Trigger Warning
Lu Tian cried for a while before remembering what he should do. He wiped his tears and went to get the doctor.
Lu Heng lay there, still feeling dazed. He was back, and everything was exactly the same as the twenty-six years he had lived. After a moment of haziness, he came to his senses and struggled to lift his hand to grab the phone beside his pillow.
He remembered the date when he suddenly passed out. Only ten days had passed since then.
He opened his phone and clicked on the browser, taking a while before typing in “Jiang Yunxing.” Many web pages quickly appeared, but at a glance, none were related to that book.
Those two months spent in that book felt like a dream, extremely unreal.
Lu Heng locked his phone and stared blankly at his reflection on the black screen. For a moment, he wondered if those two months were really just a dream, and if that Jiang Yunxing actually existed.
Lu Heng closed his eyes, then opened them again. He placed the phone back under his pillow.
Whether it was real or not, once he recovered, he would go to the address Jiang Yunxing mentioned to confirm.
Lu Tian called the doctor who came to examine Lu Heng thoroughly. Since Lu Heng had no external injuries when he fainted, waking up meant he was almost recovered. The doctor gave a few more instructions before leaving.
After the doctor left, Lu Tian first called their family, then handled endless work-related calls. Although Lu Tian wasn’t very skilled at it, he managed to handle them effectively.
Lu Heng watched Lu Tian busying about with a faint smile. Compared to the Lu Tian in the book, he now found this Lu Tian much more pleasing to look at.
“Ge… why are you acting strange?” Lu Tian finished his calls and noticed Lu Heng watching him with a kind smile, finding the expression unfamiliar.
Lu Heng composed his expression. “Nothing. Have you been managing the company these days?”
“Yeah, after you passed out, Dad cut off all my entertainment. I’ve been either at the company or hospital every day.” Lu Tian sat on Lu Heng’s bed, flopping onto him and complaining, “Ge, get better soon. My head hurts just hearing the phone ring now. Even partying at clubs for three days straight wasn’t this tiring.”
“You dare say that? Your head’s full of nonsense. This is a good opportunity. Once I’m better, I’ll properly teach you about business. You seem quite talented, you should learn quickly.” Lu Heng ruffled Lu Tian’s hair and said casually, “I’m not taking over the company anymore. It’ll depend on you in the future.”
“How can you depend on me? Wait…” Lu Tian suddenly raised his head, looking at Lu Heng in horror, his eyes growing wider and wider, almost popping out. “What did you say?! You’re not taking over the company?!”
“I’ll help you. I won’t leave you hanging. I’m a little tired after all these years,” Lu Heng said. “I almost lost my life for the sake of work. It’s not worth it.”
Lu Tian was still shocked, but hearing Lu Heng’s words, he found them reasonable.
“It’s good you think this way. All these years, I’ve never seen you properly relax. You’re always buried in work.” Lu Tian said, “You really scared us this time. They even issued a critical condition notice, almost… Mom cried for days and slapped Dad several times. I think Dad regrets it too. He’s been visiting you every day and keeps looking at your awards and certificates back home. Don’t blame him too much.”
Lu Heng’s lips twitched. Regarding Lu Shenghua, he didn’t know what to say. Perhaps his accident had really scared Lu Shenghua, but if he hadn’t woken up and died, what use would Lu Shenghua’s regret be? Even his own regret would have been worthless.
Since he survived, let bygones be bygones. Now he just wanted to follow his heart.
“Ge, what are your plans after your discharge?” Lu Tian asked.
Lu Heng thought for a moment. “Maybe travel.”
Lu Tian immediately got excited. “Great! Who are you going with? Where are you going? Want me to accompany you?”
“I haven’t decided yet. Let me plan it out first.”
“That works. Let me know once you’ve made plans, and I’ll have someone book tickets for you. Or would you like to try a road trip? We can hire a driver, and you can go wherever you want.”
“I’ll think about it,” Lu Heng said. “For now, please help me book a ticket to Guangxi.”
Lu Tian was taken aback. “Guangxi? What for?”
“I’m going to find someone.”
–
The news of Lu Heng’s waking up spread within a day. Shortly after his chat with Lu Tian, Gu Lanzhi arrived with Lu Ying. Throughout the afternoon, more visitors trickled in.
By dinner time, when the family was eating in the hospital room, Lu Shenghua also showed up. He sat quietly to the side, saying nothing, but occasionally caught Lu Heng’s eye when he looked up.
Since Lu Heng could remember, they had never had a cordial conversation, mostly exchanging pleasantries or sitting in silence. The third time their eyes met, Lu Heng gave a curt nod, breaking the ice between them.
That small gesture dissolved the tension, and Lu Shenghua joined them for dinner. Before leaving, he spoke privately with Lu Heng, telling him to take care of himself and prioritize his own feelings above everything else.
“So anything goes as long as I’m happy?” Lu Heng asked.
Lu Shenghua caught on quickly, sensing there was more to come. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’ve been thinking about my personal life,” Lu Heng said. “I seem to be more interested in men than women.”
Lu Shenghua: “…”
Lu Heng met Lu Shenghua’s gaze. He saw various emotions in his father’s eyes but he was fearless. He had nothing left to lose, and Lu Shenghua had no leverage over him. Coming out now was better than waiting until their relationship became strained again.
After a long pause, Lu Shenghua sighed and said, “Don’t let Lu Tian know about this. He likes to copy you.”
Two days later, Lu Heng was discharged from the hospital.
During those days, he had people investigate the situation in Guangxi, confirming the address was real. The rest wasn’t hard to piece together.
A family of three lived there, with a son who’d just finished his college entrance exams. His name was Zhou Yuluo, who basically matched Jiang Yunxing’s description.
Although Lu Heng didn’t dig too deep, he learned about the boy’s suicide attempt after the exams.
The neighborhood was a resettlement area where everyone knew each other’s business. Zhou Yuluo’s suicide wasn’t just due to poor exam results, but years of family and school pressure.
His parents fought constantly, which always affected Zhou Yuluo. They often took it out on him with violence and harsh treatment. This led to his withdrawn personality and made him a target for bullying at school. Reportedly, right before the exams, someone discovered Zhou Yuluo liked boys, and the news spread quickly through the area.
No wonder he chose to end it all, and even in the book, he was always so cautious.
Lu Heng sighed, taking out the phone number he’d found before boarding his flight. He dialed.
The call connected quickly, and a clear voice answered, “Hello?”
“Zhou Yuluo?” Lu Heng asked, unsure what to say over the phone, so he went straight to the point. “This is Lu Heng.”
When Zhou Yuluo woke up, he was already at home, his wrist wrapped in gauze that was still seeping blood.
He knew he hadn’t fully recovered, but his parents wouldn’t spend that much money on his hospitalization. They rushed him home, and now his head was still a bit dizzy. When he got out of bed, there was no one at home.
Although it had always been like this before, after experiencing those two months in his dreams, Zhou Yuluo felt a bit unsettled.
He made himself some sugar water to ease his dizziness, grabbed something to eat to fill his stomach, and then applied medicine to his wrist.
For the next two days, he waited without hope.
He had long since given up hope in this world. His only hope came from the people he met in those two months, but those two months felt like a dream, extremely unreal.
He tried searching for that book but found that it was as if it had never existed, leaving no trace at all.
While waiting hopelessly, time seemed to slow down, each minute and second stretching endlessly. It wasn’t until Lu Heng’s call came that Zhou Yuluo finally felt alive again.
He had recovered quite well these past two days, except for the injury on his wrist. When he learned that Lu Heng was on his way, with the plane about to take off, he rushed to the airport without hesitation.
Lu Heng came to Guangxi firstly to pick someone up, and secondly to take the chance to have some fun. He dressed casually and, with the mindset of buying whatever he needed, didn’t bring much luggage, just a medium-sized backpack.
The airport was crowded. After arriving, Lu Heng first reported his safe arrival to his family, then dialed Zhou Yuluo’s number.
Unlike him, although Zhou Yuluo also transmigrated into the novel, he had completely taken over a stranger’s body. Lu Heng had no idea what he looked like in reality.
But the moment the call connected, he spotted someone in the crowd immediately.
The person was very tall but extremely thin, almost malnourished. However, his age worked in his favor. His face was still fresh and youthful. What surprised Lu Heng was that his features were even more delicate than Jiang Yunxing’s in the book.
He really didn’t know why he had said those things before leaving. Was he being modest?
Lu Heng was in a good mood. After the call connected, instead of speaking, he walked toward his target. “Look behind you,” he said as he approached.
Zhou Yuluo looked around for a while before his spine stiffened at the voice, and he whirled around.
When his eyes met Lu Heng’s, his face instantly turned red. Although his appearance had changed, his demeanor was exactly the same as in the book. “Not bad,” Lu Heng smiled, and seeing Zhou Yuluo’s confused expression, he added, “You’re quite handsome.”
Although there wasn’t much to carry, Zhou Yuluo still took Lu Heng’s backpack and put it on his own shoulders.
Lu Heng had booked a hotel in advance near Zhou Yuluo’s home. After taking a taxi there, instead of heading to the hotel, they wandered around the area.
Perhaps because Lu Heng hadn’t changed much and his attitude remained the same as usual, Zhou Yuluo’s nervousness didn’t last long, and he soon relaxed.
Noticing the sweat on Lu Heng’s forehead, he said, “It’s really hot, isn’t it? Should we head back to the hotel?”
“Mm.” Lu Heng wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was the height of summer. He had just recovered from an illness, so he was feeling a bit uncomfortable in the heat.
Zhou Yuluo fanned Lu Heng with a flyer he picked up along the way. “We can cut through that shopping mall, let’s walk inside.”
He led Lu Heng into the mall, where the cool air made him much more comfortable. After walking a few steps, Lu Heng spotted an ice cream shop and looked up, saying, “Let’s buy some, I want ice cream.”
“Oh, okay.” Zhou Yuluo responded and trotted happily toward the shop.
He loved being like this. Even when Lu Heng ordered him around, he was happy. Besides, this was nothing. He was willing to do anything for Lu Heng.
After ordering two ice creams, Zhou Yuluo stood aside waiting when suddenly he heard a voice from behind.
“Hm? Zhou Yuluo.”
Zhou Yuluo paused and turned around to see a few familiar faces, his former high school classmates who had just graduated.
After the college entrance exam, everyone took off their uniforms and changed into their preferred clothes. The people in front of him were dressed in an alternative style with permed hair. Zhou Yuluo could barely remember their names.
One of them sneered, “I heard you tried to kill yourself. Why aren’t you dead?”
Zhou Yuluo froze, pressing his lips together.
“Suicide attempts are so common these days. Your wounds must have almost healed by the time you got to the hospital.”
“Hahahahaha…”
“Sorry, but it’s really funny. You slit your wrists, right? Where did you cut? Can I see?”
“Is that the one wrapped in bandages? You’re covering it up so tightly. Are you afraid that others will see?”
“…” Zhou Yuluo did not say anything. He looked at the grinning faces in front of him. He wanted to say something but didn’t know what. He turned away, wanting to avoid conflict like before, when he heard Lu Heng’s voice.
“Are you done yet?”
Zhou Yuluo looked at Lu Heng and nodded, “Yes, just two more ahead of us.”
The classmates curiously looked toward the voice, their eyes widening when they saw Lu Heng. “Zhou Yuluo, who’s this? Don’t tell me he’s…” one of them swallowed, looking at Zhou Yuluo, “your boyfriend?”
As all eyes turned to them, Zhou Yuluo tensed up, throwing a worried glance at Lu Heng. He didn’t want to cause Lu Heng any trouble.
Just as he was about to explain, Lu Heng beat him to it, smiling, “Yes, I am.”
Zhou Yuluo froze in place.
Such a straightforward admission left the group speechless.
After a few seconds of silence, one of them recovered and grimaced, “For real? That’s disgusting, you fags.”
“You seem quite old to be speaking so rudely,” Lu Heng’s voice turned cold, his expression darkening. “I’m not known for my patience. I wouldn’t mind giving you an early taste of society’s cruelty.”
Although it was just a verbal threat, Lu Heng’s intimidating presence subdued them. While the situation appeared deadlocked, Lu Heng had already won.
Soon after, Zhou Yuluo’s classmates left with resentment. Their ice cream was ready, and Zhou Yuluo handed one to Lu Heng as they walked back to the hotel.
“It tastes good,” Lu Heng commented. “You seem to know my preferences well.”
Just like in the book, Zhou Yuluo’s food recommendations were always good, and the meals he cooked during the last week suited his taste perfectly.
Zhou Yuluo made a sound of acknowledgment but said nothing more. His mind was stuck on the word “boyfriend,” unable to think of anything else.
Why didn’t Lu Heng deny it?
Was it because he didn’t want to bother explaining, or… was that what he really thought?
Zhou Yuluo took a deep breath, looking at Lu Heng’s profile, “Ge, what are your plans?”
Lu Heng: “We’ll stay here for a few days, then I’ll take you back to Beijing.”
Zhou Yuluo froze. “…Take me?”
“What, you don’t want to go?” Lu Heng turned his head, meeting Zhou Yuluo’s gaze. “I roughly understand your situation. I’ll respect your decision. If you want to stay here, that’s fine too.”
“I want to go! I want to be with you!” Zhou Yuluo said urgently, then lowered his head. “But my family… I don’t know what my parents would do if they found out.”
“It’s up to you how you want to handle it,” Lu Heng said. “If you still have feelings for them, we can work something out. If not, we can take a harder approach.”
Lu Heng had thought about this before coming. Zhou Yuluo’s parents were no better than Jiang Yunxing’s parents in the book. They not only neglected their child but also expected him to support them in their old age. They never regarded him as a human being at all.
Zhou Yuluo pressed his lips together. “I don’t have any feelings for them.”
Lu Heng smiled. He didn’t plan to negotiate with them anyway. He ruffled Zhou Yuluo’s hair. “Leave it to me then.”
They ate ice cream as they walked through the mall to the hotel. After checking in, they headed to their room.
As soon as they entered, Lu Heng turned around, pinned Zhou Yuluo against the door, and tilted his head up to capture his lips.
Even without pheromones, their bodies still responded to the kiss. Lu Heng tangled his tongue with Zhou Yuluo’s, tasting the lingering sweetness of ice cream. He kissed him for a long while before reluctantly pulling away.
They stayed close, breathing softly against each other. Lu Heng found the sensation as wonderful as always. He contentedly rested his head on Zhou Yuluo’s shoulder while holding him.
After hesitating repeatedly, Zhou Yuluo finally asked, “Ge, earlier… when they called you my boyfriend, why didn’t you deny it?”
“Why should I deny it? Isn’t that what I am?” Lu Heng replied matter-of-factly. “I like you a lot, so let’s just be together, okay?”
Although it was phrased as a question, his tone sounded more like a statement rather than a discussion. Zhou Yuluo stared at Lu Heng, his fists gradually clenching as his heart raced.
He blinked and wrapped his arms tightly around Lu Heng. “Ge…” Zhou Yuluo whispered in Lu Heng’s ear, “I like you too. I like you so, so much.”
I like you so, so much.
Raine: That’s it. It’s the end. It’s so short huhu. This will be my last update of the year. Since I will be going on vacation hehe, I will not be picking up new projects. If you want to suggest/recommend any new ones, please feel free to leave them in the comments or using the contact form. I will be checking them when I get back. Advance happy holidays and happy new year everyone. See you next month.
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