Fell Deeply In Love With My Ex-Husband's Fiancé - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Taking the Initiative: Looking at Lance’s back, Lu Feiran suddenly…

When Lu Feiran arrived at Qiong Zhu Gallery, he learned that Jin Zhan had already resigned from his position. The assistant girl who had greeted Lu Feiran several times gave him Jin Zhan’s home address, but not the specific apartment number, telling Lu Feiran he would have to find it himself.

Lu Feiran thanked her and headed straight for the residential area where Jin Zhan lived.

The noisy, old neighborhood had many breakfast vendors, and the scent of food drifted through the air. Even though Lu Feiran had already eaten, he stopped.

He thought for a moment, bought a serving of wontons and a serving of Tofu Pudding, and carried them into the compound.

Jin Zhan’s phone was not off, he was simply not answering.

Lu Feiran placed the breakfast on a lounge chair in the small garden, leaned over to take a picture, subtly capturing a small part of his casted left arm, and left a message: I brought you breakfast.

Within minutes, an abrasive sound of a window being pulled open came from not far away. Jin Zhan, looking unkempt and haggard, with eyes swollen like walnuts, stared blankly.

Lu Feiran slightly raised his head, made eye contact with Jin Zhan on the second floor, waved his right hand in greeting, picked up the breakfast, went around the stairs, and entered the dark, cluttered stairwell.

Lu Feiran had never been to a place like this. It wasn’t very dirty, but it was definitely messy, and the environment was far from good. In the distance, several elderly people were arguing endlessly about being shortchanged while buying groceries that morning, and the entrance to the building was a mountain of overflowing garbage bins.

This was where Jin Zhan lived. He had been with Zhai Qiance for three years, not only as a lover but also as a perfect criminal tool, yet he had nothing to show for it—only the meager dead salary he received under the false title of gallery director.

His thin palms were sweating. He could barely hold the two lightweight breakfast containers. Lu Feiran climbed the steps, one by one, feeling momentarily dazed. Fortunately, Jin Zhan opened the door at that moment.

The depressed young painter quickly took the items from Lu Feiran’s hands and placed them on the table. Then, he helped Lu Feiran inside, grabbed a trash can, and dumped the messy beer cans and takeout bags from the table into it. He opened the window, ventilated the room, and disposed of the trash, completing everything adeptly but somewhat frantically. He then took out a brand-new cup and poured Lu Feiran a cup of hot water.

When the hot water was just the right temperature to drink, Lu Feiran held the cup and drank it all in one breath.

“Which one do you want to eat?” Jin Zhan didn’t touch the wontons or the Tofu Pudding, letting Lu Feiran choose first.

Lu Feiran shook his head: “You eat both. I bought them for you.”

Jin Zhan nodded silently, then quietly unpacked the cutlery and started eating. He ate quickly but not ravenously, like a well-behaved small dog.

A few minutes later, Jin Zhan slowed down. A muffled sob came from beneath his messy hair. Lu Feiran’s heart softened. He placed his hand on Jin Zhan’s head and gently rubbed it.

Jin Zhan, wearing a suit and sitting upright in the Qiong Zhu Gallery director’s office, was like a boy disguised as an adult; his innocence and purity couldn’t be hidden by the mature suit. Jin Zhan, when painting, was even purer, his brilliance unstoppable by any external force.

Lu Feiran envied, yearned for, and cherished that.

Jin Zhan finished both breakfasts, apologized to Lu Feiran, and went to wash his face with a towel.

The entire house was tiny, estimated to be no more than sixty square meters, with only one room.

Lu Feiran casually glanced around, taking in everything in the room. Through the half-open bedroom door, he could see painting supplies piled up in the corner; they were chaotic and disorganized, untouched for some time.

It was clear that this room was not large enough for Jin Zhan to fully utilize his skills, and since leaving the gallery, Jin Zhan probably hadn’t even touched a brush.

“You should keep painting, Jin Zhan,” Lu Feiran said. “You said you prepared a lot for graduate school. The second round of interviews is not long after New Year’s Day. You can’t give up at this stage.”

Jin Zhan’s gaze fell on Lu Feiran’s left arm. He twisted the towel in his hand and paused before saying: “I thought you would be happy.”

His dark, calm eyes reflected Jin Zhan’s distressed image. Lu Feiran said: “Why would I be happy to see a brilliant young painter give up on himself? I’m not a pervert or a psychopath.”

“You are Zhai Qiance’s husband.” Jin Zhan was a little embarrassed, turning his gaze away as he spoke the sentence.

“I was.”

A silent atmosphere descended. Neither of them spoke again. There was no sound in the house, only the occasional noise of lively chatter from the neighborhood outside, adding a hint of vitality.

Jin Zhan took a cushion, sat cross-legged on the floor, covered his face with the towel, and said: “Mr. Lu, I hated you for a second.”

“The moment I learned you were Zhai Qiance’s husband,” Jin Zhan’s face showed a bitter smile, “in that instant, I was passively turned into a despicable person. Under the excuse of ‘complete ignorance,’ I hurt you. And you deliberately concealed your identity to approach me, really just wanting to see my ridiculous side. I was like a clown, performing for you.”

Lu Feiran pursed his lips, his eyes flickering.

Jin Zhan: “I even wondered if you instructed Lu Xingli to cause trouble, and whether you clapped your hands in delight after watching this vivid joke.”

“Jin Zhan… I didn’t do that.” Lu Feiran’s throat tightened. Emotions rolled in his half-closed eyes.

“Very quickly, I dismissed the thought. You wouldn’t do that.” Jin Zhan’s eyes turned red. He held back his tears for a long time, bending his head low, almost burying it between his knees. “But that made me feel even more despicable.”

The honest confession dazed Lu Feiran. Jin Zhan displayed utter self-deprecation and nervousness in front of him. The continuous self-criticism and self-negation made Lu Feiran feel very uncomfortable. He sat down on the floor next to Jin Zhan, gripping Jin Zhan’s shoulder with his right hand, feeling the trembling beneath his touch.

“You haven’t hurt anyone, Jin Zhan. In this matter, there is only one victim, and that is yourself. Your feelings were ruined by Zhai Qiance, and your future was disrupted by Zhai Qiance, but I hope you can move forward. I will help you.”

“But he wants me to go to jail for him!” Jin Zhan’s voice became sharp and distorted. “He gave me a huge breakup fee. I need that money.”

Only then did Lu Feiran learn that Jin Zhan’s mother suffered from a rare disease and had to be kept in the hospital. The women in the village didn’t buy medical insurance, so everything had to be paid out of pocket. Even with the cheapest medication, it would cost at least 600,000 yuan a year.

During his second year of university, Jin Zhan returned home for the holiday and found his mother on the verge of drinking pesticide to commit suicide.

After that, Zhai Qiance began supporting him. He clearly knew Zhai Qiance was with him because he was young and obedient. He packaged this unfair relationship into a Cinderella story himself.

Lu Feiran and Jin Zhan both knew that even if Zhai Qiance didn’t give the breakup fee, he had ways to force Jin Zhan into submission.

But the recent events had already left Zhai Qiance in turmoil. He didn’t want any more complications, so he simply paid the money to ensure maximum security.

This indicated that Lu Feiran’s investigation had leaked, and Zhai Qiance was already covering his tracks.

“Come and paint at my place, Jin Zhan. One painting is ten thousand yuan. Thirty paintings a month is three hundred thousand. You won’t lose out. Give it serious thought.”

Grabbing Jin Zhan’s constantly trembling, thin arm, Lu Feiran’s tone was incredibly firm. Although his left arm was broken, his right hand was steady, holding Jin Zhan and continuously conveying a reassuring strength.

His dark eyes were calm. Jin Zhan saw an unyielding resilience in them that would not be easily broken.

It was this pair of eyes that first attracted Jin Zhan. Even that one second when he hated Lu Feiran felt too long to him.

How could he hate Lu Feiran? Lu Feiran’s appearance was the greatest salvation for him.

Seeing Jin Zhan nod, Lu Feiran smiled, a brilliant beauty that momentarily stunned Jin Zhan.

He sent the address of his apartment, Luyuan, to Jin Zhan’s phone: “Also, do me a favor. My apartment is being renovated right now. Please help me supervise the work when you have time. Once the renovation is complete, you can move in with your luggage.”

“Move in?”

Lu Feiran looked around the small, cramped house: “Do you expect me to come here every day to have you paint? It’s more convenient to live at my place.”

“Am I painting… you?” Jin Zhan mumbled, asking softly, full of uncertainty and surprise.

How could Lu Feiran be so kind? Didn’t he care about what happened to him at all?

“Yes, you are painting me,” Lu Feiran countered. “Am I not worth painting?”

He was very confident, knowing he was full of charm. The way he slightly lifted his chin was like a proud feline, arrogant and noble, with his long, black tail almost reaching for the sky.

When leaving Jin Zhan’s house, Lu Feiran’s steps were hurried. Fortunately, Jin Zhan didn’t notice his panic.

Standing at the busy entrance of the residential area, Lu Feiran exhaled a long breath, releasing his tightly bitten lower lip.

Lu Feiran saw his own reflection in Jin Zhan.

He closed his eyes, determined to follow the path ahead. He had to meet Zhai Mingchen.

…

Zhai Mingchen was ten years older than Zhai Qiance, a refined and steady middle-aged man. Zhai Qiance bore a five-point resemblance to his elder brother, but even when he tried hard to look refined, the underlying arrogance was difficult to conceal.

Although the Zhai family was inherited by Zhai Mingchen, the Zhai family patriarch had been very partial in his early years, secretly funneling benefits to Zhai Qiance until there was almost nothing left. Zhai Mingchen inherited virtually an empty shell.

“Sister-in-law, the last time I looked for you, you were quite cold to me.”

When Zhai Mingchen smiled, the faint nasolabial folds made him look more approachable. He glanced at Lu Feiran’s arm, showing an expression of regret and sympathy.

Lu Feiran immediately stopped him: “Shut up. Don’t say anything else. I have two demands. First, try your best to save the former director of Qiong Zhu Gallery, Jin Zhan. I will accept probation at most. Second, resolve this matter within this year. I don’t want to see Zhai Qiance jumping around anymore. Agree to the conditions, and you can take this.”

A small silver USB drive, emitting a cold, inorganic light, was placed on the coffee table.

It was extremely crucial, but at this stage, it was somewhat redundant for Lu Feiran. If given to Zhai Mingchen, it could serve a greater purpose.

Zhai Mingchen took the USB drive and joked: “Of course, Zhai Qiance is the only principal offender. If you want someone else to take the blame, I won’t agree. By the way, I know a famous orthopedic doctor. Do you want him to examine your arm?”

“No need.”

“Then let’s have a meal together.” Zhai Mingchen politely extended the invitation.

His phone vibrated. Lu Feiran instinctively looked out the coffee shop window. A familiar black SUV, large and gleaming, parked at the street corner, attracting attention.

Lu Feiran didn’t reply to the message but said to Zhai Mingchen: “Do you mind joining my boyfriend?”

Zhai Mingchen chuckled twice, offered his congratulations, and prepared to leave.

Perhaps because he didn’t receive a reply from Lu Feiran, Lance got out of the car and walked towards the coffee shop.

The weather had turned cold. He wore a pure black wool coat, the unique cut emphasizing his towering physique.

The bell on the coffee shop door chimed softly, and he came face-to-face with Zhai Mingchen as he exited.

Lance was slightly taller. He narrowed his cold, green eyes and glanced at him, then walked directly to Lu Feiran’s table. Turning his back to the irrelevant person, he carefully pulled up the collar of the thin down jacket Lu Feiran was wearing, bent down, and kissed his lover’s temple.

Lu Feiran sipped his unfinished Italian Latte and said dismissively: “Why are you here? Do I only have the freedom to be out for one morning?”

“I missed you very much after being apart for just one morning,” Lance’s tone was clingy.

Lu Feiran was merciless: “I didn’t ask you to pick me up, nor did I tell you where I am. Why do you keep watching my location and monitoring me?”

“I told you, it’s very dangerous outside. At least wait until your hand is better before…”

“A hundred days for a broken bone and torn muscle. I can’t stay home for three months straight.”

“Then I will accompany you.”

His hand was taken by Lance. Lu Feiran followed Lance out.

In the late autumn, even the sunlight felt cold. Standing in the sun offered no warmth. Looking at Lance’s back, Lu Feiran suddenly felt he looked very lonely.

He had only slightly changed their mode of interaction, yet it had turned Lance into an insecure man who needed to see him nearby every day to feel safe.

Was this right?