Bet You're Loving This

Leaving Ji Huaijin out of it, the two of them started with names and ages, then talked their way through their hobbies.

A few minutes later, both were rather surprised.

Lin Shuyang came from a wealthy family, but he had none of the superiority that often came with it. He knew perfectly well that he had simply been born into money. In an age when everyone was equal, money certainly brought him convenience and a comfortable life.

But it was no guarantee of good character.

Most people's notions of social rank and superiority actually stemmed from their upbringing.

When Lin Shuyang was little, his parents took him to the mall to buy toys. As they passed a cake shop, a neatly dressed little girl accidentally dropped a packet of cookies.

A little boy helping his cleaner mother nearby hurried over, picked it up, and handed it to her, only for a woman dripping with jewels to knock it out of his hand.

"Don't eat anything someone like that has touched. It's filthy."

Filthy? What was filthy was the human heart.

And so a child, once a blank slate, grew up carrying that mistaken belief. By the time they were old enough to understand things, their warped values were already too far off course to set right.

Perhaps some understood, but chose to turn a blind eye.

The Lin Family had not always stood at the top of the pyramid. It had taken several generations to build their current wealth.

Lin Shuyang's father had taught him that he could spend money and live however he wanted, but he must never get carried away. His feet had to stay firmly planted on the ground.

You reaped what you sowed.

Lin Shuyang had grown up pampered and privileged, but from the moment he was old enough to understand, he knew that most people in the world were ordinary. Every penny they earned was hard-won, and simply maintaining what they had was no easy task.

That was why he never looked down on anyone, unless they were rotten at their core.

"Why did you become a security guard?"

It was not the first time Cheng Yue had been asked that question. Interestingly, behind everyone else's confusion lurked a trace of disdain or distaste. They always wondered why a young man in the prime of his life would choose such a low-status job.

But Lin Shuyang was different. His big, doll-like eyes brimmed with curiosity and excitement, and he was eager to find out what made this job so special.

If the reason sounded fun enough, he might even find himself a steady job.

His dad would probably be so thrilled he would set off firecrackers.

Cheng Yue said there was no particular reason. At most, it was this: "Less pay, less hassle. And I don't have to deal with lots of people."

Every job he had done before required him to start with "hello" and finish with "thank you" whenever he met someone. He was not socially anxious, but given a choice, of course he would pick the most comfortable life.

In fact, Lin Shuyang's first impression of him had been quite good. If that incident had happened to him, he would have charged in and started a fight. Cheng Yue, however, had calmly watched the whole thing, then calmly left.

Someone who chose to end a relationship that way was either a spineless pushover or a man with dignity.

Now that he thought about it, how could anyone who had landed Ji Huaijin be simple?

Cheng Yue eventually left with two boxes of red ginseng extract. As Lin Shuyang put it, everyone present deserved a share, and Ji Huaijin might not drink them even if they stayed here.

The moment Cheng Yue left, Lin Shuyang reverted to his true self. He flopped back against the sofa, sprawling out as he adopted an interrogator's air.

"So, are you two together yet?"

Ji Huaijin stared at his phone screen and went straight for his weak spot. "Have you cleared things up with that older woman of yours?"

Lin Shuyang: "..."

Didn't he know better than to hit a guy where it hurt?

Still unwilling to give up, he courted disaster again. "Will your family approve of you and him?"

Ji Huaijin's gaze sharpened, his voice turning ice-cold. "If you dare tell anyone about my business again, I won't mind having a nice long chat with your brother about your mess."

At that, Lin Shuyang immediately sat upright and obediently mimed zipping his lips.

"But seriously, landing a younger guy that handsome-you must be loving this!"

He did not know whether Ji Huaijin was loving it. All he knew was that his own backside hurt like hell.

Lin Shuyang stood up, limping, and shouted at the tightly shut hospital room door with a show of bravado. "If you've damaged my ass with that kick, you're taking full responsibility!"

A man who was this vicious even to his childhood friend-what on earth did Cheng Yue see in him?

The day Ji Huaijin was discharged, Cheng Yue happened to have the day off.

He had returned the car the night before and slept until he woke naturally. Just as he was about to get up, he remembered he no longer needed to deliver meals and leisurely lay back down.

Suddenly having so little to do left him feeling a little empty. Sure enough, there was no escaping the power of habit.

He was not one to lounge in bed. After spacing out for a while, he sprang upright and immediately opened the window to air out the room.

After the rain, the weather had turned scorching, as though taking revenge. Too lazy to cook, Cheng Yue ordered cold liangpi noodles with sesame sauce and made do.

For the next few hours, he slouched on the sofa, drowsily scrolling through videos. Only when it was nearly time did he take a shower to wake himself up.

After getting ready, he arrived at the Blue Sky No. 1 changing room at five sharp that afternoon.

The morning shift was just finishing, and with people constantly coming and going, the air in the changing room quickly grew hot and stuffy.

Freshly showered and carefully coated in essence toner, Cheng Yue wrinkled his handsome brows at the choking smell of sweat.

Dodging a coworker's enthusiastic attempt to sling an arm around his shoulders, he nimbly found his locker, took something out, and hurried away while holding his breath.

Before leaving home, he had thought the weather was unbearably hot. Now he wanted to take a few extra breaths. Heat no longer mattered; fresh air did.

Only two or three people were walking through the sprawling residential complex. Carrying his things, Cheng Yue headed out while looking at his phone. Just as he was about to turn along a flower bed, a horn sounded behind him.

He looked back to see a familiar car with a familiar license plate.

The window slowly lowered, revealing that handsome face behind rimless glasses.

Ji Huaijin looked different today than he had in the hospital. He wore a crisp suit, his hair neatly swept back from his forehead, with only a few loose strands falling between his brows.

No matter how many times Cheng Yue saw that face, he had to admit it was handsome enough to make his heart itch.

"Get in."

Cheng Yue pressed his lips together and silently met the gaze of the man inside through the narrow car window.

Perhaps because he had no formal occasion to attend, Ji Huaijin wore no tie with his suit. His top button was undone, giving him an air that seemed both composed and a little wild.

It was nearly time for school to let out, and more people were appearing along the road. One or two on their way to pick up their children even cast curious looks in their direction.

Cheng Yue shifted his feet, then caught sight of a familiar uniform nearby out of the corner of his eye. Raising a hand to shield his face, he urged, "Head out first."

Ji Huaijin raised an eyebrow and, indulging him, slowly pressed down on the accelerator.