Chapter 220

Chapter 220

In the original novel, the first reunion of the central romantic pair after five years was quite dramatic.

At that time, Yu Shang had just taken control of the Yu family, and his ruthless methods were no less than his father's, which drove his enemies to desperation, hiring assassins for a daylight attack. Although Yu Shang often had bodyguards with him, that day happened to be the anniversary of his mother’s passing, and he stepped out of the car alone to buy flowers from a florist.

Just then, the assassin raised his knife to strike. The bodyguards had no time to react, and Yu Shang was already in grave danger.

The florist was terrified out of their mind. As Yu Shang raised his arm to block the blade amidst the flowers, a long leg kicked the knife away. The young man moved with agility and precision, disarming the assassin in moments.

When Yu Shang took a closer look, he realized the young man was none other than Lu Qiuyan, whom he hadn’t seen in five years.

Thus began the tumultuous reunion of the central romantic pair—from misunderstandings to rekindled affection, from affection back to misunderstandings, one twist after another, drenched in melodramatic clichés.

But now, the main couple before Tian Ruan’s eyes had no misunderstandings, no absurd drama. Their reunion after five years was still dramatic, yet in a different way.

On this brisk autumn day, they met at the gates of their old high school, where they had once attended classes, played, and walked to and from school together. It was the epitome of romance.

Romantic, yet a touch absurd.

Tian Ruan watched the two tall figures and smiled warmly, slowly easing his car into motion to leave—leaving all the lost moments for them to savor.

This was the right way to reunite. No external forces were needed to push them together. The moment their eyes met, youth’s melody would resurface, memories would echo in their ears, and their hearts would beat fast once more.

This unexpected encounter held their gazes for a long time, until the school’s violin-toned bell signaling the end of class rang out. Under the melodious tune, countless "little birds" in white school uniforms poured out of the building, chattering and laughing just as they used to.

The gates slowly swung open. Yu Shang’s tightly clenched fingers gradually relaxed. His voice, still boyish in timbre, though deeper now, said, "I’m one of Deyin’s board members now. I came to see Principal Li."

Lu Qiuyan perched on one foot for a moment, then planted both feet on the ground. The pose felt unnatural, and his neck ached from tilting his head up. Suddenly realizing he was still gripping the handlebars, he straightened up and said, "I went to your place... I thought you’d be home."

"I took the day off today." Yu Shang, who had once been reticent but could now wield charm in boardrooms, found himself fumbling his words again. "Do you want to wait and go back with me?"

As soon as he said it, he felt it was inappropriate—what was he even suggesting?

To his surprise, Lu Qiuyan simply said, "Sure."

"Mm." Yu Shang turned to walk into the school.

Out of habit, Lu Qiuyan pushed off with his foot and coasted toward his old parking spot. "..."

Yu Shang stared at him intently, not missing a single movement.

Lu Qiuyan, playing it cool, swung his long leg off the bike, let it drop, and walked toward Yu Shang. "I’m not a Deyin student anymore. Am I still allowed in?"

"Deyin will always welcome you," Yu Shang replied.

While sitting on the bike, Lu Qiuyan hadn’t noticed, but now, standing before Yu Shang, he realized Tian Ruan’s letter was true—Yu Shang really was 1.9 meters tall, a full head taller than him.

Yu Shang lowered his gaze slightly and began walking toward the faculty building, his voice calm. "When did you get back?"

"Yesterday."

"Why didn’t you tell... us?"

Lu Qiuyan straightened his posture but suddenly kicked a small pebble, toying with it absently. "I wanted to surprise you all."

Yu Shang couldn’t help but glance at him again, saying earnestly, "It’s already a surprise."

Caught off guard by Yu Shang’s smoldering gaze, Lu Qiuyan felt his ears grow slightly warm.

Yu Shang didn't ask further—there was no need. The surprise was already plenty. They’d find out soon enough how long the surprise would last.

Originally, Principal Li had only arranged to meet with Yu Shang. She hadn’t expected Lu Qiuyan to show up too, and she couldn’t stop smiling as she insisted on treating them to dinner.

Lu Qiuyan was about to politely decline, but Yu Shang spoke up directly, "Apologies, Principal Li, but Lu Qiuyan will be having dinner at the Yu residence tonight."

Principal Li caught on and smiled knowingly. "No problem. We’ll have plenty of chances to grab a meal together later."

Later, there was a board meeting to discuss new strategies and policies. Yu Shang had stepped into Yu Jingmo’s role at Deyin and was now fully involved in planning the school's future development.

Lu Qiuyan nodded. "You go ahead. I'll wait here."

But Principal Li said, "Since you're back after so long, why not take a look around?"

"Alright."

Dressed casually in an old tee, a denim jacket, black pants, and white kicks, Lu Qiuyan looked simple and unadorned, yet sharp and efficient. At first glance, he could pass for a college kid, but upon closer observation, his walk and stance had a steadiness and strength most people lacked.

"Is that the new instructor?" Lu Qiuyan overheard some girls whispering as he passed by.

He glanced their way, and the girls burst into giggles and scattered.

The senior-year classrooms, the junior-year classrooms—finally, Lu Qiuyan stopped in front of Class 1, Grade 11.

Sunlight poured in just right, and the clean, bright classroom looked almost unchanged—the seats, the desks—only the kids who’d once sat here were long gone.

Back then, they never thought about how long time could feel.

Back then, they hadn’t realized how short time could be.

Every day was school, gossip, showing off, fights, dozing in class—just plain messing around. And every time, there had been someone by Lu Qiuyan’s side.

During the teacher’s monotonous lectures, Lu Qiuyan would open his eyes, his cheek still creased from his uniform sleeve, and the first thing he’d always see was Yu Shang—sitting upright, composed, and dignified.

Yu Shang might be listening, jotting notes, or just staring at him.

"What’re you looking at?" Lu Qiuyan would scrub at his mouth, wiping away drool.

Yu Shang wouldn’t say a word, just shove his notes over.

The second thing Lu Qiuyan would see was Tian Ruan up front, itching to peek back but too scared, so he’d slip a note into Lu Qiuyan’s textbook: *What delicious thing were you dreaming about? Liu Ma cooked up soy-braised chicken legs for lunch.*

Lu Qiuyan would write on the back: *I’m craving sweet and sour mandarin fish.*

Tian Ruan: *Got it~*

Out of all the bentos he’d ever had, the ones Yu Shang and Tian Ruan brought for lunch every day in high school were undoubtedly the most unforgettable for Lu Qiuyan.

Once, playing Truth or Dare in the army, Lu Qiuyan drew "Truth." The company commander asked him, "What food tasted most like home to you?"

At that moment, Lu Qiuyan froze. He racked his brain, but no matter how hard he tried to recall the meals his mother had made, all that came to mind was a bowl of noodles—and he couldn’t stand plain noodles.

But did that even count as homey?

Then, suddenly, he remembered the bento boxes Yu Shang and Tian Ruan used to bring every day in high school, always switching up the menu. Not only were they delicious, but eating them had always filled him with happiness.

Like those bentos had been sprinkled with something extra—happiness.

There were also the times he and Tian Ruan went exploring new eateries together—stinky tofu, scallion pancakes, jianbing, river snail rice noodles... The worst was probably the roadside diluted dragon fruit, completely tasteless, turning their mouths red as if they'd eaten something bloody, making them break into laughter when they looked at each other.

Lu Qiuyan chuckled at the memory and said, "Too many to count, but the best was still the bento."

The boys and girls in the classroom were creating their own stories. Perhaps there was also a pair of good friends—one unreliable, the other even more so—like Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, who would miss each other's flaky but genuine friendship many years later.

Lu Qiuyan hoped he could give Tian Ruan a surprise too.

...

Meanwhile, Tian Ruan had already arrived home. He quickly dropped his backpack, took a shower, and made himself clean and fresh-smelling, all so he could give Lu Qiuyan a big hug.

But what he didn’t expect was that just as he finished showering, Yu Jingmo returned.

Coming downstairs, Tian Ruan was still a bit unsure. "Mr. Yu? Why are you back?"

Yu Jingmo: "? Can’t I come back?"

Soon, Yu Jingmo caught the strong smell of body wash on the young man and noticed Tian Ruan’s slightly damp hair. His gaze darkened instantly: "You took a shower?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Fell in a sewer on the way."

"..."

"Haha, just kidding..." Tian Ruan noticed Yu Jingmo’s slightly disgusted look.

Yu Jingmo asked, "Have you eaten?"

Tian Ruan: "No! I didn’t fall into a manure pit. I'm just digging myself deeper, happy now?"

Yu Jingmo took the young man’s hand and asked patiently, "So why did you shower? Did you get dirty?"

"Not dirty." Tian Ruan grinned. "You'll see soon enough."

"I want to know now." Yu Jingmo caught the fresh shampoo smell from Tian Ruan’s hair, pulling him onto the sofa and had him sit on his lap. "Tell me, okay?"

Tian Ruan’s tailbone got goosebumps. He couldn’t stand it when Yu Jingmo spoke to him in that pleading tone. He squirmed, trying to get down, but was held firmly in place. The position felt awkward.

A maid walked by, dusting a vase, carefully avoiding looking their way.

Tian Ruan’s face flushed. "...Mr. Yu, stop it. You’ll really know in a bit."

"In a bit... is someone coming?" Yu Jingmo guessed.

"..."

"I knew it." Yu Jingmo raised an eyebrow.

"Who else would make you shower in preparation, besides me? Definitely not Yu Shang, so... Lu Qiuyan?"

Tian Ruan glared at the ridiculously handsome and sharp man before him. "Mr. Yu, sometimes being too clever isn't always good."

Yu Jingmo chuckled. "Shouldn't I know my partner's thoughts, know all his secrets?"

"How can I surprise you like this?"

"Who are you trying to surprise? I'm not surprised at all," Yu Jingmo said coldly. "Whether Yu Shang can woo his wife or not is not my problem. That's his own business."

"..."

"The only one who can surprise me is you."

Tian Ruan bit Yu Jingmo's shoulder. "Is this surprising enough?"

Yu Jingmo let out a hearty laugh.

Just as the two were flirting and teasing each other, the housekeeper entered and quickly turned away, looking away politely. "Sir, Madame, the Young Master has returned with his bride."

Yu Jingmo patted the young man's bottom. "Hmm."

Tian Ruan jumped up, dashed to the bathroom to splash some water on his face to cool down, then rushed out of the main house, deliberately shouting loudly, "Oh my! Is it really Lu Qiuyan? Is it really you? Lu Qiuyan-yan-yan—"

Lu Qiuyan: "..."

Tian Ruan spread his arms. "Oh! My Lu Qiuyan~ I missed you so much~~"

Lu Qiuyan pressed a hand against Tian Ruan's forehead. "What's wrong with you?"

Tian Ruan waved his arms. "Oh~ Let’s have a big ol' bear hug~"

Lu Qiuyan rolled his eyes. "All these years later, you’re still as extra as ever. In your letters, you claimed you’d matured, become an adult, could stand on your own two feet—was all that just boasting?"

Tian Ruan: "..."

Tian Ruan stopped his exaggerated performance and puppy-dog eyed him. "My forehead is red from you pressing on it."

Lu Qiuyan released him.

Tian Ruan let out a whoop and threw himself at Lu Qiuyan, hugging him tightly.

Thunder rumbled ominously in the distance.

Tian Ruan: "??? Wait, you and Yu Shang haven’t even hugged yet?"

Otherwise, why would the thunder, silent for five years, suddenly resound? There was only one explanation—the main couple hadn’t shared their loving embrace yet, and the main couple's receiver had been hugged first by a side character like Tian Ruan.

Lu Qiuyan’s face went red. "What nonsense are you talking about?" He made a move to push Tian Ruan away.

But Tian Ruan let go first and shoved him aside—

Lu Qiuyan, caught off guard, lost his balance despite his usual steadiness.

Yu Shang swiftly caught him.

Lu Qiuyan grabbed onto Yu Shang. "..."

And so, they ended up in an embrace.

Tian Ruan whooped and clapped. "That’s more like it! You hug first, then I’ll hug."

The two men: "..."

The housekeeper got all misty-eyed. "The Young Master, his bride, and Madame are getting along so well. To witness such a scene in my lifetime—I could die happy right now."

Old Auntie Liu Ma piped up, "Indeed, it’s been so long since we’ve seen the Young Master smile like this."

Yu Shang's expression stiffened, had he... smiled?

In truth, whether Yu Shang smiled or not made little difference. Having inherited Yu Jingmo’s style, he habitually kept a straight face. Even when happy, his smile was barely noticeable—just a slight upturn of his lips.

"Tian Ruan..." Lu Qiuyan straightened up, flustered. Whether he had surprised Tian Ruan or not, Tian Ruan had certainly given him a real surprise.

Tian Ruan hugged him again, his tone suddenly earnest, "Long time no see, Lu Qiuyan."

Lu Qiuyan: "..."

"How’ve you been?" Tian Ruan asked casually after releasing him.

Lu Qiuyan couldn’t be bothered to argue. "Would I be here if I weren’t?"

"You’ve grown taller," Tian Ruan said approvingly. "And built tougher."

Lu Qiuyan sized him up. "You haven’t changed—still a shrimp."

Tian Ruan: "..."

They bantered, bickered, and reminisced, their dynamic not much different from before. Lu Qiuyan retrieved a bag of bananas from the car. "Got your favorite—bananas."

Tian Ruan immediately peeled one to eat. "Thanks for remembering."

Lu Qiuyan politely called Yu Jingmo "Uncle."

Yu Jingmo nodded. "You stand taller now."

"Thank you, Uncle." Lu Qiuyan couldn’t shake the weirdness—though he and Tian Ruan were friends, he had to address Tian Ruan’s husband as "Uncle."

Perhaps one day, it could even become "Dad"...

The idea made him avoid Yu Shang’s gaze.

Yu Jingmo suggested, "Let’s have afternoon tea together."

The tea was set up in the courtyard. It was a mild, breezy autumn day. Not far from the white-domed gazebo stood an osmanthus tree. The scent of its golden blossoms filled the air. They sipped osmanthus tea and savored osmanthus cakes—pure delight.

Yu Jingmo and Tian Ruan took the seats of honor, while Yu Shang and Lu Qiuyan sat opposite. The butler waited outside while servants drifted in and out.

Surrounded by lush greenery and bright flowers, the only sound was the whisper of the wind.

Tian Ruan, chin propped on the table like a cat, soaked it all in. "So comfortable."

Lu Qiuyan hesitated. "Yeah."

Such peace and comfort.

Yu Jingmo asked, "Lu Qiuyan, have you left the military?"

A question Tian Ruan and Yu Shang couldn’t ask, but Yu Jingmo could—as the elder.

Lu Qiuyan’s calm faltered. He swallowed, the tea’s bitterness lingering. "Yes."

"Where were you injured?"

"My waist." Lu Qiuyan noticed Yu Shang’s grave gaze and added, "Nothing major—just couldn’t cut special ops anymore. My superiors suggested I rest for a couple of years. I didn’t want to waste time, so I resigned."

Tian Ruan’s face fell. No matter how much he had warned Lu Qiuyan, the outcome remained unchanged—what else could have driven Lu Qiuyan to leave the military if not injury?

The conversation lapsed into silence.

"How did you get injured?" Yu Shang asked, clenching his fingers.

Lu Qiuyan brushed it off lightly, "Took a stray bullet. No big deal."

Tian Ruan knew exactly how Lu Qiuyan had been injured. Ever since he joined the special forces and became the team leader, he had been through countless dangers, taking on all sorts of missions fighting crime.

Once, in order to rescue hostages held by drug traffickers—eighteen women, including a five- or six-year-old girl—he had risked everything.

These people were being trafficked across the border, and once they crossed, it would be almost impossible to get them back. Every second counted. During the confrontation with the traffickers, Lu Qiuyan had held the little girl protectively. To shield her, he was hit by a stray bullet.

The casualties had been severe that time. Aside from his injury, Lu Qiuyan’s decision to leave the military was likely also driven by guilt over the death of a teammate.

If his plan had been more perfect, would that person still be alive?

During the two months of his recovery, Lu Qiuyan often blamed himself relentlessly with these questions—why couldn’t the plan have been better? Why hadn’t he been the one to die?

By the time he exhausted himself with these thoughts, his therapist told him, "You should leave the battlefield. Otherwise, you won’t survive like this."

The original novel never detailed how Lu Qiuyan endured those months. The man standing before Tian Ruan now was just a calm and collected version of himself.

The reasons behind it all were too tangled to explain.

Tian Ruan also knew that Lu Qiuyan’s psychological scars would take another two or three years to heal—on his own, and with Yu Shang’s help.

"Then let me tell you about my experiences abroad over the past couple of years," Tian Ruan said, trying to lighten the mood. "I ran into so much weird stuff—way too much to write in letters. Let me tell you… blah blah blah…"

Lu Qiuyan, who had been lost in his memories, found himself gradually drawn out by Tian Ruan’s chatter, which was ten times funnier than anything he’d written in his letters. He couldn’t help but smile.

That evening, Lu Qiuyan stayed for dinner at the Yu residence, like old times.

And Lu Qiuyan himself was more open now, no longer awkward. "The weather’s nice tomorrow," he said. "Let me buy you all some crayfish—as an apology for disappearing all these years."

Tian Ruan: "You’ve gotta invite Wang Weiqi too. He was just saying the other day how much he missed you, since he never sees you anymore."

Lu Qiuyan: "He missed me to death?"

Tian Ruan: "I mean, he really missed you."

Lu Qiuyan: "I only spared him a few seconds."

Tian Ruan: "Hahahaha!"

After dinner, Yu Shang asked, "Let me drive you back. Where are you staying?"

Lu Qiuyan: "I’ll ride my bike. It’s not far—just a youth hostel."

"Youth hostel?" Yu Shang frowned. "Those places are crowded. You’re packed in like sardines."

"In the military, we shared rooms too. It’s fine," Lu Qiuyan said, used to it.

Yu Shang was silent for a moment before saying, "Go back and pack your things. My house has plenty of space."

At eighteen, Lu Qiuyan wouldn’t have hesitated to stay—after all, he was Yu Shang’s classmate, and staying over at a friend’s place wasn’t unusual.

But now, at twenty-three and fully grown, he wouldn’t overstay his welcome at another grown man’s home.

"Nah, the hostel’s good," Lu Qiuyan said.

Returning to Su City yet not "going home"—the reasons went without saying. Tian Ruan had long regarded Lu Qiuyan as family. How could he bear to see him staying in a budget hostel? Struggling to find a proper reason to persuade him to stay, he could only glance at Yu Jingmo and whisper, "Mr. Yu..."

Yu Jingmo hadn’t paid much attention to their conversation earlier, but upon hearing the young man’s plea, he lifted his gaze from the newspaper and said calmly, "There’s an empty house in 'Abundance Villa.' Lu Qiuyan can stay there temporarily until he finds a proper place to move out."

Yu Shang immediately agreed, "That’ll do."

Lu Qiuyan considered it—since he wasn’t staying with Yu Shang and the others, the location didn’t matter much. He nodded, "Thank you, Uncle Yu. I’ll move out once I find a place."

Tian Ruan was delighted too. This arrangement saved face for Lu Qiuyan while keeping him close enough for quick walks over.

Yu Shang’s stoic face broke into a smile as he prepared to take Lu Qiuyan to the hostel to retrieve his belongings before helping him settle into the villa at Abundance Villa.

After seeing Yu Shang’s new Bentley off at the estate gate, Tian Ruan stood under the streetlight and waved. "Lu Qiuyan, see you tomorrow!"

From the passenger seat, Lu Qiuyan rolled down the window and waved back.

*See you tomorrow, Tian Ruan.*

It felt just like their school days, those after-school partings.

Back then, both wore the *Deyin* school uniforms, their faces still carrying traces of youthful innocence. Tian Ruan’s voice was crisp and honeyed: "Lu Qiuyan, see you tomorrow!"

Lu Qiuyan would reply, "Mm."

With a push of the bicycle pedal, the sound of chains and gears turning marked the passage of time.

Little did they know back then how quickly they’d grow up.

If time could rewind, Lu Qiuyan thought, he’d slow it down—pausing at certain moments, like a game character abruptly awakened.

He’d press the brakes, plant one foot on the asphalt under the shade of sycamores, and look back.

He’d see the river of cars, the ceaseless flow of people.

He’d see Tian Ruan stepping into a Maybach, laughing with Mr. Yu.

He’d see Yu Shang walking out of the school gates, posture straight, checking for troublemakers before finally leaving in his car.

He’d watch his classmates depart one by one, their backs turned, oblivious to how soon adulthood would come.

"I’m not the main character in this story," Lu Qiuyan would tell Tian Ruan. "I don’t know what the future holds."

What would Tian Ruan say?

He’d reply, "You *are* the protagonist. You *do* know the future—because you’ve already lived past this moment."

Lu Qiuyan realized he had the power to rewind time, even if just in flashes.

In truth, they’d left nothing unspoken.