Chapter 1: Prologue

Chapter 1: Prologue

One evening, in the upscale restaurant of a downtown hotel, Yun He was gathered with his colleagues for a dinner party. He, being of weak constitution when it came to alcohol, felt somewhat overwhelmed after just a few drinks. Despite the air conditioning running in the private room, he still felt a lingering heat. The sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up, revealing his delicate and fair arms.

"Little He, how about one more?" A jovial elder brother at the table put his arm around his shoulder, saying with a grin, "You've only had a few, and your cheeks are already flushed."

"No, really, I can't drink anymore. I've never been good with alcohol since I was young. Please don't force me," Yun He said with a subtle smile, gently pushing away the arm that had rested on his shoulder.

Ah! How can a man not know how to drink? That's not being a man at all! If you're no good at drinking, are you any better in other aspects? Hahaha...hohohoho... Middle-aged gentlemen often find pleasure in sharing what they believe to be amusing bawdy jokes during meals.

Seated at the same table were several female colleagues, who couldn't help but glance at Yun He twice upon hearing this.

"I'm going out for a smoke," Yun He said, his expression unreadable.

"Smoke right here then!" the elder colleague waved it off nonchalantly.

"There are female colleagues present, we should still be mindful of our words and actions," Yun He commented coolly, standing up from his seat. At 1.87 meters tall with a slender waist and well-defined buttocks, clad in a white shirt and dress pants, he exuded an indescribable aura of abstinence.

"Is that kid taking a jab at us indirectly?" the elder colleague asked, furrowing his brow as soon as Yun He left the private room, looking at the circle of colleagues around the table.

"One can only scold an old rogue like you," a female colleague chuckled. "In the years Yun He has been with our company, we've never seen him with a girlfriend. Yet, you go around making such remarks in public. How could he be happy about that?"

"Damn, if a fine young man like him isn't dating, maybe there's something wrong with him in that aspect, huh?" another male colleague teased.

"Bullshit!" A female coworker came to Yun He's defense. "He's so handsome; his standards must be high. Besides, he doesn't owe you an explanation about whether or not he has a girlfriend."

"That's true," a male colleague chimed in. "Maybe he's just pretending to be noble in front of us, but behind our backs, he might have a harem. Sigh, being good-looking just attracts women like you."

"What kind of logic is that? You're just a single man souring over grapes you can't reach," the female colleague jeered.

The group continued their banquet, chatting and gossiping away.

Yun He detested such gatherings. No matter how brief the conversation, it always ended up revolving around him. Seeing how the atmosphere was veering towards him once more, Yun He took the opportunity to retreat to the restroom under the pretense of smoking.

In the restroom, Yun He washed his face and glanced at his wristwatch. It was a beautiful timepiece – the only one he had worn for many years. Although it had been a while since he first got it, he cherished it dearly, so it didn't look too worn out. Instead, the embedded diamonds sparkled elegantly under the hotel restroom lights.

The watch read: 9:40 PM.

It wasn't yet midnight; the night was still young.

Yun He lit a cigarette, leaning against the bathroom wall as he indulged in the smoke for a while, only to crush it out in annoyance before returning to the private room.

"Back already!" The eldest brother waved at Yun He. "Can you find peace by hiding in the bathroom? When you come back, you still have to keep drinking!" With that said, he filled Yun He's cup to the brim with alcohol.

Yun He approached but didn't bother to sit down. Instead, he stood tall and lifted the glass, draining it in large gulps. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as a few droplets of wine trickled down the corner of his lips, sliding onto his neck. A few female colleagues couldn't help blushing at the sight.

"Well, look at that, you've got quite a tolerance for alcohol!" exclaimed a male colleague enthusiastically.

"I have some matters to attend to, so I must take my leave first. Enjoy yourselves. Consider that last drink as my self-punishment," Yun He said, picking up his phone from the table and giving his colleagues a polite smile.

"Wow, you're leaving in the middle of the fun? That's not cool. What's so urgent?" the elder brother said.

"Attending a friend's birthday party," Yun He replied without looking back, ignoring the jeers and calls from the crowd behind him.

Exiting the hotel, Yun He felt a bit dizzy. He truly wasn't good with alcohol, and the rushed drink before he left had caught up to him, making his head spin. After taking a couple of steps, he had to pause, standing a short distance away from the hotel entrance to catch his breath.

A group of people emerged from the hotel, dressed in business attire, clearly professionals.

A slightly plump middle-aged man was shaking hands with a young man, smiling as he said, "Director Gu, a pleasure doing business with you."

The young man politely smiled. "Pleasure doing business with you."

He was tall, around 189 centimeters, with a deep and magnetic voice. His pair of peach blossom eyes casually swept across the entrance of the hotel, causing his smile to fade significantly upon that glimpse.

"What's wrong, Mr. Gu?" The middle-aged man noticed the change in the young man's expression and followed his gaze to see Yun He standing motionlessly not far away. "Do you know him?"

"I don't," the young man said, though his eyes remained fixed on Yun He.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the middle-aged man left with the others in their car. The young man, still at the hotel entrance, continued to stare intently at Yun He. If looks could pierce, Yun He would have had two holes through his back by now.

Unaware, Yun He looked up at the sky, taking a few deep breaths of fresh air to clear his mind before resuming his slow walk forward.

The young man, referred to as Mr. Gu, hesitated for a moment before finally lifting his long legs to follow in Yun He's direction. He maintained a moderate pace, deliberately keeping a distance that wouldn't easily be detected.

As they walked, Mr. Gu watched Yun He enter a dessert shop, only to reemerge shortly after carrying a small cake.

Mr. Gu took cover behind a tree nearby.

Yun He sat on a chair outside the shop, stretching out his long legs and placing the cake on a plastic table. With slightly clumsy fingers, he inserted a candle into the cake.

"Hmm..." Yun He burped, then fumbled in his pocket for a lighter to ignite the candle. He forced a bitter smile as he looked at the cake and said, "Happy birthday. You're 29 now."

Yun He blew out the candle and pulled out his phone to make a call.

"Hey, Lu Angyu, it's me, Yun He..." he began.

"I know it's you, buddy," came a lethargic male voice from the other end of the line.

"Today is Gu Jiabei's birthday," Yun He informed him.

"...Damn it!"

Yun He rubbed his forehead. "I'll hang up then."

"Damn it! Are you fucking crazy? Did you drink again? I swear, you're unbelievable!" It sounded like Lu Angyu was in an inconvenient situation, so he lowered his voice to grumble.

"Bye." Yun He hung up decisively, let out another burp, and slumped back in his chair with his eyes closed.

Young Master Gu, standing behind the tree, was a bit too far away to hear Yun He's conversation. All he could see was Yun He's expression. Drunk Yun He appeared extremely lethargic, not even bothering to lift his eyelids.

At that moment, General Gu's phone rang, displaying "Lu Angyu" on the screen.

"Hello," the young man answered.

"Damn it! Happy birthday, Bei Bei!" Lu Angyu's tone was evidently sour.

"Is 'damn it' how you wish someone a happy birthday?" the young man frowned.

"No, hey, your ex-ex-ex-boyfriend scared me off. I'm in the middle of a party, and he calls to remind me it's your birthday. If he didn't call, I would've forgotten. I've been too busy. When you come back next time, I'll buy you a drink, buddy," Lu Angyu said.

"I understand. Important people tend to forget things," the young man replied calmly.

"But speaking of which, Yun He is always like this. He either calls me drunk or on your birthday, like just now. Is my name fucking Magpie Bridge? You two dated when you were sixteen or seventeen, so why does he still look for me when he's drunk?" Lu Angyu raised his voice.

"Are you drunk as well?" the General asked with a frown.

"I'm not drunk! He just pisses me off. Listen, Bei Bei, sometimes when he's smashed, he calls me at one or two in the morning, but doesn't mention you at all. He just plays riddles with me! There was even a time when I was having the time of my life in bed, and his call instantly killed my mood!" Lu Angyu seemed to have moved to a private spot, speaking more freely.

"That's just your incompetence," the General scoffed.

"Damn it," Lu Angyu cursed softly.

"Lu Angyu," the young man called his name with a mild tone.

"Hmm? CEO Gu, what can I do for you?"

"I'm planning to return to that place soon and open a branch there."

"Alright then, Gu Jiabei, your business is expanding. Impressive, you've achieved all this on your own without a penny from your father. It hasn't been easy," Lu Angyu remarked.

"If he calls you again, pass on this information to him," Gu Jiabei said expressionlessly, his gaze drifting to Yun He, who seemed to be sleeping in the chair outside the bakery.

Lu Angyu was taken aback for a few seconds before responding, "Finally, you've come to your senses?! Does that mean I'll be free?!"

"Not yet," Gu Jiabei replied, looking at Yun He in the distance.

"Sigh, forget it. Whether you've figured it out or not, if the two of you really meet, sort out any issues behind closed doors and don't drag me into it. Sigh, it's better to be like me, falling in love with one person at a time. Damn, it's so damn carefree," Lu Angyu chuckled to himself in self-deprecation.

After hanging up the call, Gu Jiabei's gaze returned to Yun He, his eyes revealing no particular emotion, but his brows were deeply furrowed.

Gu Jiabei - Yun He's first love, though, as is often the case with first loves, theirs did not endure.

Those youthful declarations of affection eventually transformed into sighs and tears. So many years had passed, and Yun He no longer harbored any illusions about rekindling his relationship with Gu Jiabei. However, Yun He had a peculiar habit: when drunk, he would call Lu Angyu, Gu Jiabei's best friend. Fortunately, Yun He didn't get drunk often, perhaps two or three times a year. Nonetheless, over the span of twelve years, Lu Angyu had complained to Gu Jiabei on numerous occasions about this ritual.

Lu Angyu once suggested to Gu Jiabei that they should just give their relationship another try. It was clear to everyone that neither of them had forgotten the other; why continue torturing each other like characters in a melodrama?

Intent on proving that he could move on from Yun He, Gu Jiabei entered into two more relationships, both of which ended in failure.

When Lu Angyu asked for the reason, Gu Jiabei cited incompatible personalities and prioritizing his career.

Lu Angyu knew Gu Jiabei well; no amount of persuasion could overcome the barriers in his heart. Eventually, he gave up trying and issued a blunt warning.

"I bet you two will keep this up for a few more years. But when you're too old to even climb into bed, you'll end up at opposite ends, staring at each other with tearful eyes!"