TRYMBPIETM 108: Revival of All Things (29)

Xing Shuangzhan raised his brows in surprise.

“You remembered?” he asked.

Chi Qingzhou leaned against Xing Shuangzhan, mumbling, “A few very vague fragments.”

Xing Shuangzhan sighed lightly, unable to tell if it was disappointment or something else.

Chi Qingzhou slowly blinked, a strange smile appearing at the corners of his lips.

The things he remembered were indeed not much, and many details were still blurry, but every reaction of Xing Shuangzhan at the time was crystal clear.

The other person’s flustered expression was something that, looking back, Chi Qingzhou now found extremely amusing.

That year, Chi Qingzhou had just turned eighteen, and Xing Shuangzhan had given him many nice gifts, yet never mentioned anything about feelings.

Chi Qingzhou couldn’t remember exactly what had happened then, just that he thought Xing Shuangzhan was being too timid, so he took the initiative to inform him—

“I’m an adult now, I can start dating. Some people should act sooner rather than later.”

Xing Shuangzhan immediately became flustered, unable to respond to Chi Qingzhou right away.

It wasn’t that he didn’t have feelings for Chi Qingzhou, nor that he was intentionally toying with him, or that there was something he couldn’t do. His reaction was simply because he wasn’t a beast.

Chi Qingzhou had just come of age, with no emotional experience, and hadn’t yet formed a mature, complete view on relationships. This was the time when he was most likely to make impulsive decisions due to emotions.

Though Xing Shuangzhan had no emotional experience either, he came from a more mature ancient society and was a thousand-year-old powerful ghost, so naturally, he was more rational.

He didn’t want Chi Qingzhou to regret it, and he couldn’t break his own boundaries right away. Even though Chi Qingzhou was an adult now, he still didn’t dare to take that step.

When Chi Qingzhou notified him that he could take some measures to pursue him, the only response Xing Shuangzhan could give was to remain frozen in place.

Chi Qingzhou thought he was being too timid and told him once again, even grabbing his tie to force him to lower his head.

Yes, on that day, Xing Shuangzhan had unusually worn modern clothes.

He wore a light gray suit with a black shirt and a small silver brooch on it.

That brooch was a gift from Chi Qingzhou, bought with the remainder of his scholarship money. It wasn’t something expensive, but Xing Shuangzhan had always cherished it.

To match the gift, he even gave up his usual black robes.

Xing Shuangzhan was forced to meet Chi Qingzhou’s gaze, remaining silent for a long time before speaking with difficulty, “I want to wait until you grow a bit more.”

Chi Qingzhou said, “I’m an adult now.”

Xing Shuangzhan shook his head, “I hope you can give me an answer after your feelings mature.”

Chi Qingzhou crossed his arms and looked at him, chuckling.

Xing Shuangzhan remained silent for a while.

His gaze grew very complicated as he looked at Chi Qingzhou, filled with reluctance and tenderness.

“Qingzhou, I must admit, I desire you very much. I want you to belong to me, but I cannot do that now… I’ve been with you since you were young, and after so many years, you may have developed some misconceptions.”

“You’re still young, you haven’t met too many people. You still have many opportunities to try and make mistakes.”

“Don’t focus only on me. I hope you meet other people and experience other emotions.”

“Once you’ve met those people and experienced those feelings, and you’re sure it’s not just an impulse… then at that time…”

Xing Shuangzhan chuckled softly, his eyes deep.

“My little contractor, by that time, I won’t let go anymore.”

Whether past or present, Chi Qingzhou was greatly surprised.

“Brother Su, what you’re saying… Does that mean, if I date someone during college, you can still bear it?”

Xing Shuangzhan silently pondered for a moment.

But he quickly said, “That is your right. I can’t take away your opportunity to make friends and date just because of my own selfishness.”

Chi Qingzhou clicked his tongue. “You’re really patient.”

Xing Shuangzhan said nothing.

His eyes lowered, expression neutral, but Chi Qingzhou could clearly feel that his emotions were far from calm.

He wasn’t indifferent to the possibility of Chi Qingzhou dating someone else. In fact, just thinking about it stirred up jealousy in his heart. But he had to endure it, he had to let Chi Qingzhou try new experiences.

This was what he, as an elder, had to do.

He didn’t want Chi Qingzhou to regret anything later because of a momentary impulse.

So, no matter how much reluctance and jealousy he felt inside, he had to swallow it down.

Chi Qingzhou laughed softly, slowly saying, “But I’ve already made lots of friends before…?”

Making friends had been a hobby of his for many years.

Xing Shuangzhan replied, “Friendship is different from love.”

Chi Qingzhou was about to sigh.

“You talk as if you’ve been in a relationship before. Brother Su, it’s both our first time, so don’t give me any unnecessary advice.”

“Let me say this now: Whether you like it or not, I’m an adult now. I can date, and you must like me.”

Xing Shuangzhan shook his head again, “I’ll always like you, always. But you can’t be so impulsive.”

Chi Qingzhou fell silent.

After nearly half a minute, he finally complained, “Su-Ge, you’re so wordy! You’re over a thousand years old, not over ten thousand! Can you stop being so nagging?”

Xing Shuangzhan was about to say something when Chi Qingzhou covered his mouth with his hand.

He forcefully pressed Xing Shuangzhan back, and in that entangled position, both of them fell onto the sofa.

Before Xing Shuangzhan could react, Chi Qingzhou lifted his right leg, crossed over him, and directly sat on his waist.

Xing Shuangzhan instantly tensed his body, not daring to move.

Chi Qingzhou leaned down and, through the back of his hand, lightly planted a kiss.

In his memory, he had laughed and said, “Since Su-Ge is willing to endure, don’t blame me for being excessive.”

The memory interrupted.

Chi Qingzhou raised his head. The room was slightly dim, and the atmosphere suddenly became much thicker with ambiguity.

He sensed a subtle change.

After a brief pause, Chi Qingzhou turned his head and suddenly realized that Xing Shuangzhan had unknowingly pulled away.

Xing Shuangzhan’s fiery gaze locked tightly onto him, his eyes deep with an unspoken aggression.

It was like some enormous creature, long submerged deep in the sea, finally opening its eyes upon seeing its long-awaited prey.

Chi Qingzhou’s spine stiffened.

He silently locked eyes with Xing Shuangzhan for a few seconds before turning his gaze away.

Xing Shuangzhan smiled faintly.

“Are you scared? Guess what, I’ve endured from your eighteenth to your twenty-third. Do you think I can go from being a ghost to… a beast?”

Chi Qingzhou didn’t respond.

He took a step back and blinked innocently.

Xing Shuangzhan took two steps forward, scooped him up horizontally, and with a meaningful smile on his face, headed for the bedroom.

…

Chi Qingning hung up the phone and bounced a few times in the living room, excitedly waving his arms.

Great!

Chi Qingzhou forgave him!

This time, he didn’t have to risk his life!

As for the charity that Fu Wenan and he were supposed to do?

Heh, it’s just donating money. Compared to life, of course, life is more important!

Without hesitation, Chi Qingning made his choice for Fu Wenan.

It wasn’t because he was overconfident or disrespected Fu Wenan, but because he knew that even asking Fu Wenan for a favor was a huge risk.

Did he really think Chi Qingzhou could be easily fooled?

If it weren’t for his real feelings for Fu Wenan, he wouldn’t have risked his life to intercede!

Chi Qingning tossed his phone onto the sofa, hands on his hips, snorting.

Back when Chi Qingzhou just returned home, he was solely focused on maintaining his position and wealth. But as time passed and he realized Chi Qingzhou was no ordinary person, his goal had long since changed!

He wasn’t thinking about living an extraordinary life anymore. The only thought he had was to live well under Chi Qingzhou’s hands.

To resist Chi Qingzhou?

Sorry, he didn’t have the ability or the courage.

The fear he had for Chi Qingzhou was ingrained in his bones. Now, looking back at his past self, who had hinted to Xiao Ma, he found it unbelievable.

What gave me the nerve back then to dare to go against Chi Qingzhou?

That really was a dead-end!

Chi Qingning mercilessly criticized his past self and glanced at the phone on the sofa, feeling slightly upset again.

He wasn’t unaware that Fu Wenan had kept many lovers, and even now, there was one by his side. It wasn’t that he didn’t care, but he simply didn’t have the standing to criticize Fu Wenan.

Because he himself was almost the same, having had overly intimate relationships with many people.

The way they interacted had become a tacit understanding, a comfortable distance that neither of them wanted to break.

Chi Qingning still hoped Fu Wenan would be fine.

Although compared to Chi Qingzhou, he seemed to have been pampered by his parents since childhood, only he knew that this kind of pampering was fleeting, not even as valuable as a random company publicity event.

Compared to the Chi family, Fu Wenan’s affection was almost absurdly sincere.

This person asked for nothing from him.

Not money, not the company, not the alliance’s help, and he barely cared about beauty.

Perhaps Fu Wenan liked young bodies, but he never regarded that as the “necessary value” of “Chi Qingning.”

For a long time, Chi Qingning truly felt that only in front of Fu Wenan was “Chi Qingning” a real person, not a living being attached to some special value.

It was only from that moment that his feelings for Fu Wenan became genuine and deep.

Before that, he had only regarded Fu Wenan as the fiancé arranged by his family.

Chi Qingning sighed.

What Fu Wenan had done today had indeed put him in a passive and awkward position, but he couldn’t bear to watch Fu Wenan anger Chi Qingzhou.

Even if it was more beneficial for him if Fu Wenan didn’t do that.

In the end, he endured the fear and apologized on Fu Wenan’s behalf. Although he was a bit shaken, the result was good.

Chi Qingning sulked for a while before picking up his phone again and dialing.

After only one ring, the other side quickly answered.

Chi Qingning slightly curved his lips and softly said, “Wen-Ge, let’s go do charity together tomorrow.”

A light chuckle came from the other end, but it wasn’t Fu Wenan’s voice that he was familiar with.