Chapter 60 – A Cloud

The reason he hadn’t waited for seven years ago, the three words he couldn’t obtain, poured into his ears unexpectedly after seven years, immobilizing Li Tang as if under a spell, leaving him motionless for a moment.

Jiang Lou thought he had frightened him and propped himself up to look at him, but Li Tang suddenly shifted from stillness to motion, pulling the covers over his face. “…Don’t look at me.”

Jiang Lou retracted his hand that hung in midair, feeling a mix of tension and an absurd urge to laugh as he faced the fluffy head peeking out from under the covers.

Li Tang was always a step behind others, but this time, before he could react, his heart pounded violently and rapidly, and warmth welled up in his eyes.

He realized that this was how it felt to be confessed to—his scalp tingled, electricity coursed through his body, and he feared that if exposed to the air for too long, he would explode and combust, like a wildfire that couldn’t be extinguished.

It wasn’t about settling because they were compatible, nor was there any calculation or conspiracy; genuine feelings, even without preparation to hear them and despite their sudden arrival, were enough to stir up earth-shattering emotions.

The red and blue figurines in his heart emerged for the first time in a while. The red side clutched its chest, wearing a rapt expression, saying, Accept him quickly! This time, he’s sincere!

The blue side remained calm, crossing its arms as it analyzed, This person has a history. Let’s observe him for a bit longer.

The red side was enraged. Can one mistake condemn a person to death?

The blue side shrugged. It depends on the mistake. Lying happens once or repeatedly.

The red side retorted, You’re harsh, unfeeling, and deserve to be alone!

The blue side shot back, You’re foolish, impulsive, and utterly unreasonable!

…

Li Tang pressed the quarreling duo back, pondered independently for a while, and mumbled, “…Can you say it again?”

Jiang Lou did so, holding Li Tang from behind so that he could hear through the blankets, “I love you.”

After a long pause, Li Tang poked half his head out, exhaling deeply.

But the person behind him leaned in again, repeating the words clearly.

Li Tang nearly retreated on the spot, asking what he was doing, to which Jiang Lou replied, “Saying it multiple times to help you desensitize.”

His ears burned as if they might catch fire. Li Tang stuttered, “T-this…this doesn’t need desensitization, does it?”

Jiang Lou hummed in agreement. “If you want to hear it, just let me know anytime.”

Li Tang: “…”

It wasn’t “Good morning” or “Good night”; how could such words be casually requested at any time?

Afterward, Jiang Lou didn’t bring it up again, as if he had merely confessed unilaterally without expecting an immediate response from Li Tang.

Li Tang relaxed, then slowly grasped the key point. “The weather has already warmed up. How did you catch a chill?”

Jiang Lou was silent for a few seconds, seemingly reluctant to speak. But since Li Tang asked, he answered, “I helped a client design an automatic sprinkler system. While testing the operation speed on an outdoor field, Pei Hao turned on the water valve.”

This left him drenched in water, and when the chilly wind blew in the transitional season, even his robust body couldn’t withstand it.

Li Tang couldn’t help chuckling, thinking Pei Hao might have done it on purpose.

However, he rejoiced that Jiang Lou finally had friends around him—not the kind who were drawn to his brilliance and immediately left when he fell into obscurity, but true friends who could share hardships and advance together.

They lay down for a while longer. As Jiang Lou sat up to drink water, perhaps due to his body temperature dropping and his mind becoming clearer, he remembered that his home wasn’t entirely in a primitive state. He could still find one or two high-tech devices.

He asked Li Tang, “Do you want to watch a movie?”

Seeing that there was still some time before work in the afternoon, Li Tang nodded.

He assumed it would be like before, with the two of them huddled together, watching on a phone or tablet. Unexpectedly, Jiang Lou suddenly called out a name and gave an order, “Turn on the projector.”

The response was swift. After a series of creaking mechanical sounds, Li Tang looked up and saw a projector descending from the ceiling, the projection lamp illuminating the opposite white wall.

When he glanced at the projection screen, Li Tang was surprised to find that speakers had emerged from both sides of the wall at some point, left and right speakers and rear surround sound, plus a subwoofer shaped like a low stool on the ground, forming a complete home theater system.

Even the curtains descended at the right moment, blocking the last sliver of light. The enclosed environment with just the two of them instantly reminded Li Tang of the private screening room in Shu City years ago, where Li Zichu and Huo Xichen left early, leaving only him and Jiang Lou in the dark cinema, watching a film that lasted one hundred ninety-four minutes.

He also recalled the first time he came here, when he asked Jiang Lou, Do you usually enjoy watching movies?

That inconspicuous “also” was remembered, valued, and manifested before his eyes. Such thoughtfulness couldn’t fail to shock and delight him.

And—

Bathed in the diffused light of the projector, Li Tang turned his face. “What’s the name of your smart system?”

Jiang Lou knew he would notice and didn’t hide it. “ROSA ROJA.”

ROSA ROJA, the red rose.

Li Tang liked red, so Jiang Lou named the company after ROJA, ensuring that all product names were related to red, especially the first program he designed, which had to bear the name of Li Tang’s favorite red rose.

The device resumed playing from where it left off automatically. It was “Downton Abbey,” and the scene was of Cousin Matthew’s fatal car accident, with Lady Mary struggling through her grief and ultimately standing up again to resume managing the estate.

Later, when they talked about the past, Mary recalled that snowy night, smiling gently. “I stood in the snow but didn’t feel cold, because I knew he was going to propose.”

Her eyes seemed to dance with fire, as if returning to that night when her body was cold, but her heart was searing hot.

Like the scene in “Titanic” where the protagonists floated in the sea, no matter how many times Li Tang watched it, he would still be moved.

Suddenly, his hand warmed, as Jiang Lou’s palm lightly covered it.

“In these days when you weren’t here, I began to understand that dying together isn’t the only form of romance.”

The projection reflected in his eyes, as black as ink, as if snow fell on a quiet midnight.

“There are many kinds of romance, and now I endorse the most cliché one.” Jiang Lou turned his head and looked at Li Tang. “I’m giving it to you now. I hope it’s not too late.”

Later, Li Tang belatedly realized that “these days” in Jiang Lou’s words was a misdirection, making their separation seem shorter than it was.

In the afternoon, Li Tang returned to the ROJA company and personally witnessed the automatic sprinkler system that caused Jiang Lou’s fever, laughing, “So President Pei’s hobby is playing with water valves. Quite the refined taste.”

Pei Hao shivered inexplicably, thinking that General Manager Li was indeed not as innocent as he appeared, playing a game of hidden daggers in plain sight.

Before dinner, the “patient” Jiang Lou appeared at the company. When asked where General Manager Li was, Pei Hao pointed to the research department, rolling his eyes skyward. “You two are so inseparable. Why don’t you move the company to the capital sooner?”

Jiang Lou ignored him and walked straight in.

Li Tang was sitting at his workstation, opening his laptop and tapping on the keyboard, recording today’s observations. Seeing Jiang Lou, he exclaimed, “Didn’t I tell you to rest at home properly?”

“It’s fine.” Jiang Lou repeated the same line. “I’ve already recovered.”

Li Tang didn’t quite believe him, picking up the ear thermometer and “beeping” him once more. The reading was indeed within the normal range.

The speed of his recovery was suspiciously fast, prompting Li Tang to study the ear thermometer carefully. “Is this thermometer also artificial intelligence, controlled by your thoughts?”

Jiang Lou paused for a moment. “A pure thought-controlled artificial neural rehabilitation robot has at least six modules and can’t be integrated into a device this small.”

Li Tang had merely made a joke, not expecting such a professional answer. He couldn’t help but curl the corners of his lips.

“I see.” Li Tang said seriously. “It seems that there are still many things to explore in the field of medical artificial intelligence in the future.”

In the evening, Pei Hao reserved a table at the Cantonese restaurant from before.

The atmosphere during the meal was much friendlier than the previous time. Everyone ate dishes, drank alcohol, and the clinking of glasses became pleasant and melodious.

Su Qinhan joined halfway through, and everyone teased her, saying that they noticed the flirtation between her and Pei Hao on the Christmas night flight. They had been secretly dating for over two months and finally decided to go public.

Pei Hao laughed and said, “I had to keep it secret because I knew you guys love gossip.”

Everyone scoffed, saying that with his behavior of staring at his phone with a silly smile every day at work and leaving faster than anyone else after work, who couldn’t tell he was in love?

Sun Yuxiang nearly choked on a mouthful of water and raised his hand. “Me, I didn’t notice.”

Li Tang couldn’t help but laugh. He had long experienced Sun Yuxiang’s dullness. That winter camp, he found Jiang Lou’s room, and the two of them went from the door to the table and eventually tumbled onto the bed, kissing countless times and touching each other. The air was filled with lingering intimacy. Yet, when Sun Yuxiang returned to the room afterward, he was completely oblivious, assuming Li Tang was just a neighbor who dropped by.

Recalling the panic and excitement of that time, Li Tang met Jiang Lou’s gaze when he lifted his eyes.

Those eyes were deep and profound, carrying the weight of time.

Li Tang knew that they were once again in sync, remembering the same memory.

They remembered that explicit English song and the meaning of No sin in the lyrics.

No sin meant without guilt.

There were no rules in the world that prohibited them from doing intimate things.

As long as there was love, there was no sin.

At the end of the banquet, Li Tang went to the restroom and ran into Su Qinhan and Li Yuanyuan upon exiting.

The two ladies found the men’s topics in the private room boring and came out to “catch their breath.” Li Tang was unexpectedly pulled into their conversation about “what marriage brings to women.”

Li Yuanyuan said, “Having the same person as your first love and your spouse is actually quite boring.”

Su Qinhan tutted. “Don’t make trouble. How rare is it to go from school uniforms to wedding dresses? I envy you so much.”

“No matter how rare, it can’t conceal the fact that it’s boring.” Li Yuanyuan shrugged. “I wonder why it’s worth envying, but there’s nothing to compare it to.”

Su Qinhan suggested, “If you want to compare, open the social news section. There are plenty of cases of husbands and wives killing each other and hiding bodies in freezers…”

Li Yuanyuan slapped her. “Can’t we compare with something better?”

“Alright, alright, those are extreme cases. The majority of couples in the world are ordinary. They argue over daily necessities, and their lives pass by. How can they maintain passion every day for ten years?”

“You and Old Pei are pretty passionate, aren’t you?”

“How do you know?”

“Did you forget to look in the mirror when you left this morning? Your neck—”

“!! Do you have any concealer?”

…

Holding a small mirror to cover the kiss mark while complaining, Su Qinhan said, “Pei Hao is only suitable for dating, not for marriage.”

Li Yuanyuan asked why, and Su Qinhan explained, “He has an unattainable first love, a girl for whom he once gave up everything, but she abandoned him… think about it, whenever his love brain acts up and he thinks about his deep feelings for that girl, and knowing that this intensity of affection only happens once in a lifetime, I can never experience it, isn’t it immediately disappointing?”

The overly realistic story easily resonated with the listeners, causing them to shake their heads and sigh in unison.

Su Qinhan’s gaze shifted away from the mirror and glanced at Li Tang, suddenly remembering something. “Hey, don’t we have a good example right here? From school uniforms to suits, from first love to… uh… almost reconciling?”

Li Tang jolted. “He and I haven’t—”

“Hey, I remember your first love was also him?” At a crucial moment, Li Yuanyuan questioned Su Qinhan. “Back then, the whole school knew you were chasing Jiang Lou.”

“That’s right. I guess Jiang Lou was my unattainable first love too.” Speaking of her youthful black history, Su Qinhan was candid, shrugging. “So Pei Hao and I are evenly matched. Neither of us is the other’s unfulfilled wish. In a way, we’re quite compatible.”

Li Tang: “…”

What were these topics that made one want to find a crack in the ground to hide in?

The next day, the inspection team returned to the capital, and the three CEOs of ROJA personally saw them off at the airport.

Although they all came together, only Jiang Lou remained at the security checkpoint. Li Zichu had already taken Yang Baichuan to the waiting area ahead of time.

A strange sense of farewell arose. Li Tang turned around, facing Jiang Lou, recalling what Su Qinhan had said the night before: In the poems she wrote to Jiang Lou back then, there was a line—You are a gust of wind I cannot hold onto.

“At that time, I knew that although he seemed easy to pursue, he was actually very difficult to pin down. Who could grasp someone whose smiles didn’t come from the heart?” Recalling the past, Su Qinhan sighed. “But now, he’s not like a gust of wind anymore. He’s like a cloud. Wherever you go, the cloud follows.”

As he mulled over the description of “a cloud,” Jiang Lou spoke. “Next month, we’ll visit factories in the capital.”

The topic discussed at the dinner table the previous night was that ROJA was in the ascending stage of expanding its business scope and increasing production capacity. To facilitate dealings with major material suppliers, they planned to rent a factory in the capital first.

Li Tang knew that this was only the first step. For future development, ROJA would eventually have to relocate from Shu City to the capital.

“This is a good thing.” Li Tang agreed. “When you need help, just contact me.”

He said so, but in reality, Li Tang and Jiang Lou hadn’t even added each other on WeChat. Since that brief call on the night of Sun Yuxiang’s wedding, the two hadn’t communicated via their phones.

Jiang Lou maintained the right balance, controlling the distance, afraid that rushing would ruin everything.

Even with his beloved right in front of him, he didn’t cross the line, only using a very low voice to tentatively ask, “If I don’t need help, can I still contact you?”

On the return flight, Li Tang had a surprisingly good sleep without taking sleeping pills.

The first holiday after the New Year was Western Valentine’s Day. Li Tang, busy with work, intended to ignore this holiday. However, early in the morning, as soon as he arrived at the company, a large bouquet of roses was delivered to his office.

Red roses.

Amid the employees’ teasing gazes, Li Tang received a call from Shu City.

Glancing at the caller ID, he hesitated for a moment, but remembering the promise he made at the airport two days ago, Li Tang reluctantly picked up.

Jiang Lou got straight to the point. “Did you receive the flowers?”

“…Yes.”

“Perhaps, I was the first today?”

“Huh?”

“I was worried that too many people would send you flowers, and you wouldn’t be able to tell who sent them.”

Li Tang was taken aback and said, “I won’t confuse them.”

The person on the other end, Jiang Lou, asked why, and Li Tang looked at the fiery red roses, pursing his lips and smiling silently.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t received roses from others before, but Jiang Lou was the only one who didn’t bother with subtlety or leave room for retreat. He didn’t care about others’ opinions and straightforwardly sent the color with the most symbolic meaning.

Roses of other colors often contained various floral meanings and connotations, whereas red roses universally symbolized love.

Jiang Lou was helping Li Tang desensitize in his own way, guiding him out of the shadows, making him willing to believe.

And incidentally, repeating again and again, I love you.