EIP 33

Steam lifted the lid of the kettle, casting a misty veil that blurred her view. Through the fog, she saw the man in the black suit approaching the couple who looked well-matched. After a polite greeting, he lifted the lady’s hand and placed a courteous kiss on her knuckles. The handsome gentleman’s expression darkened, a subtle fire flickering in his eyes, clearly displeased by the other man’s attention to his companion.

The waitress instinctively tightened her grip on the towel in her hand, her heart racing in sync with the unfolding scene. Would they end up in a fight? She wondered. Surely these three, with their refined appearances and elegant attire, wouldn’t stoop to something so crude. A display of polite formality veiling thinly disguised hostility seemed far more likely.

She sighed inwardly, feeling a pang of envy. Picking up the menu, she approached the trio, leaning close enough to catch a snippet of conversation. The man in the black suit spoke in a deep, smooth voice, introducing himself to the lady. She caught his name. Yong Jin. A fine name, she thought. Meanwhile, the woman affectionately called the other man simply “Zhou,” suggesting a closeness that ruled out any love triangle. Lost in her thoughts, she was startled when Mr. Zhou tapped the table lightly and said, with a firm tone, “Excuse me, can we place our order?”

A bit flustered, she realized she had been openly staring at the guests, which was hardly professional. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she replied softly, “Apologies, sir. What would you like to order?” After taking their requests, she returned with a cup and began pouring hot tea for the gentleman in the black suit. But as she turned to go back with the kettle, she misstepped and twisted her ankle slightly.

Facing Zhou Jun, she watched in horror as the entire kettle of hot water tilted, threatening to spill onto him. She screamed, only to feel a firm arm wrap around her waist, steadying her. At the same time, another hand caught the kettle’s handle and firmly guided it back onto the tray. The waitress stared wide-eyed at the hand that had saved her. Fortunately, Yong Jin was wearing thin leather gloves, and the water merely rolled off the surface.

Once released from his grip, she snapped back to her senses and apologized repeatedly. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a handkerchief, intending to wipe the water off his glove. Her face flushed as she bent down, wondering if this act might mean the handkerchief was now a gift. Would this gentleman keep it and perhaps return one day to see her again? She knew it was just wishful thinking, but girls often couldn’t help dreaming about such small, romantic gestures.

But her fantasy was short-lived. Her wrist was suddenly seized and pushed back firmly, causing her to stumble a few steps and nearly collide with the wooden table behind her. Startled, she looked up and saw Zhou Jun, who quickly gave a small, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I was worried my friend might be hurt.” His words were polite, but the push made his priorities clear.

Zhou Jun then pulled out a handkerchief from his own pocket and carefully wiped the droplets from Yong Jin’s gloves. He even removed them to check whether his friend’s skin underneath had been burned. Something about this scene struck the waitress as strange, though she couldn’t quite say why. She looked closely at Zhou Jun’s face and saw the intensity in his expression, the unmasked concern in his gaze.

Yong Jin calmly withdrew his hand from Zhou’s and said, “It’s nothing, Mr. Zhou. Go back and sit down. You’re scaring the lady.”

Zhou Jun looked taken aback. After a moment’s pause, he turned to the waitress and asked, “Is smoking allowed here?”

She nodded. Zhou Jun leaned toward Ms. Yang, murmuring, “I’m going out for a smoke.”

He quickly walked away, his usual composure clearly shaken. The waitress saw Ms. Yang reach out and clutch the corner of his jacket, but the fabric slipped from her fingers. She couldn’t hold on. Yong Jin, still beside Ms. Yang, nodded at her as well, signaling that he, too, was stepping out for a smoke. Unlike before, he now moved with composed grace, following Zhou Jun outside.

When Yong Jin caught up to Zhou Jun, he found him leaning against the dark brown wall, blocking part of a cigarette advertisement that read Ding Shang Mei Paper Cigarettes. The oversized poster of the cigarette box seemed oddly appropriate for the scene. Zhou Jun had a cigarette between his lips, refusing to look in Yong Jin’s direction. The gloves had been stuffed carelessly into Zhou Jun’s pocket, one of them hanging out from his light-colored trench coat, which bore a faint smudge. The glove swayed slightly with each movement, threatening to fall.

Zhou Jun heard the approaching footsteps—steady, calm, precise. That composed pace felt almost mocking, a quiet reminder of how ridiculous he’d just been, asking if Yong Jin was hurt, only to be met with an indifferent, icy stare. He stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette against the wall, straightened up, and tried to walk past Yong Jin without saying a word. He didn’t want to speak.

Naturally, he was pulled back. Their bodies tangled as they stumbled into the alley behind the café, a dim space where sunlight barely reached. Zhou Jun was pinned, and irritation surged in his chest. He wanted to shout, Get lost. But the image of that pocket watch surfaced in his mind, and though his lips parted, the words never came.

Yong Jin stared at him, his eyes dark and unreadable. His lashes were lowered slightly, giving him a shadowed, distant look. “How did you get close to the Yang family’s heiress?” he asked.

Zhou Jun turned his face away, lips pressed tightly shut. Yong Jin’s cold fingers brushed his cheek. “You need to stay away from her. She’s not like those past flings of yours.”

Zhou Jun shot him a furious glare. The words stung, not because they were wrong, but because of how harshly they were delivered. He tried to come up with a retort, but nothing seemed sufficient. So instead, he laughed coldly. “And you’re no different.”

Yong Jin frowned. “What?”

Taking a deep breath, Zhou Jun said quietly,
“You should stay away from me too. I’m not like the others you’ve fooled around with.”

Yong Jin sighed. “The Yang family is too powerful. Don’t take this too far.”

But what did that have to do with anything? Zhou Jun and Miss Yang were just friends. She would never force anything on him. And if something more really did happen between them, if they married, it would be to his advantage. If the Yang family disapproved, so what? He didn’t care.

It was just a relationship between a man and a woman. Why was Yong Jin acting like it was such a big deal?

Zhou Jun hesitated before saying, “What’s the harm? If Miss Yang really likes me, then I’ll just marry her.”

Yong Jin looked stunned. His grip on Zhou Jun’s wrist tightened until it hurt. Zhou Jun gritted his teeth and endured the pain. Yong Jin’s expression was frightening, like he wanted to devour him. “What did you just say?”

Zhou Jun, feeling the ache in his wrist, asked quietly, “Are you… upset?” His tone was gentle, but the words cut deep. His face remained calm, almost innocent, as he looked up at Yong Jin with confusion. “You didn’t think about marriage? Sooner or later, you’ll have to. Whether for a political alliance or some other reason. And so will I.”

He was only stating the truth. Didn’t they both understand that?

Yong Jin looked as though he’d just been struck. Seeing his expression, Zhou Jun felt as if he’d committed some cruelty. He couldn’t believe Yong Jin had never considered the future. Perhaps he did have feelings for him. After all, he had given him that watch. But no matter what, the most fundamental issue remained.

They were both men.

If the Yang family blamed Zhou Jun, the worst that could happen was a marriage. It would become a proper relationship in the eyes of others. But if what existed between him and Yong Jin became known, it would not be tolerated. If people thought it was casual, they might dismiss it. If people realized it was serious, it would be humiliating.

It would be a joke neither of them could survive.