Chapter 21

Night fell, and the post-wedding dance was held in the restaurant, which is also an occasion that requires socializing.

The band played music, and guests danced gracefully on the dance floor.

But the protagonists of today’s wedding disappeared after the first dance.

In the private lounge, the double doors were pushed open, and the music downstairs entered the luxurious room. After the door was closed, all sounds were blocked out.

“Dad.” Ji Linyu stood at the door and looked at his father who had his back to him.

Ji Qian turned around, walked from the window to the sofa in front of the coffee table and sat down, then waved to Ji Linyu, motioning him to come over and sit down.

Ji Linyu sat opposite him.

On the coffee table, there is a set of exquisite tea sets, accompanied by several plates of exquisite Chinese snacks.

Ji Qian’s suit jacket lay draped over the sofa armrest as he rolled up his shirt sleeves to pour tea for his son.

He and Ji Linyu shared identical ink-black eyes and their facial contours bore a striking resemblance. Standing together, no one would doubt their father-son relationship. However, their personalities and temperaments were vastly different.

When Ji Qian smiled, the smile lines at the corners of his eyes were obvious. Giving him a friendly and approachable demeanor—similar to Ji Qingyuan but with subtle differences.

In terms of personality, Ji Qingyuan is more like him.

“It’s been a long time since we, father and son, have had a private chat.” Ji Qian first poured a cup of tea for Ji Linyu, and then poured tea for himself.

Ji Linyu remained silent, his eyes lowered, gazing at the steaming cup of tea.

After Ji Linyu’s mother passed away, he was raised by Grandfather Ji. Ji Qian spent most of his time managing Jinhuan Group’s overseas operations. Whenever Ji Qian returned to China, he and Grandfather Ji would quarrel after just a few words. Ji Qian didn’t want to anger Grandfather Ji, so he simply stayed away, even during holidays. Grandfather Ji would call across the ocean to scold him, asking why he never came back to see his son.

Ji Linyu was present next to Grandfather Ji at that time, and he heard it clearly when his father said, “Which son are you asking about? I want to see that son. Can you let me?”

Grandpa Ji cursed at him and told him to die outside and never come back.

That was the first and last time Ji Linyu asked Grandfather Ji why his father didn’t come back.

Afterwards, he spent Chinese New Year with his Grandfather, and New Year’s Day with the Lu family, and there was nothing wrong with that.

“Qingyuan said you’ve helped him a lot. Seeing you two brothers get along well, Dad feels relieved,” Ji Qian lifted the tea cup from the table, savoring its aroma.

Ji Linyu didn’t drink the tea but looked up at Ji Qian.

Ji Qian seemed in a good mood. After all, today was the day he had been waiting for over ten years, finally able to openly be with the one he loved.

Ji Linyu’s emotions were usually stable, but seeing his father’s happy expression couldn’t help but pierce his heart.

“Why not drink? This tea is quite good,” Ji Qian sensed that Ji Linyu’s mood didn’t seem right. Throughout the day, Ji Linyu had behaved well. 

Even when someone mentioned the Lu family in front of him and asked why his uncle hadn’t come, he responded politely, showing no signs of dissatisfaction with the wedding.

Ji Linyu picked up the tea cup, the warmth of the cup’s rim touching his fingertips, bringing him back to his senses.

Still, he didn’t drink it and placed the cup back on the table.

“If Dad has nothing else to say, I’ll go out first,” Ji Linyu stood up, ready to leave.

Ji Qian furrowed his brow. “What do you mean by that? You’re my son. Can’t you stay and have a cup of tea with me?”

Ji Linyu’s lips tightened into a thin line as he turned back, saying, “Dad wants to test whether I will do anything bad to Ji Qingyuan, no need to beat around the bush.

“I’ve always been fair in my dealings. I won’t unjustly blame others. Ji Qingyuan is innocent, and so is his mother. Since Ji Qingyuan works under me, whether he’s my employee or my brother, I won’t treat him unfairly.”

Ji Qian understood the implicit meaning behind his words—that everyone is innocent except for him as a father.

It was almost like being scolded in his face.

Enraged, Ji Qian grabbed the tea cup from the table and threw it at him!

Ji Linyu didn’t dodge or evade, and the teacup hit him directly near his eye, warm tea dripping down his face and jawline onto the carpet.

Ji Qian was stunned for a moment. He thought Ji Linyu would dodge, but he didn’t expect to hit Ji Linyu’s face directly. He instinctively reached out as if to salvage something, but once spilled, it couldn’t be recovered, and such actions would only appear more hypocritical.

Ji Linyu said nothing, he could even smile. He just glanced at Ji Qian indifferently and turned away.

Outside the restaurant is a garden with a fountain. At this moment, the guests are socializing inside the restaurant. The faint music and voices coming from the restaurant make the garden even quieter.

Zhu Xinyue sat in the garden pavilion, watching the water jets rise and fall in the fountain pool, transforming into various shapes.

She couldn’t dance and didn’t enjoy socializing. She planned to hide here until Zhu Shilang discovered her absence and then go back to the restaurant.

The moonlight was bright, shimmering on the surface of the fountain pool, dreamlike and surreal.

Zhu Xinyue took out her phone from her handbag, opened the camera, and recorded this moment.

The camera followed her movements, and suddenly, a familiar figure appeared on the phone screen.

There were no other people around him, walking alone down the path, a suit jacket draped over his arm, wearing a shirt and vest. His handsome face showed no expression, cold.

Moonlight fell on him, unable to penetrate his eyes, just like the first day they met, where she saw coldness in his ink-black eyes.

Now Zhu Xinyue understood that kind of coldness was called loneliness.

Zhu Xinyue put away her phone, looking in Ji Linyu’s direction. She could tell he wasn’t in a good mood now, so it was best not to disturb him.

The moonlight was obscured by clouds, and the faint light that had fallen on him became blurry. He walked into the shadows and continued towards the stairs.

However…

Zhu Xinyue’s rationality told her that as a mature adult, when he wasn’t in a good mood, perhaps he wanted to be alone. But her emotions felt that there should be someone by his side, no matter who it was.

The clouds quickly dissipated, and moonlight fell on the long staircase.

They walked alone on the stairs, one in front of the other, without disturbing each other.

He passed by a street lamp, and she passed the one he had just passed.

Their shadows appeared under the round lights.

Zhu Xinyue quietly followed him, looking at his back.

His pace was not fast, yet he didn’t notice her behind him. Perhaps he was accustomed to walking this night path alone.

The long staircase was divided by a platform in the middle. The flower beds next to it had changed their flowers, and petals fell when the wind blew, with some flowers even dropping whole onto the ground.

The figure ahead suddenly stopped.

Zhu Xinyue took two steps, thinking he had noticed her, and also stopped, holding onto the staircase railing beside her, staring fixedly at that silent back.

He simply took a step aside and continued down.

What did he avoid?

Zhu Xinyue was curious and followed his footsteps to where he had stopped, seeing a complete flower lying quietly on the tiled floor of the stairs.

She bent down, picked up the peach-colored flower, cradling it in her palm. She couldn’t help but think, Jin Linyu, this person… is quite cute.

It was so quiet around that only the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves and flowers could be heard. After she stopped, the footsteps ahead disappeared as well.

Zhu Xinyue sensed something and looked down.

Jin Linyu stood below the stairs, looking up at her.

Their eyes met, the evening breeze quieted down, and the light fell into his eyes, reflecting her figure.

Underneath the whole night sky, on the earth, everything else disappeared, leaving only the two of them.

Zhu Xinyue didn’t move, unsure if her presence here was a mistake to him.

Her breathing slowed, silently watching him.

The wind blew again, sweeping the petals at her feet down the stairs.

The nearby street lamp flickered, like a signal of awakening.

Jin Linyu reached out and caught a petal that blew to him. It fell softly into his large palm, real and tangible.

He looked up again, suddenly smiling.

Like an iceberg melting, spring blossoming.

Zhu Xinyue silently breathed a sigh of relief, lightly hopping down the stairs along the railing, almost skipping. Each step resonated with his heartstrings until she stood in front of him on the last step.

“Here,” Zhu Xinyue handed the flower in her palm to Jin Linyu.

It seemed as if she had come specifically to give him flowers, and they were ones she picked up from the ground.

The small flower, less than the size of her palm, looked particularly vibrant against her fair skin.

Jin Linyu didn’t take it, his gaze moving from her palm to her face, staring into her eyes, asking her, “Why not go back? The buffet desserts in the restaurant were made by a top pastry chef.”

“I can’t dance. Going back means dancing,” Zhu Xinyue replied matter-of-factly. Seeing he didn’t take the flower, she inspected it in her hand, turned to the side, blew off the dust from the petals, and handed it to him again. “Clean.”

Jin Linyu took the peach-colored flower from her palm and looked down at it.

The same flower, but why did it seem less attractive in his hand than when it was in hers?

When Jin Linyu lowered his eyes, Zhu Xinyue noticed a slight redness at the corner of his right eye. Because his skin was fair, the slight redness was particularly noticeable.

“What happened?” she asked.

Jin Linyu raised his head, saw her pointing at the corner of her own eye, and thought of what had just happened in the private lounge, his eyelashes trembling lightly.

“Nothing. Just got hit,” Jin Linyu said lightly.

Zhu Xinyue heard the calmness in his tone, but his expression said otherwise.

He seemed upset.

“Who dares to hit our big boss? I’ll go find them,” Zhu Xinyue said through gritted teeth, seemingly angrier than he was.

Jin Linyu smiled.

“Can you?” he asked.

Zhu Xinyue said, “The heavens know, the earth knows, and you know, I know. Things others don’t know can be treated as if they never happened.”

Jin Linyu’s smile broadened.

Zhu Xinyue didn’t know why he was so happy, but seeing him smile, she couldn’t help but smile foolishly along.

However, Jin Linyu knew that he wasn’t happy because what she said was irrelevant, but because she was comforting him.