Chapter 18
Passing employees couldn’t help but steal curious glances into the lobby.
Some recognized Liang Xun. Passing by the lobby, they vaguely heard words like “boyfriend” and “relationship,” once again marveling at their company’s “most beautiful flower”—even the internationally renowned Mr. Liang couldn’t resist, here to ask Young Master Jian for a commitment.
Someone had already started a thread in the office’s gossip group, betting on whether Liang Xun could win Young Master Jian’s heart.
Because of the frequent appearances of various suitors sending flowers to Jian Huaiyi, they had privately nicknamed him “The Most Beautiful Flower.”
A completely positive title, used to praise their Second Young Master’s stunning beauty.
“Jian Luojia.”
Jian Luojia, who was hiding in the corner of the break room, peeking, was startled. Turning around, he saw his eldest brother. He patted his chest in relief, “Big Brother, you scared me!”
Jian Laoda followed Jian Luojia’s gaze to see the backs of his second brother and a man walking side-by-side. His body stiffened. “Whose brat is this, daring to hit on Huaiyi?!”
“Big Brother, you saw it too,” Jian Luojia immediately seized the opportunity, tattling, “It’s him, Liang Xun. Jian Huaiyi has been gallivanting around with him these days. I even saw Liang Xun coming out of Jian Huaiyi’s house today. They’re living together!”
“Liang Xun?” Jian Laoda frowned, patting Jian Luojia on the back of the head, “Mind your own business, and stop picking on your second brother. So what if they’re living together? Good friends living together to bond isn’t unusual. Besides, your second brother is sensible. Jian Laosan, you’re so dramatic; you don’t have such close friends, do you?”
Jian Luojia’s eyes widened, his weak spot hit. He covered his head, complaining, “Big Brother, you’re biased!”
Jian Laoda hummed, stroking Jian Luojia’s buzz cut in satisfaction.
“Our Luojia is sometimes surprisingly smart.”
Jian Luojia growled, his heart utterly broken.
Other families favored the youngest, but in their family, he felt like an unwanted child, not even as valued as Liang Xun, the adopted son.
“I’m running away from home…” Jian Luojia choked out.
He had become completely embittered.
From now on, he would no longer smile.
He would not give the world a good face.
You have completely lost me!
Jian Laoda waved his hand, finally remembering his responsibilities as an older brother. He reminded Jian Luojia, “Don’t forget to bring money. Hotels outside are expensive; stay in a nice one.”
“Aaah—”
The black Cullinan stopped by the roadside. As soon as Jian Huaiyi got in, he smelled a faint scent of daisies.
“What time is your flight this afternoon?” Jian Huaiyi asked.
Liang Xun’s expression softened, moving his legs to let Jian Huaiyi in.
The bottom of the dress was open, vaguely revealing the young man’s thin waist. Whether it was the fragrance or the young man’s natural scent, the smell of daisies filled Liang Xun’s nose.
Liang Xun clasped his hands together. “Two o’clock.”
The car’s screen showed it was just past noon.
The car was quiet. There were no passing employees to disturb them, and Qin Zhu had thoughtfully gotten out of the car.
Jian Huaiyi pursed his lips, “Liang Xun, Lu Yang…”
He still didn’t know how to explain.
He understood that from the moment Liang Xun knew about Lu Yang, Lu Yang would always stand between them as a “third party.”
This was an unchangeable fact.
“Do you want to break up?” Jian Huaiyi threw caution to the wind, staring at Liang Xun, “Liang Xun, it’s my fault, but it’s a fact, I can’t explain it. If you want to break up, I’ll respect your decision.”
Liang Xun’s temple twitched, his jawline suddenly tensed, as if something was spiraling out of control.
Seeing this, Jian Huaiyi added fuel to the fire, promising, “After we break up, whatever you want, I can compensate you.”
“Enough,” Liang Xun stopped him.
Jian Huaiyi’s careless attitude hurt his pride.
Years of feelings, easily discarded with a breakup, yet when he heard the words “break up,” he instinctively wanted to refuse.
How pathetic, Liang Xun.
It was ridiculous; before this, he had even thought about repairing their relationship.
Cheap things are destined to be abandoned.
Since Jian Huaiyi didn’t care, he didn’t need to care either.
Learn from your mistakes.
A lesson he’d learned as a child, he’d repeated at twenty-three.
Liang Xun rubbed his aching temples, maintaining a cold tone: “No compensation needed, let’s break up, Jian Huaiyi.”
The Cullinan drove in another direction. Jian Huaiyi returned to the company, and they parted ways.
In just one month, they’d broken up twice; that was probably it for life.
Jian Huaiyi curled his lips slightly. Under the sunlight, the thin layer of skin over his eyelids vaguely revealed blood vessels. He had done something good for both Liang Xun and himself, yet he wasn’t as happy as he imagined.
His mindset had relaxed somewhat; he didn’t have to worry about rejecting Liang Xun’s “sense of responsibility.”
But that was followed by various inconveniences.
He wasn’t used to being alone in the huge villa when he woke up, nor to the dark study at night, or to cooking and living alone.
Late at night, Jian Huaiyi turned over in his half-awake state, pausing halfway, his hazy eyes opening a crack.
The space beside him was empty, no pillow to mark their territory.
He rolled over on the bed, spreading his arms, his black hair sticking up in places because of the movement, taking up the whole bed.
He fell asleep contentedly.
Before this, Jian Huaiyi had always lived in the Jian family home. In a sense, he had never lived alone until Liang Xun’s amnesia, when he moved out to live with Liang Xun for a while.
He suddenly missed the Jian family home.
Jian Huaiyi decided to pack up and move back.
He would drive back tonight.
“Second Young Master.”
Butler Liu took the car keys from Jian Huaiyi.
“Butler Liu, help me pack my room; I’m moving back home.”
“Yes, Second Young Master.”
Opening the door, the light blue wallpaper was soothing. Lying on the bed felt like a light mist, floating in the blue sky.
Everything in the room was as before. Jian Huaiyi remembered that he had several succulents on the balcony. He opened the curtains. The succulents were bathed in light; their plump petals looked like jelly.
As expected of succulents, they’re easy to care for.
Jian Huaiyi stroked the green petals, his thick eyelashes drooping, “Good boy.”
The succulent seemed to understand the praise, its leaves swaying as it rubbed against Jian Huaiyi’s fingertip.
An unprecedented impulse welled up in his heart.
Jian Huaiyi closed the curtains, picked up his phone, and booked a flight to Vancouver.
Vancouver was holding a flower arrangement competition; the organizers had sent him an invitation some time ago, but he had been preoccupied with Liang Xun and hadn’t responded.
Now there was nothing to worry about.
He also had to thank that livehouse show for bringing back some of his youthful passion.
Jian Huaiyi sat cross-legged on the piled-up blankets, like a cat occupying high ground. He threw his phone aside, his eyelashes drooping, his head tilted as if in thought.
Humans are the most complex creatures. When they are young, they want to grow up; when they grow up, they find everything boring, not as good as before.
Adults might even have the thought that they just live, and it doesn’t matter if they die.
Anyway, they don’t create any value.
The next morning, Jian Huaiyi carried his suitcase to the airport.
His phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Hello, Mr. Memories.”
Jian Huaiyi slammed on the brakes, a bad feeling rising in his heart. He pulled over to the side of the road.
“Something happened to Liang Xun?”
Dr. Song paused, glancing at the man lying on the hospital bed. Those calm, dark eyes were subtly intimidating.
“Mm, Mr. Liang’s condition has changed, and it’s best if his family could come to the hospital.”
Jian Huaiyi immediately turned the car around and headed to the hospital.
Like a savior.
Dr. Song, in a white coat, and Qin Zhu stood at the ward door. Seeing Jian Huaiyi arrive, their eyes lit up.
“Young Master Jian.” Qin Zhu nodded respectfully.
“How’s Liang Xun?” Jian Huaiyi frowned, looking at the man inside through the glass window.
Liang Xun had bandages on his head, lying on the bed with his eyes closed, seemingly unconscious, his lips pale, looking weak and dying.
Qin Zhu had prepared his words; his voice was heavy, “The day before yesterday afternoon, I was taking the boss to the airport; everything was normal until the boss stumbled at the entrance. I immediately realized something was wrong, rushed forward, and caught the unconscious boss, sending him to the hospital.”
Dr. Song spoke opportunely, adding, “The car accident caused severe damage to Mr. Liang’s brain, leaving him with dizziness and headaches, and in severe cases, fainting. From the scans, Mr. Liang’s condition is not optimistic. If he’s further stimulated, he could become a vegetable.”
A vegetable.
Jian Huaiyi’s heart trembled, his lips pressed together.
Dr. Song reassured him, “As a family member, Mr. Jian, what you can do now is, no matter how absurd it may seem, to follow Mr. Liang’s memories. If you can make him believe in his memories, that’s the best outcome. After Mr. Liang establishes a solid cognitive structure, help him slowly change his mindset.”
“Okay, I understand.”
Jian Huaiyi opened the ward door. Liang Xun had just woken up. Their eyes met, and Jian Huaiyi spoke first:
“How are you feeling?”
Liang Xun frowned, a moment of bewilderment flashing across his eyes.
“I’m fine,” he said in a low voice, “What did the doctor say? When will I regain my memory?”
Jian Huaiyi observed Liang Xun’s expression, judging his current memory state: He seemed to have no memory of their breakup.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have this attitude.
His breakup experience was only with Lu Yang, Jian Huaiyi firmly believed that if Liang Xun still remembered their “breakup,” he wouldn’t be so calm.
“I don’t know,” Jian Huaiyi answered truthfully.
Liang Xun lowered his eyes, his whole body exuding a decadent air, his black hair hanging over his forehead.
Jian Huaiyi looked at Liang Xun, his fingertips in his pockets slightly tightening, a surge of bitterness welling up in his heart.
Liang Xun rarely showed this side of himself in front of him. Even when he was just a powerless adopted son, he had never shown weakness to anyone.
If Jian Huaiyi’s arrogance was the confidence given by his family, then Liang Xun’s confidence came entirely from his unyielding spirit.
Like a wolf cub covered in thorns, even surrounded by wolves and tigers, he never retracted his young claws.
As long-time friends, Jian Huaiyi naturally hoped Liang Xun would always be spirited.
So, no matter what, he couldn’t become a vegetable.
Jian Huaiyi took a deep breath, dimples appearing faintly on his cheeks, “Going home? Baby.” His clear voice was like a gentle stream, soothing the anxiety in his heart.
Liang Xun lifted his eyelashes, his dormant heart regaining vitality because of this sentence, as if a nerve pulsed through his chest, and hot blood flowed.
He suppressed all his questions, his dark eyes fixed on the young man bathed in sunlight, “Home.”
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