AFM Ch 13

“Mianmian, do you really like your brother that much?”

Jing Mian froze for a moment.

His mother’s voice, a mix of amusement and helplessness, came from nearby. “Your brother has his own things to do. He can’t hold you all the time.”

Jing Mian’s small hands dropped, his lashes wet with unshed tears. He remained silent.

The person holding him stayed still, maintaining the embrace. After a moment, the soft and gentle voice of a young boy whispered in his ear, “It’s okay.”

“I’ll put you down when you feel better.”

Jing Mian was silent.

Maybe because the boy held his small hand, Jing Mian found some courage and quietly retorted, “Everyone’s been chased by a dog before.”

Upon hearing this, Song Zhinian laughed even harder. It was a gentle but merciless laugh. “Mom only heard of people getting chased by large dogs, not ones that fit in a teacup. And certainly, not two whole blocks while crying so hard they’re hiccupping, haha…”

Jing Mian was speechless.

The boy noticed this as well, sensing the trembling in the small hand he held—it was probably out of anger. 

Thus, Jing Mian went from being held sideways to being wrapped securely around the neck and cradled in the crook of his arms instead. It was a very comforting embrace. At the same time, a piece of fruit candy was stuffed into his mouth—the lemon flavor Jing Mian liked the most. The sweetly tart taste spread throughout his lips and teeth as Jing Mian rested his head against the boy’s chest, thinking to himself:

Older brother is the most beautiful person in the world.

And he carries the best-smelling scent.

Even after decades, if his brother became unrecognizable, Jing Mian would know it was him by this scent alone.

…

Jing Mian suddenly woke up.

Upon opening his eyes, he found himself back in his dorm room. The sky was still dark, and the snores from the bed on the other side of the room sounded like a construction site filled with drills.

Jing Mian sat up, bewildered, for a few seconds before he realized he’d only dreamt.

He was stunned. He hadn’t expected to dream of such a distant childhood.

He recalled that, after bidding Mr. Ren farewell last night, he had returned to his dorm, where Song Yuhang had been afraid he was hungry and brought him back a box of fried noodles.

It was now four in the morning.

Jing Mian lay back down and scratched his hair, his mood somewhat complicated.

Speaking of Mr. Ren…

Jing Mian couldn’t help but recall that dream. It was clearly the same person, so how could they feel so different now? And now, that person has become his legal partner.

Jing Mian wasn’t sure which of these two things had a bigger impact on him.

He raised his hand and absentmindedly stared at it. On his left ring finger was a small mole, and just below it, a brand-new ring. It glimmered faintly in the moonlight. 

***

Jing Mian and Mr. Ren’s engagement party was held on the top floor of a hotel near the Sui River in Lincheng.

Unlike weddings, engagements were relatively simple; they didn’t require such grandeur or extravagance. Chen Nian delivered the suit to the dressing room, where he saw a stylist straightening Jing Mian’s hair in front of a full-length mirror.

Chen Nian set the clothes down, then couldn’t help but exclaim, “As expected of Mr. Jing, you look like a celebrity with just a simple preparation.”

The two stylists couldn’t help but laugh. The one styling Jing Mian’s hair said: “Brother Chen, we haven’t even started makeup yet. Mr. Jing has only changed into a basic shirt and pants.”

Chen Nian was stunned.

After following Mr. Ren for almost two years, he’d seen countless celebrities whose faces were their meal tickets, but none of them were like Mr. Jing. Chen Nian couldn’t quite put it into words—Jing Mian’s figure was tall and slender, so different from the ‘kid’ Mr. Ren often referred to, and had now taken on a whole new aura.

His long eyelashes lowered slightly, casting a shadow over his almond-shaped, pale-tinted eyes. This made them all the more striking. His exposed forearm, attached to his shirt cuff, showed his fair, clean-cut look. A few soft strands of hair fell over his forehead, the way he glanced sideways looked like a painting.

He was clearly elegant and beautiful, utterly pure and unblemished. Yet, the graceful neck and slender waist could stir any onlooker’s imagination.

…For someone who doesn’t rely on their looks, it seemed like a waste of his charm.

Chen Nian was just about to speak when a knock came at the door.

He turned to open it and saw a middle-aged man dressed in a suit, holding a high-end, cyan-colored gift box. The man peered inside and asked, “Excuse me, is Mr. Jing here?”

Chen Nian found the man familiar, like a certain producer, Mr. Liang, whom he had met before. So instead of answering directly, he asked: “What do you need with Mr. Jing?”

Mr. Liang smiled and said: “I heard it was Mr. Ren’s birthday yesterday, and I didn’t have a chance to send a gift. Since I didn’t see him, I thought I’d give it to Mr. Jing instead…”

Chen Nian understood. This producer had been trying to secure a project for a while but had been turned away before. Besides, Mr. Ren was in the adjoining hall, how could Mr. Liang have missed him? And yet, he managed to find Mr. Jing’s resting room.

Chen Nian didn’t hold back. “Thanks for the thought, Mr. Liang. But, engagement gifts can be left at the main reception desk.” As for the birthday, there’s no need. You should know that Mr. Ren never celebrates his birthday.”

After sending Mr. Liang off, the room fell into a brief silence.

Jing Mian, feeling surprised, asked, “Was yesterday really Mr. Ren’s birthday?”

“It was”, Chen Nian nodded, smiling. “But don’t worry, Mr. Jing. Mr. Ren never celebrates his birthday. Everyone in the circle knows that—it’s been that way for years.”

A distant childhood memory surfaced in Jing Mian’s mind. He recalled that his brother’s birthday was indeed November 4th. Why had he forgotten? Perhaps it was because they had lost touch for so long. And yesterday had also happened to be his mother’s death anniversary. (“brother” is the one from his childhood.)

He had gone to visit her grave just the day before.

To think he learned about Mr. Ren’s birthday from someone else—it left Jing Mian in deep thought.

As his legal partner… perhaps he was failing in his duties.

————————————————————————————————

The engagement party ended smoothly.

Jing Mian sat on a nearby bench, stretching his legs to relieve the soreness from standing for so long. The refreshing sweetness in his mouth spread, and the tension in his body gradually eased. The lemon candy, which had originally been round, was now flattened from being sucked on for so long.

It was the candy Mr. Ren had placed in his palm just before the engagement ceremony.

Jing Mian lowered his gaze, staring blankly at the floor.

The engagement ceremony wasn’t as long as he’d imagined. He planned to wait for Mr. Ren to wrap things up and then say goodbye.

Soon, Mr. Ren appeared in his line of sight.

Jing Mian stood up, about to speak, when Mr. Ren asked, “Do you have any plans later?”

Jing Mian hesitated for a moment and replied, “No.”

It was true. His original plan was to return to school after the event, just in time to beat the curfew.

But did Mr. Ren have other plans in mind?

Before Jing Mian could think further, Mr. Ren spoke again. His deep, indifferent voice lacked any emotion. It was as if he were discussing something as casual as dinner. “Would it be convenient for you to move in with me?””

Jing Mian’s pupils contracted slightly, and his heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

If he wasn’t misunderstanding, wasn’t Mr. Ren essentially asking… if they should live together?

Jing Mian’s throat went dry. He stumbled over his words: “Um… sure, it’s… it’s convenient.”

There was no prolonged silence.

It felt like an ordinary chat about where to have dinner. It gave the situation an air of casual normalcy.

Mr. Ren said, “I’ll help you move your luggage.”

Jing Mian sat in the passenger seat. He watched the busy city traffic whiz by, still in shock.

“…”

So now… they were on the way to his dorm?

Was he really about to move into Mr. Ren’s house?

There was still no sense of reality to any of it. So much so that, when Mr. Ren asked him where his luggage was earlier, Jing Mian’s lashes trembled. His response was a bit delayed.

Jing Mian had packed three suitcases. Two were in the closet. The other, which was not moisture-sensitive, was on the balcony. He didn’t have many belongings, so the move was straightforward. Jing Mian had, however, prepared for this moment. He imagined countless scenarios of moving into Mr. Ren’s home. Yet none of those imagined scenes matched the reality before him.

As they neared the school, Jing Mian zipped up his jacket, wrapping himself tightly to keep warm.

Upon exiting the car, he suddenly heard Mr. Ren’s voice beside him: “Is it okay if your roommates know who I am?”

Jing Mian paused.

His throat inexplicably tightened. “…Sure.”

The reason he hadn’t told his roommates before was that he feared it might affect Mr. Ren, so he chose to stay silent. But if Mr. Ren didn’t mind, some of Jing Mian’s previous worries began to dissipate.

It was almost midnight on campus. Only the study room lights and a few couples walking the paths and roads remained. Since there was a makeup exam the next day and it was cold, there were hardly any students around.

As they got closer to the dormitory, Jing Mian felt a strange sense of anxiety creeping in. After all, he had never disclosed this to his three roommates; it should… be fine, right? Should he send a message in advance to soften the blow?

After thinking about it, Jing Mian suddenly felt that it wasn’t a viable option. He thought a group chat message might backfire. It said, “I’m bringing Ren Congmian back to the dorm, he’s my husband, so don’t be too surprised.”

For instance, they might not believe him and would tease him instead.

Jing Mian: “…”

Forget it, then.

Jing Mian decided to go with the flow.

After swiping his card to enter, he felt relieved. There weren’t many people in the corridor since it wasn’t yet time for washing up. They lived on the fourth floor. The young man hesitated, then decided against the elevator. Instead, he led Mr. Ren up a nearby secluded staircase.

As they approached the dimly lit dorm room, Jing Mian felt his palms get a little sweaty.

Soon, he stopped and noticed that the door was unlocked, so he knocked softly.

Upon hearing Song Yuhang’s familiar voice asking, “Is Mianmian back?” Jing Mian replied with an “mm” and opened the door.

The three roommates were not playing games. They were studying late into the night for their makeup exams.

However, when they looked at Jing Mian’s late-night return, their eyes all widened.

A stranger stood behind Jing Mian.

He bit his lip, hesitating about how to introduce him. The man, tall and handsome, wore a black hat and mask. His figure almost completely overshadowed the young man before him. Mr. Ren had thick, long lashes. His light-colored eyes seemed cold and indifferent. He spoke: “Hello.””

Strange, yet not entirely unfamiliar.

Perhaps out of politeness, the man pulled down his mask with his index finger. The black baseball cap cast a deep shadow over his features, lending him an air of mystery. Mr. Ren’s voice remained steady and calm as he lowered his gaze and coolly stated:

“I am Jing Mian’s partner.”

Jing Mian froze.

His heart inexplicably raced.

It was… a completely unexpected response that made Jing Mian swallow hard.

At that moment, the dorm fell silent.

It was almost eerily quiet.

Jing Mian felt his ears turn red and, after a brief moment of silence, felt compelled to add: “Um… this is Ren Congmian.”

……

Jing Mian couldn’t recall how he managed to get Mr. Ren into the room. And how he retrieved the packed boxes from his closet and the balcony.

However, his three unreliable roommates were surprisingly reliable this time. Although their pupils widened in shock, they didn’t forget to stand up and shake Mr. Ren’s hand.

This moving operation proceeded in an unusually quiet atmosphere.

The three roommates were concentrating on their studies. But there were no sounds coming from writing or pages turning. Even the sound of their breathing was muted.

Jing Mian: “…”

The effect was overwhelmingly shocking.

Jing Mian was about to leave, Song Yuhang suddenly grabbed his arm. He pulled out a light gray scarf from the bag beside him.

“It’s gotten really cold outside. This is the one you bought last time, right? I picked it up from the courier station.”

Song Yuhang said: “Put it on later.”

Jing Mian nodded.

Brother Song was indeed reliable.

…If only the hand gripping his arm weren’t slightly trembling.

Two suitcases were placed in the trunk. Jing Mian hugged the lightest suitcase, which was set in the backseat.

The car slowly started moving again.

This time, the destination was Mr. Ren’s home.

For some reason, sitting in the passenger seat, Jing Mian felt even more anxious than when he was on his way to school.

After all, he was heading to a completely unfamiliar place. He would be living with the unfamiliar Mr. Ren as if they were lovers. Spending the rest of their lives together.

Thinking about this made it impossible not to feel nervous.

Outside the car window, the dark night sky was filled with delicate snowflakes. Snowflakes drifted down, gently landing on the window and melting away in an instant.

…It’s snowing?

Jing Mian’s thoughts were drawn to this, and he couldn’t help but think that this seemed to be the first snow of the year.

It was indeed the first snowfall.

Suddenly remembering something, Jing Mian turned slightly and hesitated for a few seconds. He spoke to Mr. Ren: “I’m sorry, yesterday was your birthday, and I only found out today.”

He bit his lip and said softly, “If you want any gift, I can make it up to you.”

“…”

The man seemed visibly taken aback this time.

He turned to look at Jing Mian, locking eyes with those beautiful orbs.

After a few seconds of silence, Mr. Ren replied, “It’s nothing.”

Jing Mian: “…”

Okay then.

It seemed he was overthinking it.

It appeared that Mr. Ren really didn’t like birthdays. Perhaps he also didn’t like someone suggesting gifts, which was why he had bluntly refused.

But that was fine.

Jing Mian felt a bit relieved.

The car entered a spacious residential area. Although it was slightly away from the city center, it was not remote. At a glance, it was an upscale neighborhood with a very pleasant environment. Jing Mian had even seen it in news articles and newspapers before.

So this was Mr. Ren’s home.

It seemed to be neither in the city center nor by the riverside, and definitely not in the suburban villa.

…It was a place that even Yang, the manager, and his assistant had no knowledge of.

Once the car stopped, Jing Mian unfastened his seatbelt and obediently got out of the car.

He had expected to go straight to the parking lot, but the car had stopped outside. Wrapped in a light-colored down jacket, he felt warm. Yet his exposed fingertips were still cold and slightly red.

He was a bit confused.

Soon, Jing Mian understood. Mr. Ren took him to the entrance of the community to register his fingerprint. Then issued him a new key while having him remember a backup password.

Jing Mian nodded. He trembled slightly as he threaded the key onto his keychain. He silently recited the number a few times.

The two returned to where the car had stopped.

The dark night enveloped them. As if there were only the two of them left in the world, with swirling snowflakes and the jingling of keys.

Jing Mian lowered his gaze and saw the edge of the scarf hanging beside him.

Fortunately, Song Yuhang had given him the scarf before leaving. Jing Mian felt very warm around his neck. His lips tinted with a warm mist mixed with snowflakes, turning even redder.

He slightly raised his eyes and noticed Mr. Ren, dressed in a coat.

The first snow was always chilly, didn’t the man feel cold without wearing a warm jacket?

Jing Mian paused.

As his legitimate partner, he suddenly felt enlightened. He raised his hand, and wrapped the light-colored scarf around Mr. Ren’s neck. He did it with his cool fingertips.

He avoided touching the man. But, his hand still brushed against his neck after he finished the knot. Jing Mian bit his lip, his voice soft and gentle: “Here, take this scarf.”

Ren Xingwan’s pupils slightly contracted.

His fingers instinctively curled up. He swallowed as his neck was touched by the young man.

After Jing Mian finished, he quickly tucked his hand, and the keychain, back into his coat pocket to avoid the cold wind.

It was time to get in the car and warm up.

Suddenly, he sensed that the atmosphere was off.

Clearly, his recent action had plunged the mood into silence and stillness.

Jing Mian: “…”

He suspected he might have overstepped again.

But then Ren Xingwan let out a soft sigh, with no discernible expression, suddenly asked:

“Does what you said about the birthday gift still count?”

Jing Mian frozen.

He was clearly taken aback.

He wanted to explain that the scarf he had just given him was intended as a birthday gift for Mr. Ren. It was new, and although he had only worn it during the drive, it wasn’t overly expensive but had been chosen with care. So seeing the man wear it made him look even more handsome and attractive.

But being asked like that left him feeling flustered.

Jing Mian’s throat felt a bit dry as he said, “…Yes.”

…

This time, the cool air didn’t remain silent for long.

Ren Xingwan lowered his gaze, his voice somewhat subdued:

“Can I kiss you?”

Jing Mian’s heart skipped a beat.

…

He suspected he had misheard.

As the endless night enveloped them, Jing Mian was surprised. He then struggled to calm his racing heart.

He swallowed hard, fingers slightly curled. He heard his own bewildered and flustered voice ask, “Where do you want to… kiss?”

The man’s tone remained deep and steady, devoid of any inflection, as he replied hoarsely:

“On the lips.”