Chapter 68#

第68章#

After the wedding ended, Qiao Nanqi sat on the bench outside the venue, watching with his own eyes as the guests left one by one. He watched Zhao Rong and Lu Xingping get into the same car, not knowing whose home they were heading to.

It wasn’t until the lights inside the venue were extinguished that he spoke to Xia Yuantu, who had been accompanying him in the cold wind. “Thank you.”

Xia Yuantu laughed. “That’s rare. You’ve really become like a different person lately.”

So different that it almost made him think the Qiao Nanqi he used to know had been replaced by another soul.

When Zhao Rong first left, Xia Yuantu thought Qiao Nanqi would, at most, feel some lingering attachment for the first few days before moving on. But as time passed, Qiao Nanqi didn’t move forward; instead, he sank deeper and deeper, acting like a madman who wanted nothing else, his eyes fixed only on Zhao Rong.

Later, when Zhao Rong was set to marry Lu Xingping, Xia Yuantu worried every day that Qiao Nanqi would go insane. Even on the way to the wedding, he was worried about what would happen if Qiao Nanqi actually made a move against Lu Xingping. Yet, contrary to expectations, Qiao Nanqi didn’t go crazy; he sat through the entire wedding with perfect decorum.

He didn’t seem at all like the Young Master Qiao who, in recent years, had driven his nominal father to madness for the sake of revenge.

Instead, he was increasingly resembling a… normal person who could feel joy and sorrow, yet could also remain restrained and calm.

Perhaps because Qiao Nanqi appeared so calm, Xia Yuantu finally relaxed. After giving a few instructions to Xiao Wu when he came to pick Qiao Nanqi up, Xia Yuantu went home.

However, Qiao Nanqi only went home to feed the cats before heading out again to the office.

Late at night.

On the top floor of the company, the office was brightly lit, with the faint scent of agarwood burning.

Xiao Wu had followed him for many years and had encountered times of extreme exhaustion and overtime, so he didn’t have any particular thoughts. He simply followed Qiao Nanqi’s earlier instructions, calling in several responsible people to handle the Chen family assets that Qiao Nanqi had acquired.

He was bringing in a document to ask Qiao Nanqi for some details. As he walked to the desk and lowered his head, he noticed the wine stain on Qiao Nanqi’s sleeve.

The heating was on in the office, and no one else was around. Qiao Nanqi had already taken off the suit jacket he wore to the wedding, wearing only a white shirt. The subtle plaid patterns at the collar made him look steady without being stiff. Only the wine stain on his cuff was particularly eye-catching.

In the past, if Qiao Nanqi’s sleeve even slightly brushed against a wall, he would immediately drop everything at hand to change his clothes.

Xiao Wu had seen people with germaphobia, but someone as meticulous as Qiao Nanqi to the point of extreme was rare. He always felt it wasn’t that Qiao Nanqi couldn’t tolerate dirt, but rather that it was his way of self-discipline. Their boss always wrapped himself tightly in every aspect, guarded and restrained to the point where no one could get close.

But now, he had seen several times that when it came to things related to Zhao Rong, Qiao Nanqi no longer cared about anything else.

He summoned his courage and tried to remind him, hoping to use it as an excuse to let Qiao Nanqi rest for a bit. “Sir, why don’t you change your clothes first? I can handle these things myself; I’ve processed them before, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”

Qiao Nanqi pulled his gaze from the pile of documents and looked at him.

“No need,” he said. “I want to finish this matter first.”

Xiao Wu knew he couldn’t be persuaded, so he nodded. “Then I’ll be as quick as possible.”

Once the document was handled and he turned to leave, Xiao Wu’s footsteps paused. After a moment of struggle, he finally turned back and said, “Sir?”

“Speak.” This time, Qiao Nanqi didn’t even look up at him, still head-down at work.

“I… I also know about Mr. Zhao’s situation…” He said, biting the bullet. “But you’ve been pushing your body too hard lately. Now that the matter is settled, you… you should go home and rest for a bit, shouldn’t you?”

He had almost never spoken to Qiao Nanqi in such a persuasive tone, and after finishing, he felt as if he were about to collapse.

Qiao Nanqi slowly raised his head.

He didn’t show the anger or indifference Xiao Wu had anticipated. Instead, his eyes flickered slightly, and that lifeless gaze seemed to be tinged with a faint layer of self-mockery.

He said, “Whether I am here or at home, working or resting, what difference does it make?”

—None of it has any meaning.

Xiao Wu caught the underlying message.

So Zhao Rong truly was that important to Qiao Nanqi.

But Zhao Rong was married; he would never reconcile with their boss again.

He knew where the problem lay, but it seemed to be a terminal illness.

Xiao Wu sighed countless times in his heart, only to hear Qiao Nanqi suddenly say to him, “By the way.”

“Yes, sir.”

Qiao Nanqi looked down at the wound slightly exposed on his left wrist.

This was from when he bit himself on the day he learned Zhao Rong was getting married.

At that time, his mind was in chaos. He felt as if the sky had collapsed and the earth had sunk; there was nothing he couldn’t do, and nothing left to care about. He hadn’t thought about anything; he had only done it to prevent himself from crying out like a coward.

But at this moment, remembering how much Zhao Rong used to love his hands and how much he enjoyed sitting aside to watch him play the piano, he began to feel a sense of fear.

Zhao Rong had told him that perhaps over all these years, what Zhao Rong liked wasn’t him as a person, but rather the things he possessed, his appearance, or his face.

He no longer dared to hope for Zhao Rong’s love, but if there was even the slightest thing Zhao Rong might like, or something that would make Zhao Rong spare him one more glance, he didn’t dare lose it.

“You…”

“Find out for me which place is best for treating scars from this kind of superficial wound, and book an appointment for me immediately.”

Whatever Zhao Rong liked, he would offer it up.

Whatever Zhao Rong wanted to do, he would use everything he owned to ensure Zhao Rong could achieve it.

He had no chance to be loved by Zhao Rong, and no right to pursue him, but he could continue to love him.

He no longer asked for what he wanted.

He only wished for Zhao Rong to be happy.

Zhao Rong turned his head to look at Lu Xingping.

Lu Xingping pushed the document toward him, placed the pen on top of it, and said, “Only your signature is missing.”

Zhao Rong looked down at the document following his gesture.

Lu Xingping had already flipped the document to the last page. There was already a line of elegant handwriting in the bottom right, waiting only for him to add his own.

Once he added his signature and gave it to Lawyer Lin tomorrow, he would know all the steps to obtain the inheritance.

Lu Xingping looked at him calmly, seemingly waiting for him to finish signing before leaving.

He stared down at the space for the signature, picked up the pen, and held it between his fingers. For some reason, he didn’t sign immediately. Instead, he twirled the pen, his eyes flickering.

His mind was a mess of thoughts, so cluttered that he couldn’t even pull out the thread to the source.

But after twirling the pen a few times, he suppressed the complexities in his heart. He gripped the pen firmly, pressed his wrist down, and the tip met the paper, leaving a tiny black dot.

He was just about to write the character “Zhao”—

“Zhao Rong,” Lu Xingping suddenly called out to him. “What are you thinking about?”

His movements paused, the tip of the pen still pressed against the paper, the black dot gradually blooming.

“What did you say, Senior?”

“Just now, you were hesitating.”

“…A little bit,” Zhao Rong said. “I’ll talk after I finish signing.”

He raised the pen to write again, but Lu Xingping reached out and stopped him directly.

Lu Xingping said, “I don’t want the other party signing this kind of agreement with me to do so while feeling hesitant.”

A moment passed.

He said, “I—”

“Think about why you’re hesitating first,” Lu Xingping spoke at the same time as him.

Zhao Rong glanced at Lu Xingping, who raised his hand, signaling him not to rush into speaking.

He opened his mouth but said nothing. The strength in his fingers relaxed, and the pen slipped from his palm, rolling onto the table.

The study was only lit by a single incandescent bulb in the center, casting a pale light that seemed to catch the cold hues from outside.

This cold light fell on the document, which should have made it clear, but as Zhao Rong looked, he felt his eyes grow blurry, even more tiring than when he looked at it in the car.

He looked away and saw the wedding ring on his left hand, which felt even more glaring.

To him and Lu Xingping, this was just a ring, no different from any other accessory. There had been too much going on at the wedding, and he hadn’t taken it off, forgetting it until now.

Zhao Rong stared at the ring, then thought back to the ring exchange at the wedding and the expression on Qiao Nanqi’s face as he looked up slightly.

His heart throbbed. His hand that wasn’t holding the pen pressed against the document, his fingertips lightly rubbing the paper.

“I…” Zhao Rong spoke again, no longer hiding his feelings. “Senior, I think my mind is a bit in a mess.”

These words were actually a bit irresponsible.

After all, they had already finished the wedding and were about to begin the legal procedures. Everyone knew about this wedding; though Lu Xingping didn’t intend to actually marry, he had openly sent out invitations. In return for doing this, the reward was half of the inheritance.

So he immediately added, “It’s not that I’m not taking the inheritance. I will definitely give you the half I promised. I’ll sign right now. It’s just that since you asked, I’m being honest—I just feel a bit confused suddenly.”

Lu Xingping laughed. “You finally realized?”

Zhao Rong choked. “You saw it long ago, Senior?”

“Would someone whose mind wasn’t in a mess almost drop the ring on the floor at the wedding while the lawyer was watching?” Lu Xingping leaned back in his chair and said slowly, “I just like wearing glasses; I don’t have high-degree myopia.”

Zhao Rong: “.”

“Then why didn’t you point it out at the wedding, Senior?”

“I didn’t want to influence you. If you had signed just now without any hesitation, I would have acted as if I hadn’t felt anything.”

“Can’t you still act like you haven’t felt anything?” Zhao Rong sighed.

He knew this wasn’t just a simple matter of signing a name and going home. He consciously moved a chair to sit on the other side of the desk.

Lu Xingping seemed to intentionally give him some time to clear his thoughts, getting up to make coffee in the kitchen.

A moment later, Lu Xingping returned with a cup of hot coffee and a glass of warm water. Zhao Rong habitually assumed the water was for him, but unexpectedly, Lu Xingping placed the hot coffee in front of him and sat down with the water.

Zhao Rong: “?”

Lu Xingping said, “I’m going to sleep in a bit. You might need to stay awake.”

Zhao Rong: “…”

He was caught between laughter and tears. “I’ve already figured some things out.”

“Oh?”

“My mind is indeed a bit messy because Qiao Nanqi came to the wedding today. But we agreed on this matter, and now that we’ve come this far, there’s no reason for me to let my personal affairs stop you from getting that half of the money, nor is there any reason to turn away from such a large inheritance. I’ll finish signing this document now, take it to Lawyer Lin tomorrow, and then we just follow the agreement.”

Lu Xingping pushed the coffee even closer to him. “You thought for so long and only figured that out? You’d better take a few sips first.”

“…” Zhao Rong felt helpless. “I’m serious.”

Lu Xingping didn’t answer immediately. He took out his phone, swiped a few times, and stopped on a chat window, handing it to Zhao Rong.

—It was actually a chat history with Xiao Wu.

Zhao Rong looked closely. Xiao Wu had sent many messages, but they were all about one thing.

Xiao Wu had liquidated all the Chen family assets Qiao Nanqi acquired at the end of the Return Journey plot and sent the details to Lu Xingping.

“This is…?”

“A wedding gift,” Lu Xingping said as he took back the phone. “A gift for our wedding today.”

Zhao Rong was stunned.

Lu Xingping continued, “Though it’s called a gift, I don’t think it’s meant for me. This money is his way of using a gift as a pretext to return everything belonging to the Chen family to you. The Chen family fortune is split in two: half is in the inheritance, and the other half is in these assets. If you take these and give half to me, it’s the same result.”

“If you don’t want to owe Nanqi, I’ll return this money to him now. If you’re truly hesitating and we don’t fulfill the marriage contract—if you really end up with Nanqi… well, you can give me half of this money, and I’ll consider it compensation from Nanqi for the half of the inheritance I lost. Of course, this is just so you don’t feel burdened. I don’t actually care if you give it to me or not. What I told you about promising it to Xiaoyue was just a joke.”

“So for now, forget about all this and think clearly before you say anything else.”

While Zhao Rong was sighed over Qiao Nanqi’s “wedding gift,” he also understood Lu Xingping’s point.

After a moment, he said, “Okay, I’ll set the money matter aside for now.”

“My mind is messy mainly because… Qiao Nanqi came today, but he only came. Senior, I don’t know how to describe this feeling. I was always certain that he didn’t love me—that he loved himself and the love I gave him. So at the wedding, I thought he either wouldn’t set aside his pride to attend, or if he did, he wouldn’t let things go easily. That’s the kind of person he is; he never considers things from my perspective.”

“But he took neither of those paths.”

“For the first time, I miscalculated.”

That was why his mind was in a mess.

Zhao Rong’s gaze drifted aimlessly before landing on the cocoon in the small greenhouse. “I feel like I’ve always been wrapped in a cocoon, and I don’t want to come out because I know it’s cold outside. If I leave, I’ll freeze to death.”

He admitted that past experiences had given him too many warnings. Even now, whenever he thought about being with Qiao Nanqi again, he feared being belittled, looked down upon, or ignored once more—treated as if he were expendable. Or perhaps, because he could no longer give everything as he once did, Qiao Nanqi’s temporary passion would fade, leading back to the same cycle of torment…

“But today, someone poked a hole in my cocoon, and I found that the outside is… different from what I imagined.”

“Yet I find it hard to believe. I wonder if it’s an illusion—if the environment outside is deceiving me, trying to lure me out. Or perhaps I’m just confusing my own thoughts. It’s not that I want to like or love again; maybe I’m just being soft-hearted.”

This confusion wasn’t enough to make him waver or turn back, but at this moment, it gave him a trace of hesitation.

Lu Xingping nodded. “Understandable. A very simple conflict.”

“So I was a bit hesitant just now, but it was only hesitation.”

“It’s not enough to change my decision.”

The reason both he and Lu Xingping were willing to enter into a legally recognized marriage was that neither of them intended to be with anyone else from then on.

Marriage is a heavy word, and entering into a legal relationship means that even if they divorce after getting the money, the other person’s name might stay with them for a lifetime. There will always be a record.

If one doesn’t plan on being with anyone else, then this is naturally fine. But what if… they fall in love with someone else?

Zhao Rong wasn’t someone who would give up love for money.

But he also wasn’t someone who would break a promise or give up material gains because of hesitation.

So he had only let those other thoughts flash through his mind for a moment before suppressing the confusion and continuing with the task at hand.

Lu Xingping clearly understood the crux of the matter. He narrowed his eyes, took a few sips of water, and even yawned before saying, “Zhao Rong, sign it. We’ll start the procedures in two days. I was just worried you hadn’t thought it through and might regret it in the future.”

Zhao Rong was taken aback and replied seriously, “I’ve thought it through very clearly. Let’s finish signing this and go get the marriage license and the inheritance in two days.”

“Good,” Lu Xingping said. “But I have some advice. You can listen, or you can let it go in one ear and out the other. I wouldn’t have given this advice if you hadn’t hesitated before signing, but you did.”

“I’m not just talking about Qiao Nanqi; I’m talking about you.”

“You say you can’t tell the difference because you’re wrapped in a cocoon. You haven’t gone anywhere or seen anything else, so it’s perfectly normal that you’re confused. If it were me, I might not be able to tell either. So why not stop overthinking? Don’t get stuck in a rut, and don’t truly believe you can’t love again. Open your eyes and give it another try.”

“Go out and try things. Go to the places you want to go, do the things you want to do, and even try to see if you can fall in love with someone else. It doesn’t have to be Qiao Nanqi; it could be anyone else.”

“Once you truly figure it out—if you realize it was just a moment of soft-heartedness—you can continue doing what you intended without delay.”

“If you find that after taking a few steps forward, you decide to turn back, then that too is the result of your attempt and the best choice.”

“Aren’t you thinking the same thing? Thinking alone isn’t enough to distinguish the truth.”

The study fell silent for a moment.

Zhao Rong’s eyes flickered, his dark pupils reflecting the light like bright stars.

He let out a laugh. “You understand me so well, Senior. Sometimes I think we should just make this fake marriage real.”

“Lying isn’t a good habit.”

“…How do you know I haven’t thought that, Senior?”

“We’re too much alike,” Lu Xingping said as he slowly rose, gathered the duplicate documents, and handed them to Zhao Rong. “Actually, we’re the same type of person deep down. People who are too similar tend to test each other—like right now. We have no attraction to one another.”

“Keep the documents. I’ll check my schedule tomorrow and set aside time to handle the procedures for the inheritance with you.”

Zhao Rong took the document and signed it.

When they reached Lu Xingping’s front door, he opened it, and the cold wind rustled inside, blowing away the warmth at the entrance.

The streetlights outside cast a warm glow, but the light seemed slanted by the cold wind, stretching their shadows long.

Zhao Rong felt the chill against his cheeks as he stepped out. Holding the document signed by both of them, he turned back and said, “There’s one more thing. The question Qiao Nanqi asked when he first arrived at the wedding… I was going to handle it myself; I didn’t expect you to answer, Senior.”

Lu Xingping shrugged. “Oh, that. I wasn’t lying. Who told Nanqi to only use the word ’like’? That word covers too much. If I didn’t like or appreciate you, why would I agree to fulfill the marriage contract? It’s not my fault he won’t use the word ’love’.”

Zhao Rong was amused by his logic. “Thank you. After all, he’s been your friend since childhood…”

“Regarding Nanqi… actually, I was just teasing you during the wedding. I have a plan. As you said, he’s been my friend since childhood. And you don’t need to thank me; we’ve always been square—don’t underestimate Xiaoyue’s importance to me.”

Zhao Rong took off the wedding ring from his left ring finger—it had only served its purpose for one day. “It feels like a waste to use it for only one day.”

Lu Xingping reached out. “Give it to me.”

“Huh?”

“She likes flashy jewelry.” Lu Xingping tucked away the ring Zhao Rong handed him.

This “she”…

Zhao Rong thought of what Lu Xiaoyue had said when she went upstairs and realized.

Lu Xingping clearly saw through his expression again and said, “Actually, I also needed a wedding and a ring that would keep people from bothering me in the future. So, we’ve always been even.”

“I’m starting to get curious. What was Xiaoyue’s sister like when she was alive?”

“A very boring person.”

“…?”

“She was so boring that when we first got together, the most romantic thing she said was that she had a younger sister with ‘moon’ in her name, and now she had me, so she had both the stars and the moon. But I’m also boring for remembering such a dull thing to this day.”

Zhao Rong adjusted the hem of his coat, holding the document to his chest, and tucked his chin into his scarf.

He watched the end of the scarf swaying in the breeze, and suddenly, Qiao Nanqi’s words in the hospital when he was fourteen flashed through his mind: “It’s not out of kindness; I’m not short of money.”

He also remembered it to this day.

It turned out that he and Lu Xingping truly were the same type of person.

“Senior,” he smiled, his eyes curving slightly, “return that wedding gift to him after a while. I think I know him; if you return it now, he not only won’t agree but might also become suspicious. Once we get the money, I might leave Yangcheng in a few days, taking my mother with me to a new place to start a new life. I probably won’t come back until I’ve figured things out. As for that gift, please keep it for now and return it to him after I’m gone.”

Lu Xingping just gave an “oh” and then said, “Have a safe journey. Don’t get lost.”

Zhao Rong: “…”

He turned to leave, but Lu Xingping called out to him again, “By the way, remember to settle the bill for all the coffee you drank at my house recently.”

Zhao Rong: “.”

Like hell he and Lu Xingping were the same type of person.

The next day.

Sunlight streamed into Zhao Rong’s bedroom, shining on the blue wallpaper and creating gentle waves.

The coffee Lu Xingping gave Zhao Rong last night was truly strong. He tossed and turned in bed late at night, thinking about many things and deciding on what he needed to prepare for his trip to Zhuxi in a few days. He didn’t know what time he finally fell asleep.

When Zhao Rong woke up, rubbing his eyes, the sun was much higher in the sky than when he usually got up.

As he gradually woke up, the first thing he did was call Lawyer Lin to inform him that the document had been signed and that they would bring the proof once the legal relationship was established.

Afterward, he lingered in bed for a while before starting to pack his things, preparing to take Zhao Ming to Zhuxi in a few days.

On the other side.

Skyscrapers soared into the clouds.

In the area where the Qiao family’s company was located, people constantly moved through the busy traffic, no different from any other corner of common life.

On the top floor of the main building, the elevator let out a “ding,” and the doors slowly slid open.

As Xiao Wu stepped out, he looked back, lingering on the feeling of riding Qiao Nanqi’s private elevator—it was the first time he’d experienced the feeling of not having to wait for anything, not even a floor change, arriving at the office as soon as he entered the company.

It was all thanks to his boss’s urgency for him to return and report.

He was benefiting from Zhao Rong.

He walked to the half-open office door and knocked three times. “Sir?”

“Come in.”

Qiao Nanqi had finally been waiting for Xiao Wu to return in the office. This time, he uncharacteristically didn’t let Xiao Wu speak first and asked himself, “Was the item delivered?”

“Yes, Mr. Lu didn’t refuse. He said thank you for the gift and that he would review the transfer documents and cooperate with us on the procedures.”

Qiao Nanqi’s intention wasn’t on that at all. He asked again, “…When you delivered it to his house, what was Zhao Rong doing?” He had been dead silent just now, but his eyes brightened slightly only at the mention of Zhao Rong’s name.

“I didn’t see Mr. Zhao. I asked, and Mr. Lu said… he said Mr. Zhao was at his own house packing things?”

Packing things?

Qiao Nanqi’s expression froze, and the rare bit of good humor he had vanished.

Zhao Rong was packing his things at his own house, so was he moving in with Lu Xingping?

Living under the same roof—he knew very well what that kind of life was like; he had experienced it himself.

Would they sleep in the same room, in the same bed?

Qiao Nanqi couldn’t bear to think about it anymore.

He didn’t dare to.

He lowered his head slightly, his eyes downcast as he concealed his current feelings. Only then did he speak calmly, “Is there still a document that hasn’t been delivered?”

Xiao Wu was confused. “Huh? Everything that needed to be delivered has been—”

Qiao Nanqi glanced at him.

The intuition gained from years of working for this young master kicked in, and he immediately said, “There definitely is! I’ll go find one that can serve as a reason to deliver it—ah no, find one that needs to be delivered.”

Qiao Nanqi said, “Bring it here when you find it. I’ll deliver it to Zhao Rong.”