Control Freak - Chapter 23

The next morning, Ye Zhou woke up feeling a bit dazed and wasn’t even sure if he had slept at all the night before.

He had spent the entire night replaying the kiss and the unique scent of Guan Heng. It was a cedar-like aroma—fresh and crisp, but with a hint of alluring musk. He couldn’t remember if Guan Heng had this scent before, but last night his senses were unusually sharp, and he found the smell incredibly appealing.

In fact, Guan Heng had been quite restrained with the kiss, but Ye Zhou had found himself becoming increasingly eager, wanting to progress further and continuously seeking Guan Heng’s lips…

Even now, recalling the scene in the car last night made Ye Zhou feel uneasy, as if a certain part of him was especially alert. It was one thing for men to be more sensitive in the morning, but another reason was that he seemed to have been so deprived for too long that his desire came on rather intensely.

But Ye Zhou didn’t act on it. Instead, he sat on the bed for a while to compose himself before getting up to wash up.

He still felt a bit unreal about it all because Guan Heng had initiated the kiss. Did this mean their relationship had progressed?

Despite not having slept much, Ye Zhou felt delightfully uplifted. As he left the house in the morning, he glanced instinctively toward Guan Heng’s place. Guan Heng usually left earlier than him, and by this time, he would have been out. They had only gotten home close to one in the morning last night, and the time they went to bed wasn’t early either. Guan Heng was usually busy, and with less sleep last night, Ye Zhou felt a pang of concern and guilt. Even if their relationship had changed, he still felt a sense of responsibility. After thinking it over, he decided to prepare a nutritious meal rich in iron for Guan Heng at noon to help him replenish his energy.

After Ye Zhou finished preparing the bento, he was delayed a bit because a group of customers arrived at the restaurant unexpectedly, so he left later than usual. By the time he entered the school gate, the class bell had already rung, so he quickened his pace, hoping he wouldn’t make Guan Heng wait too long.

However, today there was someone else in Guan Heng’s office. Ye Zhou heard voices in the hallway and initially thought it was Jian Huan arriving early. Just as he was about to enter and say hello, he heard a gentle and somewhat familiar male voice.

“Guan Heng, did you receive the message I sent you?”

The voice caused Ye Zhou to stop in his tracks and not move forward. He was now at the side of the door; just one more step and he would be in their line of sight. Although Ye Zhou was pursuing Guan Heng openly and had no reason to hide, he found himself instinctively retreating for some unknown reason.

Ye Zhou: “…” History always seems to repeat itself.

The person inside was none other than Guan Heng’s ex-boyfriend, whom Ye Zhou had met before.

Ye Zhou stood outside, unable to see Guan Heng’s expression but hearing his voice clearly. His deep and captivating tone remained steady when addressing his ex, showing no sign of emotional upheaval: “Yue Shu, is there something you need from me?”

The breakup between them had been amicable, so there was no animosity in their meeting, and Guan Heng was not the type to speak harshly to his ex. His demeanor remained composed.

Yue Shu had once been the closest person to Guan Heng, but now there was a noticeable distance in his tone. He might have anticipated Guan Heng’s reaction and thus spoke cautiously, with a hint of hope in his eyes: “I… well, I’m back in the country and came to see you. The performance was very successful; Professor Zhan is very pleased… He asked about you. It seems you haven’t been in touch with him for a while. He misses you a lot. So, I wanted to ask if you’re going to the alumni meeting? It’s in mid-January, the week before the winter vacation.”

As the winter and summer vacations approach, after the students finish their final exams, it is also the time for various teacher-student gatherings and alumni meetings.

Yue Shu’s tone was very gentle, and just hearing his voice made one feel at ease. Although Ye Zhou had only met him once, he still remembered his appearance. After all, good-looking people tend to leave a lasting impression, especially when they speak in such a soft and gentle manner. Not only would Guan Heng be drawn to this type, but Ye Zhou himself used to prefer such qualities—gentle, obedient, and well-mannered, traits many people find desirable. However, Ye Zhou had no admiration for Yue Shu now; instead, he felt a strong sense of unease.

Although Yue Shu’s reason for visiting seemed valid and was quite different from Ye Zhou’s own intentions, there was only one likely reason for an ex to suddenly return: seeking reconciliation.

Ye Zhou couldn’t see what was happening inside the office, so he didn’t know that Guan Heng wasn’t paying much attention to Yue Shu. Guan Heng had noticed the shadow at the door and subtly lifted the corner of his mouth: “I’m not sure if I’ll have time to go. I’ll see how things go.”

Guan Heng’s response was non-committal but clearly a rejection. Even if he were willing to attend, it would not be with Yue Shu.

Standing in front of Guan Heng with his head bowed like a child who had done something wrong, Yue Shu bit his lip, and finally, with a determined tone, said, “Guan Heng, I—”

Guan Heng seemed to anticipate what Yue Shu was about to say and interrupted him first, calling towards the door, “Ye Zhou, I’m hungry.”

When Guan Heng said this, not only was Yue Shu taken aback, but even Ye Zhou, who was hiding by the door, was startled.

Ye Zhou wasn’t sure when he had been exposed, but when he looked down, it became clear that his own shadow had betrayed him. He hadn’t intended to eavesdrop; he had just happened to overhear. He was quite resigned—why did things always work out this way?

However, since he had been discovered, Ye Zhou wasn’t the type to be evasive. He had never hidden his pursuit of Guan Heng from the beginning, and he certainly wouldn’t start now. He quickly composed himself, with a friendly smile, and walked out holding the bento: “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just heard you talking and didn’t want to intrude.”

In fact, they hadn’t discussed anything private or important in the office, and since the door was open, it wasn’t quite eavesdropping. Yue Shu was more puzzled to see Ye Zhou here, and even more surprised to see him holding a bento box.

Given that Yue Shu was also a top student at the same school as Guan Heng, and considering Guan Heng’s previous remarks, it quickly became clear to him that Ye Zhou was here to deliver food to Guan Heng. His expression turned slightly pale.

Ye Zhou felt a bit of sympathy, but since it was Yue Shu who had chosen to part ways in the first place, he had no reason to feel lenient towards a rival now. He nodded politely to Yue Shu and greeted him, “Hello, I’m Ye Zhou. We met in front of the house last time. I’m not sure if you remember, but I’m Guan Heng’s neighbor.”

“I remember,” Yue Shu said, not forgetting the first time he saw Ye Zhou, as he had misunderstood the situation back then. Although he hadn’t paid much attention at the time, he had to now. “Hello, I’m Yue Shu.”

Ye Zhou smiled at Yue Shu, not showing any sign of hostility. In fact, he didn’t dislike Yue Shu and wouldn’t harbor any ill feelings just because Yue Shu wanted to reconcile with Guan Heng. Even though they had broken up, an ex still had the freedom to try to rekindle a past romance. After all, relationships are a matter between two people; if Guan Heng doesn’t want it, no one can force it. Ye Zhou wasn’t the type to engage in melodramatic confrontations or fights over love, and Yue Shu certainly wasn’t the kind to do so either.

After greeting Yue Shu, Ye Zhou walked directly to Guan Heng, placing the bento on his desk with a familiarity that seemed even closer than his own interactions with Guan Heng.

Yue Shu suddenly felt awkward, as if he was intruding. He had wanted to discuss personal matters with Guan Heng, but it seemed that Guan Heng wasn’t inclined to talk. That’s why he had come to the school, but it was evidently not the best place for such conversations.

With no other reason to stay, Yue Shu decided to leave: “Guan Heng, I need to talk to you about something. I’ll come back later… and about the alumni meeting, please consider it again.”

Guan Heng didn’t give a definitive response, merely saying, “Take care.”

Even though Yue Shu had expected this attitude from Guan Heng, he still felt a bit disheartened. Before leaving, he took one last look at Guan Heng, who seemed indifferent and was already picking up chopsticks to eat.

Seeing this, Yue Shu let out a small sigh of relief.

But after Yue Shu walked out of the office, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. He had a suspicion but wasn’t willing to gamble, yet he really wanted to know.

Yue Shu’s curiosity got the better of him. He took a few steps back and discreetly peered through the door. He saw that Guan Heng had switched to using his left hand with the chopsticks, though he wasn’t sure when that had happened.

Although Guan Heng had trained his right hand to be as adept as his left, he was naturally a left-handed person. He had a habit of using his left hand only when he was with someone close to him, always using his right hand in front of others. Although it was a minor detail, it felt like a sign that he had let his guard down and was open with you.

Yue Shu had felt very special when he first discovered this little secret, believing himself to be the only one who held such a place in Guan Heng’s life. To someone like Guan Heng, a slight compromise or concession easily made one feel cherished and valued.

However, now everything had changed. Yue Shu finally understood that he had become an outsider, excluded from Guan Heng’s life.