Chapter 2: Reunion in Another Life

Over half a year earlier.

“Name?”

“…Chi Lanyi.”

“How do you spell that?”

“Chi for pond, Lan as in orchid… sorry, Lanyi, Chi…”

Even after two years in France, Chi Lanyi still often forgot how to spell his own name with letters.

Chi Lanyi heard faint murmurs of discussion. Someone in the office was secretly watching him, whispering, no wonder, he really is exceptionally beautiful.

Yet the very appearance that should have made anyone proud had now become the source of his biggest trouble.

“Someone has reported that you have an inappropriate relationship with Professor Renault. The report email states that on the night of February 15th, you went to see him and engaged in an improper relationship with him.” The school investigation representative said sternly, “Is this person in the photo you?”

Chi Lanyi looked down at the photo.

The photo was very blurry, but still discernible: two men were embracing, kissing, and entering an office to have sex. One person’s features were clear—it was Professor Renault from F University. The other figure was blurred, but could vaguely be identified as a slender, tall Asian youth.

“…It’s not me.” Chi Lanyi said slowly, “It’s not me.”

He didn’t know how many times he had repeated this sentence this week. He had denied it so many times his mind was swollen and dizzy.

The investigation representative was relentless: “Then where were you on the night of February 15th?”

“I was… in the student dormitory.”

“That’s not what you said last time. Last time, you said you went to a restaurant near the school. But the restaurant owner said he didn’t see you there at all that day.” The investigation representative suddenly became stern, “Chi Lanyi, why did you lie? Where exactly were you?”

Chi Lanyi’s eyeballs felt numb. He felt as if he was slowly solidifying into an insect trapped in amber: “I was in the student dormitory.”

An administrative teacher showed a look of pity and softened her voice: “Chi Lanyi, you need to understand, this is a very serious accusation. Academic reputation is extremely important at F University. Any improper relationships or exchanges of benefits between teachers and students have zero tolerance.”

“…”

“The report email says Renault started funneling benefits to you a year ago. He gave your assignments A+ while giving other students of the same level B. Even as a freshman, he manipulated your work to be selected for a major exhibition only open to sophomores and above. Privately, other students also saw you two engaging in overly intimate behavior. Some even photographed you that afternoon on a road leading to his home.” The administrative teacher said, “Chi Lanyi, you must tell us, where were you that night? Otherwise, how can we prove your innocence?”

The office lights were cold, like disinfectant in a specimen room, white like a burial shroud.

Chi Lanyi remained silent. After a long moment, he said softly: “You can convict me with these baseless things? On what grounds?”

The investigation representative’s eyes lifted coldly from behind the documents, as if they could pierce through all his concealment: “You were lying just now as well. The apartment surveillance footage shows you left that afternoon and didn’t return until late at night. Chi Lanyi, don’t treat the investigation team like fools.”

It felt as if a razor blade was stuck in Chi Lanyi’s throat. The administrative teacher spoke again: “Chi Lanyi, where exactly were you on the night of February 15th?”

“I went to…”

He couldn’t tell them that he had taken a cab to a psychology center an hour away from school.

He couldn’t tell them that he was an ugly, useless mental patient.

He couldn’t tell them… that he was a pervert with an abnormal interest in men.

The scenes of being reprimanded by his parents for this still whirled vividly, blood-red, in his mind. Chi Lanyi felt like vomiting again; his speech grew slower and slower: “I… my selection… was based on my own strength… I have my own privacy…”

“Perhaps, you’re still unclear? Your classmate Jules jumped into a river the day before yesterday and is now unconscious in the hospital. He was the first student relationship with Renault to be exposed. In his suicide note, he said it was Renault’s infidelity and abandonment that drove him to despair. He also said that Renault’s affair partner was a Chinese person.” The investigation representative snapped the file shut, like a menacing threat, “This incident has already caused a huge uproar online. Chi Lanyi, are you that Chinese person?”

Chi Lanyi’s fingertips trembled.

The smell of disinfectant in the office, the coldness of the iron chair beneath him, and the few withered plants nearby felt like an ominous omen. Chi Lanyi finally understood.

He hadn’t come to be questioned. Rather, some jealous person had seized the opportunity of this teacher-student love scandal that had blown up to frame him.

And all the eyes interrogating him conveyed one thing.

—He was slender, neurotic, fragile, and didn’t know how to protect himself.

Pinning him as Renault’s second affair partner, expelling him and Renault as quickly as possible to suppress the scandal, and protecting the school’s reputation—this was the optimal solution in everyone else’s eyes.

…

The rain was pouring heavily. Gao Rong, shielded by a black umbrella, stepped out of the Maybach.

On the phone came Gao Xi’s furious voice: “That Renault is absolute trash! My husband and I spent so much money for him to work on my project, and he gets involved with my son! Involvement is one thing, but then he also plays a love triangle and drives a student to suicide! The whole thing has completely blown up! Gao Rong, you have to help me destroy him, and also, protect my son! Absolutely no one can know he’s that other man!”

“I told you long ago, that was not a project you should have touched. Gao Xi, with your abilities, you’d be better off peacefully living off the family’s stock dividends.” Gao Rong said coldly, signaling with his eyes for his secretary to step further away, “Within a month, I’ll have someone help you unload that project. You, your husband, and your son, go hide on some island for a vacation.”

“Gao Rong!” Gao Xi screamed, “Are you even my brother?! Instead of comforting me, you scold me?! And what about Zhouzhou? You can’t let Zhouzhou be ruined! Zhouzhou is your nephew too, he’s a genius pianist…”

“I am merely stating facts. Also, Gao Xi, I am currently cleaning up the mess for you, your husband, and your son. You’d better go pray to Guan Yin and thank her that I happen to be in Paris for a meeting.” Gao Rong said without any emotional ripple, “This is the last time I’m helping you suppress something. From now on, you live on your trust fund, live your life, and I won’t interfere in any of your affairs again.”

He paused, then added: “And I told you long ago, don’t send your son to study art. Few good things come from studying art.”

“Gao Rong! You cold, selfish person! No wonder everyone says you only care about yourself!”

Ignoring Gao Xi’s wails, Gao Rong hung up the phone. His secretary, sheltering with him under the awning, cautiously said, “Boss, you always say it’s the last time.”

“This time, it truly is the last time. I gave her three chances. Gao Xi has proven to me that she is incompetent in all aspects. Find an island resort to send her on vacation. As for her current husband, who thinks too highly of himself, have her divorce him as soon as possible.” Gao Rong paused, then arranged, “Find someone to take some photos of her husband cheating and send them to Gao Xi. If she still won’t divorce, fabricate an illegitimate child to up the ante. As for her son, once his tour is over, find a boarding school and lock him up there.”

The secretary smiled, then said, “Boss, you’re actually very good to your family. Ms. Gao’s accusations against you are completely unfounded. The way you treat them is completely different from how you treat outsiders.”

“No matter what, they are family. I tend to give them a higher tolerance. After all, in the eyes of most people, a family member’s reputation can also affect my personal reputation.” Gao Rong said, letting out a cold laugh, “But now, she’s crossed the line.”

He strode quickly into his temporary office building in France, then said to his secretary: “Schedule a lunch with the school officials and hear how they’re handling it. If they can’t do it properly, we’ll have our people do it. No matter what, Gao Yuanzhou still has his tour. Some photos of him with Renault have already been snapped; we absolutely cannot let this be linked to him.”

“You don’t need to be so tense, things aren’t that bad.” The secretary smiled, “A scapegoat has already been found for your nephew.”

Gao Rong didn’t stop walking: “What scapegoat?”

“That man named Renault is quite promiscuous at school, having ambiguous relationships with many students. As it happens, Renault has a Chinese student he’s particularly fond of. That Chinese student attracts a lot of jealousy, and someone sent an accusatory email, exposing him.” The secretary said, “Now everyone thinks that Chinese student is the one Renault had the affair with.”

Gao Rong seemed to have little reaction. After a moment, he said, “Then let’s wait and see. It saves us the trouble. However, send me the school’s investigation details and that student’s file.”

Gao Rong habitually wanted to control everything to avoid the situation going off the rails beyond his sight.

Crossing the lobby, Gao Rong thought that in the dozen-plus years since his rebirth, such matters—which Chi Lanyi would have condemned as horrific and devoid of conscience—were things he had encountered far too often.

But he wasn’t a saint; he was just an extremely self-interested businessman skilled at self-preservation. Someone who had already died once shouldn’t be naive. Business affairs always involved filth, and he shouldn’t feel any disturbance.

In this life, he only planned to look after himself, his company, and those few family members he was obligated to manage.

Beyond that, he needed to manage nothing.

However, passing through the corridor, when he walked by a pot of withering freesias, Gao Rong still felt a slight daze. Since his rebirth, he had avoided contact with anything related to Chi Lanyi. Calculating now, it had already been fifteen years since he last saw him.

“Alright.” The secretary said respectfully, “I’ve sent that student’s information to you.”

“Will that student be expelled?” Gao Rong said casually, “If he is, find an excuse to give him some money and recommend another school. It’s to prevent him from being pushed too far and also committing suicide, causing new trouble.”

Rounding another corner, it was another corridor. Greeting him was a replica of a French Impressionist painting, Corot’s Ville-d’Avray lake.

Gao Rong didn’t like such hazy, fuzzy painting styles, as if one was nearsighted and had lost their glasses, looking at flowers through fog.

But someone had once told him that he liked things just like that—blurry, soft, as if living in a dream.

So in this life, although he had collected many paintings for asset appreciation, he kept Impressionist works at arm’s length.

“Okay, boss.” The secretary said, “Indeed, art students are often mentally fragile. But that student might not be entirely innocent either. After all, many say his relationship with Renault was ambiguous.”

Freesias.

An Impressionist painting.

Paris.

The art department.

Several coincidental symbols added up, like a clumsy allegory. Gao Rong thought, if it weren’t for that unavoidable summit, he wouldn’t even be in Paris. As everyone knew, Gao Rong, the founder of the famous Mirror Bridge Capital on Wall Street, disliked going to France.

Paris was a place that, just thinking about it after his rebirth, made Gao Rong’s nerves ache.

Somehow, as if guided by a premonition, it was telling him he shouldn’t go any further.

A few more steps and he would be at his office.

Sit down, turn on the computer. Gao Rong clicked open the email to check the scapegoat student’s information. For some reason, the inbox was loading very slowly today. The preview showed the student’s photo first. As he scrolled down, he only saw the student’s forehead.

Then, a pair of soft, clear eyes.

A ringing buzzed in his ears, like hearing the shriek of a missile scraping the sky. At that moment, Gao Rong froze rigid in front of his desk.

His body had long been forged into an invulnerable golden statue by power. His blood vessels had been clogged by US dollars until circulation slowed. Yet upon hearing that sound, it was still as if he was struck by a missile, the pain so intense every old scar tore open and bled afresh.

He subconsciously continued scrolling down. Very quickly, he saw that student’s name.

In the photo on the first page, the student wore a gray trench coat. Beneath black hair, a snow-white neck was revealed, clean as fresh snow.

But he knew that within that snow-white flesh and skin, there was the scent of freesias.

So we meet again.

Long before the photo fully loaded, long before seeing the three words on the file, Gao Rong knew—he had seen Chi Lanyi again.

He was still the same as before, able to recognize Chi Lanyi at first glance. Even if it was just a part of his forehead, even if it was just a pair of eyes.

Even though he had already restarted a whole new life, and hadn’t seen Chi Lanyi for fifteen full years.