Mistaken Canary Chapter 55 (Part 2)
Chapter 55.2
Bea Liar watched Ying Tongchen’s retreating figure and quietly asked Liu Li'ang, “How’s Tongchen doing now?”
“Him? Things aren’t going well for him…” Liu Li'ang spoke with a pained expression. The thought that his “goddess” from years past had fallen so low, now even competing with him for a man, left a bitter lump in his throat. He had no idea how to deal with it.
“Not going well?” Bea Liar seemed to find a kindred spirit in Liu Li'ang’s words. As he took in Ying Tongchen’s appearance, he realized the passage of time hadn’t diminished him; if anything, he seemed to shine even more. For a moment, a pang of regret hit him. If he hadn’t made that bet with his classmates back then and had actually stayed with him, would Ying Tongchen be his partner now?
“Tongchen, I need to talk to you.” Bea Liar hastily rushed to Ying Tongchen, reaching out to grab his arm, but he turned and deftly evaded his touch.
Ying Tongchen's gaze was glacial. “If you have something to say, say it.”
Bea Liar awkwardly withdrew his hand, forcing a smile. “You’re not still angry about what happened back then, are you?”
Ying Tongchen sneered. “I couldn’t even recognize you, so why would I have the energy to hold a grudge?”
Bea Liar’s smile congealed. “We were young back then. I just made a bet with my classmates, but I really did like you. I just wasn’t brave enough to admit it.”
Ying Tongchen’s tone remained indifferent. “If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.”
“Wait!” Bea Liar hurried to catch up. “Actually, after I dropped out, I tried to find you, to apologize. But I never saw you at school again. How have you been all these years? Have you found someone?”
Ying Tongchen, sensing the gentleness in his tone, curled his lips into a small smile. “What, are you trying to pull the same trick again?”
Bea Liar chuckled sheepishly. “No, no.”
“Who gave you the gall to stand in front of me?” Ying Tongchen remained unexpectedly calm.
To be honest, he had often imagined this moment—what he would do if this bastard ever showed up in front of him, how he could make the person regret their actions from back then. However, now that it had actually happened, it was pointless. Life had already dealt this person a harsh blow, and dwelling on the past only made it harder to let go.
“I know you probably still hate me, but I—”
“Do you know who anonymously reported your father back then?” Ying Tongchen lightly said.
Bea Liar froze. “You know?”
Ying Tongchen replied coolly, “It was me.”
Bea Liar’s face flushed red with rage, his fingers trembling. “So it was you!”
Liu Li'ang, seeing that Bea Liar was about to act out, quickly stepped in. “Senior, what are you doing? Didn’t you come to me to ask for a job? If you start a fight here, how are you going to find a job?”
Bea Liar’s chest heaved with anger, but he had to force himself to calm down. He shot a warning glare at Ying Tongchen. “Just you wait!”
Ying Tongchen turned around and told the security guard that he wanted to see Zhuo Shu. Bea Liar, seeing that he was also met with a closed door, smirked and sneered, "You're no better than me."
With that, he aimed a kick at Ying Tongchen. Unfortunately, Liu Li'ang was in the way, and his foot collided with the bag Ying Tongchen was holding. Two large, bright red apples rolled out, each adorned with a sticky note featuring a simple smiley face.
"What’s this?" Bea Liar laughed mockingly. "Are you seriously using such childish antics?"
When he didn’t receive a response, he looked up and saw that Ying Tongchen was staring at the two apples, unmoving, as if he were contemplating something.
After a moment, Ying Tongchen removed his glasses, clenched his fists, and strode toward Bea Liar. With swift precision, he punched him in the face, yanked him by the collar and drove his knee upward into his solar plexus, followed up with a heavy elbow strike to his back.
Bea Liar, caught off guard, was pummeled. His insides seemed to twist with the force, and as Ying Tongchen released him, he collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach and coughing.
Ying Tongchen picked up the apples, wiped them off, and without sparing him a glance, turned to leave.
"Shit." Bea Liar, humiliated, wheezed as he struggled to get up. As soon as he raised his hand, his wrist was firmly grasped by someone.
"Let go of me! Stay the f*ck out of it!" he snapped, trying to shake off the grip.
"Who allowed you to act so recklessly here?" The man's deep voice was resonant, carrying an air of authority that made it impossible to ignore.
Liu Li'ang immediately acknowledged, "Chairman Zhuo."
Bea Liar stopped struggling and turned to look at the man. He was tall, with deep-set features, far more imposing than the boss he had imagined. He immediately plastered a smile, “Ah, you must be Chairman Zhuo. It’s an honor to meet you. I’ve come especially to visit you today.”
However, the man didn’t respond to him at all. Instead, he ignored Bea Liar and walked straight toward Ying Tongchen, his voice softening as he asked, "What happened?"
"It’s nothing," Ying Tongchen sighed, "The apples got dirty."
"Just wash them, and it'll be fine," Zhuo Shu said as he took the apples. He then turned to the others, his gaze cold. "What are you here for?"
Liu Li'ang replied, "This is my senior, he’s looking for a job..."
"Not interested, leave." Zhuo Shu instructed the nearby security, "These two are troublemakers. Don’t let them in here again."
Bea Liar, not accepting this, retorted, "Then why does Ying Tongchen get to stay?"
"Are you an idiot?" Zhuo Shu frowned. "Director Ying is my business partner and my boyfriend so, of course, he is important to me. You are nobody, why would I let you in?"
"Director Ying? Boyfriend?" Bea Liar turned to look at Liu Li'ang in disbelief, asking in a low voice, "Didn’t you say he wasn’t doing well?"
Liu Li'ang, equally confused, asked, "Isn't he the canary you’re supporting?"
Ying Tongchen watched the scene unfold like a bystander, dispassionate as he faced Zhuo Shu. "Oh right, I forgot, I’m actually a canary being supported by Chairman Zhuo. Thanks for the reminder."
"Don’t stoop to their level," Zhuo Shu said reassuringly, concealing his uneasiness. He scoffed domineeringly at the others, "What nonsense about being supported? Do you think I’m that kind of person? I’ve been seriously, properly pursuing Director Ying, haven’t I?"
Ying Tongchen chuckled softly a few times. "Oh, really?"
"Of course! Come on, let’s go upstairs," Zhuo Shu said, taking his hand and turning to the security guard. "From now on, when he comes by, just let him in, understand?"
"Understood," the guard replied.
"Also, show them out," Zhuo Shu reiterated, indicating the other two men.
Dismissing the scene from his mind, he focused his attention on his lover. He raised the apples in his hand, and smiled, "Why didn’t you let me know you were coming? Just come in directly next time."
"Aren’t you afraid I’ll catch you slacking off?" Ying Tongchen’s mood lightened.
"More afraid that you won’t," Zhuo Shu replied with a teasing smile.
Bea Liar stood frozen, his face pale as he watched them walk off side by side, laughing and talking, especially noticing the way Ying Tongchen’s eyes curved with a smile. It stung deeply.
Bea Liar felt the crushing weight of realization. All those years, the affection, the hopes—they had all must have been illusions. Ying Tongchen could never have liked him; he had never even offered a genuine smile.
With a resigned sigh, Bea Liar turned and left.
Liu Li'ang hurried after him, grumbling, "This is all your fault. If it weren’t for helping you, I wouldn't have gotten caught up in this mess."
Bea Liar gave a bitter, hollow laugh. "Were you helping me, or just looking for an excuse to be here?"
Liu Li'ang rolled his eyes and glanced back. His mood lightened significantly. "Well, at least my princess is with the person I wanted to hook up with—I don't have to keep wondering who I really like anymore. Hey, what’s your plan now?"
"I’m done—back to the village it is," Bea Liar said, fists clenched tight. "City life’s too complicated. Cough, cough. Could you do me a favor and take me to the hospital? That punk really did a number on me."
“Go by yourself,” Liu Li'ang wasn’t in the mood to deal with him.
…
In the break room, Zhuo Shu finally asked, “Who was that person you just beat up?”
“You don’t know?” Ying Tongchen gave him a surprised look. “You kept calling me 'Director Ying' left and right, I thought you’d heard everything.”
“I was just backing you up,” Zhuo Shu said. “Besides, you are Director Ying, and you deserve some respect. I saw you hit him just as I arrived. I gotta admit, those moves were pretty impressive. Hope you don’t plan on using them on me.”
“No need to use a butcher’s knife on a chicken,” Ying Tongchen reached over and pinched his ear.
Zhuo Shu instinctively begged for mercy, “Please don’t.”
But instead of putting force into it, Ying Tongchen gently stroked his lobe, then turned his head to softly kiss his lips.
The image of the two men kissing was reflected on the glass window.
After a long moment, Ying Tongchen finally spoke, “That person was the one who confessed to me back then.”
“What?!” Zhuo Shu was immediately furious. “Let go of me, I need to give him a good beating!”
“Don’t bother, come back and try these apples,” Ying Tongchen said, pulling out a fruit knife from a drawer in the break room.
“How can I just let him go like that? Unacceptable!” Zhuo Shu was already heading towards the door.
Ying Tongchen blocked his path. When Zhuo Shu pushed him aside, the apple in his hand rolled to the floor.
“...”
Zhuo Shu’s heart gave a jolt. The scene he had witnessed downstairs flashed through his mind—the whole tragedy started after that man had knocked the apple from Ying Tongchen’s hand...
…those fluid, seamless moves, and the clear sound of each blow…
Zhuo Shu looked up at the (fruit) knife in Ying Tongchen's hand, swallowing nervously.
With a thud, he suddenly dropped to his knees.
“You’re right, there’s no need to go. Director Ying, your wish is my command.”