Ren Jiaoming’s expression remained unchanged, but a hint of hurt flashed in his eyes that he couldn’t suppress. He had always been proud and never bowed to anyone; Chu Shangluo was the first. He was also the first one who could wound him with just a few words.

Chu Shangluo noticed that Ren Jiaoming still wasn’t letting go and spoke without holding back, “Many times, people are not as good as dogs. A dog will never betray its master.” Ren Jiaoming’s hand on the door suddenly relaxed.

Looking at Ren Jiaoming’s cold face, though there was no visible change in his expression, Chu Shangluo knew he had hit a nerve that Ren Jiaoming couldn’t refute. Seizing the opportunity, he tried to slam the door shut, but the next moment, the door was suddenly pushed open. Ren Jiaoming stared at Chu Shangluo seriously and said, “I will never betray you again.”

“But I don’t need you.” Chu Shangluo replied. Ren Jiaoming continued, “No one is more suitable for the secretary position than me. Even if you don’t need me, Chu Group still needs someone like me.”

“You really think highly of yourself, don’t you? What are you? Would Chu Group die without you? Would I, Chu Shangluo, not be able to manage without you? Or do you think the world would stop spinning without you?” Chu Shangluo knew Ren Jiaoming’s words were true—the man in front of him was indeed a rare talent in the business world. But he was scared. He would never again trust someone who had betrayed him.

“Ren Jiaoming,” Chu Shangluo said, tapping his index finger on Ren Jiaoming’s chest, a sneer on his face. “I don’t doubt the people I use. If I trust someone, I trust them completely. I trusted you before. Even when I knew you came for the jade pendant, I never doubted you. You didn’t cherish my trust. Now I don’t trust you. No matter what you say, I’ll treat it as nonsense.”

Ren Jiaoming’s face darkened.

At that moment, the delivery man arrived with lunch, breaking the standoff. Chu Shangluo didn’t want to argue with Ren Jiaoming anymore and snapped, “Get out of here.” He turned and went back to his desk.

The delivery man seemed confused and asked quietly, “May I ask who ordered the lunch for Secretary Lin?”

Just as Lin Zhi was about to take it, Ren Jiaoming, maintaining his composure, took it instead, accepting the role of secretary. He placed the lunch in front of Chu Shangluo.

Lin Zhi, who had been robbed of the task, helplessly watched Ren Jiaoming, who was unhurriedly unpacking the lunch, standing there without leaving, and Chu Shangluo, who was cursing and clearly rejecting him. He couldn’t help but think to himself, ‘I’ve known Ren Jiaoming for so long, but this is the first time he’s so actively claiming to be Chu Shangluo’s secretary. It’s also the first time I’ve seen him willingly serve Chu Shangluo.’

Although Ren Jiaoming had previously helped with meals for Chu Shangluo, he would immediately stop if Chu Shangluo rejected him. It seemed obedient, but in reality, he didn’t care about Chu Shangluo—only someone who didn’t care could let go so easily. Now, Ren Jiaoming’s defiance and persistence showed that he truly cared about Chu Shangluo.

Lin Zhi sat next to Chu Shangluo, took the lunch box, and glanced at Ren Jiaoming standing silently behind Chu Shangluo, neither submissive nor arrogant. He sighed suddenly, unable to stop himself from muttering, “The timing is wrong… If only the timing had been right…”

This sentence had a deep meaning that Lin Zhi said, and both Chu Shangluo and Ren Jiaoming understood its implication.

It was simply saying that if the timing had been right, if the sincere Chu Shangluo had met the current persistent Ren Jiaoming, it would have been a good ending. Ren Jiaoming’s gaze remained fixed on Chu Shangluo, but Chu Shangluo did not look at him even once. As he ate, he sneered, “There’s no such thing as ‘what if’ in this world. If something is wrong, it’s wrong, and there’s no possibility of it happening again.”

It seemed like Chu Shangluo was speaking to Lin Zhi, but it was obvious who he was really talking to. Ren Jiaoming lowered his eyes, and his fingers behind his back trembled for a moment, but his expression remained unchanged, showing an attitude of not letting anything Chu Shangluo said shake him, almost as if he was pretending to be deaf and mute.

Chu Shangluo couldn’t be bothered with him anymore. The lunch had a dish of boiled meat, which he had been eating for a while. Lin Zhi always ordered one spicy dish for Chu Shangluo, as he loved spicy food but had a stomach issue and couldn’t eat too much. Ren Jiaoming looked at the boiled meat full of green chili peppers and furrowed his brows slightly.

Chu Shangluo wasn’t picky about food, except when it came to spicy dishes, he would eat more. He licked his red lips and reached to rub his eyes. At that moment, Ren Jiaoming took hold of his hand, and a box of milk with a straw appeared in front of him. The oil stains on his fingers were carefully wiped away with a wet towel, and he drank a big sip of milk to cool down the spice. Chu Shangluo thought it was Lin Zhi and was about to praise him for understanding him so well. But when he turned around and saw it was Ren Jiaoming, he paused and immediately withdrew his hand.

Lin Zhi had been observing their interaction, and before he could understand what was going on, Ren Jiaoming had already reacted. Their natural interaction clearly showed that they had already gotten used to it. Lin Zhi realized that although he had known Chu Shangluo for many years and thought he understood him well, he only knew the parts Chu Shangluo was willing to show. If Chu Shangluo didn’t want to reveal something, he wouldn’t be able to see it. For example, today he learned that Chu Shangluo was afraid of spicy dish but he still liked it. Chu Shangluo had never said anything like that before. Now that he thought about it, Chu Shangluo must have pretended not to fear spice to protect the only spicy dish in his daily menu.

Lin Zhi suddenly felt disheartened. He realized he couldn’t compare to Ren Jiaoming. Back when Ren Jiaoming was at Chu Group, just a glance from Chu Shangluo would make Ren Jiaoming understand everything. They often exchanged a look, and that was enough to determine whether or not a project should be discussed. As Lin Zhi silently compared himself with Ren Jiaoming, he found himself falling short in every aspect, which made him feel very uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, Chu Shangluo had finished his meal. He picked up his jacket. “Lin Zhi, I’m going to the fields to check things out. You stay here and watch the company.”

Lin Zhi snapped back to attention. “Ah, okay.”

Then he saw Ren Jiaoming take the jacket from Chu Shangluo’s hands and put it on him. Chu Shangluo, lost in thought about work, was momentarily stunned. His body, accustomed to being served by Ren Jiaoming in the past, reflexively allowed him to dress him. When Chu Shangluo snapped out of his thoughts and realized Ren Jiaoming was buttoning his jacket, he immediately pushed him away and said, “I don’t need you. Don’t I have hands? Go away and stay where you are.”

After saying that, Chu Shangluo quickly walked out of the company, got on his small electric scooter, and rode towards the outskirts of the city. He kept cursing at himself for being so cooperative with Ren Jiaoming, even for a moment, and allowing him to help him get dressed. He thought to himself that habit was a scary thing. Maybe Ren Jiaoming had gotten used to doing this for him, and now he probably felt uncomfortable without him by his side, thinking about bringing him back.

Looking at the black car trailing behind him, Chu Shangluo suddenly felt irritated. He slowed down, and the black car behind him slowed down as well. He sped up, and the black car did the same. It was as if they were stuck in a slow, frustrating chase.

He had never realized before how clingy Ren Jiaoming could be, like a stubborn gum that couldn’t be peeled off no matter how hard he tried. If Ren Jiaoming had been like this in the past, he would have been pleased, but now when he saw Ren Jiaoming, painful memories would flash through his mind. Every one of them was like a lump blocking his chest, constantly reminding him that his sincere heart had been wasted.

Just thinking about this made Chu Shangluo feel uncomfortable. He lit a cigarette and took deep drags. He noticed a long iron nail in the basket. As he rode towards the outskirts of the city, where the sand was uneven, he threw the nail onto the ground. Then the black car drove past, and with a loud “bang,” the car stopped. Chu Shangluo had just been testing it, but he had actually punctured Ren Jiaoming’s tire. He looked at the car, which was now motionless, and felt a little relieved.

Chu Shangluo exhaled a cloud of smoke. Even though he knew this was a childish thing to do at almost thirty, he thought to himself, “Who cares? As long as it feels good.” Now that he had relieved himself of the burden of the Chu family, he should enjoy himself, doing whatever made him happy.

When Chu Shangluo arrived at the fields, the greenhouse for fruits and vegetables was almost complete. Chu Shen, sitting on the ground and smoking, saw him coming and smiled, saying, “Today, Xiao^[1]Little Chu seems a little different.” Chu Shangluo put his arm around Chu Shen’s shoulder and smiled, “What’s different?”

Looking at the enthusiasm in Chu Shangluo’s eyes, Chu Shen’s smile deepened. “You’re happy now, aren’t you?” Chu Shangluo chuckled, “Was I that obvious before?”

“Extremely obvious. You were about to announce it to the world. But now this is much better. Xiao Chu, I think, a lot of times, setbacks are not setbacks. They could be a kind of rebirth, or even a case of ‘the old man loses his horse but doesn’t know it’s a blessing.’“^[2]“The old man lost his horse but doesn’t know it’s a blessing” is a Chinese proverb that conveys the idea that misfortunes can sometimes lead to unexpected blessings.

Chu Shangluo patted Chu Shen’s shoulder without saying anything further. They walked into the greenhouse, where people were picking strawberries. Since the city is a coastal city, there isn’t much arable land, so every winter, fruits and vegetables are transported from other provinces, making them very expensive. Growing off-season produce that enters the market at a low price during winter is definitely a profitable business.

Very few younger people came to help with the farming. Chu Han was one of them, and he was practically a master at slacking off. He casually dug a hole and shoved a strawberry plant in without covering the soil properly. Chu Shangluo walked over and kicked the phone that Chu Han playing while lazily planting strawberry. Holding a cigarette, he squatted down, rolled up his sleeves, and properly covered the soil, scolding, “If you can’t do it, then don’t! When I made you a security guard, you’d drink all the alcohol you found. Now, when I ask you to plant strawberries, you’re on your phone. What can you actually do? Do you expect me to support you? I could, but I’m curious how you’ll ever get a wife. Which girl would want a lazy man like you!”

Chu Han, who had previously been scolded by Ren Jiaoming for drinking alcohol and had a confrontation with Chu Shangluo, was kicked out of Chu Group with no money. After some time, he came back begging Chu Shangluo, who, despite his tough exterior, had a soft heart and let him return. Chu Han was the most troublesome of the younger generation in the Chu family, unable to do anything properly and never leaving a scrap of food behind.

Chu Shangluo glared at Chu Han, who shivered and quickly put his phone away. “I’ll do it right! I’ll do it seriously!”

When Ren Jiaoming and Jiang Jia walked in, they saw Chu Shangluo, who was dressed in a neat suit, squatting on the ground planting strawberries.

Chu Shangluo was quick and precise, his hands covered in dirt, looking serious. No one would have expected him to be the influential figure in the capital. After Ren Jiaoming’s car tire was punctured, he called for a tow truck and happened to see Jiang Jia driving by. He stopped the car and got in with Jiang Jia.

Jiang Jia noticed Ren Jiaoming’s gaze fixed on Chu Shangluo and elbowed him with a smile. “What’s the matter? Regret it now?” When Ren Jiaoming didn’t respond, Jiang Jia continued, “I used to think Chu Shangluo was a delicate and nitpicky person. Not just me, but the people in my circle thought the same. Wherever he went, his secretary was always serving him. The first time I noticed him was before you joined Chu’s, and his secretary was a handsome, clean-cut, and gentlemanly man. At a banquet, everyone was eating, and he stood out, but what struck me as interesting was that there was a fish dish, and his secretary meticulously removed the fish bones for him. I had always been pampered, but no one ever removed fish bones for me. That’s where his bad reputation started.”

Ren Jiaoming’s gaze on Chu Shangluo grew intense as he listened. “During this time when he’s been farming, I’ve gained a new respect for him. He’s really good at everything, whether it’s planting rice in the water or tilling the soil under the blazing sun. He works just like his relatives, enduring the sun and wind. Sometimes, they just sit in the fields and eat boxed lunches. The terms ‘delicate’ and ‘nitpicky’ couldn’t be further from the truth. I asked and found out that Chu Shangluo had endured hardships with his father when he was very young. A few days ago, we were eating, and there was a fish dish. Chu Shangluo didn’t wait for anyone to pick out the bones, he just ate, and then got a bone stuck in his throat.”

Jiang Jia chuckled as he recalled the scene. “I don’t know if I should call him cute or careless. Lin Zhi had to rush to help him. Later, I found out from Lin Zhi that Chu Shangluo eats whatever is in front of him without caring much. He doesn’t mind fish bones, and it’s common for him to get choked. But because he’s so indifferent about it, the next time he sees a fish, he forgets about the bones and eats again, only to get choked again. So it’s not that Chu Shangluo demands his secretary to remove fish bones for him; it’s just that they can’t stand seeing him live so casually. They actually take care of him because his casualness has gone too far.”

Ren Jiaoming remained silent. After all, he knew this too. He had been with Chu Shangluo for so long that there were many moments when he wasn’t just pretending; he was genuinely caring for Chu Shangluo.

When Lu Wen came to find Chu Shangluo, he saw Ren Jiaoming at the door and his face darkened. He smiled, but his eyes were filled with coldness. “This is Chu’s territory, not Wen’s. It’s better for you to go back to your own territory.”

Ren Jiaoming ignored him. Lu Wen followed his gaze and said, “There’s no such thing as a ‘regret pill’ or ‘going back’ for you.”

Ren Jiaoming coldly replied, “Not everything is for you to decide.”

The strawberries in the greenhouse had been planted. Chu Shangluo, unaware that the three of them were watching him, casually wiped his hands and backed out of the door. Chu Han picked up the water pipe to water the strawberries in the greenhouse.

Jiang Jia, seeing that Chu Shangluo wasn’t busy, immediately rushed over and hugged him around the waist, clingily saying, “I bought hot pot base. Let’s have hot pot tonight!” Chu Shangluo had almost gotten used to Jiang Jia’s clinginess. He pushed Jiang Jia’s head away, saying, “Let go. You’re like a limp noodle. Can’t you stand up straight?”

Jiang Jia grinned and reached for Chu Shangluo’s chest, but was kicked away by Chu Shangluo. Jiang Jia stumbled backward and collided with Chu Han, who was watering the strawberries. Chu Han shivered, and the cold water from the pipe splashed all over Chu Shangluo, instantly turning him into a drenched chicken.

Chu Shangluo angrily wiped the cold water off his face. “…You guys are fucking…”

Chu Han and Jiang Jia were too scared to speak.

In the chilly late autumn, Chu Shangluo shivered. The next moment, he was draped with a coat. When he looked up, he met Ren Jiaoming’s eyes. Ren Jiaoming tightly held onto the collar of the coat, not letting Chu Shangluo take it off. “It’s too cold, you’ll catch a cold if you take it off.”

Lu Wen was holding another coat. He was only a step behind Ren Jiaoming, but Ren Jiaoming had snatched it away from him. Lu Wen frowned. Ren Jiaoming wasn’t the type to steal the spotlight before. He used to be the first to notice and react whenever Chu Shangluo was unhappy, but now, whether it was because of regret or truly falling in love with Chu Shangluo, it was enough to make him feel a sense of danger. This sense of danger was hidden in Lu Wen’s subconscious. Back in college, he was always second in every subject, with Ren Jiaoming being first. Even after all these years, he still viewed Ren Jiaoming as his rival. Now, with both of them vying for Chu Shangluo’s attention, he felt like they were competitors in love.

Lu Wen walked over. “President Chu, wear my coat.”

Chu Shangluo immediately shook off Ren Jiaoming’s hand, threw the coat onto the ground, and took the one from Lu Wen, putting it on.

Ren Jiaoming stared darkly at the coat on the ground.

Lu Wen pulled up Chu Shangluo. “President Chu, let’s go inside and change into something more comfortable.”

“Let’s go,” Chu Shangluo replied.

Neither of them looked at Ren Jiaoming as they walked out of the greenhouse.

Ren Jiaoming remained silent for a long time before finally squatting down to pick up the coat that was covered in mud from the ground. His eyes were filled with coldness. Chu Han, who was watering the plants, glanced at Ren Jiaoming and muttered, “Serves you right! When my uncle liked you, he treated you like royalty, and everyone in the company had to bow to you. He even protected you when you beat me up. But now that he doesn’t care about you anymore, you’re worth less than the strawberry seedlings on the ground! Bah!”

Ren Jiaoming looked at Chu Han with cold eyes, and Chu Han was momentarily choked by his fierce gaze. He snorted and continued, “Anyway, if you hit me now, my uncle won’t protect you. He’ll protect me, I’m his relative, and you’re his enemy.”

Ren Jiaoming ignored Chu Han, turned, and walked out. His face remained unchanged, but only he knew how bad his emotions were right now. He had never been someone whose emotions fluctuated easily, but with Chu Shangluo, he felt many emotions he had never experienced before, and it was with Chu Shangluo that all his usual self-control had dissolved.

That evening, Chu Shangluo had hot pot and drank with a few people. They ate, drank, and joked around. Ren Jiaoming disappeared somewhere, but Chu Shangluo didn’t care. He drank his alcohol, thinking that Ren Jiaoming could go wherever he wanted—it had nothing to do with him.

After dinner, when everyone left, Chu Shangluo stayed behind to watch over the place. He thought he might be getting a cold, probably from the cold water Chu Han had splashed on him earlier. He sneezed, put on more clothes, and lay down under the blanket on a small bed.

He soon became a bit drowsy, and in his half-conscious state, he thought he heard the door open. He felt someone cover him with a blanket, and he immediately woke up. Seeing Ren Jiaoming standing in front of him, he threw the blanket to the floor and coldly said, “Are you never going to give up? Take your things and get out.”

Ren Jiaoming’s whole body was engulfed in low pressure. He picked up the blanket and forcibly covered Chu Shangluo with it, saying, “I’m leaving, you keep it on.”

“Dammit!” Chu Shangluo angrily kicked the blanket to the floor.

After Ren Jiaoming left the room, he didn’t actually leave. He stood by the door, reached into his pocket to grab a cigarette that Chu Shangluo had left there, and quietly listened to the sound of Chu Shangluo’s breathing. Ren Jiaoming didn’t know how long he stood there. The night wind made him feel thoroughly cold. He snapped back to reality, pushed the door open, walked inside, and sat by the bed, watching Chu Shangluo. His gaze traveled from Chu Shangluo’s slightly red lips to his hands. He gently took those hands into his own. Chu Shangluo’s hands had become rougher, but they were still warm, making Ren Jiaoming not want to let go.

In his sleep, Chu Shangluo furrowed his brow. Ren Jiaoming then recalled that day when Chu Shangluo had pressed a bottle against his neck, offering his life to him. His heart tightened, and he slowly released Chu Shangluo’s hand.

He stood up, preparing to leave, but then noticed Chu Shangluo’s breathing had become heavy. He sat back down and reached out to touch Chu Shangluo’s forehead. Chu Shangluo had a fever.