In Love With An Idiot

Chapter 10

Even Li Yu had started putting on airs with him. Jian Suiying waited a full two weeks before the brat finally dragged himself into the office, looking thoroughly reluctant. Jian Suiying didn't bother calling him personally. Instead, he had Secretary Liang chase him up.

 

Secretary Liang usually looked after Li Yu quite well, and he even addressed her as jiejie, or older sister. With her following orders and pestering him every day, Li Yu eventually had no choice but to show his face, however unwillingly. Jian Suiying summoned him into his office. Li Yu was still wearing that thick black down jacket, with pristine white tracksuit bottoms underneath. In his hands were the documents he had brought for Jian Suiying to review.

 

Jian Suiying sat back in his chair, legs crossed, chin raised, as he regarded Li Yu arrogantly.

 

“Well, well. An ordinary person really wouldn't be able to persuade someone as important as you to grace them with their presence.”

 

Li Yu glanced at him before lowering his eyes and placing the documents on the desk. Jian Suiying was the sort of person who, no matter how much you hated, despised or wanted to avoid him, somehow made it impossible to stop watching him. Your eyes would follow his every expression, every movement and every word.

 

He possessed everything that ought to make a person likeable, yet it was paired with a temperament capable of giving anyone a splitting headache. He was a walking contradiction, someone who made people hate him and yet…

 

Jian Suiying casually flicked through the documents Li Yu had brought, gave a contemptuous snort and tossed them aside.

 

“Got training today?”

 

Li Yu nodded.

 

“Well, I'm afraid you won't be going today.”

 

Li Yu raised his head and frowned.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Jian Suiying rose from his chair.

 

“Don't you think it's about time we settled this little personal grudge between us?”

 

Li Yu instinctively took a step backwards, watching him warily. He reminded himself that they were in an office building, with dozens of people just outside the door, their dull, monotonous lives leaving them perpetually eager for a bit of free entertainment. Seeing his reaction only made Jian Suiying angrier.

 

“What, do you think I'm a bloody football? That you can kick me around whenever you feel like it? I'm telling you, it's not going to be that easy!”

 

Li Yu regarded him cautiously before speaking in a low voice.

 

“Jian-ge, we're not suited to each other. Being together would be risky as well…”

 

Jian Suiying pointed at him.

 

“Shut up! I'm not listening to that bullshit.”

 

Li Yu simply looked at him.

 

“Li Lao'er, whatever else happened, we got along pretty well for quite a while. Then you suddenly decide we're finished, just like that. How the fuck do you think that makes me feel? You think every good thing in the world ought to fall straight into your lap?”

 

“Then what do you want?”

 

“Simple. All you have to do is… and we'll call it even. From that day onwards, I swear I'll never think about you again.”

 

Li Yu's breathing became slightly uneven. He struggled to maintain his composure.

 

“I've already told you. You'd better give up on that idea.”

 

“What, were you born somehow better than me? Let me tell you something. You owe me this. Until you pay me back, that debt isn't going anywhere. I guarantee I won't let you have a moment's peace for the rest of your life!”

 

Li Yu felt there was no point continuing the conversation. If it went on much longer, he was bound to lose his temper. He wanted to turn around and leave, but that seemed too dangerous. Instead, he kept facing Jian Suiying as he gradually backed towards the door. Jian Suiying advanced with him, his expression growing increasingly unpleasant.

 

After several steps, Li Yu stopped. His hand quietly clenched into a fist inside his trouser pocket. His voice turned cold.

 

“I have something important to do today. I've delivered the documents. As for anything unrelated to work, there's no need for us to discuss it again.”

 

Jian Suiying's eyes widened, and he suddenly lunged forwards. Li Yu immediately raised his arms to defend himself, already prepared for another fight. But Jian Suiying abruptly brought forward the hand he had been keeping behind his back. Something was clutched in it, and before Li Yu could react, Jian Suiying sprayed it directly into his face. Li Yu caught a pungent smell.

 

Almost immediately, his head began to swim and his limbs weakened. He stared at Jian Suiying in disbelief, anger and alarm filling his eyes. Not even in his wildest dreams had he imagined Jian Suiying would resort to such a despicable trick. Just before losing consciousness, one thought crossed his mind. He had still given Jian Suiying far too much credit.

 

Jian Suiying stood there breathing heavily, watching Li Yu collapse onto the floor with a thud. His palms were soaked with sweat. After several previous encounters, he had finally accepted that he couldn't beat Li Yu in a fight. If he tried using force, he would be the one who suffered.

 

He wasn't a complete idiot. If he couldn't win through brute strength, he would simply have to find another way. There was no reason to keep confronting Li Yu head-on. Admittedly, his method was rather dishonourable, but he had done plenty of dishonourable things throughout his life. As long as he achieved his objective, he couldn't have cared less.

 

Yet as he looked at Li Yu lying unconscious on the floor, eyes tightly shut and an expression of unwillingness still lingering on his face, Jian Suiying suddenly felt rather lost. First, he vented his frustration by kicking Li Yu several times in the thigh, leaving shoeprints all over his spotless white tracksuit bottoms. Only then did he begin to feel a little better.

 

Once he had finished kicking him, Jian Suiying dragged Li Yu off the floor and hauled him into his private rest room. He stripped off Li Yu's outer clothing and dumped him onto the bed. By the time he had finished, Jian Suiying was sweating. Li Yu might have looked slender, but all that muscle made him surprisingly heavy. Add the layers of winter clothing, and it was hardly surprising Jian Suiying was out of breath.

 

He sat on the edge of the bed to recover, gazing at Li Yu's closed eyes and handsome features. No matter how often he looked at him, he was still so beautiful. And no matter how often he looked, Jian Suiying only liked him more. Where on earth should he begin?

 

Young Master Jian found himself in a predicament. Although he had managed to knock Li Yu unconscious in one determined burst of action, now that the moment had arrived, he found himself lacking the courage to continue. For the first time in his life, he discovered there was something he might actually be afraid of. He was afraid of the disgust and hatred he would see in Li Yu's eyes when he woke up.

 

Li Yu already didn't like him. If Jian Suiying really went through with it, wouldn't Li Yu hate him for the rest of his life?

 

When he considered the possibility of completely destroying whatever relationship still existed between them, his resolve faltered. He genuinely liked Li Yu. He genuinely wanted them to be together properly. Although he thought Li Yu was infuriating, hateful and thoroughly unreasonable, Jian Suiying had never been someone who deceived himself.

 

He liked Li Yu. That was simply the truth. Even after Li Yu had driven him to this point, he couldn't change how he felt. What the hell was he supposed to do?

 

Jian Suiying slowly bent down and kissed Li Yu several times on the lips. Then he straightened and slapped him across the face. What a bloody curse. Why did he have to fall for someone who wanted absolutely nothing to do with him? Wasn't he just making a fool of himself?

 

Li Yu was impossibly difficult. Neither kindness nor force worked on him. Jian Suiying truly didn't know what else to do. Even someone as thick-skinned and rough-hearted as Jian Suiying couldn't help feeling a little melancholy and bitterness at that moment. He continued struggling with himself for another half an hour, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to touch Li Yu any further.

 

He knew he had truly behaved like a coward this time. If the person who had supplied the drug asked him how effective it had been, Jian Suiying suspected he would be too embarrassed to answer. Just as he was sighing over his predicament, Li Yu's mobile rang. Jian Suiying jumped in surprise. He picked the phone up from the floor and glanced at the screen.

 

The caller ID read Coach. He remembered that Li Yu apparently had training scheduled for today, but he didn't think much of it and simply rejected the call. Unexpectedly, the coach refused to give up. Every time Jian Suiying rejected the call, the phone rang again. He rejected it once more.

 

It rang yet again. The man was relentless.

 

“For fuck's sake, what's the bloody emergency?” Jian Suiying muttered.

 

He simply switched the phone off. After pulling the duvet over Li Yu, he left the rest room and returned to his desk, where he sat staring blankly into space. A little while later, Secretary Liang entered with some documents. After handing them over, she glanced suspiciously around the office, looking as though she wanted to say something but didn't quite dare. Jian Suiying glanced at her.

 

“What is it?”

 

“N-nothing.”

 

Only then did Jian Suiying remember that she had personally watched Li Yu enter his office, and he hadn't come out since. Almost two hours had passed. He cleared his throat.

 

“Li Yu's using the bathroom in there.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Secretary Liang still had her doubts, but she didn't dare say anything further. The other employees might not have realised there was something ambiguous about Jian Suiying and Li Yu's relationship, but Secretary Liang spent more time around Jian Suiying than anyone else. She had far too many opportunities to observe them together. Of course, the two men were usually careful about how they behaved in public, so Secretary Liang naturally pretended she hadn't noticed anything.

 

Her job was to earn a salary and support her family. The less she knew about her boss's private life, the better. Jian Suiying had always appreciated how intelligent, efficient, sensible and discreet she was. He wasn't particularly worried about her discovering his relationship with Li Yu. He tapped his fingers against the desk.

 

“Go and get us some lunch. You don't need to worry about anything else.”

 

“All right.”

 

The drug really was remarkably effective. It was already past six in the evening, and everyone else in the company had gone home, yet Li Yu still hadn't woken up. If it hadn't been for his steady breathing and the fact that he appeared to be sleeping soundly, Jian Suiying might genuinely have taken him to hospital. With Li Yu still unconscious, Jian Suiying couldn't leave either. He had no choice but to stay and keep him company.

 

Eventually, however, he couldn't stand it any longer. Being tired and hungry was bad enough. But whenever he remembered how he had spent the entire afternoon tormenting himself with indecision, he felt utterly pathetic. He couldn't even decide whether he was angrier with Li Yu or with himself. Either way, his irritation only continued to grow.

 

He marched over, grabbed Li Yu by the collar and delivered two resounding slaps across his face. The sound was so loud that it echoed throughout the rest room.

 

“Wake the fuck up! What do you think this is, your own house? Enjoying your little nap, are you?”

 

At first, Li Yu didn't react. Jian Suiying slapped him several more times before he finally began to stir. Jian Suiying released him, letting him fall back onto the bed, then stood over him looking down. It took Li Yu a full thirty seconds for the confusion in his eyes to give way to clarity. Throughout that half-minute, Jian Suiying watched him.

 

He watched Li Yu slowly turn his head towards the dark window. Then Li Yu slowly turned back. His gaze had become vicious. Jian Suiying was startled. He had barely thought to retreat when Li Yu sprang up from the bed and shoved him violently.

 

The force sent Jian Suiying crashing to the floor. The back of his head struck the wall with a tremendous bang. His vision blurred, and several seconds passed before he recovered enough to roar furiously.

 

“Are you fucking asking to die?!”

 

Li Yu's face had turned ashen. He swept the bedside lamp onto the floor with one hand, then pointed a trembling finger at Jian Suiying.

 

“I had a match today… Jian Suiying, why don't you just fucking die?!”

 

Jian Suiying froze. The words go and die echoed repeatedly through his mind. It felt as though something inside him had been scorched, leaving behind a fierce, burning pain. He sprang to his feet in a rage.

 

“What the fuck has your stupid match got to do with me? If you missed it, that's your own bloody problem!”

 

Li Yu was trembling all over with fury. Trying to explain teamwork and honour, sweat and ambition, to someone like Jian Suiying would be utterly pointless. He would undoubtedly regard all of it as worthless. Li Yu had never intended to spend his entire life boxing professionally. Nevertheless, he had spent more than ten years sweating in front of that punching bag, investing countless hours and immeasurable effort.

 

Preparing for a competition, from the preliminary stages to the intensive training sessions, had demanded even more from him. None of that could be measured in money. Yet Jian Suiying had destroyed the results of all that hard work without showing the slightest remorse. Worse still, he remained arrogant and overbearing, treating the entire matter as though it were nothing. Li Yu should have understood Jian Suiying's true nature long ago.

 

He honestly couldn't understand how he had managed to spend so much time with such an ill-mannered, arrogant, inconsiderate bastard, someone whose endless foul habits were almost impossible to tolerate. He knew Jian Suiying hadn't actually done anything further to him while he was unconscious. Even so, he desperately wanted to pin the man to the floor and beat him senseless. In the end, however, he forced himself to hold back.

 

He picked up his clothes and began putting them on, one garment at a time. Jian Suiying, meanwhile, refused to let the matter drop. He swept his hand across the nearby objects until his fingers closed around a glass. There was still water inside. Without a second thought, he hurled it straight at Li Yu.

 

Li Yu had only just pulled on his cashmere jumper when the water drenched him. Although the heating was on and the room wasn't cold, he would freeze if he went outside in those soaking clothes. He glared viciously at Jian Suiying, forcing out each syllable through gritted teeth.

 

“Jian. Sui. Ying!”

 

Jian Suiying glared straight back.

 

“Fuck you, Li Yu! You're the one who should go and die!”

 

Li Yu wanted nothing more than to throw himself at the man and bite him to death. He had always been level-headed, rarely losing his temper with anyone. Yet whenever he encountered Jian Suiying, no matter how hard he tried to remain calm, he invariably ended up seething with anger. He simply pulled off the wet jumper, put his down jacket straight over his bare torso and strode towards the door. Jian Suiying watched him fiercely.

 

“It's not as if I knew you had a match…” His voice grew quieter as he spoke.

 

Li Yu shot him a furious look and walked past with a face like ice. Jian Suiying called after him, “Besides, how important could it possibly have been?” Li Yu left without looking back.

 

Slowly, Jian Suiying turned his head and watched Li Yu's tall figure disappear into the darkness. His fists clenched tightly, his heart filled with distress and unease. That cold look in Li Yu's eyes had genuinely wounded him. Over the next few days, Jian Suiying was terribly on edge. Ever since their unpleasant parting the previous week, he had felt deeply unsettled and had absolutely no idea what to do.

 

He badly wanted to seek Li Yu out, but his pride wouldn't allow it. All he could do was endure the stalemate. Although making Li Yu miss his match and everything else had admittedly been rather bad, he still didn't feel guilty. At most, he felt a little uneasy about it.

 

One evening, he received a call from Director Fan inviting him to dinner. As he had nothing else to do, he agreed. He assumed Director Fan would invite several other people as well, so they could socialise and strengthen their connections. To his surprise, there were only the two of them.

 

Jian Suiying realised that Director Fan must have something to discuss. Without revealing anything, he sat down, drank with him and exchanged pleasantries. After a couple of glasses, Director Fan finally spoke.

 

“Brother Jian, those flats in your XX residential development are selling remarkably well. They've almost all been snapped up, haven't they?”

 

Jian Suiying smiled.

 

“Thanks to everyone's support, sales have been decent.” He lowered his voice. “Has your niece thought about moving into one?”

 

Director Fan smiled.

 

“Let's wait a little longer. No need to rush.”

 

They exchanged knowing smiles, and Jian Suiying took a sip of wine. Director Fan looked as though he was struggling to find the right words.

 

“Brother Jian, I invited you here today because there really is something I need to say. It's a little difficult to bring up. Given our friendship, I hope you won't take offence. Whatever I say, it's genuinely for your own good.”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

“Back when we were handling matters for that residential development of yours, there were four of us altogether: myself, Old Zhao and two others.”

 

“That's right.”

 

“And at the time, you promised one flat to each of us. Isn't that so?”

 

“I did.”

 

“Actually, given our relationship, we'd have helped you even without such a promise. And the arrangement about one flat each was only a verbal agreement. We trusted you, so it never occurred to us to wonder whether you'd honour it…”

 

Jian Suiying's heart sank. He knew something must have gone wrong. He interrupted.

 

“Director Fan, just tell me plainly what's happened.”

 

Director Fan considered his words, then sighed.

 

“All right, I'll be direct. The flat you promised me has been taken care of, so I have nothing to complain about. But the other three…”

 

Jian Suiying narrowed his eyes. Countless possibilities flashed through his mind, but he had already caught the most important point: the other three men hadn't received their flats. What exactly had happened?

 

“Go on, Director Fan,” he said quietly.

 

Director Fan steeled himself.

 

“What was originally supposed to be one flat per person turned into this amount of money instead. Think about how much those flats are worth. How can the two possibly compare? Naturally, they're unhappy.”

 

Jian Suiying patted him on the shoulder.

 

“Brother Fan, I really must thank you for bringing this to my attention.”

 

“Brother Jian, I wouldn't have raised it if I had any other choice. Otherwise, how could I face those men? If you hadn't promised so much in the first place, none of this would have happened. But now…”

 

“I understand, I understand. Brother Fan, I handled this badly. Please speak to Old Zhao and the others for me. I'll invite them to dinner personally another day and give them a proper explanation.”

 

“All right. I'll arrange for them to come. And don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just do what you think is appropriate, all right?”

 

“Of course. Thank you, Brother Fan.”

 

Jian Suiying took another sip of wine. His eyes grew darker, his expression difficult to read. After dinner, he didn't immediately call Jian Suilin or Bai Xinyu. Instead, he rang Secretary Liang and asked her to retrieve the registered residents' list.

 

Secretary Liang told him that Li Yu had handled most of those records. Jian Suiying couldn't bring himself to call Li Yu, so he asked her to obtain them instead. That evening, Jian Suiying went over the entire affair by himself, but still couldn't determine who was responsible. As far as he was concerned, Bai Xinyu wasn't clever enough to deceive him, while Jian Suilin didn't have the nerve.

 

He spent the entire night thinking without reaching a conclusion. He decided to establish the facts first, then settle accounts with Jian Suilin and Bai Xinyu.

 

He had expected this to be straightforward, but it dragged on for a full ten days. At first, Li Yu wouldn't answer his calls. Even when he did, he was decidedly uncooperative. After several more days of delays, the documents finally arrived.

 

The two men briefly crossed paths outside Jian Suiying's office. But Jian Suiying was so preoccupied with the three flats that he had no time to deal with Li Yu. He simply shot him a fierce glare and turned into his office. Jian Suiying carefully examined the documents relating to the three flats.

 

If ownership hadn't yet been transferred, there might have been some way to recover them. But the properties now belonged to other people. He could only watch helplessly as the three flats he had intended to give away became someone else's property. And the sales proceeds, amounting to more than ten million yuan? He hadn't seen a single bloody penny of them!

 

Jian Suiying slammed his fist onto the desk, grabbed the office telephone and dialled Jian Suilin's mobile number. He wanted to see who dared to pull such a trick right under his nose.

 

“Hello, ge.” Jian Suilin's youthful, clear voice came through the receiver.

 

“Where are you?”

 

“At university.”

 

“Come to the office immediately.”

 

“Huh? Right now? I've got a class in a little while.”

 

“Immediately. Right now. Come to the office.”

 

He hung up and waited. About forty minutes later, Jian Suilin arrived wrapped in a thick coat, bringing a gust of cold air into the room. As he unwound his scarf, he asked, “Ge, what's so urgent?” Jian Suiying slammed the property transfer documents onto the desk.

 

“Look at them yourself!”

 

Jian Suilin picked them up in confusion. After turning a few pages, his expression changed dramatically.

 

“This…”

 

Jian Suiying glared at him.

 

“What's going on? Explain everything to me, exactly as it happened!”

 

Jian Suilin said gravely, “Ge, these… I don't know anything about them.”

 

“You don't know?!”

 

Jian Suiying sprang to his feet and slapped him across the face.

 

“You think saying you don't know is fucking enough? We're talking about properties worth more than ten million yuan, and all you can say is that you don't know? I put you in charge of this, and this is the fucking mess you've made! Three flats have simply disappeared! The job wasn't done, and the money went into someone else's pocket. Tell me, did you and Bai Xinyu swallow it together?”

 

“No!” Jian Suilin covered his cheek and looked at him aggrievedly. “Ge, weren't you the one who asked Brother Yu to help? After he finished handling Director Fan's flat, he took the documents for the other three. He said it was simple and that he could deal with it himself. I—I told you at the time…”

 

“I was so busy I barely knew which way was up! How was I supposed to keep track of every little thing? You were responsible for something so simple, and you couldn't even manage the risks. What the fuck are you good for?”

 

“I kept trying to stay involved, but he wouldn't listen to my advice. I couldn't very well tell him what to do…”

 

“Oh, he handled it all right! He gave those three men five hundred thousand yuan each, then sold all three flats!”

 

Jian Suilin's face turned deathly pale.

 

“Ge, are you certain? Have you contacted Brother Yu?”

 

“It's obvious enough. I don't even need to contact him to know the bastard's run off and hidden somewhere. What I want to establish now is whether you had a hand in it.”

 

Jian Suiying narrowed his eyes as he scrutinised his half-brother, his gaze filled with suspicion and doubt. Jian Suilin's eyes reddened, and his voice caught.

 

“Ge, we're family. How could I do something like that?”

 

Jian Suiying glared at him, then dialled Bai Xinyu's mobile in front of him. Just as expected, it was switched off. He called his eldest aunt instead. Before long, she answered in a cheerful voice.

 

“Oh, Suiying!”

 

“Auntie, I can't get hold of Bai Xinyu. Do you know where he's gone?”

 

“Oh, him? He's gone to stay with his aunt in Australia. Said it was warmer over there.”

 

Jian Suiying gave a cold laugh. Just as he'd expected, the bastard had run away.

 

“Do you know his number over there?”

 

“Of course. Let me find it for you.”

 

He heard her rustling through things at the other end of the line. As she searched, she asked casually, “Suiying, what do you need him for?” Jian Suiying was silent for several seconds, unsure how to respond. His aunt laughed.

 

“Is it something to do with business? Our little Yu has really made something of himself lately. He's finally earning money! You wouldn't believe it—some time ago, he bought your uncle a set of golf clubs worth over a hundred thousand yuan. We were both absolutely delighted. It's not really about how expensive the gift was. It's the fact that he's capable of earning that sort of money now, and that he thought of his parents. Suiying, it's all thanks to you taking him under your wing. Otherwise, who knows where he'd be wasting his time now?”

 

A painful feeling rose in Jian Suiying's chest. The words he had intended to say caught in his throat, and he couldn't force them out. His aunt had a heart condition and couldn't withstand a shock. He simply couldn't tell her that her son had pocketed the proceeds from three of his flats and fled. He was afraid the news might make her collapse from anger.

 

“Ah, found it! I'll send you the number by text.”

 

“All right…”

 

After hanging up, Jian Suiying sank wearily into his chair, lowered his head and gently closed his eyes. A moment later, his phone chimed with a text containing the international number. He tossed the phone aside and looked at Jian Suilin, who scarcely dared to breathe.

 

“Not a fourth person is to hear about this.”

 

Jian Suilin nodded hastily.

 

“I'll investigate this matter thoroughly.”

 

Jian Suilin lowered his head further and further.

 

“If I find out that you and Bai Xinyu worked together to make a fool of me, Jian Suilin, I'll make sure you can never set foot through the Jian family's front door again.”

 

Jian Suilin kept his head lowered, his expression impossible to make out. Jian Suiying's anger hadn't subsided. He waved a hand sharply.

 

“Get out.”

 

After Suilin left, Jian Suiying sat smoking one cigarette after another. Nothing seemed to be going right for him lately. He had suffered a major setback with Li Yu, and now his own cousin had cheated him. Running a company meant worrying about one thing after another every single day. Sometimes he genuinely wanted to wash his hands of the whole bloody business.

 

Of course, such thoughts only came to him when he was furious. Once he calmed down, there would still be piles of work waiting to be dealt with.

 

Sometimes he felt terribly lonely. He wasn't close to his father. They were both occupied with their own affairs and rarely saw one another. There wasn't a single person around him who could lend a hand. When something went wrong, he had nobody to rely on—and he didn't want to rely on anyone anyway. Just thinking about it exhausted him.

 

He was too irritable to remain in the office, so he searched through his contacts, found Xiao Zhu's number and arranged to meet him at a hotel. On one occasion, Jian Suiying was so tired that he fell asleep there and didn't go home. When he woke some time later, he saw Xiao Zhu sitting in a chair beside a floor lamp, concentrating on something he was writing with pen and paper.

 

Jian Suiying approached quietly. When the young man noticed him, he jumped in fright and tried to hide the paper, but it was too late. Jian Suiying snatched it away. One glance told him it was a record of expenses, though the figures were scattered about without much order.

 

He teased him, “Oh, keeping accounts, are you? How much have you made out of me?” The young man's face immediately turned bright red. He bit his lip, looking painfully embarrassed.

 

Jian Suiying hadn't meant to mock him; he'd only been joking. Seeing how sensitive Xiao Zhu was, however, made him feel a little sorry for him. He stroked his head.

 

“What are you doing fussing over that in the middle of the night? Get some sleep.”

 

Xiao Zhu carefully folded the paper and tucked it into his pocket. Because Jian Suiying couldn't bear to upset his eldest aunt, he had no choice but to swallow the loss himself. And although he had declared that he would investigate the matter thoroughly, without getting hold of Bai Xinyu, there was really no way to determine whether Jian Suilin had been involved.

 

Both personally and rationally, he hoped Jian Suilin had nothing to do with it. Otherwise, he was afraid he might actually beat him to death. For now, all he could do was wait for Bai Xinyu to show his face again. To make up for the damage the incident had caused, Jian Suiying had to promise another three flats from the condominium hotel he was developing on Hainan Island, using them to repair the damage to those relationships.

 

Including the three flats Bai Xinyu had pocketed, the total cost of the six properties came to more than three million yuan. At market prices, he had lost over ten million in one stroke. Every time Jian Suiying thought about it, his head throbbed so painfully that he could hardly recover his composure.

 

Later, he fell ill—not seriously, but enough to give him a low fever and leave his head foggy. He spent two days lying at home. Apart from Secretary Liang calling him and bringing him food, nobody checked on him.

 

Secretary Liang's child had only just started primary school, so she couldn't come and look after him. Jian Suiying told her not to bother. He took some medicine and endured the illness alone for two days until his temperature gradually returned to normal.

 

His illness had been brought on entirely by anger, arriving quickly and disappearing just as quickly. Yet even after his body recovered, the sense of exhaustion and weariness remained. He spent several more days loafing around at home, unwilling to work or go outside. He simply felt exhausted to the very core.

 

His cousin, whom he had watched grow up and spent so much time and money guiding, had gone behind his back and stolen from him. Being betrayed by his own family left him not only consumed by anger but also profoundly desolate. He had struggled through the business world for years, suffering every kind of humiliation and loss. But being swindled by someone from his own family, someone he had trusted, was a first. Just this one incident left him defeated and utterly heartsick.

 

If it hadn't been for his aunt, he would certainly have dragged Bai Xinyu back and given him a thorough beating. But whenever he thought of her, he couldn't summon up any of those vicious intentions. Someone who had never experienced the feeling of having nobody around to help, only people looking for ways to cheat him, could never truly understand it. He felt dreadful, both physically and emotionally.

 

There was one small benefit to the whole affair: at least he no longer thought about Li Yu whenever he had a quiet moment. Several more days passed in a haze before he finally pulled himself together. Having talked himself out of his misery, he was once again full of energy. He hadn't been to the office for an entire week, and work had piled up. The moment he returned, he was so busy he didn't even have time for lunch.

 

To his surprise, he encountered Li Yu at the company. He hadn't seen him for ages. They came face to face. Li Yu was dressed in a perfectly neat suit, a thick stack of documents tucked beneath his arm, and was speaking on his mobile. When he saw Jian Suiying, he faltered for a moment.

 

Although Jian Suiying had missed him, he still didn't know how to behave now that they were face to face. He felt he ought to approach him and make some friendly conversation. Unfortunately, Li Yu's face was so cold that he looked impossible to approach. Besides, Jian Suiying really wasn't in the mood.

 

Li Yu seemed to be preparing for Jian Suiying to come over at any moment. He ended his call hurriedly and watched him without blinking. Jian Suiying twisted his lips into a smile. Seeing nobody else around, he sneered.

 

“Look at that expression of yours. There's something wrong with you.”

 

He rolled his eyes at Li Yu, turned and walked away. Li Yu was taken aback. He stared after Jian Suiying for a long while, unable to recover from his surprise. Although Jian Suiying had managed to score a point against Li Yu, he didn't feel any better. Instead, the awful state of their relationship, with no end in sight, gave him an even bigger headache.

 

It wasn't as if he hadn't considered apologising. After all, making Li Yu miss his competition really had been his fault. But his pride wouldn't allow it. And he had the feeling that even if he made that concession, Li Yu still wouldn't let him get close again. Li Yu's dislike of him was simply too obvious.

 

His original judgement of Li Yu had been correct. This man's heart was far too difficult to warm.

 

Yet Jian Suiying truly didn't want to give up. If he thought of Li Yu as a challenge, he had already invested a great deal in it. The more he invested, the less willing he became to abandon it. Besides, he had always enjoyed overcoming obstacles and scaling difficult heights, taking enormous satisfaction in succeeding. He decided to give things a little more time.

 

Once he had dealt with his current workload and Li Yu's anger had faded, he would look for another opportunity. Several major projects were keeping him busy. The development in Qinhuangdao would be completed in another two months, while the condominium hotel on Hainan Island had already been contracted and they were searching for a construction team.

 

His life seemed to have returned to the way it had been before he met Li Yu. Most of his energy went into work, and when he had free time, he would get together with his drinking companions and go out enjoying himself. He could still live quite comfortably without Li Yu. But inside, he felt terribly empty. The emptiness had grown stronger since their separation, and nothing seemed able to fill it.

 

Day after day passed, and almost before he knew it, the weather began to warm. Jian Suiying hadn't seen Li Yu since that encounter at the office. Nearly three months later, Li Yu appeared at the company again—and this time entered Jian Suiying's office of his own accord. When Jian Suiying saw who had knocked and come in, his entire heart tightened.

 

Li Yu had changed his hairstyle. His hair was shorter, exposing his smooth, full forehead. He looked remarkably fresh and handsome, and seemed considerably more mature than he had when Jian Suiying first met him a year earlier. Watching Li Yu walk towards him with calm, confident strides, Jian Suiying couldn't help feeling emotional. He put on an arrogant air, leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow without speaking.

 

Li Yu placed the documents in his hands on the desk and spoke in a thoroughly businesslike manner.

 

“There's further news about the land in Beihai. My brother hopes you'll take the people from that feed company there for a visit.”

 

Jian Suiying narrowed his eyes and regarded him for a while. Then he slowly picked up the documents, turned a couple of pages and gave a noncommittal grunt. Li Yu waited for him to speak. They remained in an awkward stalemate, almost as though competing to see who would lose patience first. In the end, Jian Suiying broke the silence.

 

“If we go this time, will we more or less be able to finalise everything?”

 

“Possibly. You'll have to discuss it with my brother.”

 

Jian Suiying checked his diary.

 

“I'll contact Director Li. I can't spare any time this month, so let's make it next month. I'll decide when to book the flights after I've spoken to the people over there.”

 

“All right.”

 

Li Yu's indifferent manner made Jian Suiying uncomfortable. He couldn't stop himself from asking, “How long has it been since you last came to the company?”

 

“…I don't remember.”

 

“Why haven't you been coming?”

 

“I've been busy with university.”

 

Jian Suiying fell silent. After a hesitant pause, he asked, “And that thing of yours… how did it turn out? The boxing?” Li Yu looked up at him and gave a slight, bitter twitch of his lips.

 

“I was disciplined.”

 

Jian Suiying awkwardly turned his face away, still with no intention of apologising.

 

“Come to the office more often from now on. Some important company records are in your possession. If you don't want to work here any more, hand them over sooner rather than later. Don't hold up my business.”

 

As for the three flats, if Li Yu hadn't been so stubborn and uncooperative, at least one of them would not yet have been transferred when Jian Suiying discovered the problem. He might have been able to recover it. He didn't intend to blame Li Yu, since he himself had offended him first. But allowing a private dispute to interfere with business was something Jian Suiying couldn't tolerate, and he didn't want to see it happen again.

 

Li Yu replied evenly, “From now on, I'll come in at least once a week.” Jian Suiying looked at him in surprise. He had assumed that with their relationship deteriorated to this extent, Li Yu would simply quit. Then he remembered how much responsibility Li Yu had taken on for the Beihai project. If he walked away now, even his own brother wouldn't let him off lightly.

 

Jian Suiying felt a flicker of secret delight.

 

“You'll be going to Beihai with us next month, won't you?”

 

Li Yu didn't even raise his eyes.

 

“Yes.”

 

Jian Suiying thought about how close Beihai was to Hainan. They could perhaps stop off on Hainan Island so he could show Li Yu the hotel and maybe enjoy a little holiday together. But he kept the thought to himself. If he mentioned it now, Li Yu would only give him another frosty look. He would have to take things gradually.

 

So he gathered his courage and asked, “How about I take you out for dinner after work?” Something flickered in Li Yu's eyes, and the lines of his face stiffened slightly. He quickly regained his composure.

 

“I've got something to do tonight.”

 

Jian Suiying's heart sank immediately. Unwilling to give up, he tried again.

 

“It's only a casual meal. You've got to eat something tonight, haven't you?”

 

Li Yu said nothing, using his silence to refuse. Unable to conceal his disappointment, Jian Suiying turned away dejectedly and waved a hand.

 

“Fine. Get back to work.”

 

As though the room were infected with some terrible disease, Li Yu turned and left the instant he heard those words. Jian Suiying raised his middle finger fiercely at Li Yu's retreating back and muttered, “Fuck.” If they were going to Beihai and then Hainan, they would need to set aside at least a week. No matter how hard Jian Suiying tried, he couldn't find a gap in his schedule the following month, so the trip was postponed again and again.

 

He remained in Beijing, busy with one thing after another. Li Yu, meanwhile, kept his word and began coming to work regularly again, usually for at least one day a week. In contrast, Jian Suilin, who had previously been so eager to visit the office, came much less frequently.

 

Ever since the affair with Bai Xinyu, Jian Suiying had felt distrustful and resentful towards him. He couldn't bring himself to treat Jian Suilin pleasantly whenever they met, so Suilin only came to the office when he had business to attend to. As Jian Suiying and Li Yu began seeing each other more often, their strained relationship gradually eased. Jian Suiying's old restlessness returned, and he slowly reverted to his former shameless behaviour.

 

Whenever he saw Li Yu, he would ask after him, find excuses to touch him, invite him out every few days or give him some small present for no particular reason. Every invitation and gift was refused. This time, however, Jian Suiying didn't dare force the issue. He had realised how easy it was to offend Li Yu and how difficult it was to win him over. He didn't want to destroy the relationship that was slowly recovering between them.

 

Perhaps Jian Suiying had finally learnt his lesson and understood that persistently doing wrong would ultimately bring ruin upon oneself. His arrogance towards Li Yu diminished considerably. Compared with the domineering, overbearing way he had behaved before, his actions now looked much more like someone genuinely courting another person.

 

Li Yu, for his part, had also learnt how to handle Jian Suiying. He wanted to avoid direct confrontations, so whenever Jian Suiying became irritating, he either fell silent or walked away. He also tried not to provoke him unnecessarily. As a result, Jian Suiying had fewer opportunities to become angry, and more opportunities to behave with restraint. The more considerate he was towards Li Yu, the less likely Li Yu was to upset him.

 

From that perspective, their relationship had entered something resembling a positive cycle. Remarkably, they had gone quite a long time without another argument. Although they had more or less returned to an ordinary superior-and-subordinate relationship, the physical intimacy Jian Suiying longed for remained far beyond reach. Still, he hadn't been idle. He had continued seeing Xiao Zhu throughout this period.

 

One day, after they had finished together at the hotel, Jian Suiying was smoking a post-coital cigarette when he happened to count up the time. He and Xiao Zhu had been together for almost six months. During those six months, he had hardly sought out anyone else. Whenever he wanted to satisfy his needs, he went to Xiao Zhu. Apart from Li Yu, Xiao Zhu was the person he had maintained a relationship with the longest.

 

He genuinely liked the young man. Xiao Zhu was quiet, never caused trouble and was lovely to look at. Jian Suiying had never been stingy, and he felt that after being with him for so long, Xiao Zhu deserved a decent present. Xiao Zhu had just come out of the bathroom after showering and was burrowing under the duvet to sleep. Jian Suiying patted him.

 

“Turn around.”

 

Xiao Zhu turned towards him, propping himself up and looking at him quietly. Jian Suiying pinched his soft young cheek and smiled.

 

“You've been with me quite a long time now.”

 

Xiao Zhu nodded.

 

“I really ought to buy you a car, but you can't drive. How about I give you a flat instead?”

 

Xiao Zhu looked at him with bright eyes and smiled faintly.

 

“Thank you, Young Master Jian.”

 

“I'll take you to see it when we have time. It's in a residential development I built a couple of years ago. The location's quite good.”

 

Xiao Zhu nodded.

 

“Thank you, Young Master Jian.”

 

Jian Suiying gave him a wicked smile.

 

“Only thanking me with words? Aren't you going to show a little appreciation?”

 

Xiao Zhu's face reddened slightly…

 

A couple of days later, Jian Suiying managed to free up some time. As usual, he first called Li Yu to ask whether he would have dinner with him that evening. As usual, he was refused.

 

Jian Suiying had grown accustomed to it. He thought, Come or don't come, then. After hanging up, he called Xiao Zhu and arranged to take him out to dinner that night, then show him the flat.

 

A friend of his had just opened a seafood restaurant. Jian Suiying had originally intended to take Li Yu there to support the new business, but since Li Yu wouldn't come, he might as well bring Xiao Zhu. Xiao Zhu was handsome and obedient, and Jian Suiying rather enjoyed taking him out. After work that afternoon, he deliberately took Xiao Zhu shopping for a new outfit, dressed the young man up until he looked particularly lovely, then drove to the restaurant.

 

Business wasn't especially brisk yet, since the restaurant had only just opened. Most of the customers were acquaintances. On his way in, Jian Suiying ran into several people he knew.

 

His friend was called Li Wenxun. They didn't keep in touch particularly often, but had known each other for more than ten years and were on good terms. Spotting Jian Suiying from a distance, Li Wenxun waved him over. Jian Suiying brought Xiao Zhu across and teased, “Long time no see. Look at you, practically glowing with happiness.”

 

“What rubbish are you talking? I've just opened a new restaurant. Am I supposed to stand here looking miserable?”

 

Li Wenxun wore gold-rimmed glasses and looked refined and dependable. To anyone who didn't know him, he seemed thoroughly respectable. Only people in their circle knew he was a classic smiling tiger, with no shortage of underhanded tricks up his sleeve.

 

“Congratulations, congratulations,” Jian Suiying said. “See? I've come to support you. Oh, there are quite a few familiar faces here.”

 

“Of course. Almost all my closest friends have come. Only that bastard Shao Qun is still running around after his wife.”

 

Jian Suiying chuckled.

 

“When he comes back, I've definitely got to meet his wife.”

 

Shao Qun was something of an oddity in their circle.

 

“All right. When he's back, I'll make sure to invite you out.” Li Wenxun smiled, then glanced at Xiao Zhu. “A new favourite, Young Master Jian? Very good-looking.”

 

Only then did Jian Suiying remember he had someone beside him. He quickly patted Xiao Zhu.

 

“Say hello to Young Master Li.”

 

“Young Master Li.”

 

Jian Suiying turned back to Li Wenxun.

 

“Get on with your hosting. With so many people you know here, I doubt you can keep up with them all.”

 

“All right, go on inside.” Li Wenxun beckoned a waiter. “Take Young Master Jian to a private room and look after him properly.”

 

Li Wenxun arranged a private room of a comfortable size, just right for the two of them. Jian Suiying deliberately ordered the most expensive dishes, giving Li Wenxun plenty of face. The chef was genuinely skilled, and Jian Suiying thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Although Li Yu's repeated refusals had put him in a poor mood earlier that evening, good food and beautiful company made for a pleasant night. Gradually, he stopped dwelling on it.

 

After dinner, he told Xiao Zhu, “Come on, I'll take you to see the flat. We really ought to go during the day when the light's better, but I'm busy then, so we'll go now.” Xiao Zhu readily agreed.

 

“All right.”

 

Jian Suiying put an arm around his waist and led him out of the private room. Sometimes the world really did arrange coincidences so cruelly that people were bound to run straight into one another. Jian Suiying was smiling and murmuring something flirtatious beside Xiao Zhu's ear. When he raised his head, he saw Li Yu walking towards them. Their eyes met, and both men froze where they stood.

 

Jian Suiying stared at Li Yu in a daze, slowly straightened his back and unconsciously withdrew the hand he had wrapped around Xiao Zhu's slender waist. The instant Li Yu saw him, his body stopped in the middle of a strangely awkward forward movement. He tried to relax his limbs. His gaze shifted from Jian Suiying to Xiao Zhu, then from Xiao Zhu back to Jian Suiying.

 

Jian Suiying inevitably felt embarrassed. What embarrassed him most was that he couldn't explain why he felt so uncomfortable. Strictly speaking, there was nothing between him and Li Yu now. Li Yu had no right to interfere.

 

Yet he still hadn't wanted Li Yu to see this. Whether Li Yu reacted or not, and whatever that reaction might be, it would leave Jian Suiying feeling wretched. Seeing the two of them pressed so intimately together, Li Yu felt an unfamiliar surge of anger rise in his chest. He slipped his slightly trembling hand into his pocket, gave them both an exceptionally cold look, then fixed his gaze straight ahead and walked past as though he had never met Jian Suiying in his life.

 

Xiao Zhu shuddered beneath that gaze and instinctively edged closer to Jian Suiying. He had never seen anyone look at another person so frighteningly. Jian Suiying's Adam's apple moved as he swallowed. He patted Xiao Zhu on the back and said quietly, “Take a taxi home yourself.” Then he turned and hurried after Li Yu.

 

“Li Yu.”

 

Jian Suiying called out, stepped around in front of him and blocked his path. Private rooms lined both sides of the corridor and few people were passing through, so he wasn't worried about attracting attention. Li Yu parted his thin lips.

 

“Get out of my way.”

 

Jian Suiying was momentarily taken aback. Li Yu hadn't spoken to him so rudely in a long time. Jian Suiying initially felt his temper flare, but then tilted his head and thought about it. Could Li Yu be jealous?

 

The possibility filled him with secret delight. He smiled.

 

“So you really did have plans tonight. I thought you were just messing me about again.”

 

Li Yu moved sideways, intending to walk around him. But Jian Suiying stubbornly blocked his way again, grinning.

 

“Little Li, look at the state of you. Are you jealous?”

 

Li Yu's face stiffened. Then he gave a cold laugh, shoved Jian Suiying hard in the shoulder and strode away. Jian Suiying grew annoyed. He grabbed Li Yu's shoulder.

 

“Can't you fucking speak properly? If you're really jealous, just say so. I can explain.”

 

Li Yu stopped abruptly. He could no longer suppress the fury in his chest. He seized the hand resting on his shoulder, turned and twisted it sharply. Jian Suiying was completely unprepared, and his arm was instantly forced behind his back. He let out a short cry as Li Yu gripped his arm and drove him against the wall, pressing into his back.

 

“Fuck…”

 

Li Yu leaned close to his ear and spoke icily.

 

“Jealous? Jian Suiying, you really think far too highly of yourself. Someone as promiscuous and messed up as you? I just think you're filthy!”

 

After speaking, Li Yu gave Jian Suiying's wrist another vicious squeeze to vent his anger. Jian Suiying felt as though his wrist had nearly snapped. His face went green with pain. After not seeing Li Yu for a while, it seemed the bastard had become even more terrifyingly strong. Li Yu released him, turned and walked away.

 

Jian Suiying swore furiously, rushed after him and kicked him without warning in the back. Li Yu sensed movement behind him, but by the time he tried to turn and defend himself, it was too late. The kick struck the side of his waist, sending him sprawling onto the floor. Jian Suiying raised his foot to kick him again, but Li Yu had already caught his ankle. With a powerful yank, he sent Jian Suiying tumbling to the floor as well.

 

Both men's tempers flared again. They struggled to their feet and lunged at one another, grappling furiously. This time, however, they had barely exchanged a few blows before several people rushed into the corridor from the lobby. At the front was the restaurant's owner, Li Wenxun. Apparently a waiter had noticed the trouble and gone to fetch him.

 

“Hey, hey! What's going on? Suiying! Li Yu!”

 

Several of Jian Suiying's acquaintances were following Li Wenxun. They must have been eating together, and now every bloody one of them had come running to enjoy the free spectacle. Li Wenxun hurried over and pulled the red-faced, furious Jian Suiying away.

 

“Suiying, Suiying! What happened? Whatever the disagreement, you can't start fighting! Li Yu's so much younger than you. Don't stoop to his level.”

 

Then he turned towards Li Yu.

 

“Li Yu, what the fuck are you doing? Suiying's about the same age as your brother. How can you be so thoughtless?”

 

Zhou Lizheng had pulled Li Yu away as well. His face was flushed from drinking, and he cursed.

 

“Fuck's sake, all I've done these past couple of years is break up fights… No, seriously, Li Yu, you're in the wrong here. You're the younger one. How can you start throwing punches at Brother Jian?”

 

Most of these people were Jian Suiying's friends. Li Yu had only gradually entered their circle after returning and hadn't established deep roots there. They weren't particularly close to him. Most showed him respect only because of his father and older brother. Naturally, at a moment like this, they all sided with Jian Suiying.

 

As they spoke over one another, Li Yu's expression grew even uglier. Jian Suiying shook his shoulders.

 

“All right, Ah Wen. Let go of me.”

 

Li Wenxun looked at him.

 

“I'll let go, but you've got to do me a favour. It's the opening day of my new restaurant. Don't give me a present like this. I can't afford it.”

 

“Fine. Let go.”

 

Only then did Li Wenxun release him. He even smoothed down Jian Suiying's clothes reassuringly, smiling as he spoke.

 

“Calm down, calm down. Have you had too much to drink? Nobody do anything rash. Whatever it is, talk it through.”

 

Jian Suiying straightened his clothes and addressed the others.

 

“Well, sorry you've all had to see that. It's a company matter. We disagreed about a few things and both lost our tempers. Come on, break it up. Nothing more to see.”

 

He waved them off, then spoke privately to Li Wenxun.

 

“Brother, sorry for ruining your evening. I'll buy you a drink another day. Don't take it to heart.”

 

Li Wenxun patted him.

 

“Don't worry about it. Go on home.”

 

Jian Suiying nodded to the others, gave Li Yu one final vicious glare, then turned and left. He reckoned that after he left, the others would surely drag Li Yu back into their private room, deliver a long moral lecture about respecting his elders and looking after his juniors, then get him thoroughly drunk.

 

Jian Suiying gave a cold laugh. Good. They could call it revenge on his behalf. He hoped they drank the bastard under the table. He climbed into his car, slammed the door and slumped back against the seat, feeling extraordinarily exhausted.

 

All his efforts over the past few months had been wasted again. At long last, they'd managed to speak normally to one another, and he'd even been able to see Li Yu every week. Now it was all ruined again. Filthy, was he?

 

Jian Suiying slammed his fist against the steering wheel. He simply couldn't understand why he was such a hopeless case that he had to fall for an ungrateful bastard like Li Yu, someone who would never return his affection no matter how well he treated him. Had he owed Li Yu a debt in a previous life? Was that why he was so determined to repay it in this one? And after all that effort, neither he nor Li Yu was the slightest bit happy.

 

Life really was a fucking nightmare.