Capital, Mid-Autumn Night, 2007.
In this vast and luxurious traditional Chinese mansion, the lights were bright, and the wooden dining table was filled with various exquisite dishes.
The hour hand had already pointed to ten, but the main seat remained empty. Sitting to the left of the main seat was Mrs. Jiang, Chen Wanqing, next to her was her youngest son Jiang Yuheng, and then there was fifteen-year-old Jiang Jingshu.
“Don’t move.”
Jingshu gently swatted away her brother’s outstretched hand.
“Dad and gege aren’t back yet.”
“Hmph!”
Jiang Yuheng let out a heavy huff, clearly displeased, and retaliated by slapping his sister’s hand, producing a crisp sound.
Smack—
“I don’t care! I’m hungry! Do we have to wait all night just because they’re not back yet?!”
Jiang Yuheng angrily poked his chopsticks into the bowl, making a clattering noise.
“Chu Tingyun can go sneak back to his mom, let him! Dad’s so busy with work, and he personally went to pick him up…”
Before he finished speaking, the sound of a car engine turning off came from outside, followed by hurried footsteps of several men.
“Your dad must be back.”
Chen Wanqing immediately stood up to greet him.
“Shenghai, you…”
The smile on the woman’s face froze within ten seconds.
Because at that moment, Jiang Shenghai looked incredibly disheveled, with a large bruise on his face, a cut on his lip, and his suit was quite dirty, with a bloody bite mark on his wrist.
The man’s face was dark as he strode past her into the house. It was then that Chen Wanqing noticed two burly bodyguards following Jiang Shenghai.
Eighteen-year-old Chu Tingyun was being restrained in the middle, his hands tied, as he was dragged in from the doorway.
Tingyun looked even more disheveled than his irresponsible father, with messy hair obscuring his brows and wounds on his face. He must have fallen into a puddle somewhere, as he was dripping wet, and mud was falling from his pant legs as he walked in.
“Tingyun, what happened to you…”
Chen Wanqing felt a bit disgusted but still put on a concerned act as she approached.
Chu Tingyun didn’t dodge; instead, he kicked at her in a threatening manner.
“Ah!!!”
The woman screamed and retreated.
Of course, Tingyun didn’t kick her; he just splashed her with mud, making his stepmother so angry that she jumped in place.
“Ha…”
He laughed hoarsely a couple of times as he was dragged into the living room by the bodyguards.
At that moment, Jiang Shenghai’s roar echoed in the dining room—
“What are you two doing here?! Get back to your rooms!”
Thus, after waiting for over four hours for their father, the Jiang siblings ultimately did not get to have dinner and quickly ran upstairs on empty stomachs.
As Jiang Jingshu reached the stairs, she saw her brother being dragged in and hesitated for a moment, seemingly wanting to come down and plead for him. But in the next second, she was stopped by a sharp glare from her mother.
At this moment, Jiang Shenghai seemed to be furious.
“Chu Tingyun! So you’ve gotten some wings now, huh?!”
“Thinking that just because you turned eighteen, you can fly away?!”
“Daring to secretly apply for a passport?!”
“…”
At this time, Chu Tingyun was not yet the future CEO Chu; he had just graduated from the Capital International School and had just turned eighteen.
According to the future Jiang Shenghai had planned for him, Chu Tingyun should be at home enjoying a reunion dinner, then going to a prestigious school in the United States to get a degree in finance, and finally entering Jiang Group with a shiny resume, following in his father’s footsteps.
But he didn’t follow that path.
Recently, Chu Tingyun had secretly applied for a passport, booked a direct flight to Sochi, and even contacted a lawyer, planning to inherit the property left by his mother and grandfather and complete the transfer procedures.
He even planned to apply to a university in Russia later, and after obtaining his diploma, find a way to change his nationality, completely severing ties with Jiang Shenghai…
But just as this plan was getting started, he was caught on the way to the airport by Jiang Shenghai and his men.
Chu Tingyun made the first move; he had no concept of respecting his elders and fought back fiercely, nearly knocking out a tooth from Jiang Shenghai. But in the end, he couldn’t win, as his opponent was not only young and strong but also brought two bodyguards.
“Tsk…”
Chu Tingyun decided that in the future, whenever he did something, he should hire two bodyguards just in case—no, he needed to hire several.
Jiang Shenghai was truly furious today; he made Chu Tingyun kneel in the living room and scolded him for over twenty minutes.
The reason he only scolded for that short time was that every time he said something, this rebellious son would retort back.
Jiang Shenghai was so angry that his chest hurt, and he could only have the bodyguards take him to the upstairs room and lock him up.
“Lock him in for three days! Let him reflect properly!!!”
Chu Tingyun didn’t resist and followed the bodyguards upstairs leisurely. As he walked, he said—
“Old man, be sure to lock the door well; what if I come back and beat you up in the middle of the night?”
This made Chen Wanqing’s face go pale with fear, as she knew Chu Tingyun could actually do such a thing.
Jiang Shenghai was so furious that he smashed a bottle of Maotai.
“Get lost!!”
Shortly after the crisp sound of the broken bottle, the door to Chu Tingyun’s room was locked from the outside.
The imprisoned youth didn’t care; he immediately took off his dirty clothes and went into the bathroom to wash up.
The bathroom light was off, with only a small ventilation window open, letting in the exceptionally bright and clear moonlight of the Mid-Autumn night.
Clean water flowed over him from head to toe, finally making Chu Tingyun feel a bit better, but the wounds on his body stung even more when they came into contact with water.
At eighteen, he had not yet fully developed; at this age, Chu Tingyun still looked somewhat youthful. His tall and slender figure had a delicate waistline, giving him a fresh, refined appearance, like a handsome youth stepping out of a manga.
He spent a long time cleaning himself up, and after finishing, he changed into clean clothes. Extreme fatigue made him only casually dry his hair, and without completely drying it, he fell onto the bed.
This might lead to catching a cold; if serious, he might have a fever in the middle of the night. If lucky, he might just wake up with a headache from sleeping with wet hair the next day.
But Chu Tingyun couldn’t care less; he was too tired.
“Damn Jiang Shenghai… just you wait…”
“Just wait until I grow a few more years…”
The youth’s face was deeply buried in the pillow; he was so sleepy he couldn’t open his eyes, to the point that he didn’t finish his last words.
In the long silence, only the night wind blowing in from outside accompanied the soft sounds of the youth’s breathing.
·
Whoosh…
The soft and dry strands of hair were lifted by the wind, gently brushing against his cheek, bringing a slight ticklish sensation.
This wind was uncomfortable because the sleeping Chu Tingyun caught a whiff of the faint, distinctive smell of disinfectant from a hospital.
—It was at this moment that he opened his eyes.
He was wearing a blue-striped hospital gown, lying on a single hospital bed, with an IV stand overhead, and a clock on the wall showed it was six in the afternoon.
Chu Tingyun looked around and finally confirmed where he was.
…This is a hospital.
When did the old man take him to the hospital?
He felt dizzy, sluggish, and a bit of pain.
After taking a few minutes to recover, Chu Tingyun got out of bed. There was a chair by the bedside with a black trench coat hanging on the back, as if someone had been sitting there watching over him.
Chu Tingyun picked up the coat and looked at it, feeling it didn’t seem like Jiang Shenghai’s. He rummaged through all the pockets but found no money or phone, only a few lychee fruit candies.
“Tsk…”
Chu Tingyun frowned and tossed the coat back. Then he quietly went to the door to take a look, observing carefully.
Great, there were no bodyguards standing guard.
He quickly rushed back, putting on the trench coat to cover his hospital gown. Initially, he planned to sneak away immediately, but after thinking for a moment, he picked a pear from the fruit basket on the table and took a few bites.
He had no money, and he was hungry, so he needed to eat something first. However, the pear was too big to carry. But there was only fruit in the room.
Tsk.
However, the caregiver hired by Jiang Shenghai was quite good, knowing to wash the fruit clean.
Not thinking too much, Chu Tingyun quickly escaped from the hospital room. He didn’t take the elevator but chose the stairs. But while rushing, he only realized something was off when he reached the street outside.
He originally planned to hail a taxi, but the taxis on the road were no longer what he remembered.
Eighteen-year-old Chu Tingyun still lived in 2007.
And at this moment, he saw the tall buildings surrounding him, the enormous rolling advertising screens on the walls, the various cars passing by, young boys riding balance scooters, and the smartphones held by everyone…
On the screens appeared unfamiliar stars holding exquisite mooncake packaging, reading out the ad—
“Two or three years of Mid-Autumn night, mooncakes are introducing new flavors!”
Two or three years, twenty twenty-three, sixteen years had passed.
The sense of disconnection from time surged over him like a flood, and Chu Tingyun felt an indescribable shock.
He stood frozen in place, as if lost in a dream.
“Hey! Hey! You there, move aside!”
A boy on a balance scooter was coming straight at him, and Chu Tingyun couldn’t dodge in time; they were about to collide.
At that moment, he felt someone pull him back.
Bang.
Chu Tingyun was pulled into the embrace of a young man, while the boy on the balance scooter fell over, landing on his back with a loud thud.
“Are you okay?”
The other person asked, reaching out to pinch Chu Tingyun’s shoulder and arm, seemingly confirming he wasn’t hurt.
But this gesture felt a bit too intimate for two strangers, and Chu Tingyun instinctively brushed the other’s hand away, stepping back a bit.
“Thank you, I’m fine.”
“…”
The other person was taken aback, surprised by his reaction. Just then, the fallen boy got angry. He looked about sixteen or seventeen, tall and dressed in designer clothes, pointing at Chu Tingyun and shouting:
“Hey! Are you sick or something?! Did you just run out of a mental hospital? Why are you standing in the middle of the road? Don’t you know to move?!”
Chu Tingyun wasn’t one to let himself be bullied, but before he could speak, the young man beside him pulled him directly behind him.
“Which school are you skipping from? Give me your parents’ phone number, and I’ll call them to come get you and teach you how to walk properly.”
Teenage boys couldn’t stand this kind of provocation; the boy’s face turned red with anger.
“Who the hell are you?!”
As he spoke, he reached out to grab the young man’s collar.
But the next second, Chu Tingyun saw the boy’s wrist caught by the young man, bent back, while his knee was kicked.
Thud!
The boy, who had been so arrogant just a moment ago, was suddenly pressed down to his knees.
“Ah—!”
“It hurts! It hurts, it hurts!”
The young man held him down with one hand, his tone icy:
“Apologize.”
For a moment, Chu Tingyun felt like he was watching some kind of martial arts film.
But anyway, before more passersby could gather to watch, the boy, sweating and in pain, grudgingly apologized to Chu Tingyun and quickly ran off, clutching his balance scooter.
Once this brief episode was over and the young man turned to look at him, Chu Tingyun finally saw what he looked like.
The other person appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six, with clear, cold brows and eyes, well-defined and handsome features. He was very good-looking, the kind of traditional Chinese attractiveness. Despite just having fought, he still exuded an inexplicable, scholarly coolness and elegance.
Hiss… this guy is quite good-looking.
Perhaps because Chu Tingyun was staring for a bit too long, the other person showed a hint of confusion.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Chu Tingyun kept looking at him and suddenly smiled.
“Thanks for your help just now; may I ask your name, gege?”
“…….”
Chu Tingyun didn’t know what he said wrong, but anyway, the other person’s gaze suddenly became very strange.
“…My name is Yan Xun.”
The young man fell silent for a few seconds before answering him.
Chu Tingyun pursued the question: “What are the two characters?”
“Spring Day Feast, the ‘Xun’ in ‘searching.’”
“Oh~”
He smiled widely and introduced himself: “I’m Chu Tingyun.”
“Mm.”
Yan Xun was unsure what to make of Chu Tingyun’s playful demeanor.
Earlier that morning, Chu Tingyun had gone to the ice rink, attempting some difficult moves and ended up falling and losing consciousness. The rink manager was terrified and rushed him to the hospital.
The doctor said he was fine, just a minor concussion that would clear up soon.
Yan Xun had stayed with Chu Tingyun all day. He had just stepped out of the hospital room to take a call, and when he returned, the boy was gone. There was a half-eaten pear on the table, and his coat had vanished too.
After searching, Yan Xun found him standing dazed in the middle of the street, nearly getting hit.
Meanwhile, Chu Tingyun was sizing Yan Xun up. He noticed the guy had a great sense of style; although some brands were unfamiliar, the designs and quality suggested they were expensive.
In other words, this Yan Xun was wealthy. He seemed cold on the surface, but his earlier actions showed he was kind and warm-hearted.
Now, Chu Tingyun had no money at all; he didn’t even know who to call to borrow a phone. As for going home…
It was now the year 2023, and he knew nothing about the Jiang family’s current situation or himself. He needed to get a sense of things first… but for now, he needed to find a place to stay.
Chu Tingyun lowered his gaze, thinking quickly for a few seconds before looking back up with a sweet smile.
“Yan Xun gege, do you have any plans later?”
“…No.”
“Then, to express my gratitude, let me treat you to a meal.”
Even though he had no money and was completely unfamiliar with his surroundings, and was still in hospital slippers, Chu Tingyun said this with no sense of guilt.
Yan Xun studied him for a few seconds before finally nodding.
“Alright.”
He wanted to see what this guy was up to.
So, Chu Tingyun led Yan Xun to the largest nearby mall, choosing a fancy-looking Western restaurant.
Although the black coat covered most of his hospital gown, his pant legs and slippers were still quite conspicuous.
However, his demeanor was calm and collected, giving off an aura of a wealthy heir, causing many to mistake his outfit for a trendy and unique style.
Chu Tingyun held a menu entirely in English, ordered a number of dishes, and even a bottle of expensive red wine.
At this point, Yan Xun confirmed that Chu Tingyun was indeed putting on an act.
He knew very well that Chu Tingyun’s phone was in his pocket, and his ring and watch had been taken off during the checkup.
So, aside from the two candies in the coat pocket, he had no money and nothing of value. Under these circumstances, how could Chu Tingyun still dare to treat a stranger to such an expensive meal?
Unaware that Yan Xun knew he had no money, Chu Tingyun continued to introduce the dishes, explaining the high-end ingredients with enthusiasm.
After a few sentences, noticing Yan Xun was uninterested, Chu Tingyun switched topics. He put down his knife and fork, eyes downcast.
“Yan Xun gege, I really owe you today. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t know what to do.”
“…”
Yan Xun thought that Chu Tingyun was acting way too fake, but he didn’t call him out. He simply responded with a noncommittal “mm” to show he was listening.
Chu Tingyun raised the wine glass, seemingly wanting to toast with him.
“No, I have to drive later.”
“Alright.”
Chu Tingyun downed the glass in one go and poured himself half a cup, seeming to drown his sorrows in the wine.
Neither spoke, creating a silence between them.
Yan Xun wanted to see what trick Chu Tingyun was playing, while the latter waited for Yan Xun to ask if he was in trouble.
After ten minutes of quiet, it was Chu Tingyun who finally broke the silence.
“Actually, I should still be in the hospital…”
“Mm, that’s true.”
Yan Xun agreed wholeheartedly; God knows how panicked he was when he found Chu Tingyun missing after returning from his call.
But Chu Tingyun felt that Yan Xun was mocking him and frowned:
“Do you think I’m crazy?”
The man held his wine glass, his eyes noticeably red.
Yan Xun pressed his lips together and replied, “… No, aren’t you still wearing a hospital gown underneath?”
“Oh.”
Chu Tingyun felt a bit better and adjusted his demeanor to continue, “Do you know why I ended up in the hospital?”
“…”
Of course, it was because he had been reckless and hurt himself.
But this time, Yan Xun didn’t speak the truth. Instead, he played along and asked, “Why?”
“This story is a bit long. Do you want to hear it?”
Yan Xun replied, “… Go ahead.”
“I was the only son of a prominent family, but my scummy father had an affair and remarried. My stepmother appears kind, but secretly wishes I would just disappear. She even had a pair of children hoping to fight me for my inheritance.”
“Amidst all the schemes and plots, I was framed and ended up in the hospital.”
At this point, Chu Tingyun took a deep breath.
“But I’m not willing to accept this. I’ve decided to fight back, to regain everything that belongs to me.”
Yan Xun: “…”
Although it all sounded plausible, why did it feel so strange?
At that moment, Chu Tingyun looked up at him and asked, “Yan Xun gege, do you believe me?”
“… I do.”
“Will you help me? Once I succeed, I’ll definitely repay you.”
“Sure, how can I help?”
Chu Tingyun hadn’t expected Yan Xun to agree so readily, but instead of making a request immediately, he sighed.
“Forget it. You don’t understand the dangers involved; it’s better not to get you involved.”
Yan Xun, who was well aware of just how perilous the situation could be, said, “… I think I understand.”
“Then just tell me how to help.”
“…”
Chu Tingyun was genuinely surprised now. He closely examined Yan Xun’s expression and found him quite serious.
Wow, he’s a bit easy to deceive.
But on the surface, Chu Tingyun still wore a deeply touched expression.
“Could you lend me some money? Once I reclaim my inheritance, I’ll pay you back with ten percent interest.”
Yan Xun: “…”
That sounded just like “Venmo me five hundred, and I’ll tell you my revenge plan.”
He realized that Chu Tingyun was indeed good at deceiving people; his words were built on fragments of truth, but the logic behind the lies was lacking.
After a few seconds of silence, Yan Xun asked, “How much do you need?”
“Not too much.”
Chu Tingyun shook his head and held up three fingers.
He only knew that Yan Xun seemed to be well-off, but whether he was just wealthy or extremely rich, he had no idea.
Directly stating a specific amount didn’t seem appropriate, so he decided to see how much Yan Xun was willing to give.
Yan Xun glanced at him and asked, “Three hundred thousand? Is that enough?”
Chu Tingyun, who had originally only planned to ask for three thousand to get through a tough patch, was left speechless.
At first, he thought Yan Xun was joking, until he pulled out a bank card and handed it over, along with the password—and he didn’t want any interest.
？？？
But Chu Tingyun didn’t feel happy right away; he was cautious. With such a large sum, if Yan Xun later accused him of something, it could land him in serious trouble.
He tentatively asked Yan Xun, “Should I write you an IOU? And get a witness?”
“Sure.”
Yan Xun had no objections.
Before writing the IOU, Chu Tingyun went downstairs to the bank to check the card balance.
He confirmed there really were three hundred thousand in the account, and the password was correct.
“？？？”
This guy wasn’t just a little wealthy; he was extremely rich!
Not only that, but he also seemed a bit naïve.
Wow, he’s really easy to fool.
Once he had the money, Chu Tingyun happily paid for the meal, acting as if he were the one treating Yan Xun.
Then he immediately went shopping in the mall, buying a whole new outfit from head to toe, while Yan Xun followed, helping to carry the bags and occasionally offering suggestions.
Even when Chu Tingyun went to buy underwear, Yan Xun naturally helped him pick out the right size.
“……..”
At that moment, the subtle thoughts in Chu Tingyun’s mind suddenly intensified.
He turned to Yan Xun and tentatively spoke, “Actually, there’s something I haven’t told you.”
Yan Xun asked, “What is it?”
As Chu Tingyun spoke, he closely observed Yan Xun’s expression.
“Actually, I’ve lost my memory; it’s been regressed for many years.”
Yan Xun: “…….. How old does your memory stop at?”
“Eighteen.”
Yan Xun: “………”
—Just as I thought!
Chu Tingyun frowned and asked, “You don’t believe me?”
“I do.”
Yan Xun played along.
Chu Tingyun hadn’t expected Yan Xun to believe something so absurd, even he was skeptical about it.
Suddenly, he leaned in closer, their faces almost touching, breathing in sync.
In public, Yan Xun felt a bit awkward: “What’s wrong?”
Chu Tingyun winked at him, a hint of laughter shimmering in his beautiful blue eyes.
“Yan Xun gege, do you like me?”
“…….”
Yan Xun didn’t deny it; instead, he said, “We just met today.”
By Chu Tingyun’s logic, that was indeed their first meeting.
“Then it’s love at first sight.”
Eighteen-year-old Chu, like thirty-three-year-old President Chu, exuded confidence and had his own reasoning.
“Otherwise, why would you give me so much money right away? And you don’t want anything in return?”
Yan Xun: “……..”
