Patience

Thinking carefully over everything he had endured that evening, Yu Nian found it utterly ridiculous.

All he wanted now was to leave, so he took the opportunity to say, "Qin Yu, I have class tomorrow. I'll head home first."

Qin Yu had sobered up considerably. Realizing that he really had neglected Yu Nian that evening, he tried to persuade him to stay. "It's so late. Getting home won't be easy, will it? Stay here tonight. I'll have the driver come early tomorrow morning, and we can go back to school together."

Yu Nian didn't hesitate at all. His emotions had settled, too. "I still have some homework to finish. It's due tomorrow."

It was an unassailable reason. Although Qin Yu was a little displeased, there wasn't much he could say.

After speaking, Yu Nian felt the man beside him stand up first.

Qin Yuheng buttoned his jacket and said evenly, "I'm heading back to the office. Enjoy yourselves."

Yu Nian noticed quite a few people quietly breathe a sigh of relief.

Qin Yu looked at Yu Nian, then at Qin Yuheng, and said, "Brother, could you do me a favor and give my friend a ride? He lives near campus. Just drop him off on your way back to the office."

Before Qin Yuheng could respond, Yu Nian politely declined. "It's fine. No need to trouble yourself. I'll get a taxi outside."

Right now, he wanted nothing to do with anyone around Qin Yu.

"Let's go." Qin Yuheng seemed not to have heard him at all. With that, he walked straight outside.

Yu Nian froze for a moment. Was he talking to me?

Qin Yu relaxed. Although his brother didn't like getting too close to people, he would still do his younger brother this favor. "Okay. Sorry for the trouble, brother."

Yu Nian: ?

Wait, what? Did anyone ask what I wanted?

While he hesitated, Qin Yuheng had already reached the entryway. Seemingly noticing that Yu Nian hadn't followed, he turned to glance at him. "Do you need to get anything?"

His voice was cold, yet the question sounded so natural.

"No..." Yu Nian knew he couldn't refuse now. Besides, leaving was better than staying here for everyone to laugh at him.

After considering it, he hurried to catch up.

Once outside the front door, Yu Nian heard cheerful laughter rise inside again. It seemed everyone had relaxed considerably now that Qin Yuheng was gone.

A cool breeze stirred in the night. Leaving the warm interior, Yu Nian shivered in the wind and pulled his jacket tighter around himself. Only then did he realize his face felt a little hot.

He touched his face. It was unusually warm; the delayed effects of the alcohol must have been kicking in.

Yu Nian followed slowly behind Qin Yuheng, looking up at his tall, straight-backed figure. Beneath the cool moonlight, he looked almost lonely.

Qin Yuheng opened the passenger door and motioned for Yu Nian to get in. Yu Nian murmured a thank-you and quickly climbed into the car.

Only after seeing him settled did Qin Yuheng close the door and go around to the driver's seat.

Yu Nian fastened his seat belt, then turned toward the window, pretending to admire the scenery.

A business elite like Qin Yuheng dealt with people and discussed matters on an entirely different level from theirs.

No, he couldn't even fit into Qin Yu's circle of friends. Someone like Qin Yuheng probably wouldn't spare him a second glance.

He had probably agreed to drive him home only as a favor to Qin Yu. He might even be worried that Yu Nian would dirty his car.

Yu Nian couldn't really be blamed for thinking that way.

He didn't actually have any stereotypes about rich people, nor did he resent their wealth.

But what had happened that evening had made him truly feel the class divide-the condescending sense of superiority that those "above" held over ordinary people.

To the point that Yu Nian now had a poor impression of both Qin Yu and everyone around him.

Yet apart from asking where he lived at the beginning, Qin Yuheng simply drove in silence. There were no insincere pleasantries or sarcastic remarks, as though Yu Nian weren't there.

Yu Nian didn't pay much attention to him either. He was still replaying the evening's events in his mind, waves of hurt rising in his chest until he felt unbearably stifled.

Perhaps the alcohol was amplifying his negative emotions, but that didn't change the fundamental nature of what had happened.

He realized it was time to end his relationship with Qin Yu.

Suddenly, Yu Nian felt the backrest behind him slowly recline a little. Pulled from his drifting thoughts, he instinctively sat straighter instead and looked at the man beside him.

"No one's used the passenger seat before. I adjusted the backrest. Did I disturb you?"

His tone was even and quiet. Yu Nian actually felt that he sounded a little more patient now than he had at the dinner party.

When Yu Nian first got in, he had indeed thought the backrest was too upright, making his back uncomfortable.

But this wasn't his car, and he barely knew Qin Yuheng. Naturally, he had been too embarrassed to say anything.

He hadn't expected Qin Yuheng to notice. For a moment, a subtle feeling he couldn't quite describe stirred inside him.

"No. Thank you..." Yu Nian said, a little embarrassed.

"Yu was inconsiderate. I apologize on his behalf," Qin Yuheng said suddenly.

Yu Nian was momentarily speechless. He glanced sideways at Qin Yuheng, whose gaze remained fixed on the road ahead, without the slightest trace of mockery in his eyes.

How did he notice?

Yu Nian didn't think he had made it too obvious. At least Qin Yu hadn't noticed.

After thinking it over, he could only conclude that Qin Yuheng was exceptionally perceptive.

Yu Nian wanted to put on an easy smile, only to feel inexplicably wronged.

Why? I came to Qin Yu's birthday party with good intentions, only to be treated like this.

Yu Nian had bottled up his anger all evening, and now he couldn't maintain his composure any longer.

He offered no polite response. Instead, he said almost petulantly, "You weren't the one who did it. You don't need to apologize for him."

The moment he said it, he regretted it a little.

Qin Yuheng's apology seemed like an adult politely taking the blame for his own child after a quarrel with someone else's.

But it was only politeness.

Ultimately, Qin Yuheng didn't know what had happened between them. And as Qin Yu's older brother, he would surely still take Qin Yu's side.

Qin Yuheng suddenly stopped the car.

Yu Nian's heart lurched. Was Qin Yuheng angry? Was he going to dump me by the roadside?

It didn't look easy to get a taxi around here. Besides, his head was a little dizzy, and he didn't really want to get out into the wind.

While Yu Nian's thoughts ran wild, Qin Yuheng said, "I'll make him apologize to you."

With that, he turned the steering wheel, preparing to head back.

Yu Nian hadn't expected him to mean it. He hurried to stop him. "No, there's no need!"

Yu Nian had never met anyone who took things so seriously. He immediately felt ashamed of his earlier assumptions and misplaced anger.

After all, Qin Yu and his friends were the ones who had upset him. His brother hadn't done anything wrong, and Yu Nian shouldn't have taken it out on him.

"It's just a little disagreement between friends. I'll talk it through with him later." Yu Nian reached out and caught his arm, looking at him earnestly, afraid he really would go back to confront Qin Yu.

Qin Yuheng met his eyes, then lowered his gaze to his own arm.

Belatedly realizing what he had done, Yu Nian withdrew his hand in embarrassment. "Thank you..."

Hearing that, Qin Yuheng didn't insist and resumed driving.

This was Yu Nian's first time interacting with Qin Yuheng. He had expected him to be difficult to get along with, yet this seemingly icy man had more warmth than all those smiling "friends" at the party.

At the entire birthday party, Qin Yuheng had actually been the only one to treat him like a person.

At that thought, Yu Nian gave a self-deprecating smile. His taut nerves relaxed a little, though, and he leaned back against the seat, easing the dizziness brought on by the alcohol.

"Brother, thank you. Really. My name is Yu Nian-the Yu and Nian from 'may you have abundance year after year.'"

After saying it, Yu Nian felt a little foolish. Qin Yuheng might not even want to know his name.

But it didn't matter. He would be foolish just this once. This was Qin Yu's older brother; once he and Qin Yu broke up, they probably wouldn't cross paths again.

"Qin Yuheng."

Yu Nian went still, then heard him add, "My name."

Yu Nian hadn't expected Qin Yuheng to respond.

Yu Nian actually had a very agreeable temperament. As long as someone showed him kindness, he became soft and fuzzy, easy to get along with.

Regardless of whether they would ever cross paths again, he smiled at Qin Yuheng now, his eyes curving and a cute little canine showing at the corner of his mouth. "Then can I call you Brother Yu?"

"Mm."

Qin Yuheng wasn't a talkative man. After that exchange, the car fell quiet again.

But Yu Nian was already satisfied. At least Qin Yuheng had shown him that not all wealthy people behaved like that.

The decision in Yu Nian's heart became all the firmer.

Leaning against the seat, Yu Nian belatedly felt the effects of downing that large glass of red wine. With the heater running in the car, it all left him drowsy.

His eyes felt tired. After blinking a few times, he fell asleep in the passenger seat.

In his hazy state, he kept feeling as though someone was watching him. He couldn't tell whether that gaze was friendly or not, but in any case, he woke up.

The streetlights nearby gradually sharpened from blurry, overlapping images. Yu Nian yawned and rubbed his eyes, and something slipped off his arm.

He instinctively caught it and found a suit jacket in his hand.

It carried a pleasant, faint scent, cool and clear. Warmed through, it also gave off a comforting sense of security.

Yu Nian recognized the scent, and with it, where the jacket had come from.

He was instantly wide awake. Turning his head, he saw Qin Yuheng's long fingers resting on the steering wheel, tapping silently as he looked ahead.

Seeming only then to notice his movement, Qin Yuheng turned toward him. His dark, still eyes were as distant as ever, but his voice, mingling with the night, held a low, resonant sensuality. "Awake?"

Yu Nian sat up straight and looked around, discovering that they were in the parking area below his apartment building. "Sorry. I fell asleep."

He returned the jacket to Qin Yuheng. "Thank you for the jacket."

"It's fine." Qin Yuheng took it and watched him undo his seat belt and hurry out of the car, then stamp his feet as the cold air outside hit him.

He turned back and thanked Qin Yuheng again. "Sorry for the trouble tonight, Brother Yu."

"Drive safely. Bye."

Yu Nian waved at him, his cheeks flushed from the alcohol, the little canine at the corner of his mouth white and endearing.

Qin Yuheng murmured an acknowledgment and watched him shut the car door, rub his hands together, and hurry into the residential complex.

Yu Nian didn't notice the gaze behind him. As he walked home, he took out his phone and glanced at it. That one glance stopped him in his tracks.

It was half past eleven...

Aside from the drive, he had slept in Qin Yuheng's car for another half hour.