Chapter 24: Let Him Go

A few days later, they met again at the breakfast table.

Gu Qiuhang was standing by the window, speaking on the phone with his assistant. His long fingers rested against the window frame, his gaze lowered slightly.

His sleeves were rolled up a few folds, revealing a section of his well-defined forearm. The sunlight outside was bright, almost dazzling to Tang Xi’s eyes.

During the summer, the heat dulled everyone’s appetite. Aunt Zhou had thoughtfully prepared porridge and light side dishes, urging everyone to eat a bit more.

Tang Xi sat down and took small sips of his porridge, quietly listening to Gu Qiuhang’s phone conversation. Ever since that day when Gu Qiuhang had asked whether he liked him, Tang Xi had felt even more nervous around him.

After hanging up, Gu Qiuhang turned around. Seeing Tang Xi eating quietly with his head lowered, he couldn’t help but smile slightly.

“Morning.”

“Morning, young master,” Tang Xi replied as usual.

Gu Qiuhang nodded, sat across from him, reached into his laptop bag, and took out a card, sliding it over.

Tang Xi looked at the credit card, confused. “What’s this?”

“It’s for you,” Gu Qiuhang said calmly. “The password is your birthday.”

Tang Xi pressed his lips together and pushed it back. “I don’t really need money. I’ve saved quite a bit of allowance, it’s enough.”

Gu Qiuhang pushed it back again. “Take it. You don’t have to use it, just keep it for emergencies.”

Tang Xi lowered his eyes, looking at the card, and at Gu Qiuhang’s fingers resting on it. Long, defined fingers, carrying a quiet strength.

He didn’t move.

Gu Qiuhang chuckled softly, easing the tension. “Su Bei comes from a well-off family. The places he goes to are more expensive. If you’re together, it’s not good to always spend his money. And when you exchange gifts, don’t pick something too cheap. Take it, you’ll need it.”

Tang Xi felt his eyes sting, his chest tightening painfully.

Deep down, there was also a sense of emptiness, an unexpected disappointment at Gu Qiuhang’s generosity.

He realized he had wanted Gu Qiuhang to care, to be jealous, even to get angry, not to smile and offer support like this.

He thought he was being ridiculous.

Lowering his eyes, he finally put the card into his bag. He didn’t plan to use it, but since Gu Qiuhang wanted him to keep it, he would.

The card pressed against his palm, almost painfully.

“Thank you,” he murmured softly.

The food had lost all taste, each bite hard to swallow, yet he finished everything, because someone once told him not to waste food.

They sat facing each other in silence, with only the faint clinking of utensils breaking the quiet.

It wasn’t until Gu Qiuhang wiped his lips, packed his laptop, and prepared to leave that Tang Xi couldn’t help but call out, “Young master…”

Gu Qiuhang looked at him. “Hm? What is it?”

Tang Xi froze, not knowing what to say. In the end, he only repeated awkwardly, “Thank you.”

Gu Qiuhang smiled and ruffled his hair. “Good boy.”

****

Tang Xi had fair skin, any emotion showed easily.

When he left, his eyes were still slightly red.

Su Bei glanced at him a few times, puzzled. “What’s wrong? Did you cry?”

Tang Xi shook his head. “No.”

He hadn’t cried, but he didn’t feel good either.

Su Bei lowered his head, studying him. “Because of Gu Qiuhang?”

Tang Xi looked up. “How did you know?”

Su Bei laughed and flicked his forehead. “I was just testing you. You’re that easy to read?”

“Mm,” Tang Xi nodded, then told him about the credit card.

After listening, Su Bei sighed. “Didn’t expect Gu Qiuhang to have a human side.”

Tang Xi laughed, half annoyed. “He’s just cold on the outside. He’s not what you think.”

Su Bei smiled. “And what do I think?”

Tang Xi glared at him, eyes round.

“Alright, alright,” Su Bei laughed. “Can’t say anything bad about your young master. You listen to him in everything. You really like him that much?”

Tang Xi blushed, lowering his head without answering—but a small smile slowly formed on his lips.

Su Bei ruffled his hair, unusually gentle this time. “I wish Zhang Xiao Jing could like me that much.”

After daydreaming for a moment, he added, “Gu Qiuhang might misunderstand. Maybe I should explain our relationship to him someday?”

Tang Xi shook his head. “No. If it’s going to be said, I want to say it myself.”

Every matter between him and Gu Qiuhang—he wanted to handle it personally.

****

As they spoke, two people came out from inside: Gu Donghang and Meng Ling.

This wasn’t the first time Meng Ling had stayed overnight at the Gu house, Tang Xi had seen it several times already.

Gu Donghang even deliberately acted intimately with Meng Ling in front of him.

He enjoyed watching Tang Xi’s dark expression, eyes burning with suppressed anger, lips tightly pressed, yet unable to do anything.

Sometimes it was in the dining room, sometimes by the pool, sometimes in the small garden right outside Tang Xi’s window.

Anywhere Tang Xi could see, Gu Donghang would provoke him.

This summer, he found it especially satisfying.

Tang Xi no longer tried to persuade Meng Ling. He had already said everything he could before.

He had only once asked, when Gu Donghang wasn’t around, how far things had gone between them.

Meng Ling blushed, stammering, unable to answer.

Tang Xi felt deeply disappointed, but in the end could only say, “Take care of yourself.”

He could choose not to interfere, but he was still angry.

To avoid them, he barely left his room, spending his days reading, doing homework, playing games…

Later, he tried to comfort himself: if Meng Ling only stayed with Gu Donghang, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. At worst, it would just be a failed relationship, not the tragic ending from his previous life.

Still, Tang Xi felt sick inside, his thoughts tangled and unpleasant.

Su Bei glanced at the two and scoffed, starting the car.

****

Zhang Xiao Jing ran a café bookstore.

When they arrived, it was still quiet, with only a few people seated in the back corners.

The moment Tang Xi saw Zhang Xiao Jing, he understood why Su Bei liked him.

Zhang Xiao Jing had a cold, refined temperament, tall, fair, with long lashes that made him seem almost detached from the mundane world.

He was reserved—not warm, but not unfriendly either, just immersed in his own space.

Yet being around him felt comfortable, never awkward.

When Su Bei looked at him, it was as if his eyes held an entire galaxy, bright, passionate, like fire.

Tang Xi picked out a book and sat by the window, slowly sipping his milk tea, though his mind was far from calm.

Every time he came, he ordered milk tea, because Su Bei had told Zhang Xiao Jing that Tang Xi was addicted to it and wanted to drink it every day.

Lost in thought, Tang Xi occasionally glanced at the two of them. Su Bei was smiling often, eyes curved with joy.

Zhang Xiao Jing’s expression barely changed, only occasionally revealing a faint smile.

Tang Xi suddenly felt that Zhang Xiao Jing was like ice, and perhaps Su Bei could never warm him.

The air conditioning was a bit too cold. Tang Xi held his cup tighter, the warmth comforting his hands.

****

At one point, Su Bei went to a bookstore to fetch some books for Zhang Xiao Jing.

Tang Xi sat alone, until Zhang Xiao Jing approached and sat across from him with a cup of coffee.

He smiled, and that simple smile made his otherwise calm face strikingly beautiful.

Tang Xi said sincerely, “Zhang Xiao Jing, you’re really good-looking.”

He liked calling people by their full names.

Zhang Xiao Jing lowered his gaze and said softly, “Tang Xi, could you do me a favor?”

Tang Xi nodded. “Of course, if it’s something I can do.”

Zhang Xiao Jing smiled faintly. “You can.”

Looking out the window, he said calmly, “Can you help me persuade Su Bei… to stop bothering me?”

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