Love Me, Please Look - Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Weekend.

As soon as Chen Jue entered the private room, he ran straight into Zhang Shixu’s arms. Zhang Shixu, sitting in a chair, caught him effortlessly.

“Shixu Uncle!” Chen Jue’s voice was soft and milky—who would’ve thought this little mochi-ball was actually a young Alpha?

Chen Nan came in right after, chasing after Chen Jue. “Don’t run! Your Shixu Uncle isn’t going anywhere!”

He finally caught up, only to see his son acting spoiled while sitting in Zhang Shixu’s lap.

Chen Nan walked over and pinched Chen Jue’s chubby little face. “I told you not to run. How many times has Daddy said that!”

Chen Jue pretended to be scared and burrowed deeper into Zhang Shixu’s arms. “Shixu Uncle, save me!”

Zhang Shixu often video called with little Chen Jue while he was abroad, so Chen Jue was fond of him and very familiar.

Zhang Shixu hugged him tighter and called out dramatically, “Don’t be scared, Jue Jue, Uncle will protect you!”

Chen Nan: “…”

“Alright, enough. Where’s Zhang Yan and the others?” Chen Nan sat down next to them.

He only saw Zhang Shixu when he entered, not Zhang Yan and his fiancée.

Zhang Shixu kissed Chen Jue on the cheek. “They’re not here yet. Probably on the way. You go ahead and order; see what little Jue wants to eat.”

Chen Jue popped his head out from Zhang Shixu’s arms and answered quickly, “I want mango shaved ice!”

Zhang Shixu and Chen Nan answered in unison, “No.”

“Didn’t Daddy tell you? You have a heart condition, no cold stuff.”

Chen Jue held up one finger. “Not even one bite?” He turned to Zhang Shixu with pleading eyes. “Shixu Uncle, just one bite, really.”

Zhang Shixu almost caved, his heart melting—but Chen Nan had the veto power.

“No means no.” Chen Nan said firmly.

Chen Jue dejectedly slumped back into Zhang Shixu’s arms. “Okay then.”

Zhang Yan and Luo Jia arrived after the food was served. They even brought a Stitch plush toy nearly as big as Chen Jue himself.

Who knows where Chen Jue got his aesthetic taste from—he just loved Stitch.

Holding the round, plush Stitch, Chen Jue looked up and said, “Thank you, Uncle Zhang Yan. Thank you, Sister Luo Jia.”

Zhang Yan wasn’t thrilled to hear that and complained dramatically, “Why is Luo Jia ‘sister,’ but I’m ‘uncle’?”

Zhang Shixu got up and hugged Zhang Yan, comforting him, “Don’t worry. He calls me ‘uncle’ too.”

“Okay, that’s fine then.” Zhang Yan patted his chest. “I’m relieved.”

“Come on, let’s sit. Don’t be so formal,” Luo Jia said.

They all sat down.

Chen Jue stuck close to Zhang Shixu the entire time. His egg custard over rice was even mixed by Zhang Shixu for him. He insisted on sitting next to him, too.

“So why did you come back all of a sudden?” Luo Jia asked as she put food in Zhang Yan’s bowl and glanced at Zhang Shixu.

“Xiao Lin’s parents wanted him to return and develop his career domestically. So I came back with him.”

Zhang Shixu raised his glass and clinked with Luo Jia’s.

“Is the whole company relocating back too?”

“Most likely, although some still want to continue their careers abroad.”

“It’s good you’re back. We haven’t all seen each other in so long,” Chen Nan finally spoke.

“No work talk,” Zhang Shixu muttered as he poured himself another drink.

Because Chen Jue was there, no one dared drink too much alcohol. After a few glasses, they all switched to juice like Chen Jue.

The little guy even stood on his chair to clink glasses with everyone.

During the dinner, they discussed Zhang Yan’s wedding date. Luo Jia said she wanted to hold it in July during summer vacation so that Chen Jue could be the flower boy without having to miss school.

Chen Jue clapped excitedly.

“Shixu Uncle, I want to go to the bathroom,” Chen Jue whispered to Zhang Shixu while tugging on his sleeve.

“Okay.”

Zhang Shixu picked up Chen Jue and stood to take him.

“Zhang Shixu, let him walk on his own. He’s about to start first grade and you’re still carrying him to the toilet?” Chen Nan called after them.

Chen Jue covered Zhang Shixu’s ears and whispered, “Shixu Uncle, don’t listen to Daddy. I’m still little.”

Zhang Shixu chuckled and kissed his cheek. “Alright.”

The two ignored Chen Nan’s words and moved on.

After using the bathroom, Zhang Shixu was helping Chen Jue wash his hands when someone suddenly called his name.

The voice was hoarse and rough, like sandpaper scratching on a cassette tape.

“Zhang Shixu.”

He responded instinctively, turning with Chen Jue in his arms.

Dressed in a sleek black suit, with slightly curled long hair just like before and a pale face, Qi Junhe stood behind him with bloodshot eyes, staring intently at him.

Zhang Shixu’s heart skipped a beat.

Six years later, meeting again, they were now strangers.

“Qi Junhe,” Zhang Shixu said, trying to steady his voice.

He didn’t even have time to be shocked that Qi Junhe could speak again. Sweet memories flooded back like a tide, nearly drowning him.

Qi Junhe didn’t move. He stood still, seemingly unable to believe that Zhang Shixu was really in front of him.

In Zhang Shixu’s arms, Chen Jue got scared by Qi Junhe’s cold aura and whispered, “I want to go back.”

That brought Zhang Shixu back to reality. He adjusted his grip on Chen Jue and sidestepped Qi Junhe.

“Excuse me.”

Qi Junhe didn’t move. Zhang Shixu had to walk past him quickly, clutching Chen Jue tightly.

Qi Junhe didn’t stop him. He just stood there, letting him leave again.

He was left standing alone, head lowered.

From Zhang Shixu’s shoulder, Chen Jue glanced back. “Uncle, why did that big brother look so sad?”

Zhang Shixu’s whole body trembled. “Did he?”

Chen Jue nodded.

Fortunately, kids have short memories. Back in the private room, he had already forgotten the incident and was playing around with Zhang Yan and Luo Jia.

Zhang Shixu, however, had lost all his enthusiasm and sat alone in a corner drinking juice.

“What happened? Did Chen Jue throw a tantrum again?” Chen Nan returned and sat beside him.

Zhang Shixu gulped down a mouthful of juice. “No.”

Chen Nan saw how Zhang Shixu was downing juice like it was alcohol and stopped him. “It’s not wine. You can’t get drunk on this.”

“Who did you see?”

“Qi Junhe?” he added.

At the sound of the name, Zhang Shixu spilled half his juice.

Chen Nan handed him tissues and started talking. “After you left for abroad, it wasn’t long before he came to me and Zhang Yan. You know we didn’t understand sign language, so it was like playing charades. He was so anxious he nearly cried, kept asking where you were, said he searched everywhere.”

Zhang Shixu stayed silent, eyes fixed on Chen Jue playing, while his heart ached as if chewed by a thousand ants.

“He said he didn’t want to break up. We didn’t tell him where you went, and he stood outside my house for three days without eating or drinking. His mom had to come and take him away.”

“And… and then?”

“Then before you guys graduated, he suddenly started talking again. His voice sounded strange, but the first thing he said to us was, ‘Please tell me where Zhang Shixu went.’” Chen Nan mimicked Qi Junhe’s desperate tone. “If you had stayed just one more minute when you came back for the graduation photo, you would’ve seen him.”

Zhang Shixu felt like he’d fallen into an icy abyss. He never imagined the breakup wasn’t just his suffering—it was a death sentence for Qi Junhe, too.

“Heart aching now?” Chen Nan asked casually.

He knew Zhang Shixu had a soft heart.

Zhang Shixu didn’t respond. His eyes stayed on Chen Jue, but tears silently fell.

He wiped them away. “We broke up so he could be happy.”

Chen Nan didn’t argue, and the two of them watched Chen Jue quietly.

After playing a while, Chen Jue returned to Zhang Shixu’s lap, panting heavily.

Chen Nan stood by, handing over water and wiping his sweat.

Zhang Yan and Luo Jia watched Chen Nan tending to the child.

“When are you two having a kid?” Chen Nan asked casually as he put the towel back in the bag.

“You guessed?!” Zhang Yan yelped so loudly it startled Chen Jue in Zhang Shixu’s arms.

Zhang Shixu: “…”

Chen Nan: “…………”

Luo Jia: “…………”

Even if he didn’t guess before, that reaction gave it away.

“When did it happen?” Zhang Shixu soothed Chen Jue.

Zhang Yan scratched his head, grinning like a fool. “Hehe, almost three months now.”

No wonder they were rushing the wedding.

“Got it. I’ll give you a wedding gift.” Zhang Shixu glanced at Zhang Yan. “Can you combine the wedding and baby celebration? Save me some cash.”

“No way. You’re exactly the one we want to make money from,” Luo Jia jumped in first.

“Exactly,” Zhang Yan chimed in like a lackey.

“What’s a wedding gift?” Chen Jue asked.

“It’s a red envelope,” Zhang Shixu explained simply.

Chen Jue raised his hand. “Then I want one too!”

Everyone burst out laughing—except Chen Jue, who blinked, then joined in the laughter cluelessly.

…

After Zhang Shixu returned to China, Xiao Lin gave him a week to rest before returning to work.

The company was mostly settled now, with two floors in a prime CBD building in H City.

Zhang Shixu was reading documents when Xiao Lin’s secretary came over. “Special Assistant Zhang, Mr. Xiao wants to see you.”

When he knocked and entered the office, Xiao Lin had just hung up the phone.

“We’re going to B City for a business trip tomorrow.”

“So sudden?”

“My dad’s arranged some kind of banquet networking thing. Wants me to meet the upper crust here.”

Xiao Lin had grown up abroad under a laissez-faire parenting style, so he didn’t have many domestic connections.

Zhang Shixu didn’t say anything and turned to leave, but Xiao Lin called after him: “Dress nicely. Preferably enough to match me~”

Zhang Shixu rolled his eyes and ignored Xiao Lin’s daily flirtation.

The banquet was at a five-star hotel in B City.

Judging by the cars and the people’s outfits, everyone attending was either rich or powerful.

Zhang Shixu wore the black suit Xiao Lin had prepared. On his chest was a matching brooch—Xiao Lin wore a moon, and he had a yellow diamond star surrounded by small diamonds.

Zhang Shixu had tried to take it off, but Xiao Lin stopped him and said, “Take it off and I’ll eat you.”

Too lazy to argue, Zhang Shixu let it be.

He kept watching the entrance—not because he was nervous, but because he feared and hoped Qi Junhe would show up.

But he watched for a long time, almost until the banquet began, and still no sign of Qi Junhe.

Xiao Lin soon found him and dragged him along to socialize.

Although Zhang Shixu’s alcohol tolerance had improved, it still wasn’t great. Most of the drinking was done by Xiao Lin.

“This is Mr. Xiao?” The guest was the CEO of a listed company in B City, surnamed Wang.

“Mr. Wang?”

Xiao Lin greeted him politely.

“I’ve heard a lot about you. Didn’t expect our Mr. Xiao to be so young and capable.”

Xiao Lin stayed modest, “Not at all. Compared to you, I’m still just starting out.”

Standard business flattery. Zhang Shixu stood beside them with a polite smile.

When asked who Zhang Shixu was, Xiao Lin would smirk like a sly fox, “My partner.”

So Zhang Shixu had to help fend off endless matchmaking attempts. Once people heard he was Xiao Lin’s partner, they dropped the idea.

Xiao Lin’s father didn’t attend, so everything was handled by the two of them.

After a while, Zhang Shixu, feeling tipsy, told Xiao Lin he was going to sit down and sober up.

He was still dazed when someone handed him a cup of water.

He took it and sniffed—honey water.

Thinking it was Xiao Lin, he started to thank him.

“Thanks…” Before he could finish, he froze.

It was Qi Junhe.

Before he could react, Qi Junhe had already turned and walked away.

Zhang Shixu quickly put the glass down and chased after him.

They ended up in a dark corner of the hotel.

“Qi Junhe,” Zhang Shixu called out, panting.

In the dark, before he could see clearly, Qi Junhe pinned him against the wall and kissed him hard.

The kiss was aggressive, filled with years of longing and pain. He bit Zhang Shixu so hard that his lips bled.

The metallic taste of bl00d spread between them, and neither let go.

Only when Zhang Shixu was nearly suffocating did Qi Junhe release him.

He had heard Xiao Lin introduce Zhang Shixu as his partner. He didn’t know how to face him—the man who had once betrayed him.

For six years, he had drowned in misery. He hated Zhang Shixu’s coldness. He hated the moon for not shining just on him.

So he turned to leave without looking back.

But Zhang Shixu tugged his sleeve.

“I broke up with you for your own good.”

Qi Junhe turned and looked at him again, illuminated faintly by the light behind.

“So what?”

His voice was so broken even he despised it.

But Zhang Shixu didn’t mind. He asked gently, “How can you speak now?”

He stepped closer to see him better.

Qi Junhe stepped back. “Please have some self-respect.”

Then, he left without hesitation.

This time, Zhang Shixu was the one left behind.

Maybe… the breakup hadn’t brought the happy ending he expected?

After six years, Qi Junhe hadn’t “grown.” The moment he saw Zhang Shixu, his hardened heart shattered again. He had lost control and kissed another man’s boyfriend. Seeing Zhang Shixu made him want to offer up everything he had.

He hated himself for being so weak.

Qi Junhe went to the parking lot and smoked cigarette after cigarette in front of his Bentley.

Ever since he saw Zhang Shixu last week, he had told himself to let go. The other had already moved on.

But he still secretly followed Zhang Yan to H City just to see him—and even called out to him. And today, he kissed him.

When he finally ran out of cigarettes, he got in the car.

Hanging from the rearview mirror was the plain ring Zhang Shixu had given him.

He started the car, yanked the ring down, and tossed it out the window.

Let the past go.