Control Freak - Chapter 31

At five o’clock in the afternoon, Guan Heng arrived early at the hotel’s banquet hall. Just as he stepped through the door and was about to find his designated spot, a familiar voice called out to him from nearby: “Guan Heng.”

Guan Heng turned to look and saw Yue Shu.

Today, Yue Shu looked particularly handsome, dressed in a custom-tailored deep blue suit that accentuated his charisma. The musical note brooch on his left lapel, adorned with tiny diamonds, matched his cufflinks perfectly, creating a subtle yet striking effect. This set of accessories was unique, not available for purchase on the market, and expensive. It was a gift from Guan Heng. Yue Shu loved it and only wore it on important occasions, using it to hint at something unspoken.

Yue Shu’s personality was different from Ye Zhou’s. He wasn’t the type to openly express affection. When he was with Guan Heng, he was very low-key. But he knew that Guan Heng understood him well. In the past, when they were together, Guan Heng had an uncanny ability to sense his every small gesture and emotion, as if nothing could escape his notice. There was no hiding anything from him. At the beginning of their relationship, Yue Shu felt well cared for by Guan Heng. He could understand him perfectly and would quietly soothe his emotions. Everything felt perfect. They had been together for two years without ever having an argument, and to others, they appeared to be the perfect couple. But over time, Yue Shu began to feel a sense of fear. He felt controlled, as though he had no privacy.

Yue Shu was raised in a free, open-minded family. He pursued his interests and had a promising future. The only rebellious act was his choice in university. People used to being free found it hard to accept the feeling of being controlled. He felt lost, struggled with it for a while, and finally decided to break up with Guan Heng. However, after some time apart, he realized how deeply ingrained his dependence on Guan Heng had become. He couldn’t adapt to life without him. Things were going wrong, he was making frequent mistakes, and a month ago, he had even resented Guan Heng for turning him into someone like this. Yet, at the same time, he missed Guan Heng and the good things about him. He felt as though he could never return to the independent person he once was. But now, three months later, he had completely compromised—he simply couldn’t live without Guan Heng.

However, Guan Heng only glanced at him faintly, showing no significant emotion. He greeted him politely, as he would with any stranger.

In that moment, Yue Shu felt a sharp pain in his chest. Guan Heng truly saw him as an outsider now. His face paled slightly, but he still managed to smile. “I know where it is. Let me show you the way.”

Guan Heng could tell Yue Shu was waiting specifically for him, so he didn’t refuse. “Okay, thank you.”

With the year-end approaching, the hotel’s restaurant was extremely busy. It was the peak season for company year-end parties, alumni gatherings, school reunions, and various other events. The hallways of the banquet hall were bustling with people, and it was a bit crowded.

Despite Guan Heng’s obvious rejection, Yue Shu still held onto hope and hadn’t given up yet. He walked alongside Guan Heng, entering the private room together.

When they entered the room, some of their old classmates who had already arrived waved to them. “Guan Heng, Junior, long time no see! You two came together, huh? You’re still as close as ever.”

Yue Shu was now a public figure. Considering his public image, he had kept their relationship private in work settings. His environment was too complex, with all kinds of people around, and public opinion could easily turn against him, which could harm his reputation. Therefore, only those with whom he had a close relationship in school knew about his relationship with Guan Heng.

Yue Shu first glanced at Guan Heng, saw that Guan Heng didn’t seem to object or deny anything, only offering a smile to the others.

Even though the two had broken up, Guan Heng would never embarrass Yue Shu in front of others.

“Come, sit over here,” said one of their old classmates, who had known them for more than ten years. Everyone knew they were a couple and had specifically saved them a seat.

Guan Heng walked over and sat down, and Yue Shu followed, sitting beside him.

The conversation quickly turned to focus on them: “It’s really not fair, how is Guan Heng still so handsome? He hasn’t changed at all, no bald spot, no beer belly. I read your paper, it was amazing…”

“Junior, I saw you at last year’s concert at the music sanctuary. You really brought us pride.”

Everyone chatted casually, lifting each other up but never putting anyone down. They were all graduates from top-tier universities with impressive accomplishments, so there was no need to envy anyone else. The higher you stood, the more tolerant and humble you became, and the more you understood the importance of cooperation and helping one another. Their conversation was lively, filled with laughter, easily pulling everyone into a nostalgic mood. This was exactly the kind of opportunity Yue Shu wanted to use to try to win back Guan Heng.

However, while Guan Heng appeared calm and natural, he didn’t interact with Yue Shu like he used to. He even subtly shifted his body, creating a sense of distance.

Guan Heng had this ability—he didn’t need to say anything, and though his expressions and tone were still polite and kind, he responded to Yue Shu’s words. Yet, without a single overt action, he could subtly communicate to everyone present what it meant to have a proper sense of intimacy and distance, and to treat the inside and outside differently.

At first, Yue Shu hadn’t noticed. It wasn’t until he caught the thoughtful glances from the people at the table across from them that he realized something felt off.

Mature adults in social situations knew how to see through things without saying them. They wouldn’t gossip or ask unnecessary questions, especially if they weren’t sure of the reasons behind something. They wouldn’t break the mood but would continue to chat warmly as usual.

Guan Heng’s gesture made it clear to everyone that they had broken up. Even though Guan Heng couldn’t completely avoid seeing Yue Shu, he had clearly intended from the beginning to act this way. Why was he being so harsh? Was it because of Ye Zhou?

Yue Shu slightly lowered his head, unable to stop his mind from wandering. His hands were clasped tightly beneath the table, and his lips, pressed together, were slightly pale from the anxiety and nervousness he felt.

In the past, at times like this, Guan Heng would have reached over to hold his hand, but Yue Shu was left waiting in vain.

At that moment, Guan Heng spoke quietly: “Yue Shu.”

Yue Shu immediately looked up at him with hopeful eyes, but all he received was a kind reminder: “It’s not a good look if you hurt your hand on stage.”

Yue Shu snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his hands. His fingertips were pressed so hard that they turned white, and his nails dug into his flesh. He was suddenly reminded of the day he had broken up with Guan Heng, when Guan Heng had spoken in the same tone—detached, without any emotional fluctuation, wishing him a smooth future.

Yue Shu had grown accustomed to hearing Guan Heng’s words and instinctively loosened his grip, but his fingers trembled violently. In that moment, he truly regretted his decision.

“Can’t we… start over?” Yue Shu lowered his head, his voice barely above a whisper. He couldn’t care less what others would think anymore; he was desperately trying to think of a way.

Finally, Guan Heng leaned slightly toward him, facing him directly and firmly said, “No.”

“Is it because of Ye Zhou?”

Guan Heng answered, “It wouldn’t matter whether he’s involved or not.”

Their conversation ended there. The surroundings remained lively, but the space they occupied had grown silent. Everyone around them was perceptive enough not to disturb them.

At that moment, Guan Heng’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He immediately took it out to check. It wasn’t a message from Ye Zhou, but rather a notification from the school with winter break instructions. Ye Zhou’s last reply had been at 2:15 PM, and after that, there was no response. The message Guan Heng had sent after 3 PM had also gone unanswered.

Guan Heng vaguely sensed something was off, but before he could think further, he heard someone call out, “Professor Zhan is here.”

Guan Heng immediately looked up and saw an elderly scholar with half-gray hair walking in. Zhan Hong, though a leading authority in contemporary psychology, wasn’t serious. He wore a warm and friendly smile as he greeted the students who came to say hello.

Guan Heng put his phone away, stood up, and walked toward the door.