Chapter 38: Promise Again Part 2

Chi Lanyi said flatly, as if he had been waiting for this sentence from him all along.

“I shouldn’t have gone behind your back to find that program for Chloe,” Gao Rong said.

Actually, Gao Rong also wanted to say, perhaps… perhaps he just lacked a sense of security too much. He was just too anxious that Chi Lanyi would leave his world, would fall in love with someone else.

But he simply couldn’t say those words.

Chi Lanyi was silent for a long time. Not until the car reached the mansion did he say, “Then… do you regret it?”

Do you regret sending Chloe away?

“A little,” Gao Rong said.

“Do you regret sending her away, or regret that sending her away led to our argument?”

This time, Gao Rong spent even more time thinking in silence.

Finally, he opened his mouth. But before he could speak, Chi Lanyi abruptly looked at him.

Chi Lanyi’s eyes were still gentle, but his voice was very cold: “Tell the truth.”

Thus, the words hanging at the corner of Gao Rong’s mouth changed to another sentence.

“…I regret letting you know that I sent her away.”

Gao Rong said, as if giving up, honestly.

Silence spread through the car cabin. It spread for so long that Gao Rong felt Chi Lanyi might never speak to him again for the rest of their lives.

No, he wouldn’t allow such a lifelong silence. Gao Rong abruptly clenched his fingers. He would make Chi Lanyi talk to him. Maybe in a week, maybe in a month… as long as there was a definite time limit, he could stay patient forever, could afford to wait.

Just as Gao Rong was secretly steeling himself, he heard Chi Lanyi’s voice: “What about Zou Jun?”

It was a familiar yet unfamiliar name, one not heard in a long time.

“That person in the bar… the one who bullied me.” Chi Lanyi said slowly, “After that incident, I never saw him at school again. What did you do to him?”

Gao Rong looked at Chi Lanyi.

“I made him roll back to China.” After a long time, Gao Rong said, “I used some methods to make his family’s business unable to continue. His parents knew it was because he offended someone he shouldn’t have. So they made him drop out and go back to China. Not just that, I also got him entangled in lawsuits—this guy had done dirty deeds like this in more places than just in France. The lawsuits waiting for him in China are more than enough for him.”

Chi Lanyi was silent for a moment, then said, “Is there more?”

“I also silenced everyone else present that day. I warned them not to even think of spreading what happened that day, not a single trace.” Gao Rong said, “Most of them are the type of… useless cowards who don’t study properly. Scaring them, causing a bit of trouble in their already messed-up lives—it’s easier than anything.”

Chi Lanyi didn’t speak for a very, very long time.

Gao Rong finally unlocked the car door. The chilly night wind filtered into the car.

It was already May. In another month, summer would arrive.

But why was it still so cold? Gao Rong thought, maybe they should just go into the house quickly. As long as they entered the house, entered his home, and waited for tomorrow to come, he would definitely have a way.

He just wanted to leave, just wanted to go to the next stop.

Until Chi Lanyi said, “You see… you could clearly protect me just fine.”

Gao Rong’s fingers, holding the car door handle, froze.

“You could have protected me just fine… but why did you have to do this?” Chi Lanyi said softly, “You clearly could have taken out my enemies, yet you used your methods on my friends.”

Gao Rong couldn’t organize a single rebuttal.

In that moment, amidst the infinite desire to control the situation, like Adam eating the apple in the Garden of Eden, he abruptly realized one thing.

He… had hurt Chi Lanyi.

In that moment, what he felt first was bewilderment.

His hand left the door handle and suddenly became very weak.

Chi Lanyi continued, “I sent you that text just now. Did you see it? I was on the rooftop, thinking a lot about our life. I was thinking, ten years from now, I still want to be with you.”

“…I saw it.” Gao Rong said dryly.

Chi Lanyi lifted his eyes to look at him again: “Then… ten years from now, do you want to be with me?”

Of course.

Not just ten years, twenty years, fifty years… or for all his living years. Gao Rong knew the only meaning of his repeated life was to be perpetually bound to Chi Lanyi.

If one day, death truly separated them. If he died first, he would be in agony, only afraid that no one would be able to take care of Chi Lanyi after he was gone.

And if Chi Lanyi died first, he would spend a month preparing the funeral Chi Lanyi had wanted in his lifetime. He would collect everything Chi Lanyi left behind and put it in a museum, leaving reliable people to guard Chi Lanyi’s spirit for life.

And after finishing all this, he would end his own life.

That was, in Gao Rong’s heart, the meaning of his return.

And it was also at this moment that Gao Rong realized, since his rebirth, Chi Lanyi had once again become more and more important to him.

Chi Lanyi, to him, was no longer a treasure to be assessed and possessed.

But the meaning… of his life.

So now, Gao Rong said with difficulty, “I will. I’ll make sure you’re there.”

He couldn’t lose Chi Lanyi.

If he lost him, his life would no longer need to exist.

Chi Lanyi looked at him for a long time and finally smiled faintly.

“By then, will I be very famous?” Chi Lanyi said softly, “Will you travel the world with me, going to every show?”

Gao Rong nodded, but he was thinking—

—While traveling the world, would you want to leave? If you wanted to leave, how would I keep you?

Chi Lanyi added, “Maybe we could adopt a cat. Do you like cats?”

Gao Rong nodded again, but he started thinking again—

—If I don’t start a company for you, don’t control your shares, would you also, like a cat, slip away when a door crack opens?

Chi Lanyi said further, “Perhaps we could expand your glass greenhouse and plant even more flowers in it. We could eat surrounded by flowers, read books together on warm, sunny afternoons.”

Gao Rong nodded once more, but in the end, that thought still rose up—

—If I don’t cage you, don’t protect you like a flower in a greenhouse, would someone else pick you where I can’t see, or would you wither and fade?

“…Are you listening?”

After a very, very long time, Chi Lanyi said softly.

“I am.”

Gao Rong said the same, using the same voice.

Chi Lanyi extended his pale, slender fingers. He twined them around Gao Rong’s hand, like a dodder flower twining around a tree, and finally let out a satisfied sigh.

“Wonderful,” he said delicately, “We’re thinking about the same thing. We’re both thinking, ten years from now, we still want to be together.”

Gao Rong looked at the fragile but warm smile at the corner of Chi Lanyi’s lips.

In that moment, he knew Chi Lanyi was sincere.

And the most fragile, absurd thing about this moment was, he himself was also sincere.

Both he and Chi Lanyi wished, more intensely than anyone else in this world, that they would still be together ten years from now.

They both truly believed they had a future.

Even though what they heard were two different futures.

Chi Lanyi lifted his chin, and Gao Rong lowered his head to cover his lips.

In that kiss, they once again achieved a new reconciliation.

Chi Lanyi closed his eyes, his eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings. He seemed to be thinking, that dream of loving each other would surely continue to happen in the future.

And Gao Rong also, at this moment, grasped Chi Lanyi’s arm tightly. He wanted to fulfill that dream of Chi Lanyi’s.

He thought, this time, he would allow himself to believe for the last time.

He would believe they had a future.

And also believe, Chi Lanyi wouldn’t leave again.

Chloe’s departure was arranged for Saturday of that week.

On Friday, Chloe organized one last gathering before leaving. But when invited, Chi Lanyi hesitated for a moment and asked her, “Chloe, I have a friend. Can he come for the last half hour before it ends?”

Chloe didn’t hesitate, just was a little puzzled: “Sure, what friend? Why don’t you have him come from the start?”

“He…” Chi Lanyi twisted the leather cord on his wrist with one hand, “He’s my boyfriend.”

“Oh… boyfriend. What? That boyfriend of yours who’s supposedly very handsome?” Chloe screamed and got excited, “Oh my god, he has to come! He absolutely has to! I have to ask him how he got together with you!”

“It’s a very, very short story… Thank you, Chloe.”

By the end of his words, Chi Lanyi actually said it with a hint of relief.

Chloe noticed Chi Lanyi was a bit odd. But since Chi Lanyi’s boyfriend was coming to hang out with them tomorrow, she didn’t plan to press further.

Chi Lanyi ended the call. He put his arm on the table and stared blankly at his wrist.

That black leather cord was now tied around his wrist.

The most vulnerable spot, closest to his pulse.

He stared at his wrist for a long time, until his phone vibrated. Gao Rong had sent him a message: “Had lunch yet?”

“…I have.”

Even though he hadn’t, Chi Lanyi said so casually. He didn’t want Gao Rong to worry about him.

“Oh.” Gao Rong said, sending him a photo, “Today’s meeting organizers prepared these sandwich boxes. Terrible. I thought I was in the UK.”

“So there’s food even you hate eating.” Chi Lanyi typed in reply.

“After all, good food is very important for life. I used to live in New York, and there were many good restaurants there too.”

Only then did Chi Lanyi remember that Gao Rong wasn’t even someone who lived in France. He replied, “Then you staying here so long, is it okay with the company?”

“No problem. I can work remotely with no issues.” Gao Rong said, “Based on my experience, you usually can’t really eat much at these friends’ farewell parties. I’d suggest you fill your stomach before going to drink.”

Chi Lanyi looked at the screen for a long time, then made up his mind: “I told Chloe you’d come for the last half hour.”