“What are you talking about?” said Yin Zejing.
Xia Wennan stared at him unspeakingly, not wanting to show the slightest hint of guilt.
Yin Zejing studied Xia Wennan’s face by the light of the street lamp. “Did you really get your memories back?”
Xia Wennan sneered.
“Even after regaining your memories, that’s how you think of me?” said Yin Zejing. His words were tinged with grievance. “Seriously? Why would I ever want you dead?”
His words rang with genuine sincerity, to the point where Xia Wennan’s gaze gradually became skeptical. “It wasn’t you?”
Yin Zejing squatted on the curb. His cigarette quickly burnt up. “I didn’t do anything, okay?”
“Then why did you pretend to be a poor student to stay at Ming Qin’s side? Don’t tell me you’re broke—or that you really love him.”
Yin Zejing looked up at Xia Wennan. “You never believed that, otherwise you wouldn’t be asking me these questions.”
Xia Wennan said nothing. It could be considered a silent admission.
Yin Zejing propped his arms on his knees. He stretched out his arm and snuffed out his cigarette on the ground. “He misunderstood me from the get go, basically,” he said after a while. “I didn’t deliberately pretend to be poor to seek him out.”
After he said that, Yin Zejing became silent for a long time.
The two stood in the bitter cold, under a lamppost on the side of the deserted street, a two-to-three-man distance apart. One was standing, the other squatting; their shadows extending towards the road.
It was clear that Yin Zejing’s ostensibly carefree demeanour did not reflect his true feelings. Xia Wennan took note of how he hung his head for a long time without lifting it, only squeezing the cigarette between his fingers.
“What’s the deal with Mo Ze’s pheromone perfumes?” Xia Wennan broke the silence.
Yin Zejing’s head jerked up. “Mo Ze’s pheromone perfumes were developed by Mo Ze themselves. It has nothing to do with Ming Yan. Why? Did you suspect me of stealing your Xishui Hall formula? Are you looking down on me?”
Xia Wennan looked at him. “Why don’t you explain why you sold your body to stay with Ming Qin for so long then?”
Yin Zejing appeared to choke at Xia Wennan’s question. He got to his feet and turned to face Xia Wennan. “Who said I was selling my body? Qin ge has a great figure, and he also happens to be incredibly good in bed, got that?”
Xia Wennan put his hands over his ears. “Shut up! I don’t want to listen to any of that!”
Yin Zejing tossed his cigarette butt with a flick of his wrist and dusted off his hands. “You don’t need to doubt me. Mo Ze’s perfume is about to hit the market, you’ll know for yourself once you buy a bottle.” After saying that, he lowered his head and patted down his body for a few moments before raising his head in Xia Wennan’s direction. “Got a smoke? Give me one.”
“No,” said Xia Wennan, “I don’t smoke.”
Yin Zejing heaved a sigh.
“Aren’t you cold?” asked Xia Wennan.
“‘Course I am,” Yin Zejing replied.
“Then what are you standing around here for?”
“Aren’t you gonna help me call a car?”
“…It really wasn’t you who drugged me?” Xia Wennan abruptly shifted the subject.
Yin Zejing held up a hand and swore heartily, “I swear to the moon. If I really wanted to kill you, I’ll get hit by a car as soon as I step out the door, okay?” When he saw that Xia Wennan wasn’t convinced, he added, “Mo Ze will also go bankrupt soon after. Happy?”
At that moment, Xia Wennan believed him to be adequately sincere.
“I’m young and loaded,” said Yin Zejing. “Even if I leave Ming Qin, I can still live comfortably, so why would I go out of my way to kill someone? Not just anyone—but you? My only wish is that you divorce Ming Luchuan as soon as possible, abandon Ming Yan, and come to Moze with me. Why in the world would I wanna kill you?”
“You previously insinuated that Ming Luchuan married me for his own gain—did you want me to divorce him?”
Yin Zejing didn’t bother to hide the fact and simply stated, “Yeah. Plus, what I said was basically true—didn’t Ming Luchuan marry you to benefit himself? You said that someone in the Ming family drugged you to cause you harm. How are you so sure that it isn’t Ming Luchuan?”
“Stop trying to drive a wedge between us.”
“I’m not trying to drive a wedge between you two, I honestly just think that Ming Luchuan isn’t suited for you. Won’t you think about leaving with me? My brother likes you a lot, and he doesn’t mind that you’re a beta.”
“…No. I don’t like your brother.”
“You sure? You seemed to like him before.”
“I didn’t.” Xia Wennan put his foot down. “I hate people like him.”
Yin Zejing didn’t appear to care about Xia Wennan’s comment about He Yufeng. Rather, he said, “Then why don’t you consider me…”
“Piss off!” Xia Wennan cut him off.
Right then, a car drove out of the Duan residence’s front gate and slowly drifted to a stop by Yin Zejing and Xia Wennan.
The car windows were rolled down, and He Yufeng craned his neck to peer at them from the driver’s seat. He had a complicated expression on his face when he faced Xia Wennan, but he addressed Yin Zejing in the next second. “Get in.”
“If you’d gotten here a little later I would’ve frozen to death,” Yin Zejing grumbled. Yet despite saying so, he was in no rush to get in the car, instead asking Xia Wennan, “Wennan, why don’t you come with me?”
“You’re insane. Why would I do that?”
“You said it yourself. Someone in the Ming family has it out for you. And there’s something off about their entire family.”
Xia Wennan narrowed his eyes. “You think there’s nothing off about yourself? Also, how can you say that about Ming Qin? Did you really not feel a single thing for him?”
Yin Zejing remained silent. He bowed his head and kicked at the ground with his leather shoe. When he looked back up, he said, “Actually, Qin ge is pretty nice.”
Xia Wennan enquired, “If he ever forgives you someday, would you return to his side?”
“We’re not a good match,” said Yin Zejing. “Qin ge is an old man. It’s okay to have fun now and then, but what about the rest of his life? Will I have to push his wheelchair out to hang out with my buddies in the future?”
Hearing Yin Zejing’s remarks, Xia Wennan’s heart suddenly prickled. “You didn’t say any of this to his face just now at the banquet hall,” he remarked. “You’re really sparing his feelings.”
Yin Zejing smiled bitterly. “I’m a little…” He trailed off without finishing his sentence.
Xia Wennan fished out a ring from his pocket and presented it before him.
“How did you get that?” Yin Zejing was somewhat surprised as he reached out to take the ring.
It was the very ring that Ming Qin had thrown in the trash and Xia Wennan had retrieved. “Ming Qin threw it away. I just picked it up.”
“He threw it away?” Yin Zejing was caught off-guard. “I asked him about it a couple of days ago, and he told me he put it away. Turns out he threw it away.”
“You’re just playing around with him anyway,” said Xia Wennan. “The ring is worthless, why don’t you get rid of it.”
Yin Zejing’s gaze travelled from the ring to Xia Wennan’s face. “Why’d you pick it up and give it back to me?”
“I happen to love picking up trash. Don’t mind me.”
In the end, Yin Zejing kept the ring and stuffed it in his own pocket. He pulled the door of the passenger seat shut, and said to Xia Wennan through the car window, “Wennan, if you don’t want to stay with the Mings, you’re always welcome to come find me.”
Xia Wennan waved at him. He Yufeng abruptly called out, “Little Junior,” just as he was about to go.
“Mm?” Xia Wennan inclined his head towards He Yufeng.
“Are you upset with me because of those photos?” He Yufeng asked.
Xia Wennan inhaled deeply. “That’s right. So there will be no need for us to stay in touch in the future. Senior He, farewell.”
“What are you talking about?” said Yin Zejing.
Xia Wennan stared at him unspeakingly, not wanting to show the slightest hint of guilt.
Yin Zejing studied Xia Wennan’s face by the light of the street lamp. “Did you really get your memories back?”
Xia Wennan sneered.
“Even after regaining your memories, that’s how you think of me?” said Yin Zejing. His words were tinged with grievance. “Seriously? Why would I ever want you dead?”
His words rang with genuine sincerity, to the point where Xia Wennan’s gaze gradually became skeptical. “It wasn’t you?”
Yin Zejing squatted on the curb. His cigarette quickly burnt up. “I didn’t do anything, okay?”
“Then why did you pretend to be a poor student to stay at Ming Qin’s side? Don’t tell me you’re broke—or that you really love him.”
Yin Zejing looked up at Xia Wennan. “You never believed that, otherwise you wouldn’t be asking me these questions.”
Xia Wennan said nothing. It could be considered a silent admission.
Yin Zejing propped his arms on his knees. He stretched out his arm and snuffed out his cigarette on the ground. “He misunderstood me from the get go, basically,” he said after a while. “I didn’t deliberately pretend to be poor to seek him out.”
After he said that, Yin Zejing became silent for a long time.
The two stood in the bitter cold, under a lamppost on the side of the deserted street, a two-to-three-man distance apart. One was standing, the other squatting; their shadows extending towards the road.
It was clear that Yin Zejing’s ostensibly carefree demeanour did not reflect his true feelings. Xia Wennan took note of how he hung his head for a long time without lifting it, only squeezing the cigarette between his fingers.
“What’s the deal with Mo Ze’s pheromone perfumes?” Xia Wennan broke the silence.
Yin Zejing’s head jerked up. “Mo Ze’s pheromone perfumes were developed by Mo Ze themselves. It has nothing to do with Ming Yan. Why? Did you suspect me of stealing your Xishui Hall formula? Are you looking down on me?”
Xia Wennan looked at him. “Why don’t you explain why you sold your body to stay with Ming Qin for so long then?”
Yin Zejing appeared to choke at Xia Wennan’s question. He got to his feet and turned to face Xia Wennan. “Who said I was selling my body? Qin ge has a great figure, and he also happens to be incredibly good in bed, got that?”
Xia Wennan put his hands over his ears. “Shut up! I don’t want to listen to any of that!”
Yin Zejing tossed his cigarette butt with a flick of his wrist and dusted off his hands. “You don’t need to doubt me. Mo Ze’s perfume is about to hit the market, you’ll know for yourself once you buy a bottle.” After saying that, he lowered his head and patted down his body for a few moments before raising his head in Xia Wennan’s direction. “Got a smoke? Give me one.”
“No,” said Xia Wennan, “I don’t smoke.”
Yin Zejing heaved a sigh.
“Aren’t you cold?” asked Xia Wennan.
“‘Course I am,” Yin Zejing replied.
“Then what are you standing around here for?”
“Aren’t you gonna help me call a car?”
“…It really wasn’t you who drugged me?” Xia Wennan abruptly shifted the subject.
Yin Zejing held up a hand and swore heartily, “I swear to the moon. If I really wanted to kill you, I’ll get hit by a car as soon as I step out the door, okay?” When he saw that Xia Wennan wasn’t convinced, he added, “Mo Ze will also go bankrupt soon after. Happy?”
At that moment, Xia Wennan believed him to be adequately sincere.
“I’m young and loaded,” said Yin Zejing. “Even if I leave Ming Qin, I can still live comfortably, so why would I go out of my way to kill someone? Not just anyone—but you? My only wish is that you divorce Ming Luchuan as soon as possible, abandon Ming Yan, and come to Moze with me. Why in the world would I wanna kill you?”
“You previously insinuated that Ming Luchuan married me for his own gain—did you want me to divorce him?”
Yin Zejing didn’t bother to hide the fact and simply stated, “Yeah. Plus, what I said was basically true—didn’t Ming Luchuan marry you to benefit himself? You said that someone in the Ming family drugged you to cause you harm. How are you so sure that it isn’t Ming Luchuan?”
“Stop trying to drive a wedge between us.”
“I’m not trying to drive a wedge between you two, I honestly just think that Ming Luchuan isn’t suited for you. Won’t you think about leaving with me? My brother likes you a lot, and he doesn’t mind that you’re a beta.”
“…No. I don’t like your brother.”
“You sure? You seemed to like him before.”
“I didn’t.” Xia Wennan put his foot down. “I hate people like him.”
Yin Zejing didn’t appear to care about Xia Wennan’s comment about He Yufeng. Rather, he said, “Then why don’t you consider me…”
“Piss off!” Xia Wennan cut him off.
Right then, a car drove out of the Duan residence’s front gate and slowly drifted to a stop by Yin Zejing and Xia Wennan.
The car windows were rolled down, and He Yufeng craned his neck to peer at them from the driver’s seat. He had a complicated expression on his face when he faced Xia Wennan, but he addressed Yin Zejing in the next second. “Get in.”
“If you’d gotten here a little later I would’ve frozen to death,” Yin Zejing grumbled. Yet despite saying so, he was in no rush to get in the car, instead asking Xia Wennan, “Wennan, why don’t you come with me?”
“You’re insane. Why would I do that?”
“You said it yourself. Someone in the Ming family has it out for you. And there’s something off about their entire family.”
Xia Wennan narrowed his eyes. “You think there’s nothing off about yourself? Also, how can you say that about Ming Qin? Did you really not feel a single thing for him?”
Yin Zejing remained silent. He bowed his head and kicked at the ground with his leather shoe. When he looked back up, he said, “Actually, Qin ge is pretty nice.”
Xia Wennan enquired, “If he ever forgives you someday, would you return to his side?”
“We’re not a good match,” said Yin Zejing. “Qin ge is an old man. It’s okay to have fun now and then, but what about the rest of his life? Will I have to push his wheelchair out to hang out with my buddies in the future?”
Hearing Yin Zejing’s remarks, Xia Wennan’s heart suddenly prickled. “You didn’t say any of this to his face just now at the banquet hall,” he remarked. “You’re really sparing his feelings.”
Yin Zejing smiled bitterly. “I’m a little…” He trailed off without finishing his sentence.
Xia Wennan fished out a ring from his pocket and presented it before him.
“How did you get that?” Yin Zejing was somewhat surprised as he reached out to take the ring.
It was the very ring that Ming Qin had thrown in the trash and Xia Wennan had retrieved. “Ming Qin threw it away. I just picked it up.”
“He threw it away?” Yin Zejing was caught off-guard. “I asked him about it a couple of days ago, and he told me he put it away. Turns out he threw it away.”
“You’re just playing around with him anyway,” said Xia Wennan. “The ring is worthless, why don’t you get rid of it.”
Yin Zejing’s gaze travelled from the ring to Xia Wennan’s face. “Why’d you pick it up and give it back to me?”
“I happen to love picking up trash. Don’t mind me.”
In the end, Yin Zejing kept the ring and stuffed it in his own pocket. He pulled the door of the passenger seat shut, and said to Xia Wennan through the car window, “Wennan, if you don’t want to stay with the Mings, you’re always welcome to come find me.”
Xia Wennan waved at him. He Yufeng abruptly called out, “Little Junior,” just as he was about to go.
“Mm?” Xia Wennan inclined his head towards He Yufeng.
“Are you upset with me because of those photos?” He Yufeng asked.
Xia Wennan inhaled deeply. “That’s right. So there will be no need for us to stay in touch in the future. Senior He, farewell.”
