Chapter 61

Chapter 61

His back hit the pillar, not too hard but not light either.

The pain was slight, requiring concentration to feel.

Because it was so subtle yet captivating, that slight pain soon turned into an indescribable itch.

Entwined with the low-key and light woody fragrance, it seemed to seep through every pore, quickly reaching Ye Zhiqiu's heart from his back.

He had once been tamed by someone, but the innate wildness in his bones was now exhilarated by this novel sensation.

"How?" Ye Zhiqiu looked up, a half-smile playing on his lips as he gazed at Qin Jianhe. "Mr. Qin isn't eager to do it here, is he?"

The hand on his shoulder suddenly pressed down harder, and Qin Jianhe's eyes darkened.

Seeing this, Ye Zhiqiu couldn't help but laugh.

Qin Jianhe was very aloof and distant, but precisely because of this, teasing him was all the more entertaining.

"Come." Ye Zhiqiu smiled, tiptoed, and initiated a kiss on Qin Jianhe's lips, one hand mischievously reaching for his belt buckle.

But in the next second, that mischievous hand was caught, and Qin Jianhe took control, pulling Ye Zhiqiu tightly into his embrace and kissing him deeply.

Qin Jianhe held him exceptionally tight, one arm like steel around his waist, while the other pressed against the back of his head, leaving no room for escape.

The kiss was passionate, almost frenzied, robbing Ye Zhiqiu of all the air he needed.

His eyes were slightly moist, his mind blank, and he instinctively responded with equal fervor amidst the numbness and tingling.

"Ye Zhiqiu," after a long moment, Qin Jianhe finally spoke in a deep voice, "so that's the kind of thrill you want?"

As he spoke, he lowered his head again, capturing Ye Zhiqiu's delicate Adam's apple between his teeth, grinding gently but firmly.

It felt like a punishment.

"Want to try?" he asked, his voice slightly hoarse from restraint.

Footsteps approached from afar, growing closer, and Ye Zhiqiu tried to wriggle free but was ruthlessly suppressed by Qin Jianhe, who stared deeply into his eyes.

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

"Or," seeing Ye Zhiqiu's helpless expression, a barely perceptible smile curved the corner of Qin Jianhe's lips, "just a kiss in front of them?"

"Hey!" Ye Zhiqiu was about to protest when his hand was once again restrained.

Qin Jianhe kissed him again, leaving no chance for retreat or escape.

The footsteps grew closer, close enough for Ye Zhiqiu to hear the conversation between the man and woman, each step seeming to land on his eardrums.

Yet Qin Jianhe remained unmoved, his hands and lips steady and firm.

Fortunately, the two eventually stopped behind the pillar, exchanged a few words, and then turned into another lane.

The sound of car doors opening and closing echoed in the underground garage, followed by the engine starting and the noise fading away.

"Hey! Qin Jianhe." Ye Zhiqiu managed to pull back a little, unsure whether to be angry or amused. "Are you being childish?"

"You've already held hands and met parents with someone else," Qin Jianhe looked down at him with a faint smile. "Why can't we just kiss in front of strangers?"

"Damn it." Ye Zhiqiu pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and showed the news article to Qin Jianhe. "Look, which picture shows us holding hands?"

Meeting Qin Jianhe's smiling gaze, he realized he had been tricked.

"Hey, Qin Jianhe." He called out, unable to hold back a laugh.

Seeing his rapidly changing expressions, Qin Jianhe also couldn't help but laugh. He leaned forward and pulled Ye Zhiqiu back into his embrace.

"Home?" he asked.

"Mm." Ye Zhiqiu softly agreed, his nose brushing against Qin Jianhe's neck, lightly inhaling the scent of his cologne.

The temperature in the underground garage wasn't high, but this fragrance made him feel unusually warm.

"I'll stay at your place for a day or two, rest up, and then move my things home." Ye Zhiqiu said, suddenly remembering something. "By the way, Qin Jianhe, my friend found me a new apartment."

"Aren't you going to look at my place?" Qin Jianhe asked.

"Better not." Ye Zhiqiu replied.

As they got into the car, Qin Jianhe leaned over to fasten Ye Zhiqiu's seatbelt. "Where did your friend find the apartment?"

Ye Zhiqiu thought for a moment and mentioned a neighborhood name. "Shaojun said it's close to both the company and the school, but I really don't know where this neighborhood is."

Qin Jianhe glanced at him, the amusement in his eyes growing. "I know."

"Where is it?" Ye Zhiqiu asked.

"It's right next to my current neighborhood." Qin Jianhe said.

"Really?" Ye Zhiqiu was taken aback, his eyes widening. "Isn't that too coincidental?"

"Hmm." Qin Jianhe said. "Did you want to live closer to me, so you deliberately rented a place near my house?"

Ye Zhiqiu: "..."

"Okay, okay, yes, yes." he said.

Qin Jianhe gripped the steering wheel and turned the car, catching Ye Zhiqiu checking the time with a glance from the corner of his eye.

It felt like only a few minutes had passed, but how did it already reach half past six?

Ye Zhiqiu was a bit surprised.

"Are you hungry?" Qin Jianhe asked, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

Ye Zhiqiu wasn't hungry, but he was craving something.

He thought for a moment: "There's a breakfast place near our school. It's still early, so there shouldn't be many people there yet."

"Mm." Qin Jianhe acknowledged and began to plan a new route. "What's good there?"

"I want to have tofu pudding," Ye Zhiqiu said, his eyes sparkling with a bright smile.

The car drove on and eventually stopped near the Fashion Institute.

The breakfast stall wasn't big, with only about five or six tables inside, but outside there was a windproof canopy with over a dozen tables, making it not feel cold despite the large oil pot nearby.

Ye Zhiqiu let Qin Jianhe go in first while he ordered two bowls of tofu pudding and grabbed a few freshly fried dough sticks from the oil pot, bringing them inside.

The tofu pudding came topped with fresh green coriander and finely chopped pickles. Ye Zhiqiu skillfully added a spoonful of chili sauce, took a bite, and his beautiful eyes immediately curved into a smile.

Qin Jianhe mimicked him, also taking a bite,

The tofu pudding was ordinary, nothing special, but because Ye Zhiqiu enjoyed it so much, he subconsciously found it quite good.

The hygiene conditions were a bit concerning, though.

Qin Jianhe shifted his gaze back from the surroundings to Ye Zhiqiu.

"Have you tried the Chinese restaurants in London?" he asked.

"Mm." Ye Zhiqiu nodded. "They're pretty authentic, but they're still not as good as those here."

"Yes," Qin Jianhe chuckled. "They've been 'adapted.'"

Indeed, most Chinese restaurants abroad have adapted their recipes to cater to foreign tastes, losing some authenticity.

"The hotpot restaurant you took me to before is better," Ye Zhiqiu looked up, smiling slightly.

A speck of sesame seed clung to his lip, and Qin Jianhe silently reached out to wipe it away.

After finishing their meal, the two returned to Qin Jianhe's home.

Qin Jianhe's house was just as clean and tidy as the last two times Ye Zhiqiu had visited, spotless and pristine.

On the windowsill, the rose specimen still occupied its position,

though it was a specimen, it looked vividly fresh under the sunlight.

This time, however, there were many small snacks on the table—beef jerky, chocolates, small plums—

all neatly arranged in snack trays, their shiny wrappers gleaming in the sunlight, looking particularly tempting.

Qin Jianhe came out of the closet in a formal suit, seeing Ye Zhiqiu opening the top layer of the snack box, curiously checking the bottom layer.

Sitting on the dining chair, his thick eyelashes were bathed in a golden halo by the morning sun, giving him an especially innocent and naive look.

"This is for you," Qin Jianhe said, placing a keycard attached to a keychain on the corner of the table.

"What's this?" Ye Zhiqiu looked up and asked.

"It's a door card and elevator card," Qin Jianhe explained, "combined into one."

"Oh." Ye Zhiqiu remembered that the last time Qin Jianhe wanted to record his fingerprints, he had refused.

If he were to stay here for two days, having this card would indeed be more convenient.

Subconsciously, he recalled the incident from his previous life when Qi Xin had locked him out in the cold.

"When I get everything settled, I'll return it to you," Ye Zhiqiu said.

"Alright." Qin Jianhe looked down at him.

Ye Zhiqiu pursed his lips, reaching for the card, but Qin Jianhe gently held his wrist.

Qin Jianhe pulled him up from the dining chair and hugged him tightly.

"Ye Zhiqiu," he said.

"Mm?" Ye Zhiqiu responded, slightly puzzled.

But Qin Jianhe didn't say anything else, just held him tightly.

Ye Zhiqiu hesitated for a moment, then suddenly looked up with a realization.

"How about we do it once before you go to work?" he suggested tentatively.

After all, it had been a while, and having needs was normal.

"Ye Zhiqiu," Qin Jianhe seemed to chuckle softly, his voice low, "you really care about my 'needs.'"

"Aren't these things part of our relationship?" Ye Zhiqiu said proudly. "Look, I can help you make money and take care of your physical needs. Isn't it great that you met me?"

"Mm." Qin Jianhe looked down at him, amusement in his eyes. "Meeting you has been my honor."

"So, are you going to..."

"No." Qin Jianhe said, lowering his head to kiss Ye Zhiqiu, swallowing the rest of his words.

"Wait until tonight," he said, rubbing Ye Zhiqiu's wet lips with his fingertips, neither too lightly nor too hard.

When they hadn't seen each other, he could barely tolerate it, but now that Ye Zhiqiu was right in front of him, from the moment he saw him at the airport, Qin Jianhe couldn't help but feel an urge to hold him tightly and openly tell him how much he had missed him.

But he couldn’t say it.

Compared to his physical needs, he realized at this moment that he also had an equally strong psychological need for Ye Zhiqiu.

"We can do it properly when I get back tonight," he said.

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

He didn’t know how this person could talk about such things as naturally as eating or sleeping.

"Are you resting at home for lunch?" After a while, Qin Jianhe asked him, "I'll come back and have a meal with you."

"No," Ye Zhiqiu said, "I want to go see Qi Yun’s show."

That night, Qi Xin was so excited, he really wanted to see just how successful their show was.

The stadium was large, and as long as he found a hidden corner, even if Qi Xin was there, he might not see him.

Hearing this, Qin Jianhe fell silent for a moment.

"Why hasn’t Qi Xin called you today?" he asked.

When he was with Ye Zhiqiu, Qi Xin rarely failed to call and interfere.

"Oh, right," Ye Zhiqiu remembered something, reaching for his phone, "I forgot; I blocked him."

He calculated, "It’s been over a week; it’s time to unblock him."

Qin Jianhe: "…"

Ye Zhiqiu really didn’t hide anything from him when it came to this fish.

He himself was ridiculous for reminding him.

"Where is the exhibition hall?" Qin Jianhe asked ambiguously, "I’ll join you for lunch there."

Ye Zhiqiu raised his eyes, about to refuse, but suddenly remembered that Qi Xin had mentioned that Qi Yun would be exhibiting alongside Jiang’s family.

Maybe he would run into Jiang Nan?

Although the chances were slim, it wasn’t impossible.

"Sure," he smiled, "It’s at the stadium."

After Qin Jianhe left, Ye Zhiqiu went to the bathroom to take a shower.

Then he packed his things and prepared to leave.

While putting on his coat, he suddenly remembered something and stood by the door for a moment before returning to the closet.

Qin Jianhe’s wardrobe was almost entirely filled with haute couture, ranging from long to medium and short styles.

Ye Zhiqiu picked out a medium-length coat and tried it on, finding it similar to the effect of his own long coat.

He took a photo of the coat and sent it to Qin Jianhe.

"Yi Ye Zhi Qiu: Can I borrow one of your coats? Image.jpg"

"QIN: You can use anything at home freely; no need to ask for my permission specifically."

Ye Zhiqiu didn’t reply further, put on the coat, and then found Qin Jianhe’s label-less perfume in the bathroom, spraying a little on his wrists and dabbing behind his ears.

Afterwards, he slung his backpack over his shoulder, put on his hat and sunglasses, and left.

Not long after he stepped out, before reaching the stadium, his phone vibrated.

It was Qi Xin.

Qi Xin must have been trying to send messages every day recently, and now that he finally found himself unblocked, he immediately called.

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

He didn’t answer.

Then, Qi Xin sent two more messages.

Perhaps learning from his previous excitement, which led to sending too many late-night messages and getting blocked, Qi Xin was more restrained this time.

After two messages, no more came in.

Ye Zhiqiu lowered his eyes and opened the chat window.

"Qi Xin: Xiao Qiu?"

"Qi Xin: Baby, Xiao Qiu, you finally let me out, crying.jpg"

"Qi Xin: I just arrived in Paris and have already seen several brand teams near the exhibition hall. Is your company coming these days? Xiao Qiu, I really know I was wrong, so I specially flew here to apologize. Please, reply to me. I was just too excited and wanted to share it with you immediately, forgetting about the time difference."

Ye Zhiqiu: "…"

Ye Zhiqiu paused, then suddenly chuckled.

Qi Xin actually went to Paris?

He had intended to continue ignoring the other party, but after a moment of contemplation, Ye Zhiqiu still replied.

"Ye Zhiqiu: Did you fly over here specifically to apologize to me, or to apologize to my design?"

Qi Xin immediately responded.

"Qi Xin: Of course it's for you, Xiao Qiu. I even put aside my domestic business to come here specially."

Ye Zhiqiu laughed softly and didn't reply further.

He put down his phone and turned to look out the window.

Past this intersection was the stadium, where the colorful banners of various brands could be faintly seen outside the venue.

Ye Zhiqiu was slightly lost in thought.

Recalling the previous life, Qi Yun had also held many shows in this very stadium at the beginning.

Even Qi Xin had hosted several of his own independent design shows.

At those exhibitions, every piece worn by the models was something he had drawn and sewn by hand, stitch by stitch.

Back then, Jiang Nan would almost always attend.

He had a sweet mouth, always calling him "sister-in-law," yet he would intentionally act particularly close to Qi Xin.

At the time, he always comforted himself, thinking he must be overthinking things.

But often, "overthinking" couldn't explain everything.

For example, at the celebration banquet, Jiang Nan would pass half-eaten fruit to Qi Xin, who would eat it without hesitation.

Or when it was cold, Jiang Nan would pout at Qi Xin, who would immediately drape his coat over his shoulders.

Or on Valentine's Day, Jiang Nan would wear the same perfume as Qi Xin and come to discuss business with him...

All these things happened right before his eyes, each one crossing his boundaries, causing him immense pain.

Yet Jiang Nan seemed to thrive on others' pain, blooming more vibrantly and beautifully.

Whenever he raised objections, Qi Xin would get angry, saying he was being petty, that Jiang Nan had always respected him, calling him "sister-in-law," and there was no way he could have any other intentions.

Over time, he began to doubt whether he was indeed too sensitive, thinking too much.

Qi Xin was his first love, and Ye Zhiqiu had fallen deeply from the start.

So he lacked the experience to compare and judge what was right and wrong in a relationship.

Many things only became clear to him later.

It turned out that all those painful experiences were indeed deliberate actions by others.

His pain and humility were merely fueling someone else's sense of superiority.

Naturally, Jiang Nan wasn't feeding on "pain"; rather, he simply enjoyed the sense of superiority derived from Qi Xin's treatment of him.

Ye Zhiqiu was far more beautiful than him, yet his lover preferred him...

That sense of superiority made Jiang Nan content, happy, and joyful.

...

Looking out the window, Ye Zhiqiu suddenly smiled, a cold smile tinged with an indescribable cruelty.

Being a child without a mother was truly difficult, lacking those awareness and education, and most of the time, Tao Ruoqing instilled opposite values in him...

Thus, it took him ten years, including experiencing death, to slowly peel away the layers of deception and touch the truth.

The car stopped in front of the stadium, and Ye Zhiqiu got out.

Instinctively, he raised his hand to the glass facade to adjust his coat.

Qin Jianhe's coat looked oversized on him, but surprisingly, it looked harmonious and stylish.

It was already 10:20 PM, and the show would begin in ten minutes.

Familiar with the routine, Ye Zhiqiu arrived just in time.

Perhaps due to recent word-of-mouth, Qi Yun's reputation had spread within a small circle.

The exhibition was already halfway through, but the audience was even larger than before.

Some fashion buyers he had dealt with in the past life still looked familiar to him.

Taking advantage of the dimmed lights, he sat down in the corner of the back row.

As the show began, Ye Zhiqiu watched quietly.

Mid-range brands can have good designs, but with his current perspective, they still felt too superficial.

Whether it was color matching, style, or fashion elements, they all carried shadows of high-end brands.

Yet they failed to achieve the true essence of those high-end brands, making them feel monotonous and lacking innovation after prolonged viewing.

Similarly, the leather goods lines of the Jiang family had the same problem.

The audience was silent until two models from Qi Yun appeared, creating a ripple of excitement.

Compared to other brands, Ye Zhiqiu's outfits were indeed quite novel.

The colors and styles instantly brought the entire show to life, making it vibrant and bright.

After the show ended, many people headed to the backstage order room.

Ye Zhiqiu also got up, but before he could go, someone called his name.

Jiang Nan walked out from backstage.

"Is that really you?" Perhaps because of his initial seat's obscure location, Jiang Nan wasn't entirely sure. Seeing Ye Zhiqiu turn with a smile, he was somewhat surprised.

"Weren't you supposed to be at an exhibition abroad?"

"Mm," Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "I felt a bit tired a few days ago, so my friend suggested I come back."

"A friend?" Jiang Nan was puzzled but quickly understood.

Who had the authority to call the designer back at any time during Q.L's show?

Of course, it was Qin Jianhe.

In an instant, his hand clenched into a fist beneath his sleeve.

Ye Zhiqiu looked at him, the smile in his eyes deepening.

Jiang Nan was clearly thinner and more haggard than before, giving off a "withered" appearance.

It reminded Ye Zhiqiu of his past self, equally haggard.

Like a beautiful flower losing its moisture at its peak bloom.

So even Jiang Nan can be hurt by such things.

Ye Zhiqiu thought with amusement.

Indeed, after getting busy with Q.L and especially after traveling abroad for the exhibition, he hadn't posted anything related to Qin Jianhe on social media for a long time.

Yet, the impact on Jiang Nan was still evident.

Ye Zhiqiu looked at him, his eyes slightly curved, barely concealing the malice and pleasure within.

Even Jiang Nan can be hurt.

He thought again.

They say do not do unto others what you would not want done to yourself, yet Jiang Nan, knowing how much this could hurt someone, continued for ten years, tirelessly posting ambiguous texts and pictures with Qi Xin on social media, showing them to him.

Cutting him slowly, bit by bit.

Not just online, but in real life as well.

Ye Zhiqiu recalled the past and couldn't help but laugh.

"What are you laughing about?" From the moment Ye Zhiqiu mentioned his friend bringing him back until now, there hadn't been much conversation between them.

But the atmosphere had instantly turned confrontational.

"Nothing." Ye Zhiqiu smiled. "I just noticed that Director Jiang seems thinner than the last time we met."

He tilted his head slightly, smiling somewhat helplessly. "Everyone else is trying to lose weight, but my friend insists on making me gain some."

Another mention of a friend.

Jiang Nan's tightly clenched nails almost drew blood from his palm.

As Ye Zhiqiu spoke, he took a few steps from the shadows towards the light, gradually approaching Jiang Nan.

Only then did Jiang Nan notice that Ye Zhiqiu's coat seemed particularly oversized.

Both being designers, although Jiang Nan specialized in leather art, over the years, he had studied various clothing combinations extensively.

Although he didn't notice it at first, upon closer inspection, he immediately recognized this as a rare haute couture piece by the independent designer Matthew, hard to find even abroad.

And getting even closer, he could smell a faint woody fragrance emanating from the coat.

This scent, he had smelled on Qin Jianhe the last time they were at the club.

Later, he asked Yu Renzhi.

Yu Renzhi said it was a unique fragrance Qin Jianhe had specially commissioned from a perfumer based on his preferences, one-of-a-kind and not available anywhere.

Jealousy surged like a flood, overwhelming Jiang Nan's reason.

He was pained, he was furious...

Thinking of Qin Jianhe and Ye Zhiqiu together, he felt like a fish gutted and salted, then placed in a frying pan...

It was excruciating.

So excruciating that he wished to die alongside Ye Zhiqiu.

Suddenly, a phone rang loudly in the empty space, startling Jiang Nan slightly and pulling him from the depths of despair.

He saw Ye Zhiqiu smile and answer the call.

"Have you arrived?" He smiled, his face instantly brightening. "Then I'll come out."

Then he added, "Okay."

He hung up the phone and gave Jiang Nan a slight smile, as if he hadn't noticed anything amiss with him.

"Director Jiang," he said, "my friend has come to pick me up. We'll talk later."

Jiang Nan pursed his lips and, after a moment, managed to force out two words.

"See you," he heard himself say.

Watching Ye Zhiqiu's tall figure walk toward the exit of the exhibition hall, he pressed his hand against his chest, taking a couple of heavy breaths. Then, as if suddenly awakening from a dream, he hurriedly chased after him.

Outside the sports arena, a black car was parked, and Jiang Nan immediately recognized it as Qin Jianhe's.

At that moment, Ye Zhiqiu had already gotten into the car, but the door had not yet closed fully.

Through the half-open gap, he could see Qin Jianhe holding Ye Zhiqiu tightly in his arms, lowering his head for a deep kiss.