Chapter 36
On the way back to the hotel, Yan Yang brought up the painting he had helped Gu Lin buy earlier.
He asked Gu Lin what exactly he liked about that painting.
To be honest, Yan Yang had looked at it from every angle and while he thought it was nice enough, this wasn’t Gu Lin’s first time collecting art.
Gu Lin had always enjoyed collecting artworks, especially preferring pieces with some history to them. Among his collection, paintings made up the majority, spanning various eras, and he owned quite a few works by renowned masters. Each piece held tremendous value. Truthfully, compared to the paintings Gu Lin had acquired before… well, it wasn’t that this painting was bad, but when you put it next to Gu Lin’s previous acquisitions, this painting was just too ordinary.
It was completely in a different league from Gu Lin’s usual collection.
Moreover, the museum had inflated the price significantly – much higher than comparable works of the same caliber.
The pricing was clearly inflated, yet Gu Lin had insisted on buying it anyway.
Yan Yang found Gu Lin’s behavior in this matter quite unusual.
“I feel like this wasn’t even buying a painting – it was more like sponsoring the artist,” Yan Yang said.
Gu Lin was obviously being taken advantage of, and he was practically rushing to let himself be scammed.
Afraid that someone else might buy the painting first, as soon as he heard there were other potential buyers eyeing it, he had Yan Yang purchase it at full price immediately.
Tsk, Yan Yang knew Gu Lin had money, but even deep pockets couldn’t withstand this kind of reckless spending.
Lin Zheng, sitting beside them, stared at Gu Lin, waiting for his response to Yan Yang’s question.
After hearing Yan Yang’s comment just now, his gaze became even more intense.
He was also curious – curious about why Gu Lin wanted to buy that painting. Was it really as Yan Yang suggested, not because of the painting itself, but because of the artist…
That artist was Wu Yu. If it had been anyone else, Lin Zheng wouldn’t have given it a second thought. But it was Wu Yu, and that painting had appeared in the very museum where Gu Lin and Wu Yu first met in the original story.
To Yan Yang, it might just be an ordinary, unremarkable painting, but in the original plot, that painting was crucial – it was the important artwork that sparked a romance.
He needed to know what Gu Lin was thinking. Only then could he abandon his concerns and go back with Gu Lin.
When asked, Gu Lin rested one hand on the car door, seeming rather indifferent. He thought for a moment, then said, “You’re asking what I like about it?”
He seemed to genuinely consider the question before speaking.
Lin Zheng held his breath, staring at Gu Lin.
Gu Lin’s response was: “…It’s a secret.”
Lin Zheng: “…”
Yan Yang: “…”
Well, that was a waste of emotion.
Gu Lin replied to Yan Yang in a leisurely tone: “Just focus on driving and stop prying into my business.”
Clearly, his previous answer had been purely dismissive.
Yan Yang turned the steering wheel, saying, “Do you have to be so heartless? You’re like this, and so is little bedhead over there. Are you two specialized secret-keeping vaults or something? Each of you hiding a belly full of secrets without saying anything.”
Lin Zheng, suddenly called out: “…?”
“Knowing wouldn’t do you any good,” Gu Lin said.
“Could it actually be bad for me?” Yan Yang asked.
Gu Lin thought about it and replied, “Pretty much.”
Yan Yang: “…”
So it really was something bad.
Yan Yang chuckled.
Whether it was good or bad, since Gu Lin wouldn’t say, he wouldn’t ask anymore.
Although Gu Lin had always been hard to read, after so many years of friendship, Yan Yang still understood him somewhat. If Gu Lin wasn’t talking, he definitely had his reasons. Who knew what schemes Gu Lin might be plotting.
Gu Lin’s personality and way of doing things had always been full of mystery.
Whatever Gu Lin didn’t want others to know, even if you interrogated him relentlessly, you’d never get an answer.
Yan Yang simply gave up.
Let Gu Lin handle his own affairs. At least he’d already helped buy the painting.
The car continued on the road back to the hotel.
For a moment, the car fell silent.
Noticing from his peripheral vision that the person beside him was looking at him, Gu Lin withdrew his hand from the car door and leaned slightly toward Lin Zheng, asking gently, “What’s wrong? Not feeling well?”
They’d been sitting in the car all day. People who didn’t like long car rides would probably find it unbearable.
Gu Lin thought Lin Zheng was getting restless from sitting too long.
He was considering whether to ask Yan Yang to pull over so they could rest for a while when he heard Lin Zheng say, “I also want to know why you bought that painting.”
Not expecting Lin Zheng to ask about this, Gu Lin paused, then laughed, “How come you’re as curious about this as Yan Yang?”
Yan Yang chimed in from the front: “See, it’s not just me – even little bedhead wants to know.”
Then Yan Yang turned to ask Lin Zheng: “You also think that painting was pretty ordinary, right?”
Lin Zheng hesitated, scratching the back of his neck, and replied to Yan Yang: “Um… not really…”
Lin Zheng didn’t have much artistic sensibility and couldn’t appreciate art, but as a simple observer, he thought the painting was quite beautiful.
The color combinations and composition – to him, it all seemed quite impressive.
Yan Yang said he wasn’t being cooperative at all.
Lin Zheng didn’t respond to Yan Yang anymore, instead continuing to look at Gu Lin.
The car’s interior lights were off, but the streetlights outside cast their glow inside. The orange-yellow light added a touch of gentleness to Gu Lin’s already attractive features. His peach blossom eyes held a faint smile, and his entire face carried an indescribable allure.
While Lin Zheng brazenly admired the handsome face, he patiently waited for Gu Lin’s response.
He really wanted to see what Gu Lin was actually thinking.
Gu Lin noticed how the person in front of him kept shifting his gaze around his face in small movements. Finding it somewhat amusing, after getting over that feeling, he said, “That painting is special.”
After Gu Lin finished speaking, his mouth stopped moving, and Lin Zheng’s gaze happened to stop on Gu Lin’s lips.
Special? Was it the kind of special he was thinking of?
Honestly, as a token of love, this painting was indeed quite special.
Following his principle of asking any question he could ask, Lin Zheng seriously grabbed Gu Lin’s arm and fired off a rapid series of questions: “Special how? What kind of special? Come on, tell me about it.”
After Lin Zheng finished asking, whether it was his imagination or not, he seemed to hear Gu Lin let out a barely audible sigh.
Lin Zheng: “?”
Was his question that difficult to answer?
The car picked up speed. Gu Lin had Lin Zheng sit back properly in his seat, only saying that Lin Zheng would know in the future, and wouldn’t let him ask anymore questions.
Lin Zheng thought to himself, what kind of answer was that? That wasn’t really an answer at all.
And why would he know in the future? When was “in the future”? What did Gu Lin mean by that?
He wanted to know, but Gu Lin had already forbidden him from asking.
Lin Zheng had no choice but to back down.
Their return flight was tomorrow morning.
Lin Zheng’s hotel was closer to the airport, and there happened to be two vacant rooms next door.
Gu Lin and Yan Yang decided to stay there too.
This way, with all three of them in one place, it would be more convenient, and they could leave together tomorrow.
After washing up, Lin Zheng put on clean pajamas and slipped into the fresh bedding, then wrapped himself up in the blanket.
He suddenly felt he’d been careless.
He should have gotten the painting issue sorted out before agreeing to go back with Gu Lin. Now the painting was still a problem, and Gu Lin remained tight-lipped. If he went back and the plot immediately exploded, wouldn’t it be terribly troublesome to have to run away again?
Lin Zheng became conflicted. Gu Lin’s inscrutable attitude toward that painting made him feel conflicted, and Gu Lin’s feelings for him also made him very conflicted. These two things were like tangled yarn, with the two ends being pulled in different directions, not only failing to untangle the ball of yarn but making it even more chaotic and impossible to unravel.
Should he tell Gu Lin tomorrow morning that he’d decided not to go back after all?
Maybe say he wanted to stay and travel for a few more days?
“…”
“…So annoying.”
“Whatever, I’ll deal with tomorrow’s problems tomorrow.”
Lin Zheng pulled the blanket over his head, lifted his feet slightly to create a small gap at the edge of the blanket for air, and closed his eyes to sleep.
In the middle of the night, Lin Zheng had a dream.
In the dream, he had originally been walking down the street with Gu Lin, but just as they turned the corner, they encountered a tall young man. Lin Zheng looked carefully – wasn’t this Wu Yu? Then he watched helplessly as Gu Lin abandoned him, went forward to take Wu Yu’s hand, and the two of them raised their joined hands together, smiling as they waved goodbye to him, then walked away hand in hand, looking happy.
At this point in the dream, Lin Zheng jolted awake with a start.
He immediately grabbed his phone, found Gu Lin’s photo, and unleashed a series of punches at it.
The next morning, Lin Zheng came out of his room yawning and dragging his luggage, his eyes half-closed as if he couldn’t wake up, his hair sticking up in a small tuft from not being properly styled due to oversleeping, and his clothes just thrown on carelessly.
The other two were already waiting for him at the door.
After yawning, Lin Zheng got a clear look at the two people in front of him.
Yan Yang and Gu Lin – one sitting on a suitcase, the other leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, both wearing cool sunglasses on their faces, dressed impeccably from head to toe, radiating blinding brilliance.
Lin Zheng felt like his eyes were about to be blinded.
Standing next to them, Lin Zheng felt like he was just a speck of dust.
Lin Zheng stood there expressionlessly with his suitcase: “…”
…These two scoundrels had actually gotten themselves looking so put-together behind his back.
He wasn’t having it!
Yan Yang grabbed Lin Zheng, who was about to go back in to fix himself up: “Don’t, don’t, we’re running out of time. You look handsome enough already – very handsome! Super handsome! You’re the most handsome in the world!”
Lin Zheng ended up being dragged into the car by Yan Yang anyway.
As soon as he sat down, a hat appeared on his head.
Lin Zheng looked up and saw Gu Lin withdrawing his hand.
Gu Lin looked at him: “Don’t worry about it too much. You’re already very cute like this.”
Lin Zheng’s face turned red from the compliment.
Cute? He didn’t think he was cute at all.
Yan Yang put the luggage in the trunk and got into the passenger seat. Seeing Lin Zheng adjusting his shirt in the back, he asked with amusement: “What were you doing last night that made you get up so late this morning? You even came out with your shirt buttons undone.”
Lin Zheng replied: “I’m being spontaneous, pursuing individuality. Is that not allowed?”
“Pursuing individuality.” Yan Yang laughed heartily: “Sure, of course that’s allowed.”
When they arrived at the airport, Lin Zheng stopped at the entrance.
Ahead was a crowd of people queuing to enter. Gu Lin and Yan Yang had already gone to join the back of the line, but Lin Zheng didn’t know whether he should follow.
He couldn’t think clearly.
He was afraid that after putting in all this effort, he’d end up with nothing to show for it.
In his previous life, he’d made many bets with people, but he’d never won a single one. Even at the end when the accident happened, he’d wanted to bet that he could survive against all odds, but he hadn’t won that bet either.
He was starting to feel hesitant. He didn’t know if going back with Gu Lin was a wise choice.
At the back of the line, Yan Yang, who was at the front, felt around in his pockets and discovered they were empty of cigarettes. He turned back to Gu Lin: “Gu Lin, give me one of your cigarettes.”
When Yan Yang’s mouth was idle, he wanted a smoke.
Although he’d said many times that he wanted to quit smoking, he’d never actually succeeded.
Cigarette addiction was something you just couldn’t quit.
“I don’t have any cigarettes,” Gu Lin replied.
Yan Yang laughed: “What are you pretending for? Someone with a bigger addiction than mine wouldn’t have cigarettes on him?”
Both of them had learned to smoke while still in school, but they’d really developed their addiction after starting work, when it became unavoidable to be exposed to these things.
“I’ve already quit smoking,” Gu Lin said.
Hearing this, Yan Yang’s face showed an expression of disbelief: “What did you say?”
At the same time, Lin Zheng behind them also froze.
He looked up at Gu Lin.
Gu Lin’s tone sounded like he was just stating the most ordinary fact: “He doesn’t like it. I promised I wouldn’t smoke anymore, so I’ve quit.”
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