He'll Abandon Me Sooner or Later

Yu An went over Song Yuechi's words in his mind, word by word, then refuted him. "That's not it."

Song Yuechi was a little unconvinced. "Then tell me, what is it?"

In other matters, Song Yuechi admired Yu An enough to drop to his knees at any moment, but in this regard, he felt Yu An understood less than he did.

"I tested him just now." Yu An told Song Yuechi about what had happened earlier, then sighed. "He didn't take the bait."

He Li'an wasn't an idiot like Song Yuechi. Yu An had made it so obvious at the time; He Li'an definitely understood.

But He Li'an would rather change the subject than respond.

Song Yuechi clicked his tongue, still brimming with confidence. "He's just being stubborn!"

"What does that mean?"

"It means he likes you from head to toe, but refuses to admit it."

"Why won't he admit it?"

"It's a common male problem. Don't worry about it. If he won't admit it, then neither should you. Keep baiting him relentlessly and see how long he can endure it..."

Yu An wanted to say that he was a man too.

But he quickly remembered that he had already used that rebuttal on Song Yuechi before, so he selectively ignored the first sentence.

"Okay."

Zhu Wen waited anxiously by the door. Only when he saw He Li'an return did his expression relax slightly.

He stepped forward to open the car door for He Li'an. "Young Master, have you eaten?"

Dinner had already been prepared earlier, but the young master had suddenly hurried out. When Zhu Wen asked where he was going, He Li'an did not answer, only saying that he would return later.

Zhu Wen rarely saw him look so anxious, and he had worried until now.

He Li'an silently shook his head, looking as though he had a heavy burden on his mind.

Zhu Wen immediately called the kitchen and instructed them to prepare dinner.

He Li'an had not said where he would be having dinner when he left, so Zhu Wen had still had the kitchen prepare some. Now, they only needed to heat the dishes.

By the time they entered the house, the servants had already laid dinner out on the table.

He Li'an picked up his chopsticks, but before taking even a bite, he set them down again. "Zhu Wen, pour me a drink."

Zhu Wen froze for a moment. "Please wait."

The young master generally did not drink when he was home alone. Only at necessary social occasions would he have low-alcohol champagne or wine.

He had probably encountered something very troubling today.

After preparing the alcohol for He Li'an, Zhu Wen remained at his side and dismissed the other servants.

He Li'an took a sip before slowly speaking. "I just went to Yu An's place."

Zhu Wen immediately understood. Recently, the only person capable of making the young master's emotions fluctuate like this was Young Master Yu An.

"Did something happen between you and Young Master Yu An?"

He Li'an shook his head, then nodded.

Zhu Wen: ?

So had something happened or not?

After a long while, He Li'an spoke again. "Do you think Yu An likes me?"

Zhu Wen answered without hesitation. "Of course."

Who wouldn't like the young master?

"But I don't behave well around him. I always lose control of my emotions..." He Li'an's voice was so soft it was almost a murmur.

Zhu Wen comforted him. "Everyone has flaws. Changes in your emotions prove that you care deeply about Young Master Yu An. If he likes you, he'll accept everything about you, including your negative emotions."

He Li'an curled his lips, his tone mocking. "But many people like me because, in their eyes, I have no flaws."

He was merely living his life ordinarily, yet so many people always claimed to like him.

Being liked by so many people should have been joyful.

But he often felt that those feelings were hollow. He felt that they did not like him as a person, but only liked his strengths.

Zhu Wen asked, "Do you think Young Master Yu An isn't sincere enough toward you?"

"No." He Li'an shook his head. "He's a child who lacks affection. Maybe he developed feelings for me because I've taken good care of him lately. But if he becomes a little more mature, he'll realize that this little bit of affection isn't enough to sustain two people living together for a lifetime."

"..."

He Li'an did not hear Zhu Wen speak for quite some time. Confused, he asked, "Zhu Wen, why aren't you saying anything?"

Zhu Wen hesitated. "Can I say anything?"

He Li'an said, "Mm."

Zhu Wen said, "You and Young Master Yu An haven't even begun yet, but you're already thinking about spending a lifetime together. I think it's too early. There's still confessing, confirming the relationship, officially dating..."

Before he could finish, he fell silent under He Li'an's increasingly icy gaze.

He had insisted on making him speak.

And then he did not like what he heard.

Being a butler was rather difficult sometimes.

He Li'an took another sip of wine and said unhappily, "Why did you stop talking again?"

"..." Zhu Wen missed the young master's childhood.

Back then, the young master had still been a little young master, not this temperamental.

Zhu Wen quietly sighed. "I think you shouldn't be thinking about something as distant as a lifetime. Focus on what's in front of you first, and get along well with Young Master Yu An according to your own feelings."

Although he thought very highly of the young master and Young Master Yu An.

Romantic relationships were serious matters. They had to take things slowly.

He Li'an said nothing.

Zhu Wen let out a sigh of relief. He felt the young master had probably taken his words to heart.

He stepped forward to refill He Li'an's glass. He Li'an slowly turned to look at him, his gaze dark. "Do you think that if Yu An and I get together, it won't last? That he'll abandon me sooner or later?"

"..."

The young master had not listened to a single word he said.

Zhu Wen silently took the wineglass away. "Young Master, you're drunk."

That night, Yu An caught the familiar scent of wood on his sheets. It was the same as the sheets and bedding on the bed he had slept in at He Li'an's house.

His household supplies had been arranged when he moved in. He Li'an must have had someone help with it.

The familiar scent made him feel at ease, and he did not suffer from insomnia as he had on his first day at He Li'an's house.

On his first night in the new house, he slept very well.

The next day was Sunday. After simply making breakfast, he finally had time to unpack the large cardboard box Song Yuechi had brought over. Inside was a complete set of brand-new tableware—cups, plates, bowls, and chopsticks. Everything was there.

There were also plenty of snacks, drinks, and alcohol.

Beer, liquor, and red wine—there was every kind.

Song Yuechi had probably planned to bring them over to eat and drink with him.

Only for everything to be ruined by He Li'an's sudden appearance.

Yu An felt that this was not good, so he sent He Li'an a message.

[Yu An]: If you come to my house in the future, tell me in advance.

After sending the message, he did not deliberately wait for He Li'an's reply and continued sorting through the things Song Yuechi had sent.

As he organized them, he took photos and posted them to his social media.

An hour later, he finally finished and remembered to check his phone.

[He Li'an]: I'll come to your place in a bit.

[Yu An]: How long is "in a bit"?

There was a knock at the door.

Yu An looked toward the door warily.

He had no other friends here, nor did he have any packages or deliveries that needed to be brought to his door. The person knocking was most likely a stranger with unknown intentions.

His phone vibrated. He lowered his head to look.

[He Li'an]: Now.

Huh?

Yu An walked to the door and looked through the peephole, where he saw the person who had been messaging him just a second ago.