Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The two stood gazing at each other, mere inches apart.

Jiang Jining remained in place, watching Fu Yuze stride toward him. After staring into his eyes for a long moment, he asked, "That good-looking?"

It felt a bit pathetic.

Jiang Jining clearly sensed the heat rising in his cheeks.

His heart gave a sudden thump, yet his breath hitched. What was happening to him? His feigned calmness faltered, his gaze shifting away. Just as he was at a loss for words—

"Your sister-in-law is on the phone."

Fu Yuze handed over a phone already connected.

Jiang Jining glanced up at him, then took it and held it to his ear. Seeing Fu Yuze staring intently, he had no choice but to turn slightly sideways. The voice on the phone immediately said: "Xiao Jiang?"

"I'm here," Jiang Jining said.

"Do you like the clothes?"

Hearing him say he did, Ji Huan continued before the conversation could stall: "I've been hearing Uncle Lu and the others rave about it, really wanted to see you try it on myself, but I've been too busy today."

Jiang Jining reiterated, "I like it very much."

"That's good." Ji Huan answered his biggest doubt: "The embroidery atelier is all master artisans, so your new clothes will take a while longer. This sample piece has been in preparation for two months. I saw your detailed measurements and had it altered for you these past few days."

So that was it.

Ji Huan said she still really wanted to see how the clothes looked on Jiang Jining, so she asked Fu Yuze to act as the intermediary and send a WeChat contact. He turned and asked, "Is that okay?"

Jiang Jining nodded, "But I rarely use my phone."

"I've already explained that to her." Fu Yuze was completely unfazed. Right in front of Jiang Jining, he forwarded a contact pinned at the top of his list to Ji Huan. A few seconds later, a message came from her: 「Added.」

She didn't even have the stranger verification turned on.

Fu Yuze extended his hand toward Jiang Jining, "Where's your phone?"

"I haven't taken it out to use." Jiang Jining thought for a moment, "It should be in my suitcase."

Aunt Tao happened to walk by and said, "I'll go charge it for you."

Jiang Jining said okay.

Fu Yuze headed toward the kitchen, genuinely believing today's Jiang Jining wasn't quite suited for helping out—he could only be pampered.

So, exceptions would be made once again.

"Do you want some ice cream?"

Jiang Jining looked up and asked, "Now?"

He loved the vanilla pistachio ice cream Fu Yuze made.

They had made a large tub the day before yesterday, but he could only have it after meals, and the portion was strictly controlled.

This was the only restriction Jiang Jining faced at Xie Ting.

For no other reason than the first time he ate too much, couldn't finish dinner, and ended up with a stomachache from the cold.

In truth, Fu Yuze had been momentarily dazzled by his beauty and regretted it as soon as he spoke. Seeing Jiang Jining's eyes light up for just a second before clouding with a faint worry, Fu Yuze gave in completely: "Two scoops."

That wasn't actually what Jiang Jining meant.

He...

How was he supposed to tell Fu Yuze that he was about to leave?

"One scoop is enough."

Jiang Jining suddenly lost his appetite.

He couldn't sort through the tangled, messy emotions. It was only after a long while that a faint idea began to form... He must think Fu Yuze is older, all alone, and pitiful.

Yes.

It was always like this whenever he left his maternal grandparents' home.

"You can have two scoops." Fu Yuze's heart softened again at Jiang Jining's obedient concession. "We'll eat dinner a bit later."

"...I don't want any."

Jiang Jining noticed Fu Yuze's slender fingers hanging by his side and suddenly realized they were standing too close. He turned and went back into the tea room, closing the door behind him.

*Click—*

Fu Yuze: "..."

He should have offered three scoops. After all, Jiang Jining saying 'one' was already giving him a chance to regret it.

"What's going on?"

Uncle Lu came over after putting away the fish food. Seeing Fu Yuze alone and shut out, he spoke earnestly: "...You've only just come to your senses. Can't be too hasty and make Xiao Ning uncomfortable. What if President Bian catches on and comes back to the country? That would make things even more difficult, don't you think?"

Fu Yuze: "..."

He unconsciously rubbed his temples. That just made him even more anxious.

But that wasn't quite right either. He hadn't been anxious to begin with. Uncle Lu was just guessing wildly all day long. Although one thing he guessed correctly—was it really that obvious that he had fallen for Jiang Jining?

Five minutes later.

Fu Yuze changed into a clean kitchen uniform.

He scooped a bowl of ice cream and knocked on the door of the study.

Inside, Jiang Jining was distracted, his mind wandering every few seconds, filled entirely with scenes from his days living at Xie Ting. The sole protagonist was always—

Why...

After all, Uncle Lu and Aunt Tao were also very good to him.

Jiang Jining was starting to doubt his own loyalty. Why did he only remember Fu Yuze's kindness to him... It couldn't just be because he was good-looking, could it?

But he really was handsome.

Jiang Jining silently took off the hairpin and placed it aside. Resting his head on his arm, he stared at the hairpin for a while, then picked up a strand of his hair to brush against his own cheek.

Several minutes of reading, and he hadn't turned a page once.

*What was he doing?*

Jiang Jining hurriedly dropped the hand that had been playing with his hair, glanced at the next line—the words floated into his eyes, but nothing stuck in his brain.

"Knock, knock..."

Assuming it was Aunt Tao, Jiang Jining kept testing if he could actually get into the book. "Come in."

Like he was giving an order.

If he let someone in, maybe the words would get in his head too.

Then a wooden tray was set down beside his hand, and an egg-yellow colored ice cream bowl appeared in his peripheral vision—three scoops. He hadn't treated himself to something this fancy in ages. Along with it came that deep, aged wood scent he had secretly inhaled countless times.

Jiang Jining suddenly looked up.

He lightly slapped both palms down on the book.

No panic like he'd expected, just curiosity. A smile he didn't even notice touched his lips, and his hand rose on its own.

Fu Yuze used the chance to look at what was on the page.

He leaned a hand on the desk, letting him poke and prod the little thing on his head.

A palm-sized chef's hat.

Jiang Jining gave it a gentle tap, amazed—it even wobbled!

"Where did this come from?" He shoved all those vague feelings to the back of his mind, leaving nothing but delight.

Fu Yuze held a spoonful of ice cream out to him. Jiang Jining took it and ate it, still staring at the top of his head.

"Uncle Lu found it."

Fu Yuze had originally intended to wear a real chef's hat.

But Uncle Lu had dug up a headband from somewhere, and both he and Aunt Tao agreed that Jiang Jining would like this one.

It worked pretty well.

Fu Yuze must have been the God of Food in a past life, wielding a giant spatula as his weapon. Otherwise, why did he always cast spells on food? Jiang Jining's mood had killed his craving for ice cream, but one bite was all it took for him to pull the whole bowl over.

It seemed his anger had subsided.

Fu Yuze noticed the hairpin discarded to the side and picked it up.

Jiang Jining immediately snatched it back. "Give it back."

"What's wrong?"

Fu Yuze didn't want any misunderstandings between them.

But getting Jiang Jining to talk was no easy task. He said, "You got a stomachache from too much ice cream, remember?"

Jiang Jining frowned at him.

*What was he talking about?*

His anger had nothing to do with ice cream. Fu Yuze saw the confusion and asked again, "What happened?"

*Was it that obvious...*

Jiang Jining also found it strange.

*Why didn't I dare tell Fu Yuze I was leaving?*

What was the big deal?

"I'm leaving."

Jiang Jining didn't even want to think about it anymore.

Fu Yuze was so much older; he should understand everything and have far more sense than him.

He had no idea how cutting those words were.

Fu Yuze had never heard anything so grating; he even considered snatching the ice cream away. He kept his cool, first ruling out Bian Jiacheng swooping in, then dismissing the thought that Jiang Jining had wised up and decided he didn't like him.

The answer was obvious.

Fu Yuze asked, "Is Bian Han coming back?"

*See, Fu Yuze is smart.* Jiang Jining lowered his head to eat ice cream. "Mhm."

"Do you want to leave yourself?"

Fu Yuze took off the little chef's hat headband and gave it to Jiang Jining.

The latter reached out to touch it, then suddenly met his eyes and said, "...If I said yes, would you be sad?"

His grandfather was old and couldn't bear such words, but Fu Yuze wasn't that aged yet—he should be someone who could handle the truth.

"I would."

Fu Yuze told him, "I'd think you weren't happy here all this time, and I'd feel bad about it."

Jiang Jining thought for a moment and said, "That's not it."

He had reasons he absolutely had to return, more than one.

Bian Han was the first person who found him.

She was the first to show him kindness and understanding, treating him like her own child with meticulous care. In front of her, he could say anything.

He was only staying temporarily.

Fu Yuze had no obligation to look after him indefinitely.

And this month was already more than half over. Jiang Jining also had his own secrets—ones even Bian Jiacheng didn't know about. He hadn't even had time to hint at them to Bian Han before she went on her business trip.

Bian Han had promised.

This time when she returned, she wouldn't leave for long periods again.

Moreover, she was extremely dedicated to his wish to go home. In the whole world, no one else would ever care for him with such devotion.

Jiang Jining thought, he definitely had to leave.

"You're really great." Jiang Jining said sincerely: "Uncle Lu and Aunt Tao have been really good to me, too. I've been really happy lately."

Jiang Jining felt it wasn't quite enough to express how much he liked him.

After a moment of contemplation, he looked at the hairpin in his hand and softly added: "Better than when I was with Bian Jiacheng, even."

Fu Yuze's hand on the desk tightened, then relaxed.

At this moment, this unexpected expression of affection shattered all his principles and limits. He felt a wild, teenage joy surge in his heart. The thought of persuading him to stay was promptly nipped in the bud, and any sense of regret vanished completely.

He wished he could kiss Jiang Jining right then.

"When are you leaving?"

Fu Yuze pretended to be calm, picking up the empty ice cream bowl to give Jiang Jining time to think. He said: "It's not set in stone, but probably soon."

"Okay."

Fu Yuze was personally fed a piece of candy by Jiang Jining. He picked up the wooden tray without hurry. "Usually I live alone. I've actually been really happy having you here to keep me company. What am I supposed to do when I want to talk to you?"

Jiang Jining thought for a while. That was indeed true.

Of course!

This was also the reason he had initially worried about leaving.

"You can just... text me."

Remembering Bian Jiacheng's habit of calling him three times a day with all his energy, Jiang Jining wasn't on board with that. He also really didn't want to step out of his comfort zone, and even Fu Yuze couldn't be an exception.

He looked up earnestly and said: "When I see it, I'll..."

Before he could finish "reply to you,"

Outside the door, the butler's words interrupted them: "Sir, there is a distinguished guest visiting."

The study had always been Jiang Jining's domain, and he was accustomed to it. He sat up straight: "Come in."

The door was pushed open.

Fu Yuze slowly set down the tray in his hand.

He and Jiang Jining heard that tender, affectionate call simultaneously: "Ning Zai!"

Everyone was stunned.