CTS 11

Of course Shen Mo recognized Zhou Yang’s voice. He scrambled to close the video he had been watching, then held the phone in his hand for a long moment before asking,
“How did you get my number?”

“An’an gave it to me.”

“Oh…” Shen Mo had almost forgotten about Ji An’an. “It’s pretty late. Did you need something?”

Zhou Yang hesitated for a moment and said,
“I heard some things… about Ji Mingxuan…”

“You mean him and Zhao Yi? I’ve heard it too. But it’s just a misunderstanding.”

“I think I know more than you do.”

“Congratulations. Sell it to the gossip magazines.”

Zhou Yang went quiet for a moment before saying, “Shen Mo, can we meet?”

“I told you I wouldn’t meet you alone again.”

“If things were going well between you and Ji Mingxuan, I wouldn’t have come to bother you. But I heard from An’an that you’re only with him out of gratitude.”

Shen Mo regretted telling Ji An’an so much.
Still, he had gotten quite good at acting by now. Without missing a beat, he said,
“Mingxuan did save me once, that’s true. But that was just how we met. After that… of course we truly fell in love. Otherwise, how could two people with no feelings for each other live together for three years?”

By the time he finished, even he almost believed it.

But Zhou Yang still said, “I want to see you.”

“And what would that accomplish?”

“I…”
Zhou Yang’s voice came through the phone, low and almost unreal. “I can take you away.”

Shen Mo suddenly gripped the phone tighter.

Three years ago, he had waited every single day to hear those words. If Zhou Yang had just said them back then, he would have followed him to the ends of the earth.

But those words had never come.

Things were different now. Zhou Yang had too many responsibilities, too many concerns. And Shen Mo was no different.

“You’re the only son of the Zhou family. Your parents will never agree.”

“Even if they don’t, it doesn’t matter. I didn’t join my father’s company. I’m planning to start my own business.”

“And Miss Ji?”

“An’an… I’ll explain everything to her.”

Shen Mo said nothing.

“Xiao Mo,” Zhou Yang called him by the name he used to use, “Do you remember where we had our first date? It was at Tianhe Park. We were still in high school. It was snowing and we stupidly ran off to see the plum blossoms. We even missed our stop on the bus…”

Of course Shen Mo remembered.

He still remembered how happy he had been that day, talking nonstop the entire way. It had felt unreal. The Zhou Yang he had secretly liked for so long had liked him back.

Now Zhou Yang was saying softly into his ear, “Xiao Mo, I’ll wait for you at the old place tomorrow. Let’s… start over.”

Shen Mo suddenly snapped back to reality.
“I have work tomorrow.”

He ended the call right after that.

A few minutes later, the phone rang again.
Seeing Zhou Yang’s name, Shen Mo simply turned off the phone and went to bed.

That night, Ji Mingxuan still didn’t return.

The next day, Shen Mo took a leave from work. He didn’t go meet Zhou Yang.
Instead, he stayed home and started cleaning the house from top to bottom.
The cleaning service came once a week, so there was usually nothing for him to do.
He only ever did this when he was in a bad mood.

Focusing on a single task helped him forget his thoughts.

The weather was getting colder, heavy clouds hanging low like snow might fall at any moment. Shen Mo glanced at his phone, still turned off, and went around wiping every window in the house.

He remembered the weather was the same on that first date with Zhou Yang. He had stood in the biting wind waiting for him, stomping his feet to stay warm, yet feeling nothing but sweetness in his heart.

Time, once passed, never returns.

Maybe some people in this world could mend what was broken.

But not him and Zhou Yang.

The day dragged on endlessly. By the time night fell, Shen Mo was kneeling on the floor, focused on scrubbing out a stubborn stain, when the doorbell rang. He dropped the cloth and rushed over to open it.

Standing at the door was Ji Mingxuan.

“Mr. Ji? You didn’t bring your keys?”

Ji Mingxuan didn’t answer. He braced one hand against the doorframe, eyes narrowing as he stared at Shen Mo.

Shen Mo took a step closer and caught the strong smell of alcohol on his breath.