After having breakfast downstairs, Yu Shiqing and Jiang Yu said goodbye to the others and left first to go to the hospital and remove the cast.
Yu Shiqing wanted Jiang Yu to go home, but Jiang Yu insisted on coming along.
After the cast was removed, Yu Shiqing slowly tried to bend his elbow with the doctor’s help. His joints were still a bit stiff.
“Although the injury has healed well, you still need to do rehabilitation exercises after going home,” the doctor told them. “But don’t rush it. You must take it step by step. If you feel any difficulty during the exercises, come back for a check-up and further treatment.”
While talking, the doctor led them to the rehabilitation department.
Jiang Yu specially learned how to do the stretching techniques for recovery, and only after learning them did they leave the hospital.
Ren Bai and Meng Chen were waiting outside. After they got in the car, Ren Bai looked at their silhouettes sitting side by side through the rearview mirror and couldn’t help but say, “You two are always together. Your relationship is so good, you might as well move in and live like a couple.”
His tone was a bit sour.
He had known Yu Shiqing since childhood, yet had never gotten this kind of treatment.
Yu Shiqing glanced at him.
Meeting that gaze, Ren Bai shrank his shoulders and mumbled, “Why are you looking at me? Did I say something wrong?”
Jiang Yu had just taken the bottle of mineral water from Meng Chen and taken a sip. Hearing that, he slightly curled his lips.
Ren Bai turned back, then suddenly remembered something and looked at them again. “Wait, I was wrong. What I said wasn’t accurate.”
Yu Shiqing opened the script, clearly not interested in hearing him continue.
Meng Chen asked curiously, “Ren-ge, what do you mean?”
Ren Bai said, “I mean, they’re not about to live like a couple. They already are.”
They lived together every day and even slept in the same room. If Jiang Yu weren’t an alpha, he would’ve celebrated that even the ‘iron tree’ Yu Shiqing had finally bloomed.
Yu Shiqing paused while flipping the script.
Jiang Yu noticed from the corner of his eye and turned to look at him.
Yu Shiqing casually closed the script and leaned back with his eyes shut, as if resting. But once he picked up a script, he never just flipped through a few pages and put it down.
Jiang Yu looked at his profile.
He knew Yu Shiqing was still thinking. Even though he was eager to know the answer, he didn’t want to disturb Yu Shiqing and even more, he didn’t want a rejection he couldn’t accept.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yu’s eyes darkened, and he soon looked away and finished writing the notes in his memo.
By the time they returned to Yufeng Scenic Garden, it was already late. The four of them, including the driver, had dinner at a restaurant before driving into the complex.
After the car stopped downstairs, Ren Bai didn’t get out. “After the show and the awards ceremony, you two should rest well for the next couple of days. I won’t go up.”
“That’s fine,” Yu Shiqing said. “You go back—”
“Yu Shiqing.” Jiang Yu interrupted and stepped in between them. “I have something to tell you.”
Yu Shiqing asked, “What is it?”
Jiang Yu grabbed his forearm and pulled him aside. Then he asked directly, “Do you want to move out?”
Yu Shiqing paused. “Yes.”
Jiang Yu said seriously, “I don’t agree.”
Yu Shiqing said, “Jiang Yu, this is something I should think about in a more private space.”
“I know what you’re thinking.” Jiang Yu said, “Move out of Yufeng Scenic Garden, keep your distance from me, and that way you can naturally reject me. Even if I wanted to find you, I couldn’t. Is that it?”
Yu Shiqing replied, “Don’t twist my meaning.”
“If you don’t want me to twist your meaning, it’s simple.” Jiang Yu looked him in the eyes. “Stay.”
Before Yu Shiqing could respond, Jiang Yu added, “Also, your arm still needs rehab. If you move out now, who’s going to help you with that?”
Yu Shiqing said, “I’ll manage it myself.”
Jiang Yu had already helped him a lot. There was no reason to continue just because of this.
“You’ll manage it?” Jiang Yu repeated, then gave a short laugh. “So you’ve already made up your mind. You want to move out. You want to cut ties with me.”
Yu Shiqing sighed. “Don’t overthink it.”
“I will overthink it,” Jiang Yu said with a straight face. “Before you go, I want to know the truth. Are you afraid I’ll cling to you, or are you afraid that living together will influence your decision?”
Yu Shiqing said, “Neither.”
Jiang Yu pressed on, “Then if it won’t affect you, why move out?”
Yu Shiqing rubbed his nose. “Jiang Yu, you’re being unreasonable.”
“Then let’s be reasonable,” Jiang Yu said. “Before you’ve made up your mind, there’s no need to move. And the doctor said rehab will take about two weeks. So let’s talk about moving after that. Okay?”
Yu Shiqing said, “No—”
Jiang Yu added, “Or do you dislike me so much now that you can’t even stand seeing me?”
Yu Shiqing: “……”
From a short distance away, Ren Bai raised his voice. “What are you two talking about?”
Jiang Yu said, “Do you really want to leave me?”
“Alright.” Yu Shiqing looked at him. “I’ll stay.”
Jiang Yu turned around immediately, a smile forming on his lips. He walked over to the car. “You guys go on back.”
Ren Bai: “?”
He asked, “Didn’t you have something to tell me after all that talking?”
Jiang Yu replied, “No.”
Ren Bai: “??”
Seeing Yu Shiqing walking over, Ren Bai asked, “Earlier you told me to go back, why?”
Yu Shiqing had already agreed to Jiang Yu’s request, so he simply said, “Go back and rest early.”
Ren Bai: “……???”
He looked at their backs as they walked away and silently raised the car window, full of confusion.
Yu Shiqing and Jiang Yu had already gone inside.
Back home, after washing up, Yu Shiqing didn’t go to Jiang Yu’s master bedroom but instead to the secondary bedroom connected to it by a shared balcony. It was the room he stayed in before moving to the master.
Not long after he entered, he heard a knock on the glass door from the balcony.
Yu Shiqing looked up and saw Jiang Yu standing outside the floor-to-ceiling window. When Yu Shiqing turned his head, Jiang Yu opened the door and stepped in. “You’re moving back here?”
Yu Shiqing replied, “Yes.”
Jiang Yu said, “You still need to do rehab. It’s more convenient if we live together.”
Yu Shiqing said, “It’s just as convenient here.”
Jiang Yu let him sit on the bed, then placed the memo notes clearly on the bedside table. He lifted Yu Shiqing’s right hand and started doing the stretching exercises, beginning with the fingers.
The room went quiet.
Yu Shiqing looked down at his focused expression and finally said, “My injury isn’t serious. Just some simple rehab. No need to go through all this trouble.”
“I don’t think it’s trouble.” Jiang Yu didn’t look up. “You still need to play the piano. I don’t want anything to go wrong.”
Yu Shiqing didn’t say anything else.
After a while, Jiang Yu paused and looked up. “Are you bored? Is the rehab taking too long?”
He then handed the script beside him to Yu Shiqing. “Bear with it, it’ll be done soon.”
Yu Shiqing took the script but didn’t open it. “No need.”
Jiang Yu was about to say something but, meeting Yu Shiqing’s gaze, stopped. His eyes shifted slightly. “Don’t look at me like that.”
Yu Shiqing asked, “Like what?”
Jiang Yu hesitated. “I’ll tell you why, but you have to promise not to get mad.”
Yu Shiqing calmly said, “Then don’t say it.”
Jiang Yu: “……”
He pretended not to hear and continued, “When you look at me like that, I want to kiss you.”
Yu Shiqing frowned slightly. “What are you thinking all day?”
Jiang Yu calmly replied, “I’m thinking about you.”
Knowing Yu Shiqing’s boundaries, he changed the subject. “Any good scripts recently?”
Yu Shiqing’s brows relaxed slightly. “No.”
Jiang Yu said, “Not even one?”
Since finishing Mist, Yu Shiqing had been reading scripts daily. After signing with New Era, he should’ve had plenty of good options.
“Mm.” Yu Shiqing didn’t hide it. “I’m planning to write one.”
Jiang Yu was surprised. “You want to go behind the scenes?”
Yu Shiqing replied, “It’s a thought. No rush.”
Jiang Yu leaned in. “Director Yu, will I need to trade favors to get cast in your film? I’ve got billions in box office. Let me star in it, I’ll work for free.”
Yu Shiqing chuckled. “Stop joking.”
They kept talking until rehab was done. Jiang Yu went to shower and then came back.
Yu Shiqing was coming out of the study. “What is it?”
Jiang Yu calmly said, “I’ve lived with you for so long. I’m used to having someone next to me. Now that you’ve moved to this room, the bed feels too empty. I can’t sleep.”
Yu Shiqing replied, “Mm.”
Jiang Yu waited a long time and finally asked, “What does ‘mm’ mean?”
Yu Shiqing said, “It means I understand. Go back to sleep.”
Jiang Yu: “……”
He stepped forward and repeated, “I’m used to you being beside me. Otherwise, I can’t sleep. Can I sleep with you tonight?”
Yu Shiqing said calmly, “It’s better to break bad habits early.”
Jiang Yu returned to his room with a dark face.
Yu Shiqing turned off the light and lay down.
After some time, he slowly opened his eyes, looked at the time, then shut them again. Maybe it was too quiet without the sound of another person’s breathing, it felt unfamiliar.
A while later, there was another knock.
“Yu Shiqing, are you asleep?”
Yu Shiqing didn’t open his eyes.
In the dark, he heard the sliding door open. Jiang Yu entered. A rustling sound followed as he walked closer.
Yu Shiqing furrowed his brows, not sure what Jiang Yu was doing until he heard a soft thud at the bedside.
He opened his eyes and saw Jiang Yu squatting by the bed, quietly making a bed on the floor.
Moonlight spilled in through a gap in the curtain. In the dim light, Jiang Yu clumsily laid out the blanket.
After finishing, he stood up and met Yu Shiqing’s gaze.
“You’re awake,” Jiang Yu said awkwardly. “You won’t let me sleep with you, but it should be okay to sleep here, right? Don’t worry, I won’t do anything tonight. I’ll go back to my room in the morning.”
At that hour, Yu Shiqing didn’t argue anymore.
After closing his eyes again, he soon heard the sound of someone turning over on the floor.
Yu Shiqing knew Jiang Yu hadn’t fallen asleep but said nothing.
Until morning.
Yu Shiqing got out of bed, and Jiang Yu sat up from the floor.
He rubbed his temples and greeted, “Morning.”
Seeing the red veins in his eyes, Yu Shiqing frowned. “Go back to your room to sleep tonight.”
Jiang Yu shook his head. “I can’t sleep there.”
Maybe it was because of habit. Or maybe he couldn’t stop wondering what Yu Shiqing’s final answer would be.
But that was something he didn’t feel the need to be too honest about.
Hearing that, Yu Shiqing paused briefly, then continued walking to the bathroom.
