Chapter 44

Renzi was extremely surprised, and hurried to open the door. Once the door opened, it really was Shu Jingyi standing outside. Because of the way he was standing, his legs looked very long. Renzi had a startled look on his face, “Didn’t you said you were going back?”

Shu Jingyi smiled, and his smile lines creased. “Can I go in and have a seat?”

Renzi nodded, inviting Shu Jingyi into the room, and asked him if he would like anything to drink. Shu Jingyi asked for a glass of sparkling water.

In the minibar, Renzi found Evian and Perrier, but did not find any ice. He then picked up the phone about to call for room service, asking them to send some ice over. Shu Jingyi was amused, and stopped Renzi, “You might have to pay for that.”

Renzi hesitated, “Then we’ll just pay for it?”

Shu Jingyi shook his head in resignation. From below the minibar he pulled out a drawer, and in it was packs of ice cubes ready for use. Renzi remembered previously when he wanted ice in the middle of the night, he would always call for room service, or sometimes he would ask his assistant or Gu Xiaoshan to get it for him. Each time, Gu Xiaoshan would miraculously be able to find some ice. Renzi even asked him where he got them from, only for Gu Xiaoshan to reply, “Even if I told you, you won’t remember. You should just sit there and wait for people to serve you.”

Renzi laughed, “Then, when I’m with Brother Xiaoshan, will Brother Xiaoshan serve me as well?”

Gu Xiaoshan dropped a few ice cubes in Renzi’s glass, and then put the drink in front of him, smiling, “Haven’t I always been serving you, my ancestor?”

Renzi recalled that Gu Xiaoshan would occasionally call him his “ancestor”, and his voice would have a little amusement as well as some resignation. However, they had not been on such close terms in a long time already.

It was all because he had revealed what was in his heart.

He could not help but think about what his father had reminded him at the start. If he wanted to woo Gu Xiaoshan, he had to think about it carefully, and had to be ready to accept the risk that he might lose Gu Xiaoshan as a friend.

Now, he finally understood what that meant.

He might end up losing Gu Xiaoshan, losing that Gu Xiaoshan who always seemed like he would be next to him, laugh at him, tease him, but who was always very patient with him.

Renzi stared at the floating ice in a trance. Unlike Gu Xiaoshan, although Shu Jingyi did not know Renzi for as long a period of time, but he was also getting used to Renzi’s occasional trances, and did not disturb him. Picking up his glass, Shu Jingyi gave it a swirl. The ice cubes knocked against each other, creating a tinkling sound. Renzi finally came back, but he did not realised that his discourteousness just now, and seemed to not even realised that he had fallen into a daze. He continued his conversation from before, “Didn’t you say that you’re returning to your property?”

Shu Jingyi followed along the conversation, “That’s right, but then I remembered that I had forgotten something.”

Renzi tilted his head, “What thing?”

Shu Jingyi smiled, “What else? It’s right before me now.”

“Eh?”

“This set of clothes on you, of course.” Shu Jingyi’s glass touched Renzi’s collar, brushing past gently, seeming as though it had pulled back without even touching it.

Renzi was taken aback, then remembered he was wearing other people’s clothes, and felt a little embarrassed. “I was just running about in the forest, and the clothes are stained with my sweat. How can I return them in this condition?”

Shu Jingyi continued smiling, and drank a mouthful of ice water, “This is not a big issue.”

Renzi chuckled, “No, no, no, it’s too impolite. I’ll get someone to wash them and send them to you tomorrow.”

Shu Jingyi instead said, “This is more impolite.”

“Oh?” Renzi looked at Shu Jingyi, not understanding.

“Getting others to do the work for you is the most insincere. Even if I can’t force a young master like you to wash the clothes yourself, you should at least send the clothes over yourself. Only like this, will it not be considered impolite.”

Renzi listened to him, and unconsciously nodded in agreement, “That’s right!”

Shu Jingyi then pulled out his phone, “Then let’s add each other as friends first, and I’ll send you my location.”

“Isn’t there no signal in this mountain?”

“If you switch to a local SIM card, it’ll work.” Shu Jingyi then pulled one out, and helped Renzi change the SIM card in his phone. After the switch, Renzi looked at his phone, and discovered in joy that his signal bar was full.

To people of this day and age, this signal was nearly as important as the sun and the air.

Shu Jingyi laughed at Renzi, “Then, can I call you at this number any time?”

Renzi nodded, “Sure, no problem.”

The two of them added each other’s social media account. Renzi found that Shu Jingyi’s account was empty, and not a single message had been sent on it. If not for the registration date, he would have thought that this was a brand new account.

“You don’t post anything?”

“An ‘antique’ like me, my life is too boring.”

Renzi asked in curiosity, “I keep hearing you call yourself “old” and an “antique”, but it seems to me that you’re not that old. Brother Xiaoshan also said that you’re of a similar age to him. Can I ask how old are you?”

“I’ll tell you next time. Let me keep you in suspense.” Shu Jingyi smiled, and finished up the water in his glass. Leaving only ice behind, he put down the glass. He then suddenly reached out and grabbed Renzi. Renzi got a shock, and saw Shu Jingyi’s face coming closer to his. He nearly thought that Shu Jingyi was going to kiss his cheek, but the kiss hovered in the air above him. Very quickly, Shu Jingyi retreated and said, “Ciao.”

Only then did Renzi realise that this was the foreigner’s way of saying goodbye, he slowly waved his hand, “Ciao…”

Shu Jingyi left.

Renzi seemed to be glued to the minibar. He looked at that empty glass, and watched as the ice melted. There was nothing on his mind, only that in these years, his memories of his interactions with Gu Xiaoshan seemed to also have melted like the ice. However, he was afraid that he was the only one warming up, while Gu Xiaoshan was still that piece of ice.

Renzi sent Gu Xiaoshan a message. “I know where is the ice kept in the minibar now.”

After sending it, Renzi felt a little foolish. Gu Xiaoshan would probably not understand this message! However, he did not expect that Gu Xiaoshan would know what he meant. He instantly recalled his history of providing Renzi with ice, and replied quickly, “How is that possible?”

Renzi did not expect Gu Xiaoshan to reply so quickly, and was rather delighted. But, he was also not happy about being looked down on. “It’s true.”

Then, he took a photo of the glass of ice and sent it to Gu Xiaoshan. After seeing the photo, Gu Xiaoshan said, “Not bad, you’ve improved.”

Renzi instead was a little embarrassed, and admitted, “It was Mr Shu who found it for me.”

This time, Gu Xiaoshan’ reply came even faster. “?”