Found Him! My 'Glass-Hearted' Ex is a Pop-Up Star - Chapter 5

Ying Ruo did not expect to run into Duan Zhuyan here again. London felt quite small sometimes. He swallowed hard and answered obediently, “I am working here.”

Duan Zhuyan’s brow furrowed even tighter. Working, it was always working. How many jobs did this guy have? He had not seen him take on so many part-time positions before. Yesterday he was at some messy bar, and now he was here, smiling so cutely for everyone to see.

Duan Zhuyan felt displeased and said in a fierce, cold tone, “I want to order.”

“Oh, right,” Ying Ruo said. He quickly shifted back into professional mode and asked politely, “What would you like to order, sir?”

Duan Zhuyan looked at the fancy, complicated milk tea names and had no idea which ones were good or what flavors his friends wanted. If he went back to ask them now, it would be too much trouble. Returning to the counter after asking would make it look like he was desperate for Ying Ruo to serve him.

He simply pointed at the menu and said, “I want all of these.”

Ying Ruo asked, “One of each?”

“Is there a problem?” Duan Zhuyan raised an eyebrow and said coldly, “I am paying by card.”

Ying Ruo did not dare to ask further. Perhaps rich young men in the United Kingdom drank milk tea like water. He quickly placed the order for his big customer. “All right, that is thirteen cups in total. That will be 95.70 pounds.”

Duan Zhuyan opened his phone to pay, but his eyes never left Ying Ruo. The youth was wearing the milk tea shop uniform. The shirt collar was fastened tightly, but the fabric was thin and of poor quality, almost revealing his slender waist. His small, clean face was lowered, and his long lashes trembled with every blink.

Duan Zhuyan wondered how he looked even thinner. This guy clearly did not know how to take care of himself. He was as delicate as a figurine and so light that it would take no effort to lift him. He could not even look after his own health, yet he was out here working like this. Was he trying to become some kind of ascetic? Was he really that desperate for money?

Duan Zhuyan wondered if Ying Ruo was facing some major hardship. His state of mind had been wrong lately, and he had even lost his memory. Could he even survive in a completely strange place? Then he caught himself. He thought, Why am I thinking about this? They had already broken up. Whether his ex-boyfriend lived well or not had nothing to do with him.

Ying Ruo noticed Duan Zhuyan staring at him with a rapidly changing expression that grew darker by the second. Ying Ruo wondered if he had offended him again. He bit his lip and rubbed his fingers together anxiously. He asked tentatively, “Sir, do you need anything else?”

Duan Zhuyan realized he had been staring for too long. He looked down and touched his neck, returning to his expressionless facade. He felt irritated. He wondered why Ying Ruo had to look so good when he spoke. He asked himself if Ying Ruo was acting pitiful on purpose to seduce him. They were broken up, and he refused to fall for it.

Ying Ruo said, “This might take a while. You can sit down and rest. I will call you when it is ready.”

Duan Zhuyan seemed to imagine a whole drama in his head. He turned to glance at Ying Ruo, his voice icy. “Do not play tricks on me.”

Ying Ruo was confused. He wondered what the man was even talking about.

Duan Zhuyan gave him a few more looks before walking away sullenly. Ying Ruo truly could not understand this guy. Was he upset about the breakup? It seemed best to avoid him as much as possible.

At that moment, Bai Fangqi leaned in. “Hey, do you know Duan Zhuyan?”

Ying Ruo scratched his cheek. “Ah, sort of.”

“Holy crap, you actually know him? That is the first time I have seen him in person. He is so damn handsome,” Bai Fangqi said excitedly. “That face, that body, that waist. He is top-tier.”

Ying Ruo asked, “Is he very famous?”

“Are you kidding? Shortly after he started school, he went straight into a PhD program because of a global gold-medal project in neural engineering and brain-computer interfaces. The video of his roadshow went viral,” Bai Fangqi explained. “Plus, his family is incredibly rich. They own several private hospitals in London and have donated a lot to the school. He is a genuine young master.”

Ying Ruo was shocked. He had assumed Duan Zhuyan was just a school delinquent whom no one dared to cross, but he turned out to be a genius.

“But I heard he has a terrible temper and rarely gets close to anyone. He is arrogant and ignores most people,” Bai Fangqi nudged Ying Ruo. “So, how do you know him? High school friends? University classmates?”

Ying Ruo replied, “He is my ex-boyfriend.”

“Oh, so he is your ex,” Bai Fangqi stopped mid-sentence. After a few seconds of processing, he nearly jumped. “He is your what?”

Ying Ruo was startled. Bai Fangqi grabbed his hand and leaned in close. “You said you are Duan Zhuyan’s boyfriend? You were dating him?”

“Ex-boyfriend,” Ying Ruo corrected, stepping back. “We have already broken up.”

“Oh my god. There were rumors that Duan Zhuyan was seeing someone,” Bai Fangqi said in disbelief. “But they said he rejects people so ruthlessly that no one dares to approach him. He is totally unapproachable. Wait, how did you even end up dating him?”

Ying Ruo wanted to know the answer to that too. From any perspective, he did not seem like someone who would date Duan Zhuyan. Since he had amnesia, he had no idea how it started or what the relationship was even like.

Bai Fangqi continued to gossip. “So, is he a good partner? His body looks amazing and he is incredibly athletic. Every club at the university wants him. Hey, does that mean he is great in bed too?”

Ying Ruo had no idea about any of that. Explaining the amnesia would be too complicated, so he just said vaguely, “We just broke up, anyway.”

“What a waste,” Bai Fangqi said with regret. “If it were me, I would wake up in the middle of the night crying with regret.”

Ying Ruo smiled but said nothing. He did not feel regretful, but he got the feeling that Duan Zhuyan regretted letting him go.

“What are you two chatting about so happily?”

The low male voice came from behind them, making a chill run down Ying Ruo’s spine. He turned around to find Duan Zhuyan standing at the counter again. The man had his arms crossed, his cold expression making him look even more intimidating. He glanced at Bai Fangqi, his eyes filled with a dark, cold intensity. “Is the milk tea ready?”

Bai Fangqi was instantly silenced. He felt as if the man’s gaze was a blade. He quickly shut up and went back to shaking the tea.

Once Bai Fangqi was gone, Duan Zhuyan looked at Ying Ruo again. Even though the question had been directed at both of them, Ying Ruo answered, “Only a few cups are left. Should I pack these for you now, or will you drink them here?”

Duan Zhuyan acted aloof and said, “Pack them.”

Ying Ruo went to get the bags. “All right, I will pack them up for you.”

Duan Zhuyan stood there watching him work. Suddenly, he asked, “Are you sleepy?”

Ying Ruo immediately worked faster. “No, no, I will be quick.”

Duan Zhuyan, who had simply wanted to know if Ying Ruo was tired from working through lunch, remained silent.

Bai Fangqi finished the remaining drinks, and Ying Ruo packed everything together. “The milk tea is all ready.”

“Mm,” Duan Zhuyan grunted. He picked up the bags and started to leave.

Ying Ruo noticed he had left one bag behind. “Wait, you forgot a bag.”

“Wait?” Duan Zhuyan looked at him with a cold face. “Do I not have a name?”

He seemed too annoyed to deal with it. He looked at the bag, then back at Ying Ruo. “I bought too many. I do not want it.”

Ying Ruo hesitated, then reached for the bag. “Oh, okay. I will go throw it.”

Before he could finish, a large hand pressed down on the bag, stopping him. The man leaned in, his hand covering Ying Ruo’s. His palm was large and warm with visible veins. Ying Ruo could see the row of ear piercings up close.

Duan Zhuyan gritted his teeth and whispered, “What would happen if you just kept it for yourself to drink?”

Ying Ruo blinked.

Duan Zhuyan realized he was overreacting. He quickly pulled his hand back, stood up straight, and cleared his throat. “I do not want to give it to you. I just think it is a waste to throw it away.”

Ying Ruo thought, He actually wants me to have it. Even though he found the man strange, he knew this was a milk tea worth a lot of money. He looked at Duan Zhuyan with a sweet smile. “Thank you, Duan Zhuyan. You are a good person.”

Duan Zhuyan froze for a few seconds. He tightened his lips and spoke awkwardly. “I am warning you, I do not fall for that. This is the last time. Do not let me see you again.”

Ying Ruo was puzzled. The man turned and walked away before he could say anything else. Ying Ruo wondered if he had said something wrong again. Duan Zhuyan’s temper was truly unpredictable. He seemed so angry that he truly never wanted to see him again.

Ying Ruo figured that was fine. He was busy working, reading literature, and writing papers. Their lives were unlikely to cross paths again.

When his shift ended, Ying Ruo changed and headed home. It was nearly winter, so it was already dark and raining in London. It was a cold, misty rain that made everything feel damp. Since he did not have an umbrella, he just pulled up his hoodie.

He had only eaten some nearly expired bread and the milk tea Duan Zhuyan gave him. The cold made his stomach feel empty and uncomfortable. He needed to eat. Eating out was too expensive, and he did not know how to cook yet, but he figured he would learn.

To avoid ending up in the hospital again, he decided to buy a meal deal from a nearby supermarket. He huddled in his hoodie, shivering from the cold. He used his phone to check the way home, but after taking only two steps, he walked straight into someone.

He expected it to hurt, but the person felt firm yet warm. A faint woody scent like fir trees in the rain hit his nose. Ying Ruo realized his face was buried in the man’s chest. He panicked and stepped back, but his hood was pulled down by the other person.

His vision cleared, and he saw a perfect chest silhouetted by a black turtleneck. Then he heard the voice he thought he would never hear again, laced with irritation.

“Did I not say this was the last time?”

Ying Ruo looked up and met Duan Zhuyan’s cold, handsome face.