Chapter 37
Lin Zheng had mentioned before that he didn’t like the smell of cigarettes on Gu Lin, and had even been choked by it once. So Gu Lin asked him if he really disliked it, saying that if he didn’t like it, then he would quit smoking from now on.
Lin Zheng knew that in the original plot, Gu Lin would quit smoking eventually, but it had nothing to do with him.
At that moment, he suddenly had an idea, or rather, he suddenly wanted to make a bet—to see if Gu Lin would really listen to him.
Gu Lin set a condition. He said that Lin Zheng should stay by his side, and if he did, then he would definitely be able to quit smoking.
Lin Zheng had already decided to leave at that time. He knew it was impossible for him to stay and accompany Gu Lin.
So he put that bet aside, thinking it was just a joke.
But now he realized that Gu Lin had actually quit.
Even though he hadn’t stayed by his side as promised.
Lin Zheng had thought this bet was already lost, but unexpectedly, he had won by accident.
After learning that Gu Lin had quit smoking, Yan Yang was first shocked to death, then rationally began discussing the matter with Gu Lin. His partner had been nagging him to quit smoking for days too, and since even Gu Lin could quit, he felt he could give it a try as well.
While discussing with Gu Lin, Yan Yang caught sight of Lin Zheng still standing outside the queue from the corner of his eye. He called out to Lin Zheng: “Come get in line! We’re almost there.”
Gu Lin looked back and only then noticed that Lin Zheng hadn’t followed them, still standing alone by the entrance.
Gu Lin didn’t hesitate to step out of the queue. Yan Yang looked ahead, then back, wondering what was wrong with these two—they were about to go in! He called to both of them: “You two hurry up and come in, I’ll wait for you inside!”
Gu Lin came up to Lin Zheng and asked gently: “What’s wrong?”
Lin Zheng asked him: “You… really quit smoking?”
Gu Lin figured that Lin Zheng must have heard their conversation just now. He said: “Yeah, though I can’t say I’ve completely quit, I haven’t smoked since the day you were choked by the smoke.”
Gu Lin only said a few simple words, leaving out all the complicated processes in between.
Lin Zheng knew that the day Gu Lin mentioned was the day he left.
From childhood to adulthood, Lin Zheng had made bets with others and almost never won.
But this time, it was as if he was suddenly favored by the goddess of luck.
He had won by pure accident.
Gu Lin glanced at his watch and asked Lin Zheng: “It’s almost time, shall we go in?”
Lin Zheng felt that maybe because he had been lucky once, his heart suddenly became much more open.
He thought to himself.
This time, he would bet once more.
Going back didn’t mean the two of them would definitely be together in the future anyway.
About that painting, since Gu Lin said he would know about it later, then he would wait. He had plenty of time anyway. He would wait until he knew, until this matter was settled, then he would fulfill his promise to Gu Lin.
And before that, he and Gu Lin would just be friends on equal terms.
Lin Zheng was not someone who would let himself be at a disadvantage.
If you don’t tell me, I won’t do it.
After thinking it through, Lin Zheng cheerfully walked in.
He even patted Gu Lin’s arm and called out: “Let’s go, friend.”
Gu Lin, who was suddenly reminded of his status: “?”
While waiting in the VIP room, Lin Zheng left his seat. Yan Yang was playing a game when Gu Lin snatched his phone away.
Yan Yang said: “What are you doing? I’m in ranked play.”
Gu Lin asked him: “How did Lin Zheng find out about me buying the painting?”
Yan Yang thought for a moment: “It seems like before, when he came to my house once, I happened to be looking at that painting. Right, it was the day after you asked me to buy the painting. He was there too, and just happened to see it.”
“Yan Yang, I remember clearly telling you not to let anyone know, to buy it quietly and quietly give it to me. Where did you forget my words?”
Yan Yang thought about it—Gu Lin did seem to have said that. He explained: “But at the time I just thought, anyway, little hedgehog head is one of us, so it shouldn’t matter if he knew, so I just…”
So Yan Yang hadn’t deliberately hidden it at the time.
Gu Lin looked somewhat helpless.
Yan Yang snatched his phone back from Gu Lin’s hands, saying carelessly: “What’s there to be afraid of? It’s just an ordinary painting. So what if he knows?”
“An ordinary painting?” Gu Lin laughed, then said sternly: “Who told you it was an ordinary painting?”
In the car, Gu Lin had said that painting was special, and that was the truth.
Yan Yang blinked in confusion.
Two minutes later, after learning the reason why Gu Lin bought that painting, Yan Yang exclaimed loudly: “Damn, you should have said so earlier! If I had known you were doing it for this reason, I would never have let little hedgehog head know even if you killed me!”
Lin Zheng came back with drinks and saw Yan Yang looking emotionally agitated. He walked back to the seat next to Gu Lin: “What are you two talking about?”
Lin Zheng generously offered the juice in his hand to Yan Yang: “Want some?”
Yan Yang acted as if nothing had happened, waving his hand: “No thanks. What could we be talking about? Just work stuff. Just thinking about having to work when we get back makes me tired.”
Yan Yang actively changed the subject: “By the way, what about you? Are you going back to the company?”
At these words, Lin Zheng glanced at Gu Lin beside him.
Gu Lin was also looking at him.
Lin Zheng said: “Not for now, I want to rest for a few more days.”
Gu Lin swallowed back what he was about to say.
Lin Zheng calculated that the money he had on hand now was enough for him to spend freely for quite a while. His original plan was to rest and play for two or three months—he didn’t want to be tied down by work again right after returning.
Although the location had changed, he should still play as planned.
No difference.
Yan Yang looked envious: “I want to too. Maybe I should just quit my job, like you—how nice to be free and easy.”
Lin Zheng laughed: “Go ahead and quit, you don’t depend purely on that for a living anyway.”
Lin Zheng knew that although Yan Yang seemed a bit wild and had a carefree appearance, he was actually a famous trader.
Yan Yang smiled. Seeing that Lin Zheng had almost finished his juice, he quickly showed concern: “Zheng’er, are you hungry? Just drinking juice won’t do. What do you want to eat? I’ll go get you something.”
Lin Zheng said: “No need, I’m not hungry.”
“Don’t be polite with me,” Yan Yang said, already getting up. “I’ll go get you some. I’ll bring you a bit of everything delicious.”
The sudden concern was too abrupt, and Lin Zheng was a bit confused. After watching Yan Yang walk away, he looked at Gu Lin beside him: “What’s wrong with Yan Yang?”
Before Lin Zheng came back with juice, he had secretly eaten a small cookie, and the cookie crumbs at the corner of his mouth were evidence.
Gu Lin found it amusing.
He reached out and used his fingertip to wipe away the tiny cookie crumb at the corner of Lin Zheng’s mouth, then said: “He’s atoning for his sins.”
Feeling the warm touch at the corner of his lips, Lin Zheng defensively leaned back, thinking to himself that this wasn’t how friends interacted.
Gu Lin was stunned for a moment.
When the three returned to City A, most of the day had already passed.
Although he had slept the whole way on the plane, Lin Zheng still felt exhausted.
Getting into the car sent by Assistant Shen to pick them up, he pressed the boss button on the seat and sprawled in the back row like a dead fish, not moving.
The other two seemed to have bodies made of iron and didn’t look tired at all.
Lin Zheng was in awe of them both.
The driver took all three directly to the residential complex where Gu Lin and Yan Yang lived.
Lin Zheng was still in the car. He looked at the familiar building to the side, then drawled to the driver in front: “Master, please take me to the entrance of that complex on North Lin Road. The roads inside might be hard to find, just drop me off by the roadside and I’ll walk in myself.”
Yan Yang bent down outside and looked at Lin Zheng through the open car window: “What North Lin? Didn’t you sell the house over there?”
Yan Yang’s words reminded Lin Zheng, and he sat up straight in his seat with a start.
Oh right, the house over there had already been sold.
Although it was only temporarily sold, it was still sold.
Lin Zheng suddenly realized the fact that he was homeless.
Yan Yang suggested he might as well just stay at Gu Lin’s house again.
In the end, Lin Zheng really did move into Gu Lin’s house.
However, although he had moved in, considering that the two of them didn’t have the same relationship as before, living together would feel somewhat inappropriate, so he planned to only stay temporarily for a few days and would move out once he found a rental.
Re-entering that familiar environment, Lin Zheng overtook Gu Lin, who was carrying two suitcases, from behind and ran upstairs like the wind.
Running to the second-floor balcony, he crouched down to look at the flowers on the ground that were still growing well, and let out a relaxed sigh of relief.
These were plants he had carefully tended.
Opening the record book, under his own handwriting, two new records had been added.
Gu Lin leaned against the balcony doorway, watching the person who was carefully studying the record book: “You have so much energy right after coming back, sure you don’t want to rest first?”
This time Lin Zheng consciously only moved into the guest bedroom.
Gu Lin’s house had several guest bedrooms, and Lin Zheng picked one of the empty ones to live in.
This rest lasted three consecutive days.
Gu Lin went out to work during the day. Before leaving in the morning, he would prepare breakfast for him. When he came home early in the evening, he would cook for him, and when he came home late, he would bring food back from outside.
Sitting at the dining table, Lin Zheng unconsciously wondered if Gu Lin was being too good to him.
This made him feel embarrassed.
Because life was too peaceful, Lin Zheng gradually almost forgot about the painting.
Who cares about paintings—living a good life was most important.
That afternoon, Lin Zheng had just finished eating snacks and was planning to take another leisurely nap when Gu Lin called, saying tonight’s dinner would be outside.
Lin Zheng thought Gu Lin meant he wouldn’t be coming home to cook, so he said: “Okay, then you eat outside. I’ll just make something simple.”
Gu Lin’s voice came slowly through the phone: “Not me, us.”
Lin Zheng was lying on the sofa: “Hm?”
Gu Lin said: “I’ve made a restaurant reservation. If you don’t have anything else to do, at seven tonight, after I finish up here, I’ll come pick you up.”
Only then did Lin Zheng realize that Gu Lin meant both of them would go out to eat together.
Thinking that he really hadn’t had a proper meal out these past few days, just lying around eating and sleeping, sleeping and eating, he should indeed go out and get some activity, so he agreed.
After hanging up, Lin Zheng began rummaging through his suitcase. These past few days he had been looking for rentals, and considering he would move out soon after finding one, he simply hadn’t organized his suitcase. He only took out simple daily necessities, and when changing clothes, he would rummage directly in the suitcase.
He found a somewhat casual outfit and placed it on the bed for careful inspection.
It would do.
This outfit then.
In the evening, Gu Lin arrived five minutes earlier than the scheduled time. Seeing that the person hadn’t come out yet, he didn’t rush him, just waited patiently in the car.
Looking at the gift bag placed in the back row, his gaze unconsciously softened, but then there seemed to be some other emotion in his eyes.
Hearing movement outside the car, Gu Lin withdrew his gaze and looked toward his house entrance, seeing Lin Zheng, who had already closed the door, jogging over with his hands in his pockets.
Before Gu Lin could get out of the car, Lin Zheng had already opened the door and gotten in.
During this time, City A had become much colder.
Inside and outside were completely different temperatures.
“When did you get here? Why didn’t you call me?”
Gu Lin raised the temperature inside the car: “I just got here too.”
“I see.”
Lin Zheng took his hands out of his pockets, then asked excitedly: “Where are we going to eat? Chinese or French? To be honest, I’ve been craving the xiaolongbao from that place on East Road. I don’t know if I can still buy them now. I wanted to buy two steamers when coming back, and also…”
Gu Lin looked at the person in front of him who couldn’t stop talking once food was mentioned, and couldn’t help but find it cute.
“Why does food have such a big attraction for you?” Gu Lin asked with a smile.
“People regard food as heaven, and good food is an even broader heaven.” Lin Zheng spoke as if he had it all figured out.
“Got it, so good food is everything.”
“Hey, pretty much.”
“Lin Zheng.”
“Yeah.”
Lin Zheng responded to Gu Lin while fastening his seatbelt.
After fastening the seatbelt, he saw that Gu Lin somehow had a gift box in his hands.
Gu Lin handed him the gift.
It even had “A gift for little rabbit” written on it.
Lin Zheng hadn’t expected Gu Lin to suddenly give him a gift and was somewhat surprised: “This, what is this?”
Gu Lin said gently: “Open it and see.”
Lin Zheng unwrapped the box, and after seeing what was inside, he said in astonishment: “Hm? This is…”
This was that painting.
In the picture, there was still the orange sunset, the towering mountain peaks, and the sparkling sea surface.
Only now it had been framed.
Looking at the painting in his hands, Lin Zheng’s mind couldn’t quite process it for a moment. Seeing that Lin Zheng’s face showed only surprise and nothing else, Gu Lin sighed very lightly: “Do you really… have no memory of it at all?”
Author’s Note: A small patch: the painting is a small-sized painting (not the super large kind), roughly the size of a regular pillow, maybe a tiny bit bigger~
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