Zhou Zhuoyuan’s first birthday banquet after returning to the Zhou Family was held exceptionally grandly because Zhou Fuxuan wanted to introduce his background to everyone, thereby silencing those who speculated that he was an illegitimate child.
At that time, he had only been back at the Zhou Family for a short while, so how could he have ever seen such a grand occasion?
He held his head high to conceal his stage fright, but he inevitably revealed his ignorance and rudeness during chats with the elders.
Zhou Fuxuan was very dissatisfied with him and waved him off, telling him to go eat something on his own.
Meanwhile, Zhou Zhuoyi carried himself with poise and elegance, like a little prince. Even without Zhou Fuxuan leading him around, he still drew everyone’s attention.
Zhou Zhuoyuan carefully selected a full plate of his favorite foods and retreated to a corner, where he watched Zhou Zhuoyi being fawned over like the moon surrounded by stars. Jealousy surged through him as he thought that this life was originally supposed to be his.
He had just taken two bites when Zhu Wan called out to him from the center of the venue. Zhou Zhuoyuan immediately grew tense and trotted over without even setting down his plate.
He kept his eyes fixed only on Zhu Wan, mentally rehearsing what he would say next, when his foot suddenly caught on something. He tripped and fell, knocking over a server carrying drinks in the process. The alcohol drenched his head, and the food from the server’s tray soiled his clothes.
Laughter erupted around him.
With Zhu Wan and Zhou Fuxuan present, the laughter actually held no malice, but Zhou Zhuoyuan didn’t understand that. He only felt like everyone was mocking him, and he had no idea how to defuse the awkwardness in such a situation.
He scrambled to his feet and blustered aggressively, “What are you laughing at? What’s so funny?”
Zhou Fuxuan felt deeply embarrassed and walked over to stop him. “That’s enough. Go upstairs and change your clothes.”
Zhu Wan hurried over too, using her handkerchief to wipe his hair. “Are you hurt?”
By this point, Zhou Zhuoyuan had calmed down a bit, but then a few peers nearby, annoyed by his arrogance, began mocking him disdainfully.
“He’s supposed to be a twin, but he can’t even hold a candle to one of Little Yi’s fingers.”
“A wild kid raised in some backwater village has no manners at all.”
Drenched in alcohol, Zhou Zhuoyuan roared at them, “Say that again if you’ve got the guts! You’re the ones with no manners!”
The boys’ parents all frowned in displeasure upon hearing this.
“Enough!” Zhou Fuxuan’s patience had reached its limit. In front of everyone, he dealt Zhou Zhuoyuan a hard slap across the face. “Get upstairs and change your clothes—now!”
–
He had always assumed it was a problem with the venue’s decor, like a raised spot on the floor, and that he hadn’t been careful, smooth, or clever enough, which was why things had turned so ugly.
But how could such a high-end hotel have such a basic issue?
As Zhou Zhuoyuan recalled the scene, he tried to remember if Ji He had been among those boys who humiliated him, but he couldn’t recall at all.
That day had been a nightmare for him, even worse than the shadow Lin Boxu had cast over his life. And now, he was being told that after his rebirth, the first friend he had truly trusted—the one he had shared his secrets with, the one he didn’t mind prioritizing over Zhou Zhuoyi—was actually the main culprit behind that disaster.
His words stung Ji He, who trembled as he spoke. “Don’t say that. I’m apologizing to you—don’t say such hurtful things.”
Seeing no reaction from Zhou Zhuoyuan, he instinctively reached out to grab his hand, as was his habit. “I know you like saying things in anger. You’ve always done that before, and I know…”
Zhou Zhuoyuan yanked hard to pull his hand free but couldn’t. Inopportunely, Ji He’s earlier words—”Who said my strength is less than yours?”—flashed through his mind. After years of grueling factory work, he actually couldn’t match Ji He?
Blinded by rage, he raised his other hand and slapped Ji He across the face. “Get lost!”
Ji He let go in disbelief, clutching his cheek. “You hit me? Even my mom and dad have never hit me!”
Zhou Zhuoyuan realized in that moment that he’d been too impulsive. He couldn’t afford to cross the Ji Family, but what was done was done. Amid his regret, a strange sense of relief welled up in him. “So what if I hit you? If you’ve got the guts, hit me back! Call your brother, call your parents to have me killed! Kill me right here in this city, then go back and tell the Zhou Family I died in some accident—no one can touch you for it!”
Ji He had indeed been furious just moments ago, but as Zhou Zhuoyuan’s words grew more unhinged, panic overtook him. He jumped up and pinned Zhou Zhuoyuan’s shoulders. “What the hell are you rambling about? Have you lost your mind?”
Zhou Zhuoyuan gasped for breath a couple of times and gradually calmed down, but terror began to creep in: Why had such a deranged thought even occurred to him?
Seeing clarity return to Zhou Zhuoyuan’s eyes, Ji He sat back down at the other end of the bench and rubbed his slapped cheek. “You’ve hit me now—is that enough to vent your anger?”
But he had underestimated Zhou Zhuoyuan’s stubbornness. “No way. I wasn’t speaking out of anger.”
Ji He had thought he was a good person, so he’d saved him without holding a grudge. In truth, Zhou Zhuoyuan had thought the same of Ji He—even after witnessing him hurt Zhou Zhuoyi, he’d only cursed him out a couple times. He never imagined it was anything like that. Ji He had stood up for Zhou Zhuoyi long before he’d laid a hand on him.
Dressed lighter than Zhou Zhuoyuan to look cool, Ji He’s nose was bright red from the cold, his face etched with defiance. “Why? This isn’t fair! I let you hit me, made a fool of myself in front of everyone—what more do you want?”
Zhou Zhuoyuan just wanted to leave, but Ji He clutched his arm like a vice. Staring him down, Zhou Zhuoyuan enunciated each word: “Go find a teacher and switch seats when we get back.”
“You’re always like this!” Ji He exploded again, his babyish face twisting into something fierce. “No matter the problem, you never face it head-on—you just turtle up and hide! You always wait for someone else to coax you back out. I’ve never met anyone so coldhearted and unreasonable! No wonder you never had any friends! Just you wait—someday that dimwitted disciple of yours and your roommates will ditch you too!”
Zhou Zhuoyuan stood frozen, as if nailed in place, showing no reaction for a long moment.
Ji He was just about to backpedal on his outburst when Zhou Zhuoyuan murmured, so faintly it was almost lost: “Think whatever you want.”
The words dissolved swiftly into the biting wind.
~~~
January evenings fell dark fast. The once vibrant amusement park faded to gray in Zhou Zhuoyuan’s eyes.
Music Square hosted a fountain show at night, drawing crowds of tourists in that direction, but Zhou Zhuoyuan bucked the flow. He needed a warm spot for dinner.
He Qinglan’s call cut in just as he pulled up a niche review app.
With acquaintances, Zhou Zhuoyuan always opened with: “Hello?”
He Qinglan asked: “You free to talk right now?”
Dinner still on his mind, Zhou Zhuoyuan hedged: “Yeah.”
He Qinglan pressed: “What’s wrong? You don’t sound happy.”
Zhou Zhuoyuan’s eyes went wide. “How’d you know?”
He Qinglan’s heart sank. “Call it a hunch—you’d say ‘convenient’ or ‘not.’ What happened? Isn’t Ji He with you? Did he piss you off?”
It was rare for him to pry like this, but Zhou Zhuoyuan didn’t mind. Still, he kept it brief: “No. We fought.”
Anxiety laced the other man’s voice: “Where you headed?”
Zhou Zhuoyuan replied: “Grabbing dinner. Undecided on what.”
He Qinglan didn’t hesitate: “Pin your location at the restaurant. I’ll come get you.”
Zhou Zhuoyuan chuckled. “What? Everything’ll be closed by the time you get here.”
He hadn’t flat-out refused, so He Qinglan doubled down: “I’m in C City. Fifty minutes from your resort.”
~~~
Park food was outrageously priced. After wandering, Zhou Zhuoyuan settled on McDonald’s.
He’d barely finished when He Qinglan texted he’d arrived. Stepping out, Zhou Zhuoyuan spotted the anxious man scanning the crowd. His height made He Qinglan stand out like a crane among chickens.
Zhou Zhuoyuan waved him over.
Chilled to the bone, He Qinglan faced Zhou Zhuoyuan, fresh from the toasty interior, and asked: “Can I hug you?”
Zhou Zhuoyuan figured he didn’t need the embrace from someone marinated in the cold, but he nodded anyway.
He Qinglan’s thick down jacket matched his own—plush and yielding, a comforting squash.
Zhou Zhuoyuan buried his face in the man’s shoulder.
So warm.
Warmer than he’d expected.
“Let’s date.”
