Control Freak - Chapter 24

After Yue Shu left, Ye Zhou was left with a feeling he couldn’t quite describe.

Before coming here, he had been excited and thrilled, even a bit stirred up just thinking about the kiss from last night. But now, despite his heart still racing when he saw Guan Heng, he had managed to calm down completely. He had anticipated that Guan Heng might have many admirers and had prepared himself mentally for that. However, the situation with an ex wanting to come back was different. Even though he tried to act nonchalant and generous, he couldn’t completely shake off the sense of insecurity.

“Ye Zhou,” Guan Heng suddenly interrupted his train of thought, holding his hand, “What are you thinking about?”

Ye Zhou felt his hand being gently squeezed. He looked down at their touching hands; Guan Heng was using his left hand to hold chopsticks, and his right hand holding Ye Zhou’s didn’t interfere with his eating. Moreover, Guan Heng wasn’t just holding his hand; his fingertips were lightly gliding over Ye Zhou’s palm, showing an intimate gesture. This method of distraction was indeed very effective.

Ye Zhou smiled, thinking that Guan Heng was really quite skillful. This was the first time Guan Heng had actively asked about his thoughts, making Ye Zhou feel that their relationship had changed.

In front of Guan Heng, Ye Zhou always felt like he was easily read, but he did care a bit. He responded in a relaxed tone, “I was thinking… Aren’t you worried that if you suddenly called me in, we might end up arguing or even fighting?”

“You won’t,” Guan Heng said with absolute certainty, his tone reflecting the same unspoken confidence that made it easy to trust him. “And neither will he.”

Guan Heng emphasized the first part of his statement, making Ye Zhou feel valued. His mood improved inexplicably, and seizing the rare opportunity, he boldly returned the gesture by gently squeezing Guan Heng’s hand. The nerve endings in one’s fingers are very sensitive, and the touch of fingertips is both subtle and intimate, which is why fingers are so suitable for flirting.

But Guan Heng held onto his hand, preventing him from continuing to fidget. “Don’t you have any questions for me?”

Ye Zhou was momentarily taken aback and responded instinctively, “If I ask, will you answer?”

Guan Heng didn’t hesitate at all. “I will.”

At that moment, Jian Huan, who regularly checked in every noon, arrived. Guan Heng naturally released Ye Zhou’s hand and began to tidy up the empty lunchbox.

Ye Zhou retreated to the sofa, giving space for the teacher and student to discuss.

Taking advantage of this moment, Ye Zhou sorted his disorganized thoughts, and calmed his slightly accelerated heartbeat, carefully considering what exactly he wanted to know. He hadn’t expected Guan Heng to agree so decisively. He thought that the appearance of the ex might make Guan Heng waver, but it seemed he might have been overthinking it, which eased his mind considerably.

Jian Huan stayed for only about ten minutes before leaving, leaving Ye Zhou and Guan Heng alone in the office.

Ye Zhou had already decided what he wanted to ask. Although he might have successfully entered Guan Heng’s social circle, he had not truly entered his heart. He wanted to understand Guan Heng better, both past and present. He slowly began, “I heard Yue Shu mention the alumni association. Did you two attend the same school? Were you classmates?”

Guan Heng answered readily, “We went to the same university, but we weren’t classmates. I’m two years older than him; he’s actually my junior.”

The relationship between a senior and a junior can range from very distant to quite close. Ye Zhou thought they should be in the latter category, as Guan Heng had been in university and acquainted with Yue Shu for over a decade. This was the question Ye Zhou most wanted to know: “Have you been together for a long time?”

“Not really.” Guan Heng adjusted the office chair to face Ye Zhou, leaning slightly back with his elbows resting on the armrests. His tone was gentle and calm, yet it conveyed a sense of leading the conversation. “We’ve known each other for a long time, but we were only actually together for the past two years.”

Guan Heng looked directly into Ye Zhou’s eyes, addressing what Ye Zhou was eager to learn: “Yue Shu and I were in different departments. He was in the music department. You probably heard him mention the concert earlier—he’s quite a renowned violinist.”

Ye Zhou had indeed heard that and recalled Yue Shu mentioning going abroad when he and Guan Heng broke up: “So, the Professor Zhan he mentioned is…?”

Guan Heng answered slowly, “He’s the head of my department and my professor. But for Yue Shu, he’s probably more like a mentor and a guiding figure.”

Yue Shu came from a family of musicians. His parents were well-known conductors and pianists in the country. From a young age, Yue Shu showed musical talent and an interest in music, so he followed his parents into this field. However, during university, Yue Shu had a disagreement with his parents. Despite his significant musical talent, he chose not to attend the music school his parents had arranged but instead entered a prestigious institution to prove he could balance both academics and music.

Even now, the stereotype persists that children who study music are either wealthy or come from influential backgrounds. People often assume they have special advantages and don’t need to work hard. Yue Shu had both, plus many awards, and likely grew up hearing such criticisms. Intelligent people often have a bit of pride, and he probably wanted to break this misconception even more.

After he entered university, although Yue Shu didn’t have a complete falling-out with his family, he did experience a period of cold war with his parents. Once he achieved his goal of entering a prestigious institution, he suddenly felt lost. What was he trying to prove? To whom? Did it really matter how others saw him? Was there any real meaning in what he was doing?

Many people say that choosing a major in college is a lifelong decision and should be considered carefully, as if a wrong choice could ruin one’s life and make them lose at the starting point.

Yue Shu, who had never tasted failure before, had no experience with this. It was Professor Zhan, as mentioned by Guan Heng, who guided him through this period of confusion. Thanks to that guidance, Yue Shu completed his university studies and went on to pursue music academy studies abroad. Perhaps because of this low period in his life, Yue Shu now cherishes his talent even more and has walked this path more determinedly, performing even more brilliantly.

Guan Heng said, “That was when I met Yue Shu. After all, he would often come to seek advice from my supervising professor. Although Professor Zhan is involved in education, he is also an authority in psychology.”

Although Yue Shu’s troubles sounded like common issues faced by young students, Ye Zhou could still hear how exceptional the other person was. In fact, such troubles might seem like whining to ordinary people. Indeed, like attracts like; Guan Heng’s circle was filled with such talented individuals.

Ye Zhou then asked, “Did you have much interaction back then?”

“No, there was no time,” Guan Heng thought for a moment and added, “And perhaps we just didn’t hit it off.”

“So what happened later…”

“Maybe it was fate,” Guan Heng explained. He had studied abroad first and then coincidentally ran into Yue Shu in a foreign country. Although they weren’t very close, it was easier to become familiar with each other in an unfamiliar environment. However, they still didn’t get together at that time; they were at most ordinary friends. It was later when Guan Heng returned to the country and happened to run into Yue Shu again that things started to change. They originally had no interactions and came from entirely different social circles, but such serendipitous meetings can easily create the illusion of destiny.

However, in the end, it was Yue Shu who let go first.

Ye Zhou couldn’t help but feel a bit wistful and also thought it was a shame. If Yue Shu had returned before Ye Zhou planned to pursue Guan Heng, he might have convinced himself to give up. But now, no matter how much Yue Shu regrets, Ye Zhou had no intention of letting go. People are inherently selfish, and he was no exception. There was no reason he should step aside just to accommodate someone else.

Ye Zhou then asked, “Was he your first relationship?”

To his surprise, Guan Heng actually smiled and said, “Are you trying to dig up all my secrets?”