Chapter 181: Extra: Present World

Chapter 181: Extra – Present Day

The interview was still a group interview. Shi Lv had the worst resume but gave the best answers. As he spoke, Liang Xu watched him with a smile, occasionally nodding in approval.

When the interview ended, it was no surprise that he was chosen.

Liang Xu took him to the office and personally handed him two copies of the contract. When Shi Lv flipped to the last page, he laughed, "Is this all? Last time I signed, Zhang Ping gave me two."

That previous signing had also included a “support” contract from the CEO.

Liang Xu handed him a pen and shrugged. "Can't afford to keep you right now. It'll take some time."

He had come over, but his savings hadn't. Liang Xu wasn't exactly broke now, but things weren’t great either.

The backstory 66 had created for Liang Xu was that of a former company executive who had just returned from abroad—his company and achievements were unspecified, making him an unknown figure in the industry.

Therefore, instead of directly challenging top-tier companies, he had compromised and chosen this one. With his solid skills, he had risen to mid-management within a few months, though he was still far from the status he'd held before.

The finance world valued connections and status. Maintaining appearances meant decent clothing and regular attendance at social events. After a few months’ salary, he was still short on cash, and the bulk of his bonuses wouldn’t come until year-end. Right now, Liang Xu really didn’t have much to spare.

Shi Lv produced his own bank card. "Wow, rare to see Mr. Liang broke. That’s great—my treat."

He was still a student, so he couldn’t afford anything fancy like seafood. He settled for a local diner and wiped off the table. "My roommate and I come here often. The food's pretty good. Hope you don't mind."

Liang Xu: "I'm not picky either. Before joining the Ye family, I ate like this too."

He sat down with Shi Lv at the small wooden table, taking off his silver-framed glasses, loosening his tie, and rolling up his sleeves to his upper arms. His outfit was still the formal wear from the interview, yet he looked completely at ease, fitting naturally into the casual setting.

Shi Lv took the menu and ordered a few dishes with practiced ease, then snapped open a pair of chopsticks and handed them to Liang Xu. "This is an old place. I've been coming here since undergrad. The tofu pudding and garlic shoots are especially good—give them a try."

They were all home-style dishes. As they ate, Shi Lv pointed out nearby spots—the food street, the affordable shops. Liang Xu followed his gaze, as if reliving Shi Lv’s four years of university together with him.

After their cozy meal, Liang Xu took out his car keys. "Want me to drive you back to school?"

Shi Lv grinned. "You're broke but still bought a car?"

Liang Xu: "A used Santana."

Liang Xu probably hadn’t driven anything this beat-up in his life. The Santana was twenty years old—maybe even older than Shi Lv—and its paint job was patched up all over. Liang Xu hit the gas, and the car lurched forward with a wheeze, like it had been kicked.

He dropped Shi Lv off at the school gate.

Shi Lv had never ridden in such a bumpy car—he felt like he’d been shaken apart. Getting out, he muttered, "Was driving really necessary? The bus would’ve been fine."

Liang Xu rested his hands on the steering wheel and smiled. "Just temporary. I’ll replace it by year-end. I rented a place outside—I’ll need a car to pick you up from school."

Shi Lv: "!"

Now that they were officially a couple and reunited after so long, Shi Lv naturally wouldn’t stay in the dorm any longer. He packed his things, bid farewell to his roommate, and moved out.

C University allowed graduate students to room with students from other majors. Shi Lv’s roommate had continued to grad school, so they remained roommates.

His roommate was playing a game when he noticed Shi Lv packing. Surprised, he asked, "You're moving out now?"

Shi Lv: "Moving in with my boyfriend."

Roommate A froze. "Wait, you actually have a boyfriend? Since when did you have one?"

Shi Lv facepalmed. "You thought I was making him up?"

He had already told his roommate about his relationship.

Roommate B said, "No offense, but I really thought you made it up."

For half a year, Shi Lv had been saying he had a boyfriend. But who in a new relationship isn’t clingy and lovey-dovey, glued to their phones all night? Shi Lv, on the other hand, didn't move out during breaks, never made phone calls, and never ate together. When asked about his boyfriend’s identity, he couldn’t answer—how could that not seem fabricated?

His roommates even wondered if he was delusional and considered recommending a therapist. They walked on eggshells around him in the dorm, avoiding conversations with their girlfriends in front of him, afraid of triggering something.

Shi Lv: "...Fine, guess I can't clear this suspicion?"

The roommate then cautiously asked, "Can we meet him?"

The question was carefully phrased, as if assessing whether Shi Lv's supposed mental state had gotten worse.

Shi Lv: "..."

He was completely out of patience.

When his roommates went out, they sometimes brought their girlfriends along, and Shi Lv had met them. He hedged vaguely, "I’ll ask."

But before they could arrange anything, the roommate ran into Shi Lv by accident in the parking lot.

Liang Xu drove the Santana to pick up his boyfriend after class while the roommate happened to be returning from the lab. From a distance, he saw Shi Lv getting into a car. The driver’s window was half-rolled up, making the face indistinct, but the vague outline suggested a handsome man. Relieved, the roommate dropped the subject.

Shi Lv had his hands full juggling internships and studies, while Liang Xu’s work grew increasingly demanding, sometimes requiring him to work around the clock. After switching jobs a few times, his position climbed higher, and the secondhand Santana was eventually replaced with an Alphard MPV.

During this time, the roommate saw them again. He hesitated, opening and closing his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

Shi Lv got his license. When Liang Xu was busy, he commuted on his own and occasionally dropped Liang Xu off. When Liang Xu had time, he’d pick Shi Lv up, and the two would get affectionate in the car before heading inside.

Then one day, after class, Shi Lv went out as usual to look for Liang Xu but didn’t see his car.

The low-key silver-gray business vehicle was nowhere in sight. At the far end of the lot, however, there was a flashy sports car. Shi Lv hesitantly approached and spotted Liang Xu’s profile through the tinted window—still wearing glasses, his nose sharp and defined. When he noticed Shi Lv, Liang Xu smiled, about to speak, but Shi Lv practically flew into the car and slammed the door shut—

—as if someone were chasing him.

Liang Xu blinked. "What’s wrong?"

Shi Lv rolled up the window, completely shielding Liang Xu’s face, then whispered, "Did you change cars?"

Liang Xu tilted his head. "Got it for you. Don’t like it?"

He had recently received a hefty bonus—nothing compared to his past life, but more than enough for a new car.

Shi Lv’s birthday was coming up, and guys his age tended to like a few specific things: signed memorabilia from athletes, flashy cars. Shi Lv wasn’t into sports stars, but he was a decent driver, so Liang Xu decided to get him one.

The car was a new model—an 8-cylinder engine, with the spoiler and headlights seamlessly integrated. The sort of car any guy would go crazy for.

Shi Lv: "I do like it... but..."

He lowered his voice hesitantly, troubled. "Do you know what kind of image I have among my classmates now?"

C University faculty drove modest cars, and luxury vehicles were rare in the parking lot. Liang Xu’s previous MPV, though unremarkable at business dinners, stood out here. He often picked Shi Lv up, and many students had noticed. It wasn’t until his roommate dropped hints about it that Shi Lv realized some weird gossip was circulating.

Liang Xu adjusted his glasses. "What image?"

Shi Lv took a deep breath. "At first, when you drove the Santana, it was just a normal relationship. People said I had a boyfriend who was kind of struggling financially, driving a secondhand Santana, but we were doing fine and often commuted together."

"Then when you switched to the Alphard, the rumors changed. They said I was a gold-digger, that I dumped my poor Santana-driving boyfriend for a wealthy guy, who was so smitten he was always picking me up."

"Now, you're driving a McLaren. I guess the script needs updating—I'm about to dump the devoted small-time boss, leveraging my youth and looks to turn a wealthy tycoon's head completely and then bewitch him all over again."

No wonder the other students gossip. No one climbs the ladder like Liang Xu—it's like riding a rocket, going from a Santana to a McLaren in a year. Is that even possible?

Liang Xu burst into laughter. Ever since leaving the ABO world, his smiles had become far more genuine. In the tight driver’s seat, he laughed so hard he nearly doubled over, his beautiful fox-like eyes narrowing until his glasses slid down his nose.

Shi Lv: "..."

—Staring.

Under Shi Lv’s intense stare, Liang Xu finally managed to get himself under control. "So, what should we do?"

Shi Lv buckled his seatbelt. "We'll leave it at that. There's no good solution anyway."

Rumors only grow wilder the more you try to explain them.

As it turned out, Shi Lv’s concerns were justified. Not long after the McLaren started appearing, on the very day Liang Xu came to give a lecture, the "tycoon" rumor indeed spread.

Shi Lv’s roommate once again wavered between speaking up and staying quiet. After staring at Shi Lv for a long while, it was Shi Lv who finally cracked, pressing a hand to his throbbing temple. "What is it?"

Roommate: "Shi Lv, I just want to say... we're still young."

Shi Lv: "...?"

"I mean, sometimes, you might not be able to tell sincerity from deception. You're young now, but what about later? Have you heard of the story of the 'Divided Peach'?"

Shi Lv: "..."

"And!" The roommate’s tone grew urgent. "How do you even know if he has a wife or kids? He might already be married—"

Shi Lv pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated. "That's really not it."

—

To this day, Shi Lv still remembered their confusing first time—pheromones entwining like wildfire, bodies driven by instinct to embrace and tangle. Liang Xu had been restrained and controlled, while Shi Lv had been flustered and inexperienced. It was the first time for both of them.

"Fine." Seeing his reaction, the roommate had no choice but to drop the subject. "As long as you know what you’re doing."

He had already prepared himself to comfort Shi Lv, staying up all night drowning their sorrows. After all, what decent person would pursue a student? Only those rich playboys with time to burn. But the "tycoon’s" car remained parked at the university, from the first year of grad school all the way to graduation. Eventually, the group went their separate ways, their contact growing sparse. Then, just as the roommate had nearly forgotten the matter, he received Shi Lv’s wedding invitation.

The other name on the invitation was somewhat familiar—a rising star in C City’s business world. With sharp instincts, many of his investment cases had become case studies, propelling him to meteoric success in an astonishingly short time. Now, his company was the dream company to work for among many students at their alma mater.

Shi Lv worked at the same company, his expertise solid and his early involvement in investments making him one of the shareholders.

The roommate attended the wedding as promised, watching as his former classmate and the slightly older man held hands, their eyes shining with happiness.

They truly loved each other.

So the roommate offered his blessings. As he left, he chatted with Shi Lv about the wedding decor. "The perfume you two used was really unique. I've never smelled anything like it. What brand is it?"

Shi Lv replied, "Liang Xu had it custom-made by a perfumer. No brand—it's our commemorative scent."

Liang Xu really had money to burn. Later, when the company expanded into fragrances, he had two scents specially made, neither of which were ever sold.

The roommate remarked, "It's a really unique scent. Like, hmm, like..."

Shi Lv: "It's 'Rain in the Empty Mountain' and 'Green Bamboo Wine.'"

Both Liang Xu and Shi Lv despised the control and inequality that pheromones represented, but they adored this particular fragrance. Perhaps it was the scent that connected them across two worlds—the scent that started it all.