Mr. Lu Was Devastated After I Left - Chapter 2

Xu Zhuoyang opened the door and entered the apartment quietly. He scanned the living room but did not see anyone. However, near the wine rack, he noticed an uncorked bottle of red wine, a stemmed glass, and an ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts.

Had he been waiting for him for a long time?

He smiled softly, walked to the kitchen, and placed the ingredients he had prepared into the refrigerator one by one. After finishing, he intended to wash up, but as he passed the dining table, he instinctively ran his fingers over the surface, only to find a thin layer of dust coating his fingertips.

He stared at the dust for a long moment, then gave a disdainful click of his tongue. “Why am I acting like a paranoid woman? He is busy all day. He has no time to cook for himself.”

He clapped his hands, took off his heavy winter coat, grabbed his bathrobe, and headed into the bathroom.

Lying in the bathtub, his mind raced with countless thoughts.

Despite what he told himself, he could not help but be suspicious. Had Lu Beiye really been living at home properly during the half month he was away?

He looked at his reflection in the mirror and almost failed to recognize himself. He was an actor and a public figure. He looked polished and glamorous on screen, but behind the scenes, once the exquisite makeup was removed, he looked haggard, his eyes bloodshot.

Five years had passed, and he was deeply aware of the status gap between himself and Lu Beiye. Over these five years, he had climbed from an extra to a top tier celebrity. Heaven knew how much he had sacrificed. Yet, despite all this, he still felt a massive chasm between them.

He turned off the lights and returned to the bedroom. Seeing the man lying on the bed already asleep, the restlessness he had been feeling suddenly vanished. He walked slowly to the bedside and, guided by the warm glow of the night light, scrutinized the man’s face. After a long moment, he gave a bitter laugh. “How did we end up like this?”

When the alarm went off, Lu Beiye slowly opened his eyes. He reached out to the spot beside him out of habit. The faint lingering warmth stunned him for a moment. He looked over, and the wrinkles on the bedsheets reminded him that Xu Zhuoyang had returned.

He walked out of the bedroom expressionless. Sure enough, he saw that familiar, busy figure in the kitchen.

Xu Zhuoyang had just finished preparing breakfast when he heard the door open. He laid out the delicate refreshments one by one, then looked up and smiled at Lu Beiye. “Brother, come over and eat.”

This was a habit Xu Zhuoyang had developed over the past five years. As long as he was home, Lu Beiye would see hot food the moment he opened his eyes. However, Xu Zhuoyang had become increasingly busy over the last two years, and the two saw each other less and less, let alone having breakfast together.

Lu Beiye sat at the dining table, drinking his porridge, and asked casually, “Are you busy in the next few days?”

“I should have a few days off. The previous drama has wrapped up, and there are no arrangements for now.”

Xu Zhuoyang caught a glimpse of what seemed to be a flash of disappointment in Lu Beiye’s eyes.

Disappointment?

Xu Zhuoyang frowned but said nothing. He went back to the bedroom to tidy up as usual. As he entered, he saw the phone Lu Beiye had left on the nightstand to charge light up. Curious, he walked over. The lock screen displayed an unread message from Assistant Yan. Just as he was about to look closer, a hand reached from behind him and snatched the phone away.

Lu Beiye looked displeased. “Ayang, you are interested in my phone?”

Xu Zhuoyang felt his heart sink at the expression on Lu Beiye’s face and hurriedly explained, “No, not at all. I was just wondering why the phone lit up. I thought perhaps someone had called, and I wanted to see so I could tell you.”

“Ayang is so thoughtful.”

Lu Beiye gave a faint smile. It was impossible to tell if he believed him or not, but he put the phone away and took down a black suit jacket hanging nearby, putting it on himself. Xu Zhuoyang gave a flattering smile and rushed to pick up a necktie to help him tie it.

Lu Beiye was a head taller than him, so Xu Zhuoyang had to lean in close to tie it. The two were almost pressed against each other when a faint scent of perfume drifted into his nose. This fragrance chilled Xu Zhuoyang’s heart. He tentatively asked, “Brother, did you change your perfume recently?”

Lu Beiye raised his sleeve and sniffed it. “I did not. I have had a lot of social engagements lately, so it is not strange to pick up other scents. Why?”

Xu Zhuoyang smiled, his eyes devoid of anger, but his hands suddenly tightened, yanking the tie downward so that Lu Beiye had to bend over to meet his gaze. He whispered, “It is nothing. It is just that the scent of this perfume is rather cheap. It smells like something a gigolo would wear. I wonder who you have been socializing with lately to pick up such a scent on your collar?”

“Are you suspecting me?” Lu Beiye did not move. A nonchalant smile played on his lips, but his eyes were sharp, as if he wanted to see right through the man in front of him.

“Lu Beiye, you can stop loving me, but you cannot betray me!”

Xu Zhuoyang’s eyes turned red, and tears welled up in his eyes. He felt as if his chest were being crushed, making it hard to breathe. All his suppressed grievances erupted in this single moment.

His former lover had become increasingly indifferent toward him. He had not even come home during the half month Xu Zhuoyang was away working, and his collar was now stained with a strange scent. Furthermore, though he had not read the full text of the message he had just seen, he had caught the beginning:

Assistant Yan: Mr. Mu has just returned to the country, and the apartment has already been prepared.

What kind of person required him to arrange an apartment for them the moment they returned to the country?

Every sign pointed to the fact that the man before him had grown tired of their five year relationship. Lu Beiye’s current, detached attitude was far more painful than if he had simply gotten into a physical fight with him.

What a disloyal, heartless wretch!