[Free] The Years We Missed

Chapter 7

What was even more terrifying was that when the tall man lifted his head, his face was clearly revealed under the lights, it was a face Jiang Rui was all too familiar with, one he often saw on billboards, giant LED screens, or glossy fashion magazines displayed in the company lobby.

It took Jiang Rui a few seconds for his brain to process all the information before he stammered out, his voice trembling,

“I… I’m sorry, I didn’t know… I didn’t mean to interrupt!”

Before anyone could respond, he hurriedly backed out and slammed the door shut.

In that instant, a barrage of explosive hot-search headlines flashed through Jiang Rui’s mind:

“Tian Xu Ning sleeps with a fan.”

“Tian Xu Ning scandal.”

“Tian Xu Ning involved in same-s*x relationship.”

He raised a hand to his chest, feeling his heart pounding wildly. Mr. Zi had made such a huge sacrifice for the future of the company, what was he supposed to do now? He was so moved he could cry!

No, wait! Mr. Zi was a hardcore fan of Tian Xu Ning. So this wasn’t a sacrifice at all, this was the highest possible level of stanning an idol.

Mr. Zi of their company… was truly the strongest dream boy in history.

Jiang Rui’s ill-timed appearance snapped Zi Yu out of the intoxicating kiss he shared with Tian Xu Ning.

Watching Jiang Rui leave, Zi Yu suddenly remembered the folder of documents he had meant to give him, and hurried after him, calling out,

“Wait, you haven’t taken the…”

He hadn’t even taken two steps before Tian Xu Ning pulled him back. With a look in his eyes sharp enough to kill, Tian Xu Ning tugged Zi Yu’s bathrobe up, covering him all the way to the throat, then tightened the belt around his waist. Only after making sure not an inch of unnecessary skin was exposed did he finally let go.

Zi Yu bent down to pick up the folder he had dropped on the floor earlier, then opened the door to look for Jiang Rui. Fortunately, Jiang Rui hadn’t left yet and was still standing outside, waiting.

At this moment, facing Jiang Rui, the embarrassing scene from earlier flooded back into Zi Yu’s mind, making the tips of his ears burn red as if they were about to steam.

Forcing himself to stay composed, Zi Yu kept his voice as calm as possible and handed the folder to Jiang Rui.

“I won’t be coming to the office tomorrow and the day after. Please help me pass this to Zhuo Yang.”

Jiang Rui nodded and took it, but his eyes couldn’t help flicking toward the inside of the apartment, where Tian Xu Ning’s figure could be faintly seen.

He thought to himself: that man is so tall and imposing… Mr. Zi taking two days off really does seem perfectly justified.

Zi Yu naturally couldn’t read the strange thoughts running through the other man’s head. He merely pressed his lips together slightly and, feeling embarrassed, reminded him in a low voice,

“About what happened today… please don’t tell anyone.”

“Don’t worry, I know,” Jiang Rui nodded in assurance, then hurriedly left.

Once everything was settled, Zi Yu turned back into the apartment. The moment he shut the door, he couldn’t help raising his voice at Tian Xu Ning,

“What are you doing? Who gave you permission to barge into my place like that?”

Tian Xu Ning seemed completely unconcerned by his words. His thick brows knit slightly, his low voice tinged with irritation.

“You knew someone was coming to pick something up, and you still dressed like that to meet him?”

His tone was so aggressive, as if Zi Yu had just committed some unforgivable crime.

Distracted by Tian Xu Ning’s matter-of-fact interrogation, Zi Yu immediately shot back,

“What’s wrong with the way I’m dressed?”

“Damn it! Dressing like that, you might as well walk around naked!” Tian Xu Ning roared in anger.

Zi Yu finally lost his temper too and swore back,

“Tian Xu Ning, damn it, are you sick or what? We’re both men, what are you making such a big deal out of?”

Tian Xu Ning let out a cold snort.

“Can you really say that without feeling guilty?”

Humiliated and furious, Zi Yu cursed again,

“f**k, you’re way too nosy! How I dress has nothing to do with you!”

Tian Xu Ning stepped closer to Zi Yu, the sharpness in his eyes now edged with raw anger.

“Four years ago, you left without a word. Don’t forget, we never broke up,” he said. “So tell me, do I have the right to interfere or not?”

Dragged back into the past, and knowing full well that he was the one at fault, Zi Yu instinctively shrank back a step. His voice lost some of its edge.

“I… I…”

“Zi Yu,” Tian Xu Ning’s voice grew hoarse, his gaze sinking deeper and deeper into Zi Yu’s, “after everything you’ve done, what was the point of it all? You ran away from me. If you’d truly fallen for someone else, I wouldn’t have said a thing. But no, you didn’t love anyone else. You just kept watching me from afar, day after day, like a fanboy chasing his idol.”

“How… how do you know?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Zi Yu froze, realizing he’d asked a completely pointless question.

Zi Yu had never intended to get entangled with Tian Xu Ning again. When he returned to Beijing this time, his original plan was simple, to secretly see him one last time, then make a clean break and start a new life.

Everyone around him believed he was a “hardcore fan” of Tian Xu Ning, and Zi Yu himself had never deliberately tried to hide the fact that he had always been quietly supporting Tian Xu Ning’s career.

Tian Xu Ning didn’t answer him, but continued coldly instead,

“You hid from me for four years. If you were so good at running away, why didn’t you just hide for the rest of your life? Why come back to Beijing at all? Wasn’t it because you heard the rumors about me dating someone else? Zi Yu, damn it, don’t you dare tell me that wasn’t the reason!”

Struck right where it hurt most, Zi Yu fell completely silent. Not a single word would come out. His eyes reddened instantly, tears welling up, on the verge of spilling over no matter how hard he tried to hold them back.