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Future\nAn hour later, Du Jing put on a shirt and blazer and grabbed his car keys. He was doing noticeably better now, so he and Zhou Luoyang headed to the shop.\n
From what Zhou Luoyang could observe, Du Jing was currently in the slow process of trudging out from his depressed state of mind. Heâd checked the medication brought back from the hospital and confirmed that Du Jing was taking it daily. Zhou Luoyang understood everything that the doctor had told him, but Du Jingâs situation was unique, as was his and Du Jingâs relationship.\n
He wasnât sure to what degree he should act on his concern for Du Jing. He worried that if he constrained him too much, it would upset him. But Du Jingâs state of mind proved to be consistently stable throughout the day and the subsequent events.\n
Zhou Luoyang opened the store. Business was slow, so he sat on the tea settee and set about repairing the edge of a traditional Chinese painting with a pair of tweezers. Du Jing sat next to him on his phone.\n
âWhat are you doing?â Zhou Luoyang asked.\n
âBuying plane tickets,â Du Jing said. âFor Hong Kong.â\n
âLet me. I can take this opportunity to contact the Sothebyâs liaison.â\n
<hr class="wp-block-separator">\nOn October 8, the day Du Jing was meant to head back to work, his behavior was normal, though his words were sparse. Zhou Luoyang packed a bento for him. After breakfast, Du Jing said, âIâm doing much better. Iâm going to work now.â\n
When Du Jing returned that evening, Zhou Luoyang could tell he had recovered completely and was back to the state he was in before his depressive episodeâin fact, he seemed even fuller of spirit and vitality than beforeâbut Zhou Luoyang knew he couldnât lower his guard.\n
Itâd been this way since a long time ago. Du Jing only ever behaved like his true self in front of Zhou Luoyang. Whenever he was in the company of others, and Zhou Luoyang was also present, he would always strive to put on an act so as not to become a burden to Zhou Luoyang, like when they were on their spring trip.\n
Most of the time, as long as they had the strength to do so, people with depression would force themselves to put on an act so they could assimilate into society, as if they were dedicated performers. But this left the family members who always spent time with them at a lossâthey seemed perfectly fine most of the time, so why did they change whenever they got home?\n
In many cases, the people closest to them held only one opinion of them: that they were being unreasonable. But Zhou Luoyang knew that they couldnât help it. Their acting consumed enormous amounts of mental and physical strength. As a result, their depression manifested itself even more fiercely when they were alone.\n
Like now: Du Jing believed he needed to go to work. The responsibility of feeding the hungry mouths at home required him to faithfully play his part, and so he temporarily sealed off the version of himself that was depressed.\n
âIs everything okay today?â Zhou Luoyang asked lightly, walking over to him and helping him change into slippers.\n
Du Jing stood dazedly at the entrance for a while and placed a delivery package on the shoe rack. âIâm not going to work for the next couple of days. Iâll readjust myself at home. What are we having for dinner?â\n
Now Zhou Luoyang could finally feel his heart settle back in his chest. He tore open the package. Within it was Sothebyâs invitation card.\n
We cordially invite Mr. Zhou and spouse.\n
Zhou Luoyang: ââŠâŠâ\n
<hr class="wp-block-separator">\nDu Jing charged Zhuang Li with finding someone to watch over Zhou Luoyangâs store. Zhou Luoyang also gave him a price chart in case a layperson came into the store to buy something without thinking. \n
When the weekend arrived four days later, Du Jing put on the watch, Zhou Luoyang packed formal wear in their suitcases, and Zhuang Li arrived at their door to pick them up.\n
âWow! You have business class seats?â Zhuang Li exclaimed. âHigh society is so amazing.â\n
âSothebyâs used to charter entire flights to their auctions,â Zhou Luoyang said absently. âBut the economy hasnât been very prosperous in recent years, so they switched to business class seats.â\n
âJing ge.â Zhuang Li handed Du Jing a bag. âThe thing you asked for.â\n
It was a very flat bag, so Zhou Luoyang knew that it contained a laptop. Still, he gave Du Jing a look: Itâs not something customs wonât like, is it?\n
Du Jing shook his head to let him know he could rest easy, then chased Zhuang Li off. Zhou Luoyang said his goodbyes, though Zhuang Li would soon go to Shenzhen, where he would wait on standby, ready to provide them support at a momentâs notice.\n
Zhou Luoyang was about to pull a bag over his shoulders, but Du Jing stopped him. âYou donât need to bring anything. Iâm your bodyguard and assistant. Letâs go.â\n
âThatâs not good,â Zhou Luoyang responded. âDo we need to keep up so many personas as soon as we step out of the house?â\n
âItâs necessary for my job.â Du Jing put on a pair of sunglasses in front of a service desk. Now that Zhuang Li was gone, Du Jing was back to looking calm and composed, as if nothing had happened a couple days ago. âBesides, if we werenât piggybacking off of President Zhouâs glory, we would never have gotten our hands on an invitation to a high society gathering on our own, am I wrong?â\n
âYouâve already planned everything out?â\n
âI havenât planned anything.â It was evident that Du Jing hadnât fully readjusted until that very morning. âPlans canât hold up against unexpected changes. Letâs take it one step at a time.â\n
Zhou Luoyang: ââŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâŠâ\n
He thought, I canât tell if itâs a blessing or a curse to Changyi to have recruited you and put you in a position of authority. Your boss must have something bordering on blind faith in you to not ask for any details before sending you on your way. \n
âFrom now on, youâre a billionaire, though you stay lowkey. You own over a hundred penthouses in Wan City,â Du Jing said. âYour goal in going to this auction is just to see what theyâre offering, maybe buy a few ruyao<sup>1</sup> bowls to hold cat food.â\n
âYou even know about ruyao ceramics? Youâve done your homework. But I have to correct youâyou canât use it to feed cats.â\n
âWhatever.â\n
âPeople wonât believe it.â\n
âThatâll be on me, then.â\n
<hr class="wp-block-separator">\nAfter the two of them boarded the plane, Du Jing took the aisle seat and, with a polite nod to Zhou Luoyang, pulled out a magazine from his laptop bag.\n
It was a Spanish language publication on the exchange of collectibles and antiques. The front cover was a picture of Zhou Luoyang.\n
Zhou Luoyang almost wondered if something was wrong with his eyes. He couldnât remember being featured in any special interview. But he gave it some thought and quickly realized that Du Jing had forged it!\n
âDo you have too much free time?â Zhou Luoyang hissed. âStop this nonsense.â\n
Du Jing turned deferentially. To the other passengers, he looked like an attendant being reprimanded by his boss. Almost all the passengers on that flight were guests heading to Sothebyâs auction. Many of them had caught a glimpse of that magazine cover, and they looked curiously at Zhou Luoyang.\n
âYes, boss,â Du Jing said quietly and put the magazine away. But heâd already accomplished his goal. After the plane landed and they were all lined up in the priority customs lane, several other guests began to chat with Zhou Luoyang.\n
âI have a small clock and antique store in Wan City,â Zhou Luoyang told them modestly. âYouâre welcome to visit if you ever have the time.â\n
They exchanged business cards, and one of the guests even found an association with Zhou Luoyangâs family. This opportunity allowed the guests to get to know each other. But this wasnât Du Jingâs main objective.\n
âMy goal is to find the people in charge of the Vietnamese organization,â Zhou Luoyang checked, âtalk to them, and obtain an invitation to Ho Chi Minh City, correct?â\n
âJust leave it to me,â Du Jing said. âYou donât need to do anything.â As he spoke, he nodded to the guests walking this way and that in the Peninsula Hotel. âHello, bonjour, hola.â\n
âDo you know them?â Zhou Luoyang asked dubiously.\n
âI donât know them. Iâm just greeting them out of courtesy; maybe weâll get to know each other in a little while.â\n
Zhou Luoyang didnât get the point of that, but he could assume that many of the guests of the auction were typically incredibly busy and couldnât remember who was who most of the time.\n
âAre you nervous?â Zhou Luoyang suddenly understood; he looked Du Jing up and down.\n
âMe?â Du Jing removed his sunglasses. âIâm not nervous. Why do you ask?â\n
A reporter walked over and waved at them. âAre you two from Wan City? Do you have time for an interview?â\n
Zhou Luoyang: ââŠâŠâ\n
A reporter? That was clearly Huang Ting. A young man holding a video camera followed behind him, most likely his intern.\n
Du Jing moved to block Huang Tingâs way and politely turned him down in English at a volume just loud enough for the people nearby to vaguely overhear. âPresident Zhou is very tired. Maybe another day.â \n
Then he turned to Zhou Luoyang and quietly said, âGo sit on the couch. That Russian seems very intrigued by you. Heâs looked in this direction several times now.â\n
There were many foreigners waiting in the hotel lobby, and when they noticed Zhou Luoyang being asked for an interview, they glanced over at him curiously.\n
By working together, Du Jing and Huang Ting had successfully built a reputation for him, and when he sat on a couch in the lobby to wait, the people around him nodded to him and greeted him with smiles on their faces. Du Jing, you screwed me over, Zhou Luoyang thought. He was forced to return their smiles and exchange greetings with them in order to help Du Jing gather information.\n
Du Jing stood in a corner with Huang Ting, each holding a cup of water. After a brief chat, they made their way to the reception desk. \n
âOh, yes,â Zhou Luoyang said distractedly to the big-bellied Russian businessman sitting next to him. âMy grandfather had an antiques business in China.â\n
Zhou Luoyangâs English was rusty, but fortunately the businessman also spoke in a heavy accent, and together, they clumsily and haltingly began to chat about Russian artworks. Zhou Luoyang was very knowledgeable about his own profession, but he had very limited contact with the so-called âhigh society.â Each person in the crowd of people waiting to check in around him had a net worth with as many digits as a phone number; it would be childâs play for them to see through his act, so Zhou Luoyang didnât deliberately try to pretend he was someone he was not.\n
Just then, a minor mishap occurred at the reception desk: Du Jing knocked over his cup of water by accident. Zhou Luoyangâs eyes shot over to him.\n
Du Jing jogged over. Zhou Luoyang gave him an admonishing glare, and Du Jing moved to stand behind him deferentially.\n
The receptionist soon brought the check-in sheet to Zhou Luoyang and asked him to sign it. He cheerily bid goodbye to the group of rich people and swapped business cards with the Russian. His name was Satanovsky.\n
When they finally entered their suite, the door swinging shut behind them, Du Jing took off his shirt and pulled off his tie.\n
âI canât keep up this persona,â Zhou Luoyang sighed. âItâs too hard.â\n
âYou can. Believe in yourself.â\n
It was hot and humid in Hong Kong, while the hotel vigorously blasted cold air, making Du Jing very uncomfortable. \n
He began to examine a form. He opened his laptop and logged into his companyâs database, where he searched up several names. \n
âWhen did you take a picture of that?â Zhou Luoyang emerged from the bathroom after his shower and was completely stunned to see the form Du Jing had printed out.\n
âWhen the receptionist asked you to check in,â Du Jing answered. âI knocked my water over, and while they were busy cleaning up, Huang Ting snapped a picture of the guest list.â\n
Du Jing was half naked, wearing only black trousers. He sat in a swivel chair and stared out at the nightscape beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, deep in thought. The glass reflected the look of concentration on his face. \n
Zhou Luoyang opened a bottled drink and gazed at Du Jing.\n
âThese people are our main focus,â Du Jing said, coming back to himself. He circled a few Vietnamese names and looked up at Zhou Luoyang. âFind the time to talk to them before the auction ends.â\n
âI can ask Lin Di to introduce me,â Zhou Luoyang remarked. âWant some?â\n
Zhou Luoyang held out a cup to him. Without turning around, Du Jing reached backwards, over his shoulder. With one hand, he grabbed the back of Zhou Luoyangâs hand, and with the other, he took the cup.\n
âThe best way to go about this is to lure them to us, so they initiate contact,â Du Jing said after some thought. âBeing introduced to them isnât the best plan, because itâll be tough for you to ask them a favor then.â\n
Zhou Luoyang sat on the edge of the bed, still in a bathrobe, his hair half-dry. âHong Kong is beautiful at night. Itâs different from Wan City.â\n
Looking out from Tsim Sha Tsuiâs Peninsula Hotel, he could see all of Central District and Victoria Harbor glittering in the nightâthe only thing was that it was too expensive here. If Zhou Luoyang and Du Jing were here on their own, they never wouldâve chosen to stay at this hotel.\n
Du Jing fell silent once again. This time, his silence carried a hint of danger.\n
âHave you taken your meds?â Zhou Luoyang checked.\n
âYes,â Du Jing confirmed. âIâm just thinking. Iâm fine.â\n
âGood. If youâre sick, you should take your medicine.â Zhou Luoyang stroked Du Jingâs hair. âIâm going to bed. Iâm so tired.â\n
Du Jing switched off all the lights and returned to his seat in front of the windows to think. He stayed there until midnight, when he finally climbed into the bed with Zhou Luoyang.\n
In his dreams, Zhou Luoyang spat, Whatâs wrong with you guys? Youâre getting way too into the acting thing.\n
But the next morning, at the self-service breakfast bar, Zhou Luoyang suddenly realized that Du Jingâs plans made perfect sense. They took care of a crucial step of their operation. As he entered the breakfast hall, almost everyone there would nod politely and greet him, whether they knew him or not. \n
âThey all seem to know me now,â Zhou Luoyang observed, awed.\n
Calm and composed as always, Du Jing said, âSee? This persona isnât too hard.â\n
âItâs still very hard. Why didnât you take it on?â\n
âIf you want to be a loyal dog, we can switch roles.â\n
âNever mind.â Du Jingâs role was harder. But if their objective was only to rub elbows with powerful people, was it necessary to go to such lengths? All of a sudden, he had the feeling that Du Jing might have another objective aside from that.\n
âEat some of this.â Zhou Luoyang was in a good mood. The Peninsula was a fine establishment; there was only one historical problem: the tables were too small. It felt a little cramped as the two of them ate breakfast over the small rectangular table.\n
âYouâre too generous to your bodyguard,â Du Jing said. The large, reflective sunglasses he wore hid part of his scar. âI should be standing behind you right now and leave an empty seat for anyone who wants to strike up a conversation with you. If you have us sit like this, it wonât be long before someone realizes somethingâs fishy.â\n
Zhou Luoyang bit into a fruit tart. âI donât want to talk to anyone. I just want to eat breakfast with you.â\n
Du Jing was very pleased to hear that, even though the only things in front of him were a cup of black coffee and a few slices of bread.\n
âYoung Master isnât the rude type of person who likes bossing people around. And youâre not just any bodyguard.â\n
Du Jing prodded Zhou Luoyang with his knee beneath the table. âThatâs why Iâve made some adjustments to my persona. Iâm a bodyguard whoâs been with you since I was young. Hi, hello.â\n
A tan, middle-aged man approached them and extended a hand to Zhou Luoyang. âHello, Mister Zhou.â\n
Zhou Luoyang was astonished that the man knew his surname. He set down his napkin and was about to get to his feet when Du Jing lightly stepped on his foot beneath the table, reminding him not to. He could shake his hand sitting down; he shouldnât show the man too much respect.\n
âAre you a seller or a buyer?â the middle-aged man asked.\n
âBoth,â Zhou Luoyang answered. âIâm selling a few pieces, but I wanted to see if anything catches my eye while Iâm here.â\n
That was the truth. There wasnât enough merchandise at Zhou Luoyangâs store. At Sothebyâs, he might happen upon valuable pieces going for less than they were worth, and he hoped to resell them for a profit.\n
âAh, I see,â the man said.\n
Zhou Luoyang couldnât be more familiar with that response. He smiled. âAre you Japanese?â\n
âI did my advanced studies in Japan for some time.â The man was very polite and returned his smile. âI was just hoping to meet a colleague of the same industry and ask for some information. I heard you were from Wan City, so I thought you would be the perfect person to ask.â\n
As if waking from a dream, Zhou Luoyang immediately suggested, âWhy donât we switch to a different table?â\n
âNo, no.â The man pulled out his business card. âI already ate. Letâs talk when youâre free.â\n
âI forgot to bring mine.â Zhou Luoyang gave him an embarrassed smile before asking Du Jing, âWhy didnât you remind me?â\n
âItâs fine,â the man reassured. âYou can contact me any time.â\n
There was a Southeast Asian name inscribed on the business card: Tham Puan⊠Zhou Luoyang made out the Romanized letters with great difficulty, squinting at the diacritics. \n
âChen Biaojin.â Du Jing scanned it with the translator on his phone. âVietnamese, a scholar of Champa culture. Council member of Ho Chi Minhâs Association for the Preservation and Research of Cultural Relics.â\n
Their first target had approached them on his own. Zhou Luoyang tucked away his business card. âWhat does he want from me?â\n
Du Jing spread out his hands, indicating that he was equally clueless.\n
Not a moment later, the blonde woman who had been at the Russian businessmanâs side the day before approached them and said to Zhou Luoyang, âMister Zhou, Mister Satanovsky would like to invite you to have afternoon tea with him. Do you have the time?â\n
âOf course,â Zhou Luoyang quickly replied.\n
Du Jing took off his sunglasses and sized her up seriously. \n
âHeâll be waiting at the hotelâs afternoon tea room at three PM,â the beautiful woman reported with a smile. âSee you there.â\n
âHer Chinese was good.â Zhou Luoyang glanced at the departing woman. She was very tall and slender.\n
âSheâs Ukranian,â Du Jing remarked. âShe has definitely lived in China before.â\n
âDoes she have a good figure?â Zhou Luoyang asked. âAre you into her type?â\n
Du Jing put his sunglasses back on. âI am. Very hot. Sounds nice, too.â\n
âIâm into it too.â\n
âAre you into her? I can test the waters for you.â\n
âThat Mister Sasky guy, heâll shoot my head off.â\n
âYou have a driver as well. Your driver can eliminate him first,â Du Jing said nonchalantly. \n
Soon, a third person approached. She was a tall and graceful Southeast Asian woman, with hair like a sleek black waterfall. Her makeup was delicate, and her features possessed that classical Eastern charm. \n
âHello.â Zhou Luoyang nodded to her.\n
She reached out and shook Zhou Luoyangâs hand, but her gaze drifted to Du Jing. Du Jing was motionless, and with the sunglasses securely on his face, Zhou Luoyang couldnât make out his expression.\n
âAre you Chinese? I seem to recognize you from somewhere,â the woman suddenly asked Du Jing.\n
That was not what Zhou Luoyang was expecting to hear.\n
Du Jing enigmatically responded, âIâve never met you before. Youâre mistaken, miss.â\n
The woman produced a small business card from her handbag and placed it on the table. With a smile and a nod, she left.\n
Zhou Luoyang looked at the card. She was the CEO of a Thai import and export company. Her name was Sup.\n
âAn old paramour?â Zhou Luoyang asked.\n
After a long silence, Du Jing said, âI donât know. I donât recognize her.â\n
âOh.â Zhou Luoyang wasnât yet aware of the implications of the interaction, but Du Jing understood the dangerous connotation of the womanâs appearance out of the blue.\n
Things were not entirely under his control. Perhaps something had gone awry somewhere along the way.\n
A brief moment later, Du Jing murmured to himself, âWhatâs going on? I really havenât seen her before. Who is she?â\n
<hr class="wp-block-separator">\nFootnotes:\n
<ol>Ruyao is an extremely rare type of pottery that was produced for the imperial court of the Song dynasty for a brief period. Today, fewer than 100 complete pieces survive. The record auction price for ruyao was set at Sothebyâs Hong Kong: $28 million USD for one dish. [Back]</ol>\n<hr class="wp-block-separator">\nTranslated by beansprout. Edited by opal.\n
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