UI CH 17

Zhao Jiyu sent over the address. When Shen Ran looked it up, it was in the CBD area of Wuyuan Bay. Zhao Jiyu didn’t specify the exact door number, only reminding him to call when he was close.

Shen Ran replied with an “OK” emoji. After finishing his meal and taking a short nap, he continued working at the convenience store.

When he walked out in the evening, the setting sun bathed the entire narrow path in golden light, and the air was still thick with the lingering heat of midsummer.

At the bus stop, he boarded a bus heading toward Wuyuan Bay. On the way, he tried calling Chen Kang again, but his phone was still turned off.

He pulled out his earphones, and after a few stops, a seat became available. Sitting down, he leaned back against the chair, watching the street scenery flow by outside the window. Before he knew it, he had dozed off, only to be jolted awake by a sudden, sharp brake.

Seeing the sky outside had already darkened, he looked up at the bus stop indicator and realized he had missed his stop by three stations.

He got off at the next stop and used a map app to navigate to Zhao Jiyu’s address. Finding that cycling would be faster, he rented a shared bike. Just as he got on, his phone rang.

Zhao Jiyu asked where he was.

“I missed my stop. I’m cycling back now. I should be there in about 20 minutes,”
Shen Ran explained, his right foot resting on the ground.

“I’m nearby. Send me your location, and I’ll pick you up.”

“It’s fine. I’m using navigation—I won’t get lost.”

“Just send it over. You might not be able to get in once you arrive downstairs.”

Since Zhao Jiyu insisted, Shen Ran sent his location. While waiting, he looked around at his surroundings. The area was well-planned, with towering commercial buildings everywhere.

Not far away, the Wuyuan Bridge lay over the sea like a band of emerald lights. Across the coastline was a wetland park, and even at dusk, he could see egrets spreading their wings and flying.

He took out his phone and started taking pictures. He had only snapped a few when he heard an engine approaching. Turning around, he saw a dark green soft-top convertible slowly pulling up behind him, the roof still closed.

Thinking it was someone else’s car, he stepped aside. But then the driver’s door opened, and someone got out, calling his name.

When he turned back again, he saw a familiar face he hadn’t seen in a few days.

“Get in,” Zhao Jiyu said, his bangs lifted by the evening breeze, revealing a gentle and charming smile.

Shen Ran exchanged glances with him for a moment, then looked at the car in surprise. He walked over to the passenger side, intending to ask why he had changed cars, but then he noticed someone in the back seat.

It was a girl with a sweet appearance and an elegant sense of style.

When she saw him look back, she smiled and said,
“Hi, I’m Yu Xuetong.”

Shen Ran responded,
“Hello, I’m Shen Ran.”

Yu Xuetong tucked a strand of smooth hair behind her ear, a small diamond earring glinting like starlight among her locks.
“I know. I just heard Jiyu talking about you.”

Shen Ran nodded slightly and reached for the seatbelt, only to find it wasn’t where it should be. He turned to look at Zhao Jiyu. The latter had already sat back in the driver’s seat and, after glancing at Shen Ran, leaned over towards him. Instinctively, Shen Ran retreated against the door, only for Zhao Jiyu to hold him by the shoulder.

“Don’t move.”

An arm reached past his face, and he heard the sound of a buckle and wheel mechanism turning. Then, a faintly sweet and slightly spicy woodsy scent filled the small space. When the pressure on his shoulder registered, he realized Zhao Jiyu was fastening his seatbelt for him.

Rubbing the tip of his nose, Shen Ran turned to look out the window. Zhao Jiyu’s gaze swept over his Adam’s apple as it bobbed. After sitting upright, he fastened his own seatbelt.

“It’s all good.”

The car was playing music, keeping the atmosphere from feeling awkward even when no one was speaking. At the upcoming intersection, Zhao Jiyu pulled over to the side and said to Shen Ran,
“Let Xuetong out. She’s here.”

This car was a two-door model. Shen Ran unfastened his seatbelt, and he and Zhao Jiyu got out simultaneously. They moved the passenger seat forward to let Yu Xuetong out.

With the chain strap of her small Chanel bag resting on her shoulder, Yu Xuetong said,
“I’m leaving. Remember not to let anything slip.”

“Got it,” Zhao Jiyu responded. She then said to Shen Ran, “Bye-bye.”

“Bye-bye.”

Shen Ran watched her turn away. Only after she had walked some distance did he hear someone next to him ask,
“You think she’s pretty?”

Snapping back to reality, Shen Ran was just about to answer when he realized Zhao Jiyu had somehow moved right beside him. His hands were on his hips, his chest nearly touching Shen Ran’s arm, and his face was so close that when Shen Ran turned, their noses almost touched.

Shen Ran took a step back and said,
“Don’t get the wrong idea. I wasn’t thinking anything.”

Zhao Jiyu made a face that seemed to say,”Is that so?” but his words were full of doubt: “If you weren’t thinking anything, why were you staring at her?”

Shen Ran felt embarrassed. From the earlier interaction, he had sensed that Zhao Jiyu and the girl had something going on, so he repeated,
“No, I was just curious about your relationship with her.”

“What about my relationship with her?”
Zhao Jiyu suddenly seemed relentless.
“Does it bother you?”

His prickly reaction was strange, but Shen Ran could understand if he was nervous about the girl. He patiently explained,
“Is she your girlfriend? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

Not far ahead was a shopping mall. The place where they had parked was just at the back, where the lighting was dim. Shen Ran felt his head start to ache under Zhao Jiyu’s unpredictable gaze.

However, he realized he had indeed been rude earlier by staring at a girl he’d just met. Zhao Jiyu’s reaction likely meant he really liked the girl. Shen Ran was about to explain further to avoid any misunderstanding when Zhao Jiyu turned away and walked to the driver’s seat.

For the rest of the drive, Zhao Jiyu said nothing. His eyes remained fixed on the road ahead. Shen Ran turned to look at him a few times, and each time he could feel the low pressure emanating from him. But when the car turned into the parking garage of the business center, Zhao Jiyu still helped him unbuckle his seatbelt.

After scanning his fingerprint to enter the elevator, Shen Ran watched Zhao Jiyu press the button for the 35th floor. There were a few other people in the elevator with them, and the two stood by the side. When they stepped out on the 35th floor, they were greeted by a small, square-shaped private lobby.

Shen Ran looked around. The décor of the small lobby was quite simple and elegant. On the left stood a large Monstera plant as tall as a person, while on the right was a walnut wood door.

This kind of entrance Shen Ran had only seen online before. He couldn’t help but ask,
“Is this your home?”

“Are your parents here too?”

“No, I live alone.”

Right in front of Shen Ran, Zhao Jiyu entered the password to unlock the door. He sat on the long leather bench by the entryway to take off his shoes. When he noticed Shen Ran standing still at the doorway, he patted the spot beside him and said,
“Have a seat. I’ll get you some slippers.”

Shen Ran stepped inside. Zhao Jiyu brought him a brand-new pair of sporty slippers. After changing, Zhao Jiyu led him into the living room, but they didn’t get far before Shen Ran stopped in his tracks.

Before coming in, Shen Ran had expected Zhao Jiyu’s home to be quite luxurious. Now that he saw it, he realized it was indeed spacious, but it exuded a cold, minimalist style. It was so minimalistic that the space felt empty to the eye.

The living room, about 80 square meters in size, was as large as an entire apartment for most people, yet there was barely any furniture. The teak flooring was so clean it gleamed, and the walls were papered in a pearly beige color. A massive screen TV hung in the center of the wall, facing a dark wood and genuine leather sofa. Near the floor-to-ceiling window stood a treadmill and a dumbbell bench—nothing else.

Hearing the noise, a sliding door on the left opened. An older man wearing an apron smiled at them and said, “Still need about ten more minutes.”

Zhao Jiyu turned to Shen Ran. “Want a drink first?”

Shen Ran didn’t refuse. Zhao Jiyu walked down the hallway to the right, opened the door to the first room, and asked,
“What would you like to drink?”

Shen Ran wasn’t knowledgeable about alcohol, so he said, “Anything’s fine.”

Zhao Jiyu beckoned him over. When he entered the room, Shen Ran saw glass display cabinets covering three walls, neatly filled with an array of foreign and red wines—so many it left him speechless.

Not expecting Zhao Jiyu to dedicate an entire room to alcohol, Shen Ran asked, “These can’t all be yours, right?”

For the first time, Zhao Jiyu’s expression relaxed a bit. He tilted his head slightly and looked at Shen Ran.
“Do you think I’m an alcoholic?”

“Not at all,”
Shen Ran replied, looking at the cabinets.
“Everyone has different hobbies. As long as it doesn’t affect others, it’s not a problem.”

Zhao Jiyu opened the cabinet in the center and selected a bottle of Cointreau.
“Let’s start with this. It won’t be too strong for you.”

Back at the bar, Zhao Jiyu had roughly gauged Shen Ran’s drinking capacity, and on the yacht, he had noticed Shen Ran preferred liqueurs.

The sliding door next to the kitchen led to a separate dining room, where several prepared dishes were already set on the table. Zhao Jiyu had Shen Ran sit down, poured him a glass, and Old Wu brought out the final dish—a steaming pot of seafood stew.

When the lid was lifted, steam wrapped in the aroma of seafood spread through the air. Six palm-sized red crabs surrounded a green lobster in the center, with a ring of slipper lobsters, clams, and other shellfish on the side.

Old Wu also served them two bowls of clear stewed soft-shelled turtle soup. After untying his apron, he said to Zhao Jiyu,
“The dessert is already in the oven. I’ve set the timer. I’ll head out now.”

“Okay,” Zhao Jiyu said,
“Take it slow on the way back.”

Old Wu nodded to Shen Ran before leaving. After he was gone, Shen Ran asked,
“Is he your family’s chef?”

Zhao Jiyu clinked his glass lightly against Shen Ran’s, took a small sip, and said,
“He used to be a chef at a hotel. Later, he felt it was too exhausting and quit. It just so happened I needed someone to cook for me, so a friend introduced him.”

Shen Ran took a sip. The drink had a rich taste, a coolness with a hint of warmth. It started with a slight bitterness, but as he swallowed, a pleasant sweetness lingered on his taste buds.

Zhao Jiyu observed his expression. Seeing that Shen Ran liked it, he said,
“Go ahead and eat. These were all freshly brought ashore today.”

He handed Shen Ran a pair of disposable gloves, put on his own, and started peeling the red crab. At first, Shen Ran was a bit reserved, only tasting the soft-shelled turtle soup. Realizing how fresh it was, he began to eat more. When Zhao Jiyu offered him some crab meat dipped in Old Wu’s secret sauce, Shen Ran couldn’t stop.

Zhao Jiyu also found the seafood to be excellent. The shellfish had a subtle sweetness. He even brought out a bottle of dry white wine halfway through. Shen Ran sipped a little, and the crispness of the wine perfectly balanced the slight brininess of the seafood, making it taste even better.

The meal thoroughly whetted Shen Ran’s appetite. When Zhao Jiyu asked him what he thought, he earnestly reviewed every dish. Hearing him say there were no flaws, Zhao Jiyu couldn’t help but laugh.
“Good thing Old Wu isn’t here. Otherwise, if he heard that, he’d think there was no room for improvement.”

Shen Ran knew Zhao Jiyu was joking, but it was true. Old Wu’s cooking was the best he’d ever had. If he had to find a downside, it would only be that he’d keep craving it after eating.

For dessert, Zhao Jiyu handed him two crispy, fragrant mango and taro tarts. Remembering his last experience, Shen Ran blew on them several times before taking a bite. Zhao Jiyu hadn’t exaggerated—the taro balls were even chewier than the ones on the yacht before.

After they cleared the table, Shen Ran stood up contentedly and said,
“I’ll wash the dishes.”

Zhao Jiyu handed him a box of tissues.
“Leave it. The housekeeper will clean up tomorrow morning.”

“It’s fine,” Shen Ran said, starting to clear the table.
“You treated me to dinner. I can’t just eat and do nothing.”

Since he insisted, Zhao Jiyu let him be. When Shen Ran had almost finished putting the dishes in the sink and was looking for dish soap, Zhao Jiyu walked in with their empty wine glasses. He tapped his toe against the right side of a cabinet, and the door slowly descended automatically.

“Use the dishwasher,”
Zhao Jiyu suggested.

Shen Ran watched as a white machine slowly emerged. Curious, he crouched down and said,
“Your place is pretty high-tech. But I don’t know how to use this. I think washing by hand is quicker and easier.”

Zhao Jiyu squatted beside him, turning his face slightly to look at him.
“I’ll teach you. Dishwashers are gentle on your hands. Once you learn, it’ll be more convenient next time.”