《No Ghosting Allowed》 CH 1 On a dark and windy night, the world was in turmoil. Inside a third-floor corridor of a vacation resort in the outskirts of Beijing, the surroundings were pitch-black. Only the emergency exit sign above the baseboard emitted a faint green light. In the dim night, a figure leaned against the door at the end of the corridor and let out a long sigh. Inside the room, Zhou Qingbai tightly held the doorknob, confronting the person outside through the door chain for ten minutes. ¡°Tell me the truth,¡± Zhou Qingbai peered through the crack of the door, locking his eyes on the person outside, and cautiously said, ¡°What exactly are you here for?¡± ¡°I came to take you out to have some fun,¡± the man outside smiled and leaned against the door, using a tone that could easily deceive any young girl, ¡°Why are you hiding upstairs when it¡¯s so lively downstairs? You¡¯re not Cinderella; there¡¯s no need to worry about exposing your true form after midnight.¡± ¡°Just think of me as good.¡± ¡°Cinderella¡± clearly refused to be fooled, pursing his lips while gripping the doorknob and said with a hint of resentment, ¡°If I had known it was your arranged matchmaking event, I would have preferred to stay home and play video games.¡± Among Zhou Qingbai¡¯s circle of friends, there were those who loved food, those who loved fun, and those who were into artsy stuff. Unfortunately, this Mr. Ge outside the door was neither into gambling nor whoring. His only hobby was playing matchmaker, actively pushing single young men together. When he invited Zhou Qingbai out that day, he said it was just old friends getting together. However, upon arriving at the venue, Zhou Qingbai realized something was off. It was practically a large-scale ¡°Universal Matchmaking Agency,¡± with various young eligible bachelors in all shapes and forms. With a surplus of eligible bachelors and a scarcity of eligible bachelorettes in their circle, Zhou Qingbai felt like Tang Seng entering the spider cave, almost losing a layer of skin to the crowd of suitors. It was a relief when he finally managed to escape. ¡°Be reasonable, Mr. Ge,¡± Zhou Qingbai attempted to reason with him, ¡°I haven¡¯t offended you, so why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®doing this to you¡¯? Don¡¯t make it sound like I¡¯m forcibly snatching someone else¡¯s fianc¨¦,¡± Ge Xing disapproved with a tsk, earnestly explaining, ¡°This is a necessary stage in life, and I¡¯m not forcing you. I¡¯m just offering you a brand new life choice.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Zhou Qingbai replied calmly, ¡°You¡¯re not snatching; you¡¯re deceiving.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a well-intentioned lie. I¡¯m making efforts for your personal safety,¡± Ge Xing said nonchalantly, ¡°Fortune tellers all say that your problem won¡¯t be solved until you find someone to love.¡± ¡°In that case,¡± Zhou Qingbai began to subconsciously reject the idea, but mid-sentence, he suddenly realized something and asked in puzzlement, ¡°Hold on, how did you know about this?¡± His fortune had been terrible since the first day of the Lunar New Year that year. Not only were his stocks and funds declining, but he also encountered one disaster after another, whether it was getting burnt by firecrackers or having his car crashed while driving. At first, he didn¡¯t think much of it, until he sprained his foot on his doorstep half a month ago, lying helplessly on the ground. That¡¯s when he considered finding a fortune teller for advice. After asking around, he found a highly recommended ¡°expert¡± within the circle. However, when he gave his birth date and time for a reading, the person immediately told him that he had encountered a Red Luan Flying to the Tai Sui, and the Six Clashes had turned into Calamities. Therefore, he was experiencing both physical and financial problems, and he needed a romantic relationship to resolve it. As someone who always listened to good advice, Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t take such feudal superstitions to heart. He was just curious about how that information reached Ge Xing¡¯s ears. ¡°It was from your circle of friends,¡± Ge Xing said, taking out his phone from his pocket and casually tapping a few times before showing the screen to Zhou Qingbai, ¡°You posted it yourself.¡± Zhou Qingbai took a closer look and then recalled, somewhat belatedly, that when he walked out of the ¡°expert¡¯s¡± door, he posted a complaint on his friends¡¯ circle, mourning the loss of his 1888 (a play on words for ¡®ba ba ba ba¡¯ which sounds like bye bye bye bye) bachelor life. ¡°That ¡®expert¡¯ is the godfather of one of my friends,¡± Ge Xing explained, ¡°Once I heard about it, I figured out the situation.¡± Zhou Qingbai: ¡­ After understanding the reason behind this, Zhou Qingbai felt somewhat relieved and no longer looked at Ge Xing with suspicious eyes. He just shook his head with a headache. ¡°It¡¯s all just a misunderstanding,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°You should know that I¡¯m a believer in being single.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not certain. Who knows, maybe one day you¡¯ll suddenly awaken and fall head over heels in love, crying and shouting to elope with someone,¡± Ge Xing smiled enigmatically, then waved his hand to interrupt whatever Zhou Qingbai was about to say, thoughtfully adding, ¡°But rest assured, I know you¡¯re not interested in those downstairs, so I¡¯ve prepared Plan B for you.¡± He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small card, holding it between his fingers before handing it to Zhou Qingbai. The card had a white background with a golden border, but before Zhou Qingbai could read the words on it, he saw a clear QR code that startled him. Reacting like a chaste maiden, he jumped back a step. ¡°You, you, what are you doing!¡± Zhou Qingbai covered his collar and warily said, ¡°I warn you, I¡¯m a decent person and not interested in any on-demand city romance services.¡± Mr. Ge stared at him in silence for a while, then extended his arm and slipped his business card into Zhou Qingbai¡¯s pocket. ¡°Thanks,¡± Ge Xing said sincerely, ¡°This is legitimate business, not illegal.¡± Zhou Qingbai, taken aback, reached into his pocket to touch the card. As he pulled it out, he noticed a very unfamiliar name on it. ¡ª¡ªPei You. ¡°I¡¯ve checked him out, and I think he¡¯s perfect for you. A match made in heaven, destined to be soulmates,¡± Ge Xing said, ¡°He also looks mature, stable, and gentle¡ª¡± ¡°I prefer someone more adventurous,¡± Zhou Qingbai calmly interrupted him. ¡°¡ªand with a hint of charm,¡± Ge Xing completed the second part of his sentence, unfazed. Zhou Qingbai couldn¡¯t help but laugh at his abrupt shift in tone. He stretched out his arm, ready to return the card. ¡°I appreciate your good intentions, but I¡¯m not ready to be in a relationship right now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡± Ge Xing pushed his hand back firmly, giving him a wink. ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged a meeting for you tomorrow morning at 10:30 AM, at the restaurant annex to the resort, in Room A3.¡± Zhou Qingbai: ¡­ ¡°Oh, dear.¡± Ge Xing pretended to look at his watch and said, ¡°It¡¯s too late to change the appointment now. You might as well go and meet him. It could lead to something great, or you can just become friends.¡± Zhou Qingbai understood the situation. It seemed like Ge Xing was using the tactic of ¡°catch the praying mantis while the cicada is unaware¡± and ¡°lure the enemy out of the city.¡± The group of women downstairs were probably arranged by Ge Xing as decoys, while the real candidate was sealed within the business card. ¡°Tell me honestly, did you set up the fortune teller?¡± Zhou Qingbai asked sincerely. ¡°The wind is too strong; I can¡¯t hear you,¡± Ge Xing looked at the sky, the ground, the doorplate¡ªanything but Zhou Qingbai. He cleared his throat and turned the conversation around, ¡°By the way, the other person is a talented young man. Dress up younger tomorrow; don¡¯t look so old-fashioned.¡± Ge Xing spoke quickly, finished his explanation, and then slipped away without giving Zhou Qingbai a chance to respond. Zhou Qingbai wanted to chase after him, but all he could do was give him the middle finger as he disappeared. Ge Xing was not concerned with the aftermath as long as the meeting place was settled. He didn¡¯t tell Zhou Qingbai anything else, not even contact information. Zhou Qingbai considered canceling that absurd ¡°matchmaking gathering,¡± but he had no way to contact the candidate, so he reluctantly gave up. Whatever, Zhou Qingbai thought, meeting someone wouldn¡¯t hurt. It was better than being stood up. He wondered who Ge Xing had arranged for him to meet. The card was simple and almost blank. It looked like a business card, but there was barely any information other than the name and company phone number. Zhou Qingbai touched the square characters on the paper and absentmindedly patted the card in his palm. That name was not within Zhou Qingbai¡¯s circle of acquaintances, which meant the person wasn¡¯t someone familiar to their group. However, Ge Xing¡¯s social circle was mysterious and extensive, making it hard for Zhou Qingbai to imagine what kind of person the other party might be based on just a business card. After pondering for a while, Zhou Qingbai decided to go against Ge Xing¡¯s instructions. He hadn¡¯t been looking for a partner anyway, so as long as he could get through tomorrow¡¯s blind date, he would politely end the meal if the other person wasn¡¯t interested. With his decision made, Zhou Qingbai limped into the room and picked up his phone, ready to head downstairs to the lobby. When Ge Xing tricked him to come out that day, Zhou Qingbai thought it was just a friendly gathering, so he casually put on sportswear and left. Now that he suddenly found out about the blind date, he needed something more presentable. Luckily, that resort was a frequent gathering place for them, and Zhou Qingbai had some spare clothes there, including a couple of suits that would do in a pinch. The corridor was pitch-black, whether due to a temporary power outage or a circuit failure, he didn¡¯t know. Only two lights near the stairwell were still on, making it visible from a distance. Zhou Qingbai had mild night blindness, and his eyes took longer to adapt to the darkness than normal people. Coupled with his sprained foot, he had to feel his way along the wall, hobbling towards the exit. As he approached the stairwell, he heard faint footsteps coming from downstairs. The sound grew nearer, and soon he came face to face with someone. Instinctively, Zhou Qingbai wanted to step aside to give way, but he didn¡¯t see the nearby trash bin and stumbled, although he managed not to fall. However, his phone slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground. When he tried to pick it up, before he could locate it, someone patted his arm and handed him the phone. ¡°Thank y¡ª¡± The man lifted the phone, making it inconvenient for him to speak, but he nodded to indicate he heard Zhou Qingbai¡¯s thanks and there was no need to be polite. Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t get a clear look at the person but only noticed that the man had already walked a couple of steps away, leaving only a vague and upright figure. The phone screen lit up and then turned off. Finally, Zhou Qingbai¡¯s eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he squinted at the man¡¯s retreating figure. He couldn¡¯t help but mutter in his heart. ¡°Quite aloof,¡± he thought. CH 2 Pei You found his room in the deep end of the corridor, then pulled out his room card from his pocket and swiped it to open the door. He rubbed his nose in frustration and interrupted the long-winded conversation on the other end of the phone. ¡°I got it¡ªhelp with pulling out the chair, don¡¯t order randomly, then pay the bill proactively, right?¡± Pei You inserted the room card into the power slot and closed the door with his free hand, switching his phone to the other hand. ¡°Anything else?¡± There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone, as if the person was trying to think if there was anything else to mention. Pei You¡¯s hand got tired holding the phone, so he switched to speaker mode and placed it on the table, walking to the balcony to open the window. ¡°Oh, yes!¡± The clear female voice on the phone seemed to remember something and quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t mention that you¡¯ve had 32 failed blind dates!¡± As the balcony window slid open on both sides, making a slight friction sound, it coincidentally covered up that sentence. Pei You had an initial instinct to ask her to repeat it, but then he thought that hearing it again might lead to another round of earful advice, so he swallowed the question back. ¡°Um.¡± Pei You replied vaguely, ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s about it.¡± The other person said, ¡°Good luck, bro.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Pei You retrieved his phone and added, ¡°Pei Zi, please tell Mom not to arrange any more blind dates for me. I¡¯ve been really busy with work recently.¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t persuade her.¡± Pei Zi sighed deeply on the other end of the phone and said earnestly, ¡°Mom said she¡¯s fine with your sexual orientation, but she¡¯s worried that you¡¯ll stay single forever.¡± Having open-minded parents was a good thing, but sometimes too open-mindedness could also be troublesome. Pei You¡¯s mother, Mrs. He, was evidently a contradictory figure who combined tradition and open-mindedness. She accepted Pei You¡¯s sexual orientation, but she still believed in the traditional idea of ¡°finding a partner to live your life together¡± and insisted on finding him a companion. As a result, even though Pei You hadn¡¯t reached his thirties, he had already experienced many ups and downs in the matchmaking market. ¡°I know.¡± Pei You also knew that it would be difficult to persuade his overly enthusiastic mother through Pei Zi alone. So, he compromised, ¡°I will meet this person this time, but please talk to Mom and ask her to give me some time. I¡¯m really busy with new collaborations lately.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Pei Zi chuckled on the phone and said, ¡°But bro, don¡¯t be too pessimistic. Maybe this time it¡¯ll be a perfect match¡ªby the way, what¡¯s the person like this time?¡± ¡°Surname Zhou, has a stable job.¡± Pei You recalled the information the intermediary provided, hesitatingly adding, ¡°I heard he¡¯s¡­lively and family-oriented.¡± Putting those two words together felt somewhat awkward, and Pei You scratched his head, managing a dry chuckle. ¡°Not bad,¡± Pei Zi said, ¡°A lively partner suits you.¡± Not only Pei Zi, but Pei You himself was also anxious. He had experienced too many failed blind dates, and Mrs. He had exhausted all her resources among friends and relatives. This time, the prospective date was arranged through a matchmaking corner at Zhongshan Park, but he wasn¡¯t sure if the person would be reliable. After casually dealing with his sister, Pei You hung up the phone, half-kneeling on the floor, and opened his suitcase. He checked the clothes he would wear the following day while sighing in his heart, feeling like he was the number one victim of his mother¡¯s desperate attempts. Blind marriages and dumb marriages had been abolished for so many years, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be revived by his own mother. After double-checking his attire for the next day, he hung up the shirt and set an alarm clock before going to bed, so as not to be late the next morning. That resort had been in operation for more than ten years, and it had undergone renovations and expansions two years ago, with several new activity buildings. The meeting restaurant was located within the new buildings, as it mainly served Western dishes and afternoon tea, so it looked a bit deserted during the morning hours. The spacious lobby of the restaurant was empty, with only a few waiters stationed at the reception desk. Pei You stepped in cautiously, scanning the area, politely declining the service offered by the staff, and compared the directions on the signs to find Room A3. The door of Room A3 was wide open, and from afar, Pei You could see the man sitting inside. The man looked a year or two older than him, wearing a navy blue casual suit, giving off a mature and reliable vibe at first glance, not like someone casually picked off the street. With one hand supporting his head, he was focused on the flat-screen in front of him, completely unaware of Pei You approaching. Seeing that the man didn¡¯t raise his head, Pei You hesitated for a moment at the door. He was a little late leaving home that day, and had missed the first piece of advice from Pei Zi. He didn¡¯t have the chance to present himself as a gentleman at the first meeting. Moreover, the man in front of him was quite different from the impression Pei You had beforehand. He didn¡¯t seem ¡°lively¡± at all. Pei You hesitated for a moment, not sure if he was his blind date. So, after weighing his options, he decided to skip that step. Zhou Qingbai had been looking at the work report for the new quarter and was tormented by the flipping data, causing his eyes to blur. Suddenly, he saw a hand reaching over without any warning, tapping twice on the flat-screen in front of him. He was startled, and his first instinct was to lock the screen. Then, he frowned and lifted his head, wanting to see who was so impolite. With just one glance, his heart sank, and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. The young man in front of him did look good, and he seemed to be about 1.8 meters tall, with a handsome face and deep facial features, a high and straight nose, but not excessively rough, giving off a first glance that made it easy for someone to have a good impression. However, the problem was that he was dressed way too formally. From the tie to the cufflinks, everything was in place, and he even wore a black suit. If it weren¡¯t for his good looks, he would look like an insurance salesman. At that time of day, the restaurant had almost no other customers, and Zhou Qingbai looked at the young man for a while, guessing that he should be his ¡°blind date.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± As expected, the next moment, the young man retracted his hand, stood by the table, and asked, ¡°Are you Mr. Zhou?¡± ¡°¡­Zhou Qingbai, the ¡®qing¡¯ in the color blue, and the ¡®bai¡¯ in cypress.¡± Zhou Qingbai stood up, cleared his throat, and hesitatingly extended his hand, asking, ¡°And you are¡­Mr. Pei?¡± Pei You made a sound of acknowledgement and shook hands briefly with Zhou Qingbai, then naturally sat opposite him. His tone sounded somewhat indifferent, complemented by the serious expression on his face, giving off a somewhat cold and solemn demeanor. Zhou Qingbai was never fond of mature, steady, and aloof individuals, and seeing this, he couldn¡¯t help but curse Ge Xing hundreds of times in his heart. What did it have to do with ¡°prominent but understated elegance¡±? Zhou Qingbai gritted his teeth in frustration. It was almost false advertising, and he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to report it to consumer service. Zhou Qingbai was now increasingly suspicious that Ge Xing might be linked to some dark marriage matchmaking industry, starting from fortune tellers and ending with blind dates, pocketing money for every successful match. Otherwise, he couldn¡¯t fathom the purpose behind Ge Xing telling blatant lies and commenting on the man in front of him as ¡°prominent but understated elegance.¡± While Zhou Qingbai was sizing up Pei You, Pei You was discreetly observing him too. Zhou Qingbai somewhat resembled his mother, with a handsome appearance and a touch of elegance. His eyebrows and eyes were particularly charming, with the corners of his eyes slightly upturned, giving him a hint of charm even when not smiling. From a distance, Pei You could only see Zhou Qingbai¡¯s profile, but now that they were sitting down, he noticed that although Zhou Qingbai was wearing a suit, he didn¡¯t have a tie on. The collar of his shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a very thin red string inside, which somewhat softened his business elite demeanor. Unintentionally, Pei You¡¯s gaze swept over the red string on Zhou Qingbai¡¯s collarbone. Unfortunately, the other end of the necklace was hidden inside Zhou Qingbai¡¯s shirt, making it impossible to tell what it held. Nevertheless, it was fortunate that Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t seem unreliable like some rogue or someone deliberately disguising themselves for a marriage scam. Relieved, Pei You¡¯s impression of Zhou Qingbai naturally improved a bit. From the first impression, Pei You was relatively satisfied with Zhou Qingbai. However, he was a slow-to-warm-up person and had no idea how to initiate a conversation with a blind date even after 32 attempts. So, he cleared his throat awkwardly and tried to recall the ¡°Blind Date Guide¡± that Pei Zi had briefed him on earlier. ¡°Waiter.¡± Pei You waved at a waiter and gestured for the menu, saying, ¡°The menu, please.¡± Pei You treated Pei Zi¡¯s instructions as sacred commandments, and without even looking at the menu, he handed it over to Zhou Qingbai, nervously biting his lips, implying that he should order. Zhou Qingbai thought, ¡°Since we¡¯re here, I can¡¯t just leave even if it¡¯s a mismatch.¡± So, he took the menu, politely asked if Pei You had any dietary restrictions, and Pei You, who had already eaten breakfast in his room and wasn¡¯t very hungry, shook his head, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t need anything. Order for yourself.¡± Zhou Qingbai: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s going on? Zhou Qingbai wondered. Is he not interested in me at all, or is he afraid I¡¯ll make him pay for this meal? Zhou Qingbai was unsure what to make of the situation and pondered silently. Eventually, he decided to order two desserts and coffee, thinking he should at least show some manners even if things weren¡¯t going well. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you like sweets,¡± after the food arrived, Zhou Qingbai signaled the waiter to close the door, then cautiously suggested, ¡°But they make a good chestnut cake here. You can try it.¡± Since Zhou Qingbai had ordered, Pei You didn¡¯t feel comfortable declining, so he thought for a moment and decided to accept his kind offer. He took the cake plate and said, ¡°Alright,¡± then added, as if thinking he had been too aloof, ¡°Thank you.¡± Zhou Qingbai: ¡°¡­¡± I get it, Zhou Qingbai confidently concluded. It must be the latter. CH 3 Someone so impressive on the surface but actually so stingy deep down, Zhou Qingbai thought. Zhou Qingbai had never been on a blind date before, and he didn¡¯t know the current rules in the blind dating scene. But he had seen plenty of people complain about bizarre blind date candidates on social media. Although the man in front of him didn¡¯t fit into that category yet, he seemed to be treading on the dangerous edge. Zhou Qingbai casually adjusted his posture, then loosened his collar with his fingers, attempting to create a little room to breathe in that awkward atmosphere. ¡°Well,¡± Zhou Qingbai smiled, ¡°This is my first blind date, and I don¡¯t have much experience. If there¡¯s anything I¡¯m not considerate about, Mr. Pei, please don¡¯t mind.¡± Pei You rarely saw a blind date partner as considerate as Zhou Qingbai, and his impression of him improved even more. He quickly responded, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I have experience.¡± Zhou Qingbai: ¡°¡­¡± Help, Zhou Qingbai thought, how should I respond to that? Zhou Qingbai was caught off guard for a full two seconds before managing a dry chuckle. He picked up his coffee cup and took a sip, not saying anything further. The two of them fell into silence for two to three seconds. Pei You seemed to sense something from that stifled atmosphere. He put down his cake fork, carefully thought for a while, and considered that Zhou Qingbai was worth getting to know more. So, he decided to move the conversation forward. ¡± Mr. Zhou, would you like to get to know each other first?¡± Pei You said, ¡°So that we can have a deeper understanding of each other.¡± Zhou Qingbai was contemplating what excuse to use to escape when he snapped back to reality upon hearing Pei You¡¯s words. He politely agreed, and it seemed that the topic had entered Pei You¡¯s comfort zone. He put down his coffee cup, straightened his posture, and formally began his self-introduction. ¡°I¡¯m surnamed Pei, Pei You. I¡¯m 29 years old, from Jiaxing, Zhejiang. My family is complete, and I have a younger sister who is eight years younger than me and currently studying in Beijing.¡± This prepared speech seemed to have been rehearsed many times, as Pei You smoothly recited it: ¡°I have a master¡¯s degree in finance, and I¡¯ve been driving for six years. Currently, I¡¯m employed at¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, wait a minute,¡± Zhou Qingbai said with a wry smile, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so detailed; this isn¡¯t a matrimonial advertisement.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t quite agree with that. He had come for that blind date precisely to get to know each other, and if they couldn¡¯t even share basic information, then deepening the conversation was out of the question. ¡°I think this objective information helps us understand each other,¡± Pei You said seriously. ¡°When dealing with people, there are always preferences. As strangers like us, getting to know each other¡¯s situations early on can help decide whether we should continue developing¡­ It¡¯s more efficient this way.¡± He said that, so Zhou Qingbai couldn¡¯t really make him relax; otherwise, it would seem like he didn¡¯t value that meeting. All he could do was nod vaguely and respond with a couple of ¡°uh-huh.¡± ¡°That makes sense too,¡± Zhou Qingbai said. Pei You¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. He had been on many blind dates before, and most of the candidates were either the nephews of some aunt¡¯s sister-in-law or the godson of some uncle¡¯s teacher. They were impatient and would often leave after just a few words, hardly interested in discussing their future with him peacefully. However, Zhou Qingbai seemed different from them. He appeared reliable, understanding, and more communicative. He seemed like a good person. Moreover, the most important thing was that Zhou Qingbai¡¯s personality seemed similar to his¡ªsteady and pragmatic. He probably wouldn¡¯t find Pei You too bland. With these thoughts in mind, Pei You decided to add another piece of information cheerfully. ¡°By the way,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Because I am currently in a rising period in my career, I don¡¯t have plans or the ability to buy a house in Beijing for now. However, if my future partner has residency requirements, we can discuss it together.¡± Pei You considered himself traditional. For him, once a romantic relationship was confirmed, it meant committing to each other¡¯s future. Such significant life decisions should be made with mutual compromise and consideration. ¡°Of course, Beijing¡¯s housing prices are indeed quite expensive,¡± Pei You calculated his assets in his mind and felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°If we buy a new house, we would each need to contribute a portion of the funds¡­ Of course, we can have this expense notarized in advance to safeguard each other¡¯s property.¡± Feeling extremely complex, Zhou Qingbai leaned back in his chair, lowered his eyes slightly, and sent a message to his secretary under the table, asking them to call him at the earliest opportunity, ready to find a way to end that absurd blind date. He was multitasking, sending a WeChat message to his secretary while saying, ¡°Actually¡­ isn¡¯t it too early to talk about this? We haven¡¯t even emotionally understood each other yet.¡± Pei You thought about it and found Zhou Qingbai¡¯s point valid, so he nodded and agreed, ¡°You¡¯re right. Emotional matters are more important. If we find our feelings aren¡¯t compatible after communicating, it would be a waste of time for both of us.¡± Zhou Qingbai thought that Pei You was overthinking. He knew from the beginning that their auras clashed. ¡°Right,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about each other¡¯s deal-breakers? Things we absolutely can¡¯t accept.¡± Best if I can trigger all his deal-breakers, Zhou Qingbai thought, and then we can politely say goodbye. ¡°I don¡¯t really have any,¡± Pei You thought for a moment and said, ¡°Other than ethical issues, I don¡¯t accept casual sex.¡± Zhou Qingbai: ¡°¡­¡± Just after sending a message to his secretary, Zhou Qingbai was caught off guard by that statement. His hand slipped, and he accidentally sent a long string of exclamation marks back. ¡°I think, after a stable emotional relationship is established, then we can consider sexual intimacy. That way, we¡¯ll be more responsible to each other,¡± Pei You explained earnestly. Is this guy gay for real? Zhou Qingbai skeptically wondered. Ge Xing wouldn¡¯t be so shameless as to set him up with a bisexual for a blind date, right? Zhou Qingbai was a singleist himself, but all his friends were carefree. Though they didn¡¯t go wild every night, they were open to casual relationships when they found someone they liked. None of them had encountered someone like this model gentleman. His feelings were extremely complicated. Seeing Pei You¡¯s eyes shining as if he had discovered some rare species, Zhou Qingbai couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer and asked, ¡°Stable¡­ how long?¡± Pei You hadn¡¯t thought about that before, but he pondered for a moment and gave a vague answer, ¡°A year¡­ at least.¡± Alright, Zhou Qingbai sincerely respected him, thinking that Pei You was a senior member of the male virtue class. In the world, there are a thousand tastes, with those who prefer casual relationships and those who prefer serious commitments. Nevertheless, in the gay circle, there probably weren¡¯t many who preferred serious commitments. ¡ªUnless the person can¡¯t perform. Now Zhou Qingbai believed Pei You¡¯s claim of ¡°having experience.¡± With Pei You¡¯s method of blind dating, finding a suitable partner seemed as difficult as finding a ghost. However, regardless of all that, it had nothing to do with Zhou Qingbai. He followed his principle of ¡°less is more¡± in life and politely smiled, saying, ¡°Sounds good.¡± After that statement, he didn¡¯t initiate any more topics. Combined with Pei You not being great at socializing, the atmosphere fell into an awkward silence again. That baseless silence felt very familiar. Pei You stirred his half-cold coffee with a spoon, realizing that he probably hadn¡¯t done well again this time. In a short period of time, showing one¡¯s charm to strangers is an art. Pei You had always excelled in academics since childhood, but when it came to interpersonal communication, he was always a bit awkward. Until now, he hadn¡¯t learned how to present himself appropriately in front of a blind date. That silence lasted for about three minutes. Zhou Qingbo felt so embarrassed that he started sweating on his back and gripped the floor with his toes for a while before finally receiving a rescue call from his secretary. As the phone rang, Zhou Qingbo breathed a sigh of relief, pretending to respond on the phone with ¡°um¡± and ¡°ah¡± for quite a while. Finally, he furrowed his brow and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Pei You noticed that he had urgent matters to attend to, so he waved to the waiter so he could pay the bill. Zhou Qingbo still had the impression that Pei You was stingy, so out of habit, he wanted to split the bill, but Pei You remembered Pei Zi¡¯s instructions and insisted on paying himself. At first, Zhou Qingbo thought it was just fake politeness, but to his surprise, Pei You actually went head-to-head with him in several rounds of tug-of-war over the bill. At one point, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s phone almost fell onto the couch. Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of speechlessness, Zhou Qingbo felt a mix of anger and amusement. He wondered where Gao Xing had found this Buddha-like Pei You. He felt embarrassed to argue with Pei You in front of the waiter, so he took a step back, watched him pay the bill, politely smiled at him, and exchanged WeChat contact as customary before using the excuse of having something else to do and left. After pretending to be a social elite all morning, Zhou Qingbo was exhausted. As soon as he stepped out of the restaurant¡¯s door, his shoulders slumped. He walked a little farther and looked back to see that Pei You didn¡¯t follow him, finally letting out a sigh of relief. He gritted his teeth and called Gao Xing. Gao Xing, who had a habit of staying up late, must have been waiting for a reply, as he answered the phone right away. ¡°Hello,¡± Gao Xing said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s over? How did it go?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo was about to get angry from Gao Xing¡¯s tone, but he held back the curse that came to his lips and said, ¡°This is just a scam! What does this have to do with matchmaking? He acts just like my elder brother!¡± Zhou Qingbo was the second eldest in the family, with an older brother named Zhou Cangshan who was seven years older than him. Zhou Cangshan was an exact replica of their father¡ªstrict, cold, and serious. He had served in the military when he was younger and had a no-nonsense attitude. Zhou Qingbo had received his fair share of beatings from him due to his mischievous behavior. Because of his experiences with Zhou Cangshan, Zhou Qingbo was afraid of meeting serious people. When he sat across from Pei You, he felt like any frown from him would lead to a scolding, and the mental pressure was too much to handle. ¡°And, moreover¡ª¡± Zhou Qingbo had a lot of complaints, originally intending to say that Pei You was stingy, but then he remembered that Pei You paid for the bill, so he held back that remark. ¡°And he almost made my shirt wet!¡± Zhou Qingbo continued to vent, ¡°You know what? He doesn¡¯t even accept casual sex! After a year of dating, he would only hold hands. Forget about grown men, my great grandmother¡¯s chastity archway is less strict than him!¡± Gao Xing couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter on the other end of the phone, barely able to catch his breath as he spoke, ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. He¡¯s honest and serious, just right for you. In the future, you¡¯ll have someone who can keep you in check at home.¡± ¡°What home are you talking about!¡± Zhou Qingbo was like an angry cat with its tail stepped on, immediately jumping up three feet high. He retorted with a lack of patience, ¡°Let me tell you, Gao Xing, in this lifetime, even if I starve, I will never live together with that poker-faced, pretentious guy!¡± CH 4 The complaints on the phone seemed like a continuous barrage of gunfire, making Gao Xing¡¯s ears ache. He couldn¡¯t help but move the phone a little away from his ear and put it on speakerphone on the coffee table. ¡°Tell me honestly, Gao Xing,¡± Zhou Qingbo took a deep breath and asked, puzzled, ¡°Where did you meet this person? Is he reliable, or did you just randomly find him on the street and introduce him to me?¡± Gao Xing lay on the couch, rolling around with laughter, unable to speak. His face turned red from holding back the laughter, and he finally managed to say, ¡°Well, to be honest, I¡¯m not very familiar with him.¡± ¡°Then why did you introduce him to me!¡± Zhou Qingbo became agitated instantly, ¡°Are you really my friend!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Gao Xing suppressed his laughter and spoke in a loving and gentle tone, ¡°But I know his mother well; we¡¯re close friends despite the age difference. So, I know a bit about this guy.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°At the matchmaking corner in Zhongshan Park, his mother is a VIP booth staff member.¡± Gao Xing thought for a moment, then said, ¡°And she is open-minded and gentle, very willing to accept new things. She looks like a model mother-in-law¡ª¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but interrupt him, ¡°You actually found a match for me at the matchmaking corner!¡± At that point, Zhou Qingbo no longer suspected that Gao Xing had an underground deal with that fortune teller. With Gao Xing¡¯s persistence in being a matchmaker, he had more determination than any money-hungry businessman A man going to the matchmaking corner in Zhongshan Park to find a match for another man, infiltrating the middle-aged and elderly community, showed a terrifying level of determination. If it were ancient times, he would be comparable to King Goujian of Yue. Biting the bitter gourd, resorting to any means necessary. ¡°I lost, bro.¡± Zhou Qingbo surrendered completely. Although Gao Xing couldn¡¯t see his actions on the phone, he gave Gao Xing a thumbs-up through the air. ¡°May I ask, bro,¡± Zhou Qingbo asked sincerely, ¡°Do you have any criteria for matchmaking? Like, if you pull enough red strings, will a destined partner descend from the heavens?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Gao Xing wasn¡¯t the first person to ask that question, so he already had a standard answer prepared. He said nonchalantly, ¡°At most, they¡¯ll put a banner of ¡®a hundred families¡¯ happiness¡¯ on my future tombstone.¡± Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t do anything about Gao Xing¡¯s cunning and slyness. He couldn¡¯t argue with him no matter how much he complained, so he could only hold his breath and take the blow. But Gao Xing seemed to be afraid of angering him too much and offered him a way out, ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. If this one doesn¡¯t work out, we can find another. It¡¯s difficult to start something, but maybe the next one will be even better¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Zhou Qingbo quickly interrupted him, still trembling, and said, ¡°Blind dates are too awkward; I don¡¯t want to go through that again.¡± Gao Xing wanted to persuade him further, but Zhou Qingbo seemed to anticipate his moves and hurriedly said, ¡°Starting from today, I¡¯ve decided to fast, bathe, burn incense, and pray for blessings. Then I¡¯ll go back home and take over the family business and devote myself to my career for a lifetime. Don¡¯t try to persuade me, my mind is made up.¡± He rattled off this long speech like a machine gun and didn¡¯t give Gao Xing a chance to argue back. He decisively hung up the phone and set Gao Xing¡¯s number on ¡°Do Not Disturb¡± mode. Jokingly, Zhou Qingbo thought to himself that Gao Xing was a top-notch brainwasher; if he listened to him for a few more minutes, he might end up getting sold again. He hung up the call, then called the front desk to get a car. He was about to comfortably find another place to relax and unwind, but his phone rang again. Zhou Qingbo looked at the caller ID and almost wanted to go back in time three minutes to shut his own mouth. ¡°Speak of the devil,¡± Zhou Qingbo thought, ¡°In this life, one really can¡¯t be careless with their words.¡± The name ¡°Zhou Cangshan¡± jumped on the phone screen, and Zhou Qingbo winced in pain as he took a deep breath. He felt like the phone in his hand had turned into a hot potato, as if it was a call of doom. Zhou Cangshan had a somewhat old-fashioned nature and was a typical tough guy. He rarely used gentle words to discuss brotherly matters with Zhou Qingbo. When he called, there was always something serious to discuss. Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t keen on answering, so he pretended not to hear and let the phone ring continuously. Knowing his brother¡¯s habits, Zhou Cangshan probably wouldn¡¯t insist if he didn¡¯t pick up the call once. However, that day, he surprisingly persevered. Zhou Qingbo was already in the car, and the phone was still ringing incessantly. ¡°Mr. Zhou,¡± the driver glanced at Zhou Qingbo through the rearview mirror and hesitated, ¡°Your phone is ringing.¡± ¡°I heard it,¡± Zhou Qingbo said in frustration, ¡°I¡¯m not deaf.¡± Seeing his annoyance, the driver tactfully changed the topic, ¡°Where shall we go now?¡± Zhou Qingbo had originally planned to find a place for a massage and then return home to relax and play games with some friends. But now, with Zhou Cangshan¡¯s call, his relaxing vacation seemed to be completely ruined. ¡°Forget it,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°Just head to the city center.¡± He made a shushing gesture to the driver, signaling him to keep quiet, and then answered the phone himself. The driver had been working at the resort for several years and knew the guests¡¯ habits. Seeing the situation, he raised the partition, leaving the space behind for Zhou Qingbo. ¡°Hello, big brother,¡± as soon as the call connected, Zhou Qingbo instinctively sat up straight and awkwardly explained, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear the phone ring just now; I didn¡¯t ignore it on purpose.¡± Fortunately, Zhou Cangshan was naive enough to be easily fooled in certain situations. He didn¡¯t doubt his brother¡¯s words and just responded with an ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your foot?¡± Zhou Cangshan asked, ¡°Can you walk now?¡± Zhou Qingbo shook his ankle and felt it. He was still slightly limping, but the pain was gone if he didn¡¯t exert too much force. However, knowing Zhou Cangshan, he knew that that question was more than just a concern for his younger brother; there must be something serious behind it. So, he answered cautiously. ¡°It¡¯s better,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°but still a little painful.¡± Sure enough, after two seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, Zhou Cangshan¡¯s voice took on a questioning tone. ¡°It¡¯s been so long, and it¡¯s still not healed?¡± he asked. ¡°Bone and muscle injuries take a hundred days,¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled, trying to brush it off, ¡°So I need to take good care of it. It¡¯s what the doctor ordered.¡± ¡°No time for that now,¡± Zhou Cangshan understood his brother well and naturally didn¡¯t buy his excuses. He continued, ¡°Get yourself together. On Monday morning, come to my office first thing after work.¡± Zhou Cangshan was strict and didn¡¯t give him a chance to argue. He simply laid down the order, ¡°Their team leader will come to report on Monday. You¡¯ll be responsible for receiving him.¡± ¡°No way, big brother, why do I have to receive him? Don¡¯t you have a vice president?¡± Zhou Qingbo grumbled reluctantly, ¡°Moreover, even if the VP is busy, aren¡¯t you in the company? You can go meet him instead. I¡¯m willing to pass on this glorious mission to you.¡± Whenever work was mentioned, Zhou Qingbo got a headache. He may have looked polished and sophisticated, but in reality, he was just like Cinderella after midnight. His ¡°social elite¡± mode could only last for eight hours a day, and beyond that, he felt uneasy. Other people¡¯s brothers might compete and fight to assert dominance, even pulling each other¡¯s pants down, but Zhou Qingbo¡¯s life dream was to be a free, gossiping salted fish. He would only take a few steps forward when Zhou Cangshan cracked the whip from behind. ¡°Zhou Qingbo,¡± Zhou Cangshan¡¯s tone turned slightly serious, and he said softly, ¡°Do you want to be a supervisor your whole life?¡± As soon as Zhou Qingbo heard that tone, he knew his brother was displeased. His back reflexively straightened, and he hesitated for a moment before vaguely replying, ¡°It¡¯s not that bad¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll come to my office at 8:30 AM on Monday,¡± Zhou Cangshan didn¡¯t give him a chance to argue back and firmly stated, ¡°After work, come and see me first.¡± Zhou Cangshan was not a man to be trifled with, and Zhou Qingbo dared not disobey him. Since he was young, Zhou Qingbo had been mostly raised by his brother. He treated him like a father figure, and compared to his biological father, Zhou Jiankun, Zhou Qingbo was more afraid of his elder brother. He had a headache and banged his head against the car window, sighing heavily. He told the driver, ¡°Let¡¯s not go anywhere else; just take me home.¡± That day was Saturday, with one day to buffer before Monday. However, Zhou Qingbo had lost interest in going out and just wanted to hurry home and sleep. Coincidentally, right after Zhou Qingbo stepped inside his home, Pei You sent him a WeChat message, asking if he had arrived home safely. Pei You¡¯s message was as concise as he was in person, without any warm greetings or fancy emojis. The plain text appeared on the screen, making it seem somewhat cold. His WeChat profile picture matched his nature a bit, showing a picture of a night time starry sky, with countless stars spread across the dark night. Only when zoomed in could one see the details. Zhou Qingbo thought to himself that Pei You was not a bad person, just a bit odd, and they were not compatible. He knew what it meant when his blind date sent a message after the meal, but after considering for a moment, Zhou Qingbo felt that there was no need for further acquaintance between them. Their personalities didn¡¯t match, and Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t in the mood for romance. He didn¡¯t want to waste Pei You¡¯s time, so he decided not to reply. CH 5 That text was like a stone sinking into the sea, and from the afternoon to the evening, there was no response. Pei You may not have been good at socializing, but he wasn¡¯t stupid. He could clearly understand that that was Zhou Qingbo¡¯s answer. For adults, rejection could be gentle and silent. Pei You didn¡¯t feel angry, just a bit regretful because he genuinely believed that Zhou Qingbo was worth getting to know. But Pei You had experienced numerous failures in blind dates, and such outcomes were quite common. He didn¡¯t pay too much attention to it. However, Pei Zi, who had been watching the whole process, was not as calm as him and had sighed three times within half an hour. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Pei Zi lay on the couch, watching Pei You while saying with a worried expression, ¡°Brother, what did you do?!¡± Pei Zi genuinely couldn¡¯t figure it out. In her eyes, Pei You was good-looking, educated, and had a decent job. According to reason, he shouldn¡¯t have encountered repeated failures in blind dates. Even if the gay community had high standards, he should have at least had one or two successful cases. Why was it so strange that he failed every time? ¡°Just an ordinary performance,¡± Pei You said casually, bending down to hang his clothes in the closet, ¡°I did everything as you told me to.¡± ¡°Impossible, there must be something wrong,¡± Pei Zi said firmly, ¡°Next time, just take me along. I¡¯ll give you real-time advice through Bluetooth earphones.¡± Pei You paused for a moment as he thought about it and eventually shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be right.¡± Seeking advice and having someone else do it for him were two different things. The former was learning from personal experience, while the latter was deception. Pei You couldn¡¯t accept such a ¡°proxy¡± behavior. After all, the purpose of ¡°blind dates¡± was for potential romantic relationships. Even if he won someone¡¯s favor through tricks in the first step, his true self would eventually be revealed during their interactions. It was better to let things happen naturally. ¡°What should I do then? Without my help, can you find a partner?¡± Pei Zi looked at him with a worried expression, sighing again, ¡°As a man, you only have a few years in your prime. If you don¡¯t hurry, you¡¯ll be left withered.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Just as Pei Zi¡¯s voice was about to drop, He Ping entered the room and cut in with a strong tone. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± He Ping said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before. This time¡¯s blind date was cheerful and lively, and he had some interesting ideas. You should have prepared more topics for young people, but you didn¡¯t listen.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Cheerful and lively? Interesting ideas? Pei You wondered if they were talking about Zhou Qingbo. Unable to resist, he turned his head to look at his mother, thinking that blind dates were indeed like Schr?dinger¡¯s cat. Mrs. He probably didn¡¯t know much about him and simply invited the person over without knowing the details. ¡°Mom,¡± Pei You said helplessly, ¡°If we¡¯re not a good match, let it go. I¡¯m not in a hurry, and you don¡¯t need to be either.¡± Pei You actually didn¡¯t mind dating, but in the past few years, he had been busy with studying and then joined a top-notch company in the industry after graduation. He was too occupied with work and had no time to date around. Besides, unlike heterosexual relationships where you could pursue someone once you had a good impression, for people like them, their potential partners were limited to a small pool of candidates. Whether they fell in love or not, whether they were interested or not, were all hidden under careful consideration. Pei You wasn¡¯t sure if his radar was not sensitive enough or if there were other reasons, but he had hardly ever recognized a gay person in a crowd. Apart from forced blind dates, he hadn¡¯t met anyone of the same orientation. On top of that, his blind date experiences were rough and bumpy, with no successes in love but a stack of good people cards. After several times, he had simply developed a nonchalant attitude ¨C if it worked, great; if not, he didn¡¯t feel too bad. After all, compared to the elusive nature of love, work suited him better. ¡°And I will be really busy in the coming days,¡± Pei You said, pushing all kinds of data cables into his computer bag, ¡°The company has taken on a new project, and I have to report on Monday.¡± ¡°Another new project?¡± Mrs. He¡¯s attention was indeed shifted, and she asked quickly, ¡°Will you need to go on a business trip again?¡± ¡°Not for the time being,¡± Pei You said, ¡°It¡¯s a local company, but during busy times, we might stay in hotels together.¡± Working locally was good, and Mrs. He nodded. Out of curiosity, she asked, ¡°Which company is it?¡± After making a final check of the data cables in his computer bag, Pei You closed the zipper. ¡°Qingshan,¡± Pei You said. ¡­¡­¡­¡­. At 8:30 AM on Monday morning, in the CEO¡¯s office on the 23rd floor of Qingshan headquarters, Zhou Qingbo sat at the desk, exhausted and listless, as if he had no bones, playing with the hourglass on the table. The wooden hourglass swayed back and forth in his hands, and the light blue sand inside it danced around the narrow opening. Zhou Qingbo was so engrossed in playing with it that he didn¡¯t even notice when someone pushed open the office door. As soon as Zhou Cangshan entered, he saw Zhou Qingbo¡¯s lazy appearance and couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache. He took a deep breath and called out in a stern voice, ¡°Zhou Qingbo.¡± Zhou Qingbo jumped up as if conditioned reflexively, forced a smile, and waved at Zhou Cangshan. ¡°Hey,¡± he said, ¡°Big brother, good morning.¡± ¡°Did you stay up late playing games again last night?¡± Zhou Cangshan walked around the desk, sat down, turned on the computer, and scrutinized Zhou Qingbo. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that you have important work today?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t play games,¡± Zhou Qingbo muttered softly, ¡°I¡¯ve already completed the new game.¡± Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t help but yawn immediately after saying that, making his defense seem unconvincing. Zhou Cangshan furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°Then did you go to the bar again? I¡¯ve told you many times, you¡¯re not a kid anymore. Focus on your work and stop fooling around all day. Those little games and pranks outside won¡¯t compare to¡ª¡± ¡°Brother!¡± Zhou Qingbo winced at his nagging and quickly sat up straight. He mumbled, ¡°I really didn¡¯t go. I had insomnia last night.¡± That was actually true. Zhou Qingbo was forced by Zhou Cangshan to meet potential business partners, which resulted in him not sleeping well for two nights. Every time he closed his eyes, he dreamed that the person he was dealing with was a stern, middle-aged, and meticulous audit fanatic. He ended up tossing and turning all night. Zhou Cangshan looked at him half-skeptically, unsure how much of that he believed. However, he didn¡¯t have time to argue with Zhou Qingbo about it and decided not to dwell on the matter. ¡°Never mind,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°Qingshan is about to prepare for its IPO, and we need to start internal reforms. When you go back, distribute the work for this quarter and have your subordinates prepare department reports.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s head started to ache as soon as he heard about work. With a gloomy expression like a salted fish, he reluctantly nodded. ¡°Our company has never gone public before, and we have no experience, so we have to start from scratch,¡± Zhou Cangshan said. ¡°Don¡¯t slack off either. The representatives from the collaborating party will work at Qingshan for a period of time to evaluate the company¡¯s assets and conduct internal audits. Since you don¡¯t have much to do, you can assist them.¡± Preparing for an IPO could take anywhere from a year to several years. Zhou Cangshan intended to involve Zhou Qingbo in core work and take that opportunity to familiarize him with the company. Zhou Qingbo understood his good intentions, even though he was unwilling from the bottom of his heart. Nevertheless, he sullenly agreed. ¡°That¡¯s settled,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°You can go back to work now. When the representatives arrive, I¡¯ll call you over.¡± At the mention of the collaborating representatives, Zhou Qingbo reflexively thought of those middle-aged men with faces he couldn¡¯t see clearly in his dreams. He shivered at the thought and silently prayed that they wouldn¡¯t turn out to be cold-blooded fanatics with an iron-fisted approach. He returned to his office with a devout heart but became more restless the more he thought about it. Unable to resist, he messaged the front desk and asked the receptionist to ¡°investigate¡± the situation on the front lines. ¡°Understood, Mr Zhou,¡± the receptionist said, ¡°But the representative from the collaborating party has already come upstairs.¡± Zhou Qingbo was shocked, and he responded with three exclamation marks, asking, ¡°What kind of person is he? Does he seem easy to get along with?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the receptionist replied honestly, ¡°I didn¡¯t get a good look. It was Mr. Zhou¡¯s secretary who personally escorted the person.¡± With the front lines falling ahead, Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t received any information. While he hesitated about whether to personally investigate the situation, someone knocked on his office door from the outside. Before Zhou Qingbo could say ¡°come in,¡± Zhou Cangshan had already pushed the door open. As Zhou Qingbo looked up, he was surprised to see a familiar face behind his big brother. ¡°Mr. Pei, this is¡ª¡± Before Zhou Cangshan could finish his introduction, Zhou Qingbo exclaimed in astonishment, ¡°Pei You?¡± Pei You was also caught off guard by seeing Zhou Qingbo there and was startled by his reaction. He subconsciously answered, ¡°Mr. Zhou¡­?¡± Zhou Cangshan looked puzzled as he glanced at Zhou Qingbo and then turned to Pei You. ¡°This is my younger brother,¡± Zhou Cangshan said. ¡°Mr. Pei, do you two know each other?¡± As soon as he heard the names Zhou Cangshan and Zhou Qingbo, Pei You realized they did sound like siblings¡¯ names. Fate was indeed mysterious, and even Pei You couldn¡¯t help but find it a bit funny. He had politely said ¡°see you next time¡± to Zhou Qingbo when they parted before. But now, courtesy had turned into reality, and they actually ¡°met again.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t think much about it, but Zhou Qingbo was sweating profusely. He thought to himself that he would have been better off without praying. Even if Zhou Cangshan had brought a difficult, arrogant middle-aged man, it would still be better than the current situation. Zhou Jianguo and Zhou Cangshan were both old-fashioned, so Zhou Qingbo had always hidden his sexual orientation very well and never exposed it in social circles involving family. Now, seeing his same-sex blind date right next to his big brother, Zhou Qingbo felt like his hair was going to stand on end. ¡°We know each other,¡± Pei You replied politely to Zhou Cangshan¡¯s question. ¡°We met through a blind date event.¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Zhou Qingbo swiftly moved forward and covered Pei You¡¯s mouth, attempting to force a plastic smile towards Zhou Cangshan. ¡°We¡­ We¡¯ve met through a dating¡­ a dating and love alumni association,¡± Zhou Qingbo said through gritted teeth. CH 6 Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Cangshan: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo knew that his excuse was extremely far-fetched, but in the heat of the moment, he couldn¡¯t think of anything better. However, Zhou Cangshan was not a fool. He raised an eyebrow suspiciously and asked, ¡°But Mr. Pei is a graduate of Peking University Guanghua School of Management. Where would you know each other from?¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± Darn, this is not going well. Zhou Qingbo thought to himself, this guy is even a top student. But the situation had reached that point, and Zhou Qingbo could only try to come up with a solution. He glanced at Pei You, but unfortunately, Pei You had always been an honest person and received his plea for help but couldn¡¯t do anything to help. ¡°We¡­ we both¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s mind was storming for a while when suddenly he had a clever idea and said, ¡°We were classmates in a summer camp during junior high school, in a knitting class.¡± Zhou Cangshan: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s this? Zhou Cangshan wondered. Pei You looks like a diligent student; would he even attend a summer camp like that? At that moment, Pei You also realized the situation and knew that Zhou Qingbo probably hadn¡¯t come out to his family, so he awkwardly nodded and cooperated, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Zhou Cangshan looked at the two of them, feeling puzzled. He thought they were quite nostalgic, attending a junior high school extracurricular class reunion. Nevertheless, regardless of the situation, the fact that Pei You and Zhou Qingbo had some connection was a good thing. So Zhou Cangshan didn¡¯t say much, omitting the part where they introduced each other as they entered. ¡°That works out well.¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°Qingbo, the audit team will officially start working here tomorrow. Today, you can show Mr. Pei around the company. If he needs any information, just provide it.¡± After Zhou Cangshan finished, he turned to Pei You and said, ¡°my younger brother can be a bit na?ve, Mr. Pei. If you could help him while working, I would be very grateful.¡± ¡°Not a problem,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Building a good working relationship is the foundation of effective work. It¡¯s also good to have Qingbo¡¯s help.¡± Zhou Cangshan obviously admired Pei You as a talented and promising young man. Satisfied, he nodded and gave some instructions to Zhou Qingbo before leaving to attend to his own work. As soon as he left, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulders slumped, and he leaned back against his desk, relieved but also scared. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Pei You realized he had been impulsive and apologized, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have revealed our relationship without your permission.¡± Zhou Qingbo was scared at first, but realizing Pei You apologized quickly, he didn¡¯t hold it against him. His temper flared up quickly but also subsided just as fast. After Pei You¡¯s apology, Zhou Qingbo waved it off, saying, ¡°Relationship? When did we have a relationship?¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You belatedly realized that his wording was a bit ambiguous and felt embarrassed. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°I mean¡ª¡± ¡°I know,¡± their relationship wasn¡¯t at the point where they could make such jokes, and Zhou Qingbo regretted what he said, quickly changing the subject, ¡°Thank you for covering for me just now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Pei You said, ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± With that awkward topic ended, a subtle silence hung in the air. Zhou Qingbo felt like the word ¡°awkward¡± had materialized and filled up his entire office. That was unavoidable; anyone would need some time to buffer when meeting a failed blind date in a professional setting, let alone someone he had rejected. Calm down. Zhou Qingbo tried to encourage himself. He was no longer Pei You¡¯s blind date; they were now business partners. As he urged himself on, he couldn¡¯t bear the stifling silence anymore and stole a glance at Pei You. Unfortunately, Pei You was also looking at him, and their gazes met in midair. Both seemed like they were avoiding each other¡¯s eyes. The evasion was too obvious, making it all seem quite comical. After three seconds, Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t hold back and chuckled, breaking the awkwardness. ¡°No need to be so awkward,¡± Pei You was the first to speak, his voice warm, ¡°Business is business, and personal is personal. If you can¡¯t accept it, let¡¯s forget what happened before. You can trust me; I¡¯ll keep your secret.¡± Pei You thought for a moment and added with understanding, ¡°Actually, you¡¯re not the first person to reject me. I¡¯m used to it.¡± ¡°Have you been rejected many times?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°Thirty-two times.¡± Pei You shook his head helplessly, ¡°You make it thirty-three.¡± As Pei You said this, he seemed either helpless or self-deprecating. The corner of his lips curved slightly, as if he were smiling. Perhaps leaving the blind date environment and entering the comfortable zone of ¡°work¡± made Pei You seem a bit more relaxed than when they met at the resort. Zhou Qingbo looked at him and suddenly thought he looked quite handsome when he smiled. Moreover, Pei You was not dressed as formally as during the blind date. A few strands of his hair fell on his forehead, making him look much more gentle when he smiled. ¡°You should smile more often,¡± Zhou Qingbo suddenly said. ¡°What?¡± Pei You didn¡¯t catch on. ¡°Nothing,¡± Zhou Qingbo straightened up and changed the topic, ¡°Shall we start working? I¡¯ll take you to the Finance Department.¡± Zhou Cangshan had already arranged an office for the audit team in the Finance Department, right next door. It was a fairly spacious meeting room equipped with basic office supplies and an office projector. ¡°This office is next to the Finance Department.¡± Zhou Qingbo stood at the door, pointing his chin towards the other side of the corridor, and said, ¡°The red solid wood door over there is it.¡± ¡°My brother¡¯s office is on the 23rd floor, and my office is on the 16th floor.¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t know much about audit work, but he thought for a moment and suggested, ¡°So¡­ if there¡¯s nothing else, maybe I should call the Chief Financial Officer to come over?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not rush.¡± Pei You said, ¡°Can you take me to the Sales Department?¡± ¡°Why do you want to go to the Sales Department?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked, puzzled. ¡°We need to understand various departments. Besides the Sales Department, there¡¯s also the Human Resources Department and the Project Department,¡± Pei You patiently explained. ¡°Before coming here, I looked at the preliminary materials about your company. Qingshan is mainly involved in online e-commerce services and high-tech fields. So if we have the time, we should also visit the Sales Department.¡± Pei You opened his briefcase and handed a piece of paper to Zhou Qingbo. ¡°This is a list of the preliminary materials we need from each department,¡± Pei You said. ¡°It should all be prepared already; I already sent a copy of this list to Mr. Zhou earlier.¡± The paper was filled with dozens of items, and at first glance, Zhou Qingbo felt like he was looking at an entire page of a book. ¡°Do we need all of these?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Pei You replied. ¡°Actually, I already gave a copy of this list to Mr. Zhou earlier, so these materials should be ready.¡± Pei You switched the briefcase to his other hand and walked ahead of Zhou Qingbo towards the elevator. He pressed the button to call the elevator. Zhou Qingbo held the title of the second boss on paper, but in reality, he only focused on his own work and rarely managed other departments throughout the year. Not to mention the business of other departments. Instructed by Zhou Cangshan to help Pei You familiarize himself with the company, Zhou Qingbo had ended up being more of a departmental tour guide, following Pei You around and listening to him negotiate with various department managers to collect materials. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s understanding of finance was limited to whether stocks and funds were green or red. Following Pei You, he could grasp basic conversations, but after hearing too many technical discussions, it all became a blur. After several hours of this, Zhou Qingbo felt like he had turned into a keyword catcher. Apart from understanding a few individual words, most of the time, he was in sleep mode. ¡°Mr. Zhou¡­ Zhou Qingbo!¡± Zhou Qingbo was lost in thought when he was suddenly called back to reality. He jolted and realized that the Finance Director he had been talking to earlier had left, while Pei You was standing at the door calling him. Zhou Qingbo rubbed his face and stood up from the corner, hurrying over to join Pei You as they left the office. ¡°Are you done chatting?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re done,¡± Pei You said. ¡°If you¡¯re too tired, you can go back and rest.¡± After spending the whole day together, the inexplicable awkwardness between them had eased quite a bit. Both of them felt more relaxed, no longer needing to rehearse what they wanted to say three times in their minds. ¡°No need for that,¡± Zhou Qingbo tilted his head and stretched his stiff shoulders. He casually said, ¡°I just couldn¡¯t understand most of it, so I got bored.¡± Pei You was a bit confused. That day was just the preliminary preparation phase of their work. He only got a general understanding of the company¡¯s internal situation. They hadn¡¯t discussed specific professional issues in detail yet. Zhou Qingbo was the company¡¯s internal manager, so he shouldn¡¯t have trouble understanding all that. Before he could ask about it, he saw Zhou Qingbo checking his watch and saying, ¡°It¡¯s almost time to leave for work. Is there any other department you want to visit?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s all,¡± Pei You said. The internal management of Qingshan had undergone professional consulting reforms, so there were no major issues. Besides, Zhou Cangshan had long been thinking about going public, so the preliminary preparations were well done, and the coordination between various processes was smooth. Pei You¡¯s team was only responsible for the audit work before going public. Other consulting projects and equity planning were not under their team¡¯s jurisdiction. ¡°How about grabbing a cup of coffee?¡± Zhou Qingbo suggested. ¡°The coffee shop downstairs happens to have chestnut cake too.¡± Their relationship at work was much more straightforward than during their blind date. After spending the whole day with Pei You, Zhou Qingbo found that he was different from his initial impression. He first appeared serious and earnest, but when working, he wasn¡¯t arrogant. Sometimes Zhou Qingbo asked him some basic common-sense questions, and he patiently answered each one. The image of a quirky old man gradually faded from Zhou Qingbo¡¯s mind. He felt a bit guilty for criticizing him so much before and couldn¡¯t help but try to compensate by sending out more friendly signals. At first, Pei You was inclined to refuse but couldn¡¯t help laughing when he heard the second part of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s suggestion. He seemed a bit tempted but hesitated for a moment, then pursed his lips and shook his head, hesitating, ¡°It¡¯s still working hours now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Zhou Qingbo shrugged, taking the matter into his own hands. He was skipping work himself and leading a diligent student astray. He confidently said, ¡°Work hours are meant for slacking off.¡± The coffee shop downstairs was located in the office building and mainly served the high-end white-collar workers from the nearby buildings. Zhou Qingbo was evidently a prominent member of the slacking-off army during working hours, so much so that the owner of the coffee shop knew what he wanted to order as soon as he saw him. ¡°Mocha again today?¡± the owner asked. ¡°One mocha, one chestnut cake, and one three-color cookie,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, turning back to ask, ¡°What would you like?¡± ¡°Americano, thank you,¡± Pei You said. It was 4:30 in the afternoon, a time neither too early nor too late. The coffee shop had no other customers except for the two of them. Pei You placed his briefcase on the seat next to him and sat by the window with Zhou Qingbo. Handcrafted coffee takes a bit of time, and Zhou Qingbo was absentmindedly flipping through the menu on the table. Pei You seemed to hesitate to say something twice, as if he wanted to ask something but didn¡¯t know how to start. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°Is there something you want to ask me?¡± ¡°I actually want to ask you a question,¡± Pei You asked earnestly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to get closer to me?¡± Pei You had been wanting to ask that question for a while, but his previous blind date experiences either ended in no further contact after one meal or avoiding each other to death after the second meeting. Pei You wasn¡¯t good at winning people¡¯s favor, so he didn¡¯t want to initiate and make it unpleasant. However, Zhou Qingbo was an open-minded person. After spending time with Pei You, he thought he might be able to get an answer from him. He genuinely looked puzzled, not hinting or beating around the bush. After giving it some thought, Zhou Qingbo offered a safer answer. ¡°There¡¯s actually no specific reason,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°You¡¯re a nice person, but¡­¡± ¡°Here we go again,¡± Pei You shook his head, looking rather helpless. ¡°Those people before said the same thing, that I¡¯m a good person, but just not suitable.¡± Pei You¡¯s previous first impression was too much like an elite, so it was quite refreshing to see him show a bit of frustration now. Zhou Qingbo found him much more interesting than before. ¡°It¡¯s not about you;,¡± Zhou Qingbo paused, explaining, ¡°I just prefer being single.¡± This reason was evidently much stronger and convincing and Pei You felt a bit relieved, though he wasn¡¯t sure if he should be happy or disappointed. ¡°It¡¯s a shame,¡± Pei You said truthfully, ¡°I actually thought we would get along well.¡± Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and waved his hand. ¡°Getting to know each other is a long process. Anyone can pretend to be someone else within two hours. To truly know if you get along with someone, a meal¡¯s time is far from enough.¡± Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t surprised that he had gained Pei You¡¯s first good impression during their blind date. At that time, he had pretended to be a social elite, and that style seemed to match Pei You¡¯s. But Zhou Qingbo knew he wasn¡¯t any kind of young talent; at most, he was just a gossiping salted fish. Pei You¡¯s favorable impression of him was purely based on that short-term illusion. He was quite self-aware and didn¡¯t want to lead on Pei You, leaving him trapped in a false impression, nor did he want to compromise and pretend to be someone he wasn¡¯t, acting like a superior all the time. ¡°Like me,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a smile, ¡°If you knew my true personality, you might not feel so disappointed.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Pei You didn¡¯t fully believe him. ¡°So, what¡¯s your personality like?¡± That question was somewhat beyond their current relationship scope, and Zhou Qingbo raised an eyebrow, finished the last sip of coffee, and gave him a vague answer. ¡°I can¡¯t say that; I have to maintain some dignity.¡± Zhou Qingbo raised his hand, glanced at his watch, and stood up from the chair. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time for me to leave work,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, smiling at Pei You. ¡°Wishing us a pleasant workday tomorrow.¡± CH 7 After opening up, Zhou Qingbo completely let go of the burden from the blind date. Pei You also pulled Zhou Qingbo¡¯s contact information from the ¡°Blind Date 33-Zhou¡± group and changed the name to ¡°Zhou Qingbo.¡± The audit work was tedious and complicated. After moving to Qingshan as part of the audit team, Zhou Qingbo had been thrown into Pei You¡¯s team by Zhou Cangshan, who claimed it was to assist him. In reality, after a few days with Pei You, Zhou Qingbo felt like he had seen enough numbers for a lifetime. Pei You¡¯s demeanor during work and his usual appearance were completely different. If there had been some initial awkwardness when they first worked together, it had completely disappeared the following days. The air purifier in the office hummed, and the water dispenser switched back and forth between green and red lights. The new shredder box was already half full, and the waste bin was filled with coffee cups. As lunchtime approached, the bright sun outside cast dazzling rays through the half-closed Venetian blinds, making people¡¯s eyes dazzled. Pei You moved his computer to avoid the reflective area and said without looking up, ¡°In the afternoon, take a person and go to the bank with the accountant to get the letter back. The bank rejected the previous format.¡± A young girl to Pei You¡¯s right opened her computer, clicked a ballpoint pen, and wrote two lines in her work notebook while asking casually, ¡°Got it. Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Not for now,¡± Pei You asked, ¡°Where are the asset documents?¡± ¡°Here.¡± A stack of documents was quickly pushed over from the other side of the desk, and then a half-fluffy head barely emerged from behind the documents. ¡°They are all here,¡± she said. ¡°By the way, Qingshan has two wholly-owned acquired companies. One of them has already been converted into a branch and is directly managed by Qingshan. The other subsidiary company is maintained as an independent legal entity, operating independently.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Leave them here, and I¡¯ll take a look later.¡± Just as he was speaking, someone knocked on the office door. Pei You turned his head and saw Zhou Qingbo waving at him from outside the frosted glass door. ¡°Come in,¡± Pei You said. Zhou Qingbo followed the voice, pushed open the door, carrying a bag that was neither big nor small, and greeted the people inside with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s time for lunch,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°We don¡¯t need to rush with work. Let¡¯s have lunch first and then continue.¡± The several auditors in the office instinctively turned their heads to look at Pei You. Pei You glanced at the time in the lower right corner of the computer and found that it was indeed lunchtime. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s take a lunch break,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Organize the materials in the afternoon, and those needing rework should be submitted to me.¡± His words had just fallen, and several auditors had already happily stood up and filed out one after another, saying to Pei You, ¡°sir, are you not going to eat?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t go. You guys go,¡± Pei You said. Qingshan had its own cafeteria, offering affordable and delicious food, and it was open to the auditors for free. However, Pei You¡¯s lunch for the past few days had been taken care of by Zhou Qingbo, so he hadn¡¯t tried it yet. Zhou Qingbo leaned against the door, watching his colleagues leave, then walked into the office with the bag and gently closed the door with his foot. ¡°Today, let¡¯s have Cantonese cuisine,¡± Zhou Qingbo signaled Pei You with a smile and said, ¡°How about steamed sea bass and poached chicken?¡± As he spoke, he picked up the takeout bag and walked over to Pei You¡¯s side. He looked around, shifted the stack of documents in front of Pei You, creating some space, and then placed the takeout boxes on the table. ¡°You don¡¯t have to treat me to lunch every day,¡± Pei You said helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s too much of an expense.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the expense? Just a few more pairs of chopsticks,¡± Zhou Qingbo replied. Zhou Cangshan assigned Zhou Qingbo to work with Pei You, hoping that Pei You would put some pressure on him and help him get used to the high-pressure work mode and change his lazy nature. However, Zhou Qingbo had no interest in that and wasn¡¯t cut out for it either. The first two days were manageable, but starting from the third day, the work became extremely painful for him. Luckily, Pei You was a decent person who took care of Zhou Qingbo and even covered for him in front of Zhou Cangshan multiple times. Feeling grateful, Zhou Qingbo decided to bring Pei You along for lunch every day. ¡°In any case, I¡¯d have to eat lunch even if you¡¯re not here,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°It¡¯s just a few extra dishes.¡± While Zhou Qingbo¡¯s work performance was lacking, he was skilled in enjoying good food and drinks. The takeout he ordered wasn¡¯t particularly expensive, but the taste was excellent. He seemed to find those hidden gems from some obscure sources. ¡°This restaurant is newly opened, so I¡¯m not sure about the taste,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try, and if it¡¯s not good, we can change it.¡± Pei You wasn¡¯t very picky; he bent over and placed two blank A4 papers on the table to protect the documents from soup splashes. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask since yesterday,¡± Zhou Qingbo moved his chair closer, carefully lifting the bowl cover while saying, ¡°In this day and age, you guys still read paper documents. Isn¡¯t it troublesome?¡± ¡°Paper documents are a bit more secure,¡± Pei You said, ¡°But we have to look at both electronic records and paper documents because sometimes the information entered electronically might differ from the data in the paper documents, leading to financial discrepancies.¡± As he mentioned this, Pei You suddenly recalled something. He put down his chopsticks, rummaged through his to-do list, and found a page. ¡°Like these,¡± Pei You pointed to some data marked with a highlighter on the list and asked, ¡°The highest single reimbursement is 2,800 yuan, but there¡¯s no reimbursement form. The finance department said it was a hospitality expense claimed by your Human Resources department.¡± ¡°Hospitality, probably a department gathering,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. Zhou Qingbo was a good boss. He was easy-going, generous, and not stingy at all. As long as the department¡¯s performance was good, he would often take the team out for team-building meals. Usually, he would pay the bill first and then get reimbursed later. Occasionally, when they had too much fun, some receipts would get lost. However, Zhou Cangshan knew Zhou Qingbo¡¯s personality, and he wouldn¡¯t tamper with such minor issues. So, he always approved the reimbursement for him. ¡°It¡¯s not much,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°Let¡¯s just leave it¡­ Do we need to review this as well?¡± ¡°According to regulations, anything without solid evidence should be reviewed,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Do you remember where you had that meal?¡± Qingshan had invited auditors a few times over the years to optimize their internal finances. However, none of them had been as meticulous as Pei You. Zhou Qingbo tried hard to recall but couldn¡¯t remember the specifics. ¡°I really forgot,¡± Zhou Qingbo bit his chopsticks and said with a troubled expression, ¡°It¡¯s been several months since then, and I can¡¯t recall it clearly. Anyway, I paid for it. Shall I check my payment records?¡± Pei You nodded, ¡°If you can¡¯t find the specific transaction, just provide a list of expenses for that time period.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Zhou Qingbo nodded and used a spoon to remove the carrots from the soup, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll send a message to my secretary to check it.¡± Pei You agreed with a soft ¡°Mmm¡± and put the documents back in place. He then lowered his head and began to drink the soup silently. After working together for those few days, Zhou Qingbo had probably figured out Pei You¡¯s nature. Besides work, Pei You wasn¡¯t good at engaging in small talk with others. Usually, if Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t initiate a conversation, they could sit face to face in silence in the office. Zhou Qingbo was an outgoing person and wasn¡¯t used to such silence at first. He felt like he was sitting next to a high mountain flower, making him uncomfortable. But after a few days, Zhou Qingbo gradually realized that Pei You wasn¡¯t cold, he just didn¡¯t know what to say. Pei You didn¡¯t seek out excitement, but he didn¡¯t avoid communication either. If Zhou Qingbo wanted to chat about random topics, he wouldn¡¯t find it annoying. But if Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t feel like talking, Pei You didn¡¯t take it as a snub. In general, Pei You was polite and gentle, but perhaps too serious. He hadn¡¯t experienced the world of romance, which sometimes made him seem a bit awkward. It¡¯s a pity, Zhou Qingbo thought with regret; Pei You would probably be quite popular if he were into women. The two of them finished their meal in silence, and then Pei You stood up and disposed of the empty lunch boxes. They had a clear division of labor, a silent agreement developed over an unknown number of meals. Zhou Qingbo was responsible for preparing the meal, and Pei You took care of the aftermath. As Pei You left to throw away the garbage, Zhou Qingbo, who was full, began to feel drowsy and lazily leaned back in his chair, checking his phone. Several new messages popped up on WeChat. Zhou Qingbo clicked on them and saw that they were from an old acquaintance. ¡°I have a performance tonight, and I need someone. Are you coming?¡± Zhou Qingbo raised an eyebrow, used his finger to stroke the screen, thought for a moment, and then replied with a secret code-like message. ¡°What time?¡± he asked. ¡°From 7:30 to 11:30,¡± the other person replied, ¡°You can leave early if you want.¡± The other person¡¯s message teased Zhou Qingbo, making him itch with excitement. Unable to resist, he sent a cheeky emoji back and replied, ¡°Sure, get my baby ready and wait for me.¡± After sending the message, Zhou Qingbo saw Pei You just returning from throwing away the garbage. He saw Zhou Qingbo, who was smiling like a sunflower while holding his phone and felt as if he had been possessed by someone else. ¡°Why are you so happy?¡± Pei You wondered. ¡°It¡¯s a secret,¡± Zhou Qingbo said mysteriously, tucking his phone into his pocket. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ll be in your office this afternoon.¡± The lunch break was two hours, but the audit team was used to being busy. Soon after finishing their meal, they all returned to the office. Zhou Cangshan had assigned them a meeting room with a long table. Pei You occupied one end of the table alone, while Zhou Qingbo pulled a chair and sat beside him, taking up just a corner of the table, silently blending into the background. Due to Zhou Cangshan¡¯s arrangement, Zhou Qingbo had been working with the audit team quite often those days. They were used to seeing him around, so they didn¡¯t find his presence unusual and continued with their tasks. ¡°sir,¡± a young girl next to Pei You raised her head from the computer and said, ¡°The independently operated subsidiary hasn¡¯t submitted the required documents.¡± ¡°Did you remind them?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Yes, I did,¡± she replied. ¡°But they are dragging their feet and not providing the documents.¡± Pei You had reviewed the information before. The company in question was not a local one in Beijing and was relatively small, with only around forty to fifty employees. It was an engineering company. Normally, such small companies without connections and not involved in emerging industries wouldn¡¯t be considered for Qingshan¡¯s future development plans. Pei You wondered why Zhou Cangshan acquired it. ¡°Zhou Qingbo,¡± Pei You reached over and took the materials from the colleague. He then turned his head to ask, ¡°Do you happen to know¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Pei You stopped. Zhou Qingbo had moved his chair to a corner without him realizing it. He had his notebook on his lap, but he had already fallen asleep, tilting his head awkwardly, nestling in the chair. Zhou Qingbo was sleeping soundly, and Pei You hesitated for a moment, not wanting to disturb him. He decided to leave the other half of the question for Zhou Cangshan. The central air conditioning hummed, and the red cloth strips at the air vents fluttered up and down. Pei You reached over and gently took the notebook computer that was about to fall off Zhou Qingbo¡¯s knee and then picked up his suit jacket from the back of the chair, draping it over Zhou Qingbo. After completing those actions, Pei You quietly pulled the chair away and returned to his seat. ¡°Speak in a low voice,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Message me if you need anything major.¡± CH 8 In the gentle tapping sounds of the soft keyboard, Zhou Qingbo slept for a long time. Perhaps the continuous flipping of papers near his ear in the real world brought back memories from his high school days. At that time, he attended an ordinary high school like everyone else, receiving a meager allowance of 150 yuan and forever trying to finish unending test papers, facing the frustration of scoring only 75 in physics. During the lively and hot summer breaks, the scorching sunlight poured in from the windows, and basketballs flew over his classmates¡¯ heads and landed in the trash cans. A bottle of cold cola with water droplets was placed on the desk, wetting several blank chemistry papers. Zhou Qingbo sat in the corner of the classroom, feeling sleepy and tired as he stared out of the window before the evening self-study session. Then he fell asleep in his dreams and woke up in reality. The carefree and free dream had a healing effect. Zhou Qingbo felt as if he slept soundly, even though his body was a bit stiff from the long rest. Nevertheless, his brain remained in a lazy and mellow state. The setting sun outside was turning darker, and the window blinds were fully opened, allowing the large orange-red clouds to spread across the sky, creating a hot scene. Zhou Qingbo half-closed his eyes and moved slightly to the side to avoid the chilly air conditioning breeze, burying half of his face in the suit jacket. His groggy state after waking up made his brain operate sluggishly. Zhou Qingbo tugged at the collar of the suit for a while before realizing that it wasn¡¯t his own. The crisp suit jacket had a faint scent of perfume, a mix of white tea and cedarwood notes. It was a light and elusive fragrance that could only be detected up close. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t mind this fragrance, so he comfortably snuggled a little longer in this warmth before lazily opening his eyes. Except for Pei You, everyone else in the office had already left at some point. They had left behind a stack of white certificates and documents on the desk, as well as a pile of scattered coffee cups. Pei You was still seated with his back turned to Zhou Qingbo, facing a blurry spreadsheet on his computer, busy with his work. He was wearing a crisp white shirt, which looked a bit thin in the air-conditioned room. Zhou Qingbo blinked his eyes and integrated the two pieces of information into a complete conclusion. ¡°My jacket is on me,¡± Zhou Qingbo thought. The soft tapping of the keyboard made a regular and gentle sound, even in this quiet environment, it wasn¡¯t too noisy. The color of the sunset grew deeper, and the orange-red halo extended from the window sill to Pei You¡¯s feet, then quietly climbed up his pant legs, leaving a faint and illusory hue on his shirt. Zhou Qingbo watched Pei You¡¯s figure and suddenly understood why Ge Xing had been so insistent on introducing him. ¡°Pei You,¡± Zhou Qingbo called out. As he had slept for more than two hours, his throat felt a bit dry. However, Pei You wasn¡¯t startled by his sudden voice and casually pushed the computer away, turning his head to look at him. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Pei You asked. Pei You reached into a few plastic bags beside him, pulled out an unopened coffee cup, and handed it to Zhou Qingbo. ¡°They ordered takeout in the afternoon and brought your portion as well,¡± Pei You said. ¡°It¡¯s been over an hour, so it¡¯s not hot anymore, but it should still be drinkable.¡± Zhou Qingbo sat in the chair for more than two hours, and his back and waist had become stiff, causing a creaking sound whenever he moved. The suit jacket slipped off his shoulder, but Zhou Qingbo caught it in mid-air and hugged it to his chest. He leaned forward and took the cool coffee cup, removed the lid, and took a sip, realizing that it was his usual order. ¡°Hey,¡± Zhou Qingbo took a sip of coffee to moisten his throat and couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°If I had a sister, I would definitely marry her off to you.¡± Pei You was confused by his random remark and couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Are you half asleep?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m wide awake,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, adjusting his sitting position with some difficulty and stretching his numb left leg. He smiled and continued, ¡°I really mean it.¡± ¡°Forget it,¡± Pei You rarely made a joke with him, ¡°You know my preferences, don¡¯t push your sister into the fire pit.¡± Zhou Qingbo just made a casual remark and didn¡¯t take it seriously. He smiled at Pei You¡¯s response and got up from the chair, stretching in place. ¡°What about the others?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked, ¡°Why is it just you left?¡± ¡°They went out for dinner,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going with them?¡± Zhou Qingbo inquired. ¡°No rush, I¡¯ll go after finishing this draft,¡± Pei You replied. ¡°What about you? It¡¯s already after work hours, are you leaving?¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arrival and departure time were always precise. If Zhou Cangshan didn¡¯t have any special requirements, Zhou Qingbo would never arrive a second earlier in the morning or stay a second later in the evening, displaying a bit of a ¡°new-age anti-overtime¡± attitude. Pei You had no idea what Zhou Qingbo did after work, but he knew that as soon as work hours ended, Zhou Qingbo disappeared like a dragon into the sea, leaving no trace. Zhou Qingbo had slept for half an afternoon, and his mind was still a bit hazy. It was only after Pei You reminded him that he suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oops,¡± he exclaimed, quickly searching for his phone all over himself. Before he could finish searching his pockets, he saw Pei You standing up from his desk, handing something to him. ¡°Your phone fell out when you were sleeping,¡± Pei You said, ¡°So, I put it beside you.¡± That scene seemed somewhat familiar, but Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t have time to think about it now because the time on his phone¡¯s screen showed that it was already 6:15. He had an appointment at 7:30, and he was almost running late. ¡°Thanks,¡± Zhou Qingbo grabbed his phone, quickly spun around the room like a gust of wind, and rushed, saying, ¡°I really have to go. I¡¯ll treat you to coffee tomorrow.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Pei You called out to him, ¡°the jacket.¡± Only then did Zhou Qingbo realize that he was still holding onto Pei You¡¯s jacket. He smiled apologetically, handing the jacket back to Pei You. ¡°I really need to go. It¡¯s getting late,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you chestnut cake tomorrow.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he darted out of the office, quickly heading towards the elevator. Pei You watched him leave and couldn¡¯t help shaking his head with a wry smile, putting the jacket back on. He pondered how to tell Zhou Qingbo that he didn¡¯t actually like chestnut cake that much. After thinking for a while, he couldn¡¯t come up with a good way to say it, so he simply decided not to mention it. After all, he didn¡¯t dislike eating cake. The office was now empty, with only Pei You left. He checked his draft one last time, then glanced at the time, shut down the computer, locked the office door, and took the documents to Zhou Cangshan¡¯s office. Despite being biological brothers, Zhou Cangshan and Zhou Qingbo had completely different personalities. One was punctual, while the other was a workaholic. When Pei You went upstairs, Zhou Cangshan¡¯s office door was wide open as the head of the sales department had just left. ¡°Mr. Pei,¡± Zhou Cangshan greeted him politely as he entered the office. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± ¡°I wanted to ask about Dongjiang Company,¡± Pei You placed the documents on Zhou Cangshan¡¯s desk and said, ¡°They haven¡¯t submitted their financial data yet. My team members have reminded them, but there¡¯s been no result. Zhou, could you help in urging them?¡± Zhou Cangshan paused for a moment, took the documents, and flipped through a couple of pages. He seemed a bit hesitant, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Please have a seat first,¡± Zhou Cangshan gestured for Pei You to sit down and hesitated for a moment, seemingly trying to find the right words. ¡°In fact, this company¡­ is a bit special,¡± Zhou Cangshan said. ¡°The legal representative of Dongjiang Company is the son of one of my father¡¯s comrades.¡± In his younger years, Zhou Jianguo served in the Shaan-Gan Line, and the emotions during that era were pure and straightforward, with memories that could last a lifetime. Dongjiang Company¡¯s former CEO, Liu Jiancheng, was a comrade-in-arms with Zhou Jianguo during their military service. Both of them served in the same squad, went through training together during the day, stood guard together at night, and endured the wind and sand for several years. After their military service ended, Liu Jiancheng didn¡¯t find a well-arranged job and instead started a business. Unfortunately, his career didn¡¯t go as well as Zhou Jianguo¡¯s, and his company always hovered around the lower end of the industry, considered a local enterprise at best. ¡°Nowadays, with the rapidly changing market economy, a few years ago, their company couldn¡¯t keep up with the development and was on the verge of bankruptcy. So, they sought help from my father to save their company,¡± Zhou Cangshan explained. ¡°During their time in the military, there was an incident where they went out for disaster relief, and my father almost fell into the flood. It was Liu Uncle who saved him¡ª he saved my father¡¯s life, so we couldn¡¯t just ignore him.¡± Like Zhou Jianguo, Zhou Cangshan had a deep sense of comradeship from his time in the military, so when Liu Jiancheng came to ask for help, Zhou Cangshan decided to fully acquire Dongjiang Company with their resources. At that time, Qingshan was newly independent, and its financial operations were more convenient than those of Zhou Jianguo¡¯s group. So Zhou Cangshan easily transferred Dongjiang Company under Qingshan¡¯s name and kept it for himself. Liu Jiancheng was a kind-hearted person with a good character, and Zhou Cangshan treated it as returning a favor on behalf of his father. He never paid much attention to Dongjiang Company. However, five years ago, Liu Jiancheng passed away due to illness, and before his death, he transferred the company to his own son, Liu Xin. Since then, things had started to go awry. ¡°Although the controlling rights of Dongjiang are in Qingshan¡¯s hands, we didn¡¯t rearrange the management team due to his father¡¯s face,¡± Zhou Cangshan said. ¡°But in recent years, their annual reports have been a complete mess. I¡¯ve been wanting to find an opportunity to investigate the situation at Dongjiang.¡± Pei You understood what Zhou Cangshan meant. After pondering for a moment, he said, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not impossible. I¡¯ll go back and talk to the firm. When you¡¯re available here, I can come over and do the internal audit.¡± Dongjiang was a company fully controlled by Qingshan. If their accounts were in disarray, it could affect Qingshan¡¯s future listing, and Pei You couldn¡¯t ignore such a big bomb. ¡°That would be great,¡± Zhou Cangshan sighed with relief, saying, ¡°Let me check and get back to you as soon as possible. How many people do you need to go this time?¡± Dongjiang was not a large company, and it didn¡¯t require a whole team. Pei You calculated the workload and replied, ¡°I can handle it alone.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange it as soon as possible. I¡¯ll try to get you there within this week.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Pei You nodded and then checked the time, saying, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I won¡¯t disturb you any longer. I have something to attend to tonight, so I need to leave early.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to stay for dinner?¡± Zhou Cangshan invited, ¡°We can also discuss Dongjiang¡¯s affairs.¡± ¡°Not tonight,¡± Pei You politely declined, ¡°I have plans with someone tonight. I need to take care of a personal matter.¡± CH 9 As the twilight enveloped Beijing, the city was immersed in a colorful sea of lights. Cars queued up at traffic lights, slowly inching forward. A taxi stopped at the intersection of Sanlitun. Zhou Qingbo handed the remaining 100 yuan to the driver, opened the car door, and stepped out with his long legs. Just past seven o¡¯clock, the bar street was bustling with young people seeking entertainment after work. Brilliant neon signs intertwined and flickered under the dim lights, creating vast areas of light pollution. The taxi struggled to turn around and leave, but Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t in a hurry to leave. He stood still, surveying the surroundings for any signs of danger. Satisfied, he raised his collar slightly and disappeared into the crowd. He walked swiftly, his brows slightly furrowed, sidestepping past a couple, and then turning into an inconspicuous alley. That alley was located behind the bar street, with garbage bins on both sides, reaching higher than a person¡¯s height. Zhou Qingbo avoided the greasy trash containers and leaped over a dirty plastic bag on the ground, walking to the end of the alley where a colorful iron gate stood. He reached out and rang the doorbell. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± A voice came from inside the gate. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Zhou Qingbo replied. The rusty iron bolt inside the gate scraped, and after a few seconds, a pair of bright eyes appeared through the gap. ¡°Zhou-ge!¡± The young man who opened the door was excited. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t coming!¡± ¡°Who else would come if not me?¡± Zhou Qingbo laughed and pushed the door with a casual gesture, producing a teeth-grinding creak as he opened a passage wide enough for a person to pass through. The young man was pushed back repeatedly but didn¡¯t get angry. He leaned against the railing with a smiling face, making way for him. ¡°Ah, forget it, Zhou-ge.¡± The young man said, ¡°During the time you were away, many people came to the bar looking for you, asking us when you¡¯d perform on stage.¡± ¡°What do you mean to perform on stage? Why don¡¯t you say ¡®appear on stage?''¡± Zhou Qingbo teased. ¡°Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue,¡± the young man said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s just a sign of respect for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow, feeling proud. ¡°With my skills, you little kids won¡¯t catch up even after three more years of learning.¡± Underneath his tailored suit, which was uncomfortable to wear all day, Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t wait to take it off. By the time he reached the bar counter, his daytime appearance as a polished and elegant elite had disappeared entirely. His coat was haphazardly draped over his arm, the shirt collar unbuttoned, looking wrinkled. ¡°Qingbo!¡± In front of the bar counter, someone had been waiting for him. A man held a glass of whiskey and greeted him with a smile. Zhou Qingbo raised an eyebrow in surprise and took a couple of quick steps. He jumped onto the bar counter and sat down on a high stool beside him. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°Where¡¯s Qiang-ge?¡± ¡°He had something come up last minute.¡± Ge Xing rested his arm on the bar counter and supported his head, smiling as he said, ¡° How come you¡¯re willing to come out after being in seclusion for so long?¡± ¡°I¡¯m dying of boredom at home.¡± With Ge Xing owning half of that bar, Zhou Qingbo never held back when he visited. He leaned forward, not minding that Ge Xing pulled a glass from under the bar and poured soda water for himself, saying casually, ¡°Recently, my brother has been scrutinizing me to death. You¡¯re not unaware of it but he doesn¡¯t agree with me being a mixologist.¡± Zhou¡¯s eldest brother, with an old-fashioned mindset, preferred to keep a low profile and stayed away from places with indulgence and extravagance, viewing them as dangerous waters where he and Zhou Qingbo should not set foot. Knowing the situation at his home and aware that Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t like to discuss such topics outside, Ge Xing smiled and didn¡¯t say anything more. He raised his glass and clinked it with Zhou Qingbo¡¯s. ¡°What¡¯s the theme tonight?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°Free performance,¡± Ge Xing said, ¡°You can do whatever you want, as long as it heats up the crowd.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Zhou Qingbo raised an eyebrow excitedly, whistled, and then casually threw his suit jacket onto the bar counter. He stepped on a high stool and turned half a circle, clapping his hands towards the servers on the dance floor. ¡°Kids!¡± Zhou Qingbo whistled, ¡°Bring the King¡¯s treasures here!¡± Zhou Qingbo was thrilled as soon as he entered the bar. Shedding the ¡°society¡¯s elite¡± image he had during the day, at night, he was like a wild man. The bar¡¯s servers were familiar with him and were willing to join in the fun. They laughed heartily upon hearing him and a young man quickly ran up, circled around the bar counter, and bent down to take out a leather box about one meter in size from a cabinet underneath. ¡°Here you go, King,¡± he said, opening the box and pushing it in front of Zhou Qingbo, ¡°Take a look.¡± Beneath the facade of a high-level white-collar worker, Zhou Qingbo was actually a seasoned mixologist, who once won the national championship in cocktail mixing. He was skilled but also eccentric, never willing to use the bar¡¯s standard tools and insisting on using his own set. The bar owner knew about his habits and would always prepare his tools before he arrived. The leather box was padded with soft sponge, and the metallic tools had been cleaned, reflecting beautiful shards of light under the lights. Satisfied, Zhou Qingbo whistled again and closed the box. He stood up from the chair. ¡°I¡¯m going to shower and change my clothes.¡± Zhou Qingbo placed his empty glass onto the bar counter and said casually, ¡°You can take the stuff upstairs for now.¡± Black Bar regularly held themed nights, and the fancy cocktail performance was the reserved opening act. Zhou Qingbo knew the routine like the back of his hand. He rushed to the dressing room behind the bar and took a quick shower, then changed out of his stiff and formal suit. Without drying his hair, he walked out wet. The lights in the hall were being turned off one by one, and the backstage crew made the final adjustments to the ambient lights. Zhou Qingbo grabbed a chilled bottle of cola from the bar counter, wiping his slightly damp hair with a towel as he walked to the control booth. He changed the record to his favorite album. The sharp-eyed DJ noticed his movements from across the counter and leaned on the mixer to chat with him. ¡°Zhou-ge, you¡¯re in good spirits tonight,¡± the DJ said, ¡°Are you feeling wild?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been bored at home,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°I need some sensory stimulation.¡± Not far away, a server gestured to Zhou Qingbo, indicating that the bar was officially open outside. Zhou Qingbo nodded, picked up a pair of headphones from the sound booth, and put them on his ears. The crowd surged in, and the ethereal and real night officially began. Just before going on stage, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s phone vibrated. He casually took it out and found a surprising message from Pei You. [Sorry, could you please tell me the exact address?] The message was abrupt, and Zhou Qingbo raised an eyebrow in confusion. Before he could reply, the message suddenly disappeared from the chat. ¡°Sorry.¡± The sender retracted the message and quickly sent two new ones, ¡°I sent the message to the wrong person.¡± As the explosive bass drumbeat burst from the speakers, the colorful lights in the hall disappeared and reappeared, and the emcee took the stage to warm up the crowd. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t pay too much attention to the mistaken message and casually tossed his phone to a server waiting on the side of the stage. He then took a long step onto the platform. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. At the intersection of Sanlitun, Pei You copied the mistaken message and sent it again in a new chat box. The bar street was bustling with noise and excitement at night, and some distinctively styled bars even placed their speakers outside, using heavy metal rock to create a vibrant atmosphere and mood. Pei You rarely visited such places. At most, he sat in the music bar downstairs of his office building with colleagues. Now, he felt a bit lost when he first entered the bar street. However, there was no way out. After thirty-three failed blind dates, Mrs. He Ping, feeling that mature men who matched Pei You¡¯s personality weren¡¯t suitable for him, changed her approach and found a ¡°young and lively¡± person for him to meet. Pei You tried his best to decline, but ultimately couldn¡¯t succeed. He had to compromise with his mother and agree that that would be the last one in the short term. The new date was young and had a lifestyle completely opposite to Pei You¡¯s. Rejecting the usual friendly meeting places like coffee shops, restaurants, and shopping malls, he insisted on meeting Pei You at a bar. Pei You appeared aloof, but he was actually quite easy to talk to. So, despite being uncomfortable with the setting, he reluctantly agreed. However, the address the other person sent him was ambiguous. Only after arriving at the scene did Pei You realize that there were dozens of bars on that street, and he couldn¡¯t distinguish which one it was. He could only ask again on the spot. Thankfully, the other person seemed to keep his phone close and replied quickly, not keeping Pei You waiting for too long. ¡°Have you arrived?¡± the other person asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Pei You replied, ¡°But there are many bars here. Which one are you referring to?¡± ¡°Go down the main street of the bar street, and it¡¯s the third from the end. Black Bar.¡± CH 10 Black Bar was easy to find on the bar street. Mechanical door facade, steampunk-style decoration, the large iron signboard above the door, with visible rust stains, held up by intersecting iron pipes, tilting slightly. You could see English letters embedded in the signboard from afar. Unlike other bars, Black Bar¡¯s door remained tightly closed and didn¡¯t use sound systems or gimmicks to attract customers. There was only an old iron floor sign placed at the entrance, with an A4 paper haphazardly taped to it, indicating that day¡¯s event, looking rather perfunctory. Pei You stood at the entrance, carefully comparing the store sign in front of him with the chat messages on his phone. He finally confirmed that that was his destination for the day. It looks a bit unusual, Pei You thought. Although the appearance of that bar seemed dull, its customer flow was better than other bars in the area. As Pei You approached from across the street, people kept entering without stopping. The iron door continuously opened and closed, and the amusing ¡°welcome¡± jingle at the entrance chimed incessantly. The worn-out welcome sensor and the crooked ¡°event notice¡± taped with old tape added a sense of carelessness. Being too perfunctory made it seem mysterious, and Pei You put away his phone, standing at the entrance like facing a formidable enemy, staring at the swaying iron door. He felt that with just one push, he might enter a completely new world. ¡°After all, those young girls in the office often say this about urban legends,¡± Pei You thought. The confusion and resistance towards unfamiliar territory interwoven with the scheduled meeting, pulling and pushing him back and forth. Pei You hesitated for a full five minutes before gritting his teeth and finally pushing open the door of Black Bar. Fortunately, all the special circumstances he anticipated did not occur. The atmosphere inside Black Bar was much more normal than outside. There were no special personnel checking identities or shining metal detectors, just well-dressed servers coming to receive guests and asking if they had reservations. Pei You couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief, simultaneously mocking himself for making a big fuss. ¡°I don¡¯t have a reservation,¡± Pei You said, ¡°I¡¯m here to meet someone. Could you tell me where the C area is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the inner area,¡± the server gestured and smiled, ¡°Follow this corridor, go through the stage, and keep going inside.¡± Pei You nodded slightly, politely thanking him, and then followed his guidance into the inner area. The interior decoration style of Black Bar was somewhat unconventional. As soon as you entered through the main door, there was a long steel corridor. The colorful ambient lights were hidden behind intentionally darkened steel railings, concealing large visual areas in the shadows of light pollution. The deeper he went, the more piercing the music became in the bar, and Pei You frowned, feeling a bit uncomfortable. He rubbed his ears with his hand. He didn¡¯t know how long he had been walking until he finally escaped from the corridor. He sidestepped the strangers blocking his path and was about to follow the server¡¯s directions to the C area when suddenly he heard a sharp cheer from a nearby crowd. It was quickly followed by applause, whistles, and shouts, overpowering the loud drum sound. Pei You subconsciously turned his head towards the center of the commotion. However, his gaze just glanced over for a moment, and he suddenly froze in place. In the center of the nearby elevated stage was a familiar face ¨C Zhou Qingbo. He was sitting on a high metal stool, one foot on the ground and the other on the stool¡¯s leg rest. In his hand was a full bottle of white rum that he casually threw behind him without even looking. The slender 500ml bottle soared high in the air, destined for disaster upon landing. Before Pei You could understand why Zhou Qingbo was there, he was startled by the action. His heart jumped as he held his breath. But in the next second, Zhou Qingbo simply lightly rotated the stool with his toes, and the bottle returned to his hand, being perfectly caught by his hand¡¯s back without spilling a drop. He hadn¡¯t left the chair throughout the entire act, and he didn¡¯t even look back at the bottle that had spun in the air. His movements were fluid, light, and skillful, as he effortlessly caught the bottle, making it look like child¡¯s play. Pei You¡¯s heart fell back into place with a thud as he felt his confusion increase. He stared at the familiar face on the stage, suddenly doubting everything. Does Zhou Qingbo have a twin brother? Pei You wondered, or has urban legend become reality, and he¡¯s really entered a parallel world? On the stage, Zhou Qingbo raised his eyebrows, whistled towards the audience below, and received more applause. After completing a seamless series of fancy movements, he finally left the chair and, with a kick, pushed the metallic high stool to the ground. Rolling backward, it was quickly removed by a server standing nearby. The rock music from the sound system was approaching its climax, and the electric guitar solo abruptly inserted. Zhou Qingbo threw the bottle back onto the table, shook his clothes with one hand, and revealed a somewhat mischievous smile at the corner of his lips. So flamboyant, Pei You could only think of this word in his mind. Yet, subconsciously, he felt that that word should not be associated with Zhou Qingbo¡ªbecause he was always silent and low-key, barely noticed during meetings, always dressed in a standard suit, knocking on his door with lunch or coffee at the same time every day, just like one of the many ordinary workers in the world. However, the man on the stage had nothing to do with that impression. He wore a silver coat similar in style to the stage, stepped on a pair of high-top studded Martin boots, had a t-shirt with two holes revealing the layer of sweat on his abdomen. On his right ear was a black headset microphone, and his left ear was bare, with only a square ruby earring shining brightly under the lights. Pei You was stunned for a moment, a thousand thoughts flashing through his mind, but he couldn¡¯t catch a single one. As the performance approached its end, the crowd near the stage surged forward like a wave. Pei You was pushed forward a few steps by the crowd, and a stranger bumped into his back. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry,¡± the person who bumped into him apologized repeatedly, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Pei You blinked, still a bit taken aback, his gaze still fixed on the stage, his voice somewhat absent, ¡°Do you know who that is on the stage?¡± ¡°yes,¡± the person who bumped into him reached out and patted Pei You¡¯s shoulder, shouting loudly over the intense rock music, ¡°That¡¯s Brother Zhou! He¡¯s the senior mixologist at Black Bar. He doesn¡¯t come regularly, but you happened to see him today!¡± ¡°Brother Zhou?¡± Pei You pondered the name for a moment, then asked subconsciously, ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± ¡°Zhou Qingbo,¡± the person nearby replied. Pei You got the expected answer and couldn¡¯t help shaking his head, wondering why he kept making silly mistakes that day. How could there be two people who look so alike in this world? But when one question was solved, another new question emerged. Pei You looked at the unfamiliar person on the stage and began to doubt life again. Is the person I know really him? Pei You wondered. On the stage, Zhou Qingbo performed a move that involved flipping and catching an object. Then, he pointed his finger to his lips, gesturing for silence. ¡°Hush¡ª¡± The crowd below the stage instinctively followed his lead, and even Pei You couldn¡¯t help but hold his breath, watching him. The background music shifted to a calmer tune, with a soft piano interlude. Zhou Qingbo stood up straight, scanning the surroundings from his elevated position. Then, he threw the object in his hand into the air and clasped his hands together, conjuring a flickering flame out of thin air. The next moment, he flicked the spark with his fingertip, casually tossing it towards a tower of stacked glasses on the table. The tower burst into a blue flame, shooting over two meters high. The climax of the background music suddenly intensified, and the flaming spectacle ignited the atmosphere, resulting in piercing screams. ¡°This is the Wild West.¡± Zhou Qingbo lazily acknowledged the applause, smiling lightly, ¡°Enjoy, everyone.¡± All eyes were fixed on the soaring blue flames, but Pei You couldn¡¯t help but focus on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s face. As he gazed at Zhou Qingbo¡¯s face illuminated by the flames, Pei You¡¯s heart skipped a beat momentarily. CH 12 After seeing Zhou Cangshan off, Pei You intended to turn around and find Zhou Qingbo again, but he realized that Zhou Qingbo was no longer in his original spot. The crowd around the stage had dispersed, and the cocktail station had been replaced with a microphone stand for the upcoming performances. Pei You looked around but couldn¡¯t find Zhou Qingbo¡¯s figure. Confused, he furrowed his brows, thinking of taking out his phone to ask if Zhou Qingbo had already left, when suddenly, he felt someone gently tap his shoulder from behind. He turned around and hadn¡¯t even seen the person clearly when he felt something cool brushing against the side of his cheek. ¡°Looking for someone?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked with a smile. He was still wearing the same clothes he had on the stage, and the silver jacket reflected a metallic glimmer under the lights. He tossed the cola from his left hand to his right hand, then casually spun it around and put it in the pocket of his jacket. ¡°Zhou Qingbo¡ª¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Zhou Qingbo?¡± Zhou Qingbo widened his eyes in surprise, tilting his head with a serious expression, ¡°My name is Zhou Qingsong, are you mistaking me for someone else?¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, Pei You¡¯s expression was blank, and Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, patting him on the shoulder. ¡°Just kidding,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°Thanks for helping me out of that situation.¡± Pei You had unknowingly joined Zhou Qingbo¡¯s side, and seeing him in such high spirits, his sense of crisis about his comfort zone being invaded disappeared instantly. Consequently, his attitude towards Pei You became more relaxed, and unconsciously, he blurred the boundaries he had set for him. When Pei You went to deal with Zhou Cangshan, Zhou Qingbo had been watching from the side of the stage. Although Zhou Cangshan didn¡¯t notice him, Zhou Qingbo observed him closely. Pei You was such an honest person that lying felt like taking his own life. Zhou Qingbo glanced down and guessed that Pei You¡¯s palms were probably sweaty. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t like to overlap his social circles as ¡°President Zhou¡± and ¡°Brother Zhou¡± because they usually didn¡¯t mix well. Influenced by Zhou Cangshan, the former thought the latter was not focused on his career, while the latter thought the former was hypocritical. Pei You seemed like the type of top student who had been excellent from childhood to adulthood. Zhou Qingbo initially thought he would share the same opinion as Zhou Cangshan¡¯s group, but now he realized he had been too hasty. ¡°Anyway, I owe you a favor,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a smile. ¡°You can ask me for anything anytime.¡± As he spoke, Zhou Qingbo made a casual gesture that looked a bit childish. He laughed happily, with a slight curve at the corner of his eyes, sparkling and bright. Pei You looked at his smile and suddenly found the answer to his confusion. That was the real him, Pei You thought. At least during the day and at the company, Zhou Qingbo had never smiled like that before. Before today, his smile was gentle, restrained, with a hint of distance, polite but never crossing the boundary. Unlike now, he seemed much more vibrant. Zhou Qingbo was right. Pei You suddenly recalled what Zhou Qingbo had said in the caf¨¦ ¨C indeed, one meal¡¯s worth of time couldn¡¯t represent everything. Until today, he had no idea that Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ¡°true self¡± looked like this. Being kept in the dark about the blind date was certainly something displeasing, but strangely, Pei You didn¡¯t feel any resentment about being left in the dark. On the contrary, he felt that Zhou Qingbo was fine just the way he was at this moment. Looking carefree, open-minded, and exceptionally genuine. Zhou Qingbo hooked arms with Pei You and led him forward. The bar was packed with people, and Zhou Qingbo often had to maneuver through the crowd, coming close several times. Each time, Pei You caught a faint scent of lime juice emanating from Pei You Fresh and slightly sweet. Zhou Qingbo was close to him, and Pei You could see the ruby earring on his earlobe with a slight turn of his head. Being a mixologist was a physical job, and he hadn¡¯t completely dried off the sweat on his body. Pei You saw the beads of sweat on his forehead trickling down his neck and gradually seeping into the black T-shirt. ¡°Also, the drinks tonight are on my tab,¡± Zhou Qingbo said as he led him to the bar counter. He patted Pei You¡¯s shoulder after making him sit at the counter. Then, he leaned over, lifted the counter barrier, and squeezed in. With a smile, he turned his head to look at Pei You and said, ¡°Drink whatever you like. If you have a date, you can also have it on my tab.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t realize the purpose of his visit until Zhou Qingbo mentioned it. He immediately looked annoyed and hurriedly got off the high stool, asking anxiously, ¡°By the way, where is booth 17 in area C?¡± Zhou Qingbo raised an eyebrow at his words, leaned closer to the bar, and mischievously asked, ¡°You have a date?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Pei You nodded awkwardly. ¡°On your left, keep going straight that way, it¡¯s the third booth in the second row,¡± Zhou Qingbo pointed to the semi-open area in the distance and said, ¡°Over there.¡± Pei You had never been late for a blind date before, but he had been late for more than ten minutes this time because of Zhou Qingbo. Feeling anxious and somewhat impolite, he hurriedly nodded at Zhou Qingbo and quickly went towards area C. Zhou Qingbo raised an eyebrow, unable to resist bursting into laughter while watching his back. ¡°He¡¯s quite cute,¡± Zhou Qingbo thought. ¡°How did I not notice that before?¡± He watched Pei You enter area C and then straightened himself, taking a cup from under the bar and wiping it with a soft cloth. Ge Xing appeared from somewhere and casually sat in the seat Pei You had just vacated. He placed his empty glass on the bar, signaling Zhou Qingbo to pour him another drink. ¡°Was that Pei You just now?¡± Ge Xing asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Zhou Qingbo poured him half a glass of alcohol and said casually, ¡°He¡¯s on a date.¡± ¡°You two seem to get along well,¡± Ge Xing said, implying something. Zhou Qingbo knew what he meant just by looking at his expression and interrupted him straightforwardly, ¡°I¡¯m not suitable for him.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ge Xing asked in confusion. ¡°Because I¡¯m a single-minded person,¡± Zhou Qingbo said confidently. ¡°Nonsense,¡± Ge Xing chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t fool me with that. You just haven¡¯t met someone you like. If you meet someone you really like, you¡¯ll be faster than anyone else in pursuing them.¡± Ge Xing understood Zhou Qingbo well. He had a strict upbringing and both his father and Zhou Cangshan were traditional-minded, making it difficult for Zhou Qingbo to have constant casual relationships. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t encountered someone he was head over heels for, so he preferred the freedom of being single rather than being in a relationship without responsibility. ¡°I think he should find someone gentle and considerate, like a traditional, good-natured girl with good grades and ambition. They would match better, and it would prevent him from being bullied,¡± Zhou Qingbo licked his lips and pondered for a moment before saying. Ge Xing couldn¡¯t help rolling his eyes at his words and said with heartfelt criticism, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s the 21st century already. Why are you still stuck with that old-fashioned mindset? What if he likes someone like you, someone adventurous?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. Human nature can¡¯t withstand such a test,¡± Zhou Qingbo laughed and said, ¡°He looks too honest. I might not be able to resist bullying him.¡± CH 13 As they were talking, a commotion suddenly erupted from the far side of area C. Zhou Qingbo remembered that Pei You had gone in that direction and couldn¡¯t help putting down the glass in his hand. He gave his position to the bartender from Black Bar and stood aside, poking Ge Xing, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who did you introduce him to?¡± ¡°Honestly, this time it wasn¡¯t me,¡± Ge Xing said. Ge Xing rubbed his chin and continued, ¡°It¡¯s probably his mom who arranged it. Auntie He is open-minded and stubborn for some reason. She¡¯s afraid that Pei You will end up lonely and wants him to find a partner as soon as possible. I heard she even registered an account for Pei You on a matchmaking website.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± This must be a joke, Zhou Qingbo thought. The commotion over at area C hadn¡¯t stopped, but it didn¡¯t seem too serious. Zhou Qingbo thought for a moment and waved to call a nearby server over. ¡°My friend is over there,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°Go check what¡¯s happening at booth 17, and if there¡¯s any trouble, let me know.¡± The server was quick on their feet and left immediately. Ge Xing teased Zhou Qingbo, saying, ¡°You seem to care about him a lot.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good person,¡± Zhou Qingbo thought of the suit jacket with a faint scent of perfume from earlier in the afternoon. ¡°It¡¯s comfortable to be friends with him.¡± ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Zhou Qingbo suddenly remembered something, looking towards the commotion in the distance. He casually said, ¡°Talk to your friend, that old friend of yours, Auntie He and tell her not to set him up on blind dates. He¡¯s not suited for them.¡± ¡°What is he suited for then?¡± Ge Xing asked. ¡°I think¡­ he¡¯s more suited to find someone with a good personality, similar interests, someone he can get along with gradually, and then feelings might develop over time,¡± Zhou Qingbo touched his chin, seemingly remembering something, and couldn¡¯t help chuckling, ¡°Otherwise, based on how he was during our blind date, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll find a suitable partner.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true,¡± Ge Xing said, grinning. ¡°Maybe there are people who like that type.¡± As they were talking, the server sent by Zhou Qingbo to check the situation had returned from the crowd. He held an empty tray in his arms, stood in front of the bar counter, and thought for a moment before asking, ¡°Brother Zhou, which one is your friend?¡± ¡°The one in the suit, wandering around the bar like he¡¯s working overtime,¡± Zhou Qingbo casually said. ¡°Oh, they have eight people at their table, including him. The others seem to be a group of young people. When I went over, they wanted to play a drinking game, but he didn¡¯t want to drink, so they teased him a bit,¡± the server said. ¡°I explained that there are no rules in this bar, but I think he wasn¡¯t comfortable with the situation.¡± Zhou Qingbo furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing that and glanced towards the commotion. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he didn¡¯t say anything and reached behind the bar counter, taking out a bottle of Grey Goose vodka. ¡°Still there?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the server replied. ¡°They just brought up the drinking game.¡± Zhou Qingbo nodded, tapped the counter with his hand, and Ge Xing leaned to the side. Zhou Qingbo lifted the counter barrier and walked out from behind the bar counter, bending down to go towards area C. The server was a bit worried and wanted to follow, but Ge Xing stopped him with a gesture. ¡°No need to follow,¡± Ge Xing said, grinning. ¡°He can handle it on his own. He¡¯s not going there to fight.¡± Booth 17 in area C was easy to find. It was a semi-open, medium-sized room, and there was now a group of people surrounding it. Zhou Qingbo stepped on the small steps of the booth and, before reaching Pei You¡¯s side, he heard a very young male voice. ¡°You¡¯re here to have fun, and yet you¡¯re so boring,¡± the voice sounded displeased. The voice was not only arrogant but also somewhat ambiguous. Zhou Qingbo was principled and protective of his friends. Upon hearing Pei You being insulted like that, he felt uncomfortable. ¡°Sorry,¡± Pei You¡¯s voice still sounded calm. ¡°I¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Zhou Qingbo had already taken large strides up the small steps of the booth. In the semicircular booth, Pei You was sitting on the far right. Zhou Qingbo put his hand on his shoulder and interrupted the rest of his words. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zhou Qingbo leaned on Pei You¡¯s shoulder, smiling wryly as he bent down and said, ¡°I only caught half of what you were saying earlier and didn¡¯t quite understand.¡± Pei You hadn¡¯t expected him to appear suddenly from behind. His back tensed for a moment, but when he saw it was Zhou Qingbo, he relaxed and moved his lips, not knowing what to say. Zhou Qingbo was a regular at Black Bar, and to the regular customers, he was one of the three owners. He could stroll through the bar with ease just by showing his face. The young man sitting in the center of the booth looked like he was in his early twenties. Seeing Zhou Qingbo approaching, his face turned stiff for a moment, and then he smiled at him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± the young man said. ¡°I just invited him to drink, but he refused.¡± The young man appeared to be a student, Zhou Qingbo thought. He looked a bit familiar, probably a frequent visitor to Black Bar. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Zhou Qingbo nodded and smiled. ¡°No problem, he¡¯s not used to this scene, so I¡¯ll have a drink with you instead.¡± Pei You, though slow to react, realized that Zhou Qingbo was venting for him. But before he could say anything, he saw Zhou Qingbo stepping onto the booth¡¯s steps, lifting the bottle of vodka from under the table. He pretended to pour a drink but lost his grip on the bottle. The slender bottle flew out of his hand and headed straight for the booth. The young man sitting in the center of the booth screamed in fright, stood up abruptly to dodge, but before he could move, Zhou Qingbo quickly maneuvered with the back of his hand, and the bottle returned to his hand. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t hold it firmly,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. He said it without sincerity, and the boy¡¯s face turned pale, obviously still in shock and looking very unsightly. In area C, the lighting was much dimmer than at the bar counter, and Zhou Qingbai¡¯s eyes were not accustomed to that darkness. So he squinted his eyes, making him look a bit fierce. However, Pei You¡¯s attention was clearly not on that¡ªthat day, Zhou Qingbai was wearing a T-shirt with a loose neckline, and when he bent over, the red string with a jade pendant around his neck fell out from the collar. Pei You stared at the swaying emerald bamboo jade pendant in front of him and inexplicably felt his face warm up. His mind went blank, and he completely forgot what he wanted to say a moment ago. ¡°This drink is on me,¡± Zhou Qingbai said. There happened to be an empty Goldschlager glass in front of the boy. Zhou Qingbai filled it with vodka and smiled, making a gesture for the boy to drink. Grey Goose vodka, forty degrees. After one glass, half of the bottle in Zhou Qingbai¡¯s hand was empty. Everyone present fell silent, looking at each other, then fiddled with the table¡¯s covering beneath. Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t like dealing with kids who couldn¡¯t make up their minds and didn¡¯t want to cause a scene. So after a brief standoff, he straightened up and left the remaining half bottle of alcohol on their table. ¡°As I said, drinks on me.¡± After the slap was dealt, Zhou Qingbai waved his hand and called a waiter to bring a plate of candied fruit for them, instructing, ¡°Serve them a platter of snacks as well.¡± With that, he slightly bent down, grabbed Pei You¡¯s wrist, and pulled him up. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Zhou Qingbai said. ¡°Let me buy you a drink as well. ¡° At the bar counter, Ge Xing had disappeared, leaving only an empty glass on the table. Zhou Qingbai led Pei You to the furthest corner of the bar counter, then bent down and entered the bar area, signaling the bartender to make room for him. Pei You¡¯s mind was still occupied with the swaying emerald bamboo pendant. He was taken away by Zhou Qingbai in a daze and only just realized what was happening. He hurriedly said thanks. ¡°Thanks for what?¡± Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t stop moving and took out several small shot glasses. Without looking up, he smiled and said, ¡°Those people are just playing around, but they are so unpredictable After drinking, they can do anything so you should stay away from them.¡± Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t use any fancy techniques as he usually did; he just quickly brought up a glass of clear yellow liquid from under the table and handed it to Pei You. ¡°This is Cinderella,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡± it¡¯s alcohol-free.¡± The color of that drink was warm and bright, with a sweet orange juice aroma. Pei You¡¯s fingers moved, and he didn¡¯t know why, but he suddenly wanted to explain. ¡°I¡¯m not completely against drinking,¡± Pei You said. ¡°But I drove today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I just think this one suits you better,¡± Zhou Qingbai said with a smile. ¡°You don¡¯t seem like someone who can hold his alcohol.¡± That was true, so Pei You didn¡¯t refute. Instead, he silently pushed the glass of alcohol-free cocktail closer to himself. ¡°By the way, don¡¯t come to a bar to find a date next time,¡± Zhou Qingbai said while sitting behind the bar counter, supporting his chin. ¡°Those young kids are reckless, love to play around, and definitely not suitable for you.¡± ¡°It depends on the person,¡± Pei You sipped his drink and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s more about character not necessarily related to personality.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Do you really like someone who is lively and outgoing?¡± Zhou Qingbai felt something was off when he heard that topic and raised his eyebrows in surprise. He clicked his tongue lightly and said, ¡°Then your personality won¡¯t do. If you continue dating like this all rigid and uptight, you won¡¯t find a boyfriend even in your next life.¡± Zhou Qingbai himself was the chief victim of Pei You¡¯s ¡°straight-style dating¡±, so he knew well that no gay outgoing man would date Pei You with that personality. He genuinely felt worried for him. ¡°Do you really want to find a partner?¡± Zhou Qingbai asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s always better to have someone than to be alone,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Then you really need to upgrade yourself a bit. Dating requires skills,¡± Zhou Qingbai pondered for a while, suddenly had a bright idea, and thumped his hand with passion, saying, ¡°Alright, how about I teach you?¡± CH 14 Zhou Qingbai suddenly felt like a genius. He believed with Pei You¡¯s single-minded efforts in ¡°self-introduction,¡± he would never fulfill his dream of finding a partner even in his next life. Zhou Qingbai was quite confident in himself, but Pei You had some doubts about this proposal. ¡°But aren¡¯t you a firm believer in being single?¡± Pei You asked cautiously. ¡°What¡¯s the connection?¡± Zhou Qingbai raised an eyebrow, waved his hand dismissively, and said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard the saying: ¡®coaches don¡¯t play¡¯?¡± Zhou Qingbai had never been in a relationship himself, but he had observed the bizarre love story of his brother Zhou Cangshan and his wife Jiang Man since his youth¡ªthe two had been childhood friends, five years apart in age, and their families had known each other for decades, with a good relationship since childhood. However, Zhou Cangshan was a serious and somewhat stubborn person, while Jiang Man was an open and liberal person. They didn¡¯t get along well together, often quarreling during their childhood days, and it always ended with Jiang Man being the one crying because of Zhou Cangshan¡¯s temper. As they grew older, Zhou Cangshan joined the army, and Jiang Man went abroad for further studies. They were separated by distance, stumbling over each other, and their feelings went through ups and downs, enough to write a thousand chapters of a romance novel. Zhou Qingshan witnessed their various experiences from their first love to marriage, witnessing their countless breakups and reconciliations. He thought he had experienced all the bitterness of love through them and had ample observational experience and solid theoretical knowledge, so he felt fully capable of advising Pei You. ¡°Let me tell you, when it comes to love, the ones involved are often confused, while the bystanders have a clear view,¡± Zhou Qingbai explained persuasively, ¡°I haven¡¯t been in a relationship, so I can be objective. But those who have been in relationships have limitations in their experiences.¡± Zhou Qingbai¡¯s reasoning made sense, and Pei You, in a daze, was led into this discussion and found his words reasonable. He twirled the glass of alcohol free cocktail with his fingertip, inadvertently sweeping his gaze over the loose neckline of Zhou Qingbai, suddenly feeling as if he had been burned, and quickly averted his eyes. ¡°Think about it.¡± Zhou Qingbai propped his head on the table, leaning closer to Pei You, and blinked at him, saying, ¡°I¡¯m a professional.¡± Suddenly, Pei You felt that after he covered for Zhou Qingbai in front of Zhou Cangshan, Zhou Qingbai¡¯s wariness towards him vanished. He was like a stray cat that had been tamed and now felt more comfortable revealing his true self, going against the image of his previous ¡°Manager Zhou.¡± The diamond lights on the bar shimmered, and the ruby earring on Zhou Qingbai¡¯s ear swayed enticingly in front of Pei You. Pei You couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to the earring and inexplicably convinced by Zhou Qingbai¡¯s words, he obediently nodded. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Zhou Qingbai straightened up, smiled, and clapped his hands, then made a mysterious gesture with a ¡®one¡¯ sign. ¡°Then let¡¯s start from tonight.¡± According to Zhou Qingbai, Pei You had no major flaws. The only thing that needed improvement was his inability to express himself, making him susceptible to misunderstandings and exclusion from the gay community. So, to help him fit in, all Pei You needed was to understand how to interact with gays. Once he had friends with similar orientations, he would naturally find someone to spend his life with. The solution to that problem, though not entirely easy, was straightforward. The challenge lay in adjusting to a different social mode of interaction, Zhou Qingbai himself was gay, so why not let him be the mentor? It made perfect sense to Zhou Qingbai. If he felt comfortable around Pei You, and Pei You could understand his implicit meanings, then he could consider himself a successful teacher. Indeed, Zhou Qingbai thought it was a great teaching method. Pei You, feeling a little lost, unknowingly followed Zhou Qingbai¡¯s lead. He didn¡¯t know whether this ¡°love coaching class¡± was reliable or how it would proceed. He needed to listen to this ¡°unconventional teacher¡± for all the answers. ¡°So, how do we start?¡± Pei You asked humbly. ¡°We¡¯ll start with this.¡± Zhou Qingbai replied, reaching out to push the glass towards Pei You and then lightly tapping it. ¡°Once you finish this drink, you can take me home.¡± As Zhou Qingbai spoke, there was a faint hint of a smile on his lips, and his voice was light and playful, making it sound both casual and flirtatious. Pei You¡¯s hand trembled slightly, and as if a switch had been turned on in his mind, he finally understood Zhou Qingbai¡¯s teaching method. His Adam¡¯s apple moved slightly as he couldn¡¯t help but touch the glass and drank the remaining half in one gulp. The taste of Cinderella was sweet and refreshing, more like a ripe fruit juice than alcohol. It had a slight stickiness and gentleness. ¡°Alright.¡± Pei You placed the empty glass back on the bar counter and stood up, taking out his car keys from his pocket. ¡°Where do you live?¡± ¡°Star River Bay.¡± Zhou Qingbai said. Star River Bay was about a twenty-minute drive from Sanlitun. It was neither too far nor too near, but if you were with a talkative person, it would be enough time to discuss the family background and personal affairs of all the relatives. Unfortunately, Pei You wasn¡¯t one of those talkative people. He couldn¡¯t help but glance at Zhou Qingbai several times, trying to find a topic to chat about. But what could he talk about? As Pei You remained silent, Zhou Qingbai also didn¡¯t say anything, and even though he was slow to catch on, he sensed that the atmosphere was a bit strange during the drive. He couldn¡¯t help but look at Zhou Qingbai several times from the corner of his eye. Zhou Qingbai had slightly lowered the backrest of the passenger seat, placing his hands behind his head. He would alternate between gazing out at the bustling traffic and glancing at Pei You. The way he did it looked so relaxed and effortless. Zhou Qingbai laughed and said, ¡°You seem nervous.¡± Indeed, a little. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Zhou Qingbai stretched his legs out lazily, then opened the window slightly, letting the cool night breeze in. ¡°You were fine before. I¡¯m just teaching you how to date, not trying to turn you into someone else. Relax.¡± Zhou Qingbai tilted his head and glanced up and down at Pei You, then shook his head with a sigh. He exaggerated his expression, and Pei You couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at his antics. Finally, those words allowed Pei You to regain some of the feelings they had when they were working together at the company. He relaxed a bit, and his whole demeanor was no longer as tense as before. ¡°Alright then.¡± Pei You gently curved the corners of his mouth and said, ¡°I¡¯ll follow your lead, teacher.¡± From a young age, Pei You had been an excellent student. He had a strong understanding and was eager to learn, mastering a concept and then applying it to other situations. For the rest of the journey, Pei You didn¡¯t attempt to start a conversation again. He turned down the volume of the car¡¯s stereo and, just like in the office, each of them occupied one side of the car, not bothering each other. That silence wasn¡¯t uncomfortable. Zhou Qingbai took a short rest while listening to the soothing music. When he opened his eyes again, they had already arrived at the entrance of his residential area. Zhou Qingbai said goodbye to Pei You, got out of the car, took a few steps, and then remembered something. He turned back, waved at Pei You, and smiled, ¡°Bye, drive safely back.¡± Pei You nodded, indicating that he heard it. However, Zhou Qingbai¡¯s footsteps remained in place, not moving forward. He tilted his head slightly and looked at Pei You, neither speaking nor making any movement, just blinking at him. After a moment, Pei You finally realized that Zhou Qingbai was waiting for him to say something. ¡°Uh¡­ How about meeting at the company tomorrow?¡± Pei You coughed dryly, trying tentatively, ¡°I mean, for work?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Zhou Qingbai showed a relieved look as if proud of his student. He smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the company.¡± CH 15 The next morning, Pei You went to work as usual. Before going to Qingshan, he returned to his previous office first. By the time he returned to work at Qingshan, he was more than an hour later than his usual working hours. The meeting room was quiet, with the other audit team members working individually. When Pei You pushed the door open and scanned the room, he noticed that Zhou Qingbai was also present. That day, Zhou Qingbai had arrived earlier than usual and was resting in his favorite corner, looking peaceful. No one bothered him, and he seemed almost invisible to the audit team members who went about their tasks as usual. The ordinary office chair Zhou Qingbai usually used had somehow magically transformed into a boss chair with a footrest. He reclined on it with half of his suit jacket covering him, his body partially turned, sleeping soundly. In the morning, a ray of sunlight would shine into that corner between the floor-to-ceiling windows and the wall. The narrow strip of sunlight covered half of Zhou Qingbai¡¯s body, but he seemed to find the sunlight a bit bothersome. Therefore, he buried most of his face in the collar of his clothes. Pei You¡¯s arrival woke him, and Zhou Qingbai first frowned, then squinted his eyes towards the door, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he lazily changed his posture and gave a slight wink to Pei You. Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You paused for a moment, and then belatedly realized that the reaction just now wasn¡¯t something ¡°Manager Zhou¡± should have. It belonged to the real, carefree, and even somewhat reckless Zhou Qingbai. Pei You stood at the office door, facing Zhou Qingbai across the long conference table while their unknowing colleagues were around them. They exchanged a subtle secret glance that only they could understand. Zhou Qingbai beneath the perfectly maintained ¡°Manager Zhou¡± facade, was quietly releasing signals to Pei You. That feeling inexplicably made Pei You a bit nervously secretive. He unconsciously looked around, seeing no one raising their heads to pay attention to them, he relaxed. He walked to the main seat at the innermost side of the meeting room, giving Zhou Qingbai another glance. Zhou Qingbai pulled down his suit jacket a little and gave a big yawn, his eyes half-closed, looking pitiful. ¡°This door in the meeting room needs maintenance.¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°It creaks every time you push it.¡± Pei You felt a little guilty about Zhou Qingbai¡¯s subtle complaint, coughed lightly, and apologized quietly. Zhou Qingbai lazily mumbled in agreement. Before finishing his response, his eyelids started to battle again. Pei You observed him for a while, feeling that he seemed unusually tired. ¡°¡­ Did you go out again last night?¡± Pei You asked tactfully. Considering the time he had dropped Zhou Qingbai off at home last night, he shouldn¡¯t have been this exhausted. ¡°No.¡± Zhou Qingbai yawned again and whispered, ¡°But I stayed up late playing Resident Evil. I didn¡¯t sleep until 4:30 in the morning.¡± That explains it, Pei You thought. Having received the answer, Pei You decided not to disturb him further. Just as he was about to turn back to the main seat, he felt someone gently pulling his coat hem. He turned back and found Zhou Qingbai half-closing his eyes, holding the corner of his jacket. ¡°My coat is too thin.¡± Zhou Qingbai suddenly said. Pei You was momentarily stunned, then bent down in confusion and gently flicked the fabric of Zhou Qingbai¡¯s coat ¨C the lining was soft and thin, indeed a slightly thin spring/summer type. ¡°Do you have a spare coat in your office?¡± Pei You asked, ¡± I can go get it for you?¡± Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t say anything. He just lifted his eyes and stared at Pei You with the same expression as when they parted last night, as if asking, ¡°Do you want to think about it before answering?¡± In that instant, Pei You once again felt the familiar feeling of being judged and criticized ¡°Oh¡­¡± Pei You thought to himself, ¡°This answer probably isn¡¯t right.¡± He quickly shifted his focus and looked around, asking, ¡°Shall I turn up the air conditioning a bit?¡± Having missed once, Pei You became more cautious this time. His voice was lowered, and there was a hint of imperceptible nervousness. Watching Pei You¡¯s face, which was quite cute but naive and clueless, in his mind, Zhou Qingbo sighed heavily. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m worried,¡± Zhou Qingbo thought, ¡°What will you do without me?¡± ¡°I want this,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, pointing to the corner of Pei You¡¯s jacket , with a meaningful look, ¡°It¡¯s quite thick.¡± This time, Pei You finally reacted. He gave a delayed ¡°Oh¡± and quickly took off his jacket to hand it to Zhou Qingbo. Zhou Qingbo was pleased with Pei You¡¯s quick compliance and gave him a relieved look, along with his spring/summer-style suit jacket. ¡°I¡¯ll take another nap,¡± Zhou Qingbo said unceremoniously as he covered himself with the jacket. Inhaling the faint scent of white tea, he quickly entered a shallow sleep state, murmuring vaguely, ¡°Wake me up at lunchtime.¡± The suit Zhou Qingbo was wearing that day was indigo, which suited Pei You¡¯s taste. Without much thought, Pei You naturally put the jacket on himself. However, as he sat back at his desk, Pei You noticed something ¨C his colleagues were glancing at him with evasion mixed with curiosity. Though there was no malicious intent, each look was distinct. Pei You put down the mouse after clicking on and off the report on the computer desktop twice, unable to concentrate on work. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Pei You asked. The closest girl was the most outspoken member in the department. She didn¡¯t hesitate to playfully bite the pen, asking, ¡°Pei-ge, when did you become so close with Manager Zhou?¡± In fact, the question didn¡¯t make much sense because Zhou Qingbo had slept under his jacket the previous day as well. But Pei You hadn¡¯t thought much about it then, while today, he felt a bit guilty and avoided the question. ¡°Is the draft finished?¡± Pei You asked expressionlessly. The girl was surprised by that question and quickly retreated to her computer, working seriously without saying another word. The morning passed quietly in the office. Zhou Qingbo comfortably made up for the sleep he missed last night. During this time, there was no interruption from his secretary, nor did Zhou Cangshan suddenly appear. The sunlight outside the floor-to-ceiling windows shifted noticeably, and Zhou Qingbo gently turned over, waking up naturally from a pleasant dream. He didn¡¯t know for how long he was asleep, but when he opened his eyes, the conference room was empty. His indigo suit jacket hung on a nearby chair back, but the person who should have been sitting there was nowhere to be seen. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart lightly sank with a subtle sense of desolation. A long nap at the wrong time magnified the feeling of loneliness, and the empty conference room was uncomfortably quiet. This ¡°wake-up feeling¡± was far worse than yesterday afternoon. He didn¡¯t know if it was because there was no sunset, or because there was no familiar face in his line of view. Furrowing his brows slightly, Zhou Qingbo pushed aside the suit jacket, preparing to stand up and find him. However, before he reached the door, someone pushed open the conference room door from the outside. It was Pei You, holding the lunch he had ordered in advance, he had his eyes wide open in surprise. ¡°You¡­¡± They both spoke at the same time. Pei You paused and checked his phone in his pocket. The signal icon spun around twice before displaying two new messages on the home screen. ¡°Sorry,¡± Pei You said, ¡°I was in the elevator just now, and I guess there was no signal.¡± No delivery personnel were allowed upstairs in Qingshan, and all orders had to be left at the front desk. When the delivery call came in, Zhou Qingbo was still half-asleep, so Pei You took the initiative to go downstairs and get it. Zhou Qingbo let out a sigh of relief. Unconsciously, he took out his phone and placed it next to Pei You¡¯s hand. ¡°The first lesson,¡± Zhou Qingbo said seriously, ¡°The first rule of dating is no ghosting allowed.¡± CH 16 Coincidentally, Zhou Qingbai¡¯s phone and Pei You¡¯s phone were the same model, both new models released last year. They were placed side by side, looking surprisingly harmonious with different colors. Pei You held his chopsticks, glancing from left to right, and then back at his own phone, feeling that something was off. ¡°No ghosting allowed?¡± Pei You asked, somewhat slow to catch on. ¡°With whom?¡± ¡°Who else?¡± Zhou Qingbai raised his eyebrows high and said righteously, ¡°With me, of course.¡± A puzzled expression appeared on Pei You¡¯s face. Sensing his thoughts from his expression, Zhou Qingbai leaned sideways and said persuasively, ¡°You see, you are now learning the right way to date, right?¡± Pei You nodded. ¡°So, you need practice material.¡± Zhou Qingbai had a well-organized logic. ¡°The problem is, you need to learn all these in order to find a partner. You don¡¯t have a boyfriend to practice with, right?¡± Clear and logical, so Pei You nodded again. ¡°So,¡± Zhou Qingbai said with a raised eyebrow, ¡°I will personally be your teaching material. How about that? Other teachers wouldn¡¯t be as dedicated as me, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± Pei You hesitated, ¡°but, isn¡¯t this¡­ a little unusual?¡± Pei You couldn¡¯t exactly pinpoint what felt off, but he just felt that this teaching method was too strange, making him feel a bit uneasy. ¡°or¡­¡­¡± Zhou Qingbai elongated his tone and asked, ¡°Do you have other teaching materials?¡± No, Pei You thought. So, Pei You was easily convinced by Zhou Qingbai¡¯s well-organized and objective logic and found his suggestion reasonable. Though he didn¡¯t understand how it was, he didn¡¯t reject the proposal and simply accepted it. Seeing Pei You relax, Zhou Qingbai gave him an approving look and then took out an icy cola can from a bag, placing it flat on the table and rolling it to Pei You with two fingers. ¡°A small reward,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°consider it like a gold star.¡± The aluminum can of cola was covered in cold water droplets, and as it touched Pei You¡¯s little finger, it brought a cool and refreshing feeling. Pei You subconsciously grabbed the can and prevented it from rolling further. In the afternoon, Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t go back to sleep. Instead, he stayed in his little area and dealt with company affairs. The secretary brought his laptop and office documents, a bit more than usual, so Zhou Qingbai couldn¡¯t fit them on his lap. He dragged a chair forward and occupied a corner of the conference table. Pei You noticed him from the corner of his eye and moved aside, making space for him. Zhou Qingbai said a low ¡°thank you¡± and then reached over the table to put something on the armrest of Pei You¡¯s chair. Pei You lowered his head to see that it was a lollipop. Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbai pulled the chair close to the table, lazily leaned against the backrest, and took a casual look at the data on Pei You¡¯s computer. He looked openly without any sense of sneaking around¡ªafter all, that was all internal data from Qingshan, and Zhou Cangshan asked him to learn from Pei You. Qingshan¡¯s finances were clear and straightforward, with no need for excessive scrutiny. Pei You¡¯s work was coming to an end, and he was doing the final data verification. Zhou Qingbai, bored, scanned through the data, not remembering much. However, he was suddenly drawn to a line of red-bolded text. ¡°High-risk¡­¡± Zhou Qingbai murmured, pointing at the data on the screen, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a subsidiary company of Qingshan,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Dongjiang Engineering. They have consistently failed to submit their financial reports, and I suspect there¡¯s a problem.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zhou Qingbai drawled and leaned against the chair back, smiling, ¡°The general manager is Liu Xin. I know him.¡± His tone carried a subtle understanding, surprising Pei You. ¡°How do you know him?¡± Pei You asked. Previously, he had discussed that person with Zhou Cangshan, and from Zhou Cangshan¡¯s tone, it was apparent that he was unfamiliar with him. But Zhou Qingbai, who usually paid no attention to company affairs, seemed to know Liu Xin better than Zhou Cangshan. ¡°It was a few years ago. He came to Qingshan to report on something,¡± Zhou Qingbai said while performing magic tricks, pulling out a pack of melon seeds from his coat. He cracked them open while speaking, ¡°Afterward, he invited me to have a meal.¡± ¡°He invited you to a meal?¡± Pei You was puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t he invite your brother?¡± Liu Xin had taken over the company only about five years ago. Zhou Qingbai was about twenty-four or twenty-five at that time. Although Pei You didn¡¯t know what position he held in the company but based on his understanding of Zhou Qingbai from the short time they spent together, he could almost confirm that Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t hold any significant position during that time. ¡°How could he?¡± Zhou Qingbai gave him a look and placed the melon seed shells into a small pile on the table. He said, ¡°My brother is always upright and incorruptible, unlike me. So he naturally looked for me.¡± Pei You understood what he meant. Zhou Qingbai said. ¡°He was extremely polite to me at that time, so polite that it felt a bit fake, so I didn¡¯t develop a deep friendship with him.¡± Zhou Qingbai wasn¡¯t interested in company affairs, but he had an unusual intuition when it came to people. He mostly followed his instincts in making friends¡ªgetting closer to those he felt comfortable with and staying away from those he disliked. This instinct resulted in not having many friends, but the quality of his friendships were good. ¡°Your intuition is accurate,¡± Pei You said. ¡°I reviewed the annual reports submitted by Dongjiang from the previous years. They appeared a mess, but in reality, it¡¯s not just a matter of messy accounts.¡± ¡°What else?¡± Zhou Qingbai asked. While Zhou Qingbai was sensitive to people, he wasn¡¯t adept at understanding numbers. At best, he could recognize issues in their reports¡¯ terms and clauses, but anything more in-depth was beyond him. ¡°it¡¯s impossible for their annual losses and profits to be nearly the same every year,¡± Pei You said. ¡°In each of their submitted financial reports, the results are perfectly rounded whole numbers, earning neither a cent more nor a cent less, and occasionally even showing slight losses. Normal financial reports wouldn¡¯t have such coincidental numbers, so I suspect that they are fabricating their accounts.¡± Pei You paused and continued, ¡± I suspect they embezzle public funds.¡± CH 17 As soon as Pei You finished speaking, someone knocked on the door of the conference room from outside. Both Zhou Qingbai and him fell silent, looking towards the door. Zhou Cangshan¡¯s secretary pushed the door open and walked in, politely greeting Pei You. ¡°Mr. Pei,¡± the secretary said, ¡°If you¡¯re available now, would you mind going to Mr. Zhou¡¯s office?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Pei You nodded and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll go there shortly.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zhou Qingbai sat up a bit and asked, ¡°Is Big Brother busy now?¡± The secretary probably didn¡¯t expect him to suddenly ask, and his steps hesitated briefly before stopping again. ¡°There are some financial matters that need to be discussed with Mr. Pei,¡± the secretary said, ¡°As for being busy or not¡ªwell, he just finished meeting with two cooperation partners, and there are no other external arrangements afterward.¡± Zhou Qingbai acknowledged and casually picked up his laptop, holding it under his arm as he stood up and pushed the chair back. When Zhou Cangshan got busy, he wouldn¡¯t stop. That day, Zhou Qingbai planned to report his work to him as usual so he wouldn¡¯t stay overtime in the company. ¡°That works out well. I also have something to discuss with Big Brother,¡± Zhou Qingbai turned his head and glanced at Pei You, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± Pei You had no objections and nodded, following Zhou Qingbai out of the conference room. Upstairs in the office, Zhou Cangshan was waiting for Pei You. He held a thin document in his hand, which he had flipped through several times. His brow was furrowed, showing a rare look of worry as he held the document for a while, lost in thought. As soon as Zhou Qingbai entered the room, he saw that contemplative look. Unable to resist, he raised an eyebrow and lightly knocked on the door, bringing back his attention. ¡°Qingbai?¡± Zhou Cangshan looked puzzled, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°You were about to get busy, right?¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°So, I came to report the summary of the work and the quarterly plan.¡± While speaking, Zhou Qingbai casually opened his laptop, tapped on the touchscreen a few times, and then handed the laptop over, placing it in front of Zhou Cangshan. ¡°Don¡¯t mess around,¡± Zhou Cangshan said habitually, ¡°I¡¯ll look at it later¡ª¡± He had intended to ask Zhou Qingbai to leave first so he could talk to Pei You . However, in the middle of his sentence, he suddenly stopped. For some reason, Zhou Cangshan changed his mind and glanced at Pei You behind Zhou Qingbai before swallowing the rest of his words. ¡°Mr. Pei, you don¡¯t mind waiting a little longer, right?¡± Zhou Cangshan asked. Pei You, of course, didn¡¯t mind. For him, working overtime for a little while was nothing out of the ordinary. However, considering Zhou Qingbai¡¯s aversion to working overtime, he naturally didn¡¯t mind letting Zhou Qingbai handle his business first. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Zhou Qingbai turned back to Pei You, smiled, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be quick.¡± Pei You nodded slightly, indicating that he could take his time. During that time, Pei You had visited various departments at Qingshan. The routine report from the Human Resources Department didn¡¯t need to be hidden from him, so Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t hold back and directly got to the point. Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t like working in the office, and his daily routine was quite casual. He would slack off and browse the internet, not even returning to his own office. Pei You had thought that Zhou Qingbai was there just for appearances¡¯ sake, but after listening for a while, he realized that wasn¡¯t entirely the case. While he seemed indifferent to other departments¡¯ affairs, he handled his own department¡¯s work quite well. His reports were concise and clear, showing that he was well-versed in those matters. So, he was actually working in the afternoon, Pei You thought to himself. Perhaps Zhou Qingbai¡¯s propensity to avoid work was too obvious, which made Pei You assume that he was just playing Minesweeper on his computer. But it turned out he did do some real work. ¡°The new performance management system has been in place for three months, and the results are good,¡± Zhou Qingbai took out a slender pen from his pocket and pointed at the screen, saying, ¡°Here are the data results.¡± ¡°The campus recruitment for the past six months has also concluded. I sent you a copy of the interns¡¯ names and reports this afternoon, so remember to take a look,¡± Zhou Qingbai continued, ¡°As for other matters, there¡¯s nothing particularly important. The main task ahead is to update and optimize the internal staff files¡ªsince the departmental reorganization, the personnel information hasn¡¯t been updated.¡± Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t mince his words when he said ¡°quick,¡± and within about ten minutes, he finished his work report and waited for Zhou Cangshan¡¯s approval. He always worked in an ordinary and steady manner, never doing any extra work. However, he never made mistakes in his assigned tasks and was quite content with his current position. There was hardly anything for Zhou Cangshan to worry about regarding him. Zhou Cangshan also didn¡¯t expect him to suddenly excel and achieve remarkable results. As far as he was concerned, as long as Zhou Qingbai put effort into his work, he felt at ease. ¡°Not bad,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°Leave it, and I¡¯ll examine it in detail tonight.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Zhou Qingbai clapped his hands, stood up straight, and said with a smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll¡­¡± Before he could say ¡°clock off,¡± Zhou Cangshan seemed to anticipate his actions and promptly interrupted him. ¡°It¡¯s perfect timing. I need to have a chat with Mr. Pei about other matters, and you can listen as well.¡± Zhou Cangshan turned his head and said, ¡°Sit nearby.¡± Zhou Qingbai: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Cangshan was decisive in his words. If he said he wanted someone to stay, Zhou Qingbai knew he couldn¡¯t leave through that door. The joy and relaxation on his face instantly disappeared, and he visibly became a little listless. He reluctantly dragged his feet and moved to Zhou Cangshan¡¯s side. Pei You seemed to sense something and raised his head to glance at him. As expected, he found Zhou Qingbai looking at him. Their eyes briefly met in the air, and within that short moment, Zhou Qingbai conveyed his protest and complaint about not being allowed to leave on time through a disdainful look, hidden from Zhou Cangshan¡¯s line of sight. He had just appeared as a business elite, but now, as soon as he was out of Zhou Cangshan¡¯s view, his true nature was revealed, appearing as if wronged. Pei You found this side of him adorable and couldn¡¯t help but curl up the corners of his mouth. However, fearing that Zhou Cangshan might notice something, he cleared his throat, lowered his head, and suppressed the hint of amusement. Unaware of the eye contact happening under his nose, Zhou Cangshan closed the documents in his hand and handed a transparent folder to Pei You. ¡°I¡¯ve already made some arrangements for the Dongjiang project,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°Now I want to hear your opinion.¡± The Dongjiang project had become a thorny issue for Qingshan. Pei You thought for a moment, listed the problems he had identified in the Dongjiang financial report that afternoon, and explained his speculations to Zhou Cangshan. Zhou Qingbai had already heard these words earlier in the afternoon, so his reaction was indifferent. However, Zhou Cangshan¡¯s frown deepened as he listened, and it was evident that he was becoming increasingly impatient. ¡°We previously discussed going there for an on-site audit as soon as possible to understand the situation better,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, suppressing his anger, ¡°Originally, I planned to send you there next Monday, but given the current situation, it¡¯s better to strike preemptively and avoid giving them time to react.¡± Hearing this, Zhou Qingbai silently straightened his body, and his eyebrows slightly furrowed. ¡°That works too,¡± Pei You said, ¡°How early do you want it?¡± Zhou Cangshan was a person who didn¡¯t beat around the bush. At that point, he didn¡¯t want to keep holding onto that hot potato. But before he handed it over to someone else, he couldn¡¯t take a loss without reason. ¡°Sooner is better,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°If you¡¯re available, you can leave tonight.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Pei You said. He had been on many urgent assignments, and such matters were quite ordinary to him; he was already used to them. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then. I¡¯ll have my secretary book the tickets,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, then turned to Zhou Qingbai by his side and said, ¡°Qingbai, you¡¯ll also go on this business trip.¡± The Liu family¡¯s relationship with the Zhou family was quite deep, and it was likely that an auditor alone wouldn¡¯t be able to handle Liu Xin. Zhou Cangshan needed to stay in Qingshan and couldn¡¯t leave. After some consideration, Zhou Qingbai was the most suitable person. However, Zhou Qingbai had never liked going on business trips, and the problem was how to persuade him to agree. Zhou Cangshan could already anticipate how Zhou Qingbai would refuse and had prepared counterarguments in his mind. Unexpectedly, Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t follow the usual path this time and simply agreed. ¡°Okay,¡± Zhou Qingbai said. Zhou Cangshan: ¡°¡­¡± Surprised by his straightforwardness, Zhou Cangshan had no need for the planned follow-up arguments. He couldn¡¯t help but look at him in confusion, wondering where that unusual attitude came from. Ignoring Zhou Cangshan¡¯s expression, Zhou Qingbai leisurely stood up, stretched lazily, and asked, ¡°Then, is there anything else? I¡¯ll go pack my things now.¡± Afraid that he might change his mind and refuse to go if given more time, Zhou Cangshan nodded and quickly agreed. Zhou Qingbai needed to pack, and Pei You also had to make some preparations. They walked out of Zhou Cangshan¡¯s office one after the other until they reached the elevator. It was at that moment that Pei You broke the silence. ¡°Don¡¯t you hate working overtime?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Zhou Qingbai pressed the down button of the elevator and casually replied, ¡°But I can¡¯t let you handle the scoundrel alone.¡± Pei You looked at Zhou Qingbai, who appeared introverted and cold, and always felt that such a person should sit in a clean and bright office, drinking coffee and preparing reports. As long as he fiddled with those messy numbers, he wouldn¡¯t need to worry about anything else. He had met Liu Xin and knew what kind of person he was ¨C hypocritical, cunning, and full of scheming. Pei You couldn¡¯t even figure out the implications behind someone¡¯s words in a blind date setting, let alone dealing with someone like Liu Xin, who was treacherous. The thought of Pei You possibly being deceived by Liu Xin made Zhou Qingbai feel annoyed, and he thought it would be simpler if he also went to deal with it. Fine, Zhou Qingbai generously thought, I¡¯ll work overtime this time, considering it a favor owed to him at the bar. CH 18 At 9:10 PM, Terminal 2 of the Capital International Airport. For the third time, Pei You checked his watch. The flight was scheduled to depart at 10:30 PM. Before parting ways at Qingshan, Pei You and Zhou Qingbai agreed to meet at the terminal at 9 PM. However, now, Zhou Qingbai was already ten minutes late, and there was still no sign of him. The WeChat chat box remained silent, with no explanation provided. Pei You fiddled with his phone, hesitating whether he should call him to inquire about the situation, when suddenly, the screen lit up, and Zhou Qingbai¡¯s name appeared on it. Zhou Qingbai quickly answered the call as if their minds were connected. ¡°Hello,¡± his voice sounded slightly distorted through the phone, and he seemed to be breathing rapidly, almost gasping for breath. ¡°I¡¯ve already arrived at the airport. Please wait for me for ten more minutes.¡± ¡°No rush,¡± Pei You turned to look at the information board in the hall and said, ¡°The flight is delayed; it might take off a bit later.¡± Zhou Qingbai acknowledged with a sound, indicating that he understood, and then hastily hung up the phone. Pei You didn¡¯t know what Zhou Qingbai had been up to during the few hours they were apart, but any message was better than no message. He felt relieved and put his luggage down, walking a few steps to find a seat where he could see the entrance. Ten more minutes passed before Zhou Qingbai¡¯s figure finally appeared from the entrance passage. Holding his phone, he glanced around, and upon spotting Pei You, he walked briskly towards him. ¡°Sorry ,¡± Zhou Qingbai began to say from three steps away, ¡°The taxi driver was from out of town, just started the job a week ago, and couldn¡¯t tell between T1 and T2. He dropped me off at the wrong terminal, and I had to run here from there.¡± He looked visibly exhausted, with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. He had taken off his coat and hung it over his arm. The jade pendant around his neck had slipped out and dangled on his chest. Zhou Qingbai took a deep breath, then without hesitation, he slid his luggage to Pei You¡¯s side and casually sat down next to him, sprawling back on the chair bonelessly. Pei You handed him a tissue, and Zhou Qingbai softly thanked him before wiping the sweat off his forehead. ¡°If it¡¯s so inconvenient, why don¡¯t you buy a car?¡± Pei You suggested. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to. Driving is tiring. Besides, I have no material demands,¡± Zhou Qingbai casually replied, then crumpled the tissue into a ball and accurately tossed it into a trash bin five steps away. ¡°Let¡¯s rest for five more minutes,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to upgrade the ticket.¡± ¡°¡­But you said you have no material demands,¡± Pei You asked. ¡°It¡¯s different,¡± Zhou Qingbai said with an air of righteousness, ¡°When I say I have no demands, it means I¡¯m fine with having or not having it. I don¡¯t deliberately choose hardships but when there¡¯s a simple and comfortable way to live, why not choose it?¡± ¡°Ease¡± seemed to be the first guiding principle in Zhou Qingbai¡¯s life. He had no ambition, and his focus on his career was minimal. He didn¡¯t care much about appearing prestigious; he cared only about living comfortably. Pei You found himself convinced by his clever argument and vaguely felt that Zhou Qingbai was an interesting person. Throughout his life, from the rocket class to Peking University Guanghua, Pei You had met countless young talents. Most of them had detailed life plans, were ambitious, worked hard, and easily garnered applause and success, becoming influential and proactive figures in society. But Zhou Qingbai was different from all of them. His way of living and dealing with things appeared much simpler: if he didn¡¯t like something, he stayed away from it, and if he felt comfortable, he moved closer. He didn¡¯t plan much for his life and seemed like the type of rich second generation who simply lived life as it came. Lack of ambition clearly wasn¡¯t a good quality, but somehow, Pei You felt that if the person was Zhou Qingbai, it wasn¡¯t such a bad thing. After resting for a while, Zhou Qingbai finally regained his breath. He tried to sit up straight but either due to exhaustion or laziness, he failed and gave up. Pei You suddenly turned to look at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Upgrading the ticket,¡± Zhou Qingbai said weakly, ¡°I have to.¡± He looked like he didn¡¯t want to move, lying half-slumped in the chair, with his chin resting on his arm. There was a clear tiredness on his face, as if he wasn¡¯t used to the rhythm of late-night business trips. The airport was sparsely populated at that late hour, and besides Zhou Qingbai, there was only a couple cuddling far away in the waiting area. The bright lights on the ceiling illuminated the empty waiting area, and Zhou Qingbai, lying on the chair, guarded his two carry-on luggage by himself, looking somewhat solitary. Pei You knew that Zhou Qingbai hated working overtime and didn¡¯t enjoy business trips, yet he still came along. That realization made Pei You¡¯s heart slightly soften. He instinctively stopped walking, quietly observing Zhou Qingbai under the bright light for a while, until he had meticulously traced his profile with his eyes. Only then did he take out the chilled Coke from the plastic bag he had been holding in his hand. The spacious hall echoed with footsteps, and Zhou Qingbai had already heard the sound of Pei You¡¯s return, but he was too lazy to get up. Only when Pei You came to his side did he lazily stretch his arm and accurately grab Pei You¡¯s sleeve. Zhou Qingbai raised his head, squinting his eyes and said, ¡°stealing.¡± ¡°stealing what?¡± Pei You asked. Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t say anything; his fingers traced up Pei You¡¯s sleeve, maintaining that position. With some effort, he straightened his waist, at the same time taking the Coke can from his hand and smiling mischievously at him. ¡°Whatever I want,¡± Zhou Qingbai said. Pei You¡¯s expression momentarily blanked; he couldn¡¯t immediately respond to the comment. Zhou Qingbai chuckled, unable to contain himself, and lowered his head, laughing silently. Pei You was introverted and often appeared too serious during work, with a cold and indifferent expression on his face. When they weren¡¯t familiar with each other, there was a certain distance between Zhou Qingbai and him. But as they became more acquainted, Zhou Qingbai couldn¡¯t help but want to tease Pei You, trying to provoke new and interesting reactions from him. Frankly speaking, Zhou Qingbai thought it was quite fun to tease him. CH 19 Seeing him laughing endlessly, Pei You realized that Zhou Qingbai was teasing him. He sighed helplessly, as if he was about to take back the Coke from him. ¡°Stealing is illegal,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Give it back.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Zhou Qingbai deftly evaded his attempt to retrieve the can, smiling mischievously, ¡°If I¡¯ve got it, it¡¯s mine.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t really mind joking around; after all, Zhou Qingbai was just playing with him and not doing anything serious. Pei You circled around a row of seats, moved two carry-on bags, and sat next to Zhou Qingbai. Zhou Qingbai casually said, ¡°It¡¯s just a joke.¡± He took a sip of Coke, resting his head on one arm, and leaned the Coke can against the back of the chair. He used one hand to open the pull-tab while looking lazily at Pei You, blinking playfully. ¡°Besides,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°You can¡¯t steal in public.¡± ¡°Then where should one do it?¡± Pei You asked. That question stumped Zhou Qingbai. He rolled his eyes, touched his chin, and pondered for a moment, then gave a vague answer. ¡°Maybe at the Black Bar,¡± Zhou Qingbai said confidently, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard the saying? ¡®Murder and arson happen on dark, windy nights.¡¯ Also, crimes must be committed in a place familiar to the suspect; that way, it feels safer.¡± Peeling off the veneer of ¡°President Zhou,¡± Zhou Qingbai was, in reality, someone who liked to have fun and do things spontaneously. Pei You couldn¡¯t keep up with his train of thought, so he decided not to bother. He lowered his head and rummaged in the plastic bag in his hand, taking out a paper cup sleeve, which he handed to Zhou Qingbai. ¡°Use this to hold the coke,¡± Pei You said. The metal can had been refrigerated for a long time, so its temperature was extremely low. However, Zhou Qingbai, who often made cocktails, had touched numerous ice-cold glasses, so he didn¡¯t mind. He looked hesitantly at the paper cup sleeve for a moment, as if he wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t find the words. Eventually, he put on the sleeve, turned around, and sat properly in the chair. ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Zhou Qingbai patted the empty seat next to him, gesturing for Pei You to move over, and sighed, ¡°considering I stole from you just now.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t think there was anything worth getting angry about in a joke. After all, Zhou Qingbai was just teasing him, not doing anything serious. Pei You walked around a row of seats, moved two carry-on bags, and sat next to Zhou Qingbai, casually saying, ¡°It¡¯s fine,I know it¡¯s just a joke.¡± Zhou Qingbai took another sip of Coke, tilted his head, and looked at Pei You for a moment. Honestly, Pei You looked good, he was attentive and patient, and among all the people Zhou Qingbai had met, Pei You¡¯s personality stood out. He was gentle without being weak, caring without appearing servile. Even someone as fastidious and trouble-averse as Zhou Qingbai had to admit that being with him was indeed comfortable. Still that potential catch was still single; it was simply unreasonable, Zhou Qingbai thought. But then he thought again¡ªPei You had been on countless blind dates and had never succeeded. That just showed that having a good character wasn¡¯t enough, charm was equally important. Unfortunately, that seemed to be Pei You¡¯s shortcoming; he was good enough, yet somehow hard for people to notice. Zhou Qingbai always felt that Pei You was like a cup of warm saltwater¡ªtasteless at first sip and seemingly plain. One needed enough time with him to discover his flavor. The more Zhou Qingbai thought about it, the more worried he became for Pei You. Suddenly, the Coke also lost its taste. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh softly, staring at Pei You with a meaningful gaze. Pei You felt a bit awkward being stared at so intently by him, and without knowing what was going on in Zhou Qingbai¡¯s mind. After a two-second delay, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Actually, you¡¯re quite good,¡± Zhou Qingbai said thoughtfully, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it carefully, and I feel that you just lack some tactics.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t know why Zhou Qingbai suddenly started ¡°teaching¡± him. He hadn¡¯t fully processed the transition in their conversation and took a few seconds to respond, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You need to be ¡®special¡¯ in love,¡± Zhou Qingbai said. That concept was too profound for Pei You, who had been single for so long. He looked serious and played the role of a diligent student, ready to listen attentively. Zhou Qingbai was satisfied with his cooperation. He straightened his chest, spoke with authority, and said, ¡°You can¡¯t treat a person you like as you would treat a client or everyone else. You should¡­ um¡­ distinguish them from colleagues and such.¡± ¡°how?¡± Pei You humbly asked for advice. ¡°For example, the simplest way to gain someone¡¯s initial favor is to cater to their preferences,¡± Zhou Qingbai explained confidently. ¡°Understand their worries, be considerate, and help them solve problems before they even ask for it. Naturally, this will increase their feelings towards you.¡± That approach seemed to align with Pei Yu¡¯s previously proposed ¡°blind date guide,¡± and he lowered his gaze, contemplating the idea. ¡°Of course, during this process, you must differentiate between being ¡®considerate¡¯ and ¡®helpful,''¡± Zhou Qingbai continued, pleased that Pei Yu was listening intently. ¡°When facing the person you want to impress, don¡¯t just help them in a straightforward manner. Instead, incorporate some subtle boundary-pushing actions to convey your intentions.¡± Zhou Qingbai knew that Pei Yu was always willing to lend a helping hand to others. Apart from treating him kindly, Pei Yu was considerate to his colleagues as well. Whenever someone faced difficulties at work, Pei Yu would willingly offer guidance or even take the task upon himself. However, his helpfulness was so natural and unassuming that it hardly sparked any special feelings in others. Zhou Qingbai lamented that despite Pei Yu¡¯s numerous acts of kindness, he had never managed to attract anyone¡¯s romantic interest, as he struggled to find the right balance. After hesitating for a moment, Pei Yu sought guidance from the ¡°relationship expert¡± before him, asking, ¡°So, how do you strike that balance?¡± This time, Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t immediately reply, he just handed the cola can back to Pei Yu. Out of habit, Pei Yu reached out to take it and hold it for Zhou Qingbai, but before he could inquire further, Zhou Qingbai suddenly leaned closer, getting a little closer to him. With their proximity, Zhou Qingbai¡¯s gaze appeared more focused, and the bright light reflected a subtle glimmer in his eyes. His previously carefree and playful smile toned down, giving off a meaningful air. Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t meet Pei Yu¡¯s eyes but rather lowered his eyelashes and looked at Pei Yu¡¯s left shoulder. Perhaps because they were on a late-night journey, Zhou Qingbai wasn¡¯t wearing a suit that day but also no jacket. Instead, he wore a well-cut windbreaker with a delicate blue color fading from the sleeves and hem, creating a subtle connection between ¡°CEO Zhou¡± and ¡°Zhou Qingbai.¡± The jade pendant hanging on his chest dangled as he leaned forward and it gently swayed in mid-air. Pei Yu¡¯s breathing stalled involuntarily, and his gaze began to wander aimlessly. Before he could find a definite point to focus on, he felt a light pressure on his left shoulder. ¡°It has some dust.¡± Zhou Qingbai said softly. He patted Pei Yu¡¯s shoulder, clearing away the nonexistent dust, and then quickly withdrew his focused gaze, straightening up in a matter of seconds, completing that ¡°lesson.¡± Pei Yu¡¯s heart inexplicably skipped a beat, and he let out a slow breath as if he had just emerged from a moment of stillness. ¡°Did you get my point?¡± Zhou Qingbai asked triumphantly, raising an eyebrow. CH 20 Zhou Qingbai had never been in a relationship himself, but he believed he had seen enough to handle someone like Pei Yu, who had grown up in a somewhat cocoon . As expected, Pei Yu was convinced by his words. He lowered his gaze, avoiding Zhou Qingbai¡¯s eyes and appeared to be contemplating. After a while, Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t receive any response, and his enthusiastic ¡°teaching¡± efforts seemed to hit a wall. Unable to contain himself, he reached out and waved his hand in front of Pei Yu. ¡°Hey, you are not allowed to skip class,¡± Zhou Qingbai said disapprovingly. Pei Yu suddenly came to his senses. He didn¡¯t know what he had been thinking about just now, and only nodded, indicating that he understood. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Zhou Qingbai asked skeptically. ¡°Yes,¡± Pei Yu replied. The spacious and brightly lit hall had few passengers left, as a young couple who had been waiting had already boarded their flight. Now, there were only a dozen or so scattered passengers waiting. Pei Yu was afraid that speaking loudly would cause an echo, so he deliberately kept his voice soft, emitting a gentle and warm vibe. Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t know whether Pei Yu genuinely understood or was just pretending. He tilted his head, observing him for a while, intending to ask further questions. But then, he saw Pei Yu¡¯s gaze sweep past his chest and stop at a certain point below his collarbone. The next moment, Pei Yu reached out and used his fingertips to pick up the red string that had fallen outside of Zhou Qingbai¡¯s T-shirt. Pei Yu was a diligent learner, always keen on summarizing and drawing conclusions. He was skilled at applying the knowledge he acquired. Though he still couldn¡¯t grasp the subtlety of ¡°light boundary-pushing,¡± he had, at least, understood the ¡°example¡± that was demonstrated to him. Pei Yu imitated Zhou Qingbai¡¯s actions, slightly pulling open Zhou Qingbai¡¯s collar and using his fingers to hook the red string, inserting the jade pendant back in. His cool fingertips unintentionally brushed against Zhou Qingbai¡¯s neck, leaving a clear touch on the warm skin. Zhou Qingbai unconsciously shuddered and instinctively avoided Pei Yu¡¯s gaze. In all honesty, Pei Yu wasn¡¯t experienced in seduction, and his imitation felt stiff and awkward, lacking any romantic vibes. However, there was a twist in the situation ¨C his seriousness. His gaze was pure and earnest, tinged with a subtle sense of inquiry. It was as if that action was some tremendous scientific research project, and he approached it with utmost caution and care. That overly serious approach unintentionally conveyed a sense of value and significance, making Zhou Qingbai realize a subtle form of attention. Subconsciously, he took a step back, avoiding Pei Yu¡¯s touch. Zhou Qingbai was adept at teaching Pei Yu with ease, acting like a flirtatious playboy. However, the tables turned when Pei Yu tried to imitate him, and Zhou Qingbai couldn¡¯t keep his cool, feeling somewhat uneasy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Pei You raised his head, puzzled and asked, ¡°Am i doing it wrong?¡± Zhou Qingbai: ¡°¡­¡± Indeed, Zhou Qingbai thought, no wonder he¡¯s a top student, he grasps everything instantly, although there was still a slight gap in resemblance, the overall imitation was already there. But as his ¡°tutor,¡± he couldn¡¯t show any unease in front of the student. Therefore, Zhou Qingbai awkwardly tugged at his collar, cleared his throat and commented, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a sixty, not more.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Pei You asked. Pei You had never received such a low score flying so close to the ground, and he was quite curious about the reasons for the deductions. ¡°Because the jade pendant is too cold,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°It¡¯s freezing.¡± After the jade pendant had been hanging outside for so long, upon contact with warm skin, it did feel uncomfortable. Pei You nodded in acknowledgment and humbly accepted the feedback. ¡°Understood,¡± Pei You said, ¡°I¡¯ll pay attention next time.¡± Zhou Qingbai knew he was nitpicking, but he didn¡¯t expect Pei You to neither complain nor refute. Zhou Qingbai suddenly felt a bit guilty, thinking he was being too unreasonable. ¡°¡­ You shouldn¡¯t be too easy going either,¡± Zhou Qingbai continued, trying to cover up his previous comments about the lesson. He raised the zipper of his jacket and said with some dissatisfaction, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t agree to every unreasonable request. Otherwise, be careful of being taken advantage of.¡± ¡°But you said I should empathize with others,¡± Pei You said. ¡°It¡¯s a matter of degree,¡± Zhou Qingbai said righteously, ¡°You can be considerate in small matters, but be clear about your boundaries in major ones. Have both good and bad sides, distinguish between right and wrong. That way, your kindness will be treasured, understand?¡± Pei You seemed to grasp the idea but not entirely. He had never given much thought to the intricacies of interpersonal relationships, and unlike Zhou Qingbai, he couldn¡¯t separate personal and public affairs so clearly. Therefore, although Zhou Qingbai guided him, Pei You was still a bit uncertain about that balance. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Pei You said cautiously. As they spoke, the flight schedule on the signboard refreshed momentarily, and their delayed flight was now at the top of the list. A staff member entered the boarding gate from the side, and the broadcast announced the preparation for boarding. Zhou Qingbai stood up lazily, stretched, and grabbed his suitcase handle, ready to board. But then, Pei You suddenly called out to him. ¡°You should practice what you preach too?¡± Pei You asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you also have reservations and not make unreasonable requests?¡± He looked at the can of cola and then at Zhou Qingbai. ¡°That¡¯s not the same,¡± Zhou Qingbai decisively swallowed his earlier ¡°teaching content,¡± shamelessly saying, ¡°I can¡¯t be included in this set of rules. Besides, I usually don¡¯t make unreasonable demands, so I don¡¯t fit in that standard.¡± He was double-standard to a degree that was exasperating. Pei You was momentarily stunned, having never encountered someone like Zhou Qingbai who was messing around like this. He had no defense against Zhou Qingbai¡¯s illogical logic and hadn¡¯t even thought about how other people became mysterious ¡°negative examples¡± all of a sudden. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it that way,¡± Pei You said sincerely, ¡°You¡¯re pretty good.¡± Zhou Qingbai was indeed pretty good. He was kind-hearted, had helped Pei You in Qing Shan, and also protected him in the bar. Although he had a bit of a lazy flaw, it was not a big deal in Pei You¡¯s eyes. So that praise was heartfelt, with no exaggeration. ¡°That¡¯s good then,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, taking back the advantage he had lost, raising his chin, and firmly holding Pei You¡¯s wrist. As he continued walking, he said in a brazen manner, ¡°But you asked the wrong question, so I¡¯ll punish you by making you carry the luggage when we get off the plane.¡± CH 21 Xi¡¯an was hit by heavy rain, and it affected Xianyang Airport. The flight that was scheduled to arrive around midnight was delayed for almost two hours, finally landing after two in the morning. That flight was the last incoming flight of the night. When they got off the plane, the airport terminal was already dark, and all the shops had closed for the night. Only a row of illuminated passages at the exit guided them outside. Zhou Qingbai and Pei You didn¡¯t have any checked luggage, only carrying two small suitcases, so they came out swiftly. As they headed to the parking lot along the escalator, there wasn¡¯t a single person in sight. ¡°It¡¯s too quiet,¡± Zhou Qingbai leaned on the handrail bonelessly and looked around, casually saying, ¡°Don¡¯t you think this looks like a scene from a survival game?¡± The modern airport building was tall and spacious. It was fine when it was filled with people, but in moments like this when it was completely empty, it felt a bit eerie. Pei You turned to look at Zhou Qingbai beside him and replied, ¡°Then let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t end like one.¡± Pei You paused for a moment and added, ¡°I only have clothes and a laptop in my suitcase, no survival weapons.¡± Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t expect Pei You to play along with his joke. He was momentarily stunned and then burst into laughter, patting Pei You¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s alright, no need to worry,¡± Zhou Qingbai stood up straight and proudly said, ¡°I have plenty of experience with outdoor survival. Follow me, and I promise you¡¯ll be fine.¡± That answer surprised Pei You a little. He looked at Zhou Qingbai with a puzzled expression; he didn¡¯t expect Zhou Qingbai to have such a niche interest. After all, in Pei You¡¯s eyes, Zhou Qingbai was someone who preferred lying down and barely moved, except when he was active during cocktail mixing. At other times, he was like he was in energy-saving mode. ¡°You¡¯ve participated in outdoor survival training camps?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°No,¡± Zhou Qingbai answered straightforwardly and confidently, ¡°But I¡¯ve watched The Hunger Games three times, completed all the levels of Silent Hill, and finished the Resident Evil series on hard mode. I also spent 328 hours in the game Ice Steam Era.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Understood, Pei You thought, a theory expert on paper. Pei You didn¡¯t put much trust in theoretical experience gained from games and movies, but he didn¡¯t want to dampen Zhou Qingbai¡¯s enthusiasm. So he cleared his throat and somewhat awkwardly changed the topic. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s the car arranged by your brother?¡± Pei You asked, ¡°Where should we wait?¡± The airport shuttle bus only went to Xi¡¯an city center, so Zhou Cangshan had arranged a car to pick them up and take them to Weinan city. Zhou Cangshan wanted to surprise Liu Xin, so he hadn¡¯t informed him in advance about the auditing of the accounts. They would directly go to Dongjiang to check the accounts once they arrived in Weinan. ¡°It¡¯s in the parking lot,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°A gray vehicle. At this hour, there probably aren¡¯t many people in the parking lot, so it should be easy to spot.¡± As he finished speaking, the parking spot near the escalator entrance lit up with the car¡¯s headlights. Then, the horn sounded twice in short bursts, trying to get their attention. ¡°Is that the one?¡± Pei You asked. Zhou Qingbai squinted to observe for a while, then nodded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one.¡± As they spoke, the escalator had already descended to the lowest point. Zhou Qingbai put away his phone, took his suitcase from Pei You¡¯s hand, and began walking confidently towards the car. The underground parking lot was spacious and flat. Zhou Qingbai glanced briefly while on the escalator and didn¡¯t see any railings or obstacles. He felt at ease walking. But Pei You still had some concerns. He quickly caught up to Zhou Qingbai, exchanged the suitcase to his other hand, and then reached out to hold Zhou Qingbai¡¯s hand. ¡°Slow down,¡± Pei You whispered, ¡°There¡¯s a small slope ahead.¡± He spoke a bit late, and before he could finish his words, Zhou Qingbai had already stepped down the stairs. Not prepared for it, Zhou Qingbai¡¯s foot missed a step, and he lost his balance. Pei You acted swiftly and grabbed his hand, pulling him back just in time to prevent a catastrophe. Zhou Qingbai swayed in place for a moment, barely regaining his balance. He then heard Pei You sigh helplessly by his ear before releasing his hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Qingbai was fearless, not feeling scared at all. He even shook the hand that Pei You had pulled back and jokingly said, ¡°Are you afraid that I¡¯ll trip and drag you down? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t¡ª¡± Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Qingbai noticed Pei You taking a step closer to him, and in the next second, an arm gently wrapped around his waist from behind, steadying him. ¡°There are steps in front of you,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Only two, be careful where you step.¡± CH 22 Pei You was a person who understood boundaries and manners. He merely offered a supporting hand and didn¡¯t actually embrace Zhou Qingbai¡¯s waist. But even so, the proximity was too close. Zhou Qingbai could easily catch a whiff of the fragrance from Pei You¡¯s body. White tea, pine wood, and a faint hint of lemon ¨C the scent was very light, just like Pei You¡¯s personality. From a distance, he seemed plain and uninteresting, but up close, one could discover what kind of person he really was. Zhou Qingbai wasn¡¯t particularly fond of such light fragrances, but when it was on Pei You, there was a comforting feeling of just the right amount. Smells quite nice, Zhou Qingbai thought. I wonder what brand it is; it¡¯s somewhat familiar, but hard to identify. He took a deep breath and followed the gentle force from Pei You¡¯s hand to step onto the steps. Although his vision was a bit blurry, his step was firm and steady, showing no sign of wavering. Zhou Qingbai turned his head to the direction of Pei You, raised an eyebrow, and smiled proudly, saying, ¡°see, i¡¯m doing great.¡± Pei You was good at encouragement and guidance. When Zhou Qingbai was confident, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to praise him. He nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°One more step,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Almost there.¡± Pei You¡¯s voice was light, as if afraid of disturbing something in the deep night. He maintained a distance neither too close nor too far, focusing on the steps under Zhou Qingbai¡¯s feet, preventing him from stepping into the void. Zhou Qingbai had never received such careful attention before¡ªhis father, Zhou Jiangguo, believed in the philosophy of ¡°a tree sapling without straightening will not grow straight.¡±while Zhou Cangshan, following in his father¡¯s footsteps, believed that men in the family should shed blood and sweat, not tears. Even if he rolled down a flight of stairs, as long as there were no major injuries, he should dust off and stand up as if nothing had happened. Although Zhou Qingbai¡¯s mother cared for him a lot, she was busy with work, and her close relationship with Zhou Jiangguo divided her attention. It was challenging for her to focus on every aspect of Zhou Qingbai¡¯s life. Growing up, Zhou Qingbai had never experienced such detailed care and concern before, and Pei You was the first. He wondered how Pei You had grown up, and that inexplicable feeling of being moved touched his heart. His heart inexplicably softened, and a strange sense of familiarity surged within him. Zhou Qingbai couldn¡¯t understand that fleeting sense of familiarity, but for the first time in his life, he felt curious about someone else, starting from their choice of perfume brand to the blank life that had never intersected with his. ¡°Do you treat everyone like this?¡± Zhou Qingbai suddenly asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pei You inquired. ¡°I mean,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°Do you show this level of concern to everyone?¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m not Superman; it¡¯s impossible to care for everyone,¡± Pei You didn¡¯t know why Zhou Qingbai suddenly asked that question, but he earnestly replied, ¡°Human attention is limited, so it¡¯s essential to prioritize those around us who deserve our attention.¡± ¡°So, do you treat everyone worth your attention like you treat me?¡± Zhou Qingbai pondered for a moment and added, ¡°Just like this?¡± Not really, Pei You thought. Nobody else is quite like you¡ª Pei You¡¯s thoughts stalled for a moment, and then a term unexpectedly popped into his mind, surprising even himself. ¡ªSpoiled, Pei You thought. Pei You instinctively felt that using that term to describe Zhou Qingbai wasn¡¯t quite appropriate, but he couldn¡¯t come up with a more suitable description. Zhou Qingbai wasn¡¯t a spoiled person, but he had a carefree nature and was unwilling to compromise. That made him seem somewhat spoiled. Pei You had a hard time getting a read on him and made more mistakes when examining him, so he got used to investing more attention in him. However, that answer clearly couldn¡¯t be said out loud. Based on Pei You¡¯s experience of dealing with Zhou Qingbai, if he said that, Zhou Qingbai would undoubtedly come up with countless retorts. Then, he would be defeated by Zhou Qingbai¡¯s meticulous logic, and once again, he would receive ¡°after-class assignments¡± from Teacher Zhou. Pei You¡¯s hesitation seemed to give Zhou Qingbai a certain impression. Zhou Qingbai thought he had understood Pei You¡¯s silent answer and couldn¡¯t help but sigh with a sense of concern. Being too easygoing made one vulnerable to being taken advantage of. Zhou Qingbai increasingly felt that Pei You was suitable for work, but if he were to genuinely enter into a relationship, he might be taken advantage of and become a person who had to be obedient and too submissive to others. For some reason, in a flash of thought, Zhou Qingbai had already acted out in his mind a thousand and eight hundred episodes of the melodramatic TV drama ¡°The Misguided Pei You.¡± The more he thought about it, the more he felt chills, so he couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply, glancing at Pei You. I should find him a good partner, Zhou Qingbai earnestly thought. At the very least, it should be someone with impeccable character, a good family background, and no black marks in the past three generations. As he was thinking this, they had already arrived at the car. Pei You let go of his hold on Zhou Qingbai and started placing their suitcases into the car. Then, he heard Zhou Qingbai sigh softly from behind and say, ¡°Hey, what do you think you would do without me?¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­?¡± Pei You was completely puzzled, unsure of what random thoughts Zhou Qingbai had come up with this time. He turned his head and found Zhou Qingbai leaning against the car door, wearing a worried expression as if looking at a pitiful lost soul. Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You instinctively felt that the thoughts in Zhou Qingbai¡¯s head were a bit outlandish. He wanted to explain a few words to change his image in Zhou Qingbai¡¯s mind, but he didn¡¯t know where to start and couldn¡¯t find the right words to say. After hesitating for a long time, he finally gave up. ¡°¡­Hurry up and get in the car.¡± Pei You said helplessly. Zhou Qingbai responded with an ¡°Oh¡± and turned his head to get into the car. However, he misjudged the position of the car door and almost bumped his head on the door frame, but Pei You quickly grabbed him. Pei You had almost no patience left for Zhou Qingbai¡¯s antics. He sighed heavily and looked even more helpless than Zhou Qingbai. He couldn¡¯t help but pat Zhou Qingbai¡¯s back and guided him into the car. It then started pouring outside the Xianyang International Airport. The airport had completely suspended operations, and the car they were in was speeding through the heavy rain under the cover of the night, heading towards Weinan City via the expressway. Zhou Qingbai was used to staying up late, and at 3:30 in the morning, he was still relatively alert. However, Pei You, who didn¡¯t usually work overtime, had a more regular schedule and couldn¡¯t hold up after staying awake the whole night. He began to feel drowsy as soon as he got in the car. The rain outside was pouring, and the late-night streets were deserted with hardly any cars in sight. The car windows were blurred by the rain, with faint lights occasionally passing by in a regular rhythm. Gradually, Zhou Qingbai¡¯s eyes adjusted from the night blindness, and the chaotic colors of the world became clear again with distinct outlines. Outside the car, the rain was falling rhythmically, and the windshield wipers were on. Zhou Qingbai couldn¡¯t see the rain outside clearly, so he looked at the person beside him instead. Pei You was leaning slightly in his seat, already asleep with his head turned to the side. His laptop bag was resting at his feet, moving with the car¡¯s motion as it drove over the speed bumps. Pei You slept quite peacefully, with his eyebrows relaxed, looking gentle and peaceful. The occasional passing lights from outside cast a faint halo over him as they brushed past him. Zhou Qingbai stared at Pei You for a while, and for some unknown reason, he took out his phone and unlocked it, secretly taking a photo of Pei You¡¯s sleeping face. Taking a sneaky photo was clearly not very ethical, and after taking the picture, Zhou Qingbai also found it strange himself, not knowing why he suddenly did such a thing. The moral boundary in his heart made him feel uncomfortable all over, so he shook his head and tried to delete the photo. However, as soon as he opened the photo album and saw the picture, he hesitated. The photo was taken impulsively, and he was nervous, so the focus was not that great. But coincidentally, just as he pressed the shutter, a streak of light passed by, and half of Pei You¡¯s body was bathed in the light, while the other half remained in the darkness, with only one of his eyes catching the light and leaving a narrow highlight in the photo. Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t know much about photography, but he thought that the candid moment and the lighting made it look like a movie poster. So his finger hovered over the delete button for a while, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to press it. Forget it, Zhou Qingbai thought, I¡¯ll tell him about it tomorrow, then it won¡¯t be considered sneaky. He imagined the conversation in his mind and believed that Pei You wouldn¡¯t mind such a trivial matter. So, feeling justified, he saved the photo in his album. Due to the heavy rain, the journey from Xianyang International Airport to Weinan City, which should have taken only an hour, was delayed. It was nearly 5 o¡¯clock when they arrived at their destination. Because of the rain, the sky was still dark at 5 o¡¯clock in the morning in Weinan City, with only a slight hint of gray on the horizon. After being on the road all night, even Zhou Qingbai, who was used to staying up late, was a bit exhausted. He yawned as he stood at the hotel entrance. Pei You, on the other hand, managed to get some rest in the car and was still energetic. He patted Zhou Qingbai¡¯s shoulder as they passed by, suggesting, ¡°Don¡¯t stand outside and catch a cold. Go in and rest.¡± CH 23 The hotel arranged by Qingshan was quite satisfactory. It was a newly opened hotel with complete facilities and no musty smell of old wood in the rooms. Pei You dragged his suitcase into the room, closed the door with a sigh of relief, and then loosened his shoulders, taking a deep breath to relax. After a whole night of flying and driving, even someone like him who was used to traveling long distances felt a little overwhelmed. He reached behind his neck and massaged the sore muscles before taking out his computer bag from the side pocket, casually placing it on the sofa in the suite¡¯s living room. The rain was still pouring outside, and Pei You¡¯s face finally showed a hint of exhaustion. He sat down on the sofa, pinched the bridge of his nose, and took a short financial report out from the outer pocket of his computer bag. Pei You was the type of kid who would finish his homework during the first week of summer vacation. He was used to getting his work done before resting, so even if he felt tired, he still wanted to go through the preparatory materials before going to sleep. The financial report of Dongjiang was a mess, with inconsistent data throughout, and even some figures from several years that did not match at all. It looked like it was written carelessly at the last minute. Before the business trip, Pei You¡¯s auditing team had urgently sorted through Dongjiang¡¯s financial reports from the past few years and compiled a centralized presentation for him, consisting of four or five pages, with the important sections highlighted. Pei You opened the small fridge next to the TV cabinet, took out a bottle of sparkling water, and while twisting it open, he walked back to the sofa. Dongjiang Company was not like Qingshan; it lacked a formal operating model and resembled the typical family-owned businesses of the last century. Internal management was chaotic, and the business scope was not well-defined. Similar to most companies that prospered in that era, Dongjiang was a construction company whose main business involved undertaking various small projects, including residential buildings and some less important municipal planning. They preferred handling their own projects rather than outsourcing and had a complete construction system within the company. Before coming to Weinan, Pei You went through their information and discovered that apart from their core business, Dongjiang also leased equipment to external parties and undertook small projects derived from their main projects. For a big company like Qingshan, those minor endeavors might not have made much of an impact. However, having seen numerous financial reports and businesses, Pei You understood that such business volume would be sufficient for Dongjiang, a local enterprise in an ordinary prefecture-level city, to sustain itself comfortably. However, the financial reports submitted by Dongjiang were a mess each year, not to mention the pitiful profits. When Zhou Cangshan had inquired about this, the feedback from this end stated that the physical business hadn¡¯t been doing well in recent years, construction costs had risen, leading to a decline in profits. Nonsense, Pei You thought. Dongjiang had its own equipment, stored materials, and its project engineering team was all in-house. With so much investment going in and very little revenue coming out, it was hard to believe that all the funds were spent on operational expenses. Pei You quickly went through the presentation and found that the major losses reported by Dongjiang were almost all related to cost control. It was either materials or equipment wastage, a wide array of issues. Having worked in that field for many years, Pei You had seen countless fraudulent accounts. He could even guess that Dongjiang might not have a systematic finance department, and even the accountants were possibly relatives or friends who weren¡¯t professionally trained. Otherwise, even if they were faking the accounts, they wouldn¡¯t make such obvious mistakes in that category. ¡ªExperienced auditors could easily spot the discrepancies after checking a few times. After spending twenty minutes reviewing the presentation, Pei You took out a pen from the side pocket of his backpack and marked two crucial items for inventory check, adding some notes. Having done all that, the outside had turned into a grayish hue. Pei You raised his head to look out of the window, then closed the documents, got up, and went to freshen up. He took out a change of clothes from his suitcase and quickly took a shower. When he came out, he instinctively wanted to hang his coat in the wardrobe. However, as he reached into the outer pocket, he unexpectedly found a hard card. He was momentarily stunned, then belatedly remembered what it was. An annoyed expression appeared on his face. Oh no, Pei You thought, I forgot to return Zhou Qingbai¡¯s ID. It was apparent that there was no time to go next door now. Based on his knowledge of Zhou Qingbai¡¯s sleeping habits, he knew that half an hour was enough for him to fall into deep slumber. So, he rubbed the ID card for a moment and placed it on his own bedside table. I¡¯ll deal with it when he wakes up, Pei You decided. After all, Zhou Qingbai had gone through a long journey last night, and it wouldn¡¯t be considerate to disturb his peaceful sleep now. Pei You tidied himself up and then took out his phone to leave a WeChat message for Zhou Qingbai, explaining the situation and informing him about the overtime arrangements. The message box remained calm , without any response. Pei You knew that Zhou Qingbai had already fallen asleep, so he didn¡¯t say anything further. He exited the WeChat interface and set an alarm. Normally, he would set an alarm for five hours later, according to his schedule. However, considering Zhou Qingbai next door, he pushed the alarm time two hours later. Based on the weather forecast, that late-season rain would last for an entire day and night. Comfortably resting amidst the regular sound of rain, Pei You fell into a deep sleep, a dreamless one. He even woke up twenty minutes earlier than his set alarm. Outside, the sky was gloomy, and through the heavy curtains, the room was dim. Pei You rubbed his temples, sat up on the bed, and then reached for his phone. Out of habit, he first opened WeChat to check if Zhou Qingbai had responded. He couldn¡¯t tell if Zhou Qingbai hadn¡¯t woken up yet or for some other reason, as the last message in their conversation was still the one he had sent before going to sleep, and there were no new replies. It wasn¡¯t strange for Zhou Qingbai not to reply, but what surprised Pei You was that just below Zhou Qingbai¡¯s pinned conversation, there were several new messages from Ge Xing. Pei You knew Ge Xing, but they weren¡¯t particularly close. They were merely acquaintances, and the only common factor was that Ge Xing had introduced Zhou Qingbai to him. They rarely contacted each other, which made Pei You wonder for a moment before clicking into the conversation. ¡°Good morning, General Pei,¡± Ge Xing¡¯s chat window displayed, ¡°Did the business trip go well? Is Zhou Qingbai difficult to handle?¡± That message was followed by a white dog smoking a cigarette expression, causing Pei You to furrow his brows, unsure why Ge Xing would randomly text him that. Out of politeness and because Ge Xing mentioned Zhou Qingbai, Pei You still replied politely. ¡°It went well, and he¡¯s not difficult to handle,¡± Pei You said, ¡°How did you know about the business trip?¡± Ge Xing seemed like an automatic reply expert, always online and ready to reply. The chat window immediately displayed ¡°typing¡± and within a few seconds, a new message popped up. ¡°He said it himself,¡± Ge Xing said, ¡°In his Moments.¡± Pei You was momentarily stunned, and he exited the chat, clicking into Zhou Qingbai¡¯s Moments. It turned out that a few hours ago, Zhou Qingbai had posted a photo of two overlapping flight tickets. His own ticket was underneath Zhou Qingbai¡¯s, but still visible enough to show his name. ¡°Let¡¯s commemorate my first business trip.¡± This is what Zhou Qingbai wrote as the caption. CH 24 That WeChat Moment post was made around four in the morning. It seemed like Zhou Qingbo posted it before going to sleep, but Pei You frowned in confusion, trying to remember when Zhou Qingbo took that photo. Nevertheless, Pei You casually gave Zhou Qingbo a like. As he was about to exit WeChat, another new message from Ge xing followed. ¡°In fact, I texted you to complain and ask for your opinion on this matter,¡± Ge xing said. Ge xing¡¯s message was quickly followed by a screenshot of their chat history. Pei You clicked on the image, which loaded swiftly, revealing clear chat records. The screenshot did not include the context, only a segment from the middle. The first sentence was from Zhou Qingbo to Ge xing, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t introduce anyone to Pei You anymore.¡± Without voice and emotions, that sentence appeared strong on the plain chat background. Ge xing¡¯s reply came immediately, almost right after Zhou Qingbo¡¯s message. ¡°Why are you meddling?¡± Ge xing asked, sending a puzzled panda head emoji, and then added, ¡± Pei You hasn¡¯t even expressed his opinion yet, why are you drawing the line so soon?¡± ¡°I know him better,¡± Zhou Qingbo replied. ¡°Besides, I have enough to worry about him, no need for you to intervene. The people picked are not suitable for him.¡± ¡°Huh? Speak logically,¡± Ge xing protested, ¡°Why do you have to inspect someone else¡¯s love life?¡± Zhou Qingbo had his unique way of handling things, summarized as ¡°if you can argue, then argue, if you can¡¯t, then play dumb and step back.¡± He ignored Ge xing¡¯s counter-question and just sent a white dog aiming a gun emoji. ¡°I don¡¯t care, it¡¯s decided.¡± Zhou Qingbo unreasonably said, ¡°He¡¯s busy with his career; you don¡¯t need to mess things up.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s final decision ended the chat, and the conversation stopped there. Pei You had no idea about the context or what happened before and after. He also didn¡¯t know why Zhou Qingbo and Ge xing suddenly brought up his private affairs. However, when he saw the names ¡°Zhou Qingbo¡± and ¡°someone else¡± together, Pei You unconsciously leaned towards the former. Moreover, Zhou Qingbo had been speaking on his behalf, so Pei You naturally didn¡¯t want to let him down. Therefore, without hesitation, he included himself in the unified front. ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Pei You typed, replying to Ge xing, ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with work lately and don¡¯t have the energy to think about love affairs for now.¡± There was a moment of silence in the chat window, longer than before, as if Ge xing was hesitating for a while before replying, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cover for him,¡± Ge xing¡¯s messages kept coming, one after another, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to explain his character.¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s good,¡± Pei You defended Zhou Qingbo with two sentences and politely declined, ¡°Thanks for your concern, though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, then I know now,¡± Ge xing was easygoing and Seeing Pei You¡¯s attitude, he didn¡¯t mind, ¡°No worries, we¡¯ll have a meal together when I return to Beijing. As for fate, it¡¯s all about timing.¡± ¡°But I thought you two were a good match,¡± Ge xing¡¯s tone changed suddenly, and he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be deceived by Zhou; he might look indifferent, but he¡¯s actually a nice person. Why not try to get to know each other?¡± Pei You hesitated for a moment, his eyes pausing on Ge xing¡¯s words for a couple of seconds. He felt that that sentence seemed to imply something profound. Pei You¡¯s experience in love and relationships was almost nonexistent. He hadn¡¯t even had a proper crush, let alone a romantic relationship. He was mostly clueless about the concepts of a ¡°significant other¡± and ¡°love.¡± He was ignorant and naive, and aside from arranged dates with a clear premise, he had no idea how to start a relationship different from friendship. Pei You admitted that he felt very comfortable with Zhou Qingbo during their time together. Zhou Qingbo was sometimes spoiled but never overbearing. Even if he made some inexplicable demands, he always managed to do it just right, never making Pei You feel like he was being bossed around. Instead, he felt a special closeness to him. During that period, Pei You had gradually become used to keeping an eye on Zhou Qingbo, and he didn¡¯t feel burdened. Without a doubt, Pei You had some slight feelings towards Zhou Qingbo, but those feelings were too vague, making it difficult to distinguish whether he found a like-minded friend or an object of admiration. With this in mind, Pei You wanted to politely deny Ge xing¡¯s words. He was about to withdraw the message, but Ge xing had already replied with another message. ¡°¡®I¡¯m not making things up¡¯¡± Ge Xing sent an emoji with a playful expression and said, ¡°You should understand this yourself.¡± Ge Xing text anything more, and Pei You felt somewhat relieved. To avoid prolonging that conversation, Pei You politely exchanged a few pleasantries and quickly ended the conversation. After lingering with Ge Xing for a while, Pei You closed the chat window. Even after some time, there was still no response from Zhou Qingbai. Pei You thought for a moment, put down his phone, and prepared the materials he needed for going out later. He organized his briefcase, finished freshening up, changed his clothes, and when he returned, the WeChat window remained quiet. No longer expecting Zhou Qingbai to wake up naturally, Pei You took his things and then knocked on Zhou Qingbai¡¯s door. The room was quiet, and after about four or five minutes, there were rustling sounds inside. Heavy footsteps shuffled towards the door, and the locked door made a soft sound as it slid open. CH 25 Before Pei You could see the situation inside the room clearly, he felt a large shadow falling on him. Zhou Qingbai, like a boneless rubber, leaned against the door frame, and without looking, he used his forehead to rest on Pei You¡¯s shoulder. ¡°¡­So tired.¡± Zhou Qingbai said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Why did you wake up so early?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already twelve o¡¯clock.¡± Pei You said helplessly. He supported Zhou Qingbai¡¯s weight with his shoulder, not moving back or forth, trying to push Zhou Qingbai away with his hand, but it felt like hugging, and no matter how he gestured, it seemed wrong. After a few attempts, Pei You simply gave up and patted Zhou Qingbai¡¯s shoulder, wanting him to get up by himself. ¡°Stand up first.¡± Pei You said. Zhou Qingbai could stay up late but couldn¡¯t get up early. The time spent staying up usually needed to be compensated for in sleep with a ratio of 1:2. Now, he couldn¡¯t even open his eyes due to exhaustion. Hearing this, he shook his head and acted reluctant, ¡°No, I¡¯m not awake yet.¡± He closed his eyes, speaking in a husky voice, and swayed along Pei You¡¯s shoulder. Pei You was afraid he would actually fall asleep and slide down, so he couldn¡¯t help but hug his back and support him. ¡°Get up and have some food.¡± Pei You said, ¡°We have to go to Dongjiang to check the accounts later.¡± Putting work first, Zhou Qingbai frowned upon hearing this, struggling to drag himself out of slumber. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s too early.¡± Zhou Qingbai complained, ¡°This rainy day is perfect for sleeping.¡± ¡°But we still have work to do.¡± Pei You said. ¡°Dongjiang¡¯s financial situation is chaotic, and if Liu Xin really embezzled public funds, he won¡¯t cooperate with my investigation. It will probably take some time.¡± Zhou Qingbai mumbled, then reached out to grab a handful of his hair, saying with difficulty, ¡°I¡¯ll go freshen up.¡± Wearing nothing but his feet, Zhou Qingbai walked heavily towards the bathroom. Pei You glanced at his condition, and when he passed by him, he pulled him back, ¡°Put on some shoes, don¡¯t slip.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± Zhou Qingbai rubbed Pei You¡¯s wrist, murmuring, ¡°Wait for me a bit.¡± Pei You nodded and sat on the couch, waiting for him. Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. Zhou Qingbai took a shower and finally woke both his soul and body up. He switched to work mode after coming out of the bathroom. He spent twenty minutes getting ready and then, when he came out of the bathroom, he no longer looked like a sleepy ghost. His eyes were bright, and he seemed fully awake. ¡°In a while, let¡¯s go out to eat, and then¡­¡± Zhou Qingbai was squatting next to the suitcase in a bathrobe, rummaging inside. He hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when his attention seemed to be taken away, and he said casually, ¡°Oh¡­ Where did my white T-shirt go?¡± ¡°It¡¯s on the bed.¡± Pei You said. ¡°It¡¯s under the one on top.¡± Zhou Qingbai, half-sleepy and half-awake, was almost amnesiac. He looked puzzled for a moment, then raised his head to look at the neatly folded clothes on the bed, and finally realized what had happened. ¡°You folded them for me?¡± Zhou Qingbai reached out with extended arms to take the shirt he wanted to wear and then turned his head to smile at Pei You. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Pei You said. The clothes were neatly folded in a square shape. Zhou Qingbai looked at them from front to back and, for some reason, couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply, saying sincerely, ¡°Hey, besides you, no other man has ever folded clothes for me.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± That statement sounded strange, and Pei You fell silent for a couple of seconds without responding to it. ¡°What were you saying earlier?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Zhou Qingbai easily diverted his attention, holding the T-shirt and the jacket he pulled out as he stood up. While walking towards the bathroom, he said, ¡°why don¡¯t you go to Dongjiang first, and I¡¯ll come later this afternoon.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t understand why Zhou Qingbai wanted them to act separately. If it wasn¡¯t for Zhou Qingbai holding a set of outing clothes, Pei You would have suspected that he was trying to get rid of him and then go back to bed for more sleep. ¡°Why?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Because if I go with you, Liu Xin will definitely focus on me,¡± Zhou Qingbai¡¯s voice came from the bathroom with a slight echo, ¡°He will think of me as your superior, someone who can control you, so he won¡¯t take you seriously.¡± Regardless of Zhou Qingbai¡¯s actual level of expertise at work, he was quite skilled in office politics. For someone like Liu Xin, who was well-connected, having someone like Zhou Qingbai, a legitimate heir to a conglomerate, around meant Pei You would be considered merely an employee with no real authority. However, if Zhou Qingbai wasn¡¯t present, Pei You¡¯s identity would transform into a ¡°royal historian,¡± and Liu Xin wouldn¡¯t dare to be impolite. That task was both troublesome and complex, and Zhou Qingbai wanted to give Pei You absolute initiative. He planned to let Pei You take the lead with Liu Xin first, and then he would appear later. That way, Liu Xin wouldn¡¯t be able to change his attitude easily. Pei You blinked, realizing what Zhou Qingbai meant. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Pei You said, ¡°No matter how he sees me, it won¡¯t affect the financial issues.¡± As Zhou Qingbai finished changing his clothes and came out of the bathroom, he wasn¡¯t wearing a suit but casual attire. The soft, thin coat outlined his shoulders, and Pei You¡¯s gaze followed the coat up, noticing a silver earring on Zhou Qingbai¡¯s earlobe. ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Zhou Qingbai frowned at Pei You¡¯s refusal, as if afraid that Pei You would suffer, and said with earnestness, ¡°You don¡¯t know what kind of person he is. He is both arrogant and rude. If he thinks you¡¯re easy to bully, he won¡¯t treat you well.¡± Pei You had been in the industry for several years, from an intern to his current position. He had seen all kinds of companies and dealt with all sorts of bad accounts, as well as some financial officers or CEOs who were unkind to auditors. However, he only cared about the clarity of the financial accounts and didn¡¯t care much about how others perceived him. He had never minded those matters. But now it seemed that Zhou Qingbai cared a lot. So Pei You swallowed the refusal he had been about to voice and accepted Zhou Qingbai¡¯s goodwill. ¡°Alright.¡± Pei You lowered his eyes slightly and said, ¡°And what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do something else first.¡± Zhou Qingbai roamed around the room, putting items like his phone charger into his pocket, and said, ¡°My brother said if Liu Xin really embezzled public funds, he would definitely have to face a lawsuit. So I¡¯m going to ¡®visit¡¯ his family first and see if there are any suspicious points.¡± That should work too, Pei You thought. Liu Xin probably wouldn¡¯t provide him with a regular financial report, and if Zhou Qingbai could find some other information, it would be beneficial for him. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go out to eat now,¡± Zhou Qingbai finished packing his things for going out, then naturally reached out to hold Pei You¡¯s wrist. ¡°Is there anything good to eat around here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, let¡¯s go out and check.¡± Pei You said as he stood up and followed Zhou Qingbai outside. However, just as they stepped out, Pei You remembered something and stopped, intending to turn back. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Your ID is still with me; I¡¯ll go get it¡ª¡± Before he finished speaking, Zhou Qingbai had already pulled out his room card from the power slot. Using his foot, he closed the door and pushed Pei You towards the elevator. ¡°No need to get it; just keep it.¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°I¡¯m so hungry.¡± CH 26 Of course, Zhou Qingbai knew that Pei You didn¡¯t need protection like a child, and in fact, due to his profession, Pei You probably had more experience in the corporate world than him. But maybe because he had met Liu Xin before, there was always a faint uneasiness lingering in his heart, reminding him from time to time. It¡¯s strange, Zhou Qingbai thought. The impression of their last meeting was already quite vague, but in Zhou Qingbai¡¯s memory, Liu Xin was at most someone who indulged in eating, drinking, and having fun, a spoiled rich kid. Though not a serious businessman, he hadn¡¯t crossed any lines that would make Zhou Qingbai wary. Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t understand where the vague uneasiness in his heart was coming from, so he thought about it and decided to attribute it to some kind of instinctive premonition. ¡°Even a strong dragon cannot defeat a local snake. If he doesn¡¯t cooperate, don¡¯t confront him head-on,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°I¡¯ll come to meet you in a while.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Fortunately, Pei You was understanding and didn¡¯t pay too much attention to Zhou Qingbai¡¯s unusual rambling. He didn¡¯t argue about his ability to handle the situation and simply nodded in agreement, saying, ¡°You focus on your tasks; don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll be at the company.¡± Two years ago, Dongjiang Company had moved to a new location, occupying a floor in a twenty-three-story office building in the local business incubation park. The newly built office building was not fully leased yet. The company signboards on the first floor¡¯s corporate directory were sparse, with about ten labels, and a few of them were already crossed out, indicating that they hadn¡¯t been taken down yet. Pei You easily found Dongjiang Company¡¯s floor on the corporate directory and politely declined the front desk¡¯s guidance, deciding to find the company¡¯s location himself. The elevator stopped on the twelfth floor, and as the doors opened, they revealed the company¡¯s entrance directly facing the elevator. The clean and tidy glass double doors had two frosted strips horizontally pasted on them, displaying the full name of Dongjiang Company. Pei You quickly scanned around and confirmed that he had come to the right place. He walked out of the elevator, instinctively adjusting his clothes, and transferred his briefcase to his left hand. He approached the company¡¯s entrance, pressed the outside intercom, and a crisp bell sound soon rang from inside the transparent glass doors. The young girl at the front desk woke up from her drowsiness, a clear expression of confusion appearing on her face when she saw Pei You. She hesitated and asked, ¡°Hello, are you¡­ here for an interview?¡± The last few words trailed off uncertainly, showing her lack of confidence. Pei You, after casually glancing around both sides of the office area, shook his head and replied, ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for your General Manager, Mr. Liu,¡± Pei You said calmly. ¡°I am a representative of Qingshan Group, the parent company. I¡¯ve come to conduct a financial integration of your company.¡± Although he didn¡¯t use sharp terms like ¡°audit¡± or ¡°inspection,¡± perhaps due to his naturally cold appearance, the front desk still tensed up. The girl at the front desk was very young, probably just in her early twenties. Her experience and skills were obviously not enough to handle unexpected situations. She visibly panicked for a moment and nervously said, ¡°Mr. Liu is temporarily not in the office. He¡¯s out, and I need to call him first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Pei You replied politely. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here.¡± The conditions in Dongjiang Company were quite good, with a clean and bright office space. On both sides of the lobby were transitional corridors with several small meeting rooms and guest rooms. At the end of the left corridor was the common office area. The commotion at the front desk had alarmed the employees working inside, and some of them couldn¡¯t resist the curiosity, starting to poke their heads out from their desks and offices. After guiding Pei You into an adjacent meeting room, the front desk served him with refreshments and then closed the door to make the call to Liu Xin. That particular meeting room was probably for internal use, without much privacy. The wall facing the corridor was entirely made of glass, and from inside, Pei You could see the front desk girl¡¯s slightly nervous expression as she made the call. Pei You withdrew his gaze from outside and felt his phone vibrate slightly in his pocket, indicating a new message. Due to the ¡°love instruction manual¡± he had with Zhou Qingbai, Pei You had become sensitive to new message sounds. He took out his phone and saw that it was indeed a new message from Zhou Qingbai. He placed his briefcase next to the chair, and using the table as a cover, he glanced at the message interface. There, he found Zhou Qingbai had sent a cute cat tilting its head, indicating a questioning expression. Pei You replied with a question mark, not understanding its meaning. Soon, another image of a crying cat with a similar style appeared in the chat. ¡°Oh¡­ we have no telepathy at all,¡± Zhou Qingbai replied, ¡°Someone disappeared from this chat box without reporting their schedule, but I won¡¯t say who.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± With just a short line, it felt like a long voice message to Pei You. He could even imagine Zhou Qingbai¡¯s tone and expression while saying that. Zhou Qingbai must have acted a bit coy, helpless, and sighed, his voice probably lazy and tinged with a hint of suggestion. Pei You was amused by his own imagination. He pursed his lips, forming a faint smile, and his gaze softened unknowingly. ¡°I¡¯ve arrived in Dongjiang,¡± Pei You quickly typed on the keyboard, ¡°But Liu Xin hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡± Satisfied with the response, Zhou Qingbai sent a new expression. The crying cat¡¯s avatar turned into a cheerful, smiling one, and he sent a heart to the other side of the screen. ¡°I¡¯ve already reached the entrance of his mother¡¯s residential area,¡± Zhou Qingbai courteously reported back with a photo of the residential complex, ¡°I¡¯m preparing for the undercover operation.¡± Pei You¡¯s mind was filled with question marks, wondering how Zhou Qingbai got information so quickly. He decided to ask, and Zhou Qingbai, squatting at the flowerbed near the entrance of the residential area, typed on his keyboard while holding an ice cream popsicle he had just bought from the supermarket. ¡°Local companies are bound to be well-known,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°and I know Uncle Liu and where he lives, so It wasn¡¯t that difficult. Their old residential area was redeveloped, but the old lady is nostalgic and didn¡¯t want to leave her old neighbors, so she¡¯s still living here, but in a larger house now.¡± ¡°Now there¡¯s a group of aunties playing cards in the residential area. I¡¯m planning to go in and inquire about the situation,¡± Zhou Qingbai said, ¡°I¡¯ll text you later.¡± Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t like dealing with serious matters, but he enjoyed getting involved in miscellaneous affairs. Pei You shook his head with a smile and encouraged him before ending the conversation. Putting his phone back in his pocket, Pei You picked up his cup and took a sip of tea. Half an hour later, Liu Xin, the elusive figure, rushed back hurriedly from outside and went straight to the front desk to inquire about the situation. The front desk pointed him in the direction of the meeting room, and Pei You, who had been observing the lobby from the meeting room, stood up and walked out. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m really sorry,¡± Liu Xin said, clearly having been forewarned by the front desk. Even before seeing Pei You, his smile was already in place. He approached Pei You politely and warmly extended his hand, apologizing repeatedly, ¡°I just went out for a business meeting, and it just so happens I¡¯m not here when you arrived.¡± Seeing Liu Xin face-to-face now, Pei You couldn¡¯t help but frown. That man in front of him appeared to be around thirty-eight or thirty-nine years old, with an unpleasant face. His cheekbones protruded, his forehead was narrow, giving him a cunning look. His eyes had dark-circles, cheeks sunken, and he seemed thin to the point of looking gaunt, with the wrist bones jutting out like a thin layer of skin covering the skeleton. He was slightly hunched, giving off an overall unhealthy impression, but his eyes seemed unusually sharp and excited. Pei You suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable from the bottom of his heart, as if he vaguely understood why Zhou Qingbai didn¡¯t like this person. Lowering his eyes slightly, Pei You avoided Liu Xin¡¯s overly enthusiastic gaze and extended his hand for a brief handshake. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Pei You said, ¡°I didn¡¯t make an appointment in advance.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not necessary to say. We¡¯re honored to have someone from the headquarters here. It makes our humble company shine,¡± Liu Xin said with a smile. His gaze swept over Pei You quickly, as if weighing his significance. ¡°By the way, I forgot to ask your name¡­?¡± ¡°You can call me Pei,¡± Pei You said nonchalantly, pretending not to see Liu Xin¡¯s gaze, ¡°Pei You.¡± CH 27 Pei You instinctively didn¡¯t have a good impression of Liu Xin, so he didn¡¯t engage in much small talk with him. After exchanging names politely, he went straight to the point and asked to review Dongjiang¡¯s financial reports. Liu Xin didn¡¯t obstruct him too much and quickly agreed. He also had a secretary find a small vacant office for Pei You to temporarily work in. ¡°Can¡¯t I go directly to the finance department?¡± Pei You asked indifferently. ¡°I can pick up the documents myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t, but it¡¯s not very convenient,¡± Liu Xin said while instructing the secretary to get the materials. ¡°Hey, our place is small, and the business isn¡¯t that formal. The finance office has both the official seal and company data, and everything is piled together. It¡¯s chaotic.¡± Liu Xin explained halfway, but Pei You already understood his meaning. There must be something fishy about Dongjiang¡¯s finances. Pei You had already anticipated that Liu Xin wouldn¡¯t be very cooperative, so he wasn¡¯t too surprised. As he came from the head office of Qingshan Group, Pei You had the right to access all internal information of Dongjiang. However, he wasn¡¯t prepared to clash with Liu Xin on the first day, so he simply compromised and accepted that arrangement. ¡°Okay.¡± Pei You turned his head and said to the secretary, ¡°Could you please find me the financial annual reports and corporate financial statements of the last three years¡ªbalance sheets, income statements, and cash flows, I need them all.¡± The secretary quickly glanced at Liu Xin behind Pei You, and seeing him slightly nod his head, she agreed, ¡°Alright, Mr. Pei, I¡¯ll get them for you and bring them over.¡± The office assigned by Liu Xin to Pei You was at the back of the open office area, between the western side where the finance department was and the eastern side. In the middle were around twenty pairs of eyes from the open office area, like a row of human surveillance cameras. Pei You waited in the office for almost half an hour before the secretary from Liu Xin¡¯s side finally brought in a large stack of materials. Her folders were of different sizes, and at first glance, they were about a meter tall, with receipts and reimbursement forms mixed in with the documents, fluttering around as she moved. Pei You stood up to help her close the door, and as he passed by her, he almost choked from the thin layer of gray dust mixed in the papers that filled the air. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Pei,¡± the secretary struggled to put the pile of things on the table, holding up the almost falling document box. She smiled apologetically at him and said, ¡°Everything is here because they were all together, so I brought them all at once.¡± Pei You bent down, picked up a reimbursement form that had fallen on the ground, and found that the date on it was from two years ago. He had a rough idea in his heart that that was Liu Xin¡¯s way of showing his dominance. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Pei You had no intention of engaging in meaningless arguments with them. He simply asked, ¡°Are all the things I need here?¡± ¡°Should be¡­ they should all be here,¡± the secretary chuckled a few times and said, ¡°I¡¯m not from the finance department, so I¡¯m not very sure.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t say anything and walked to the edge of the office desk. He reached into the stack of folders that had faded and turned white from the sun, finding a box labeled ¡°Annual Reports,¡± and pulled out the documents from it. Based on Pei You¡¯s work experience, Liu Xin wouldn¡¯t give him a bunch of completely useless waste paper. That would be too obvious and indicate that there was a problem. It was more likely that Liu Xin mixed truth and lies, giving him genuine reports while inserting a lot of useless information to reduce his work efficiency and divert his attention. ¡ª Although Dongjiang¡¯s so-called ¡°genuine reports¡± were also a mess of accounts, Pei You thought it was better than having nothing. He casually flipped through the documents and found the most recent year-end financial report. He went directly to the conclusion section, glanced at the balance, and put the document back on the table. ¡°The year-end balance in your last year¡¯s report doesn¡¯t match what was reported to Qingshan,¡± Pei You asked, ¡°Qingshan¡¯s report says 1.36 million, but the accounts show only 730,000 remaining.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not very sure about that,¡± the secretary said. ¡°Should I check with the finance department for you?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Pei You said. The secretary quickly left to find the company¡¯s accountant. Pei You lowered his head and sorted through the dusty documents, categorizing the files. After a few minutes, there was a faint sound of footsteps outside the office. Pei You looked up and saw that it was not the secretary returning, but Liu Xin himself. Behind him was a middle-aged man, slightly chubby, looking to be around forty-five or so. ¡°This is our accountant, Wang Sheng,¡± Liu Xin entered the room and sat at the table without any hesitation. He raised his hand and pointed to the middle-aged man standing at the door, saying, ¡°Mr. Pei, if you have any questions, you can ask him.¡± ¡°Mr. Wang,¡± Pei You went straight to the point, ¡°I¡¯ve looked at these documents, and the total accounts don¡¯t match Qingshan¡¯s data. Can you explain what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Wang Sheng scratched his head and said carelessly, ¡°I¡¯m not very sure, I¡¯m new here.¡± ¡°Oh, right, I forgot to mention,¡± Liu Xin interjected in time, ¡°Brother Wang just joined us as an accountant a month ago. The previous accountant got married and has already left the company.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± One messed-up account, a newly hired accountant who knows nothing, and a careless general manager with no business management knowledge. Great, Pei You thought, everything that was supposed to happen has happened. Pei You didn¡¯t feel angry. Instead, he had a feeling of ¡°I knew it.¡± He figured out that Liu Xin and this so-called ¡°new accountant¡± had no intention of cooperating with him. So, he decided not to waste his energy on them and simply nodded, saying he understood. ¡°Well¡­ Mr. Pei, please take your time,¡± Liu Xin tentatively said, ¡°I have some work on my side, so I won¡¯t accompany you for now?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Pei You said, ¡°If there are any issues, I¡¯ll ask Mr. Wang.¡± He agreed so casually that Liu Xin was somewhat skeptical. He stood up from the chair, gave Wang Sheng a signal, and the two left the office one after the other. Before leaving, Liu Xin covertly glanced at Pei You. He saw that Pei You had already sat back at his desk and took out his computer from his bag, apparently preparing to start working seriously. After the brief confrontation, it seemed like Pei You had fallen behind, but he had now formally stopped fighting. However, Liu Xin didn¡¯t dare to take it lightly. He felt that this young man in front of him was not easy to deal with. Although he seemed easy-going, he was difficult to influence. ¡°Boss,¡± after walking a few steps, Wang Sheng looked back at the tightly closed office door and hesitated, ¡°That person doesn¡¯t seem that intimidating.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything,¡± Liu Xin glared at him and said unkindly, ¡°These kind of people are the hardest to deal with.¡± Liu Xin couldn¡¯t understand Pei You. He seemed to understand the ways of the world, but he also seemed to know nothing. He was neither arrogant nor impatient, and he had a systematic way of doing things, which made it hard for Liu Xin to figure him out even after a brief exchange. Now, he was inevitably feeling a bit anxious. No one knew better than Liu Xin about the problems in Dongjiang¡¯s finances. He coveted the resources and connections brought by Qingshan but didn¡¯t want to pay the corresponding price. For this, he had made a lot of secret moves. If that matter wasn¡¯t investigated further, it would be okay, but now if Qingshan digs deep and asks him for profits, he would definitely be in trouble. Liu Xin had seen Zhou Cangshan, who was a person with clear eyes that didn¡¯t miss a thing. If he really found something, he wouldn¡¯t show any mercy. The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became, and he couldn¡¯t control himself a bit. A bit of twisted anxiety showed on his face. ¡°In any case,¡± Liu Xin said anxiously, ¡°whatever he wants, don¡¯t give it to him. Keep the accounts of the projects well-hidden. Since you¡¯re new here, even if you don¡¯t know anything, he can¡¯t do anything to you.¡± Dongjiang¡¯s accounts were a mess of scattered pieces. Since it was a construction company, they had completed quite a few projects each year. For some reason, Dongjiang either lacked a reliable accountant or something else, so almost every project had its own separate account, making it a chaotic mess. It was enough to give anyone a headache just looking at it. Pei You spent some time organizing his thoughts and found three of the larger project books from the messy pile. He began to do spot checks and audits. Once he got busy, he forgot about the time. The WeChat window remained empty, and Zhou Qingbai hadn¡¯t sent any new messages, so he didn¡¯t know what he was busy with. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when he suddenly heard a faint sound of footsteps in the corridor outside the office. The footsteps were light and irregular, gradually becoming clearer as they approached. Pei You¡¯s office was at the deepest end of the corridor, and he initially thought it was Liu Xin returning to check on his progress, so he didn¡¯t pay too much attention. However, to his surprise, the footsteps stopped at his door and didn¡¯t enter. Instead, there was a knock on the open door. Pei You raised his head from the pile of documents, and upon seeing the person, he couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes in surprise. ¡°May I ask,¡± Zhou Qingbai somehow managed to sneak in. He leaned against the door and made a gesture to him, smiling slyly, ¡°Do you need a pretty male secretary to help you?¡± CH 28 The ¡°pretty male secretary¡± who came knocking on the door looked dashing and playful, not at all like someone there to work, but more like someone aiming to steal business secrets. He seemed to have returned from the hotel, as he was now dressed in a slightly formal casual suit, bearing a resemblance to his Manager Zhou appearance. However, his ¡°disguise¡± didn¡¯t seem thorough enough. Even though he changed into work attire, he still had a silver earring on his earlobe, and his shirt collar was open with a thin red line peeking out. Pei You sized him up and noticed he had even taken off his wristwatch, replacing it with a narrow leather studded bracelet, creating a rather mismatched look. ¡°How did you¡­¡± Pei You began to ask Zhou Qing Bai why he dressed like that, but before the words left his mouth, he realized it himself. Zhou Qing Bai was a very discerning person, and he had a clear separation between his identities as ¡°manager Zong¡± and ¡°Zhou Qing Bai.¡± If a situation required him to play either of those roles, he would never make such minor mistakes in his appearance. That meant that he was intentionally dressed that way. Pei You guessed that he might be trying to give Liu Xin the impression of being an idle playboy, which would assist their future actions. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Qing Bai seemed to be in a good mood that day, and he was in high spirits. He lifted his chin and threw a flirtatious glance at Pei You, pretending to be unhappy, ¡°A pretty secretary like me here to work for you, aren¡¯t you glad?¡± Pei You found his act amusing and couldn¡¯t help but smile, asking gently, ¡°How did you get in?¡± ¡°You are so boring and uncooperative.¡± Zhou Qing Bai complained playfully, not getting the reaction he wanted. He then straightened up from leaning on the door frame, strolled in, picked up a chair from the side of the desk, and sat down. He casually explained, ¡°I said I was your assistant, and the receptionist let me in.¡± ¡°That easy?¡± Pei You asked in amazement. ¡°When I came, I happened to see Liu Xin.¡± Zhou Qing Bai crossed his hands behind his head, stretched out his legs, and leaned back on the chair, saying, ¡°He recognized me, so of course, he let me in. But it seemed like he was busy going out, so we only exchanged a few words.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t stay to chat with you?¡± Pei You said, refocusing his attention on the computer, clicking to save the spreadsheet he was working on. ¡°You are a high-ranking executive from the headquarters after all. I thought he would want to make some small talk with you,¡± Pei You said. Zhou Qing Bai made a sound of agreement, stretched out his legs, and crossed his ankles, swinging them under the table. ¡°I also wondered about that,¡± Zhou Qing Bai said, ¡°But he seemed like he had something urgent to do, so he just said a few words to me and left. I don¡¯t know where he went.¡± Zhou Qing Bai paused, seemingly remembering something, and couldn¡¯t help but joke, ¡°But don¡¯t tell anyone, his appearance looks like he¡¯s been drained of all his energy by wine, women, and money. He¡¯s more like an empty shell. I think maybe there¡¯s a lovely lady outside waiting for him, that¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t afford to be delayed even for a moment.¡± Pei You recalled his first impression of Liu Xin and had to admit that Zhou Qing Bai¡¯s assessment was spot on. It was a direct hit. However, Pei You didn¡¯t think that Liu Xin would let Zhou Qing Bai, such a big catch, slip away just for pleasure. After all, his ¡°blade¡± was hanging over Liu Xin¡¯s head. If Liu Xin still had the mind to indulge in drinking, gambling, and debauchery at this critical time, he was being too bold and reckless. But for Pei You, guessing Liu Xin¡¯s behavior pattern was more complex than organizing accounts. Compared to that, he preferred to focus his energy on the pile of messy files in front of him. Before Zhou Qing Bai arrived, Pei You had already picked out a few decent project books from the chaotic mess. He was currently doing the accounting and cross-referencing of income and expenses. The spreadsheet on the screen was clear and concise, with the errors in income and expenses already marked in red and bold, awaiting a second check. As Zhou Qing Bai sat beside him, Pei You¡¯s attention was constantly distracted. Zhou Qing Bai¡¯s rolled-up sleeves kept catching his peripheral vision, causing him some loss of concentration. Thankfully, Dongjiang¡¯s accounts were a mess, and Zhou Qing Bai swiftly went from excited to baffled, taking only about ten minutes to face a pile of expired documents, either repeated or misplaced. The script of being a ¡°pretty secretary¡± lost its appeal as he struggled to make sense of those chaotic documents. ¡°Hisshh¡­¡± Zhou Qing Bai didn¡¯t enjoy dealing with those financial records, especially when they were mismatched and confusing. He felt a headache coming on, so he slowed down his movements. Glancing at Pei You, who was working, Zhou Qing Bai moved his chair closer, coughed lightly, and started looking for something to talk about. ¡°Speaking of which, what are we doing with this?¡± Zhou Qing Bai asked. ¡°Inventory check,¡± Pei You replied, ¡°Dongjiang¡¯s profits aren¡¯t substantial, and a significant portion of the financial volume is tied up in asset balances, such as construction materials and construction equipment. These are tangible things that are difficult to fake. So, once we finish the paperwork today, we can go take a physical count of those inventory items tomorrow. Then, we can cross-check the numbers to see if his reports have any errors.¡± Pei You pushed the memo on his side towards Zhou Qingbo as he spoke. Zhou Qingbo tilted his head and looked at it, discovering several inventory lists marked on it. Due to the unique financial nature of Dongjiang, most of the items listed were construction projects, along with some sub-items related to building materials. ¡°So many? Do we have to count them all?¡± Zhou Qingbo clicked his tongue and probed, ¡°The workload seems too massive.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Pei You shook his head and said, ¡°I am the auditor from Qingshan, not their accountant in Dongjiang. We don¡¯t need to fix their accounts. We just need to find the problems and confirm if they¡¯ve falsified the accounts. We don¡¯t have to handle the rest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then¡±. Zhou Qingbo felt relieved, thinking that since they didn¡¯t have to take care of everything, he could take it easy. ¡°But this mess they¡¯ve made¡­ It¡¯s just chaotic,¡± Zhou Qingbo waved the asset documents in his hand, implying, ¡°And the discrepancies are glaring.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t catch his implied meaning and merely agreed, saying, ¡°Indeed¡­ Actually, I suspect there¡¯s no reliable financial management in Dongjiang at all. Misappropriation of funds is one thing, but poorly managed accounts are another. Many of these documents contain fundamental errors, such as inconsistent revenues and expenses, excessively high costs, etc. I¡¯ve glanced through them, and it feels like these reports were filled in retroactively, trying to cover up any discrepancies chaotically.¡± As Pei You spoke, he pushed the computer aside, picked up a pen, and made two notes on the notebook he had. ¡°Maybe their accountant is Liu Xin himself,¡± Pei You speculated, ¡°Professionals wouldn¡¯t make such messy accounts or create falsified records that are easily caught.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo put down the documents and leaned on the table, turning his face to look at Pei You. ¡°I suddenly thought of something,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. Pei You thought he had something important to say and put down his work, turning to him and looking serious. ¡°What is it?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s just that using an elite secretary to organize files seems a bit underutilizing their talents,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, lying on the table, half of his face buried in his arm, showing only one eye. He winked at Pei You meaningfully, lazily prolonging his tone and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, boss?¡± CH 29 He had expressed himself so clearly that Pei You couldn¡¯t pretend not to understand. ¡± the pretty Secretary¡± clearly found the job dull and boring, so he was trying to find a way out indirectly. Pei You shook his head, finding him quite amusing. He couldn¡¯t help but rub his forehead and reached out to retrieve the notebook computer he had pushed away. ¡°You want to slack off?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°What do you mean slack off?¡± Zhou Qingbo immediately felt displeased and tried to argue, ¡°My expertise lies elsewhere, not here ¨C like intelligence work, for example.¡± ¡°Intelligence work?¡± Pei You looked puzzled and asked, ¡°What kind of intelligence work?¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes flickered as he scooted his chair closer to Pei You, asking mysteriously, ¡°Hey, what do you think is the probability of this room being bugged?¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± The chances should be low, Pei You thought, unless Liu Xin has some psychic abilities and anticipated that he would come here to conduct a surprise audit today. ¡°It¡¯s probably unlikely,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Zhou Qingbo lay on the table, resting his head on his arm. His voice sounded a bit muffled, ¡°I just stumbled upon some gossip about Liu Xin.¡± Pei You was taken aback, realizing that Zhou Qingbo had mentioned earlier that he was going to Liu Xin¡¯s mother¡¯s house to look for clues. But Zhou Qingbo never brought it up again after he returned, and Pei You thought he had failed in his mission. ¡°Is there really some information?¡± Pei You became curious and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What is it?¡± Zhou Qingbo buried half of his face in his arm and squinted his eyes. With a smile, he said playfully, ¡°I won¡¯t tell you.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You was finally frustrated with him and couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°Are you teasing me?¡± Zhou Qingbo got scolded but seemed even happier. His eyes curved into a beautiful arc as he pursed his lips and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Pei You was usually very aloof, not caring too much about many things, and was always at ease with his work, so most of the time, his face wore the same expression. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t know where his mischievousness came from, but it seemed like he was constantly teasing Pei You. He couldn¡¯t help but test his limits, play with his nerves, and explore everything unseen about him. He enjoyed seeing a different side of Pei You and seemed to subconsciously relish in witnessing the changes in him that belonged solely to him. So, with a blink of his eyes, Zhou Qingbo smiled and said, ¡°Then you have to praise me before I tell you.¡± Pei You¡¯s breath stalled for a moment. On his face was the expression that Zhou Qingbo was very familiar with ¨C an expression that seemed to say, ¡°Helpless but not clueless.¡± Clearly, that was an impromptu addition to the game, and Pei You didn¡¯t know what to say to satisfy ¡°teacher Zhou.¡± However, he had grown used to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s sudden attacks and had somewhat figured out how to respond. After all, Zhou Qingbo never really put him in a difficult position; he just wanted a subtle and special hint. ¡°How do you want me to praise you?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Surprise me,¡± Zhou Qingbo hinted, ¡°But at least it should be something like ¡®amazing¡¯ or ¡®excellent.''¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Pei You smiled helplessly and said, ¡°you¡¯re amazing and excellent and it shows that you have a talent for intelligence work.¡± Zhou Qingbo received the praise he wanted and felt delighted. He raised his head slightly, straightened his back with a serious expression, and nodded, saying, ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± ¡°Next time though don¡¯t be stingy with your praise,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, shaking his head, ¡°more emotions is also a driving force.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Pei You sighed, realizing he had no patience left for him, and asked, ¡°So what did you find out?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ right,¡± Zhou Qingbo remembered the main task. To get the information he needed he had to act like he was on a stakeout, wandering around the neighborhood for two laps, eating two popsicles, and finally, using a balloon as a bargaining chip, successfully met a child named Wang in the neighborhood. That neighborhood was filled with old people who knew everything about each other. After playing with several children for about ten minutes, Zhou Qingbo managed to get acquainted with the grandparents who liked to take walks and play Mahjong in the neighborhood. ¡°It¡¯s quite a coincidence that those Aunties who play poker, whom I mentioned earlier, happen to be quite familiar with Liu Xin¡¯s mother.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°So, I spent two hours playing poker with them, and in the process, I managed to gather quite a bit of information.¡± Zhou Qingbo lied that he was a journalism student doing fieldwork and quickly became familiar with the Aunties. Liu Xin had become more successful after joining Qing Shan so he became somewhat of a celebrity in the local area. Zhou Qingbo only needed to provide a starting point, and he naturally received plenty of gossip and news. ¡°The Aunties said he has been doing well in recent years,¡± Zhou Qingbo stroked his chin thoughtfully, ¡°Three years ago, he had an affair and was caught by his ex-wife. When they divorced, he left with nothing, giving the car and house to her. But in the past three years, he suddenly managed to buy a car, then a house. Not only did he purchase properties in Weinan, but I heard he also bought a villa in Xi¡¯an, and he paid in full.¡± ¡°People can know about this in the neighborhood?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled. Pei You pondered and nodded, signaling Zhou Qingbo to continue. ¡°Dongjiang was wholly acquired, and logically Liu Xin no longer holds any shares,¡± Zhou Qingbo lowered his voice and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how my brother negotiated the profit-sharing with Liu Xin, but from their financial reports, it¡¯s impossible for Liu Xin to afford a fully paid villa worth fifteen million.¡± Dongjiang¡¯s annual report handed to Qing Shan would have started with a million, and the total profit accumulated in three years would not have reached fifteen million. Pei You was more sensitive to financial data than Zhou Qingbo, and he furrowed his brow, looking somewhat displeased. ¡°Moreover,¡± Zhou Qingbo paused, the smile on his face fading, and he looked a bit solemn, ¡°I heard those Aunties whispering behind Liu Xin¡¯s back, saying his family must have done something extraordinary to make a fortune from that project alone and live a lifetime on it.¡± CH 30 The keyword ¡°project¡± acted like a switch, gently triggering Pei You¡¯s sensitive nerves. His expression gradually became serious, and he couldn¡¯t help but lower his head to look at the projects he had selected for potential investment. ¡°What project is it?¡± Pei You handed the project proposal to Zhou Qingbo and asked, ¡°Check if it¡¯s on here.¡± Zhou Qingbo quickly scanned the titles on several project proposals and hesitated, saying, ¡°Actually, I¡ª¡± Before he could finish speaking, urgent footsteps sounded from outside the door. Pei You and Zhou Qingbo instinctively fell silent and turned their heads to look at the door. The semi-transparent glass wall revealed the vague figure of the person outside. Zhou Qingbo exchanged a glance with Pei You and tacitly pushed the project proposal back to Pei You. Neither of them said anything. After a few seconds, the person¡¯s figure appeared at the door. Liu Xin was carrying a briefcase and stood at the doorway with a smile on his face, knocking on the door. ¡°Mr. Zhou, Mr. Pei,¡± Liu Xin greeted them warmly, his face full of smiles, ¡°I apologize for not having a chance to meet you properly earlier. I had a previously arranged meeting, so I had to rush out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s smile became less sincere, and he seemed somewhat indifferent. He stood up from his chair, supporting himself with one hand on the armrest, and then casually extended his hand to Liu Xin for a brief handshake. ¡°We are all dedicated to the company¡¯s cause,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with an official tone, ¡°I came to see the Dongjiang location. It¡¯s a good place, clean, and the employees are well-behaved. It seems you¡¯ve been doing well in these years.¡± ¡°no,¡± Liu Xin humbly said, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Qing Shan¡¯s support¡ªMr. Zhou, how have you been lately,how is your brother doing?¡± ¡°My brother is doing well,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, turning his body to lean against the table lazily, ¡°He¡¯s just too busy. Otherwise, he would have come to see you personally and also pay respects to your father.¡± When Zhou Qingbo mentioned Liu Jiancheng, Liu Xin¡¯s expression changed slightly. He showed a trace of melancholy and sadness as he listened to Zhou Qingbai¡¯s words. With a sigh, he said, ¡°Ah, my father kept thinking about Uncle Zhou before he passed away. He kept mentioning him. Later, my mother found a photo of them together when they were soldiers, and that¡¯s when he peacefully closed his eyes.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± . Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t expect that after five years, Liu Xin¡¯s skill of flattery had not diminished. He had become even more adept at it, not only knowing how to flatter and agree with others but also using subtle tactics. ¡°It¡¯s true that the relationship between our fathers was good, indeed enviable,¡± Zhou Qingbo replied calmly, pushing back, ¡°My dad would also talk about Uncle Liu a lot.¡± Zhou Qingbo was handling the situation with ease, and Liu Xin responded appropriately. Only one person, Pei You, couldn¡¯t help but be surprised and looked at Zhou Qingbo several times. Just a few minutes ago, Zhou Qingbo was like a big child, unreasonable and clinging to people. But now, facing Liu Xin, he seemed to transform into a different person. He appeared serious and indifferent, like someone on a business trip, but his work attitude seemed perfunctory. He was polite to Liu Xin, but not particularly warm. There was a subtle sense of superiority about him, almost imperceptible, as if he were an unscarred young master who had never experienced the harshness of society. Pei You had seen Zhou Qingbo in his elite social mode and also witnessed his laid-back demeanor. However, this was the first time he had seen him like this. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s way of speaking was fitting to the person he was talking to, precise and calculated, and he seemed to have filled in some details in Pei You¡¯s mind, adding a touch of nuance between ¡°President Zhou¡± and ¡°casual Zhou.¡± Liu Xin seemed to sense that Zhou Qingboi didn¡¯t want to dwell on that topic, so he changed the subject. He quickly put away the nostalgic expression on his face and smiled, ¡°Ah, my apologies, I brought up something sad. Zhou, you¡¯ve come here after a long time, and it¡¯s a happy occasion. How about this? I¡¯ll treat you and Mr. Pei to a meal at Yuefu Restaurant tonight, consider it a celebration and welcome for your return, how does that sound?¡± Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t surprised by Liu Xin¡¯s suggestion. He knew Liu Xin had ulterior motives and wanted to establish a closer relationship with them while trying to get some information. Zhou Qingbo hesitated a bit after hearing the invitation, but Pei You intervened before he could accept it. ¡°No, thanks for the offer,¡± Pei You stood up from behind his desk, his expression somewhat cold, and he sounded stern, ¡°We still have work to finish, it¡¯s not appropriate to go out for dinner right now.¡± His sudden interruption, with such a decisive tone, surprised not only Liu Xin but even Zhou Qingbo, who knew Pei You quite well. Pei You was usually gentle and easy to talk to. Even when he was strict about work, he rarely took such a strong stance. Zhou Qingbo lowered his eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, and didn¡¯t say anything more, naturally yielding the conversation to Pei You. Although Liu Xin was annoyed by the unexpected interference, he didn¡¯t dare to be too impolite to Pei You, given Pei You¡¯s position as an auditor. So, he put on a smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright, I just thought that because you¡¯re newcomers here, it¡¯s only natural to have a meal together. Work is not urgent for a while; you also need to balance work and leisure.¡± Liu Xin attempted to include Zhou Qingbo in the conversation, asking for his opinion. ¡°Mr Pei is right,¡± Zhou Qingbo replied with a smile,, ¡°we still have work to do. If work gets delayed, my brother will scold me when we go back.¡± With the conversation reaching that point, Liu Xin had no choice but to give up persuading them any further. He tried to keep a friendly smile and said they could celebrate together after work was done. ¡°Okay.¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s end it here for today.¡± Zhou Qingbo turned his head to look at Pei You and said, ¡°It¡¯s almost time to leave work now.¡± Pei You silently met his gaze, understanding what he meant. He quietly bowed his head and collected all the necessary documents, stuffing them into his laptop bag. Liu Xin escorted them to the company¡¯s door, where Zhou Qingbo politely declined his offer to personally take them back to the hotel. He then followed Pei You into the elevator. Once the elevator doors closed, Zhou Qingbo immediately dropped his facade. He furrowed his brows slightly, reached back to stretch his shoulder, and complained in a whiny tone, ¡°Ugh, dealing with people like him is so exhausting.¡± His tone sounded sticky, just like when he used to throw tantrums and act lazy, as if he wasn¡¯t the same person. Pei You was also exhausted, so he could only give him a helpless look without saying anything. Zhou Qingbo seemed pleased with Pei You¡¯s silent approval, so he didn¡¯t push further. Instead, he straightened his posture contentedly, swayed a bit, and leaned over to inspect the advertisements on the elevator wall with interest. As soon as Zhou Qingbo was alone with Pei You, he relaxed, but Pei You had other concerns on his mind. He actually didn¡¯t want Zhou Qingbo to socialize with Liu Xin, not only because he felt Liu Xin was not a good person but also due to business reasons. The financial statements of Dongjiang Financial Report were in chaos, with most of the major costs and financial accounting centered around ongoing projects. Trying to complete all the project inspections in a week was already hard for them to do. Pei You didn¡¯t want to give Liu Xin too much time to tamper with the projects, so he planned to finish all the inspections within a week. But with Zhou Qingbo with him, their schedule became even tighter. Considering this, Pei You carefully observed Zhou Qingbo¡¯s expression and, after briefly thinking it over, made a decision. He slowly spoke up, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the hotel for now. We should rest well tonight, as we need to get up early tomorrow.¡± As expected, when Zhou Qingbo heard the words ¡°get up early,¡± his expression soured. He turned to Pei You, furrowing his brows slightly, his face showing reluctance. But, Pei You was still gentler with Zhou Qingbo than with others. Though Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t look too pleased, he still asked, ¡°What time do we leave tomorrow morning?¡± Pei You observed his expression and considered, ¡°7:30.¡± That time was somewhat accommodating for Zhou Qingbo, still within his acceptable range. But Zhou Qingbo blinked and tried to negotiate, making a gesture, ¡°A bit later? How about 8:00?¡± Pei You shook his head, ¡°no; we can¡¯t leave any later.¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t know how those ten or twenty minutes would make a difference, but since Pei You had already made his point, he reluctantly compromised and accepted. The inspection plan couldn¡¯t be fully hidden from Liu Xin. So after returning to the hotel, Zhou Qingbo took on the task of negotiating with Liu Xin and briefly informed him of their upcoming schedule as if it was a ¡°last-minute¡± notice. Perhaps knowing that trying to stop them was futile, Liu Xin didn¡¯t show any objections. Instead, he offered to send a driver to accompany Zhou Qingbo and Pei You during their time there. Although having a driver was convenient, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t want to work under someone else¡¯s watchful eye. He declined Liu Xin¡¯s offer, citing that he didn¡¯t know when he¡¯d naturally wake up, and he politely refused any help from Liu Xin. ¡°Well then,¡± Liu Xin said with a seemingly regretful tone, ¡°do as you please.¡± There was a pause on the phone, and then Liu Xin smiled and added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Zhou. I¡¯ll call my employees right away and make sure they cooperate fully to ensure that the work goes smoothly this time.¡± The signal was poor, causing Liu Xin¡¯s voice to distort slightly with a faint crackling sound. ¡°That¡¯s good. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can relax,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. The torrential rain outside had been pouring all day and showed no signs of stopping. After hanging up the phone, Zhou Qingbo walked to the window, pulled open the curtains, and stared at the rain for a while. The rain pounded on the floor-to-ceiling windows and trickled down the smooth glass. Zhou Qingbo gazed at the candy hawker¡¯s stall across the street for a moment before naturally turning his attention away, lazily stretching his body with a yawn. CH 31 The rain continued throughout the night and finally cleared up early the next morning. At 7:30 AM, Pei You¡¯s pre-arranged car arrived on time at the hotel¡¯s entrance. Pei You stood by the car, looking at his watch, hesitating whether to go up and call Zhou Qingbo again. Half an hour ago, he had knocked on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s door to wake him up, and Zhou Qingbo responded from behind the door that he was already awake. So, Pei You didn¡¯t enter and instead came downstairs to wait for him. Fortunately, Zhou Qingbo knew the plan and around ten minutes later, Pei You saw him coming down. Zhou Qingbo strolled leisurely and waved a greeting when he saw Pei You. ¡°Good morning,¡± Zhou Qingbo yawned lazily. ¡°Morning,¡± Pei You replied and glanced at his watch. It was indeed 7:45, right on time. ¡°Do you really never wake up early?¡± Pei You asked with a smile, waiting for Zhou Qingbo to come closer and then opening the car door for him. Zhou Qingboi didn¡¯t hold back either. He bent down and got into the backseat, then patted the seat beside him, motioning for Pei You to join him. ¡°Punctuality is a sign of respect for work,¡± Zhou Qingbo said confidently, ¡°You workaholics wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s some twisted reasoning,¡± Pei You said, getting into the car and closing the door, instructing the driver, ¡°You can start the car; let¡¯s head to the designated location.¡± ¡°How can it be twisted reasoning?¡± Zhou Qingbo raised an eyebrow and said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s a proper principle based on human nature.¡± As Zhou Qingbo continued to explain with enthusiasm, sitting up straight and appearing mysterious, Pei You couldn¡¯t help but interrupt, ¡°Hey, weren¡¯t we talking about work just now?¡± ¡°All things in the world are connected,¡± Zhou Qingbo shook his head, ¡°Human interests are limited, and only things that are not easily obtained will be cherished by people.¡± Zhou Qingbo seemed to have the ability to turn nonsense into wisdom. Pei You hadn¡¯t spoken yet, but the driver in the front seat smiled and glanced at Zhou Qingbo through the rearview mirror. ¡°That makes sense, young man,¡± the driver spoke up, ¡°Are you studying philosophy?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just some social experience,¡± Zhou Qingbo confidently replied. ¡°It makes sense, but I don¡¯t quite agree,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Love is the mutual approach of two people who have feelings for each other. That process should be pure, even if it may not be wise. You should follow your heart.¡± ¡°¡­Well,¡± Zhou Qingbo thought, ¡°You do sound naive. In this day and age, there aren¡¯t many gay virgins like you.¡± ¡°But love is also about competition between two people,¡± Zhou Qingbo interlocked his hands behind his head, turned his head to look at Pei You, and said, ¡°There will always be winners and losers in a relationship. If you don¡¯t assert yourself, you might end up at a disadvantage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not really the point,¡± Pei You spoke gently, ¡°If you can reach the stage of ¡®love,¡¯ it must be between two people who genuinely like each other. In that case, there¡¯s no need to worry about gaining or losing, as long as it¡¯s not a matter of principle. Both sides compromise, consider each other, and life goes on.¡± That idealistic view of love made Zhou Qingbo a little surprised. He thought about telling Pei You how harsh the ¡°real world¡± could be, recounting the number of naive youngsters who got cheated both financially and emotionally at Black Bar every year. But as he looked into Pei You¡¯s eyes, those words went unsaid. For some reason, Zhou Qingbo suddenly didn¡¯t want to shatter Pei You¡¯s idealism with those unpleasant realities. Perhaps pure things could evoke a sense of protectiveness in people, or maybe such idealism was so rare and worth preserving. In the end, Zhou Qingbo pursed his lips and decided not to say anything. Well, he thought, it doesn¡¯t really matter. I¡¯ll watch out for him. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled and said, ¡°Otherwise, how can love be sweet?¡± Pei You seldom won debates with Zhou Qingbo, and he didn¡¯t expect ¡°Professor Zhou¡± to deviate from his teaching process this time. Pei You couldn¡¯t help but wonder as he looked at him. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Zhou Qingbo caught Pei You¡¯s distinct gaze, raised an eyebrow, and said, ¡°I¡¯m quite fair. I never brainwash anyone.¡± The driver in the front seat had been listening to their conversation. When he finally couldn¡¯t resist, he burst into laughter. ¡°This young man is quite funny.¡± The driver looked at them through the rearview mirror and exclaimed with a smile, ¡°You guys have a great relationship.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Zhou Qingbo raised his chin confidently and said, ¡°I am the one who holds the key to his life decisions.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± CH 32 Pei You had already gotten used to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s wild train of thought and didn¡¯t bother to correct him. He just went along with what he said. The destination was still about an hour away, so Pei You took out a folder from his briefcase and opened it to check some documents. Zhou Qingbo glanced at it and saw that it was a list of inventory, with the left side containing the items provided by Dongjiang and the right side a blank space, probably for Pei You to fill in after the inventory. Zhou Qingbo scanned it briefly and found that the list was very detailed, including not only construction equipment but also building materials like steel bars, cement, and sand. ¡°They even count these?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked with a sigh, pointing to a category of brick materials on the list, ¡°How do they check this?¡± ¡°You count what can be measured and measure what can¡¯t be counted,¡± Pei You said. ¡°When I just started in this profession, I went out to do inventories all the time and saw all sorts of things. These are not uncommon.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Zhou Qingbo became interested and asked, ¡°Then what¡¯s the most unusual thing you¡¯ve ever inventoried in your career?¡± Pei You thought for a moment, carefully recalling, and said, ¡°It should be¡­ sheep.¡± ¡°Sheep?¡± Zhou Qingbo was puzzled, ¡°Is that counted too?¡± Pei You nodded, not looking up, and said, ¡°Shortly after I graduated, I went to audit a livestock company in Inner Mongolia¡ªthey primarily owned sheep. During the inventory, we had to separate the male sheep, female sheep, pregnant female sheep, and lambs.¡± Pei You paused for a moment and continued, ¡°I remember it well because right after we finished the inventory, some female sheep suddenly gave birth, and we had to modify the forms we had just completed.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Thank goodness I didn¡¯t listen to my brother when choosing a major.¡± Zhou Qingbo said with lingering fear, ¡°If I had gone into finance, I feel like I would have been skinned alive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that exaggerated.¡± Pei You said, ¡°I¡¯m still doing fine, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s you, you¡¯re different.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°You¡¯re a top student in my eyes, with a halo over your head.¡± Pei You smirked, shook his head, and said nothing. He busied himself by comparing the categories on the form, while Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t disturb him further. The form contained more than thirty categories, and just looking at it made Zhou Qingbo feel dizzy. He leaned forward against the back of the front seat, propped up his arm, and chatted idly with the driver. Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t sit still, and the driver was also a talkative person. They chatted all the way from the south to the north, and by the time they approached their destination, Zhou Qingbo even knew about some famous restaurants in the area. Pei You finished comparing the form while they chatted intermittently, and then he took out his laptop from the backpack to remotely inquire about the progress from the audit department. On the way from Weinan City to the project site, they passed a market and the aroma of fresh breakfast foods wafted in through the half-open window, itching Zhou Qingbo¡¯s appetite. He couldn¡¯t help but ask the driver to stop the car, got out, and bought two breakfasts, one for himself and one for Pei You. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°After you finish your work, let¡¯s eat something. There¡¯s a tough battle waiting for you later.¡± The bag of packaged soy milk felt warm to the touch, and the fried dough sticks softened a bit in the air, and the crispy outer shell began to turn tender. Pei You thanked him and then packed the documents and laptop back into the bag. He handed Zhou Qingbo the bag of soy milk and also took the one that Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t opened yet. ¡°Do you think he might set us up over there?¡± Zhou Qingbo held the bag of soy milk, his voice muffled as he asked, ¡°What if we find nothing when we get there?¡± Because Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t name anyone while in the taxi, he was speaking ambiguously. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely.¡± Pei You shook his head and said in a low voice, ¡°With so many things, where can he move them? Besides, based on his account, he would only get in more trouble if things were missing.¡± Zhou Qingbo made a noise but somehow felt uneasy. He couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that things wouldn¡¯t go so smoothly, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint what was wrong. Pei You seemed to sense his nervousness, so he took out a tissue and wiped the corner of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s mouth. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Pei You reassured him, ¡°No company wants to be scrutinized. I¡¯ve seen many situations like this, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Zhou Qingbo was comforted to some extent and nodded, not saying anything further. They finished their fried dough sticks in two or three bites. The project Pei You selected that day was a relatively large construction project, consisting of a set of industrial buildings and accompanying dormitory buildings, and it was one of Dongjiang¡¯s major projects for the quarter. When Pei You and Zhou Qingbo arrived at the construction site, they were greeted by a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties who was standing at the entrance of the construction management department, peering out. The taxi stopped at the entrance of the construction site, and as soon as Pei You got out of the car, the man¡¯s gaze locked onto him like a searchlight. He approached with a smile, eagerly introducing himself as Liu Quan, the person in charge of that project. ¡°Mr. Zhou,?¡± the man asked. ¡°I am Liu Quan, it¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not Mr. Zhou,¡± Zhou Qingbo elongated his voice and stuck his head out from the back seat, extending a hand to pull himself out from the back seat. ¡°I am Mr. Zhou.¡± Zhou Qingbai patted the nonexistent dust on his clothes and closed the car door. The taxi drove away, leaving Liu Quan stunned. He glanced around at Pei You and Zhou Qingbai, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and smiled awkwardly. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. Then this is Mr. Pei, right?¡± Liu Quan smiled shamefully and said, ¡°First time meeting, I mistook you for someone else, I apologize.¡± Zhou Qingbo looked him up and down, understanding that he was arranged by Liu Xin in advance. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we haven¡¯t met before, so it¡¯s normal to not recognize each other.¡± Zhou Qingbo waved his hand and said, ¡°Where is the warehouse?¡± ¡°It¡¯s at the back.¡± Liu Quan gestured in the direction and said, ¡°Follow me this way.¡± He turned and led the way while Zhou Qingbo followed a few steps behind. He leaned over to Pei You¡¯s ear and whispered. ¡°Liu Xin¡¯s second uncle,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°He¡¯s not much, but he¡¯s doing well riding on his elder brother¡¯s coattails.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Pei You replied in a low voice, ¡°Did you check the information beforehand?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°but he went to Beijing with Liu¡¯s Father once, and I have a faint impression¡ªanyway, be careful, both of them always cover up for Liu Xin, they¡¯re in cahoots.¡± Pei You nodded and said, ¡°I understand.¡± A construction site of that size couldn¡¯t hide anything. Pei You followed Liu Quan around and got a rough idea of the situation. ¡°Do you want to count with me?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Count? No, I¡¯ll look around in the meantime,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°boring work doesn¡¯t suit me. I¡¯ll go and find out about other things first.¡± Knowing that Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t interested in this task, Pei You nodded and said, ¡°Just don¡¯t go too far, I¡¯ll call you when I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled, made a phone gesture, and then turned and left. Liu Quan didn¡¯t expect them to suddenly split up, and was caught off guard. He subconsciously wanted to go and keep Zhou Qingbo company, but before he took a step, Pei You called him. ¡°Excuse me, where is the raw materials warehouse?¡± Pei You said, ¡°Please show me the way.¡± The construction site was full of construction materials, especially in the ongoing construction areas, there was almost no place to step. Liu Quan originally thought that someone like Pei You, who was dressed so elegantly, would at most sit in the office and check the accounts and purchase orders. He didn¡¯t expect him to get involved and actually want to count the materials. Starting from the list, Liu Quan slowly went through all categories of construction materials with Pei You, feeling exhausted and more tired than climbing a mountain. But to Pei You¡¯s surprise, although the situation on the site didn¡¯t match the report, it wasn¡¯t as severe as he had imagined. Apart from a few large construction equipment being ¡°rented out,¡± the other materials were clearly listed in the warehouse, although the quantities didn¡¯t match up for the most part, the discrepancies were not significant and were far from the embezzled amount Pei You had expected. ¡°This is the leasing contract for our equipment.¡± Liu Quan found a blue and white striped file box on the steel frame and pulled out a contract from it, handing it to Pei You. ¡°Since the mining work has finished, the bulldozers have been temporarily rented out,¡± Liu Quan explained, ¡°and there are two loaders and a tower crane rented to other construction companies for emergencies¡ªthe specific categories and time are all in the contract, take a look.¡± Different from the messy financial reports in Dongjiang, this contract was clear and explicit, with the seals and signatures of two companies at the end. Pei You took the time to check the qualifications of the other company and ruled out the suspicion that it was a small company set up by Dongjiang to deceive. ¡°Now that the construction site is still ongoing, why did you rent out even the tower crane?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°To recoup the investment,¡± Liu Quan seemed to have received Liu Xin¡¯s instructions in advance, crying poverty convincingly, ¡°the construction industry is tough now, labor costs are high, so we rely on renting out equipment during the off-season to recoup some money.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t the rental income recorded on the report?¡± Pei You asked again. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Liu Quan widened his eyes, and said vaguely, ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t understand these things, the finance department handles it. Maybe they didn¡¯t report it because the money hasn¡¯t been received yet.¡± CH 33 Pei You knew that the newly appointed ¡°accountant¡± of Dongjiang was just a pawn in Liu Xin¡¯s hands, who could be shifted to handle any unclear matters. Both the previous and current accountants were clueless about the situation, and there was no one accountable. Pei You wasn¡¯t surprised by this kind of responsibility-shifting and had already prepared for the appropriate response, but before he could speak, he heard a relaxed knocking sound at the door of the warehouse. ¡°Ignorant, incapable, and unable to do anything. What¡¯s the use of having an accountant then?¡± Pei You and Liu Quan turned their heads together, only to find that Zhou Qingbo, who was supposed to be ¡°freely wandering,¡± had come back at some point. He hung his coat on his arm, rolled up the sleeves to reveal his well-defined forearms. Pei You glanced at him and noticed mud stains on his trousers, as if he had just run out of a mud pit. ¡°Handing over work that isn¡¯t done well,¡± Zhou Qingbo leaned against the door, frowning impatiently, and said, ¡°What¡¯s the point of having such an accountant? Just resign already.¡± Liu Quan had heard of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s reputation beforehand. Liu Xin had arranged for him to receive the ¡°distinguished guest,¡± so he naturally explained about him clearly. Compared to Pei You, an ordinary external collaborator, Zhou Qingbo, as a high-ranking executive with deep connections, was undoubtedly more important. As a result, Liu Quan¡¯s eyes lit up, and he almost didn¡¯t hesitate. He left Pei You behind and turned to deal with Zhou Qingbo. ¡°Zhou, the thing is,¡± Liu Quan said with a smile, trying to explain, ¡°The new accountant has just arrived, and he¡¯s not yet familiar with the business. It¡¯s understandable. He¡¯ll get the hang of it after a while.¡± ¡°Not yet familiar with the business?¡± Zhou Qingbo stepped over the threshold and entered the room, swaggering over to the desk. He reached out and flipped through several contracts on top of it, furrowing his brows impatiently, and said, ¡°Why bother spending so much time getting him started? I¡¯m busy, if he can do it, great, if not, forget about it.¡± After venting his frustration, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t care about Liu Quan¡¯s expression and walked over to Pei You. He casually asked, ¡°Have you finished the audit?¡± Pei You glanced at Liu Quan over his shoulder and then nodded, closing the contract in his hand. ¡°We¡¯re done,¡± Pei You said, ¡°but¡­¡± He did find some issues in the accounts that needed to be discussed with Zhou Qingbo. However, it wasn¡¯t appropriate to do so with ¡°eyes¡± around. Having worked with Zhou Qingbo for some time, they had developed some understanding between them. They exchanged a glance without saying a word, and then Zhou Qingbo impatiently snatched the documents from Pei You¡¯s hand. ¡°But what?¡± Zhou Qingbo grabbed Pei You¡¯s wrist and pulled him outside without waiting for an answer. ¡°We¡¯re done with the audit. Let¡¯s call it a day. I saw a digging machine outside, bright red paint, it looks awesome. Come on, let¡¯s go check it out.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Even though Pei You knew that Zhou Qingbo just wanted an excuse to be alone with him, he was still taken aback by this excuse. ¡°A digging machine¡­¡± Pei You¡¯s expression was a bit complicated. He lowered his voice slightly and asked in disbelief, ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about a digging machine?¡± ¡°What?¡± Zhou Qingbo seemed even more shocked than him. He widened his eyes, looking at Pei You with an incredulous expression, and said with passionate indignation, ¡°It¡¯s a digging machine! No man doesn¡¯t like watching a digging machine!¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You had a hard time understanding Zhou Qingbo¡¯s complex and eccentric preferences. He gave Zhou Qingbo a puzzled look but eventually gave up trying to understand his thought process. Meanwhile, Liu Quan approached them and smiled, ¡°The site is chaotic. Xiao Zhou, do you want me to accompany you?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Zhou Qingbo impatiently waved him off, saying, ¡°We¡¯ll go take a look, and then we¡¯ll leave. No need for you to come with us.¡± As Zhou Qingbo dismissed Liu Quan, he pulled Pei You away. Liu Quan¡¯s eyes scanned Zhou Qingbo¡¯s mud-stained trousers, hesitated for a moment, and ultimately chose not to follow them. Instead, he made a call to Liu Xin. Liu Xin seemed to be waiting for updates from that side. The phone was answered after just a couple of rings. ¡°Hello,¡± Liu Xin said, ¡°How¡¯s it going? Have they left?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Liu Quan glanced outside through the window and saw Zhou Qingbo slowly walking toward the construction site. Only then did he let out a sigh of relief and said casually, ¡°Liu Xin, you can rest assured. I think that young master is just here for show. He didn¡¯t check any accounts; he went straight to the construction site to check out the digging machine.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Liu Xin asked with some doubt, ¡°He got up early and went all the way there just to watch a digging machine?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Liu Quan affirmed, ¡°He didn¡¯t even bother with the inventory or the accounts. As soon as he arrived, he went straight to the construction site. He seems like a young master who enjoys everything new. The auditor who came with him seemed more serious, but he didn¡¯t find anything either and was taken away by him impatiently.¡± Liu Xin knew the situation of that construction site well. He wasn¡¯t afraid of Pei You checking the accounts, but he was worried that Pei You might have some unexpected tricks up his sleeve to uncover their secrets. Hearing Liu Quan¡¯s report, he felt somewhat relieved. ¡°That¡¯s good then,¡± Liu Xin still couldn¡¯t completely relax and reminded, ¡°Keep an eye on them, and don¡¯t let anyone on the site gossip.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Liu Quan said, ¡°You can rest assured.¡± While Liu Quan was giving real-time updates, Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t idle either. He really did lead Pei You to the construction site, walking step by step, to watch them drill a well. The digging machine and the cutting machine were operating together, making a loud rumbling noise. Zhou Qingbo stood near the steel frame not far away and wasn¡¯t worried about anyone overhearing their conversation. ¡°How did it go with the audit?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°From the look on your face, it seems like it didn¡¯t go smoothly.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Pei You admitted. ¡°The inventory of this project doesn¡¯t match, but the quantity involved isn¡¯t too large. If Liu Xin wants to embezzle money from this level of ¡®misappropriation,¡¯ it would probably take several decades.¡± Zhou Qingbo furrowed his brows, hesitating a bit, and said, ¡°Do you think the gossip might be wrong¡­ maybe Liu Xin isn¡¯t greedy for that much after all?¡± That seemed to be the most plausible scenario at the moment, but after thinking it over, Pei You shook his head. ¡°Probably not,¡± Pei You said. ¡°If it were only to this extent, he shouldn¡¯t be afraid of being caught. His family has a long-standing relationship with yours, and the loss of a few hundred thousand wouldn¡¯t be a big deal. He could cover it easily.¡± ¡°Moreover, I have a feeling that there are still some secrets he¡¯s hiding that we haven¡¯t discovered,¡± Pei You added. Having worked in this industry for so long, Pei You had developed an almost intuitive sensitivity to financial records and internal management. He felt that the deficit in Dongjiang¡¯s account wasn¡¯t just a minor issue; there must be something deeper and more complex. ¡°Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask you,¡± Pei You suddenly remembered something and turned to Zhou Qingbo, ¡°Where did you go earlier?¡± CH 34 Zhou Qingbo had a history of using unorthodox methods and infiltrating gossip networks, so Pei You certainly wouldn¡¯t think he had just gone out for a walk and to have fun. Unexpectedly, when Zhou Qingbo turned his head to look at him, he seemed confused. Then, he lowered his head and patted the mud stains on his pants, naturally saying, ¡°Just now? I went to see them drilling a well.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo had teased Pei You countless times, mixing truth and lies, and Pei You fell for it every time. Upon hearing Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words this time, Pei You¡¯s expression turned blank for a moment. He opened his mouth but couldn¡¯t say anything. Zhou Qingbo enjoyed seeing Pei You¡¯s bewildered and clueless expressions every time. Upon seeing Pei You¡¯s reaction, Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter, waving his hand at him. ¡°Just kidding,¡± Zhou Qingbo said after laughing, straightening up and trying to suppress his amusement. ¡°Actually, I went there to see the construction team digging the foundation.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡­¡± Again and again, Pei You finally caught on, sighing and silently staring at Zhou Qingbo as if he knew he couldn¡¯t win in the face of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s constant teasing and was trying to scold him with his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry,¡± Zhou Qingbo moved closer to Pei You and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m serious this time¡ªI checked, Dongjiang has its own construction team and contractors, and they have construction supervisors employed long-term. Most likely, these people move between different construction sites, so they should have more information.¡± Pei You¡¯s eyes flickered, understanding Zhou Qingbo¡¯s intention. Dongjiang undertakes various projects, ranging from building factories to renovating rural homes, so they have diverse projects. Different construction projects require different specialized workers, but no matter if it¡¯s building bridges or houses, excavations are always necessary. If Dongjiang¡¯s construction team is stable and well-organized, the group operating the excavators would be the most knowledgeable about the construction projects. Not far away, two bright red excavators were diligently working, and the outline of a drainage ditch was beginning to take shape as a dark seam on the ground. Pei You shifted his gaze away from the machines and suddenly looked at Zhou Qingbo with newfound respect, as if those excavators were no longer just Zhou Qingbo¡¯s whimsical toys but evidence of his thoughtful consideration. Of course, Zhou Qingbo, who genuinely had an inexplicable interest in excavators, had no idea that Pei You had mentally put a thick filter on him. He casually put his hands in his pockets, lazily changed his posture, and continued with the topic, ¡°I¡¯m not good with accounting, but I feel like Liu Xin wouldn¡¯t embezzle funds in a small-scale project¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be enough even to fill the gaps between teeth.¡± This was true, Pei You thought. Small projects meant limited operational space, and the profits and costs were much lower than in larger projects, so the money available for embezzlement was very limited. If Liu Xin was as daring as Zhou Qingbo had heard, he wouldn¡¯t resort to the ¡°dripping water¡± strategy in these small projects. ¡°Someone who can lay bricks might not be able to build a house, but someone who can build a house can definitely lay bricks,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, glancing at a nearby construction site and casually continued, ¡°So I came here to try my luck.¡± The construction project Pei You selected was not small, and Zhou Qingbo came to interact with these technical workers, playfully making jokes, pretending to be clueless, and spent a lot of time bonding with the down-to-earth construction workers. As Zhou Qingbo expected, those workers often moved between various construction sites in Dongjiang and were familiar with the business there. Before, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t manage to find out any information about the mysterious project from the group of uncles and aunties, so he tried to gather some clues from those construction workers. Unfortunately, Liu Xin had prepared them well, and the contractors were cautious. Despite chatting with them about various unrelated topics, Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t dig out any valuable information. ¡°As for the other construction workers, they have connections with Liu Xin, so they won¡¯t speak carelessly in front of me,¡± Zhou Qingbo kicked a pebble into the gutter and shook his head, feeling a bit disappointed. ¡°After all, we¡¯ve only had a short time to build trust.¡± Pei You was not disappointed with this answer as it was within his planning scope. He wasn¡¯t worried, as his forte was sifting through accounts and data. While the other evidence could be helpful, he didn¡¯t rely on them too much. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Pei You comforted, ¡°it¡¯s only the first day, no need to rush, there will be more opportunities.¡± Pei You had prepared to review more than one project, and after a day¡¯s work, he had adjusted his plan for the next steps. During the journey back, Zhou Cangshan called to inquire about the situation. During the initial phase of the investigation, he didn¡¯t want to push Pei You too much, but he had no qualms about ordering his younger brother around. So, in the car on the way back, Zhou Qingbo gave his brother a brief report about their work. After a day of hard work, Zhou Qingbo was lying lazily on the back seat like a salted fish, answering Zhou Cangshan¡¯s questions while doodling on the foggy window. He spoke calmly and composedly, but his appearance didn¡¯t match these adjectives at all; he looked like a restless child with ADHD. After glancing at him for a while, Pei You couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and reached out to grab Zhou Qingbo¡¯s wrist. Pei You said, ¡°there¡¯s dust.¡± Zhou Qingbo finally noticed that Pei You had a mild obsession with cleanliness. If it wasn¡¯t about folding clothes, it was about throwing away garbage for him. While Zhou Cangshan continued to talk on the phone, Zhou Qingbo multitasked, not paying much attention, and let Pei You pull his hand away from the car window. He then gestured to Pei You. ¡°Just wait, it¡¯ll be done soon.¡± Pei You wasn¡¯t in a hurry, but watching Zhou Qingbo talk on his phone, he suddenly remembered something belatedly. ¡°By the way¡­¡± Pei You waited until Zhou Qingbo hung up the phone before he asked, ¡°Did you tell Ge Xing not to interfere in my matters?¡± Zhou Qingbo was taken aback for a moment but quickly realized what was going on. He cursed Ge Xing in his mind for being a loudmouth. Discussing others¡¯ private matters behind their backs was obviously not right, and despite Zhou Qingbo knowing that Pei You was understanding, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a little guilty. ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Zhou Qingbo quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. I promise I didn¡¯t say anything bad about you¡ªif I said anything, it was all positive.¡± Pei You wasn¡¯t really angry to begin with. He just wanted to tell Zhou Qingbo that if such things arose in the future, he should directly discuss with him first. And then, Pei You would handle it directly, so Zhou Qingbai wouldn¡¯t be in an awkward position, and there would be no suspicion of speaking on his behalf. However, before he could say anything, Zhou Qingbo seemed to assume he held a grudge against him and handed the phone to Pei You without saying anything. ¡°I¡¯m serious; you can check if you don¡¯t believe me, i never said anything negative,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with confidence, ¡°I have nothing to hide.¡± CH 35 Zhou Qingbo could be unreasonable at times. Even though Pei You had no intention of interrogating him, he was forced into checking the chat records with Ge Xing. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with his elbow on the car window, raising an eyebrow in a strange tone, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t listen to him and let him manipulate us.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Pei You didn¡¯t want to invade Zhou Qingbo¡¯s privacy, so he just glanced at the screen, quickly checked, and then locked the phone before giving it back to Zhou Qingbo. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Zhou Qingbo moved closer to him, wanting to make eye contact. He stubbornly said, ¡°You and I are on the same side, you know. Don¡¯t listen to him.¡± Zhou Qingbo acted childishly, almost like a young child insisting on being the best friend, as if he wanted to win this favor. Pei You couldn¡¯t help but feel a little overwhelmed by his sudden assertiveness. He subconsciously leaned back and placed his hand on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°¡­I wasn¡¯t listening to him to begin with,¡± Pei You looked into Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes and said helplessly, ¡°You insisted on showing me the chats.¡± ¡°I¡¯m maintaining a good trust relationship,¡± Zhou Qingbo always had his reasons and said firmly, ¡°If I don¡¯t explain it clearly to you, what if Ge Xing manipulates you? He might introduce you to all kinds of random people who are not fit for you.¡± Perhaps thinking of the ¡°blind date party¡± Ge Xing had arranged for him before, Zhou Qingbo frowned slightly, showing a subtle look of disdain on his face. ¡°But¡­¡± Pei You suddenly asked, ¡°Why are you so concerned about this?¡± Pei You had wanted to ask this question for a while, but it wasn¡¯t until the conversation led to this point that he finally had the chance to voice it. In his opinion, Ge Xing wasn¡¯t someone who blindly meddled in other people¡¯s business. If he wasn¡¯t willing, he wouldn¡¯t force Pei You to meet a blind date. But for some reason, Zhou Qingbo always seemed very resistant to Ge Xing. Pei You didn¡¯t understand where this hostility came from, nor did he understand why Zhou Qingbo cared so much about his potential blind date partners. Zhou Qingbo seemed surprised by Pei You¡¯s sudden question. For a brief moment, he was at a loss and couldn¡¯t answer casually, unlike his usual eloquence in twisting the logic to easily defeat others. Indeed, Zhou Qingbo thought Pei You wasn¡¯t an ignorant young boy who could be easily deceived. As this thought crossed Zhou Qingbo¡¯s mind, he felt an inexplicable feeling, unable to put it into words. He subconsciously didn¡¯t want to entrust Pei You to some unfamiliar guy, and so he had been subconsciously preventing Pei You from getting blind dates. Now, Pei You¡¯s question had broken through that hidden barrier, and Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t yet figured out the answer. He felt a bit annoyed, not understanding where this sudden restlessness came from or what it represented. He only felt that this elusive feeling couldn¡¯t be grasped, and he couldn¡¯t discern if it was worry or some more mysterious emotion. Zhou Qingbo felt like he was in a subtle state, as if some common sense had passed in front of him, but he couldn¡¯t see it clearly. ¡°I¡­¡± He blinked blankly, trying to grasp the answer to this question, but suddenly, the car in front of them made an abrupt stop, and Zhou Qingbo¡¯s train of thought was interrupted. Zhou Qingbo was sitting with a slanting posture, without any balance, so due to the sudden stop, he moved forward slightly, almost rolling off the backseat. Fortunately, Pei You quickly caught him. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived,¡± the driver pulled up the handbrake, inexplicably giving the two of them a glance through the rearview mirror, speaking in the local dialect, ¡°It¡¯s 162 yuan.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± The brief moment of confusion was shattered, and Zhou Qingbo suddenly returned from that inexplicable daze. He felt that the strange feeling had disappeared along with it, as if it had never existed. ¡°¡­Strange,¡± Zhou Qingbo pinched his nose, sat up straight with the help of Pei You and wondered, ¡°What happened? My heart was beating so fast, and my vision just turned gray.¡± ¡°Maybe it was a lack of oxygen?¡± Pei You scanned the QR code to pay the fare, looking puzzled at Zhou Qingbo. Then he used the back of his hand to touch his forehead and said, ¡°Did you eat too little for lunch? Low blood sugar, perhaps?¡± ¡°Possible,¡± Zhou Qingbo assessed himself and said, ¡°Or maybe I¡¯m just tired.¡± Zhou Qingbo, who had always been carefree, didn¡¯t think too much of it and simply attributed the fleeting subtle feeling he just had to positional hypotension. He lowered his head and followed Pei You¡¯s lead, pulling his hand out of the car and then casually resting it on Pei You¡¯s shoulder. With the back of his foot, he closed the car door. ¡°Oh, by the way¡­ What were we talking about just now ¡­.¡± Zhou Qingbo raised an eyebrow, continuing the previous question from Pei You, ¡± the answer is, it¡¯s because you haven¡¯t graduated from my teachings yet. If I let you go too soon, it would damage my reputation as the gold medal love instructor.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± When did he acquire such a title? Pei You wondered. Pei You could never keep up with Zhou Qingbo¡¯s unpredictable train of thought, but wisely chose not to ask about the title. He just made a sound to indicate that he had heard it. In fact, even if Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t said it, Pei You had no plans to meet new matches recently. His interactions with Zhou Qingbo had reached a comfortable level. They could share their secrets about their sexual orientations with each other, and Pei You didn¡¯t have to constantly try to impress Zhou Qingbo. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t mind his lack of excitement and would occasionally add some fun to their lives. On the other hand, Pei You could interact with Zhou Qingbo at his own pace and didn¡¯t have to exhaust himself trying to fit into every topic. As the saying goes, it¡¯s easy to transition from basic living to luxury, but difficult to go back to basic living after experiencing luxury. Even though Pei You and Zhou Qingbo weren¡¯t involved in a romantic relationship, he had gradually become accustomed to this free and comfortable way of being together. He didn¡¯t want to engage in awkward blind dates anymore. With this in mind, Pei You turned his head slightly and glanced at Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand resting on his shoulder. His sleeve was pulled up a bit, revealing a boneless hand that dangled down and swayed with his movements as they walked. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t seem to notice Pei You¡¯s gaze; his attention was not focused. At that moment, he was more interested in surveying the street in front of the hotel, looking at the candied chestnut stall with a hint of anticipation. Pei You used his hand to wipe off the faint gray marks on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Gold Medal Love Instructor¡± might be questionable in terms of its effectiveness, but Pei You felt that Zhou Qingbo seemed to have raised his standards for potential partners. CH 36 The audit work in Dongjiang not going smoothly was within Pei You¡¯s expectations¡ªafter all, he had been in this profession for a long time and was used to unraveling complex situations. However, he had never expected things to go so ¡°unsmoothly.¡± Dongjiang¡¯s accounts were unlike any classic case he had encountered before. At first glance, there were numerous errors and omissions, but upon closer inspection, they weren¡¯t as severe as he had anticipated. After completing the planned inventory items, the results he got were surprisingly similar to those provided by Liu Quan¡ªthe accounts were not organized, but they weren¡¯t as terrible as expected. That feeling of being neither here nor there was like being suspended in mid-air, making him feel uncomfortable, as if he had swallowed a fly and couldn¡¯t decide whether to swallow it or spit it out. The project managers also seemed to have been ¡°trained¡± with Liu Quan, as their explanations were quite similar. When questioned about account issues, they feigned ignorance and passed the responsibility to the finance department. When asked about cost issues, they began to act pitifully, claiming that labor costs were too high, material losses were enormous, and they occasionally mentioned the ¡°high-temperature subsidy¡± under new policies. Those people were like slippery loaches, using their connections with Liu Quan to disregard anyone else. They spoke respectfully and cooperatively, but in reality, they knew nothing and said nothing. Even someone as easy-going as Pei You couldn¡¯t help but get annoyed by those unruly scoundrels. These days, he had been working day and night, drinking coffee like water, and his hotel room was turning into a mobile office. ¡°Take a break.¡± Suddenly, a hand reached over, avoiding the documents and drafts all over the table and placed an iced Americano on the corner of Pei You¡¯s desk. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy for hours.¡± Zhou Qingbo leaned back and sat on the edge of the table, crossing his arms and wiggling his ankles. ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest for a while?¡± Zhou Qingbo suggested, ¡°Give your brain a break.¡± Pei You¡¯s document reading was interrupted, and he couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brows slightly. However, he knew Zhou Qingbo had his best interests at heart and wouldn¡¯t direct his anger towards him. In just a moment, he managed to sort out his emotions and straightened up. ¡°I want to double-check this part,¡± Pei You said, ¡°There are unidentified inflows and outflows in the public accounts, which is a big issue. Moreover, the loopholes in the accounts of various projects are not enough to cover these additional expenditures. This suggests that there are still parts we haven¡¯t discovered¡ªmoney doesn¡¯t appear or disappear out of thin air, so there must be other issues involved.¡± After the inventory, Pei You obtained a letter of verification from the bank and checked Dongjiang¡¯s public account. In addition to the regular inflow and outflow records, Pei You also found two inexplicable transfer records¡ªone around the time of the last New Year and the other at the beginning of this year. They were large sums, one amounting to three million and the other to two million six hundred thousand. Both transfers were made in and out on the same day, staying in the public account for only one night, and their destination was unknown. The receiving account had also been closed, making it impossible to trace. When Pei You showed the proof issued by the bank to Liu Xin and inquired about it, he received an unconvincing answer. ¡°These two transfers were for material procurement fees,¡± Liu Xin said, ¡°At the time, it was the end of the year, and Dongjiang¡¯s financial operations were not functioning well. So, I borrowed this money from a friend. Originally, it should have been deposited into my personal account, but they made a mistake and deposited it into the public account instead.¡± ¡°With a friend¡¯s loan?¡± Pei You¡¯s expression darkened as he asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you apply for a loan from the bank? You have projects and assets; the bank would have approved your loan without any problems.¡± ¡°This is because the money I borrowed from a friend doesn¡¯t include interest,¡± Liu Xin said. ¡°But there are no relevant documents for these two expenses in the inventory,¡± Pei You said. ¡°There is also not enough material reserve in the inventory.¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know.¡± Liu Xin, despite Pei You¡¯s questioning, remained composed. He put on an expression of remorse, as if a cloud of sorrow had fallen over his face. ¡°These two sums of money were originally intended for project purchases, but the material supplier suddenly got into gambling debts and disappeared with the money. When we went to ask for payment, we found that his company had become an empty shell. His parents were the only ones left, living in a dilapidated building, struggling with poverty. We didn¡¯t want to push hard for the payment. In the end, I had to mortgage my house to pay off the debts and return the money to my friend.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pei You furrowed his brows. Pei You had his doubts and found Liu Xin¡¯s explanation hard to believe. He thought Liu Xin was taking advantage of him and Zhou Qingbo by treating them as fools. Even Zhou Qingbo felt something was not right, although he couldn¡¯t pinpoint the exact problem. ¡°But this money was paid out and never came back. It¡¯s as good as gone,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, flipping through the documents. ¡°If you say he embezzled it, then the five million should have been taken from the company¡¯s account.¡± ¡°You believe what Liu Xin said?¡± Pei You didn¡¯t answer directly but asked instead, ¡°He said he borrowed the money.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be a fool to believe him,¡± Zhou Qingbo coldly chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Even rich people wouldn¡¯t lend five million so casually, especially considering the size of companies in this region.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s the problem,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Company operations follow certain rules. The number of projects done, profits made, and balances should all have corresponding records. It¡¯s easy to move money out, but it¡¯s difficult to bring it back. His inexplicable extra five million can¡¯t just appear out of thin air.¡± This five million was most likely Liu Xin¡¯s off-the-books money. However, Pei You compared the current inventory to the material loopholes and over-reported costs, totaling the amount and spreading it across East River¡¯s projects, and even half of the five million couldn¡¯t be accounted for. This transfer record seemed to have come out of nowhere, and Pei You knew it was the key to solving the financial problem, but for now, he couldn¡¯t find the evidence to expose the truth. ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡± Zhou Qingbo put down what he was holding, slid down the table, and then half-squatted beside the table, resting his chin on the table with a slightly furrowed brow. ¡°If only we could check Liu Xin¡¯s personal accounts, we might find more clues.¡± ¡°There is no direct evidence to prove that he embezzled company funds, and the bank won¡¯t allow us to access his personal information,¡± Pei You said. He looked at Zhou Qingbo with a hint of amusement and brushed away the untouched coffee towards him, indicating that he could have it. ¡°I don¡¯t want this.¡± Zhou Qingbo pouted and said, ¡°Bitter stuff affects my taste buds, and my taste buds are precious.¡± Pei You paused for a moment, then remembered that Zhou Qingbo¡¯s main job was a part-time bartender, working only for a couple of hours a day. ¡°By the way, you seem to be working at a very fast pace lately,¡± Pei You observed. ¡°Can you handle it? You don¡¯t seem used to such intensity.¡± ¡°Of course¡­ I¡¯m not used to it,¡± Zhou Qingbo blinked and then quickly put on a pitiful expression. He slid further down the table and sat on the floor, showing only his eyes above the table, looking at Pei You with a pleading look. ¡°I¡¯m so tired, and even my dreams are about accounting.¡± ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Pei You said apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m used to this work intensity, and when I get busy, I forget to consider you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Zhou Qingbo said generously, ¡°I forgive you ¨C but you have to make it up to me.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Pei You agreed at first and then remembered to ask, ¡°But what do you want?¡± With a twinkle in his eyes, Zhou Qingbo quickly came up with an idea. His eyes curved slightly, showing a hint of amusement. Next, Pei You saw a ¡°figure¡± made up of two fingers appearing on the table. It wobbled and walked toward him along the edge of the table, clumsily falling and hitting his sleeve like a piece of porcelain, latching onto it. ¡°In that case, I would like you to¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo deliberately kept him in suspense, lazily drawing out his words before continuing, ¡°have dinner with me.¡± CH 37 Zhou Qingbo took advantage of the situation, pushing further and closer. In the end, he not only took Pei You, who had a bunch of unfinished work, to dinner but also strolled through a food street with him. Pei You had never allowed himself to relax like this since he started working. But Zhou Qingbo managed to persuade him effortlessly, and he broke his routine without much struggle. Zhou Qingbo was indeed talented. Pei You couldn¡¯t help but think that he had a natural gift for interpersonal skills, knowing how to persuade people effortlessly. Though they relaxed, work was still work. After a night of ¡°leisure,¡± they had to continue their duties at the construction site upon waking up the next day. The internal control at Qingshan was well-established. Zhou Qingbo was used to a strictly regulated work environment, but in Dongjiang, he felt uncomfortable, as if he was surrounded by fools. Dongjiang lacked clear internal management regulations. Each project department seemed like a makeshift team of contractors, each with its own autonomy. Apart from the overall management authority resting with Liu Xin, each construction site had its own rules. The company¡¯s construction workers mingled with temporary hired farmers, supervision and contractors formed a somewhat chaotic structure. If they wanted to find out about the operation of a specific project, they had to call the Dongjiang headquarters. Unfortunately, Liu Xin was often absent, and his secretary was like an AI with automated responses, repeating phrases like ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this issue,¡± ¡°I¡¯ll inform Mr. Liu as soon as possible,¡± or ¡°I¡¯ll call you back when Mr. Liu returns.¡± Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but murmur softly. ¡°Why bother hiring a secretary if they are of no use? Just get a Xiaoice( a Chinese term that refers to an artificial intelligence-based chatbot developed by Microsoft) for the office¡ªno need to pay a salary.¡± Pei You imagined a ¡°voice-controlled electronic secretary¡± that could respond once it was plugged in, and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly. ¡°Don¡¯t say such things.¡± Pei You pursed his lips to hold back his laughter, glancing at the receptionist leading the way ahead, and said softly, ¡°Machines can¡¯t replace human resources.¡± ¡°I think they could do just fine,¡± Zhou Qingbo whispered to him, ¡°She only says the same three things over and over again. Setting up an automatic reply would be enough.¡± That low work efficiency had obviously accumulated quite a bit of resentment in Zhou Qingbo, who had been forced to work overtime. For the past few days, Pei You had heard him complain incessantly and was almost building immunity to it. ¡°In that case, you can suggest to Liu Xin, citing Dongjiang¡¯s insufficient profitability, to eliminate unnecessary department positions and optimize internal management regulations.¡± Pei You thought for a moment and continued in a low voice, ¡°Then, establish a performance assessment mechanism and have them report regularly, optimizing the human resource structure. Qingshan is the headquarters and has the authority for this.¡± ¡°¡­,¡± Zhou Qingbo was impressed, thinking that Pei You was steady and efficient in his approach. As he was considering how to make things difficult for Liu Xin, he noticed the receptionist leading the way, stopped not far ahead and turned to look at them. ¡°This is the Project Management Department,¡± the receptionist pointed to a row of colorful steel activity houses ahead and said, ¡°Our manager is in the office. If you have any questions, you can ask him.¡± The receptionist took a few steps forward and knocked on the door with a sign that read ¡°Project Manager.¡± The room had a strong smell of oil and smoke, and Zhou Qingbo, finding it unpleasant, leaned against the door frame. He stepped aside slightly, giving way for the receptionist to leave. Recently, Pei You had been conducting inventory checks on various projects, exceeding the scope covered by Liu Xin¡¯s ¡°friends and family.¡± The project managers he had encountered recently were clearly not as accommodating as Liu Quan. Most of them had been in Dongjiang for many years, some were even old associates of Liu Jiancheng, starting as contractors with him. They had more experience than Liu Xin and were not easy to handle. Those people generally lacked education and relied solely on their social experience to work, possessing a kind of courageous ignorance that made dealing with them difficult. The middle-aged man was clearly among those types of people who liked to complain. He casually threw the documents on the table, put on his coat, and grumbled to himself. ¡°Always checking, checking, checking. It¡¯s like they think we¡¯re thieves,¡± the middle-aged man said loudly, clearly directed at the two ¡°inspectors¡± present. Zhou Qingbo frowned slightly, glanced at him unhappily, but said nothing. Unless necessary, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t want to engage in direct conflicts with these people. After all, it¡¯s easy to meet the boss but hard to deal with underlings. These people had been the local bosses for so many years, and their way of thinking was not easy to align with normal people¡¯s. They could be unpredictable when agitated. There were people before who grumbled a few unpleasant words, but Zhou Qingbo usually ignored them and let it pass. Pei You had more work experience and had encountered more peculiar characters. He didn¡¯t pay much attention to these people. Zhou Qingbo sometimes wondered if, in Pei You¡¯s eyes, these people were merely walking file storage units. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s thoughts were scattered, and he almost instantly started daydreaming and amusing himself with all sorts of random thoughts. However, he couldn¡¯t hold back a suppressed chuckle, quietly lowering his head and shrugging his shoulders a few times. But this project manager didn¡¯t seem to care that neither Pei You nor Zhou Qingbo reacted. Instead, he became more aggressive, banging on the file cabinet while fetching the key to the storage room. ¡°I wonder where Liu brought this big shot from,¡± the middle-aged man glanced at Pei You and said unkindly, ¡°Such a young person doing such insignificant tasks, he¡¯ll find trouble even where there¡¯s none.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡­ Zhou Qingbo came back to his senses from his thoughts and frowned slightly. He could ignore a word or two, but if someone repeatedly pushed his buttons, it was a different story. Moreover, Zhou Qingbo might be used to all kinds of people at the bar, but he still saw Pei You as a well-mannered and respectable person. So, he couldn¡¯t stand seeing him being treated disrespectfully. ¡°F**k,¡± the middle-aged man took out the key and attached it to his belt. He then took a cigarette out of the pack and put it in his mouth, mumbling discontentedly, ¡°Even being a eunuch isn¡¯t as troublesome as this.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s expression darkened. He stood up straight from the door frame and was about to walk into the room, but Pei You grabbed his arm and held him back. ¡°Thieves are afraid of being caught,¡± Pei You said with a calm face, as if he didn¡¯t know the meaning of ¡°stop when it¡¯s enough.¡± He continued, ¡°Do you have something to hide, or is your management ability just not up to the task?¡± The middle-aged man was caught off guard by Pei You¡¯s straightforwardness. His face turned slightly red, but he didn¡¯t want to confront Pei You further. He just took the key, grumbled to himself, and walked away. Only after the man had walked several steps away did Pei You let go of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t get angry with him,¡± Pei You said, ¡°It¡¯s not worth it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about people like him,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, frowning, ¡°I just don¡¯t like the way he talks.¡± Pei You was used to dealing with various managers and didn¡¯t think much of them. In his eyes, there was no need to try to please them or care about what they said. But Zhou Qingbo obviously wasn¡¯t the type to take things lying down. His brow furrowed, and he still seemed somewhat upset. Pei You didn¡¯t know how to comfort him, so he racked his brains, trying to find some means from their previous playful interactions. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry,¡± Pei You held Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder, coughed lightly, and not very skillfully said, ¡°How about¡­ I go and buy you a bottle of Coke?¡± CH 38 It took Zhou Qingbo two seconds to react to why Pei You suddenly asked to buy him coke. His expression went from confusion to sudden realization, seamlessly connecting as if it only took a moment. ¡°interesting¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s footsteps moved slightly as he leaned closer to Pei You, smiling mischievously as he looked at him. ¡°Are you trying to appease me?¡± The term sounded a bit too intimate, but Pei You couldn¡¯t find another adjective to replace it, so after hesitating for a moment, he accepted it. ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Teacher Zhou seemed to have an education hobby, trying to seize every opportunity to correct his only student¡¯s ¡°straight male¡± thinking. ¡°One trick can¡¯t be used repeatedly; you have to adapt your methods accordingly.¡± Zhou Qingbo shook his head. ¡°For example, you have to consider the actual situation and adjust your approach to appease someone.¡± Pei You: ¡­ Pei You subconsciously slowed down his pace, afraid that Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice would be heard by the middle-aged man ahead. They had just had a minor confrontation a moment ago. If the man heard Zhou Qingbo lecturing him on ¡°love matters,¡± the atmosphere would become even more awkward. ¡°For example, right now.¡± Zhou Qingbo paused, saying earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m upset with someone, so you have to stand with me and not change the subject.¡± Pei You: ¡­ ¡°¡­Then, what does it mean to stand with someone?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo gave him a look that seemed to say ¡°you should know,¡± then thought for a moment. He glanced at the distant figure of the middle-aged man, raised an eyebrow, and whispered, ¡°For example, you could help me put a sack over his head and beat him up. That would be satisfying.¡± The answer caught Pei You off guard and he was taken aback for a moment, about to advise Zhou Qingbo to give up this dangerous idea, but then he saw him burst into laughter, leaning his head on Pei You¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just kidding.¡± Zhou Qingbo nudged Pei You with his elbow and whispered in his ear, ¡°Don¡¯t take it seriously; it¡¯s not worth going to jail for someone like him. I¡¯m not angry anymore; I was just teasing you.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s temper came and went quickly. His momentary impulsiveness was quickly interrupted by Pei You. Zhou Qingbo always felt that Pei You was like a positive emotion diffuser. When they were together, even working overtime felt more comfortable than before, let alone dealing with such trivial matters. ¡°But we still have to buy the cola,¡± Zhou Qingbo never liked being taken advantage of and was good at pushing it further. He stretched out two fingers and shook them in front of Pei You, pretending, ¡°With such a big psychological trauma, I need two bottles to heal.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You understood. It suddenly dawned on him that Zhou Qingbo had taken all those twists and turns just to get these two bottles of cola. But no matter how you looked at it, exchanging two bottles of cola for a cooperative and well-behaved Zhou Qingbo was definitely a good deal. So, Pei You willingly fell into this ¡°consumer trap¡± and bought two bottles of cola for him from the supermarket near the construction site. The middle-aged man waited impatiently at the warehouse entrance for more than ten minutes, wishing he could dig a hole in the sand under his feet. Finally, he saw the belated arrival of Pei You and Zhou Qingbo. The middle-aged man obviously looked down on Zhou Qingbo, who came to the construction site to ¡°inspect¡± and had to buy drinks. He glanced at him disdainfully and snorted. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t care how others saw him. He walked up lazily and walked side by side with Pei You. As they entered the warehouse, he casually stuffed the extra bottle of cola he was holding into Pei You¡¯s briefcase. Pei You glanced at him and Zhou Qingbo innocently blinked at him, making a gesture. ¡°It¡¯s too heavy,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll also drink them later.¡± Pei You was used to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s whims, so he wasn¡¯t too surprised. He just nodded lightly, then went into the warehouse, holding Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand and pulling him along. The warehouse made of colored steel was hot and dim. Cement and sand were piled up haphazardly in the same room, causing irritating construction dust everywhere. Zhou Qingbo furrowed his brows and chose not to walk through the dusty mess. Instead, he stood at the edge of the warehouse, idly looking around. On the wall of the main entrance of the warehouse hung a simple paper attendance book. Zhou Qingbo walked over, glanced at it casually, and surprisingly found a few familiar names on it. He frowned slightly, the nonchalant smile on his face faded a bit, revealing a hint of seriousness. The middle-aged man and Pei You had already walked deeper into the warehouse to take inventory. Zhou Qingbo confirmed that there were no other people nearby, reached out, and flipped through the attendance book. The attendance book was already pressed to the first page, with several foremen¡¯s passport-sized photos stuck on it. Zhou Qingbo carefully inspected each one and found the person he was looking for in the second last row. Having verified his guess, Zhou Qingbo reset the attendance book, thought for a moment, then turned and walked into the warehouse to find Pei You, who was working. ¡°Pei You.¡± Zhou Qingbo walked to the depths of the warehouse and called out to him from a distance. Pei You looked up from a pile of steel bars in front of him, turned to look at Zhou Qingbo, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s stuffy in here.¡± Zhou Qingbo said lazily, ¡°I want to go out and take a break.¡± Zhou Qingbo was originally worried that Pei You couldn¡¯t handle these local workers and might get bullied or underestimated. But he had just witnessed Pei You¡¯s ability to deal with people, so he put his worries aside and prepared to go out. Their gazes met briefly in midair. In that split second, Pei You already understood Zhou Qingbo¡¯s intention. He nodded and instructed, ¡°Go ahead but be careful of the pits outside, and don¡¯t step on any abandoned materials.¡± Zhou Qingbo lazily nodded to indicate that he heard him, then waved his hand and walked out of the warehouse. The middle-aged man seemed irritated by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s attitude and lazy appearance, muttering sarcastically, ¡°Why bother coming to a construction site to pass time? It¡¯s much better to go home and sleep.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t even raise his head. He held the folder and wrote down some notes on the form, coldly saying, ¡°Let him do whatever he wants. Show me the detailed purchase orders for the composite materials. I want to see them.¡± Compared to previous projects, this construction site was relatively new, and the building framework hadn¡¯t been erected yet. The deep pit of the foundation was filled with countless steel bars and iron mesh, and several excavators were in operation. Zhou Qingbo walked cautiously around the outskirts of the construction site, squinting his eyes to survey the area until he found the person he was looking for. He patiently waited for about twenty minutes until the man was about to change shifts and take a break. Then, he approached the man from behind. ¡°Zhao-ge (Brother Zhao).¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice was slightly raised, and it carried a hint of pleasant surprise. The man he called Zhao was taken aback, startled, he turned around to look at him. ¡°Ah¡­ Zhou, Manager Zhou,¡± the man obviously didn¡¯t expect to see Zhou Qingbo there. He instinctively wanted to stand up and greet him but was held down by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand on his shoulder. ¡°No need to be polite; I¡¯m just here to have some fun,¡± Zhou Qingbo said casually as he sat down on a mound of soil next to the man. ¡°But you, Zhao-ge, why are you here again? Weren¡¯t you building the factory over there?¡± Zhou Qingbo casually asked, ¡°This construction site is for a different project, right?¡± The man in front of Zhou Qingbo had a dark complexion, calloused hands from dealing with rubber and sand daily, and his knuckles were somewhat cracked from the constant contact with the materials. Though he was tall, he had a bit of a hunch in his back, giving him a very honest appearance. His round face featured narrowed eyes, and Zhou Qingbo remembered his appearance and even his name clearly after just one glance at Liu Quan¡¯s construction site. Just now, when Zhou Qingbai saw his name in the attendance book, he was still wondering if it was a different person. However, it wasn¡¯t until he saw the photo of their group¡¯s construction supervisor on the last page that he became completely certain. When Zhou Qingbo would want to get along with people, he would become very friendly. He wouldn¡¯t put on airs, and Zhao Shan, having seen him before, wasn¡¯t too nervous this time. ¡°We workers go wherever we are needed,¡± Zhao Shan said with a simple and honest smile, patting his head and saying, ¡°We finished the work over there, and now we¡¯re here to work on the foundation, so we were transferred.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Zhou Qingbo nodded, his gaze sweeping over the deep foundation pit not far away, and casually said, ¡°Is the foundation almost done? I see the steel beams are already in place.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve just dug it out. The framework hasn¡¯t been completed yet, and we still need to pour concrete later,¡± Zhao Shan replied. ¡°In that case, it will take you guys some time to finish the work during this busy period,¡± Zhou Qingbo remarked. ¡°Yes, building houses takes time. It can¡¯t be rushed,¡± Zhao Shan said with a sigh, fanning himself with his safety helmet. ¡°This amount of work can¡¯t be completed in just a month.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gaze slightly darkened. Suddenly changing the topic, he asked, ¡°But during this busy period, your entire construction team suddenly takes a week off. Isn¡¯t that a bit unusual?¡± Zhao Shan was caught off guard by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s questioning. He hesitated and stammered, ¡°Well¡­ that¡­ ¡° ¡°Boss Zhou, let me explain,¡± a younger voice suddenly came from behind Zhou Qingbo, and he turned to find the construction supervisor of this team, Qian Chuan. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s a reason for this. One of our brothers is getting married, so we wanted to help him with the wedding, and that¡¯s why we all took leave,¡± Qian Chuan explained with a smile. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, Boss Zhou, it won¡¯t affect our work. We¡¯ll work overtime to catch up during these days off and make sure the project stays on schedule.¡± After Qian Chuan finished speaking, his gaze shifted past Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder to Zhao Shan. ¡°It¡¯s almost break time,¡± Qian Chuan frowned slightly and scolded him in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t chat around here, be careful not to delay the work.¡± Afraid of being caught in another awkward situation, Zhao Shan quickly got up from the ground, dusted off the dirt from his clothes, and hurried away, as if he was afraid that Zhou Qingbo would interrogate him again. That ¡°secret operation¡± they just pulled off wasn¡¯t too clever, but it was simple and effective. Zhou Qingbo frowned slightly, squinting at Qian Chuan for a moment. Construction supervisors like Qian Chuan were difficult to fool, but after giving him a brief look, Zhou Qingbo decided not to pursue further questions. His interest seemed to return to the construction site, and he got up from the ground, dusted off his clothes, and prepared to go somewhere else to explore. After Zhao Shan almost slipped up, Qian Chuan didn¡¯t dare leave him alone and quickly found a clever and well-informed site supervisor to accompany Zhou Qingbo, pretending to be his ¡°tour guide,¡± while he went to report the news to Liu Xin. Liu Xin seemed to be busy with something; it took three attempts to get through the phone, and he answered with a displeased ¡°What is it?¡± Qian Chuan briefly explained what had just happened, and there was a two-second pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a furious roar. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to clean up everything?¡± ¡°We did clean up,¡± Qian Chuan complained. Who would have expected Zhou Qingbo to have nothing better to do than check the attendance book? ¡°You are all useless?¡± Liu Xin sneered, ¡°You go tell Old Li that this isn¡¯t a trivial matter. If they find out something, we¡¯ll all be in trouble.¡± ¡°But¡­ keeping things hidden isn¡¯t a good idea either. I think the guy with him is a perfectionist,¡± Qian Chuan muffled his voice, taking a few steps behind the row of houses and whispering, ¡°If they investigate thoroughly, they are sure to find something out of the ordinary. So, Liu, think of a way to shut them up.¡± Liu Xin was well aware of the seriousness of the matter. During this period, Pei You had thoroughly audited Dongjiang¡¯s accounts, exposing all the fraudulent and unbalanced transactions. He interrogated each department with data like an interrogation session. Liu Xin couldn¡¯t deceive indefinitely; unless he sent the entire company on leave and sent them all home, there would always be someone who couldn¡¯t react in time, and the lie would be exposed. The past two days, he had been receiving updates from his secretary, and he felt that Pei You was close to uncovering all of Dongjiang¡¯s internal affairs. Liu Xin had no doubt that Pei You¡¯s investigation methods would eventually expose all of his secrets. Liu Xin wanted to get rid of those two thorns, but the problem was that the situation hadn¡¯t reached its worst point yet, and he was still somewhat hesitant. ¡°You think it¡¯s that easy?¡± Liu Xin gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Zhou Qingbo is Zhou Cangshan¡¯s younger brother. You¡¯re crazy to mess with him.¡± ¡°Then deal with the guy around him,¡± Qian Chuan suggested. ¡°From what I see, that young master doesn¡¯t understand anything and is here just to laze around. The main work is done by the other guy. If we can make him loosen his grip, the young master won¡¯t find any faults.¡± Liu Xin didn¡¯t reply immediately, wrestling with conflicting thoughts in his mind. ¡°¡­Forget it, we¡¯ll see,¡± Liu Xin finally said irritably. ¡°Let¡¯s see how far he has dug. If it¡¯s just this issue, I can reimburse Qingshan and avoid taking such a big risk.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Qian Chuan said. ¡°If there¡¯s any news, I¡¯ll call you.¡± Liu Xin grunted impatiently and reminded them not to show any weakness in front of Pei You before hanging up. At that moment, Pei You was still unaware that he had become Liu Xin¡¯s ¡°key target.¡± He stood in front of the warehouse, casually checking the documents in his hands. The older man idled beside him, occasionally glancing at the documents but not really understanding much of the detailed data. Pei You didn¡¯t bother to explain his work to the man. He finished inspecting the warehouse and made a few notes on the audit report he was carrying. ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Pei You said, ¡°I noticed that you have some machinery equipment rented externally. Is that part of the lease here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the office, I have to go back and check,¡± the older man, smoking a cigarette, mumbled vaguely. ¡°And there are non-material procurement contracts,¡± Pei You continued. ¡°If there are any reimbursement forms, please find them together¡ª¡± He was interrupted by a call on his mobile phone. It was the audit team from Beijing. The woman on the other end said they had sent the analytical review report to his email and advised him to check it. Pei You acknowledged the information and asked about the results. The woman informed him that the material procurement prices in Dongjiang were higher than other construction companies under similar conditions, averaging about 30% higher. He asked if they had done a cross-sectional comparison, and the woman confirmed they had, and all the data were in the report. Pei You thanked her, then his phone received the name of a company from her. He looked at the name on the screen, raised his head, and said to the older man, ¡°The work here is temporarily finished. Please return to the office, and I need to review your project procurement documents again.¡± At the same time, the older man¡¯s face turned a little pale, and he began to realize that he had become a person of interest. He quickly said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go back and find them.¡± CH 39 Zhao Shan was caught off guard by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s questioning. He hesitated and stammered, ¡°Well¡­ that¡­ ¡° ¡°Boss Zhou, let me explain,¡± a younger voice suddenly came from behind Zhou Qingbo, and he turned to find the construction supervisor of this team, Qian Chuan. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s a reason for this. One of our brothers is getting married, so we wanted to help him with the wedding, and that¡¯s why we all took leave,¡± Qian Chuan explained with a smile. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, Boss Zhou, it won¡¯t affect our work. We¡¯ll work overtime to catch up during these days off and make sure the project stays on schedule.¡± After Qian Chuan finished speaking, his gaze shifted past Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder to Zhao Shan. ¡°It¡¯s almost break time,¡± Qian Chuan frowned slightly and scolded him in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t chat around here, be careful not to delay the work.¡± Afraid of being caught in another awkward situation, Zhao Shan quickly got up from the ground, dusted off the dirt from his clothes, and hurried away, as if he was afraid that Zhou Qingbo would interrogate him again. That ¡°secret operation¡± they just pulled off wasn¡¯t too clever, but it was simple and effective. Zhou Qingbo frowned slightly, squinting at Qian Chuan for a moment. Construction supervisors like Qian Chuan were difficult to fool, but after giving him a brief look, Zhou Qingbo decided not to pursue further questions. His interest seemed to return to the construction site, and he got up from the ground, dusted off his clothes, and prepared to go somewhere else to explore. After Zhao Shan almost slipped up, Qian Chuan didn¡¯t dare leave him alone and quickly found a clever and well-informed site supervisor to accompany Zhou Qingbo, pretending to be his ¡°tour guide,¡± while he went to report the news to Liu Xin. Liu Xin seemed to be busy with something; it took three attempts to get through the phone, and he answered with a displeased ¡°What is it?¡± Qian Chuan briefly explained what had just happened, and there was a two-second pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a furious roar. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to clean up everything?¡± ¡°We did clean up,¡± Qian Chuan complained. Who would have expected Zhou Qingbo to have nothing better to do than check the attendance book? ¡°You are all useless?¡± Liu Xin sneered, ¡°You go tell Old Li that this isn¡¯t a trivial matter. If they find out something, we¡¯ll all be in trouble.¡± ¡°But¡­ keeping things hidden isn¡¯t a good idea either. I think the guy with him is a perfectionist,¡± Qian Chuan muffled his voice, taking a few steps behind the row of houses and whispering, ¡°If they investigate thoroughly, they are sure to find something out of the ordinary. So, Liu, think of a way to shut them up.¡± Liu Xin was well aware of the seriousness of the matter. During this period, Pei You had thoroughly audited Dongjiang¡¯s accounts, exposing all the fraudulent and unbalanced transactions. He interrogated each department with data like an interrogation session. Liu Xin couldn¡¯t deceive indefinitely; unless he sent the entire company on leave and sent them all home, there would always be someone who couldn¡¯t react in time, and the lie would be exposed. The past two days, he had been receiving updates from his secretary, and he felt that Pei You was close to uncovering all of Dongjiang¡¯s internal affairs. Liu Xin had no doubt that Pei You¡¯s investigation methods would eventually expose all of his secrets. Liu Xin wanted to get rid of those two thorns, but the problem was that the situation hadn¡¯t reached its worst point yet, and he was still somewhat hesitant. ¡°You think it¡¯s that easy?¡± Liu Xin gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Zhou Qingbo is Zhou Cangshan¡¯s younger brother. You¡¯re crazy to mess with him.¡± ¡°Then deal with the guy around him,¡± Qian Chuan suggested. ¡°From what I see, that young master doesn¡¯t understand anything and is here just to laze around. The main work is done by the other guy. If we can make him loosen his grip, the young master won¡¯t find any faults.¡± Liu Xin didn¡¯t reply immediately, wrestling with conflicting thoughts in his mind. ¡°¡­Forget it, we¡¯ll see,¡± Liu Xin finally said irritably. ¡°Let¡¯s see how far he has dug. If it¡¯s just this issue, I can reimburse Qingshan and avoid taking such a big risk.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Qian Chuan said. ¡°If there¡¯s any news, I¡¯ll call you.¡± Liu Xin grunted impatiently and reminded them not to show any weakness in front of Pei You before hanging up. At that moment, Pei You was still unaware that he had become Liu Xin¡¯s ¡°key target.¡± He stood in front of the warehouse, casually checking the documents in his hands. The older man idled beside him, occasionally glancing at the documents but not really understanding much of the detailed data. Pei You didn¡¯t bother to explain his work to the man. He finished inspecting the warehouse and made a few notes on the audit report he was carrying. ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Pei You said, ¡°I noticed that you have some machinery equipment rented externally. Is that part of the lease here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the office, I have to go back and check,¡± the older man, smoking a cigarette, mumbled vaguely. ¡°And there are non-material procurement contracts,¡± Pei You continued. ¡°If there are any reimbursement forms, please find them together¡ª¡± He was interrupted by a call on his mobile phone. It was the audit team from Beijing. The woman on the other end said they had sent the analytical review report to his email and advised him to check it. Pei You acknowledged the information and asked about the results. The woman informed him that the material procurement prices in Dongjiang were higher than other construction companies under similar conditions, averaging about 30% higher. He asked if they had done a cross-sectional comparison, and the woman confirmed they had, and all the data were in the report. Pei You thanked her, then his phone received the name of a company from her. He looked at the name on the screen, raised his head, and said to the older man, ¡°The work here is temporarily finished. Please return to the office, and I need to review your project procurement documents again.¡± At the same time, the older man¡¯s face turned a little pale, and he began to realize that he had become a person of interest. He quickly said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go back and find them.¡± CH 40 Pei You¡¯s work efficiency was clearly reliable, but the middle-aged man was dragging his feet and only finished the work after 8 o¡¯clock in the evening, with his half-hearted cooperation. The site was quite far from the city center, requiring over two hours of driving. Around seven o¡¯clock, Zhou Qingbo came over to inquire about the progress and learned that the work would take a while longer. He decided to book a nearby hotel to avoid the hassle of traveling late at night. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t like going to the office to deal with the messy accounts and documents. Instead, he wandered around outside. When he got tired, he sat in front of a small supermarket, chatting with the owner. Over the course of the evening, he had eaten three grilled sausages. As Pei You walked out of the site¡¯s gate, he spotted Zhou Qingbo sitting on a plastic stool in front of the supermarket, engaged in a lively conversation with the owner. In his hand, there was a skewer of fish tofu that he hadn¡¯t had a chance to eat, and the broth was shaking precariously, almost falling off the skewer. ¡°Zhou Qingbo,¡± Pei You called out to him. Zhou Qingbo paused for a moment, turned his head, and glanced at Pei You with bright eyes. He waved his hand to signal him. Zhou Qingbo said goodbye to the supermarket owner and with three quick steps, he reached Pei You¡¯s side and without a word, handed him a piece of fish tofu. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°Here, I just scooped it out of the pot, and it¡¯s still hot.¡± Pei You was afraid that he might spill soup on himself, so he instinctively held onto Zhou Qingbo¡¯s wrist and declined. ¡°You go ahead and eat,¡± Pei You said. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already had a bunch of snacks while you were working inside,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°Take it, I think their Gansu hotpot soup is quite well made.¡± Pei You couldn¡¯t resist him and reluctantly lowered his head, taking a piece of fish tofu from Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand. ¡°How was it?¡± Zhou Qingbo finished the other piece, tossed away the skewer, and casually asked, ¡°Did everything go smoothly this afternoon?¡± With his mouth full, Pei You found it hard to speak, so he just nodded. Then he took his briefcase off his elbow, unzipped it, and showed Zhou Qingbo some documents inside. There were various documents related to procurement and reimbursement forms. Zhou Qingbo glanced at two of them, then casually stuffed them back into Pei You¡¯s briefcase. ¡°As long as it went smoothly,¡± Zhou Qingbo yawned lazily and mumbled, ¡°I miss the fun nightlife of Beijing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost over,¡± Pei You said. After swallowing the fish tofu, Pei You walked alongside Zhou Qingbo and shared the news from Beijing with him. ¡°So, you mean Liu Xin is using his mother¡¯s company to transfer funds for the projects?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°Most likely,¡± Pei You said. ¡°There are no significant discrepancies in East River¡¯s accounts, which indicates that there might be another set of accounts operated by a shell company. As I audited these projects, I noticed their purchasing prices were consistently higher than the market average. Coupled with additional wastage and excess purchases, it seems they might be doing some private work on the side.¡± Zhou Qingbo had already sent the issue of workers mysteriously taking leave to Pei You via WeChat. For those technical matters, Pei You had the final decision, and Zhou Qingbo always had faith in his capabilities. Compared to those messy accounts, Zhou Qingbo was more concerned about when they would return to Beijing. ¡°That should be enough,¡± Zhou Qingbo clapped his hands together with a smile. ¡°Now we just need to catch him in the act, and then we can head back home.¡± Although that was the plan, Pei You wasn¡¯t as optimistic as Zhou Qingbo. Liu Xin¡¯s assets were sizable, and if the company¡¯s accounts didn¡¯t match his income, they might need to resort to unconventional means. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts,¡± Zhou Qingbo interjected, dissatisfied, as he reached out his arm to poke Pei You playfully. ¡°We should be happy we made a bit of progress. Let¡¯s not go back to the hotel for now. It¡¯s still early; let¡¯s go out for dinner and have some fun.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo was good at ¡°rewarding¡± himself with reasons to have fun, whether there was something to celebrate or not. Pei You didn¡¯t get a chance to express his opinion before Zhou Qingbo dragged him away without another word. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Pei You said helplessly. ¡°This small town doesn¡¯t have much nightlife. The hotel¡¯s kitchen closes at 6 pm, and apart from street barbecue stalls, there are hardly any open restaurants.¡± ¡°While checking the reviews on Dianping this afternoon, I saw a unique bar around here with good ratings,¡± Zhou Qingbo turned back and raised an eyebrow at Pei You. ¡°Since we¡¯re already here, let¡¯s go check it out.¡± He paused for a moment and added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not one of those chaotic places. I called to confirm this afternoon. They don¡¯t have loud DJs or dance floors. It¡¯s a chill bar, so you won¡¯t find it bothersome.¡± Zhou Qingbo had already planned this ¡°rewards trip¡± in advance. Pei You didn¡¯t have any reservations about going to a bar, so he agreed to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Alright,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the hotel first and drop off our things. Oh, by the way, you mentioned it¡¯s a unique bar. What makes it unique?¡± Zhou Qingbo had forgotten to ask about that, but based on his experience, unique bars usually meant fancy cocktail styles or specific music themes. He was afraid that Pei You might not be familiar with such places, so he took the time to confirm that there were no pole dancing or any other weird performances, ensuring that it wouldn¡¯t be out of their comfort zone. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure,¡± Zhou Qingbo said nonchalantly. ¡°Probably just a gimmick.¡± Coincidentally, the ¡°unique bar¡± Zhou Qingbo mentioned wasn¡¯t far from their newly booked hotel. It was located in the town¡¯s ¡°busy area.¡± Once they left the hotel, it took them just over ten minutes to walk there. The bar was situated at a corner with an entrance adorned with RGB lights advertising ¡°snacks¡± and ¡°cold dishes.¡± The storefront was quite small, seemingly able to accommodate only one person at a time. Once they entered, there was a narrow staircase leading downstairs. Pei You realized that the bar was actually located underground. The entrance above wasn¡¯t the actual front door; the real entrance was downstairs, around a corner. The lighting in the staircase was dim, with only a few purple ambient lights on the walls. Pei You hesitated for a moment, then turned to Zhou Qingbo and reached out his hand. ¡°It¡¯s too dark in here,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Can you see clearly?¡± In the small town, the infrastructure wasn¡¯t as developed as in big cities. Walking under the dim streetlights, Zhou Qingbo had already adapted to the low light conditions. He looked at the hand that Pei You extended toward him, hesitated for a moment, and then held it. His fingertips first touched Pei You¡¯s wrist and then moved to the side until Pei You grasped his hand firmly. ¡°Be careful on the stairs; they¡¯re quite steep,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Got it,¡± Zhou Qingbo replied, gently squeezing Pei You¡¯s hand and smiling. ¡°Be careful as well.¡± Pei You hummed in agreement and indeed slowed down his pace. He didn¡¯t realize that Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes had adjusted to the light as he occasionally looked back, worried that he might stumble. The short flight of twenty-something stairs took them a few minutes to go down, and by the end, there was a thin layer of sweat on both their palms. The narrow and winding staircase opened up after a turn, revealing a regular-sized door at the end. On it were written some elegant English letters, likely the bar¡¯s name. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. He turned to Pei You, smiling, and took his arm, leading him toward the bar counter. ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink before we leave. What would you like?¡± ¡°Anything is fine,¡± Pei You wasn¡¯t picky. ¡°You decide, just no strong alcohol.¡± The bar area was brightly lit, and a bartender was wiping glasses behind the counter. Zhou Qingbo pulled Pei You to sit at the bar and tapped on the counter. ¡°One Golden Stout and one Mojito, both non-alcoholic,¡± Zhou Qingbo ordered. As he spoke, a young man in the corner suddenly stood up and walked toward the bar. He held an open box of cigarettes, with one sticking out and wedged against the paper lid. ¡°Hey, buddy,¡± the young man sat next to Pei You without hesitation, placing the cigarette box on the counter. He smiled and greeted Pei You, ¡°Can I borrow a lighter?¡± Pei You didn¡¯t smoke, but he did have an emergency lighter in his pocket. He was about to agree when Zhou Qingbo reached over, taking the cigarette and said, ¡°Sorry, he doesn¡¯t smoke.¡± The man looked at Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand on the cigarette box and then glanced at Pei You. His gaze lingered between them for a while before he shrugged and put the cigarette box back into his pocket. ¡°Whatever,¡± he mumbled, ¡°Seems like he¡¯s taken.¡± Pei You was puzzled. It felt like they just had some sort of confrontation, but he didn¡¯t notice anything. Before he could ask what was going on, Zhou Qingbai burst into laughter, leaning in with his chin on Pei You¡¯s shoulder, and whispered, ¡°He was trying to ask you out.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­???¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Pei You thought blankly. He instinctively looked around, feeling like everything was normal in the bar. There was no inappropriate behavior or intimate interactions between male couples. Pei You was filled with question marks, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How did you know?¡± Both he and Zhou Qingbo entered the bar together and saw the same things, so he couldn¡¯t figure out how Zhou Qingbo came to this conclusion. ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice?¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°When we entered just now, they were all looking at us.¡± Zhou Qingbo straightened up and, just like the man from earlier, leaned against the counter, grinning. ¡°In a bar, besides gays, no man will be so interested in other men.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± CH 41 Pei You had always known that some people possessed a kind of ¡®gaydar¡¯. Just by exchanging a glance, they could tell each other¡¯s sexual orientation. Unfortunately, he himself was rather clueless in this aspect. He had never cultivated this kind of sharp insight. It wasn¡¯t until Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words enlightened him that he vaguely grasped some of the hidden rules. Subconsciously, Pei You looked around and realized that Zhou Qingbo was right¡ªthe scattered tables in the bar were secretly observing them. Pei You didn¡¯t blatantly scrutinize others, but certain things were easy to sense once they started. Even though he had averted his gaze, he could still feel an unending stream of glances coming from various corners. Moreover, besides himself, Pei You could feel that a vast majority of the people there were also looking at Zhou Qingbo. Those gazes carried a strong sense of curiosity, vigilance, and even a hint of testing. Pei You¡¯s eyes flickered, and he discreetly turned his body, blocking most of the views. Meanwhile, Zhou Qingbo leaned against the bar, staring at Pei You with a beaming smile. He watched as the expression on Pei You¡¯s face changed from confusion to sudden understanding, with a bit of nervousness in between, making him inexplicably adorable. Unlike other gay men who thrived in gay bars, eager to show off their love, Pei You was the complete opposite. He felt more at ease outside. It¡¯s all because of the blind dates, Zhou Qingbo thought to himself. After all, those previous suitors hadn¡¯t left a good impression on Pei You. ¡°I can¡¯t believe such a small town has a place like this,¡± Pei You said with a touch of emotion. ¡°I thought only big cities had places like these.¡± ¡°On the contrary, it¡¯s precisely because it¡¯s a small town,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, lowering his head slightly and leaning closer to Pei You like a little hamster whispering a secret. ¡°Big cities are more open-minded and care less about people¡¯s sexuality, but small towns tend to have a closed atmosphere, so they need a small gathering place like this.¡± Pei You agreed. After all, homosexuality was still a minority in society and couldn¡¯t be openly discussed. Soft classical folk music flowed through the speakers, and the faint purple ambiance lights slowly circled on the floor. Pei You absentmindedly turned his drink with his hand and suddenly felt like discussing something unrelated to work. ¡°When did you discover your sexuality?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°In high school,¡± Zhou Qingbo blinked and didn¡¯t feel embarrassed at all. He spoke openly, ¡°I was living in the dormitory, and one night my roommates dragged me to go watch a movie. While watching, I realized it.¡± In high school, teenage boys were full of energy and curiosity, and when curiosity arose, they would gather together to do some mischief. Zhou Qingbo had followed his roommate to watch various random things, but the more he watched, the more he found them uninteresting. It wasn¡¯t until one day when he accidentally clicked on a gay film that he completely opened the door to a new world. ¡°Let me tell you a secret,¡± Zhou Qingbo twirled the rim of his glass and said in a soft voice, ¡°I was actually quite scared back then.¡± Growing up in a strict family and being too young, he didn¡¯t know that sexual orientation was innate, which left him anxious for a long time. At that time, he felt uneasy about his sexuality and was also going through a period of adolescence. He felt like he was different from everyone else in the world. This explosive self-awareness made him rebellious, and it was during that time that he started to explore things that were strictly forbidden by his family. ¡°At that time, I imitated others by smoking, playing pool,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, tilting his head slightly and staring at the water ripples in his glass. He smiled and continued, ¡°I stayed up all night, slept during the day, and even skipped classes to learn mixology.¡± During that time, he used that rebellious and exhilarating experience to counterbalance his uneasiness about his sexual orientation. It was as if as long as he accumulated enough ¡°unique¡± characteristics, being gay would become just one of those traits and would no longer be so important. This rogue teenage mentality persisted for several years until Zhou Qingbo got into college and grew older and more experienced, gradually stabilizing. When Zhou Qingbo talked about this, his voice was soft and gentle. It sounded like he was whispering a secret to Pei You, but at the same time, it was like telling an unrelated story in a relaxed manner. The light from the bar slanted from above, falling precisely on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s long eyelashes and into his glass, creating a glimmer that resembled sparkling ice. A faint smile played on the corner of his lips, and Pei You¡¯s gaze fell on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s lips, then on his collarbone, and finally shifted slightly down to look at the hand holding the glass. Outside the transparent tall glass, cold, transparent water droplets formed, and Pei You watched as the mint leaves floated up and down in the glass. Suddenly, he felt his heart softening with Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice, like ripples spreading through the water. ¡°Did you learn mixology during that time?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Zhou Qingbo turned his head and smiled at him, speaking in a relaxed tone, ¡°Afterward, the more I learned, the more I loved it. When my mood stabilized, I kept pursuing it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impressive,¡± Pei You genuinely praised, ¡°I mean¡­ not just mixology.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zhou Qingbo looked slightly puzzled. ¡°I mean being able to stabilize your own emotions, find your interests, and excel at them is a remarkable thing,¡± Pei You said. ¡°I discovered my sexuality during college. At that time, I realized I wasn¡¯t interested in girls, and I hesitated for a while. I researched a lot and then came out to my family.¡± Pei You had always been grateful for having an open-minded mother, so he hadn¡¯t struggled much with his sexual orientation. He quickly accepted it as a fact. But Zhou Qingbo was much younger at the time and felt overwhelmed with complex emotions. Anxiety, hesitation, and a sense of alienation filled his life. Because of strict family rules, he couldn¡¯t even seek parental guidance in that regard. That sense of ¡°isolation from the world¡± could easily lead one to subconsciously seek like-minded individuals. For a young boy still in his adolescence, this ¡°search¡± process could be full of unknown dangers, and a moment¡¯s carelessness might lead to bad influences. But Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t succumb to that. Like a small boat in a torrential storm, he struggled in the sea for a long time before returning to the shore. Not only did he come back unscathed, but he also brought back a shipload of treasures. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot,¡± Pei You paused for a moment and said softly, ¡°being able to persist and take responsibility for yourself is already admirable.¡± Pei You¡¯s tone sounded very earnest, even more serious than when he was working. It was as if, at this moment, he wanted Zhou Qingbo to feel just how proud of him he was. He was usually emotionally clueless, but at times like these, he unexpectedly became open and direct. Zhou Qingbo seemed to be slightly scorched by Pei You¡¯s seriousness, subconsciously turning his eyes away, avoiding Pei You¡¯s gaze, and the smile on his face faded slightly. Zhou Qingbo had never told anyone about this story. Recollecting one¡¯s teenage self at the age of thirty always feels difficult and embarrassing, mixed with a lot of awkwardness and shame. Zhou Qingbo felt the same way, thinking of himself back then as childish and cowardly, making a big deal out of insignificant matters and being overly sensitive. But when Pei You spoke, it seemed as if he had pulled Zhou Qingbo back ten years ago. The Zhou family did not believe in praise or encouragement, and no one would compliment him for such trivial matters. Zhou Qingbo thought he didn¡¯t need it either, but now, at this very moment, he realized that in those bewildering nights, in the days that followed, he did indeed want to hear such words. Zhou Qingbo used to tease Pei You and ask him to compliment him shamelessly. However, now that Pei You praised him without him ¡°hinting¡± at all, he felt a little embarrassed. Suddenly, his heart pounded loudly, the sound deafening, spreading from his chest and carrying an inexplicable warmth. At the same time, he felt an abrupt sense of anxiety, an unfamiliar and chaotic feeling that enveloped him. But before he could settle into this unease, he sensed a very hidden sense of joy in those complex emotions. As an adult, this joy made him instinctively feel a little ashamed. Zhou Qingbo smiled, concealing it, and took a sip of his whiskey sour. The unexpected whiskey sour flooded his taste buds. He frowned slightly, unable to feel any relief from the bitterness of the liquor. Besides the spiciness of the strong alcohol, there was a taste of bitter nuts. Zhou Qingbo wrinkled his brow, and out of the corner of his eye, he unintentionally caught sight of the drink menu on the bar. The menu mainly featured cocktails, and Zhou Qingbo squinted his eyes to scan it for a while. He saw the words ¡°Special Mix¡± before the name ¡°Whiskey Sour.¡± ¡°What a mess,¡± Zhou Qingbo thought, feeling bitter. That bitterness seemed to carry a taste of time, both bitter and salty. Zhou Qingbo swallowed the strong liquor, feeling worse than before, even more anxious. He subconsciously wanted to redirect this unease, so he turned to look at Pei You, grabbing his sleeve. ¡°Who are you praising?¡± Zhou Qingbo bent his eyes in a smile, just like many times before, playfully and persistently asking, ¡°Are you praising the eighteen-year-old me, or the current me?¡± Pei You didn¡¯t know the difference between the two options, so he simply combined them and answered, ¡°I¡¯m praising you.¡± His response was direct and firm, and Zhou Qingbo blinked, suddenly realizing a slightly sweet sensation amidst the taste of the strong liquor. Pei You¡¯s answer was light and solemn, as if settling the dust and gently landing on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart, dispelling the inexplicable unease. At the same time, perhaps even Zhou Qingbo himself wasn¡¯t clear, but the eighteen-year-old him had already silently fallen in love with Pei You. CH 42 That strange and subtle emotion softened Zhou Qingbo entirely. His brows and eyes relaxed, and his smile subtly carried a gentle and tender aura. He took advantage of the situation and didn¡¯t let go of Pei You¡¯s shirt sleeve after receiving the answer. Instead, he hooked his finger and tightly held the small gap around his cuff. Pei You felt a tightness around his cuff, and he lowered his head to see Zhou Qingbo¡¯s action. He felt the slightly cool fingertips brushing against his wrist, leaving a slightly wet and itchy sensation. ¡°You¡­¡± Pei You vaguely sensed that somewhat subtle atmosphere. He subconsciously wanted to say something but hadn¡¯t figured out how to start. Thankfully, before he could rack his brain to come up with the following words, the music from the speakers suddenly interrupted and emitted a faint electric sound. That abrupt noise interrupted both of their thoughts. Zhou Qingbo and Pei You shifted their attention at the same time, turning their heads to look at the source of the sound. The size of that small bar couldn¡¯t be compared to places like Black Bar. It had a modest-sized hall of tens of square meters, and as soon as you entered, there was a simple space. The bar had a small platform several square meters in size, barely resembling a stage. The sound system was placed next to the stage. When Zhou Qingbo had first entered, he only saw an upright microphone on the stage, but no one was performing. Probably, people only came to sing on weekends. Now, a bartender from the bar stood on the small stage, he clapped the microphone in his hand and cleared his throat. ¡°Everyone¡ª¡± the young man on stage said with a smile, ¡°The timing is just right. How about we play a game tonight?¡± He paused, exchanged glances with a table of people in the corner of the bar and then said with a smile, ¡°The bar has an impromptu lottery event tonight. We¡¯ll draw the winners based on the order of tonight¡¯s orders. The lucky ones will get their bills paid for tonight. However, there¡¯s a condition; the winners need to perform on stage, and everyone needs to be satisfied before the bills are waived.¡± ¡°Then what if the performance is not satisfactory?¡± someone from the crowd chimed in. ¡°That¡¯s when we play ¡®Truth or Dare¡¯ as a punishment,¡± the bartender said with a smile. ¡°What do you think?¡± With a knowing look, Zhou Qingbo raised an eyebrow and glanced towards a corner. Coincidentally, the man who had hit on Pei You was sitting at that table. People in the small town knew each other, and it seemed like the bartender had agreed with them on which games to play. However, that game was harmless. It didn¡¯t seem like an angry reaction from the guy to being rejected, but more like a playful test between peers. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t say anything but picked up his glass and silently took a sip of his drink. The bartender¡¯s gaze swept over the two of them, fearing that they might refuse and spoil the fun. So, he quickly clapped his hands, and a waiter brought a fake lottery box to the scene. The small box was sealed on all sides, with only a small slot for drawing. The bartender reached inside and quickly pulled out a piece of paper. ¡°The number for tonight is¡­ 32!¡± he announced. Pei You was slightly taken aback. As expected, the outcome of that rigged lottery had landed on Pei You. Zhou Qingbo, who saw through everything, suppressed a smile and took another sip of his drink. The bar burst into cheers as the music from the speakers resumed, reigniting the atmosphere. Everyone turned their heads to look at the bar counter, eager for some entertainment. Pei You probably hadn¡¯t anticipated the slim chance of being selected. He hesitated for a moment, wearing a slightly troubled expression. ¡°Do you want to play?¡± Zhou Qingbo, without looking at the others, stared into Pei You¡¯s eyes and asked him. Pei You could tell from Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes that he was already intrigued. However, Pei You had no outstanding talents or skills, especially not for performing in front of strangers in an unfamiliar environment. Subconsciously, he shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s also not a big deal to miss out on the free drinks¡ª¡± Before he finished speaking, Zhou Qingbo reached out and pinched his chin, stopping his head-shaking motion. He was quick, too quick for Pei You to react. Zhou Qingbo discreetly took the piece of paper from under the glass. ¡°Do you want to see a little performance?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked with a grin. Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± As he spoke, Zhou Qingbo walked towards the small stage. The bartender, who didn¡¯t want to hear the choice between ¡°performance¡± or ¡°truth or dare,¡± wisely backed away from the stage, giving him a significant look. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t look at the others, using the tip of his toe to pull a high stool next to the stage. He sat down gracefully, reaching for an acoustic guitar near the speakers. Pei You suddenly recognized the song Zhou Qingbo was about to sing; it was the theme song from a classic movie he had watched a long time ago. The movie told a pure love story, unrelated to the mundane world and only connected by the word ¡°love.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t know if Zhou Qingbo chose that song on a whim or if there was a different reason. But as he listened to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice, he felt that he had added a unique flavor to the song. As Zhou Qingbo sang, his expression appeared focused and dedicated. He held the guitar, gently changing chords, and hummed with a soft tone. That classic English love song had many covers, but Pei You had never heard anyone sing it so tenderly. What surprised Pei You even more was that Zhou Qingbo¡¯s English sounded pleasing to the ear. When singing in English, he elongated the tail of each note slightly, creating a somewhat sticky feeling. The stage lights changed slowly and softly, casting a gentle spotlight on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s side, making him look mysterious and alluring. The lights in the audience area were already turned off, leaving Pei You sitting in the dark, his eyes fixed on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s figure. It felt like he had returned to the day when he first saw Zhou Qingbo at the Black Bar. Whether it was the alcohol or for some other reason, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ears and neck had a slight blush, adding a thin layer of powder to his skin. He lowered his head, focused on plucking the guitar strings, exuding an inexplicable charm. Pei You couldn¡¯t help but be attracted by that mysterious and unknown feeling. The person in front of him felt both familiar and unfamiliar, as if they were close and yet distant. The tone of the wooden guitar was off, and that rough and slightly dissonant sound added a touch of raw reality to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice. Pei You couldn¡¯t take his eyes off him, feeling his heart pounding, as if something was about to burst out. The song happened to be in the bar¡¯s playlist, and midway through the performance, the sound system suddenly played that retro and gentle tune, perfectly syncing with Zhou Qingbo¡¯s final notes. The original singer¡¯s voice intertwined with Zhou Qingbo¡¯s, evoking two completely different emotions. As the song was nearing its end, Zhou Qingbo suddenly looked up, his gaze penetrating through the darkness and landing precisely on Pei You. Pei You¡¯s gaze met his gaze in midair. Even though Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t see anything in the darkness, he seemed to sense something and unconsciously curved his lips, showing a faint smile. Pei You absorbed that smile completely, smiling back, and couldn¡¯t help but turn his wine glass in his hand. Perhaps because his attention was diverted, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand slipped for a moment, causing a brief discordant note. That note was particularly noticeable against the backdrop of the original melody. Zhou Qingbo paused for a moment, then simply put down the guitar and sang the last two lines acapella. As the final note fell, someone in the audience called out, praising his performance. Immediately after, a man¡¯s voice came from the corner with a hint of ambiguous meaning, ¡°You chose this song? So, if it were you, would you choose to conform to the conventional view or choose freedom?¡± In the dim light, Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t see anyone clearly and didn¡¯t know who asked the question. However, he instinctively related the question to the ¡°Truth or Dare¡± segment that followed the unsatisfactory performance, so he smiled lightly and answered, ¡°I choose freedom.¡± CH 43 Back at the crowd, Pei You gazed at Zhou Qingbo¡¯s figure drawing closer as he emerged from the stage. Zhou Qingbo leaned against the bar counter, playfully asking, ¡°How did I do just now? Did I look good up there?¡± Pei You knew Zhou Qingbo¡¯s playful ways by now. He might act like a spoiled child, but he was easily pleased. As long as Pei You played along and said a few nice things, he¡¯d be satisfied. For Pei You, dealing with him was tricky because he wasn¡¯t good at pleasing others. However, it was simple in the sense that he knew that being honest with Zhou Qingbo usually made him happy. ¡°Maybe ,¡± Pei You reached out to wipe away the beads of sweat on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s forehead. ¡°You did well. I couldn¡¯t stop watching you.¡± Somehow, that sentence seemed to touch Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart. He smiled like a cat, his lips uncontrollably lifting upwards. Without a word, he turned and continued smiling to himself with his head lowered. He felt as if he was on cloud 9.. Pei You found himself inexplicably infected by his happiness. A sense of joy surged from deep within him, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile as well. They then went up the stairs on their way out of the bar. ¡°Oh, by the way.¡± Finally taking a step forward and walking alongside Zhou Qingbo, Pei You recalled a question he had been meaning to ask since earlier. ¡°Do you still play the guitar?¡± ¡°I learned it casually.¡± Zhou Qingbo turned his head to look at him and smiled, making a three-finger gesture. ¡°Actually, I can play only three songs ¨C ¡®Castle in the Sky,¡¯ ¡®Seven-Colored Sweet,¡¯ and this one.¡± He had started playing the guitar during his rebellious phase in high school. He learned a few tricks from a bartender and used it to impress strangers at times. ¡°It¡¯s been several years since I last played,¡± Zhou Qingbo shrugged and said with a smile, ¡°Seeing the guitar today made me nostalgic.¡± ¡°Do you ever get nervous to perform on stage?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°What¡¯s there to be nervous about?¡± Zhou Qingbo raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Nobody here knows me. What¡¯s the worst that can happen? Besides, I can always throw the guitar aside and sing acapella.¡± Zhou Qingbo seemed to have a natural sense of carefree attitude. He never worried about such insignificant things and appeared free-spirited and charming. Pei You was someone who liked to plan his life, from studies to his personal life and the small details in between. He preferred to have his own plans and preparations and seldom ventured into the unexpected. So, when he met Zhou Qingbo, who was unpredictable in everything, he couldn¡¯t help but develop a slight fondness for his audacity and carefree spirit. That night , Zhou Qingbo was somewhat inexplicably excited. After walking around for a while, he didn¡¯t want to go back to the hotel to sleep right away. Instead, he took Pei You on another detour, planning to return to the hotel from the other side of the main street. Pei You had a good sense of direction, but when he saw what Zhou Qingbo was up to, he didn¡¯t say anything and continued chatting with him half-heartedly. As they crossed a street corner, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s phone suddenly vibrated madly in his pocket. At first, he thought it was a friend trying to get in touch, but when he checked his phone, he saw an unexpected note on the screen. ¡°Liu Xin?¡± Pei You frowned. ¡°Why is he calling you at this hour?¡± The timing was odd, not suitable for discussing business matters. Zhou Qingbo considered for a moment and decided to answer the call in front of Pei You. ¡°Hello?¡± Zhou Qingbo lazily drew out the word, saying, ¡°Mr. Liu.¡± Having been in the bartending business for many years, Zhou Qingbo was good at handling his alcohol. He could easily get tipsy but also sober up quickly. In just a short while, he had returned to his usual state of mind and nonchalant attitude. ¡°It¡¯s so late, what¡¯s up?¡± Zhou Qingbo continued while raising the call volume, turning the phone toward Pei You so that he could also listen. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Liu Xin laughed on the other end of the phone. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for several days, and I haven¡¯t hosted you properly. Tomorrow night, Fu Yuan Lou will serve a new top-grade ham, so why don¡¯t we have dinner together and sing some songs to relax?¡± From the time Zhou Qingbo and Pei You arrived in Weinan, Liu Xin had been constantly inviting them to dinner ¨C either to try new dishes at a restaurant or to taste some fresh seafood. Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t interested in entertaining him at first because they were too busy with their work. They were running around, checking accounts and gathering evidence like spinning tops. Naturally, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t feel like dealing with him. But after repeatedly declining Liu Xin¡¯s invitations, it had become a bit awkward between them. Declining again this time might not be easy to justify. ¡°Well, about tomorrow¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo hesitated, then smiled and said, ¡°We don¡¯t want to trouble you¡± He lightly dodged the invitation, but Liu Xin, being experienced in social interactions, understood. He followed along and insisted. ¡°You are being too polite,¡± Liu Xin said in a more relaxed tone. ¡°It¡¯s only appropriate to host you since you are important individuals from the headquarters. It won¡¯t be anything too extravagant. Let¡¯s meet tomorrow evening at 7:30 in Fu Yuan Lou, and I¡¯ll book a table. After dinner, we can go to the neighboring lounge to sing and relax.¡± CH 44 After hanging up the phone, Zhou Qingbo turned his head and glanced at Pei You. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal to go once,¡± Pei You said, walking to his side, and continuing, ¡°Even if we are investigating him, we can¡¯t keep avoiding him.¡± Zhou Qingbo thought the same way. Perhaps due to experiencing the rebellious phase early, he had never been afraid of trouble. Before coming here, he had mentally prepared for Liu Xin¡¯s situation and knew that he was probably up to no good. So he had already prepared to deal with him. Moreover, Zhou Qingbo had always wanted to see how Liu Xin partied and used money and where he stashed away all those profits. ¡°He¡¯s so greedy, yet he¡¯s not afraid of spending carelessly,¡± Zhou Qingbo thought. ¡°In any case, the confrontation is relative,¡± Zhou Qingbo said lazily, with his hands in his pockets, walking casually. He continued, ¡°He wants to investigate us, so naturally, we should scrutinize him as well.¡± While speaking, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s phone rang again. Liu Xin seemed afraid that he might change his mind, so in just a few minutes, he had already arranged a table and sent the hotel address and private room number to him. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s fingers slid up and down the screen and finally decided not to reply. Instead, he locked the phone. ¡°Since he¡¯s so eager to meet both of us, let¡¯s give him a chance,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. Pei You nodded in agreement. He had been in the auditing profession for many years and had dealt with numerous company bosses. He was not a naive and inexperienced person. However, when he first arrived in Wei Nan, he was unfamiliar with Dongjiang¡¯s situation and Liu Xin didn¡¯t make a good impression on him. So he became cautious and preferred not to engage and interact with him too much. But now, the auditing work in Dongjiang was already more than halfway done, and the scanned documents and accounts had been sent back to Beijing. If Liu Xin wanted to make a move at this point, it was already too late. So Pei You didn¡¯t comment on the invitation, leaving the decision to Zhou Qingbo. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the hotel,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, stretching lazily and turning his head with a smile. He sized up Pei You and playfully whispered something in his ear, ¡°He¡¯s also so rich, we can take advantage of him.¡± Pei You chuckled and looked at him with gentle eyes, nodding after a moment. They walked side by side on the dimly lit street, and the faint streetlights stretched their shadows, intertwining together in the distance. Turning around a corner, they entered a small street with several large roadside stalls and barbecue stands. It was 10:30 pm, the peak time for the barbecue stalls. Plastic tables and chairs were set up along the street, and electric fans hummed at the door of each store, blowing air noisily. Plastic light bulbs dangled under the open plastic roof, surrounded by a swarm of small flying insects. The scent of cumin and chili from the steaming air drifted over, teasing Zhou Qingbo¡¯s appetite. He narrowed his eyes and couldn¡¯t help but look in the direction of the aroma. There was a seafood barbecue stall that seemed to be doing well. The plastic tables at the entrance were already full, and a group of muscular young men were sitting around them, making a lively and noisy scene. Glass beer bottles were scattered around the table, looking precarious. Suddenly, one of the men got agitated when someone said something at the table. He slammed the table, stood up unsteadily, and, with a flushed face, pointed vaguely towards the dark empty road not far away, cursing, ¡°Always doing hard work, but all the benefits go to them. That sneaky bastard, Liu Xin, uses flattery to please the boss, taking all the profits for himself!¡± The words ¡°the boss¡± acted as a sensitive keyword, lightly brushing a string in Pei You¡¯s heart. He frowned and looked towards the noisy group, but he noticed that Zhou Qingbo was also staring in that direction. ¡°Who is that?¡± Pei You asked softly. ¡°A contractor from another construction team at the site,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. Zhou Qingbo was good at recognizing people. He had been to several construction sites and though he didn¡¯t have a clear picture, he recognized quite a few people. The man in front of them was similar in status to Qian Chuan, both leading construction teams. After observing for a moment, Zhou Qingbo noticed that they were all wearing work clothes, probably coming to have supper right after finishing work at the site. In the afternoon, Zhou Qingbo had wandered around the construction site. Although the accounts were not clear, he remembered that this person seemed to have a bad relationship with Qian Chuan¡¯s team. At first, he thought it was just a typical friction between two teams on the site. However, hearing the way he complained, it seemed there might be more hidden behind it. ¡°And this hidden information might be related to Qingshan.¡± Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t been idle these days, Zhou Qingbo thought. It was a relief that he had been roaming around and was able to recognize faces; otherwise, he might have missed this information. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°Let¡¯s sneak over and listen.¡± The barbecue shops were separated by large umbrellas on both sides, with a plain blue-green plastic cloth in the middle. Zhou Qingbo and Pei You circled around in the dark behind the streetlights, taking another route to the adjacent shop, sitting right beside the table separated by the plastic cloth. They ordered two portions of quick-fried rice and listened attentively to the gossip from the other side while having dinner. ¡°What profits?¡± someone asked quickly, ¡°Li Ge, maybe you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it about the project in Dongshan?¡± the middle-aged man known as ¡°Li Ge¡± said with displeasure, downing another glass of beer and wiping his mouth before sneering, ¡°What do you think those guys are doing with the funds? They are just enjoying themselves! Operate a few machines, take some photos, and they¡¯ll get the bonus!¡± A string of foul language erupted on the table, followed by the clinking of bottles and some muddled dialects expressing discontent. The sounds were too chaotic, and the dialects were spoken too quickly to follow. Zhou Qingbo frowned, considering whether to risk moving closer to hear more clearly. But just as he was about to move his chair, Pei You reached out and held his wrist. ¡°He said, ¡®Isn¡¯t it true, Li Ge? why should they get money for doing nothing?''¡± Pei You translated. ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhou Qingbo looked at him unexpectedly, ¡°You can understand the dialect?¡± Pei You took a sip of the soup that came with the fried rice, nodded lightly, and said, ¡°I¡¯ve worked around here before.¡± Pei You¡¯s job had taken him all over the country, and after spending enough time in various regions, he had a basic understanding of the local dialects. Meanwhile, the complaints continued on the other side of the plastic cloth. In Zhou Qingbo¡¯s presence, those people were always guarded in their words. But in this ¡°private¡± environment, and with the boost of alcohol, they dared to say anything. The commotion on the other side of the plastic cloth continued, and the middle-aged man called ¡°Li Ge¡± seemed to have a deep grudge about this matter, complaining relentlessly and occasionally providing bits of useful information. ¡°¡±Qingshan allocates several million every year for that project, and our boss Liu only gets to eat from that one project. He can eat for a lifetime with just that!¡± Li Ge grumbled, clenching his teeth, ¡°Those money-grubbers carry favor with Manager Liu, who knows how much money they¡¯ve grabbed behind his back.¡± Zhou Qingbo thought about the term ¡°project¡± that he heard again. It seemed that this matter wasn¡¯t a secret¡ªor rather, it was a secret that everyone in a certain circle knew. He was about to ask Pei You if he could pick up any clues when he raised his head and saw Pei You¡¯s face turn unpleasant. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Qingbo moved his lips slightly and asked in a hushed voice, ¡°What¡¯s this project?¡± ¡°This year, there¡¯s only one project in Dongshan,¡± Pei You said, lowering his eyes and his face suddenly becoming serious. ¡°It¡¯s a school.¡± ¡°A school?¡± Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t very familiar with Qingshan¡¯s external business and didn¡¯t react immediately. ¡°What¡¯s so special about it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a public school,¡± Pei You said, ¡°It¡¯s not a project that Dongjiang privately donates to build; it¡¯s a project they sponsored and cooperated with the government on.¡± As someone with a certain level of knowledge in the accounting department, Pei You had looked through Dongjiang¡¯s financial reports. From the company¡¯s perspective, their expenses were somewhat excessive and had exceeded the maximum amount for tax deductions, making it a loss. But when Pei You had inquired about this with Zhou Qingbo, he learned that this was a tradition passed down from Liu Xin¡¯s father. Retired soldiers of the older generation had a unique sentiment for their hometowns and were very generous in charitable activities. Before Qingshan took over Dongjiang, they donated money every year and built roads every year. After Qingshan¡¯s acquisition of Dongjiang, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s father supported this act of kindness, so the tradition continued without any change. Zhou Qingbo listened as Pei You briefly explained the intricacies, then swallowed a mouthful of fried rice. ¡°Um¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo took a sip of the soup and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice this before?¡± From his understanding of Pei You, he wasn¡¯t the kind of person to let anomalies go once he found the answer. He was a perfectionist, so when checking the accounts, he would carefully scrutinize any issues. Several schools were not a small matter, and based on Pei You¡¯s working habits, Pei You would inspect the site to check for any misuse of funds. ¡°What I mean is,¡± Pei You said softly, ¡°In the financial report of Dongjiang, these projects were not constructed by them, but were government-sponsored cooperation projects.¡± Zhou Qingbo paused and turned to look at him. ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Pei You nodded, confirming his unfinished thought, ¡°In this part of the project documents, Dongjiang not only has photos and reports, but also a complete set of certificates and government cooperation documents.¡± It is precisely because of this that during the initial investigation process, Pei You did not include this part of the content in the ¡°high-risk zone¡± for inspection. CH 45 As the words fell, Pei You and Zhou Qingbo glanced at each other, both with serious expressions. Regardless of whether Liu Xin teamed up with government officials to embezzle headquarters¡¯ fund allocations or if Liu Xin himself daringly fabricated government documents, the nature of this matter had already gone beyond the scope of ¡°corporate operations¡± and touched on some unspeakable bottom line. On the other side of the stalls, the complaining continued between the table of workers. From work assignments to insignificant matters, as they talked, their complaints intensified. Beer bottles clanked, and occasionally, their words mixed with complaints about Liu Xin and other supervisors. ¡°Look,¡± Zhou Qingbo sighed softly, ¡°Liu Xin didn¡¯t even cover his tracks properly. Now, there¡¯s trouble.¡± ¡°He probably didn¡¯t expect the headquarters to come and investigate him,¡± Pei You said. In small places or towns, once a villain gains some local power, they are easily obscured by their arrogance, thinking they can do whatever they want without consequences. With such illusions piling up, their egos tend to become inflated. Over time, they might even consider their violations of the law and discipline as a testament to their ¡°abilities,¡± and they¡¯ll show off everywhere. The ¡°venting session¡± next to them continued, but Pei You didn¡¯t listen further. He thought for a moment, took out a hundred yuan from his wallet, and placed it under the dishes. ¡°We won¡¯t stay here tonight,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the city. It¡¯s a good time for me to go through the information and get in touch with Beijing.¡± Zhou Qingbo also had the same idea. He lowered his head, quickly finished the last two bites of food, drank some soup, and stood up. He waved to the owner, pointed to the hundred yuan under the dishes, indicating no need for change. They both crouched and made their way through the dense crowd of scattered tables, leaving the stall from another direction. They first returned to the hotel and packed their things, then hired a car to drive back to the city overnight. By the time they reached the city, it was nearly midnight. Zhou Qingbo bought two bottles of coffee at a convenience store near the hotel, clearly prepared to work overtime together. Pei You was meticulous in his work, so even though he hadn¡¯t initially classified the public welfare projects as high-risk, he had kept a record of Dongjiang¡¯s financial reports. He took out Dongjiang¡¯s financial reports from the past few years, then categorized and organized the expenditure on public welfare projects, creating a new report. The hotel¡¯s coffee table was not suitable for office work, and Zhou Qingbo felt tired of bending over on the sofa, so he simply sat on the carpet, supporting his head at the other end of the coffee table, and helped Pei You. ¡°I searched on Baidu. The amount needed to build a Primary School is only a few hundred thousand yuan. How did Dongjiang double that amount?¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s computer was on, but he was still scrolling on his phone. He commented casually, ¡°Is my brother that dumb to agree to this?¡± ¡°A part of the amount is matched by the government,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Dongjiang reported the full amount of the public welfare expenditure, which means they took on the entire construction cost of this school. That¡¯s why it appears higher.¡± As Pei You spoke, he worked on the table and sent a message to the audit team on WeChat, asking them to help sort out the report and account amounts. The audit team was used to overtime, and there were plenty of people still working at that hour. They quickly replied with an OK emoji and started their respective tasks. However, Zhou Qingbo seemed not very used to this high-intensity temporary overtime pace. After staying with him for a while, he felt drowsy and couldn¡¯t help but yawn. Seeing this, Pei You temporarily stopped his work, took out his phone, and sent a message to Zhou Cangshan. Zhou Qingbo saw what he was doing and lazily supported his chin, asking, ¡°texting my brother?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Pei You said, ¡°After all, this matter is related to Qingshan. I need to ask for his opinion on how to handle it.¡± ¡°Then just call him directly,¡± Zhou Qingbo straightened up and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that late; he¡¯s probably still up.¡± Without hesitation, Zhou Qingbo took out his phone from his pocket, called Zhou Cangshan and then put the call on speaker, placing the phone between himself and Pei You. Zhou Cangshan¡¯s ambition and Zhou Qingbo¡¯s were completely at opposite ends. As Zhou Qingbo had said, it was clearly midnight, yet the phone had only rung twice before someone answered from the other end. ¡°Qingbo?¡± Zhou Cangshan¡¯s voice sounded quite alert, not at all like someone who had been sleeping, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I have some work to report to you,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, glancing at Pei You and pushing the phone towards him, ¡°Wait a moment, let Pei You talk to you.¡± Pei You lowered his head slightly and explained the recent findings one by one to Zhou Cangshan, emphasizing the matter of the expenses for the public welfare project. Zhou Cangshan fell silent on the other end of the phone for a few seconds. When he spoke again, there was a hint of anger in his tone. ¡°Why would Liu Xin create such a mess?¡± Zhou Cangshan couldn¡¯t help but scold. ¡°The temptation of money is immense,¡± Zhou Qingbo chimed in, ¡°especially when it involves millions in non-refundable income.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand the situation now,¡± Zhou Cangshan took a deep breath and said coldly, ¡°Pei You, I leave you to handle this as you see fit. I will notify the finance department to email you the specific documents.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Thank you, Chairman Zhou.¡± Zhou Cangshan was quite efficient in his work. Shortly after the call ended, Pei You received a compressed file in his email. He opened it and found that the documents were arranged from the most recent to the oldest by year, and the one placed at the beginning was this year¡¯s public welfare project ¨C the Hope Primary School in Dongshan. Based on the information in the documents, if the construction was proceeding normally, the project should already be in the middle or later stages, at the very least, the building should have been erected. ¡°It¡¯s quite a coincidence,¡± Zhou Qingbo leaned back on the sofa, tilting his head to look at the computer screen together with Pei You, and said with a smile, ¡°Liu Xin just invited us to dinner, and then this huge gift falls from the sky. It¡¯s like fate.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Pei You said, ¡°After all, there are no impenetrable walls in the world.¡± ¡°If we believe what those construction foremen said, the project in Dongshan probably doesn¡¯t even have a building, let alone foundations,¡± Zhou Qingbo rubbed his chin and said, ¡°That¡¯s perfect. We can scrutinize Liu Xin during the dinner tomorrow.¡± CH 46 At 7:30 in the evening, at Fu Yuan Lou Restaurant. Zhou Qingbo had finally agreed to attend the dinner, and Liu Xin seemed to be taking this last chance seriously, arranging an extravagant feast with dishes like lobster, abalone, king crab, making it look like a nouveau riche¡¯s wedding banquet. When Pei You and Zhou Qingbo arrived at the restaurant, the public area in the lobby was processing a wild giant yellow croaker. Zhou Qingbo curiously glanced at it for a moment and saw the reserved private room number placed under the fish. ¡°Tsk, he¡¯s really going all out,¡± Zhou Qingbo returned to Pei You¡¯s side from the crowd and sighed, ¡°Someone might think it¡¯s a grand banquet.¡± Pei You followed his gaze and looked at the crowd. He understood immediately, ¡°Ordered by Liu Xin?¡± Zhou Qingbo nodded and made a gesture, joking, ¡°It must have cost at least five thousand yuan. I wouldn¡¯t dare to order such a thing even in Beijing.¡± ¡°Maybe it really is a grand banquet,¡± Pei You said with a smile. ¡°That 5,000 yuan fish wouldn¡¯t be enough to buy me,¡± Zhou Qingbo blinked, jokingly, ¡°it should cost at least 20,000 yuan.¡± The two of them continued to joke as they walked past the crowd and entered the private room. Inside, besides the two of them, all the other guests had already arrived. Zhou Qingbo took a quick glance around and saw that besides a few vice presidents and other company executives invited by Liu Xin, there were also two unfamiliar young girls sitting at the table. At first glance, they appeared to be no older than twenty-five, with bright eyes and light, delicate makeup, looking just right. Liu Xin said they were department managers who had just returned from a business trip, but Zhou Qingbo had a keen eye and knew he was just making it up. ¡°Come in, Zhou,¡± Liu Xin smiled as soon as he saw him, gesturing for him to take the main seat facing the entrance and leading him to the side of the two young girls, ¡°Please, take a seat over here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a round table; it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Zhou Qingbo said casually, dealing with the unwritten ¡°protocol¡± of such social occasions, and laughed as he sat down in a nearby vacant seat with Pei You. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s actions were swift, leaving Liu Xin no room to refute. Liu Xin¡¯s outstretched hand fell empty, and he paused for a few seconds before regaining a smile and calling for the dishes. The atmosphere at the dinner table was similar to that of most business gatherings. First, there was the exchange of compliments, followed by the unspoken probing of each other¡¯s intentions. Zhou Qingbo had worried that Pei You might feel uncomfortable in such a situation of ineffective socializing, but he realized that Pei You was more accepting of such occasions than he had imagined. Besides changing alcoholic drinks to yogurt under the pretext of being allergic to alcohol, Pei You adapted quite well to the subtle probing and testing. ¡°I thought you might feel uneasy coming here,¡± Zhou Qingbo sent a message to Pei You through WeChat, declining the toasts from the two young girls several times, and then used the table¡¯s cover to hide the conversation, ¡°I was worried.¡± Pei You replied with a smiley face, showing that he was fine. As the dishes kept coming, the atmosphere at the table gradually warmed up, with everyone chatting and laughing. Liu Xin tried to bring up some topics related to the public welfare projects, and Zhou Qingbo seized the opportunity to inquire casually about the construction progress. Liu Xin¡¯s answers were quite vague, but he didn¡¯t expect Zhou Qingbo to ask in detail about this matter. Instead, he thought Zhou Qingbo was just making polite small talk, so he didn¡¯t think much of it. While they were dining, Zhou Qingbo and Pei You exchanged messages through WeChat without attracting anyone¡¯s attention. The dinner proceeded smoothly, and Liu Xin took every opportunity to toast Zhou Qingbo and Pei You, hoping to create a harmonious atmosphere. As the night went on, the alcohol took its toll on him, and he became more talkative and relaxed. In the midst of the toasts and laughter, Zhou Qingbo and Pei You kept their focus and continued to pay attention to Liu Xin¡¯s behavior and words. They were determined to find any clues or hints that might expose his questionable actions. Amidst the seemingly sociable banquet, they were well aware that it might very well be a grand banquet in disguise, concealing potential traps and hidden motives. They had to tread carefully and not underestimate the situation. The phone placed on the table in front of Pei You lit up and then went dark. He glanced at the screen and casually picked up the phone to reply to a message from Zhou Qingbo, who was asking if he¡¯s okay. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Pei You said, ¡°When I first started in this business, I had all sorts of clients.¡± Pei You had said this more than once, but Zhou Qingbo still raised an eyebrow, finding it hard to imagine what Pei You was like when he first started. After a few rounds of drinks, the conversation at the table gradually shifted away from personal matters. The vice presidents brought by Liu Xin also quieted down and subconsciously glanced at Liu Xin. Liu Xin was not easily affected by alcohol; the more he drank, the paler his face became, combined with his skeletal-like appearance, he looked a bit like an ancient, aged zombie. He wore a smile on his face, but his eyes were dark and inscrutable. He stood up, tapped the shoulder of the person next to him, and changed seats to sit next to Pei You. ¡°Mr. Pei, you¡¯ve been working hard these days,¡± Liu Xin said, ¡°If there¡¯s anything that¡¯s bothering you at work, just let me know, and I¡¯ll do my best to cooperate.¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s fine,¡± Pei You replied calmly, ¡°Everything is going smoothly.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s good to hear,¡± Liu Xin touched Pei You¡¯s cup of yogurt with his wine glass and casually said, ¡°A few days ago, our accountant mentioned that auditors from Beijing are very professional, and they can understand every detail of the accounts, and their efficiency is much higher than ours.¡± After a pause, Liu Xin smiled again and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, after a few days of work, you can teach them a thing or two.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Pei You said, ¡°It depends on how the work progresses.¡± As they continued talking, Zhou Qingbo noticed that Pei You had a set of tactics for dealing with such probing questions. If Liu Xin subtly asked about the details and progress of his work, Pei You would pretend not to understand and only answer the obvious questions. But if Liu Xin asked directly, Pei You would respond with official phrases like ¡°I¡¯m not sure for now,¡± ¡°I¡¯ll report later,¡± or ¡°Qingshan will send a notice.¡± Pei You remained vague, not yielding to any pressure, and dealt with the situation in a stable and effective manner. Zhou Qingbo found himself curiously observing Pei You, almost as if he were collecting different, vivid, three-dimensional versions of Pei You. Whenever Pei You revealed a new facet of himself, Zhou Qingbo felt excited and curious, like he had stumbled upon some treasure. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t know where this curiosity came from, but he found himself silently exploring the whole person of Pei You in this ¡°collecting¡± process. Liu Xin chatted with Pei You for a while and seemed to realize that he couldn¡¯t get any meaningful information from him. So, he shifted his attention to Zhou Qingbo. ¡°Oh, by the way, little Zhou,¡± Liu Xin said with a smile, ¡°I reserved a private room at the nearby club. After dinner, we can go there, sing some songs, and relax.¡± ¡°That sounds nice,¡± Zhou Qingbo had already decided to go all out that night and see what tricks Liu Xin had up his sleeve. He put down his chopsticks and smiled with a hint of meaning, ¡°Singing is fine, but I¡¯ll pass on the rest.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Liu Xin quickly got the hint and said, ¡°We¡¯re all law-abiding citizens. We won¡¯t engage in any shady activities.¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t know if he was being overly suspicious, but he felt that Liu Xin¡¯s tone had a somewhat ambiguous meaning when he said that. The club Liu Xin had arranged was right next to Fuyuan Building, just a three-minute walk away. Before moving to the next location, Pei You was unfortunately caught up in some urgent work, so he stayed downstairs to take a phone call, letting Zhou Qingbo and the others go upstairs first. Having drunk two bottles of beer at the table, Zhou Qingbo was now deliberately pretending to be drunk. He stumbled into the private room and acted as if he had a low alcohol tolerance and was already a bit drunk. The private room was already prepared in advance, with everything ready inside. Upon seeing Zhou Qingbo¡¯s state, Liu Xin had someone open two bottles of XO, a high quality aged brandy and started to chat with Zhou Qingbo. ¡°Speaking of which, it¡¯s been several years since I last saw General Zhou,¡± Liu Xin poured him a glass and smiled, ¡°Over the years, you haven¡¯t changed at all.¡± ¡°Why address me so formally? Just call me by my name,¡± Zhou Qingbo looked at the clear liquor in front of him, seeming to want to take it, but hesitated a bit. He furrowed his brows in annoyance and pushed the glass away. ¡°No thank you,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°My older brother told me not to drink too much outside.¡± His annoyance and dissatisfaction were evident in his tone, causing Liu Xin¡¯s gaze to darken slightly as he probed, ¡°Do you still let him dictate everything about you?¡± ¡°Well he is my elder brother after all?¡± Zhou Qingbo complained half-jokingly, ¡°From work to personal life, there¡¯s nothing he doesn¡¯t meddle in¡ªI could spend a bit more on my credit card one day, and the next day, he would have to ask me about it.¡± Zhou Qingbo said while fiddling with his tie, ¡°Living at home, it¡¯s just so difficult to do as I please.¡± ¡°In that case, why not start your own business?¡± Liu Xin continued the conversation, ¡°Creating your own business will give you a sense of freedom.¡± ¡°You make it sound so easy,¡± Zhou Qingbo sneered, ¡°Starting a business from scratch? It¡¯s not that simple.¡± ¡°Just find a partner,¡± Liu Xin suggested with a hidden meaning, ¡°In the business world, it¡¯s like that. If you have someone to support you, everything will go smoothly.¡± Zhou Qingbo knew nothing about auditing and accounting, and he had been able to dodge all of Liu Xin¡¯s questions. He thought Liu Xin would stop bothering him, but unexpectedly, Liu Xin¡¯s mind worked quickly, and he learned to be cunning. ¡°I happen to know two friends who are into investment, and they are good,¡± Liu Xin made a gesture to Zhou Qingbo and said, ¡°Their annual returns are about this much. If you are interested, I can introduce you to them.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo seemed a bit drunk, he lowered his eyes, but still couldn¡¯t resist reaching for the glass of wine. He habitually twirled it with his fingertips and said slowly, ¡°Such a great opportunity, and you are not keeping it to yourself but sharing a piece of the pie with me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not entirely accurate to say that. In business, there¡¯s always give and take,¡± Liu Xin¡¯s voice lowered slightly as he said, ¡°I do have some difficulties on my end. If you could help, wouldn¡¯t it benefit both parties?¡± ¡°What kind of difficulties?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked knowingly. ¡°It¡¯s just the small matters under my control,¡± Liu Xin softened his tone a bit, unable to resist saying, ¡°In Dongjiang, it might not be a big company, but there are plenty of people to support. With various family businesses, it¡¯s hard to manage everything properly.¡± Liu Xin paused for a moment and continued in a low voice, ¡°I know that in the city, big companies have standardized management, everything is straightforward. But it¡¯s different here in our small place; we all have to make a living, right?¡± Zhou Qingbo understood that Liu Xin was trying to intimidate and lure him into cooperating, hoping that after he returned to Beijing, he would speak well of Liu Xin in front of Zhou Cangshan to cover up his mismanagement. If it were only about the high prices of materials in Dongjiang, Zhou Qingbo would not care much, as he could simply order Liu Xin to refund the money after he returned to Beijing. However, the issue of manipulating the cost of materials, embezzling public funds, and falsifying public welfare expenditures had already touched Zhou Qingbo¡¯s bottom line. He didn¡¯t want to, and couldn¡¯t simply let it slide. Considering this, Zhou Qingbo lowered his head, smiled ambiguously, and said, ¡°Can I really be of any use?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Liu Xin was cautious and deflected the question, ¡°Dongjiang is indeed different. You have seen it with your own eyes. Seeing is believing, and of course, the truth speaks for itself.¡± Zhou Qingbo took a slow sip of his drink, seemingly contemplating and weighing the situation. After a while, he spoke meaningfully, ¡°I¡¯ve suddenly remembered something. Before coming here, my father told me that if it¡¯s possible, I could visit the school that Uncle Liu donated to and make a donation for underprivileged students.¡± Liu Xin¡¯s face briefly changed, and for a moment, Zhou Qingbo thought he looked even paler than before, but the change was short-lived, and when he looked again, Liu Xin had returned to his original appearance. ¡°Sure, I can arrange that,¡± Liu Xin took out his phone from his pocket and smiled as he gestured, ¡°By the way, I almost forgot, there¡¯s something I need to attend to. I¡¯ll make a phone call outside.¡± Without waiting for a response from Zhou Qingbo, Liu Xin got up and walked toward the door, coincidentally brushing past Pei You. As they passed each other, Pei You slightly stepped aside to make way, and in that moment, he couldn¡¯t help but glance back at Liu Xin. CH 47 Pei You brushed past Liu Xin and sat down next to Zhou Qingbo. ¡°What did you say to him?¡± Pei You asked softly, ¡°I noticed that his expression was a bit strange.¡± ¡°I gave him a bit of a hard time,¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled and took a sip of his drink. Then he picked and chose from the fruit platter, handing Pei You a small piece of cantaloupe. ¡°He was trying to test me, wanting to bring me on board,¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled and explained briefly, ¡°I didn¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°Bring you on board?¡± Pei You didn¡¯t catch on immediately and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zhou Qingbo adjusted his posture slightly, lowered his voice, and summarized the situation in just a few words. ¡°Be careful of him,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°I feel there¡¯s something fishy about his ¡®business.''¡± Zhou Qingbo thought that Liu Xin¡¯s so-called ¡°good business deal¡± wouldn¡¯t be a straightforward opportunity.He wouldn¡¯t spread such an obvious lie because if Zhou Qingbo really turned out to be someone who was at odds with Zhou Cangshan and constantly scheming to set up a rival business, the chance of being exposed was quite high. Whether through bribery or deception, Liu Xin ultimately wanted to bring Zhou Qingbo into his own camp. Therefore, he wouldn¡¯t give an empty promise, leaving potential risks for their future ¡°cooperation.¡± ¡°I believe he has some means of making money,¡± Zhou Qingbo whispered softly, ¡°I just don¡¯t know the specifics.¡± Liu Xin was a cautious person, so he didn¡¯t show any flaws during their conversation. ¡°I understand,¡± Pei You said, ¡°I have an idea now, and I¡¯ll pay attention.¡± Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t well-versed in investment matters, so he didn¡¯t burden himself. He acted like a logistics support, providing as much help as he could to Pei You and then watching him move forward. He trusted Pei You¡¯s expertise and judgment. After a few minutes, Liu Xin returned from his phone call outside. He seemed a bit more relaxed than when he left, as if he had returned to his normal state from that brief state of alertness. Several vice-presidents were still drinking and singing karaoke, occasionally chatting with Zhou Qingbo. He listened to them attentively, but he didn¡¯t bring up anything related to the school again. Testing had its limits; a powerful dragon couldn¡¯t oppress a local snake. Zhou Qingbo was also afraid of provoking Liu Xin, so he knew when to stop probing. However, Liu Xin also didn¡¯t mention the topic of business ideas and cooperation again. He seemed to have accepted the situation and didn¡¯t hold any other hopes for Zhou Qingbo. He interacted with Zhou Qingbo and Pei You casually, occasionally instructing the two young girls he brought along to serve drinks. He acted like a retreating turtle, vigilant and sensitive, not revealing any vulnerabilities. He simply kept toasting with Zhou Qingbo. He became enthusiastic, and Zhou Qingbo found it hard to resist. He toasted with Liu Xin for two more drinks but felt a bit overwhelmed. ¡°Zhou Qingbo,¡± Pei You seemed to be observing him all along, and when he noticed Zhou Qingbo¡¯s subtle frown, he reached out and held his wrist, calmly saying, ¡°don¡¯t drink anymore.¡± ¡°Mr. Pei doesn¡¯t need to be so strict,¡± Liu Xin was quick to respond with a smile before Zhou Qingbo could say anything. ¡°Zhou is an adult now, we¡¯re just having fun, a few drinks won¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°I appreciate your kindness,¡± Pei You controlled the situation in his own way. He usually didn¡¯t care about others¡¯ sarcastic remarks, so these unproductive words of persuasion didn¡¯t affect him much. ¡°But we have official business tomorrow,¡± Pei You said matter-of-factly, ¡°Getting too drunk will ruin our plans.¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t speak, casually observing Liu Xin for a while to confirm that the man had given up, and he couldn¡¯t help feeling bored. Taking the opportunity of Pei You¡¯s interruption, he put down his glass and prepared to go out for some fresh air. ¡°Where are you going, Mr. Zhou?¡± Liu Xin seemed to be sensitive to his movements and asked with a smile, ¡°Can I help with anything?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll just go to the restroom. You all enjoy yourselves.¡± ¡°The restroom is at the end of the corridor, turn left,¡± Liu Xin said, pressing the bell and calling a waiter to show Zhou Qingbo the way. ¡°This club¡¯s layout is a bit confusing, be careful not to get lost.¡± Zhou Qingbo had been drinking too quickly, and he felt a bit dizzy as he stood up. Hearing Liu Xin¡¯s words, he turned his head and glanced at him, nodding his thanks with a smile. Unsure if Liu Xin did it on purpose, Zhou Qingbo had mixed beer, brandy and wine, making him slightly tipsy. As he walked, he felt a bit unsteady. The waiter guided him to the restroom and then returned. Zhou Qingbo frowned and rubbed his forehead, feeling disgusted when he saw a layer of filth on the dark marble floor, which seemed to be vomit from someone else. He almost felt like vomiting himself. He stepped back in disdain and decided to find another restroom on a different floor. Liu Xin had chosen a typical entertainment venue for networking. The first and second floors were a KTV and nightclub, while the third floor was the lounge area and meeting rooms. Rooms for guests were on the fourth floor and above. The upper floors were decorated in a retro and European style, with thick carpets covering the floors. The whole corridor was quiet, like a different world compared to the bustling first and second floors. Zhou Qingbo followed the signs and found the restroom. After relieving himself, he heard faint metallic friction coming from the hallway, getting closer to his location. The third floor was a lounge area, and Zhou Qingbo initially thought it might be room service for the guest rooms, so he didn¡¯t pay much attention and continued washing his hands. However, the trolley outside didn¡¯t move in further but stopped at a not-so-close location. Soon, Zhou Qingbo heard a very young male voice from outside. ¡°Um, are you sure you got the right person?¡± the young voice said, hesitating and worried, ¡°Maybe you should double-check. What if it¡¯s the wrong person?¡± His voice sounded young, even with a hint of an unbroken voice, and his tone was hesitant and worried, making him sound uneasy. The hand washing area in the restroom was semi-open, with no door. Zhou Qingbo stood by the corner wall, and he could vaguely hear the conversation between the two outside. Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t one to eavesdrop on others¡¯ conversations. He straightened up slightly, intending to move away, but then he heard the other person speak again. ¡°Oh, come on! Don¡¯t worry,¡± a slightly older male voice sounded impatient, complaining, ¡°You¡¯ve asked several times already. Mr. Liu said there¡¯s only one person drinking orange juice in that private room. Just serve the drinks separately, and it¡¯ll be fine.¡± Zhou Qingbo keenly caught a key term, and his movements paused for a moment. He remembered that Pei You had ordered orange juice earlier. Without the sound of running water, the outside voices became a bit clearer than before. The young boy seemed to have been scolded, and his voice sounded a bit aggrieved as he lowered his volume, hesitatingly dragging his words. ¡°I understand,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m just worried¡­ Is it okay to do this? There are two of them.¡± ¡°What are you worried about?¡± The man sounded annoyed. ¡°¡±That young master knows nothing. As long as you handle the other one, he can be easily fooled with any excuse. Alright, hurry up, I¡¯ll be waiting downstairs.¡± Young master, Zhou Qingbai thought, they should be talking about me. Zhou Qingbo was used to the nightlife in bars, and in just a few words, he could already sense the ill intentions here. The footsteps near the restroom door came closer and then moved away. Zhou Qingbo lowered his head in contemplation for a moment, then took off his wristwatch, carefully walked to the restroom door, and threw the watch in the opposite direction of the corridor. The metallic watch collided with the wooden wall, making a noticeable sound. The person next door instinctively called out, and the footsteps hesitated as they went in that direction. Once the person had moved away, Zhou Qingbo came out of the restroom and walked in the direction where he had heard the voices. He realized that there was an extremely narrow passage behind the restroom, perhaps used as a storage area. There was a small cart for delivering orders with several open bottles of drinks on it. A glass of orange juice was placed in a corner of the cart. Zhou Qingbo picked up the glass, touched the rim with his lips, and took a sip. It was bitter and had a slightly acidic taste, mixed with something else. After years of hanging out in bars, Zhou Qingbo knew the taste of various beverages, and he could easily detect any additives. The two people who drugged the drink probably weren¡¯t experienced at this. They didn¡¯t hide their tracks well. Zhou Qingbo raised the glass and noticed a little undissolved white powder at the bottom. The footsteps on the other side returned and turned back. Zhou Qingbo gently placed the glass back on the tray and then hurriedly retreated back into the restroom. Things were clear at this point. It seemed that Liu Xin thought he couldn¡¯t suppress the matter any longer, so he decided to take action against Pei You, who seemed difficult to deal with. Upon standing in front of the washbasin again, Zhou Qingbo felt a slow surge of anger, like an old computer rebooting after a glitch. He couldn¡¯t believe Liu Xin had the audacity to use such despicable tactics. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t know exactly what Liu Xin planned to do, but just hearing those few words outside had ignited his anger. He took a deep breath, feeling the fiery emotions burning inside him. The effect of alcohol was still flowing in his veins. He took another deep breath, then turned on the water tap. The sound of the cart outside returned, and Zhou Qingbo gently splashed some water on his face. Then he took a deep breath, took out his phone from his pocket, and sent a WeChat message to Pei You. ¡°Are you in the private room?¡± Since their last ¡°lesson,¡± Pei You always responded quickly to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s messages. This time was no exception. In less than two seconds, Pei You¡¯s reply appeared on the screen. ¡°Yes, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t sure how to phrase it. He just instinctively wanted to get Pei You away from the potentially dangerous situation, but the circumstances were urgent, and he hadn¡¯t thought of a good excuse yet. ¡°I¡­,¡± Zhou Qingbo hesitated, tapping on the screen with his fingertips. He gave a somewhat inexplicable excuse, ¡°I suddenly want to drink grape ice. Can you buy one for me?¡± Zhou Qingbo paused for a moment, then added, ¡°Right now, it¡¯s urgent.¡± There was a 24-hour convenience store downstairs in the club. Zhou Qingbo had passed by it earlier, so he decided to send Pei You there. He knew his request might be a bit unreasonable, sounding vague and untimely. He nervously held the phone, thinking about what to say if Pei You refused. Fortunately, Pei You didn¡¯t think much about it. He almost immediately stood up and prepared to leave. He frowned slightly, looking at the two messages that appeared one after the other in the chat box, and replied with some concern, ¡°Are you feeling okay?Is it the alcohol?¡± Zhou Qingbo was stunned for a moment but quickly realized it was a good excuse. He replied with a simple ¡°yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m feeling terrible,¡± he wrote in the chat box, ¡°Hurry there and back.¡± As he typed these words, a storm of anger churned inside him. However, when he sent the WeChat message to Pei You, he added a cute cat rolling around emoji. Pei You quickly replied with a ¡°Got it.¡± Zhou Qingbo placed his phone on the sink, then leaned against the cool marble counter and took a deep breath. Logic told him that he should report the situation to the police. After all, the glass of orange juice would soon be on the table in the private room, leaving behind evidence that Liu Xin couldn¡¯t deny. However, emotionally, Zhou Qingbo felt like he was being consumed by an unpredictable rage. Subconsciously, he had an irrational protective instinct towards Pei You. He despised anyone who directed their complicated and dark emotions and methods towards Pei You. Just hearing Liu Xin¡¯s plan made him furious. He could hardly imagine what might have happened if he hadn¡¯t accidentally come upstairs. The lowest standard for an adult is to control their emotions, but that day, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s self-control had clearly failed. He took another deep breath, trying to use this method to suppress the anger in his heart. Straightening his back, he gave a fierce kick to the washbasin, then turned around without a word, loosening his tie. Inside the private room, Liu Xin felt uneasy about Pei You¡¯s sudden departure. He was about to ask his secretary to check the situation when the door was pulled open from the outside, and Zhou Qingbo walked in hurriedly. The room was filled with a strong smell of smoke and alcohol. Zhou Qingbo looked around and noticed the already prepared glass of orange juice on a table near him. When Liu Xin saw Zhou Qingbo return, he pretended to be relieved and put on a smile on his face. He was about to speak when, suddenly, without any warning, Zhou Qingbo erupted in anger. He pushed the secretary in front of him aside and kicked Liu Xin in the chest. Zhou Qingbo had received a strict and upright education from childhood. Even during his rebellious phase, he would only be a bit defiant but never resorted to physical violence against anyone. But today, he was so furious that he couldn¡¯t even remember his own principles and upbringing. Liu Xin was caught off guard and was thrown onto the table, instinctively curling up his fragile body as he started to cough violently. The table shook intensely, and the wine bottles were on the verge of falling off to the ground. The two young hostesses who were with the guests in the room screamed loudly, mixing with the ear-piercing electric sounds from the audio system, and chaos ensued. With a stern expression on his face, Zhou Qingbo reached for a beer bottle from the table and fiercely smashed it on Liu Xin¡¯s shoulder. Several of Liu Xin¡¯s subordinates quickly stepped forward to break up the fight. Wine bottles scattered on the floor, and the fruit platter ended up in a mess. The place was in complete disarray. Soon, the service staff and security personnel rushed in from outside to stop the fight. However, Zhou Qingbo was already consumed by his rage, not listening to anyone and continuously attacking Liu Xin. After a while¡ªperhaps a few minutes, or maybe just a few seconds¡ªthe chaotic crowd suddenly saw a hand reaching out, grabbing Zhou Qingbo¡¯s wrist, and pulling him out of the crowd. The hand felt icy cold and familiar, and with an irresistible force, it forcefully pulled Zhou Qingbo away from the fight. Caught off guard, Zhou Qingbo stumbled backward a few steps. When he turned around, he met Pei You¡¯s anxious gaze. ¡°Enough, Qingbo,¡± Pei You had just returned and didn¡¯t know what had happened. He only knew that Zhou Qingbo was in danger and held onto him urgently. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say not to get involved with this kind of person?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care?¡± Zhou Qingbo was genuinely furious, and he didn¡¯t hold back his words, ¡°Damn it, this bastard has targeted you!¡± CH 48 Pei You understood the insinuation behind the two sentences Zhou Qingbo blurted out. He knew that Zhou Qingbo must have sensed that Liu Xin was planning something against him, which was why he got so angry and acted impulsively. The business world was full of compromises and considerations, and since Pei You started working, he had encountered many clients with ill intentions. Gradually, he had learned how to deal with them in a battle of wits. However, no one had ever protected him like Zhou Qingbo did, so recklessly and without regard for the consequences. His actions were immature and impulsive and shouldn¡¯t have occurred. However, Pei You¡¯s heart softened inexplicably, carrying a slight sour and bitter feeling, weighing heavily in his chest. Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder, feeling like something was gently prying at his heart. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s suit jacket had fallen to the ground, soaked in crushed fruits and alcohol, leaving only a thin shirt with the collar wide open, revealing a delicate red string inside. Liu Xin was beaten to the ground and couldn¡¯t get up. He moaned with a hint of resentment in his eyes as he glared at Zhou Qingbo. He probably realized that Zhou Qingbo was about to turn hostile, so he didn¡¯t bother pretending and simply sneered, showing his teeth, and pointed to his subordinates, hoarsely instructing them to call the police. ¡°No need ,¡± Pei You tightly hugged Zhou Qingbo and frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve already called the police.¡± When Pei You went downstairs to buy the grape ice, it took only a few minutes. Upon returning, he heard the chaotic commotion coming from the private room. The situation was too chaotic, and security and staff members had gathered outside the room. The door was wide open, and broken bottles were scattered even in the corridor. Hastily rushing back, Pei You¡¯s first reaction was that Liu Xin¡¯s people had outnumbered Zhou Qingbo, so he immediately called the police before squeezing into the crowd. Zhou Qingbo struggled slightly, turned his head away from Pei You¡¯s embrace, and looked coldly at Liu Xin, revealing a faintly mocking expression. ¡°I was thinking of calling the police too.¡± Zhou Qingbo also sustained some injuries in the scuffle. His retaliation had provoked Liu Xin¡¯s subordinates, who didn¡¯t hold back from attacking him. He licked the corner of his lips, which were scratched, and coldly pushed Pei You away, standing upright. ¡°take that orange juice.¡± Zhou Qingbo said to Pei You softly, ¡°When the police come, hand it over to them for testing.¡± Pei You followed his gaze towards the marble table in the innermost part of the private room and understood that it was the root cause of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s outburst. He nodded lightly and said, ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll keep an eye on it.¡± ¡°Liu Xin probably realized that Zhou Qingbo found something, so he desperately signaled his men to knock the orange juice to the ground and destroy the evidence. However, Pei You simply assisted Zhou Qingbo to sit beside that table, holding onto the ¡®evidence¡¯ tightly, not giving them the chance to touch it. The private room had turned into a chaotic mess, and the music had been turned off. The bright lights illuminated the scene as Zhou Qingbo and Liu Xin occupied opposite ends of a long sofa, glaring at each other like two crickets eager to bite each other. The club was in the town center, merely three kilometers from the local police station. Within a few minutes, hurried and disordered footsteps echoed in the corridor. Then, the service staff split apart, making way for several policemen in uniforms. Leading them was a man in his thirties, tall with sharp eyes. As he entered the room, he furrowed his brow disapprovingly, stepping over the scattered melon peels on the floor, surveying the situation. ¡°Was it a fight between the two of you?¡± the man asked. ¡°He attacked me first,¡± Liu Xin, supported by his subordinate, grumbled with a twisted expression, ¡°I request a medical examination.¡± ¡°Alright, the ambulance is right outside the door.¡± The man gestured nonchalantly, signaling a colleague to come over and take Liu Xin for a medical check up. He then asked other people around about the situation. Within moments, the room cleared out, and even the two young women who had cowered in the corner, afraid of getting hurt, were called out to give their statements. The man looked around and walked towards the innermost part of the private room. Zhou Qingbo squinted his eyes, raising his head in response to the man¡¯s gaze. In that instant of eye contact, the man¡¯s surprise was evident, and his eyes softened slightly. ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± the man said, somewhat unexpectedly. ¡°How did you end up involved in a fight?¡± The man was a complete stranger to Zhou Qingbo, but his tone held a subtle familiarity, as if they had met before. Seeing Zhou Qingbo looking puzzled, the man couldn¡¯t help but smile and said, ¡°A person with many acquaintances tends to forget others easily.¡± It was Pei You who recognized the man¡¯s face first. ¡°He¡¯s the one we met at the bar,¡± Pei You lightly tapped Zhou Qingbo¡¯s elbow and said, ¡°The one who asked you the question on stage.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s vision was blurry, but his memory was good. At the sound of Pei You¡¯s words, he almost immediately recalled the incident from the bar, and with it, the man¡¯s voice became more familiar. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± Zhou Qingbo stood up and shook his hand, saying, ¡°I have a bit of night blindness and didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± ¡°No worries.¡± The man shook hands with him, smiling, ¡°Whether you recognized me or not, I wouldn¡¯t show you any leniency. Now, tell me, what happened? Why did you resort to violence?¡± His tone was relaxed, striking a delicate balance between casual and formal, implying both a certain degree of familiarity and maintaining a professional attitude, without getting too friendly. However, it was precisely because of this that Zhou Qingbo felt relieved. He thought that perhaps the encounter they had at the bar had played a role, allowing the man to treat them impartially. ¡°I found out that he planned to drug my friend,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, raising his chin slightly, gesturing towards the orange juice on the table, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s in it, so I hope you can help us test it.¡± As Zhou Qingbo finished speaking, the man¡¯s originally cautious eyes softened slightly. He turned to look at the glass on the table behind him and called a colleague over, asking him to take it away for examination. Seeing this, Pei You also breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. Local businesses often had some connections with local authorities, and Pei You was originally worried that Zhou Qingbo might suffer. However, judging from the man¡¯s attitude, it seemed that their encounter at the bar played a positive role, resulting in a fair treatment. ¡°We will verify the specific situation,¡± the man stood up, speaking matter-of-factly, ¡°However, since there was a physical altercation, you both need to come to the station for further investigation. Please follow me.¡± Zhou Qingbo had already anticipated this consequence when he decided to take action, so he nodded and didn¡¯t say much, obediently standing up. Pei You accompanied him and followed the police officer out of the private room and into the police car parked outside the club. Liu Xin was temporarily taken to the hospital for a medical examination, while Zhou Qingbo waited at the police station with Pei You for further updates. The station¡¯s waiting room was spacious and vacant. After drinking and then getting into a fight, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s emotions had been on a roller coaster. Now that he quieted down, he felt tired and sore all over. His temples throbbed, causing him discomfort. Therefore, he lay diagonally on a steel recliner, planning to take a rest. However, before he could lie down, someone supported his back from behind. Pei You moved closer, allowing him to rest his head on his knee. ¡°The chair is too hard,¡± Pei You said, ¡°If you¡¯re going to lie down, lie on my knee.¡± Zhou Qingbo was indeed tired, and his temples were pounding. He felt uncomfortable all over, so he didn¡¯t object, lightly humming in agreement. The waiting room¡¯s decor was stuck in the style of ten years ago. The aluminum alloy windows let in a draft, and Pei You noticed Zhou Qingbo¡¯s thin shirt. Without saying anything, he took off his own coat and draped it over Zhou Qingbo. ¡°¡­Thank you,¡± Pei You suddenly said. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Zhou Qingbo half-closed his eyes, rolled over, and lay sideways on Pei You¡¯s knee, his voice soft, ¡°i did it willingly.¡± Zhou Qingbo paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°You¡¯re really good, so I hope you stay that way but don¡¯t let others bully you or take advantage of you.¡± Pei You was slightly taken aback. He lowered his head and couldn¡¯t help but look at Zhou Qingbo¡ªbecause of their recent altercation, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t seem to be in good condition. There was a faint red mark on his forehead, where he had hit it somewhere, and the wound hadn¡¯t had time to heal, with tiny beads of blood continuously seeping from it. He looked in pain and messy, with none of the elegance he always has, but Pei You wiped the blood off his face with his hand and suddenly felt his heart skip a beat. Before this moment, Pei You had always wanted to find a fixed partner for his life. He had pictured the appearance of his significant other. In his mind, that person had always been a stranger, an illusion, a vague silhouette with an unclear personality and life story, making it difficult to envision their specific appearance. But now, at this very moment, the symbol of this ¡°companion¡± suddenly took on a clear form and turned into the actual figure of Zhou Qingbo himself. In that instant, Pei You seemed to hear the sound of the ice in his heart cracking. The subtle feeling that had lingered in front of him vanished like morning mist, leaving him suddenly enlightened. Pei You finally understood that all his leniency and actions towards Zhou Qingbo were not due to his good personality or helpful nature, but they could all be summed up in a very simple answer. He liked Zhou Qingbo. From the moment Zhou Qingbo defended him at the bar, to the countless times they shared ¡°secrets¡± under the watchful eyes of others, Pei You allowed Zhou Qingbo to break through the boundaries of ordinary social interactions, indulging him in his playfulness and spoiling, just to see the lively and happy side of Zhou Qingbo. But on further thought, perhaps it was even earlier, at Black Bar when he first saw Zhou Qingbo under the spotlight, that he had already felt his heart move. As if he was destined to be moved by his flamboyant and carefree nature, and destined to fall for this person who could disrupt the calm waters. CH 49 The night breeze was slightly cool, and the cold wind seeped through the gaps in the aluminum alloy window frame. Pei You adjusted his sitting posture and pulled Zhou Qingbo¡¯s coat up. Zhou Qingbo blinked and turned his head slightly in response to Pei You¡¯s actions, burying half of his face under Pei You¡¯s collar coat. He knew it was wrong to hit someone, but since he had already done it, he didn¡¯t regret it, nor was he afraid. He was prepared to take responsibility for his actions. But at that moment, Pei You held him, covering him with his coat as if to shield him from all the chaos outside. How could there be such a gentle person? Zhou Qingbo thought vaguely. Outside the waiting room was a noisy atmosphere, with sounds of arguing coming from the adjacent room. Policemen were busy going in and out of the hallway, and the footsteps were chaotic and urgent. Pei You glanced at Zhou Qingbo lying on his leg and gently touched the injured spot on his forehead. ¡°He treasures you a lot,¡± a sudden male voice came from the door. Pei You looked up and realized that the police officer from earlier had returned without him noticing. He had an unlit cigarette in his mouth and leaned against the door, staring at the two of them. There was a complex emotion in his eyes, like envy and pure admiration. Pei You blinked but didn¡¯t speak, acknowledging the man¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t need the man to tell him; Pei You was aware of it himself¡ªZhou Qingbo disliked trouble, leaving his comfort zone, and socializing with people he disliked. But for him, Zhou Qingbo had already done so many things he originally wouldn¡¯t have liked or done, from working overtime to going on business trips, and even getting into fights. Pei You could tell Zhou Qingbo¡¯s unfounded favoritism towards him and see his affection. ¡°I¡¯ve asked about the situation and reviewed the surveillance footage. It¡¯s true that he struck first,¡± the man said, crossing his arms nonchalantly. ¡°According to witnesses, there were a total of five men and two women in the room, all colleagues from the same company. When he came down from upstairs, he opened the door and immediately attacked without any hesitation.¡± The man paused and smiled ambiguously. ¡°He¡¯s pretty daring, daring enough to pick a fight with a local tough guy.¡± ¡°He got angry because he found out about Liu Xin drugging me,¡± Pei You didn¡¯t want to leave a bad impression of Zhou Qingbo in the officer¡¯s mind and subconsciously explained, ¡°There was a reason behind this incident.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know he did it for you,¡± the man smiled and said, ¡°When I saw you two at the bar that time, you really stood out. Although I can¡¯t claim to be a hundred percent accurate in judging people, I can see that he¡¯s not a competitive and ruthless person. So, when he mentioned the drugging incident at the club, I understood.¡± The man straightened his body slightly, adjusted his posture, and leaned back against the door frame with a mysterious smile. ¡°How should I put it?¡± The man fiddled with the cigarette box in his hand and casually said, ¡°From a law enforcement perspective, I strongly disapprove of such low-level retaliation methods, but from a personal emotional standpoint, I think this incident is entirely understandable.¡± Regardless, it was a good thing for Zhou Qingbo to gain the favor of the investigating officer, and Pei You breathed a sigh of relief, feeling his tense mood relax slightly. ¡°Thanks for understanding,¡± Pei You said, lowering his head to look at Zhou Qingbo. He then asked, ¡°By the way, Officer, do you have any band-aids?¡± ¡°Uh, yes,¡± the man mumbled with the cigarette in his mouth and then searched his body up and down for a while before finally finding a few crumpled band-aids in his pocket, handing them to Pei You. ¡°Also, ,¡± the man said, ¡°My surname is Lu, and you can just call me Lu Ye by my name.¡± Pei You thanked him lightly and then took out a pack of tissues from his own pocket, gently wiping away the bloodstains on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s face. ¡°Speaking of which, did Liu Xin return?¡± Pei You asked as he tore open the band-aid. His actions were gentle, with a touch of tenderness, as if he was afraid of disturbing Zhou Qingbo. Lu Ye observed his actions for a while and then chuckled inexplicably, saying, ¡°He won¡¯t be coming back tonight.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t understand his meaning and furrowed his brows, looking at him in confusion. ¡°He was confirmed a drug addict while undergoing medical examinations at the hospital,¡± Lu Ye explained. ¡°So he¡¯s temporarily detained there. With Liu Xin at the hospital was an experienced senior police officer with many years of service and extensive experience. On the way to the hospital, he had noticed something was off about Liu Xin¡¯s condition. Relying on his experience, he conducted a urine test before treatment, and the results confirmed Liu Xin was a drug addict. Due to the fight that occurred, Liu Xin¡¯s drug addiction effects were severe, and at the hospital, he appeared drowsy with frequent yawning, leading him to be detained for more check ups and examinations. For Pei You, this was good news, as the more trouble there was on Liu Xin¡¯s end, the more favorable it would be for Zhou Qingbo¡¯s situation. Pei You slightly relaxed and then carefully applied the band-aid on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s forehead. He then reached down into the suit jacket and gently pulled out Zhou Qingbo¡¯s right hand. There was also a cut on the back of his right hand from the broken bottle. Pei You gently applied the band-aid to his hand and then held both of his hands, using his palms to press the band-aids firmly. Zhou Qingbo, still asleep, seemed to trust his presence, not waking up and sleeping soundly. ¡°So, how are his injuries?¡± Pei You asked softly. ¡°We have the right to know about this.¡± Lu Ye, watching their interaction as if observing a rare animal species, responded, ¡°Apart from the addiction, his injuries from the beating aren¡¯t severe, just some bruises nothing serious.¡± Lu Ye knew what Pei You was concerned about and added, ¡°And the issue of him drugging you is nearly confirmed. If everything goes as expected, he probably would be in big trouble.¡± ¡°Are the test results already out?¡± Pei You was a little surprised and asked, ¡°What did he use to try and drug me?¡± ¡°Potent sleeping pills, or you could call them date-rape drugs,¡± Lu Ye said. ¡°The test results haven¡¯t come out yet, but we caught the person who spiked your drink.¡± As if to confirm Lu Ye¡¯s words, a large group of people suddenly passed by the open station¡¯s waiting room door. A young man was sandwiched between two policemen, his hands in shiny handcuffs, and he was sobbing incoherently. ¡°That¡¯s him,¡± Lu Ye raised an eyebrow, pointing in their direction as they left. ¡°Being a victim, even though it was an attempted one, you have the right to know. He¡¯s one of the service staff at the club, and coincidentally, when we arrived at the club, he was acting suspicious and trying to escape. He was caught red-handed by my colleague. My colleague thought he was selling ¡®drugs¡¯ at the club, so he caught him. After he was caught, before we even had a chance to question him, he confessed, saying something like ¡®I did it under Liu Xin¡¯s orders.''¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If possible, I hope you can investigate whether Liu Xin has reserved any rooms in the club or elsewhere,¡± Pei You said. ¡°I think he might have hidden some drugs there.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lu Ye looked at him somewhat surprised and asked, ¡°how do you know that?¡± Pei You briefly explained his identity and his relationship with Liu Xin, clarifying their interests, as well as Liu Xin¡¯s motive for trying to drug him. ¡°I¡¯m a man, so things like being drugged and blackmailed with nude photos don¡¯t apply to me,¡± Pei You calmly said, ¡°As for drugs, it¡¯s probably difficult for me to get addicted even if they were put in freshly squeezed orange juice. So I think he might be planning to frame me using some other method.¡± ¡°Like planting some drugs on me.¡± ¡°Accusing me of possessing drugs or planning to drug me and then injecting me with drugs to frame me,¡± Pei You said, subconsciously covering Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ears, as if he was afraid that Zhou Qingbo might hear, ¡°But regardless of which one, there needs to be a suitable occasion for him to execute his plan.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Lu Ye praised, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that a well-mannered and sophisticated auditor like you would also understand these things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all through interpersonal experience,¡± Pei You said. The audit firm where Pei You worked was one of the top firms in the industry and had previously cooperated with the state¡¯s auditing agency due to overlapping business scope. Whenever they got involved, they almost always had a case, so during that time, Pei You heard a lot of ¡°industry experience¡± at dinner tables and work, and he became familiar with some unscrupulous and shady methods used. ¡°Also, there¡¯s one more thing.¡± Pei You pressed his lips together, carefully pondered for a moment, and said, ¡°I would like to file a case.¡± CH 50 Zhou Qingbo woke up to find that it was already bright outside. He was lying alone on the hard station room bench. Pei You was no longer by his side; instead, an old coat rolled into a towel was placed under his head. Zhou Qingbo rolled over drowsily. The old blanket that had covered him at some point slipped off a corner, swaying as it fell. The lingering scent of white tea that had been around him had disappeared at some point, replaced by a faintly acrid smell of tobacco. Zhou Qingbo wrinkled his brow in discomfort, raising his arm to shield his eyes from the bright light outside the window. He realized that the small wounds on his body had been neatly treated, but having spent a night in a drunken state was not pleasant. Zhou Qingbo had a headache and a dry throat. In his hazy state of mind, there was only one thought. Where did Pei You go? He wondered. Pei You being by his side last night hadn¡¯t meant much, but now, upon opening his eyes and not seeing anyone, he suddenly felt the bench was too hard, the wall too cold, and every part of his body ached. He felt uncomfortable all over. He couldn¡¯t quite describe his mood, only feeling a subtle sense of abandonment, a bitter taste in his heart. Zhou Qingbo closed his eyes, gradually easing the initial drowsiness. He then pushed aside the blanket, propped himself up with his elbows, and planned to send Pei You a message. But before he could even take out his phone, a light cough sounded nearby. Having been awake for a while now, Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t noticed anyone else in the room. He was startled by the sudden sound. He instinctively turned his head towards the direction of the sound and saw a young woman sitting behind the large station room table. Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± The woman was delicate and beautiful, her face lightly made up with nude lipstick. At first glance, she seemed gentle, but as soon as Zhou Qingbo saw her, it felt as if he had been pricked with a needle from behind. He straightened up in surprise, visibly more alert. ¡°Sis¡­ Sister?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked in confusion, ¡°Why are you here? Where¡¯s Pei You?¡± ¡°Your first question is about someone else?¡± Jiang Man raised her eyebrows meaningfully, smiling as she said, ¡°Here¡¯s your chance to ask again.¡± Only then did Zhou Qingbo realize what he had done. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he cleared his throat and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Jiang Man, a capable and strong person who could handle Zhou Cangshan, was someone Zhou Qingbo held in high regard and respected. He had never dared to act recklessly in front of her. ¡°Mr. Pei informed Qing Shan last night about your situation and brother was worried. So, he asked me to come over to check on you,¡± Jiang Man said as she put her legs down and frowned slightly. She scolded, ¡°why are you so impulsive?. They say that a strong dragon should not crush a snake¡¯s head. You easily confronted him, what if he¡¯s connected locally, you might end up at a huge disadvantage.¡± Knowing that he was in the wrong and fearing another scolding from Zhou Cangshan, Zhou Qingbo reluctantly agreed, bowing his head meekly to listen. ¡°Understood.¡± Zhou Qingbo answered softly, unable to control his gaze from wandering around. He asked again, ¡°So, where did he go? Did he just leave after filing the lawsuit?¡± After a few sentences, Zhou Qingbo asked twice about Pei You¡¯s whereabouts. Jiang Man found this amusing and decided to stop scolding him. She said straightforwardly, ¡°He¡¯s gone to cooperate with the investigation.¡± ¡°Cooperate with what investigation?¡± Zhou Qingbo furrowed his brow slightly, adjusting his rumpled collar. He asked eagerly, ¡°I¡¯m the one who fought, not him.¡± ¡°Why are you so anxious?¡± Jiang Man stood up from the table and walked around it to sit beside Zhou Qingbo. She said in a hushed voice, ¡°i came for a different reason than the case¡± Jiang Man continued, taking a document from her bag and handing it to Zhou Qingbo. She said, ¡°I came for this.¡± Blinking his eyes, Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t reacted yet when Jiang Man continued, ¡°Mr. Pei informed Qing Shan that he suspects Liu Xin is using public welfare projects for money laundering. Brother takes this matter seriously, so he had me come to deliver an authorization letter, authorizing Pei You to fully represent him in this matter.¡± ¡°¡­ Money laundering?¡± After sleeping for a while, Zhou Qingbo felt like he had skipped a whole chapter. Just yesterday, Liu Xin had only been involved in ¡°fabricating documents to obtain government funds.¡± Yet today, he was suddenly being suspected of money laundering. ¡°Yes,¡± Jiang Man said, ¡°Mr. Pei suspects him of being involved in money laundering under the guise of a public welfare project. He reported this matter to the authorities and they are already investigating.¡± The impact of collaborating with criminal forces for money laundering was extremely severe. Zhou Cangshan was also afraid that there might be local influences involved, which could negatively impact the investigation. That¡¯s why he had asked Jiang Man to come and represent his stance in person. ¡°As for you getting involved in a fight, since it didn¡¯t lead to serious consequences, it¡¯s been let go,¡± Jiang Man said. ¡°Liu Xin is preoccupied and doesn¡¯t have the time to pursue it.¡± Zhou Qingbo had mentally prepared himself for a ¡°wild night,¡± but he hadn¡¯t expected the matter to end so lightly. He couldn¡¯t quite grasp the situation and looked down at his wrinkled shirt. ¡°So, can I leave now?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°Not yet.¡± Suddenly, a male voice interrupted at the door of the waiting room. The man smiled and said, ¡°You still have to wait for the other involved parties.¡± Zhou Qingbo raised his head in confusion, only to see Lu Ye passing by the door, waving at him. ¡°Liu Xin¡¯s having withdrawal symptoms, so he can¡¯t come out for now.¡± Lu Ye stopped and kindly explained, ¡°But when you were fighting last night, you damaged two speakers, a monitor, and several wine glasses in the club. You¡¯ll have to wait for the owner to come and assess the damage for compensation.¡± Zhou Qingbo was prepared for this and nodded, showing his acceptance with a good attitude. ¡°Alright, the message has been delivered, and the matter is resolved. Since I can see you are fine, I¡¯ll be leaving,¡± Jiang Man said as she picked up her handbag and stood up. She continued, ¡°I have some other matters to attend to, so I won¡¯t wait for you. Once you¡¯ve wrapped up here, you can head back to Beijing.¡± Jiang Man was involved in design-related work and was usually even busier than Zhou Cangshan. Zhou Qingbo nodded in understanding, standing up and seeing her off. As Jiang Man reached the door, she suddenly seemed to remember something and turned to give Zhou Qingbo a look. ¡°Oh, by the way.¡± Jiang Man¡¯s gaze flickered to Pei You¡¯s coat. She remembered the scene she had witnessed when she rushed to the police station last night. With a meaningful look, she glanced at Zhou Qingbo and asked in a vague tone, ¡°Xiao Qingbo, do you have anything you want to confess to me or your brother?¡± Zhou Qingbo was taken aback by her question and instinctively felt that her attitude was a bit strange. He rubbed his head in confusion and said, ¡°about what?¡± He looked innocent, and Jiang Man didn¡¯t press further. She just smiled and said, ¡°Never mind then.¡± Zhou Qingbo had an intuition that there was more to her words, but he couldn¡¯t quite grasp what she was asking. With a head full of question marks, he watched as she left the police station. It was still early, only around 7:30 in the morning. Feeling bored, Zhou Qingbo sat in the waiting room for a while, unable to resist texting Pei You. The chat log was still from last night. Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but shudder when he remembered the events of yesterday. He tapped his finger on the screen and sent a cat rolling on the ground emoji to Pei You. In the chat, Pei You quickly replied with a question mark. Zhou Qingbo smirked, his fingers dancing on the keyboard. ¡°Is the investigation going well?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°When are you coming back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going fine.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t ask how he knew about his whereabouts and simply replied, ¡°Should be back soon. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Whenever Zhou Qingbo was bored, he couldn¡¯t help but tease Pei You. He propped himself up, lips pursed to suppress a smile, and typed away, ¡°The police said the others will be here soon. Come back soon to support me, I¡¯m anxious and nervous.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± CH 51 Pei You had just realized his feelings for Zhou Qingbo, and now he was practically defenseless against Zhou¡¯s tactic of being cute and clingy. He looked at the emoji of a cat rolling on the ground on the screen, and in his mind, he replaced it with Zhou Qingbo¡¯s face. When Zhou Qingbo was being cute, he always had a clear target, knew when to advance and retreat, and had a precise and effective grasp of boundaries, skillfully playing with people¡¯s emotions. Pei You could even imagine that if he were with Zhou Qingbo at this moment, Zhou would add some subtle gestures to these short sentences. He would smile at him and then lightly hook his sleeve or tug at his hem, revealing his ¡°pitiful¡± attitude in a discreet yet affectionate manner. ¡°Fluttering heart¡± seemed like a rather mysterious filter. It was as if piercing through this layer of window paper made even the most mundane things feel exciting. Pei You felt a hint of secret sweetness in his heart, and a faint blush spread across his ears. Pei You had never known what it felt like to like someone. He had no experience, so he could only be at a loss of words under the effect of ¡°admiration and crush.¡± He didn¡¯t know what to reply, and his fingers kept tapping and lifting on the screen. Eventually, he dryly responded with a ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t aware of the internal struggle Pei You was experiencing. Bored, he rested his head on the table, fixated on the ¡°Typing¡­¡± indicator on the screen for quite a while, waiting for Pei You¡¯s response. Summer mornings started early, and it was only around 8:30 in the morning. Zhou Qingbo rarely woke up this early, and his biological clock wasn¡¯t quite used to it. He absentmindedly yawned. After about ten minutes, Lu Ye returned to the waiting room, knocked on the door, and entered with a middle-aged man. ¡°This is the owner of the club.¡± Lu Ye stated in an official tone, ¡°Regarding the losses between you, you can discuss among yourselves. If mediation fails, you can resort to legal proceedings to resolve the dispute.¡± The club owner had not slept the previous night. He was originally on a business trip to the city when a call brought him back to cooperate with the investigation. The news was that there had been a drug-related incident at his club. He was taken aback, initially thinking it was a competitor trying to sabotage him. He rushed back overnight only to discover that the incident was indeed real. Just as Pei You had speculated, Liu Xin had used the pretext of hospitality to book a suite at the club. Lu Ye¡¯s team had searched the place and found a bag containing around 30 grams of heroin hidden under the sink in the restroom. Liu Xin was now under police control, and the club was temporarily closed. The owner, hit with an unexpected blow, had been cooperating with the investigation all night. He appeared worn-out, with dark circles under his eyes, looking even more haggard than Zhou Qingbo. With a major incident occurring at the club, he, as the principal person in charge, held some joint responsibility. Fearing that Zhou Qingbo might hold him accountable, he had not demanded excessive compensation but had cautiously offered a discounted amount. ¡°Well¡­ we did some calculations with the accountant yesterday.¡± The club owner rubbed his hands nervously and said, ¡°Considering everything together, it¡¯s around 35,000. Take a look¡­¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Zhou Qingbo was definitely a smart and logical person. He knew what kind of person Liu Xin was, so he didn¡¯t direct his anger at others. He nodded agreeably, ¡°Credit card or Alipay?¡± ¡°Either works, Alipay is fine.¡± The club owner breathed a sigh of relief, took out his phone from his pocket, and showed Zhou Qingbo a payment code. Lu Ye, as the primary ¡°mediator,¡± hadn¡¯t even spoken a word before the victim and the responsible party had already reached an agreement on their own. Satisfied, he nodded in accordance with protocol, uttered a few standard phrases, and then let them go. The club owner hastily got up to take his leave, but Zhou Qingbo wanted to wait for Pei You. Therefore, he remained seated. ¡°By the way, Officer.¡± Zhou Qingbo turned to look at Lu Ye, politely inquiring, ¡°Could you update me on the situation with Liu Xin now?¡± Zhou Qingbo had gone to sleep early last night, so he wasn¡¯t entirely aware of the developments. However, as both the person who reported the case and a party involved, Lu Ye hadn¡¯t concealed anything from him. He summarized the details in a few sentences. Aside from the drug-related incident, the waiter who had been ordered by Liu Xin to serve the drugged drink had also confessed during the interrogation. According to their testimony, Liu Xin had instructed them to spike Pei You¡¯s drink. Once he was unconscious, they were to take him to a pre-arranged room. As for Zhou Qingbo, perhaps due to his status as a young master of the Qing Shan family, Liu Xin hadn¡¯t dared to take any action against him. He might have considered getting him drunk to prevent him from ruining his plans. This incident had escalated from a minor public security issue to a drug-related case. The deeper and more complex aspects of the case were still under investigation, and Lu Ye couldn¡¯t divulge much. Zhou Qingbo acknowledged that Lu Ye had already given him enough details, so he didn¡¯t probe further. He simply thanked him politely. When facing strangers, Zhou Qingbo had always been prudent. Lu Ye scrutinized him for a moment, his thoughts hidden. Another ten minutes passed, and Pei You, who had promised to return as soon as possible, finally arrived, albeit ¡°a little late.¡± He walked in from the entrance, wearing the same white shirt he had left in yesterday. His face displayed a hint of tiredness, but he still seemed relatively energetic. Seeing Pei You enter, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes involuntarily brightened. He hadn¡¯t spoken yet, but a smile already formed on his face. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to come as soon as possible?¡± Zhou Qingbo playfully complained, not willing to let Pei You off easily, and teasing, ¡°It¡¯s been half an hour and three minutes already.¡± Lu Ye: ¡­ Lu Ye probably hadn¡¯t encountered someone who counted time in seconds like this before. For a moment, he was at a loss for words and felt as if the chair under him was scorching. He stood up without saying a word and exited, leaving them alone. Pei You was well accustomed to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s mischievous behavior. He gave a noncommittal sound and explained subconsciously, ¡°I¡¯ve been assisting the Economic Investigation Division with an investigation. We suspect that Liu Xin is involved in money laundering for a drug trafficking syndicate, so their investigation is urgent.¡± ¡°Ah, well.¡± Zhou Qingbo sighed in a feigned manner, and with a tinge of grievance, he said, ¡°I understand. It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m fine.¡± Knowing Zhou Qingbo well, Pei You expected there to be a twist to this statement. Indeed, right on cue, Zhou Qingbo continued, ¡°Sacrificing my own needs for the greater good. It¡¯s fine, I can handle it ¡ªmy heart is as tough as iron, and I won¡¯t feel hurt.¡± Pei You chuckled softly and said in a gentle tone, ¡°Alright, my bad.¡± He then asked, ¡°So what should I do to comfort your wounded heart?¡± The wound on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s forehead hadn¡¯t fully healed yet, and a slight twinge of pain shot through it as Pei You¡¯s fingers brushed against it. Zhou Qingbo instinctively raised his gaze, looking at Pei You, who was now within arm¡¯s reach. He suddenly felt as though something had changed. He had an inexplicable sensation that Pei You¡¯s entire demeanor had transformed from the night before. Pei You appeared softer and more approachable. The sense of detachment he had emanated due to his upbringing seemed to have vanished, replaced by an elusive quality. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gaze, met with a hint of amusement in Pei You¡¯s eyes, revealed something more¡ªsomething indescribable¡ªlike the warm sun of early summer, carrying a touch of gentle enthusiasm, as if something was about to overflow. More importantly, Pei You seemed to be standing unusually close to him. Blinking his eyes, Zhou Qingbo felt as though he was being ensnared by this change in Pei You. The dangerous aura and unfamiliarity that he had sensed before emerged once again, temptingly pulling at his heart. Subconsciously, Zhou Qingbo reached out and grabbed Pei You¡¯s wrist. For a moment, he found himself at a loss for words. He had originally intended to follow through with his playful antics, to ask for some ¡°compensation.¡± He wanted to either take Pei You to try the local fiery rice noodles or tempt him into trying the newly opened ¡°Internet-famous Toilet Restaurant.¡± However, his train of thought was derailed by the proximity of Pei You. The atmosphere seemed to have shifted, taking on a different tone. So, he unintentionally allowed his hand to hold on to Pei You¡¯s wrist, and he couldn¡¯t muster the words to continue. He had planned to seize the opportunity and enjoy the fruits of his scheme, but now, in the face of Pei You¡¯s genuine concern, Zhou Qingbo felt a different sentiment stirring within him, something more raw and elusive than his usual playfulness. With their hands connected, time seemed to stand still for a brief moment as they gazed into each other¡¯s eyes, a realm of unspoken thoughts lingering between them. But at this moment, those harmless little ¡°compensations¡± had rolled around on his tongue. Just as they were about to be spoken, they mysteriously transformed into something else. ¡°I¡¯m only okay,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°if you are here to take care of me.¡± CH 52 As the words left his mouth, Zhou Qingbo himself was taken aback. However, Pei You either had become used to his casual nonsense or for some other reason, as he didn¡¯t react particularly to this statement. He simply blinked his eyes and asked gently, ¡°How do I take care of you?¡± His voice carried a faint smile, with a subtle hint of indulgence, softly landing on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart, evoking a tingling sensation. Zhou Qingbo shivered subconsciously and found himself at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t even know how he wanted Pei You to take care of him. But gazing into Pei You¡¯s clear and gentle eyes, he suddenly realized that he had been testing Pei You¡¯s boundaries all along. Pei You had been overly accommodating to him, which led Zhou Qingbo to push his boundaries further, step by step, exploring just how far he could go with Pei You¡¯s indulgence. Even Zhou Qingbo himself hadn¡¯t noticed that subconsciously, he was urgently seeking to understand whether this indulgence was a result of Pei You¡¯s nature or if he was receiving special treatment. So, in this delicate balance, he continued to indulge himself, becoming increasingly audacious. He was like a deer lost in a swamp, unaware that while he was gradually pushing the limits with Pei You, he was also unconsciously falling into the depths of Pei You¡¯s tenderness. This subtle transformation was like a chemical reaction, blurring the boundaries of their interactions and turning it into an inexplicable closeness. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t understand what this ¡°closeness¡± truly meant, but in that very moment, a vague thought abruptly entered his mind. ¡ª He wanted to keep Pei You by his side. Zhou Qingbo had never encountered a friend who was so in sync with him. This contentment with their current peaceful life led him to feel a hint of reluctance, an unconscious desire to continue being with Pei You like this, for a long, long time. Clumsy and slow to understand, he hadn¡¯t quite grasped the implications, but he purely and stubbornly wanted to hold on to Pei You. He wanted to remain as the most special person by Pei You¡¯s side. This thought was like a seed, dropped into Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart in an instant, taking root and sprouting, becoming a subtle hidden aspiration. Seeing Zhou Qingbo lost in thought and not speaking, Pei You didn¡¯t know what he was pondering. He furrowed his brows in confusion and lightly tapped Zhou Qingbo¡¯s face with his knuckles, calling his name. Zhou Qingbo quickly snapped out of his daze. He blinked his eyes, gazing at Pei You with a complex expression for a while, then let out a soft, long sigh, leaning his forehead against Pei You¡¯s waist. ¡°Hey,¡± Zhou Qingbo sighed, ¡°what spell did you cast on me?¡± Pei You: ¡­ Pei You was perpetually unable to keep up with Zhou Qingbo¡¯s jumping train of thought. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh wryly, lowering his head to look at him and softly said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. we¡¯re in the police station.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s behavior was like that of a soft bone; he lazily rested his forehead against Pei You¡¯s waist, looking as if he was recharging. He pursed his lips, mumbled a couple of times, and drew out his words in a vague manner, ¡°I meant¡ª¡± Before Zhou Qingbo could finish his sentence, two knocks echoed from the door. Zhou Qingbo startled and subconsciously straightened up, only to realize that it was an unfamiliar officer on duty. ¡°Zhou Qingbo right? Come over, give a brief statement, sign some documents, and you can leave,¡± the officer on duty said matter-of-factly, ¡°Save your discussions for when you get home.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡­ Normally, Zhou Qingbo had a thick skin, but he felt a bit embarrassed by this sentence, awkwardly cleared his throat, scratched his face to hide his discomfort, and agreed. ¡°You go ahead,¡± Pei You said at the right moment, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you by the door.¡± Zhou Qingbo nodded and took off his coat, handing it to Pei You. Then he followed the officer on duty to sign the documents, while Pei You went ahead to wait for him at the police station entrance. During rush hour, Pei You stood by the entrance for a while and saw Lu Ye coming out of the office building, carrying a half-eaten flatbread in his hand. Pei You understood that while getting into fights might be a big or small issue, it depended on how it was resolved. Although Zhou Qingbo¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t a major one, Lu Ye had indeed helped in some way, preventing Zhou Qingbo from unnecessary trouble and reducing his burden a little. Considering this, he stopped Lu Ye and thanked him politely. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, no need to thank me,¡± Lu Ye waved his hand nonchalantly and casually said, ¡°Well, first of all, what you guys fought over wasn¡¯t anything good. Secondly, you didn¡¯t really cause any serious harm to the guy, so it doesn¡¯t qualify as an offense against public order.¡± ¡°Plus,¡± Lu Ye chuckled, admitting openly, ¡°I already had a decent impression of him , so I decided to cut some corners and skip some unnecessary procedures.¡± Speaking of this, Pei You had actually been puzzled all along. Their interaction at the bar had been brief, and Zhou Qingboi hadn¡¯t even clearly seen Lu Ye¡¯s face, let alone had any substantial conversation. Lu Ye¡¯s goodwill seemed to come out of nowhere, and Pei You had been unable to figure it out. He thought this way in his heart and decided to ask the same question. Lu Ye chuckled at his words and pulled out a cigarette box from his pocket. ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to it,¡± Lu Ye took out a cigarette from the box, vaguely saying, ¡°I just think he¡¯s a good person¡ªafter all, not everyone has the ability to take responsibility for their actions.¡± Lu Ye paused and then chuckled, saying, ¡°We¡¯re all the same. I won¡¯t hide it from you either¡ª I¡¯ve been in two relationships before. They didn¡¯t last long, and it was all very secretive, always sneaking around. In one of them, I even tried to deceive a girl secretly and get her to marry me.¡± ¡°I dislike people like that,¡± Lu Ye¡¯s face showed a touch of disgust, and his tone turned cold, ¡°But the funny thing is, these people are the majority.¡± Pei You knew how chaotic the community could be. After all, being homosexual wasn¡¯t mainstream in society, and under the labels of tradition and family, most people were timid and selfish. Many people hid and deceived, very few could confront their own truth, truly taking responsibility for their choices. Pei You instinctively followed Lu Ye¡¯s words, imagining for a moment. He felt that if Zhou Qingbo were in that situation, he would never do something like that. Zhou Qingbo looked carefree, seemed indifferent to most things, but Pei You always felt that deep down, he was a very stubborn and determined person. Once he made up his mind, he would give his all and wouldn¡¯t step back. ¡°How should I put it, I don¡¯t think your guy is like that.¡± Lu Ye lit a cigarette with a lighter, giving a vague smile. He said, ¡°There aren¡¯t many people like that nowadays. I think you two are a good match. Treasure him well.¡± Pei You¡¯s heart was gently stirred. He knew that the intimacy between him and Zhou Qingbo was far from the level of ¡°treasuring him well.¡± However, for some reason, he hesitated to clarify with Lu Ye and simply made a non-committal sound of agreement. Lu Ye¡¯s words hinted at something to Pei You. He pondered thoughtfully for a while, sorting out his feelings towards Zhou Qingbo. He undoubtedly wanted to take the next step with Zhou Qingbo and develop a more intimate relationship. But at the same time, he realized that achieving this goal would require some changes between them. If I were to pursue him, Pei You wondered, would he agree? Pei You, the model student, thought seriously about the feasibility of this. But being inexperienced, he racked his brain for a while and couldn¡¯t come up with a plan. Zhou Qingbo had finished signing the documents and came out of the station¡¯s building. He saw Pei You standing at the entrance, lost in thought. He rarely saw Pei You in such a state, looking serious and puzzled, as if he was immersed in his own world and couldn¡¯t extricate himself. Zhou Qingbo paused and had a mischievous idea. He silently approached from behind, stealthily reached out, and tapped Pei You on the shoulder. ¡°Hey ,¡± Zhou Qing Bai laughed, ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°How to pursue someone,¡± Pei You answered subconsciously. Zhou Qingbo: ¡­ That answer was clearly unexpected for Zhou Qingbo. His previously cheerful mood inexplicably plummeted, replaced by restlessness. ¡°Who are you pursuing?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked, ¡°Do you have someone you like?¡± Pei You regretted saying that right after he did. He wasn¡¯t good at lying, but he couldn¡¯t just say, ¡°I want to pursue you,¡± to Zhou Qingbo. So, he evaded the topic with vague words. ¡°I¡­¡± Pei You said, ¡°I just want to gain some experience.¡± Pausing for a moment, Pei You cautiously formulated his thoughts and tentatively asked, ¡°For instance¡­ if it were you, how would you want someone to pursue you?¡± Oh, Zhou Qingbo realized, so there isn¡¯t anyone else. Being a diligent teacher in love, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s mood was easily smoothed by the hypothetical ¡°if.¡± The arc of his eyebrows and corners of his eyes relaxed, and he genuinely considered the question. Seemingly forgetting his self-declared ¡°single ideology,¡± Zhou Qingbo was genuinely pondering Pei You¡¯s question. ¡°Well, when it comes to love, it¡¯s pretty simple,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, appearing profound and mysterious. He pondered for a moment and then nodded his head thoughtfully, saying, ¡°Love is supposed to be based on having feelings for each other. As long as you don¡¯t act distant and reserved, you¡¯re good.¡± ¡°Exactly how do you do that?¡± Pei You asked, not ashamed to ask for more details. ¡°For instance, don¡¯t be too withdrawn. Create opportunities to spend time together,¡± Zhou Qingbo paused and continued, ¡°At least, you have to let the other person know that you¡¯re interested in them.¡± CH 53 Zhou Qingbo felt that Pei You had been acting a little differently lately. He seemed¡­ livelier than before. Pei You was gentle, but he had a low-key and passive nature. Previously, Zhou Qingbo had to persuade and convince him to do something together. However, over the past few days, Pei You seemed to have changed somehow. He had become proactive. ¡­¡­¡­¡­.. At 10:00 in the morning, someone knocked on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s door precisely on time. He woke up from his sleep, habitually reached for his phone under his pillow, and checked the time. The screen displayed the time, neither earlier nor later, exactly 10:00. Zhou Qingbo sighed, grabbed a handful of hair in frustration, and got up from the bed like a wandering spirit. He drifted over to open the door. ¡°Do you have some kind of supernatural ability?¡± Zhou Qingbo opened the door and complained in a thick nasal tone, ¡°Like being a human AI with a built-in alarm clock or something.¡± Outside the door, Pei You was already neatly dressed. He held a takeout box in his hand, and the inside of the plastic bag was lightly misted, indicating it was still hot. ¡°Since it¡¯s raining outside today, the fried dough stick stall downstairs isn¡¯t open. Let¡¯s have xiaolongbao instead,¡± Pei You said. The aroma of the steamed buns wafted through the plastic bag into the air. Zhou Qingbo sniffed, and his drowsy spirit slowly began to awaken. Blinking his eyes, his initially damp eyes gradually lit up, and he couldn¡¯t help but lower his head and use his fingers to pull the plastic bag open a bit to take a look inside. ¡°What¡¯s in this?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°One basket of pork, two baskets of crab roe,¡± Pei You replied. Since the day they started working at Qingshan, Pei You and Zhou Qingbo had shared countless meals. Now, Pei You not only knew his taste preferences like the back of his hand but could also predict them. Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes brightened visibly, and he smiled as he stepped aside to let him in, saying, ¡°Come on in¡­ Take a seat. I¡¯ll go wash my face first.¡± Recently, Liu Xin had been under investigation by the Economic Investigation Bureau. Zhou Qingbo and Pei You had also stayed behind, awaiting the final investigation results. His company had been temporarily shut down for investigation, so they didn¡¯t need to run out under the scorching sun to audit the accounts anymore. They finally had a bit of leisure time. After the incident where Zhou Qingbo had lightly hinted about his ¡°preferences,¡± Pei You had been meticulously following the standard answer, almost like he was commuting. He knocked on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s door every morning. From nine in the morning to six in the evening, he ¡°created¡± opportunities to spend time alone with Zhou Qingbo. Whether they ate together or worked together, Pei You had mastered their daily routine. He initially worried that his behavior might be too obvious, but he quickly realized that Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t mind this intrusion into his private space. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it, adapting quite quickly. Initially, Zhou Qingbo used to tidy up a bit before Pei You arrived, but in less than two days, he had reverted to his usual self, often not getting up until Pei You knocked on his door. The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Pei You placed breakfast on the coffee table and took a quick look around. He couldn¡¯t resist bending down, heading towards the bedroom while picking up the clothes Zhou Qingbo had thrown on the floor. Zhou Qingbo took a quick shower. When he finished dressing, he walked out with damp hair. He noticed that the bed was already made, the clothes were hanging on the hanger, the window was partially open, and the fresh, humid air entered the room, bringing a hint of coolness. Zhou Qingbo smiled, feeling a bit embarrassed, and walked over to the sofa, jokingly pinching Pei You¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Hey, I said you don¡¯t need to go through all this trouble. I¡¯ll tidy up later.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind it,¡± Pei You replied. ¡°It¡¯s just a small gesture.¡± Since Pei You was used to being tidy, he couldn¡¯t help himself from tidying up Zhou Qingbo¡¯s things. Over the past few days, he had gotten used to it, even knowing where Zhou Qingbo would put his T-shirts. ¡°still¡­.,¡± Zhou Qingbo insisted with his own reasoning. He bent down, kneading Pei You¡¯s shoulder while justifying, ¡°You¡¯re an intelligent worker, you don¡¯t need to do this kind of work.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Pei You was puzzled. ¡°But yesterday, you were too lazy to go downstairs and persuaded me to go get you drinks.¡± Zhou Qingbo replied, ¡°That¡¯s not the same.¡± With Zhou Qingbo¡¯s body so close, Pei You could clearly feel that he was enveloped by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s moist toothpaste scented breath. He wasn¡¯t used to such close contact, so his ears turned red. Instinctively, he tilted his head, intending to remove Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand from his shoulder. ¡°Sit down,¡± Pei You said. ¡°The food will get cold if we don¡¯t eat it.¡± Xiaolongbao would lose its taste when it got cold. Zhou Qingbo just responded with an ¡°Oh¡± and, even too lazy to walk around the sofa, plopped down beside Pei You. He tore open the packaging of the takeout box. ¡°By the way,¡± Zhou Qingbo remembered something and said, ¡°The Economic Investigation Bureau officer called me last night and said they¡¯ve pretty much figured out Liu Xin¡¯s case.¡± Zhou Qingbo was Qingshan¡¯s head, so he was also considered a partial victim in Liu Xin¡¯s embezzlement case. He needed to be informed about the progress of the case. Pei You nodded and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the result?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty much what you guessed,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°He was indeed laundering money, but luckily, there were no government officials involved. It was his personal behavior.¡± According to the police investigation, Liu Xin had been involved with drugs for many years. He had started with occasional use and gradually became addicted. He couldn¡¯t afford the drugs himself, so he started embezzling funds from the company. Around that time, his father had passed away, and Dongjiang Company had been handed over to him. Thus, Liu Xin began using construction projects as a front to launder money for local drug traffickers. He fabricated documents to request charitable funds while using his mother¡¯s identity to register a new construction company. He outsourced the ¡°charitable projects¡± to that company, which he then transformed into actual construction projects. This way, empty projects turned into real ones. Liu Xin would then buy building materials or invest money in the projects on behalf of the drug traffickers. Through these transactions, black money turned white. It was due to this process that Liu Xin was especially sensitive about those ¡°charitable projects.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s mention of them made him prepare for an all-out confrontation. ¡°The mysterious transfer you found last time was likely done by them,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, holding a xiaolongbao, and continued vaguely, ¡°They just transferred it to the wrong account, and you happened to notice it.¡± ¡°However, turning back to the conversation,¡± Zhou Qingbo swallowed what was in his mouth and asked in puzzlement, ¡°How did you know he¡¯s involved in money laundering?¡± ¡°Lucky guess,¡± Pei You replied, ¡°You mentioned he wanted to involve you in a huge business deal, which likely means money laundering.¡± Liu Xin wouldn¡¯t make empty promises to Zhou Qingbo. He was intelligent, speaking differently to different people, tailoring his words to manipulate them onto his own path. For people like them, ensuring someone stays on their side permanently requires offering consequences that couldn¡¯t be reversed. Like making Zhou Qingbo, a privileged young man, unwittingly participate in money laundering or ensnaring Pei You, a social elite, in the drug trafficking. Considering this, Pei You¡¯s thoughts briefly interrupted. The chaotic scene at the club that day had prevented him from overthinking, but in the days since, he had become calmer and, in hindsight, somewhat fearful of that situation. On the night at the police station, Pei You had seen the ¡°evidence¡± seized by Lu yi and the others. A small plastic bag, not much larger than a palm, containing several tens of grams of white powder. It was enough to ruin his entire life. Pei You later felt fortunate ¨C fortunate that Zhou Qingbo had luckily uncovered the truth that day, and grateful that Zhou Qingbo was there. Drug addicts were desperate individuals, disregarding the law and social norms. If Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t impulsively confronted Liu Xin, escalating the situation beyond control, nobody could predict what might have happened in that dimly lit club. ¡°Zhou Qingbo,¡± Pei You suddenly said, ¡°Thank you for what you did for me that night.¡± ¡°Why are you thanking me all of a sudden?¡± Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t pleased. He bit his straw and frowned, saying, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say ¨C¡± ¡°You protected me that day,¡± Pei You interrupted. He looked at Zhou Qingbo and earnestly added, ¡°if it wasn¡¯t for you I don¡¯t know what might have happened. You defended my dignity and honor in life, so thank you.¡± Perhaps fate had shifted direction quietly that day at the club or even earlier, when Zhou Qingbo willingly volunteered to accompany him on a business trip. Because of Zhou Qingbo, Pei You could rest easy. CH 54 Pei You¡¯s serious tone surprised Zhou Qingbo, and he glanced at him with a momentary loss for words. Perhaps influenced by Pei You¡¯s attitude, this time Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t make light of the situation with jokes. He lowered his head, gently pushing the xiaolongbao in his lunch box with his chopsticks, swallowing the hot and savory soup inside. Uncharacteristically, he felt somewhat embarrassed and absentmindedly licked his lips. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing.¡± Pei You had intended to add something, but before he could say it, Zhou Qingbo cut him off. ¡°All adults know that life isn¡¯t a fairytale, and it can¡¯t always be smooth sailing,¡± Zhou Qingbo toyed with a xiaolongbao with his chopsticks. As if compelled by some unseen force, he continued, ¡°But if it¡¯s you, I hope your life goes smoothly.¡± Perhaps because it was Pei You, Zhou Qingbo unexpectedly abandoned all his upbringing and societal experience, becoming somewhat naive. ¡°So you don¡¯t need to thank me,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°I wanted to protect you myself.¡± Pei You¡¯s heart was gently stirred by these words, creating a slight itch alongside the softness. It made him feel unsteady, as if all his emotions were tangled into a chaotic mess. The term ¡°protect¡± was akin to a promise exchanged between children, sounding solemn and official. Hearing it even caused Zhou Qingbo to feel uneasy after saying it, almost like he couldn¡¯t bear the weight of the words. He touched his nose awkwardly, feeling his ears burn hot. Pei You¡¯s gaze seemed to have solidified, as if it could burn a hole in him at any moment. Pei You¡¯s heart felt like it had been kneaded into a soft, airy cloud by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words, swelling and filling his chest. Suddenly, he felt like he had so much to say, yet nothing could come out. Those profound, impatient desires to express themselves couldn¡¯t be put in words. Instead, they transformed into indescribable emotions, safely tucked away in his heart. Unfortunately, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heartfelt confession lasted only three minutes. Once it was over, he shifted from embarrassment to anger, pushing the vinegar bottle toward Pei You and saying, ¡°Hurry up and eat ¨C it¡¯ll get cold if you don¡¯t, we shouldn¡¯t waste food.¡± Pei You smiled, softly acknowledging, then lowered his head and bit into a xiaolongbao. However, this subtle and ambiguous atmosphere couldn¡¯t last long. After 11 o¡¯clock, Zhou Qingbo received a call from the police. They informed him that the investigation into Liu Xin¡¯s case was mostly complete. Liu Xin had been detained according to procedure, awaiting transfer to the prosecutor¡¯s office. Since the case involved Qingshan, Zhou Qingbo was to visit the police station to understand the case progress and obtain related certificates if necessary. This was the result they had been waiting for in Weinan, so they hurriedly finished breakfast and took a taxi to the police station. The police station was bustling on a weekday morning. Zhou Qingbo avoided a few young people arguing over reporting cases at the entrance and walked along the corridor. As soon as Pei You and Zhou Qingbo entered the lobby, they happened to see the officer in charge of the case. Pei You paused, about to greet him, when he heard a hoarse sob from the corner. Zhou Qingbo followed the sound and saw an elderly lady crouched in the corner. She was petite, hunched over into a small ball when sitting. Her clothing was decent, though she seemed to have rolled in dirt somewhere. A few strands of gray hair fell from her neatly tied bun, giving her a messy appearance at first glance. She was surrounded by two young female police officers, who were trying to persuade her and help her up from the ground. ¡°Her, you see.¡± The police officer handling Liu Xin¡¯s case followed the direction of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gaze and sighed, saying, ¡°Liu Xin¡¯s mother, she¡¯s been here all night.¡± The police officer looked neither young nor old, in that in-between age range. Upon seeing the situation, he also showed some compassion. Shaking his head, he said, ¡°getting in trouble and committing countless crimes, why don¡¯t they think about their own mothers at home?¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gaze turned compassionate and complex upon hearing this. ¡°Follow me this way.¡± The officer in charge pointed in a direction and said, ¡°the east river under Dongjiang company is involved in a money laundering case and can¡¯t operate for the time being. How to resolve it later will depend on the circumstances. Whoever is representing Qingshan, sign an informed consent form.¡± The words ¡°Qingshan¡± triggered a nerve in the old woman. She raised her head sharply, accurately spotting Zhou Qingbo¡¯s figure in the crowd. The Liu and Zhou families had some deep connections. Li Chunmei almost instantly recognized Zhou Qingbo when she saw him. Her eyes suddenly lit up with a glimmer of hope. She pushed aside the hands of the female officers trying to help her and stumbled over, grabbing Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arm. ¡°Qingbo, is it you, my child?¡± Li Chunmei¡¯s tears flowed freely, she looked at him pitifully and with complexity, her fingers gripping tightly around his arm, almost spasming. In a hoarse voice, she said, ¡°I¡­ I know Xin Xin did wrong, but can you not let him go to prison? How much money does he owe you? We¡¯ll repay it, even if we have to sell everything we have!¡± Originally walking beside Zhou Qingbo, Pei You pursed his lips and reached out to grasp Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arm, attempting to rescue him from the grasp of the old woman. ¡°Auntie.¡± Pei You said softly, ¡°This is not a problem he can easily solve. Liu Xin committed a crime, and he awaits the judgment of the law.¡± His voice was gentle, as if carrying a sense of consolation. However, the old woman clung to Zhou Qingbo like a lifeline. She didn¡¯t let go; in fact, she held on even tighter. ¡°I, I know, my child.¡± Li Chunmei looked at Pei You, then shifted her gaze back to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s face, pleading, ¡°But¡­ Can you please understand him a bit? He made a mistake this time, just this once, forgive him.¡± She didn¡¯t know that Liu Xin had been using drugs, or that he was involved in money laundering with drug dealers. She still innocently believed that Liu Xin had merely embezzled money from Qingshan, and as long as the money was repaid, there was still hope. She believed in her husband so much that she couldn¡¯t even entertain the idea that he could have raised a ¡°bad child.¡± Thus, when she came to plead with Zhou Qingbo, she appeared exceptionally pitiable. However, that couldn¡¯t be allowed. Zhou Qingbo thought pity couldn¡¯t save him from going to jail. ¡°Auntie.¡± Zhou Qingbo lowered his head, met her gaze seriously, and softly said, ¡°His mistake isn¡¯t something I can forgive, and it¡¯s not just about money.¡± Li Chunmei looked at him with a blank expression, a kind of naive confusion appearing in her eyes. She blinked, seemingly unable to believe what she was hearing, and then stared at Zhou Qingbo, her fingers clenched tightly on his arm. Pei You instinctively wanted to intervene, but Zhou Qingbo shook his head slightly at him. ¡°Specifics, I can¡¯t say. It depends on the police¡¯s decision.¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t reveal the details to Li Chunmei. He spoke seriously, ¡°But he committed a serious crime.¡± The phrase ¡°serious crime¡± was a top-level mistake for someone of Li Chunmei¡¯s age. Her eyes glistened with uncomprehending confusion, she blinked and then asked, ¡°What other crime?¡± Pei You had intended to stop Zhou Qingbo, but the latter leaned against his shoulder and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± The two of them quickly completed the necessary procedures. When they walked out of the police station, the rain was still falling. Li Chunmei¡¯s sobbing seemed to still echo in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ears. He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking a bit fatigued. He didn¡¯t sympathize with Liu Xin, nor did he find him pitiable. However, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit off. ¡°Zhou Qingbo,¡± Pei You called out to him. ¡°Feeling uneasy?¡± Pei You asked. Zhou Qingbo responded with a weary ¡°Mm,¡± then turned his head and rested his forehead on Pei You¡¯s shoulder. Pei You held an umbrella in one hand, and after a brief hesitation, his other hand moved in the air and lightly patted Zhou Qingbo¡¯s back. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Pei You said, ¡°He deserves his punishment. It has nothing to do with you.¡± Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t feeling guilty, but he was tired. A sense of fatigue that came from leaving his comfort zone unexpectedly surged up, dragging his mood down a bit. It felt as if he could only replenish his energy a little by staying close to Pei You. ¡°Pei You.¡± Zhou Qingbo rested against him for a while, then said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Beijing.¡± CH 55 Of course, Pei You wouldn¡¯t say no. The situation in Dongjiang had become quite clear, and all the necessary information had been collected. With this matter temporarily concluded, there was no compelling reason to stay around anymore. Liu Xin was still under detention, and there was some time before the court hearing. After consulting with Zhou Cangshan and confirming that he would let Qingshan¡¯s legal department take over the follow-up work, Pei You, along with Zhou Qingbo, boarded a plane back to Beijing. From drizzling rain to clear skies spanning over a thousand kilometers, Zhou Qingbo took a short rest on the plane, and by the time they landed, his mood had mostly settled. It seemed that Pei You was a bit concerned about his mood. From the moment they got to the baggage claim area, in that short distance, he stole several glances at Zhou Qingbo. Zhou Qingbo seemed to sense his gaze and after a few times, he couldn¡¯t help but smile first. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Zhou Qingbo hooked his fingers around the cuff of Pei You¡¯s sleeve, joking, ¡°I know I look good, but there¡¯s no need to stare at me like that. Imagine if we were in a long-term relationship. you would get tired of looking at me every second? If that happened, would you get bored and seek something new?¡± ¡°No.¡± Pei You answered unconsciously. ¡°No, what?¡± Zhou Qingbo moved closer with a smirk, pushing further, ¡°You won¡¯t get tired of looking? Or you won¡¯t get bored and seek something new?¡± Pei You was caught off guard by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s sudden diversion. He forgot what he had intended to ask and for a moment, his question got lost in his mind. He blinked, his gaze wavering for a brief moment, and then cleared his throat uncomfortably, answering, ¡°both.¡± Zhou Qingbo got the answer he wanted, contently tapping Pei You¡¯s sleeve with his fingertips and then releasing him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m fine.¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled and shifted the topic to something serious, saying, ¡°It¡¯s not like I forced Liu Xin to commit a crime. What¡¯s it got to do with me? I was just thinking, Uncle Liu and his wife are both good people. How did they end up raising such a creature?¡± Liu Jiancheng had served in the army when he was young, defending the country, saving people from disasters and floods, rescuing many from turbulent waters. After his demobilization, he started his own business and donated to charity every year. Even if he wasn¡¯t a great philanthropist, he was still a fundamentally good person. Li Chunmei was gentle ever since she was young, although she hadn¡¯t received much education, she was hardworking and law-abiding. But the result was paradoxical. At the end of their lives, they gave birth to Liu Xin, someone like him. Just looking at him from the sidelines made Zhou Qingbo feel disgruntled on their behalf. ¡°Whether a person goes astray or not is related to upbringing, but more importantly, it¡¯s a matter of character.¡± Pei You said calmly, ¡°Some good children, under strict discipline, will only shine brighter. But some people, even if they have the best upbringing, will feel that it¡¯s prison, like shackles. Once they have a chance to break free from the ¡®cage,¡¯ they will become even worse.¡± Pei You paused briefly, then suddenly changed the topic, saying, ¡°Like you, you are the former.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t expect that in the midst of all this, he would also be praised. He was momentarily stunned, then smiled vaguely, and said, ¡°Me? Just barely making it and just going with the flow.¡± ¡°No.¡± Pei You took this matter seriously, furrowing his brows slightly, and said, ¡°it¡¯s just that you¡¯re not interested in business. That doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not doing a proper job. There are countless professions, and being an expert in any of them is fine.¡± Pei You initially thought that Zhou Qingbo¡¯s life was too comfortable, but the closer he got to him, the more he realized that it was a bias. The entry threshold for bartending wasn¡¯t high, but making a name for oneself wasn¡¯t easy. Although Zhou Qingbo seemed at ease and lazy, he never abandoned what he enjoyed doing. He didn¡¯t just fake it. Pei You¡¯s praise was so sincere and straightforward that Zhou Qingbo felt a bit embarrassed. He smiled awkwardly, scratching his face as if trying to hide his emotions. ¡°What¡¯s going on, this is new?¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a smile, ¡°Are you also initiating conversations to compliment people now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Pei You asked in response. Pei You remembered that in the ¡°Professor Zhou¡¯s Love Lecture,¡± there was a lesson about this¡ªappeal to their interests, express your feelings, say things they like to hear, thereby drawing them closer. Pei You didn¡¯t know what topics Zhou Qingbo liked, but he knew that he enjoyed hearing compliments, so he was not stingy with them. Whenever he got the chance, he would praise him a bit, and it was truly heartfelt and accurate. Zhou Qingbo was caught off guard by Pei You¡¯s straightforward compliment. He responded with a smile that was teasing on the surface but harbored a hint of genuine pleasure underneath. His slightly upturned lips couldn¡¯t be suppressed, to the point where the composed expression he was trying to maintain seemed more like a form of bragging. He blinked and, instead of directly answering Pei You¡¯s question, he smiled lightly and said, ¡°maybe.¡± Pei You looked at him in confusion. Before he could judge his ¡°on-the-spot performance¡± in his mind, he felt Zhou Qingbo moving closer, grabbing his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Zhou Qingbo said cheerfully, ¡°Grab your luggage and let¡¯s go have a meal.¡± After returning from Weinan, Pei You¡¯s work in Qingshan had temporarily come to an end, and the auditing team had also withdrawn from Qingshan¡¯s headquarters. At first, Zhou Qingbo was a bit uncomfortable and solemn for a couple of days. Whenever he came to work, he would automatically head to the main conference room. But fortunately, even though Pei You had left Qingshan, they hadn¡¯t lost contact. They still managed to meet four or five times a week, either for a meal or a drink. Their chat history quickly became richer, and Zhou Qingbo got back into the routine of taking his regular route to work. He no longer habitually ran to the main conference room. The issue with Dongjiang was a thorn in Zhou Cangshan¡¯s heart. He was the type who didn¡¯t hold back his thoughts. Even thinking about Dongjiang made him uncomfortable. So he decided to break up the Dongjiang matter into smaller parts and offload them, achieving a sense of clarity. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t concern himself much with these matters. He resumed his routine of commuting to work, calmly attending meetings, and occasionally chatting with Pei You via WeChat. He spent his days in his own little world, peaceful and comfortable. And recently, Pei You somehow had become more ¡°enthusiastic¡± about learning the act of pursuing. He suddenly started asking him about love experiences, and he quickly grasped the concepts and techniques. He applied them comprehensively and adeptly, often using Zhou Qingbo as his ¡°practice partner.¡± This made Zhou Qingbo feel like he was floating on air, all the time. Their chat history gradually evolved into new categories. Zhou Qingbo would send pictures of clouds and flowers to Pei You on his way to work, and Pei You quickly caught on, starting to send him various trivial topics for no reason. These fragmented, intimate conversations lacked substance, yet they warmed their way into Zhou Qingbo¡¯s life bit by bit. His urge to share seemed to reach its peak with Pei You, to the point that whenever he encountered something interesting, his first instinct was to share it with him. ¡°Based on personal experience, don¡¯t ever order from the newly opened grilled fish takeaway. It¡¯s terrible. The fish skin is as tough as sofa leather.¡± During his lunch break, Zhou Qingbo had just seen off his subordinate who had given a report. He was tapping his phone while resting his head on his desk, typing, ¡°It¡¯s so bad.¡± ¡°Okay noted.¡± Pei You replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to try the grilled fish at Xidan last time? I won¡¯t be working late tonight, want to go together?¡± Zhou Qingbo was tempted by the suggestion for a moment, but after thinking about it, he declined. ¡°No, I can¡¯t. I have plans for later tonight.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°Let¡¯s just meet at our usual spot.¡± As soon as he sent this message, there was a knock on his office door. Zhou Qingbo looked up and saw Zhou Cangshan standing in the doorway. He had just retracted his knocking hand. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Brother?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked, ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Zhou Cangshan¡¯s expression seemed a bit odd, as if he had thought of something. He couldn¡¯t help but look Zhou Qingbo up and down a few times. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled, ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± Zhou Cangshan asked with a strange tone, ¡°Are you perhaps in love?¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No why?.¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled in exasperation, and quipped, ¡°Did someone start a rumor at the company, or did I stare at one of the receptionists too much?¡± Zhou Cangshan: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Cangshan had walked in just now and seen Zhou Qingbo smiling at his phone, and he thought he had finally started dating someone. However, it turned out to be a misunderstanding. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh with a touch of regret. ¡°Forget it.¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°I just wanted to let you know that the day after tomorrow, the company will be conducting a risk assessment. Remember to prepare in advance.¡± ¡°Why again?¡± Zhou Qingbo grumbled, placing his phone on the table with a slap and saying vaguely, ¡°Didn¡¯t I already do that before my last business trip?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been two months since you came back from your business trip.¡± Zhou Cangshan revealed without mercy, saying, ¡°Moreover, after selling Dongjiang, there have been changes in the company¡¯s structure. We need to update the information. Make sure you write a comprehensive report. No slacking off.¡± Zhou Qingbo felt a headache coming on at the mention of work. He sighed in a sulky manner and responded with an ¡°okay¡± to show that he understood. ¡°Brother, can I leave work early tonight?¡± Zhou Qingbo attempted to negotiate, ¡°I have something to do.¡± ¡°What do you have to do?¡± Zhou Cangshan frowned, saying, ¡°Are you going to work on your ¡®side business¡¯ again?¡± ¡°Not¡­ not exactly!¡± Zhou Qingbo jolted, quickly using an excuse as a shield, ¡°I have plans to meet Pei You tonight.¡± Zhou Qingbo seemed afraid that Zhou Cangshan wouldn¡¯t believe him. He hurriedly pulled up their chat history and showed it to him. Zhou Cangshan was actually quite happy that Zhou Qingbo was making more friends like Pei You, a young talent. Hearing this, his expression softened a bit, and he let out a sigh. ¡°Go ahead then.¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°Leave work early. Just make sure you don¡¯t stay out too late.¡± CH 56 The ¡°young talent¡± Pei You who had a respectable family background and a disciplined routine, hardly ever ventured into bars or clubs. Unfortunately, after spending so much time with Zhou Qingbo, he was gradually getting influenced by him. At 6:30 in the evening, Black Bar was preparing for its final business hours. Zhou Qingbo smoothly entered through the back door, tossing his suit jacket onto the counter. As he greeted the staff, he reached his arm out to get a cold can of cola from the mini-fridge. But before his hand could touch the fridge door, he felt a pat on the back of his hand. Startled, Zhou Qingbo jumped back a bit, resembling a startled cat. He retreated a couple of steps, clutching his hand and cautiously looking towards the counter. ¡°hey¡± Zhou Qingbo called warily. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s me.¡± Soon, a familiar figure stood up from behind the counter. Ge Xing¡¯s hair was slightly messy, and there were a few specks of dust on his white t-shirt, making him look a bit unkempt. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zhou Qingbo breathed a sigh of relief, asking with a hint of annoyance, ¡°Stealing something?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for ice.¡± Ge Xing patted the dust off his clothes and casually said, ¡°When did the fridge change places? I wanted an ice-cold cocktail, but Xiao Li wasn¡¯t around, so I had to do it myself.¡± Ge, the boss, was known for his mysterious appearances and disappearances. Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t seen him for over two months, so he just responded with an ¡°uh-huh,¡± lifted the counter¡¯s cover, and walked into the bar area. He grabbed the back of Ge¡¯s collar and pulled him back a bit. ¡°The fridge at the counter broke two days ago. It¡¯s not fixed yet, so the ice is stored in the big fridge in the storage room.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, unbuttoning his shirt cuffs and rolling up his sleeves, adding, ¡°Xiao Li¡¯s wife is having a baby, so he¡¯s taken a couple of days off. Qiang-ge asked me to come over and cover for him.¡± This little domain behind the counter was now occupied by a professional, and Ge Xing didn¡¯t need to be inside, so he walked out of the counter and sat at one of the booths outside. ¡°Oh, no wonder.¡± Ge Xing took the offered glass of wine, and in a casual manner, he asked, ¡°Speaking of which, how have you been lately? Any romantic affairs?¡± ¡°None.¡± Zhou Qingbo replied absentmindedly, ¡°If you have time to worry about my romantic affairs, you might as well worry about yourself first.¡± ¡°This statement is quite something.¡± Ge Xing disagreed and retorted, ¡°I¡¯m concerned about your personal well being.¡± ¡°My well being is fine, thank you.¡± Zhou Qingbo threw an ice cube into his glass and calmly said, ¡°I¡¯ve been peaceful and relaxed for the past six months, I¡¯ve encountered no danger. So thank you for your concern but I¡¯m good.¡± Ge Xing looked at Zhou Qingbo¡¯s resolute expression and struggled with his words, however, arguing with Zhou Qingbo was pointless. Ge Xing looked around and asked, ¡°By the way, Pei You didn¡¯t come with you today?¡± Zhou Qingbo was wiping the counter with his head down and replied nonchalantly, ¡°He¡¯ll be here later. He¡¯s stuck in traffic at the moment, his company is quite far away.¡± As soon as Zhou Qingbo finished speaking, he realized something and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Wait a minute, how do you know we are meeting later?¡± He glanced at Ge Xing with suspicion and said with a puzzled expression, ¡± you aren¡¯t stalking us, are you?¡± Ge Xing rolled his eyes and said, ¡°I overheard it from the servers while chatting with them just now.¡± Zhou Qingbo had been getting closer to Pei You recently, and it wasn¡¯t a secret at Black Bar. Pei You had a dignified demeanor. He didn¡¯t come to the bar for entertainment or to socialize; he would always sit at the bar counter after ordering and remain there, quite eye-catching in his stillness. Sometimes, he would take care of some work matters and chat with Zhou Qingbo when he had free time. Between the two of them, there was a unique understanding. In certain moments, they¡¯d casually exchange a few words, and when busy, they¡¯d focus on their own tasks, occasionally lifting their heads to lock eyes, always sensing the other¡¯s gaze. Before Zhou Qingbo arrived, Ge Xing had already mingled with the crowd and gathered some gossip. The more he heard, the more he felt intrigued, so he couldn¡¯t help but stay to observe whether their interactions were truly as others described it. At 7:30 in the evening, the lighting effects at Black Bar began to change. Pei You entered the scene punctually, as if on a schedule, joining the first group of customers entering the bar. With his frequent visits, Pei You had become more at ease and no longer seemed as unsure as when he first came. He walked confidently to his usual spot at the corner of the bar counter. That secluded and quiet corner was nearest to the cocktail area and didn¡¯t obstruct the ordering area. It had become Pei You¡¯s ¡°reserved seat¡± over the past two months. ¡°Good evening.¡± Ge Xing leaned his head on his hand, casually raised his glass towards Pei You, and asked, ¡°Came to see Qingbo?¡± As Pei You had initially been introduced to Zhou Qingbo through Ge Xing, his impression of him was positive. He nodded in response to the question and politely replied, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, Qingbo and I were planning to have dinner outside, but he wanted to come work here part-time, so we decided to meet here,¡± Pei You explained. Ge Xing made an ¡°Oh¡± sound and nodded thoughtfully. Whether it was his imagination or not, he felt that Pei You¡¯s tone when mentioning Zhou Qingbo was more than that of an ordinary friend; it carried a sense of natural closeness. As they conversed, Zhou Qingbo, who had finished showering and changing, walked out from the back. He was wearing a loose dark green T-shirt with a slightly open neckline, revealing his collarbone still adorned with water droplets. Seemingly in a hurry, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hair still held some water droplets at the tips. Pei You frowned upon seeing this, about to say something, but Zhou Qingbo interrupted him. ¡°I know,, let me dry off¡ª¡± Zhou Qingbai playfully ran his hand through his hair and smiled mischievously. When at Black Bar, Zhou Qingbo usually didn¡¯t pay much attention to his appearance. His hair remained unstyled, softly hanging over his forehead, giving him an innocent look. Pei You was helpless in this situation, plus customers were already there, so he couldn¡¯t ask Zhou Qingbo to go back and dry his hair. He sighed and compromised, ¡°At least use a towel next time.¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled admitting his mistake, promising to do better. Meanwhile, the first group of customers had arrived. Those who gathered at the bar for the drinks were mostly regulars. Seeing Zhou Qingbo behind the counter that day, they were particularly enthusiastic. They chatted with him while placing their drink orders. Zhou Qingbo smiled and said, ¡°Wait a moment, there¡¯s someone ahead of you.¡± He turned to look at Pei You and asked, ¡°What would you like to drink?¡± ¡°Anything is fine,,¡± Pei You replied. It seemed that Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t really need his input. He had already turned around, grabbed the ingredients he needed from the liquor cabinet, and started mixing the drink. Since Pei You had been coming to Black Bar to keep him company, Zhou Qingbo had gotten used to preparing the first drink for him. He pushed a well-crafted non-alcoholic mocktail Mojito toward Pei You, then winked at him before turning around to serve the other customers. Pei You placed the glass by his side and took out his phone to respond to a couple of work messages. Ge Xing observed with a cold eye and couldn¡¯t help shaking his head, wearing a weary expression. Men, he thought, some people were so cautious about interacting with Pei You just a few months ago. Yet, within less than half a year, it is as if they¡¯d been enchanted, presenting drinks with a flirtatious glance, smiling from ear to ear. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± His sigh was quite loud, even prompting Pei You to ask, ¡°Is something bothering you?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Ge Xing shook his head, saying with a meaningful tone, ¡°I just suddenly realized that men are such unpredictable creatures.¡± Pei You was puzzled by his words, but as he wasn¡¯t very close to Ge Xing, he hesitated to ask for more details. He could only nod in response, refocusing his attention on his phone. At Black Bar, Zhou Qingbo was treated as a ¡°special guest,¡± that day as he rarely worked shifts.. As a result, some of the regular customers were unusually enthusiastic, resulting in a one-third increase in drink orders. Even a few regular customers came over to tease him, specifically requesting to drink Ramos Gin Fizz. ¡°Nope,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°My hands are tired.¡± ¡°Well, that won¡¯t do,¡± one old regular customer chuckled, ¡°Today, it¡¯s just you, can¡¯t back out now.¡± Working a shift and guest-starring were different. Zhou Qingbo sighed, made a playful remark, and reluctantly picked a spring from a spare cup. Ramos Gin Fizz was complex and demanding, shaking one glass for about ten to twenty minutes. After Zhou Qingbo finally ¡°entertained¡± the old regular customers there to watch, he felt his hands were so sore he could hardly lift them. After he was done with the orders and serving drinks,, Zhou Qingbo took a few steps towards the corner of the bar, sat down on a stool, extended his arm, and weakly tapped on the tabletop near Pei You¡¯s hand. ¡°My hands are so sore,¡± Zhou Qingbo rested his arm on the bar counter, mumbled, ¡°Could you massage them for me?¡± Pei You had just seen how busy he was. Without a second thought, he put down his phone, held Zhou Qingbo¡¯s wrist in his hand, and gently massaged his stiff wrist. Ge Xing: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo lazily rested his head on his arm, occasionally giving a ¡°command,¡± acting like a pampered prince. After a while, Ge Xing couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and cleared his throat. ¡°Zhou Qingbo,¡± Ge Xing said, ¡°When did you become so flirtatious and spoiled?¡± ¡°Not too long ago,¡± Zhou Qingbo replied without embarrassment but with pride, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± He acted as if there was no one else around, as if he didn¡¯t realize that there might be something off about his interactions with Pei You. Ge Xing¡¯s gaze swept back and forth between him and Pei You, and seeing that Pei You had no objections, he finally understood. His expression shifted from disdain to bewilderment, then in an instant, he seemed to grasp the situation. He took out his phone from his pocket, stood up as if in a trance, and turned to leave. Confused, Zhou Qingbo called after him, asking, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the VIP lounge to reserve a room for you two,¡± Ge Xing said absently, ¡°By the way, do you prefer Champagne Rose or Perfumed Lily?¡± CH 57 Zhou Qingbo was a person with a strong offense but weak defense. When teasing Pei You, it seemed natural and effortless, with him having the upper hand, and he didn¡¯t feel like anything was wrong. However, when the tables were turned, and he was the one being teased, he couldn¡¯t handle it. He stumbled over his words for a moment and finally blurted out, ¡°Get lost.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ge Xing, with a hint of amusement, asked as he pushed his luck, ¡°Can¡¯t take a joke? huh?¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo opened his mouth, subconsciously wanting to retort, but nothing came out. The bar¡¯s music was deafening. Zhou Qingbo unconsciously grabbed an ice glass nearby, and the cool sensation of the glass flowed into his body, bringing a slight tingling sensation along with it. For a brief moment, Zhou Qingbo surprisingly didn¡¯t dare to look at Pei You¡¯s eyes. He found it difficult to describe his feelings at that moment. He had known Ge Xing for a long time, and as adults, they had always had open conversations without holding back. They had even made more extreme jokes before. But this time, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s reaction was especially noticeable. Subconsciously, he didn¡¯t want Pei You to be mentioned in such a carefree way by Ge Xing. Even if it was just a harmless joke. Pei You himself didn¡¯t react much. His gaze shifted slightly, part acknowledgement and part disregard for the comment. He silently let the comment go and focused his attention on gently massaging Zhou Qingbo¡¯s stiff wrist and forearm. The bright light in the bar left a pattern of light and shadow on his strong shoulder line, making him seem like a silent and inconspicuous shadow. However, Ge Xing didn¡¯t know when to quit. He playfully swirled his wine glass, indicating something to Zhou Qingbo. ¡°If someone didn¡¯t know better, they¡¯d think you¡¯re a delicate young lady from the old society who can¡¯t handle a single joke,¡± Ge Xing said, ¡°Even Pei You hasn¡¯t said anything.¡± Not mentioning Pei You would have been better, but when Pei You was mentioned, all those complex and uncomfortable feelings Zhou Qingbo had suppressed surged back. He suddenly felt uneasy, as if all the previously suppressed restlessness had resurfaced, urging him to do something to ease it. Surprisingly, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t react this time. He subconsciously took a deep breath, paced around the bar in circles, as if trapped without an escape. Just then, a server walked over from the booth area and mentioned that Zhou Qingbo was requested to set up a table for ¡°Western Sun¡± in the VIP section. Zhou Qingbo inexplicably let out a sigh of relief, not even leaving the customary ¡°I¡¯ll be back later¡± to the two at the bar. He simply stood up, and with hurried steps, followed the server. He abruptly pulled away his hand, leaving Pei You¡¯s palm empty. It took a moment for Pei You to adjust, and his fingers subconsciously curled. ¡°Don¡¯t spoil him too much,¡± Ge Xing, watching Zhou Qingbo¡¯s receding figure, calmly took a sip of his drink and chuckled, ¡°He¡¯s like a cat, climbing up the pole. The nicer you are to him, the more spoiled he¡¯ll act.¡± Pei You retracted his hand and took a sip of his own drink. The alcohol-free Mojito had soda water as its base, with the refreshing taste of lime that was both refreshing and tangy. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Pei You said calmly, ¡°Let him be as spoiled as he wants. He usually doesn¡¯t go overboard.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, your relationship seems to have improved quite a bit compared to before,¡± Ge Xing, propping up his head, gazed toward where Zhou Qingbo had left, casually commenting, ¡°I¡¯m quite surprised.¡± Unlike Zhou Qingbo, who was a ¡°love instructor¡± on paper, Ge Xing had seen and experienced a lot, and his eyes were sharp and discerning. He could easily tell who was suitable for whom long-term. However, compatibility didn¡¯t necessarily mean destiny. Zhou Qingbo and Pei You were quite different in terms of upbringing and personality. While Ge Xing had attempted to play matchmaker for them before, he hadn¡¯t held high hopes for them. ¡°Yeah,¡± Pei You acknowledged the statement that their ¡°relationship had improved.¡± He nodded and softly said, ¡°He¡¯s been teaching me how to flirt and pursue someone recently.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ge Xing seemed afraid he had misheard, and asked in confusion, ¡°Teaching you what?¡± ¡°To date,¡± Pei You said. Ge Xing: ¡°¡­¡± Ge Xing was momentarily speechless. Zhou Qingbo was all grown up, yet he hadn¡¯t even held hands romantically with anyone before, let alone dated. He was like a young boy who had never experienced romance. Ge Xing couldn¡¯t believe that he could actually teach Pei You, another inexperienced young man, how to date. Ge Xing looked at Pei You with pity, as if he was watching a naive child who had been cheated and was being led astray. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± Ge Xing took out his phone with a pained expression and started scrolling rapidly on the screen without further ado, ¡°A guy in his thirties who has never been in a relationship and doesn¡¯t know how to date. Just wait, I¡¯ll find you a reliable dating coach.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Pei You cut him off before Ge Xing could find the contact information he was looking for. He suddenly smiled briefly, speaking softly, ¡°He¡¯s teaching me pretty well.¡± When he said this, there was a hint of a smile on his face, and his gaze unconsciously dropped slightly, as if recalling something. Pei You¡¯s tone unintentionally softened, carrying a hint of gentle affection. It seemed that just mentioning Zhou Qingbo could make him become more tender. Ge Xing listened to the tone in his voice and paused for a moment. He cautiously and hesitantly asked, ¡°You have¡­ for him?¡± Zhou Qingbo was a slow-witted person, and Ge Xing knew him quite well. But Pei You was warm and tender yet distant, clearly having his own thoughts. Ge Xing vaguely felt that Pei You might be interested in Zhou Qingbo, but he couldn¡¯t be entirely certain. ¡°Yes,¡± Pei You admitted straightforwardly, saying, ¡°I have feelings for Zhou Qingbo, so I¡¯ve been pursuing him recently.¡± The word ¡°pursuing¡± was pronounced by Pei You very clearly, with a touch of unwavering determination, revealing his true intentions to some extent. ¡°¡­So, have you confessed your feelings to him?¡± Ge Xing asked. ¡°Not yet,¡± Pei You replied earnestly, ¡°I think it¡¯s not the right time yet¡ªI want our relationship to improve a bit more, become more stable, and then I¡¯ll confess to him. It feels safer that way.¡± Ge Xing recollected Zhou Qingbo¡¯s possessiveness and how he treated Pei You almost like an accessory, and he couldn¡¯t help but fall silent for a moment. Then, he sincerely said, ¡°I mean, is there a possibility¡ªjust a possibility¡ªthat he might not need you to pursue him?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pei You asked in confusion, ¡°I know that in the gay community, some people might think that if they¡¯re compatible, they can just get together and that¡¯s that. But even if it¡¯s about being gay, they still have the right to be pursued.¡± Pei You paused and then added seriously, ¡°Moreover, he¡¯s a great guy. I think he should have the right to choose.¡± Ge Xing: ¡°¡­¡± Is that the point? Ge Xing couldn¡¯t help but wonder. It seemed like they were both equally skilled at missing the point. Pei You hadn¡¯t experienced this before and his perspective was limited. Ge Xing had seen many relationships, probably not a hundred but at least eighty. However, he had never seen such a situation where adults were acting like school kids with crushes. CH 58 Ge Xing, had witnessed countless relationships, but he couldn¡¯t understand such a childish romance. He could only sigh in his heart, thinking that they¡¯re properly matched in a strange way. ¡°That¡¯s good too,¡± Ge Xing coughed dryly, sincerely saying, ¡°well as long as both of you are comfortable.¡± Pei You seemed to agree with this perspective, his lips curving slightly as he nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not very good at interacting with people, and I don¡¯t know how to form intimate relationships,¡± Pei You said, his gaze lowered slightly, looking at the crystal-clear liquid in his hand. He smiled gently and continued, ¡°But he¡¯s been teaching me, little by little.¡± Ge Xing had said earlier that Zhou Qingbo ¡°was like a cat climbing the pole,¡± and Pei You didn¡¯t deny it, because that was exactly how Zhou Qingbo behaved. He tested the boundaries like a cat, acting more spoiled if he was indulged. Yet, he had the miraculous ability to gauge his steps, never truly crossing the lines.¡± Pei You admitted he was particularly patient with Zhou Qingbo, but upon reflection, this patience itself was a result of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s scale of control. He used these ¡°lessons¡± and ¡°tests¡± to gradually bring them closer, ensuring that Pei You didn¡¯t have to rack his brain about how to interact with him. Their closeness happened naturally, with Pei You¡¯s involvement seeming to be in line with Zhou Qingbo¡¯s intentions. The initiative in their interactions had always been in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hands. He granted Pei You ¡°permissions,¡± then allowed him to come closer step by step. This approach made Pei You naturally get closer without having to overthink it. Pei You began to sense the magic of companionship, experiencing the allure of ¡°liking,¡± and naturally learned how to express himself and how to explore his own feelings. ¡°He¡¯s indeed a great teacher,¡± Pei You couldn¡¯t help but smile and say, ¡°Although¡­ his teaching methods might be a bit unconventional.¡± Talking about Zhou Qingbo, Pei You¡¯s expression was always gentle. Ge Xing watched him, feeling somewhat emotional. Ge Xing had a good relationship with Pei You¡¯s mother, and he had known Pei You for quite some time. Compared to their first meeting, Pei You now seemed much more happy. He had always been polite and gentle before, but it had seemed like a ¡°shell¡±. Now, he was more lively, approachable, and he smiled more often. He was like a flower that had bloomed, initially cold and distant, but now more inviting. Now his entire demeanor has changed and the shell around him seemed to have been polished away, gradually revealing his underlying gentle and awkward nature. Whenever he talked about Zhou Qingbo, he unconsciously curled his lips into a smile and his overall aura instantly softened. Ge Xing had previously felt that Pei You¡¯s personality and Zhou Qingbo¡¯s would be quite compatible though he wasn¡¯t certain. Now seeing them getting along harmoniously, he felt somewhat relieved. Love is really something, Ge Xing couldn¡¯t help but think. Even someone as reserved as Pei You has learned to open up. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good,¡± Ge Xing said with a smile. ¡°Fate is such a mysterious thing. With so many people in the world, we are all similar in terms of things like having two eyes and a mouth, but when you really think about it, there are only a few who truly match.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Pei You agreed. ¡°I¡¯m also grateful.¡± Just as they were speaking, Pei You¡¯s phone suddenly vibrated. He paused the conversation and gave Ge Xing an apologetic gesture before taking out his phone to answer the call. Ge Xing¡¯s seat was right next to him, and his peripheral vision accidentally caught a glimpse of his phone screen, on which there was a contact name ¡°Mom.¡± Was it a call from He Ping? Ge Xing wondered. He took a sip of his drink without showing any reaction. Pei You stepped a bit further away to take the call. The bar was too noisy, and from a distance of three steps, it was impossible to hear what anyone was saying. Ge Xing could only see Pei You with his head slightly tilted, frowning slightly as he spoke into the phone. His smile seemed to lessen, and he appeared somewhat serious, as if discussing something important. After three to five minutes, Pei You ended the call and returned to the bar. He gave Ge Xing an apologetic smile. Ge Xing didn¡¯t inquire about the call, nor did he continue the previous topic. They chatted casually for a while and discussed some investment matters. But it seemed that Pei You was quite busy that night. Just as he had spoken for a few sentences, his phone on the table vibrated again. He glanced at the incoming call notification and furrowed his brows slightly. That call seemed more important. Pei You only exchanged a couple of sentences with Ge Xing and then hurriedly excused himself. ¡°I have something urgent to attend to, I need to leave for a while. Could you please inform Qingbo?¡± Pei You quickly said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Seeming genuinely anxious, Pei You uttered those words and swiftly left the bar. Coincidentally, as soon as he left, Zhou Qingbo, who had gone to set up a table, returned. His hands were in his pockets, and he walked leisurely back from the private booth area. He swept his gaze toward the bar, and a slight surprise flashed across his face. ¡°Where¡¯s Pei You?¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t step behind the bar but took a seat in Pei You¡¯s previous spot. ¡°Did he go to the restroom?¡± ¡°No, he left in a hurry for something,¡± Ge Xing said. ¡°So late in the night,?¡± The relaxed expression on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s face instantly faded a bit, replaced by a hint of disappointment. He absentmindedly toyed with Pei You¡¯s empty glass and muttered, ¡°Ah, these people in his line of work always love working overtime. I can¡¯t understand the fun in it.¡± ¡°Who said he¡¯s going to work overtime?¡± Ge Xing asked knowingly. He took a sip of his drink and said with a relaxed tone, ¡°His mom called. Maybe she¡¯s setting up a blind date for him.¡± The phrase ¡°blind date¡± seemed to hit a sensitive nerve with Zhou Qingbo. He sat up straight instinctively and turned to look at Ge Xing. ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s tone sounded uncertain. ¡°Who goes on a last-minute blind date at this hour?¡± ¡°You never know,¡± Ge Xing said nonchalantly. ¡°When I met his mom last time, she mentioned she found a new potential match for him¡ªa young and lively guy who¡¯s a graduate student in the field of technology, 25 years.¡± Ge Xing paused for a moment and then added, ¡°Young people nowadays stay up all night and hang out in bars, it¡¯s not unusual at all.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s expression changed. He seemed pricked by that statement. His brows furrowed slightly, and he reached for his phone to call Pei You. Ever since the ¡°first lesson,¡± Pei You had hardly ever missed any of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s messages. But today, whether due to a poor signal or other reasons, the call wasn¡¯t connecting, and no one picked up. For some reason, an uneasy feeling surged within Zhou Qingbo. His chest felt like it was stuffed with cotton soaked in flames, swelling and burning his heart. He desperately wanted to find an outlet for this emotion. At the same time, he seemed to subconsciously want to prevent this from becoming a big deal. Thus, he flipped through his phone, opened a new chat, and sent a message without much thought: ¡°I¡¯m asking a friend to cover your shift tonight. He¡¯ll be here in 15 minutes. I have something to attend to.¡± After sending the message, Zhou Qingbo quickly stood up from his chair, grabbed his coat and draped it over his arm. ¡°Are you going to find Pei You?¡± Ge Xing asked, knowingly. ¡°Mind your own business,¡± Zhou Qingbo retorted almost instinctively. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Pei You¡¯s private matter?¡± Ge Xing¡¯s voice remained calm as he said mysteriously, ¡°What¡¯s it got to do with you?¡± Ge Xing¡¯s words sounded strange. He deliberately emphasized the word ¡°you,¡± which didn¡¯t sound like he was questioning Zhou Qingbo, but more like he was subtly implying something to him. Zhou Qingbo abruptly halted his steps. He suddenly realized that Ge Xing was actually right¡ªblind dates, love, and finding a partner were extremely private matters for everyone, unrelated to anyone else. Not to mention an ordinary friend like him, even one¡¯s own parents couldn¡¯t forcibly intervene. Whether Pei You goes on a blind date or looks for a partner, it indeed had nothing to do with him. It was his own business, and he didn¡¯t need to report to Zhou Qingbo, nor did he need to seek his consent. ¡°I¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s mind was in turmoil, and he subconsciously tried to justify himself. ¡°I¡¯m just worried about him.¡± ¡°But how do you know the person he¡¯s meeting isn¡¯t good?¡± Ge Xing rested his chin on his hand and looked at him sincerely. ¡°What if that¡¯s a good person¡ªwell-educated, with a good personality? Maybe they will get along well with Pei You.¡± Zhou Qingbo was stumped by the question and instinctively avoided Ge Xing¡¯s gaze. It felt like a storm was brewing in his mind. Thunder and rain poured down, engulfed by a surging sea and turned into more silent, unexplainable things. Ordinary friends wouldn¡¯t care about each other¡¯s romantic situations, let alone meddle in who they have a date with. Zhou Qingbo lowered his eyes slightly, and suddenly, a clear thought popped into his mind. ¡ªHe had crossed a line. ¡°Qingbo,¡± Ge Xing¡¯s tone softened, and he casually said, ¡°Could it be that you like him?¡± Ge Xing generally didn¡¯t interfere in others¡¯ love lives, so he didn¡¯t say more beyond this point. However, this casual remark seemed to stir up a storm in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart. The restlessness, unease, and unclear heaviness that had been confined within him suddenly found an outlet, surging through that gap like a torrent. Before this, Zhou Qingbo had never experienced the feeling of liking someone. His emotional history was a blank slate, so he had no idea what those emotions he had noticed so many times before represented. Yet, Ge Xing¡¯s words were like an answer, precisely fitting the missing piece of his puzzle. He finally understood why he felt joy when he looked at Pei You, and he finally found an explanation for all the anomalies. In his mind, Pei You¡¯s face suddenly appeared for no reason, effortlessly fitting with Ge Xing¡¯s word ¡°like,¡± becoming a unique and fixed answer. ¡°¡­ Yes,¡± Zhou Qingbo turned his head to look at Ge Xing and said word by word, ¡°I like him.¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t know when he had started liking Pei You. Looking back on the past few months, he seemed to have unconsciously intertwined with Pei You, unable to pinpoint a specific beginning. But after a moment of silence, he suddenly thought of a scene. He recalled a long time ago, in Qingshan, in the large conference room of the audit department. He woke up from a dream, but the person he wanted to see wasn¡¯t there. In that instant, a subconscious thought emerged¡ª¡±keep him.¡± He wanted to keep Pei You and wanted Pei You¡¯s eyes to be only on him. In his subconscious, he wanted to get closer to Pei You, so he continuously pushed the boundaries of their ¡°normal friendship,¡± inching further and further into the territory of their unconventional relationship. Zhou Qingbo suddenly realized that he wasn¡¯t as pure and selfless as he had imagined. His desire to protect and possess were directly proportional. They were poured unreservedly onto Pei You. He wanted to protect Pei You as much as he wanted to possess him. This possessiveness had nothing to do with anyone else, only concerning his own heart. CH 59 At exactly nine in the evening, the lights were still on in the office. Pei You walked out of the elevator, nodded at the receptionist who was still working, then turned right and walked down the corridor to the deepest office. In this line of work, it seemed like the concept of nine-to-five didn¡¯t exist. Several large areas in the corridor still had their lights on. Pei You stood in front of the door to the partner¡¯s office, tapping the light that seeped through the gap at his feet and knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± a response came from inside. Pei You turned the doorknob and pushed open the door in front of him. ¡°Anna, did you need something?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Yes.¡± The woman behind the desk looked up when she heard him and smiled at Pei You. She jokingly said, ¡°This late, I hope it didn¡¯t interfere with your plans?¡± Pei You still wasn¡¯t used to discussing personal matters too much in a work environment, so he politely smiled, lips slightly pursed. He didn¡¯t directly answer but inquired in a business-like manner, ¡°Is there something you needed?¡± ¡°Have a seat.¡± The woman tilted her chin, indicating for him to sit across the desk from her. She smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t look so serious. It¡¯s a good thing.¡± With a slight bow, she reached under the desk and pulled out a plastic-wrapped file, placing it on the desk. ¡°You¡¯ve been working at the firm¡­¡± Anna paused, recalling, ¡°for almost five years, right?¡± ¡°Almost,¡± Pei You confirmed. ¡°Four years and seven months.¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for a promotion.¡± Anna hinted. She pushed the folder in her hand towards Pei You, then continued, ¡°You know, headquarters plans to set up a new branch in the southwest. Since Shanghai is closer, they¡¯ve transferred quite a few experienced hands over there. And right now, the management is a bit short on people. Headquarters wants to promote two managers from within¡ªI recommended you.¡± ¡°Although technically, you¡¯re due for a promotion next year, a few months¡¯ difference won¡¯t matter.¡± Anna smiled and added, ¡°And if I recall correctly, that location is a bit closer to your home.¡± Pei You opened the folder and took a look. Inside, he found an internal promotion application form with his name on it. His work history had already been printed out by Anna and was attached to the back of the application form. ¡°¡­Indeed, it¡¯s a good thing,¡± Pei You thought for a moment, then closed the folder. ¡°But I don¡¯t have any plans to transfer in the near future.¡± ¡°May I ask why?¡± Anna politely inquired. ¡°The person I like is here in this city,¡± Pei You straightforwardly stated. Promotion is a good thing, and Pei You had previously been to work in the Shanghai branch for a while, becoming familiar with that location. If it weren¡¯t for Zhou Qingbo, he probably wouldn¡¯t hesitate to agree to the transfer. However, he had now realized his feelings for Zhou Qingbo and was wholeheartedly pursuing him. Therefore, he had no intention of being involved in a long-distance relationship, which he saw as having risks outweighing the benefits. ¡± Are you willing to give up developing your career just because of love?¡± Anna asked surprisingly. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like a choice you would make.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not giving up, just waiting for the next opportunity,¡± Pei You corrected. ¡°According to the normal process, I could also apply for a manager position internally next year.¡± Pei You wasn¡¯t someone driven solely by romantic emotions, but he had his own understanding of ¡°love.¡± If two people were ready to be together, when faced with potential conflicts, someone should naturally compromise to make their relationship thrive. Knowing Zhou Qingbo, Pei You understood that he wasn¡¯t someone eager to conquer new territories; he preferred to stay in his comfort zone. However, Pei You wasn¡¯t particularly attached to where he worked, so making a small compromise didn¡¯t seem like a big deal to him. ¡°But over there, it¡¯s directly connected to the headquarters, and the prospects are better,¡± Anna said with a smile. ¡°The salary and job level are also higher than in the Beijing branch.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Pei You also smiled, but it seemed like he wasn¡¯t going to change his mind. He closed the file and gently handed it back to Anna. Anna wasn¡¯t upset, nor did she take the file. She just gestured for Pei You to keep it for now. ¡°While you don¡¯t need to give me an immediate answer,¡± Anna said, ¡°the transfer to the Shanghai branch will take place at the end of the year. You can think about it or discuss it with your partner. If you still don¡¯t want to go, I won¡¯t insist.¡± With almost half a year until the end of the year, Pei You thought for a moment. Instead of firmly rejecting the offer, he silently accepted the proposal and took the folder. ¡°Alright, the promotion can wait,¡± Anna said. ¡°What¡¯s more pressing is a work matter. We discussed the joint project with the municipal government last week, and it was approved today. Since you have experience in this area, I¡¯m assigning it to you. Get ready tomorrow and go on a business trip the day after. I¡¯ll have my secretary email you the details.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Pei You said. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Anna nodded, and before he left, she added, ¡°Take your time to consider.¡± As Pei You left the office building, it wasn¡¯t yet closing time at Black Bar. He sat in his car, pondering whether to head to the bar to catch the last part of the night. Just then, his phone, connected via Bluetooth to his car, started vibrating intensely. Seeing the caller ID ¡°Ge Xing,¡± Pei You was puzzled but answered the call. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Pei You..¡± Ge Xing¡¯s voice came from the other end, somewhat distorted and hoarse. ¡°Are you done with work?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m done,¡± Pei You replied. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Before he could inquire further, Ge Xing hung up the phone abruptly. Soon after, two WeChat messages arrived in quick succession. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s face appeared on Pei You¡¯s phone screen, illuminated by dim lights. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes were half-closed, his forearm resting on his forehead, looking lost and bewildered. His eyes shimmered with a slight glint of tears, as if he were intoxicated. Pei You had never seen Zhou Qingbo like this before. He looked innocent and vulnerable, his soft bangs falling over his forehead. His loose collar was partly open, and the pendant around his neck was crooked, brushing against his collarbone. Pei You unconsciously licked his lips, his gaze momentarily unfocused. The accompanying message contained an address. Pei You input the address into his navigation system and found that it led to a KTV (karaoke venue)not far from the city center. ¡°Why is he at a KTV instead of the bar?¡± Pei You wondered. Although puzzled, he messaged Ge Xing that he would come immediately, then started his car. After 9:30 PM, traffic in the city had eased up. It took Pei You about twenty minutes to reach the destination. Following the provided room number, he made his way to the private room. It was an oversized room, capable of accommodating dozens of people. When the room service opened the door, a racket of singing and shouting spilled out, as if it could lift the roof off the building. Pei You involuntarily furrowed his brows, feeling his ears ache from the noise. About twenty people inside, upon hearing the door, turned their attention towards it. From a distance, Ge Xing saw the tall figure standing at the doorway, and he became visibly excited. He curved over the couch from the other side, making his way toward Pei You, and grabbed his hand. ¡°It¡¯s great you¡¯re here, you have to take Zhou Qingbo home,¡± Ge Xing earnestly said. Pei You: ¡°¡­?¡± Pei You was utterly puzzled. Before he could even figure out where Zhou Qingbo was, Ge Xing released his hand and rushed back to the other end of the private room. ¡°Hey, buddy.¡± Ge Xing patted the karaoke machine in front of Zhou Qingbo and said, ¡°Guess who¡¯s here.¡± Zhou Qingbo was slightly intoxicated, furrowing his brows as he turned his head. He happened to see Pei You walking towards him through the crowd. Perhaps due to the effects of alcohol or a delayed reaction, Zhou Qingbo first stared in confusion. Then, he squinted his eyes, as if he didn¡¯t recognize Pei You, and carefully scrutinized him. ¡°Why did you drink so much?¡± Pei You had approached by this point and extended his hand to help him up. ¡°Done having fun? Should I take you home?¡± ¡°¡­Pei You?¡± Zhou Qingbo stared at him, perplexed. He looked somewhat lost, and Pei You¡¯s heart softened a bit. He confirmed, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± Pei You asked, ¡°Have you had too much to drink?¡± ¡°Why did you come?¡± Zhou Qingbo deflected with a question. ¡°I¡­?¡± Pei You was momentarily taken aback by this question. He subconsciously replied, ¡°Ge Xing called me and said¡ª¡± ¡°It was Ge Xing who asked you to come!¡± This statement seemed to strike a sensitive nerve in Zhou Qingbo. The vulnerable and innocent image from the photo disappeared instantly, replaced by intense fury. He erupted like a robot suddenly reconnected to a power source. He sprang up from the high stool, venting his grievances loudly, ¡°I like you so much! And yet you don¡¯t answer my calls!¡± ¡°I knew you don¡¯t like me anymore!!¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± This earth-shattering accusation left Pei You dumbfounded. His expression went blank, and all thoughts vanished from his mind. He was torn between rectifying the misunderstanding or being thrilled by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s unexpected confession. However, the drunkard was persistent. Seemingly intending to hug Pei You, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s balance faltered. He stumbled and swayed like a falling domino, ending up lunging at Pei You, resembling a real-life collision. Pei You instinctively caught him, but Zhou Qingbo was unexpectedly heavy. Pei You couldn¡¯t hold onto him. Initially, Zhou Qingbo attempted to grab his shoulder but lacked the strength. He wobbled and eventually settled on sitting by the karaoke machine, hugging Pei You¡¯s waist. ¡°You! You went on a blind date!¡± Zhou Qingbo exclaimed, ¡°You told Ge Xing but didn¡¯t think to tell me!!!¡± Ge Xing turned his head away, unable to look at the scene directly. He thought it was quite something for a drunkard to play the victim card, and he even managed to snitch. Pei You, stunned, found himself unfairly blamed. He desperately wanted to explain, but he had no idea why Zhou Qingbo was asking this. His mind was a jumble. Subconsciously, he looked at Ge Xing. ¡°Ge Xing¡­¡± Pei You struggled to speak, ¡°Why did he drink so much?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Ge Xing lit a cigarette, his voice carrying a hint of bitterness amidst the smoke. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s troubled by something in his heart.¡± Seeing that Pei You still paid him no attention, Zhou Qingbo sighed softly. ¡°I get it now,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°He must be better-looking than me right?¡± Before Pei You could defend himself, Zhou Qingbo sighed again and continued, ¡°In that case, I have nothing else to say. I¡¯ll sing you a song instead, to celebrate our feelings.¡± Suddenly, an unsettling feeling surged within Pei You. Before he could stop Zhou Qingbo, he watched helplessly as Zhou Qingbo slid down a step, taking a deep breath. ¡°Let me into your heart and be the only one you ever desire¡ª¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Ge Xing¡¯s hand trembled, causing the newly lit cigarette to fall through his fingers, almost burning a hole in his pants. Pei You, in his whole life, had seen countless things, but being serenaded in public by a clingy drunk was a first. Perhaps the experience was so surreal that Pei You¡¯s usual composure vanished entirely. His mind went blank, and he turned into a rigid stick from head to toe. Yet Zhou Qingbo was clueless. Persistently, he finished the next line with genuine emotion, his voice resolute and powerful. Pei You finally couldn¡¯t handle the situation any longer. Bending over to pull Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arm, he struggled to speak, ¡°Zhou Qingbo¡ª¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t like me,¡± Zhou Qingbo paused his singing, gazing at him with an ¡°I knew it¡± look. ¡°You even used my full name.¡± ¡°Qingbo.¡± Pei You adjusted his words obediently. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°In that case, do you like me?¡± Zhou Qingbo looked at him expectantly. Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Being pressed for his feelings in public, even by a drunkard, made him blush. ¡°I¡­¡± Pei You¡¯s ears turned red instantly. Fortunately, the lighting provided some cover, so it wasn¡¯t too noticeable. He pursed his lips, feeling awkward. However, when dealing with a drunk Zhou Qingbo, he had no other choice. He bent down, pulling Zhou Qingbo up and awkwardly said to him, ¡°I¡­I like you.¡± CH 60 By the time Pei You managed to persuade and trick Zhou Qingbo out of the KTV, it had already been half an hour. Outside, it was dark and thick as ink. The bustling traffic on the street cast a shallow orange halo, and the late summer breeze brought a faint hint of autumn¡¯s chill. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t know if he was stumbling because he was drunk or intentionally acting stubborn. Almost half of his weight leaned against Pei You, causing Pei You¡¯s neatly worn suit to become messy with wrinkles. ¡°Walk slower,¡± Pei You turned his head to look at him and whispered, ¡°There are stairs ahead.¡± Pei You¡¯s car was parked by the corner of the road. Half supporting Zhou Qingbo, they walked to the car side by side, with one step deeper and the other shallower, and then Pei You opened the car door. While inside the KTV, Zhou Qingbo had the energy to play around as he was slightly drunk, but as soon as he came outside and the wind hit him, he started feeling dizzy. Everything around him became a blur, and he walked weakly, letting Pei You care for him. Pei You gently pulled Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arm off his shoulder, then slightly bent down to settle him into the passenger seat. Just as he was about to straighten up and close the door, Zhou Qingbo held onto him. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked warily. ¡°I¡¯m driving,¡± Pei You replied in a soft and gentle tone. Zhou Qingbo hesitated for about half a second before letting go of Pei You¡¯s hand. Pei You closed the passenger door for him and then got into the car from the driver¡¯s side. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes seemed to be glued to him like a radar, following him until he settled down beside him, then Zhou Qingbo slightly lowered his eyes and leaned against the car window. ¡°Why did you drink so much today?¡± Pei You asked as he noticed Zhou Qingbo¡¯s lack of movement, thinking he might be getting sleepy. He leaned over, attempting to fasten Zhou Qingbo¡¯s seatbelt. The space on the passenger side was tight, not enough for two adult men to maintain distance. Pei You¡¯s arm circled around Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder. He could clearly smell a faint trace of alcohol on him. That distance was too close. Pei You could see the red string around Zhou Qingbo¡¯s neck with just a glance, along with his slightly open collar. His collar was a bit crooked, revealing half of the sweat-dampened collarbone, rising and falling with his breath. Warm breath sprayed against Pei You¡¯s neck, bringing a sensation of heat and tickling. Pei You¡¯s gaze seemed to have been accidentally scalded. He unconsciously moved it away and then shifted it back, deliberately falling on the back of the seat behind Zhou Qingbo. However, Zhou Qingbo seemed clueless to this closeness. He blinked, seeming to have understood Pei You¡¯s question, but also seeming not to have. In a mismatched tone, he asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my call?¡± ¡°What?¡± Pei You helped him fasten the seatbelt buckle, momentarily confused. He said, ¡°Did you call me?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Zhou Qingbo half-closed his eyes and said vaguely, ¡°You didn¡¯t pick up.¡± His voice carried a bit of the stickiness of being drunk, sounding a bit pitiful. Pei You took out his phone and glanced at it, only to discover that due to either poor signal or interference from other calls, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s call had been automatically diverted to voicemail without notification. ¡°Found it,¡± Pei You checked the call duration and said, ¡°Maybe I was in the elevator at that time, the signal wasn¡¯t good, and I didn¡¯t receive it. Won¡¯t happen next time.¡± Zhou Qingbo was easy to appease. Upon hearing this, he made an agreeing sound, and with a lazy yawn, he said, ¡°Okay¡­ don¡¯t let it happen again.¡± ¡°Alright, next time I¡¯ll set a special ringtone for you,¡± Pei You said and then turned the steering wheel and guided the car back onto the main road. He casually added, ¡°¡ªSo, should I take you home now?¡± Zhou Qingbo made a tired ¡°mm¡± sound, seemingly responding. The car silently merged into the flow of traffic, becoming part of the myriad lights. The light blinked across Zhou Qingbo, and he suddenly remembered the rainy night when he and Pei You were on a business trip to Weinan. That night, the warm yellow streetlight also passed over Pei You¡¯s face bit by bit, leaving a distinct yet profound impression on him. Thinking back now, Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t really tell whether the comfort and happiness he felt that night came solely from the rain or from the person beside him. Alcohol seemed to have triggered some hidden feelings in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart. His thoughts shifted and he extended his hand and began to search in the direction to his left. Pei You was driving when he felt something touch his hand. He glanced down and realized that Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand had sneaked over at some point, hesitantly reaching toward him. Once he found the right spot, the next moment, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s movements became unabashed. His fingers agilely slipped into Pei You¡¯s palm, carrying a touch that couldn¡¯t be refused, and they interlocked with his. He held on so tightly and so naturally, as if Pei You was meant to be held by him. Pei You¡¯s heartbeat instantly skipped a beat. His fingers unconsciously tightened for a moment and then awkwardly loosened. A sweet yet unfamiliar joy surged in Pei You¡¯s heart. Like soundless rain, it gradually soaked his entire being. Liking someone was indeed a mysterious thing, Pei You thought. Such a simple gesture could make him so content, content enough to temporarily break his own rules and order. The traffic signal ahead turned from red to green. While Pei You knew he should follow the driving rules, emotionally he was unwilling to let go of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand. So, he gently pressed the accelerator, then tightened his grip on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand and drove off.. Zhou Qingbo quietly allowed Pei You¡¯s actions. It was Pei You who felt a bit embarrassed. His eyelashes trembled unconsciously. He cleared his throat and, searching for words, said, ¡°By the way, you still haven¡¯t given me your address.¡± Pei You had taken him home before, but each time he had dropped him off at a nearby parking area, not knowing which building and unit Zhou Qingbo lived in. Inside the car, it was quiet, and only the car¡¯s audio system played soft instrumental music. Pei You waited for a response for a moment but got none. When he turned to look, he realized Zhou Qingbo had fallen asleep at some point. Zhou Qungbo tilted his head, leaning against the car window, his breathing rising and falling, sleeping peacefully. Yet, he still held onto Pei You¡¯s hand tightly, as if grasping onto a precious treasure that he didn¡¯t want to lose even in his dreams. Pei You stared at him, unknowingly filling the entire gap of the red light with his gaze. It was only in the sound of a honk from a car behind that he snapped back to reality, quickly withdrawing his gaze and continuing to drive forward. Unable to get any information of the specific apartment number from the tipsyZhou Qingbo¡¯s mouth, Pei You thought for a moment. He ended up finding a five-star hotel near QingShan and booked a room for Zhou Qingbo to stay the night. The short rest in the car seemed to restore a bit of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s spirits. By the time they reached the hotel, he had just woken up. Although he still seemed a bit groggy, he could at least walk on his own. He didn¡¯t seem to have any objections to staying at the hotel. He obediently let Pei You lead him to the front desk to check-in, and then he was guided upstairs and settled into the room. ¡°I¡¯ve informed the front desk to look after you,¡± Pei You handed a wet towel to Zhou Qingbo, speaking warmly. ¡°Just remember, you need to wake up early tomorrow, go back home and change clothes before going to work.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ears perked up when he heard ¡°wake up early.¡± He slumped his head, grunted sullenly, indicating that he understood. The expression on his face was the same as when he usually acted pitiful and playful. Pei You couldn¡¯t help but smile, tapping the towel in his hand. ¡°As long as you understand, don¡¯t forget,¡± Pei You said. ¡°If you don¡¯t need anything else, I¡¯ll leave now. Rest well.¡± Pei You stood up to leave as he said that. However, before he could take a step, Zhou Qingbo suddenly grabbed his wrist. ¡°Where are you going? Another blind date?¡± Zhou Qingbo seemed to have a radar for this matter, instantly becoming agitated. He complained, ¡°You have me, yet you¡¯re still going on blind dates? The guy from the last blind date wasn¡¯t sincere. I scared him off for you last time, and you¡¯re still¡ª¡± The words ¡°you¡¯re still¡± were left hanging, either because he hadn¡¯t figured out what to say next or he just restricted himself. Pei You had become used to this situation after experiencing it once. This time, being accused, he actually remained calm. He did have a new blind date set up by his mother, but he didn¡¯t know how Zhou Qingbo had found out about it. Moreover, Zhou Qingbo seemed to care about this matter a lot, to the point of becoming a bit clingy. However, Pei You didn¡¯t know why, but his heart softened. He looked at Zhou Qingbo with a serious and slow gaze, and explained to him. ¡°I didn¡¯t go on the blind date,¡± Pei You said earnestly. ¡°I turned it down.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s expression went blank for a moment, and his sluggish brain processed the sentence slowly. Then he followed up with, ¡°¡­Why did you turn it down?¡± It was he who didn¡¯t want him to go, and yet he was asking why. Pei You looked at him deeply, implying his question, ¡°What do you think?¡± Zhou Qingbo seemed to have forgotten about his coercion and coaxing Pei You to admit his feelings in the KTV earlier. He wrinkled his brows in confusion, as if feeling ashamed of himself for ¡°interfering too much.¡± At the same time, he hoped that Pei You would give him an answer. Trying to communicate with a drunk person was pointless, but Pei You¡¯s patience towards him seemed to exceed the norm. After waiting for a while and thinking Pei You wouldn¡¯t respond, Zhou Qingbo suddenly stepped forward and hugged Pei You tightly. The embrace was intimate, with one arm around Pei You¡¯s shoulder and the other around his waist, as if he wanted to envelop him completely. Pei You sensed a possessiveness from this embrace, so he gently moved his fingertips, not struggling. ¡°You¡¯re so cunning¡ª¡± Zhou Qingbo said stubbornly, hugging him even tighter. ¡°The method I taught you was to flirt with others, why are you using it on me?¡± ¡°Is it not allowed?¡± Pei You asked in return. Zhou Qingbo was caught off guard by the question and fell silent for a moment. With a vague surrender, he replied, ¡°it is.¡± ¡°¡­it is allowed,¡± he said. CH 61 If he had known that the hangover from that round of drinking would be so severe, Zhou Qingbo swore he would¡¯ve called a taxi to go home before that ¡°last drink.¡± At 8:30 in the morning, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s alarm clock went off right on time. He had just opened his eyes, and his consciousness hadn¡¯t fully returned when the memories from last night rushed into his brain like a cloud transfer. At first, he thought he was dreaming. It took a moment for him to fully wake up and realize what happened. His entire being froze for a few seconds, then he slowly pulled the covers over himself, like a self-contained mushroom. Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± It was over. Zhou Qingbo thought helplessly. He should¡¯ve known that the drinks he had last night weren¡¯t alcohol, but rather fate. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t find it embarrassing for anyone to act drunk, even himself. He was carefree and open-minded, having seen all sorts of oddities in nightclubs. Even if someone was singing while drunk, or hugging a lamppost calling it their wife, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Nobody had the right to laugh at anyone else. But the problem was that when he thought of how he had forced Pei You to confess his feelings in front of so many people, he felt that he had gone too far. Last night, he was quite drunk and his mind wasn¡¯t clear. His actions were purely instinctual. Now that he remembered, he realized that the scene was a disaster. Zhou Qingbo now remembered it all too well. Last night, Pei You was fumbling, hesitating, stumbling, barely able to utter a complete sentence, his ears turning red as if they could drip blood. He was nothing like his usual composed and efficient self. Oddly enough, Zhou Qingbo who was so drunk remained completely unaware of this and persisted in pestering Pei You with the question, ¡®Do you like me or not?¡¯ He didn¡¯t stop until he got an answer, acting like a bully on the street targeting an innocent man Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but raise his hand to cover his face, and a faint blush began to creep up his ears. Too¡­ much, Zhou Qingbo thought, feeling a mix of confusion. Pei You was reserved and introverted. Considering it from his perspective, Zhou Qingbo almost wished he could dig a hole out of the ground and throw himself in. ¡­Help, Zhou Qingbo thought with a sense of despondency. I might as well knock myself out with a wine bottle. But embarrassment aside, everything that happened the previous night couldn¡¯t just be erased. Zhou Qingbo fell silent for a moment, lowered his hand, and let out a deep sigh. His mind was currently in a state of turmoil. He had only just realized his feelings for Pei You the day before, and he hadn¡¯t carefully sorted through his jumbled emotions. He hadn¡¯t figured out how to proceed after ¡®liking¡¯ and hadn¡¯t planned to confess to Pei You this early. But who would have thought that within the span of a drink, everything would come tumbling out. Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of regret, along with an unsettling feeling of things going beyond his control. He pressed the back of his hand against his eyes and let out another sigh of worry. Zhou Qingbo had been raised with proper upbringing and values. Deep down, a touch of traditional, upright thinking influenced him. He couldn¡¯t act cowardly or retract into his shell. He clenched his teeth, forcibly suppressing the overwhelming unease in his heart. He thought, might as well throw caution to the wind. After all, things had already reached this point. Since Pei You also seemed interested in him, it might be best to go along with it and take things step by step. Zhou Qingbo gritted his teeth, giving himself a mental pep talk. Just as he was mentally preparing himself, he heard a faint splashing sound from the restroom. Zhou Qingbo: ¡­ Right, Zhou Qingbo realized belatedly. Last night, he was afraid that Pei You would go on a blind date, so he had pestered him to stay and made sure he didn¡¯t leave. He ended up spending the night. The next second, the restroom door opened and closed. Pei You came out, wiping his hands with a tissue, and glanced towards the bed. Zhou Qingbo was lying rigidly on the large bed, wrapped tightly in a blanket. At first glance, it looked like a crime scene. Pei You blinked in confusion, a bit worried that Zhou Qingbo might be suffocating under the blanket. He walked quietly over, hoping to pull the blanket down a bit. But when he tugged, the blanket didn¡¯t move. Perplexed, he thought for a moment before realizing. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Pei You said in a gentle voice. ¡°Don¡¯t suffocate under the blanket. Come out.¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t say anything; he just rustled under the blanket for a moment before extending a hand out from the covers. Seeing this, Pei You¡¯s lips curved into a slight smile. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and, out of habit, held Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand as it reached out. He caressed it lightly in his palm. The moment their skin touched, both Pei You and Zhou Qingbo remembered the intimate yet childish hand-holding from the previous night. The familiar sensation brought about an inexplicable flutter. Zhou Qingbo seemed to be feeling the same way, as muscle memory overpowered rational thinking. He tightened his grip on Pei You¡¯s hand. They had already held hands, and further pretense was clearly unrealistic. Zhou Qingbo gave himself a final pep talk and then threw off the blanket. He took a deep breath and spoke, ¡°Last night¡­¡± Bringing up this topic was evidently difficult. Zhou Qingbo paused subconsciously for a moment. However, before he could continue, Pei You interrupted him. ¡°Last night, you were drunk,¡± Pei You said. ¡°What you said doesn¡¯t count.¡± Zhou Qingbo hesitated for a moment, then quickly realized Pei You¡¯s intention. He knew that Pei You was considerate, and if he sensed that Zhou Qingbo was in a tough spot, he would automatically offer an out. ¡°I know last night I was drunk and acted impulsively¡­¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo explained, ¡°but I remember everything¡ª¡± ¡°I know,¡± Pei You said, his eyes curved into a rare smile. He playfully poked the blanket covering Zhou Qingbo and continued, ¡°I figured.¡± ¡°However, you were drunk last night, so you don¡¯t need to take responsibility for what you said,¡± Pei You said earnestly. ¡°You can have more time to consider, and we should handle our relationship with caution.¡± As they say, drunk words are sober thoughts. Pei You didn¡¯t doubt whether Zhou Qingbo¡¯s liking for him was genuine, but he just wanted to give Zhou Qingbo more time, rather than having him erratically accept the situation. Zhou Qingbo: ¡­ Zhou Qingbo finally understood. Apparently, Pei You¡¯s upbringing and character weren¡¯t enough to allow him to ¡°take advantage of the situation,¡± which is why he insisted on wiping away everything from last night and having Zhou Qingbo reevaluate his decision again. Having spent almost half a year together with Pei You, Zhou Qingbo had nearly forgotten his initial impression of Pei You. But in this moment, he suddenly felt that long-lost frustration when facing a gentleman. However, it had to be said that Pei You¡¯s suggestion did put Zhou Qingbo at ease and eased the tension he felt. The string that was tightly strung in his heart relaxed. Once determined, confidence wavered, then faded, and eventually diminished. The mental preparations Zhou Qingbo had made were disrupted multiple times by Pei You¡¯s interruptions. He pursed his lips, giving up the idea of ¡°going along with the flow,¡± and silently agreed with Pei You¡¯s words. After all, while liking someone might be impulsive, it can also be involuntary. But expressing those feelings and defining the relationship is a responsibility that requires caution. Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t a child anymore. He could certainly tell whether he liked Pei You or not. However, the concept of ¡°liking¡± was still very unfamiliar to him, like a newly opened territory, making him feel uneasy. This new sensation once again shattered Zhou Qingbo¡¯s comfort zone, leaving him torn between decisions and unsure of the right course of action. From an emotional perspective, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s instinct had always been urging him to get closer to Pei You. He wanted to possess him, to naturally stand by their side. But rationally, Zhou Qingbo felt the urge to retreat. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was prepared to be in Pei You¡¯s life. He hadn¡¯t sorted out his traditional family matters, nor had he made his own accomplishments. Before he realized his feelings, Zhou Qingbo used to scrutinize the potential blind date candidates for Pei You. Now, those candidates had switched to him, and he hadn¡¯t changed this habit, instinctively scrutinizing himself too. They say that love gives rise to worries. When Zhou Qingbo was single, he thought others were being melodramatic, but now that he was in the same situation, he understood the feeling. It turns out that liking someone can really put a person in a dilemma. He both wanted to get closer to Pei You and worried that he wasn¡¯t good enough. Pei You was unaware of the turmoil in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart. He sat by the bed for a while, observing Zhou Qingbo¡¯s absent-mindedness. Then, he pinched his hand and said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m going on a business trip tomorrow. It could last for a week or even half a month. Let¡¯s discuss this issue after I come back.¡± ¡°Such a sudden business trip?¡± Zhou Qingbo came back to his senses and asked, ¡°For that long?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a joint project,¡± Pei You explained. ¡°The work isn¡¯t difficult, but it¡¯s tedious, and I need to be at par with my partner¡¯s schedule.¡± Zhou Qingbo thought the timing was quite coincidental. They had just confessed their feelings to each other and now they were going to be separated, making it seem like a beginning followed by an abrupt end. ¡°However, even though the words from last night don¡¯t count, there¡¯s something I still want to say,¡± Pei You paused and continued, ¡°You mentioned earlier that you owe me a favor, and now I want to collect it.¡± Pei You lowered his head slightly, looking into Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes and softly said, ¡°Give me a chance to pursue you.¡± His voice was gentle and tender, yet carried a hint of seriousness. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart trembled slightly, as if something had been gently touched and stirred inside him. He smiled lightly and suddenly said, ¡°Do I really need to be pursued?¡± Pei You was slightly taken aback, but Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t explain further. He simply used his fingertip to playfully tug at the cuff of Pei You¡¯s sleeve and said, ¡°Just come back soon.¡± CH 62 This time, Pei You¡¯s business trip was to the southwestern provinces. He mainly cooperated with several towns in the area, conducting risk assessments and internal control evaluations of their internal operating systems. Rather than auditing, it was more like a semi-cooperative, semi-educational endeavor. Working with official partners was always different from usual. The working habits and efficiency of the partners didn¡¯t match those of Pei You and his team. As an external working group, they had to adjust their pace according to the local situation, which meant they had to be on standby all the time. They had more meetings than meals. Zhou Qingbo had confessed feelings to Pei You hastily and carelessly, and he hadn¡¯t yet adjusted to their new way of interacting. He felt awkward, and coincidentally, these trivial and complicated tasks filled up all of Pei You¡¯s time. Therefore, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t chat with him daily like he used to. Instead, he reduced their frequency of communication, exchanging only a few greetings of good morning and good night. However, with reduced communication, he didn¡¯t feel any better. Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t sleep at night, was absent-minded at work, and even stopped going to Black Bar. He seemed burdened, and even Zhou Cangshan, his elder brother, felt that something was off about him. He secretly asked Jiang Man about it multiple times. After the third time Jiang Man came snooping for information, Zhou Qingbo finally realized things were so hectic, so reluctantly, he called Ge Xing. ¡°Would you like to come out for a drink tonight?¡± Zhou Qingbo got straight to the point, ¡°I¡¯ll treat you.¡± ¡°Hey, long time no see.¡± Ge Xing¡¯s tone fluctuated, sounding like an old bawd imitating different tones. He dragged his voice and sighed, ¡°Why did you suddenly think of inviting me for a drink? I thought you were so immersed in the world of romance to have time for anyone else.¡± Zhou Qingbo also knew that his declaration of being a ¡°single advocate¡± was still fresh in everyone¡¯s memory. Then, after just a few months, he openly confessed in front of everyone, completely contradicting his previous statement. No wonder Ge Xing teased him. He was in the wrong, so he swallowed his retort. He pushed his chair back and swiveled it half a circle, relying on the wide backrest. He said half-heartedly, ¡°I have plenty of time. I wanted to consult you about some issues.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ge Xing only caught on to the situation now. His tone changed, and he was puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s with this tone? Has your recent love life hit a rough patch?¡± Ge Xing paused for a moment and wondered, ¡°Weren¡¯t you two just hitting it off?¡± ¡°What love life? It hasn¡¯t even started yet,¡± Zhou Qingbo corrected. ¡°¡­You guys are something else,¡± Ge Xing said helplessly, ¡°You just confessed, but now you¡¯re not hurrying to get things going? Why are you both acting like high school students in love?¡± ¡°In short, I can¡¯t explain it in detail over the phone.¡± Zhou Qingbo clicked his tongue, reached up to pinch his nose bridge, and vaguely said, ¡°Just tell me if you¡¯re available.¡± ¡°I¡¯m available,¡± Ge Xing said. ¡°Let¡¯s meet tonight then.¡± To make it to the evening appointment with Ge Xing, Zhou Qingbo worked an extra shift for the first time in his life. He finally shut down his computer and headed out at eight-thirty in the evening. He took a taxi to Black Bar, but he didn¡¯t appear on the ground floor. Instead, he went directly up the stairs to the second floor through the kitchen and entered Ge Xing¡¯s ¡°Second Boss Private Room.¡± Ge Xing was already waiting in the private room. When Zhou Qingbo pushed the door open and walked in, the table was already set with drinks and a fruit platter, giving off an air of settling in for a long chat. Without much formality, Zhou Qingbo took a seat on the sofa and immediately opened a bottle of whiskey. Ge Xing looked at him curiously, then casually threw a melon seed at him. Jokingly, he said, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t drink too much and then come asking me for Pei You again. I won¡¯t call him this time.¡± It was as if Zhou Qingbo¡¯s body had a radar for keywords. Upon hearing ¡°Pei You,¡± his hand trembled for a moment, and he subconsciously opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something. However, in the end, nothing came out. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ge Xing, munching on melon seeds, asked curiously. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just confess? What happened? Did he reject you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who got rejected,¡± Zhou Qingbo instinctively retorted. ¡°Since you didn¡¯t get rejected, why are you drowning your sorrows in alcohol here?¡± Ge Xing asked. ¡°Mourning the loss of your single life?¡± ¡°¡­ Not really,¡± Zhou Qingbo put down the glass and leaned back on the sofa, hesitated for a moment, and said in a halting tone, ¡°I just feel a bit awkward. Suddenly, I don¡¯t know how to interact with him.¡± When Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t realized his feelings, he had acted however he wanted around Pei You, not caring about anything. But now that the window paper was broken, he had become cautious, even considering his choice of words and tone before sending a text to Pei You. This change made him uncomfortable and uneasy. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t want this change in mindset to affect how he interacted with Pei You, but he couldn¡¯t self-adjust. So, he had felt awkward all the way up to now. ¡°I understand.¡± Ge Xing said casually, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, a common ailment of older virgins.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°I¡¯m being serious,¡± Ge Xing chuckled nonchalantly and said, ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t want to present themselves better in front of someone they like? It¡¯s normal¡ªbesides, you didn¡¯t behave properly before anyway. Pei You is used to your antics. It¡¯s too late to change now.¡± Ge Xing tapped his chin and added, ¡°You know, sometimes people might actually like that kind of behavior.¡± ¡°¡­,¡± Zhou Qingbo was at a loss for words. Ge Xing¡¯s banter had transitioned into something serious, and Zhou Qingbo rolled his eyes at him, then slumped onto the sofa, saying, ¡°Being friends and being in a romantic relationship are two different things. With friends, you can joke around without worry, especially when you¡¯re not constantly together. There¡¯s natural room to breathe. But with a romantic partner, there¡¯s no room for that. It leaves you wondering, ¡± What if, over time, you can¡¯t get along anymore?¡± Zhou Qingbo had been tormented by these thoughts for a while. He kept talking without waiting for Ge Xing¡¯s response. ¡°Besides, Pei You is so ambitious. If we start dating, can I keep up with his pace and take on the responsibility of providing him a home? I can¡¯t get married, no security¡ªpeople like us don¡¯t have an easy life to begin with. I can¡¯t just throw everything onto him.¡± He continued, ¡°Add to that our different upbringing and personalities. It¡¯s fine being friends, but if we¡¯re in a relationship and we discover our values don¡¯t align after a while, what do we do?¡± ¡°Considering how long a lifetime is, I¡¯m afraid of unforeseen changes,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. Moving from friends to lovers, it might seem like a minor step, but the significance is vastly different. Being lovers involves sharing the highest and lowest points, exchanging all emotions and the future, and if even one obstacle isn¡¯t navigated well, the outcome might be a parting of ways. Closeness turning into distance, openness becoming reserved, speaking about everything turning into not speaking at all¡ªjust thinking about these outcomes made Zhou Qingbo feel uncomfortable. ¡°You¡¯ve seen those couples who used to love deeply but eventually grew apart, right?¡± Zhou Qingbo blinked and softly said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to imagine the worst, but just in case¡ª¡± Ge Xing turned to look at him. The playful smile on his face gradually disappeared in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s sincere words, replaced by an emotion Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t quite understand. He looked at Zhou Qingbo deeply, his eyes filled with a complexity that was hard to explain. ¡°What should we do then?¡± Ge Xing asked in return, ¡°Tell him clearly? Disregard your drunken words?¡± Zhou Qingbai fell silent for a long time. Clearly, this thought had crossed his mind before, but before it could fully develop, he extinguished it himself. Love is instinctual, impulsive, visible but uncontrollable. Despite Zhou Qingbo discussing so much, his heart was burdened with practical concerns. Every matter seemed to suggest that ¡®love¡¯ wasn¡¯t the best solution, yet he still wanted to get closer to Pei You, still liked him, still wanted to hold his hand, and hoped to never say anything to hurt him in this lifetime. ¡®¡­No.¡¯ And so, Zhou Qingbo said, ¡®I can¡¯t do it.¡¯ ¡°In fact,¡± Ge Xing took a cigarette, vaguely saying, ¡°If you were sixteen or seventeen , you wouldn¡¯t have these concerns.¡± The hazy smoke rose in the dim light, obscuring Ge Xing¡¯s features and leaving only his clear voice. ¡°If you were young, with that fiery enthusiasm, you wouldn¡¯t think so much.¡± Ge Xing said, ¡°Only adults consider these things.¡± ¡°Well it can¡¯t be helped, can it?¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°Or are you going to use some magic to turn me back into a child?¡± Ge Xing¡¯s lips curved, not engaging in their usual banter. Instead, he turned his head and looked at Zhou Qingbo deeply, then took a deep drag from his cigarette. ¡°But Zhou Qingbo,¡± Ge Xing said, ¡°adults don¡¯t approach relationships like you do.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°Adults, they keep it casual. If they like each other, they date; if they don¡¯t, they break up,¡± Ge Xing said. ¡°They enjoy the moment, keep some distance, and they don¡¯t jump in saying ¡®forever¡¯ right away.¡± ¡°Other people might be like that,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°but if I¡¯m in a relationship, I¡¯m aiming for forever. Why waste their time otherwise?¡± His tone was very matter-of-fact, carrying an air of certainty. Ge Xing¡¯s hand trembled as he tapped the ashes off his cigarette, and he couldn¡¯t help but look at Zhou Qingbo again. ¡°¡­ Zhou Qingbo,¡± after a while, Ge Xing suddenly sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t make a mistake as your matchmaker. I¡¯m glad I introduced you to Pei You.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked in confusion, not understanding why Ge Xing suddenly said this without any context. Ge Xing shook his head, not explaining further. The impulsive nature of young love is naive, while the stable nature of adult love is cold. However, Zhou Qingbo lay between those two extremes. He possessed the sincere purity of youth¡ªwhen he was moved, he held nothing back. Yet at the same time, he was a bona fide adult. He had a sense of responsibility and an awareness of avoiding danger. Perhaps even Zhou Qingbo himself hadn¡¯t realized that he had long possessed the best qualities for finding true love. ¡°In any case, this isn¡¯t a big deal,¡± Ge Xing said with a smile. ¡°No matter how you think about it, either the east wind prevails over the west wind or vice versa. Eventually, there will be an outcome.¡± ¡°When will that outcome come?¡± Zhou Qingbo muttered, his voice muffled. ¡°Who knows,¡± Ge Xing said, ¡°maybe someday the heavens will drop a chance on you, and suddenly you¡¯ll wake up and act.¡± Originally, Ge Xing intended to just say something offhand to console the anxious pre-wedding nerves of his virgin friend. However, who would¡¯ve guessed that, good intentions aside, he would be awakened by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s call at 4:30 in the morning the next day. At that moment, the sky hadn¡¯t yet brightened. Ge Xing had just spent the whole night dancing at the nightclub, and his eyelids felt as if they were glued shut. He hadn¡¯t even had a chance to clearly see who was calling before he hit the answer button. ¡°Hello¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice came through from the other end of the line. It was as cold as ice and carried a faint trembling. ¡°Ge Xing, there¡¯s been an earthquake in the southwest,¡± Zhou Qingbo took a deep breath and said, ¡°Pei You was on a business trip there, and i can¡¯t reach him¡ªcan you lend me your driver?¡± CH 63 Ge Xing woke up, but his spirit hadn¡¯t fully awakened. Upon hearing the news, before he could even react in his mind, the voice on the other end of the phone spoke again. ¡°No, wait.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s tone was steady, but his speech was a bit scattered. It was as if he had just remembered something and then withdrew it himself, saying, ¡°I forgot that Wang Ge isn¡¯t leaving the city¡ªjust pretend I didn¡¯t ask. I¡¯ll think of another way.¡± Zhou Qingbo hung up the phone after speaking, tossed his phone onto the bed, and paced around as if lost in thought. Then he took a deep breath. The earthquake in the southern province happened just ten minutes before. Interestingly, last night Zhou Qingbo and Ge Xing had been drinking half the night. After returning home, he had forgotten to silence his phone. As a result, he was awakened by notifications that pulled him out of his dreams. Still half-asleep, he hadn¡¯t fully grasped the situation yet and had assumed it was an urgent matter from the company. He squinted and grabbed his phone, only to see earthquake notifications popping up on the app. The notification was brief, with only two lines of text, but as Zhou Qingbo quickly scanned it, he was instantly awake, breaking out in a cold sweat. Almost instinctively, he sat up on the bed, ignoring the blinding light. In a rush, he opened the news article and compared the affected areas in the news with Pei You¡¯s business trip route. That earthquake in the southern province seemed to be severe. The coverage of affected areas on the trending searches was expanding rapidly. A quick look at the data chart showed that it covered almost half of the southern province, and a significant portion of the area where Pei You was traveling was within the affected region. Pei You¡¯s business trip this time covered not just one town. Before he left, Zhou Qingbo had seen his schedule, which practically spanned half the province. Due to the complexity of collaborative work and the inadequacy of infrastructure in some rural areas, coupled with poor signal reception, Pei You couldn¡¯t always keep Zhou Qingbo informed of his whereabouts in real time. There were several instances where he settled in a new location before casually mentioning it in a brief chat with Zhou Qingbo. The night before last, Pei You had mentioned that the accounting planning for the area he was in had almost been completed and that he was preparing to move to the next location. However, there had been no follow-up after that. This left Zhou Qingbo unsure of where Pei You was at the moment. He immediately called Pei You, but it was unclear whether Pei You was still asleep or in the midst of a crisis. Although the call connected, there was no response on the other end, only silence for several tens of seconds before the call automatically disconnected. Zhou Qingbo paced in place for a moment, taking a few deep breaths to calm his racing heartbeat. Then he looked at his phone, sat back on the edge of the bed, and called Pei You again. This time, it seemed there was no signal or some other issue. The call didn¡¯t connect at all. Although the call was answered, there was no one on the other end, just empty sound for several seconds before it automatically returned to the lock screen, emitting a brief disconnect sound. For the second time, Zhou Qingbo failed to reach Pei You. His heart rate, which had been stabilizing, began to accelerate again. He sat in silence by the bed, squeezing his phone, his mind blank. Pei You is probably really in the disaster area, Zhou Qingbo suddenly thought. Due to his nature of work as he always had to be prepared for temporary work. Even if it¡¯s not intentionally waiting for Zhou Qingbo¡¯s call, he would always keep the communication open. If he was safe, even if he missed the first call because he was sleeping, the second call should go through. Strangely enough, Zhou Qingbo originally thought he should be anxious, panicked, running around in a frenzy, but in reality, at that moment, when he was certain that Pei You was most likely in a dangerous situation, he strangely remained calm. His mind went blank, as if the emotional module had been temporarily disconnected. For a while, he didn¡¯t think about anything, just sat quietly on the edge of the bed, lost in thought for about ten minutes. The sky outside the window began to lighten, the dark blue sky gradually turning into a pale grayish-white. Zhou Qingbo leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees, staring absentmindedly at the seam in the floor. With the bedroom lights off, the dim light fell on him, making him look like a silent sculpture. After about ten or twenty minutes, Zhou Qingbo seemed to power up again. He stood up abruptly. He took quick steps into the bathroom, washed up in a hurry, and then, still dripping wet, pulled open the closet door and started stuffing clothes carelessly into his suitcase. He stuffed them in rapidly, pulling shirts and T-shirts off hangers and cramming them inside. After a few rounds, the once-neat closet looked as if it had been hit by an explosion. He packed mechanically for a while before realizing what he was doing. He then threw all the suits and dress shirts from the suitcase, leaving only sportswear and comfortable clothes for movement. He looked calm on the surface, but inside, his thoughts were a jumbled mess. He closed and reopened the suitcase three times before finally packing it properly. Then he hastily put on some clothes, grabbed his phone and charger, and left the apartment. In the half hour of waiting without news from Pei You, Zhou Qingbo hardly thought about anything else. He was fixated on one thought. I can¡¯t just stay here and wait for the news. Zhou Qingbo said to himself. How can I stay a thousand miles away, waiting for the situation to stabilize there, waiting for Pei You to be safe, and then have him report back to me? Zhou Qingbo almost didn¡¯t hesitate; He couldn¡¯t do it, he couldn¡¯t sit still and do nothing. He truly couldn¡¯t sit in Beijing comfortably. He couldn¡¯t just anxiously wait, unable to do anything while he was on edge. He couldn¡¯t wait for Pei You to come back and say, ¡°Thank goodness,¡± in a nonchalant manner. His possessiveness and protective instincts urgently drove him to want to know Pei You¡¯s current situation, to see him safe with his own eyes, to personally lead him out of that dangerous and tumultuous area. Perhaps he couldn¡¯t do much over there, but at least the freedom to try was in his hands. When Zhou Qingbo left, the sky outside was just beginning to brighten. There weren¡¯t many people on the streets yet. Sanitation workers had just finished their shift, but the breakfast stalls had been open for a while. The aroma of noodles drifted through the cool breeze, enticing the hungry early risers silently. Zhou Qingbo felt choked up, unable to eat anything. But to make progress on the journey, he bought a cup of soy milk and then took a taxi to the airport. Travel to the disaster-stricken area in the southern province was suspended, so Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t fly directly there. Instead, he chose the nearest airport in a neighboring province as his destination and booked a flight. The earliest morning flight from the airport was at 6:30 AM. Zhou Qingbo barely made it in time. While waiting to board, he bought two energy bars and sat near the gate, scrolling through his phone. During this time, the entire city was rapidly waking up. News of the disaster had spread to everyone¡¯s phones via the internet. The buzz around it silently escalated, with calls for help and requests for disaster relief supplies flooding social media, racking up thousands of shares and reposts from early risers. The boarding announcement for the flight sounded soon after. Following Pei You¡¯s out-of-town schedule as he remembered it, Zhou Qingbo saved the contact information of a few nearby rescue teams and then sent a WeChat message to Zhou Cangshan before locking his phone. As the scattered travelers stood up around him, Zhou Qingbo, dragging his suitcase, gathered among the crowd. Slowly and step by step, he moved forward toward the boarding gate. Just before boarding, he subconsciously touched the pendant around his neck. The jade pendant quietly rested in its place on his chest, lightly brushing against his palm through the thin fabric. Zhou Qingbo touched it twice with a calm expression, then tightened his grip on his suitcase and entered the aircraft cabin. CH 64 At 9:30 AM, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s plane landed on time at Jiangbei International Airport. He followed the crowd out of the plane, and just as he turned on his phone, Zhou Cangshan¡¯s call smoothly connected, vibrating softly in his palm. Zhou Qingbo paused for a moment, looked around, and then walked a few steps away from the crowd to find a more secluded spot. He reluctantly pressed the answer button. ¡°Brother?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°Zhou Qingbo.¡± Zhou Cangshan¡¯s tone was slightly chilly, carrying a barely detectable trace of anger. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°What time is it? You¡¯re not at work yet? Are you planning to skip work today?¡± ¡°I took a day off today.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°I sent you a WeChat message this morning.¡± Zhou Cangshan was momentarily stumped, belatedly recalling the vague and uninformative WeChat message from earlier in the morning. He furrowed his brows. Zhou Cangshan said discontentedly, ¡°At this time of the year, what kind of last-minute leave are you taking? And without even giving a reason¡ªwere you out drinking again last night?¡± During the morning rush hour, the airport was bustling with people. Zhou Qingbo stopped in his tracks, sidestepped a passerby, and then, making do with the situation, picked a more secluded spot. He replied, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Brother, I¡¯m at Jiangbei Airport right now. I¡¯m preparing to go to the disaster stricken area and volunteer for relief work.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°Since you called, I remembered you have investment projects over here. Please find some people to gather relief supplies and bring them to the disaster stricken area with me.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s tone was calm and composed. However, Zhou Cangshan was startled by his words. He abruptly stood up from his office chair and incredulously asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± At that moment, the airport terminal broadcasted a boarding reminder. Zhou Qingbo knew that Zhou Cangshan could hear it on the other end of the phone, so he pressed his lips together and didn¡¯t offer any further explanation. ¡°What made you suddenly go there? Are you looking for trouble?¡± Zhou Cangshan¡¯s anxiety grew, and he hurriedly said, ¡°Come back immediately.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not causing trouble.¡± Zhou Qingbo replied calmly, ¡°Pei You is also there, I¡¯m going to find him.¡± Upon hearing the name ¡°Pei You,¡± Zhou Cangshan was momentarily perplexed, not fully understanding the connection between the two. It was Zhou Qingbo who showed an unusual firmness. He didn¡¯t wait for Zhou Cangshan¡¯s response and continued, ¡°Brother, hurry up and prepare the supplies. After everything is ready, tell the driver to wait for me at the highway exit.¡± Zhou Qingbo was skilled at ¡°reading the situation.¡± Throughout his life, he had always been wary of his older brother¡¯s reactions. He rarely acted recklessly in front of Zhou Cangshan, which made this instance of assertiveness even more unusual, leaving Zhou Cangshan slightly stunned. ¡°What if I don¡¯t agree?¡± Zhou Cangshan gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because¡ª¡± He wanted to assert his authority as the elder brother, but before he could finish his sentence, the call got disconnected, leaving only a series of beeping sounds. Zhou Cangshan remained silent for a moment, widened his eyes, and stared at his phone in disbelief for a while. Then, he put down the phone with frustration and couldn¡¯t help muttering, ¡°little rascal.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be angry.¡± Jiang Man, who had been on the sofa, set aside her newspaper and asked, ¡°what did he say exactly?¡± ¡°He said he has a friend there.¡± Zhou Cangshan finally grasped the situation and furrowed his brows. He placed his phone back on the table and continued, ¡°¡­He¡¯s probably going to find him.¡± ¡°Is that friend named Pei?¡± Jiang Man asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Zhou Cangshan was surprised, ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Because I have special powers.¡± Jiang Man said, half-jokingly, ¡°I can read the situation.¡± Growing up together, Jiang Man understood Zhou Qingbo¡¯s personality well. He was unpredictable and disliked trouble. Despite having a wide social circle, in reality, it could only accommodate a handful of people. If he was willing to risk and run to the disaster area without considering the consequences, it was clear that the friend was not an ordinary one. Jiang Man folded her newspaper and suddenly remembered the scene when she saw the two of them in Weinan City before. At that time, Zhou Qingbo had been drinking and got into a fight. He looked tired and messed up. Pei You had embraced him in his arms, and Zhou Qingbo was sleeping soundly. When Jiang Man entered the room, Pei You was covering Zhou Qingbo with his coat. The unfamiliar scent made the sleeping Zhou Qingbo somewhat uneasy. Subconsciously, he furrowed his brows. In response, Pei You lowered his head slightly and gently patted the coat on the outside. After a few minutes, Zhou Qingbo fell back asleep, and Pei You didn¡¯t retract his hand. He maintained that position, gazing attentively at Zhou Qingbo resting against his legs. His eyes were soft and tender, as if he were looking at a rare treasure. He didn¡¯t even restrain himself when Jiang Man arrived. Being experienced, Jiang Man understood what that gaze meant. Thus, before leaving Weinan, she had tried to pry into Zhou Qingbo¡¯s feelings, but hadn¡¯t gotten any answers. Now, it seemed that this situation might not be one-sided. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it so much.¡± Jiang Man stood up, walked over to Zhou Cangshan, and patted his head. She said, ¡°Qingbo is already a grown-up. He knows what he¡¯s doing. Anyway, Qingshan was going to donate supplies, so let him make it easier.¡± The pep talk with his sister had some effect. When Zhou Qingbo left the airport with his luggage, he received a text message from Zhou Cangshan. The cold, brief lines contained the driver¡¯s contact information and the meeting point. Looking at the list of supplies, Zhou Qingbo hailed a taxi to the highway exit and simultaneously dialed the contact information he had saved earlier. Identifying himself as a volunteer from the local Blue Sky Rescue Team and carrying supplies, he was received with a certain degree of welcome. With all the preparations completed, Zhou Qingbo boarded a large cargo truck to transport the supplies. He tossed his suitcase to the back and leaned against the seat, exhaling a long breath. A few hours later, the urgency of the situation gradually faded. Sitting in the cargo truck, watching the scenery outside swiftly pass by, Zhou Qingbo slowly felt a sense of exhaustion from within. The tasks that needed to be done were already completed. He had a brief moment of reflection. As a result, the emotions that had been temporarily restrained during the emergency situation began to awaken, bringing forth a vague and indistinct feeling of bitterness. That jinx really has a knack, Zhou Qingbo suddenly thought. The previous day, he had been lying in bed at home, pondering whether he should continue further with Pei You in the future. Today, an ¡°accident¡± dropped from the sky and struck him on the head. With an expressionless face, Zhou Qingbo rested his chin on his hand and looked out the window. For some reason, he began to feel unusually calm. He suddenly realized that all the concerns he had been struggling with before seemed unnecessary. This was because just a few hours ago, when he was genuinely faced with the possibility of ¡°losing Pei You,¡± he had realized that he simply couldn¡¯t accept that outcome. Zhou Qingbo had considered that he might not be the most suitable person for Pei You, and perhaps not his best choice either. However, just a few hours ago, when he faced the ¡°unexpected¡± situation head-on, he suddenly realized that besides himself, he would never feel at ease entrusting Pei You to anyone else. Whether it was more professional rescuers or potential ¡°better options¡¯ ¡® in the future, in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes, they were not better than him for Pei You. He might lack the expertise of rescue personnel, and he might not have the drive or ambition for ¡°better options,¡± but he definitely valued Pei You more and cherished him deeply. ¡°I truly like him,¡± Zhou Qingbo thought aimlessly. ¡°Aside from his parents, I don¡¯t think anyone else could like him more than I do.¡± This concept somewhat injected a dose of confidence into Zhou Qingbo¡¯s previously anxious thoughts. He finally broke free from his overthinking and regained his self-assuredness. His scattered gaze reconverged into focus, and his wandering thoughts regained clarity. Finally, after a long time, he set foot on solid ground again. There was a subtle change in his demeanor, and he felt more grounded. ¡°To hell with it,¡± Zhou Qingbo clenched his teeth and muttered a curse under his breath. He thought, whether Pei You¡¯s life turned out good or bad, he could only be with him; no one else could replace that. The missing piece in his heart was silently filled, and even the last trace of emotion fell into its rightful place. Zhou Qingbo took a deep breath and unconsciously rubbed his chest, feeling a sense of relief. ¡°You little scoundrel,¡± Zhou Qingbo gritted his teeth and dialed Pei You¡¯s number, cursing inwardly. He thought that they had promised not to lose contact or ghost each other, but Pei You had disappeared in the blink of an eye, causing him so much anxiety. Zhou Qingbo knew he couldn¡¯t blame Pei You for this situation, but emotionally he needed to vent to someone. He was used to acting spoiled with Pei You, so he subconsciously placed the blame on him. The first call timed out and disconnected automatically. Immediately, Zhou Qingbo dialed again, but unfortunately, for some reason, Pei You¡¯s phone not only didn¡¯t connect but was turned off completely. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. In Guangnan Town, Pei You furrowed his brows as he stared at his phone¡¯s black screen. He tried shaking it and tapping it to see if it could be salvaged, but his efforts were in vain. Pei You saw Zhou Qingbo¡¯s call coming in, but due to the water damage, the touch screen was unresponsive. He struggled to answer the call but failed, helplessly watching as the call ended. He wiped the wet screen with his damp sleeve and was about to make another attempt when he heard his name being called from not far behind. ¡°Pei You!¡± A person draped in a simple raincoat shouted loudly. ¡°The village chief says all of you from the audit team should gather at the open space near the village entrance. We don¡¯t know if there will be aftershocks, so it¡¯s safer over there.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Pei You replied. Earthquakes were frequent in the southern province, and the early warning system were effective. They had received a series of warning messages on their phones over a minute before the earthquake struck. The local partners were also cooperative and experienced. They risked their lives to knock on doors at the inn and evacuate everyone, which prevented casualties. Unfortunately, the rural area they were in had signal problems after the earthquake due to being in a valley. Whether they could communicate with the outside world depended on luck. Pei You wanted to let Zhou Qingbo know they were safe, but he couldn¡¯t send out even a single WeChat message. In the early morning hours, another heavy rain fell. Without rain gear, Pei You and his colleagues were soaked from head to toe. Their phones and electronic devices were ruined by water, and Pei You¡¯s phone barely held on with its screen lit for a few hours. Unfortunately, it finally died after Zhou Qingbo¡¯s last call. Pei You sighed inwardly, organizing his colleagues to head to the open area while silently hoping that Zhou Qingbo wouldn¡¯t be too anxious and would patiently wait for his message. CH 65 The ¡°open space¡± mentioned by the villagers was located about two hundred meters from the village entrance. It was approximately the size of three football fields. Originally, it was a place for drying grains. It was spacious and flat enough to accommodate the entire village population without any issues. The inn was not far from there, just a few minutes¡¯ walk away. As Pei You counted the number of people and hurriedly followed his colleagues, the villagers had already started to gather there in scattered groups. The village chief was anxiously moving through the crowd, checking the headcount and assessing the injured. When he turned around and saw Pei You, he hesitated for a moment, then quickly approached, speaking Mandarin with a regional accent, ¡°Are you kids alright?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Pei You replied. ¡°Thanks for your concern. The inn only has two floors, so we managed to get out quickly.¡± The group accompanying Pei You on this business trip consisted of young and strong men and women. They were quick to react and were physically fit. When they were awakened, the first thing they did was rush out of the building, holding their phones. Even the one who was slower on their feet was pulled out by Pei You and the others, sustaining only minor injuries. Pei You guessed that they weren¡¯t at the epicenter of the earthquake, so the impact wasn¡¯t as severe. At a glance, most of the people in the open space seemed to be fine. There were only a few injured individuals who had been moved under a makeshift rain shelter nearby, crying out in pain. ¡°Well, as long as everyone¡¯s okay, that¡¯s what matters.¡± The elderly village chief sighed and muttered softly, ¡°This earthquake came at the wrong time. So many people were sleeping, they couldn¡¯t even react in time.¡± The injured individuals under the rain shelter had varying degrees of wounds. A few of them seemed to have been pulled out from their slumber, covered in dust and dirt. Their arms and legs were stiffly placed on damp blankets, and it was uncertain if their bones were injured. The blood flowing from their wounds mixed with rainwater, creating a pale pink hue as it wound its way along the muddy ground, pooling in a nearby puddle. Pei You furrowed his brows slightly, finding it hard to look at the scene. ¡°Village Chief,¡± Pei You spoke up, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we send the injured to the hospital first?¡± ¡°Ah, I just made a phone call earlier,¡± the village chief said. ¡°The town hospital said they¡¯ll come to pick up the injured soon. They asked us to take a headcount first and they¡¯ll take everyone away together.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Pei You sighed in relief and asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s the situation here? Once the aftershocks subside, can we organize everyone to evacuate to a safe area?¡± ¡°That might not be possible for now,¡± the village chief wiped water from his face and said with a troubled expression, ¡°I heard that the road to the city from our town is blocked by landslides. It¡¯s not just cars, even people can¡¯t climb over it.¡± Located halfway up a mountain, Guangnan Town had only one road connecting it to the outside world. Pei You and his team had passed through it before. It was uneven and partially unpaved. It was narrow enough to barely be called a two-way road. Whenever a large vehicle came from the opposite direction, the smaller vehicle had to reverse until there was a passage. After an earthquake, the most dangerous thing was aftershocks. Given the risky state of the mountain road and the heavy rain, no one dared to take the risk of crossing the muddy area created by the landslide. ¡°What does that mean?¡± a young intern behind Pei You asked anxiously, ¡°Are we trapped here?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± the old village chief reassured, ¡°We have a lot of people in our town, so they definitely won¡¯t leave us stranded. Even if we don¡¯t receive any news, we can¡¯t leave the injured here. Once the rain stops and if there are no more aftershocks, we can organize some young and strong villagers to try and clear the road.¡± The intern seemed agitated and was about to say more, but Pei You gently pulled him back, stopping him from speaking. ¡°Understood,¡± Pei You said, ¡°If there¡¯s anything we can do to help, please let us know.¡± The old village chief wiped the rainwater off his face and nodded in agreement. He pointed to two areas under plastic sheets nearby, which served as makeshift rain shelters. ¡°You can go over there to take cover,¡± the old village chief said. ¡°We don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll be able to leave, and with this heavy rain, you shouldn¡¯t risk getting sick.¡± Pei You acknowledged and led a few colleagues to the plastic shelter, picking up a stone from the edge to sit on and stay dry. The young intern who had spoken earlier was quite young and had only recently graduated. He wandered around with his phone, talking to himself. ¡°¡­Such bad luck,¡± he complained softly, ¡°We went out for a trip and ended up in this mess. And my phone¡¯s broken too. My mom must be so worried.¡± His anxious demeanor seemed to affect those around him to some extent. Pei You looked down and couldn¡¯t help glancing at his own phone¡¯s black screen. He wasn¡¯t worried about his family. He had been on business trips so often that his mother, He Ping, and sister, Pei Yu, were used to it. They didn¡¯t ask where he was going anymore. It was normal for him to be busy for ten days or even half a month without contacting them. What truly concerned Pei You was the call from Zhou Qingbo that he couldn¡¯t answer. Zhou Qingbo would have definitely seen the news and should have been trying to reach him. Not being able to contact him multiple times made him wonder how anxious Zhou Qingbo must be. Thinking of this, a rare touch of anxiety appeared on Pei You¡¯s face. He lowered his eyes and, despite knowing there wouldn¡¯t be any result, subconsciously pressed the power button, hoping for a miracle. ¡°Pei Ge.¡± Busy as he was, a young woman suddenly sat down beside him. She handed Pei You an unopened packet of tissues and suggested, ¡°Try using these to absorb the water. They might work.¡± Pei You whispered his thanks and took out a dry tissue from the packet. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you so anxious,¡± the girl said. ¡°Trying to reach your family?¡± Pei You gave a soft affirmative sound and said, ¡°He gets anxious easily, and I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t be able to reach me.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the girl keenly sensed something from his tone, blinked, and teasingly glanced at him, saying, ¡°Someone you like?¡± Pei You wasn¡¯t particularly fond of discussing personal matters at work, but perhaps it was the sense of surviving a disaster or maybe he was just missing Zhou Qingbo too much at this moment. He nodded his head lightly and, almost involuntarily, let out a soft affirmation. ¡°Rare! Pei Ge is finally in love,¡± the girl exclaimed with a wail. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s he like?¡± ¡°He¡­¡± Pei You stumbled over his words, still not used to talking about Zhou Qingbo in front of others. So, he didn¡¯t manage to say much, his gaze drifting away. ¡°He¡­ is really good at acting cute,¡± Pei You said. ¡°About the same age as me but much livelier. A skilled professional, and he¡¯s particularly protective of me.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Finding humor in difficult situations is a Chinese tradition. Amidst pouring rain, talk of their leader¡¯s love life reduced some of the clouds of worry and lightened the mood. Even the previously anxious intern joined in, squeezing into the circle to listen to Pei You. ¡°Falling in love seems so nice,¡± the first girl to speak said, ¡°I want to fall in love too¡­ at least at a time like this, having someone to think about must feel really good.¡± Pei You fiddled with his phone, his mind drifting. Secretly, he agreed with her words. There are many things that go unnoticed in the mundane routine of daily life. Just like how Pei You always thought of himself as a reserved and practical person, carrying the heavy burden of adulthood¡¯s pragmatism. He did everything in a systematic manner, even his ¡°love life¡± was confined within a ¡°correct¡± box. While that might conform to most people¡¯s ideals, it lacked impulsiveness and was overly conservative. But it was only in that critical moment that Pei You realized how wrong he was. In that moment of crisis, he didn¡¯t even consider how his mother would react if something happened to him. He didn¡¯t ponder his young age and promising future, about to be buried in a remote town. He didn¡¯t even get a chance to think about the work files he hadn¡¯t uploaded to the cloud yet. His mind was entirely consumed by one thought¡ªif only he had called Zhou Qingbo last night. He had discarded all that was ¡°useful¡± and ¡°practical,¡± and in his mind, only an insignificant thought remained. But it was this ¡°insignificant¡± thought that lingered in his mind, gently but persistently, accompanied by threads of regret, silently entwining his heart. It was only in this moment that Pei You realized that, in life and death situations, only Zhou Qingbo could occupy all his thoughts, along with those unspeakable ¡°regrets.¡± The phone in his hand remained a dark brick. Pei You wiped away the water stains with the tissue, carefully wiping every corner. The ¡°gossip topics¡± around him continued, with the young minds vibrant and active. They wandered through fanciful thoughts, eventually circling back to Pei You. ¡°Hey, look at how focused Pei Ge is. You can tell he¡¯s in a good relationship.¡± Someone chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ve been through a life-and-death experience, so why not turn your girlfriend into your wife when you get back? It¡¯ll be one less thing to worry about.¡± Pei You¡¯s ears automatically filtered out the phrase ¡°girlfriend,¡± leaving only the latter part of the sentence. He thought for a moment, and from that delicate state, a trace of anticipation unexpectedly emerged, following their joking remarks. ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Pei You¡¯s tone was light, more like a muttered affirmation to himself than a response. ¡°Of course.¡± CH 66 As Zhou Qingbo was filling out the relief supplies transfer form, his heart suddenly skipped a beat, as if struck by a mysterious premonition he couldn¡¯t explain. His signing hand hesitated for a moment, and he instinctively looked around left and right, taking in his surroundings. Unfortunately, all he saw were unfamiliar and hurried strangers. The smell of disinfectant and rubber gloves hung heavy in the air, emphasizing the heavy and suppressed atmosphere. Amidst the chaos, there was no trace of the familiar figure of Pei You. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The middle-aged man beside him asked. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Zhou Qingbo quickly regained his composure, signed his name on the transfer form, and handed the crumpled paper back to him. ¡°This is the first batch of supplies. Although not much, it should be enough for emergencies. We¡¯ll coordinate with the Red Cross for the subsequent donations from Qing Shan ¡ª but if there¡¯s any other urgent need, I can also reach out to headquarters.¡± The middle-aged man folded the transfer form, casually putting it in the inner pocket of his coat. He then shook Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand, a formality gesture. ¡°Thank you very much for your timely help,¡± the man said. ¡°However, the conditions aren¡¯t good here, and we¡¯re really busy . We don¡¯t have time to properly host you. So, find a safe place to wait for a while. I¡¯ll arrange for someone to take you and the journalists back to the city later.¡± The man seemed anxious, and after saying these words, he didn¡¯t even give Zhou Qingbo time to respond. He quickly waved over a young man, instructing him to take Zhou Qingbo to the back. Every moment after the earthquake is golden for rescue teams. Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t concerned with the man¡¯s attitude; rather, he rushed a few steps to catch up. ¡°Captain, I¡¯m not here to only deliver supplies. I¡¯m here to apply as a volunteer,¡± Zhou Qingbo spoke rapidly. ¡°Just give me any task. As long as I can stay within the disaster area.¡± The captain of the rescue team stared in surprise, turning his head to look at Zhou Qingbo with a puzzled expression. ¡°You?¡± The captain¡¯s tone carried a hint of well-placed skepticism. ¡°Are you sure? This isn¡¯t a joke.¡± He paused, glanced up and down at Zhou Qingbo, furrowed his brow slightly, and somewhat impatiently said, ¡°If you¡¯re looking to promote your company, go to the supply area in the back. You can have a photographer take a few pictures for you.¡± It wasn¡¯t that the rescue team captain was intentionally impolite, but Zhou Qingbo seemed delicate and well-dressed, wearing brand-name athletic shoes. He didn¡¯t look like the type who could endure hardship and hard work. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Zhou Qingbo persisted firmly. He followed the captain, walking alongside him, and earnestly said, ¡°I¡¯m willing to do anything¡ªcarry supplies, transport the wounded. I might not have professional skills, but I can handle some physical tasks.¡± Having just brought a truckload of rescue supplies and speaking so sincerely, the man didn¡¯t want to repeatedly discourage him. His steps slowed, and his tone became a bit more relaxed. ¡°It¡¯s very dangerous here, and the conditions are harsh. When things get busy, you won¡¯t just be tired, you might not even have time for meals,¡± the captain said. ¡°Why put yourself through this hardship?¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m here to find someone,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a bitter smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to endure hardships either, but I can¡¯t sleep not knowing where he is or if he¡¯s hurt.¡± The captain of the rescue team dealt with ¡°accidents¡± and ¡°disasters¡± day in and day out, witnessing countless instances of urgency and tears. Upon hearing this, he felt somewhat reassured. He wasn¡¯t worried that Zhou Qingbo was being impulsive. He was concerned that Zhou Qingbo might be a privileged young man who decided to help in the heat of the moment but would want to leave after a day or two. Comparatively, people driven by genuine concern might have their own motives, but at least they were guided by an internal compass and were less likely to act recklessly. The man had seen the heartache of separation, the joy of reunion after long separation. Now, seeing Zhou Qingbo travel from far away, humbling himself to ask for a place among them, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of pity. After a brief hesitation, he slightly eased his tone. ¡°¡­ then you¡¯ll have to follow instructions,¡± the man said. ¡°We don¡¯t make exceptions here. If you can¡¯t hold up, you can find your own way back to the city.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Zhou Qingbo agreed readily. ¡°Feel free to assign me.¡± Disaster relief required people, money, and supplies. Zhou Qingbo came with two and a half of those, and eventually secured a spot in the civilian rescue team. Since the disappearance of Pei You, Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t given up on searching for his whereabouts, all the while assisting the rescue team with physical tasks to the best of his ability. He tried calling Pei You¡¯s office, wanting to inquire about Pei You¡¯s schedule before the incident, hoping to find some direction. However, the office was very strict about employee privacy, and since Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t provide valid proof of his relationship with Pei You, he couldn¡¯t obtain Pei You¡¯s schedule. But even before making the call, Zhou Qingbo had anticipated this situation, so he wasn¡¯t overly disappointed. He simply crossed out that option from his list. Unable to get information from the company and unable to contact Pei You personally, Zhou Qingbo had no choice but to use the simplest and most straightforward method¡ªgradually tracing their steps based on the information he and Pei You had discussed before. In the following two days, there were occasional aftershocks in the southern province. Zhou Qingbo was busy with the rescue team, working tirelessly. Apart from helping to clear wreck and debris from buildings, he also assisted in transporting the injured. He had personally pulled out injured victims from the ruins and rescued survivors trapped in cracks. Unfortunately, none of them were Pei You. Under the piles of ruins and wreckage, people were buried alive, and every time they uncovered a space, Zhou Qingbo would unconsciously hold his breath, afraid of seeing a familiar face inside. Paradoxically, he both hoped to find Pei You and feared seeing him in such a situation. When he first joined the rescue team, he wasn¡¯t very familiar with those around him. He was usually reserved and rarely spoke, focusing on his tasks. At first, the older members of the rescue team thought he was just a wealthy young man messing around, but as days went by, they began to appreciate his efficiency. Ironically, while in Beijing, Zhou Qingbo firmly adhered to an ¡°eight-hour workday¡± philosophy, believing that every second of work beyond that was a violation of human life. But these days in the disaster area, he worked tirelessly day and night, barely eating, often snatching a few bites of bread before being called away to carry stretchers. After a few days, he had visibly lost weight. Perhaps due to his effectiveness or the absence of the airs of a wealthy young man, the older members of the rescue team had started to warm up to him. During breaks, they could even sit around and chat casually with him. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot too,¡± the deputy captain sat down by a makeshift stove and handed Zhou Qingbo a bowl of rice, saying, ¡°Later, get some iodine and disinfectant. Clean up those minor cuts.¡± In the disaster area, rubble from building wreckage was everywhere. Climbing up and down, moving rocks, bending steel bars¡ªinevitably, there were scrapes and bumps. Zhou Qingbo had fair skin, and at a glance, he looked especially miserable. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°Nothing serious.¡± Those present knew why he was there. After a few days, seeing him grow quieter and more sad, they didn¡¯t know what advice to give. So, someone playfully bumped Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ankle and changed the subject, ¡°Don¡¯t be so tense. I heard that the earthquake warning was timely this time, and the casualties weren¡¯t as severe as imagined. Maybe the person you¡¯re looking for had already left the area.¡± Everyone there knew it was just comforting words, but Zhou Qingbo managed to curve his lips, forcing out a faint smile. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look so depressed.¡± Someone nearby couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, tried to lighten the mood, and playfully ruffled his hair. Then, pulling out a small amulet from their pocket, they waved it in front of Zhou Qingbo, saying, ¡°My mom got this from Mount Jiuhua. It¡¯s very effective. Make a wish with it, and maybe it¡¯ll come true tomorrow.¡± The red pendant dangled in front of Zhou Qingbo. He instinctively wanted to say ¡°I hope he is safe,¡± but he couldn¡¯t even bring himself to utter those words, afraid they might touch upon a reality he didn¡¯t want to confront. But he knew his colleagues meant well. So, holding the warm bowl of rice in his hands, he couldn¡¯t help but look up at the sky. It was a clear night with a few stars scattered across the sky. The crescent moon hung high, casting a narrow silver border. Approaching early autumn, the night breeze had a hint of chill. Zhou Qingbo tightened his grip on the rice bowl, feeling a sense of emptiness in his heart. ¡°I don¡¯t really have any specific wishes,¡± Zhou Qingbo murmured. ¡°I just hope we¡¯re both looking at the same moon.¡± CH 67 ¡°Pei You, what are you thinking about?¡± Pei You was sitting in an open space far from the shelter, lost in thought. Hearing someone call him from behind, he was startled, instinctively turning around to see who it was. He realized it was a girl from his team. ¡°You¡¯ve been lost in thought for a while. I called you, but you didn¡¯t respond,¡± the young girl handed Pei You a bowl of hot water and said, ¡°I thought you might have fallen asleep here.¡± The rough edges of the plastic bowl cut her hand, but Pei You cradled the bowl in his hands, absentmindedly pressing against its side, trying to draw a bit of warmth from it. ¡°Nothing,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Is there something you need from me?¡± ¡°I heard that several roads in the town have collapsed again. The town mayor is looking for volunteers to help clear the roads,¡± the girl said. ¡°Since most of us are young adults, the village chief thought you might be willing to help. If you are, you can sign up at the shelter later.¡± The town had a small population, and most of the young people had left for work elsewhere. The remaining population consisted of children or elderly residents. Even if you counted them on your fingers, the town wouldn¡¯t be able to find a hundred or so able-bodied young men. Pei You didn¡¯t have any objections to helping out. Hearing this, he absentmindedly responded with an ¡°okay,¡± saying that he would go there soon. The young girl had expected him to agree, so she wasn¡¯t surprised. She was about to leave to report back when she noticed that while Pei You had agreed, his soul seemed to have drifted elsewhere. He was still sitting there, cradling the bowl, lost in thought and staring at the sky, seemingly lost in contemplation. Puzzled, the girl tilted her head and followed his gaze upward. All she saw were scattered specks of moonlight amidst the clouds. She thought for a moment, then hesitated and turned back, gently pushing Pei You¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Pei Ge?¡± the girl asked, ¡°Thinking about Sister-in-law?¡± Since the last collective gossip session, Pei You¡¯s ¡°love life¡± had become a semi-public secret. This group of young people had no filter, and every time they mentioned Zhou Qingbo, it was a reference to ¡°sister-in-law¡±. Pei You tried to stop them a couple of times, but he failed each time, he eventually just let them be. However, he didn¡¯t expect the girl to hit the nail on the head with his feelings. He glanced at her and hesitated before asking, ¡°¡­ Is it that obvious?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she raised her chin a bit, gesturing towards his phone that he had been holding, and honestly said, ¡°Very obvious.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much,¡± the girl sat down next to him and consoled, ¡°Didn¡¯t the mayor say that once the road ahead is cleared, we can go back?¡± ¡°I know.¡± Pei You rubbed the ¡°brick¡± he had been holding in his hand, shook his head, and smiled helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s just that I promised him I¡¯d come back earlier before this trip.¡± During this time, every night when he closed his eyes, he could always dream of the scene from that early morning ¨C Zhou Qingbo with his eyes slightly narrowed, exuding warmth from head to toe, extending an arm from the blanket, lightly and absentmindedly hooking his sleeve, creating a subtle sense of connection. Sunlight poured onto the snowy white and soft bedding, tiny specks of dust floated in the air, and Zhou Qingbo smiled at him in this sunlight, exuding a natural and intimate aura in his voice. ¡°Come back soon,¡± he said. Pei You kept dreaming of this scene, as if his subconscious was reminding him not to break the promise. ¡°I wonder what he¡¯s doing now,¡± Pei You mumbled to himself, ¡°It¡¯s been a few days, I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s still anxious and worried about me.¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.. In the next few days, Zhou Qingbo had gone through three different rescue teams. He didn¡¯t linger in one place for too long. Once the rescue operations were finished in one area, he wouldn¡¯t accompany the team to the next mission site; instead, he would leave the team and head to the next destination himself. Initially, the team leader had thought of him as someone who might lose interest quickly, but after a few days of working together, he couldn¡¯t help but respect him and admire his dedication. So, before they parted ways, the kind team leader introduced Zhou Qingbo to the next team leader through their communication channels and spoke highly of him, giving him a friendly recommendation. As Zhou Qingbo continued his journey, searching as he went, it was already a week later when he arrived in Guangnan County. By the time he reached there, it was already nighttime. The reception personnel of the civilian rescue team picked him up from the expressway entrance. They were very welcoming and led him directly to the disaster relief camp. The camp was set up with several simple tents. Thick electrical wires crisscrossed the ground, and the whole camp was brightly lit. Young men and women dressed in rescue team uniforms moved back and forth, occasionally carrying wounded individuals from unknown locations. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived at a busy time,¡± the personnel who received him said, finishing this sentence with a chuckle. He seemed to find his own words amusing and shook his head in resignation. He chuckled again, ¡°Well, you know how it is these days. One person is being stretched into two.¡± Zhou Qingbo stood by his side, tugging at the corner of his lips in agreement, without saying a word. ¡°I know you¡¯re here to find someone,¡± the guy continued, ¡°But you¡¯re aware of the situation. We can¡¯t spare hands to help you search individually. You¡¯ll have to be vigilant yourself.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Zhou Qingbo finally spoke, ¡°Rest assured, I won¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡± He often interacted with the civilian rescue team, and those who were close knew each other. Zhou Qingbo had previously worked with two teams, and his reputation was decent. So, the person next to him naturally had a somewhat favorable impression of him. ¡°That¡¯s good. But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll keep an eye out for you as well,¡± the man said as he led him to the tent entrance and patted his shoulder, offering some reassurance, ¡°With how advanced information technology is these days, you¡¯ll find them sooner or later.¡± ¡°Thanks for the good words,¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled, nodded at him, and then lifted the tent flap to enter. Inside the military tent, electrical wires were strung up, and dangling light bulbs trembled faintly in the air. They provided enough light to illuminate the central area of the tent where a small office was set up. A middle-aged man in uniform sat at a limp-legged desk, his chin supported by his hand. He looked up when he saw Zhou Qingbo entering and mustered a bit of energy. He stood up and shook Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand. ¡°Captain Wang,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°Zhao Squad referred me.¡± ¡°Right, right, right, I know,¡± Wang Guang said, ¡°Old Zhao told me about you. Don¡¯t worry, our job responsibilities are quite similar. In a while, go find the deputy team leader and have him assign you to a team.¡± Zhou Qingbo nodded, his gaze unintentionally drifting downward. Suddenly, he noticed a handwritten list on the desk. It contained a list of scarce supplies and several phone numbers. ¡°Is there a shortage of supplies?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked, ¡°Do you need me to think of a solution?¡± Since the disaster began, Qingshan Corporation had donated quite a few supplies, and Zhou Qingbo had also contributed a lot from his own pocket. Almost every time he arrived in a new place, he would bring something along. It wasn¡¯t merely a matter of connections; Zhou Qingbo always considered that Pei You was heading to remote areas, where there was a shortage of rescue personnel and not as much influence as the main cities. What if they found Pei You, but the local supplies were not enough? What if he got injured and there were no tents or medicines available? Zhou Qingbo was worried that his random thoughts might become reality, so he acted like a generous giver everywhere he went, fearing to appear empty-handed. Considering the ongoing disaster, shortages were everywhere. Zhou Qingbo originally thought Wang Guang would readily agree, but he hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± he said, ¡°Even if the supplies arrive now, we can¡¯t transport them. The mountain road in Guangnan Town has collapsed, and it¡¯s still impassable.¡± In Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart, there was a gentle thud. This was his destination for this trip and also one of the locations on Pei You¡¯s schedule. According to the schedule, if Pei You wasn¡¯t in the previous towns, the high probability was that he was here. ¡°Collapsed?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked anxiously. ¡°Is it serious? Are there any people buried?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, you don¡¯t need to worry,¡± Wang Guang reassured him. ¡°No one was buried. The landslide happened in the middle of the night, and no one was on that road. We also had a communication with the town government there earlier. They said their town doesn¡¯t have tall buildings, only a newly built residential area. So, the overall impact of the disaster is manageable, and there aren¡¯t many critically injured. Besides, our fellow soldiers have already crossed the mountains and reached inside, so we don¡¯t need to worry about the situation there.¡± When Zhou Qingbo heard the words ¡°critically injured,¡± he subconsciously tightened his heart, but with the latter half of the sentence, he managed to calm down. ¡°So the current situation is that as long as we clear the road, the rest will be manageable,¡± Wang Guang said. ¡°The only issue is that this place is quite small, and our team doesn¡¯t have enough manpower. We might need to work harder. But don¡¯t worry, we heard that the town has organized a volunteer team to work with us. We won¡¯t be doing this alone.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Zhou Qingbo understood Wang Guang¡¯s implication and volunteered, ¡°Just assign me as you see fit.¡± There were multiple points of landslides and many large equipment couldn¡¯t be transported. They had to rely on manpower and small three-wheeled vehicles to gradually clear the debris and rocks on the road. Pei You hadn¡¯t done such physical labor in a long time, so he struggled to adapt. After spending a day and night working with the villagers, his arms were trembling from exhaustion. On the second night, light rain fell on Guangnan Town, but fortunately, it wasn¡¯t heavy. With the arrival of the rescue team, the road-clearing work progressed more smoothly than before, and they gradually opened up several bends. ¡°I heard that the rescue team is working on clearing the largest collapsed area,¡± the old village chief patted Pei You¡¯s shoulder, his eyes and brows showing a touch of delight. ¡°Once that part is cleared, our vehicles can pass, and supplies can be delivered as well.¡± Pei You was taking a break and drinking water when he heard this. Upon hearing this, he put his cup down and stood up, taking a few steps towards the commotion. The rescue team members were equipped with powerful flashlights on their foreheads. With their swift movements, the high-intensity light beams scattered through the air. Pei You squinted and followed along, intending to help by grabbing a rope. However, as he was about to bend down, his arm was suddenly grabbed. He instinctively looked up and saw a middle-aged man holding onto his arm, a visible layer of delight apparent on his unfamiliar face. Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Who is this? Pei You wondered. Before he could figure out anything, the man was stammering, pointing at him and saying, ¡°Eh eh eh, you are¡ª¡± After saying ¡°you are¡± for quite a while, he hadn¡¯t continued his sentence. Pei You stared at him in confusion for a moment, ready to inquire about the situation. Suddenly, the man grabbed a young man in uniform from the side. ¡°Him him him!¡± The middle-aged man stammered like someone with a speech impediment, pointing at Pei You and then pointing towards the collapsed area. ¡°isn¡¯t he that¡ªquick, go tell Xiao Zhou.¡± He spoke incoherently, his words tangled, but Pei You keenly heard a key term from this sentence, something that left him uncertain. Pei You was stunned for a moment, and an absurd thought surged in his mind. He subconsciously thought it was unlikely, but he was oddly convinced, as if he knew in his gut that Zhou Qingbo was capable of doing something like this. After a brief daze, Pei You suddenly stood up, shrugged off the middle-aged man¡¯s hand, and turned to run towards the collapsed area. He was in such a hurry that he didn¡¯t even say a word of apology to the man. On the other side of the collapsed area, the second group of the rescue team was clearing debris off the road. Pei You stood on the dirt slope, and he immediately spotted a familiar figure in the crowd. Zhou Qingbo was standing on the edge of the cliff. He was wearing a set of spare rescue team uniform, covered in mud and looking far from his usual self. The dirt-covered marks were scattered all over his body, making him appear particularly shabby. He had a headlamp hanging on his body, but a pair of distinctive narrow-framed sunglasses were perched on his nose. At a glance, he looked slimmer, lips pressed tight without a trace of a smile. Pei You¡¯s steps paused, and he unconsciously held his breath, feeling that the person in front of him was both familiar and strange. The Zhou Qingbo in Pei You¡¯s memory was delicate, lively, and passionate. Even if he was being lazy, he was always composed. Yet, the person before him was silent, standing on the outskirts of the crowd without saying a word, hidden in the shadows of the scattered beams of light, looking somewhat gloomy. Bending over, Zhou Qingbo threw a tree stump into the three-wheeled vehicle behind him. Then, he instinctively wiped his forehead with his sleeve, leaving a clear mark of mud on his face. Pei You held his breath, feeling as if something in his chest was suddenly overflowing, about to burst him apart. Suddenly, he didn¡¯t want to dwell on why Zhou Qingbo was here, nor did he want to expend mental energy contemplating the present situation. At this very moment, he just wanted to call Zhou Qingbo¡¯s name. ¡°Qingbo.¡± Pei You called out, ¡°Zhou Qingbo!¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s movements paused. At the first call, he thought he was hallucinating, until Pei You shouted his name a second time, then he reacted, suddenly turning around to look back. The half-cut log in his hand dropped to the ground, splashing mud. Zhou Qingbo stared at Pei You for a moment, then suddenly took off his headlamp and sunglasses, striding towards Pei You with determination. Pei You descended the slope in three or two steps. Before he could say a word to Zhou Qingbo, Zhou Qingbo rushed up without a word, tightly embracing him. He held Pei You¡¯s waist with one hand and his shoulder with the other, as if he wanted to envelop him entirely in his embrace, refusing to let go. The abandoned headlamp by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s side turned in circles, casting beams of light into the air, illuminating the fine raindrops falling from the sky. With their skin touching, Pei You sensed Zhou Qingbo take a deep breath, and his chest heaved for a moment, as if forcibly suppressing a multitude of things that couldn¡¯t be explained. The next second, Pei You felt a slightly unfamiliar sensation on his shoulder ¨C damp and warm. The sense of fullness in Pei You¡¯s chest intensified. He reached out, wrapping his arms around Zhou Qingbo¡¯s back, and his eyes also reddened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Pei You spoke first, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± He didn¡¯t know exactly what he was apologizing for ¨C after all, the earthquake wasn¡¯t his fault, and the landslide wasn¡¯t his fault either. However, he just wanted to say something to prevent Zhou Qingbo from feeling heartbroken again. Zhou Qingbo took a deep breath at the words. He slightly loosened his grip, creating a bit of space between them, and stared at Pei You with a mix of resentment and adoration. Before seeing Pei You, Zhou Qingbo had nearly focused all his energy on ¡°important matters.¡± He didn¡¯t have the mind to grieve or indulge in sentimentality, and he dared not let his thoughts wander. So, he almost forcibly ignored his emotions, suppressing everything. But at this moment, upon seeing Pei You, all those vivid and rich emotions seemed to come back to life, overwhelming him with waves of regrets and hurt. ¡°You¡ª¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s chest heaved violently twice. He seemed to have a thousand words to say, but in the end, he only managed to choke out one sentence in a vicious tone, ¡°I¡¯ll get you a better phone next time!¡± He spoke harshly, yet there was an imperceptible quiver of choking in his voice. Pei You trembled with sympathy, awkwardly embracing him, unsure of what to say to comfort him. Zhou Qingbo had taught Pei You how to love and how to express himself, but he had never taught him how to comfort a crying version of himself. So, Pei You had to figure it out himself. He used his dirty sleeve to wipe away Zhou Qingbo¡¯s tears, then hugged him tightly. Following that, he kissed Zhou Qingbo. CH 68 Zhou Qingbo was momentarily stunned, then swiftly stepped forward, deepening the kiss abruptly. That kiss wasn¡¯t tender or gentle. Instead, it was urgent and forceful, carrying a hint of post-traumatic relief. Pei You was caught off guard, stumbling back a step as a result. Before he could steady himself, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arm looped around his waist, holding him tightly. Pei You instinctively reached out to steady himself by holding Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arm. However, Zhou Qingbo seemed to misinterpret his intent, thinking he wanted to break away. He tightened his hold instead, enclosing him within his arms. Amid Zhou Qingbo¡¯s forceful actions, he managed to cut off all Pei You¡¯s retreat, leaving him with only one choice. Pei You seemed to sense something from this assertiveness. His fingers tightened and relaxed, eventually relaxing his body, sharing his weight with Zhou Qingbo. A significant portion of the tension in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s brows and eyes visibly eased. He lowered his eyes slightly, deepening the kiss with Pei You. From the perspective of a first kiss, this experience was far from good ¨C when Zhou Qingbo self-proclaimed himself as a ¡°gold medal love mentor,¡± he boasted endlessly, but when things got real, he actually got nervous. His kissing technique was just as amateur as Pei You¡¯s, and compared to a ¡°kiss,¡± it might be more accurate to describe it as ¡°nibbling.¡± However, Pei You didn¡¯t mind Zhou Qingbo¡¯s reckless kissing technique. His eyelashes fluttered, and he felt his heart melt like water. Because he belatedly realized a fact ¨C in matters of love, Zhou Qingbo was just as inexperienced as he was. So, they both felt uncertain, both hesitated, and both awkwardly fumbled through this inexperience, slowly drawing closer to each other. That kiss, flavored with a touch of bitterness and sweetness, seemed to last for a long time yet was also fleeting. After an indeterminable amount of time, Zhou Qingbo gradually relaxed his arms that were wrapped around Pei You. He took a step back, seemingly not satisfied with parting, and lightly bit down on Pei You¡¯s lip, like he was throwing a tantrum or being seductive. ¡°There¡¯s something I originally wanted to say when things were more settled.¡± Zhou Qingbo spoke, ¡°But I can¡¯t wait anymore.¡± ¡°What?¡± Pei You asked. A suspicion instantly arose in Pei You¡¯s heart. His eyelashes trembled, and he became tense all over. Subconsciously, he stiffened, waiting anxiously for Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words. Before he went on a business trip, there was still an unresolved ¡°issue¡± between him and Zhou Qingbo. In recent days, although Pei You didn¡¯t say it out loud, he had always been mindful of it. Obviously, Zhou Qingbo wanted to talk about the same thing. He subconsciously took a deep breath, then reached out and flicked the wet hair on Pei You¡¯s forehead. In the dim light, Zhou Qingbo stared at Pei You for a while, then suddenly relaxed his shoulders, smiled without warning. ¡°I was thinking¡­,¡± Zhou Qingbo muttered to himself, ¡°Anyway, you can only be mine.¡± Pei You was momentarily puzzled. He hadn¡¯t taken in that sentence yet when Zhou Qingbo leaned forward and embraced him once again. ¡°Pei You,¡± Zhou Qingbo rested his chin on Pei You¡¯s shoulder, tilted his head to his ear, and said in a gentle tone, ¡°You¡¯re with me for a lifetime.¡± Although his embrace this time was not as tight as before, Pei You felt that he couldn¡¯t escape even more than before. He was caught in a strange state, his heart pounding like a drum. His rationality was fluctuating, his chest filled with a strange itch. Pei You seemed to hear the pounding of his own heart. His vision was blurred, and he felt weak, but his rationality was unusually clear. He not only heard Zhou Qingbo¡¯s every word distinctly, but also felt the warm breath he was exhaling near his ear. ¡°I do think you¡¯re a bit at a loss, but it¡¯s too late to feel that way.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, his tone light. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words indeed had a profound impact on Pei You. Emotions surged in his chest, and he wanted to say, ¡°I feel the same way,¡± but before the words could come out, his throat choked up. ¡°I want to spend my life with you,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°¡­ Pei You, be my boyfriend.¡± Zhou Qingbo admitted that he had hesitated, pondered, and contemplated if this relationship was right at the beginning. But when Pei You lost contact and he followed him to the disaster area to endure hardships without considering the consequences, Zhou Qingbo realized that he wanted to hold this person¡¯s hand for the rest of his life. Pei You took a deep breath. He finally recovered from the overwhelming emotions that had enveloped him. Leaning on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder, he nodded slightly, then realizing that it seemed too casual, he nodded again, more firmly this time. ¡°Okay, and¡­ I love you too,¡± Pei You finally found his voice, ¡°But why do you love me?¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled, amused by him. He said in a light and cheerful tone, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit late to ask that question after saying ¡®okay¡¯?¡± Pei You also knew that his words were untimely. At this moment, in this atmosphere, he should have responded to Zhou Qingbo with endless sweet words, or at the very least talked about how he fell in love with Zhou Qingbo. But after struggling for a while, he could only come up with that sentence. Up to this point, Pei You was still a bit confused. He didn¡¯t know why Zhou Qingbo liked him¡ªPei You was uninteresting and bland, not particularly attentive, and not good at reading cues. During their relationship, he practically followed Zhou Qingbo¡¯s lead, and it was Zhou Qingbo who taught him how to interact with people. Zhou Qingbo also came from a wealthy family, had good looks, and was unapologetically confident. He should have had plenty of suitors, and they might even be better than Pei You. However, Zhou Qingbo had set his sights on him. He treated him special, helped him out of tight spots, protected him and patiently guided him every step of the way. He had let down all his defenses in front of Pei You. Pei You was delighted by their mutual affection, but also genuinely confused. ¡°I¡¯m really nothing special,¡± Pei You said softly, ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary white-collar worker, working in the office and going straight home¡ªthere should be plenty of people like me around you.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zhou Qingbo blinked and spoke with a clear smile in his tone, playfully responding to him, ¡°If you put it that way, you¡¯re right.¡± In the Beijing business district, there were plenty of career elites. It was not difficult to find someone just like Pei You, who had the standard two legs and worked a white-collar job, whether in his home or at the company. To everyone else, Pei You might be just one of the thousands in the crowd, not much different from every ID card in this world. But to Zhou Qingbo, he was unique. ¡°You¡¯re not anything special.¡± Zhou Qingbo paused and continued, ¡°My heart is what¡¯s special.¡± As Zhou Qingbo spoke, he tilted his head slightly back, finally raising his head from Pei You¡¯s shoulder. He looked into Pei You¡¯s eyes, a smile he couldn¡¯t hide in his eyes. He smiled, then took Pei You¡¯s hand and placed it on his own chest. ¡°It has chosen you, I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± Zhou Qingbo said. The sensation of his hand was clear and steady. Through the thick layers of the rescue uniform, Pei You could clearly feel Zhou Qingbo¡¯s rapid and distinct heartbeat. As Zhou Qingbo said these words, the corners of his eyes unconsciously curved downward a bit. His eyes held fine and bright lights, the laughter concealed within them, more enchanting than the moonlight. Pei You drowned in that gaze. Suddenly, he felt a sense of settling dust in his heart. As if in that moment, his gaze had moved beyond the misty future, seeing countless days and nights of him and Zhou Qingbo walking hand in hand. ¡°I¡­¡± Pei You wanted to say, ¡°I understand,¡± or even, ¡°My heart also has you,¡± but before he could say anything, Zhou Qingbo leaned against his shoulder again. ¡°No more questions, save the rest for tomorrow.¡± Zhou Qingbo softened his voice, complaining lightly, ¡°I¡¯m exhausted.¡± CH 69 Due to everything that happened from the earthquake to the physical labor he put himself through, Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t slept well for about ten days. He had rushed between several towns where Pei You might appear, day and night without rest. He saw through the arrival of relief supplies with Qing Shan, while also joining the rescue team to save people, as if he were an unwavering top, all fueled by that bit of fairy energy in his heart. Now that he saw Pei You safe and sound, that ¡°fairy energy¡± supporting him seemed to vanish in an instant. Zhou Qingbo closed his eyes, finally realizing his exhaustion. He was like a game player who¡¯d fought through thorns and bushes all the way, finally reaching the finish line. Seeing Pei You at the end, he felt a deep fatigue mingled with excitement. ¡°So tired.¡± Zhou Qingbo complained softly, ¡°My hands ache, my legs hurt, everything hurts.¡± Pei You was in his embrace, and at his words, he subconsciously wanted to pull back a bit and check Zhou Qingbo¡¯s condition. But before he could move, Zhou Qingbo held onto him even tighter. After his emotions let loose, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s playfulness seemed to follow suit. He slightly furrowed his brows. Without waiting for Pei You to speak, he preemptively acted. ¡°Pei You?¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice softened, and he complained in a tone that was neither angry nor joyful, ¡°I came all the way from Beijing, ran up and down the mountains, carried stretchers, and worked so hard to find you. Now, can¡¯t I be held a little longer?¡± It had to be said, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s talent for ¡°acting cute to get his way¡± was clearly much better than Pei You¡¯s. He¡¯d already hit the softest part of Pei You¡¯s heart with just a few words, making Pei You freeze for a moment, unable to move. ¡°Not¡­ it¡¯s not that.¡± Pei You explained softly, ¡°I just wanted to see where you¡¯re hurting.¡± Zhou Qingbo quickly responded, as if he¡¯d prepared the words beforehand. He said, half in truth, ¡°My heart aches.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You could tell that Zhou Qingbo was intentionally teasing him. So he lightly exhaled in relief, pursing his lips and smiling. He then reached out and gently wiped away the mud from Zhou Qingbo¡¯s face. ¡°Hug me as much and as long as you want.¡± Pei You looked around and said, ¡°There¡¯s no one here. Everyone¡¯s gone to work on the collapsed area, and no one¡¯s watching.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s no fun! Zhou Qingbo thought, is the issue whether someone¡¯s watching or not! He¡¯d come all the way from Beijing, not slept well for ten days, just poured his heart out for the first time, and now he was tired and excited. He wanted to hear a few sweet words, but Pei You, this wooden block, couldn¡¯t pick up on his meaning, leaving him hanging for so long. But he¡¯d known Pei You for a while now. He wasn¡¯t surprised by this reaction. It was just a little disappointing, and he sighed inwardly, starting to ¡°hint¡± at him. ¡°Just comfort me a bit,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°Okay ,¡± Pei You quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, hug me as long as you want.¡± The corners of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t help but curl upwards, feeling much better. He was always easy to please; a kind word would satisfy him. So he didn¡¯t make things difficult for Pei You anymore. He just silently leaned against his shoulder for a while. ¡°Shall we go back?¡± After a moment of silence, Pei You tentatively asked, ¡°you need to rest¡± Zhou Qingbo also wanted to go back, but his eating and sleeping schedule had been irregular during this period. He had been alternating between being hungry and full, not properly having meals at noon or in the evening. Amidst his emotional turmoil, he was experiencing some low blood sugar symptoms. As soon as he left Pei You¡¯s shoulder, his vision started to blur, and his hands and feet went weak. Taking advantage of the chance to act spoiled, he leaned against Pei You¡¯s body for a while to recover slightly. Then he straightened up, grabbing Pei You¡¯s hand. ¡°Come back to camp with me,¡± Zhou Qingbo decisively said, ¡°I¡¯ll have the team leader pass a message to your colleagues¡ªtoday you¡¯re not allowed to leave me.¡± He decisively decided Pei You¡¯s course of action in just a few words, which appeared rather domineering. Fortunately, Pei You had just confirmed their relationship and wasn¡¯t eager to be away from Zhou Qingbo¡¯s side either. He obediently responded with an ¡°Mhm,¡± and followed Zhou Qingbo back to their campsite. Before returning, Pei You had thought that Zhou Qingbo¡¯s comment about being ¡°sore all over¡± was just a playful remark. However, when they entered the tent, Zhou Qingbo took off his rescue uniform, and Pei You suddenly realized that those words carried a certain degree of truth. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s body was covered in scrapes and bruises, and he had no idea where they had all come from. His arms were practically a disaster area, with a large wound on his left wrist that was already half scabbed over, and deep bruises in shades of purple and blue on his right arm. The old and new injuries mixed together, making for a distressing sight. ¡°Where did these come from?¡± Pei You furrowed his brows tightly, instinctively wanting to reach out and touch Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder carefully. However, he was afraid of hurting him, so he held back his strength and gently touched the wounds with his fingertips. Having removed his jacket, Zhou Qingbo was now only wearing a light vest. Pei You lowered his head and noticed a distinct bruise on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder, about three fingers wide. It ran vertically, splitting open his shoulder in a rather noticeable manner. ¡°Oh, this,¡± Zhou Qingbo had switched into ¡°resting¡± mode since they entered the tent, and now his exhaustion was such that he could hardly keep his eyes open. He mumbled vaguely, ¡°I got it while carrying stretchers, it¡¯s almost healed.¡± As he finished speaking, he collapsed onto the camp bed as if he had suddenly lost power, slumping onto the bed board. ¡°There¡¯s another bed over there, let¡¯s pull it over and combine them,¡± Zhou Qingbo, half-closed eyes, mumbled drowsily. ¡°I have this tent all to myself.¡± Having come to the disaster area alone, Zhou Qingbo was treated with respect by the rescue teams, given the situation of him leading a team, carrying funds, and bringing a lot of supplies. Although the tent was small and could only fit two camp beds and a folding table, it was still a ¡°single room¡± all for him, better than squeezing with others in the large common sleeping area. Pei You looked around and followed Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words, dragging the spare bed over to combine it with the one Zhou Qingbo was on. Then he patted the dust off his hands and stood up. He turned to leave, but before he could take a step, Zhou Qingbo, as if he had an extra sense, raised his hand accurately and grabbed his wrist. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°To find some disinfectant for you,¡± Pei You said, ¡°You have many wounds on your hands.¡± Zhou Qingbo had been lifting rocks all day under the rain. His hands had many small cuts. Pei You had only given them a brief glance earlier, but he then saw several unattended wounds. ¡°Don¡¯t go out,¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s spirit had already fallen asleep, only a part of him was still awake, acting and speaking out of instinct. He gave a low hum upon hearing Pei You¡¯s words, and said, ¡°There¡¯s some in the luggage.¡± Ever since confirming their relationship or maybe from pure post-fright, Pei You suddenly realized that Zhou Qingbo was sticking to him even more than before, as if he didn¡¯t want him out of his sight for even a moment. Pei You¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but soften. He responded with an ¡°Okay,¡± and reached out to touch Zhou Qingbo¡¯s wrist. ¡°Alright,¡± Pei You said, ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and look around.¡± Zhou Qingbo seemed to relax at that, releasing Pei You¡¯s hand strand by strand. He slumped back onto the bed and remained motionless. Pei You looked around and saw Zhou Qingbo¡¯s luggage sitting in the corner of the tent. There weren¡¯t many valuable items inside, so it had been casually placed on the ground with the zipper half open. The tent had no electrical light, and only a faint moonlight seeped in through the rolled-up blinds. Pei You gently dragged the luggage over to the window, opening the top. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ability to take care of himself was similar to his personality¡ªample potential but lacking seriousness. His style of organizing and storing things was quite laid-back, verging on carefree and careless. Pei You reached in and rummaged around a bit, not intending to invade Zhou Qingbo¡¯s privacy. He was planning to neatly fold up a paper he came across and put it away, but he suddenly saw a familiar phone number on the paper. ¡ªIt was the phone number for their office¡¯s front desk. Pei You hesitated for a moment, then couldn¡¯t help but pick up the paper. In the moonlight, he noticed that it was densely filled with writing. The first half contained Zhou Qingbo¡¯s travel path, while the latter half was a collection of phone numbers, lined up row by row, each followed by its owner. Those phone numbers covered a wide range of categories. Some were contacts for the leaders of the rescue teams, some were contacts for hospitals treating the injured, and a portion of them were official contact channels for Pei You¡¯s office. The majority of those numbers and addresses were crossed out with horizontal lines, followed by sparse annotations such as ¡°unavailable,¡± ¡°invalid,¡± and ¡°pending confirmation.¡± The specificity of this information was quite clear. Pei You easily deduced the purpose of this paper. Scanning through it all, he finally spotted his mother¡¯s phone number at the end. This number hadn¡¯t been crossed out yet; it was the last entry among all the information. Zhou Qingbo had left a small notation beside it, simply stating ¡°caution.¡± The paper showed clear signs of being crumpled up. It was apparent that he had hesitated for a long time. But perhaps fearing that Pei You¡¯s family would worry if he made the call, he ultimately hadn¡¯t dialed that number. The moonlight on that rainy night was blurry and faint. Pei You held that piece of paper in his hand, unable to describe the feeling in his heart. Zhou Qingbo, usually lazy and careless, put in so much effort and traveled so far just for him. He worked tirelessly, as if it were a matter of life and death. Every mark on that paper was a trace left by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s journey. He had experienced setbacks and disappointments. Each mark on the paper represented a hope that had been dashed. The joy and emotion of their reunion had been replaced by an unknown feeling. Pei You¡¯s eyes slightly warm, and his hand holding the paper trembled. He gazed at the paper for a while and couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath. His heart was a mix of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy sensations, feeling heavy in his chest, filled with something nameless. Pei You didn¡¯t know what that something was. He pressed his lips together and carefully folded the paper back to its original state, tucking it into the suitcase, then covering it with neatly folded T-shirts. He stared at the dark T-shirt for a moment, lost in thought for a while, until he finally realized what that overwhelming feeling in his chest really was. ¡ª It was Zhou Qingbo¡¯s sincere affection for him. CH 70 Pei You was in love for the first time and didn¡¯t know how to handle these overwhelming emotions. He knelt on the ground in silence for a good two or three minutes before he managed to calm his emotions and resumed the work in his hands. Unlike Zhou Qingbo, who usually stuck to a routine and seldom moved around, Pei You had been traveling all the time due to work, considering business trips as part of his daily life. He had developed a neat and organized way of packing over the years. The everyday items that Zhou Qingbo had scattered everywhere were effortlessly arranged by Pei You. Folding them neatly, he placed them in the side pocket of the suitcase. Pei You searched while tidying up, but even after turning the suitcase upside down, he couldn¡¯t find the disinfectant. He wondered if Zhou Qingbo forgot where he put it. ¡°Qingbo,¡± Pei You called out without looking up, ¡°I can¡¯t find the disinfectant Where did you put it?¡± There was no response from Zhou Qingbo. When Pei You turned around, he realized that Zhou Qingbo had already fallen asleep. He did look tired, so much so that he couldn¡¯t even manage to find a comfortable sleeping position. He was still lying there the way he fell on the bed when he walked in, quietly and soundlessly sprawled out on the cold, hard bed board. He didn¡¯t even get a chance to take off his shoes; one leg was hanging off the bed, and half of his face was pressed against the bed board, giving it a slightly contorted look. Pei You sighed softly in his heart, a mixture of helplessness and affectionate amusement tugging at him. He closed the suitcase in his hand and moved to the other side of the bed. He had the intention to adjust Zhou Qingbo into a more comfortable position, but the moment he touched him, Zhou Qingbo unconsciously furrowed his brows, his thin eyelids twitching as if he was uneasy. Afraid of disturbing him, Pei You withdrew his hand, not daring to make any sudden movements. He sat by the bed, waiting for Zhou Qingbo to fall deeper into sleep. With no further disturbances, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s furrowed brows relaxed slightly. His body gently rose and fell, and his breathing became slow and steady. His phone was tucked in his pocket and got caught between his movements, half propped up against the bed. Pei You, fearing that it might be uncomfortable for Zhou Qingbo, carefully reached out and slid it from under him. In the process, Pei You accidentally triggered on function. The phone screen quietly lit up, revealing the lock screen wallpaper. It was not the wallpaper Pei You was familiar with; it was dimmer and blurrier, with a quality at least two notches lower than high definition. But Pei You only glanced at it before freezing in place. ¡ª Because he suddenly realized that the ¡°main character¡± in that photo was himself. He unconsciously glanced at Zhou Qingbo, unable to resist bringing the phone closer and subtly increasing the brightness. In the dim light, he was leaning against the car seat in blissful sleep. A corner of an empty file bag peeked out from behind the front seat, with the characters ¡°Xi¡¯an¡± written on it. Pei You didn¡¯t know when Zhou Qingbo managed to snap this photo, and it took him a few moments to recall where this photo might have been taken. ¡ª It was on their way to Weinan. In the photo, rain and mist blurred the view outside the car window, framing the lens in a small enclosed space. In the soft and hazy light, Pei You was the sole focus of the photo. Perhaps Zhou Qingbo had a talent for photography, as the atmosphere of the photo was excellent. Even someone as unobservant as Pei You could sense an indescribable sentiment emanating from the photo. He never knew he could look so gentle and serene. As the soft light washed over him, he could even see the tiny shadow cast by his eyelashes. Warm yellow easily evoked a sense of comfort¡ªlike a sunset, like the night, and like the small bedside lamp at home. Pei You absentmindedly wiped off a bit of mud from the screen and found a soothing fatigue from the image. He never knew this photo existed, nor did he know that on that rainy night, Zhou Qingbo had silently observed him from this angle. Perhaps the photographer himself was also unaware, but from an outsider¡¯s perspective, it was easy to discern the silent goodwill hidden within this photo. The sound of rain outside gradually lessened, the clouds dispersed, and the once hazy moonlight became more distinct, softly spreading through the curtain. Pei You placed the phone gently on the folding table by the bed and sat down by the cot, gazing at Zhou Qingbo. He intentionally suppressed his breathing, not wanting to disturb him, or perhaps subconsciously syncing his rhythm with Zhou Qingbo¡¯s. Surviving great difficulties and reuniting after a long period of separation, even for someone like Pei You who didn¡¯t understand romance, it was hard to avoid feeling a bit sentimental. He looked at Zhou Qingbo with a focused gaze, and after a while, couldn¡¯t help but extend his hand and lightly touch the corner of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eye. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes were slightly sensitive to light due to mild night blindness. Once exposed to light, it took him longer to adjust to darkness. The rescue team¡¯s work continued day and night, with the limited range of high-powered headlamps. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes struggled to adapt to the mixed lighting conditions. So, he simply wore sunglasses, adjusting the lighting inside and outside the tent to be almost the same. Because he was worried about the sunglasses slipping during work, Zhou Qingbo had added an elastic band to the frame to secure them in place. Wearing them for extended periods of time left a noticeable mark on his face. Pei You¡¯s fingertip gently traced that mark, suddenly realizing that his previous understanding of Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t accurate enough. He had always thought that he was moved by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s liveliness and confidence, by his favoritism and unique charm. But now, it seemed that those superficial, singular ¡°tags¡± and ¡°reasons¡± were far from sufficient to describe even a fraction of his feelings. A pure heart, fearlessness¡ªit was all heartwarming. Pei You was no exception. He gazed at Zhou Qingbo for a long while, and then, unable to restrain himself, he slightly bent down, and lightly kissed his forehead. ¡°I love you,¡± Pei You thought, ¡°My heart belongs to only you from now on.¡± During the confession earlier, Zhou Qingbo had mentioned wanting to keep Pei You by his side. And at this moment, Pei You also had the same thought. He wanted to fulfill Zhou Qingbo¡¯s wishes, to see him happy and living freely. Pei You wished for Zhou Qingbo¡¯s wishes to be fulfilled, but at the same time, he also hoped that he would be the one to create a smooth and stable future for Zhou Qingbo. Zhou Qingbo always felt that Pei You was like a calm and serene sea¡ªgentle, accommodating, and all-encompassing. But now, although the surface of this sea was calm, underneath there were tumultuous currents. For the first time, Pei You had a possessive desire that was unreasonable yet uncontrollable, and it was coupled with a sense of wanting to belong to only Zhou Qingbo and Qingbo to be his as well. The water¡¯s surface rippled with waves, and the bright moonlight fell upon the layers of ripples, silently imprinting a personal mark. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s brow relaxed as he slept soundly. He seemed immersed in a long-lost dream, completely unaware that in this late night, he had obtained the sea. CH 71 The rain outside the window gradually stopped, the dark clouds dispersed, revealing a crescent moon hidden behind them. Zhou Qingbo slept peacefully on the bed. Pei You sat by the bedside for a while, seeing that Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t show any signs of waking up, he stood up gently, pulled aside the curtain, and walked out. The rescue team had cleared the mountain roads and were heading into town overnight. Only one or two logistics personnel remained in the camp to care for the injured. Pei You followed the sparse lights in the camp, circling around twice, before finding the medical tent somewhat awkwardly. There were two young people on duty. Pei You explained his purpose and before he could even introduce himself, someone handed him a medical kit. ¡°Take it.¡± The young man waved his hand generously, saying, ¡°Use it and just leave it in Xiao Zhou¡¯s tent when you¡¯re done. If we need it, we¡¯ll come get it.¡± He spoke in a relaxed manner, with a hint of familiarity that made it seem like he and Pei You weren¡¯t complete strangers, but rather had met before. Did Zhou Qingbo mention him? Pei You wondered. But as much as he pondered, Pei You didn¡¯t dwell on this question for too long. He politely expressed his gratitude, then carried the medical kit back to the tent. Zhou Qingbo maintained the same position as when Pei You left. His arm now rested on the edge of the bed, as if groping for something. Pei You bent down and lifted his arm back onto the bed, then sat on the bedside, opened the medical kit, and took out a small bottle of iodine solution. Zhou Qingbo was awakened by a faint stinging sensation on his hand. His sleep quality had been excellent initially¡ªhe had always remained unmoved even when there was thunder and lightning amidst strong winds and rain. But these past ten days, with worries on his mind and on standby in the disaster area, his sleep patterns had grown shallower. Even though he had found Pei You now, he still struggled to adjust. The disinfectant irritation was minimal, and the pain was slight. Zhou Qingbo groggily opened his eyes from his half-sleep state, feeling a coolness first. Pei You sat by the bedside, his back partially facing Zhou Qingbo. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arm rested on Pei You¡¯s knee, and he gently applied the medicine and blew on it, as if caring for something fragile. A gentle breeze brushed across the back of his hand, leaving a warm and ticklish sensation on his skin. Zhou Qingbo blinked his eyes slowly, his gaze fixated on Pei You¡¯s silhouette, near-greedily. These ten days, without much to eat or a proper place to stay, Pei You had also visibly lost weight. His shoulders had become slender lines under the white T-shirt, exposing only a slim neck. Due to the limited light, Pei You¡¯s movements were cautious and careful. Occasionally, he would have to get up to fetch a tissue or rearrange a dirty cotton ball. Perhaps to prevent waking Zhou Qingbo, Pei You didn¡¯t turn on the light. In the dim tent, only the moonlight gently poured in, outlining a faint silver glow on him. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s thoughts stirred slightly, and as Pei You sat back down by the bedside, he couldn¡¯t help but tighten his arm, hugging Pei You¡¯s waist. Pei You didn¡¯t even realize he had woken up. He was startled by this sudden action, subconsciously extending his arm to place the iodine bottle back on the folding table. ¡°Qingbo, you¡ª¡± Before Pei You could finish his sentence, Zhou Qingbo had quietly approached, half-closed eyes embracing Pei You from behind, intimately resting his head on Pei You¡¯s shoulder and softly inhaling. Pei You had lost most of his belongings in the ruins and was currently wearing Zhou Qingbo¡¯s clothes. Although he had tidied himself up, he hadn¡¯t applied any cologne like he usually did. Snuggling against him, Zhou Qingbo could smell the pleasant scent of laundry detergent on his clothes, and suddenly, he remembered that he hadn¡¯t always been a firm advocate of being single. ¡ªThat was during his youngest, most adolescent, and most ignorant period. Zhou Qingbo had carried uncertainties and curiosity about his sexual orientation, and he had also fantasized about how his future lover would be. A young person¡¯s thoughts are simple and straightforward. There were no thoughts about things like ¡°promising future¡± or ¡°wealthy background.¡± When he thought about his future late at night, he envisioned the simplest things. For instance, he imagined his future partner to be gentle, considerate, preferably wearing white shirts, speaking softly and gently, not adhering to tough love or easily causing harm to him. Teenage love fantasies always carried a slightly tender and innocent flavor, resembling fairy tales while also reflecting a certain self-expectation. They are childishly perplexing. He, too, like countless seventeen or eighteen-year-old boys, hoped his other half would be gentle, virtuous, and attentive. However, as he grew older and his understanding of his sexual orientation deepened, he became more aware of the process of coming out, as well as the inconvenience it would bring to his relationship with his family. After careful consideration, he simply decided to become an advocate of singlehood. Perhaps fate is a wondrous thing. It goes round and round, looping back, and eventually brings one back to the starting point after they¡¯ve forgotten all their expectations. ¡°Poof¡ª¡± Thinking of this, Zhou Qingbo suddenly chuckled, playfully snuggling his head onto Pei You¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Destiny,¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes, accustomed to sunglasses, found it a little hard to adjust to the light, and he subconsciously turned his head away. ¡°It¡¯s just so magical.¡± His exclamation was disjointed, leaving Pei You quite puzzled. He couldn¡¯t help but want to turn and look at him. However, they were too close, and Zhou Qingbo was resting his head on Pei You¡¯s shoulder. When Pei You turned, his profile brushed Zhou Qingbo¡¯s lips, leaving behind a gentle kiss. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zhou Qingbo arched an eyebrow, teasingly asking, ¡°Stealing a kiss from me?¡± ¡°¡­No,¡± Pei You hadn¡¯t yet grown accustomed to this kind of intimate banter. He cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly and shifted the conversation, ¡°What about destiny?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Zhou Qingbo kept him in suspense, then slightly turned his head, barely touching Pei You¡¯s cheek with his lips, and smiled, ¡°It just feels like fate, like I was meant to meet you from birth.¡± Zhou Qingbo was frank and sincere, never stingy when sharing his feelings. Affection and closeness came naturally to him. Pei You suppressed a smile and lightly responded, ¡°Me too.¡± Not only Zhou Qingbo, but Pei You also sometimes felt the sense of ¡°destined to be¡± between them. At times, he couldn¡¯t help but think that maybe all those more than thirty failed blind dates were merely laying the foundation for meeting Zhou Qingbo. As they conversed, new messages popped up on the folded table¡¯s phone, lighting up and then dimming the screen, casting a soft glow on Pei You¡¯s profile. Zhou Qingbo squinted his eyes as he was momentarily uncomfortable with the light. He was about to turn away when Pei You noticed and shielded his eyes. Pei You reached for the phone and adjusted the screen brightness to the lowest level. Zhou Qingbo found Pei You¡¯s consideration and protection rather comforting. He lazily squinted his eyes again and asked in a muffled voice what the messages were about. ¡°Seems like it¡¯s a WeChat message,¡± Pei You said. ¡°From the group here in the disaster area, asking about you.¡± Zhou Qingbo made friends easily. On his way here, he had encountered countless people, from his fellow rescue team members to survivors he had helped. People had heard about his ¡°searching from afar¡± efforts and spontaneously formed a group to inquire about his whereabouts. Now that they suddenly heard someone reporting that he had been found, those in the group were growing curious. Zhou Qingbo was feeling a bit slow due to exhaustion. He responded to the messages and only then belatedly remembered that Pei You¡¯s photo was still on his locked screen. However, now that he had seen it, it was too late to hide it. Zhou Qingbohanded the phone over to Pei You, taking the initiative to ¡°explain.¡± ¡°I took that picture secretly. I actually wanted to tell you the next day, but I forgot,¡± Zhou Qingbo mumbled softly, ¡°Later, when I came out to look for you, I found the screenshot in my album and remembered.¡± ¡°Since I couldn¡¯t find you, I set this picture as my wallpaper and looked at it during breaks,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. At that time, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s state of mind was a bit unstable. He always felt that the only faint and fragile connection between him and Pei You was this picture. It was almost as if that photo was to disappear, any trace of Pei You¡¯s existence in his life would vanish as well. Such a state of mind was clearly abnormal. Therefore, Zhou Qingbo eventually set the photo as his wallpaper. Whenever he had a moment, he would take it out and look at it to ease his longing and ¡°stabilize his emotions.¡± Whenever the days of their disconnection were mentioned, Pei You¡¯s mood became somewhat complicated. He subconsciously held Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand, gently caressing it twice, then asked, ¡°So, the rescue team members know me because of you?¡± ¡°Um¡­ probably,¡± Zhou Qingbo thought for a moment and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t shown them your photo though. But If they recognize you, it must be from seeing you with me.¡± Pei You¡¯s heart felt sour and bittersweet. He couldn¡¯t resist but reach out and touch the bruise on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand. ¡°In fact, I also¡­¡± Pei You paused, seemingly searching for the right words, then hesitated for a while before continuing, ¡°I was also anxious. When I couldn¡¯t reach you, I kept having nightmares. In my dreams, I went back to Beijing to find you, wanting to talk to you about the topic we had agreed on before. But in my dream, you told me that going through anxious days just once was enough, and more than that was pointless, so you weren¡¯t planning to be with me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled softly, unable to resist teasing him. ¡°Am I that petty in your dreams?¡± ¡°No,¡± Pei You didn¡¯t catch his teasing tone and hurriedly explained, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I felt bad for making you worry. I promised you that I¡¯d always answer your calls and never go silent again, but I didn¡¯t fulfill that promise.¡± It¡¯s okay,¡± probably seeing that Pei You was genuinely blaming himself, Zhou Qingbo, unusually soft-spoken, didn¡¯t escalate the matter. Instead, he said gently, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s still best not to let it happen again,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a smile. ¡°My heart is a bit fragile. It can¡¯t handle too many storms. It might shatter into pieces.¡± Pei You softly acknowledged, and after a few seconds of silence, he suddenly said, ¡°When I was arranging your luggage earlier, I saw the piece of paper.¡± Zhou Qingbo blinked slightly, took a moment to register what he meant, then made a thoughtful sound. While lightly playing with Pei You¡¯s fingers, he said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I write it messily?¡± Zhou Qingbo was willing to go to great lengths for Pei You, but if Pei You found out about his efforts, he wouldn¡¯t pretend to be virtuous and hide it. He straightforwardly admitted, ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. I was so anxious at the time that I just wrote down any possible scenario.¡± ¡°Not messy, it¡¯s good.¡± When Pei You brought up this matter, his mood seemed to dampen. He shook his head, hesitated for a while, and then said, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard to find me.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Zhou Qingbo half-closed his eyes, hummed twice, and muttered, ¡°When we¡¯re back in Beijing, you¡¯ll have to compensate me well¡­ a bit more.¡± It seemed that Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t want to dwell on this topic for too long. He also didn¡¯t want Pei You to get caught up in this. As soon as he finished speaking, he tightened his arm around Pei You¡¯s waist, gently pulling him back onto the bed with him. ¡°Feeling tired,¡± Zhou Qingbo yawned and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this. Just sleep.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ wait a second.¡± Successfully diverted by Zhou Qingbo, Pei You struggled subconsciously. He said, ¡°I haven¡¯t given you your medicine yet.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Zhou Qingbo was incredibly drowsy and didn¡¯t waste any time. He simply ¡°suppressed¡± Pei You and declared firmly, ¡°Physical injuries don¡¯t matter. You should first make up for the emotional distress you caused me.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± It was evident that Zhou Qingbo had indeed suffered quite a bit of ¡°emotional distress.¡± He wrapped his arms around Pei You¡¯s waist and held him like a large body pillow. To Pei You¡¯s surprise, his attempts to pull away didn¡¯t work; Zhou Qingbo was clinging on tightly. ¡°Alright,¡± Pei You compromised and said, ¡°Do you feel any discomfort anywhere?¡± Where did he not feel discomfort? Zhou Qingbo thought to himself. His back hurt, his arms were weak, his legs were sore, and there was a strange swelling sensation. However, Zhou Qingbo had grown used to discomfort during this time and assumed it was due to muscle strains. He kicked off his shoes beside the bed and mumbled a vague no With Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arms still wrapped around him, Pei You had almost forgotten about his earlier decision to stay awake all night. As he listened to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s even and continuous breathing beside his ear, he unconsciously relaxed his body and fell asleep while still leaning against him. For the past ten days, this was the first truly peaceful sleep Pei You had. He had a dreamless night, and he only woke up when it was already bright outside the tent due to the noisy commotion. Probably aware of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s habits, the rescue team members didn¡¯t rush to open the tent but rather stood at the entrance and called out to him. They informed Zhou Qingbo that the rescue team was planning to enter the town that day and that he should gather at the assembly point. However, Zhou Qingbo was in such a deep sleep that he didn¡¯t react to their calls. Pei You slipped out from his embrace and was about to shake Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder to wake him up when he noticed that Zhou Qingbo¡¯s body was unusually warm and burning up. CH 72 Pei You¡¯s expression changed, and he almost immediately jolted up. He first touched Zhou Qingbo¡¯s forehead with the back of his hand, then used his fingers to brush the collar of his clothes and check the temperature on the side of his neck. His expression became somewhat grim and he looked concerned. If one¡¯s nerves were too tense and suddenly relaxed, it was indeed possible to fall ill. However, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s fever was quite severe. Even the corners of his eyes had a thin layer of red spreading across them. It didn¡¯t look like a simple effect of exhaustion. Fortunately, the medical kit he brought along the previous night was still in the tent. Pei You took out a digital thermometer and gently touched Zhou Qingbo¡¯s forehead with it. He checked the reading on the thermometer screen. ¡ª 39.1¡ãC, a high fever. Pei You furrowed his brows and fixed Zhou Qingbo¡¯s collar for him. He didn¡¯t dare to move him recklessly. Instead, he got up and lifted the tent¡¯s curtain to step outside. The young man who had come to wake them up was still standing by the tent¡¯s entrance. Pei You walked over, smiled apologetically to him, and gestured. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Qingbo might not be able to continue with the team ¡ª he¡¯s sick and running a high fever.¡± The young man was momentarily taken aback by his words. He peered inside and then asked, puzzled, ¡°How did he suddenly fall ill?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He was fine last night, but he suddenly developed a fever this morning,¡± a touch of worry appeared on Pei You¡¯s face as he continued, ¡°I checked his temperature, and it¡¯s quite high. I want to take him to see a doctor as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I see¡­ that would be best.¡± The young man seemed to be concerned too. He tiptoed to look inside the tent a couple more times before retracting his gaze. He kindly suggested, ¡°The rescue team is about to transfer the injured to the city. You can go with them.¡± Pei You breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him, ¡°That would be great.¡± The young man quickly went back to help coordinate the transportation. Pei You returned to the tent and knelt by the bedside, gently patting Zhou Qingbo¡¯s face. ¡°Qingbo,¡± Pei You called out with worry, softly, ¡°Qingbo?¡± Zhou Qingbo vaguely heard his voice but couldn¡¯t tell if he was still dreaming. He felt sore all over, his eyelids seemed glued shut, and his entire body felt as if it were immersed in concrete. Whenever he tried to move, he¡¯d become dizzy as if the world was spinning. However, Pei You¡¯s voice sounded too urgent. Zhou Qingbo furrowed his brows and, after struggling for a while, managed to break free from the fog of the high fever, though barely. ¡°¡­What?¡± Zhou Qingbo squinted his eyes, his voice hoarse, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± ¡°You have a fever.¡± Pei You touched Zhou Qingbo¡¯s forehead again, worry evident in his tone, ¡°Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere right now?¡± Pei You had asked this question once last night too, but Zhou Qingbo was so exhausted at the time that he only wanted to sleep and didn¡¯t pay much attention. Now that Pei You was asking again, Zhou Qingbo furrowed his brows and placed the back of his hand against his forehead, trying to feel it carefully. ¡°It feels¡­ a bit sore,¡± Zhou Qingbo said softly. ¡°Where?¡± Pei You inquired. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t answer directly. He just gently moved his right leg¡¯s knee, indicating. Pei You moved to the other side of the bed, lifted his pants, and took a look. He suddenly realized that there was a wound on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s right leg, extending from the side of his calf all the way up to above his ankle. The wound was both deep and long, and because it hadn¡¯t been treated promptly, its edges were turning red and swelling. Pei You involuntarily sucked in a breath of cold air. The hand that was lifting his pants slightly trembled. He was too afraid to pull them up or let them down. Zhou Qingbo sensed something was off from Pei You¡¯s reaction and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, did it get worse?¡± ¡°It looks serious, why didn¡¯t you say anything before?¡± Pei You said. Zhou Qingbo slowly recalled, starting from the day he met Pei You, that Pei You had always been gentle and considerate. It seemed like he was the type of person who wouldn¡¯t get angry easily, even in the face of big issues. Now that he was unexpectedly being scolded, he found it a bit refreshing. He had become used to Pei You¡¯s spoiling and indulging him, so he wasn¡¯t afraid. Instead, he opened his eyes, looking interested, and playfully poked Pei You¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Are you angry? Did you just scold me?¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You found Zhou Qingbo¡¯s response quite puzzling. He was both angry and worried, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say harsh words to Zhou Qingbo. So, he simply closed his mouth, lifted Zhou Qingbo up, and gently helped him put on his clothes. Zhou Qingbo, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t feeling well but couldn¡¯t resist teasing. He took advantage of the situation, leaning against Pei You¡¯s shoulder from time to time, and in a sticky manner, he asked, ¡°Why are you ignoring me? Are you really angry with me?¡± Pei You couldn¡¯t avert Zhou Qingbo¡¯s playful antics. Busy as he was with fastening buttons, he was getting frustrated. Ultimately, he leaned his head and kissed him. Zhou Qingbo made a soft sound of surprise but responded quickly, exchanging a tender kiss with him. ¡°Alright, Qingbo,¡± Pei You smoothed down his collar and helped him stand up from the bed. He whispered gently, ¡°Don¡¯t make me worry,we need to get you checked.¡± His voice was low and soft, and if listened to carefully, one could hear a faint quiver beneath it. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart softened, and he responded with a vague ¡°mm-hmm,¡± refraining from making any more playful remarks. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s mobile phone had only five minutes of call time. Thankfully, before it ran out of battery completely, Pei You had informed his colleagues, notified their management, and then, together with the rescue team, helped Zhou Qingbo onto the vehicle and headed for the city. ¡°The injury on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s leg was scratched by gravel in the sewage area. After not being treated well, it was now infected. It required antimicrobial treatment. However, the major hospitals in the southern province were currently admitting injured people from the disaster area, and medical resources were somewhat scarce. So, Pei You took Zhou Qingbo to a hospital in the neighboring province. Fortunately, leaving the disaster area made everything smoother. After settling in the hospital, Pei You used the hospital¡¯s phone to call his mom and sister to let them know about the situation and that he was safe. Then he returned to the ward, waiting for Zhou Qingbo to wake up from his unconsciousness. In the evening, Zhou Cangshan called Zhou Qingbo¡¯s phone which was now charging, twice. At that time, Zhou Qingbo was still asleep. Pei You hesitated for a moment but afraid that Zhou Cangshan might worry too much, he decided to answer the call, briefly explaining the current situation. ¡°Hospital?¡± Zhou Cangshan was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected Zhou Qingbo to get himself injured, sounding somewhat anxious as he asked, ¡°Is it serious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too bad.¡± Pei You glanced at the person sleeping on the bed, pulled up the blanket for him, and casually said, ¡°he just needs his wounds cleaned, anti-inflammatory treatment, and antibiotics. He might need to stay in the hospital for a few days. But don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not too serious, and it¡¯s under control. A few more days of fluids will help.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Zhou Cangshan breathed a sigh of relief, then realized what he said, and asked, ¡°Have you already left the disaster area?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re in Chongqing now.¡± Pei You said, ¡°Once Qingbo gets better, we¡¯ll return to Beijing.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Zhou Cangshan responded without much follow-up. He was somewhat puzzled about the whole situation with Zhou Qingbo desperately wanting to find Pei You, which in turn made his attitude towards Pei You a bit awkward, not easily understandable. Over the phone, Pei You didn¡¯t notice Zhou Cangshan¡¯s discomfort. After a while of silence, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°So, that¡¯s the situation¡­ Mr. Zhou, do you have any more matters to discuss? If not, I¡¯ll hang up?¡± ¡°No that¡¯s all,¡± Zhou Cangshan snapped out of his thoughts, subconsciously saying, ¡°just keep me posted.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Pei You politely said, ¡°When Qingbo wakes up, I¡¯ll have him call you back.¡± After Pei You finished speaking, he hung up the phone. Zhou Cangshan looked at the call ended screen of his phone and suddenly felt a clear sense of discomfort. When did they become so familiar? Zhou Cangshan wondered. Despite being biological brothers with Zhou Qingbo, the way Pei You spoke about Zhou Qingbo seemed even closer. His tone was natural and intimate, as if he unconsciously merged himself and Zhou Qingbo into one. After this call, Zhou Cangshan suddenly had the feeling that he was the outsider. Did I overthink things? Zhou Cangshan puzzled over. This subtle sense of discomfort persisted until the next day. In the evening, since Zhou Qingbo¡¯s condition was more stable, Zhou Cangshan took the initiative to make a video call. In the video, Zhou Qingbo looked okay. He was leaning against a propped-up pillow on the bed, holding a bowl of small grapes in his hand, adjusting the phone holder with the other hand. ¡°You lazy person.¡± Zhou Cangshan saw that he was fine, slightly relieved, and with a stern face, said, ¡°You found him, and now are you satisfied?¡± ¡°Satisfied, very satisfied.¡± Zhou Qingbo narrowed his eyes,smiled and winked ¡°Thanks to Big Brother¡¯s help. When we¡¯re back in Beijing, I¡¯ll have Pei You bring you a gift.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t flatter me.¡± Zhou Cangshan didn¡¯t buy it, ¡°Since things are resolved, come back to work soon, don¡¯t wander aimlessly, and as soon as you recover, come straight home.¡± The mere mention of going to work gave Zhou Qingbo a headache. A bitter expression crossed his face, and he was about to say something to change the topic when he suddenly looked to the side, his gaze shifting off-camera. He looked outside the frame of the camera, and Zhou Cangshan didn¡¯t know what was there, but he noticed that Zhou Qingbo¡¯s expression suddenly became livelier, with a hint of a smile at the corners of his eyes and lips. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Clearly, whatever was outside the camera was very captivating. Zhou Qingbo swallowed down what he originally wanted to say and played along, looking at the camera for a couple of seconds before saying casually, ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll be back in a couple of days. The doctor is here to check on me; I¡¯m hanging up now.¡± He didn¡¯t give Zhou Cangshan time to respond before he hung up. But his hand had a few water droplets on it, and when he touched the screen, the phone¡¯s response was delayed by a couple of seconds due to the water, and then he managed to hit the hang-up button. So, in the split second before the call ended, Zhou Cangshan saw a hand suddenly and abruptly extend from the side of the camera. The hand¡¯s fingertips holding a thin slice of apple, and it skillfully and intimately fed it to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s lips. Zhou Qingbo naturally turned his head to accept it, and it seemed like he even bit the person¡¯s fingertip. Zhou Cangshan: ¡°¡­¡± CH 73 Now Zhou Cangshan couldn¡¯t pretend not to have seen it. He widened his eyes and stared at the dark screen for a while, then suddenly turned his head to look at Jiang Man on the sofa, unbelievably saying, ¡°Zhou Qingbo¡­ Is there something off between him and Pei You?¡± After all, in Zhou Cangshan¡¯s conservative and simple worldview, men rarely interacted with each other so intimately¡­ and ambiguously. It was the end of the workday, and Jiang Man was half-lying on the sofa watching a drama. When she heard his words, she glanced lazily at Zhou Cangshan and said, ¡°You¡¯ve only noticed now?¡± When Zhou Cangshan was on a video call with Zhou Qingbo earlier, he had the speakerphone on, and Jiang Man was listening in as well. Although she didn¡¯t see the screen, just from Zhou Cangshan¡¯s expression, she could guess the situation with a high degree of accuracy. ¡°Yeah,¡± Jiang Man reached out and pressed pause on the drama, then propped up her head with her arm, nodding with an ¡°of course¡± expression, and said, ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s definitely something off.¡± Zhou Cangshan: ¡°¡­¡± Jiang Man¡¯s attitude was so natural and nonchalant that Zhou Cangshan was momentarily stunned by her response, almost failing to catch the second half of her sentence. The thought process of a straight man was obviously a bit slow. Zhou Cangshan¡¯s face showed a rare expression of bewilderment. He pointed at Jiang Man, then hesitated and pointed at his phone. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zhou Cangshan asked. ¡°What do I mean?¡± Jiang Man chuckled softly, swaying on her tiptoes and implying something, she said, ¡°What do you think it means, what does your wife mean to you?.¡± Zhou Cangshan: ¡°¡­¡± The rigid Zhou Cangshan obviously had little grasp of homosexuality among men. He visibly hesitated for a moment, took a few seconds to process, and then suddenly realized Jiang Man¡¯s implication. ¡°You¡ª¡± Zhou Cangshan stood up abruptly and said incredulously, ¡°Are you saying he and Pei You¡­ they¡ª¡± ¡°Mhmm,¡± Jiang Man raised an eyebrow, saying, ¡°You¡¯ve only realized now.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Zhou Cangshan asked incredulously, ¡°You¡¯ve known for a while?¡± ¡°You could say that,¡± Jiang Man sighed softly, somewhat frustrated by Zhou Cangshan¡¯s slowness or maybe mocking his straightness, ¡°Just a few hundred years earlier than you, maybe.¡± Zhou Cangshan: ¡°¡­¡± In a matter of minutes, Zhou Cangshan had encountered too many unexpected situations. His mental processor momentarily short-circuited. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know whether to deal with ¡°Zhou Qingbo turning out to be gay¡± first or inquire about ¡°how Jiang Man knew about this.¡± So, he took a deep breath, paced around the room for a couple of rounds, forcefully gathered his scattered thoughts, and tried to extract a thread of understanding from within. ¡°Is it possible that it¡¯s a misunderstanding?¡± Zhou Cangshan furrowed his brows, struggling to say, ¡°How did he suddenly become gay?¡± ¡°What do you mean suddenly?¡± Jiang Man laughed, ¡°when did Xiao Qingbo tell you he wasn¡¯t?¡± He hadn¡¯t actually. Zhou Cangshan thought. He furrowed his brows, although he said ¡°misunderstanding¡± on the surface, he had mentally run through Zhou Qingbo¡¯s emotional experiences over the years. Soon, he realized that this might indeed be true. Compared to his peers, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s emotional history and experiences were abnormally lacking. Other boys his age would have crushes on girls at 18 or 19, pursue gorgeous women at 22 or 23, and at the very least, they would have a childhood sweetheart. However, Zhou Qingbo had none of that. He was almost like a monk. Zhou¡¯s parents had been worried about his marriage before, wanting to introduce him to girls his age, but he had brushed them off with a few words, saying he ¡°didn¡¯t want to fall in love.¡± Zhou Cangshan had thought he just didn¡¯t like being controlled, but now it seemed there was a different reason. The more Zhou Cangshan thought about it, the more he felt it was possible. The frozen frame from the video call kept replaying in his mind like a brainwashing movie, repeating over and over again. In the Zhou family, Zhou Qingbo was more like his mother, while Zhou Cangshan was more like his father. His personality and nature were just like Zhou Jianguo his father, he was conservative and rigid, he wouldn¡¯t budge an inch. Being gay was clearly beyond the acceptance range of the ¡°traditionalist.¡± Zhou Cangshan¡¯s heart sank, and his expression turned unpleasant. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Seeing his expression worsen, Jiang Man put down the tablet and wondered, ¡°Xiao Qingbo hasn¡¯t murdered anyone or committed arson. You¡¯re not really going to meddle in this, are you?¡± ¡°No.¡± But Zhou Cangshan evidently didn¡¯t think of this as a mere ¡°meddling¡± affair. His expression turned serious. Without a second thought, he grabbed his phone and dialed his secretary while saying, ¡°I need to ask him about this.¡± On the other side, Zhou Qingbo had no idea that the affair between him and Pei You had been exposed. He had spent these two days feeling particularly comfortable. He didn¡¯t have to get up early to work, nor did he have to nervously search for Pei You among the rubble. Perhaps his ¡°cross-country rush¡± had genuinely touched Pei You, because Pei You had been remarkably attentive to him these past two days, looking after him frequently. Except for the slightly painful moments when cleaning and changing his wounds, he was at ease and relaxed most of the time. After resting in bed for two days, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s fever quickly subsided. He was soon full of energy and back in good health. Seeing Zhou Qingbo¡¯s spirited state getting better by the day, Pei You breathed a sigh of relief. While he relaxed, he also needed to brace himself occasionally to deal with some lingering issues that had arisen unexpectedly. ¡°You scolded me that day,¡± Zhou Qingbo tugged at Pei You with one hand, slightly narrowed his eyes, and softly complained, ¡°You never used to scold me before. Why are you not cherishing me after getting me now?¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡± Pei You also knew he wasn¡¯t genuinely complaining. He just wanted to seize the opportunity, so he awkwardly responded, ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you.¡± ¡°But you made me really sad.¡± Zhou Qingbo blinked his eyes, and repeated it again. As he spoke, a hint of aggression suddenly appeared in his eyes, but his tone remained soft and gentle, ¡°Think of a way quickly, or my heart will break.¡± Pei You felt somewhat exposed under that gaze. He uncomfortably bent his fingers and slowly drew a conclusion from looking into Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes. He won¡¯t give me an answer, Pei You thought. He wants to see me take the initiative. ¡°Closed-book exam¡± was a bit challenging for Pei You. He could only seek some help from his past experiences. So, Pei You pondered for a moment and cautiously leaned forward, attempting to kiss Zhou Qingbo¡¯s cheek. Zhou Qingbo slightly narrowed his eyes, not avoiding or saying anything, evidently consenting and encouraging this action. Pei You felt somewhat relieved, understanding that he had found the right approach. He raised his head slightly, preparing to place the next kiss on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s lips , but then he heard the door to the room creak open, pushed from outside. CH 74 Zhou Qingbo reacted quickly, nearly climbing off Pei You as soon as he heard the door sound. Given the frequent unexpected occurrences with patients in the hospital, even single rooms weren¡¯t allowed to be locked to facilitate medical staff movement. Zhou Qingbo had already become used to these ¡°sudden attacks¡± over the past few days and hadn¡¯t paid much attention, but as he lifted his head, he froze. Because he suddenly realized that the person entering wasn¡¯t a doctor or a nurse, but rather Zhou Cangshan, who should have been miles away. Zhou Cangshan came in a hurry, without any luggage and without a secretary trailing behind him. He had his suit jacket draped over his arm, a pronounced crease forming on his forehead. His hand still clung to the doorknob, maintaining the posture of someone entering. His gaze swept around the room for a moment before settling on Zhou Qingbo. Zhou Cangshan didn¡¯t speak. Zhou Qingbo was still stunned, the subtle and awkward silence hanging in the air spreading an indescribable atmosphere, like an impending storm, carrying an unclear scent. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s crisis radar went off, going crazy instantly. He subconsciously adjusted his posture, unknowingly straightening his back. After a few seconds, he hesitantly spoke, ¡°Big Brother?¡± Zhou Cangshan responded with a cold ¡°Hmm.¡± Zhou Qingbo knew the response was severe. Although he didn¡¯t know why Zhou Cangshan had made this trip from so far away, just by the looks of it, he knew it wasn¡¯t to ¡°commend¡± him. Moreover, Zhou Cangshan¡¯s timing was terrible. Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d seen something when he entered, and he was even less certain if he¡¯d figured anything out. Zhou Qingbo loved to joke and play, but he was also tactful. He knew that what he and Pei You had been doing just now wasn¡¯t a typical ¡°friendship interaction.¡± Even if the topic wasn¡¯t about being gay, it would be hard to brush it off with ¡°good friends¡± in the eyes of a steel-willed straight man like Zhou Cangshan. Zhou Qingbo had never come out to his family. This was something Pei You knew. Although Pei You might be slow, he wasn¡¯t dumb. In a country where traditional and conservative values dominated, there were few parents like He Ping. More often, parents were radical and conservative, treating the three-letter word ¡°gay¡± as a fearsome beast. The Zhou family was especially strict, their family values were conservative and righteous. Even going to a bar was frowned upon, let alone being caught doing something gay. Although Pei You knew rationally that it might be better if he wasn¡¯t there during this time, emotionally, he was worried about Zhou Qingbo. suddenly, Zhou Cangshan said with an implied meaning, ¡°I¡¯ve been standing at the door for a while.¡± That means he must have seen it all, Zhou Qingbo thought. Zhou Cangshan was straightforward, impatient with beating around the bush, and he burst the bubble without hesitation. Strangely enough, this made Zhou Qingbo feel more at ease. It was one thing to have a sword hanging above his head and another for it to actually fall ¨C the latter was painful for a moment, but the former kept him constantly on edge, struggling in doubt and insecurity. In fact, Zhou Cangshan being direct about this matter was a good thing. At least Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t have to rack his brain trying to deceive him. Thinking this, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart actually eased, and he smiled, suddenly turning to Pei You and saying, ¡°By the way, I feel like having some pork ribs from Qiaotou.¡± Zhou Cangshan had just discovered the relationship between Zhou Qingbo and Pei You, so logically, regardless of whether it was to avoid suspicion or to appease Zhou Cangshan¡¯s emotions, Zhou Qingbo shouldn¡¯t have had such a natural exchange with Pei You. However, Zhou Qingbo really didn¡¯t want to get lectured in front of Pei You, so he had to find a way to get him to leave. Pei You hadn¡¯t expected him to bring this up at a time like this, and he hesitated for a moment before turning his head to look at Zhou Qingbo with a puzzled expression. Zhou Qingbo seemed to have understood his thoughts and preemptively interrupted him before he could say anything. ¡°I want the double combo of sweet and sour and cumin flavors,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. Repeatedly, Pei You also saw Zhou Qingbo¡¯s persistence, so he had no choice but to suppress his worry for the moment and softly replied, ¡°Sure.¡± He stood up from the hospital bed, patted his wrinkled coat, and walked naturally toward the door. As he was about to leave, he politely nodded to Zhou Cangshan in greeting. Up until now, Zhou Cangshan still didn¡¯t know how to face this ¡°sister-in-law.¡± From a personal and business perspective, he admired someone like Pei You, but from an emotional standpoint, he found it difficult to accept the relationship between him and Zhou Qingbo. Proper upbringing prevented Zhou Cangshan from venting his anger on Pei You, but he also couldn¡¯t interact with Pei You in the usual friendly manner. So, he averted his gaze, ignoring him. Fortunately, Pei You didn¡¯t mind. He stepped aside to let Zhou Cangshan pass and then walked out. It was Zhou Cangshan who couldn¡¯t help but look back at him. He followed Pei You¡¯s departing direction with his gaze for a while. It wasn¡¯t until Pei You turned the corner of the corridor that he withdrew his gaze with a complicated expression and looked at Zhou Qingbo. ¡°He does seem to listen to you,¡± Zhou Cangshan said cryptically. After Pei You left, Zhou Qingbo sighed with relief to some extent. He shifted his body, letting his injured leg hang outside the edge of the bed, and adjusted to a more proper sitting posture. ¡°That¡¯s not called listening,¡± Zhou Qingbo corrected. ¡°He¡¯s just concerned about me.¡± Ever since he discovered his sexual orientation, Zhou Qingbo had thought countless times about scenarios where his sexuality would be exposed. In his imagination, these situations were all earth-shattering, colossal waves that threatened to topple the heavens and bring chaos. Originally close family members might become disappointed, hateful, and might even avoid him. In the midst of this upheaval and change, Zhou Qingbo had thought he would panic, become indecisive, and collapse under the disappointed gazes of Zhou Cangshan and Zhou Jianguo. However, when this situation truly happened, Zhou Qingbo realized that he was actually much calmer than he had imagined. At least at this moment, facing Zhou Cangshan, he didn¡¯t feel the slightest desire to back down. ¡°He has been taking good care of me,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a smile, ¡°After all, when you¡¯re in a relationship, you can¡¯t be with someone who doesn¡¯t like you.¡± Zhou Cangshan didn¡¯t expect him to have the courage to say that. He took a sharp breath, feeling a rush of anger, which shattered the calm expression he had been maintaining. ¡°Zhou Qingbo, how dare you say that?¡± Zhou Cangshan gritted his teeth. ¡°If you were just messing around, that would be one thing. But now you¡¯re imitating homosexuality? Have you no shame?¡± Zhou Qingbai said casually. ¡°I¡¯ve always been gay. I just have never told you.¡± From a young age, Zhou Qingbo had both revered and feared Zhou Cangshan. This was the first time he had spoken so confrontationally to him. In Zhou Cangshan¡¯s heart, there was both anger at being defied and a hint of sorrow at seeing that Zhou Qingbo had grown up to the point of speaking back at him. ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you like him or just messing around,¡± Zhou Cangshan took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. ¡°Break up with him as soon as possible. I¡¯ll pretend none of this ever happened.¡± Knowing Zhou Cangshan, this was already the most significant compromise he could make. But for Zhou Qingbo, he couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother,¡± Zhou Qingbo said softly. ¡°I can¡¯t break up with him because I really like him.¡± Zhou Cangshan couldn¡¯t understand. In his perspective, there was no spark between two men, and the concept of whether they loved each other or not was absurd. ¡°Maybe you can¡¯t accept it, but I really am gay,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, pausing for a moment and adding, ¡°By nature.¡± Zhou Cangshan was choked up, unable to discern whether he was angry or confused. To be honest, when Zhou Cangshan found out about the relationship between Zhou Qingbo and Pei You, his initial reaction was fear. In his mindset, there was no love between men. Even if two men kissed and hugged, such a relationship was strange, wrong, and definitely not ¡°normal.¡± Zhou Qingbo had always been a child in his eyes, playful and unpredictable. Zhou Cangshan was truly afraid that he would go astray and end up on a crooked path that he couldn¡¯t escape from. He was afraid that Zhou Qingbo would walk down a wrong path, afraid that he would lose a ¡°normal¡± life from now on, and afraid that people would point fingers at him on the street. So, unusually, he pushed aside all his work and traveled all the way here just to hear Zhou Qingbo say, ¡°He¡¯s not.¡± Unfortunately, he was still disappointed. At the moment when Zhou Qingbo disobeyed him, Zhou Cangshan¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t only sorrowful, but his love wasn¡¯t enough to make him compromise. As Zhou Qingbo appeared more desolate, Zhou Cangshan felt increasingly that it was his twisted sexual orientation that had caused this. ¡°You¡­¡± Zhou Cangshan was somewhat speechless. He took several deep breaths, pacing back and forth as if trapped, and seemed still unsatisfied. His voice turned colder and more rigid. ¡°Are you not prepared to change, huh?¡± Zhou Cangshan asked. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t say anything and simply answered with silence. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand!¡± Zhou Cangshan exclaimed, ¡°What¡¯s so good about this? Is it something to be proud of?¡± The more Zhou Cangshan thought about it, the angrier he became. He gave up on convincing Zhou Qingbo and walked a few steps over, grabbing Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arm and attempting to pull him up. ¡°Forget it, come back to Beijing with me,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°We¡¯ll talk properly once we¡¯re back.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s leg was still injured. Being pulled abruptly, he knocked against the edge of the bed, causing him to inhale sharply. His legs felt weak, causing him to stagger forward. Only then did Zhou Cangshan realize that he was still injured. He stopped in his tracks, torn between advancing or retreating. Fortunately, the commotion Zhou Cangshan caused caught the attention of the nurses¡¯ station outside. In a short while, a nurse pushed a mobile cart in, giving him an annoyed glance. ¡°Please keep the ward quiet,¡± the nurse said, ¡°It¡¯s time to dress his wounds. Sir, Lie back down, and roll up your pants.¡± As Zhou Cangshan was worried about Zhou Qingbo, he let go of his hand and allowed him to sit back on the hospital bed. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s leg injury was quite severe, the anti-infection treatment wasn¡¯t complete yet, and the edges of the wound were still red and swollen. Zhou Cangshan took just a glance before furrowing his brows and looking away. ¡°Brother, I can¡¯t come back yet¡± Zhou Qingbo, understanding Zhou Cangshan well, seized the opportunity, speaking softly and gently, ¡°I still need to stay in the hospital for three more days.¡± Zhou Cangshan: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Cangshan wanted to bring Zhou Qingbo back home to ¡°discipline¡± him, but when he saw the nurses attending to his wound, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to be harsh. He hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly eased his tone. ¡°When you¡¯re back in Beijing, come visit me first,¡± Zhou Cangshan said coldly, ¡°I can¡¯t control you anymore. You will have to explain to Mom and Dad when the time comes.¡± At the mention of ¡°Mom and Dad,¡± Zhou Qingbo involuntarily furrowed his brows. However, Zhou Cangshan clearly didn¡¯t intend to give him time for bargaining. As soon as he finished speaking, he picked up his coat and turned to leave without further ado. He came in a hurry, and he left in a hurry, leaving Zhou Qingbo a ticking time bomb. Zhou Qingbo let out a long sigh and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little weary. Not even two minutes after Zhou Cangshan left, Pei You returned from outside. He came back empty-handed, not bringing back any food. ¡°Where¡¯s the spare ribs?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked in puzzlement, ¡°Were you robbed halfway?¡± ¡°I ordered takeout for you,¡± Pei You said truthfully, ¡°It¡¯ll be here soon.¡± Although Zhou Qingbo intended to send him away, Pei You didn¡¯t dare go far. He sat at the entrance of the waiting room for a while, watching Zhou Cangshan leave before returning to the room. Thankfully, Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t particularly focused on eating ribs at the moment. He made a nonchalant sound in response and patted the bed, indicating for Pei You to sit beside him. ¡°Did you and your brother have an argument?¡± Pei You sat on the edge of the bed and asked with concern, ¡°I overheard some shouting when I was in the corridor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Zhou Qingbo leaned back, reclining on Pei You¡¯s lap. He sighed lightly and spoke casually, ¡°I came out to him. He¡¯s just having trouble accepting it for a while.¡± Zhou Qingbo had just finished changing his dressing, and his face was still somewhat pale. Pei You wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead and sighed softly. ¡°Did you tell him directly?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Better to rip the bandage off quickly. It¡¯s better to explode in one go than to bring it up every now and then in the future,¡± Zhou Qingbo reached over to hold his hand, absentmindedly rubbing it. ¡°Actually, to be honest, I used to fear exposing my sexuality. Once it¡¯s out, I¡¯ll have to face the core differences with my family. We¡¯ll have conflicts and disputes¡ªI can¡¯t compromise on this, I can only force them to accept me.¡± Pei You had always known that although Zhou Qingbo appeared to be a rebellious youth, he was kind-hearted and considerate. He didn¡¯t want to manipulate others with familial ties, nor did he want to create irreconcilable conflicts with his closest family members. ¡°After all,¡± Zhou Qingbo sighed deeply, complaining softly, ¡°When I think about ¡®going to war¡¯ with my family and making them sad, I feel somewhat guilty.¡± ¡°Well, actually¡­¡± Pei You said softly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be in such a hurry. You can take your time.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t feel any guilt about his relationship with Zhou Qingbo. However, he also wasn¡¯t insistent on immediately demanding that Zhou Qingbo openly announce their relationship to the world. Different families had different ways of dealing with things. Pei You was willing to let Zhou Qingbo gradually work through this issue. But evidently, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s thoughts on this matter were different from his. ¡°No.¡± Zhou Qingbo unexpectedly rejected, ¡°Then what¡¯s the point of you being my boyfriend?¡± Their relationship wasn¡¯t a secret anymore, and suggesting they take things ¡°slowly¡± at this point was equivalent to ¡°keeping it hidden.¡± Pei You wasn¡¯t sensitive to this matter, but Zhou Qingbo was. He didn¡¯t want, nor was he willing, to treat Pei You like that. He didn¡¯t want to whitewash the issue with a compromise that satisfied no one. Zhou Qingbo squeezed Pei You¡¯s hand forcefully, expressing his displeasure, ¡°You¡¯re my boyfriend. Why do we have to act like we¡¯re ashamed of it? We didn¡¯t make a big deal about it before, but now that they all know, do you want me to deny it?¡± ¡°No,¡± Pei You quickly denied, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Pei You licked his lips, unsure how to phrase his next words, hesitating for a moment before carefully and slowly speaking, ¡°You said you didn¡¯t want to make your family sad, so I was thinking, should I¡­¡± ¡°Pei You.¡± Zhou Qingbo interrupted him, blinked in puzzlement, and asked, ¡°Did you forget something?¡± ¡°What?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°You¡¯re my family too,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. CH 75 Coming out of the closet was a big deal, unlike the small jokes and banter from before. It wasn¡¯t a topic to be taken lightly. After Zhou Cangshan left, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t mention the matter again. He ate and drank as if there was no looming issue over his head. Initially, Pei You had some concerns, but over time, he was gradually influenced by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s relaxed attitude. He began to let go of the tension he was holding. ¡°I realized something,¡± Pei You handed Zhou Qingbo a glass of water and casually said, ¡°I think I¡¯ve been influenced by you.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhou Qingbo sat on the edge of the bed with his legs dangling over, pausing when he heard that, curious, he asked, ¡°Influenced in what way?¡± ¡°In my way of handling things,¡± Pei You said as he walked back to the couch, half-kneeling beside it, and started packing the suitcase. He continued conversationally, ¡°If I were still following my old habits, I would be brainstorming right now about how to help you come out more effectively, rather than sorting local specialities here.¡± Before meeting Zhou Qingbo, Pei You was someone who valued careful planning. Not to mention facing something as significant as coming out, even when he ran for student council president in school, he¡¯d have to formulate a charter and follow a systematic process. However, Pei You¡¯s approach gradually became somewhat assimilated by Zhou Qingbo after spending a lot of time together. He had begun to believe in the idea that ¡°everything will work out in the end,¡± a far cry from his previous tendencies. Zhou Qingbo chuckled with the water glass in his hands and playfully swayed his legs. He said in a solemn tone, ¡°Congratulations, Mr. Pei. You¡¯ve saved yourself from about twenty years of detours.¡± Pei You, who was currently cramming packets of hot pot seasonings into the suitcase, glanced at him, raising an eyebrow in puzzlement. ¡°People say that couples influence each other. You¡¯re still so young, yet you¡¯ve already achieved this ultimate goal,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a smile. ¡°Congratulations and well done.¡± As he spoke, he jumped down from the bed on one leg, resembling a one-legged rooster, and hopped a few steps over to the couch with a curious bend at the waist, peering into the suitcase. ¡°Besides, what¡¯s wrong with local specialties? They¡¯re quite important too,¡± Zhou Qingbo confidently said, ¡°This represents the journey we¡¯ve taken together here in the province.¡± Pei You thought this proof was quite fragile. When he looked inside the suitcase, he saw that around ninety percent of its contents were food. Most of it would be gone in less than a month. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Pei You couldn¡¯t argue with him, so he quickly grabbed his arm and helped him back onto the couch¡¯s armrest, saying, ¡°don¡¯t move too much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Zhou Qingbo patted his own leg, nonchalantly saying, ¡°I¡¯m much better now.¡± During his days in the hospital, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s anti-infection treatment had been successful. The wound was no longer inflamed or infected, and it was slowly showing signs of healing. He had also transitioned from being a ¡°one-legged rooster¡± to a ¡°limping hero.¡± He could now walk somewhat normally without assistance. However, he found walking too slow and continued to bounce around the ward as he pleased. ¡°We have a flight to catch this afternoon, and you can walk now,¡± Pei You said. After a final check of the suitcase, he closed the lid. ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest a little?¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s external injuries were under control, and he could be discharged that day. Initially, Pei You wanted to stay with him for a few more days until the wound fully healed before returning to Beijing. However, Zhou Qingbo expressed his desire to return early, so Pei You decided to book a flight for the same day. The flight was around 5 in the afternoon. As Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t walk much, Pei You borrowed a wheelchair from the airport staff to make the process easier. He settled Zhou Qingbo in a relatively quiet resting area. ¡°It¡¯s too crowded over there. I¡¯ll handle the check-in process myself,¡± Pei You asked, ¡°I noticed two convenience stores nearby. Do you want me to bring you anything?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Zhou Qingbo leaned on his chin with one hand, smiling mischievously, ¡°Just bring yourself back.¡± ¡°In that case, you can rest assured,¡± Pei You said helplessly, ¡°At my age, I¡¯m not at risk of getting lost.¡± ¡°You never know,¡± Zhou Qingbo playfully extended his arm and hooked a finger around one of Pei You¡¯s, saying solemnly, ¡°You¡¯re so good-looking. What if someone kidnaps you?¡± Pei You couldn¡¯t help but think Zhou Qingbo was being silly. There probably wasn¡¯t anyone who would kidnap a nearly thirty-year-old, mentally sound adult. Pei You was confident in his personal safety, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit uneasy leaving Zhou Qingbo alone. As he went to complete the check-in process, he frequently turned back to look at Zhou Qingbo several times, worried that something unexpected might happen that he couldn¡¯t handle. On the other hand, Zhou Qingbo had no awareness of being a ¡°disabled person.¡± Instead, he found his first experience in a wheelchair fascinating. When Pei You returned after finishing the procedures, he found Zhou Qingbo engrossed in spinning in the wheelchair in a secluded corner. He seemed quite focused, his face brimming with newfound curiosity, thoroughly enjoying himself. Pei You¡¯s brisk pace gradually slowed down, and eventually, he came to a stop, standing not far away, quietly watching Zhou Qingbo. Zhou Qingbo seemed to possess this inherent talent. His nature was lively and free, and he was full of freshness and curiosity. He effortlessly extracted interesting fragments from the mundane daily life. Pei You silently watched him for a while and found his mood inexplicably brightened, as if the clouds had cleared and the moon had appeared. Zhou Qingbo was fully immersed in his play and hadn¡¯t noticed that Pei You had returned. It wasn¡¯t until someone manually applied the brakes to his turning wheelchair that he looked up and saw Pei You behind him. ¡°Having fun?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a hint of regret, ¡°It¡¯s a pity it¡¯s not electric. My hands are getting tired.¡± Pei You suppressed a smile and casually placed his identification and plane ticket on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s lap. He then took control of the wheelchair. ¡°Hey,¡± with Pei You present, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t need to exert any effort. He leaned back on the chair, lifting his head to glance at Pei You and said with a smile, ¡°Might as well practice now. Who knows, when we¡¯re old and gray, you might have to push me around.¡± When Zhou Qingbo mentioned being ¡°old and gray,¡± Pei You couldn¡¯t help but glance at him. Zhou Qingbo appeared naturally relaxed, his tone carrying a sense of unquestionable rightness, as if he was just stating a completely ordinary fact. Pei You¡¯s heart softened slightly. He felt that Zhou Qingbo, despite his easy going demeanor, had already arranged his entire life around the notion of ¡°growing old together.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Pei You softly agreed, ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± The flight from Jiangbei International Airport to Daxing Airport covered a distance of 1,700 kilometers, taking a total of three hours. When they arrived at their destination, Beijing was shrouded in darkness. A full moon hung in the sky, its glow slightly blurred by the intense lights on the ground. The temperature had dropped since autumn had arrived. Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t felt much change while in the southern region, but now that he was back in Beijing, he could sense a hint of chill in the night air. ¡°We¡¯ve finally returned,¡± Zhou Qingbo sat in the passenger seat of Pei You¡¯s car after a long time. He couldn¡¯t help but roll down the window, stretching lazily in the cool breeze. He leaned back and hummed casually, ¡°It feels like an eternity has passed.¡± Surviving a life-threatening situation outside made both Zhou Qingbo and even Pei You feel that way. Having been amidst the wreckage for a while, suddenly diving back into the night of Beijing, they found that it had gained a certain degree of unfamiliarity. The lights outside rushed by as they sped along the road, and after getting off the expressway, the traffic started to increase. Pei You merged into the crowd, and as the scenery in front of him became increasingly familiar, he suddenly felt a sense of relief that he was finally home. ¡°Tired?¡± Pei You glanced at Zhou Qingbo, who had closed his eyes and was resting by the window. He asked, ¡°Should I drop you off at Star River Bay?¡± ¡°Drop me off?¡± Zhou Qingbo opened his eyes upon hearing that, raised an eyebrow, and playfully teased, ¡°What do you mean? Aren¡¯t you coming back with me?¡± CH 76 Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± They had already defined their relationship, hugged when they should, and kissed when they should, so living together shouldn¡¯t be a big deal. However, Pei You hadn¡¯t had the chance to think about this yet, and Zhou Qingbo brought it up all of a sudden, catching him off guard. He subconsciously glanced at Zhou Qingbo, his grip on the steering wheel tightening nervously. ¡°Now¡­?¡± Pei You hesitated a bit. It wasn¡¯t that Pei You was opposed to living together, but Zhou Qingbo had brought it up so suddenly that he hadn¡¯t had a chance to prepare. Zhou Qingbo sensed his discomfort and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. He reached over and pinched Pei You¡¯s wrist. ¡°Just kidding,¡± he said. Zhou Qingbo might be playful, but deep down, he still had a touch of the traditional male chauvinism ingrained from his family background. The matter of coming out still loomed ahead of them. Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t brought it up, but he had it in mind. The flight information had been shared on his social media earlier in the afternoon, so by now, his family would have seen it. Whether it was tonight or tomorrow, Zhou Cangshan would certainly pressure him to come home for a ¡°trial.¡± While Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t want to be separated from Pei You, he also didn¡¯t want Pei You to face this awkward situation with him. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about it for today,¡± Zhou Qingbao said, half serious and half jokingly. ¡°But you better be prepared. Maybe one day, I¡¯ll have to come to you with my luggage and ask for a place to stay.¡± Pei You let out a relieved sigh. The tension in his heart relaxed, but amidst that relaxation, a subtle sense of awkwardness rose within him. He couldn¡¯t quite determine if he was feeling regret or disappointment. However, Zhou Qingbo seemed to sense something. He reclined the seat back, reached toward the middle, and clung to Pei You¡¯s hand, interlocking their fingers. ¡°Will you take me in when that time comes?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked with enthusiasm. ¡°And then you¡¯ll head out to work every day while I stay at home doing chores, cooking, washing clothes, and preparing your bathwater. Oh, and I¡¯ll wait for you to come back.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You thought, ¡°Your clothes are folded like impressionist artwork, and now you want to cook, do laundry, and clean the house? Just as long as you don¡¯t blow up the house, that would be good enough.¡± However, despite his silent sarcasm, Pei You couldn¡¯t help but follow Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words and envision their future ¡°cohabitation.¡± He had never been in a relationship, but he had daydreamed a lot about being with someone. His understanding of romance was simple and plain, to the extent that in these ¡°romantic¡± daydreams, a significant portion was focused on ¡°building a family, facing life together.¡± Three meals a day, everyday meals, the table set with utensils for two, two pillows on the bed¡ªone high and one low. Like most men in this world, Pei You had also hoped to see a nightlight at the porch when he returned home every night, and freshly prepared dinner on the table. Though Zhou Qingbo was miles away from being ¡°homely,¡± Pei You couldn¡¯t help but feel some inexplicable expectations stirred by him. He couldn¡¯t help but begin to fantasize about a world with just the two of them. ¡°¡­ You don¡¯t have to do any chores,¡± Pei You couldn¡¯t help but smile and said, ¡°Just be yourself.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± Zhou Qingbo wiggled his leg and said with an air of seriousness, ¡°If I¡¯m not well-behaved, and you get tired of me, what should I do?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Pei You said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to change yourself in any way.¡± Although Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ¡°fantasy¡± sounded wonderful, compared to ¡°cooking, laundry, and preparing his bath,¡± Pei You felt that staying true to oneself was better. He should be free-spirited, Pei You thought. Whether he¡¯s wild or impulsive, it didn¡¯t matter if he would come home one day and find Zhou Qingbo had set up a bar-style disco ball in the living room, he actually thought that would also be quite fun. Pei You laughed at his exaggerated imagination, chuckling, and added, ¡°I like you no matter what.¡± Whether it¡¯s the ¡°Zhou¡± from the bar, the ¡°Zhou¡± from Qingshan, or the ¡°Zhou¡± from the rescue team, for Pei You, they were essentially the same. After all, he liked Zhou Qingbo as a person, not some predetermined label. Zhou Qingbo had originally intended to tease him a little by bringing up this topic, but unexpectedly, Pei You turned the tables on him with a straightforward answer. Suddenly, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ¡°teasing bar¡± was emptied, leaving him with no fighting strength. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he subconsciously looked out the window, but while he did, he tightened his grip on the hand he held, unconsciously stroking the back of Pei You¡¯s hand. In the light, the clean window reflected Zhou Qingbo¡¯s slightly blurry profile. He pursed his lips, seemingly trying to control his expression, but the slight curve that couldn¡¯t be suppressed at the corner of his mouth betrayed him, revealing his thoughts. At first, Pei You was a little uneasy about Zhou Qingbo¡¯s sudden silence, but then he glanced at him at a traffic light and saw his expression in the window¡¯s reflection. Pei You was open and direct, and he didn¡¯t think much of what he said at first, until he saw Zhou Qingbo¡¯s expression. Only then did he belatedly realize a faint blush creeping up his ears. The interplay of light and shadows outside the window passed by. The ambiguous and unspoken intimacy silently fermented within the small confines of the car. Pei You took a glance at their intertwined hands, and the sense of regret and reluctance within him started to become more evident. Maybe he should have just agreed directly earlier, Pei You suddenly thought. Because he was finding it harder to separate from Zhou Qingbo. However, emotions were one thing, and rationality was another. In the end, Pei You followed the navigation and drove into Star River Bay, parking downstairs ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Pei You said. Zhou Qingbo hummed in acknowledgment, withdrew his hand, and unfastened his seatbelt. Pei You¡¯s gaze followed his movements, and he saw Zhou Qingbo unlock the car door. For some reason, he hesitated and then pulled the door closed with force. Zhou Qingbo turned to look at Pei You. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Pei You was momentarily puzzled. He saw Zhou Qingbo move his injured leg to brace against Pei You¡¯s car seat, arch his body, and cradle Pei You¡¯s face. ¡°Give me a kiss,¡± Zhou Qingbo murmured indistinctly. His voice dropped as he lowered his head and kissed Pei You. Along with the ending of his words, their lips met in a soft, lingering kiss. In the cramped space of the car, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s body bent like a bow. His tongue gently traced over Pei You¡¯s lips before parting them, entering the gap between their teeth without hesitation. The kiss was gentle yet passionate. Pei You let out a soft breath, and before he could adjust his breathing, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand slid down his face, gently cupping it. Instinctively, Pei You lifted his head to meet the kiss. Zhou Qingbo slowed down the pace considerately, using his tongue to engage in a delicate dance for a moment. As the kiss continued, Pei You gradually relaxed. His eyelashes lowered, casting a shadow on his cheeks, creating an irresistible sense of tenderness. Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but be moved. He used his palm to hold Pei You¡¯s face, extending the duration of the kiss for a little while longer. The narrow and intimate space of the car couldn¡¯t contain this atmosphere. The temperature around them silently began to rise. Pei You¡¯s eyelashes trembled. Subconsciously, he wanted to lift his eyes to look at Zhou Qingbo. He realized Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t closing his eyes while kissing but was gazing gently at him. There was a faint glimmer in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes, a subtle reflection that made his expression appear tender and captivating. After what felt like an eternity, Zhou Qingbo reluctantly broke away a little. As their lips parted, Zhou Qingbo seemed to hesitate to end the kiss and leaned in again, brushing his lips against the corner of Pei You¡¯s mouth. ¡°Be prepared,¡± Zhou Qingbai smiled and said, ¡°I might come to your place with my suitcase at any time.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The kiss had softened Pei You completely. He used his fingertip to brush against Zhou Qingbo¡¯s forehead and said softly, ¡°What kind of home do you want?¡± ¡°Any kind will do, as long as it shelters us from the wind and rain,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m easy to take care of.¡± CH 77 Beijing¡¯s evening rush hour always seemed to last forever. When two people are chatting and laughing in the car, it doesn¡¯t feel like much, but it¡¯s a bit tough for one person. Pei You was stuck downtown for over an hour, slowly inching his way back home. Approaching midnight, the lights were still on at home. As Pei You entered, Pei Zi was sitting cross-legged on the couch, slurping noodles and watching a drama. Seeing him return, amidst her busyness, she shot him a welcoming glance. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m about to go to sleep.¡± Pei Zi hastily swallowed the bite of noodles in her mouth, somewhat conspicuously hiding the remote control behind her back, and smiled at him pleasingly. ¡°Just let me finish this episode.¡± Less than a week remained before school resumed, and Pei Zi was making the most of her final moments of ¡°indulgent freedom.¡± Pei You glanced at her, gave a slight nod, placed the car keys in the hallway cabinet by the entrance, and took off his coat. He seemed preoccupied, changed into slippers and entered the house. He then glanced around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s mom? Is she asleep?¡± ¡°Mom went to participate in a senior stargazing camping activity and won¡¯t be home tonight,¡± Pei Zi slurped some noodles and mumbled, ¡°Do you need her for something?¡± Nothing major, Pei You thought. It¡¯s just that Zhou Qingbo¡¯s coming out had prompted him, making him realize he hadn¡¯t informed his family about his relationship yet. He was someone who took everything seriously ¨C work and relationships alike. Since he and Zhou Qingbo had solidified their relationship, he wanted to introduce Zhou Qingbo to his family sooner rather than later. ¡°Nothing important ,¡± Pei You said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk when mom comes back.¡± Pei Zi responded with an ¡°Oh,¡± sizing him up with her chopsticks and, whether it was an illusion or not, she felt that Pei You seemed different after going on his business trip and coming back. He appeared somewhat distracted, letting her nighttime indulgence slide, and it was unclear if his sudden leniency was due to his trip or if his mind was elsewhere. Pei You was unaware of her thought process. He draped his coat over the dry-cleaning basket, and was about to head to his room. However, just as he was opening the door, he remembered something and turned back to ask, ¡°By the way, did unit 1607 in the front building get rented out?¡± The front building was a new property in the second phase of the complex. Though not very large, the layout was quite practical. Pei You had visited it once, and it left an impression. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been rented out yet. I saw the leasing information updated by the property management when I got back today,¡± Pei Zi said puzzledly, ¡°Why? Do you have a friend looking for a place?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Pei You replied concisely, ¡°I¡¯m planning to move out.¡± Currently, the house wasn¡¯t small in size, but with Pei Zi frequently coming over during her school breaks and He Ping visiting often for both leisure and tutoring, it was becoming less convenient to live there. Pei You was overly serious in nature. Although Zhou Qingbo¡¯s suggestion of ¡°moving in with him¡± might have been a joke, he thought it might be wise to prepare for such a possibility. Pei Zi was taken aback for a moment, puzzled initially. But then, something clicked in her mind, and she brightened up. Setting aside the TV remote and her noodles, she leaned forward on the coffee table and reached her hand out playfully toward Pei You. ¡°Wait! Brother!¡± Pei Yu urgently asked, ¡°Are you in a relationship?¡± Pei You didn¡¯t consider this a closely guarded secret. He made a sound of affirmation and straightforwardly admitted, ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°I met him through the blind date organized by mom, you know them,¡± Pei You said, ¡°It¡¯s Zhou Qingbo.¡± Pei Zi stayed put for a moment, processing what she had just heard. She was familiar with the name, but in her memory, Zhou Qingbo had been one of the ¡°failed cases¡± for Pei You¡¯s relationships. How had they ended up back together? Pei Zi was flooded with countless questions, but before she could ask, Pei You¡¯s phone suddenly rang from his pocket. It wasn¡¯t Pei You¡¯s default ringtone, and he took it out after just one ring. Pei Zi straightened up warily, witnessing a subtle curve form on Pei You¡¯s lips as he glanced at the caller ID. ¡°Oh no,¡± Pei Zi thought, ¡°I probably won¡¯t get any answers today.¡± As expected, Pei You seemed to have no intention of continuing their casual conversation. He gestured towards the phone, then opened the door and headed back to his room ¡°Hello?¡± Pei You said. ¡°Are you home?¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone. ¡°Just walked in,¡± Pei You closed the door behind him, absentmindedly unbuttoning the top of his shirt, and went to the balcony to open the window. He asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t fall asleep,¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled. He shifted on the bed, moving the phone from his left hand to his right. After listening to the breathing sounds on the other end for a while, he softly admitted, ¡°Actually¡­ I¡¯m starting to regret it a bit.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Pei You asked gently. ¡°I¡¯m starting to regret letting you go back,¡± Zhou Qingbo murmured, ¡°The bed is so big, sleeping alone feels too lonely.¡± He had just finished showering, and his body was still emitting warm moisture. His tone held an unconscious laziness and clinginess, stretching the ending of his sentences. It sounded like a playful tease mixed with an implication. His voice was light but seemed to carry a hook. Pei You subconsciously grasped the balcony railing, licked his lips, feeling a bit itchy. ¡°I thought I didn¡¯t have separation anxiety,¡± Zhou Qingbo sighed softly, ¡°I guess I was wrong.¡± During their time in the southern province, Zhou Qingbo and Pei You had been practically inseparable. Even if not physically, they were connected virtually, observing each other¡¯s lives. Now that they were apart, even if only for two hours, Zhou Qingbo felt a hint of discomfort. ¡°So, what should we do?¡± Pei You¡¯s heart was beating too fast. He lowered his gaze, nervously gripping his phone, and stumbled over his words, ¡°Then, how about I¡­ I come over now¡­¡± ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s too far,¡± Zhou Qingbo interrupted, realizing what Pei You was about to say. He chuckled and continued, ¡°Just soothe me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve found a place in my housing complex,¡± Pei You suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s an 80-square-meter, two-bedroom apartment, fully furnished, and no one has lived there yet, so it¡¯s practically new.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhou Qingbo blinked slightly, then quickly caught on. Grinning with a suggestive undertone, he asked, ¡°Is it close to Black Bar?¡± ¡°I can always drive you there,¡± Pei You responded promptly. Zhou Qingbo chuckled, amused by Pei You¡¯s quick thinking. He teased, ¡°did you plan all this in just a short while?¡± Caught off guard by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s insight, Pei You lowered his head and couldn¡¯t help but shyly purse his lips. He rarely felt this impatient, but for some reason, ever since he left Star River Bay and returned home, he couldn¡¯t control his thoughts regarding this matter. Just like how kids always feel like the night before a school trip is unusually long, Pei You surprisingly found himself experiencing a similar feeling of slightly anxious anticipation. He couldn¡¯t wait for everything to settle down, and he wanted to move things along as smoothly as possible. Fortunately, Zhou Qingbo understood his feelings well and didn¡¯t mock him for it. He turned over, not waiting for Pei You¡¯s reply, and pulled the blanket over himself. ¡°Sure.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice softened as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with your plan.¡± The rustling sounds from the other end of the phone were particularly clear. The confined space under the blanket made Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice sound more genuine, and Pei You, gazing at the road and traffic in the distance outside the window, suddenly had a thought. He called out Zhou Qingbo¡¯s name. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°I miss you,¡± Pei You suddenly said. ¡°Mm.¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t seem to find this statement abrupt. Instead, he sounded pleased, letting out a soft hum and saying, ¡°got it.¡± ¡°By the way, are you free tomorrow night?¡± Pei You, not particularly good with sentimentalism, flickered his eyes, cleared his throat as if to hide his emotions, and spoke softly, ¡°I want to introduce you to my mom. If you¡¯re available, would you like to have dinner together?¡± ¡°Tomorrow night? Probably not.¡± Zhou Qingbo laughed, ¡°Let¡¯s wait a few more days. I¡¯ll visit Auntie in a few days.¡±Pei You couldn¡¯t predict how Zhou Qingbo handled social matters. Knowing Zhou Qingbo had his own ideas, Pei You didn¡¯t insist and just responded with agreement. The clock¡¯s hands quietly completed half a cycle, the lights outside gradually dimming. Zhou Qingbo glanced at the time, a bit regretfully slipping back under the covers. While Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t need to wake up early the next day, Pei You had to return to the office after his leave of absence. Zhou Qingbo wanted him to get some sleep, so he naturally changed the subject. ¡°Well¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo hesitated before saying, ¡°Goodnight?¡± ¡°Goodnight.¡± Pei You chuckled, ¡°sleep well.¡± ¡°By the way.¡± Before hanging up, Zhou Qingbo remembered something else and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you something tomorrow. Make sure to check.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Pei You was a bit surprised, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you give it to me earlier?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not telling you.¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled and teased, ¡°You¡¯ll know tomorrow.¡± CH 78 Pei You knew Zhou Qingbo was deliberately teasing him, but he couldn¡¯t help but take the bait. He spent the whole night tossing and turning, even dreaming about this matter. He was afraid that when he opened his eyes the next morning, a huge cardboard box would descend from the sky, and Zhou Qingbo would unexpectedly jump out of it, claiming it was a ¡°surprise.¡± Although Pei You knew this idea was far-fetched, Zhou Qingbo was someone unpredictable. When he was in the mood, there was almost nothing he couldn¡¯t do. Fortunately, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ¡°unpredictability¡± hadn¡¯t reached that level. None of the things from Pei You¡¯s ¡°nightmare¡± had come true. He peacefully spent the night, and when he was awakened by his alarm clock the next morning, everything was the same as the night before. There was no large cardboard box falling from the sky, nor did he receive any fancy and elaborate deliveries. Instead, he was stopped by the front desk while on his way to his office, being told that there was an unsigned document for him. ¡°A document?¡± Pei You stopped in his tracks, puzzled. ¡°From which business partner?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s not specified,¡± the front desk attendant, a young lady, bent slightly and rummaged through the collection bin under the front desk. She pulled out a courier folder, checked the information on it, then handed it over to Pei You. ¡°Take a look, it¡¯s this one. It was delivered by a local courier this morning.¡± ¡°Local courier?¡± A thought occurred to Pei You, and he sensed a hunch. He received the folder, briefly looked at the sender¡¯s name on the courier slip, and as expected, he saw Zhou Qingbo¡¯s name. Was this what he was talking about? Pei You wondered. Why would Zhou Qingbo suddenly send him these documents? Pei You had a mind full of question marks, but he politely thanked the front desk attendant and took the package back to his office. Perhaps because it was sent to the company, the outer packaging of the document was devoid of any flashy elements; it looked formal and businesslike. That aura of mystery extended to the contents inside as well. Pei You reached in and pulled out a document. After briefly flipping through a couple of pages, he unexpectedly froze. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°This is my financial statement,¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s tone on the other end of the phone sounded relaxed, ¡°Investments in stocks, bonds, insurance¡­ and a bit of mutual funds. I don¡¯t have any real estate. All my investments are detailed there.¡± Pei You was himself an auditor, and he was more knowledgeable about these things than Zhou Qingbo. He could even understand without Zhou Qingbo explaining; he had grasped the essence after flipping through just a couple of pages. He was just surprised, not understanding why Zhou Qingbo would suddenly send him these documents. ¡°I don¡¯t have much financial knowledge, and I don¡¯t know how to manage money.¡± Zhou Qingbo laughed and continued, ¡°I only know how to watch stocks rise and fall, and how to buy and sell mutual funds. Although I¡¯ve made a small profit over the years, it¡¯s mostly due to luck; it¡¯s not a sustainable approach.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Pei You instinctively comforted him, ¡°There are many high-end financial services offered by agents now.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m planning to hand them over to you.¡± Pei You blinked slightly. ¡°I¡¯m letting professionals handle professional matters. Since you¡¯re taking care of me, you should also handle my finances as well,¡± Zhou Qingbo tilted his head, propping his chin with his elbow, and chuckled softly, ¡°The authorization letter and account information are attached to the last page. Remember to sign it. If you have time, open a proxy account as well.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Pei You finally understood his intention. The weightless document in his hand suddenly felt like a hot potato. ¡°It¡¯s too valuable, there¡¯s no need for you to do this,¡± Pei You said earnestly, ¡°Even though we¡¯re together, you¡¯re still independent. There¡¯s no need to entrust all of these to me.¡± ¡°But when two people are together, shouldn¡¯t they each play their part?¡± Zhou Qingbo questioned back with a righteous tone, ¡°Since you know how to earn money and I know how to spend money, let¡¯s manage these things together. You¡¯ll be responsible for earning, and I¡¯ll be responsible for spending. The division of labor is clear.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You was taken aback by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s straightforward attitude. He opened his mouth, seeming to want to retort, but didn¡¯t know what to say. There¡¯s something off, Pei You thought, but at the same time, everything seemed fine. Upon closer inspection, Zhou Qingbo, even though he didn¡¯t have any real estate, the scattered investments and insurance added together to quite a significant amount. Pei You flipped through the two pages detailing Zhou Qingbo¡¯s assets and still hesitated. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Let me clarify upfront; I won¡¯t be giving you a salary.¡± Zhou Qingbo confidently continued, ¡°And since I have only this much, whether you spend it or not is up to you. But if I lose money, then you¡¯ll have to support me in the future.¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled after saying this, and there was even a touch of excitement in his tone. ¡°At that time, I won¡¯t go easy on you.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s logic had always been remarkably persuasive, and Pei You, who hadn¡¯t initially intended to agree with the situation, found his words surprisingly reasonable in just a few sentences. After all, if Zhou Qingbo went out to find another asset manager, they would have to be paid a commission. If he encountered someone dishonest, the investments might end up going down the drain. Upon careful consideration, Pei You realized that those people might indeed not be as reliable as him. At the very least, he would never misappropriate Zhou Qingbo¡¯s profits for his personal use. ¡°Alright then,¡± Pei You said, ¡°But if you ever want to change your mind, you can let me know anytime.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Zhou Qingbo had already convinced Pei You, and his tone became more natural. He curved his eyes and teased, ¡± I¡¯m entrusting my entire fortune to you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Pei You put away the documents and said solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ll manage it well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Zhou Qingbo leaned against the car window, smiling, and said, ¡°You can get back to work if you have things to do. I have something to take care of.¡± As he spoke, the taxi happened to stop by the roadside. Zhou Qingbo paid with cash, opened the car door, and got out. Pei You heard the noise of the car door opening on the other end of the phone. He had been a bit dazed all this time and only realized then that Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t at home. ¡°You¡¯re out? This early? What are you doing?¡± Pei You became worried, ¡°Do you need me to come with you? I don¡¯t have much work today, so I can take a day off.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, no need. I¡¯ve got it handled,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°I might be a bit busy today, but you don¡¯t need to worry. I¡¯ll call you after it¡¯s all over.¡± Zhou Qingbo sounded relaxed in his words, but in reality, he had been anxious all night. He hung up the call and felt a bit uneasy, lifting his foot but hesitating to immediately enter the residential area. He sighed at the entrance, pacing around like he was grinding a millstone. After considering it for a while, he finally decided to call Jiang Man. The call was quickly answered. Jiang Man seemed to have expected it, teasing as she spoke, ¡°Finally decided to call me? You¡¯re quite something, Xiao Qingbai, even though I was kept in the dark.¡± ¡°Sis-in-law Man Man,¡± Zhou Qingbo was good at bending and stretching, never fighting unnecessary battles. He softened his voice immediately, sounding almost submissive, ¡°I didn¡¯t have a chance before. And then, we had just started dating when big brother found out.¡± He covered the phone and whispered, ¡°Please, sis-in-law, tell me the truth. How¡¯s big brother¡¯s mood today? It¡¯s been so many days, has he finally cooled down?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know,¡± Jiang Man said with a laugh, ¡°I was on a business trip for the past couple of days and just returned today. I¡¯m not ahead of you by much¡ªOh, by the way, I see you.¡± As her words fell, Zhou Qingbo heard two car honks behind him. He turned around and realized Jiang Man¡¯s car had turned the corner and stopped by his side. ¡°Get in,¡± Jiang Man said. Zhou Qingbo opened the passenger door and got into the car. Still curious, he asked, ¡°Did he give you any hints before? Like how he plans to deal with my situation?¡± Jiang Man turned her head to look at him and, seeing his genuine nervousness, decided to playfully tease him, ¡°He said he wants to break your legs.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Pfft¡ª,¡± Jiang Man burst into laughter, and then she patted Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder as the car entered the residential area, stopping in front of the villa. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you. Don¡¯t be afraid of your brother. After all, you still have me.¡± Zhou Cangshan was someone with a stern temper and a stubborn personality and was even hardheaded enough to defy his own father. But ironically, he was powerless against Jiang Man, making her quite a match for him. With Jiang Man¡¯s assurance, Zhou Qingbo felt much more at ease. He thought to himself that it was indeed useful to have attached himself to someone like Jiang Man ahead of time. Regardless of whether it would solve the problem, at least he wouldn¡¯t get beaten up. He heaved a sigh of relief and put on the appearance of an obedient and innocent little rabbit. He followed Jiang Man step by step, bowing his head and trailing behind her. Jiang Man jingled the keys in her hand, teasing him a bit about it. She took the lead and opened the door when they arrived home. However, as soon as the door was pushed open, Jiang Man¡¯s steps halted at the doorway. The smile on her face instantly faded by a considerable degree, and her brows slightly furrowed. The relaxed atmosphere that had been present just a moment ago vanished in an instant. Zhou Qingbo was taken aback and followed her gaze as he walked forward. It was then he noticed that the person sitting on the sofa in the living room wasn¡¯t Zhou Cangshan, but his father, Zhou Jianguo. CH 79 Even Jiang Man hadn¡¯t received any news in advance that Zhou Jianguo would be coming. She furrowed her brows slightly, stepped into the house wearing her slippers, and while Zhou Jianguo wasn¡¯t paying attention, she pulled Zhou Cangshan¡¯s arm to the side. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jiang Man lowered her voice, sounding displeased. ¡°For such a small matter, you actually had to bring Dad here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a small matter,¡± Zhou Cangshan said with a face just as wooden as Zhou Jianguo¡¯s. He whispered, ¡°Qingbo is being stubborn. I can¡¯t handle him. Let Dad handle it.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Jiang Man wanted to stomp her feet, but considering Zhou Jianguo was there, she held back. She pressed her anger and whispered in his ear, ¡°Qingbo is already an adult. Why do you have to dictate his affairs?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already been lenient with him,¡± Zhou Cangshan furrowed his brows. ¡°But now he¡¯s causing trouble and he¡¯s acting out of line?¡± Zhou Cangshan had been this way since he was young. Once he set his mind on something, not even eight horses could pull him back. Jiang Man couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh, feeling a mix of both old and new grievances surge in her. She was so angry that her teeth ached, and she couldn¡¯t help but clench her teeth and twist Zhou Cangshan¡¯s arm. ¡°And you said Qingbo is being stubborn?¡± Jiang Man said in a displeased tone, ¡°I think the one being stubborn is you.¡± Zhou Cangshan swayed in place and didn¡¯t evade her grip. He just let her twist his arm, and still maintained a silent expression. It seemed like he had already made up his mind and was preparing to remain unchanged regardless of what Jiang Man said. Jiang Man had no other options but to attempt a roundabout strategy to save Zhou Qingbo. So, she forced a smile and turned to Zhou Jianguo, trying to break the sticky, oppressive atmosphere. ¡°Why did Dad suddenly come over?¡± Jiang Man smiled and said, ¡°Coincidentally, my mother went on a trip a few days ago and sent some tea back from Taihu Lake. She asked me to give it to Dad. How about I make some tea for you, Dad?¡± ¡°Forget about the tea,¡± Zhou Jianguo said. ¡°I came today because I have something to ask Zhou Qingbo.¡± Zhou Jianguo didn¡¯t explode in anger ,nor did he issue immediate commands. At first glance, it seemed like there was still room for negotiation, but Zhou Qingbo knew clearly in his heart that this was just the calm before the storm. Zhou Jianguo was already in his sixties, but he still carried the imprint of his military life. His back was straight, and he exuded an aura of authority even without being angry. With just a fleeting glance, he emitted a strong sense of oppression. ¡°Your older brother says you¡¯ve fallen for a man,¡± Zhou Jianguo tapped his cane lightly on the floor, speaking calmly. ¡°Explain it. How and why did it happen?¡± The reason, Zhou Qingbo thought, was truly a difficult question to answer right from the start. Zhou Qingbo could discern the implication behind Zhou Jianguo¡¯s words. In Zhou Jianguo¡¯s concept, the union of a man and a woman was a natural and righteous thing. Just like 1 + 1 = 2, it was a truth that had been unchanging through the ages. He didn¡¯t grasp the concept of ¡°homosexuality.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to believe it was a preference that came naturally with genetics from birth. Instead, he saw it as simply a deviance from the normal path. In the eyes of someone like Zhou Jianguo, who was older and held traditional views, all ¡°abnormalities¡± should have a reason. No ¡°normal¡± man would like another man for no reason. It was abnormal and went against the laws of biological development. Therefore, there must be a reason. As long as this reason was found and resolved, everything would be fine. But how could there be a ¡°reason¡± for liking someone? He was naturally homosexual, with no inclination towards the opposite sex even during his adolescent years. He had always liked men. True, Pei You was a perfect match made by fate, but even if he didn¡¯t have Pei You, he wouldn¡¯t be attracted to any woman in the world. However, Zhou Qingbo knew he couldn¡¯t explain concepts like ¡°sexual orientation¡± or ¡°natural developmental patterns¡± to Zhou Jianguo. He wouldn¡¯t be able to comprehend, nor would he be willing to listen. Zhou Jianguo was the epitome of a typical Chinese patriarch. Despite having a backbone and protecting everyone in his family, he was remarkably stubborn and difficult to communicate with, unwilling to listen to the opinions of younger generations through peaceful means. So, Zhou Qingbo hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself. Eventually, he walked slowly to the coffee table, hesitated, and knelt down. ¡°Dad.¡± There are probably few children in this world who aren¡¯t afraid of their father. Zhou Qingbo lacked confidence, and his voice sounded somewhat hollow: ¡°There¡¯s no particular reason, I just like him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t yet understand the goodness of women,¡± Zhou Jianguo stubbornly waved his hand, saying, ¡°When you have a wife and someone who cares for you, you¡¯ll naturally realize how good it is. I¡¯ll have your sister-in-law find you some girls of the same age. You¡¯ll spend time together and naturally develop feelings.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± So arrogant, Zhou Qingbo thought, this statement could easily make it into the top three of the list of bizarre things parents say. Perhaps for someone as stubborn as Zhou Jianguo, any unknown territory in this world could be solved with his ¡°life experience.¡± If something appears unsolvable, it must be the other person¡¯s fault. However, Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t blame Zhou Jianguo for this. He knew that Zhou Jianguo couldn¡¯t accept his sexuality for the time being, and he understood. After all, beliefs that have persisted through history are deeply rooted, and they can¡¯t be easily overturned in a short period. Though he understood, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t want to compromise, and he couldn¡¯t. Since the truth had already shattered through the thin veil, there had to be a resolution. He abandoned his indirect approach and stopped trying to gauge Zhou Jianguo¡¯s attitude. Instead, he lowered his head in surrender, opting for the most direct method to pierce through this layer. ¡°I can¡¯t be attracted to women,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°They are wonderful, but they¡¯re not the ones I want to spend my life with. I don¡¯t want to lead them on, so I can¡¯t engage in a romantic relationship with them.¡± Zhou Jianguo¡¯s subconscious attempt to maintain a facade of harmony was now sharply disrupted by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s directness. Since learning about this matter until now, Zhou Jianguo finally had to face this reality. His breath hitched, and he slammed his hand onto the table, abruptly standing up. ¡°Why are you speaking to me like this!¡± Zhou Jianguo snapped. ¡°Say it again if you dare!¡± Zhou Qingbo shivered, a lingering fear of Zhou Jianguo still present in his subconscious. When he heard the angry outburst, he instinctively felt like apologizing but managed to restrain himself. In any case, this time, Zhou Qingbo was completely in the right. He might feel guilty for defying his family, but he would never apologize for his sexual orientation. ¡°I like men,¡± Zhou Qingbo declared with a shattered resolve. ¡°Since I was sixteen and saw explicit content for the first time, I¡¯ve been attracted to men¡¯s bodies. I only desire men; I want to be intimate, fall in love, and spend my life with a man. I¡¯ve said it all, Dad. I don¡¯t like girls at all.¡± Zhou Jianguo was left choking on his words, his face turning red. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to utter a single word.¡± He did want Zhou Qingbo to be ¡°normal,¡± but that would require a genuine change of heart from him. Otherwise, even if he forced Zhou Qingbo to interact, date, and marry girls, it would merely lead to unfulfilling relationships. Zhou Jianguo held strict values, maintained a respectable family tradition, and treated others and himself with high standards. He simply couldn¡¯t stoop to such degrading behavior. ¡°In any case, this is the reality,¡± Zhou Qingbo remained kneeling on the ground, his neck stiff, speaking softly, ¡°Unless you can put me back in my mother¡¯s womb and give me a second chance at life, I can¡¯t change this.¡± ¡°Are you abnormal?¡± Zhou Jianguo scolded, ¡°Do you realize that if it were back when I was young, you¡¯d be taken out and executed?¡± ¡°That era is long gone!¡± Zhou Qingbo retorted, showing a flash of anger, ¡°In any case, this is who I am. If you don¡¯t like me, you can execute me as well!¡± ¡°Qingbo!¡± Zhou Cangshan hurriedly interjected, ¡°how dare you speak to father like that?¡± As expected, Zhou Jianguo¡¯s fury erupted. He seethed, thinking, you little rascal, I haven¡¯t even settled the score with you, and you¡¯re challenging me already? From his youth up until now, Zhou Jianguo had always been headstrong, stubborn like a mule. He was not easily persuaded. This matter was already difficult enough for him to accept in such a short time. Now, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words had ignited his anger. He was furious, grabbing his cane and taking a couple of steps forward, raising it as if to strike. ¡°You insolent little rascal, you¡¯ve grown wings, huh!¡± Zhou Jianguo said, ¡°You don¡¯t even respect your father?¡± When it came to ¡°raising children,¡± Zhou Jianguo adhered to a simple and brash approach. Zhou Cangshan and Zhou Qingbo had both experienced their fair share of beatings, and at the sight of his raised cane, Zhou Qingbo instinctively cowered. Zhou Cangshan and Jiang Man were also taken aback, not expecting Zhou Qingbo to suddenly defy him. Their hearts sank, and they quickly moved to intervene. But Zhou Jianguo was swift, already swinging his cane before anyone could stop him, landing several blows on Zhou Qingbo. ¡°Dad¡­ Dad!¡± Zhou Cangshan hastily stood in front of Zhou Qingbo, grabbing onto Zhou Jianguo¡¯s cane and pleaded urgently, ¡°Don¡¯t hit him, don¡¯t hit him. His leg is still injured. Please talk to him calmly.¡± Zhou Jianguo had served in the military when he was young and had an old injury on his leg. As he aged, he needed a cane to assist his movement. Zhou Cangshan, had a cane custom-made for him from boxwood. It was exceptionally strong and flexible, producing a constant muffled thud when it struck someone, a sound that made one¡¯s heart race.. From a young age, Zhou Qingbo had been afraid of his father. Zhou Cangshan originally intended to have his father scare him a little to make him realize his mistake and turn back in time. However, he didn¡¯t expect that day, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s backbone would be so strong that he dared to defy his own father. ¡°How do you expect me to be calm?¡± Zhou Jianguo¡¯s imposing demeanor softened for a moment when he heard that Zhou Qingbo was injured. However, he was immediately confronted by the situation again, and he said with a stern expression, ¡°Did you not hear the way he spoke to me just now?!¡± ¡°I heard it, Qingbo is being childish. Don¡¯t lower yourself to his level,¡± Zhou Cangshan still held onto the cane, quickly turning his head towards Zhou Qingbo and saying, ¡°Qingbo, quickly, apologize to father!¡± Zhou Qingbo heard his voice, but he didn¡¯t move. He didn¡¯t know if he was in pain from the beatings or what, but he took a while to recover, remaining hunched over on the ground, gently breathing in and out. Zhou Qingbo had always been delicate since he was young. Although Zhou Cangshan had also beaten him numerous times, each time was well-measured, and he had never faced someone as ruthless as this. With each strike Zhou Jianguo delivered now, not only did he not break Zhou Qingbo¡¯s resistance, but he also softened Zhou Cangshan¡¯s resolve. If he had known Zhou Qingbo was so determined, he wouldn¡¯t have asked their father to come, Zhou Cangshan thought. He felt a rare sense of regret in his heart, which even began to subtly shake his position. He couldn¡¯t help but turn around and glance at Jiang Man, signaling to her with his eyes to help Zhou Qingbo up first. Seeing this, Jiang Man couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at him, making an expression that seemed to say, ¡°I knew it would be like this. You never listen to me.¡± Zhou Cangshan felt somewhat guilty and unusually soft. He actively looked away, hinting at Jiang Man once again. Jiang Man was also concerned about Zhou Qingbo, so she didn¡¯t insist on her point. She walked over and gently patted Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder, asking how he was feeling. Zhou Qingbo indeed hadn¡¯t experienced such a harsh beating in a while. His back stung from the blows, and his chest was numb from both the front and back impacts. Breathing itself felt painful in his chest. However, Zhou Jianguo initiating the violence did provide him with a moment to catch his breath. The tense atmosphere had eased slightly, allowing Zhou Qingbo to temporarily avoid confrontation. In a way, it was a relief. ¡°¡­ Hurts,¡± Zhou Qingbo lowered his gaze, his voice as fragile as a thread, ¡°my chest feels tight.¡± ¡°Let Jiang Man help you lie down upstairs for a while.¡± Finally giving in and speaking softly, Zhou Cangshan also helped him up the remaining steps, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t provoke dad¡¯s anger.¡± Although Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t admitted fault, he was offering some compromise. Zhou Jianguo¡¯s breath grew heavy, and with his older son¡¯s insistent grip, he slowly let go of his cane. ¡°He better remain upstairs,¡± Zhou Jianguo gritted his teeth and issued a harsh ultimatum, ¡°Lock him up in that room. He must stay there until he learns obedience!¡± Zhou Qingbo, having taken a beating and already struggling with his legs, was practically a ¡°half-disability¡± at this point. With Jiang Man¡¯s support and pulling, it took a while to make it to the guest room¡¯s bed. ¡°Don¡¯t blame your older brother,¡± Jiang Man sat at the edge of the bed, wringing out a damp cloth to wipe the cold sweat from his face, saying, ¡°He didn¡¯t expect your dad to get physical.¡± Zhou Jianguo¡¯s disciplinary actions were heavy, but he wasn¡¯t inherently cruel. After Zhou Qingbo and Zhou Cangshan grew up, he rarely resorted to physical punishment. ¡°I know, it¡¯s okay.¡± Zhou Qingbo mumbled softly, ¡°It¡¯s common for someone to get hit when coming out. I was mentally prepared.¡± Having studied abroad, Jiang Man was open-minded about matters like homosexuality and didn¡¯t really care. She smiled and shook her head, helping him adjust the blanket. ¡°Why be so stubborn?¡± Jiang Man asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you approach this slowly and calmly and give them more time?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zhou Qingbo wriggled on the bed like a snail, rested his head on the pillow, and muttered, ¡°Pei You¡¯s family has known about his orientation for a long time. So, I also need to come out as well; it¡¯s not fair to him otherwise.¡± Jiang Man had met Pei You before. She had caught a glimpse of their interactions and knew that their relationship was serious, not just a fling. Zhou Qingbo was usually laid-back and relaxed, but when he truly cared about something, he would indeed give it his all without holding back. Understanding his personality, Jiang Man didn¡¯t try to persuade him further. She adjusted the blanket for him and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to your brother again. You just lie down.¡± With that, she stood up and walked out of the bedroom, thoughtfully closing the door behind her. Lying on the bed, Zhou Qingbo blinked and listened to the gradually fading footsteps outside, finally heaving a sigh of relief. He took out his phone from his pocket. Fortunately, Zhou Jianguo hadn¡¯t actually imposed a lockdown on him or confiscated his phone. Otherwise, Pei You would be anxious now, Zhou Qingbo thought. After waiting for a while to make sure it was quiet outside the door, he unlocked his phone and called Pei You. He wondered if Pei You had been waiting for this call. Almost as soon as the call rang, it was picked up on the other end. ¡°How is it?¡± Pei You asked anxiously, ¡°Did everything go smoothly?, are you hurt?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo stayed silent. Pei You¡¯s prediction was right on the money, Zhou Qingbo thought. The pain on his back still burned intensely, and Zhou Qingbo let out a soft hiss. He didn¡¯t want to worry Pei You too much, so he thought for a moment and downplayed the situation. ¡°It was a couple of slaps,¡± Zhou Qingbo softened his voice and hummed, ¡°Hurts like hell.¡± Pei You¡¯s breath hitched. He felt sorry for him, and a hint of mild self-blame crept in. He thought that maybe he should have persuaded Zhou Qingbo more. Taking things slowly was the way to go. Pei You¡¯s breathing reached Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ear through the phone, and Zhou Qingbo, as if understanding his thoughts, suddenly smiled after a while. ¡°I almost forgot,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°I called you for a reason.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± As expected, Pei You¡¯s attention was caught, and he asked eagerly, ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°I think the ¡®coming out¡¯ matter isn¡¯t over yet. It might take a few days of fussing,¡± Zhou Qingbo intentionally diverted his attention. Lowering his voice, he started to make up a serious story, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, if my brother or my dad suddenly come looking for you and offer you five million to break up with me, then¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Pei You quickly interrupted, speaking earnestly, ¡°I won¡¯t agree. I don¡¯t care about money.¡± ¡°Hey, dummy,¡± Zhou Qingbo sighed helplessly and amusedly, his tone sounding both affectionate and mischievous, ¡°When that happens, just agree with them. Then, take the money and we¡¯ll split it.¡± ¡°¡­,¡± Pei You remained silent. Zhou Qingbo was deliberately teasing Pei You, even though he was completely convinced that neither Zhou Cangshan nor Zhou Jianguo would ever do such a thing. He couldn¡¯t help but stir the pot. ¡°This could be our ¡®escape fund¡¯,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a serious tone, ¡°Remember to take it.¡± CH 80 The tense atmosphere dissipated in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s few words, causing Pei You to smile involuntarily and feel a bit more at ease. ¡°Alright,¡± Pei You said softly, ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, I¡¯ll put it in your investment project.¡± It must be said that while avoiding reality might not have much substantive significance in changing the situation, it was still very effective in relieving stress. After the brief phone call with Pei You, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s anxious mood gradually calmed. He had spent the previous night sorting out his assets and barely slept, and today he had gotten a beating. He felt somewhat weak, so after hanging up the call, he lay on the soft bedding for a moment, sighing in relief before falling into a drowsy sleep. That nap wasn¡¯t very peaceful. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s consciousness seemed to shuttle back and forth between sleep and wakefulness. He felt heavy and numb all over, unable to sleep well or fully wake up. In a daze, he vaguely heard the sound of the door opening. Someone entered from outside, walked to his bedside, and gently touched his forehead. The hand was cold, with a distinct touch. Zhou Qingbo shivered slightly from the chill, unconsciously furrowing his brows and pulling back into the covers. Following that, he heard a deliberately softened female voice beside him. ¡°You have a fever,¡± she said. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t know who she was talking to, but after a few seconds, he heard a long sigh beside him. The sigh was weak and complicated, sounding unusually heavy. Zhou Qingbo subconsciously tried to identify the source of the voice, but before he could fully detach from the haze of sleep, the footsteps beside him had already retreated. His consciousness blurred for a moment, and he soon sank back into a chaotic slumber. After a while, he gradually emerged from the confusion, hearing someone calling him. ¡°Qingbo.¡± This time, the voice at the bedside was different. Zhou Qingbo furrowed his brows slightly, slowly waking up from the drowsiness, and opened his eyes. It seemed like he had slept through most of the day. The room was pitch-black now, with only a small night light at the head of the bed emitting a faint glow, trying to illuminate the small area around him. Zhou Qingbo could see a vague silhouette sitting beside his bed, but he blinked his eyes and only realized who it was after a moment. ¡°¡­Mom?¡± Zhou Qingbo said in surprise, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be here?¡± Liang Ying asked, touching his face gently, and sighed sympathetically, ¡°Such a big matter, your dad didn¡¯t even tell me. He secretly came. If it weren¡¯t for your brother¡¯s call, I wouldn¡¯t have known.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled, sounding relaxed, ¡°Dad just didn¡¯t want to bother you.¡± Zhou Jianguo had lived a rough and tough life, resembling a solid wooden stick. Nevertheless, all the care and delicateness was vested in Liang Ying. He never let her worry about the family¡¯s troubles. As the saying goes, like father, like son. Over time, Zhou Cangshan and Zhou Qingbo also got used to sparing their mother from worrying. This time, Zhou Cangshan probably couldn¡¯t handle it himself, so he had to make the call to their mum. ¡°But it shouldn¡¯t be like this,¡± Liang Ying sighed softly and touched Zhou Qingbo¡¯s head. She spoke in a soft voice, ¡°honey, does your body still hurt?¡± Liang Ying came from an intellectual family. She had spent many years in the national theater when she was young. Her speech was always gentle and tender, her personality mild and refined. She had never been known to raise her voice at anyone. Earlier when Zhou Qingbo was in a bad mood, he had argued with Zhou Jianguo, but now seeing Liang Ying, he immediately calmed down. He felt a bit embarrassed, burying himself deeper in the blanket, saying that he was fine. Liang Ying had lived a comfortable and smooth life, and she retained a hint of little-girl-like tenderness in her bones. She lowered her head slightly when speaking, gently pulling down the covers at the side of the bed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to hide it. I already scolded him,¡± Liang Ying cooed to him like a child, ¡°Your sister-in-law also scolded your brother.¡± While Zhou Qingbo felt a bit embarrassed being treated with such a tone by his mother, he also couldn¡¯t help but feel a little happy. Suppressing a smile, he revealed two bright eyes from under the covers. ¡°Big brother didn¡¯t hit me,¡± Zhou Qingbo truthfully said, ¡°He stopped dad instead.¡± ¡°Why was he so slow with his actions?¡± Liang Ying said confidently, ¡°Besides, you¡¯re so grown up, how can he still hit you?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this for now,¡± Liang Ying smiled and handed him a small tray from the bedside table, ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten all day, and you had a low fever this afternoon. Have something to eat first to fill your stomach, and later you can take your medicine.¡± On the tray were several delicate pastries, clearly made by Jiang Man¡¯s hands. Zhou Qingbo sat up, cross-legged on the bed, draped in the blanket. His hand reached out and then hesitated, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom,¡± Zhou Qingbo said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t have an appetite.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Liang Ying sighed gently, not pressing him, and simply placed the tray back on the bedside table, ¡°Then eat later. Your brother is going out to buy you some wontons.¡± ¡°¡­,¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s expression wavered. When Zhou Qingbo was a child, he had a weak immune system and often caught colds and fevers for no apparent reason. However, whenever he fell ill, he would lose his appetite. The only thing he would want to eat was the wontons from outside Dong¡¯anmen. So every time, Zhou Cangshan would go out and buy them for him, rain or shine, and he had been doing so for many years. ¡°¡­ Is that so?¡± Zhou Qingbo felt a little uncomfortable in his heart, ¡°I thought big brother was mad at me.¡± Bringing up this topic, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s smile faded a bit. His face took on a tinge of sadness, and under the dim light of the bedside lamp, he appeared rather pitiful. ¡°He¡¯s worried about you,¡± Liang Ying pulled Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand over and gently caressed it, speaking softly, ¡°Qingbo, don¡¯t blame your brother, and don¡¯t blame your dad too. They¡¯re both worried about you.¡± Liang Ying spoke, pulling the corners of her mouth and whispering, ¡°When I came this afternoon, I saw your dad sneaking into the kitchen wiping tears.¡± Zhou Qingbo was slightly stunned. ¡°What?¡± Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but ask. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t believe Liang Ying, but Zhou Jianguo¡¯s behavior seemed completely out of character. He believed in the ¡°ironclad education policy¡± that boys shouldn¡¯t shed tears. Throughout his entire life, no matter how big the situation was, Zhou Qingbo had never seen him cry. ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Liang Ying¡¯s eyes were gentle. She pinched Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand and sighed softly, ¡°I asked him what happened. He didn¡¯t say much, just suddenly asked me if it was his fault.¡± Liang Ying¡¯s voice was soft and tender, as if carrying a certain peaceful magic in this quiet night. ¡°He asked me if it¡¯s because, when you were young, he was too busy with work and spent too little time with you. That¡¯s why you turned your attention to other men,¡± Liang Ying said, ¡°I said it wasn¡¯t, but he said that¡¯s what they say online.¡± ¡°¡­ Mom,¡± Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but softly interrupt her. Liang Ying kindly stopped and didn¡¯t continue speaking. Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t quite grasp his current emotions. He felt a sort of pain, but it wasn¡¯t sharp. It seemed to mix feelings of injustice, guilt, and many other things he couldn¡¯t name or distinguish. All these things jumbled together and formed a complex emotion, weighing heavily on his heart, making him want to cry. Until this moment, Zhou Qingbo had never imagined that Zhou Jianguo would say something like this. In his heart, his father had always been a pillar of steel, unyielding and unbreakable, as if cutting and chopping on him wouldn¡¯t leave a mark. He had never expected Zhou Jianguo to doubt himself one day, to attempt to blame his ¡°mistake¡± on himself. Zhou Jianguo¡¯s thinking was stuck in the past four decades. His ideas were stubborn and unbreakable. He didn¡¯t understand what ¡°homosexuality¡± meant and still thought it was ¡°abnormal.¡± The only thing he seemed to know was that this was definitely not just Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ¡°fault.¡± ¡°Sorry, Mom,¡± Zhou Qingbo lowered his head, saying softly, ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°No need to apologize, darling,¡± Liang Ying moved closer and embraced Zhou Qingbo, just like when he was a child. She gently patted his arm and comforted him, ¡°He¡¯s your father, and he should be responsible for you.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not his fault,¡± Zhou Qingbo paused and continued, ¡°And it¡¯s not my fault either¡ªI just love someone, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Liang Ying smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m not as old-fashioned as your dad.¡± Liang Ying patted Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arm and said softly, ¡°But Qingbo, I also don¡¯t agree with this.¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo softly objected, ¡°I¡¯m serious about him.¡± ¡°I know, but Mom has thought this through too,¡± Liang Ying spoke softly and gently, ¡°You¡¯re still too young, and you don¡¯t know how far the future stretches. This path you¡¯ve chosen is too difficult. Have you thought about it? You and him have no official legal relationship either. Even if you can last five years, ten years, what if you break up someday? You won¡¯t even have someone to rely on. I can¡¯t see you hurt.¡± ¡°Even if I was straight and had a girlfriend, there¡¯s still a risk of breaking up,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°People also divorce even after having children.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same, honey,¡± Liang Ying said warmly, ¡°The ¡®consequences¡¯ you face in these two scenarios are completely different.¡± Zhou Qingbo furrowed his brows, not understanding Liang Ying¡¯s meaning. ¡°Human beings are social creatures, and ultimately, we can¡¯t live entirely on our own island,¡± Liang Ying said, ¡°That¡¯s how the world is now. After all, feelings between boys are not widely accepted.¡± Liang Ying paused for a moment, hugging Zhou Qingbo a bit tighter, and continued, ¡°If you were to marry a woman, even if there are problems in your relationship, people would encourage reconciliation, they would hope you¡¯d maintain family stability. In such a case, as long as you have some feelings left for each other, you might be able to mend the relationship. But if you¡¯re with a guy, when you break up, everyone will applaud and congratulate you for ¡®turning back to normal.¡¯ By then, if you have even the slightest dissatisfaction, you¡¯ll fall apart.¡± ¡°Sometimes, a person¡¯s decisions teeter on that fine line,¡± Liang Ying said. ¡°A little push, or a little pull, and you¡¯ll move in a different direction.¡± ¡°What gender your partner is actually doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Liang Ying said. ¡°What¡¯s important is everything that¡¯s hidden behind this.¡± Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t in his rebellious phase anymore. He could understand Liang Ying¡¯s words, and he genuinely knew she made sense. Whether it was her, Zhou Cangshan, or Zhou Jianguo, regardless of their starting points, they all wanted what was best for him. Zhou Qingbo understood that. However, even with this understanding, Zhou Qingbo had his own perspective on this matter, one he couldn¡¯t step back from or compromise on. ¡°I know, Mom,¡± Zhou Qingbo said earnestly, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe me when I say this, but I¡¯ve thought about all this too. I believe I can bear the consequences and I¡¯m willing to bear them.¡± ¡°Moreover, even if I¡¯m unwilling, there¡¯s no way around it, I have no choice.¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled bitterly, shrugged his shoulders, and said, ¡°I really just like men.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Liang Ying asked in a warm tone. ¡°yes.¡± Zhou Qingbo affirmed. ¡°So¡ª¡± Liang Ying asked softly, ¡°That guy¡­ is he good?¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Zhou Qingbo answered quickly, ¡°I genuinely want to spend my life with him.¡± ¡°Alright then, I respect your decision and trust your judgment.¡± Liang Ying touched his sweaty forehead and said, ¡°But I have to tell you, my attitude still remains unsupportive, but if you¡¯re certain, then I won¡¯t oppose it. After all, you¡¯ve grown up and have the right and freedom to make your own life choices.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom,¡± Zhou Qingbo said softly. He didn¡¯t feel deflated; for him, Liang Ying¡¯s attitude was already enough. After all, as parents, they always had the right to worry about him. ¡°But¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo hesitated a bit, ¡°Regarding Dad¡­¡± ¡°I speak for your dad, nor will I interfere with his decision,¡± Liang Ying said with a slightly mischievous smile, teasing him, ¡°You deal with him yourself.¡± CH 81 Liang Ying spoke casually, but dealing with Zhou Jianguo wasn¡¯t so easy. Although he would secretly wipe his tears in the kitchen when Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t around, in front of Zhou Qingbo, he was still that old-fashioned and stubborn traditional patriarch. He wouldn¡¯t budge, no matter what, and he refused to agree to Zhou Qingbo spending his life with a man. Jiang Man was acting as an intermediary, trying to mediate and persuade both sides to come to terms with the situation several times, but Zhou Jianguo stubbornly held his ground. His resistance was unusually strong. Zhou Qingbo wanted to find an opportunity to talk to him properly, but for some reason, in the past few days, Zhou Jianguo had started to ¡°avoid¡± him. He paused Zhou Qingbo¡¯s authority and position at Qing Shan, and kept him ¡°confined¡± at Zhou Cangshan¡¯s house, as if he wanted Zhou Qingbo to come to terms with things on his own through this approach. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t really mind not going to work; he wasn¡¯t particularly interested in Qingshan¡¯s authority anyway. But this feeling of neither here nor there was too uncomfortable. He would rather have Zhou Jianguo beat him up again than endure this inexplicable cold treatment. He wanted to break this deadlock, but absurdly enough, even though they were occasionally under the same roof, Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t seem to catch a glimpse of his father. ¡°Your dad is avoiding you,¡± Liang Ying peeled an orange and handed it to Zhou Qingbo, smiling as she said, ¡°He¡¯s afraid of getting into another fight with you and losing his temper.¡± ¡°I actually wish Dad would beat me up again.¡± Zhou Qingbo sat cross-legged on the bed, put a slice of orange in his mouth, and mumbled, ¡°It¡¯s better than being treated like this.¡± ¡°Silly child, there¡¯s no good in getting beaten up.¡± Liang Ying folded the orange peel and held it in her hand, speaking in a relaxed tone, ¡°It¡¯s you who needs to relax. You¡¯ve only been at home a few days, why are you getting impatient?¡± Liang Ying glanced at Zhou Qingbo as she spoke, teasing, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were ready to spend your life with him? Why are you in such a hurry these days?¡± Naturally, Zhou Qingbo knew she was talking about Pei You, and he pursed his lips, smiling somewhat embarrassedly. In these past few days, Liang Ying often chatted with him, sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally bringing up Pei You. As a mother, although she didn¡¯t want her son to take a path that was entirely different from the norm, she was also trying her best to respect his choices. She was attempting to get to know Pei You a little better, and also trying to understand Zhou Qingbo a bit more. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m impatient.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°It¡¯s just that the atmosphere at home is too oppressive.¡± Zhou Jianguo was avoiding him, Zhou Cangshan seemed uncomfortable when he saw him, they both knew the reality and yet the day of resolution was still not here. This was tormenting for everyone. ¡°It¡¯s okay, give your dad some time,¡± Liang Ying advised, ¡°I can¡¯t forcefully change your perspective, and naturally, I can¡¯t force your dad either.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Zhou Qingbo forced a smile and said, ¡°Anyway, Dad hasn¡¯t confiscated my phone, so I¡¯ll just treat it as a time to recover at home.¡± ¡°Indeed, resting is also good.¡± Liang Ying comforted, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, your dad is trying.¡± Zhou Jianguo came and went mysteriously, coming back late and leaving early. He had an unpredictable daily schedule, and whenever he appeared, he wore a stern face. Zhou Qingbo observed for a couple of days but couldn¡¯t see any signs of him ¡°trying.¡± So Zhou Qingbo assumed Liang Ying was trying to comfort him, and he didn¡¯t take it to heart. He spent his days at home leisurely, occasionally exchanging messages with Pei You to lighten the mood brought by the tense atmosphere. It was only on the third day that Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t sleep in the middle of the night. He tossed and turned in bed for over half an hour, and still feeling restless, he finally got up and wanted to go to the kitchen to get some water. However, as he stepped out of his bedroom, he realized that the door to the study across the corridor wasn¡¯t completely closed. A warm light spilled out from the crack under the door, casting a narrow streak of light in the pitch-dark corridor. What¡¯s going on? Zhou Qingbo wondered. Did someone break into the house? The Zhou family had a regular schedule; apart from Zhou Qingbo, who was a night owl playing games, everyone else was adept at maintaining their health. It was already 2:30 in the morning Beijing time, and Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t understand who in the house would be staying up and studying so late with the lights on in the study. Faint rustling sounds came from the study, and Zhou Qingbo furrowed his brow alertly. He kicked off his slippers and, barefoot, silently tiptoed through the corridor, carefully approaching the study. He moved closer along the wall, and the closer he got to the study, the clearer the sound became. At a distance, the sound seemed like someone speaking, but up close, it gradually revealed a dull and mechanical quality. Zhou Qingbo only recognized the familiarity of the voice after reaching the study door. It wasn¡¯t a person speaking; it was the pre-installed voice package of a mobile phone playing a text-to-speech message. Zhou Qingbo hesitated for a moment, and a nearly absurd thought suddenly popped into his mind. He subconsciously held his breath and carefully peeked through the crack in the door to take a look. To his surprise, he saw that the person in the study was actually Zhou Jianguo. He was wearing a gray-white robe, sitting on a small sofa with his back facing the door. The floor lamp was on, and he was earnestly looking at his phone, seemingly searching for something. The voice narration on the phone was still playing, and Zhou Qingbo stood at the doorway, holding his breath and listening carefully for a while. He realized that his father was actually searching for information related to homosexuality. Zhou Jianguo¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look too good either. He had glasses hanging from a cord on his ears, and he was simultaneously looking and listening, appearing to be making a genuine effort to understand all the information being input. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t know what he was searching for, but based on the voice narration, the questions he asked were all over the place. They ranged from ¡°Is homosexuality a disease?¡± and ¡°Can this condition be cured?¡± to questions about the formation of sexual orientation and the legal protections for same-sex relationships. It seemed to be a jumble of questions, whether they were actively searched or automatically redirected by the system. The answers from Baidu were disorganized and empty, mostly unrelated to the questions. Zhou Jianguo had to repeatedly input questions in various ways, attempting to extract something useful from the heap of rubble. But for a sixty-something-year-old man, this was quite challenging. Zhou Jianguo¡¯s efforts seemed awkward and even a bit comical. This ¡°comical¡± demeanor wasn¡¯t supposed to be associated with Zhou Jianguo. In Zhou Qingbo¡¯s impression, his father was an all-powerful figure who could handle anything, even if the sky were to fall. He had never shown weakness or been at a loss, not even once in his life. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heart ached, and he gripped the doorknob tightly. He subconsciously wanted to go in and interrupt him, but just before taking action, he felt a sense of timidity. Because he suddenly realized that the father he perceived as tough as steel in his memory wasn¡¯t as unyielding as he thought. He was already in his sixties, with gray hair on his temples, a slight build, and straight shoulders only when facing his juniors. He struggled with communication, not understanding how to sit down and talk with his son about feelings. He also didn¡¯t know how to confront his ingrained beliefs. Therefore, he could only secretly research late at night, hiding away from everyone, trying laboriously to understand everything beyond his own perceptions. But he was too far from the rapidly developing times. He was so distant that he not only failed to understand the thoughts of the younger generation but even found it challenging to look up information online. The cold automated female voice continued to narrate from the phone, and Zhou Jianguo switched to another question, starting to search for information on ¡°frauds in same-sex relationships.¡± The results from Baidu were all over the place, sounding absurd and ludicrous. Zhou Qingbo felt a mix of wanting to laugh and wanting to cry. I¡¯d rather he just hit me, Zhou Qingbo thought. This was like cutting with a blunt knife, it¡¯s so uncomfortable to watch. For the young people, these search results might be dismissed with a scoff, but for Zhou Jianguo, they seemed like the gospel truth. He was taking them very seriously, so much so that he didn¡¯t even notice Zhou Qingbo standing at the door. Zhou Qingbo gently pushed the door open a bit wider, and he saw his father furrowing his brows, staring intently at the phone screen as if facing an undefeated enemy. Unable to hold back, Zhou Qingbo coughed lightly, interrupting his ¡°research.¡± Zhou Jianguo had been listening carefully to the search results, and he was startled by Zhou Qingbai¡¯s voice. He instinctively wanted to exit the search engine, but his hand slipped, and the phone accidentally fell onto the carpet. The soft carpet absorbed most of the impact, and the well-made phone remained unscathed, still working diligently. ¡°On March 7, 2019, local police cracked down on a ¡®homosexual dating¡¯ fraud case, with over two hundred victims and involving hundreds of thousands in funds¡ª¡± Zhou Jianguo: ¡°¡­¡± This is truly annoying, Zhou Jianguo thought with frustration. Coming out to research information in the middle of the night, he was unexpectedly caught in the act by his quarreling younger son. Zhou Jianguo¡¯s aged face suddenly didn¡¯t know where to hide. He gritted his teeth and was about to pick up the phone to destroy the evidence when he heard Zhou Qingbo suddenly call out to him. ¡°Dad.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice was soft, but it sounded gentle, with a subtle nasal tone. It was like a breeze brushing through the quiet night, a sigh in a half-voice. ¡°Pei You isn¡¯t a fraud. If you¡¯re worried he might have bad intentions, I can introduce him to you.¡± Zhou Jianguo was startled by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice, and it took him a moment to understand what he was saying. He snorted coldly, bent down to pick up the phone and closed the voice narration. Then, he grabbed his cane and stood up, stiffened his neck, and said coldly, ¡°What¡¯s there to be worried about? Let me tell you, I won¡¯t agree no matter who it is. So don¡¯t bother.¡± This time, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t seem to be frightened by his cold attitude. He raised an eyebrow, deliberately said, ¡°Then what concerns you most about my sexuality? You¡¯ve already said no, so why worry about me getting deceived?¡± Zhou Jianguo: ¡­ Zhou Qingbo hit the nail on the head, instantly touching a sore spot for Zhou Jianguo. Actually, Zhou Jianguo himself felt very conflicted. On one hand, he absolutely couldn¡¯t bear the thought of Zhou Qingbo being with a man, but on the other hand, he couldn¡¯t control his desire to know whether Zhou Qingbo might be hurt in this relationship. Zhou Jianguo couldn¡¯t explain this internal conflict, and he couldn¡¯t stand Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gaze that seemed to see through everything. So, he furrowed his brows and said irritably, ¡°I¡¯m just casually looking into things. Who knows what you guys are thinking? Whether you¡¯re deceived or not, it¡¯s your business.¡± While Zhou Jianguo was speaking, seemingly afraid that Zhou Qingbo would retort, he hurriedly brushed past him, heading towards his own bedroom. He grumbled in a frustrated voice, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s so late. Why aren¡¯t you sleeping? Staying up every night, no wonder you¡¯re slow to recover from your injuries. Get back to your room quickly and don¡¯t wander around in the middle of the night.¡± His way of changing the topic was awkward, but Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t expose him. He stepped aside, making way for Zhou Jianguo, and watched his father¡¯s hurried descent down the stairs. He couldn¡¯t help but sense a hint of ¡°fleeing in panic¡± in his father¡¯s departing figure. Zhou Qingbo was slightly amused by this. He couldn¡¯t help but purse his lips, revealing the first relaxed smile in the past few days. ¡°Understood,¡± Zhou Qingbo said softly. ¡°Goodnight, Dad.¡± CH 82 As Zhou Qingbo finished speaking, he saw Zhou Jianguo¡¯s back tense slightly, then he quickened his steps and hurried downstairs. It was as if he was being pursued by some ferocious beast. Zhou Jianguo was tall and imposing, and Zhou Qingbo had never seen him ¡°run away¡± like this. Unable to hold back, he leaned against the door and burst into laughter. He found it amusing, yet touching. His heart softened and settled, and even the restlessness that had surrounded him for the past few days seemed to dissipate a lot. He watched Zhou Jianguo go back to his room, then straightened up and entered the study. He turned off the floor lamp next to the sofa. Several psychology books were scattered by the sofa, with the creases suggesting they were recently bought. Zhou Qingbo picked them up one by one, patted the nonexistent dust off them, and casually put them back on the shelf. Suddenly, there came the sound of hurried footsteps from the corridor. Zhou Qingbo stood in front of the bookshelf and before he could turn around, he felt a cool breeze as the study door was pushed open once again. ¡°Brother?¡± Zhou Qingbo turned back, surprised. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Cangshan didn¡¯t say anything. He subconsciously scanned the study, and when he didn¡¯t see anyone else, his tense shoulders relaxed a bit. He released his grip on the doorknob. ¡°¡­I heard Dad¡¯s voice and also yours,¡± Zhou Cangshan said in a low voice. ¡°Oh, I came down to drink some water and saw Dad in the study looking up information, so I chatted with him for a bit,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°Did I wake you?¡± Zhou Cangshan had actually been asleep, but Zhou Jianguo¡¯s temper hadn¡¯t been restrained, and his voice was loud enough to wake him up on the second floor. Their argument didn¡¯t seem to have any clear content, but the tone was unfavorable. Zhou Cangshan was worried that Zhou Jianguo might get angry and resort to violence again, so he hurriedly rushed out. Now, seeing Zhou Qingbo okay, Zhou Cangshan felt relieved, but at the same time, he felt a bit awkward. He avoided Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gaze somewhat uncomfortably. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Zhou Cangshan said. ¡°Just go back to bed. I¡¯m going back to my room.¡± He dropped those words and turned to leave, not giving Zhou Qingbo time to respond. However, perhaps Zhou Cangshan¡¯s reaction was too unexpected. Zhou Qingbo was momentarily dazed, then instinctively stepped forward to the study door. He called out to Zhou Cangshan. ¡°Brother,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. Zhou Cangshan¡¯s steps halted, and he asked what was the matter. ¡°Are you angry with me?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. Zhou Cangshan remained silent for a moment, not knowing how to answer. To be honest, his recent state of mind had been a bit complex. On one hand, he felt that he should firmly stand with Zhou Jianguo, intercepting Zhou Qingbo from his ¡°abnormal¡± path and quickly steering him back on track. On the other hand, he remembered the scene from the day Zhou Qingbo got beaten up, and he couldn¡¯t help but waver. He felt sorry for Zhou Qingbo and sometimes doubted himself, thinking that if Zhou Qingbo had even a slight amount of sincerity, then perhaps his own actions were betraying his little brother¡¯s honesty. Furthermore, he was the one who had reported to Zhou Jianguo, bringing their father here. Zhou Qingbo had suffered a beating, and Zhou Cangshan felt guilty. He felt that he should have been more cautious. He was torn between guilt and opposition, caught between the two sides of his heart, struggling to make a decision. After a long while, he finally turned around, carefully thought about it, and truthfully said, ¡°A bit.¡± Compared to Zhou Qingbo, Zhou Cangshan and Zhou Jianguo were clearly cut from the same cloth. They were straightforward and transparent. Seeing Zhou Cangshan¡¯s conflicted expression, Zhou Qingbo knew what was on his mind. Zhou Cangshan¡¯s life experience and level of authority were obviously not as extensive as Zhou Jianguo¡¯s, and his wavering was too apparent. It was obvious enough for Zhou Qingbo to easily catch on. So, with a thought in his mind, Zhou Qingbo blinked and instinctively took another step forward. ¡°Brother, do you think I¡¯m embarrassing you?¡± Zhou Qingbo continued to ask. ¡°Because I¡¯m gay and it might affect your reputation?¡± This question from Zhou Qingbo was half-genuine and half-playful. He admitted that he did indeed want to seize the opportunity to chat with Zhou Cangshan again, mend their relationship, and play the emotional card. However, before the words left his mouth, Zhou Cangshan interrupted him. ¡°Let me think this through, Qingbo,¡± Zhou Cangshan said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself. But regardless, I will take care of you, and it¡¯s definitely not because I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll embarrass me.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Zhou Qingbo quickly said. ¡°I just wanted to ask.¡± ¡°To be honest, Jiang Man has been advising me these days, and Mom has talked to me a few times as well,¡± Zhou Cangshan said. ¡°Honestly, I still don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so determined to be with a man, but give me some time to think it over.¡± ¡°Brother¡ª¡± Zhou Cangshan cut him off again. ¡°I also shouldn¡¯t have called Dad without discussing it with you first, but as for the rest, let¡¯s talk about it later.¡± Zhou Cangshan¡¯s evasive attitude was quite apparent, and seeing this, Zhou Qingbo decided to hold back the words he had initially wanted to say. He simply made a soft acknowledgement sound and didn¡¯t press further. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll go back to sleep, Brother,¡± Zhou Qingbo said obediently, ¡°Goodnight.¡± Zhou Cangshan made a sound of agreement. He watched as Zhou Qingbo went back to his room before sighing. He walked heavily back to his own bedroom. A small night light was on in the bedroom, and Jiang Man had been awakened by the commotion. She was sitting on the bed rubbing her eyes. When she saw him enter, she asked in a muffled voice, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did you guys have a fight?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zhou Cangshan¡¯s expression still carried the weight of his thoughts. He gave a perfunctory response, then sat on the edge of the bed, hesitating for a while before tentatively saying, ¡°Man Man, do you think, maybe we really can¡¯t persuade him?¡± Jiang Man had been on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s side from the beginning. She yawned lazily in response and leaned back onto the bed. ¡°Yeah,¡± Jiang Man, too tired to open her eyes, replied nonchalantly, ¡°You finally figured it out. Congratulations.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t understand, really,¡± Zhou Cangshan¡¯s face was filled with confusion, ¡°What¡¯s so good about liking men? What if he regrets it later? By that time, won¡¯t it become a stain on his life?¡± Jiang Man: ¡°¡­¡± Help, Jiang Man thought, how did I fall for this wooden head? ¡°And it seems like you and Mom don¡¯t really take this seriously either?¡± Zhou Cangshan questioned, ¡°With Qingbo being like this, unable to marry or have children, what¡¯s he going to do when he gets older?¡± ¡°He¡¯s rich,¡± Jiang Man, annoyed by Zhou Cangshan¡¯s rambling, couldn¡¯t help but push away the covers and sit up in bed. She said with a sense of resignation, ¡°If he breaks up with Pei You and can¡¯t find someone else, he can still afford to live in the best retirement home.¡± ¡°Besides, what do you mean by stain?¡± Jiang Man reached out to hold Zhou Cangshan¡¯s hand and lightly touched the calluses on it. She spoke softly and gently, ¡°When I was in England, there were homosexuals everywhere on the streets and at school. Our school even had a dedicated rainbow club, and there was a day for confessions each week. You could go on a date with someone you liked that day¡ª I¡¯ve even been confessed to by girls.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Zhou Cangshan had been lost in thought just now. Upon hearing this sentence, he was jolted back to attention. It was as if someone had pressed a radar button inside him. He instinctively asked, ¡°You agreed to go on a date with a girl?¡± ¡°Is that the point?!¡± Jiang Man, frustrated, swatted him. Zhou Cangshan cleared his throat, and said, ¡°Please continue.¡± ¡°One¡¯s sexual orientation isn¡¯t something they can control, but societal perception is influenced by the environment,¡± Jiang Man explained and yawned again, saying, ¡°If you went abroad for ten or twenty years, you wouldn¡¯t think this is a problem in any way.¡± Zhou Cangshan pursed his lips thoughtfully and didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°But come to think of it, why did you suddenly bring this up?¡± Jiang Man said, ¡°I thought you would remain stubborn to the end.¡± ¡°I was thinking, Qingbo has never willingly endured much hardship in his life,¡± Zhou Cangshan said in a low voice, his face showing confusion, ¡°He¡¯s this grown up, and I¡¯ve only seen him do it twice. One was when he learned to bartend, and the other is now with Pei You.¡± Zhou Qingbo was a delicate person who wouldn¡¯t willingly subject himself to hardship¡ªunless he genuinely liked something. Learning bartending was a demanding skill. It required a lot of tedious practice, along with a certain level of risk. Zhou Qingbo had practiced tirelessly for several years when he first started, leaving bruises on both his arms and bandages on his wrists. Despite this, when it came to bartending, he still had some room for compromise. He knew his family didn¡¯t approve of him doing it, so he hid it and fought a guerrilla warfare with Zhou Cangshan. Zhou Cangshan had initially thought that Qingbo¡¯s level of stubbornness and attachment couldn¡¯t go beyond this point. However, it wasn¡¯t until the confrontation that day that he realized he was wrong. In regards to Pei You, he was completely unwilling to compromise or back down. Starting from the moment he confronted Zhou Jianguo head-on, Zhou Cangshan had subconsciously realized that he was truly serious this time. ¡°Now that you understand, why are you still making it hard for him?¡± Jiang Man said, ¡°If I forced you to start dating a man right now, would you accept it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± This hypothesis was too terrifying. Just considering it made Zhou Cangshan¡¯s skin crawl and he felt awkward all over. ¡°You see, you can¡¯t either,¡± Jiang Man said, ¡°For Qingbo, having you tell him to date a girl feels the same way you feel now.¡± Zhou Cangshan opened his mouth but ultimately didn¡¯t say anything. Whether these two ¡°late-night discussions¡± had an effect or not, the next morning, Zhou Jianguo, for a change, didn¡¯t avoid Zhou Qingbo. Instead, he called him downstairs and initiated a ¡°family meeting.¡± Zhou Qingbo scratched his head, cautiously surveyed the room, and finally sat down in the only empty seat across from Zhou Jianguo. ¡°After these few days, you seem to have calmed down quite a bit,¡± Liang Ying was the first to speak, ¡°Today¡¯s meeting is mainly because your dad wants to understand the person you like.¡± ¡°Who said I want to understand them?¡± Zhou Jianguo said irritably, ¡°I am¡ª¡± He hadn¡¯t finished his sentence because Liang Ying lightly tapped his leg under the table, silencing his words. Zhou Jianguo glanced at Liang Ying¡¯s expression and grudgingly changed his words on the spot, ¡°Ah¡­ right, you¡¯re right, as you said.¡± ¡°Qingbo mentioned that you¡¯ve met that boy,¡± Liang Ying shifted the conversation to Zhou Cangshan, ¡°What kind of person is he?¡± Zhou Cangshan wouldn¡¯t be able to look someone in the eye and say someone else was bad when he wasn¡¯t. He looked at Zhou Jianguo and then at Zhou Qingbo, touched his conscience, and told the truth, ¡°He¡¯s good, he has a good education, a good job, and a decent personality.¡± Zhou Jianguo¡¯s mood was still a bit sour, and he couldn¡¯t help but snort before saying, ¡°So how did he become interested in you? You¡ªhiss!¡± His sentence came to a sudden stop as Liang Ying retracted her hand from under the table. She smiled gently and said, ¡°Go on, Cangshan.¡± Zhou Cangshan had witnessed the interaction between Pei You and Zhou Qingbo. To be honest, if one of them were a woman, he would surely have enthusiastically supported their relationship. However, the issue was that both of them were men. Zhou Cangshan felt uncomfortable just thinking about it. ¡°Nothing else,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°he¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s a decent person.¡± ¡°What about his family?¡± Liang Ying asked Zhou Qingbo, ¡°Have you talked to his family about your relationship?¡± ¡°His family knows,¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled and said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me needing to come back and explain the situation to you, he would have probably already introduced me to his mother.¡± This answer was clearly beyond the expectations of the older members of the Zhou family. Even Liang Ying was taken aback, asking if it was really true. ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Zhou Qingbo said nonchalantly, ¡°He came out to his family when he had just come of age. To be honest, we actually first met at blind date from a matchmaking event his mother had organized.¡± Zhou Cangshan: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Cangshan belatedly remembered the ¡°Matchmaking and Love Student Association.¡± It suddenly dawned on him that this matter had started much earlier than he realized. Perhaps people tend to follow the crowd. With a positive example from Pei You¡¯s family set before them, the psychological barriers of the Zhou family seemed to have been smoothed out somewhat. Liang Ying didn¡¯t beat around the bush about Pei You anymore. Instead, she directly asked Zhou Qingbo about their plans for the future. ¡°To be honest, we don¡¯t have any particular plans,¡± Zhou Qingbo truthfully said, ¡°We like each other, so we¡¯ll just get along well. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re any different from straight couples, and I don¡¯t feel the need to make any overly strict commitments.¡± This family meeting went on for a long time and covered a wide range of topics. Due to the personalities of Zhou Jianguo and Zhou Cangshan, the Zhou family rarely had such open-hearted conversations. As a result, the meeting progressed, from early morning until lunchtime. Setting aside their differing perspectives, Zhou Qingbo discussed the process of how he and Pei You had met, as well as the journey of their decision to be together. During this time, Zhou Cangshan and Zhou Jianguo listened intently, but neither of them provided a clear answer. However, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t expect to sway them with just one conversation. In his eyes, this was merely the first step of a long journey. He didn¡¯t know that after he finished lunch and returned to his room, Liang Ying and Jiang Man followed closely behind. ¡°Pack your things,¡± Liang Ying said, ¡°Your grandpa called. He said he¡¯s missing you. So, tidy up and have your sister-in-law take you to stay with him for a few days.¡± ¡°Grandpa?¡± Zhou Qingbo was puzzled, ¡°Doesn¡¯t he prefer peace and quiet? And Dad¡ª¡± Zhou Qingbo was about to say that Zhou Jianguo had ostensibly restricted him from leaving the house, but before he could, Jiang Man shot him a glare and silenced him. ¡°Are you being foolish?¡± Jiang Man said, ¡°Your dad finally relaxed a bit. Aren¡¯t you going to hurry up and leave?¡± At first, Zhou Qingbo was confused, but then he suddenly realized what Jiang Man meant. A hint of joy appeared on his face, ¡°Really, Mom? Is Dad finally accepting the situation?¡± Liang Ying stood by the bedroom door, extending her hand to playfully tap his forehead, ¡°Though your dad still can¡¯t fully accept it, he¡¯s not as resistant now.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t just easily change his stance once. He feels that if you leave, it¡¯s like he¡¯s agreeing to both of you. But he also can¡¯t bear to keep you confined here all the time. That¡¯s why he purposely found a reason,¡± Liang Ying whispered softly into Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ear, ¡°Sweetheart, can you give him a way out?¡± CH 83 Zhou Shusheng was over eighty years old, but he was still quite strong. He preferred solitude and didn¡¯t like to spend time with his children and grandchildren. As a result, he continued to live alone in the small courtyard, the size of a palm, in the old alley. When Zhou Qingbo and Jiang Man arrived, the old man was reclining on a lounge chair in the courtyard, listening to a radio. Upon seeing them, he lazily opened his eyes and glanced at them. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Zhou Shusheng pointed with his cigarette at the small house nearby and said, ¡°Qingbo, go inside and relax. We¡¯ll have dinner later. I want to have a word with your sister-in-law.¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t know what Zhou Jianguo had told Zhou Shusheng or how much he knew about his situation. He had suddenly disturbed the old man¡¯s peace, and although he had prepared himself to be lectured, he found that his prepared words weren¡¯t needed. He could only hesitantly enter the house. After he closed the door, Zhou Shusheng sat up from the lounge chair and absentmindedly tapped the ash off his cigarette. ¡°Qingbo¡¯s matter, Liang Ying has already talked to me about it.¡± Zhou Shusheng got straight to the point, ¡°Your dad is acting up just because he¡¯s well-off now and has too much time on his hands. Tell him, it¡¯s what I said. He should mind his own business instead of being so nosy. If he has that much free time, he might as well join a folk dance.¡± Jiang Man: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo, who was eavesdropping behind the door: ¡°¡­¡± The old house had poor sound insulation. In just a few steps, Zhou Qingbo, who had closed the door, could clearly hear Zhou Shusheng and Jiang Man¡¯s conversation. ¡°Grandfather, Grandpa¡ª¡± Jiang Man awkwardly chuckled twice and said, ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°No need to stammer. I¡¯ve lived for so many years; I¡¯ve seen it all,¡± Zhou Shusheng coldly snorted and said, ¡°Back in the day, our village was so poor that we could hardly make ends meet. Not many could afford to marry, and there were plenty like Qingbo who lived together. He meddles in everything, including who his son likes. ¡°Let him be.¡± Zhou Shusheng said, ¡°If he likes a man, you can¡¯t stop him; if he¡¯s not sincere and just doing it for fun, he¡¯ll get tired of it after a while.¡± Jiang Man nodded vigorously in her heart, thinking that Zhou Shusheng was much more open-minded than Zhou Jianguo. But while agreeing, she couldn¡¯t just go along with Zhou Shusheng¡¯s criticism of the elders so she smiled and said politely, ¡°Dad probably feels it¡¯s wrong and not suitable.¡± ¡°Wrong and not suitable? Who is he to judge right from wrong?¡± Zhou Shusheng narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°Your grandmother was a wealthy young lady back then. I was just a worker in her family. There was so much difference between us not to mention the different backgrounds and social status. With so much difference between us, we didn¡¯t care if we were suitable or not because all that mattered was that we were in love. If we cared so much about everything else, your father wouldn¡¯t even exist.¡± ¡°Besides, whether it¡¯s suitable or not, that¡¯s something you decide for yourselves, not what others say.¡± Zhou Shusheng got a bit agitated as he spoke, tapping his cigarette on the table, making a clanging sound. ¡°Back then, your grandmother¡¯s family didn¡¯t approve of me due to my low status. When she was young, so many people advised me to distance myself from her and our child. Did I listen in the end?¡± This was something Zhou Qingbo knew. He had heard his parents mention it countless times when he was a child. Zhou Shusheng came from poverty as a young man, coming out of the countryside. At the time, Qingbo¡¯s grandmother was a well-known wealthy merchant¡¯s daughter in the City. By chance, she got to know Zhou Shusheng, who was working as a laborer in her family. They somehow developed feelings for each other, and against the family¡¯s wishes, they got married. On the day of their marriage, Zhou Shusheng vowed to treat her well for a lifetime. And indeed, he followed through on his promise. Over the decades of their marriage, even through changes in dynasties and the decline of her family¡¯s status, Zhou Shusheng still treated her as a wealthy young lady, taking care of all household chores himself. He never let her do any housework or cook a meal. ¡°Life is for us to enjoy on our own terms, whether the experiences are good or bad, just let it be.¡± Zhou Shusheng concluded firmly, saying, ¡°Tell your father this is what I said.¡± The courtyard was small, and Zhou Qingbo knew that Zhou Shusheng¡¯s words might be directed at him. So, he straightened up, returned to the bed, took out his phone, and sent a WeChat message to Pei You. ¡°My mom found you a good ally.¡± Zhou Qingbo exclaimed, ¡°We should be in the clear now.¡± His sentence was quite brief, with only ¡°in the clear¡± standing out. Pei You¡¯s eyes brightened, and he immediately replied. ¡°Are you okay now?¡± Pei You asked. During the days Zhou Qingbo was confined at home, Pei You wasn¡¯t completely at ease either. Having spent so much time together, suddenly being apart for several days left him feeling restless. He missed Zhou Qingbo so much and was worried that the coming out process might not be going smoothly. This uneasiness had him tossing and turning every night and struggling to focus on his work. ¡°When can I see you?¡± Pei You¡¯s messages kept coming rapidly: ¡°Should I pick you up?¡± Clearly, these days had been tough for him as well. His messages arrived one after the other, showing a sense of impatience that was unlike his usual self. Zhou Qingbo smiled slightly, sending him a cat rolling emoji. ¡°Not yet.¡± Zhou Qingbo replied, ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± Even though both he and Zhou Jianguo knew that the visit to Zhou Shusheng was just an excuse to let him out, Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t just leave right away. So, he patiently spent the afternoon playing chess with his grandfather, had dinner, and waited for Zhou Shusheng to go back to his room and turn off the lights before stealthily opening the door and sending another message to Pei You. He didn¡¯t explain much but simply sent Pei You his location. Pei You looked at the message, realizing that it was near Wudaoying. The location was simply displayed in the chat without any explanation or commonly used emojis from Zhou Qingbo. Pei You wasn¡¯t sure what it meant, but after a moment¡¯s thought, he closed his computer, grabbed his car keys, and headed in the direction indicated. The old alleys twisted and turned, and cars couldn¡¯t easily pass through. So, Pei You had to park on the side of the road and walk toward the destination following the location on his phone. He was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, walked through the old bicycles and hung out old clothes, looking a bit out of place against the surroundings. He walked according to the navigation without knowing how long he had been walking until he finally approached the destination. His Bluetooth earbuds signaled the end of navigation, and Pei You put away his phone. He was about to look around when he heard someone above him call his name. Instinctively, Pei You raised his head and noticed Zhou Qingbo sitting on a wall not far behind him, looking at him with a smile. Zhou Qingbo had been waiting there for a while. He was seated high up and could see far ahead. He had seen Pei You struggling to find his way through the twisting alley with his phone. Zhou Qingbo had thought about calling out to him but then changed his mind, wickedly waiting to see if Pei You could find his way on his own. The unfamiliar and intricate path didn¡¯t matter; Zhou Qingbo could tell from the direction Pei You was walking that they would eventually cross paths at a certain point. There was no need to rush. The old brick wall was over three meters high. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s legs dangled off the wall while he supported his arm with the other leg, giving him a good vantage point. He lowered his head with a smile, and his gaze met Pei You¡¯s. ¡°This lost tourist.¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled as he asked, ¡°Is your golden house ready yet?¡± Perhaps because he was sitting high up, his tone was light and carefree, almost as if he was casual about it. Yet, there was a hint of control in his demeanor, as if he had the upper hand. But his laughter revealed a touch of playfulness, which somewhat softened the sharpness, thanks to the smile at the end. Pei You looked up at Zhou Qingbo and suddenly felt his heart skip a beat. The cold moonlight fell on him, and even the smile at the corner of his lips carried a slightly enigmatic meaning. Zhou Qingbo looked down at Pei You, his gaze carrying a hint of seriousness, as if he was waiting for an answer. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s done.¡± Pei You¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moved slightly as he softly said, ¡°You¡¯re the only missing piece.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you a chance to hide me in your ¡®golden house¡¯.¡± As he spoke, he exerted force on his feet and unexpectedly jumped straight down from the wall. Instinctively, Pei You reached out to catch him, but Zhou Qingbo skillfully pressed him against the wall. With a playful gleam in his eyes and an uncontrollable excitement in his tone, Zhou Qingbo, almost overflowing with intimacy and joy, closed the distance that had been present a moment ago. Pei You felt as if he, too, was filled with Zhou Qingbo¡¯s emotions. He was about to say something when Zhou Qingbo suddenly lowered his head and kissed him. ¡°Qingb¡ª¡± ¡°shhh,¡± Zhou Qingbo whispered softly, ¡°My grandfather is sleeping inside. He¡¯s a light sleeper, don¡¯t wake him up.¡± Pei You had always been well-behaved and had never been this intimate with someone in front of his elders. Even though there was a wall between them, he couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. His back tensed up, feeling a mix of embarrassment and restlessness in this passionate and hasty kiss. He subconsciously wanted to push Zhou Qingbo away but also felt a slight reluctance. Seeing Pei You¡¯s hesitation, Zhou Qingbo intensified the kiss, pressing Pei You against the wall, taking control and leading the pace. This kiss, infused with the excitement of their reunion, entwined their tongues. After a while, Zhou Qingbo gradually realized that Pei You had switched to a new mouthwash during these few days. The familiar peppermint scent had been replaced by a softer lemon fragrance. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gaze deepened, and he gently bit Pei You¡¯s lip. ¡°I missed you so much,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°Did you miss me?¡± ¡°¡­I did.¡± Pei You finished speaking but felt it wasn¡¯t enough, so he added, ¡°so much.¡± CH 84 After several days, sitting in the passenger seat beside Pei You once again, Zhou Qingbo inexplicably felt as if they had entered a different world. Pei You¡¯s car was much like him, clean, neat, and organized. Even though there were no scented products inside, a faint scent of white tea could be detected. The passenger seat was still adjusted to the angle Zhou Qingbo had set last time, making it appear that no one else had used it recently. Zhou Qingbo adjusted his sitting posture contentedly and lazily stretched his body. ¡°Finally outdoors.¡± Zhou Qingbo reclined against the backrest like a boneless creature and muttered, ¡°I¡¯ve been home for so long, I¡¯m growing fur.¡± He didn¡¯t bring up the topic earlier, and Pei You had momentarily forgotten about it, but now he recalled Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ¡°coming out process¡± and couldn¡¯t help but look at him sideways. ¡°By the way, how¡¯s your family doing?¡± Pei You asked, ¡°Are they still angry?¡± These past few days, when Zhou Qingbo was confined at home, they rarely kept in touch as they used to. Pei You only knew bits and pieces about the ¡°coming out¡± situation and wasn¡¯t sure how Zhou Qingbo had handled it with his family. When they met earlier, he was so happy to see him again that he had momentarily forgotten about the topic. Now he remembered and wanted to inquire. ¡°My older brother and dad are both still angry, but it¡¯s not as bad as you might think.¡± Zhou Qingbo replied, ¡°My mom is more neutral¡ª for her, as long as I¡¯m doing well, she doesn¡¯t object.¡± Even though Zhou Qingbo had spent a while being detained, he had only had a few conversations with his family regarding this matter. He sifted through the useless arguments and explained his coming out process to Pei You in detail. Pei You¡¯s brow furrowed at first, but as he listened, he gradually relaxed, and his tense shoulders eased. ¡°Your family is quite understanding.¡± After Zhou Qingbo recounted the entire process in detail, Pei You sincerely exclaimed, ¡°They really love you.¡± No wonder Zhou Qingbo had developed such a personality, Pei You thought. Despite growing up under strict parents, Zhou Qingbo had remained carefree and independent. In theory, he should have felt suffocated staying by his strict father¡¯s side, but his personality wasn¡¯t sensitive or irritable. He didn¡¯t seem like someone who grew up under high pressure. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Feeling jealous?¡± Zhou Qingbo teased with a chuckle, ¡°I know they love me, but do you love me?¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± Zhou Qingbo urged playfully, ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll be sad.¡± From the time they first met until now, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ¡°being sad¡± had become so inflated that it seemed he could be heartbroken a hundred times just by a single glance from Pei You, making it seem utterly valueless. However, no matter how insincere Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words were, Pei You still took the bait every time. He quickly responded with an ¡°Mmm¡± and said, ¡°I do.¡± His voice was soft and gentle, and as he spoke, his lips curled up involuntarily, revealing a contented and faint smile. It was like a feather, landing gently on calm water and causing tiny, almost invisible ripples. Having received the answer he wanted, Zhou Qingbo squinted his eyes, his smile like that of a satisfied cat. He became more affectionate in his gestures and couldn¡¯t resist holding Pei You¡¯s hand, playing with it like a precious ornament, touching here and rubbing there. Zhou Qingbo touched and teased, deliberately not giving him an easy time. His fingertips slid gently back and forth in Pei You¡¯s palm and the back of his hand, bringing a slight cool and itchy sensation. Pei You shivered under his touch, feeling uncomfortable all over. It was as if Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand carried a low electric current, a touch that could make his skin tingle. ¡°¡­By the way,¡± Pei You¡¯s gaze flickered momentarily, trying to forcefully divert his attention from their intertwined hands. ¡°Is it okay for us to run away like this?¡± Although Zhou Qingbo had explained everything, Pei You still hesitated, unable to resist looking towards the dark alley not far away, and hesitated, ¡°Is it really okay not to let your grandpa know?¡± ¡°No need, I¡¯ll call him tomorrow,¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled, thinking that Pei You was indeed a good child who hadn¡¯t even run away from home before. ¡°Since my dad sent me here, it¡¯s implied he¡¯s letting me run away,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a smile. ¡°If I were to announce it openly now, that would cause a big fuss.¡± Since he put it that way, Pei You eased his worries too. He glanced at their intertwined hands and couldn¡¯t help but consider using the excuse of adjusting the seat belt to separate their hands. However, Zhou Qingbo seemed to have seen through him. He tightened his fingers before Pei You could pull his hand away, holding onto him firmly. ¡°Where are you running off to?¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a smile. ¡°Let me fasten your seatbelt,¡± Pei You said amiably. ¡°No.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°I want to hold onto you for a while longer.¡± Zhou Qingbo always had a mischievous streak. He leaned slightly, deliberately lowering his body to get closer to Pei You. His eyes followed Pei You¡¯s, raising his eyebrows playfully. ¡°If you want your hand back, you have to kiss me.¡± They were so close that Pei You could see Zhou Qingbo¡¯s bright eyes when he lowered his gaze. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes were filled with almost overflowing amusement, fixed on Pei You¡¯s with intensity. Despite his submissive posture, their joined hands conveyed a strong sense of dominance. With a thought, Pei You leaned forward slightly and lightly kissed the corner of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s lips. ¡°Like this?¡± Pei You asked. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t say anything, instead, he turned his head slightly, leaned in, and briefly kissed Pei You. Then he said, ¡°like this.¡± Having gained the upper hand, Zhou Qingbo released Pei You¡¯s hand contentedly, allowing him to adjust the seat belt. The car slowly pulled away from the alley entrance. The intimacy that night seemed to have exceeded some boundaries. Even after the car had entered the main road, Pei You still felt a bit flushed. On the other hand, Zhou Qingbo seemed to adapt well, visibly more joyful. ¡°Where are we going?¡± The navigation in the car didn¡¯t lead to Star River Bay. Zhou Qingbo glanced at the screen, knowingly asked, ¡°Are you kidnapping me?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to the new apartment,¡± Pei You habitually ignored the latter part of his sentence and replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already set it up.¡± Pei You had always taken Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words to heart. During the days Zhou Qingbo was confined, Pei You had rented an apartment and gradually moved in some necessary items. Fortunately, the lease for the place wasn¡¯t long, and it was a newly decorated house. So, with just a few soft furnishings, it was ready to be lived in. Even though Zhou Qingbo joked about wanting a ¡°palace,¡± he was actually easy to please. He didn¡¯t care where Pei You took him; he was just excitedly tagging along, showing genuine interest in the scenery along the way. For the first time in his life, Zhou Qingbo was going to live with someone he liked. He felt inexplicably excited and found everything fresh. He even took an extra look at the colored garbage bins by the entrance of the new residential area. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The elevator doors slid open. Pei You stepped out first, then reached back to block the doors with his arm, saying, ¡°This is the one.¡± The new apartment still retained a faint scent of the soft furnishings, and a faint hum from an air purifier could be heard upon entering. Zhou Qingbo stood by the doorway, not immediately stepping inside, but instead taking a moment to look around. Everything in front of him was completely unfamiliar, yet Zhou Qingbo blinked and suddenly felt an indescribable sense of belonging. This is our home, Zhou Qingbo thought. The new apartment, with its natural wood-colored style, was furnished with new pieces. Coffee tables, sofas, and even a large-screen TV connected to a gaming console were there. Zhou Qingbo glanced around and noticed a small bar counter about two meters high near the dining area. Beside the bar counter was a small wine cabinet, about the height of a person, containing a few bottles of basic liquor. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gaze lingered on that corner for a while, his fingers unconsciously curling, and he couldn¡¯t help but touch his fingertips. ¡ªPei You didn¡¯t drink, so it was obvious who those drinks were prepared for. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what you¡¯d like, so I didn¡¯t buy much,¡± Pei You explained. ¡°Once you tell me what you prefer, we can get more later.¡± Zhou Qingbo remained silent. He turned his head, pursed his lips, and smiled at Pei You. This smile was different from the ones before. It wasn¡¯t simply contentment, nor did it carry the usual playful aura. It seemed deeper, as if it held more complex emotions. ¡°I like it,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°Whatever you buy is fine.¡± When he said this, his face didn¡¯t hold the usual liveliness. His tone had a sense of depth, yet it wasn¡¯t bitter. It was like peeling off the outer layer of jade, revealing the warm and translucent core beneath. Pei You paused for a moment, not having the chance to fully discern this subtle change, before Zhou Qingbo had already composed his expression, stepping into the apartment. Pei You followed him inside and then seemed to recall something. He reached into the small storage box at the entrance and pulled out a key. ¡°By the way, Qingbo,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Here, take this, the key to the apartment.¡± The key was newly cut, with a small plain loop attached. Zhou Qingbo turned to look at it and found that the loop was about the size of a finger. He couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Just giving it to me like this?¡± Zhou Qingbo deliberately teased, ¡°So easily?¡± Pei You seemed to not understand why giving a key required any complex process. He blinked, his face showing a slightly confused and blank look. Realizing that hinting at him wouldn¡¯t work, Zhou Qingbo decided not to bother with the effort. He placed his hand over the back of Pei You¡¯s hand, not taking the key from him, but instead holding onto his hand and slipping the plain circle loop over his own ring finger on the other hand. ¡°Alright, done,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, entertaining himself. ¡°I accept.¡± He slightly lowered his head in this position and, while holding Pei You¡¯s hand, lightly kissed his knuckles. ¡°Congratulations, Mr. Pei,¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled. ¡°Starting today, we are family.¡± CH 85 This kiss was as light as a dragonfly touching the water, a fleeting contact, yet Pei You could sense the profound sense of adoration from his tone. A tingling sensation, like a delicate current, traveled up Pei You¡¯s hand, flowing against his blood, gently warming him. His fingers subconsciously curled up, and a hint of warmth blossomed in his chest. I was too slow to catch on, Pei You thought to himself. He shouldn¡¯t have let Zhou Qingbo do this himself. ¡ªMoreover, this scene shouldn¡¯t be happening at this time, with such a simple and plain stainless steel circle. Pei You had the intention to respond to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s initiative, but he had already missed the chance. Anything he said now would just seem like an attempt to make up for it. Fortunately, Zhou Qingbo was skilled at entertaining himself. With a glint in his eyes, he playfully examined the key ring from various angles, then waved it in front of Pei You in a showy manner. He hooked the key ring onto his finger and got into the apartment, changing his shoes and heading into the bathroom to freshen up. He had a light and cheerful step, appearing genuinely happy. Pei You blinked as he watched Zhou Qingbo¡¯s departing figure and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡­He¡¯s too easy to please, Pei You thought. Pei You reflected on himself and decided to subtly and indirectly ask ¡°Teacher Zhou¡± for advice later, gaining a bit of relationship experience from him. He didn¡¯t want to perform so poorly on the spot like today. This isn¡¯t good. Pei You seriously thought to himself. He can¡¯t always let Zhou Qingbo take the initiative; he needs to be proactive as well. The sounds of splashing water echoed from the bathroom. Zhou Qingbo became familiar and at ease, despite it being his first time entering the house. He considered himself half a host, feeling perfectly at home. Pei You stood in the living room and glanced at the bathroom door, making sure Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t need anything urgent. He then turned and started working on his own tasks. Pei You had moved in two days earlier before Zhou Qingbo, but he hadn¡¯t formally spent a night there yet, so many things needed organizing. The apartment had an open layout, and the bedroom was connected to a semi-open balcony with a trendy floor-to-ceiling window. Pei You changed into his clothes and opened the windows for ventilation. He then opened the wardrobe, taking out a set of freshly washed bed sheets. The sound of running water continued from the bathroom. Pei You bent slightly, half kneeling at the edge of the bed, carefully spreading the bedsheet. The soft cotton fabric obediently fell in place as he worked, draping down at the corners in a neat and orderly manner. Pei You finished making the bed and absently put the scattered items on the bedside table into the drawer. Just as he was about to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water, he heard Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice calling out from the bathroom. ¡°Pei You¡ª¡± Zhou Qingbo elongated his tone, sounding both playful and complaining. ¡°I don¡¯t have any clothes to wear and I don¡¯t see a robe here.¡± ¡°Coming,¡± Pei You quickly responded. Zhou Qingbo had come over suddenly and hadn¡¯t brought any luggage, naturally leaving behind his change of clothes. Pei You hadn¡¯t realized this until Zhou Qingbo mentioned it, and quickly recalled it. He turned back to the bedroom, rummaged through the wardrobe, and found a set of clean bathrobes. Then he knocked on the bathroom door. ¡°Come in,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°I didn¡¯t lock it.¡± That apartment was spacious, and the bathroom was designed with dry and wet areas separated. The bathing area was shielded by a curtain, ensuring privacy. Zhou Qingbo casually wiped his body with a towel, hearing the door handle outside the bathroom rattle and letting in a gentle breeze. He knew it was Pei You bringing the bathrobe, so he didn¡¯t mind. He used a towel to wrap around himself and lifted a corner of the shower curtain. ¡°if I had known¡ª¡± Zhou Qingbo had initially intended to say he should go back and get some luggage, but as soon as he lifted the curtain and caught a glimpse, his mind went blank. He swallowed the last part of his sentence. At the entrance to the bathroom, Pei You had already changed into soft home clothes. Because he had just been doing house chores and unpacking, a thin layer of sweat had formed on his forehead. His damp hair hung down slightly, sticking to his face in a slightly messy way. He wore a pair of fluffy fur slippers and had on a comfortable, long bathrobe draped over his arm. He stood at the door, blocking most of the light from the living room. The soft light cast faint halos that seeped through the gaps around him, creating a few narrow shadows on his body. The texture of the cotton home outfit was visibly good. The loose cuffs slid down a bit with Pei You¡¯s movements, revealing a hint of skin imprinted with faint marks. Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± This was the first time Zhou Qingbo had seen Pei You like this¡ªPei You after removing his watch and suit, he seemed to have shed a layer of the old, rigid armor, and the light-colored home clothes made him appear exceptionally soft. In the dim atmosphere of the living room, he seemed to seamlessly fit into Zhou Qingbo¡¯s young and naive fantasies of a ¡°dream lover¡± from his youth. Zhou Qingbo held his breath, and he unconsciously tightened his grip on the shower curtain, sensing a slightly shameful change in himself. ¡°Hmm?¡± Pei You waited for a moment for the continuation, unable to resist asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. Zhou Qingbo found it difficult to describe his feelings. He had always known that he liked Pei You, but until now, his feelings had been vague, soft, surface level, and carried a hint of innocent anticipation. It was like being covered by a layer of damp mist, gentle and harmless. But at this moment, this emotion was obviously taking on a slightly ¡°uncontrollable¡± trend. The soft and delicate mist was gradually condensing into a storm, clamoring to tear apart an unspeakable understanding. He is mine, Zhou Qingbo thought. However, Pei You seemed completely unaware. As if he was afraid the cold wind outside would reach Zhou Qingbo, he slightly narrowed the door¡¯s gap and called out. ¡°Qingbo,¡± Pei You said, ¡°I¡¯ll place the robe for you here?¡± ¡°¡­No, wait a moment,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. Pei You hadn¡¯t expected to be stopped. Hearing this, he paused and stopped placing the clothes on the sink counter. Zhou Qingbo unconsciously swallowed, his grip on the shower curtain alternating between tight and loose. He turned off the shower, took his time, and carefully stepped out of the bathtub. Pei You heard the movement of the shower curtain open. Subconsciously, He turned his head away, stretching out his arm to hand over the bathrobe. A few seconds later, a wet hand reached out and snatched the bathrobe from his arm. Pei You let out a quiet sigh of relief. He was about to turn and leave when a hand reached out from the side, coming from behind, and wrapped around him. Immediately, that arm exerted a slight force, pulling Pei You into the bathroom as well. When Zhou Qingbo pulled Pei You, it was pretty much instinctual. He only knew he didn¡¯t want Pei You to leave through that door. However, after keeping him there and seeing Pei You¡¯s puzzled expression, Zhou Qingbo managed to regain a bit of his sanity. I¡¯m done for, Zhou Qingbo thought as his mind wandered in contemplation. I¡¯m acting like an animal. But obviously, self-condemnation wasn¡¯t going to change anything. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gaze drifted for a moment, and he couldn¡¯t help but swallow again. ¡°¡­I want to ask you something,¡± Zhou Qingbo suddenly said. Pei You instinctively felt a bit of danger, but he couldn¡¯t control the fact that his attention was seized by Zhou Qingbo. He subconsciously asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°That ¡®no-go zone¡¯ you mentioned during the blind date,¡± Zhou Qingbo licked his lips and said softly, ¡°Can you rethink it?¡± CH 86 Pei You quickly understood the implicit meaning in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words. After all, he might be slow, but he wasn¡¯t completely clueless. He naturally felt Zhou Qingbo¡¯s bulge. His gaze subconsciously flickered downward, but before he could fully understand the situation, Zhou Qingbo had already clung to him, sticky and adhesive. ¡°What do you say?¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s voice softened as he negotiated. Through the thin bathrobe, Pei You could clearly feel Zhou Qingbo¡¯s heat. The skin, steamed by the water vapor, emitted a hint of moist heat, causing even the bathrobe to become warm. The sudden warmth made Pei You shudder slightly. Subconsciously, he raised his hand and gripped Zhou Qingbo¡¯s wrist, a conflict of emotions surging within him. Pei You was introverted and traditional by nature. Although he didn¡¯t reject further intimacy with his loved one, he had high standards for the timing. He felt that it should be the perfect moment, followed naturally and smoothly when the time was right. But now¡­ at this moment¡ª Pei You¡¯s thoughts stalled for a moment. Suddenly, he realized that the present moment seemed to be sufficiently ¡°natural and smooth.¡± To be honest, the ¡°rule¡± he had set during their blind date was partly due to his introverted nature. Even if he had feelings, it was difficult to put such a significant level of trust in a stranger in a short period. The other part was indeed because he and Zhou Qingbo were not familiar at that time. He had just casually mentioned a ¡°reasonable¡± no go zone rule without overthinking. However, now they were communicating their feelings openly, at a time when they were overflowing with tenderness and affection for each other. Sticking to unnecessary rules, not to mention Zhou Qingbo, even Pei You himself found it torturous and hard to do. He, too, was a young adult with raging hormones. When he didn¡¯t want to, it was fine, but now with Zhou Qingbo so close, so insistently snuggling against him, it was hard for Pei You not to have certain explicit thoughts. His Adam¡¯s apple rolled, and he suddenly felt that the scent of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s body wash had become particularly enticing. ¡°Pei You?¡± Zhou Qingbo whispered softly, ¡°i need your answer¡ª¡± Seeing that Pei You didn¡¯t respond, Zhou Qingbo became more assertive, leaning in closer, pressing gently against Pei You¡¯s shoulder, and softly calling his name. Zhou Qingbo was skilled at being playful and flirtatious, especially using this technique against Pei You. Pei You¡¯s thoughts flickered for a moment, and his initial boundary began to falter. ¡°I¡­¡± Pei You¡¯s gaze darkened slightly. Unable to resist, he reached out and held Zhou Qingbo¡¯s waist, pulling him into his embrace. Sensing a slight hint of approval in this action, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes brightened, and he couldn¡¯t help but tilt his head and kiss Pei You. The strong scent of the shower gel in the bathroom hadn¡¯t completely dissipated. Amidst the damp steam-filled room, Pei You engaged in a long kiss with Zhou Qingbo until they became dizzy, and then he subconsciously held onto Zhou Qingbo¡¯s waist, turning him around to rest against the sink. ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry,¡± Pei You nervously licked his lips, whispering, ¡°I¡¯ll be very careful.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo had been content with Pei You¡¯s cooperation until this moment, when he finally realized that something was off. Pei You had one arm around his waist and the other hand gripping his wrist. Uncharacteristically, he seemed to have lost some control, as his grip was strong, leaving a slight sensation of pain on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s skin. ¡°You¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo squinted his eyes slightly and whispered, ¡°want to be on top?¡± Pei You blinked, looked at him with confusion, and asked, ¡°Do you want to?¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± Oh no, Zhou Qingbo thought. He and Pei You were two inexperienced lovers who had never been in a relationship before. Naturally, they had forgotten to discuss whether they would both be active, and now they realized it was a problem only when they were already in the situation. Miscalculated, Zhou Qingbo thought. After a couple of seconds, Pei You also sensed something from this tense situation. He blinked, then looked at Zhou Qingbo again. ¡°You¡­¡± He had intended to ask Zhou Qingbo about his preferences, but before he could finish his sentence, he saw Zhou Qingbo¡¯s appearance through the misty mirror on the water¡¯s surface. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s bathrobe had slipped off slightly during their kissing earlier. The collar had slid off his shoulder, revealing his back. The bruises on his back from the beating were mostly healed, but faint blue marks were still visible, crisscrossing his skin and looking particularly fierce. Pei You was momentarily surprised, and his words took a different turn. ¡°You said you were just slapped a few times?¡± Pei You asked. Zhou Qingbo also paused upon hearing this. He instinctively turned to look at the mirror and realized he had exposed his back. He then slightly turned his body to block Pei You¡¯s view and leaned in to kiss him in a vague attempt to divert his attention. ¡°It¡¯s not serious, it doesn¡¯t hurt anymore,¡± Zhou Qingbo said casually. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He said it lightly, but Pei You couldn¡¯t treat it as if everything was fine. His gaze couldn¡¯t help but drift toward the mirror, and he felt a sour and uneasy feeling. Zhou Qingbo was quite delicate and sensitive, and he was averse to pain. When he was hospitalized in Chongqing, he would hiss and hold Pei You¡¯s hand every time his wounds were being cleaned. Once the bandages were changed, he would be drenched in sweat. But this time, despite taking a beating, he hadn¡¯t softened and hadn¡¯t even come to Pei You to seek some comfort or ask for a few sweet words. Pei You suddenly felt his heart softening uncontrollably. The already precarious balance in his heart quickly tipped in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s favor, and he couldn¡¯t retrieve it. Finally, he looked at the misty mirror one last time. He felt his heart pounding, a deafening rhythm that seemed as if it would break free from the constraints of his ribs and burst out of his chest. His heart raced, his limbs turned cold, and he nervously swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Slowly, hesitatingly, he released the grip on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand. Suddenly, someone pulled the shower curtain closed again, and warm water poured down, quickly filling the bathroom with a thick layer of steam. The wet shower curtain hung heavily outside the bathtub, swaying slightly as the water flowed, and occasional muffled, suppressed moans came from behind the curtain. However, these sounds were soon drowned out by the rushing water. After an uncertain amount of time, a hand abruptly extended from the side of the curtain, grabbing onto the nearby sink. The hand was exceptionally attractive, long and fair, with distinct joints. The fingers initially relaxed against the stainless steel frame for a moment before suddenly exerting force and gripping the sink. The veins on the back of the hand stood out clearly. Then, the curtain trembled slightly, and another hand emerged from within, reaching out to hold onto the back of the first hand. Finger by finger, the two hands intertwined. ¡°You¡¯re gripping it so tightly,¡± Zhou Qingbo quickly noticed Pei You¡¯s actions and teased, ¡°Won¡¯t you break the sink..¡± The bathroom was filled with steam, and the hot air was suffocating. Pei You took a labored breath and said, ¡°N-no, I won¡¯t¡ª¡± Zhou Qingbo leaned against Pei You¡¯s shoulder constantly thrusting hard behind him and playfully called out to him in a relaxed tone, repeating his name several times in an affectionate tone: ¡°Pei, Pei You, You You¡­¡± Being called in this manner made Pei You¡¯s scalp tingle, but he managed to respond to each endearing iteration with difficulty amidst soft moans. ¡°I really like you,¡± Zhou Qingbo said softly. ¡°I like you too.¡± Pei You turned his head to look at Zhou Qingbo, who was leaning against his shoulder. He leaned in to press a kiss on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s damp temple and whispered, ¡°A lot.¡± Zhou Qingbo felt that Pei You had a certain magic about him¡ªalthough he wasn¡¯t romantic and didn¡¯t know sweet words, even his expressions of affection seemed to be straightforward and earnest. Hearing the most ordinary words coming from Pei You¡¯s mouth felt sincere and had the power to melt his heart. Unable to resist, Zhou Qingbo placed a kiss on the wet nape of Pei You¡¯s neck and then hugged his shoulders, leaning in to kiss him. The minty scent was strong and refreshing, so intense that it made them light-headed. The emerald jade pendant on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s neck was free from its constraints, swaying lightly as if it were a hook, teasing and provoking Pei You intermittently. The cool jade touched their skin, leaving a sticky sensation as it slid over. Zhou Qingbo slightly bent down, causing the green jade pendant to fall to Pei You¡¯s back. It moved lightly, stirring up a delicate and distinct tickling sensation. Pei You was teased multiple times by it, his back becoming numb. After a moment of enduring it, he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He reached out and grabbed the pendant. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Zhou Qingbo quickly noticed his action and said with a smile, ¡°How about I give it to you?¡± Pei You felt like he was being submerged in the increasingly thick mist, rendering him speechless. He nodded his head slightly, struggling to place the pendant against his lips for a kiss before holding it in his palm. The hot water heater in the new apartment was installed during the renovation years ago and had become somewhat unresponsive with time. After prolonged use, the sound of the water became unpredictable, sometimes louder, sometimes quieter. The bathroom was now even more filled with steam, and in the midst of their pleasurable gasps and moans, someone accidentally bumped into the sink. A bottle of new shower gel fell from the countertop, and its cap shattered on the hard tile floor, releasing the fragrance of lilacs that quickly permeated the room. The liquid flowed slowly from the bottle¡¯s opening, sticky and heavy. ¡°It¡¯s a pity,¡± Zhou Qingbo managed to spare a glance at the floor amidst the thrusting, embracing Pei You¡¯s waist and softly saying, ¡°We¡¯ll need to buy a new bottle of shower gel tomorrow.¡± CH 87 At half-past two in the afternoon, the property manager who was conducting a census of short term residents concluded their registration work in Unit 6-3 of Building A and once again rode the elevator up to the sixteenth floor. They knocked on the door of unit 1607. According to the records provided by the property, unit 1607 had been successfully rented out a week ago. The new tenant had paid the rent deposit and moved in officially a few days ago. Being a weekend, there should have been someone at home. However, when the property manager visited at noon, the door of 1607 was tightly shut. They had stood at the door, knocking for a good ten minutes, yet received no response. Moreover, the phone number left by the new tenant was unreachable as well. The property staff attempted to contact them again, but unfortunately, the outcome remained the same. In the end, they regretfully crossed out 1607 in their records, added ¡°unknown¡± in the notes column, closed the folder, and headed back to the lobby. Meanwhile, just one door away from the corridor, unit 1607 was in a state of chaos, as if it had been ransacked. The shattered shower gel bottle still lay in the bathroom, the liquid having spilled onto the tiles, sticking slightly to the gaps between them. Watermarks remained on the tiles, while the steam on the mirror had dried. However, a corner of the mirror was smudged, leaving an inconspicuous handprint. In the adjacent bedroom, the door was wide open. Several pieces of clothing were scattered messily on the wooden floor, and a pair of slippers were strewn about. They were buried beneath a crumpled bathrobe. The window was partially open, and the cool autumn breeze filtered in through the gap, causing the curtains by the window to sway gently. The bedroom was quiet, with only a faint, rhythmic sound of breathing audible. A thick autumn duvet covered the large bed, concealing everything beneath it. After an unknown amount of time, the duvet shifted slightly, and a hand emerged from within. Pei You felt like he had just emerged from a chaotic dream. He couldn¡¯t quite recall what had happened in the dream. All he vaguely remembered was that he had been tied and thrown into a lake, and the rising water continuously engulfed him. His chest felt tight, his vision darkened, and he struggled to breathe. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn¡¯t escape as his hands were bound, and the more he struggled, the tighter the ropes became. His limbs felt heavy, and even moving his fingers was difficult. After struggling in this chaotic and disordered dream for a while, he finally sensed a bright and dazzling light. The warmth of the afternoon was causing the air to steam as it absorbed moisture. Sunlight filtered through his thin eyelids, leaving a faint pink halo. The lingering and intense scent of lilies hadn¡¯t completely vanished from the air. It permeated the entire room, seeping in everywhere. Pei You gradually regained his conciousness, and the memories from the previous night came flooding back. He looked around, his hand blocking the sunlight streaming in from the window. His eyes scanned the room, and he finally spotted the ¡°culprit¡± behind his strange dream. Beside him, Zhou Qingbo was nestled in the duvet, sound asleep. His brows were relaxed, and his body lay sprawled over Pei You¡¯s, his arm encircling Pei You¡¯s chest. His head rested on Pei You¡¯s shoulder, contently, resembling a black dragon that clung tightly to its treasure. Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± No wonder I had that dream, Pei You thought. He really held onto me too tightly. Whether it was a lack of security or excessive possessiveness, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s embrace had been remarkably strong and tight since he first initiated intimacy. Pei You felt slightly uncomfortable under the pressure, and he couldn¡¯t help but shift slightly, attempting to ease Zhou Qingbo¡¯s grip. However, he had barely adjusted his position, and before he could even exert any force, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft hiss and low groan. He felt his muscles all over his body stiff and numb, from his waist to his legs, a tingling sensation that was more intense than the soreness of hiking thirty thousand steps. Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Last night, he should have called it quits in time, Pei You thought. During his college days, Pei You had heard his roommate make suggestive remarks, saying that one of the most unfortunate people in the world was a virgin who had remained so for many years. He hadn¡¯t really taken it seriously until last night when he suddenly realized the depth of that statement. As soon as Zhou Qingbo let loose, he became voracious, with very little self-control. Unfortunately, Pei You was also weak-willed, and despite wanting to stop several times, he was constantly persuaded and coaxed by Zhou Qingbo each time. He could only let him do as he pleased, satisfying his appetite. Even until now, Pei You still felt a sensation as if he was being touched by that emerald bamboo pendant, a feeling of tingling that was both real and imagined. It made his back go numb and his muscles tense. Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Next time, he couldn¡¯t let things go like this again, Pei You couldn¡¯t help but think. It was just too¡­ too much. But intimate actions indeed caused relationships to advance rapidly. After a night had passed, Pei You suddenly realized that the last bit of distance between him and Zhou Qingbo had vanished completely. He looked at Zhou Qingbo, who was resting on him, and felt like he had sunk into a pool of pure and transparent honey. A sense of relaxing surged from the bottom of his heart. It was as if he didn¡¯t need to think about anything or worry about anything. He felt like his heart would explode from all the love he had for Qingbo. This unfounded trust and adoration made Pei You¡¯s heart exceptionally soft. He blinked his eyes and looked at the sleeping Zhou Qingbo. Unable to resist, he reached out and gently brushed aside the strands of hair hanging on his forehead. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± With that touch, Zhou Qingbo let out a muffled response in his sleep. He subconsciously turned his head slightly and lightly nuzzled against Pei You¡¯s neck. He mumbled in a vague tone, ¡°Why are you awake so early?¡± Zhou Qingbo was still not fully awake, his voice carrying a heavy tone of drowsiness. He subconsciously tightened his arms, holding Pei You even closer in his embrace. His voice sounded hoarse as he asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep a little longer?¡± Pei You had a very regular routine and this was the first time he had slept until afternoon. He glanced at the bedside clock and thought to himself that it was fortunate it was a weekend; otherwise, his workplace would probably have reported him missing by now. ¡°It¡¯s almost three in the afternoon,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Did I wake you up?¡± Nodding his head, Zhou Qingbo, still with his eyes closed, nuzzled upwards and kissed Pei You¡¯s neck and earlobe. Then he leaned back onto Pei You¡¯s shoulder, lazily letting out a yawn. ¡°Pei You, Youu¡­¡± As Zhou Qingbo affectionately called him, he sneakily ran his hands over him, massaging Pei You¡¯s sore waist. ¡°Are you sore?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. One virgin was a tragedy, but when two came together, it was a disaster. Unfortunately, neither Zhou Qingbo nor Pei You had much experience in sexual relationships. The previous night¡¯s actions had been quite challenging, and it took quite an effort to finally find their way. Although Zhou Qingbo had been careful last night, he still worried about whether he had hurt Pei You. Pei You, on the other hand, felt relatively fine except for the general soreness in his muscles. However, being called so intimately repeatedly by Zhou Qingbo made his back tingle, so he couldn¡¯t help but cover Zhou Qingbo¡¯s mouth with his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t say my name like that,¡± Pei You¡¯s ears turned red as he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m not that much sore.¡± Zhou Qingbo was clingy and loved to act cute. When he was happy, he talked a lot, and last night he had called Pei You¡¯s name repeatedly in his ear, making Pei You feel like running away every time he heard his name. ¡°Why?¡± Zhou Qingbo blinked and, maintaining his position without struggling, bent his eyes in a smile. He playfully licked Pei You¡¯s palm and continued, ¡°I like saying it like that¡­¡± Pei You¡¯s hand tingled from his actions, and his entire forearm tensed subconsciously. He instinctively tried to retract his hand, but Zhou Qingbo was quick and caught his hand. ¡°No escaping.¡± Zhou Qingbo held his wrist, skillfully interlacing their fingers and bringing them to his lips for a kiss. He looked at Pei You with a mischievous smile and said, teasingly ¡°If you want to take it back, what will you exchange it for?¡± CH 88 Sunshine, on a weekend, with a loved one ¨C such moments were naturally meant for leisure. Zhou Qingbo cuddled up to Pei You on the bed for a while. During this time, he managed to take quite a few advantages, but his empty stomach began to protest with a sharp growl. Reluctantly, he released Pei You and both of them got up from the bed. The traces of their indulgence from the night before were still present in various corners of their new apartment. Zhou Qingbo tiptoed as he searched through a pile of clothes to find his slippers and then started wandering around aimlessly, trying to locate his robe that he had thrown on the floor last night. Pei You stood up, smoothed out the wrinkled sheets, and then walked over wearing his slippers. He reached out and grabbed Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arm, then opened the closet to get him a new yukata. ¡°You left your clothes in the bathroom last night,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Since I didn¡¯t know what style you liked, I didn¡¯t prepare your sleepwear beforehand. Just make do with this one for now. After we finish eating, we can go to the mall in the evening.¡± The soft fabric fell lightly onto Zhou Qingbo¡¯s arm, carrying a hint of the unique dry scent from the dryer. The label on the yukata had already been cut off, and the edge of the collar had been carefully processed, even the cut marks had been smoothed out beforehand. It felt smooth and soft to the touch, without any scratchy feeling. Zhou Qingbo lowered his head to look at his own hand and suddenly felt that the feeling of living together was slowly beginning to emerge from this moment. Starting that day, he really felt the joy of being a couple with Pei You. Zhou Qingbo thought. That apartment didn¡¯t have the familiar presence of his family, yet it didn¡¯t make him feel uneasy. Because in that unfamiliar room, in that unfamiliar environment, there was a familiar person with him. They were adapting to this new situation together. The days he had fantasized about in his youth seemed to be gradually turning into reality, and he had indeed found that ¡°dream lover¡± he had longed for in the vast sea of people. And now, they were moving into an apartment together, eating together, working together, strolling in the park hand in hand, and spending time at home together. They would gradually adjust to each other here, invade each other¡¯s most intimate spaces, and then change together, embracing new ways of life. They might argue at times, but they would quickly make up, leaving their deepest impressions on each other during these times of understanding and adjustment. They would intertwine their lives more closely. From now on, he didn¡¯t have to worry about being absent-minded, because someone would care about the things he overlooked and make up for his other half in life. ¡°Pei You.¡± Zhou Qingbo suddenly sighed deeply and said, ¡°Why are you so good?¡± His voice trailed off, sounding clingy. Pei You thought he was just being cute again, so he closed the closet door with his hand and said with a smile, ¡°Because you¡¯re good too.¡± Because you¡¯re good enough, that¡¯s why I¡¯m willing to invest more time and energy in caring for you. Zhou Qingbo naturally understood the implied meaning behind Pei You¡¯s words. He pursed his lips and smiled, unable to resist turning around and wrapping his arm around Pei You¡¯s shoulder, leaning in to give him a peck on the cheek. Zhou Qingbo chuckled. ¡° I¡¯ll tidy up a bit and we can go out for lunch later.¡± Saying this, he released Pei You and draped a yukata casually over himself before briskly walking into the bathroom. The previous night, they had rushed back into the room in quite a hurry, and the bathroom hadn¡¯t been tidied up yet. Although Zhou Qingbo had been prepared for it, he still stared blankly for a moment when he saw the mess. After a moment of hesitation, he glanced behind him as if checking to make sure no one was watching, then closed the door, kicked off his slippers, and stood barefoot on the tiled floor. He began cleaning up diligently. Shower gel had dried on the tiles, and as he wiped it with a damp cloth, large patches of foam appeared. Zhou Qingbo knelt on the floor, scrubbing the tile, but as he continued, his mind began to wander. He couldn¡¯t help but look up at the sink counter. In his impression, Pei You had always been reserved and gentle. Zhou Qingbo had thought that Pei You might be passive in bed as well, but to his surprise, when things got intense last night, Pei You was unexpectedly unreserved. He would even lightly hold Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand and softly plead and beg him to continue. Pei You¡¯s breathless and strained murmurs seemed to echo in his ears, and Zhou Qingbo¡¯s held his breath. He absentmindedly wrinkled the damp cloth in his hand. It felt like he had been scalded. He quickly averted his gaze from the counter, but then, drawn by some inexplicable attraction, he couldn¡¯t help but look back. He had been rubbing the same tile over and over until the foam had saturated the cloth. Zhou Qingbo hurriedly returned to reality, blushing slightly as he dipped the cloth into the basin, and then cinched his yukata¡¯s belt as if to hide his bulge. He was distracted and the quality of his work suffered. It took him over half an hour to clean up the mess in the bathroom. Finally, he tossed the empty shower gel bottle into the trash. The heavy scent in the air had finally dissipated somewhat. Zhou Qingbo stretched lazily and let out a yawn, his nose twitching as he caught a hint of another scent. In the kitchen, water was boiling in a pot. Pei You had thrown in a couple of tomatoes and also opened the lid of a nearby electric pressure cooker. The simmered beef needed another half hour with added spices, but the aroma was already wafting through the air. Pei You tasted it and added half a spoon of salt. The rich and fragrant beef aroma attracted a hungry cat. Zhou Qingbo, barefoot, walked from the bedroom to the kitchen. Seeing Pei You busy at the cutting board, he quietly approached him from behind and hugged him. ¡°Weren¡¯t we planning to eat out?¡± Zhou Qingbo, like a large cat, rested his chin on Pei You¡¯s shoulder and mumbled, ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first meal after moving in, let¡¯s not go out.¡± Pei You wasn¡¯t taken aback, as if he had already expected this. He grabbed a knife and began slicing the peeled tomatoes. ¡°There¡¯s still cake in the fridge. I bought it to celebrate with you last night, but¡ª¡± ¡°But,¡± the story behind it was well understood between them. Pei You paused for a moment, omitting the rest of the sentence, then continued, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the cake is still fresh. Maybe you could check it?¡± ¡°You bought cake for a celebration?¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes lit up, and he laughed. ¡°When did you learn to arrange surprises?¡± ¡°My sister taught me,¡± Pei You answered honestly. ¡°She said on the first day of moving in together, it¡¯s good to celebrate with a cake.¡± Zhou Qingbo had known that Pei You wasn¡¯t very romantic, and he burst into a soft laugh upon hearing this. ¡°What if I hadn¡¯t managed to escape yesterday at my grandpa¡¯s? I said wait for my text, not that I¡¯d come home.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure either, but just to be safe, I prepared it.¡± Pei You said, ¡°But I didn¡¯t prepare too much, didn¡¯t want to waste it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m easy to take care of. Eating a bit less is okay.¡± Zhou Qingbo leaned his head against Pei You¡¯s neck and sniffed the lingering fragrance, unable to resist humming, ¡°But I am a bit hungry¡ª¡± At first, Pei You didn¡¯t realize what Zhou Qingbo meant by ¡°hungry.¡± Subconsciously, he cut a small piece of tomato and fed it to him. Zhou Qingbo squinted his eyes, accepted the tomato and ate it, but he didn¡¯t let go. Instead, he tightened his arms, pressing even closer to Pei You. Only at this point did Pei You realize the context of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ¡°hunger.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but smile helplessly, turning his head to give Zhou Qingbo a questioning look. ¡°Are you still planning to have lunch?¡± ¡°Mm¡­ yes.¡± Zhou Qingbo hesitated for a moment, then said firmly, ¡°The desires of the body must be satisfied.¡± However, Zhou Qingbo, despite his words, still had a sense of restraint. Instead of indulging in activities like last night, they had a lovey-dovey lunch together, followed by sharing half a piece of cake. After lunch, Zhou Qingbo and Pei You relaxed at home for a while before heading out as the sky darkened. The residential area Pei You chose had a good location, with a large shopping mall nearby. It only took them a ten-minute walk to get there. Zhou Qingbo had moved in a hurry, so apart from his sleepwear, he still needed to buy some daily necessities. They chatted absentmindedly as they moved from the personal care section to the food section. Despite saying they wouldn¡¯t buy too much, they ended up with quite a few items in their cart. The fresh shrimps in the raw food section were on sale, and the salesperson was loudly promoting them. Pei You turned his head and glanced over, about to push his cart over, when he heard a familiar voice call out to him from behind. ¡°¡­Brother?¡± Pei You turned back in the direction of the voice, only to find Pei Zi standing not far away. He was momentarily surprised, and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I came to buy the discounted sushi rolls and roasted chicken.¡± Pei Zi wiggled the items in her hand, bouncing over enthusiastically. She glanced around at Zhou Qingbo, seemingly curious, and said with excitement, ¡°Brother, this is the sister¡ª¡± Pei Zi wanted to say ¡°sister-in-law,¡± but she felt something was off, so she stumbled over her words, hesitated, and urgently looked at Pei You¡¯s expression. Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t too concerned about this. He had a thick skin and no reservations about such matters. So, he gladly helped to maintain Pei You¡¯s ¡°dignified image¡± in front of Pei Zi and took over the conversation. ¡°You can call me sister-in-law if you like. After all, we¡¯re all family.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, playfully nudging Pei You¡¯s arm, winking at him, and teasing, ¡°Right, husband?¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± CH 89 Pei You originally wanted to stop Pei Zi from talking, but he didn¡¯t expect Zhou Qingbo to indulge her. He was so shocked by the term ¡°husband¡± that he couldn¡¯t react for a while, missing the perfect opportunity to retort. By the time he wanted to speak, it was already too late. However, Pei You wasn¡¯t as thick-skinned as Zhou Qingbo. He had been thoroughly taken advantage of last night, and his waist was still sore. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to say ¡°wife¡± to Zhou Qingbo now. So, he remained silent, his face turning into a solid wooden block. Fortunately, Pei Zi didn¡¯t care about his reaction. She had already brightened up when Zhou Qingbo spoke and seemed to want to giggle but held back. One hand clutching a roll of sushi and the other covering her face, she looked like she had just experienced something delightful. ¡°Your sister is quite lively.¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled, leaning toward Pei You¡¯s ear and whispering, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t she resemble you at all?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Pei You said, ¡°Maybe Pei Zi is more like my mom.¡± Implicitly, he meant that he himself must have taken after his biological father. Thinking about this, Zhou Qingbo suddenly realized that his knowledge about Pei You¡¯s family was limited to his mother who arranged numerous blind dates for her son at Zhongshan Park. He had never heard anything about Pei You¡¯s father. Zhou Qingbo wanted to ask, but he also feared that there might be some sensitive wounds related to the topic. So, he thought for a moment and asked indirectly, ¡°By the way, do your parents¡­ not live together?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t catch onto his caution, just nodded and said, ¡°My dad doesn¡¯t like the city, so he stays in our hometown. He listens to the radio and goes fishing during his free time. He only comes over for family gatherings during festivals and important occasions.¡± I see, Zhou Qingbo breathed a sigh of relief. He thought that Pei You¡¯s personality was indeed more similar to his father¡¯s. As they spoke, Pei Zi had hopped over from the other side of the fruit counter. She was even more like He Ping, lively and agile. She then took Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand without hesitation, looking him up and down with great interest. ¡°This is great, sister-in-law.¡± Pei Zi said with a smile,¡°My brother has been keeping you well hidden. He never introduced us to you before. I¡¯ve finally caught you this time. Let¡¯s see where he¡¯ll hide you now¡ª¡± ¡°Pei Zi.¡± Pei You lowered his voice and called her name, ¡°Stop it.¡± Pei Zi, intoxicated by her victory, was interrupted by Pei You. She stuck her tongue out at him apologetically and fell silent. ¡°I was busy with something earlier, so it got delayed.¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled and tried to defuse the situation, saying, ¡°I just got back from a business trip yesterday.¡± ¡°Oh, no wonder.¡± Pei Zi blinked her eyes, suddenly clapped her hands, and said, ¡°Then there¡¯s no time like the present. Mom¡¯s home today. You two can come back home so you can meet her.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo had considered picking an appropriate time to meet Pei You¡¯s parents, but he had imagined it to be a formal occasion. He¡¯d bring carefully chosen gifts and visit, to show his seriousness and respect. But now, Pei Zi had suddenly thrown out the invitation, leaving Zhou Qingbo in a dilemma. He felt that accepting it would seem too casual, while refusing seemed impolite. He didn¡¯t really want their first meeting to be in such a rushed and casual setting. However, he thought that Pei Zi¡¯s invitation might have come from He Ping herself. it might seem impolite turning it down. Caught in a dilemma, Zhou Qingbo turned his head slightly toward Pei You, a pleading look for help, to hear his opinion. ¡°Actually¡­ if you don¡¯t mind, we can go right now.¡± Pei You thought for a moment and said, ¡°Don¡¯t feel any pressure. My mom isn¡¯t that old-fashioned. She just wants to meet you and is curious about what kind of partner I¡¯ve found.¡± ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re not ready, you can decline.¡± Pei You said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to.¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled and said, ¡°I just feel that it might be too casual.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry.¡± Pei Zi saw a chance and quickly seized it, urging, ¡°When strangers meet for the first time, it will always be a bit awkward. There¡¯s always a first time. We¡¯re all family, so there¡¯s no need to be so formal.¡± She used Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words against him, and after thinking it over, he agreed that since they had come this far, rejecting the invitation might appear overly deliberate. So, he smiled and nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s go check out first,¡± Pei You said, ¡°We can buy snacks and fresh items tomorrow.¡± The checkout area was downstairs, and Pei Zi had already picked up the items she wanted to buy. So, they walked side by side, engaging in casual conversation along the way. Although it had been several years since Zhou Qingbo started working, he was still playful and knowledgeable about games, movies, and urban legends. In just a few words, he amazed Pei Zi with his wide range of interests, playfully calling her ¡°sister-in-law.¡± During the time it took to walk downstairs, they had transitioned from discussing Resident Evil to Detroit: Become Human. Since Pei You wasn¡¯t well-versed in gaming, he didn¡¯t force himself into the conversation, simply listening while pushing the shopping cart, and occasionally observing Zhou Qingbo. Zhou Qingbo seemed to have embraced the role of ¡°sister-in-law¡± quite well. He had naturally assumed the position of a respectable elder sibling to Pei Zi as well, appearing both kind and affectionate. He chatted with Pei Zi as if they were old friends, offering advice and encouragement. He advised her to focus on studies and play less games. Pei You observed Zhou Qingbo closely, impressed by how naturally he was fitting into the role. Zhou Qingbo caught on to Pei You¡¯s gaze and casually draped his arm over his shoulder, sharing a knowing smile. ¡°Your brother thinks I¡¯m neglecting him,¡± Zhou Qingbo teased, playfully mocking, ¡°Let¡¯s change the topic to something he likes and understands too.¡± Pei You remained silent, unfairly accused without reason. He opened his mouth, about to explain, but he didn¡¯t know what to say. He ended up closing his mouth and gave a gentle cough. Seeing his reaction, Zhou Qingbo smirked and lightly tugged at the sleeve of Pei You¡¯s shirt. ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t say anything,¡± Zhou Qingbo whispered into his ear, biting his earlobe playfully. ¡°I just love teasing you.¡± Pei You couldn¡¯t bring himself to resist Zhou Qingbo¡¯s playfulness. He just made a soft affirmative sound, tacitly agreeing. Their interactions were carefree, as if they were alone in their own world. Meanwhile, Pei Zi, not knowing what was going on, looked at them with concern and nervously played with the plastic bag in her hand. As they approached the checkout area, they saw long lines at each cash register due to the ongoing discount. Zhou Qingbo took the items that Pei Zi had bought and placed them in the shopping cart, intending to pay for them together later. ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Pei Zi hesitated, trying to take back her items, ¡°I brought money, sister-in-law.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already calling me sister-in-law, so I can¡¯t let you pay on our first meeting,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a smile, ¡°Consider it my treat, on your brother¡¯s behalf.¡± In both words and actions, he was addressing Pei You. It was evident to anyone that their relationship was quite good. Pei Zi blinked her eyes, hesitated for a moment, then pulled at Zhou Qingbo¡¯s sleeve, indicating that they should step aside for a moment. The checkout area was crowded, and Pei You was busy looking at supermarket promotional items on nearby shelves. Taking advantage of his distraction, Zhou Qingbo moved closer to where Pei Zi was pulling him and asked her what was going on. ¡°My brother¡­¡± Pei Zi hesitated, seemingly unsure of how to phrase it, but stammered, ¡°Sometimes he can be a bit serious. Sister-in-law, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t figured out why Pei Zi suddenly brought this up, so he tilted his head and wondered, ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really bad,¡± Pei Zi hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, ¡°It¡¯s just that he can be very strict and rigid sometimes, both with himself and with others¡ªhe¡¯s like that with family too. If he does something that upsets you, please don¡¯t be angry with him. It¡¯s not intentional.¡± Ah¡­ it finally dawned on Zhou Qingbo. Most likely, Pei Zi had overheard his teasing remarks to Pei You earlier, and now she had run over to defend her brother. Suppressing a laugh, Zhou Qingbo thought that Pei Zi really didn¡¯t understand her brother. When it came to romance, Pei You wasn¡¯t strict at all; in fact, he didn¡¯t have any boundaries. Fortunately, he was dealing with him; if it were someone else, he would have been taken advantage of and manipulated. However, even though he inwardly chuckled, Zhou Qingbo decided to maintain Pei You¡¯s ¡°tall and imposing image.¡± He cast his eyes downward, stifled his laughter, and nodded slightly. ¡°It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry,¡± Zhou Qingbo spoke gently, as if he were a well-behaved sister-in-law. ¡°In our home, your brother¡¯s word is law. I wouldn¡¯t dare argue with him.¡± CH 90 With Zhou Qingbo¡¯s assurance, Pei Zi felt somewhat relieved and gave this new sister-in-law high marks for her first impression. After leaving the supermarket, Pei Zi bid them farewell at the mall¡¯s entrance. Pei You and Zhou Qingbo went upstairs to buy a gift for He Ping, while Pei Zi headed home ahead of them to inform her mother. Although He Ping had always been eager to introduce Pei You to someone, this was the first time she would be receiving her son¡¯s boyfriend. She seemed more nervous than Zhou Qingbo, immediately standing up from the couch upon hearing the news and pacing around anxiously, clenching her hands. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have given me a call earlier,¡± He Ping said anxiously, ¡°When are they coming? Can I still prepare something to eat now?¡± ¡°No need to rush,¡± Pei Zi, who seemed unfazed by the arrival of a new sister-in-law, replied, taking a small bag of sunflower seeds from a snack basket and tearing it open. ¡°They¡¯ve both already had dinner. Even if you make something now, they probably won¡¯t be able to eat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different; it¡¯s a matter of etiquette.¡± He Ping attached great importance to the occasion, criticizing both her daughter and son for not thinking ahead. She started tidying up the sofa and coffee table in a rush while grumbling, ¡°Both you and your brother, you really didn¡¯t plan this out at all. It¡¯s such a big deal, and you didn¡¯t even talk to me in advance to let me prepare something.¡± ¡°Ah, what preparations are you making?¡± Pei Zi said while munching on sunflower seeds, waving her hand at He Ping with an indifferent expression. She casually said, ¡°sister-in-law is really nice. He has a good and gentle personality, and he¡¯s very generous. He wouldn¡¯t fuss over such small matters.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± He Ping¡¯s hand, which was tidying up the sofa cushions, paused. She turned her head and said seriously, ¡°For a young child like you, calling someone a sister-in-law is embarrassing. From now on, call him brother. Got it?¡± Pei Zi stuck out her tongue and embarrassedly replied, ¡°Got it.¡± After finishing up in the living room, He Ping seemed to still be worried that there wasn¡¯t enough time to cook. She took out a few hundred yuan from her pocket, turned around, and handed it to Pei Zi. ¡°Go quickly, buy some fruits downstairs, pick out the good ones, and buy a few different kinds,¡± He Ping instructed, ¡°Don¡¯t buy from the fruit stand near the entrance, go to the imported supermarket across the main entrance.¡± ¡°Ah.mom..¡± Pei Zi seemed a bit reluctant, shuffling her feet and not wanting to move. ¡°Mom, I just came from outside.¡± ¡°Go quickly, be obedient,¡± He Ping pushed her gently from the shoulder and urged her outside, whispering a few words to her, ¡°You¡¯re quick on your feet, go and come back quickly¡ªrun a few extra steps.¡± With her bag of sunflower seeds taken away even before she could warm them up, Pei Zi could only shrug her shoulders and reluctantly head towards the staircase. She quickly bought the fruits, and within a short ten minutes or so, she returned home to find the living room had completely transformed. The game consoles and computer on the coffee table had been put away in Pei Zi¡¯s room by He Ping. The glass coffee table gleamed, and even the sofa covers had been replaced with new ones, making it flat and wrinkle-free. Pei Zi, carrying a bag of fruits, stared in astonishment at all of this. She thought that her mom was really anxious to find a partner for Pei You. Judging by the setup, even her biological father wouldn¡¯t receive such treatment if he came home. ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t you going overboard?¡± Pei Zi placed the paper bag at the entrance, muttering while taking off her shoes, ¡°People might think you¡¯re receiving a national leader.¡± ¡°Perfect timing that you¡¯re back,¡± He Ping¡¯s eyes lit up. She quickly pulled Pei Zi and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you meet them at the supermarket earlier? Tell me quickly, what¡¯s your brother¡¯s boyfriend like?¡± Pei Zi: ¡°¡­¡± Barely catching her breath, Pei Zi was bombarded with questions by the anxious He Ping. She was gently pulled into the living room by her mother, thinking that the heavens were finally on her side. She hoped her brother and his boyfriend would hurry back to rescue her from this predicament. It seemed the heavens had heard her plea. After a while, the fingerprint lock on the door emitted a soft sound, and the lock turned inward, accompanied by an unlocking notification tone. Just as He Ping, who was questioning Pei Zi, hesitated in her speech, she subconsciously stood up from the couch and turned her head towards the entrance. The next moment, the door was pushed open from the outside. Pei You entered the house first, placing the various bags he carried on the floor. ¡°Mom.¡± Pei You greeted her and said, ¡°I brought Qingbo over to see you.¡± He turned to the side as he spoke, revealing Zhou Qingbo who was carrying bags behind him. Zhou Qingbo smiled with his eyes slightly curved, took a step forward, and politely greeted He Ping. ¡°Auntie, hello.¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°Ah¡ªgood, good, come in quickly,¡± He Ping quickly beckoned and said, ¡°Why did you buy so many things? There¡¯s nothing lacking in the house.¡± ¡°Just a little gesture,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a smile. Following Pei You inside, Zhou Qingbo put down his bags as well. He Ping glanced down and noticed that he had bought quite a few items, and they were all well-selected. Apart from the customary gifts like tea, there was also a ladies¡¯ coat and a complete fishing rod set, which seemed to be intended for her and Pei You¡¯s father. A thoughtful child, He Ping thought. She knew her son well. While Pei You was a good son, he was also straightforward in his mannerisms and wasn¡¯t as courteous with family members. When he wanted to show his affection, he usually just gave money directly, allowing his parents to buy whatever they liked. He wouldn¡¯t bother with such meticulous preparations. Seeing how much effort Zhou Qingbo had put into this meeting, He Ping felt relieved and less nervous than before. Her smile became more relaxed. ¡°No need to buy so many things next time,¡± He Ping smiled and said, ¡°Just having you here is enough.¡± ¡°He took a while to choose,¡± Pei You took out slippers from the shoe cabinet for Zhou Qingbo and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have the fishing rod delivered by express for Dad tomorrow. The new game console can stay at home, don¡¯t let Pei Zi take it to school to play.¡± Pei You probably didn¡¯t realize that he sounded a bit like he was advocating for his boyfriend in front of his family, which was somewhat like ¡°bending his arm outward.¡± On the other hand, Zhou Qingbo felt a bit embarrassed, his lips twitched into a smile, and he obediently changed his shoes. He was then led by He Ping into the living room. From Zhou Qingbo¡¯s expression, Pei You sensed something. He blinked, belatedly realizing that the words he had just spoken might not be suitable to say in front of He Ping. So, he cleared his throat awkwardly and followed them to the dining table. ¡°¡­ How about eating an orange?¡± Pei You awkwardly changed the subject. He Ping chuckled softly. As someone with experience, she could tell whether a young couple had a good relationship or not at a glance. Although Zhou Qingbo¡¯s personality seemed completely different from Pei You¡¯s, there was an inexplicable harmony between them. It seemed as if they had an unspoken understanding, with a single glance conveying their thoughts to each other. Pei You¡¯s sexual orientation didn¡¯t align with the mainstream, making his choice of a partner more challenging than for others. He Ping wasn¡¯t familiar with this aspect of life and had been worried that Pei You, due to his reserved nature, wouldn¡¯t find a partner and would be lonely. However, from what she could see now, she could set her worries aside. ¡°Yes, have some oranges,¡± He Ping said with a suppressed smile. ¡°These oranges are especially sweet.¡± Zhou Qingbo blushed slightly under He Ping¡¯s teasing, lowered his head, and smiled. He casually split an orange in half and gave one portion to Pei You. With Pei You changing the subject, the initially tense and awkward atmosphere suddenly lightened. He Ping brewed some tea and casually asked about Zhou Qingbo and Pei You¡¯s daily life.. ¡°Since you two are living together now, is there anything you find uncomfortable?¡± He Ping asked. ¡°Since you¡¯re close by, if you don¡¯t feel like cooking at home, you can always come over for a meal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, there¡¯s nothing we¡¯re not used to,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Cooking at home isn¡¯t a hassle, just a natural thing.¡± He Ping¡¯s conversation was tactful. She didn¡¯t pry into the couple¡¯s privacy or inquire about their future plans. She simply asked about trivial matters. Zhou Qingbo was very good at being a polite guest, answering every question. With Pei Zi chiming in playfully, the atmosphere remained light and relaxed, punctuated by some playful banter. It was evident that He Ping was quite satisfied with Zhou Qingbo. Her smile deepened, and even her gaze at Zhou Qingbo became affectionate. ¡°As long as you two are doing well,¡± He Ping tapped lightly. ¡°Since you¡¯re together, it¡¯s fate. Stay confident and live your life well from now on.¡± ¡°Thank you Auntie,¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled. ¡°Pei You is also wonderful, and my family also thinks I¡¯m lucky to be with him.¡± Originally, Zhou Qingbo had wanted to express his family¡¯s friendly attitude towards He Ping. However, Pei You seemed to take his words to heart. He furrowed his brows and raised his head earnestly, countering, ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s lucky to be with you.¡± ¡°Mom, a while ago when I was on a business trip, I was actually trapped in a disaster area,¡± Pei You, as if afraid that He Ping would misunderstand, quickly put down what he was holding, took a tissue and wiped his hands, then said seriously, ¡°He came to find me overnight, searching for me in the disaster area for over a week.¡± ¡°What!¡± Pei Zi exclaimed. ¡°Brother, you were in the southern province at that time?!¡± He Ping had intended to tease them for acting like a pair of lovebirds trying to outdo each other, but upon hearing the latter part, her face suddenly changed. She anxiously said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you call to say that you were working in secrecy and couldn¡¯t use your phone over the next few days?¡± Pei You had lost contact for a while, and was afraid that his family would be worried about him. So he had called, saying he was safe and participating in a confidential project, working collectively in a hotel without a phone. He had participated in such projects before, so He Ping didn¡¯t think much of it. But she hadn¡¯t expected that he had been fooling her. ¡°¡­ I was worried you¡¯d be concerned,¡± Pei You honestly admitted, ¡°I wanted to tell you in person after I came back.¡± Seeing He Ping¡¯s face change, Zhou Qingbo gently tugged at Pei You¡¯s sleeve, shaking his head to signal him not to say more. But Pei You seemed determined to show how lucky he is to be with Qingbo. Uncharacteristically, he didn¡¯t listen to Zhou Qingbo. ¡°At that time, he went through a lot of hardship in the disaster area, following the rescue team to find me over mountains and valleys,¡± Pei You said. ¡°He even got injured halfway and had to stay in Chongqing for several days before he was discharged from the hospital.¡± He Ping was still immersed in her shock from hearing the news but was relieved that Pei You had returned safely. Thus, her anxiety only lasted a moment before she relaxed and regained her composure. ¡°So mom, it¡¯s me who¡¯s lucky to have him,¡± Pei You said. He Ping nodded without speaking. She breathed a long sigh of relief and turned her head to look at Zhou Qingbo for a while. Then, as if having made a decision, she stood up and went into the inner room. ¡°I told you not to say it,¡± Zhou Qingbo whispered softly. ¡°You¡¯re scaring Auntie.¡± ¡°I was going to say it sooner or later,¡± Pei You was quite stubborn about this matter. ¡°She should know.¡± ¡°But you scared her so much, Brother,¡± Pei Zi chimed in with lingering fear. ¡°Why did you go to such a dangerous place?¡± ¡°It was just a normal business trip, no one expected the earthquake to happen¡± Pei You explained. Just as he was speaking, He Ping returned from the inner room. She was holding a somewhat plain crimson box in her hand, and underneath it was a red envelope that seemed to carry some weight. ¡°This,¡± He Ping sat back on the sofa and placed the items on her lap. She opened the box, revealing a gold bracelet, about two fingers wide, intricately engraved with dragons and phoenixes, giving it a substantial appearance. ¡°This was given to me by Pei You¡¯s grandmother when his father and I got married. I¡¯ve cherished it all these years. I planned to give it to his future spouse when he gets married,¡± He Ping smiled nostalgically, gently touching the bracelet for a moment. Then, she placed the bracelet along with the red envelope on the coffee table and pushed it towards Zhou Qingbo, saying, ¡°It¡¯s yours now.¡± ¡°This, this is too precious, I can¡¯t accept it,¡± Zhou Qingbo was genuinely startled and tried to push it back, but He Ping stopped him. ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to give it to you this soon,¡± He Ping explained, pausing briefly as if afraid Zhou Qingbo might misinterpret her, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like you; it¡¯s just that you¡¯re both still so young, and I¡¯m afraid of uncertainties¡­ But now, I think I should give it to you directly.¡± He Ping understood Pei You quite well. She knew he was sincere and took relationships seriously. The person he brought back to show her must be someone he was ready to spend his life with. And Zhou Qingbo seemed to have his eye on Pei You as well, valuing him. If that was the case, He Ping believed she had nothing to worry about anymore. ¡°Take it,¡± He Ping smiled and said, ¡°You boys don¡¯t wear these things, so just keep it. If you want any other jewelry in the future, we can melt it and make something new.¡± Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t expected to receive such great approval from He Ping on his first visit. He was a bit taken aback. Pei You gave him a slight nudge and gently touched his hand. ¡°Take it,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Besides, it won¡¯t be given to anyone else.¡± Since Pei You had said so, Zhou Qingbo hesitated for a moment and then didn¡¯t decline. He smiled, accepting the bracelet. When leaving He Ping¡¯s house, it was clear that He Ping had already considered Zhou Qingbo as a new family member. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, when they were about to leave, she gave him some Eight Treasures Cake and smoked bean tea that she had made. In front of He Ping, Zhou Qingbo still held back slightly, but once he was downstairs, he revealed his true self. He eagerly took the bracelet out of the jewelry box and put it on his right wrist. The bracelet was made of solid material, and its circumference was wide enough to fit Zhou Qingbo perfectly. With his fair skin, wearing such a vintage gold bracelet didn¡¯t look gaudy. Instead, the quality of the gold made it appear somewhat noble. ¡°Hey, tell me, does Auntie now approve of me?¡± Zhou Qingbo raised his arm, admiring the bracelet in the moonlight. He spoke spiritedly, ¡°Am I officially her son-in-law now?¡± Pei You looked at him helplessly, a slight smile forming at the corner of his lips. He casually said, ¡°Just keep it for now. If you like something else later, we can melt this one and make whatever you like.¡± ¡°Why melt it?¡± Zhou Qingbo covered his wrist, speaking confidently, ¡°This is my mark as part of your family. I won¡¯t melt it¡ª I¡¯ll wear it. When Xiao Zi gets married I¡¯ll also pass it to her future partner.¡± Unable to resist, Pei You also pondered his words for a moment. ¡°¡­Then you¡¯ll have to investigate the other party,¡± Pei You said seriously. ¡°You can only give it to someone reliable, not someone unreliable.¡± ¡°Rest assured, I have a good eye for people,¡± Zhou Qingbo teased him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one I picked out from the crowd?¡± Pei You smiled and pursed his lips, reaching for the plastic bag in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand without saying a word. Approaching midnight, the residential area was quiet, with only the soft glow of landscape lights. Zhou Qingbo and Pei You walked side by side down the path toward home. After a while, Pei You spoke up again. ¡°Qingbo,¡± Pei You said, ¡°What do you want to eat tomorrow?¡± The coolness of the autumn night enveloped them. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s thoughts stirred, and he suddenly heard a hint of sweetness in this sentence. Before, when people said ¡°The moonlight is beautiful tonight¡± as a confession, Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t understood it. It wasn¡¯t until just now that he suddenly grasped its meaning ¨C if two people had feelings for each other, whether it was a romantic night under the moon or the mundane aspects of life, they were all expressions of affection. He hadn¡¯t expected that he would one day meet someone like this. Zhou Qingbo thought that even if the words Pei You spoke were just simple daily topics, he could still sense the affection behind them. ¡°uhmm¡­¡­.,¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gaze softened. He reached out and lightly held Pei You¡¯s hand, then looked down at the bracelet on his wrist and said with a relaxed tone, ¡°Let¡¯s have fish.¡± CH 91 The pleasant and relaxed weekend flew by quickly. When the alarm clock went off early on Monday morning, even those who were reluctant to leave the warmth of their bed had to get up for work. When Pei You got up, Zhou Qingbo was still snuggled under the blanket. A hand emerged from beneath the blanket¡¯s edge, pulling Pei You¡¯s wrist playfully. Half-asleep, Zhou Qingbo leaned against Pei You, calling him with a drowsy voice. He was fond of staying in bed, and if he had to wake up at eight, he wouldn¡¯t open his eyes earlier than that. Pei You was used to his behavior and didn¡¯t find it strange. He bent down, kissed his forehead, and then went to get dressed and freshen up, preparing breakfast. Breakfast was a semi-prepared snack bought from the supermarket. After steaming the custard buns, a sweet fragrance filled the air. Lured by the aroma, Zhou Qingbo emerged from the bedroom like a wandering soul, his eyes still closed, burying his head in Pei You¡¯s shoulder. He muttered sleepily a couple of times. ¡°Since you¡¯re awake, go wash your hands and let¡¯s have breakfast together,¡± Pei You said to him, ¡°Skipping breakfast in the morning will mess up your tummy.¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t mind much whether his stomach was in good condition or not, what concerned him was that during workdays, he and Pei You only had two chances to meet ¨C in the morning and evening. He didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity to have breakfast with him, so he leaned against Pei You and pouted for a while. Then he bit his lip and opened his eyes, floating toward the bathroom with unsteady steps. A thick layer of steam rose from the steamer, and Pei You leaned against the kitchen window, rolling up his shirt cuffs, looking outside for a moment. The weather was sunny; it seemed like a good day. Suddenly, the phone on the kitchen counter vibrated lightly. Pei You picked up the phone and unlocked it, finding a message in the work group chat. The project in the southern province was put on hold, but Pei You couldn¡¯t afford to be idle. Starting in the second half of the year, all companies had to update their financial reports, which meant the audit team had gotten busy as well. Pei You had a continuous stream of tasks lined up. The information provided by the collaborating parties almost filled his entire desk. However, perhaps because Anna still had intentions to promote Pei You and send him to the Shanghai branch, she hadn¡¯t assigned him any overseas trips or assignments lately. Most of his recent tasks involved maintaining existing collaborations and updating the current work progress. After the autumn recruitment, the firm also welcomed a batch of fresh blood, and two interns joined Pei You¡¯s team. Since they were new, they didn¡¯t know anything, and they had to be guided step by step in everything they did. Pei You opened the work group chat, quickly scanned the work-related questions sent and carefully replied to a few important ones. Monday mornings were always accompanied by a pile of new tasks. Pei You finished replying to work messages one by one and just as the timer on the table hit zero, it chimed and vibrated. Pei You briefly glanced away from his phone, silenced the buzzing timer, and pressed it off. When Zhou Qingbo got up on Monday mornings, he seemed to have some sort of condition slowing down his actions. He spent a full fifteen minutes in the bathroom before slowly making his way out. Even during breakfast, his eyelids seemed to be fighting to stay open. It took him a good five minutes to finish eating a custard bun. At first, Pei You thought he was just tired. But as he finished his own meal, got dressed, and prepared to leave for work, he saw Zhou Qingbo still sitting at the dining table. Perplexed, Pei You furrowed his brows and waved his hand in front of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes. ¡°Qingbo?¡± Pei You asked. ¡°Shall I drop you off at work?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zhou Qingbo snapped out of his daze, realizing what was happening. He casually put down his chopsticks and got up from behind the dining table. ¡°I forgot to tell you, I¡¯m not going to work for now,¡± Zhou Qingbo embraced Pei You¡¯s waist, blinked at him innocently, and said, ¡°My dad suspended me completely. I might not go back to work until¡­ who knows when.¡± Pei You was slightly taken aback. He knew about Zhou Qingbo being suspended, but he assumed that since Zhou Jianguo had allowed Zhou Qingbo to come back and stay with him, the matter was essentially resolved and he hadn¡¯t expected Zhou Qingbo to still be suspended. ¡°Well¡­¡± Pei You looked at Zhou Qingbo with some concern, seemingly wanting to comfort him but not knowing what to say. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you at home,¡± Zhou Qingbo picked up the conversation, blinking his eyes and giving Pei You a slightly exaggerated, pitiful look. He said in a soft voice, ¡°I can only rely on you to support me now. You won¡¯t get tired of me, right?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Pei You quickly said. ¡°I can take care of you.¡± He was too quick and sincere in his response, as if afraid that if he said it a moment later, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ¡°fragile¡± heart would shatter into pieces. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s lips curved, as if he remembered something. He pressed his lips together to suppress a smile and asked, ¡°But what if my dad doesn¡¯t let me return to work?¡± That was indeed a concern, Pei You thought. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s resume wasn¡¯t particularly competitive in a place like Beijing, where executives were everywhere. If he left Qingshan, he might not find another job so easily let alone withstand the high pressure work environments. Various well-known large local companies in Beijing flashed through Pei You¡¯s mind. No matter how he thought about it, he felt that Zhou Qingbo might not adapt well in those places. ¡°¡­we don¡¯t have to worry about that for now,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Just wait for me here, you can play some games at home or go to Black Bar.¡± Apart from mixing drinks, Zhou Qingbo enjoyed playing video games. Pei You mentally calculated his own salary and felt that supporting him wouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°Let¡¯s just wait and see how things turn out,¡± Pei You said. ¡°but¡­.¡± Zhou Qingbo said in distress. ¡°If I keep doing nothing at home, I¡¯ll eventually become out of touch with the world.¡± ¡°Then do something you like,¡± Pei You said. ¡°okay.¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled mischievously. He liked how Pei You cared for him, so he continued to tease him. He pretended to be like a young wife and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do some household chores at home, while you go to work. I¡¯ll take care of things at home ¨C you handle the outside, and I¡¯ll handle the inside.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, Pei You¡¯s expression turned blank. Before he could even picture Zhou Qingbo doing household chores, he saw Zhou Qingbo suppressing a smile and quickly running to the door to take Pei You¡¯s coat from the hanger. He then personally helped him put it on. ¡°Qingbo¡ª¡± Pei You obviously wasn¡¯t used to Zhou Qingbo behaving like this. He felt a bit stiff, attempting to refuse, ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡ª¡± ¡°Be careful on your way to work, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t even give him a chance to refuse. He smoothly helped Pei You put on his coat, then handed him his briefcase and car keys. He leaned in to kiss him and, in passing, pushed him out the door. He acted like a good wife as he said, ¡°Drive safely.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Pei You walked out of the house, still seeming a bit worried. So he turned back, feeling unsure, and said helplessly, ¡°I¡¯ll try not to work overtime tonight. I¡¯ll come back early.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, suppressing a smile. ¡°Work hard. I¡¯ll be waiting for you at home.¡± Pei You inexplicably found himself carrying the weight of being the ¡°head of the household¡± out of nowhere. He, who was usually quite oblivious, suddenly became the pillar of the household, and he could only work diligently to start his week. However, although Zhou Qingbo said he¡¯d rely on Pei You, he wasn¡¯t shameless enough to freeload at home. After Pei You left, Zhou Qingbo washed the dishes, went back to his room to take a nap, and only got up in the afternoon. He freshened up, took his keys, and left the house. Black Bar wasn¡¯t open in the afternoon. When Zhou Qingbo arrived, the doors were closed, and the lights were on. Several staff members were setting up a small stage and checking for safety hazards. A somewhat rugged middle-aged man sat at the largest booth in the VIP area. Ge Xing sat next to him, chatting and holding a deck of cards in his hand. As usual, Zhou Qingbo entered through the back door. The middle-aged man looked up and saw him first. Before he could say anything, a smile appeared on his face, and he waved to Zhou Qingbo from a distance, calling him ¡°little brother.¡± ¡°Boss Qiang.¡± Zhou Qingbo called back, walking past the bar without hesitation. He grabbed a bottle of cola from the fridge and said casually, ¡°Is there a performance today?¡± ¡°Yes, I brought in an underground band from Nanjing,¡± Boss Qiang squinted his eyes and smiled, saying, ¡°Do you want to show off your skills on stage a bit with them?¡± ¡°Not today, I can¡¯t. I¡¯ve got something going on,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. He sat down smoothly on the other side of the booth as he spoke. Ge Xing gathered the playing cards in his hand into a pile, but before he could get a good look, he noticed what Zhou Qingbo was holding. ¡°¡­ What¡¯s that you¡¯re wearing?¡± Ge Xing asked with a disgusted expression. ¡°When did you become a nouveau riche?¡± Zhou Qingbo was wearing the bracelet that He Ping had given him earlier. He was still basking in the fresh excitement of being accepted by Pei You¡¯s family. When he left home earlier, he absentmindedly put it on. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Zhou Qingbo was shameless in this regard. He gave Ge Xing a look, then confidently stated, ¡°This is the gift my mother-in-law gave to the daughter-in-law as a meeting present.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ge Xing thought, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Ge Xing couldn¡¯t be bothered to probe further. He went straight to the point, ¡°So, why do you have time to come here today?¡± ¡°I came to find something to do,¡± Zhou Qingbo wiggled his toe and said, ¡°My dad suspended me from work. I can¡¯t just sit around doing nothing at home.¡± In theory, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s financial assets, even if left untouched each month, brought in a steady income. Over a year, it wasn¡¯t much less than the annual salary of an executive. But he had inherited a bit of Zhou Jianguo¡¯s patriarchal mindset and felt that it wasn¡¯t right for him to stay at home while Pei You went to work. ¡°Is your dad serious about this?¡± Ge Xing was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s his deal? He let you out and still pulls this act?¡± ¡°He¡¯s always like this,¡± Zhou Qingbo shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s waiting for me to give in.¡± ¡°Finding something to do isn¡¯t a problem,¡± Boss Qiang rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Many people come to our bar because of you. If you¡¯re willing to work here regularly, I¡¯ll triple Xiao Li¡¯s wage for you.¡± ¡°The main shifts are too long,¡± Zhou Qingbo sighed. ¡°Pei You works during the day. I can¡¯t have him stay up with me at the bar until past two in the morning every night.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not suited for part-time either,¡± Boss Qiang didn¡¯t understand. ¡°You¡¯re not short on money, so why bother with this?¡± It was difficult for Zhou Qingbo to explain the concept of ¡°equality¡± between lovers. He opened a can of Coke, shook his head, and sighed. ¡°Actually¡­¡± Ge Xing suddenly said, ¡°Have you ever thought about opening your own bar?¡± Zhou Qingbo had the skills, aesthetics, a good background, plenty of savings, and financial funds to support him in case of losses. On paper, he was in the ideal position to open a bar. However, he had always managed to restrain himself, something Ge Xing couldn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°You think I haven¡¯t considered it?¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it countless times before.¡± Zhou Qingbo had considered this. He loved bartending, understood the workings and business models of bars, and was more willing to invest effort in this than being an executive in a clean office. But his family situation was such that both Zhou Jianguo and Zhou Cangshan hoped he would have a more ¡°respectable¡± career. They didn¡¯t support his ventures¡ªlet alone something as ¡°unbecoming¡± as this. For Zhou Qingbo, staying at Qingshan and being a mid-level executive without many responsibilities was the suitable option in his situation. After all, he loved bartending, not running a bar. So, he let it go. It wasn¡¯t worth the trouble. ¡°But the problem now is that I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be at odds with my dad,¡± Zhou Qingbo took a deep breath and continued, ¡°Sooner or later, he¡¯ll want me back at Qingshan. If I open a bar now, what will I do when that time comes? I can¡¯t juggle both.¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t consider himself overly career-driven. He only had so much energy. A portion went into bartending, and Pei You took up a significant part. What was left was barely enough for him to ¡°get by.¡± He didn¡¯t have the mental energy to develop a side business. This was indeed a problem. While a good background was a boost, it could also be a restraint at times. Ge Xing understood this as well, so he didn¡¯t press the issue further. ¡°No worries, this isn¡¯t a decision to be made in a day,¡± Boss Qiang patted Zhou Qingbo¡¯s shoulder and laughed, ¡°Whenever you need money, just come over. The salary is negotiable, and we¡¯ll work out the timing based on your availability.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Zhou Qingbo had known him for many years, so they spoke casually, smiling. Although Zhou Qingbo wanted to find something to do, he wasn¡¯t so desperate to start right away. After talking to Boss Qiang and gaining some clarity, he felt less rushed. He looked around, drank the remaining half cup of cola in one gulp, patted his thigh, and stood up. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head off for now. I¡¯ll treat you both to a drink another day.¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°Leaving so soon?¡± Ge Xing was puzzled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you staying to watch the performance?¡± ¡°No.¡± Zhou Qingbo said seriously, ¡°since I¡¯m not working at the moment, I can¡¯t just sit around doing nothing. Pei You will be off work soon. I need to go home and make dinner for him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ge Xing thought, that¡¯s good, I won¡¯t ask furthe CH 92 While at work, Pei You suddenly realized that letting Zhou Qingbo stay idle at home might not have been a good idea. ¡ªThis person was always up to some mischief when he had nothing to do. Now, suddenly not having to go to work or leave the house, Pei You was certain that he was devoting all his energy to causing some kind of trouble. He Ping¡¯s approval was like a shot of adrenaline for Zhou Qingbo. He seemed quite enthusiastic about the role of the ¡°good house wife¡± and had even started acting as a ¡°homemaker.¡± Unfortunately, while he was quite capable of doing other things, his cooking skills were rather lacking. Pei You had to work an extra shift in the evening, and it was almost 8:30 PM when he struggled through Beijing¡¯s rush-hour traffic to get home. He parked his car in the open parking lot and as he walked towards the apartment building, he looked up. The living room of unit 1607 was pitch black and quiet. He couldn¡¯t tell if no one was home or if Zhou Qingbo just hadn¡¯t turned on the lights. His chat history on WeChat with Qingbo was stuck at around 5 PM. Near the end of work hours, Zhou Qingbo had sent a message to Pei You, asking what time he would be back. Pei You had initially promised to leave work on time, but urgent tasks had held him back, leading to an impromptu meeting within his team to correct mistakes made by an intern. Pei You was afraid that Zhou Qingbo might have been waiting anxiously, so he messaged him right away to explain the situation. However, he wasn¡¯t sure if Zhou Qingbo was busy or upset. All he received was a dry ¡°Got it,¡± without any additional words, and Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t sent any more messages after that. Pei You was a person who kept his promises, and he felt like he had stood Zhou Qingbo up. He had also become used to Zhou Qingbo taking advantage of situations and acting clingy to get his way, so when he saw Zhou Qingbo being unusually understanding, he felt uncomfortable and uneasy. However, he didn¡¯t think Zhou Qingbo was the kind of person who would leave home without a word when he was upset. After thinking it over, Pei You couldn¡¯t help but send him a message before entering the elevator. ¡°I¡¯m home,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Heading upstairs now.¡± After sending the message, the elevator doors slowly closed, cutting off the signal, and Pei You locked his phone and put it back in his pocket. The timing was neither here nor there ¨C those who left work on time were already home, while those who actually worked overtime hadn¡¯t returned yet. The elevator leisurely climbed to the sixteenth floor, but Pei You hadn¡¯t received a response to his message. The sixteenth floor was quiet. As the footsteps echoed, the lights in the corridor gradually brightened. Pei You stood outside his apartment door, first knocking. When there was no response, he took out his keys, unlocked the door, and entered. The apartment was pitch black, with no lights or air conditioning on. Pei You looked around in confusion. He was about to take out his phone to call Zhou Qingbo when he heard a faint rustling sound from behind the door. Pei You immediately became alert. He was about to turn around when he felt someone approaching him from behind, and they covered his eyes with a hand. Someone embraced him, chin resting on his shoulder, and said with a light laugh, ¡°Would you like to eat first, or take a bath?¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You¡¯s tense nerves relaxed. He tilted his head slightly, ¡°looking¡± towards Zhou Qingbo, and sighed helplessly. ¡°I thought there was a thief in the house,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you turn on the lights?¡± ¡°I wanted to give you a surprise,¡± Zhou Qingbo said confidently. That was truly surprising, Pei You thought. I almost called the police just now. ¡°Next time¡­ can you give me a heads-up?¡± Pei You clearly lacked experience in such unexpected playfulness between couples. He said diplomatically, ¡°So I can be prepared.¡± ¡°How¡¯s it a surprise if you¡¯re prepared?¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled and gently tightened his arms. With a meaningful tone, he said, ¡°Hurry up, choose one food first or bath first?.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t catch the flirtatious implication in his tone, nor did he really ponder the potential ¡°trap¡± behind those two options. He simply treated it as a normal question and casually answered. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first,¡± Pei You said. He pulled Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand down and asked warmly, ¡°you must have been waiting long. Are you hungry?¡± Zhou Qingbo tried to push his luck and leaned in, gently biting Pei You¡¯s earlobe. Zhou Qingbo asked suggestively, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to bathe first?¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s tone was low and gentle, becoming even more intimate and tender in the deepening night. He changed his posture intentionally or unintentionally as he spoke, his fingers curling and pulling the corner of Pei You¡¯s shirt. His fingertips traced along Pei You¡¯s waist, suggesting a certain meaning. Pei You fell silent for a moment and finally understood Zhou Qingbo¡¯s intention. Although he was slow, he was also a young man with normal instincts. He couldn¡¯t withstand this kind of teasing. Just as Zhou Qingbo had touched him twice, he couldn¡¯t help but inhale a breath of cool air, grabbing Zhou Qingbo¡¯s wrist. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s lips curled into a small smile. He leaned forward without a word and pressed Pei You against the door, kissing him deeply. The briefcase clanged to the ground as Pei You made a muffled sound, passively accepting the kiss. Zhou Qingbo initially intended to stop Pei You at the door to distract him. However, as the kiss deepened, he too became passionate. He reached for the hem of Pei You¡¯s shirt and led him stumbling into the apartment. They kissed intensely, unable to part in the darkness. Unable to see anything clearly, they stumbled over a fallen suit jacket on the ground and collided into the wall behind them. Accidentally, Pei You hit the light switch on the wall. The living room¡¯s light flickered for a moment before blazing to life. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s face changed, and he instinctively wanted to turn off the light, but it was too late. Once the light was on, everything in the living room was exposed clearly to Pei You¡¯s eyes. The scattered cabbage leaves on the dining table looked suspicious and disorderly, while the kitchen door was tightly shut, with smoke billowing out from within. At first glance, it resembled a hastily crafted scene from a fairytale, a misty haze obscuring everything. Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You had never seen such a messy scene in his own home before, so he was momentarily stunned. He walked forward and pushed open the door to the kitchen. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s attempt at using seduction to distract him had failed, he was now caught in the act. He rubbed his nose guiltily and followed Pei You¡¯s footsteps towards the kitchen. The door slid open, revealing a narrow gap. The fumes of cooking oil rushed out through the gap, nearly choking Pei You unexpectedly. He almost thought the kitchen was on fire. Fortunately, as the door opened, air began to circulate, dispersing the overwhelming fumes. The situation inside the kitchen became clearer. The kitchen window opposite the door was wide open, allowing the thick smoke to billow out. With the door and the window forming a cross breeze, the room quickly cleared of the smoke, leaving only a faint burnt smell. Two pots in the kitchen¡ªone in the sink and one on the stove¡ªlay in disarray. The flames on the stove were already put out, but the remaining heat was still felt. Burnt vegetables were stuck to the bottom of the pan, and the outline of some cabbage was barely recognizable. Pei You glanced around, piecing together the situation in his mind. He realized that Zhou Qingbo had actually gone through the trouble of cooking at home. It was ironic, Pei You thought, too bad Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t have the talent for it; his approach was frustrating. No wonder Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t replied to his messages. He must have been busy ¡°covering up the evidence.¡± Despite the mess in the kitchen, Pei You didn¡¯t feel irritated or angry. He looked around and couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips, even feeling a bit amused. No wonder Zhou Qingbo had clung to him as soon as he got back. Pei You thought, He probably wanted to distract me from what was happening in the kitchen. When Zhou Qingbo was at the bar mixing drinks, his hands were steady and skilled, and he was good at it. However, he had never anticipated becoming a ¡°kitchen assassin,¡± being the worst chef ever. Pei You couldn¡¯t help but smile, finding the contrast quite amusing. After tossing the pans in the bin, Zhou Qingbo felt somewhat embarrassed. He cleared his throat awkwardly and slowly made his way next to Pei You. Zhou Qingbo muttered vaguely, ¡°I have already ordered takeout to compensate, but it¡¯s the peak delivery time, so it¡¯s a bit delayed.¡± Pei You had returned after a day¡¯s work, and Zhou Qingbo had initially planned to surprise him. But instead of delight, he managed to make a disaster of the whole situation. Zhou Qingbo felt awkward and his mood had also dampened. He moved closer, wrapped his arms around Pei You¡¯s waist, and pulled him out of the kitchen. ¡°Sorry,¡± Zhou Qingbo apologized sincerely, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to the room for a while? The takeout will be here soon, and I¡¯ll clean up afterward.¡± Pei You stood by the trash bin, not allowing himself to be led out as Zhou Qingbo intended. Instead, he turned his head to look at him and asked, ¡°Why did you suddenly decide to cook?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked all day. I can¡¯t expect you to come home and still take care of me.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gaze shifted uneasily as he continued, ¡°I thought I should at least cook for you.¡± Zhou Qingbo indeed disliked hardships and troubles, but since the day he committed to being with Pei You, he never intended to escape his responsibilities in helping with the household chores. The suspension from work had somewhat affected him, but he only vaguely sensed that he was standing at a significant turning point in life. However, he didn¡¯t know where each path at the crossroads would lead. He wanted to change, but Qing Shan remained an uncertain factor. Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t sure when he would go back to work, and he hadn¡¯t made up his mind about quitting either. He was like a graduate student navigating a job fair with his resume. Without knowing if the top choice company would offer him a job, he hesitated to even submit an application. This vague sense of uncertainty translated into his sense of responsibility for the household. That¡¯s why, rarely, Zhou Qingbo began to dabble in areas he wasn¡¯t skilled at or interested in. Unfortunately, he had failed. Zhou Qingbo had a bold personality, so experiencing such failure was unusual. He sighed, his tone carrying a trace of barely perceptible grievance. ¡°Anyway, Never mind the failures.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°I ordered local dishes for takeout. It¡¯ll be here soon, and we¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a failure.¡± Pei You calmly reached into the cupboard, pulled out a clean plate, scooped up the limp cabbage that had been soaked in oil, and placed it on the countertop. ¡°It¡¯s actually quite good.¡± Pei You pursed his lips, a faint smile playing on his face. His voice was unusually gentle as he continued, ¡°I feel¡­ happy.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Despite Zhou Qingbo¡¯s usual confidence, today¡¯s setbacks had indeed affected him. He sighed at Pei You¡¯s words and said, ¡°Though you see me through rose-colored glasses, you can¡¯t just make things up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡± Pei You said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m happy with these poorly cooked dishes¡ª I¡¯m happy with you.¡± He meant he was happy with Zhou Qingbo¡¯s efforts. Since the day he met Zhou Qingbo, Pei You knew he wasn¡¯t the type to do household chores. He loved Zhou Qingbo¡¯s exuberance and freedom, as well as his liveliness and openness. He had always known what kind of person Zhou Qingbo was, so he never needed Zhou Qingbo to cook or clean or be the ¡°perfect boyfriend.¡± In Pei You¡¯s eyes, whether Zhou Qingbo was terrible at cooking, capable of handling household tasks or not, as long as he made the effort for him, Pei You was content. Being in a relationship meant having something special that set it apart from being just ordinary friends. Just as Zhou Qingbo enjoyed how Pei You took care of him, Pei You similarly reveled in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s constant evolution. The trash bin filled with ¡°failed¡± dishes, the traces of potatoes stuck to the sink, and the remnants of at least three dishes were all evidence of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s efforts for the dinner. Seeing this, Zhou Qingbo had indeed put effort into this dinner¡ªperhaps more than once. Compared to a perfectly executed dinner, Pei You felt that this was enough to satisfy him. ¡°So I think it¡¯s quite good,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Not being able to cook is okay; you¡¯re just not skilled at it.¡± Zhong Qingbo was an easy person to appease, and in just a few words, Pei You managed to charge him up. Emerging from his sadness, Zhong Qingbo still appeared to be concerned about the failed dinner, frequently glancing towards the direction of the trash can. Pei You softened, intending to divert Zhong Qingbo¡¯s attention. He strained his mind, urgently recalling Professor Zhou¡¯s ¡°Love Guide,¡± and reached out to hold Zhong Qingbo¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± This was the first time Pei You had taken such an initiative, and he appeared rather inexperienced. His gaze wavered momentarily as he attempted to sound natural, but he stumbled in his speech. ¡°Since dinner didn¡¯t work out ¨C can I still choose the other option? Is it still possible?¡± CH 93 In the end, they didn¡¯t manage to have that dinner. The flavorful, oil-rich takeout hung on the doorknob, gradually transitioning from hot to warm, and eventually cooling down. It remained suspended there until midnight when someone inside the room surreptitiously picked it up, turning it into a late-night snack. The sound of water trickling from the bathroom ceased completely, and a soft ding emanated from the microwave. A slight mist drifted out from it. With his upper body bare, Zhong Qingbo draped a towel casually around himself, carrying a reheated meal container as he walked out of the kitchen. He sat down side by side with Pei You on the carpet. After being reheated a second time, the takeout had lost some moisture, but its flavor remained unaffected. Zhong Qingbo used chopsticks to pick up a piece of scallion chicken for Pei You and pushed a bowl of soup towards him. ¡°The taste is not bad.¡± Zhong Qingbo said, ¡°Much better than what I cooked.¡± ¡°Cooking isn¡¯t that difficult, just practice more.¡± Taking a sip of the warm broth, Pei You comforted him, ¡°When I come back from work tomorrow, I¡¯ll teach you.¡± Pei You¡¯s ¡°encouraging education¡± seemed to suit Zhong Qingbo well¡ªwhen he failed, there was ¡°consolation¡±; when he succeeded, there was ¡°reward.¡± Thus, even though cooking wasn¡¯t one of Zhong Qingbo¡¯s hobbies, he found some enjoyment in honing his cooking skills, mainly due to the ¡°bonus¡± that came with it. However, while Zhong Qingbo¡¯s cooking skills were steadily improving, the excessive ¡°perks¡± Pei You provided had left Pei You feeling a bit overwhelmed. ¡ªAfter all, for half a month, every day, even though Pei You¡¯s physical endurance was quite good, he still found it a bit challenging to keep up. Fortunately, things quickly took a turn. Someone intervened and disrupted the situation, finally pulling Zhong Qingbo out of his ¡°virtuous¡± obsession. About a month after Zhou Qingbo¡¯s suspension from work, Zhou Cangshan somehow got wind of his part-time job at black bar to earn extra income. After a long time, he called Zhou Qingbo, straightforwardly asking him to come to Qingshan, saying that he had something to discuss. Zhou Qingbo could probably guess why he was being called, so he didn¡¯t delay. He arranged a meeting time with Zhou Cangshan and took a taxi to Qingshan¡¯s headquarters. Zhou Qingbo had left Qingshan for some time now, and as he stood in front of the building once again, everything before him seemed to be covered in an inexplicable sense of unfamiliarity. The receptionist at Qingshan had changed to a group of unfamiliar young women. Their gazes carried an unfamiliar wariness as they looked at Zhou Qingbo. He smiled helplessly at their scrutinizing looks, taking out his still-valid employee ID from his pocket and swiping it to open the entrance gate. It was working hours now, and people were going up and down in the elevators. Zhou Qingbo made his way up, and halfway through, he encountered a few colleagues from his department. Those people seemed surprised by his sudden appearance, and each of them hurriedly greeted him. Zhou Qingbo exchanged a few words with them with a smile, feeling that their gazes held a subtle trace of compassion. What¡¯s going on? Zhou Qingbo wondered. Did I suddenly become so popular? This confusion reached its peak after he exited the elevator. He distinctly sensed murmured whispers from behind as he walked out. The voices were low, making it hard to hear what they were saying. What¡¯s wrong with them? Zhou Qingbo thought. Zhou Cangshan knew he was coming and had postponed a meeting, sitting in his office waiting for him. Zhou Qingbo swaggered in, opened the door wide, and casually picked up an orange from the coffee table. He then sat on the guest chair across from Zhou Cangshan¡¯s desk. ¡°Big brother,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°You wanted to see me?¡± Zhou Cangshan looked up from his computer screen, scanned him over, and spoke straightforwardly, ¡°Are you planning to keep up this cold war with dad?¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not me who¡¯s cold-shouldering him.¡± Zhong Qingbo already knew he was going to say that. Peeling the orange, he mumbled a response with his mouth full, ¡°It¡¯s just that Dad can¡¯t accept my sexual orientation.¡± ¡°Dad has already compromised. Can¡¯t you compromise a little too?¡± Zhou Cangshan had also been tormented by this matter over the past few days, sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. For the first time, he softened his tone and advised, ¡°Just secretly be in your relationship. Spare dad all the headache.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t work.¡± Zhong Qingbo stuffed a slice of orange into his mouth and mumbled with unclear words, ¡°Even Pei You¡¯s mom has accepted me. Are we supposed to be secret lovers in our own home? No matter what you think about my relationship, I can¡¯t bring myself to do that.¡± After this period of time, Zhou Cangshan gradually understood Zhong Qingbo¡¯s stance. He knew that Zhong Qingbo was particularly stubborn in this matter, so he didn¡¯t say much about it. Naturally, the topic shifted. ¡°Then just ignore what I said.¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°Also, when are you planning to return to work?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zhong Qingbo was surprised, ¡°Bro, you and Dad aren¡¯t mad at me anymore?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t really mad at you to begin with.¡± Zhou Cangshan said. After the initial radical phase upon learning the news, Zhou Cangshan gradually calmed down, and his attitude softened. Moreover, Jiang Man had been discussing Zhong Qingbo¡¯s issues with him these days. As Zhou Cangshan listened, he was indeed swayed a lot¡ªanyway, what Jiang Man said was correct. Zhong Qingbo had money, so he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about supporting himself in his old age. Even if society really couldn¡¯t accept him, he could go abroad, change his environment and live a more content life. ¡°As for Dad¡ª¡± Zhou Cangshan paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Qingshan is ultimately our company, and Dad won¡¯t interfere too much.¡± Zhou Cangshan knew that Zhou Jianguo wanted to teach Zhou Qingbo a lesson, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to let Zhou Qingbo rely on part-time jobs to support himself. His heart had inevitably leaned toward Zhou Qingbo due to Zhou Jianguo¡¯s stern attitude, which also led to biased decision-making. ¡°During this time you were away, there were various gossips within the company,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°They said I was competing with you for power and profit, finally driving you out of the family business and taking control.¡± ¡°Ha¡ª¡± It was unusual for this kind of office gossip to come out of Zhou Cangshan¡¯s mouth, and on top of that, he was saying it so seriously, making it even more amusing. Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t hold back and burst into laughter. ¡°Should I make a statement to explain?¡± Zhou Qingbo managed to say through his laughter, ¡°Explain that I voluntarily took a leave of absence?¡± Zhou Cangshan didn¡¯t catch that it was a joke. He shook his head earnestly and said it wasn¡¯t necessary. ¡°No need to explain baseless rumors,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°You can come back to work anytime.¡± Saying that, he pulled out a reinstatement document from the stack of papers nearby and pushed it towards Zhou Qingbo, then continued, ¡°Even if you want to be with Pei You, you should still have your own job.¡± Zhou Cangshan¡¯s seal was already stamped on the reinstatement document, so as long as Zhou Qingbo signed it, it would take effect. Seeing this, Zhou Cangshan repressed his smile, picked up the document, and used his thumb to rub it. Before this, Zhou Qingbo had indeed been looking forward to coming back to the company as soon as possible. However, when he finally got the document in his hands, he didn¡¯t feel as happy as he had imagined. He realized that his first feeling wasn¡¯t a sense of relief from returning to a normal life, but rather a deep sense of weariness from within. Zhou Qingbo was acutely aware that he was someone who needed personal space and freedom. Compared to the precise and regular office hours of a 9-to-5 job, he preferred being able to set the boundaries between work and life himself. Once he was confined within certain strict rules, he would easily become tired, lose vitality, and become lazy and passive, finding no interest in anything. Before, Zhou Qingbo could indulge himself through his part-time job at night, but after being with Pei You, his visits to Black Bar inevitably decreased. Without that sole outlet for relaxation, Zhou Qingbo could hardly imagine what he would become. Originally, Zhou Qingbo wanted to come back to the company because he wanted to move forward with Pei You as equals. However, as he looked at the reinstatement document in his hand, he suddenly felt that if he signed it, he would truly be stagnating and just passing time. He wanted to give Pei You stability, but he definitely didn¡¯t want to become stagnant himself. ¡°Brother,¡± Zhou Qingbo fell silent for a while, then finally placed the document back on the table, returning it to Zhou Cangshan, ¡°I want to think it over first.¡± CH 94 Just as Zhou Qingbo had told Ge Xing, he had very limited energy, so he was well aware that the path he was about to choose would determine what kind of person he would ultimately become. This matter concerned his and Pei You¡¯s future, so Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t want to make a hasty decision. Fortunately, Zhou Cangshan understood him and didn¡¯t inquire about his reasons. He simply told him to think it over and inform him when he was ready. When Zhou Qingbo arrived home, there were still three hours until Pei You got off work. The room was quiet, with only the faint humming sound of the humidifier working. The paused game interface still lingered on the screen, but Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t have the enthusiasm to continue advancing through the levels. He turned off the TV, kicked off his slippers, entered the study, and closed the door behind him. He had already returned the apartment at Star River Bay a week ago, and he had moved all his belongings over to their new apartment. He had unpacked his luggage, clothes, and other items together with Pei You. Only a small box of CDs and game discs remained in the corner of the study, unopened. Zhou Qingbo picked up the small cardboard box from behind the study door and carelessly sat on the carpet, opening the box with his key and taking out its contents, absentmindedly stuffing them into the gaps of Pei You¡¯s bookshelf. The process of organizing without much thought was perfect for zoning out. Zhou Qingbo needed some time to let his chaotic and wavering mind calm down, so that he could face the impending decision more objectively. The game disc cases came in various sizes, some of them quite thick. Zhou Qingbo was used to this randomness and didn¡¯t bother organizing them one by one. He simply stacked them into a pile, hugged them against his chest, and stuffed them into the gaps on the bookshelf. The remaining space on the bookshelf was small. When Zhou Qingbo forced the stack of game discs into it, there was a creaking sound at the joints, indicating the strain. Zhou Qingbo struggled to pull his hand out of the gap, about to take out two discs to relieve the pressure, when the wooden bookshelf shook as he moved, causing a document to slip from a slightly higher spot and fall right in front of him. Due to the nature of his work, Pei You rarely brought paper documents home, but Zhou Qingbo had become used to not keeping any secrets between them. So, he didn¡¯t think much of any ¡°privacy issue¡± and casually picked up the fallen document. He quickly skimmed through the document, glancing at the contents. Suddenly, his eyes stopped with surprise as he noticed that this wasn¡¯t an ordinary personal document; it was a ¡°Job Transfer and Promotion Application.¡± It was clear that the management at Pei You¡¯s workplace had considered transferring him to the Shanghai branch, and the document in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand was the application that needed to be submitted by Pei You. The section for approval by relevant leaders had already been signed, but the line for the individual¡¯s signature was still empty, as if silently indicating Pei You¡¯s indecisiveness. When did this happen, Zhou Qingbo wondered, why has Pei You never mentioned it? As he thought, he casually flipped through the document until he reached the end. He noted that the printing date on the application form was several months ago. Calculating the timeline, Zhou Qingbo realized that it was during the period when he and Pei You had just started to break through their hesitations. No wonder, Zhou Qingbo thought. Pei You cared deeply about their future plans as a couple. He wouldn¡¯t intentionally hide something so significant. Since he hadn¡¯t brought up this matter to Zhou Qingbo, it meant that he had already made a decision on his own and felt there was no need to discuss it. He¡¯s not planning to go, Zhou Qingbo thought, because of me. Pei You¡¯s thoughts were easy to guess ¨C it was evident that he was willing to forgo the promotion and raise in order to stay with Zhou Qingbo. Suddenly, Zhou Qingbo recalled the day he and Pei You had their first blind date ¨C during that initially not-so-pleasant encounter, Pei You had seriously discussed their future plans. At that time, he had already prepared himself to compromise for the sake of his relationship, and now he had indeed followed through. Back then, Zhou Qingbo had thought Pei You was weird and unusual, but now as he looked back, he realized that Pei You was the real gem. Sincere, genuine, and grounded. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s restless heart suddenly settled. He looked at the words ¡°Shanghai¡± on the job transfer document, and the scales in his heart began to tilt infinitely in one direction. After a moment, he shifted slightly and took out his phone from his pocket, dialing Pei You¡¯s number. Pei You didn¡¯t have any work meetings that afternoon, so he answered the call quickly. Zhou Qingbo heard some vague talking from his end, but it disappeared soon after. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Pei You¡¯s voice came from the receiver, with his usual gentleness, ¡°do you need something?¡± ¡°Nothing much, just missed you,¡± Zhou Qingbo sat cross-legged on the floor, absently touching the document on his leg. He smiled and asked, ¡°Am I bothering you?¡± ¡°no,¡± Pei You said, ¡°there¡¯s no urgent work for now.¡± Pei You was gentle and accommodating, often agreeing to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s requests. At first glance, he seemed a bit too yielding, but Zhou Qingbo knew that to a certain extent, he was also quite stubborn. He rarely showed a forceful side, but once he made a decision, it was hard to change. So, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t plan to tell him about discovering the document. He simply smiled and asked when he would be back. ¡°I¡¯m not working overtime tonight,¡± Pei You said. He seemed to think Zhou Qingbo was just feeling bored at home and being a bit playful. He smiled helplessly and continued, ¡°I¡¯ll be home after work.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gaze fell on the document in front of him. He smiled and said, ¡°Then come back early.¡± Freedom and change often come with high risks, Zhou Qingbo thought, but Pei You was worth the risk. After hanging up the phone, a female colleague placed a photocopy of the document on Pei You¡¯s desk. She playfully asked if he had a girlfriend. ¡°It¡¯s my boyfriend,¡± Pei You corrected her. She had heard Pei You talk about his crush when he was still in the southern province. She chuckled at his response and handed him the pen in her hand. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect your boyfriend to be quite clingy,¡± she remarked. Pei You marked a few important data points on the document. Hearing her words, he felt his eyelashes twitch, somehow acknowledging the sentiment. Yeah, he¡¯s pretty clingy, Pei You thought. I can¡¯t even be apart from him for a short while. However, such words weren¡¯t suitable to say in front of colleagues. So, Pei You selectively ignored that sentiment and quickly finished marking the notes before handing the document back to her. ¡°I won¡¯t be working overtime tonight. If there¡¯s something urgent, just give me a call,¡± Pei You said. CH 95 When Pei You arrived home, he surprisingly didn¡¯t catch the scent of burnt food as soon as he stepped out of the elevator. Lately, Zhou Qingbo had been engrossed in improving his cooking skills. When Pei You returned home each day, it was like opening a mystery box ¨C he never knew if he would be greeted by a delicious dinner or one of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s impromptu ¡°specialty dishes.¡± He had grown used to this sense of exploration in the unknown. Now, suddenly resuming a peaceful routine felt a bit uncomfortable. He couldn¡¯t help but glance at the apartment number to confirm he was on the right floor. Apartment 1607 was unusually quiet that day. When Pei You entered, he noticed the kitchen and dining area were neat as if new. There was no lingering aroma of cooking oil in the air. It seemed that the ¡°home chef¡± had temporarily lost interest in cooking. Pei You wasn¡¯t sure if he felt more disappointed or relieved. He placed his briefcase by the entrance and exchanged his shoes for slippers, calling out Zhou Qingbo¡¯s name as he did so. Zhou Qingbo, lying on the sofa, opened his eyes at the sound. Lazily, he turned over and met Pei You¡¯s gaze. Without a word, he extended his hand toward Pei You. Understanding his intention, Pei You walked over, took Zhou Qingbo¡¯s outstretched hand, and sat down on the edge of the sofa, fingers entwined. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Pei You asked, ¡°Are you not feeling well today?¡± Zhou Qingbo, usually lively and energetic, always managed to find ways to add zest to their lives. Pei You had never seen him looking so listless before, and he felt a bit worried. ¡°Didn¡¯t your brother want you to return to work?¡± Pei You asked, ¡°what happened?¡± Pei You brought up the topic himself, saving Zhou Qingbo the trouble of guiding the conversation. Zhou Qingbo simply made a vague noise of acknowledgment, neither confirming nor denying anything. His attitude was ambiguous, leaving Pei You uncertain about the outcome of their conversation. He decided to hold Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand and try to extract more information gently. ¡°So, when will you be going back to work?¡± Pei You asked. Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t answer this question directly. He remained silent for a moment, then adjusted his position. He lay on the sofa with his arm as a pillow, looking up at Pei You¡¯s face from bottom to top. Pei You slightly lowered his head, locking eyes with him in a very earnest manner. From his gaze, Zhou Qingbo could clearly see his own reflection, along with the unwavering determination hidden beneath his gentle demeanor. ¡°Pei You,¡± after a moment, Zhou Qingbo gently tightened his grip on Pei You¡¯s hand and slowly said, ¡°Actually, I think I¡¯m not suitable for this job.¡± Pei You understood that Zhou Qingbo was referring to the job at Qingshan. Unlike himself, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t like a strictly structured work environment. During his time at Qingshan, he appeared as if he was completing a predetermined main questline¡ªneither disliking nor enjoying it, lukewarm and inconsequential. Pei You wasn¡¯t an ¡°idealism-only¡± kind of person, but he did feel that confining Zhou Qingbo to an office day after day was wasting his energy. ¡°What do you want to do instead?¡± Pei You pondered for a moment and added, ¡°It doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be in Qingshan.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s work was mostly confined within the family business, Pei You thought. If they didn¡¯t consider Zhou¡¯s family situation, he could excel in other areas as well. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Zhou Qingbo lightly tugged on Pei You¡¯s hand, leaned to the side, and playfully kissed the back of his hand. As if he suddenly remembered something, he joked, ¡°How about we elope?¡± Pei You was momentarily stunned. ¡°Leave Beijing, start anew somewhere else,¡± Zhou Qingbo half-seriously suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll step out of the shelter of the Zhou family and venture out on my own.¡± Pei You blinked, almost thinking he misheard. Zhou Qingbo was the kind of person who as long as life offered him some personal space and freedom in a smooth and stable foundation, he was content. Pei You initially thought that even if Zhou Qingbo grew tired of life at Qingshan, he might invest in Black Bar at most. He never thought he would make such a significant decision, considering leaving Beijing. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Pei You was genuinely surprised and subconsciously asked, ¡°You¡¯re not joking, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zhou Qingbo suddenly smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± Leaving a city where one had lived for decades wasn¡¯t an easy decision. Zhou Qingbo was both inclined and opposed to trouble. He had questioned himself: Was he truly prepared to start from scratch? Did he have the right mindset to face an entirely new environment? He pondered left and right on this issue, but once Pei You returned, he, like the moment the call connected, made up his mind almost instantly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where I am,¡± Zhou Qingbo thought, ¡°Whether it¡¯s in Beijing or Shanghai, it¡¯s all the same. I¡¯ll adapt in any city.¡± But Pei You had the potential for greater things. He deserved what he¡¯d earned through his hard work and excellence over the years. And the idea of starting anew might seem hectic and complicated, but if he were with Pei You, Zhou Qingbo was more excited than worried. ¡°But¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly. He sat up from the sofa and snuggled his head into the crook of Pei You¡¯s shoulder, nuzzling him affectionately. He said in a muffled voice, ¡°But it seems like your work isn¡¯t easy to leave behind, is it?¡± Zhou Qingbo glanced at Pei You¡¯s profile, muttering deliberately, ¡°I don¡¯t want a long-distance relationship, so I guess it¡¯s better not to think about it.¡± Pei You was never good at keeping things from Qingbo. He remembered Anna mentioning the job transfer a few months ago. How fortunes changed. He wished he hadn¡¯t been so dismissive with his words. Fortunately, there was still some time before the application deadline. So, with a slight shift in his mind, Pei You tentatively asked, ¡°If we could relocate, where would you like to go? Would Shanghai be an option?¡± Zhou Qingbo knew Pei You couldn¡¯t keep secrets. He turned his head, hiding a smile, and cooperated with a serious tone, ¡°Shanghai? Shanghai is great. It¡¯s convenient for everything, and the opportunities are no less than in Beijing.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t know that Zhou Qingbo had already seen the document that afternoon. To him, these events were coincidences brought about by fate, making it possible for him to balance his career and relationship with Zhou Qingbo. He didn¡¯t know that these were actually a small gift from his boyfriend. Zhou Qingbo kindly kept this matter hidden. He smiled, as if forgetting the afternoon¡¯s events. ¡°How are you so good?¡± Zhou Qingbo leaned in, hugged Pei You¡¯s shoulder, and playfully kissed him a few times on the lips. He mumbled, ¡°It seems like you always have a solution for whatever I want to do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence.¡± Pei You felt a bit embarrassed taking credit, so he pursed his lips, smiled, and honestly said, ¡°It just happened to work out.¡± Pei You¡¯s mood instantly improved, and he genuinely felt happy, delighted with his decision to ¡°help¡± Zhou Qingbo live the life he wanted. He felt grateful for the arrangement of fate, unaware that Zhou Qingbo was also relishing his satisfaction. ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Zhou Qingbo said stubbornly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t others encounter such a fortunate thing?¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s persistence and stubbornness often made it difficult to resist him. Pei You had initially intended to say that this couldn¡¯t be attributed to him, but Zhou Qingbo led him into the conversation, and any argument seemed invalid. So, he decided to surrender and gave up resisting altogether. Seeing that he had finally stopped resisting, Zhou Qingbo smiled contentedly, leaned in close to his ear, and gently bit his earlobe. ¡°You¡¯re lucky,¡± Zhou Qingbo said confidently, ¡°And there¡¯s no one more capable than you.¡± Because in this world, other than Pei You, no one else could make him willingly and quietly change himself. CH 96 Zhou Qingbo never expected that he would one day take the initiative to step out of his comfort zone. He sat cross-legged on the carpet, going through the list and returning the home furnishings he had bought online one by one. He thought the power of love was indeed mysterious, and it truly made people change in unexpected ways. But since he was going to Shanghai, he couldn¡¯t just blindly follow Pei You without any plans for himself. He needed to find a way to support himself and Pei You as well. Zhou Qingbo thought for a moment, exited the online shopping interface, and casually posted a job-seeking post on his social media. He wanted to tap into his extensive network of contacts and see if there were any suitable opportunities in Shanghai for him to transition into. Zhou Qingbo had a high emotional intelligence and was skilled in social interactions. Although he aimed for excellence in close friendships, he also had a wide range of acquaintances. He didn¡¯t categorize his friends into different groups on social media, so his post created quite a stir. Comments and likes surged by more than a dozen, and Ge xing even called him directly. He didn¡¯t even bother with pleasantries and said directly, ¡°What do you mean by your post?¡± ¡°Just what it says literally,¡± Zhou Qingbo replied, placing the list down and smiling, ¡°I¡¯m planning to pack my bags and elope with Pei You. I¡¯ll rely on him for the time being though.¡± Ge xing was stunned by his matter-of-fact change in attitude. He was left speechless for a good three seconds, and it took a while for him to say sincerely, ¡°Alright, you¡¯re a grown up, I believe you know what you¡¯re doing. Pei You must be really impressive.¡± ¡°He is,¡± Zhou Qingbo said unabashedly, ¡°also, when fate comes knocking, you can¡¯t block it. Love makes people lose their rationality.¡± ¡°Good! You¡¯re absolutely right!¡± Ge xing said in a strange tone, ¡°I don¡¯t know who was so hell bent on remaining single and boasting about not living with someone with a poker face for the rest of their life, claiming to be a singlehood advocate.¡± ¡°Who hasn¡¯t made a mistake before? I am now a changed man, ¡°Zhou Qingbo admitted nonchalantly, ¡°But speaking of which, Pei You isn¡¯t someone with a poker face. You haven¡¯t seen how he treats me. It¡¯s like being bathed in a spring breeze.¡± Ge xing was shocked by his shameless attitude. He took a deep breath on the other end of the phone and thought that people in love were like this. It¡¯s better not to argue with them, and it¡¯s more important to discuss practical matters. ¡°By the way,¡± Ge xing shifted the topic awkwardly and asked, ¡°You posted a job-seeking message on your social media. What kind of work are you looking for?¡± Ge xing did want to help, but he was based in Beijing, and he wasn¡¯t very influential in Shanghai. However, he still tried to offer some suggestions. However, Zhou Qingbo did have an idea this time. He didn¡¯t intend to blindly wander around without any direction. He smiled and said, ¡°Just something I¡¯m interested in doing.¡± ¡°Office jobs are out of the question; there¡¯s no need to move from Beijing to Shanghai just to sit in one.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°But it¡¯s probably too expensive to open a new business. I¡¯m planning to assess the situation first. If the initial investment required for opening a business is too high over there, I¡¯ll just find a training institution to teach at for now.¡± Bartending was also considered a burgeoning industry. In recent years, cocktail competitions had gained popularity, and advanced classes outside of vocational schools were popping up one after another. With a gold medal in his hand, Zhou Qingbo was sure he would find a job in this field. As he was speaking, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s phone suddenly buzzed, indicating a new message. He habitually glanced at it, finding that the message was from an unfamiliar ID. ¡°Are you in need of a storefront?¡± the message from the other side asked. ¡°¡­ Hold on a moment,¡± Zhou Qingbo told Ge Xing, ¡°I¡¯ve got a new message. I¡¯ll let you know in a bit.¡± He ended the call and opened the new message. When he had posted on his social media, Zhou Qingbo had casually mentioned that if there were storefronts in Shanghai that were affordable, he would appreciate referrals. Wanting to open a business in Shanghai without any connections was obviously difficult. Zhou Qingbo had only been trying his luck with that statement, but he didn¡¯t expect someone to actually take the bait. He scrolled up and down the chat box, realizing that he had never talked to this person before. The chat box was empty, with only the friend request notification from before at the top. Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t determine who the person was, so he thought for a moment and cautiously replied with an official response. ¡°Hello,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°What¡¯s the situation with the property on your end? Is it for rent?¡± The other person didn¡¯t directly answer his question but quickly replied, ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain in text. Can we have a phone conversation?¡± Although Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t remember who the person was, he didn¡¯t say anything and quickly sent his phone number. The response from the other side was swift. A stranger¡¯s number from Shanghai appeared on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s phone screen. He stared at it for a while, confirming that he had no impression of the number. He then got up from the floor, walking towards the balcony while answering the call. ¡°Hello,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°Mr. Zhou, hello.¡± On the other end of the line was a young female voice, and what surprised Zhou Qingbo was that the person seemed familiar with him. At least, she addressed him by his last name as soon as she spoke. Moreover, her voice sounded somewhat familiar. Zhou Qingbo had a vague feeling that he had heard it somewhere before, but he couldn¡¯t recall where. ¡°It¡¯s like this,¡± the person said straightforwardly, ¡°The house is owned by my family. It¡¯s located in an alley in the old city area of Shanghai. The house can be used for living or as a shop. It has two floors in total, occupying an area of over 60 square meters, with a usable area of around 110 square meters.¡± She then provided an accurate address and continued, ¡°We¡¯re only selling, not renting. What do you think?¡± Zhou Qingbo had a good idea about Shanghai¡¯s property prices. The address the girl mentioned was in the center of Shanghai, in an area where the district¡¯s GDP constantly hovered between the first and second positions. Even the screws on the signboards of shops there were more expensive than gold. Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t overly ambitious when it came to his career. Although he had changed locations and wanted a fresh start, he didn¡¯t expect to achieve anything groundbreaking. Opening a shop was more about having something to do and earning a living, rather than going all-in and investing everything he had. He quickly mentally calculated his assets and Shanghai¡¯s property prices, then smiled and prepared to politely decline. However, the girl on the other end seemed to know what he was about to say and interrupted him before he could speak. ¡°Two hundred thousand, fixed price, no bargaining,¡± the girl said. Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± He was left speechless for a moment. His first reaction was that this person must be joking with him. ¡°Don¡¯t kid around, miss,¡± Zhou Qingbo managed to breathe out a sigh, making a joke to ease the tension, ¡°Two hundred thousand won¡¯t even buy a restroom.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can send you relevant proof on WeChat,¡± the girl said, ¡°Or you could come to Shanghai in person and we could meet.¡± ¡°Of course, I can also provide you with the address, and you can inspect it whenever it¡¯s convenient for you,¡± the girl politely offered, ¡°I can guarantee that this is not a scam. If you¡¯re really worried¡­¡± She paused for a moment, then made a joke, her tone relaxed, ¡°When you come for a meeting, you can bring along the police or a notary public.¡± It¡¯s not possible for pie to fall from the sky, and rain won¡¯t mix with gold. Adults have an instinctive aversion to risks, but when the ¡°pie¡± is too outlandishly huge, anyone would doubt themselves. Can a scam really be this poorly executed? Zhou Qingbo wondered. He was a bit suspicious, but he didn¡¯t shut the door completely. He only said that he needed more time to think. The girl understood that this was a massive offer that anyone would doubt. She considerately left some time, saying that if he decided within a week, he could contact her again. In the world of adults, traps are normal, but a ¡°pie¡± this big doesn¡¯t make sense. After ending the call, Zhou Qingbo hesitated for a moment and couldn¡¯t help but message Pei You about the situation, briefly explaining the matter. ¡°Logically speaking, this should be a scam,¡± Pei You¡¯s reply came quickly, ¡°But the fact that she¡¯s willing to involve the authorities confuses me.¡± Not just Pei You, Zhou Qingbo himself was also puzzled by the situation. If the person was a scammer, the scheme was too crude and risky. But if the person wasn¡¯t a scammer, he couldn¡¯t understand their motives. ¡°What do you think?¡± Pei You¡¯s message popped up again, ¡°Do you want to go check it out?¡± To be honest, Zhou Qingbo did have that intention. For him, taking a trip to Shanghai was easy and almost costless. Even if the person was really a scammer, he wouldn¡¯t suffer much of a loss. However, the situation was too coincidental and strange. Although Zhou Qingbo leaned towards digging into the matter to find out the reason, he still had some concerns. ¡°I haven¡¯t made up my mind yet,¡± Zhou Qingbo replied, ¡°By the way, how¡¯s it going on your end?¡± Pei You was an action-oriented person. After deciding on the job transfer, he had completed the application form overnight and was ready to submit it that day. However, Anna had some unexpected matters to attend to today, and Pei You had waited at the company for a while until the secretary notified him that she had returned. ¡°I¡¯m about to go to the executive office,¡± Pei You said, ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡± ¡°Okay, you handle that first¡± Zhou Qingbo cared more about Pei You¡¯s job promotion than Pei You himself did. He urged, ¡°We can talk about my situation later. You should go meet with the executives first.¡± The last time Pei You had discussed his career plan with Anna face-to-face, he had rejected her offer of an internal promotion. Now, after a few months, Pei You had changed his mind. Facing Anna again, his attitude remained calm and unaffected, not at all awkward. Although Anna liked his unwavering attitude, she couldn¡¯t resist teasing him a bit. ¡°Why the sudden change of heart?¡± Anna took the application form from him, flipped through it, and casually remarked, ¡°Did you get a new girlfriend?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t changed, but he¡¯s willing to go to Shanghai with me,¡± Pei You said. ¡°No wonder,¡± Anna teased, ¡°I¡¯ve been telling you to go talk to your partner before. How about that, is your partner¡¯s opinion effective now?¡± After all, Pei You had contradicted himself. He couldn¡¯t retort and could only smile, accepting this good-natured teasing. During this period, Anna had been waiting for Pei You to change his mind. She glanced through the application form, saw that everything was correctly filled out, and quickly approved it. She also added Pei You¡¯s name to the list of promotions, pending approval. ¡°Although there¡¯s still some time before your official job transfer, I wish you a pleasant time working in the new environment,¡± Anna returned the files she had kept to Pei You, playfully quipping, ¡°Congratulations on your promotion, Mr. Pei.¡± CH 97 Zhou Qingbo ended up making that trip to Shanghai. Although he knew that the outcome of this journey was likely either an attempt to lure him into a pyramid scheme or an outright scam, he still felt that if he missed this seemingly ¡°200,000 yuan for a store building¡± opportunity due to fear, he might regret it in his future. Pei You had always unconditionally supported his decisions, with just one condition¡ª if anything suspicious happened, Zhou Qingbo must inform him immediately. Zhou Qingbo himself had some doubts in his mind, so he declined the invitation to view the store. Instead, he however arranged the first meeting at a cafe near the Oriental Pearl Tower. Located in the city center and always bustling with tourists, Zhou Qingbo thought that even if the other party was part of a pyramid scheme, they probably couldn¡¯t kidnap him there. His mind was filled with countless thoughts, ranging from self-saving from a scam to a full-scale alien invasion. By the time he landed in Shanghai, his mind had already progressed to aliens invading Earth. The area around the Oriental Pearl Tower operated regardless of whether it was weekdays or weekends, and tourists were always present. Zhou Qingbo, following his navigation, walked along the street and found his destination through some twists and turns. It was now three in the afternoon. There were scattered people in the cafe. Zhou Qingbo put away his phone, subconsciously adjusted the collar of his windbreaker, pushed the door open, and entered the cafe. The clear sound of the welcome bell echoed as he entered. The barista behind the counter instinctively put on a polite and perfect smile, inquiring about what he wanted to drink. ¡°I won¡¯t order just yet,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for someone. We¡¯ll order together.¡± The barista blinked at his words, observing him for a moment. Then, she asked, ¡°May I ask if you¡¯re waiting for a young lady?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zhou Qingbo said unexpectedly, ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°She¡¯s already here,¡± the barista took a sticky note with Zhou Qingbo¡¯s age description on it from the cash register and smiled, then leaned slightly over the counter, gesturing towards a semi-open booth deep in the cafe, ¡°She¡¯s waiting for you over there.¡± Following the direction the barista pointed, Zhou Qingbo saw a very young girl sitting at the targeted booth. Her long hair flowed down, dressed in a white dress. She sat facing the entrance and, upon seeing Zhou Qingbo look at her, she raised her hand and waved with a smile. There was already a drink in front of the girl. Therefore, Zhou Qingbo ordered a dessert, just for formality, and walked towards her under her gaze. ¡°Hello, nice to meet you,¡± Zhou Qingbo, who usually acted dignified in front of strangers, stood by the table opposite the girl. He extended his hand with a smile, shaking hands with her. ¡°I¡¯m Zhou Qingbo.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Wu Lili,¡± she seemed to ignore the first half of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s greeting, smiling as she said, ¡°Thank you for coming all this way. I indeed couldn¡¯t come to Beijing for the meeting due to some inconvenience.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s my pleasure,¡± Zhou Qingbo took off his windbreaker and sat down across from the girl, casually saying, ¡°When it comes to business, a little travel expense is nothing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯ll get straight to the point,¡± Wu Lili picked up a thick file bag from her side, untied the string, and took out a stack of property documents. She spread them out on the table one by one. Zhou Qingbo glanced at them and was surprised to find out that she was holding the original documents. It seemed that the pyramid scheme organization couldn¡¯t make their scam look this authentic. Zhou Qingbo gave Wu Lili a surprised look and, as if anticipating his reaction, she hurriedly interrupted him. ¡°However, you¡¯ve already paid 1.2 million,¡± Wu Lili said, ¡°So, the remaining payment is only 200,000 yuan.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo was dumbfounded for two seconds, and unusually for him, he didn¡¯t keep up his pretense in front of others. He said, bewildered, ¡°When did I make the first payment?¡± ¡°Right here,¡± Wu Lili smiled, tapped her chest, and gestured, ¡°I¡¯ve already received it.¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Zhou Qingbo subconsciously leaned back and laughed awkwardly a few times. He said, ¡°This won¡¯t work, miss. I¡¯m already in a relationship.¡± Wu Lili chuckled upon hearing that, not offering any explanation. She simply reached under the table and retrieved something. Only at this moment did Zhou Qingbo notice that Wu Lili had been holding a cane in her hand under the table the whole time. Using the cane for support, she stood up and, in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s stunned gaze, she laboriously moved away from the table. Zhou Qingbo instinctively reached out to help her, then suddenly realized that everything below her right thigh had disappeared, leaving just the skirt hanging in the air, vaguely outlining the shape of a severed limb. Zhou Qingbo was speechless and stuttered, ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Zhou, you really don¡¯t remember me.¡± Wu Lili smiled, covering most of her face with her hand, revealing only her eyes. She blinked at Zhou Qingbo and said, ¡°How about now?¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± The limited perspective suddenly became familiar. Zhou Qingbo squinted his eyes, suddenly remembering where that sense of familiarity had come from. ¡°You, you¡¯re the one from that, that town¡¯s elementary school¡ª¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Wu Lili smiled with her eyes open, ¡°It¡¯s me. You finally remember.¡± Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t face-blind, but the last time he saw Wu Lili was in the ruins, covered in blood and dirt, her face obscured. He couldn¡¯t even tell her hair length, let alone recognize her face. Back in the southern province, they had once rescued the injured at a local town¡¯s elementary school after a rescue mission. While waiting for transport, Zhou Qingbo suddenly heard faint tapping nearby, like pebbles hitting concrete, dull and rhythmic. His first thought was that someone was still trapped inside, but the sound was brief, lasting only two or three taps. By the time the rescue team returned to search, the sound had vanished, and no one responded. The school¡¯s security and teachers had all been accounted for, and aside from teachers and students, no one else had entered the campus that day. So, the team leader comforted Zhou Qingbo, suggesting that he might have been overly tense, mistaking sounds for danger, which was common in rescue missions. However, Zhou Qingbo remained persistent. He was sure he heard a cry for help. Thus, he insisted on a second search of the area. Fortunately, the rescue team took him seriously. Despite the low probability, they dug alongside him. After an entire afternoon of digging, they worked their way from the corner of the school to the backyard, where Zhou Qingbo finally pulled Wu Lili out from under the rubble of a brick building. She was covered in blood and unconscious, without identification or any way to contact family. So, after transferring their group of wounded to the nearest hospital, Zhou Qingbo left his contact information with the nurses, in case they needed help with medical expenses due to the absence of family. Thankfully, on the third day, the nurse called him, informing that the girl had been claimed by her family, who had settled the medical bills. Thus, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t think much of it and put the incident behind him. ¡°I was actually there for a stroll,¡± Wu Lili chuckled lightly. ¡°I saw the wild area behind the school was lovely, so I wanted to take a few photos. I entered through the back gate¡ªno one saw me at the time. If it weren¡¯t for your insistence on digging, I might not have held on much longer.¡± ¡°So, you saved me,¡± Wu Lili said. ¡°This 12 million is buying my life.¡± Seeing someone he personally rescued again, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s emotions were all over the place. He looked down at Wu Lili¡¯s empty skirt and found it hard to speak. He managed to offer some consolation, ¡°Um, it¡¯s nothing¡­.. anyone in my place would have done the same. It just happened to be me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I think it¡¯s good enough to keep my life,¡± Wu Lili responded optimistically. ¡°But no matter what, it was you who heard my cry for help and pulled me out. Now, you happen to need a store too. It¡¯s all quite coincidental.¡± Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t expected such a coincidence, but he believed he had only done what anyone else would in the same situation. Thus, he smiled and shook his head, ¡°I appreciate your kindness, but this wasn¡¯t solely my doing.¡± ¡°This was actually my grandfather¡¯s idea to contact you,¡± Wu Lili said. ¡°When he came to pick me up from the hospital, he learned about your request from the nurse. He told me then, that if the opportunity arose, we should repay you.¡± Wu Lili smiled and added, ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel awkward about taking the money. Honestly, my grandfather and I are leaving the country soon, and this store was meant to be sold anyway. You just happened to need it at this moment.¡± ¡°My parents went abroad for work when I was young. Once they were settled, they stayed there permanently,¡± Wu Lili explained. ¡°They wanted to bring me and my grandfather over years ago, but he refused to leave the old house. He¡¯s always been sentimental and attached to it.¡± The old man loved his home, his memories, and preferred to stay with his little granddaughter rather than enjoy his old age in unfamiliar surroundings. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until my accident that he realized people are more important than anything else,¡± Wu Lili said. ¡°My family isn¡¯t short on money, and when we got this store, we didn¡¯t expect to profit much from it. The 200,000 yuan is what we paid for it, and the rest of the amount, my grandfather wants to gift to you as a token of gratitude. You not only saved his beloved granddaughter but were also willing to cover medical expenses for a stranger.¡± ¡°Truthfully, I¡¯m still a bit overwhelmed,¡± Zhou Qingbo finally chuckled after a pause. ¡°It¡¯s like a cheesy plot from a romance novel on Yilin Magazine. I didn¡¯t expect it to happen in real life.¡± ¡°Life is often more illogical than literature,¡± Wu Lili said, sitting back on the couch and taking a sip of sparkling water. ¡°So, what do you think? Will you accept it? If so, we can complete the formalities tomorrow.¡° ¡°A luck like this is hard to resist, even if I try,¡± Zhou Qingbo admitted. ¡°But I still feel a bit undeserving.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it,¡± Wu Lili reassured him. ¡°Consider it a gift from fate to a kind-hearted person.¡± CH 98 In the end, Zhou Qingbo accepted Wu Lili¡¯s kindness. Wu Lili was a straightforward person. After reaching an agreement, she quickly took Zhou Qingbo to meet her grandfather and finalized the deal under the witness of a notary public. Originally, Zhou Qingbo had planned to make a round trip on the same day. However, things went so smoothly that he canceled his flight ticket and stayed in Shanghai for an additional two days to complete the necessary procedures. He was alone and had brought very few belongings. But within just a few hours, he transformed from a solitary individual into a not-so-small ¡°millionaire.¡± Although the ¡°millionaire¡± label might have some exaggeration, Zhou Qingbo felt that these past two days had been like a magical reality. ¡°To be honest, I still feel a bit dizzy now.¡± Zhou Qingbo lay on the large bed, holding up his phone and speaking to Pei You on the other end of the screen. ¡°If we were at home, I¡¯d let you pinch me to see if I¡¯m dreaming.¡± It was already 9:30 in the evening. Pei You had finished work and was at home. In the video, he wore light-colored casual clothing, reclining against a soft headboard, and adjusted the bedside lamp to be a bit brighter. ¡°You¡¯re lucky.¡± Hearing Zhou Qingbo recount the events, Pei You couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t reached out to help her first, none of this would have happened.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Zhou Qingbo said somewhat gloomily, ¡°When I met the old man today, he told me that this store was something he built through his own efforts. He hadn¡¯t planned to sell it, even if he were to go abroad. It¡¯s just that when he heard about my situation from Wu Lili, he changed his mind at the last minute.¡± ¡°He must think you¡¯re worth entrusting.¡± Pei You adjusted his sitting position and smiled. ¡°This shows that you¡¯re a good person, good enough to earn the approval of this elderly man.¡± The lighting in the video was dim, and Pei You was wrapped in a thin blanket. He seemed to have already taken a shower, with his soft hair falling down and making him appear particularly gentle. His voice carried a touch of exhaustion from work, but it didn¡¯t sound disheartened. Zhou Qingbo blinked his eyes and felt that after a whole day of unpredictability, his heart had unknowingly found peace in Pei You¡¯s soothing words and demeanor. Unconsciously, he had been comforted by Pei You. So, he smiled and couldn¡¯t help but poke the screen. ¡°Speaking of which, I also went to look at the store today. It¡¯s a decent place, not too far from your office.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°The store has two floors in total. I¡¯m thinking of turning the first floor into a bar and using the second floor as a private space, a place to rest and take a break.¡± Zhou Qingbo had already visited the property and could tell that Wu Lili¡¯s grandfather had taken good care of it. While the house was somewhat aged, the interior structure hadn¡¯t deteriorated significantly, and a bit of renovation and reinforcement would be sufficient. When signing the contract earlier that day, Wu Lili¡¯s grandfather had requested Zhou Qingbo not to sell the store unless absolutely necessary. He clearly cherished this place and hoped that Zhou Qingbo would honor it. Zhou Qingbo had promised to do so and had even extended an open invitation for the old man to visit whenever he wished. ¡°For the bar on the first floor, I¡¯ve already contacted a design company through Brother Qiang to come up with plans. As for the second floor, I¡¯m not planning to make any major changes for now.¡± Zhou Qingbo explained, ¡°In case the old man wants to come back and visit in his later years, there should be a place he can recall.¡± Perhaps that was the reason the old man entrusted him with the house, Pei You speculated. Zhou Qingbo was never hesitant to show kindness and compassion, even though he believed that his actions were merely effortless gestures. But for the girl awaiting rescue and the elderly man, even a simple gesture like that held great significance. ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s almost like destiny.¡± Pei You chuckled. ¡°They were planning to go abroad, and you happened to be going to Shanghai at the same time. Your kindness is repaid, and the old man¡¯s long-held wish is fulfilled. Just as you said, it¡¯s like fate arranged this coincidental outcome.¡± Initially a pragmatic individual, Pei You had slowly started to believe in fate due to his long time spent with Zhou Qingbo. Speaking of coincidences, Zhou Qingbo suddenly remembered something he had long forgotten. Rolling over, he laid on the hotel¡¯s bed and burst into spontaneous laughter. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Pei You looked at him in confusion. ¡°Did you remember something amusing?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo pursed his lips, giggled a couple of times, and then squinted his eyes, holding back his laughter as he said, ¡°I just remembered something from when we first met.¡± Back then, they were practically strangers. Although they were set up for a blind date, they hadn¡¯t exchanged many words during their brief encounter. Pei You truly had no idea what Zhou Qingbo found amusing, and he could only look at him with bewilderment. ¡°Do you know why I was suddenly dragged into that blind date?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°I have no idea.¡± Pei You shook his head and guessed, ¡°Because you were of marriageable age?¡± ¡°It was because I was having an unlucky streak at the time.¡± Zhou Qingbo suppressed his laughter and said, ¡°I went to see a fortune teller, and the fortune teller said that I had some bad luck in my fate. He said that the only way to turn things around was to be in a relationship. So, Ge Xing set me up on a blind date and introduced me to you.¡± Pei You truly didn¡¯t know about this particular detail. He laughed helplessly and shook his head. ¡°You encountered a con artist.¡± The atheist Pei remarked, ¡°There¡¯s no such mystical thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too.¡± Zhou Qingbo turned over again, propped his hand under his head, and held his phone up, saying, ¡°But thinking about it now, it seems like what he said might have some truth to it.¡± ¡°In reality, I did meet you shortly after.¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°And ever since I met you, everything has been smooth sailing for me. I haven¡¯t faced any more bad luck.¡± When he thought about it carefully, it hadn¡¯t been too long since he had met Pei You. Perhaps it was because of the experiences he had during this period, but when Zhou Qingbo recalled their initial meeting, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of distance as if it were from another world. The version of himself and even Pei You from their first encounter seemed shrouded in a veil of unfamiliarity in his memory. While they couldn¡¯t be said to be entirely different, there was a distinct feeling of dissimilarity compared to now. The awkwardness and unease from that first meeting seemed to be imprinted in his memory. At that time, Zhou Qingbo probably couldn¡¯t have imagined that he would one day spend late nights on seemingly pointless phone calls with this conservative and ¡°rigid¡± Pei You. The sense of temporal disconnection seemed to have divided his life into two halves, separated by Pei You. It was as if there were two distinct parts to his life, on either side of the Pei You divide. Zhou Qingbo suddenly felt a hint of separation anxiety. He looked at Pei You in the video and was suddenly tempted to get up and fly back to Beijing. ¡°Pei You,¡± Zhou Qingbo suddenly said, ¡°do you miss me?¡± It had only been two days since they parted ways, so saying ¡°miss¡± now sounded overly cheesy and more like flirting. However, Pei You seriously contemplated for a moment and actually gave a sincere answer. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Pei You honestly said, ¡°I don¡¯t miss you that much.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s going on? Zhou Qingbo wondered in shock. He had been away for two days, how was it that he already felt so insignificant to Pei You? Being overly straightforward didn¡¯t seem to be a good thing, as the romantic and dreamy atmosphere that Zhou Qingbo had built up a moment ago was shattered by Pei You¡¯s response. He couldn¡¯t help but roll off the bed and sit up, annoyed. He adjusted his phone and was about to discuss with Pei You about his emotionally scarred state when he saw Pei You smiling on the other end of the video, tapping the screen. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because this time is different from before,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Because this time we¡¯re apart to prepare for being together in the future. So, I feel like I¡¯m looking forward to it more than missing you.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s sense of grievance was suddenly dispelled by Pei You¡¯s words. A bit of sweetness lingered in his expression. Before he could muster up a complaining look, a smile emerged on his face. The emotions he was trying to conjure up sort of hung in the air, but ultimately, Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t maintain his poker face and burst into laughter. ¡°You really¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo paused, a mix of helplessness and pride in his gaze, and half seriously, half playfully, he glared at Pei You and added, ¡°have me all figured out.¡± CH 99 Pei You completely failed to realize that he had just narrowly avoided a ¡°battle of the century.¡± Under Zhou Qingbo¡¯s gentle persuasion, he leaned down and kissed the screen, then chatted with Zhou Qingbo about some trivial matters before reluctantly ending the call. After finalizing the selection of the Shanghai store¡¯s location, Zhou Qingbo also became busier. The design team introduced by Brother Qiang had previously worked for a home decor company. Their style was distinctive and unique, and they were skilled at tailoring their designs to match the personalities of the owners. Logically, the old houses in the historic district weren¡¯t well-suited for a bar. Whether it was foot traffic or visibility, the conditions in the alleyways weren¡¯t as favorable as those in the bustling commercial districts or bar streets. However, since Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t invest much initially and wasn¡¯t under significant pressure to make a profit, the designers contemplated for a while and eventually categorized the decoration as ¡°high-end,¡± ¡°casual,¡± and ¡°niche.¡± Zhou Qingbo met with their lead designer a couple of times, and they also visited the store location in person to inspect the situation. They quickly settled on a design plan and began renovating the old building. Pei You¡¯s promotion application had been approved, and according to the progress of personnel transfers in the Shanghai office, Pei You¡¯s transfer date was set for the first working day after the Spring Festival holiday. With the Spring Festival arriving early that year, there were still over two months left until the New Year. Zhou Qingbo counted the days and felt that if the renovation process was hurried, the interior of the bar should be just about completed by the time he and Pei You went to Shanghai after the New Year. This was the first time Zhou Qingbo had his ¡°own business¡± at his age, so everything felt very new to him. His enthusiasm for work had also increased significantly. Pei You often came home from work to find Zhou Qingbo sitting in the living room, unpacking deliveries. Wooden frames for transporting alcohol were scattered around him, and in just a few days, he had even accumulated enough to meet the ¡°minimum¡± for selling scrap materials. They were going to settle in Shanghai after the New Year, and recently, they had been gradually dealing with the soft furnishings and furniture in their apartment, preparing for the move. However, almost immediately after Zhou Qingbo made a few purchases, he had filled up the space that had just been cleared out. At first, Pei You didn¡¯t understand his intentions and thought Zhou Qingbo was merely seeking something new. He couldn¡¯t help but think that all those mixing tools and various types of alcohol in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s cabinet were even more confusing than Pei Yu¡¯s colorful chapsticks. But perhaps people tend to apply filters to fields they¡¯re unfamiliar with. Sometimes, when Pei You watched Zhou Qingbo researching new drinks, he felt that he looked even more attractive than usual. Focused on the drinks, Zhou Qingbo was usually quite serious. He had an unwavering dedication and a great passion for ¡°innovation.¡± Unlike his usual attitude of ¡°close enough,¡± when it came to mixing drinks, Zhou Qingbo was strict with himself. He couldn¡¯t tolerate even the slightest mismatch in taste and flavor. But his strictness wasn¡¯t overbearing¡ªhis familiarity with mixing drinks made Zhou Qingbo appear effortlessly skilled all the time. This almost dazzling instinct added to his charm. Pei You even sometimes felt a powerful sense of attraction emanating from him. To be honest, Pei You found it hard to resist this version of Zhou Qingbo. Perhaps, from the moment he first saw Zhou Qingbo under the spotlight at Black Bar, he was destined to be amazed by the unique spark that set Zhou Qingbo apart from others. This sense of amazement didn¡¯t fade as their relationship progressed; in fact, it seemed to intensify. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s decision was right. Sitting across from him at the home bar, Pei You looked at Zhou Qingbo who was intently focused on squeezing lime and contemplating. He thought, ¡°He should have left Qing Shan a long time ago.¡± Once free from the constraints of his previous environment, the dullness and gloom that used to be embedded in Zhou Qingbo¡¯s personality vanished completely. He seemed to undergo a transformation, shedding his previous self and becoming radiant, just like a gem that had finally broken free from its rocky enclosure. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Zhou Qingbo snapped his fingers in front of Pei You, interrupting his thoughts with a playful smile. ¡°You¡¯ve been lost in thought.¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Pei You quickly snapped back to reality and smiled at Zhou Qingbo. ¡°I think you look handsome.¡± After spending so much time with Zhou Qingbo and having been coaxed and charmed by him numerous times, Pei You now found himself easily offering compliments. Zhou Qingbo obviously appreciated it and leaned on the bar counter, asking if that was so. Zhou Qingbo wore a loose T-shirt that day. A distinct ukiyo-e pattern covered the white fabric, making him appear more vibrant than usual. ¡°Yes,¡± Pei You said, ¡°You look more¡­ more serious than usual, and it¡¯s quite charming.¡± Perhaps even Pei You himself hadn¡¯t realized that, while he loved Zhou Qingbo¡¯s intimacy and playfulness, he was also continually drawn to his assertiveness and serious side. ¡°Oh¡ªgot it.¡± Zhou Qingbo leaned forward slightly, supporting himself on the bar counter. He narrowed his eyes slightly, intentionally prolonging his tone as he said, ¡°I understand now. You like serious office executive Zhou but not free spirited Zhou.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Pei You instinctively wanted to defend himself, but before he could, Zhou Qingbo leaned in and gave him a soft kiss, effectively stopping any forthcoming words. ¡°I¡¯m hurt, so I need to punish you,¡± Zhou Qingbo grinned, narrowing his eyes slightly. He touched Pei You¡¯s lips with his finger and continued, ¡°Let me think¡­ what kind of punishment would suit you?¡± When Zhou Qingbo decided to ¡°punish¡± someone, he rarely gave them a chance to argue. Pei You had become used to his playful ¡°miscarriages of justice¡± and realized he was just looking for a reason to play around. So, he suppressed a smile and accepted his fate. Zhou Qingbo pretended to contemplate for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got it! Your punishment is to taste a cocktail for me.¡± With a small bend of his waist, Zhou Qingbo reached under the bar counter and retrieved a clean glass. He inserted a long piece of ice into it. Zhou Qingbo was skilled in mixology, and even when he wasn¡¯t trying to show off, his movements were smooth and elegant. As he prepared the ice glass, he casually picked up a bottle of base liquor that Pei You didn¡¯t recognize from the nearby wooden shelf. He effortlessly spun the bottle between his hands, measuring out a few ounces. Watching for a while, Pei You suddenly recognized the ingredients and process of this cocktail. A few days ago, Zhou Qingbo had spent a long time adjusting one of the ingredients for this same cocktail. He had consumed quite a bit of alcohol that day, becoming incredibly drunk and staying up all night, insisting on telling Pei You ¡°I love you, do you love me?¡± in a slightly tipsy, playful manner. The impact of that drink was still fresh in his memory. Pei You¡¯s ears felt warm, and he couldn¡¯t help but shift his gaze away from the glass to Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hands. The cocktail was not very complicated, and without intentionally prolonging the process, Zhou Qingbo finished making it in about five minutes. Before presenting the final product, Zhou Qingbo dipped the rim of the ice glass in a circle of special seasoning, then took a small green olive from the chilled box and placed it on the rim. He nudged the glass holder towards Pei You, gesturing an invitation. ¡°Please enjoy,¡± Zhou Qingbo said with a smile. The cocktail in front of him was quite beautiful. The deep red liquid was clear and transparent, and a small mint leaf floated gently on the smooth surface. The combination of red and green colors created a striking contrast, making it visually appealing. Pei You wasn¡¯t much of a connoisseur, but after spending so much time with Zhou Qingbo, he had picked up some knowledge about cocktails. He swirled the glass rim, took a sip with a hint of the sea salt, and tasted the drink. Bitter¡ªwas Pei You¡¯s initial impression. The bitterness wasn¡¯t solely from the strong alcohol content; rather, it was a deliberate, unique flavor. The intense bitterness carried a faint hint of sourness, resulting in a complex and impactful taste. It made Pei You, someone who wasn¡¯t used to alcohol, instinctively furrow his brows. After swallowing the sip, he was about to describe his not-so-pleasant experience to Zhou Qingbo when he realized the sea salt he had sipped earlier was now having an effect. The salty taste effectively neutralized the sour bitterness. After that initial strong impact, Pei You felt a subtle, lingering fragrance emerge at the back of his tongue. It wasn¡¯t exactly sweet, but it had a rich and mellow quality. The intense sour bitterness still lingered but had subsided from its initial intensity. The bitterness gradually dissipated, giving way to a unique aroma that left a long-lasting aftertaste. ¡°How is it?¡± Zhou Qingbo rested his chin on his hand and smiled. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°Delicious,¡± Pei You honestly said, ¡°Although it¡¯s a bit unusual for my taste, the aftertaste is quite fragrant.¡± Pei You lowered his head and looked at the cocktail, then casually asked, ¡°Did you name it? What¡¯s the name of this cocktail?¡± ¡°Encounter,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°Encounter?¡± Pei You asked, puzzled, ¡°Why is it called that?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not on the public menu,¡± Zhou Qingbo smiled as he stood up straight. He reached over and pulled out a menu from the side shelf, placing it on the bar in front of Pei You. ¡°This is for special people only,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°Although it¡¯s on the menu, it¡¯s not available for sale to the public.¡± Printed on the dark-patterned cardstock were a few lines of fancy English text that seemed to be the names of cocktails. Pei You looked down from the first line and unexpectedly found the title of a song that Zhou Qingbo had once sung to him in a bar in Weinan City. ¡°This is a gift for you,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. Just as God created the world in seven days, Zhou Qingbo had turned the time they had known each other into seven cocktails. From ¡°Encounter¡± to ¡°Eternal,¡± almost every cocktail on the list represented a stage they had gone through together. The initial meeting wasn¡¯t pleasant, so it was bitter and distant, perfectly represented by the base liquor used; as they got to know each other, the bitterness gradually faded, replaced by the sweetness of kumquat that turned the bitterness into a refreshing touch, like a cool breeze in early summer. The ambiguous period¡¯s cocktail was soft and gentle, smooth and spicy, full of unspoken trials; the day when their feelings were revealed was chaotic, so the alcohol content surged, and the spiciness of the liquor peaked, with flames dancing wildly in the glass, resembling both Zhou Qingbo¡¯s rapid heartbeat and the everlasting flame in Pei You¡¯s heart. The uncertainty and clarity of mind were fused into one cocktail, a pine nut liqueur that was pure and fragrant, paired with a deep red pickled cherry, creating a perfect balance. The cocktail symbolizing a confession was mixed with a light blue color, sparkling like diamonds in the dim light, reminiscent of the continuous rain in the southern province and the bright moonlight that night. The last cocktail, served in winter, was the only hot drink on the menu. With all dust settled, life entered a regular rhythm, and along with the various tastes of the previous cocktails, whether bitter or sweet, gradually fading, only a faint sweetness remained. Just like the snowflakes outside, the apartment was filled with the warmth of spring. The fireplace crackled, the dry wood emitting a crisp sound. The warm liquid slid down Pei You¡¯s throat, dispersing all the sensations of sour, bitter and spicy, leaving only sweetness. ¡°Eternal¡± might not be the most dazzling creation on the menu, but it was the most fitting to place at the end. Pei You didn¡¯t understand mixology, but he had tasted each of these creations, feeling as if he had walked through the journey of their relationship once again. ¡°Lastly, there¡¯s one more,¡± Zhou Qingbo pushed the final cocktail towards Pei You, saying, ¡°However, this one isn¡¯t a specialty cocktail, so it¡¯s not part of the official menu, it¡¯s an extra¡± This final cocktail was a clear yellow color, emitting a strong and sweet orange aroma. With just a glance, Pei You recognized its name. ¡°Cinderella,¡± Zhou Qingbo said. It was the first cocktail Zhou Qingbo had made for Pei You, and now it was being presented as a gift, placed in the section labeled ¡°Yesterday.Once.More¡± in the appendix. Pei You was a rational person, reserved and composed, hardly ever showing his emotions. But that day, facing those delicate and beautiful cocktails in front of him, he found himself speechless. He wanted to say something, but as soon as he opened his mouth, his throat tightened. He felt a warm sensation rising in his throat, his eyes even reddening a bit. Unable to control himself, he lowered his head and covered his eyes with his hand. The only sign of adulthood is emotional restraint, whether it¡¯s happiness or being moved. Once that limit is breached, it can seem childish. Pei You himself felt a bit embarrassed, but the more he tried to regain his composure quickly, the harder it was to control his emotions. He even wanted to admit that, compared to ¡°serious office executive Zhou,¡± he did prefer ¡± free spirited Zhou.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Qingbo walked out from behind the bar, kneeling in front of Pei You. He lifted Pei You¡¯s face with his hand, pressing his forehead against Pei You¡¯s and gently brushing Pei You¡¯s hand away from his eyes. He asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡± This time, Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t use that teasing tone; his voice was extremely gentle, even his tone had softened, as if coaxing. Pei You took a deep breath, forcing down the urge to cry, and obediently removed his hand, locking eyes with Zhou Qingbo. ¡°I like it,¡± Pei You hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°I love you.¡± I don¡¯t have much to give in return, Pei You thought, so I¡¯ll give him everything I have. Love, loyalty, trust, honesty, intimacy, fun ¨C whatever Zhou Qingbo wanted, he could have it anytime, anywhere, without conditions. It seemed like Zhou Qingbo read something from Pei You¡¯s gaze. He suddenly smiled, stood up, held Pei You¡¯s face, and kissed him. Pei You closed his eyes, accepting him willingly. He wrapped his arms around Zhou Qingbo¡¯s waist and pulled him closer. Zhou Qingbo chuckled softly a couple of times in a muffled tone, then used his tongue to part Pei You¡¯s lips, engaging his tongue. That kiss was long and lingering, with a sweet hint of alcohol. After who knew how long, Zhou Qingbo finally gasped softly, releasing Pei You. ¡°I don¡¯t ask for much,¡± Zhou Qingbo leaned his forehead against Pei You¡¯s, whispering softly, ¡°For me, the best future I can imagine is to fill my career and life with you ¨C to fill every corner, be together day and night, and never be apart.¡± CH 100 That year¡¯s winter arrived late in Beijing. After two cold rains, the temperature finally dropped to its lowest point, giving a sense of winter. Approaching New Year¡¯s Day, the formal handover of Pei You¡¯s work and promotion processing came to an end. The young members of his team had already received news that he would be promoted to Shanghai after the new year. So, they formed a small group chat and excitedly asked him for a promotion celebration dinner. While Pei You seemed distant and unemotional during work, his exceptional abilities and willingness to help his team members earned him a surprisingly good reputation. Even Anna, upon hearing about the celebration dinner, eagerly joined the group chat and started teasing along with the others. After being teased by them for a whole morning, Pei You relented as noon approached. He agreed to let them choose the venue, and he would treat them in the evening. ¡°They won¡¯t hold back, and they might even give you a hard time.¡± Anna leaned against her desk, smiling mischievously. ¡°But honestly, I thought you wouldn¡¯t agree. You¡¯re not one for these group activities. Going once is already good enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been working here for several years after all, and now that I¡¯m leaving, it¡¯s appropriate to treat everyone to a meal. Besides, my boyfriend has not been at home recently, and coming home feels a bit empty.¡± Pei You explained as he tidied up his folders and placed them in the desk cabinet. He casually added, ¡°By the way, you can¡¯t say anything bad about him.¡± The renovation of the shop in Shanghai was steadily underway. Because Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t comfortable leaving all the progress to the renovation team, he frequently traveled back and forth between Beijing and Shanghai over the past two months. Apart from overseeing the renovation, he also gathered some new cocktail ingredients there. He would be gone for a minimum of two to three days, and sometimes as long as three to four days. Even though he messaged Pei You at every opportunity, it still felt a bit uneasy for Pei You. With him rarely at home, everything felt a bit colder. Every night, lying in bed, Pei You felt restless, making falling asleep a bit more difficult than usual. Spending so much time together was indeed influencing him, Pei You thought. He seemed to be developing separation anxiety just like Zhou Qingbo. ¡°Oh,¡± Anna understood, drawing out the word. She teased, ¡°I told you so. You¡¯re not in a hurry to go home and cook after work and you have the time to dine with us because your partner went out to have fun, leaving you home alone.¡± ¡°He¡¯s getting things ready in Shanghai.¡± Although Anna didn¡¯t know Zhou Qingbo, Pei You habitually defended Zhou Qingbo in front of others. He explained, ¡°If he goes over after the New Year, staying in a hotel wouldn¡¯t be convenient, so he¡¯s also looking at rental properties.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Anna nodded and teased, ¡°In any case, you couldn¡¯t bring yourself to say a single bad thing about your partner.¡± Pei You¡¯s tenderness was well-known within the team. He almost never brought up gossip about Zhou Qingbo on his own. When he did mention his partner, his tone was respectful and formal. He had never spoken a negative word about him. The young members in their team were curious about the person who could ¡°tame¡± Pei You. They had wanted to meet him during this promotion dinner, but since Zhou Qingbo wasn¡¯t in Beijing, they had to regretfully give up on that idea. In the afternoon, Pei You went to the pantry and made a video call to Zhou Qingbo, inquiring about the progress of the renovations and informing him about the dinner plans for the evening. ¡°Why the sudden dinner plan?¡± The background noise on the video call was chaotic. Zhou Qingbo moved away from the construction area, finding a quieter corner. He asked in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t it still two days until New Year¡¯s?¡± ¡°The work handover is done,¡± Pei You explained. ¡°They want to throw me a farewell party.¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled. He felt that Pei You¡¯s serious expression didn¡¯t match the going away party, but instead made it seem like those people were chasing him away. ¡°So, I might go home a bit late tonight,¡± Pei You said, lightly tapping the screen with his finger. He said earnestly, ¡°If it gets too late, I won¡¯t call tonight. Don¡¯t stay up waiting for me. If you¡¯re tired, just sleep.¡± Pei You rarely went out for dinner, so Zhou Qingbo naturally wouldn¡¯t object. He smiled at the response and sent a cat with crossed arms emoji. The cat on the screen, with its teeth bared and paws raised, was no less expressive than Zhou Qingbo himself. Pei You smiled and reciprocated with a similar ¡°Great!¡± emoji. After hanging up, Pei You put away his phone and briskly went the steps, joining the crowd as they left the office building. The group of young colleagues within the team truly didn¡¯t hold back when treating Pei You. They picked a slightly fancier restaurant than usual in the Wangfujing area, offering Suzhou and Zhejiang cuisine, and ended up charging Pei You a bit extra. Anna had other plans for the evening and left earlier. Once she was gone, the young colleagues in the team celebrated Pei You¡¯s promotion with enthusiasm, even more so than Pei You himself. It was supposed to be a celebration for him, but they seemed to be enjoying it more than he was. Pei You wasn¡¯t particularly fond of large gatherings, but he didn¡¯t spoil the mood. He substituted tea for alcohol and went along with several rounds of toasts. As the dinner was mostly finished, a quiet message popped up in the chat box. Pei You politely declined a colleague¡¯s offer for a toast, moved to another corner of the private room, and took out his phone to read the message. ¡°Where are you having dinner?¡± Zhou Qingbo asked. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± Pei You thought Zhou Qingbo was just asking casually, so he shared the location of the restaurant and honestly replied, ¡°It¡¯s not bad, but some dishes are just average.¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled. He tapped the screen with his finger, and after a while, replied, ¡°The snow is heavy. Did you drive there?¡± Seeing this message, Pei You¡¯s first reaction was to look out the window. The light snow outside had silently transformed into a heavier snowfall. The small snowflakes had gathered into large, fluttering clusters, falling steadily. A thick layer of mist had formed on the window, and Pei You wiped it away. He noticed that a thick layer of snow had accumulated on the windowsill. ¡°Yes, I did.¡± The warm air in the room had made Pei You a bit dizzy. He hadn¡¯t quite figured out how Zhou Qingbo knew about the weather outside, so he just responded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± However, Zhou Qingbo had indeed reminded Pei You that the snowfall was getting heavier. If they delayed any longer, it might become inconvenient for everyone to get home. Moreover, the next day was a workday, and if the situation escalated, it could affect work. So, Pei You put away his phone, returned to the table, and sincerely thanked everyone for their cooperation and care over the years. His attitude was quite official and resembled a farewell speech. Some of the interns he had mentored were visibly moved, wiping their eyes and bidding him farewell. ¡°It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t cry.¡± Pei You picked up his coat from the back of the chair. He somewhat awkwardly comforted them, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll help you all get a taxi. It¡¯s better not to wait until the snow gets worse. It might be inconvenient to get home later.¡± He managed to persuade the interns one by one and finally relaxed. He didn¡¯t have time to check what Zhou Qingbo had replied. It wasn¡¯t until he went downstairs to settle the bill at the reception that he realized Zhou Qingbo had sent him a picture a few minutes ago. In the photo, the dim street lights illuminated the falling snow, casting an orange hue on the dark sky. The CBD skyscrapers in the distance twinkled with lights, dotting the night sky with countless stars amidst light pollution. Pei You was momentarily stunned, then belatedly realized what was happening. He quickened his pace and turned towards the entrance. The restaurant was situated by the street, and as soon as Pei You stepped outside, he saw Zhou Qingbo, who was supposed to be in Shanghai, leaning against a lamppost on the side of the road, reaching out to catch the falling snowflakes. That day, Zhou Qingbo was wearing a long and thick coat. The snow had accumulated slightly on his shoulders, outlining the passage of time. He stood in a relaxed pose, leaning against the lamppost with half-closed eyes, looking up at the sky. Snowflakes fell from the light above, landing in his palms as they spun down. Zhou Qingbo was undoubtedly from the northern regions, but at this moment, he looked like a child from the south who had never seen snow before, full of curiosity. Even with such a simple action, he appeared to have discovered something interesting, and his lips curled upwards with a smile. Pei You was momentarily captivated by his smile. He slowed his steps and couldn¡¯t help but call out his name. ¡°Qingbo,¡± he said. Zhou Qingbo heard his voice, and he exerted a bit of force with his legs, straightening up from the lamppost. He turned and waved his hand with a smile. With this motion, the snow on his shoulders slid off. Pei You walked a few steps closer, held Zhou Qingbo¡¯s slightly cold hand, and asked, ¡°Why did you suddenly come back? When did you arrive? How long have you been waiting?¡± ¡°Not long, just a few minutes.¡± Zhou Qingbo, still in that posture, discreetly pinched Pei You¡¯s hand and playfully smiled, ¡°And it wasn¡¯t really sudden. When we had the conversation about it snowing, I was already waiting at the airport.¡± While still holding Pei You¡¯s hand, Zhou Qingbo lightly shook it and laughed, ¡°What does that tell us? It means our hearts are connected.¡± Pei You had been thinking about Zhou Qingbo for the past two to three days. Now that he unexpectedly saw Zhou Qingbo coming to pick him up, pretending not to be happy would be dishonest. He held Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand in his palm, warmed it up, and then hesitated for a moment. It seemed like he remembered something, so he held Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand and walked back to his group of colleagues. ¡°I forgot to introduce you.¡± Pei You introduced seriously, ¡°This is my boyfriend.¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t expect Pei You to introduce him to his colleagues. He was momentarily surprised, then quickly reacted and smiled openly. He waved to them and greeted, ¡°Hello, everyone.¡± The crowd immediately burst into a mixture of surprised and excited exclamations. The previous atmosphere of farewells was suddenly eclipsed by the bigger piece of gossip. Although they had an idea that Pei You¡¯s partner was a man, they didn¡¯t expect him to be so handsome and lively. The team had an open and accepting atmosphere and once again, the mood turned lively. Zhou Qingbo nodded in response to each of them, and when he noticed a few red eyes among the young interns, he couldn¡¯t help but tease them. ¡°Why is everyone about to cry?¡± Zhou Qingbo joked, ¡°Reluctant to part with him? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take good care of him.¡± His tone was light, playful, and filled with a bit of intimacy. A few of the interns who had been a little sad couldn¡¯t help but smile and giggle when they heard his words. ¡°Pei Ge! Since your boyfriend has come to pick you up, you don¡¯t need to send us off.¡± Someone in the crowd shouted, ¡°Hurry back home!¡± This stone stirred up a thousand waves, and several young folks immediately started teasing. Zhou Qingbo had thick skin and didn¡¯t feel embarrassed at all. He casually draped his arm over Pei You¡¯s shoulder. Zhou Qingbo said. ¡°I¡¯ll take him away for now. After you all get home, make sure to let each other know you¡¯re safe.¡± With that, his arm still wrapped around Pei You, they headed towards the parking lot. Pei You seemed still caught up in the excitement of Zhou Qingbo¡¯s sudden appearance, only realizing halfway down the slope what he was missing. He turned back towards the restaurant. ¡°Hey, hey, hey¡ª¡± Zhou Qingbo stopped him and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you leave something behind?¡± ¡°No,¡± Pei You said seriously. ¡°But their crab meat tofu is really good. I thought you would like it. Since you¡¯re back, I¡¯ll go buy some for you to try.¡± ¡°No need, no need,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, both amused and touched. He quickly held Pei You back, wrapping his arms around his waist and hanging his entire body on Pei You¡¯s back. Resting his head on Pei You¡¯s shoulder, he hummed, ¡°I¡¯m tired, I want to go home.¡± He had spent three days in Shanghai, staying at a hotel the whole time. Pei You touched his face with concern, giving up on the idea of going back to buy the crab meat tofu. As they walked towards the car, he said, ¡°Rest a few more days at home if you¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost done over there anyway, and I won¡¯t be going there anymore.¡± Zhou Qingbo yawned, bonelessly letting Pei You guide him into the car. He casually added, ¡°Let¡¯s go together after the new year.¡± ¡°Sure, as you wish,¡± Pei You leaned over to fasten Zhou Qingbo¡¯s seatbelt, advising, ¡°If you¡¯re tired, you can rest in the car.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been days since I¡¯ve been home. I bet you haven¡¯t had enough of me yet,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, stretching lazily and then looking at his empty left hand. Suddenly, he asked, ¡°By the way, are you selling this car?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Pei You said. ¡°Driving this car to Shanghai would be troublesome, and transferring the registration is also a hassle. So, I thought it¡¯s better to sell it and get a new one in Shanghai.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Zhou Qingbo stretched his legs and mused, ¡°When we get to Shanghai, we can get an automatic transmission car.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Pei You was surprised that Zhou Qingbo had an opinion on which car to buy. He couldn¡¯t help asking curiously, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Zhou Qingbo paused for suspense, then reached over, gently inserting his five fingers into Pei You¡¯s hand holding the gear lever. ¡°An automatic car is convenient for holding hands,¡± he said confidently. CH 101 The matter of ¡°eloping¡± couldn¡¯t be hidden from the family. So, on the second day after returning from Shanghai, Zhou Qingbo changed into more formal attire and went to Qingshan to apologize to his older brother. Two to three months had passed, and Qingshan¡¯s security had been upgraded again. Zhou Qingbo¡¯s old ID card was no longer effective at the security checkpoint, and a red light stopped him. Fortunately, the security guard patrolling the lobby recognized him and gave him a green light to let him in. As the holiday season approached, the atmosphere in the company was unusually relaxed. Zhou Qingbo casually took the elevator to the designated floor. When he opened the office door, he didn¡¯t see his older brother, but he did see Jiang Man sitting on the couch in the rest area, reading a magazine. ¡°Sister-in-law?¡± Zhou Qingbo greeted with a smile and said, ¡°You¡¯re here too.¡± ¡°Your older brother is becoming more and more childish. He thinks working alone is boring and needs someone to accompany him,¡± Jiang Man said, curled up on the couch, covered with a large blanket. It didn¡¯t seem like she was here to ¡°accompany¡± him; it looked more like she was on vacation. ¡°He¡¯s worried about you,¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled and replied, ¡°A new dad, I can understand.¡± Jiang Man had just found out she was pregnant the previous month, and she was still in the early stages. Zhou Cangshan had always cherished her, and now he was so nervous that it seemed like Jiang Man was a fragile glass doll, and he wanted to carry her around in a velvet box all day long. Jiang Man found his behavior both amusing and frustrating. She put down the magazine, teasingly said, ¡°What new dad? I think he¡¯s a clueless dad.¡± As they spoke, Zhou Cangshan came in from outside. Zhou Qingbo and Jiang Man didn¡¯t conspire behind his back, so when they saw him, they exchanged a glance and both turned away, laughing awkwardly twice. Zhou Cangshan had no way with his wife, so he could only vent on his younger brother. Seeing their expressions, he put on a stern face, stared at Zhou Qingbo, and said in an annoyed tone, ¡°You¡¯re only showing up now? I thought you¡¯d quietly run away.¡± The matter of going to Shanghai wasn¡¯t something Zhou Qingbo had tried to hide. Over these few months, he had occasionally shared updates on the progress of the decoration on his social media. Besides creating some buzz for the opening of the store, he also wanted to subtly gauge his family¡¯s attitude. He hadn¡¯t set any privacy settings on his social media posts. He had also talked to Jiang Man and Liang Ying on the phone quite a bit during this period. Seeing that Zhou Cangshan and Zhou Jianguo had been quiet for those two months, he knew they probably weren¡¯t strongly opposed. ¡°How could that be?¡± Zhou Qingbo knew Zhou Cangshan wasn¡¯t truly upset, so he cheekily chuckled and joked, ¡°Eloping would break my legs. I don¡¯t have the courage for that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. Are you telling me you lack courage?¡± Zhou Cangshan retorted, a bit discontented but also somewhat softening. He couldn¡¯t help but give Zhou Qingbo a look and said softly, ¡°I saw your resignation application in HR just now¡ªyou¡¯ve really decided to go with Pei You?¡± Ever since Zhou Qingbo refused to return to work the last time, Zhou Cangshan had vaguely sensed that his younger brother probably wouldn¡¯t stay. Although he thought it was a good thing for Zhou Qingbo to go out and explore, when he actually saw him in person, he felt a sense of emptiness, and nothing felt right. ¡°Also, can your bar support you financially?¡± Zhou Cangshan¡¯s mindset was still quite traditional, and he didn¡¯t have a favorable impression of establishments like ¡°bars.¡± Whenever he thought of this matter, he got worked up, couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°If you¡¯re going to do business, why not open a stable business? Why dabble in all those messy things? It¡¯s a whim one after another. Have you done any market research in the neighborhood? If your business goes under, have you thought about what to do then?¡± Zhou Qingbo was a person used to assessing the situation based on the context, and he was a master at adapting to circumstances. He followed the principle of being weak against the strong and strong against the weak in his approach to handling things. When he saw that Zhou Cangshan was merely scolding him without any real anger, he relaxed and casually picked up an orange from the fruit plate, starting to speak freely. ¡°No big deal,¡± Zhou Qingbo stuffed an orange piece into his mouth, nonchalantly saying, ¡°Even if I fail, I can just become an internet celebrity. Couples these days are doing great economically. Pei You is so good-looking. I can start a Weibo account and make daily Vlogs of us. It¡¯ll be enough.¡± Zhou Cangshan: ¡°¡­¡± (Speechless) Zhou Cangshan probably didn¡¯t expect Zhou Qingbo to come up with such ¡°unconventional¡± ideas. He was momentarily taken aback and couldn¡¯t find words to respond. ¡°Or I can just rely on Pei You,¡± Zhou Qingbo continued with his nonsensical talk, ¡°Anyway, he¡¯s about to be promoted to manager. He can support me easily¡ªplus, I¡¯m low-maintenance. I can survive on some millet porridge and flatbreads.¡± The sentiment of ¡°my little brother is leaving home as he grows up¡± disappeared from Zhou Cangshan¡¯s mind in an instant. He was so frustrated by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s words that he almost choked. ¡°Have you no shame?¡± Zhou Cangshan couldn¡¯t help but criticize, ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t want you afterward?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have no choice,¡± Zhou Qingbo confidently replied, ¡°I can only go to his office with my ID card and officially report Manager Pei¡¯s misconduct¡ªthen we¡¯ll go down together.¡± Zhou Cangshan: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Cangshan suffered defeat in this verbal exchange, choked by Zhou Qingbo¡¯s ¡°grandiose statements.¡± Once a younger brother is married off, he¡¯s like spilled water. Zhou Qingbo hadn¡¯t even run away yet, and he was already extending his arm into someone else¡¯s home. Zhou Cangshan finally accepted this harsh reality, realizing that Zhou Qingbo had made up his mind. Further persuasion would be futile, so he changed the topic and discussed business matters. ¡°By the way, how long are you going to give Dad the silent treatment?¡± Zhou Cangshan asked, ¡°You¡¯re not planning to come home for Chinese New Year?¡± The Lunar New Year was early this year. After New Year¡¯s Day, Chinese New Year would follow shortly. Normally at this time, the Zhou family would be busy buying Lunar New Year goods, but this year, Zhou Qingbo¡¯s absence made the house seem emptier. ¡°Not exactly. I still plan to come home for Chinese New Year,¡± Zhou Qingbo swallowed an orange piece with a gulp, habitually turning the orange peel into a decorative flower in his hands. He hesitated before saying, ¡°But I¡¯m afraid Dad will kick me out.¡± ¡°Why would he kick you out?¡± Zhou Cangshan gave him a glance, his attitude somewhat softened, and he revealed, ¡°Has you seen him meddling in your affairs during this time?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zhou Qingbo took the opportunity to climb the ladder of hope. He smiled and scooted closer to the edge of the couch, then asked cheekily, ¡°Then I can confidently go back home.¡± ¡°Bring Pei You along,¡± Zhou Cangshan said, ¡°Dad wants to meet him.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zhou Qingbo was surprised. He straightened up subconsciously and questioned, ¡°Why does Dad want to see him?¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to leave, and your parents naturally want to meet the person you¡¯re with before feeling at ease,¡± Zhou Cangshan explained. He looked at Zhou Qingbo and said with a hint of coolness, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t intend to eat your boyfriend.¡± In the past few months, Zhou Cangshan had been influenced by Jiang Man¡¯s views, and now when he mentioned ¡°boyfriend,¡± it didn¡¯t sound as awkward as it did at the beginning. ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask Pei You,¡± Zhou Qingbo thought for a moment and said, ¡°If he¡¯s willing, I¡¯ll invite him.¡± Pei You wasn¡¯t someone who got stage fright easily. After Zhou Qingbo discussed the matter with him, he readily agreed. On the morning of the first day of the lunar new year, he arrived at Zhou¡¯s parents¡¯ community on time with a bunch of gift boxes. Zhou Qingbo had returned home a couple of days earlier. After staying up late for the New Year¡¯s Eve, he got up early today, wrapped in thick pajamas and wearing slippers, waiting at the entrance of the community to pick up Pei You. ¡°Why did you buy so many things?¡± Zhou Qingbo was delighted when he opened the trunk of the taxi. He said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Auntie say you don¡¯t need to bring anything when you come home, just give money?¡± ¡°My mom and my sister helped me pick them out. They said it¡¯s my first time visiting, so they were afraid I¡¯ll appear unprepared,¡± Pei You explained. He touched Zhou Qingbo¡¯s cold hand and nudged him, saying, ¡°You¡¯re cold. Don¡¯t do anything with your hands.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, just a few steps.¡± Before Pei You could stop him, Zhou Qingbo swiftly grabbed a box of tea from the trunk and then naturally extended his hand to hold Pei You¡¯s, smiling as he said, ¡°By the way, there are no outsiders at home today. My parents pushed away the visitors to see you¡ªhow¡¯s that? Do they value you enough?¡± ¡°Should I be more formal then?¡± Pei You, who had never met parents before, was a new-bie at this. He reflected on his own poor performance and tried to improve his approach based on Zhou Qingbo¡¯s last-minute guidance. ¡°Just be yourself, no need to be overly conscious,¡± Zhou Qingbo appeared much more relaxed than before. He pinched Pei You¡¯s hand, smiled, and said, ¡°If they¡¯re not satisfied, I¡¯ll run away with you.¡± Pei You: ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s reassurance didn¡¯t seem to work. With his two sentences, Pei You¡¯s mood swung dramatically. He couldn¡¯t tell if he was feeling more relaxed or more nervous. Seeing that Pei You had stiffened up from head to toe like a wooden board, Zhou Qingbo couldn¡¯t help but suppress a chuckle. He reached from behind and placed his hand on Pei You¡¯s shoulder, giving him a gentle push up the steps. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be nervous,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°If there¡¯s any issue, they¡¯ll come to me. They won¡¯t trouble you.¡± Zhou¡¯s parents lived not far from the entrance of the residential complex in a standalone small villa. As they were welcoming Pei You, the courtyard gate had been opened in advance. Zhou Qingbo stood at the doorway and rang the doorbell. Someone quickly approached from inside, wearing slippers, and opened the door. Zhou Qingbo gently released Pei You¡¯s hand, handed him the box of tea, gave him an assuring look, and then stepped back slightly, waiting for the door to open. The one opening the door was Liang Ying. She had a little flour on her hands and when she saw Pei You, she first froze for a moment and then smiled at him, inviting him inside. ¡°Are you Xiaopei?¡± Liang Ying asked, ¡°Come in quickly, it¡¯s cold outside.¡± Before coming, Pei You had already mentally prepared himself in numerous ways. Even He Ping and Pei Yu had stayed up late the night before to give him an impromptu ¡°crash course,¡± simulating how he should handle it if Zhou¡¯s parents were difficult. But what surprised Pei You was that Zhou¡¯s parents¡¯ attitudes were rather friendly. From the greetings upon entering to the exchange of gifts, while Zhou Jianguo wasn¡¯t overly enthusiastic, he wasn¡¯t cold either. He accepted the items with politeness and invited Pei You to the living room for tea and fruits. Not only Pei You, but even Zhou Qingbo was pleasantly surprised by Zhou Jianguo¡¯s attitude. He took advantage of the opportunity when he went to the kitchen to fetch plates to whisper to Liang Ying. ¡°Did Dad change his attitude today?¡± Zhou Qingbo whispered, ¡°I thought he¡¯d want to assert his authority over us.¡± ¡°What did you think of your dad?¡± Liang Ying scolded him with a glance and whispered, ¡°You were raised by your dad. It¡¯s not a big deal for him to say a few words to you. Pei You hasn¡¯t even had a meal with him. Why should he be bossy to him?¡± Liang Ying¡¯s words eased Zhou Qingbo¡¯s concerns. He sneaked a piece of meat from the pot, shuffled his feet, and went to the small living room to listen to what Zhou Jianguo and Pei You were talking about. Pei You had a proper and serious demeanor, which might have made him seem distant during the matchmaking, but it actually earned him the favor of the elders. Zhou Jianguo had always liked young people who were willing to work hard and strive for progress. Now that there was a ¡°serious young man¡± in the family, he had also lessened his bias against the term ¡°homosexuality.¡± However, what surprised Zhou Qingbo was that neither Zhou Jianguo nor Liang Ying had inquired about Pei You¡¯s family background or their plans to go to Shanghai. It was as if they were genuinely inviting Pei You for a meeting, and they had a simple meal together. Both Zhou Jianguo and Zhou Cangshan were men of few words, and even when they were together, they couldn¡¯t hold a conversation. On the other hand, Liang Ying and Jiang Man exchanged a few words with Pei You during the meal, asking about his work and how things were going. ¡°Work is going smoothly, and the leaders are taking good care of me,¡± Pei You said honestly, ¡°After the promotion after the New Year, the salary and benefits will be much better than before.¡± ¡°As long as work is going well,¡± Liang Ying pushed a plate of braised fish towards him and Zhou Qingbo, smiling as she said, ¡°You¡¯re both young, it¡¯s good to be ambitious, but don¡¯t overwork yourselves. Money can¡¯t buy back your youth, so balance work and life.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Pei You said earnestly, ¡°But Auntie, rest assured, my job is stable and I can support Qingbo while taking care of the family.¡± Zhou Qingbo: ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Pei You¡¯s humor also made Liang Ying laugh. She picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks and had to clarify her words a bit. ¡°Good child, he doesn¡¯t need you to support him. He can live on millet porridge,¡± Liang Ying said, ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that your job is quite demanding. You need to find a balance between work and rest.¡± She returned Zhou Qingbo¡¯s teasing words to Zhou Cangshan almost verbatim. Zhou Qingbo blushed with embarrassment, but he also felt that maintaining this wonderful misunderstanding wasn¡¯t a bad thing. So, he nodded obediently and agreed. ¡°Alright,¡± Zhou Jianguo took out two bulging red envelopes from his pocket and handed one to Zhou Qingbo and one to Pei You, waving his hand without making a fuss, ¡°Go on, don¡¯t bother us at home.¡± Pei You didn¡¯t say a word and received the red envelope, feeling somewhat guilty about it. He was about to decline, but Zhou Qingbo quickly grabbed his arm and rapidly bid farewell to his family members. Caught off guard, Pei You only managed to say a quick goodbye before Zhou Qingbo dragged him out of the courtyard. ¡°Why are you so honest? Don¡¯t let it go to waste,¡± Zhou Qingbo stuffed both red envelopes into Pei You¡¯s pocket, saying confidently, ¡°Otherwise, wishing ¡®Uncle and Aunt a Happy New Year¡¯ would be in vain, right?¡± ¡°But¡­ isn¡¯t it a bit too much?¡± Pei You was quite sensitive to money. He had briefly touched one of the envelopes and it felt like there was at least twenty thousand inside. ¡°It¡¯s not much, after all, it¡¯s the last lunch,¡± Zhou Qingbo stifled a laugh and playfully teased him, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what my dad said? From now on, even if you are short on food, you won¡¯t get money from home¡ªconsider this parting gift as the cost of meals, so it¡¯s appropriate to give a little more.¡± Pei You lowered his gaze and thoughtfully touched the red envelope in his pocket, lost in thought. With one hand in his pocket, Zhou Qingbo slyly reached over and hooked his finger onto the cuff of Pei You¡¯s sleeve, gently shaking it. ¡°Hey,¡± Zhou Qingbo asked, ¡°Now that my family won¡¯t be taking care of me anymore, will you let me go without food?¡± Clearly he was asking knowingly, but Pei You still turned to look at him, earnestly shaking his head. ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡± Pei You said, ¡°You have to trust me.¡± ¡°Just messing with you,¡± Zhou Qingbo chuckled, shaking his sleeve playfully, and said, ¡°My New Year¡¯s money is usually not this much. Most of it is for you. My dad felt awkward mentioning it, so it¡¯s good that you know.¡± ¡°Actually, your dad isn¡¯t bad.¡± Pei You turned to look back for a moment. Once they turned the corner, the small villa was blocked by a row of trees, just slightly visible from the side. After a brief glance, Pei You averted his gaze and continued, ¡°He cares about you.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Zhou Qingbo didn¡¯t deny it, ¡°Although he was a bit fierce when he was younger, making the whole family a bit afraid of him.¡± ¡°But my dad has high values; he sticks to his words. He won¡¯t go back on what he says,¡± Zhou Qingbo said, ¡°Whether it¡¯s money for meals or a parting gift, it shows that he approves of you and is ready to entrust me to you.¡± Zhou Qingbo¡¯s finger slipped from the cuff of Pei You¡¯s sleeve, barely falling into the palm of his hand. He naturally held Pei You¡¯s hand, turned his head, and smiled at him. ¡°How about it?¡± Zhou Qingbo playfully teased, ¡°Do you want to take on this big responsibility? It¡¯s up to you.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Pei You always took such playful jokes seriously. He held Zhou Qingbo¡¯s hand in his, breathed against his cold fingers, and said solemnly, ¡°And I¡¯ll cherish it.¡±