"Song Yanqing, stop right there! I'm counting to three!"
Seeing Song Yanqing walk faster and faster, those long legs practically smoking, Shang Shujue could barely keep up. He began to panic, unsure what the other man was so angry about, yet unable to stop him. Growing annoyed himself, he simply stopped and threatened him.
Song Yanqing abruptly halted. Seeing this, Shang Shujue hurried a couple of steps to catch up and reached for his arm, only for him to dodge the instant he touched him. He tried grabbing somewhere else, but again, Song Yanqing dodged as soon as he touched him.
Shang Shujue ran out of patience. He shoved him against the wall and held him there, brows tightly knitted, opening his mouth to unleash a tirade. He intended to tear this damned poser Song Yanqing to shreds.
But when he looked up and saw his reddened eyes and the tears brimming in them, the irritable anger that had just risen melted away like cream, leaving him rooted to the spot in bewilderment.
"No... you, you... you're a grown man. Whatever it is, can't we talk it out? What are you crying for? You're making it look like I'm bullying you."
Just as Shang Shujue finished speaking, a single, perfectly timed trail of tears slipped from the corner of Song Yanqing's eye, startling him so badly that he even drew his hands back. Only then did Song Yanqing seem to realize what was happening. He raised a hand to wipe his tears and turned to look elsewhere.
"It's just a little windy. I got sand in my eyes."
Song Yanqing's voice was very hoarse. It sounded as though he had deliberately lowered it, but listening closely, it also sounded as though he was holding back his sorrow. His voice caught and trembled, yet he still maintained his dignity, as though that could put him a notch above Shang Shujue.
"..." Shang Shujue fell silent for a while, then pulled a handkerchief from inside his clothes and stuffed it into his hand. He turned away, refusing to look at him, even his back radiating helplessness. "Like hell I believe you. Wipe your tears. You don't have to give it back. I'll pretend I didn't see anything."
It was true that Shang Shujue didn't know how to comfort people. That he didn't know how to comfort his former sworn rival was even more undeniably true.
He had never expected someone who used to oppose him in everything to now burst into tears at the drop of a hat. It made it hard for him to put his sharp tongue to work.
Even if they were sworn rivals, he couldn't take advantage of someone so clearly in a vulnerable position. That would be so unethical. Under normal circumstances, he would have opened fire long ago.
Watching Shang Shujue's back, Song Yanqing imperceptibly curled his lips. A trace of cunning flashed through his tear-filled eyes at the success of his little scheme.
He carefully tucked the handkerchief into his inner pocket, unwilling to use it. This was a handkerchief Shang Shujue had carried close to his body. He always brought one when he went out, to conveniently wipe away sweat and such.
Because Shang Shujue was very sensitive to heat and sweated particularly easily, carrying a handkerchief meant he could wipe away his sweat, rinse it out, and use it again. It was very convenient for him.
In his previous life, Song Yanqing had gotten countless handkerchiefs from him and stored them somewhere very private.
In the days after Shang Shujue's death, those handkerchiefs and a few inconspicuous little things connected to him had become his emotional lifeline.
Unfortunately, he still hadn't been able to hold on in the end... In a world without Shang Shujue, he had discovered that he couldn't live well, nor did he want to live anymore...
Thoughts swirled through Song Yanqing's mind, but he quickly returned to the present. When he had heard that thought of Shang Shujue's just now, reason had told him the other man wasn't wrong. After all, wherever there were girls, things were always wonderful.
But jealousy and intense possessiveness, coupled with the fact that Shang Shujue was still a straight man who merely admired his looks without any other thoughts, left his chest feeling heavy. He didn't want to talk to Shang Shujue.
If Shang Shujue hadn't died in a car accident in his previous life, he would have been close to retiring from the entertainment industry.
After all, he had received all the honors he should have and earned enough money. It would have been time to give up the stage and offer young people opportunities and room to grow.
After leaving the entertainment industry, Shang Shujue would very likely have started a family with a girl. As Shang Shujue's sworn rival, his greatest opponent in life, and not even his friend, he had no right to interfere with his decisions.
So he was jealous of every woman who could stand beside Shang Shujue. Even if there was fundamentally nothing inappropriate between that woman and Shang Shujue, he was still mad with jealousy.
Just now, Shang Shujue had once again expressed that sentiment in his thoughts, once again confirming for him that Shang Shujue liked girls from the bottom of his heart and was a straight man through and through.
He wouldn't have liked men in his previous life, and he wouldn't like men in this one either. He talked in his thoughts about being the ultimate gong, but if it actually came to that, he would probably find it disgusting.
But no matter what, Song Yanqing would never let Shang Shujue go in this life. If he couldn't have his heart, then having him was still a way of having him.
Song Yanqing stared at the whorl of hair on Shang Shujue's head for a while. His eyes suddenly grew deep and dark, raging waves churning within them. It lasted only an instant before he swiftly concealed it.
Shang Shujue held his phone and poked at it unconsciously, his mind a complete muddle without a shred of logic to be found. He was utterly distraught. He really couldn't bear seeing people cry, especially Song Yanqing, who looked like fragile glass when he cried.
"Shang Shujue, I've always been curious. If you hadn't gotten into that car accident, what type of girl would you have wanted to marry?"
Song Yanqing stepped forward, pressing against Shang Shujue's back. By the time Shang Shujue reacted, he had moved beside him, their shoulders touching. His tone was even and no longer hoarse, as though he had already brought his emotions under control.
Shang Shujue secretly tilted his head up to glance at him. Seeing that the weepy expression had vanished from his face, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did he process the question, raising his eyebrows.
"Um... I haven't really decided yet. Mostly, it depends on whether she catches my eye. I'm someone who believes in that feeling of one breathtaking glimpse, one glance that lasts an eternity."
"If she doesn't catch my eye, we can't date, can we? But it's too late to talk about any of that now. I've gone right back to square one overnight. Marriage and all that can wait until fate comes along."
"Hey! Why are you suddenly asking me this? Has the Song Family started introducing you to prospective marriage-alliance partners?"
After answering Song Yanqing's question, Shang Shujue suddenly felt that something wasn't quite right and looked at him suspiciously.
There wasn't the slightest sense of crisis on his face at the possibility of Song Yanqing marrying someone else. It was all schadenfreude and gossip-hungry interest at his sworn rival's impending judgment by fate.
Song Yanqing inexplicably felt as though he was having a heart attack. He didn't want to talk to Shang Shujue anymore. This time, he genuinely wanted to cry.
No, he had to find a way to tear through that paper window. Otherwise, this infuriating straight man Shang Shujue would keep thinking he treated him well because they appreciated each other as two people who had come to another world, because of their revolutionary friendship.
"No. I was just asking. Go watch those young people dance. I'm going to the lounge for a nap."
With that, Song Yanqing stormed off again. Shang Shujue froze for a second at the sight, then chased after him again.
"Hey! Why are you so petty? Can't I gossip a little? Are you really entering a marriage alliance?"
"..."
Song Yanqing: I can't get through to you!