The six of them walked along Frakkastígur Street to the main road. As they advanced, the view of the harbor and snow-capped mountains became increasingly clear. Crossing the road, they arrived at the harbor pier, where the Sun Voyager sculpture stood against the shimmering sea, shining brilliantly.
The Sun Voyager is a Viking ship skeleton sculpture, one of Iceland’s must-visit art pieces. Its ark-like shape symbolizes people’s pursuit of poetry and distant dreams, as well as their longing for a better life.
They walked while admiring the view. The tranquil sea stretched into the distance, mirroring the snow-capped mountains under the blue sky, creating an especially stunning sight.
After taking photos as mementos, the guide led them along the left-hand path facing the sea. After walking for about five minutes, they arrived at their third stop of the day—Harpa Concert Hall.
The concert hall, located at the intersection of land and sea in Reykjavik, was surrounded by boats. Its entire structure was made of steel and glass, resembling a massive kaleidoscope. Over a thousand geometric glass panels, reminiscent of ice floes beneath the sea, shimmered and changed colors.
They did not buy tickets to go inside for a tour or a concert; instead, they wandered around the exterior. Jiang Yunzhi and Jiang Man paired up to take scenic photos, while Fang Yi was coaxed by Zhuo Chenyang into shooting a documentary. Stuck in the middle, Lucas ultimately chose to help the two ladies take pictures.
After taking photos of the concert hall, Jiang Yuanye pulled Zhou Chaosheng toward the rocky shore of the harbor. The large and small stones were smooth and rounded. Jiang Yuanye bent down, picking up two or three relatively flat ones, walking and stopping intermittently, before settling at a spot with fewer rocks to start stacking them into a small stone castle.
Zhou Chaosheng saw Jiang Yuanye crouching on the beach, playing enthusiastically, and followed suit. Jiang Yuanye remained fully focused on stacking his stones, his gaze unwavering.
Zhou Chaosheng glanced at the rocks a few times before shifting his gaze away. His eyes followed the rolling waves before settling on the fishing boats moored by the dock, against the backdrop of the snowy mountains.
"Jiang Yuanye."
"Mm?"
"I remember now."
—Crash.
The five stones that Jiang Yuanye had just stacked collapsed instantly due to his trembling hand.
“…What?”
His voice sounded slightly distorted, and if one listened carefully, there was even a faint tremor.
Zhou Chaosheng looked at the scattered stones, deep in thought. It seemed Jiang Yuanye wasn’t as indifferent as he had imagined. He had assumed Jiang Yuanye wouldn’t care whether his memories returned or not.
“I remember coming here more than once.”
Zhou Chaosheng lowered his gaze, his eyes landing on Jiang Yuanye’s tightly pressed lips as he spoke softly.
Jiang Yuanye did not lift his head. His entire body was tense, as if frozen in place. He didn’t dare meet Zhou Chaosheng’s eyes, fearing he would see undeniable rejection or coldness.
“…Twice?” Jiang Yuanye asked dryly.
“No, three times.”
“Oh.”
Zhou Chaosheng stood up, looking down at the man crouching on the ground. “Aren’t you curious about what else I remember?”
Jiang Yuanye tucked his hands between his knees, lowered his head, and replied in a hoarse voice, “What… do you remember?”
Zhou Chaosheng suddenly fell silent.
In that moment of pause, Jiang Yuanye’s body became even more rigid. He remained still, but his heart was racing uncontrollably, and even his breathing grew chaotic.
Zhou Chaosheng took note of his reaction. The cautiousness, the anxious anticipation. it didn’t seem fake. At this point, there was no need to keep pretending.
Perhaps because that uneasiness felt so real, Zhou Chaosheng decided to give him two more chances to tell the truth.
"I remember that I studied computer science, went abroad for university, and soon after, started my own company."
Jiang Yuanye took a light breath and asked in a low voice, “And?”
“That’s it,” Zhou Chaosheng said. “I only remembered some professional knowledge.”
This time, Jiang Yuanye fell silent.
After a while, Zhou Chaosheng took the initiative and asked, “Shall we go?”
Jiang Yuanye nodded. When he got up, his movements were a bit stiff. His legs had cramped from crouching too long. He gritted his teeth, grabbed Zhou Chaosheng beside him, and lowered his gaze. “Can you help me up?”
Zhou Chaosheng grasped his arm in return, acting as a human crutch, letting him lean against him.
The sound of waves drifted in their ears, mingling with the fluttering wings of seagulls and the occasional spout of a whale breaking the surface, composing a unique symphony of the ocean.
After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Yuanye suddenly broke the silence.
“I never asked you why do you always have bodyguards with you when you go out? I remember you were like this back in high school too. Is there a reason?”
Zhou Chaosheng hadn’t expected Jiang Yuanye to ask this. He paused for a few seconds before answering, “When I was a child, I was kidnapped and nearly lost my life. Ever since then, my family has been particularly concerned about my safety.”
Hearing the word “kidnapped,” Jiang Yuanye abruptly turned his head to look at him, his eyes filled with disbelief.
“…Kidnapped?”
“Mm, it was probably when I was five or six years old.”
As he spoke, Zhou Chaosheng thought Jiang Yuanye would immediately notice the abnormality in his memory. But unexpectedly, the other party remained silent for a long time. Just as Zhou Chaosheng was about to change the subject, Jiang Yuanye spoke again.
His voice sounded a bit strained, carrying an emotion even he couldn’t quite define. Softly, hesitantly, he said, “I’m sorry…”
Zhou Chaosheng raised an eyebrow, surprised.
“Why are you apologizing? You didn’t do anything.”
Jiang Yuanye shook his head. At first, it was just a slight shake, but then he kept shaking it continuously, his eyes lowered. From the side, his entire expression seemed to be collapsing.
“Jiang Yuanye?”
Sensing something was wrong, Zhou Chaosheng, who had been holding his shoulder, shifted his hands, gripping his shoulders firmly in an attempt to see his expression.
But Jiang Yuanye wouldn’t let him, avoiding his gaze.
“What’s wrong? Why are you hiding?”
Zhou Chaosheng held onto the struggling person. Just as his gaze was about to lock onto Jiang Yuanye’s face, he was stunned by what he saw—those eyelashes, damp with tears.
He froze, staring as silent tears slipped from Jiang Yuanye’s eyes. Through the misty layer of moisture, Jiang Yuanye’s gaze was distant and dry, as if a storm had raged in his heart, overflowing until it spilled from his eyes.
It felt like someone had lightly pressed a finger against Zhou Chaosheng’s heart.
It was only at that moment that he realized Jiang Yuanye was crying.
Zhou Chaosheng inhaled sharply, the cool air filling his lungs before he slowly exhaled.
“…Why are you crying?”
Jiang Yuanye, realizing he had lost control, felt embarrassed. He didn’t answer. Instead, he broke free from Zhou Chaosheng’s grip and wiped at his tears with the back of his hand. But the tears wouldn’t stop, as if a dam had broken.
Halfway through wiping, his face was already covered in tear streaks, making him look like a messy little cat.
Zhou Chaosheng found the comparison amusing, but he couldn’t bring himself to laugh. Seeing Jiang Yuanye cry in front of him, he felt an inexplicable heaviness in his heart.
Jiang Yuanye, probably too prideful to continue wiping, simply turned his back to Zhou Chaosheng, unwilling to let him see his embarrassing state.
“Jiang Yuanye…”
Zhou Chaosheng poked him lightly on the back with his finger.
“Turn around. Don’t hide.”
Jiang Yuanye shook his head vigorously, as if using his body language to express his firm refusal.
Left with no other choice, Zhou Chaosheng softened his voice. “Turn around. I want to see you.”
Jiang Yuanye hesitated. His shaking head came to an abrupt stop.
Zhou Chaosheng patiently waited for a long time. He thought that he had never been this patient in his life. Normally, even waiting an extra minute for a business partner would irritate him. He despised people who wasted time so much that he would rather cancel a partnership than tolerate it.
But today, Jiang Yuanye didn't set a time limit for him. He also didn't tell him how long he needed to wait. So, without a word, Zhou Chaosheng waited for him for eight minutes. Only when Jiang Yuanye had calmed down did he slowly turn around.
Zhou Chaosheng then asked, "Are you ready to talk now?"
Jiang Yuanye’s eyes were dry and sore, as if the cold from the water had suddenly surged into his chest, seeping into the cracks of his heart. He opened his mouth slightly, as if there was something he wanted to say to Zhou Chaosheng, but his tongue felt stuck to his teeth, curling up, unable to form a complete sentence.
In the end, Jiang Yuanye choked up, and fresh tears welled up in his eyes again.
“…I… I don’t even know why… I just suddenly… suddenly felt like crying…” Jiang Yuanye sobbed, sniffling, looking somewhat pitiful.
Zhou Chaosheng watched him. The scene was undeniably ridiculous, yet he couldn't bring himself to laugh. Not only that, his heart felt like a dissolving tablet dropped into cola, bubbling and churning nonstop.
“…What are you apologizing to me for?” he asked.
Jiang Yuanye's eyes were red, his nose was red, and he just looked at him without saying a word.
“Hmm?”
Before Zhou Chaosheng could react, Jiang Yuanye suddenly wrapped his arms around him.
For a moment, Zhou Chaosheng’s body went rigid.
“…”
Jiang Yuanye didn’t wipe his tears or sniffles on him; he simply hugged him, threading his arms under Zhou Chaosheng’s, circling around him completely. His soft hair brushed against Zhou Chaosheng’s ear, carrying a faint scent that filled his nose.
Zhou Chaosheng heard his muffled sobs and his whispered apology.
And beneath those words, he finally felt like a treasure hunter who had unearthed a long-buried treasure—the raw, unguarded heart hidden beneath all the layers.
Zhou Chaosheng could hear the deep sorrow in his sobs and see the guilt in his tears.
“So…”
“This is the real reason you’re afraid of mice and cockroaches?”
Zhou Chaosheng lowered his gaze and said softly, “Yes.”
As soon as he said it, he could feel the person hugging him tremble, as if he couldn’t bear the weight of those words.
“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry…”
Jiang Yuanye kept apologizing through his tears, his voice overflowing with remorse and regret.
Zhou Chaosheng let him hold on, his eyelashes casting a small shadow as he silently pondered something.
At this point, even though Jiang Yuanye hadn’t explicitly said it, Zhou Chaosheng already knew what he was feeling guilty about. The pranks he had played on him all those years ago..
Honestly, it wasn’t a big deal.
It’s just…
He never expected Jiang Yuanye to cry over it.