After I Started Dating the Scum Gong Substitute, the White Moonlight Returned - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The police simply took a statement. As Cheng Jianyu expected, the man in the office building’s surveillance footage was wearing a mask and a peaked cap, wrapped up tightly, and wearing the work uniform of a renovation company; there was no useful information at all.

The price to bribe a renovation company employee is not high. This kind of hooligan behavior of splashing paint on the other party does not cause substantive damage; it is purely for the purpose of disgusting Cheng Jianyu.

For a sly old fox like Bei Xinhong, this is only the first step. Chen Kai and An’an asked if they needed to install a camera at the entrance, but Cheng Jianyu told them both to wait and see.

Although Director Liang Qiu could not film “Please Gently Kill Me,” he still kept his promise and sent Cheng Jianyu an invitation to a small charity dinner, intending to introduce Cheng Jianyu to directors in the industry he was familiar with. Cheng Jianyu sincerely thanked him for his appreciation and happily agreed to attend.

Cheng Jianyu did not have formal wear, so he specifically picked out a set of ready-to-wear clothing. Because of a certain nitpicky gentleman, he knew a thing or two about suits. From whether the fabric should be British or Italian, to the color and texture of the shirt buttons, he knew how to match and choose.

It just so happened that it could be paired with the cufflinks Jiang Yan had given him.

After putting on the suit, while buttoning his shirt, he pulled out his phone that was ringing in his pocket. It was an unfamiliar number. He pressed speakerphone and threw it on the stool in the dressing room.

The customer service representative’s voice was melodious, “Hello, we are Richard Mille. The smart waterproof sports watch you ordered half a year ago is now available in domestic stock. May I ask if you have time recently to come and pick out the stock?”

“No need.”

“Ah… in that case, we do not refund the deposit…”

“Um, okay, I don’t need it now.”

Cheng Jianyu picked up the phone, pressed end, and used one hand to neaten the tuft of hair sticking up in front of the vanity mirror, laughing at himself with self-mockery. Half a year ago, an elder of his passed away, and he went home to handle the funeral affairs. It happened that Jiang Yan returned from abroad. Faced with a house empty of people, with sexual desire suppressed for half a month, could he not be angry?

This watch was something Cheng Jianyu bought to coax him into being happy because he couldn’t stand the tossing and turning day and night. He originally thought it would be in stock quickly, but he didn’t expect half a year to pass in a flash.

Now he doesn’t need to coax Jiang Yan anymore, and he doesn’t need this watch either.

His phone WeChat notification sounded once. Cheng Jianyu tapped to open and scanned it. This was the second time Jiang Yan had proactively sent him a WeChat in three days; in the past, this would have been a miracle.

[JY]: Where are you?

Cheng Jianyu acted as if he didn’t see it. Able to pick up, able to let go; this relationship was originally about each getting what they needed. In the dark, sunless days, he needed fake, beautiful bubbles to numb himself and stop the guilt and pain deep in his bones, while Jiang Yan needed someone to sleep with. Asking for benevolence and obtaining it—everyone was happy.

They both should now be responsible for their own profits and losses, and part ways amicably.

The charity dinner hotel was chosen in the heart of Shanghai. The air on the rooftop was fresh, and from a distance, one could see the clear, winding North River. The neon lights on both sides were blooming, and the dark skyline was within reach.

Tonight, the stars were shining here; celebrities and beauties from the film and fashion worlds gathered in one hall, and all kinds of perfume and cosmetic scents galloped across the air.

Liang Qiu’s assistant, Wei Long, had been waiting for a long time. When he saw Cheng Jianyu, he was stunned, thinking to himself that the saying “clothes make the man” was true, “Director Liang is waiting for you; I’ll take you over.”

As a screenwriter, Cheng Jianyu didn’t look like the public’s impression. A simple white shirt and an exquisite slim-fit suit set off his tall and upright figure. Between his speech and manner, he was elegant, like the bright moon and a clear breeze. His eyebrows and eyes could not be called stunning, but they had a lot of charm. Conversing with the A-list directors present, he was neither humble nor arrogant, natural and free-spirited, with a kind of imperturbable energy.

People at the scene thought he was an artist preparing to debut. People’s eyes would pause on him more or less. Someone had once secretly ridiculed Liang Qiu for being senile for boasting on Weibo about a screenwriter who hadn’t had a work in five years. Now, seeing Cheng Jianyu in person, they had to admire Liang Qiu’s sharp eye.

This thing called temperament is unclear and hard to define. There is a sense of calm and composure in Cheng Jianyu. Such a person is reliable in doing anything.

This dinner was held for a charity auction. The host invited Liang Qiu to go up to the circular stage in the banquet hall to give a speech. Cheng Jianyu gained a short break.

He leaned against the pillar at the entrance of the terrace, languidly sizing up all kinds of people. It had been a long time since he had any connection with people in the entertainment industry. For the past five years, his life had been a mess. In this circle where whoever is popular is the biggest, his name didn’t even deserve to be mentioned.

Fortunately, he admitted defeat, but he did not accept his fate.

With his personal ability, regaining his position was only a matter of time.

Several actors and models from the circle were sitting on the terrace chatting, laughter sounding in bursts, occasionally flowing into Cheng Jianyu’s ears.

“You guys see it, right? The person Director Liang Qiu brought—Jiang Yan is with him.”

“Just that one who queued up to buy sneakers late at night in deep winter? I thought Jiang Yan had long since played with him enough and broken up.”

“If it were me, I wouldn’t break up either. Look how good-looking he is. Jiang Yan gave Zhou Jueqing a song for his birthday and even filmed an advertisement with Zhou Jueqing, and he didn’t even dare to manage it. This is so cool!”

Everyone laughed and cursed in unison.

“Jiang Yan even brought him to film a variety show, right? Such a good dog, I would also give him a bone to eat.”

“Didn’t he latch onto Director Liang Qiu? It must have been Jiang Yan who introduced him. Director Liang Qiu is really pitiful, having to be threatened by capital at such an old age.”

“How do you know it’s a threat? Maybe Liang Qiu also likes that kind of thing; otherwise, could he have brought him to a place like this?”

Everyone laughed out loud, joyful and unrestrained, as if they had heard a funny joke.

Cheng Jianyu narrowed his eyes. He didn’t care about himself; nine out of ten things said were superficial facts, but Director Liang Qiu was so innocent, being edited and arranged like this. He turned and walked toward the elevator, wind-light and cloud-pale (calmly) downstairs. He curved his slender, white fingers and knocked on the hotel front desk counter. The service girl lifted her bright, sparkling eyes to look at him, “Sir, what do you need?”

“Two bottles of Lafite, the 2000 vintage, send them to Terrace Table A on the 32nd floor.” He said lightly.

“Are you sure you want two bottles?”

“Um, let the wine breathe before sending it up.”

After doing these things, he was just about to take out his car keys to go home when a faint laugh came from behind. He turned his head; Song Yingfei was leaning against the wall with one hand in his trouser pocket, giving him a thumbs-up with one hand, smiling and saying: “Sister-in-law, I didn’t see it, you actually have such a bad side.”

Just now he was sitting at Table B. The more he listened, the angrier he got. He was planning to open his mouth to stop it when he saw Cheng Jianyu’s figure. Curiosity prompted him to follow. He didn’t expect to see such an interesting scene.

The banquet was gathered with celebrities, with so many eyes staring; for the sake of face, that group of people wouldn’t dare not pay the bill. Spending 50,000 to buy the cost of their nonsense, it was worth it.

Cheng Jianyu nodded as a greeting, with no intention of conversing. He had no impression of any of Jiang Yan’s friends.

At this moment, with a “ding,” the elevator arrived. He turned and walked in. The car was decorated with shimmering brilliance, and bright light spilled onto his face. His thin, fuzzy eyelashes were dyed light yellow, and his expression was dignified and elegant, which made Song Yingfei’s heart flutter. He rushed forward fiercely, reaching out to grab the elevator door that was about to close, and squeezed in.

“I’m going to the garage to get my car too.” Song Yingfei automatically ignored Cheng Jianyu’s slight frown.

Cheng Jianyu said nothing, quietly watching the descending elevator numbers. Song Yingfei’s skin was quite thick, turning a blind eye to Cheng Jianyu’s coldness, “Sister-in-law, did you and Jiang Yan really break up? Not considering getting back together?”

“Um, yes.” Cheng Jianyu answered him briefly, got out of the elevator, dug the car key out of his pocket, and walked forward with big strides.

Song Yingfei felt a sense of relief, thinking to himself, ‘Jiang Yan, don’t blame brother for not being a friend; blame sister-in-law for being too fascinating.’ He slowed his pace and followed, self-recommending, “Sister-in-law, what do you think of me as a person?”

While walking, Cheng Jianyu took off his suit jacket and slung it over his arm, saying without looking back: “We are not close, I don’t know you. If you want to talk about your feelings, you should go find Jiang Yan.”

“Cheng Jianyu, can I call you Jianyu?” Song Yingfei was very persistent.

The unfamiliar address made Cheng Jianyu’s footsteps pause. The black Aston Martin parked in his peripheral vision looked familiar. He looked back at Song Yingfei. Being able to be friends with Jiang Yan, his appearance and family background were both very excellent. His calm gaze stayed on Song Yingfei for a few seconds, “An address, that’s all, it’s fine.”

Song Yingfei stepped closer, narrowing the distance between them, his breathing a bit rapid, “Jianyu, I think you are particularly fascinating…”

As soon as the words fell, sure enough, the Aston Martin driver’s side door was pushed open. Jiang Yan was leaning on the driver’s seat, one long leg touching the ground, holding a lighter in his hand to light a cigarette, turning his head to inhale and ignite it. His icy gaze swept over Song Yingfei and stopped on Cheng Jianyu, word by word, “Let’s go, let’s go home.”

Song Yingfei didn’t expect him to be here, his scalp going numb. The expression on his face was ugly as he explained: “Don’t misunderstand, it’s my unilateral intention. I want to tell him my feelings.”

Cheng Jianyu remained motionless, fished the car key out from the suit in his arm, turned and walked forward without hesitation.

Jiang Yan was stunned, staring fixedly at his heartless back. He looked so beautiful in a suit, but he had never seen him like this. A person he had called brother for so many years, someone who secretly coveted him, and even dared to talk about his feelings—if it weren’t for the fact that Cheng Jianyu was still here, he would have let Song Yingfei properly experience what “feelings” were.

He was even more angry that Cheng Jianyu didn’t even bother to look at him, but was chatting and laughing with Song Yingfei. What the hell was Song Yingfei?

Jiang Yan stepped out of the car with his long legs, threw away the burning cigarette butt, and strode to catch up. Cheng Jianyu was just about to pull the car door open when there was a gust of wind beside his ear. He looked back subconsciously and was pinned against the car door. Jiang Yan’s tall and sturdy body pressed against him, that pair of eyes that were naturally fierce-looking staring down at him, spitting three words from between his teeth, “Cheng Jianyu.”

Cheng Jianyu lifted his eyelids and looked at him calmly, “Let me go, I’m going home.”

Jiang Yan’s gaze traced his face, suppressing his explosive emotions, taking a deep breath; his Adam’s apple rolled violently, “Go back to my place. I will remember you are allergic to seafood, I will remember your birthday, I won’t have any contact with Zhou Jueqing. Don’t be angry anymore.”

Cheng Jianyu frowned. The smell of alcohol on Jiang Yan drilled into his nose, and he said seriously: “I have never been angry with you, and also, we have broken up. You agreed to it; don’t go back on your word.”

Jiang Yan’s hot blood surged up quickly, and the blood vessels in his neck jumped slightly due to congestion. As a proud son of heaven, being rejected by Cheng Jianyu in front of Song Yingfei made him so angry his lungs were about to explode. He pinched Cheng Jianyu’s cheeks, forcing him to lift his head, and forcefully blocked his mouth to make all those words he didn’t want to hear disappear.

Cheng Jianyu could hardly breathe in this impulsive and fierce kiss. His arms pushed against Jiang Yan’s shoulders. Jiang Yan held his wrists with both hands, lifted them up, and pressed them against the roof of the car, looting his territory even more aggressively.

“Jiang Yan, calm down!” Song Yingfei watched them burning with passion and really couldn’t bear to see Cheng Jianyu being bullied, so he rushed up and grabbed Jiang Yan’s arm to stop him.

This action was like adding fuel to the fire, pushing the waves. He turned around and shook off Song Yingfei’s pull, strode over, and hooked both hands onto his shoulders, violently slamming him against the car door next to them. It collided with a violent sound, echoing in the empty parking lot.

Song Yingfei’s back of his head hit the car door gap, and suddenly his eyes went black. Jiang Yan’s fierce and gloomy face approached him, staring at his eyes without blinking, saying coldly: “Get out, don’t let me see you again.”

Cheng Jianyu regained the right to breathe. While adjusting his breath, he pried the rearview mirror. Sure enough, the corner of his mouth was bruised. He wiped the bloodstain and said faintly: “Don’t hit him, we broke up, it has nothing to do with him.”

Jiang Yan was furious, turned away, and stared coldly at him, “You still dare to speak up for him?”

Cheng Jianyu was calm and composed, flat as water, “We broke up because I don’t like you, and it has nothing to do with anyone else.”

He said “I don’t like you,” not “I don’t like you anymore.”

“Heh.” Jiang Yan was angry to the point of laughter, his gaze sinking as he looked Cheng Jianyu up and down. Everything that should have been done was done, everything that should have been promised was promised, but he didn’t expect Cheng Jianyu to be so aggressive.

Break up then break up, was he afraid of that?

He wanted to see who would regret it first.

He let go of Song Yingfei, took out a cigarette and a lighter from his pocket, turned his head and lit it slowly, the smile at the corner of his mouth wicked and evil, “What a coincidence, I don’t like you either. I was just used to sleeping with you. Since you insist on breaking up, then break up. Don’t regret it when the time comes.”

Cheng Jianyu looked “This is great.”

Jiang Yan’s reaction over the past few days made him feel under great pressure. Now that Jiang Yan admitted himself that he didn’t like him, it made him feel relieved. This was a happy event.

“Ugh…” Song Yingfei covered the back of his head, his face pale, making a weak moan.

Cheng Jianyu glanced at him, pulled open the backseat door, and said softly: “Get in the car, I’ll take you to the hospital to have a look.”

Song Yingfei moved agilely, without saying a word, and immediately climbed into the car. Smelling the faint lemon fragrance in the car, his heart couldn’t have been more beautiful.

Jiang Yan’s hands in his pockets squeezed tightly, the veins on the back of his hands bulging. He was too familiar with Song Yingfei and could see through the other party’s acting, yet Cheng Jianyu ate up this act of pretending to be pitiful.

The car gradually disappeared from sight. He slowly narrowed his eyes, his jaw aching from excessive clenching. His dark hoodie was heaving violently on his chest, and he couldn’t breathe. What exactly was wrong with him?

The nearest hospital, which was also one of the best hospitals in Shanghai, Cheng Jianyu went to the emergency room at night, handed the pitiful Song Yingfei over to the doctor, and after a short examination, there was no bleeding. It wasn’t a big illness, and the doctor told him to lie quietly and rest for a while.

Song Yingfei lay on the clean white bed, his breathing short and long, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. Cheng Jianyu watched him for a while, frowned, stood up, and said softly: “I’ll go buy you some porridge, you rest first, I’m going home.”

“Okay, Jianyu, sorry to bother you.” Song Yingfei’s voice was weak.

Cheng Jianyu didn’t want to expose him. He turned and went out the door. There wasn’t much food left in the restaurant at night, so he ordered a bowl of white porridge and steamed buns.

The emergency department was on the second floor. He didn’t take the elevator, choosing the convenient and fast stairs. The hospital was sparsely populated and quiet. To save energy, one light was turned on every certain distance. In the darkness, a doctor in a white coat walked toward him. The man in the lead stood out from the crowd. Underneath his white coat, he was wearing a neat and well-fitting checkered suit. He was well-dressed and well-groomed. He held a medical record folder in one hand, saying something to the doctor beside him while walking.

Cheng Jianyu couldn’t hear his voice clearly, but vaguely felt that this man had a lot of upbringing, because when he spoke, he looked into the other person’s eyes—a politeness subtle to the extreme.

Until the light illuminated the man’s face, the familiar eyes were as brilliant as ever.

A gentle and silent star.

His breathing stalled, and fireworks exploded in his mind. It was like a person walking on shaky legs, hiking painfully in a dry and hot desert. In the midst of desperation, drops of pulsating spring rain fell on his face, waking him up again.

Dead wood meets spring.

Long drought meets sweet dew.