wenxi yelled on the phone, ¡°Are we even considered friends if you don¡¯t call me for such a big deal?¡±


    Yi Hui smiled and said, ¡°At that time, you probably should be asleep and you probably weren¡¯t awake when it was resolved. Besides, there was no need to upset one more person.¡±


    Tang Wenxi muttered angrily: ¡°I¡¯m not one more person¡­ Hmph, blame that b*stard.¡±


    ¡°Which b*stard?¡±


    After mentioning it, Tang Wenxi hesitated and said embarrassedly: ¡°Just, just an *sshole, very bad, let¡¯s not talk about him.¡±


    Yi Hui uncharacteristically didn¡¯t let him avoid it easily this time: ¡°Are you dating?¡±


    ¡°Ah, dating? No, no, it¡¯s all over the place now, how can there be any dating for me to talk about hahaha.¡±


    You could hear his desire to conceal it even through the phone. Yi Hui sighed and said, ¡°Is it Yang Chengxuan?¡±


    There was a moment of silence at the other end, but eventually, Tang Wenxi didn¡¯t avoid it anymore and said ¡°en¡± in a low voice.


    Yi Hui asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you dare tell me?¡±


    Tang Wenxi was like a teenager questioned by his parents about puppy love: ¡°Just, as you know, he is a bit of a playboy¡­¡±


    ¡°The only thing I know is what you told me.¡± Yi Hui told the truth without mercy, ¡°Since you know he¡¯s a playboy, why¡­¡±


    The relationship of the two of them seemed to be ambiguous before, so the qualitative change must have happened when he spent the night in the mountain and they stayed together. Yi Hui blamed himself a little bit, thinking that if he had cautioned him earlier, maybe it wouldn¡¯t have happened like this.


    Contrary to his attitude, after confessing, Tang Wenxi became quite open-minded: ¡°Why not? It¡¯s just dating, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m rushing to get married. Regardless of whether you succeed or not in the end, you should learn love skills and accumulate experience.¡±


    Perhaps he was too sensitive but Yi Hui always felt that Tang Wenxi was trying hard to be brave, so he reminded him not to fall too deep. He didn¡¯t expect his words would make him laugh: ¡°Your tone is so old-fashioned, why do you sound like my teacher?¡±


    Yi Hui thought that his actual age was indeed a little older than Tang Wenxi¡¯s and he had more experience. He knew that no matter how rational people were, they would involuntarily fall deeper when facing people they liked.


    What¡¯s more, neither of them was a man whose reason could prevail over feelings.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know.¡± Tang Wenxi dealt with it casually and then wittily switched the topic to Yi Hui, ¡°But I don¡¯t think you are much better. Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t see it. What about that Dora-Hum-Hum, are you engaged in online dating with him?¡±


    This interrogation came too suddenly. After taking a nap, Yi Hui¡¯s head was still full of ¡°online dating¡±. When he saw the lunch greetings and a photo of a lunch box sent by Dora-Hum-Hum, his face became hot for no reason.


    He typed the reply: Isn¡¯t it time for a holiday? Is your company still working?


    As the New Year approached, the headlines were full of reports about the homecoming rush. The eldest son of Aunt Qiu¡¯s family who was studying at the university in the nearby city had also returned. Every family in the town was lively. Yi Hui also helped Jiang Xuemei fill sausages and make rice cakes in the morning.


    In the Yi family before, Yi Hui¡¯s father rarely came back even during the New Year. He and his mother used to have a lonely New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, so this was the first time in Yi Hui¡¯s life that he experienced such a strong taste of the New Year.


    Dora-Hum-Hum: En, working overtime.


    Yi Hui shook his head and sighed: The bourgeoisie inhumanely exploits the labor masses [pitiful]


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Begging for comfort. [pitiful]


    It was rare to see him using emoticons other than roses. Yi Hui¡¯s heart melted into a pool of water; he immediately typed a row of [hugs] and sent them over, saying: Be good, at least you will be paid for overtime!


    No one would believe that the young master of  the Yi family who didn¡¯t know the price of food, oil and salt would become an expert in financial management in his new body. In addition to earning money, Yi Hui was now capable of saving money. He endured the expiration of his Weibo membership a while ago and didn¡¯t renew it. He waited until the end of the year for promotion discounts and bought it for a year, saving dozens of yuan. That day, he was so happy that he ate two extra bowls of rice.


    He was not extravagant in his eating and dressing. Jiang Yimang brought him a bottle of soothing essential oil when she came back from S City. When he opened the lid, he smelled his favorite sweet fragrance of flowers and fruits. For fear that it would evaporate too quickly with the lid open, he stuffed a sponge in the mouth of the bottle.


    He recalled it now and showed it to Dora-Hum-Hum: My sister gave it to me, Hum-Hum, can you help me find out how much it costs?


    Jiang Yimang said that the store had a discount to buy one get one free. When he got it, the trademark and price tag were gone. After all, Yi Hui had been used to good things before; so after sniffing it for a while, he knew it was not cheap. Now that Dora-Hum-Hum had been additionally labelled as ¡°knowledgeable and versatile¡± in his impression, he naturally thought of asking him first when encountering this kind of problem.


    After his question, the other end was silent for a while, maybe checking the price. He received a reply in five minutes: It¡¯s not expensive, it¡¯s ten to twenty yuan.


    Yi Hui was surprised: Really? [Doraemon is surprised]


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Really. Whoever lies to you is a dog.


    Faced with such a ¡°deadly oath¡±, Yi Hui instantly dispelled his doubts and chose to believe him without hesitation.


    Since the plagiarism incident, he unconditionally trusted every word Dora-Hum-Hum said. The strong were always admired, and coupled with an unexplainable sense of familiarity, even though they were separated by thousands of miles, the relationship between the two of them was getting closer, almost to the point where they could talk about anything.


    If one flipped through the comments below the recent Weibo posts, the top hot comments would always be Dora-Hum-Hum and his roses. No wonder Tang Wenxi had such thoughts.


    Yi Hui felt a little embarrassed again and switched to another topic: Where are you celebrating the New Year?


    Dora-Hum-Hum: At home, in my own house.


    From the previous chat, Yi Hui learned that he had two homes. He rarely returned to one of them because of his poor relationship with his father, and the other was his own home. Now he was the only one who lived there.


    No one knew the taste of being alone in an empty house better than Yi Hui. Thinking of the ice and snow outside the window and the young boy, Dora-Hum-Hum, staying alone in an empty house and sleeping in a cold bed, he subconsciously felt distressed.


    After thinking about it a little, Yi Hui had an idea on how to share warmth with his friend and said: Give me your address and I will send you something delicious [so happy]


    Three days later, Zhou Jinheng, who received a call from the courier, didn¡¯t even have time to say hello to the staff present. He grabbed his coat and rushed out the door.


    The driver was given permission to go back to his hometown for the holidays early. Zhou Jinheng drove by himself, never letting go of the accelerator pedal. After a sharp turn and an ear-piercing sound of tires rubbing against the asphalt, the car was parked steadily in a space demarcated by a white line.


    The courier who witnessed the whole process handed him a huge package in a daze and reminded him, ¡°Sir, do you want to open it and check it¡­¡±


    Zhou Jinheng weighed the package and his face under the mask lit up with a bright smile: ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    When he got back to the car, he couldn¡¯t wait to unwrap it.


    In order not to reveal his identity, he gave Yi Hui the address of a friend¡¯s company in S City and then forwarded the package to the capital when it arrived at his friend¡¯s side, so it had been delayed for some time. Zhou Jinheng was very anxious to get it, for fear that the little fool would put in the cake he made there. Even though it was cold, the bumpy journey would surely damage it.


    The package was wrapped in many layers of foam that took a lot of time to disassemble. Zhou Jinheng even removed the courier slip with the sender¡¯s name ¡°Xiao Hui Xia¡± written on it, folded it and put it in his pocket. Opening the card, he suppressed his impatience and rough movements, holding it carefully as if it was his hard-won Oscar.


    ¡¾Dear Hum-Hum:


    This is the original painting of the fireworks. Scanned electronic version always feels like it has less flavor. I am sending it to you for your disposal, hope you like it!


    PS: Remember to put it in the fridge. Mom said it can also go bad in the winter if left for a long time.


    ¡ª¡ªYour good friend Xiao Hui Xia¡¿


    Zhou Jinheng looked at the few sentences on the card seven or eight times and finally rubbed his finger on the word ¡°Hui¡±, imagining Yi Hui in front of the table, writing this card seriously and reverently.


    Just like when he wrote that proposal letter.


    Knowing that there was a painting inside, Zhou Jinheng finally understood why the package was so large. Taking out the heavy parcel, he guessed that there was something else besides the painting. When he unwrapped it, it turned out to be two large bunches of sausages neatly folded.


    Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t help laughing. He picked up the sausages tightly packed in a plastic bag and put them aside. He thought to himself that the little fool was right, the electronic version did have less flavor.


    When the painting completely emerged from the wrapping in front of him, he was startled again.


    The little fool loved romance. He expected that the fireworks the little fool wanted to watch had to be gorgeous, with the kind of dreamy effect used on TV and in magazines. Unexpectedly, except for the few fireworks that Yi Hui painted blooming in the air, the center part of the painting was occupied by the two ground fireworks. There was also a string of firecrackers being set off on the side. The whole painting was full of New Year flavor.


    It turned out that the little fool never had thoughts of making it difficult for anyone; what he wanted was always that simple.


    When he touched the painting with his palm, he felt the graininess of the paint, as if he had a chance to observe the whole process of Yi Hui¡¯s painting, brushstroke after brushstroke.


    When others painted, they moved the drawing paper. But Yi Hui himself moved around the drawing paper. Sometimes he stood and sometimes he squatted on a chair, his lips tightly pursed as he stared at the painting without blinking, his love for painting expressed in his body movements.


    Just like he used to show his love for him on his face.


    Zhou Jinheng decided to frame this painting and carefully keep it with the other paintings at home. In the future, when the two of them have nothing to do, they can take out these paintings and enjoy them. When they see this painting, the little fool will definitely blush and not allow him to mention the old things again.


    Zhou Jinheng leaned back in the seat and sighed deeply.


    He hoped it wouldn¡¯t be too long till then; preferably in the near future.


    The cold front migrated from the north to the south slowly, and it snowed in S City on New Year¡¯s Eve.


    Yi Hui described it as ¡°maomao xiaoxue¡± (furry little snow) and said that he needed a magnifying glass to see the snowflakes. Zhou Jinheng zoomed in on the photos he had sent. They were indeed very small, as small as if he used the snow as pretext to find a topic to talk about.


    instead of words.


    He didn¡¯t need to ask to guess how lively Yi Hui¡¯s place was. He heard that several of their neighbors gathered to prepare New Year¡¯s Eve Dinner. In addition to the local specialties of seafood, the Jiang family also prepared pasta dishes with northern characteristics, such as fried crockets and dumplings.


    Yi Hui was very happy. After he reported every dish to Zhou Jinheng, he took several photos and sent them to him. After being mindless for a while, he realized that he might have stabbed the lonely Dora-Hum-Hum¡¯s heart and hurriedly said: Hum-Hum, what good things do you have for New Year¡¯s Eve dinner? [gluttonous mouth]


    Zhou Jinheng had just finished calling Zhou Huarong. He heard that the old b*stard invited the young master of the Tan family to the New Year¡¯s dinner. He hung up the phone without saying a word and then blacklisted all those annoying numbers.


    He stayed alone in his and Yi Hui¡¯s house, profoundly feeling the coldness and loneliness of a home without laughter.


    It was enough for him alone to feel uncomfortable. He didn¡¯t want to spoil Yi Hui¡¯s fun. He made up a few dishes and listed them in the message. He didn¡¯t expect to be seen through by Yi Hui at a glance and be asked to be sent photos for inspection.


    Zhou Jinheng was sitting alone on the sofa in the living room with the ceiling light off, and there were a few cans of beer open on the coffee table in front of him. He slowly lifted his phone, adjusted the front camera, casually pressed the shutter in the dark, and clicked send.


    He didn¡¯t expect to receive a selfie from Yi Hui.


    It was not quite a selfie. There were three big white geese in the picture. The one in the center was held by someone who was tying a red, very festive bow around its neck.


    Zhou Jinheng focused all his attention on the white fingers tying the bow and typed: Just showing me your hands?


    Yi Hui replied: You didn¡¯t show me your face either [yawn]


    Alcohol disturbed his sanity; Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t have time to think and sent out a sentence, ¡°If I show you mine, will you show me yours?¡± When he thought about it, he felt that it was really stupid, like a despicable man asking for photos from others in an online chat.


    He really wanted to see him so much. He wanted to see if he was doing well, if he was happy, if he gained a little weight¡­ if he missed him.


    Zhou Jinheng raised his hand and pinched the center of his brows, his intoxication dissipating a little, and changed his words before the reply from the other end came: Just kidding. Go to bed early if you are sleepy, don¡¯t stay up all night.


    Yi Hui hesitated for a long time, making him wonder if he was frightened by what he said just now.


    A few minutes passed and then he sent a few words with a vague meaning: In the future [doge] (maybe author was trying to write dodge)

 CH 36

    Most people have many ideas about the ¡°future¡± when they are young. Of course, Yi Hui was not an exemption. He used to love to think about it and he was not much better now either.


    A slight difference from the others was that he didn¡¯t just think about it but tried to put it into practice.


    The online painting competition that he¡¯d participated in at the end of the last year finally announced the list of winners on the eighth day of the New Year. Yi Hui won the best creative award for his unique idea. There were two ways to receive certificates and bonuses: on-site or by mail. After thanking everyone for their blessings in a post on Weibo, Yi Hui booked a high-speed rail ticket to S City, quietly preparing to go to get the prize by himself.


    Along the way, he was going to take a trip to the company address given by a certain someone. If he could see that someone, he would just say hello and have a little chat. If he couldn¡¯t see him, he would drop off his stuff and leave, which was fine too, as long as his regards were delivered.


    At the end of the year, Jiang Xuemei had a health problem and spent a few days in the town¡¯s small hospital on IV but there wasn¡¯t any improvement. When he heard about it, Dora-Hum-Hum helped contact the relevant experts in the city and asked them to come to check on her. After they prescribed some medicines, she got much more comfortable within just two days. So now Dora-Hum-Hum was not only a friend of Yi Hui but also a great benefactor of the Jiang family.


    At that time, Yi Hui, who accidentally discovered that Weibo could also send voice messages, thanked him for his kindness and shyly sent his first voice message to Dora-Hum-Hum: ¡°Hum-Hum, do you have many friends? You even have friends who are doctors so far away.¡±


    He thought that the other party would also reply in a voice message but still got a text: No, you are the only one.


    Although Yi Hui didn¡¯t believe it, he was touched by being ¡°the only one¡±. Dora-Hum-Hum was indeed very kind to him, offering to help, responding to his requests and always returning messages in seconds, as if he really considered him his only friend.


    Sincerity was repaid with sincerity, and one must treat others well with this in mind. Before setting off, Yi Hui spent most of the day making a 6-inch small cake, decorating it with several circles of lace border, painted fireworks in the middle and a rose pattern on the side.


    He didn¡¯t want to draw roses at first, but Hum-Hum liked them. Thinking that it was just his goodwill, not actually gifting him giving him red roses, Yi Hui awkwardly painted two roses, and their petals were as red as his face.


    Before leaving, he took a plate of previously prepared chocolates from the fridge and brought them with him. Yi Hui thought about Valentine¡¯s Day approaching; he didn¡¯t know if Hum-Hum had chased his crush back. If he had, he would invite the two of them to eat together. If he hadn¡¯t, he would comfort Hum-Hum with dessert. It was perfect.


    He thought of meeting an online friend as a simple matter, having a meal together at most, so he didn¡¯t tell anyone and went on his way alone carrying an insulated bag with the cake and chocolates.


    He was on the morning high-speed rail, and not long after the train started, he received a good morning message from Dora-Hum-Hum: Morning, are you up yet?


    Yi Hui replied: Guess [Doraemon smiles]


    With the excitement of a mysterious surprise about to be revealed, the tone of his speech became different from before.


    Dora-Hum-Hum didn¡¯t notice: Then that means you¡¯re up. What are you doing now?


    It was exactly what Yi Hui wanted. He grinned to the roots of his ears and replied smugly: I¡¯m riding a bicycle [laughing but not talking]


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Riding a bicycle and also sending messages. Amazing. [praise]


    They say that after chatting with someone for a long time, you will slowly become infected with each other¡¯s habits. For example, Hum-Hum had recently learned to make good use of emoticons. This made Yi Hui very gratified; at least, it wasn¡¯t him led astray by Hum-Hum. It was too boring to use proper punctuation solemnly.


    Yi Hui, who was sitting by the window, turned sideways to avoid the passengers next to him and held down the voice button: ¡°Hum-Hum, are you still at work today?¡±


    He covered his mobile phone and lowered his voice. After sending it out, he clicked on it and listened to it twice. He made sure that no sound from the train was recorded. Dora-Hum-Hum just sent a reply: Oh yes, otherwise there will be no money for food if my salary is deducted.


    Yi Hui, who had confirmed what he needed, narrowed his eyes in a smile: ¡°It¡¯s okay, there¡¯ll definitely be some food.¡±


    The heating was turned on on the high-speed rail and Yi Hui was worried that the cake would go bad. He stuffed a lot of ice cubes in the insulation bag before going out.


    The journey to S City was not as long as to the capital and the ice had not yet melted when he arrived at the station. It was getting dark early in winter, and he walked out of the station at twilight. He first called home to report his safety, then turned on his mobile phone to navigate, followed the route to the subway entrance, bought a one-way ticket on the machine, and spent the two minutes waiting for the train reading out the names of the stations on the route before getting up the courage to board the subway.


    S City was his hometown, but he was used to being picked up and dropped off by car when he went out. He really hadn¡¯t ever taken the subway before, so it was inevitable that he was a little nervous.


    When he arrived at the place, it was evening rush hour and there were people everywhere. It took a lot of time to find the exit of the station. Fortunately, with the help of volunteers at the station, it was not yet completely dark when Yi Hui got from underground to the surface.


    Following the navigation to an office building not far away, Yi Hui looked around and thought that S City was still the same, with rows upon rows of high-rise buildings and cars coming and going in every direction. It was very lively and hadn¡¯t changed at all.


    This area was a bustling commercial zone. He had an impression that there was a jewelry store near the address No. 118, xx Road. He took a closer look and it turned out he remembered it correctly.


    Yi Hui sighed secretly. It seemed Hum-Hum worked in a jewelry store; no wonder his sense of aesthetics was so good.


    When he was dissatisfied with a painting and didn¡¯t know how to change it, Yi Hui would take a picture and send it to Hum-Hum. Hum-Hum could always point out the flaws in the details that he ignored, enhancing and improving the entire painting.


    In this aspect he was very similar to that man. That man was also very good at evaluating paintings. When they first met, he helped point out several shortcomings in Yi Hui¡¯s painting and his advice was indeed very reasonable. At that time, Yi Hui thought that he was simply gifted in this area, but later he realized that he had been exposed to art a lot and naturally knew a lot about it.


    And it was not him but that other person who made him willing to gain knowledge about art.


    Unexpectedly remembering what he shouldn¡¯t have, Yi Hui took a deep breath to get rid of distractions, raised the mask to his nose and walked in.


    Perhaps because of the shift change, there was barely anyone in the shop.


    The female shop assistant who stood behind the counter enthusiastically asked if he wanted something. Yi Hui didn¡¯t know Dora-Hum-Hum¡¯s real name, so he awkwardly said he just wanted to take a look, confirmed that there were no other male shop assistants on the first floor and went straight up to the second floor with his stuff.


    When he walked up to the stairs, he realized that he was a little nervous. One moment he wondered if Hum-Hum would be surprised to see him, and at another moment he wondered whether his first words should be ¡°Hello¡± or ¡°Guess who I am¡±.


    He was a little annoyed when he thought of this. He was stupid, Hum-Hum was so smart, he would definitely be able to recognize him at a glance.


    It was better to warn him, lest he really frightened him. Full of both anxiety and excitement, Yi Hui took out his mobile phone, clicked on Weibo and sent a message to Dora-Hum-Hum while walking up the steps.


    The second floor was a custom area of the jewelry store. As soon as he approached, he smelled a comfortable, fresh fragrance and the atmosphere on the entire floor was quieter than downstairs. When he stepped on the last step, he pressed send and pricked up his ears. It really allowed him to catch a short ringing sound in the silence.


    He walked forward on tiptoe following the source of the sound and just as he raised his hand to open the white screen curtain leading to the customization center, a series of rapid footsteps suddenly came from the other end of the curtain, followed by a conversation between two people.


    ¡°Where are you going¡­ you¡¯ve just come and are already leaving?¡±


    ¡°En, I need to go.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you order a ring, don¡¯t you want to look at the design?¡±


    ¡°Send it to my mailbox, I can look at it anytime.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to marry the young master of the Tan family?¡±


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°Everyone is talking about it.¡±


    When the two people inside went silent, Yi Hui, who was outside the curtain, subconsciously held his breath. He didn¡¯t know the man who was asking questions but he recognized the voice of the other man. It was Zhou Jinheng.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not to marry the one surnamed Tan.¡± Not long after, Zhou Jinheng spoke again, ¡°I have another use for this ring.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t understand what they were talking about and didn¡¯t want to listen to it. He was like a third party who strayed into a wedding scene. Fleeing in a hurry, he accidentally knocked the vase standing at the door. He hurriedly reached out to stop it from falling. The vase remained unharmed, but the stuff in his hands didn¡¯t. With a ¡°snap¡± his bag fell to the ground.


    When the people inside heard the sound, they opened the curtain and came out. Yi Hui picked up the insulation bag that was turned upside down on the floor. When he straightened up, he couldn¡¯t help but see the two people standing side by side. Before he had time to observe anything else, the only thought that crossed his mind was that these two people matched each other very well.


    The young man, shorter than Zhou Jinheng, was handsome and elegant, his well-tailored suit making him seem taller and more slender. Together with the tall and handsome Zhou Jinheng, they really looked like a couple who came to choose an engagement ring.


    No, not like that, they looked like a newlywed couple.


    Yi Hui suddenly felt that his initial shock was quite unnecessary.


    What¡¯s so strange about it? He was already dead and there was nothing to stop them from being together.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t expect to see Yi Hui here.


    He learned from Jiang Yimang that Yi Hui was coming to S City. He waited the whole day but Yi Hui didn¡¯t say anything to Dora-Hum-Hum about it, so he simply went along with it, deciding to see what the little fool was going to do.


    Who would have imagined that Yi Hui would find this place according to the address where he sent the package and, judging by the time, would come here directly after getting off the high-speed rail. Zhou Jinheng was extremely lucky that even though he wore a mask, he could still recognize him at a glance.


    Yi Hui picked up his things and ran. Zhou Jinheng caught up without saying a word. The little fool ran stumbling while holding his stuff and almost bumped into someone by the door.


    It was an early evening when the street lamps were first lit. Fearing that he would fall down without seeing the road, Zhou Jinheng strode forward and grabbed his arm: ¡°HuiHui, it¡¯s me, don¡¯t run.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t listen to him. He was caught and couldn¡¯t run away, so he turned his head away and didn¡¯t look at him. His gesture of resistance was clear to see.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heart clenched in pain. He had such a good time chatting with him online these days, he almost forgot how much the little fool hated him without his Dora-Hum-Hum disguise.


    Seeing that the little fool just ran away without asking any questions, he probably thought he was there as a customer. Zhou Jinheng breathed a sigh of relief and explained: ¡°He and I just ran into each other here. The ring is not for him, but for¡­¡±


    Before he finished speaking, Yi Hui, who had been silent just now, suddenly interrupted him: ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was taken aback for a moment, swallowing his next words.


    Yi Hui finally turned his head and looked at him with calm, indifferent eyes, his voice also cold: ¡°Who your ring is for, what does it have to do with me?¡±


    This jewelry store was very well-known in S City and Yi Hui had actually heard of it a long time ago. Not only did he know this shop, he once wanted to come here to order customized wedding rings.


    Although in the end it didn¡¯t work out because the rings were already prepared by the other party. It was an ordinary modest model with the explanation that it was just a formality and, thus, didn¡¯t require so much effort.


    Because he was thinking of that ring all day, Yi Hui dreamed of it at night. When he woke up, he touched the ring finger of his left hand. He didn¡¯t find anything. After an initial shock, he felt cold and couldn¡¯t help but lift the corners of his mouth and laugh at himself.


    Today was a sunny day. Yi Hui, who received the award certificate, returned to the hotel, packed the little luggage he had and prepared to leave. Before leaving, after hesitating again and again, he took the grey insulation bag with him.


    There was no one at the front desk of the hotel. After checking out, Yi Hui put his documents back into his bag and walked out. The sound of footsteps echoed in the empty hall, making him feel a little lonely.


    This was his hometown, but there was no place for him.


    It was not that he didn¡¯t want to go back, but that he didn¡¯t dare. It was he who gave up Yi Hui¡¯s identity and willingly accepted someone else¡¯s name. What right did he have to go back?


    What¡¯s more, the place that he used to regard as home was no longer his home.


    Even the wedding ring that he had never been able to wear in the open had been left there and he no longer had anything to do with that place.


    In order to save money, Yi Hui had booked the hotel in a more remote location, some distance away from the subway station.


    When he reached the door of the hotel, he squatted down and checked his shoelaces. After getting ready for the long journey, he opened the door and went out. Within two steps, he saw a red car parked in front of him.


    At first, he was confused. When the driver got out of the car and raised the sign that said ¡°Mr. Xiao Hui Xia¡¯s special car¡±, the cloud on Yi Hui¡¯s face was swept away. The corners of his lips turned upward and his eyes filled with a smile.


    Only Dora-Hum-Hum would call him that.


    He wanted to surprise Dora-Hum-Hum yesterday but who knew he would fail to do so. When Yi Hui returned to the hotel, Dora-Hum-Hum replied: Have you come to see me? I¡¯m out of town on a short business trip, sorry.


    It was because he didn¡¯t warn him in advance. Yi Hui couldn¡¯t blame him. But although he didn¡¯t blame him, he still pretended to be angry: Did you do it on purpose, go on a business trip knowing that I am coming?


    The person on the other end seemed to panic: No, really not, how could I deliberately avoid you? I really didn¡¯t know you would come.


    Thinking of the way Dora-Hum-Hum was so anxious last night, apologizing for being unable to rush back, Yi Hui, who was sitting in the car, wanted to laugh again. As he watched the car go down the highway, heading in a direction he was unfamiliar with, not only was he not scared, he was in the mood to chat with the driver: ¡°Sir, how much does your car cost to rent for a day?¡±


    The driver replied: ¡°It¡¯s free.¡±


    This surprise was much more ingenious than the one he had arranged, and Yi Hui found it even more interesting: ¡°Then where are you taking me?¡±


    The driver also smiled at him in the rearview mirror: ¡°You¡¯ll know when you get there.¡±


    With absolute trust in Dora-Hum-Hum, Yi Hui fell asleep in the back seat of the car.


    About two hours later, he was politely awakened by the driver: ¡°Sir, we are here.¡±


    It was almost dark when he rubbed his eyes and got out of the car. Yi Hui found that he was in an empty flat area. There was a cool breeze blowing. He shrank his neck and turned his head to see that the driver had already moved the car to the wall a hundred meters away, as if he didn¡¯t want to disturb him.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help but pick up the phone and send a voice message: ¡°You didn¡¯t really rush back from your trip, did you?¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum replied quickly: No, I have something to show you.


    Yi Hui looked around again. The darkening sky made the visibility around him very low. He couldn¡¯t figure out what to see in this place: ¡°You didn¡¯t prepare something scary, right?¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Not scary.


    Yi Hui was a bit suspicious: ¡°I have very little courage, don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Halfway through his speech, the phone vibrated. This time the message was more concise. Only two words were sent ¨C look up. Yi Hui obeyed and looked up at the sky instinctively. At this moment, with a ¡±bang¡±, bright fireworks burst into the night sky.


    The first sound seemed to be a trigger. Before Yi Hui could react, a succession of blinding sparks rose into the air, one after another, blooming overhead, forming a glorious river of stars that lit up the sky, flowing into darkness.


    The lights shone in Yi Hui¡¯s eyes.


    With the rapidly changing sparkles reflected in his pupils, Yi Hui seemed to be dumbfounded, unable to move, looking blankly with his head tilted up. Only when his eyes were sore and his eardrums were buzzing did he raise his mobile phone, look at the sky intently and move his lips mechanically, speaking to the microphone: ¡°How could¡­ someone be setting off fireworks here.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: I¡¯m apologizing to you.


    Even though the other party said it calmly, Yi Hui still felt that the battle was too huge for him to bear.


    However, the fireworks feast continued, with no intention of stopping at all. As its only audience, Yi Hui didn¡¯t want to miss a second. Dora-Hum-Hum told him to sit and enjoy watching, so he sat down on the stone bench and pressed the insulation bag he had carried all the way to his chest, holding on as if using this pressure would relieve his rapid heartbeat.


    Dora-Hum-Hum wrote again: It will take a while, you can eat while watching.


    The driver stuffed him with a lot of prepared snacks, candies and chocolates, but Yi Hui didn¡¯t want to eat them now. He thought for a while, put the insulation bag in his arms on his lap, opened it and took out the unrecognizable cake.


    At first, he felt that it was a pity that a very beautiful cake had fallen into such a sorry state, but then, with the muffled sound of explosions in his ears and the flickering light in the darkness before his eyes, his thoughts drifted away.


    Knowing that it was impolite to think of other things when enjoying the surprise that someone had prepared for him, Yi Hui glanced down at the cake and still couldn¡¯t help thinking that the man had never once eaten the cake he had made with his own hands.


    The most he would do was to look at it when he was forced, and then dismiss it by saying ¡°I don¡¯t eat sweet things¡±. It was always difficult to wait for a birthday and something always went wrong. Either he didn¡¯t have time to make it, or he made it but no one came to eat it. And even if the man came back, he had no appetite. In the end, the cake would either go bad or would be thrown in the trash, and even he wouldn¡¯t know what it tasted like.


    What does it taste like?


    Thinking about it, Yi Hui stretched out his index finger, dug up some cream and delivered it to his mouth. It was soft and sweet, melting in his mouth, and the fragrance was intoxicating. For some reason, he choked and his eyes were sour. He thought his eyes were stinging from the lights of the fireworks. He raised his hand and rubbed them, but more warm liquid flowed out, sliding down his cheeks into his mouth, diluting the sweetness.


    He understood marriage of interest and the lack of emotional foundation, but even if he were a stranger, even if he were a beggar on the roadside, why should he be treated like that?


    Just because you smile and pretend to be happy all day long, and pretend to know nothing, doesn¡¯t mean you won¡¯t be sad.


    How could he not be sad, how could he not be sad?


    Even if he was a fool, seeing the man thinking about someone else, looking through his phone album to find that person¡¯s pictures, learning how good that person was, finding him looking for that person in him while he was in love head over heels, no matter how foolish, how stupid he was, no matter how much he pretended not to mind, his heart still hurt.


    Who said the man didn¡¯t keep his promises? It was not that he didn¡¯t keep them, it was that he only kept his promises to that person.


    Who said that the man¡¯s nature was cold and mean? He clearly had a deep affection for that person and only treated the fool named Yi Hui coldly.


    He dug up another large piece of cream and stuffed it into his mouth. Yi Hui was desperately trying to extract the pleasant sweetness from it, but his tears still fell down, as if he wanted to take advantage of no one being around to cry enough for a period of time.


    The cake was delicious and the fireworks were beautiful. Precious things that used to be unreachable to him like a star in the sky turned out to be so easy to get.


    It turned out that he just didn¡¯t deserve them.


    After receiving a voice message from Xiao Hui Xia, Zhou Jinheng hid in the dark corner by the wall and listened to the words ¡°Thank you¡± several times, then asked him if it looked good and listened to the words ¡°Looks good¡± over and over again.


    He knew that Yi Hui was crying. When the little fool cried, he was as silent as when he laughed. Only his thin shoulders would be trembling and there would be a nasal tone in his voice when he spoke. It made him panic when he heard it.


    Unfortunately, in the past he had been too childish and stupid to give even a single word of comfort. Now that he wanted to give it, there were a million ways in his head to stop the little fool from crying, but he was barred from action at the first step.


    He didn¡¯t dare move forward, he didn¡¯t dare walk towards his little fool, he didn¡¯t dare eat the cake made for him. He couldn¡¯t even wipe the little fool¡¯s tears or just say softly in his ear, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, don¡¯t cry.¡±


    He only slowly woke up when the little fool¡¯s heart was thoroughly broken. He ought to not dare, he ought to have nothing to do with him.


    Squatting slowly at the wall, facing the rough gravel ground, Zhou Jinheng clenched and loosened his hands hanging by his knees, and the blue veins on the backs of his hands bloated and disappeared. As if after a fierce struggle, he suddenly raised his hand and slapped himself, the abrupt sound hidden in the last explosions of the fireworks.


    When he raised his head, inhaled deeply and exhaled, his expression returned to normal.


    Watching Yi Hui get in the car and then the taillights of the car gradually disappear from his sight, Zhou Jinheng typed ¡°If you like it, that¡¯s good¡± in the input box, but what he was thinking about was another sentence¡ª¡ª


    From now on, I will never miss an appointment with you again.

 CH 37

    That day was actually Yi Hui¡¯s birthday, the Yi Hui who had died.


    Returning home after a seven-hour high-speed rail ride from S City, Yi Hui was so tired that he fell asleep at once. When he woke up, he glanced at the calendar on the table and remembered it when he saw the familiar date. He thought secretly that Dora-Hum-Hum had picked the right day. The fireworks and cake would be considered his birthday gifts.


    His birthday was only one day away from his brother¡¯s. In the morning of February 13th, Yi Hui logged on to his Weibo account that he had just applied for and went to his brother¡¯s homepage for a stroll.


    Because his sister-in-law was a public figure, his brother¡¯s Weibo also attracted a lot of attention. If you clicked on recent Weibo comments, you¡¯d see that many fans with his sister-in-law¡¯s avatar had already come to congratulate their idol¡¯s husband a happy birthday. Yi Hui gave them all likes one by one.


    His sister-in-law Ye Qin naturally also came and sent his congratulations ¡°Happy birthday, big brother [heart]¡± at 0:00 sharp. Yi Hui knew that this was his sister-in-law¡¯s nickname for his brother. When he saw that everything was going so well for the two of them, he was deeply gratified. At the same time, he felt that he shouldn¡¯t rob them of the intimate name they used. After struggling for a while, he came up with a good idea and wrote a comment: Happy birthday, eldest brother, forever happy with sister-in-law [praise]


    Coming up was Valentine¡¯s Day.


    Yi Hui himself had no special feelings about this holiday. No one had shared it with him before, and now he was a single dog, so there was no need for it at all. He stayed at home and worked the whole day. When the sun was about to set, he stood up and stretched. Along the way, he went to the fridge to find food. When he saw the half-plate of chocolate that he hadn¡¯t finished, he remembered what day it was.


    He rushed to send a message to Dora-Hum-Hum: Happy Valentine¡¯s Day [so happy]


    The two talked from the morning up to this time. In the afternoon, Yi Hui encountered difficulties in painting and discussed it with Dora-Hum-Hum for half an hour. No one mentioned Valentine¡¯s Day. The boyfriend who ran away from home obviously had not yet returned.


    Sure enough, Dora-Hum-Hum replied: I forgot it until you said it. [sweat]


    After staring at the drawing paper for a whole day, his eyes were sore and swollen. Yi Hui used the eye drops and laid down on the bed. He closed his eyes and replied in a voice message: ¡°A lone man can also live a life ah, after work, go out to eat a good meal.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: What do you want to eat?


    Yi Hui¡° ¡°Huh? I have a lot of food here, so take care of your stomach.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Just tell me what you want to eat, so I can make a reference.


    Yi Hui thought for a while: ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s been a long time since I drank milk tea. If it were me, I would buy a cup of full-sugar pudding milk tea, and also cook a small hot pot at home with many crab sticks in it!¡±


    An hour later, Jiang Yimang came back from school, carrying milk tea in one hand and some raw ingredients in the other, saying that they should catch the tail of winter and eat hot pot at home. Yi Hui took out her purchases from the bag and took a look. There were three large boxes of crab sticks.


    ¡°My sister is amazing.¡± After eating, Yi Hui sent a voice message to Dora-Hum-Hum, ¡°She bought exactly what I wanted. She is not a human being, she is a fairy who has come down to the world to cross her tribulation, right?¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum switched the focus: What about me?


    Yi Hui knew that he wanted to be praised, smiled and said, ¡°Hum-Hum is also very good, who wouldn¡¯t want such a cute little brother.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum sent a string of emoticons and then said: Not a little brother, I¡¯m taller than you.


    Yi Hui asked him how tall he was, and he replied that his height was 1,87 meters. Yi Hui stood up and measured it. The familiar perspective when he raised his head reminded him that the man was about that tall. He also had long legs and walked quickly and every time Yi Hui followed him, he had to run to keep up.


    ¡°Hum-Hum, when you get back together with him in the future, if you go out together, remember to walk slowly and take smaller steps.¡± Yi Hui, who reached just 1.75 meters in both lifetimes, persuaded bitterly, ¡°He will be very sad if he can¡¯t keep up with you.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum solemnly replied: Okay, I¡¯ll remember.


    As a senior, Yi Hui taught Dora-Hum-Hum all the life truths and emotional experiences he had compiled over the years, but that little boy didn¡¯t know how to fight and hadn¡¯t managed to coax his boyfriend back by spring.


    Yi Hui felt anxious for him: ¡°Aren¡¯t you usually very smart? How come you are stupid when you encounter this kind of thing?¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum£º¡­¡­


    Yi Hui came up with an idea and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you set off fireworks for him too?¡±


    On the way back that day, he asked Dora-Hum-Hum about the price of fireworks and Dora-Hum-Hum said it was not expensive. Yi Hui thought that since it was not expensive, it would be okay to set them off again. Such a great romantic gesture was given by Dora-Hum-Hum to him as a friend; it made his heart pound.


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Did you like it very much?


    Yi Hui¡° ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t like it?¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Do you want to see it again?


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t notice that the topic deviated: ¡°Yes¡­ But I want someone to watch it with me. Sitting in the yard during summer with a fan and eating watermelon while watching fireworks, wow, can there be anything happier than that?¡±


    So on the night of Lixia (Start of Summer, May 5-20), Yi Hui was called out by Jiang Yimang: ¡°Brother, look at the sky!¡±


    He didn¡¯t know who was so generous in handling their happy event, but this kind of firework comparable to national celebrations that could only be seen on TV was going on for a full 20 minutes and the location happened to be opposite the small courtyard of the Jiang family.


    Jiang Xuemei cut the watermelon and placed it on a small wooden table in the yard. The watermelon that had been frozen in the fridge all afternoon was sweet and refreshing. Yi Hui was happy. Accompanied by his mother and sister, he ate two more pieces of watermelon, disregarding his physical condition, but he didn¡¯t have diarrhea or fever the next morning.


    Of course, he had to share such good news with his good friend Dora-Hum-Hum: ¡°My physical fitness has really improved. It must be due to the recent exercise!¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum exposed him very shamelessly: Oh? Who was too lazy to go out yesterday and begged God for some rain?


    Yi Hui blushed: ¡°I, I can also exercise at home.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: The yoga mat is all covered in dust, right?


    ¡°No, fortunately, I put it by the bed¡­¡± Halfway through speaking, Yi Hui suddenly realized something was wrong, ¡°Hey, how do you know I have a yoga mat?¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: You said that your sister gave it to you.


    Yi Hui scratched his head and thought for a long time, but he didn¡¯t remember when he told Dora-Hum-Hum that.


    But this was not the point. He held down the voice button and asked mysteriously: ¡°Actually, you are not Dora-Hum-Hum, are you?¡±


    In the capital far away, Zhou Jinheng, who was being fiddled with by a makeup artist in front of the mirror, suddenly heard this sentence and asked calmly: If I¡¯m not Dora-Hum-Hum, who am I?


    Not long after, Yi Hui¡¯s smiling voice came from the earpiece: ¡°You¡¯re my lucky star. Since I met you, my luck has been particularly good and is getting better every day!¡±


    Hearing the unexpected answer, Zhou Jinheng was taken aback for a moment and then smiled, replying: You deserve it, it has nothing to do with me.


    The online chat between the two had been going on for half a year. Recently, Zhou Jinheng deliberately revealed some information from time to time, intending to pave the way for confession. However, he didn¡¯t know whether Yi Hui trusted him too much or was too nervous. He missed several obvious hints, foolishly regarding him as an enthusiastic online friend, which made his heart feel even more uncertain.


    After finishing work that day, Zhou Jinheng drove to the jewelry store.


    In the afternoon, he received a call saying that the ring was ready and he couldn¡¯t wait to get it. Knowing that there was a car full of fans following him, he didn¡¯t bother to avoid it. His car stopped at the door, he got out and went straight upstairs.


    Anyway, it had to be made public, so it was better to prepare the outside world for it as soon as possible.


    He just didn¡¯t expect to meet Fang Yuqing here again.


    When he looked at the design drawings three months ago, Zhou Jinheng learned that the main designer of this store was Fang Yuqing¡¯s acquaintance. The ring had already been ordered and made; it was too late to change to another one, and Yi Hui liked the design style of this one, so he didn¡¯t plan to change to another one.


    In fact, Fang Yuqing did not do anything to overstep the borders. He had always been gentle and indifferent. Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t find an excuse to resist, so he had to avoid him as much as possible.


    While he waited for the staff to bring the ring, Fang Yuqing sat aside, casually stirring the coffee in the cup with a spoon, ¡°When I was studying abroad, I minored in jewellery design for a while. Maybe I didn¡¯t have the talent in that area, but the things I made were not very good,¡± he said.


    Fang Yuqing had been studying fine arts since he was in elementary school. His outstanding talent created an impression that he was always proud of himself, so it was surprising to hear these self-depreciating words from him.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t say anything, so Fang Yuqing continued as if talking to himself: ¡°Later, I knew why. Because the things I made, even if others said they were good, without the right person to wear them, they had no value in my eyes.¡±


    The staff took the ring to the counter and Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t wait to look at it. The low-key platinum studded with tiny diamonds was shining brightly. Just looking at it, one could tell how beautiful it would be worn on the slender white finger of the little fool.


    Fang Yuqing leaned over to take a look, smiled and said, ¡°I also made a pair of rings back then and no one had tried them on yet.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng had been pretending to be deaf and dumb for a long time. It was not appropriate to keep silent anymore. Before leaving, he thought for a while and said to Fang Yuqing, ¡°Find someone who matches them. I have found that person, and I wish you find that one as soon as possible.¡±


    He turned around to leave and Fang Yuqing behind him said anxiously: ¡°I regret it.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was startled and paused for a moment.


    ¡°I regret giving up you for my future prospects back then, I regret it.¡± Fang Yuqing that he knew had never bowed his head to show weakness. The words must have been very difficult to say for him, so his voice was a little choked, ¡°I returned home early for you. And it¡¯s for you I learned jewellery design. Since the marriage with the Tan family is a false rumour, then¡­ Would you still like to try on the ring I made for you?¡±


    Speaking of the surnamed Tan, after getting the ring, Zhou Jinheng went to the Zhou family¡¯s house.


    Zhou Huarong was at home. Thinking that his son had thought things through and wanting to use the momentum to pressure him, he didn¡¯t give him any face: ¡°Still know how to find your way back home?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng ignored him and sat down to accept the tea handed by the housekeeper.


    Seeing that his mood was stable and there was no table in front of him to overturn, Zhou Huarong cleared his throat and began to give orders: ¡°The Tan family said they like a European style. You will live here these days. I will send someone to redecorate the new house.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng drank tea slowly and calmly: ¡°What new house?¡±


    Zhou Huarong said, ¡°Just the duplex under your name.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng sneered: ¡°That¡¯s my and Yi Hui¡¯s new house, with half of the Yi family¡¯s money in it, what does it have to do with the Tans?¡±


    One sentence was enough to make Zhou Huarong irate. Thinking about Zhou Jinheng not coming back home for the New Year, he felt even more angry: ¡°The guy has been dead for more than half a year, you¡¯ve given it enough buffer time. Do you really want to guard that empty house for the rest of your life alone?¡±


    ¡°Who said I would be alone?¡± Zhou Jinheng finished drinking his tea, stood up and stretched out lazily, ¡°This time coming back, it is for the second half of my life. Before my mother died, she said that her things would be left for me to handle. I believe you must respect her will. You haven¡¯t touched those things, have you?¡±


    Without waiting for Zhou Huarong to react, Zhou Jinheng went upstairs and entered his mother¡¯s room. His younger sister Zhou Jinyue would always clean it up very neatly, making it look no different from the time when their mother was still alive.


    He found a big red box emblazoned with dragons and phoenixes in the drawer of the dressing table. He put it in his pocket and left.


    Zhou Huarong chased him to the door angrily: ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t look back, patted his pocket and said, ¡°Taking the heirloom to pick up your daughter-in-law.¡±


    He said it with ease and and even a kind of chic, but in fact, there was still a lot of preparatory work to be done.


    Taking advantage of a two-day break at the end of his schedule, Zhou Jinheng cleaned up his and Yi Hui¡¯s home.


    In addition to the paintings that were framed and hung on the wall, he replaced almost all personal items in the house with matching pairs. In order to match the little fool¡¯s preferences, he even changed the toothbrush to the same cartoon version: Yi Hui¡¯s was Doraemon and his was Nobita.


    Thinking that the little fool would be happy to see that when he returned home, every cell in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s body was full of energy, and the busier he was, the more excited he became.


    While admiring the fruits of his labour, Zhou Jinheng took out his mobile phone, clicked on the dialog box with Xiao Hui Xia and saw that the other party was sending messages to him. Seeing the word ¡°Hum-Hum¡±, he suddenly felt his rising excitement stop abruptly at the highest point. It was as if he was dragged out of an illusion by force.


    He was Dora-Hum-Hum, and he was not Dora-Hum-Hum.


    He was the b*stard who made the little fool cry again and again.


    When he heard Fang Yuqing say ¡°regret¡±, the first thing he did was not reminisce about the first love that ended in failure, but to remember the futility of regret that he had already understood.


    He still thought that things could only get better for him and his little fool.


    Turning on the faucet and splashing his face with cold water, Zhou Jinheng looked at his confused reflection in the mirror, raised his hand to rub his eyes and exhaled a heavy breath.


    Wait a little, wait a while. When he does everything he can for the little fool, when he is sure that the little fool will not be harmed, it will not be too late to confess.


    He couldn¡¯t bear to fail a second time.


    He was really scared.

 CH 38

    In the summer, there was plenty of rain in the south. On the third evening when he didn¡¯t go out to release the geese due to the weather, Yi Hui and his younger sister moved a small bench and sat under the porch with their heads down to browse Weibo.


    Seeing that Yi Hui was replying to the comments one by one, Jiang Yimang, as an experienced person, persuaded him: ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not a big deal anyway, don¡¯t reply to every comment. If you have nothing to do, go to some forums and take a look at the big events of the nation.¡±


    Yi Hui obeyed and went there but didn¡¯t see any major national events. When he looked up, he saw a hot search ¡°Zhou Jinheng is suspected of ordering a ring and planning to get married.¡±


    Jiang Yimang leaned over to look at it accidentally or intentionally and exclaimed in an exaggerated manner: ¡°Wow, the ring must be super beautiful!¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t click in to read it. He slid his finger on the interface to scroll down. While browsing, he asked, ¡°Your idol is getting married. Shouldn¡¯t you be sad?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What am I to be sad about?¡± Jiang Yimang put her hand over her heart with a yearning expression, ¡°I am a career fan, and if he is happy in his personal life, I will also be happy¡­ I am still waiting to be a bridesmaid!¡±


    Since that headline came into view, Yi Hui¡¯s thoughts were stuck like a rusty machine, and after absentmindedly going through the popular blogs, he sat alone on the porch for half an hour.


    After becoming smarter, the first truth he understood was that the world had never been fair and you don¡¯t always get rewarded when investing in something. Those things that he hadn¡¯t been able to get in his life, there would always be someone who could obtain them all with no effort.


    Raindrops pounded on the roof and slid down the brick-red tiles. The water evaporated by the summer heat turned into a mist in the air. It was no longer warm when it penetrated the flesh through the pores.


    Yi Hui shuddered and wrapped himself in his tight-fitting coat.


    No wonder he always felt cold, no matter how hot the weather was.


    Light rain turned into heavy rain, and heavy rain was accompanied by strong winds.


    In the afternoon of the next day, the town authorities announced a red alert. A typhoon caused by a tropical cyclone approached the peaceful town at a speed of nearly forty meters per second.


    Yi Hui had never experienced this unique climate of the southern coastal area firsthand. While curiously checking the information on his mobile phone, he helped his mother to reinforce the doors and windows.


    The house where the Jiang family lived was built in the 1980s. After decades of wind and rain, it still stood as upright as ever. It was reasonable to expect that it was sturdy enough to withstand the test, but this time the typhoon would not just pass by nor sweep its tail. The weather station predicted its path would go directly through the town and its power should not be underestimated.


    Aunt Qiu next door, whose family lived in the town for generations, was also uncharacteristically vigilant. After arranging her own house, she helped the Jiang family, and even Dr. Liu, who was far away in the city, called to remind Yi Hui to pay attention to safety.


    Everyone worked together and every piece of window glass upstairs and downstairs was criss-crossed with tape.


    After that, Yi Hui remembered the pot of iron jasmine he took care of and moved it with a few pots of other flowers from the yard into the house. When Aunt Qiu saw it, she took the trouble to remind again: ¡°Personal safety is more important than anything. Xiao Hui, if you hear something, don¡¯t run out. The wind is strong enough to blow you away.¡±


    When Yi Hui heard this, he began to worry about his geese again. If people could be blown away, wouldn¡¯t the geese be blown away too?


    He rushed to Aunt Qiu¡¯s house in the heavy rain and helped Uncle Qiu to heighten and strengthen the fence and tied a rope to each goose¡¯s legs. On the way back, the wind became stronger and an umbrella couldn¡¯t be used anymore. Yi Hui was propelled by the wind and almost hit a telephone pole. He took a shower when he got home without taking a look at his mobile phone. When he returned to his room, he saw a full screen of new messages, all from Dora-Hum-Hum.


    Yi Hui replied hurriedly: I¡¯m here. I went to eat and take a bath just now. It is raining so hard outside. How can I go out? [Doraemon smile]


    Dora-Hum-Hum didn¡¯t believe it: Really didn¡¯t go out?


    Yi Hui sat down on the bed, wrapped himself in the quilt and whispered in a guilty voice: ¡°Actually, I was out but just for a while, don¡¯t be so fierce¡­¡±


    The two had known each other for so long; in addition to being able to judge Dora-Hum-Hum¡¯s emotional state reading between the lines, Yi Hui also gradually mastered the skill to calm the other party down.


    For example, now he obviously could perceive that the other party wanted to question him first and then lecture him a bit, so his soft words not only served to avoid being taught a lesson by someone younger than himself but also as a kind of comfort.


    Dora-Hum-Hum first sent a string of emoticons and then said: Forget it. The weather is bad outside, so stay at home and don¡¯t go out. If you are afraid, send me a message and I will keep you company.


    Yi Hui was touched by the words ¡°I will keep you company¡±, and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just come home from a business trip? You¡¯re tired, it¡¯s dark, go to bed, I¡¯m not afraid.¡±


    Even though he said that, it was inevitable to feel tense.


    In awe with nature and out of an unspeakable curiosity, Yi Hui stayed awake until late at night. When the wind was strongest, he listened to its roar with his own ears and watched with his own eyes the ruination the typhoon brought as it passed outside the window, feeling the insignificance of human beings in the face of nature.


    The small lamp hanging outside the courtyard was blown around, and in the end, it couldn¡¯t stand the tossing and smashed to the ground. The last source of light disappeared, and Yi Hui, who was lying by the window, shivered. Then he immediately laid down and pulled the quilt up to the tip of his nose, forcing himself to fall asleep.


    However, long after his usual time to sleep, Yi Hui was still full of energy, all his senses sharp. The click of the window being blown by the wind resounded with his heartbeat, and various images of natural disasters from the TV took turns in his mind. He felt that if he died again, it would definitely be of scaring himself to death.


    The mobile phone next to the pillow suddenly vibrated. Yi Hui took it under the quilt to look at it. It was Dora-Hum-Hum: It¡¯s a bit windy now. Hold your Doraemon in your arms, close your eyes, and it will be over in a while.


    Yi Hui felt embarrassed to be seen through, but his fear dissipated a bit: ¡°I¡¯m not, I¡¯m not afraid¡­ By the way, how do you know that I have a Doraemon doll?¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Because I am Doraemon¡¯s brother.


    Yi Hui burst out with a chuckle: ¡°No wonder you¡¯re so amazing, you know everything.¡±


    The doll was given to him by Jiang Yimang two days ago, and Yi Hui was holding it to sleep these days. After sweeping up the plush doll placed by the bed into his arms, Yi Hui changed his position and laid on his side with his back to the window, and sent a voice message: ¡°Then do you know why they give names to typhoons?¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: The name is a code name, to make it easy to distinguish.


    ¡°But our names are given by our parents when we are born, and they all contain different meanings and expectations.¡± Yi Hui raised his hand and wrote the word ¡°Hui¡± in the air with his finger, ¡°Being given a name makes all the difference.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Like Xiao Hui Xia?


    Yi Hui laughed again: ¡°Don¡¯t call me that, it feels weird.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: What should I call you?


    Yi Hui held the phone and thought for a while, then held down the voice button and solemnly said, ¡°Call me HuiHui.¡±


    It was Hui that shone with light, not Hui that was grey as ash.


    Since they mentioned their parents, the two of them started chatting about mother-related topics that they had hardly discussed before.


    Yi Hui even guessed: ¡°Hum-Hum¡¯s mother must have been very beautiful, right?¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: How do you know?


    Yi Hui said, ¡°I have seen your photos, the two pictures. From your hand shape and outline, one can see that you are a handsome guy. A handsome guy¡¯s mother must also be a beauty!¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum seemed to be persuaded by this logic: You¡¯re amazing. [praise]


    Yi Hui was proud and regretful: ¡°Alas, I didn¡¯t see you when I went to S City last time and I lost an opportunity to see a handsome guy with my own eyes.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Is handsomeness your criterion for choosing a partner?


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just the matter of being pleasing to the eye.¡± Yi Hui said seriously, ¡°My mother told me not to choose a very good-looking person. Good-looking people are prone to promiscuity. I have a friend who recently got a boyfriend, looked elegant, but in fact, philandering to death.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: ¡­not necessarily.


    ¡°Yes, not necessarily.¡± Yi Hui changed his position again, lying on his back on the bed, looking at the mottled ceiling above his head, ¡°I¡¯ve seen a particularly good-looking one who was also particularly dedicated.¡±


    It was a pity that he was not dedicated to me.


    The two chatted for more than half an hour, until Yi Hui gradually forgot his fear, squinted his eyes and began to doze off: ¡°Why are you still awake¡­ Are you also afraid of typhoons?¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: The typhoon did not reach S City.


    Yi Hui lifted the corners of his mouth in a smile: ¡°Aren¡¯t you still scared? You can¡¯t sleep so late.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum sent another string of emoticons and said: I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to sleep.


    Yi Hui held the doll in his arms, rubbed it and said in a deep voice: ¡°Besides being beautiful, Hum-Hum¡¯s mother must have also been very gentle.¡±


    The other party couldn¡¯t understand this logic, so he took the initiative to explain: ¡°Hum-Hum is very gentle. You¡¯re so gentle to me, you must be even better to your boyfriend¡­ You are so kind, how could he be willing to go?¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum was silent for a long time, and only when Yi Hui was about to fall asleep did he reply: I used to treat him badly.


    Yi Hui yawned and muttered, ¡°Then treat him well from now on, take him home and treat him well.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: If it were you, would you be willing to go home with me?


    There was a typhoon and heavy rain outside, but Yi Hui was drowned in a gentle net woven by a man named Dora-Hum-Hum. He seemed to be in a state between dreaming and being awake, and an emotion similar to envy appeared in his heart.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he let go of that unforgettable pain for the time being and fantasized from the perspective of an outsider, ¡°I think so¡­¡±


    Who doesn¡¯t want to live in their own home and be accompanied by their sweetheart like this?


    Even at the last moment of his life, he was still thinking that if that man opened the door and came in now, he would immediately forget the cold, the wind and the rain he had suffered and go home with him.


    It was a pity that the door didn¡¯t open in the end. The cold penetrated into his bones right through to his bone marrow, and nothing could warm him up anymore.


    The typhoon came and went quickly. When he woke up the next morning, the sky was clear and the few clouds that refused to disperse tried to block the sun but couldn¡¯t stop the light shining through.


    Last month, the town built an asphalt road that ran through the town. Some of the newly planted saplings on the sides of the road were uprooted by the wind. Yi Hui took a shovel and replanted the crooked saplings, accompanied by his neighbours.


    A large area of Aunt Qiu¡¯s fence was also blown down. Yi Hui went to help after planting the trees. He rode to the hardware store in the center of the town to buy some tools. Along the way, he learned how to build a bamboo fence and what materials were needed.


    Jiang Xuemei recently wanted to set up a plot of land in the yard to grow vegetables, so after Aunt Qiu¡¯s house was repaired, Yi Hui hurried to the south of the town non-stop. Under the instructions of passers-by, he found a vendor selling bamboo, negotiated the price according to the size and made an appointment to pick up the goods tomorrow.


    Yi Hui planned to learn to do it by himself, saving money and learning one more craft. At night, he told Dora-Hum-Hum about it. The other party¡¯s focus was completely opposite to his: Using bamboo to make it? Will you use a knife? Is it safe?


    ¡°I¡¯m not a kid.¡± Yi Hui said with confidence, ¡°Besides, I also asked for some help, so there will be no problem.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum: Good luck HuiHui!


    Yi Hui, who hadn¡¯t heard anyone call him by this name for a long time, felt his face turn hot and said courteously: ¡°Good luck to Hum-Hum too!¡±


    In order to pick up the bamboo as soon as possible, Yi Hui went to bed very early tonight. Unexpectedly, the bamboo seller was so enthusiastic that he took the initiative to deliver the bamboo early the next morning.


    The price discussed yesterday did not include labour fees. Yi Hui had planned to ask Uncle Qiu to do him a favour. Who knew that the seller not only delivered the goods to the door, but also brought a full set of tools and offered to help him fix the fence before leaving.


    Yi Hui was very grateful. After thanking him, he tearfully posted on Weibo that ¡°there are still many good people in the world¡±. He hurriedly got on his bicycle and went out, preparing to buy two iced watermelons for the bamboo selling couple to relieve the heat.


    There were not many fruits for sale early in the morning, and it took some time to pick watermelons. When he got home, the sun was already high. Yi Hui walked through the back door bringing the bucket with him. As soon as he stepped into the yard, he vaguely heard the bamboo seller and his wife talking.


    ¡°Hurry up and do the job, and then leave. Yesterday the price was high, but we can¡¯t really let him pay.¡±


    ¡°Do you only see money in your eyes? You¡¯ve already negotiated a job, and then you made a promise to someone else with a turn of your head. You have to keep it a secret. I¡¯ll see how you can explain it to him later.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it easy, just say that you¡¯re in a good mood today and will do it for free. Who wouldn¡¯t be happy to receive free things?¡±


    ¡°Also¡­ Speaking of which, that man is really strange. I have never heard such a request.¡±


    ¡°Hey, whatever, people do good deeds without leaving a name. Anyway, we got the money.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    Halfway through the conversation, they found that Yi Hui came in through the back door. The two of them immediately closed their mouths, their expressions dodgy. They pushed each other and buried their heads in their work.


    Before noon, the bamboo fence was finished.


    The couple that had been busy for a long time didn¡¯t even stay to eat a bite of watermelon. They said that they had to rush to the next house, so they hurriedly left driving an electric three-wheel scooter.


    After sending them away, Yi Hui returned to the yard and stared at the newly enclosed fence for a long time. Recalling the strange things that he had ignored before, he felt the belated doubts in his heart intensify.


    Although the residents of the town were generally simple and enthusiastic, were they so selfless and so good that they would help him, disregarding their own interests?


    In the afternoon, when Jiang Yimang came back from school, Yi Hui followed her to her room. He originally planned to ask if she had noticed anything weird recently, but she had agreed to go to the movies with a classmate and didn¡¯t have time to listen to him. She put down her school bag and went out again: ¡°Brother, I¡¯m going out to buy drinks. I¡¯m not coming back for dinner tonight, remember to tell Mom.¡±


    Saying that, she shook her ponytail and slipped away.


    Yi Hui had no other choice but to wait for another day to ask. Walking to the door, he heard Jiang Yimang¡¯s mobile phone issue a low battery alert. He thought it was not safe for a young girl to go out at night with no battery on her mobile phone, so he went back and picked up the mobile phone to plug it in and charge it.


    He finally found the charger on the messy desk and the phone vibrated the moment he plugged it in. He thought it was the vibration feedback for charging, but when he glanced at the screen inadvertently, there was a new message coming in.


    Brother-in-law: I sent a new package. It¡¯s mosquito repellent. A bottle for you and a bottle for your brother. Remind him to take it when he goes out to draw.


    It was a simple line of words but Yi Hui couldn¡¯t understand anything in it, from the signature to the content. He had no intention of snooping on his sister¡¯s privacy. It was just that he didn¡¯t figure it out before the screen darkened. He subconsciously touched it with his thumb and it was automatically unlocked.


    It happened to be stuck in the chat screen, the familiar Weibo private chat.


    The moment he saw the familiar Dora-Hum-Hum avatar, the troubles that had bothered Yi Hui all day met a sharp knife that cut through the mess and finally solved everything.


    It was just that he was not sure yet. With the idea of confirming it, Yi Hui clicked on the avatar, his hand shaking. The person chatting with Jiang Yimang was indeed named Dora-Hum-Hum. ¡°Brother-in-law¡± was the name Jiang Yimang gave him.


    The most recent conversation took place last night.


    ¨C The things you send ah, to be honest, I have a feeling that I¡¯m lying to my brother every time ¡­¡­ the brewing cycle of this surprise is too long, I cannot hold it in anymore!


    -Wait a little, now is not the time.


    -Can I ask a question?


    -En.


    -What did you do to my brother before that you don¡¯t even dare to reveal your identity? It¡¯s just that my brother is stupid and doesn¡¯t suspect anything at all, if it were someone else ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t read the next messages. He couldn¡¯t keep looking at them anymore.


    For at least half a minute, his brain was blank, as if his soul had left his body. He had forgotten to breathe; there was nothing but a shrill buzzing sound in his ears.


    When he recovered a little bit and regained some consciousness, the word ¡±lie¡± seemed to be copied infinitely, connecting into a long, terrifying mantra that bound his hands and feet mercilessly, trapping him in a narrow space closed on all sides.


    Yi Hui was dizzy. Blackness floating in front of his eyes, heaven and earth turning dark like at the time of the typhoon.


    No, it was a hundred times more cruel than the typhoon. Everything it passed by was razed to the ground, leaving nothing alive.


    He thought that by changing his body and identity, he could get rid of the past and start over.


    But he forgot how stupid he was. In his previous life, he was deceived to death because of a false ¡°like¡±. In this life, he thought he was reborn, but in fact, he was still played with by others.


    Walking forward, he actually walked back to the world that that man had woven with lies again.


    It was also possible that he had never walked out.

 CH 39

    Chapter 39


    -My brother knows


    When Zhou Jinheng received this message, he had just finished filming a night scene.


    He hurriedly changed out of his costume, told the assistant to ask the director for a leave for him, went back to the hotel to get some things and left.


    Most of the flights to the south were affected by the typhoon and were cancelled. Zhou Jinheng went directly to the high-speed rail station. He used his mobile phone to book a ticket on the road. Jiang Yimang hadn¡¯t responded when he logged on to Weibo. After hesitating, he clicked on the private chat interface of Xiao Hui Xia and typed the words ¡°Are you asleep?¡± Sure enough, it couldn¡¯t be sent out, he had been blocked.


    Zhou Jinheng put down his mobile phone, leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes.


    He shouldn¡¯t have delayed it until this time.


    No matter how he learned the truth, Yi Hui would inevitably be angry with him. It was also because he knew that this storm would eventually come that Zhou Jinheng involuntarily became indecisive in this matter, even though he usually dealt with other things resolutely. He dragged it on out of selfishness, thinking that even if it was only for one more day, it would still let him do more within his power to compensate Yi Hui.


    In the past half a year, he had done everything he could, but he still felt that it was not enough.


    Maybe the problem wasn¡¯t even that it was not not enough, but that even doing so much could not fill the gap in his confidence. Only when he hid behind a different name did he dare to say or do anything and have the certainty that he would not be rejected.


    Zhou Jinheng even thought about using Dora-Hum-Hum to accompany Yi Hui for the rest of his life, but after thinking about it, he felt ridiculous. Not to mention whether Yi Hui needed such a friend who didn¡¯t dare to show up in real life, he himself couldn¡¯t bear the pain of having something clearly right in front of him but being unable to touch it.


    Both roads were steep and difficult to walk. Now that God made the choice for him, he had to make a plan and bite the bullet.


    At dawn he was halfway through his journey. Zhou Jinheng opened his eyes after taking a nap. The first thing he did was to raise his hand and touch the place on the left side of his chest near his heart, making sure that the box was there, and then take out his mobile phone.


    Jiang Yimang woke up and sent him a string of messages, saying that she went home late last night and her brother made a big fuss and told her not to contact him again.


    Zhou Jinheng had never seen Yi Hui angry and he couldn¡¯t imagine what it was like for Yi Hui, who was usually soft and gentle, to get angry. He asked: How is he now, is he still angry?


    Jiang Yimang replied: The door is closed, I can¡¯t hear any movement¡­ I have to go to school, my mother is at home, it should be fine!


    Zhou Jinheng thought how could it be fine if he was angry. After thinking about it, he felt that it was better for him to be angry than to be sullen and silent. He would rather go there and let Yi Hui scold and beat him. After his anger subsided, he could always think of some good memories, even if they were no bigger than his fingernail. He hadn¡¯t worked for nothing for half a year, had he?


    The city had just been hit by a typhoon and there were few pedestrians and vehicles on the road. Yang Chengxuan helped him arrange the car from the city¡¯s high-speed rail station to town.


    When he got in the car, Yang Chengxuan called and asked if he wanted to book a hotel. Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°No, I shouldn¡¯t have the opportunity to stay in a hotel.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan didn¡¯t know what happened, so he said, smiling, ¡°Moving so fast, are you going to live in someone¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°I will take him home.¡° There was no confidence in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heart and he was not sure who he was talking to. ¡°If it goes well, I can take him home this time.¡±


    It took Yang Chengxuan a long time to understand the meaning of his words: ¡°¡­ you dare to still treat him as Yi Hui?¡±


    ¡°He is Yi Hui.¡±


    After saying that, Zhou Jinheng looked out the window. So soon after the typhoon, the ground was messy and deserted wherever he could see. This scene inexplicably gave him a little encouragement.


    Maybe Yi Hui was also tired, looking for a place to find shelter and rest.


    He was the one who was going to hold Yi Hui in his arms.


    It was almost noon when he arrived in town. Jiang Yimang sent a message saying that she had just come home and her brother was still stuffed in his room, reminding him not to act impulsively.


    Zhou Jinheng was not impulsive. After entering the Jiang family¡¯s house, he bowed to the elder generation in a polite greeting. Just as he was about to explain his intention, there was a soft click from upstairs. Unexpectedly, the door opened.


    Jiang Yimang immediately climbed upstairs to meet Yi Hui. Jiang Xuemei hurriedly went to the kitchen to bring out the soup in the pot, raised her voice and shouted upstairs: ¡°Yi Hui, your friend is here, just in time to have lunch together.¡±


    Only Zhou Jinheng stayed as calm as ever. But it was only superficial; in fact, his heartbeat was thunderous. When he saw Yi Hui¡¯s thin ankles in slippers appear at the corner of the stairs, his brain was running insanely fast, trying to come up with what to say when they were face to face.


    Since he opened the door when he heard the movement and since he was willing to meet him, didn¡¯t it mean that everything was not just his wishful thinking and the little fool didn¡¯t hate him that much?


    This guess made Zhou Jinheng feel ecstatic, his joy no less than at the time he had found Yi Hui. He didn¡¯t care that this was someone else¡¯s house and strode forward, but the smile that had just raised the corners of his mouth froze when he saw Yi Hui.


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t come down empty-handed. He was holding a huge box in his hands, so big that it blocked him from being seen by the others. The blue yoga mat that was too long was sticking out of the box, very conspicuous.


    The box contained all the things he gave to Yi Hui.


    He didn¡¯t remember since when, but Zhou Jinheng developed a habit of thinking about Yi Hui in everything he did. Even if he was filming outside and finally had time to go to the store to buy some daily necessities, looking at the various things, he always wondered if Yi Hui needed it.


    Most of these things were handed over by Jiang Yimang and the feedback he got was ¡°my brother likes it very much.¡± Then why should he pack all these things that he liked very much together now?


    Zhou Jinheng wouldn¡¯t be presumptuous enough to think that he had bought identical things for him. He packed everything like this into a box, obviously he didn¡¯t want it and planned to throw it away.


    Jiang Yimang was anxious, persuading him as he went down the stairs: ¡°Brother, why did you pack up these things, where are you going to send them? Hey, brother, walk slowly, be careful on the steps¡­ Oh, don¡¯t throw it away if you are angry, money was spent buying it.¡±


    Hearing this, Yi Hui, who hadn¡¯t said a word since opening the door, suddenly reacted. He stood still in front of Zhou Jinheng with the box in his arms, looked sideways at Jiang Yimang, his eyebrows raised in puzzlement: ¡°Throw it away, why throw it away?¡±


    Jiang Yimang patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief: ¡°You scared me¡­ Let me just say, you two need to sit down and talk about it. Is there any conflict that can¡¯t be solved?¡±


    Yi Hui still had no expression when he turned. Zhou Jinheng tried to see if his movements were unnatural and was disguising something, but unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t find the slightest trace of anything. If it weren¡¯t for his shallow breathing when he spoke, he would be like a lifeless paper doll.


    He pushed the box in his hands forward: ¡°Yours, take it away.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s lips were half open, but he didn¡¯t know what to say. The script he had just typed in his mind disappeared in an instant, leaving nothing but a few words.


    It turned out that it was not to throw away, but to return to him.


    He subconsciously didn¡¯t want to raise his hands to pick it up, as if as long as he didn¡¯t take it, it could be regarded as if Yi Hui had never rejected him and had never thrown his heart away like unwanted garbage.


    It was definitely useless to refuse silently and reason told him that he should try to keep fighting. Zhou Jinheng suddenly remembered what he had brought and reached into his pocket to touch it.


    These hasty movements exposed his inner panic. When he took the ring out, he also carefully recognized the positive and negative aspects.


    This was the second time in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s life that he had opened a ring box, but it was far less calm than the first time. He knew that this was not the right time, but he didn¡¯t care. He just wanted to keep Yi Hui. As long as he could keep him, he could do whatever he wanted.


    He held the ring box in one hand and opened the lid in the other. When he opened it, the ring faced Yi Hui.


    ¡°This ring has been prepared a long time ago.¡± Maybe he was too nervous; he couldn¡¯t hear his own voice clearly. He only noticed that his adam¡¯s apple was trembling as he spoke, ¡°There is also a pair of bracelets left by my mother. She said they were for her daughter-in-law. I left in a hurry and didn¡¯t have time to bring them.¡±


    I¡¯ll show it to you when we get home ¨C Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t say this sentence. If Yi Hui showed anger or sadness, he had a reason to say more, but Yi Hui did not react. He simply did not have a chance to see the ¡°angry¡± that Jiang Yimang had mentioned.


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t even look at the ring and pushed the box forward again: ¡°Take it away.¡±


    Every time he said ¡°take it away¡±, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heart became cold. Fortunately, he was not so fragile that he could be easily defeated. Taking advantage of Jiang Yimang stepping forward to pick up the box, he walked up and took Yi Hui¡¯s hand to give him the ring.


    Whether you wear it or not, as long as you don¡¯t refuse, as long as you are willing to accept it, then it¡¯s okay.


    When he touched his skin, Yi Hui instinctively avoided him. He didn¡¯t hold the ring box firmly enough and it fell to the ground, the ring also fell out and bounced twice on the floor, rolling towards the door.


    It was Yi Hui who reacted quickly this time. He strode to the yard, bent over to pick up the ring as it rolled to the edge of the sewer, allowing Zhou Jinheng, who followed, to breathe a sigh of relief.


    He finally had to take a look at the ring.


    The ring as a whole was plain and simple, but the names of the two were engraved side by side in a conspicuous place. This was always the little fool¡¯s wish. When Zhou Jinheng pretended to be asleep, he laid on the side of the bed holding his hand and whispering.


    Seeing Yi Hui¡¯s eyes flicker, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heart came alive again. He instinctively took a step forward. Who knew that in the blink of an eye, Yi Hui would turn back, throw the ring in his hand into the box, pick up the box with great effort again and turn to Zhou Jinheng. Any light of surprise or grievance in his eyes was gone.


    ¡°It¡¯s all here, take it away.¡± Yi Hui said, ¡°Don¡¯t send anything in the future.¡±


    He had envisioned a lot of ¡°future¡± before, but now he took the initiative to cut it off.


    It sounded a bit selfish, but he didn¡¯t want to toss around with him anymore. It was enough to get here.


    The atmosphere plunged into silence. In the end, the two onlookers who did not know the situation lost their patience first. Jiang Xuemei put down her spatula and came out of the kitchen: ¡°What¡¯s the matter, why is it awkward? What is it, an overnight feud between children? Yi Hui, quickly put down the things and invite your friend for dinner.¡±


    Jiang Yimang also tried to smooth the situation and said, ¡°Yes, yes, let¡¯s eat first, only when we are full will we have the strength to continue making trouble.¡±


    He had no intention to listen but the word ¡±trouble¡± unexpectedly touched a certain string that Yi Hui was hiding in his heart. After replying ¡°not a friend¡±, he became impatient for no reason, used the box as a weapon and pushed the man standing at the door outside as he moved forward.


    Zhou Jinheng retreated steadily, only to come out of his stupor when he realized he retreated outside. He raised his hand to hold the door frame: ¡°HuiHui, listen to me, I know I was wrong, I will¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that, don¡¯t call me that¡­¡° At first it was a normal low tone, but then Yi Hui suddenly turned up the volume, almost yelling, ¡°You go!¡±


    When he screamed, the box that he had been holding for a long time couldn¡¯t bear the weight and a hole opened in the bottom and a pile of messy items fell out.


    There was a Doraemon-patterned umbrella, chocolate moulds, a scented candle, a doll, photo frames, puzzles, used scented essential oils, brushes, pigments and scattered packs of candies. Most of them were bought by Zhou Jinheng at the bottom of the mountain last year. The rest were given by Dora-Hum-Hum through the driver when he went to S City a few months ago.


    The former must have been untouched because of disgust, and the latter must have been put in his pocket and taken home as a souvenir.


    The scene in front of him was so ridiculous that Zhou Jinheng himself seemed to have just realized that the two of them were actually the same person.


    The little fool said he could not accept deception, not even deception using concern as a cover and he should have known it when he chose to cover his ears and steal the bell.


    The result was obvious. Yi Hui didn¡¯t want to merge them. If only one of the two people could survive, his choice was to kill Dora-Hum-Hum, who was good to him, and leave Zhou Jinheng, who had hurt him.


    Yi Hui squatted down and picked up the things scattered on the ground into the box again, asking Jiang Yimang to get the tape to repair the box.


    After that desperate roar just now, his body began to tremble uncontrollably, as if it had been torn apart like that box and a steady stream of real emotions was rushing out. The cracks got bigger and bigger and he could do nothing to stop it.


    He simply threw out the tape and then threw the things out one by one. Zhou Jinheng refused to pick them, so he threw them all on the cement floor outside. He didn¡¯t want any of them to stay in his home and he didn¡¯t want to see them again.


    ¡°Brother¡­ Brother, what are you doing? Stop it, didn¡¯t you say you won¡¯t throw them away?¡± Jiang Yimang couldn¡¯t stop Yi Hui and turned to pull Zhou Jinheng¡¯s sleeve bitterly, ¡°Say something quickly, hurry up and coax him!¡±


    Zhou Jinheng seemed to be speechless, standing there without a motion. When Yi Hui remembered something halfway and ran back into the house, he only watched him go in in a daze and then watched him walk out holding something.


    ¡°This one is yours too.¡±


    Yi Hui refused to even approach him this time, so he raised his hand and threw the thing from a distance of several metres. Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t dodge, letting the heavy object hit him head-on, swiping over the side of his face. The sharp metal corner cut an inch long slash on his skin.


    Amidst Jiang Yimang¡¯s screams, Zhou Jinheng raised his hand to wipe his face. When he saw the blood stain on the back of his hand, he still didn¡¯t feel any pain.


    Hearing Yi Hui say ¡±you can go now,¡± he lowered his eyes and looked at the ferris wheel pendant lying on the ground. He remembered that the little fool had hung it on his backpack, cherished it in the palm of his hand and fiddled with its long and dense tassels.


    The dazzling sunlight hit his eyes, reflected by the broken diamonds on the disk, and Zhou Jinheng remembered in a daze that evening four years ago when the colourful lights of the ferris wheel suddenly lit up, a warm, soft light had fallen over them.


    At that time, his little fool was red-faced and close to him, wanting to hold his hand but not daring, so he had to look up at him from time to time, afraid that he would leave him behind.


    At that time, his little fool still loved him.


    And now, the little fool who was no longer stupid was standing so far away from him, packing all his thoughtful gifts and returning them, refusing even to give him looks of pity.


    No one stopped him, and the metal door closed smoothly this time.


    The moment it was about to close, Yi Hui¡¯s eyes swept through the crack in the door and saw Zhou Jinheng standing in place as if he had lost his soul, his gaze still locked on him, desperately refusing to give up. His eyes were bloodshot and the wound on his face shocking.


    After closing the door and locking it, Yi Hui felt his inner support gone. His whole body suddenly went limp, his legs so soft that he could hardly stand. It was as if he had experienced a life and death situation. He didn¡¯t have enough strength to clench a fist, his flaccid palms was full of cold sweat.


    Back in the room, Yi Hui saw Jiang Yimang bite her lip and hold back her tears and knew that she felt aggrieved. If she hadn¡¯t thought him to be her brother, she wouldn¡¯t have let him into the house at all.


    He had to use this opportunity to give her an explanation and a legitimate reason for his crazy behaviour just now.


    Yi Hui patted the empty seat by the bed: ¡°Sit down.¡±


    Jiang Yimang sat down reluctantly, without turning her face and looking at Yi Hui, said sullenly: ¡°If you have something to say, say it quickly, I still need to give HengHeng medicine for his injuries.¡±


    Yi Hui took two tissues and handed them over: ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what happened between me and him?¡± The hysterical voice was dry and hoarse. He swallowed a mouthful of air and barely stopped the trembling of his breaths, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you now.¡±

 CH 40

    Chapter 40


    The afternoon in the south was very hot, and even with the windows closed, the sound of cicadas was still noisy.


    Yi Hui had hardly slept last night. He wanted to lie down for a while after dinner, but when he closed his eyes, his heart was beating fast and hard and his eyelids were also pulsing badly. After turning over and changing his position several times, he simply got out of bed, walked to the table and sat down.


    When he looked up, he felt that the room was much more empty. Realizing that it was because he had cleaned up too many things, Yi Hui rubbed his forehead, then opened the drawer, took out a pen holder, a box of tissues and other stuff that had been put away to make room for those things and filled the empty spaces one by one.


    After lying down on the table and resting for a while, Yi Hui reached out to the bedside in a daze to touch the Doraemon puzzle he was putting together. After groping for a long time, he didn¡¯t touch anything. The quiet fragrance lingering in the room also disappeared. Yi Hui suddenly opened his eyes and woke up completely.


    When he went downstairs, he could only hear his own footsteps. Jiang Xuemei and Jiang Yimang were both in their rooms. The loquat tree in the yard stood alone. Occasionally, the wind blew the leaves, making them rustle slightly. Everything was quiet as if nothing had happened.


    Entering the studio and looking at the painting board standing by the window, Yi Hui felt a little strange.


    Since he started using a tablet, he had rarely come here to paint. Even if he painted by hand, he would rather be in the yard, because he could hear the laughter and voices of passers-by there and could be the first to catch the footsteps of his family coming back.


    This dream had been going on for so long that he almost thought it was real.


    There was no Dora-Hum-Hum at all, and such a good mother and sister did not belong to him. He should have learned enough lessons in his previous life, but only now had he figured out how to write the words ¡±wishful thinking¡±.


    Jiang Yimang didn¡¯t say hello to Yi Hui when she went to school in the afternoon. In the studio he heard the sound of the metal door closing. He wanted to go out and have a look, but he was afraid that the man hadn¡¯t left yet. He only stood at the door for a while and made sure that Jiang Yimang had gone far before going back to his room.


    Before lunch, Yi Hui told her everything; including what happened before he took over the body, including Jiang Yihui¡¯s death.


    No matter how quick and lively Jiang Yimang was, she couldn¡¯t help but be shocked when she heard a fantastic story like that. Halfway through Yi Hui¡¯s story, she raised her hand and motioned him to stop: ¡°Wait, wait¡­ In other words, you know that this is someone else¡¯s body but you didn¡¯t tell us anything and occupied it with a peace of mind for more than half a year?¡±


    She was right; Yi Hui had no words to justify himself and could only say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Thinking about it carefully, his behaviour was no different from that of the man who approached him under a fake name. Whether it was out of kindness or for self-protection, it was deception anyway.


    If he could return this body to Jiang Yihui, even if he were to return it immediately, he would have done it without saying a word.


    He shouldn¡¯t have been alive in the first place.


    When he didn¡¯t know what he could do, he chose to paint.


    In the middle of the afternoon, Yi Hui mixed the colours and was about to dip his brush when his mobile phone suddenly vibrated.


    It was a message from Jiang Yimang: Did you tell Mom?


    She stopped calling him ¡±brother¡±. He calculated the time; she must have thought about it for two full classes. Yi Hui sighed and replied: Not yet


    Jiang Yimang: Tell her as soon as possible


    Then another one was sent: If Mom has no opinion, I can accept it


    Yi Hui was a little confused, not sure what she meant by these words. When he was just about to ask, Jiang Yimang changed the subject and said: Is it true what you said about Zhou Jinheng?


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t know how much she could believe him and replied hopelessly: True, except for concealing my identity and not telling you, everything else is true


    Jiang Yimang replied with the word ¡±good¡±.


    Unable to see her, Yi Hui felt uncertain, staring at the clock and waiting anxiously.


    Seeing that it was the break between classes again, he planned to send a message and say something else, but Jiang Yimang took the lead: At noon I couldn¡¯t accept it for a while and was a bit fierce. And for talking about marriage without knowing the situation¡­ Sorry


    Yi Hui stared at the screen, unable to believe his eyes.


    He didn¡¯t expect to get his sister¡¯s understanding so quickly, and in turn, receive her apology.


    He typed a few words at a loss. Jiang Yimang didn¡¯t seem to plan to wait for his reply. She just said what he wanted to say: I thought that you were sick for a while and seemed to become a new person. It turned out that I was not attentive enough, it was really a new person.


    Yi Hui was still dumbfounded. His reason told him that Jiang Yimang had already figured it out and accepted it. Emotionally, he still felt that he was unforgivable: Don¡¯t you hate me?


    Jiang Yimang: Why should I hate you? This kind of thing was arranged by God, it¡¯s not you who planned it. Besides, you treat me and Mom so well, I¡¯m not blind¡­ Thank you for these days.


    Yi Hui read this message back and forth several times, until tears flowed and the words on the screen could not be seen clearly.


    With his tears streaming down and laughing at the same time, he felt stupid. A few hours ago, he wanted to give his life back. Now he felt terribly in love with this world and this family. He was in his twenties, this hypocrisy was ridiculous.


    On this day, Jiang Yimang came back earlier than Jiang Xuemei. The first thing she did when she got home and put down her school bag was not to look for something to eat or turn on the computer to surf the Internet. She took out the cross stitch that was almost finished, spread it out on a small wooden table in the yard and then looked for a lighter everywhere.


    The only lighter in the family was bought by Yi Hui for the scented candle. After searching in the house for a long time, she remembered that he had thrown it out with the pile of things in the morning.


    Jiang Yimang took some money and ran out. Yi Hui followed to the door worriedly. Jiang Yimang put her hand on the doorknob and suddenly turned around when she was about to open it: ¡°Promise me not to go out. And no matter what happens, you are not allowed to open the door.¡±


    Yi Hui nodded blankly. Seeing Jiang Yimang pull open the metal door and then look left and right before going out, he belatedly remembered that the man might still be here.


    The shop was less than two hundred meters away across the road, but Jiang Yimang had been there for fifteen minutes. When she came back, her eyes were red and she sniffed, as if she had cried.


    Yi Hui asked her what was wrong. Her mouth flattened and she was about to cry again: ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to him, I don¡¯t want to talk to him¡­ why is he so annoying! Fancy that, I liked him so much, fancy that, I trusted him so much, thinking that you were just making trouble, fancy that, I still wanted to give him medicine for his injury, bah, let him hurt to death¡­¡±


    After cursing for a while, she let it all out and as if she had finally found a reason to cry. Jiang Yimang burst into tears, continued to  curse without minding her appearance: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you throw everything at him today, just smash him silly? B*stards, men are all b*stards!¡±


    Yi Hui hurriedly handed her a paper towel and explained, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to smash him¡­ I, I am also a man.¡±


    ¡°Just b*stards, they¡¯re all b*stards!¡± Jiang Yimang looked like a woman whose heart was broken by a scumbag, wiping her tears fiercely while talking nonsense, ¡°Zhou Jinheng is an *sshole, and Jiang Yihui is also an asshole. When he was alive, he had a stinky face and was not good to me or Mom. Who allowed him to leave without saying a word? I called him ¡°brother¡± so many times since I was a kid, did I call him that for nothing? He¡¯s so cheap, he didn¡¯t fulfill his obligation to be a brother. Who allowed him to leave?¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s heart was sour when he heard it.


    Before confessing, he knew they would be hurt, but he couldn¡¯t hide it anymore. During the day, he could still spend his time in the shade of the trees, but once the sun went down, he would always be enveloped in a strong sense of guilt and his dreams at midnight were full of dark people, pointing at him and scolding him for taking over the magpie¡¯s nest and for stealing someone¡¯s life.


    Rebirth was not what he wished for, but he did occupy this body and enjoy the love that did not belong to him. He had an obligation to tell them the truth, and in fairness to them, they should also be informed of the truth.


    Jiang Yimang¡¯s tears started when she said that and once the gates were opened, she couldn¡¯t stop.


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t know how to coax her and kept saying sorry. Jiang Yimang, who was sobbing, glared at him: ¡°What are you sorry for? He wronged you¡­ Don¡¯t worry, I will keep your secret. Won¡¯t tell him a word, see if I¡¯m not mad at him!¡±


    Yi Hui did not expect Jiang Yimang to ¡°turn from pink to black¡± in an instant. His thoughts were pessimistic; it was good enough to be forgiven but Jiang Yimang had known that man longer than she knew him. Even if she was angry at first, after some time her feelings would come back.


    After all, he was a famous actor. As an actor, he was dedicated and excellent, no one would dislike him.


    Unexpectedly, Jiang Yimang saw everything as either black or white, and since she said she didn¡¯t love him, she wouldn¡¯t love him. When she piled up the photo posters and the cross stitch in the yard and prepared to light the fire, Yi Hui stopped her and persuaded her to think about it again. With a wave of her hand, she lit a rolled-up piece of white paper and threw it down gracefully: ¡°Idols or something are not as important as my brother. Bye bye, you!¡±


    As a result, the things failed to burn. The weather was humid, and the fire was extinguished by the wind after a short while.


    The two looked at each other and burst into tears and laughter.


    The heavy atmosphere was relieved by this laughter. Under Yi Hui¡¯s persuasion, Jiang Yimang abandoned the environmentally friendly practice of burning, found a plastic bag to put those things in and told Yi Hui as she packed them: ¡°Mom will be back later, don¡¯t tell her I was burning things in the yard.¡±


    When it came to his mother, Yi Hui¡¯s mood suddenly became melancholy again: ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t tell.¡±


    Jiang Yimang pushed him with her elbow: ¡°Are you afraid that Mom will be sad?¡±


    Yi Hui gave a low ¡°en¡±.


    Jiang Yimang quickly packed up the things and held her chin in a daze, as if struggling with what to say.


    ¡°Actually, don¡¯t worry too much.¡± She said at the end, ¡°From what I can see, Mom might have known a long time ago.¡±


    The turmoil calmed down by nightfall.


    After seeing Jiang Xuemei walk into the house, Zhou Jinheng leaned against the wall and stood for a long time. When the lights in the kitchen and dining room went out and the lights upstairs went on, he had time to look away and coughed as soon as he lowered his head.


    He had no water all day and his throat was very dry. Last year there was Jiang Yimang who sneaked out to him to deliver messages and, along the way, brought him some food and drinks. This time even the fan was offended and he might have to starve to death here.


    He could make a joke but he couldn¡¯t laugh. Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t know what was the point of staying here. He just didn¡¯t want to leave, fearing that once he left, he would not find anyone when he came back.


    He didn¡¯t dare to knock on the door, because he knew that even if the door opened, he would be blasted out again.


    At this moment, the wound on his cheek began to hurt faintly, and Zhou Jinheng thought that he might have some karma with this place as he was injured every time he came here.


    But this pain was nothing, the pain in his heart was worse.


    He watched the things being thrown out and felt so much pain. How much it must have hurt his little fool to put these things that he used to treasure one by one into the box and then throw them out the door one by one.


    He deserved it, but what did the little fool do wrong? It was just that in the previous life, he had looked at the wrong person, he had fallen in love with the wrong person and now he had to be haunted by himself again in this life. No wonder he didn¡¯t want to see him, no wonder he wanted to smash him, and no wonder he didn¡¯t want to go home with him.


    Raising his hand and touching the wound on his cheek, Zhou Jinheng thought bittersweetly that it needed to be taken care of as soon as possible. The little fool was a face-con, although he did not not admit it, being ¡°handsome¡± was clearly his primary criteria for choosing a mate.


    Yang Chengxuan called later, and Zhou Jinheng asked him to bring medicine for the injury if he wanted to come over. Yang Chengxuan said in surprise, ¡°Did he hit you?¡±


    ¡°No, I accidentally bumped into something.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan didn¡¯t believe it: ¡°How many times have I told you that it¡¯s not Yi Hui. You can just find a substitute, fine, but what¡¯s the point of playing around and getting yourself involved?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not playing.¡± Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°He is not a substitute either.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan didn¡¯t go hopping mad this time but said with a sneer: ¡°I think you have really been smitten. Wait, Lao Zi will bring you a few good things to wake you up.¡±


    Hanging up the phone, Zhou Jinheng bent his legs and sat down at the wall, intending to spend the night here.


    In such a desperate situation, he still didn¡¯t forget to smooth out the hem of his clothes. Yi Hui had to go out some time. Maybe he could meet him again tomorrow, so he can¡¯t look too wretched.


    It¡¯s not easy to meet, so he had to make a good impression.


    As he thought this, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s sanity was already beginning to fade. After more than ten hours of travel and the lack of timely treatment of his wound, he had a fever in the middle of the night when the heat had subsided and the temperature had dropped.


    His head was groggy. He fell asleep but thought he was still awake, and when he woke up, he thought he was dreaming.


    In the dream, his little fool held the Doraemon doll in his right hand and stretched out his left hand to him, smiling and asking him to take him home.


    The first rays of sunlight in the early morning fell on his body, and he opened his eyes to see that it was not the man in the dream in front of him. Zhou Jinheng exhaled a burning breath through his nose, felt physical discomfort, frowned and said dumbly: ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Yang Chengxuan grabbed his arm and pulled him up, saying fiercely: ¡°If I didn¡¯t come, you would have died here!¡±


    After being helped to the car, Zhou Jinheng raised his hand and pressed his temple: ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can¡¯t die.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan didn¡¯t get into the car, walked around with his arms crossed a few times to dissipate some of his anger and returned to face Zhou Jinheng, still not in a good mood: ¡°I have never seen you in love like this before. Squatting by the door for love? Is there any trick I haven¡¯t seen before, why don¡¯t you use them all at once and let me watch it live?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng found a bottle of water in the back seat, unscrewed it and took a few gulps: ¡°I¡¯ve used them all. Help me think whether there are any other tricks.¡±


    ¡°F*ck tricks, if I knew that helping you would make you such a mess, I would have cut off ties with you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too late.¡± Zhou Jinheng stretched out his legs to get out of the car, but his limbs were too weak and he couldn¡¯t stand up. He closed his eyes and pulled the corners of his mouth into a dry smile, ¡°For the sake of us being friends, let me take a break and I will go down right away.¡±


    ¡°Driving me away, right? Okay, I¡¯ll leave.¡° When Yang Chengxuan saw his appearance, he was so angry that he didn¡¯t want to care about him anymore. He reached inside the compartment near the driver¡¯s seat, took out a palm-sized handbag and threw it into Zhou Jinheng¡¯s arms. ¡°Then please look at it for the sake of us being friends. Take a look at these things I worked so hard to get for you.  Don¡¯t blame me for not waking you up from your madness when you get your normal brain back.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng thought there was injury medicine in the bag. He reached in and touched a stack of paper. The first page was headed with the words ¡°Medical Certificate of Death¡± in large black letters, and the name of the deceased, Yi Hui, was written in the next line.


    Thin sheets of paper with the word ¡°death¡± in each column, the date of death, the place of death, the cause of death; the whole document was filled with incomprehensible things.


    Zhou Jinheng scanned through the pages in a single glance, turning them quickly. The next one was a cremation certificate, with Yi Hui¡¯s name also written in the field for the name of the deceased.


    ¡°Why are you giving me these?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s voice was calm, but his hands shook so much that he couldn¡¯t hold the paper. As he hastily folded back a few sheets of paper, a photo caught inside slipped into his lap. It was a black and white photo of a man smiling innocently, showing two small pointed tiger teeth, exactly as he had seen from afar in the funeral hall.


    ¡°What am I doing? Using ironclad facts to prove to you that he is dead.¡± Yang Chengxuan said. He pointed at the small courtyard of the Jiang family not far away, then turned back and poked the man in the photo, saying with a sneer, ¡°Who the hell is that in there? Zhou Jinheng, how old are you, do you still believe in reincarnation?¡±

 CH 41

    Chapter 41


    That day, Yi Hui got up earlier than before. When he went downstairs, he saw Jiang Yimang already sitting at the dining table. There were the sounds of pots and pans colliding in the kitchen, Jiang Xuemei was cooking.


    Jiang Yimang made an ¡°ok¡± gesture, indicating that their mother was in a good state now, so he might as well give it a try. Yi Hui slowly moved to the kitchen door, then turned around and sat down at the dining table, lowered his head and buried his face in his arms.


    Jiang Yimang dragged a chair to his side, leaned over and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, you have to say it anyway. Didn¡¯t you say that you need to pass this hurdle in your heart?¡±


    Yi Hui shook his head sullenly.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, it¡¯s better to just do it.¡± Jiang Yimang was actually nervous, took a few deep breaths, and then persuaded, ¡°She is a mother, how can she not tell? The more you pretend not to know, the more unbearable you feel.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t want his mother to feel unbearable; no matter how panicked he was. He gritted his teeth and went into the kitchen. He plucked up his courage to speak but was robbed of the opportunity by Jiang Xuemei.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Jiang Xuemei dropped little lumps of dough into the boiling pot and said smiling, ¡°Go out and wait, you can eat in a while.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t leave, rubbing the seams of his pants with both hands, as if a child who had made a mistake: ¡°Mom, I¡­¡±


    He was unable to finish speaking. Jiang Xuemei put down the plate in her hand and pushed him out: ¡°Go, go, it¡¯s very hot here, go out and blow the fan.¡±


    Yi Hui moved two steps and refused to leave. Courage was not easy to come by and if he didn¡¯t say it, he didn¡¯t know how long it would be delayed.


    He turned his head and said, ¡°Mom, I have something to tell you.¡±


    Jiang Xuemei was a little anxious: ¡°Is there anything we can¡¯t talk about after dinner? Go back and sit down.¡±


    Jiang Yimang stood up and helped: ¡°Mom, just listen to him.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, haven¡¯t the clothes in the yard dried yet?¡° Jiang Xuemei couldn¡¯t overcome the siblings. She wiped her hands on her apron casually and then moved to go out. ¡°I¡¯ll go and pick up the clothes first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to pick them up, I¡¯m going to, Mom, have a good chat with my brother.¡± Jiang Yimang hurried out after saying that.


    Her job was robbed. Jiang Xuemei intended to go back to her room: ¡°The things I brought back from the factory yesterday haven¡¯t been sorted out yet, I¡¯ll¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    With this loud shout, Jiang Xuemei paused and forgot what she was saying for a while.


    Yi Hui stepped forward and took her arm: ¡°Mom¡­ you knew it a long time ago, right?¡±


    After he spoke out, a wave of ease swept over him, overriding the anxiety in his heart. Even the worst result was also within the range he could bear, so what couldn¡¯t be said?


    The boiling water in the pot was no longer heated by the stove and gradually turned from bubbling to calm. Time went very slowly, enough to dig out many things that were intentionally or unintentionally ignored in the past. From the depths of their memory, they were spread them out in the open to re-examine.


    Yi Hui remembered that Jiang Xuemei had looked at him more than once, and when he noticed it, she would smile and say that he had grown up, seeming to be in a daze. Every time he ate sweets, or when he was sad and cried because of the plagiarism scandal, or when he took the initiative to reduce the burden on his family¡­ Every time he made all the choices that were different from Jiang Yihui in the past, Jiang Xuemei¡¯s heart was struggling.


    No one knows a son better than a mother; the slightest change in her son could not escape her eyes, let alone a new person?


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t imagine how much pain the middle-aged woman in front of him had experienced, and didn¡¯t know how to comfort her, so he gently pulled her sleeve again, choked and called, ¡±Mom¡­¡±


    He had two mothers, they both loved him very much and they both had given him the best things they had.


    For his two lifetimes that were neither long nor short he had been trying his best to strive for the so-called happiness. However, now he knew that true happiness did not need to be pursued at all. He, who had double the love, even if only for a while, was the happiest man in the world.


    This time Jiang Xuemei stepped forward and took Yi Hui into her arms.


    ¡°Good boy, don¡¯t cry, Mom is here.¡± She stroked Yi Hui¡¯s hair. She told him not to cry but burst into tears herself, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom is not sad. No matter who you are, you are a good child for your mother.¡±


    On Saturday that day, when the fierce noon sun was slanting westward, a canopy was erected in the courtyard of the Jiang family, and the family of three sat under the loquat tree to cool off.


    Yi Hui picked up the embroidery of ¡°if the family lives in harmony, all affairs will prosper¡± that had been on hold for a long time and sat cross-legged on a wicker chair to embroider intently. Jiang Yimang was pounding on a handful of touch-me-nots that Aunt Qiu had just delivered, saying that she would use them to paint her nails.


    ¡°Add the right amount of salt and mash it with the petals¡­¡± Jiang Yimang finished reading the steps on her phone and muttered, ¡°What is the right amount?¡±


    She dug a large spoonful of salt from the kitchen. Yi Hui was shocked when he saw it and hurriedly stuck the needle into the cloth to grab the spoon: ¡°I¡¯ll add it, you keep pounding. I have an idea how much should be put in.¡±


    He took a pinch of salt and added it to the garlic mortar little by little. After pounding it for a while, Jiang Yimang jumped up with excitement: ¡°The color is out, the color is out, the red is so beautiful!¡±


    Jiang Xuemei, who came out holding a few washed leaves, laughed at her fuss: ¡°When we were kids, we used this as nail polish. Could we do it if the color didn¡¯t come out?¡±


    Even though Yi Hui liked flowers, it was the first time that he had heard that flowers had such a purpose. Seeing his face full of curiosity, Jiang Yimang grabbed his hand: ¡°I think it¡¯s almost there, brother, come and help me try a colour!¡±


    As the only male in the family, Yi Hui would never refuse his sister¡¯s request. He stretched out his hand obediently and let Jiang Yimang apply the freshly pounded mixture to his nails.


    ¡°Your fingers are so long.¡± Jiang Yimang muttered enviously, ¡°Do you artists always have such beautiful hands?¡±


    Jiang Yihui¡¯s hands were inherited from his deceased father, white and slender. Yi Hui knew that the ¡°you¡± in Jiang Yimang¡¯s mouth included him in his previous life, so he seriously recalled it and said, ¡°Before, my hands were ugly, my palms were small, and my fingers were short.¡±


    Jiang Yimang curled her lips: ¡°I don¡¯t believe it, don¡¯t force me to check your photos on the Internet.¡±


    Yi Hui smiled and said, ¡°At that time, I had a scar on my hand. I didn¡¯t go out much, so you shouldn¡¯t be able to find any photos.¡±


    When he mentioned his sadness inadvertently, Jiang Yimang said smartly, ¡°I just don¡¯t believe it. You are always too humble. You used to say that you were not good at painting, but you just participated in a competition and won a gold medal.¡±


    She was talking about the live painting competition that he went to the capital to participate in when he first came here.


    Yi Hui said: ¡°It was really not good, there are still many things to learn.¡±


    While Jiang Xuemei was not paying attention, Jiang Yimang whispered in Yi Hui¡¯s ear: ¡°That painting¡­ was it him painted in it?¡±


    Yi Hui knew that ¡°he¡± referred to Zhou Jinheng. Now that he had confessed everything, there was no need to hide it. He nodded: ¡°En.¡±


    After receiving a positive answer, Jiang Yimang said with a chuckle: ¡°A loss, a big loss.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t understand, so he said, ¡°What loss?¡±


    Jiang Yimang snorted: ¡°An authentic painting of yours is worth a lot of money, so you gave it to him for nothing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about ¡®authenticity¡¯.¡° Yi Hui didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or to cry, ¡°I didn¡¯t paint him on purpose. Strictly speaking, I violated his portrait rights.¡±


    Jiang Yimang was still angry for him. She painted two of his fingers, wrapped them in the leaves and then leaned in slyly and asked, ¡°Then you¡­ do you still like him?¡±


    Yi Hui was taken aback for a moment, and his gaze fell on the embroidered cloth that was slightly out of focus.


    He didn¡¯t ask this question in his mind and answered with his instincts, ¡°Not anymore.¡±


    How could he still like him?


    He didn¡¯t like him for a long time.


    The Jiang family of three spent a whole day and a half at home without going out.


    In the afternoon of the weekend, he had an appointment to see Dr. Liu. Before going out, Jiang Yimang gave Yi Hui a mask. After looking left and right, she still felt that it was not enough. She found sunglasses in the bottom drawer and raised herself tiptoe to put them on his face.


    Yi Hui felt that she was too anxious, so he took off the sunglasses and put them on the table by the door: ¡°I don¡¯t need them. I can¡¯t see the way clearly when I wear them.¡±


    He just didn¡¯t want his family to worry about him. Who knew that when he went out and raised his eyes, he really saw someone with a hideous wound on his face that had barely scabbed.


    Resisting the urge to turn around and hide in the house, Yi Hui bypassed Zhou Jinheng without blinking his eyes and walked straight to the van parked on the side of the road.


    As soon as he took two steps, his hand was grabbed.


    ¡°I have something to say, give me some time.¡± Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°Five minutes is enough.¡±


    Yi Hui took a deep breath, turned his head and motioned to Jiang Yimang and Jiang Xuemei not to get involved and let him handle it by himself. Then he pulled his arm out of Zhou Jinheng¡¯s grip and turned to face him: ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s hand still maintained the position as if he held his wrist, but now he was holding air. He squeezed the ring in the palm of his other hand tightly and then turned to face Yi Hui.


    Yi Hui noticed that he was still wearing the shirt from the day before yesterday, its hem half stuffed in his pants, letting one see his body that became much thinner in less than two days. His face was haggard and his lips were pale, as if he was sick.


    He said in a low voice: ¡°It is my fault approaching you under another identity.¡° Perhaps because of his sickness, his momentum was much weaker than usual and his aggressive edge seemed to be dulled, ¡°I¡­ I really couldn¡¯t help it.¡±


    For two days and two nights, Zhou Jinheng reviewed the experience of the past half a year.  Whether from a rational point of view or in the context of emotions, even if he was given a chance to start over, he would still do it.


    His little fool wouldn¡¯t let him approach, he could only do this.


    Zhou Jinheng licked his chapped lips: ¡°If you can accept him and don¡¯t hate him, just treat me as him, okay? It doesn¡¯t matter if you treat me as him for a lifetime.¡±


    Yi Hui never thought that the words ¡±for a lifetime¡± would come out of Zhou Jinheng¡¯s mouth. But this assumption was too absurd, even more absurd than Zhou Jinheng pestering him in the little hopes to achieve something.


    He didn¡¯t know what his expression looked like hidden behind the mask. He might be laughing or indifferent. He said: ¡°You are not him.¡±


    Dora-Hum-Hum, who was regarded as a friend by Yi Hui, was not killed by him personally, but never existed.


    Even if Dora-Hum-Hum was still there, he should have known how much he hated lies, especially when he was tempted with what he desired the most and then brutally torn apart by the truth when he was defenseless


    In his previous life, he was tempted by the beautiful fragrance that he had never tasted before and willingly walked into the cage, crawled on the ground and was trampled into the mud. It was not until the end of his life that he knew that this beautiful cage had never existed at all. Everything was an illusion made up of lies.


    Anyone who knew him a little bit should have known that he could endure loneliness and pain, but he could not tolerate deception.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face turned pale again, as if the last trace of vitality had been wiped out.


    Yi Hui was about to leave after speaking. Zhou Jinheng was like a man who had walked into a dead end. He pinned his last hope on the promise he had made and said anxiously: ¡°You said you would go home with me, you promised me.¡±


    A casual statement was nothing similar to a promise. Yi Hui remembered that stormy typhoon night, the secret friendship in the dark, how soft his heart had been at that time, and how cold and hard it was now.


    ¡°However, I am not him.¡± Yi Hui raised his hand and pulled down the mask to expose his entire face. Facing Zhou Jinheng¡¯s sharp eyes, he smiled and asked indifferently, ¡°Take a good look, who am I?¡±


    When he first entered the entertainment circle, in order to hone his acting skills, Zhou Jinheng did many no object performance exercises by himself.


    The van had driven away a long way and the dust lifted by it had all settled. He realized that just now he was doing a no object performance exercise. From beginning to end, he was the only one full of emotion, the process of hope changing to death performed to the fullest.


    However, there was no response. He was facing an emotionless person as if he was facing empty air.


    That person recited lines that did not belong to the script in an indifferent voice, like a bystander who did not want to cooperate.


    Bystander¡­This metaphor made Zhou Jinheng panic suddenly.


    If that person was a bystander, what about the other protagonist who should have stayed with him in the story?


    Where was his little fool? What about the little fool who would cry for him and laugh for him, saying that he wanted to be with him for the rest of his life?


    The house in S City was empty and the ring that should have been worn on his ring finger was still in his palm. Where had his little fool gone?


    Looking around blankly, Zhou Jinheng, who seemed to have fallen into a deep nightmare, finally woke up.


    They say that when people face life-threatening dilemmas, it will stimulate previously unknown abilities. Zhou Jinheng thought it turned out to be true.


    He cleared the thorns on the road, kicked away the debris under his feet and ran in the direction of the light, only to find that the light was false, a mirage, and those obstacles along the way that he ignored and that prevented him from moving forward were the real thing.


    The barren mountain illuminated by police lights, the funeral hall with people coming and going, the death certificate in black and white and the face that could not completely overlap with the face of the man in the black and white photo¡­¡­


    Zhou Jinheng slowly squatted down, put his arms around his head and dug his fingers into his unkempt hair. As his fists loosened, the ring squeezed in his palm slid down through his hair.


    As if letting go of the last straw.


    In the first acting class, the teacher said that if you acted well, you could deceive others, but if you didn¡¯t act well, you could only deceive yourself.


    He had won countless acting awards since his debut, and he was also known as the youngest actor of the century, but now, he couldn¡¯t even fool himself.

 CH 42

    Chapter 42


    When they got home at night, there was no one around. Jiang Yimang looked everywhere in the front and back of the courtyard, making sure that no one was hiding there to jump into the house: ¡°Okay, brother, you can continue to paint in the courtyard.¡±


    Yi Hui glanced at her before she realized what she had said, scratched her head embarrassedly, and added, ¡°Last year, he used to wander around outside the door. Later, I started to help him give gifts, and he left¡­ I swear, I will never help him again!¡±


    Yi Hui could actually guess that this was the case, otherwise he couldn¡¯t explain why every gift he got was exactly something he needed or something that felt close to his heart.


    After he accepted both Jiang Yimang¡¯s apology and her oath, everything was resolved; however, Yi Hui didn¡¯t feel relaxed. Late at night, he was lying on the bed tossing and turning, facing the window and looking at the courtyard wall under the streetlamp. Whether he opened his eyes or closed his eyes tightly, the figure hovering under the wall was always lingering in front of him.


    For a while, the man stood leaning against the wall with his arms folded, and then he slowly lowered his head and squatted down. The sky was huge outside, but the man stubbornly stayed outside the courtyard and refused to leave.


    His shoulders were hunched and his body exhausted. If you looked closer, you could see his face was the same as that during the day. His eyes were hollow and his pupils dim. The aura of bouquets and applause that always surrounded him seemed to evaporate without a trace.


    The next morning, he saw the news that ¡°Zhou Jinheng returned to the crew late at night, suspected of breach of contract¡± in Weibo headlines, but Yi Hui didn¡¯t really feel that he had left.


    The man often made headlines on hot searches; maybe it was a gimmick to build momentum for a movie. Yi Hui slid over the news, cut to the notification interface and clicked on a certain dialog box from habit. After scanning around and not finding anything, he realized that the present was different from the past. Then he lowered his eyes and logged out of Weibo absent-mindedly.


    Habits always penetrate into your life silently, and inadvertently fill every inch of the available space. But since a habit can be cultivated, it can definitely be changed too. All it takes is time.


    With this idea in mind, Yi Hui got busy again. The only thing he had to think about every day was how to fill the gap in his time with other life chores, so that he was too busy to remember anything and no one can invade his dreams.


    It might not seem easy, but it was not very difficult to do. Besides, there was a stroke of bad luck. With Jiang Xuemei fainting and being hospitalized due to a sudden heart attack and her life rescued at the last moment, Yi Hui both had to catch up with his drafts and go to the hospital to look after his mother. Life suddenly became busy, even his sleep time was cut short.


    There was no history of heart disease in Jiang Xuemei¡¯s family. The doctor said that her sudden symptoms were caused by excessive sadness and overwork.


    She fainted in the studio that day, still tightly holding in her hand the painting of the Jiang family courtyard left by Jiang Yihui. Yi Hui knew that it was not so easy for her to pass the hurdle in her heart. She was a mother. Even if she didn¡¯t say it, she still missed her dead biological son.


    Because of this, the more Yi Hui took care of her without any complaint, the more upset Jiang Xuemei became.


    That day, Jiang Yimang went to school. Yi Hui brought his notebook and the tablet to the hospital to watch the patient overnight and rush his draft. Jiang Xuemei woke up and saw him napping with his head against the wall, raised her hand to touch his hair and said weakly: ¡°Go back to sleep, Mom is fine.¡±


    Yi Hui raised his head, rubbed his eyes and said, ¡°I just closed my eyes for a while. I have to draw all night to meet the deadline.¡±


    The middle-aged woman in the next bed glanced at them enviously and said to her husband: ¡°We both gave birth to them, but look at that family¡¯s son and then look at ours, really can not compare.¡±


    A smile appeared on Jiang Xuemei¡¯s pale face and she held Yi Hui¡¯s hand, faint tears in her eyes: ¡°Mom really feels much better. Let¡¯s stop staying here, leave the hospital and go home to paint.¡±


    Parents always ignore or downplay their physical discomfort in order to pacify their children. Yi Hui had experience in this, so he didn¡¯t listen to Jiang Xuemei and arranged a general examination for her before she was discharged from the hospital.


    After this examination, other problems were found. During the MRI, it was found that there was a shadow in her lungs. Further special examinations were performed. When the test sheet was obtained, it indicated the presence of tumours in the lungs. Yi Hui¡¯s head buzzed as if a heavy object crashed down on him.


    In his previous life, his mother died of cancer. The word ¡°tumour¡± was like a boulder falling from the sky, so heavy that he was powerless to resist it.


    The doctor comforted: ¡°It was discovered quite early, there are no metastases yet. Timely surgical resection may be able to provide good control.¡±


    Yi Hui was no longer the fool who had little idea of how the real world worked, so he immediately asked about the treatment plan and the cost.


    ¡°If you have medical insurance, the cost of the surgery is okay.¡± The doctor told him truthfully and asked him to be mentally prepared, ¡°But the cost of post-treatment and nursing care is a problem, and long-term hospitalization for observation is required after the surgery¡­ Is Jiang Xuemei the only parent in your family?¡±


    At the same time, in the capital, Zhou Jinheng came out of the hospital.


    There was a group of reporters surrounding the door, having learned the news of his damaged looks from some unknown source. They rushed to ask him questions, talking all at once, pushing their cameras into his face.


    Fortunately, he put on a mask before going out. Zhou Jinheng got into the car under the protection of Xiao Lin. He didn¡¯t say a word and didn¡¯t answer a question during the walk from the hospital to the car that was filmed in detail.


    When the car started, Xiao Lin asked him where he was going next. Zhou Jinheng took off his mask, raised his hand, touched the wound that had just been coated with disinfectant and said, ¡°Filming crew.¡±


    ¡°You in this state¡­¡± Xiao Lin said embarrassedly, ¡°why don¡¯t you go to a medical beauty institution for consultation first, maybe you can get better with some medicine.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng picked up his mobile phone and used it as a mirror to take a look. Although the skin tissue was damaged, he didn¡¯t think it was serious. It¡¯d be fine just to wait for the scar to fall off.


    But his haggardness after the illness could be seen at a glance. A few days ago, he had to return to the capital for work-related matters. He thought he could hold on but ended up almost being carried off the plane and then lying deliriously in bed with a fever for a few days, before he had the strength to get up today to deal with business, and along the way, come to the hospital to see the injury on his face.


    When he put down the phone, the screen accidentally lit up. When he saw the smiling man on the lock screen wallpaper, the face on the black and white photo unexpectedly appeared in front of him.


    He closed his eyes, suppressed the raging hallucinations, sighed lightly, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the crew.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was recently filming a fantasy TV series. The company picked it for him when he was buried in his other work. The pay was high and the script was bad. If not for the signed contract, according to his character, he would have already quit.


    When he arrived at the crew, the director was sleeping in the air-conditioned lounge. He was a little irritable when he was awakened. His words sounded belligerent: ¡°I was thinking who could it be? Our big star is back.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng seemed like a real big shot to the entire crew. During the filming period, he did not communicate with anyone except for work, and did not participate in the crew dinners. He did his job well but left an impression of arrogance and looking down on people in the crew.


    Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes (if there is more than one person, then people have to interact with each other). Especially when someone is standing in the limelight, once misunderstandings and disagreements arise, no matter how well you do your job, you will inevitably be criticized by those who have long been jealous.


    So Zhou Jinheng¡¯s unauthorized leave of absence lit the fuse. The middle-aged director, displeased, nagged for a long time about his unruly behaviour. Seeing that Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t reply, just sitting there and flipping through the script silently, he became even more annoyed. He pointed at his face and said, ¡°It is also written in the contract that you must ensure the proper image during the filming. Actor Zhou is still too young and doesn¡¯t know how to write the words ¡®the spirit of the contract¡¯.¡±


    In fact, the injury could be covered with foundation concealer and not a serious problem that was difficult to overcome. Two days ago, Zhou Jinheng had already asked Xiao Lin to report the incident, promising to compensate the crew for the delay and the additional working hours.


    The matter had been negotiated and there was no need to focus on it any more. The director acted this way just because Zhou Jinheng did not dare to break the contract, so he pursued the topic and tried to frustrate him, claiming to speak from a position of a senior generation.


    However, Zhou Jinheng had been in the circle for four years. Although he suffered a lot of troubles, his original character had not been tempered at all and being silent was the last concession he made out of respect. He continued to look through the script and said bluntly: ¡°It will not affect the shooting.¡±


    ¡°So if you say it doesn¡¯t affect it, then it won¡¯t be affected?¡± The director couldn¡¯t get used to his careless attitude, so he grasped the topic and said, ¡°Huh, young actors nowadays treat acting like playing family and a tool to make money. They are unruly, disrespect the fruits of others¡¯ labour and don¡¯t even have a basic sense of responsibility. If it weren¡¯t for your face¡­¡±


    Halfway through speaking, Zhou Jinheng slapped the script on the table with a ¡°pop¡± sound, stood up and walked to the door.


    The director was anxious: ¡°Shooting will start soon, where are you going?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng stepped out the door, stopped after thinking for a while and said coldly: ¡°I won¡¯t shoot anymore. My face is gone, what else is there?¡±


    The director¡¯s eyes widened: ¡°You, you are breaking the contract!¡±


    ¡°Tell my agent when you have calculated the breach of contract fee.¡± Zhou Jinheng turned his head sideways and looked at him with a grin, ¡°Nowadays, young actors don¡¯t even have a basic sense of responsibility.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to make this bad series at all. After solving the matter out of his own pocket, he felt more comfortable. Facing the reporters waiting at the airport, he did a rare thing and answered a few questions casually without a stinky face.


    As soon as he got on the bus after getting off the plane, he received a call from his agent: ¡°You insulted Director Li calling him a third-rate director?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t insult him.¡± Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°It was just a statement of facts.¡±


    The agent was so angry that there was smoke coming out of his ears: ¡°How many times have I told you to be a little more restrained in front of people, just swear behind the closed doors. This series is crap but you have been in the circle for so long, if you don¡¯t ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no need.¡° Zhou Jinheng said in the shaking bumping bus, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to shoot it anymore. I will pay the penalty for breach of contract and I will bear the responsibility. Has anyone¡¯s interests been harmed?¡±


    The other end of the phone was silent for a while and then asked him where he was now. Hearing that he had left S City a long time ago, the agent said helplessly: ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you leaving in a hurry? Your face is not good yet¡­ If you just give up such a high paying film then fine, but don¡¯t you even care about your image in the outside world?¡±


    Even though the breach of contract was resolved with money, no matter how confidentially it was done, there would inevitably be a series of chain reactions in the follow-up. The media boom alone would be enough to keep the public relations department busy for a while.


    What for?


    For a moment, Zhou Jinheng himself was very confused.


    He didn¡¯t know what he was going to do here again, he just suddenly was idle and bought a ticket.


    It might be a conditioned reflex, or it might be due to habit. He was like a lonely soul unconnected with the real world. When the plane rose into the sky, he suddenly regained a little consciousness and remembered where he was going.


    He still wanted to see him; only seeing him could he find a moment of peace in his heart.


    No matter who he was.


    When he arrived in the town, the sun had just set and the lights in the courtyard of Jiang¡¯s house were on, but the kitchen windows were dark.


    He didn¡¯t see anyone. Yi Hui usually came out to throw garbage, but Jiang Yimang came out to throw it tonight. She was very cautious and didn¡¯t forget to lock the metal door just to go for a distance no more than ten metres. When she turned around after throwing the garbage, the beam of the flashlight slammed into her face and she almost screamed in fright.


    After confirming that it was Zhou Jinheng, she regained her composure and walked around him with a straight face, pretending not to know him.


    Zhou Jinheng caught up with her: ¡°Where is your brother?¡±


    Jiang Yimang ignored him.


    Zhou Jinheng quickened his pace and walked in front of her to block the way: ¡°Where did he go?¡±


    Jiang Yimang couldn¡¯t help it, bit her lip and said, ¡°My brother is not the one you are looking for. What are you doing here?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng ignored the first half of the sentence: ¡°I¡¯ve come to see him, where did he go?¡±


    Jiang Yimang looked at him as if she was looking at a lunatic. Coupled with the scar hidden in the shadow on his face, the more she looked at it, the more shocked she felt, and then there was an indescribable sadness.


    After all, he was someone she had liked before. She moved the light of the flashlight away and said stiffly: ¡°Why should I tell you where he is?¡±


    The silence lasted for a few seconds, and Zhou Jinheng¡¯s voice became even lower: ¡°Is he avoiding me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is avoiding you.¡± Finding a breakthrough, Jiang Yimang hurriedly said, ¡°He has moved away and will not come back. Don¡¯t come here to find him again.¡±


    For fear of not being convincing enough, Jiang Yimang glared at Zhou Jinheng with a fierce look in her rounded eyes: ¡°He hates you and never wants to see you again, so he left and will never come back!¡±

 CH 43

    Chapter 43


    Waking up, Yi Hui suddenly raised his head, and the hour hand on the wall clock had just passed the number twelve.


    He turned his head and looked around. It was late at night, and the auntie in the next bed was asleep. There were occasional chirps of cicadas outside the window. No one called him.


    Perhaps it was the lack of sleep these days, Yi Hui thought. It was rare to get a full night¡¯s sleep, but he was awakened from his sleep by a voice that came from nowhere.


    Trying to relieve his aching back, he straightened and stretched out his body, rubbed his temple with one hand and reached out with the other to touch Jiang Xuemei¡¯s forehead. Her temperature was normal and he leaned over to check the thermos flask beside the bed.


    When he went to fetch water, he passed by the IV room. The TV hanging on the wall was replaying some entertainment news. Zhou Jinheng, who was wearing a mask, was surrounded by reporters. At the bottom of the screen, there were eye-catching subtitles saying ¡°Zhou Jinheng ceases filming ¡±Mountains and Seas¡±. The penalty for breach of contract is more than 10 million. The director condemns him for having no professional ethics.¡± The lines were extremely flashy.


    The TV sound was not turned on, so Yi Hui didn¡¯t know what he said to the microphone.


    Yi Hui quickened his pace and walked back with the thermos flask. Back in the ward, Jiang Xuemei slept quietly. He filled the cup on the table with water and opened the notebook to draw for a while. He was dissatisfied after redrawing an outline seven or eight times. He took the pen and looked at the blank screen. For the first time in days, he was in a daze.


    More than ten million¡­ a lot of money.


    In the past, Yi Hui had a well-off family, but only after he became Jiang Yihui did he acquire a specific concept of money. He knew that having no money meant that he had to work all day long to have food and clothing, which also meant that he couldn¡¯t even afford to get sick.


    Jiang Xuemei¡¯s surgery was scheduled for next week. The family¡¯s savings were just enough to pay for the surgery. They put the charge on several bankbooks and bank cards together and when paying the bill Yi Hui was so nervous that he counted the zeros on the monitor several times.


    According to the doctor, the cost of the surgery was only the beginning, the subsequent continuous medication and nursing care were the big ones. Yi Hui planned ahead and started preparing the money before the surgery. He took a lot of commissions on the Internet in one go. A netizen told him that a comic website was recruiting artists. He sent his resume to apply. After being accepted, he got another job colouring serialized comics every day.


    At first, he didn¡¯t dare to accept the kind help of netizens. Dora-Hum-Hum left an indelible shadow on him. He was not a clairvoyant and couldn¡¯t know who was on the other side. The kindness he accepted could be returned, but the feelings he gave could not be taken back.


    Once bitten by a snake, afraid of a rope for ten years. Yi Hui was afraid of this invisible and untouchable way of communication and did not want to experience this kind of heart-wrenching torment of suddenly learning the truth again.


    It felt like being caught off guard and pushed into biting cold water in the bright warm spring. The salty water overflowed over his head and filled his nasal cavity and he couldn¡¯t even scream.


    After painting until dawn and after Jiang Xuemei woke up, Yi Hui turned on the sound of his mobile phone. Just as he was about to put it down, he received a transfer message from Tang Wenxi for 20,000 yuan.


    Yi Hui called him and he said, ¡°All my net worth is here. Although it¡¯s a drop in the bucket, it¡¯s still a piece of my heart¡­ I wish Auntie a speedy recovery!¡±


    After Yi Hui expressed his gratitude, he said that he wanted to send him an IOU. Tang Wenxi pretended to be stupid and said, ¡°What¡¯s an IOU? Oh, the portrait you said you owed me. When you are done, I will personally come to you and make you paint it. You must make me more handsome when the time comes!¡±


    He had a first-class level ability of controlling topics of conversation and Yi Hui couldn¡¯t defeat him with words, so he silently wrote down an account in his heart. No matter how good the relationship between the person was, neither money nor love debts could be owed. This was a truth he had learned.


    With the advent of summer vacation, Jiang Yimang was about to pass to the third grade. The school arranged make-up classes, so Yi Hui sold a few paintings cheaply and scraped together some money to pay the tuition fee. When he returned to the hospital, he got a new payment slip. The number was staggering.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home after the surgery.¡± Jiang Xuemei said, ¡°There is no difference where I recuperate. I am lying in bed anyway.¡±


    After checking the payment slip, Yi Hui raised his head and smiled, ¡°Why is there no difference? Don¡¯t worry, Mom, I still have a lot of paintings in storage that haven¡¯t been sold yet, and I will have money when I sell them.¡±


    In fact, there was no storage. He even sold his usual practice drafts online at a low price. When sorting out the folders of paintings stored on the computer, he clicked on the draft folder that had not been sold before. In addition to the half finished ones, there was only one painting with fireworks as the theme.


    The fireworks painted for Dora-Hum-Hum should now be in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s hands.


    Right now, there was a shortage of money, so it was not impossible to sell it, but Yi Hui was struggling for a long time and could not do it. Every stroke and every line of this painting was planned by him carefully. It contained many of his little thoughts not known to the outside world. He did not know whether he had achieved the effect of making the other party happy, but at least when he painted this picture, he put all his enthusiasm into it.


    In the end, the painting was not put on sale.


    They barely survived until the surgery was done, and the first week¡¯s medical and nursing expenses almost emptied out the family¡¯s pockets completely.


    The Jiang family¡¯s house was rented. Over the years, Jiang Xuemei had raised two children all by herself. The monthly income was enough to make ends meet, but there was no money left for a serious illness.


    It was not that he hadn¡¯t thought about borrowing money. Neighbours could lend you from 10,000 to 15,000, and those who were willing to help had taken the initiative to contribute. All these adding up, it was still far from the cost of subsequent treatment.


    Yi Hui even wanted to go to his brother, he knew that his brother would definitely help him. But now that he had assumed Jiang Yihui¡¯s name and became someone else¡¯s family member, he was not qualified to go back and call him ¡°brother¡±.


    He had caused a lot of trouble to his brother in his previous life, so he wouldn¡¯t bother him again in this life.


    Yi Hui began to consider loans.


    He was not a student, had no legitimate occupation and could not apply for a formal loan, and the amount of online loans was very small and wouldn¡¯t even last them a few days.


    Following the small advertisement he saw in the town, he called a private lending organization. The other party asked him to meet in a small remote restaurant. Yi Hui went alone and waited for two people dressed like thugs for half an hour.


    One of them asked him to mortgage his real estate. He said that he didn¡¯t have a house and they asked him to mortgage the car. He said that there was only the van that had been used for three years. The two laughed and asked him, ¡°Then what do you have?¡±


    Yi Hui clenched his hands tightly under the table and mustered up the courage to say, ¡°I can draw. I can draw and pay my debts, and I will write you an IOU, and I will definitely be able to pay it off.¡±


    The two laughed again. One of them said, ¡°Pay it off? Little brother, I¡¯m afraid you have some misunderstanding about our business. If the interest can be repaid on time, we will greet you with a smile.¡±


    The other was even more merciless: ¡°You can draw? Children¡¯s drawing or what kind of drawing? Are there still artists who borrow money these days? Tsk, I think you look white and clean, so it¡¯s better to dress up and go sell yourself. It¡¯s a quick and easy way to get money.¡±


    Yi Hui fled in defeat.


    In his two lifetimes combined, the malice Yi Hui had received mostly came from resentment and jealousy. It showed in the eyes and words, but because his family protected him well, he not only did not suffer too much substantial harm but also largely remained ignorant of the world.


    Therefore, it was the first time he experienced malice that had formed a physical entity from fate, which made him frightened and helpless.


    The house was leaking and it happened to be raining all night, so new difficulties were encountered at this point.


    A pair of works that participated in the competition were accidentally uploaded by Yi Hui when he was selling his works online. Although they were withdrawn quickly, they had been downloaded many times by then, and the organizer of the competition issued a statement saying that Yi Hui will be held accountable.


    When the court subpoena was sent to his home, Yi Hui was picking up the things at home he could sell. Jiang Yimang asked him if it was serious. He smiled and said: ¡±It doesn¡¯t matter, just a trivial thing.¡±


    At night, he was walking on the road with the three hundred yuan he got from selling junk. Suddenly, there was a thunderous sound. When the raindrops fell on his uplifted face, he could no longer smile, and his eyes, dry and red from lack of sleep, were blank.


    It really rained.


    He stood in the heavy rain, his eyes widened as he looked at the dark sky. There was not much sadness in his heart and he felt surprisingly calm.


    Perhaps it was the benefit of having experienced two lifetimes. If you had gone through too many setbacks, you would go numb. If you are cornered, so what?


    But he still longed for someone who could help him when he was helpless, who wouldn¡¯t laugh at his incompetence, wouldn¡¯t despise his efforts, and would really feel distressed or happy for him, even if only a little bit, enough to support him.


    The phone vibrated in his pocket for a long time before Yi Hui felt it and pressed to answer.


    There was no sound at the other end for a long time, and then the voice said instead of a greeting: ¡°It¡¯s raining, have you brought an umbrella?¡±


    Yi Hui shook his head.


    The other end seemed to see him shaking his head, and then asked, ¡°Would you rather be in the rain than let me help you?¡±


    Yi Hui shook his head again, and rain fell into his eyes. He didn¡¯t know whether the meaning of his action was ¡°no need¡± or ¡°I wouldn¡¯t¡±.


    He thought for a while and said, ¡°I am not him.¡±


    There was a short ¡°en¡± at the other end; as if he was afraid that he would not hear him clearly, the man said again: ¡°I know.¡±


    Yi Hui looked like a person waiting for trial, raised his head and the heavy rain forced him to close his eyes.


    ¡°Let me help you,¡± the man said.


    It was raining all over the world, and he had nowhere to escape.


    Yi Hui lowered his head, then nodded, as if compromising.


    Three days later, the newly hired caretaker was already proficiently dealing with Jiang Xuemei¡¯s medical care and rehabilitation schedule. He was no longer inseparably linked to the ward. Yi Hui unplugged the power of the notebook that had been plugged in at the head of the bed for a long time and stuffed it into his backpack. He told Jiang Xuemei to get well, and he would come back to see her when he had time.


    When he put the bag on his back and turned to leave, Jiang Xuemei grabbed his arm from behind: ¡°Really¡­ only half a year?¡±


    Yi Hui turned his head and said with a smile: ¡°Yes, the group is gathering material. With the sponsors and not having to spend money but getting wages instead, imagine how many people are eager to go.¡±


    Jiang Xuemei still did not feel very relieved. The middle-aged woman in the next bed said, ¡°The child is so old, it¡¯s time to let him go out alone. Isn¡¯t it just half a year? Look how nervous you are, if I didn¡¯t know, I would have thought your son was going to join the army.¡±


    With this rare laughter in his memory, Yi Hui got on the high speed train to S City.


    The plane ticket was not much more expensive but he wanted to go slower. Last time he went to S City, he held the cake in his arms and was full of expectations, but this time he only brought a simple bag of luggage.


    As soon as the train left, he received a message from Jiang Yimang asking him what he was doing and whether he was going to sell his kidney behind their back. Yi Hui laughed, thinking to himself how bleak his expression must have been when he was leaving. Did he look worse than if he was going to die?


    He looked at the blurred reflection in the window glass and his noisy heart calmed down slowly.


    Yeah, isn¡¯t it just half a year?


    Three years of sincerity could not be exchanged for a look back; what could half a year do?


    Yi Hui slept on the train for a while, woke up and got off at the station. S City was full of lights. He took a bus to delay time. After arriving at the place, he wandered around a little more.


    The area around the villa was large and the roads crisscrossed, but he was not afraid to get lost in it.


    Because this was his home once.


    When the man sent the address and password, he was still a little confused. When he opened the door and saw the furnishings in the house that were not much different from before he left, he had some visible, tangible sense of familiarity.


    Yi Hui brought his own slippers, took them out of his bag and put them on. Walking into the empty living room, he confirmed the fact that there was no one at home. He breathed a sigh of relief, sat cross-legged on the clean floor and began to deal with a mosquito bite on his leg he got while he was hanging out just now.


    He smeared the cooling oil that Jiang Xuemei stuffed into his bag before leaving. He actually didn¡¯t like this kind of thing with a strong and stimulating smell, but he had nothing else to use.


    Even if he knew that there was hydrosol in the second drawer of the bedside table by the door of the master bedroom upstairs.


    He was not bold enough to touch the things in the house, even if many of the things belonged to him. He didn¡¯t even turn on the lights.


    Next to him was a small cabinet with a landline phone. When Yi Hui stood up, he saw that the Doraemon sticker on the receiver was still there.


    There was no trace of the expected big change in style. At a cursory glance the room seen through the door felt similar, and when he got closer, it turned out it really hadn¡¯t changed.


    This made Yi Hui a bit puzzled. He remembered that Zhou Jinheng was about to get married. Even if he didn¡¯t want to get married, his family wouldn¡¯t leave him a choice.


    So who was that ring for?


    Thinking about these incomprehensible things, Yi Hui fell asleep leaning on the armrest of the sofa.


    He didn¡¯t dare to move when he fell asleep. He hugged his bag and shrank into the smallest possible ball, as if this was not the home where he had lived for three years, but a strange territory where he had set foot in for the first time.


    When Zhou Jinheng opened the door, what he saw was a long-forgotten scene.


    He stood at the door for a long time, until the wall clock in the living room rang twelve times and the man who was sleeping on the edge of the sofa woke up.


    Yi Hui rubbed his eyes and looked in the direction of the dark phantom in the bright light. When he looked at the black silhouette at the door, his brain that was still chaotic suddenly woke up.


    His ability to move and speak was still suspended, and even though the distance between him and the man at the door was only a few metres, he had an illusion of them looking at each other from far away.


    Yi Hui remembered that he had sat here countless times and looked at that man from this perspective.


    Each time it was rushed. Zhou Jinheng often came home exhausted, too lazy to talk to him, throwing down his jacket and going to take a shower to rest.


    This time it was different. Zhou Jinheng spent at least three minutes looking at each other. When he kicked off his shoes and walked into the house, the first thing he did was not to take a shower, but to go to the kitchen and take out a box of juice from the fridge.


    He wore a white shirt today. At some point his sleeves were rolled up, and the muscles of his forearms moved fluently as he poured juice. Yi Hui guessed that he had drunk alcohol, otherwise his movements would not be so gentle.


    Zhou Jinheng walked to the sofa with a cup and handed him the juice: ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me to pick you up?¡±


    The first sentence after meeting again was so unusual, reminding Yi Hui of the chaos of their meeting last time. He didn¡¯t pick up the cup and said, ¡°The place is very easy to find.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was a little taken aback, put the cup on the coffee table and sat down in a separate armchair next to him: ¡°Is there nothing you want to ask?¡±


    Throughout the whole process from agreeing to accept help in the rain that day, to reaching an agreement and then coming here, Yi Hui seemed particularly calm, as if succumbing helplessly. However, Zhou Jinheng knew this was not the case.


    Yi Hui asked, ¡°Where do I sleep?¡±


    ¡°This is your home.¡± Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°You can sleep wherever you want.¡±


    Yi Hui stood up, picked up his bag and prepared to go upstairs. Zhou Jinheng also got up and picked up the cup on the table again: ¡°Drink it before you go to sleep, it¡¯s your favourite mango juice.¡±


    Yi Hui remembered that there was no ¡°you can drink whatever you want¡± clause in the agreement. He glanced at the cup and said, ¡°I don¡¯t like mango juice.¡±


    At this moment, the two of them were so close that when he raised his eyes a little, he could see Zhou Jinheng¡¯s beautifully shaped eyes and a long and narrow scar an inch under his eye. The scab had fallen off, leaving only a light red mark. His pupils were ink-black in the dim light.


    These eyes were affectionate and ruthless. Yi Hui didn¡¯t know whether he was looking at him or at that other person through him.


    ¡°Then what do you like to drink?¡± Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t seem to mind, raised the cup and took a sip, ¡°Watermelon juice, orange juice, strawberry juice, or pear juice?¡±


    It seems that there were many choices but in fact they were all sweet.


    Yi Hui liked to drink them all.


    Without warning, Yi Hui asked, ¡°I was sued in court. Did you do it?¡±


    He had no basis to accuse him but he suddenly thought of it and asked. He didn¡¯t expect a positive answer either. He didn¡¯t expect Zhou Jinheng¡¯s reaction after hearing the question would not be to affirm or deny it eagerly, but to open his mouth and laugh.


    ¡°If you think it¡¯s me,¡± Zhou Jinheng said with conviction, ¡°then it is.¡±


    Before going upstairs, Zhou Jinheng asked Yi Hui if there was anything else he wanted to ask. Yi Hui looked disgusted and coldly dropped the word ¡°despicable¡±.


    Zhou Jinheng laughed again. He held the juice he had only taken a sip of and turned around leisurely. When his face was hidden in the darkness, his smile disappeared without a trace.


    It was inevitable to be hurt, but no matter how painful it was, it was not as painful as not being able to find or to look.


    As long as I can keep you by my side, why not be a despicable one?

 CH 44

    After not resting in a quiet and comfortable environment for a long time, Yi Hui slept deeply this night. Adding on the nap on the road, he actually slept as much as thirteen hours in the day.


    He woke up with a headache and didn¡¯t feel like he had slept enough. But he couldn¡¯t sleep anymore, he had to go out before Zhou Jinheng woke up.


    The agreement stated that he had to stay at home for twelve hours a day. Yi Hui planned to spend all his other time elsewhere and try not to meet Zhou Jinheng.


    He slept in the guest room upstairs. After getting up, he didn¡¯t use the bathroom upstairs. He took out the prepared toiletries from his bag and went downstairs.


    Hearing the movement in the kitchen, Yi Hui thought he had heard it wrong. He walked downstairs and saw a tall figure moving in the door of the semi-open kitchen, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel surprised.


    The stove and the vent were both working, and Zhou Jinheng, surrounded by noise, did not notice anyone going downstairs. He held a spatula in his hand and there was something churning in the pot. Yi Hui didn¡¯t plan to say hello to him, walked into the bathroom, closed the door and locked it.


    In just five minutes of washing, Yi Hui summed up the reason why Zhou Jinheng got up early to cook.


    There was a lot of uproar about the recent breach of contract, even passers-by talked about it. Many media figures followed the trend, harping on Zhou Jinheng¡¯s so-called ¡°unprofessionality¡± and focusing on the actors whose income was much greater than the contribution.


    It would be okay with someone else, but Zhou Jinheng¡¯s bad temper was well-known both inside and outside the entertainment circle. For a while, the spearheads of public opinion pointed at him. Various anonymous sources spread the news on the Internet regardless of it being true or false. Being a diva, insulting the director, neglecting work, going lazy after winning an award, demanding special treatment in the crew¡­ All kinds of things swarmed around him. Yi Hui met news of this kind several times just by accidentally swiping down but the people who liked the buzz would look at it and scold. No one cared if it was true or not and whether there was conclusive evidence.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help but think of the plagiarism incident that happened to him. The false thing was instigated by someone with malicious intent to arouse the indignant insults of many uninformed people.


    At that time, he felt that the sky was collapsing and he couldn¡¯t eat or sleep. Zhou Jinheng¡¯s situation was more serious and the range of distribution was wider. If it were him, he would likely seclude himself and retire from the circle.


    That was why Zhou Jinheng was so abnormal these days. In addition, he withdrew from that series and had no work, so he was free to cook at home. It seemed strange, but when you thought about it carefully, it was natural to distract yourself with other things.


    When he went out, Zhou Jinheng was answering the phone, and Yi Hui had no intention of eavesdropping. However, Zhou Jinheng had no spare hand to hold the phone and turned on the speaker, so he was forced to listen.


    ¡°Go back? Why? Did you bring the man surnamed Tan to the house again?¡±


    ¡°Dream on! Your notoriety is all over the place. Is being an actor not enough? You¡¯ve made so much mess, disgracing my old face! The Tan family is not deaf or blind, do you think they will still accept a scandal-ridden person like you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Zhou Jinheng¡¯s voice rose, ¡°The young master of the Tan family has a good eye, so help me convey him a message. I wish him the best in his life as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°You¨C¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten breakfast yet, so I¡¯ll hang up first.¡±


    Before Zhou Huarong on the opposite side finished speaking, Zhou Jinheng hung up the phone quickly, washed his hands and brought out the omelette from the pan. When he turned around and saw Yi Hui, he still had a smile on his face: ¡°Just got up?¡±


    Yi Hui nodded and didn¡¯t say ¡°good morning.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wash upstairs?¡± Putting the two plates in his hand on the dining table, Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°I have prepared a new toothbrush and a towel for you.¡±


    Yi Hui glanced at the fried eggs of different shapes on the two plates and said, ¡°I brought my own.¡±


    The bathroom upstairs belonged to the master of the house and the one downstairs was for guests to use. Yi Hui put himself in the position of the tenant, but Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t seem to be able to accept it. After a while, he didn¡¯t insist on him changing according to his requests. He just let him sit and went back to the kitchen to get things.


    Another glass of juice was poured and placed in front of Yi Hui. This time it was watermelon juice, and the refreshing sweet scent rushed to his face. Yi Hui, whose stomach was empty, was immediately hooked; the tip of his nose moved, greedily sniffing the smell he liked.


    Zhou Jinheng saw it, made no sound, and sat across the table with a slightly deeper smile at the corners of his mouth.


    The breakfast was eaten very quietly.


    Or maybe it was because Yi Hui was unilaterally silent, so it seemed quiet.


    Zhou Jinheng was not a talkative person, especially during meal times. However, compared with the past, he said a lot more at the table today.


    After a while, he asked how the eggs were fried and if next time, he would like him to fry them a little bit more. After a while, he asked if the juice was too sweet or if he wanted him to refill the cup. Halfway through the meal, he asked if he had any plans for today. He didn¡¯t seem like Emperor Zhou who had been floating in the focus of public opinion recently at all.


    The first few questions could be answered by nodding and shaking his head, but the last one did not work like this. Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help it and said, ¡°Go out and come back in twelve hours.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the agreement clearly stated that they must have a morning and an evening meal together, he would not be sitting here at all. Instead, he would buy two buns casually on the street and find a cafe where he could sit all day while eating.


    He didn¡¯t want to stay here for a moment.


    Within the past night alone, Zhou Jinheng seemed used to being rejected. This time he didn¡¯t even look obviously stunned. He put down the half-eaten omelette and said, ¡°Call me if you need something.¡±


    Yi Hui was forced to save a new number in his mobile phone, and the number Zhou Jinheng had used before was blacklisted by him.


    When entering the name, he habitually entered his full name. The character ¡°heng¡± was not easy to find. When flipping through, he accidentally pressed ¡°hum¡±.


    Zhou Jinheng, HengHeng, Hum-Hum, Dora-Hum-Hum.


    Yi Hui laughed at himself. It turned out that he had been given tips and he could only blame himself for being stupid. He didn¡¯t notice so many clues and only kept his kindness in mind.


    There was nothing to say by phone.


    Yi Hui went out with his notebook in his backpack and found a KFC two blocks away. He sat there for most of the day.


    He ate his lunch there, chatting with his mother and sister while eating a burger.


    It was lunch break and both of them were free. Yi Hui set up a WeChat group for them, telling them the story he made up before going to bed yesterday ¨C the first gathering of the team in S City, a clean business hotel was arranged for them and he was eating with other students in the fast food restaurant next to the hotel now.


    Jiang Xuemei wanted to see what he was eating. Yi Hui took a photo of the half-eaten burger and sent it. The reactions of the two people on the opposite side were very different. Jiang Xuemei asked him how he could eat this with his bad stomach. Jiang Yimang yelled that she wanted to eat it, saying that there was no KFC in town and she envied him to death.


    Receiving attention from his family, Yi Hui¡¯s taciturn mood was finally injected with a ray of fresh air.


    At 7:30 in the evening, he sent the finished draft to the editor-in-charge¡¯s mailbox, packed up his belongings and walked back, admiring the bustling night view of S City. Half an hour passed quietly, and it was just eight o¡¯clock when he stepped in.


    An auntie wearing an apron greeted him and said respectfully, ¡°Mr. Yi is back.¡±


    Only then did Yi Hui know that there was a housekeeper in the house again.


    If you thought about it, Zhou Jinheng was not good at taking care of life¡¯s chores. It used to be too strenuous for him to boil water, how could he clean up his house in such an orderly manner? The omelette in the morning was probably the result of his accidental whim.


    The chef was different and the dinner was much richer than breakfast. Sweet and sour fish, Kung Pao chicken, pine nut corn, pineapple gruel and a winter melon pork ribs soup were all home-cooked dishes, but they were made at a professional level comparable to a hotel chef. Sweet and sour, it was delicious, better than the craftsmanship of the previous housekeeper.


    ¡°Is Mr. Yi satisfied?¡± The housekeeper asked with a sincere smile, ¡°These dishes are all prepared according to Mr. Zhou¡¯s request. Mr. Zhou said that you like sweet things, so I put more sugar and less salt in each dish.¡±


    Yi Hui was not sure if Zhou Jinheng had ordered her to say that, or if the housekeeper herself was willing to talk more to take credit.


    He didn¡¯t look up at the man on the opposite side of the table. After complimenting the housekeeper¡¯s skills, he corrected his name in front of Zhou Jinheng: ¡°My surname is not Yi, my surname is Jiang.¡±


    In the next few days, Yi Hui continued to leave early and return late, absent from the house for exactly twelve hours a day. He was even more timely than students stepping into the classroom in early reading class. Most of the remaining twelve hours were spent sleeping.


    He drilled the loopholes in the agreement with peace of mind and  whenever he was at home, he closed the door tightly. When he had to use the bathroom, he would listen by the door first to make sure that there was no movement downstairs.


    As the time went by, it was inevitable that there would be mistakes in judgement.


    For example, tonight Yi Hui changed his clothes and planned to wash them, walking downstairs on tiptoes. He didn¡¯t notice the light leaking from the crack in the bathroom door. Only when he half opened the door did he realize that there was someone inside.


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to see me that much?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s questioning voice prevented him from slamming the door back. Yi Hui froze in place but later realized that he didn¡¯t need to hide, so he walked in with the basin in his arms.


    The bathroom was very large, more than enough for two people to stand. Yi Hui scrubbed his clothes in front of the tub. Zhou Jinheng leaned against the edge of the sink, holding a half-drunk can of beer in his hand, facing the mirror, looking at something.


    After receiving no response to the words ¡°Leave it for Auntie to wash¡±, ¡°What did you do outside today¡±, and ¡°Did you drink juice¡±, Zhou Jinheng chuckled and lightly touched Yi Hui¡¯s shoulder with the can: ¡±Don¡¯t ignore me¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t remember how long it had been since he¡¯d heard such a miserable intonation from him. Yi Hui¡¯s hand movements paused, then speeded up. He casually rubbed his clothes a few times, then wrung them dry and walked to the door when Zhou Jinheng suddenly propped his arm on the door frame to block the way.


    ¡°You hate me so much?¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t look up, so he couldn¡¯t see his expression, only smelled a faint smell of alcohol.


    Zhou Jinheng kept smiling even though no one could see it, but his voice trembled slightly: ¡°Can¡¯t you just¡­ smile at me like before?¡±


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t smile. As long as he stepped into this house, he wouldn¡¯t smile anymore.


    He used to smile because he was stupid, because he was Yi Hui. Now that he was Jiang Yihui, now that he made up his mind to live, he decided to give up everything in the past and start over with a new identity.


    He had to leave behind the past that entangled him, no matter whether it was good or bad. Even if he couldn¡¯t forget it for the time being, he couldn¡¯t give up halfway and look back. When he was still a fool, he knew how to keep his word. But when he became smart, could he forget his self-esteem and go back on his word?


    Besides, the agreement was prepared by Zhou Jinheng and he just acted in accordance with the terms. As long as there was no mistake, Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t do anything about him.


    For a long time after that night, Yi Hui didn¡¯t meet anyone in the bathroom downstairs. Sometimes he didn¡¯t see him at breakfast time either. The housekeeper said he went out before dawn.


    Being blackened was only temporary. Even if he lost some fans because of that incident, he was still a popular star. Since there was no filming, the company stuffed his schedule with some temporary jobs.


    When he was not at home, Yi Hui felt relaxed and occasionally came back half an hour early to help the housekeeper prepare dinner.


    ¡°Mr. Zhou said to cook four dishes and one soup when he is not at home.¡± Auntie said while washing the dishes, ¡°He said your mouth is tricky, when asked, you say you eat everything, but when the food is served, you only focus on what you like.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t know when Zhou Jinheng had said this, he just felt uncomfortable, his heart heavy.


    It was like listening to the story of a caged canary. If the breeder treats it with the slightest kindness, it should be grateful and reciprocate, regardless of whether the bird¡¯s leg was broken or its wings injured when it was caught.


    Unable to swallow, he put down his chopsticks and went upstairs after eating just a small bowl of rice. When he woke up in the middle of the night and heard the sound of the door closing downstairs, followed by a series of steady footsteps, Yi Hui turned over and changed his position to lie on his side, keeping his eyes closed for a long time before falling asleep again.


    When he got up in the morning and went downstairs, there was something new in the house, a small blue watering can. He mentioned it to the housekeeper last night, saying that the nozzle of the watering can was broken.


    It was like this before. Once he needed something, those things would unexpectedly appear near him, a shoe brush, hydrosol, a charger¡­ Sometimes he didn¡¯t use them but they were already in place in advance.


    Maybe he learned it from some jerk, Yi Hui thought. But use this method to tie him up and treat him well, what was this?


    What was the difference between this and creating a fake identity to approach him and take care of him with ulterior motives?


    He might be grateful, but he would never appreciate it.


    If these things did not appear on someone else¡¯s territory but were given to him personally like before, he would put them away one by one and then throw them all out.

 CH 45

    July and August were the hottest months in S City. Even though Jiang Yihui was born with a cold body and experienced baking in the heat in the small southern town, continuing it in another place was still quite unbearable.


    Yi Hui never took the umbrella that was prepared at the door. Once, the housekeeper stuffed it into his bag. When he came back in the evening, he put the umbrella back in place.


    ¡°Are you afraid of being laughed at by others for using an umbrella?¡± Auntie tried to persuade him, ¡°The sun is so hot outside, so boys also should protect themselves from the sun. Be careful of heatstroke if you go on like this.¡±


    Thanks to her kind words, the KFC closest to home was full that day. Yi Hui walked two more streets under the scorching sun to find a coffee shop with empty seats. While he stayed indoors, he felt dizzy and sweaty. He came out of the coffee shop at night and was stunned by the oncoming heat wave. He got home and collapsed before he could eat.


    Auntie¡¯s working hours were from 9:00 in the morning to 7:00 in the evening. She was afraid that Yi Hui would have no one to take care of him, so she didn¡¯t leave until nearly ten o¡¯clock at night.


    Heatstroke, coupled with sitting under the air conditioner and catching a cold, made him fall ill, and in confusion, Yi Hui heard Auntie nagging while applying a wet towel to his forehead: ¡°It¡¯s too hot to run out all day, and you even refuse to take the umbrella? Ugh, a young couple having a conflict, but do you need to torture yourself like this?¡±


    Yi Hui wanted to deny and refute, but he was too sick and his mind was dim. He couldn¡¯t say a complete word and fell asleep under the housekeeper¡¯s muttering.


    As if in a dream, a big, dry and warm palm held his hand soaked in cold sweat and the other hand touched his forehead, the fingers sliding slowly down his cheek. The one squeezing his hand closed its five fingers and clenched tighter.


    Yi Hui wanted to open his eyes to see who it was, but his eyelids were so heavy that even a crack to let in some light could not be opened.


    When he woke up, the sky was already bright, and he was the only one in the huge room.


    By eight o¡¯clock, Auntie was already busy in the kitchen. Before going downstairs, Yi Hui glanced at the master bedroom next door on the second floor. The door was open; he didn¡¯t come back or had already left.


    When he sat at the dining table, Auntie brought the hot porridge over: ¡°Sweet porridge mix is the most suitable for patients to eat.¡±


    Perhaps it was the lack of oxygen supply to the brain after being hungry for too long, but after picking up a spoon and swallowing a few mouthfuls, Yi Hui suddenly remembered the details in his dream.


    The man moved very lightly, gently wiping the sweat from his forehead with his hand, whispering in his ear: ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late.¡±


    Two days later, after receiving a message from Tang Wenxi, Yi Hui took a photo and posted it on Weibo with the words: Classmate¡¯s love touches the sky [heart]


    Not long after it was sent out, he received a call from Tang Wenxi: ¡°Look at my brain, I forgot to send you a mask and a sun cap!¡±


    Yi Hui smiled and said, ¡°I can buy them myself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t, don¡¯t go out, wait where you are.¡±


    Yi Hui was taken aback: ¡°You are not already on the road, are you?¡±


    Tang Wenxi didn¡¯t sell himself short this time and grinned, ¡°There¡¯s a training session in S City this weekend, I just happened to come and find you to play.¡±


    So today Yi Hui finished his work early and did not do his own private work. After lunch, he took a break and rushed to the high-speed rail station to pick up his friend from afar.


    Meeting him at the exit of the station, Tang Wenxi slapped a cap on his head: ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to go out? Can I still get lost at my age?¡±


    Yi Hui held up the brim of the cap and turned the duck tongue to the front: ¡°Just waiting for your cap. If you arrive any later I might faint from heat stroke again.¡±


    The two found a restaurant in a nearby shopping mall. While waiting for the food, Tang Wenxi asked about his recent work and the place he was renting. Yi Hui stumbled while answering, but at any rate, somehow dealt with it.


    Tang Wenxi also studied painting, so he could no longer use any collection of styles as an excuse to fool him. Previously, Yi Hui said that he had found a job related to comics in S City, so he had to be stationed there for a long time. He didn¡¯t have much psychological burden to tell this lie, because he did find a job colouring comics, just the one you didn¡¯t need to go to the office to do and could do at home.


    ¡°I thought you would stay in that town for the rest of your life and never go out.¡° Tang Wenxi took a sip of iced lemonade and said with a grin, ¡°You must be careful living alone. I will buy an anti-wolf stick and send it to you later.¡±


    Yi Hui felt it was too much: ¡°No need, although I haven¡¯t been out much, I still have basic survival skills.¡±


    Tang Wenxi put down the cup, stuck out his tongue and said, ¡°But you look easy to deceive. When I heard that you were looking for a job, I was afraid you would be tricked into receiving customers in a bordello.¡±


    After eating, Yi Hui finally figured out what ¡°bordello¡± was and blushed. Walking on the road, Tang Wenxi said with a ¡±tsk¡±: ¡°I said you were too simple, even a joke like this makes you shy.¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s timidity was engraved in his bones, but his adaptation and adjustment in the past year showed a lot of improvement. He touched his hot earlobe and said, ¡°Where are we going next?¡±


    After staying in S City for almost a month, with only two points of destination every day, he finally had a friend to play with him. Of course, he wanted to put aside his work and relax.


    Tang Wenxi took him to the video game city downstairs. Yi Hui had never been to this place. He felt intrigued when he saw everything but he didn¡¯t dare to try it, for fear that he would lose money if he lost the game.


    But when he turned around and saw the row of doll machines at the door, the soles of his feet seemed to be coated with superglue and he couldn¡¯t move anymore.


    Thinking about saving money to pay off his debts, Yi Hui only exchanged ten coins, two coins per attempt. He didn¡¯t catch anything four times. The last time, Tang Wenxi tried and caught a bear in a sweater.


    Seeing Yi Hui staring at Doraemon lying on his side in the doll machine, Tang Wenxi was eager to pay: ¡°Wait for me to exchange a few more coins and I will catch that blue fatty for you!¡±


    He was stopped by Yi Hui: ¡°No, one is fine, I can¡¯t fit them in the place I live.¡±


    When the two of them walked out of the mall, they saw the plaza lit up with bright lights and a few young girls shuttling in and out, selling roses to the couples coming and going. Only then did Yi Hui remember that it was Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine¡¯s Day).


    ¡°Valentine¡¯s Day¡­¡± Tang Wenxi looked up at the lanterns hanging on the tree and sighed, ¡°Why did I come here to spend Valentine¡¯s Day with you?¡±


    Yi Hui looked at a girl holding a large bouquet of roses smiling, and said in a daze: ¡°Yes, why?¡±


    After buying a cup of milk tea, they sat on a bench in the square to drink and chat.


    ¡°He is very busy. Maybe he will go abroad soon. Painting is just his hobby.¡±


    Tang Wenxi didn¡¯t mention his name but Yi Hui knew at once who ¡°he¡± was.


    ¡°His family is so rich, he can do whatever he wants¡­ My family is a working-class family and you have to tighten your belt when you go to college.¡± Looking at the mobile phone that had been silent since early in the morning, Tang Wenxi suddenly laughed, ¡°But he loves to play around too much. When he is abroad, won¡¯t he forget me completely?¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t know how to comfort him. He was afraid that no matter what he said, it would make it worse and Tang Wenxi would be sadder. After thinking for a long time, he said, ¡°I will pay you back the 20,000 yuan as soon as possible so that you can go abroad.¡±


    He succeeded by a lucky stroke. Tang Wenxi swallowed the tears filling his eyes and slapped Yi Hui on the shoulder: ¡°What is 20,000 yuan enough for? Don¡¯t pay it back for the rest of my life, so that there is at least one place where I can go when I feel I¡¯m going crazy.¡±


    Returning to the community in the evening, Yi Hui walked slowly along the low bushes on the side of the road, thinking about what Tang Wenxi said about ¡°going crazy¡± and wondering when he could gather enough ¡°ransom money¡±.


    Although he still couldn¡¯t understand why Zhou Jinheng got him here and gave him maximum freedom without making him pay for anything, Yi Hui only knew that he didn¡¯t have any self-awareness of being a substitute and never thought how to please his master to gain more benefits. All he thought about was making money to pay off his debts and try to leave early.


    Half a year was not long, but it was still enough to change a lot of things, and it still scared him.


    Thinking while he walked, Yi Hui turned a corner and ran into a community patrol car when he almost reached the house.


    ¡°Happy Qixi, sir.¡± A young security guard in the patrol car jumped out of the car and handed a rose to him, ¡°I wish you and your lover happiness for a long time.¡±


    The community¡¯s maintenance was comprehensive; they would engage in this kind of welfare activities for the property owners every holiday. Yi Hui had received flowers several times before. Once, it was seen by Zhou Jinheng. Frowning, he asked him with dissatisfaction where he got the flowers and told him not to go outside all the time if he had nothing to do.


    Remembering that, Yi Hui, who wanted to refuse with ¡°I am not a property owner¡±, hesitated for a moment, then took the flower with a smile: ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The flower seemed to have just been picked, very fresh, still with drops of water on the petals. This reminded Yi Hui of the white snowflakes about to bloom in the house, and he wondered if he would be lucky enough to see them bloom this year.


    As he watched the patrol car drive away, Yi Hui turned around quickly, intending to go back, but when he looked up, he met the eyes of someone standing on the roadside.


    Yi Hui held a rose in his hand, and the smile that was still on his face just now immediately faded, completely disappearing under the street light.


    When they entered the house one after the other, the lights were turned off. Yi Hui misjudged the distance when bowing to change his shoes and bump his head against Zhou Jinheng¡¯s back.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Yi Hui took a step back, squatted down and continued to change his shoes.


    He came back late today and Auntie had already left. Afraid of being asked if the time he spent outside had exceeded twelve hours, he poured water on the flowers and hurriedly went upstairs.


    ¡°Your flower and your bear.¡± Zhou Jinheng, who had been silent all the time, said suddenly.


    Yi Hui had to bite the bullet and take away the flower and the doll placed on the cabinet next to the door.


    The living room was very large and you had to pass the sofa to walk from the entrance to the stairway. Yi Hui inadvertently caught a glimpse of several empty wine bottles piled on the coffee table.


    It seemed that Zhou Jinheng came back earlier than him today.


    Did he come back so early just for a drink?


    But it was not his responsibility. Yi Hui didn¡¯t spare much thought to it. After going upstairs to the balcony to collect his clothes, he hurried into the bathroom downstairs and did not forget to lock the door.


    He took his mobile phone into the bathroom. When he put on his clothes and picked it up to put it in his pocket, a message suddenly popped up in the background of Weibo ¨C Zhou Jinheng fell and was injured while filming an advertisement. The topic starter said that his fleeting career might be going downhill.


    Unlocking the phone, he jumped to the news page and scanned it roughly. The fans in the comments were either crying and distressed, or scolding the marketing account for nonsense. Interspersed were some gloating passers-by, mocking Zhou Jinheng for doing everything he could to be on the hot search, including self-harm.


    There was no mention of what kind of injury it was from beginning to end. Yi Hui stood stunned for a while before putting the phone back in his pocket.


    When he came out, Zhou Jinheng was still in the living room.


    He turned his back to Yi Hui, held a bottle of injury medicine in his hand and poured it on his naked back. Because he couldn¡¯t see it, not only did the medicine oil not reach the place where it was needed, but most of it simply spilled on the floor.


    When Zhou Jinheng turned around, Yi Hui immediately looked away and heard the sound of another bottle of medicine unscrewed. He was about to leave when he was stopped.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you help me rub it?¡± Zhou Jinheng put his arm around his shoulder, pointed to his back and said confidently, ¡°You bumped into it.¡±


    In less than three minutes, Yi Hui used his actions to thoroughly illustrate the meaning of the word ¡°reluctantly¡±.


    He used the mouth of the medicine bottle to apply the potion casually over Zhou Jinheng¡¯s bruises. It was smeared with varying thicknesses and he didn¡¯t even touch him personally before hastily getting up to leave.


    Zhou Jinheng quickly stretched his hand and clasped his wrist: ¡°There are more here, help me.¡±


    Because of the collision when they entered the house, Yi Hui had no choice. He thought that he would just let the drunkard go crazy, so he sat back and helped Zhou Jinheng smear the medicine on the injury on his shoulder.


    During the process, Yi Hui found that in addition to his back and shoulder, he also had several bruises on his chest.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s first movie was an action movie. Later, he also took on a lot of movies and television works with fighting scenes. In addition, he didn¡¯t like to use a stuntman, so injuries were inevitable. The bottles of injury medicine that were placed on the table were bought by the stupid Yi Hui when he still lived there.


    Even that kind of high-intensity shooting did not cause bruises all over the body, how could he become like this shooting an advertisement?


    He was puzzled, but he didn¡¯t plan to ask. He didn¡¯t know how much Zhou Jinheng had drunk to have heat emanating from his body. Yi Hui¡¯s hand accidentally brushed over his waist and his fingers curled up as if scalded.


    After all the injuries that could be seen were medicated, Yi Hui breathed a sigh of relief, closed the bottle cap and tried to leave again.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Zhou Jinheng laid half naked on the sofa, his tone dragging slightly, ¡°You hit me so hard ah.¡±


    It was not that he hadn¡¯t seen him act so coquettishly before.


    In those three years, Yi Hui thought that he should take care of him since he was older. Although Zhou Jinheng sneered, occasionally he was willing to accept his care when he was in a better mood.


    He remembered once he also applied the injury medicine. Yi Hui was afraid that it would hurt him and his movements were too light. After he finished, Zhou Jinheng took his hand and kissed it, and smiled slyly: ¡°HuiHui¡¯s hands are so soft, how about a few more rubs?¡±


    This voice was still in his ears, as if it had happened yesterday. Yi Hui lowered his eyes and pretended not to hear, putting the medicine bottle back on the coffee table.


    Everything was smeared this time, and he was finally able to go.


    As soon as he got up, even before he had time to straighten his legs, he was suddenly dragged back and pulled over to the sofa.


    Before he had time to panic, he saw Zhou Jinheng¡¯s painful expression. Yi Hui thought he was pressing on his wound and was about to stand up but was firmly encircled by the arms around his waist, unable to free his upper body.


    It was too close. His gaze fell on Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face because there was nowhere else to look. The injury he thought had been healed was still there. Only when he got closer could he see an uneven cut with damaged texture, like a worm burrowed under his skin.


    Yi Hui was stunned. It turned out that the wound was so long and so deep.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t seem to care. He smiled clearly, but there was no smile in his eyes.


    He said, ¡°It hurts.¡±


    The hoarse voice made Yi Hui¡¯s heart twitch. After a short while, he struggled to get up again. The other arm hugged him around his neck and pressed him down suddenly.


    Yi Hui was lying in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s arms, with his chin against his shoulder, the smell of wine and medicinal oil filled his nasal cavity.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s hot lips pressed against Yi Hui¡¯s slightly cool ears. He wanted to look at him, but he was afraid that he would see disgust in his expression.


    He could smile at friends and strangers, but for him alone, there would always be indifference and resistance.


    ¡°At that time, did I hurt you that much too?¡± Zhou Jinheng frowned, as if the pain was so severe that even alcohol could not paralyze his nerves.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± His breathing was chaotic, as if he didn¡¯t know what to do to make the man stay in his arms, so he had to say ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± over and over again.


    Until his voice was dry and hoarse, he struggled to express the deepest desire in his heart: ¡°Can you¡­ give me back my Huihui?¡±


    The little fool who loves me, smiles at me, and cares for me. Can I have him back?

 CH 46

    Early the next morning, he could hear the door opening in the next room and the sound of footsteps downstairs. Another quarter of an hour passed before Yi Hui got up to get dressed and wash.


    When he came out of the bathroom downstairs, Auntie was putting a bouquet of roses into a vase. She smiled seeing Yi Hui and said, ¡°The bouquet that Mr. Zhou bought is just right, one more flower and it wouldn¡¯t fit in the vase.¡±


    When he ran upstairs as if escaping last night, Yi Hui saw this bouquet of roses placed at the head of his bed. He didn¡¯t waste time to admire it or be grateful for it. Since it was placed in his room, it could be regarded as a gift for him. Yi Hui picked up the bouquet and threw it to the corridor outside the door.


    He never thought Auntie would see it and find a vase to put it in.


    ¡°Mr. Zhou came back so early yesterday, so it turned out to accompany you for the holiday.¡± Auntie sprayed water on the flowers with a watering can, ¡°Young men like Mr. Zhou, who are so busy but still find time to take care of the family, are rare. He has a successful career and is good looking. How many girls and boys out there are crying for such a man.¡±


    At first, Yi Hui thought that Auntie was saying all these good things at the behest of Zhou Jinheng, but after getting along with her for a while, he realized that those were the things that Auntie was willing to say.


    From the perspective of an onlooker, Zhou Jinheng could be called a perfect marriage partner. He spoiled him unconditionally and treated him so well without asking for anything in return. On the contrary, he was an ignorant and unreasonable one.


    ¡°I am not the one for him.¡± Yi Hui said.


    Auntie thought he was hypocritical: ¡°Oh, it¡¯s common for couples to quarrel and have conflicts. I often slept in separate rooms with my old man. Don¡¯t say this kind of nonsense in anger, you will regret it later.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t regret it.¡° Yi Hui looked at the bunch of roses that were still fresh and bright after a night, ¡°He and I are not lovers.¡±


    Auntie was surprised and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you? Then you are Mr. Zhou¡¯s¡­¡±


    Yi Hui thought for a while and said, ¡°Substitute.¡±


    A substitute he used to deceive himself.


    It was rainy in summer, and occasionally Yi Hui was unable to go out because of the heavy rains. He stayed all day with the door closed.


    When he was tired of painting, he would stand up and look at the scenery outside the window, or have a video chat with his mother and sister and talk about his recent life.


    ¡°Your sponsors are too generous, right? The hotel room arranged for you is so good.¡± Jiang Yimang was envious in the video and turned the camera to show him her room, ¡°The air conditioner is broken and the repair man said the town is not easy to get to and he won¡¯t be here until tomorrow, so I¡¯m in for a rough night.¡±


    Yi Hui said, ¡°Go to Aunt Qiu¡¯s house to sleep. I asked her to take care of you before I left.¡±


    Jiang Yimang turned the camera back again and smiled into the camera, showing two dimples: ¡°That¡¯s it! Aunt Qiu asked me to sleep at their house all summer, so that she didn¡¯t have to run back and forth to take care of me¡­ But I don¡¯t like our house always being empty, so I always take two days a week to come back for a night.¡±


    Yi Hui was gratified by his sister¡¯s understanding and told her to study hard, not to worry and leave everything to her brother.


    Not long after the video chat ended, there was a knock on the door.


    When he opened the door, Zhou Jinheng stood outside. He seemed to have just returned, his body still wet and his meticulously styled hair slightly messy. He raised the bottle in his hand: ¡°I¡¯ll have to bother you.¡±


    Following him to the master bedroom, Yi Hui absent-mindedly applied medicine to him, thinking that even if it rained heavily tomorrow, he should go out. It¡¯s not like he couldn¡¯t apply the medicine without his help.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t drink this time, so he didn¡¯t talk a lot. He laid there and didn¡¯t say a word. When Yi Hui finished rubbing his back, he turned around. When the two faced each other, he looked at Yi Hui quietly.


    The look in his eyes was not too intense, at least half restrained, but even so, Yi Hui felt goosebumps. As he almost finished smearing the oil, he noticed another bruise on the left side below Zhou Jinheng¡¯s neck, visually slicing his straight collarbone in half.


    While he struggled whether to wipe this place too, Zhou Jinheng suddenly said: ¡°There was a shooting session for the variety show, and the recoil of the gun was strong.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t know why he wanted to explain it to him and he didn¡¯t plan to respond. He rubbed the bruise on the collarbone with the remaining medicine in his hand. When he took the lid and was about to close the bottle, Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°There is still this one.¡±


    As he said that, he raised his finger and pointed to the obvious wound on his right cheek.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t refuse, because he also caused it.


    Taking a new bottle of ointment that was used to remove scars and disperse pigment accumulation. Yi Hui dug a little with his index finger and applied it to Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face.


    He was standing, Zhou Jinheng was sitting on the edge of the bed with his face raised, but his eyes were not closed. Only when Yi Hui¡¯s finger slid across his cheek did his thick eyelashes tremble and his expression was even more focused than the expression of the man applying the medicine. This kind of obedience in his gaze was very different from his original temperament.


    Yi Hui subconsciously wanted to ask him if it hurt, but when he was about to say it, he recovered, lowered his eyes and pursed his lips, saying nothing.


    After that day, Zhou Jinheng left early and returned late, sometimes not returning all night. It seemed that he had received a new job.


    Yi Hui hadn¡¯t met Zhou Jinheng for two weeks. When Auntie got off work that night and went home, Yi Hui made a video call to Jiang Yimang while washing his clothes in the bathroom. He smiled happily at the naive big geese on the screen. He was taken aback when he heard the door open and quickly hung up the phone. There was no time to wash his hands, so he quickly locked the bathroom door.


    There was a lot of movement in this set of actions and it was impossible for Zhou Jinheng not to notice. Yi Hui couldn¡¯t control it, so after washing his clothes, he hurried upstairs.


    No one knocked on the door that night, but he still couldn¡¯t sleep well.


    The next day, Yi Hui woke up very early. He was in bed until 8:30 before he got dressed and went out. The other member of the family hadn¡¯t left. He opened the door of his room and said, ¡°Auntie asked for a leave today, I will make breakfast for you.¡±


    He remembered that before she left yesterday, Auntie said to Yi Hui, ¡°See you tomorrow¡±, so this leave was really sudden.


    But this was not his home, so he couldn¡¯t comment on it. Yi Hui planned to go out after washing up, and packed all his bags. When he walked to the door, he heard a strange movement from the kitchen, followed by Zhou Jinheng¡¯s ¡°hiss¡±.


    His footsteps paused on the threshold. After a while, Yi Hui returned. He entered the kitchen, turned off the stove and poured out the boiling hot oil from the pan, then washed and dried the pan, and poured the cold oil again.


    When he opened the fridge, from the things that could be cooked quickly there were only two eggs and a roll of handmade noodles.


    About 20 minutes later, two bowls of noodles were placed on the table. Zhou Jinheng sat for a long time without putting down his chopsticks, and only when he saw that Yi Hui had almost finished eating did he pick up his bowl and swallow everything left.


    After eating, Zhou Jinheng took the initiative to put away the dishes and chopsticks, and said ¡°Thank you¡± when Yi Hui took his bag again and was about to go out.


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t speak from beginning to end, fearing that he would misunderstand, but he still said, ¡°It didn¡¯t take much effort.¡±


    There were only noodles left in the fridge, making two bowls instead of one didn¡¯t take extra effort.


    After a while, outside, he took out his mobile phone to look at the time, and the date ¡°August 21st¡± below the time jumped into his eyes.


    He was passing by a bakery and the smell of cream cakes wafted into the street, but Yi Hui, enveloped in the sweet air, didn¡¯t have the feeling of overflowing happiness like he did in the past when he saw desserts.


    He sat in the cafe he used to go to for another day.


    Taking a break from the complicated work to think, he looked up at the window. It was already dark outside, and there were countless raindrops hitting the clear glass in a thin stream, until they gathered into a large mass and then slid down under the influence of gravity.


    It had been raining recently, but Yi Hui always forgot to buy an umbrella. After he waited for a while, the rain did not weaken, and staying longer would mean he was out for more than twelve hours. Yi Hui stood up, put on his cap and mask, and prepared to rush back in one breath.


    When he walked to the door of the cafe, he was stopped by the waiter: ¡°Sir, it¡¯s raining outside, take this umbrella and use it.¡±


    Yi Hui was taken aback for a moment, looked at the umbrella in the waiter¡¯s hand that obviously didn¡¯t look like it was placed in the shop for guests to use and politely declined: ¡°No, I live very close to here.¡±


    ¡°You have to use an umbrella anyway, it¡¯s raining so hard.¡±


    ¡°I have a bad memory and I forget to return the things I borrow.¡±


    The round-faced waiter girl curled her eyes in a smile: ¡°Don¡¯t return it. You come to our place almost every day. This umbrella is a reward for your loyalty.¡±


    The umbrella was blue, and when it was opened, you could see the cosmic starry sky when you looked up. It reminded Yi Hui of the umbrella with Doraemon on it when it was opened.


    He stepped on the thin puddle of water on the ground, kicked and shattered the streams of light reflected in it, listened to the noisy muffled sound of raindrops hitting the fabric of the umbrella and walked on, suddenly pulling the corners of his mouth and smiling a little.


    It was the same; that man was really never tired of trying.


    It was a pity that he was no longer stupid, and there was nothing more to give.


    The narrow car-free lanes were bustling with pedestrians. Zhou Jinheng wore a hood and shuttled through the crowd, following the man with a blue umbrella in front of him.


    When Yi Hui left the house in the morning, he looked at his back and panicked, then followed him quietly. The coffee shop was not large. He sat in the corner against the wall and occasionally stretched out his head to take a peek. Fortunately, Yi Hui was attentive enough when painting and did not notice anything.


    At noon, Yi Hui ordered a caramel macchiato. He went around to the front desk and asked the waiter to deliver an extra small cake. Yi Hui should be happy when he receives it. The cake was also eaten. It seemed to taste good, because he raised the corner of his mouth just a little but Zhou Jinheng caught it.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t know the point of following him like this. In the morning, Yi Hui made him noodles. The surprise was only enough for him to put aside his trepidation for a while.


    He just wanted to stay with Yi Hui, just today.


    When Yang Chengxuan heard about the agreement he proposed, he said that this was his ¡°next trick¡± and also said that it was thankless. No one would appreciate things done this way.


    But he felt that this was the only way; the only way to help Yi Hui and keep him by his side. If it weren¡¯t for an agreement of ¡°equivalent exchange¡±, if it weren¡¯t for restricting only twelve hours of freedom a day and setting a time limit of only half a year, Yi Hui would simply not be able to accept it.


    This trick might seem despicable, but in fact, if Yi Hui did not accept it, there would be more despicable and shameless agreements waiting for him to see and more cruel traps waiting for him to step on.


    Zhou Jinheng did not want to be a saviour. He just wanted to protect Yi Hui by his side, so that Yi Hui could be within his reach from morning to night, and within that, give him as much freedom as he needed.


    From the first day, Zhou Jinheng had been restraining himself. Opportunities were not easy to come by and he could never scare his little fool away again.


    So when Yi Hui suddenly turned his head on a deserted road in the community, Zhou Jinheng was caught off guard while harbouring a glimmer of hope at the same time.


    He hoped Yi Hui would look, for today¡¯s sake, for the sake of that bowl of noodles, for the sake of that small cake¡­ even for the sake of him being so depressed.


    Yi Hui held the umbrella and looked through the rain curtain at Zhou Jinheng, who was drenched in rain.


    ¡°What are you following me for?¡± Yi Hui asked.


    For more than a month, the two had very few conversations. Most of them were Zhou Jinheng talking and Yi Hui being silent as if he hadn¡¯t heard him.


    Zhou Jinheng was once again surprised by this beginning. But he didn¡¯t dare to be abrupt. His drunken behaviour and words had scared the little fool, and he decided not to drink anymore, not even if he was depressed and sad.


    He changed all the habits that Yi Hui didn¡¯t like.


    Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°There is no job today.¡±


    The inexplicable answer was intended to elicit more exchanges. Yi Hui under the umbrella was expressionless: ¡°I asked you why you followed me.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng walked in the rain all the way, and the clothes soaked with water stuck to his body. The rain dripped down the scattered strands of hair on his forehead. He blinked his eyes, his vision blurred.


    He said: ¡°It¡¯s raining.¡±


    Yi Hui gritted his teeth fiercely. As if he couldn¡¯t stand him taking care of him like this, he hurried forward, stuffed the umbrella in his hand into Zhou Jinheng¡¯s arms, turned around and left.


    Zhou Jinheng hurriedly picked it up, then followed, holding the handle of the umbrella and tilting it to the side, trying to shield Yi Hui from the rain.


    They were not far from home and reached the door within a few steps.


    This time it was Yi Hui who went in first. He took off his shoes and pulled up his pants that were wet with mud and water. He moved a little impatiently and hit the corner of the cabinet when he stood up.


    Zhou Jinheng closed his umbrella behind him and quickly helped him. Yi Hui shook off his outstretched hand, put on his slippers and went in.


    At any rate, he came back safely, and the anxiety that had been entrenched in his heart since he got up in the morning finally dissipated. Zhou Jinheng breathed a sigh of relief and looked out the window, a little grateful for the rain.


    Because it was raining, the weather was humid and warm, which was different from this time last year.


    When Yi Hui entered the house, he took the watering can to the kitchen to fetch water to water the flowers. They were usually watered by Auntie in the morning, but today he left in a hurry and forgot.


    There were three or four buds on the stems of the snowflakes in that pot and they hadn¡¯t bloomed for several days after entering the flowering period. The climate of S City was not suitable for raising this tropical plant. Yi Hui poured a lot of water on it, and the buds hung heavily, making it look even less like they were planning to show their faces.


    Seeing Yi Hui squatting there, desperately spraying water on the flowers and leaves, Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°Tomorrow I will ask someone to send another pot. This pot is some years old, and it may not be able to bloom no matter how much you water it.¡±


    The watering can in Yi Hui¡¯s hand stopped moving, but he was still squatting there.


    The air conditioner in the room was always on. Before he entered the house, Yi Hui¡¯s shoulders got wet. Zhou Jinheng was afraid that he would catch a cold. Forgetting his own drenched body, he brought a blanket over: ¡°Go take a shower first, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    He bowed and put the blanket on Yi Hui, and when he looked closer, he found that Yi Hui¡¯s shoulders were trembling, as if he was really frozen.


    ¡°Is it cold? I¡¯ll turn off the air conditioner.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng hurriedly went to look for the switch of the central air conditioner and found it next to the kitchen. When he turned it off and came back, he saw the blanket resting at Yi Hui¡¯s feet and walked over to put it on Yi Hui again.


    He just picked it up when he heard him talking.


    The voice was weak, as if he was talking to himself; he could barely hear a few words when he approached.


    Yi Hui held the watering can in his hand and stared at the pot of flowers intently: ¡°Otherwise¡­ watch it die?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng shivered suddenly, his fingers loosened, and the blanket, untouched by warmth, slid to the floor again.


    On August 21st, heavy rain fell.


    On this day last year, on Zhou Jinheng¡¯s 22nd birthday, Yi Hui¡¯s absurd, dreamlike life came to an abrupt end.


    The phrase ¡±I¡¯m late¡± was the biggest irony.


    Yi Hui curled up his limbs and gritted his teeth to fight the cold, but the cold  was still raging and fermenting in his body, condensing his blood and freezing his heartbeat.


    Since you¡¯re late, don¡¯t come at all.

 CH 47

    There was no new pot, after all.


    There was a flower market near the filming location where Zhou Jinheng recently stayed. He took a fancy to a pot of snowflakes and a pot of iron jasmine that he had seen in the courtyard of the Jiang family. He paid a deposit in advance. After the rain, two pots of flowers were in full bloom. Zhou Jinheng took advantage of the breaks to watch them and pour water on them.


    The owner asked if he wanted to take them away today; Zhou Jinheng shook his head and said, ¡°Keep them here first, please take care of them for a while.¡±


    The owner was puzzled and persuaded: ¡°Didn¡¯t you look forward to it blooming when you raised this one? Here, now that it blooms, it¡¯s perfect to take it back to coax your wife.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng had previously told the owner that his wife at home liked to raise flowers. He was now in a very different state of mind than he had been at the time, and this sheer cliff made him feel powerless. He casually excused himself by saying, ¡°Still angry with me, so I might not be able to enter the house if I take it back now.¡±


    The owner was very happy when he heard this: ¡°I thought only old men of our age were afraid of their wives, I didn¡¯t expect someone young like you would be too.¡±


    With the corners of his mouth under the mask raised helplessly, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s gaze wandered away, and he whispered, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m afraid¡­ how can I not be afraid?¡±


    In the afternoon, he called Auntie to ask about the situation. Auntie said on the phone: ¡°He looks the same as usual but doesn¡¯t eat much. He doesn¡¯t listen when I tell him not to go out in the sun, but he bought a new umbrella himself, so he shouldn¡¯t be shone by the sun.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was taken aback for a moment, then sighed lightly: ¡°En. The bad appetite might be because it is too hot, so make something light at night.¡±


    Auntie asked, ¡°Will Mr. Zhou come back for dinner?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, I still have work.¡± After a pause, Zhou Jinheng continued, ¡°If I go back, he won¡¯t eat more. Don¡¯t mention me in front of him, just do as he wishes.¡±


    Before hanging up, he didn¡¯t listen to a word of Auntie¡¯s comfort. After he hung up, Yang Chengxuan, who was sitting on the sofa smoking, smiled and said, ¡°If I didn¡¯t know, I¡¯d thought you were the nanny of the family. Why, now you have fallen to the point where you can¡¯t even go back home? Did you raise a lover or a great buddha?¡±


    Since the last time they had a fight in front of the Jiang family¡¯s house, Yang Chengxuan¡¯s words to Zhou Jinheng were even more weird, as if he felt uncomfortable if he didn¡¯t tease him every few sentences.


    The two of them had been very close since they were kids that this little conflict couldn¡¯t affect their rock-solid friendship. They still thought of each other whenever they had nothing to do or were in trouble. This was why Yang Chengxuan came to visit the set now and got to know the director of the variety show well enough to supply the venue for the next part of the shooting in the capital.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your business over?¡° Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t even look at him, ¡°I¡¯m going to rest, so you can go.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan snorted and said, shaking off the ash from his cigarette: ¡°I can still stay in the country for a month, and at this point I left my date to come to you. Not only don¡¯t you feel touched, you are kicking me out, are you even human?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng sat down on the couch, leaned back, closed his eyes and asked, ¡°When did you get a boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a boyfriend. It¡¯s not accurate to say that he¡¯s a sex friend either. After all, we can usually talk a little.¡± Yang Chengxuan said indifferently, ¡°He also learns to paint, but he is better at making clothes. Here, he made the shirt I am wearing today.¡±


    As he said this, he leaned over and invited Zhou Jinheng to take a look at his new clothes. Zhou Jinheng was disgusted by this overt show of affection and pushed his face away with a frown: ¡°Okay, I saw it, don¡¯t force me to kick you out.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan didn¡¯t know whether he meant it or not, but he kept saying, ¡°You didn¡¯t see how cute he looked when he was stepping on the sewing machine.¡±


    The contrast hurt exponentially and Zhou Jinheng was annoyed: ¡°Then treat him well.¡±


    Putting out the cigarette in the ashtray, Yang Chengxuan smiled playfully: ¡°I treat him very well. I will give him whatever he wants, except for name and status. Anyway, he doesn¡¯t necessarily want them. Everyone likes to play, so why bother to put these useless shackles on yourself.¡±


    This remark was mocking Zhou Jinheng secretly. Zhou Jinheng used to hate these shackles so much that he wanted to split them apart and throw them away the most. But now he changed his mind, picked them up and put them around his neck.


    ¡°Speaking of it, for so many years I really can¡¯t figure out your taste. When you were in school, you liked Fang Yuqing¡¯s cold treatment, and then you liked the fool. Now, except for looking a bit similar, this guy is a completely different person. Look at this violent temper. He hurt your face and won¡¯t let you in. Mine is at least well-behaved and sensible.¡± The more Yang Chengxuan spoke, the more amused he felt, ¡°Why do you like him? Thanks to the pile of unlucky information I got for you last time, you haven¡¯t been crazy for a long time. Do you really use him as a substitute?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng shook his head, not knowing which sentence to answer.


    Yang Chengxuan couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°You¡¯ve really figured it out this time?¡±


    After asking the question, he felt that it was redundant. The ironclad evidence was so overwhelming that he could not refuse to believe it. Besides, the look on Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face when he saw the death certificate was still vivid in his mind, his expression one of utter despair.


    ¡°He is dead.¡± Zhou Jinheng said.


    Yang Chengxuan breathed a sigh of relief: ¡°D*mn, you little kid finally figured it out. When you come down in a couple of days, brother will arrange a cleansing feast for you to celebrate letting go of your obsession and turning back to the right path.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng closed his eyes, as if he hadn¡¯t heard it. He felt that the word ¡±obsession¡± was used inaccurately. It was not that he insisted on doing this, but that he could only do this.


    If the man died, he can still use various means to paralyze himself and stop thinking, but it was not the man who died, but his heart.


    His little fool had left his heart on the mountain that night, hollowed out inside, so that he could only raise the thorns of his body against him. Every earlier resistance was a reminder that his beating heart had not yet returned, and it was only when he saw the bunch of certificates with the word ¡°death¡± on them that he suddenly had an epiphany.


    A person who died cannot come back to life, so a dead heart cannot be cured.


    The weather just showed the first signs of cooling when Tang Wenxi came to S City again.


    This time he just came to play, saying that he was stood up on the day of the trip and simply came to see him.


    Yi Hui asked, ¡°Why does he always stand you up?¡±


    Tang Wenxi shrugged: ¡°So I stood him up too. He just texted me to wait for him at home in the afternoon, and I replied ¡®ojbk¡¯.¡±


    Yi Hui smiled and praised him as ¡°good for you¡±, but he was a little worried. Tang Wenxi was obviously trying to look unconcerned, but in fact he must have felt very uncomfortable.


    His guess was verified in the evening. Tang Wenxi pressed down the phone once, and his face visibly turned more and more unsightly. The staff on the roller coaster yelled for a long time but he didn¡¯t buckle his seat belt. Finally, Yi Hui leaned over to buckle him and patted him on the chest to tell him not to be nervous.


    During the slow ascent, Yi Hui said: ¡°I heard that if you shout the other person¡¯s name the moment the coaster dives down, they will hear it wherever they are.¡±


    Tang Wenxi said that he did not believe in this kind of perverted superstition fit to deceive children, but at the highest point of the roller coaster, at the moment of weightlessness and speeding descent, he yelled in the cool evening breeze: ¡°Yang Chengxuan, you b*stard!¡±


    On another steep slope of descent, he yelled another sentence: ¡°Yang Chengxuan, can you stop throwing me aside!¡±


    Everyone was screaming, but Yi Hui could hear it clearly because he was sitting close. He was sad that Tang Wenxi could only vent his unhappiness in this way, but he also felt envious that Tang Wenxi could at least vent it.


    Unlike him; he could only close his mouth tightly and dare not say anything.


    After getting off the roller coaster, Tang Wenxi patted Yi Hui on the shoulder like a boss: ¡°It¡¯s alright, after playing such an exciting game and looking cool, I can fly home to find my mother.¡±


    Yi Hui smiled and did not answer.


    He wanted to go back to his town to see his mother and sister, but the time was not right. He was very clear about his position in this relationship. If he made a request that exceeded the constraints of the agreement and asked for something other than the agreement stipulated, he would definitely exchange it for other things.


    Just like applying medicine to whoever is injured; even if Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t mention it, he had to take the initiative to do it. He wanted to end all their involvement in these one hundred and eighty days. The day he would leave that house would be the day he¡¯d say farewell, without looking back and without owing anything.


    This was the last dignity Yi Hui preserved in his two lives. If this was true for someone you know well, it should be even more so for Zhou Jinheng.


    Therefore, when Jiang Xuemei, who was still hospitalized, developed complications, and several examinations in the county hospital did not reveal the specific cause, Yi Hui originally planned to take a leave of absence and go home for a few days. But Zhou Jinheng took the initiative and sent someone to arrange the transfer procedures for Jiang Xuemei. When Yi Hui received the call, his mother and younger sister were already about to board the plane.


    It was inconvenient to explain on the phone, so Yi Hui had to say that he arranged it, hung up the phone and knocked on the door of the master bedroom. Zhou Jinheng finished work early today and was at home.


    ¡°Thank you for helping my mother transfer to the hospital.¡± Yi Hui said straightforwardly, ¡°Is there anything I can do for you?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng seemed to expect him to come. After opening the door, he turned around and walked back to the bed. He slowly fastened his buttons and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go out for dinner together?¡±


    Of course, Yi Hui would not regard his casual question as asking for his opinion. He knew it was an exchange, so he obediently went out with Zhou Jinheng.


    The destination was not far away. There was a newly renovated shopping plaza in the city, and the restaurant was also newly opened. In the southwest corner of the top floor, you could see several huge glass pillars topped by a dreamy, dazzling glass dome.


    Even the subtle design of the seats, decorations and ceiling lights was exactly the same as in his memory. This was clearly the branch of the restaurant in the capital.


    Yi Hui remembered that he plucked his courage to ask the clerk if they could open a branch in S City because the capital was a bit far away and he couldn¡¯t come over often. The clerk smiled and thanked him for liking their place, and then told him that the boss didn¡¯t want to open a branch because it was too much trouble; he had already rejected invitations from many cities.


    So what¡¯s the deal with the place he was in now?


    He didn¡¯t think too much about it. A menu was already in front of him, and Zhou Jinheng asked him to order: ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    Yi Hui pushed the menu back: ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng ordered a few dishes. Yi Hui listened carefully; most of them were sweet.


    While waiting for the food to be served, Zhou Jinheng poured warm water for Yi Hui and asked for wet napkins and small snacks before the meal. Yi Hui didn¡¯t touch them. He didn¡¯t even lift his hands to the table, always resting them on his knees.


    ¡°This is his favorite restaurant.¡± Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°It didn¡¯t exist in S City before. It just opened last month and I wanted to bring you here.¡±


    The atmosphere was rarely relaxed; Yi Hui guessed that Zhou Jinheng probably didn¡¯t realize that the pronouns in his two sentences were different. However, this time he used ¡°his¡± instead of ¡°your¡±. While Yi Hui could not argue with this, he was also slightly reassured by his sobriety at the moment.


    At least he didn¡¯t treat himself as the dead Yi Hui anymore. He would rather be a substitute than be that fool again.


    ¡°You should bring him here, not me.¡± Yi Hui said coldly.


    Probably not expecting to get a response, Zhou Jinheng smiled. On second thought, his response was in return for the fact that he had just done him a huge favour, and the smile narrowed a little: ¡°I used to treat him badly, and I often missed appointments. Now he definitely won¡¯t want to go out with me.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t know if Zhou Jinheng¡¯s words contained any hints, but it just felt like an exchange between him and his only friend named Dora-Hum-Hum before they met.


    It was impossible to comfort him as before. Yi Hui blurted out without thinking, ¡°How badly? Accidentally spilled hot water on his hand?¡±


    That was what Dora-Hum-Hum told ¢ÙXiao Hui Xia, and Yi Hui regretted immediately after saying it. This sounded too sharp and mean, unlike what an outsider would say, just like he shouldn¡¯t have said the word ¡°die¡± on the night of the heavy rain.


    He thought that after saying it, he would feel relaxed, feel the pleasure of revenge, but he didn¡¯t. Looking at Zhou Jinheng¡¯s instantly defeated face, instead of being happy, he felt that his chest was blocked and his breathing became stagnant and difficult.


    This might be what people call killing one thousand enemy troops by losing eight hundred of yours. While picking up an invisible knife and stabbing the other, he was also bloodied by the blade of the knife held in his hand.


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t seem to expect that he would take the initiative to mention the past. He was silent for a moment and said, ¡°No, I did it on purpose.¡±


    Yi Hui gritted his teeth and clasped his hands under the table: ¡°Really¡­ it seems that you hate him very much.¡±


    ¡°Yes at the time.¡° Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t know what stimulated him. He broke the jar and didn¡¯t bother to whitewash himself anymore. ¡°I didn¡¯t have the ability to fight against my elders, so I transferred the resentment that had nowhere to go to him, bullying him while being unconsciously attracted to him. The more I was attracted to him, the more impotent I felt. Without understanding why I always thought of him, why I said I hated him, and why the first thing I thought of every time I finished work was to go home.¡±


    Yi Hui desperately pushed himself to the position of the listener, but he clearly understood that this was the story that had happened to him.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s sudden candour scared him, and this self-confidence in confessing his own bad deeds made him even more frightened. The words ¡±go home¡± was like a thorn in his heart. It seemed that it had already weathered and disappeared, but whenever someone mentioned it, he would still be conditioned to feel pain instinctively.


    Yi Hui flinched, clasping his hands tightly: ¡°Because you had nowhere else to go¡­¡±


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t let him finish speaking, interrupting: ¡°Because I love him.¡±


    The unspoken words dissipated as Yi Hui snapped his head up, his gaze colliding with Zhou Jinheng¡¯s dark pupils. The shattered light reflecting off the glass fell into his eyes, transforming him into a dementor hunter who was doing his best to awaken his sleeping soul.


    Zhou Jinheng said again: ¡°Because I fell in love with him.¡±


    His mouth was saying ¡°he¡± but his eyes were saying ¡°you¡±.


    There was no equivalent exchange agreement, and there was no self-appointed substitute. Zhou Jinheng¡¯s eyes had only looked at one man from beginning to end.


    So confident, so sure, just like he was when they first met, just like he was when that fool loved him for a lifetime.

 CH 48

    When Jiang Xuemei and Jiang Yimang arrived in S City, Yi Hui had just finished the very pleasant dinner with Zhou Jinheng.


    The car was already prepared at the door. Yi Hui was in a hurry, so he didn¡¯t refuse. He sat in the back seat and waited for a while before anyone came up. He stuck his head out and saw Zhou Jinheng explaining something to the driver standing next to the car. Then he turned to Yi Hui and said, ¡°I have other things, so I won¡¯t pick up Auntie with you.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t want him to go with him, but it was also clear that Zhou Jinheng had deliberately arranged it this way. It was night time, what task could be waiting for him?


    The car slowly drove onto the road and joined the traffic. Yi Hui looked out the rear window. Zhou Jinheng was still standing on the spot and watching him go away. His figure was tall and upright, but he seemed lonely and solemn in the night.


    On the road, Yi Hui sometimes opened and sometimes closed his eyes, and light and shadows in the mottled glass were floating chaotically in front of him, making him think of the last time he walked into this restaurant. He was also with Zhou Jinheng then.


    At that time, he was 23 years old and Zhou Jinheng was 19 years old. They had just confirmed their marriage relationship in the presence of a priest.


    It was the happiest day of his previous life. He thought he knew what love was and he secretly prepared to spend his life with Zhou Jinheng. Only in the later trials and tribulations did he know that happiness was not achieved in the presence of a third party and giving did not definitely have to be rewarded.


    The past was the past, and fate also worked on a first-come-first-served basis. The pain he felt at the time could not be felt by the other party, and now the ¡°love¡± the man talked about could not reach his heart through his eardrums.


    Early the next morning when Jiang Xuemei was admitted to an oncology hospital in S City, she underwent a detailed full-body examination.


    As a result, it turned out there was still a problem with her heart. Under the impact of chemotherapy and various stimulating drugs, the tolerance of her organs was weakened, which caused various physical and sensory discomforts.


    After the medicine and treatment plan were adjusted, the symptoms eased a lot in less than three days. Jiang Xuemei¡¯s face also turned ruddy. When she arrived, she could only walk with help. Now she could get out of bed and walk around.


    ¡°Thanks to your friend,¡± Jiang Xuemei said, taking Yi Hui¡¯s hand, ¡°When we are discharged from the hospital, the three of us will pay our respects together.¡±


    Yi Hui said, ¡°No, he is busy. He said yesterday that he would come to see you when he had time.¡±


    The second half of the sentence was nonsense. Fortunately, Jiang Xuemei didn¡¯t plan to ask more. She only asked what their benefactor¡¯s last name was. Yi Hui¡¯s brain was knotted when he lied; he hesitated for a long time and still said truthfully that his surname was Zhou.


    Before leaving, he was pulled aside by Jiang Yimang and asked in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s not him again right?¡±


    Yi Hui pretended to be dumbfounded: ¡°Him? What him? Who are you talking about?¡±


    When she saw his embarrassing performance, Jiang Yimang knew it was not good, patted his forehead and said, ¡°I, Jiang Yimang, have been smart all my life. How could I have been so confused earlier and fallen for your trick?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t hide it anymore from his sister. Yi Hui picked out the insignificant details, but Jiang Yimang was still sniffing and in tears, asking Yi Hui if he was the Bodhisattva who had come down to earth to help all beings.


    Thinking of having used a similar metaphor to describe her, Yi Hui smiled: ¡°I am not a Bodhisattva, I am your brother.¡±


    Jiang Yimang hugged him and howled ¡°Bodhisattva Brother¡± several times, then wiped away her tears, took out a flashlight-like object from her pocket and thrust it into his hand: ¡°It¡¯s time to protect yourself. I don¡¯t need this thing for the time being. Brother, you take it for protection, I can¡¯t believe that Zhou guy went to all the trouble of tying you up with nothing else in mind.¡±


    That day, Yi Hui hurriedly went back to conform with the twelve-hour rule and didn¡¯t have time to study what Jiang Yimang gave him.


    When the temperature dropped again next week, he took out the coat he had worn once, shook it and prepared to put it on before going out. Something fell out of his pocket.


    Tang Wenxi picked it up, looked at the cylindrical object and chuckled: ¡°Classmate Jiang, you are so cute. I told you to buy an anti-wolf stick and you actually bought it.¡±


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t argue with him no matter what; he turned red like a boiled shrimp, didn¡¯t wear the coat and walked out first, puffing up with anger.


    Tang Wenxi often travelled between the capital and S City these days. He came to a seminar with a professor twice before. This time, he was here for something else. He accompanied Yi Hui to the hospital to see Jiang Xuemei and then wandered around idly. Yi Hui calmed down and asked him if he wanted to find a place to sketch together. He shook his head and yawned: ¡°No, I came all the way here so I don¡¯t want to paint.¡±


    Intuition told Yi Hui that it might be related to the person surnamed Yang again. Sure enough, at noon, Tang Wenxi answered a call, took out a jacket from his bag, put it on him and said with a smile: ¡°If you want to fight off wolves, it¡¯s enough to wear my clothes.¡± As he said it, he pointed at the eye-catching restaurant sign across the street, ¡°I made a reservation there. You go and eat. I haven¡¯t digested my breakfast yet and feel terrible. I¡¯ll go for a stroll first.¡±


    Yi Hui entered the restaurant, dumbfounded, and only had time to look at his clothes when he sat down.


    Tang Wenxi made the jacket by himself. If you pulled the zipper to the top, there would be huge words ¡°good luck¡± written on his chest. The sequins and rivets were all hand-sewn. Yi Hui stretched out his hand and touched them. He felt his teeth ache, not knowing whether to cry or to laugh. It was really wolf-proof.


    He guessed that Tang Wenxi must have made an appointment with Yang Chengxuan here, but was stood up again and could not deliver the clothes he made with his own hands. This was Yang Chengxuan¡¯s hometown and he was about to go abroad. Before the scumbag man¡¯s leaving, Tang Wenxi was neither able to wish him good luck nor to stab him. It was really frustrating; no wonder he couldn¡¯t eat.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t bring it up and didn¡¯t have much appetite for the luxurious meals that had been ordered.


    He was not good at using a knife and a fork. He finally cut off a piece of steak and put it in his mouth. When he looked up, he was startled as he watched someone come up. The fork fell back onto the plate from his limp fingers.


    Zhou Jinheng was also sent here on a crisis mission.


    Yang Chengxuan said on the phone: ¡°I really can¡¯t make it. He hung up on me. I don¡¯t know if he will go. If he is there, apologize for me. If he is not there, you can eat by yourself.¡±


    Before going, Zhou Jinheng said disdainfully: ¡°Who cares about your meal¡±. At this moment, he saw Yi Hui sitting in the other seat at the designated table. He instantly changed his mind, strode over and sat down, completely forgetting what he was here for.


    At first, there was nothing to say. The two had a stiff meal. When a plate of desserts decorated with roses was served, the waiter asked if they wanted him to read the oath for them two. Yi Hui was the first to come round and say no. After the waiter left, he explained indifferently: ¡°This was reserved by my friend. I didn¡¯t know it was like this.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng nodded and said calmly, ¡°Well, me too.¡±


    The meal was eaten quietly; there was no confrontation, no dark tide surging. Even though Yi Hui was one of the participants, he could barely imagine that he and Zhou Jinheng could still sit face to face like this just to fill their stomachs.


    After the meal, Yi Hui got up and walked to the door, looking down and zipping up. When he raised his head, he suddenly bumped into Zhou Jinheng who stopped in front of him. The belt of his windbreaker was caught in the rivets on Yi Hui¡¯s chest. The two struggled for a long time, chest to back, and finally pulled out the belt and separated with the help of the clerk.


    Zhou Jinheng turned his head and his gaze fell on the strange ornaments on his chest. Yi Hui was still breathing hard, thinking that his face was practically pressed to Zhou Jinheng¡¯s shoulder just now, and his earlobe that had rubbed against the skin on the back of his neck felt even hotter.


    After walking on the sidewalk for a while, Yi Hui freed the belt barb caught in his sequins and was about to return it to Zhou Jinheng when he was stopped by an old woman on the side of the road.


    ¡°Young man, come here, this old woman will tell you your fortune.¡±


    At noon, there were few pedestrians on the road. Yi Hui looked left and right, then pointed at himself: ¡°Me?¡±


    The old lady in the floral dress smiled and nodded.


    Perhaps it was because the old lady looked kind-hearted, unlike a liar; so Yi Hui walked over and spread out his palm for her to see.


    In just half a minute, she twisted her eyebrows for a while, then stretched her brows and smiled, and finally patted Yi Hui¡¯s palm with her thin hand: ¡°Good boy, the suffering is only temporary, and it will be a smooth journey from then on.¡±


    Probably because he looked easy to deceive, Yi Hui had been stopped by fortune tellers in his last life, and even heard similar words.


    However, with the strange thing of rebirth that happened to him, Yi Hui can believe it. He reached into his pocket and took out a few banknotes. Just as he was about to hand one to the old lady to thank her for her blessing, he saw a slender beautiful hand stretching forward ahead of him: ¡°Take a look for me too.¡±


    It was Zhou Jinheng, Zhou Jinheng had never cared about these feudal superstitions before.


    Yi Hui moved to the side to make room for him. He originally thought that the old lady would look at it for a while before drawing conclusions, like she did just now. He didn¡¯t expect her to round her eyes and make an exaggerated gasp: ¡°It looks like it should be a sign of wealth and prosperity, but there is blood in it. I fear it will take nine deaths one life (a narrow escape / new lease of life) before it can be resolved.¡±


    On the way back, Yi Hui said to Zhou Jinheng who was driving: ¡°Street fortune-telling is not credible, don¡¯t take what the old lady said to heart.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was taken aback for a moment, then turned to look at him, the corners of his lips slightly raised: ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not afraid.¡±


    Hearing this answer, Yi Hui regretted speaking again. Even though he was dumb, he could hear the pleasure in Zhou Jinheng¡¯s tone. He must have thought that he was worried about him.


    Yi Hui believed he had an ¡®acting out of payback¡¯ mentality. He was the one who had his palm read first, and anyone who heard such curses would not be happy. He said it just to clear his conscience.


    ¡°And¨C¡± Zhou Jinheng turned away, looked ahead and continued to talk to himself, ¡°Someone once told me that my lifeline was very long, and my life would be safe and smooth. It¡¯s just that the love line is a bit short, and it broke right at the beginning.¡±


    Speaking of this, he paused, as if waiting for a question to be asked curiously. Of course Yi Hui wouldn¡¯t ask. His eyelids pulsed; he lowered his head and narrowed his eyes, pretending as usual that he hadn¡¯t heard the intention in these words.


    Zhou Jinheng smiled; no one asked but he still said the remaining sentence: ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter where it is broken, I will renew the thread from where it is.¡±

 CH 49

    Yi Hui didn¡¯t make a sound, Zhou Jinheng turned on the car stereo and under the sound of soothing music asked him where he was going in the afternoon.


    ¡°The Art Association.¡± Yi Hui said laconically.


    The place was very close to here, Zhou Jinheng drove quickly and arrived within half an hour. When Zhou Jinheng asked when he should pick him up, Yi Hui said, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll go back by myself.¡±


    Walking on the promenade of the Art Association compound, Yi Hui thought that for the next four months, Zhou Jinheng must not be actively provoked again. It would be better not to speak at all. Who knows where this guy had learned those skills. He would not only comfort himself but also twist other people¡¯s words to cheer himself up. A simple sentence could be interpreted by him to have a false meaning.


    Once upon a time it was clearly not like this; he had all the wind and all the rain he wanted, and there was no need to give himself a shot of anaesthesia through this commoner¡¯s method of spiritual triumph.


    Yi Hui found that the frequency of comparing the two lifetimes had increased recently, and he even began to wonder whether he really had no other meaning when he said those words, such as subconsciously expressing concern.


    This thought made Yi Hui feel terrified. An art exchange meeting was being held in the Art Association building. Tang Wenxi was not there. After listening to the lecture, he walked to the corner and sat down, holding a disposable cup in a daze.


    ¡°Do you mind if I sit here?¡±


    A voice sounded in his ear, and Yi Hui said, ¡°You can sit¡± without thinking. When the man really sat down in the vacant seat next to him, Yi Hui glanced sideways and was stunned.


    The man smiled and stretched out his hand: ¡°Hello, my name is Fang Yuqing.¡±


    After hesitating for a few seconds, Yi Hui shook his hand: ¡°My name is Jiang Yihui.¡±


    This was an exchange meeting for those who loved art, and there was nothing out of the ordinary to meet him here. Yi Hui thought about it, took a sip of water and tried to slow down his heartbeat that was beating too fast since he heard his name.


    This was the second time he had heard Fang Yuqing¡¯s name. The first time was in his previous life. He heard from others what an outstanding man Fang Yuqing was and how much Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t forget him. Yi Hui was ashamed of himself but at the same time, he still held hope in his heart. He thought that it was all a thing of the past. Zhou Jinheng had already married him and would slowly forget the first love that ended in failure.


    As a result, it turned out he was too optimistic. Looking at those three years, when was Zhou Jinheng not angry at him because of the regrets that failed to materialize? Even the pitiful tenderness at the time of intimacy was based on the similarity.


    Looking at the man sitting next to him, Yi Hui found that he did have many similarities. He had the same amber irises, the same upturned nose, the same lips with a wavy curve when he was not speaking; even the line from the jaw to the neck was similar to the one he could see in the mirror.


    No wonder Zhou Jinheng was able to have sex with him back then, Yi Hui thought self-deprecatingly. At that time, he called making love playing games because of his shyness. Looking back now, playing games was the best summary of their ridiculous relationship.


    There was no love, only a contract. Apart from those games, the only thing left was the current arrangement. If there was such a thing as fate, he and Zhou Jinheng were probably destined to have a clash of fortunes, and no matter how many lifetimes they had, they were not destined to end well.


    ¡°I remember that Mr. Jiang was the gold medal winner of the live painting competition held by the Art Association last year, right?¡±


    Fang Yuqing¡¯s words brought Jiang Yihui¡¯s thoughts back to the present. He nodded, and Fang Yuqing smiled: ¡°At that moment, I participated in the final review. The ¡®Sunrise¡¯ was indeed amazing, but the use of colour was too monotonous. The organizing committee originally planned to award it a silver award, but I strongly recommended giving it the gold award and asked for extra points to be added to it.¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t know that such a thing happened, and for a while he didn¡¯t know whether to thank him or to ask why.


    Fortunately, Fang Yuqing didn¡¯t shy away and said directly: ¡°Because the man in the painting looked particularly similar to the man I know. I thought at the time that if someone could paint a person with such great brilliance, as if he was above all things in the world, the artist must have loved this person very much.¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s heart thudded suddenly; he swallowed dryly and said, ¡°No, I don¡¯t love him, I just painted it casually.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is it actually like this? I thought that people who love painting would hide such small inclinations,¡± Fang Yuqing said with regret, and then smiled again, ¡°But the man I am talking about, the man who is very similar to the man in the painting, is my lover¡­ I love him very much.¡±


    In the afternoon, Yi Hui went to the hospital to visit Jiang Xuemei. He saw a bunch of daisies on the bedside and asked where it came from. Jiang Yimang pulled him aside and said, ¡°The guy surnamed Zhou was here just now. I didn¡¯t yell because Mom was sleeping. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t say anything, put down the flowers and left.¡±


    Yi Hui guessed that Zhou Jinheng had been too free recently, otherwise why would he do these things that could be done by sending an assistant?


    Entertainment news was broadcasting on the bus back, taking stock of this year¡¯s scandal-ridden celebrities. Zhou Jinheng was among the celebrities who were suspended from filming. In order to amplify the impact, the show gathered all the negative news about Zhou Jinheng since his debut four years ago, including the fact that he was photographed going to a wedding ring customization center at the beginning of the year.


    This news had been half a year old. Yi Hui deliberately avoided it at the time. Later, he didn¡¯t know if the ring he saw accidentally came from this shop. Now, looking at the photos that appeared on the TV screen, who was it if not Fang Yuqing sitting at the bar with Zhou Jinheng wearing a mask?


    It did not rule out the possibility of friendship, but Fang Yuqing¡¯s use of the term ¡°lover¡± could not be unilateral.


    But what did this have to do with him? Yi Hui withdrew his gaze and looked out the sunset window, his restless emotions surging up. Suddenly he didn¡¯t want to go back.


    He got off at the next stop. It was a bustling downtown area. It was more interesting to walk around casually than to be bored inside four walls.


    A quiet river flowed from the east end of the commercial street to the west end, crossed with several quaint wooden bridges. He saw a piece of land beside the bridge in front of him, with a gurgling spring carved out there.


    This kind of place with a lot of people coming and going was a forbidden place for him. Yi Hui only remembered his mother bringing him here when he was very young, holding his hand tightly the whole time, afraid he would get lost.


    Perhaps because it was late, there were not as many people today as before. He walked forward and found an inconspicuous place to stand. He saw people stop and marvel at the coins in the bottom of the pool and then walk away with disdain, or take out coins to make a wish.


    It was as if he could see his shadow in them; he was the one who had pinned his hopes on an illusory deity.


    ¡°Hurry up, give me a coin. I heard that it is a very spiritual place. I want to make a few more wishes.¡±


    ¡°¡­throw it all in?¡±


    ¡°Well, it seems sincere to throw more.¡±


    ¡°What wish did you make?¡±


    ¡°I want to go back in time.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best to go back to when we were still in school. I confessed to you early and grasped you firmly. If you want to go abroad, I will go with you. You won¡¯t get rid of me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also very good now.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    It was a same-sex couple. Yi Hui listened intently, ignoring the seemingly endless sense of familiarity. He stood in a daze until he was awakened by the sound of ¡°HuiHui¡± and raised his head to meet two pairs of surprised eyes.


    In a quiet teahouse, the tables were mostly empty and the fragrance of tea made the air moist and warm. In the middle of the room, the cold air of early autumn was completely isolated.


    Ye Qin took a sip from the teacup, was scalded and stretched out his tongue, but still maintained a smile on his face: ¡°If you¡¯re not, you¡¯re not, we just took the liberty to interrupt when we saw you. I hope you can forgive us.¡±


    Yi Hui lowered his head, not knowing where to look: ¡°The person you are talking about¡­ is he very similar to me?¡±


    ¡°In terms of appearance, you are not that much alike.¡± Cheng Feichi, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke out, ¡°It can be said that you are like two people.¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s throat became dry: ¡°Then¡­¡±


    Cheng Feichi, sitting opposite, looked down at his hand clasping the cup and said, ¡°Intuition, intuition is irrational.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really irrational.¡± Ye Qin propped his head on one hand and stared at Yi Hui, ¡°If I were the only one today, I might only secretly doubt it. But he thought so too, so I stopped you impulsively.¡±


    Yi Hui was very nervous and for fear of saying more and making more mistakes, he denied it again: ¡°I am not the person you are looking for. I live in the south and have recently come here to work. I will go back in a few months.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I know you are not him anymore, let¡¯s just make friends, don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Ye Qin pushed the snacks that had just been served in front of him, ¡°Do you like sweet food?¡±


    Yi Hui nodded first, then shook his head, his face flushed: ¡°I can eat it, a little bit.¡±


    Ye Qin laughed: ¡°Then eat more.¡±


    After the tea, Yi Hui was in a hurry to leave. Ye Qin finished nibbling the last few melon seeds on the plate, reminded him to put on his coat before going out and asked him where he bought the coat that hurt to look at. Yi Hui replied that his friend made it and hurriedly turned away and walked to the door. Two steps later he was stopped again.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even ask who we were looking for.¡±


    Yi Hui turned around slowly, his gaze still pinned to the ground: ¡°Who, who?¡±


    ¡°His younger brother.¡± Ye Qin pointed to Cheng Feichi, and then to himself, ¡°He is also my brother.¡±


    Because of this episode, it was ten o¡¯clock in the evening when Yi Hui walked into the gate of the community.


    The twelve-hour time limit had been exceeded, but he didn¡¯t worry about it, he walked slowly, thinking intently as he walked.


    As he walked, his eyes were dull and damp.


    Just after he was reborn, he thought of himself in his previous life to be a joke. He had thought he was living a full, good life, but in the end he died a foolish death and got nothing.


    Yi Hui looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. It turned out that this was not the case. It turned out that there were still people who were thinking about him, and there were still people who could find him out in the vast sea of people at a glance.


    But he couldn¡¯t admit it, whether it was out of timidity or selfishness. Now that he had chosen this path, he could only go on firmly. He couldn¡¯t afford the identities of the two of them and he didn¡¯t want to go back to the past.


    Going back in time was an opportunity that many people dreamed about, but he didn¡¯t want it.


    It was enough to experience those love-hate entanglements once, and it was enough to grieve for the fool named Yi Hui once. They should live happily, not wallow in sorrow for the dead fool.


    When he was still stupid, he knew that he had to keep his word. Since he said that he wanted to be Jiang Yihui, even if he knew that he was deceiving himself, he had to hide it from everyone for the rest of his life.


    After a long time, maybe he can also hide it from himself.


    Wandering around the community twice and sitting on an empty bench for a long time, Yi Hui rubbed his sore eyes and stood up. He turned left at the end of the cobblestone road, following the path he had walked countless times.


    As soon as he opened his eyes after rubbing them, he saw Zhou Jinheng standing on the side of the road in front of his house, same as the last time he bumped into him at the door while accepting the security guard¡¯s flowers.


    Yi Hui walked straight forward, bypassed him, and when he walked into the yard to open the door, he heard Zhou Jinheng ask behind him, ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t answer the question, but picked the point and said, ¡°I will make up for the missed time tomorrow.¡±


    The time missed today would be filled tomorrow; he did the same thing once last week to take care of Jiang Xuemei.


    So he didn¡¯t understand why Zhou Jinheng was so stimulated this time. When he pinched his wrist and pressed it on the wall at the entrance, he was still in a daze.


    ¡°I asked where you were.¡±


    His voice was very deep, and Yi Hui was stunned for a moment. However, there was no smell of alcohol. If Zhou Jinheng wasn¡¯t drunk, what kind of madness was this?


    ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡± Yi Hui looked at him, ¡°The agreement does not say that I have to report to you.¡±


    He also had a temper. He was brought here by Zhou Jinheng and was kept in captivity for no reason. He also had resentment in his heart. Now that he was asked inexplicably, Yi Hui could no longer keep silent.


    Hearing only a familiar chuckle, Yi Hui was about to take the opportunity to free his hand from Zhou Jinheng¡¯s grip. Who knew that the hand holding him would suddenly squeeze tightly and then he didn¡¯t feel the wall behind his back anymore. Yi Hui was dragged away, stumbling up the stairs.


    ¡°What are you doing¡­ let me go!¡±


    Dragged vigorously up the last step, Yi Hui realized that something was wrong.


    Zhou Jinheng was clearly mad, and his violent temper that had been hidden for a long time broke through, even worse than before. Yi Hui felt that his wrist was about to be crushed, and when he fell into the bed, he couldn¡¯t care less about feeling dizzy and went to rub his left wrist first.


    Fortunately, there was just redness and his bones were not hurt. He still had to draw tomorrow.


    Zhou Jinheng then pressed him down. Seeing him move and thinking that he wanted to run, he grabbed his arms and pinned them on his sides, panting: ¡°Yes, I should have made you honour the agreement a long time ago and saved you from running around without staying at home properly.¡±


    This sounded familiar. He remembered that Zhou Jinheng used this sentence to trap him at home in his previous life and he foolishly regarded it as a worry about him. Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help but sneer: ¡°Why? Did you have enough pretending to be a good person and finally want to show your true face?¡±


    Saying that, he actually felt a long-lost ease.


    Starting from Dora-Hum-Hum, Zhou Jinheng was not as reckless and rash as before, even his kindness to him was so subtle and gentle that it was almost imperceptible, building up around him little by little, day by day, so that he had no way to refuse.


    He was waiting for this day, to push Zhou Jinheng to the limit, to make him tear off his disguise, to beat him or scold him. If he survived, he would really owe him nothing. When he thought of it, Yi Hui finally felt joy in his heart. He could not wait for Zhou Jinheng to do it now, so that he could get out of the swamp he was sinking deeper and deeper into.


    Zhou Jinheng was indeed irritated by him, and his deliberately narrowed eyes became sharp, as if a storm was brewing in them.


    When he noticed that the bloodshot eyes contained a trace of desire, it was too late to resist.


    Zhou Jinheng leaned down and pressed onto Yi Hui¡¯s half-opened lips fiercely, first biting hard, then licking carefully, prying open his teeth. Before Yi Hui could react, he stuck his flexible tongue in, exchanging saliva while their breath entwined and inseparable.


    It was not that he wasn¡¯t kissed in his previous life. Occasionally, Zhou Jinheng would reluctantly kiss him when he felt interested; but such a kiss that was so close that they almost melted into each other was Yi Hui¡¯s first experience.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s taste filled his mouth and nose, and Yi Hui couldn¡¯t stop shivering. His trembling hand finally broke free from the shackles, climbed to Zhou Jinheng¡¯s shoulder and pushed him away vigorously as he shouted, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s eyes were out of focus; he was still immersed in the kiss just now. He was awakened unexpectedly by Yi Hui¡¯s resistant eyes and said with a sneer: ¡°You don¡¯t think I raised you here for charity, do you?¡±


    Yi Hui¡¯s breath hitched, as if he didn¡¯t expect Zhou Jinheng to say it so bluntly and frankly. He didn¡¯t want to do it, didn¡¯t want to do it with Zhou Jinheng, and he forced himself to calmly say, ¡°The agreement does not say that it should be repaid in this way.¡±


    ¡°It is written in the agreement that the right of interpretation belongs to Party A, that is, me.¡± Zhou Jinheng¡¯s mouth was pressed against Yi Hui¡¯s ear, as if the devil had issued a sentence, ¡°Pay back the way I said so.¡±


    He propped one hand on Yi Hui¡¯s side, while the other hand reached down, pushing away the thin cloth, and his hot palm touched the sensitive skin on his waist. Yi Hui trembled even more violently, but he was not stronger than Zhou Jinheng. He couldn¡¯t hold down one of his hands with both his hands, and his bent legs could not exert enough force. He could only let him lift the hem, push the clothes up to his chest and rub his hands back and forth on his slightly cool skin.


    A heavy gasp lingered in his ears, and when the hot, moist lips fell on his collarbone, Yi Hui suddenly had a surge of energy. He let go of his hand to find the wire at the head of the bed, gritted his teeth and pulled it. There was a strange clatter. He picked up the glass lamp on the bedside table and smashed the lampshade and the bottom support heavily onto Zhou Jinheng.


    The movement stopped with the sound of broken glass, but it didn¡¯t stop completely. Before the man pressing on him raised his head, he buried his face between his neck and his shoulder and took a deep breath.


    Perhaps the pain was too severe, but Yi Hui heard his breath shudder intermittently.


    Zhou Jinheng gritted his teeth, blue veins on his neck protruding. He looked fierce as if he was about to kill someone. But when he looked at him, Yi Hui still saw fondness hidden in the anger in his eyes, as well as pain that came from nowhere.


    The pain seemed to materialise, cracking from the center of his pupils, a deep spider web of patterns, each piece a different size stained with blood.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help but think of their first meeting after he was reborn. Zhou Jinheng looked at him with these eyes, called him ¡°HuiHui¡± and asked him to go home with him.


    He didn¡¯t know if it was heaven¡¯s intention to tease him. The man he  desperately wanted to avoid was the first to recognize him and never doubted it since then. He exhausted his means, pressed hard step by step and never gave up after enduring repeated blows.


    And he never admitted it once, never gave him any hope.


    A drop of warm liquid fell on his face. Yi Hui blinked, his palms slowly loosening, and the broken lamp fell to the floor.


    ¡°You said you would continue to love me, always love me, for the rest of your life.¡± Every time he said the word ¡°love¡±, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s voice became hoarse, as if he was in pain; but what scared him more than the physical pain was the repeated cold denials of the man in front of him, ¡°This is what you said¡­.. you can¡¯t lie to me. ¡°


    Yi Hui¡¯s eyes widened suddenly, as if he had been dragged into a time-space tunnel by these words he had once written himself and he couldn¡¯t help but watch time rewind quickly in front of him.


    In a sketchbook hidden in his previous life, Zhou Jinheng was a majestic lion under Yi Hui¡¯s brush. He was rebellious and arrogant, confident and dashing, and nothing could defeat him.


    At that time, Yi Hui only saw his brilliance, but he didn¡¯t know that no matter how arrogant the lion was usually, he would cry when he was injured. He would be willing to expose his fragile side. He would look at him and whimper like a little beast that was abandoned.


    The author has something to say: Why did Xiao Zhou suddenly go berserk? You should be able to guess¡­¡­

 CH 50

    In the end, Zhou Jinheng straightened up his arms first and then got out of bed.


    Yi Hui, finally free, sat up hurriedly. He didn¡¯t have time to take off his shoes and stepped on the sheets several times during the struggle just now. He didn¡¯t care about these things at the moment. He sorted out his clothes casually, stood up and was about to leave when he accidentally caught a glimpse of Zhou Jinheng. The light-colored fabric on his back was stained with deep red. He paused and didn¡¯t step out in the end.


    Auntie got off work a long time ago, and Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t seem to plan to go to the hospital. He grabbed two pieces of clothes and went to the bathroom.


    When he came out, his face was paler than before. When he saw Yi Hui holding the medicine box, he was taken aback for a moment, and then he opened his mouth and said, ¡°What¡¯s the point of coming back? Are you not afraid I¡¯ll use force on you again?¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t say anything, put down the medicine box, took out two bottles of medicine and gauze from it, went around Zhou Jinheng and applied alcohol to the wounds on his back with a cotton swab.


    The cuts left by the glass shards were no longer bleeding, but they looked deep. When the cotton swab touched, as strong as Zhou Jinheng was, his muscles tensed up in pain and his shoulder blades contracted inward involuntarily.


    His upper body was naked, and as soon as Yi Hui lowered his head, he could see all kinds of new and old wounds on his flesh, including several places where Yi Hui had helped apply medicine a few days ago. They were not completely healed, the remaining bruises still faintly visible.


    His heart clenched for no reason. After disinfecting the cuts, unscrewing the cap of another bottle of medicine, Yi Hui rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand. The skin touched by the other¡¯s tears was still hot, as if it had been scalded.


    Obviously he was very resilient and had never cried even when he was hurt badly.


    The lion, sickly after wasting his violent outburst, slept until almost noon the next day.


    Yi Hui kept to the agreement and did not leave early in the morning today to make up for the time he missed yesterday. Auntie was a little worried and asked him to go up and knock on the door to see what was going on. Yi Hui felt conflicted when he thought of what happened last night, and thought of the shocking large blood stain. After some struggle, he still accepted his fate and went upstairs to knock on the door.


    After he waited at the door for a while, no one opened it and he couldn¡¯t hear movement inside. Yi Hui held the handle and gently turned it, and it wasn¡¯t locked.


    Zhou Jinheng was lying on the bed, his eyes closed tightly. His face was not as pale as yesterday; however, the redness of his cheeks was not natural. Yi Hui called him twice and he didn¡¯t respond. He stepped forward and touched his forehead. His skin was hot; he really had a fever.


    Auntie handed Yi Hui a basin full of cold water and hung a clean towel on his shoulder: ¡°I have to watch the porridge here, please take care of Mr. Zhou.¡±


    The drawing that Yi Hui had to catch up on had already been finished in the morning, and there was nothing else to do at this moment. He couldn¡¯t find a reason to shirk, so he had to go upstairs with the basin.


    Few people probably knew that Zhou Jinheng was very restless in his sleep; not only did he move around, but he also liked to grab things to press into his arms. In his previous life, the two of them slept in the same bed. When they laid down, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s position was standard; but after a while, he stretched out his arms and legs, looking for someone. Yi Hui was hugged by him several times and did not dare to move. Nervous, he secretly smiled, hoping that he would hold him for a while.


    Now that he was sick and restless, he moved over and over again, frowning and huffing, moving his wounds. The towel Yi Hui put on his forehead fell off seven or eight times in half an hour, and he was so angry that he unfolded the towel and tied a knot on his head.


    This time it couldn¡¯t fall down. Yi Hui stood up and wanted to go out to get some air. As soon as he left the chair, his hand was grabbed by the man who was still asleep on the bed. Coincidentally, it was the place where his hand was squeezed to redness yesterday. Yi Hui was startled and was about to pull out his hand when he heard a series of whispered words.


    ¡°HuiHui, don¡¯t go, don¡¯t go¡­¡± Zhou Jinheng frowned, sweat covering his forehead, as if he had a terrible dream, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault, don¡¯t go¡­ don¡¯t go, okay?¡±


    In the end, he was young and his health was good. After taking medicine and some cooling products, Zhou Jinheng woke up in the afternoon.


    When he sat up, he untied the towel tied to his head. When he went downstairs, it smelled of food. Auntie raised her voice and said, ¡°You finally woke up. Come and eat.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was the only one at the table. After taking a sip of porridge, he raised his head and asked, ¡°How about him?¡±


    ¡°You mean Mr. Yi?¡± Auntie was still used to calling Yi Hui that way, ¡°He went out, just less than an hour ago.¡±


    Seeing Zhou Jinheng¡¯s face looking somewhat lost, Auntie continued: ¡°He must have gone to buy you something good to eat. At noon you were burning up so badly that he went out of his way to put a towel on your forehead, otherwise your temperature wouldn¡¯t have dropped so quickly.¡±


    Remembering the towel that was simply and rudely stuck on his forehead, Zhou Jinheng smiled, thinking that the little fool wouldn¡¯t have stayed to take care of him if he hadn¡¯t felt responsible.


    Since he grasped this point and asked Yi Hui to help him apply medicine, he should have known that those seemingly softening actions were all delusions, and last night¡¯s hatred and resistance were his real reactions.


    Being honest about what happened in his past life was a risky move, and now he was getting the worst of it.


    But Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t regret it. Instead of deliberately keeping his distance because Yi Hui didn¡¯t like it, he would rather be slapped in an attempt to touch him. It would be even better if he could suffer a little injury. The little fool was kind-hearted; even if he didn¡¯t feel distressed for him, he would at least stay and take care of him like this.


    Before, an entertainment reporter made up a story saying that he deliberately injured himself during filming in an attempt to use self-harm to gain attention. At that time, he dismissed it, but now he was using this method to attract Yi Hui¡¯s attention in a dignified manner. Zhou Jinheng felt that he might go crazy unless he did everything he could.


    But there was a reason for the loss of control last night, and it was not what he had wished for.


    After drinking the porridge, he received a call from his sister Zhou Jinyue who asked him out for dinner. Thinking that he hadn¡¯t seen his sister for a few days and that she would soon go back to study abroad, Zhou Jinheng agreed, changed clothes and went out.


    The back injury still hurt. Before getting out of the car, Zhou Jinheng took a few deep breaths sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, and then picked up a paper bag and opened the door.


    Zhou Jinyue liked sweets, so he bought two portions along the way, and kept the one in the car to take back to Yi Hui.


    He thought it was dinner with his sister, but when he was led to the designated seat by the waiter, he found that Fang Yuqing was also at the table.


    After saying hello, Zhou Jinheng put down his things and watched Zhou Jinyue take out a beautifully packaged dessert from the paper bag. Fang Yuqing smiled and said, ¡°I thought you were just angry when you said your tastes had changed. I didn¡¯t think they really had.¡±


    Zhou Jinyue didn¡¯t know the situation. Thinking that the two of them were about to reconcile, she butted in and said, ¡°My brother is unpredictable and can change all the time, but his heart for you will never change.¡±


    Because of her presence, Zhou Jinheng did not immediately refute. When the dishes were on the table, Fang Yuqing took advantage of the distance to put food into his bowl over and over again. Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t help but cover the bowl with his hand and say, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    In order to hide his embarrassment, Fang Yuqing put down his chopsticks and turned to pick up a spoon to scoop up the dessert on the side: ¡°I will also taste how delicious it is.¡± Taking a mouthful of the cream, he praised, ¡°It really smells good¡­ but it¡¯s too flashy. Won¡¯t you get tired of eating too much? Spicy and fresh flavor of our Chinese food is better.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng noticed that he had something to say, and when Zhou Jinyue went to the bathroom, he talked to Fang Yuqing openly: ¡°No matter what the purpose of the voice message sent to me yesterday was, I think I have expressed my intent clearly enough. YueYue is still young and doesn¡¯t understand anything. Let¡¯s be friends.¡±


    It was the first time he heard Zhou Jinheng talking to himself in a warning tone. Fang Yuqing was a little surprised and then smiled again: ¡°What purpose can I have? I was afraid you would be deceived and just wanted to remind you.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng said lightly: ¡°No need to bother, it is my own business.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you couldn¡¯t forget him? Then now this¡­¡±


    Thinking of watching the man get off the co-pilot seat of Zhou Jinheng¡¯s car from upstairs at the Art Association that day, Fang Yuqing clenched his fists subconsciously. It was embarrassing enough to lose to a fool, and now a substitute appeared, how could he be happy about it.


    ¡°This one is true love, the kind that will last a lifetime.¡± Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°Even if he says he doesn¡¯t love me.¡±


    Fang Yuqing looked at him, trying to find traces of anger in his expression. Any emotional fluctuations meant that Zhou Jinheng still had affection for him. However, he couldn¡¯t find anything at all. He said it so easily and frankly, as if it was a matter of course and there was nothing to question.


    Halfway through the dinner, Zhou Jinheng got up to leave and said to Zhou Jinyue, ¡°Your sister-in-law is still waiting for me at home.¡±


    Zhou Jinyue blinked in confusion, glanced at Fang Yuqing, and then looked at Zhou Jinheng: ¡°Sister-in-law? What sister-in-law?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng smiled and rubbed her head: ¡°What other sister-in-law can there be? You, little girl, have such a bad memory at a young age. Your sister-in-law never changed.¡±


    When he turned away, Fang Yuqing said behind his back: ¡°You are right, the past is the past, and no amount of apology or compensation can make up for the missed time.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was startled, then turned his head and said, ¡°There¡¯s always a way to make up a little bit of what you can.¡±


    Looking at his back, Fang Yuqing fiddled with the knife and the fork on the table and muttered to himself, ¡°Yes, there is always a way.¡±


    Back in the car, Zhou Jinheng glanced at the paper bag placed in the co-pilot. At the thought of taking this home and Yi Hui not even looking at it, the belated heaviness spread across his heart and filled every empty corner.


    For a year, he stayed by the little fool in every possible way. Looking back, he did everything he could and couldn¡¯t do, but none of those things entered the little fool¡¯s heart, failing to move him even a little bit.


    Thinking of those unperturbed eyes and the cold sentence ¡°I don¡¯t love you¡±, the anxiety suppressed in his bones began to stir again.


    Zhou Jinheng called Yang Chengxuan.


    On Yang Chengxuan¡¯s side it was dawn, so he angrily scolded him for disturbing his dreams. Zhou Jinheng ignored him and asked directly: ¡°How can I compensate someone who has died once in order to be forgiven?¡±


    Yang Chengxuan cursed a few more times and yawned when he was tired of cursing: ¡°You didn¡¯t run into any evil spirits again, did you?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng: ¡°Answer the question.¡±


    Yang Chengxuan just woke up, his mind was not clear, and he was speaking nonsense: ¡°Did you die once too?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng: ¡°I can¡¯t die, I have to protect him.¡±


    ¡°Why do you give me problems all day long? I haven¡¯t experienced this kind of thing, so how can I help you with suggestions?¡± Yang Chengxuan scratched his hair and rolled over on the bed, ¡°Hey, what about that, don¡¯t you want to compensate him? Give him what you couldn¡¯t give him before, or if you wronged him before, wrong others the same way. It is simple and brutal but it works wonders.¡±


    At night, Yi Hui sent Auntie away and stood at the entrance of the courtyard to look at the end of the road. There was no figure approaching or car coming. He returned to the house and went to the kitchen to tidy up the fridge again.


    When he came back in the evening, he bought some fruits. Auntie said that it was best to keep them fresh in the fridge and Mr. Zhou could eat them when he came back. He said that he didn¡¯t buy them for him, and Auntie laughed at his hypocrisy.


    Even if a part of them was indeed bought for Zhou Jinheng, it was because he injured him and was making amends with fruit.


    Thinking about it this way, Yi Hui took a mango and prepared to eat it by himself. After washing it, he couldn¡¯t find a fruit knife anywhere. He remembered that Auntie took it upstairs to use when cleaning the bathroom at night. She must have forgotten to take it back. He went upstairs to the bathroom to find the knife but didn¡¯t find it. Unexpectedly, he saw a pair of cartoon electric toothbrushes on the sink.


    One was printed with a naive Doraemon and the other was printed with a smirking Nobita. The Doraemon one still had a lid on it and the Nobita one did not. Obviously, it had been used today.


    Yi Hui considered himself a guest in this house and never used the bathroom upstairs. After coming out, he opened the door and passed by the room that used to be a guest room on the south side. When he saw the vertical painting board and neatly stacked drawings inside, he almost walked in impulsively.


    Still holding back, Yi Hui told himself not to act rashly; these things did not belong to him. Passing by the master bedroom with its door open, he caught a glimpse of the fireworks painting hanging above the head of the bed. He hurriedly withdrew his gaze, turned his head and closed his eyes not to look.


    He had seen this painting the first time he applied medicine to Zhou Jinheng, so he didn¡¯t get shocked when he recognised it. It was at most a slight stirring of emotion.


    And more important than that seemingly insignificant feeling was freedom. He made up his mind that if he continued to ignore it, he could get through this and return to his quiet life.


    The mango was chewed and swallowed in the end. Yi Hui didn¡¯t dare to use a kitchen knife. He bit the flesh while peeling. He ate carefully, but still splashed a few drops of juice on his neck.


    While scrubbing himself in front of the mirror, he pulled his neckline and saw the red marks on his collarbone that hadn¡¯t subsided. He also rubbed them with water. He thought that the guy was still as strong as ever, his hands strong and his mouth strong. Letting him beat him up might have been deliberate, in order to make him feel guilty.


    He had to say that this trick worked very well. Hearing the door open, Yi Hui did not rush back to his room as quickly as before, but took the medicine box and waited in the living room.


    Zhou Jinheng was holding a cigarette when he came in. He was stunned when he saw Yi Hui, then he pinched the cigarette and threw it outside the door. Before entering the house, he picked up the perfume on the cabinet at the entrance and sprayed it on his body.


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t remember when he forbade him to smoke. He only remembered that Zhou Jinheng was not addicted to smoking.


    However, he was not addicted to alcohol, but didn¡¯t he get drunk every day some time ago? Yi Hui didn¡¯t bother to delve into it. He took the medicine and a cotton swab, showing to Zhou Jinheng that he was ready and could start at any time.


    Perhaps because he was afraid that Yi Hui would be in a hurry, Zhou Jinheng did not go to take a shower first, but went to the kitchen to boil a kettle of water. When he came back, he took off his upper clothes and turned his back to let Yi Hui apply medicine.


    Yi Hui was not worried that he would do the same thing that happened yesterday again. He looked calm with the wounds in the core position of his back, where the skin was prone to being pulled by various muscles in the body. The slightest carelessness could make the injuries break open and cause pain. He certainly wouldn¡¯t dare to move.


    Starting from his straight wide shoulders and following all the way down to the thin waist, Yi Hui first wiped off the blood stains around the wounds with alcohol, and then applied rubbing alcohok on the remaining bruises.


    The skin under the tips of his fingers was slightly hot but there should be no fever. Yi Hui put the antipyretic medicine he took out back in the medicine box. Zhou Jinheng suddenly turned his head and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it ugly?¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t know what he wanted to hear, thought for a while and said, ¡°Your fans can¡¯t see here.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng turned around, revealing a long scar on his face that was not covered with makeup: ¡°What about here?¡±


    Yi Hui was not sure if he did it on purpose; he didn¡¯t want to see the scar.


    This scar was like a crack that appeared on the surface of smooth porcelain. Even if it was not very visible to the eyes of passers-by, appeared as if it could still be repaired and did not detract from its perfection, he still found it piercing and his heart throbbed every time he saw it.


    The Zhou Jinheng he knew should be perfect; he shouldn¡¯t have to wear such a scar and stare at himself with bloodshot wounded eyes.


    ¡°True fans won¡¯t mind either.¡± With opposite words on his lips, Yi Hui lowered his eyes and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my sister.¡±


    It seemed to be comforting, but it hardly served as a comfort. Zhou Jinheng smiled and said, ¡°Yes, she burned those things¡­ all of them.¡±


    For some reason, while he looked calm and collected on the surface, Yi Hui sensed a chill and danger emanating from him.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Zhou Jinheng continued to ask, ¡°What do I have to do for you to forgive me?¡±


    What is meant to be is meant to be. Yi Hui took a breath, his gaze unfocused, looking nowhere: ¡°I said, I am not him, you shouldn¡¯t ask me this.¡±


    As long as he didn¡¯t admit it, Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t do anything to him ¨C he knew this from the beginning, but now he took this knowledge out and used it to build defenses and repel enemies that tried to invade.


    He heard Zhou Jinheng chuckle and say, ¡°I know.¡±


    Hearing the sound of footsteps, Yi Hui raised his head ignorantly and looked at the tall figure walking to the kitchen.


    Zhou Jinheng returned with the kettle full of water that had just been boiled, filled the teacup on the table, the water overflowing a little bit on the table.


    He said: ¡°I used to treat him badly, bullied him, and hurt him. Now that he is clear-headed, he must hate me to death.¡±


    After packing up the medicine chest, Yi Hui wanted to go back upstairs quickly. He wanted to close the door of his room without listening or looking, but he also subconsciously wanted to shake his head and say no, his gaze fixed on the cup of water.


    What was Yi Hui thinking when he held that cup and didn¡¯t let go?


    Thinking ¨C I love him, I want him to be happy, if my pain can be exchanged for his happiness, I can do it again and again.


    Really like a madman, a hopeless madman.


    The current Zhou Jinheng was similar, smiling with the corners of his mouth, with flames burning in his eyes, like a man trapped in the bottom of an abyss seeing the light over his head, or a man at the end of his rope gaining hard-won hope.


    But the man himself was still trapped in the endless night, gloomy and depressed, full of dead wood and ashes.


    ¡°Both the palm and the back of the hand are made of flesh¡­¡± (1) Zhou Jinheng whispered to himself, picking up the still steaming kettle, ¡°Then let¡¯s do it together.¡±


    He was not ready for what was going to happen next. However, he was not afraid at all. Boiling water gushed out of the mouth of the kettle, and he spread out his palm in the steam, waiting for the retribution to finally come.


    Waiting to share the pain that his little fool had suffered.


    If it doesn¡¯t hurt that much, hurry up and come back.


    *************

 CH 51

    His heart suddenly missed a beat; wide-eyed, in a dizzying shock, Yi Hui darted forward, reaching out to stop him.


    But it was too late. Zhou Jinheng estimated the distance and knew that Yi Hui could not run up to him in such a short time. In the steaming heat, he watched a clear pillar of water falling in waves, as if time had been slowed down and stretched infinitely, so detailed that every wisp of white mist was clearly visible.


    However, the degree of pain was far from what was expected.


    Yi Hui shoved the table fiercely, its legs making a harsh sound on the floor. In desperation people would burst out with incredible potential, and the dining table that has not been moved since it was placed by the wall was pushed forward and tilted by him.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s body swayed under the impact, and the water that rushed out of the mouth of the kettle deviated from its direction. It was originally supposed to land right onto his palm but now it only slid over his hand and passed by the wrist. Hot water splashed on the floor, a few drops plopping on the instep of his slipper.


    Yi Hui rushed around the corner of the table, took advantage of Zhou Jinheng¡¯s daze and grabbed the kettle in his hand. When he put it back on the table, his hands were shaking uncontrollably. He put it down for a while and picked it up again. Fearing that it would be snatched by Zhou Jinheng again, he went to the kitchen to pour out the water, then came back, breathing hard: ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Fear was followed by anger. Yi Hui couldn¡¯t calm down, thinking that if he had reacted a little slower just now, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s hand might have become useless; his scalp tightened and the air he inhaled seemed to pierce his lungs like a knife.


    No one knew what it was like to be scalded better than him. Your skin and hair come from your parents; Yi Hui regretted not knowing how to love himself in his past life. The practice of hurting yourself, he couldn¡¯t understand it no matter what.


    Not to mention, Zhou Jinheng was an actor. It was all the more reason to cherish his heavenly appearance. So casually spoiling it would only make people think he was childish, or even disgraceful.


    There was also a layer of buried anger that Yi Hui did not want to delve into.


    He told himself that no matter who he saw doing this, he would not stay unperturbed, let alone stand idly by.


    Zhou Jinheng stood there without moving or speaking. Yi Hui grabbed his scalded hand and pulled it under the faucet water to rinse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the blisters bulging on the side of his hand near the wrist bone.


    If the nerve tissues were not injured, just apply ointment. If you are lucky, you won¡¯t even have a scar.


    Auntie bought a tube of anti-scald ointment when purchasing commonly used medicines, and now it came in handy. Yi Hui found a needle, disinfected it repeatedly with an alcohol cotton swab, and glanced up at Zhou Jinheng before prickling him. He still stood stupidly; all his strength seemed to have been exhausted just now. He looked down at his hand, his eyes dazed, and no one could guess what he was thinking.


    His hands were limp, allowing Yi Hui to deal with it as he saw fit; it seemed even if the needle was dipped in poison, he would not dodge.


    Facing Zhou Jinheng like this, Yi Hui couldn¡¯t speak out even though he was angry. After piercing the blisters, he started to apply the medicine and realized that he was too proficient in the whole series of actions. He felt that he had to say something.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you an actor? How can you make a movie if you did this?¡± Yi Hui tried to put himself in the position of a stranger, ¡°even if you want to compensate¡­ you shouldn¡¯t use this method.¡±


    The gauze was wrapped around his palm, and Zhou Jinheng finally reacted.


    ¡°There is only one way.¡± He whispered, ¡°This is the only way left.¡±


    Yi Hui paused and then continued to bandage him as if he hadn¡¯t heard.


    After wrapping the bandage and making sure that the gauze was tied tightly, Yi Hui, who often spent time in the hospital to take care of his mother recently, habitually asked ¡°Does it hurt¡±, and then stopped like slamming on the brakes of a car.


    Zhou Jinheng still heard it, did not answer, and asked rhetorically: ¡°How about you, did it hurt?¡±


    All the phrases used tonight were in the second person, pressing step by step, the disguise abandoned. Yi Hui was silent on the surface, but inside he was desperately trying to close the door of the secret room where the memories of his previous life were stored.


    But he accidentally lost his guard when this life was concerned. He remembered being trapped on the mountain in the heavy rain last year and the way Zhou Jinheng carefully treated his wound and asked him if it hurt, saying that if it hurt, he could pinch him.


    What¡¯s the use of pinching him? It would not relieve one¡¯s pain and would not eliminate one¡¯s scars.


    With some thoughts of how things remain the same but people change, Yi Hui was stunned for a moment and then was about to turn around and leave. He let go of Zhou Jinheng¡¯s hand for less than a second when his own hand was quickly clenched by Zhou Jinheng.


    He used his injured hand. Yi Hui was afraid of touching his wound and did not dare to move. He stared over his shoulder and said, ¡°Let go¡­ Next time you do this, I will not save you again.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to save me, don¡¯t save me anymore.¡± Zhou Jinheng raised Yi Hui¡¯s hand to his face, lowered his head and rubbed his lips over the smooth skin on the back of his hand.


    In his previous life, he was scalded here, and the skin was uneven. It was evidence of his contempt for the little fool, and it was also the reason why the little fool hated him. He never dreamed that in this life, his little fool still didn¡¯t want him to get hurt, would still save him and bandage his wound patiently.


    Urgency, haste, feeling touched, self-blame, remorse¡­ Countless emotions merged into rivers and seas, raging in his heart, making Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heartbeat so loud that he almost couldn¡¯t breathe.


    He reached and took Yi Hui into his arms, and said before Yi Hui started struggling: ¡°For a while, just let me hug you for a while¡­ The agreement didn¡¯t say that you can¡¯t hug.¡±


    Perhaps fooled by the second half of the sentence, the man in his arms gradually calmed down. Zhou Jinheng closed his eyes, clasped Yi Hui¡¯s hand tightly with his injured hand, and held his waist with the other, exerting a little force, as if to engrave the feeling of this moment into his body, as if to convey something through this closeness.


    The constant burning of the wound spread from his hand to his heart. If this is empathy, Zhou Jinheng thought, I will bear all the suffering in the future.


    This was what he owed Yi Hui, and it was the only way to get relief.


    He would love him and guard him, even if he could never be forgiven, even if holding him like this was a luxury.


    After swiping through Zhou Jinheng¡¯s negative news on Weibo again, Yi Hui sat on the bus, somewhat accustomed to the bumps and shakes. He also believed Jiang Yimang¡¯s statement that ¡°Not all hot searches are bought, it¡¯s mainly to see if someone is popular enough.¡±


    After all, even an extra piece of gauze on his hand was in the hot searches. ¡°Self-harming to attract attention¡± had become obsolete. Everyone suspected that he had provoked the underworld; he was either injured here or bleeding there all day long. Otherwise, did he offend someone powerful? There was no evidence for the former, and the latter was even more like a fantasy story. The marketing account that specialized in telling fortunes of celebrities was overwhelmed with comments. Many fans felt justified to follow suit and tagged Zhou Jinheng asking him to worship Buddha and exorcise his evil spirits.


    This reminded Yi Hui of the old fortune-telling woman they met on the side of the road last time, who said that Zhou Jinheng would be in great trouble.


    Zhou Jinheng himself did not believe it; it was enough to see his amused, relaxed expression at the time. What bothered Yi Hui even more than these speculations on the things that could not be seen or touched was his psychological state.


    He called Dr. Liu. He had not finished his current course of treatment before leaving the town. Dr. Liu judged that his condition was already stable enough to live independently and asked him to communicate by phone at any time if he had any questions.


    Dr. Liu was a little surprised to receive his call, but he was even more surprised to hear him consult about other people¡¯s psychological problems. Yi Hui said embarrassedly: ¡°I really don¡¯t know who to ask, so I took the liberty to disturb you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Dr. Liu on the other end said, ¡± I can¡¯t be happy enough to see that you are recovering well.¡±


    Yi Hui omitted the name and roughly explained Zhou Jinheng¡¯s situation. Dr. Liu thought for a moment and said, ¡°The goal of self-harming behavior is often to eliminate the source of confidence loss, relieve anxiety and pain, or take a gamble, or look for some alternative pleasure ¡­¡­ having to use theoretical analysis, I think this gentleman might be the first.¡±


    Yi Hui hurriedly asked, ¡°Then will he do this kind of thing again in the future?¡±


    Dr. Liu said, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, what I said is just theory. According to your description, this gentleman has never done anything like this before, which means that this is an abnormal phenomenon formed under high pressure¡­ Like a spring, if it is too tight, it will break one day.¡±


    Yi Hui panicked even more: ¡°What should I do? What medicine can be used?¡±


    ¡°Drugs can only play an auxiliary role. Just like I prescribed you several medicines to soothe the spirit back then. In fact, the effect of drugs is very small. The reason why you think it has an effect is because you figured it out by yourself and you are willing to take the first step.¡±


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help but feel a little dazed when he heard this.


    Dr. Liu dutifully answered his questions and addressed his doubts: ¡°According to my analysis, the self-harming behavior of the gentleman you mentioned is probably due to two sources, one is desperation, the other is self-punishment, or it may be both. If you have to intervene, the solution is also simple. One is to tell him that you have forgiven him. You must not only use words, but also convey it with actions, and tell him, ¡®It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s all over, don¡¯t torture yourself anymore¡¯.¡±


    This meant that he had to face the past and no longer escape passively. Yi Hui took a deep breath: ¡°Is there any other way?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can ignore it, regardless of his life or death, let him experience despair to the end. The result may be that he would get rid of it completely and regain a new life, or he may sink deeper and deeper in the quagmire of remorse until dawn can no longer be seen.¡±


    The bus stopped at the foot of the mountain. Originally, he just planned to find a quiet place halfway up the mountain to sketch. Yi Hui slowly walked up with the crowd and suddenly had the idea of going to the temple on the top of the mountain to take a look.


    They say that there were temples on every mountain; some of them have been there for generations since the ancient times to the present, and some have only been built in recent years to attract tourists. It was impossible to know which kind of temple was on this mountain. It looked the same as other temples from a distance, full of fragrant incense and tranquility.


    Yi Hui followed the crowd and bought three sticks of incense at the door. There were a lot of people in the mountains on weekends. He felt a little shy in the group of middle-aged and elderly people. He stood surrounded by people with his head down and kept a low profile. Still, several good aunts and uncles around him made fun of him.


    After waving his hand and replying countless times that he was not here to seek marriage, it was finally his turn. He inserted the incense sticks into the huge incense burner and then walked into the temple to pray for blessings. Yi Hui knelt on the mat, raised his head and looked at the statue of Buddha with kind eyes, searching in his mind what to ask for.


    God¡¯s will is unpredictable, and things are in the hands of man. Seeking divine blessings was just like taking tranquilizers, it was more like seeking inner peace.


    However, his mind was in a mess and there were too many things that required him to think and make a decision. Each one involved a lot and was of great importance, and God could not help him there.


    So he didn¡¯t ask for anything, kowtowed three times, and was about to get up and give up his position to the person behind, when a surprised ¡°HuiHui¡± suddenly came from next to him. He was patted on the shoulder and turned his head to face Ye Qin¡¯s bright smile.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here. Do you believe in Buddhism?¡± In the vegetarian restaurant in the temple, Ye Qin picked up a vegetarian dumpling and took a bite, frowned, then took a piece of jujube cake and put it on the plate in front of Yi Hui, ¡°This one should be sweet. Try it.¡±


    Yi Hui shook his head: ¡°I just passed by and went to burn some incense along the way.¡± After thinking for a while, he asked politely, ¡°You (informal ¡®you¡¯)¡­ I mean, do you (courteous ¡®you¡¯) believe in Buddhism?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t address me so respectfully ah, I am the same age as you. ¡± Halfway through speaking, Ye Qin thought of something and changed his words, ¡°I mean, you look as old as my little brother, so you should be about the same age as me.¡±


    Yi Hui let out an ¡°en¡± and lowered his head guiltily.


    Ye Qin brought Yi Hui to the restaurant by force, saying that it was the second time they met. Drinking tea for the first time and sharing a meal for the second time, when they meet for the third time, they will become close friends. Yi Hui remembered that his sister-in-law had a cheerful and lively temperament and was not surprised to hear him say that.


    Ye Qin said while swallowing vegetables with difficulty: ¡°Your brother¡­ I mean my brother¡¯s brother, the one you saw last time, said that vegetarian dishes in this restaurant also have the flavor of meat. I really believed it. Tsk, it does have the smell but the essence is still tofu with vegetable leaves ah, only he is stupid enough to eat it.¡±


    This was the first time Yi Hui had heard his sister-in-law complain about his brother; he pursed his lips and smiled. Ye Qin on the opposite side knocked his spoon on the bowl, pretending to warn solemnly: ¡°Don¡¯t tell him, otherwise I won¡¯t take you out to play in the future.¡±


    Yi Hui wanted to tell him, ¡°My brother must have said that because he didn¡¯t want you to be a picky eater.¡± But due to his identity, in the end, he held back and didn¡¯t say it.


    He could hear that Ye Qin still had doubts about his identity and probed with his words from time to time. He should have worked hard to deal with it and try to avoid topics related to the past not to reveal his secret, but somehow, he didn¡¯t want to bother with it anymore.


    The words ¡±desperation¡± and ¡±self-punishment¡± circled back and forth in his mind. Two hours have passed since that call and he still couldn¡¯t understand how a little man like him could have such a big impact on someone next to him.


    It was so big that it seemed that this man¡¯s life and death were squeezed in the palm of his hand. If he clenched it tightly, he would live. If he loosened it, he might die.


    Yi Hui was absent-minded, chatting with Ye Qin casually. When he asked where Cheng Feichi had gone, Ye Qin said unhappily: ¡°Busy with work, got me to come here and left me alone. I took a month¡¯s vacation and ended up wandering around S City alone.¡±


    Yi Hui said: ¡°When brother¡­ when he is done, he will definitely take you to play.¡±


    Ye Qin frowned and smiled: ¡°That¡¯s true, he never lied to me.¡±


    The word ¡±lie¡± poked a certain string in Yi Hui¡¯s heart without warning.


    Yi Hui had simple interpersonal relationships and little emotional experience. At this moment, he most needed someone to guide him. His sister-in-law Ye Qin, who had communicated with him a lot in the past, became the best target.


    After three rounds of tea, the two felt more and more familiar. While chatting about life endlessly, Yi Hui asked at the right time: ¡°If someone you are very close to lied to you¡­ would you forgive him?¡±


    Ye Qin was taken aback for a moment, put down his chopsticks and held his head propped on one hand. After thinking about it, he said with some embarrassment: ¡°What should I do? He didn¡¯t lie to me, I lied to him.¡±


    Yi Hui only knew that his brother and sister-in-law, who seemed inseparable, had spent five years apart. Time was precious to him, five months was a long time, five years¡­ he couldn¡¯t imagine it at all.


    Ye Qin¡¯s frankness also made him secretly surprised. He thought that the separation of his brother and sister-in-law was due to some exciting reasons, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be because of deception.


    Perhaps times have changed, and the past that could not be looked back on could finally be let go. Ye Qin smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t help, you have to ask him.¡±


    As soon as he said that, the mobile phone on the table rang.


    Ye Qin didn¡¯t avoid it and directly pressed hands-free to answer; Cheng Feichi¡¯s low, steady voice came from the other end of the phone. When Ye Qin said that he was eating with his younger brother, Cheng Feichi immediately knew who it was and greeted Yi Hui on the phone: ¡°Eat more, vegetarian food does not make your stomach feel heavy. Go to the bottom of the mountain and find another restaurant for a meal.¡±


    His brother still treated him with the same warmth as before. Yi Hui felt this warmth and answered in a small voice. Ye Qin said, dissatisfied, ¡°Do you think we are pigs? Eating one meal and immediately eating another?¡±


    Cheng Feichi laughed on the other end of the phone and said, ¡°It¡¯s a rare opportunity, so why don¡¯t you two take another trip to Disney together?¡±


    Ye Qin unconsciously looked coquettish, pursed his lips and said, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s wait for you to finish your work. The three of us will go together, not one less.¡±


    Before hanging up the phone, Ye Qin cupped the microphone and turned away to say something. Yi Hui heard it, and it was a sweet ¡°Bye, big brother.¡±


    He turned his head and cleared his throat, then sat upright again, continuing the topic just now.


    ¡°Actually, there is no need to ask, he has forgiven me a long time ago.¡± Ye Qin said, the smile that had just been suppressed reappearing at the corners of his mouth, ¡°Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here and eating this plate of vegetarian dumplings with strange flavor. Maybe I¡¯d be hiding somewhere and crying.¡±


    Yi Hui listened to it, mystified.


    Cry? Why would you be crying? Just like Zhou Jinheng, because of regret, because of pain?


    How could a good person like his sister-in-law do something wrong?


    ¡°Most people in this world are good people in the traditional sense, but people make mistakes.¡± Ye Qin said and raised his chin, ¡°Only he is different. Even I, a big liar, can be forgiven by him. He is the best best best best one.¡±


    Ye Qin used several ¡°best¡±, saw Yi Hui being even more confused, blinked his eyes and narrowed them, half in temptation, half threatening: ¡°So hurry up and recognize him, or don¡¯t recognize ¡­¡­ then he will be my big brother alone!¡±

 CH 52

    When he went back in the evening, Yi Hui felt a bit at a loss about the new number in his phone address book. He wanted to call as promised, but he was afraid that something unexpected would happen.


    His sister-in-law had sharp teeth and a sharp tongue and he fell into a verbal trap without noticing.


    He hesitated while eating dinner and taking a shower. He changed it from ¡°I¡¯ve eaten¡± to ¡°I¡¯m going to bed¡±, then to ¡°I¡¯m home¡± and when he wanted to dwell on it for a while, he pressed send accidentally. Before he could withdraw it, the other party replied: So slow? Did you sneak off to play behind my back?


    Yi Hui hurriedly replied: No, not at all


    Ye Qin: Double negation means affirmation


    Yi Hui: Really did not. I took a shower, that¡¯s why I was delayed a while


    Ye Qin: Oh, you didn¡¯t think of me until you took a shower.


    Yi Hui was about to cry: Really that¡¯s not¡­¡­


    Ye Qin sent a bunch of hahahaha, and then said: You will accompany me to the studio the day after tomorrow!


    Yi Hui was taken aback: Huh? Didn¡¯t you say that you were on a one-month vacation?


    Ye Qin: Temporary work can not be helped, it¡¯s just taking a few pictures, half a day. I will take you to a good place when I¡¯m done.


    Thinking that he still owed him a meal, Yi Hui agreed.


    He really wanted to see him. Jiang Yimang only took a week off and now she went back to class. Jiang Xuemei was taken care of by a nurse in the hospital. Who knows what Tang Wenxi was up to, he didn¡¯t come to him these days. He wanted to stay at home and talk to Auntie, but he was afraid that Zhou Jinheng would come back suddenly.


    After staying under the same roof for three months, the relationship between the two of them not only did not ease, but became even more uncomfortable.


    Perhaps it was more appropriate to use the word subtle.


    Zhou Jinheng came back late in the evening and rummaged through the cabinets at home looking for something.


    Yi Hui was not asleep yet. When he heard the movement and went downstairs, Zhou Jinheng had removed the gauze from his left hand and was rushing to put the wound under the faucet.


    ¡°Are you looking for the medicine box?¡± Yi Hui asked.


    Zhou Jinheng turned his head when he heard the sound: ¡°Is it disturbing you?¡±


    Yi Hui shook his head and looked at his hand: ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng turned off the faucet: ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt, I¡¯m just cleaning the wound.¡±


    When Yi Hui brought the medicine box over, he found that the anti-scald ointment was untouched, and said in surprise: ¡°You didn¡¯t apply the medicine yourself?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t find the medicine box.¡± Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°It¡¯s okay if I don¡¯t apply it.¡±


    Seeing a large red and swollen area on the side of his hand, Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you buy one if you didn¡¯t find it? There are pharmacies everywhere on the side of the road.¡±


    Perhaps it was too long since he heard Yi Hui talking to him so emotionally, Zhou Jinheng was taken aback for a while, and then explained: ¡°The filming location is in the suburbs, and there are no pharmacies around. It¡¯s been just two days, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Instead of being reassured, Yi Hui¡¯s mood turned worse. Thinking of the random speculations and ridicule of the people who did not know the truth on the Internet he felt even more uncomfortable.


    ¡°Take care of your body.¡± He carefully applied the sticky ointment to the wound, while lecturing Zhou Jinheng, ¡°You¡¯re such a big man, are you still waiting for others to take care of you?¡±


    Yi Hui said whatever he thought. He didn¡¯t realize the slight reproach in his words and he didn¡¯t expect to make Zhou Jinheng smile.


    It was not ridicule, it was the kind of smile when you find something interesting.


    Yi Hui had seen him smile like this many times in his previous life. At that time, he only thought it looked good. At this moment, exploring it intently, he couldn¡¯t see any mockery in it. The corners of his lips were bent upward and his eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed that he smiled because he was happy indeed.


    Yi Hui suddenly remembered that he hadn¡¯t smiled like this for a long, long time.


    It was really impossible to smile when looking at his cold face all day long. Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help but start to reflect on whether he had gone too far. Dr. Liu said that that kind of abnormal behavior meant being stretched to the extreme. If something happened to Zhou Jinheng, he would be the one to blame.


    Was it possible that if he let him smile more like this, he would be fine?


    Yi Hui secretly pondered, all but forgetting why he needed to care about the reason for his life and death. It might be his nature, or instinct, that prompted him to skim over the motive and go straight into action.


    He was deep in thought when Zhou Jinheng suddenly took his hand and kissed the back of it.


    Zhou Jinheng, with a smile in his eyes, looked more dazzling than ever, and even the scar under his eye was barely noticeable.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Zhou Jinheng looked at Yi Hui with a focused expression as if making an oath, ¡°I will take care of myself.¡±


    The next afternoon, on the way to the suburbs, Yi Hui looked at the sunlight shining into the bus, unexpectedly remembering what happened the night before, and began to wonder if his actions conveyed any wrong message.


    However, Zhou Jinheng stopped going crazy and said that he would take care of himself, which made Yi Hui feel at ease.


    When he arrived at the place, Ye Qin, who was wearing a wide robe with long sleeves, came out to pick him up in person, asked him to eat some snacks in the lounge and wait for a while, and he would be able to leave right away.


    Who knew that this ¡°right away¡± would take more than an hour. Meanwhile, Yi Hui helped the staff carry a few bunches of hangers. The young lady of the clothing group stuffed a handful of nuts into his pocket to express her gratitude. Yi Hui peeled a pistachio nut and ate it. There was nowhere to throw the shell. Turning around, he found a trash can. After throwing it away, he turned again and stood at a junction of corridors. He couldn¡¯t find his way back.


    This indoor studio covered a large area and was divided into several compartments, big and small. When passing by one of the spacious shooting studios, Yi Hui wanted to find someone to ask for directions. As soon as he was about to speak, he was blasted out by the staff at the door: ¡°The venue is cleared. The venue is cleared. Retreat outside the yellow line, remember not to make a sound.¡±


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t help it. He walked in one direction along the corridor like a headless fly. When he went to an area with more people, he saw many girls watching. He thought Ye Qin was inside. Standing on tiptoe behind the crowd, he looked there. It was actually Zhou Jinheng, dressed in black, who was being photographed.


    Even the studio staff who had seen countless stars were full of praise for Zhou Jinheng¡¯s appearance and professionalism.


    The chat between the two female staff members next to him revolved around ¡°he is more handsome in real life than in the photos¡±. While chatting, they talked about the gossip on the Internet. One of them sighed that she got married early, while the other said that it was just a joke. He was young, rich, and handsome, the least qualified type for marriage.


    Hearing this made Yi Hui inexplicably nervous. He shrank his neck and planned to withdraw from the crowd and leave quietly but didn¡¯t expect Zhou Jinheng to sweep his gaze around and notice him.


    Zhou Jinheng strode to the door and grabbed his arm: ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t dare to say that he came with Ye Qin. This was equivalent to confessing that ¡°I am Yi Hui¡±, so he hesitated and said that he happened to be passing by.


    Zhou Jinheng was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯ll be free right away.¡±


    The ¡°right away¡± he mentioned was really ¡°right away¡±. In less than five minutes, the photographer announced that today¡¯s shooting mission was over and the surrounding staff scattered and left. Yi Hui, who wanted to wait for ten minutes and make an excuse to leave, stayed where he was, not knowing what to do.


    Meanwhile, Ye Qin called him, asking him where he was. With Zhou Jinheng standing next to him, Yi Hui couldn¡¯t say that he was lost, but dryly said that he had met an acquaintance.


    Ye Qin on the other end of the phone pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°There is a tree nearby that is very spiritual. I wanted to take you there for a walk.¡±


    Anxious to get away, Yi Hui just wanted to say that he wanted to go, when Ye Qin said, ¡°I just thought about it, it is not much fun for the two of us to go to that kind of place ¡­¡­ I will give you ten seconds to think about it, will you go with me, or with someone else?¡±


    Ten minutes later, Yi Hui with his pocket full of nuts followed Zhou Jinheng to the rising slope of the hill in the south.


    Zhou Jinheng walked very slowly and sometimes looked back to see if Yi Hui was keeping up. He did it so frequently that Yi Hui couldn¡¯t find the right time to eat nuts.


    After walking for a while, he suddenly remembered that he told his online friend named Dora-Hum-Hum to ¡°walk slower and take smaller steps¡±, which now was strictly implemented by Zhou Jinheng. Yi Hui was so confused that he didn¡¯t want to eat the nuts anymore. He lowered his head and walked without saying a word.


    The current situation was not what he wished for. When Ye Qin asked him to choose, his tone was meaningful. Yi Hui was afraid to reveal himself, stuttered and barely said anything. Ye Qin sighed and said: ¡°I see, then let¡¯s agree to meet another day.¡±


    Yi Hui couldn¡¯t understand what ¡°I see¡± meant, just as he couldn¡¯t understand what ¡°I know¡± meant before Zhou Jinheng picked up the kettle.


    They always liked to say things that he didn¡¯t understand, looking forward to his answer.


    But he was too stupid and timid to know how to answer, and he didn¡¯t dare to give an answer easily.


    There were still more than a hundred meters away from the slope when Yi Hui saw the rumored sacred tree on the top of the bare hill.


    It was already autumn, however, its leaves not only were not yellow but were also lush and green. There was a small vendor on the side of the road who was selling wooden tokens for making a wish. When he saw that the two of them were together, he handed over a large one with two hearts engraved on it.


    As soon as Yi Hui was about to say something, Zhou Jinheng said: ¡°Please give two separate pieces.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng also paid for them. When he returned to the road with the wooden tokens, Yi Hui wanted to give him the money. Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°I invited you here.¡±


    Yi Hui had nothing to say. He felt that he, who had something wrong with his head for a moment when he accepted the invitation, was the source of this contradiction, but he had already agreed and the things were already bought. Saying halfway through the trip that he wanted to leave would seem unsightly.


    The two of them still walked forward one after the other. Biting the bullet and walking to the top of the hill, Yi Hui wanted to find a pen to write on the token and hang it up. Who knew that the thousand-year-old tree was too full and the fence in front of it had no free place either. The staff was setting up a ladder to sort out the knotted wooden tokens stacked together, so the tourists had to wait.


    A young couple in a hurry next to them said, ¡°We just made a wish, let us hang it up first?¡±


    The staff member standing on the ladder holding the tree trunk smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our task is to let everyone find their wish next time they come, no matter how big or small.¡±


    Yi Hui had doubts about the staff¡¯s words. The wooden tokens all looked the same, and the characters written in the black pen were similar. Not to mention the next time, if he hung it now, he wouldn¡¯t be able to find it again in a moment.


    Even though he thought so, he was still very cautious when writing his wish. He kept his arm around the token to prevent others from seeing it. A little bit of wind made him raise his head and look around. One would have thought he had a treasure hidden in his arms.


    Zhou Jinheng was the key target of this defensive state. He was impatient and wrote very quickly. In less than half a minute, he put down his pen and sat idly looking at the scenery. When a spread hand reached out in front of him, Yi Hui was startled and thought he was going to steal his wooden token.


    When he realized that Zhou Jinheng was asking him for something to eat, Yi Hui¡¯s face turned red for a moment. He covered the wooden token with one hand and reached into his pocket with the other. He took out all the remaining nuts and handed them to him.


    This seemed to be settled. Yi Hui took a peek while writing, saw that Zhou Jinheng really was concentrating on peeling pine nuts, and finished his wish with confidence.


    After returning the pen, Yi Hui walked back to the stone table next to the tree. Zhou Jinheng was confronting a pecan nut with a very hard shell. Yi Hui was just about to raise his voice to remind him to be careful, only to hear a crisp sound. With an effort, the shell was broken into several pieces, the sharp tip of the shell almost poking the unhealed wound on the side of his hand.


    Yi Hui was shocked when he saw it: ¡°You, you slow down.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng said ¡±en¡± but didn¡¯t stop. With another crack, he smashed four or five pistachios in his palm, then carefully picked out the nuts and put them on the handkerchief by his side.


    When a full handful of unshelled nuts was handed to Yi Hui, Yi Hui felt confused again, widened his eyes and pointed at himself: ¡°For me?¡±


    ¡°En.¡± Zhou Jinheng nodded with a rare shyness on his face, ¡°I scared you just now, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Yi Hui had heard Zhou Jinheng say that he was sorry countless times. He didn¡¯t think there was anything to apologize for right now.


    He just felt that he was not in the position to accept a pile of nuts peeled with a lot of effort. However, he couldn¡¯t help but glance at Zhou Jinheng¡¯s hand and suddenly see what the nuts were wrapped in.


    The pattern of the plain handkerchief was similar, and even the words spoken were the same as at that time.


    Yi Hui didn¡¯t say a word, didn¡¯t move his head, his chin raised slightly. He felt that the clouds in the sky become thinner and more blurred than when they¡¯d come here, and he couldn¡¯t see clearly with his eyes wide open.


    It took a full three years to get him to remember, but he never thought he would finally get a ¡°I remember¡± after being away for more than a year.


    The peeled nuts finally got into Yi Hui¡¯s stomach.


    On the way back in the car, Zhou Jinheng forcibly stuffed the handkerchief into Yi Hui¡¯s hand on the grounds that there was nowhere to put it, and said that if he didn¡¯t eat the nuts, he would throw them away. Yi Hui, who had just developed a good habit of frugality, couldn¡¯t bear it, so he chewed slowly and got rid of them before he got home.


    Auntie had already prepared dinner, and when she saw the two of them coming back together, she was happy, saying, ¡°Were you going out on a date? The weather is neither cold nor hot, the best to go out for a walk holding hands.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng seemed to be in a good mood. He told Auntie that they had gone to see the tree that was said to be very spiritual on the outskirts of the city. Auntie clapped her hands and said, ¡°What wishes have you made? That tree is really spiritual. I went there last month to help my son seek marriage. Now, he just called and said that he would bring his girlfriend home for the weekend.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng generously granted her two days off, still paid. Auntie couldn¡¯t stop smiling and went into the kitchen again, saying she had to cook another dish to celebrate all the happy events.


    Yi Hui alone was absent-minded, thinking whether Zhou Jinheng had seen what he had written on the wooden token.


    But even if he saw it, it didn¡¯t matter. He wrote ¡°I wish for my mother to be in good health¡±. His blessings to other relatives and friends were hidden in his heart and he didn¡¯t write them out.


    In the end, he added a very small line of words related to himself. Zhou Jinheng was impatient and would definitely not notice it.


    Comforting himself in this way, lying on the bed at night, thinking back to what happened in the afternoon, Yi Hui was still inexplicably flustered, and the little drowsiness that had been developing was gone.


    So he clearly heard the sound of the door being pushed open.


    Because Zhou Jinheng was usually fairly disciplined, he would knock on the door first when looking for him to apply medicine. Yi Hui had recently relaxed his guard and often forgot to lock the door at night.


    Listening to the muffled sound of footsteps on the carpet, he closed his eyes, held his breath, and slowly started clenching his hand into fists under the pillow.


    Before he had time to clench it tightly, Zhou Jinheng, who had walked up to the bedside, squeezed his wrist and pulled his hand out. Then his five fingers were gently unfolded one by one. When his thumb and the pads of his fingers rubbed against the uneven burns on Zhou Jinheng¡¯s hand, Yi Hui shivered, and his fingers that had just been stretched out curled up.


    Fortunately, the lights were not turned on in the room, and it was too dark for Zhou Jinheng to notice. As he had done many times before, he lowered his head and kissed the back of Yi Hui¡¯s hand, touching the protruding knuckles with his lips, feeling the flow of blood under his skin.


    Yi Hui heard him whisper: ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be Yi Hui, then don¡¯t be¡­ as long as you live, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    As the sound of footsteps faded away, the door closed with a ¡°click¡± and a ray of light falling on his face from the corridor disappeared. Yi Hui opened his eyes and clenched his hand again, still feeling the warmth of the other¡¯s touch.


    Sure enough, he saw it.


    The wooden tokens were mass-produced, each piece looking exactly the same. It was indeed difficult to find one after hanging it up.


    Unless it was special enough or someone was caring enough.


    When the sun was about to set in the afternoon, he watched as Zhou Jinheng, who had long since finished writing, bent over to hang the wooden token by the fence, and then added a small line on his own piece while no one was around: Not to repeat the same mistakes.


    After writing it and hanging it up, he knew that his wish had not been granted the moment he saw that token among thousands of undistinguishable wooden signs.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s handwriting was as flamboyant and chic as himself. In the space that others could use to write the wishes of all their life, he only wrote a simple one¡ª¡ª


    I hope that every wish of HuiHui can be fulfilled.


    The author has something to say: The handkerchief comes from Chapter 7. When the two first met, Xiao Zhou, who got into the studio through the window, thought he had scared HuiHui. ¡°I hope every wish of yours can be fulfilled¡± comes from Chapter 15. Yi Hui made a wish for Zhou Jinheng when the two were on the ferris wheel. If you forget it, it doesn¡¯t matter. Anyway, Xiao Zhou, the violent kid who chops nuts with his bare hands, remembers it~

 CH 53

    A few days later, Jiang Yimang asked for a leave to come to S City again. Yi Hui learned that she was coming by train when she was already halfway there.


    When he met her at the train station, he couldn¡¯t help but nag, saying that his mother had him here to take care if, so Jiang Yimang, a senior in high school, should concentrate on her studies and not always run around.


    Jiang Yimang blocked him with a single sentence: ¡°I miss you, and¡­I worry about you being here alone.¡±


    After learning that Yi Hui was entangled with Zhou Jinheng again, Jiang Yimang felt heartbroken for her brother. She made three phone calls a day to confirm his safety. She searched the Internet for fighting and self-defence videos and sent them to him, so that he could practice diligently.


    Jiang Yimang had a good reason for this: ¡°You also know that he shot action movies to start with. Sure thing you can¡¯t beat him but learn these things at least to win a little time. It¡¯s also exercise, hitting two birds with one stone.¡±


    Yi Hui was so humiliated by ¡°it¡¯s a sure thing you can¡¯t beat him¡± that he unbuttoned his clothes in front of the mirror to get some self-confidence. Seeing that he couldn¡¯t find any sign of abdominal muscles, he was discouraged and obediently clicked on the video to learn.


    He hid in his room to practice and once hit the wall with too wide a motion, which made Zhou Jinheng from next door knock on the door.


    When he entered the room and saw the video that was still playing, Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t laugh. He only raised his hand and made a gesture, saying, ¡°This above is not correct, the action of a neck lock needs to be fast enough, defense and attack should also be coherent, arm tight, not soft.¡±


    Even if Yi Hui didn¡¯t say who this was for, Zhou Jinheng probably knew it.


    This made Yi Hui a little panicked, and he didn¡¯t dare to accept guidance with peace of mind. However, Zhou Jinheng became determined and took the time to teach him a few tricks every night, which made Yi Hui speechless and so embarrassed that he couldn¡¯t memorize anything.


    When he arrived at the hospital just in time for lunch, the family sat down to eat together for the first time in a long time, chatted for a while about family life and then Jiang Xuemei began to talk about the same old things again: ¡°A big hospital is really different, even the food is better than in the town hospital. The price is not expensive either¡­ Speaking of which, thanks to this Mr. Zhou, Yihui also has work that can be done at home. Next time, if he comes again, he must wake me up. I want to thank him in person.¡±


    Yi Hui almost bit his tongue. Jiang Yimang exchanged glances with him, and the siblings replied in a tacit understanding: ¡°Yes, yes, sure, sure¡±. Neither mentioned that this Mr. Zhou was that Mr. Zhou.


    After eating, Yi Hui cleaned up the dishes and Jiang Yimang fetched water. When she came back to settle Jiang Xuemei for a nap, Yi Hui sat on the edge of the bed drowsily flipping through his cell phone, stumbling on a set of photos of Zhou Jinheng wearing black. Instantly, he felt energized.


    It was the set he saw him shoot in the studio that day. This kind of mid-length men¡¯s wear would look unflattering on a figure that was slightly shorter or had a slightly inferior figure ratio. Zhou Jinheng looked like the suit was tailor-made. Coupled with the advantage of wide shoulders and long legs, the processed photos did not seem like there was any photoshopping involved, everything looked the same as what he saw at the scene.


    The scar under his eye, covered with a little concealer, could not be seen. Most of the photos showed his profile. Under the direct light of strong lamps, Zhou Jinheng tilted his head and glanced lazily at the camera. With the first three buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, he exuded a unique decadence and arrogance of a man of his age.


    The next one was taken with his back turned to the light, and his three-dimensional features casted shadows on his face. Only two spots of light were reflected in his deep ink-like eyes; his thin lips were slightly pursed and his expression was solemn and mysterious, like a wolf watching its prey in the dark.


    Fans exploded because of this set of photos. In the comments, they praised him for being as good as ever, and there were a bunch of people who lay flat and shouted ¡°Brother, Brother, come and f*ck me.¡± Yi Hui was ashamed to see it.


    He put the phone upside down on the table and got down with the intention of taking a nap.


    He thought he couldn¡¯t sleep, but as soon as he closed his eyes, that face appeared in front of him again: a grin on his lips, his teeth gritted fiercely, looking at him intently, crying in pain¡­ It was not acting; he was the only one who could see these looks.


    Yi Hui held down his disobedient heart in his dream and woke up to find that the fabric on the left side of his chest had been wrinkled by his hand.


    Jiang Yimang poured him a glass of water. Seeing that he was absent-minded, she hesitated again and again, then still asked, ¡°Brother, you can¡¯t forget him?¡±


    Out of self-preservation, Yi Hui instinctively shook his head. Admitting that he couldn¡¯t forget him was equivalent to throwing away all his previous efforts.


    In silence, Jiang Yimang felt a heavy weight on her heart.


    But worry still prevailed. She glanced at the photos on Yi Hui¡¯s mobile phone screen and asked tentatively again: ¡°Is it¡­ do you like him again?¡±


    At this moment, Zhou Jinheng had no idea what kind of turmoil had been set off on the Internet because of his magazine photos. He had already uninstalled Weibo. After ¢ÙXiao Hui Xia blocked him, his official Weibo account was fully managed by his assistant Xiao Lin.


    He had a bad temper and when he saw bad reviews, he couldn¡¯t help but want to smash his mobile phone. He used to change his mobile phone frequently mostly because of this.


    When chatting with Yi Hui in Dora-Hum-Hum¡¯s disguise, he occasionally noticed his name in hot searches and was very annoyed. Now that Dora-Hum-Hum had been blacklisted, he completely lost the motivation to open Weibo.


    And the mobile phone he was using now was a treasure, the only one in the world, and it could not be touched. Last week, it accidentally fell into the water while filming a variety show. Xiao Lin wanted to help him take it to repair. He refused. He drove to the most reliable shop and stared at the repairman the whole time. The repairman was so scared that he couldn¡¯t hold the screwdriver, for fear that the sharp-eyed customer wearing a mask would smash his shop if he was unhappy.


    The phone was repaired, but it was not as sensitive as before and the sound of the speaker became muffled. However, the photos and everything was there, including the wallpaper that Yi Hui secretly set for him more than a year ago while he was not paying attention. When he turned on his phone, he could still see the smiling face that belonged only to him. After unlocking it, there were the words ¡°Waiting for you to come home.¡± Zhou Jinheng¡¯s heart soared every time he saw it and he wanted to rush home immediately.


    For example right now. In the face of Zhou Huarong¡¯s brainwashing rhetoric, going in his left ear and out his right ear, holding the phone to edit a text message, the only thing he thought about was how to quietly find out what the little fool wanted to eat. Halfway through a word, he was forcibly pulled back by a sudden slap on the table.


    Zhou Huarong scolded angrily: ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone tell you not to use your mobile phone when talking to your elders?¡±


    Zhou Jinheng glanced up at him, then moved his gaze back to the phone screen: ¡°No, my mother left early.¡±


    With his authority as a father openly provoked, Zhou Huarong¡¯s forehead was throbbing with blue veins. Thinking of the purpose of calling his son here, he took a deep breath, suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice: ¡°I¡¯m talking business with you. Stop holding onto the past. Let it go, it¡¯s not good for you to act out like this in a fit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not acting out.¡± Zhou Jinheng said, ¡°My mother did leave early, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t be left unattended, raised like an animal and exchanged for a little bit of money.¡±


    He spoke too directly, Zhou Huarong¡¯s face didn¡¯t look good and he defended himself: ¡°I know you hate me for the past. But when you look back and think about it, the marriage contract with the Yi family was annulled before you reached the age of marriage. The people later were also all good children with clean families. Did your father harm you? Dad did it all for your own good.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng was tired of listening to the pretentious ¡°for your own good¡±. He put down his mobile phone, leaned back on the seat with his arms folded and said coldly: ¡°No, not only do I not hate you for bringing me and Yi Hui together, I also want to thank you for letting me meet him.¡±


    When Zhou Huarong heard it, his expression eased slightly: ¡°Being able to understand father¡¯s good intentions is good. Yi Hui, that kid, was good at everything, but he was not very smart. In fact, it is not impossible to treat him as a child and keep him in our family for the rest of his life. I heard that you recently got a boy who looks a lot like him to raise as a lover? You have grown up, it¡¯s inevitable that you have these young thoughts. If you don¡¯t want to get married, you don¡¯t have to fight against me like this. When you take over the company and want to raise a few¡­¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished yet.¡± Zhou Jinheng couldn¡¯t listen, so he interrupted him unceremoniously, ¡°I want to thank you for letting me meet Yi Hui. It doesn¡¯t mean that I don¡¯t hate you.¡±


    Zhou Huarong paused, holding the teacup.


    ¡°I hate that you used my mother as a tool for profit and discarded her ruthlessly when her usefulness ran out. I hate that you were morally corrupt and messed around, which indirectly caused my mother¡¯s depression and suicide. To this day, you still don¡¯t think you are wrong.¡±


    With that said, Zhou Jinheng stood up, propped his hands on the table, leaned forward and stared at Zhou Huarong with an absolutely oppressive posture.


    ¡°I hate you for being blindly arrogant, incompetent and irritable, and for spreading these bad habits to me¡­¡± As if to verify the truth of this statement, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s eyes were full of ferocity, revealing the madness that was rooted in his bones more deeply than just genetics.


    However, this destructive storm quickly died down. He sat back down and his eyelids drooped as he whispered, ¡°Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have let him lose his life and he wouldn¡¯t have come to the point where he even refused to recognize his name.¡±


    Zhou Huarong was shocked. In the past, he thought that the kid¡¯s temperament was just the fearlessness of youth. Now seeing him recklessly go crazy frightened him, making him afraid he would do something like overturn a table in public and damage the face of the Zhou family.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you bully Yi Hui happily back then? Can you find someone else who can be coaxed and manipulated like he was?¡± Zhou Huarong put down the teacup. Eager to suppress Zhou Jinheng¡¯s anger, he spoke in a heavier tone, ¡°Who are you infatuated with now? Men living in the world, those who stick to the love of children will not achieve anything big.¡±


    Zhou Jinheng didn¡¯t feel angry again after listening to it, but there was no sign of softening either. He sneered, stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave the big matters to a heartless man like you. I¡¯ll go first. Don¡¯t call me, I¡¯ll be busy in the future.¡±


    Zhou Huarong didn¡¯t expect that his provocation would not work. He got up, saying anxiously: ¡°If you dare to walk out from here today, you will not get a dime from the Zhou family business. If you need to eat, drink, have fun and raise your little lover, do it at your own expense!¡±


    Zhou Jinheng paused and turned around, but his face was not as nervous and frightened as Zhou Huarong thought.


    He had long since ceased to be the teenager who had nothing and will no longer give in to threats and intimidation and be dropped on the gambling table as a bargaining chip.


    Four years were enough for him to accumulate strength and enough for him to grow up.


    Zhou Jinheng slowly said, ¡°The only thing I am glad to grow up with is that I am emotionally like my mother, not like you.¡±


    After saying that, he turned and continued to walk towards the door. In two steps, he turned back again. He shook his car key in front of Zhou Huarong¡¯s expectant gaze and said, ¡°I don¡¯t care who inherits your cr*ppy company. I earn enough to support him for a few lifetimes.¡±


    When the moon rose, after dinner, Yi Hui shared a piece of mooncake with his mother and sister.


    Coming out of the inpatient building, he raised his head to see the full moon half hidden in the clouds and tasted the remaining sweetness in his mouth. He took out his mobile phone and sent Ye Qin a text message wishing him a happy Mid-Autumn Festival.


    He could feel that his brother and sister-in-law had already guessed who he was, but he didn¡¯t want to pierce the last layer of paper.


    He also knew that this was a senseless struggle, but he hadn¡¯t thought it through yet and he couldn¡¯t pass the invisible and intangible barrier in front of him.


    After going back to the address book, he saw Zhou Jinheng¡¯s name. Yi Hui hesitated, clicked into the SMS interface and then exited, feeling that no matter what he sent, it would be inappropriate.


    Zhou Jinheng had a pair of sharp eyes that noticed everything, so he could never keep secrets in front of Zhou Jinheng.


    This used to be his greatest fear. He didn¡¯t want to be seen through, didn¡¯t want to be attracted. It was enough to take a tumble once; the one who falls again to the same place will be the real fool.


    But today¡¯s moon was so round and bright, it made him want to do something impulsively.


    Unable to make a phone call or send a text message, Yi Hui walked anxiously on the road and suddenly thought of a good way. He clicked on Weibo and pulled Dora-Hum-Hum out of the blacklist.


    Anyway, he wouldn¡¯t send him any more messages. Yi Hui exhaled and felt relieved.


    When he walked to the door, he looked up and saw the man standing under the streetlamp. His body that had just relaxed tensed again.


    Yi Hui slowly walked over, stopped before the familiar figure, greeted him, just leaving a proper social distance between the two of them.


    Zhou Jinheng was the first to speak: ¡°Passing by, so I came to pick you up along the way.¡±


    He didn¡¯t move forward. As long as Yi Hui didn¡¯t want to, he wouldn¡¯t move. This was the promise he made and had to follow strictly.


    Yi Hui did not deny the flawed ¡°along the way¡± in his mouth, he just listened to it, just like when Zhou Jinheng said ¡°I won¡¯t enter your room without your permission¡±. He nodded and went to the parking lot side by side with Zhou Jinheng.


    The autumn night was cool, and halfway through the walk, Zhou Jinheng finally handed over the paper bag he was carrying: ¡°I saw it on my way and bought it casually. You might need it.¡±


    There was a blue scarf in the paper bag.


    Yi Hui hesitated for a moment, then stretched out his hand to pick it up, thinking that he would keep it for a while and then put it quietly somewhere when he got home, just like before.


    He couldn¡¯t take his things, and he couldn¡¯t go back to the old path.


    Who could have imagined that as soon as he took it, his nose felt itchy and he sneezed without warning.


    Yi Hui was busy rummaging for paper towels in his backpack, not paying attention to what Zhou Jinheng was doing. When he finished blowing his nose, a soft fleece scarf was wrapped around his neck and most of his face.


    Struggling to pull his nose out of the scarf, Yi Hui raised his eyes, unexpectedly focusing on Zhou Jinheng who was still fiddling with the scarf.


    Zhou Jinheng was much taller than him. It was the angle he was used to. However, today was different. Zhou Jinheng deliberately bent over and lowered his head so that he could clearly see his entire face, his sharp-lined jaw, graceful lips, tall nose and gentle eyes that were mostly covered by thick eyelashes.


    Zhou Jinheng¡¯s appearance was domineering, coupled with his violent temper, impatience and acting resolutely and unceremoniously, it did not match the word gentle in any way. But now Yi Hui had confirmed it countless times; from his eyes to his movements, he could only use this word to describe him.


    It seemed that he had hidden any of his features that might scare him and piled up this newly learned and unskilled tenderness little by little, all for him.


    After tinkering with it for a long time, he finally tied the scarf in a beautiful bow.


    When he saw Yi Hui¡¯s small face wrapped in layers of wool, showing only two moist eyes, Zhou Jinheng¡¯s long-term dull mood became clear, he felt that it was the most correct decision today to drive here directly after arguing with Zhou Huarong, the old b*stard.


    He wanted to take Yi Hui¡¯s hand, but when he was about to touch it, he suddenly remembered his promise and pulled back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Maybe he was too hasty to pull away, or maybe there was not enough moonlight tonight, but he didn¡¯t notice that the hand he almost touched stretched towards him.


    Until the car was driving smoothly on the road, Yi Hui¡¯s heart was still beating loudly.


    But this feeling was not unfamiliar, so there was nothing to be afraid of.


    The only difficulty that needed to be overcome urgently now was that when he got home, he had to take off the scarf that still kept the traces of his body warmth.


    He said that he would not accept anything from Zhou Jinheng. Even if he accidentally took it, he would pick it up again, then pack it up and throw it out.


    Yi Hui raised his hand and touched the scarf, brushed his fingers over the thick, warm fluffness and lingered on the finely knitted threads.


    Not yet at home and he already hated to part with it.