Li Wenshui stood frozen in place, his expression confused.

Mr. Liang half-closed his eyelids, his fingers lightly tapping the agarwood table: “The work in the ancestral hall isn’t quite suitable for you.”

“Not suitable for me? What does that mean?” A gust of wind rushed through the corridor, blowing away the heat from Li Wenshui’s body. He didn’t understand how it wasn’t suitable. Every day, he wiped the spiritual tablets by hand, and after finishing so many, his hands would be sore. He swept the courtyard twice a day, and on rainy days, he had to use a small bucket to scoop out the accumulated water again and again. He had clearly done well.

Light rain fell, and the flowers Li Wenshui had tended in the courtyard recently swayed and bloomed in the wind. This morning, when Mr. Liang passed by Liang Jin’s courtyard, he happened to see Liang Jin being intimate with Li Wenshui, which made him realize the nature of their relationship. Usually, Liang Jin’s romantic entanglements didn’t bother him, so he turned a blind eye. But taking care of the ancestral hall was a big matter. The Liang family had traditions and ancestral rules; the ancestors certainly wouldn’t tolerate a man with an unclear relationship with the family’s eldest grandson handling the ancestral hall.

“Xiao Li, I know you’re a diligent and good child. You’ve taken care of the ancestral hall very well, but…” Mr. Liang saw the injury on Li Wenshui’s face, and as he turned the Buddhist beads in his hand, he couldn’t bring himself to be too harsh. “It’s just that your destiny doesn’t quite align with the work in the ancestral hall.”

In reality, Li Wenshui’s fate was actually very compatible with the Liang family’s, even beneficial to them. If it weren’t for his disobedient grandson bullying people, why would he be chasing him away?

Li Wenshui bit his lower lip. He didn’t understand the concept of “fate” and didn’t know why something that seemed suitable at the beginning was suddenly unsuitable. Wasn’t it just cleaning the ancestral hall? Who couldn’t do it? Just because of such superstitious reasoning, he could be summoned and dismissed at will, and he didn’t even have the right to refuse? Was this the arrogance of the rich?

After all, Mr. Liang was a person who practiced kindness in remembrance of hardship, and he didn’t want to completely close the door on Li Wenshui. Looking at the flowers blooming throughout the courtyard, he said, “If you’re willing, you can occasionally come over and tend to these flowers for me. The pay is a little less than the work in the ancestral hall, but the time is much more flexible.”

Li Wenshui’s dim eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope. “How much less is it?”

Mr. Liang glanced at the butler, who approached Li Wenshui with a labor contract. Li Wenshui looked at the salary on the contract, which was 3,000 yuan less than the job at the ancestral hall, but the benefit was that he only needed to come to the old house three times a week. “Okay, I accept.” Li Wenshui took the pen and quickly signed the contract. Although the pay was less, making him work harder, Li Wenshui was used to thinking about the positive side of things. At least now he wouldn’t be overwhelmed, and he would have more time to spend with his sister and make cakes.

The butler took the contract and handed Li Wenshui an umbrella. Li Wenshui took the umbrella and left. Mr. Liang poured hot tea and gazed at the water dripping from the eaves, sighing, “That little brat Liang Jin has his hands on everyone, making me have to find someone again. After looking at so many birth charts, Xiao Li was the best match, but why does he have to be involved in such a shameful relationship? Sigh! He’s really troublesome, always giving me a headache!”

Li Wenshui stood outside, opening the umbrella. He could clearly hear Mr. Liang’s words. He walked into the rain, and in the past, he had thought that as long as he was connected to Liang Jin, he could gain some benefits just by being associated with him. But now, this secret relationship not only hadn’t brought him any benefits, but it had also cost him a job. Li Wenshui suddenly felt that being this secret lover was a bit frustrating.

As the sun set, Li Wenshui pushed open the door to the ancestral hall. The room that was dark when he left was now lit. Li Wenshui set down the umbrella at the door and, as he turned around, collided into a chest faintly scented with alcohol. Liang Jin wrapped his arm around Li Wenshui’s waist, stepping back a few paces before sitting on the table. He tapped the half bowl of cold noodles on the table and rested his chin on Li Wenshui’s shoulder. “Why didn’t you make me dinner?”

Li Wenshui hung his head, silent.

“Why are you ignoring me?” Liang Jin lifted Li Wenshui’s chin, his eyes smiling but not drunk. He carefully examined Li Wenshui’s half-lowered eyes and slightly pursed, flushed lips, clearly noticing that he was upset again. Liang Jin pulled him closer into his arms, making him sit on his lap, and teasingly asked, “You pushed Li Liyan so hard today that he fell and got a nosebleed. Aren’t you satisfied yet? You’re sulking; it doesn’t look good on you.”

Li Wenshui wasn’t upset about that, but the real cause of his displeasure was still unclear, so it felt like Liang Jin was mocking him about the situation. However, when the topic came up, Li Wenshui snorted and added, “He’s just pretending to be pitiful. I didn’t even push him that hard, and he fell. I don’t even know if the nosebleed was something he smeared on himself to try to trick me. It’s not very satisfying.”

As Li Wenshui spoke, his eyes showed clear disdain for Li Liyan, and it was evident that the push hadn’t been satisfying enough for him. Liang Jin tilted his head lazily against the wall, rubbing the ends of Li Wenshui’s eyebrows, and curiously asked, “So how can you feel satisfied?”

“Beat him up, make him so bruised and swollen that he can’t pretend to be so high and mighty,” Li Wenshui paused, “and Li Qun, make him cry and apologize to me.”

Actually, it wasn’t just that. Since he was in his teens, Li Wenshui had always imagined that one day Li Qun would grow old, abandoned by everyone, and kneel before him, confessing all the mistakes he had made and saying that “Li Wenshui was his most important son.” In the end of this imagined scenario, he would tell the weeping Li Qun: ‘I don’t have a father like you, and I won’t forgive you.‘ Although his fantasy hadn’t come true yet, every time he thought about it, he could feel a sense of satisfaction in the false scenario he had created.

Liang Jin noticed the slight upturn of Li Wenshui’s lips and found his simple and brutal pleasure amusing. “Baby, your happiness is really simple.”

Li Wenshui wiped the smile from his face. “How is it simple? It sounds like you know me so well.”

Liang Jin took Li Wenshui’s finger and, with each point he made, he raised a finger of Li Wenshui’s hand. “It’s nothing more than winning a fight, coming out on top in an argument, making a lot of money, and showing off in front of others, right?”

To Liang Jin, Li Wenshui’s ways of finding happiness were shallow and vulgar, mostly derived from what others thought of him, gaining emotional value from external validation. Li Wenshui felt that Liang Jin wasn’t wrong, but he couldn’t refute it because the things Liang Jin mentioned did indeed bring him joy. Perhaps he was displeased that Liang Jin had seen through him, or maybe it was his disdain for Liang Jin’s clear-headed demeanor. Li Wenshui retorted, “Is your happiness really that complicated? If happiness is complicated, is it still happiness? I just don’t like how you rich people try to act so profound. You’re all so rich, yet you act like no one understands your troubles. To me, it just seems like you’re bored, creating problems for yourselves.”

Liang Jin chuckled softly, reached out to pinch Li Wenshui’s cheek, and kissed his lips. “My happiness right now is you.”

Li Wenshui: “…” Here he goes again with the sweet talk.

Liang Jin wouldn’t create trouble for himself, but the way he found happiness was indeed more complicated than most people’s. The reason was that he had never lacked anything growing up, and without desires, he couldn’t experience the joy of achieving something. For Liang Jin, “happiness” came from a sense of accomplishment. Winning a bet gave him a sense of achievement, controlling someone’s life, testing Li Wenshui’s humanity—these all gave him a sense of accomplishment. So, when he said that Li Wenshui was his happiness, it wasn’t untrue—Li Wenshui was indeed interesting to him.

Liang Jin’s hand wandered, stroking Li Wenshui’s white neck. “Baby, I’m hungry.”

“Didn’t you eat outside? I messaged you, and you didn’t reply.” Li Wenshui glanced at the half-eaten bowl of noodles. Li Wenshui hadn’t really eaten either; he was still hungry.

“I didn’t see the message,” Liang Jin said, setting Li Wenshui down and giving him a light pat on the backside. “I only had a little to drink, and my stomach’s not feeling great.”

Li Wenshui looked at Liang Jin’s face—it seemed fine, and there was no sign of any discomfort in his stomach. Never mind. He rolled up his sleeves, thinking that since he had to eat anyway, he picked up the bowl of noodles and walked toward the kitchen. “Let me cook some noodles then.”

Liang Jin followed behind him and stood at the kitchen door, watching him. “Can you add another dish?”

Li Wenshui thought that Liang Jin really had a lot on his mind. He reluctantly stretched out his hand toward the basket and grabbed a handful of shiitake mushrooms, chopping them into pieces.

The water in the pot was boiling, steam rising in the air. Li Wenshui lowered his eyelids and suddenly said, “Today your grandfather told me not to do the cleaning at the ancestral hall anymore, because he found out about our relationship.”

Liang Jin understood the reason for Li Wenshui’s unhappiness. Li Wenshui was confused: “How did your grandfather find out? Did he install surveillance around here? Or did someone discover our relationship and report it to him?” He scooped out the hot noodles and placed the bowl on the table with a loud clink.

“Eat, it’s getting late,” Li Wenshui sat down and shot Liang Jin a dissatisfied glance.

“You’re still not happy,” Liang Jin stood in front of Li Wenshui, looking down at him. “I should be the one unhappy. If you’re not here, I’m going to go hungry, aren’t I?”

Li Wenshui raised his head to look at him. “Then why don’t you talk to your grandfather and let me stay?”

Liang Jin gently shook his head.

Li Wenshui stirred his noodles, knowing that Liang Jin wouldn’t help him. Liang Jin reached out and smoothened Li Wenshui’s messy hair. “Actually, it’s probably for the best. It’s too exhausting for you to run back and forth every day.”

In fact, Liang Jin had a bit of selfishness in his words. After the test was over, he would be leaving the old mansion. If Li Wenshui was still busy running between the family home and the mansion, he wouldn’t have enough time to be with him. He wanted Li Wenshui to be available whenever he called.

After dinner, Liang Jin didn’t return to his place but stayed at Li Wenshui’s. Outside, the light rain continued, and the full moon hung in the trees. Li Wenshui’s hair was damp, his cheeks flushed, and his expression distant. He stared at the air conditioner blowing cool air above, thought for a moment, and asked, “Liang Jin, is the ski resort fun?”

Liang Jin kissed Li Wenshui’s shoulder gently. “It’s okay.”

“Next time, take me with you,” Li Wenshui turned to look at him, his light-colored eyes sparkling with longing.

“Mm, if there’s a chance,” Liang Jin’s voice was soft, like a lullaby, warm and pleasant to the ear.

Li Wenshui’s eyelids grew heavier. If they were going to ski, he would take Wenqing too. Wenqing had never skied before, and she would probably be very happy.

The next day, Li Wenshui made Liang Jin one last breakfast, packed his things, and went home. After the light rain, the alley was filled with standing water. He opened the gate and saw that Li Wenqing had fallen asleep at the desk under the window. Her phone was on, and Li Wenshui quietly approached to turn it off. But then he noticed the first major she had applied for on her phone: computer science.

Li Wenshui sighed. He had chosen a finance major that he didn’t like back then because of money, and now he realized that finance jobs didn’t offer high salaries. But he had no chance to change his mind now. He wanted his sister to have a career she loved, but clearly, he hadn’t been able to convince her.

Li Wenqing stirred and felt someone’s presence. She woke up with a start and quickly hid her phone when she saw Li Wenshui. “Ge, you’re back.”

Li Wenshui nodded, then wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Come on, I’m taking you to buy a laptop.”