<h4>Chapter 854: STING A BIT</h4>


    JIANG YUE picked up the cup of tea in front of him and drank a sip. The hot tea warmth his slightly cold body. He raised his head and looked at the young man in front of him. Seven years. Time really flew by like the wings of a bird pping in the sky. But even so, those years were excruciatingly slow for him.


    Those years for him were filled with nothing but loneliness, sadness, pain, and longing. Everyday was like torture for him. Not just physically, but emotionally as well. But he endured. He endured everything in the hopes that once it was all over, he could attain a semnce of happiness.


    But no happiness came. His life returned to normal but there was no semnce of joy. He knew why. He wanted to go to the person who could bring him happiness but he couldn''t. Doing that would be too shameless of him. But if he was being honest, the main reason was because of his cowardice.


    He was afraid, truly afraid, that the person he loved would look at him with hatred or worse, indifference. But Jiang Yue knew that deep inside, what he was most afraid of was Yi Mu forgiving him.


    He knew that thest one was the most probable result. Knowing Yi Mu''s kind heart, he would definitely forgive him. But Jiang Yue couldn''t. He couldn''t forgive himself for choosing to leave. He swayed under pressure and made himself believe that his decision was for the best.


    But that was all just Jiang Yue''s own self-righteousness. It was so he could force himself to leave. He seeded in doing that and then suffered in the years that followed. Even so, he still believed that he made the right decision.


    Look, without him, Yi Mu managed to expand hispany to what it was now. The other was even able to develop his game into something so ground-breaking. In the end, it all worked out for the best.


    If he stayed, things would have probably not ended the same. He was sure of it. After all, knowing Yi Mu, the other would definitely postpone everything just so he could stay with him. He would just dy Yi Mu''s life. How could he do that when there was no guarantee that it would end well for either of them?


    "Uncle Yue, are you doing alright these past years?"


    Shen Ji Yun''s question pulled Jiang Yue back from his thoughts. He tried his best to smile at the other. "Yes. I- I''m doing just fine."


    Shen Ji Yun examined Uncle Yue''s expression, wanting to see if he could read anything from it. But there was nothing. He sighed inwardly. If only he could be as good as Luo Yan in reading other people''s emotions. Even so, the fact that Uncle Yue stammered at the beginning must mean something, right?


    That meant that he wasn''t really sure of his answer. But he smiled, so he wanted Shen Ji Yun to believe that that was the case. He suddenly what to say next. Of course, he wanted to ask the other the reason why he left and why he broke up with his uncle. But somehow, he couldn''t bring himself to.


    It just felt like trespassing into an area he wasn''t allowed to be in. Maybe because he knew that those questions should only be asked by his uncle and no one else. And so, Shen Ji Yun could only ask something mundane like;


    "Have you been living in this city for long?"


    "No. I just moved about more than a year and a half ago?" Jiang Yue answered. "Enough about me. How about you? Which university do you go to? Are you perhaps studying in this city?"


    Shen Ji Yun shook his head. "I go to T University. I''m only here because I''m visiting a friend."


    That meant that Shen Ji Yun came to this city alone. Jiang Yue didn''t know if he should feel relieved or disappointed by the fact that he couldn''t see Yi Mu. But he still smiled and tried not to show any of that on his face.


    "Oh? Then, that means that Xiao Yun is now my junior," he said in a light tone. "What''s your major?


    Hearing that, Shen Ji Yun remembered that both Uncle Yue and his uncle went to the same university. "Computer programming."


    A nostalgic smile appeared on Jiang Yue''s face when he heard that. "Yes, just like your uncle."


    Then, he stopped. As if just realizing that he said something that he probably should have not said. Now that he had mentioned Yi Mu on his own, it''s like finally addressing the elephant in the room. Giving the young man a chance to finally talk about Yi Mu.


    But surprisingly, Shen Ji Yun''s next words were not about his uncle.


    "Did Uncle Yue also have dinner at that restaurant earlier?"


    Jiang Yue tried to suppress his surprise. He smiled inwardly. It seemed that Xiao Yun didn''t only grow physically but emotionally as well. Yi Mu had always been worried about that aspect. But it seemed that there''s no longer a need for that worry.


    Then, he just realized that Shen Ji Yun''s question actually led to the question of whether he saw the other by coincidence or not. If he said ''no'', then he had to exin what he was doing in front of the restaurant. That would include how he was a teacher at the school of Xiao Yun''s friend and how he followed them to the restaurant like a creep.


    How could he admit that? Although it''s been years since theyst saw each other, as an adult, he couldn''t lose his face in front of Xiao Yun. So, he shamelessly said;


    "Yes, I just finished dinner when I saw you at the parking lot."


    The corner of Shen Ji Yun''s lips raised a bit, turning into a small smile. "Then, this is really a wonderful coincidence, meeting Uncle Yue again like this."


    Jiang Yue felt his conscience sting a bit because of the other''s innocent smile.