Chapter 34: Failure to Leave
The soup base still needed a while to boil. The four of them sat apart. Jiang Yu focused only on the movie, completely ignoring Ji Xu and Han Cheng’s public display of affection.
Ji Xu leaned against Han Cheng’s arm. Looking at Jiang Yu’s forced composure, he smiled and said, “Jiang Yu, I heard you’re also going to act in Director Qi Sheng’s film. Is it the rich second-generation guy in a wheelchair, Yang Xiaotian?”
“Mm.” Jiang Yu gave Ji Xu a perfunctory glance and kept watching TV.
“That role doesn’t have many scenes. It’s male lead number five, right? It shouldn’t take long to finish shooting. I really envy you—you can rest once you’re done. Unlike me, I’m male lead number three, and I’ll be filming for more than half a month.”
“Mm.”
“I think I saw your role a few times in my script. We should have some scenes together. You haven’t acted before, and I’ve only done one film myself. We’re both newcomers—we should work hard together.”
“Mm.”
“A-Cheng, Jiang Yu doesn’t seem to like me. Maybe I should turn down Director Qi Sheng’s film? Otherwise we’ll be in the same crew and have scenes together—it’ll be pretty awkward,” Ji Xu said pitifully, looking at Han Cheng and deliberately singling out Jiang Yu.
All four of them knew perfectly well what their relationships were. Only Ji Xu insisted on putting on an act of warmth and consideration.
Jiang Yu was speechless. He looked at Han Cheng, his eyes full of Can you control your white-lotus sweetheart already? impatience.
Han Cheng smiled slightly and said to Jiang Yu, “When someone talks to you, you don’t even look at them, and your answers are so perfunctory. Isn’t that a bit rude?”
Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow. So now it’s my fault? You know you’re in the honeymoon phase—there’s no need to be this biased.
Jiang Yu rolled his eyes without any attempt to hide it. Facing the identical smug smiles on Han Cheng and Ji Xu, the irritation in his chest surged uncontrollably. Were these two bastards deliberately showing off their affection in front of him?
He wasn’t the kind of clingy lover who refused to let go. As long as Han Cheng said the word, he’d pack up and leave on his own immediately. So what exactly were these two trying to accomplish by putting on this show in front of him?
If he wanted to dump him, he could’ve just said it outright. Why go out of his way to swagger around and mock him—what was that supposed to mean?
The more Jiang Yu thought about it, the angrier he got. His inner volcano finally erupted. He sneered at Ji Xu and said, “Everyone knows I’m Han Cheng’s kept little lover. So what are you pretending to be so magnanimous for?
It’s obvious I don’t want to deal with you, yet you keep yapping on and on without a shred of awareness. With that level of perception, how do you plan to survive in the entertainment industry?
President Han, since your rightful partner doesn’t want to work with a lover like me, then I won’t act in the film. I’ll go back, pack my bags, and leave you.
I’ll pay for today’s hot pot—consider it thanks for all these years of taking care of me. Wang Huan and I will take our leave first and won’t disturb the two of you on your date.”
Jiang Yu grabbed Wang Huan and headed out. Han Cheng said calmly, “I have an invitation. This hot pot is free—you don’t need to pay.”
Jiang Yu paused, turned back, and forced a fake smile. “Then you two enjoy yourselves. I’ll treat President Han to a meal another day.”
“A-Cheng, that’s not what I meant…”
Han Cheng didn’t stop Jiang Yu again. Before the door closed, Jiang Yu still heard Ji Xu’s aggrieved explanation.
Tch. What a perfect white lotus.
Jiang Yu dragged Wang Huan out of the hot pot restaurant. Smelling the aroma of hot pot inside, his stomach betrayed him and started growling.
The brown-sugar buns in his hand were still warm. Jiang Yu took one out and bit into it viciously.
“Brother Yu, should we go somewhere else to eat?” Wang Huan suggested carefully, sneaking a look at Jiang Yu. He hadn’t expected that even coming out for hot pot would lead to running into Han Cheng and Ji Xu.
“Let’s just grab some fast food and go home,” Jiang Yu said. He wolfed down the bun in a few bites, nearly choking and rolling his eyes as he forced it down.
Aunt Chen’s cooking was still the best. What hot pot could compare to brown-sugar buns?
By the time they returned to the seaside villa, it was almost one in the afternoon. Aunt Chen asked a few questions when she saw the takeout in their hands, and Jiang Yu brushed her off.
After finishing the takeout with Wang Huan, Jiang Yu asked him, “Do you still have space at your place?”
“Yeah. I rented a two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment. One room is still empty. Brother Yu, do you have relatives coming to stay? I could rent out the other room and save some money,” Wang Huan said, picking his teeth, not noticing anything strange.
“I don’t have relatives. Come upstairs and help me pack. I’m going to move in with you and share the rent. Housing prices in H City are too high—renting is better than buying.”
Jiang Yu had done the math long ago. That ten million was meant to last him a lifetime. Buying a place wasn’t suitable; renting made the most sense.
“Huh? You’re moving out? Does President Han agree?” Wang Huan was startled. He put down the toothpick and asked worriedly.
“Why wouldn’t he agree? I already said it at the hot pot place today—taking the initiative to bow out, not acting in Qi Sheng’s film, leaving Han Cheng. Did you see him refuse?
No refusal means consent. Hurry up and help me move my luggage. If Han Cheng comes back tonight to take back the house and sees me still here, he might get angry.
If I quit the entertainment industry in the future, the two of us can still live together and remain good friends.” Jiang Yu dragged Wang Huan upstairs and forced him to help pack.
Watching the two of them go upstairs, Aunt Chen quietly picked up her phone and made a call.
Wang Huan wanted to persuade Jiang Yu, but Jiang Yu wouldn’t listen and kept packing. Wang Huan thought that since Jiang Yu would be staying at his place anyway, he could secretly call President Han later to explain things.
Jiang Yu had lived in the seaside villa for six years, and he really had a lot of stuff. The two of them packed four huge boxes—each about half a person tall—just to fit all the necessities.
As for the gifts Han Cheng had given him, Jiang Yu sold the expensive ones for cash. The cheap ones he didn’t want either; he packed them together, planning to throw them away.
That was just how money-minded Jiang Yu was. After all, he’d stayed by Han Cheng’s side for six years—he wasn’t going to be toyed with for nothing.
“You’re really throwing them away? Why not just leave them here?” Wang Huan’s heart raced as Jiang Yu carried the bags out, trying to talk him out of it.
A person could still come back after leaving. But once these things were thrown away and the garbage truck came tomorrow, there’d be no getting them back.
“What’s the point of keeping them? I’m just a little lover. Han Cheng won’t get sentimental over objects. If he saw these and thought of me, he’d only feel annoyed. Better I throw them away myself than let him do it.”
Dragging the bag downstairs, Jiang Yu suddenly saw Han Cheng lounging on the sofa in the living room, leisurely sipping tea.
Faced with Han Cheng’s smiling face, Jiang Yu felt a sudden chill shoot through the back of his head. His legs went weak, and he nearly tumbled down the stairs.
But this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If Han Cheng let him go, he’d leave openly and honestly. If Han Cheng refused, he could use jealousy as an excuse to brush it off.
If he didn’t seize this chance to leave, who knew when the next opportunity would come?
Having planned his fallback, Jiang Yu straightened his back. He walked down to the first floor. Torn between going out to dump the trash or going over to Han Cheng, he thought for a moment and chose to go to Han Cheng instead.
He didn’t dare gamble on the consequences of ignoring that bastard.
“What are you doing?” Han Cheng asked, glancing at the bag in Jiang Yu’s hand.
The bastard seemed to be in a very good mood today. Jiang Yu could tell his smile was genuine, not one of those sly, malicious grins.
When Han Cheng was in a good mood, he was usually easy to talk to. Jiang Yu relaxed a little and said carefully, “Thank you, President Han, for taking care of me these past few years. I’m packing my things and getting ready to leave.
I’m already moving my luggage downstairs. These are all the gifts you gave me, President Han—I’ll definitely treasure them. Once I’ve moved everything down, I’ll call a car and leave right away. I absolutely won’t pester you.”
In front of Han Cheng, Jiang Yu didn’t dare say he was throwing the gifts away. Fortunately, his quick mind came up with a perfect excuse.
“Oh? You’re taking them with you? I just heard that you were planning to throw these things away.”
Han Cheng stood up, walked over to the bag, and rummaged through it. Inside were plush toys and little trinkets like music boxes.
Sometimes, when the mood struck him, Han Cheng liked to play at that youthful style of romance. These little items weren’t expensive, but he’d bought them when he was in a good mood.
With a smile, Han Cheng wrapped an arm around Jiang Yu’s waist and said in a mocking tone, “When you pack your bags, do you sort things by price too? Where are the expensive gifts I gave you? Last time I gave you a Qingfei watch, and I never even saw you wear it. That watch cost five hundred thousand.”
Sold them, of course. Where else would they be? That bastard could freeze his assets—he definitely knew he’d sold those things already, yet he was still asking knowingly.
The hand around his waist tightened little by little, carrying a clear note of threat. Jiang Yu’s mind was racing, trying to figure out how to bluff his way through, when suddenly his wrist felt cool. A sky-blue watch was fastened onto his wrist by Han Cheng.
Han Cheng had a similar one on his own wrist. Placing their wrists together, he looked very satisfied and said, “This is Qingfei’s newly released couple’s watch. It’s specially designed for same-sex couples. One costs 2.6 million; the two together make 5.2 million.”
“Oh.” Jiang Yu covered the 2.6 million on his wrist. Heh—another income stream.
“You’ve been packing for so long—you must be tired. You’re sweating, you smell of sweat. Go take a shower.” Han Cheng took Jiang Yu’s watch-wearing hand with his own watch-wearing hand and led him upstairs.
The atmosphere turned ambiguous. Looking at Han Cheng’s fox-like smiling face, Jiang Yu didn’t dare bring up leaving again. What exactly was this bastard trying to do?
The shower was exhausting. The bastard seemed to be in a very good mood, holding Jiang Yu and calling him “baby” over and over, his movements unusually gentle.
It just felt like he was determined to get that 2.6 million back—he tossed Jiang Yu around all night.
When Jiang Yu woke up the next day, Han Cheng still hadn’t left. He kissed Jiang Yu on the forehead and said with a smile, “Stay here properly. Don’t run around. There are too many bad people outside—I’m afraid they’ll snatch my treasure away.”
Well then—this attempt to leave failed again.
Jiang Yu answered weakly with an “mm,” and Han Cheng left smiling. The watch on his wrist felt heavy. The bastard had stopped stuffing him with resources and started giving him money instead.
A lousy watch being this expensive—and even “520”? Obviously cutting leeks off Chinese consumers. Only in Chinese does “520” sound like I love you.
Jiang Yu picked up his phone and searched for Qingfei’s new couple’s watch.
The price on Taobao was even higher than what Han Cheng had said. Reading the description, Jiang Yu learned that the three transparent pieces on the dial were actually three five-carat diamonds.
The diamonds weren’t the most outrageous part. The red glass interwoven between the three diamonds turned out to be three pieces of red jadeite.
The watch even had a dark, edgy name: Bloody Lotus, symbolizing loving the other person down to flesh and blood.
“Plenty of gimmicks,” Jiang Yu snorted at the symbolism, yet he carefully took off the watch, found a box, and put it away with great care.
It was 2.6 million, after all. As long as the aftereffects weren’t too severe, it would cover decades of treatment for his bad back.
