Chapter 77
Throughout the night, Yu Chen’s breathing was forced to intertwine with He Zhen’s. His palm, guided by He Zhen, wandered over the other’s body, every touch igniting a flame that burned away Yu Chen’s helplessly aroused composure.
Heavy, intimate breaths mingled with the faint sound of moisture.
Yu Chen simply gave up, letting He Zhen amuse himself with his hand.
He couldn’t even remember when he fell asleep. The last thing he recalled was He Zhen carrying him into the bathroom, his body floating weightlessly in warm water as he nestled in He Zhen’s arms.
He Zhen kept calling him “baby” by his ear.
The next day, Yu Chen woke up at nine in the morning.
He propped himself up, his fair, fragile skin bearing the evidence of last night’s passionate entanglement.
Biting his lip in shame, he looked around.
The air in the room was fresh. Before leaving, He Zhen had apparently swapped in a calming aromatherapy—a sweet gardenia scent that also masked that lingering, unmentionable fragrance of intimacy.
Yu Chen slowly got out of bed, recalling the sensuality of the night before.
Even though they hadn’t gone all the way, it was pretty close.
His ears grew hot. Just as he pulled open the curtains, the bedroom door suddenly pushed open.
“Baby, time for breakfast.”
Squinting against the bright sunlight, he turned back in surprise to see He Zhen, impeccably dressed, carrying a tray of meat porridge and sandwiches as he walked over.
“Aren’t you going to the office?”
He Zhen said, “Took the day off.”
Yu Chen instinctively tightened his robe and sat back on the bed. “How come you took the day off?”
He Zhen crouched down and tidied Yu Chen’s messy hair. “I was worried about you. I’ll go after you wake up.”
Yu Chen avoided He Zhen’s teasing, ambiguous gaze, picking at his fingers with his head down. “I’m fine. Your work is more important.”
He Zhen’s palm slid under Yu Chen’s chin, pinching it like he was petting a small animal. “So considerate?”
Yu Chen flushed with embarrassment. “I’m not even injured.”
He Zhen had already brought over clean clothes and started putting on Yu Chen’s socks. “Did you sleep well last night?”
Yu Chen lifted his leg and gave a perfunctory “Mm.”
Just as He Zhen moved to untie his robe, Yu Chen quickly stopped him. “Boss, let me dress myself.”
He Zhen clearly didn’t want to. He held Yu Chen’s wrist.
“When you were little and wouldn’t get out of bed, I always dressed you.”
Yu Chen mumbled shyly, “That’s different.”
“How is it different?”
“It just is.”
He Zhen let go. “Fine. Want milk or coffee? I’ll make it for you.”
Yu Chen secretly watched him. “Coffee.”
He Zhen left the room obediently, giving Yu Chen some privacy.
Yu Chen quickly got dressed and washed up while he was gone. Even though they’d already been completely exposed to each other last night, he was still shy.
When He Zhen came back with the coffee, Yu Chen had already devoured two small sandwiches, his cheeks puffed out like he hadn’t eaten in days.
He Zhen’s gaze landed on Yu Chen’s sly eyes, a smile flickering across his face. “How many have you had?”
Yu Chen held up one finger. “One.”
He Zhen sat across from him, pulled out a tissue, and wiped the corner of Yu Chen’s mouth. “You’ve got sesame seeds everywhere.”
Yu Chen stared at him for a moment, remembering the outrageous things He Zhen had whispered in his ear the night before.
Things like “So soft, Chenchen,” and “Faster, baby,” and “Are your hands tired?”
Compared to the suit-clad He Zhen in front of him now, it was like a different person.
Yu Chen’s face grew hotter, and his gaze began to dart away.
He Zhen seemed to really enjoy feeding him, keeping the spoon firmly in his own hand. “Tomorrow, Xiao Yu and the others are coming over. What do you want to eat?”
Yu Chen thought for a moment. “Barbecue.”
“Alright. We have a terrace and the equipment.” He Zhen scooped some vegetables onto the spoon and held it to Yu Chen. “Open up.”
Yu Chen spotted corn kernels and frowned in displeasure. “Don’t want it.”
“Baby, be good.” He Zhen’s light brown eyes tilted as he looked at Yu Chen. “Eat it, and you’ll get a reward.”
Yu Chen, half-convinced, ate the porridge in one bite.
“What reward?”
His eyes brightened slightly as he looked at He Zhen.
He Zhen said, “When I get off work tonight, I’ll buy you a little cake?”
“Oh, okay.” Yu Chen liked cake, but he was still a little disappointed.
He’d thought He Zhen might come up with something more creative to surprise him.
He Zhen clearly noticed Yu Chen’s disappointment and thought again. “Is there anything you wish for? I can make it happen.”
This perked Yu Chen up.
He rested his chin on his hand, eyes sparkling. “Let me think.”
“Okay.” He Zhen finished feeding him and got ready to go to work. “Tell me when you’ve decided.”
Yu Chen suddenly had an idea as he watched him leave.
He tugged tentatively at He Zhen’s sleeve, looking pitiful with a frown. “Can you stay home with me for the whole day?”
Then he quietly studied He Zhen’s expression.
He Zhen hesitated for only two seconds before sitting back down. “Alright, I’ll stay with you.”
Yu Chen was a little surprised. He’d thought that even if He Zhen agreed, he’d at least look reluctant.
“But what about your work?”
Yu Chen tilted his head, his round eyes curious like a baby seal’s.
“I’ll work remotely.”
He Zhen took Yu Chen’s hand. “I’ll hold you while I work.”
Yu Chen smiled, showing his small white teeth. “I’m just teasing you. Go to work. My dad’s coming back today, so I’m going to the airport to pick him up.”
He Zhen said, “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you to pick up my father-in-law?”
That word “father-in-law” made Yu Chen’s ears burn and his heart race. He glared at He Zhen. “Who said he’s your father-in-law? Even if we get married, I’m the one marrying you.”
He Zhen smiled knowingly. “Fine. You marry me.”
Yu Chen lingered with He Zhen a little longer before finally letting him go to the office.
As he left, He Zhen stood beside Yu Chen, hinting heavily. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Yu Chen thought He Zhen had forgotten his briefcase or something and kindly helped him look around. It wasn’t until He Zhen pinned him against the desk for a kiss that Yu Chen realized what He Zhen really wanted.
That afternoon, Yu Chen picked up Li Huan at the airport and took him back to his own little apartment. Li Huan hadn’t seen Old Master He in days and wanted to go straight back to Baiqiang Manor to work, but Yu Chen said he had something important to discuss with him. Li Huan’s heart was pounding the whole way there.
Once inside, Yu Chen made Li Huan a cup of tea and sat across from him, nervously holding back. “Dad, I need to come clean about something.”
Li Huan was tense. “What is it?”
Yu Chen had never been this serious before, not since he was little.
Yu Chen put his hands on his knees and lowered his head. “I want to tell you that I actually have someone I like.”
This news instantly washed away the joy Li Huan had felt from his trip.
He felt like he could already guess Yu Chen’s answer.
“I like the boss. I want to marry him.” Yu Chen bit his lip, clenching his fists nervously. “And he feels the same way. He only wants to be with me for the rest of his life.”
Li Huan set down his teacup and let out a deep sigh.
“Chenchen, since you’re willing to tell me this, I assume you’ve thought carefully about what I said to you the other day.”
He frowned slightly. “I’m not going to stop you, but I don’t approve of you being with him.”
“Dad.” Yu Chen stood up, crouched in front of Li Huan, and took those aged hands in his. “I know everything you do comes from worrying about me, from being afraid I’ll get hurt. But the boss is doing everything he can to protect me.”
Yu Chen’s eyes reddened as he told Li Huan everything about He Zhen confessing to Old Master He.
“His body is covered in bruises, and he still hid it from me because he didn’t want me to feel guilty. You know how much he’s always cared for me, ever since we were kids. I really can’t bear to lose him.”
The shock in Li Huan’s eyes hadn’t yet faded. He stared intently at Yu Chen. “Xiao Zhen… he really did that?”
“Yes.” Yu Chen’s throat tightened, his voice cracking. “I’ve liked him since high school. He promised me a long time ago that he wouldn’t let me get hurt. When I went to see Grandpa the other day, he felt really sorry for me.”
This news was undoubtedly a huge shock to Li Huan.
He had indeed noticed some signs of their feelings for each other.
But he hadn’t expected He Zhen to go this far for Yu Chen. He Zhen was most afraid of disappointing Old Master He. This kind of self-immolation was an extremely risky move for him.
Wasn’t he afraid that in a fit of rage, Old Master He would strip him of his power over the company and destroy everything he’d worked so hard for over the years?
Li Huan had followed Old Master He and seen too many things.
Honestly, he didn’t believe that anyone would give up power within easy reach for the sake of love.
The fundamental reason he didn’t want Yu Chen to be with He Zhen was that he feared one day He Zhen would break Yu Chen’s heart for the sake of power and family.
“Chenchen, let me ask you something.”
The bright light fell on Li Huan’s face, making his expression seem dark and unreadable. “Can you guarantee that Xiao Zhen likes you now and will still like you in the future? Marriage isn’t one or two years—it’s decades. His family background is so dazzling. If one day he stops liking you, your situation will become very difficult.”
Yu Chen nodded firmly. “I can guarantee it, Dad.”
Li Huan gave a weary smile. “Silly child, don’t answer me so quickly. If you truly believe what you say, then you can marry him. But I want you to think it through.”
Yu Chen wrapped his arms around Li Huan’s waist and buried his face in his chest. “Thank you, Dad. Don’t worry, your son is smart. I’m not lovestruck.”
Li Huan held Yu Chen gently. “That’s good.”
That evening, Yu Chen took Li Huan back to Baiqiang Manor. Just like that day, Old Master He sighed quietly when he saw father and son, his gaze carrying a faint, lingering apology.
Yu Chen hadn’t seen Li Huan in days and missed him terribly. He texted He Zhen to let him know he was staying at the manor to make dumplings with Li Huan.
When He Zhen saw the message, he tentatively asked, “Baby, can I come?”
Yu Chen was straightforward. “No.”
He’d just come clean with Li Huan, and things were still awkward with Grandpa. If He Zhen showed up, the four of them sitting together—Yu Chen didn’t even want to imagine it.
He Zhen said, “I want to eat the dumplings you make.”
Yu Chen replied, “Be good, boss. I’ll make them for you at home.”
He Zhen stared at those words and slowly smiled.
He guessed that Yu Chen wasn’t just staying because he missed Li Huan. He was probably also avoiding him a little.
After dinner, He Heng came by with some supplements. He seemed to know Li Huan was back, so after delivering some to Old Master He, he specially brought a share for Li Huan.
He Heng didn’t know that Yu Chen had already confessed. In the past, Li Huan probably wouldn’t have thought twice about it.
But this time, the usually composed Li Huan looked awkward for the first time. “Thank Xiao Zhen for me,” he said to He Heng.
He Heng found it strange. He handed Yu Chen the cake He Zhen had ordered in advance. “Your gift.”
Yu Chen had been busy all day and had completely forgotten about He Zhen’s promise of cake. He smiled happily. “Thanks, Uncle.”
He Heng quietly told Yu Chen, “The cake is good. Eat it slowly.”
Yu Chen hid his delight. “Got it.”
He Heng finished his task, feeling relieved.
That morning, He Zhen had been worrying while he worked. He asked himself what kind of surprising gift couples could exchange. He immediately sought help from his employees, and after much deliberation, he settled on hiding the gift inside the cake—a pretty good idea.
He Zhen was reasonably satisfied, just worried that Yu Chen ate too fast and would swallow the gift he’d given him.
To that end, He Heng had confidently promised to help.
With the cake in hand, Yu Chen couldn’t wait to cut it open.
It was a five-inch cake, just the right size for him alone.
Halfway through cutting, the knife hit something foreign and stopped.
Yu Chen gently parted the cake and found a delicate box inside. Guessing what it was, he smiled, quickly pulled it out, and discovered a sapphire four-leaf clover brooch.
He held it up, examined it carefully, and laughed at this kind of old-school surprise.
But even though it was old-school, he absolutely loved it.
It would look great pinned to a sweater or a jacket in the fall and winter.
Without hesitating, he took a photo of the brooch and posted it on his moments: “Thank you to the world’s cutest boyfriend for this surprise!!”
A few minutes later, friends started commenting.
[He Zhi’an: Cutest? Are you sure?]
[Xiao Yu: The sour stench of people in love.]
[Lin Jiashu: Is this going public?]
[Wang Lei: Dude! That brooch is hella fancy!]
Yu Chen scrolled through every comment, but after waiting a long time, the person he most wanted to hear from hadn’t shown up.
He Zhen was probably working overtime at this hour.
Yu Chen carefully put away the brooch, finished the cake, and pulled the covers over himself to sleep.
At midnight, He Zhen commented: “Glad you like it, baby.”
The next day was the day of the planned get-together.
Yu Chen didn’t have any work at the lab initially, but his team leader called him in to help on short notice, so he had to leave He Zhen with the task of hosting their friends and asked him to come home early.
“Xiao Yu, sorry to bother you. We’re short-staffed today.” The team leader handed Yu Chen a newly extracted sample of whale habitat pollution. “Once the data is ready, could you compile the report?”
“You got it! Consider it done!”
Yu Chen was diligent and bright, and everyone liked him. They had initially assumed this boy who’d gotten in through connections was just padding his résumé, but he turned out to have such a genuine passion for oceanography—and he was easygoing and sweet-talking to boot. People took turns treating him to meals.
“Uncle, you left some documents at home. Auntie asked me to bring them to you.”
A tall, handsome mixed-race boy walked up to the lab director. “She told me to remind you not to be so forgetful.”
The director smiled. “Alright, thanks for your trouble.”
The team leader observed the director’s nephew while working on an experiment. “I have to say, mixed-race people really are good-looking.”
Yu Chen was focused on his report and didn’t look up. “There was a mixed-race kid in my kindergarten class. Pretty cute.”
Li Ye was about to leave when he suddenly noticed a familiar figure.
“Chenchen, what a coincidence.”
Yu Chen heard someone call his name, looked up quickly, and upon seeing that familiar yet unfamiliar face, his eyes curved in pleasant surprise. “Li Ye?”
Li Ye tilted his head and smiled. “Long time no see.”
“When did you get back?” Yu Chen put down his report, feeling an unexpected warmth at seeing an old classmate. “Oh, it’s summer break, right?”
Li Ye nodded gently. “Yes.”
The team leader, seeing they knew each other, thoughtfully stepped aside. “Are you two classmates?”
Yu Chen said, “Yeah!”
Li Ye leaned halfway against the table. “Are you on the project team?”
Yu Chen said, “I have nothing to do over summer break, so I’m interning here.”
Li Ye’s light blue eyes crinkled with a smile. “When are you done? Can I buy you a cup of coffee?”
Yu Chen checked the time. The team leader said, “Once you finish the report, you’re free to go.”
Yu Chen said, “Okay, about an hour. Can you wait for me?”
Li Ye had just returned to the country, and Yu Chen was the first classmate he’d run into. They didn’t go far, just sat down at a coffee shop near the lab.
“Is being a director fun?” Yu Chen asked curiously. “Are you going to be a theater director or a film director?”
Li Ye smiled faintly. “Either works. Last year, I interned on a movie set for Uncle He. It was pretty fun.”
“That’s so cool.” Yu Chen grinned as he sipped his coffee. “My major isn’t as fun as yours. But I’m really interested in it, so it’s okay.”
Li Ye looked at him. “What about He Zhen? Is he still in America?”
“He graduated early, with a double degree. He’s already back in the country and started working at the company.”
As he said this, Yu Chen didn’t even realize how proud he sounded.
Outside the coffee shop, at a traffic light, a car was stopped.
Fang Jingrao looked toward the coffee shop. “Xiao Yu, isn’t that Chenchen in there?”
Xiao Yu was in the driver’s seat and couldn’t see clearly. He turned his head. “Yeah, it is.”
Fang Jingrao asked, “Should we go say hi?”
Xiao Yu started the engine and stepped on the gas. “No need. He’s probably busy with lab work. Let’s not bother him. He Zhen is waiting for us.”
Fang Jingrao nodded in agreement, then watched Xiao Yu drive, genuinely impressed. “Xiao Yu, you’re getting better and better.”
Xiao Yu smirked and raised an eyebrow. “I’ve always been good.”
Back in the coffee shop.
Li Ye studied Yu Chen’s blissful smile as he stirred the foam in his coffee. “Are you two together?”
“Yeah!” Yu Chen hushed him. “Keep it a secret for me.”
Li Ye didn’t need to ask to know why Yu Chen wanted him to keep quiet. He lowered his gaze slightly. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.”
The two caught up a bit more, occasionally talking about things from He Zhen’s past.
Like the time He Zhen played a tree in a school play and almost beat Li Ye to death with his branches.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yu and the others had already arrived at He Zhen’s house.
Fang Jingrao had just returned from abroad and had missed Chinese food terribly. The smell of spicy, numbing hairy crab almost made him drool.
He Zhi’an lounged on the sofa like a lord, a lollipop dangling from his lips as he sized up Fang Jingrao. “Been abroad so long, find anyone?”
Xiao Yu glanced at Fang Jingrao, pretending not to care as he picked up a couple’s mug to examine.
Fang Jingrao smiled shyly. “No one I like.”
He Zhi’an teased him. “That’s because you don’t put yourself out there.”
“And you? How many boyfriends or girlfriends have you had?” Xiao Yu interrupted, narrowing his eyes at He Zhi’an. “Look at that flashy pink Chanel jacket you’re wearing… so tacky.”
He Zhi’an laughed good-naturedly. “What do you know?”
Xiao Yu held up the mug to He Zhen. “President He, did you buy this, or did chubby Chenchen?”
He Zhen was setting up the barbecue equipment and looked up from his busy work. “We bought it together at the supermarket.”
Xiao Yu offered a suggestion. “I know a pottery shop that does couple’s DIY. Take him sometime. He’d love it.”
“Okay. Send me the address.”
He Zhi’an shot Xiao Yu a look. “For a single guy, you sure know a lot. Anyone would think you were the one in a relationship.”
Xiao Yu glanced at Fang Jingrao from the corner of his eye. “How do you know I’m not?”
Fang Jingrao was a beat slow. “Xiao Yu, you’re seeing someone?”
He Zhi’an mercilessly exposed him. “Don’t listen to his nonsense.”
Xiao Yu got mad, grabbed a pillow, and threw it at He Zhi’an. “Get lost.”
He Zhi’an lounged back with a grin. “See? Hitting me proves I’m right.”
He Zhen wasn’t interested in their horseplay. He stared at his chat with Yu Chen, waiting for Yu Chen to reply to his message.
“By the way, when is Chenchen coming back?” Fang Jingrao peeled an orange and handed it to Xiao Yu. “Xiao Yu and I just saw him at that coffee shop on the corner.”
He Zhen looked up. “Coffee shop?”
“Yeah, probably discussing something.” Fang Jingrao was open and guileless. “The person across from him looked like a foreigner. Model type. Really handsome.”
Xiao Yu frowned beside him. “I didn’t notice that.”
Fang Jingrao said, “It was the angle.”
He Zhen’s thoughts grew unsettled. He replayed his chat history with Yu Chen. Yu Chen had told him he wasn’t done yet, but hadn’t mentioned anything about a coffee shop.
“It’s normal for someone in their lab to be foreign,” He Zhen said, though it wasn’t clear who he was telling. He went back to working on the terrace. But his movements were noticeably slower than before.
“I’ve noticed that foreigners are all good-looking,” Fang Jingrao said, chewing on an apple. “Especially around twenty.”
Xiao Yu asked curiously, “So did you meet any particularly attractive foreigners?”
Fang Jingrao said, “Well, I—”
“How handsome was the one having coffee with Yu Chen?” He Zhen interjected abruptly, his mood clearly less relaxed than before.
Fang Jingrao said, “I only saw his profile. He looked like a movie star.”
He Zhi’an was the first to see through He Zhen’s thoughts. He crossed his legs. “Feeling threatened? Don’t worry. Chubby Chenchen loves you so much. When he was little, he’d even take my snacks and ‘divorce’ me just to go play with you. You really think some random guy is going to steal him away?”
Remembering those childhood days, He Zhen’s lips curved slightly. “I’m not worried.”
Fang Jingrao nodded in agreement. “It’s probably just a colleague he gets along with. The guy seemed really nice to Chenchen.”
“That’s enough!” Xiao Yu signaled Fang Jingrao to shut up.
“What do you mean, ‘really nice’?” He Zhen looked up, his gaze flickering slightly with unease, sending a chill down Fang Jingrao’s spine.
“Nothing, nothing.” Fang Jingrao lowered his head and dared not speak further.
“Which restaurant?” He Zhen put down his tools, his chiseled features taking on a hint of cool detachment.
“The Tiffany Cafe in the plaza.” Fang Jingrao answered quickly.
Seeing He Zhen already getting ready to change clothes, He Zhi’an tried to stop him. “Zhen, come on. It’s not that serious.”
“I’m going to pick him up. You guys have some fruit first.” He Zhen’s voice was low as he hurriedly grabbed his keys and left.
In the living room, He Zhi’an looked like he wanted to say something. “Is he that worked up?”
