Chapter 32 – Happy Times

Yet, time flew so swiftly that it seemed like the last note had ended in a blink of an eye, the clock chimed, and everything returned to tranquility.

Jiang Ruo sighed softly with his forehead resting on Xi Yufeng’s shoulder.

As a dance partner, Xi Yufeng was the epitome of a gentleman. “Another dance?”

“No,” Jiang Ruo shook his head, his voice slightly hoarse. “Let’s do something happier.”

It had been some days since they last did it, and this time, they went from dusk till dawn.

Afterward, Xi Yufeng leaned against the headboard smoking while Jiang Ruo suddenly laughed. “Do you know, the first time I saw you, I thought you were the type who abstained from such pleasures, you know, sexually cold.”

Xi Yufeng said, “I once thought the same.”

Jiang Ruo turned his head to look at him. “Could it be that before you met me, you were always alone?”

Xi Yufeng didn’t answer, instead, he glanced at him as if to say — what do you think?

Jiang Ruo was a bit taken aback. “No…it shouldn’t be so, with your looks, you wouldn’t lack bed partners, right?”

“Not lacking, but unnecessary,” Xi Yufeng replied.

“Oh, I see.” Jiang Ruo suddenly understood. “President Xi seeks higher pleasures, the kind that transcends the base, this level of enlightenment isn’t something us ordinary people can reach.”

The sarcastic comment made Xi Yufeng chuckle with the cigarette in his mouth. “Seems like you still have energy.”

“Huh?”

“So talkative.”

“…”

The two rolled together again.

Throughout the process, Jiang Ruo kept talking, emitting various seductive moans and breathless pants, continuously probing and questioning — how about companionship, conquest, and falling deep…do those count as happiness?

Xi Yufeng didn’t intend to answer, but after Jiang Ruo repeatedly asked, he lost patience and gripped his chin with his tiger-like grip. “And you now, are you happy?”

Due to their position, Jiang Ruo was forced to twist his neck to meet Xi Yufeng’s gaze, yet his smile was radiant.

“Happy, of course happy.” He straightened his upper body, his back touching Xi Yufeng’s slightly sweaty chest, his arm reaching back to touch his hair. “Just thinking…that only I know, know there’s a small brown mole on your chest, makes me…so happy I could die.”

Xi Yufeng’s eyes darkened instantly, as if his most primal desire was ignited.

“Is that so?” As he exerted himself, he asked almost viciously, “And you, is there anything only I know about you?”

“Yes,” Jiang Ruo took his hand, placing it over his heart.

“Every time you do this to me, it beats nonstop…loving it so much I could die.”

The next morning, Xi Yufeng got up on time, half an hour later, dressed neatly, he headed to the company.

Jiang Ruo opened his eyes for just half a minute, his arm stretching out from under the covers, then slowly retracted, mumbling, “Button up yourself,” before turning over to sleep more.

When he finally woke up, it was nearly noon, Jiang Ruo stretched lazily and walked out, first noticing the shopping bags on the dining table, then the aroma of food wafting from the kitchen. He tiptoed closer, shouting “Aunt Fang” at the door, scaring Aunt Fang so much she almost threw the spatula at his head.

Ten minutes later, after washing his face, brushing his teeth, and tidying up, Jiang Ruo returned to the kitchen, standing by the sink to help Aunt Fang. Cooking wasn’t his forte, but he could handle washing and preparing vegetables.

Aunt Fang was delighted to have someone to chat with, they talked about the recent meat and vegetable prices, the high property fees here, and then the main residence of the Xi family in the south of Feng City. Apparently, the house had been built for decades, and the maintenance costs every year were astronomical.

“That house is grand, sure, but it’s exhausting to clean. Everyone in their family has peculiar temperaments, they don’t like outsiders entering their home, so we can’t hire cleaners, it’s all on me and a butler.”

To describe her employers with “peculiar temperaments,” it suggested she had a good relationship with them. Jiang Ruo said, “That means they consider you family, if you’re too tired, you can reduce the cleaning frequency, I’m sure they’d understand.”

Aunt Fang sighed. “If it was the previous lady, she certainly wouldn’t complain. Although she sometimes had a bad temper, she had a good heart, the current lady…”

Recalling his limited encounters with Xi Yufeng’s stepmother, Jiang Ruo felt deeply. “No wonder he had a tough childhood.”

How could anyone live well under such a stepmother?

Aunt Fang paused, then said, “Didn’t Xiao Feng tell you? His mother passed away when he was nineteen, while he was studying abroad, so Xiao Feng didn’t suffer much at Madam Xiao’s hands, at least not openly, after all, there was still the master around.”

“Then…” Just as he was about to ask, Jiang Ruo remembered how coldly Xi Yufeng interrupted their conversation last time, he quickly stopped himself.

“How come, you want to ask about how he suffered as a child?”

“You’d better not say anything, lest he gets angry when he comes back.” Jiang Ruo feared Aunt Fang would speak too quickly, so he interjected, “When he’s ready to talk about it, he’ll naturally tell me.”

Aunt Fang hadn’t planned to go into detail anyway, hearing this, she turned to look at Jiang Ruo, looking gratified.

She then sighed. “No wonder, Xiao Feng, that lonely child, would keep you by his side.”

At noon, the two ate together, while cleaning up, Aunt Fang told Jiang Ruo some insignificant things about the Xi family.

“The second young master is useless, the master knows this well, but there’s nothing he can do, he’s still a member of the Xi family, he has to guide him onto the right path, otherwise, it’d be too embarrassing if word got out.”

Ever since confirming that Aunt Fang was on Xi Yufeng’s side, Jiang Ruo no longer held back when speaking to her. “That guy is more than useless, without anyone spreading rumors, people outside already have a bad impression of him.”

“True,” Aunt Fang sighed. “In the end, it’s Xiao Feng who suffers, not only does he have to clean up after his brother’s messes, he also can’t return home…”

Jiang Ruo blinked. “Isn’t this his home?”

“This house was left to him by the lady, the one in the south of the city was her dowry, of course, it’s also his.” Aunt Fang spoke, feeling unfair for Xi Yufeng. “I advised the master long ago not to bring Madam Xiao and the second young master there, after all, the lady left it for Xiao Feng as a wedding house, letting a second wife and illegitimate child live there, what kind of message does that send?”

Hearing the words “wedding house,” Jiang Ruo was taken aback. “He…I mean Xi Yufeng, is getting married?”

Aunt Fang realized her slip-up after saying it, slightly embarrassed. “Not exactly, but that’s what the lady said before she passed…after all, Xiao Feng is the eldest son, starting a career, establishing a family, and continuing the lineage are responsibilities he must bear.”

When Xi Yufeng came back, Aunt Fang had already left.

He tossed his coat on the sofa, following the sound to the dance room door. The evening sun shone through the window onto the warm-toned floor, filling the entire space with a clear, dusky yellow glow.

And Jiang Ruo, right in the center of that light, bent backward, doing a chest-opening shoulder-stretching exercise.

He counted silently in his heart, holding for thirty seconds, exhaling as he straightened his body. Just as he sat up, he was scooped by the waist into an embrace that carried the chill of autumn.

Jiang Ruo obediently let him hold him, squinting and smiling. “You’re back.”

Xi Yufeng hummed in affirmation, asking, “Which dance are you planning to do today?”

“Haven’t decided yet.” Jiang Ruo looked up, touching his chin with his lips. “What do you want to see me dance?”

“I want to see your dance at seventeen — ”

“No way.” Jiang Ruo immediately interrupted. “Choose another.”

Xi Yufeng merely mentioned it casually, seeing Jiang Ruo’s refusal, he fell into contemplation.

Unfortunately, he had no interest in art, after thinking for a while, he could only come up with “Swan Lake.”

Jiang Ruo laughed. “How do you know there’s a male version of Swan Lake? But I haven’t danced ballet in years, I can’t handle it.”

After a moment, he changed his mind. “If you want to see me dance ‘Nameless,’ it’s not impossible.”

Xi Yufeng was taken aback, lowering his gaze to look at Jiang Ruo.

“But there’s a condition.” Jiang Ruo raised his eyebrows at him. “Exchange your past with me, and I’ll dance for you.”

This “deal” was bound to fail.

Making someone as guarded as Xi Yufeng reveal his inner thoughts was akin to exposing his weaknesses, nobody had ever succeeded, where did Jiang Ruo get the confidence to be the first?

But the words were already spoken, Xi Yufeng keenly sensed something, turning to ask Jiang Ruo, “What did Aunt Fang tell you?”

“Everything that should be said and shouldn’t be said.” Jiang Ruo seemed carefree. “So, are you going to silence me?”

This attitude clearly indicated he heard nothing.

Xi Yufeng didn’t realize he breathed a sigh of relief. “Silence you?”

Jiang Ruo nodded. “Yes, because I know too much.”

Xi Yufeng chuckled, then gently pushed him away with both hands, making Jiang Ruo stand upright. “Then tonight, eat a lot for your last meal.”

Autumn in Feng City seemed shorter than elsewhere, less than two weeks after wrapping up “Cliff,” the temperature had already dropped into single digits.

Winter was imminent, and Jiang Ruo began to fear the cold. Apart from necessary work outings, he spent most of his time in Xi Yufeng’s large apartment, waiting for him to return, eating, bathing, and then going to bed.

Day after day, it was like repeating a rehearsal with a clear theme, regardless of what might happen tomorrow or when the end would come.

That night was no different, except when they were in the heat of passion, Jiang Ruo’s phone on the bedside table suddenly started vibrating.

Initially, he didn’t intend to bother with it, even waving the phone onto the floor.

But whoever was on the other end kept calling without answering, until Xi Yufeng frowned in displeasure, and Jiang Ruo lost his mood. Rolling out from under Xi Yufeng, he got out of bed barefoot, bending down to pick up the phone.

Incidentally grabbing a bathrobe to drape over his body, he pressed the answer button as he walked to the window.

From Xi Yufeng’s perspective, he could see a slender silhouette, a pair of long legs that had just been wrapped around his waist, perhaps still covered with a layer of damp sweat.

This made Xi Yufeng involuntarily get up and walk toward him.

Although he was on the phone, Jiang Ruo hardly spoke, replying with a few “hmm” and “oh” in a very indifferent tone.

The call ended, and a warm body pressed against him from behind.

Xi Yufeng held Jiang Ruo’s waist with one arm, his gaze passing over his shoulder to look at his face.

Perhaps Jiang Ruo himself didn’t realize, but at this moment, his face was expressionless, his eyes vacant.

But it was just a brief moment, the next second, Jiang Ruo turned around, pulling Xi Yufeng’s hand toward the bed. “Sorry, I ruined your mood.”

He sat back on the bed. “Let’s continue.”

But Xi Yufeng pressed his shoulders, stopping his next move.

“What’s wrong?” Xi Yufeng looked at him, asking, “What happened?”

That look made Jiang Ruo admit that Xi Yufeng was the first, and possibly the only one in the world, who could tell if he was good or not simply by his facial expressions and demeanor.

So, did he see through the thoughts Jiang Ruo thought he hid so well, the boundary-crossing notions he dared not express, just because he found it troublesome and didn’t say anything?

At this moment, Jiang Ruo felt a profound sense of powerlessness.

And thus, he thought he might as well throw caution to the wind.

“My mother died.” After saying it, he realized it sounded like a curse, Jiang Ruo let out a soft laugh, elaborating, “The woman who brought me into this world, passed away. Tomorrow, I need to make a trip back home.”