Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Even when he faced Principal He being chased by the Japanese, even when confronting the Japanese during their interrogations, even when seizing the moment to kill them—he had never been this nervous before.

It turned out his behavior had already been noticed by Nan Shuyi, the man he shared a home with.

He thought he'd hidden his unfamiliarity with this world well, but he never expected that Nan Shuyi would notice it anyway.

On the one hand, he knew the other man cared about him; on the other hand, he was panicked about being discovered.

He hadn't time-traveled from the Republic of China as himself—he'd taken over someone else's body. Would Nan Shuyi hire a master to exorcise him?

Since arriving in this world, Jiang Yicen's heart had never raced this fast, and his face was deathly pale.

He didn't know what Nan Shuyi was thinking, and he didn't dare admit it.

He could only keep deliberately twisting his meaning: "Every day since I left the Jiang family, I've faced a new world."

Nan Shuyi wouldn't force him to admit it; he just wanted to signal that he was aware.

He imagined being Jiang Yicen—someone who died and came from the Republic of China to the modern era. No one would believe it if they heard the story. If the Jiang family had paid more attention to Jiang Yicen, noticed all the changes, and realized he was essentially a different person, any superstitious person would definitely hire someone to perform rituals, and who knows what consequences that would bring.

Nan Shuyi could see the panic flashing in Jiang Yicen's eyes, which already said it all. Whether Jiang Yicen would answer directly no longer mattered.

He didn't pressure Jiang Yicen, instead going along with his words: "Yes, every day is a new world, and every day is a new day."

The fireworks show had ended, and the crowd that had been standing in front of them had scattered in all directions.

Nan Shuyi brushed off his pants, stood up from the steps, and reached out a hand to Jiang Yicen, who was still seated.

"Let's go home."

Jiang Yicen felt as if all the blood in his body had frozen when he heard the question. He placed his cold hand in Nan Shuyi's.

He noticed that even though it was a hot summer night, even though the night breeze was hot and humid, Nan Shuyi's fingers were also ice-cold. Was Nan Shuyi just as nervous as he was?

Two cold hands clasped together, slowly warming back to normal.

Nan Shuyi knew Jiang Yicen preferred staying at home, so he didn't book a room at Disney. Lincheng wasn't too far from here—just over two hours by car, and traffic was light at night.

On the way back, Jiang Yicen claimed he was tired from walking all day, his calves sore and his whole body exhausted, and leaned back against the seat and pretended to sleep the moment he got in the car. He couldn't actually sleep at all, because Nan Shuyi was deliberately playing with his fingers—squeezing his fingertips, then interlacing their fingers tightly—as if he hadn't asked that question after the fireworks show.

Jiang Yicen couldn't figure out what Nan Shuyi was really thinking.

Did he say all that just to get at the truth? Would he really hire a master to perform rituals and drive him out?

Should he just tell Nan Shuyi the truth? As long as he didn't admit it, he couldn't be identified as the Sixth Master. But if he did admit it, what if Nan Shuyi was afraid of him—this lost soul from the Republic of China?

He didn't dare take the risk, and he couldn't afford to lose. He didn't want to lose Nan Shuyi.

The first person he laid eyes on in this world was Nan Shuyi. The first person to show him kindness was Nan Shuyi too. And the first person he fell in love with was also Nan Shuyi. He had been tied to this man since the moment he arrived.

Six months ago, he thought separation wouldn't bother him. But now, he had long since grown used to having this man by his side. The thought of being apart filled him with terror.

It had all happened too fast. He needed to calm down and handle this more carefully.

The two of them arrived home late at night.

Jiang Yicen had been so tense all night that he hadn't even checked his phone. It wasn't until they got home and Nan Shuyi went to shower that he wanted to find something to distract himself. He instinctively opened WeChat, wanting to scroll through their six months of chat history.

Before he could even start scrolling, he saw a message from Chen Zhicheng, sent around eight that evening.

"Chen Zhicheng: Mr. Jiang, I asked around in my family and found some info on the Jiang family. But there's quite a bit of internal material. Can you make some time to come out?"

Jiang Yicen replied quickly.

Of course he'd make time to go out.

When Nan Shuyi finished showering, he noticed Jiang Yicen hadn't come upstairs—the bedroom door was still closed. He looked downstairs and saw him still sitting on the sofa, holding his phone, deep in thought.

Nan Shuyi called out, "Jiang Yicen, aren't you going to shower?"

Jiang Yicen replied, "I am, I'm coming right up."

Nan Shuyi knew Jiang Yicen needed some time and space right now. He hesitated, then decided to behave as usual. If he suggested they sleep apart tonight, it would only make Jiang Yicen overthink.

He understood Jiang Yicen's worries, but he couldn't resolve them on his own. Only when Jiang Yicen was ready to talk about it could they deal with it.

Jiang Yicen pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and headed upstairs. The moment he reached the top of the stairs, he met Nan Shuyi's gaze.

Since Nan Shuyi had chosen to call out his identity today, he must have done his homework thoroughly.

Jiang Yicen spoke up first: "I'm a bit tired today. I want to sleep alone tonight."

"..." Nan Shuyi, who had already decided against sleeping in separate rooms, thought for a moment and nodded. "Fine, I'll go to bed first then. What do you want for breakfast tomorrow? I'll make it for you."

Jiang Yicen thought for a moment. "Whatever you make, I'll eat."

Nan Shuyi silently reminded himself to give Jiang Yicen time—sleeping alone for one night was no big deal.

They'd had such a wonderful day, but because he'd spoken up, a galaxy now separated them across time and space.

In truth, today's Disney trip was Nan Shuyi's final way to confirm Jiang Yicen's identity.

Nan Shuyi had gone to the Jiang residence a second time to find the Jiang butler and confirmed repeatedly that "Jiang Yicen" had been to Hong Kong Disneyland as a child, and had also gone after the Shanghai park opened. When he casually asked Jiang Yicen yesterday, Jiang Yicen had nodded without hesitation, saying he'd never been.

Throughout the visit, he kept an eye on Jiang Yicen the whole time. Jiang Yicen wasn't familiar with any of Disney's IPs—he didn't even know who Iron Man was, quietly asking who Iron Man was. He was having so much fun that he forgot to conceal his identity. Nan Shuyi thought the way he whispered the question was especially cute.

However, Nan Shuyi didn't let anything show at the time. He always had incredible patience with Jiang Yicen—if he asked a hundred times, Nan Shuyi would answer a hundred times.

In separate rooms, even though both were tired, they both tossed and turned in bed.

Jiang Yicen was thinking about where exactly he'd slipped up and been found out. Was it because of the Disney trip?

Had Nan Shuyi already known before he even planned the trip?

Nan Shuyi seemed to care about him more than Jiang Yicen had imagined. He Nuanqing still hadn't suspected that he wasn't "Jiang Yicen," yet Nan Shuyi, who had never met the old "Jiang Yicen," could tell he wasn't the same person. He was so daring and detail-oriented.

Maybe he'd really blown his cover at Liu Tan's house. Maybe it was when he dodged Nan Shuyi's question about studying in the US. Maybe it was the fact that he couldn't drive. Or maybe it was the little things—not knowing how to use household appliances, not even knowing how to cook.

The more Jiang Yicen thought, the clearer his mind became, and the harder it got to fall asleep. He'd given himself away in so many ways, and Nan Shuyi was sharp—how could he not guess that Jiang Yicen wasn't the real "Jiang Yicen"? He just hadn't brought it up.

After six months with Nan Shuyi, he knew very well that this man never did anything without being sure. When he acted, he always hit the mark, never hesitating or dragging his feet.

Jiang Yicen couldn't sleep. He lay awake all night, processing the fact that Nan Shuyi had uncovered his secret.

What he kept going over and over was still the same question.

Nan Shuyi was only guessing now, without any confirmation from him. If he confirmed it, would Nan Shuyi be scared of him?

He had no idea.

Jiang Yicen tossed and turned all night, completely unable to sleep. He glanced at the time on his phone—to his surprise, it had somehow already reached 5:30 in the morning, and dawn had broken.

He'd gotten a reply to the message he sent last night. He quickly got up, freshened up, grabbed a clean set of clothes from the walk-in closet, packed them into a bag, and headed downstairs. Just as he was about to walk out the door, he stepped back to the coffee table, scribbled a line on a sticky note, and stuck it on the fridge.

He looked back up at the second floor, then left the house.

·

An hour later, Jiang Yicen stood at the entrance of a twenty-year-old residential complex, where he spotted Chen Zhicheng wearing a T-shirt and shorts, his hair a complete mess like a bird's nest, with sleep still crusted in the corners of his eyes.

Jiang Yicen looked at him with the demeanor of an elder looking down at a younger generation. "You go out looking like this—how are you supposed to be a proper star? You've got zero image."

Uncle Yuan was also a man of refinement, and it was hard to believe his descendant could be so carefree, having inherited none of the Jiang family's values.

Unlike the Liu family, Uncle Yuan was already considered part of the Jiang family. His family had worked for the Jiangs since his father's generation, and their children went to the same schools and learned the same manners as the Jiang kids, always knowing how to conduct themselves.

Uncle Yuan's daughter was treated like a young lady of the house in the Jiang household, and the servants wouldn't dare say a single word out of turn.

Every time Chen Zhicheng saw Jiang Yicen, it felt like facing an elder, and he'd tense up. "I came down the second I got your call."

Jiang Yicen shook his head and sighed on Uncle Yuan's behalf. "It wouldn't have killed you to take two minutes to wash your face and change into something decent."

Chen Zhicheng noticed Jiang Yicen's expression wasn't great, but the guy was impeccably dressed from head to toe. The only thing out of place was the small, pricey travel bag in his hand.

He scratched his hair, which would turn into a rat's nest if he didn't fix it. "So, you coming to my place?"

Jiang Yicen replied, "Naturally. I might need to crash at yours tonight."

Chen Zhicheng had just woken up and was still processing. "Huh? You're staying at my place?"

In his eyes, Jiang Yicen was someone so refined and upright, hardly a match for his shabby little rental.

Chen Zhicheng asked cautiously, "Did you and Boss Nan get into a fight?"

Jiang Yicen shook his head. "No fight. Didn't you say you had info on the Jiang family for me? There's a lot of it."

Chen Zhicheng: "..." It's not that much that you'd need to stay the night.

They must have fought—Jiang Yicen got so mad he stormed out.

The Jiang family drama was making waves, and the news that Jiang Yicen wasn't really a Jiang had spread in certain circles. And he was one of the few who knew the truth.

He instantly empathized.

He suddenly felt a little bad for Jiang Yicen—fighting with his partner and having nowhere to go.

Chen Zhicheng led Jiang Yicen back to his place.

He rented a two-bedroom apartment and had just moved in recently, and two suitcases were still unpacked.

The place was a bit of a mess—yesterday's clothes were still thrown on the couch. He quickly picked them up and tossed them in the washer.

Chen Zhicheng asked, "Want some water?"

Jiang Yicen didn't want to see Nan Shuyi yet, so he'd rushed out without drinking anything.

He carefully sat on the one spot on the couch where Chen Zhicheng hadn't dumped clothes. "Sorry for the trouble."

In Chen Zhicheng's messy place, he seemed a bit stiff.

Uncle Yuan would probably want to give this kid a beating if he saw this—it was way too messy, shoes scattered all over the entryway, dirty clothes tossed everywhere, and last night's takeout trash still sitting on the table, not thrown out.

Jiang Yicen started to wonder if he'd been too hasty in deciding to stay here.

Chen Zhicheng quickly freshened up and cleaned the place before asking Jiang Yicen what he wanted for breakfast.

"You're going to cook?"

"Hell no, I'll order takeout. My fridge only has beer and eggs that are about to go bad."

"Alright, let's order takeout then."

Chen Zhicheng ordered food, and when Jiang Yicen took a bite, the taste was hard to describe. He finished the congee in front of him and then stopped eating.

He was used to meals cooked by Nan Shuyi or the housekeeper, and even when it was takeout, Nan Shuyi was the one who ordered it.

It's true what they say—it's hard to go from luxury to living rough.

So Chen Zhicheng wouldn't notice anything off, he asked, "You don't live with your mom and dad?"

Chen Zhicheng had fully accepted that his family wasn't as rich as they used to be.

"They said they wanted to retire to the countryside, found a scenic spot with mountains and water, no pressure. So from now on, it's just me in Lincheng."

Jiang Yicen nodded. "That works. Living alone builds character."

After a quick breakfast, Chen Zhicheng threw away the takeout containers. When he came back, Jiang Yicen finally asked.

Jiang Yicen: "Now, tell me about the Jiang family."

Chen Zhicheng: "Oh, right, my bad. The Jiang family you're asking about—my great-great-grandfather used to write letters back and forth with them. But it's been so long that I don't know the details. My mom told me, though, that my maternal great-grandmother also corresponded with the Jiang family—she was He Yuan's daughter, you know. But she died a long time ago, and my maternal grandparents lost touch with the Jiangs. The relationship just faded with each generation."

Jiang Yicen nodded. "So what's the new info now?"

Chen Zhicheng snapped his fingers. "Even though we lost touch on our side, they've been reaching out to my parents recently. Apparently, a younger member of the Jiang family wants to come back to China to develop their career and will be back in Lincheng soon. They'll probably come see my mom and my maternal grandparents. My parents told me to pick them up at the airport."

Jiang Yicen: "So when does that Jiang family member get back?"

Chen Zhicheng: "Should be three days from now."

Jiang Yicen: "Alright, I'd like to meet him when he gets back. Can you set up a time for us?"

He wanted to see how his elder brother's descendants were doing.

Chen Zhicheng: "Sure, I already added them on WeChat."

Jiang Yicen: "Then I'll crash here today, if that's okay."

Chen Zhicheng: "The bed in the other room is a bit small."

Jiang Yicen: "No worries, I'll make do for one night."

After cleaning up, Chen Zhicheng quietly texted Lu Xiao, telling him Jiang Yicen was staying over tonight and guessing if he and Nan Shuyi had a fight.

·

Meanwhile, Lu Xiao, who'd just gotten Chen Zhicheng's message, immediately ratted out Jiang Yicen's location.

Nan Shuyi naturally hadn't slept a wink last night either. He'd thought that getting up at six in the morning to steam Sixth Master's favorite shumai for him would already be early enough.

But little did he know, when he was about to call him up for breakfast at eight, he found a note left on the coffee table.

Sure enough, he'd scared him off.

He'd been too hasty; he should have taken things gradually.

He wanted to ask around about where Jiang Yicen had gone, but he stopped himself. He couldn't push the man too hard.

Just as he was beating himself up over it, Lu Xiao sent him a message, mocking him for getting into a fight with his man and having to go stay elsewhere.

"Nan Shuyi: Give me Chen Zhicheng's address."

Lu Xiao went ahead and gave it to him. He'd noticed that Chen Zhicheng was completely obedient to Jiang Yicen, with even a hint of admiration in the way he acted. It was better to keep those two apart, so the moment Nan Shuyi asked for the address, he gave it to him.

Nan Shuyi skipped breakfast and drove straight to Chen Zhicheng's place.

But when the car reached the entrance to the neighborhood, he kept hesitating, unable to get out and go find Jiang Yicen to talk things out.

He'd cooled off.

Since Jiang Yicen had left home, it meant he'd accepted that he was Sixth Master Jiang.

He just needed to give the guy time. He could wait.

Nan Shuyi watched the people coming and going at the complex entrance, letting his mind go blank.

He sat there until it got dark.

The steady stream of people at the entrance had dwindled to nothing—no one had passed by in half an hour. He checked the time—it was already ten at night.

He thought he'd have to wait until tomorrow morning to see the man, but unexpectedly, a familiar figure walked out of the complex carrying an overnight bag.

Nan Shuyi got out of the car and stood by the car door, watching Jiang Yicen, who was only a few meters away.

Jiang Yicen saw him, paused in his steps, and the two locked eyes.

Nan Shuyi let out a sigh, strode forward to stand before Jiang Yicen, and took his bag.

Jiang Yicen followed behind him, watching Nan Shuyi place the bag in the back seat.

He recalled when he'd first arrived, wandering alone into this unfamiliar world looking for any sign of the Jiang family, without his phone, having only memorized Nan Shuyi's number. He hesitated, then dialed it, and Nan Shuyi came out in the freezing cold to pick him up. They hadn't known each other then—they'd only met once.

Half a year later, they were standing under the same dim streetlight.

Jiang Yicen tugged at the hem of Nan Shuyi's clothes and asked softly, "Nan Shuyi, Sixth Master Jiang is already dead. Would you be afraid of him?"

Nan Shuyi slowly turned, pulled the man—head bowed, eyes red—into his arms, and held him tight.

"I only ache for him. I wouldn't be afraid of him."