CTS 56

Shen Mo let out a muffled sound and quickly turned his face away, escaping the kiss. He backed up again and again until his back hit the wall. The man stepped forward, trapping him within the circle of his arms.

He gently brushed Shen Mo’s hair with his fingers and said, “Dr. Tang called me a few days ago. I figured you were about to recover.”

Dr. Tang was the one treating him. Shen Mo only then realized the man had known everything all along and had simply acted like nothing was wrong.

“Actually, it’s good you’ve come to your senses. You can’t spend your whole life lost in memories.” His tone softened again. “Shen Mo, pack your things and come with me.”

Shen Mo froze. “Go? Where?”

The man smiled. His nose gently brushed against Shen Mo’s, the air between them filled with something lingering and intimate. “You’ll know when we get there.”

Shen Mo used to love this smile the most.

No . That was back when he thought this person was Zhou Yang. But now, he was just a stranger, someone whose name he didn’t even know.

Shen Mo closed his eyes and said, “I can’t. I’m not going.”

“Why not?”

“I’m staying here. I have to wait for Zhou Yang.”

The words slipped out before he could stop them. Right after he said it, he saw the smile fade from the man’s eyes.

“Zhou Yang is abroad. And the two of you already broke up.”

Shen Mo had no memory of that, but he instinctively shook his head. “No. Zhou Yang and I are just separated for now. It’s not over.”

The man went quiet for a while, then asked, “Shen Mo, what about me?”

A tremor ran through Shen Mo’s heart, like being dropped into seawater that was half warm and half cold, floating with no shore in sight. Still, he pushed through and said, “I thought you were Zhou Yang… The one I love has always been Zhou Yang…”

Before he could finish, the man pressed his lips hard against Shen Mo’s.

This time, it wasn’t a gentle kiss. It was harsh and desperate. He took Shen Mo’s mouth completely, like he wanted to steal all the air from his lungs, leaving no space for retreat.

Shen Mo thought for a second that he might die from this kiss. He struggled and bit down on the man’s lips.

The taste of blood spread between them, sharp and metallic. The man gave a low grunt but didn’t move, still gripping Shen Mo’s shoulders tightly as he continued to kiss him.

Shen Mo barely managed to pull away, his voice muffled as he called out, “Zhou Yang—”

The man suddenly stopped.

His lips were still pressed against Shen Mo’s, and for a second, it felt like they trembled. Then, after a moment of stillness, he slowly drew back. His lower lip had indeed been bitten open. A streak of red stood out against his pale face, making him look even more colorless.

Shen Mo had never seen him like this, so disheveled, so vulnerable.

But the man quickly composed himself. He released Shen Mo’s wrists, his expression returning to normal. Even his voice was calm and restrained as he said, “Yes. The one you love is Zhou Yang.”

He wiped the blood from his lip casually and stood up. “I suppose I shouldn’t stay here tonight.”

Shen Mo didn’t know how to respond. Life had gone on as usual, and then suddenly the person beside him had changed. What was he supposed to do with that? His mind was a mess.

The man gave a small nod, as if confirming something to himself. “Of course you won’t come with me. I’m the one who should leave.”

His composure was flawless. Not a trace of anger or frustration. He packed up his laptop just as he always did, then turned and walked out the door.

Shen Mo’s legs moved on their own. He chased a few steps, stopping only at the doorway.

He didn’t even know who that man really was. How could he just leave with him? At the very least, he needed to recover his memories. He needed to figure out what had truly happened between him and Zhou Yang.

Shen Mo sat back down on the sofa alone.

It had started to rain. The sound of it tapping against the windows filled the room. This apartment had once been arranged and decorated by him and Zhou Yang, but now, traces of another person were everywhere.

He didn’t know how much time passed before the doorbell rang again. He jumped up and ran to open the door.

The man was standing outside.

Shen Mo froze.

He must have driven here, yet for some reason he was drenched. His clothes were soaked through, water dripping from the ends of his hair. Even his eyes seemed to have been steeped in rainwater, heavy and still as they looked into Shen Mo’s.

Shen Mo opened his mouth but said nothing.

The man didn’t come in. He simply reached out, took Shen Mo’s hand, and pressed a neatly wrapped box into it. “I had this gift prepared a long time ago. I was hoping to give it to you in person…”

The rain was loud, and his voice sounded distant, as though it had passed through a layer of mist.

“You can go see it for yourself. Or…”

He stepped forward, close enough for Shen Mo to feel the dampness of his clothes and breath.

This time, Shen Mo didn’t flinch.

The man leaned in so close, it felt like he would kiss him at any moment. But he didn’t. He just said softly, “Or you can pretend you never received it. If that’s what you choose, then I’ll understand where your heart stands.”

Shen Mo noticed that the box in his hand was warm and dry. The rain was pouring outside, and he had no idea where the man had been keeping it.

He clutched the birthday gift tightly in his hands, as if he were holding the man’s heart.