RTCBM 54

Wen Shang was out on business today and not in the office. Mu Yuan brought afternoon tea and shared it with the company staff, setting aside a portion just for him.

“Yuan-ge, our boss went out for a meeting. No idea when he’ll be back. Why don’t you take a seat? I’ll get you something to drink,” Xiao Chen offered warmly and pulled over a chair.

People used to be intimidated by him. Now that they were familiar with each other, everyone called Mu Yuan “Yuan-ge” when they saw him.

“No need. Go do your thing. I’ll make my own drink. We’re all friends here, no need to stand on ceremony.”

“Yuan-ge, there’s something I’ve been curious about for a while.” Xiao Chen looked him over, hesitating as if unsure whether to ask.

“If you’ve got something to say, just ask.”

After a moment of thought, Xiao Chen organized his words and asked, “Why do you always dress like this? Are all guys from your background dressed the same way?”

“How could they be? This cool look, only I can pull it off. None of them could copy it even if they tried.” Mu Yuan took out his phone and admired himself in the screen for a while. He slicked his hair back and winked at Xiao Chen.

“What do you think? Doesn’t Yuan-ge look especially handsome today?”

“Can I be honest?”

“Of course. Go ahead.” Mu Yuan perked up, expecting a shower of compliments.

Xiao Chen was too straightforward to sugarcoat it. “Yuan-ge, I think you should go for a more normal style. The way you’re dressed now… it’s really not it.”

Mu Yuan looked unconvinced. He rolled up his sleeves to reveal two arms covered in tattoos and showed off his gold chain and rings. “What do you mean not it? I’m both handsome and cool. Anyone who doesn’t admit that just isn’t being objective.”

No matter how sincere, the truth was useless against someone who refused to accept their terrible fashion sense. Xiao Chen had no words for that. He lowered his head, acting like he was focused on the files, as if he hadn’t heard a word Mu Yuan said.

The elevator doors slowly opened. A man in casual clothes stepped out and walked toward the office area.

His striking features and unmistakable model aura made him the center of attention the moment he appeared.

Everyone began whispering the same question: “Who is that?”

The man stopped and looked around. His gaze landed on Mu Yuan, and he headed in his direction.

He didn’t speak to Mu Yuan. Instead, he turned to Xiao Chen and asked, “Is your boss in?”

Xiao Chen, slightly nervous, replied, “He’s out and hasn’t returned yet. May I ask what business you have with him?”

“I’m a partner on one of your company’s projects. I came by today just to say hello and meet your boss in person.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

The man smiled and nodded. “Yes, I made one with Miss Chris. She told me to come by at three-thirty.”

Xiao Chen glanced at the wall clock. It was now 3:20 p.m.

“In that case, there’s no problem. The boss is usually very punctual, so he should be back soon. Would you like to wait in the reception room?”

“No need. I’ll just wait here,” the man replied with an easygoing attitude. As he spoke, his attractive almond-shaped eyes kept glancing in Mu Yuan’s direction.

Mu Yuan thought he had his eye on the dessert, so he held out the box of macarons in his hand. “Want one?”

“Thanks, I’ll help myself then.” The man picked out a peach-colored macaron and took a bite.

“If it’s not enough, I’ve got more over here,” Mu Yuan added, pointing at a few more boxes of sweets on the table.

“No, one’s enough. I follow a strict fitness diet and can’t eat too many sweets.”

“With that body, you still need to work out?” Mu Yuan asked casually, giving the man’s arm a friendly slap before prying further. “What do you do? Are you an actor? A model?”

“Mu Yuan.”

Before the man could reply, someone called out from behind.

Mu Yuan turned his head and saw Wen Shang, who had returned to the office without anyone noticing. He was standing a short distance away, and his face which is already cold by nature, had darkened even further.

“There you are. Someone’s here to see you.”

Wen Shang gave Hua You a quick glance, then jerked his chin toward Mu Yuan. “Come here.”

Mu Yuan, unsure what was going on, followed him through the office into a quiet corridor. Wen Shang said nothing the whole way. Eventually, Mu Yuan couldn’t hold back his curiosity and asked, “What’s wrong? Do you need to talk to me?”

Wen Shang tucked away the gloom from earlier and returned to his usual gentle expression when dealing with Mu Yuan. He pulled out a card from his wallet and handed it over.

“What’s this?” Mu Yuan took the card and turned it over in his hands, inspecting both sides.

“That’s the spare keycard to my place. Keep it with you, and don’t lose it,” Wen Shang said. “I’ll be having dinner at home tonight. Wait for me there, alright?”

“You’re the best! I freaking love you!” Mu Yuan was so excited, he charged in like an overexcited bear, wrapping Wen Shang in a tight hug. Wen Shang staggered back a few steps before regaining his balance.

But the hug wasn’t enough to contain all that joy. Mu Yuan glanced around quickly, and seeing that the hallway was empty, he pinned Wen Shang to the wall and kissed him hard, again and again.

Afterward, he licked the moisture left on his lips and asked, “Can I go to your place right now?”

“You can.”

“I left you a dessert. It’s on your desk in the office. Make sure you finish it.”

“Mm.” Wen Shang pinched his cheek lightly. Only after watching Mu Yuan’s cheerful figure disappear into the elevator did he turn and walk away.

When he returned to his office, Hua You was already sitting on the couch, waiting.

“That person just now.., is he your current partner?” Hua You skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point.

Wen Shang walked over and sat down behind his desk without answering.

“I saw you two last night at the nightclub. You kissed him. I didn’t expect your tastes to have changed that much. I always thought you preferred someone more refined and clean-cut. Not that I’m insulting him…”

Wen Shang cut him off. “You can tell if someone looks clean on the outside, but whether they’re clean on the inside, that’s not something you can always see.”

Hua You understood he was being insulted. He didn’t respond. He let out a low laugh, two short chuckles laced with bitterness. “Do you still hate me for betraying you back then?”

“What’s the point of bringing up that mess now?” Wen Shang said calmly. “Since you’re already here, I’ll say what needs to be said all at once. This has nothing to do with the past. It’s about the project. You being the face of the campaign wasn’t my decision. It was about the company’s image and the benefits involved. I couldn’t terminate the contract. From this moment on, if there’s anything related to the collaboration, speak directly with my assistant. Don’t come to me. I won’t involve myself in the project anymore.”

Wen Shang had said everything that needed saying. He reached for his phone, ready to call Chris and have her send the guest out.

“I admit it. Back then, I did something that hurt you, and I can’t deny that.” Hua You suddenly stood up and walked over to him. “I just wanted to tell you, these past two years, I ended up developing my career in China due to some coincidences. There were several times I thought about reaching out to you, but I didn’t know what to say. Knowing your personality, I figured you’d never accept my apology.”

Wen Shang let out a mocking laugh. “Why would I accept an apology from someone who had another man’s dick in his mouth and still had the nerve to tell me he loved me?”

Hua You’s face turned pale in an instant. Wen Shang didn’t even bother to look at him again. He picked up the phone, dialed Chris’s extension, and said two words into the receiver.

“Show him out.”

—

As Hua You walked out of the Wen Group building, a black Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up at just the right moment. The back door slowly opened, and sitting inside was a man in his fifties wearing sunglasses. The moment he saw Hua You, he removed his glasses and gave a soft, doting smile.

“Get in.”

Hua You said nothing. He quietly got in and sat beside the man.

“You look tired. Did you not sleep well last night?”

“Maybe,” Hua You replied and rubbed at his temples.

“I’ll have someone make you a bowl of pig heart soup with longan and lotus seeds when we get home. It’s really good for calming the nerves and helping with sleep.”

Hua You gave a small smile, leaned his head on the man’s shoulder, and closed his eyes.

“Ah Le,” the man spoke to the driver up front, “turn around. Skip the restaurant. We’re going straight back to Xingyuan.”

The driver gave a small nod and kept his eyes on the road. “Understood, Mr. Hai.”

—

When Wen Shang got home after work, Mu Yuan was lying belly-down on his bed, seriously reading a book. Wen Shang stood leaning against the doorframe with a small smile, watching him for a while. Then he crept over and smacked Mu Yuan on the ass.

“What are you reading? A porn book?”

“You’re the one reading porn,” Mu Yuan wrinkled his nose and kicked Wen Shang in the stomach.

Wen Shang reacted quickly, grabbed his ankle, and bit it. They horsed around for a bit until Wen Shang took the book from his hands and flipped through a few pages. He was surprised to see Mu Yuan was actually reading One Hundred Years of Solitude.

“Where did you get this book?”

“It was my dad’s. He left it behind.”

“Do you even understand what it’s about?” Wen Shang asked with a smile.

Mu Yuan punched him lightly in the chest, a little annoyed. “Are you looking down on me?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“It’s exactly what you meant.”

“So, you really get what it’s saying?”

Mu Yuan gave up pretending to be serious and let out a sheepish laugh. “Not really. The more I read, the sleepier I get.”

Wen Shang pulled him into his arms and pecked the tip of his nose. “Want to read comics instead?”

At the mention of comics, Mu Yuan instantly perked up and nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes!”

Wen Shang stood up, went to the bookshelf, pulled out a stack of Japanese and Western comics, and dumped them all onto the bed.

“Why are all of them in English?” Mu Yuan flipped through a few pages and realized he couldn’t understand a word.

“I bought them when I was studying abroad. I couldn’t bring myself to throw them out, so I brought them all back.”

Wen Shang jumped onto the bed and sat cross-legged beside him. “Want me to translate them for you?”

Mu Yuan randomly picked out a Batman comic, and by chance discovered a photo album hidden beneath it. His eyes lit up like he had just found treasure. He opened it and began flipping through.

“Holy crap, when was this taken?” Mu Yuan pointed to a photo of Wen Shang with bleached blonde hair. “So this is what you used to look like? What a dork.”

Wen Shang wasn’t pleased. He knocked Mu Yuan on the head. “What do you mean, ‘look like a dork’?” He tried to snatch the album back, but Mu Yuan refused to hand it over. In the end, Wen Shang had no choice but to sit with him and go through the photos together, explaining the stories behind each one.

With every photo they looked at, Mu Yuan felt like he got to know Wen Shang a little more. It felt like leveling up in a game, each page adding to his achievement score.

Toward the last few pages of the album, a loose photo slipped out. It was the only one not slotted into a sleeve.

Mu Yuan picked it up. It was a picture of two young men standing close together in matching T-shirts, arms wrapped around each other. He immediately recognized Wen Shang on the left. As for the boy on the right, he looked vaguely familiar, like he had seen him somewhere before.

Still trying to recall, Mu Yuan was abruptly interrupted when the photo was snatched from his hand. Without saying anything, Wen Shang grabbed the lighter from the table, stepped out onto the balcony, and burned the picture to ash.

That night, Wen Shang couldn’t sleep. He tossed and turned for what felt like hours. Beside him, someone gently reached over and touched his hand.

“Honey,” Mu Yuan turned toward him in the dark and looked at him.

“Yeah?”

“Why aren’t you asleep?”

Wen Shang pulled his hand closer, staring up at the ceiling. After a long silence, he finally spoke. “You saw that photo earlier. The person in it was my boyfriend back in college.”

“I heard about it from Xiang Yang,” Mu Yuan said.

“Did he ever tell you why we broke up?”

Mu Yuan nodded softly, giving a simple hum in response. He didn’t say anything else, just kept listening.

“The man you saw in my office this afternoon was him.” Wen Shang paused, then continued. “By coincidence, he ended up becoming the brand ambassador for one of our hotels. After we broke up, I thought we had completely cut ties. I never imagined we’d cross paths again like this.”

“Do you still have feelings for him?”

“No,” Wen Shang said, tightening his grip around Mu Yuan’s hand and bringing it to his lips for a kiss.

“Then what’s bothering you?” Even someone as oblivious as Mu Yuan could sense that something was weighing on his lover’s mind.

What exactly was bothering him? Wen Shang asked himself the same question. If he had truly buried his feelings for Hua You long ago, why was he still restless?

“You don’t want to face him, do you?” Mu Yuan asked. It sounded like a question, but it was also a quiet confirmation.

“Maybe,” Wen Shang admitted. “He was my first relationship. Even though I don’t feel anything for him now, I still remember everything that happened when we were together, both the good and the bad.” His tone grew heavier with those last few words.

He had been the one hurt in that relationship. He was also the one who refused reconciliation and cut off all contact. Even though his heart had long gone cold, that didn’t mean the past could be completely erased. So when he saw Hua You again today, standing in front of him, a surge of resistance rose from deep inside.

Wen Shang didn’t know what Hua You felt now. Was he apologizing, asking for forgiveness, trying to get back together? That was just Wen Shang’s guess, but that guy better not try to stir up any drama.

“Alright, alright. Let’s not talk about him anymore. What matters most is staying happy—”

“So you’re giving me your ass to eat?” Wen Shang interrupted with a smirk, taking the conversation into the gutter.

Mu Yuan jabbed him in the waist with his elbow, and both of them burst out laughing.

“I really am a bit hungry. Want to go out for a late-night snack?” Mu Yuan suggested. “Might help clear our heads too.”

Since they couldn’t sleep anyway, they got up to change. Wen Shang couldn’t stand Mu Yuan’s nouveau riche outfit and made him take it off and wear something from his own wardrobe instead.

At two-thirty in the morning, they sat on a bench at the harbor, holding bowls of cart noodles and curry four-in-one combo from a 24-hour convenience store. Only at this hour did the bustling city return to silence. Waves lapped rhythmically against the shore. The two of them ate quietly, listening to the wind and the surf. From time to time, they’d glance up and catch each other’s eyes. Mu Yuan picked a piece of fish tofu from Wen Shang’s bowl, and Wen Shang took a bobo sausage from his. The same food could taste rich and satisfying, or dull and flavorless, depending on who was there to share it.

On the other side of the pier, a group of young men and women had gathered to play music. They sat on the ground, chatting and singing along to a guitar, laughter and voices rising and falling in waves.

“Why don’t we go join them?”

“What are you butting in for?”

Clearly, Mu Yuan wasn’t asking for Wen Shang’s opinion. He simply took his hand and pulled him into the crowd. Mu Yuan had a natural ease with people. No matter the place or company, he always found a way to blend in effortlessly. Watching him joke and laugh with everyone, Wen Shang couldn’t help but wonder. If Mu Huafeng hadn’t passed away, what path would Mu Yuan’s life have taken? Would he still have met Mu Yuan? Would they be together like this?

Who could say..

Wen Shang suddenly noticed Mu Yuan was no longer beside him. He glanced around and spotted him walking toward the makeshift performance spot.

Mu Yuan cleared his throat into the microphone and pointed toward where Wen Shang was seated.

“Classmate Wen, please look over here.”

Wen Shang braced himself. This guy was definitely about to do something ridiculous. Sure enough, the next second, Mu Yuan came out in front of everyone.

“Hello, everyone. It’s fate that brought us together tonight. Please allow me to introduce that ridiculously handsome guy over there. He’s my boyfriend.”

The crowd burst into laughter and applause. In contrast to Mu Yuan’s smugness, Wen Shang wanted to vanish into thin air. He shot Mu Yuan a deadly glare, which Mu Yuan completely ignored.

“Alright, that’s enough teasing. If you all keep it up, he really will blush.” Mu Yuan raised a finger to his lips to hush the crowd. “Now, I’m going to sing something for him. The title says everything I want to tell him.
‘I Need You Every Minute.’”

As the sound of the guitar filled the air, Mu Yuan began to sing. The moment his voice rang out, the crowd fell silent, caught off guard by his unique tone. Expressions softened into quiet appreciation as everyone listened, absorbed in the melody.

“I wish I could fly a rocket and bring you to the stars.”
So we can live in space, just the two of us.
Even living to a thousand years would still feel intoxicating,
Because having you by my side is such a joy.
Being together with you feels just right,
Even if the earth collapses and the sky falls, it’s nothing.
Even through storms, as long as I see you,
It feels like basking in sunshine stretching thousands of miles.

Dressing up a little better, all because of you.
Acting silly, all because of you.
I’m willing to do foolish things for you.
Even imitating a gorilla and laughing at everything I see,
Having you by my side makes everything more fun.
If I were to lose you one day, even blooming flowers would look dull.
I’d rather go live forever on a deserted island,
Make a fake version of you just to see you every day,
Even act out scenes with a wooden puppet.
As long as you’re here, I’m happier,
Even salted fish and cabbage taste delicious.
I want to be with you always.
Every minute, I need you,
You’re like sunlight and air to me.”

---

Wen Shang suddenly remembered a metaphor Luo Yi had told him a long time ago.

In this world, each of us is like a book.
Some books are beautifully bound, and the moment you see them, you’re drawn in by their stunning appearance. But when you finally hold them and begin to read, you’re sorely disappointed. You find that they’re dull, shallow, and empty inside. Other books may look plain, even unremarkable on the outside. But as you turn the pages one by one, you begin to discover how interesting, how wonderful they truly are. These books make you lose track of time. They’re full of charm, offering something new every time you read them.

Wen Shang wanted to hold onto this book, Mu Yuan, for the rest of his life, and read him forever.