Zhuang Yihan suddenly discovered something. Every time he tried to make a clean break and sever ties with Jiang Xi, the other party would always appear before him for all sorts of reasons. Once or twice was fine, but after it happened too many times, one would start to notice something was off.

'Could the other party be leading me on?'

The answer was so absurd it was laughable. Jiang Xi was already engaged, yet he still dared to lead him on?

Facts proved that a lack of love could make a person foolish, and when the infatuation that blinded one's eyes gradually dissipated, one would also sober up.

Zhuang Yihan watched Jiang Xi's little tricks with a cold eye. Just as he was about to refuse, having just typed the character for "No," a series of dull thuds, "thump, thump, thump," suddenly came from outside the car window, startling him so much that his hand trembled, and his phone almost flew out of his grasp.

"Open the door."

Chen Shu had his hands in his pockets, standing outside the car window at some unknown time. He was wearing a simple black and white sportswear set today, which made his figure appear tall and lean. On his head was a black baseball cap, and under the shadow it cast, only a well-defined chin was visible. The warm sunlight on the horizon overpowered the gloom that seemed to follow him like a shadow, finally giving him a bit of a youthful, student-like air.

The leaves of the plane trees had already begun to wither and fall, yet he was in the prime of his life. That kind of life force, so vigorous it bordered on decay, found its personification in Chen Shu's gloomy yet youthful body.

Zhuang Yihan was stunned at first, then inexplicably felt the guilt of being caught cheating. He discreetly turned off his phone screen and unlocked the car door.

Chen Shu opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat, casually taking off his cap and tossing it aside. That bewitching face was exposed to the air, and in the languid sunlight from outside the window, it was so stunningly beautiful that one couldn't look away.

Zhuang Yihan was immersed in admiring the exceptionally handsome Chen Shu when he suddenly heard the other ask, "Who were you messaging just now?"

...

The question was a bit sudden because Chen Shu was someone who understood boundaries very well. Regarding any of Zhuang Yihan's private matters, as long as Zhuang Yihan didn't bring it up, Chen Shu would never ask. This 'none of my business' attitude had often made Zhuang Yihan feel frustrated.

He finally asked something today, and of all things, it had to be such a crappy question.

Zhuang Yihan couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance. He held it in for a long time before finally squeezing out two words: "...Jiang Xi."

With his personality, he disdained lying. Besides, it wasn't like they were discussing anything illicit. It was just that, given his past unrequited feelings for Jiang Xi, a bit of guilt was at play.

Zhuang Yihan couldn't help but feel relieved. Luckily, he had never told Chen Shu about Jiang Xi before, and Chen Shu didn't know him. He probably just thought he was a regular friend and wouldn't ask too many questions.

However, his worst fears came true. Chen Shu, as if possessed, asked with great interest, "Jiang Xi? The one you were drinking with last time? What are you talking about, can I see?"

Hearing this, Zhuang Yihan's eyelid twitched. For a moment, he suspected he had misheard. "You want to see my phone?"

Chen Shu asked apologetically, "Is that a bit presumptuous?"

...

If this had been in the past, Zhuang Yihan probably would have scoffed, retorted with a "What do you think?", and felt that the other was pushing his luck and didn't know his place. But now...

Zhuang Yihan stiffly unlocked his phone and handed it over, trying his best to appear nonchalant. "We weren't talking about much. He asked me to take you out to sea with him next Tuesday to relax."

Zhuang Yihan wasn't the type to flirt over text, so his chat history with Jiang Xi was quite clean. At most, it was business-related. Although he had taken the initiative to ask him out for meals in the past, that was many years ago. Chen Shu probably couldn't scroll that far back.

Chen Shu didn't take the phone, merely glancing at the screen. He saw the "No" character in the input box that hadn't been deleted yet and smiled. "You don't want to go?"

Zhuang Yihan indeed didn't want to go, but he couldn't resist when Jiang Xi mentioned bringing Chen Shu along. If he refused outright, Chen Shu would inevitably overthink it, assuming he was unwilling to bring him. Moreover, Fang Yiting and the others were all going, so refusing again would seem odd. After all, if one tried too hard to avoid suspicion, it would only make people think you had something to hide.

Furthermore... he had also invested a considerable sum of money in the resort island. Even if he didn't want to get involved with Jiang Xi now, the matter of selling his shares had to be discussed in person.

With this in mind, Zhuang Yihan changed his tune. "It's nothing. I was just thinking I have an international video conference next Tuesday and might not have time. But now that I think about it, I can reschedule. Anyway, it's been a long time since I've traveled. We can treat it as a chance to relax. You should come with me."

But Chen Shu said, "I have class on Tuesday, so I probably won't have time."

Zhuang Yihan stiffened. "Can't you take a leave of absence?"

Chen Shu looked at him silently, probably thinking the question was a bit foolish.

...

Zhuang Yihan raised a hand to loosen his tie, an imperceptible wave of annoyance rising in him. It wasn't because Chen Shu was unwilling to take a leave, but because the other didn't seem enthusiastic about anything related to him. He frowned and said, "If you're not going, then I won't go either."

"You rarely get a chance to relax, why not go?"

Chen Shu reached out and ruffled Zhuang Yihan's hair, easily soothing his agitated emotions. "Then I'll take two days off. I've pretty much finished the course material anyway."

Zhuang Yihan felt an intimate tickle on the back of his neck and unconsciously tilted his head. For some reason, the knot in his heart instantly unfurled. He stared at Chen Shu without moving, as if afraid he would go back on his word. "Then it's settled. We'll go to sea together on Tuesday?"

The smile in Chen Shu's eyes deepened. "Have I ever lied to you?"

Only then did Zhuang Yihan's expression soften slightly. He snorted coldly. "As if you'd dare."

Remembering something, his interest was suddenly piqued. "Let's go, I'll take you somewhere."

Chen Shu was puzzled. "Where?"

Zhuang Yihan refused to say. "You'll know when we get there."

He finished speaking and started the car, driving toward their destination, completely unaware of the Black Snake, invisible to others, coiled on Chen Shu's shoulder. Its pupils were a magnificent scarlet, unable to hide their playful gleam.

In truth, even if Chen Shu wasn't interested in going to sea, he would have gone along just to figure out what Jiang Xi was scheming. Yet, he preferred to toy with Zhuang Yihan's heart, pulling it up and down, tight and loose, making him happy one moment and worried the next.

Zhuang Yihan was truly pitiful. He had just managed to escape Jiang Xi's trap, only to fall into another, even more deadly one without realizing it. Could he not see that the one truly leading him on was Chen Shu?

Of course, he couldn't.

The Black Snake gazed at the aura surrounding Zhuang Yihan. The original, boundless gloom of pain had long since dissipated, replaced by a brightness that represented recovery and vitality. In this barren and bleak autumn, it was as if all things were welcoming the birth of spring.

The Black Snake didn't find such happiness to be an eyesore, because pain often lay hidden within it, just as love and hate are two sides of the same coin.

The apartment Zhuang Yihan had chosen was very close to Chen Shu's school, and they arrived after a short drive. The residential garden downstairs still looked very new. Walking in along the covered walkway, they were flanked by tranquil pools. Although the newly planted trees weren't too lush yet, the design of the surrounding antique-style pavilions made up for it, truly achieving a different view with every step.

Chen Shu probably guessed what Zhuang Yihan was up to, but he didn't say anything along the way. Instead, he followed him into the elevator and upstairs. Just from how proficiently Zhuang Yihan entered the code to open the door, it was clear he had been here many times.

"I had a friend help me pick this place out. I saw it was close to your school and the building was new, so I booked it in advance. The high-end renovation was just completed last year, so it's had a good five or six months to air out. You can move in anytime."

Zhuang Yihan had housekeeping do a thorough cleaning two days ago. The sofa and bedsheets were brand new, and all the daily necessities had been purchased. He opened the shoe cabinet, took out two pairs of slippers, and changed into them with Chen Shu at the entrance before taking a quick look around the apartment.

"It's over 150 square meters, with a usable area of 120. It's a little small, but it's enough for you to use as a temporary place to stay after school. What do you think, do you like the decor?"

Chen Shu didn't say anything. He glanced at the ornaments and decorations in the living room, feeling that the style was inexplicably familiar. He patted the armrest of the leather sofa, found it to be clean and dust-free, and casually sat down. "Did you have someone design this place?"

Zhuang Yihan paused at his words and asked, seemingly casually, "Why, don't you like it?"

The original decor of the apartment wasn't bad, but the style was lacking something. So, Zhuang Yihan hired a design team to replace all the soft furnishings. He went back and forth, repeatedly finalizing the plans, and completed the implementation in the shortest time possible. It could be said that he personally supervised the entire process, putting in a great deal of effort.

Meeting Zhuang Yihan's slightly nervous gaze, Chen Shu smiled. He reached out, pulled the man into his arms, and praised him while pressing against his cheek, "No, I just feel that the designer must have great taste. The decor is beautiful."

The style was too familiar; it was clearly Zhuang Yihan's handiwork and preferences at a glance.

Hearing this, Zhuang Yihan tried to suppress the slight upward curve of his lips. "I also think the design is nice. From now on, you can come straight here after class. It's only a ten-minute drive. However, you just came to A City not long ago, so you don't meet the requirements to purchase property. When you graduate and start working, we can transfer the ownership to your name."

Chen Shu casually kissed his earlobe. "No rush. We'll talk about it when the time comes."

The things he had craved in his past life had suddenly become dispensable in this one. Was rebirth really so terrifying, to the point of stripping a person of their desires?

The kiss made Zhuang Yihan feel a bit ticklish. With bright eyes, he asked, "So, do you like it?"

When facing someone he liked, Zhuang Yihan's affections never seemed to be cherished. Jiang Xi was a case in point. Every time he painstakingly chose a gift, the other party never showed any joy, always offering polite thanks and a polite gift in return, as if it were just the most ordinary of social exchanges.

At times when Chen Shu's hatred for Zhuang Yihan reached its peak, he would also find the man pitiful.

He gave the other a light kiss. "Do you even need to ask a question like that?"

If it were the Chen Shu from his past life, he might have liked it so much that he would have cried. After all, in his short half-life, all he had ever arduously sought was to be taken seriously by Zhuang Yihan.

Unfortunately, the Chen Shu of this life had already become a cold-blooded creature. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't even squeeze out a single crocodile tear...

It is difficult for a person who has died once to ever feel their heart stir again. It's like a sheet of white paper that has been smeared with love, hate, and desire until it is filthy; it can never return to its original state, let alone have a name—one that they would follow for a lifetime—earnestly written upon its crowded, messy surface.

But Chen Shu was still willing to put on a happy face, because Zhuang Yihan had indeed put in a lot of effort. He wouldn't be moved by it, but that didn't mean he would be perfunctory with the other's sincere heart.

A sincere heart that he once craved but now didn't really need.

A ready-made love nest was right before them. It would seem unjustifiable not to do something intimate.

Chen Shu lifted Zhuang Yihan's chin and, lowering his gaze, slowly and deliberately kissed him. Occasionally, he would also whisper sweet nothings in his ear to please him, "But I still like you more..."

Kissed into a daze by Chen Shu, Zhuang Yihan's fingertips, clinging to the other's shoulders, tightened uncontrollably upon hearing his words. His cheeks were burning, his body was burning, and it felt as if a fire was about to ignite in his heart. His cool and detached eyes were tinged with alluring lust. Looking at Chen Shu, he moved his lips silently, as if craving something.

This shouldn't be happening.

But in fact, an indecent and absurd thought had indeed emerged in Zhuang Yihan's mind—

He wanted Chen Shu to fuck him here.