UI Chapter 59

From Zhao Jiyu’s reaction, Tang Jiayi immediately realized that he had no idea what had happened that night.

As a friend, he probably shouldn’t bring it up and cause more conflict, but knowing Wei Qi’s impulsive nature—especially when all of them understood how serious Zhao Jiyu was about Shen Ran—Tang Jiayi figured it was better to explain things now than to let Zhao Jiyu hear about it later from Shen Ran. That would only make things worse.

He didn’t repeat Wei Qi’s exact words, but by the end of his explanation, Zhao Jiyu’s expression had darkened. His hands were buried in the pockets of his dress pants, and he remained silent for a long time.

“Jiyu,” Tang Jiayi tried to persuade him,
“Wei Qi meant well. You know how he is—he just—”

But Zhao Jiyu wasn’t listening to a single word. His mind was consumed by one thought: Shen Ran rejected him because of this.

Before, he couldn’t understand why Shen Ran denied his own feelings. But now, the truth was clear.

“Jiyu?”

Zhao Jiyu didn’t respond. Tang Jiayi couldn’t help but pat him on the shoulder. Finally, Zhao Jiyu snapped out of his thoughts. He coldly said, “I’m leaving,” then turned and strode back into the banquet hall.

Zhao Xinhong was still talking with Li Zhi, with Elder Tang standing nearby. Many people remained gathered around them. Zhao Jiyu scanned the room but didn’t see Yu Xuetong. He was about to leave when he unexpectedly ran into Zhao Xian, who had arrived late.

Zhao Xian hadn’t brought his current wife, Han Qiaoxin, to the event. Instead, he was accompanied by his newly promoted assistant, Secretary Li.

Secretary Li wore a gemstone-red evening gown, her wrist adorned with an expensive diamond bracelet. She was holding Zhao Xian’s arm and didn’t seem to mind being seen. When she spotted Zhao Jiyu, she even nodded at him and greeted him proactively. “Mr. Zhao.”

Zhao Jiyu had no interest in his father’s affairs. He didn’t even glance at Zhao Xian’s face, simply turning to leave. But Zhao Xian grabbed his arm. “Where are you going?”

“I have something to do.”

Zhao Jiyu pulled his arm free without hesitation. Ignoring Zhao Xian’s low voice calling after him, he strode quickly down the steps outside and got into his car. He loosened his tie and immediately dialed Shen Ran’s number.

Hearing the automated response that the phone was turned off, he opened Shen Ran’s WeChat and typed:

[Where are you? I already know what Wei Qi said that night. Reply to me as soon as you see this.]

After sending the message, he clenched his fist and pressed it against his lips. A moment later, unable to suppress his frustration, he slammed his fist against the steering wheel.

He knew Wei Qi’s temper all too well. If Wei Qi had targeted Shen Ran because of him, he could only imagine how harsh his words must have been.

Thinking about what Shen Ran must have felt that night, Zhao Jiyu leaned back in his seat and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself. Then, he started the car and headed toward the university.

The event had been held in the outskirts of the city. On the way back, a few muffled thunderclaps rumbled across the sky. Secretary Tang called to ask where he had gone.

Recently, his chronic gastritis had been flaring up again, and Secretary Tang was aware of this. After only a few words, the phone was taken away by Zhao Xinhong.

“Jiyu, what’s going on? I was just about to introduce you to Li Zhi.”

“Grandpa, my stomach hurts. I just want to go back and rest.”

With that one sentence, Zhao Jiyu immediately quelled Zhao Xinhong’s temper. Zhao Xinhong stepped aside and lowered his voice.
“Is it serious? Do you need to get checked at the hospital? I can have Director Qin arrange it for you—just drive over now.”

“No need. I just had two small glasses of champagne and felt a little unwell.”

Zhao Jiyu made his tone sound as natural as possible. Besides, his body wasn’t well-suited for drinking alcohol in the first place. Zhao Xinhong, who cared about him the most, simply reminded him to drive safely, take his medicine when he got home, and rest early. He also told him to come over the next evening.

After hanging up, raindrops began to fall against the car window. At some point, the sky had become densely covered with dark clouds, and the phoenix trees lining the road swayed in the wind.

By the time he arrived at the university, the rain was pouring heavily. After parking at the entrance, he searched both the backseat and the trunk but found no umbrella. Without hesitation, he stepped into the rain, walking for more than twenty minutes until he reached Shen Ran’s dormitory building.

The entire building was dark, all the lights turned off. Zhao Jiyu was completely drenched—his dress shirt and trousers were soaked through, and water dripped from his hair. He took off his glasses, avoided the dorm supervisor’s gaze, and climbed to the fourth floor, knocking on Shen Ran’s door.

Soon, someone shuffled over in slippers and opened the door. Upon seeing Zhao Jiyu, the person froze in surprise. But Zhao Jiyu didn’t bother with formalities and got straight to the point.
“I’m looking for Shen Ran.”

“He’s not here. He went out earlier tonight and hasn’t come back.”
The person stepped aside slightly, allowing Zhao Jiyu to see that Shen Ran’s bed was empty.

Zhao Jiyu asked again,
“Do you know where he went?”

“No idea. It seemed like something urgent came up.”

Shen Ran’s suitcase was still under the bed. After thanking the person, Zhao Jiyu went downstairs and tried calling Shen Ran again, but his phone was still off. He also attempted a WeChat voice call, but no one answered.

As for Shen Ran’s WeChat Moments, there was nothing new after that photo he posted.

Standing at the entrance of the building, Zhao Jiyu stared blankly at the rain dripping from the eaves. It was only at this moment that he realized—not being able to find Shen Ran made him feel completely lost, unsure of where to go next or what to do.

In the cold wind at the crossroads, he pressed a hand to his upper abdomen, crouched down, and buried his face in his knees.

Originally, he had only used a stomachache as an excuse to step outside for a smoke, but now the pain was real.

A dense, needle-like sensation pricked his fragile organs. He lowered his head, gripping his phone tightly before loosening his hold, letting it drop to the ground.

He crouched in the hallway for a long time before propping himself up against the wall and standing. Once again, he walked into the heavy rain. By the time he returned to his car, even his leather shoes were soaked through. He opened the glove compartment, found a painkiller, swallowed it, and after a brief rest, drove home.

As he stepped through the front door, he heard sounds coming from the kitchen. A face immediately surfaced in his mind. Without even bothering to change his shoes, he rushed over, only to falter when he saw the figure in the apron. At that moment, he could no longer hold on—pressing a hand against his upper abdomen, he leaned against the sliding door.

Old Wu had come over to cook porridge for his stomach after receiving a call from Old Tang. Hearing the commotion, he turned around and saw him bent over, struggling to stand upright. He hurried over to support him.
“What happened? Why are you soaked to the bone?”

Zhao Jiyu was too exhausted to say a single word. As he stood there, a small puddle of rainwater pooled at his feet. Old Wu helped him into the bathroom, asking if he could manage on his own. Still silent, Zhao Jiyu pushed him away and firmly shut the door.

He soaked in the temperature-controlled bathtub for a long time. The warmth gradually chased away the chill that had seeped into his body from the rain, and his stomach pain eased significantly. Yet, he still felt drained—his limbs heavy and powerless, as if all his strength had been siphoned away.

The bathroom’s overhead light was a bit too bright. His gaze landed on the bath sponge hanging in the shower area. The one belonging to Shen Ran was still there, hanging neatly beside his own. Everything he had prepared for Shen Ran in this home remained untouched. The only difference was that the person who used them was no longer willing to return.

He lay there for another ten minutes, feeling drowsy, and drifted into a short dream.

In the dream, he and Shen Ran stood in front of the bathroom mirror. Shen Ran, eyes lowered, was helping him tie his tie. The soft bathroom lighting cast a glow on Shen Ran’s handsome and focused face. Zhao Jiyu couldn’t resist lowering his head to kiss him. Shen Ran didn’t resist. His fingers brushed against Zhao Jiyu’s chest before sliding around his neck, taking control and turning the tables on him.

Before bed, he ate the porridge Old Wu had prepared. The next morning, he felt much better and went straight to the school to track down Zheng Mingjin.

Unwilling to talk in the crowded hallway, Zheng Mingjin led him to a quieter place. However, when Zhao Jiyu asked where Shen Ran had gone, Zheng Mingjin looked confused.

The incident of Xu Huijuan being taken to the hospital the previous night hadn’t reached Zheng Mingjin’s mother, so he still had no idea that Shen Ran had already left. Seeing that his reaction didn’t seem fake, Zhao Jiyu didn’t waste any more time and turned to find Shen Ran’s advisor.

Zheng Mingjin went with him. Along the way, they discovered that Shen Ran’s phone was still off.

“He hasn’t turned it on all night?” Zheng Mingjin asked anxiously.

“No,” Zhao Jiyu replied.

His strides were long, and the wind slightly lifted his slightly overgrown hair. When they reached the faculty building and inquired about Shen Ran, the advisor explained the situation to them. Zheng Mingjin immediately called Shen Ran’s mother, but it was Aunt Wen who answered.

Hearing that they were looking for Shen Ran, Aunt Wen said that he had gone home to pick up some things and wouldn’t return to the hospital until the afternoon. Zheng Mingjin then asked about Xu Huijuan’s condition, and Aunt Wen reassured him that he was stable now and there was no need to worry.

Listening from the side, Zhao Jiyu grasped the general situation. As soon as Zheng Mingjin ended the call, Zhao Jiyu asked for the hospital’s address.

Zheng Mingjin frowned, reluctant to speak. Zhao Jiyu, who had little patience, said directly,
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll go to his hometown and ask the neighbors.”

At this point, Zheng Mingjin knew that avoiding the issue any further was useless. Besides, given Shen Ran’s family situation, it was better to check in on him personally for peace of mind.

Glancing at his watch, Zheng Mingjin said,
“You drove here, right? I’ll go with you.”