Unmatched Chapter 46
byChapter 46: Seeing It Through
Aside from Zhao Shuyi, probably no one had ever seen Xie Qi in a humble, pleading state.
Zhao Shuyi wondered more than once, what did Xie Qi like about him?
Even without prior dating experience, Zhao Shuyi knew that a healthy relationship should make both people comfortable, not cautious, mutually tormenting.
He felt that Xie Qi would be a good partner for anyone he dated. A person willing to give, willing to sacrifice dignity for love, deserved to be cherished.
But Xie Qi happened to meet him.
—With his terrible personality, a person who didn’t even know what virtues he possessed, what exactly made him worthy of Xie Qi’s painful devotion?
Though this painful devotion was about to end soon.
Zhao Shuyi rarely felt like communicating, wanting to chat casually with Xie Qi about something, anything. For example: “You came back so late, were you celebrating Christmas outside?” “With whom? A friends’ gathering?” “It must be cold today, you’re usually so vain, yet you actually wore a down jacket for once…”
But communication was exhausting, and he saw no need for it. Zhao Shuyi didn’t say a word, instead opening the Christmas gift Xie Qi had given him.
It was a red knitted hat, dotted with white fluff, looking very much like Santa’s hat.
Zhao Shuyi offered no comment. Xie Qi knew he wouldn’t wear it; it wasn’t his style.
“I’m going to sleep. You should rest early too.” Zhao Shuyi unexpectedly spoke a long sentence—if you could call it a long sentence.
He picked up his water glass and headed back to his room.
Seeing the water glass, Xie Qi knew he was about to take his medication. He hesitated. “Zhao Shuyi, are you free tomorrow?”
“What is it?” Zhao Shuyi paused at the doorway.
“I made an appointment with a doctor,” Xie Qi said. “A friend recommended them; I heard they are very authoritative. You know, there are many people in the entertainment industry who suffer from high psychological pressure,” he phrased it tactfully, “sleep disorders, anxiety, depression… they can all be treated, they have experience.”
“I’m not anxious or depressed.” Zhao Shuyi frowned. “Sleep is an old problem, and I know how to treat it.”
He closed the door, cutting off Xie Qi’s probing gaze. Without turning on the light, he fumbled for the medicine by the bed, swallowing it with the now-cold water.
Then he lay down, numbly closing his eyes.
Whenever his personal life deteriorated to a certain extent, Zhao Shuyi wished he could dedicate twenty-four hours a day to work until his emotions faded and he forgot what was troubling him.
But when he needed work, there wasn’t enough of it. Zhao Shuyi went to the company early the next day, creating tasks for himself to increase his workload.
Day after day, he inevitably grew thinner.
But his emotions didn’t fade; instead, they accumulated. He felt like a sponge saturated with water, his body heavy, freezing up with a cold breeze, and perpetually unable to dry out.
After Christmas came New Year’s Day. Zhao Shuyi didn’t celebrate holidays, but Xie Qi celebrated everything. He asked if Zhao Shuyi had time off for New Year’s, and if he was free.
Zhao Shuyi guessed that Xie Qi wanted to take him to see a doctor again. He was genuinely kind; perhaps the reason he hadn’t moved out yet was because he was worried about Zhao Shuyi’s illness, afraid something might happen if he lived alone.
Was it necessary? He wasn’t a fragile patient.
Zhao Shuyi said, “No time, I’m working overtime.”
This was a lie meant to refuse, but unexpectedly, it suddenly became true—arriving even sooner than New Year’s Day was the reply from Bai Fangchun that he had been waiting for.
In the WeChat message, Bai Fangchun wrote: “I’ve thought it over. Can we meet? There are some things I need to hand over to you personally.”
It was December 31st, evening, and Zhao Shuyi was eating dinner at home.
Xie Qi had cooked the meal himself. It was a rare sight on the dining table, and the taste was better than expected.
But Xie Qi didn’t ask any questions about the flavor, and Zhao Shuyi offered no comments. Before he finished eating, his phone rang.
Zhao Shuyi’s expression shifted slightly after reading the message, but he didn’t reply immediately.
Xie Qi sensed something. “Who is it?”
“Bai Fangchun,” Zhao Shuyi said. “She agreed to cooperate with me.”
“…”
The sudden mention of the name pulled memories back to Shencheng in November—the late-night video call, the red-eye flight meeting, that seemingly magical “I love you”—all felt like a dream.
Xie Qi was silent for a moment. “What did she say?”
“She wants to meet and has something to give me.” Zhao Shuyi quickly finished the rest of his meal, wiped his mouth, and went to the study to call her back.
There is a saying that when God closes a door, he opens a window. Perhaps because Zhao Shuyi’s private life was so difficult, he was having good luck in his career.
Things were developing as he hoped. Bai Fangchun stated directly that she had a great deal of evidence, enough for him to take down Zhao Huaicheng. Her conditions were a guarantee of safety for her and her son, and additional money.
Stating demands directly was much better than beating around the bush. Zhao Shuyi didn’t hide anything, telling her that the amount of additional money depended on how solid her evidence was. They needed to meet first.
This business trip was kept secret.
Zhao Shuyi took Ye Zhao and a trusted lawyer from the legal department. They booked tickets for a morning flight to Shencheng on New Year’s Day, planning to go and return the same day.
Before leaving, he changed into a suit in front of the mirror, selecting a tie. Xie Qi leaned against the wall, watching him hesitate between silver-gray and blue, and helped him choose blue. “It looks more energetic.”
The implication was that his complexion was poor. Xie Qi helped him tie it, asking, “Do you want me to go with you?”
As he tied the knot, their bodies were close. Xie Qi lowered his head, his voice low, like a deep-toned instrument, slowly brushing past his ear.
Zhao Shuyi’s breathing tightened, and he paused slightly. “No need.”
They hadn’t been intimate for a long time, and their current relationship was unsuitable for anything.
Xie Qi finished tying the tie with restraint, then stepped back. “Let me go with you. I was with you the last time you met her, so let’s just consider it—”
He couldn’t think of a legitimate reason and blurted out a phrase: “Seeing it through.”
As soon as he said it, Xie Qi regretted it. Why did it sound like a farewell?
Zhao Shuyi’s face was pale. He gave Xie Qi a flat look. “Fine. Then go change your clothes. I’ll add a ticket.”
Changing didn’t take long. Xie Qi quickly selected a suitable suit, but tickets for the same flight were sold out. They had to let Ye Zhao and the lawyer fly first, and Zhao Shuyi rebooked to take the next flight with Xie Qi.
Fortunately, the time difference wasn’t significant; they landed only half an hour later than planned.
They rushed immediately to the meeting location to see Bai Fangchun.
Zhao Shuyi and the lawyer handled the meeting. The lawyer was there to confirm whether the materials Bai Fangchun provided were proper and legal, otherwise they wouldn’t qualify as evidence.
Ye Zhao mainly assisted and handled contingencies, so he didn’t need to show his face. He waited with Xie Qi near the coffee shop where Zhao Shuyi and Bai Fangchun were meeting.
Shencheng was cold at the end of the year, a different kind of cold from Fengjing City—humid and biting.
The nearby pedestrian street was full of coffee shops and bubble tea stores. While waiting for Zhao Shuyi, Xie Qi stepped into one to seek shelter from the wind and chatted with Ye Zhao.
Secretary Ye was disciplined and wouldn’t reveal any information without Zhao Shuyi’s permission. But Xie Qi didn’t ask anything too private, just casual conversation. “Has he been busy lately?”
“It’s alright,” Ye Zhao answered vaguely.
Xie Qi asked again, “Does he eat on time at the company? What does he eat?”
“He usually eats on time.” Ye Zhao knew they were having problems again but didn’t know the reason. Afraid of inadvertently fanning the flames, he said cautiously, “The assistant prepares lunch every day, tailored to Shuyi’s taste, but sometimes Shuyi is busy with work and neglects to eat…”
Xie Qi said, “You need to urge him to eat more. He’s lost weight, haven’t you noticed?”
“…”
Ye Zhao nodded.
Zhao Shuyi was indeed a bit haggard, but if two people saw each other every day, it was hard to notice weight loss in a short period.
“And the cigarettes,” Xie Qi said. “Stop buying cigarettes for him. Remind him to smoke less. He should quit both smoking and drinking for his health.”
That’s true, Ye Zhao thought, but if you can’t control him, how dare I?
Xie Qi could have said these things to Zhao Shuyi himself, but he chose to relay them to the secretary. He continued, “The sleeping pills he’s taking now aren’t very safe. I heard they are new drugs not yet on the market. Do you know where he gets them?”
“That… I’m not sure.” This was the truth. “I haven’t been with Shuyi for very long. There are many things he doesn’t tell me.”
“You don’t know anything at all?”
“…I’ve heard rumors.” Ye Zhao hesitated. “Shuyi has doctor friends, and he also invests in pharmaceutical companies. I don’t know anything more than that.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t know, it was that he didn’t dare to say. Xie Qi didn’t press further; there was no point in digging. The root of the problem lay with Zhao Shuyi himself, and it had little to do with the source of the medicine.
He knew there was no real need to tell Ye Zhao all this. It was just that he had communicated so little with Zhao Shuyi recently that he felt a kind of nutritional deficiency, instinctively absorbing everything related to him.
He was already trying his best to restrain himself.
He didn’t want to be so desperate.
Xie Qi ordered two cups of coffee and treated Ye Zhao.
They waited for an hour and a half, chatting about trivial things until they ran out of conversation. Finally, Zhao Shuyi’s meeting concluded. He sent a WeChat message: “We’re done talking.”
Concise and to the point; he wasn’t willing to type two extra characters.
Xie Qi asked, “Are you satisfied with the result?”
“Yes,” Zhao Shuyi said. “Let’s find a place to eat and talk there.”