Chapter 282: GOING ON A BUSINESS TRIP

ShangYan silently reached into his pocket once more, his fingers brushing against the worn photograph.

Twenty-three years. If the man in that picture had ever walked these streets.

Someone had to remember him.

The driver noticed the determination in his eyes and smiled kindly.

"Don’t lose heart, young man. Sometimes people spend years searching because they’re looking in the wrong place. Then one day..." He gestured towards the lively little town outside. "...they ask the right person."

ShangYan lowered his gaze before offering a sincere smile.

"Thank you."

The driver waved a hand dismissively.

"No need. If you’re still here in a few days and haven’t found anything, come back to the airport taxi stand. Most of us have lived on Y Island our entire lives. Even if we don’t know the answer ourselves, we’ll know who to ask."

Those words lingered in ShangYan’s mind as he stepped out of the taxi.

The sea breeze brushed past him, carrying with it the distant cries of seabirds and the faint scent of salt.

He stood at the entrance to the foreign community for a long moment before taking out the faded photograph one last time.

His thumb gently traced the smiling man’s face.

"Isabelle..."

It was the only name he knew.

Whether it was a real name, a nickname, or something else entirely, he had no way of knowing.

But after twenty-three years of chasing one dead end after another, he refused to believe this journey would end the same way.

Taking a steady breath, Xue ShangYan tucked the photograph safely back into his pocket and walked into the town, determined to follow even the faintest thread that might finally lead him to the man who had knowingly occupied his thoughts for more than two decades.

——————

The bedroom felt quieter than usual.

Morning sunlight spilled through the curtains, illuminating the neatly packed suitcase resting beside the bedroom door. It had been there since dawn, impossible to ignore no matter where Guiying looked. The sight of it sat heavily in his chest, serving as a constant reminder that in a few short hours, Liuxian would be boarding a flight bound for HWI.

He had known this moment was coming ever since Liuxian told him the night before. Knowing it, however, hadn’t made accepting it any easier.

Liuxian stepped out of the dressing room after fastening the last button on his suit jacket. The dark suit accentuated his tall frame, while the watch on his wrist caught the morning light each time he adjusted the cuff beneath it. Everything about him looked exactly as it had before an important business trip: calm, meticulous, and unhurried. Only Guiying knew that the calm was merely a habit.

The past few weeks had left Liuxian with little opportunity to rest, and between preparing the company’s overseas expansion and ensuring everything at home continued running smoothly during his absence, every day had been filled from morning until well past midnight.

Even yesterday, after finally telling Guiying about the trip, he had remained in his study until long after the rest of the house had fallen asleep.

Watching him reach for the briefcase by the door, Guiying suddenly found himself unable to stay where he was. He crossed the room in quick strides before wrapping both arms tightly around Liuxian’s waist, holding him with enough determination that it almost seemed as though he intended to keep him from leaving altogether.

Liuxian froze for the briefest moment. A smile slowly tugged at the corners of his lips as he abandoned the briefcase entirely. Instead, he slipped one arm around Guiying’s back, the other coming to rest atop his head as his fingers gently combed through the soft strands of hair beneath his palm.

For a long while, neither of them spoke. The quiet wasn’t uncomfortable. It was filled with all the words neither of them wished to say aloud.

Guiying closed his eyes, listening to the familiar rhythm of Liuxian’s heartbeat beneath his ear. It had always been strangely reassuring, yet today it only reminded him that by tomorrow morning, an ocean would separate them.

"...Why can’t you take me with you?"

The question escaped almost in a whisper.

Liuxian lowered his gaze, his hand never once leaving Guiying’s hair. "If I could, I would." His answer came without hesitation. "There isn’t anywhere in the world I’d rather have you than by my side."

Guiying’s grip tightened ever so slightly. "Then why not?"

A quiet sigh escaped Liuxian. He rested his chin lightly against the top of Guiying’s head before speaking again, choosing his words with the same patience he always reserved for the person in his arms.

"This trip isn’t like the others. I’ll be spending more time in meeting rooms than anywhere else. By the time I return to the hotel each evening, it’ll already be late. If I brought you with me, I’d only end up leaving you alone for most of the day."

Guiying remained silent. He knew Liuxian wasn’t trying to refuse him. He was trying to spare him. Even so, his heart stubbornly refused to cooperate with reason.

Liuxian gently drew him back just enough for their eyes to meet. "TongShu needs you too." The words were spoken softly, carrying neither pressure nor persuasion. "They’ve been waiting for you to return. There are meetings only you can chair and decisions only you can make. I can’t ask you to put your responsibilities aside simply because I’ll be away for a few days."

Guiying looked at him for a long moment before letting out a defeated sigh. "I know." His fingers absentmindedly smoothed the front of Liuxian’s jacket, straightening a fold that wasn’t really there. "I know you’re right." He lowered his head again, a faint smile touching his lips despite the reluctance in his eyes. "I just wish you weren’t."

Liuxian laughed quietly. The sound was low and warm, carrying a tenderness that existed only when he was with Guiying. He reached up and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind Guiying’s ear before brushing his thumb across his cheek.

"I’ll finish everything as quickly as I can." His gaze never wavered. "The moment I’m done, I’m coming home." He paused for a heartbeat, the corners of his lips lifting just enough to soften the heaviness lingering between them. "And when I do..." A trace of amusement finally found its way into his voice. "I’ll bring back enough gifts to make up for every day I was away."

Guiying looked at him, trying very hard not to smile. It lasted all of three seconds before the corners of his mouth betrayed him. "You really think that’s going to work?"

Liuxian’s smile deepened. "I suppose I’ll have to find out."

A gentle knock came from outside the bedroom. Neither of them answered.

The silence lingered until Butler Wang spoke again, his voice carrying through the closed door with the same respectful calm it always had. "Young Master, it’s time to leave."

The reminder settled heavily over the room. Guiying’s fingers instinctively curled tighter around the fabric at Liuxian’s back, as though his body had decided before his mind could. He had known this moment was inevitable from the instant he saw the suitcase by the door, but knowing and experiencing it were two entirely different things.

Liuxian lowered his gaze to the man in his arms and couldn’t help smiling. "You really don’t want to let me go."

Guiying shook his head without looking up. "I don’t."

There was no embarrassment in admitting it. Why should there be? This was his husband. If he wanted to be reluctant, he would be.

Liuxian rested his forehead lightly against Guiying’s temple, allowing himself another few quiet moments before reality inevitably caught up with them. Outside, the driver was waiting. So was the flight that would carry him halfway across the world.

"I’ll finish everything as quickly as I can."

Guiying remained silent, listening.

"I’ve already shortened the schedule as much as possible. Once the meetings are over, I’ll head straight back instead of staying another day."

Only then did Guiying slowly lift his head. "You already changed your itinerary?"

Liuxian nodded. "There wasn’t any reason to stay longer than necessary."

His answer was simple, almost casual, but Guiying knew what it meant. International negotiations rarely went exactly as planned. Rearranging an itinerary meant rearranging dozens of other people’s schedules as well. Liuxian wouldn’t have made that decision lightly.

The thought eased the heaviness in Guiying’s chest ever so slightly. Liuxian noticed the change immediately and smiled. "When I come home, I’ll bring plenty of gifts with me, enough that you’ll spend the whole day unboxing."