The Missing Piece: 貌合神离
Chapter 3
Lao-Zhang was a good driver; they reached the pharmacy soon. Shen Mo got out of the car and bought the medicine. When he got back inside, he felt a pain in his stomach. Only then did he realise that while he was focused on taking care of Ji Mingxuan, he had forgotten to have lunch.
The sky was already dark when Shen Mo returned. He got himself something to eat and made some more congee for Ji Mingxuan. He then asked Ji Mingxuan to eat the congee and take the medicine he had just bought.
They didn’t call the doctor. Worried, Shen Mo stayed by the bed and took Ji Mingxuan’s temperature every half hour. Luckily, Ji Mingxuan’s temperature went down.
Past midnight, Shen Mo was too tired to stay awake and fell asleep beside the bed. He began to dream as he slept. In the dream, snow had fallen. All he saw was a vast whiteness. Everyone was walking fast on the streets, their heads hanging low.
The snow hadn’t melted yet. It even froze in some places, making it difficult for people to walk on. But someone was holding his hand the entire way. Shen Mo didn’t find the walk difficult. He felt happy instead, talking to the person as he walked.
“Today, my co-workers excluded me at work again.”
“To be honest, I still prefer painting.”
These were all honest words he usually never told anyone. However, it was strange that the person next to him didn’t say anything.
Shen Mo turned around and asked, “Zhou Yang, why aren’t you saying anything?”
The man stopped and said, “I’m not Zhou Yang.”
Shen Mo looked up, only to find that the tall, handsome man was actually Ji Mingxuan.
“Mr Ji...”
Ji Mingxuan laughed coldly and slapped his hand off. Shen Mo fell on the icy snow on the ground, as if he had suddenly lost his ability to walk.
He was instantly woken up, only to hear Ji Mingxuan’s voice: “How could you fall on the ground while sleeping?”
As he said this, Ji Mingxuan turned on the wall lamp. Confused, Shen Mo looked at Ji Mingxuan for a while, as if he was still dreaming. Then he realised that he had fallen from the bed. He slowly got up from the floor, his expression still a little confused.
Ji Mingxuan lifted the blanket. “Come here.”
His body cold, Shen Mo got under the blanket. It was warm in Ji Mingxuan’s arms. The heat even felt a little uncomfortable to Shen Mo, so he shifted to the side. But right away, Ji Mingxuan pulled him back.
With one arm wrapped around him, Ji Mingxuan said, “Don’t move. Do you want to fall again?”
Shen Mo didn’t dare to move. After the fall, he was finding it hard to go back to sleep.
“Mr Ji, did I wake you up?”
“I slept for a whole day. I’ve had enough sleep.”
“Are you feeling better now, Mr Ji?”
Ji Mingxuan lowered his head, touching his forehead against Shen Mo’s, and replied, “I’m okay now.”
Shen Mo only felt it was warm—he couldn’t tell whether Ji Mingxuan’s temperature had dropped.
After a moment's thought, he said, “You should go to the hospital.”
Aversion immediately appeared on Ji Mingxuan’s face. “No.”
Shen Mo didn’t expect Ji Mingxuan to hate going to the hospital so much. He recalled that three years ago, when he had still been hospitalised, Ji Mingxuan had visited him before. Later, he recovered and left the hospital.
For about half a year, his life was a complete mess. Sometimes he just sat at the window, watching cars drive by, and the day would be gone. He had few memories about those times. He only remembered that the landlord had kicked him out because he couldn’t afford the rent. It was Ji Mingxuan who took him to his house and later gave him a job.
His life finally returned to its track. What exactly had happened in those six months? Why didn’t he remember a thing about it? Shen Mo couldn’t recall anything. Soon, he drifted off to sleep.
Ji Mingxuan’s fever left as quickly as it had come. The next day, the heat subsided, and Ji Mingxuan was able to sit upright in bed and attend to business matters. Ji An’an hadn’t come back yet, so Shen Mo took another day off to take care of Ji Mingxuan.
Ji Mingxuan didn’t hesitate to order Shen Mo around as he pleased. Before lunch, he even listed a couple of dishes he wanted to eat. Luckily, Shen Mo wasn’t a bad cook. He tried to make a few of the dishes, and Mr Ji was just barely satisfied.
In the afternoon, Shen Mo went out for groceries. When he returned, he found that some of his clothes and toiletries had been taken to Ji Mingxuan’s room. Ji Mingxuan was sending an email on his laptop when Shen Mo mentioned it. He didn’t even look at Shen Mo as he replied, “Aren’t you taking care of me these days? It’ll be more convenient for you this way.”
“Mr Ji, I thought you already got better.”
Ji Mingxuan coughed just in time. “Not completely.”
Shen Mo could only ask, “When will Miss Ji be back?”
“An’an went travelling. She’ll be back next week.”
“Did Miss Ji go on her own?”
A corner of Ji Mingxuan’s lips pulled. He tilted his head and glanced at Shen Mo.
“What do you think?”
Shen Mo instantly realised. “She went with Zhou Yang?”
Ji Mingxuan nodded, adding, “She left on the twelfth.”
The day that it had snowed. Zhou Yang wanted to meet him and waited for him at their first-date spot, but Shen Mo didn’t show up. Zhou Yang didn’t see him, so he left with Ji An’an soon after.
What if Shen Mo had gone? Shen Mo looked at the bright sunlight outside the window and stopped thinking about it.
Ji Mingxuan went to work after spending another two days resting at home. Shen Mo also went back to work and continued idling. His colleagues were still unfriendly to him. Days went by. Nothing changed except for Ji Mingxuan.
He used to be busy at work all day. He also had many business appointments and often came home late at night; it was normal for him even to spend the whole night outside. But he has changed a lot these days. He went to work on time, came home early, and also ate dinner at home. He even sent a list of dishes he wanted to eat to Shen Mo’s phone every afternoon.
Even Lao-Zhang said, “Mr Ji is finally settling down. Work is so much easier now that I don’t have to drive at night.”
Shen Mo said, “But you get less overtime pay, don’t you?”
Lao-Zhang didn’t mind it all that much. “I’d rather spend more time with my wife and kids.”
Shen Mo didn’t know why Ji Mingxuan had changed so much. Ji Mingxuan had a capricious personality, so Shen Mo didn’t dare to make a guess. It’d be quite embarrassing if Shen Mo’s guess turned out to be wrong.
At the end of the week, Ji An’an finally returned. She had gone to a well-known resort, an island somewhere in the Pacific. She looked as if she’d been somewhat reddened by the sun when she came back, wearing quite a fashionable outfit. Her eyes were as gentle as seawater.
Ji An’an took out the gifts she had bought for Shen Mo the moment she entered the house, saying with a smile, “It’s such a pity that Zhou Yang had to go home as soon as possible for some family business. Or else, I could’ve brought you more.”
“This is more than enough,” Shen Mo said, then asked, “Did you have a good time?”
“Of course. The water was so blue. We went out to sea by boat in the morning and didn’t come back until the evening. We held hands as we walked on the beach at night. And under the moonlight, the beach looked even more beautiful than it did during the day… I wish I could stay there forever.”
Ji Mingxuan said, “You were only gone for a week, and your heart has gone wild.”
Ji An’an turned around and hugged his arm. “Brother, thank you so much for giving me the plane tickets. Next time, you should go there with Shen-ge.”
Shen Mo looked up at Ji Mingxuan and asked, “Mr Ji arranged the trip for you?”
Their eyes met. Ji Mingxuan replied calmly, “That’s right.”
Ji An’an said, “When he gave me the tickets that day, I was so surprised. It was so soon; I didn’t even have time to pack.”
“It was supposed to be a surprise.”
“But we did have a great time and Zhou Yang...” Ji An’an’s face suddenly turned red. She stopped and looked at Ji Mingxuan. “Brother, I have something to tell you.”
Shen Mo knew what he should do. He immediately said, “I’m going to go make dinner.”
He then went to the kitchen, leaving the siblings to talk in the living room. It was already dinnertime; the aroma of food wafted through the window. The ingredients were all there. Shen Mo took a few vegetables out of the fridge and washed them.
He remembered that on the twelfth of this month, Zhou Yang had asked him to meet at the location of their first date. And on the same day, Ji Mingxuan gave Ji An'an the plane tickets.
Was it a coincidence? What if he had gone there that day? Maybe he would’ve stood waiting amid the heavy snow again, all the way until the sky grew completely dark.
The water was so cold that it seemed to pierce his bones. Shen Mo’s hands trembled slightly as he hurried to turn off the tap. He heard Ji Mingxuan come in from outside and ask, “Do you need help?”
Shen Mo said, “No, I’m fine. I’ll get everything ready soon. Is Miss Ji hungry already?”
“No. She was tired and went to her bedroom to rest for a bit.”
Ji Mingxuan didn’t leave when he finished talking. Leaning on the door, he watched Shen Mo cook. After washing the vegetables, Shen Mo peeled a few potatoes. Debating whether to braise the potatoes or cook them with curry, he began cutting them.
He was about to ask Ji Mingxuan when he heard Ji Mingxuan say, “An’an just told me that Zhou Yang proposed to her.”
Shen Mo placed a cut. His cut was a little slanted, making the potato chunk a bit too big. Oh, he thought, now I can only make curried potatoes. Looking down, he continued to cut the potatoes, piece by piece.
Ji Mingxuan gazed at him and said, “An’an has already accepted the proposal.”
“That’s great.” Shen Mo busied himself thinking about how to cook the curried potatoes later. He said mechanically, “People who have been dating for a long time are bound to get married someday.”
Standing at the door, Ji Mingxuan looked at him for a moment. He then turned around and left. At dinner, Shen Mo toasted An’an and asked her when the wedding would be.
Ji An’an only drank a little, but her face turned red. “We won’t be getting married so soon, but Brother said we should get engaged first.”
“I’ll discuss it with the elders of the Zhou family.” Ji Mingxuan patted Shen Mo’s hand and said, “Zhou Yang will be part of our family soon.”
Shen Mo never expected even to be counted as part of their “family.”
Ji An’an took a bite of the potatoes and teased Shen Mo, “Shen-ge, you messed up today. The potatoes taste too salty.”
Shen Mo also tried some. They really were salty, so salty that they even tasted bitter. Still, he swallowed them and said calmly, “I’ll braise them next time.”
In the evening, Shen Mo forgot to move back to his own room, and he still slept in the same bed as Ji Mingxuan. He thought he might not fall asleep easily, but he slept through the whole night. He even overslept the next day. When he woke up, Ji Mingxuan had already gone to work.
He cleaned himself up and hurried to work, although he was still a little late. But no one cared about him, anyway. His colleagues only glanced at him before they continued to gossip.
“Rich people these days like to play around, huh. They keep so many lovers around.”
“Shh, aren’t you afraid someone might hear you?”
“Lovers aren’t that big of a deal. The funniest thing is illegitimate children. I heard that the Zhou family...”
“Which one?”
“The famous one...”
“Oh, I thought they only have one son.”
“Not anymore. They recently brought back an illegitimate son who’s already in his twenties. Everyone calls him ershaoiii.”
“An illegitimate son in his twenties? They’re definitely gonna be fighting over inheritance soon.”
“Not necessarily. If the Zhou family and the Ji family do an arranged marriage…”
The voices behind Shen Mo gradually faded away. He could no longer hear them, but what he had already heard was enough to surprise him. When people talked about the famous Zhou family of H City, they always meant Zhou Yang’s family. But what illegitimate son? Did Zhou Yang really have a younger brother?
This was indeed no secret. Shen Mo didn’t even have to poke around. He only asked Ji An’an a few questions casually, and she told him everything.
“It’s true. There is such a person. His mother was Mr Zhou’s old lover; he’s only two years younger than Zhou Yang. The Zhou family acknowledged him not too long ago.
“I saw him when I came back yesterday. He seemed pretty glib and frivolous. But Mr Zhou really liked him and arranged work for him in the company. That was also the reason why Mrs Zhou wanted Zhou Yang to come back as soon as possible.
“Mr and Mrs Zhou are always so respectful and loving toward each other. Many people admired their relationship. Who could’ve known something like this would happen?” Ji An’an sighed, but she soon smiled. “But Zhou Yang and I are different from them. We’ve known each other since we were young and we’ve had feelings for each other for so long. Nobody could compare to us.”
Shen Mo felt a tightness in his chest. He chatted with Ji An’an a little longer before he went to the bedroom to rest. Later, Ji Mingxuan finished working and got in bed as well.
After the lights were turned off, Shen Mo said in the dark, “It’s unfair to Miss Ji.”
“What?”
“She thinks she and Zhou Yang are really in love.”
Ji Mingxuan replied, “Are they not?”
Shen Mo was quiet for a moment. “On the twelfth, Zhou Yang asked to see me first.”
Ji Mingxuan didn’t seem surprised at all. Shen Mo’s heart raced. He’d long since been suspicious that Ji Mingxuan had known from the beginning, but only now was he sure.
The two tickets... Had he booked them on purpose?
“So what if he called you out? He still chose An’an in the end.”
“Because you interfered, Mr Ji.”
Ji Mingxuan gave a light snort. “You think I threatened Zhou Yang? You’re wrong. There was no way for me to do something like that. I only told him about his father’s illegitimate son in advance. He wasn’t the only heir to the Zhou family, so whatever he did would affect his status within the family. I showed him the stakes, and...”
Ji Mingxuan smiled and said, “He made a choice himself.”
Shen Mo had known for three years what choice Zhou Yang would make. What had happened this time was just a kind of repetition. His own heart was numb already. He was only worried about Ji An’an.
“What comes out of this will be nothing more than fake love.”
“Only high-schoolers care about love nowadays. Adults care about profit. Do you know how many benefits an arranged marriage between the Zhou and Ji families could bring? As for love…” Although they were in the dark, Shen Mo could imagine the dismissive expression on Ji Mingxuan’s face. “It doesn’t matter whether or not he likes her. As long as they’re tied together for now, feelings will eventually form.”
“What if no feelings form between them?”
“If so,” Ji Mingxuan seemed to smile, replying in a low voice, “they will have already spent their entire lives together, anyway.”
It was nothing more than self-deception.
Of course, Shen Mo, too, knew that it was true of most arranged marriages.
“Wouldn’t they be just like Zhou Yang’s parents, then?”
Ji Mingxuan replied coldly, “Or else what? Should they elope like you and Zhou Yang wanted to?”
Shen Mo was stunned for a moment. Ji Mingxuan also seemed to notice that he had lost his cool. He ended the conversation there and went to sleep, turning his back to Shen Mo.
Yet for a while, Shen Mo couldn’t fall asleep. Thinking about what they had just talked about, he felt his face burn.
Ji Mingxuan used the word “elope” so well. Wasn’t it what Shen Mo had dreamed of when he was still young and naive? However, this dream of his was shattered by reality.
He didn’t know how he had found the courage to talk to Mr Ji that way. Did it really matter that Ji Mingxuan’s view of love was completely different from his? Did he have to argue like that with Ji Mingxuan? He didn’t. And he didn’t have the right to.
It was normal for him to be in a bad mood, feeling abandoned now that his ex was getting married. Shen Mo convinced himself of this reason and finally fell asleep.
He woke up late again the next morning. He only got to work on time after hurrying as much as he could. His colleagues were still gossiping in the office. The illegitimate son was causing quite a disturbance in the Zhou family, but to others it was no more than gossip. Overnight, the subject had changed, and people switched to discussing celebrity rumours.
“That Zhao Yi, the one who’s been popular recently, everyone’s saying he has some special connections.”
“Who doesn’t have connections in the entertainment industry?”
“But he’s incredibly handsome, and he knows how to get along with people. He used to be a nobody, but his luck has improved recently. He has major roles in almost every show.”
“It’s because he has sharp eyes and played up to the right connections.”
Everyone laughed when they heard it. Shen Mo felt a little hot, so he stood up and opened a window to let some air in.
When he got home in the evening, he found that Ji An’an was sulking. He asked why and was told that Ji Mingxuan had promised to have dinner with her, but a social event came up at the last minute.
“He’s always attending socials. I don’t even know how many times we can eat together in a whole year. Shen-ge, how can you stand him?”
How could Shen Mo reply? He could only say, “I’m used to it.”
He asked again, “Why don’t you ask Zhou Yang to have dinner with you?”
“Zhou Yang is busy dealing with family business.” Ji An’an sighed, adding, “But it’s okay. Brother said it’d be over soon.”
She trusted Ji Mingxuan with all her heart. Shen Mo opened his mouth, but he still didn’t say anything. Perhaps Ji Mingxuan was right. Zhou Yang and Ji An’an would take what they needed from each other; this way, they could still live together for their entire lives.
Shen Mo thought that Ji Mingxuan would spend the night outside after the social, just as usual. To Shen Mo’s surprise, Ji Mingxuan came home at night, even though it was already past ten.
There was the scent of tobacco on Ji Mingxuan’s clothes, but his eyes looked clear. He didn’t seem drunk. As Shen Mo had expected, it was rare to see Mr Ji drunk.
“Mr Ji, you’re back.”
“Mhm.”
“Miss Ji was complaining about you not having dinner with her.”
“I know.”
Ji Mingxuan showered before he got into bed. During this time, he only said two sentences to Shen Mo. The next day, Ji Mingxuan made up for the meal he owed Ji An’an. He spent all his time attending to her, not giving Shen Mo a single glance.
A few days passed. Shen Mo gradually realised that Ji Mingxuan was being passive-aggressive toward him. Shen Mo didn’t remember any instance of this happening in the past. Before, when Ji Mingxuan wanted to ignore him, he would leave home for between a few days and two weeks at a time. It was different this time, though. No matter how late Ji Mingxuan came back, he’d sleep at home and turn his back on Shen Mo on purpose.
Without thinking, Shen Mo knew that what he’d said that night offended Mr Ji. He wasn’t afraid of the cold shoulder; he was used to being completely ignored at work anyway. Like he’d told Ji An’an, he had gradually become used to many things. Perhaps it was time to move back to his own bedroom.
Those who wore matching rings weren’t necessarily lovers. Those who lay on the same bed didn’t necessarily know each other’s hearts. They slept together yet dreamed of different things. Shen Mo quietly moved back to his bedroom. At night, he fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.
The next morning, he woke to find Ji Mingxuan still sleeping beside him. For a moment, he was stunned; he even thought that he might have sleepwalked. When he was a little more awake, he realised he was indeed in his own bedroom.
Ji Mingxuan was sleeping soundly. The sky had almost brightened. The morning light shone on Ji Mingxuan’s face. His eyes were closed, and his hair was a little messy, making him look less domineering and much younger than usual.
As Shen Mo got closer, he could see the shadows cast by Ji Mingxuan’s long eyelashes. Right then, Ji Mingxuan opened his eyes. His dark eyes looked straight into Shen Mo’s.
Somehow, Shen Mo felt a little flustered. He turned to the side and asked, “Mr Ji, you’re awake?”
It was as though Ji Mingxuan hadn’t fully woken up yet. He gazed at Shen Mo for a while longer before he nodded. “Mhm.”
“Mr Ji, why did you sleep here last night?”
Ji Mingxuan slowly sat up, replying calmly, “If we slept in two rooms, wouldn’t we make An’an suspicious?”
Ji Mingxuan didn’t mention how he himself had used to stay out late in the past. With his awkward personality, Shen Mo couldn’t come up with a retort in time. Ji Mingxuan had already made the decision. “I’ll be sleeping here these days.”
As he spoke, he lifted the blanket and got out of bed. While Ji Mingxuan was putting on his shirt, Shen Mo inadvertently noticed that he was still wearing the cufflinks Ji An’an had bought him. Shen Mo could tell that Ji Mingxuan really loved his only sister. Shen Mo could only help him finish the act.
Today was the weekend again. Ji Mingxuan went to work after breakfast. Ji An’an didn’t have to go to work, so she moved to the seat beside Shen Mo and asked, “Shen-ge, did something happen between you and my brother?”
Shen Mo hadn’t expected her to notice it. He denied, “No, Mingxuan and I... We’re fine.”
Ji An’an didn’t believe him. “I don’t know anything else, but I can tell when Brother is in a bad mood. He’s clearly been sulking these days.”
Shen Mo couldn’t admit it. He remained silent instead. Ji An’an said, “My mother passed away when I was young, and my father was always busy with the business. I was basically brought up by my brother alone. He has a bad temper, but he spoils his family a lot. If you two are really fighting, you need to coax him.”
Coax Ji Mingxuan? Mr Ji wasn’t a primary school kid. How could he coax Mr Ji?
Even the mere idea amused Shen Mo. But before the passive aggression between him and Ji Mingxuan ended, the day of An’an and Zhou Yang’s engagement had already been set.
Perhaps because the Zhou family’s situation was complicated and they had to proceed with the marriage as soon as possible, the engagement date was set quite soon. The engagement banquet was to be held in Dynasty Hotel, the most famous hotel in H City.
Shen Mo wanted to find an excuse, but he couldn’t turn down Ji An’an’s relentless invitation. In the end, he still decided to go.
On the day of the engagement, the weather was excellent. Most of the people present were business partners of the Zhou and Ji families. Shen Mo didn’t see anyone he knew, so he wandered around by himself. The hotel’s lobby was splendid; the crystal lights hanging above looked especially beautiful, reflecting a myriad of colours.
Lost in thought, Shen Mo suddenly heard someone call his name, “Mr Shen.”
Shen Mo turned around and saw Zhao Yi in a white suit. Zhao Yi was good-looking to begin with, but he looked even more charming in white. He almost seemed to shine among the crowd; every move of his attracted others' attention.
Shen Mo didn’t expect to meet Zhao Yi here. He was surprised for a moment before he greeted, “Mr Zhao, you also came?”
“The marriage between the Zhou and Ji families is quite a story in this city. Of course I wanted to come and take a look. Besides, I received my invitation…”
Zhao Yi smiled at Shen Mo as he continued, “from Mr Ji himself.”
Hearing Zhao Yi say this, Shen Mo realised it had already been a few days since he’d last seen Ji Mingxuan. He slept soundly at night while Ji Mingxuan was busy preparing for the engagement. He didn’t even know whether Ji Mingxuan had been sleeping at home.
Zhao Yi looked around and asked, “Where’s Mr Ji?”
Shen Mo replied, “Mingxuan has a lot of friends. He’s busy greeting the guests.”
“What a busy guy.”
“Yes, he’s always been this way.”
Somehow, greeting Zhao Yi made Shen Mo feel a little embarrassed. Shen Mo wanted to finish the conversation and leave, but unexpectedly, the lights within the hall dimmed.
As the music started, Zhou Yang and Ji An’an came out hand in hand. They were both in formal clothes. Zhou Yang’s black suit and Ji An’an’s white dress made them look like quite the match. A single beam of light illuminated the two, dazzling people’s eyes.
Shen Mo looked at them from afar. Nothing felt natural to him. His impression of Zhou Yang hadn’t changed since three years ago; the man before him, about to become Ji An’an’s husband, seemed so unfamiliar to him. Shen Mo didn’t notice until a while later that Ji Mingxuan was also standing nearby.
Ji Mingxuan cast his gaze over. It seemed to land on Shen Mo for an instant before it left. Shen Mo wasn’t sure if it had been his imagination. He heard someone whisper from the side, “The Ji family is full of good-looking people.”
“The sister is getting married soon, but the brother is still single.”
“There’s a lot of gossip around Mr Ji. If he wants to get married, he can pick among so many wealthy ladies.”
Also hearing these words, Zhao Yi glanced at Shen Mo and raised his eyebrows slightly. Shen Mo felt even more uncomfortable.
Fortunately, the engagement banquet was nothing more than a necessary part of the procedure. Everything was finished after Zhou Yang and Ji An’an cut the cake and poured the champagne. Everyone applauded when the two kissed.
Shen Mo’s hands even started to hurt from clapping with the crowd. Later, the lights came on again. Considering Shen Mo her family, Ji An’an came directly to talk to him. She’d had some champagne on the stage just now. Her cheeks were flushed, adding a touch of colour to her face. She was already wearing the engagement ring on her left hand; it refracted a dazzling light under the chandelier.
Ji An’an patted her chest and said, “I was so nervous just now.”
“Anyone would feel like that,” Shen Mo said sincerely. “Congratulations.”
Ji An’an smiled as she sipped her champagne, asking, “I can tell that Brother’s in a good mood today. Have you two made up already?”
Shen Mo replied without thinking, “Of course.”
Ji An’an was envious. “Zhou Yang and I... I hope we can be like you and Brother.”
Shen Mo said, “You two will definitely be better than us.”
As they chatted, they saw Zhao Yi approach Ji Mingxuan holding a glass of champagne. Ji An’an had also heard of the rumours. She looked a little annoyed, muttering, “Why did he come too?”
As she spoke, she grabbed Shen Mo’s hand. “Come, let’s go to find Brother.”
Shen Mo couldn’t pull his hand from her grip, so he could only follow her toward Ji Mingxuan.
Halfway through, Shen Mo passed a tall man. The man looked fine at first, but a deep scar on his brow made him stand out. With only a glance at the man, Shen Mo’s face turned pale. Feeling his legs weigh him down, he froze where he stood, unable to take another step.
Ji An’an turned around and asked, “Shen-ge, what’s the matter?”
Shen Mo’s hand, held by hers, also grew cold. He said, “The person just now...”
“Who?” Ji An’an turned, looking around as she said, “Oh, you mean the guy with a scar on his face? Mrs Zhou hired him as a bodyguard. He’s responsible for the security of the engagement banquet. I think he’s a distant cousin of Zhou Yang’s too.
“He looks so aggressive. Quite frightening,” Ji An’an whispered. “I heard he’s involved with gangs. He’s been in jail before. He got out not too long ago.”
There was not a trace of blood on Shen Mo’s face. It took him quite some time to regain his voice. He murmured, “... I know.”
Ji An’an couldn’t catch what Shen Mo had said, adding, “I don’t like this cousin of Zhou Yang’s either, but I have no choice. Mrs Zhou favours her relatives. Whoever he is, it’ll be fine as long as we don’t bother him.”
Shen Mo said, “Okay.”
A tremble had crept into his voice. He knew exactly what would happen if he bothered the man. That was when Ji An’an noticed there was something seriously wrong with Shen Mo. “Shen-ge?”
Like a bird at the sight of a bow, Shen Mo flinched at the sound of her voice. Standing in the crowded hotel hall, Shen Mo felt as if he had returned to that day three years ago. It was a day like any other. Zhou Yang had gone back to the Zhou family for a few days, so Shen Mo went out alone to do some shopping. He would never have known that he’d be abducted.
“Shen-ge, are you okay?” Ji An’an called him again.
As his attention returned to the present, Shen Mo tried to calm down. He said, “I don’t feel too well. I’m going to the toilets.”
Ji An’an noticed his face was pale, so she let go of his hand and asked, “Do you need Brother to go with you?”
Shen Mo looked at where Ji Mingxuan was standing. Ji Mingxuan was talking to Zhao Yi. Whatever they were talking about, Zhao Yi laughed quite happily. His eyes were glued to Ji Mingxuan.
Shen Mo shook his head. “No. I’ll be fine after some rest.”
He left the crowd and headed for the toilets. The lighting in the hall was a little too bright, casting a pallor over people’s faces. Everyone, no matter man or woman, old or young, seemed to have a gruesome scar on their brow bone.
The distance to the toilets was short, but Shen Mo’s pace was plodding. When he entered the toilets, sweat had covered his forehead. Even the hair on his temples was wet.
In the mirror, his face looked frighteningly pale. After taking a look at it, Shen Mo turned his head down and washed his hands. Cold water ran along his skin. The injury on his right hand had healed long ago, leaving behind not even the trace of a scar. But he would never forget how someone had stepped on his hand and broken his fingers, one by one.
When he was abducted, he initially had the chance to escape. He hid in the grass and dialled Zhou Yang’s number over and over, but he couldn’t get through to him no matter what, even though the string of numbers was engraved in his heart.
Later, he was caught and taken back again, only to find out from his abductors that Zhou Yang had already gone abroad together with Ji An’an. Ridiculous, he, the one who had been left behind, was the last to know the truth.
At the time, he lay on the ground, his body covered in injuries. His fingers were being crushed, and as he listened to his bones crack, he couldn’t even cry out in pain. The pain had left an indelible scar in him.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Suddenly, footsteps came from outside the toilets. Shen Mo’s hands trembled, as if he’d returned to that time when he had been desperately trying to escape. In a hurry, he hid in one of the stalls and locked the door firmly.
The footsteps were getting closer. Finally, the person entered the toilets. The person stopped for a few moments in front of every stall, as if he was looking for someone. Shen Mo was scared. He took his phone out of his pocket and rapidly dialled a number he’d long since memorised.
The name “Ji Mingxuan” popped up on the phone screen. Staring at the name, Shen Mo was stunned. He had almost forgotten where he was, but he still remembered being ignored by Ji Mingxuan. If he dialled the number, would Mr Ji answer the phone?
He was scared of the man with a scar on his face. He was scared of the nightmarish memories. But what scared him the most… was the possibility that nobody would answer, even if he dialled the number. Perhaps Ji Mingxuan would still be talking to Zhao Yi. He wouldn’t even hear his phone ring.
Shen Mo stared at the name on the screen. Only when his eyes began to feel sore did he press delete, his fingers cold. That day, three years ago, he had called Zhou Yang’s name countless times. He didn’t learn the lesson until after he woke up in the hospital room. Nobody could save him except for himself.
The footsteps were getting closer and closer. Shen Mo took a deep breath. He gripped his phone in one hand and clenched his other into a fist. The footsteps stopped in front of the stall in which Shen Mo was hiding. Next, a few knocks sounded from beyond the door. Shen Mo couldn’t stop shaking. Afraid that he might make a noise, he bit his fingers hard. Just then, he heard the person outside call his name, “Shen Mo.”
The voice sounded too familiar to him. Shen Mo jolted, as if he’d suddenly fallen into a dream. The last shred of strength disappeared from his body. Putting his hands against the door, he whispered, “Mr Ji?”
He was afraid that his own voice would wake him from the dream. Ji Mingxuan replied, “It’s me.”
Shen Mo was quiet for a little longer before he slowly opened the stall door. Standing outside the stall was Ji Mingxuan, of course. For Ji An’an’s engagement, he was particularly well-dressed. He looked pretty handsome in his tailored suit.
He studied Shen Mo and asked, “I heard from An’an that you’re not feeling well?”
Shen Mo didn’t reply. Stunned, he gazed at Ji Mingxuan for a while before looking down and fumbling for his phone. After he typed a string of numbers, the name “Ji Mingxuan” showed on the screen again. This time, he didn’t hesitate and pressed down on the call button. A ringtone sounded at once.
Ji Mingxuan looked a little surprised, but he still took out his phone. Shen Mo held the phone and looked straight into Ji Mingxuan’s eyes. As he listened to the phone beep beside his ear, Shen Mo was so nervous that sweat started seeping from his palms. He didn’t know how long had passed when Ji Mingxuan’s low voice came through the phone: “Shen Mo?”
After so many tries… someone had finally picked up the call. Shen Mo’s legs gave out. He almost fell to the ground. Ji Mingxuan grabbed his arm just in time.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”
“Mr Ji...” Shen Mo held onto Ji Mingxuan’s clothes and said, “I saw him...”
“Who?”
Not knowing how to describe the man, Shen Mo only pointed at his own brow bone and said, “He… has a scar here.”
His words were quite jumbled. Even he himself thought that he was too incoherent. But Ji Mingxuan understood. Ji Mingxuan nodded and said, “So it was him.”
He added, “Who could’ve thought that he would get out of jail so quickly?”
Shen Mo found it a little strange. “You still remember him, Mr Ji?”
Ji Mingxuan didn’t reply. He reached for Shen Mo’s chin, looked into Shen Mo’s eyes, and asked, “Are you scared?”
Shen Mo opened his mouth, but he couldn’t say anything. He, too, knew that he was being a little delusional. That year, he had been abducted only because of Zhou Yang. He had nothing to do with Zhou Yang now. Would anyone give him a second glance?
And yet, his body still remembered the fear from back then. He really couldn’t control it. Shen Mo didn’t say anything, so Ji Mingxuan didn’t press on. He squeezed Shen Mo’s hand and asked, “Why are you so cold?”
As he spoke, he took off his suit jacket and tossed it to Shen Mo. Startled, Shen Mo clumsily caught the jacket. Ji Mingxuan rolled up the sleeves of his shirt as he told Shen Mo, “Wait for me here.”
“Mr Ji?” Shen Mo was puzzled.
Ji Mingxuan didn’t respond and went straight toward the door. When he was almost at the door, he turned around and said with a faint smile, “Just wait.”
Shen Mo was so used to listening to Ji Mingxuan that he didn’t think of doing anything else. He simply hugged the jacket and waited for Ji Mingxuan in the stall.
He could still feel Ji Mingxuan’s warmth on the jacket. It was strange that Shen Mo could calm down after exchanging just a few words with Ji Mingxuan. The fear that he had felt faded away like a receding tide.
Shen Mo didn’t know how long had passed when clamour suddenly came from outside. He didn’t know what had happened, so he went out and ran toward the noise. Soon, he saw a crowd gathered in the hallway leading to the main hall. He could hear the people’s chatter even from afar.
“What a surprise. That Mr Ji really…”
“Is he drunk?”
“Who knows? Strange things happen every year. There have been quite a lot this year.”
When he heard that it was related to Ji Mingxuan, Shen Mo grew even more nervous. He hugged the jacket tightly and squeezed his way through the crowd. When he finally got in, he saw Ji Mingxuan standing there wearing a single layer, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows. For some reason, his right hand was injured, bleeding slightly.
Not far from Ji Mingxuan, a man lay on the ground. He had a hideous scar on his brow bone, but his face was black and blue. It was quite an embarrassing look. Seeing such a scene, even if he were an idiot, Shen Mo would understand what had happened.
He stood still. Ji Mingxuan glanced around and soon saw Shen Mo. He waved at Shen Mo as though nothing had happened. “I told you to wait for me, didn’t I?”
Shen Mo felt his heart beat faster than ever. Step by step, he walked toward Ji Mingxuan. He had long since learned that no one would come to his rescue except himself.
But what if he couldn’t rescue himself?
In that case…
In that case, he would still have Mr Ji.