Too Late

When Meng Shangzhi came downstairs after showering, Bai Yunsheng was only halfway through breakfast. Something seemed to have happened; his brows were tightly furrowed, and he looked unhappy.

Meng Shangzhi walked over to the seat closest to Bai Yunsheng. "What's wrong?"

Hearing Meng Shangzhi's voice, Bai Yunsheng's brows relaxed. "Brother, you're here."

Meng Shangzhi sat down where Bai Yunsheng was looking. The moment he touched the chair, Bai Yunsheng leaned toward him. "Brother, can you look at my mouth? It hurts when I drink soup. I don't know if it's cut."

Instinctively following Bai Yunsheng's voice, Meng Shangzhi's gaze settled on Bai Yunsheng's approaching lips. Perhaps because he had drunk soup, Bai Yunsheng's lips were an unusually vivid red, as though stained with blood.

"Is there a wound?" Bai Yunsheng asked. Those eyes stared unblinkingly at him, looking especially clear, with a trace of fleeting allure.

As if bewitched, Meng Shangzhi reached out without thinking and gently covered Bai Yunsheng's lips, just as he had last night.

Pale fingers and crimson lips—two colors at their most extreme—met so lightly that the sight was too beautiful to look away from.

"Brother?" Bai Yunsheng murmured softly.

Meng Shangzhi's fingers involuntarily pressed down a little harder. In an instant, fireworks of every color seemed to explode in his mind, dazzling yet silent.

Meng Shangzhi's pitch-black world began to fill with color.

"Bai Yunsheng." There was little color in Meng Shangzhi's eyes. The lake at night was just as lifeless and still, and then...

"Shengsheng." With that intimate form of address, Bai Yunsheng watched as specks of light appeared in those eyes that seemed trapped in a nightmare. The lake was dyed orange-gold by the light at the horizon. "Shengsheng, there's a wound." Meng Shangzhi moved his hand away.

"When did you get hurt?"

Bai Yunsheng said, "I don't know. No wonder it hurt so much."

Meng Shangzhi said, "Then don't drink soup. Do you want soy milk? Freshly ground."

Bai Yunsheng shook his head. "No need. I've eaten almost enough. I need to go back early today. I have Teacher Wu's class this afternoon."

Meng Shangzhi stopped eating. "Wu Shanye?"

Bai Yunsheng said, "Yes. You know him?"

Meng Shangzhi said, "A little, but not very well. He's a very good pianist."

At the mention of piano, Bai Yunsheng's mood clearly lifted. "He's an exceptionally good pianist! It would be wonderful if I could become a pianist like him someday."

Meng Shangzhi said, "You will." Then he added with certainty, "You definitely will."

After breakfast, Meng Shangzhi personally drove Bai Yunsheng home.

The moment Bai Yunsheng arrived home, he saw Feng Yanshan hurrying toward him, smiling. But when he saw that no one was behind Bai Yunsheng, his smile visibly faded.

"Chairman Meng didn't bring you back?"

Bai Yunsheng shook his head. "Mr. Meng drove me to the entrance, then left."

Feng Yanshan asked, "He drove you himself?"

Bai Yunsheng handed his coat to the servant beside him. "Yes."

Feng Yanshan said, "Why didn't you invite him in to sit for a while?"

Bai Yunsheng said, "I did. Mr. Meng said he had to return to the company to handle something."

After saying that, Feng Yanshan did not leave immediately. He looked as though he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Honestly, Feng Yanshan looked rather amusing like this. The Feng Yanshan of the past would never have worn such an expression.

Bai Yunsheng considerately said, "Father, is there something you want to tell me?"

After all, sending one's son out to climb the social ladder was hardly honorable. Feng Yanshan dismissed the servants and lowered his voice. "Yesterday, did you and Meng Shangzhi..." He did not finish the sentence.

Bai Yunsheng's brown eyes shifted almost imperceptibly before he slowly looked at Feng Yanshan. He had clearly already been disappointed, clearly no longer cared, yet his heart still felt as if it had been pricked by a needle. It did not hurt much, but he could still feel it.

Bai Yunsheng hated himself for having such an insignificant feeling. Though he had long understood Feng Yanshan's intentions, hearing it laid bare still made him feel sick.

His emotions settled in the blink of an eye.

There was no trace of pain left in his eyes.

"Yes."

The old man's face visibly brightened.

"Mr. Meng taught me very seriously. Father, only now do I understand that securing a partnership and completing a project are both extremely complicated matters." Bai Yunsheng looked sympathetic. "You've worked hard all these years."

Bai Yunsheng spoke with great sincerity.

Feng Yanshan's expression turned strange, and he seemed unusually at a loss.

Feng Yanshan said, "I see."

Bai Yunsheng gave a hum. "I'll make sure to complete this partnership properly. I won't disappoint you." His eyes were clear and innocent.

The word "father" had been nailed to the pillar of shame by Bai Yunsheng.

Bai Yunsheng continued, "If there's nothing else, I'll go back to my room."

Seeing Bai Yunsheng about to leave, Feng Yanshan suddenly remembered something. Mainly because it was such an insignificant matter, he had failed to recall it even upon seeing Bai Yunsheng. It was only when Bai Yunsheng mentioned his room that Feng Yanshan remembered. "Oh, right, Yunsheng. From now on, you'll stay in the room beside the piano room."

Bai Yunsheng said, "I'm changing rooms?"

Feng Yanshan said, "That place is no longer suitable for you. You weren't here yesterday, so I didn't have anyone move your things. Aren't you going to Wu Shanye's this afternoon? Move rooms before lunch."

Bai Yunsheng looked delighted. "Really? Thank you, Father."

Bai Yunsheng did not actually have much to pack. The room beside the piano room had everything; it merely lacked some personal belongings. He casually called over a few servants and had them bring up some of his personal items.

The commotion may have been a little loud, disturbing Feng Tingfan across the hall. When he opened his door with an impatient look on his face, he happened to see Bai Yunsheng directing the servants to put clothes into the wardrobe.

"Who told you to make such a racket so early in the morning?"

The servants organizing the room instinctively stopped what they were doing.

Feng Tingfan said, "You're even putting this trash in here? Aren't you afraid of dirtying the room?"

Bai Yunsheng said, "Keep going. Don't mind him."

Feng Tingfan's face immediately darkened at that, but remembering Jiang Li's earnest warning yesterday, he did not do anything violent. "Well? How was yesterday?" he teased.

Bai Yunsheng ignored him and lowered his head to fiddle with his phone.

Seeing Bai Yunsheng ignore him, Feng Tingfan chuckled softly. "Bai Yunsheng, there's something I'm curious about. Can you tell me? How do two men..." He quickly clapped his hands a few times. "I'm really curious. Oh, and how was Meng Shangzhi? He looks like he has a good body. Is he also very capable in that respect?"

"Bai Yunsheng, I never expected you to be so impressive. I was wondering how you suddenly became so close to Meng Shangzhi."

"So you weren't close as people—you were close in that way." He laughed loudly, utterly unconcerned about the servants in the room, much less Bai Yunsheng's dignity.

Bai Yunsheng said, "Are you finished?"

Feng Tingfan said, "I'm finished."

Bai Yunsheng tapped his phone. Then Feng Tingfan's teasing voice played from it. "Feng Tingfan, people have to take responsibility for what they say. What do you think will happen if I send this recording to Mr. Meng?"

Feng Tingfan's expression changed. He tried to rush over and snatch the phone, but Bai Yunsheng deftly dodged him. Feng Tingfan was about to make another move when Bai Yunsheng smiled and said, "Too late. I already sent it to him."