Chapter 45 A Kiss on the Cheek

Chapter 45 A Kiss on the Cheek

"Ah-choo!"

The tears didn’t come, but a gust of wind made Ye Man sneeze, shattering the emotional buildup.

He couldn’t help but inwardly curse the lousy weather.

How could he sneeze at such a crucial moment?

He had never made such a basic mistake before! It was all because of the bad weather!

As expected, Xu Huaiting let out a contemplative hum, as if hesitating whether to continue ignoring the terrible weather and accompany him up the mountain.

"This isn’t how you ask for a favor," Xu Huaiting said, casually pulling Ye Man’s jacket zipper all the way up. It had been too hot in the supermarket earlier, so he had unzipped it a bit.

Ye Man panicked, pressing closer to him, clutching his arm tightly, fearing he might bolt, and repeatedly called out, "Mr. Xu, please accompany me..."

The bad weather seemed to make the big shot more difficult to handle.

Xu Huaiting pondered a bit longer, as if finally unable to bear the guilt of abandoning the poor blind man, and conceded, "Alright, say something sweet to me, and I’ll accompany you wherever you want to go."

Something sweet?

Ye Man was dumbfounded.

"Don’t know how?"

It wasn’t that he didn’t know how; he knew too many, and Ye Man wasn’t sure which one would please the big shot. He was trying to figure out which approach would suit him best.

Though aware Ye Man couldn’t see, Xu Huaiting feigned looking ahead, only stealing glances at the person beside him. "'Ricardo, please, come with me,' yeah, that’s the one."

"And finally, a kiss on the cheek..." He appeared to be weighing whether to add more, mulling it over before sighing like a merchant who’d struck a poor bargain, "That’s it."

Ye Man was stunned, feeling his grip on Xu Huaiting’s arm grow warm.

He sprang back, quickly retreating two steps.

System: "Ahhh, you old rascal! Don’t fall for it! He’s just messing with you!"

Ye Man was still wavering, but the system’s shout in his mind instantly flushed him red.

"Brother Tong! Don’t spout nonsense! He’s not teasing me; he’s just joking around!"

But it was still shocking for the big shot to joke like that.

Why is it so... so...

Ye Man couldn’t quite pinpoint the feeling.

Xu Huaiting turned his head and saw Ye Man retreat two steps, but only two. He stood there hesitating, wanting to come closer but staying rooted in place.

At this distance, Xu Huaiting only had to reach out to draw him back.

Before Ye Man’s rapidly spinning brain could figure everything out, Xu Huaiting laughed, easing the tension, "I was just kidding. I brought you out; of course, I’ll take you back in one piece. How could I leave you here alone? Do you really think I’m that bad in your heart?"

Ye Man shook his head, his mind still tangled in the earlier confusion.

But Xu Huaiting seemed to have already forgotten what he had just said, reaching out to ruffle Ye Man’s hair, "I’ll go get the umbrella and put the stuff in the car. Wait here for me, just two minutes."

When they arrived, the rain was light, and they could reach their destination with a few quick steps without an umbrella. But going back was impossible; the rain was so heavy it felt like it could crack your skull open, and the ground was practically steaming.

Ye Man stood under the eaves for a while, counting the fading footsteps of the big shot in his mind. When he reached a hundred, the sound went from near to far, then from far to near, and the damp shadow reappeared before him.

The rain drummed loudly on the umbrella.

"Let's go, come closer. There's a big puddle ahead, take a big stride."

Ye Man followed the direction of the force applied by his arm. Although the rain outside was heavy, it was completely blocked by the umbrella. The big shot even managed the umbrella perfectly, keeping the rain out completely.

After a few steps, they got into the car and drove to the parking lot halfway up the mountain. There was still a short walk ahead.

Red Maple Mountain is a well-maintained scenic spot. The mountain is not high or steep. Its charm comes from the red maples blanketing the mountain and the scenery along the way, rather than the height or difficulty of the climb. The steps are broad and even. Even in the midst of such a heavy autumn rain, there were still hikers outside, climbing the mountain without umbrellas.

If it weren't for that, even if Ye Man had begged Xu Huaiting as he suggested, he likely wouldn't have agreed to go up the mountain in this weather.

It was too dangerous.

He idly considered finding another way to persuade him.

Xu Huaiting had walked through muddier paths and climbed steeper mountains. Heavy rain and scorching heat didn’t faze him, so he naturally shrugged off this twenty-minute hike.

But with a visually impaired companion by his side, he had to consider more.

Ye Man pressed his watch.

"Current time: 16:12."

They waited in the car for ten more minutes until the rain let up before getting out.

If the weather had been clear, letting Ye Man take his time wouldn’t have been an issue.

But with the rain, although the path on Red Maple Mountain was easy to walk, it was inevitably slippery. The bad weather wasn’t ideal for a leisurely walk, so Xu Huaiting suggested carrying Ye Man up the mountain.

Ye Man also knew his situation. He was already burdening the big shot with his care, and with the rain, it became even more troublesome. If Xu Huaiting was willing to carry him, that would be the best.

Xu Huaiting packed some food and drinks into a bag, lifted it—it wasn’t heavy—and handed it to Ye Man. Then he squatted down in front of him.

Ye Man, carrying the backpack and holding the umbrella, carefully climbed onto his back.

He held the umbrella, shielding them both from the rain.

When his hand rested on Xu Huaiting's shoulder, he felt that one side was completely soaked, contrasting sharply with the dry side.

Ye Man suddenly realized something and froze.

His hand on the shoulder lingered, not yet wrapping around, worried he might fall. Xu Huaiting patted his butt to remind him, "What are you zoning out for? Hold on tight, be careful not to fall."

The soft flesh under his fingertips tightened briefly, and Xu Huaiting wondered if he was about to launch off his back. But after a moment, the softness slowly relaxed and obediently nestled into his palm.

He knew how thin Ye Man was.

Even after being taken back for some time, he hadn't gained much weight. He always neglected his stomach and ate carelessly, like that day in the car. Remembering the taste of the half piece of bread melting in his mouth, he licked his lips, unable to understand how someone could love such sweet things.

Though he was thin, the flesh around his thighs was surprisingly plump. When he lifted his hand, it felt like sinking into a ball of cotton.

All the flesh seemed to grow there.

In his moment of distraction, the person on his back slowly wrapped his arms around him. Even after being patted on the butt, he didn't run away. Instead, he buried his head into Xu Huaiting's neck.

He stayed silent, quietly lying against Xu Huaiting's chest, causing Xu Huaiting's chest to tighten.

Midway, the system caught Ye Man muttering to him, "Brother Tong, please don't look at me for now."

Xu Huaiting was puzzled.

Then, the person who had buried his face in Xu Huaiting's neck, nearly suffocating himself, hesitantly lifted his head and leaned into Xu Huaiting's ear, and in a soft, faltering voice, said, "Ricardo... please... stay with me..."

Xu Huaiting came to an abrupt halt.

The hand across his chest was so fidgety that it wrinkled his collar, clutching and releasing. After a moment, the person behind him shifted up, leaned in, and quickly pecked his cheek.

It was just a brief touch.

Xu Huaiting's eyes flickered, and he quickly looked down, his hand tightening involuntarily.

He drew a deep breath.

The skin on his neck felt like it was burning from the intense heat.

Ye Man didn't feel like talking anymore.

He was at a loss for words.

If he spoke, his voice would definitely shake.

That would be way too embarrassing.

Xu Huaiting pulled him closer, his voice low and muffled, "Keep the umbrella steady, and hold on to me tight. I'll pick up the pace, and we might still make it for the sunset."

Run? Ye Man's mind went completely blank.

This was a mountain trail, and he was carrying a grown man. How was he supposed to run?

Without thinking, he tightened his grip. Before he could reply, Xu Huaiting was already taking long strides.

He was brimming with energy, with no outlet for it.

Ye Man could feel the body he was holding onto, tense and powerful like a coiled leopard, its muscles hard enough to be uncomfortable, radiating strength from head to toe.

Xu Huaiting bounded up the mountain, a silent grin on his face, his eyes shining through the rain.

When they reached the top, his feet hit the ground.

Ye Man felt like he was stepping on clouds, still floating.

He couldn't quite remember what had just happened.

Somehow, they had arrived at the summit in an instant.

Xu Huaiting stood beside him, holding the umbrella, one hand in his pocket, looking completely at ease, as if he hadn't just sprinted up the mountain carrying someone.

Looking around, he said to Ye Man, "The rain is too heavy, and the mountain is foggy. You can't see anything."

Ye Man dumbly responded, "Oh," feeling like his soul was still floating on the mountain path.

Coming to his senses, he quickly corrected, "We're not here for the scenery."

Even so, he still felt a tinge of regret for not being able to see the mountain bathed in red.

However, even if it hadn’t rained or fogged up, he might not have seen much. It depended on whether the mountain was as red as the promo video showed and whether the light was bright enough. In short, it might have been a wasted trip.

Xu Huaiting looked around, took off his coat at a pavilion, spread it on the bench for Ye Man to sit, opened his backpack, took out the food and drinks he had just bought, unwrapped them, and handed them to Ye Man.

Ye Man: "Shouldn’t we find a more hidden spot?"

Weren’t they here to catch someone red-handed?

Isn’t it a bit too obvious to sit here eating and drinking?

Ye Man was a bit lost.

In the largest and most conspicuous pavilion at the summit, under the curious glances of passing hikers, Xu Huaiting calmly popped open a soda and casually said, "This is pretty hidden, with all these shrubs and trees around."

The view was also good. As long as Chi Jue and Meng Yao dared to come, they could catch them in the act from here.

Don’t they just want a photo?

Let them stand there and snap it.

With me here, they wouldn’t dare run.

Ye Man breathed a sigh of relief: "That’s good."

He had a bad sense of direction. When it rained and the sky darkened, he couldn’t see a thing and had no clue where he was.

But if the big shot says so, it must be fine, right?

"Brother Tong, this time it’s gonna work for sure!"

The system: "..."

If this works, pigs will fly.

The system sounded completely defeated: "The weather is bad today. Rest well and go home early."

Ye Man waited on the mountain for an hour, but the target never appeared.

He couldn’t wait any longer and took out his phone to call Chi Jue.

As soon as Chi Jue answered the phone, his younger brother’s annoyed voice came through: "Where are you?"

Chi Jue apologized to the people around him and walked out of the meeting room: "I’m at the company, why?" After a pause, he gently said, "I’ll be home early today."

Ye Man: "You—weren’t you supposed to go hiking today!"

"You knew?" Thinking that he cared so much and had been secretly paying attention to him, Chi Jue softened his voice, "It started raining on the way, and something urgent came up at the company, so I canceled the hiking plan."

Chi Jue chuckled: "Who hikes in this kind of rain?"

Ye Man was speechless.

"Xiao Man?"

"Never mind, I’ll hang up now." Ye Man was both angry and frustrated.

The system could only comfort him: "The weather turned bad out of nowhere, no one saw it coming. If it doesn’t work this time, there’s always next time."

Some details in the script were left vague, and the timing wasn't specified down to the exact date and time. Chi Jue's schedule for today was guessed by both the system and Ye Man, so they might have gotten the date wrong, and this part of the plot wasn't supposed to happen today.

Anyway, it's not Ye Man's fault.

Reassured by this, Ye Man felt better.

He steeled himself, gritted his teeth, and vowed, "Next time, I will definitely succeed!" He refused to believe he was truly that unlucky!

Since no one was coming and the weather was bad, after staying a little longer, it was time to head down the mountain.

Xu Huaiting carried him down the mountain.

They returned to the mid-mountain parking lot and drove off.

By then, the rain had eased to a light drizzle.

When they arrived at the supermarket at the mountain's base, the car stopped, and Ye Man followed Xu Huaiting in to get some hot drinks to warm up.

While waiting in line, Ye Man instinctively checked his wrist for the time, but his fingertips found nothing.

He checked a few more times and finally realized his watch was missing.

Xu Huaiting, with a hot chocolate in hand, finished paying and turned to see Ye Man clutching his wrist, his face pale.

"What's wrong?"

Hearing his voice, Ye Man clung to his words like a lifeline, anxiously saying, "My watch is gone. I had it when we came."

Xu Huaiting: "Maybe the strap broke and it fell off somewhere along the way."

They went back up the mountain. By the time they came down, it was past six, dark, and still raining, so it's no wonder they didn't notice something had fallen.

"It's gone, just get a new one." Xu Huaiting took out his phone, but noticed Ye Man didn't reply, still looking stunned and pale.

Ye Man gripped his wrist so hard his skin turned white, but he didn't seem to notice the pain.

But Ye Man didn't know how to explain.

...That watch was a gift from Chi Jue.

He could buy a new one himself now, but... but...

It pained him.

He wished he hadn't worn it; he should have kept it safe, then it wouldn't have been lost.

Ye Man looked down, despite his regret and inner pain, he still responded with a soft "Okay."

Xu Huaiting glanced at him, pausing, feeling both annoyed and amused.

"I can't deal with you." He sighed inexplicably.

Putting away his phone, he pulled Ye Man to sit at the long table in the supermarket's rest area by the floor-to-ceiling window.

"Sit here, I'll go out for a bit and be right back."

He shoved the hot chocolate into Ye Man's hands, "When I come back, I want to see you still here."

Ye Man tugged at his clothes, "Where are you going?"

Xu Huaiting didn't answer, just made him promise to stay put at the supermarket and said he'd be back soon.

After a quick word with the staff and pointing to the anxious young man by the window, he walked alone into the night.