IOLYF Chapter 53

Mo Ming looked into those eyes filled with anger and disappointment, and for a moment, they felt unfamiliar. Outside, snowflakes drifted gently down…

It was another winter, much like this one, when Mo Ming found himself falsely accused of wrongdoing. The kind of situation that he’d only heard about but never imagined would happen to him.

It was actually the first time he had done a good deed.

Everyone knew his family was a mess, so it was expected that he would be, too—smoking, drinking, fighting, lying just like his gambling father.

That evening, he was treated like a criminal, detained in the hospital corridor, waiting for his family to “bail” him out. He wasn’t sad or upset; he had nothing—no money, no reputation, no mother—so he could waste all the time in the world with those people. But the moment that man appeared, he couldn’t hold back his tears…

Sitting on a bench in the hallway, the man crouched in front of him, wearing a mask that only revealed a pair of gentle eyes.

—I’m here to back you up, Mo Ming. I believe in you…

In a world that’s black and white, being defended by someone is a luxury.

People are different from one another.

Just like that person and the others…

The sky had fully darkened.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city lights glittered like a cold sea of stars under the snowy night.

The corridor lights were dim, but Mo Ming felt as though he was seeing Han Shao Zhou’s face clearly for the first time. He walked up to Han Shao Zhou, his steps slightly unsteady, and gently stroked his furrowed brows.

The warm and soft touch on his brow made Han Shao Zhou’s dark eyes quiver slightly. His thin lips tightened unconsciously as he looked at Mo Ming, who was now so close, and he couldn’t help but place a hand on his waist, his voice softening, “I just want to help you resolve this. I’ve always believed that what happened was unintentional, and I won’t let anyone slander you…”

Mo Ming nodded slightly, a faint smile in his eyes. “Mm, thank you.”

He didn’t think this man was foolish. Given the wrong information he had, Han Shao Zhou had already done more than enough, and Mo Ming was very grateful.

Han Shao Zhou’s expression softened, and he spoke patiently, “I know you want me to support you unconditionally, but this isn’t a small matter. Wen Ci almost lost his life because of your mistake, yet he’s willing to help you avoid suspicion. If you can’t even apologize to him, that’s really unreasonable.”

Han Shao Zhou lowered his head and kissed the corner of Mo Ming’s lips, his voice gentle, “So, listen to me, okay? Let’s go back and apologize sincerely to Wen Ci. Just say you’re sorry…”

Even though he believed he had moved on from the past, Han Shao Zhou still felt a slight discomfort when facing Wen Ci. He didn’t want this incident to make him feel indebted to Wen Ci again, as that would only make future encounters with him more difficult.

He had long since grown accustomed to treating Mo Ming’s issues as his own.

Han Shao Zhou took Mo Ming’s hand, intending to lead him back to the hospital room, but Mo Ming gently pulled his hand away.

“I still believe that Wen Ci unfastened the safety belt himself, and I don’t want to repeat myself a third time…” Mo Ming’s voice was soft, “I don’t want to make you angry, but I really can’t do this…”

“You…”

“I’m going back to the hotel now…” Mo Ming didn’t look at Han Shao Zhou’s eyes as he turned and walked away slowly.

“Stop!”

Seeing Mo Ming’s retreating figure, Han Shao Zhou’s voice turned stern. “It’s just an apology. Why are you being so stubborn?”

Mo Ming didn’t look back, taking another step forward.

Enraged, Han Shao Zhou shouted after him, “I saw everything Wen Ci did, but you… I haven’t even confronted you about how cold-hearted you looked after he fell into the water!”

Seeing that Mo Ming continued to walk away without turning back, Han Shao Zhou yelled, “If you take another step, don’t expect to see me again!”

Mo Ming suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned around.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the neon lights of distant skyscrapers cast a cold, misty glow over Mo Ming’s calm face.

Looking at Mo Ming, Han Shao Zhou was suddenly reminded of that night in the restaurant, when Mo Ming had turned to look at him with that indifferent gaze.

He had thought it was jealousy at the time, but now he realized it wasn’t that at all.

Because there was no anger, no frustration, no sadness… just a calmness, as if he were glancing at nothing more significant than air.

Out of nowhere, an even stronger wave of frustration and anger than he’d felt that night surged in Han Shao Zhou’s chest, like a silent but ruthless form of emotional torture.

Damn it! That look again!

Again!

A sudden rush of uncontrollable heat surged to his head, and Han Shao Zhou looked around, desperate to find something to release his fury. Finding nothing, he kicked the wall in frustration.

Without another word, Han Shao Zhou stormed off, a cloud of anger still hanging over him.

Mo Ming stood there for a moment before turning and leaving as well.

Not long after returning to the hotel, Mo Ming received a message from Han Shao Zhou.

[z ge]: I’m giving you one night to reflect on this.
[z ge]: Come to the hotel where I’m staying right after you finish recording tomorrow.

The next day’s recording lasted only half the morning.

Wen Ci was absent due to his foot injury, so the program adjusted the original script. The recording went smoothly with just eight participants.

A few people hurriedly left T City for their next engagements, so the planned group dinner ended up being just four or five people. Despite the smaller group, everyone was in high spirits, and Mo Ming felt particularly relaxed.

Once this job was over, he could finally leave this industry behind.

There wasn’t much left for him to miss…

Midway through the meal, Mo Ming received a message from Gao Chen.

[Gao Chen]: I’ve received the photo album. Do you still want it?
[Gao Chen]: [Image]

It was a photo of the album, about two fingers thick, with an old, dark gold cover that seemed to have aged over time.

Mo Ming’s heart skipped a beat. He knew whose album it was, and he quickly replied.

[Mo Ming]: When is the earliest you can meet?
[Gao Chen]: I’m free all day today.

Mo Ming immediately booked the earliest flight back to Chuanhai that afternoon.

It felt like he was rushing to a long-awaited reunion, and suddenly, everything else was pushed to the back of his mind.

.

It seemed Chuanhai wasn’t quite in the grips of winter yet…

The soft glow of the evening sun bathed the bustling city in a gentle warmth.

Mo Ming took a cab to the entrance of the community where he and Han Shao Zhou had lived together. He had arranged to meet Gao Chen at a pet shop nearby.

From a distance, Mo Ming saw Gao Chen waiting for him.

The pet shop was busy with customers, so Gao Chen wasn’t waiting inside. He stood by the flowerbed in front of the shop, holding a white bag, his expression cool and detached until he saw Mo Ming approach.

“Sorry, traffic was heavy during rush hour.” Mo Ming said as he walked up, his eyes quickly moving from Gao Chen’s face to the bag in his hand.

Gao Chen didn’t waste any time with small talk. He handed the bag over to Mo Ming.

Mo Ming took it, glancing at the album inside before tightening his grip on the bag. He looked up and said sincerely, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Gao Chen replied, knowing that at this moment, Mo Ming had no interest in anything other than the album. He swallowed the words he had been about to say and let them go, as he always did.

Mo Ming returned to the nearby apartment. Though he hadn’t moved back in after reconciling with Han Shao Zhou, the door code hadn’t changed.

Sitting on the sofa, Mo Ming closed his eyes and took a deep breath before carefully opening the album.

The photos inside weren’t organized in any particular order. There were solo shots of Zhou Xu holding a trophy, group photos from dinners with friends, and pictures taken at home—meals of four or five home-cooked dishes, or the lush plants growing on the balcony. Some pages were missing a photo or two, but it didn’t detract from the overall experience.

Most of the photos radiated a warm, vibrant energy. Through these pictures, Mo Ming could glimpse into Zhou Xu’s life.

There were even a few photos that Mo Ming himself had taken, like the one of the meal—the first time he had dinner at Zhou Xu’s apartment, with Zhou Xu cooking. Or the one where Zhou Xu stood with his back to the fireworks, smiling at the camera.

That day had been Zhou Xu’s birthday, coinciding with a small fireworks festival in Chuanhai. They had watched the fireworks together by the riverside square…

Those moments, those memories…

Mo Ming’s fingers gently brushed over Zhou Xu’s face in the photo, his handsome and deep-set features like a sea of warmth.

Before he realized it, his eyes had grown moist as he smiled…

Those beautiful moments he cherished had also been deeply remembered by the person he loved.

As he flipped through this small slice of Zhou Xu’s life, it felt like he was seeing Zhou Xu again—a clean and warm figure that filled the void left by not getting a final goodbye.

Eventually, Mo Ming found a picture of himself in the album, sitting in front of a candlelit cake with his hands covering his face. But he knew it was him.

Mo Ming carefully took the photo out and held it in his hand.

It was his eighteenth birthday, his first in Chuanhai after getting into C University. Zhou Xu had celebrated it with him.

Aside from studying hard to get into C University, his life had been haphazard and careless. He wasn’t used to such formal birthday rituals and had felt so embarrassed when Zhou Xu had asked him to close his eyes and make a wish that he covered his entire face.

He had blushed back then, with Zhou Xu’s gentle eyes piercing straight through his heart under the warm glow of the candles…

Mo Ming smiled through his tears. He was lucky to have experienced something so beautiful it almost didn’t seem real.

As he prepared to put the photo back in the album, Mo Ming noticed something written on the back.

It was Zhou Xu’s handwriting, neatly inscribed with a black marker in two lines.

[May the adult Mr. Mo, forever steer clear of carelessness and neglect…]

Forever steer clear…

.

The phone on the coffee table had been ringing nonstop, but Mo Ming, standing on the balcony, seemed not to hear it. He gazed absently at the night view.

Back then, he had thrown himself headlong toward that figure, quitting smoking, studying hard, getting into C University, and transforming from a delinquent into someone his crush could be proud of. He had accomplished what he considered the greatest feat of his life, but when that figure disappeared, he thought everything had lost its meaning.

But it hadn’t…

His life had already been imbued with meaning by Zhou Xu. His life had irrevocably changed the year he met Zhou Xu, bidding farewell to carelessness and neglect.

He had always known this but had occasionally chosen not to live with such clarity.

The night wind was chilly.

It was a long night, but also a gentle one.

Mo Ming lay on the bed, flipping through the album again and again all night. There was no pain, no tears, just a sense of warmth as if he were wading through a stream of pleasant memories, reliving the years he had spent with Zhou Xu…

At dawn, Mo Ming fell asleep on top of the album.

He dreamt of the first time he met Zhou Xu, who had been wearing a black turtleneck sweater under a long camel coat—warm and gentlemanly…

Mo Ming was awakened by the sound of his phone ringing.

He reached for it and pressed it to his ear, hearing Han Shao Zhou’s voice, cold as ice, on the other end: “Where are you?”

Mo Ming rubbed his sleepy eyes and answered truthfully.

Han Shao Zhou immediately hung up.

Glancing at the time on his phone, Mo Ming realized it was already ten in the morning.

It was another sunny day, and as Mo Ming looked out the window, he thought vaguely, “I should be able to pick up Xiao Han today.”

He could also go to the theater and report to his teacher.

By the time Han Shao Zhou arrived, Mo Ming was in the bathroom brushing his teeth. He stood in the doorway, watching Mo Ming with toothpaste foam still in his mouth, clearly having just woken up. His eyes were filled with frustration.

He hadn’t slept well all night and had rushed over as soon as he got off the plane, only to find this idiot had slept soundly!

Mo Ming quickly finished getting ready and went to the living room to face Han Shao Zhou’s scolding.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back? And why didn’t you answer your phone last night?”

Han Shao Zhou had to muster all his self-control to keep from losing his temper completely. His eyes were bloodshot from the anger that had built up over the past two days.

The whole way back, he had been thinking about how he would teach Mo Ming a harsh lesson this time.

He had the nerve to leave without a word and then ignore his calls—how could he dare to act like this!

“…I’m sorry.” Mo Ming said sincerely.

He didn’t want to make this man angry. He had genuinely tried to be the kind of lover this man had asked him to be when they first got together…

“Sorry, my ass!” The pent-up anger finally burst out. Looking at the man in front of him, Han Shao Zhou felt his head buzzing. “Have I been too nice to you? Now you think you can give me attitude? Would apologizing to Wen Ci really kill you? And if you’re so stubborn, why come back to this apartment? Didn’t you move out already?”

“I’m sorry…” Mo Ming looked down at the floor, speaking softly. “You can scold me until you feel better.”

Once this man had calmed down, they could have a proper conversation.

“Feel better? Even if you went and kneeled to Wen Ci right now, I wouldn’t feel better!”

“….”

Mo Ming glanced at Han Shao Zhou, his gaze lingering for a couple of seconds before lowering to the ground again.

Han Shao Zhou: “…”

Damn it!

That look again!

Again!

It was like punching cotton, only to have the force rebound a thousandfold. Han Shao Zhou’s face turned dark with rage, his hands trembling with barely contained frustration.

It seemed he could no longer shake this guy’s emotions with a simple reprimand…

Mo Ming noticed Han Shao Zhou had been silent for a long time. When he looked up, he saw the man staring at him with a dark expression, no longer as furious as before.

“Are you… feeling better?”

Mo Ming asked softly. “If you’re calmer, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”

Han Shao Zhou closed his eyes heavily and exhaled almost imperceptibly before saying, “I also have something to tell you.”

Mo Ming was momentarily surprised but quickly nodded in agreement.

“Go ahead.”

Han Shao Zhou stuffed one hand into his pocket, lifting his chin slightly, and said coolly, “Your behavior over the past two days has been disappointing, and I don’t have the patience to keep correcting you. Do whatever you want.”

Mo Ming looked at him. “You mean…”

“I mean we’re done.”

Han Shao Zhou continued, his hand slipping into his pants pocket, his expression indifferent. “Mo Ming, let’s break up.”

This time, he wasn’t going to forgive Mo Ming as easily as he had the last two times. He wouldn’t allow Mo Ming to continue believing that no matter what he did wrong, Han Shao Zhou would always forgive him, or that even if they broke up, they could get back together.

He hadn’t been firm enough the last two times. No matter how pitiful Mo Ming tried to act this time, he wouldn’t soften so quickly.

Otherwise, after they got married, would he even have a say in their home?

The air grew quiet.

Mo Ming stared at Han Shao Zhou, looking slightly dazed.

Han Shao Zhou shoved his other hand into his pocket, his brows lifting slightly with a hint of satisfaction. Seeing the unusual look in Mo Ming’s eyes, he added coldly, “Didn’t hear me? I’ll say it again—we’re breaking up.”

Suddenly, Mo Ming’s eyes curved into a smile.

It was close to noon, and a large patch of golden sunlight streamed into the living room from the balcony, giving even the dust particles in the air a light, radiant hue.

Mo Ming smiled and said softly, “Okay.”