Ren Jiaoming stood frozen, his body stiff, as Chu Shangluo’s words left him feeling helpless and powerless.

If he had known from the beginning that he would fall in love with Chu Shangluo, knowing his character, he would have never hurt him again and again. The arms around his waist tightened, making it hard for Chu Shangluo to breathe. He pulled fiercely at Ren Jiaoming’s arm, his fingers digging into Ren Jiaoming’s flesh. Ren Jiaoming’s arms were unyielding, as if they had grown into his waist. Chu Shangluo became frustrated; as he increased his strength, he felt the body pressed against his back slightly shudder.

With determination, Chu Shangluo suddenly jerked, and the once unbreakable grip loosened just enough for him to pull the arm off his waist. A hot drop of liquid fell onto his neck, making him shiver from the burn. Only then did Chu Shangluo realize his hand was wet, and when he looked down, he saw that his fingers were pressing into the wound on Ren Jiaoming’s right arm. Fresh red blood seeped through the bandages, staining Ren Jiaoming’s sleeve and his own hand.

He froze for a moment, then immediately released his grip. As he turned, he met Ren Jiaoming’s red, restrained eyes. The drop of liquid on his neck remained, hot and painful, though he couldn’t tell if it was sweat or tears.

Chu Shangluo frowned. “Go to the hospital and get that treated. I’m going to bed now. I’ve said everything I needed to today. Don’t keep bothering me.” He didn’t give Ren Jiaoming a sympathetic glance. After speaking, he turned and went to the bed, not looking at Ren Jiaoming again.

Ren Jiaoming was hurt by Chu Shangluo’s cold, decisive words and the back that turned away from him. Before, when he twisted Chu Shangluo’s hand, it made him feel terrible, but now, even with his blood flowing freely, he couldn’t get a single caring glance. His hands slowly dropped, his expression pained, and blood dripped from his fingers onto the floor.

In the quiet, almost empty room, the sound of blood falling to the ground was unnervingly clear. Chu Shangluo turned off the lights, and the room fell into darkness, the only light coming from the dying fire in the stove. The flickering flame cast shadows, and Ren Jiaoming’s pale face was hidden in the shifting light, his eyes cast down, his figure dejected.

Chu Shangluo closed his eyes. “Just leave already. There’s no point in continuing this. It won’t lead anywhere. I won’t soften. I’m just frustrated here!”

The room remained quiet.

After a long while, the sound of the door opening broke the stillness, followed by it closing tightly. The big dog began barking. Chu Shangluo opened his eyes and saw that the person was no longer in the room. He looked out the window, where the moonlight spilled over the snow, casting a silvery reflection. A blurry figure in the snow gradually moved away. He sighed and lay back down. If it weren’t for the enmity between their fathers, his relationship with Ren Jiaoming would have been much simpler—just Ren Jiaoming having betrayed his feelings. After being tangled in this for so long, he knew Ren Jiaoming wanted to make amends and had seen his change. He no longer hated Ren Jiaoming, but he didn’t want to be with him again. The past wounds were like a thorn—once it pricked, it remained.

Chu Shangluo slowly closed his eyes and unknowingly drifted to sleep. Outside, two large wolves curled up quietly in their doghouse, while several brightly colored roosters sat motionless on top of the doghouse. In front of the house was a vast expanse of white land. The fruit and vegetable greenhouses were lined up in the field, each with a lamp pole in front. When the wind blew, the lamps swayed, casting yellowish light and shadows onto the snow.

When the sun rose again, its rays sparkled on the snow, and a rooster crowed loudly. The man inside the small house was awakened by the rooster. Chu Shangluo frowned and shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight. He turned over and closed his eyes again. The smell of food wafted in, and he opened his eyes once more.

In his blurry vision, a man had his back to him, rolling up his sleeves to reveal his bandaged arm, cleaning something at the sink. The morning light fell on him, surrounding him with a bright halo, softening his once-cold demeanor. Watching Ren Jiaoming’s busy figure, Chu Shangluo was momentarily stunned. A man who matched his aesthetic perfectly, cooking a warm breakfast when he was hungry right after waking up—this was a scene he had imagined countless times. He had mentioned it to Ren Jiaoming before, but Ren Jiaoming hadn’t been interested and only ever ordered him takeout. At that time, Chu Shangluo hadn’t pushed him too hard, thinking that things would naturally fall into place if their relationship was right. But they never reached that point.

Chu Shangluo rubbed his brow and sat up. He didn’t expect Ren Jiaoming to be here again. When he had first met Ren Jiaoming, he had seemed like a man with a strong sense of pride and a sharp demeanor. If Chu Shangluo hadn’t used his methods to keep Ren Jiaoming around, Ren Jiaoming would have never looked at him and would have run off long ago.

At that time, he never realized that Ren Jiaoming had this persistent, shameless quality. After all, with such a high and mighty appearance, anyone would think that he had thin skin.

It was only then that Chu Shangluo noticed how warm the room was today. In this small mud house, warmth relied entirely on the stove. When a person fell asleep, the fire would go out, and the room would become so cold that it made people shiver. Every time he stayed here, he was always woken up by the cold. Now, with the stove burning brightly, Chu Shangluo couldn’t help but glance at Ren Jiaoming. There was a bit of coal ash on Ren Jiaoming’s white shirt, and considering his usual obsession with cleanliness, it was remarkable that he had endured it this long.

The small mud house didn’t have a kitchen, only a small electric rice cooker on the little table, serving as a makeshift stove. Ren Jiaoming was slicing vegetables, adding oil, and stir-frying with smooth, efficient movements. This was the first time Chu Shangluo had seen him cook. If it had been his old self, this simple scene would have made him happy for quite a while. He would have even given Ren Jiaoming a house and a car, willing to offer him anything. But now, that feeling was gone. It wasn’t that his heart had hardened; it was that Ren Jiaoming hadn’t wanted it and hadn’t held onto it.

Chu Shangluo got out of bed and went to fetch some cold water. The winter water was chilly, but he had a bad living habit and never heated water. In the past, his secretary would handle that, but now that the secretary wasn’t around, he used the cold water without a second thought. He plunged his hand into the water, and the moment it touched the cold liquid, he shuddered.

Ren Jiaoming frowned slightly, walked over, and placed a thermos down beside him. “I boiled hot water,” he said. Chu Shangluo ignored him, casually washing his hands before stopping. He then looked at Ren Jiaoming, who was standing by. “Don’t bother. I’m not eating the food you made,” he said, then went back to the bed to put on his jacket. Ren Jiaoming, not giving up, came to his side and bent down to hold his hand that was fastening his buttons, lowering his gaze submissively. “Let me do it.”

Chu Shangluo, feeling a bit irritated, shoved him away. “No need.” The atmosphere became tense once more.

Just then, the door was pushed open, and Chu Zong entered, holding a box of takeout. As soon as he saw the freshly stir-fried dishes on the table, his face lit up. “Wow, cousin, you can cook now? Looks good!” He walked over to the dishes, picked up his chopsticks, and took a bite.

Ren Jiaoming stared coldly at Chu Zong. At this moment, Chu Zong didn’t notice the extra person in the room and continued, “This is delicious. The greens are so crisp and flavorful, and the meat is fragrant. Cousin, did you secretly learn to cook?”

He raised his head, only to meet Ren Jiaoming’s cold gaze. His chopsticks dropped, and his mouth snapped shut.

Chu Shangluo walked over and took the box of takeout from Chu Zong’s hands. “If you want to eat these dishes, go ahead. I’ll stick to the takeout.” Chu Zong glanced at Ren Jiaoming, then quickly waved his hand. “Cousin, I’ll eat takeout with you.”

Chu Shangluo didn’t even look up as he opened the takeout box and began eating. After a couple of bites, Chu Zong couldn’t stand it any longer, feeling the sharp, cold gaze of Ren Jiaoming. He quickly made an excuse and left the room.

The room was now left with just Chu Shangluo and Ren Jiaoming.

Ren Jiaoming was silent for a moment before placing the dish in front of Chu Shangluo. “The takeout isn’t nutritious; eat this instead.”

Chu Shangluo didn’t even glance at Ren Jiaoming or the dish. He took a couple more bites of his rice and then suddenly said, “Do you think I should be grateful?” Without waiting for Ren Jiaoming to answer, he continued, “In the past, you never appreciated my kindness. You thought nothing of it, and I was the one who willingly gave it. Now, I think you were right back then. There’s no need for a grateful response from someone who’s willingly giving, so Ren Jiaoming, if you’re expecting this to move me, then forget about it.”

Chu Shangluo got up to leave, but Ren Jiaoming grabbed his arm. “No need to be grateful. I’m willing.”

“I’m not willing.” Chu Shangluo immediately pulled his arm away from Ren Jiaoming’s grasp, turning his gaze away from Ren Jiaoming’s wounded eyes. Unable to contain his frustration, he muttered as he walked out, “Damn it, can’t we just part on good terms?”

Ren Jiaoming stood there, watching Chu Shangluo leave. His eyes were filled with urgency. There were countless things he wanted to say, but no words came out. He didn’t know where to begin and was afraid that if he said the wrong thing, Chu Shangluo would get angry.

*

Chu Shangluo arrived at the company a bit late today. He was usually punctual, but today he was delayed because of Ren Jiaoming. By the time he got to the office, the broken glass door had already been fixed. Only Lin Zhi was there, along with Jiang Jia, who was lounging at his desk. As soon as Jiang Jia saw Chu Shangluo, he quickly gave up his seat. Chu Shangluo sat down and asked Lin Zhi, “Where’s Lu Wen?”

Lin Zhi answered, “His mother is sick, so he took a few days off.”

“Oh,” Chu Shangluo said. “Then you go visit her for me.”

“I’ve already gone.”

Chu Shangluo patted Lin Zhi’s shoulder. “You’re getting to know me better.”

Lin Zhi smiled, his face turning a little red.

Jiang Jia moved another chair and sat next to Chu Shangluo. He said in a sticky, playful voice, “Why don’t you ask me where I’ve been these past couple of days? How come you didn’t look for me?”

Chu Shangluo looked at Jiang Jia’s pale white face. “I thought you got beat up by Ren Jiaoming. Doesn’t look like it, though.”

When Jiang Jia mentioned this, his expression changed. “Of course, I did! That night, he climbed through the window and into my house to threaten me for a long time, saying that the next time it happens, he’ll sew my mouth shut! And what’s even worse, since I was studying, he had the exam proctor keep a special eye on me. I had all my cheat notes ready, but they were all confiscated. I failed over ten subjects! If I don’t pass, I’ll have to repeat the year. I already had to repeat once, and now it looks like I’ll have to do it again. All my roommates are top students, and they’re all competing for the ‘perfect dorm’ title. I’m the only one dragging them down. These past few days, they’ve been taking turns urging me to study, watching me closely every day, getting up at six and going to bed at eleven. If I try to sneak away, they catch me! Reading textbooks every day is torturing me. Don’t you think Ren Jiaoming is a jerk?”

Chu Shangluo looked at Jiang Jia, who was completely frustrated, and patted his shoulder. “I really can’t sympathize with you. You didn’t study properly, you got what you deserved!”

Lin Zhi couldn’t hold back and laughed out loud. Apologetically, he said, “Sorry, Young Master Jiang, I didn’t expect it to be this funny!”

Jiang Jia was about to explode. These two people had no sympathy at all. He grabbed Chu Shangluo’s arm and complained, “Whatever you do, don’t get back together with Ren Jiaoming. He’s bad and sneaky. I’m the best choice, pure and cute!”

Chu Shangluo laughed, all the tension from earlier in the morning melting away. He smiled and pushed Jiang Jia away. “Alright, alright, no more praise. Go on, I have work to do.”

The small office was lively, and Ren Jiaoming silently stood by the window, watching everything. After a long while, he quietly left.

*

The strawberry crisis didn’t last long. The Wen family spread rumors, and Chu Shangluo used the same method to clear his name regarding the strawberries. Several younger members of the Chen family also joined in and actively helped resolve the issue. During this crisis, the younger generation from the Chen family realized that Chu Shangluo was someone they could trust, and as a result, the order volume grew larger. The Chu family stopped selling seafood and switched to selling fruits and vegetables, and this news spread quickly within the industry.

When the Chu family was in decline, some people thought the family would make a comeback, but no one expected it to happen so quickly. Chen and Yu families’ help played a huge part in this. Meanwhile, Yu Company’s position in the business world was becoming increasingly stable. More and more companies wanted to cooperate with Yu, including Wen Zhengyang.

In the past, Wen Zhengyang hadn’t thought highly of Yu, considering it just a wealthy, unpowerful company. But back then, Wen Yan valued Yu, so he didn’t interfere and let his son handle things freely. However, after Wen Yan visited Yu a few times and didn’t secure any business, the Wen family, being financially powerful, didn’t need to cater to anyone. Wen Yan stopped trying to push for deals, and now, with the help of Chu Shangluo, Yu was growing rapidly, blocking his goal of dominating the aquatic industry in Beijing. This created a conflict of interest, forcing Wen Zhengyang to consider Yu’s stance. Was it about making money, or becoming the leader of the business circle? If it was the former, he could offer Yu a few collaborations for mutual benefit. If it was the latter, then Yu would just be the next Chu family.

Wen Zhengyang put down his teacup, his eyes filled with cold determination. The door opened, and a young man walked in. His usual warm smile was gone, replaced with a dark, brooding expression. He said, “Dad, I’m out.”

When the news that Wen Yan was released again reached Chu Shangluo’s ears, he had just handed over the first batch of cherries freshly picked from the greenhouse to Chen Tianyun.

Chen Tianyun was holding the soft little thing and feeding him cherries, but Chu Shangluo had a cold expression on his face, clearly displeased about Wen Yan being released. He took a drag from his cigarette and tossed a cherry at Chen Tianyun. “Are you done with this sweet talk? Let’s get to business. Where else can we get more of the Wen family’s medicine?”

Chen Tianyun quickly caught the cherry and fed it to the person in his arms, but the young man pushed him away and frowned. “I don’t want that one.”

“Alright, let’s try another,” Chu Shangluo took a deep breath. His impatience was obvious.

Chen Tianyun said, “Xiao Chu Ge, don’t get angry. You can’t take out your frustration with Wen Yan on us, can you?”

Chu Shangluo exhaled a puff of smoke, “Bullshit, what does he have to do with this? I know he won’t be inside for long. The Wen family has someone to take the fall for him. They’ve been deeply rooted in the capital for years and have many loyal followers. Without solid evidence, they can’t be brought down.”

“Well, you’re quite impressive yourself. The Wen family doesn’t respect anyone, except you. You’ve really made them suffer. They’ve lost so much money because of you, I’m impressed,” Chen Tianyun thought for a moment before asking curiously, “You want to buy the Wen family’s medicine? For what? That stuff’s really hard to get, and I wouldn’t recommend it. The potency is off the charts.”

The little one in Chen Tianyun’s arms looked at him and immediately turned cold. “How do you know? Have you bought it?”

Chen Tianyun smiled awkwardly. “No, how could I? Why would I do such a thing?”

Chu Shangluo said, “He definitely has. When I first met him, he was in a bar playing with three guys. If he hasn’t bought this kind of medicine, do you believe it?”

“Smack—” Five minutes later, Chen Tianyun had a red handprint on his face as he was kicked out of the hospital room. Chu Shangluo, with a cigarette in his mouth, walked out as if nothing happened.

Chen Tianyun, furious, shouted, “Do you really have to be this ruthless?”

Chu Shangluo didn’t feel guilty at all. “Stop stalling, just tell me. Once you do, I’ll explain to your wife.”

Chen Tianyun sighed. “…”

“The person selling the medicine isn’t named Wen, and it has nothing to do with the Wen family. It’s for people in the industry who like to play around. Usually, it’s a mobile transaction — wherever there’s money and people, they show up. In a few days, Yu’s company is holding a charity gala. He’ll be there too. But here’s my advice: if you want to buy the medicine, the condition is that you have to drink a bottle of the medicine in front of them.”