"Don't do this again", Gu Yuxuan said as he brought a spoon full of cake to his mouth.
Zimo and he sat on the floor, in the middle of the room. Both scooping from the cake in the centre between them.
"Why?" Zimo asked.
"I don't celebrate birthdays." Gu Yuxuan said.
"We're not celebrating it, just eating cake. After forty minutes the day will be over anyway."
The numbers, three and zero, were hanging onto the almost finished cake.
"What did you wish for?" Gu Yuxuan asked.
Zimo smiled. "You had me blow out the candles and you still want to know what I wished for?"
"You still have to tell me what you wished for. What if you wished me bad luck?"
"I made a wish for myself." Zimo said.
"It's my birthday and you made a wish for yourself?"
"You didn't want it. Did you want me to make a wish for you?"
Gu Yuxuan rolled his eyes, putting the spoon down and laying down on his back.
"Do you want to talk?" Zimo asked.
"About what?"
"Anything. Tell me about yourself."
Gu Yuxuan stared at the ceiling for a while before asking, "What do you want to know?"
Zimo went to lie down next to him. "Like… how were you able to build a billion dollar company at such a young age."
Gu Yuxuan smiled. "Are you looking for advice to start your fourth company?"
Zimo exhaled a chuckled. "Why do you have to bring that up? It's embarrassing."
Gu Yuxuan turned his head to look at him. "Starting a company is nothing. Facing the people who don't want you to succeed is quite challenging."
Zimo tilted his head and their gazes met. "You mean someone deliberately made it fail?"
"I didn't say that. Maybe you're just really bad at running a company." Gu Yuxuan said with a smirk and looked back to the ceiling.
Zimo scanned his face up and down. "What does it feel like to look down on people?"
"Pretty good"
"Shameless", Zimo sprouted. Annoyingly looking away.
Gu Yuxuan sat up and looked at Zimo who had closed his eyes. "Go to your room. We still have to leave early tomorrow."
"We're not leaving tomorrow."
"What?"
"I booked our flight for a day later." Zimo said carelessly, still keeping his eyes shut.
"How dare you make your own arrangements?" Gu Yuxuan asked."
"Just one more day. Why are you in a hurry? Zimo asked and sat up. "You won't fall behind in just one day."
"I see why your companies all failed." Gu Yuxuan said.
"Why"
"…"
"Because I'm too handsome?", Zimo asked with a big grin.
"This is the second time you've said that. Are you obsessed with yourself?" Gu Yuxuan asked.
"I'm more obsessed with you."
This time, Zimo really left Gu Yuxuan speechless. He was even enjoying Gu Yuxuan's struggle to take control of himself, searching for words. And with a smile, he lowered himself again to the floor.
"You know you can breathe, right", Zimo told him with a smile that grew larger on his face.
"Get out." Gu Yuxuan said.
Zimo pulled himself up right in front of Gu Yuxuan's face.
"Why are you so nervous?" He asked. "I've been investigating you for years. Getting to know you have been my obsession for a long time."
"Why?" Gu Yuxuan asked.
"For two reasons", Zimo said. "One. I wanted to try and steal your company from you. Two. If the first one doesn't work out, I want to become your closest partner."
Their gazes were fixed. Unwavered.
"You've been planning this for years? Gu Yuxuan asked. "Fool".
"This fool just made you stop breathing."
"Since you told me now. What are you planning to do afterwards?"
"Continue as normal." Zimo answered. "Now you know why I wanted to enter your company. But you still don't know why I chose you."
"What makes you think I'll still keep you around?"
"Because you don't really have anything against me."
"You're gambling on my feelings?" Gu Yuxuan asked
"No. I'm choosing you."
Their eyes were kept locked. Allowing the words to sink in. Both pressing down a reaction to stay in control. Neither wanted to give in first.
After a few seconds, Zimo pulled back first and got up. Looking down at Gu Yuxuan he said, "I'm not your enemy." And walked out.
Gu Yuxuan's gaze slowly moved towards the cake. For the first time he felt undecided. He was drawn between following his instinct and opening up to something new.
He stood up and went to lay down on the bed. Whispering, "I might lose my focus because of you".
The night drifted away and another day came. Still in the city of Beijing.
Gu Yuxuan had been sitting in the lounge. His face glued to his computer, wearing his glasses.
When Zimo came down, he halted for a while, waiting for two girls to stop obsessing over Gu Yuxuan. They couldn't control their soft giggles.
One scraped all her courage together and went over to him.
"Dear sir. My friend and I think you're really handsome. Do you mind if we keep you company?"
Zimo waited for his reaction.
"No thank you." Gu Yuxuan said.
The girl slowly jerked back. "Do you have a girlfriend?" She asked.
Gu Yuxuan looked at her, staring at her without saying a word.
Zimo finally made his appearance. "Here's your coffee", bending over him from behind. Almost making Gu Yuxuan's lips touch his face.
The girl reluctantly turned and walked away.
Zimo went to sit next to him. "Why are you so cold towards the poor girl?"
Chatter opposite them volumed up.
"Is she crazy? Does she even know who that is?"
"Do you know?"
"That's the CEO of the Gu company. She really wanted to push her luck."
"You're right. He really is as handsome as everyone said."
"But he's also known for being an ice cube. Even I wouldn't dare take the chance."
"Maybe she thought her beauty could win him over."
Laughter filled the place.
The girl and her friend buried their faces in their food and didn't dare to look up. Untill… Gu Yuxuan placed the coffee next to her.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude." He said and walked out of the lounge.
The girl was dumbstruck. Her friend no better. Everyone suddenly went quiet and couldn't utter another word.
Zimo sat back, enjoying the scene with a smile. And then his phone rang…
"What are you still doing inside?" Gu Yuxuan asked through the phone.
"I'm coming", Zimo answered and hurriedly got up.