TF01 55

Shi Yi had a solid night’s sleep, and in the end, it was Ying Ming who drove him back to the company.

He only woke him up when they arrived downstairs. Seeing Shi Yi’s slightly dazed expression as he opened his eyes, Ying Ming couldn’t help but chuckle. “How many days have you gone without sleep?”

Shi Yi rubbed his stiff neck. “Been busy lately. Haven’t been sleeping well.”

He barely had time to close his eyes, and even when he did, it was always restless.

It was strange. Sleeping in a car was hardly comfortable, yet somehow, it was the best sleep he had gotten in a while.

“Don’t just focus on making money. Get some rest,” Ying Ming said as he got out of the car. Then he turned to hail a taxi. Shi Yi raised an eyebrow. “Want me to get you a ride?”

“No need.”

There were plenty of empty cabs on the road at this hour. Ying Ming flagged one down and, before getting in, glanced back at Shi Yi. “I’m heading off.”

“Yeah. See you later.”

Shi Yi watched his car drive away before heading upstairs. His whole body felt inexplicably refreshed, and that suffocating feeling from the past few days had completely disappeared.

He hadn’t even stepped into the building when his phone rang.

At first, he thought it was Ou Yang calling about a meeting, but when he pulled out his phone, he saw that the number belonged to Wang Le.

His brows furrowed instinctively. He had almost forgotten about this person.

“Wang Le?”

“Ah Yi.” Wang Le’s voice was urgent, and as always, he hadn’t learned to change how he addressed him. “I’m at the airport right now, but someone took my luggage. I can’t get home. Come pick me up.”

“The airport? You’re back?”

“Yeah. Hurry up.”

Because of Wang Le, Shi Yi had to push his morning meeting to the afternoon. He and Ou Yang circled the airport three or four times before they finally found him standing there completely empty-handed. The moment Wang Le saw them, he was one step away from shouting in relief. “My phone’s about to die. Good thing you guys made it.”

“You came back alone?” Weren’t they supposed to spend the entire New Year’s holiday abroad as a family?

Wang Le’s face stiffened for a moment before he let out a small hum. “I didn’t tell them.”

By “them,” he was obviously referring to his family.

Shi Yi’s frown deepened. “Uncle Wang and the others don’t know you’re back?”

“Now they probably know. I left a note.”

“Damn. Are you out of your mind?”

He was a grown man, yet he still acted like an immature kid.

Wang Le had already expected Shi Yi to scold him, so he was mentally prepared and didn’t take it to heart. He glanced at Shi Yi and curiously reached out to touch his glasses. “Hey, since when did you start wearing glasses?”

As far as he could remember, Shi Yi had perfect eyesight when they were kids.

Just before Wang Le’s fingers could reach, Shi Yi took a quick step back, avoiding his touch. “Nothing. Just had a little accident.”

He turned to Ou Yang. “Sort things out for Wang Le first. I’ll call his family.”

Since his luggage was gone, he probably didn’t have his keys either.

Wang Le had always been absentminded and unreliable. Back in school, Shi Yi was the one looking after him, and after graduation, his family completely took over. Shi Yi had always been amazed at how the Wang family had managed to raise such a carefree son who lived his life as if it were a dream.

While Shi Yi made the call, Wang Le pulled out his phone and sent a message.

It was to Wang Yiqi.

The message was short. He just said he was back and hoped they could meet to talk things through.

Wang Le didn’t expect a response.

Wang Yiqi had always treated him with cold indifference, and to be honest, he was used to it. But surprisingly, the reply came quickly.

“Okay. Time and place.”

Just four words, but it was exactly his style.

When Shi Yi turned back after his call, he saw Wang Le grinning at his phone. He frowned. “Still in the mood to smile? Wait till your family gets here. You’ll be in for it.” Even through the phone, he could feel the anger from the other end. But since the Wang family had business to handle on their side, they couldn’t return right away. For now, Shi Yi had to take care of Wang Le.

“You’ll stay at my place for now?”

“Alright.”

Shi Yi sighed, letting Ou Yang return to the company for the meeting. He would head back once he settled Wang Le. Ou Yang patted his shoulder with a sympathetic look, telling him to call if anything came up.

Wang Le must have been exhausted from the trip. He dozed off in the car and only woke up when they reached home. He staggered upstairs, stepped inside, and flopped onto the couch without moving.

Shi Yi didn’t bother waking him. He left a note on the coffee table, telling him to call when he woke up. There was still a pile of work waiting for him at the office. He didn’t have time to play babysitter. After hurriedly pouring a glass of water, he grabbed his things and left.

Although he and Wang Le had grown up together, Wang Le had barely ever been to his apartment. To be precise, Shi Yi had never been the kind of person who liked others intruding on his space. He had been independent since childhood, always having his own room for as long as he could remember. His parents were often busy with social engagements, sometimes disappearing for days at a time. So unless it was necessary, he disliked having people step into his private space.

Even when he was dating Liu Li, they mostly met outside or stayed in hotels.

At most, she had only come over once or twice.

If he hadn’t been at a loss about where to dump Wang Le, he wouldn’t have brought him home today either.

By the time he got back to the office, he was busy straight until past seven in the evening. When he finally stepped out of the conference room, he realized he still hadn’t received a single call. He considered calling home but figured Wang Le might still be jet-lagged, so he decided against it.

After hesitating for a moment, he ended up dialing Ying Ming instead.

This time, the call was picked up after just a couple of rings.

But Ying Ming didn’t speak first. He was waiting for him to say something.

Shi Yi chuckled. “Got plans tonight?”

“No.”

“Wanna grab dinner?”

“Sure. You pick the place.”

The straightforwardness of the conversation put Shi Yi in a great mood. He glanced at the time and chose a restaurant they both liked. “I’m leaving the office now. Should be there in about half an hour.”

“Same here. See you soon.”

“Alright.”

After hanging up, Shi Yi slipped on his coat, feeling noticeably lighter. Just as he was about to leave, Ou Yang, who was also heading out, caught sight of him and raised a brow in surprise. “You were acting like you’d swallowed a ton of explosives a few days ago, and now you’re grinning like you hit the jackpot. What’s with the mood swings?”

Shi Yi smirked. “Maybe I’m hitting menopause.”

Ou Yang laughed, sensing that his mood had improved, and didn’t bother pressing for details. Whatever had been going on, Shi Yi seemed to be handling it fine.

He had always had faith in him.

Ever since they had met, Shi Yi had been someone who could handle everything around calmly.

Although there had been a slight shift in him lately, Ou Yang didn’t think it was necessarily a bad thing.

Then, out of nowhere, he recalled that man standing beside Shi Yi the other day when they confronted Zhao Zicong.

Ying Ming, wasn’t it?

Something told him that Shi Yi’s recent changes had a lot to do with that guy.

—

By the time Shi Yi arrived at the restaurant, Ying Ming was already waiting.

The table was one he had reserved in advance. The host led him over, and he shrugged off his coat, placing it on the seat beside him. His tone was casual. “Been waiting long?”

“Not really. Just got here.”

Ying Ming had been wearing his glasses since the morning. He adjusted them slightly and asked, “Meeting ran late?”

“Yeah. There are a few big projects coming up, so I’ve had to put in extra effort.” Shi Yi answered before catching the underlying meaning in Ying Ming’s earlier words. “Wait, don’t tell me you’ve already eaten?”

The other man chuckled. “What time do you think it is?”

By the time he called, it was already close to eight, late enough for a midnight snack.

Shi Yi raised a brow, a little surprised. “If you already ate, why come?”

“Wouldn’t dare say no to an invitation from the great Young Master Shi.” Ying Ming’s tone carried a hint of amusement, clearly referring to how Shi Yi had shown up at his place the other day to settle accounts. Shi Yi smiled but didn’t comment.

He took the menu from the waiter and quickly ordered a few dishes they both liked.

“Even if you’ve eaten, keep me company for a bit. Someone’s staying at my place, and I don’t feel like going back yet.” He handed the menu back and glanced at Ying Ming. “After we eat, let’s walk around for a while.”

Ying Ming lit a cigarette and gave him a look. “What, your place turning into a shelter now?”

They really were a pair of unlucky bastards.

“Wang Le’s back. Lost all his luggage at the airport, so he’s staying with me for now.”

That was all Shi Yi said before taking a sip of ice water. Then he looked at Ying Ming. “Did he contact you?”

“No.”

In truth, it had been a long time since he and Wang Le last spoke.

Shi Yi seemed satisfied with the answer, nodding with a small smile before steering the conversation elsewhere. They talked about this and that, nothing important, while Ying Ming sat across from him, watching the faint excitement in his expression. His glasses hid whatever thoughts flickered through his eyes.

They stayed at the restaurant until nearly ten. After settling the bill, Shi Yi turned to Ying Ming and asked where he wanted to go. Instead of answering, Ying Ming held out his hand for the car keys. “Just come with me.”

As they got in the car, Shi Yi chuckled. “Slept outside yesterday. Guess that means tonight’s upgrade is a hotel?”

Ying Ming didn’t reply, just smiled slightly as he started the car.

But instead of a hotel, he drove them to a bar.

Shi Yi had never been to this one before. He wasn’t the type to frequent many places, and this bar was far from well-known. The moment they stepped inside, they were hit with a chaotic, almost manic energy. The place was packed with all sorts of people, dancing wildly under flashing lights. It wasn’t exactly seedy, but it was definitely not his usual scene.

Ying Ming made his way straight to the stage in the middle of the bar, not even pausing. Shi Yi barely had time to react before he saw him leap onto it.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Shi Yi frowned.

Before he could make sense of what was happening, the flashing lights dimmed, and a single spotlight turned on, illuminating the center of the stage.

There, under the light, stood a single steel pole.

In that moment, Shi Yi knew exactly what Ying Ming was about to do.