The Gu and Jiang families were both wealthy, long-established families in Li City, and their estates stood next to each other. As a result, Gu Xingye and Jiang Jinyue could be said to have grown up under the shade of the same parasol trees.
In his youth, Gu Xingye was widely regarded as the golden boy of their wealthy social circle. He grew up adored by everyone around him, which shaped his unruly, sharp-edged, and arrogant temperament.
As the heir the Gu Family had chosen early on, he had always been indulged and accommodated by others. Long accustomed to it, he disdained to spare anyone or anything a second glance.
Jiang Jinyue, however, was an exception.
The boy next door was so unlike him that they seemed to stand at opposite ends of a scale.
Jiang Jinyue was handsome, but his temperament was as cool and aloof as his appearance. He disliked noisy receptions and was tired of insincere socializing, preferring to hide away on the terrace with a book or sit quietly in the courtyard, lost in thought.
Gu Xingye couldn't understand how a boy could be so quiet.
In the height of summer when they were fifteen, the Jiang Family held a dinner party in its courtyard. Voices and lights filled the air, and everyone gathered in groups to laugh and have fun. Jiang Jinyue alone had hidden beneath a wisteria arbor, resting his head on his hand as he quietly stared into space. The evening breeze stirred his clothes, and moonlight fell across his delicate features, making him look pure and fragile.
Gu Xingye spotted him from a short distance away. The bustle around him fell silent in an instant, and all he could see was that slender figure.
From that day on, the arrogant young master of the Gu Family deliberately put away all his sharp edges for one person.
Gu Xingye had never waited for anyone before. Anyone who dared to keep him waiting could count on a barrage of cold mockery. But for Jiang Jinyue, he would wait outside the Jiang residence half an hour early, patiently waiting for him to get ready without a trace of impatience on his face.
A single unwelcome word from anyone else could make Young Master Gu turn hostile on the spot. Yet whenever Jiang Jinyue casually voiced a dejected complaint or frowned slightly, Gu Xingye would immediately rein in all his hostility, soften his tone, and gently comfort him, taking the initiative to give way and compromise.
He begged Jiang Jinyue to accompany him to a gathering. Snow was falling that winter day, and the young masters in their circle were horsing around and trying to look tough, every one of them choosing style over warmth. Gu Xingye had prepared a soft cashmere scarf in advance and, without giving Jiang Jinyue a choice, wrapped it around his neck. His fingertips carefully avoided Jiang Jinyue's cool skin, and his stiff tone was full of concern he couldn't hide. "I brought you out here. How am I supposed to answer for it if you get sick?"
Jiang Jinyue gave him a faint smile. "Thank you."
Gu Xingye's expression softened too.
Some people at school privately said Jiang Jinyue was too aloof and didn't fit in. When Gu Xingye found out, he took some people with him and went straight to the person responsible, beating him up and putting an end to all the gossip.
Of course, he disdained to take credit for it, but Jiang Jinyue found out anyway. He helplessly urged Gu Xingye not to resort to violence so casually, and Gu Xingye agreed as if making a concession. "All right, all right, all right. There won't be a next time."
He was like a traveler walking alone through the night, longing each day for that gentle ray of moonlight.
Day after day, that preferential treatment and those exceptions slowly melted the barriers around Jiang Jinyue's heart.
He grew accustomed to Gu Xingye's company and to being favored above everyone else, slowly letting go of his reserve.
It was only natural that he accepted Gu Xingye's confession.
Young Master Gu was so excited he wanted to announce it to the whole world.
They shared many innocent, romantic moments.
In spring, they went on outings in the mountains, walking side by side along the trails. Gu Xingye would pick clean little wildflowers and clumsily tuck them into the front of Jiang Jinyue's clothes.
On summer nights, they hid on the villa's rooftop, sharing a pair of earphones as they gazed out at the night. The evening breeze was quiet, and neither felt awkward even when they didn't say a word.
In late autumn, they drove to the seaside to watch the sun sink into the sea and the tide wash over the beach. Gu Xingye would quietly take his hand, holding it lightly and cherishing it with the utmost care, and Jiang Jinyue would look back at him tenderly.
During winter snowstorms, they shared an umbrella, their shoulders touching as they slowly made their way home through the falling snow. They would think of the words: If we share the falling snow today, then in this life, we can say we've grown old together.
Gu Xingye's love was direct and intense, but beneath his tenderness lay a deep possessiveness.
When they were young, he simply disliked others getting close to Jiang Jinyue and would unobtrusively keep anyone who approached him at a distance. Jiang Jinyue thought his lover was jealous and merely smiled, paying it no mind.
As he grew older, that insecurity ran rampant. He couldn't bear to see Jiang Jinyue chatting and laughing with others, or to see him have a social life and private space of his own.
Once, Jiang Jinyue discovered Gu Xingye secretly looking through his call and message records. Panic filled Gu Xingye's eyes, and he carefully explained that he was worried about Jiang Jinyue's safety. Jiang Jinyue didn't say whether he believed him, merely warning him not to do it again, and Gu Xingye agreed.
Later, Gu Xingye demanded that Jiang Jinyue report everything he did and cut off all social interactions Gu Xingye considered unnecessary. Whenever Jiang Jinyue grew close to a friend, Gu Xingye would feel uncomfortable and find all sorts of reasons to stop him.
Jiang Jinyue knew Gu Xingye lacked a sense of security, so he was willing to give way and compromise, doing his best to consider his feelings.
But giving way didn't make Gu Xingye rein himself in; it only made his desire for control grow stronger.
After reaching adulthood and taking over his family's affairs, Gu Xingye found himself in a high-pressure business environment and grew increasingly obsessive.
Gentle reminders became overbearing restrictions, and thoughtful protection became confinement with no room to breathe.
He wanted Jiang Jinyue to belong entirely to him, to sever all ties to the outside world, remain within his sight, and be gentle with him alone.
Aloof and freedom-loving, Jiang Jinyue was gradually trapped in this love that had gone wrong.
They began to quarrel. At first, they would give each other the cold shoulder for a few days, until Gu Xingye bowed his head and admitted he was wrong.
They had been lovers for so many years, after all. Seeing him humble himself and try to please him, Jiang Jinyue couldn't bring himself to be hardhearted, giving way and compromising every time.
Later, their arguments grew more and more serious. Jiang Jinyue realized that Gu Xingye's apologies and promises meant nothing at all. He wouldn't change one bit, and even the greatest love could be worn away by endless arguments.
But Gu Xingye was so sincere when he apologized. He would even hurt himself to beg for forgiveness. Jiang Jinyue rushed over and held him in his arms, heartbroken but helpless.
They fell into a vicious cycle, repeating the same pattern over and over: arguing, making up, arguing, and making up again.
Jiang Jinyue was in agony. He knew Gu Xingye was suffering too, but every time he tried to suggest separating, Gu Xingye would go mad like a beast that had lost its senses.
Jiang Jinyue was truly tired. He could no longer afford to love Gu Xingye.
But Gu Xingye wouldn't even give him the chance to end it all.
Hearing Ji Ran urge him to leave Gu Xingye, Jiang Jinyue felt bitter. It wasn't that he hadn't tried, but as long as Gu Xingye refused to relent, he couldn't possibly succeed.
He hadn't expected Gu Xingye to come to terms with it on his own after the car accident.
That day, Jiang Jinyue caught a glimpse of the gentle, considerate lover Gu Xingye had once been. Gu Xingye said he was willing to let him go.
Jiang Jinyue had once been determined to die, but he didn't know what had stopped him. Perhaps it was his last trace of reverence for life.
He willingly accepted treatment and left that suffocating environment. It was as though he had been given a new life, and he slowly got better.
After his treatment ended, he chose to go abroad for further study. He stopped contacting his old friends, and as for his family, there was even less need to stay in touch.
Gradually, everything in the past no longer seemed so unspeakable to him. He could talk about it calmly, as though describing someone else's life, and he reconnected with his old friends.
He still heard Gu Xingye's name often. There was no helping it; Gu Xingye was the center of attention wherever he went.
But Jiang Jinyue's heart was as still as water. That name belonged only to someone from his past who lay quietly on his contact list, someone he would never contact again.
Whenever he occasionally thought back on the past, it all seemed absurd. It really was just as Ji Ran had said: once he stepped out of it, the sea and sky were boundless.
The Jiang Jinyue of today belonged to himself alone.