Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When Tang Yue returned, Li Shaojun had just sent some wine over.

Three bottles of Petrus were placed on the black marble table, and the hall manager was respectfully explaining something to Ye Zhiqiu, bowing slightly.

"Although Petrus isn't the most expensive here, its production is the lowest. Especially these bottles from 1982; they can barely be considered top-notch," the hall manager said.

A bottle of 1982 Petrus is quoted at several tens of thousands in the market, but the actual price far exceeds that amount.

After all, Petrus has limited production, and for many people, it's something they prefer to keep for collection rather than sell easily.

The market price is already so high, let alone in an exclusive club like this.

Tang Yue couldn't guess the exact value of these bottles of wine, but he knew that just these few bottles surpassed all his university expenses combined.

Among the people present, whether it was Jin Baobao or Li Shaojun, their backgrounds were either on par with the Ye family or even more powerful...

Only he came from humble origins.

If not for being admitted to the Fashion Institute and becoming classmates with Ye Zhiqiu, perhaps he would never have had the chance to enter such a luxurious place.

Yet Ye Zhiqiu was still unsatisfied.

"I know you have better stuff here," he said with a half-smile, looking at the hall manager. "Are you afraid I can't afford it?"

The hall manager was almost sweating, and subconsciously glanced upstairs upon hearing this.

How could it be so coincidental?

Today, there were important guests in the club, and those few bottles of extremely expensive wine that had been stored for a long time were all taken to the private room on the second floor.

Following his gaze, Ye Zhiqiu raised his eyes subtly.

If he hadn't guessed wrong, the good wine should now be in Room 201 on the second floor, right?

And Jiang Nan should be sitting inside right now, shouldn't he?

Once again, Qi Xin's words echoed in his mind.

"He's tired; I want to give him a home."

And Jiang Nan was precisely the "he" Qi Xin referred to.

On the night before deciding to divorce, Ye Zhiqiu looked at Qi Xin's phone for the first time.

At that time, Qi Xin was involved with a minor celebrity, and Ye Zhiqiu thought the "he" he mentioned must be that celebrity.

But after opening the chat app and seeing the contact labeled "Baby" at the top, Ye Zhiqiu realized how foolish he had been.

The chat history between Qi Xin and the other person was very long, dating back to over a decade ago.

It was clear how precious those messages were to him, carefully preserved.

That long, long chat history, Ye Zhiqiu sat on the carpet and read through the entire night.

Until his limbs turned cold, as if he had fallen into an icy abyss.

Initially, it was clearly Qi Xin who was enthusiastic, often sending multiple messages before getting a response.

Unread messages were common.

This situation continued intermittently for several years.

Until the day he met Qi Xin, everything began to change.

That night, Jiang Nan contacted Qi Xin for the first time and sent several photos.

One was taken from above, showing Qi Xin holding roses and confessing to Ye Zhiqiu devoutly. Another showed a glass filled with fresh red wine, and the last one showed several bottles of expensive wine, including Screaming Eagle and Romanée Conti.

Following the photos was a text message: "I was there too."

Those few photos and five words made Qi Xin explain for hours.

There were dozens of messages, and long voice calls in between.

Although each message made Ye Zhiqiu feel pain and hurt, what pained him the most were those few lines.

"Because his eye color is somewhat similar to yours."

"You know I only love you."

"I want to become stronger, to be worthy of you. I can't avoid taking shortcuts."

"..."

From that day on, the communication between Jiang Nan and Qi Xin became frequent.

Jiang Nan called him "sister-in-law" enthusiastically, added his contact information, and asked him for advice on design issues...

Ye Zhiqiu treated him as a friend, sharing everything he knew.

But almost every time he needed someone to accompany him, Jiang Nan would find various reasons to call Qi Xin away quietly.

Turns out, the Qi Xin who was always "busy with work" and unable to accompany him was always with someone else.

The person he had always considered a friend had been maliciously stirring up his life.

Using the pain and tears of others as nourishment for his own happiness, Jiang Nan must be very proud and accomplished, right?

Ten years of marriage, and Ye Zhiqiu had only lost.

From a spirited young man, he had become a gaunt, silent, lifeless shell...

He had thought about divorce, but when he finally came to his senses, he realized that under Qi Xin's long-term, subtle PUA tactics, his heart had already been so thoroughly broken that he lacked the energy and courage to start anew.

So even though he knew he was in hell, he still subconsciously resisted the word "divorce."

But that night, he had to face the reality he had been avoiding: his life had been meticulously planned from the beginning.

From the very start, the other party never intended to let him "live" through it.

Because even if it wasn't Qi Xin, it would be Zhang Xin, Li Xin, or Zhao Xin...

So, despite the unbearable pain and the overwhelming fear of the unknown, he mustered all his courage and signed his name on the divorce papers.

Room 201...

Jiang Nan.

Ye Zhiqiu lowered his eyes, his thick lashes concealing all his emotions.

"Mr. Ye," the hall manager suggested another comforting approach, "today we were indeed negligent. How about this: next time we get new wine, we'll invite you to taste it first?"

If it were the Ye Zhiqiu ten years later, he would have laughed it off.

But the nineteen-year-old Ye Zhiqiu was still a spoiled brat.

Resting his chin on his hand, he sighed dejectedly after a while, "Alright then."

Seeing this ancestor finally relent, the hall manager secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"You can leave it here; we'll take care of the rest ourselves," Jin Baobao smiled at the hall manager.

As soon as the manager turned away, he kicked Ye Zhiqiu under the table impatiently.

"What's wrong with this wine?" he asked, looking at Ye Zhiqiu, "do you really think your family is the richest? Wait until your dad finds out and doesn't kick you to death?"

"Today is my good day," Ye Zhiqiu raised an eyebrow, "what's wrong with having a drink?"

"Just go wild," Jin Baobao shook his head in exasperation, his voice suddenly rising, "damn, damn, look at that idiot carrying such a huge bouquet of roses. Is he trying to confess to someone in this place?"

Without looking, Ye Zhiqiu knew Qi Xin had arrived.

"Wow," Li Shaojun sneered, "people come here either for thrills or fun. Does he want to stand out in the crowd by being exceptionally deep and affectionate?"

Ye Zhiqiu chuckled once, then stood up, "I'm going to the restroom."

"Let's watch the show first," Jin Baobao pulled him back.

"Do you understand the three urgencies?" Ye Zhiqiu remained unmoved, "what if I can't hold it and solve it here? Could you still drink this wine?"

"Damn, don't gross me out, go, go, go..." Jin Baobao released his grip on Ye Zhiqiu's sleeve in disgust.

"I'll go with Xiao Qiu," Tang Yue stood up.

"No need," Ye Zhiqiu glanced at him, "the bill isn't settled yet; do you think I'd run away?"

Though it was a joke, Tang Yue felt a sudden unease.

Seeing Qi Xin approaching the dance floor, at this crucial moment, he truly feared Ye Zhiqiu might run and ruin everything.

With his long legs, Ye Zhiqiu had already stepped out of the booth and turned into the corridor behind them before Tang Yue could react.

Seeing Qi Xin getting closer, Tang Yue had no choice but to sit back down.

The restroom was empty. As soon as Ye Zhiqiu entered, he closed the door behind him. The heartbeat he had forcibly suppressed began pounding uncontrollably again.

Cold water gushed out, and Ye Zhiqiu buried his slightly flushed face, heated by his emotions, deeply into the bone-chilling coldness.

After a while, he slowly lifted his head and looked into the mirror.

The young man in the mirror still looked somewhat immature, in the transition from boyhood to manhood, with a slender and upright figure that was also slightly thin.

His snow-white skin, marked with water droplets, gleamed softly under the light, making his pitch-black hair and icy eyes even more striking.

Ye Zhiqiu stared at himself in the mirror for a moment, then gently touched the small, pale red mole on the tip of his nose.

He had actually removed this mole before.

Because Qi Xin didn't like it.

For some reason, his eyes became hot.

No one knew how precious regaining something meant to him.

Not just this insignificant little mole, but also the young, proud self who should have had an infinite future, and those chattering, extremely precious friends around him...

His lips gradually tightened, and Ye Zhiqiu raised his hand to wipe away the moisture from his lashes.

Qi Xin was well-prepared and had done his homework thoroughly.

And he needed to quickly return to his nineteen-year-old self.

The coldness in his eyes gradually faded, and a casual smile formed on his lips. The soul of a nineteen-year-old slowly returned.

Ye Zhiqiu did not linger. He opened the door and walked out confidently.

At this moment, Qi Xin stood in the aisle between the booths, craning his neck to look around.

He had clearly seen Ye Zhiqiu just moments ago when he walked around the dance floor. How could it be that in the mere ten seconds it took for the corridor to block his view, Ye Zhiqiu had vanished?

"Hey, you!" Jin Baobao waved his wine glass and teased, "Since Ye Zhiqiu isn't here, why don't you give me these flowers?"

Jin Baobao wasn’t easy to deal with; in just a short while, he had said all sorts of things, both nice and not so nice.

Qi Xin found it hard to handle and simply remained silent.

He held a large bouquet of roses, which had already attracted many glances as he made his way over. Now, with the commotion, even more people in the surrounding booths were looking their way.

Some joked, others laughed and watched the scene, and some openly raised their phones to take pictures.

"How about," Tang Yue intervened, "coming in to sit down?"

"Who is he?" Hearing this, Li Shaojun stretched out his long legs, blocking the entrance to the booth, "Today, Uncle Qiu invited only his best friends. What right does he have?"

Li Shaojun was a year younger than Ye Zhiqiu and Jin Baobao, having grown up under their protection, always following them around.

But after growing taller at fifteen or sixteen, he suddenly switched roles and began protecting Ye Zhiqiu and Jin Baobao.

This was also why earlier, Tang Yue had deliberately steered the conversation towards Tao Ruoqing.

Family has always been Ye Zhiqiu's bottom line. In the past, hearing Li Shaojun speak ill of Tao Ruoqing would have never been tolerated by Ye Zhiqiu.

But today, something seemed different, and Li Shaojun was still sitting there calmly.

An eighteen-year-old boy, when he gets serious, can be quite intimidating. Both Qi Xin and Tang Yue had to step back to avoid his sharpness.

Tang Yue didn't say anything more but turned his head towards the corridor.

Seemingly sensing his urgency, Ye Zhiqiu’s tall and straight figure appeared at the corner of the corridor.

He always carried an air of nonchalance, as if nothing mattered. Even though he saw the situation here, his pace remained unhurried.

But no matter how long the road, it eventually ends. Ye Zhiqiu came over and kicked Li Shaojun's extended leg.

Seeing this, Qi Xin quickly stepped forward, but before he could speak, Ye Zhiqiu glanced at him.

"A flower seller?" He looked at Qi Xin with a half-smile, "Did you get lost?"

"Hahahaha..." The group in the neighboring booth, also young people, burst into laughter upon hearing this.

"Dude," someone shouted, "We've assessed it; you're not a match and aren't welcome. Why don't you just leave?"

Being mocked like this in public, Qi Xin's grip on the flowers tightened unconsciously.

Great achievements do not depend on trifles.

Despite the discomfort, Qi Xin took another step forward and presented the roses to Ye Zhiqiu, calling his name gently and restrainedly: "Xiao Qiu."

Ye Zhiqiu paused, then looked down at the roses being held up to him. After a moment, he lifted his eyes to meet Qi Xin's gaze with a half-smile.

The moment their eyes met, Qi Xin was momentarily stunned.

Those eyes were too beautiful, more dazzling and captivating than the most exquisite jade in the world, especially the color of those irises...

Unconsciously, another pair of eyes flashed through his mind.

Though far less beautiful and captivating than the ones before him, they still stirred his heart.

Without any deliberate effort, Qi Xin's gaze naturally became intense and infatuated.

As if the entire world, heaven and earth, had disappeared, leaving only Ye Zhiqiu in his life.

Such an intense gaze surprised even the laughing Jin Baobao and the tense Li Shaojun.

It seemed...

It seemed as if the person before him had loved Ye Zhiqiu for a very long time.

Qi Xin's gaze was one Ye Zhiqiu had seen too many times before.

But now, after struggling in hell for so many years and truly dying once, such looks had become as light as ashes, unworthy of even a second glance.

Not to mention...

His peripheral vision caught sight of the tightly closed door of room 201 upstairs, and Ye Zhiqiu smiled.

Not to mention, Qi Xin wasn't really looking at him.

"Xiao Qiu?" Ye Zhiqiu slowly raised an eyebrow, "Why so familiar? Do we know each other?"

Qi Xin was a man who loved face and self-respect, yet he had a decent appearance. Deep down, he was both insecure and narcissistic, particularly sensitive.

Although they had met briefly at the lunch banquet, the distance hadn't been this close.

But within just a few hours, Ye Zhiqiu had already forgotten him completely, which hurt more than being killed.

However, Ye Zhiqiu wanted to crush him.

He wanted him to lose his dignity, his self, everything, just as he had done in the past, becoming humble and insignificant.

Sure enough, Qi Xin's smile froze.

"In fact, we met at the lunch banquet," Qi Xin composed himself and explained, "My father and Ms. Tao are old acquaintances."

As he spoke, he stepped forward eagerly, offering the roses again, "From the moment I saw you at the banquet, I was captivated."

The soft petals of the rose brushed against his lapel, and Ye Zhiqiu took a step back.

"Sorry," he said, "I don't like roses."

Qi Xin was taken aback.

Ye Zhiqiu's preferences had been thoroughly communicated to him by Tao Ruoqing half a month ago, and he had memorized them well.

He was supposed to like roses.

Still, despite his doubts, he immediately placed the roses on one corner of the marble table.

"Roses represent intense love," he said. "I thought you would appreciate that."

"Love?" Ye Zhiqiu raised his hand and swept the bouquet onto the floor, then leaned both hands on the table as he sat down.

He sat without grace, his tone teasing, "You've only seen me once, and you're already expressing intense love? Doesn't that make your love a bit cheap?"

He laughed after saying this, quite rudely.

At nineteen, Ye Zhiqiu was arrogant, capricious, and casual...

But because of his exceptional appearance, even his rudeness seemed charming.

Tang Yue took a sip of wine and noticed Qi Xin's face turn pale, his neck tensing with restrained anger.

"I just think love at first sight is a beautiful thing. It's happened to me only once in all these years." After a moment of silence, Qi Xin could no longer hide the indignation in his voice.

He had stood here being mocked for so long, yet Ye Zhiqiu continued to humiliate him.

The young men at the next table fell silent, their attention now focused entirely on Ye Zhiqiu.

Ye Zhiqiu wore a faint smile as he looked at Qi Xin as if he were an ill-tempered child.

"Is that so?" he asked, not commenting on Qi Xin's statement about love at first sight. "You like me, but what do you like about me?"

"Pretty, talented, you shine like a beacon in a crowd..." Meeting Ye Zhiqiu's eyes, Qi Xin's gaze became entranced again, his anger dissipating like rain, "Even though I'm not worthy of you now, I will work hard. Please give me a chance to pursue you and provide you with a home."

The last time Ye Zhiqiu was moved by Qi Xin was because of those five words: "provide you with a home."

Unfortunately, he later realized that those words were meant for someone else.

But there was no denying that Qi Xin knew exactly how to hit his weak spots and vulnerabilities, making it a fatal blow.

"Talent..." Ye Zhiqiu repeated with a smile.

Indeed, Qi Xin needed to rely on his talent to advance in his career and become worthy of the person he held in high regard.

"Though it's not a perfect match, he's pretty sincere, bro." The atmosphere group from the next table chimed in again, and the other onlookers, moved by Qi Xin's heartfelt confession, started chanting, "Say yes, say yes..."

.

Meanwhile, upstairs in room 201, a bottle of fine wine was uncorked with a pop.

Yu Renzhi poured himself a glass and then handed the bottle to Jiang Nan. "They've had enough; no need to pour more."

Jiang Nan nodded, but his fingers tightened around the bottle, and he couldn't help leaning forward to carefully pour the wine into the empty glass opposite him.

The deep red liquid swirled and filled the bottom of the glass. Jiang Nan glanced up, looking at the man sitting by the window across from him.

Fine brows, almond-shaped eyes, a high nose, and thin lips—handsome like a sculpture. But the aura of regal coldness around him made people hesitate to approach.

His legs crossed casually, he was engrossed in the documents on his lap, oblivious to Jiang Nan's eager actions and intense gaze.

Jiang Nan gazed at him, wishing he could keep him in his eyes forever.

After all, such opportunities were rare.

If he hadn't begged Yu Renzhi, he wouldn't have had a chance to sit here today.

So even though the man hadn't given him a single extra glance since they entered, Jiang Nan still felt elated just watching him.

"What are you looking at? The wine is overflowing." Yu Renzhi, unable to bear it, pointed out to Jiang Nan.

For over an hour, everyone present could see Jiang Nan's feelings for Qin Jianhe.

But everyone also knew that it was unlikely to happen.

After all, it was Qin Jianhe.

"I..." Jiang Nan blushed and straightened up, about to speak, when a sudden commotion erupted downstairs.

Yu Renzhi, who loved excitement, was the first to rise and open the window slightly to look outside.

With just one glance, he saw the center of everyone's attention.

The young man sat on the black marble table, hands behind him, smiling slightly and tilting his head back.

Against the dark surface of the table, his slender, fair hands gleamed like snow, beautiful as jade.

The lighting below wasn't particularly bright, but for some reason, Yu Renzhi could see everything clearly.

It was as if the young man himself was a source of light, bright and captivating.

Yu Renzhi paused, his gaze slowly moving to the young man's face.

"Holy shit." He exclaimed, turning to Meng Qingyan, "Qingyan, come look. Can this kid crush all the top idols in the entertainment industry?"

Just a few weeks ago, the twenty-one-year-old Meng Qingyan won his second Best Actor award at the film festival.

Today's gathering was specially organized by Yu Renzhi for him.

Hearing this, Meng Qingyan leaned forward, glanced down, and then nodded. He then looked at Qin Jianhe.

"This person doesn't matter much for me to see, but it's Brother Yu who should take a look."

Qin Jianhe's nickname is Qin Yu, known only to close friends.

This was the first time Jiang Nan had heard of it.

Such a private detail, once learned, added a subtle sweetness to his heart.

Seeing Meng Qingyan divert the topic to Qin Jianhe, Jiang Nan curiously stood up.

He really wanted to see who could be praised so highly by Yu Renzhi.

The window gap was opened a bit wider, and Jiang Nan leaned down to look. Just as he was about to speak, he paused suddenly.

"What?" Yu Renzhi asked, "Do you know the person below?"

"How could I?" Jiang Nan laughed, a dry sound.

In the moment he recognized Qi Xin, he also saw Ye Zhiqiu clearly.

To meet Qin Jianhe today, he had made a special effort to dress himself up.

From head to toe, everything was high-end custom.

Looking in the mirror, he shone brilliantly.

But now, that young man downstairs sat casually, and the carefully constructed aura around him seemed instantly overshadowed.

Like the rising sun, stars and moon naturally set.

Jiang Nan felt a tightness in his chest, instinctively not wanting Qin Jianhe to see the person below.

However, despite Meng Qingyan's young age, he was very tactful.

Since he said this, Qin Jianhe asked indifferently, "What?"

"During the photoshoot for your company's promotional pages last month, I heard from the great designer Luo that you were planning to approach this year's fashion competition champion," Meng Qingyan smiled, "Isn't it a coincidence? The person is right below us."

"Xiao Yu really should take a look," Wang Qitang pulled the documents off Qin Jianhe's knee and said with a smile, "I heard this year's winner is even better than previous ones."

Qin Jianhe had seen Ye Zhiqiu's entry, which indeed was brilliant and unforgettable.

But he usually disliked crowds, and upon hearing this, he only slightly turned his head, his dark eyes scanning downward indifferently.

The exceptionally handsome youth downstairs smiled boldly and freely, like a hibiscus flower blooming in the wind, exuding unforgettable beauty along with a touch of just-right charm.

That charm was faint, neither gaudy nor exaggerated, only making one feel particularly refreshed.

Just like his work, brilliant and unforgettable.

If not for his somewhat frivolous gesture at the moment.

"I love you~" Ye Zhiqiu leaned forward, his thick lashes lowering to conceal the mocking smile in his eyes. He lifted his hand to hook Qi Xin's chin, then lightly chuckled after a moment, "Too bad, I like those who are obedient and pure."

These words were what Qi Xin had said to him during his PUA tactics.

Because of these words, he had especially restrained his behavior to leave the best impression.

But acting became real, and he gradually lost control...

From then on, under deliberate manipulation, he sank deeper step by step.

Now...

Word for word, Ye Zhiqiu returned these words to him.