GTGY Chapter 2.2

The woman chuckled, “I’ve lived next door to him for two years and tried flaunting myself in front of him, but he treated me like air. Some of my friends didn’t believe it, so they’d hang around his Maybach hoping for a chance, but not one of them even got his WeChat. Only one woman ever managed to get inside his place, and she was pretty, but compared to you… well, let’s just say she wasn’t quite on your level. She’s the only woman I’ve ever seen him let into his apartment.”

The young woman seemed to enjoy chatting, probably having seen her fair share of women knocking on Zeng Yu’s door. Jiang Nan, eager for more details about Zeng Yu’s life over the past few years, decided to befriend her. “I’m an old classmate of Zeng Yu’s, just got back from abroad. I care a lot about him. How about I treat you to lunch, and we can chat more?”

“You’re dressed head to toe in designer clothes, so you’re clearly not like those lovesick girls.” The neighbor teased, flashing a smile.

“When I was younger, I let a lot of opportunities slip by,” Jiang Nan sighed, a touch of regret in her voice.

The woman nodded knowingly. “I get it. Alright, come on in. I’ll tell you everything I know.”

Seeing shared bicycles parked at the entrance of the neighborhood, Zeng Yu couldn’t help but marvel at how quickly the city was changing. He scanned the QR code, unlocked one, and leisurely pedaled through the streets of the small city where he was born and raised.

Cycling around in the middle of summer wasn’t exactly a great idea. After just half an hour, Zeng Yu was drenched in sweat. But he didn’t care. The physical discomfort was nothing compared to the emotional strain he was under. Giving up the woman he loved the most for the sake of his pride—it wasn’t a question of whether this was the right choice or not. The choice itself had brought him pain. Yet even so, Zeng Yu wasn’t planning to change his decision. Even if it was a mistake, he was prepared to stick with it.

By the time he was soaked in sweat, Zeng Yu finally ended his ride.

He returned the bike at the neighborhood entrance, where the seat was damp from his sweat. The long-forgotten sensation of exhaustion washed over him, briefly clearing away the cloud of worry hanging over him.

On his way back, Zeng Yu spotted Wang Zheng sitting by the roadside, smoking a cigarette. He was surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“I got here last night. Stayed at a hotel, then came over this morning. But I couldn’t figure out which apartment was yours, so I’ve been sitting here, hoping to run into you,” Wang Zheng explained.

Zeng Yu raised an eyebrow. “Did your IQ drop? You know you could’ve just called me, right?”

Wang Zheng shot back, “Do you think I’m stupid? If I’d called you, you would’ve bolted the moment you found out I was here. Do I look that dumb to you?”

Zeng Yu sighed. “Why would I run if I answered your call?”

Wang Zheng glared at him. “Stop playing dumb. You didn’t tell me Jiang Nan came back, did you? When Yezi and I were sorting out our relationship, I didn’t hide anything from you. And if I’d mentioned Jiang Nan in that phone call, would you have stayed put? You’re stubborn as a mule. Even if I tried to talk to you, you’d just run off.”

Zeng Yu thought about it for a moment. Wang Zheng had a point. If Wang Zheng had tried to convince him to reconcile with Jiang Nan, Zeng Yu would’ve avoided him altogether. Even though he knew this, Zeng Yu wasn’t about to admit defeat. “Nonsense. I just don’t want to talk about her. What’s that got to do with you?”

Wang Zheng pointed at Zeng Yu’s sweat-soaked clothes. “Look at yourself. Why put yourself through this?”

“I don’t have time for this. I’m going home to shower,” Zeng Yu said, heading toward the door.

“Wait, I brought two bottles of good wine,” Wang Zheng called, opening the trunk of his car.

Zeng Yu stopped in his tracks. “What kind of wine?”

“Remember the Romanee-Conti you pushed me to buy last time? You said it would appreciate in value,” Wang Zheng replied, pulling out the wine.

Zeng Yu glanced at the bottle and said, “You bought it for over eighty thousand back then. Now, a bottle of that vintage is worth more than a hundred thousand.”

“Whatever. I’m not a big wine drinker anyway. Oh, and I brought some gifts for your dad,” Wang Zheng said, handing the wine to Zeng Yu and pulling out two cartons of cigarettes and two bottles of liquor.

Zeng Yu looked at Wang Zheng, frowning. “What’s with this? Are you showing off your wealth?”

Wang Zheng retorted, “Can you stop acting like that? Isn’t it obvious these are gifts for your parents? It’s none of your business what I bring.” He grabbed a set of skincare products from the car. “Come on, lead the way. What are you standing there for?”

As they walked, Wang Zheng complained, “You keep bottling everything up. Do you even consider me a brother anymore?”

Zeng Yu stayed silent, his face expressionless as they made their way upstairs. Deep down, a warm feeling stirred in his chest.

When they arrived, Fu Yu looked up and immediately scolded, “Where have you been? How did you end up looking like that?”

“Nowhere special. Just went for a bike ride,” Zeng Yu brushed off her concern.

Wang Zheng stepped forward with a grin. “Hi, Auntie! I’m Wang Zheng, Zeng Yu’s friend. I came by to see you and Uncle.” He made his way inside with a big smile.

Fu Yu glanced at the expensive gifts Wang Zheng was carrying and quickly said, “Oh, you shouldn’t have! You’re here as a guest. There’s no need to bring such expensive things.”

Zeng Yu, seeing them exchange pleasantries, said, “Mom, he’s rich. Just take the stuff. I’m going to shower. Don’t mind him. Let him entertain himself.”

By the time Zeng Yu finished his shower and came back, Wang Zheng and Fu Yu were already deep in conversation. Wang Zheng, who had plenty of experience dealing with people from all walks of life, had quickly won over Fu Yu with his charm.

Zeng Yu walked over and sat down. “Mom, you can get back to whatever you were doing. Don’t waste your time chatting with him.”

Fu Yu playfully smacked him. “What kind of attitude is that? Wang is our guest.”

Wang Zheng handed Zeng Yu a cigarette. “What’s going on with Jiang Nan?”

Zeng Yu glanced toward the kitchen and lowered his voice. “Don’t let my parents find out. Otherwise, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Sigh, she’s been gone for years with no word. If it were me, I wouldn’t have held out either,” Wang Zheng muttered, shaking his head. He was the kind of friend who always supported Zeng Yu, no matter the situation.

“Where did you hear this from?” Zeng Yu asked.

Wang Zheng smirked. “My wife called Yuan Lei. When I called her last night to check in, she told me. She also said you should give Jiang Nan a chance to explain herself.”

Zeng Yu shook his head. “If she hadn’t completely cut off contact for these past few years, even if she stayed abroad for a few extra months, I wouldn’t have made this decision.”

Wang Zheng sighed, shaking his head. “Yeah, disappearing for so long and then suddenly reappearing. That’s not how you treat someone.”

“Let’s not talk about it. I’m planning to stay home for a few days, then go abroad to clear my mind,” Zeng Yu changed the subject.

Wang Zheng nodded. “Traveling sounds like a good idea. Broaden your horizons a bit.”

“Yeah, I’m thinking of heading to France,” Zeng Yu said, revealing his destination. Wang Zheng frowned. “France? Be careful, the crime rate there isn’t low. But now that you mention it, I’m tempted. Maybe I’ll talk to Yezi and see if we can leave the kid with her mom and take a trip to Europe.”

Zeng Yu chuckled. “I’m not going for a vacation. I’m planning to visit some wineries. It’s part of a business trip I had planned. Louis has already helped me set everything up. Since I’m in the wine business now, it makes sense to learn more. Besides, it’s a chance to relax while picking up more knowledge about wine.”

“Wait, are you really not going to…” Wang Zheng started, but Zeng Yu’s sharp look cut him off.

Just then, Fu Yu came out with some dishes and grumbled, “Your father called to say he’s busy and will be eating at the office today. He acts like his little job is such a big deal. His son comes home, and he can’t even take a break from work.”

Zeng Yu smiled but didn’t respond. He turned to Wang Zheng and said, “Let’s skip the wine today. It needs time to breathe. We’ll just have some beer. That’s one downside of small cities—there’s not even a decent restaurant for wine.”

Wang Zheng scoffed. “You’re just being fussy. It’s just drinking. Does it have to be so complicated?”

Zeng Yu shook his head with a bitter smile. “I’m not trying to waste good wine. We’ll find the right time and place for it. When it comes to drinking, there are rules. If I wasn’t in this business, I wouldn’t have learned these things. But here’s the deal: some restaurants carefully plan which wines to pair with their dishes. If you go to a restaurant and randomly order a wine that doesn’t pair well, like getting red wine with a dish meant for white wine, the staff might not say anything, but they’ll be disappointed. It’s all about appreciating the chef’s intentions. That’s why finding someone who understands is so rare.”

Wang Zheng was at a loss for words. After a moment, he said, “You’ve changed a lot these past few years.”

Zeng Yu nodded. “People change. At different stages in life, we all have to make certain adjustments. But at the core, some things don’t change and shouldn’t.”

“Life’s all about chasing fame and fortune. But if that’s all there is, it’s exhausting. You’re my brother, and I think you’re being a bit reckless right now. But everyone’s allowed to be reckless at least once in their life. So if you want to give up Jiang Yu Company, do it. Follow your heart and let yourself be a little reckless.” Wang Zheng nodded thoughtfully.

Zeng Yu raised an eyebrow, surprised. “When did you turn into a philosopher?”

“Heh, I’ve always been one. I just never showed it,” Wang Zheng boasted, raising his glass. “Come on, cheers! To being reckless!”

Zeng Yu lifted his glass too. “No, I’m drinking to being reckless. You’re drinking to being shameless.”

Wang Zheng laughed heartily. “Shameless it is, then. Cheers!”

The two of them spent over two hours at lunch, finishing an entire case of beer before finally calling it a day. They helped each other stumble back to Zeng Yu’s room, where they collapsed on the bed and passed out.

When Zhanhao got home, it was Fu Yu who opened the door. She greeted him in a hushed tone, “Old Zeng, something seems off with Zeng Yu this time. And we’ve got a guest, too. He’s from around here. They drank a whole case of beer at lunch and are still sleeping.”

Zhanhao nodded. “Yeah, something’s up. But what can we do? He’s a grown man. If he’s going through something, he’s not going to come home and cry to his parents. He’ll figure it out. We just need to leave him be so he can focus.”

“That’s true. Us worrying doesn’t help anyone. We’d only make things worse,” Fu Yu agreed.

Wang Zheng wasn’t the type to meddle. When he woke up and saw Zeng Yu still asleep, he got up quietly, freshened up in the bathroom, said his goodbyes to Zhanhao and Fu Yu, and left.

When Zeng Yu woke up and found out Wang Zheng had already left, he didn’t say much.