Ex-boyfriend

Xu Yue didn’t know how to answer him.

　　In the end, he didn’t respond. He left for the company early the next morning. Although he managed to avoid Chu Yi, he failed to anticipate another trouble waiting for him.

　　Since Su Yanwen had made his intentions clear yesterday, he didn’t hide it today. He confidently articulated his intent, “Anyway, you and Chu Yi haven’t gotten back together. This is a fair competition.”

　　Xu Yue had a headache. “Yanwen, don’t stir up trouble.”

　“I’m serious.” Su Yanwen paused and pointed out, “Unlike a certain someone[1].”

　　Xu Yue exchanged a few more words with him and returned to the office, only to see someone sitting on the sofa with his feet up. Chu Yi was clad in a simple white shirt but he had meticulously primped from head to toe. While casually sitting there, he looked dazzlingly elegant.

　　Fu Mingjie stood beside him, subserviently serving tea, looking like a cat’s paw [2].

　　Xu Yue was stunned. He asked, “Why are you here?”

　　Chu Yi smiled and snapped his fingers.

　　Fu Mingjie immediately explained, “President Chu is here to discuss business with us.”

　　Xu Yue was even more puzzled. “President Chu?”

　　It was Chu Yi who replied. “Didn’t you ask me to find a job? When I mentioned it to my dad, he got a company for me.”

　“President Chu has a big project to discuss.” Fu Mingjie gave Xu Yue a meaningful look and continued, “I’m not sure if our company can handle such a big order.”

Chu Yi cleared his throat and faked apprehension as he said, “Oh! Then I must give it more thought.”

Did Xu Yue not know him? ‘Ignorant and incompetent[3]’ best describes Chu Yi and it was stranger still for him to talk about business. Since Chu Yi was there as a client, Xu Yue had no choice but to entertain him.

　　Even Su Yanwen came over to greet Chu Yi upon hearing the news.

　“I got to hear that Mr. Chu is responsible for Jiamei’s project.” Su Yanwen said, “Looks like individual’s abilities, no matter how strong, amounts to nothing when compared to having outstanding family background.”

　　Chu Yi was unabashed. He replied smugly, “Being able to reincarnate[4] (into such a family) is also an admirable ability. If you are not convinced, just give it a try next time.”

　　Su Yanwen was dumbstruck. In the end, Fu Mingjie tried to smooth things over and dragged away Su Yanwen who was foaming at the mouth.

　　As soon as they left, Xu Yue immediately warned Chu Yi, “Couldn’t you restrain a bit? Don’t go too far.”

　　Chu Yi was grinning as he said, “This is exactly how I treat my love rivals.”

　　Xu Yue rolled his eyes and said, “Of course, if Mr. Su wasn’t your love rival, you would be more good-mannered towards him.”

　　Xu Yue did not wait for his reply and continued, “I have to go back to work.”

　　Chu Yi didn’t let go. While chasing after him and said, “A’Yue, no… Mr. Xu, let’s have a meal together tonight. What’s that called? Business dinner?”

　　He was so grant and magniloquent that Xu Yue couldn’t refuse him straightaway. After going around in circles, they two finally had a meal together.

Chu Yi booked a table in Grand Hyatt[5]. Excellent food and environment. Enchanting nightscape outside. After the dishes were served, Chu Yi opened a bottle of red wine. His intentions were visible on his face. Didn’t he just want to get Xu Yue drunk to use the trick?

　　Xu Yue did not fall into his trap. He ate leisurely and avoided the wine.

　　Chu Yi raised his wine glass and said, “A’Yue, the question that I asked last night …”

　　Xu Yue said indifferently, “I didn’t say ‘yes’.”

　“You didn’t say ‘no’ either.” Chu Yi said with a smile, “This is proof enough that I still have a chance.”

　　Xu Yue sighed and said, “Why do I have to (give you a chance)?”

　　Chu Yi played with the red wine in his glass, smized and replied confidently, “Because you love me.”

　　Not because I love you, rather because you love me, this sentence is too thought-provoking.

　　Xu Yue’s heart stirred. He was about to speak, when he heard someone behind him exclaim, “Huh! Xiao[6] Yi, when did you return to China?”

　　Chu Yi was taken aback, narrowed his eyes slightly, and he said, “Ge[7], long time no see.”

　　Xu Yue turned around and saw a young man in a trim suit standing behind him, not too similar to Chu Yi in appearance, save for his eyebrows.

　　Chu Yi asked, “Ge, why are you here?”

　　The man said, “I was supposed to have dinner with a friend, but he couldn’t make it. Since I am not interested in eating by myself, I was planning to go home.”

　“Oh,” Chu Yi waved his hand and shooed him off, “Take care! See yourself out[8]!”

　　Instead of leaving, the man walked around to their table and smiled at Xu Yue and said, “Won’t you introduce your friend to me?”

　　Chu Yi was rather impatient. “Just go. Hurry up.”

　    “Why? Afraid that I might recognize your friend?”

　　Chu Yi’s expression changed, but recovered immediately. He stood up and introduced, “This is my elder brother, Chu Yu.”

　　Then he touched Xu Yue’s hand and said, “This is Xu Yue, my boyfriend.”

　　Xu Yue corrected him, “Just a friend.”

　　Chu Yi raised his eyebrows, but when he saw Xu Yue’s expression, he remained well-behaving. “Well, just a friend for now.”

　　Chu Yu shook hands with Xu Yue. “Hello, Mr. Xu.”

　    “Hello, I’ve heard a lot about you[9].”

　　Xu Yue was telling the truth. As the eldest son of Chu Tiancheng and as the heir apparent of the Chu family, there are probably very few people in the city who haven’t heard of him.

　“It’s such a rare coincidence. Let’s have a meal together,” Chu Yu said as he sat down at the table and beckoned the waiter.

　　Chu Yi knew that it was already too late to stop him. So, he said, “Why don’t you pay?”

　“Of course.” Chu Yu asked, “When did you return to China? Why didn’t I hear dad mention it?”

　“You are the apple of the old man’s eye[10]. How can a wastrel like me gain his favour?”

　　Chu Yi lashed out, but Chu Yu didn’t take it seriously and continued chatting merrily. The brothers had completely different personalities. Chu Yu was accommodative in conversation and smoothly established rapport. No matter what was being discussed, the dialog was always warm. He said that the land in the east of the city will be auctioned soon, possibly paving way for a new ‘property overlord’. He also mentioned that he has invested in a foreign laboratory that study the wormhole theory and explore the possibility of time travel[11]…

　　The dinner was very relaxed.

　　Chu Yi nevertheless yawned again and again, and as soon as he finished eating, he wanted to beat a hasty retreat.

　　Before Chu Yu went to pay the bill, he greeted Xu Yue in particular, and said, “My didi[12] is nearly 30 years old but still in the rebellious period. Mr. Xu, I beg your pardon on his behalf.”

　　Xu Yue emphasized again, “We are just ordinary friends.”

　    “Even friends also need to tolerate each other.”

　　Chu Yu’s words were unassailable, and Xu Yue could only nod along.

　　On the way home, Chu Yi, who had a drink, was a little absent-minded. Opening the car window to take a breath, he said, “A’Yue, what did my brother tell you?”

　　“Nothing.”

　　“You’d better keep a distance from him… the farther, the better.”

　　“Why?”

　　“You don’t know? He had always loved stealing things from me since we were children.”

　　Xu Yue didn’t believe him. “Shouldn’t it be the other way around?”

“Okay!” Chu Yi admitted, “I did snatch from him quite a few times, but I was always afraid of him retaliating. But, in short, you must never contact him privately.”

　　Even though Chu Yi repeatedly warned him, Xu Yue didn’t take him seriously. There are quite a lot of traffic on the road. The endless stream of cars and the roadside neon lights made a rather special sight.

　　Chu Yi leaned aganist the car window, looked at the blurred night scene outside the window, and suddenly said, “A’Yue, if … I mean… if there is a chance to change the past, what do you want to do the most?”

　　Xu Yue thought for a while and asked, “Do you want to hear the truth or lie?”

　　Chu Yi smiled slyly, “Which one is better?”

　“In fact, both truth and lie are the same.” Xu Yue glanced at Chu Yi and slowly said, “If I can choose again, I wish to never meet you.”

[1] Kun Yi Wei Lou wrote ‘光是这一点，就远远胜过某人了’ ‘Guāng shì zhè yīdiǎn, jiù yuǎn yuǎn shèngguò mǒu rénle’ which means ‘On this point alone, (I’m) far better than a certain someone’.

[2] Kun Yi Wei Lou wrote ‘狗腿’ ‘Gǒu tuǐ’ which is literally ‘dog leg’. It indicates a henchman or a sycophant who is eager to kiss up to somebody.

[3] Kun Yi Wei Lou wrote ‘不学无术’ ‘Bù xué wú shù’ which means ‘to be without learning or skills’.

[4] Super Sidenote

The Asian religions of Indian-origin, especially Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, hold a belief in reincarnation. They all hold in common a doctrine of karma (karman; “act”), the law of cause and effect, which states that what one does in this present life will have its effect in the next life. The process of birth and rebirth—i.e., transmigration of souls—is endless until one achieves moksha, or liberation (literally “release”) from that process. How moksha can be achieved varies across religions (Reincarnation | Encyclopaedia Britannica, Accessed on 23 January 2022).
Reincarnating into a good family can be considered the effect of good deeds in past life. That’s why Chu Yi is being smug.

[5] Luxuary & business hostel managed by an American multinational hospitality company Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

[6] Term of endearment or an affectionate address. Literally ‘little Yi’. Used for those younger than oneself.

[7] Elder brother

[8] Hurrying tone; not sarcastic as it comes across in English

[9] Kun Yi Wei Lou wrote ‘久闻大名’ ‘Jiǔ wén dàmíng’ which is literally ‘your name has been known to me for a long time’ or ‘I have been looking forward to meeting you for a long time’.

[10] Kun Yi Wei Lou wrote ‘心头肉’ ‘Xīntóu ròu’ which means ‘favorite’.

[11] Wormhole is the solution of the field equations in Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity that resembles a tunnel (indicated by the green arrow in figure below) between two black holes or other points in space-time. Such a tunnel would provide a shortcut between its end points. It also has been argued that a wormhole would allow travel into the past (Wormhole | Encyclopaedia Britannica, Accessed on 23 January 2022).