🌸 Chapter 11: New Project
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The leaves of the plane trees had begun to turn yellow.
Qi Ye received a special delivery.
The package was light. When he opened it, there was only a key and a note: “No. 47 Ginkgo Alley.”
A faded red thread was wrapped around the key, as though it had been touched and worn for many years.
Qi Ye stood in the entryway, staring at the key for a long time—so long that dusk fully settled outside, and streetlights began to turn on one by one.
When Cheng Shubai pushed the door open, Qi Ye was just slipping the key into his pocket.
“Found it?” Cheng Shubai asked, holding two coffees—an Americano and a latte.
“Mm.” Qi Ye took the latte. A ginkgo leaf was printed on the cup sleeve. “This house…?”
“I bought it a few years ago.” Cheng Shubai hung up his coat, a faint smear of paint on his cuff. “It’s been empty ever since.”
The aroma of coffee spread between them. Qi Ye’s gaze fell on the ring on Cheng Shubai’s ring finger, and something clicked in his mind.
“You designed it?” he asked.
“Mm.” Cheng Shubai removed his glasses and wiped them. “Just stay here occasionally.”
Rain began to fall outside, tapping softly against the glass. Qi Ye suddenly remembered the design drafts he had seen in Cheng Shubai’s office last week—each one had a tiny compass drawn in the corner.
“Go now?” Cheng Shubai asked.
The rain grew heavier.
No. 47 Ginkgo Alley was an old villa with a courtyard. Two towering ginkgo trees stood at the gate, taller than the roof. When the key slid into the lock, it made a soft click—like something long sealed away being opened.
Qi Ye stood in the foyer. Moonlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, scattering silver light across the floor.
On the living room wall hung an unfinished painting—branches of a plane tree tied with two wishing bottles, beneath them two blurred figures standing side by side. A date was marked in the lower corner.
Seven years ago…
“You painted this?”
Cheng Shubai came up behind him, fingertips lightly resting at Qi Ye’s waist.
“Mm.”
His breath brushed Qi Ye’s ear, damp with rain. Qi Ye turned around. A silver ring slipped out from his collar, glinting faintly in the moonlight.
When Cheng Shubai lowered his head to kiss him, the rain suddenly grew heavier.
Raindrops struck the window like a heartbeat. Qi Ye grabbed his collar and bit his lower lip back. Their breaths tangled, mixed with the rain, reminding him of that abandoned airport night.
“Cheng… Shubai…”
“Mm, I’m here.”
“…idiot.” Qi Ye gasped. “Liar.”
Cheng Shubai chuckled softly, thumb brushing the silver chain at Qi Ye’s collarbone. “What did I… lie to you about?”
Moonlight slipped through the clouds, illuminating the unfinished painting on the wall.
The rain kept falling.
Plane leaves swayed in the storm.
Qi Ye woke to morning light filtering through sheer curtains onto the bed. Cheng Shubai stood by the window with his back to him.
“What time is it?” Qi Ye’s voice was hoarse.
“Seven-thirty.” Cheng Shubai turned around. Without his glasses, his usual cold, elite air was gone—he looked… even better.
A glass of warm water sat on the bedside table. “There’s a storm today. Construction’s suspended.”
You wouldn’t guess that this was the same man who had pinned him against the floor-to-ceiling window the night before.
Qi Ye stepped barefoot onto the floor and found his shirt neatly washed and hung up, even the cuff button re-sewn.
“…You sewed it?”
“Mm.” Cheng Shubai paused while tying his tie.
Sunlight slanted in, drawing a golden line at his feet. Qi Ye walked over and tugged the tie. “It’s crooked.”
Cheng Shubai looked down at him, lashes casting fragmented shadows. Qi Ye’s fingers brushed his Adam’s apple, slowly adjusting the knot.
“What’s the plan today?”
“Morning meeting at headquarters.” His voice was gentle. “Afternoon…”
A phone ring cut him off abruptly. Zhou Wen’s name flashed on the screen along with a flood of messages.
Cheng Shubai answered. Zhou Wen’s voice exploded instantly: “Mr. Cheng! Something happened—the plane tree—!”
Qi Ye snatched the phone. “Speak clearly.”
“Mr. Qi? You’re together?” Zhou Wen paused. “Oh—right. The Forestry Bureau just called. They found abnormal compounds in the plane tree’s root system. There will be an emergency hearing.”
Cheng Shubai’s expression cooled. He loosened his tie, grabbed his suit jacket.
“When?”
“Ten o’clock. Chairman Li and the others are already at headquarters…”
Before she could finish, a chaotic argument erupted in the background. Then Chairman Li’s nephew’s sharp voice: “Mr. Cheng is neglecting his duties!”
Cheng Shubai hung up.
Silence settled between them.
“Where were you last night?” Qi Ye asked suddenly.
Cheng Shubai adjusted his cufflinks and put on his glasses. “Taking something apart.”
Rain started again, striking the plane tree leaves outside.
Qi Ye grabbed the car keys.
“Let’s go,” he said. “Meet those old bastards.”
The hearing room was chaotic, like a marketplace.
Qi Ye leaned back in the last row, watching Chairman Li gesticulate wildly at the projector. The test report filled the screen.
“This compound accelerates decay!” the nephew shouted. “We suspect illegal chemicals were used in maintenance…”
Cheng Shubai sat in the front row, posture straight. Qi Ye noticed his left hand unconsciously rubbing his right ring finger—bare, leaving a fresh scar.
“Representative from Horizon Group, please speak.”
Cheng Shubai stood. His suit made a soft rustle as he walked to the podium.
“This report is flawed.”
He inserted a USB drive. The screen switched to surveillance footage.
A shadow crouched under the plane tree at night, burying something. The camera clearly captured the assistant’s face.
“Last night’s removed device,” Cheng Shubai said, switching slides. “Contained β-hydroxy acid slow-release capsules.”
The room erupted.
He continued calmly, showing lab footage confirming the sample matched the tree’s root compounds.
Qi Ye finally understood—Cheng Shubai’s injury came from digging up evidence in the rain last night.
“According to Article 37 of the Ancient Tree Protection Regulations…”
His voice was steady, like reading construction specifications. But sweat traced down his neck into his collar.
The vote was decisive. When the chairman announced the tree would be preserved and responsibility assigned to the offending company, Chairman Li slumped into his seat.
After the meeting, Qi Ye blocked Cheng Shubai in the emergency exit corridor.
“So you know everything?”
“Mm.”
“Why don’t you ever tell me?”
“Tell you so you can dig in the mud with me at midnight?”
Footsteps approached outside. Qi Ye pulled him behind the fire door.
In the tight space, their breathing overlapped, mixed with the same faint coffee scent.
“The ring,” Qi Ye said, tugging the chain from his shirt. “You took it off? You don’t like it?”
“I’m afraid I’ll lose it.”
Then Cheng Shubai kissed him.
Zherong Café
Outside, the rain stopped.
Cheng Shubai’s phone vibrated. Qi Ye glanced at it. “Zhou Wen asks if you want lunch ordered.”
“Reply her.”
Qi Ye typed with one hand: No need, we’re eating here.
He added a period—perfectly mimicking Cheng Shubai’s style.
Cheng Shubai laughed softly. “What are you doing?”
“Replying.”
“Kid.” He removed his glasses and tucked them into his collar.
“Get lost.”
Cold air filled the café. Qi Ye played with a spoon, while Cheng Shubai slid a business card across the table: Qiaocheng Design, with Qi Ye’s name as project director.
“New company?” Cheng Shubai raised a brow.
“Signed yesterday.”
“This is Bridge Horizon’s rival.”
Qi Ye’s spoon clinked.
“You investigated me?”
“Zhou Wen did.”
Qi Ye stood, but Cheng Shubai grabbed his wrist.
“Angry?”
“Yes. You’re pretending to be stupid.”
Cheng Shubai opened a velvet box: two platinum rings engraved with intersecting coordinates.
“Opening gift,” he said, sliding one onto Qi Ye’s finger.
Qi Ye stared at it. Then tugged Cheng Shubai’s tie.
“So you’re my client now?”
“No.” Cheng Shubai leaned in. “I’m your family.”
“Qi Ye… be my boyfriend.”
Qi Ye smiled. “Sorry, Mr. Cheng, I’ve already received a confession from Mr. Cheng of Horizon Group—so I guess I’ll have to accept… wait, that’s you? Wow. Okay, I accept.”
Cheng Shubai couldn’t hold back his laugh and kissed his hand.
“Where’s the sincerity?” Qi Ye complained, then leaned in and kissed his cheek.
Outside, a street sweeper played music as it passed. Qi Ye took a photo of their overlapping rings, the background blurred gold.
He typed a caption: “New project”
Just before posting, Cheng Shubai took the phone and added: “Partner: Cheng Shubai.”
I will be posting two chapters every Sunday and Wednesday.
(My translation is far from perfect, so if you see any mistakes please let me know in the comments)
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