The Golden Cage and the Accidental Video Call

The wind whistling past his ears seemed to intensify as Ji Yanli met the gaze of the two people inside the office. The frost creeping over his body grew even more biting.

“Xiao Li?” his mother, Jiang Yue, spoke softly, her red lips parting as she sat beside a man in a sharp business suit. She radiated an air of practiced elegance. “Why are you standing at the door instead of coming in?”

She beckoned him over, almost rising to greet him, but the man beside her cast a cold, sharp glance her way. Jiang Yue’s rising smile froze, and she sat back down awkwardly.

Ji Yanli swallowed hard, forcing his expression to remain calm. His gaze slid downward, settling on the man who had yet to utter a single word. The man’s suit was devoid of a single wrinkle, and his lips were pressed into a thin, tight line, exuding an aura of icy detachment.

After a few seconds of hesitation, Ji Yanli finally stepped inside. He dragged his feet toward them, moving slower than usual. Jiang Yue watched her son with a gentle expression and tapped the desk. “Sit here.”

Ji Yanli sat obediently on the cold wooden chair. The moment he touched the seat, he felt as if he were sitting on a bed of needles. He shifted slightly in discomfort, only to be met with a harsh rebuke in the next second.

“If you’re going to sit, sit properly! Fidgeting like that—where are your manners?”

A chill ran down his spine. Ji Yanli’s eyelashes fluttered rapidly. The lifelong fear he held for his father surged back in an instant.

“Sister Zhang told us a few days ago that you haven’t been home for nearly a week,” Ji Huaiqian said in a low, heavy voice. “Why haven’t you returned?”

Ji Yanli knew his father’s temperament—blunt and direct. He never liked dancing around a subject and preferred to lay the problem bare.

“Because…” Ji Yanli paused. “The school had exams, so I stayed on campus these past few days. Besides, I have a dorm room here; staying there shouldn’t be an issue.”

His voice lacked conviction, the end of his sentence trailing off into a whisper. Ji Huaiqian’s brows knit together. His eyes were strikingly similar to Ji Yanli’s, yet they possessed none of the youth’s softness.

“You don’t need to stay in the school dorms. We spoke to the teachers and the principal about this before you even enrolled.”

Seemingly afraid her husband would lose his temper, Jiang Yue quickly patted Ji Huaiqian’s shoulder and spoke soothingly.

“I know,” Ji Yanli bit his lower lip. “But like I said, it was because of the exams.”

“The exams ended days ago, yet you still haven’t come home!”

Ji Huaiqian glared at him, his hand nearly slamming onto the desk. “What exactly have you been doing at school these last few days?!”

This invasive, aggressive questioning made Ji Yanli reflexively recoil. He couldn’t help but frown. “Dad, I’m old enough now. It’s normal to want some private space.”

“What else would I be doing at school? Is there nowhere safe for me besides home?”

Apparently stunned by his usually obedient son’s retort, Ji Huaiqian froze for a moment. Then, his fury intensified. “Of course not! Have you forgotten you were kidnapped right in front of the school gates back then?!”

Ji Yanli took a deep breath.

He hadn’t forgotten.

That lingering terror was the reason he struggled to sleep through the night.

But…

But…

“You don’t come home, you secretly threw away your GPS tracker… Do you really think you’re all grown up now? If it weren’t for me and your mother, do you think you’d even be alive right now!”

Ji Huaiqian’s face flushed with anger as he struggled for breath. His wife watched him with concern, gently rubbing his back.

“Don’t get so worked up. Our son is fine, isn’t he?” Jiang Yue said, turning to Ji Yanli. “Xiao Li, come home to stay today, okay?”

“No.”

Ji Yanli replied without a moment’s hesitation.

“You!” Ji Huaiqian stood up abruptly, raising his hand high.

Ji Yanli closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable blow.

But Ji Huaiqian pulled his hand back.

“Have you made a new friend recently?” His tone shifted suddenly, the sharp pivot making Ji Yanli feel an inexplicable sense of dread.

“Since you love staying at school so much, I’ll have this ‘friend’ of yours investigated first to see if they are safe.”

Ji Yanli snapped his head up. “You can’t…”

“Xiao Li, the world is a dangerous place. Do you really think these people who want to be your ‘friend’ are being sincere?”

“He’s different!” Ji Yanli blurted out immediately. “He’s not like the others!”

“Xiao Li, people are more complex than you think. I’ve dealt with far more of the world than you have.” Ji Huaiqian sat back down slowly, letting out a long sigh. “Don’t hate your father. I’m doing this because I have no choice.”

Ji Yanli’s entire body went rigid, his hanging hands beginning to tremble.

He didn’t want them to touch Chu Ci.

“If I come home…” Ji Yanli’s voice shook. “Will you leave him alone?”

“Fine.”

Ji Yanli lowered his head, his dark eyes fixed on the floor.

“I promise you.”

When Chu Ci opened his eyes and lifted his head from his arms, Ji Yanli had already returned.

The youth was standing by his side. On the desk sat a carton of milk and a chocolate bread roll. He seemingly hadn’t intended to wake Chu Ci; the moment the boy looked up, a flicker of panic crossed Ji Yanli’s face before settling into a strained expression.

“Sorry, I got held up for a long time today. I could only buy this for you to tide you over.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Yanli turned around without a second glance and returned to his seat.

Chu Ci frowned at the milk, then turned a puzzled gaze toward Ji Yanli’s back. He had no idea where the other had gone, but Ji Yanli seemed wrapped in a thick aura of unhappiness.

He tore open the bread packaging and took a bite. The fluffy dough coated in chocolate melted in his mouth, the cloying sweetness filling his senses. Chu Ci propped his chin on one hand, chewing slowly, unsure if he should ask Ji Yanli what had happened.

Not long after, other students approached Ji Yanli with their homework. The youth turned his head, a smile touching his lips, and the gloom that had surrounded him seemed to vanish instantly.

He looked exactly as he did on any other day.

Chu Ci tilted his head.

Maybe I’m overthinking it?

He finished the last sip of milk and cleared his desk just as the bell rang, effectively killing any chance he had to question Ji Yanli.

He endured until the end of the day. Chu Ci was slowly packing his things when he looked up to see Ji Yanli already leaving the classroom with his backpack.

Outside, the sky was overcast, and large raindrops were beginning to fall. Chu Ci’s expression shifted, and he instinctively got up to give chase. But by the time he reached the door, he was met only with a damp, chilly breeze.

He paused, looking left and right, but Ji Yanli was nowhere to be seen.

Something was definitely wrong.

Usually, Ji Yanli would wait for him so they could walk back to the dorms together.

A wave of inexplicable loneliness rose in Chu Ci’s heart. Just as he was frowning in confusion, a hand suddenly tapped his shoulder.

Chu Ci’s pupils shrank as he spun around. “Ji—”

Standing before him was Lin Yu, whom he hadn’t seen in days.

The spark of expectation in his eyes died instantly.

Lin Yu crinkled his eyes and draped an arm intimately over Chu Ci’s shoulder. “Haven’t seen me in so long—did you miss me?!”

Chu Ci glanced at him and pouted, saying nothing.

“What’s with that face?” Lin Yu noted his long face and immediately became displeased. He used two fingers to pinch Chu Ci’s cheeks, pulling them upward to force a better expression. “Hey, I just got back and this is the attitude I get?”

“…Chu Ci, you brat, don’t tell me you didn’t want to see me!”

Lin Yu’s beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.

“Not really,” Chu Ci mumbled.

He went back to his seat to finish packing while Lin Yu waited by the door. As the two walked out of the building together, they happened to run into Bo Yu, who was on his way to see Mochi.

“How rare,” Bo Yu said, his eyes landing on Chu Ci. “Ji Yanli isn’t with you today?”

Beside him, Lin Yu reacted instantly. “I thought something felt weird! We’re missing the Student Council President!”

His exaggerated shouting made Chu Ci feel inexplicably annoyed. He frowned and let out a “Tch.” “So what if he isn’t here? You’re making it sound like we’re inseparable.”

Lin Yu blinked and leaned in with a mischievous grin. “Really? To be honest, everyone thinks you two are glued at the hip!”

Chu Ci felt even angrier—he wasn’t sure if it was because of Lin Yu’s teasing or because Ji Yanli had ditched him.

He pushed Lin Yu away. “I’m not in the mood for this. I’m leaving.”

“Hey, I said I’d treat you to dinner today!” Lin Yu shouted.

Chu Ci threw back a cold reply: “Maybe next time.”

Then, he hurried back to the dorms.

Ji Yanli didn’t return that night. Chu Ci curled up on the sofa alone, staring at the dark doorway for a long time.

The glow of the floor lamp near the sofa was hazy. Usually, Ji Yanli would wait until he fell asleep to come out and turn it off. When Chu Ci woke up the next morning to find the lamp still on, that sense of loneliness returned.

He washed up and went to class alone, so listless he forgot to eat breakfast. The moment he entered the classroom and saw Ji Yanli already there for early study, the hollow feeling in his heart was momentarily filled.

Chu Ci walked over instinctively. But when he softly called the other’s name, Ji Yanli acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing, continuing to flip through his textbook. Chu Ci was left standing there, frozen.

He stared at the other’s cold profile. Ji Yanli felt like a stranger, as if they had never known each other at all.

A draft from the window slid under his shirt. Chu Ci took a breath, his breathing trembling despite himself. A sour, swollen feeling of grievance rose in his chest, nearly reaching his throat.

‘Damn you, Ji Yanli… what are you acting for!’

‘If you don’t acknowledge me in three seconds, don’t ever talk to me again.’

‘Three… two… one…!’

‘Fine, fine. This is your choice.’

‘I’m unfriending you!’

The sound of the youth’s hurried footsteps echoed as he stomped away, his shoes hitting the floor with a heavy thud, silently venting his frustration.

Ji Yanli turned his head slightly, stealing a glance at the retreating back before quietly looking away.

Chu Ci hadn’t spoken to Ji Yanli for several days. He counted them up; the last time they had a cold war, it had lasted quite a while until Ji Yanli finally came to coax him. Only then did Chu Ci give in.

But Ji Yanli had gone too far this time. Chu Ci made a silent vow: he would never talk to him again in this lifetime.

However, Chu Ci had been busy looking for a job lately. Once he got busy, the matter was pushed to the back of his mind.

The cafeteria at noon was as noisy as ever. Chu Ci and Lin Yu found a corner table so they wouldn’t have to shout to hear each other.

“Why the sudden interest in a part-time job?” Lin Yu asked, his cheek bulging as he chewed his food.

Chu Ci poked at the rice on his tray. The food at Chengqing First High was diverse and delicious, but he had no appetite.

“I’m broke,” he admitted bluntly.

The original host’s father was still persistently harassing him. Since Chu Ci was just a student, he had to comply with the scoundrel’s demands. To prevent a repeat of past incidents, he figured he should find a job.

“I see—” Lin Yu nodded. “In that case, you could help out at my cousin’s place. She just opened a new café and needs staff.”

“If you want to go, I’ll talk to her today and take you there later.”

“Really?” Chu Ci pursed his lips. “Thanks.”

Lin Yu waved him off. “We’re friends, aren’t we? No need for thanks. Besides, you’ve helped me plenty of times.”

Chu Ci lowered his lashes and let out a faint smile.

“Finally, a bit of a smile. Was this what was bothering you lately?” Lin Yu stuffed a piece of greens into his mouth. “Speaking of which, I haven’t seen much of Ji Yanli lately.”

He glanced at Chu Ci as he spoke.

Lin Yu could feel the strange tension between the two.

Seeing that Chu Ci didn’t react much, Lin Yu continued: “I heard from some people that Ji Yanli is being picked up and dropped off by several bodyguards now. Tsk tsk, you should see the scene—you’d definitely think he’s just showing off his wealth.”

Chu Ci replied, “You’re talking like you’ve actually seen it yourself.”

“Hey, you—” Lin Yu wrinkled his nose in annoyance. “I’m trying to have a serious talk with you, why so grumpy?”

Chu Ci didn’t respond.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen it before.

Just the mention of “Ji Yanli” made his food taste like ash. Right then, his phone vibrated on the table. Chu Ci put down his chopsticks and picked it up. A video call request was flashing on the screen.

He stared at the contact name—”White Flower Persona but actually a Scheming Old Soul who loves playing the Green Tea Dead Fish”—and froze for a few seconds.

Then, as if possessed, his finger slid across the screen and answered.

The screen jumped, blurred for a moment, and then that familiar face appeared.

On the other end of the line, Ji Yanli blinked, a flash of surprise crossing his beautiful eyes.

“—Wait, isn’t this the camera button?”

“How did it turn into a video call?”