ASPWL Ch114: Ran Jing X Chu Cheng

Chu Cheng had never thought that love at first sight could actually happen to him.

In the dim lighting of the bar, when Ran Jing first passed by him with Ye Leyao on their way out, Chu Cheng only caught a glimpse of a stunning profile.
Before he could take a closer look, the two young men had already walked away.

Chu Cheng didn’t give it much thought and quickly looked away.

What he didn’t expect, however, was that he would get a chance to meet Ran Jing’s eyes up close.

The light by the booth wasn’t as dim as in the corridor, but it wasn’t particularly bright either.
Yet, the moment Chu Cheng’s gaze landed on Ran Jing, he found it impossible to look away.

For a fleeting moment, Chu Cheng felt a loud, rapid pounding in his chest.
Each thump was like the beat of a war drum, urgent and restless, or the crack of spring thunder, impatiently announcing his heartbeat.

Without hesitation, Chu Cheng made it clear that he wanted to pursue Ran Jing after confirming that Ran Jing and Meng Yue weren’t romantically involved.

He didn’t anticipate, though, that the moment he said this, everyone’s expressions turned oddly meaningful—especially Meng Yue, who even fainted on the spot.

Although Chu Cheng had never been in a relationship, it didn’t mean he was emotionally clueless. However, since he wasn’t familiar with Meng Yue at the time, it didn’t occur to him to connect the situation back to himself.
Instead, he assumed Meng Yue was also pursuing Ran Jing, which even sparked a hint of hostility toward him.

This only strengthened Chu Cheng’s resolve to get closer to Ran Jing as quickly as possible.

But to his dismay, he couldn’t even get Ran Jing’s contact information, failing at the very first step.

This failure dealt a small blow to Chu Cheng.

Perhaps it was because he sighed about it too often in front of his friends that one of them finally couldn’t help but say, “Already giving up?”

Chu Cheng sighed again. “I don’t want to give up, but Ran Jing wouldn’t even give me his contact info! Does that mean I’m not his type?”

“How do you know you’re not his type when you don’t even know him?” his friend retorted.

Chu Cheng thought about it and realized his friend had a point. But a moment later, he still looked downcast. “But without his contact info, how can I figure out what his type is?”

His friend gave him a strange look and finally said, “If you really want to, there shouldn’t be anything you can’t do, right?”

Chu Cheng froze.

Then, he smiled.

Indeed, if he wanted, he could even dig up Ran Jing’s entire background.
But he didn’t want to do that—not because he couldn’t, but because he wouldn’t.

This was the first time Chu Cheng had cared so deeply about someone. He wanted to get to know Ran Jing, but he hoped it would happen naturally, through genuine interactions, rather than through cold, impersonal investigation records.

Although he felt some regret, Chu Cheng had no choice but to temporarily set it aside.
Before he knew it, a week had passed, leaving him little time to dwell on Ran Jing.

That morning, Chu Cheng went to the hospital to visit Grandpa Gu.
The old man’s health fluctuated between good and bad days.

After chatting with him for a while, the old man drifted off to sleep.
As Chu Cheng left the room to get some fresh air, he suddenly heard a familiar voice—

“Doctor… tomorrow! By the latest, I’ll have the money ready by tomorrow! Can’t you schedule my mom’s surgery sooner?”

Chu Cheng couldn’t resist looking in the direction of the voice, and what he saw was Ran Jing with tears streaming down his face.

At that moment, only one thought filled Chu Cheng’s mind—fate can be so coincidental sometimes.

The opportunity he longed for had arrived.

He paid for Ran Jing’s medical expenses and arranged for his mother’s surgery.

It wasn’t until the doctor wheeled Ran Jing’s mother out of the operating room and transferred her to the ICU for observation that Chu Cheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Looking at Ran Jing standing beside him, Chu Cheng couldn’t help but feel that something about him had changed since they first met at the bar.
It wasn’t just his pale complexion or the exhaustion etched into his features—it was his entire demeanor and aura.

When they first met at the bar, Ran Jing sat in a booth with a bright, approachable smile. But that smile had seemed shrouded in a veil, as though it were a facade.

Today, Ran Jing smiled again. After hearing the doctor say the surgery was a success and his mother would be fine if she made it through the critical period, he smiled with relief.

This smile wasn’t as radiant as before; in fact, it carried traces of fatigue and weariness. But to Chu Cheng, it felt more genuine and beautiful.

It was as if, during that first encounter at the bar, everything about Ran Jing had been a disguise, and only today, he was truly himself.

“Thank you. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can,” Ran Jing said, noticing Chu Cheng looking at him. His pale lips curved into a faint smile.

Chu Cheng wanted to tell him not to worry, but the words caught in his throat.

He thought back to the moment when he had offered to pay the hospital fees. Ran Jing had blushed deeply, insisting on writing an IOU before reluctantly accepting Chu Cheng’s help with countless expressions of gratitude.

So, Chu Cheng didn’t say, “No need to hurry,” but instead smiled and said, “Let’s wait until Auntie recovers. Let’s exchange contact information first.”

In the week that followed, whenever Chu Cheng visited the hospital to see Grandpa Gu, he would also visit Ran Jing’s mother.

Just as the attending doctor had said, once the critical period passed, there were no more issues to worry about. Ran Jing’s mother gradually recovered, and the smile on Ran Jing’s face grew brighter than before. The two of them also became a bit more familiar with each other.

This could have been a perfect time for Chu Cheng to directly invite Ran Jing out, but he hesitated, worried that his sudden invitation might seem too abrupt. In the end, he didn’t risk it and instead asked Ye Leyao to help extend the invitation.

As soon as Ye Leyao opened his mouth, Ran Jing agreed.

Chu Cheng was thrilled. Just as he was imagining their relationship taking a step forward, Meng Yue appeared.

Not only did he show up, but he also pierced through the delicate veil of pretense Ran Jing had been carefully maintaining, exposing the truth right in front of Chu Cheng.

Chu Cheng only felt it was absurd—and that Meng Yue was utterly despicable.

Meng Yue didn’t value his own feelings and didn’t respect the feelings of others. Someone like that was no different from scum.

What angered Chu Cheng even more was that Meng Yue had dragged Ran Jing into his mess.

But did Chu Cheng not blame Ran Jing at all?

Later, after reflecting, Chu Cheng realized he did.

He blamed Ran Jing for swallowing all his grievances and keeping them to himself. But more than that, he blamed himself for not being by Ran Jing’s side earlier.

If only he had met Ran Jing sooner and known about his struggles earlier, then perhaps it would be Chu Cheng standing beside Ran Jing now, and there would have been no room for someone like Meng Yue to meddle.

But regardless, the issue with Meng Yue was finally resolved.

Afterward, Ran Jing even specifically requested a meeting with Chu Cheng to formally apologize.

Years later, Chu Cheng still remembered everything that happened that day.

Ran Jing sat across from him, a cup of coffee steaming between them, the rising vapor softening his brows. He lowered his gaze, his voice small but clear:

“…Anyway, it’s all my fault. But don’t worry; as soon as my mother recovers, I’ll repay the money as quickly as possible. After that, I won’t show up in front of you again…”

“Wait a minute.” Chu Cheng interrupted him. He looked at the young man sitting across from him, his eyes slightly reddened. At that moment, Chu Cheng finally understood what Ran Jing was trying to say.

Ran Jing thought Chu Cheng would be angry and had therefore decided to stay away from him.

In truth, if Chu Cheng were to put himself in someone else’s shoes, he could understand Ran Jing’s concerns.

After all, no one likes a “copycat,” especially when that person once played the role of a substitute for someone else.

If it were someone else, Chu Cheng might indeed be angry.

But perhaps Chu Cheng was inherently biased. When it came to Ran Jing, these principles suddenly didn’t seem so important.

Looking at Ran Jing across from him, Chu Cheng took a sip of coffee and then smiled slightly.

“I’m not angry.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Ran Jing seemed startled, his pretty almond-shaped eyes widening as he stared at Chu Cheng in disbelief.

The corners of Chu Cheng’s lips curved faintly.

Meng Yue had said Ran Jing and Chu Cheng looked somewhat alike, and upon closer inspection, that was indeed true.

But the resemblance was more in their demeanor than their features.

Ran Jing’s features were delicate and refined. His brows did resemble Chu Cheng’s somewhat, but only a little.

At least, Chu Cheng himself didn’t think they looked alike.

Meng Yue’s perception of their similarity likely stemmed from Ran Jing’s long-term imitation.

Due to frequently observing Chu Cheng’s social media, Ran Jing’s outfits, hairstyle, and even his mannerisms had subconsciously leaned toward Chu Cheng’s style.

Now that he was free from Meng Yue’s influence, Ran Jing’s manner of dressing and demeanor had become entirely his own.

And it just so happened that Chu Cheng liked the real Ran Jing.

When they first met, what had captivated Chu Cheng the most was Ran Jing’s face. But as they spent more time together, it was Ran Jing as a person that drew him in even more.

Ran Jing raised his eyes to look at Chu Cheng, his gaze somewhat lost. He opened his mouth as if to speak but hesitated. Eventually, he couldn’t resist asking:

“Why?”

Chu Cheng smiled and said, “You should know I like you.”

Ran Jing’s face turned red, clearly not expecting Chu Cheng to be so direct.

After a long pause, Ran Jing asked again:

“Then… why?”

Why would someone like him?

Ran Jing was aware that his features were objectively attractive, but for someone like Chu Cheng, meeting people with outstanding features would be as easy as turning a corner.

Why him?

Especially when he had once imitated Chu Cheng in front of someone else.

Why wasn’t Chu Cheng angry and, instead, said he liked him?

Ran Jing didn’t understand.

Before meeting Chu Cheng, Ran Jing wasn’t the type to insist on getting to the bottom of things.

But now, sitting across from him, perhaps it was Chu Cheng’s sincere gaze, or perhaps it was Ran Jing’s own longing for a trace of warmth, but he couldn’t help but ask.

Unfortunately, Ran Jing never got the answer he was seeking.

Because feelings, by nature, have no reason.

No one knows exactly what they fell in love with at first sight.

Chu Cheng was no exception.

The only thing that left an indelible impression on him was that fleeting smile of Ran Jing’s.

Perhaps in that very moment, his heart had pounded so fiercely that it was impossible to ignore.

Love begins without reason and deepens without end.

From that day forward, Chu Cheng and Ran Jing’s interactions gradually became more frequent.

There wasn’t much progress in their relationship. Chu Cheng would occasionally share tidbits about his daily life, and Ran Jing would respond to every message. However, his replies remained polite, lacking intimacy.

Chu Cheng wasn’t anxious. He knew that rushing wouldn’t help.

So, Chu Cheng calmed down and began pondering his own future.

His mother had always hoped he would settle down abroad, which was why she had taken him overseas after the divorce.

But over the years, living abroad, Chu Cheng had never felt entirely at ease.

To outsiders, his life seemed carefree. But only Chu Cheng knew he preferred life back in China.

And besides, if he were to settle abroad, what about Ran Jing?

Even though their relationship wasn’t even close to being official, Chu Cheng was serious. So when he thought about his own future, he had to consider Ran Jing too.

Ran Jing’s mother was in China, and his job was in China. It was impossible for him to move abroad.

After much thought, Chu Cheng finally made a decision—to stay.

It wasn’t just for Ran Jing but also for himself.

The decision itself wasn’t difficult; what was difficult was figuring out how to convince his mother.

Just as Chu Cheng was fretting over how to broach the topic with her, an unexpected turn of events occurred.

Even after two years, Chu Cheng still vividly remembered that stormy day.

The death of Grandpa Gu, Gu Rou’s car accident, and—
Ye Leyao.

After Ye Leyao left, everyone he had helped remembered him.
That included both Chu Cheng and Ran Jing.

Ran Jing didn’t know who to turn to, so he could only call Chu Cheng. As soon as the call connected, he heard Ran Jing’s anxious voice: “How is Ye Leyao… is he okay?”

Chu Cheng and Qin Hongxi were standing far away, but the glaring headlights of that truck were unforgettable.

After a long silence, Chu Cheng finally spoke hoarsely, “Ran Jing, don’t worry…”
But before he could finish, Chu Cheng realized that he had already started crying.

Of course.

In the entire Gu family, besides his mother, only two people had treated him kindly. One had passed away today, and the other had been crushed by grief.

Even though Chu Cheng knew he had to be strong, he couldn’t suppress his sorrow.

The next few days were a blur of exhaustion for Chu Cheng.

Both the Qin and Gu families were holding funerals, and Chu Cheng rushed back and forth to help.

The day Grandpa Gu and Gu Rou were buried was also a rainy day.

After a long day, Qin Hongxi asked Chu Cheng to stay and rest at their home. Chu Cheng saw how tired father and son looked but still shook his head.

Both Qin Yao and Qin Hongxi needed time to grieve, and so did Chu Cheng.

So he returned to his apartment in the city center. It was a newly purchased unit. Although its décor wasn’t his preferred style, its location was convenient, and the one-apartment-per-floor layout was comfortable.

When the elevator doors opened, Chu Cheng froze.

The figure leaning against the wall was equally startled to see him. “You… you’re back?”

Chu Cheng’s gaze lingered on Ran Jing for a long time before he spoke.

Ran Jing, feeling uneasy under his scrutiny, stammered after a moment, “I… I heard your grandfather was buried today, and I was worried you hadn’t eaten much. So I came to bring you something.”

The key to Chu Cheng’s home had been forced on Ran Jing by Chu Cheng himself.

Ran Jing’s mother was hospitalized nearby. Most of the time, she ate at the hospital cafeteria. But the food there wasn’t particularly nutritious, and she needed proper nourishment to recover. So Ran Jing often made soups and brought them to her.

However, Ran Jing’s rented place was far from the hospital, making trips inconvenient. Thus, Chu Cheng had insisted on giving him a spare key, saying he could use the apartment whenever necessary.

It had been nearly half a month since Ran Jing received the key, yet he hadn’t visited even once. But today, he came.

Chu Cheng studied him for a while before asking, “Did you buy this, or did you make it yourself?”

Ran Jing looked up and met Chu Cheng’s gaze. After a moment, he quickly looked down again, a little embarrassed. “I… I made it myself…”

Chu Cheng’s lips curved slightly. He opened the door and said, “Why don’t you stay a bit before you go?”

Ran Jing hesitated briefly but eventually nodded.

As soon as he entered, the aroma of food filled the air.

While Chu Cheng went to change, Ran Jing reheated the dishes and began setting them on the table.

When Chu Cheng returned, he helped bring the rest of the food to the table and asked, “Have you eaten yet?”

Ran Jing shook his head. “I haven’t…”

“Let’s eat together.” Chu Cheng left no room for refusal.

The two of them sat across from each other, eating in silence.

After the meal, Ran Jing tried to clean up, but Chu Cheng stopped him.

Ran Jing hesitated to leave and stood nearby, watching, hoping to help somehow. Once Chu Cheng finished cleaning up, Ran Jing finally said, “Then… I’ll head off now…”

“Did you come today just to make me food?” Chu Cheng suddenly asked.

Ran Jing froze mid-step.

He wanted to deny it, but when he met Chu Cheng’s knowing gaze, he felt nervous and nodded. “Yes.”

“Why?” Chu Cheng pressed.

Ran Jing looked at him and suddenly felt the moment was familiar.

It reminded him of their meeting in the café when Chu Cheng sat across from him, scrutinizing him for a long time before asking the same question.

Why?

Indeed, why?

When faced with Chu Cheng’s straightforward confession of love, Ran Jing had been confused and asked, “Why?” because he wanted to understand. Only by knowing the reason could he figure out how to interact with Chu Cheng moving forward.

But now that the tables had turned, Ran Jing found himself unable to articulate an answer.

Why?
He couldn’t very well admit that he was worried Chu Cheng might be too grief-stricken to eat, so he came over to cook for him, could he?

As this thought crossed his mind, Ran Jing froze in shock.

That’s right—why not?
Why couldn’t he openly express his feelings?

Unless—

Ran Jing hurriedly lowered his head. “I-I’m heading out now.”

“It’s raining outside. I’ll walk you out,” Chu Cheng offered, observing him but not insisting.

On the way home, Ran Jing’s face remained flushed, and it didn’t cool down even afterward.

Chu Cheng kept glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, but he didn’t press the issue. Ran Jing needed time to sort out his feelings, and Chu Cheng didn’t have the energy right now to push their relationship forward.

The two funerals had drained all of Chu Cheng’s energy.

By the time he recovered, three days had passed.

When Chu Cheng’s mother heard that Old Master Gu’s funeral was over, she urged Chu Cheng to return home as soon as possible.

Unable to explain things clearly over the phone, Chu Cheng simply replied, “Alright, I’ll return soon.”

Now that he was prepared to speak with his mother, Chu Cheng knew he needed to be fully ready.

Before leaving the country, Chu Cheng visited the Qin family.

Qin Hongxi seemed to be doing well, and while Qin Yao appeared fine on the surface, Chu Cheng knew he was barely holding it together.

After sharing his plans, Qin Hongxi expressed his support and even offered to help Chu Cheng with his startup if needed.

Chu Cheng smiled and shook his head.

Old Master Gu had wanted to give him some assets when he first returned to the country, but Chu Cheng had declined. Now, after the old man’s passing, these assets had still been handed over to him as an inheritance.

Since he didn’t need the money, Chu Cheng decided to give it to his mother. After all, the Gu family owed her the most.

After chatting with them for a while, Chu Cheng left. The next day, he went abroad.

Before leaving, he debated whether to tell Ran Jing. However, when he thought of Ran Jing’s slightly flushed face the last time they parted, he hesitated and chose not to.

He could already sense Ran Jing’s feelings, but he knew Ran Jing hadn’t fully realized them yet.

Sometimes, all it took was a catalyst to make someone confront their true emotions.

But that catalyst couldn’t be Chu Cheng leaving the country.

Chu Cheng wanted to be with Ran Jing for the long term and couldn’t afford to make him feel insecure or pressured.

Thus, Chu Cheng entrusted Qin Yao with keeping his departure a secret.

Contrary to his expectations, it took just one day to convince his mother during their conversation.

Chu Cheng was surprised. “Mom, why…?”

His mother shot him a glance, somewhat exasperated. “Didn’t you say so yourself? The person you like is in the country, and you want to give him a sense of security.”

Chu Cheng was momentarily speechless.

His mother lowered her gaze before continuing, “My marriage was hard enough. How could I let yours be just as difficult? Go ahead, since you’ve made up your mind. But I won’t be going back with you.”

Chu Cheng looked at his mother for a long moment before nodding firmly. “Alright.”

Just as she said, parents couldn’t stop their children from pursuing happiness.

The next day, Chu Cheng boarded a plane back to the country.

After landing, his first thought was to call Ran Jing to arrange a meeting. However, he reconsidered—having just gotten off the plane, looking disheveled…

So Chu Cheng decided to return to his apartment first, freshen up, and get ready before meeting Ran Jing.

But plans never kept up with change.

When Chu Cheng opened the door and saw Ran Jing sitting in the unlit living room, he froze. “Ran Jing, you—”

Before he could finish, he noticed the tear stains on Ran Jing’s face.

It felt as if something had clenched his heart tightly. Alarmed, Chu Cheng ignored his suitcase and rushed over. “Why are you crying? Did something happen to your mom…?”

Ran Jing slightly tilted his head up to look at Chu Cheng. Tears began to fall even harder as he covered his face with his hands and shook his head helplessly.

Chu Cheng’s heart ached terribly. Without thinking, he pulled Ran Jing into his arms.

When their chests pressed together, Chu Cheng finally heard Ran Jing speak softly. “I… I thought you weren’t coming back…”

Chu Cheng’s eyes suddenly stung, and his chest filled with an indescribable emotion. After a long moment, he realized it was a touch of sweetness.

“How could I not come back? How did you know I went abroad?”

Chu Cheng gently pushed him back, using his fingers to wipe away the tears at the corners of Ran Jing’s eyes, his heart filled with tenderness.

Ran Jing, teary-eyed, looked at him. After hesitating for a moment, he admitted, “I… I came to your apartment, but you weren’t home, and I couldn’t reach you. So I went to the Qin family and lied… I told them my mother was critically ill…”

Before leaving, Chu Cheng had asked Qin Yao to take care of Ran Jing in case anything happened.

Thus, upon hearing that Ran Jing’s mother was in trouble, Qin Yao didn’t keep anything from him.

But before Qin Yao could explain, an anxious Ran Jing had already left.

Ran Jing had just come to terms with his feelings but hadn’t had a chance to confess to Chu Cheng before he left. This struck Ran Jing hard, leaving him in a disoriented state.

That’s why he ended up in Chu Cheng’s apartment.

Ironically, what seemed to be a painful coincidence turned out to be the catalyst for their feelings.

Ran Jing had already begun to confront his emotions, but it wasn’t until Chu Cheng’s departure that he realized he had long fallen deeply for him.

Just as the saying goes: “Love, once it begins, knows no end.”

It’s precisely because of love that one worries and becomes flustered.

Ran Jing liked Chu Cheng, just as Chu Cheng liked Ran Jing.

[Ran Jing X Chu Cheng – The End]