Chà Chà Novel

“It was you. It was because of you” Shang Jianli stared at the person before him without blinking.

Alive. Vivid. Still capable of arguing with him.

Ji Shileng leaned against the washbasin. Droplets were clearly visible on the marble counter, and much of his shirttail became soaked as he rested against it.

“Me?” He did not smile. “It was death. Death taught you how to apologize”

Shang Jianli drew him away from the counter, took a handkerchief from his inner jacket pocket, and bent to blot the water from his shirt.

“I know you don’t believe me,” he said quietly. “But that’s the truth. It was because of you”

“Mm”

Ji Shileng’s response gave no indication of whether he believed him.

“Stop wiping it. Let me out”

Shang Jianli folded the handkerchief and returned it to his pocket.

“Change first. You’ll be uncomfortable in wet clothes”

Ji Shileng folded his arms.

“What happens to me is no longer any of your concern”

The implication was clear: stop interfering.

Shang Jianli’s lashes trembled involuntarily. For a long moment, he said nothing.

Then he spoke slowly.

“I’m pursuing you”

When he repeated it, his voice was utterly solemn.

“I’m pursuing you, Xiao Shi”

Ji Shileng suddenly burst out laughing. His laughter grew louder until he could barely straighten up, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.

Once he had composed himself, he asked, “Shang Jianli, you don’t even like me. Why pursue me?”

“What happened before was my fault…”

Ji Shileng interrupted him.

“Stop. I don’t want another apology”

Wiping his eyes, he added listlessly, “Just let me out”

He had no interest in playing any more games of love with Shang Jianli.

As though remembering something, he added, “As for pouring water over him just now, that really was his fault”

Exactly what he had done was difficult to say aloud. Better to let Shang Jianli investigate it himself.

He could hardly announce that his former nephew by marriage had indecent intentions toward him.

It was far too awkward.

“As long as you’re all right”

Despite his words, Shang Jianli remained in his way.

“Let me out”

“Change first. The conference will last a long time. Wearing a wet shirt really will be uncomfortable”

“Where am I supposed to get a fresh one?”

His clothes were all at the hotel. Getting there and back would require his brother’s assistant, since he had not driven himself.

“I have a new shirt in my car. Wear mine for now”

Having decided, Shang Jianli took out his communicator and typed a brief message.

“I’ve asked my adjutant to fetch it”

Ji Shileng rubbed his temples, lowering his eyes to conceal his expression.

At receptions and drinking parties in the past, he had attended as Shang Jianli’s spouse.

Wherever Shang Jianli went, he went too.

Yet even though they were legally married, the stream of people throwing themselves at Shang Jianli had never diminished.

At those gatherings, “accidentally” spilling wine on him had been one of the most common tricks.

For that reason, Ji Shileng had always kept a spare outfit in the car.

Now that he was gone, Shang Jianli had kept up the practice. Ji Shileng could not understand what he was thinking.

A knock sounded.

Shang Jianli’s adjutant had arrived. He turned, unlocked the door, and accepted the bag of clothes through the gap.

He closed and locked the door again, then turned back and offered the bag to Ji Shileng. The sequence was seamless.

The box inside bore the VEKAL logo.

Ji Shileng had once liked buying VEKAL clothes and accessories for Shang Jianli. There had been no special reason. VEKAL was simply the most prestigious choice he could provide for him.

The brand had been founded by the Ji family.

Even when his relationship with the family had been strained, his eldest sister had doted on him. Anything he wanted could be ordered discreetly through an internal account.

Ji Shileng made no move to take the bag.

“Why did you buy VEKAL?” he asked frankly, puzzled.

“You like VEKAL”

Only now did Shang Jianli understand, far too late, why Ji Shileng had always bought the brand.

VEKAL belonged to the Ji family.

And so did Ji Shileng.

In the past, when he occasionally went home alone to handle family matters, his mother would survey his VEKAL outfit and sneer.

“I told you not to spoil him. VEKAL this, VEKAL that—just how much spending money have you given him?”

“Even I barely meet VEKAL’s purchasing requirements”

He had merely frowned slightly and thought little of her remarks.

Only after Ji Shileng’s “death,” when he had people take stock of the assets in his name, had Shang Jianli realized that the cards he had given him showed almost no substantial spending.

The supplementary card was the exception, but most purchases on it had been women’s clothing and accessories.

The memories receded. Beneath the restroom’s warm yellow light, Ji Shileng’s complexion looked much healthier, no longer as deathly pale as before.

He shook his head.

“Actually, I wore VEKAL from childhood through high school. I got tired of it ages ago”

He did not particularly love the brand. He was simply accustomed to it.

“As for why I kept buying their clothes and accessories,” he said candidly, “I eventually realized that only VEKAL could beat the outfits the stylists brought”

Whenever the entire Shang family had to attend an event, Shang Jianli’s mother would send stylists to the house, claiming they must not embarrass the family.

Shang Jianli did not care what he wore.

The stylists brought designer clothing, and only VEKAL, with its standing at the very pinnacle of luxury, could outclass their selections and ultimately end up on him.

If Shang Jianli had firmly chosen what Ji Shileng offered, why would Ji Shileng ever have been reduced to competing with others over clothes?

Under the gaze of those clear, dark eyes, Shang Jianli understood what he meant. Pressing his lips together, he said with difficulty, “I’m sorry”

“Fine. Then stay out of my sight from now on. I don’t want to see you”

“No” Shang Jianli extended the bag a little farther. “I won’t agree to that”

Seeing Ji Shileng’s slight frown, he sensed that more frightening words were coming.

Sure enough, anger edged Ji Shileng’s voice.

“Why not? You don’t even like me”

“I admit it was ridiculous of me to keep clinging to you. Now Ji Shileng is dead. You’re free. Why are you still holding on to me?”

He desperately wanted to sever himself from everything in the past.

Shang Jianli’s breath caught. A dull pain gripped his heart.

On sleepless nights, he would find himself staring absently at Ji Shileng’s photograph.

In his painfully vivid memories, Ji Shileng had always been somewhere he could see just by turning his head.

“No. I won’t agree to it”

“I do like you”

“You were the one who came after me first. You can’t be the first to leave”

Ji Shileng found that amusing.

In fact, he laughed aloud.

“What? Weren’t you the one who gave up on me?”

“You sent every last soldier to save the young prince of Shaye. What else could I do?”

Other than wait to die, what else could he do?