A Broken Mirror Never Mends - Chapter 2

When Shi Tian received the call from Assistant Chen, he had just stepped into Ji Yuanlin’s car.

The ringtone echoed inside the narrow cabin. Shi Tian buckled his seatbelt with one hand and answered with the other. “Xiao Chen?”

The person on the other end remained silent for a long while. Just as Shi Tian was about to speak again, he heard Assistant Chen’s voice tremble slightly. “President Shi, are you alright?”

“…I’m fine. Why do you ask?” Shi Tian was amused by the question and joked back, “Are you alright?”

“I—I—I…”

After stuttering for a moment, Assistant Chen asked again cautiously, “Then, is President Ji with you right now?”

Shi Tian turned his head to look at the man in the driver’s seat.

The owner of the Maserati had rolled his sleeves up past his elbows. His arms rested lazily on the steering wheel as he listened to business news on the radio. Under the streetlights, his luxury watch and the matching couple’s ring on his finger gave off a faint glow.

Sensing Shi Tian’s gaze, Ji Yuanlin slowly sat up straight. He looked back at Shi Tian with a serious expression, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes.

From the passenger seat, Shi Tian could see the man’s lean, well-proportioned build. The curve from his neck to his back formed a perfect line, and his waist looked firm and fit under his suit.

Ji Yuanlin loved working out and even hired a private trainer at home just to maintain his impressive physique.

It had to be said that his fiancé-to-be knew exactly how to use his good looks and charm to please others, and Shi Tian was no exception.

“He’s not here,” Shi Tian said, looking away. “Go ahead.”

Seeing that Shi Tian hadn’t paid him any attention for a while, Ji Yuanlin stepped on the gas. “Is Xiao Chen looking for you? Is it urgent?”

Faintly hearing Ji Yuanlin’s voice through the phone, Assistant Chen gasped on the other end.

“No, it’s nothing,” Assistant Chen said hurriedly. “President Shi, President Ji, please carry on. I’ll hang up now—”

Before Shi Tian could react, the call was disconnected.

“What are you smiling at me for?” Putting down his phone, Shi Tian narrowed his eyes and looked at his fiancé-to-be suspiciously. “What are you so happy about?”

“Our Tian-Tian is about to officially become a part of my family. How could I not be happy?” Ji Yuanlin tapped the steering wheel lightly. “We’re having dinner at Lumières tonight. I booked a table.”

Lumières was a Michelin-starred French restaurant on the top floor of LP11, and one of Shi Tian’s favorites. It operated on a private membership system where they recognized your face rather than your card. The two of them were regulars, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars there every year.

As the car joined the after-work traffic, Ji Yuanlin switched the radio to a soft music channel.

“You’ve been in meetings all day. You must be tired,” he said. “Take a nap. I’ll wake you up when we arrive.”

Hearing this, Shi Tian yawned, feeling truly sleepy.

Before closing his eyes, he looked through the rearview mirror and saw a bottle of his favorite Chateau Margaux wine in the backseat. The bottle was tied with a beautiful deep blue silk ribbon, matching the color of his tie today.

In a traditional sense, Ji Yuanlin was a great partner in every way.

He was handsome, well-educated, highly intelligent, hardworking, and disciplined. He was even incredibly thoughtful toward his partner. He was the kind of person who would be a hit on any dating show.

Romance is a necessary part of a long relationship. In their eight years together, no matter how busy work got, Ji Yuanlin always noticed the small details.

For instance, since they started dating, Ji Yuanlin would prepare a small surprise for every date. This time was no different.

Shi Tian was half-asleep when he realized Ji Yuanlin had stopped the car. Under the dim car lights, Ji Yuanlin leaned down and called out his nickname in a low, deep voice.

“Tian-Tian, I missed you,” Ji Yuanlin said. “Give me a kiss.”

“In your dreams,” Shi Tian pushed him away. “The window is still open.”

Ji Yuanlin completely ignored his words. Taking advantage of Shi Tian’s groggy state, he pressed a soft kiss on his forehead. Seeing no resistance, he moved down to his neck, leaving a trail of practiced, gentle kisses.

Shi Tian gave him a warning look, telling him not to mess around. He resisted for a moment but eventually closed his eyes and let him be.

If he didn’t give in, he wouldn’t get a good night’s sleep.

Usually, the man surnamed Ji was quite normal, but today he seemed crazy, pouncing on him the moment they met.

Because of the delay on the road, they arrived at LP11 five minutes later than expected.

As Ji Yuanlin handed the keys to the valet, Shi Tian adjusted his collar and stepped out of the car.

He buttoned his shirt to the very top to hide the kiss mark on his neck. Looking perfectly composed, he took off his suit jacket and handed it to the restaurant manager waiting at the entrance. “Rex, sorry to keep you waiting.”

“It is our honor to have Mr. Shi and Mr. Ji dine with us,” the manager, a Frenchman, provided top-tier service. “Our recommendation for tonight is the seasonal seared Yellowfin Tuna Nicoise and Snow Crab. You must try them.”

Shi Tian nodded politely. “We will.”

Ji Yuanlin followed closely behind. He greeted the manager while thoughtfully smoothing out a small wrinkle on Shi Tian’s collar from behind. “Hi, Rex. Long-time no see.”

No matter what happened in private, once they were in public, they could immediately return to their perfect professional selves. Every move was flawless, and not a single hair was out of place.

This was a silent understanding they had built over many years—the way business people should carry themselves.

The manager led them into the elevator to the top floor of the LP11 hotel.

Ji Yuanlin had booked their usual spot: a semi-transparent terrace booth overlooking the entire city. Because Shi Tian loved their food, the restaurant had prepared a custom menu filled with his favorite flavors.

Near the restaurant’s fountain, a cellist played Paganini elegantly. The surrounding skyscrapers rose into the dark sky, and with the night breeze, candlelight, and fine wine, it was the most relaxing moment of the day.

As they poured the red wine and clinked glasses, Shi Tian heard Ji Yuanlin say, “Shi-ge, let’s get married.”

Shi Tian wasn’t drunk, but he froze when he heard those words.

He remained silent for a moment and tilted his head, his face looking slightly flushed. “What did you call me?”

Ji Yuanlin didn’t answer directly. He just lowered his voice. “Brother, do you know? I’ve been waiting eight years for this day.”

At the company, employees called him President Shi. His elders and Ji Yuanlin usually called him Tian-Tian or Xiao Tian. Since becoming an adult, very few people called him that anymore.

That was what Ji Yuanlin used to call him back in high school.

Ji Yuanlin was one grade below him. Back then, he was always shy whenever he saw Shi Tian. His face would turn red, and he wouldn’t dare use his full name, only stammering out “Shi-ge” after a long time.

Later, everyone in class knew that the young master Shi had a junior follower who followed him everywhere, calling him “Shi-ge” constantly.

He remembered that Zhou Sifu was very unhappy with Ji Yuanlin’s behavior back then. One day, Zhou and a few friends cornered him in an alley and beat him up. As a result, Zhou got a major demerit and had to write a three-thousand-word apology on the blackboard.

That familiar yet distant name flashed through his mind. Shi Tian realized his thoughts had wandered too far; perhaps the alcohol was affecting him after all.

The wind on the terrace snapped him back to reality.

He looked down as if thinking for a moment, then looked up and said calmly to Ji Yuanlin, “A-Lin, I want to take Fengyu public.”

As if he didn’t understand why Shi Tian suddenly brought this up, Ji Yuanlin’s hand holding the wine glass paused. Soon, a brief shadow of gloom crossed his face.

“Why go public?”

After a moment, Ji Yuanlin spoke, his deep voice blending into the night. “Fengyu’s finances are stable, and we don’t lack funding. If we let big investors in, our risks will only be higher than they are now.”

Shi Tian came from a finance background. Before quitting to start a business with his boyfriend, he worked in the IPO department of a famous investment bank. With his professional background and connections, going public would actually bring more benefits than harms.

However, he understood Ji Yuanlin’s concerns. Ji Yuanlin was a technical expert in charge of products and R&D. During a critical stage of technical development, rushing to go public could lead to bad management decisions.

Thinking of this, Shi Tian smiled and didn’t push the topic. He looked into the man’s eyes, his own eyes becoming bright and clear.

Shi Tian asked, “So, when should we get our marriage license?”

Hearing this, Ji Yuanlin’s breathing became uneven. He could hardly believe his ears. “…Tian-Tian?”

“As long as the company’s profits double in the first half of the year, we’ll get married,” Shi Tian said. “A-Lin, I promised you.”

Shi Tian finished his wine in one gulp, and his worried expression softened.

Just then, he felt a sense of peace, as if a weight had been lifted.

Eight years—three thousand days and nights. It seemed he had finally chosen to make peace with his past self.

After accepting the proposal, Shi Tian thought he would get wasted, but he only ended up drinking a few more glasses than usual.

On his way to the restroom, he stopped and sniffed the air.

A faint scent drifted by—one that felt strangely familiar for some reason.

Just as he was distracted for a second, a small figure rushed in through the revolving doors, holding a delicious-looking meat skewer.

He finally knew where the smell came from.

It was the scent of grilled meat. Back in school, they cost fifty cents at the stalls outside the gate, and you could snack on one for an entire evening session.

The little kid who burst through the door lost his balance on the red-carpeted steps and was about to fall.

Shi Tian remembered a similar scene. When he was a child, he had a fall like that and broke half a front tooth, which made his classmates laugh at him for months.

He stepped forward quickly to catch the child. To his surprise, even as the child fell into his arms, he didn’t let go of his meat skewer.

The little boy crashed into Shi Tian, and the spicy oil from the skewer splashed all over Shi Tian’s collar.

The boy stopped abruptly and realized the man’s suit was covered in oil stains.

He hissed through his teeth and stepped back several times.

“I—I’m sorry—”

The boy’s face was red, and he looked like he was about to cry. Shi Tian was going to say it was fine, but when he saw the boy’s face, he froze.

The boy’s cheeks were pale and soft, turning as red as a ripe peach. He looked exactly like someone Shi Tian knew when they were a child—it was almost like they were made from the same mold.

At that moment, the other revolving door opened. The French manager led a man and a woman inside, politely introducing the menu.

Seeing the newcomers, the little boy acted as if his savior had arrived.

He wiped his nose and began to wail loudly.

“Master Zhou, I’ve messed up again!”