Chapter 1: Rooftop Danger, Please Stay Away
Yao Xin Yu was drunk. Upon returning home, he immediately threw himself onto Chi Qiu Lin, his hands wandering restlessly over his body, soon slipping inside Chi Qiu Lin’s waist.
The icy fingertips touching warm skin caused Chi Qiu Lin to involuntarily shiver. He instinctively tried to escape, “Xin Yu, let’s eat first. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, the food’s getting cold.”
Yao Xin Yu ignored him, using one hand to restrain his supple, slender waist, and the other to lift his chin. Before Chi Qiu Lin could react, icy soft lips were already pressed against his.
The rich scent of alcohol mingled with rapid breathing. Feeling the other’s domineering yet somewhat tender deep kiss, Chi Qiu Lin was momentarily dazed.
Ever since the fire that left him with extensive burns, Yao Xin Yu hadn’t touched him for a long time. Chi Qiu Lin was well aware that his extensive scars were too shocking to look at, so he never actively sought anything, and over time, he lost interest in intimacy.
But when Yao Xin Yu pinned him to the sofa and asked in a low, hoarse voice, “Can we do this?”, Chi Qiu Lin didn’t refuse.
Their clothes were disheveled. Chi Qiu Lin looked at his own gruesome skin, nervously observing Yao Xin Yu’s expression.
Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Yao Xin Yu didn’t show the usual aversion to his scarred skin. Chi Qiu Lin breathed a sigh of relief, gently placing his hands on Yao Xin Yu’s neck.
Yao Xin Yu leaned down, kissing Chi Qiu Lin’s ear. His hot breath sprayed against his neck as he called out a familiar name with heartfelt emotion: “Ming Zhou.”
Ming Zhou…Liu Ming Zhou?
The call was like a needle piercing Chi Qiu Lin’s heart, causing him almost unbearable pain.
Chi Qiu Lin’s body instantly froze. The bright light of the incandescent bulb made his eyes even more sore. After a long time, he heard his trembling voice ask, “What did you just call me?”
Yao Xin Yu’s consciousness was still unclear, repeatedly calling out, “Ming Zhou, I’m sorry, will you forgive me? As long as you forgive me, I’ll immediately break up with Chi Qiu Lin—”
Overwhelming helplessness gradually swept over him. Chi Qiu Lin took a deep breath, using all his strength to break free from the other’s domineering embrace. His voice, due to excessive excitement, was much higher than usual, “Yao Xin Yu, look at who I am!”
Perhaps he was too drunk, Yao Xin Yu didn’t even raise his head, merely muttering the name “Ming Zhou” over and over again, before falling fast asleep.
Looking at the other’s perfect sleeping face and careless posture, Chi Qiu Lin suppressed the negative emotions that almost overwhelmed him, carefully moving Yao Xin Yu into the bedroom and tucking him in before fleeing the apartment.
Snow fell on the late-night streets. The feeling of the snowflakes melting on his skin brought a sudden clarity.
Through the glass of a shop that had already closed, Chi Qiu Lin saw his own reflection—his gentle brows unconsciously furrowed, grotesque scars winding from his left cheek to his neck; one half of his face flawlessly handsome, the other half hideously disfigured.
The thin shirt billowed in the cold wind, the buttons undone by Yao Xin Yu forgotten. A small patch of skin was exposed, with large, horrific scars clinging to the surface, obscuring the original skin color, instantly chilling anyone who saw it.
No one would pour their love into such a body, would they? Chi Qiu Lin silently tidied his clothes, bought a six-pack of beer from a nearby convenience store, and went to the rooftop of an old building.
Today was the first day of the first month of winter, also Chi Qiu Lin’s birthday. Unsurprisingly, Yao Xin Yu forgot his birthday. Surprisingly, Yao Xin Yu revealed his true feelings on his birthday.
The corners of his mouth unconsciously drooped. Chi Qiu Lin thought ironically, if he still harbored any hope before, thinking Yao Xin Yu loved him to some extent, now he felt like a fool.
In that raging fire, Chi Qiu Lin had rushed towards Yao Xin Yu, who was trapped in the inferno, with such determination. The rescued Yao Xin Yu responded to the disfigured Chi Qiu Lin with such mercilessness.
But who could Chi Qiu Lin blame? Even he couldn’t accept his own appearance, let alone anyone else.
He could understand Yao Xin Yu’s feelings, yet he couldn’t control himself, always blaming Yao Xin Yu for being heartless.
But he lost because he loved Yao Xin Yu so much, so much that he could give him his life. As long as Yao Xin Yu didn’t mention breaking up, he was willing to silently stay by his side.
But now, thinking about it, he should have had some self-awareness. Yao Xin Yu had stopped liking him a long time ago. This dilapidated appearance would disgust and repel anyone. Perhaps some kind people would feel pity, but certainly not joy.
He gulped down the ice-cold beer. His throat burned instantly, but his stomach and heart were as cold as the snowflakes drifting in the sky.
The phone rang. Chi Qiu Lin looked at the caller ID and answered numbly, “Dad.”
“Oh, why are you calling Dad today? You’ve been so stubborn these past few years,” Chi Xiang Ming’s voice immediately came from the phone. “You little rascal, have you finally come to your senses, or did you break up?”
This old fox, nothing escapes his eyes. Chi Qiu Lin cursed inwardly, but remained outwardly calm, saying solemnly, “We broke up, but I’ve also come to my senses.”
The other end of the phone was silent for a long time before replying, “It’s good that you’ve come to your senses. The New Year is coming soon. Come home. It’s been three years since you last came home for the New Year, right? This time, come back and learn how to manage the company from me. I’ll leave the company to you in the future. How about that?”
Hearing this, Chi Qiu Lin took a deep breath. The unbearable past was vivid, all surfacing before his eyes. He had openly come out to his family, and without support, he impulsively followed Yao Xin Yu to his city with just a train ticket.
At that time, he always felt that his family didn’t understand him, so he wanted to prove he was right with his actions. But now, he had accomplished nothing, and even failed completely. Those beautiful memories were now irretrievable.
His heart ached again, Chi Qiu Lin sadly thought, perhaps it was time for his relationship with Yao Xin Yu to end.
Thinking of this, he resolutely replied, “Okay, I’ll go back tomorrow.”
His speech was so fast as if afraid that he would regret it if he spoke a second later.
Chi Xiang Ming sighed, “Okay, good. Come back. By the way, son, happy birthday.”
Hearing his father’s suppressed blessing and concern, Chi Qiu Lin’s eyes involuntarily welled up, blurring his already limited vision. If Chi Xiang Ming saw his son reduced to this state because of the person he loved, he would surely blame himself for letting his son go so far. Chi Qiu Lin didn’t dare to think further, suppressing the sadness welling up in his throat, and silently hung up the phone.
The late-night city was still bustling with people and traffic—he had spent three years proving that the countless lights of this foreign city never belonged to him, and never would.
After booking his ticket for tomorrow, Chi Qiu Lin continued to focus on the beer cans at his feet—after finishing this beer, he would completely let go of Yao Xin Yu, that big jerk, and go home to inherit his vast fortune.
It was ironic, wasn’t it? For years, he unilaterally cut ties with his family, accustomed to working for others. While not exactly roughing it, working under others, enduring their displeasure and cold stares was inevitable. After living like this for so long, not only did he, but even Yao Xin Yu forgot that Chi Qiu Lin was once a pampered person. He had endured the bitterness of the world only to protect their relationship. Yao Xin Yu even thought Chi Qiu Lin was a clingy person and increasingly despised this free relationship.
Chi Qiu Lin decided to leave without saying goodbye. He didn’t want a beginning and an end. He wanted to create an ending without an end, so that every time Yao Xin Yu thought of him, he would feel guilty and lost. It was a kind of revenge, a gentle revenge.
Half a can of beer down, his sorrow remained, but his stomach began to feel unwell. Chi Qiu Lin helplessly clutched his stomach and stood up, but he saw Liu Ming Zhou walking towards the apartment he shared with Yao Xin Yu.
Liu Ming Zhou had always been indifferent to Yao Xin Yu, while Yao Xin Yu had always been attentive to him, proving the truth of “what you can’t get is always the best.”
But now, Liu Ming Zhou was actively seeking out Yao Xin Yu. Did he finally accept Yao Xin Yu? Moreover, it was late at night. What was Liu Ming Zhou doing looking for him? Chi Qiu Lin didn’t dare think further.
Even though he had decided to break up with Yao Xin Yu, Chi Qiu Lin’s heart instinctively tightened. His gaze involuntarily followed Liu Ming Zhou’s figure, but was blocked by a street tree. He anxiously climbed onto the rooftop railing, watching Liu Ming Zhou’s slender figure open the door and enter the apartment.
The apartment’s fingerprint lock actually had Liu Ming Zhou’s fingerprint registered? When did that happen?
Chi Qiu Lin felt increasingly sad.
The snow fell heavier, the oasis in his heart instantly turning into a wasteland, becoming even more lifeless under the ice and snow.
Large snowflakes clung to his eyelashes, blurring his vision, but Chi Qiu Lin didn’t bother to brush them away, letting himself stand rigidly at the edge of the rooftop, teetering, his thoughts falling into boundless chaos.
Wasn’t it funny? Just now, he had tried to punish Yao Xin Yu by leaving without a word, but Liu Ming Zhou immediately used his actions to tell him that his leaving without a word was just a fulfillment for both of them.
What a beginning without an end, what an ending without an end, it was all his own wishful thinking. Yao Xin Yu and Liu Ming Zhou must be hoping he would disappear immediately.
The snow fell heavier and heavier. The snow melted by his body temperature soaked his thin shirt. Chi Qiu Lin didn’t know how long he wanted to stand like this, but Liu Ming Zhou hadn’t come out, so he just kept standing.
Even now, he still held onto a sliver of hope, hoping that Liu Ming Zhou went to see Yao Xin Yu for something serious, that nothing would happen between them.
As if to prove how ridiculous his thoughts were, his phone suddenly rang. Chi Qiu Lin stared blankly at the screen—it was a text from Yao Xin Yu, a short sentence, but it exhausted his last hope and expectation: Chi Qiu Lin, let’s end this.
The pain and grief were too intense. Chi Qiu Lin didn’t know how to deal with his misplaced emotions. He only had one thought—to leave this city that had made him so humiliated as quickly as possible.
The ground was covered with a thin layer of snow, icy and slippery underfoot. Chi Qiu Lin came to his senses and turned to leave the edge of the rooftop, but he stumbled and fell heavily towards the ground below.
His vision changed rapidly—first the chaotic lights, then the orange-yellow snowflakes reflected by the streetlights, and then the sound of his ribs breaking and piercing his organs.
Hot, bitter blood welled up in his throat. He thought resentfully, was it over like this? No dignity, only humiliation and pain…
His thoughts were muddled for a long time. Chi Qiu Lin used his last strength to close his eyes. He only hoped that his expression would be better after closing his eyes, lest his deathly expression would frighten passersby.
[Author’s Note: I haven’t tried it, I don’t have experience, but falling from the tenth floor should kill someone, right? Hope the logic isn’t flawed.
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