"What are you doing here?"
Ru Yi asked as soon as he saw Jiang Hai's presence in the shop. Jiang Hai just smiled while showing off the neat apron on his body. His face looked so proud.
"Why?"
That was the only question that came out of Ru Yi's mouth. His tone was firm and his eyes looking seriously right on Jiang Hai's face.
"Why? Because...I heard..."
Jiang Hai walk slowly towards Ru Yi. Locked Ru Yi tightly in the corner of the locker room. Ru Yi looked small there even though he was much older than Jiang Hai. He could only stay still. Don't even dare to moved his fingers.
His heart was beating fast. He really wanna run away, but he felt too weak to move.
"Someone wants to leave."
Jiang Hai whispered close to Ru Yi's ear. Ru Yi's body shivered as Jiang Hai's breath greeted his earlobe.
"Wh...Who?"
Ru Yi asked in a trembling voice. Jiang Hai smiled.
"Guess who?"
Jiang Hai whispered. This time his lips started to touch Ru Yi's earlobe which was already bright red.
"But... who ask you to work here?"
Ru Yi tried to push Jiang Hai's body away. If he saty like that any longer, he might fall even deeper into his unrequited love. He had promised to throw Jiang Hai away from his heart for Ru She shake.
"Ru She."
Jiang Hai replied. He looking at Ru Yi's face. Waiting for the man's reaction.
Ru Yi dead silent. He gripped his fists tightly. Trying his best to hold back the feeling that was increasingly piercing throughout his heart.
"That's good."
There was a tremor in his tone of voice. With a glazed eyes, he stared Jiang Hai's face deeply. Adoring every corner of his beloved face before he end everything.
"Good luck."
With trembling hands, Ru Yi gently patted Jiang Hai's shoulder.
"I pray for the best for the two of you."
Ru Yi pushed Jiang Hai away with all his of might. However, Jiang Hai was also determined. He would not let go of his chance this time. Ru Yi had to be his that day. Jiang Hai braced his legs. Let his body remain upright in front of Ru Yi. Locked Ru Yi in the corner of the room so that he would not arbitrarily escape from his grasp.
"Can you let me go now?"
Ru Yi's voice was on the verge of tears. The tremor in his voice was getting deeper and piercing. He can't even breath. Like something big was stuck in his throat.
"What does Ru She have to do with this?"
Jiang Hai asked while grabbing Ru Yi's hand who was trying to push him away with all his might.
"That's why your goal from the isn't it?"
Ru Yi's said angrily. He stare Jiang Hai's face fierce before he looked away. Seeing that face made his heart break.
"Who said?"
"Tch!"
"You think I don't know about its. Player!"
Ru Yi said angrily.
"I don't know if you really don't know or you're just pretending not to know who's my goal all this time?"
Jiang Hai whispered in a tone full of disappointment. Not disappointed in Ru Yi who failed to catch all the signals that were shown. However, disappointed in himself who started everything with a lie. Now what he was chasing was getting further and further away. And the palace he dreamed of had cracked on the surface.
Ru Yi turned his face after gathering all the strength to face the man he had been longing for.
"Tch. How could I don't know? Every day on your lips, in chats or on the phone...everything you ask is Ru She. What else do you want to lie about?"
He said in tears. His tone of voice was trying to swallow with the pain stuck in his throat. It trembling and sorrowful.
Jiang Hai stared at Ru Yi's face without blinking. His heart ached when he saw his beloved face filled with tears. His love no longer unrequited. However, can everything still be fixed? Does Ru Yi still believe in him after what he did? About his relationship with Ru She? How should he explain everything to Ru Yi?
Seeing Jiang Hai who was stiff and unmoving, Ru Yi pushed Jiang Hai's body away. This time Jiang Hai agreed. His mind was still struggling with thousands of regrets. Ru Yi quickly stepped away, leaving Jiang Hai alone, thinking about how to untangling the messy red thread.
"Ru Yi. This is all for the best for everyone."
Ru Yi muttered.
***
The cold war between Ru Yi and Ru She is still ongoing. Lulu no longer their only victim, but both their parents are also involved.
"Pst! Jiang Hai..."
Uncle Chen's voice was heard somewhere behind. Jiang Hai turned around. There was no one there. Not even Uncle Chen's shadow. "Am I that stressed? I can hear Uncle Chen's voice everywhere." Jiang Hai scratched his head and just pretended not to care.
"Psst! Jiang Hai...Here."
Jiang Hi quickly turned around. Uncle Chen was seen waving at him while hiding behind the counter door. "Does this family really like to play hide and seek or something?" Jiang Hai asked. Jiang Hai walked towards uncle Chen.
"What wrong uncle Chen?"
"Shhhh...."
Uncle Chen quickly covered Jiang Hai's mouth. Jiang Hai fell silent. "What's wrong with you uncle? Are you fighting with your wife?"
"Don't be loud. Someone will hear us."
He whispered.
"Why are you whispering? Uncle... don't tell me that you have a mistress behind aunt back?"
Jiang Hai's question made Uncle Chen startled and he quickly smack Jiang Hai's head. "Young people these days really have nothing else to think about." He muttered to himself.
"Come with me. I have something to ask you."
Uncle Chen said. Jiang Hai's heart began to beat faster. "Here it's come. What kind of problems will I face now?" With a shallow smile, Jiang Hai nodded.
Under an old Chestnut tree. Maybe older than Uncle Chen himself. They sat on a worn-out bench that had witnessed the ups and downs of the Chen family's restaurant. Don't know how many centuries it had been there. Still sturdy. Maybe it would still be sturdy for several generations.
"Ehem... Jiang Hai... likes Ru She?"
Uncle Chen asked bluntly. His question felt like a large stone hitting Jiang Hai's head until it was flat.
With a pure face, Jiang Hai shook his head.
Uncle Chen nodded in understanding.
"Jiang Hai... likes... Ru Yi?
Boom!!!!
It felt like his whole body had exploded. His face was red as if all his blood had gathered there.
Seeing that reaction, Uncle Chen smiled. He gently patted Jiang Hai's shoulder.
"Ru Yi... is sensitive since he was a kid."
Uncle Chen opened the story.
"Totally deference from Ru She who is naughty and rude."
Uncle Chen told the story while chuckling. Past memories of raising his two children returned to his eyes. Jiang Hai just remained silent. He faithfully listened to every story that came out of Uncle Chen's old lips. The story of his beloved.
"Ru Yi's heart... is as soft as a tofu."
The story continued.
"It's really hard to take care of him. You have to hold him carefully. If you hold him too tightly, he will break. If it's too lose, how can you process it into a delicious dish?"
Uncle Chen looked at Jiang Hai's serious face.
"It's complicated, isn't it?"
Uncle Chen let out a heavy sigh. In fact, he himself didn't know what was on Ru Yi's mind all this time. However, if there was someone who could give happiness to his child, no matter male or female, he would be truly grateful.
"If Jiang Hai really likes Ru Yi... be honest with him."
Uncle Chen gave an advice.
"But!"
Jiang Hai looked up. Watching Uncle Chen's wrinkled face.
"Make sure my son is happy. If not, I will take him back and you'll never see him ever again."
Jiang Hai swallowed his saliva and nodding like a woodpecker. Uncle Chen smiled. Giving Jiang Hai his full support.
"One more thing!"
"Eh! Is there anything else?" Jiang Hai swallowed his saliva again.
"You're still in school, right?"
Jiang Hai nodded like a woodpecker. Totally obedient.
"I want you to show every one of your exam results to me. I wants to see the best. Okay?"
Uncle Chen said.
"Ha!?"
"Why? Don't dare? Do you want my son or not?"
Jiang Hai quickly nodded.
"Hahaha... Good. Good..."
Uncle Chen patted Jiang Hai's shoulder enthusiastically. "My son-in-law has to be smarter than my own son. Hahahaha..."
"I have to study even if I vomit blood to get Ru Yi." Jiang Hai gently patted Uncle Chen's shoulder.
"Papa. Leave everything to me. I will make Ru Yi happy."
Jiang Hai said confidently as he bowed respectfully to Uncle Chen.
"Don't call me Papa yet. Get Ru Yi's heart first. You don't even get it yet, but you've already call me Papa. Greedy."
Jiang Hai just grinned at Uncle Chen's words. What he said was true. He still had a long way to go to get Ru Yi. What he needed to do now was to be honest with Ru Yi. And for that, Ru She and her lover had to be dragged along.