Chapter 21

Song Wenzhou became calm as he thought about it. He took a deep breath and slowly said the cruel words: “You think I’m indifferent, but I’m tired of your enthusiasm.”

“I don’t believe it,” Mu Chi said anxiously. “Can’t I just tell you what I’ve been busy with? These past few days, I’ve been…”

Song Wenzhou interrupted him: “Mu Chi, forget it. I’m tired.”

“What…” Mu Chi froze, and the grip he had on Song Wenzhou’s arms loosened.

Song Wenzhou endured the pain and guilt in his heart, taking the opportunity to break free from Mu Chi’s embrace. He walked over to the wardrobe and continued packing his things.

Looking around, there were many clothes and pants in the wardrobe, all the same style but different sizes, custom-made by Mu Chi. Many of them had never been worn.

Song Wenzhou avoided them and only took the few sets he often wore, casually tossing the shirts he normally folded neatly into his suitcase without organizing them.

During this time, Mu Chi stood there in a daze, watching his busy back. Song Wenzhou’s eyes stung with tears, but he dared not turn around, so he couldn’t tell what expression Mu Chi had at that moment.

When Song Wenzhou finished packing and squatted down to close the suitcase, he caught a glimpse of Mu Chi shifting his feet in his peripheral vision, but in the end, he didn’t step forward.

Afterward, Song Wenzhou grabbed the suitcase and left the room. When he reached the hallway and grabbed the doorknob, Mu Chi, barefoot, chased after him hesitantly and called out, “Zhouzhou…”

Song Wenzhou paused but ultimately steeled himself and opened the door, walking out.

During the elevator ride to the underground parking lot, he remained tense the entire time.

It wasn’t until he sat in the car, hands gripping the steering wheel, staring blankly at the open space ahead, that he regained his composure and started the car, driving out of the parking lot.

On the quiet streets in the middle of the night, with few cars and pedestrians, Song Wenzhou kept his lips pressed tightly together. Occasionally, he glanced at the rearview mirror and caught sight of a familiar black Audi.

His expression shifted slightly as he blinked and turned the car.

No matter how fast or slow he drove, the Audi kept a steady distance behind him, as if… escorting him, until his car entered the neighborhood.

—

Song Wenzhou gently swirled the drink in his cup, smiling lightly as he answered Xu Chu’s question: “No reason. If it doesn’t feel right, we just break up.”

“You’re bullshitting me,” Xu Chu clearly didn’t believe it. “You two tried for so many years and just realized it doesn’t work? Why didn’t you figure this out sooner?”

Song Wenzhou stared at his cup in silence. Xu Chu didn’t understand, and he hadn’t expected him to.

“Alright, I get it.” Xu Chu scoffed.

“Get what?” Song Wenzhou lifted his eyelids and asked.

“You two are just a couple having a petty argument, showing off your love,” Xu Chu said with a look of disdain, “And you’ll make up in a few days.”

Song Wenzhou thought to himself, this person must be crazy. Who would show off their love by having an argument? And he wasn’t having an argument with Mu Chi.

He tilted his head back and drank the beverage in one go, reaching for the wine bottle in front of Xu Chu.

“Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?” Xu Chu quickly stopped him, moving the wine bottle away. “You can’t drink. If I bring you to a bar and mess up your stomach, wouldn’t Mu Chi kill me?”

Song Wenzhou frowned. “Why does it matter? I just want to try.”

Xu Chu sneered. “Of course, you can not care. Anyway, it’s me Mu Chi wants to kill, not you.”

“Being a murderer is illegal,” Song Wenzhou said calmly. “Mu Chi wouldn’t do something like that.”

“…” Xu Chu scoffed. “You really know him well.”

Song Wenzhou scratched his nose, still wanting to grab the bottle.

Xu Chu helplessly said, “You still have to drive me back to the hotel later.”

“I can call a driver,” Song Wenzhou replied.

Xu Chu stared at him in silence.

“Fine,” Song Wenzhou finally gave up. “If you don’t want me to drink, then I won’t.”

He had work tomorrow, and drinking would only cause trouble.

At 10:30 in the evening, Song Wenzhou drove Xu Chu back to the hotel.

Xu Chu lazily leaned on the passenger seat, sighing. “The nightlife hasn’t even started, and we’re already going back to sleep. At this rate, you’ll never meet a romantic encounter.”

Song Wenzhou looked ahead and smiled. “Is your back not hurting anymore?”

“Pain is nothing compared to pleasure,” Xu Chu grinned mischievously. “You could try it too. You’ve been holding back for many days, haven’t you?”

Song Wenzhou directly ignored the latter part of his sentence and said, “Be careful, or you’ll get sick.”

Xu Chu waved him off. “I’m not stupid. Not just anyone can get into my bed. I need a healthy body to have fun for a few more years.”

“You…” Song Wenzhou hesitated, then sighed. “Forget it, never mind.”

He wanted Xu Chu to settle down and find a steady partner, but then realized everyone has different goals. Xu Chu, as he said, was no fool, and Song Wenzhou, as an outsider, shouldn’t try to dictate things.

In fact, people like Xu Chu were the majority in their circle. He was glad he met Mu Chi early and never got involved in that world, avoiding all kinds of messy people.

When they reached the hotel, Song Wenzhou stopped the car at the corner, but Xu Chu didn’t get out immediately.

“What’s wrong?” Song Wenzhou asked, puzzled.

Xu Chu didn’t respond, his face showing some hesitation. Song Wenzhou looked confused. “What’s going on with you?”

“I’ve always been for breakups, not making up,” Xu Chu said.

Song Wenzhou: “So?”

Xu Chu continued, “I don’t really like Mu Chi either.”

Song Wenzhou chuckled, “If you liked him, that would be strange.”

Xu Chu glanced at him and said, “But, aside from being a little overprotective, there’s really nothing to criticize about him.”

He added, “Of course, this is just what I see. The truth is something only you two know.”

Song Wenzhou stopped smiling and simply muttered, “It’s my fault, I’m not good enough.”

“I’m not saying this to make you dwell on the problem,” Xu Chu said seriously, which was rare for him. “I’m saying you two spent so many years apart, and now that you finally got back together, don’t let a moment of impulse make you regret it.”

Song Wenzhou turned his head and looked out the window.

“Ugh…” Xu Chu rubbed his arm. “Why am I saying such cheesy things? I’m leaving. Think it over yourself.”

After saying that, Xu Chu pushed open the car door and went into the hotel without looking back.

Even after pressing the button for the elevator, Xu Chu couldn’t believe he had just said that. He, who had always dismissed love as nonsense, had just tried to advise Song Wenzhou and Mu Chi to reconcile. Was he crazy? Maybe men had too little to do and their brains weren’t working right.

So, Xu Chu turned around and left the hotel, hailing a cab to the city’s most famous nightclub.

Meanwhile, Song Wenzhou, deeply troubled, drove home, almost habitually heading to the place he used to live.

Before bed, he pulled back the curtains and looked down, but he didn’t see Mu Chi’s car.

Song Wenzhou felt conflicted. Part of him wanted to see Mu Chi, but another part thought they shouldn’t be like this now that they had broken up.

Lying in bed that night, Song Wenzhou crossed his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling, his mind in chaos.

His usually sharp mind, whether for studying or work, couldn’t make sense of things.

He was afraid that dragging things out would make Mu Chi feel unworthy of love, that Mu Chi would regret his decision. So, when they had relationship problems, he impulsively ended it.

But what Xu Chu said made sense. After so many years, they finally got together, and he cherished that.

He had to admit that the words he said about breaking up that night were impulsive. Now, regardless of whether he regretted it or not, he truly felt guilty.

He remembered the panic on Mu Chi’s face in that moment, the desperate plea afterward. Every time he thought about it, Song Wenzhou’s heart ached.

If only he had listened to Mu Chi and let his feelings be known, no matter the outcome, they wouldn’t have ended up like this.

He hadn’t dared to think deeply about their time apart, but after listening to Xu Chu, he calmed down and realized that he had convinced himself that breaking up was for Mu Chi’s good when, in fact, it was just an excuse for him to avoid it.

Mu Chi had treated him so well over the years, but as soon as Mu Chi showed any dissatisfaction, he couldn’t stand it.

If he truly wanted what was best for Mu Chi, he should have let Mu Chi make his own choice, not said things that would hurt him even more.

Song Wenzhou closed his eyes in pain. Mu Chi had been right. He was spoiled and arrogant, thinking only of himself.

But now, what was he supposed to do?

As he felt a headache coming on, his phone on the bedside table rang. He turned over, grabbed it, and saw a voice message from Xu Chu.

“Dear, just treat what I said earlier as drunken nonsense, don’t take it too seriously. Do whatever you think is right. I trust that you’ve always been very rational.”

Song Wenzhou listened to it in a daze for a while.

Mu Chi had also said he was rational, but was he really?

Actually, there had been times when he wasn’t rational at all.