Chapter 24

Mi Zhao took a moment to recall which watch Yan Qinting was referring to.

On May 20th^[1], Mi Zhao had given Li Yan a pair of shoes, but Li Yan was not very satisfied. He said that what he really needed was a watch and even sent Mi Zhao the brand and model via WeChat.

Mi Zhao had kept that in mind and reserved the watch on the official website before summer break. It had only arrived last week.

However, that watch had already been given to Li Sipei.

Li Sipei seemed to like it a lot.

“I gave it away.” Mi Zhao spoke while letting go of Yan Qinting’s shoulder and bent down to pick up the pajamas he had tossed onto the table.

Yan Qinting was stunned for a few seconds before suddenly jumping to his feet. He shouted at Mi Zhao’s back as he walked toward the bathroom, “Damn, that watch cost five figures! And you just gave it away like that?”

Without looking back, Mi Zhao replied, “It was bought as a gift anyway.”

With that, the bathroom door closed softly.

Yan Qinting was left standing there, dumbfounded. After a long moment, he muttered, “What the hell did that guy do to you? That’s some insane magic…”

Oh, right.

Yan Qinting suddenly remembered something.

Last semester, when he had joined Mi Zhao and Li Yan for a meal, he had subtly jabbed at Li Yan, saying that Mi Zhao had already ordered the watch and asked what Li Yan planned to do in return.

Now that they had broken up, the watch being given to someone else made perfect sense.

As for Li Yan—

He could just keep waiting.

—

Junior-year courses weren’t exactly heavy, but they were scattered throughout the weekdays—morning, afternoon, and evening—making it impractical to leave campus. However, within campus, there was plenty of free time.

Yan Qinting was a complete homebody. Aside from attending classes and meals, he spent all his time lying in the dorm. He even refused to take evening walks around the track. Meanwhile, Mi Zhao had taken on a few more commissions on Weibo, so the two of them ended up staying in the dorm all day without stepping foot outside.

On Friday afternoon, Mi Zhao sent a WeChat message to Li Sipei.

[mrz: What’s your plan for the weekend?]

Li Sipei seemed busy and only replied after more than an hour.

[Xiao Li: I need to go back home tomorrow.]

[Xiao Li: It’s a younger relative’s birthday. I already promised his mother, so I can’t back out.]

Mi Zhao was momentarily stunned before realizing that by “going back,” Li Sipei meant returning home.

He rarely heard Li Sipei talk about his personal matters, and he had assumed that Li Sipei didn’t get along with his family. But now, it seemed their relationship wasn’t as bad as he had imagined.

[mrz: What about your rehab training? Don’t you have to do it every weekend?]

Silence.

Mi Zhao narrowed his eyes. He suddenly suspected that Li Sipei was using this as an excuse to avoid rehab.

[mrz: Hello?]

[mrz: Knock knock.jpg]

After a long while, Li Sipei slowly replied.

[Xiao Li: I’ll do it before I leave.]

Even through the screen, his reluctance was obvious.

Amused, Mi Zhao typed out a long paragraph, coaxing him in a gentle tone. He was about to make a video call to continue his persuasion when another incoming video call interrupted him.

It was his Dad.

Mi Zhao quickly sent a message to Li Sipei before answering the call.

The moment the screen lit up, it showed Dad’s flushed face. The bright white light above him reflected off the thick gold chain around his neck, making it gleam.

Mi Zhao paused for a second before lowering his voice. “Dad, have you been drinking again?”

Father Mi chuckled and made a small gesture with his fingers. “Just a little bit.”

“The doctor told you to cut down on alcohol, but you never listen.” Mi Zhao had nagged him about this countless times.

“Alright, alright. I’ll drink less. But I had to attend a business dinner today.” After brushing off the issue, Mi Dad quickly got to the main topic. “Son, do you remember the investment projects I put money into early last year?”

Mi Zhao nodded.

Of course, he remembered. Those projects weren’t exactly his dad’s own initiative—it was more like they were pushed onto him by people in his circle.

At the time, Mi Zhao had sensed something off and had voiced his concerns.

To his surprise, his dad had been fully aware of the situation. He wasn’t being tricked; he had deliberately invested as a way to funnel money to those people.

Scratching his head in confusion, Father Mi said, “A couple of days ago, those projects actually started generating returns. I asked the accountant, and they said we should be able to recover all the invested funds by early next year.”

Mi Zhao: “?”

Father Mi looked completely baffled. “It’s so strange. That area was a deserted wasteland last year, and now it’s suddenly booming. I was even planning to pull out of those projects.”

Mi Zhao: “…”

He had to admit—his dad had absurdly good luck in business.

“I wanted to ask—what’s your plan for the National Day holiday?” He continued. “You said before that you wouldn’t be coming home, right? If you have time, your mom and I will come to A City to visit you.”

“…Huh?” Mi Zhao was stunned.

“We have our own plans, so we won’t make you spend the whole time with us. Let’s just have a meal together as a family, and you can go about your own business,” Father Mi said gruffly.

Mi Zhao was at a loss for words.

He had been studying in A City for two years, and his parents had never once visited. Part of the reason was their busy work schedules, but another part was their reluctance to leave their hometown. They had always been resistant to adapting to unfamiliar environments.

He had assumed they wouldn’t come until his graduation.

Still confused, he asked, “What kind of plans do you have?”

Father Mi smirked and said mysteriously, “You’ll find out when the time comes.”

“…Alright.”

“Oh, and one more thing,” he added, as if suddenly remembering. “You’re still dating that boyfriend of yours, right?”

“…”

After a moment of silence, Mi Zhao hesitantly mumbled, “Yeah.”

“Great. When we visit, bring him to meet us. Your mom and I will give him a once-over. I’ve heard all sorts of things about your ‘circle’—it’s full of weirdos. You’ve barely stepped into society, and you’re already in danger of being tricked into handing over your money.”

Mi Zhao’s face heated up, and he quickly refused, “Dad, we’re not even at that stage yet! Isn’t it too soon to meet the parents?”

“How is it too soon? Haven’t you two been together for half a year?” Father Mi frowned and glared. “Or is that boy unwilling?”

“No, no!” Mi Zhao shook his head. “That’s not it.”

“Then it’s settled. Let him know in advance.”

After hanging up the video call, Mi Zhao slumped onto the table like a withered eggplant.

From the bed behind him, Yan Qinting’s voice rang out, “Didn’t you say your parents were practically rooted in your hometown? Why are they suddenly coming to A City? It doesn’t look like they’re coming just to see you.”

Mi Zhao snapped, “How would I know?”

“Wait—” Yan Qinting suddenly emphasized his tone. “Could they be coming to see Li Yan?!”

Already opening Baidu on his phone, Mi Zhao couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Don’t mention that guy. He’s bad luck.”

Yan Qinting sheepishly rubbed his nose. “Why don’t you just tell them you and Li Yan broke up?”

“What if they tell me to find a girlfriend instead?” Mi Zhao kept his eyes on his phone, scrolling now and then. “Besides, it’s not like I won’t date someone in the future.”

Yan Qinting asked, “What about that Xiao Li?”

Mi Zhao’s fingers paused slightly before continuing to scroll. “He’s not my boyfriend. We’ll part ways on good terms when the time comes.”

Yan Qinting clicked his tongue and flopped back onto the bed. “The most heartless ones are always the sponsors.”

Before long, Mi Zhao found information about the projects his dad had invested in. The land plots were all in the suburbs, with several projects clustered together. The surrounding area was so desolate that there weren’t even farmlands or residential houses.

The people who transferred the projects to his dad had gotten wind of news six or seven years ago that the government planned to shift its economic focus southward, prioritizing the development of the southern part of the city. That suburban area was right on the edge of the key development zone, so they had pooled their resources into several projects.

However, as the years passed, while the southern part of the city flourished, that suburban area remained untouched. Buildings couldn’t go up, businesses refused to move in, and money was poured in without a single ripple in return.

Then Father Mi appeared, giving those people a glimmer of hope. They coaxed and pressured him into taking over their mess.

“So they’re building an airport there,” Mi Zhao muttered to himself.

With projects that big…

The people who offloaded them to his dad were probably red-eyed with regret by now.

—

The next day at noon, Mi Zhao and Yan Qinting finally emerged from their dorm, deciding to stock up on snacks at the supermarket and grab lunch outside.

Unfortunately, their bad luck struck the moment they stepped out of the dorm building—they spotted Li Yan lingering downstairs.

Li Yan hesitated when he saw Mi Zhao but clenched his teeth and walked over. “Mi Zhao.”

Yan Qinting rolled his eyes dramatically. “You again? Do you have no self-awareness? Your skin is thicker than a city wall.”

Actually, Li Yan hadn’t come to find Mi Zhao for a whole week. It wasn’t because he had given up but because he had thought things through.

Getting back together couldn’t be rushed.

Besides, Mi Zhao was the type to respond better to a softer approach. If he pushed too hard, it might trigger Mi Zhao’s rebellious streak instead.

Having figured that out, Li Yan didn’t get riled up even in the face of Yan Qinting’s mockery. He focused on Mi Zhao, his voice sincere. “Today is my birthday, but I’m going home for dinner. I waited this long to leave just so I could tell you…”

Yan Qinting sneered. “Here to ask for a gift?”

Li Yan’s face reddened slightly. Resisting the urge to snap back, he explained in a deliberately mild tone, “I’m hosting a dinner tomorrow night for everyone I know. You should come too.”

Then he added, “Lin Qiuzu won’t be there.”

Mi Zhao chuckled, but the amusement didn’t reach his eyes. “Do you know what Lin Qiuzu told me?”

Li Yan was taken aback. “What did he say?”

Making sure no one else was around, Mi Zhao continued, “He said you were pursuing him.”

Li Yan’s expression stiffened, as if the words had struck a nerve.

“But you’re not inviting him to your birthday dinner?” Mi Zhao’s gaze bore into Li Yan, his lips curving into a mocking smirk. “Instead, you’re inviting me—your ex. Maybe you should invite him instead. At least he might have gotten you a present.”

As Mi Zhao and Yan Qinting walked away, Li Yan’s face darkened. He kicked a nearby tree trunk hard, his chest rising and falling sharply before gradually calming down.

Then, suddenly, he remembered something and pulled out his phone to find his roommate’s WeChat.

[You really saw Mi Zhao buy me a birthday present?]

He typed and deleted the message multiple times before ultimately not sending it.

Out of nowhere, another thought struck him—what Yan Qinting had said last semester. That Mi Zhao had already pre-ordered that watch from the official website.

Could it be that the real gift Mi Zhao meant to give him was that watch?

But then, what did Mi Zhao’s words just now mean?

The more Li Yan thought about it, the more he wanted to confront Mi Zhao directly. But he lacked both the courage and Mi Zhao’s contact information.

—

At 4 PM, after relentless urging from Li Tianqing, Li Yan drove a green Porsche—borrowed from Lin Qiuzu—back to the Li family estate.

Before the car even came to a stop, he had already drawn envious gazes from his peers.

His younger cousin was the first to rush over, eyes sparkling as he let out an exaggerated “Wow!” “Bro, where did this car come from? It’s so cool!”

Li Yan raised his brows smugly. “A friend lent it to me. Told me I could drive it however I wanted.”

His cousin was dying of envy. “Your friend is amazing.”

Li Yan glanced toward the house. “Where’s Uncle? Is he back yet?”

“Not yet,” his cousin replied, still glued to the car. “Dad said Uncle had rehab training this afternoon. He’ll come back once he’s done.”

Li Yan was surprised. “Wasn’t he going to quit rehab?”

His cousin scratched his head. “I heard he started up again recently.”

Li Yan scoffed. Well, since Li Sipei had nothing better to do all day, it was good for him to find something to occupy himself with.

—

Around 5 PM, Li Yan was lazing in his room when Li Tianqing hurriedly knocked on the door. “Come down! Your Uncle is back!”

With no choice, Li Yan shut off his game and followed his peers downstairs.

Under everyone’s eager gazes, Li Sipei was helped out of the extended car by Ruan Xin and the others.

Even though Li Yan stood on the edge of the crowd, his height gave him a clear view of the person being surrounded.

The moment he saw what Li Sipei was wearing, his brows twitched slightly.

That outfit—

Wasn’t it from his favorite brand?

Uncle actually wore the same brand as him?