Chapter 19

Xu Jiahao raised his wristwatch to check the time. "He recently competed in an American pool tournament too. The broadcast should be starting soon—I'll change the channel."

Chi Ning hummed and turned to see that the snooker match had disappeared from the television, replaced by Qin Heng's face.

He was wearing a three-piece suit. After entering the venue, he took off his jacket, revealing the mixed-color

waistcoat

and shirt underneath.

It had been nearly two months since they had seen each other.

Qin Heng was gradually beginning to resemble his past-life self. When he lowered his eyes, his expression was unreadable; his face alone was intimidating enough.

He had grown taller, his frame fully filled out. He looked powerfully built, his shoulders noticeably broader.

Chi Ning tilted his head up. "A broadcast? Then the results must already be out, right?"

Mo Yuanzhou said, "Yeah."

He was about to say something else when he turned and saw Qin Heng lifting the curtain and walking in. Qin Heng entered looking travel-worn. He nodded to Xu Jiahao first, then swept his gaze around the room before fixing it on Chi Ning's profile.

Mo Yuanzhou raised a brow and smilingly tested Chi Ning. "You haven't seen each other for so long, and all you care about is what place Qin Heng got?"

Chi Ning understood the implication. Mo Yuanzhou was asking whether he missed Qin Heng.

Rather than answer directly, he vaguely said, "The competition venue isn't far from here. If you count the time, he should be arriving around now. We'll definitely see each other tonight."

So he had missed him? A smile tugged at Qin Heng's lips as he quietly walked behind Chi Ning.

He raised his hand, then lowered it again. In the end, he only said, "Turn around."

Chi Ning froze, then suddenly turned around, his forehead brushing something soft. It was a little damp, so he raised a hand and wiped it.

Qin Heng's mind went blank.

Had he just kissed Chi Ning's forehead?

Chi Ning said, "Huh? Why is your neck red? Are you hot?"

Qin Heng coughed. "I walked here too fast."

He turned and headed toward Xu Jiahao, his retreat somewhat flustered. "Dad, I'm here to collect the money. You should get some rest."

As he looked over the receipts, the curiosity that had been stalled in his heart for nearly two months exploded—

Who exactly did Chi Ning like?

The vigorous feelings that had been frozen for two months seemed to have been torn open by that brief touch.

Qin Heng stared blankly at the calculator, poking at it with one finger at a time. He even forgot to take the gold medal from his pocket to show off.

The calculator said, "Reset. Reset. Re-re-re-re-reset."

Xu Jiahao: ...

You're making it look like I didn't earn a cent today.

Qin Heng touched his forehead again, his thoughts a complete mess.

Uncertainly, he thought, I did... kiss him, right?

If the person Chi Ning liked found out, would he get jealous? Would he openly kiss Chi Ning to declare his claim? Would he be provoked into wanting to be with Chi Ning?

Chi Ning was baffled.

If Qin Heng felt hot, why didn't he take off some clothes?

As he thought about it, the corner of his lips suddenly felt itchy, and he rubbed it with the back of his hand.

The soft, damp sensation made his thoughts stall.

He knew what his forehead had brushed against just now!

It was Qin Heng's lips!

Mo Yuanzhou clicked his tongue internally. His student was only sixteen! Qin Heng looked respectable enough, but he was actually incredibly shrewd. Who knew whether he had done that on purpose? If it had been intentional, just how calculating did he have to be to pull something like that off?

Could Chi Ning possibly outplay him?

Mo Yuanzhou put down his cue. "Ning, I have something to do later, so I'm leaving. Help me carry my things—I'll go get the car."

"Oh." Chi Ning was desperate to escape the suffocating atmosphere. He eagerly carried Mo Yuanzhou's briefcase and walked him to the parking lot, watching him leave for five whole minutes. Even after the car's exhaust was nowhere in sight, he still did not want to go back.

Inside the billiards hall, Qin Heng checked his watch three times in five minutes.

Why was it taking so long just to see someone off?

He frowned and said to Xu Jiahao, "I'll go take a look." Chi Ning had a soft heart; who knew if he had been tricked again by some pitiful-looking scoundrel?

The moment Qin Heng lifted the PVC curtain at the billiards hall entrance, he heard a bright, cheerful voice from nearby. "Chi Ning—"

An arm waved from across the road like a flagpole.

The moment the light turned green, the arm's owner rushed over to Chi Ning.

It was Gu Zhe. He was not wearing his school uniform, having changed into an extremely punk-rock leather outfit. An electric guitar was slung across his back, and he wore a bright smile. "Chi Ning, long time no see! It's been two months already!"

"Long time no see." Chi Ning looked at his glossy, studded leather pants and hesitated. "Did... something happen to you?"

"No, I've always liked rock music. I'm now the guitarist and lead singer of my university band!"

Gu Zhe pulled out a concert ticket and handed it over. "I'm a student at the Popular Music Academy. I've been preparing for the concert these past two months. Actually, I don't like Japanese-style school uniforms at all."

Chi Ning looked at the airbrushed concert ticket and thought of the sweet, delicate little flower who had sobbed in his arms two months ago. His expression went distant.

Were people involved in music and entertainment in 2001 really this... oh... changeable?

"I should thank you, too."

Gu Zhe looked bashful and shy, sneaking several glances at Chi Ning. "Those people really did spread rumors on the school forum. Luckily, you reminded me to check the surveillance footage. I copied it onto a USB drive and uploaded it to the forum, slapping them right in the face!"

Chi Ning said, "Oh? Oh..."

Gu Zhe lowered his head. "You're so smart. If I hadn't run into you, I might have had to ask my dad to help me transfer schools."

Chi Ning fell silent, feeling the concert ticket in his hand begin to burn.

What was this little love-struck fool doing?

Why did something feel a little off?

"You'll come watch my concert, right?" Gu Zhe's eyes were full of hope.

Chi Ning sighed. "Sorry. I won't go."

Gu Zhe pressed his lips together. "Why?"

Chi Ning handed the ticket back. "I wouldn't understand it. Going would just waste the ticket."

Gu Zhe knew that meant rejection.

He reached up to brush his hair aside, reluctance in his eyes. "I know you have someone you like, but have you considered that the person you like might not like you?"

Chi Ning: ?

Huh? Who did I like?

Qin Heng, who was eavesdropping: ?

Xu Jiahao, who had also come over to eavesdrop because Qin Heng had not returned for so long: ?

"How is he sowing discord?" Xu Jiahao commented.

Qin Heng turned to ask, "Do you know who Chi Ning likes?"

Xu Jiahao: You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?

Isn't it you? Does that even need asking?

The evening breeze was slightly cool.

Gu Zhe cleared his throat, his logic orderly. "First, the difference in your statuses is too great."

Qin Heng's eyes darkened abruptly. He suddenly grabbed the fiddle-leaf fig outside the billiards hall entrance, and the plant gave a strained creak.

Gu Zhe continued, "Second, from an ethical standpoint, you two aren't suitable either."

Xu Jiahao did not understand the second point. "Are you related by blood to Young Master Chi?"

Qin Heng shook his head, loosening his grip on the fiddle-leaf fig.

"The age difference doesn't work either. He's already a working adult, while you're still in high school." Gu Zhe counted them off one by one on his fingers.

Xu Jiahao looked at him sympathetically. Did this kid think Qin Heng had dropped out of school?

When Gu Zhe counted to three, he delivered the final verdict. "Lastly, he left just now without any reluctance at all! You stood here watching him for so long, yet he didn't even know you couldn't bear to part with him."

Xu Jiahao: ...

Qin Heng: ...

Chi Ning understood.

Gu Zhe thought he liked Mo Yuanzhou.

This foolish kid...

Why was his brain in such a hurry?

"You misunderstood. I don't like my teacher."

Gu Zhe did not believe him. "If it's not him, then who is it? Unless you tell me the exact name, you have to come to my concert."

Chi Ning sighed, stuffed the ticket back into Gu Zhe's hand, and explained with red ears, "We... aren't compatible in that way..."

Gu Zhe's ears turned red too. Holding the ticket, he watched Chi Ning's retreating figure as he headed toward the billiards hall.

A cute bottom was still a bottom...

He wanted to chase after him, but then he suddenly met a pair of eyes hidden in the darkness.

Qin Heng stood where the light above the billiards hall entrance could not reach, like a mass of thick ink.

Gu Zhe stepped back in fright, almost feeling as if he had met the gaze of a dragon in the abyss.

Those eyes were pitch-black, sharp and emotionless, carrying unquestionable hostility. He instinctively looked away.

Qin Heng slowly walked up to Gu Zhe. "Is your affection really so casual?"

Gu Zhe froze.

Qin Heng gave a derisive laugh. "What do you think love is? Do you know what Chi Ning likes to eat? Do you know what he's doing? Do you know what kind of difficulties he's facing? Do you know what kind of help he needs?"

Gu Zhe parted his lips slightly, making a stubborn last stand. "And you do?"

Qin Heng said, "Of course I do. But all you do is share yourself and seek your own satisfaction. What can you give him?"

Gu Zhe said, "And you can?" As if finding his confidence, he added, "You haven't even confessed your feelings, while I, at least, dare to pursue him."

Qin Heng said softly, "Perhaps you only like his face and personality. If that combination appeared in someone else, you would fall for someone else."

Gu Zhe was speechless. He could not refute it, because Qin Heng was right. He clenched his back teeth. "What about you? Do you really like him?"

Qin Heng fell silent.

Two months ago, while eating with Chi Ning, he had noticed something strange about himself.

Over the past two months, he had kept himself from thinking about Chi Ning, trying to numb himself with busyness and maintain the distance between them.

His background and experiences had made him profit-driven, ill-tempered, full of lies, controlling, extremely exclusionary, and fiercely protective of what was his.

He would not be a qualified lover.

And Chi Ning was still underage—obedient and smart, sweet and honest. They were not alike at all. He should not indulge his feelings.

But every decision and effort he had made collapsed the instant he saw Chi Ning today.

Feelings like love could not be turned on and off at will.