TCWSITD – Chapter 49.2

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Chapter 49.2 – He Gu Arrives

After seeing Shen Ju off, Lin Jiang suddenly felt out of sorts.

He started cleaning up the room, automatically thinking about Shen Ju’s preferences, quietly imagining this as their shared space someday.

When he realized he was adjusting himself for the other person, Lin Jiang slowly stopped what he was doing.

He always put the other’s feelings first in relationships, instinctively lowering himself—and that wasn’t healthy.

So, he gave up on cleaning for now.

He didn’t really like this side of him.

Lying on the sofa, he suddenly felt like maybe he wasn’t meant for relationships, even starting to doubt if he’d made the right choices.

Then his phone chimed.

It was a message from Shen Ju. Instead of sleeping, he had gone out to secretly photograph someone else’s dog.

[Shen Ju: Captain, this dog is so fat.]

[Shen Ju: Let’s raise our future dog this fat, too.]

Lin Jiang laughed when he saw the messages. He typed back—

[Lin Jiang: Raising you is more than enough.]

Shen Ju huffed in dissatisfaction, then rambled on about everything under the sun until Lin Jiang finally urged him to return to the base by 11 PM.

Back in his room, Shen Ju still wouldn’t settle down. He sent Lin Jiang a photo of two dogs. One was a pristine, elegant Samoyed, smiling sweetly. The other was a military dog that couldn’t take its eyes off the Samoyed, straining against its leash to get closer.

[Shen Ju: Doesn’t this look just like us?]

Lin Jiang replied helplessly.

[Lin Jiang: It’s fine if you want to be the dog, but why drag me into it?]

[Shen Ju: How can a Samoyed be just a dog? It’s an angel.]

[Shen Ju: Captain, let’s get a Samoyed in the future, okay? I really like them. Every time I see one, I think of you. And my cup, drinking water just wasn’t the same without it today…]

By the end of the message, Shen Ju was practically whining.

[Shen Ju: Captain, I miss you. Can I take a taxi to see you?]

Lin Jiang looked at the messages and suddenly felt that not going back with him had been the right decision. With Shen Ju’s personality, he’d probably try to sneak into his room that very night.

[Lin Jiang: No. Control yourself.]

[Shen Ju: Okay. I’ll try to hold back.]

Truthfully, Lin Jiang couldn’t sleep either. Lying in bed, he kept imagining Shen Ju burrowing under his blankets.

Why was this night so unbearably long?

Half-asleep, he suddenly heard someone ringing the doorbell.

Lin Jiang snapped awake. At first, he thought he misheard—until it rang again.

Shen Ju, that idiot… Had he actually come?

He ran to the door barefoot, flung it open, and blurted, “Are you insane? Coming here in the middle of the—”

Seeing who it was, Lin Jiang’s voice suddenly faltered.

The lights in the corridor were a little hazy. A tall figure was standing against the light, holding a bunch of white roses, quietly waiting for him to come out.

He Gu looked like he’d been drinking. His tall frame swayed ever so slightly, but he was still dressed formally. He glanced down at his watch, then looked up at Lin Jiang, gaze steady and sincere. “You haven’t gone back to base yet?”

Seeing He Gu at this hour made Lin Jiang feel uneasy.

Lin Jiang looked past him toward the street. “Where’s your bodyguard?”

“Didn’t bring one.”

“Your driver?”

“I took a taxi.”

Lin Jiang had no idea why He Gu had suddenly come looking for him. “You… came to see me about something?”

He Gu smiled faintly. It was that same smile from years ago—reckless, youthful, and brimming with confidence to overcome any obstacle.

“Lin Jiang, I’m going to come clean with my family¹The raw says “摊牌” means “lay one’s card on the table.” Given the context of his relationship with Lin Jiang, it seems to imply he’s gonna come out to his family, but I can’t confirm if this is true or not..”

After saying that, He Gu looked at him expectantly, thinking he would see a moving expression on his face. But Lin Jiang just stared back, confused.

He Gu chuckled and patiently explained, “I’ve cut off all financial ties with my family. I launched one of my overseas investment projects. From now on, my family can’t control me anymore. I won’t have to follow their orders every day or attend those suffocating family banquets. I’ll finally be able to choose the life I want.”

Lin Jiang was stunned. “You… when did this all start?”
He Gu stood there, clutching the white roses, his expression unusually solemn. “Lin Jiang, I’ve been working on this for years. Even going abroad for further studies was a part of the plan—to secretly set everything up. Leaving the country was the only way I could start anything for myself.”

“I wanted to tell you back then, but you know me. I don’t act unless I’m certain. Today, the project succeeded. And the very first person I thought of was you.”

He lowered his head, meticulously arranging the roses in his hands, not allowing a single petal to fall out of place. “There was a celebration banquet today. I drank a lot, more than I usually would. I guess I needed the courage to say this to you.”

“Lin Jiang, let’s start over. This time, I won’t back away.”

He Gu was holding a large bouquet of fresh flowers—white roses, Lin Jiang’s favorite.

And a box.

Inside was a wristwatch identical to the one on He Gu’s wrist.

He looked down again, almost shy, like a boy confessing for the first time. Slowly, he opened the box. “Back then, I had two of these watches custom-made.”

“When they arrived, I felt the strap on yours was too wide, and the color of the diamonds were the wrong shade. So I sent it back to be remade. That’s why it got to you so late.”

He was an extreme perfectionist. In his world, everything had to follow a precise order. From major company decisions down to the color of a diamond—everything had to align with his preferences.

Lin Jiang had once said that someone like He Gu would struggle to find a suitable partner.

He Gu always thought that he was different from his mother, always wanted to get rid of the control of his family—but in reality, he was becoming more and more like her.

Lin Jiang didn’t take the gift.

He took a deep breath, still choosing to preserve a little dignity for both of them. “It’s too late. You should go home.”

The light in He Gu’s eyes dimmed. His hand dropped limply. “It’s not too late. It’s never too late to start.”

Under the influence of alcohol, he finally admitted, “I’ve wanted to do this since the day I met you. I just never expected my mother to find out and mess something that was still in planning.”

He had always refused to admit that he loved Lin Jiang more—believing that if he pulled away first, no one would notice.

But in reality, feelings can’t be hidden.

After their last conversation, he had been haunted by nightmares. He knew he couldn’t just sit and wait any longer. Even if it meant being the first to surrender, it would be worth it.

Only after finishing did He Gu notice the coldness in Lin Jiang’s expression. Feeling uneasy, he reached out to hold his hand. “Lin Jiang, why aren’t you saying anything?”

His fingers had barely moved before Lin Jiang stepped back, putting space between them.
“I already made things clear last time.”

He Gu insisted, “I don’t think you did. That’s why I’m here today to make it clear.”

“You…” Lin Jiang didn’t even know what to say anymore. “Forget it. You’ve been drinking. I won’t argue with you. Just go home.”

He tried to close the door, but He Gu wouldn’t let him.

He Gu braced himself against the doorframe, his eyes bloodshot. “I know I’m drunk, but if I wasn’t, I never would’ve had the courage to say these things. Honestly, I’m scared too.”

“Lin Jiang, please just hear me out, okay?”

The alcohol stripped away his usual restraint, laying bare his vulnerability. “It’s me who can’t let go of you, it’s me who likes you more.”

“I know you’ve been angry with me. I haven’t done well all these years. I kept trying to test your feelings, waiting to see your sincerity first. I blurred the lines between love and business.”
“I gave up KUG because I wanted the power to stand against my family. Lin Jiang, you know me. I don’t act without certainty. Now that I’ve cut all ties, I can finally say these words to you.”

He Gu was a man who always weighed every option. He thrived behind the scenes, calculating risks and rewards before making his move.

Now, Lin Jiang has become just another decisive choice in his plans.

Lin Jiang suddenly felt a pang of nostalgia for the He Gu who had once staked everything for KUG. He had never seen that version of him again in this lifetime.

Over the years, Lin Jiang had long grown accustomed to his way of thinking. He didn’t want to say much, only murmuring, “We’re really not suited for each other.”

“How would you know if we’ve never even tried? Remember the old days? We used to be so in sync. There’s no one else more compatible than we are.”

Despite everything, He Gu’s eyes still held hope—he never acted without conviction, not even with Lin Jiang.

But Lin Jiang gave him a calmness similar to death. Under the dim light, Lin Jiang softly interrupted him, “Do you really think we’re compatible?”

At this point, he no longer cared what He Gu thought.

“I’ve never worn a watch before. You loved watches—that’s why I started learning about them.”

“I don’t obsess over diamonds the way you do. Blue is your favorite color. You just wanted me to like the same color as you.”

“And those white roses? They’re your favorite flowers. The first time I went with you to an event, I picked white roses—and ever since, you assumed I like them.”

“He Gu, rather than saying you like me, it’s more accurate to say you like the version of me you’ve imagined.”

“The truth is, I’m nothing like the quiet, reserved person you want me to be. I love noise and company—that’s your thing, not mine. I’m just willing to be there for you.”

“I like having friends, you know? But you hate when I hang out with them—you called it noisy and said it made the room dirty.”

“And this apartment, I bought it three years ago. You’ve only been here once and stayed less than ten minutes. You probably don’t even remember why I changed the curtains and couch to blue—it was because you casually mentioned you liked that color. But then you only came in for a few minutes and never came back.”

Lin Jiang had never shared any of this with He Gu before.

He had no idea this was how Lin Jiang truly felt.

He Gu felt a pang of discomfort, but he was also relieved that the other had finally spoken his mind. Softening his tone, he leaned forward and said, “You never told me what you really liked. I thought we liked the same things—that’s on me. But it’s okay. I can try to love the things you love. Isn’t that what a relationship is? Balancing each other out. I still think… we’d make a good pair.”

Try again?

Lin Jiang shook his head with a faint smile.

He Gu didn’t know, but Lin Jiang understood better than anyone. Even if they tried again, his controlling nature wouldn’t change.

Lin Jiang had to admit that some traits were innate. The way his mother treated him was the same way he subconsciously treated the world.

Memories from his previous life surged in his mind again, but Lin Jiang had no intention of dwelling on them.

“Shen Ju and I are already together.”

He Gu already knew. “You’re not suited for each other.”

Lin Jiang turned his face away, his voice icy. “I’ve tried. We’re very compatible.”

Only then did He Gu notice—under the dim light, there were faint marks on Lin Jiang’s neck, peeking out from beneath his collar. His mind went blank as if struck by lightning.

Suddenly, he reached out and forcefully pulled at Lin Jiang’s collar, making the marks even more visible—they wouldn’t come off no matter how he wiped them, they were real and couldn’t be rubbed off.

The ache in his chest suddenly became suffocating, as if a blunt knife was slowly driving into his chest.

He Gu’s hands trembled. “You… you and him…?”

Lin Jiang rejected his touch. “Do you understand now? There’s really no possibility for us anymore.”

— — — —

• 1
  The raw says “摊牌” means “lay one’s card on the table.” Given the context of his relationship with Lin Jiang, it seems to imply he’s gonna come out to his family, but I can’t confirm if this is true or not.