That night, it suddenly started raining.

Chu Shangluo, who had already been tossing and turning and couldn’t sleep, became even more awake from the sound of the rain. He got out of bed, grabbed a bottle of beer, and sat by the window, watching the torrential downpour. Chu Shangluo sat there in a daze, and his phone rang for a long time before he came to his senses. When he saw the caller ID, he hesitated. The caller was Chu Fan, the patriarch of the Chu family, who had always lived on the island and supported everyone there on his own. At this moment, he didn’t want to face Chu Fan. He had once confidently told Chu Fan that he would ensure that the Chu family members who left the island would have a good life. Now, with the Chu family in trouble, even the relatives who often voiced their complaints about him had chosen to stand by his side.

Now, with the old district facing demolition, he was unable to find them a place to live. The phone rang again, and after one round of ringing, it rang again. Chu Shangluo finally answered, “Fan ge.”

A gentle voice came through the receiver. “Shangluo, I know what’s going on. Tell me what difficulties you’re facing. Don’t try to bear it all alone.”

Chu Shangluo took a sip of beer. “There’s nothing too difficult.”

Chu Fan sighed. “Don’t I know you? You always try to be strong. The problems with the Chu family aren’t just your issue, it’s mine too. Even though I’m on the island, I’m not without resources. I still have some money.”

Chu Shangluo smiled. “Forget it. You keep that money for your retirement.”

“Don’t underestimate me. I’m really good at saving money, and Yang Yang can earn money too. You know he’s a celebrity, even though he’s retired from the entertainment industry, he still has popularity. He’s especially good at promoting products. If you need anything promoted on your side, just let us know.”

Chu Shangluo nodded. “Alright, if I need anything, I’ll definitely ask you.”

Chu Fan hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Shangluo, haven’t your parents come back from abroad yet?”

Chu Shangluo gripped the beer bottle tightly. “No.”

“Seriously, this is too much! Grandpa had already said he’s stubborn, and I didn’t believe it before, but now I do. Shangluo, don’t feel bad. When I get back, I’ll teach him a lesson.”

Chu Shangluo’s eyes reddened, and he smiled. “Sure, Fan ge, show him the authority of the patriarch.”

“Of course. Shangluo, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Business is like that; even though I don’t understand much, I know ups and downs are normal. If you have any difficulties, just tell me. Also, Yang Yang’s older brother, Cheng Li, you know him, right? He runs some talent agency or something. If you need someone for advertisements or endorsements, go to Cheng Li. With our connection, he won’t turn you down.”

Chu Shangluo blinked, his eyes sore. “Alright.”

After the call ended, it was already past midnight, and the rain was still falling. Chu Shangluo felt around for a cigarette and realized he had run out. He searched the house but couldn’t find any. However, he really wanted to smoke at that moment. Without hesitation, he put on his coat and went downstairs to buy some cigarettes.

By the time he left the convenience store, the rain had gotten heavier. Chu Shangluo hadn’t brought an umbrella when he went downstairs, but to him, this amount of rain wasn’t a big deal. He walked slowly in the rain, holding the newly bought cigarettes and beer. As he walked, he tried to light a cigarette, but no matter how many times he tried, it wouldn’t light, which made him feel frustrated.

When Chu Shangluo reached downstairs, a familiar black car was parked at the entrance of the building. The window was open, and the interior of the car was so dark that nothing could be seen clearly.

Chu Shangluo stopped in his tracks, staring hard at the car. He was very familiar with this car, having ridden in it for several months. His fists tightened, and he controlled the impulse to kick the car—he knew that would be childish. There was no need to get into a conflict with a car.

He ignored the vehicle and took a few steps back. But just as he passed by, the car door suddenly opened, and in the next moment, a hand reached out and pulled him inside the car. With a “click,” all the doors locked automatically.

Chu Shangluo threw the beer at Ren Jiaoming, who was sitting inside, and angrily shouted, “Ren Jiaoming, what the hell are you doing here in the middle of the night, dragging me into this car?”

Chu Shangluo had been suppressing his anger towards Ren Jiaoming. He had been comforting himself, telling himself that the best way to forget someone was to remain indifferent to them. But now, after all the restraint, his temper flared. How could Ren Jiaoming do this to him? His emotions, which had been tightly wound, snapped in that moment. He had been looking for an outlet for his anger, and now he finally had one.

In the chaos, Ren Jiaoming took a few punches, but he quickly recovered, grabbing Chu Shangluo’s hands and pinning him down in the seat, taking deep breaths to keep him from moving.

“Let go of me!” Chu Shangluo struggled.

Ren Jiaoming tightened his grip on Chu Shangluo’s wrists, his cold body pressing against Chu Shangluo’s damp chest, using all his strength to keep him still. Chu Shangluo, unable to match Ren Jiaoming’s strength, stopped moving but cursed, “What the hell are you doing? Why is Wen Yan sending you to kidnap me? I can’t even think of anything that would make me worth kidnapping. What the hell do you think I’m worth?”

Ren Jiaoming lowered his eyes, holding Chu Shangluo’s burning wrists, his chest gently rising and falling. Chu Shangluo saw that Ren Jiaoming was silent, which made him even angrier. He snapped, “Can you speak? What, have you gone mute?”

Ren Jiaoming stared at Chu Shangluo’s eyes, which were red with rage. His lips, which had been tightly pressed together, parted slightly, and he spoke softly, “Just passing by.”

“Passing by?” Chu Shangluo retorted angrily. “If you were just passing by, why the hell did you pull me into the car?”

Ren Jiaoming looked at the rainwater slowly dripping down Chu Shangluo’s head, suppressing the strange pain in his heart. He replied flatly, “Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Chu Shangluo stared at Ren Jiaoming’s stern face, still holding him down, and he couldn’t believe Ren Jiaoming could be so indifferent. “Do we look like there’s nothing going on? Let go of me! Let me out!”

Chu Shangluo struggled again, pulling Ren Jiaoming, who was half-kneeling in the driver’s seat, all the way over. Ren Jiaoming’s body pressed down completely on top of Chu Shangluo, and his head was forced against the car door. For a moment, their bodies tangled, and their breaths intertwined.

Chu Shangluo’s damp shirt soaked into Ren Jiaoming’s pristine white shirt. The contrasting temperatures, one hot, one cold, made Chu Shangluo feel a bit dizzy. The sensation reminded him of how their skin had felt in bed.

He looked into Ren Jiaoming’s cold eyes, wondering if he was dreaming. After all, Ren Jiaoming had only ever been the one to restrain him in his dreams.

Suddenly, the rain outside intensified. The cold rain hitting the car window splashed onto Chu Shangluo’s face, instantly waking him up. He pulled his hand free, angrily trying to push Ren Jiaoming away. “What the hell do you want to do? Can you just say something?”

Chu Shangluo’s face turned from red to pale with anger. The rain on his hair slowly slid into his eyes, and as he struggled, some of the rainwater fell, making it seem as though he was crying.

Ren Jiaoming stared at the droplet of water that slid from the corner of Chu Shangluo’s eye, and he didn’t avoid the punch that came next. The blow landed on his chest, and he grabbed Chu Shangluo’s hand, the pain causing him to open his mouth. “I brought you in to avoid the rain.”

Chu Shangluo furrowed his brow. “Ren Jiaoming, do you have some kind of illness??? Avoid the rain? Look with your eyes—I’m less than ten steps away from home! It’s past midnight, and you drive by my neighborhood and pull me into the car to avoid rain? Are you sick? If you’re crazy, go lose your mind somewhere else, don’t drag me into this. I’m tired, I’m going home to sleep.”

Ren Jiaoming remained silent.

Chu Shangluo couldn’t stand Ren Jiaoming’s silence—it frustrated him to no end, making him even more irritable. “How long are you going to keep me like this?”

Ren Jiaoming didn’t know how long he wanted to keep pressing Chu Shangluo like this. He suppressed the urge to continue, slowly released his grip, and sat up straight.

“Such an insane person!” Chu Shangluo cursed as he picked up the beer and cigarettes that had fallen in the car. At this time, he didn’t want to waste his precious time with Ren Jiaoming. He reached for the car door to open it but couldn’t.

“Open the door.”

Ren Jiaoming looked out the window at the torrential rain. “It’s too heavy, let’s wait until the rain stops.”

Chu Shangluo’s temper flared again. “It’s heavy? I don’t care, open the door!”

Ren Jiaoming didn’t even blink, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere. He slowly spoke, “The lock is broken. It won’t open.”

Chu Shangluo stared at him, stunned. “…Ren Jiaoming, are you kidding me? Did you break it on purpose?”

“No,” Ren Jiaoming replied.

Chu Shangluo moved closer to him, trying to unlock the door himself. He refused to believe the lock could be broken! But no matter how many times he pressed the unlock button, there was no response.

Ren Jiaoming looked at Chu Shangluo, who was almost leaning into him, and spoke indifferently. “It’s been broken for a while. It can only lock, not open. We need to take it to the garage.”

Chu Shangluo gritted his teeth and yanked Ren Jiaoming by the collar. “Then why the hell did you lock it earlier?! Are you really insane?!”

Ren Jiaoming pushed Chu Shangluo’s hand away without saying a word.

Chu Shangluo kicked the car door twice, but the car didn’t respond. Was he really going to be stuck here all night? The thought of spending the night with Ren Jiaoming made him seethe. If this had happened before, he might have thought it was an opportunity to bond—two single men on a rainy night, a perfect chance for emotions to heat up. But now, all he felt was displeasure. He didn’t want to spend even one more second with Ren Jiaoming. Ren Jiaoming’s presence only reminded him of his painful past, of the situation he was in now—because of Ren Jiaoming and Wen Yan. It was like a slap in the face of a proud person.

“Where’s your phone? Call the police. Or go to the fire department yourself.”

Ren Jiaoming was silent for a moment. “My phone’s dead. The car’s out of fuel.”

“You’re fucking kidding me…”

Ren Jiaoming began to feign deafness.

Chu Shangluo lit a cigarette, telling himself not to get angry—it wasn’t worth it. Ren Jiaoming was just someone who wouldn’t be moved by anything. At worst, he’d sit there all night and see what Ren Jiaoming was up to. Soon, the car was filled with smoke. Ren Jiaoming frowned in discomfort, but Chu Shangluo didn’t even look at him. At this moment, Chu Shangluo did as he pleased, smoking when he wanted, drinking when he wanted. He no longer had to accommodate anyone.

The atmosphere in the car was unusually silent. Ren Jiaoming silently stared out the window, unsure how he ended up here. He had just wanted to drive to clear his mind, but without realizing it, his car had ended up below Chu Shangluo’s building. He kept staring at the dimly lit window. Then the rain began to fall. When he was about to leave, he saw Chu Shangluo. Chu Shangluo had just come out of the convenience store, dressed casually without an umbrella, and trying to light a cigarette but unable to. In that moment, Ren Jiaoming thought he looked very lonely. His heart hurt terribly, and in a flash of heat, he pulled Chu Shangluo into the car. But what was he supposed to do after that? What was he going to say? He hadn’t thought about it. This kind of impulse was something he had never experienced in over twenty years.

Even now, Ren Jiaoming didn’t know what to say to Chu Shangluo, especially since they had nothing to talk about. Chu Shangluo didn’t bother looking at Ren Jiaoming. He smoked, then opened a bottle of beer, drinking and smoking. The car quickly became filled with smoke, and he ended up drinking enough to fall asleep.

Ren Jiaoming rolled down the window to let the smoke out, then reclined Chu Shangluo’s seat, making him more comfortable. He also covered his damp body with a spare suit from the car. Chu Shangluo tilted his head slightly, his hair falling to cover his eyes. Ren Jiaoming stared at him without blinking, wondering if Chu Shangluo’s hair had grown longer.

The next morning, Ren Jiaoming woke up, glanced at the still-sleeping Chu Shangluo, then drove to a nearby garage at the entrance of the community. The sun had risen, and light flooded the entire city. The mechanic came to open the door, and a beam of light shone on Chu Shangluo’s face. He furrowed his brow and murmured in his sleep. Ren Jiaoming quickly blocked the light with his hand, and Chu Shangluo’s frown relaxed.

Looking at Chu Shangluo’s pale face, Ren Jiaoming thought for a moment, then got out of the car and bought some steamed buns and hot porridge from a nearby breakfast shop. The mechanic didn’t see whether the person in the passenger seat was a man or a woman, but seeing Ren Jiaoming being so considerate, he smiled, “So thoughtful. Your girlfriend is lucky.”

Ren Jiaoming paused for a moment, then said, “No.”

The mechanic took the money and left. Ren Jiaoming stared at the buns and porridge in his hands, his eyes flickering with a hint of light, and his sprained right wrist began to hurt again.

Chu Shangluo had slept somewhat uncomfortably. When he opened his eyes, he felt something hot in his hand. Looking down, he saw a cup of hot porridge and soft white buns. He didn’t quite react at first. Ren Jiaoming’s gaze remained fixed on the outside, his thoughts unreadable.

He coldly said, “Get out of the car.”

Chu Shangluo blinked. “Huh?”

But he still groggily got out of the car, feeling a bit confused. How did he end up in Ren Jiaoming’s car?

Then the car door slammed shut with a “bang” and the car sped off. Chu Shangluo stood in the cold morning wind, taking quite a while to snap out of it. Early in the morning, Ren Jiaoming had already gotten him so angry—was Ren Jiaoming sick? He was still wearing Ren Jiaoming’s coat and holding the buns and porridge that Ren Jiaoming had bought for him. In his frustration, he threw the coat on the ground and stomped on it a few times. He gave the breakfast to the mechanic at the garage.

On the way back, Ren Jiaoming tried to suppress the fluttering in his heart. That night had made him realize something: whether it was pulling Chu Shangluo into the car, locking the doors, or those instinctive, considerate actions, he had thought they were just habits formed over the past few months. But just now, he understood what those actions really meant. Ren Jiaoming tried to control himself, to suppress these feelings. He instinctively avoided facing them. He wouldn’t see Chu Shangluo again.

After Chu Shangluo went back, he caught up on some more sleep. Ren Jiaoming was too bizarre; he suspected something might be wrong with his brain. That day, he continued searching for a place suitable for the Chu family to live. He went to many places around Beijing—either the price wasn’t right, or the location was wrong. Finally, he found a place that seemed suitable, only to discover it was in the Wen family’s residential complex. Chu Shangluo felt disgusted and kicked the plaque standing at the entrance, then walked away.

The next day, Chu Shangluo went to the dock to wait for the Cruise ship to arrive. The last person who had accompanied him to this dock was Ren Jiaoming, but now, it was Lin Zhi following him. When the cruise ship arrived, Chu Shangluo threw his cigarette away, and Lin Zhi frowned and said, “Boss, have you been smoking too much lately? Your clothes even smell like it.”

Chu Shangluo sniffed his coat. “Is there? No, there’s nothing.”

Lin Zhi sighed, but didn’t press the issue. Chu Shangluo walked onto the cruise ship. Wherever he went, he was the center of attention. In the past, people talked about his abilities, his wealth, and his appearance. Now, they were talking about his downfall, waiting for his misfortune. Chu Shangluo had gotten used to it. No matter how down he was, he was still better than those rich and useless young masters in the corners, drinking and gambling.

He smiled confidently, ignoring the gazes of others as he sat down. However, the murmurs soon grew louder, and the crowd’s attention shifted to the two new arrivals. Wen Yan entered with a smile on his face, followed by the cold-faced Ren Jiaoming. Recently, the three main characters in Beijing’s biggest gossip had all gathered. The young masters eagerly cracked sunflower seeds, waiting to watch the drama unfold.