The bright sunlight got obstructed as a wave of grey clouds rolled over, spreading like a blanket over the sky. The warm breeze a minute ago started turning cold. The people on the streets started moving faster as if frightened by darkness. Amidst the bustling of the gloomy city, a black Ferrari could be seen moving in a steady pace unbothered by the outside world. A soft classy music plays as a cold sandalwood scent fills inside the Ferrari.
Yan Jiuheng who was forced to sit in the co-pilot seat looked outside the window, his usual cold amber eyes lacking its coldness, resembling a golden void like an endless expanse of nothingness. Long Yuzhou drove the car at a steady pace, his long, slender finger curled against the steering wheel. The silence was so suffocating that Long Yuzhou's grip on the steering wheel grew tighter.
The silence except for the soft music playing was broken as Long Yuzhou gently called out, "Jiuheng"
Yan Jiuheng came out of his stupor, turned towards Long Yuzhou asking a bit irritated, "What is it?"
Long Yuzhou was silent for a while, hesitated, trying to find the correct words to express himself. He cleared his throat before starting.
"Jiuheng, about this morning..."
He trailed off, looking at Yan Jiuheng to make sure of something. Once he confirmed what he's looking for, he continued.
"I know what I did to you this morning is not appropriate. I should have apologised right away but got carried away, looking at you, awake and turned back to human. So….."
He pulled the car over inside the parking lot as they reached the airport. He turned towards Yan Jiuheng, looking into his blank amber eyes saying,
"Jiuheng, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have behaved like that with you early in the morning. I don't expect you to forgive me right away. If you're still upset with it, then I'm willing to do anything to make you feel better."
Yan Jiuheng's eyes widened as he looked at Long Yuzhou apologising to him. He felt his throat dry, making it hard to form words. He coughed a little to break the awkwardness, his usual cold temper returning as he asked in a mocking tone,
"Willing to do anything for me?"
Yan Jiuheng moved a little closer to Long Yuzhou, gripping the back of his neck, rubbing there gently as he asked,
"Willing to do anything? Huh? Yuzhou, what if I want you to give me your reversed scale, will you be able to give it to me, to gain my forgiveness?"
Yan Jiuheng's eyes darkened as his grip on Long Yuzhou's back neck tightened.
Long Yuzhou felt a heat rush into his veins as his weakest point was touched.
Just as Long Yuzhou was about to lose his temper, Yan Jiuheng let go of him sharply, laughing hard, his eyes turned a little crescent as a tear appeared at the corner. He wiped away the tear with the back of his hands saying,
"Look at you! Your face paled as if your soul left your body. Quit blabbering nonsense. Quickly go and send off Liu Zhong and that bastard safely"
Long Yuzhou was stupified by his reaction, still not believing what happened a minute ago. Finally Yan Jiuheng stopped laughing asking,
"Aren't you going away?"
Long Yuzhou came back to his senses as he nodded saying, "Yes, going."
Long Yuzhou opened the door and got out of the car and paused when he realised Yan Jiuheng didn't move. He hesitated asking,
"Jiuheng, what happened?"
The earlier cheerfulness disappeared from Yan Jiuheng as the previous blank expression replaced it. Yan Jiuheng didn't look up at Long Yuzhou saying,
"You can go alone to see them off, I'll wait for you here."
Long Yuzhou walked to the other side, opening the door for Yan Jiuheng asking,
"Why aren't you coming? Don't you want to see Liu Zhong one last time before he leaves?"
Yan Jiuheng looked up at Long Yuzhou his amber eyes wavering as he said in a low voice,
"I want to but I can't do it."
Long Yuzhou's grip on the car door tightened as he declared,
"Fine! If you don't go then I'll stay here with you and make someone send them off in my stead"
Yan Jiuheng didn't expect such a turn of event as he requested Long Yuzhou,
"Don't do this. You need to go. I'm fine. You don't need to stay here."
Yan Jiuheng pulled out something from his pocket, placing it on Long Yuzhou's hand saying,
"Give this to Liu Zhong for me. This will help him during his journey."
Long Yuzhou looked at Locket and Yan Jiuheng for a while not understanding why Yan Jiuheng is behaving like this. He took the Locket in his hand inspecting closely, his eyes widened as a gasp left him. He looked at Yan Jiuheng asking in worry,
"What have you done, Jiuheng? Are you crazy?"
Yan Jiuheng smiled weakly, still not daring to look at Long Yuzhou in the eyes saying,
"It's nothing that big. Just a small claw and my fire mixed together. It will help protect him."
Finally Yan Jiuheng looked up at Long Yuzhou, observing his disbelief as he requested,
"Please go and give it to Liu Zhong. I can't do it myself. Please go"
Long Yuzhou couldn't protest anymore, he gripped the locket in his hand as he said,
"Wait here, I'll be back in a while and don't worry I'll surely deliver it to Liu Zhong."
With that Long Yuzhou closed the door and walked towards the entrance of the airport, disappearing in the crowd. Yan Jiuheng, who was left alone inside the black Ferrari in the parking lot, pressed a hand over his heart, coughing violently. He wiped the blood off his corner of his mouth with a tissue. His face contoured with pain as he continued to cough. With great difficulty he pressed some pulse points, stopping the pain and cough. He just leaned against the seat in exhaustion and waited for Long Yuzhou to return.
Long Yuzhou, who had gone to send off Liu Zhong and Wu Xinglong, came back earlier than expected. Yan Jiuheng quickly hid away the bloodied tissues. Long Yuzhou got into the car and noticed that something was wrong. He looked at Yan Jiuheng, asking in concern.
"Jiuheng, are you alright?"
Yan Jiuheng's voice quivered while he said, "Why? What happened? Did you send them off? Did you give that locket to Liu Zhong?"
He tried to change the topic but Long Yuzhou didn't budge as he continued asking,
"Why are you sweating when you're inside the car with the AC turned on? Are you hiding something?"
Yan Jiuheng sighed as he replied, "Who said I was sweating? I mistakenly poured the water on myself while drinking. Why are you making a fuss over such trivial things?"
Long Yuzhou looked at him and noticed the water bottle on the back seat was unscrewed a little and was misplaced from its usual place. He looked at Yan Jiuheng once again before starting the car as the engine roared to life. The car drove to the main road when Yan Jiuheng asked once again.
"Did you give that locket to Liu Zhong?"
Long Yuzhou nodded but didn't say anything as he concentrated on the road the entire time till his car once again returned to his mansion. Yan Jiuheng was confused as the car entered the garage. He looked at Long Yuzhou asking,
"Why did you bring me here again now that I'm alright?"
Yan Jiuheng left the car, fiddling with his phone. Long Yuzhou also left the car in a hurry as he pinned Yan Jiuheng against the car asking,
"Do you think I'm such a fool for you to deceive? Do you think I don't know what you have put in that locket you gave to Liu Zhong? "
Yan Jiuheng didn't expect the heavy force making him stumble and gasp as his back hit the metal body of the car. He shot back at Long Yuzhou.
"How do you think you are to treat me like this? Just because you're an oldie doesn't mean you could behave this way?"
Long Yuzhou's voice hardened as he looked at Yan Jiuheng with a blazing gaze.
"Oldie huh?! Let me show you what this oldie can do!"
His large slender hand gripped Yan Jiuheng's waist tightly, moving downwards. Yan Jiuheng shouted in fear as he tried to avoid his hands. Long Yuzhou pressed down on him, making him stop squirming. Long Yuzhou's hand made its way to Yan Jiuheng's pocket, taking out the bloodied tissue he hid earlier.
Yan Jiuheng's face paled as he saw the tissue in his hands. He tried to control his cough as he stopped moving around. Long Yuzhou froze looking at the amount of blood in the tissue as his anger grew a few fold more when he looked at Yan Jiuheng once again. Long Yuzhou asked in a low guttural voice,
"What's this? If you're alright and good, then explain the heck what's this bloody tissue doing in your pocket?"
Yan Jiuheng stayed silent as he lowered his gaze, not daring to look him straight in the eyes. The silence made Long Yuzhou fume more in anger as he shook Yan Jiuheng demanding an answer. Yan Jiuheng couldn't control his coughing anymore because of the violent shooking.
Long Yuzhou was stunned as blood dripped on his hands. His actions stopped as he looked at Yan Jiuheng in horror who was coughing blood, his face twisted in pain. Long Yuzhou tried to wipe the blood from Yan Jiuheng's face as he whispered nervously,
"Jiuheng! Sorry, I'm sorry, Let me help you"
Yan Jiuheng swatted his hands away saying in a stern voice.
"Don't touch me. It's none of your business"
Long Yuzhou shivered in anger as he held Yan Jiuheng's shoulder, stopping him from moving around. His hands gently wiped away the blood from his lips with the back of his hands not caring it might stain his dress. Yan Jiuheng didn't move anymore as he stood there, letting Long Yuzhou do as he pleased.
When the coughing stopped, Yan Jiuheng asked Long Yuzhou, who still held him in his arms.
"Why are you doing this? It's not like we're related. The only thing that ties us both together is the hatred and the enmity we have for each other. So why?"
Long Yuzhou pulled Yan Jiuheng into a tight hug as he whispered into his ears in a low warning tone.
"Jiuheng, you can think it's your life but it's totally wrong because…."
Long Yuzhou pulled back enough to look straight into those amber orbs saying in a deep voice.
"Your life is mine to take or protect. You will stay as long as I want because I own you."
Yan Jiuheng sneered as he mocked him back.
"My life is yours? Don't be delusional. My life is mine to live and exploit and when the time comes, even the heavens can't save me from my destruction."
Yan Jiuheng moved a little closer to Long Yuzhou, standing on his toes to whisper into his ears.
"Yuzhou, I won't disappoint you as my life will end in your hands as you wish so be prepared for it"
Long Yuzhou froze as Yan Jiuheng pulled away from him, walking away. Long Yuzhou came back to his senses when he didn't feel the warmth near him. He called out.
"Jiuheng! Stop!"
Yan Jiuheng lifted his hands to stop anymore words from him saying,
"Mr. Long, let's stop here and go back to our usual self. Let's be the archenemies which the outside world wants us. If possible, let's not meet each other other than official meetings regarding the new venture we both signed not long ago. I hope you can understand this much."
With those cold words, Yan Jiuheng left Long Yuzhou's mansion, returning to his cold, lonely, silent home in the outskirts of Shanghai.