Chapter 130 Black and White

Chapter 130: Black and White

"No, no, nothing at all."

Yan Zhoubai quickly whispered a denial, eager to gloss over the matter.

The meal, nonetheless, was wonderfully warm. After they finished, Zhan Jiayu loaded the dishes into the dishwasher, while Yan Zhoubai settled back onto the sofa, half-reclining.

Though he knew it wasn't ideal to lie down immediately after eating, this sofa was simply too comfortable. Yan Zhoubai felt he could easily curl up and sleep there all night.

It was just too cozy. Besides, he didn't need to exercise and wasn't worried about gaining weight. If he wanted to lie down, he would.

"Did you have something going on today? Why did you ask me to come back?"

Half-lying on the sofa, Yan Zhoubai asked Zhan Jiayu while picking up his phone, ready for a round of match-three to help digest his food.

"Can't I ask you to come back for no reason?"

Zhan Jiayu walked around the back of the sofa and casually ruffled the fluffy head of the person lounging there.

"Did something happen to you today?"

After circling the sofa, Zhan Jiayu sat down beside Yan Zhoubai, observing his profile as he played on his phone.

The apartment's overall aesthetic was minimalist, dominated by a cool gray and black palette. The entire space exuded a somewhat cold and stark atmosphere—the quintessential "cold and detached" style. It was a look Zhan Jiayu favored, aligning perfectly with his own personality.

This cool-toned decor meant that even with warm lighting in the living room, it couldn't entirely dispel the sense of cool tranquility.

Yet, Zhan Jiayu felt that with Yan Zhoubai present, even if he did nothing but simply lounge there, the entire space would transform from cool to warm, filling one with a quiet, comfortable warmth.

Zhan Jiayu's eyesight was excellent; he could clearly discern the fine down on Yan Zhoubai's cheek, illuminated by the light, making the entire scene feel even more tender.

"Wait, how did you know?"

Yan Zhoubai suddenly sat upright, dropping his phone as he blurted out, as if he'd been holding it in for ages and finally found someone to confide in:

"I ran into Rong Qian and Ji Yangwen on Nantian Street today. What rotten luck—the moment I went back to set up my stall, there they were. They were actually waiting there, specifically staking me out, insisting on doing something for me. They're absolutely nuts. And then I got into trouble—my stall was doing too well, which annoyed other vendors, and a bunch of people came to bully me. Anyway, any good mood I had today just vanished."

Yan Zhoubai spilled everything that had happened that day to Zhan Jiayu, like beans pouring from a bamboo tube.

Zhan Jiayu had initiated the conversation, but now he fell into an uncharacteristic silence.

Yan Zhoubai, puzzled, leaned down to peer at Zhan Jiayu's lowered face. What was wrong? Why wasn't he speaking?

Zhan Jiayu let out a barely perceptible sigh. "You went to Nantian Street to set up a stall today?"

Zhan Jiayu truly felt a bit helpless when it came to Yan Zhoubai. Yan Zhoubai's straightforward honesty always made his own thoughts seem so dark and scheming.

He knew what had happened on Nantian Street today—it had even involved the police. With such a commotion, it was impossible for him not to know.

But Yan Zhoubai hadn't sought his help or told him voluntarily, so Zhan Jiayu had assumed Yan Zhoubai wanted to keep it from him and let the matter drop. That was also why he had wanted Yan Zhoubai to come home tonight.

Yet, the moment he asked, Yan Zhoubai had revealed everything, openly and honestly. It was as if the dishes they'd just eaten were takeout—Yan Zhoubai hadn't intended to hide anything.

It was more that Yan Zhoubai was simply easygoing, not one to overthink or dwell on things, which was why he hadn't proactively brought it up.

"Yeah. But your expression is strange. Why did you sigh earlier?"

Zhan Jiayu reached out, cupped Yan Zhoubai's face, and kissed him. "I sighed because I felt I was being a jerk. I thought you weren't going to tell me what happened today and were planning to hide it from me, which is why I asked that way."

Yan Zhoubai's big, dark eyes blinked twice, as if his brain needed a couple of seconds to process. Then he slapped his thigh and declared angrily, "So that's what you thought? I'm mad."

With that, he immediately crossed his arms, feigning anger and refusing to engage.

So it was a trap! Zhan Jiayu clearly knew what had happened but said nothing, deliberately asking first to see if Yan Zhoubai would tell him the truth. What a jerk move, Zhan Jiayu!

"Alright, alright, it's all my fault for being petty. Please forgive me, Xiao Chuan'er, you're a big-hearted person."

Zhan Jiayu ignored Yan Zhoubai's defiant, arms-crossed posture and simply reached out with his long arm, pulling him into an embrace.

"I didn't *not* tell you—I told you as soon as you asked. Why would you think that of me? And even test me."

Yan Zhoubai didn't struggle in the embrace, but he still sounded huffy, his tone carrying a hint of grievance.

"I'm mean, I'm not a good person." Zhan Jiayu kissed Yan Zhoubai's lips. "If I ever do this again, you can hit me."

Zhan Jiayu took Yan Zhoubai's hand and playfully patted himself with it a few times.

"Hmph." Yan Zhoubai turned his head away, dodging. "Don't think like that again next time. Who wants to hit you?"

Yan Zhoubai forcefully pulled his wrist from Zhan Jiayu's grasp.

"Okay."

Zhan Jiayu buried his head in Yan Zhoubai's neck, his voice muffled.

He agreed readily, but deep down, he knew that if a similar situation arose again, he would likely think the same way.

He had said it before: what attracted him to Yan Zhoubai was the pure, unblemished "whiteness" about him, while he himself was the "blackness" forged in a cutthroat, dog-eat-dog competitive environment. He was naturally drawn to Yan Zhoubai, instinctively wanting to taint that "whiteness," yet also hoping it would forever retain its purity.

This was a contradictory, even somewhat pathological, mindset. Yan Zhoubai hadn't realized it yet, but Zhan Jiayu knew he would eventually. He wasn't afraid of Yan Zhoubai discovering his darker side; that was the real him.

"What did those two want with you?"

Zhan Jiayu slightly loosened his embrace, holding Yan Zhoubai's wrist and idly playing with his fingers, asking about something he cared deeply about in a seemingly casual tone.

"They kept insisting on compensating me, saying they wanted to do something for me, or else their consciences wouldn't be at ease. It was like they were insane. But Rong Qian has really changed a lot—he seems much more downcast."

Yan Zhoubai nestled in Zhan Jiayu's arms, letting him play with his fingers, and honestly recounted the day's details.

"So they stepped in and drove away the troublemakers?"

"How do you know all this so clearly?" Yan Zhoubai turned to look at Zhan Jiayu.

"I have connections on Nantian Street too. A commotion that big this morning would naturally reach my ears."

Faced with Yan Zhoubai's question, Zhan Jiayu was completely open, not feeling the slightest guilt or considering his actions as surveillance. To him, it was merely a necessary arrangement to ensure Yan Zhoubai's safety.

What happened with the poisoning incident—he would never let it happen a second time. So even if he knew it was wrong to have someone keep an eye on Yan Zhoubai, he wouldn't stop.

"The boss is still the boss—your people are everywhere."

Yan Zhoubai didn't find it strange. He didn't realize someone was specifically watching him; he thought it was just the Zhan family's connections in the area incidentally noticing.

"Why do you think they came to see you?" Zhan Jiayu continued asking.

He was well aware of what had happened to Ji Yangwen, Dai Jian, and Rong Qian after the bullying incident at Lixing High School ended.

The exposure of the bullying incident and the massive attention it garnered was his doing, to get back at them for Yan Zhoubai. He naturally kept tabs on the fate of those perpetrators.

In the process, he also noticed some subtle details. For instance, the attitudes of those three toward Yan Zhoubai had already begun to change even before the bullying incident came to light.

Now, so much time had passed, yet aside from Dai Jian, who had gone abroad, the other two were still pursuing Yan Zhoubai. Their intentions were quite clear.

It seemed the lesson taught back then wasn't harsh enough—they still dared to harbor designs on Yan Zhoubai.

"How should I know why they came looking for me? Ji Yangwen and Rong Qian both said they were going abroad for university, but it turns out they're still in Jing City. After that incident, I stopped paying attention to them. We're no longer connected, so I never expected they'd be waiting for me on Nantian Street. I really don't want to see them at all."

Speaking of this, Yan Zhoubai felt quite troubled. Running into Rong Qian and Ji Yangwen on Nantian Street had left him in a state of bewilderment.

Especially when Ji Yangwen said that if anyone bullied him in the future, he could seek his help to stand up for him. Yan Zhoubai, after hearing that, all he could think was, "Are we that close? Who does he think he is?"

"Just ignore them. You won't see them again." Zhan Jiayu's tone carried a hint of ruthlessness.

Those people should have disappeared from Yan Zhoubai's sight long ago. He'd been negligent before, but it wouldn't happen again.

He asked Yan Zhoubai to confirm his attitude. Seeing that Yan Zhoubai still detested those three and wanted to cut ties with them completely, Zhan Jiayu felt a little better.

"Of course I won't see them again, because I'm not going to work a stall on Nantian Street anymore."

Yan Zhoubai had no idea that Zhan Jiayu was contemplating using certain methods against those individuals. He simply thought it was because he was changing his workplace.

"I plan to return to Cangru Temple. I might encounter some big clients there by doing feng shui readings, unlike on Nantian Street, where people only come to me for fortune-telling."

Yan Zhoubai enthusiastically told Zhan Jiayu about his plan.

"Return to Cangru Temple?"

Zhan Jiayu's expression instantly darkened.

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Author’s note:

Xiao Chuan'er: I'm not working a stall on Nantian Street anymore.

Zhan Jiayu: Great, finally no more of that messy place.

Xiao Chuan'er: I'm going back to Cangru Temple to continue my work.

Zhan Jiayu: …

Zhan Jiayu: That's even worse than Nantian Street. [dog head]