Chapter 16: Stealing Someone Away
Zhao Ningzhuo sat down with his friends not far from where Huo Beixing was seated. Although each table was separated by elegant screens painted with landscapes, the angle of his seat was extremely crafty, letting him just barely catch sight of Huo Beixing’s face and the back of the person sitting opposite him.
Zhao Ningzhuo observed the two of them. Looking at the innocent, radiant smile on Huo Beixing’s face, although he did not know who the companion across from him was, he assumed Huo Beixing must be quite fond of the person.
His eyes seemed glued to the other man, unable to move away. Zhao Ningzhuo looked at Huo Beixing with disdain.
Look at you, acting so cheap. Have some dignity.
When you go out, don’t tell people I’m your archenemy. It’s embarrassing.
When he had been overseas, he heard the news that Huo Beixing had become stupid, and he had been stunned for two or three days. Although they were sworn rivals, he had never imagined such a thing would happen to the man. It was so unexpected that every mealtime someone would bring up Huo Beixing to him, and the topic was even more appetizing than his usual digital mealtime entertainment.
Huo Beixing had become a fool. Zhao Ningzhuo could not figure out why, and since he could not make sense of it, he filed it under karma.
Thinking of it that way, it actually sounded pretty reasonable.
But every grievance has its source, every debt has its owner. The hatred between them over so many years could not possibly be wiped clean just because the other party had gone stupid.
Today, he was going to make him pay the price.
The fan-shaped chart in Zhao Ningzhuo’s eyes became more and more precise. This was his stage now. He kept staring at Huo Beixing’s table, waiting for the right moment to act.
“Who do you think the person beside Huo Beixing is?”
“No idea, never seen him before.”
“Didn’t he just marry a husband recently? Could it be him?”
“But wasn’t that husband rumored to be some kind of wild man?”
An Yi had not made many public appearances. Each time he did, people were surprised, with a hint of disbelief mixed in. So most people in their circle knew of him, but when they actually met him, they would still politely ask, “And you are…?”
After all, the photos that had circulated were still those few shots of little white teeth and charcoal-black skin.
While they were still waiting for the dishes to arrive, An Yi wanted to go to the restroom. He told Huo Beixing, then stood up and left his seat, asking a nearby server for directions.
When Zhao Ningzhuo saw that, he got up and followed.
After An Yi came out of the restroom stall, he walked to the sink and waved his hand under the sensor faucet. Water flowed out, and he began washing his hands seriously.
Just as he was using a paper towel to dry them, he saw in the mirror embedded in the wall ahead that the stall not far behind him had opened, and a man in a black suit walked out.
The man was around six foot one, with features that fell into the refined and handsome category. He wore gold-rimmed glasses, and his hair was styled neatly without a single strand out of place.
When Zhao Ningzhuo saw through the mirror that An Yi was looking at him, delight stirred in his heart.
His looks were not bad. Even though he had always been overshadowed by Huo Beixing, Huo Beixing was a fool now. Between a fool and a normal man, the latter obviously had the greater advantage. He did not know exactly what kind of person this man was to Huo Beixing, but since he was someone Huo Beixing liked, if he stole him away, Huo Beixing would definitely cry his eyes out. Thinking of that, Zhao Ningzhuo gave a wickedly charming smile.
An Yi: ?
The Crooked-Smile Overlord?
That curve of a smile was way too familiar.
An Yi could not help taking a few extra looks at him. It was exactly the same smile as the male lead in that over-the-top melodrama.
So he watched Runaway Bride, Where Do You Think You’re Going Too as well.
There was movement behind him, and An Yi had only glanced back through the mirror out of instinct. He had no intention of having too much contact with this stranger. After all, people who watched Runaway Bride, Where Do You Think You’re Going Too were rarely normal.
An Yi sped up the pace of drying his hands. By then, Zhao Ningzhuo had already strutted over with his self-assured steps and stopped beside him, speaking in an affected tone.
“Hi, alone?”
An Yi froze for a moment, looked at him, then staggered back in alarm. “You… you…”
Zhao Ningzhuo thought the other man had recognized him and grandly adjusted his lapel.
An Yi said, “You’re not human?”
Zhao Ningzhuo: …
Zhao Ningzhuo took a deep breath and maintained a polite smile on his face. “I am human.”
An Yi let out a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”
Then he turned to leave.
Seeing that the duck he had practically planned to toss into the pot was about to fly away, Zhao Ningzhuo reached out, wanting to pull him back. “Wait.”
His strategy had not even started. How could the audience leave already?
An Yi’s brow twitched. Like he was dodging the plague, he spun lightly like a little swan and avoided Zhao Ningzhuo’s hand.
Zhao Ningzhuo’s outstretched hand froze in midair. He had not expected the other man to be such a chaste, fiery pure-hearted type. Not even a touch was allowed?
An Yi looked like he had narrowly escaped disaster. So close. He had almost been touched.
The guy had not washed his hands after using the toilet just now.
Seeing the obvious relief on An Yi’s face, Zhao Ningzhuo clenched his hand into a fist. Never in his life had anyone disliked him this much. His expression became hard to maintain.
“You…”
An Yi radiated kindness. “The sink is over there.”
Zhao Ningzhuo said, “I…”
An Yi said, “No need to thank me.”
Zhao Ningzhuo: …
Zhao Ningzhuo gave An Yi a complicated look, then quickly washed his hands at the sink before teleporting right in front of him and blocking his way.
“Wait. I have something to say to you.”
An Yi only wanted to leave as soon as possible. If he did not go back soon, his meal would be delayed. “I know. You don’t need to say it. I already know what you want to say.”
Zhao Ningzhuo was dumbfounded. How did he know? He asked back, “What am I going to say?”
An Yi replied, “Chinese.”
Zhao Ningzhuo: …
He really had guessed correctly.
Looking at Zhao Ningzhuo’s stunned expression, An Yi knew he had guessed right, and a small sense of pride rose in his heart.
An Yi, as expected of you!
Looking at the other man’s miraculous train of thought, Zhao Ningzhuo’s brain spun rapidly. It seemed that if he tried to use subtle wording with this person, the other man’s mind would veer off onto some broad highway in a completely wrong direction. So he decided to be direct.
“What are you to Huo Beixing?”
An Yi had not expected him to know Huo Beixing. Judging from the expensive suit the man was wearing, he should belong to the same social circle.
An Yi only wanted to answer quickly and get back to eating. “I’m his arranged marriage partner.”
Zhao Ningzhuo’s heart skipped a beat. So the person in front of him really was the male wife Huo Beixing had married after becoming stupid. He had just heard others say that the man Huo Beixing married was a wild man, so he had assumed this was some bosom confidant of Huo Beixing’s.
But since he was the newly married husband, even better. The damage would be doubled.
For some reason, An Yi suddenly felt that not only did this man know Huo Beixing, he might actually be Huo Beixing’s friend.
Because in the other man’s eyes, he saw a faint trace of perversion.
Birds of a feather flock together.
This person definitely had an inseparable connection to Huo Beixing.
Zhao Ningzhuo’s eyes seemed to shoot lasers as he stared fixedly at An Yi, determined to win him over and carry out the fan-shaped battle plan in his head.
His tone turned sympathetic. “Honestly, I feel a little sorry for you, forced by family alliance to marry a fool.”
At that very moment, An Yi still had the necklace around his neck that Huo Beixing had just bought for him.
Ten apartments’ worth.
No, no, you flatter me.
An Yi patted his chest, looking very strong and resilient. “It’s fine. You don’t need to pity me. I’m living quite well.”
“I know. Saying that is just you pretending to be strong. It’s only a façade for outsiders. After all, who would want their other half to be a fool? It’s alright. Whatever dissatisfaction or grievance you have, you can tell me.”
After speaking, Zhao Ningzhuo gave An Yi a gentle smile, thinking his wording was flawless. He was striking right at the other man’s sore point. After all, for a man to marry into another family was already humiliating enough. And on top of that, the spouse was a fool. That was a disgrace beyond disgrace.
His words had gone straight for the heart. Then he spread his arms and looked at An Yi like a savior.
Come. Say all the things you resent about Huo Beixing. Then join forces with me, and we’ll go out and humiliate him thoroughly.
“I pity you. I can help you. I can rescue you from this marriage of misery. None of this suffering should be yours to bear.”
Suffering?
Living in a grand villa, sleeping on a Simmons mattress, husband built like a model, putting him first in his heart, ten apartments hanging around his neck, chauffeur when he went out.
An Yi had thought no one could be living more happily than he was. But beyond one mountain there was always another. So in rich people’s eyes, this counted as suffering.
Compared to the life he had back in the mountain ravines, this was already the difference between heaven and earth.
Little Frog was shocked, then politely declined. “No need.”
Zhao Ningzhuo: ?
A flash of inspiration struck An Yi. “If I’m eating this kind of suffering, then I deserve it.”
Each and every one of these things was his lot to bear. He accepted his fate and was willing to carry it for life after life.
If he did not eat this suffering, who would?
Zhao Ningzhuo: …
He had not expected the other man to be this stubborn, to be this utterly devoted to Huo Beixing.
No, maybe not necessarily to Huo Beixing. Maybe to the Huo family. The marriage alliance had happened suddenly, and the other party could not possibly have any emotional foundation with Huo Beixing. The only possibility was that the Huo family had given the An family enormous benefits. Otherwise, Zhao Ningzhuo truly could not understand why the man was so firm in his choice.
What exactly did he want from Huo Beixing? Could it be, just like all those gossip rumors, that he was after the man’s looks? That was far too shallow.
“Actually, helping you won’t do anything harmful to you, and the Huo family won’t know either. As long as you speak up, I’ll lend you a hand. I truly can’t stand seeing the Huo family mistreat you like this.”
Although An Yi had married Huo Beixing, he had not been infected by Huo Beixing’s foolishness, so he naturally understood the meaning behind the words. His gaze turned probing.
“May I ask what your relationship with Huo Beixing is?”
Seeing hope, Zhao Ningzhuo answered directly, “I’m his archenemy.”
His hostile relationship with Huo Beixing only made his determination to help An Yi stand out more clearly.
An Yi caught the scent of gossip. “Why are you two archenemies?”
Zhao Ningzhuo put on a profound expression. “Because he stole my girlfriend before.”
An Yi froze. Huo Beixing had actually done that kind of scummy thing?
“When did it happen?”
Zhao Ningzhuo looked pained. “Twenty years ago.”
An Yi: …
Twenty years ago?
Wouldn’t they both have only been five or six back then?
Good heavens, starting puppy love that early.
Did you have no respect at all for your kindergarten teacher telling you that you were all innocent little flowers?
Still, he had not expected Huo Beixing to have displayed such bastard-like tendencies at such a young age, stealing someone else’s little girlfriend.
And it was precisely because his girlfriend had been stolen when they were so young that Zhao Ningzhuo had been able to sketch out his whole battle strategy so quickly just now.
Steal Huo Beixing’s partner, humiliate Huo Beixing, make him cry and go running to his mother.
Don’t ask. The answer was simply that when his own girlfriend had been stolen, that was exactly what he had done.
Back then, after he got home, he cried to his mother for ages. At such a tender age, he had tasted the bitterness of love ten years ahead of schedule. Who understood that? Who understood that?!
Actually, at first, he and Huo Beixing had been good friends in kindergarten. But ever since Huo Beixing stole his first love, Zhao Ningzhuo had unilaterally broken with him. From that day on, he had secretly competed with Huo Beixing in everything, refusing to stop unless he came out ahead.
Yet heaven did not fulfill his wishes. Over all these years, he had barely succeeded even once.
When they were little, the kindergarten teacher praised Huo Beixing for eating a lot, so Zhao Ningzhuo started increasing his own portions every day. But even after eating until he threw up, he still could not eat as much as Huo Beixing.
In elementary school, he started competing over who could score one hundred on exams. But unfortunately math was not something humans were meant to learn, and he kept fumbling miserably.
By middle and high school, he started comparing their heights. He drank two bottles of milk a day, and yet he still ended up two centimeters shorter than Huo Beixing.
He hated it.
If Huo Beixing did not cry bitterly, Zhao Ningzhuo could not sleep at night.
But as the saying went, a gentleman’s revenge, twenty years later, is not too late.
Watching his expressions change as richly as face-changing in Sichuan opera, An Yi quietly asked, “Can I ask how exactly he stole your girlfriend?”
It was a story that would grieve the listener and bring tears to the viewer.
Zhao Ningzhuo launched into it with deep feeling. “Back then in Sunflower Class, once during free activity time, the kids started playing house. My first love was playing the mother. When it came time to choose the father, it was supposed to be me, but then Huo Beixing came over, and he ended up playing the father instead!”
He turned to An Yi excitedly. “Do you know how much damage that does to a five-year-old child?”
An Yi asked curiously, “Then what did you play in the end?”
Zhao Ningzhuo said, “A puppy.”
An Yi: …
That really was quite damaging.
“So I regard him as my mortal enemy. And seeing you forced into the Huo family’s marriage alliance, I sincerely want to save you too. The two of us can join hands and get revenge on Huo Beixing.”
He had already laid everything out honestly. As the saying went, sincerity was the ultimate killer move.
An Yi looked at him strangely and realized this person truly had no scheming brain at all. Before even figuring out where An Yi stood, he had already blurted out everything. Compared to him, even that little idiot from the Huo family was more shrewd.
“No need. I’ll just keep enduring this suffering. I also don’t want revenge on Huo Beixing. The arranged marriage was voluntary on my part.”
“You can think it over before answering me. Because if you agree, I’ll give you a lot of benefits.”
Wasn’t the An family’s reason for agreeing to the marriage alliance simply money? He had money too. Besides, the Huo family did not accept this male wife anyway. Once Huo Beixing recovered or once the two-year term was up, An Yi would definitely be kicked aside. Whatever benefits he got would only be temporary, just a short two years.
But two years was a long time in a person’s life.
Most likely the Huo family did not truly accept him and would not give him anything good.
Zhao Ningzhuo took off the ring on his right index finger and held it out to An Yi.
He had bought this ring at a jewelry store overseas. It was worth quite a lot, a few million at least. The other man had probably never seen something this valuable in his life.
“As long as you agree, this ring will be your reward.”
Of course, if the man later helped him humiliate Huo Beixing, he would give him even more.
An Yi looked at the ring in front of him.
Not bad. It was actually quite pretty.
Seeing him examining it carefully, Zhao Ningzhuo asked eagerly like a diligent student in class, “Well?”
Instead of answering, An Yi asked, “May I ask if you’re married?”
Zhao Ningzhuo paused.
There was hope.
“Not yet.”
Although he did not like men, if the other man wanted to follow him, then aside from love, he could give him everything.
An Yi said, “Do you know why Huo Beixing found a partner before you did?”
Zhao Ningzhuo said, “? Why?”
An Yi raised a hand and pulled out the necklace hidden under his collar, revealing the ten huge diamond rings strung on it.
Huo Beixing gave ten. You’ve only got one.
Serves you right that he has a wife.
