Chapter 18 – The Sin of Betrayal

The penultimate dish was miso soup, which Jiang Ruo didn’t particularly enjoy drinking, so he picked out the fish slices and radish from it before setting down his chopsticks. At this moment, Xi Yufeng received a call. It was unclear who it was from, but it didn’t seem to be work-related. In the end, Xi Yufeng said, “Then let him come,” and hung up the phone.

On the way back, Jiang Ruo continued to make conversation, asking Xi Yufeng how many photos he had saved. Xi Yufeng half-jokingly replied that he hadn’t saved any, to which Jiang Ruo shrugged and said, “Anyway, I’ve deleted them all. My phone’s memory isn’t enough; there’s no way around it.”

This reminded Xi Yufeng, and he took out a square box from the storage compartment beside him, handing it to Jiang Ruo.

Upon realizing it was an unopened new model phone, Jiang Ruo hesitated for a moment before accepting it, trying to sound casual as he asked, “How did you know I wanted to change my phone?”

“I saw your phone screen was cracked,” Xi Yufeng said.

A perfectly reasonable explanation, not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a realization that he needed it, so he bought it for him.

Just like taking him out to eat, Jiang Ruo remembered that on their last outing, he had complained to Xi Yufeng about not being full enough after the meal.

A dense wave of emotion washed over him, as delicate as the lingering resonance of a plucked string. As Jiang Ruo unpacked the new phone, he said, “Deduct the money from my acting fee.”

“No need.”

“Then I’ll buy you a phone too.”

“Mine isn’t broken.”

“You didn’t save any photos, right? I’ll buy a new one and save them all for you.”

Xi Yufeng chuckled. “I already saved them.”

“Really?” Jiang Ruo raised his eyebrows. “I don’t believe you.”

Xi Yufeng pulled out his phone and tossed it onto Jiang Ruo’s lap, reciting six digits.

Jiang Ruo picked it up skeptically, entered the password to unlock it, opened the photo gallery, and indeed found several photos he had sent over earlier that afternoon.

Not all of them were the scantily clad ones; there were various styles, front and side views. Miraculously, most of these were also Jiang Ruo’s favorites, which he had initially picked out as reference standards when selecting photos.

After looking through them, Jiang Ruo threw the phone back and picked up his new phone, lowering his eyes as if hiding something: “Xiao Shen said I should show them to you, so I sent them.”

Xi Yufeng hummed in acknowledgment.

“And if I take more photos like those in the future, would you want to come straight over — ”

As he spoke, the car suddenly braked hard. Jiang Ruo’s body lurched forward and then backward, momentarily disoriented, leaving his unfinished sentence hanging.

He turned to check on the person beside him when a loud knocking sound came from the right side of the car, accompanied by a woman’s scolding voice: “Xi Yufeng, get out here and explain yourself!”

Sensing danger, Jiang Ruo instinctively tried to stop Xi Yufeng: “Don’t go out.”

Compared to his panic, Xi Yufeng was remarkably calm. With a click, he opened the car door and stepped out.

Jiang Ruo followed suit.

They had reached the entrance of the residential area, and the security guards, clearly fearing trouble, gathered in groups around the perimeter, observing the situation.

In the chaos, Jiang Ruo heard some shrill accusations like, “Now that you’ve withdrawn your investments, the project can’t continue. Are you satisfied now?” “I knew you had ill intentions.” “You lead a hedonistic life in public but play dirty tricks behind the scenes.”

Facing the relentless questioning, Xi Yufeng’s response could be described as dismissive: “Is that so?” “There’s such a thing?” “How could it be, you’re overthinking it”… A cold indifference that deflected the weight of her words.

Assistant Shi was also present. When Jiang Ruo approached, he found time amidst the commotion to greet him with a smile. Jiang Ruo nodded in return, then found a spot away from the crowd where he wouldn’t obstruct anyone.

He was just worried and had come to see what was happening, but both people involved in the confrontation looked over at him.

One of the gazes came from a woman, seemingly in her forties, dressed in a skirt, her hair tied up, wearing a pair of slender high heels. Under the streetlight, the most eye-catching feature was the large gemstone on her neck, comparable in size to the Heart of the Ocean.

She must be a wealthy lady.

At that moment, the rich lady looked at Jiang Ruo with doubtful eyes. “Is this the lover you keep outside?”

Xi Yufeng hummed in agreement.

The woman laughed. “Last year, weren’t you still playing around with actresses?”

“Change of taste,” Xi Yufeng said.

“You have quite a drastic change in taste,” the woman still doubted. “Don’t tell me you pulled someone off the street to act alongside you?”

Jiang Ruo listened, half understanding, and watched as Xi Yufeng strode over, lifted his hand to press the back of his head forward, delivering an unexpected kiss.

This kiss was unlike any before. Jiang Ruo felt his lips were cold, like ice, and his eyes remained open, the dark pupils revealing a profound clarity.

After separating, Jiang Ruo heard Xi Yufeng’s voice, devoid of warmth: “I can’t wait anymore. Why don’t you come back with us? I don’t mind giving a live show.”

Inside, the door slammed shut behind them, and Jiang Ruo involuntarily shivered.

Xi Yufeng didn’t notice, removing his coat and hanging it on the rack. Turning to see Jiang Ruo still standing by the door, he said, “Go take a shower first. I have something to discuss with you later.”

Jiang Ruo went to take a shower.

When he came out, Xi Yufeng had a cigarette in his left hand, and his laptop was on the dining table, with Zheng Yiting’s voice coming from it.

Hearing movement, Xi Yufeng turned and gestured for Jiang Ruo to come over.

Jiang Ruo walked over and pulled out a chair to sit down.

Zheng Yiting began by apologizing, saying she had to travel on urgent business and couldn’t make it in person, so she had to communicate via voice call, taking up a bit of their time.

Jiang Ruo responded, “It’s fine, I have plenty of time.”

“It’s convenient that Mr. Xi is with you, saves me a trip,” Zheng Yiting quickly got to the point. “Mainly, we need to discuss how to handle Mr. Jiang’s past criminal record.”

Hearing the word “criminal record,” Jiang Ruo was taken aback before saying, “That was a wrongful conviction. I didn’t — ”

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by Xi Yufeng.

But instead of responding to Jiang Ruo, he asked Zheng Yiting, “What do you suggest we do?”

The matter was resolved swiftly.

Zheng Yiting was well-prepared. Upon Xi Yufeng’s question, she proposed several solutions. After weighing the pros and cons, they chose to conceal the existence of the criminal record and his dropout status. After all, such information was generally unattainable by ordinary people, and even if discovered, it would be difficult for it to escalate. The public relations department wasn’t there for nothing.

Throughout the discussion, Jiang Ruo hardly got a word in. He listened as the two of them extracted the thorn that had been piercing his heart, bloody and raw, then carelessly pushed it back in, covering it with a layer of weeds as if nothing had happened.

After the voice call ended, Jiang Ruo was still dazed. “Did you know…all along?”

“No,” Xi Yufeng said. “I hadn’t had the time before. I only discovered it yesterday.”

He was referring to Jiang Ruo’s resume. Given Xi Yufeng’s capabilities, he might have dug up information on his ancestors too.

So he immediately contacted Zheng Yiting for a solution, as this was a variable that could potentially affect investment returns, and a risk assessment was necessary.

Jiang Ruo still didn’t understand. “Why didn’t you ask me?”

“Ask about what?”

“Of course…why.”

Why the criminal record, why the dropout — wouldn’t anyone facing such circumstances naturally inquire about the reasons?

Xi Yufeng said expressionlessly, “Why should I ask?”

Jiang Ruo’s mouth opened and closed, swallowing back the stories of his past, the tales he had never shared with anyone.

“It’s true, as long as it can be solved,” he managed a smile. “I was afraid it would affect my career.”

Confirming that the disappointment he had glimpsed on the other’s face was merely an illusion, Xi Yufeng’s expression relaxed slightly. “No problem, everything can be resolved.”

With that, he extinguished his cigarette, closed his laptop, and stood up. Before he could take a step, his hand was caught.

Xi Yufeng turned his head, and Jiang Ruo, seated where he was, looked up at him. “You told me to take a shower and then called me over. Was it just for this?”

“What do you think?” Xi Yufeng repeated.

Jiang Ruo stood up, approaching slowly. Resting his chin on Xi Yufeng’s shoulder, a scent of damp shower gel wafted towards him.

He knew precisely how to ignite the raging desire beneath Xi Yufeng’s icy exterior.

“Earlier, you said you wanted a live show…” Warm breath brushed against his ear as Jiang Ruo whispered from the depths of his throat, “Now that we’re alone, can you still get it up?”

Perhaps because of his foul mood and the provocation, Xi Yufeng was exceptionally rough that night.

By the end of their encounter, there was hardly a spot on Jiang Ruo’s body that wasn’t marked. Deep red bruises littered his skin, and even the corner of his mouth was chafed raw.

It was a thorough release. Afterwards, Xi Yufeng sat up in bed while Jiang Ruo lay there, teasing him lazily, “Is this how you treat your ‘little kid’?”

Xi Yufeng chuckled once but didn’t answer.

As the sound of footsteps faded, the corners of Jiang Ruo’s lips gradually drooped, his smile disappearing. His eyes slowly widened, gazing unfocused at the ceiling above.

The phone on the bedside table vibrated. Jiang Ruo lifted his limp arm to reach for it, finding the overly smooth unlocking function of the new phone somewhat unfamiliar.

It was a message from An He, sharing anecdotes of their cohabitation, mentioning that the mother of the person surnamed Meng had also undergone heart surgery. What a coincidence, he said.

Jiang Ruo replied: “Do you consider having the same illness fate?”

An He sent over laughing emojis: “Why not?”

Jiang Ruo stared at the three words “why not” for a long time, his thoughts returning to the earlier question — why should I ask?

Indeed, why should he ask?

Only now did Jiang Ruo truly realize that he was merely a kept lover, and the benefactor had no obligation to care about his lover’s past experiences or current emotions. They were unrelated to Xi Yufeng.

In reality, Xi Yufeng had always acted in this manner, indulgent yet not accommodating, pampering yet not loving. He spoke of infatuation, but how much sincerity was there in those words?

Perhaps at one moment, he genuinely found him unique, found him intriguing, but his role ultimately boiled down to warming the bed, serving as a shield, and occasionally entertaining.

Perhaps that day, when Zhang Shaoyuan spoke, Xi Yufeng wasn’t entirely deaf to it, but he was neither curious nor concerned, hence he didn’t inquire further afterwards, didn’t bring it up again.

Only Jiang Ruo was clouded by passion, from greedily seeking protection and agreeing to form a relationship, to mistaking that fleeting tenderness for a narrowing distance, believing himself to be clear-headed yet unconsciously crossing boundaries. Naively, he assumed that Xi Yufeng felt the same, that because of a momentary connection, they both heard the beating of their hearts.

Taking a deep breath, then exhaling forcefully, Jiang Ruo felt a shuddering sensation, as if riding a roller coaster at the peak, teetering on the brink of a steep descent.

It was a ride that should never have ascended in the first place, and now, returning to ground level early, it served as a warning bell for him, preventing a catastrophic crash that would shatter him to pieces.

On the last working day of the week, when Xi Yufeng woke up, breakfast was already on the table, and Jiang Ruo was sitting at the opposite end of the dining table, flipping through something that resembled files.

“You’re awake,” Jiang Ruo said, his gaze still on the documents. “I have an audition today, so I need to go back and change clothes.”

Xi Yufeng took a moment to remember that Jiang Ruo had his own place, and he said, “Move all your things over here.”

Jiang Ruo paused mid-page turn. Faced with this commanding tone that left little room for refusal, he tried to sound natural as he said, “No need, I have a lot of stuff, and it’s all over the place. Plus, I have several potted plants. You wouldn’t want your balcony to suffer, and besides…”

Jiang Ruo looked up, his smile tinged with amusement. “I don’t want to be kicked out by you in the future, with nowhere else to go.”

Xi Yufeng didn’t like his flippant tone, and his brows furrowed slightly. “Why would I kick you out?”

“Who knows,” Jiang Ruo dismissed it casually. “Maybe you get tired of me, or you’re in a bad mood, or you dislike the breakfast I make. I need to have somewhere to go, right?”

Staring at Jiang Ruo for a moment, Xi Yufeng didn’t say anything further.

After breakfast, seeing the agreement placed before him, Xi Yufeng realized that those previous statements were merely preludes. Now, the main topic was about to begin.

“You mentioned that parts we disagree with can be revised or added to,” Jiang Ruo pointed to the circled section with his pen. “I want to add a clause to ‘circumstances under which the agreement becomes void.'”

“What is it?”

“If Party A enters into a marital relationship with another person, this agreement automatically becomes void.”

“Who does ‘another person’ refer to?”

“Everyone except me.”

Xi Yufeng pondered for a moment. “I don’t have any plans to marry for now.”

“Not having plans now doesn’t mean you won’t in the future. You rich people always end up getting married, don’t you?”

“To me, marriage is just the title of a commercial partnership.”

“But outsiders don’t know that.” Jiang Ruo seemed to have prepared his arguments beforehand. “I don’t want rumors spreading that I’m the third party breaking up someone else’s family.”

Xi Yufeng disliked the term “third party” and refuted, “You’re not.”

Jiang Ruo was momentarily taken aback, then laughed. “I hope I’m not… So let’s add this clause. Anyway, it doesn’t cause either of us any loss.”

Time ticked by, and Xi Yufeng sat there with a grim expression, his breath seeming to freeze.

His counterpart was well-prepared, and he couldn’t find a reason to refuse. In a cold voice, Xi Yufeng asked, “And you, if you were to marry someone else first, would this agreement also become null and void?”

“Certainly not, otherwise, you’d be the only one suffering the consequences,” Jiang Ruo had already grasped the psychology of a businessman. “If I were to marry first, it would be considered betrayal. I would compensate you for all the investment you’ve made in me, or double, triple, quadruple, quintuple — it’s all negotiable.”

This sounded exaggerated, and Xi Yufeng never trusted anyone’s verbal promises. However, he was momentarily stunned by the severity of the term “betrayal,” then looked up.

Jiang Ruo maintained his curved smile, making it impossible to discern how sincere his words were.

“This is just hypothetical. In reality, I don’t think I’ll ever get married, let alone before you.”

With that, Jiang Ruo handed over the pen, seemingly using action to prove — You chose to start, you gave me the opportunity, so where it stops is also your decision.