Chapter 34
Fang Jing Yao frowned. Luo Yi’s words felt awkward. He wanted to cut ties completely—not forever, but at most, nodding politely if they met. Luo Yi insisted on handing over the box. Fang Jing Yao tried to refuse, but Luo Yi grabbed his wrist and forced it into his hand.
Luo Yi said:
“A ring like this is best returned to its owner.”
Fang Jing Yao felt uneasy. Luo Yi was talking to him, but his gaze was behind him. He turned—and stiffened. Long Yu stood a few steps behind, holding his coat, seemingly about to leave. He was looking at the small box in Fang Jing Yao’s hand, expression calm, unreadable.
The three of them were silent. Fang Jing Yao felt instantly awkward downstairs.
His headache worsened. Luo Yi’s ring was a hot potato. If he didn’t take it back, it would feel like he was giving Luo Yi a lingering connection while he was with Long Yu. But taking it felt strange too… Fang Jing Yao felt like if the two gazes were lasers, his body would have been shredded.
Finally, he had no choice but to take the box:
“Your things are delivered. Let’s go.”
Luo Yi didn’t get angry. He glanced at Long Yu and smiled faintly.
“Alright, see you next time.”
He turned and left, no longer lingering.
Fang Jing Yao hoped this trouble wouldn’t return. Otherwise, his home might erupt into war. He quickly turned to Long Yu:
“Long Yu, don’t listen to his nonsense. I didn’t realize he had such a sharp tongue. I’m telling you, this box…”
“What’s in the box?” Long Yu asked, eyeing the small square box.
“It’s… a ring.” Fang Jing Yao’s lips trembled. He was almost in tears. This wasn’t just a ring—it was a mistake from his youth!
Long Yu looked toward the direction Luo Yi had left, then at Fang Jing Yao:
“This… did you give this to him?”
Fang Jing Yao stiffened his neck, unwilling to nod, but you have to admit what you’ve done. He could only smile wryly:
“Sort of… it happened two or three years ago. It’s all in the past now.”
He was still thinking about how to explain this to Long Yu, but Long Yu’s expression had returned to normal. He seemed unconcerned; after glancing at the box, he didn’t look at it again.
Feeling guilty, Fang Jing Yao stepped closer.
“Long Yu, listen to me. This ring—it’s really not what you think! Back then, we all went to Tengchong for a trip, just a group outing. I don’t know how I got so lucky, but I found a piece of jade and made a few small things. It was just a luck-bringing charm, really…”
Long Yu paused, hand on the car door, looking up at him, voice calm:
“Do your friends know about this too?”
“What?” Fang Jing Yao was momentarily stunned, but quickly realized and clarified:
“No, it’s not like that. It’s different from Chen Xi or anything like that!”
Long Yu was silent for a moment, then said:
“The hospital just called. There’s a new patient in a somewhat urgent condition. I’ll need to go check on them and may have to stay for observation. I might not come back tonight.”
Fang Jing Yao quickly agreed:
“Then go ahead. I’ll wait for you at home.”
Long Yu nodded and hurriedly drove off.
Fang Jing Yao stood there, stunned for a while, then slumped and continued taking out the trash—he hadn’t even gotten a chance to throw it earlier when Luo Yi had caused a scene.
Frustrated, Fang Jing Yao wandered around the neighborhood a few more times. Normally, running in the morning with Long Yu made everything in the neighborhood look pleasant, but now, whether because it was evening or he was alone, he soon felt restless and bored.
As he walked, he thought about what Luo Yi had said. It had impacted him, but not in a touching way—more in an irritating way. He used to treat Luo Yi as a treasure, opening his heart entirely. He had been careful around him, teasing gently and testing boundaries, gradually getting close over the years, but Luo Yi hadn’t cared at all. Now that he had stepped back, Luo Yi was the one chasing him relentlessly.
His feelings for Luo Yi had completely faded; he increasingly felt it was impossible to return to Beijing to work with him. Yet the ring box Luo Yi had forced into his hands felt like a ticking time bomb. Fang Jing Yao felt like it was counting down in his hand, ready to explode at any moment—he couldn’t keep it, but throwing it away felt wrong either.
Long Yu had seen the damn box too, but hadn’t asked a single question. That made Fang Jing Yao feel even worse than if he had asked.
He felt conflicted. He wished Long Yu would adopt the same straightforward attitude he had when speaking to Luo Yi—openly stating his displeasure. But Long Yu refused to speak. This silence only made Fang Jing Yao more anxious.
What was Long Yu thinking? Was he angry? Jealous? Really upset? About the ring—was he displeased with him too?
Fang Jing Yao racked his brain the whole way home but couldn’t figure it out. Sighing, he bought a popsicle at the neighborhood entrance to cool down and headed home.
Long Yu was on duty at the hospital. After finishing, he habitually went to the office to take off his white coat. He had just undone a few buttons when he paused, returning to his desk.
He glanced at his phone, fingers brushing the screen twice. The screen lit up, but there were no new messages. He set the phone down, opened a drawer, and pulled out a leather jewelry box partially covered by a folder. It was a well-crafted, deep brown, square box about the size of a palm. Inside was a pair of men’s rings.
He looked at it, thought for a long while, then frowned and closed the box tightly.
He had no particularly close friends nearby. Weddings were usually attended on behalf of family—obligatory social events. He had been to very few weddings and only once to a proposal. That was the first time he attended a friend’s proposal with Fang Jing Yao. He had experienced the youthful excitement, so he prepared carefully and took it seriously.
But then Luo Yi brought the ring.
Long Yu ran his thumb over the box, feeling annoyed. He wasn’t the first person to do something like this with Jing Yao, so maybe it wasn’t that precious after all.
He sat in silence for a long while. Later, someone knocked lightly at the door. He put the box back in the drawer and said in a low voice,
“Come in.”
A nurse peeked in, slightly surprised.
“Dr. Long, are you on duty today?”
Long Yu replied,
“No, I’ll leave soon.”
The nurse nodded, smiling:
“Take it easy tonight. Working so late is hard.” Then she closed the door.
Long Yu sat there. He had dwelled on it for a long time but didn’t have the energy to take the box out again. He pressed his lips together, got up, changed, and left.
Fang Jing Yao waited at home until midnight. Hearing movement outside, he sat up on the bed, waiting for Long Yu.
Long Yu didn’t turn on the light. After a quick wash, he quietly entered the bedroom. Fang Jing Yao wanted to say something, but Long Yu simply said,
“It’s late. Sleep first.”
He pressed Fang Jing Yao down, holding him tightly. He kissed his forehead a few times, then slowly found his lips. It was a firm kiss that made Fang Jing Yao’s lips tingle but stopped before going further. With a soft “good night,” Long Yu went to sleep.
Fang Jing Yao realized two things: Long Yu knew he had given a ring before, and Long Yu was feeling jealous or uncomfortable.
Fang Jing Yao felt guilty and had been cautious around Long Yu, watching his expression, talking, and joking with him, hoping to make him laugh a little to ease his own worry. But Long Yu was no longer as easy to please; he seemed distracted, unsure how much he actually heard.
Fang Jing Yao had spent a few days being careful and humble, feeling uncomfortable inside.
After a while of Long Yu’s subdued mood, Fang Jing Yao couldn’t take it anymore. One night, as Long Yu was preparing to sleep after reading, Fang Jing Yao boldly turned toward him, leaning on him:
“Long Yu, don’t you want to say anything to me?”
Long Yu reached out and stroked his hair, the soft strands sliding through his fingers. His expression softened.
“Today’s been tiring. Let’s talk another day.”
“What about the goodnight kiss?” Fang Jing Yao pouted, feigning annoyance.
“You’ve been kissing my forehead all these days. Can’t you kiss properly? It’s in the contract—you have to fulfill it.”
Long Yu smiled, cupping Fang Jing Yao’s face, a mix of confusion and fondness in his voice:
“You always… do unexpected things.”
Fang Jing Yao’s speech faltered under the gentle hold.
“What?” he asked hesitantly.
Long Yu studied him for a while, as if confirming it was really him. Fang Jing Yao’s heart raced. Long Yu’s eyes glimmered with unrestrained affection. He pressed his forehead to Fang Jing Yao’s and smiled:
“Nothing, just thinking how to make it up to you.”
He pulled Fang Jing Yao close and kissed him slowly and properly.
Fang Jing Yao stiffened his neck, unwilling to nod, but he had to admit what he’d done. With a bitter smile, he said, “Sort of. It was two or three years ago—it’s all in the past.”
Fang Jing Yao was still thinking about how to explain this clearly to Long Yu when he saw the doctor’s face already back to its usual calm expression. He didn’t look particularly upset. After one glance at the box, he stopped paying attention to it.
Fang Jing Yao, feeling guilty, took two steps closer and said, “Long Yu, let me explain. This ring doesn’t mean what you think it does! Back then, we all went on a trip to Tengchong together—it was just a group outing. I don’t even know how, but I happened to get lucky and cut out a piece of jade. I made a few little trinkets from it. This ring was just meant to bring good luck, really…”
Long Yu paused with his hand on the car door, raised his head, and said coolly, “Do your friends all know that too?”
“What?” Fang Jing Yao froze for a moment, then immediately caught on and hurried to clarify: “It’s not what you’re thinking! It’s not like that thing with Chen Xi!”
Long Yu was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, “The hospital just called me. There’s an emergency with a new patient—I need to go in for observation. I might not be back tonight.”
Fang Jing Yao quickly replied, “Then go ahead. I’ll wait for you at home.”
Long Yu nodded slightly, got in the car, and drove off in a rush.
Fang Jing Yao stood there, dazed for a long moment, before he finally sighed and went to throw out the trash—he hadn’t gotten the chance earlier because of Luo Yi’s commotion.
Feeling stifled, Fang Jing Yao wandered around the neighborhood a few times. Usually, when he went jogging with Long Yu in the mornings, he found everything pleasant and peaceful. But now, whether it was because it was dusk or because he was alone, he quickly felt irritated and bored.
As he walked, he kept thinking about what Luo Yi had said earlier. Those words had hit him hard—not emotionally, but in a way that made him deeply uneasy. He used to treat Luo Yi like treasure, pouring out his heart and soul. Since Luo Yi worried that being too close to him would cause misunderstandings, Fang Jing Yao had been cautious with his behavior, tailoring every joke to avoid overstepping boundaries, inching closer bit by bit. But after years of that, Luo Yi didn’t care at all. Now that Fang Jing Yao had pulled away, Luo Yi wouldn’t stop chasing him.
His feelings for Luo Yi were long gone, and he knew there was no way he’d ever go back to Beijing to work with him again. But the ring box Luo Yi had forced into his hands felt like a ticking time bomb. It was as if it were counting down in his palm, ready to explode at any second—he couldn’t throw it away, but he couldn’t keep it either.
And the worst part was that Long Yu had seen that damned ring box, yet hadn’t asked a single question. That hurt even more than if he had.
Fang Jing Yao felt miserable.
He actually hoped Long Yu would show some of the same sharp, decisive tone he’d used with Luo Yi earlier—openly express his dissatisfaction. But Long Yu refused to say anything. That silence made Fang Jing Yao’s chest feel even tighter.
What exactly was Long Yu thinking?
Was he angry? Was it jealousy, or real anger? Did he also feel displeased about that ring?
Fang Jing Yao puzzled over it the whole way home and couldn’t figure it out. He sighed, bought an ice pop at the gate to cool off, and walked home eating it.
At the hospital, Long Yu was on duty. After finishing his rounds, he habitually went to his office and began unbuttoning his white coat—but then stopped halfway and turned back to his desk.
He glanced at his phone, his fingers brushing the screen twice. It lit up, but there were no new messages. He set it down, opened a drawer, and took out a small leather jewelry box hidden beneath some folders. The dark brown, square box was about the size of his palm, crafted with precision. Inside lay a pair of matching men’s rings.
He stared at them for a long time, frowned, and finally shut the box tightly in his hand.
He didn’t have any particularly close friends. As for weddings, he usually only went as a family representative—social obligations he couldn’t avoid. He’d attended just a few, and only once had he ever seen a proposal up close. That time, he’d gone with Fang Jing Yao to a friend’s proposal party. The young people were so lively, so full of emotion. It had been the first time he’d felt that energy—and he’d paid attention, learned carefully, prepared seriously.
And then Luo Yi had shown up with that ring.
Long Yu rubbed the box gently with his thumb, eyes shadowed by frustration. He wasn’t the first person to share this kind of moment with Jing Yao—so perhaps it didn’t feel special anymore.
He sat there in silence for a long time, until someone knocked lightly on the door. He put the box back in the drawer and said quietly, “Come in.”
A nurse peeked in, surprised. “Dr. Long, are you on duty tonight?”
Long Yu replied, “No. I’m heading out soon.”
The nurse nodded with a smile. “Then take care on your way home. Working so late—you’re really dedicated.” With that, she closed the door behind her.
Long Yu sat there for a while longer, struggling with himself, but in the end he didn’t have the energy to take the ring box back out. He pressed his lips together, got up, changed clothes, and left.
Fang Jing Yao waited at home until midnight before Long Yu finally returned. Hearing sounds outside, he sat up in bed and waited.
Long Yu didn’t turn on the lights. After washing up quietly, he slipped into the bedroom. Fang Jing Yao wanted to speak, but Long Yu only said, “It’s too late—let’s sleep.”
He pressed Fang Jing Yao down, held him tightly, and kissed him softly on the face before finding his lips and kissing him there too—a firm but fleeting kiss that left Fang Jing Yao’s lips tingling, followed by a quiet “Good night.” Then Dr. Long fell asleep.
Fang Jing Yao could confirm two things:
First, Long Yu knew about the ring he’d once given away.
Second, Long Yu was upset—just a little, but definitely upset.
Feeling guilty, Fang Jing Yao had been treading carefully these past few days, watching Long Yu’s moods, trying to start conversations, even cracking jokes to cheer him up. Whenever he got Long Yu to smile, he’d feel a little more relieved. But Long Yu wasn’t as easy to please as before. Whenever Fang Jing Yao spoke, Long Yu seemed distracted, as if his mind were elsewhere.
After several days of humbling himself like this, Fang Jing Yao began to feel frustrated too.
Long Yu’s low mood lasted for a while, until one night Fang Jing Yao finally couldn’t stand it anymore. When Long Yu closed his book and got ready to sleep, Fang Jing Yao rolled over and pinned him down. “Long Yu,” he said bluntly, “don’t you have anything to say to me?”
Long Yu reached up to touch his hair. The soft strands slid between his fingers, and his expression gentled. “I’m a little tired today,” he said softly. “Let’s talk another time?”
“Then what about my goodnight kiss?” Fang Jing Yao ground his teeth in mock irritation. “What’s with you kissing my forehead these days? Can you take this seriously? It’s in our contract—you’re supposed to fulfill it properly!”
Long Yu chuckled. Cupping Fang Jing Yao’s face, he said in a voice full of fond amusement, “You always manage to surprise me, don’t you?”
Fang Jing Yao’s cheeks were squished, making it hard to speak. He mumbled, “What?”
Long Yu looked at him for a long moment, as though studying him, or maybe confirming that it really was him. The silence stretched until Fang Jing Yao started to feel uneasy. Then Long Yu finally smiled, affection brimming in his eyes. He pressed their foreheads together and murmured, “Nothing. Just thinking about how to make it up to you.”
He pulled Fang Jing Yao down and kissed him—slowly, thoroughly, and with care.
