Don’t Ignite It chapter 4

Old Love

After waking up, Xia Yu lay in bed for a while, reminiscing about the content of his dream.

It wasn’t until Xu Zhan came to knock on his door, calling him to get up, that he snapped back to reality and responded with a hoarse voice.

“I’m up.”

He rubbed his face, realizing that he had a client meeting scheduled for this morning. With a sigh, he crawled out from under the covers.

When he completed his morning routine, Xu Zhan was about to leave. Seeing Xia Yu’s groggy expression, he smiled and said, “There’s breakfast in the kitchen. Don’t forget to eat.”

Xia Yu brightened up a bit. “Okay.”

Breakfast consisted of chapati and mixed vegetables, and Xu Zhan had also left a bowl of oatmeal for Xia Yu.

While eating, Xia Yu thought that with Xu Zhan’s cooking skills, he wouldn’t mind spending another twenty years with him.

After finishing breakfast, Xia Yu tidied up quickly and went to meet his client.

Over the years of running the art gallery, he had built a client base of his own. Although he had initially relied on the connections provided by his family, he had gradually established a strong foothold in the region by obtaining exclusive representation rights for the artists he discovered. He had become familiar with his clients, and communication was relatively smooth.

When he said he was meeting a client, he didn’t dress up too formally. He simply put on casual clothes and headed out to meet the person.

The collector, named Wu Xiu, had a somewhat plain face that didn’t stand out. However, when he spoke, he was exceptionally sharp and eloquent.

In fact, he had already selected a piece of art he liked and wanted to hang it in his newly purchased house. The entire transaction process went exceptionally smoothly. The two of them stood in the gallery, looking at the artwork and chatting.

As it was nearing noon, Xia Yu checked his wristwatch and politely suggested, “Would you like to have lunch together?”

Wu Xiu shook his head.

“I have other matters to attend to,” he said. This was the truth. However, he also glanced at Xia Yu and added, “Mr. Xia, you look rather tired today.”

He lightly gestured toward the area under Xia Yu’s eyes. “You have dark circles, which don’t look good. Have you not been resting well?”

Coming from someone else, this comment might have had a flirtatious undertone, but Wu Xiu’s tone was cold and indifferent, and it was hard to detect any emotional fluctuations.

Xia Yu instinctively touched his face. “Really? I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Had a nightmare?”

Xia Yu recollected for a moment and nodded imperceptibly.

“Yes, a nightmare.”

Wu Xiu didn’t inquire further. He just reminded Xia Yu to have the artwork delivered to him and then left.

Alone, Xia Yu went to have lunch.

He had a healthy breakfast, but for lunch, he wanted junk food. He bought a burger and a cola from a nearby fast-food joint.

While sipping an ice-cold cola, he stared at his phone, torn between whether or not to call Lu Zhao.

The conversation with Lu Zhao yesterday had been left unfinished. Since he had told Xu Zhan that he would handle it, he wanted to talk to Lu Zhao again to make sure he wouldn’t interfere unnecessarily.

However, he instinctively resisted meeting with Lu Zhao, which left him furrowing his brow, deeply conflicted.

But before he could make up his mind, Lu Zhao’s call came through.

Looking at the familiar number on his phone, Xia Yu’s heart skipped a beat.

In the noisy burger joint, he answered the call, “Hello?”

“It’s me, Lu Zhao.”

“I know,” Xia Yu replied.

Suddenly, his appetite vanished.

“What do you want?” he asked impatiently.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a couple of seconds.

Lu Zhao asked, “Have you talked to Xu Zhan about his affair?”

Xia Yu almost laughed in exasperation.

He couldn’t understand it. While Lu Zhao had been somewhat indifferent to him in the past, he had always been a gentleman, with a straightforward and upright demeanor.

And now? Seeing that Xia Yu, his former lover, wasn’t doing well, was he so eager to mock him?

Xia Yu knew that although he had shamelessly pursued Lu Zhao for three years, Lu Zhao had also enjoyed their time together. He hadn’t done anything wrong to Lu Zhao.

“What does it have to do with you?” Xia Yu asked coldly.

Lu Zhao detected the unmistakable indifference in Xia Yu’s voice.

He said slowly, “I just wanted to ask if you need my help. If you need evidence of his affair or even a divorce lawyer, I can provide them.”

Xia Yu was utterly puzzled.

“Why would I want a divorce?” He couldn’t help but scold, “Are you out of your mind, Lu Zhao?”

This time, it was Lu Zhao’s turn to be momentarily stunned.

“You don’t want a divorce?”

Xia Yu rolled his eyes. “No, I don’t. In fact, I was planning to talk to you about it today. Are you free tonight? Let’s meet.”

“I’m available,” Lu Zhao agreed quickly. “What time should I pick you up?”

“Next to the Sports Park, by the Tianyang Building, after 8 PM.”

This place was close to his art gallery, and there weren’t many people around in the evening, making it suitable for a conversation.

He was only planning to resolve things with Lu Zhao quickly.

“All right, I’ll hang up,” he said before ending the call.

He left Lu Zhao staring at his phone screen, furrowing his brows in deep thought.

Lu Zhao arrived promptly at eight o’clock. Xia Yu saw a black Aston Martin parked downstairs at the building and confirmed that Lu Zhao was inside before getting into the car.

There was a faint tobacco scent in the car, but it was light, probably from having the windows open.

He felt a bit regretful as soon as he got into the car.

When they met at the café before, it was a public place with people coming and going, an open space. But now, as soon as he got into the car and closed the door, it felt like the airflow slowed down.

In movies, they often portrayed specific scenes in cars, and it wasn’t without reason. The dim, confined space, once the windows were closed, felt like a world of its own, isolated from the outside world, with the noises of the wind and traffic distant.

And they were close, very close, in this narrow, enclosed space, suitable for discussing murder or romance.

Xia Yu felt uncomfortable.

From the moment he opened the car door, Lu Zhao had been staring at him.

This made him instinctively turn his head, looking out of the window to avoid Lu Zhao’s gaze.

Lu Zhao silently studied Xia Yu.

When he was abroad, he occasionally received updates about Xia Yu’s current situation. He heard gossip from others about the activities Xia Yu participated in, the things Xia Yu did, and the good relationship between Xia Yu and Xu Zhan.

But it was more like a bitter medicine for his soul.

He shouldn’t have listened, should have removed Xia Yu from his life sooner, leaving only a vague shadow behind and focusing on his own life.

However, the reality was that, the next time, he would still silently collect every bit of information about Xia Yu like a dark voyeur.

And now, Xia Yu himself was sitting next to him, wearing a white T-shirt and a gray cardigan, looking clean and fresh. His pure white face was charming, his lips were lightly pink, soft and inviting.

Lu Zhao closed his eyes and restrained himself from thinking further.

He had a naturally cold personality and seldom smiled, appearing as if nothing could shake him.

But only he knew that a single glance from Xia Yu could unsettle his heartbeat.

Lu Zhao’s eyelashes trembled for a moment, then he regained his composure and asked Xia Yu, “What do you want to talk to me about?”

At this moment, he still harbored a slight hope that Xia Yu’s reluctance to divorce was due to a family business alliance, and that he was refraining from divorce out of concern for his family.

However, as soon as Xia Yu spoke, he shattered that hope.

Xia Yu said, “I want to talk to you about my husband.”

Xia Yu’s tone was calm. “I don’t know why you’re so concerned about me and Xu Zhan, but regardless of what Xu Zhan does, he is my husband. You and I, we’re just a past, a… a few years of…”

He couldn’t find the right word and instead chose a more direct and naked expression. “We were just fuck buddies for a few years. I’m married now, and we have no connection. I hope you won’t interfere in my life.”

He said it without much politeness. “Including the so-called evidence you have. I don’t want any rumors affecting my marriage. I know you have money and power, but if there’s anything you’re interested in, you can let me know. As long as you promise that this matter won’t be known to anyone else.”

When Xia Yu said these words, he remained calm and composed throughout, as if he were a “virtuous partner” who had to clean up the mess for his husband.

He had set aside his pride, thinking that as long as he lowered his posture, Lu Zhao should be satisfied, even if he wanted to see him embarrassed.

But Lu Zhao remained silent for a long time.

Xia Yu was puzzled and tilted his head, only to find that Lu Zhao’s gaze was complicated and unreadable.

After a long while, Lu Zhao finally said, “Is it because your family needs this alliance that you can’t get a divorce? If that’s the case, you don’t need to worry. I can…”

But before he could finish, Xia Yu quickly denied it.

“No.”

He stared into Lu Zhao’s eyes, lying directly to the person he had once loved deeply.

“It’s because I love Xu Zhan.”

As he said this, a hint of self-mockery appeared at the corner of his lips.

He hadn’t said the word “love” to anyone for many years, and the only time he had said it, it had been a lie.

But three years ago, he had said it multiple times to the person in front of him. After they made love, when he stubbornly sat in Lu Zhao’s arms, and when Lu Zhao occasionally kissed him affectionately.

With that opening statement, the following lies came easily.

Xia Yu smiled and sighed, “You might not believe it, but my relationship with Xu Zhan is very good. Whatever happens outside won’t affect our marriage, and he won’t divorce me. So, let’s end it here.”

He said it sarcastically, “Thank you for caring so much about me, but I hope there won’t be a next time.”

Lu Zhao felt as if a buzzing sound had filled his ears.

He stared at Xia Yu in disbelief.

Xia Yu’s face was still the same one that could stir up emotions, with bright eyes, clear and sparkling like a lake. But now, these eyes contained mockery, indifference, and ridicule as he looked at Lu Zhao.

In front of Xia Yu’s gaze, Lu Zhao felt almost inviolable, filled with caution and estrangement.

All this just to protect his unfaithful husband.

“Are you crazy?” Lu Zhao’s voice was slightly hoarse. “Even when Xu Zhan treats you like this, you still want him?”

He actually had harsher words, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them in front of Xia Yu.

Xia Yu was becoming impatient. Why did Lu Zhao seem unable to understand simple words?

“He had an affair, but I don’t care,” Xia Yu said coldly. “He treats me well. Do you understand now?”

Lu Zhao was furious. “Because he treats you well, you’re willing to degrade yourself like this?”

He couldn’t understand what was so attractive about Xu Zhan. Someone like Xia Yu could easily have countless men falling over themselves to be with him.

This Xia Yu could have any man he wanted, yet he chose a tainted Xu Zhan.

He couldn’t understand it.

But Xia Yu just responded with a cold laugh.

He wasn’t particularly composed to begin with, and maintaining his façade for this long in front of Lu Zhao had been his limit.

He laughed and asked Lu Zhao, “Does this count as degrading myself? who else could degrade me more than you?”

Anyone had the right to question him, except Lu Zhao.

When Xia Yu said this, his eyes were mocking, cold, and scornful.

Lu Zhao heard this and stared at Xia Yu.

Xia Yu’s eyes were beautiful, with clear black and white contrast, as clear as a lake. But now, these eyes contained scorn, coldness, and mockery.

Lu Zhao’s heart tightened.