Ji Ran's mouth fell open slightly. He had never encountered anything like this before, and for a moment, he froze.
Lu Zhaozhao was still waiting nervously for his answer.
Ji Ran composed himself and chose his words carefully. "Zhaozhao, when I said you were wonderful, I wasn't just trying to comfort you. I like you a lot too, but not the way a boyfriend likes a girlfriend. Do you understand?"
Lu Zhaozhao was already nervous and embarrassed. When she heard Ji Ran's gentle rejection, her big eyes instantly filled with tears. But she really liked him, and she couldn't help making another attempt. "Then, can't we try to develop feelings for each other? Maybe one day you'll fall for me?"
Ji Ran sighed inwardly. He really didn't want to hurt her feelings, but he had to make himself clear about something like this. "Zhaozhao, I have my reasons. Anyway, don't waste your time on me."
His rejection was clear, and Lu Zhaozhao wasn't the type to cling to someone. She lowered her lashes, her voice strained. "I understand."
Ji Ran felt bad for her, so he deliberately asked, "Now that we've talked about this, you won't stop seeing me as a friend, will you?"
Lu Zhaozhao smiled through her tears. "Of course not."
"That's good." Ji Ran relaxed, feeling that they had cleared the air. "Then I'll go back to the private room first. You can compose yourself before coming in?"
Lu Zhaozhao nodded obediently.
Ji Ran returned to the private room, where the atmosphere was as lively as ever. The raffle results were out. Zhao Pingchuan never skimped on employee benefits, and there were several of the latest mechanical keyboards and computers among the prizes. Those who had won big were dancing exuberantly in an open space nearby, shouting that their boss was wise.
Lu Zhaozhao came back after more than ten minutes, and the colleague beside her urged her, "Zhaozhao, hurry and see what you won!"
Lu Zhaozhao smiled. "Okay, I'll look right now."
Zhao Pingchuan discreetly studied her slightly reddened eyes and swirled the wine in his glass. No one knew what he was thinking.
After the celebration, the two drove home. Zhao Pingchuan had been drinking, so Ji Ran had to drive.
The weeping crabapple trees by the road were in full bloom. Ji Ran slowed down without realizing it, taking his time to admire them.
Zhao Pingchuan rested an arm by the window and propped up his head, saying nothing.
Ji Ran thought he was tired and kept quiet so as not to disturb him.
As they waited at a traffic light, two elderly people walked across the crosswalk together. The old woman's legs seemed weak, and her husband walked ahead, pulling her along.
Ji Ran's gaze followed the heartwarming scene. Even after the couple had crossed the road, they were still holding hands. He couldn't help remarking, "Brother, does unchanging love really exist in this world?"
People always said that romantic love turned into familial affection after marriage. Although that was good too, seeing the still-passionate love between the two gray-haired elders made him feel touched by their happiness.
Zhao Pingchuan had also noticed them. An unreadable emotion flashed across his eyes, and it was a long while before he answered Ji Ran. "It definitely does."
Ji Ran smiled. "That's wonderful."
The light turned green, and Ji Ran set the car in motion again.
He focused on driving, oblivious to Zhao Pingchuan's discreet gaze.
He knew Lu Zhaozhao must have said something to Ji Ran today, but judging by how she acted afterward, she had probably been rejected.
Ji Ran had rejected her this time, but what about in the future?
Ji Ran would eventually meet a girl who understood and loved him, and the two would stay together for the rest of their lives.
And he would dutifully play the role of a good older brother behind Ji Ran, getting together with them on holidays and supporting each other through difficulties.
But there would never again be all those mornings and evenings when he could see Ji Ran whenever he looked up, or all those late nights squeezed together on the sofa watching TV.
Zhao Pingchuan would recede into the role of an observer in Ji Ran's life.
He was so unwilling to accept it.
If he kept Ji Ran from interacting with other girls, could he keep him by his side forever?
Zhao Pingchuan's gaze turned dangerous and dark.
Ji Ran's clear voice interrupted his thoughts. "Brother, we're home. What are you spacing out for?"
Zhao Pingchuan came back to himself, and the emotion in his eyes vanished in an instant. He smiled. "Maybe the alcohol made me a little sleepy."
Ji Ran hurriedly said, "Then go upstairs and get some rest."
The door across the hall was still shut. He didn't know whether Jiang Jinyue was inside, but the next second, a thought he had overlooked suddenly became clear in Zhao Pingchuan's mind.
Jiang Jinyue was Gu Xingye's boyfriend.
They were both men.
What about Ji Ran? Could he possibly like men?
Ji Ran changed his shoes and entered the apartment. The first thing he did was rush to the kitchen to make sobering soup. As he worked, he said, "Brother, have some sobering soup before you go to sleep. I'll be done in no time."
Watching him bustle about, Zhao Pingchuan felt bitterness well up in his heart.
If Ji Ran liked men, how could he have brought him home without any reservations back then? Not to mention that the two of them had shared a bed for so long.
Even taking a huge step back, even if Ji Ran could accept a male lover, he would only see him as an older brother, as family.
He smiled self-mockingly. It was nothing but wishful thinking.
Jiang Jinyue had hidden for three months, but Gu Xingye's men finally found him.
Gu Xingye held the resident list, his gaze dark. "He actually hid here."
For the past three months, Jiang Jinyue hadn't answered calls or replied to messages. He couldn't be reached on any social media app, and he hadn't even used any of his usual bank cards, leaving Gu Xingye no way to track him down.
He had searched through every channel as if looking for a needle in a haystack, and finally found information on Jiang Jinyue.
Fortunately, he hadn't left Li City.
Gu Xingye stared at the name, grinding his teeth. "Jiang Jinyue, what exactly do you mean by this?"
Just as he was about to go out and catch him, he spotted another name on the list out of the corner of his eye. Gu Xingye froze, then looked more closely and said in disbelief, "Zhao Pingchuan?"
Was it someone with the same name?
He instructed his subordinate, "Get me more detailed information on this person. Find out whether he's the Zhao Pingchuan from Pingchuan Technology."
How could there be such a coincidence? If it really was the Zhao Pingchuan he knew, then he had to be connected to Jiang Jinyue's disappearance.
The order went out, and the results came back quickly. The person living across from Jiang Jinyue really was his old nemesis.
"You just won't go away, will you?" Gu Xingye said darkly. "Zhao Pingchuan, what exactly are you trying to do?"
Unable to defeat him, was he trying to use Jiang Jinyue instead?
And to think he had once considered Zhao Pingchuan a formidable man.
Gu Xingye led his men to the residential complex where Jiang Jinyue rented an apartment, making a great show of it. They knocked for a long time, but no one answered.
He lost patience and ordered, "Open the door."
A bodyguard smashed the lock and opened the door.
Gu Xingye strode in first.
It was a perfectly ordinary apartment, with two bedrooms and a living room. The furnishings were simple, with only the most basic furniture. In Gu Xingye's eyes, it was downright shabby.
He frowned. Had Jiang Jinyue been living in a place like this for the past three months?
A bodyguard searched the apartment and reported, "Young Master Gu, there's no one here."
No one?
Had he run away, or had he just happened to go out?
Gu Xingye sat down on the sofa, spreading himself out, and said in a low voice, "We'll wait here."
The bodyguards stood at attention to one side, and a suffocating silence filled the apartment.