Chapter Five

Upon hearing the faint sound of the anti-theft door closing, Li Zekun returned to his bedroom and stared at the stack of cash beside his bed for a moment, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Although he didn't actually dislike the child who had just left, Li Zekun couldn't help but feel that every inch of the child was reminiscent of Cheng Xia. He found it impossible to look away, and it was mentally exhausting.

It took him four years to not feel like his heart was being twisted by a knife at the mere thought of Cheng Xia. But he couldn't resist the fact that someone reminded him every day that Cheng Xia would not come back. A substitute like this is just a case of drinking poison to quench one's thirst.

Li Zekun spent a day cleaning up the room himself, with great attention to detail and care. He carefully blew and wiped clean the vase on the dusty dining table. Every inch of this room was a memory of Li Zekun's past.

When he first got together with Cheng Xia, he was in his early twenties and was unruly, childish, and ignorant. Now in his thirties, even though the days were passing as if being chased, he still couldn't forget even the slightest memory of Cheng Xia. He remembered his love for lemon-scented bath bombs, the way he curled up to sleep, his fondness for candied chestnuts, and how he enjoyed playing Snake on his old Nokia phone.

Li Zekun sorted out a box of Tom and Jerry DVDs from the lower level of the guest room closet, his eyes getting sore from staring at them for too long.

After tidying up the house, he went to work and unexpectedly didn't return home for several days.

Li Zekun didn't expect to meet Tao Ran again.

It was a rainy day, with heavy downpours that didn't seem to stop anytime soon. Whenever there was such weather, Li Zekun's overall mood would become low, making it difficult for him to concentrate. He decided to stop working for the day and grabbed an umbrella, intending to return to his apartment complex after some contemplation.

Tao Ran squatted outside the unit's door, unable to enter the corridor without a key. He could only take shelter from the rain under a small corridor outside, and his clothes were already soaked.

This house was bought by Li Zekun for Cheng Xia back in the day. It's an old house located in a good area, but it's not in a high-end community and the security is a bit lacking. That's why Tao Ran hasn't been kicked out yet.

Li Zekun was startled by a small cluster of things at the door and squinted his eyes for a while before recognizing them. The wind and rain were still strong and the noise around him was chaotic.

"Why are you staying here? Are you scouting or waiting to commit a crime?" Li Zekun's tone was a bit chilly, but he still tilted his umbrella toward Tao Ran.

After staring at Tao Ran Dong for a while, he slowly lifted his head. His eyes were dull and lifeless, but somehow he still remembered. He hesitated for a moment and then stuttered out: "...Young master Li..."

Li Zekun frowned and said, "If you have something to discuss, talk quickly. I need to go back home."

"I want... to be with you.", Tao Ran stuttered. He had been thinking a lot these past few days, but couldn't come up with anything else except for this vague memory from the past. Rather than being forced to sell himself at that club again, he would rather find a reliable backer himself. Besides, Tao Ran had a feeling of affection and... liking towards Li Zekun that he couldn't ignore.

"I don't play hostess man.", Li Zekun's tone was full of disgust, but he restrained himself. This was his and Cheng Xia's home, and he didn't want a shameless hostess man to disturb the peace.

Tao Ran's lips trembled a few times and his face turned even paler. His heart couldn't help but ache. This body was indeed unclean, not even worthy of being called a prostitute. It could be bought for a few hundred yuan and played with for a night.

"I can clean the house, wash dishes and cook. I promise to be very obedient, so whatever you ask of me is fine."

Li Zekun was somewhat speechless. With this level of persistence, what kind of financier couldn't he attract? He thought to himself, "What are you trying to achieve by pursuing an acting career?"

Taoran lowered his head and pondered for a moment. He knew that wealthy and powerful men like Li Zekun particularly disliked discussing anything vague or emotional such as feelings or likes. So he had no choice but to tell a realistic lie, "You have money...and you're the most handsome among the guests."

Li Zekun's heart felt like it had suddenly been punched, causing him to stumble in pain with every step.

He couldn't forget that he had asked Cheng Xia why so many people had taken a fancy to him.

"Quick money." Cheng Xia didn't hesitate at all, but in the next second, he smiled to reveal two small tiger teeth, "You are the most handsome among that group of people."

No third person knows about this conversation, let alone someone teaching this hostess man how to suck up.

"You come upstairs with me first. I'll arrange a place for you to stay after the rain stops.", said Li Zekun before he even came back to his senses, surprising even himself with his sudden words.

"Don't touch anything!" he could only realize belatedly and apologize.

Tao Ran slowly stood up, his legs were feeling sore and numb, making it difficult for him to stand firmly. Li Zekun ignored his condition and opened the door with his access card. However, as he turned his head, he accidentally caught a glimpse of Tao Ran's eyes, which were now red. He wondered why he was feeling so aggrieved again. Li Zekun felt a bit annoyed.

When Li Zekun was walking up the stairs, he was thinking about other things. He had returned to China to slowly transfer his industry back from Britain. With business and money closely connected, his personal life had been empty for so long that he had many thoughts about inviting someone to his own bed. Finding an excuse to accompany him in pretending to be intimate would also lead to peace. After all, there weren't many people who could shamelessly show up by his bedside and provoke him.

Tao Ran stood behind Li Zekun, feeling a bit cold and shivering inconspicuously. The drops of water dripping from his body had already formed a small puddle by his shoes.

When Li Zekun walked into the room, he looked at him for a moment and gave a malicious smile. "Would you mind hanging outside for a bit? I just mopped the floor yesterday." He went straight into the room and slammed the anti-theft door behind him.