EIP 49

Miss Wen sat before the mirror, brushing her hair. She had used too much pomade, and the comb struggled to glide through. She was still in her banquet dress, its tight waist digging into her stomach. Turning her head slightly, she glanced at the bed. “Would you like some snacks?”

Zhou Jun lay on her bed, a few buttons of his shirt undone, shielding his eyes with one arm. He didn’t answer.

This was the same distant, unromantic attitude he had shown since he arrived, always cigarettes and alcohol. Miss Wen frowned. How long did he plan to keep acting like this? It had been so long since she last saw Zhou Jun. After that final dance with the young general, he never came back. Word had it he had climbed up the social ladder with the Yang family. She knew then he would never look her way again.

Frustrated, she yanked the comb through her hair harder, breaking a few strands. A woman needs attention. But if a man doesn’t truly care, then what’s the point? She was just pitiful. He would never notice.

Letting her hair fall loose, she turned and spun toward Zhou Jun. With her back to him, she showed off a line of tightly fastened buttons trailing down her spine, each like a vertebra. Zhou Jun sat up, his hair a mess, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile. “How did you even get into that dress?”

Miss Wen tilted her head playfully, pale neck bending just so. “Hurry up. This dress is killing me.”

If it had been the old Zhou, he would have kissed her neck. He used to like the curve of it. But this new Zhou just unfastened a few buttons, leaned against the headboard, and muttered, “Too much trouble. Mama Xu is still outside. Go find her.”

Furious, Miss Wen’s eyes reddened. She punched him twice, hard enough to make him grunt. “Bastard. Are you mocking me?”

Zhou Jun looked genuinely confused. “I’m not.”

Miss Wen jumped to her feet, seething. “Aren’t you marrying into the Yang family? What’s this then, found a roadside flower that smells sweeter? A mistress worth sneaking around for?”

Zhou Jun straightened up, reaching lazily for a cigarette, the smile never leaving his face. “What are you even talking about? Just some gossip.”

Miss Wen stormed out of the bedroom, barefoot and seething. A moment later, she returned, now dressed in a slip dress, holding a candlestick. The candlelight cast a soft glow on her, making her look both alluring and beautiful. But when Zhou Jun saw her dress, his expression darkened.

Miss Wen, puzzled by his reaction, glanced down at her outfit. She couldn’t understand what had displeased him. The deep blue silk was the perfect complement to her fair skin, and she had chosen the finest tailor to craft the delicate lace and floral embroidery. Just moments ago, when Miss Yang had been mentioned, Zhou Jun hadn’t shown any change in his demeanor. But now, there was no smile, and he was already reaching for his coat, clearly preparing to leave.

She hurriedly placed the candlestick down and reached out to grab Zhou Jun’s arm. “Stinson, what’s wrong? It’s so late already.” The man, as infuriating as he was lovable, pulled his hand away and continued to walk toward the door. Thinking of what happened last time, Miss Wen couldn’t help but speak up, “Stinson, you…”

Perhaps her unfinished words caught Zhou Jun’s attention. He stopped, turned around to look at her. “What is it?”

Miss Wen forced a smile. “You still love women, right?”

Zhou Jun’s eyes darkened, his tone shifting unpredictably. “What do you mean?”

Miss Wen awkwardly ran a hand through her hair. “Stinson, you and Major Yong… Last time, I felt something wasn’t right. Later, rumors started circulating that you two…” She seemed to falter, her words stuck in her throat. Furrowing her brows, she looked at him with doubt, then hesitantly asked again, “It’s not true, is it?”

Zhou Jun gave a half-smile, his expression neither one of amusement nor seriousness. “And if I did, what then? And if I didn’t, what would change?” Miss Wen was momentarily stunned, struggling for a response. After a long pause, she finally spoke, almost as if offering reassurance, “Stinson, that’s not what I meant. We’ve seen this kind of thing countless times. But that person… they’re not someone we should mess with.”

Zhou Jun’s face darkened completely, his expression turning cold as he advanced step by step toward Miss Wen, backing her up against the wall. Only when he had her cornered did he finally relax, a sarcastic smile curling on his lips.

His gray-blue eyes were chillingly cold, yet still captivating. He spoke in a low voice, “What if I insist on pursuing it?”

Miss Wen, already overwhelmed by his proximity, felt lightheaded. She took a shallow breath and muttered, “They say… they all say he’s going to marry the youngest daughter of the Lin family.”

Miss Wen’s chest rose and fell, her snow-white skin framed by the deep blue fabric of her dress, looking undeniably alluring. Unfortunately, Zhou Jun didn’t seem to notice her charm. He leaned one hand against the wall, tilting his face as though he didn’t quite understand. “Who?” he asked.

Miss Wen’s back stiffened. Zhou Jun’s gaze was dangerously intense. She had never seen him like this before, and it only made him more captivating. She raised her hand, as if to reach out and pull him closer, but he dodged it.

Zhou Jun coldly stepped back, turning to leave. Miss Wen didn’t speak, but he knew all too well how to find out. She hurried after him, only to hear the sound of the door being slammed shut, without a shred of mercy. She quickly moved to the window, gripping the curtain tightly. After a moment, she saw a tall, lean figure turn the corner from down the street, a suit draped over his arm and a cigarette dangling from his fingers. He bent slightly to slip into a yellow rickshaw.

Mama Xu watched Miss Wen, her face lost and dazed, and could only offer a few comforting words. Miss Wen shook her head and returned to the bedroom. Mama Xu, of course, knew how much effort Miss Wen had put into preparing for tonight’s banquet. She had spent a long time in that dress and had even gone without food all day, all for the sake of young master Zhou. Miss Wen had been so excited to hear that he would be attending the event. She had finally managed to invite him to her home, but who would have thought that before he could even settle in, he left.

Zhou Jun didn’t return to the Zhou family home; he went straight back to his apartment. All because Zhou Yan knew that after recovered from illness, not only had Zhou Jun not seized the opportunity to be with Miss Yang, but instead had politely turned her away. This had infuriated Zhou Yan, and he had even considered punishing him for it.

Since Zhou Jun recovered, he had taken on a carefree attitude, as if nothing really mattered anymore. He faced off with Zhou Yan in the study, completely unbothered by his older brother’s fury as he threw things around. Standing tall, he defiantly spoke openly about his feeling for Miss Yang, regardless of Zhou Yan’s reaction. Without a care, he went upstairs to pack his things, dragging his body back to his apartment.

He didn’t want to stay at the Zhou family home. First, he didn’t want to face his brother’s anger; second, he didn’t want to see Yong Jin. He had once suspected that Yong Jin had secretly come to visit him, and after confirming things with Miss Yang, his suspicions turned into certainty. Miss Yang wasn’t the type to scheme, and she was a poor actress. Her words didn’t match her expressions, and she couldn’t hide the truth no matter how hard she tried.

He could tell immediately, and understood why Miss Yang had to lie. He didn’t want to hold her back, so he said everything he had intended to say when he had gone to see Miss Yang with the yellow rose.

Zhou Jun spent a quiet week in his apartment, then come back out, resuming his previous hedonistic life as the carefree, wild young man he had been.

He felt his heart had grown quite hard. Even though Yong Jin had been someone he truly loved, so what? It didn’t matter. The man didn’t want him and refused to give him a reason why. Zhou Jun didn’t believe he couldn’t forget. Maybe in one or two years, he’d finally let go. When he left the Zhou family home, he made up his mind to avoid Yong Jin as much as possible.

Even if Yong Jin had secretly come to see him, so what? Yong Jin said he didn’t want to meet or be with him, then why all the pretense? It was infuriating. Zhou Jun went dancing, drank, met new people, and even returned home with Miss Wen. It was the life he had known, and he had grown used to it. But now, his chest felt empty, heavy, and restless, unable to find any motivation.

After hearing the news of Yong Jin’s upcoming marriage, that emptiness in his chest flared up like an uncontrollable fire, and his lifeless heart, jolted by the news, began to beat wildly again. Zhou Jun stepped into the elevator with a dark expression. He reached for his cigarettes, only to find an empty pack. He crushed the box in his hand, letting out a cold laugh for a long time. “Yong Jin, you’re really something, aren’t you? You’re so good at this. When it comes to cruelty, I, Zhou Jun, can’t compare to you.”