Chapter Seven

Li Zekun is not an impulsive or violent person. He dislikes causing pain to those weaker than himself just to release his frustrations. In fact, there have been many people over the past four years who have tried to tempt him in different ways, but Tao Ran's level of proximity was not even considered significant. Li Zekun simply could not tolerate any physical intimacy with anyone else in this place, as such behavior seemed akin to betrayal.

Tao Ran was still in a kneeling position, not covering his face with his hands. He simply hung his head very low and hunched his shoulders, assuming a very fragile and innocent posture.

Li Zekun looked on, unexpectedly experiencing a very strong reflex-like reluctance. He couldn't help but furrow his brow, straighten his clothes and stand up, saying, "I will let you know when I need you. You can go rest in the guest room and I'll arrange for someone to come see you tomorrow."

Bringing Tao Ran back was just a momentary impulse for Li Zekun. It was as if he was possessed. Now, how to handle the situation was causing him quite a bit of trouble. He sat on the edge of the master bedroom's bed, thinking for a while before coming up with an idea. He checked the time and saw that it was not even eight o'clock in the evening, so he decided to make a direct call to Yang Yanxue.

"Kun?" Yang Yanxue answered the phone quickly. In the background, there were faint sounds of TV commercials and cooking, indicating that he was probably at home with his wife.

"YanXue, I want to trouble you with one thing. A few days ago, I took a child from Tan's place. He looks to be about eighteen or nineteen years old. I'm hoping you can help me arrange a high school for him."

Even though Yang Yanxue was only in his early thirties, he had a strong background and abilities. It should only be a matter of time before he is promoted to deputy bureau chief. This small matter shouldn't be a problem. However, he was stunned and asked, "Are you...thinking of hiring someone?" It's not surprising that he was surprised. When Cheng Xia left, Li Zekun said that it wouldn't be too much trouble for him to search high and low for someone. In the four years since then, his side had remained empty, so it was surprising for him to suddenly say that he had found someone.

Li Zekun made an ambiguous "um" sound and said, "Anyway, thank you for your trouble. What was the name of that child again?"

Yang Yanxue felt a little speechless. He had a sharp mind and was more attentive than Li Zekun. "You said Tao Ran, right? I'll give Mr. Tan a call tomorrow and ask how old he really is."

"You just need to arrange for him to attend a senior year of a regular high school. Enroll him in the humanities, there's no way he can catch up with the science subjects even if he works himself to death."

Yang Yanxue chuckled and said, "Kun, your tone is as if you expect him to excel in his studies. If he really had the potential to learn, he wouldn't become an hostess man."

Li Zekun also smiled and said, "That's right."

"Do I need to arrange a private school for him? You're not short of money either, just let him drift through life."

Li Zekun shook his head, "It's okay, regular high school is fine." He wasn't worried about the money, but rather the fact that the private school was full of nouveau riche second-generation children who might lead reckless lives and mistreat Tao Ran. Li Zekun was afraid that Tao Ran might be bullied. Although regular high school was harder, at least all of the students there were focused on their studies.

Li Zekun chatted casually with him for a couple more sentences before hanging up the phone. When lying flat on the bed with his mind emptied, he couldn't help but think of Cheng Xia again.

His Cheng Xia is so talented. At the age of eighteen or nineteen, he passed the entrance exam for Beijing Normal University. His precious one is studious, with calluses on the tips of his right index and middle fingers from writing... Li Zekun covered his eyes with the back of his hand, bitterly smiling: "I spend more time missing you than being with you, it's really tough for me."

Li Zekun didn't even know when he fell asleep. He had rarely dreamt of Cheng Xia in the past two years, but tonight, he faintly saw him in his dream. However, it was still vague, and Cheng Xia didn't give him a good look. He stared at Li Zekun with red eyes, as if he was aggrieved, and Li Zekun was startled awake. It was only 3:30 in the morning, and the sky was already showing a faint light. Li Zekun got out of bed barefoot and lit a cigarette. He leaned his forehead against the cold floor-to-ceiling window, saying, "What do you want to say? I can give you my heart too. What's the point in being so upset?"

Li Zekun has never mistreated Cheng Xia, except for the first time when he was a bit harsh. He was in his early twenties and had a temper like a firecracker, but he loved Cheng Xia wholeheartedly and would do anything for him. Despite being younger than him, he respected him and never once laid a hand on him, even when they were angry. He always gave him what he wanted, watched cartoons with him, and sometimes teased him by taking his high scores in games and putting his own name on his phone.

He truly loves Cheng Xia, so much so that he did many immoral things to save him. But Cheng Xia still left. He left suddenly and carefree.

Li Zekun exerted a great deal of effort to break free from his memories, but he found that he could no longer fall asleep. He regained his senses and smoothed out his bed before sitting on the floor for two hours.

When he left the bedroom, he saw Tao Ran who was still in the same place as last night, just standing up and not knowing how long he had been standing there.

"What are you doing?" Li Zekun leaned against the door frame and looked at him.

Tao Ran pursed his lips and remained silent, a layer of darkness visible beneath his eyes.

"... You stood in the living room all night?"

"I didn't touch anything else.", Tao Ran said hoarsely, his voice strangely stubborn.

Li Zekun muttered to himself. He didn't know where Tao Ran got that stubbornness from. When his temper flared, he was just like Cheng Xia.

"Come with me, I'll take you to a hotel.", said Li Zekun as the rain had stopped in the middle of the night and he still had to go to work.

Tao Ran walked over with a weak and stumbling gait. Li Zekun reached out and supported him, his hands feeling icy cold. Li Zekun was startled and used his other hand to feel Tao Ran's forehead, which was burning hot. He had caught a cold from getting caught in the rain. Due to his past experiences with Cheng Xia, whenever someone around Li Zekun had a fever, he couldn't help but feel a sense of fear and anxiety.

"Quickly go to the hospital! Are you stupid? Do I need to punish you with standing?" Li Zekun went into the room and brought out his own overcoat for him, pulling him out of the house. "Just go cause more trouble for me."