Gilded Rust - YiZhan

Chapter 10 - Empty Spaces

Yibo let himself fall on his side, and with the ring still against his lips, he pressed his other hand to his forehead. His head hurt. He rarely ever suffered from headaches; had he hit his head harder than he'd thought? Although the possibility was great, he didn't want to acknowledge that the series of abrupt changes in his life were most likely to blame for his ills. For a while, he monitored the pain as it spread from his temple to the back of his eye. He needed to act quickly, but he hadn't taken the painkillers from the restaurant and didn't think asking for medication from his boss on his first night would leave a good impression.

With a groan, he forced himself to his feet. Mr. Xiao had mentioned basic amenities earlier, and although he didn't think painkillers qualified as such, he made his way to the ensuite. The light stung his eyes and made his head throb, but he ignored the pain. Unsurprisingly, his boss's definition of "essential" was much broader than his, and he soon found what he sought. He tilted his head back to swallow a few caplets of acetaminophen, and when he straightened himself, the sight of his reflection in the mirror made him look away. His wiry figure and dark skin clashed against the modern decor.

I don't belong here.

Yibo had never thought that he might yearn for the spartan simplicity of the restaurant, yet there he was. This wasn't his world; why did he keep trying to enter it?

Before he could spiral again, he leaned forward, head hanging, and gripped the edge of the counter, taking deep, long breaths as he chased the negative thoughts.

I can do this. I have to do this. Caihong needs me to do this.

After a moment, Yibo managed to regain control of himself and headed back to his room to finish unpacking. Unsure of what to do with the lost and found bag, he took out its contents and put them away in his sports bag. He'd wash everything first, then decide.

It was a little after ten when he'd finished settling in, still early according to his regular schedule. Once again thinking of Caihong, he took his cell phone out of his pocket, which caused his keys to fall to the floor. As he picked them up, he noticed the ginkgo-leaf-shaped golden keychain. The object had a pleasant heft and might have been expensive when new, but its scuffed surface showed its age. As he set it on his desk, Yibo noted that this was the third time he'd come across this motif that day. First, the pictures at the gallery, then the motif on the chopsticks, and then this. Although no more than a coincidence, it intrigued him. Maybe Mr. Xiao liked the pattern.

A quick peek at his phone revealed that Caihong hadn't texted him, which he had expected since she had less freedom on Fridays. He set the device on a nightstand and plugged it in before turning the lamp on. Still wide awake but having nothing else to do, he decided to shower. Ever suspicious and prudent, he closed and locked the door—not before making sure Xiao Shuang hadn't returned—and inspected the bedroom and ensuite for hidden cameras. He didn't find anything, which made him feel foolish, but he couldn't override his instincts.

Better safe than sorry.

Satisfied that he'd done his due diligence, he turned off the ceiling light and undressed. The pain in his neck and shoulders flared as he took off his sweater, and he let out a little yelp of surprise. Worried that he might have been heard, he waited, but nothing happened.

This house is gigantic; how could he have heard you?

Before taking off his trousers, he went through his pocket and found Caihong's note along with the envelope from Mrs. Kim in the other. He made a mental note to ask Mr. Xiao about the closest public library tomorrow so he could email his cousin. As for the envelope, he opened it. As promised, it contained Mrs. Kim's salon's business card, as well as 1,000 yuan and a small note.