He got up before dawn, no longer caring whether Ouyang was awake or still asleep. Jiang Yi went to the living room and opened his laptop to study the new proposal. Only then did his mood begin to calm. At least he now knew how to end things, how to define himself, or how to control himself so as not to make things worse.
So when Ouyang, after showering and dressing, walked into the living room, he saw Jiang Yi sipping black tea and staring intently at his laptop. His face was handsome and clean, his figure tall and athletic, exuding a quiet beauty. The bright yellow of solitude and the pale blue of elegance were perfectly unified in him. His gentle profile looked so innocent, nothing like the bold man who’d made a move in the night. Ouyang’s thoughts became muddled.
He hadn’t slept well. Last night felt like an unreal dream. Looking at the sunlight filling the room and at his calm, composed collaborator, Ouyang’s heart was no longer as fearless as before. The man before him seemed aimless yet full of hints, like a determined eagle ready to strike. Ouyang had a feeling that even if he dodged in time, he’d still be hurt.
Jiang Yi was used to the special way Ouyang looked at him—sometimes deep and probing, sometimes just a glance. Today, the gaze was just a bit more intense. He deliberately looked up, and both men’s hearts trembled, each regretting their boldness.
Ouyang, facing those clear, calm black eyes, was at a loss for words. Finally, he said, “There’s a flight at two this afternoon. Get ready.”
“Mm. I’ve just finished organizing the materials. Want to take a look?”
“I’ll check them back at the office.” He naturally avoided Jiang Yi’s gaze. “You have two more days to prepare. If you have trouble collecting any information, ask the project manager.”
“Mm.” Jiang Yi’s next words stopped Ouyang in his tracks as he turned to leave. “I’m sorry about last night. I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately, so… I went too far. Please don’t take it to heart.”
“You…” Ouyang wanted to ask if Jiang Yi had a special orientation, or if he often used “pressure” as an excuse to sleep with people—especially with the boss of a business partner. He couldn’t find the right words. He knew the answer had nothing to do with him and didn’t want to pry, but he couldn’t stop the thoughts from flooding in.
“I didn’t mean anything by it. I just wanted to apologize.” Jiang Yi thought: I shouldn’t have let my personal feelings interfere, shouldn’t have developed feelings for someone impossible, shouldn’t have let you notice my strange emotions. There were too many “shouldn’ts.” The old Jiang Yi would never have been so clumsy.
Ouyang was taken aback by the formal, polite apology. Anything he said would have sounded superfluous, so he coughed lightly and walked away. Jiang Yi refused to dwell on it and continued revising his work.
On the surface, the two men seemed to have returned to their old, pure relationship. But that night was like a fragrance that had already evaporated in the air—its faint scent lingered, but neither dared to pluck that string or lift that veil, afraid it might just be a hallucination.
Jiang Yi’s state of mind over the next two days was predictable. He began avoiding Ouyang, not out of pettiness, but because some things were better kept at a distance to avoid crossing lines without an excuse.
He didn’t want to be too obvious, but his strong pride made him feel he’d done wrong. He moved some of his materials back to the original studio and worked late into the night with his colleagues for two days straight. Only when the proposal was satisfactory did he allow himself a short nap on the sofa in the meeting room.
On Monday, he and Ali attended the meeting together, presenting all their new ideas and pushing the new plot’s planning to a whole new stage. They replaced the original villa zone entirely with low-rise apartments and townhouses, shifting the target from high-end clients to urban white-collar workers. The blueprint included leisure clubs, commercial areas, and schools. This bold, groundbreaking proposal caused a stir at Longtai, with intense discussions and explanations.
Jiang Yi wasn’t sure if Ouyang knew he hadn’t returned to Xiaozhu Courtyard for two days. Today, though he didn’t avoid Ouyang’s steady gaze or his ever-wise remarks, he still felt a pang in his heart. This was something Jiang Yi had never experienced before. He felt a headache coming on, as if he’d accidentally fallen into a trap and now couldn’t escape. Worse, the hunter seemed indifferent.
Jiang Yi had developed feelings for Ouyang Jinghui—a hopeless, utterly failed crush, something even he found hard to believe. Sometimes, when feelings come, you can’t stop them. You just have to deal with them.
Ouyang’s thoughtful pose had a special magnetism. His presence made everyone pay attention to his reactions. Jiang Yi no longer looked frequently at the head of the table, because today Ouyang was sitting there, commanding the room with his imposing presence, quietly listening to others and pointing out flaws in the proposal with calm, rational precision. When disagreements arose, his arguments were sharp but not harsh. This was the essence of a true businessman—never emotional, always knowing how many chips he held, and using them when necessary.
Jiang Yi was rarely swayed by emotions, but with a touch of artistic temperament, he couldn’t be as flawless as Ouyang. Since the problem lay with him, for someone as smooth as Ouyang in public, the night’s incident might not matter at all. But why did Jiang Yi still feel there was something hidden in Ouyang’s eyes?
Jiang Yi felt uneasy, like someone who’d taken a bite of the cake on the table only to be told it was for an important guest. He felt guilty yet justified, but only he knew how conflicted he really was.
Fortunately, the project wouldn’t take long. Once everything was on track, Jiang Yi would fly off somewhere else later in the year. Facing someone he could never have, his reaction was realistic and direct—he was no longer the idealistic kid he used to be.
After eight hours of nonstop discussion, the new proposal was finally approved and set for government review next month. The neighboring first-phase Yunxi villa project was still on schedule. When three-quarters of the houses were topped out, the second phase would begin, marking the birth of S City’s largest comprehensive community.
After the meeting, everyone applauded, praising Yifan Studio’s efficiency. Ouyang Jinghui was surrounded by executives and led out. Jiang Yi breathed a sigh of relief.
Longtai’s most comfortable policy was no post-meeting dinners. After long meetings, everyone was mentally exhausted. If they had to deal with alcohol too, life would be too hard.
Jiang Yi avoided the crowd and went to Longtai’s third-floor cafeteria for a simple dinner of vegetable salad and pineapple buns. Then he went upstairs to collect his drawings and slides, tucked them under his arm, and headed to the garage.
Just as he was backing out, he saw Ouyang Jinghui entering the garage. He couldn’t pretend not to see him. Sighing inwardly, he nodded as if nothing had happened. But to his surprise, Ouyang didn’t go to his car—he walked over.
His steps were calm and steady, his expression gentle and composed, his demeanor graceful and charming. It was impossible to tell if he really wanted to make peace or if he was just putting on a show.
“You were brilliant today.”
“Thank you.”
“Are you going straight back to—Xiaozhu Courtyard?”
He wanted to say no, but that would sound petty, so he admitted, “Mm.”
“I’m heading back too. Mind if I ride with you?”
Though Ouyang always kept a spare car at Xiaozhu Courtyard, that didn’t mean they had to share a ride home. This was clearly an excuse, but Jiang Yi couldn’t guess Ouyang’s real motive.
Ouyang didn’t give Jiang Yi a chance to hesitate. He opened the car door and got in. Jiang Yi could only be optimistic—if Ouyang truly disliked him, he wouldn’t have willingly gotten into his car. At least it was a comforting enough answer; he should be content.
Halfway home, neither spoke much, and the atmosphere grew heavy. Even Jiang Yi felt awkward, so he turned on the radio for the first time, randomly tuning into a talk show. At least now, there were voices in the car.
First, a woman complained about her husband’s neglect, saying he only came home twice a week. Next, a child said his parents didn’t understand him and always forced him to do homework. Finally, a man called in, sobbing and threatening to kill himself because his lover left him to get married. He couldn’t accept it.
Jiang Yi couldn’t imagine giving up his life for someone else’s love. To him, loving someone meant, at most, giving up some of his thoughts or breaking old habits—that was foolish enough. If it meant sacrificing his life, that would be worse than stupidity. He especially couldn’t stand men crying; it was a matter of dignity.
Growing impatient, Jiang Yi glanced at Ouyang Jinghui beside him. Ouyang’s expression was indifferent, as if it were none of his business.
The host berated one caller after another, and when the heartbroken man called, the host went on a rant, encouraging him to “blast the ex into outer space” and look around for someone better. Then the man choked up and said, “My lover is a man…”
Almost reflexively, Jiang Yi looked at Ouyang Jinghui, who also turned to him in surprise. For just a second—maybe even less—they both felt a tremor. Like two small stones brushing past each other in midair, too brief to spark a flame before sinking into the lake, leaving gentle, indescribable ripples.
But Jiang Yi reminded himself not to be bewitched again. The old him had been almost ruthlessly calm.
To his surprise, Ouyang spoke up: “Jiang Yi, do you—have feelings for men?” He quickly clarified, “I have no agenda, and I’m not prying. I just want to say I don’t mind what happened that night. Really, it’s nothing. You don’t need to change how you act around me. I hope there’s at least no barrier between us—that’s the foundation for cooperation.”
His eyes wandered over Jiang Yi’s handsome profile. Though he hesitated, he still spoke his mind. He didn’t like feeling left hanging, and it was better to be clear.
That was more like Ouyang Jinghui—he never beat around the bush. Jiang Yi smiled faintly, a bit sarcastic: “You don’t need to worry about how I treat you. It has nothing to do with work. Even if you’d scolded me that night, it wouldn’t have affected our professional relationship. You can rest assured.” Jiang Yi turned off the radio, cutting off all noise. “Or do you think I’m not clear about separating work and personal matters? I was the one at fault, and I’ve already apologized.”
“I’m not one to hold grudges, as you know.” Ouyang’s expression grew serious. He was a bit annoyed at having upset Jiang Yi, and a bit annoyed at Jiang Yi’s stubbornness. “I just don’t want you to feel pressured. I won’t use this against you.”
“Thanks for the promise.” The rational Jiang Yi was back. “I guess I owe you an explanation. I’m attracted to beautiful women, but I’ve also had sex with men. That doesn’t mean I habitually act out of line. I trust my own judgment.”
Ouyang felt at a loss for words. After a pause, he said, “You didn’t come back to Xiaozhu Courtyard for two days. If I misunderstood, sorry.” Then they fell into a long silence, enduring the rest of the ride.
Chapter 07
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