Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Though it had been a while since he last took one, Ye Zhiqiu still had some photos stored on his phone.

Being busy was one reason, but also, the sense of revenge gradually faded over time.

Sometimes after posting a photo visible only to Jiang Nan, he would feel a slight emptiness and boredom.

So, people really are different.

He couldn't understand how Jiang Nan could have sought pleasure from tormenting him day after day in his previous life.

Was Jiang Nan's mental world that impoverished, or were the photos in his phone too repetitive, lacking novelty and excitement?

Ye Zhiqiu tilted his head, pondering for a moment before patting his pockets.

The only things in his pocket were a lighter and a pack of cigarettes; he had forgotten to bring his phone.

The lights dimmed again, accompanied by a low, faint chuckle. The red tip of the cigarette above flickered slightly.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, falling on Qin Jianhe's shoulder, covered in a black shirt, casting a longer silhouette of his lean figure.

Ye Zhiqiu involuntarily stepped forward, ascending two more steps.

The motion sensor light flickered on, and along with it, Qin Jianhe's phone screen lit up as well.

"I brought mine," he said.

The phone screen was already unlocked. Ye Zhiqiu took it and saw that the WeChat icon was flooded with notifications, indicating it hadn't been opened in a long time.

Ye Zhiqiu glanced at it, and just then, a message from Yu Renzhi popped up.

"Yu Renzhi: That makes it convenient for you and your wife to play around in the office. I envy you guys; I want an office romance too."

Ye Zhiqiu: ...

It seemed like Qin Jianhe's private group chat was discussing his new job at Q.L.

However, the more excited everyone else was, the colder Qin Jianhe appeared.

After all, he hadn't even bothered to look at the messages.

Ye Zhiqiu found this amusing and subtly shifted his gaze away.

"How do you want to take it this time?" Qin Jianhe asked, not noticing the incoming message on the screen.

"Let's just take a picture of your hand," Ye Zhiqiu said, opening the camera and focusing on Qin Jianhe's hand holding the cigarette.

The slender white cigarette, already with a long ash, was held between his long, slender fingers, creating a cinematic, black-and-white aesthetic.

Especially the silver ring on his pinky finger added an elegant touch to the scene.

Ye Zhiqiu pursed his lips and pressed the shutter button.

Qin Jianhe's phone took silent shots, but the hand holding the cigarette remained frozen in the frame.

"Can you send it to me later?" Ye Zhiqiu asked.

Despite their initial distance, the phone had drawn Ye Zhiqiu closer.

A hint of a smile played on Qin Jianhe's lips as he looked down at him.

Under the light, the young man's fair skin took on a faint pink hue, and his eyes appeared unusually moist, less sharp than usual.

This reminded Qin Jianhe of that night when Ye Zhiqiu, drunk, had given a soft, sweet "mm-hm" over the phone.

Involuntarily, his gaze fell on the small, pale red mole on the young man's nose.

"Sure," he said.

"Why don't you send it to me now?" Ye Zhiqiu requested, "Otherwise, we might forget later."

With so many unread messages piling up, there was no way he'd remember to send the photo later.

"Sure," Qin Jianhe agreed again, this time with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Under Ye Zhiqiu's watchful eye, Qin Jianhe opened the messaging app, selected Ye Zhiqiu's chat, and sent the photo.

"Done," he said.

Then he looked up, "Do you still have the hangover pills I gave you?"

Hangover pills?

Ye Zhiqiu was taken aback, stepping back slightly.

The sudden mention of these words felt like a bucket of cold water dousing his alcohol-fueled mind.

"Yes," he said, smiling slightly.

"Hmm," Qin Jianhe looked at him for a moment before responding softly.

But the expression in his dark, slanted eyes became inexplicable.

"By the way," he continued, "why haven't you gone home yet?"

Today was his first day at work, mainly to familiarize himself with the environment; Ye Zhiqiu shouldn't be working overtime.

"I'll leave soon," Ye Zhiqiu smiled lightly, "someone is coming to pick me up."

The cigarette had long since burned out, extinguished and held in his palm.

For some reason, as he said these words, he felt a burning sensation.

It made him feel a faint unease.

"I should go back," he said, lowering his eyes. "If he arrives and no one answers the phone, he'll get worried."

"Mm." Qin Jianhe nodded, then after a moment added, "Welcome to Q.L, Ye Zhiqiu."

"Thank you," Ye Zhiqiu replied with a polite smile. "I hope to receive your continued guidance."

The stairwell fell silent once again.

This time, Qin Jianhe didn't speak but simply looked at him quietly, as if slightly puzzled by his words.

That burning feeling came back inexplicably, making Ye Zhiqiu feel guilty.

It was just a formal courtesy, yet saying it to Qin Jianhe seemed different somehow.

"Mr. Qin, please go back and rest early too," Ye Zhiqiu said, turning to go down the stairs.

But when he reached the last step, he couldn't help pausing and looking back.

The tall banister blocked his view; he could no longer see Qin Jianhe.

Yet the upstairs remained quiet, and he knew Qin Jianhe was still there.

Leaving the stairwell, Ye Zhiqiu stood for a moment outside his office door before entering.

His phone showed a voice message from Qi Xin.

"I'll be there in about ten minutes. You can come down to the lobby a few minutes early to wait for me."

Checking the timestamp, Ye Zhiqiu didn't move right away.

He sat down at his desk, opened the chat app, and saved the photo he had just taken into his album.

Under the light, the photo looked somewhat different.

Just like the first time he saw Qin Jianhe in the Western restaurant, an air of nobility overshadowed everything.

Ye Zhiqiu lit another cigarette.

He slowly smoked it, and after a while, he reopened WeChat, went to his Moments, and attached the photo.

Ye Zhiqiu lowered his eyes to write the caption.

"Sharing a cigarette with someone feels so wonderful, like countless nights where we're embracing and kissing."

Then, he set it to be visible only to Jiang Nan and clicked send.

His phone rang; Qi Xin had arrived.

Ye Zhiqiu finished the cigarette before calmly gathering his things and heading downstairs.

When he reached the bottom, Qi Xin was already waiting at the company gate.

"Is security this strict here?" he complained, but his gaze into the building was filled with envy. "Can't even wait in the lobby?"

"Mm," Ye Zhiqiu said.

He wore a woolen hat and a scarf, revealing only his beautiful eyes.

As Qi Xin approached, he caught a faint scent of smoke and alcohol.

"How much did you drink?" he asked, reaching out to steady Ye Zhiqiu. "Not drunk, are you?"

"No," Ye Zhiqiu moved aside, suddenly stopping and turning to look at him.

Under the streetlight, his beautiful eyes seemed veiled in a thin mist, making them hard to read.

Qi Xin's heart skipped a beat, wanting to pull down his scarf.

But his hands clenched and unclenched, never daring to reach up.

"Xiao Qiu," Qi Xin took a deep breath of cold air to calm the heat rising within him, pointing downward. "The car is down there."

The night was deep, and most parking spots were empty. Qi Xin's car was parked directly opposite the steps.

Ye Zhiqiu glanced over and started walking down.

"Wait for me, will you, my lord," Qi Xin hurriedly followed closely beside him, afraid he might fall.

But Ye Zhiqiu wasn't grateful.

Not only was he not grateful, but he found Qi Xin even more annoying than usual.

The car hadn't been turned off, and the heater was still on. Ye Zhiqiu got in, took off his coat, and removed his scarf.

Throughout, Qi Xin watched his every move intently.

Ye Zhiqiu's expression was cold, but for some reason, Qi Xin seemed immune, noticing only the slight flush in his deep-set eyes and his soft, rosy cheeks, and those cherry-pink lips.

Ye Zhiqiu was always stunning, but with a touch of alcohol, he became even more vivid and alluring.

Qi Xin's heart raced, and he couldn't help leaning closer to Ye Zhiqiu.

His phone was ringing, but he paid no attention to it, his eyes fixed on Ye Zhiqiu with an entranced gaze.

Just like the first time they met at the club.

Back then, it was all an act, but now, it was genuine, uncontrollable affection.

Not seeing Ye Zhiqiu for several days during the holiday had made him miss him terribly.

That bitter longing instantly gave Ye Zhiqiu a special glow in his heart.

The usual humiliations and casual dismissals, along with his unpredictable bad temper, suddenly seemed insignificant.

Especially after learning that Ye Zhiqiu was working hard on designs for him, his gratitude only added to his longing.

Watching Qi Xin approach, Ye Zhiqiu felt both contempt and amusement.

He turned his cold gaze away, his nerves taut, completely oblivious to the black car that had just pulled out of the underground garage.

Behind the privacy-tinted windows, Qin Jianhe's eyes were icy and intense.

"Master," at the same time, the driver, Uncle Li, also spotted the lone lit car in front of the office building.

Having seen him a few times before, he recognized him immediately.

"Are we heading back to the apartment?" Uncle Li asked, his voice more cautious than usual.

Qin Jianhe withdrew his gaze, remaining silent for a long while.

Uncle Li waited, but when no instruction came, he couldn't help but glance up into the rearview mirror.

Qin Jianhe's expression was as calm and indifferent as always.

His lowered eyelashes hid the emotions in his eyes.

Approaching the fork in the road, Uncle Li was about to ask again when Qin Jianhe suddenly looked up.

"Let's go to Budu," he said, loosening his tie around his neck. "I'll have a drink there."

"Yes, sir." Uncle Li promptly steered the car onto another road.

As the car behind them grew more distant, even the Q.L Building was obscured by other buildings. Qin Jianhe leaned back into the seat, closing his eyes slightly.

At almost the same moment, a sharp slap echoed through the car.

Ye Zhiqiu had already reached his limit with Qi Xin today. Seeing his presumptuous face getting closer, his anger intensified.

Without hesitation, he raised his hand and slapped Qi Xin hard across the face.

Things were different now; he had been training in mixed martial arts for quite some time, making his strength much greater than before.

Qi Xin's face turned sharply from the impact, and almost instantly, five distinct finger marks appeared on his cheek, even drawing blood from the corner of his mouth.

This slap was so harsh and painful that it shattered any lingering affection.

Qi Xin was shocked and furious, but when he met Ye Zhiqiu's icy, angry gaze, he was jolted back to reality.

"Is this what you call liking someone?" Ye Zhiqiu glared at him coldly, each word piercing Qi Xin's heart like needles. "No respect, only manipulation."

Qi Xin's heart skipped a beat, his anger dissipating.

"Xiao Qiu..." His mind raced, thinking Ye Zhiqiu might know something. "No, I just like you, that's all. It's just uncontrollable."

"Uncontrollable or taking advantage?" Ye Zhiqiu stared at him coldly. "Liking or wanting a freebie, Qi Xin, is having some self-respect really that difficult?"

Qi Xin: "..."

"I didn't mean it like that." Qi Xin quickly raised his hand to swear.

Even now, his ear on the side that was hit was still ringing.

Wasn't he the victim here?

Besides, between lovers, shouldn't such uncontrollable moments be spontaneous rather than reported?

Otherwise, where would the romance be?

"Don't come pick me up anymore." Ye Zhiqiu reached to unfasten his seatbelt.

"No, no, I didn't mean it like that," Qi Xin hurriedly grabbed Ye Zhiqiu's wrist. "I really just like you."

He leaned in close. "If I'm wrong, you can hit me, but you need to understand that I genuinely like you."

"Ye Zhiqiu," Qi Xin said, "if you truly like someone, you'd understand my uncontrollable feelings."

"Is that so?" Ye Zhiqiu paused, a mocking smile curling his lips as he looked at Qi Xin. "I've just had a few drinks. If I were drunk and unconscious, would you also feel uncontrollably compelled to do more? Your uncontrollable feelings lack any shred of respect, Qi Xin..."

Ye Zhiqiu looked at him, pausing for a moment before sneering. "You're truly cheap."

These words made Qi Xin's untouched ear ring as well.

It wasn't your feelings that were cheap, but you yourself were cheap.

Qi Xin clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and suppressed the humiliation, anger, and fear in his heart.

Every time, it was Ye Zhiqiu who started the insults, yet he couldn't understand how Ye Zhiqiu could always be so righteous and aggressive.

And yet, he was genuinely afraid of him.

Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang again.

He didn't want to answer it, but when Jiang Nan's name appeared on the screen, the last bit of anger and resentment in Qi Xin's heart instantly dissipated.

He quickly grabbed his phone, hung up the call, and looked at Ye Zhiqiu's expression.

Fortunately, Ye Zhiqiu seemed not to have noticed his phone, and Qi Xin secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of relief after a close call.

But just as he had hung up, the phone rang again. It was still Jiang Nan.

Qi Xin's eyebrows furrowed slightly, finding Jiang Nan annoying for the first time.

Why is he like a stubborn adhesive bandage?

When this thought crossed his mind, even he was startled.

For so many years, he had been following Jiang Nan, but now, or perhaps without realizing it, he no longer cared as much about him.

Even the once exhilarating initiative to contact him now made him feel annoyed?

Qi Xin was somewhat stunned.

He held the phone tightly, but it continued to vibrate in his palm until Ye Zhiqiu looked at him indifferently and said, "Your phone, why aren't you answering it?"

Qi Xin hurriedly turned off the phone.

"It's spam," he said.

"Is it?" Ye Zhiqiu looked at him with an ambiguous smile.

He knew that Jiang Nan must have seen his social media post.

He saw Qin Jianhe's hand, the cigarette in it, and most importantly, the caption.

Enough to drive Jiang Nan mad.

However, after the first two provocations were brutally countered, Jiang Nan had indeed been quiet for a while.

But it was useless.

Because even if Jiang Nan truly settled down, it wouldn't matter. Even if the thrill of using Qin Jianhe's photos to retaliate faded, or he no longer wanted to keep showing them to Jiang Nan, it wouldn't matter...

Even if he became numb, he would continue to torment Jiang Nan endlessly.

Ten years, no less.

Unless one of them died first, it wouldn't end.

Ye Zhiqiu raised his hand to cover his eyes and couldn't help laughing out loud.

Alcohol was indeed a good thing; he felt very relieved today.

Seeing him unable to stop laughing, Qi Xin frowned slightly.

He began to suspect that Ye Zhiqiu might be more drunk than he had imagined.

"Xiao Qiu," he asked, "should I get you some hangover medicine?"

"No." For some reason, the mention of hangover medicine made Ye Zhiqiu stop laughing, and a hint of annoyance and fatigue crept into his features.

"Do you think you're worthy to buy me hangover medicine?" he asked, aggressively.

"Alright, alright, I'm not," Qi Xin said, humbly trying to placate him. "How about I take you home?"

Seeing that Ye Zhiqiu didn't respond, Qi Xin finally relaxed and started the car.

Today, besides missing Ye Zhiqiu, he also wanted to ask about the progress of the design drafts Ye Zhiqiu had prepared for him. But given the situation, he didn't dare to ask anymore.

As Qi Xin drove, his thoughts kept swirling, feeling restless.

He glanced at Ye Zhiqiu and saw that he had fallen asleep against the back of the seat.

His sleeping face was harmless, with soft black hair framing long, thick eyelashes that rested on his pale skin like small fans, and his rosy lips slightly parted...

Qi Xin sighed deeply, unsure whether he loved or hated him more.

When they arrived at Ye Zhiqiu's house, Ye Zhiqiu slowly opened his eyes.

"We're home," Qi Xin said.

"Mm," Ye Zhiqiu nodded.

"Should I come pick you up tomorrow?" Qi Xin asked.

Ye Zhiqiu closed his eyes and remained silent for a while.

"Xiao Qiu," Qi Xin gathered his courage after a long moment, "about the design drafts..."

"I know, I know, haven't I been working hard enough?" Ye Zhiqiu said impatiently.

Qi Xin: "..."

Qi Xin's courage vanished instantly.

Just as he was about to say it wasn't that urgent, Ye Zhiqiu unlocked his phone.

"They're all saved," he said, his voice heavy with sleepiness. "I'll send them to you."

Qi Xin: "..."

The surprise came suddenly, and Qi Xin's eyes immediately lit up. "Really?"

"When have I ever lied to you?" Ye Zhiqiu immediately became unhappy and even stopped his actions. "If you don't believe me, forget it."

As he spoke, he started to undo his seatbelt and get out of the car.

"Sorry, my lord." Qi Xin hurriedly held him back, almost kneeling down.

Ye Zhiqiu slightly frowned, his thin lips pressed tightly together. After a moment, he finally lit up the screen and continued his operation.

Qi Xin secretly sighed in relief, not daring to say another word.

Watching as the file was transferred into his email, Qi Xin's heart immediately relaxed, and even the tingling pain on his face seemed to turn into a sweet sensation.

Ye Zhiqiu definitely still loved him; otherwise, who would be willing to do so much for someone else?

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu get out of the car, Qi Xin also jumped out.

"Xiao Qiu," he couldn't help but express his longing, "I really missed you during this time."

"Do you miss me or the design drafts?" Ye Zhiqiu asked with a half-smile, leaning against the gate.

"Of course I miss you," Qi Xin said immediately.

"So you need to work hard too, Qi Xin," Ye Zhiqiu said. "What good does it do just to miss me? Can you persuade my father by missing me? Instead of wasting time missing me, you should focus on improving your abilities."

"With your current state," he slightly frowned, "not only would my father not trust you, but even I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving my child with someone who has no ability and no future."

Qi Xin: "..."

His burning heart instantly turned cold.

"Forget it." Ye Zhiqiu didn't want to talk anymore. He pushed the door open and disappeared inside without any regard for Qi Xin's feelings.

Qi Xin: "..."

Does Ye Zhiqiu really love me?

Qi Xin couldn't help but start doubting again.

He stood at the gate of the Ye family residence for a while before returning to the car and turning it back on.

Jiang Nan had left over a dozen missed calls, and messages filled the screen.

"Honey: Were you with Ye Zhiqiu today?"

"Honey: Why aren't you answering your phone?"

"Honey: Qi Xin, don't you like me?"

"Honey: ..."

Jiang Nan's tone sounded like he was jealous of Ye Zhiqiu.

But Qi Xin didn't feel that Jiang Nan truly liked him.

After all, he had been the one playing the role of a loyal admirer all these years.

Qi Xin slightly frowned, finding the repeated "Honey" irritating after a while.

He opened Jiang Nan's profile and changed "Honey" to Jiang Nan's name.

A moment later, he changed "Jiang Nan" to just a "J."

Not only in the chat app but also in the contacts.

Then he replied to Jiang Nan, his tone carrying a hint of pride he didn't even notice himself.

"Qi Xin: It was his first day at Q.L today. I just took him home."

Back at home, Ye Zhiqiu took a shower and reviewed the revised contract from Xin Dongli that Zhang Mian had sent over earlier.

*

Everything was mostly settled. He called Zhang Mian and then went to bed.

Despite being exhausted, Ye Zhiqiu suddenly lost his sleepiness when lying down.

He tossed and turned for a long time before finally opening his photo album.

What greeted his eyes was Qin Jianhe's hand holding a cigarette.

In the darkness, Ye Zhiqiu stared at the screen for a moment before raising his hand to delete the photo.

Then he turned off the screen, pulled the blanket over his head, and curled up motionless.

Time ticked by, and after an unknown amount of time, he irritably threw off the blanket.

Ye Zhiqiu picked up his phone again, opened the "Recently Deleted" folder in the photo album, and restored the picture.

The next morning, Ye Zhiqiu didn't let Qi Xin pick him up. He took a taxi to the company.

*

Due to a poor night's sleep and a hangover headache, there were faint dark circles under his eyes, which stood out starkly against his pale skin.

But since it was his first day on the job, he didn't dare to linger in bed even for a moment.

Upon arriving at the company, Ye Zhiqiu hurried into the hall.

If yesterday was about getting familiar with the environment, today required serious work.

Now, in the entire company, only his exhibit still exists only on paper.

When you think about it, time is really tight.

As he entered the elevator lobby, he happened to see an elevator door slowly closing.

Ye Zhiqiu hurriedly jogged a few steps forward, but as he approached, his pace involuntarily paused.

Through the slowly closing elevator doors, Ye Zhiqiu saw Qin Jianhe's figure.

Their gazes seemed to briefly meet before being completely separated by the closed elevator doors.

Ye Zhiqiu stood there, unable to help feeling slightly puzzled.

Doesn't Qin Jianhe have his own dedicated elevator? Why would he come to take the staff elevator?

In his daze, the just-closed elevator doors suddenly opened again, and Qin Jianhe's gaze fell lightly over him.

With the boss in the elevator, the colleagues inside were all as quiet as chicks, no one daring to speak.

But at this moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on Ye Zhiqiu.

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

Ye Zhiqiu had no choice but to get into the elevator with his bag.

Everyone moved aside, making room for him.

As soon as Ye Zhiqiu stepped in, the closing of the elevator door pushed him into Qin Jianhe's arms.

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

Amidst the ambiguous gazes of everyone, Ye Zhiqiu lowered his eyes, pretending to be dead.

Yet, Qin Jianhe seemed oblivious to the strange atmosphere in the elevator.

"Ye Zhiqiu," he called his name, asking in a low voice, "did you sleep well last night?"