The corridor fell into a deathly silence.

To be honest, this scene was somewhat absurd, especially from Yu Nian’s perspective.

But his ex-lover’s expression was even more unpleasant than his. Staring at the disheveled little duckling, he seemed to scare the person even more, who tightened the bathrobe and hid behind him.

If one didn’t know, they might think he was fooling around outside and got caught by the main husband.

Qi Wang scrutinized the person wrapped in the bathrobe from head to toe, then looked at Yu Nian, his eyes suddenly softened.

His voice was hoarse as he said, “I just heard someone talking outside, it sounded like your voice. I thought I was mistaken. I didn’t expect it to be you.”

Yu Nian sneered, “Your ears are quite sharp.”

His face was also lost, but he wasn’t in a hurry to return to the room. Anyway, there were only two suites on the top floor, one for him and one for Qi Wang, and no one else would come.

He didn’t want to entertain this little duckling, but facing Qi Wang’s icy face, he inexplicably put his hand on the other’s waist.

The little duckling was startled, looking at him with confusion, but fortunately, the person wasn’t stupid and didn’t say anything more.

Yu Nian’s lips curled slightly as he politely said, “Sorry for disturbing you. This kid is with me for the first time, still not very sensible. We had a little quarrel. Did we disturb you?”

His words were frivolous and suave, like an experienced player in the field of romance.

The person in his arms was only wearing a bathrobe, although taller than him, but obediently leaned against him, looking more like a piece of ironclad evidence.

Qi Wang’s face turned even paler.

The soundproofing of this hotel was good; he hadn’t heard Yu Nian’s conversation just now, so naturally, he didn’t know that Yu Nian was just trying to drive someone away.

Looking at the young man in front of him, he seemed naive and innocent, as fresh and tempting as a ripe strawberry.

Over the years, he had seen many tabloid news about Yu Nian.

Yu Nian seemed to never have a long-term partner, but the scandals never stopped, either a beautiful little star or a model from the fashion industry.

He knew in his heart that there was no reason for Yu Nian to wait for him all these years after he left.

When they broke up back then, he hoped Yu Nian would forget him soon, find a considerate lover who matched his status, and grow old together.

But seeing Yu Nian holding someone else in his arms now, a hint of sweet and sour taste surged up in his throat.

He said to Yu Nian, “How come you like this type now? What sincerity can this person have towards you? If you want to be in a relationship with someone, there are all kinds of people out there, why choose someone like this?”

He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pain. “You don’t deserve this kind of person,” he added, “I want to see you cherished and cared for, kept close to someone’s heart forever like a bright pearl, not like this, cold as snow on a high mountain, devoid of any warmth yet lingering amidst the flowers, unrestrained.”

Yu Nian almost laughed.

“Qi Wang, are you crazy?” he asked, “You’re just my ex-boyfriend, not even official yet, and you’re here to lecture me. What does it have to do with you who I sleep with?”

His mouth curved with a cold sarcasm.

Yet, his gaze paused on Qi Wang’s face, filled with longing.

Eight years had passed, and Qi Wang was even more handsome and captivating than when he was young.

The naive youth had become even colder and more distinguished over the years, with an extraordinary demeanor, like the moon in the sky, the mirror in the water, not meant for this world.

Yet Yu Nian couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic for the expression of helplessness on Qi Wang’s face.

He felt weary of this situation, but Qi Wang’s presence prevented him from expressing his frustration.

He taunted, “Mr. Qi, mind your own business. Your desperate appearance makes it seem like you’re jealous, as if you want to climb into my bed.”

As he spoke, he took the little duckling into the room, raising an eyebrow before closing the door with a bang, locking it.

Inside and outside the door were two different worlds.

As soon as he entered the room, the arrogant demeanor he had been maintaining began to fade away.

He released the person in his arms and whispered, “Go sit over there.”

The little duckling dared not provoke him, obediently sitting on the nearby sofa.

But he sneakily glanced at Yu Nian.

Yu Nian stood motionless in front of the door, gently raising his hand and placing it on the door as if wanting to touch someone through it.

Despite his previous arrogance, he now looked like a bird with wet feathers, appearing lonely and forlorn.

After a while, Yu Nian turned around wearily, slowly making his way to the sofa.

He looked at the person opposite him, realizing that after this scene, the little duckling would definitely not leave tonight.

He asked, “What’s your name?”

“Li Lai.”

A name neither rustic nor elegant, just ordinary.

Yu Nian nodded. “Li Lai, you can stay here, but you’re not allowed on my bed. You can sleep on the sofa. Also, when you go back, remember to tell your boss that I’m not interested in you, and I didn’t ask for you. Got it?”

Li Lai’s expression hinted at tears, but he dared not resist, nodding obediently.

Yu Nian felt irritated and didn’t feel like sleeping. He sat on the sofa lost in thought, wondering what he was thinking.

He glanced at Li Lai a few times, feeling strangely familiar with his face.

Suddenly he asked, “Have I seen you before?”

He felt it was unlikely, what connection could he have with this little duckling?

But soon, he saw Li Lai nodding.

Li Lai’s voice was very low, cautious. “Last year, at your company’s advertisement shoot, I was one of the models, but just a very marginal supporting role. But you asked for my name at the scene.”

Yu Nian furrowed his brows, having no recollection, but when Li Lai timidly raised his eyes, he suddenly remembered.

Ah… it was like this.

Yu Nian felt absurd.

He remembered that he asked for Li Lai’s name because, in the moment when Li Lai looked up at him, there was a trace of Qi Wang’s shadow.

But when the entire face was raised, he was disappointed.

That trace of a shadow vanished.

This was a face as innocent as a little white rabbit’s. Beyond the professional performance on camera, Li Lai himself was soft and easy to handle.

So he didn’t take another look and quickly forgot about it.

But who would have thought that this person would end up at his bedside.

He felt a twinge of guilt. “Was it because of this that you were sent here?”

Surely not.

But then he saw Li Lai nodding again.

Li Lai still looked like someone easily manipulated, speaking softly, “Our boss said you might remember me, so… he let me come find you…” He spoke even more quietly, almost curling up, “Then somehow I was brought to Mr. Huang, and then Mr. Huang sent me here.”

Yu Nian’s mouth twitched, completely unable to understand the convoluted relationship.

It sounded like Li Lai’s company was simply a scam.

Totally unreliable.

Even if it wasn’t him, this little cabbage would probably be sent somewhere else.

He pursed his lips, feeling a rare twinge of sympathy. “You shouldn’t have been coerced, okay? I’m not interested in you at all, and besides, do you think climbing into someone’s bed is a good thing?”

He sighed, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and lit it slowly.

Qi Wang used to forbid him from smoking, but now he held a cigarette between his fingers, and even his eyes had a hint of charm amidst the thin smoke.

It made the little bird across from him blush and flutter.

He said to Li Lai, “There’s a lot of chaos in this circle. With no skills, no scheming, and no background like you, it’s not necessarily easy to hold onto a wealthy patron. Even those who end up being played are plentiful. You’re lucky to run into me today. Don’t think this is a good path. Your talent is not bad. You should be able to make a name for yourself as a model.”

This was the truth.

The models he had seen were like water flowing by. Whether they could handle this job, the designers could still tell.

Li Lai hung his head dejectedly. “I know, but I really need work and money.”

He looked at Yu Nian with a pleading expression. “Can’t you…”

“No,” Yu Nian interrupted swiftly, but then hesitated, weighing the truth of these words, “Why do you need money? Don’t tell me it’s another story about a poor family member being sick…”

This kind of lie happened every year.

But soon he shut up.

He saw Li Lai’s face clearly showing sadness, softly explaining, “My younger sister is really sick.”

He seemed to know that Yu Nian wouldn’t believe him, so he silently took out his phone and handed it to him to see.

There was a little girl lying on the hospital bed, looking about fifteen or sixteen years old.

Yu Nian fell silent all of a sudden.

Alright.

After encountering so many scams, finally, there was something real.

His voice softened a bit, “What illness does your sister have?”

Li Lai sighed, “Leukemia.”

The two looked at each other in silence for a moment.

Li Lai forced a smile again, somewhat stiffly, “Actually, the surgery fee is almost enough, it’s just the postoperative care and such. And I also want to earn some extra money, just in case, so I can’t stop working…”

Yu Nian quietly raised his hand, “Alright, don’t say anymore.”

He stood up, preparing to go back to his room to sleep.

But before going in, he saw Li Lai’s disappointed face again, looking up at him.

He thought, money is indeed a good thing.

It can solve a hundred worries.

Back then, Qi Wang left him because of money, and now there’s another poor little flower that’s being manipulated because of money.

Really… it’s frustrating.

For a moment, he somehow, suddenly absent-mindedly thought, what if he had proposed to take care of Qi Wang back then? Although he might have been beaten up by his siblings, would they have had a different ending?

Thinking about it, he found it ridiculous and chuckled to himself.

Li Lai was puzzled, not understanding what was going on with Mr. Yu, still looking at him expectantly.

Yu Nian sighed, saying to Li Lai, “I won’t let you follow me, but you helped me tonight. You helped me get rid of my ex-boyfriend. Tomorrow, I’ll have my secretary give you some overnight expenses. I have a charity fund specifically for helping orphans or seriously ill children under my name. You can hand over the information to my secretary, and I’ll have her take care of it.”

He sighed, “You’re still young, I don’t know if you’re even twenty yet. Since you managed to gather the money for the surgery, it’s not worth rushing into everything for temporary worries. You should terminate the contract with that unreliable company of yours as soon as possible.”

After saying that, he gently closed the door.

The room returned to quietness.

Li Lai sat alone in the living room, dazed for a while, then slowly hugged himself.

Back in his room, Yu Nian actually didn’t feel sleepy either.

He couldn’t help but think that Qi Wang was just a wall away. He didn’t know why, but his heart felt like it was burning, uncomfortably hot.

He even remembered when he was eighteen or nineteen, lying in Qi Wang’s arms watching movies. The air conditioner was on high, but he was eating ice cream.

He couldn’t remember the brand of the ice cream, it was just bought from a convenience store, twenty-eight yuan for one, the cheapest he ever had, but not for Qi Wang, Qi Wang would buy three or four for him without frowning.

Yu Nian tossed and turned restlessly, not understanding why he still remembered these details.

He had been like this for so many years.

Hating yet not completely hating.

Forgetting yet not completely forgetting.

But as for love, there wasn’t much left.

^[1]Author’s Note:

It’s not a warm moment, it’s obviously impossible for Yu Nian and Qi Wang to sleep together at once… it needs a little stimulation to push things forward.