Chapter 36
Happy times are always short, but they make people cherish and long for them even more. Just after celebrating Shi Yu’s birthday, Jiang Shangwan set off on a business trip that would last for half a month. She was going as an investor to oversee a project.
Before leaving, she gave Shi Yu the keys to her villa and the smart lock code.
Shi Yu first returned to Jiang University and packed his luggage with large and small bags. Lin Chuan was reluctant to see him go: “Bro, why are you leaving? Are you moving to the company to live? I’m going to miss you!”
Although senior year wasn’t busy with schoolwork, it was still rare to move out of campus this early. Shi Yu hesitated, then said, “I’m going to live with Wanwan.”
Lin Chuan: “??????” So sudden?
Understanding, he patted Shi Yu’s shoulder: “I see. Then bro, I support you. I’ll help you pack!”
Carrying his suitcase out of the dormitory building, Shi Yu looked back at the place he had lived for four years. Although he rented a place nearby during holidays, the student dorm was the only place holding the irreplaceable memories of his university years. Moving away from here also meant his college days were truly coming to an end.
“If you’re gone, I can’t stay either,” Lin Chuan shrugged. “I stayed in the dorm just for the lively atmosphere. With you gone, it’s just me facing those two grumpy faces — it’s unbearable. I’ll move back to my family home, but living alone feels lonely. We have to keep in touch often, bro.”
“It’s just graduation, it’s not like we won’t see each other.”
Lin Chuan was a local from Jiangcheng, and Shi Yu was bound to stay and develop his career there. They would have plenty of chances to keep in touch.
“It’s just a little sad, suddenly facing going separate ways without warning,” Lin Chuan said wistfully. “Before, I didn’t really feel much about graduating, but now that you’re leaving, I feel it all at once.”
Shi Yu patted his shoulder: “If you can say it out loud, it’s never really regret. Let’s have dinner together tonight.”
“Makes sense.” Lin Chuan’s little wave of sentiment vanished quickly. “Come on, come on, I’ll help you load your stuff into the car!”
“By the way, you guys moved fast, didn’t expect that,” Lin Chuan said.
Back then, Lin Chuan had personally taught him how to get close to Jiang Shangwan and even pushed them to confirm their relationship, making Jiang Shangwan admit it openly in front of others.
“I didn’t expect it either,” Shi Yu smiled softly. Even now, he still felt the happiness of that time was like a dream—an illusory reflection in the water, so beautiful it seemed unreal.
But he had felt the real warmth of her embrace, the scorching body heat when their skin touched. He had truly experienced so many moments of dependence and companionship with her.
Time doesn’t freeze, but the feelings in one’s heart remain at the most intense moment of experience. Shi Yu thought, if his life were to suddenly end at this moment, it would be the moment when Jiang Shangwan loved him the most.
It had already been worth it.
—
The phone in his palm vibrated continuously. Jiang Shangwan’s hand holding the wine glass paused for a moment. With a smile, she nodded slightly to the person beside her, signaling, “Something’s come up. You guys continue talking.”
She was standing in the center of a grand hall, attending a cocktail party hosted by a partner. The light refracted from the crystal chandelier overhead onto the large yellow diamond ring on her middle finger, emitting a faint, dazzling glow.
She walked to a corner, and her intuition told her who the source of the message was.
Shi Yu: 【Image】 【Image】 【Image】 【Image】 …
As expected.
Jiang Shangwan patiently opened each image one by one. The first few pictures were taken indoors. His luggage was already settled on the side bed, with his closet filled with white shirts, black suits, white T-shirts, jeans, and neatly arranged dress shoes and sneakers.
Although his clothes were simple, Jiang Shangwan inexplicably found herself imagining what he would look like wearing them.
His buttons would be fastened all the way to the top, and no matter what ordinary pants he wore, they would highlight his long, slender legs. Beneath the thin fabric was his smooth, firm muscle line—firm, yet comfortable when she held him.
The spacious villa, filled with her belongings, was starting to show traces of another person. In the bathroom, there were extra toothbrushes and slippers, on the bookshelf, more books, in the walk-in closet, more ties.
He had his laptop set up in the living room, with his dark grey slippers placed on the blanket. The screen only showed his hand typing on the keyboard, his knuckles distinct, and his other broad palm casually resting on the mouse.
The half-visible screen was filled with dense code.
Jiang Shangwan didn’t feel any intrusion into her private space. On the contrary, she found herself feeling a strange sense of satisfaction and expectation from Shi Yu’s presence and arrival.
Jiang Shangwan curled her lips, increasingly feeling that her impulsive decision to move in with him wasn’t such a bad one. She replied to him: 【Good.】
So quickly, she had obediently moved in.
She then added: 【Didn’t go to the office?】
After a while, he replied: 【Image】 【Image】
The original images were already hinting at something. Jiang Shangwan’s finger moved slightly as she tapped to enlarge the pictures. The camera zoomed downwards, focusing on his upper body. His usually immaculate shirt had a few buttons undone, revealing a pale, slightly flushed chest.
The other image showed him with his lips pressed tightly together, his slightly parted lips holding a lip gloss between them, eyes lowered. His long eyelashes cast a shadow, and his expression was obscure, with veins faintly visible at his temple.
Jiang Shangwan instantly understood what he was doing.
The lip gloss was the one she kept in the living room for touch-ups, the shade she often used.
Jiang Shangwan stared at the last image again and then slowly typed: 【Are you thinking about doing something bad?】
Shi Yu: 【I suddenly miss you. The lipstick smells like your lips.】
Jiang Shangwan felt a little tempted by his words too, but she was in a public place, and she couldn’t let her clothes get dirty: 【Be good, I’m working.】
He was typing… The message stayed like that for a while before he finally replied with just: 【Okay.】
【I’m waiting for you to come home.】
Jiang Shangwan felt a ripple in her heart. She took a small sip of champagne, suppressing the lingering sweetness, and repeated those words in her mind.
He was waiting for her to come home.
“Wanwan?”
The familiar nickname, but it wasn’t accompanied by the familiar clear voice. A strong scent of perfume hit her again, pulling at some not-so-good memories. Jiang Shangwan looked up and met a face that seemed a little surprised.
His gaze subtly scanned her from top to bottom, lingering until he reached the hem of her golden skirt that almost touched the floor. “We meet again. Such a coincidence. You seem to be in good spirits. Any good news recently?”
Fang Liangchen sat down next to her.
Since a few years ago when his attempt to reconcile had been rejected, Fang Liangchen had refrained from crossing any boundaries. He occasionally sent a text for holidays, but they would sometimes bump into each other at various parties and meetings. No surprise, the high society circles in the country weren’t that big.
As long as he didn’t overstep, Jiang Shangwan didn’t feel much hatred toward him. She accepted the dessert he handed her and placed it beside her. “Recently, things have been going well.”
After all, she had been pampered quite a bit.
“Are you in a relationship?” Fang Liangchen asked with a light laugh, testing the waters.
Jiang Shangwan neither confirmed nor denied. She didn’t want to expose her personal relationship with someone who was already a thing of the past. She changed the subject, asking, “I heard you’ve started your own branch. How’s that going?”
“Not bad.” He rolled up his sleeve, revealing a silver reflective wristwatch. “There’s this popular app recently, called… ‘Wish Come True’? I think it’s interesting. I’m planning to create something similar. What do you think?”
Jiang Shangwan couldn’t help but frown slightly. “Isn’t Lin family backing them? What do you want to do? The Lin family won’t let others casually imitate or squeeze them out.”
“Oh?” Fang Liangchen said with a meaningful tone. “But I heard the company behind that app is called ‘Tianwan,’ and the founder isn’t surnamed Lin. It’s a senior student named Shi Yu.”
From the subtle change in her demeanor, he had already learned the precise answer to the question he had deliberately ignored. He recalled the inconspicuous student he had met by chance. A trace of light mockery flickered in his eyes as he tightened his grip on the champagne glass.
At that time, he had noticed the student’s unique aura, which left a deep impression on him. But the student came from a humble background, yet had entangled himself with someone Fang Liangchen couldn’t even get close to.
“Does your family know your partner is… so special?” Fang Liangchen asked in a gentle tone, yet the words were direct. “A male college student, over ten years younger than you, from a poor family?”
Jiang Shangwan suddenly lifted her gaze and stared directly at him.
“I mean no harm, Wanwan.” Fang Liangchen still maintained a polite distance, his expression filled with regret. “You’re so good, so outstanding, yet you’re with someone so ordinary, even a bit lacking. He’s probably struggling financially with his business, right?”
The implication was clear: he must have asked for her help, right?
He must have latched onto her for money.
“You’ve crossed the line.” Jiang Shangwan’s tone was cold, with no hesitation as she met his gaze directly. “He’s a good person. He’s not lacking.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything else, just felt it was a shame.”
“When you’re in love, you always think the other person is wonderful. It’s easy to put them on a pedestal, I understand,” he said, lightly swirling his wine glass. The liquid inside rolled along the side of the glass, but not a single drop was left behind.
“Wanwan, I’ve always been behind you. If you want to turn back, I’m still here.”
“No need.” Jiang Shangwan stood up to leave.
She paused without turning around, facing away from him, her voice calm but firm: “You only know about his family background and academic credentials, but you don’t know his life experiences, his resilient spirit, growing strong like a tree, and his near-genius innovative ability.”
“I don’t need your evaluation or approval. Matters of the heart are something only the person involved truly understands. I have my own feelings.”
She gave a slight nod and added: “Forgot to say. The experiences you gave me in every aspect were terrible. Only after separating from you did I realize not everyone is so superficial. Turning back is impossible. Goodbye, and I wish you well.”
Fang Liangchen’s usual polite smile was suddenly strained, unable to hide the crack of disbelief. He stared, almost in shock, at her retreating figure, his palm tightening around the glass, nearly crushing it.
…Has she gone mad?! What is she saying?
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