Chapter 19

It wasn’t until Jing Li settled into the passenger seat that he suddenly realized something was off. Ji Yunzhang was here to help him get used to driving, so shouldn’t he be the one behind the wheel while Ji Yunzhang rode shotgun?

“Teacher Ji,” he said, “shouldn’t we switch seats?”

Ji Yunzhang rested his elbow casually on the steering wheel. “There’s heavy traffic in the city right now, and folks are rushing to work. Let’s drive to a quieter stretch first and practice there.”

That made sense.

Jing Li relaxed into his seat.

Ji Yunzhang pressed the accelerator, glancing at him from the corner of his eye. In a warm voice, he reminded, “Buckle your seatbelt.”

Jing Li looked down and saw he’d forgotten. He fastened it right away.

The black Mulsanne glided out of the neighborhood and merged into traffic. At this hour, the roads were still jammed up, so they couldn’t build any speed. It took a full half hour to reach the overpass.

At last night’s banquet, Jing Li had only eaten half his fill. He’d slept through his alarm that morning and rushed out without breakfast. Now his stomach let out a loud, protesting growl.

The car was pin-drop quiet, no one speaking, so the sound rang out clear as day—embarrassingly loud.

Jing Li: “…”

Save him. He wanted to crawl under the car.

Ji Yunzhang turned his head, spotting his flushed cheeks. “Skipped breakfast?”

Jing Li gave a small hum.

He mumbled, even softer, “Teacher Ji, don’t look. It’s embarrassing.”

Ji Yunzhang kindly averted his gaze. “No big deal. Just your body doing its thing.”

The car shifted lanes ahead, settling into another one. They drove a bit farther until a breakfast shop came into view. Ji Yunzhang pulled over. “Wait here a sec.”

When he came back, he carried a clear plastic bag, the food inside on full display. Jing Li peeked over, blinked a few times, and his face screamed one thing: I want it.

Ji Yunzhang smiled and passed it over. “Dig in.”

Jing Li pulled out a warm, plump, snowy-white custard bun and took a bite. His eyes crinkled shut in bliss. True to the spirit of sharing, he grabbed a fresh one for Ji Yunzhang. “You want one?”

Ji Yunzhang eyed his chipmunk cheeks, stuffed full, and found it utterly cute. He figured the bun had to taste amazing.

Leaning in abruptly, he took a bite straight from Jing Li’s hand.

Jing Li stared in stunned silence as Ji Yunzhang claimed the rest of the bun, polished it off, then drew a handkerchief from his pocket. He wiped his fingers with deliberate care and delivered his verdict: “Delicious.”

The words snapped Jing Li out of it. He shot upright, ducked his head, and focused intently on his own custard bun—anything to mask his suddenly hammering heart.

~~~

They left the hectic city center behind. Skyscrapers grew sparser beyond the windows, and the frantic pedestrians turned into leisurely strollers ambling along.

Traffic thinned out dramatically, cars spaced far apart front and back.

Ji Yunzhang eased onto the shoulder. “This spot works.”

The road was broad and empty, scant vehicles in sight, no crosswalk crowds. Jing Li sized up the surroundings and felt his worries ease.

They swapped seats. Jing Li slipped behind the wheel, buckled up, gripped the steering wheel, and drew a deep breath before hitting the gas.

Three years had passed since he’d earned his license, and he hadn’t touched a car since.

The old road-test jitters came rushing back.

Ji Yunzhang lounged calmly in the passenger seat, the picture of ease, not a trace of concern. His tone was gentle: “Just drive. I’ve got your back.”

Jing Li turned, meeting the light, breezy smile in those eyes, and his tension evaporated.

He nodded, breaking into a grin. “Got it.”

It was a straightaway. Relaxed now, Jing Li drove with real poise, eyes locked dead ahead, concentration unbreakable.

Ji Yunzhang stayed silent, one hand propping his forehead as he watched from the side, quiet and intent.

With Teacher Ji right there, trust came naturally. Jing Li’s rigid muscles unwound bit by bit. Half an hour in, he picked up speed and even started talking.

“Teacher Ji, how’s my driving?” His eyes shone bright.

Every guy harbored a fantasy about piloting a luxury ride, and Jing Li was no different.

The Mulsanne’s sticker price topped six million stock, ballooning past nine with custom options. Jing Li was living the dream.

Ji Yunzhang’s lips quirked. He didn’t hold back the praise: “You’re doing great.”

…

Later, Ji Yunzhang stepped out, leaving Jing Li to loop the road solo a few times. He conquered his solo-driving nerves and handled it smoother with each pass.

Noon approached. Ji Yunzhang checked his watch and cut off Jing Li’s eager plea for one more go. “Lunchtime.”

Jing Li flashed back to that morning’s mortifying moment. He wasn’t even hungry yet, but he nodded obediently anyway.

He unbuckled his seatbelt, ready to get out of the car, but Ji Yunzhang slid straight into the passenger seat. “You drive. You still need to head into the city center—get used to roads packed with people and cars.”

With Ji Yunzhang there beside him, Jing Li felt completely at ease, his earlier fears vanished. He gave a soft hum of agreement and restarted the engine.

“Where to?”

“That place from last time. I remember you liked it.”

The mention stirred up Jing Li’s memories of those delicious flavors, and he nodded at once. “Sounds good.”

~~~

The drive to the restaurant went smoothly. Once they parked, Jing Li hopped out and flashed Ji Yunzhang a triumphant V-sign. “I’ve got it down!”

Ji Yunzhang had spent the entire morning with him, watching him progress from awkward novice to confident driver. He smiled and nodded, praising him once more. “Impressive.”

The nonstop compliments left Jing Li a little embarrassed.

All he’d done was get comfortable on the road, but Ji Yunzhang was praising him like he’d achieved some monumental feat, the way one might hype up a child.

Still, he loved every bit of it.

It felt like having someone who would affirm you unconditionally, no matter how small the accomplishment—someone who thought you were amazing. It wrapped him in warmth, a profound sense of happiness.

Jing Li felt as light as if carried on the wind, his body buoyant, his limbs airy. His eyes crinkled with joy, his steps bounced with energy, and pure delight radiated from him.

Ji Yunzhang watched him, a smile spreading through his eyes. Under the sunlight, it took on a tender glow.

The hostess led them up from the parking lot to their reserved private room. As they passed one door, it swung open, and Jing Li instinctively glanced inside. He recognized the man—it was the one from last night’s Xingxiu Entertainment annual gala, the guy who’d called Ji Yunzhang “Brother Yunzhang.”

The man clearly recognized them too. His eyes lit up the instant they landed on Ji Yunzhang.

“Brother Yunzhang.”

Jing Li’s brow twitched. He glanced around instinctively, then at the hostess leading the way ahead, worried this might leak online and stir up bad press for Ji Yunzhang.

But then he thought better of it. It was just a nickname, nothing more.

He relaxed and settled in as a bystander, content to watch the drama unfold.

Ji Yunzhang didn’t even glance his way until Wen Nanzhi spoke up. His expression remained calm and aloof—a stark contrast to Wen Nanzhi’s eager warmth.

“What a coincidence—you’re eating here too,” Wen Nanzhi said, tilting his face up with obvious expectation. “I’m here with my brother. It’s been ages since you two caught up. Why don’t we eat together?”

The completely ignored Jing Li: “…”

Fine. He would just keep spectating.

Ji Yunzhang’s polite but distant refusal at the gala last night had been crystal clear, yet Wen Nanzhi seemed to have brushed it off. This time, Ji Yunzhang’s rejection was blunt. “Sorry, I’m here with my partner.”

Wen Nanzhi’s smile froze on his face. At last, he turned to the overlooked Jing Li.

Jing Li had started to offer a smile, but it felt too much like gloating if he did. Instead, he gave a small nod. “Hello.”

Wen Nanzhi stared at him for a long moment before finally looking away, his lips pressing into a tight line. He offered no reply.

Just then, a mild voice came from behind him. “Nanzhi, who are you talking to?”

The man stepped into view. Dressed in a sharp business suit, he bore a resemblance to Wen Nanzhi, though his features were more angular and defined. Spotting Ji Yunzhang, he paused in surprise before greeting him. “Fancy running into you here, Yunzhang.”

“Nanqi,” Ji Yunzhang replied evenly.

He took Jing Li’s hand and made the introduction with perfect formality. “This is Jing Li, my partner.”

Then, to Jing Li: “Wen Nanqi, general manager of the Wen Group. We were university classmates.”

Jing Li smiled faintly. “Hello, President Wen.”

Wen Nanqi turned to him, his gaze tinged with surprise—likely at the unexpected relationship. “Hello.”

Though they were university classmates, they hadn’t kept in touch after graduation. Ji Yunzhang had no hand in his family’s business and thus no overlap with Wen Nanqi. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Ji Yunzhang said, “We’ll get going now.”

Once they had left, Wen Nanqi looked down at his quiet younger brother and sighed. “Ji Yunzhang isn’t right for you. Besides, he has a boyfriend.”

Wen Nanzhi stared after Ji Yunzhang’s retreating figure, watching as he held Jing Li’s hand and spoke to him with gentle affection. Reluctance flickered in his eyes, but he hid it quickly, recovering his composure. He grabbed his brother’s hand and wheedled, “Bro, give me some money. I need to blow off some steam.”

Wen Nanqi assumed he wanted to go out and distract himself—maybe shop. “Alright. I’ll have my secretary wire it to you this afternoon.”