Unexpected Incident : Chapter 10

On this day off, Xiao Teng specially brought the whole family to the stables.

The winter stables had long since lost their greenery, showing a desolate scene, but it so happened that a heavy snow had just fallen, and everywhere was blanketed in white, wrapped in silver, boundless and vast, with a kind of magnificent beauty.

The children were more excited than the adults, putting on riding boots and helmets, scrambling to get on the horses. Even Xiao Zi mounted a British Shetland pony and, under the coach’s watch, trotted about quite convincingly.

The fresh, biting air of deep winter, the white breath exhaled from mouth and nose, the neighing of fine horses, the crunching sound of hooves on snow. Xiao Teng stood in the cold wind, watching his children.

Not to mention Xiao Yin, even Xiao Lin’s horsemanship was already quite seasoned for her age. The fifteen year old girl skillfully guided her horse toward them, her posture tall and graceful, radiating a striking heroic spirit.

Calmly and effortlessly reining in her horse, the short haired girl on horseback looked almost like a young man. Xiao Lin said, “I want to become a top level jockey!”

Xiao Teng looked at his radiant second daughter, then at Rong Liu beside him.

He felt Rong Liu was a bit down, which was why he had specially brought him out. After all, the last time Rong Liu had been in low spirits, he had run off to the stables alone to clear his head. Horseback riding was indeed a good way to relieve stress, he thought, and it should help somewhat.

Rong Liu had not been in good shape lately, sleepy and cold sensitive, his spirits mediocre, but if asked about it, he always replied that it was nothing, just laziness brought on by the cold weather.

Since he said it was laziness, Xiao Teng stopped working him so hard. If there was nothing urgent, he did not call him to the company, and did not let him get involved in troublesome matters.

He might as well understand this as a rare moment of tenderness on his part.

But whether it was truly because of the cold weather or something else, Rong Liu showed little interest. Without his usual eager enthusiasm, he simply hid half his face in that fluffy fur collar, full of lazy weariness.

Xiao Teng looked at him and asked, “Are you feeling unwell?”

Rong Liu smiled. “Not at all.”

Facing his listlessness, Xiao Teng rarely took the initiative: “Want to race? You ride GLORY?”

Rong Liu smiled and said, “Maybe not.”

“Why?” Xiao Teng was somewhat surprised. “Weren’t you very interested in GLORY?”

GLORY was an outstanding racehorse in every respect. From their very first meeting, Rong Liu had shown a shamelessly persistent interest in it, sneaking around just to get a ride. Now that he had the owner’s invitation and permission, he should have been eager for the opportunity.

Rong Liu smiled and said, “It’s fine, really.”

Xiao Teng looked at him. When the young man met his gaze, he averted his eyes.

Xiao Teng said, “What, are you afraid to compete with me? Or afraid he’ll throw you off?”

Rong Liu was unmoved by his provocation. Smiling lazily, he said, “Anyway, he doesn’t stop me from riding him now. I don’t need to prove anything, do I?”

“……”

Yes, once tamed, the initial frenzy was gone.

People were indeed like that with spirited horses.

That night before bed, Xiao Teng examined his appearance in the mirror.

He was still tall, straight, and handsome, mature and sharp, but showing no signs of aging.

Time had not been unkind to him.

Even in his youth he had been steady and indifferent, with a prematurely mature appearance, unlike Xiao Xuan’s fresh, youthful energy, and now after all these years, he still looked the same.

But did this shell really hold such attraction?

Or were the people interested in him only interested in the taming?

What he and Rong Liu were to each other, what Rong Liu was to him, had always been a fog in his mind. And now, through that fog, he could faintly see a hint of clarity, but immediately looked away.

Many things could not be thought about too much, could not be examined too deeply.

With the year end approaching, the lobby of the company building was already decorated with red envelopes hanging from the money tree, the whole place filled with the cheerful atmosphere of the coming spring holiday.

The security manager escorted a man in his fifties through the lobby. The man’s face was ashen, his steps dragging. Passing employees all stopped, silently watching this unusual scene.

This was a veteran mainland regional sales general manager of the company, one of Xiao Teng’s father’s capable men back in the day. He had worked at this company for many years, with deep seniority and high standing. Everyone remembered how he usually walked with energy and a ready smile, but now that spirited air was completely gone.

The crowd was full of curiosity but dared not say much, only pricking up their ears, carefully watching the drama.

The man entered Xiao Teng’s office. After a while, he came out, his face deathly pale. Several security guards immediately accompanied him, or rather escorted him, to his office to pack his things, then showed him out the door.

All of this happened very quickly, very quietly.

The company, witnessing all this, fell into dead silence. In extreme shock and bewilderment, everyone coincidentally maintained a stunned, speechless silence.

This was too sudden. For the ordinary employees who were not part of the core management, it was completely inexplicable. Without any warning, this veteran heavyweight had been swept out the door, becoming a page ruthlessly turned in this company’s history.

Needless to say, the general manager’s direct subordinates and trusted aides would also find it hard to protect themselves. Though the major purge had not yet begun, those with clear eyes understood it was only a matter of time.

After the dead silence of everyone fearing for their own safety, the company could no longer suppress whispered discussions.

“What happened to General Manager Liu?”

“No idea……”

“Wasn’t there a company email……”

“That was just empty talk, nothing useful at all.”

“I heard he offended the chairman?”

“Even so, did they have to be this ruthless……”

The general manager had always been generous and approachable, with a ready smile, quite well liked throughout the company. Compared to Xiao Teng’s cold face and cold heart, his ruthless methods, where people’s hearts naturally lay was obvious.

“Too heartless.”

“Yeah, after all these years, he never made any mistakes……”

“Is he a sacrifice in some internal power struggle?”

“Or…… is the chairman looking for excuses to settle accounts with old contributors?”

“Sigh, having too much seniority isn’t a good thing either……”

“His achievements overshadow the master, that’s all……”

“Who knows……”

Finally someone said quietly, “Hey, forget it, stop talking. Talking too much won’t do anyone any good.”

Those who didn’t want to get involved kept their heads down and played it safe. In these turbulent times, silence was golden. And those who dared to discuss loudly either didn’t want to work here anymore, or knew they wouldn’t be kept around anyway.

Xiao Teng came downstairs. Employees passing by fell silent at the sight of him, cautiously and awkwardly nodding in greeting.

He was impeccably dressed, walking with composure. Such an earthquake level change in the company showed not a trace on his face. Under the complex gazes of the onlookers secretly watching the drama, he calmly raised his hand to check his watch. He had arranged to meet someone with Rong Liu for a face to face discussion, and it was almost time.

A middle aged man walked toward him. Xiao Teng glanced at him.

Someone greeted that man: “Director Luo……” The man’s face was dark, and he ignored them completely.

Luo Chen was a capable subordinate of the recently ousted General Manager Liu, and also his nephew. As they say, when the lips are gone the teeth are cold. For now he could still stand here, but everyone could guess what the situation would be in a few days.

His encounter with Xiao Teng here created a somewhat delicate atmosphere. The onlookers held their breath, using their ears and peripheral vision to follow this scene.

Luo Chen stared at Xiao Teng with a sinister gaze, approaching him. Xiao Teng met his eyes and asked calmly, “Is there something?”

Luo Chen did not answer. Then suddenly he raised his hand and splashed a liquid hard across Xiao Teng’s face.

Several female staff members screamed like a fire alarm had been pulled. Startled by their cries, the lobby immediately fell into chaos.

Xiao Teng calmed down and immediately wiped his face. Fortunately it was only hot tea, not some corrosive liquid.

Luo Chen cursed loudly: “Xiao, you son of a bitch, how can you face your own conscience?”

“You ungrateful bastard, do you remember how my uncle helped your family back then? He gave the best half of his life to your Xiao family!”

Security guards came to grab him, but he kept screaming at the top of his lungs: “Look at how you’re treating him now! Kill the hounds once the hares are caught, hide the bow once the birds are gone!”

His voice was so loud that no one could fail to turn and look.

Xiao Teng indifferently pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his expressionless face dry. “From now on, you are no longer an employee of this company either.”

Luo Chen’s computer account would be locked in the shortest time possible, his access card deactivated. Like Liu Gang who had just left, he would be swept out the door without a trace.

After handling this brief incident, Xiao Teng turned and saw Rong Liu standing at the entrance.

The young man looked at him hesitantly and said, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Xiao Teng said. “But I need to change my clothes.” The tea stains on his collar would be somewhat embarrassing.

The wasted time displeased him greatly.

Rong Liu suddenly said, “Why did you have to treat them like that?”

Rong Liu hesitated: “No matter what, he rendered heroic service. Even if he made a mistake, for the sake of all these years. At least give him a way out. Otherwise…… others will be disheartened and talk behind your back.”

Xiao Teng said, “That is not for you to worry about.”

Rong Liu did not understand that not everyone who smiled was good. Liu Gang was that kind of person. Over time, greed for what one could not obtain would corrode a person. Liu Gang had gone from being a sharp tooth to a poisonous fang, and fortunately Xiao Teng had been able to root him out before being bitten in return.

As for public opinion, he never cared. People’s memory for gossip was very short. The career professionals who worked in office buildings had seen people come and go countless times. As long as it didn’t threaten their own interests, they would choose to watch from the sidelines. Even if the whole company was buzzing with discussion now, in a few days everyone would forget about it.

“Wouldn’t it be better to show some mercy?”

Xiao Teng looked at him strangely. “I don’t need that.”

Business was like war. Who showed mercy to their enemies? He had thought Rong Liu understood this basic, simple truth.

Rong Liu faced him, no smile on his face. It was a kind of low, serious expression he had never seen before. The young man suddenly said, “Do you have to be so hardhearted?”

“……”

In Rong Liu’s eyes he saw a hint of something unfamiliar, something close to disgust.

This expression suddenly stung him.

Xiao Teng responded coldly: “I’ve always been this kind of person. You just found out?”

Rong Liu said, “I will hire a lawyer for him.”

For a moment Xiao Teng thought he had misheard, but he quickly came to his senses and knew this was truly Rong Liu speaking.

This was the first time Rong Liu had explicitly stood on the opposite side from him.

Xiao Teng said coldly, “I’ll wait and see.”

Xiao Teng closed the car door and started the engine coldly and roughly.

What was this?

Rong Liu could attack him over someone he had no connection with whatsoever?

Was this even Rong Liu?

He could not understand, could not believe it.

Amid the restless anger of having his sore spot touched, he also felt a faint pain. Outside it was freezing cold, but inside he felt like fire was burning, not warmth, but a searing pain that split skin and tore flesh.

Rong Liu came home very late. Xiao Teng could hear the faint sounds outside in his study, sounds that did not belong to the children.

He had not planned to go find Rong Liu before, and of course he was not waiting for anything now. If Rong Liu truly intended to defy him, he would absolutely not lower himself to make concessions.

Someone gently knocked on the open door of the study.

Xiao Teng did not turn around.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said those things today.”

Xiao Teng made no sound.

“Just take it as me talking nonsense.”

Xiao Teng felt a slightly sour relief. He thought, that’s right, knowing your mistake is right, but he still would not so easily forgive someone who had talked back to him.

He……

Before he could think further, he heard Rong Liu say again: “I should never have stood on the side of your enemies.”

Xiao Teng nodded. That awkward wrinkle in his heart was almost smoothed out by this one sentence. “Mhm.”

“Even if I’m not standing by your side.”

“……”

Rong Liu took his leave and went to bed.

Xiao Teng sat alone in the study in silence. He did not quite understand what Rong Liu meant.

That anger came back, even more overwhelming and uncontrollable, flooding his head with confusion, a tangled mess.

Was it worth it? Firing an employee, could it really be that serious, serious enough to affect the bond between the two of them?

Rong Liu truly was a wolf that could not be tamed. He thought, he would never again open his heart to Rong Liu, would never again confide in him! Everything he had given Rong Liu, he would take back viciously.

The next morning, Xiao Teng came downstairs in a foul mood and exhausted state, only to see that Rong Liu, who had been sleeping in and acting lazy these past few days, was already in the hall, impeccably dressed and having breakfast. Xiao Teng was slightly startled.

Was this an attempt to make peace and make up for yesterday’s careless words?

Rong Liu looked up and saw him, then smiled and said, “By the way, I have to go out today, so I won’t go to the company. That meeting, you’ll have to handle yourself.”

“……Alright.”

Xiao Teng suppressed his anger. He had wanted to appear casual and indifferent, but finally could not resist asking one more question: “Do you have something to do?”

“Meeting a friend, going to an art exhibition.”

“……”

Rong Liu acted completely natural and calm, without the slightest awareness of having offended him, and not the least bit of intention to make it up to him or atone for his mistake.

Xiao Teng left without eating breakfast.

His stomach felt blocked, something churning inside, as if it would rise to his throat, leaving him with no appetite at all.

Compared to Rong Liu’s calm indifference, his own surging emotional fluctuations seemed incredibly foolish.

He had lain awake half the night, brewing that murderous fighting spirit, but there was actually no opponent. The strength he had prepared had no chance to be unleashed.

Because Rong Liu had no intention of engaging at all.

Rong Liu understood him so well, naturally anticipating and comprehending all his anger and dissatisfaction.

But Rong Liu did not care one bit.

This said many things. Alert as he was, he naturally understood.

The young man was silently telling him that if he wanted to fight, he actually held no chips.

Because most of what he had given Rong Liu, Rong Liu had never cared about from the very beginning.

The young master of the Rong family, had he really traveled all this way just to be his aide, to seek a bit of his appreciation? What for, waiting for him to hand over shares?

As for the other part, he had originally thought Rong Liu would care. At least Rong Liu had once acted like he cared very much.

But reality was not so.

This left him momentarily at a loss.

It was like, preparing for a grand battle with drums and flags, only to discover that the weapons in his hands were made of paper.

That day, Xiao Teng did not see Rong Liu again until he returned home from work. Rong Liu had gone out to have fun with his own friends, seemingly so enjoying himself he forgot to come home, not appearing before him all day, not sending him a single message.

At midnight, Xiao Teng faintly heard movement outside in his study, making his heart skip two beats. Finally, Rong Liu was back.

But the young man’s footsteps went straight to the bedroom, followed by the soft sound of a door closing.

“……”

Rong Liu could certainly see the light coming from the study and would know he was still awake, but clearly Rong Liu did not care.

Of course, it was not like he was waiting for Rong Liu either.

Xiao Teng extended stiff fingers and opened another book. He felt many emotions crashing around inside, but fortunately his outer shell could still maintain the cold hardness of deep winter.

That day was another early departure and late return for work. Rong Liu was living his own fulfilling social life and no longer accompanied him to the company. Xiao Teng returned to his previous rhythm, coming and going alone like a lone wolf.

When he got home, it was already past dinner time. Only Rong Liu and Xiao Zi were still at the table.

Xiao Zi must have returned too late from her music lesson. Rong Liu was keeping her company while she ate, and had almost finished himself. The dishes on the table were sparse, mostly cold leftovers. This was not unusual. He never asked everyone to wait for him. The kitchen simply left some food for him.

Xiao Zi hugged her bowl and chopsticks, working hard at a dish of Imperial Shrimp Balls. Rong Liu smiled and said, “Don’t finish all of this, save some for your dad.”

Xiao Zi’s little face was round and puffed up. “Daddy likes this?”

“Of course, he loves it.”

Xiao Zi looked up, saw him, and said, “Daddy!”

Rong Liu turned around, and their eyes met. Xiao Teng suddenly felt his heartbeat falter.

The young man greeted him plainly: “You’re back?”

“Mhm……”

Before he could say anything else, the young man had already turned back and put a piece of greens on Xiao Zi’s plate. “Remember to eat your vegetables.”

Xiao Teng could not quite grasp his own feelings. He was someone who had seen great storms. That hint of concern the young man showed, and the subsequent coldness, were both so small, so trivial, and yet they had made him experience a sudden emotional rise and fall within the span of a single minute.

He hated this unpredictable, hot and cold feeling.

What troubled him most was that he actually cared about that tiny bit of concern.

After dinner, Xiao Zi went upstairs to wait for her tutor. Rong Liu sat in the living room playing on his tablet while watching TV, with the kind of restless boredom of youth.

Xiao Teng hesitated, casually grabbed a book, and walked over to sit near him.

Rong Liu was absorbed in the game on his tablet, seemingly unaware of his approach.

Xiao Teng cleared his throat. The young man slightly raised his head, unconcerned.

Xiao Teng spoke: “You came back early today?”

“Yeah,” Rong Liu said lazily. “Shen Yi had something at home, so the evening gathering fell through.”

After a moment of silence, Xiao Teng asked again, “Been busy lately?”

Rong Liu said, “Not really.”

For a moment there was nothing more to say. Of course, both of them knew the topic was boring, because the truly busy person was Xiao Teng himself.

This forced attempt at conversation made Xiao Teng feel uncomfortable all over. With his pride and arrogance, he had never done such a thing in his life. Since when was he the talkative one?

But he felt it was necessary to say something to Rong Liu, to have a serious talk, to break through the current strangely tense atmosphere.

Looking back, the sharp decline in their relationship had started with the Liu Gang incident. He did not like explaining himself. But if his handling of that matter had made Rong Liu think poorly of him, then bringing it out to talk through clearly was not out of the question.

Xiao Teng carefully opened his mouth again: “That Liu Gang…… he had problems……”

From as far back as he could remember, Liu Gang had already been working under his father. The young and vigorous Liu Gang had indeed been a capable man, and his bond with Xiao Teng’s father ran deep. He often remembered their late night talks by lamplight, a pot of clear wine shared between two men, drinking until the night grew cold.

The hidden struggles within wealthy families were turbulent and fierce. That his father had ultimately emerged victorious was undeniable, and Liu Gang’s contribution was beyond question. Back then they had respectfully called Liu Gang “uncle” to his face, and Liu Gang had been quite polite and amiable as well.

But after his father passed away from illness, things were a bit different.

One day he suddenly realized that Liu Gang’s loyalty was to his father, not to him. Loyalty to his father and loyalty to the Xiao family were completely different things.

Liu Gang had never married.

Sometimes he even felt that Liu Gang hated him, or rather hated the Xiao family.

He could sense this subtle malice, though he did not understand the reason. Therefore he deliberately suppressed Liu Gang’s authority, and Liu Gang naturally smelled his intention more keenly than anyone else.

In their secret back and forth rivalry, they maintained a surface peace. And this precarious balance finally collapsed when Xiao Teng caught Liu Gang’s betrayal.

He had a mountain of ironclad evidence showing how Liu Gang had bitten the hand that fed him, how he had colluded with rival groups, how he had planned to deliver a fatal blow from within. This was also why Liu Gang left so silently and so cleanly.

Actually this matter was quite incomprehensible. Several directors who knew the facts expressed difficulty understanding Liu Gang’s motives. Why would he still be restless at this age? He asked himself whether the Xiao family had ever mistreated Liu Gang, and his father certainly had not. The deep friendship between them, like that of close friends, had been obvious to all.

So why had it come to this? Where had that hatred and rebelliousness come from?

He did not dare to think too deeply about it, and could only conclude that it was probably greed. That was all he could claim publicly.

But to explain all this to Rong Liu in detail would be far too long and convoluted. He was not a man of many words and could not speak of so many grievances and entanglements.

So he could only describe Liu Gang’s wrongdoings in as much detail as possible, then say: “All of this is backed by evidence, so……”

To his rare lengthy speech, Rong Liu said dully, “I know.”

“……”

“I’ve seen plenty like this. Decades of good reputation ruined overnight,” Rong Liu said. “But he worked for the Xiao family for over thirty years, gave the best years of his life to you. Can’t you show some consideration for old times’ sake?”

The words “old times’ sake” left Xiao Teng momentarily speechless. Liu Gang could not stay at Xiao Corporation any longer. After that thin veil was torn, both sides knew this clearly. But the full story behind it was truly not something to share with outsiders.

Xiao Teng said calmly, “I can’t.”

Rong Liu looked at him again, smiled, and went back to playing his game.

The room returned to that silence mixed with the sound of the television. Xiao Teng felt a trace of irritation again. This stalemate and deadlock with no progress was not the result he wanted from this conversation. And he clearly did not know how to properly initiate conversation with Rong Liu.

After a quiet moment, Xiao Teng said, “Actually when I was little, my father and I……”

“Mhm?” Rong Liu said absently. “What? I’m trying to clear this level.”

Xiao Teng immediately said, “Nothing.”

He had originally wanted to try, just a little, to tell this person before him about some things he found hard to look back on.

But he gave up after only two seconds.

Because he knew Rong Liu did not want to hear it.

When someone closes their ears to you, it means that person’s heart has already closed.

He could feel that Rong Liu was slowly, bit by bit, drifting away from him.

That night Xiao Teng could not sleep again.

Poor sleep made him restless, and restlessness made it even harder to sleep. In this vicious cycle, he was so agitated it was like fire had started in his heart.

He could not sleep, not because of Rong Liu’s attitude, but because he sensed his own strangeness.

For a moment he wondered if he had changed, become somewhat soft, to the point of developing some shameful sentimentality. But in fact he had not. With everyone else he was still as decisive and resolute as ever, still cold and ruthless.

Only with Rong Liu was he different.

He actually wanted to win Rong Liu back. Yes, after Rong Liu had so disrespectfully defied him, showing not the slightest sign of remorse, not only did he not simply cut him off, he was actually thinking of ways to keep Rong Liu around.

When facing Rong Liu, he was a bit unlike himself. It was as if a weak spirit inside him had slipped out to make trouble. This made him very uneasy, and also slightly afraid.

But when it came to the word “win back,” Xiao Teng was not skilled at it.

Someone like him, who could not tolerate a single grain of sand in his eyes, usually only swept others out the door himself. And when it came to retaining valuable talent, the best method was nothing more than money.

This person, Rong Liu, made him feel his own clumsiness for the first time in his life.

Xiao Teng finished that day’s work somewhat numbly. He would not let personal emotions affect his work. This was not difficult for him. He just had to harden his heart. After all, he had always been like steel.

Late at night when he got home, he found the game room light still on. Rong Liu was inside playing chess and chatting with Shen Yi.

Xiao Teng saw them through the slightly open door and was about to turn and leave, when he heard Shen Yi say, “Xiao Teng’s temperament really is something, one move and it’s a huge commotion. The people below are talking about him like he’s some kind of monster now. If I were him, I’d probably be driven crazy.”

Rong Liu responded: “Actually it’s nothing, he won’t care either. In a while everyone will forget about this. Public opinion will pass quickly. There’s fresh gossip every day, who has time to keep worrying about other people’s business?”

“……” Rong Liu truly understood him extremely well.

Shen Yi placed a white piece and said, “Actually, what do you think about this?”

Rong Liu shook his head. “I don’t really have an opinion. It’s their internal matter, I’m just an outsider. Not my place to judge.”

Shen Yi said, “You say that, so that means you don’t approve of him this time either?”

Rong Liu said: “I just think he was too ruthless in this matter. Sometimes I almost feel like he has no heart.”

Shen Yi said: “I thought you liked that about him.”

Rong Liu laughed. “Do I look like a masochist?”

“You kind of do, hahaha. Don’t you just like powerful people? Of those who can accomplish great things, which few aren’t ruthless?”

“Sometimes he’s frighteningly heartless. You can’t imagine,” Rong Liu shook his head again. This was the second time he shook his head. “A bit of ruthlessness, that’s quite interesting. But too much of it, and it’s not a fun thing anymore. I don’t know if I can really stand it.”

The young man placed a black piece, capturing the surrounded white pieces, then said: “Actually, I think, when the time comes, I probably won’t be able to stand it.”

Xiao Teng did not disturb the two of them. He turned and left, calmly returning to his own room.

He understood the meaning in that conversation. Rong Liu’s coldness and distance were because he did not like the fierce ruthlessness Xiao Teng had shown at that time.

After layers of fresh curiosity were peeled away, his true inner self had ultimately made Rong Liu retreat.

He had always believed that the world operated on strength, that as long as one was strong enough, one could win everything, including affection.

After all, the people surrounding him all proved this point. Who did not come to him because he was the strong one?

But perhaps he was wrong.

Xiao Teng looked at his own cold, sharp face in the mirror, showing not a trace of kindness, and smiled coldly.

As a villain, perhaps his advantage lay in never fearing to be a villain, and never fearing to admit he was a villain.

Xiao Teng hardened his heart and thought, perhaps it was time to drive Rong Liu away.

Living in his house, eating his food, and despising him. Such a guest should not be tolerated. He could not so unprincipledly break through his own bottom line.

But how to say it?

He naturally was not afraid of giving offense. It was just that merely imagining the moment of personally telling Rong Liu to leave caused a sharp pain, like lightning, to spread from his chest into every limb, impossible to suppress.

This was very bad. It would make him lose his composure when the time came. And losing his composure was something he could not allow.

On this day Xiao Teng finally made up his mind.

On the way from the garage to the main house, he repeatedly rehearsed the scene in his mind, so that he would not lose his composure when he spoke.

He imagined Rong Liu’s possible reactions. He himself needed to be extremely cold, extremely steady. Even a trace of trembling, a moment of hesitation, would make him seem somewhat weak. And he could not be weak.

Xiao Teng stepped through the front door, and almost immediately he sensed something unusual. He looked around, then asked loudly, “Where is Rong Liu?”

Aunt Huang, who came at the sound, finally had a clear answer this time: “Young Master, Young Master Rong packed his luggage and left at noon. He said he was going home for the New Year. He asked me to tell you……”

“……”

The breath Xiao Teng had drawn in caught in his throat, unable to come out, just like those hundreds of rehearsals in his mind.

He could only silently take a deep breath. After a moment he said, “I understand.”

Better than last time, at least Rong Liu had left a message with Aunt Huang, considered a greeting.

But was it really better?

Rong Liu truly understood him too well. If Rong Liu became his enemy, he would know all his weak spots, completely understand how to deliver the most powerful blow with the greatest ease.

Like right now.

And he was completely powerless to fight back.

From the moment Rong Liu began to despise him, he had not given him a single chance to make a move.

Xiao Teng went upstairs without eating dinner. Passing by Rong Liu’s bedroom door, he stopped for a moment, then slowly pushed open the door with stiff fingers.

Unlike last time, the room was neat and tidy.

He looked around. This time Rong Liu had taken all his belongings with him, leaving everything else as it was.

No haste, and not exactly leaving without saying goodbye.

So Rong Liu had truly thought it through, had made his plans.

The last time Rong Liu left, he had wondered if perhaps the young man had left in a fit of pique, because he had treated him poorly. He had thought over and over then, if Rong Liu came back, if he treated him a little better, a little softer, would things be different?

But in fact there was no difference.

Xiao Teng stood in silence for a while, before sensing a chill that pierced to the heart. A window had been left unlocked and was blown open by the wind. The night wind rushing in carried cold air, making the room feel like an ice cave for a moment.

Xiao Teng reached out and closed the window. Click. It shut out the deep night outside, the freezing cold.

A week had passed since Rong Liu’s departure.

Xiao Teng went from insomnia to something like hatred, or rather fear, of sleep.

Because that was a time when he could not control his own mind.

During that time, he dreamed of Rong Liu over and over again.

The person had already said goodbye and left, yet the afterimage still tormented him so. It was like, having had an illness, and after being cured, still being left with serious aftereffects.

While using high concentration coffee to fight to stay awake, his exhausted mind uncontrollably thought of many meaningless things.

He also thought, if that day with Liu Gang, he had not done it that way, or not said it that way, or……

Perhaps Rong Liu would still admire him as before.

But he himself understood that after the period when Rong Liu’s eyes were clouded by hormones, he would sooner or later realize what kind of person Xiao Teng was.

This day would have come sooner or later.

From the moment the two met, he had wondered every day just when Rong Liu would leave him.

And now, he no longer had to guess.

The thing had gone from the unknown he hated to the known, finally settled, and should have brought a sense of relief.

But Xiao Teng knew reality had nothing to do with relief. He knew he was in great pain.

Though he did not want to examine the reasons too closely.

When Xiao Teng passed by that cinema entrance with his umbrella, he could not help stopping.

He had been here before.

He could still remember the rain that day, the young man waiting for him here.

Though the latter no longer existed.

How strange humans were. In such a short time, so much change could happen.

In those few seconds of his distraction, someone suddenly patted his shoulder lightly, playfully.

Xiao Teng started and quickly turned around.

He saw a face as bright as spring flowers.

“What a coincidence, it really is you.”

“……”

Liu Ning smiled brightly. “I just finished watching a movie alone. You too?”

“……No.”

“Then you’re shopping alone?”

“……I’m here to buy something.”

“New Year’s goods?”

“……Mhm.”

“Huh? Don’t you have people specifically in charge of buying New Year’s goods?”

Xiao Teng was somewhat helpless, but Liu Ning had something familiar about her, a chatty quality that made it hard not to go along with the conversation.

“For the children.” This year he had finally begun to realize that as a father, picking out gifts for the children himself might be better.

“Have you figured out what to buy? You have three daughters, I mean, do you even know what they like?”

Xiao Teng was speechless. “……No.” He truly did not know. Xiao Yin’s gift was easier to handle, but the preferences of women were something he could not fathom.

“How about this, I’ll help you pick them out in a bit.”

Xiao Teng did feel somewhat relieved. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me too much. If you want to repay me, just have dinner with me. I’m just worried about ordering too much food for one person.”

“……”

Xiao Teng did not refuse. He still retained the basic qualities of a gentleman, politeness toward women.

And actually he was a bit afraid of being alone, without work to distract him. With someone else present, the aftereffects of his overthinking would be lighter.

The two entered a restaurant to have dinner. The dishes Liu Ning ordered covered the entire table.

“Having a man around is so nice.”

“??”

“Other people will think all these empty plates are from you.”

“……”

Liu Ning looked at him. “You seem to be in a bad mood?”

Xiao Teng immediately said, “No.”

“Whatever, you always have the same expression anyway.”

“……”

“Speaking of which, you’re so gloomy, did someone dump you?”

“……”

Liu Ning was excited. “Did I hit the mark? Otherwise why do you look like your eyes are about to shoot fire?”

Xiao Teng was truly helpless and could only remain silent.

Liu Ning sighed. “Sigh, so it turns out even good looking people don’t get everything they want. You too, me too.” Xiao Teng was speechless. “……”

“Since we’re both so pitiful, how about we pair up?”

“……” Xiao Teng said, “Thanks, but I’m not considering remarrying……”

Liu Ning rolled her eyes. “I was just joking, please don’t reject me so seriously, it’s embarrassing.”

“……”

“I know you don’t like me. You must have someone else you care about.”

“Aunt Ling?” Xiao Teng shook his head. “No. I’ve forgotten her for a long time.”

Since that last meeting, he had completely given up.

Sometimes people just confused being deeply hurt with being deeply in love.

Liu Ning became interested. “Oh, you really do have a story. Tell me about it?”

“……”

“How about I tell you my story first, and then in exchange?”

“……No need, thank you.”

“Hey, don’t you know the more you act like this, the more people want to find out? You know, I used to study journalism, so I’m especially curious……”

“……”

“Hey, don’t walk away……”

What Xiao Teng completely did not expect was that Liu Ning somehow forcibly became his friend.

A female friend, not a girlfriend. She clearly expressed no intention of becoming the mistress of the Xiao household, but came to hang out with him from time to time, even barging right into his home.

Liu Ning had some things in common with Rong Liu. She had all kinds of wildly imaginative fresh ideas, and seemed to never tire, playing with the little troublemakers at home as if she were one of them.

She also had a killer move: every time she brought all kinds of delicious homemade treats. Aunt Huang’s cooking was excellent, but she was not good at new Western style desserts, and after eating them for over a decade they had gotten old anyway. Liu Ning’s durian crepes, layer cakes, and fondant cakes, whose taste was indeed a notch above what you could buy in stores, were hugely popular. In just a few days she had carved out a place for herself in the Xiao household.

Xiao Teng understood the meaning of “birds die for food” on a deeper level.

Because after the children ate the chocolate lava cake she brought, they clearly no longer remembered who their own father was, letting her keep pestering Xiao Teng without end.

“Why won’t you tell me your story?”

“……”

“Look, I’ve told you so many of my stories,” the obsessive compulsive Miss Liu begged pitifully. “Just one in exchange, one is enough.”

“……I didn’t want to hear them, thank you.” Not to mention that one listen was enough to know she was making them up, and one was even stolen from a movie plot.

“Then at least tell me, how did that person you like break up with you?”

Xiao Teng said woodenly, “Miss, I’ve told you many times, I was not in a relationship, and there was no breakup.”

Rong Liu had never explicitly said goodbye to him, never personally bid him farewell, just left like that.

If someone has said goodbye, they understand the importance of goodbye.

Because leaving without saying goodbye, that is the most resolute kind of departure.

After sending Miss Liu away, Xiao Teng sat alone in his ice cave like study flipping through a book.

He had not turned on the heater. Only cold could keep him calm and rational, and maintain his steel like will.

He had thought far too much during this time. Those messy, meaningless thoughts were practically more than the total of all his previous decades combined.

Looking back frequently, hesitating to move forward, these were the acts of a coward. And he needed enough clarity and will to drive out these distracting thoughts.

Suddenly a pair of gentle hands covered his eyes from behind.

Xiao Teng’s whole body jolted.

“Guess who?”

A soft, timid voice.

Xiao Teng paused for a moment before raising his hand to remove the soft little hands covering his eyes.

Turning around, he saw Xiao Zi’s face.

Holding her tiny hand, he rarely showed the warmth of a father: “Why did you want to play this with Daddy?”

Xiao Zi said sweetly, “Uncle Rong Liu often plays this with me.”

“……”

Xiao Teng tightened his fingers.

Theoretically speaking, humans do not feel heartache.

Heartache must be some kind of heart disease. The so called heartache during emotional phases is all caused by hormonal imbalance, chest tightness, brain oxygen deprivation. Including falling in love with someone, it is just hormones acting up in the body.

He had long since stopped having those hormones.

So, his heart must be sick.

Sickness requires a doctor. The next day, in the sleepless early morning hours, Xiao Teng set out.

The sky was still barely light. Outside the temple he could even hear the sound of the morning bell. That sound was distant and long, especially clear and cold in the winter.

The early morning temple had no other worshippers yet. Xiao Teng became the first visitor after the doors opened.

He was not devout, nor had he believed in gods before. In his view, praying to gods for things was an act of great incompetence. Of course he had always maintained respect, without any frivolous intent.

And now he had bought incense, and in the early winter morning, stood alone in silence before the divine image.

The Manjushri Bodhisattva still held the posture of wielding his sword against demons, mighty in subduing evil.

The most transcendent wise one in this world, that faint smile seemed to see through all the sorrows of the human realm.

When the heart harbors foolish attachments, how should they be resolved?

Xiao Teng lowered his eyes and knelt silently on the cushion for a long time.

That day at home, Wang Jing knocked on his study door.

“Come in.”

The old steward cautiously said, “Young Master……”

“What is it?”

The old steward’s expression held a complexity he could not fathom: “Young Master, there is a card from the Rong family……”

Xiao Teng’s heart skipped a beat.

This was the first news he had received from Rong Liu during this time.

Was it good news?

He was not sure. Perhaps it would be like last time, or perhaps……

The old steward said in a low voice, “It’s happy news……”

Xiao Teng straightened up. “Mhm?”

“Young Master Rong…… is getting married.”

“……”

It was as if the surroundings had suddenly gone quiet, a frozen, sunken, dark silence.

Xiao Teng did not move, did not show any expression. He simply sat there, cold and solemn, as if mercury flowed in his veins.

The light of the setting sun disappeared from the window. It was the depths of winter, and the sky darkened early, as if even the weak sunlight feared the cold.

No lights were on inside. Gradually the room took on an elusive darkness.

After this silence, Xiao Teng finally spoke plainly: “Go, prepare a generous gift for the Rong family.”

“……”

“Make it substantial. The heavier the better.”

Wang Jing’s face showed hesitation, as if uncertain whether these words held some other meaning.

Xiao Teng saw through his concerns and said coldly, “What are you thinking? I mean exactly what I said.”

“Yes. Then Young Master, do you plan to attend?”

Xiao Teng said, “Of course.”

Wang Jing was about to say something more, but Xiao Teng waved his hand, indicating for him to get on with it. Wang Jing hurriedly presented the card with both hands on the table, then withdrew.

Xiao Teng did not reach for it, nor did he turn his head. He only watched the bright invitation card out of the corner of his eye.

Very ornate, very grand, very festive.

Rong Liu was getting married. This was practically the biggest event to happen to the Rong family in the past twenty some years.

Such a grand happy occasion, and with the two families having long standing ties and deep friendship, he naturally had to attend, and naturally had to send a generous gift.

This was perfectly reasonable.

His response was also perfectly appropriate, without any impropriety.

Xiao Teng sat in the study for a long time, until the night had completely swallowed the room, without making a single sound.

Rong Liu’s wedding day drew closer day by day, and finally the wedding day arrived.

The wedding was held on an island. The Rong family had made warm and thorough arrangements for the transportation and accommodation of the arriving guests. Hotels and villas on several surrounding islands were all booked out. For the two or three days prior, the air was full of the busy sounds of helicopters and seaplanes, brimming with joyful festivity.

Xiao Teng, like everyone else, arrived early so that he could attend the ceremony on time today and properly share in the joy of the newlyweds.

The sky was barely light when Xiao Teng got up, dressed neatly, standing straight and proper before the mirror.

Xiao Teng examined the person in the mirror. He had never worried about his appearance, not out of confidence, but because he did not care about others’ opinions. Neat and proper was enough.

Now seeing the bloodshot eyes and dim expression of the person in the mirror, he could not help but hesitate slightly and reach out to touch his cheek.

He knew he had lost weight, had become haggard. Work fatigue and insufficient rest led to excessive wear, which was normal, he told himself.

He knew he needed to be in good spirits, especially on Rong Liu’s wedding day.

But the harder he tried, the harder it was to sleep.

There were some things in the world that the harder you tried at, the worse you did. Sleep was one of them.

Xiao Teng washed his face two extra times and straightened his clothes over and over. He needed to look radiant, or at least appear as if nothing was wrong.

The ceremony had not yet begun, but the broad lawn where the wedding was being held was already quite lively. Enthusiastic guests who had arrived early, the venue decorated like a fairyland in the forest, a plant platform over ten meters long, pink, white, and orange roses and colorful hydrangeas paired with abundant ferns, a seven tier hand painted cake with gold trim surrounded by fresh flowers, extravagantly luxurious.

Under the flower trellis adorned with air freighted peonies, Xiao Teng saw Rong Liu.

He had seen Rong Liu dressed up in all kinds of fancy, elaborate ways, but this Rong Liu was a first.

The young man wore very formal dark morning dress, with a pinstriped vest, a snow white wing collar shirt, Tahitian pearl cufflinks in ink black, and a single rose boutonniere surrounded by baby’s breath on his left lapel, looking unprecedentedly mature, steady, and serious.

He had never thought he would see this day, never thought he would witness Rong Liu becoming a groom with his own eyes.

But the person before him was so real.

Rong Liu met his gaze, then nodded slightly and smiled. “You came.”

Xiao Teng said, “I came.”

This was too strange. It felt both real and unreal.

He was as if detached from himself, watching himself, watching Rong Liu. As if his soul had left his body and was coldly observing from above with calm.

He had a calm that even he had not expected, a strange calm.

Before this, he had called Rong Liu, but the other had not answered.

Xiao Teng of course understood this refusal.

But at this moment, a wicked, fierce, reckless impulse surged in his heart.

He had never been thin skinned or fragile of heart. To get what he wanted, what had he not been rejected for?

Call him low in character, call him a destroyer of marriages, as long as Rong Liu showed the slightest hesitation, he would not let the opportunity slip by.

As for what the consequences would be of taking the groom away at this wedding, he had not considered it. Not because he had not thought it through, but because at this moment he felt it did not matter.

Xiao Teng prepared his moment to speak. When the young man met his eyes again, he said in a deep voice, “Have you thought this through?”

Rong Liu smiled. “What’s there to think through or not?”

“Are you really getting married?”

Rong Liu was still smiling, his tone gentle too. “Does it look fake?”

A person as willful and unrestrained as Rong Liu would not have any hidden difficulties. If he himself was not willing, no one could force him, and the Rong family could not bear to force him either.

Xiao Teng asked, “What do you like about her?”

Her looks? Her talent? Her family background? Her personality? He had never thought he would have to compete with someone else for Rong Liu, and in this kind of setting.

Rong Liu was silent for a moment.

“This truly is a match made in heaven.”

“Both of them are of top quality in looks and character, their personalities couldn’t be more compatible. The Rong family young master is famously gentle and kind, and that Miss Tan from the Tan family, though a bit fiery in temperament, has a truly good heart……”

Not far away, separated by the flower trellis, several guests were enthusiastically discussing this perfect couple in high spirits, naturally full of praise, especially for the bride. So the two of them listened to a summary of the bride’s resume in silence.

She was passionate about various charitable causes, had served as an international goodwill ambassador for a children’s foundation, had gone to Africa multiple times, paid attention to AIDS patients, raised funds for disaster stricken areas. Reports about her were all positive. Everyone liked her. A photo from a disaster relief site was widely recognized as an angel’s smile.

The bride was simply too wonderful. Besides her obvious beauty and widely acknowledged competence, she had the best character.

This kind of praise, who knew if it was exaggerated? The person in question would probably blush hearing it.

Xiao Teng looked at one of the parties involved. Rong Liu smiled slightly, then answered his previous question with a question of his own: “What do you think?”

“……”

Yes, to some degree, a bride like this was indeed someone he could not compare with no matter how hard he tried.

Compared to his ruthlessness, his heartlessness, his unscrupulous methods. This person Rong Liu had truly chosen was simply from another world. There was no basis for comparison at all.

Wasn’t that so?

Perhaps Rong Liu had indeed found him interesting. But interesting, and worth choosing, were completely different things.

All those sweet nothings from the past were just a chasing game Rong Liu had started out of amusement, not to be taken seriously.

Of course he knew this deep down. But in the end he had still taken it seriously.

The reason, perhaps, was not that Rong Liu had acted too well, but that he himself had once hoped Rong Liu was real.

Xiao Teng looked at the young man before him and said calmly, “Then congratulations.”

Rong Liu smiled. “Thank you.”

There were no surprises, everything went very smoothly. No last minute escape from the wedding like in the movies, no plot twist. This was a happy, beautiful wedding.

Xiao Teng, like everyone else, sat quietly in the ceremony seats, coldly watching the bride being walked down the aisle by her father, step by step, to Rong Liu’s side.

The bride was beautiful, not the fragile beauty of glass, but a resilient, heroic grace. The Rong Liu beside her was so handsome, so happy.

Xiao Teng watched Rong Liu slowly place the ring on the bride’s finger.

All those warm, soft words this young man had once spoken to him, enough to melt ice, still echoed in his ears, while all around rose the warm applause for this newlywed couple.

Xiao Teng watched all of this without expression, very calm, without a ripple. Because his blood had slowly frozen solid.

On the way back, Wang Jing had specially come to the airport to pick him up. The elderly steward looked especially worried.

“Young Master, aren’t you going home first?”

Xiao Teng said, “No, I’m going to the stables.”

Wang Jing hesitated. “Then……”

“No need to follow.”

Compared to that sun drenched island where Rong Liu’s wedding had been held, the stables here were still winter colors. This year had been an unusually bitter cold, lasting for months without warming, and after a bout of sleet, everywhere looked desolate.

While some homes were warm as spring, others were frozen to the bone.

Xiao Teng’s boots stepped powerfully through the snow, crunching, becoming the only sound in this vast world, thin sheets of ice cracking beneath his soles.

This time he had indeed lost.

Fortunately no one knew, not even Rong Liu could sense the world collapsing inside him.

As the loser, it was fortunate that all his failures and losses were unknown to anyone.

GLORY was in the stable, restlessly stomping his hooves and snorting. Seeing him approach, he calmed slightly.

Xiao Teng placed his hand on the horse’s neck, stroking his long mane back and forth. GLORY seemed to sense something, actively pressing against his palm, leaning against him with rare quietness.

Xiao Teng asked, “Are you waiting for someone?”

GLORY rubbed against his palm and looked at him with his dark, bright eyes.

Xiao Teng said, “He won’t come again.”

They say the greatest sorrow is not cherishing something until after you’ve lost it.

Then what about cherishing something, and then losing it?

Xiao Teng led him out, mounted him, and rode alone for a stretch in the biting wind of early spring.

Life went on, looking calm and uneventful, nothing out of the ordinary. Only Xiao Teng’s insomnia had become somewhat serious.

The “somewhat serious” meant that he could not sleep at all anymore, lying awake with his eyes open until dawn every night.

“Wang Jing,” after shutting himself in the study for several days, Xiao Teng finally spoke, as unemotional as ever, “Make me an appointment with a psychologist.”

Wang Jing brought in the best psychologist, but Xiao Teng said nothing.

Perhaps because in his life, there had never been such a thing as confiding in someone.

Facing the doctor’s gentle guidance, he wanted to be able to say something, but in the end could not get it out.

Perhaps deep down, he hoped someone could understand his weakness, comfort him, love him.

But to expose his weakness to others. How could he know whether what came would be a comforting hand, or a sharp knife?

One of the survival rules of the strong is to never let anyone see your scars.

Xiao Teng went to that temple and knelt silently before the Buddha statue for an entire afternoon.