Chapter Text
“I thought you were over him.”
Zheng Wen sighed on the other line. He was currently at the office and was so surprised by his best friend sudden call he had to hide in the restroom to pick it up. But now, he was regretting. It felt like he was back in college trying to convince his friend to stop pulling his silly pranks on his archenemy turned lover turned enemy again.
“I am over him.” Zhou Shu Yi replied defensively. He was offended his friend could even consider he still had feelings for the man that broke him beyond repairs five years ago.
“Then, why are you doing this?” Even though Zheng Wen asked, he already knew the answer. And he also knew there was no point in trying to change his friend’s mind because he would fail.
“I need to teach him a lesson. He should have never come back.”
Even though Shu Yi sounded rather calm when talking about taking revenge on his ex, Zheng Wen knew it was far from the truth. He knew he was hurting because he was there when Shu Yi fell in love. He watched his friend mature and bloom like a beautiful flower. He had never seen him so happy before.
But he was also there to pick up the pieces left by Gao Shi De. Broken beyond repair, that is how he left him, all in just 3 months of relationship. Shu Yi went through the hardest times of his life and the man who swore to be by his side for the rest of their lives was nowhere to be found.
That was the first time Shu Yi ever saw his best friend Zheng Wen get so angry he had to be restrained to not do something stupid.
Zheng Wen was fully aware of what kind of emotions Gao Shi De elicited from his friend and if he could, he would keep him as far away from him as possible. He believed Shu Yi when he said he was over him, but Gao Shi De made him fall in love with him once when all he felt for the man was anger. If he did it once, he could do it again.
Besides, now Shu Yi had a vulnerability that could completely work on Gao Shi De favor.
Even though he knew it was pointless, Zheng Wen still tried.
“What about Yun Qi? How about your—”
“Fang Zheng Wen.” Shu Yi warned him, in a low but threatening tone.
“Okay, I’m sorry.” The man gave up “I’m just worried about you, Shu Yi.”
“I know.” Shu Yi smiled. “I promise I will never become the man I was five years ago again, I promise.”
Well, Zheng Wen only had one option left now which was to support his friend.
“Whatever happens I will always be there for you.”
“I know.” One thing Shu Yi was confident about was having the most loyal friends. They never left his side no matter how questioning some of his actions had been. Especially Zheng Wen, who, not only got his back, but also joined his foolishness so he wouldn’t have to deal with the consequences alone.
That is what made him fall in love with him. Yes, Fang Zheng Wen was his first love.
A knock on his office door pulled Shu Yi out of his trance. He turned towards the glass door before saying “Enter.”
A man in a black suit opened the door and slightly bowed as a greeting. “Sir, it’s time.”
Shu Yi nodded.
“Sorry Wen I have to go.”
“It’s fine, I need to get back at my desk before my boss notice my absence too.”
“Let’s meet some of these days?”
“I’m coming at your place this weekend mate. We haven’t hung out in months so Mr CEO better free up his schedule for me.”
“I’m not the CEO.” Shu Yi giggled.
“Not yet, but you are his only son and heir so the company is half yours.”
Shu Yi couldn’t really argue against that. Even though he had to start working from the bottom of the company, he never stood on the same ground as other employees. It was more to prove his skills and show everyone he just didn’t landed there because he was the successor but because he was skilled enough to lead the corporation and it worked cause he earned respect from his achievements. But also fears from his very cold attitude.
“Alright, I will make time for you WenWen.” This time it was Zheng Wen turn to giggle.
They finally bid their goodbyes and hung up. Shu Yi took in a deep breath, falling back into reality and bracing himself from what was to come. He put on his vest and buttoned it up.
“Let’s go.”
—
Everything happened faster than Shi De had expected. It was out of his control to decide about the company future and they had no other option than to become a subsidiary to not completely fall into ruins. Even though the decision was mainly made to ensure most employees don’t lose their jobs, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t happen as, again, it wasn’t up to them.
“Boss, the representatives from Cheng Yi Group have arrived.” The lady murmured to the man who was chatting up with another employee.
Shi De nodded, put on a serious expression before standing and turning to face said representatives. What he never expected was to be met with familiar faces, Liu Bing Wei and his old friend Shi Zhe Yu. However, he didn’t had much time to indulge into that because the next second, his breath was taken away and his mind blanked by the new figure that made his entrance.
There, standing a feet away from him was the one who had never left his mind for 76,692 hours and more. The one he had missed and longed for all these years. The one he couldn’t live without.
The one he loved too much to be rational.
Zhou Shu Yi.
He stared at the man incredulous as reality slowly set in. It wasn’t a dream, his love was really standing there, in front of him. But his gaze was cold and empty. Shi De felt guilt overtake his body as his stared back, his eyes giving away his inner turmoil despite his rather calm appearance. Oh how much he yearned to touch him, to hug him, to hold him and never let him go. He hadn’t aged a day since they last met. Actually now he looked prettier if that was even possible. And this tension between them was undeniable, the whole room was silently staring at them.
Shi De wasn’t mentally prepared for this. Even though he was aware who Cheng Yi Group was, he never thought they would send their “heir” to settle a subsidiary contract. Especially knowing he was there, it made no sense. He never thought he would meet Shu Yi again. He had made up his mind 3 years ago but now that he had the man in front of him, all his resolutions, all his walls crumbled in an instant. He realized how stupid he had been thinking he could ever live without him.
“How fast time flies.” Shu Yi finally put an end to the excruciating silence. “It’s only been five years since we last met.”
Something broke inside of Shi De, something he didn’t think was still there after all these years. But before he could put in a word, he felt it more than he saw it coming.
*SLAP*
“You son of a bitch!”
The whole room gasped in shock. Bing Wei and Zhe Yu were fast to be besides Shu Yi and stop him.
This wasn’t planned. Shu Yi never thought seeing Gao Shi De in person again would have shaken him that much. He played this scenario in his mind over and over again, for the time he would see this man he hated so much and how he would deal with him.
But this undeniable tension between them, his gaze showing nothing but remorse, regrets and longing pissed him off.
“How dare you!”
To everyone else, it looked like an unilateral conversation, but Zhou Shu Yi and Gao Shi De never needed words to communicate. Even if his lips weren’t moving, Shi De was talking, a language only Shu Yi would understand. And realizing this special connection between them was left unchanged was one of the thing that pissed Zhou Shu Yi off the most.
“Let’s talk in my office, please.” Gao Shi De finally spoke.
Zhou Shu Yi glared at him but conceded. “Wait here.” He told Liu Bing Wei and Shi Zhe Yu who exchanged a worried glance, wondering if it was a good idea to leave the both of them together, especially after what just happened. But it wasn’t their friend Shu Yi talking, it was an order from their superior Zhou Shu Yi.
—
Shi De took in a deep breath after closing the door. He looked at the man in front of him, all his doubts about his being real or not evaporated after that slap that definitely woke him up. But, nevertheless, Shu Yi was, his Shu Yi was right here.
“Take a seat please.”
Zhou Shu Yi cackled.
“You seem a bit confused about what the situation is, so let me clarify it for you.” He took dangerous steps towards Shi De who stayed still, scared to make the wrong move and anger him even more. “I am your boss. I don’t take orders from you. And this office,” Shu Yi trailed off pointing around. “is mine now. So it needs to be cleared up by tomorrow morning.”
Gao Shi De stood, stunned. “Shu Yi…”
“It’s boss for you. I don’t wanna hear my name come out of your mouth.”
Shu Yi turned on his heels and started walking towards the door. “ The acquisition of Hua Cing Technology will be effective tomorrow. I count on your team cooperation and maybe there won’t be as many laid off employees.”
“Wait Shu Yi please—” Shi De grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving. Not again, he couldn’t watch him disappear from his sight. “There is something I have to tell Y—”
Shu Yi pulled his hand so strongly Shi De was shocked and stepped back.
“Don’t ever touch me again Gao Shi De. This is a warning.”
And just like that he was gone. But his presence still lingered, his cologne and the weird sensations Shi De felt all over his body confirmed that everything was real. He didn’t know whether to cry or smile. Shu Yi gaze was filled with so much hatred. There was obviously no chance Shu Yi would listen to anything he had to say after what he did but call him crazy, he wouldn’t stop until he had the man back in his arms again.
“Shu Yi, I’m so sorry my love.”