Chapter 83: Tossed in His Pocket

Cheng Ye clapped his hands, and with a hook of his finger, Jiang Shi’s backpack came off his back and into his hand. “Don’t waste your breath on this kind of person. If he’s not willing, someone will make him willing.”

Jiang Shi glanced at Jiang Kaile, turned, and had only taken a few steps when he heard his somewhat exasperated voice from behind, “You don’t really think Jiang Shi is some kind of good person, do you?”

Cheng Ye’s brow furrowed, and he turned his head.

Jiang Kaile thought his words had caught his attention and shot Jiang Shi a somewhat triumphant smile.

“Let me tell you what kind of person he used to be. He’s just a thief who stole someone else’s identity. He’s nothing but a poor kid from the countryside, yet he managed to live the life of a young master for over a decade. He’s vain and a social climber. Back in Lincheng, he relied entirely on my brother’s protection. After my brother went abroad, he latched onto you.”

“He’s used to using that face of his to trick people. You don’t really think you’re special to him, do you? In the end, he’s just after your money and power. Once you have nothing, he’ll run faster than anyone.”

Jiang Shi’s hands, hidden in his sleeves, involuntarily tightened. He knew what Jiang Kaile was saying wasn’t true, but in their eyes, that’s clearly the kind of person he was. He didn’t explain, but instead turned to look at Cheng Ye.

Cheng Ye felt the potatoes in his hand. “Are you done?” He reached out to pull Jiang Shi. “Let’s go, your potatoes are getting cold.”

Jiang Shi was stunned, not even having time to react before he was pulled away.

Jiang Kaile completely lost his composure, shouting from behind, “Hey! Did you hear what I was saying at all!”

Cheng Ye was getting annoyed by his shouting. “I heard. So what?” He said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “That only proves that Jiang Shi is smart. Why would he stick around with someone who has nothing? There are plenty of people with money and power. The fact that he chose me out of so many means I’m capable.”

Jiang Kaile was first stunned by his statement, then filled with disbelief. “Do you know what you’re saying? The moment he meets someone with more power and influence than you, you’ll be the first one he abandons.”

Cheng Ye said, “Then that can only be my fault for not being good enough. Someone who isn’t good enough certainly doesn’t deserve to stand by Jiang Shi’s side.”

He would never find fault with Jiang Shi, only with himself.

Jiang Kaile: “…”

Even Jiang Shi was taken aback by Cheng Ye’s reverse PUA.

Cheng Ye didn’t care what effect his words had on the two people present. A light rain was drizzling outside, and he was afraid Jiang Shi would get cold, so he pulled him into the car.

Jiang Shi held the half-cold fried potatoes in his hand. The scenery outside the window retreated, the sky darkened, the wipers cleared away the mist, and the neon lights flickered.

Cheng Ye was urging him, “Hurry up and eat, or they’ll get cold.”

Jiang Shi subconsciously stuffed a piece into his mouth, chewing it without much taste. He turned to look at Cheng Ye. “What you just said…”

The light turned red, and Cheng Ye stopped the car.

“Half true, half false, I guess…” He chuckled. “I believe the young master wouldn’t really leave me.”

“Why?”

Jiang Shi thought he was about to say something cheesy like they were truly in love, but Cheng Ye paused and said, “Those richer than me aren’t as handsome, those more handsome than me aren’t as rich, those who are both handsome and rich might not be as good in bed as me, and even if they have all that, they’re not as young as me. No one is better to you than I am. I’ll spend all the money I earn on you, and I’ll buy you whatever you want. All things considered, choosing me is the optimal solution.”

The light turned green, and the car started moving.

Jiang Shi was so shocked by his statement that he was speechless for a long time. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again.

After doing this back and forth a few times, the car stopped downstairs from their apartment building.

The ginkgo tree downstairs was barren, with only a few scattered leaves. The streetlight stood among the branches, casting a shadow on the ground. The rain froze into ice in mid-air.

The second snow of the year fell on Jiangcheng.

Jiang Shi blinked to sweep away the snowflakes that had landed on his eyelashes and followed Cheng Ye upstairs.

He watched the man take out the keys from his pocket, open the door, and his tall figure bent down to get him his slippers.

The fluffy rabbit slippers were placed in front of Jiang Shi. Cheng Ye rested a hand on his shoulder, his voice sounding next to his ear, “Frozen stiff? Change your shoes.”

Jiang Shi pressed his lips together and changed his shoes. The cold potatoes were left at the entrance. Cheng Ye reached out to unzip Jiang Shi’s jacket.

Jiang Shi said, “It wasn’t like that between me and Huo Ji.”

Cheng Ye’s hands paused.

“I know.” His throat was a little dry. “But it doesn’t matter if it was or not. You’re by my side now, which means I’m better than Huo Ji.”

Jiang Shi rarely spoke to others about his past.

In the eyes of outsiders, he was the high and mighty young master of the Song family, seemingly with endless money to spend and endless blessings to enjoy. But only he knew that for him, those days were more of a disgrace.

“Huo Ji…” Jiang Shi spread his arms, letting Cheng Ye take off his jacket. “I always thought we were friends.”

The Song family had become rich suddenly. At that time, the merchants in Jiangcheng had all built their foundations through several generations of hard work. The Song family, having made a fortune overnight through coal mining, now wanted a piece of their pie. Naturally, they were unwilling.

And so, the little Jiang Shi gained a nickname—the son of a nouveau riche.

Song Bo was eager to expand his business. Even knowing what others said about him behind his back, he could still visit them and curry favor without any resentment. He could swallow his pride and endure their cold shoulders, but Jiang Shi couldn’t.

He had a core of pride in his bones, and his self-respect would not allow him to do such things.

This was also the fundamental reason for Song Bo’s dislike of him.

The father and son were different, so naturally, Jiang Shi was not well-liked. The prouder he acted, the more people wanted to break his pride. And whenever Jiang Shi fought back, the first one to blame him was always Song Bo.

Song Bo would always say, “Song Shi, you are a member of the Song family. Why can’t you think about the family?”

In those long, lightless years of bullying, who was there to think about him?

The snow fell heavier and heavier, making a rustling sound outside the window. Jiang Shi held a cup of hot water, looking at the vast whiteness outside the glass.

“In my third year of middle school, Song Bo’s business finally reached a new level. He squeezed into Jiangcheng’s upper-class circle as he wished, and I, as a symbol of his status, was transferred from a regular middle school to Jiangcheng’s so-called noble school.”

Obviously, the children of the people Song Bo had tried to curry favor with were also there.

“That’s when I met Huo Ji.”

“I…” He gripped the cup tightly, taking a long moment before his voice returned to normal as he continued, “Not long after I changed schools, the people who used to bully me found me. They pushed me into the lake. It was Huo Ji who saved me.”

At that time, Huo Ji had the same semi-long hair as he did now. He was thin and frail, with narrow, almond-shaped eyes, and his features were so bewitching he almost looked like a girl.

He stood in front of Jiang Shi, shielding him from those nauseating gazes. This protection lasted for several years.

“Zhang Chi was in poor health and was often on leave. Huo Ji was the second person, besides Zhang Chi, who was good to me. We became friends.”

Speaking up to this point, Jiang Shi’s voice grew low. “I thought we would be friends…”

“Later…”

He curled himself into a ball, not quite daring to look at Cheng Ye’s face.

“In my second year of high school, it was his birthday. He invited me to his birthday party, but there were a lot of people there I didn’t like, so I didn’t agree. Later, I thought it was his birthday, and as a friend, I should at least make an appearance. So I went secretly.”

It seemed to be around this time of year. It was also snowing in Jiangcheng. So many things happened that winter, but looking back, all Jiang Shi remembered was the vast expanse of white.

Song Bo didn’t like him, so naturally, he wouldn’t give him much pocket money. Compared to the other young masters, Jiang Shi’s life wasn’t actually that comfortable.

He stood at the door of the private room, holding a gift he had saved up a month’s pocket money for. The waiter hadn’t closed the door properly when leaving. Warm air billowed out from inside, while cold air blew in from the window at the end of the corridor. Jiang Shi stood at the point where hot and cold met.

Huo Ji always had a sickly demeanor in front of him. It was the first time he had seen him sitting so flamboyantly, a cigarette between his fingers, the smoke blurring his striking features.

Someone next to him smiled. “Young Master Huo, it’s been a few years. It’s your birthday, and Young Master Song still won’t grace you with his presence?”

Huo Ji seemed a little unhappy, his voice turning colder. “He’s shy. I can’t just drag him over, can I?”

“I think you just spoil him too much. An unpresentable little plaything, why is he worth your effort?”

It was noisy inside. They talked about Jiang Shi as if he were a joke. Huo Ji just listened, tilting his head and smoking.

The smell of smoke wafted to Jiang Shi’s nose. He felt sick.

Someone else said, “As expected of Young Master Huo. When you make a move, it’s different. Look at that Song Shi, isn’t he completely wrapped around your finger now?”

“Yeah, it had to be Young Master Huo. To think, for a bet, you endured so much for so many years. I’m really looking forward to Song Shi’s expression when he finds out it was all a sham.”

“Isn’t that right? Back when we pushed him into the lake, we were just waiting for Young Master Huo to come out and be the hero saving the damsel. I have to say, Young Master Huo’s acting is just that good. Not just Song Shi, even we almost believed it when we saw it.”

“But, it’s been so long. Young Master Huo, why are you still hanging out with that Song Shi? You don’t actually want to be friends with him, do you?”

Huo Ji paused. The cigarette ash fell onto the back of his hand, and he brushed it away. He chuckled. “How is that possible? An unpresentable thing, just for playing with. Who would want to be friends with him?”

That was the heaviest snow Jiang Shi had ever seen.

Huo Ji said he was an unpresentable thing.

Song Bo said he wasn’t his biological son.

He was forced to accept it all, boarding the train to Lincheng in a daze.

In those eighteen years, he had lived like a joke. He thought the past had long been buried in that snow, but he didn’t expect it to be dug up again today.

After finishing his story, Jiang Shi relaxed his tense shoulders. He leaned back on the sofa, the water in his hands already cold.

Cheng Ye took the cup from his hands.

“I know now,” he said.

Jiang Shi looked at him in surprise. “That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“…”

Jiang Shi couldn’t help it. “Don’t you have any thoughts?”

Like thinking he was stupid or something.

“No.” Cheng Ye paused. “Actually, that’s not entirely true…”

Jiang Shi waited for him to continue.

“Does the young master want to hear the truth?”

When he said this, Jiang Shi knew that whatever came next probably wouldn’t be pleasant, but he couldn’t control his curiosity. “Go on.”

So Cheng Ye did.

“After hearing it, I’m very happy. They were all bad to you, and only I am good to you. That means you’ll be even less able to leave me. I’m different from them. I never lie to you.”

So Jiang Shi could only be the closest to him in the world.

Jiang Shi: “…”

He said, “You really never lie to me?”

“Of course.”

“Then let me ask you, my underwear went missing, and you told me you accidentally lost it while cleaning. Is that true?”

Cheng Ye: “…”

He paused. “It’s true.”

How was losing it in his pocket not considered lost?