April.
The abnormal chilling winter finally left, Spring following closely behind its departure bringing with it warm weather.
Nice weather would usually bring good feelings to a person. However, for a person living under intense stress, it does not matter if it is bright and sunny weather or raining nonstop outside, that person’s heart would still feel like it had been frozen.
An example would be how Xiao Yu felt at the moment.
From a certain perspective, Xiao Yu was a super optimistic person. Yet, in the predicament of being unable to gather enough funds for the compensation, unemployment, and not being able to get in touch with Yan Jin, he slacked at home for two weeks with his cat, getting by with simple meals, and only occasionally heading out to buy cooked food and calling for delivery when he got too lazy.
If it were someone else, anyone who was carrying a debt of thirty million, jobless, and orphaned with no relatives or friends, nine out of ten of them would open the window and jump. The remaining one person would probably cut themselves and lay in the bathtub.
The day before yesterday, the landlord had come over to collect the rental fee. It made Xiao Yu realize that the available funds he had left would be depleted soon. In the worse case scenario, he may need to withdraw the fixed deposits meant for his future house.
……
In the afternoon, Xiao Yu was scrolling his mobile on the couch. Suddenly, Faye who was playing on the side jumped onto his leg and meowed at the human while half-squatting.
Meoww.
Are you going to go broke?
Hm? You can tell that?
Xiao Yu was surprised:
Are you human?
Meow.
Hn, I knew it, you are going broke.
Faye licked her little paw as she said in a serious tone,
Meowww.
You can sell Faye. You’ll earn money that way.
Xiao Yu was almost touched to tears as he replied,
Don’t worry Faye, I won’t sell you. As long as I have something to eat, I won’t let you starve.
Meoww.
That’s what Faye’s previous owner said. But, she still threw me away when she went broke.
I’m not the same as her. Your ex-owner was not a decent person.
Whenever Xiao Yu recalled what Fan Xiaoge had done back then, he would still feel uncomfortable. A short moment later, he began to praise himself:
I’m in a slump for the time being. Once I find a job, things will get better.
Meoww.
But you can’t even cook a fish decently, how can you find a job?
Heyy, I’m a designer, all I need to know is how to design. Knowing how to cook is totally unnecessary, okay?
Xiao Yu retorted unhappily.
You must know that not too long ago, I was SI’s chief designer and earning high salary. And, when I was part-timing as the mystery designer, life was even more splendid. Just one drawing could fetch me over a million dollars. Sigh. Too bad I’m back to being a human again. I don’t even know if the real mystery designer came back as well. I think Yan Jin didn’t even pay me for that last job. Although I can’t even meet him to find out more…
Hold on.
Xiao Yu suddenly thought of something.
The mystery designer……
Xiao Yu had always felt guilty about taking the identity of the mystery designer. After he had woken up, he told himself that he was never going to use that identity for anything ever again. Plus, his ancestors had mentioned in the scroll that he should not purposely alter the future. Otherwise, he may be become mentally deranged or worse still, he may be wiped out by heavenly laws. That made him quickly affirm that he would never log in to the Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both account.
All those were decisions that Xiao Yu had made. Back then, he had thought that he would stick to his promises forever.
However, at this very moment, Xiao Yu had the alarming thought that the mystery designer may be his last chance.
All the crucial points were in that unique account of Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both.
Even if Yan Jin had deregistered all his unofficial social accounts due to his overwhelming depression, he could never ignore that mystery designer who had once provided him with so much ‘free’ assistance. And, thanks to Xiao Yu’s secretive behavior, Yan Jin could only contact him using his Grey-White SS
account.
Be it heavenly laws or retribution, if things were to go wrong then so be it.
If he had made the mistake then, he would admit it. Regardless of the price to pay, he would face it.
Xiao Yu’s hands were shaking as he keyed in the numbers into the password column.
When his QQ login was successful, the sudden flow of notifications sounding almost drowned him.
It made sense after not logging in for a month. His handful of friends were probably worried sick.
Bearing the brunt was Nannan with 99+ unread messages. Xiao Yu silently apologized as he dragged Nannan’s conversation tab to the side. He really had no energy to deal with other matters right now.
Xiao Yu ignored all the messages from Nannan, his gaming friends, and some other random friend requests.
Grey-White SS
’ account had already disappeared from his friend list, just like his Fishy
account, with nothing left behind.
Xiao Yu calmed himself down as he opened his email.
At that moment, Xiao Yu’s emotions were leaning towards a depressed peace.
With the continuous attacks that had made him lose hope again and again, his heart that had been desperate to find Yan Jin in the beginning had stopped feeling pain. Xiao Yu was almost habitually waiting for another failure so he would end up empty-handed once again.
He knew very clearly that at this point of time, not being able to find Yan Jin, would not only affect the chance for any relationship with him, but it would also affect the rest of his life.
During this period of time, he was able to continue living normally only because he was still holding on to that little bit of hope, just like a person grabbing onto a life saving straw when he was about to drown. It may seem only slightly better than nothing, but it did save his life after all.
In fact, there were different types of
straws
. The one that Xiao Yu was holding onto could break the proverbial camel’s back with ease and the other use of it was kind of hard to explain. If he had not picked up Faye who was in the same predicament as him in that rainy night, he wasn’t sure where he would be right now.
His email inbox was also attacked by Nannan. Xiao Yu did not look at it as he dragged the cursor right downwards to March 6th – the day that he had been unconscious.
By doing that, he missed Nannan’s email revealing his identity and asking about what had happened between Xiao Yu and Yan Jin.
An email was lying quietly in his inbox as if it were glowing.
It was from Grey-White SS.
In that email, Yan Jin did not mention anything about his beloved pet’s passing, and neither did he speak about him getting into an accident. He only briefly and courteously explained that he would be tied down with other matters and his decision to resign as YL’s chairman. If Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both
was still willing to work with YL, he could contact the acting chairman at the moment and be provided his contact details.
Lastly, Yan Jin had expressed his apology for bothering him and promised to completely forget about what had happened back then, to let bygones be bygones. He would never investigate his real identity and hoped that he would have a blissful life and find someone who would treat him well.
When Xiao Yu finished reading, he wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry.
However, even if his unexplainable laughter were to be heard, it may end up sounding sarcastic.
Yan Jin had never promised not to investigate his identity back then no matter how he begged him. Yet, at the moment when he really wished that the chairman would investigate his identity, the latter had decided to let go.
Just like how they had missed one another seven years ago. Now, they might miss each other again for the next few decades.
Fate was such a mysterious thing that it may be right at your side for one moment, but when you reach out for it, it would vanish without a trace.
Xiao Yu let out a sigh.
Yan Jin did not mention where he was going in that email, so it was yet another hope that fell through.
It was probably beautiful enough to be a fitting final ending.
Xiao Yu read through the email several times before he quietly closed the tab.
He opened his QQ app again and switched to the new friend requests.
Just as expected, the acting chairman had been sending friend requests nonstop to Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both
’s account since very long ago. That whole list of friend requests was in fact sent by him alone.
Xiao Yu accepted one of the many requests and the other party almost immediately sent a message over.
[Yueyueyue]: GURU! Your online frequency is too exaggerating!
[Yueyueyue]: I apologize on behalf of the company for those shameful deeds done by Yan Jin. Guru, please spare us some face, could you give me your contact number? I promise to never ask about your real-life identity!!!
[Yueyueyue]: Oh right, I shall introduce myself first. Yan Jin abandoned his responsibilities, and I will be the acting chairman for the time being. Dear Guru, you’ve only completed the last deal half-way through. We really can’t do anything without you!!!
Xiao Yu was taken aback by that outburst of messages. He had not even finish reading the previous line before the next one came in.
When he finally finished reading the messages, Xiao Yu felt slightly hopeless. From this situation, it seemed like Yan Jin had already instructed them about his identity and habits before he had left. Which was probably why the acting chairman seemed so respectful towards him. It was just that…
Xiao Yu wondered if it was just an illusion, but he found the acting chairman somehow unreliable.
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: Hello. I’m Mr. Mystery.
[Yueyueyue]: Nice to meet you, Guru. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for a long time.
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: I’m truly sorry about the deal. I met an accident not too long ago which was why I could not login to my account.
[Yueyueyue]: Oh my, what a coincidence. Our chairman was in an accident too. The Gods must be blind. How could they cause trouble to such a nice person like you? A person like Yan Jin should stay in the hospital for ten odd days instead!
Xiao Yu:
……
Although they were just courtesy words, they sounded weird for some reason.
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: There was some misunderstanding between me and Chairman Yan. I cannot get in touch with him at all.
[Yueyueyue]: My apologies Guru. It’s all Yan Jin’s fault. Please don’t think too much about it. I will apologize on behalf of that fellow.
[Yueyueyue]: That fellow is simply too shameless. How gave you such lowly treatment? Fret not, with me around, your annual salary will surely be no less than seven digits!
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: … thank you.
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: I would like to ask something, but I’m not sure if it’s appropriate…
[Yueyueyue]: Ask away, and I will tell you everything I know.
Xiao Yu took a deep breath as he forced himself to calmly type out the following message.
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: Previously, Chairman Yan did want to meet me in real life, but I did not agree to it. I do feel guilty about it. My situation has changed now, and I would like to apologize in person to Chairman Yan. Do you have any way for me to contact Yan Jin?
Xiao Yu’s heart was beating over a hundred beats per minute, and he was so nervous that he could not even hold the mouse properly.
[Yueyueyue]: You really don’t have to worry so much. There’s no need to apologize. I’m serious.
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: I really want to meet Chairman Yan. Please.
[Yueyueyue]: Sure, that’s not a problem. I’ll pass the message on to him.
Xiao Yu’s heart almost leaped out of his body when he saw that sentence.
The sudden rush of happiness enveloped him entirely. It was almost hard to contain his feelings, as his eyes started to become blur with sparkles.
[Yueyueyue]: What Yan Jin did was too despicable. He simply vanished into thin air. I’m truly apologetic. I will get him to apologize to you in two days.
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: Can’t it be now? I want to meet him right now. Please, I beg you.
[Yueyueyue]: Well… it’s not that I can’t, but he’s quite busy in these two days.
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: I won’t trouble him, it’s just a meetup.
[Yueyueyue]: Ohh no worries, relax. I’ll go ask him for you now.
[Yueyueyue]: He got engaged on the 30th. If his wedding date weren’t this close, he might be free at this moment.
Engaged, wedding date.
The two phrases that appeared were like the biggest joke on earth.
If the earlier moment was like seeing a light at the end of the tunnel for Xiao Yu, then at this moment, the sudden wave of happiness turned into poison as it spread to every inch of his body.
Every inch of Xiao Yu that it got to felt ice-cold.
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: Hold on.
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: Yan Jin is getting married?
[Yueyueyue]: Yeah.
[Yueyueyue]: Oh, it slipped my mind. It is a secret to the outside world. There’s just so many things that have been happening lately.
[Yueyueyue]: Well, you’re one of us. If you could attend the wedding, I’m sure Yan Jin would be happy to see you.
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: I see…
[Yueyueyue]: Do you still want to contact Yan Jin now? I think wouldn’t be a bad idea to give him a surprise at the wedding ceremony.
Xiao Yu smiled bitterly.
Surprise? Probably more like horror.
Hope was supposedly right in front of him, yet Xiao Yu could not even explain his current feelings. He typed his reply word by word –
[Fish and Hamster – You Can’t Have Both]: Forget it then.
