Chapter 42
Lin Zheng had sensed something was wrong for a while now. From the moment this trainer stood behind him, he had been uncomfortably close.
Lin Zheng had always worked out on his own at the gym and had never hired a personal trainer before. He had assumed this was just how they were.
Who would have thought that every time the trainer corrected his form, the manās hand would intentionally or unintentionally brush against his bare arm?
At first, Lin Zheng gritted his teeth and endured it. But soon, he was so disgusted that goosebumps broke out on his skin.
He couldn’t take it anymore. He threw in the towel.
Lin Zheng was a direct person. He didn’t beat around the bush, and when he got angry, he didn’t hold back.
The trainer was clearly taken aback.
Although the gym wasn’t crowded, there were still a few people scattered around. Hearing Lin Zheng’s voice, a couple of them glanced over.
The trainer, not wanting to make a scene, tried to explain that it wasn’t intentional, that it was just accidental physical contact during instruction.
Unintentional my ass, Lin Zheng thought. “You think just because you say it was unintentional, it was? If it was unintentional, would you keep touching my arm in different places?”
With others watching, the trainer seemed to want to save face. “Don’t you go slandering me,” he said sternly.
“Who’s slandering who?” Lin Zheng wasn’t the type to suffer in silence. “I’m telling you, this is sexual harassment!”
The trainer was obviously furious. Forgetting his professional image, he raised a hand to strike Lin Zheng.
Lin Zheng braced himself. Who didn’t know how to fight? At worst, heād just have a go at it with this guy.
But before the trainer’s hand could land, it was caught in mid-air by another hand.
Lin Zheng looked at the person standing behind the trainer and froze.
The newcomer, while not as muscular as the trainer, was surprisingly strong. He gripped the trainer’s arm, and the trainer found himself completely unable to move.
“Excuse me, coach. Bullying a client in public like this isn’t very appropriate, is it?” the man’s voice was gentle, but his words carried an undercurrent of accusation.
More people started to gather around.
The trainer’s face turned shades of red and white, whether from humiliation or anger. He looked back and snapped, “Who the hell are you, sticking your nose in other people’s business?”
The man didn’t give his name. He simply said, “It’s only natural to apologize when you’ve done something wrong. You need to apologize to this gentleman now.”
This time, the man’s tone was firm, and his clear eyes held a glint of coldness.
Perhaps intimidated, the trainer actually mumbled an apology to Lin Zheng. Then, not daring to linger for another second, he scurried away.
After the trainer was gone, the man turned to Lin Zheng. “Are you okay?” he asked with concern.
Lin Zheng stared blankly at the person in front of him.
The man was tall and slender, with a gentle gaze and a distinctly artistic air about him. He didn’t look like someone who could fight at all.
And this personā¦
Seeing Lin Zheng remain silent, the man thought he might have been frightened. “It’s alright,” he said. “I’ll go talk to the owner later. I doubt he’ll be able to keep working here after this.”
As if suddenly remembering something, he smiled and extended a hand. “I forgot to introduce myself. You probably don’t remember me, but we met at the art exhibition last time. My name isā¦ Wu Yu.”
Lin Zheng snapped back to reality. He quickly extended his own hand. “Sorry, I was spacing out. I remember. you’re the artist who painted that seascape.”
That’s right. Lin Zheng had recognized him the moment he saw him. This was Wu Yu!
He was the protagonist shou from the original novel!
“My name isā¦” Lin Zheng began quickly.
“I know. You’re Lin Zheng,” Wu Yu said with a smile, cutting him off.
Wu Yu’s hand was a bit cool, but contrary to its temperature, his smile was warm.
Lin Zheng felt a little embarrassed. He couldn’t believe Wu Yu remembered him after only meeting him once.
Noticing that Lin Zheng was alone, Wu Yu asked, “Did you come by yourself?”
The question reminded Lin Zheng of that traitor, Yan Yang, who had not only dragged him here and bailed but had also introduced him to a perverted trainer. This wasn’t Yan Yang’s usual trainer; Yan Yang had just assumed all the trainers here were decent and had recommended this one, who was said to have good teaching experience.
Lin Zheng wondered if he looked like an easy target. Why was it that he got harassed by thugs in a bar and now by a trainer in a gym? It was so frustrating.
He sighed. “I came with a friend, but he had something to do and left early.”
“I see.” Wu Yu glanced at his watch. “It’s already past twelve. If you’re alone, since we’ve run into each other, would you like to have lunch together?”
He then added, “I know a new Thai restaurant that opened about two kilometers from here. I hear it’s very good.”
Lin Zheng didn’t know what he was thinking at that moment. It was as if his brain short-circuited, and without a second thought, he agreed.
It was only when he was sitting in Wu Yu’s car that he realized it.
Well now. Why does being with Wu Yu feel just a littleā¦ strange?
But that strange feeling completely vanished the moment he tasted the food Wu Yu had recommended.
He was in the middle of enjoying his meal when he looked up and saw Wu Yu watching him.
“This is honestly the best Thai food I’ve ever had,” he praised sincerely.
Wu Yu looked pleased. “I’m glad you like it.”
After finishing his main course, Lin Zheng happily scooped up a spoonful of cool, creamy ice cream. The sensation was pure bliss.
Seeing how much Lin Zheng was enjoying the food, Wu Yu started telling him about a trip he took to Thailand for artistic inspiration. Lin Zheng listened with great interest. Although this was only their second meeting, Wu Yu had a very friendly and approachable aura that made you want to befriend him instantly.
“By the way, at the exhibition, I saw you were completely engrossed in my painting. To be honest, I was really happy at that moment,” Wu Yu said, reminiscing. “I’ve loved painting since I was a child. My family wasn’t well-off, but with my grandmother’s help, I kept at it. But as I continued, I started to feel like my art was becoming strange, something I didn’t recognize anymore. I even felt like I had forgotten how to paint. Then one day, I gave up and went back to my hometown. I was standing on a high place, looking out at the vast, boundless sea and the mountains surrounding it, and suddenly my heart felt open, as if a knot that had been tied for a long time had finally come undone. I wanted to try and capture that scene.”
Lin Zheng listened intently. He guessed that the scene Wu Yu had seen was the same sunset he and Gu Lin had watched together.
Wu Yu continued, “It was afternoon, and I wanted to paint it right then and there. But just as I sat down, I found a red string in the grass. It was made of several thin red threads woven together, probably a bracelet someone had accidentally dropped. Looking at that bracelet, I couldn’t help but picture a loving couple sitting there, watching the scenery together. I wanted to make the painting even more perfect, so I decided to pour that emotion into the work. I chose to paint it at dusk, capturing that moment on canvas. Later, that painting caught Mr. Zhang’s eye, and I was lucky enough to get the chance to exhibit it. But even so, because of my previous setbacks, I didn’t have much confidence in myself. You probably didn’t notice at the time, but before Mr. Zhang called me over, I was standing not far behind you. I saw the expression on your face as you looked at the painting. Honestly, I was so encouraged in that moment. That’s why I was able to greet you and the other gentleman so confidently when Mr. Zhang called me over.”
Lin Zheng was momentarily speechless. He was a bit shocked to learn he had had such a significant impact on Wu Yu.
But honestly, putting everything else aside, the painting was truly captivating. He wasn’t a professional critic and didn’t have that kind of eye, but from his perspective, the painting was beautiful. The depth conveyed through the colors was rich, and through the color palette, you could easily understand the emotions the artist wanted to express.
Lin Zheng thought for a moment, then looked at the man across from him and said encouragingly, “Seriously, at least in my eyes, you’re already amazing.”
Wu Yu smiled warmly. “Thank you.”
Hearing about the bracelet, Lin Zheng’s brow twitched. “By the way, the bracelet you foundā¦ did it have a small, hollow silver ball on it, with the character ‘Zheng’ carved on it?”
Wu Yu paused for two seconds, then remembered that Lin Zheng’s name also had the character ‘Zheng’. “Yes, it did,” he replied. “Could it beā¦ you were the one who dropped it?”
Lin Zheng scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. “Haha, that was probably mine, then.”
That day on the mountain with Gu Lin, they had sat watching the sunset. The bracelet had been on the hand that Gu Lin wasn’t holding. It was adjustable, and he had probably been fidgeting with it on the way up, loosening it by accident. The grass was thick, and the bracelet was light, so he hadn’t noticed when it fell off. He only realized it was missing after he was already back in City A.
It wasn’t anything particularly important, so he had figured it was lost for good and he could just buy another one someday.
He never thought it would be picked up by Wu Yu through such a twist of fate. And that it would even become the inspiration for his painting.
Talk about destiny.
Knowing it belonged to Lin Zheng, Wu Yu quickly said, “I’ll find a time to bring it to you.”
Lin Zheng was about to say he didn’t need it, since it wasn’t that important. But then he thought about how it was the source of inspiration for Wu Yu’s painting. If he treated it too lightly, it might seem like he was slighting Wu Yu as well. So in the end, he agreed.
Seeing that Lin Zheng had finished his ice cream, Wu Yu ordered him another one, despite his protests.
“When you went to the mountain to see the sunsetā¦ were you perhaps with the gentleman who was with you at the art exhibition?” Wu Yu asked as Lin Zheng was halfway through his new bowl of ice cream.
He realized the “gentleman” Wu Yu was referring to was Gu Lin.
He paused for two seconds, the spoon still in his mouth, before replying, “Yeah.”
“You and him, are you twoā¦?”
The implication in Wu Yu’s question was obvious.
Lin Zheng shook his head. “No, we’re just good friends.”
Although they did have a special relationship back then, right now, they really were just good friends.
Wu Yu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
But suddenly, Lin Zheng lost his appetite for ice cream. What was this strange, sour, heavy feeling in his heart, as if he’d done something wrong?
Before they parted ways, Wu Yu arranged a time to meet again to return the bracelet, and Lin Zheng agreed.
After saying goodbye to Wu Yu, Lin Zheng had no desire to go back to the gym.
He looked at the bright, sunny weather outside, but his mood didn’t feel sunny at all.
He couldn’t figure out why he felt this way.
His heart felt like it was covered in thick, heavy clouds. There was a strange, inexplicable feeling of being blocked up.
On the car ride home, he got a call from Gu Lin. As soon as he answered, Gu Lin’s gentle, magnetic voice came through the phone. “Hello? It’s lunchtime, why aren’t you home? Are you out having too much fun? Do I need to come and get you myself?”
Lin Zheng held the phone with one hand and looked up at the sky through the car window. His nose suddenly tingled. “Gu Linā¦”
Gu Lin heard the change in Lin Zheng’s voice, and his heart leaped. “What happened?”
Lin Zheng asked the driver to pull over. The driver gave him a confused look, but Lin Zheng ignored it, paid the fare, and got out of the car while still on the phone. He sat down on a bollard on the side of the street, one hand stuffed in his hoodie pocket, the other holding the phone. “I want you to come and get me,” he said in a low voice.
Gu Lin was silent for a moment on the other end.
After he said it, Lin Zheng immediately realized how inconvenient the journey from Gu Lin’s place would be, and how selfish he was being. Gu Lin had said he would be busy during this period. Even though it was the weekend, he was probably still working.
Lin Zheng sighed. Before Gu Lin could answer, he said, “No, I was just talking. You go ahead and do your thing. I won’t bother you. I’ll hang up now.”
“Address.”
“?”
“Tell me your address.”
Lin Zheng paused, then described the buildings he could see from where he was.
About forty minutes later.
Lin Zheng was staring at the ground, kicking a small pebble with the toe of his shoe. He kicked it forward, and it rolled to a stop in front of a pair of leather shoes.
Lin Zheng’s gaze traveled up from the shoes, past a pair of long legs, a well-tailored suit, and a warm-looking overcoat, finally landing on a face with a warm, slightly exasperated smile.
Lin Zheng sniffled. Then, he was pulled into a warm embrace.
Gu Lin hugged him, wrapping him inside his large overcoat. “Are you cold? If you knew you’d be cold, why didn’t you wear more when you went out?”
Lin Zheng shook his head, his face buried in Gu Lin’s chest.
He didn’t know why, but smelling Gu Lin’s familiar scent, the panic he had felt earlier subsided, though his mood was still low.
Gu Lin chuckled. “Learning how to ask for comfort now, are we?”
Thinking about what had happened earlier, even though it wasn’t a huge deal, Lin Zheng couldn’t help it.
He sniffled again, his voice full of grievance. “Gu Lin, someone bullied me today.”
Recommended Reads
![[Esports] I Started an Online Romance with a Big Shot After Retiring](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/esports.jpg)